other parts A fair face end a crocked body comely upper parts and the lower parts ancomely suit not well because comlinesse stands in onenesse in a fit agreement of many paris to one when there is the head of a Man and the body of a Beast it is a monster in Nature And is it on t as monstrous to have an understanding head and a fierce untamed heart Sibbs Souls Conflict 139 140. another thing wherein beauty doth consist and is also in Self-denial where there is Self-denial there is not only Integrity but Symetry and proportion a comely proportion 1 Of graces unto graces A Self-denying man is one that hath grace for grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is grace answerable unto grace and not only in Christ as John 1.16 but in himself also Hee hath knowledge answerable unto zeal and zeal answerable unto knowledge love answerable unto faith and faith answerable unto love godly sorrow answerable unto godly joy and godly joy answerable unto godly sorrow for while grace is not hindred as while Self is denyed it is not it puts forth it self in all the powers and faculties of the soul alike As in the body when there is no obstruction the nourishment is equally distributed to all the members and the growth of one is answerable to the growth of another It is true indeed that some that are eminent in the exercise of some particular Graces are as defective in others but the reason is from the opposition of the corruptions contrary to those Graces not so much weakned as others are If corruptions were alike mortified Graces would be alike exercised 2 Of Actions unto Graces If these things be in you and abound saith the Apostle having spoken of adding several Graces one to another in the precedent Verses they make you that you shall neither be barren nor unfruitful 2 Pet. 1.8 Self-denial will not suffer any grace to lye dead in the soul A Self-denying man lives up to the height of his Graces Obj. This no doubt hath an exceeding great beauty in it but God only sees it what proportion is in mens Actions unto their Graces we cannot discern Ans True but there is another that you may discern namely the proportion 3 Of Actions unto professed Principles A Self-denying man lives up to his Principles hee professeth that Sin is the greatest Evil in the World and hee lives answerable to this profession by abstaining from all appearance of evil 1 Thess 5.22 manifesting his hatred even of the garment spotted with the flesh Epi. Jude v. 23. Again he prosesseth that the glory of God is to be preferred before all persons and things in the World and hee lives answerable to this Principle by for sakeing father and mother brother and fister Matth. 10.37 houses and lands and all that hee hath Luke 14.33 when they come in competition with it he so lives as if there no n See Burroughs Mos Choice 315. talking of any of the Principles of godlinesse yet they might be found in his life and conversation 4 Of Actions unto Actions many men in their preaching and praying and conference seeme to bee like Angels but take them out of these duties and they are but as other men nay farre worse doe but observe them in their dealings with men and they will be found to bee stark naught and to have nothing of the power of godlinesse in them there is no suitablenesse in their ordinary and common actons to their actions in matters of Gods Worship These are the o It is a shameful thing for men that make profession of Religion not to bee raised above Moralities now when the men of the World that have skill in this shall see that godlinesse teaches men to be just and that theirs is a more acurate Justice then that which is in the World this convinces men but when they shall see men talking so much of godliness and Church-Discipline and yet when they come to deal with them they are so cunning and will fetch over men as well as any and men know not where to finde them these are burdensome members to a Church that wrong Religion Burroughs Mos choice 317. blots and the reproaches of Christian Religion which teacheth men to make conscience not only of the duties of the First Table but of the Second also which a Self-denying man doth and is therefore the only cred it and glory of it A Self-denying man denies all ungodlinesse and worldly lusts and lives not only godly but righteously and soberly in this present world Tit. 2.12 he acts in all things by the same rule in all places in all companies he is as conscientious and acurate in his dealings with men as in his dealings with God his life is spun out aequali stamine with an even thred there is no incoherence no inconsistency in any of his Actions he is not zealous in some duties and luke-warme in others but alike zealously affected in all Let men take him when they will and where they will he is still the same man they shall find no in-and out dealing by him This is his beauty this makes him deservedly amiable in the eye of the world There is one thing more required to beauty which is also to be seen in Self-denial and that is 3 Cleernesse Self-denial as it is said of Wisdome Eccles 8.1 makes the face to shine it wipes off all that soyls and dis-colours the brightnesse of it A Self-denying man is fair as the Moon and clear as the Sun Cant. 6.10 hee is filius lucis a Childe of Light walking in light his light shines before men so that they may see his good works Matth. 5.16 he holds forth the vertues of him that hath called him out of darknesse into marvellous light Grace moves it self aright and gives its p Pulcher a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 equidens velim a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 deducere cum pulchritudo magnam partem coloris sit a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hinc Cicere 4. Tusc Corporis quaedam opta figura membrorum cum coloris quaedam suavitate dicitur pulchritude Etiam pulcher cui 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beckman de Origin Lat. Ling. colour in him He is purer than Snow whiter than Milk more ruddy than Rubies his polishing is of Saphire his face is as the face of an Angel he is altogether lovely The Third Excellency of Self-denial 3 It is a Christians dignity and preheminence Self-denial is that which differenceth man from man Saints from men This you have in that of the Apostle 1 Cor. 3.3 For whereas there is among you envying and strife and divisions are yee not carnal and walk as men Envying and strife and divisions wheresoever they be doe speake abundance of selfishnesse and if these abound amongst Professors they become like the men of the World who are not able to deny themselves in any thing either towards God or man A selfish walking is a walking
not only in this our Israel but in most parts of the World yet me thinkes thou shouldst bee welcome for his sake it seems to mee to bee highly and hugely obligeing that if Christ denyed himself his glory for us wee should deny our selfes our sinnes for him yea I may say for our selves surely they will do but little for Christ that will not for his sake bee content to bee happy Moreover Oh thou most rare Self-Denial this addes to thy beauty and takingness and should indear thee to all the professing world that thou commest forth in season for when should Self-Denial bee Preacht and Prest but when men that say they are Christians savour the things that are of men and not the things that are of God then t was Matth. 16. that Christ said to his Disciples if any will come after mee let him deny himself Shall I adde that some graces and duties are to bee acted but now and then but this alwaies a Christian should bee often in Self-Tryall c. but alwaies in Self-Denial for when other duties are but as Letters this must bee as the vowel to give it a sound and make it a word there cannot bee a Monosyllable spelt in Religion without this vowel of Self-Denial In a word to disabuse the mistaken World which look upon this as a pusillanimous and dispiriting Doctrine a puleing quality fitted onely to little soules If God and Reason may be heard to speak there is nothing more becomming brave Spirits than Self-Denial it argues the greatnesse of their courage that they are Persons of high and noble Soules who can give the Denial to that which hath been born and bred with them and is therefore so near and dear to them rather than adventure to break the Command of their Lord and Soveraign T is effeminate and worse it hath nothing of masculine and manly in it to indulge and gratify selfish inclinations and fleshly appetites hath not God said it hee that ruleth his spirit that subdues and denies himself is better a person of more honour and of higher command than hee that takes and rules a City and he that dares not undertake such an Heroick Conquest is not worthy the name of a stout and gallant man How many valiant Sword-men of the World have shewn themselves meer cowards who have come Conquerors out of the field and then lived and it may bee dyed base slaves to a lust at home As one said of a great Romane Captain who as hee rode in his triumphant Chariot through Rome had his eyes fixed on a Courtizan that walkt the streets Behold how this goodly Captain that hath Conquered such Potent Armies is himself conquered by one silly woman hee might have better said by his own lust Well then if thou wilt save thy self generously away with thy selfe for hee that will loose himselfe shall save himselfe but hee that will save himself shall loose himself and then what wilt thou do but pule and sneak complain and lament with such a sad out-cry as this Ah! my too much of mee mee much annoy'd And my self-plenty my poor self destroyed To conclude all let mee beseech thee for Christs sake and thine own souls sake to learn not onely the name and notion but the thing and not to please thy self with the word without the spirit power and practice of Self-Denial Now that the Author thy and my self and all the world may put Self-Denial in practice and so as to abound and persevere therein to the end is the hearty Prayer of the Authors thine and every mans Friend and Servant in Christ Jesus RALPH VENNING A Table of the several Chapters and Sections in the following Treatise Chap. 1 The Text. Sect. 1 THe Introduction to the Text. P. 1 Sect. 2 The Occasion of it Page 4. Sect. 3 The Division Page 6 Sect. 4. The Explication Page 7 Chap. 2 The Doctrine Page 18 Sect. 1 Shewing what is meant by self Page 18 Sect. 2 Shewing what it is to deny self more generally Page 21 Sect. 3 Shewing what it is to deny self more particularly Page 42 Subsect 1. Of denying self in respect of inherent grace Page 43 Subsect 2. Of denying self in respect of Common gifts Page 75 Subsect 3. Of denying self in good works Page 129 Subsect 4. Of denying self in respect of worldly enjoyments Page 167 Subsect 5 Of denying self in respect of worldly sufferings Page 191 Subsect 6 Of denying self in respect of our Relations Page 220 Chap. 3 The Demonstration Page 231 Chap. 4 The Application Page 242 Sect. 1 Of Information Page 242 Sect. 2 Of Exhortation Page 259 Subsect 1 Motives to self-denial from the Excellency of it Page 265 Subsect 2 Directions for the practice of self-deniall Page 308 A TREATISE OF SELF-DENIAL CHAP I. Matth. 16.24 If any man will come after me let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me SECT I. The Introduction to the Text. THat multitudes perish eternally even of a Mat. 7.21 22 23. c. 21.21 22 23 24. Lu. 13.24 25 26 27 28 29. 1 Cor. 6.9 10. Gal 5.19 20 21. those that live under the Gospel though but few do beleeve it will be found to be no mistake at the last day Two things there be that ruine them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their b Luke 9.26 c. 19.14 27. Eph. 5 6. Col. 3 6. 2 Thess 1.8 9. c. 2.10 11 12. disobedience in standing off and their c Jer. 3.20 1 Tim. 4.1 2. 2 Tim. 3.2 3 4 5. 13. Heb. 6.4 5 5. c. 10 26 27 28 29 38 39. 2 Pet. 2.20 21 22. treachery in falling off from Religion notwithstanding all the preaching in the world there are but few that will be induced to d 1 Tim. 6.12 make a profession but few that wil be perswaded to e Heb. 4.14 c. 10.23 hold it fast I speak not of that vulgat profession that denominates men Christians in contradistinction to Heathens but of that which gives them the signal name of Professors in contradistinction to nominal Christians As for the former there are none with us that deny it and not many that do disclaim it Verily as for the latter it is far otherwise Some like the deaf Adder f Psal 58.4 stop their ear others will not suffer it to be g Exod. 21.6 Deut. 15.17 boared Some will by no means put their hand to the plough others afterwards will look back but both are unfit for the Kingdome of God Luke 9.62 That which keeps off the One that they do not enter into the wayes of godliness is h Joh. 7.13 c. 11.48 ch 12.4 Act. 19.27 fear of suffering that which drives off the Other that they do not persevere in them is i Mat. 13.21 impatiency under it The cause of both these if we trace them to their spring-head will be found to be nothing else
were any way in the World to make it lawful And thus do many when the thoughts of sinne do lye in the way to any thing they have a minde to they try if it may be otherwise they will see if they can bring down Gods mind to theirs because they are loath to bring up their minds to Gods that so God may deny himself because they will not The Apostle p Ephes 5.10 exhorts us to prove what is the good and acceptable will of God for this end that we may obey it but selfish men prove what is not the will of God because they have no minde to obey it and therefore are glad if they can finde it to be no duty because they list not to practice it and no sin because they are loath to bee restrained from it Thus we see what course men take when they reason with Self in a way of consultation and therefore this is not that reasoning whereby Self is denied this is so farre from Self-denial that it is the veriest self-pleasing and self-seeking that is in the world Self must not bee consulted withall when we are called to come after Christ Abraham when he was called to go out into a place which hee should after receive for an Inheritance obeyed and went out not knowing whither he went Heb. 11.8 When once wee are certain of the command 't is too late to ask counsel In retam sancta non est deliberandum Let us then go on to the second particular 2 A reasoning of contestation this is the reasoning here meant we must not reason with Self in a way of consultation but in a way of contestation This is a principal part of Self-denial for the opening whereof consider these two particulars 1 Self will affirm that which is not to be affirmed both of sins and duties persons and things it will q Esa 5.20 call darkness light and light darkness it will call that which is evil good and that which is good evil it will put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter First it will call darkness light it will say of the grossest errour it is the most glorious truth thus it calls Antinomianisme a Honey-combe Familism the rule of perfection and Arminianisme Gods love to Mankind Secondly it will call light darkness it will say of the most glorious Truths they are but the dreams and melancholly fancies of a company of ignorant and silly people Thus it decries the holy Scriptures as a dead Letter a beggerly Element incky Divinity and a Humane invention Thirdly it will call that which is evil good it will commend the foulest Vices for the fairest vertues thus it calls Drunkenness good fellowship Covetousness frugality and Pride magnanimity Fourthly it will call that which is good evil thus it calls Preciseness hipocrisic and Zeal vain glory Fifthly it will put bitter for sweet thus it says of Religion that it is but a melancholly dumpish thing voyd of all true pleasure and comfort Lastly sweet for bitter and thus it says that the only way to peace and comfort is to make conscience of nothing Thus Self speaks many times in bare affirmations only without arguing of the case or urging what it says by the strength of seeming reason And this is from hence that in Natural men not only through ignorance but also many times through a wilful and inordinate love of that which is evil and inveterate hatred of that which is good this unjust sentencing of truth and falsehood and good and evil is not so much as called in question so that it being taken for granted what Self says there needs no further urging of it But now if that an Ipse dixit a bare affirmation will not prevail there being some conviction or other in the Conscience that gain says it then 2 Self will endeavour to prove what it sayes by strength of argument it will not only say of evil that it is good and of good that it is evil but it will alledge such and such Reasons why it must needs bee so and these Reasons it will urge with much vehemency and importunity pressing them not only upon the judgement for the gaining of the affections but upon the affections also for the winning of the judgement and by this means it so farre prevails with many that the most powerful and convincing preaching will not work upon them Our duty in this case is Two-fold 1. To distinguish 2. To deny 1 To distinguish seeming reason from that which is reason indeed Self produceth its strong reasons as they are called Isa 41.21 but their chiefest strength is the colour and vizard of true Reason wherewith they are disguised strip them of their cloathing and they dis-appear presently they seem to bee reason but indeed are not Like as in a picture of fire wipe off the colours and nothing remains In all the Arguments that Self brings two things are warily to be observed First what it lays down for a principle or rule and Secondly how it doth apply it The fallacie lyes in one of these two and where the fallacy is wee must be sure to deny 1 Sometimes the fallacy or deceit lies in the principle Self hath many wicked and cursed Principles whereby it misleads the generality of the world As 1 Beleeve no more than you can see reason for 2 Moderation in Religion is most commendable whatsoever is beyond it is Hipocrisie 3 Take up a form of hodliness but deny the power thereof 4 Do many things but keep thy Herodias still 5 Perform religious duties but allow as little time for them as may be 6 Engage no further in the cause of Religion than there is a way open for a retreat 7 Every man for himself and God for us all 8 I may make the most of my own 9 Let the buyer look to himself 10 Flesh and bloud cannot endure it 11 I scorn to be beholding 12 Shall I want while I have and when I have it not too 13 Qui nescit dissimulare nescit vivere Hee that cannot dissemble knows not how to live All these are false Principles 2 Sometimes the fallacy is in the application of the Principle as for instance sometimes Self pleads for Prodigality under the name of Liberality for Covetousness under the name of Frugality for foolish Pitty under the name of Lenity and Mercy for Superstition under the name of Devotion for Censoriousness under pretence of Zeal and lastly for Licentiousness under the name of Christian liberty Here the principle is good but the application naught As suppose when a man is profuse in his expences wasting his estate in unnecessary entertainments c. if the question be put whether he do vertuously or not Self will tell him hee does vertuously and to prove it frames this argument Hee that spends liberally does vertuously but thou spendest liberally Ergo. Here the Principle is good for Liberality is a vertue and he that is liberal deviseth liberal things
This is the manner of worldling Professours they keep their eye upon God and his people and then in the mean while slide back and by little and little steal away that none may perceive them or if they bee espied they may answer those that shall taxe them that they are in the same posture that they were before Thus it is with many and wee cannot perceive them presently the Apostle saith 1 Thess 2.5 For neither at any time used wee flattering words as yee know nor a cloak of covetousness God knows If wee had flattered yee could soon have discerned that but wee might have been covetous and yee could not have known it onely God could have discerned that It s God onely that must judge of the hypocrisie of divers yet there are others whose hypocritical warping and recidivation is visible to all that have but one eye open to behold them Some mens sins go before and are manifest others are secret and follow after It is easie and ordinary for men to pretend one thing and intend another ordinary and common to pretend seeking of Christ and yet even then to seek themselves and the things of the world more than Christ Christ told the people that came to Capernaum seeking for him Yee seek mee not because yee saw the Miracles but because yee did eat of the loaves and were filled Joh. 6.26 Simon Magus beleeved and was baptized but the chief thing hee aimed at was that hee might bee a great man and that hee might get as much then by giving of the Holy Ghost as hee had got by conjuting before Acts 8.19 It may haply go for a Paradox with some That one that hath lived all his dayes loosely and vainly in contempt of Christ and his Ordinances should at length take upon him a profession of Religion frequent the Ordinances and practice several duties of Christianity meerly in pursuance of the world and the things of the world but it is a most certain Truth A wicked man that is unconverted may change his way but hee can never change his end A man may have the same end in frequenting the Ordinances that hee had formerly when hee frequented Play-houses or the Stews Hee may bee much in hearing praying fasting and talking of the Scripture and yet seek himself and the things of the world as his chief end in all these wayes See Zach. 7.5 When yee fasted and mourned in the fifth and seventh month did yee at all fast unto mee even to mee and when yee did eat and when yee did drink did yee not eat for your selves and drink for your selves The like God saith of the ten Tribes Hos 7.14 They have not cryed unto mee with their heart when they howled upon their beds they assemble themselves for Corn and Wine and they rebel against mee and in the 16. verse They return but not to the most High Godliness is profitable for all things having the promises of this life as well as of the life to come and Wisdome proclaimes That in her right hand is length of dayes and in her left hand riches and honour Hereupon many make use of God and Religion onely to gain temporal things from him and so make him who is the last end and highest good an instrument or means to attain that which is far below him Jehu was very zealous for the Lord and marched on furiously in executing the Judgement threatned against the house of Ahab but his end was to establish the Kingdome upon himself and his posterity The Scribes and Pharisees were very strict and precise and abundant in many good duties they gave Almes they kept dayes of fasting and humiliation twice a week but their end was vain-glory Matth. 6.1 and getting of money chap. 23.14 so easie a thing it is under the vizard of Religion to seek the accomplishment of the basest end whatsoever The Heathen tells us of some in his time who could thus expresse themselves at their Devotion Pulchra Laverna Da mihi fallere da justum sanctumque videri Noctem peccatis fraudibus objice nubem Fair Goddess Laverne give mee so to seem That just and holy men may mee esteem Cloud o're my sins and vail them with the night That my deceits may never come to light Many desire to appear to bee good and therefore put on the Livery of an external Profession but they do not desire to bee good and therefore notwithstanding all the Religious exercises they bee conversant in they may seek the world and the things of the world as much as before What cares the Devil the Prince of this world that rules in the children of disobedience what cares hee I say that some of his vassals now and then offer to God a sacrifice without an heart that they draw near to him with their mouth while they leave their heart behinde them I have read that it was the Watch-word among the Papists after Queen Elizabeth came to the Crown My son give mee thy heart bee in heart a Papist and then go to Church it matters not The Devil can keep his supremacy notwithstanding such an outward compliance with God and truly it is but an outward compliance with God in a few external duties and formalities of worship that the generality of those that call themselves Protestants not to say Professors are guilty of With their mouth they shew much love but their heart goes after their covetousness as God saith of Ezekiels hearers Ezek. 33.31 And this is the other way of Selfes answering the Question by propounding something which is good in it self under the notion of the chief good Two things therefore are here required by way of Self-denial in every good work 1 Not to intend any thing that is evill in it self though it seem never so good If wee may not do evill that good may come thereof as Rom. 3.8 much less then may wee do good that evill may come thereof To pervert but a civill Ordinance as buying and selling c. to the fulfilling of any sinful lust is a very great wickedness and that which exceedingly provokes God Micb. 6.10 Much more to pervert a spiritual Ordinance as fasting and praying and preaching c. as shee did 1 King 21.9 and they Phil. 1.15 This is to make Christ a servant to Sathan to throw down Christs Scepter at Sathans feet and to make it subservient to the advancing of his Kindgome of darkness 2 Not any thing that is good in it self but not the chief good under the notion of the chief good Riches and Honours and Pleasures are good in themselves and such things as wee may lawfully make our end but they are not the chief good and therefore wee may not make any of them our chief end God is to bee our chief end in every thing that wee do and other things onely as they bee subordinate unto God Whether therefore yee eat or drink saith the Apostle or what ever yee do do all
none of that in the service of God IX Amongst Buyers That dis-commend the Commodity before they have bought it saying It is naught it is naught that they may get it at an undervalue but when they are gone their way then they boast Prov. 20.14 glorying and applauding themselves in the good bargain they have made That say in their hearts and in their words too it being their Principle Let the Seller look to himself I le buy as cheap as I can That doe wish for their Neighbours goods that they might have them either for nothing or for half the worth and if it could be so would count it the best Market that ever they made That get some to intice the Seller bribing Servants c. that hee may by that means bee the more easily perswaded to part with his commodity That take advantage of the Sellers ignorance or necessity That swallow up the poore and needy even to make the poore of the Land to faile That borrow other mens money and pay them out of extorted Purchases gotten by that money That doe ingtosse Commodities and fore-stall the Market That joyn house to house that lay field to field till there be no place that they may be placed alone in the midst of the earth Isa 5.8 That will out-bid another purposely to get the bargaine from him before they know his mind whether hee will not give the same price That buy stollen goods or things which the Seller has no power to alienate That buy upon the Sabbath Day X. Amongst Sellers That over-commend their Commodities saying They are so good or of such a sort that they gave so much for them and were offered so much for them when their Consciences in the meane while tell them that they doe but lye That raise up false reports saying that they are grown scarce that there is like to be Warre c. which they know to be false purposely to make them go off the sooner That promise to use men kindly and to sell cheaper than others when they intend no such matter purposely to draw men in That invite men into their houses and give them good entertainment but afterwards set it down in the prizes of the Commodities that they buy That raise an ill report of their neighbour Trades-men to get off their Customers That goe to the Ale-houses and spend so much upon their Chapmen till they make them drunk that they may make a better bargaine That make a great profession of Religion that they may be the rather trusted That sell one thing for another That say When will the New Moon bee gone that wee may sell Corn and the Sabbath that wee may set forth Wheat making the Ephah small and the Shekle great and falsifying the ballances by deceit That wee may buy the poor for silver and the needy for a pair of shooes yea and sell the refuse of the Wheat Amos 8.5 6. That sell unlawful Commodities as Cards and Dice Beauty spots c. That aske double the price that so they may abate That make this their Principle Let the buyer look to himself That sell good Commodities at first that they may put off bad afterwards That sophisticate their Wares That keep false Accompts That keep all till a dear time That murmur when God sends a plentiful year because they cannot sell so dear as before That rejoyce at the newes of a Shipwrack wherein some store of the Commodity that they sell is cast away because then that which they have will not lye upon their hands but goe off at any rate That will allow no time for Family prayer and reading of the Word lest they should lose some Customers in the mean while That will not keep up Family duties for fear of displeasing such Customers as doe not affect religion If we set aside all these how few will there be left that doe in deed and in truth deny themselves and consequently how few that doe come after Christ Obj. But must all these bee set aside for such as doe not deny themselves Are none such to be taken for Self-denying persons Answ None such as doe live in any of the fore-mentioned Evils either of Omission or Commission are to be taken foâ— Self-denying persons To live in any one sin is inconsistent with Self-denial for that consists in integrity l Vires on Numb 14. Serm. before the Parl. of aversion from sin and conversion to God Quoad Assensum conatum though it doth not exclude all sin yet it excludes all reigning sin it will not endure that a man should cast off some sins and retaine fome other in deliciis nor will it allow that one should plough here and make a bawk there though one should doe never so many things with Herod Mar. 6.20 yet if there be but one thing lacking as in the young man Luke 18.22 such an one doth not truly deny himself in any thing and though hee abandon never so many evils yet if hee continue in the allowed practise of but one known sin with Naaman 2 King 5.18 hee doth but deceive himself his religion is in vain Jam. 1.26 As hee doth not come after Christ in the way of holiness so hee cannot come after him to eternal happiness Obj. I but when all these are set aside it may bee those that are left namely those that doe in deed and in truth deny themselves will for all that bee found to bee the greater number Answ No for the Apostle tells us that All seek their owne not the things which are Jesus Christs Phil. 2.21 which I am sure is true of all Natural men and they are the greatest number even under the Gospel for many are called but few are â—hosen Mat. 20.16 therefore there are but few that doe deny themselves and consequently but few that doe come after Christ Obj. Well suppose there are but few that doe come after Christ what follows then Answ Why then it follows 1 That the greatest part are Hypocrites for to professe to come after Christ as all that call themselves Christians doe and in the mean while to seek themselves and not Christ is to play the Hypocrites and you know what is their portion Job 8.13 14 15 16 17 18 19. and Chap. 15.34 and Mat. 24.51 2 That every one hath cause to bee jealous of himself and to try what manner of person hee is But of this beneath Sect. 2. Subsect 2. 3 That there is great need of preaching and pressing this Doctrine of Self-denial and therefore I shall apply it secondly by way SECT II. Of Exhortation TO all you who have not as yet begun to deny your selves that you would now begin to doe it You have yeelded long enough yea too long the time past of your life may suffice you to have wrought the will of the Gentiles when yee walked in lasciviousnesse lusts excesse of wine Witch-craft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murders Gal.