not be executed they think there is some use of them in terrorem to over-awe men a little that they might not be wicked over much but that God never threatned with intent to execute or if they must be executed then 2 It is but upon those that despise the Promises but for their parts they relye on them 3 However it be they think they must not despair but be of a good courage and hope to the last breath and therefore notwithstanding all the threatnings they have these and these promises and here they will hold fast If this doe not fully comfort them then 3 They look into themselves and conclude that though they be guilty of a great many sins yet they are but infirmities and failings for they often hear that to fall into such and such sinful Acts may consist with grace and for their parts they cannot help it they swear indeed but it is but now and then when they are provoked they are sometimes drunk but it is but now and then when they are drawn in by good company and they doe forget themselves are they be aware and it is not so much many times only they have weaker braines than others and men thinke they be drunke when they are not 4 They consider the examples of godly men in Scripture who have been guilty of the same sins as Noah Lot David Peter c. and hence they argue that every man hath his failings and the best must have their graines of allowance And the Apostle saith that in many things we offend all and If any man saith he hath no sin he is a lyer and now they can hold no longer but presently fly out upon other Professors as meer pretenders to perfection and Saintship which they hold to bee a thing impossible on this side Heaven and so fall to scoffing and jeering and rayling upon those that live more conformably to the rules of their Religion than themselves Hence 5 They think that all those many of them at least that doe condemne them live in the same sins secretly or in as bad of another kind though they will not swear say they they will lye and though they will not be drunk they will play the Gluttons and that they cannot endure good fellowship with the rest of their Neighbours it is only from pride and Self-conceitednesse Stand off touch me not I am holier than thou Hence again they conclude as for perfection no mortal man is capable of it it is but in vain to endeavour after it or pretend unto it If this doth not quiet their guilty consciences then 6 They hope they shall repent and then they are sure all will bee well then there will bee no fear for At what time soever a sinner repents c. As for example the Thief upon the Crosse therefore if they can but cry God mercy before the last gasp they doubt not but they shall make a good end But 7 At the worst come the worst that can come they shall doe as well as others and they think that others have souls to save as well as they and why should they fear more than other men They consider that not only the generality of the common people but many of the wise and learned especially of the great and mighty doe commonly practise the same things or as bad or worse and they think if there were any danger they would bee ware of it howsoever to make all sure beside their constant attending of the publick Ordinances 8 They will pray in their Closets and in their Families and repeat to their people the Sermons they have written and sing Psalmes and besides sometimes they will put themselves to a voluntary pennance as to fast such a day yearly it may be weekly or to part with some gaineful imployment or to give away a great sum of money to good uses as serves best for the quieting of their consciences fearfully vexed with the guilt it may be of some particular sin above all others that they live in Now Readers if you be any of you of this number as I suppose some of you be give me leave in a few words a little to expostulate and reason with you Yet beleeve the Scriptures to be the Word of God and in them ye think ye have eternal life search them therefore and peruse them diligently view every line from the beginning to the end ponder every word and see if upon the most exact and curious observation you can find the least syllable of any comfort or encouragement for any one that allowes himself in any one known sin They speak much indeed of Gods mercy to sinners but to what Sinners are they not beleeving and repenting sinners only and who are they but such as in their purposes and endeavours turne from every known sin Doe they say he will be merciful to any presumptuous sinners to any such as hold fast deceit and refuse to returne Hear what they say Whoso confesseth his sins and forsaketh them shall have mercy but he that covereth them shall not prosper Prov. 28.13 For the wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all ungodliness mark it all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men namely of such men who hold the truth in unrighteousness Rom. 1.18 You think God is merciful true but is hee not also just is he not also wrathful and revengeful See how the Prophet describes him God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies Nah. 1.2 It followes indeed in the next verse The Lord is slow to anger but mark what comes after and will not at all acquit the wicked where the Lord proclaimes his Name in this manner unto Moses The Lord the Lord God merciful and gracious long suffering and abundant in goodness and truth keeping mercy for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sin Exod. 34.6 even there he also addes and that will by no meanes cleare the guilty visiting the iniquity of the Fathers upon the Children and upon the childrens children to the third and to the fourth generation vers 7. God beares with you now and is good unto you you think he will deale thus with you in the world to come and therefore you sin with the more boldness but hear what he saith These things hast thou done and I kept silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such a one as thy self but I will reprove thee and set them in order before thine eyes Now consider this ye that forget God lest I teare you in peices and there be none to deliver Psal 50.21 22. Patientia laesa transit in furorem The long suffering and goodness of God being abused will at length grow into fury and then woe be unto all such as shall be found in their sins the more of the goodness of God hath been spent upon them here the more of his wrath shall
more ungodliness You doe not so much as resolve against every known sin but your hearts are fully set in you to doe wickedly you doe not watch against it before it be committed but run your selves upon temptations and after it is committed are you ashamed nay you are not at all ashamed neither can you blush none of you smiteth upon the thigh saying What have I done None of you repenteth him of his wickedness as those holy men did from whose example of sinning but not of turning from their sinne you fetch so much comfort But you hope you shall repent too at last at last Why doe you not endeavour it at present Doe you think you can repent when you will or have you any engagement upon God that whensoever you please hee should work it in you Qui promisit poenitenti veniam non promisit differenti poenitentiam He that hath promised to grant a pardon to the penitent hath no where promised to grant repentance to him that delayes to repent How can you expect it you have rather cause to feare that hee will give you over to a reprobate minde Romans 1.28 and to your owne hearts lusts Psalme 81.12 that you may live all your dayes in your sinnes and at last dye in them John 8.24 and afterwards bee damned for them 2 Thes 2.12 Wherefore as the Holy Ghost saith To day if yee will heare his voice harden not your hearts lest hee swear in his wrath you shall not enter into my rest Heb. 3.7 XI There is a time even in this life after which God will shew no mercy it is possible to sinne away a day of Grace long before you dye and then though you call upon him hee will not answer though you seek him early you shall not finde him for that you hated knowledge and did not chuse the fear of the Lord you would none of his counsell you despised all his reproof Therefore you shall eate of the fruit of your owne way and be filled with your owne devices for the turning away of the simple shall slay you and the prosperity of fooles shall destroy you Prov. 1.28 32. Beware therefore of going on any longer against your light presently abandon every known sin practise every known duty necessity is laid upon you and woe be to you if you doe it not Though you should make never so glorious a profession though you should performe never so many duties if you stick but at one so that you will not performe that too it is impossible but you should bee shut out of heaven as you may see in the Story of the Young man Luke 18.22 And though you should abandon never so many sinnes if you sticke but at one so that you will not abandon that too it is impossible but you should bee turned into Hell out of which there is no redemption there you must lye and lye to all eternity Thinke upon this and then see whether it bee best to gratifie the flesh either by the forbearance of any known duty or practise of any known sinne as you doe Let not the example of the generality of the World move you better goe to Heaven with a few than to Hell in the crowd Thus much Readers I thought fit to preface as a necessary preparative to the profitable reading of this Treatise of SELF-DENIAL The blessing of the Lord goe along with it Not else but that I am Your Servant in the work of the Gospel Theoph. Polwheile To not only the Christian Reader but to any Reader that hath a mind or if not that hee may have a mind to be a Christian and that not only in shew but in truth not only in word but in deed SElf-denial bless us what a strange hard word what a prodigious and monstrous thing is this saith poor selfish man Self-denial forsooth what am not I my self Doe not I my self live and live for my self How can I bee a man and put off the man How can I be my self and deny my self Is it not to be beside my self and that 's to be mad to be without my self Thus alas doth poor man play the foole in wit he rageth and is confident as if there were such good reason for and such good sense in self-seeking as that the Doctrine of Self-denial were but a Paradox yea an absurdity a contradiction and very non-sense He highly applaudes even to admiration that by him mistaken and mis-interpreted saying of Solomon Prov. 9.12 if thou bee wise thou shalt be wise for thy self and for his part he will praise none but them that doe well unto themselves Psal 49.18 he will admit none to the name of wise and worthy persons but dismiss them for a company of un-intelligent in-significant and poore spirited Sneakes yea for dull Sots witless Dolts and God Almighties Fools that preferre not themselves before every thing else Man indeed is so dear to himself that Self-interest seemes to be his all in all the first mover the circumference and center of all he doth the principle from the rule by the end for which he acts any good or forbears to act any evil and this is natural to him but though Nature be master of this Art and can teach man to seek his owne good yet Nature is not such a Doctor in Divinity nor hath attained to such a degree of learning and wisedome as to teach man wherein his true good and interest lies so that it is no wonder that poore man is filled with indignation at such a word much more at such a thing as Self-denial is Alas in what a sad uneasie and restless condition must poor man be that hath a nature so freely inclined and strongly addicted to his owne interest and yet is not owner of a judgement and discretion able and acute enough to tell him what it is and how it may be attained so that did not God who is a God of grace and mercy take pitty on poore man for so I must alwayes call him he would doe nothing but undoe himself and that by seeking himself But God God blessed and to bee blessed for evermore who is a Lover of Soules and the preserver of men who would not that they should perish but that all men should come to the knowledge of the truth and bee saved God I say hath shewn in and by his Word what is mans good and wherein his true interest and happiness doth consist how hee may love seek and save himself which is so dear unto him beside ex abundanti which is a wonder God invites and if I may so speak courts man hereunto not that hee needs man for he is God happy for evermore whether man be saved or damned but by the most obligeing and most indearing way in the World that man himself may be the gainer and injoy himself in the injoyment of a good infinitely better than himself even God himself When God exhorts and perswades man to obedience why is
every wicked servant will bee found to have been a slothful servant at the Day of Judgement Matth. 25.26 But 2 If this were true that some such persons act adultimum virium to the uttermost of their power yet it follows not that therefore it is fit that God should give them grace nor doth God give any one grace upon that account for when they have done all that they can in this unregenerate state what is it that they have done why nothing well-pleasing and acceptable unto God because as the Apostle says f Rom. 8.7 8 The carnal minde is enmity against God for it is not subject to the Law of God neither indeed can be whence hee concludes that they that are in the flesh cannot please God Now is it fit that God should give them grace for doing that which doth displease him Again as faith without works is dead so works without faith are dead also and if they be dead works and not the service of the living God as the Apostle saith they are Heb. 9.14 how can a man by such works deserve to have grace What a monstrous thing is it that vice should merit vertue that a man by sinning against God should deserve to bee partaker of his holiness That Natural men may doe some things that are materially good there is none will deny but that they can doe any thing formally good smells too much of the Pelagian Forge and is manifestly contradictory to the Word of God which tells us that whatsoever such men doe is sin Prov. 21.4 Titus 1.15 And therefore most certain it is they can doe nothing to prepare themselves for conversion nothing to move God either to vouchsafe them the means of grace or to make them effectual as these men vainly teach t Dr. Twisse against Hoard Lib. 2. This is the peculiar glory of Gods grace to make us perfect in every good work and to work in us that which is pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ and this he doth according to his good pleasure Phil. 2.13 Hebrews 13.21 for Grace is not conferred according to works that was condemned as a pestilent Doctrine long agoe in the Synod of Palestine and all along in divers Councels against the Pelagians That the Gospel prevails upon some and not upon others to whom it is preached whom it still leaves in the gall of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity our Saviour ascribes it wholly to the good pleasure of God as the only reason of it I thank thee Father Lord of heaven and earth that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them unto babes even so Father for so it seemed good in thy sight Matth. 11.25 26. And Judas not Iscariot hearing him say that If any man loved him he would manifest himself unto him replies with wonder Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self unto us and not unto the world as if hee had said There was nothing in us more than in them that could move thee to it we were by nature the Children of wrath as well as others It is not only true of Election but of Vocation also It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy The grace of God is preventing grace it meets us in the way of sin even while wee are running away from God we doe not seek it first but it seeks us and findes us out in our lost condition that wee might seek it afterwards and having found it may be careful to keep it as Isa 65.1 I am sought of them that asked not for me w Non ergo putandum est cum Pelagianis gratiam dari ex merito iis communicari qui eam antea quaesiverunt Non enim quaeritur gratia sine gratia quae prima homisem perditum in se quaerit invenis ut postea eam quaerat censervet inventam R. vet in loc Exercitor in Gen 52. I am found of them that sought me not I said behold me be hold me unto a Nation that was not called by my name Therefore if wee have any evidence of a real work of grace in our hearts in any measure wrought by the Spirit of God let us cry Grace Grace unto it let us say unto the Lord as Mephibosheth unto David 2 Sam. 9.8 What are thy Servants that thou shouldest look upon such dead Doggs as we are And thus much for this first particular of Self-denial in respect of inherent grace the not ascribing it to our selves as the cause neither the efficient nor meritorious cause of it In the next place to deny Self in respect of inherent grace is 2 Not to rest upon it as the righteousness whereby wee are justified in the sight of God It is not a righteousness inherent but imputed whereby we are justified Righteousness inherent is a necessary antocedent of glorification 2 Thes 2.13 the subject of reconciliation is an enemy Rom. 5.10 of Justification a Sinner Rom. 4.5 but of Glorification a Saint Acts 26 18 it is also a necessary concomitant of Justification I Corinth 1.30 Rom. 8.29 30. where God doth alter and change the state there hee doth mend the condition by the operation of his holy Spirit but it is not the formal cause of it as Bellarmine and other Papists teach Iustification is a gracious sentence of God whereby for Christs sake apprehended by faith he doth absolve the Beleever from Sin and Death and accounts him righteous unto life x Non est Physica transmutatio qualitatum in haerentium sed moralis vel relativa transmutatia status qualis est mutatio hominis qui per condonationem creditoris ex debitore fit non debitor Ames Bellarmin Enervar Tom. 4.132 It doth not denote any Physical or real change of disposition but a judicial or relative change of state such a change as consists in pronouncing of a sentence and in reputation But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousness Rom. 4.5 where this phrase Faith is counted for righteousness is all one with that in the sixth verse God imputeth righteousness without works What this righteousness is that is there said to bee imputed the Apostle afterwards tells us Cap. 5.19 where he saith that as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners even so by the obedience of one shall many bee made righteous by which hee shews that the righteousness whereby we are justified is the obedience of Christ his active and passive obedience and therefore not a righteousness inherent in our selves but imputed to us for 1. It is the obedience of Christ and 2. The text saith that we are made righteous by that obedience in the same manner as we are made Sinners by the disobedience of Adam which is by y Non potest intelligi quomode in obedientia Adami constitueret posteros
throughly sensible of the desert of their most horrible Sin in renouncing his most blessed Truth to the undaunted and constant profession whereof notwithstanding out of the superabounding riches of his grace hee recovered them againe so that most resolutely and cheerfully afterwards they sealed it with their bloud But it hapned otherwise to that unparalleld example of Divine Justice Francis Spira who after his Abjuration being suddainly Thunder-struck with the terrible and amazing Sentence of his eternal Condemnation was plunged irrecoverably for ought that appeared to the contrary into the bottomless gulph of Despair This wretched man being accused to the Popes Legate for professing and teaching some of Luthers opinions this especially That wee must only depend on the Free Grace and unchangeable love of God in the death of Christ as the only sure way of Salvation and being summoned to appear before him after some consideration had of the manifold danger hee was in and resolution taken up to stand to his profession and to maintaine his Doctrine notwithstanding hee began to think with himself what misery this his rashnesse would bring him unto that he should lose his substance gotten with so much care and travell undergoe the most exquisite torments that malice it self could devise be counted an Heretick of all and in the conclusion dye shamefully Hereupon he goes to the Legate and acknowledgeth his fault in entertaining an Opinion concerning some Articles of Faith contrary to the Orthodox and received Judgement of the Church of Rome professing his hearty sorrow for it and humbly begging pardon for so great an offence The Legate perceiving him to faint pursued him to the uttermost caused him to subscribe this Confession and made him promise that at his returne to his owne Towne hee would declare it to the people acknowledge the whole Doctrine of the Church of Rome and abjure the Opinions of Luther as false and Heretical Spira having promised in this manner forth-with addresseth himself for his journey homeward but as he went along thinking with himself how impiously hee had denyed Christ and his Gospel at Venice and engaged himself to doe it the second time in his owne Country hee thought hee heard a voyce speaking unto him in this manner Spira What dost thou here whether goeft thou hast thou unhappy man given thy hand-writing to the Legate at Venice yet see thou dost not seal it in thine owne Country thou canst not answer for what thou hast already done nevertheless the gate of Mercy is not quite shut take heed that thou heapest not sin upon sin lest thou repent when it will be too late This filled him so full of doubts and perplexing thoughts that hee knew not which way to turne nor what to doe but afterwards being arrived in his owne Country and advised by his friends telling him That it was requisite he should take heed that he did not in any wise betray his Wife and Children and all his friends into danger seeing that by so small a matter as the recitiug of a small Schedule which might be done in lesse space than half an hour he might both free himself from present danger and preserve many that depended on him he goes to the Praetor and proffers to performe his fore-said promise made to the Legate and the next morning hee desperately enters into the publick Congregation where Masse being finished in the presence of friends and enemies and of the whole Assembly yea and of Heaven it selfe hee recites that infamous Abjuration word for word as it was written then was hee sent home restored to his e Hee was a Civil Lawyer an Advocate of great rank and esteeme endowed with outward blessings of Wife and eleven Children and wealth in abundance Dignities Goods Wife and Children but no sooner was he departed but he thought he heard a direful voyce saying to him Thou wicked wretch thou hast denied mee thou hast renounced the covenant of thy obedience thou bast broken thy vow hence Apostate bear with thee the Sentence of thy eternal Damnation Hee trembling and quaking in body and mind fell downe in a swoon and from that time forward never found any peace or ease of his mind but continuing in uncessant torments hee professed that hee was captivated under the revenging hand of the great God and that hee heard continually that fearful Sentence of Christ that just Judge and was utterly undone Phisicians were sent for but they could effect nothing by their skill upon him and therefore after they had understood the whole truth of the matter wished him to seek some Spiritual comfort They that came to administer Spiritual comfort to him propounded many of Gods promises recorded in the Scripture and many examples of Gods mercy but My Sin said hee is greater than the Mercy of God They told him that God would have all men to be saved he answered He would not have damned reprobates to bee saved I am one of that number I know it for I willingly and against my knowledge denied Christ the Mercy of God extends not to me nor any like to me who are sealed up to Wrath I tell you I deserve it my owne Conscience condemnes mee what needeth any other Judge Some bade him consider the example of Peter who denied Christ thrice and with an Oath and yet Christ was merciful to him Hee answered In that he was pardoned it was not because he wept but because God was gracious to him but God respects not mee and therefore I am a reprobate no comfort can enter into my heart there is no place there but only for torments and vexings of spirit I tell you my case is properly my owne no man ever was in like plight and therefore my estate is fearful Then roaring out in the bitterness of his spirit he said It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Some whispering said that hee was possessed which he over-hearing it said Doe you doubt it I have a whole Legion of Devils that take up their dwellings within mee and possesse me as their owne and that justly too for I have denied Christ Whether did you that willingly or no said they That is nothing to the purpose said hee Christ saith Whosoever denies me before men him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven Christ will not bee denied no not in word and therefore it is enough though in heart I never denied him They asked him whether he thought there were worse paines than what hee endured for the present hee said That he knew there were farre worse paines for the wicked shall rise to their Judgement but they shall not stand in Judgement this I tremble to think of yet I desire nothing more than that I might come to that place where I may be sure to feele the worst and bee freed from fear of worse to come Why doe you said they esteeme this so grievous a sin when as the learned Legate constrained
any conscience of learning it yet it must bee learnt it must bee practiced and therefore the Apostle addes vers 21 22 23. For even hereunto were yee called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an example that ye should follow his steps who did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously Nothing is more grievous to us than to suffer wrongfully to think we should bee so abused when wee doe not deserve it this goes to our very heart I but let us look upon the Lord Jesus let us consider how undeservedly hee was abused and then it will not bee so grievous hee did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth hee never injured any but went about every where doing good and yet what base usage had hee in the World how ill was hee requited He was scorned reviled betrayed falsly accused blindsolded buffeted spit upon crowned with a Crowne of thornes and at last most shamefully Crucified and yet took all this patiently shall wee then think much to suffer a little when our Saviour hath suffered so much before us Why the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord It is enough that the Disciple bee as his Master and the Servant as his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub how much more shall they call them of his houshold Mat. 10.24 25. I have read of one Elzearius a Noble man that when his Wife wondred at his exceeding great patience in bearing injuries hee thus answered her You know sometimes my heart is ready to rise with indignation against such as wrong mee but I presently begin to think of the wrongs that Christ suffered and say thus to my self desiring to imitate him Although thy Servants should pluck thy beard and strike thee on the face this were nothing to what thy Lord suffered hee suffered more and greater things and assure your self Wife I never leave off thinking of the injuries done to my Saviour till such time as my minde is still and quiet There is enough in this consideration to quiet our spirits in the greatest sufferings But besides it cannot bee said of any thing that wee suffer as it might of all that Christ suffered that it is not deserved It may be said so in allyes sometimes in respect of men but never in respect of God wee have sinned and thereby have deserved worse than the worst that can bee suffered in this world Have we then any reason to complaine Wherefore saith Jeremy doth a living man complaine a man for the punishment of his sins Lam. 3.39 It is of the Lords mercies that wee are not consumed because his compassions faile not vers 22. if he should deale with us according to our deservings hee might justly cast us into Hell Were wee but throughly convinced of this had wee but once the real sence and feeling of it in our selves there would bee no such anguish and vexation in any of our sufferings here as many times we finde to bee in them and wee should bee much strengthened against those temptations whereby Self and Sathan joyning with it would carry us into any sinful way to ease our selves of them which is another thing that wee must have a special care while wee are in a suffering condition to watch against The Crosse is very irksome and tedious to the flesh and therefore as it is unwilling to come under it so it is unwilling to continue under it but as wee must willingly take it up so wee must patiently bear it as wee must not refuse it when Christ will lay it on so wee must not reject it till Christ will take it off It is lawful to use means to free our selves of our troubles but all means are not lawful to bee used Wee must resolve to abide them all our dayes rather than by the committing of the least sin to free our selves of them This was the resolution of that most learned and pious Martyr x Acts and Mon. l. 11.1664 Mr. Philpot as he expresseth it himself in a Letter to Iohn Carelesse written while he was in the Stocks in Bonner's Coal-house The Devil rageth against mee I am put in the Stocks in a place alone because I would not answer such Articles as they would charge me withall in a corner at the Bishops appointment and because I did not come to Masse when the Bishop sent for me I will bee all the dayes of my life in the stocks by Gods grace rather than I will consent to the wicked generation In the eleventh of the Hebrews we read of the Jewish Martyrs in the time of the Old Testament that they were tortured not accepting deliverance they might have had their lives if they would but have complied with their Adversaries in their wicked Idolatrous practices but they would not accept of their lives upon such termes they thought it much better to bee tortured upon the rack of this World than upon the rack of a damnable Conscience The like we read of our English Martyrs y l. 8.1130 Mistris Anne Askew when shee was at the Stake had Letters sent her by the Lord Chancellor offering her the Kings Pardon if shee would recant but shee refusing so much as to look on them returned this answer That shee came not thither to deny her Lord and Master z l. 14.1372 Bishop Hooper when a Box was laid before him with a Pardon in it as was said from the Queen at the sight thereof cryed out If yee love my Soul away with it if you love my Soul away with it a 〈…〉 George Marsh when the Deputy Chamberlaine of Chester shewed him a writing under a great Seal saying that it was a Pardon for him if hee would recant answered That hee would gladly accept the same but for as much as it tended to pluck him from God he would not receive it upon that condition b l. 11.1459 Master Bradford when the Lord Chancellour promised him that if hee would returne againe and doe as they had done hee should have the Queens Mercy and Pardon made this reply My Lord I desire mercy with Gods mercy but mercy with Gods wrath God keep mee from Many more might bee instanced in but these may suffice I shall now pass on to the next Sub-section which is SVBSECT VI. Of denying Self in respect of our Relations THis is the last particular to bee explained and I shall dispatch it in a word 1 Negatively it is not meant that wee should deny the workings of Natural affection towards them God requires that wee should love all men Rom. 13.8 9. even our very enemies Luke 6.32 35. and that wee should express our love by doing good to all men Gal. 6.10 even to our enemies Prov. 25.21 Rom. 12.20 now if wee bee thus bound to all much
and calamity that is now upon us and surely it is not for nothing Wee cannot expect that the Lord should turn unto us in a way of mercy and blessing unless wee turn unto the Lord in a way of repentance and obedience Let us therefore consider our wayes if they bee not the wayes of the Lord that wee now walk in we must of necessity turn out of them before wee can turn unto the Lord and this wee cannot do unless wee search and try them for those that are out of their way and yet think they are right will never turn back but go on further and further till they quite lose themselves It is evident then from this Scripture how needful it is in order to the practice of Self-denial that wee search and try our wayes And certainly if ever wee mean to do any thing to purpose herein wee must make a thorough search and scrutiny into our hearts and wayes an exact inquiry into our principles our rules our ends and aimes in all our undertakings wee must throughly sift our thoughts affections that wee may see what bran of selfishness lyes at the bottome For how can a man deny himself that doth not understand any thing in himself that should bee denied The first step toward a cure is to finde out the disease It would bee very advantagious therefore and that which would much conduce to our success in this work to have much in our thoughts these two things The possibility of being deceived and the difficulty of the discovery The one would provoke us to jealousie the other would quicken us to diligence 1 The possibility of being deceived Wee should enter upon the examination of ourselves with such a supposition as this ' There may be much more of Self in mee than I have ever yet taken notice of It is good to have a holy jealousie of our selves this would make us very cautelous and wary in the trial of our selves as when a Magistrate meets with a suspicious person it makes him inquire the more narrowly into him that so hee may discover the better what hee is Object But I have been of the opinion a long time that I have denied my self and have had much peace and comfort in it why then should I suspect my self and thereby create new troubles in my conscience Answ 1. When the strong man keeps the house all is in peace Luke 11.21 So long as Self bears rule and there is nothing to disturb him no wonder that all is quiet 2 Some that have thought so have notwithstanding at the last found that they were deceived Matth. 7.22 3 It is more than probable that thou art the man because that thou art unwilling to come to the trial Joh. 3.20 21. 4 Unless thou hast very good grounds so to think of thy self it is but a meer fancy and imagination Jer. 44.20 5 The comfort that this gives will quickly vanish Eccles 7.6 and leave the greater anguish and vexation behinde it Isa 50.11 But 6 Grant it bee true as thou sayest yet let him that standeth take heed lest hee fall 1 Cor. 10.12 A self-doubting Christian will stand when a self confident one will fall Give mee leave therefore to set before you a few instances out of the word the serious consideration whereof may provoke you to jealousie 1 It is possible for a man to have a forme of godliness and yet to bee altogether under the power of Self 2 Tim. 3.2.5 For men shall bee lovers of themselves having a i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 speciemant imaginem Grot. L'apparerce Fren. A lively image or face of godliness drawn to the life form of godliness Self and the Form do very well agree wheresoever they meet for though to live in the least sin cannot consist with the power of godliness yet to live in the greatest may consist with the form of godliness because there is nothing in the form to contradict self 2 It is possible for a man to hear the Word and to receive it with joy and yet not to have learnt in any respect truly to deny himself as hee that received the seed into stony places Mat. 13.20 21. Herod heard John Baptist gladly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sweetly Mar. 6.20 yet hee could not deny himself hee kept his Herodias still and for her sake afterwards beheaded him vers 27. 3 It is possible to bee much conversant in the performance of the strictest duties and yet to have respect to the satisfying of some base self-end in all that is done as they Isa 58. of whom God saith They seek mee daily and delight to know my wayes as a Nation that did righteousness and for sook not the Ordinance of their God they ask of mee the Ordinances of Justice they take delight in approaching to God vers 2. and yet hee tells them Behold in the day of your East yee finde pleasure and exact all your labours Behold you fast for strife and debate and to smite with the fist of wickedness vers 3.4 4 It is possible to desire and endeavour after spiritual gifts and yet to aime at nothing else but self-advancement in ones endeavours after them as Simon Magus Act. 8.19 5 It is possible to be a zealous preacher of Christ and yet to preach onely out of envy and strife and not of good will Phil. 1.15 16. 6 It is possible to pretend much to liberality and to speak much on the behalf of the poor and yet bee very covetous as Judas Joh. 12.6 7 It is possible to bee zealous and active in reformation and the execution of justice and yet to do all to serve ones own turn as Jehu 2 King 10.16 8 It is possible to bee zealous in reproving of others and yet continue in the same or worse evils at the very same time as the Hypocrite Matth. 7.3 4 5. and the hypocritical Preacher Rom. 2.21.22 9 It is possible to bee very confident of cleaving unto Christ and yet afterwards to deny him to save ones self as Peter who when our Saviour told the Disciples that they should all bee offended because of him presently returned this answer Though all men shall bee offended because of thee yet will I never bee offended and yet afterwards hee denied him thrice and twice with cursing and swearing Matth. 26.70.74 Many more instances might bee given but these may suffice to shew how easily wee may bee mistaken in our selves and our actions and therefore how needful it is to begin and to proceed in this work of self-trial with a godly jealousie More may possibly bee discovered than at first wee could have imagined was in us and yet when wee have done all much will lye hid And therefore there is another thing that should also bee much in our thoughts and that is 2 The difficulty of the discovery The heart of man is deceitful above all things who can know it Jer. 17.9 Two things there are which render it very
tells us in the former words I thought upon my wayes I considered the evill of them and then turned out of them Hee went on very confidently and contentedly before but it was because hee did not consider whither hee was going hee did not ponder his paths but as soon as he began to reflect upon himself and to consider where hee was and whither hee was going how hee dishonoured God and defiled his own soul in those wayes hee presently makes a stop and turns about unto Gods testimonies This is the reason why men go on so long time together in a sinful course why they walk in the way of their heart and the sight of their eyes without any regret of conscience It is because they do not consider what they are doing nor whither they are going like the young man Prov. 7.22.23 that being inticed by the lewd woman hee goeth after her streightway as an Oxe goeth to the slaughter as a Bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not i. e. considereth not that it is for his life God notes this as the cause of his peoples rebelling against him and their continuance in their rebellion Isa 1.3 Israel doth not know my people doth not consider Oh! if ever wee mean in good earnest to deny our selves and to follow the Lord fully in the paths of righteousness and holiness let us every day steep our thoughts in a serious meditation of the exceeding sinfulness of self-pleasing and self-seeking of making provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof As a man will not come after Christ in obedience to his call in the Gospel till hee apprehend it to be good yea absolutely best for him so to do so hee will not give a peremptory denial to the requests and commands of Self till hee apprehend it to bee evill yea the greatest evill in the world to yeeld unto them Therefore whensoever wee discover any thing of selfishness in any of our actions that wee are byassed in any particular by a selfish principle to the promoting of a selfish interest in opposition to the interest of Christ let us not think on it sseightly but seriously let our thoughts dwell upon it debating and discussing the matter in and out to the uttermost considering the nature the causes the effects and aggravating circumstances of it I have shewn you before the Excellency of Self-denial now consider the evill of selfishness 1 As the Apostle saith of the Love of money 1 Tim. 6.10 so it may bee truly said of Self-love that it is the root of all evil This is the most breeding sin you may graft any wickedness upon this stock See 2 Tim. 3.1 there the Apostle brings in a black Catalogue of the vilest sinners and hee puts selfish men in the front In the last dayes saith hee perillous times shall come for men shall bee lovers of their own selves covetous beasters proud blasphemers disobedient to parents unthankful unholy without natural affection This is a sin with an Imprimis the Commander in chief in the black Regiment of Lusts It is the Devils Generalissimo See what a k Hinc ficae hinc venena hinc falsa testamenta na scuntur hinc furta hinc peculatus expilationes direptionesque sociorum Civium hinc opum nimiarum potentiae non serendae postremo etiam in liberis civitatibus existunt regnandi cupiditates quibus nihil nec â—e trius nec saedius excogitari potest Cic. number of Evils are wrapt up in this one Evil. 1 The Evil of Injustice Justitia est suum cuique dare Justice consists in giving to every one his due according to our Saviours rule Matth. 22.21 Render unto Casar the things that are Caesars and to God the things that are Gods and that of the Apostle Rom. 13.7 Render unto all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due custome to whom custome fear to whom fear honour to whom honour Now Self keeps back both from God and man that which is their due 1 From God Our soules are his Ezek. 18.4 our bodies his 1 Cor. 6.19 but Self keeps back both from him it imployes all the powers and faculties of both as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin 2 From men Self is the cause of all that unjust dealing that defrauding and going beyond one another of all that extortion and oppression that is in the world Self will not suffer the proud man to give honour to whom honour is due nor the covetous man to give tribute to whom tribute is due nor the envious man to give love to whom love is due nor the merciless man mercy to whom mercy is due 2 The Evil of Idolatry A Selfish man is the man of sin that exalts himself above all that is called God he makes himself his god hee falls down and worships himself making himself his ultimate end in every thing hee doth and walking by his own rule c. 3 The Evil of Unthankfulness If hee hath any thing more than others hee boasts as if hee had not received it if hee hath any thing less hee murmures as if hee had not his due 4 The Evil of Unbeleef Christ hath said Whosoever will save his life shall loso it and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall finde it Matth. 16.25 And that it is better for him to enter into life halt or maimed rather than having two hands or two feet to bee cast into everlasting fire Matth. 18.8 but hee will not beleeve it and so makes Christ a lyar 5 The Evil of Unmercifulness By seeking himself hee loseth himself by endeavouring to save himself hee destroyes himself This is the greatest cruelty in the World See Prov. 11.17 6 There is much of the Devil in it When Peter tempted our Saviour to save himself from the shameful death of the Cross hee said Get thee behinde mee Satan Hee calls him Satan not only because hee tempted him but because of the sin to which hee tempted him All sin is the Devils Vel per modum imaginis vel per modum servitutis either by way of likeness or service to him selfishness is so in both respects 7 It is the great Make-bate in the world the great divider it divides men from God and men one from another 8 It is the onely hindrance of mens closing with Christ The young man could not close with Christ because hee could not deny himself 9 This causeth God to reject all our services Isa 58.5 10 It is a contradiction to our prayers Latimer said of Peter that when hee tempted Christ hee forgot his Pater noster for that was Thy Kingdome come Thy will bee done By these and such like considerations the horrible Evil of Selfishness may bee discovered which is the second thing to bee done in order to the practice of Self-denial The third Direction 3 When upon serious consideration you have discovered the horrible Evil and exceeding sinfulness of your selfishness bee much in the duty
whensoever God pleaseth Your beings are invironed with non-entity and border upon it you do but precariously subsist upon the first being as the streams do upon the fountain and the beams upon the Sun If God should withhold his conserving influence you would quickly return to your first nothing again and bee as if you had never been and wherein then are you to bee esteemed 2 In point of working you can do nothing Without mee saith Christ you can do nothing Joh. 15.6 As without God wee are nothing so without Christ wee can do nothing 1 Not any thing at all Acti agimâ—â— that wee move being first moved by God is true as well in Naturals as in Spirituals In him wee live move and have our being Act. 17.28 Not onely our esse but our operari is dependent upon a cause without our selves 2 Not any thing that is good As there is none that is good of himself but God so there is none that doth good of himself besides God There is none that doth good no not one Rom. 3.12 Not that wee are sufficient of our selves to think a good thought saith the Apostle but all our sufficiency is of God 1 Cor. 3.5 All our ability as of our selves is to do evill They are wise to do evil but to do good they have no knowledge Jer. 4.22 3 Not any good thing well As when left to our selves wee fail in the matter so likewise in the manner Wee know not what to pray for as wee ought Rom. 8.36 nor how to pray as wee ought Jam. 4.3 Yee have not he cause yee ask amiss 3 In point of propriety you have nothing 1 Your beings are not your own Neither your souls All souls are mine saith God Ezek. 18.4 nor your bodies 1 Cor. 6.19 What know ye not that your body is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you he adds and ye are not your own 1 You did not make your selves God formed the body out of the dust of the earth and breathed in the soul 2 You did not redeem your selves for you are bought with a price therefore saith hee Glorifie God in your body and your spirit which are Gods mark it Which are Gods vers 20. 2 Your estates are not your own It is certain you brought nothing into the world and it is as certain you can carry nothing away Naked came I into the world and naked must I return saith Job When David had prepared in great abundance for building of the Temple hee said Lord of thine own have wee given thee 1 Chron. 29.14 4 In point of merit you deserve nothing 1 Not the least temporal mercy I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies and of all the truth which thou hast shewed unto thy servant saith Jacob Gen. 32.10 hee speaks of temporal mercies Yee do not deserve the least crumb of bread the least drop of water the worst rag to cover your nakedness 2 Not the least spiritual mercy Not the least measure of grace not the least measure of comfort It is not meet to cast the childrens bread unto dogs 3 Not the least eternal mercy Not the least degree of glory The rich man in Hell could not have one drop of those Rivers of pleasures Psal 16.11 If wee cannot deserve that which is temporal much less can wee deserve that which is spiritual least of all that which is eternal When wee have done all though wee could do as much as all the Angels in heaven yet in the conclusion wee must say Wee are unprofitable servants and wee must cry Grace Grace unto the salvation wee are made partakers of These four things put together shew abundantly what silly sorry things wee are and the serious consideration of any one of them would bee enough much more of all together to bring down those high and towring imaginations that exalt themselves against God and Jesus Christ and make you vile and base in your own eyes This would teach you these three things three special points of Self-denial 1 Not to depend upon your selves not to lean to your own wisdome not to follow the imaginations and counsel of your own hearts When a man shall think with himself in this manner I am nothing and I can do nothing I cannot do any thing of my self not any thing that is good not any good thing well either for body or soul the result must needs bee this Why should I then go out in my own strength Why should I bee self-confident in any thing that I am about to do as if I could compass it by my own strength or my own policy There is abundance of Self in this When men are called forth to act in any private duty or publick service how apt are they to go out in their own strength and to act in confidence of their own parts and abilities As Peter hee would confess Christ and stick close to him come what would of it whosoever should forsake him hee would not flinch Now to help against such thoughts as these what better than to act in the sight and sense of our own nothingness When wee come to preach or pray or discourse or administer justice or buy or sell c. to think thus Lord of my self I can do nothing but mine eyes are wholly upon thee 2 Not to ascribe unto your selves this would inable you to say Non nobis Domine Not unto us Not unto us O Lord but to thy Name bee the praise and glory There is abundance of Self in this in arrogating and ascribing all or part to our selves as if in some things we might thank our selves and were not beholding either to God or Christ Wee are very prone if wee have any thing or if wee have done any thing that is praise-worthy to take the glory of it to our selves 1 If wee have any thing that hath an excellency in it wee are apt to boast as if wee had not received it which fault the Apostle took notice of and sharply reprehended amongst the Corinthians 1 Cor. 4.7 If wee have a fairer face a more comely body a more elegant speech c. If wee have a quicker apprehension a more acute judgement a more faithful memory c. we are apt to think if not to boast as if wee had it from our selves and were not beholding for it to another Now what an excellent means for the curing of this pride and vain-glory is the consideration of our own nothingness that what wee are wee are by the grace of God as the Apostle By the grace of God I am that I am It is free Grace hath made a difference where there was none by nature The neglect of this makes us rob God of abundance of glory 2 If wee have done any thing that hath an excellency in it wee are too much taken with it 1 Wee spend time in reflecting upon it in our own thoughts in admiring our selves for it thinking how bravely
also reign with him 2 Tim. 2.11 12. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the Tree of life which is in the midst of the Paradice of God Rev. 2.7 Hee that overcometh shall not bee hurt of the second death vers 11. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna and will give him a white stone and in the stone a new name written which us man knoweth saving hee that receiveth it vers 17. Hee that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations and hee shall rule them with a red of iron vers 26 27. And I will give him the morning star vers 28. Hee that overcometh the same shall bee cloathed in white raiment and I will not blat out his name out of the book of life but I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels Rev. 3.5 Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the temple of my God and hee shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the name of the City of my God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of heaven from my God and I will write upon him my new Name vers 12. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with mee in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne vers 21. 2 It makes a clear representation of the great and glorious things contained in these promises and gives the soul assurance of them The Apostle tells us of faith that it is the substance of things hoped for the evidence of things not seen Heb. 11.1 1 The substance or subsistence of things hoped for it gives them a substantial being long before they bee as if they did already actually exist Hence the object of faith is present that is faith considers it as present Faith beleeves that God doth answer before hee answers As God in answering sometimes prevents our asking Isa 65.24 Before they call I will answer so when faith is exercised it prevents Gods answering Before the Lord giveth I know I have it Faith reallizeth the blessings promised before they have a being When mercies are but in their principles in their conception and birth when they are but in their cradle and swadling bands faith speaks as gloriously of them as if they were fully acted and grown up before the eye And therefore it is 2 The evidence or demonstration of things not seen not onely because it apprehends them which neither sense nor reason doth but because it apprehends them and discovers them unto the soul as cloathed upon with so much certainty and reality When a man can discern no ground of incouragement either by sense or reason faith spies it presently Now this hath a mighty influence on the soul to carry it on in a way of Self-denial While we look not at the things which are seen but at things which are not seen saith Paul We count our sufferings but a light affliction 2 Cor. 4.17 18. By this means it begets hope in the soul as by the other fear and this makes one resolute to undertake any service though never so difficult and ready to undergo any suffering though never so dangerous in obedience to the will of God for his glory This it doth by giving the soul a sight of God in these promises 1 As able Abraham staggered not at the promise of God through unbeleef but was strong in faith giving glory to God being fully perswaded that what hee had promised hee was able also to perform Rom. 4.20 21. 2 As faithful to accomplish them Through faith also Sarah her self received strength to conceive seed and was delivered of a childe when shee was past age because shee judged him faithful who had promised Heb. 11.11 Answ 3. Faith sets a-work all other graces which are requisite to bee exercised in any one act of Self-denial and secures them in their working This appears partly in the former particular by what hath been said of fear and hope but I shall speak more directly and fully unto it in this There is not any one act of Self-denial but to the performance of it there is required the acting of several graces in their kinde so that if any one of these graces should not bee acted there would bee no acting of the rest and consequently no Self-denial the act of Self-denial would bee prevented Now faith hath a mighty influence upon every grace to set it a work according to the nature and quality of the duty that is to bee performed and to maintain it in its working so that it shall prevail I will shew this in these four particulars 1 That to every act of Self-denial is required the exercise of several graces 2 That if any one of those which are required should bee stopt and hindred in its acting there would bee a stop of all the rest and consequently no Self-denial 3 That faith hath a mighty influence to set all of them a work 4 That faith secures them in their working 1 To every act of Self-denial there is required the exercise of several particular graces several graces must bee exercised in the judgement and in the will and in the affections See an instance in Moses his Self-denial Heb. 11.25 26 27. of grace exercised 1 In his judgement Hee esteemed the repreach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt vers 26. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accounting or judging or having accounted or judged c. 2 In his will hee refused to bee called the Son of Pharaohs daughter vers 24. and chose rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season vers 25. 3 In his affection Hee forsook Egypt not fearing the wrath of the King vers 27. Some acts of Self-denial consists meerly in the exercise of grace others are performed by the exercise of grace These are the inward acts of Self-denial which are terminated within the minde these are the external acts To both are required the acting of several graces As grace is not single in its being so not in its working as there is a connexion of graces in the habit so likewise in the operation 2 If any one of those which are required should bee stopt and hindred in its acting there would bee a stop of all the rest and consequently no Self-denial As there is a conjunction so likewise there is a dependance of the several graces one upon another a conjunction in their being and a dependance in their working so that if one bee stopt all the rest stop too As it is in a watch if one wheel stop all the wheels when they come to the motion of that wheel stop too When there is required three or four particular graces to the making up of one and the same act of Self-denial if any one of them bee wanting