but this is the way to bring our selves into the greatest danger of all for by this means instead of falling into the hands of man wee are in danger of falling into the hands of God and as the Apostles sayes It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God Heb. 10.31 for our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12.29 Let us not then fear them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul but rather let us fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in Hell Let us sanctifie God in our hearts and make him our fear and our dread carefully avoiding whatsoever is displeasing in his sight and y Honzo time Deum mundum ridebis Austin then wee need not fear what men can do unto us This is the sixth particular to shew the Excellency of Self-denial The seventh Excellency of Self-denial 7 It is a Christians freedome and liberty A self-denying man is the only free man as for others of what rank or order soever they be they are all slaves There is not a selfish man in the world but is in worse than Egyptian or Turkish bondage led captive by no better than the Devil so the Apostle 2 Tim. 2.26 That they may recover themselves out of the snare of the Devil who are taken captive by him at his will They think themselves the only free men while they do as they please walking in the way of their heart and in the sight of their eyes but the truth is they z Those that think it their only happiness to do what they will that they might bee free cross their own desires for this is the way to make them most perfect slaves Sibs Soul-Conflict are the veriest slaves led up and down like so many brute beasts that have no dominion over their own actions Yee know saith the Apostle that yee were Gentiles carried away unto these dumb Idols even as yee were led 1 Cor. 12.2 yea they are carried unto their own destruction not considering that it is for their lives as Solomon notes of him that follows the lewd woman Hee goeth after her streightway as an Oxe goeth to the slaughter or as a fool to the correction of the stocks as a bird hasteth to the snare and knoweth not that it is for his life Prov. 7.22.23 In this condition were all self-denying men till such time as they could deny themselves as Eph. 2.2 And you hath hee quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins wherein in time past yee walked according to the course of this world according to the Prince of the power of the aire who worketh in the children of disobedience amongst whom also wee had all our conversation in time past and this was their shame because while it was thus they were the servants of sin Rom. 6.17 and of corruption 2 Pet. 2.19 and yeelded their members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity Rom. 6.19 and all this while they were free from righteousness vers 20. and this was their shame vers 21. What fruit had you in those things whereof yee are now ashamed Sin is the most shameful evil because it is the greatest debasing of Excellency and that for this reason because it brings a man into the most shameful vassallage and slavery of any thing in the world All slavery is shameful but this the most shameful because hereby the humane nature is most abused being used to a quite contrary end to that for which it was made The end of man is to glorifie God and to injoy him for ever in these two his chief good doth consist but by sin neither of these are attainable for as in sin there is no conformity unto God so there is no communion with him and therefore a sinner as he doth nothing for the glory of God so he doth nothing for his own good whatsoever he doth while he sins it is to his own hurt and the greatest hurt that a creature is capable of because the more he sins the more he deprives himself of the chief good because the more he sins the more hee deprives himself of God Now a selfish man such an one as cannot deny himself cannot cease from sin 2 Pet. 2.14 and therefore cannot cease from doing himself mischief therefore he works out his damnation in every thing that he doth destruction and misery are in all his wayes which shews that he is in the most wretched and miserable bondage of any in the world It is nothing that what he doth he doth willingly for the more willingly any one acts to his own hurt the more wretched and miserable he is as when a man cuts and wounds himself as every selfish man doth the woful effects whereof though for the present he doth not feel if free grace prevent not he will certainly rue to all eternity His heart is so set upon his sinful wayes that there is no turning him out of them neither promises on the one hand nor threatnings on the other are sufficient to reclaim him Hee feedeth of ashes a deceived heart hath turned him aside that hee cannot deliver his soul nor say Is there not a lye in my right hand Isa 44.20 Though he be convinced in his conscience as many times he is that the course he takes will be his ruine yet he is so miserably inthralled by his lusts that he cannot give over Though the Adulterer know that by means of a whorish woman a man is brought to a peece of bread and that the Adulteress will hunt for the precious life that shee hath cast down many wounded yea that many strong men have been slain by her and that her house is the way to hell going down to the chambers of death though he know that the dead bee there and that her guests are in the depths of hell yet hee will not obey the voyce of his teachers nor incline his ear to them that instruct him to remove his way far from her and not to come nigh the door of her house but after her he goes hee goes the way to her house in the twylight in the evening in the black and dark night till strangers be filled with his wealth and his labours be in the house of a stranger till a dart strike through his liver and his flesh and his body are consumed Though the Covetous man knows that when hee dyeth hee shall carry nothing away and that his glory shall not descend after him yet how doth he labour to be rich rising up early and sitting up late and eating the bread of sorrows though he hear that Covetousness is Idolatry and that the love of the world is enmity against God and how almost an impossible thing it is for a rich man to enter into the Kingdome of heaven though God himself say it he will not beleeve it he is resolved to have something of the world though he lose his soul for it
there is Self will tell us they are the greatest evil in the World whereas they are nothing to spiritual and eternal evils but light afflictions in comparison of the evil of Sin and that farre more exceeding eternal weight of misery that it works for all such as live and dye in it when Self therefore speaks in this manner to us wee must give it a peremptory denial It is storied in the Book of Martyrs of George Tankerfield that immediately before his going to the Stake to bee burned being then at an Inne in Saint Albanes hee prayed his Host to let him have a good Fire in his Chamber which accordingly hee had and then sitting on a forme before the Fire hee stretched out his legge to the flame and when it had touched his foot hee quickly with-drew his legge shewing how the Flesh did perswade him one way and the Spirit another y Acts and Mon. l. 10. 1535. The Flesh said O thou Fool wilt thou burne and needest not The Spirit said bee not afraid for this is nothing in respect of fire eternal z Acts and Mon l. 10. 1371. The like is storied of the good Bishop and blessed Martyr Mr. John Hooper Sir Anthony Kingston his Friend coming to him a little before his death thus expressed himself to him I am sorry to see you in this case for as I understand you bee come hither to dye But alas consider that life is sweet and death is bitter therefore seeing life may bee had desire to live for life hereafter may doe good To this the Bishop replied True it is Master Kingston I am come hither to end this Life and to suffer Death here because I will not gain-say the former Truth that I have heretofore taught amongst you and I thank you for your friendly counsel although it bee not so friendly as I could have wished it True it is Mr. Kingston that Death is bitter and Life is sweet but alas confider that the Death to come is more bitter and the Life to come is more sweet therefore for the desire and love I have to the one and the terrour and fear of the other I doe not so much regard this death nor esteem this life 2 Not to be so averse from them a Some of the Christians in the primitive times would not cast one grain of Frankinsence into the fire up on the Heathen Altars to save their lives as to endeavour by any sinful means to avoyd them Self will bid us sin rather than suffer but we must not adventure upon the a least evil of sin to avoyd the greatest evil of suffering b Condaeus tribus ipsi a Carolo nono Galliarum Rege propositis missa morte perpetuo carcere respondit se Deo favente primum nunquam electurum ex duobus reliquis vero alterum voluntati Regis liberum relinquere The three Children in Daniel told the King when he threatned to cast them into a burning fiery Furnace for not worshiping his Golden Image If it bee so our God whom we serve is able to deliver us but if not be it known unto thee that wee will not serve thy gods nor worship thy golden Image which thou hast set up Dan. 3.17 18. Such a resolution must be taken up by every one that means to come after Christ which although in the opinion of worldly Polititians and Time-servers it be folly and madness will bee found to bee wisdome in the end when after by their sinful complyance they have escaped the hands of them that kill the body they fall into the hands of him that kills both Body and Soule in Hell God is not wont to let such men goe unpunished nay he will be sure to meet with them either in this life by terrifying their Consciences or by bringing upon them those evils they thought to escape or in the life to come if they repent not before by appointing them their portion with unbeleevers and hypocrites in the Lake that burnes with Fire and Brimstone where shall bee weeping and wayling and gnashing of teeth for ever 1 By terrifying their Consciences c Acts and Mon. l. 8.914 Mr. Bilney in the dayes of King Hen. 8. by the perswasion of some friends abjured but oh what an Hell did hee feel in his Conscience afterwards Serm. 7. Master Latimer in a Sermon before King Edward thus expresseth it I knew a man my self Bilney little Bilney that blessed Martyr of God who what time he had borne his Faggot and was come againe to Cambridge had such Conflicts within himself that his friends were afraid to let him be alone they were faine to be with him day and night and comfort him as they could but no comforts would serve and as for comfortable places of Scripture to bring them unto him it was as though a man should cut him thorow the heart with a sword And in another Sermon preached in Lincolnshire he hath these words concerning it That same Mr. Bilney who was burnt here in England for Gods Words sake was induced and perswaded by his Friends to bear a Faggot at the time when the Cardinal was aloft and bare the swinge now when the same Bilney came to Cambridge againe a whole year after hee was in such an anguish and agony that nothing did him good neither eating nor drinking nor any other communication of Gods Word for hee thought that all the whole Scriptures were against him and sounded to his Condemnation so that I many a time communed with him for I was familiarly acquainted with him but all things whatsoever any man could alledge to his comfort seemed unto him to make against him d Acts and Mon. l. 8.938 Mr. â—ainbam the year following having in like manner abjured was released and dismissed home where hee had scarce a month continued but he bewailed his Fact and Abjuration and was never quiet in his minde and Conscience untill the time hee had uttered his fall to all his acquaintance and asked God forgivenesse before the Congregation in those dayes in a Ware-house in Bow-lane and immediately the next Sabbath after hee came to Saint Austines and stood up there before the people in his Pew there declaring openly with weeping tears That hee had denied God and prayed all the people to forgive him and to beware of his weaknesse and not to doe as he did for said hee If I should not againe returne unto the truth having the New Testament in his hand this Word of God would damne mee both Body and Soule at the Day of Judgement And there he prayed every body rather to dye by and by than to doe as hee did for hee would not feele such an hell againe as he did feele for all the worlds good Thus severely did God chastise these two good men for a time shewing them what Hell meant by some few scalding drops of his immediate Wrath let fall upon their Consciences thereby making them
Self-denial The Grace of the Gospel teacheth us to deny all ungodliness and to live soberly Tit. 2.11 that is to moderate our appetite after meats and drinks The body must have its due so much as will make it serviceable to the soul but not too much for then it will not bee in subjection to the soul but usurp an uncontroulable power over it There is a mutual sympathy betwixt the soul and the body and the soul too often sympathizeth with the body and follows the temper of it especially when it is pampered when it is stuffed with those things that provoke and stir up lust A man that is cholerick is disposed to passion another that is sanguine to wantonness another that is melancholick to discontent c. Every man if he know himself will finde that in respect of the temper and constitution of his body hee is more or less inclined to some peculiar kinde of sin or other Now in this case the way to deny ones self is not onely to work by spiritual arguments upon the minde but to endeavour to alter the temper of the body by with-holding as much as may bee whatsoever may feed that humour that is predominant in it to the prejudice of the minde Here then that advice of the Apostle is good Not to make provision for the flesh to fulfil the lusts thereof Rom. 13. ult The body is the souls instrument if it have according to its lusts it will bee altogether unserviceable and then though the soul have never so much skill it will accomplish nothing worthy of Self If the organ bee out of tune the Musitian can make no melody There is a proportionable allowance of meats and exercise for the body which if it have render it more able to attend the soul and serve it in its noblest operations but when this proportion is exceeded it hath the quite contrary effect Beware therefore of too much indulgence to the flesh you will never bee able to deny the lusts of the minde while you cannot deny the lusts of the flesh and its just with God that our souls should be in subjection to our bodies when wee endeavour not to keep our bodies in subjection to our souls The Eleventh Direction 11 Study your own nothingness It was a Precept much in use amongst the Stoicks one of those Sects of Philosophers that ran-countred Paul at Athens Act. 17.18 l Vox merino adscripta oraculis quae a Deo est aut certum non sine Deo Lepf Physiolog Stoicer l. 111. E coelo descendit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Juvenal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Know thy self and certainly it is a Precept that if rightly understood is of great use amongst Christians especially in this point of Self-denial A man will never throughly deny himself till hee throughly know himself As the reason why men seek God no more is because they know him so little so this is the reason why they seek themselves so much because they know themselves so little Men are apt to think themselves something when indeed they are nothing Gal. 6.3 they forget themselves to bee but men they remember not that they are but creatures and hence it comes to pass that they set themselves in the place of God that they set up their own wisdome against Gods wisdome their own will against Gods will their own interest against Gods interest as if they were the onely independent beings the onely self-sufficient beings in the world as if there were no Lord over them to whom they must bee accountable in any of their undertakings This was the reason why Pharaoh refused to let the Israelites go to serve the Lord in the wilderness because hee thought there was no Lord above him as youread Exod. 5.2 And Pharaoh said Who is the Lord that I should obey his voyce to let I srael go I know not the Lord neither will I let Israel go This was the reason of that proud vaunting of Nebuchadnezzar Dan. 4.30 Is not this great Babylon that I have built by the might of my power and for the glory of my Majesty It was because hee knew not that the most High ruleth in the Kingdome of men and giveth it to whomsoever hee will vers 25. This was the reason why Herod took that blasphemous acclamation of the people to himself Act. 12.22 This was the reason why those lukewarm Laodiceans said They were rich and increased with goods and had need of nothing they knew not that they were wretched and miserable and poor and blinde and naked Rev. 3.17 By all these instances it is more than evident that while men continue ignorant of their own nothingness and because of that do think of themselves above what is meet they will never deny themselves they will never acknowledge God the Creator as their last end and so take him for their chief good nor God the Mediator as the onely means to the enjoyment of it Oh therefore if you mean to do any thing in this duty of Self-denial if you would not content your selves only with the notion of this duty but would willingly bee under the power of it then begin this day and continue hence-forward to study what poor inconsiderable nothings you are It was Davids question while hee was musing on this Theam Lord what is man that thou regardest him or the Son of man that thou thinkest on him Psal 144.3 4. It is quaestio diminuens a diminishing question and the answer therefore is Hee is vanity vers 4. for weakness hee is a worm for sinfulness a beast for selfishness a Devil Oh it were well if wee could resolve to study this question Wee are apt to ask this question of others in a way of scorn and contempt when wee hear such a one named wee are ready to say Why what is hee and when any thing affronts us What are you Sure you do not understand your self c. Oh it were more fit a great deal to retort this question upon our selves and say What am I and what is my fathers house that I should take upon mee in this manner as I do This is one of the most necessary points of Catechisme wherein wee should bee instructed this would bee a good help to Self-denial and indeed there is much of Self-denial in it Study therefore your own nothingness 1 In point of being you are nothing Consider your selves in comparison of God and what are you If the whole world bee but as the drop of a bucket and the small dust of the ballance as the Prophet speaks how inconsiderable a part of that drop and that dust are you If all the Inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing in his sight as Nebuchadnezzar speaks Dan. 4.35 how inconsiderable a part of that nothing are you Consider your selves absolutely and what are you why once you were nothing and now you are but one remove from nothing and you may quickly bee reduced to nothing
Culverwel Ibid. which is properly of one that confirms what the other sayes If our own conscience condemn us i. e. upon just and warrantable grounds out of the word God will much more condemn us for God is greater than our consciences and knows much more wickednesse by us than wee do our selves 1 John 3.20 It is not our confidence and perswasion then but the ground of it that argues our Estate to bee good Though our perswasions bee never so strong yet if our grounds and reasons bee none or false wee are but in a tottering condition wee do but build upon the sand and therefore when the rain descends and the flouds come and the winds blow our building will fall and great will bee the fall thereof Matth. 7.27 Here I cannot but make mention of a dangerous mistake of some that first take it for granted that they are in Gods favour and then though they can see nothing in themselves setting aside their form of godlinesse their holding of some popular opinions and engaging in the publick service with the honest party but the fruits of the flesh as Adultery Fornication Uncleannesse Lasciviousnesse Hatred Variance Emulation Strife Sedition He resies Envyings Drunkennesse Revellings and such like Yet they go on securely vainly trusting that none of these some whereof they rather judge to bee fruits of the Spirit than of the flesh and others of them upon the fore-mentioned supposition rather infirmities than reigning sins shall separate them from the love and favour of God seeing whomsoever hee loves hee loves unto the end Wee have a remarkable place for this Isa 48.2 They call themselves the holy City and stay themselves upon the God of Israel and yet as the former verse shews they were most abominable Hypocrites they made mention of the God of Israel but not in truth nor in righteousness and the fourth verse tells us that they were very obstinate their neck was as an Iron sinew and their brow brass I am verily perswaded this is a delusion that damns millions of souls under the Gospel Dr. Jackson in his Treatise of Justifying Faith hath so fully opened it that I thought good for the conviction of this sort of men to transcribe this that follows The Hypocrite saith hee alwayes perverting the practical as the Heretick doth the theorical rules of Scripture never sounds the main depth of Christianity but passeth over it as if it were some Philosophical shallow And after hee hath once lost the right way and wandered a while in uncertain blinde perswasions of his private favour with God takes a course quite contrary to all godlinesse For where our Saviour laies it down as one of the first and most necessary rudiments of Christianity that wee must forsake all and deny our selves otherwise wee cannot truly follow him the Hypocrite perswades himself hee hath forsaken Father and Mother Sister and Brother even all hee hath any saecular reference unto because hee so devoutly follows Christ As in what in hearing Sermons quoting places of Scripture upon every occasion in common talk or in precise observance of some precepts whose practise is very compatible with his principal desires apt to support his reputation otherwise defective and lame or perhaps consort as well with his sowre afections his niggardly or scrapin disposition zeal in reading and hearing Gods word I ever admire where it is accompanied with practice conformable but to bee more precise in perswasions than in actions more zealous in performance of duties towards God no way chargeable than lowly courteous and really loving toward their neighbours is a fearful sign that worldly affection hath got the start of Faith in the Spring and will hardly bee overtopped in the growth and that the mind thus affected is sickly and faint yet willing to stay the working of couscience with these repasts And were it not the nature of this disease to put out the eye of reason and rely wholly upon forced perswasions it were impossible such palpable contradictions betwixt most mens ordinary resolutions and fundamental principles of Faith as any Heathen that could but understand what the words of Scripture meant would upon the first view of both clearly discry should go so long oft times for ought wee can perceive the whole course of their lives without controule or check and without notice of their danger Hee is in worse case questionlesse than the meer natural or reasonable man even blinded by Gods just Judgement for his hypocrisy that can suffer himself to bee perswaded hee hath truly denyed himself taken up his crosse forsaken all and made fit to follow Christ when as the world sees and his practice proclaims hee mindes nothing either so intensively or continually as the increasing of his wealth or raising his own or his Childrens fortunes already greater than they are Christianly capable of Thus far the Doctor Therefore I do here in the name of God warn all those of what rank soever they bee that shall read this Book that as they love the salvation of their own souls and would not suffer the vengeance of eternal fire with unbeleevers and hypocrites the Devil and his Angels in Hell they would beware how they entertain any such conceit of the goodnesse of their spiritual condition while in the mean time they neglect to look after the evidence of the real presence of sin-subduing sin-mortifying grace in their own hearts The five foolish Virgins never doubted of their grace till it was too late and this was their folly they were shut out of the Bride-chamber for their neglect Mat. 25.11 12. Our Saviour tells us that many at the last day will say unto him Lord Lord have wee not prophesied in thy name preached many powerful Sermons even to the wonder and astonishment of those that heard us and in thy name cast out Devils and in thy name done many wonderful works been instruments of a wonderful reformation in the places where wee dwelt casting out Drunkards Swearers Prophaners of the Lords day c. and that then he will profe sse unto them that he nevr knew them Mat. 7.22 23. Let every one therefore examine himself whether he be in the Faith 2 Cor. 13.5 and give all diligence to make his calling and election sure i. e his election by his calling 2 Pet. 1.10 4. It is not to deny the expression of it when it should bee seen Though grace bee an invisible thing in it self yet by an holy practice it may bee made visible I willshew thee my Faith by my works saith the Apostle Jam. 2.18 and this is according to the commandement of our Saviour Mat. 5.16 Let your light so shine forth that men may see your good works and glorifie your Father which is in Heaven Some are affraid to discover their graces when they doubt it will bee to the prejudice of their worldly interesse and therefore lest they should offend some particular persons not cordially affected to religion upon whom
vile and he restrained them not And therefore I have sworn unto the house of Eli that the iniquity of Elies house shall not bee purged with sacrifice nor offering for ever 1 Sam. 3.11 12 13 14. But suppose hee had been but a private person and so not able to restraine them himself his duty had been to have brought them to the Judge for so the Law in that case required If a man have a stubborne and rebellious Son which will not obey the voyce of his Father or the voyce of his Mother and that when they have chastened him will not hearken unto them then shall his Father and his Mother lay hold on him and bring him out unto the Elders of his City and unto the gate of his place and they shall say unto the Elders of his City this our Son is stubborne and rebellious hee will not obey our voyce he is a glutton and a drunkard Deut. 21.18 19 20. where observe that they were first to chasten him themselves before they brought him to the publick Magistrate And this God still requires of all Parents that when by admonition and reproof they can prevaile nothing upon their Children they should try what may bee done by correction Chasten thy Son while there is hope and let not thy soul spare for his crying Prov. 19.18 Withhold not correction from the childe for if thou beatest him with the rod he shall not dye thou shalt beat him with the rod and shalt deliver his soul from hell Prov. 23.13 14. The rod and reproof give wisdome but a childe left to himself bringeth his mother to shame Prov. 29.15 Correct thy Son and hee shall give thee rest yea be shall give deligt unto thy soul vers 17. By these Scriptures it appears that correction is an Ordinance of God and a means by him appointed not only in order to the credit and quiet of the Parent but the Salvation of the Child also and therefore cannot be neglected without manifest danger of his eternal Damnation Now what Parent that has any bowels of compassion in him can endure to think that through any neglect of his his Childe should bee cast into Hell It pitties some to hear their Children crying here but how will they endure to hear them roaring in Hell-fire hereafter How will they endure to hear them cursing them at the Day of Judgement and crying for vengeance upon them for not restraining them from those sinful Courses that brought them to so great a misery But to proceed To deny Self in respect of our Relations is 2 Not to comply with them in any way of sin if we be inferiours This was the sin of Ahaziah Hee walked in the wayes of the house of Ahab for his mother was his counsellour to doe wickedly 2 Chro. 22.3 This likewise was the sin of Herodias who upon her Mothers counsel asked John Baptists head Matth. 14.8 Though with all humbleness and readiness of mind wee are bound to entertaine the counsel and command of our Parents and to submit unto them yet if in any thing they run cross to the Counsels and Commands of God wee must chuse to incurre their displeasure and to undergoe the greatest evils that can possibly follow upon it rather than to yeeld unto them e Acts and Mon. l. 11.1758 A notable example of this wee have in the Story of Mr. Julius Palmer a Martyr in Queen Maries dayes who being persecuted by the Papists and turned out of his living was brought to such extremity that hee had not wherewithall to finde himself bread whereupon he went to his Mother hoping to obtaine at her hands certaine Legacies due to him by his Fathers last Will which hee should have received certaine years before his mother understanding his state and errand by two of his friends whom he had sent before to entreat for him as soon as shee beheld him on his knees asking her blessing as hee had been accustomed to doe Thou shalt said shee have Christs curse and mine wheresoever thou goe Hee pausing a little as one amazed at so heavie a greeting at length said O Mother your owne Curse you may give mee which I never deserved but Gods Curse you cannot give me for he hath already blessed me Nay said shee thou wentest from Gods blessing into the warme Sun when thou wert banished for an Heretick out of that Worshipful house in Oxford and now for the like knavery art driven out of Redding too Alas Mother said hee you have been mis-informed I am no Heretick for I stand not stubbornly against any true Doctrine but defend it to my power Well quoth shee I am sure thou dost not beleeve as thy Father and I and all our fore-fathers have done but as wee were taught by the new Law in King Edwards dayes which is damnable Heresie Indeed I confess said hee that I beleeve that Doctrine which was taught in King Edwards time which is not Heresie but truth neither is it new but as old as Christ and his Apostles If thou bee at that point said shee I require thee to depart from my house and out of my sight and never take mee for thy Mother hereafter As for money and goods I have none of thine thy Father bequeathed nought for Hereticks Faggots I have to burne thee more thou gettest not at my hands Mother said he whereas you have cursed mee I againe pray God to bless you and prosper you all your life long and so with abundance of tears trickling down his cheeks hee departed from her not knowing which way to turne his face There is one thing more that is required by way of Self-denial in respect of our Relations and that is 3 Not to adventure upon any Sin either of Omission or Commission for their sakes whether wee bee superiours or inferiours f l. 11. 1415 Rawlins White another of the Martyrs in Queen Maries dayes being led forth to bee Burned was brought to a place where his poor Wife and Children stood weeping and making great lamentation the sudden sight of whom so pierced his heart that the very tears trickled down his face but he soon after as though hee had misliked this infirmity of his flesh began to bee as it were altogether angry with himself insomuch that in striking his breast with his hand hee used these words Ah Flesh stayest thou mee so Wouldest thou faine prevail well I tell thee doe what thou canst thou shalt not by Gods grace have the victory g l. 11. 1464 Master Bradford being in Prison one of the Earl of Derbies Servants came to him saying My Lord hath sent mee to you hee willeth you to tender your self and he would be a good Lord unto you To whom Mr. Bradford replied I thank his Lordship but in this case I cannot tender my self more than Gods honour Ah Master Bradford said the Servant consider your Mother Sisters Friends Kinsfolk and Country what a great discomfort will it bee
particulars that follow SVBSECT I. Motives to Self-denial from the excellency of it The first Excellency of Self-denial 1 IT is a Christians strength and sufficiency there is no greater evidence and demonstration of strength than ability to deny ones selfe A Self-denying man is the strongest man in the world Fortior est qui se quam qui fortissima vincit Moenia-which is the same with that of Salomon a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graec. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plut. de irâ cohib Hee that is slow to anger is better because stronger than the mighty and hee that ruleth his spirit than hee that taketh a City Prov. 16.32 Strength is especially seen in three things in bearing great Burdens in enduring great Labours and in overcoming great Enemies A Christian while he denies himself can doe all these 1 Hee can bear great Burdens the more weight is laid upon him as it is b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sympos l. 8. said of the Date-tree the more hee riseth up under it hee can take up his Crosse and carry it with ease hee can undergoe the greatest sufferings without repining without murmuring under the heaviest affliction hee can say with Paul Our light affliction 2 Cor. 4.17 The reason why affliction is so burdensome is because wee are not enough humbled there is some proud flesh that cannot endure to be touched let that be mortified and affliction will not offend Compressisti a timore tuo superbiam meam mansuefecisti jugo tuo cervicem meam nunc porto illud leve est mihi saith c Confes l. 10. c. 36. Austin Thou hast taken downe my pride O Lord and tamed mee to thy yoke and now I carry it and it is very light 2 He can endure great Labours hee can walk and not faint run and not bee weary Isa 40.31 He is not weary in well-doing Gal. 6.9 hee never saith of any duty wherein he is exercised as they Mal. 1.14 Behold what a wearinesse is it Gods Commandements are not grievous to him 1 Joh. 5.3 Hee is not sloathful in business but fervent in spirit serving the Lord Rom. 12.11 hee labours in the Word and Doctrine if hee be a Minister 1 Tim. 5.17 and in Prayer Col. 4.12 gives himself continually to both Acts 6.4 hee continues instant in prayer though but a private Christian Rom. 12.12 Prayes without ceasing 1 Thes 5.17 three times a day with Daniel Dan. 6.10 Seven times a day with David Psalm 119.164 he can wrastle in prayer with Jacob Gen. 32.24 pray in prayer with Elias Jam. 5.17 offer up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears as our Saviour Hebrews 5.7 Hee can meditate in the Word day and night Psal 1.2 Digge for knowledge as for hid treasures Prov. 2.4 and Plough up his fallow ground Jer. 4.3 in a word hee can doe all things Phil. 4.13 his body sometimes tires but his minde holds out to the last Mar. 14.36 37. 3 Hee can overcome great Enemies he goes on conquering and to conquer nothing is able to stand before him 1 He can overcome the World 1 Joh. 5.4 both the men d The Saints resisted their enemies to death by resisting their own corruptions first Sibbs Souls Conflict 1 Joh. 4.4 and the things of the world 1 John 2.15 not only the good things of the world as pleasures profits and honours ibid. v. 16. Act. 8.20 Phil. 3.8 but the evil things as tribulation distresse persecution famine nakednesse peril and the sword Rom. 8.35 In all these things saith Paul wee are more than Conquerours 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee doe overcome vers 37. 2 He can overcome the Devil 1 Joh. 2.13 14. who flees from him Jam. 4.7 falls down like lightning before him Luke 10.18 and is bruised under his feet Rom. 16.20 3 He can overcome the Flesh Gal. 5.24 that is Self the greatest enemy of all and e Gentes facilius est Barbaras impatientesque alieni arbitrij regere quam animum suum continere tradere sibi Sen. de Benef. l. 3. nulla major est Victoria quam vitia domuisse innumerabiles sunt qui urbes qui populos habuere in potestate paucissimi qui se Quest Nat. l. 3. hardest to be overcome For 1 All other enemies are without but this is within him Mat. 12.29 2 All other enemies act against him in the strength of this without this enemy joyning with them f All the hurt Satan and the World doe us is by correspondency with our selves Sibbs souls Conslict they can doe nothing 3 This is an enemy in the appearance of a Friend Naturally he affects him as his best friend yet hee can fight against him as his worst enemy and in fighting overcome him and keep him under O what a discovery of strength is this If we speak of strength Lo here is strength indeed there is no strength like to this Natural strength is little worth Psalm 90.10 and strength to sin is no strength at all it is but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strength falsly so called Posse malum non est posse Evil is from a deficiency Self is called the strong man but all his strength is from a Disease As a man in a violent Feaver hee is stronger than at other times but it is because Nature is weaker A selfish man is strong to doe wickedly but to doe good he hath no ability at all hee sinks under every burden tires in every duty is not able to withstand any Temptation but is taken Captive by the Devil at his will and pleasure 2 Tim. 2.26 Here then is the excellency of Self-denial that it inables a man to doe that which no Natural man in the world can doe you complaine of weaknesse how unable you are to bear Afflictions to hold out in performances and to resist temptations doe but learne to deny your selves and you will have no longer cause to complaine of weaknesse get but a Self-denying frame of spirit and strength will not bee wanting you shall bee able to doe all to suffer all to overcome all nothing will be impossible to you And there is this further in it that the more you doe deny your selves the more you shall increase in strength as the Old man grows weaker and weaker as by continued Acts of Self-denial it doth so the New man growes stronger and stronger and therefore it may bee truly said of all Self-denying persons and it is only true of them They goe from strength to strength till they all appear before God in Heaven Psa 84.7 The second Excellency of Self-denial 2 It is a Christians beauty and perfection Beauty is that which makes one amiable and desirable that which draws the g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Quod nunc bonum significat per initia pulchrum designabat quod dignum multa esset Spectatione 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Scal. de subt ad Cardanum Fxerc 300. S. 3. eyes and hearts of the
after the manner of men or as the Apostle elsewhere phraseth it according to the course of this world Ephes 2.2 it is Self-denial that is the maine differencing Character of those that are Saints from those that are but meer men this argues they have another spirit with them as it is said of Caleb Numb 14.24 and this is their excellency The excellency of any man lyes in his spirit now of all men a Self-denying man hath the most excellent spirit a spirit so incomparably excellent above others that in regard thereof he hears in the Scriptures the only excellent upon earth A man of understanding saith Solomon is of an excellent spirit Prov. 17.27 Heb. is of a cool spirit a cool spirit is a Self-denying spirit a spirit that burnes not with the fire of Choler or as Solomon elsewhere expresseth it Eccles 7.9 that is not hasty to be angry upon every provocation such a spirit is an excellent spirit as having something in it q A good man is wiser than himself stronger than himself holier than himself there is something in him mere than a man Sibbs Souls conflict 111. above it self something Supernatural and Divine which no other spirit in the world hath besides The Fourth excellency of Self-denial 4 It is a Christians glory and honour Glory is the shining forth of excellency and Honour is the reflexion of it Now as there is nothing wherein the excellency of a mans spirit doth more shine forth than Self-denial so there is nothing that doth more reflect it A Self-denying man is the most honourable man in the World and not only in Gods eye Isa 43.4 but in the eyes of men also When hee goes out to the gate thorow the City when hee prepares his seat in the street the young-men see him and hide themselves and the aged arise and stand up Princes refraine speaking and lay their hands on their month the Nobles hold their peace and their tongue cleaves to the roof of their mouth when the ear hears him then it blesseth him when the eye sees him it gives witnesse to him because he delivers the poor that cry and the fatherlesse and him that hath none to help him the blessing of him that is ready to perish comes upon him and he causeth the widows heart to sing for joy he puts on righteousnesse and it cloatheth him his judgement is as a Robe and a Diadem He is eyes to the blinde and feet to the lame a father to the poor and the Cause which he knowes not he searcheth out and hee breakes the jawes of the wicked and plucks the spoyle out of his teeth Unto him men give ear and wait and keep silence at his counsel After his words they speake not againe and his speech droppeth upon them and they wait for him as for the raine and they open their mouth wide as for the latter raine If hee laugh on them they beleeve it not and the light of his countenance they cast not down Hee chooseth out their way and sits chief and dwells as a King in the Army as one that comforteth the mourners Job 29.7 8 9 c. Many think the way to Honour is to seek themselves and to set up themselves above others this is from pride the most foolish and the most befooling lust that is The way is to deny our selves and to stoop to the meanest imployment wherein God and our generation may be any way served Before honour saith the Wise man is humility Prov. 15.23 those that honour God by denying their owne honour God will bee sure to honour 1 Sam. 2.30 and so will men too When David had danced before the Arke Michal the daughter of Saul said How glorious was the King of Israel to day who uncovered himself to day in the eyes of the hand-maids of his servants as one of the vaine fellows shamelesly uncovereth himself To whom David thus replyed It was before the Lord which chose me before thy Father and before all his house to appoint me to bee Ruler over the people of the Lord over Istael therefore will I play before the Lord and I will yet bee more vile than thus and will bee base in mine owne sight and of the maid-servants which thou hast spoken of of them shall I bee had in honour 1 Sam. 6.22 This is the way not only to have honour but to hold it and which is more to be upheld by it Honour shall upheld the humble in spirit Prov. 29.23 The Fifth excellency of Self-denial 5 It is a Christians peace and tranquility None have more real comfort and contentment in their spirits than those who doe most conscientiously deny themselves this must needs be an argument a special argument of the excellency of Self-denial There is nothing that the heart of man is more set upon than pleasure and contentment and there is nothing that doth more deterre men from this duty of Self-denial than a fear that they shall not enjoy that satisfactory pleasure and contentment in the practice of it that they doe for the present while they have their conver sation in the lusts of their flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind Ephes 2.3 for the accomplishment of their own base ends And therefore it is of great concernment for the making you in love with this duty that you bee thorowly convinced of the real joy and contentment satisfaction and ease that is to bee found in it it may haply sound as a Paradox but there is a real truth in it That the only way for a man to enjoy himself is to deny himself then wesay a man enjoyes himself when he takes comfort and delight in all that he hath and all that he doth a man destitute of comfort and contentment that can take no delight in any thing we say of such a man that he doth not enjoy himself why in this sense Self-denial gives a man the sweetest enjoyment of himself of any thing in the world In your patience saith our Saviour possesse yee your souls Luke 21.19 there is much Self-denial exercised in patience now this is prescribed as a means to keep possession of our Souls exercise patience and you will bee able to keep possession What is that why to keep your Souls in order and under your command for then a man hath the possession when all is in his power and at his disposal it is not barely the being in his house but the having it in his owne power for a man may bee a Prisoner in his owne house so then to possesse our Souls is to bee able to keep the peace in them to keep them in such order that wee can maintaine a sweet calme and quiet frame and temper in them that they be not turned out of doores by any boysterous and unruly passions and this is done by Self-denial and cannot bee done without it A selfish man is besides himself though he seek himself in every