A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 11
CHAP. XI. Uſe 2. To try our ſelf-denial: the ſincerity of the leaſt degree. Uſe 2. Of Exhortation.
BEloved hearers, I have now before me as great a ſin and danger to deter you from (even ſelfiſhneſs and its effects) and as great a Duty to offer to your entertainment (even ſelf-denial) as any (ſave one) that I am acquainnted with in the world. The raiſing up the ſoul to God is indeed the greateſt work: But the mortifying of the fleſh, and the Denying of ſelf, is ſurely the next to it, being a real part of the change. You hear Miniſters tell you of the odiouſneſs, and danger, and ſad effects of ſin: but of all the ſins that ever you heard of, there is ſcarce any more odious and dangerous than this, and yet I doubt there are many that never were much troubled at it, nor ſenſible of its malignity. My principal requeſt therefore to you is, that as ever you would prove Chriſtians indeed, and be ſaved from ſin and damnation that follows it; take heed of this deadly ſin of ſelfiſhneſs, and be ſure you be poſſeſſed with true ſelf-denial: and if you have it, ſee that you uſe and live upon it.
And for your help herein, I ſhall 1. Tell you how your ſelf-denial muſt be tried; and 2. How it muſt be exerciſed; and 3. I ſhall give you ſome further Reaſons to perſwade you to it; and 4. Some Directions for the procuring and ſtrengthening it.
1. The trial of your ſelf-denial may be performed by the help of the Signs that have been given you before. In the ten particulars mentioned in the beginning, you may ſee what is ſelfiſhneſs, and what is ſelf-denial. But for your further ſatisfaction, I ſhall only tell you in a few words, how the leaſt meaſure of true ſelf-denial may be known. And, in one word, that is thus: Wherever the Intereſt of Carnal ſelf is ſtronger and more predominant habitually than the Intereſt of God, of Chriſt, of everlaſting life, there is no true ſelf-denial or ſaving grace: But where Gods Intereſt is the ſtrongeſt, there ſelf-denial is ſincere. If you further ask me, How this may be known? Briefly thus.
1. What is it that you Live for? what is that Good which your mind is principally ſet to obtain? and what is that End which you principally deſign and endeavour to obtain, and which you ſet your heart on, and lay out your hopes upon? Is it the Pleaſing and glorifying of God, and the everlaſting fruition of him? Or is it the Pleaſing of your fleſhly mind in the fruition of any inferiour thing? Know this, and you may know whether Self or God have the greateſt intereſt in you. For that is your God, which you Love moſt, and Pleaſe beſt, and would do moſt for.
2. Which d… you ſet moſt by? the means of your Salvation, and of the Glory of God; or the Means of providing for Self and Fleſh? Do you ſet more by Chriſt and Holineſs, which are the way to God? or by Riches, Honour, and Pleaſures, which gratifie the fleſh? Know this, and you may know whether you have true Self-denial?
3. If you are truly ſelf-denying, you are ordinarily Ruled by God, and his word and ſpirit, and not by Carnal Self. Which is the Rule and Maſter of your lives? whoſe Word and Will is it ordinarily that prevails? When God draws, and ſelf draws, which do you follow in the tenor of your life? Know this, and you may know whether you have true Self-denial.
4. If you have true Self-denial, the drift of your lives is carried on in a ſucceſsful oppoſition to carnal Self, ſo that you not only refuſe to be ruled by it, and love it as your God, but you fight againſt it, and tread it down as your enemy: So that you go armed againſt Self in the courſe of your lives, and are ſtriving againſt Self in every duty; and as others think, it then goes beſt with them, when Self is higheſt, and pleaſed beſt; ſo you will know that it then goeth beſt with you, when Self is loweſt, and moſt effectually ſubdued.
5. If you have true Self-denial, there is nothing in this world ſo dear to you, but on deliberation you would leave it for God. He that hath any thing which he loveth ſo well that he cannot ſpare it for God, is a ſelfiſh and unſanctified wretch. And therefore God hath ſtill put men to it, in the trial of their ſincerity, to part with that which was deareſt to the fleſh. Abraham muſt be tried by parting with his only Son. And Chriſt makes it his ſtanding rule, [He that forſaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my Diſciple] Luke 14. 33. Yet it is true that fleſh and blood may make much reſiſtance in a gracious heart; and many a ſtriving thought there may be, before with Abraham we can part with à Son, or before we can part with wealth or life: But yet on deliberation ſelf-denial will prevail, and there is nothing ſo dear to a gracious ſoul, which he cannot ſpare at the will of God, and the hope of everlaſting life. If with Peter we ſhould flinch in a temptation, we ſhould return with Peter in weeping bitterly, and give Chriſt thoſe lives that in a temptation we denied him. For Habitually God is deareſt to the ſoul.
6. In a word, true ſelf-denial is procured by the Knowledge and Love of God, advancing him in the ſoul to the debaſing of ſelf. The illuminated ſoul is ſo much taken with the Glory and Goodneſs of the Lord, that it carrieth him out of himſelf to God, and as it were eſtrangeth him from himſelf, that he may have communion with God; and this makes him vile in his own eyes, and abhor himſelf in duſt and aſhes; He is loſt in himſelf; and ſeeking God, he finds himſelf again in God. It is not a Stoical Reſolution, but the Love of God and the Hopes of Glory that make him throw away the world, and look contemptuouſly on all below, ſo far as they are meer proviſion for the fleſh.
Search now, and try your hearts by theſe evidences, whether you are poſſeſſed of this neceſſary grace of ſelfdenial. O make not light of the matter Sirs, and preſume not of it, till you find good grounds. For I muſt tell you that ſelf is the moſt treacherous enemy, and the moſt inſinuating deceiver in the world. It will be within you when you are not aware of it, and will conquer you when you perceive not your ſelves much troubled with it, and of all other vices is both the hardeſt to find out, and the hardeſt to caſt out; the hardeſt to diſcover, and the hardeſt to cure. Be ſure therefore in the firſt place that you have ſelf-denial: and then be ſure that you uſe it and live in the practice of it. And for this I muſt give you more particular advice.