The Principles of Christian Practice, Tract · Point of doctrine 1
[Let him deny himselfe.]
Here our Saviour propounds The first duty and note of a Disciple.the first note and tryall of a Disciple, the renouncing or forsaking of himselfe: Where
1. What is meant by himselfe.Foure things in it.
2. The difficulty of this precept.
3. The necessity of obeying it.
4. The use.
For the first of these. By himselfe I. What is meant by ones selfe.are meant,
1. Things outward: that is, concerning the outward man, yet so neere him, as they are after 1. Outward things.a sort himselfe: Not onelyonly his riches, which a man is willing to hold as fast as his life; nor onelyonly his friends, which are most dear, as a second selfe: but even his name, his liberty, his life it selfe, all which must be willingly and cheerfully given up to God, and denied rather than Christ and his truth; that a man may say with Peter, Master, wee have left all to follow thee, Mat. 19. 27.
2. Things inward, which can 2. What inward things must be denied.hardly bee distinguished from himselfe, and which yet come neerer the quicke; as namely, a mans whole corrupt nature: And here, taking it to peeces,
First, hee must deny all the wisedome of the flesh, which is 1. Rom. 8. 7.enmity to God. And till this be done, there is no savouring of the things of God, no relish in Gods word, wisdome, or waies.
2. Hee must deny his owne 2.corrupt will, which is contrary to Gods will, and onelyonly seeketh how it may please it selfe. And till this bee denied, well thou maist say, Thy will be done, but it shall be by others, not by thy selfe.
3. He must deny all his owne 3.corrupt, carnall, and unmortified passions and affections; as carnall love, feare, hatred, anger, and the like: for even all these branches must bee stocked up with the root.
4. He must deny all his owne 4. Qui dep… ni… v…terem hominem cum operibus suis, abnegat s…ipsum, &c. Hieron. in Matth.wicked inclinations, the streames and incessant stirrings of naturall corruption, as apt to bee kindled as any Gunpowder by the least sparke: whether more common to the nature of man, or more proper to a mans owne person, as hastinesse, pronenesse to revenge, to hatred, injustice, or the like.
5. Hee must denyall wicked 5.habits and sins, the acting of lusts and vices; as all intemperance, rotten speech, uncleannesse, covetousnesse, wrath, envie, pride, idlenesse, and the like; that a man live not now to himselfe, but Rom. 14. 7.wholly to Christ whom he professeth to follow.
In a word, all selfe-respects, Non dixit, neget, sed abneget, ut hac adje…iun…la plurimum addat, &c. Greg. Phil. 3. 7. 8. II. The difficulty of this duty.selfe-seeking, selfe-aymes must be renounced, and the Christian wholly vanish into nothing, and all things in the world become drosse and doung in comparison of Christ.
Next, of the difficulty. Who seeth not by this time what a difficult precept our Saviour hath enjoyned every one of his followers? even the cutting off of hands, and plucking out of eyes, Mar. 9 43. 47.the most necessary and tender parts, and casting them away. To discerne which difficulty a little more distinctly:
1. Consider the neernesse of things to be denied. Were it only Seen in 3. things. 1.in things without us, as to part with friends and riches, this were a difficult commandement to flesh, as appeares in the examples both of him that must first Luk. 9. 59.bury his father, and bid his friends farewell, as also of the young man that left Christ because of his possessions. But when it comes Mat. 19. 22so close to us, as to lead us out of our owne reason, wisedome and judgement, what an hard province proves it? For, who thinkes not his reason neerer him than his religion? what worldly-wise man can yeeld to that of the Apostle, That he must become a foole to bee 1 Cor. 3. 18.wise? To advise a man to despise lands, liberty, and life for his profession, were to wish a man to hate his owne flesh, which no man in his wits ever did. To perswade to the keeping under of lusts, and to the forgoing of dearling sinnes, is, to cut them short of meat and drinke: these are sweet morsels, which they hide under Job 20. 12.their tongues, & will not let goe.
2. Naturall pride and selfelove 2.is such, that it is with us as with Solomon in the dayes of his folly, Eccles. 2. 10. Whatsoever mine eyes desired, I withheld it not. Nay, wee wish so well to our selves, as wee could not offer the least wrong to our least & lowest joynt, nor endure it of others. We are so far from crossing our selves, that wee endure not any other should crosse us, or deny us in our persons or corrupt lusts. Haman is sicke on his bed, because Mordecai denies him obeysance. If John deny Herod his Herodias, hee shall dye for it. If Jonas lose his gourd, hee will be angry to the death. If a man touch Lamech, hee will revenge seventy times seven times. Such impatiency and impotency is in our nature, if wee bee crossed in our wils.
3. Distrust in God, and trust 3.in the meanes, maketh the precept yet more difficult. We see not easily how wee can do well without friends, wealth, liberty, favour, preferments. Wisedome (wee say) is good with an inheritance, Eccles. 7. wee would be on the sunny side, and on the gathering hand; and it is a sore thing to forsake all; which makes the young man goe sad away from Mat. 19. 22Christ himselfe. God in his creatures wee can better content our selves withall, than either in himselfe or in his Son. Our unbeleeving hearts see the gift better than the giver. Wee cannot live by promises; something we would have in hand, and are loth to let all our hold go.
Ye see the necessity of selfe-deniall. III. The necessity of doing it.Our Lord was not ignorant how this precept is an hard saying, able to discourage any from once thinking to follow him, or become a Disciple: And therefore his great wisedome would not have laid this ground for a foundation, if it had not bin so necessary, as without it the whole frame of profession would prove ruinous: For,
1. The Context affirmeth a In sixe respects.twofold necessity of this selfedeniall; 1. Si peril homo amando se, profectò invenitur negando se. Aug. ser. 77. de diversis.both in the words immediately going before (for without it a man cannot bee a Disciple of Christ;) and in the words immediatly following: for whereas every Christian must bee acquainted with the crosse, no man can take up his crosse patiently, who hath not first denied himselfe; and therfore that is rightly set after this.
2. The corruption of nature is 2. Non potes perfectam possidere libertatem, nisi totaliter abneges temetispsum. De imitat. Christi, li. 3. cap. 32.such before grace, as that a man in every thing is wholly tainted, and contrary to the image of God. Now all that vicious disposition must bee renounced, before Gods image can bee renewed, even as all old rubbish must be carried away, before a new frame can be reared.
3. All true wisedome is lost by the fall, and an infinite lumpe 3.of folly bound up in the heart of every Pro. 22. 15.naturall man. Now though true wisedome be offered againe in the word, yet can it never bee embraced before the other bee displaced, no more than light can be manifest, before darknesse bee chased away.
4. The Gospel offereth Christ 4. Mat. 9. 12. & 10. 6.as a Physitian only to the sicke and diseased, and as a Saviour to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And therefore necessarily must a man deny all the meanes hee can make or devise to help himselfe, before hee can come to see what need hee hath of Christ. Hee must come first to discerne his miserie and lost estate, before hee can beleeve and relye on Christ for salvation.
5. The whole scope of the 5.Word is that golden rule of all the Law and Prophets; namely, to teach us to love God & Christ above all, and our neighbour for Mat. 22. 37. 39.his sake as our selves. And therefore that corruption of nature, whereby every man loveth himselfe, and seeketh himselfe & his owne profits, rather than Gods glory and his neighbours good, must bee denied before wee can take out any lesson of the word.
6. No obedience can be acceptably 6. Vigila super teipsum, excita teipsum, admone teipsum, & quicquid de aliis sit, non negligas teipsum. Tantum proficies, quantum tibi ipsi vim intuleris. De imitat. Christi, l. 1. c. 25.performed to God without selfe-deniall: for many commandements are hard and difficult, as that to Abraham of killing his son: many are dangerous that may cost a man his life, as Johns Ministery did: many are costly, and may cost a man his whole estate. Now never can any of these bee cheerfully and willingly undertaken, till these strong holds of flesh in man bee demolished. A man may professe himselfe a servant of Christ: but little is the service he shall do him, till this be done.
As wise master-builders therefore IV. Use. Exhortation to selfedeniall.are most carefull in laying the lowest and first stone, so must wee begin the building of Christianity where our Lord enjoynes us; namely, in the deniall of our selves. Faile in this foundation, Mischiefes by not beginning herein. Fecerunt civitates duas, amores duo: terrenam scilicet amorsui, usque ad contemptum Dei…coelestem verò amor Dei us que ad contemptum sui. Aug. de Civ. Dei. l. 14. 2. Eph. 2. 2.and the whole frame of Christianity tottereth, and falleth to the ground: For,
1. Can a servant please his Master, or a wife her husband, who denies not her selfe, and subjects not her will to his? And canst thou bee wedded to Christ, and not subject thy will to his?
2. Whence doe men follow the course of the world, and will be taught no better? (they must sweare, and lye, and drinke, and raile, and serve the times, and persons, and pleasures:) but because they think it folly and precisenesse to deny themselves or their ordinary liberties to follow Christ: And,
3. Is it from any other cause 3.that men thrust themselves into Gods chaire of estate, to revenge their own wrongs, and challenge, & take challenges into the field, to the perpetrating of horrible murders; or else basely stabbe and wound; but because they thinke it disgrace and cowardise to deny a mans selfe, and to put up the least wrongs?
4. Whence is it else, that many pretend to follow Christ, but 4.upon condition they may not deny themselves? for they must be gainers by their religion, which must be another Diana, to bring profit to the Crafts-Masters. Have Act. 19. 24.those learned selfe-deniall, that measure their religion by their gettings, but will be sure to bee no losers by it? like the Swallowes, that will take their Summer with us, but not our Winter.
5. Whence is it, that some in 5.case of necessity can cast no part of their superfluity into the Treasury, when the widow can cast in all that ever she had? And Ananias & Sapphira that had not denied themselves, could give three parts of their estate away to pious uses; and how farre are most behind them, who professe selfe-deniall? Nay, it is the sin of many great professors, that what need soever Christ in his members hath, they must remit nothing of their costly apparrell, full diet, and following of fashions; which shew them lovers of 2 Tim. 3. 4.pleasures more than of God. Crumbes now and then they can part withall, but endure no de…riment, no abatement. These certainly have not yet denied themselves.
6. Whence is all the deniall 6.of Christ at this day, but for want of selfe-deniall? Why did Peter Qui leviter ac desunctoriè ad pietatis doctrinam accesserunt,—exaruerunt. Naz. orat. 3.deny his Lord, but because hee could not deny himself? Whence are so many Apostates & Demasses in our age, that fall to Popery, to novelties, to false or no worship, but for want of self-deniall? They must please, & rise, & serve the times & themselves, and the appetites of Patrons, and then farewell Christ and his truth.
This was the cause, that many Disciples walked no more with him, John 6. 66. for they could not deny their own wisdome to subscribe to his. And many among the Rulers beleeved in him, but durst not confesse him, because they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God, chapt. 12. 42. 43.
Quest. But the duty being so necessary, as without it can be no Christianity; and so difficult, as scarce one of a thousand is willing to undertake it; what are Quo…usquisque haec adimplevit? sed quae penes homines difficilia, penes Deum facilia. Tert. de idol. c. 12. Helpes to further this difficult duty. 1.the helpes and meanes, by which wee may be forwarded herein? for the Lord hath not left us destitute of meanes, if wee bee not wanting to our selves.
Answ. True: And therefore,
1. Wee must not conceive it naturall for a man to crosse his corrupt nature; for nature fortifies it self in all the holds: It must be therefore a superiour fire that must descend to make a man hate himselfe for the love of God & Christ. Regeneration is a worke of the Spirit, and strength to overcome our selves is not from our selves. And therefore wee must pray for the truth of this grace of Regeneration; and never bee at rest till wee finde it in our selves in some degree of it, encouraging our selves in that promise that the Spirit is given to those that aske him, & is powred Luk. 11. 13. Isa. 44. 3.on the thirsty grounds.
2. Consider what an advantage 2.it will bee to take our selves in hand before our lusts be growne strong in us, and how they are farre more easily denied in the first motion and rising of them, than when they have seated themselves with delight in the affections and members, and are growne from motions to acts, from acts to customes, from customes to habits, and from habits to another nature, that is, after a sort become the man himselfe, that hee can as soone leave to bee himselfe, as leave these. And therefore wee must subscribe to the wisedome of Jesus Christ, who enjoynes it as the very first worke of Christianity, fit to bee first set upon.
3. As it must be the first, so also 3. Self-deniall the first & continued act of a Christian.the continued act of a Christian, to stand in the deniall of himselfe, seeing the enemy continually useth our owne naturall inclinations against us to our owne hurt: he plowes with our owne heifers, even those lusts in any kind which he finds not throughly denied. Wee must therefore instantly watch them, and try them, and finding them corrupt, presently cut them off, and deny them.
And because they are not denied, Pensem…s quomodo Paulus se abuegaverat, qui dicebat, Vivo autem jam non ego. Extinctus quippe suerat sevus ille persecutor, et vivere coeperat pius praedicator. Greg. in Evang. hom. 32.till the contrary bee practised, our care must bee that the roome of our hearts bee taken up with good desires and motions, and the lustings of the Spirit, which being contrary, will keep out, and keep under the lusts of the flesh. And indeed this is the strongest deniall of our selves, when we are strongly resolved in our selves, rather to bee sufferers than doers in any wicked motion; and retaine with us a stedfast purpose to please God in all things, though it be with the displeasure of our selves, and all the world.
4. Whereas the high mountaines of pride resist this selfe-deniall, 4. Preservatives against pride, which hinders selfe-deniall.wee must labour for the grace of humility, which onelyonly can bring these mountaines into a plaine. To which end consider thy owne estate,
1. What it is by nature; and that is such, as thou hast no cause 1.to be proud of it: as, what cause hath a condemned rebell to bee proud in going to execution?
2. That it can bee no better by grace, till thou bee humble: 2.God gives grace onelyonly to them; and the raines of grace fall off the mountaines, and water onelyonly the vallies to fruitfulnesse.
3. What it ought to bee by grace. Still humble and lowly. 3.Grace is as the light in the soule, that discovers all our defects and spots, and all the nasty corners in our hearts, to keep us low.
4. What thou art restored to 4.in Christ, both in grace and glory, but all upon condition of self-deniall: for neither Christ nor the Christian have any other way to the crowne, but by the crosse; and no reigning with Christ, but upon condition of suffering with him.
So of the fourth meanes.
5. Whereas distrustfulnesse of heart wedgeth and rivetteth us 5. Also against distrustfulnes, which hinders it.into the world, so as a man cannot easily command his heart off the least unlawfull gain of it (and much lesse the whole) for Christ; Labour daily for the strengthening of faith in the providence of God, and bring thy heart to leane upon that, and not upon thy self, or any inferiour meanes. For which purpose,
First, consider what a base folly 1it is, to seek after vaine and earthly contents, and in the mean time neglect and despise heavenly. What other is it, but to catch at shadowes?
Secondly, set the promise ever 2.before thee: that to them that seek the Kingdome of God first, every good thing shall bee Mat. 6. 33.ministred in due season. And what an high indignity is it, to trust an honest man on his word, but not God without a pawne?
Thirdly, observe his speciall 3.providences to thy selfe & thine for time past, in all things, and thou shalt not find cause to distrust him for time to come. So Abraham raised that Proverbe, God will provide in the Mount, Gen. 22. 14and in the Mount God will bee seen. David can deny himselfe 1 Sam. 17. 37.and his owne strength, leaning on the assured experience of Gods strength in the Lion and Beare.
Quest. But this duty being so difficult, we had need have good encouragements to excite our dulnesse, and provoke our backwardnesse unto it. What spurres therefore or motives have wee to quicken us thereunto?
Answ. Looke what way wee will, wee want not motives unto it.
1. Look at Christ; he denied Encouragements to this harsh work of selfe-deniall.himselfe for us: hee forsooke all, father and mother, lands and liberty, and life it selfe, yea heaven and happinesse for us. Wee cannot deny so much for him; 1.and all ours is but a thankfull returne to him.
2. Looke to the world, which 2. Nil me juvabunt fines mundi, nec regna hujus seculi: melius est …ihi emori propter Jesum Christum, quàm imperare finibusterrae. Ignat. ad Rom. Psal. 120. 5. 6.hath us in such bands, and is so hardly denied: It will leave us, and deny us; the fashion of the world passeth away: it denies us any continuing city here, denies us a resting place, and all that we should deny it. It is as Egypt to the Israel of God, full of burdens and oppressions: as Mesech to David; and it should bee their woe, that they are forced to dwell in Mesech. But this is the folly of men: Every one complaines of the badnesse of it, but none are willing to leave it, neither in affection nor action.
3. Looke on the right hand: 3.we want not clouds of examples of the Saints, who have denied themselves for Christ. Moses denied Heb. 11. 25. 26.the honours and profits of the Court, desplsed the treasures of Egypt, refused to bee called the son of Pharaohs daughter, and chused to suffer with Gods people. Abraham denied himselfe in Gen. 22. 16his owne bowels, in his only son Isaac. Others left all to follow Mat. 19. 27.Christ, as the Disciples. Others have followed him out of Jerusalem, Heb. 13. 12. 13. Rev. 12. 11even to the crosse. Others sold all to buy the pearle. Others loved not their lives unto death, for Ignis, crux,—& diaboti tormenta in me veniant, tantummodo ut Jesum nanciscar …dem ibid.the testimony of Christ. Neither fire, nor sword, nor any torment could hinder the Martyrs from Christ; they would fetch him out of the fire, and exchange all their peace and outward contentments with most exquisite torments.
4. Look on the left hand: we have hypocrites forsaking much 4.for Gods favour: we have Baals Priests lancing and tormenting themselves, to uphold their Idolatry: And Micah 6. 6. Where with (say the hypocrites) shall we come before the Lord? they will bring thousands of rams, and ten thousand rivers of oyle: they will part with the first-borne of their bodies, for the sin of their soules.
Besides these, we have the Papists charging us, that wee will forsake nothing for our profession, while they give all to the Church, and betake themselves to voluntary poverty, and beate downe their bodies with fastings, whippings, and watchings: Wee are enemies to fasting, we feed and fat our lusts, and our religion is an enemy to all charity and good workes. Wherein although they be lyers and deceivers, as well in that they do themselves, as that they say of us; yet indeed they have too much ground of our reproach, in the filthy, loose, carnall, and covetous life of a number of professed Christians. But shall hypocrites and Idolaters get before us in selfe-deniall? &c.
5. Looke to the end of our 5. Si… olerum pl…lae tra…sponuntur, ut proficiaeu: Unde enin videntur…ii perdidsse quod cra…t, inde incipiunt apparere quod non erant. Greg. ubi supr.selfe-deniall: there meetes us Gods promise with a full horne and hand, and will not let us bee losers by the bargaine. All the losse shall be made up with an infinite returne and advantage. For, Whosoever shall forsake house, brethren, sisters, father or mother, wife or children, or lands for my sake and the Gospels, he shall receive an hundred fold for the present, houses, and brethren, and sisters, and mothers, and children, and lands with persecution; and in the world to come eternall life: Here is usury enough, above ten in the hundred, yea an hundred for ten, yea for one, Mar. 10. 30.
Quest. But what are the signes or markes of selfe-deniall?
Ans. One is in regard of God: Notes of one that denies himselfe.it will cast a man wholly out of himselfe upon God, as David, Psal. 73. 25. Whom have I in heaven 1.but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. It will looke directly at God in all things. In doing things it will doe all by Gods rule; it will doe all for his glory: the love of God 2 Cor. 5. 14.constrains it to duty. In duties of piety or charity it seekes not the owne things, not private profit, nor is carried by the aymes that flow from selfe-love; but aymes at the Kingdome it selfe, and the promoting of Gods glory in his owne salvation.
The second is in respect of 2.Christ: for whom hee esteemes all things losse and doung, Phil. 3. 8. These inferiour comforts are but as the star-light in respect of the brightnesse of the Sun, which is in his eye: for Christ he can want as well as abound, bee empty as Phil. 4. 11. 12.well as full, yea be nothing, that Christ may be all in all.
The third is in respect of the word of God; selfe-deniall bewrayes 3. Foure things that self-deniall doth in respect of the Word. Regards whatever God teacheth. Act. 10. 33.it selfe sundry wayes:
1. It goes with an open heart to heare, learne, and obey whatsoever God shall please to teach: Hee cannot bee a Disciple, that brings not selfe-deniall. Can he that stickes to his owne reason, and denies not his owne wisedome, ever beleeve that life must be fetched out of death, that one man can bee healed by another mans stripes and wounds, that heaven must bee fetched out of hell, and a glorious resurrection out of dust and ashes? Hee will never bee a Disciple, that will receive the word no further than he seeth reason to do it. But a true Disciple is described, Isa. 32. 3. The eyes of the seeing shall not bee shut, & the ears of them that heare shall hearken: And David desires but to be taught, and promiseth to obey, Psal. 119. 33.
2. It is willing to be acquainted Loves it all, even reproofes.with every part of Gods wil, that he may frame his owne will unto it, as knowing that every truth of God concerneth every one of Gods people, and is profitable for them to know, 2 Tim. 3. 15. 16. and Rom. 15. 4. And hence selfe-deniall loveth reproofes, and likes that Ministry best, which most searcheth the conscience, and in which is the most power of God, judging and rebuking his owne sinne: there if he be wounded, he is sure to be cured. But farre is he from the deniall of his sinne or himselfe, that hates and stormes against him that dislikes and censures his sinne. Ahab had sold himselfe to wickednes: and therefore hates Micaiah, because he never prophecied good unto him.
3. Having heard the word, it Quarrels not, but submits.subscribes to it, and dares not cavill or dispute against it, be it never so contrary to nature, or cross to our desires. Selfe-deniall allowes every thought to be brought into the obedience of Christ, 2 Cor. 10. 5. It checks the stubbornnesse of heart, and saith as Rom. 9. 20. O man, who art thou that disputest against God! who art thou that risest against the truth of God? See Job 6. 24.
4. Selfe-deniall in love to the Suffers, rather than the truth should suffer.truth of the word resolves to suffer any thing, rather than to renounce any part of that it is perswaded to bee the truth of God: so did the Martyrs. And without this readinesse to suffer disgrace and losse for the truth, if wee be called, we can neither be Martyrs nor Disciples; wee can have no acquaintance with Christ here, nor bee saved hereafter, Luke 14. 26.
So of the third note.
The fourth is in respect of himselfe: Hee that hath denied 4. Resignation to God for prosperity,himselfe, will desire no way of prosperity but Gods owne, nor relye upon his owne meanes, strength, policy, diligence, nor sacrifice to his owne net in successes; but ascribe all his prosperity unto God: it is he that gives him power to get substance, it is hee that gives the fruit of the Deut. 8. 18.wombe, the dew of heaven, the fat of earth, that spreads his table, fils his cup, &c. Inadversity Of adversity.hee will be willingly what God will have him to bee, sicke or poore, pained or disgraced; hee will not carve for himselfe, but suffer his father to chuse his rod, and not limit him for the manner or measure of correction; and all this without murmuring or impatience: and dares avoid no evill by any evill meanes.
The fift note is in respect of others: 5. He is usefull to others, though enemies.He that hath denied himselfe, lives not to himselfe, but procures the good of others, and advanceth to his power every mans wealth and good; as being now a publike good, though a private man. He can do good to his enemies, and pray for them that curse him, and wrong him. He lookes not on men, as they are affected to himselfe, but as hee ought to be affected to them. And he that cannot deny and displease himselfe, can never please his neighbour for good and edification; which is the Apostles argument, Rom. 15. 2. Let us not please our selves, but our neighbour for edification: for Christ pleased not himselfe, &c.
The sixt and last note of selfe-deniall 6.is the life of faith, beyond and without all meanes of helpe. Abraham, denying himselfe, distrusted He can live by faith, whatever meanes be, or be not.not when meanes failed. Faith leanes not upon meanes, but upon God; and is not tyed to meanes, but to God, and will say, Our God is in heaven, and doth whatsoever hee will, bee there meanes or no, Psal. 115. 3. The Prince could not deny his reason, 2 Kin. 7. 19. If God should make windowes in heaven, could this come to passe? but it cost him his life. And good Zachary could not deny himselfe, but doubted of Gods word; and God denied him his speech for forty weekes, Luke 1. 30.
As nothing gives more glory to God than faith, so nothing takes so much from man. Nothing makes him so little in himselfe as faith, which acknowledgeth God so great.
By these signes wee may examine what measure of selfe-deniall we have attained, and thereby know what fitnesse wee have to be Disciples.