Sweet and Soul-Persuading Inducements Leading Unto Christ, Chapter 6
CHAP. VI.
IF you demand what the evils are which attend the want of ſelf-denyall,Evils ariſing from want of Self-denyall 1. Vncapablenes of Chriſt. and full and through ſubjection unto Chriſt: I anſwer, hence ariſe theſe evils and great inconveniences to the ſoules of men.
1. Ʋncapableneſſe of Chriſt: The full veſſell is uncapable of other liquor, the full houſe is uncapable of another dweller, the full ſoule, the ſoule which doth not deny it ſelfe, which is not emptied of all ſelf-ſufficiency, is uncapable of Chriſt, as long ſaith the Apoſtle, wRom. 7.3, 4.as the husband liveth, the wife is bound to the law of her husband, and ſhe cannot marry another, when her husband is dead ſhe is free to marry whom ſhe will: As long as the creature liveth, as long as opinion of ſelf-ſufficiency or any other luſt doth live, and beare ſway in the heart of man; Man is bound to the law of the creature, and his owne luſt, he is under the power and authority of the creature, and luſt, and he cannot marry his ſoule to Chriſt; but if the creature be dead, if the world be xGal. 6.14. Gal 5.24.crucified unto him, and he to the world, if he hath crucified the fleſh with the affections thereof, then he is free to marry himſelfe to Chriſt, then he is capable of Chriſt. Chriſt hath no gracious being where there is no true and through ſelf-denyall; that ſoule alone which is truly humble is Chriſts dwelling.
2. Alienation and eſtrangement from all the benefits and comforts flowing from Christ. 2. Alienation from the benefits and comforts of Chriſt.The Subject which exalts himſelfe, and denyes obedience to his Soveraigne, deprives himſelfe of all the prerogatives which the King grants unto his loyall people: He that exalts himſelfe with an opinion of his owne worth, or ſets up the creature in the roome of Chriſt, and will not vaile and bow to Chriſt, excludes himſelfe from all the comforts of Chriſt: He is eſtranged from the knowledge of Chriſt, as a diſeaſed eye from the light of the Sunne, from the love of Chriſt, as a harlot from the love of her husband, from the yIoh. 5.14.faith of Chriſt, as the houſe builded upon the ſand was eſtranged from the rocke, from the communion and fellowſhip of Chriſt, as Joab exalting Adoniah into the Throne, was excluded from communion with z1 King. 1.Solomon: ſo man exalting the creature, or any luſt into the heart, the Throne of Chriſt loſeth all communion with Chriſt; he that denyes not himſelfe receives nothing of Chriſt, he receives not Chriſt as a Prophet inſtructing, he is ſtill in darkneſſe and in the ſhadow of death, he receives not Chriſt as a King, to raigne and rule over him, he feeles nothing of Chriſts kingdome within him, he receives not Chriſt as a Prieſt; he knowes not the vertue of Chriſts death in the death of his ſinne, he is ſtill in his ſinne without juſtification. Adam preferring the perſwaſion of his wife, above the commandement of God, loſt all his communion with God, and was excluded from the Tree of Life. Man exalting any thing aLuk. 14.26, 27.above Chriſt excludes himſelfe from God and Chriſt.3. Emptineſſe and hallown…s of profeſſion.
3. Ʋanity, emptineſſe, hallowneſſe of profeſſion of Chriſt, and attendance upon the ordinances. The profeſſion of Chriſt without ſelf-denyall, and full ſubjection under Chriſt, is nothing worth; a tree of leaves without fruit, like that in the Goſpell, whoſe end was accurſed. Joah exalting Adoniah fled in vaine to the hornes of the Altar, he was there ſlaine; Man exalting himſelfe, or any thing elſe above Chriſt, flyes in vaine to the ordinances of God, to the outward profeſſion of Chriſt; Herods hearing the Baptiſt, and doing many things, ſtood him in no ſtead, exalting Herodias in his heart; the Philiſtines exalting Dagon, had no benefit by the Arke, they were the more plagued for the preſence of it. Mans very profeſſion of Chriſt turnes to the increaſe of his condemnation, not throughly ſubjecting himſelfe to Chriſts dominion.
4. Abaſement under the creature.4. Subiection, abaſement, and thraldome under the creature, and his owne ſinfull fleſh. They that dreame of liberty by refuſing to take the yoake of Chriſt upon them, in ſtead of freedome meet with thraldome: The Apoſtle ſaith of falſe Prophets, while they promiſe others liberty, themſelves are the b2 Pet. 3.ſervants of corruption; ſuch falſe Prophets are theſe men to their owne ſoules, for whiles they promiſe themſelves liberty, they make themſelves the ſervants of the creature, and of their owne luſts, for of whom a man is overcome of the ſame is he brought in bondage. The Lord ſometime threatened Iſrael, becauſe they would not ſerve him, they ſhould ſerve their enemies; they that deny holy and cheerfull ſervice to the Lord Jeſus, make themſelves miſerable and wretched ſlaves to the creatures, and many baſe affections; Man ever make that a Lord and Maſter over him, which he will not deny to make himſelfe Chriſts ſervant; the ſervice of Chriſt is ſpirituall freedome; the denyall of obedience to Chriſt is accurſed thraldome.
5. Annihilatiō of the fruit of Chriſts death.5. Annihilation of the fruit and benefit of Chriſts death. A ranſome is paid in vaine for him that will not put off his fetters, and come forth of the houſe of bondage: Chriſts death without ſelf-denyall is no way beneficiall; he that puts not off his luſts as fetters, and comes off from the world as from a houſe of bondage, hath no benefit by the ranſome which Chriſt hath given: For this c2 Cor. 5.15.end (ſaith Saint Paul) hath Chriſt dyed, that we that live ſhould live no mere unto our ſelves but unto Chriſt who died for us.
6. Deprivation of the heavenly fruit, 6. Deprivation of the fruit of Gods O…dinances.and ſoule-refreſhing comfort of the ordinances of God, and labours of Gods Miniſters. The reſerving of one moate in the eye, fruſtrates the ſhining of the Sunne; the allowing of thornes in the field makes the ſowing of the ſeed fruitleſſe; the Word, Sacrament, Miniſters can doe you no good, unleſſe you will deny your ſelves, and reſigne your ſelves wholly unto Chriſt; dIonah 1.Jonah being kept in the ſhip, the mariners rowed in vaine, they could not bring the ſhip to the ſhoare; without an univerſall ſelf-denyall, the Miniſter cannot bring the ſoule to Chriſt, he cannot wave and worke it into the haven of everlaſting peace.
7.7. Loſſes waiting on the want of ſelf-deniall. The loſſe which attends the want of ſelf-denyall and ſubiection unto Chriſt. Achan exalted the golden wedge and Babyloniſh garment in his heart, and thereby loſed both that and all his ſubſtance with his life; Adam overprized the fruit of the forbidden tree, and eat of it againſt Gods precept, and thereby loſt both the tree and all the garden. That which man gaines with Chriſts diſhonour, and with the neglect of Chriſt, proves mans greateſt loſſe; ſouleloſing is the fruit of ſelf-ſeeking; they that ſeeke their owne things, and not the things which are Jeſus Chriſts, loſe both their owne things, and the things which are Jeſus Chriſts. He (ſaith Chriſt) that will ſave his life, that is, by denying Chriſt, by preferring man above Chriſt, that man ſhall loſe his life: ſo he that will ſave his goods, his credit, his peace among men, with the neglect of Chriſt, by ſhunning the croſſe of Chriſt; that man ſhall loſe his goods, the comfort of them, he ſhall eat the bread of ſorrowes; he ſhall loſe his credit with men, he ſhall be a ſlave to men, he ſhall be reputed vile in the eyes of men, they ſhall no more eſteeme him then the High-Prieſts did Judas: He ſhall loſe his peace with men, who will truſt him, or have communion with him, that proves unfaithfull to his God; in the midſt of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraights, every hand of the wicked ſhall be upon him, and all darkneſſe ſhall be hid in his ſecret places, everlaſting confuſion ſhall be his laſt portion: The gaine of all is a very fearefull loſſe to him that for gaine doth loſe Chriſt: He that for worldly honours, and outward riches denies and loſes the Lord Jeſus,eMar. 9.34, 35. is the moſt poore, baſe, and contemptiole of all perſons.
8. Apoſtacy from Chriſt.8 Apoſtacy and falling away from Chriſt. He that cannot throughly deny himſelfe, and all things elſe for Chriſt, he will never hold out with Chriſt; he will fall a luſting after his old wayes, as the Iſraelites did after the onyons and garlicke of Egypt, retaining ſtill his corrupt and carnall nature, he will returne like the ſow to his wallowing in the mire; when trouble and affliction comes, he will repine and wiſh himſelfe in his former eſtate, as the Iſraelites repined at the red Sea, and wiſhed they had tarried in Egypt: He that began to build in the parable, and conſidered not the coſt before hand left off with ſhame: He that takes upon him the profeſſion of Chriſt, and conſiders not what it will coſt him, reſolves not to deny all, to leave all, to ſuffer all, and to content himſelfe with Chriſt alone, can never hold out with Chriſt to the end: A horſe of unſound feet may travell well a few miles, but at length his feet faile him, and he can travell no further; a rotten veſſell may row ſpeedily upon the Seas for ſome houres, but as ſoone as a ſtorme ariſeth the ſhip ſinketh: Thus man of a rotten and unſound heart may make a glorious profeſſion, be very zealous for a ſeaſon, but not having throughly denyed himſelfe, he faints and fIoh. 6.66. Luk 14 23. M…. 1….…. 9. Chriſts rejection of ſuch.fals away, he makes ſhipwracke of faith and a good conſcience at length
9. Chriſts denyall, and rejection of ſuch as will not deny themſelves for him and his ſake: He (ſaith Chriſt) that ſhall deny me before men, him will I deny before my Father which is in Heaven. He that ſhall deny Chriſt in his Gospell, refuſing to attend and embrace it; in his Miniſters, refuſing them and their doctrines; in his members, denying love and fellowſhip to them; in his offices, refuſing to heare him as a Prophet, to obey him as a King, and to reſt upon him as a Prieſt, and Mediator for ſalvation: He that ſhall deny Chriſt in his promiſes, refuſing to beleeve them, or in his precepts, neglecting to obſerve them; he that ſhall deny him in his underſtanding, not caring for the knowledge of Chriſt; in his will, not chuſing and taking Chriſt unto himſelfe; in his imagination, not delighting in the thought of Chriſt; in his affections, not fearing, truſting, loving, and rejoycing in Chriſt: He that ſhall deny him before men, for the feare of mens diſpleaſure, or game of mens favour, him will Chriſt deny; he will deny him his bleſſed preſence, and power in his ordinances,2 Tim. 2.13. audience to his prayers, deliverance in his diſtreſſes, peace in his conſcience, pardon of his ſinnes, juſtification in the ſight of God, and at the laſt day before the face of his Father, in the preſence of all men and Angels, he will deny them to be his, he will not offer them unto God as his owne; very fearefull is their eſtate that want ſelf-denyall, if Chriſt deny us, who but the Devill will acknowledge them, what more diſhonourable and diſcomfortable to a childe, then to be denyed of his father, or to a wife then to be denyed of her husband. It is the greateſt diſhonour and ſhame of a man, profeſſing himſelfe a Chriſtian, to be denyed of Chriſt. Better deny our ſelves and all the world now then be denyed of Chriſt at the laſt.