A Treatise of Self Denial, Treatise
A Treatiſe of Self-Denyall.
MATTH. 16.24.
If any one will come after me, let him deny himſelfe.
(BUt in the firſt place, let us with all thankfulneſſe adore the Divine Bounty for this ineſtimable Jewell of His moſt Holy VVord, revealed to us; and with all humility implore the light and aid of his moſt Bleſſed Spirit, that we, who can doe nothing without Him, may with Him be able to ſee His Truth, and ſeeing it, ſell all we are worth to purchaſe it: To this alone Glory, in our Eternal Good, through Jeſus Chriſt our Lord. Amen.)
THE Occaſion of theſe words will be the beſt key to our Diſcourſe: And that was this. Our Saviour now drawing faſt upon the Cataſtrophe of His Life, and being in the laſt Act thereof, to expreſſe the Perfection of Self-denyall, that the ſuddenneſſe of the Tragedy might not drive his Diſciples into an unwonted extaſie,Verſe 21. acquaints them often with it before-hand, well knowing, that the blow foreſeene in time, when it came, would make the leſſe impreſſion. Yet Peter, it ſeemes,Verſe 22. ſomewhat mov'd above the reſt, whether by the inſtinct of fleſh and bloud, or the ſuggeſtion of the Devill, or both, which is moſt likely, taking him aſide, began to rebuke Him, ſaying; Sir! favour your ſelfe, this barme ſhall not befall you. Moſt ſtrange audaciouſneſſe in a Diſciple to his Maſter, whether we looke at his words, or his behaviour! No ſuch thing ſhall befall you; and yet but juſt then, He had flatly affirmed the contrary? What elſe was this, but, with the Devill in Paradiſe, to oppoſe his owne infallibility to his Maſters, Gen. 3.4. Jer. 5.12.that is (in plaine Engliſh) to give Him the Lye? An intolerable preſumption. And yet, thereupon to inferre, He ought to favour, that is, make much of, or ſeek Himſelfe; this was no other, but a downe-right Devilliſh Temptation: A true, but ſlyer, Copy of that Originall one of the Serpent, who tempted our firſt Parents, by ſelf-love, to affect a Deity. But laſtly, the better to perſwade this,Gen 3.5. to take Him aſide, to put Him beſide His courſe, and there earneſtly to adviſe Him; this was juſt like the Devils tolling Adam from his Worke, to the fatall Tree of Perdition. All which ſeriouſly conſidered, we cannot but (though with no ſmall admiration) aknowledge Peter but even now made a Claviger of the Heavenly Kingdome,Verſe 19. was herein the Devills Spokes-man. Such was the daring boldneſſe, that by long practiſe he was growne to: No leſſe Inſtrument could ſerve him to fruſtrate the Second Covenant, then the Senior Diſciple of our Saviour's, who us'd but a deſpicable Serpent to doe as much to the Firſt. All that can bee ſaid in Peters behalfe is, he meant no harme to our Saviour in thoſe words; but good rather: the reaſon, as I ſuppoſe, why he made ſo bold with Him, as he did. But this, though the common pretence of blinde zeale, is not enough to excuſe it; the Devil, to be ſure, meant harm enough, who in thoſe words of his had no leſſe matter in deſigne, then the irrecoverable Deſtruction of all Man-kinde: the reaſon, as it may ſeem, why our Saviour check'd not him,Verſe 23 but Satan ſpeaking in him. The beſt of it was this: Our Saviour, the Second Adam, being the Lord Himſelf from Heaven, 1 Cor. 15.17.did not, like that Firſt Adam, form'd out of the earth, give way to this temptation, no not for a moment; but forthwith repelled it; bid Satan, be gone. And whereas Peter endeavoured, in a ſort, to divert Him, He converted Himſelfe into His courſe againe, bids Peter not ſtand like Satan, thus before Him, to oppoſe Him; but, get him behinde Him rather, and become His follower in this, though never ſo hard, enterpriſe of Self-denyall. Which that Peter might reſent more kindly, and not conceive himſelfe hardly dealt with, as if evill had been return'd him for his good, our Saviour to undeceive him, vouchſafes a Reaſon of his Reproofe: Becauſe he ſavourd not the things of God, meaning this great matter of Self-denyall; but onelyonly the things of men, to wit, that traiterous ſin of Self-love. And not content with this, that He might the better ſet Satan packing, Verſe 24and yet keep Peter by Him; by way of Antitheſis, He layes here the Foundation of what Peter went about to deſtroy, ſuch a Schools or Sect of men, as ſhould ſavour the things of God, and not the things of men: that is, a Sect of Chriſtians, or ſelf-denyers.
That this was the ſole Deſigne of theſe words we are now upon, will evidently appeare from the formoſt of them, If any one will come after Me, rightly underſtood; for they being a Si quis of Invitation of any man to this Schoole, import no more but this; If any one will become my Diſciple, or a Chriſtian. 'Tis true, the Name of Chriſtian was not then taken up; but here was the Foundation layd thereof. For as the Pythagoreans were ſo called from the firſt Author of their Sect, Pythagoras; and the Epicureans, from the firſt Author of theirs, Epicurus; ſo were the Diſciples, from their firſt Author, Chriſt, Acts 11.26.at length in Antioch firſt called Chriſtians. Diſciples then and Followers, in this ſenſe, becomming termes Synonymous, this comming after muſt not be ſo literally underſtood, as if the Diſciple were continually to tread in his Maſters ſteps; but that, if he did jurare in verba, that is, take upon him to defend his Maſters ſingular Dogmata, or Opinions, though he ſeldome or never bare him company, 'twas ſufficient. Thus a Metempſychoſis, or Tranſanimation, being the ſingular Dogma of Pythagoras, it became the Characteriſtick of the Pythagoreans; who, in purſuance of it, abſtain'd the eating Fleſh. Thus an Acatalepſia, or Incomprebenſibility of all things, being the ſingular Dogma of Arceſilaus, it became the Characteriſticke of the Academicks, who, in purſuance of it, call'd all Sciences in queſtion. Thus, the maintaining Pleaſure to bee our Summum Bonum being the ſingular Dogma of Epicurus, it became the Characteriſtick of the Epicureans, who, in purſuance of it, deny'd Gods Providence in ſublunary matters. And thus, this Doctrine of Self-denyall being the ſingular Dogma of Chriſt, above all others, He would have it here become the Characteriſtick of all Chriſtians, who, in purſuance of it, ſhould become Crucigeri, or Cruciani, as anciently they were called, that is, Croſſe-bearers, yea takers of it up.
This difference, though, wee may obſerve betwixt theirs and this Dogma of our Saviours: theirs had no neceſſary influence on whatſoever elſe they taught, but ſo has this Dogma of Self-denyall, being the very Foundation of Chriſtianity, yea the Grand Deſigne of all Theologie. The Law of Nature, that which was Adam's Rule in Innocency, did not deſigne this, but ſuppoſe it. There was no ſuch thing then in the world, as our Selfe, contradiſtinct from God. So that had Adam perſevered in his Integrity, our Theologie had been Geneticall altogether, that is, by the Progreſſive method of Workes of the Law, not the Regreſſive method of Faith and Mortification, we ſhould have attain'd, after a perpetuall tenour of liquid Happineſſe here, the eternall Fruition of it hereafter. But now, by the Intruſion of our Self into the world upon Adam's Fall, our Theologie is turn'd Analyticall altogether; St. John plainly telling us,1 John 3.8. our Saviour appeared, foreign, that be might analyſe, or diſſolve the works of the devill. What thoſe Works were is evident, their ſole Foundation being that worke of his on Adam, whom he tempted to ſeeke himſelf, yea ſo far to ſeek himſelf, Gen. 3.5.as to become Aemulus to God Himſelf, the Naturall and laſt aime of Self-love, if it never receive check. This was the Devills firſt Handſale, his Maſterpiece, that Grand Fundament all Deſigne, on which he ha's built his Kingdome ever ſince. That therefore our Saviour might diſſolve all his works as compendiouſly as might be, He, by this Doctrine, ſtrikes at the Foundation, knowing, if that were undermin'd, the whole Building would ſoon totter. By this He layes the Axe to the Root of the Tree, Matth. 3.10.knowing, if that were up, the Branches would ſoon come to the ground.
But, that He might doe this the better, and to provide leſt His Poſtulata ſhould not be granted, neceſſary it was, Mankinde ſhould be throughly convinc't of theſe Particulars. That there was ſuch a thing as our Selfe crept into the world: That it was utter enmity with God: I …ly, that it was beyond our Hability to remove it. A Glaſſ… … might reflect theſe Particulars to our view, was wantin… … a more commodious one could not poſſibly be found, t…t old, almoſt obliterated, Law of Nature, retriv'd. Hereupon the Divine Majeſty (Himſelfe) committed that Law to writing: which, though it were, to prevent the like obliteration for the future, done in Tables of ſtone yet, could not have effected it, had not Moſes beſide recorded it in his Pentateuch; a farre more laſting Monument; Matth. 5.18.for, when Heaven and Earth ſhall paſſe away, that Record ſhall not, but continue to a tittle, as our Saviour tells us. Now by this Glaſſe was ſoone diſcovered, what a Maſſt of Selfe-love we were buried in: How irreconcileable enmity God conceiv'd thereat: Laſtly, our owne utter Imbecillity, to ſubdue it. This was plaine. No longer then might we flatter our ſelves with a conceite of our ſtill continuing Innocency. Rom. 7.9.Nor could wee ſtill pretend in our excuſe any Ignorance of our miſery, either from our Guilt, or our Imbecillity. But, of neceſſity we were forc't to pray in aide of ſome Saviour beſide, yea above, our ſelves, to deliver us out of it.
The World now being by this meanes made ripe for this purpoſe, (for ſo John B. had made ſufficient diſcovery) the Fulneſſe of time then came, wherein our Saviour was to appeare, to take this Worke in hand Himſelfe, and ſo put the laſt Complement to our Theologie. This He did at large in His Sermon on the Mount, but briefly in this Text, the Epitome of that; And, becauſe the Method of teaching is, both more ſhort, and more efficacious by Example then by Precept, He ha's left us in His Life, but eſpecially in His Death, The Conſummatum eſt of all, as perfect a Patterne of this Precept, as Mortality can reach to. By which Death making a full Satisfaction for us, in a moſt admitable compendium, He ha's likewiſe obtain'd of His Father, for thoſe that live by His Faith: Firſt, a Pardon for Adam's ſelfe-love imputed to us: Secondly, ſufficient Grace to enable us (ſincerely) to deny it in our ſelves: And laſtly, a Pardon for all our owne Defaults therein, and Frailties, repented of. Upon all which neceſſarily followes, our Adoption firſt into God's Favour by Him: And then our Re-admiſſion into that Patrimony we forfeited in Adam.
Self-denyall being thus, as we ſee, the Catholique Deſigne both of Law *See below in the fift Point in the Margent.and Goſpel, it muſt needs have ſome Influence, more or leſſe on every Vertue we can practiſe. 'Tis no marvaile then, our Saviour makes it here the onelyonly Fundamentall, or, if ye will, foreign, the Probatum eſt of a Chriſtian, ſince,Eccleſ. 12.13. Quod caput eſt rerum quas lex praeſcripſit Jëſu? crucem ſubire, ſemet a ſe abdicere. H. Grot. in Inſtit. puer. as the Wife-man ſaid of keeping the Law, we may well ſay of this Doctrine, It is totum hominis, Amans whole Duty, to fulfill it. Wherefore elſe is it, that all things, now under the Goſpel, goe ſo by Contraries? To Exalt, we muſt abaſe our ſelves: To be the Firſt, we muſt become laſt of all: To be ſtrong, we muſt become weak: To be wiſe, we muſt become Fooles: To ſubdue our enemies, we muſt love them: To ſave our Lives, we muſt lose them, with many ſuch like. Wherefore, I ſay is it, but becauſe we are now to worke out our ſalvation by Self-deniall; that is, by ſuch a way as pulls downe our high thoughts, that thwarts our perverſe Principles, that ſo God onelyonly may be exalted, and as at firſt he was ſo, may at laſt become All in all? 1 Cor. 15.28.Wherefore was it, that all the Precepts of the Decalogue were penn'd in a Negative forme, none in the Affirmative, but the two Middle ones, the more ſtrictly to oblige us to them, but becauſe they were calculated for our Lapſt eſtate? For hereby God taught us, that our Obedience to it now was to proceed (not as formerly:) firſt via remotionis, then via poſitionis: Firſt by way of the Removall of Self-love, before it could proceed to the production of works of Love: Pſaline 34.14.firſt by flying that which is evill, before we can come to doe that which is good. Whereupon we may well conjecture that, had Adam perſevered Innocent, and the Morall Law then been written, as it was ſince, all its Precepts had beene penn'd in the Affirmative. Does not Eſay tell us, Chap. 27. Ver. 9. foreign This is all the fruit, to take away our ſinne? If then no ſinne, but proceeds out of Self-love, as is moſt certaine, and ſo no Vertue to ſupplant it, but proceeds from ſelf-denyall, then is this Vertue of Self-denyall, the onelyonly fruit of our Religion. And ſo much appeares in the words next following in that place: for how does he meane our ſinnes ſhould be taken away, but when even the Holieſt ſtones of the Altar ſhould become as Chalke-ſtones foreign pulverizated or beaten aſunder; that is, by this Vertue of Self-denyall analyz'd, Matth 7.1….or reduc't to Atomes? Our Saviour too, much to the ſame purpoſe, tells us, This is all the fruit of the Law and the Prophets, what? Self-denyall? no, but one branch of it, Equanimity, to doe as we would be done to. If that Vertue then were the Summe of the whole Old Teſt. what may wee thinke of this Precept of Self-denyall, that goes farre beyond it, but that it is the Summe alſo of the New? And ſure our Fore-fathers were all of the ſame Opinion, as appeares by the Primitive, Conſtant, Neceſſary Forme of Baptiſme; wherein we ſtipulate with God, to Deny the World, the Fleſh, and the Devill; and that wee may doe ſo, manfully to fight under the Croſſe, which is, Chriſts Banner, wherein to continue Chriſts faithfull Souldiers, and Servants to our lives end. So that as long as we live in the Church Militant, and that is even untill we arrive unto the Church Triumphant, ſo long muſt we be Souldiers exercis'd in this ſpirituall Militia of ſelf-denyall, and the Croſſe. If then this be to be Baptiz'd into, & conformed unto, Rom. 6.3. Phil. 3.10, 11, 12, 14.the death of Chriſt; if it be to arrive unto the Reſurrection of the Dead, as it, no queſtion, is*Compare that place with Romans 6.3, 4, 5, 6 verſes, and it will appeare plainly; Beſides the word there foreign ſeems to relate to the Ancient manner of Baptizing in hot climats wherein the party baptized roſe againe out of the water, as if from the Dead. Rom. 15.3., then this is the Prize of the High calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus; that Marke which St. Paul did, and every true Chriſtian ought, to propound unto himſelfe in all his Actions.
But let us not thus reſt in Generalls, but deſcend to more Particulars. We hold that the Summe of the whole both Law and Goſpel is comprehended in thoſe three Theologicall Vertues Faith, Hope, and Charity. Now let us ſee what dependance each of theſe have on Self-denyall. Firſt, for Faith, the moſt Evangelicall Vertue of them, 'tis plaine, it is imply'd in this Negative Precept of Self-denyall, by the ſame reaſon that our Expoſitours ſay, the Affirmative Precepts are imply'd in the Negatives of the Decalogue. 'Tis true; to Deny our ſelves is formally an Affirmative action, but materially 'tis a Negative, it being no more but this, not to aſſent unto our ſelves. Hee then that, by Antitheſis, would raiſe an Affirmative thereunto, muſt acknowledge it to be no other but this, to Aſſent and Adbere unto God. Now what elſe is this but Faith, which is no other but an Affiance plac't in God, whether it be by a ſimple Aſſent of the Minde onelyonly, which is Faith ſtrictly taken; or by an Adberence alſo of the Will and Affections, Geneſ. 15.6.which is Faith truely Juſtifying and Evangelicall? This was that Faith of Abraham, when,Rom. 4.18. not conſidering his owne and Sarah's ineptitude to be Parents, he had an immoveable reſpect unto the Infallibility of God's Promiſe: And that Faith I'm ſure, was Juſtifying. This was that Faith, by reaſon of which St. Paul ſaid,Galar. 2.20. Hee liv'd not, but Chriſt liv'd in him, and the life that be liv'd was by the Faith of the Son of God. So that, to preach this Doctrine of Self-denyall is, not to preach up the Law and Workes again, but, cleane contrary, to preach the Goſpel foreign, purely, and the Righteouſneſſe of Faith. For, beſides that our Saviour urg'd this Doctrine, never any more, and yet ſure was no Miniſter of the Law, as 'tis oppoſed to the Goſpel: The Jewes, by the Law of Workes, ſought to eſtabliſh their owne Righteouſneſſe, by their owne Strength, to their owne Glory, all which are utterly inconſiſtent with Self-denyall: Whereas we Chriſtians, by the Law of Faith, eſtabliſh, not our own, but God's Righteouſneſſe; not by our own, but by God's Strength; not to our owne, but to God's Glory. It muſt needs bee ſo where Self-denyall takes place: it cannot be ſo, where it does not. We need no more proofe for the matter then that alone Text of St. Paul, Phil. 3.10. where the Apoſtle, having firſt Denyed his owne Righteouſneſſe, to wit, that of the Law, plainly deſcribes the Righteouſneſſe of God by Chriſt upon Faith, to bee a Righteouſneſſe foreign, of Knowing Chriſt, and the Power of His Reſurrection, and the Fellowſhip of His ſufferings, and to be conform'd to Him in His Death. Now if this Conformity be the Fellowſhip of His Sufferings, and that Fellowſhip be the Power of His Reſurrection, and that Power be the Experimentall Knowledge of Chriſt, to wit, Crucified within us, (all which is cleare) what elſe is that Conformity, and conſequently the Righteouſneſſe of Faith, but the Denyall of our ſelves, being a Conformity to that act of Chriſt wherein Hee Deny'd Himſelfe moſt perfectly? Thus much for Faith.
But now for Hope, the Second of the Three Theologicall Vertues, there is more doubt of that indeed, whether that may be reconciled with this Doctrine of Self-denyall; ſince that, having our owne Good for its Object, ſeemes to be a Self-ſeeking act proceeding onelyonly out of Self-love. But yet upon more ſerious examination of the matter, we ſhall ſee, it will not prove ſo. For though Hope (ſuch onelyonly I meane as is truely Chriſtian) have Good alone for its Object, and be a Self-ſeeking act (in effect) yet, is not built on Self-love, but wholly on Self-denyall.
To cleare this ſeeming Paradox the better, we muſt lay down Three Grounds, all of them, as we conceive undenyable. Firſt, that God alone is good, as our Saviour plainly tells us, and ſo the onelyonly Object of our Hope. Matth. 19.17.Secondly, that all love of our ſelves is not vitious: for certainly Hee that bids us love our Neighbour as our ſelves, Ibid. verſ. 19.bids us love our ſelves in ſome ſort, otherwiſe that could not be the Rule of our love to our Neighbours, ſince wee cannot make a Rule of Nothing. Laſtly, that that love of our ſelves, which is terminated in our ſelves, is onelyonly vitious, as ſuppoſing our ſelves, and not God alone, to bee Good; but that which ariſes from, and may bee reſolved into, God, that onelyonly is lawfull.
Now hence we argue thus; That Hope which aimes onelyonly at the Fruition of God, and yet at our owne good, but onelyonly in and from Him, muſt needs be both a Self-ſeeking act, and yet an act of Self-denyall, (for it ſeeks our good, though not as it is ours.) But ſuch is true Chriſtian Hope, as appeares from thoſe Three Grounds, I laid; Ergo. But, that this may be the more rightly underſtood, we muſt obſerve; ſuch Hope is a Self-denying act properly, and directly, but a Selfe-ſeeking act onelyonly improperly and at ſecond hand; for it ſuppoſes our good to be finis rei, not agentis; not our Deſigne, but our Felicity. Did it in every ſenſe Deny our ſelves, that is, no way conduce to our Good, it could not be ſo much as Hope: On the other ſide, Did it wholly ſeek our ſelves, and not deny our ſelves, it could not but be vitious, as appeares from the laſt ground; But thus coupling both theſe together, it deſervedly becoms the Second of thoſe Three Grand Theologicall Vertues, I ſpake of.
By reaſon of this, ſure, it was, that God promiſed Abraham, the Faithfull: He would be his exceeding great Reward. Gen. 15.1. Pſal. 71.5.That David ſayes of God, Thou art my very Hope, ô Lord God; Thou art my Truſt even from my youth. And in another place, Whom have I in Heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee *See a Harmony of Texts for this, Pſal. 2.12. & 34.10. & 125.1. Prov. 16 20. Eſay 30.18. Jer. 17.7. &c.. And that we may not think the Goſpel behinde hand with the Law in this matter, becauſe it promiſes to us the Life Eternall, our Saviour, ſpeaking to & of His Father, plainly tells us,aJoh. 17.3. This is Life Eternall, to know Thee, the onelyonly true God, and whom Thou haſt ſent, Jeſus Chriſt. Now the Apoſtle tells us, who they are alone that know God bSo Jer. 22.16 And ſuch is God's Knowledge of us, Gen 22.12. Matth. 7.23. Gen. 3.9 1 Joh. 5.3., 1 Corinth. 8.3. If any one, ſayes hee, Love God, He, that is, God, is knowne of him. And ſo does St. John 1 Epiſt. 2.3. In this, ſayes he, we know, we know Him, if we keep his Commandements.
If any one doubt, how this Hope can commend any Meanes to us in this life, proportionable to that end, the Fruition of God Almighty, let him conſider thoſe latter words of our Saviour's, That Eternall Life was, not onelyonly to know God, but alſo, in order to that,cJoh 14.5, 6. to know, Him whom He had ſent, Jeſus Chriſt. So then, the way to enjoy God is to enjoy Chriſt, the bright ſplendour of His Glorie, and Character of His Perſon; Heb. 1.3.as the way for us to partake of the Sunne, is, to partake of his Rayes and Brightneſſe. But then what is it for us to know, Chriſt now, ſo that we may enjoy Him? Is it to know Chriſt onelyonly in His Perſon? No, but alſo in His Example. For His Perſon is in Heaven, and ſo muſt be till the Laſt day, but His Example He hath left behinde Him for us. Many enjoy'd His Corporeall Preſence upon Earth,2 Pet. 2.21. that are now in Eternall chains with the Devills; therefore the Apoſtle plainly tells us, If he did know Chriſt after the Fleſh, henceforward he knew Him ſo no more, 2 Cor. 5.16. For, ſayes hee, every one that is in Chriſt is a New Creature. Hence it was, that he ſayes in another place,aPhil. 1.21 To me to live is Chriſt. How ſo? why, becauſebGal. 2.20. he liv'd not, but Chriſt liv'd in him: that is, he expreſt in his life c2 Cor. 4.10.the Life and Dying, or the Vertues of the Life and Death, of the Lord Jeſus. Theſe Vertues then let us embrace and enjoy here, in order to the Fruition of God; And, that we may truely doe ſo, let it not be for their Ʋtile, if it be Poſſible, whatſoever we fancie it to be, but their Honeſtum onelyonly: As for their Ʋtile feare it not, it will follow.
Conſonant to this, the Wiſe-man affirmes, that not onelyonly a Back-ſlider in heart ſhall be fill'd with his owne wayes, but alſo that a Good man ſhall be ſatisfied from himſelfe, Prov. 14.14. Conſonant to this,Mat. 5.3, &c. our Saviour pronounces all his Beatitudes, yea in the Preſent tenſe, on thoſe, who, but for that of God and Godlineſſe that is in them,1 Cor. 15.19. are the pittifulleſt men in the World. Conſonant to this too the Apoſtle affirmes, out of the Prophet; That neither eye hath ſeen, nor eare hath heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man to conceive, what God ha's prepar'd (and that in this life) for them that love him, 1 Cor. 2.9. This now is that Hope that maketh not aſhamed (of any Croſſes) becauſe of the love of God ſhed abroad in our hearts. Rom. 5.5.This is that Hope whereby wee muſt be ſav'd: Rom. 8.24.And, if ye will receive it; This is that Spirituall, that better Hope of the Goſpel, Heb. 7.19.by the bringing in of which it leads us to Perfection; whereas the Carnall Hope of the Law could perfect nothing.
Thus at length I have made appeare, how true Chriſtian Hope is ſo farre from being evacuated, 'tis onelyonly ſolidly eſtabliſht, by this Doctrine of Self-denyall. As for all ſenſuall Hope, let it goe and periſh for, what it is, a meere Cheat, and Lye, no better, for the Good, it aimes at is juſt like Adam's forbidden fruit, and indeed was repreſented by it, which in appearance promiſed the knowledge of Good, but in effect perform'd nothing but the Experience of Evill. But as for thoſe that embrace the Commandements of God, onelyonly out of Hope of the Promiſed Reward, as the Scripture, condeſcending to our Infirmities, does encourage them ſo, I dare not by any meanes preſume to cenſure them. We condemne not Attrition, though wee commend Contrition above it; neither doe we condemne them that embrace Vertue for its Reward, though deſervedly we commend them more highly, that embrace it for it ſelfe. With the Prophet, Zach. 4.10. Matth. 12.20.we muſt not deſpiſe the day of ſmall things; and, with our Saviour, not breake the bruiſed reede, nor quench the ſmoaking flaxe. But yet theſe are to be admoniſht, that ſuch Hope is rather Legall then Evangelicall, therefore that they are not to reſt ſtill in their Minority, but to grow on towards Perfection; it being a ſhame to a Chriſtian not to aſpire to that, which even the Heathen by their ſpeculative Learning could deſcry, when one of them ſayes, Oderunt peccare Boni virtutis amore. I have been the larger in this Point, leſt this Precept of Self-denyall ſhould ſeeme to want that maine Engine of Obedience Hope of a Reward. Indeed, this ſeemes to be the Reaſon why our Saviour no ſooner had delivered this Precept, with its Attendants, but ſtraight in the next Verſe He prevents this maine Objection againſt it, ſaying, He that will ſave his life ſhall loſe it; Verſe 25.but he that will loſe his life for my ſake, ſhall ſave it.
I come now to make amends in ſpeaking more briefly of the Third Theologicall Vertue, and that is, Love or Charity. See the ſixth point below towards the end.That this Vertue is totally built on Selfe-denyall, if not the very ſame with it, appeares plainly from the Naturall effect of Love in Generall, which is to reſigne up its proper Intereſt, and place it in another: Hence we ſay, Animus eſt ubi amat, non ubi animat; The minde is where it loves, not where it lives. Coloſ. 3.4 John 3.16.Hence Love is called vinculum unionis, and to that the Apoſtle alludes, when he calls it the Bond of Perfectneſſe. God ſo loved the world, ſayes our Saviour, that Hee gave His onelyonly begotten Son for us. He, as it were, gave up His Intereſt in His Son, to procure an Ʋnion with us. In another place, He ſayes, Greater love then this ha's no man, John 15.13.then to lay down his life for his friends. May we not ſay, Greater Selfe-denyall then this no man can ſhew? ſurely, we may; for it appeares by that verſe following our Text, that to loſe ones life is one of the greateſt acts of Selfe-denyall. This then is the great commendation of Selfe-denyall, that it is, not Faith alone, nor Hope alone, but the love of God, the Bond of them; That Love of which St. Paul gives ſo vaſt commendations, amongſt which one is, that it ſeekes not its own; 1 Corin. 13.5. Galat. 5.6.That Love by means whereof Faith producing its works becomes to tum Chriſtiani, the Totall of a Chriſtians Dutie. By this meanes it is, that Love climbes up even into Heaven it ſelfe; whereas Faith, that, ſhall ceaſe, when once we come to Viſion; Hope, that, ſhall be explete, when once we come to Fruition: But Self-denying Love is ſtrong as Death, Cant 8.6.that therefore ſhall be perfected, not aboliſhed, when once we come to Ʋnion; Then when our corrupt ſelves ſhall bee ſwallow'd up of Perfection, and God ſhall be All in all.
I hope, by this time it appeares fully of what Generall importance this Vertue is to the whole Body of Theologie, all thoſe Three Theologicall Vertues being ſo immediately founded on it. Other Arguments might be us'd to this purpoſe: I ſhall onelyonly produce one more, as irrefragable, as 'tis briefe, out of the Apoſtle's words, 1 Cor. 2.2. I determined, ſayes he, to know nothing but Jeſus Chriſt, and Him crucified in you; now when is Chriſt crucified in us, but when we are crucified to the World, the Fleſh, and the Devill, in conformity unto Him? Thus does St. Peter expound it plainly, 1 Pet. 4.1. Chriſt therefore ſuffering for us in the fleſh, be yee alſo arm'd with the ſame minde: for he that ſuffers in the fleſh ha's ceaſt from ſinne. By this now it appeares,, that Selfe-denyall is not onelyonly the Ʋnum, but alſo the Ʋnicum neceſſarium of a Chriſtian; which had the Corinthians but learnt, the Apoſtle would have requir'd no more of them.
Here perhaps you will aske me. But does not our Saviour, even in this Text we entreat of, require more then ſo of us, to wit, that We ſhould take up our Croſſe, and that we ſhould follow his Example? Does he not uſher in theſe with the very ſame Siquis, Hee does that Precept of Self-denyall? 'tis plaine, he does. Why, then we may well conclude, that this Precept of Selfe-denyall ha's no preheminence above the others. No; the very poſiture of it in the firſt place, proves the contrary, and gives it the preheminence above them. For hereby, we being abſolutely in the firſt place obliged to that, whatſoever obligation the other faſten on us, either it muſt be Nothing and Void, if it contradict the firſt; or, if it doe not, but make for it, it muſt be ſubſervient to it. Now who ſees not that the two following Precepts are ſo farre from contradicting the firſt, that they make exceedingly for it? For firſt; if Self-denyall bee a Vertue of ſuch Generall importance, as we have prov'd, it cannot be, though a reflext act in it ſelfe yet, a meere immanent act, in its conſequence; it muſt be perfected without, though it be begun within our ſelves; it muſt be expreſt and held forth to others; partly, to ſhew the ſincerity thereof to others:Mat. 5.10. that the Glory thereof may be rendred to God our Father, which is in Heaven. Now what fitter expedient could poſſibly bee found to doe this, then the Croſſe, whereby the world is crucified to our ſelves, and our ſelves unto the World: whereby the Fleſh, the Old Man, is crucified within us? For, as our Saviour by His Croſſe was lifted up, like the Brazen Serpent in the Wilderneſſe, ſo our Selfe-denyall is, as it were, lifted up by that Croſſe we are to take up, and made conſpicuous.
Nor is this Croſſe an Evidence onelyonly of our Self-denyall, but alſo a Meane to helpe us thereunto. Certainly, every Croſſe muſt be contrary to our ſelves, otherwiſe 'tis not a Croſſe; and as certain it is, our Self-denyall muſt be perform'd by the helpe of Contraries; No fitter Meane then can be imagin'd, to helpe it forward, then the Croſſe. For, if, as Hippocrates and all Phyſitians tell us, all Cures muſt be perform'd by Contraries, we may very aptly compare Selfe-love to the Diſeaſe or Humour, that is to be purged out of us: the Croſſe to that Phyſick which muſt helpe to doe it; and Selfe-denyall to that expulſive Faculty, wherewith the Grace of God endues us.
As for thoſe other words, and follow Me, they alſo have a plaine reference to this Precept of Self-denyall; as being not onelyonly our Saviour's Grant, wherein He gives full power, licence and authority to all that ſhall come to Him, with thoſe two precedent Qualifications, to become His Followers and Diſciples, that is, Chriſtians: but alſo a Third Precept, enjoyning us, with Conſtancy and Perſeverance, to imitate the Perfecteſt Pattern of Self-denyall in our Saviours owne example, who, as the Apoſtle tells us,Rom. 15.3. did not pleaſe, that is, Deny'd himſelfe. Whereas therefore, wee compar'd the Croſſe to that Phyſicke, that muſt cure us of Self-love, we may compare this Precept to that Rule of Dyet, which muſt prevent our Relapſing. So then, notwithſtanding what can be alledg'd out of the words, Self-denyall muſt ſtill have the preheminence.
But yet this is not enough: for here ſome perhaps will flie to Argument, and wonder how all our Religion ſhould be built on Self-denyall. What? All of it Anaſceuaſticall, no Cataſceuaſticall part thereof? All tending to Mortification, no part to Vivification? All to doffe the Old Man, none doe on the New? I looke this ſhould be caſt in my way, by thoſe qui ad pauca reſpiciunt. But 'tis nothing; Theſe Diſtinctions are but of divers Notions. not of divers Things: Our Deeds of Mortification are at once Deeds of Vivification: Our putting off the Old Man cannot bee without putting on the New: Our Averſion from the Creature, if regular and uniforme, is our Converſion unto God. It muſt needs be ſo, if God and the Creature be (as to us) foreign, Contraries without any Meane imaginable betwixt them: for then he that forſakes the Creature muſt needs betake himſelfe to God: even as he that forſakes the Earth muſt needs goe towards Heaven. As for this preſent World, it is no other but our Exile, becauſe our Enemies are Maſters of it: Our Life is our Pilgrimage, our Journey: Heaven, that is our Countrey; and our Religion is our Motion from the one to the other. Now this Motion you may terme as you pleaſe, according to its ſeverall Intentions, either a Flight from our Selves, or a Journey unto God; either Self-denyall, or Charity; either Hatred of the Creature, or Love of God; it matters not much which of them: The Motion is ſtill the ſame, whatſoever Name you give it. But, if you joyne both theſe together, as our Saviour does in the next verſe, and ſtile this Motion Selfe-denyall for the Love of God, which is no other, but our Self-denyall here, in Precept, then all Objection is remov'd, and you have a compleat Epitome of Religion.
To illuſtrate this ſomewhat further. We muſt conſider; Our Vertues (now under the Covenant of Faith, not of Workes) are not to be lookt upon as Actions of men in perfect Health ſo, as they were in Paradiſe: but onelyonly as on the way of Recovery, that is, mixt with much feebleneſſe and imperfection. As long as wee live here, the Fleſh does luſt againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh: by reaſon of which contrariety wee doe not the things we would, as the Apoſtle tells us, Gal. 5.17. Therefore, as Plato conceiv'd of Knowledge, it was all but Memory, ſo, muſt we of our preſent Righteouſneſſe and Holineſſe, that 'tis all but Recovery.
But then will not this make much for the diſparagement of the Goſpel, though for the advancement of Self-denyall, that our beſt Eſtate under it is but Recovery, wheras yt of Adam in Innocency was of perfect Health? No, it will not: For though our Vertues now conſider'd in Arithmeticall Proportion be inferiour to Adam's, yet conſider'd in their Geometricall Proportion, with reference to the Naturall aukneſſe and weakneſſe of the Workman, and ſo the Difficulty of the Worke, thus, they are Superiour, and aske a greater meaſure of Grace to performe them. Briefely; compare our Workes with his, and they are Inferiour: compare our Working with his, and it is Superiour. We perceive the Sunnes heat farre more intenſe in the Summer, then in the Spring, and yet in the Spring-time it is in its Aſcent and acts more ſtrongly. What's the reaſon of it? One maine one ſeemes to be, the Winter's remaining Cold, which is his taske to Maſter: ſo Adam's Vertues in Innocency would have appear'd more perfect and glorious, then ours doe now or can doe; and yet wee have a greater meaſure of Grace by Chriſt's Redemption, then Adam had by Creation. What's the reaſon of it? Surely no other reaſon can be given but this, We have Self-love and Sin to maſter in us; Adam had not: Our Grace therefore acts more vigorouſly, though it be not ſo ſucceſſefully, and ſo ours ha's more of Vertue, Adam's more of Felicity in it. Therapeuticall Phyſick is both more Difficult and more precious, then Prophylacticall; 'Tis farre more hard to recover our Health, then to preſerve it; Harder to recover the top of a Hill, as we are deſcending, then being at the top to keep our Station; ſo a farre greater meaſure of Grace is requir'd to recover our loſt eſtate, then was at firſt to have retain'd it. No Vertue ſhines ſo gloriouſly, as that which grapples with moſt Difficulty: No Victory is ſo Triumphant, as his whoſe Enemy was moſt Puiſsant; If then the Miniſtration of the Law had been glorious in Adam perſevering, it was Nothing to the glory of the Goſpel, which excells it in our Recovering. For, though the Law and Goſpel, both, drive at one and the ſame marke, yet, does the Goſpel by its Method attain that, which the Law could not retaine at firſt, nor re-attaine afterwards by its Method, to wit, our Ʋnion with God. Accordingly therefore the Promiſes of the Goſpel are more Glorious: The Goſpel promiſes a heavenly Paradiſe, the Law but an Earthly one; The Goſpel promiſes it Eternally, the Law but Temporally. Heb. 11.40.Theſe are thoſe better things, without which the Law could not be perfected, nor lead us to Perfection. And ſuch indeed it became the Son of God to beſtow, who, it's believ'd, never reſtor'd any to their former health and Limbes, but with far greater ſtrength and Vivacity. We Conclude then, notwithſtanding what ha's been alledg'd, Self-denyall is the foreign, the Breviate of Chriſtian Religion.
What Praiſe then in former time was given to Law-givers for the Abridgement of their Lawes, the ſame is moſt juſtly due to our Saviour for His Abridgement of Chriſtianity in this one Precept of Self-denyall. For, if we eſteeme the ſumme of the Morall Law, in thoſe Ten Words of the Decalogue, a moſt excellent Compendium, this muſt needs be more admirable, that ha's contracted the whole both Law and Goſpel into theſe few words, Deny thy ſelfe. We know, the Benefit of that was, that the Law might be written on the Phylacteries of their Hands, and the Frontlets between their Eyes, that ſo, whatſoever they did, whether eate, ſit, walke, or meditate, the Law might ſtill be in their ſight, to keep them from all evill. And may not then greater Benefit be made of this ſhort Precept, which even by the finger of God is in ſome meaſure written in every ones, not Head alone and Hands, but Heart alſo, that he may doe it? Surely, if the Heathen thought their foreign, worthy to be written in Gold on the Doores of their Temples, with much better reaſon may we engrave this Precept foreign, in Golden Letters on the Porches of our Churches. Or if we like the Jewiſh Rites better, as is reaſon; wee may make this Precept foreign, the Phylactery of our Hearts; That whatſoeever ſinne the World, the Fleſh, or the Devill tempt us unto, whether it be the luſt of the Fleſh, or the luſt of the Eyes, or the Pride of Life; whatſoever Temptation God proves us with, to part with our Goods, Friends, Gifts of Body or Minde, yea our very Body and Life it ſelfe, we may reſiſt and overcome them all by this alone Delphick Sword of Self-denyall.
For, if we ſhall doe ſo, marke the Benefit will accrue to us thereby: This alone Precept, conſtantly attended to, will carry on the Generall Worke of our Regeneration in ſo Naturall and Ʋniforme a Method, as no other Precept whatſoever can doe. The Workes of Art and Nature differ mainly in this Point; that Nature working from an Internall Principle, carryes on its work uniformly, in all parts at once, in our Nouriſhment and Augmentation: whereas Art, working from an Externall Principle, as we ſee in the Statuaries trade, is faine to frame one part after another, untill at length the whole is finiſhed: Juſt ſo it is in the Forming of the New Creature in us; if our ſpirituall growth therein be Ʋniforme, in all its Members alike, 'tis a figne it proceeds from this Internall Principle of the Divine Nature in us, whereby Denying and Forſaking our ſelves, we firmly depend on God: But if our Growth therein be Partiall, that is, if one Member of the New Creature in us runnes out into a Monſtrous exuberance, while many others fare the worſe for it, conſume, wither, and pine away to Nothing, 'tis a ſigne this Birth is, not the New Creature, but ſome New Monſter rais'd up in us, not by the Incorruptible ſeed of the Word, ſuch as this Precept of Self-denyall is, which is the firſt Principle our Saviour ſowes us with, but by I know not what Extrinſick Principle of that Art, whereby the Devill in an Angel of Light, ſeeks to frame his Image in us. If this may not be credited, the Event will prove it ſo: For obſerve it, if thoſe who have taken up their Religion, mov'd by ſome extrinſick Principle of Honour, Profit, or Pleaſure, when that Principle is remov'd, doe not ſuddenly make a Halt, and then turning faces about returne into their old Poſture; herein plainly proving that Maxime in Philoſophy true, Nullum violentum eſt permanens. But 'tis not ſo with thoſe that act out of this Internal Principle we ſpeak of: for they taking their Religion from no Externall Accidents whatſoever, but meerely induc't by the Inward, Native worth of it; marke it, if they will not ſuffer for it, and that, not out of ſpight & ſtomach, but out of a true grounded Patience, rather then they will forgoe it.
Nor does this Vertue of Self-denyall contribute onelyonly to the Duration of our Piety, but alſo to the very Eſſence and Power of it. Other Vertues may ſuperinduce foreign, an empty, impotent Vizour of Godlineſſe in our actions, but foreign, a true, ſubſtantiall, powerfull Forme they cannot. The reaſon of it is; Other Vertues not founded upon this, are not indeed, what they ſeeme, true, ſubſtantiall ſolid Vertues, but onelyonly their Appearances, ſo that 'tis no marvaile, if they doe not contribute to their actions what they never had in their Habi…s: But this Vertue of Self-denyall is the Subſtantiall Ingredient of all others, which as it enſtamps them with true Worth and Value, ſo infuſes Life and Power into them; it being,Fortior eſt qui ſe quam qui fortiſſima vincit Moenia. Horace. Rom. 1.16. even in the Heathen mans account, the moſt Heroicall atchievement of Fortitude, to Overcome ones ſelfe. By this it is we truely ſhew the Goſpel to be the Power of God, that is, ſuch a Power as appeares, not in Sight, but by Faith; as conſiſts, not in our Arme of Fleſh but, in our owne weakneſſe; as makes, not for our owne, but for God's glory. Which Power, though to thoſe that walke foreign, it ſeems to be Impotency, Folly, yea Madneſſe it ſelfe, yet is indeed to the Spirituall-ſighted man the Power of God, that is, by an Hebraiſme, the moſt Excellent, mighty Power we can imagine.
Upon the whole matter then; we may well affirme in that Parable of our Saviours, He that enters upon the Chriſtian profeſſion this way, (as our Saviour here calls upon every one to doe;) he, enters in by the Doore, and to him the Porter opens, he may goe in at liberty, and finde paſture; but hee that enters upon it elſe-where, as by being at many Sermons, long Prayer, or an illgrounded Zeale, he, clambers up elſewhere, he enters not by the Doore; and that with as manifeſt danger of his Ruine, as little hope of Proficiency. And accordingly, the Self-denying man, entring the onelyonly right way on his Religion, is ſo firme to it, that rather then forgoe it, he will forgoe his life firſt: but he that takes up this or that Vertue on ſome ſquint-ey'd by-reſpects, being but a Mercenary, no ſooner ſees the Wolf come, but inſtantly he flies for't.
Or, we may compare one that is exercis'd in this Vertue, to him that built his Houſe opon the Rocke, which ſtood out all ſtormes and tempeſts that beat upon it: But thoſe that are Strangers to it, to him that built his Houſe upon the Sands, which upon the firſt Tempeſt that beat upon it fell, & that with a mighty Ruine. Rom. 9.32, 33.1 Cor. 3.11.In a word; this Doctrine being that ſtumbling ſtone laid in Sion, muſt be that Foundation ſpoken of by the Apoſtle, other then which no man can lay. If any one having truely laid it, build thereon Wood, Hay, and Stubble, his Worke indeed ſhall be burnt, and he thereby be damnifi'd: but himſelfe yet ſhall eſcape, howbeit ſo as through the fire. But, if any one ſay, he has laid this Foundation, when indeed he never did, he is a lyar, he and his Works both ſhall be conſum'd by unquenchable fire; for he knew his Maſter's will, but did it not.
Thus have we ſeen the Ʋniverſall Influence and Importance of this Precept, which leſt we ſhould thinke to be therefore of leſſe force and efficacy, we muſt furthermore obſerve, it comes as full home to every mans Severall, as what Precept ſoever is moſt Particular. And this is the admirable commendation of it, that its Generality hinders not its efficacy, for uſually 'tis otherwiſe. The Sun-beams diffus'd at large rather cheriſh then offend, they burne not, till contracted into a narrow cone. Thunder remov'd at a far diſtance from us ſcarce moves us any whit, but a clap juſt in our Zenith makes us ſtartle. A piece of Iron that touches in many points at once, being blunt, does not enter, but make a bruiſe; but a Needle, touching but in one point, enters to the quicke: So Generall Precepts uſually make but ſuperficiall Impreſſions, a bruiſe at moſt: but thoſe that come home to mens Particulars, as that Prophet came to Jehu, with a Meſſage to thee; or as the Prophet Nathan did to David, with tues homo, thou art the man, theſe, have an edge ſet upon them, and ever make the deepeſt Impreſſion. Now this Precept, notwithſtanding it is of that Generall Importance, I have ſhew'd, yet comes home to All and every ones Particular ſelfe, and that puts force and power into it. The Subject of it is, not any thing above us, to wit, God, nor any thing beſide us, to wit, our Neighbour, but our owne particular ſelves; and therefore he that can, by Introverſion retiring into himſelfe, ſay, I am the man whoſe corrupt Ʋnderſtanding is to be reſigned up to the Faith of the Son of God; whoſe deprav'd Will is to be Regulated by Obedience to His Heavenly Example, he, and he onelyonly, is the proper Subject of this Precept. In briefe: This Precept, being the Word of Faith, as I have made appeare, ſhewes the Goſpel to be that Word, which is neither too high, Rom. 10.8.nor too low for us; but very neare us, even in our mouth and in our heart, that we may doe it.
THEN now at length let us proceed and ſee what this Precept is, we ſpeak of. The Words are, foreign: If any one will come after Me, Let him deny himſelfe. Words, you ſee, very briefe, and yet of moſt rich Contents; like Gold, containing much value in a ſmall quantity; or like Pythagoras's letter Y, narrow at firſt ſight, but after a while of larger extenſion; or rather like the Vertue it ſelfe of Self-denyall, Matth. 7.14.which our Saviour calls a ſtrait entrance into a ſpacious Kingdome. In handling of them therefore, I ſhall not be ſo preſſe as to inſiſt ſtrictly on the Words, leſt doing too much honour to the Cabinet, I prejudice the Jewel: But I ſhall take ſome liberty to my ſelfe, and, though I neglect not the Words yet, ſhall handle them Common-place-wiſe, and ſo inſiſt upon this Method: Firſt, ſhew the Nature and full Meaning of this Precept: Secondly, its Poſſibility or Peiſableneſſe: Thirdly, its Congruity in Reaſon: Fourthly, its Neceſſity in Religion: Fiftly, its Excellency, above any Precept of the Law whatſoever: And laſtly, its Ʋtility to all thoſe that ſhall obey it.
To ſhew then the Nature of this Precept, we muſt let you ſee, firſt what is meant here by our Selves: Then what is meant by Denying: Laſtly, what by Denying our ſelves. By ones Selfe here He meanes that, which the Stoicks call foreign: or rather that which the Apoſtle calls foreign, Eph. 2.3. That is, thoſe Principles and Opinions which by Nature, now corrupted, are in every one, and encline him to eſtabliſh his own Independencie of any other whatſoever, yea even of God Himſelfe, and to crook every thing toward himſelf, ſo making himſelfe the ſole end of his thoughts, words and actions. In a word; Our Selfe ſtrictly taken is,foreign Baſ-Reſp. Interrog. ſextae, foreign. our owne Will to be or have any thing contrary to the Will of God. Our being any thing may well be ſtyl'd our Selves, there is no doubt of that: So may our having any thing too, for as much as we have and owne nothing, but what we adhere unto, and becomes a part of our ſelves by Love, which Love does intereſſe us therein.
But that we may the better underſtand the true Nature of our Selves as contradiſtinct from God, wee muſt conſider, that the whole Syſteme of Ens conſiſts but of two parts, God and the Creature, as it were of the Sunne and its radius, its Beame or Ray. That God is of and by Himſelfe; or (to ſpeake more properly) not of nor by any other: Therefore, that He alone claimes Selfneſſe (as I may terme it) to Himſelfe, Exod. 3.14.becauſe He alone is what he is; His Eſſence and Exiſtence are both one, He is his owne baſis and foundation. Then we muſt conſider, that the Creature is no wayes of it ſelfe, but wholly of God, becauſe Exiſting eminently and radically in Him. God therefore, He, cannot poſſibly Deny Himſelfe, as the Apoſtle tells us; but as for the Creature, that, cannot but Deny it ſelfe, 2 Tim. 2.13.if it act as it ſhould doe.
But then, ſurely you will aske: How comes it to paſſe, there is any Selfneſſe in the World, beſide that of God alone, that our Saviour ſhould ſpeak here of the Creatures Selfe? For this wee muſt know, that indeed and in truth, there is no ſuch thing in rerum naturâ as the Creatures Selfe, contradiſtinct from God, but onelyonly in Corrupt Opinion and Deſire: And ſo even now I intimated, deriving its true Originall from our owne proper Will: And ſo much our Saviour intimates here to us, commanding our act of Denyall to attend it, the proper Adjunct of Non ens, of that which in very truth is nothing.
Now this Opinfonate, affected Propriety or Selfneſſe comes about thus. God, having in the Beginning created the whole World for Himſelfe, and therein manifeſted His Power, in making all things to ſerve and feare Him, as their Lord, would alſo manifeſt his Goodneſſe, and therfore made ſome things to love Him too, that is, to ſerve Him as a Father no leſſe then as a Lord. This that He might doe, 'twas fit His Service ſhould be Rationall; Rom. 12.1.that is, proceed from a rationall Appetite, to wit, the Will informed by the Ʋnderſtanding. So then He made ſuch a Creature as was capable of ſuch an Appetite, and therewith He endu'd it. Now 'twas neceſſary this Appetite ſhould be free ſo, that it might love or not love God's Goodneſſe freely: The Reaſon is, Becauſe God is a Perfect Good, and ſo requires Perfect Love to attend it. But now Perfect love, as it caſts out Feare, according to the Apoſtle, 1 John 4.18.ſo it caſts out Force too; as which would argue Imperfection in the Good it loves, that it could not, of it ſelfe, without the aid of an Extraneous force, attract love proportionable thereunto. For this cauſe He made the Apperite of the Will free, as by His Aſſiſtance to continue in Obedience to His owne Will, ſo by its owne mutability to deflect from that, to deſire an Independent ſubss;iſtence, of it ſelfe, and thereto to bend its whole Activity. Being thus enfranchiſed, it made uſe of its owne Freedome to the worſt part, and ſo rebel'd againſt God, its Maker, forgetting Him, and directing all things to it ſelfe. For ſo, (to omit the Sin of the Angels not revealed to us) we finde that Adam, not content with that Condition wherein he was ſet by God, brake that Law, wherein he was to acknowledge his Dependence and Obedience; by which act of his he did interpretatively renounce God his Maker, and directly ſought and ſet up himſelfe. Here now came in our Propriety, Self-love, Self-will into the World, and therewith ſinne, the Originall of all evill; as well of that which is ſimply ſuch, ſinne, as of that which is ſuch to ſome things onelyonly, and in ſome reſpects, miſery. For, ſo we finde in the ſtory, that Adam, thus ſeeking himſelfe, found himſelfe indeed, but to his owne Deſtruction: Or rather, to ſpeak more truely, did not ſinde, but quite loſe himſelfe, as will appeare out of God's words concerning him. For, when hee had done that, for which hee was ſo aſham'd and afraid together, that hee was faine to hide himſelfe, God comming into the Garden askt, Adam where art thou? Not but that He knew very well where he was, but, that Adam knew not, what he had made himſelfe, and ſo God askt the queſtion, meerely to ſhew he was no where or Nothing, at leaſt, in His Account. This, loe! had Adam gotten by his late Prevarication: that he, who by Creation was newly made like God Himſelfe, by Sinne and Rebellion became the next degree to Nothing.
And by this we have already deliver'd may ſufficiently be perceiv'd what this foreign, this ſame Selfe is, which our Saviour here ſpeaks of; that not our Selfe onelyonly, that which here is to be deny'd, but the immediate conſequents of it, Sin and Death, are indeed, nothing in the World; to be ſure, not of God's making, but, if any thing, Creatures of our owne, and therefore evill, wholly evill, and that continually.
But now, more dictinctly to unfold the Nature of this Selfe we have brought into the world, we may obſerve three ſorts of things wee are bidden to Deny in Scripture, and in them a three-fold Selfe. They are either ſuch things as are abſolutely evill, and ſo to be Deny'd of us foreign, in all caſes whatſoever; or elſe they are evill onelyonly reſpectively, and but in ſome Caſes to be Deny'd. Tit. 2.12.Of the firſt ſort are all Ʋngodlineſſe and worldly luſts, in the words of the Apoſtle: Which that they are our Selves yee may ſee by this alone, That whoſoever goes about to Deny or reprove them in any one, when hee hits upon his peculiar darling luſt that which ha's moſt of himſelfe in it, hee Winches preſently, and Complaines, hee ſpoke againſt himſelfe.
The other ſort, which are evill onelyonly in ſome caſes, are ſuch things as are either without us, as our Goods of Fortune, our Wealth, which we ordinarily terme our Selves, when we ſay, ſuch a man ha's undone himſelfe, meaning his eſtate; alſo our Friends, Father, Mother, Wife, Children, &c. For theſe we uſe to call our Second ſelves: Or elſe thoſe things that are within us, as our Life, which, without any Trope, wee uſually terme our Selves, and our Saviour makes the higheſt Object of our Actual Self-denyall, John. 15.13.then thoſe things that accompany it, the Goods of our Body and Minde, our Beauty, Strength, Learning, &c. All theſe three ſelves are comprehended here in the Text: for here we are bidden to Deny, non noſtra, ſed nos, not ours onelyonly, but our Selves, without any Specification at all, and therefore to Deny what wee take to bee moſt properly our Selves, our Lives and Livelihood; and that containes the other two Virtually in it.
As for our Soule; though that be our better part, yet comes it not within the Precincts of our Text. For, if by it we meane its two eſſentiall Faculties, the Ʋnderſtanding and the Will, theſe ſo farre as they are corrupted, are Deny'd in that firſt ſort of things we ſpake of even now, which are abſolutely evill: and ſo our Ʋnderſtanding is to be Deny'd by Faith, ſtrictly taken; our Will by Obedience to the will of God; and both together by that Faith which is truely Evangelicall, that which works by Love. But if by the Soule, we meane its Life and Happineſſe in its conjunction with Gods favour, it is a great queſtion indeed whether that may be Deny'd of us, fince that conjunction cannot be violated, but by the commiſſion of ſome ſinne or other by us. And yet, ſeeing we have two famous examples of it in Moſes and Paul, that really wiſht it might be done, could it have conſiſted with God's glory, and never were reprov'd for't, we may admit it may be done Voto, in Wiſh, (if it might ſtand with God's Honour) howbeit, that ſo it is not required of us. But that this was ever done de facto is hard to ſay; though ſome have adventured to affirme,Se Calvin Inſt. cap. 16. Sect. 10., 11, 12. Perkins on the Creed. The Conſeſsion of Faith Printed cum Priviligio 1629. And Jacob againſt Bilſon, An. 1600. it came to paſſe once, to wit, in our Saviour Himſelfe, who ſuffered, and ſubjected His Soule to the Sorrowes of Hell and Eclipſe of God's Favour towards Him, for certaine houres, upon the Croſſe, for our Sinnes: But that indeed His*Acts 2.27.31. Soule was not left therein, becauſe in ſo ſhort a ſpace Hee made an Infinite Satisfaction. But I dare not preſume to dogmatize in ſo Dangerous a Point.
Thus we ſee, in the Generall, here is a double Self to be deny'd of us; One abſolutely evill, and ever to be Deny'd; the other Evill onelyonly in ſome caſes, and but at ſometimes to be Deny'd; That therefore is to be Deny'd for it ſelfe, this for that. For had not the Firſt Adam brought that into the World, he had never been brought to Deny this: And yet for all that the Second Adam came to thruſt that out of the World, Hee was brought to Deny this, but then it was for our Selfe-love imputed to Him.
And thus we have ſeen what is here meant by our Selves. Next ſee we what it is to Deny; and then laſtly, what to Deny our ſelves. To Deny; we know what that is, either when we contradici what is affirm'd, and affirme the contrary: or elſe when we refuſe to grant ones Requeſt, and neglect or oppoſe it. The firſt is Logicall, in words; the other Morall, in our actions of commerce one with another. For the Word here, it is foreign, of foreign, and that, they ſay comes of foreign, to take away, ſo that it is the ſame, upon the matter, with foreign; and then it ſeems our Saviours meaning was, firſt that we ſhould take away our ſelves, then take up the Croſſe; or rather take up this, to take away that. In the Latin it is abneget, which ſignifies to deny one, and denying him, to thruſt him from one, ſo that it is a Verball and Reall denyall, both. Howbeit nego, if we look at the Originall, is to deny Really too, comming of ne and ago, to doe nothing for one: Therefore nego is to deny Morally, foreign Logically. This for the Word.
Now for the Meaning of it, it is not amiſſe to conſider thoſe other termes, wherby cur Saviour was wont to illuſtrate this Denyall, Luke 14 26.in other places parallell hereunto. In one place, He bids us Hate all, even our very Lives, to be His Diſciples. Now he that Hates one will never conſent or yield to him in any thing, but ever denyes what hee deſires. Our Saviour therefore deſiring we ſhould Deny our ſelves, not formally in Word, but, really in Heart and Deed, bids us doe it out of the Affection of Hatred to our Selves.
But, becauſe our Selves (in ſome ſenſe) and every thing that belongs to our ſelves, are not alwayes bad and to be Hated, as I have ſaid: And it were Incivility, contrary to the Lawes of God and Nature, to hate our Parents, or goe about to make away our ſelves, therefore muſt we take Hating for loving leſſe. And ſo in another place our Saviour expounds it,Mar. 10.37, 38 ſaying, He that loves Father or Mother more then Me, (or ſo much either) is not worthy of Me. So then thus wee are to take it;Deur 20.16, 17, 18. We are to Hate our ſelves and ours, Deur. 20.10, 11, 12, &c.when they are Contrary to Chriſt; when not, yet to love them leſſe, that is, onelyonly in Him.
Laftly, Becauſe Love is the Affection of Ʋnion, Hatred of Diviſion, and wee uſe to ſeparate our Selves from what wee Hate, therefore in Denying of our Selves, He bids, forſake all we have, Luke 14.33.that is, as uſually 'tis expreſt, to come out of our Selves, as Abram out of Chaldaea, Lot out of Sodom, Iſrael out of Egypt. The word is foreign, and that is contrary to foreign, therefore it ſigniſies, we ſhould not ſubordinate our owne things to our ſelves, not make our ſelves the Determinate end of them, but, though they be ours and God ha's given us them, yet wee ſhould be tanquam non habentes, uſe them as though we us'd them not. For thus we muſt diſtinguiſh between foreign and foreign,Lib. 4. in locum cap. 14. betweene Renouncing and Forſaking our ſelves, as Beda well obſerves.
Now, if we joyn theſe two in one, we ſhall plainly ſee what it is to Deny our ſelves. It is not onelyonly to breake our ſelves of our Naturall, Wild, Ʋntam'd Wills, that is, to mortifie our Ʋngodlineſſe and Worldly luſts, thoſe eſpecially we are moſt addicted to, as which have moſt of our ſelves in them; but alſo to eſteeme of our Selves, Friends, Goods, yea and Life too, as Nothing in reſpect of God and His moſt bleſſed Will; therefore not to humour our owne Wills, unleſſe they bee conſonant to, and proceed from God's; but to Deny them heartily, therefore to Hate them, when contrary, yea when conſonant to God's Will to love them but a little, that is, onelyonly in Him.
Laſtly, it is to forſake and come eat of our ſelves, that is, to become contrite, humble, and obedient, like little children, to be of Saul's minde, when he cry'd, Lord! what wilt Thou I ſhall doe? and His Will to doe, and none but His, what e're it coſt us. And, becauſe theſe Outward things ſometimes follow us, even when we, ſeek not but, forſake them, yet to behave our ſelves, as if we had them not, or they were none of ours, that is, to behave our ſelves as Stewards, not as Owners of them. This if we ſhall doe; If we ſhall, not acknowledge onelyonly but, love our owne Abjection, Contempt, and Nothing; If we ſhall no longer live, but Chriſh live in us; If we ſhall make it our Meat and Drinke to doe the Will of God our Father; If we ſhall be to God as the Clay to the Potter, as a Hand to him whoſe hand it is; then we may not doubt but we are good Followers of Chriſt, that we are comne to apprehend that for which we are apprehended of Him, to a perfect Denyall of our Selves, a full Ʋnion with God.
But muſt we then indeed Deny our ſelves? muſt we become, not onelyonly Vile but, Nothing in our own eyes? then I doubt not but it will be ſaid of moſt of us, as once it was by the Diſciples; Here dur us eſt hic ſermo, Marth 19.…5quis poteſt ſervari? This is ſo hard a ſaying, ſcarce any man can be ſav'd. And indeed we may better complain of this ſaying of our Saviour's, then the Diſciples could of that He then ſpake to them: for there He onelyonly ſpake of Denying their Wealth; here He ſpeaks of Denying their very ſelves; therefore durior his ſermo, this is the harder ſaying of the twaine by far. But, as our Saviour then anſwerd them, ſo may I any that ſhal murmure now, and tell them, that, though with men this be impoſſible, yet with God it is not; for with him all things are Poſſible, & therfore this.
Why, me thinks this were enough to ſhew its Poſsibility, that 'tis here enjoyn'd us by our Saviour, which ſhewes, not onelyonly a bare Poſſibility, but ſo high a modus of it, as amounts to little leſſe then a Neceſſity, as hereafter I ſhall ſhew you. The plain truth is, to acknowledge it commanded, and yet maintain it impoſſible to be obeyed, muſtargue either injuſtice in God, to command it, when impoſſible, or ignorance, not to know it impoſſible, when commanded; either of which to ſay were Blaſphemy, deſerving the rending of cloathes.
Did there not goe power with the Word of God, Heb … 3in the Creation of things? why may not then power as well goe along with His Word in the Gubernation of things? I'm ſure, when Moſes hop't to excuſe himſelf from obedience to Gods Command by reaſon of his Impotency, Exod. 4.10, 11, 12.God anſwers him with no other Reaſon but that taken from His Creating Power. Nor is it any maryaile; for indeed there is a ſtrait affinity betwixt them, ſince it were a great diſparagement to the Creation, if any Creature ſhould not be endu'd with a ſufficient Capacity to attaine its end.
That Gods commanding Word does not ever obtaine its Prime intended End, that is, Obedience thereunto, as His Creating Word ever did, makes nothing at all againſt this. For that may proceed from the Diverſity of Subjects; (not the want of Power) that of the Creation being meerely Naturall and Paſſive, whereas that of Gods Lawes and Commands (ſuch I meane as are Morall) is Voluntary and Active; is foreign, left in manu conſilii ſui, and ſo ha's power of Reſiſtance.
Nor does it make anything againſt this; that now we are not able to fulfill the Law of God. For, if we underſtand it, of fulfilling it in the Rigour, 'tis true, we are not now able to doe it; therefore neither is it now ſo required of us. But, when it was, as it was before our Fall, then, no man doubts but, we had ſufficient ability to doe it: If we underſtand it of fulfilling it in Sincerity, ſo indeed it is now required of us, and ſo to fulfill it we have now ſufficient ability: He that denyes it is a Lyer, Rom. 6.14. Rom. 1.16.and the Truth is not in him. Now, I ſay, eſpecially in theſe dayes of the Goſpel, which, as the Apoſtle tells us,John 1.17. is the power of God to every one that beleeves; Now, that our Saviour ha's brought with Him that Grace and Truth which the Law of Moſes could not; Now,Acts 2.16.17. that God powres forth of his Spirit plentifully upon all Fleſh.
But, if any one be yet ſo hardy as to deny it, let him reconcile his Denyall with that Aſſertion of our Saviour's,Matth. 10.30. 1 John. 5.3. My Yoak is eaſie, and my Burthen is light: Or with that of St. John, Verily, His Commandements are not grievous. For ſure His Yoak muſt needs pinch and gall us, in which we cannot ſtirre our Necks, to draw in it: His Burthen cannot but be heavy, to thoſe that have no ability to lift, much leſſe to beare it; And His Commandements cannot but be grievous to thoſe that are allow'd no manner of Grace to performe them.
Were not this to make God as tyrannicall as Pharaoh, to ſet us a taske and afford us no Straw to doe it? or as Auſtere as that Maſter, that lookt to reap where be never ſow'd? No,Mich. 6.8. I have ſhew'd thee, O Man, what is good, and what the Lord requireth of thee, ſayes God by His Prophet. And the Wiſe man askes the queſtion (thereby leaving every Foole, as without all anſwer, Prov. 17.6.ſo without all excuſe:) Wherefore is there a Price in the band of a foole, to get Wiſedome, ſeeing he hath no heart to it? Matth. 13.12. & 25.29. Luke 8.18.Does not our Saviour tell us, in more places then one, that every man is habens, that is, ha's the grace of God, as well he from whom it was taken, as he to whom more was given? I'm ſure, He ſayes, every Servant had his Talent and Pound, as well he that laid it up, Luke 19.20.] Luke 12.48.as he that improv'd it double. If that bee not enough, He tells us, He looks for mens ſervice proportionable to His Grace and their abilities; for much where he beſtowes much; for little where little: And where there is none at all (as ſometimes poſſibly it happens) Hee will accept of the Will for the Deed. In one place the Apoſtle tells us,2 Cor. 8, 12. God accepts every one according to that he hath, not according to that he hath not. In another, That no man is tempted above that he is able, and the like. All which ſhewes us the Truth of,1 Cor. 10.13. what God Himſelfe told St. Paul in his Extremity, His Grace, His Strength, 2 Cor. 12.9.that Hee affords us, is ſufficient for us; as alſo that of Baſil the G. in his foreign,Homil. 28. where ſpeaking of Chriſt, in the perſon of that Compaſſionate Father meeting his Prodigall Sonne returning, he confidently affirmes, foreign. If we doe but ſeriouſly will and reſolve to returne (as we may, though not as of our ſelves) God will prevent and meet us.
But now, to ſpeak more preſſely to our Text, and this action of Self-denyall, I hope plainly to make it appeare, to any Ingenuous man, and that out of the Text it ſelfe, that God affords any man ſufficient grace to doe it. The words are foreign; which foreign (to give you the full Grammar of the word) is the third Perſon of the firſt Aoriſt of the Imperative Mood, of foreign An Imperſonall it is not, nor of the Paſſive voice, but the middle ſo, that, although no Perſon in the Originall be expreſt yet, of neceſſity, it muſt be underſtood, by that Rule of Qu… fubintelligitur non deeſt. Accordingly therefore, our Engliſh truly ſupplyes the Perſon wanting, but underſtood, rendring it, Let him deny himſelfe.
Now the Queſtion is, what our Saviour meant by this him, which in every man is to Deny himſelfe. That himſelf is wholly to be Deny'd for God, I have ſhew'd you, nor doe the word import any whit leſſe: this Him therefore muſt be ſomething in Man differing from himſelfe: and ſo much our Saviour ſeems to intimate, making him the Subject, and himſelfe the Predicate, as we ſpeak, therby plainly diſtinguiſhing the one from the other. Nor was this any more then needs; for him is here the Agent, himſelfe is the Patient, and theſe two muſt neceſſarily be diſtinguiſht; Nothing can be Agent and Patient, Cauſe and Effect, both in reſpect of it ſelfe, ſince every Paſſion is an Alteration, and nothing can alter that which is but like it ſelfe, much leſſe its owne ſelfe; for a Generall Rule it is, impoſſible to be contradicted, Idem quà idem, femper facit idem; the ſame Cauſe, as it is the ſame, alwayes produces the ſame effect: Therefore nothing, continuing the ſame it was, can produce an Alteration in it ſelfe.
If it be ſaid, This is true indeed, of tranſient, but not ſo of immanent actions; we anſwer, It cannot but be true of all actions whatſoever: For nothing what ſoever, whether by an immanent or tranſient, whether by a reflext or direct action, can truely and properly, of it ſelfe melierate it ſelfe, though by reaſon of its Mutability, it may corrupt it ſelfe, that is, decline from its Perfection. The Reaſon of it is, that Generall Principle of Nature, Nihil dat quod non habet, nothing can give that it ha's not. For nothing can be Meliorated or better'd, but by the Addition of what Good it wants unto it ſelfe: And that nothing can adde unto it ſelfe (for then it ſhould have that it ha's not, which were a Contradiction) therefore nothing can meliorate it ſelfe. Now this denyall of our ſelves for the love of God, though it ſeemes to our Infected eyes a Corrupting act, yet indeed is an act of melioration, for it drawes up both our Soule and Body to the Participation of a Higher Nature, as will appeare more hereafter.
So then 'tis plaine, this him that here is Agent, is ſomething different from himſelfe, that here is Patient, and muſt Deny him. And yet ſomething without himſelfe it is not, for it muſt Deny the whole Man, every high Thought, every ſtrong hold, every power and faculty in him, not onelyonly the errors of his Ʋnderſtanding, but alſo the contumacy of his Will, and the Pravity of his Affections; and all this Ʋniformely, without any Partiality at all: But this it cannot doe, unleſſe it be within our Inmoſt parts, unleſſe it be intus & in cute, as neare us as our very thoughts; therefore an Angelick Nature it cannot be, for to our Thoughts they are all ſtrangers.
Nor can it be any Nature beneath our Selves; for, ye ſee, him is here the Agent, our Selfe is the Patient, that muſt be Deny'd: Now, as the Greater muſt Bleſſe, ſo muſt it Deny the Leſſer too,Heb. 7.7. (eſpecially this Denyall being no other, but, as I ſaid, an act of Melioration or a Bleſſing) for 'tis a generall and true Rule, Quicquid patitur, patitur à fortiori, The weakeſt ever ſuffers and goes to the Wall. Here then ſure it muſt be ſo, for, I ask, How if it ſhould happen, that the Patient, being the ſtronger, ſhould refuſe to be Deny'd, and, like a ſturdy Begger, turne the Denyall uppon the Agent, as ſurely it would doe? ſhould it then bee Patient and the other Agent any longer? No ſure, the Denyall would be fruſtrate, it would be but formall, at the moſt, it could not be reall.
It followes then; this Him muſt be ſomething in us, above our ſelves, yea above any Angelick Nature whatſoever: and what is that but God alone? You will ſay perhaps; That's true indeed, God is every where, fills Heaven and Earth, and all things, as well as Man, yet does not this enable them to Deny themſelves. It may be ſo; But then it is, becauſe nothing but the Intelligent, Rationall Creature is diſpos'd for ſuch an Ability or Aſſiſtance, and ſo that alone is thereby enabled to this great worke. Man therefore (and we may ſay no leſſe of Angels) is onelyonly properly furniſht and diſpos'd thereto, ſeeing he ha's an Ʋnderſtanding, to be enlightned, he ha's a Will, to be excited and ſuſtain'd in the performance of it, which Will, though Dead and deprav'd before yet, by this exciting, aſſiſting, and ſubſequent Grace of God in us being quickned, is elevated and rais'd above it ſelf, and ſo becomes this him, or Better Nature, in us, that is to Deny our Selves.
Hence it is, that, though this whole Action proceeds from that Partickle of God in us yet, it is not entitl'd here to God directly, or His Grace in us, but ſaid, Let him, that is, any Perſon that ſhall deſire to come after Me, thus actuated and renovated by the Grace of God with him, Deny himſelfe. The Reaſon of it is this; This Grace of God, though foreign, as the Apoſtle ſpeaks, 2 Cor. 10. 4. that is, exceeding or Divinely powerfull yet, does not work after an Omnipotent manner in us, but ſe decenter & creaturae convenienter, in a manner befitting it ſelfe, and convenient for the Creature, ſo, as neither it is deficient in neceſſary power to aſſiſt us againſt all Difficulties; nor yet ſo violent, as to alter the Nature of that it is but to aſſiſt.
Now, that God affords this Grace of His to every one invited to this Duty by our Saviour, is plaine, by thoſe Generall words of Invitation, in the Preface to our Text, for to that our Precept muſt be adequat. St. Matthew indeed ſeems to reſtrain them onelyonly to the Diſciples: But not onelyonly St. Mark, in his parallel, Chap. 8.34. aſſures us, they were meant as well to the whole multitude, but alſo the Words themſelves plainly involve a Generality. For 'tis certaine this foreign, If any man will come after Me, is an Ʋniverſall Invitation; and, 'tis plaine, to that muſt this him in the Text, be commenſurate. If any man will, &c. let any man deny himſelfe: What fuller Ʋniverſall then can we wiſh for, then that any man ſhould, not onelyonly be able but, be call'd to doe it? The word any indeed includes none, but it excludes not any: It ſuppoſes all will not, yet implyes any one may, Deny himſelfe, if at leaſt he be one of thoſe foreign, thoſe that have a Will or deſire to come after Chriſt.
And this, I ſuppoſe, is ſufficient to have ſhewne, that this Adjutorium Dei, as the Fathers call'd it, this Aſſiſtent Grace of God is not wanting to all thoſe that doe what lyes in them to Deny themſelves ſo, that by the helpe thereof it becomes a thing feiſable unto them. But yet, that wee may conceive the manner of this more diſtinctly, both what this Denyer in the Text is, and what the Denyed, likewiſe the Nature of the Denyall: It will be very expedient to conceive of our ſelves, as Origen following St. Paul, 1 Theſ. 5.23. Heb. 4.12. Orig. lib. 1. in Rom. Eraſ. in Enchir. pag. 57. Edit. Lugd. Bat. An. 1624.and Eraſmus Origen, repreſent our ſelves to us. For they tell us, Man is ſaid to conſiſt of Spirit, Soule, and Body: and that whereas it is ſaid, The Fleſh luſteth againſt the Spirit, and the Spirit againſt the Fleſh; the Soule muſt needs be ſuppos'd to ſtand indifferent betwixt them ſo, that, if it reſts it ſelfe in the deſires of the Spirit, ſoliciting her on the one ſide to Vertue, it becomes one Spirit with it; but if it joyne it ſelfe to the Fleſh, 1 Cor. 6.16, 17ſoliciting her on the tother ſide to naughtineſſe, it becomes one Body with it, in the luſts and pleaſures of it. That all this is but meere ſolicitation, without any manner of force on either ſide, that ſo the ſoule may be left at liberty to make her free-choice, whether of the two ſhe will ſide with: Howbeit the Power of God is ready to attend the motions of the Spirit, when the Soule cleaves unto them. But no power accompanies the motions of the Fleſh, the Soule being too able to embrace thoſe Motions of it ſelfe, through its owne mutability.
Now, after we have firſt conſider'd, what St. Paul mindes us of, that that which is Naturall is firſt, then that which is Spirituall, 1 Cor. 15.46.that is, that the ſoule is firſt polluted by cleaving to the corrupt Nature of the Fleſh, before it can be purifi'd by cleaving to the Celeſtiall Nature of the Spirit, we ſhall eaſily conceive, that this him, we ſpake of, or the Denyer in the Text, is the ſoule united to the Spirit, of which the Apoſtle ſayes, If ye walke in the Spirit, Gal. 5.16.ye ſhall not fulfill the luſts of the Fleſh. That our ſelves, or he that is Deny'd in the Text, is the Soule (earſt-while) cleaving to the Fleſh, of which the Apoſtle ſayes,Rom. 8.8. They that are in the Fleſh cannot pleaſe God. Laſtly, that the Denyall is no other, but the Soules Converſion from the Fleſh to the Spirit, renouncing its former cleaving to the Fleſh, and Repenting of it: And, for the time to come, covenanting and reſolving, never more to have to doe with it, but henceforward for ever, to perſevere in the Spirit.
I have been the larger on this, becauſe a Point of much importance to all Piety; for who ſees not, that in the Feiſableneſſe of God's Precepts is laid the firſt ſtone of its Foundation, ſeeing no man will but offer to attempt that wch he cannot phantſie to be Poſſible? Accordingly therefore the Devil ſeeks mainly to overthrow it, having had ſuch good ſucceſse on the Iſraelites in the Wilderneſſe; who, giving more credit to the perfidious ſpies then to God's, not Pramiſe onelyonly but, command, were overthrowne, and could not,Heb. 3, 18, 19. a Man of them, enter that good land, not for their Impotency, but Diſobedience and Ʋnbeliefe.
Beſides; It much concernes us we agree amongſt our ſelves, againſt the Common enemy: when we are to deale with them wee hold, neceſſaria manifeſta; have we not then as good reaſon to hold amongſt our ſelves, Neceſſaria poſſibilia; that neceſſary Procepts (and ſure this is a Chiefe one) are as Poſſible as neceſſary Truths are manifeſt? ſurely we have, and better. For of the two, Practice is more neceſſary then Knowledge to Salvation, ſeeing Knowledge puffeth up, 1 Cor. 8.1.but 'tis onelyonly Charity that edifies; And, for our part, we are naturally as deſtitute of the one as of the other, being no leſſe Blinde then Impotent, to all ſaving Good.
Again; were it not abſurd to think the God of Nature leſſe provident, then that Nature He created? now that is deficient to Nothing in things neceſſary to attaine its and, and therefore ſure God is not deficient in things neceſſary to attaine His, Farre beyond that of Nature.
Yet further; Were it not more abſurd, to make the Word of God leſſe Potent then the word of an earthly King? Eceleſ. 8.4.and yet with the word of a King there is Power: but ſo there is not with the Word of the King of Kings, if we deny His Precept feiſable.
Nay, more; Were it not moſt of all abſurd to make the Word of God leſſe Potent then the Word of the Devill? And yet we doe it by this Tenet of ours: for, if he bids his Creatures, beſotted Inamoradoes, Covetous Miſers, or Ambitious Aſpirers, Deny themſelves in ſome things, to enjoy themſelves in others, we ſee, they doe it, even to admiration; and then ſhall we affirme it impoſsible to Deny our ſelves in all things, to enjoy our God? What a Soleciſme, what a Shame were it, that the Devills ſervants ſhould be more active, to their Perdition, then God's ſervants to their Salvations? Pray God, that one day they riſe not up in Judgment againſt us.
Finally, that 'tis generally beleev'd, this Precept ha's been perform'd by few or none in its Perfection, is not preſently to be imputed to its Impoſſibility, but, with more reaſon, to our waywardneſſe in the Ʋſe of the Meanes, Prayer, Faſting, and a firme Reſolution to fulfill it. For, if it ha's not yet been perform'd in its utmoſt perfection (as I believe it has not by any Viator, any living Man) it followes not therefore, 'tis impoſſible. Will any reaſonable man ſay, the Iſraelites could not have entred the land of Promiſe, becauſe they did not? If ſo, then certainly the Apoſtle hit upon a wrong Cauſe, imputing it, not to their want of ſtrength but, to their want of Faith and Obedience.Heb. 3.18, 19.
Againe, becauſe this Vertue is Impoſſible now to us in its utmoſt Perfection, ſhall we therefore conclude it in any degree Impoſſible? What a Paralogiſme is this? 'tis all one, as to ſay, Becauſe we cannot ſtraight be Angels, therfore we wil not be ſo much as Men. No, if we cannot attaine the Perfection of Degrees, let us labour for the Perfection of Parts, that is, Deny our ſelves ſincerely, with all our Hearts; Ʋniformely, without connivence. When we have done that, let us make on towards the Perfection of Degrees; for he cannot be ſo much as Good, that labours not to be Perfect. St. Paul, when he wrote to the Philippians, could not ſay,Phil. 3.12. &c. that he was Perfect, or had attain'd the Prize. What? did he therefore ſet him downe, and give o're the purſuit of it? No, but this one thing he did; Forgetting what was behinde, he preſt onwards to that that was before him, making his Aime at the Prize of the Heavenly Calling of God in Chriſt Jeſus. And the ſame minde ought to bee in every one of us; for ſo there it followes in his words, As many of us, ſayes he, as are perfect, that is, make towards Perfection, let us be thus minded: And if any one be otherwiſe minded, God ſhall reveale this alſo to him.
And let thus much ſuffice to have ſhewne the Poſſibility of Selfe-denyall, that 'tis a thing Feiſable and may be done of us. But, becauſe this is not ſufficient (for ſhould we undertake every Poſſible thing we might ſinde worke enough) the next thing we intend to ſhew you is the Congruity of it, that 'tis ſit in Reaſon and Equity to be done. In Reaſon, I ſay, for this is ſo unkind a piece of worke to the common courſe of Nature, that ſhe is averſe from it; and Senſe, that, abborres it; No, nothing but Reaſon is capable of doing it, and that too not, unleſſe actuated and elevated by Divine Aſſiſtance. So that, to perſwade you to take it ſeriouſly in hand, we had need muſter up in vincible Reaſons for it, elſe our Text may be in danger to be inverted, and that Patient, we ſpake of, become Agent, and the Agent Patient, and be Deny'd of him.Eccleſ. 7.29. I'm ſure, at firſt, notwithſtanding God made us upright, multa ratiocinia, many Reaſonings and Inventions were muſtered up by the Devill, by our Selves, to overthrow this Truth: Theſe now, we are to ſhew you, were but Paralogiſmes and Falſe reaſonings, by bringing you into the Sanctuary of God's Word, which affords us abundant Reaſon to the Contrary, why we ſhould renounce and forſake our ſelves.
This that we may doe, you may remember, what I told you even now, that to Deny our ſelves in Logick or Reaſon was to contradict our Being: tollere, to avoid and take it away. Not that we are to endeavour our owne Annibilation, for beſides that that were Impoſſible for us, to that nothing is more contrary then Selfdenyall, but to endevour to diſannuall our Self-being, & totally to depend upon God. So then in our Self-denyall we are wholly to renounce and abjure the Being of our owne: and, if we be not our own, whoſe elſe ſhould we be, but Gods? His then we are by two main Titles; Our Creation, and Re-creation or Redemption, which is the Title of our Creation re-inforc't.
As for the Title of our Creation; That plainly demonſtrates this Nullity of Being our owne, and our Totall dependance upon God. For I told you what Creation was; Such an act of God, whereby the Creature is wholly and ſolely of and from Him, and of nothing elſe in the World. So then no Creature is of it ſelf; and if not of it ſelfe, it is not its owne, but anothers, to wit, God's for Him; therefore it muſt be made: whence Reaſon argues thus. No Creature is by God made for it ſelf: But Man is one of God's Creatures, Ergo. The Minor we take to be confeſt on all hands. The Major is to be prov'd: And firſt that de facto, it is ſo, then that de jure, it ſhould be ſo. For the firſt, in the Creation of things we finde, that All things were by God made, not for themſelves but, for ſome higher end, which End, the Wiſe man tells us, was no other but Himſelfe, Eſa. 43.7.The Lord, ſayes he, hath made all things for himſelfe, Prov. 16.4.
But this is not to be underſtood of all things in the ſame manner; for ſome things he made more immediately for Himſelfe, as Men and Angels, other things more mediately for Himſelfe, but immediately for Man. We finde in the Story of Geneſis, that God imparted to other things but of His Being, but to Man He gave His Image alſo; therefore to Man He gave the reſt of the Creatures, that they might ſerve Him for food and other purpoſes, the Heavens, yea the very Angels themſelves not excepted; But Maus ſervice and Obedience He reſerv'd by a ſpeciall Command unto Himſelfe.
But yet, though all things were made for a further End then themſelves, this hindred not, but they might lawfully provide for themſelves; for, that they might ſerve that End, neceſſary it was, their ſeverall Beings ſhould be preſerv'd, and that as well in their Kindes, as in their Individualls. Hence every thing by Nature was inclin'd to the proper place of its moſt happy being, Heavy things tending towards the Earth, Light things towards Heaven. Hence, every Creature was endu'd with a ſtrong Appetite of its Nouriſhment, likewiſe of its owne Multiplication.
But theſe Appetites, though put into them for their owne Preſervation yet, ſhew them not made ultimately for themſelves; ſo much appeares plainly by, that they call, the Motion of Nexe, or ne detur vacuum, wherein the Nature of moſt ſenſeleſſe Creatures diſpenſes with their, neceſſary but, Private Appetites, for the Continuation of the Ʋniverſe. So much Nature teaches thoſe Inanimate Creatures by her occult, but uncontrowled Law: But us men Religion further and more manifeſtly inſtructs, to Deny the Appetite of our Nouriſhment by Faſting, of Multiplication, by Virginity, yea of Life it ſelfe by Selfe-denyall, when the Glory of God requires it. And let this ſuffice to have ſhewne that de facto, no Creature was made terminatively for it ſelfe.
Now that de jure, it ought to be ſo, will appeare, if we conſider that, God being the Summum, yea the ſolum Bonum, Matth. 19.17.the chiefeſt and OnelyOnly Good, as our Saviour tells us, Selfe-love is His alone Prerogative, He alone may, He alone ought to Love Himſelfe. Which, if it be ſo, then how can it ſtand with His Nature & Prerogative, to make ſuch a Creature as, in its Energie, ſhould proceed directly forward, that is, worke only for it ſelfe, but no wayes reciprocate any Good to Him, the Author of its Being? Certainly, it cannot;2 Tim. 2.13. For, as the Apoſtle tells us, God cannot deny Himſelfe, therefore muſt needs make all things for Himſelfe, for His owne Glory.
Hence it is, that all things which any way ſavour of Independency on that ſupreme end of all, by being done to no end, but meerely for themſelves, become, to the judgment of Right Reaſon, abſurd, odious, monſtrous; ſuch is its Loyalty ſtill towards its Creator. In Logicke, we call it the womans Syllogiſme to prove a Queſtion by it ſelfe, without a Third Argument, It is ſo, becauſe it is ſo, and accompt it Ridiculous. We do no leſſe in Morality; but dubb him for a Foole, and laugh at him for his paines, that does a thing in vaine, or to no End and Purpoſe. In Policy; we hate thoſe Commands as Tyrannous, that are Arbitrary, and directed by no Law, but Will; where ſtar proratione voluntas, the Command ha's no aim or limit, but the meere luſt of the Commander. And have we not then good reaſon to beleeve, that, in Theologie, that Monſtrous ſin is moſt diametrically oppoſite to God and His Holy Spirit (and ſo the ſinne unpardonable) which is committed for it ſelfe, that is, not for any ſeeming either Profit, Pleaſure or Prefement that it preſents but, meerely for its Obliquity and Contrariety to God and Goodneſſe? for my part, I think, we have. For what ſin can we imagine to be more ſinfull and malicious? what ſin to be more likely the ſin of the Devills, who, as they ſinn'd without a Tempter ſo, ſinn'd without any hope of Pardon or a Saviour? what ſin to be more likely that ſin unto Death, 1 John 5.16.St. John ſpeaks of, then this?
In a word; Tis ſo conſonant to Reaſon, that every thing ſhould bee made, not for it ſelfe but, for ſome Higher End, that Reaſon it ſelfe is taken from the ſeverall Ends of Things and their Affections to each other. For the Object of Logicke, or the Art of Reaſon is, not the T foreign (that belongs to Phyſicks and Metaphyſicks) but, the T foreign of the Creature, that whereby it relates to its Neighbours; and therefore Argumentum is well defined to be, quod ad aliquid arguendum affectum eſt, which we ſhall finde true of all the Topick Heads of Logick, if we examin them. Hence too it is, that in our Naturall Logick and ordinary Diſcourſe, we call the end of a Thing its Reaſon; for ſo, when we aske the Reaſon, why ſuch a Thing was done, wee aſſigne the end or Deſigne thereof as the onelyonly Reaſon for it.
What Reaſon then can Man poſſibly phantſie to himſelf, why he ſhould be exempted from the common Condition of all Creatures, and flatter himſelfe to be made for no end, but himſelfe, ſince that is indeed to be made to no end at all? Hoſ. 10.1.Certainly he has no Reaſon for it. Nay, he ha's ſo much the leſſe Reaſon for it, by how much he is endued with Reaſon, above all other Creatures; for that ſhews us, even Logick it ſelfe cannot finde a Reaſon, why any Creature ſhould be made for it ſelfe.
Surely then, ſo it is; Man cannot claime any Title to Himſelfe; not to his Hands, to doe what he pleaſes; not to his Tongue, to ſpeake what he pleaſes: No, not to his very Heart, to thinke what he pleaſes: But acknowledge he muſt God to be the Lord Paramount of them all, and eſteeme himſelfe but as His Steward, to render an Accompt of them. Since then wee are and have nothing of our ſelves, but what we receiv'd from Him; if He require them (all) of us againe, let us by no meanes grutch them Him: We give Him but of His owne, and may He not doe what he pleaſes in ſuo, with that which is His owne? We thinke it good Reaſon in our owne caſe. But yet, if by His Grace wee can but doe this willingly, which is all we can pretend to, we ſhall in no wiſe faile of our Reward, ſeeing wee beſtow our Selves on Him, who is the Lord God of Recompences, Jer. 51.56.as Hee is ſtyl'd in the Prophet.
And this may ſerve for a kinde of Demonſtration, which may foreign, ſtop up the mouthes of all Gain-ſayers: But now to perſwade thoſe that are more Equitable to this Duty, this perhaps may be ſufficient: That we ſee nothing made by any one, but who expects ſome Ʋſe and Service from it. Indeed a thing may come from and breake out of one, which he will not owne, but be glad to be rid of; as Auguſtus, meaning to diſavow Julia for her lewdneſſe, would ſay, ſhe was, not his Daughter but, an Impoſtume broken out from him; But make a thing one will not, but we will owne and be glad of it. And therefore God having made us by Creation, ownes us all for His Sons, as 'tis in the third of Luke and the laſt; but this is ſo long as we are Sons indeed, that is, ſuch as He made us, very good and ſerviceable to Him. Now ſerviceable to Him we cannot be, but by manifeſting His Glory; and manifeſt his Glory we cannot, but by manifeſting our owne Vileneſſe, Emptineſſe, and Nothing, which is to be done by Selfe-denyall; this Service therefore His making of us for Himſelf, obliges us unto. If then we refuſe to performe it, and become a refractory Generation, then he diſavowes his owne Workmanſhip; ſayes, You are of your Father the Devill; your Father was an Amorite, your Mother an Hittite: John 8.44. Ezek. 16.3.Then He will not owne us for His Sons, as we would not Him for our Father, but proſcribe us for Children of Darkneſſe, Sons of Belial, of the Devill.
This Title of Creation and Making we may ſee in things Inanimate. Shall the Pot lift up its ſelfe againſt the Potter, Eſay 45.9.ſayes the Prophet? that were monſtrous, ſeeing it is wholly his, and from him, Matter, Forme, and all, therefore in Reaſon, it ſhould be none but his, if for his turn, to uſe; if not, to breake it. Somewhat appeares in things animated with Senſe; though they be, not Makers but, Inſtruments of their Young ones Making yet, we ſee, ſo long as their Young are not able to ſhift for themſelves, they are in a kinde of Subjection to their Damme. But more may we ſee it in Men, who are preſum'd to do nothing without Reaſon: We know, no title of Government is more juſt then of a Parent: no tye of Subjection more ſtrict, then of a Childe. Laſtly, wee may ſee it in matters Civill; If any one make a man in the World, as we terme it, we look, he ſhould be our Creature, our Servant for it. If he be not, what think wee of him? but that hee is uncivill, ungratefull, yea worſe then a Beaſt.
Hencethen we may ſee the Bond, that obliges him, and the reſt, to ſuch Obſervance; It is no other but that of Gratitude and Thankefulneſſe; A Vertue never ſufficiently to be commended; as the contrary, unthankfulnes, is never ſufficiently to be condemned. We ſay, Ingratum dixeris, omnia dixeris; and the Heathen man could ſay, In hoc Vitio nihil non mali ineſt, that 'tis the worſt of Vices, and contains all in it. What ſhould be the Reaſon? Surely, 'tis nothing elſe, but a Reſult of this Principle we pleade for; for Gratitude being an Acknowledgement of Dependance, is no ſmall part of Selfe-denyall, the root of all Vertue; Ingratitude being a diſavowing of Dependance, is an Attributing all to our ſelves, the root of all evill.
Now, an Appendix to this Title of our Creation is that of Gods Preſervation of us; for that is no other but the Act of Creation continu'd and ſuſtain'd by that Word of God, whereby at firſt He enacted the Law of Nature. And indeed, if we conſider the Creatures Mutability, from one thing into another, by reaſon it is Contiguous with, and conſiſts of, the Elements, that are altered every moment by the Heavens, and everie moment alter and impaire us, more or leſſe, it will appeare, that God's Preſervation of us is, though not formally yet, materially as beneficiall to us as our Creation, and therefore ought to inferre the ſame Right in us, and involve us in the ſame Obligation.
But this eſpecially, if we conſider 'tis ſuch a Preſervation of us, as withall includes a Benigne Providence in it: Such as, beſides our Being, provides for our well-being, well-being for our Bodies, in the things of this Life, and well-being for our ſoules, in the better things of the Life, to come. And this may lead us to that Other Title, whereby God claimes us to be, not our owne but, His, the Title of our Redemption.
The firſt way God gave us a Perfect Being, 1 Pet. 2.25. Heb. 2.16. Qui curat eſſe, niſi propter Te, pro nihilo eſt, & nihileſt. Denique quid-eſt homo, niſi quia Tu innotuiſti ei? Propter temet ipſum, Deus, feciſti omnia, & qui ſibi eſſe vul…, non tibi, nihileſſe incipit, inter omnia. Deum time, & mandata Ejus obſerva: hoc eſt, inquit. Omnis homo. Ergo, ſi hoc eſt omnis homo; abſ que hoc nihil Omnis homo. Bern. 200 Serin Cantic. Can. Luke 23.43.by this he He reſtores it: We were all loſt in Adam, ſo loſt, that we declin'd and were falling away to Nothing: But then He that was the Good Shepheard and Biſhop of our ſoules, foreign, to uſe the Apoſtles phraſe, caught hold of man, as he was even going, brought him backe againe and reſtor'd him to his firſt Perfection. For indeed our Redemption is nothing elſe but a Bringing of us backe to the firſt Point of our Creation, a re-inſtating us in the Condition of the Protoplaſts. So much is plainly intimated in thoſe words us'd by the Goſpel, Redemption, Renovation, Regeneration, Reconciliation, foreign and the like, all which argue a Repetition of an act, a Returning to the Firſt Point. For what was that firſt Point, but Paradiſe? But that was the laſt Point of our Redemption, our Saviour never making the leaſt mention of Paradiſe, till he was Sacrific'd on the Croſſe, and then too He did not promiſe it till after all was fulfill'd.
The*Eccleſ. 7.29. Wiſe Man tells us, God at firſt made us upright, that is, in ſuch an eſtate wherein had we perſever'd, we had been happy: But then we ſought out many Inventions; We would needs take upon us to be ſeeking of our owne heads; and ſeeking many Inventions, therefore ſure not the Will of God, which, beſide that it was moſt One and Ʋniforme, was obvious too, needed no ſeeking, being in our mouthes, yea in our hearts to doe it. Thus ſeeking theſe Inventions, and our Selves in them, we forſook God our Maker, and betook our Selves to His Enemy the Devill, by which ſeeking we even loſt our Selves, and ſo had periſhed for ever. But God was too mercifull to behold ſo great miſery without Pitty; out of His abundant Compaſſion therefore Hee ſent His Sonne, Luke 9.10.to ſeek and ſave that which was loſt. To ſeek us, He came into the World; and, to ſave us, He preacht ſalvation by His Life and Doctrine, the Foundation whereof He laid in this Precept of Self-denyall. Mat. 4.2.The Example of His Life began with a Faſt, and a large one, that of Forty dayes; His Doctrine began upon this Text, & 17.Repent for the Kingdome of Heaven is at hand: Now Faſting and Repentance are the Principall acts of Self-denyall and Mortification.
Thus doing He did, that which the Prophets foretold He came to doe:Daniel 9.24. Amos 9.8. Finiſh the tranſgreſſion, and make an end of ſinnes: Or, as one of them ſpeaks, deſtroy the Kingdome of Sin from off the face of the earth. Whereas therefore the Devills Method in erecting this Kingdome was, foreign, to ſcatter and, as I may ſay, rout the orderly works of God; whence it is, we read of ſome that were foreign a2 Theſ. 3.2., out of their places, others foreign b& verſes 6, 7, 11., out of their rankes and orders: Our Saviour, foreign cHeb. 12.2. & 2.110.; The Leader Generall of our Faith and Salvation, comming to ſet in order the Works of God againe, did foreign d1 John 3.8., as I told you out of St. John, in like manner ſcattered and routed the workes of the Devill, Eph. 1.10.that he might foreign, as another Apoſtle ſpeakes, recapitulate and ſet in ranke, under their proper Heads, all things in Heaven and Earth.
We ſee then, this Title of our Redemption, is that of our Creation re-inforc't, and therefore muſt needs argue Gods Propriety in us no leſſe then that, nay more by farre, becauſe a worke more Difficult; For in our Creation, God found no Oppoſition, and therfore by His Word and Spirit all things were made, as I may ſay, liquidly. It was not ſo in our Redemption: No, there He found great Oppoſition, ſuch as requir'd, not onelyonly His Word and Actions but, Sweating, Sighes, Groans, yea His very Death to Maſter.
Now by His Death He laid downe a Price, ſuch a Price as redeem'd and purchac'd to Him all man-kinde ſo, that having redeem'd us by a Price, by the Law of all Nations, we ought to be, not our owne but, His that bought us. And thus much indeed the Apoſtle tells us, in ſo many words: That we are, 1 Cor. 6.20.not our own but, God's, becauſe redeem'd by a Price: whereupon he ſtraight infers, We ought to ſerve, not our ſelves but, God with our Bodies and our Soules, ſeeing they are His. If then we muſt ſerve Him with them both, certainly we muſt Deny our ſelves. For in all Reaſon, we ought to obey His Will, whoſe Servants we are; but, we ſee, our Text tells us, 'tis His Will, wee ſhould Deny our Selves; therefore Deny our Selves we muſt, becauſe of our Redemption.
But yet, becauſe this is the Command of Him who is foreign, the Word and Reaſon of His Father; and our Deſigne in this Point is, not to Draw but, Lead men to this Duty: Neceſſary it is we ſhew you the Equity thereof: That the Injunction of this Duty flowes, not from the meere Will of our Redeemer but, from the Nature of our Redemption, which exacts no leſſe at our hands, if we meane to be Partakers of it. That we may partake of the Redemption wrought by Chriſt, 'tis neceſſary we be in Chriſt, as to partake of Adams Curſe, 'tis neceſſary, we be reputed in Him. But in Chriſt we cannot be otherwiſe then by Repreſentation, ſo therefore, and no otherwiſe are we reputed in Him. For, amongſt other things He is likened unto for this purpoſe, as a Head, a Root, an Elder Brother, one notable reſemblance of Him is to the Firſt Fruits; therefore more then once he is called the Firſt Fruits from the Dead, by vertue of whom wee partake, not the Corporall onelyonly but alſo, the Spirituall Reſurrection: Now, we know, the Firſt Fruit is the Maſſe meerely by a Repreſentation of it, as we may ſee in the Law of the Firſt Fruits, 1 Cor. 15, 20, 21.Lev. 23. 10, 11. but more plainly by the Apoſtle, Col. 1.14.18.Rom. 11.16. If the firſt fruit, ſayes he, be holy, the Maſſe is alſo holy. Repreſented then we are in Chriſt, as the Maſſe in the Firſt Fruit, Mat. 3.17.and ſo in Him God is well pleaſed with us. But now repreſented we cannot be without ſome Similitude and Conformity; as a Picture cannot repreſent a Man, if it be no wayes like him. Accordingly, therefore, the Maſſe is ever like the Firſt fruits, the Firſt fruit being nothing elſe, but, as the Name imports, a certaine portion taken out of the Comon Maſſe or Heap: And ſo the Apoſtle ſayes, there muſt be a Conformity betwixt us and Chriſt: 1 Cor. 5.49.that as we have borne the Image of the earthly Adam, ſo we muſt beare the Image of the Heavenly.
Now to what Image of Chriſt muſt wee be conform'd? the Apoſtle tells us, Rom. 8.29. to the Image of his ſuffering, that ſo He may be, as the Firſt fruits ſo, the Firſt born amongſt many Brethren. As He, being in the form of God, and accompting it no robbery to be equall to Him, yet tooke upon Him the Image of a ſervant; humbled, emptied, diſpleaſed, that is, to uſe his own term here, Denyed Himſelfe for our ſakes, that were his Enemies: ſo we, who moſt truly are Nothing, Galat. 6.3. Eſaiah 40.17.yea leſſe then Nothing and Vanity, of our ſelves, ſhould in acknowledgment thereof, humble, empty, diſpleaſe, yea crucifie our ſelves for His ſake, who firſt loved us, and gave Himſelfe for us.
To this, ſayes St. Paul, we are predeſtinated aRom. 8.29.; and in another place, he ſayes, we are appointed b1 Theſ. 3.3.. To this, ſayes St. Peter, we are called c1 Peter 2.21.. Hence proceede thoſe frequent Axiomes of the Apoſtles; If we be planted into the Likeneſſe of His Death, we ſhall be alſo in the Likeneſſe of His Reſurrection dRomans 6.5.. If we ſuffer with Him, we ſhal Reigne with Him eRom 8.17.. If we Dye with Him, we ſhall live with Him. If we Deny Him, He will Deny us f2 Tim. 2.11.12.; and the like. Hence alſo thoſe that are His true Brethren, are ſaid to beare about with them, the Brands gGal. 6.17., the Dying of the Lord Jeſus h2 Cor. 4.10., to be crucified together with Him iGal. 2.20.; yea foreign, viciſſim replere, that is, by way of correſpondence, to fill up againe, foreign, the Leavings, as I may ſay, of the afflictions of Chriſt in their own fleſh kColoſſ. 1.24..
And this, one would thinke, might be ſufficient to ſtop the mouth of all falſe reaſoning; But yet we cannot expect it ſhould doe it ſo, but that Nature, not yet ſatisfied in the Point, will ſet Reaſon on worke to confute what ha's been ſaid; And at length, it is conceived, enough may be bolted out of Scripture it ſelfe to doe it.Epheſ. 5.29. For does not St. Paul make the Love of our ſelves, our motive to love our wives, becauſe no man ever yet bated his owne fleſh? Matth. 19.19.And does not our Saviour, out of the Law, make it the Rule of our Love to our Neighbours, commanding us to love them, as we ſhould doe our own ſelves? Now, if it be ſo, then certainly we are not to Deny our ſelves, for to love and to Deny our ſelves are contrariant acts; Love, that, tends to Ʋnion; Denyall, to ſeparation.
To this we anſwer fully, (having ſomewhat toucht it before) that ſo much of us is in this place term'd our ſelves, & cōſequently ſo much of us, & no more to be Denyed, as is Contrary and Repugnant to the Will of God. Now the Will of God is,In this Point. as I ſhewed even now, that we ſhould preſerve our ſelves, our Being, and our Wel-being too, by all Meanes poſſible; But ever provided thoſe Meanes be Honeſt, that is, ſuch as He bath ſet us out plainely in His Word, which is His will. Now this makes nothing againſt Self-denyall, for here we muſt obſerve, that in loving our ſelves ſo only and no more, we are to Deny our ſelves, ſeeing this we are not to do in love and obedience to our ſelves, but only to the Will of God. Thus much, I ſay, of neceſſity we muſt note for this; Becauſe if, whenſoever it ſhall pleaſe God to make an extraordinary exception to thoſe Ordinary Meanes, as ſometime he ha's done, and does ſtill to the Martyrs and Witneſſes of His Trueth, if then, we ſhall love our ſelves, our Lives or any thing that we have, we take the ready way to loſe them for ever; but if we loſe them, we ſhall indeed ſave them, as our Saviour tells us. So then,Verſe 25. notwithſtanding what Nature and Reaſon can object, it remaines a firme Concluſion, we muſt Deny our ſelves.
And ſo, we hope, enough hath beene ſaid, to convince any Reaſonable man of the Equity & Congruity of this Precept of Self-denyall. But yet, becauſe there are many Ʋnreaſonable men in the world, that will not live by Faith and Reaſon, but by Senſe and Experience, and therefore will nor doe nor beleeve what they finde to offend their ſenſes; for theſe 'tis fit we uſe ſome forcible Club-Logicke, that may cogere intrare, in a ſort, compell them to enter in and obey it.
Now this we cannot better doe, then by laying before them the Neceſſity of Selfe-denyall. But this, not a Categoricall or Fatall one but, an Hypotheticall, Conditional one, one that may very well be Voluntary too. For 'tis true, this Precept linckt with the Precedent words, by that vinculum connexivum, If and then; If any one will come after Me, then let him Deny himſelfe, makes but a Connexe Axiome, and ſo it requires not trueth of parts; No man may come after Him, and ſo, no man may Deny himſelfe; this, to ſpeake foreign, is poſſible. The Neceſſity therfore of this Precept riſes, not from its truth of parts but, from the Neceſſary Connexion of its parts; That, if the Antecedent be granted, the Conſequent cannot be denyed, becauſe of the Neceſſary dependence that is betwixt them; the one being of the Cauſe (commonly) the other of the Effect, and no ſtronger dependence then of the Effect upon the Cauſe; For the Cauſe gives it exiſtence, and therefore, if the Cauſe be and be Operative, (as it ſhould be) the Effect muſt follow thereupon. Now who is there, at leaſt what Chriſtian, but will grant the Antecedent part to be true, That We ought to come after Chriſt? if he will not,John 6.68. that of Peter muſt compell him, Whither ſhall we go from Thee? Thou haſt the words of eternall Life. Thou, and Thou onelyonly, ſo he afterwards expounded it:Acts 4.12. There is no other Name, ſayes he, under Heaven, whereby we can be ſav'd, but by the Name of Jeſus onelyonly.
Well then, if we grant the Antecedent neceſſary, we muſt not hold the Conſequent a matter of Indifferency, as the Maſters of our Logick tell us. No, we ſee, theſe Parts ſtand not together upon termes of Indifferency, but of plaine Neceſſity: 'Tis not, If any one will come after Me, 'tis expedient, he Deny himſelfe, but he muſt Deny himſelfe; foreign, let him Deny himſelfe. which let we muſt not take to be a word of Permiſſion, as if for this matter Chriſt did let us'doe as we pleas'd, that's the Poverty of our Language, but (as it is in the Originall) Imperativè, hee muſt Deny himſelfe, 'tis ſo commanded, ſo decreed. Now any Decree or Command are manifeſt arguments of the Neceſſity of the thing Commanded, either in reſpect of the Commanders Will, or the Importance of the Thing commanded.
For the firſt; As in Nature there is no greater obligation then Neceſſity, which therefore is ſaid to be ſtronger then any Law, becauſe it cannot be bound by any, ſo in Policy there is no greater Charge then a Command, and, that which ever ſhould attend it, the effectuall proſecution of it. And then certainly the Command of God, of Chriſt, muſt needs impoſe on us the greateſt Neceſſity that can be. For we ever meaſure the force of a Command by his Authority that Commands it, by his Power to Reward it, if obey'd; or Puniſh it, if neglected.
As for Gods Authority, He is our Creator, we His Creatures; He our King, we His Subjects; He our Lord, we His Vaſſals; He our Father, we His Sonnes; yea, He is every thing to us, that may challenge either Soveraignty in Him to Command, or Humility in us to obey: Therfore we ought to obey Him in this Precept, were it for nothing elſe but for thoſe ſo many and ſtrict Relations betwixt Him and us.
But, alas! if this were all, there were but ſmall hold to be taken of us; theſe are but weake Motives, and farre in feriour to the force of a Neceſſity, eſpecially to a mind void of all Ingenuity; therefore, to theſe, God ha's a two-fold Power, which indeed are the maine ſinewes of Government and cart-ropes of Obedience: Power on the one ſide to Reward and allure us; on the other ſide, to Puniſh and affright us. His Reward, the greateſt that can be imagin'd, the Eternall Fruition of Himſelfe, and therewith Everlaſting Happineſſe; His Puniſhment, the terribleſt that can be devis'd, Exile for ever from his Preſence, and therewith everlaſting Miſery. I trow, theſe will, if duely ponder'd, impoſe on us a Neceſſity of obeying with a witneſſe, velfaciendo, vel patiendo; either by doing His Will, of our ſelves; or by enduring it upon our ſelves.
So then, were this a Precept of Peremptory Will and Pleaſure, a Precept of meere Soveraignty, yet did it conclude us ſtrongly neceſſitate Praecepti, by reaſon of that Neceſſity the Command of Chriſt impoſes on us. But this is, not ſuch a Precept but, as I ſhew'd you, impos'd upon us on Ʋrgent and Weighty Reaſon; It is the Conſequent to an Antecedent, and ſuch an Antecedent as is of the higheſt neceſſity that can be, therefore we muſt needs more ſtrongly be concluded under it neceſſitate Medii, by reaſon of that Neceſſity that is in the Thing it ſelfe, for the obtaining that end for which Chriſt hath preſcribed it.
And indeed a plaine neceſſity there is, we ſhoùld Deny our Selves, on Suppoſition that wee meane to follow and come after Chriſt. For, we know, Two contrary Extreames cannot meet together; but, if the one be approach't unto, the other muſt needs be forſaken: As for example, Egypt and Canaan were two contrary Extreames to the Iſraelites, while they were paſſing from the one to the other, ſo that, to goe towards the Land of Canaan, they muſt needs goe out of Egypt; and to return to Egypt, they muſt needs forſake the Land of Canaan. Now Chriſt and our Selves are two ſuch Extreames, and indeed were typified by them; Chriſt and His Kingdome by the Land of Promiſe; our Selves, and our owne Luſts and Wills by the Fleſh-pots of Egypt. Therefore as they could not tend to the one, Ille negat Chriſtum qui ſe non abnegat ipſum. Geth.but they muſt needs recede from the other, no more can we follow or come after Chriſt, but we muſt needs Deny, renounce and forſake our ſelves.
That Chriſt and our ſelves are two ſuch Contrary Extreames is eaſie to ſee, from their Contrary Originalls, Contrary Effects. Our Selves are from the Earth, Earthly a1 Cor. 15.47., Carnall, Senſuall; but Chriſt is a Spirit b& Verſe 45., and that from Heaven, Heavenly. Our Selves meditate evill, nothing but evill, and that continually; we are all gone aſtray and become abominable, there is none that doth good, no not one cRom. 3.11, 12, 13, &c.: But Chriſt did all things well dMark. 7.37., there was no guile found in his mouth e1 Pet. 2.22., in his hand much leſſe: he was without all Sin fHeb. 4.15., all Spot gHeb. 9.14., for He fulfilled all Righteouſneſſe hMatth. 3.15.. There is no Communion then between Light and Darkneſſe i2 Cor. 6.14., as the Apoſtle tells us, betwixt Chriſt and Belial, that is, our Yoakleſse Selves, that wee ſhould ever hope foreign, as he there ſpeakes, to joyne two ſuch Contraries and make them draw in the ſame Yoak together.
From this Contrariety it comes, that every one, that in any meaſure followes Chriſt, feeles a manifeſt conftict in himſelfe, between Chriſt and Himſelfe, the Old Man and the New; the Fleſh and the Spirit; the Seed of the Woman and the Seed of the Serpent, drawing contrary wayes in him.Gal. 5.17. Hence it is, Chriſt tells us, He came to ſend Matth. 10.34.not Peace on Earth, but the Sword: What Sword? that devouring Sword of Warre, to maſter every one that is our weaker? God forbid we ſhould once thinke it: No, but the Sword of the Word of the Spirit, Epheſ. 6.17 James 4.1.to fight againſt our Luſts that make an irreconcileable War in our Members. For our Luſts like Sturdy Beggers, if Chriſt Deny them in us, fight ſtraight, and there begins the fray.
This fight is more or leſſe, one time or other, in every one that hath any thing of Chriſt in him. He therefore that enjoyes perpetuall Peace within him, as the Heathen man ſaid of him that liv'd in perpetuall Solitude, aut Deus eſt aut Daemon; either he is a Saint in Heaven, or a Devill in Hell; either perfectly united to God and Chriſt and out of that World into which our Saviour ſaid, He ſent no Peace; 1 John 2.16.Or elſe he is wholly his owne ſelfe, his heart hardened, 1 Tim. 5, 6. Eph. 2.1.his Conſcience ſeared, and generally caſt into a Reprobate ſenſe, ſo that he may well be ſaid to be dead, while hee is alive, dead in Sins and Treſpaſſes, and in the very verge of that place, which is call'd the Second Death; from which, Good Lord! deliver us.
But here ſome may likely interpoſe; Grant there bee ſuch a Contrariety betwixt Chriſt and our Selves, that they cannot poſſibly be brought together, perhaps wee may runne a Midle courſe though, may partake with either of them, and ſo forſake neither. No, by no meanes: This will not be taken for a Following or Comming after Chriſt, which is ſuppos'd to bee with Conſtancy and Reſolution, 1 Kings 18.21.but rather a Halting between two opinions. For what is Halting but a default of one of our legges, when we can uſe but one of them at once? when therefore we lend one legge to one Opinion, another to the contrary; one to God, another to Belial; one to Chriſt, another to our ſelves, muſt we not needs limpe there while, yea halt down-right? it muſt needs be ſo, it cannot otherwiſe chuſe. But, if we doe ſo, we cannot follow Chriſt, which he Himſelfe expounds here to be, not a Halting but, a Comming after Him, with uprightneſſe and perſeverance. For indeed Chriſt is jealous of any Partner, Exod. 20.5.muſt have all or none, becauſe all is but too little for him, both our feet too weak to follow Him.
Hence it was He forbad mongrell Procreations, Miſcellany Seminations, and Lintſie-Woolſie Garments, under the Law; Lev. 19.19.that He threatned ſo many woes againſt Hypocriſie, under the Goſpel; Matth. 23.13. Rev. 2.15.16.that He exclaim'd on Laodicea for her Luke-warmeneſſe, and, as if he had been ſick at ſtomach of her, threatned he would Spue her out of his mouth, the effect of luke-warme water. Hence he found fault with Peter, becauſe comming to Him, he did foreign,Matth. 14.31. looke two wayes, or aſquint, as proceeding from a ſmall Faith (and Love too or Self-denyall.) By all which it manifeſtly appeares, that Chriſt & our ſelves are foreign, Contraries without any Meane at all betwixt them: that which our Saviour Himſelfe tells us, ſaying, Whoſoever is not with me is contra,Matth. 12.30. Mark 9.39. Contrary to Me. And likewiſe, Whoſoever is not contrary to Me is with me.
Thus have I ſhewn the Poſſibility, Congruity, and Neceſſity of our Obedience to this Precept of Self-denyall. And this indeed ſeemes enough to elicit our act of Obedience thereunto: But yet, becauſe 'tis not one act or two that can entitle us to a vertue, but many Acts are requir'd to the begetting of a Habit; and many Acts cannot be exercis'd without they be done cheerfully, which is the Reaſon, that in all our Acts of Religion, God more eſpecially requires the Heart; Prov. 23.26.therefore yet have we two Arguments behinde, to win our Hearts, if it be poſſible, to doe, what muſt be done, cheerfully: And thoſe two are, firſt the Excellency of this Precept an it ſelfe; then its Ʋtility, to all thoſe that practice it.
That this Precept *Underſtand this of this Precept as it is purely Evangelicall that is, enjoyning us the Denyall of things in themſelves Indirſe…ent.is more Sublime and Excellent, then any in the Law, will appeare hence, That this Precept bids us Deny our Selves, yea even in that which the Law permitted to us, whereas the Law rather bade us ſeek our ſelves, what elſe is the deſire of a Temporall Reward but an effect of Self-love? Which, though it be not Vitious, being done in relation to a Promiſe yet, certainly cannot be ſo excellent as to embrace Vertue for it ſelfe. But now the Law, that, makes the Hope of a Reward the Chiefe Motive of Obedience; whereas the Goſpell, though it have its Reward, and a farre greater one then that of the Law: (for indeed this is the Subſtance whereof that was but the ſhadow) yet does it not bid us looke at the Reward as ſuch, but doe the thing for it ſelfe: or rather, to ſpeake more clearely, it tells us the Reward we are to doe the Duty for is …o-incident with the very Duty it ſelfe, Page 11. Rom 8 15.as I ſhew'd you before out of John 17.3. Hence it is, the Law, according to the Apoſtles intimation, is by the Schooles truely call'd Lex timoris, the Law of Feare; Feare as well of loſing the reward, as of enduring Puniſhment: But the Goſpel, no leſſe truely,1 John 4.18. call'd Lex amoris, the Law of Love, of Love that once perfected caſteth out Feare, and, as Ber…ard truely ſayes, Vires non ſumit de ſpe, is no whit fortifi'd by Hope of a Reward. Hence our Saviour call'd thoſe that obey meerly for Temporall Reward, John 10.12, 13Mercenaries, (thereby intimating the Phariſaĭcal Doctors of the Law) and ſayes, thoſe, when the Wolfe came, would flee away, as loving themſelves more then their Flocke: But the Good Shepheard, ſaies he, that loves his Flocke, and is lov'd of them (ſuch as Himſelfe was) will dye firſt, before he will doe ſo.
The plaine Truth is; if we love onelyonly becauſe we are loved, obey God becauſe he obeyes our Deſires, and truſt Him, becauſe Hee gives us His Counterbond to ſave us harmleſſe; Mat. 5.46, 47.I may well ask, with our Saviour, foreign; What extraordinary matter doe we? What more then Publicanes, then wicked men; yea then the very Brutes themſelves, whom yet we thinke our Inferiours? But if, out of the love of God, and Goodneſſe it ſelfe, we obey, for nothing elſe, then indeed, we doe ſomewhat worthy of the excellency of our Maſter, 2 Cor 3.7, 8, &c.Chriſt, and the Perfection of His Evangelicall Doctrine.
This is it that made the Miniſtration of the Goſpell farre more glorious then that of the Law; Matth. 5.20.this makes our Righteouſneſſe exceed that of, the Lawes ſtricteſt Sectaries, the Scribes and Phariſees. Whence come all thoſe foreign, thoſe Tranſcendent Precepts, of the Goſpel, but from this Precept of Selfe-denyall? How ſhould we come, not ſo much as to ſpeake haſtily to our Brother: not ſo much as to looke upon a woman to luſt after her: not ſo much as to affirme or deny any thing, more then by yea and nay, except we deny our ſelves? How ſhould we love our enemies; doe our Almes, Faſt and Pray, all in Private; Never Cenſure our Brother, never be ſollicitous for food or raiment, but wholly depend upon God for them, if ſhut up from the Meanes, without Selfe-denyall? Do theſe things, ſayes our Saviour, that ye may be perfect: Matth. 5.48.A plain Argument, theſe Precepts are the Perfection of the Goſpel, and the want of theſe, the Imperfection of the Law, which brought nothing to Perfection, Heb. 7.19.as did the Goſpell by bringing in a Better Hope.
But meane time, that I may be rightly underſtood, I intend not this to diſparage the Law, or its Work in any one whomſoever; We acknowledge, the Law is holy, juſt, and good, Rom. 7.12. 1 Tim. 1.8. Gal. 3.24, 25.ſo it be uſed lawfully: that is, as a Pedagogue, to bring Children on to Chriſt: not as a Doctor, to build up perfect men in Chriſt. We ſay further; It is, not onelyonly Good but, Neceſſary for thoſe that would come after Chriſt; becauſe none can come to Him, much leſſe come after Him, John 6.44.but thoſe whom God the Father drawes firſt by the Law: but thoſe that believe, God is, and is a Rewarder of them that ſeek Him, Heb. 11.6.and ſo conſequently a Chaſtiſer of them that neglect Him. It muſt needs be then, thoſe that obey as Servants doe well, for they rebell not: but thoſe that obey as Sons, they do much better, for they obey indeed, with their whole Hearts and mindes, without reſpect to themſelves. What ſhall wee ſay then? but, that thoſe who are brought on by the Law, and ingraffed into Chriſt, may ſay to the law, Rom. 7.1, 2, 3, &c.as the Samaritanes to that Woman, John 4.42. We do no longer believe now becauſe of thy ſpeech; for we our ſelves have heard and ſeen that this is the Chriſt, the Saviour of the World.
Let this ſuffice to have ſhewn the excellency of this Precept in the Doctrine of it: But now to ſhew you the Tranſcendent Excellency of it in the Practiſe and Exerciſe, we will in the laſt place lay before you briefely and ſuccinctly, the abundant Ʋtility thereof. In which doing,1 Cor. 9.22. we ſhall become all things to all men, that ſo we may gaine ſome: we ſhall direct our ſpeech as well to thoſe that are but foreign, as to thoſe that are foreign, as well to the Hearers of the loweſt, as of the higheſt Fourm: For ſuch Auditors I'm ſure we have moſt cauſe to looke for in this f…-Romuli we live in; at leaſt, to calculate our ſpeech to ſuch muſt needs be the ſafeſt way, becauſe then it may ſerve indifferently for all Capacities whatſoever.
But here I might well loſe my ſelf, ſhould I hoiſe up full ſaile, to paſſe through the Ocean of Particulars: Let it be ſufficient, if we can deſcry them afarre off, and ſo draw up all. The Apoſtle tells us,1 Tim. 4.8. that Godlineſſe is profitable for all things: which, if it be true, as it is moſt certaine, it muſt be as true of Selfe-denyall, ſince as we have ſhew'd abundantly, no Godlineſſe without it. The Truth then of both he ſhewes us in the ſure Foundation of Gods Fidelity, who hath promis'd to it all things, as well the things of this Life as of that which is to come. For the Promiſe we ſend you no whither, but to the tenth of St. Markes Goſpel, Verſe 29.30. Where for this Life, our Saviour promiſes, Whoſoever hath forſaken Houſes, or Lands, or Wife, &c. ſhall receive an Hundred fold, with Perſecution: For that which is to come, and, ſaies he, in the World to come, Life everlaſting.
For the Fidelity of the Promiſer; we muſt conſider the Promiſe is to be taken of us, as 'twas meant by him that made it: And how was that? literally? as if we ſhould receive the ſame things in ſpecie, in kinde, a Hundred fold? Surely it cannot be. For, beſides that we never read nor heard of any that receiv'd ſo much, it were abſurd to believe, He promis'd a Hundred wives for one, Polygamy never heard of, whereas even Bigamy is forbidden by the Goſpel. Matth. 19.9.And ſure, that he meant it not literally, is more then evident by that Clauſe affixt unto the Promiſe, with Perſecution. For, did He meane it literally, what elſe were this but to give the thing Promiſed with one hand, and take it away with the other? it were like an Abatement in a faire Coat of Armes, yea it were Contradictio in Adjecto, and Additament Contradicting what before he Promis'd. I wonder, what are all this Worlds goods with Perſecution, when we can neither joy in, nor enjoy them, as dayly experience ſhewes us? What is meat to the Sick, that cannot eate it? what Muſick to the Deaf, that cannot hear it? or Beauty to the Blinde, that cannot behold it? Or ſhould we think, our Saviour meant us thoſe things, as Covetous men ſeek for Wealth, to keep, but not to Ʋſe them, (though Perſecution will not allow us that neither) yet were this but to delude us; For ſince all things here are given us, ut utamur, non fruamur, tha… we ſhould uſe, not enjoy, them, we could not but, with Covetou… men, want as well what we had, as what we had not.
But now taking this Promiſe ſpiritually, in an Anagogical ſenſe, we can eaſily reconcile it with Perſecution, were it needfull here to ſhew it, ſo eaſily that, as we ſhall make appeare, it will be a hard matter not to ſuppoſe Perſecution, or that which is tantummount, to the right under ſtanding of it. Surely then our Saviour's meaning was, Thoſe that parted with thoſe things there reckon'd up, ſhould receive the ſame, not in Kinde but, in Worth and Value a Hundred fold, even that which every one aimes at in the enjoyment of thoſe things.
For this is certaine; Every man, in the enjoyment of thoſe things, ſeeks for Good unto himſelfe: this Good he is never ſatiſfi'd with, till it become Summum, at the height and beſt: Now the Summum Bonum, the Beſt Good is Happineſſe; Every one therefore, enjoying thoſe, or ſuch like things uſes them as the Meanes whereby to obtaine their End, Happineſſe. But now, we have a Generall Rule, The Meanes are to be ſought after, not for themſelves but, onelyonly for the End: It muſt needs therefore be, he that helps us to the end, though he does not withall to the Meanes yet, gives us the Meanes too, becauſe he gives us that for which onelyonly the Meanes are good and deſireable. If then Chriſt promiſes and gives us the end we ſeek for in thoſe things, (as He does, and that in this Life) to wit, Happineſſe, Hee muſt needs therewithall by conſequence give us the Meanes, the Things themſelves.
But does He, moreover and above, give us an Hundred fold in too? Yes, that he does, and more. For, we muſt know, that though we ſeek for Happineſſe by ſuch Meanes yet, they are not the true Meanes to obtaine it: for then ſome time or other, in them we ſhould finde it. But that no man ever yet could doe: but ſtill, having enjoy'd any or all of them, they were faine to complaine with St. Auguſtine, Cor irrequietum eſt, donec veniat ad Te, That Mans deſire cannot be ſatisfi'd in any Creature; not, till it come at God. And ſo much we find wittily inſinuated by a Spaniſh Author, Mat. Aleman. 1 Book. ch. 7.in his Fable of Jupiter, who being offended with Men for worſhipping their Petty God, Content, to a neglect of himſelfe, took Content away from them unto himſelfe, and clapt his Brother Diſcontent into his clothes, that ſo men finding no Content on Earth, might ſeek for it onelyonly with him in Heaven. The Fable does Moralize it ſelfe, and ſignifies nor more nor leſſe unto us, then what is the Subject of Solomon's Eccleſiaſtes, Eccleſ. 1.1.Vanity of Vanities, all is but Vanity: that therefore here we muſt not ſet down our ſtaffe, but ſeek further to that City in the Heavens, whoſe Maker and Builder is God. But now thither thoſe Meanes wee ſpake of would never lead us, for then our Saviour would never have bidden us forſake them, to follow Him: A plaine Argument, they are, not Meanes and Helpes but, Remoraes and Hindrances, rather from Following Him and obtaining Happineſſe. And then, I hope, it cannot bee, but Chriſt, in beſtowing on us that Happineſſe we ſeek after, but being blinde and erring cannot arrive unto: and this too by making us forſake what, we miſtake for Happineſſe but, is indeed our Shame and Miſery, does beſtow on us the full worth of thoſe Meanes and an Hundred fold to boot.
But now, to the maine Point, That Chriſt promiſes and beſtowes, even in this life, true, (though not full) Happineſſe on all thoſe that forſake all and Deny themſelves: This we think poſſible to make appeare, the Promiſe, out of the Text, the Performance, out of the Nature of Self-denyall. The Promiſe, we ſay, is contain'd in the Text, not in ſo many words indeed but, by moſt plaine and infallible Conſequence: For the Text ſayes, If any one will follow Chriſt, he muſt Deny himſelfe to doe it: I hope then, if he does ſo, if he does Deny himſelfe, He promiſes hee may and ſhall follow him. But now what is it to follow Chriſt? It is to be whereſoever Chriſt is; So He Himſelfe expounds it, John 12.26. But how does He meane that? by a locall Motion? Certainly, Nothing leſſe; for then all Chriſtians muſt get them wings, and flye up to Heaven, where now our Saviour is: But in Spirit, for He ſayes, they are to be with Him, to ſee His Glory, 2 Cor. 3.18.John 17.24. That is, as the Apoſtle expounds it, to be transform'd from Glory to Glory, as by the Spirit of the Lord, which is nothing elſe but to be ſpiritually Happy.
For the Performance of this Promiſe; that will bee evident in the Act of Selfe-denyall. Which that wee may ſee, you muſt know, that Happineſſe is the Fruition of and Ʋnion with God Himſelfe: That that Ʋnion muſt be by Love, the Ʋniting affection. Now, if there be nothing in the whole world beſide God and the Creature: If theſe two make up every thing, then certainly he that Denyes and forſakes the Creature, muſt needs love God or not love at all. That the Will ſhould not love at all is impoſſible, for then it ſhould not be a Will, ſeeing to Will and to Love are both one: Therefore Denying the Creature, 1 John 4.16.it muſt needs love God, therefore be Ʋnited to Him, therefore be Happy.
Againe, God being our Summum bonum (as we all grant) the Perfect Good; he muſt needs attract proportionable, that is, Perfect Love. If He does not attract ſuch love every where, as 'tis plaine He does not, very few loving God in Sincerity, there ſeemes to be no other Reaſon of it, but this, the defect of mens ſight, that they ſee Him not to be ſuch, that is, their Perfect Good. Now of this. Defect there can be no other Reaſon rendred but this, The interpoſition of the Creature betwixt us and God, and our beholding and loving of it more then Him. Theſe are the Clouds that hinder us from beholding and admiring the Glory of the Sunne of Righteouſneſſe; this that foreign,Heb. 12.1. Aquin. Lect. 1…. in locum. the Apoſtle ſpeakes of, that ſinne, or (as Thomas) that Occaſion of ſinne, that does ſo eaſily, ſo every way beſet us, and therefore muſt be put away before we can runne the race of Happineſſe, that is ſet before us. So then, it muſt needs be, If wee ſhall put away that ſinne, if we ſhall doffe our Selves, and foreign,Heb. 12.2. look off the Creature, to look on Jeſus, the Author and Finiſher of our Faith, and ſo ſee God onelyonly in every thing, then wee ſhall be united and one with Him, as He with us; then our Will ſhall no longer be ours, but ſwallow'd up of His, and we ſhall no longer be rul'd by it, but His Will ſhall rule within us: In a word, we ſhall be in this World, as we were in Paradiſe; that is, enjoy true ſolid Happineſſe.
But (marke yee) with this difference it is; Our Happineſſe here is but Inchoate, not as hereafter it ſhall bee, Conſummate. Here our Paradiſe is beſet with Bryars and Thornes, not as the Firſt, where was nothing but what was profitable and delightfull Therefore though our Saviour promiſes a Hundred fold here, yet 'tis with Perſecution: and therefore the Apoſtle tells us, we muſt runne our Race with Patience; Heb. 12.1. Heb. 10.36.for in another place hee ſayes, We had need of Patience, that ſo we may attaine the Premiſe.
For the need we have of this Patience ariſes hence, becauſe of that Croſſe we muſt beare, as ſoon as we begin to Deny our Selves; for ſo it followes in the Text, Let him Deny himſelfe, and take up his Croſſe. What Croſſe is that? it is no other but that which wicked, Selfe-will'd men will lay upon our backs. For, though we, for our parts, Deny our Selves never ſo much, yet, becauſe the World will not doe ſo too, ſo long as we remaine in the Body, that will hate and perſecute us, as thoſe that doe the Workes of Darkneſſe hate, John 3.20.and curſe the Diſcovery of the Light.
This is the Happineſſe of every Particular Man, that ſhall Deny himſelfe. But now if every Man ſhould doe ſo, Good God! what a Happineſſe were that to all men! what an Alteration would that make in the World! What a Golden Age ſhould we have! All things then would become New, and theſe Old things, Old Principles, would paſſe away and vaniſh. For, whereas there was never more of Hell upon Earth, then now; the Devill never looſer, never more raging then now, by reaſon of the generality of Self-love and Self-will, that would baniſh the Devill out of the World, or at leaſt ſo binde his hands, hee ſhould not hurt us; that would make this Earth a true perfect Paradiſe, where no other Will ſhould rule but God's, and He onelyonly ſhould be exalted, He ſhould be All in all. For then our Ʋnderſtandings being full of Truth and Knowledge, and our Wills of Candour and Ingenuity, and our Affections abſolutely commanded by them both, all Factions, and Fractions in the Church and State would be ſalv'd and remov'd: Then all our actions being meaſur'd by Temperance and Moderation, our Bodies ſhould not bee impair'd by Diſeaſes or Phyſick, and Death be, not an Abridgement but, a Period unto Nature: And then too all Covetouſneſſe, Malice, and Envy being exterminated the World, Charity ſhould be the ſole Proprietour of our Wealth, and our Goods. we ſhould then think beſt beſtow'd, when upon God and His Churches ſervice. Finally, then there ſhould be Pax perennis, a Perpetuall Inviolable Peace, the Gates of Janus's Temple ſhould continually be ſhut, ſo faſt, that the Gates of Hell ſhould never open them.
Let this ſuffice to have ſhewn an Hundred fold of Happineſſe, in this Life, to follow, according to our Saviour's Promiſe, upon our Self-denyall. But He ſtaies not here, in this life, for Hee tells us moreover, this Precept hath the Promiſe of the Life to come, of Life everlaſting. For the Proofe of this, tomake ſhore worke, I ſhall onelyonly uſe one Proſyllogiſme, and that is this: The Knowledge of God is Life Eternall; The Love of God is the Knowledge of God; And Self-denyall is the Love of God, therefore Self-denyall is Life eternall. The firſt Propoſition is our Saviours aJohn 17.3. Jer. 22.16.; The Second St. Pauls b1 Cor. 8.3.and St. Johns c1 John 2.3, 4.; The third is plaine by neceſſary conſequence *See Page 55. Mat 16.26.: For hee that Denyes himſelf, muſt doe it for ſomewhat that is better to him then himſelfe: But now our Saviour tells us, The whole creaned World is not to be priz'd of equall value to any one with Himſelfe, therefore certainly hee that Denyes Himſelfe muſt doe is for the Love of Him onelyonly who is the Creator of Himſelf and all things elſe.
And accordingly the Apoſtle ſhewes us, that there is a plain Identity in Nature of Charity with Self-Donyall, where,1 Cor. 13.5. amongſt other things, he ſayes, Charity ſeeks not his owns things. Hee ſpeakes of Charity thereas a Perſon, which yet, we know, is but a Habit; his meaning therefore is, by Charity we ſeek not our c…e. May we not then by the ſame reaſon ſay, Self-denyall loves and adberes to God, that is, by Self-denyall we come to love God? Surely, we may. We conclude them, Self-denyall is, not onelyonly the way but, the Life Eternall it ſelfe? But this we underſtand, not of Self-denyall inchoate, but conſummate. Nor is this any marvaile; for, if that be our Happineſſe in this life, as I have already prov'd; this muſt certainly be that of the Life to come, the Life eternall.
Now this Life Eternall being a thing to us as yet future, and to come, during our abode in the Body, we have no tenure of it otherwiſe then by Hope, that Hope which, to uſe the Apoſtles Phraſe, is ſubſtantiated by Faith aHeb. 11.1.. But this Hope muſt not bee Abſurd, we muſt render a Reaſon of itb1 Per. 3.15.: And that Faith muſt not be lifeleſſe cJames 2.20., it muſt operate by Love dGal. 5.6., Then let us ſee whether we can render any ſenſible Reaſon, or make any evident Demonſtration of that Hope, without this act of Self-denyall. If we examine thoſe acts of ours, whereon we ground any Reaſon or Evidence to entitle us to that life, we ſhall finde them all to be weake, yea nothing at all, without it. What elſe is our Repentance, the maine Evidence of our Salvation, but this act of Selfe-denyall? Its Averſion from the Creature is formally the ſame with it; Its Converſion unto God is neceſſarily imply'd in it; for who, that ha's once put in practiſe the Denyall of Himſelf, can ſay otherwiſe to God, John 6.68.then Peter did to our Saviour, Whither ſhall I goe from Thee? Thou haſt the words of Eternall Life.
What elſe is our Faith, that univerſall Engine of all Goſpel-Righteouſneſſe, but this act of Self-denyall, as formerly I have ſhewn? Certainly without it 'tis no better then Preſumption, for then onelyonly, as the Apoſtle tells us, We live by the Faith of the Son of God, when we no longer live, but Chriſt lives in us aGal. 2.20.. What is our frequent and attentive Hearing? The Apoſtle tells us, it will not profit us, except the Word be mingled with Faith in our Hearts bHeb. 4.2.: I'm ſure, our Saviour tells us, that to relie upon it, without Practiſe, is but to build our Houſe upon the Sands cMar. 7.26., a dangerous Paralogiſme dJames 1.22or Deceit of our ſelves. But practiſe the Word we cannot without the Denyall of our Selves, unleſſe we ſhall thinke it ſo Paraſiticall, as to ſew Pillowes under our Elbowes eEzek. 13.20..
In a word, we can yield God no true Obedience, doe Him no ſincere Chriſtian ſervice, without this act of Self-denyall. Suppoſe a Self-wil'd lover of himſelfe practiſe ſome Vertues, they are ſuch as Naturally he is not averſe from, and ſo coſting him but little or nothing, they are the leſſe valued by God; yea, perhaps they are ſuch, as whereby he hopes to make amends for his darling beloved ſins. But for one to ſtabbe and mortifie his peculiar boſome ſinnes and to practiſe their oppoſite Vertues, to ſacrifice his Iſaac, to pull out his Right eye, cut off his Right hand; hîc ſpecimen ſpecitur, hîc certamen cernitur; this, this is the Tryall of the Saints; by this at length God experimentally knowes that we feare Him; Gen. 22.12 16, 17.this act of ours therefore He ſweares that in Bleſſing He will Bleſſe, that is, will Bleſſe with the Bleſſing of Bleſſings, even no other but that of Eternall Bleſſedneſſe.
AND now at length, to draw up all: What Arguments can you poſſibly expect more, then we have us'd to perſwade you to Self-denyall? The Poſſibility ye have ſeen, the Equity, Neceſſity, Excellency, and Ʋtility of it. Here we are even at a full Stop, and can ſay no more but this, Goe you and doe likewiſe. For this indeed will prove a further and more forcible Argument, then any we have us'd yet, the Experience of this Truth by your Practiſe, which wee have taught you in the Precept.
It may be that after this Change of life, divers alterations will ariſe in your hearts, and that this great and Generall farewell, which you muſt bid to your owne Follies and the Vanities of the World, well ſtirre in you ſome diſcouragement. If it happen ſo, let me, or our Saviour rather, winne thus much at your hands, as to have a little Patience, for it will come to nothing; it is but a little Aſtoniſhment which the Novelty of another life brings unto you; let that once paſſe over, and you ſhall receive Millions of Conſolations.
But then perhaps ſome Cowardly, faint-hearted men will affright you with tales of Giants, the Sons of Anak, of Cities wall'd up to Heaven, that the Land EATS ƲP the Inhabitants, that is,Num. 13.32. that 'tis impoſſible for you to Deny your Selves, to remove the Mountaines of Self-love; Or, if you doe, you ſhall but undoe your Selves, and therefore with Peter, they will rather perſwade you to make much of your Selves, and returne to the Fleſh-pots of Egypt. But believe it, theſe are but the Deluſions of the Devill and Devilliſh men, that ſeduce themſelves and others into the Pitt of Deſtruction. Therefore, with our Saviour, liſten not to them, no not for a moment, but reſiſt them, or the Devill in them, and hee will ſoon ſtye from you. But believe Joſhua and Caleb rather, that tell you, and tell you truely, you may goe in and conquer them: that is, believe Him, who is the true Joſhua, our Saviour Jeſus Chriſt, who tells us that,Matth. 17.20. if wee have a true Self-denying Faith, though but as a ſmall graine of Muſtard-ſeed, in compariſon, we ſhall be able to remove thoſe Mountaines of Self-love, and caſt them into the bottomleſſe Sea of God's Mercies. Thoſe could not enter in becauſe of Ʋnbeliefe; but theſe two ſearchers did enter, and conducted the People of God into the Land of Promiſe. No more can theſe timerous Pſeudo-Chriſtians, that ſmell too ranke of the Servile Oeconomy of the Law, finde entrance; but the True Chriſtians indeed, believing, not in themſelves but, the Goſpel, the Power of God to their Salvation, Rom. 1.16.ſhall enter and enjoy the Heavenly Canaan.
Doe you try and ſee, and believe your owne Experience; my life for yours, not any one that will buckle himſelfe ſincerely to this worke, whom God will ſend away empty, but He will make him taſte of His Salvation. Doe but begin once to make a ſtrict ſearch and ſurview of your Hearts; above all ſearch out thoſe ſame Cities and Strong Holds, that they talkt of, that is, thoſe high and haughty Thoughts, 2 Cor. 10.4, 5.whether they be Principles you have laid in Speculaction or in Practice, apply to them theſe Heavenly-mighty Engines of Self-denyall, Faith and Charity; and, like the Walls of Jericho, at firſt hand they will ſtall ſlat before you, though after a while you muſt looke to put more ſtrength to't.
But this when you have done, be ſure you ſearch diligently for that ſame Regulus, that Petit King, that domineer'd in the City; that is,1 Kings 8.38. the Peculiar Plague of every mans owne heart, (for ſuch an one there is moſt certaine, if the Word of God deceive us not) and though he hide himſelfe as deep as Hell in the Cave of Hypocriſie, Joſh. 10.22.23, 24, 25.pull him out, ſet your feet upon his necke, ſmite him, ſlay him, hang him up: that is, Deny that Luſt of yours, which you are by Nature moſt addicted to, your Preſumptuous ſinne, Deny it with all your might, ſpare it not, but mortifie it utterly: And fear not, but encourage your ſelves, that, having deſtroyed that, God will doe ſo and more alſo, to all your other enemies. It ſhall be no griefe to you (when Death ſhall foroe you to it, if you Deny not your Selves the ſooner) to recompt what Luſts you have quell'd, what Temptations you have reſiſted, what hardſhips you have endur'd for Chriſts ſake; No, all your Hearing, Praying, and Sighing will be nothing to the comfort of it.
But, I told you (& you muſt expect no leſſe; neither let it deter, but excite you to grapple with the Difficulty;) this will ſeem durus ſermo, a harſh crabbed Leſſon to you, 'twill be grievous at the firſt hand, as it were ever-night but then Joy will come in the morning. Does not our Saviour tell us ſo?John 16.21. that a Woman both ſorrow indeed while ſhe is in Travail, becauſe her Houre is comne; but having brought forth, ſhe remembers her Sorrow no more for joy, that a Man is borne into the World. I'm ſure, the Pſalmiſt tells us, He that ſowes in teares ſhall reap in joy,Pſal. 126.5, 6. and bring his ſheaves with him. His Joy, ſaies the Prophet, is like the joy of men in Harveſt, Eſay. 9.3.or them that divide the ſpoile, whoſe joy is ſweetned by the remembrance of what paines they firſt took for it. For indeed we have no Satisfactory title, either to our Meat, 2 Theſ. 3.10.the food of our Bodies, or to Joy, the food of our Soules, without our precedent labour for it. Therefore our Saviour tells us,Matth. 11.12. The Kingdome of Heaven foreign, is forc'd, ſtorm'd or ſuffers an Onſlaught, as I may ſay, and the Violent muſt take it by force, if they meane to have it.
Was ever any Crown'd in a Comhat, that did not combate for it lawfully? or did ever any Farmer gather in a Harveſt, for which he laboured not before-hand? The Apoſtle thought not ſo,2 Tim. 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. and therefore exhorted Timothy, to ſuffer affliction patiently, as a good Souldier of Jeſus Chriſt, and not to entangle himſelf with the affaires of this life, that ſo he might the better pleaſe his Generall.
Non eſi è terris mollis ad aſtra via: Our journey to Heaven lyes, not through a ſpacious, ſmooth way, but a ſtraight narrow one aMat. 7.14., leading us through ſuch a gate, as is compar'd to a needles eye bMatth. 19.24. If therefore thou beeſt a ſmall ſlender thread, that is, a Self-reſigned man, thou maiſt finde entrance, and unite thy Self to the Eternall Being; but, if thou beeſt foreign, a huge unweildy Cahle, that is, encombred with thy Selfe, and that foreign, that we ſpake of,Hebr. 12.1. either look to untwiſt thy Selfe by Self-denyall, or elſe deſpaire of Entrance.
Nor can you think this durus ſermo, if you will foreign, but look upon our Saviour: For canſt thou part with more then He did for thy ſake? thou canſt not for ſhame thinke it. Why, He was equall to God His Father from all eternity, Phil. 26, 7, 8.nor thought it any robbery to be ſo, and yet emptied Himſelf in becomming a Servant for us: But thou canſt not ſo much as equall thy Self to any thing: therefore canſt not keep any thing to thy Self, Gal. 6.3.without Robbery from thy Maker, who is, and in deſpight of thee, ſtill ſhall be All in all a1 Cor. 15.28.. Is the Diſciple above his Maſter? Surely, hee is not: nay, 'tis well if he may be like him bMat. 10.24, 25.: Chriſt therefore, our Maſter, lookes for ſo much at leaſt at our hands.
But,John 14.12. if we thinke His Example above our Reach, (though He ſeemes to tell us otherwiſe) look but upon meer Animals, yea Inanimate Creatures, and, they will tell you, they Deny themſelves for the Ʋniverſe; then ſhall not we much more for God? Certainly, we ſhould, and ſo much the rather, by how much God ha's endu'd us with Reaſon above them, which tells us, we were made for Him, not for our Selves. The Chymiſts doe not ſo truely affirme, that Nature intended Gold in the compoſure of all Metalls, as the Scripture tells us, God intended His Glory in the Creation of all things; And yet they, preſuming upon that, venture to decoct their whole Subſtance many times to finde out the Semen auri or Philoſophers Stone: And ſhall not we decoct our ſinfull Being to finde our God in Jeſus Chriſt? we have infinite more Reaſon for it. For they cannot promiſe to themſelves ſo great a Multiplication of their Wealth upon that Invention of theirs, were it feiſable, as wee may promiſe our ſelves the Advancement of our Being by our Conjunction with God upon our☞ Self-denyall, the truer Art of Multiplication. If you conſult with an Arithmetician, he will tell you, that an Ʋnit multiply'd by an Ʋnit, is but an Ʋnit ſtill, it gets nothing by the hand: Now our Metaphyſicks truely tell us, Every thing is an Ʋnit; and our Phyſicks and Scripture tell us, Every thing is made to be multiply'd, that is, advanc't to ſome further end, then it ſelfe: He therefore that ſhall ſeek that end by a Multiplication or Seeking of himſelfe ſhall get nothing by it. But he that, confeſſing God onelyonly to to be that Monas or Ʋnit, (as He is) ſhall quit his Ʋnity, and reduce himſelfe to a Cyphar, he, being added to that OnelyOnly Ʋnit, ſhall become a moſt Perfect Number, and be Multiply'd 10, yea, (which is the ſuperabundant foreign bRom. 5.20.of the Goſpel) 100aMark 10.30. for one.
Take heed then, you neither act nor ſpeake with that ſlothfull Servant that,Luk. 19.20, 21 in ſtead of Multiplying, wrapt up his Pound, that is, himſelfe, in a greazie Napkin, and buried himſelfe in the Earth all the time of his Life, the onelyonly time of our Improvement and Negotiation. Take heed you ſpeake not as he did, who call'd his Maſter an Auſtere man, for reaping that which be never ſow'd. A moſt injurious Slander; his owne words plainly witneſſed as much; Here, Sir, ſaies he, is your Pound againe: Why then a Pound he had by confeſſion, therefore ſo much, at leaſt, was ſowne. Well, and what did his Maſter expect to reap from him? 'twas but his owne with Ʋſury; muſt he then be voic't an Auſtere man for this? I wonder, what leſſe could he look for? will any Dealer trade for leſſe then common Intereſt? any Farmer ſow for leſſe then a competent encreaſe? If they doe, they ſhould be loſers by the hand, and ſo ſhould his Maſter have been. Then take heed, I ſay, you blaſpheme not God in your hearts, for requiring Self-denyall of you. But above all take heed, you act not with that Servant, you bury not your precious Soule, wrapt up in your greazie Fleſh, in the Bowels of this Earthly World; for, as he ſo, you will gain nothing by it; No Improvement, no Multiplication can come of ſuch Beaſtly ſloath: No, but like him you will be loſers, even Bankrupted, by the Meanes. He loſt his Pound firſt, ſo ſhall you your Parts, your Naturall, yea and Spirituall Endowments. Then he loſt his Perſon, being caſt into utter darkneſſe, that is, into ſuch a Condition as is farre worſe then nothing. For Nothing is but a Negation: but Darkneſſe, wee know, is a Privation, that is, the Loſſe of a Habit: If then it be farre better, as it is, never to have had a Bleſſing, then having had, to loſe it, then farre better it is, never to have partaken of God, Matth. 26.24.1 John 1.5.who is Light, then partaking of Him to bee caſt into utter darkneſſe.
Yet ſuch ſhall be thy Condemnation, whoſoever thou art, that art a Theeviſh, Trayterous, Idolatrous Lover of thy Selfe: 'Tis certaine, God muſt not be a loſer, whatſoever come of it: His Will muſt be done, His Glory muſt be ſhewne, vel à nobis, vel de nobis; either of us, or upon us. If then we would judge our ſelves, that is,1 Cor. 11.31. by the Denyall of our ſelves confeſ…e God to be foreign the onelyonly foreign or Selfe-Beer of the world, we ſhould not be Judged of the Lord, not deprived of that Fountain of all Being; But, not Judging our ſelves at all, that is, ſeeking our owne things, and not the things of God, by endeavouring to eſtabliſh our Self-being, and ſo denying into be God's Prerogative, He condemnes us with the world, that is, baniſhes us from his Gracious Preſence, ſo manifeſting Himſelfe to be the onelyonly Selfe-Bëer of the world, but our ſelves, now by our own Default, to become more Vile then Nothing.
So then, we ſee, God is no loſer in His Glory, if we ſhall ſeek our ſelves; and as certain it is, we ſhall be no loſers in our Happineſſe, if we Deny our ſelves; becauſe wee have to doe with Him, who is the Lord God of Recompence aJerem 51.56.; One that will not ſuffer us to loſe any thing, we lay out for His ſake, not ſo much as a Cup of cold water bMat. 10.42.. For though, when we have done our beſt, we have done no more then was our Duty cLuke 17.10.yet, will God reward that Duty now; He deales with us, not upon tearms of ſtrict Juſtice, but of Grace and favour. Matthew 6.4.Doſt thou then quit thy Prayſe, by Praying, Faſting, and Almes-giving in Private? God will one day commend thee openly. Doſt thou quit thine Honour by Humility? God will one day exalt thee. Doſt thou then quit thy ſtrength by Patience? God will one day Revenge thee. Doſt thou quit thy Wiſdome by Simplicity? God will one day manifeſt that to be the only Wiſedome. I might be infinite in all Particulars.
Let us heare the Concluſion of the whole matter: It is no more but what our Saviour tells us in the verſe behind our Text, Verſe 25.almoſt in ſo many words: He that ſeekes himſelfe, ſhall indeed finde himſelfe, but to his owne Deſtruction; But he that Denyes himſelfe, ſhall indeed be rid of himſelfe, but to his owne ſalvation. Then what profit will it bee to thee to gaine thy ſelfe, yea the whole world, if thou muſt looſe thine own ſoule? what Recompence canſt thou give for it? the whole World will not be ſufficient, nor any thing in the World, but Him that overcame the World for thee. If it be grievous to Deny thy Self, Luke 12.9. Matth. 7.23.what will it be, to be Deny'd of Chriſt, when He ſhall ſay, I know you not? If thou canſt not finde in thine heart to ſay, Depart from me Iniquity; how ſhalt thou finde in thine heart to heare (that Thunder-clap) Depart from Me yee workers of Iniquity? Eſay 33.14.If thou art not able to abide with this conſuming fire, how wilt thou be able to Dwell with everlaſting Burnings?
It may bee now, on the contrary, there will be found, to whom this duty of Self-denyall is ſo farre from being grievous, they are ſorry, they have not now (as thoſe in the Primitive times had) occaſion to expreſſe it fully. They could willingly reſiſt, that is, patiently yeeld themſelves, though it were to bloud, were it (as thoſe Martyrs did) for the Cauſe of Chriſt: But to ſuffer for the Circumſtantialls onelyonly, not the Subſtantialls of Religion; yea to ſuffer for thoſe Morall Duties, which a Heathen man would ſuffer for, this, they eſteeme not worth the while, not worth the Denying of their Eſtates, Honours, Eaſe, at leaſt their Lives; and therefore they eaſily perſwade themſelves, they are not hereunto obliged, or, if they be, to neglect ſuch Duties is but a Peccadillo, a ſmall ſinne, they can cry God mercy for it; and ſo gilding the Pill o're a little, they ſwallow it downe ſmoothly, without any Remorſe at all.
Hence it is that others, to get the Reputation to themſelves of (no leſſe then) Martyrs for the Truth, ſtrongly flatter themſelves, they ſuffer for Chriſt, that they doe; when yet, even in their owne pretence, it is but for His Garment, but in the judgement of Humbler Men, is not for that neither, but their owne Wills, then which nothing can be more contrary to Chriſt, or Suffering for Him, and therefore to Self-denyall.
But to the firſt, I anſ. That even in this it appears, they are not Self-denyed men, that they take upon them to preſcribe to God Almighty: As if he knew not, by calling them to what Sufferings, they ſhould glorifie Him, and benefit themſelves moſt. For in true Self-denyall we ever part with our own Election, our own Will, and ſubmit it to anothers: Now this he cannot do, that will beare no other Croſſe, but what is of his owne chooſing.
But then eſpecially does this Election fight with our Self-denyall, when it pitches upon ſuch Croſſes onelyonly, as are more Glorious, ſuch as were thoſe of the Primitive Martyrs; For in ſuch Sufferings we ſeek our owne Things, not the Things of God, wee ſeek our owne Repute, our owne Reward: not our owne Abjection, Vileneſſe, Contempt, and Nothing. But this, in ſome degree, muſt be done in the true Denyall of our Selves: and this, we muſt know, may be done as well, if not better, by Suffering for ſmall as greater matters. For the leſſe Motive our Sufferings have from without themſelves, 'tis a ſigne, they have the more from within, that they proceed meerly from a Conſcience of our owne Duty and Abjection. But now, the Meaner that is we ſuffer for, if we ſuffer for it with equall Patience, as for a Greater matter, the leſſe is our Motive from without, and and ſo muſt argue the greater Conſcience of Duty from within, which is ſo farre from diſparaging, it ſets a Price upon our Self-denyal. Againe, what we ſhall ſuffer for, when and where, is not in our Election, but in God's Providence calling us thereunto: So is not our Willingneſſe and Cheerfulneſſe in ſuffering, for that, by the Grace of God, is; this therefore is to be reckoned to our Praiſe, that rather to our Recompence.
Now it pleas'd the All-wiſe God to call the Primitive Chriſtians to be Witneſſes to His more Fundamentall Truths that being done abundantly, it pleaſes Him now to call Ʋs to be Witneſſes to His Truthes of inferiour Nature. What then? ſhall we deſpiſe theſe Meaner ones, as not worth our Suffering for? let us take heed of that; None of them but are God's: None but in the Sequell are of infinite concernment: None but are more worth then all we are or have, yea then the whole World it ſelfe: None, but which in ſuffering for, we ſuffer for Chriſt Himſelf, who calls Himſelfe the Truth. If then we ſuffer for Chriſt in ſuffering for His Meaneſt Truth, John. 14.6we ought to be ſo far from excuſing ourſelves, or declining ſuch ſuffering, as which were Interpretatively to Deny Chriſt, that we ought rather to comfort our ſelves in this behalfe, that we are thought worthy any wayes to ſuffer for Him.
But much better it is wholly to wave the Cauſe of our Sufferings, leaving that to God's Providence, and, reflecting upon our Selves, look to the Quality of our ſuffering, take thought, not how great but, how good Sufferers we are, with what Willingneſſe, what Love of God and Reſignation of our Selves we ſuffer. For thus wee may equalize, if not out-goe thoſe Primitive Chriſtians. If they ſuffer'd for more weighty matters, we may ſuffer with more obedient Affections; if their Sufferings were more Glorious, ours may be more Vertuous; If they ſuffered for the juſtifying of our Faith, why may not we be call'd to ſuffer for the juſtifying of Suffering it ſelfe, of the Scandall of the Croſſe, of the Neceſſity of Self-Denyall? For my part, I judge, we are. Our Sufferings therefore ſeeme the more Arduous and Difficult of the two, by how much more difficult it is to conteſt with Ignominy then with Errour, to renounce our owne Wills, then our owne Ʋnderſtandings.
But here, it may be, ſome will ſay, It cannot be deny'd though, but that the Sufferings of Chriſtians now are farre inferiour to thoſe of the Primitive Martyrs, which were moſt horrid. I cannot tell, whether that alſo may be allow'd or no. For ſo it may be, that one may Deny himſelfe much by ſuffering in a ſmall matter, and on the contrary may Deny himſelf but little by ſuffering in a greater; for all goes as the Mind is & ſets a price on that we ſuffer in. Our Self-denyal receives its value from our Intereſt in things; Now our Intereſt lyes in things, not ever according to their Worth but, moſt-what according to our Apprehenſion & Love of them, which, by reaſon of our Blindneſſe ſince our Fall, is ſeldome proportioned to the juſt Worth of any thing. Hence it comes to paſſe that, as the Schooles tell us, we often ſtampe a high price on thoſe things amore intenſivo, by our affectionate love, which amore appreciativo, by a diſcreet judicious Love, we ſhould eſteem of little or no value: A Childe will not part with his Boble for his Dinner, not becauſe it is more worth but, becauſe he ha's not the Diſcretion to judge aright of either: So a man may preferre his owne Will, his owne Glory, before his Eſtate, yea and his Life too, as may eaſily be gather'd from the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 13.3. not becauſe they are more worth but, becauſe he is ſo mad to judge ſo. Now if this be ſo, as it is moſt plaine, then are we not to judge of mens Self-denyall by the Outward face of their Sufferings, but by that Private Intereſt, which by their Affections they have in the things they ſuffer in. For by reaſon of this it is, that a man may ſuffer more, that is, with more Reſignation of himſelfe, by the loſſe of a commodious Ʋtenſill, by a Frump from a Great Perſonage, or an open Diſgrace, then by empaling, or any Death of greater torture.
Then why ſhould any man judge e're the meanlier of his Self-denyall, becauſe he ſuffers not either for or in ſo great matters as others heretofore have done? Let him look onelyonly to himſelfe, that, through Pride of heart, he does not riſe up againſt that Croſſe, which it pleaſes God to lay upon him. Let him freely reſigne up the Triall of himſelfe to God, who knowes well enough how to deale with him and ſift him out. If it pleaſes God to prove him by that which is a Toy in it ſelfe, though ſuch an one as to which he is much affected, (for ſo uſually God deals with us at firſt) let him accept of the Croſſe, embrace and welcome it, God, who is well skill'd in the rule of Proportions, takes our Patience equally, at our hands, as if our Croſſe were greater. He layes not Afflictions upon us, thereby Envying us His Bleſſings; No, He would have us enjoy them ſtill, could we but get the Art, to uſe them, as though we us'd them not. If we can (or rather will) not,Pſal. 119.75 then He, in very Faithfulneſſe, weanes us of them, to make us look after thoſe that are greater, but more Spirituall. Finally, let him conſider, that the leaſt Croſſe he ſuffers under is farre above what he is able to beare, were he left unto himſelfe aJohn 15.5.; that by the Grace of God he is what he isb1 Cor. 15.10.; that God workes in him both the Will to ſuffer, and the Performance, and that of His good will cPhil. 2.13., but not againſt his own: That our Part onelyonly is purely to Deny our owne Will and Reſigne up our Selves to Him, which yet we cannot doe of our Selves, 2 Cor. 3.5.as of our Selves, that is, we cannot doe without Him.
Now, in the laſt place: If any tender Conſcience be diſcourag'd, that he findes the Reliques of Self-love ſtruggle in him, let him comfort himſelfe in this, that the Raigning power of it is ſubdu'd, as for the taking away of the Remaining power, it is not to be expected in this life. Is he ſure, that ſame Regulus, we ſpake of,Before Pag. 60. is deſtroy'd, his old Habit reſiſted, his old Haunt broken off, that he ha's runne counter to the broad road, of the Epidemicall Vices of the Times? If it be ſo, then ha's he whereof to rejoyce. As for the Dead Body of that Regulus it muſt hang up till the Evening, Joſh. 10.27.till our Death: but when our Sun ſets, that ſhall bee taken downe. Meane time, 'tis enough he is Dead and Mortifi'd, that the Canaanites which are left are Inferiour and not conſiderable to the Iſraelites, that the Fleſh is kept under by the Spirit, the love of our Selves, by the Love of God. What ſayes St. Paul? 1 Cor. 5.10.he ſayes not, we ſhould be wholly free from all commerce with evill, becauſe then we muſt be out of the World, but that we ſhould not conſent to it. And therefore, he ſayes,Rom. 8.23. foreign, even the very Saints themſelves groan in themſelves, looking for the Adoption, the Redemption, that is, the Glorification, of their Bodies; Phil. 3.21.to wit, then when their Mortall Bodies ſhall be ſwallowed up of Immortality, and made like to the Glorious Body of the Sonne of God, the laſt, and greateſt of Miracles.
This is certaine; ſo long as we are in the Body, this vile, vain Body of ours will be as Thornes in our eyes, and Goads in our ſides, Joſh. 23.13. 2 Cor. 12.7.that is, we ſhall be tempted of it. But then, we muſt know, it is not evill to be tempted, but to be overcome of a Temptation; Yea, our Temptation, if reſiſted, will redound to our advantage and God's Glory, which is perfected in our weakneſſe.Ibid. Verſe 9.
Meane time, we had need of Patience, Heb. 10.36.to runne the Race that is ſet before us, that ſo we faint not and draw backe. And, though we ſee totum mundum jacere in Maligno, 1 Joh. 5.19.as St. John ſaid of his time, and we may more juſtly of ours, yet are we bidden by our Saviour, even in the midſt of Tempeſts and Calamities, Luke 21.28.to lift up our Heads becauſe then our Redemption drawes nigheſt.
And ſo wee ſee indeed oft-times it comes to paſſe,2 Cor. 4.6. that God drawes the greateſt good out of the Extremity of evill, the moſt Glorious Light out of the thickeſt Darkneſſe. So cum duplicabantur lateres venit Moſes, when the Iſraelites taske was doubled Moſes came: when the Government was taken from Judah, Shiloh came: And ſo we may aſſuredly expect, after all theſe Tempeſts and Garboyles are blowne over, a greater calme of Peace and Piety then ever. Such a thing ha's been foretold long ſince by the Prophets, but never was yet; never was leſſe then now, now that Self-love playes the Tyrant in the ſhape of Self-denyall, and therefore yet we may expect it. This is certaine; Chriſt muſt lay all His Enemies at his Feet, 1 Cor. 15.25.the greateſt of which is Selfe-love, and the laſt, its Wages, Death; theſe muſt be ſubdued under Him. And when, thinke we, ſhould this more likely be effected, then when Chriſt ſhall come the Second time, Heb. 9.28. Tit. 2.13.not in Humility but, in Glory; when the Church ſhall triumph Victoriouſly over all her Enemies? In the meane while, that it be not now brought to paſſe, let us not be in fault; and therefore let every one in particular reforme and Deny Himſelfe: this will be a good forwarding of the Generall. Which though, no queſtion, wee ſhall faile of in this deplor'd, Selfe-flattering Age wee live in, yet, this wee may bee aſſur'd of, to our comfort, liberabimus animas noſtras, we ſhall free and ſave our owne ſoules. Which He grant unto us, Who by Denying Himſelfe moſt perfectly hath left us an Example, that we ſhould follow in His ſteps. To whom be given all Honour, Glory, and Praiſe both now and ever. Amen.