A Treatise of Self-Denial, Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP I.
Matth. 16.24.
If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſs, and follow me.
SECT. I. The Introduction to the Text.
THat multitudes periſh eternally, even ofaMat. 7.21, 22, 23. &c. 21.21, 22, 23, 24. Lu. 13.24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29. 1 Cor. 6.9, 10. Gal 5.19, 20, 21. thoſe that live under the Goſpel, though but few do beleeve it, will be found to be no miſtake at the laſt day. Two things there be that ruine them, foreign, and foreign, theirbLuke 9.26. c. 19.14. & 27. Eph. 5 6. Col. 3 6. 2 Theſſ. 1.8, 9. c. 2.10, 11, 12. diſobedience in ſtanding off, and theircJer. 3.20. 1 Tim. 4.1, 2. 2 Tim. 3.2, 3 4, 5. & 13. Heb. 6.4, 5, 5. &c. 10 26, 27, 28, 29 & 38, 39. 2 Pet. 2.20, 21, 22. treachery in falling off from Religion, notwithſtanding all the preaching in the world, there are but few that will be induced tod1 Tim. 6.12. make a profeſſion, but few that wil be perſwaded toeHeb. 4.14. c. 10.23. hold it faſt. I ſpeak not of that vulgat profeſſion that denominates men Chriſtians, in contradiſtinction to Heathens, but of that which gives them the ſignal name of Profeſſors, in contradiſtinction to nominal Chriſtians. As for the former, there are none with us that deny it, and not many that do diſclaim it; Verily as for the latter, it is far otherwiſe. Some like the deaf AdderfPſal. 58.4. ſtop their ear, others will not ſuffer it to begExod. 21.6. Deut. 15.17. boared. Some will by no means put their hand to the plough, others afterwards will look back, but both are unfit for the Kingdome of God, Luke 9.62. That which keeps off the One, that they do not enter into the wayes of godlineſs, ishJoh. 7.13. &c. 11.48. & ch. 12.4. Act. 19.27. fear of ſuffering, that which drives off the Other, that they do not perſevere in them, isiMat. 13.21. impatiency under it. The cauſe of both theſe, if we trace them to their ſpring-head, will be found to be nothing elſe, butkforeign amor ſui nimius. inordinate ſelf-love (for this is thelAffectionum choragus, It is the firſt & fundamental Affection. Quoddam quaſi pondus in objectum, Flav. Quaeren. Eo feror quocun que feror, Aug. leading affection, and exerciſeth a*Dictatori comparatur, quo creato, ceſſantomnes Magiſtratus. Flav. Quaeren. Poiaghi Comes. ſovereignty over all the reſt) by reaſon whereof, men naturally ſeek foreign, to pleaſe themſelves, as the Apoſtles phraſe is, Rom. 15.1. which is by fulfilling the deſires (or themforeign. wills) of the fleſh, and of the minde, Eph. 2.3. and therefore are exceedingnRes eſt ſoliciti plenatimoris Amor. careful in any undertaking, if there be any appearance or likelihood of danger, before hand to decline it; and if through inadvertency or miſtake, having ingaged, they happen, by ſome unexpected evil or other to be ſurpriſed, afterwards to relinquiſh it. Now the Goſpel requiring us tooTit. 2.12. deny all ungodlineſs, andp1 Joh. 2.15. worldly luſts, a thing ſo exceeding painful in the practice of it, that no unregenerate man in the world is able to indure it, the cutting off the right hand, and the plucking out the right eye, and the ſuffering the moſt cruel tortures of the rack, being not half ſo terrible, and yet even theſe alſo, and worſe than theſe, if worſe there be, being ſometimes for the ſake of the Goſpel to be indured: Some conſidering of it before hand, are ſtruck with ſuch a panick fear, that they will by no means have any thing to do with Religion, but contenting themſelves with the bare name of Chriſtians, continue to live the lives of Pagans: Others having raſhly, and inconſiderately adventured upon a profeſſion, notqLuke 14.28. caſting up before hand what it will coſt them, and finding the ſtrictneſs and preciſeneſs of Goſpel principles, and practices, quite contrary to their expectations, ſo every way inconſiſtent with their carnal intereſs, that they cannot make thatrRom. 13.13, 14. proviſion for the fleſh to fulfil the luſts thereof, as formerly they were wont, and ſtill reſolve to do, are by and bysMat. 13.21. Magnus dolor iratus Amor eſt. Seneca. ſo offended, that either they preſently abandon their profeſſion, and becomet2 Pet. 2.18, 19 ad finem. openly prophane, or if they continue under ſome outward form of godlineſs, which they may do and yet be the verieſt wretches in the world, they hold the truth in unrighteouſneſs,u2 Tim. 3.5. and deny the power thereof. That then which is required in order to Goſpel-obedience, our entrance upon it, and perſeverance in it, iswIf a man come to me, & hate not his father, & mother and wife, and children, &c. yea & his own …fe alſo, cannot be my diſciple, Luk. 14.26. Things in their abſolute being good, may have in them a relative or comparative evil, and in that ſenſe be by conſequence hated. Reynold. Treat. of Paſſ. See alſo Ezek. 20.43. & ch 36.31. Self-hatred. This would work two things in us, Courage and Reſolution in denying our ſelves, Patience and Long-ſuffering in bearing the anguiſh of it, without which two it is impoſſible for any one to come after Chriſt, as he tells his Diſciples in the words of the Text, If any man will come after me, let him, &c. which is indeed the marrow of all Goſpel-divinity concerning life and practice, the very quinteſſence and ſpirit of it, in a word, the very Self of Divine-learning.
SECT. II. The Occaſion of it.
THe particle [Then] in the beginning of the verſe, ſhews the occaſion, the Lord Jeſus preaching the Doctrine of the Croſs, foretelling his own ſufferings to bee ſhortly at Jeruſalem, verſ. 21. Peter it ſeems being ſtrongly poſſeſſed with a conceit of Chriſts earthly Kingdome, conceiving of it according to the common apprehenſions and expectations of men, and not according to the counſel and will of God; herein, like a carnal Politician turning himſelf to carnal counſel, xMagno igitur zelo Chriſtum praecuntem veſte intergo appreſum vult tenere ne pergat, &c. Pareus in loc.he draws his Maſter aſide, and wiſheth him to look better to himſelf, and to act the part of a wiſe man, and prevent thoſe troubles, verſ. 22. Our Saviour diſcerning whereto his counſel tended, even to diſſwade him from that work, which was his meat and drink to accompliſh, for which he came into the world, and upon which the ſalvation of all the Elect depended;
1 Sharply reproves him, as acting the part of Satan verſ. 23.
2 Compaſſionately inſtructs him, and with him all the Saints of God that ſhall be brought to imbrace the Goſpel to the end of the world, that none of them all ought to ſtumble at the Croſs, but if they would be his Diſciples indeed, they muſt
1 Throughly deny themſelves.
2 Willingly take up the croſs.
3 Obediently follow him, his commands, his example, verſ. 24. If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſs, and follow me.
SECT. III. The Diviſion.
THeſe words are a Connex Axiome, wherein are theſe two parts.
1 The Antecedent, If any man will come after me.
2 The Conſequent, Let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſs, and follow me.
In the Antecedent there isySee the Explication Sect. 4. both a Duty, and a Priviledge.
In the Conſequent a threefold Duty.
1 Self-denial.
2 Taking up the Croſs.
3 Following Chriſt.
Wherein obſerve further,
1 The terminus à quo recedendum, the term from which we muſt go, Self.
2 The terminus ad quem accedendum, the terme unto which wee muſt come, Mee.
3 The onus portandum inter procedendum, the burden that muſt bee born in our going from Self to Chriſt, and that is the Croſs.
The truth of this Axiome doth not lye either in the Antecedent or in the Conſequent, but in the connexion of both together; for though it bee not true, that any man will come after Chriſt, or that any man will deny himſelf, yet this is undeniably true, That if any man will come after Chriſt, hee muſt deny himſelf. Upon this ſuppoſition of coming after Chriſt, Self-denial muſt be of neceſſity.
SECT. IV. The Explication.
FOr the opening of the words, before I come unto the Doctrine, briefly thus, If any man will come after me. Any man] i. e. Every man. Tis an indefinite, and this indefinite is univerſal, q. d. not this or that particular man only, not only you my Diſciples, who hear me this day, but everyone that wil be my Diſciple, Whoſoever he be that will come after mee, hee muſt deny himſelf. There's no diſpenſation in this duty of Self-denial, none for the great man more than for the mean, none for the Learned more than the Idiot, none for the Stateſman more than for the Peaſant, none for the Miniſter more than for the People. Self is alike odious to Chriſt in every man. Will come] The Patrons of Free-will, amongſt other Scriptures which they would make to ſuffrage for their errors, bring in this for one. But Gods invitations and commands in Scripture, are not the meaſure of our power, but of our duty, they ſhew not what wee can do, but what we are bound to do.
That which may bee concluded hence, take in theſe four following Propoſitions: 1 Any man that will, may come; many refuſe to come that bee called, but Chriſt refuſeth nonezJoh. 6.37. Rev. 22.17. that come upon his call.
2 Chriſt expects that if any come, hee ſhould will to come. Chriſt requires and looks for willing Diſciples, that they ſhould bee Voluntaries, not Prest-men, that they ſhould come after him upon choice, and not upon conſtraint.
3 Not any one comes, but hee that is willing to come. Chriſt offereth violence to no mans will, flectit, non cogit, hee puts forth hisaPſal. 110.3. power, and makes them willing, hee doth not compel them againſt their will. Grace ſo prevaileth upon the will, that it ſtill preſerveth its liberty.
4 Many liſt themſelves under Chriſt very raſhly and inconſiderately: Therefore our Saviour in ſaying thus, puts in a caution, by acquainting them before hand with the hot ſervice they muſt bee put upon; Dulce bellum inexpertis. Ignorance is the mother of preſumption, and Thraſonical boldneſs as well as of deſpair, and cowardly Apoſtaſie. Herein our Saviour then acts the part of a diſcreet General, who when Voluntaries offer themſelves to the ſervice, lets them know beforehand, the difficulties they ſhall bee put upon afterwards, q d. Take heed what you do; many come to mee as Spies, viewing the Priviledges, but go away afterwards, afraid of the Anakims, the news of the Crown, makes multitudes flock after mee, but the ſight of the Croſs, cauſeth them to forſake mee, Chriſt ſpeaks here as hee did unto thebMatth. 20.22 ſons of Zebedee, when they deſired to ſit with him in his Kingdome, Are yee able to drink of the cup that I ſhall drink of? and to bee baptized with the baptiſme that I am baptized with? If you be not you deſire a vain thing. So here, Are yee able to deny your ſelves? are yee able to bear the Croſs? If you be not, your coming to mee is to no purpoſe, for this you muſt do, thus you muſt ſuffer; Come after me] i. e. as my Diſciple, or Scholar, learn and practice the duties of a Chriſtian. An alluſion to the cuſtome of Scholars in following their Maſters, q. d. If yee will bee my Diſciple, yee muſt turn over a new leaf, and take out a new leſſon, I ſhall teach you that ye never heard of in all your lives before; you have been a long while trained up in other Schools, under other teachers, but never had the leaſt inkling of this kinde of learning. But now if yee will be my Diſciples, if you will take it upon you to come after mee, this yee muſt learn, this yee muſt do: Yee may follow others long enough, and follow Self too, Self leads both the Maſter and the Scholars, but if you will come after mee, you muſt deny your ſelves. This is a ſtrain of ſpiritual learning, far ſurpaſſing any humane teaching in the World, for though many of the Heathen Philoſophers have ſpoken bravely, and gallantly of diverſe Morral and Metaphyſical truths (as they are called) yet their whole frame of Notions was built up with ſo much affectation, that they plainly ſhewed they never had acquaintance with this leſſon, which would have been the Crown and glory of all their other wiſdome. The ſtreams ariſe no higher than the Fountain from whence they iſſue forth, whatſoever they invented, whatſoever they practiſed, had its ſpring and original from Self, and therefore they could not aſcend higher than Self in any thing they did; ſo that even Diogenes that ſelf-denying Cynick trampled upon Plato's pride with greater pride. This Doctrin then of Self-denial which Chriſt here teacheth, is not from man, it is not a Doctrin which Humane wiſdome teacheth (Self, will not teach Self-denial) but a Doctrine that cometh down from above — è coelo deſcendit, foreign. Again, Come after me] i. e. as my Champion or Souldier, fight the good fight of a Chriſtian under my Banner. An alluſion to the manner of Souldiers following their Commanders in the field. In Hebr. 2. verſ. 10. the Lord Jeſus is called, the Captain of their Salvation, whom God hath appointed to be brought to glory, becauſe he leads them through the midſt of their enemies, from a ſtate of ſin and miſery here, to a ſtate of holineſs and happineſs hereafter. He goes on fighting before them, and they come on fighting after him, till all their Spiritual enemies being quite vanquiſhed and ſubdued, hee bring them triumphantly into heaven.
Two things then I conceive are here meant by coming after Chriſt. Our comming after him in the Regeneration here, and in the Reſurrection hereafter; the former is our duty, the latter our priviledge. Both theſe we have, Mat. 19.28, 29. verſ. the former expreſſed, the latter implyed. In the twenty ſeventh verſe, Peter ſaid unto Chriſt, Behold, we have forſaken all and followed thee, what ſhall we have therefore? And hee anſwered, Verily I ſay unto you, that yee which have followed me in the regeneration, when the Son of Man ſhall ſit in the throne of his glory, ye alſo ſhall ſit upon twelve Thrones, judging the twelve Tribes of Iſrael. And to ſhew that this is not the Priviledge of the Apoſtles only, but of every one that ſo comes after him, he adds in the next verſe, Every one that hath forſaken houſes, or brethren, or ſiſters, or fathers, or mothers, or wife, or children, or lands for my name ſake, ſhall inherite everlaſting life. Which place is a full Comment upon this expreſſion of our Saviours in the text, Let him deny himſelf] This is not meerly Evangelical counſel to ſome perfect men, but a precept obligatory to all Chriſtians, otherwiſe that weight could not bee laid on, which is, Whoſoever doth not this, cannot bee my Diſciple. And indeed, though hee begin here with the Apoſtles, as if hee had ſpoken to them alone, yet elſewhere wee read that hee ſpake it to the people alſo, thoſe great multitudes that followed him, Mark 8.34. Luke 9.23. Deny himſelf] Qu'il renonce ſoy meſme. Fren. Die verſake bemſelven. Dutch. Chriſt dothfDe doc…bit nos iſtos mores: qui Chriſtum diſcit, peccatum dediſcit. dedocere before he doth docere, unteach before hee teacheth; and we muſt dediſcere before we can diſcere, unlearn before we can learn; we muſt firſt deny our ſelves, before wee can take up our Croſs and follow Chriſt. Here note the wiſdome of this great Prophet in teaching Self-denial, before following him under the Croſs; men muſt have the old bias cut away, before they can run after Chriſt. Ariſtotle in the beginning of his Ethicks, denies young men to be idoneous auditors of Morral Lectures, becauſe ſaith he, foreign, they being tranſported by youthful luſts, and paſſions, have little regard to civility, andgNeceſſe eſt honeſtum ſit in eo vile cui corpus charum. Seneca. honeſty in the things of this life; and the ſame may bee ſaid of thoſe who have not the command over their own ſpirits, (whether young or old) but are carried headlong by the violence of their unbrideled luſts, they are no fit hearers of Goſpel Sermons, forhSeeing Chriſtian faith is a firm aſſent unto Divine revelations, eſpecially Gods mercies in Chriſt, as much better than life it ſelf, or all the contentments that attend it, impoſſible it is ſuch ſaith ſhould ever be rightly planted, until the ſtrength of thoſe intoxicating deſires, which make Mole-hils ſeem like Mountains, be either broken, or they extirpated, or to uſe our Saviours words, till we learn to deny our ſelves. Dr. Jackſon of Juſt. Faith. c. 22. Sect. 3. while ſuch, they will never obſerve them. And take up his Croſs] foreign as a man takes up an heavie burdeniWe muſt not go out of our way, neither to meet the Croſs, nor to avoyd it. that lies in his way before him, Ende neme ſiin ctuyceop, and lays it upon his ſhoulders, Et charge fur ſoy ſa croix. Fren. In Matth. 10.38. it is, foreign, he that receiveth, or accepteth not his Croſs — i. e. when Chriſt will lay it on, to ſhew that it muſt be born with patience; as wee muſt not with-draw our neck from the yoke, ſo neither our ſhoulder from the Croſs. It was the cuſtom for the Malefactor that was condemned to ſuffer Death, to carry his Croſs to the place of Execution, (i.e) foreign. Now becauſe the Croſs was ſo long, and withall ſo heavie, that the Malefactor could only drag it along, trailing the nether part upon the ground behind him (and moſt times I ſuppoſe not able to do that) the cuſtom was likewiſe to enjoyn ſome other to bear up the hinder part after him. For this cauſe it was that Simon the Cyrenian was compelled to bear our Saviours Croſs, that is, the hinder part after him, for we read that he bare his own Croſs himſelf, i. e. the handſome or formoſt part of it, Joh. 19.17. Now unto this cuſtome our Saviour here alludes in theſe words, q. d. Let him take up his Croſs and follow me, bearing part of it before him let him bear the foreign; unto this Paul likewiſe alludes, Col. 1.24. Who now rejoyce in my ſufferings for you, and fill up foreign, that which is behind of the ſufferings of Chriſt in my fleſh. And there is another place that may have ſome reference unto this likewiſe, Rom. 8.26. The Spirit helpeth our infirmities, foreign, beareth, or lifteth together with us, and over againſt us, i. e. the Spirit at the one end of the burden, and we at the other. And take up his Croſs] By croſs is affliction either in common, or in ſpecial for righteouſneſs ſake; this hee muſt take up in his reſolutions the very firſt day that he begins to be a Chriſtian, and actually afterwards as often as it lies in his way, though it bee every day, Luke 9.23. beſides this outward affliction, I conceive here is further meant that inward affliction which happens by reaſon of the mortifying of ſin, which whoſoever means to be a Chriſtian indeed, muſt daily undergoe, though God ſhould never call him to ſuffer perſecution. And take up his Croſs] Wee teach Children their firſt elements, viz. their Letters, before they can goe on to any abſtruſer kind of learning; every man muſt begin at his Chriſt's Croſs, before he can be a good proficient in Chriſt's School. kVines on Numb. 14.24. Serm. before the Parl.As the Philoſopher ſaith of Privation, that it is one of the Principles of natural Generation; ſo is Self-denial, and the ſale of all for Chriſt, it is the firſt Leſſon, howſoever it be the laſt that is well learned, being the only removens prohibens that which removes all impediments of our fulfilling after Chriſt. It was the ſpeech of holy Bradford the Martyr, Hee that hath not learnt the leſſon of the Croſs, hath not learnt his A. B. C. in Chriſtianity. Chriſt's Schollars are trained up under the Banner from their very infancy, taught to endure hardſhip from the very Wombe. There is ſome kind of ſervitude in all Religions, Satan is a cruel Task maſter among the ſilly Pagans, the Pope among the ſuperſtitious Papiſts, the Moſaical frame of Ordinances of old, was a yoke that the Iſraelites were not able to bear; Chriſt impoſeth a yoke and a burden too, it is the burden of the Croſs, and this diſcourageeth many from coming after Chriſt, and following him fully; yet no ſuch reaſon, bleſſed Chriſt, why any ſhould bee afraid to follow thee, thy yoke is eaſie, thou impoſeſt a burden, but it is very light; who would refuſe to bear this one burden, ſeeing thou haſt taken off ſo many weights? Didſt thou bear the Croſs to ſave us, and ſhall not wee bear it to ſerve thee? Didſt thou bear ours which wee had made ſo heavie, and ſhall not we bear thine which thou haſt made ſo light? Thou haſt provided a Crown for our heads, ſhall we then with-draw our ſhoulders from the Croſs? And follow me] Let him deny himſelf, and take up his Croſs and follow me. The Precepts of the Goſpel are Copulative, as well as the Precepts of the Law; the Law in the ſanction of it was diſ-junctive, it was, Do this or dye; but in the injunction it was copulative, not, do this or that, but this and that; Tota lex eſt una copulativa. So in the Precepts of the Goſpel, it is not, beleeve or repent, or walk as becomes the Goſpel, but, beleeve and repent, and walk as becomes the Goſpel too. So here, it is not deny himſelf, or take up his Croſs, or follow mee, any one of theſe is enough, no, but hee muſt do all three. The poor Woman that was to bring either a pair of Turtles, or a young Pigeon, Levit. 12.6. ſhe did that which was required, if ſhe did either, for the Law was diſ-junctive, either the one or the other; not ſo here, for Tit. 2.12. wee are taught to deny not this or that, but all ungodlineſs. And follow me] Via ad Doctrinam per exempla, breviſſima, the moſt compendious way of teaching is by example. Chriſt exhorting to obedience, Mat. 11.29. propounds himſelf for an example, Learn of me; ſo Joh. 13.14. I have given you an example, that yee ſhould do as I have done unto you; and the Apoſtle tells us, 1 Pet. 2.21. that Chriſt hath ſuffered for us, leaving us an example, that wee ſhould follow his ſteps. The Lord Jeſus not only ſpake as never man ſpake, but acted as never man acted; hee was not a Pencil in his tongue, and a Sponge in his converſation, but a walking Commentary upon his own Doctrin, eſpecially this of Self-denial. It was the obſervation of aiBurroughs Goſp. Converſation. Reverend Divine, now with God, That by all the ways that God hath revealed his will, he never revealed his will in an example of Self-denial, ſo as he hath done in the Goſpel. I ſhall have occaſion to open this at large before I have done with this Treatiſe, but take notice of this for the preſent. Chriſt doth not only command us Self-denial in his Doctrine, but commend it to us in his practice, he propounds himſelf as a Pattern of it, follow me. Saints muſt not only know Chriſt, but imitate Chriſt, not only have an ear to his Doctrin, but an eye to his example; follow me. To follow Chriſt, what is it elſe but to come after Chriſt? it is true indeed there ſeems to be but little difference betwixt them, but this, this latter expreſſion hath more in it than the former. Many come after Chriſt but follow Self; many come for the things of Chriſt but not for Chriſt himſelf; for the Loaves, but not for the love of Chriſt; But if any man will come after him, he muſt deny himſelf, and take up his Croſs, and follow him.
CHAP. II The Doctrine.
OUt of the words thus opened, the principal thing that I have to obſerve, and intend to proſecute throughout the whole Treatiſe following, I ſhall here lay down in this Concluſion,
Self-denial is a duty that muſt of neceſſity bee throughly practiced by every one that will come after the Lord Jeſus, in the way of holineſs, unto eternal happineſs.
Before I come unto the Demonſtration of this grand Concluſion, two things there are to be explained,
1 What is meant by Self?
2 What by denying of Self?