who is God of gods, King of kings, and Lord of lords.

It is this moft perfect pattern of felf-denial we must follow, if ever we will come to glory: to do which, let us confider felf-denial in its true diftinction and extent.

6. VI. There is a lawful and unlawful felf: and both must be denied for the fake of him, that in fubmiffion to the will of God counted nothing dear, that he might fave us. And though the world be scarcely in any part of it at that pafs, as yet to need that leffon of the denial of lawful felf, that every day most greedily facrifices to the pleasure of unlawful felf; yet to take the whole thing before me, and for that it may poffibly meet with some that are fo far advanced in this fpiritual warfare, as to receive fome fervice from it, I fhall at leaft touch upon it.

6. VII. The lawful felf, which we are to deny, is that conveniency, eafe, enjoyment, and plenty, which in themselves are fo far from being evil, that they are the bounty and bleffings of God to us: as husband, wife, child, house, land, reputation, liberty, and life itself: thefe are God's favours, which we may enjoy with lawful pleasure, and justly improve as our honeft intereft. But when God requires them, at what time foever the lender calls for them, or is pleased to try our affections by our parting with them: I fay, when they are brought in competition with him, they muft not be preferred, they must be denied. Christ himfelf defcended from the glory of his Father,

and willingly made himself of no reputation among men, that he might make us of fome with God; and from the quality of thinking it no robbery to be equal with God, he humbled · himfelf to the poor form of a fervant; yea, the ignominious death of the crofs," that he might deliver us an example of pure humility, and entire fubmiffion to the will of our heavenly Father.

§. VIII. It is the doctrine he teaches us in thefe words: He that loveth father or mother, fon or daughter, more than me, is not worthy: of me. Again, Whofoever he be of you, that forfaketh tot all that he hath, cannot be my difciple. And he plainly told the young rich man, that if he would have eternal life, he fhould fell all and follow him: a doctrine fad to him, as it is to thofe, that, like him, for all their high pretences to religion, in truth love their poffeffions more than Chrift. This doc

trine of felf-denial is the condition to eternal happiness: He that will come after me, let him. deny himself, and take up his crofs, and follow me. Let him do as I do: as if he had faid, He must do as I do, or he cannot be as I am, the Son of God.

f

f. IX. This made thofe honeft fishermen quit their lawful trades, and follow him, when he called them to it; and others that waited for the confolation of Ifrael, to offer up their eftates, reputations, liberties, and also lives, to the displeasure and fury of their kindred, and.

b Phil. ii 5, 6, 7, 8. • Mat. x. 37.

• Mark x. 21, 22.

d Luke xiv. 33. Mat.xvi. 24.

the government they lived under, for the fpiritual advantage that accrued to them, by their faithful adherence to his holy doctrine. True, many would have excufed their following him in the parable of the feaft: Some had bought land, some had married wives, and others had bought yokes of oxen, and could not come;" that is, an immoderate love of the world hindered them their lawful enjoyments, from fervants became their idols; they worshipped them more than God, and would not quit them to come to God. But this is recorded to their reproach: and we may herein see the power of felf upon the worldly man, and the danger that comes to him by the abuse of lawful things. What, thy wife dearer to thee than thy Saviour! And thy land and oxen preferred before thy foul's 'falvation! O beware, that thy com. forts prove not fnares firft, and then curfes: to over-rate them, is to provoke him that gave. them to take them away again: Come, and follow him that giveth life eternal to the foul.

§. X. Woe to them that have their hearts in their earthly poffeffions! For when they are gone, their heaven is gone with them. It is too much the fin of the greatest part of the world, that they ftick in the comforts of it. And it is lamentable to behold, how their affactions are bemired, and entangled with their conveniencies and accommodations in it. true self-denying man is a pilgrim; but the selfifh man is an inhabitant of the world: the one ufes it, as men do fhips, to transport them

Luke xiv. 18, 19, 20.

The

felves, or tackle, in a journey, that is, to get home; the other looks no further, whatever he prates, than to be fixed in fulness and ease here, and likes it fo well, that if he could, he would not exchange. However, he will not trouble himself to think of the other world, till he is fure he must live no longer in this: but then, alas! it will prove too late; not to Abraham, but to Dives he must go; the story is as true as fad.

S. XI. But on the other hand, it is not for nought, that the difciples of Jefus deny themfelves; and indeed, Chrift himself had the eternal joy in his eye: For the joy that was fet before him, fays the author to the Hebrews, he endured the crofs; that is, he denied himself, and bore the reproaches and death of the wicked: and defpifed the fhame, to wit, the difhonour and derifion of the world. It made him not afraid nor fhrink, he contemned it: and is fet down at the right hand of the throne of God. And to their encouragement, and great confolation, when Peter afked him, What they fhould have that had forfaken all to follow him? He answered them, Verily I fay unto you, that ye which have followed me in the regene ration, when the Son of Man fhall fit on the throne of his glory, ye alfo fhall fit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Ifrael;' that were then in an apoftacy from the life and power of godlinefs. This was the lot of his difciples: the more immediate companions of his tribulations, and first meffengers of his king.

dom. But the next that follows is to all: And every one that hath forfaken houses, or brethren, or fifters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's fake, fhall receive an hundred fold, and fhall inherit everlafting life. It was this recompence of reward, this eternal crown of righteoufnefs, that in every age has raised, in the fouls of the just, an holy neglect, yea, contempt of the world. To this is owing the conftancy of the martyrs, as to their blood, the triumph of the Truth.

k

§. XII. Nor is this a new doctrine; it is as old as Abraham. In feveral most remarkable instances, his life was made up of self-denial. Firft, in quitting his own land, where we may well suppose him fettled in the midst of plenty, at leaft fufficiency: and why? Because God called him. Indeed this thould be reafon enough, but fuch is the world's degeneracy, that in fact it is not: and the fame act, upon the fame inducement in any now, though praised in Abraham, would be derided. So apt are people not to understand what they commend; nay, to defpife thofe actions, when they meet them in the people of their own times, which they pretend to admire in their ancestors.

f. XIII. But he obeyed: the confequence was, that God gave him a mighty land. This was the first reward of his obedience. The next was, a fon in his old age; and which greatened the bleffing, after it had been, in nature, past the time of his wife's bearing of

Gen. xii.