THese Words contain a main and most profitable point of Doctrine, which our blessed Lord Jesus taught his Disciples before his suffering; he had been telling them, that he was to go up to Jerusalem, and what things he was to meet with, and suffer there; This discourse had a very strange-like aspect upon them, they could not a­way with it, nor digest it, that their Lord and Master should suffer, and be thus reproachfully dealt with; Peter therefore rashly, and inconsi­deratly takes him aside, and presumptuously ar­rogats to himself, the liberty to rebuke him, and to offer him (as he for the time thought) a more safe advice; Be it far from thee, Lord (sayeth he) this shall not be unto thee; he will by no means have him go to Jerusalem, as judging it un­ [...]fe and unseasonable at such a time; for which presumption, (as having a tendencie to defeat the grand design of his coming into the World, to Peters own & the unspeakably great prejudice of many others;) after the Lord had rebuked him sharply, even at a higher rate of severity, than he did for his thrice denying him; he doth on this occasion, deliver a general Doctrine concerning the necessity of their, and of all his Disciples, [Page 2] denying themselves, and taking up their Cross without which they could not be his Disciples, nor follow him, who eminently denyed himself, and took up the Cross for their sakes; and who would have them to follow him in the same way.

There are Four very considerable things in the Words. 1. The great Work and Business, that all Christs Disciples and Believers in him are cal­led to, which is to come after him, and to fol­low him; If any man (saith he) will come after me, and follow me. 2ly. The great let and ob­struction that lyeth in the way of ready, resolute and cheerfull following of Christ; and that is a mans own self, or selfishness, which, if it be not removed, laid by, and overcome, in some mea­sure, he cannot come after Christ, nor follow him; Let him (saith he) deny himself, and fol­low me; 3ly. The great Duty that lyes on all the followers of Christ, or that whereby they are fitted, and helped to follow him; viz. Right bearing of the Cross; Let him (sayes he) take up his cross and follow me. 4ly There is the great necessity of this Doctrine. Let him (say­eth he) deny himself, and take up his cross; Luke hath it, Chap. 14. v. 27. Whosoever beareth not his Cross, cannot be my disciple; it must be, it is indispensably necessary.

But before I come to these main things in the Text, I shall speak a little to Three circumstances set down therein, which will make way for clear­ing the Purpose. 1. Who gives out this Doc­trine? It is Jesus; Then said Jesus. 2ly. To whom is it given? Unto his disciples. 3ly. When, at what time, and on what occasion was it given? [Page 3] Then, viz. after, and upon occasion of Peters [...]arnal advice suggested to him, in the for-going Words. A word to each of these shortly.

As for the First; Considering Christ, as the Great Prophet, and Teacher of his People, not [...]nly in general, Teaching what Doctrines he in [...]is Wisdom, judged needfull for them, but as [...]eaching his Disciples, this Point of Doctrine in [...]articular: which he leaves with them, when [...]e is about to leave them; we may thence, Ob­ [...]er, That the great Scope of Christs teaching, is, [...]o bring men from themselves to Him: If we joyn the [...]wo Parts of the verse together, this will be clear; [...]f (sayes the Lord) any man will come after me, [...]e must deny himself, and follow me; It is in ef­ [...]ect the end, not only of his Doctrine, but of his dying, and rysing again; So the Apostle [...]peaking of Christs dying, 2 Cor. 5.15. Sayes; [...]f one died for all, then were all dead; That hence­ [...]orth these who live, should not live unto them­selves, but unto him who died for them, and rose [...]gain. 'Tis held forth as the end of Christs dy­ng, and of Pauls preaching him: This implyes [...]hese three things, That Christs end in teaching, [...]s, 1. To draw men from themselves, as their [...]ighest end, in what they do, and to bring them [...]o set the Lord always before them, and to de­sign his Glory, as the principal and ultimat end of all their actions; that they may seek to have him (as it were) increasing, though they should decrease; as John speaks, Chap. 3 v. 30. To de­base, bring down, and lay themselves low, and [...]o exalt and set him very high on his own Throne. [...]ly. To draw them from resting on, from trust­ [...]ng in, and leaning to themselves; to resting on, [Page 4] trusting in, and leaning to himself only; We h [...] (sayeth the Apostle, 2 Cor. 1.9. The senten [...] of death in our selves, that we should not trust our selves, but in him who raiseth the dead; a [...] sayeth Solomon, Prov. 28.25. He who trusts his own heart is a fool; This then is a seco [...] Branch of Christs drift in the Doctrine of t [...] Gospel, even to draw men from resting o [...] themselves for Salvation, or any thing true [...] Good, and to bring them to himself, that th [...] may rest on him alone for all things. 3ly. T [...] draw men from delighting in themselves, or [...] any thing in themselves, and to bring them sin [...] ly to delight in him; for as men have a dire [...] act (so to speak) in looking to themselves, so the [...] have a reflex act in delighting in themselve [...] or in some excellency they fancie to have foun [...] in themselves; That men may be brought fro [...] these broken Cisterns, and from all trust and delight in themselves, or in any thing in the creatures, and may come to Him, the fountain [...] living waters, in whom only quietness and re [...] to Souls, is most certainly to be found; is th [...] great drift and design of his Doctrine; as is very clear, Isai. 55. v 2, 3. and elsewhere.

The Uses are, 1. To teach us, to take we [...] with, and to study to take out this Lesson of Self denial, to be weaned from Self, and from a [...] things in Self; it's amongst Christs last Lesson to his Disciples, when he is about (as it were) to make his Testament, and Last-Will; it woul [...] therefore be the better, and more exactly learned. 2ly. To shew you what is indeed Christ [...] Doctrine, and what is not; more especially, i [...] such times of Tentation and Tryall, as these are [Page 5] wherein several Points of Doctrine come to be [...]ontroverted, and called in question; You [...]ould try, if it aimeth at this, as it's great Scope, [...] draw you from making your self your end, [...]nd from trusting, and delighting in your Self; [...] the exalting of him, to trusting and delight­ [...]g in him; whatever Doctrine is not consonant [...]ith, or is contrary to this, is certainly not [...]om Christ; with whatever specious, and plau­ble pretences it may be palliated and varnished [...]ver: whatsoever it be, if it draw thee not [...]om, but to thy Self; to idolize thy Self, or [...]ny thing i [...] thy Self; It is not (I say) from [...]hrist; but as it draws thee from thy Self, and [...]rives thee to debase thy Self, and to exalt him, [...]nd to give him his own room and place, it is of God, it is of Christ. 3ly. To let you know, [...]ow ye profit in Christs School, what progress ye make in his Gospel, and what good ye have got of it; in so far as ye make progress, in de­nying and debasing your selves, and in exalting, [...]nd setting up of Christ very high, in so far have ye profited, and got good by the Gospel: This [...]ppears eminently in Paul, Gal. 2. v. 19, 20. Through the law (sayeth he) I am dead to the [...]aw, that I might live unto God; I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me. His estimation of himself is [...]uite gone, his own Righteousness is slain, he is dead to the Law, in that respect, that he may live to God. This was through Grace, the ef­fect of Gods Law on him, that he was brought very low in his own esteem, even crucified and dead to himself, and Christ set up in him, and extolled very high: and to the same purpose, [Page 6] Gal. 6. v. 14. He sayes, God forbid that I shoul [...] glory in any thing, save in the cross of our Lord J [...] sus Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me, an [...] I unto the world. He was a greatly mortifie man, his corruptions, in some respect, as muc [...] slain and put to death, as if he had been out [...] the World; there was neither strength no beauty in them, to draw him from delighting i [...] Christ; he saw no worth in them, to be s [...] much as a tentation to him; Nay Christ himse [...] [...] hes such room in his heart, that the very Cro [...] of Christ, and his reproach bulk more in his eye than all the world beside; I fear there is mor [...] of this in notion and discourse, than in experience and practice amongst us; however ye woul [...] know, that coming to Christ, or foll [...]wing hi [...] in profession only, is not the kindly fruit of th [...] Gospel; but it is the bringing of Self low, an [...] the setting up of Christ high in your hearts, an [...] so the coming to him, and following of him realy and sincerely; which is the genuine frui [...] thereof.

For the 2d. To whom is this Doctrine give [...] out? It is to his Disciples; Mark Chap. 8. v 34 Takes in the Multitude with the Disciples; h [...] taught them all this Lesson; Hence Observe, That there is none, neither ignorant, nor more knowing; neither believer, nor unbeliever, but they have need to be taught this Lesson of Self-denyall; We need not stand to prove it, even Peter hes need of it, who by his unsanctified, and unseasonable advice of­fered to the Lord, was an offence to him, an [...] thereby bewrayed much sinfull Selfishness; The rest of the Disciples, and the Multitude have need of it, so deeply rooted is this principle of [Page 7] Self in all; and who hath not need of it?

The First Use, serves for humbling of us, when even the Disciples of Christ have need to be taught this Lesson of Self-denyal, we sure have much more, who are not so well acquaint­ed with the way of following Christ as they were; and therefore have much reason to fear that this evil of Selfishness is much prevalent amongst us.

The 2d. Us [...], Serves, in a word, to exhort all, whatever their Condition, and Degree, or proficien [...]y in Christianity be, to study this Les­son well, it is profitable to all, not only be­ginners, but those, who are further advanced, all stand greatly in need of it.

As [...] the 3d. to wit; The time and occasi­on, at, and on which he taught this great Les­son; It was Then, which we may look upon se­veral ways. 1. As it is knit with the tentation, that he saw Peter led away with; for he knew the natural propensity of them all unto it. Whence, Observe, That oftentimes we may read and discern our own corruptions in the discoveries of the corruptions of others; Yea, it is profitable for us so to do. Christ holds not here at the rebuk­ing of Peter; but knowing that all had need of the same Lesson, he accordingly teacheth them all; This were a far more profitable way of looking upon the falls and failings of others, to take Warning, and receive Instruction to our selves from them, than to be rigidly censuring them, or to be vainly overvaluing our selves, or superciliously undervaluing others, because of them; They were broken off because of unbelief, (saith the Apostle, concerning the unbelieving Jewes [Page 8] to the believing Gentiles) and thou standest by faith, be not high minded, but fear; and, saith he, 1 Cor. 10.12. Let him that thinketh that he standeth take heed least he fall. Or 2dly. We may look on it thus, That when Christ sees a Tentation take hold on Peter, he takes occasion therefrom, to break the force of it, and to bea [...] and bear it down, least it take hold of, and in­fect the rest, by it's Contagion. Whence, Ob­serve, That whoever would resist any tentation, and more especially tentations to Self-seeking, would do it in the entry, and at the very first; When any Idol of Self sets up it's head, we would in­stantly knock it down; and indeed if we look to our way, it will be found, that this one spe­cial mean, by which tentations become s [...] strong, so prevalent, and almost unconquerable, that we do not take them at the beginning, and en­deavour not to crush them at their very first appearing; when one Devil comes in, and is not quickly cast out, he readily brings in seven worse: Therefore, as ye would not be master­ed with, and troden under foot, by your cor­ruption, and by the Law that is in your members, give not way to it in the least, but set your self in the strength of the Lord, to oppose and hear it down, in the first risings of it; That Precept Principijs obsta, is most necessary to be practis­ed here, even above, or beyond what it is in any other case in the world. Or, 3dly. We may consider it, as it looks to our Lords high Indignation at the nature and kind of the Tentation, as being plaistered over with fair words, and specious shews of respect to him; which Indignation is manifested by these very [Page 9] sharp words, Get thee behind me Satan; on which follows the Exhortation, Then said he, &c. Whence Observe, That there is no sort of sin, and more especially no sort of selfishness, that Christ abhorres more than that which is palliated with pretended respect to him: Albeit Peter offered this advice to his Ma­ster, from some kind of respect to him; yet we will not find a more severe check, and sad re­buke given to him, or to any other, than that which he gets here, because selfishness was in his counsel, and the professed respect was but carnal and byassed; wherein he prefers, either his own, or his Masters bodily wellfare, to the Will and Honour of God.

For clearing the Doctrine yet a little further, ye may take it up in these two Branches. 1. That there is a selfishness, even among Christs Dis­ciples, that comes in, and covers it self with the shew of respect to Christ. 2ly. That there is no sel­fishness more dangerous, and more detested, and ab­horred of God than this sort of selfishness. I shall in­stance the subtility, and danger of this sin of Selfishness, shreuding it self under pretended respect to Christ shortly, in some particulars. It comes in, one of two ways; either when men do that which is right, as to the matter; and yet it's but Self that they are seeking; or when they do that which is wrong; and yet they cover it with profest respect to God: There are several kinds of both; First, We may see it in things lawful, and first, in these, Men will have a kind of Zeal for God, and yet be seeking themselves; as it was with Jehu, who boasts, that he is zeal­ous for God, and yet in truth, it was mostly for the Kingdom. 2ly. As Selfishness vents it self, [Page 10] under the pretence of Zeal, so under th [...] pretence of honouring God, when yet i [...] is only, or mainly respect to Mens Selves, tha [...] is sought after by that pretended respect to God; what greater respect could readily have been pu upon Christ, when so despised by the Rulers, than to offer to make him a King? as the people did, John 6. and yet, sayes he to them, Ye seek me not, because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled; That is, ye seek me not out of respect to me, as God, but because ye conceive, ye would have a good life under me; for ye think, if I were your King, ye would have an easie life of it, and that ye needed not plow, nor sow, nor work, other­ways for your Bread; This is a subtile sort of Self-seeking, when men profess, and pretend to seek to have Christ Great, and yet in the meantime, there main design is to make them­selves great. 3ly. Selfishness vents it self, in following that which is Duty on the matter, un­der the pretence of doing it, in obedience to a Command; and yet it is not really the Com­mand that puts on to it, but Self, or Selfish respect; as the Lord chargeth his professing People, Zach. 7. v. 5, 6. When ye did fast, did ye at all fast unto me? did ye not do it unto your selves: And, Matth. 6. v. 5. &c. Christ charges this on the Pharisees, That they gave Almes, Fasted, and made Long-Prayers, as out of obedience to Gods Command; when, in the mean time, all was done to be seen of men. Secondly. Selfishness comes in, and vents it self in things unlawful, by cove­ring them with a professed respect to Gods ho­nour; as we see it was with Saul, 1 Sam. 15. Who, when he is challenged by Samuel, for spar­ing [Page 11] the best of the Cattel, and Sheep, sayeth, These are to sacrifice unto the Lord thy God; But sayeth Samuel, v. 22. Obedience is better than sacrifice, and to hearken, than the fat of rams; for rebellion is as the sin of witch-craft, and stubborn­ness, as iniquity and idolatry: There is nothing more abominable in the sight of God, than to shreud a selfish end and design, under the speci­ous pretext of honouring him; But more of this afterward.

The First Use of this serves for warning, to take good heed to our selves, when things look, and promise fair, we would try and examine well from what root they spring, and on what bottom they stand; for many things fair in ap­pearance, may be rotten and corrupt at the root and bottom; many things may look like respect to, and zeal for God, which yet he will reject, and cast, as proceeding from no true zeal, nor respect to him: Therefore in all things, but more especially, in publick matters, do not think, that the honesting and plaistering over of a thing with pretended respect to Christ, is enough to make it passe current: As for instance, amongst the men that have invaded us, there are two things much talked of, and cryed up, and they have indeed a fair outward shew, viz. The interest of Christ, and the interest of his People, and this they pretend to be the main design of their actings, That Christs Kingdom may be advanced, and that his People may be the only great men of the World, and the only Rulers of the Kingdom; and this once being pretended as the end and design, they are apt to conclude, that there is no mids or mean that [Page 12] can come readily wrong to compasse it by: But if we try this by the Rule, it is to be feared, that there is very little of Christs honour, or the true good of his People in the matter; indeed, when men keeping themselves in their own stati­ons, are found to have abilities for, and Gods call to Rule and Govern, they are, in that caice, to imbrace that imployment; but while men pretend to exalt Christ, and the interest of his People, take heed that it be not Self-seeking, or seeking to make themselves Great, which is real­ly their chiefest aim, and that they might have a better life of it: The Interest of the People of God, as they are the People of God, never leads them to seek after Greatness, in respect of earth­ly Priviledges and Dignities; Therefore, look well to your steps, and upon what principles and grounds ye move toward such an end; and withall, take heed, that in prosecuting this end, ye out-shoot not your selves, that ye go not be­yond your line, and that ye move not without your own Sphear; interest in Christ, and true respect to his interest, will never prompt, nor nor advise you to such exorbitant stretches, nor warrand you in the breach of any of his Rules: The passions of men work not the righteousnesse of God.

The 2d. Use, serves to be as a mark and evi­dence, whereby we may try, what sort of duties, actions and worship will stand before God: none but such as are singly for God, and not for our selves, as the main end of them; Let the acti­on be never so good, if it's end be selfie, the more Gods honour be pretended; it is the more abominable in his sight; for clearing this Use a­little, [Page 13] ye may take some marks of difference, whereby ye shall know, when, albeit men cover, and palliat their actions with pretexts of Gods honour, yet Self is their great end. 1. Selfish­ness predominantly venting it self in any duty, alters and changes, as it were, the very nature of the Duty or Service; in somuch as that which is Spiritual Service, when done to Christ, is turned into carnal, and meer external service, when done to Self; Thus, those, who (John 6,) sought for their own selfish ends, to have Christ made a King, would have turned Christs Spiritual Kingdom into an earthly and worldly Kingdom for their own advantage; it is an evil token, when respect to Christ is vented carnally in some thing that smells strong of respect to the great Idol of Self. 2ly. As Selfishness creeping in, changeth some way the nature of the Service, so it changeth the manner and way of serving him; There is an unlikeness to him in the way of the service, while Christ is only pretended, and self indeed intended O! but the manner be un­like him; as we may see in the Disciples, Luke 9. v. 54. When the Samaritans refused to give Christ lodging, Shall we, (say they) desire fire to come down from heaven to consume them as Elias did? Was Elias thus honoured, and shall not our Master be as much honoured as he? ye know not (sayes our meek Lord Jesus to them) what Spirit ye are of; My Spirit (as if he had said) is not firie, as yours i [...];) The wrath of man fulfills not the righteousness of God: When there is bitterness, even against wicked men, look well that it rise not more from some selfish end or passion, and from respect to your selves, [Page 14] then from real respect to Christ, however it may be much pretended; for true zeal never vents it self in carnal revenge, or bitterness. 3ly. It is unlike Christ in the means; when Christs honour is not singly intended, and when men take not Christs own way to do his own work; they readily do not light upon, or, are not led into his means to attain that end; or though the end be good, yet they come not to their end, in Christs way, and by his means; and be assured, when the mids cannot abide the trial, it's a shreud evidence, that it's not Christ that we are seeking, but our selves; we must not do ill, that good may come of it; though the end be appro­ven, if the mids be not approven also, Christ will cast such service. But I come now to the Four great things in the Text.

The First whereof is, The great task or work that Believers are called to, and it is, to come after Christ, and to follow him: If any man (say­eth he) will come after me, and follow me. We shall shortly explain this, to make way for what we aim at, The Words then suppose, That a man who is a Disciple of, or a Believer in Christ, hath Christ before him, and is following after him, for clearing whereof, take this Doctrine, That a Beltevers great work and task is, in all things wherein he is proposed as a Pattern, to be a follower of Christ, and runner after him; There are several general Scriptur-exhortations that hold furth this, as these, and such like; Ephes. 5.1. Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear chil­dren, and so followers of Christ; 1 Cor. 4.16. Be ye followers of me; compared with Chap. 11.1. Be ye followers of me, as I am of Christ: But that [Page 15] this may be the more clear, I shall speak a little to these three things. 1. In what respects Beli­evers are to look to Christ, in following him. 2ly. What is this following of Christ? 3ly. What is opposite to following of Christ?

For the First of these, The Scripture holds out Christ in several respects, or under several con­siderations, which will help to clear, what it is to follow h m: And 1. It holds him out, as the End and Scope that we should have before us, in all our Actions: So 2 Cor. 5. v. 15. We should live to him that died for us; or, as the Mark we aim at, in our Christian race; Thus Paul sayes, Philip. 3.14. I press towards the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus; his design is to win Christ, to know him, and to enjoy him; he is restless till he be at him; So that following of Christ is a running and pursuing closs and hard after him, without turn­ing to the right or left hand, or looking back, till we be up at him, and fully apprehend him, as our Mark. 2ly. The Scripture holds him out, as the Prize, and we are to follow him, as one following after a Prize (as the Apostle sayes he did, Philip. 3.14.) even the prize of the high calling of God in Christ; We are to follow him as our wages, and the reward of all our Service, and as the great mercy, that all Believers mind and long to obtain; I (sayes the Apostle, Phi­lip. 3.8.) count all things but dung, that I may win Christ. 3ly. The Scripture holds out Christ before us, as a Patern and Copple, that we are to conform our selves to, in all our Actions, and as the example that we should imitate; which is one of the main things aimed at in this place, [Page 16] and thorow the Scripture, even to draw us to look on Christ in his Life, Carriage, Actions, Death and Sufferings; and to imitate him; Christ also suffered for us (sayes Peter, 1 Eph. Chap. 2. v. 22. Leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps; And sayes the Lord, John 13.10. I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you, Believers carriage should be a transumpt extract and double of Christ; Learn of me (sayeth he, Matth. 11.29.) for I am meek and lowly in heart: We should prefer his will to our will, as he did the Fathers; be­ing tender hearted, meek, lowly, humble, as he was, in suffering, to deny, and lay aside our selves, as he did, &c. 4ly. Christ Jesus is held out, as a Master and Teacher, and so we are to fol­low him, as one that teacheth us what to do; whether it be as a Teacher that Instructs, or as a Master that directs what to do. Ye call me (sayeth he, John 13.13.) Master and Lord, and ye say well, for so I am. 5ly. He is held out to us as a Leader, or guide in our way; and so we are to follow him; Behold, (sayeth the Lord, Isa. 55.4.) I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and commander to the people. 6ly He is set out as a Captain and Commander; so he is called, Heb. 10 The captain of our salvation, and Isa. 55.4. a Commander; Souldiers take Orders from their Commanders, and must keep their Rank and File, and when they scale the Walls of a Town, and offer to take it by storm, they must follow their Commanders closs at the back; even so should we follow Christ. 7ly. The Scripture sets out Christ as the Shepherd that cares for the Sheep, that waits upon, and seeds [Page 17] his People. I am (sayes he, John 10.) the good shepherd; and when he goes furth, his sheep follow him, v. 4. Not only must they take their Directions from him, as a Commander, but they must keep neer his feet, hear what Lessons he gives out to them, and hide themselves under his shaddow, from them that come to trouble his flock. 8ly. He is held out to us as our Fore-runner. Heb. 6.20. Whither the fore-runner is for us entered; as our heavenly harbinger, he is gone to Heaven before us, to take up our lodging, to provide quarters for us; and we are called to have our conversation in Heaven, as he is exalt­ed to Heaven, our conversation should be in Heaven also, Colos. 3.1. and Philip. 3.18. 9ly. He is held out to us as the Author and finisher of our faith, as he that works all our works in us, and for us, as he that must give us the Lesson, and understanding to take it up, make the way plain, and carry us thorow it; Looking (sayes the Apostle. Heb. 12.2. unto Jesus the Author and finisher of our faith, Giving him the trust of carrying us thorow, These two words bid us trust Christ with the beginning and perfecting of the work, & never to take our eye off from him.

For the Second, What this following is, 1. It will be the more clear by shewing you, what it is opposed unto. And first, it is opposed to mens taking of another way than Christ took, and to the taking of another Guide, or Leader than him; for whosoever follows a stran­ger, they follow not him, 2ly. It is opposed to mens turning of their backs on Christ; for fol­lowing supposeth the setting of the f [...]ce towards that which is followed; Therefore, Heb. 10.33. [Page 18] drawing back, is opposed to believing, or liv­ing by faith, which is nothing else but following of Christ. 3ly. It is opposed to sitting up; for such as stand still, or sit down in the way, though their face be someway towards Christ, yet they follow him not; If thou wilt return, O Is­rael, sayes the Lord, Hos. 4.16. return unto me. Make not a half returning, do not halt, nor sit up in the way; for followers are going on, and running out the race, 4ly. It is opposed also to running before Christ, or making haste; for these go before him, that step out ere he open the door, or seek to go another way than by the living way into the Sanctuary, or most Holy; or take the Counsel and Direction of others; and do not wait upon his; as Saul did, we find also this fault in part in the Disciples, in their pre­scribing away to him to be avenged upon the Sa­maritans, and not waiting on his prescribing to them.

The Use of it, in a word, serves, To ex­hort Believers, To consider what Relations Christ stands in to them, and in their Christi­an Walk to make use of them. 2ly. To try here­by what progress they make in their Christian Course and Walk: and 3ly. To study Christ well, and to confirm themselves to him; as their great Patern, Example, Leader and Commander, all along their Christian Walk.

IT is not easie, but a matter of singular difficultie, sincerely and honestly to fol­low Christ; As is clear from the high and hard Duties which Our Lord calls for in these Words, as simply, and indis­pensably necessary to the following of Him, viz. That a man deny himself, and Willingly and Cheerfully take up his Cross.

In this part of the Verse (as we formerly shew) there are Four things contained. The 1. is the Great Work and Business that all that comes after Christ, or are Christs Disciples are called to; and that is, to follow him. 2ly. There is the great Obstruction that lyes in the way of this, or that hinders Believers in following of him; and that is a mans own self, or felfishness. 3ly. There are the great qualifications, or duties which are required in, and from Christs Disci­ples, in order to their following of him; they must deny themselves, and take up their cross, and so follow him; and these are helpful to one ano­ther, Self-denial helps to contented and chear­full closeing with the Cross; and that again pro­ves greatly helpful to the following of Christ. 4ly. There is the great necessity of these qualifi­cations, or duties, to all and every one that [Page 20] would follow Christ; they are so indispensably ne­cessary, that there can be no following of him, without them; all that would follow him, must needs deny themselves, and take up their cross.

For making way to what we principally aim at, somewhat hath been spoken in short, to the First of these, and we shall not insist further on it, especially seing what respects the following of Christ may fall in afterward, amongst the Duties that are required of these that come after him.

I sh [...]ll therefore come to the Second thing viz. The great Obstruction that hinders Believers in the following of Christ, whether we speak with respect to the matter, or manner of this full and comprehensive Dutie; which is (as we said) a mans Self, or selfishness. Hence,

Observe, That a mans own self, or selfishness is the great thing that obstructs Christs followers, and hinders them in the following of him; This is that which makes them stumble, and fall in their way, so that if it be not in some measure re­moved, and rolled out of the way, there can be no following of Christ: This is clearly supposed in these Words; for if Self did not obstruct in the following of Christ, he needed not have pressed this great Dutie of Self-denial, as neces­sary to the following of him: But that we may the better clear this Doctrine, we shall take it up in these three Branches, which are manifest­ly supposed, and implyed in the Words, and in the Doctrine. 1. That there is such a corrupti­on as Self in, and among Christs own Disciples, and Followers; for to them he speaks, and on them, he presses this duty of self-denyal, suppos­ing that they, even they had such a corruption in [Page 21] them, as Self, and might be too much swayed by it. 2ly. That this Corruption goes alongst with, and waits upon Believers, in their fol­lowing of Christ; nay, alas! it steals in upon them, and twists it self in, into their most spiri­tuall Duties; and therefore Christ knowing this, presses the study of Self-denial, in order to their right following of him, in the way of Duty. 3ly. That this Corruption (at least where it bears swey) is the great thing that obstructs, letts, and impeds Believers in their following of Christ, and in their Dutie, and therefore when he is giving Direction, how people may get him followed, he first proposes the removal of Self out of the way, as the great thing that ob­structs following of him.

For clearing and confirming of the first of these, viz. That there is such a Corruption as Self in, and among Christs own Disciples, and Followers; there are three things that we shal speak a little to. 1. What is to be understood here by a Mans Self, or what it is that we call Selfishness. 2ly. What makes it out, that this Corruption of Selfishness is in, and amongst Be­lievers, or Christs followers. 3ly Why the Lord suffers Believers to be so much kept at un­der with such a gross Corruption.

For clearing of the first of these, viz. What is to be understood here, by a mans Self, or what it is that we call Selfishnesse, we shall offer these four things to be considered. 1. What us­eth to be called a Mans Self; In the General it comprehends what is in Man, whatsoever a man is of himself; but more particularly. 1. It is taken for that habitual Corruption of nature that [Page 22] it is in all and every one; which the Apostle calls Flesh, Rom. 8.8 The old man, Ephes. 4.22. The body of death, Rom. 7.24 And this is common­ly called sinfull or corrupt self. 2ly. It is taken for a mans natural affection, and desire to his own being and well-being, for his natural desire to preserve himself, and his desire towards these things that tend thereunto, and to his well-being; for as the Apostle speaks, Ephes. 5.29. No man ever yet hated his own flesh, but nourisheth it, and cherisheth it; And we find this affection to our selves, made the measure of our love to our neighbour; and therefore the Scripture says, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self; This is called naturall Self. 3ly. It is taken for a mans Parts, Gifts, Moral Induements, Meekness, Pa­tience, Fortitude, &c. Or his outward moral actions whereby he commends himself to others; Hence a man is said to follow himself, when he walks according to his own wisdom and coun­sell; and to trust in himself, 2 Cor. 1.9. When he trusts in his own wisdom, strength, courage, moral blamelessness, or the like; This is called morall self. 4ly. It is taken for these Graces of of the Spirit, whereby a man is renewed after the image of God; and in this respect, a man is opposed to his own corrupt Self, Rom. 7.20. It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in m [...], and Gal. 2.20. I live, yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; And this may be called Spirituall, Sanctified, or Renewed-Self: now all these point at something habitu [...]l in the man; but when we say that Self obstructs in following of Christ; we understand it not simply, with respect to any of these last three, nay, not with respect to the [Page 23] first, at least as more properly considered; for [...]t is not the having of Grace, and moral Parts, or gifts of Wisdom and Learning, &c. Nor a mans natural affection, and desire to his own being, and well-being, that (considered in themselves) obstruct his following of Christ; but the mans undue estimation of these, and their bearing the great sway with him in his car­riage: and though the corruption of nature does greatly obstruct the following of Christ, and is the bitter root, out from which the Selfishness we here speak of springs; yet it is someway dis­tinct from it, I mean, from that habitual, and (to speak so) complex body of natural cor­ruption in us, which (as we said) is common­ly called sinfull or corrupt self; but that which we speak of, is a special propension and inclination in all men to miscarry, by an inordinate respect to themselves, and to these things that respect themselves. Consider, 2ly. That this Selfish­ness may be looked on, other more generally, or more particularly. 1. More generally, it may be looked on, as it goes thorow the whole con­versation and actions of a man; and as it is in every man the same; for all men naturally have the same principle of Selfishness, or of inordi­nat respect to themselves, swaying them in the whole of their conversation and actions. 2ly. More particularly, it may be looked on as it runs in such and such a channel, and especially vents it self in this or that particular way, or towards such or such a particular sin, or idol; and in this respect it differs much amongst men; the Selfish­ness of one man venting more in one way, and towards one thing, and the Selfishness of another [Page 24] man, venting more another way, and toward some other thing; and when we speak of Selfish­ness here, it is not of the last, but of the firs [...] of these that we mean; that is of that selfish pro­pension, or inordinat respect to a mans Self that swayes a man in the whole of his conversa­tion; and is the same in all men, whatever more special and particular wayes it has of venting it self amongst men: for though the sins and evils whereunto men are particularly addicted be di­verse, yet the corruption that swayes to all these is one and the same. Consider, 3ly. That this inordinat respect to a mans Self, that swayes him in all his actions, and makes him miscarry in reference to himself, may be looked on again two wayes; either first, As it is opposed to the things of others, as when a man sees to his own things, and not to the things of another, and this is called particularness, or particularity, and is expr [...]sly prohibit by the Apostle, Philip. 2.4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. 2ly. As it is op­posed to God, and the things of God (in which sense we principally speak of it here;) For, whereas a man should keep himself, and all that concerns himself in subordination to God, this inordinat respect to himself, makes him put himself, or something in or belonging to himself, out of the right place, or out of that place of subordination to God, that he should keep him­self in; and makes him put himself in Gods place and room: So that from all this it may be clear, that by the Selfishness we here speak of, we are not simply to understand that habitual corrup­tion of nature, or this, and that particular Lust, [Page 25] that this or that man may be more peculiarly [...]dicted to, nor a mans natural affection, and [...]esire to himself; nor yet a mans parts, and [...]oral endewments; nor a mans Graces; but [...]at inordinat respect to a mans self; which is, as we said) the same in all men naturally, [...]d which swayes a man in the whole of his con­ [...]rsation, and makes a man put himself, or some­ [...]ing in himself, in Gods place and room: and [...]us it is taken in the Scriptures, where Living [...] our self, 2 Cor. 5.15. Seeking our selves, Jere­ [...]iah 45.5. and pleasing our selves, Rom. 15.1. [...]re spoken of mans self, especially, as these are [...]pposed unto living, to seeking of and pleasing [...]od; it is not this, or that act, but to be sway­ [...]d from this principle of inordinat respect to [...]ur selves, all which intimat an inordinat respect [...] this or that act, or to any thing we do, or [...]eddle with; so as in all that we do, to live to [...]ur Selves, or to have our Selves before us, in [...]e whole tract of our way, as the great and last [...]d that we aim at, and as the great and chief [...]inciple, that we are swayed by,

That Self is thus to be understood in these [...]ords, is clear; for 1. The sin that Christ re­ [...]ukes Peter for, was not so much his love, either [...] his own, or his Masters precious Life, simply, [...] it was his labouring to have Christ more sway­ [...]d by respect to his life, than to his Duty. 2ly. [...]t is clear, that when Christ sayes, except a [...]an deny himself, He means, except a man be [...]ead to every thing in himself, or that belongs [...]o Self, when, and as it comes in competition [...]ith him, he cannot be his disciple; Therefore, [...]e find it commended in Levi, that he prefer­red [Page 26] God and his Duty to Him, to all relatio [...] Deut. 33. v. 9. He said unto his Father and his Mother, I have not seen him, neither did he [...] knowledge his Brethren, nor knew his own Ch [...] dren; and Heb. 11.24, 25, 26. Moses gets honourable testimony, for his preferring of Chri [...] and his dutie to him, and to his People, to the Honours, Pleasures, and Riches of Phara [...] Court; and Paul sayes, 2 Cor. 5.16. He kne [...] no man after the flesh, 3ly. Christ explains [...] own meaning in the following words to the Tex [...] while he sayes, He that saves his life shal lose i [...] he condemns not a natural affection to, nor [...] moderat care for the preservation of a mans li [...] but that inordinat respect to it, and care for [...] that obstructs duty and service to him, an [...] makes a man put his life out of the right place [...] and therefore, by a mans Self, or Selfishne [...] here, we understand (I say) that corruptio [...] whereby a man has such an inordinat estimat [...] on of, or respect to himself, or any thing in, o [...] belonging to himself, as puts him, or it in th [...] place, or room of God, or, as puts the man Self uppermost, and makes all things subordina [...] to it. Consider, 4ly. For further clearing wha [...] Self is, these Six things, wherein the Scriptur [...] holds forth this sin, and wherein it vents o [...] shewes it self. 1. It vents it self, or kythes i [...] making a mans Self the chief end of his actions so that he lives to himself, and for himself, an [...] not to God, nor for God; and Self terminats al [...] his designs and endeavours; Thus it vented in Ephraim, who, Hos. 10. v. 1. is said, to be a [...] empty vine, because, He brought forth fruit to him­self; that is selfishness, when all a mans study [Page 27] and care is to bring forth something to himself; [...]nd herein Baruch was guilty also, as that chal­ [...]nge proves, Jerem. 45.5. Seekest thou great [...]ings for thy self? seek them not; And compar­ [...]g 1 Cor. 2.2. Where the Apostle sayes, I de­ [...]rmined to know nothing among you, save Christ, [...]nd him crucified, with 2 Cor. 4. v. 5. Where he yes, we preach not our selves, but Christ Jesus the [...]ord; We find it clear, that a man who has any [...]hing in his eye, before and above Christ in his [...]ctions, is seeking himself, and not Christ, and [...]o makes himself his end; which is called Self- [...]eking. 2ly. Selfiness vents it self in becoming [...]he great principle and motive, that ingadges a man to do such and such a Dutie, or to abstain [...]rom such and such a sin; men, no doubt, may [...]o many commanded duties, and abstain from [...]any sins that are forbidden, meerly from a [...]rinciple of Self, and as being acted and moved [...]hereunto by Self: The Pharisees gave almes. [...]ut it was to be seen of men, and to have glory of [...]en, Matth. 6.2. To give alms, is a command­ [...]d Dutie, but their motive being Self, Christ [...]ayes of them, They have their reward: and how [...]rdinary is it for men that have no higher prin­ [...]iple than Self, to abstain from such or such sins, [...]ecause of the prejudice that thereby they may [...]ring to themselves? yea, it seems that Jonah [...]imself, tho a truly, if not an eminently Godly [...]an, was too much swayed, moved, and acted [...]y self, both in his refusing at first to go to Nine­ [...]eh, and in his after discontent, when God [...]pon the repentance of that People, spared [...]hem, and did [...]ot the evil which he said he [...]ould do unto them, he was sinfully, and self [...]s [...] ­ly [Page 28] afraid, least he should be counted a false Pro­phet; and therefore he says, Chap. 4. v. 2. Was not this my saying, when I was yet in my own countrey? therefore I fled into Tarshish; This in Scripture is called Self-pleasing, in opposition to which, it is said, Rom. 15. v. 3. That Christ pleased not himself, &c. 3ly. This corruption of Self comes in, and vents it self, when men make something in themselves, the object of their trust and confidence, or that wherein thy trust, and whereupon they stay, and lean themselves; as when men, in undertaking any thing, lean to their own wisdom and understanding; or in go­ing about any dutie, lean to their own strength; which we find Paul disclaiming, while he sayes, 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves to think any thing as of our selves; or when men build their peace with God, and hopes of hap­piness on any thing in themselves, on their duti­es, or their own righteousness; as the Pharisees did, who trusted in themselves, that they were righteous, Luke 18. v. 9. And these spoken of, Rom. 10. v. 3. Who being ignorant of Gods righte­ousness, went about to establish their own, and would not submit to the righteousness of God; this is called Self-confidence: and indeed before people can be taken off this, and be made to trust in the Living God, they must be made to despair in themselves, as 2 Cor. 1.9. clears. 4ly. This corruption of Self shews it self in this, when a man makes himself, or something in himself, as his own wisdom, will or affections, the great rule and ground of his Actions; when in this or that Action, he takes counsel from himself, and suffers Self to govern, guide and sway him, in [Page 29] what he does; This is that which Peter was guilty of here, in the counsel that he gives to Christ, as Christ's answer clears; who tells him That he savoured not the thinge that be of God, but the things that be of men; And this these wicked people spoken of Jer. 44.17. Who rejected the Word of the Lord, were gu [...]lty of, in saying, We will certainly do whatsoever thing goeth forth out of our own mouth; such are called Self-willed, Tit. 1.7. and 2 Pet. 2.10. Presumptuous are they, (sayeth he) self-willed; They will not be guid­ed; nor ruled by the counsel, or will of God, but will needs follow their own carnal wisdom, inclinations and affections, for attaining their ends. 5ly. This corrup [...]ion of Self, shews it self, in too high estimation of a Mans Self, or of any thing that is in hims [...]lf: and this is, ei­ther when a man has nothing in himself, to found that esteem of himself upon, When (as the Apostle speaks. Gal. 6.3. he thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing; or, it is when there may be something to found it upon, some excellent parts, moral vertues, spiritual gifts, or graces; yet he is more lifted up, and taken up with these, than he should be; This is con­trary to that direction of the Apostle, Rom. 12.3. For every man not to think of himself more high­ly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, ac­cording as God hath dealt to every man, the mea­sure of Faith; The Apostle knew that everie man was much given to think too well of himself, and of his own Parts, Gifts, and Graces; and ther­fore he layes on this charge, That no man think of himself above what is meet; this is called Self-estimation, or Self-conceit; Yea; it may be ra­ther [Page 30] called, and truly is, Self-deceit, as the Apostle clears, Gal. 6.3. where he sayes, If man think himself something, when he is nothin [...] he deceiveth himself, 6ly. This corruption of Sel [...] vents and shews it self in this, when it is something in a mans self, whereupon his satisfactio [...] or disatisfaction mainly depends, when he he [...] no other ground of content, or discontent, bu [...] something in himself, when it goes well wit [...] himself, he is satisfied; but when any thing mis-carries, as to himself, or thwarts, or goes cros [...] to him, he is dissatisfied, he is up or down and thinks it right or wrong with him, as he [...] forborn, or touched, in that which concern [...] himself: Thus it was with Jonah, Chap 4. and with Baruch, Jer. 45. v. 3.5. When he sayes Wo is me now, for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow, &c. It seems to have been some ap­prehended prejudice, or haz [...]rd to Self, that so much affected him; and the Pharisees in gettin [...] the reward of esteem and applause, when they gave almes, and made long prayers, were satis­fied with that; This is called Self-love, 2 Tim 3.2. For it is that which m [...]inly affects men, as it goes up or down, well or ill with them, as to their own particular condition; so that, if they themselves be well, if they be in prosperity, in esteem and credit, they care not who be in ad­versity, or under contempt and disgrace; and if it be evil with themselves, they regard not [...]ow it be with others.

But now we come to the 2d. Thing, viz. That this Corruption of Selfiness is even in, and amongst Believers, and the honest followers of Christ: I shall confirm it from these grounds. [Page 31] 1. From the remainder of corrupt nature that is [...]et in Christs followers, or Believers, for even [...]hey themselves have much of unrenewed nature [...] them; and in as far as they are unrenewed, [...]hey cannot but seek themselves in some respect, [...]nd in some measure, as well as others, and [...]ave much of this Corruption in them; the A­postle 2 Cor. 5.15. sayes, They that live, should [...]ot henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him that died for them; Supposing that before, to wit, while they were spiritually dead, there was a living to themselves wholly; and that now after they were made to l [...]ve Spiritually, yet in as far as they were unrenewed, there was also a living to themselves. 2ly. The many warn­ings, and directions given to Believers, to guard against this sin, plainly say, and prove, that there is such a Corruption in, and amongst them; ye see here, that Christ speaking even to his own Disciples, calls them to study Self-denyal, and Rom. 12.3. The Apostle presses, That no man think of himself above that which is meet. 3ly. The many reproofs given to Godly men for falling in this sin, proves that there is some­thing of it, in, and amongst them: It's the great thing the Lord reproves in Jonah, who was sel­fily (to speak so) displeased and angry, both at the Lords spareing of Nineveh, and at the withering of the Gourd, Chap 4. So that the Lord sayes to him, Does thou well to be an­gry Jonah? We see also the Lord reproves this sin in Baruch, Jerem. 45.5. Seekest thou great things for thy self? seek them not: And the sad check that Christ giveth Peter here, when he sayes to him, Get thee behind me, Satan, is a very [Page 32] clear proof of, as it is a sore reproof for this si [...] that vented in the carnal counsel which he too [...] upon him to give our Lord. 4ly. The bitte [...] fruits of Selfiness that are amongst Believers, ar [...] sad proofs, and confirmations of this truth, tha [...] there is much of this Corruption even in them Look to the ways wherein Self vents, and shews it self, whether in making our selves our end, o [...] in our being moved, and acted by self, as our greatest principle and motive; how ma­ny instances, from the Old and New Testament might be brought of Godly persons, that have failed in these? nay, we need no further proof than that which is within our selves, to bear witness to this; O! how much do men, in Preaching, Praying, and Living, act from, and to Self, Preach to themselves, Pray to them­selves, and Live to themselves?

For the 3d. thing which we proposed to be spoken to, on this branch of the Doctrine, viz. Why does the Lord suffer Believers to be so much kept at under, with such a gross corruption, as Self, or Selfiness? In answer to this question, there are these few reasons, or ends which we shall offer, The 1. whereof is, that he may make and keep humble his own Followers; that the continual sight of this Corruption, and the stir­rings of it, may put, and keep them in mind of the remainder of corrupt nature, that is yet in them, and may prevent dotting upon any Gifts, or Graces in themselves; for this end then, viz. to discover what venom lurks in their nature, to prevent pride, and keep humble, there is something of this vile corruption left, and suffer­ed to stir them, ye see, 2 Cor. 12. A messen­ger [Page 33] of Satan is sent to buffet Paul, least he should be puffed up, or exalted above measure, thorow the a­boundance of revelations; Intimating thereby, that there was a hazard of being puffed up; and to prevent that, a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him; I will not say that this corruption of Self was the Scourge, that was sent to humble him, but it is clear, that the quicknesse, and livelinesse of this corruption of Self, was the cause why this messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him, in order to the keeping of him hum­ble, and Self-denyed. A 2d. Reason, or end is, That the Lord thereby, may quicken his own People, to more lively exercise of their Grace, when they know that there is such an ene­my in their bosom, as no natural thing, or no­thing in nature can ingadge and sway them to fight against; For, what is there, I pray, in any man naturally to engadge him, or to help him to fight against Self? nay, nothing can do this, but supernatural special Grace; and even that will not do it to any good purpose, if it be not keept in lively exercise; and therefore (I say) that the Lord may quicken, and stir up Believers to the lively exercise of Grace, he suf­fers this Corruption to be in them, and to stir, and now and then to move more strongly in them, that thereby he may necessitat them thereto; and no doubt, by fighting seriously a­gainst this Corruption, Believers not only evi­dence the truth of their Grace, but the livelie­ness of it, and much sincere respect to God; as we see in Abrahams case, to whom the Lord says, Now I know that thou fearest God, in that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine on [...]y son from me; It was [Page 34] not simply the offering of his Son, but his only Son, the Son of his Love, that evidenced the great­ness of his respect and love to God. A 3d. Reason, or End is, That God thereby may fur­ther, and promote the mortification of this Corruption, and make his People fall out with themselves the more; he does not only suffer it to be in them but he will suffer it sometimes to stir strongly in them, to vex and trouble them, and to keep them at under, that they may be the more stirred up against it, and made the more to study the mortification of it; though it be in them, yet if it lay quiet, and did never stir, and move strongly to the obstructing of them in their following of Christ, it might get leave to live in them, without such vigorous op­position; but when it moves strongly, and stands up in the Believers face, and comes in up­on him in all duties, seeking to corrupt them; It cannot but provock him the more against it, and stir him up more seriously to endeavour the mortification of it: and therefore we find, that our Lord Jesus would have Believers taking oc­casion from the stirring of their corrupti­on to fall on it, and to seek to have the v [...]ry life of it taken away, when he sayes, Matth. 18.8. If thy right hand, or thy right foot offend thee, cut them off; or, if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee; And we see, that the more Paul is buffeted, he is the more in Prayer. 2 Cor. 12. And that by the out-breaking of sin among the Corinthians, they are stirred up to a great­er indignation, and revenge against it, than be­fore. 2 Cor. 7.11. A 4th Reason is, That God may teach his People to know how little they [Page 35] are oblidged to themselves, and how much they [...]re oblidged to him, for any good they get done; and O! but it be needful for them, to learn this lesson well, seing we are naturally strongly inclined to trust in, and lean to our selves; and that this inclination is not soon sub­dued in us; yea, Christ, and his Grace (to speak so) get it not fully subdued here: how­ever Believers, by the being, and strong stir­ring of Self in them, to the obstructing them in their following of Christ, may see how much they are oblidged to God, and to the power of his Grace, when they are helped to do any thing that is spiritually good, and to follow their dutie aright; and may there from be excited to make more use of Christ, and to trust him more for making his Grace sufficient for them, as it's sa [...]d to Paul, 2 Cor 12. v. 9.10. My grace is suf­ficient for thee, for my strength is made perfect in weakness; whereupon he says, most gladly there­fore will I glory in my infirmities, for when I am weak, then am I strong; when he was denyed to, and out of conceit with himself; and all Self-sufficiencie; then by looking to Christ, and trusting him, he was made strong.

We shall now come to the Uses of the Doct­rine, The first whereof is, for information, to let us see that it is the natural inclination of us all, to be more swayed with respect to our selves, than with respect to God; for if this be true of the fol­lowers of Christ, how much more must it hold true of all others, who are not really his follow­ers, of such Whose God is their belly, whose glo­ry, is their shame, and who mind earthly things; as [Page 36] the Apostle speaks, Philip. 3.19 In speaking to th [...] Use, I shall a little touch at these two things, What are the main things that inordinat respe [...] to a mans Self incline, and leads him to; 2ly Ho [...] this corruption may be discerned, and taken up.

For the first of these, I shall not speak of all mans predominant Lusts, or Idols, that inord [...] nat respect to himself inclines and leads him to but of some of the main things that it swayes him unto; and 1. It leads, or swayes a man to seek, to be something in the World (this is a main Idol [...]) as to be ri [...]h, or to be learned, or to be great, and honourable in the world; This we see in Baruch, Jerem. 45.5. who sought great things for himself. 2ly. As it le [...]ds and swayes a man to seek to be something in the world, so it leads, and swayes hi [...] to seek to be esteemed something; which is another great Idol, that Self inclines to; and this we find to be the great thing that Paul condemns in the Preachers at Corinth [...] th [...] they vented their Eloquence, and Gift, to the end that they might be much esteemed of, and might be called great men, or great Preachers; and this is that which Christ condemned in the Pharisees, that they justified themselves before men, and sought the esteem, ap­plause and testimony of men, while as they did not approve their hearts to G [...]d; and indeed there is not any one thing that inordinat respect to Self, doth readily swey men more to than this. 3ly. Though a man cannot reach either of these, to be something, or to be esteemed something in the world; yet then Self will swey a man at last, to think something of himself, when he cannot get esteem from others, or when the [Page 37] esteem others has had of him is lost; yet, even then this Corruption can make that a ground whereupon to put a man to think something of himself; when one Idol is broken, it makes him set up another; yea, it may be to think the more of himself, because others think little of him: yea, his esteem of himself may flow, not so much from what is external, as from what is internal and spiritual, and lyes betwixt God and him, and so it becomes the more dangerous; we find that even Paul was in some hazard of an undue esteem of himself, upon the account of what was between God and him. 2. Cor 12. 4ly. In­ordinat respect to self, leads a man to study to promote, and uphold all these; that is, his be­ing something, his being esteemed something, and his own estimation of himself as something, even when he is at a loss in that amongst others; and this comes in as a mids, or mean unto these, as the end; It makes a man leave nothing un­done, that may contribute any thing unto these; and will suffer him to do nothing that may be opposite, or cross to these: ye see, 1 Cor. 13.3. how far Self will go, in seeking to main­tain an esteem amongst others, or a mans esteem of himself; it will even put him to give his body to be burn'd; and we see what the Apostle says, Gal. 6.12. Of false Teachers, that loved their own outward ease, peace, plea­sure, and estimation so well, that for prevent­ing the breach, and interruption thereof, by per­secution, and that they might be in esteem, (especially with the Jewes) They urged, and pressed circumcision; As many (sayes he) as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain [Page 38] you to be circumcised, only least they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ: So then the most part of a mans actions, in so far as he is Selfie, are directed to one, or all of these ends; either to be something, or to be esteemed something, or to keep up an estimation of himself, when the other two fail.

For the 2d. thing, viz How this Corrupti­on may be discerned, or taken up? ye may con­sider these things for helping to it. 1. If men be doing the Duties they should do without re­spect to these ends, or without expectation of coming to be something in the world, or of cre­dit and estimation, by following of them, yea, with an expectation of the contrary, even of the Cross of Christ in following them; This is an evidence that Self carries not the swey; for when it bears the swey, Duties are followed with respect to these Selfie ends, and are deserted and forsaken, when these ends are not attainable by them: Our Lord says, John 6.26. To some that followed him, Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled; As if he had said, if ye had not gotten some temporal good by following of me, ye would not have followed me; and there­fore when he preaches of Bread of another na­ture, than that which nourisheth the Body, they forsook him: we may also see somewhat of it in Jonah, who fearing to lose his credit, fled to Tarshish, whereas, if there had been ground to have expected reput and credit, he had readi­ly been as forward as any to go to Ninieveh on Gods call. 2ly. When things that concern Gods honour equally; or that are in themselves equally [Page 39] good, are not so equally pleasing, & acceptable to us [...]ecause of some circumstances accompanying [...]hem, wherein Self may be concerned; that says, that Self bears much swey in us; as for instance, when God does good, and brings glory to himself, in effectuating some good works, by such and such an instrument; if there follow upon this, secret envy, and emulation in us, and no thankfulness to God, because it is not done by us, or because we have no hand in it, then certainly Se [...]f bears swey in us, as it did in Joshuah, who was angry at Eldad and Medad, their Prophesieing in the Camp, he would have had none equ [...]lled with, let be preferred to his Master Moses, because that tended, as he thought, to derogat from his own respect and reput; single regard to Gods be­ing glor [...]fied in this, or that work, will make us rejoyce, whensoever, and by whomso­ever it is done. A 3d way to discern when Self sweyes, is by the carnal anxiety, perplexity, grief, and disquietness, (which are the effects and fruits of it) that men have, when they miss their selfy end: we have had, it's very probable, some expectation of peace, and of the thriving and prospering of Gods Work; and that it would have brought Ministers and Professors in estimation; try what fruit and effect follows our disappointment; if it be carnal anxiety, and dis­quietness, it says, Self hes born much sway with us; as we see it did with Baruch, by this very effect and fruit of it. Jer. 45.3.5. He cryes, Wo is me, for the Lord hath added grief to my sor­row, I fainted in my sighing, and found no rest; It might have been thought, that this was some holy grief, and affectedness of Soul, for the mi­series [Page 40] of Jerusalem; But the Lords answer, Seeks thou great things for thy self, shews, that the ground of his sorrow was more Selfie, and that his disqu [...]etnsss, was but a Selfie disquietness in a great measure, at least; because he was like to be disappointed of the great things he ex­pected: We had need to consider well, what the nature of our grief is, and on what grounds we are disquieted in sad times; whether it be mainly, for something that concerns our selves, or for that which concerns the work, and peo­ple of God. 4ly. It may be discerned when self bears swey, by a willingness, and earnestness to have any thing that may serve these ends, we spoke of, followed forth; as when persons would have their good spoken of, & commended: & any evil that may mar their to much coveted esteem covered; In opposition to which the Apostle says, 2 Cor. 12.6. I forbear least any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be; Being a self-de­nyed man, as he, keept in (as it were) and cover­ed the good which he had; so the selfie man cares not how many know the good that is in him, nay, he is desirous, that many may know of it. 5ly. It may be discerned, when Self swayes; if men would observe their thoughts, contryvances, projects and designs, it will readily be found, that there are many of them imaginary and vain; examine but the current of them, and it will be found, that they are taken up with that which is pleasant, or profitable to Self: and alas! the great scope of the most of People, in all their designs, and endeavours, yea, in all they do, or say, is Self; And as Solomon says, Eccles. 6.7. All the labour of a man is for his mouth; So we [Page 41] may say, that our back, or belly, our credit, or name, our ease, or pleasure, or one thing or o­ther, concerning Self, takes us up, and that all our labour is spent in serving of it; this is the Fruit, the bitter Fruit of that Corruption that dwelleth in us.

The 2d. Use serves to humble all flesh, that there is such a corrupt principle in us: And first, If there be such selfishness, and oppositi­on to God, even amongst Christs followers, then what ever their parts, and gifts be, what ever their graces, and nearness to God be, it becomes all of them to be humble, when they think on this sinful inclination, that is in them, to set up themselves in Gods place, and to get up, as it were, into his Chair; and that ye may stand in awe, and be humbled, when ye think on this Corruption; consider what things it has in it; as 1. An horrible guiltiness, which might fill us with fear, and terror, and put us to tremble; there is no guilt like it in other Corruptions, this is the very height of guiltinesse, being Ido­latrie, a mans putting himself where God should be; and accordingly, all the heavy threatnings, and plagues of God, because of Idolatrie, be­long to it. 2ly That this is not a simple act of Idolatry, as the making, and the worshipping of the Calf in the Wilderness was, but it is an ha­bitual continued tract of Idolatrie; It is our ve­ry nature, to be Idolatrous this way; and we are as much; and as often Idolatrous, as we are only, or mainly for our selves, and swayed by Self; yea, it goes alongst the whole course of our life; and if one Idolatrous Act should hum­ble us, much more should a tract of Idolatry, [Page 42] and an idolatrous way, humble us. 3ly. That thi [...] is not only a sin, and a great sin in it self, bu [...] the Seed also, and Root of other Sins, for it as far as our actions are sinful, they spring from the flesh, and particularly from this Root of selfi­ness, as the Apostle shews, 2 Tim. 3.2. When once men become lovers of themselves; they are ready to become covetous, boasters, proud, blas­phemous, disobedient to parents, unthankfull, un­holy, without natural affection, truce-breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of these that are good, traitors, headie, high-minded, lov­ers of pleasures more than lovers of God; All the Legions and Armies of Sins, follow this Sin. 4ly. It is the sin that most of all blasts our Duties, and provocks God to wrath and jealousie, whatever Ephraim did, was blasted by it, Hosea. 10.1. He was but an empty vine, bringing forth fruit to himself; and James says, Chap. 4.3. Ye ask and receive not, because ye ask amiss, to consume it upon your lusts; Ye would have some Parts, or Gifts, that ye may be esteemed; or would be born thorow in such and such a tryal, that ye may not be ashamed before men; but such selfie ends blast all, and keep us from receiving, when we ask; and besides, (I say) his sin provocks God to wrath and jealousie above any sin, as that which eminently robes him of his Glory more than any other sin doth; This provocks him to blast, break in pieces, and to pour our his fury like fire on People. 2ly. If this should be ground of humiliation to Christs followers; then it should be so to others also; Mark tells us, Chap. 8.34. That Christ preached this Doctrine of Self-denial, not only to his Disciples, but to the Multitude [Page 43] also; as knowing well that they were under the [...]ower of this corruption, of inordinat Self-re­ [...]pect; which exposed them to the hazard of [...]eing burnt in the fire of Gods jealousie: There­fore it concerns you all, to lay this sin to heart, and to be humble; O! stand in awe to come in competition with God, do we (as the Apostle says) provock him to jealousie? are we stronger than he? sure we are not: therefore take warn­ing to walk softly, and humbly before him.

IT is become sinfully natural to all the chil­dren of men, to exalt and lift up them­selves in their own esteem and affection, above all things besides, to set Self upon the Throne in their hearts, and to make all other things subservient to it; yea, not only must all other Idols bow down before, and do homage unto this great Idol Self, (they being desired, and affected, not so much for them­selves, as in a subserviencie to it) but alas! the great and glorious God himself also, is, by them made to stand (as it were) at it's footstool, and it set above him, and preferred to him; so that we may say, they must needs be very blind, who see not, that amongst all the detestable things that the hearts of men are set upon, and which [Page 44] Gods Soul hates, this is the most hateful at detestable.

We shew you what is the Scope of the Words; our Lord Jesus observing that Peter counsel to him, and the offence which he therin lay'd before him, proceeded from that bitt [...] root of inordinat respect to himself, who, fo [...] seeing his own hazard, in his Masters, do [...] thereupon tempt him, to respect his own ea [...] and freedom from trouble, more than his duty (I say) our Lord observing this, and knowin [...] how great, and common an evil this is in al [...] men, and how much of it there is, even in, an [...] amongst his own followers, after he hath rebuked Peter, he teaches all that will come after him this great Lesson, That they must deny themselves, and take up their cross, and follow him: from which we Observed, That Self or Selfiness, is the great thing that obstructs, lets and impeds believ­ers, in their following of Christ; And that we might speak the more clearly, and distinctly to this Doctrine, we took it up in these three Branches. 1. That there is such a Corruption as Self, in and among Christs own Disciples. 2ly. That this Cor­ruption comes in, insinuats it self upon, and goes alongst with Believers, in their following of Christ, and their Dutie. 3ly. That this Cor­ruption is the great thing that obstructs Believ­ers in their following of Christ, and their dutie: we have already spoken unto the first of these.

We now come to speak of the 2d. viz. That this Corruption of Self, or selfiness comes in, in­sinuats it self upon, and goes alongst with Be­lievers, in their following of Christ, and of their duty; It is not only the great principle that the [Page 45] corrupt wicked world walks by, and that Believ­ [...]rs themselves are too much sweyed, by in their [...]atural and civil actions (though even in these [...]hey should live to Christ, and not to themselves;) [...]ut further it is that which too much sweys them [...]ven in these actions, and duties which concern [...]hem more properly and immediately, as Chri­ [...]ians, and in their following of Christ; it was [...]at which sweyed Peter here, who, though he [...]as a man whom Christ had chosen, and called [...]ut of the world, and who had become one of [...]is Disciples and Followers, yea, who had, for [...] considerable time followed, and was now fol­ [...]owing him, and who, with-all had but just now [...]iven a notable Testimony to Christ; yet not­withstanding of all this, he so much favours of the flesh, and this corruption of inordinat re­ [...]ect to himself doth so far insinuate upon him, [...]nd doth so much sway him, that he takes upon [...]im, to diswade and keep back our Lord Jesus, [...]rom the greatest and most concerning work, [...]o the Glory of God, and Salvation of Sinners, [...]hat ever was upon earth, even from suffering, and, laying down his life, as a Price of Redem­ption for his elect People; but this truth is not only clear f om this instance of Peter, but is plain­ly supposed, and implyed in this great Lesson, that Christ teaches his Disciples, when he sayes, Let a man deny himself, and take up his Cross, and follow me, insinuating thereby, that this corrup­tion comes in upon men, and stands in their way in following of him.

For further clearing of this Branch of the Doctrine, there are two things which I shall speak a little to. 1. To some particular instances, shew­ing [Page 46] wherein this Corruption of Self comes in, an insinuates it self upon men, and even upon Believers. 2dly. I shall shew you, how it comes t [...] pass, and whence it proceeds, that this Corrup­tion doth so insinuat it self upon them, an [...] gers footing in them, in all that they do.

For the first of these, there are many particular instances, that may be given of Se [...]fs coming in upon men, and even upon Believers, in following their Duty, and that either more dis­cernably, and palpably, or more secretly, and subtilly; but we shall touch upon these few, as namely. 1. In Peoples closing with, and mak­ing use of Christ by Faith, that is a Duty upon which all other Duties depend, and here Self comes in to obstruct this greatly. For, 1. If we look to our Justification before God, which is only by Faith, closing with, and resting upon Christs Righteousness, and upon nothing in our selves, we will find, that Self endeavours to ob­struct this; for we are keeped back from clos­ing with, and resting upon Christs Righteousness, for Justification, from an inordinat respect to, and confidence in our own Righteousness; as is clear from, Rom. 10.3. Where it is said of the zealous Jews, that being ignorant of Gods righte­ousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, they did not submit to the righteous­ness of God; It was respect to their own Righte­ousnesse, and their solicitude, how to establish that which keeped them from submitting to Christs Righteousness, 2dly. If we look to the Believers use-making of Christ by Faith, after Justification, and here Self seeks to come in, seek­ing to share, and partake with Faith; it comes [Page 47] in and greatly obstructs their use-making of him by Faith, for Light, Life and Strength, to in­able for Dutie, and for the supply of their wants, and leads them in into themselves for these; yea, it comes in, and greatly obstructs their use make­ing of him, for peace and acceptance with God, and in order thereunto, (sometimes at least) it makes them seek to commend themselves to God, either by some good internal qualification, or by their external Duties, and their tender, and holy walk: And therefore in opposition to this, we find, that as the Apostle counted all his parts, gifts, external priviledges, and blamelessness be­fore his Conversion, to be but loss, not only useless, but prejudicial and hurtful in the matter of Justification before God; So likewise doth he account his most spiritual duties, after Convers [...] ­on; and seeks not by them, to commend him­self to God, as expecting favour and acceptance with him, upon their account, as is clear, from Philip. 3.7, 8, 9. Where speaking in reference to the time past, he sayes, v. 7. What things were gain to me, these I counted loss for Christ; and as to the time present, and even with respect to his Graces, and spiritual Duties, he sayes, v. 8. Yea, doubtless I count all things but loss, for the excellencie of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, that I may be found in him, not having my own righteousness (whether before, or after Conversi­on) which is according to the Law, &c. Where it is plainly his Scope and Design, to shew that as he would rest on none of those, as to the found­ing of his peace and acceptance before God; so he found in some respect, what he had of these, through a remainder of this woful Self, a great [Page] obstruction to him, in his use-making of Christ [...] Righteousness for this end, and was thereby in so far to count them to be but loss. 2ly. This may be instructed, not only in the matter o [...] Faith, but in all our actions, and in the whole of our Conversation, and in all those actions, wherein we are called to follow Christ dayly, in which Self insinuats, even upon Believ [...]rs; which is mainly pointed at in the Words: I shall there­fore instance it, First, More generally, in all that men do orforbear th [...]s will be found to swey them, and, alas! frequently to have too much influence on Believers, setting them on to, or deterring them from such and such a thing; It did strong­ly insinuat upon Peter, in these Four actions of his. 1. In his most unsound, and unseasonable counsel to Christ here. 2ly, in his rash under­taking, That though all men should be offended in him, yet he should never be offended. 3ly. In his foul Act of denying Christ, notwithstanding of his fair undertaking. 4ly. In his dissembling men­tioned, Gal. 2. For before (sayeth Paul) that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gen­tiles; but when they were come, he withdrew, and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision; All these his miscarriages, no doubt, did proceed from this bitter root of Self; It was inordinat respect to himself, that made him suggest such an sinful, and impertinent ad­vice to his Master; It was his Self-confidence, that made him undertake so rashly, and it was fear of the loss of his life, and inordinat Self-love to his own preservation, that moved him to deny Christ, as it was fear of the loss of Self-esteem amongst them of the circumcision, that [Page 49] moved him to dissemble; so that whether a man [...]ndertake the doing of Dutie, or be deterred [...]om it, this Corruption of Self, seeks to insinuat [...]n the Person, to move and swey him this way, [...]r that. 2ly. This will be yet more clear, if we [...]ok on Christian Duties more particularly; O! [...]ow very much does Self insinuat upon people, [...]nd bear swey with them, in these? Consider it [...] the dutie of Prayer, and ye will see what swey [...]t bears there, it's said by James Chap. 4. v. 3. [...]e ask, and ye receive not, because ye ask amiss, to [...]o consum it on your lusts; They had corrupt selfie [...]nds before them, in their asking, the gratifying [...]f some one Lust or other, by which they were [...]ept from receiving of that which they asked; [...]ok to it in Preaching; ah! how often doth [...]elf bear swey with Ministers in that Duty? the [...]postle tells us, Philip. 1.11. That some indeed [...]each Christ, even of envy and strife; out of [...] sinful emulation, and self desire, to be as much [...]spected and esteemed of, as the Apostle him­ [...]f was. Look to it in fasting and mourning, [...] in feasting and thanksgiving; how much Self [...]ars swey in these high duties; ye may see what [...] spoken to this purpose, Zach. 7.5.6. When [...] fasted (saith the Lord [...]here) in the fifth and [...]enth moneth, even these seventy years, did ye at [...]l fast unto me, even unto me? and when ye did [...]t, and when ye did drink, did ye not eat for your [...]ves, and drink for your selves? Ye may look to [...] in the matter of Repentance, Humiliation and [...]eeping in which this Corruption of Self will be [...]und to bear a great swey; wicked Ahab humbled [...]imself, being no doubt, moved thereunto, from [...] Selfie principle; and ye s [...]e, comparing Gen. [Page 50] 27. with Heb. 12. that Esau cryes and w [...] for the blessing, being also, no doubt, mo [...] thereunto, from this principle of Self; And [...] lievers themselves may too much be influen [...] by Self, in that exercise. In short, there is [...] any particular Christian Duty, for the ma [...] which Self may not swey people in; and wh [...] in it may not (at times at least) bear too m [...] swey (as I just now said) even in Believ [...] 3ly. You may lock to it in the matter of suf [...] ing, wherein we should be most Self-deny [...] and yet even in that, this Corruption of Selfi [...] will insinuat it self upon us, either to dis [...] us from suffering, and thus it prevailed w [...] Peter here, who, forseeing his own hazard in [...] Masters, studies to diswade him (if he coul [...] from suffering; yea, it was this that prevai [...] with him afterward to deny Christ; or ot [...] ways to engade us in, and to put us upon suf [...] ing for some by respect, or selfie end; yea [...] may prevail so far with a man, as to move h [...] to give his body to be burned, in a good cause [...] the matter, though he be one that wants cha [...] ty, or a sincere principle of love to Christ; T [...] is clearly implyed, in what the Apostle sa [...] 1 Cor. 13.3. Though I give my body to be burn [...] and want charity, it profiteth nothing. 4ly. [...] may notice it in the tract of a mans imaginatio [...] thoughts, affections, desires and designs, in [...] which Self comes in, as the great Idol of [...] heart, and sweys men; O! what Selfie ima [...] nations, thoughts, aff [...]ctions, desires, and d [...] signs are men filled with? and how much do th [...] se [...]k to please themselves in their own fanci [...] and imaginations? how do their minds purs [...] [Page 51] vanity? and how much do their thoughts and [...]esires run out upon, and after meer vanities? [...]nd all in order to some piece of satisfaction to [...]elf; So that we may say with Solomon, Eccles. 6. [...]. Better is the sight of the eye, than the wandring [...] the desire, or the walking of the Soul, as the [...]ord is, that is, it is better for a man to hold [...]imself satisfied with what he presently injoyeth, [...]an to wearie himself with roaving thoughts a­ [...]out, or extravagant and unsatiable desires after [...]hese things which he hath not: and it seems, [...]hat the two Disciples who were going to Emaus, [...]hen they said concerning Christ, Luke 24.21. [...]e trusted that it had been he, which should have [...]deemed Israel; wanted not some carnal Selfie- [...]presentation of him, and of the nature of his [...]ingdom, in their minds. 5ly. If we look to it, [...] the most heavenly, spiritual frame and dispo­ [...]tion of Believers in Duty, ye will find, that [...]is Corruption intrudes it self upon them, even [...]n that; we see in the fore-going words, that [...]eter was in a very good Frame, when he gives [...]ch a notable testimony to Christ, and yet this wil follows hard upon the back of it, in the car­ [...]al and selfie advice that he gives him: we see [...]kewise, 2 Cor. 12. when Paul is caught up to [...]e third Heavens, he is in hazard of being exalt­ [...]d above measure, by this Self. We need not [...]nsist much further in this; if we look to Adam, [...]nd Eve in their perfect State, we will find, that [...]he tentation to inordinat Self-love, Self-seeking [...]nd Self-pleasing did much prevail with them, to [...]lose with Satans suggestions, when he had told [...]hem, That they should not surely die, but should [...]e as Gods, knowing good and evil; and when they [Page 52] saw the fruit was good to make one wise, they d [...] take and eat of it; I shall not debate, let be d [...] termine, what was the first sinful step in the fall, but it seems evident, that Selfiness, or [...]: inordinat respect to Self, insinuating it self up [...] them, had a great hand in it; what wonder th [...] is it, that this Corruption bears so much swey [...] all their Posterity?

I come now to the 2d thing proposed, vi [...] To shew how it comes to pass, or whence it pr [...] ceeds, that this Corruption insinuats it self easily upon us, and swayeth us so very much all that we go about, beyond what any other co [...] ruption readily doth? In order to the cleari [...] of which, there are three things to be conside [...] ed. 1. What is the nature of this sin of Sel [...] ness. 2dly. What is the way that it takes to [...] gyre, and bear in it self upon us, in all that [...] do. 3dly. We would consider the strong inc [...] nation and propension that is in our nature to a [...] mit of, and to cherish this corrupt Self.

As for the first, to wit, the nature of this s [...] I shall not insist upon it here, further than [...] make some discovery of it's deceitfulness in the [...] four, 1. In it's counterfeiting grace. 2ly. In i [...] shewing it self, and appearing like unto Conso [...] ence. 3ly, In it's pretending some good en [...] for what it sollicites to, 4ly. In it's palliatin [...] and covering it self, under a specious and plaus [...] ble pretext of some moral, or natural good, [...] deceiving the person whom it insinuats upon; a [...] which make it to prevail so much with us, in a [...] that we go about. First, (I say) it's deceitfu [...] ness appears in counterfeiting of Grace; wh [...] this Corruption comes in, and insinuats it se [...] [Page 53] upon a man, it very often appears like grace, [...]nd makes the man himself think it to be so; as [...]or instance, it will sometimes appear like Zeal [...]or God, at it did in Jehu, whose zeal for a King­dom, looked like zeal for the Lord God of Isra­el; it did so likewise in Christs own Disciples, Luke 9.54, 55. Who, thought their zeal was good, like to the zeal of Elias, when they would have had fire coming down from heaven to con­ [...]ume these Samaritans, that refused their Master [...]odging, which yet for all that was not so, for [...]hey were acted by a carnal and selfie principle, [...]nd were of another, and more carnal Spirit than Elias was, and therefore Christ tells them, that [...]hey knew not of what spirit they were, insinuating [...]hat they were not acted in that desire, by that Spirit wherewith Elias was acted; and as Self, counterfits Zeal, so it counterfits humility also, as we may see in Saul, who did hide himself a­mongst the stuff, when he was to be made King, [...] Sam. 10.22. Which appeared very like to humility, and self-denial, and yet no question, it was some selfie consideration, that mainly moved him to it; and we may see somewhat of it even in Moses himself, in his refusing to obey Gods call, when he was sending him to Pharaoh, to bring forth the Children of Israel out of Egypt, Exod. Chapters 3. and 4. His refusal may seem to have flowed from humility, yet the way which the Lord takes to convince him, and the kend­ [...]ling of his anger against him, plainly say, that it was some fear of hazard to himself, or of his own life, or risking his repute, that made him refuse: 2ly. Look to the deceitfulness of this sin [...]in it's shewing it self, and appearing like unto [Page 54] Conscience; and thus it is often found, whe [...] men once ingadged in such or such a way, thin [...] themselves bound and oblidged in Conscience t [...] follow it; while, in the mean time, it is but Se [...] coming in under the colour, and appearance o [...] Conscience, that sets them on to follow it, an [...] makes them restless in seeking to prosecute wh [...] they are once ingadged in; we may see a famou [...] instance of Selfs appearing like Conscience i [...] Jonah, Chap. 4. To whom the Lord sayes, Do [...] thou well to be angry Jonah? And he answers I do well to be angry, even unto death; It is ver [...] probable, he would not have spoken thus, if h [...] had not thought it was Conscience, and zeal towards God, that moved and acted him; but ye [...] his pity on the gourd, when God had withered and taken it away, shews, that it was not so muc [...] Conscience, as an inordinat respect to himsel [...] and to his own credit and reputation, that mov­ed him; ye may see it, in the dominion of i [...] in Herod, Matth. 14.19. When the dancing daughter of Herodias sought the head of Joh [...]. the Baptist, It is said, that the King was sorry, ne [...] vertheless, for his oaths sake, and for them that sa [...] at meat with him, he commanded it to be give [...] her; Sure it was not so much, if at all, consci [...] ence of his oath, (which being sinfull in the matter of it, should not have been keeped) a [...] it was fear, least he should be thought and re [...] puted a perjured man, by them which sat at me at with him, that moved him to command Joh [...] to be beheaded; if it was not also lothness to displease the wanton Damsell, and her incestuous Mother. 3ly. The deceitfulness of Self appears, in pretending some good end, for what it moves [Page 55] a man unto; it comes not in directly, as driving [...] any evil design, but pretends a good one; as [...]tan did, in the tempting Eve, and for making [...]e tentation take the better with her, in the day sayeth he to her) that ye eat thereof, ye shall [...] as Gods knowing good and evil; and Self insi­ [...]uating upon her, under this specious pretext, [...]at the fruit was good to make one wise, she is prevailed with to take and eat of that forbidden [...]uit; O! believe it, that Self hath alwayes some [...]ne plausable-like, and flattering design or other to speak so) în it's head: we see likewise, [...]hat Satan (who attempts and gains much by his [...]entations to this inordinat respect that men have [...]o themselves) when he comes to tempt Christ, Matth. 4. He does much press this in all his ten­ [...]ations, that he should see well to himself, by providing meat for himself, and by making him­self great in the world, and by making his great­ness known, for Satan knew well how great a b [...]it this is to all the world, though our blessed Lord Jesus, being free of all original corruption, and of all inordinat respect to himself, so that the Prince of the World had nothing in him of that sort, to work upon by his tentations, he utterly resisted, and perfectly overcame them all, and was not in the least prevailled upon by them. 4ly. The deceitfulness of this Corruption appears by it's covering it self under the specious and fair pretensions of some moral or naturall good; Thus we see, when Self hath ingadged men in the eager, restless and covetous pursuit of the world, it will labour to palliat, and honest it, with the specious pretext of vertue; and will say to them, it is good to be vertuous, and to follow [Page 56] your calling carefully, and diligently, and to provide for you and yours; it may be, it wil [...] also make use of Scripture, and tell them, tha [...] he who provides not for his own, is worse than a [...] infidel; Thus also, when it offers to diswade a man from suffering for Christ, it will shreud it self under the specious pretext of some natural good, and will tell him, that it is natural and kindly for a man to be very careful, and warry of his life, and to see, by all means to the pre­serving of it: Thus it did insinuat upon Peter here, in the advice which he gave to his Master, by which he would have had it taking on him also, Master, Spare thy self, be more tender of th [...]y own life.

But, 2dly. we come to consider the subtile way that it takes to bear in it self upon us, in all that we do. As 1, in this, that it does not ap­pear, as inconsistent with, or opposit to Grace, or to the Law of God, as most other sins do; but rather, as very well consistent with both; nay, sometimes it will endeavour to make pretended respect to Grace, and to the observance of Gods Law, subservient to the attainment of it's own ends, and will set a man on to study, and to stir up, and draw forth his Gifts and Graces, [...]o ex­ercise, and to endeavour something of conformi­ty, in his way to Gods Law, out of too much re­spect to some carnal and selfie end. 2ly. It doth readily change it self into various Shapes and Formes, so as it may be most taking with, and pleasant unto men; most other Corruptions come in upon us, in one Shape and Form, but this appears in all Shapes; It comes in sometimes (as I said before) like Grace; sometimes like Conscience; sometimes like innocent natural re­spect, [Page 57] and love to our selves; sometimes like publick spiritedness, &c. It's wayes are move­able; and as Satan, when he assaulted our Lord, Matth. 4. changed his temptations on him, and took different wayes to prevail with him; so doth Self; when a man falls short of one design, it will put him on another; when he misseth rich­es, it will put him to seek after credit; and if he fail, and come short of both, it will set him on to seek his own ease, quietness and pleasure, in a more privat way. 3ly. It proves restless, and makes the man whom it sweys, restless, and uncessant in his way; it disquiets and vexes him, whatever he do, or whithersoever he go, so long as it's designs and ends are not attained, and accomplished (which they never will be) This Self is never at ease, when (to speak so) it gets not it self, when it reacheth not the thing it would be at: we see an instance of this in Jonah; but amost remarkable one in Balaam, Numb. 22. One answer from the Lord will not satisfie him, but again he must go and consult him; having a Selfie design, and desire after Balacks silver and gold, which he largely pro­mised him, if he would come and curse Israel, it would not suffer him to rest and sit at home: Since then this Corruption takes such subtile wayes to bear in it self upon us; It is no great wonder, that through our unwatchfulness and ignorance, or non-consideration of it's devices, and wiles, it prevail so much over us, in all that we go about. But 3ly. If in a word, we add to these the consideration of the aptness, pron­ness and strong propension of our nature, to reset, harbour, intertain, and cherish this Cor­ruption [Page 58] of Self, beside our unwatchfulness, in circumspection, and negligence to observe, and guard against it; Is it any great wonder, that it gets so much way, and prevails so much over us in all that we go about?

The Uses of the Point are Three, the first, whereof is, That seing this Corruption doth thus steal in upon the followers of Christ, in all they do; then sure it should make all fear and trem­ble because of it; especially, when we come to meddle in these things which more immediatly concern God; we would alwayes think of, and keep this in our eye, that we may be in duties of worship to God, even the most spiritual and lively of them, and yet have nothing to boast of before him, because in them we act much from Self and to Self, and are very like to Ephraim; the best bringing forth fruit in a great measure to themselves; yea, we would consider, that we may begin well to a duty, and yet before the close of it, this Corruption may so twist it self with the dutie, as utterly to spoil and corrupt all, or in a great measure: There is therefore so much the more need to walk in fear of it; and seing Adam was stollen off his feet, by a Tentation to this sin, when there was no sin nor corruption in him before, how much greater must needs the hazard of all his posterity be? and how very much are we concerned, and called to walk up and down in much fear and trembling, in much holy jealousie over our selves, least we be alto­gether, or much influenced, and sweyed by this corruption, in what we do: if the great hazard that weare in from this corrupt Self, were more thorowly believed, and more seriously ponde­red, [Page 59] we would be more convinced of the ne­cessity of walking softly, of living near God, and of making much use of Christ, for the subduing of it, and of all our other Corruptions.

The 2d. Use serves to exhort us to learn, not to Judge of our selves, by our own actions sim­ply, nor of our actions by the substance, or matter of them, but to judge of them, as they partake of, o [...] are more or less free from this corruption: That is very observable which our Lord sayes to the Pharisees, Luke 16. Ye are they which justifie your selves before men, but God know­eth your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed amongst men, is an abomination in the sight of God: We may follow pu [...]lick Ordinances, and go a­bout Duties of Worship in secret, and in our Fa­milies, and may have a kind of liberty, and ma­ny good words in our Prayers; and something like tenderness in our walk; and yet if we be sweyed only, or mainly by this corrupt princi­ple, and have our selves for our end, all will be but abomination before God, how highly so ever they be esteemed of by ourselves or others: and therefore try what your performances, and duties are by what there is, or is not of this corrupt principle of Self in them; Look what it is that brings you to Publick Ordinances, and what makes you pray in your Families, or in Secret; whether; it be that ye may not be looked on as meer Atheists, but may be esteemed Religious, or, if it be singly to glorifie God: and that ye may be helped in the tryal of this, I shall give you some Marks, or Evidences, whereby ye may know when Selfiness, or Self-seeking hath dominion over you, in your Duties, first, domi­ning [Page 60] Selfieness in spiritual Duties, appears by this, when a man is not the better of his Duties, but is as vain, light, frothy, carnal and corrupt after them, as he was before, he fell about them; as for instance, when a man is not the better of Prayer, but is as vain, frothy and carnal, and his corruption, as little mortified after it, as be­fore he went about it; as it was with these of whom the Apostle James speaks, Chap. 4. v. 3. Who asked and received not, because they asked a­miss, to consum it upon their lusts; They were not the better of their Prayers, they did not mortifie corruption; ye may see the like in the Pharisees, who, though they made long prayers, as it is, Mat. 23.14. Yet they were not the better of them, but as our Lord speaks, verse 27. They were like whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautifull outward, but are within full of dead mens bones, and of all uncleanness: In short then, when people are much in Duty, and yet they are not spiritu­ally bettered by Duty, but their Spirits remain vain, frothy, and carnal, it is an evidence, that Self predomines, or carries the great swey in their Duties, but when they are bettered, and such an evil frame (as we just now spoke of) in some measure got helped, and the Soul made more stayed, humble, and spiritual, it evidenc­eth a denyed way of following Duty; singleness in Duty, ordinarly humbles and leaves the Soul in some better frame than it found it. 2ly. A regnant Selfie way of following Duty, is never waited upon with solid spiritual peace; a man that is mainly sweyed, and ruled by this Cor­rupt principle in Duty, may have a strong con­ceit, that his way is good, and as he gets ap­plause, [Page 61] may grow to a great height of carnal se­curity; but as he hath no peace with God, so neither hath he any solid spiritual Peace in his own Conscience, in the performance of Duti­es; for when Selfiness predomines, or prevails, it obstructs the sweet influence which otherways duties might have upon the Souls Spiritual Peace; whilst Ephraim brought forth fruit to himself; he was but an empty vine, that neither brought forth acceptable, and pleasant fruit to God, nor such as could have any influence on his own solid spi­ritual peace, but the single, and Self-denyed way of following Duties, much quiets the Soul, and hes sweet influence on the solid spiritual peace thereof: Thus we see, Phili. 4.6, 7. That the peace of God which keeps or guards the heart and mind through Christ Jesus, is the sweet fruit, if not being in a carnal and Selfie way careful for any thing, and of making our requests singly known to God, by Prayer, and Supplication, with thanks giving. A 3d. evidence of it is, when a man, not only hath no solid spiritual peace, in follow­ing Duties; but on the contrary, hath much an­xiety and perplexity, through fear, least he at­tain not, or miss his selfie end; he is perplexed and vexed with the thoughts of such and such events, which may follow upon what he does, tossed, in a manner tormented in himself, with thinking what if this, that, and the other thing follow upon what I do? whereas the man that walks singly in the discharge of his Duty, remains setled, composed, and much freed from these perplexing fears of events; as we may see in Paul, Acts. 2.13. Who, when it was told him, that he should be bound at Jerusalem, and he [Page 62] thereupon is besought with tears, not to go thi­ther, is not perplexed, nor troubled in the least, but stayedly, and composedly sayes, What mean ye to weep, and break mine heart? for I am ready not to be bound only, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus; Nothing comes wrong to the Self-denyed man; but every thing that comes in betwixt the Selfie man, and his end, perplexes him, and [...]u [...]s him on the Rack; as we see in a measure in Baruch, Jerem. 45.3, 4. Who cryes out, Wo's me, for the Lord hath added grief to my sorrow, I fainted in my sighing, and found no rest; He is greatly perplexed, and the Lord points at the rise of it, when he sayes to him, verse 5. Seekest thou great things for thy self, seek them not: Believe it; our sinful anxiety, per­plexity, and disquietness will alwayes be found, if well searched after, to have something of Selfi­ness at the root of it. A 4th. Evidence Is, That a man who walks by a principle of Self, and seeks himself only, or mainly, in what he doth, is up or down, as he finds or misses himself; if his duty go with him, though he have no ac­cess to God in it, he will be well satisfied; as for instance, if he Pray well, in the opinion of others, and win at the following of other Duties, so as to be esteemed of, as a wise virgin, that not only hes a Lamp, but oyl in it, he is content, and that even though he have not Oyl in his Lamp; But where singleness is, a man is ne­ver satisfied in the performance of Duties, though he get applause, and esteem from others, unless he obtain [...]he main end of Duties, viz. The ho­nour of God, and some nearness to, and fellow­ship with him in Christ: There will be some­what [Page 63] of all these even in Believers where this Corruption much prevails, though it have not dominion, by which it's prevailing power may be known.

The 3d. Use serves for warning, seing there is such a Corruption, that cleaves to Christs fol­lowers, and that deceitfully and subtilly bears in it self upon them in all that they do [...] then 1. Labour to discern it, and to be watchful over it. 2ly. Labour carefully to guard against it. First, I say, labour to discern, and to be watchful over this Corruption; and more especially, when it works most deceitfully, and subtilly, and insinu­ats it self under specious and fair pretensions, when it looks like Grace, or a principle of Con­science, when it shreuds it self under the pretext of some honest design, or of some moral, or na­tural good: O! do not judge of things as they appear at the first; but search to the bottom of them, and consider well whence they rise, and whither they tend: There are some things that look very fair and specious like at this time, which, if we examine them narrowly, will we apprehend, be found to spring from this bitter, and corrupt Root; the men that have invaded us, and overturned these Kingdoms, give it out, that they are for great and good things; But look well that there be not much Self-seeking, lurking, and lodging under such specious, fair and plausable pretensions; There are four things highly pretended to by them (some of which we touched a little before) 1. They talk much of, and pretend the interest of Christ, and that they seek to have him great, and his Kingdom to floorish in these Lands; and indeed, none [Page 64] can deny these to be very good, and desirable things; but yet notwithstanding, when his in­terest is sought, and followed in a carnal way, and when m [...]n seek their own interest, cry up themselves, and endeavour to make themselves great, under this specious pretext of respect to Christs interest, and to the making of him great, This certainly is not good: what greater ho­nour could we readily have wished to be put up­on Christ, then seeking to make him a King, as the People of the Jewes spoken of, John 6.15. did; and yet behold what he says to them, verse 26. Ye seek me, not because you saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled; in­timating thereby, that it was respect to them­selves, and to an easie way of living, that main­ly made them [...]ut respect on him, and court him to be their King; but they quite mistook the true nature of Christs Kingdom: and therefore, when the respect that men profess to have to Christ, is such as alters the nature of his King­dom, and turns that which is a Spiritual King­dom into a Carnal, and Worldly one, we would be aware of it. 2ly. The interest of the people of God, and of Christs Followers, is much pre­tended, and cryed up; and indeed that also is a good and desirable thing; But as Christs King­dom is not Temporal and Worldly, no more is the great interest of his People; This was it, that Korah, Dathan, and Abiram pretended to be for, while they were in the meantime crying down all Government, Civil and Ecclesiastical, for they say unto Moses and Aaron, Numb. 16.3. Ye take too much upon you, seing all the congrega­tion are holy, every one of them, and the Lord is [Page 65] among them wherefore then lift ye up your selves a­bove the congregation of the Lord? Where we plainly see, that they made high pretensions of seeking after the interest and wellfare of the Congregation of the Lord, or of the Lords Peo­ple; and yet notwithstanding these high and self-denyed like pretensions; The scope of the place, and these Words, ye take too much upon you; evidently make it appear, that their design was, to bring themselves into the Government; and therefore the Lord commands them to take Cen [...]ers, and to put fire therein, and to put In­cense thereon, before the Lord; that it might be known, to whom the right of Governing did belong, by divine destination; so when men pre­tending respect to the interest of the People of God, overturn Governments, will needs them­selves become their Patrons, and Protectors, (when yet his People are not calling them to be so) bring in Confusion for Order, we would be on our guard; for the true and great interest of Gods People, as such, consists in somewhat else 3ly. There are great pretensions made to, and cryings up of just Liberty and Freedom, which is likewise a good and desirable thing, as it's very sad, when men are deprived of it; yet a great deal of Selfiness may hide it self under such pretensions; Consider what the Apostle say­eth to this purpose. 1 Pet. 2.16. As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God; The Sco [...]e of which Word is, to shew us, that Christian Liberty lyes not in mens seeking to be masters of themselves, and to be free from Subjection to others, and to have all others brought in subjection to them; for [Page 66] he expresly commands us, v. 13. To submit our selves to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake, whether it be to the King as supream, or unto go­vernours, as unto them that are sent by him, for the punishment of evil doers, and for the praise of them that do well; and v. 18. He commands servants to be subject to their own masters, with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the fro­ward; and when they do well, and suffer for it, he requires them, to take it patiently, for even hereunto are ye called (sayes he) because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps; To be free with this free­dom, is the best freedom and liberty, even Li­berty indeed; to the same purpose, sayeth the Apostle Paul, 1 Tim. 6.1, 2. Let as many ser­vants as are under the yoke, count their own Ma­sters worthy of all honour, that the name of God, and his doctrine be not blasphemed; and they that have believing masters, let them not despise them, because they are brethren &c. He stricks against two gross particular errors, and faults that were then amongst Servants; one, that they thought that they should not serve their Pagan Masters, be­cause they were ungodly; the other, that they thought they should not serve their believing Masters, because they were Brethren; both which faults he would have them amending; and adds, If any man teach otherwise, he is proud, knowing nothing, dotting about questions, and strifes of words, and the root of all this is, their supposing that gain is godliness, from such (sayes the Apostle) withdraw thy self; For this is a selfie way; but Gods way is con [...]rary, to wit, not to count gain Godliness, and to pursue it under [Page 67] a fair pretext of acting for God, and his People, but to count Godliness great gain, for it hath the promises of this life, and of that which is to come. 4ly. There are great pretensions to more light, and to a more spiritual way of Worship, to more pure and spiritual Ordinances, and to a more purely constituted Church, all the members whereof must needs be Saints, and regenerat per­sons, so far as men can judge; These are indeed very specious Pretences; but it is to be feared, there is much Self seeking at the bottom of them, if men were humbly excluding themselves, they would, in that case, look more like those that deny themselves; but when they seclude others, to include themselves; it seems that selfiness, and self-conceit bears too great swey, and looks somewhat like these, who say, Isai. 65.5. Stand by thy self, come not near to me, for I am holier than thou; and yet God sayes of such, that they were a smoak in his nose, a fire that burneth all the day: Neither is it any new thing for Peo­ple to seek themselves, under the pretence of waiting for, and venting of new Light; for there was somewhat of this even in the Apostles days; as could time permit, we could easily make ap­pear, from Rom. 14. and 15. Chapters, from 1 Cor. 8, 9. and 10. Chapters, and from the E­pistles written to Timothy; nay, we find, that Peoples seeking to vent their Light, though true Light, when it hath not been to edification, is reproved as a fault, and accounted a pleasing of themselves, while it is said, Rom. 15. v. 1.2. We ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please our selves; and let every one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edification: [Page 68] The Apostle makes it a pleasing of themselves, to urge the ou [...]most extent of their Ligh [...], in some lesser things, as in the use of their Christian Li­berty, to the wronging, or stumbling of the weak Jews: and seing these men with whom we have to do, pretend highly to new Ligh [...], we are concerned narrowly, and impartially to search and try these things, that come out under that name and notion; and should not rashly and precipitantly embrace them; There is a passage, at which we may tremble, while we speak of it, and ye at the hearing of it, 2 Tim. 3 v. 1, 2 3, 4, 5. This know also, (sayes the Apostle) that in the last days, perilous times shall come, for men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, proud, blasphemers, &c. Which shew, that all these very grossest evils, do readily follow mens being lovers of themselves; but withall, it is added, having the form of godliness, but denying the power of it, from such turn away; intimating that selfiness, would never be able to get abominable sins cove­red, were it not for a form of Godliness, but yet such being lovers of their own selves, are truly guilty of denying the power, and true principles of Godliness, we are fallen into these last dayes, and perilous times, and therefore ye would take heed, least love to your own selves, or selfiness, though joyned with a form of Godliness lead you unto the sins mentioned here.

The 2d. Part of the Use serves (as we hint­ed) to warn you to guard against this Corrupti­on of Selfiness, or of Self-seeking; and here I shall give you some Directions, which, if they were suitably followed, might thorow Gods bles­sing, prevent Self bearing so great a swey in us, [Page 69] especially, in spiritual Duties. The First wher­of is, That ye would learn to set Christ in his own place, in the heart; for, if he have not his own place and room there, Self must needs bear swey in us: but when Christ gets his own place Selfiness is thereby keeped out; therefore 2 Cor. 4 v. 5. Paul proves, that he preached not him­self, because he preached Christ Jesus the Lord; whoever they be, that labour not to set up Christ in their hearts, and to esteem highly of, and to be much in Love with him above all things; will have a worse Guest comîng in to take up his room; and indeed, it is not much to be won­dered at, that Self reign, and prevail amongst People, and that they be mainly, or very much sweyed by it, in the whole of their way, when Christ is either not at all, or but very little in ac­count and esteem with them. 2ly. Labour to eye God always, to have a constant depending on him, to have his awe and dread much upon your hearts, and to be much with him; O! study to live up unto that sweet advice which Solomon gives, Prov. 3 v. 6. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own under­standing; and if it should be said, what shal we do, if we lean not to our own understanding? he answers, In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths; do as the Psalmist did, Psal. 16.6, even set the Lord always be­fore you, and then he being at your right hand, ye shall not be moved. 3ly. Be much in prayer to God, as the Apostle was, when a messenger of Satan was sent to buffet him. 2 Cor. 12 8. for this thing (sayes he) I besought the Lord thrice that it might depart from me; So do ye, wrestle [Page 70] much with God by prayer against it, but study in prayer to make much use of Christ, for get­ting victory over it, in his strength, who wa [...] manifested for this purpose, that he might destroy the works of the devil, and this work of his this Corruption of Self amongst others; little praying, and little use making of Christ in prayer, makes Self predomine, and bear so much swey in us, as it doth. 4ly. We would be more frequently looking to our own infirmities, that either to the good that is in our selves, or to the infirmities of others: Thus we find Paul dwel­ling in the thoughts of his own insufficiency, weakness, and infirmitie, while he says, 2 Cor. 3.5. Not that we are sufficient of our selves, to think any thing, as of our selves, but our suffici­ency is of God; he alwayes puts a difference between what he was by Grace, and what he was in himself, and looks upon himself as himself, as being able for nothing: looking too much upon the good we have, or seem to have, and too much upon the infirmities of others, makes us proud, and puffs us up, but looking to our own infirmities, more than to our own good, or the infirmities of others, keeps down the risings of Pride, and looks Self out of countenance, and lets us see that there is much in our selves to humble us, and nothing at all to be vain, or proud of, and that we want a great deal more than we have. 5ly. See that ye father right (to speak so) any good that ye have, as the Apostle fathers all upon, and ascribes all his good to the free Grace of God, while he sayes, 1 Cor. 15.10. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and his grace which was bestowed upon me, was [Page 71] not in vain, but I laboured more aboundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God, with me; We find it also much pressed upon us, that we would remember, that we have nothing, but what we have received; The due and kindly remem­brance, and consideration whereof, would pre­vent our growing proud conceited, and vain of what we have. 6ly. Resist the first beginnings, and risings of Selfiness in the heart; and as So­lomon exhorts, Prov. 4.23. Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life; if once we give loose reigns within to this, or to any other Corruption, it will shortly prevail over us, and break out; as for instance, let men once greedily receive, and admit of honour, when it is given them, and they will greatly astect, and seek after it, er'e all be done; Con­sider what our Lord sayes to this purpose, John 5.44. How can ye believe, that receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only? When men are Selfie, in seek­ing to be high and happy in the World, and do not place their honour and happiness where God hath placed it, they must needs be carried away with this Corruption of Selfiness: believe it, they cannot be Christs Disciples, who ende­avour, not through Grace to suppress the risings of this Corruption in themselves, and to resist tentations to it; as ye may see John the Baptist did, by comparing Luke 13 v. 15.16. with John 1 [...] 20. and 3.28. Its said in Luke, That all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ or not? but he puts them out of all doubt concerning this, while we are told, John 1.20. That he confessed, and denyed not, but confessed, [Page 72] that he was not the Christ; and accordingly speak­ing to his Disciples, John 3.28. He sayes, Ye your selves bear witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him; Here was a great occasion, and tentation offered for Self-se [...]king, but he confessed, and denyed not, but con­fessed, that he was not the Christ; He was very much concerned, careful and solicitous to pre­vent the first beginnings, and to oppose the first risings of Self, and of all Tentations to it: We see the like in Paul and Barnabas, who could not endure to have this tentation offered them, and therefore, it's said of them. Acts 14. v. 14. 15. That when the Priest of Jupiter would have done sacrifice to them, with the people, they rent their clothes, and cryed out, that they were men of like passions with themselves. 7ly. All that would guard against this evil of selfiness, and carry a­right in Du [...]y, would be much in Self-reflection before the undertaking of Duties; in the dis­charge of Duties, and after the performance of Duties; it's lamentable, that most of us never reflect upon, nor consider, from what principle, or motive we are put on to Duty, but if the work be good, for the matter we look after no more; and that many never reflect upon them­selves, in the discharge of Duty, that they may [...]ee what bears most swey with them in it; nor yet after the Duty is done that they may know either what their carriage hath been in the Duty, or what the eff [...]ct of it is to them; whereas, if we were searching our selves, and reflecting up­on our selves, all these ways, and considering, whether it be love to our selves, or respect to the honour of God, that puts us on to Duty, [Page 73] and which of the two bears greatest sway with us in the Duty; and whether we be more lifted up, or more humbled, when the Duty is over, it would be found a notable help, for holding [...]out, and chasing away this Corruption: as Self-examination is profitable in other cases, for bring­ [...]ng to light the hidden things of darkness, so it is greatly useful in this case. 8ly. Beware of any thing that may foster or seed this selfie principle in you; and in prosecution of this Direction be­side these things which we have spoken to alrea­dy, that use to be tentations to this Corruption, there are these Four things, that we would have you to guard against, as tending to feed and foster this corruption, or corrupt selfie principle. 1. Guard against designing to be some body in the World, and to make a great figure at such a time as this especially; I grant, men may en­deavour to make the best they can of an evil World, and may of two evils of trouble choose the lesser; but here there would be keeping with­in these bounds and limits fixed by the Lord, and walking according to his prescribed Rules; and when it is otherwise, certainly men are not right: It hath been, and still is a tentation, and snare to many in these times, their making use of occurring revolutions and changes, meerly or mainly for Selfie ends; I would beseech you, by all means to guard against this now, even against that which was good Baruchs tentation, to affect to be great, or to seek great things for your selves; but learn to be content with what ye have and to rest satisfied with the condition tha [...] God hath [...]ut you in. 2ly. Beware of ex­ces [...]e, and prepost [...]ou [...] desires, to eshew all [Page 74] trouble, and what may bring you under sufferin [...] in your Persons, Estates or Goods, for this hat [...] in it much of an inordinat Selfie respect to you [...] own interest; the Disciples of Christ are ca [...] led to be always ready to forsake all these thing [...] for his sake, and to deny themselves, and to tak [...] up their cross and follow him; and such as den [...] not themselves, will never be in a holy read [...] ness to take up the Cross; I deny not, but that it' [...] Duty for men, to see to their own preservation so it be done soberly, and by lawful means; ye [...] I think God is angry with the People of Scotland, for too peremptory laying down this as [...] ground, & for sticking too tenaciously by it, tha [...] they may, and must take every way, and us [...] whatsoever mean, without examining the warrantableness of it, to escape suffering, as if i [...] no case they were called to suffer; It's true, w [...] should not draw on suffering upon our selves, nor run rashly upon suffering, when we are no [...] called to it; but when Christ brings the Cros [...] to our door, and calls us to suffer, we shoul [...] willingly undergo it; and if this were once solid­ly resolved on, it would lay and calm many un­necessary, and disquieting debates amongst us [...] but many first lay down this for a conclusion that they should not, that they must not suffer, and accordingly solve all their doubts, and de­bate all matters so, as they may not suffer; this certainly doth manifestly and mightily, tend to the feeding and fostering of Self, and will doubt­less prejudge solid spiritual Peace; and would therefore be watchfully guarded against. 3ly. Beware of unnecessary ingadging your selves in the contentious debates, and questions of this [Page 75] time, the particular nature whereof, I will not [...]ow speak to; I shal only say, as they tend but [...]ittle to edification, so very probably they tend much to the fostering and cherishing of corrupt [...]elf; and Self getting men once ingadged, it will make them very greedily to maintain, and stand [...]y what they are ingadged in, if not also strive [...]o lay the more and more weight upon it. [...]ly. Guard against adventuring hastily, and rash­ [...]y to vent what new opinions ye take up at such [...] time, and against seeking Selfily, or from affecting [...]ovelty to propagat them; for Selfiness will here [...]lausibly insinuat it self, and suggest, that it's [...]ot fit to smother such new light & opinions; and herefore, when debates about new things arise, [...]eedless debates, Which (as the Apostle sayes) [...]oes but gender contentions and strifes about words, [...]nd when ye think that ye have win to be clear [...]bout them, beware of being too forward, and [...]ver busie, inventing your opinion of them, or [...]eeking to proselyte, and gain others to your [...]pinion and way, but as the exhortation is, Rom. 15.2. Let us not please our selves, but let [...]very one of us please his neighbour, for his good, [...]o edification, even as Christ pleased not himself; And before ye vent any such opinion to others, [...]onsider well, if it be profitable and edifying to [...]hem, and seasonable for such a time; or whether [...]t may not be better, though the thing were certainly a truth in it self, to have the faith of it to your selves [...]efore God, (as the Apostle will Rom. 14. [...]) than by unseasonable venting of it [...]nd rigid p [...]essing of it on other tender Christi­ [...]ns, who are not so clear about it, to disturb [...]heir spiritual repose; this would certainly [Page 76] be found, to be a sober & suitable Christian way, not to be swayed only, by what is our own ligh [...] and opinion about such a thing, but also to regard, what may edifie one another, For th [...] Kingdom of God consists not in meat and drink (or in questions about unnecessary things) b [...] in righteousness, peace, and joy in the holy Ghost and yet these debates that were in the Apostle dayes, were as material as any of ours are now as being about some parts of the ceremonial Law of Gods own institution, not then utterly anti­quated; which yet turned into vain janglings when they diverted them from their main wor [...] of building up themselves in the most holy Faith and edificing of one another in Love; Christians may be Ignorant of several things, that they take up too much of their time about, and be no­thing the less acceptable with God, and no les [...] useful and profitable amongst his People, and therefore we would look well that we foster not Self at this time, in these things, but study to deny our selves, and take up our cross and follow Christ, and to know these things that concern the kingdom of God mainly, and then let in­feriour, lower, and less necessary things come in, in their own time, and place convenient.

WHatever be the Spiritual Evils, Maladies and Dis­tempers, under which the followers of Christ labour, it is a great advantage to dis [...]ern and take up aright the Causes of them, and the Springs whence they flow, in that case, they may be the more easily cured; Ther­fore our blessed Lord Jesus, the great Healer, and infinitly skilful Physician, who knows best how to cure all these Spiritual Diseases, and Distempers (which often abound amongst His Followers) having in Peters carriage, a clear evidence and proof, how easie it is to withdraw the neck and shoulder from his yock, and to de­cline Duty, and flinch from it, in the hour of Tentation; and being about to make a notably edifying, and profitable use of it to all his fol­lowers, in the succeeding Ages of the Church; he (as it were) searcheth into, and maketh clear discoveries of the rise of this evil disease of back-drawing from Duty in a time of tryal, and shews the bitter Root whence it Springs, and then applyes the remedie.

In the Words, he points at the cause of mens [Page 78] back-drawing from Duty, in a trying time especially, viz. Their being too much taken [...] with, and swayed by some one Selfie respect [...] another, or by some inordinat regard to the [...] selves; this was the very thing, that made Pet [...] to stagger and stumble, and our Lord on th [...] occasion plainly signifies, that this is the stron [...] pull-back of his followers, and the great obstructer of them, in their ready and resolute following of him, in all called for Duties, at any ra [...] of hazard; and therefore he proposeth it, as the first and main thing, that is to be taken a cours [...] with, and overcome, even this carnal and corrupt disposition of Spirit, Self-seeking, where by men naturally are more swayed, than by respect to God, and to his Glory; and he laye [...] it for a sure ground, that none can make pro­gress in following of him, till that obstruction be some what at least removed, and rolled out o [...] the way, which if it lye still unremoved there will unavoidably be stumbling, and not a fol­lowing of Christ, as it becomes Disciples.

We took up this great obstruction in these three Branches; The first whereof is, That there is such a Corruption even in Believers; as to be much affected, swayed, and influenced in what they do, by a Selfie principle; to be off, or on at Dutie, according as somewhat of Self is con­cerned, or not, to be more swayed by that than by the Duties that are called for from them, or by the right end thereof, or by the Rule which is given them to follow. The 2d. Branch is, That this Corruption of Selfiness does often wind, steal, and insinuat it Self in upon the most Spi­ritual Duties of the most Spiritual and Holy Fol­lowers [Page 79] of Christ; and did accordingly subtilly [...]nsinuat it self on Peter, in as sublimely spiritual [...]nd greatly momentuous a matter, as ever was [...]eard of in the World, even our Lords execut­ [...]ng of his Fathers Command, in the great Work of Redemption, and laying down of his Life for his Elect; and whilest he is about the perform­ [...]ng of what belonged to him, as his part of the Covenant of Redemption: Even then (I say) [...]his Corruption creeps in on Peter, and makes him, under a very specious pretext, by propos­ [...]ing a most unseasonable, and prejudicial over­ture to his Master, to become an offence to him, though he that was like us in all things except Sin, was a brazen wall against the Tentation, so that it could not possibly take upon him; yet it says this much, that this subtill Corruption may steal in on the best of Christians, since it did so on Peter, and that immediatly after his giving of a most solemn and celebrious confession of his Faith in Christ, and of him; of these two Branch­es, we have already spoken.

The Third follows now to be spoken of, which is, That wherever this Corrupt Self bears sway and dominiers in men, it utterly marrs, and ob­structs them in following of Christ; It is that which lets and impeds their Sanctification, and Obedience in Duties called for from them, in their following Jesus Christ; or ye may take it thus; This Selfie Corruption, or corrupt Selfi­ness, whereby men do prefer, and oppose them­selves to God, and his will, and to the concerns of Jesus Christ, hinders, and obstructs, and (as it were) myres them in their following of Christ so that they never win up to it, while this cleaves [Page 80] and sticks to them unmortified; therefore when ou [...] Lord was giving Directions to his Disciples, how they may win to follow him; he first (as I said proposeth this as the great impediment, that must be taken out of the way, else they canno [...] come after him, nor are meet to follow him; This is so very clear, in the whole current of th [...] Scripture, that when it speaks of this Self, an [...] of Christ, the one of them is opposed to the other, as 2 Cor. 5.15. To live to our self, and to live to Christ, are opposed as inconsistent; so Philip. 2.21. It's said, that all men seek their own things, and not the things that are Jesus Christs; Where seeking of our own things, and the things of Christ are opposed, as incompatible; and Rom. 16.18. Serving of mens selves, and their own bellies, is opposed unto, as utterly in­consistent with serving Christ; they that are such (sayeth the Apostle) serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies: I shall further clear and confirm this truth in Three general instances, 1. Let us look to the way that Christ calls to walk in, and let a man advise with flesh and blood, and follow the counsel that corrupt Self gives; and it will be found to speak quite ano­ther thing than what is the mind of Christ; there­fore, the Apostle Paul says, Gal. 1.16. That in following of Christs call, he consulted not with fl [...]sh and blood; Intimating this much, that if he had consulted with flesh and blood, it had been long ere he had obeyed his call, if at all; flesh and blood has quite another language, as Christ says to Peter in the verse preceeding the Text, Thou savourest not the things that be of God, but the things that be of men. The breath of flesh [Page 81] has (to speak so) another smell, another scope and end than the breathing of the Spirit of Christ hath. 2ly. If we look to the matter of Faith in Christ, we will find it very clear, for flesh and blood, or this Corruption of Selfiness, is the great obstruction that keeps men from be­lieving; what, I pray, kept the Jewes, and what keeps all others, while in their natural state, from submitting to the Righteousness of Christ? even this, That being ignorant of Gods righteousness, they go about to establish their own righteousness, and so submit not themselves unto the righteousness of God; It's mens natural self-esteem, the good opinion, and conceit of their own righte­ousness, which they cannot find in their heart to quite and forgo, but stick tenaciously by it, and glory in it, as that which will not miss to justifie them before God, and procure his ac­ceptance; This, this is the great Rock of Offence whereon the Jews stumbled long ago, and where­on multitudes in the visible Church, do at this day stumble, and break their necks, and come never up to a sincere closure by Faith, with the righteousness of Christ. 3ly. It will yet be fur­ther clear, if we look on suffering for Christ and for the Truth, which is the more immediat scope aimed at by our Lord here; There is a very plausible, proper and pertinent-like tent [...]tion that comes in the way of suffering, Master, be it far from thee, this shall not be unto thee, pity and spare thy self, and in sparing thy self, spare us; There is such a prevalent inordinat love to ones Self, that as Satan said of Job, in a calumniating way, Skin for skin, & all that a man hath will be give for his life; So we may say, what will not a [Page 82] man give, do and adventure on to spare and pre­serve this self? nothing is so precious and dear to the man, as that wherein Self is concerned; which was that which the false Apostles so much valued and sought after, (as Paul shews, Gal. 6.1, 2.) and from immoderat love to it declin­ed suffering; and is it not obviously to be seen, in our ordinary practice? we love not to sail against crosse winds, to be Religious, when they that depart from iniquity, make themselves a prey; and to hold fast Christs name, and not to deny his Faith, where Satan dwells, and hath a throne, and where such as Antipas Christs faith­full Martyrs, are put to death, we have no like­ing of.

For yet furder clearing of this matter, I shal speak a little to these two things. 1. To the corrupting influence that Selfiness has on Duty. 2ly. To the reason of it.

As for the first, The corrupting influence that selfiness has on Duty; let us try Dutie from the very rise, to the close of it, in our following of Christ, and we will find that it hath such an in­fluence on it all along, whether we consider Du­ty, in reference to our selves that perform it, or in reference to God, to whom it is perform­ed: first, Consider Duty, in reference to the performer of it, and behold the corrupting influence of Self. 1. In discerning Dutie, Selfie­ness will readily shut out light, and shuffle by many things to get some pretext for walking con­trary to what light points out as Duty, if it should even go with Balaam, to seek after new light, not holding with the clear light that it hath al­ready gotten; and if it dar not go directly against [Page 83] that light, yet it will un-necssarily adventure on re-examination of it, secretly wishing, and [...]eeking after another light; In this case, it's just [...]ith God, when men out of love to Gain, or [...]erferment, or somewhat else of that kind, will [...]ot submit to Duty clearly holden forth to them, [...]ut will needs seek after new Light, To answer [...]hem according to the idol of their own hea [...]t; Thus it was with that wretched Prophet, and it [...]ay be so with others, less or more. 2ly. Look [...]o it in mens following of Duty, and there it will be found so to obstruct and langle them, as it were, that they cannot run the way of Gods Com­mandments, till the loins of the mind, the affec­tions, and this especially be girded up, as the Apostle exhorts, 1 Pet 1.13. 3ly. This Cor­ruption hath such influence, that it will much blast a person in Duty, I mean, it will not only unfit, & indispose him for it, but it will make him dry and dead, in the performance of it; as the Apostle insinuats it to have been with those false Teachers, who preached themselves, they had Words but wanted the Power. 1 Cor. 4.19, 20. And as it may be thus in Preaching, so it may be in Prayer, and other Duties of Worship; in Christians conversing together for mutual edifi­cation, it will readily make their discourse fro­thy and little profitable, and turn all, as it were, into empty sound. In the Second Place, as it blasts and corrupts Duties by it's influence these ways, in reference to the performer of them; so in reference to God, to whom they are per­formed several ways; As 1. it makes the most precious Duties in themselves to be accounted but as sins before God, so Zach. 7.5. The Lord be­speaks [Page 84] his profest People thus, When ye fasted and mourned, did ye at all fast to me? Thus it was with the Pharisees, their publick and long prayers, which were gone about to be seen of men, and to compass some one or other selfie design; that which they looked on as acceptable Duty, the Lord accounts the very ground of a challenge; and indeed it's both a just and great ground of challenge, when corrupt Self gets Gods room and place. 2ly. As it changeth, in a manner, the very nature of the Duty, so in some respect, it destroys and annihilats it; Thus Ephraim is ac­counted to be an empty vine without fruit, be­cause he bringeth forth fruit to himself. 3ly. It de­prives the man of Gods gracious reward; as the giving of a little aims, if it were but a cup of cold water, in the name of a disciple loseth not it's re­ward; so when much more is given from a car­nal and selfie principle, as to be seen of men, it hath no reward; yea, when men come, as it were, to the very top of Duty, if it be performed on this account, it hath no reward following, but such as they will ruse themselves little of, verily (sayeth the Lord) they have their reward; and to this purpose sayes the Apostle, 2 Cor. 9.17. If I do this thing willingly, I have a reward, that is, if I go about my Duty of Preaching the Gos­pel sincerely, I may humbly and confidently ex­pect the reward; but if otherwise, I cannot: what shall I say more of the wofull influence of this corrupt Self? It is a great breaker of the peace; it's a mighty obstructer of inward peace and joy; This is our rejoycing (sayeth the Apo­stle 2 Cor. 1.12.) the testimony of our conscience that in simplicity, and godly sincerity, we have [Page 85] had our conversation in the world; insinuating plainly thereby, that if he had been without this sincerity, and had made himself his end, he could not have had either joy or peace; This may serve to confirm this part of the Doctrine.

We come now to the 2d thing proposed for clearing of this Point, to wit, The Reasons why, or how it comes to pass, that selfiness hath such a corrupting hand in, and influence upon mens Duties, yea, often in a great measure, even up­on the Duties of Believers. 1. It proceeds from the nature of this Corruption, which is such that it hath more universal influence than other Corruptions, it runs thorow all Duties, and more or less spoils them, it hath a hand (to say so) in every ill turn; other Corruptions run, some in this, and some in that channel, but this runs (as it were) in every channel, it's the great Idol, to which all the demi-gods of lesser idols bow, and submit themselves; it, as it were, sway­eth it's Scepter over them all; Thus when the Apostle James is drawing (as it were) a cata­logue of evils. Chap. 4. he sayes, whence come warrs and fightings amongst you? art they not from your lusts, that warr in your members? It is always some one selfie end and concern or another, that brings men in tops with the Rule of Dutie: If we look to schisms, divisions and offences, they will be found to come from this bitter root, Rom. 16.17, 18. Mark them that cause divisions (say­eth the Apostle) for they serve not our Lord Je­sus Christ, but their own bellies, and by good words and fair speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple; Thus it might be instanced in most, if not in all the particular miscarriages of men. 2ly. It pro­ceeds [Page 86] from the singularly great opposition of this Corruption to Grace, and the utter inconsistency of the one of them with the other, where this Self reigns, it's a non-such enemy, to the follow­ing of Christ; other Corruptions are but as Branches of this, and make sudden excursions by more transient acts, but this lyeth closs (as it were) in ambush continually, it lyeth at the root, for it contends with Christ for the Throne and prerogatives of his Crown; It's therefore more directly opposit to him, and inconsistent with his honour than other Corruptions, 2 Cor. 4. v. 5. 3ly. It's of a very corrupting influence, because of the pleasant flattering nature of it; there is so great sibness and affinity betwixt men and this Corruption, that it's therefore called Self; It has a kind of Dominion and Law over men, that they think they cannot with reason, nor without prejudice to themselves, refuse to comply with it's dictats; as is clear in that sad instance of our first Parents, Adam and Eve, the Aple is holden out by it, as pleasant to the eye, and good for food, and to make one wise, to know good and evil; The Selfie tentation sayes, it is so very desirable, and so good a thing, that it were unreasonable to refuse to eat of it, there is such a seeming suitableness and congruity betwixt men and Self, that there is no resisting of it except powerful Grace come in for inabling to with­stand and resist it; it has such a dominion, that all men out of Christ are living to themselves, This is their great scope, and end in all that they do, an [...] they think it's very reasonable, and suitable that it should be so.

The First Use of this serves for warning, That since this is so very fruitful a Corruption by it's great influence, and since it's so prevailing a Corruption, so often, and so much, that the greatest falls and miscarriages of, even Believers, may be drawn from this, as the special Spring and Fountain of them; we had therefore so much the more need to watch against it, that it wynd not it self so far in upon us, as to bear sway; for if it prevail, there will be little right in Du­ty; there will be little peace and tranquillity in the mind and Conscience; and little thriving in any thing that is good; if it be dark here, how great will the darkness be? We would there­fore by all means cast it out, that it steal not in to marr not only peace and comfort, but even Light it self: First, then when ye are consult­ing what to do in difficult Cases and Emergents, take heed and be aware of listning to Selfie argu­ments, pleading for, and pretending pity to Self. 2ly. Beware of it when it comes to the Duty, that when it prevails, not to diswade from the Duty, it go not along with you in it; there is need of watchfulness and singleness in the one, as well as in the other. 3ly. Beware of it when ye have done the Duty; for we may have some success in Duty, and yet by Selfiness and Self­tickling-reflections on it, when done, we may cast all down, and get our reward: In a more special manner, we would be aware of, and guard against Selfiness in these cases. 1. When the Tentation to it is most lively, and is readiest, and likliest to prevail and bear sway: sometimes there will be fewer motives and incentives to this Corruption, and then the hazard is not so great; [Page 88] but when it comes to the bussiness of suffering when corrupt nature, and carnal reason offer t [...] speak against the Duty, that's like to be waite [...] with Suffering, and plausibly to perswade the le [...] ting it alone; then beware of Selfiness; It is [...] strange word that Christ has to his Disciples Wo unto you when all men speak well of you; Tha [...] is, it is not only very ordinarly an evidence o [...] being in a wrong way; but it is also a kind of snare to men, though they be in the right way, or the thing be right that they are about. A 2d [...] Case is, When the Tentation suits our particu­lar humour and inclination, or when that to which we are tempted, agrees well with our more particular affections; it is no great matter for some to stand out against profest maligne oppo­sition to Godlinesse, nor for others to stand it out against Sectarian Errors, because their in­clination and affection swayes them so to do; but to stand it out against both, is another matter, and to keep our selves from our iniquity, (as David professeth he did, Psal. 18.23. Is a great mat­ter, and a special practique; It's nothing to stand out against that which (to speak so) is another mans tentation; but it's much to stand it out against a mans own proper tentation; As for instance, hundreths have gone over to the side of maligne opposers of Godliness, these years past, because their inclination swayed them to side with that sort of men; but they have need now to be upon their guard, that have been pre­served from the former evil, that they go not o­ver to the way of Sectaries, especially such whose inclination doth any way dispose them, to like of that way. A 3d. Case is this, When all things [Page 89] go well with persons, and they are fair before the wind, sitting quiet in much outward peace and case, as it was with David; who is then sooner prevailed with by tentations, as proudly to number the people, and to give way to his lust, and for hideing of that, to be accessory to the killing by the Sword of the Ammonites, faith­ful and valiant Uriah, (all proceeding from pre­vailling Self) Than when he was wandering up and down the hills and mountains, and had no place to hide his head in; It's harder in a time of case than in a time of trouble and hard exer­cise, to resist any Tentation, and a Tentation to Selfiness in particular: yea, this will hold e­ven in respect of Christians spiritual condition, when it is good, and when manifestations of God some way abound with them, as they did in a great and extraordinary measure and manner with holy Paul, 2 Cor. 12. They are then in emi­nent hazard to be puffed up; and after being in such a condition by not watching against this Self, have got sorer and more dangerous wounds, than when their bands have been straiter. A 4th Case is, When the Tentation to Selfiness is near, and offers us a fit reason, and opportunity for gratifying of Self, for sometime the Tentation to Selfiness will seem to be far away, and may be so comparatively, and then the hazard is not so great, as when it comes very near, and close up to us, we would at least then stoutly resist it; Thus, Act. 14. When the People of Lystra came to offer Sacrifice to the Apostles, as if they had been gods, tempting them at a high rate to Selfiness, how was their spirit stirred? And how did they shew their dislike of, and indignation [Page 90] at it, by renting of their cloths? So when all the People were in expectation of the Messiah, and were wondering what a man John Baptist might be, John Chap. 1. Then, in that very nick of time, did he confess and not deny, but confessed, that he was not the Christ; and so resolutly resisted the Tentation to Self-seeking: I say, in the case of particular, and present Tentations, men are in much greater hazard to be prevailed over by this corrupt Self, than when Tentations to it are at a greater distance as Herod, when the people cryed out, at his Oration to them, the voice of God, and not of man, he is so taken and tickled, with this sacrilegious and blasphemous applause, and so puft up with proud Self, that the true and jealous God falls on him instantly, stricks him dead, by contemptible worms; Tentation at a distance may more easily be resisted, but not so easily when it comes near, and, as it were, whis­pers a man in the ear, (as Peter did our Lord) then it would be inte [...]tained, as he did Peter with a get thee behind me Satan; we should not so much as listen to the Tentation, nor come in talking, let be in treating terms with it; many by too good an opinion of their own strength, so run themselves (as it were) in the myre, that they come not well, nor easily out again, and by the way, take it as one mean for preventing the prevailing of the Tentation, even to guard against lanching too far into it; we would hold back, and not enter into the depth of it, but keep near land, near the shore.

Before any further proceeding, let me speak a few words in application to this time; there are in our present Tentations, somethings visible [Page 91] and palpable, that call aloud on us, not to come near, but to keep at due distance; as if we con­sider in the first place, the principle that act­eth those men who have brought these Lands under subjection to them, and would now have us making our selves accessory to the same guilt with them; it were good that we took notice of the Apostles words, Rom. 16.18. These men serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own bellies, and by fair words, and good speeches, deceive the hearts of the simple; a Tentation may come to us under very good words, and fair speeches, and yet if we look well to the design, and drift of it, we will find it to be Selfie; the principle so much talked of, and magnified is called Self-preservation, but it may more fitly be called, pre­serving of themselves, in their power and greatness. 2ly. If we consider the means that they make use of, and the ways and methods which they follow, we will find that the prospect is, to be great, to be the head, and not the tail, and to be sole Masters; and indeed it were a wronging of our light to deny, that [...]elfiness is prevalent here; That it is this which puts them to take such and such measures, and not others, and to give such and such orders is too, too p [...]lpable; and if they walk on this ground, ye are concern­ed to be aware. 3ly. If we look to the great mo­tive, that pousseth on the Tentation, we will find it to be Selfiness; on the one side, there is utter ruine and undoing, and this hath great weight with Self; on the other side, there is great gain and advantage, much peace, ease and freedom from trouble, and these are very take­ing with Self; I grant these things considered ab­stractly, [Page 92] and in themselves, are not evil, yet a [...] Selfie motives and would therefore be the bett [...] weighed. 4ly If we consider the effect that these have upon the multitude, it will be soun [...] to speak out much Selfiness; what is it that mak [...] all Scotland, Shyres and Burghs so willing an [...] ready to send out their Commissioners, but th [...] weight that a Selfie Tentation hath with them that if they do it not, it will be worse with them So then, when regard to Self predominantly influenceth all, we are called to look well how w [...] ingadge & how we go on; for it will not ordinarly be found that Christs mind & Self agree well together, nor that ever Christs mind, & natural hear [...] so universally accorded; It was never so seen in Scotland before, at least we never saw it so be­fore, when People were called to appear for the good and advantage of Religion, and of the King­dom; Therefore ye had need so much the more to fear, when ye see the principle to be Selfie, the means and motives to be Selfie, and when ye see them taken so well with, & to have such an effect upon the Multitude, pose and put your own hearts to it; if upon the one hand, ye were delivered from hazard; and if upon the other hand, there were not such temporal advantages, whether it be not very probable ye would not be so soon clear to meddle in this matter; & when men are called to Act, they, no doubt, are concern­ed to be so equally poised, that the Ballance may not be cast only upon such a ground as that; and to be so Single, as they may have peace in their own Consciences toward God.

But it may be Asked here, how can this Ten­tation be known, when any thing offers it self [Page 93] to us, under a fair and specious pretext, and yet is nothing else but Self? For Answer, I say, it may be known, and I shal from Peters way here, give some few marks, whereby it may be known; First, then it walketh, and is more swayed by events, than divine Rules of Duty; therefore, when our Lord is called in duty, to go to Jeru­salem, and gives an account of what is to befall him there, Peter sayes, Far be it from thee, Lord, this shall not be unto thee; Whereas Singleness looks by, and over events to Duty, as it did in Paul, Act. 21. who would needs go to Jerusa­lem, notwithstanding all the most importunat, mournful and heart-breaking disswasions of his Christian Friends, from going thither, because of what Agabus foretold he was to meet with, declaring himself ready, not only to be bound but to die there for the name of the Lord Jesus; I will not say, but the consideration of Events may have it's own weight in mens consultations, espe­cially about their temporal affairs, but it's dan­gerous, and unsafe to take them for grounds of clearing the Conscience about Duty. 2ly. This Tentation to Selfiness doth ordinarly lay more weight upon what deals with, and moves the Affections, than on what clears and convinceth the Judgement and Conscience, by sound rea­son; If thou do this or that, it will be waited with such and such hazard and prejudice, and if thou wilt forbear, thou shalt have such and such advantage by the forbearance; Peter is much here in pathetick disswading, but offers no rea­son; so it's said of these false Teachers, Rom. 16. v. 18. That they deceived with good words, and fair speeches, There was more plausible insinu­ations [Page 94] on the affections, than any strength of solid reason, and argument. 3ly. This Tenta­tion loves better to round in the ear, and in se­cret, than to shew it self in the light, and more publickly; Thus Peter here takes our Lord aside, and rounds his advice in his ear, being unwilling to bring it under publick consideration, and can­vassing, (forgetting that he had dealt with one who was not capable of being taken in the least, with the most secret subtile and plausible Ten­tation:) Hence oftentimes men will not only bring over themselves, but others also to com­ply with a Tentation, by that which they dar not bring forth to the Light, and to open view; motives working on the affections, may some­times do in secret, but when a thing comes to light, and above board, then there must be rea­sons brought forth, which being wanting, this Tentation deals by motives, (as I said) in se­cret; There are but few cogent reasons brought to induce us to acknowledge these men that will rule over us, but many motives: if we do it not, this & that, and the other piece of suffering will follow upon our refusing, and is it not best, we be all one? and the like, no satisfying evi­dence given that the thing is night. 4ly. This Tentation is ordinarly violent, it cannot indure to be contradicted, or opposed; it enters into men with a mighty for [...]en [...]an [...] spea [...], so that the clearest word from Scripture will not so convince, as to divert from complying with it, nay, they will not be taken off till God himself powerfully convince and rebuke, as we may see in Ba [...]aam (and Peter himself must be rebuked with a sharp get thee behind me Satan,) and this comes to [Page 95] pass from the influence that this subtile Self hath, on prejudging of mens light, as it's said of a gift, [...]hat it blinds the eyes of the wise, and perverts the understanding of the prudent; It makes a man so partial, as he will step over clear and convincing Reasons, and yet not observe himself doing so, neither will he suffer to be contradicted; There­fore let this warn you, to look well how ye be­have in these times, and that ye weigh things singly, and impartially, as in the sight of God; There will be but little advantage found in all the motives that are brought for life, and the conveniencies and accommodations of it, when the truth of what our Lord sayes shall fully ap­pear, He that saves his life, shall lose it; keep then O! Keep at a distance from every thing, that may indanger the life of your Souls, or wound your Peace.

The 2d Use serves to exhort you to beware of intertaining and harbouring this Corruption, as well as of letting it in; for it's of such a nature, that where it once gets entry, it still presseth, and in more gross wayes to be further in; and it keeps life and vigour, as long as any Corruption; and therefore, If we think our selves concerned to keep it out, we should do much more, to cast it out.

But there are a few Questions, that occurr here to be spoken to. The First whereof is, whether or not this Corruption can consist with Grace? Ans. Ye must distinguish this, as other Corruptions; there is a sort of Selfiness that hath dominion, is un-interrupted, and carrieth full sway; & there is a Selfiness that hath not domi­nion, but is in part subdued, interrupted, op­posed, [Page 96] wrestled with, and protested agains [...] The first sort we find to have been in the Ph [...] risees, who were poisoned and swelled with [...] at that height, that it quite spoiled all their Dutie [...] the other sort doth now and then set up it's he [...] in Peter, in the Sons of Zebedee, and the oth [...] Disciples, but it is born down, and issueth in [...] sad challenge: So then for a direct and short a [...] swer to the question, we say that Selfiness in it Reign and Dominion cannot consist with Grace being so considered, it is directly opposed t [...] Christ, and allowed to take his room; and [...] an evidence, and distinguishing Character of [...] graceless man, from a sound Believer, whose desire, design and endeavour it is, being constrain­ed thereto, by the love of Christ, not to live henceforth to himself, but to him that died for him; but the Selfiness that is in part subdued, inter­rupted, opposed, wrestled with, and protested against may consist with Grace, as is clear in Pe­ter, and others of the Saints, and even singular­ly Self-denyed Paul was in hazard to be puft up with the aboundance of Revelations, though Grace bare it down.

The 2d Question is, Whether a Believer may attain that length, as to be freed from Selfiness, in any Duty that he performs? I Answer, That a Believer cannot in any Duty, be absolutely free from all S [...]lfiness; for being but in part renew­ed, he is propor [...]ionably but in part Self-de­nyed; yet beside that, it cannot have domini­on over him as no other Corruption can, he may, th [...]ough Grace, come to have a great hand over it, so that it shall not much prevail, yea, by his protesting against it, by his vigorous op­posing [Page 97] of it, and wrestling with it, and by his [...]slyking of it, and lamenting over it, he may [...]n, and doth oftentimes, to a considerable vic­ [...]ry over it, and to a good measure of single­ [...]ess in his Duty, but never deliberatly, and al­ [...]wedly proposeth it to himself, as the great [...]ope he aims at, as the natural man doth.

A 3d. Question is, May not a natural man, a [...]ypocrite discern Selfiness, be challenged for it, [...]d some way wrestle against it? and if so, what [...]fference is there betwixt Selfiness in the Hy­ [...]ocrite, and the Believer? I say, for Answer, [...]hat the furthest length that the natural man [...]meth, in the discerning of Selfiness, he falls [...]ort of, and so differs from the Believer in these [...]ree things. 1. The Hypocrite, or natural man [...]ay discern that Selfiness which is more gross, so [...] he may take up the motive whereby he is main­ [...], if not only swayed to Duty; he may discern [...]mself to do, or forbear such a thing, which he [...]ould not do, or forbear, if Self were not concern­ [...]; As Pilat might have discerned, and belike [...]d discern, that it was Selfie respect to Cesar, [...]at made him deliver Christ to be crucified, and [...]alaam very probably discerned, that it was [...]ve to the Gold, that made him so very desir­ [...]us to go with the Messengers of Balak; and Saul, when he persecuted David, knew that [...]avid was more righteous than he, and that the [...]eason of his persecution was the bussiness of [...]he Kingdom; but the natural man, or hypo­ [...]rite hath not a discerning of Selfiness in the [...]oot, as well as in the Branches of it; which [...]he Believer hath, when in any measure in case, [...]nd at himself; The natural man discerns not th [...] [Page 98] Self-inclination of his nature, judging himsel [...] be, because of it, sold under the same, and gro [...] ing under it, as being the very slave to it; T [...] the Believer attains through Grace, suitably his gracious state; but never the hypocrite, [...] if at any time, the hypocrite wrestle against S [...] it is not against it as his end, he may well straitned, and difficulted, in his choice of mi [...] to come by his end; as Balaam was, whether go, or stay, forward, or backward; but [...] Believers wrestling is against it, as his end [...] The Hypocrite comes short in this, that any [...] cerning that he hath of Self, is nor universal, [...] may discern it in some few of it's Branches, [...] in some few of his actions, but not in all, no [...] most, for he hath nothing to discern Self w [...] but Self, and a selfie-eye is not fit to discer [...] Selfie Root; and therefore there is always so [...] thing, yea, much that he seeth not; he is [...] challenged for all the Branches of it, for [...] as well as another, which he would be, [...] he had a savingly inlightned Mind and Con [...] ence to discern and challenge for all, [...] most readily he is not challenged when S [...] is more subtile, and (to say so) spiritual, [...] contradicts not Duty, but more insensibly ste [...] in on him, as it was in that case of the pro [...] Self-seeking Pharisee, Luke 18. Who said, a [...] all had been right, and nothing wrong, God, thank thee, &c. 3ly. A natural man comes sh [...] as to the discerning of Selfiness in the matters [...] Faith; he may possibly discern it, when he p [...] himself in the room of God, or his Self-en [...] when it is more gross, but when it comes to re [...] ing [Page 99] on something in Self for Salvation, or to stick­ [...]ng to somewhat in Duties, and in the most spi­ [...]tual Duties, he doth not discern this; and the [...]eason is, because that which manifests this is [...]piritual Light, and it is the Spirits Work to con­ [...]nce of not believing on Christ; and a natural [...]an being under the Covenant of Works, and [...]he obligation thereunto, as such being his rule, [...]nd he not being inlightned according to the co­ [...]enant of Grace, there is nothing in the cove­ [...]ant of Works, that clearly discovers to him this [...]orruption in the matter of Faith: Answerable [...] these three, in as far as the natural man hath [...]ght, he may be challenged, and some way [...]rive against Selfiness, but no further; he may [...]restle against a particular Idol, but not against [...]l Idols; and when he wrestles against that same [...]dol, it is but one part of Self-wrestling against [...]nother part of Self; and when he strives or [...]restles faintly, as it may be, or rather, when [...]elf-love wrestles against Selfiness in such and [...]uch a Duty, it is but Self wrestling against Self; [...]s we may see in Balaam, who, when he sees the [...]ngel, and is feared for his life, he will go back [...]gain, but not from any discerned and hated [...]elfiness, but from a new fear of Self-hazard; [...]nd accordingly, when he had no hope to pre­ [...] all thereby, he leaves off his divination, and yet [...]bides not at this resolution; but his heart keep­ [...]ng the Corruption still living, he gives wicked [...]dvice to Balack for bringing the People of God [...]nto a s [...]are and unde [...] his wrath thereby; So then [...]he greates [...] o [...] all [...]ge that a Hypocrite can have [...]or Selfiness, [...] bu [...] i [...] some particul [...]r Act, and [...]is wrestl [...]ng i [...], but (as I said) by one piece [Page 100] of Self against another, or by one Idol or [...] against another; that which makes the wrestl [...] is something competing with that which would fain be at; it is not how to get him born down, but rather how to get himself [...] or keept up; as in other cases might be clear [...] whether a Hypocritical Balaam go backward forward, whether he curse or bless, he [...] seeks himself; he turns himself to bless, wh [...] he is restrained from cursing, he seeks not a [...] divination, when he sees that God will not su [...] it to succeed, yet still rotten at the heart, this reigning Corruption of Self, turn himsel [...] he will, and alter his case as it may, it must ways contribute to that, as his great end.

There is a 4th Question of affinity with [...] former; how does this reigning Self in a Hy [...] crite differ from subdued Self, in some measu [...] in the Believer? and how may this difference known? I answer, first, Selfiness in the Hy [...] crite is the great thing that bears him up, [...] puts him forward in his Dutie, (and as it wer [...] prompts him to it; and when this wind of te [...] tion blows, he goes actively about his duty, [...] sails fair before the wind; but when that wh [...] ceaseth, he is quite becalmed, and faggs; [...] Selfiness greatly unfits the Believer for Duty The Hypocrite always prays best, when there [...] many to hear him; but when Selfiness preva [...] over the Believer, frothiness and levity of spi [...] greatly impeds him, in spiritual performance [...] Thus Selfiness, in a sort helps the Hypocri [...] but hurts the Believer; and therefore, as it [...] good token, to find Selfiness an impediment, a [...] obstruction in the way of Duty, so it is an e [...] [Page 101] token, when a man finds himself, and that to his [...]isfaction, helped by it. 2ly A man in whom [...]lfiness reigns is satisfied, when he hath obtain­ [...] his end, which is himself; as when he hath [...]erfomed any Duty, and gets applause from [...]en, he is well pleased and satisfied; but where [...]elfiness is in part subdued in a Believer, [...] in any measure it prevail in the Duty, [...]hen he looks back on the Duty, he readily [...]es so much carnalness and selfiness in it, that it [...]ill prove a greater burden, and more weighty [...]xercise to keep him low, sober and humble, [...]an all the applause and success of the external [...]erformance can contribute to the blowing of him [...]p; and therefore it is an ill token, when men [...]re very well pleased and satisfied with their do­ [...]ng of Duty; and a good token, when men are [...]ot well pleased, nor satisfied either with them­selves, or with their own performances, but se­ [...]ously humbled under discovered Selfiness, Car­ [...]alness and short-coming therein. 3ly. Selfiness [...]n the natural man, or Hypocrite, is the thing that [...]e would fainest be a [...]; to get the good conceit & opinion of himself upholden, is his great desire and design; but Selfiness in the Believer, is that which he would fainest be freed from; there is nothing that stands so much in the Believers way [...]s this Corruption of Self doth, and there is no­thing that he covets more to be rid of. 4ly. Where Selfiness reigns, and has the Throne, men are impatient, (as I said a little before,) to be thuarted and contradicted; and if they fall to be contradicted, they become either quite faint and discouraged, or more carnal and proud: where Selfiness is in part subdued, Christians [Page 102] are glad, when at themselves, when they [...] with any thing that may humble them, and h [...] down that Corruption; not darring to be [...] content to meet with reproach, when it is wi [...] out their own Sin, or when a fault is told the for laying of their pride; Hence Paul, 2 Cor. sayes, That he will most gladly rejoyce in his [...] firmities, in troubles, persecutions and reproa [...] es; When he saw he could not well bear relations without somewhat to keep him low; a [...] (if I may so say) it is a kind of lightning Souls, in any good measure mortified to this Id [...] whilest they are wrestling against it, when [...] thing in providence falls in, and (as it were shames Selfiness, and helps them to beat it dow [...] it is made very welcome, as a thing which th [...] stood in need of; as David welcomed Abiga [...] who came seasonably to divert him from pros [...] cuting his rash, passionat and Selfy resolution [...] gainst churlish Nabal, and all the men of h [...] house. There is a 5th Question, which is thi [...] whether when Persons are so much haunte [...] with, and so frequently assaulted by Selfiness, whe [...] it so hangs on them, and besets them so easily i [...] every thing that they go about, that they cannot get it shaken off, whether (I say) in this cas [...] they should nor leave Duty, and let it alone? To which I Answer shortly, That the thing which should direct us in the point of Duty [...] neither Corruption within, nor Tentation with­out, but the Rule prescribing, and the command laying on the Duty; therefore they would be so far from giving way to this Tentation, for leav­ing off their Duty, that on the contrary, they would so much the more seriously and diligent­ly [Page 103] set about it: But it will be Objected, that [...]rsons so doing, will sin. I Answer, First, Per­ [...]ns may indeed sin, but it is accidentally, and to say so) in a circumstance, but they sin di­ [...]ctly, and in a manner madly against the com­ [...]nd, when they quite cast off Duty, because of [...]hering Selfiness. 2ly. In quiting Duty on this [...]ound, they fall into the same sin, they say they [...]ould eschew, and also into another with it; for [...]hat, I pray, is it, that keeps a person back [...]om Prayer (for instance) because of his fear [...] Selfiness, when he is called to it, but Selfiness [...]ontradicting the Command. 3ly. Though Per­ [...]ons sin necessarily (by a necessity they them­ [...]elves have contracted) in doing their Duty, [...]hrough a mixture of this Corrupt Self, yet not [...]o, as when they altogether give over Duty; for when Duty is in obedience to Gods Command gone about, Self gets not such way, nor doth it so much prevail, as when it is quite neglected; by neglecting of Duty, we bring our selves under the certain guilt of direct and down-right Re­bellion against a divine Command, to eschew an accidental sin, which also God might graciously, in a great measure prevent: I thought to have spoken a word here to you that know, or at least acknowledge no other rule, councellour or end, but flesh and blood, but carnal and corrupt Self; I shall only desire you, for the Lords sake, to consider, how sad your case must needs be, when all your meerly civil, and formal way in Religi­on shall be found to have referred to your self, only as your end, and when God shall say to you, when ye prayed, heard the Word, and read it, when ye did eat and drink, ye did not [Page 104] any of all these things to me; and yet this is the case, not only of the more grosly prophane, but also of all meerly legal and formal Person [...] pretending to Godliness, as if because of thes [...] external performances, God had by special Grac [...] differenced them from others, while in the mea [...] time, they still go about to establish their ow [...] righteousnesse, and quite neglect to make use o [...] Christs: If this Corruption of Selfiness be such an obstruction to Believers, what must it be to you, who live to your selves, as if ye had bee [...] born to your selves, nay, as if ye had given a being to your selves, who were never divorced, nor delivered from the dominion of Self? The Lord himself open your eyes, that ye may see the deplorableness of your state and condition.

YE may Remember, we drew these Words to Four Heads. 1. The great and main design, that such as would ingadge with Christ should have before them; even to come after Christ, and follow him. 2ly. The great obstruction that lyeth in the way of men, coming after, and following of Christ, and that is Selfiness, or inordinat regard to a mans Self; which makes him fall short in that Respect and [Page 105] Duty which he owes to Christ. 3ly. The Qualifica­tion that is required in, or the Duty that lyes upon the man that will come after, and follow Christ in three steps; every one of which quali­fies (to say so) another. 1. He must deny him­self. 2ly. Take up his cross. 3ly. Follow Christ. 4ly The necessity of this, Let him do it.

Of the First two, we have spoken already, and come therefore now to speak a word to the third, viz. The Qualification required in, or the Duty that lyes upon a follower of Christ, in these three steps proposed; The first whereof is Self-denyal; whence we Observe (the Words clearly give us the Doctrine) That is is requisit in all that would follow Christ, and give up their names to him to be his Disciples, that their chief work be to deny themselves; This is the first thing that he requires here, and the first step of the way, without which none can follow him, nor make any progress in their way of following him; for clearness cause, ye may take the Doctrine in these three Branches, or look upon it these three ways. 1. As it holds out Christs calling unto this, and his laying it on his followers, as a Duty, to deny themselves. 2ly. As it is a requisit qualification, fitting them for following of him; shewing, that Self-denyal is that which notably qualifies a Per­son to be a follower of Christ. 3ly. As it holds forth a necessity of the Duty, that a man must needs by any means deny himself, that would come after, and follow Christ; all the three re­turn to, and resolve in this, even the commend­ing of this Grace of Self denyal, and in pressi g the necessity of it; and therefore I shall speak of them complexly together. 1. By showing what [Page 106] Self-denyal is, 2ly. By clearing those three fore­mentioned Branches. 3ly. By making use of them; and all this will be the easier, and we may be the shorter in it, that we have spoken of the contrary corruption of Selfiness somewhat largely before.

For clearing then of the First of these, to wit, What is meant by Self-denyal; Consider First, what is meant by Selfiness, which is nothing else than a mans excessive, and inordinat regard to himself, and being too much swayed with Selfie-respect; and therefore to deny our selves, is to be abstracted from all inordinat Selfie-respects, and considerations, in the following of Christ, as if we had not a Self (to speak so) as if we had no reason, wit, will, nor parts of our own; so to be denyed to these, as if we had them not at all, or as they were not ours, or in us. 2ly. Consider how this word is used. 2 Tim. 3.5. Having a form of Godliness, but denying the power thereof; That is, though they make profession of Godliness, yet they no more care for the power of it, than if there were not such a thing; they have no regard in their life to God, but what­ever be their profession of him in word, yet in their works they deny him, as it is, Tit. 1.16. So that a man who is denyed to himself aright lives in respect of any inordinat estimation of, love to, delight in, and care for himself, and endeavours to walk as singly, in respect of these, as if no such affections, or passions were at all in him. 3ly. Consider, and compare some Scripture-phrases, and examples, and they will help to clear what Self-denyal is, as 1. That Phrase which we have, Heb. 11.24. in the example of Moses, By faith, [Page 107] Moses refused to be called the son of Pharaohs daugh­ter, and choosed rather to suffer affliction with the people of God; It is the same word in the Origi­nal that is used here, He denyed to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter; he had so little undue respect to his own ease, pleasure, profite, and preferment, that when the Tentation to these comes in his way, he walks as singly and self-denyedly, as if he had met with no such thing; when that Tentation assaulted him, he resolute­ly refused, and denyed to admit of it. A 2d Phrase we have in Pauls example, Gal. 6.14. God forbid, (sayeth the Apostle) that I should rejoyce save in the cross of Christ, whereby the world is crucified to me, and I unto the world; Oppos­ing therein his own single way, to the Selfie way of these false teachers, who preached circumci­sion to eschew the Cross, and shews what it was to be denyed in that way, Even to be crucified to the world, and to have the world crucified to him? So that the world had no more power to tempt him, than a dead man hanging on a Cross would have had. A 3d. Phrase we have, in the ex­ample of Levi, Deut. 33.9. Who said unto his father and mother, I have not seen him, neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children; In executing Justice, at Gods com­mand, he did it as impartially, and Self-denyed­ly, as if he had never seen Father nor Mother, Brethren nor Children, or as if he had been un­der no obligation, or tye of respect, by vertue of such near and dear Relations The 4th and last Phrase, we have in the person & example of David, Psal. 131. v. 2. I have (saith he) behaved and quitted my self as a child that is weaned of his [Page 108] Mother, my soul is even as a weaned child; Im­porting, That he had no sort of allowed inordi­nat purpose, project, or design in the world for himself, no more, in a manner, than a Child, but just now weaned from his Mother hath any project at all; but was ready to take off Gods hand, whatever he was pleased to dispense, and carve out to him; and that he was not swayed by any particular allowed inordinat respect to him­self, or by any finistruous selfie design, but wa [...] lying before the Lord, ready to receive, and take on any impression, that he should please to put on him. If now we lay these three together, we will in a good measure see, and understand, what Self-denyal, or a Self-denyed Person is, and what is called for from a man that would deny him­self in following of Christ; it's even to endea­vour to be as single, as if he had not a Self, and that he be denyed to all inordinat respects to, and considerations, dead in a manner, to all un­due Self-love, Self-pleasure, Self-advantage, Self-estimation, Self-design, Self-confidence, and the like.

In the Second place, for clearing it in these three Branches which we proposed. 1. We find Self-denyal called for as a Duty, as a fruit of new Obedience, and as a tye and obligation that lyes upon Christians, by vertue of Christs purchase; So 2 Cor. 5.15. Where living to our selves, and living to Christ are opposed; and not living to our selves, implyes a denying of our selves; and sayes the Apostle, 1 Cor. 6.19, 20. Ye are not your own, ye are bought with a price; Therefore let it not be your work to live to your selves, but to glo­rifie God in your bodies and in your spirits, which [Page 109] are Gods. 2ly. It is called for, as a great part, [...]nd someway as the whole of our likeness, and [...]onformity to Christ, who was the greatest ex­ [...]mple, and highest patern of the exercise of this Grace; and how often find we this thus pressed? [...]s Matth. 11.28. Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly of heart; and Philip. 2.5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus, And what was that? who being (sayeth the A­postle) in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, but made himself of no re­putation, and took upon him the form of a servant, &c. Herein did his wonderful Self-denyed stoup­ing appear, that being equal with God, he de­scended, as it were, from that height, to the very lowest step of humiliation, and so emptied him­self, and made himself in a manner nothing, in comparison of what he was; Let that mind there­fore be in you, sayes the Apostle; The same ex­hortation we have proposed, and pressed, Rom. 15.2, 3. Let every one of us please his neighbour, for his good to edification; for even Christ pleased not himself; but as it is written, the reproaches of them that reproached thee fell upon me; His ex­ample in this is proponed for our imitation, and we are called, and oblidged to study con­formity thereunto; see also how Christ presseth it upon his Disciples, John 13. v. 13, 14.15. Who, when he had washed their feet affection­atly, humbly, and Self-denyedly, sayes to them, I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

3ly. It is called for, as it is a requisit qualifi­cation of Christs followers; and so we come to the 2d Branch, which I proposed for clearing [Page 110] of this matter; Self-denyall fits and qualifies fo [...] following of Christ, and for all other Duties; [...] that before a man can to any purpose follo [...] Christ, he must needs be thus qualified; for th [...] clearing whereof, ye may consider, how it fi [...] and qualifies a man for any Dutie that Christ ca [...] him to. 1. In so far as it makes him single i [...] taking directions from Christ, and suffers him not to be byassed, by himself, or by Selfie respect to any thing within or without himself, an [...] this seems to be Christs great design, and scope as to Peter here, that before he can suitably follow him, he must be at a point with forgoing his life; Therefore in the following words, he says, whosoever will save his life, shall lose it, signifieing thereby, that a man that is not denyed to life; let be to the external comforts, con­veniencies, and accommodations thereof, is no in a fit capacitie to do the Duties to which Chris [...] calls him. 2ly. Consider, that as it qualifi­es for Duty, so it guards against snares; with the rightly Self-denyed man, death and life have no [...] great weight, that by which he is mainly swayed being conscience of Duty, & regard to the glory of Christ. He is so crucified to the world, and the world so crucified to him, that it hath little or no influ­ence on him, to make him flinsh, or draw back from what Christ calls him to; Therefore Paul sayes, Act. 20.24. In reference to Bonds, and Imprisonments, that were to attend him in every place; None of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear unto my self, so that I may finish my course with joy, &c. Selfiness exposes and casts a man open to many snares, and is like some in­tanglement, which Self-denyal rids him of de­livers [Page 111] him from, & guards him against; Therefore [...]e Apostle exhorting Timothy to this, tells him, [...]hat no man that goeth a warfare, intangles him­ [...]lf with the affairs of this life, The Self-denyed [...]an layes by all intanglements, that are ready [...]n every occasion to be pull-backs to him from Duty; he shakes off these, and so is free, for the [...]arfare that he is called to; or he is like to a [...]an, who being well armed is not much, if at [...]ll hurt by stroaks. Lastly. It qualifies by keep­ [...]ng the man in solid peace, and sweetly chear­ [...]ng contentment, in enjoying what he hath: and [...]as there is no greater discouragement, impediment [...]nd obstruction in following of Christ, than an­ [...]iety, fretting, and mal-contentment; So there [...]s no greater qualification fitting for following of him, than inward calm serenity and peace, a­rising from a holy Self-denyedness of Spirit; for such a man hath not (in a manner) a will or wit of his own to be thuarted and contradicted; he hath no Self-pleasure to be marred, no Self-credit to be robbed of, no Self-ease to be dis­turbed, no Idol to be bereft of; he is denyed, and dead, in a great measure to all these; Therefore Paul sayes, Philip. 4.11, I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content; He is meet for any condition, he can easily digest all things, and fret at nothing; He knows how to be abased, and how to abound, every where, and in all things; he is instructed to be full, and to be hungry, to abound, and suffer need, and can do all things through Christ who strengthens him; and v. 18. He has all, and abounds: A most ex­cellent and desirable qualification of a man who thus is, as one having nothing, and yet possessing [Page 112] all things; He hath no anxious perplexing pro­ject, nor disquieting fore-casting thoughts that he leans to, or depends on, but is content with whatever God gives him, and carves out to him; he hath no Selfie-designs, and so can meet with no great dissapointment; and therefore is fitted to suffer adversitie, and not to be cast down by it, and to bear prosperity, and not to be puft up by it; for he is not, as to his satisfaction bot­tomed on Creatures, but on Christ, and there­fore is neither up nor down, as the Creature-comforts ebb or flow, stay or remove, but rests on a solid foundation.

And so we come to the 3d Branch proposed, viz. The absolute necessity of this Grace or Du­ty, which will appear, if we consider these things. 1. The nature of Selfiness, and of Christs way, and how inconsistent the one is with the other, Selfiness, or living to our selves, and liv­ing to Christ, being, (as we shew) always op­posed one to another in the Scripture; Therefore a man must either deny himself, or deny living to Christ; when a man follows the counsel of Self; he rejects Christs counsel; where Self is taken in, Christ is keeped at the door; and where Self is set up, Christ is thrust down, and made, as it were, a stepping stone for Self to come at it's point, and as a stirrup for Self to mount to the Saddle by; Self subordinats all things to it self, and Christ among the rest, and therefore, whosoever would follow Christ, and live to him, must needs deny themselves. 2ly. Consider more particularly, the way wherin Christ calls his fol­lowers to walk, and the Duties that he requires of them, or the nature of the race that he wills [Page 113] them to run; and in every piece of it, we will find something opposit and contradictory to Self; look to believing in Christ, it destroyes Self, neither can domining Selfiness consist with it, it quite excludes all boasting on selfie accounts: Look to suffering for Christ, no man can take up the Cross and follow Christ, ti [...]l first he deny him­self; will any man, unless he be self-denyed in a considerable measure, think ye, hazard, or part with his House, Land, Estate, Wife, Children, or Life, for that which carnal wisdom and cor­rupt Self will be ready to represent, but as a little momentuous matter: as Peter said to our Lord, so it will be ready to say, Spare and pitie thy self; No, says Christ to Peter, and to all his followers, resolve to take up your Cross, and fol­low me; and in order thereto, deny your self, your ease, profit, pleasure, credit, &c. in a present World. 3ly. If we consider the manner of do­ing these Duties which Christ calls for, this qua­lification of them will be found to be necessary, yea, whether it be doing or suffering; we are called to follow him therein in a single sincere and denyed manner, if we would please him, not only to do Duty, but to do it from a right principle, and to a right end; not only to bear the Cross, but to bear it patiently, and chear­fully; will ever a man think ye follow and ho­nour Christ that way, if he get not victory over himself? will he suffer the loss of his Goods, and take the spoiling of them joyfully, if they be his Idol? will he suffer reproach for Christ, if he cannot indure to have the least word spoken to the prejudice of his name, on any account? will he endure to be put to wandering up and down, [Page 114] without any certain dwelling place, in hunger, and cold, and nakedness, if he be addicted to his ease, and pleasure? or will he hazard his Life, or turn his back on Houses, Lands, Wife, and Children, if his affections be inordinatly carried forth towards them? 4ly. Consider tha [...] the end which all Christs followers should have before them, whether in doing, or suffering, is exceeding inconsistent with Selfiness; for they are called to doing of Duties, in obedience to his command, and with regard to his honour, without incroaching, or trenching thereon; and when they have done all, and suffered to the yond most; they are not to esteem of themselves the more highly on that account, but to reckon themselves the more oblidged to Christ, who hath thus helped, and honoured them; and not to be as the Pharisees who did all to be seen of men; They had two great ends before them, in all they did, which he will by no means endure in his followers; one was estimation and applause from men, the other some merited reward from God; Therefore, in opposition to these, Christ says, Matth. 6.13. Let not thy left hand know what thy right hand does; in any good that ye do, be denyed to your selves, take no notice of it, as affecting estimation from it, as having confi­dence in it, let not your selves think that ye have done some worthy deed; For this end makes Duties that are good in themselves, to be as no Duties on Gods account; Ephraim is reput­ed an empty vine, when he brings forth fruit only to himself: Now before we come to the Use, take a word or two of Warning, or Caution; and 1. Consider, that when we speak of Selfiness, or [Page 115] Self, we speak not of it here, as it is taken for a sinful corruption in man simply, and in it self, but as it is lawful, yet venting it self inordinatly, and so sinfully; as a mans respect to his own well-being simply is lawful, but when it vents it self, (as I said) inordinatly, and sinfully it is un­lawfull, as when it comes in opposition to, or in competition with Christ, or any thing that is Christs; a man may, no doubt, lawfully seek to save his Life, or his Goods, or Name; but when it comes to this, that he must either hazard the loss of these, or wound his own Conscience, or the profession of Religion, or deny Christ a testimony, when called for; in that case, he must be, as if he had not a Life, Goods, or Name; or Credit. 2ly. Consider, That when we speak of Self-denyal, it is not so to be understood, as if a man could be compleatly, & perfectly denyed to himself, or as if he could be quite without the reach of being hurt by any Tentation to Selfiness; for, so long as corrupt nature, in the remainder of it, is in men, there will never be absolute perfection in Self denyal; but that which we mean is, that a man sincerely study to mortifie all inordinat respect to himself; That when a tentation to it assaults, he endeavour honestly to repell and refute it, and with holy peremptori­ness deny to grant what it se [...]ks, nay, to abomi­nat it, as Christ doth, that sinful and unseason­able motion of Peters, for saving his Life; This is it that the saints are called to, even when the Tentation cometh, to suppresse, bear, and beat it down: Thus, our Lord, John 21.18. nota­bly reconciles these two, when he sayes to Peter, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thy self, and [Page 116] walkedst whither thou wouldst, but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not; thus he spoke, signifying by what death he should glorifie God; Peter had a natural desire, not to die a violent death and therefore in this respect, was led whither he would not; yet it is said, that Peter, by laying down his life, and suf­fering a violent death, glorified God, because the debate he had with Self was decided in Christs favours, (to speak so) and the tenta­tion to pitie Self, was not hearkned to, but re­sisted and overcome.

In the third place, according to the method proposed, we come to to the Uses of the Doctrine, which are three, the first whereof shews what is the Duty that the followers of Christ are called to. The Second exhorts to it. The Third re­proves short-coming in it, and discovers the rise of this short-coming.

The First Use then serves to shew the great Duty that the follower of Christ is called to, or what a Christian should be, even a Self-denyed man; If we follow the Duty in application, it will be found to comprehend many things; more generally. 1. It is a complication of all, or at least of many Graces, and Duties, [...]s of Patience, Submission, Singleness, Sincerity, Meekness, Hu­mility, or lowliness of Mind, thinking well, and highly of God, and meanly of our selves. &c. As it is a complication of many Graces, and Du­ties; so 2ly. It is an antidot against many vices, and evils, against Pride, High conceit, Hastiness, Passion (which is not taken much heed to) Fret­ting, Grudging, Discontentment, Disquietness, [Page 117] Anxiety, and many moe evils, which we will not now particularize; But shall more particul­arly draw the Use to a few things, which the Scripture points at, and which a man must ne­cessarily be denyed to, or else he is not fit to follow Christ. 1. He must be denyed to the principles of carnal Reason, to his own wit, to the counsel of flesh and blood, he must not con­sult therewith (as the great Apostle tells us, Gal. 1.16. he heeded it not, and which is one of the main things intended here;) he must not be much up nor down, with external conveni­encies, or inconveniencies, or events, which carnal reason useth to stretch very broad. 2ly. He must be denyed to his credit and estimation, and in that, be like to a little Child; and in this respect, he that is Minister and Servant of all shall be greatest of all; he must nor be like the Pharisees, who sought the uppermost seats at feasts, and greetings in the market, Nor love, or seek to be called Rabbi, but he must be content to bear reproach, and not to fret nor canker under it. 3ly, He must be denyed to his ease, outward ac­commodation, or pleasure; he must not seek to please himself; his great design must not be to have, or maintain an easie life to himself in the World; but he must be content, to accept of any condition God carves out to him herein. 4ly. He must be denyed to his profit, as he must be cru­cified to all creature-comforts in general, so to this in particular; he must not seek his own things only, but the things of others also. 5ly. He must be denyed to his own Righteousness, Gifts, Priviledges and Parts, to his good works, and whatever is commendable, and good in him­self, [Page 118] and so account of himself, as if he had them not, counting all these things to be but loss and dung that he may win Christ, and be found in him. 6ly. He must be denyed to his own strength and ability, and to Self-confidence, deadned to eve­ry good thing in himself, so as to rest on it. 1 Cor. 1.9. We received (saith the Apostle) the sentence of death in our selves, that we might learn not to trust in our selves; Trusting in our selves, is a very ordinary fault, and it's a hard matter to go about Dutie, without lipning to our selves. 7ly. He must be denyed to all in­ordinat love and affection, to all near and dear natural relations, to Wife, Husband, Father, Mother, Children, Brother and Sister,, yea, and to his own life also, however love to these be not only lawful, but a commanded and com­mendable Duty, yet when they come in competi­tion with Christ, and any concern of his, we must carry towards them, as if we hated them.

The 2d Use serves for exhortation to this Du­ty; Take, O take Christ for your Patern, and learn at him, to deny your selves, and let his ex­ample be a motive to stir you up to it, as well as a Coppie and Patern for your imitation; For 1. Christ came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him. 2ly. In all his conversation, he pleased not himself; but, as it is written, the re­proaches of them that reproached his father f [...]ll on him 3ly. The manner of his deportment was in much patience, meekness and lowliness of Spirit, when he was buffeted he blessed & p [...]ayed even for his perse­cutors when he was spitte [...] o [...] & e [...]ed, he [...] evil [...] not again. 4ly. Let us look to him [...] Sufferings, O! how submissive is he there? F [...]her (sayeth [Page 119] he most sweetly) not my will, but thine be done; Was there ever such a Cup of Wrath put in the hand of any to drink, as was put in his? at which, though he had a sinless natural reluctance, yet he will not have a will of his own, in that case, but submits to his Fathers will; he will not hear on that ear (to speak so with reverence) but with his mouth he contradicts the sinless re­luctance, and aversion of his holy innocent hu­mane nature. 5ly. In a word, look to him in his Birth, all along in his Life, in his Suffering, and Dying, there is nothing in all these, but it speaks out somewhat of his denying himself: as all the steps and degrees of his humiliation, and stouping so very low, smells strong of Self-denyal, so they serve to teach his Disciples, how to fol­low him in that way, and to provock and stir them up thereto: Therefore, in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we exhort you to study this Lesson well, and to learn it of him; even to live so in the World, as if there were nothing in it to tempt you; to live as if ye were dead, & as if all were dead about you, in respect of being swayed by any inordinat respect to your selves; and so much the rather, because, at this time, God seems to be calling more especially to it, the Cross being at our door, to which there will be no kindly stouping without Self-denyall, Men will not without this indure to be troubled with quartering of Souldiers in their houses, let be to lose all they have in the wor [...]d which they have been long a winning; they will rather reason thus with themselves, What will become of us, and of our houses and families, if we hold by this, or if we do not the other thing? we will therefore [Page 120] comply, and not strive against the stream, & there­by bring ruine on our selves, and ours: make therefore Christ your Patern, and believe, that as he requireth this of you at all times, so in a special manner at this time, when the tryal is come, and Self fawns and hangs on us, pleading for Self-pity, and perswasion: And to presse the exhortation, consider the necessity of it, If any man (sayes the Lord) will follow me, let him deny himself; If ye think Christ worthy the fol­lowing, ye must resolve to part with Self; the young rich man must sell all that he hath, and take up his Cross, and follow Christ, or else part with Christ, and go back to the World, and that will be a woful parting; It is on this account ordinarily, that men part with Christ, whether it be eternally, or for a time only; such as will not deny themselves in Justification, they de­prive themselves of Christs Righteousness; such as will adhere to the World, will get no more; Selfiness made Demas forsake Christ, and imbrace a present World; It made many to preach cir­cumcision, to eschew persecution, and to take a wrong way in the matter of Justification, as the Apostle shews, Gal 6. It prevailed that far with Peter, as to make him deny his Master. But ye will readily say, this seems to be very hard, not only in reference to the end, which is heaven and glory, but in reference to the wa [...] unto it, to tell men, that they must deny themselves, ere ever they can well enter, let be proceed in the way to heaven; There is here a twofold great difficultie, not only to deny our Estates, Friends, Relations, Natur [...]l Reason, Wit, Will, Sense, Opinion, Reputation (that sticks close and long) [Page 121] but also to be content to be accounted and cal­ [...]d fools, and to be mocked, and cryed out up­ [...]n, as the very offscourings of the World, even [...] deny Life it self, and to choose Death, even a [...]iolent Death: I confess this is indeed hard, even [...]ery hard to Flesh and Blood; but I must also [...]y, that it is a hard and difficult business, to fol­ [...]ow Christ, and to continue in following of him, [...] all his Tentations; Remember therefore, and [...]onder the one, as well as the other; when ye [...]re disposed to think it hard to deny your selves, [...]emember, and consider also, that it is hard, [...]nd difficult to win to Heaven, It's a strait gate, [...]nd a narrow way that leads to it, and but few [...]nd it; It's hard to keep a good Conscience in [...]ollowing him, and therefore it's no marvel, [...]hat the qualifications seem to be hard, that are [...]equired of all them that are called to walk in [...]hat way: Yet let me say further, that though [...] be hard and difficult simply considered, [...]et it is not so comparatively considered, viz. [...]us, That a man must resolve either to deny [...]imself, or renounce and part with precious [...]esus Christ, that pearl of great price; Is there any [...]omparision betwixt Self and him? With whom, [...] we suffer, we shal also reign with him; whom if we [...]eny, he will also deny us; If we resolve to live [...]ithout regard to him, and prefer Self to him, [...]asting the Ballance to the side of our selves, he [...]ill live without us, and rid himself of us; doth [...]ot the word subjoined here, a little after [...]e Text plainly hold forth the absolute ne­ [...]ssity of Self-denyal, and the dreadful prejudice [...] Self-seeking, Self-love, and of Self-preference? [Page 122] Him that denyes me before men, him will I de [...] before my Father, and the holy angels; If we consider aright, and believe the incomparable wort [...] and matchless excellency of Christ, and the unspeakable advantages that wait on Self-denye [...] following of him, especially at the close of o [...] race and course, with the sweet facility in ru [...] ning of it out, that his promised assisting-grac [...] can cause, it will not be found so very hard, an [...] insuperably difficult a bussiness to follow Chris [...] in the way of Self-denyal, as carnal reason represents it to be, to make men skar at it and decline it, the great gain that comes at last, wi [...] to an infinit over-plus, make up all the loss.

The 3d Use serves, to reprove our short-coming in this great Duty of following Christ; an [...] to shew the rise of it; First I say, it is groun [...] of reproof for, and points at our great discon­formity to Christ, in this Grace of Self-denyal▪ Ah! should we not, as dear Children, follow him therein? if so, how dreadfully disconfor [...] are we unto him? How lamentably little are w [...] like to the name that we bear? We are called Christians, and are found very unlike Christ, living much, or altogether to our selves, swayed by Self, and Carnal Reason, in our walk, fret­ting and foaming under the Cross, disconten [...] with our Condition and Lot, Selfie in our speak­ing and dealing, unwilling to quite our ow [...] Will, come of it what will, resolute to serve our own pleasure and ease, and to be somewhat in the World, though we should be eternally ruined thereby: When our Grace is stretched, even to the utmost length of the Charity that we [Page 123] can warrantably give it, what observable vestige, or footstep will it be found to have of beautiful conformity to Christ, and particularly of con­formity to him in Self-denyall, wherein Christi­ans ought in a special manner to resemble Christ? We have been long professing to follow Christ, and yet, alas! we have scarcely stepped this first step; what meaneth the fainting, and fear that is at but the noise of trouble? what mean­eth the strong propension and bensil that is to keep off the Cross, though with the loss of a good Conscience? Certainly it flows from Selfi­ness, and from our not being as weaned Children; What meaneth the great conceit that we have of our selves, and of any thing we have or do? When the left hand should not know what the right hand doth; if we do any good deed, all the World (as it were) must hear and know of it; This sure, argues a great deal of Selfiness; O! then let us all be ashamed of our great dîs­conformity, and unlikeness to the Patern, and of our lamentable short-coming in this respect. 2ly. I say, it discovers to us, and lets us see whence it cometh, that we thrive so ill, and come so little speed in following of Christ; It's even from this, some one Self-Idol or another, and till this be denyed, we will not thrive, nor make pro­gress in following Christ; Some one concern of Self or another, gets too much of the hearts love and esteem; There is therefore a necessity of being denyed and mortified to all these, other­wise we will still be clogged, intangled, made to halt and stick, and be keeped from going for­ward in the way of following Christ: I shall clos [...] [Page 124] this Discourse with one word of advertisemen [...] and it is this, that ye would not look at Se [...] denyall, as a common (if I may speak so) Grac [...] or Duty, that is easily reached, and come b [...] but as such an one that is (as it were) the ro [...] from which many other Graces spring, and [...] foundation on which many other Duties are bui [...] and as having in it a pre-disposing fitness for ev [...] ry other Duty; and withall, as being that which calms, and quiets the mind of a Christian, a [...] guards his heart against the perplexity, a [...] torturing anxiety and vexation that in a time tryal and trouble, carnal and unmortified perso [...] are troubled with; Now God himself help [...] to it, and to more of it for Christs sa [...] AMEN.

OUR Lord Christ having discovere [...] somewhat of the temper and di [...] position of his Disciples, and f [...] lowers, to be very loath, shy i [...] scarring to meet with the Cro [...] as Peters advice to him plainly manifested; a [...] plyes himself to instruct, and give them the Lesson for the time to come, how they may [...] only get free from that propension to shift Cros [...]es and difficulties, that occur in the w [...] of Duty, and of following him, that is ha [...] [Page 125] [...]y incident to all men, but also how they may get [...]hemselves sweetly composed for profitable, and comfortable meeting with, and going thorow [...]hese Difficulties and Crosses, and guarded against [...]uch sinful scarring at them; If any man (say­eth he) will come after me, in hope to reign with me eternally hereafter, he must not seek himself; but on the contrary, must deny himself, and study to be without all inordinat respect to himself; yea, he must be so far from seeking himself; that he must denyedly take up his cross (and that dayly, as Luke hath it) and follow me; And this is the 2d. Qualification which Christ requireth of his followers, That we are now to speak a little to.

The Words indeed are borrowed, and met [...] ­phorical, yet they set out obviously enough the afflictions that Gods People meet with in follow­ing him, in the way of Duty. The Cross proper­ly is that Tree, or piece of Tree made use of in these times, for executing and putting men to death, by crucifying them, and so it signifies, and sets forth not only a painful, but also an ig­nomineous and shameful Death; It is said of Christ, Heb. 10.2. That he suffered pleasantly the pain of the Cross, and regarded not the shame of it; Hence it is ordinarly taken in the Scriptures of the new Testament, to hold out the great and sore, the painful and shameful suffer­ings and afflictions that the followers of Christ are called to lay their account to meet with, and which they often actually meet with, him­self having suffered, and died this way, as he was man; To this purpose sayeth the Lord, Matth. 10.38. He that taketh not his cross and [Page 126] followeth after me, is not worthy of me; That is he that is not content to meet with any sort o [...] suffering in following of me, even such as I m [...] self met with from men, is not meet to follow me [...] His Cross implyes not only suffering, and afflicti­on in the general, but that sort of affliction which every follower of Christ in particular must resolve, & lay his account to meet with; The Cros [...] that is appointed & shaped out for him, as to such and such circumstances in particular, For as much (saye h the Apostle, 1 Thes. 3.3. as ye your selves know that we are appointed thereunto: Taking up of the Cross, is a following forth of the same similitude, to point out this, that as a follower of Christ must resolve to have the Cross on his back day­ly, so he must not unduely decline, or seek to shift it; neither must he be drawn and dragged to it with grudging and repining, but he must be ready pleasantly to take it up, and patiently to bear it, when ever he is called to it, be ready to submit to every cross dispensation that the Lord shal please to carve out to him.

In the Words, we have three main things im­plyed. 1. The Lot and Measure that the follow­ers of Christ may meet with, and should lay their account to meet with in following of him, the Captain of their Salvation, and that is the Cross. 2ly. The Duty that Believers are called to in re­ference to the Cross, and these afflictions that they are to meet with, Let him take up his cross, and that dayly, as Luke hath it. Chap. 9.23. 3ly. We have this Duty considered, as it stands betwixt these two, Let a man deny himself, and Let him follow me; for thus the words relate to [Page 127] the Scope that Christ drives at in this place.

As for the first of these, it contains in it se­veral things, as 1. That Believers are to reckon to meet with sad afflictions, in following Christ, and no less than such as are both painful and shameful, and accompanied with reproach, com­pared here to sufferings on the Cross. 2ly. That they are to lay their account to meet with these continually, they must resolve to take up their Cross dayly. 3ly. That there are (beside the ge­neral afflictions of the People of God) some pro­per and peculiar to every one of them, every man is to have his share of the publick, general, and common Crosses and Afflictions, and his particular Cross beside. 4ly. That they must re­solve to meet with these, even in the following of Christ, and while they are in their Duty; we shal take in all these in this one Doctrine. That Believers, even in their following of Christ, and in the doing the Duties they are called to, are ordinar­ly accompanied with considerable crosses, afflicti­ons and difficulties; Christs Words laying it down, as a conclusion not to be controverted, that his followers must resolve to bear the Cross dayly, and with no less certification than that, otherwise they cannot come after him, give a very clear rise to the Doctrine; and the truth of it being such, that none do professedly call it in question, let be down-right deny it, that it might be judged unnecessary and superfluous, to offer at any proof of it; yet the practice of most calling for it as necessary, we shall speak a little to the clearing, and confirming of the point; the truth whereof is manifested by the Scriptures of [Page 128] the Old and New Testament, and by the experi­ence of the People of God, in all Ages: There are three sorts of afflictions that the People of God meet with, & that are spoken of in the Scrip­tures. 1. Some that are properly chastisements 1 Cor. 1.32▪ So the Corinthians are said to be chastened of the Lord, for prophaning the Lords Table, That they may not be condemned with the world; These are not the afflictions, so much at least, meaned here. 2ly. Some are properly try­als that the people of God meet with, in follow­ing of their Duty, and not properly for their Duty, and while they are walking ten­derly; Such were holy Jobs afflictions, which he met with, while he was sincerely and faith­fully, in a great measure about his Duty to God and man, very sharp ones: neither are these so much intended here. 3ly. Some that Believers meet with from men, because of their faithfull following, and cleaving closs to their Duty, while they suffer in their Estates, Persons, &c. for well-doing; These are the Crosses and Afflicti­ons mainly meant here, though we would not exclude the former sorts; they must resolve, both in their Dutie, and for their Dutie, to meet with the Cross, to be reproached and persecut­ed; Take but one passage out of the Old Testa­ment, Psal. 44. v. 22. Where the People of God say to him, For thy sake we are counted as sheep for the slaughter, and all this is come upon us, yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsly in thy covenant: and this is so ordinary a Lot, that Paul cites it, Rom. 8.36. As a truth verified in his time, and to be verified in all times following; And if we come to the New Testa­ment, [Page 129] beside that just now mentioned, Rom. 8. See 1 Cor. 4.9. I thank God (sayes the Apostle) he hath set forth us Apostles last, as it were appoint­ed to death, for we are a spectacle to the world, and to angels and men; we are fools for Christs sake; but ye are wise; we are weak, but ye are strong; ye are honourable, but we are despised; even unto this present hour, we both hunger and thirst, and are naked, and buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer; being defamed, we intreat, we are made as the filth of the world, and are as the off-scourings of all things unto this day. And see how he in­larges this, as the way of his fighting, and doing Duty. 2 Cor. 6. In much patience, in afflic­tions, in necessities, in distresses, in stripes, and imprisonments, in tumults and labours, &c. And 2 Cor. 11.23. In labours more aboundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths often, of the Jews I suffered five times fourtie stripes save one, thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I received shipwrack, a night and a day I have been in the depth, in journieing often, in perills by water, in perrills by robbers, in perills by my own countrey men, in perrills by the heathen, in perills in the city, in the wilderness, in the sea, and by false brethren, &c. So Heb. 10.32, 33. Where there is a great sight of afflictions spoken of, Partly, while Believers were made a gazing-stock by reproaches, and afflictions, partly while they became compa­nions of them who were so used; and suffered the spoil of their goods joyfully, and Heb. 11. through­out; How largely is this Doctrine followed forth, [Page 130] Chap. 12. And all the Cloud of believing Wit­nesses brought in, in the exercise of their Faith, walking thorow Sufferings; yea, it's so received a Truth, that in the Old and New Testament, we find it laid down (as it were) in Maximes, Psal. 34.19. Many are the afflictions of the right­eous: Acts. 14.22. Through much tribulation we must enter into the kingdom of God; 2 Tim. 3.12. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution: No man that will resolve to keep a good Conscience but he must resolve to have this for his Lot; and we find both the Old and New Testament joyned together, for verification of this Truth, Gal. 4.29. But as then, he that was born after the flesh, persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, so is it now; These that have nothing of Gods Grace in them, will still persecute those that have it, the Seed of the Ser­pent will always persecute the Seed of the Wo­man, so that the followers of Christ are not, even in their doing of Duty, exempted from Crosses and Afflictions, and that of the sharpest, and most searching nature: if it were needful to follow forth the confirmation of this by reasons, several might be given, but take only a few of many, in some passages of Scripture; the first whereof, is, Rom. 8.29. Whom he did fore-know those he predestinat, to be conformed to the image of his Son; Who hath chalked out their way where­in they must follow him through many afflicti­ons to Glory, that so they may be made con­form to him, both in holiness, and in suffering; which holy Image of his in them, is the Butt of the wicked worlds malice, and persecution; I [Page 131] say, he makes use of afflictions, to further their spiritual conformity to him, who, as he learned obedience by suffering, (though he needed not) so Believers are brought up at the same School, that their haughtiness may be laid, their dulness rouzed and helped, and they taught obedience. The 2d place and reason is, in Deut. 8.2, 3. Where Moses gives this for a reason, why the Lord keeped Israel so long in the wilderness, even that he might humble them, and prove them, and know what was in their heart, &c. Where first, we see that the design of afflictions is to humble Gods People; whilest all things go well with them they are ready to be puft up, & to think well of themselves, and of their duties, but God brings on crosses to put them upon a search, and to make a discovery to them of their sin, and so layes their pride, and in this respect there is a necessity of affliction. 2ly. That all afflictions come to prove the People of God, and to try what is in their heart; not so, but that God knows ex­actly what is in their heart, but he will needs have them to know it also; Believers are ready to say in their prosperity, (as David did, Psal. 35.) We shall never be moved; and never to think of being shaken; but God causeth, or permits a Cross-wind to blow, and then somewhat comes whereof they did not think, and makes them change their tune, and say, Thou hide thy face, and I was troubled; And this is both profitable, & needful that they may know that they are not so stable, and immovable as they imagined. 3ly. That they may know, That man lives not by bread only, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God; [Page 132] That is, That man lives not so much by out­ward means, and second causes, as by Gods bles­sing; which is another use and end of afflictions, even to bring his People off from leaning to se­cond causes and means, to a more immediat de­pendance on God himself; and to make them look beyond plowing, sowing, harvest, labour, our own diligence, pains, skill, prudent fore­sight, and fore-casting, care and dexterous ma­nagement, for through-bearing, direction, guid­ing, and provision in all things they stand in need of; for if prosperity went alwayes along with the Dutie, men would readily be by assed, and inclined to follow dutie for wrong ends; therefore the Lord will have it otherwise, that it may be known who they are that follow him, for prosperity attending duty, and who for the right end. The 3d and last place, (contain­ing another reason) which I shal name, is if that which we have, Rom. 5.3. We glory in tribula­tion, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, &c. We are not troubled at afflictions (as if he said) because we get so much good of them; and what is that good? Tribulation draweth forth Grace into exercise, and makes it to grow, which did before much languish, and in a man­ner lye by; there are several Graces in a Chri­stian, that are not (to say so) in such a capa­city of acting, and being exercised, as when they are under the Cross; what hath patience to do, that hath not affliction, and tribulation to try and exercise it? or how shal experience grow without patience? and how shal hope grow strong and shine, where there is little or no ex­perience? [Page 133] therefore Tribulation comes and works Patience, and Patience Experience, and Experience Hope; Tribulation not only affords occasion and matter to Patience, but through Gods blessing works it, by tameing the Person, bringing low the height and haughtiness of his Spirit, and making him put his mouth in the dust; (and this is one good that comes by afflictions) and Patience again bringeth forth experience, when a man is brought to a suffering Lot, and by suf­fering calmed, and meekned, he gets many ex­periences of Gods love, tender care, and vigi­lant providence; that he would rather have than want his sufferings; he gets the experience of Gods faithfulness, in making good his Promises, in sustaining and bearing thorow under suffer­ing; and as many troubles as he hath, he gets as many out-gates, neither would he want such sweet experience, whatever his Crosses may be, that he falls under; and this is a Second Good that comes by affliction; a Third Good is, that ex­perience brings forth hope; For when Christians are accustomed to afflictions, and find the good of them, and get fresh experience of Gods faithful­ness, and love under them, they scar not so much at them; for the blessed out-gates that they have gotten before, give them ground to hope for moe; and this makes them pleasantly, chear­fully, and couragiously to march through all their Af [...]ictions and Tribulations.

The First Use serves, to discover the great unsuitableness of our practice to this Truth; There is not any Truth less controverted, nor more confirmed, How comes it then to passe, [Page 134] that we look upon the Cross, especially when i [...] comes for Duty, as it were a strange and uncouth thing, whereof we had never heard before, or, as if God had oblidged himself to keep the Cross from of us? Think it not strange (sayeth the A­postle 1 Pet. 4.12.) concerning the firie tryal, as if some strange thing happened unto you; O! do not think your selves exempted from, or set quite without the reach of any Tryal, Affliction, or Tribulation that any of the People of God have met with before you, or in your time.

The 2d. Use serves, to reprove our too great averseness from, and starting at Tryals, Crosses, Afflictions, and Tribulations, Let us put our selves to it, and enquire how these two can stand together, to wit, the certainty of their suffering persecution, that will live Godly, and our fan­cieing that a godly man, not only may, but must be free of persecution? 2ly. if it be a certain truth, that the People of God must enter into his king­dom through much Tribulation,, how comes it to be so little believed, and that so very few are found laying their account with it in particular? Is not this undenyably evident, by so much sin­fully distempering fear of it, and seeking anxi­ously, and unwarrantably to shift and stave it off ere it come, by thinking shame of it, and freting under it, when it comes, and by impatient long­ing to be freed from it? alas, these are shread and sad evidences, that it is not really and throughly believed, that the kingdom of God must needs be entered into through much tribulation.

The 3d. Use serves, to provock us to wonder, that seing Christ thus bargans and capitulats [Page 135] with all his followers, without exception, that they take up their cross dayly and follow him, through the straitest and darkest steps of trouble; we are so little actually put to it, for every day that we are free of some great Cross, is more than condition, and speaks Christ (to say so) to be better than his word; every day of such freedom layes a new obligation on us, to be thankful, and to bear our little Crosses the more patiently; to this purpose, the Apostle be speaks the Christian Hebrews, Chap. 12.4. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, in striving against sin; It was blessed Jesus his lot, and of multitude of his Martyrs to suffer to Blood and Death; should we then, because of our little pettie suffering, fret and be anxious? It's both our sin and shame, it's but very little that we have yet suffered in comparison of what we should lay our account with, and in comparison with what others have suffered; why then is there so much un-warrant­able snifting of suffering, and so much repineing and grudging under it, as if God dealt more hardly with us than with others?

The 4th. Use serves for warning, That since laying account with suffering is so necessary, ye would not think of getting it shifted, going about too diligently, by carnal wiles to shift, becomes a snare to many; let never your selves think, that ye can live godly in Christ Jesus, and escape all suffering and persecution; if ye shift Christs Cross sinfully, ye will bring Christs curse on you; This is the great guilt of the body of our Land, and of this Place, that many having in a manner, laid by the Cross of Christ, dare hazard on the [Page 136] curse of Christ without dread of it; This will be found to be a foolish exchange, it's far better, without all doubt, to follow Christ with the Cross, than to meet him and the Curse; they will never repent it, who have chosen affliction ra­ther than Sin, and to follow Christ with the Cross rather than to comply with any sinful course or practice; O! how dreadful will it be to all them (under whatsoever specious and plausable like pretences they may do it) that have by re­fusing to follow Christ, bearing his Cross, run themselves into the danger of his Curse, the Lord save us from such desperat folly and madness.

The 5th. and Last Use (which may be the First Doctrine, from the Second part of the Text, to wit, the Duty called for from Christs follow­ers, which is, to take up their Cross) is. That since there are none who ingadge to be followers of Christ, but must resolve before hand, on whatsoever difficulties they may meet with in the way; and since the Cross is so certain, they would not unsuita­bly strive against it, but prepare for to take it up, and carry it after him; what man, (saith our Lord, Luke 14.) going to build a house, sits not down first to count the cost; or, what king going to make war with another King, sits not down first, to consult, if he be able to meet with him, &c. Where his Scope is so obviously to this purpose, that we need not say any thing more particular­ly to that notable passage; The reason of the Doctrine is, because not only is the Cross necessa­ry, and unavoidable, but also because those are so foolish, as not to prepare for it before it come, will very readily be surprised with it, when it [Page 137] comes; if they be not by such previous, serious forecast and resolution at a point, established, and ready armed to encounter the Cross, when it marcheth up furiously against them, they will be taken at a great disadvantage, and will not be able to stand it out, but will readily run, and be routed; hence it is, that in a day of tryal, so many miscarry, and fall off. If it be here inquir­ed what I mean, by preparing for the Cross ere it come? Ye may take it in these few directions; the First whereof is, That we would indeavour to have our interest in Christ clear, otherwise it's hardly possible that we can indure the Cross; hence it is, that the Apostle bespeaks the Chri­stian Hebrews, Chap. 10. v. 34. Ye took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in your selves, that ye have in heaven a better and induring sub­stance; this was one main ground, on which they did so chearfully suffer the spoiling of their goods; the suitably indeavoured certainty of the one greatly facilitats the suffering of the other. 2ly. We would through Grace study to carry denyedly, in reference to all earthly injoyments and com­forts; we would, as the Apostle exhorts, 1 Cor. 7. v. 31. Use the world as not abusing it; We would so use all things in the world, that we may not be brought under the power of any of them, holding a loose grip of them all, ready to forego our hold of Wife, Children, Houses, Lands, Money, even of all Relations, and Injoyments, as if they were none of ours, when the Lords calls to it; In a word, we would seek to be crucified with Christ, and to have the world crucified to us, and our selves crucified to [Page 138] the world, and weaned from it; a notable pre­paration for bearing the Cross. 3ly. We would study to be much taken up with the seriou [...] thoughts of things not seen, to come, and eternal, to admit those things to have great weight with us, and to be much conversant with them, even to have our hearts and our conversations in hea­ven; This was it that greatly influenced Moses refusal to be called the Son of Pharaohs daughter, and his choice of a share of the People of God their affliction, even the respect that he had to the recompence of reward, Heb. 11.24, 25, 26. And the Apostle Paul gives this as a reason why he made so light account of affliction, 2 Cor. 4. While (sayeth he) we look not at the things that are seen, but at the things that are not seen, for the things that are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternall; Few serious and stayed thoughts of Heaven, little delightful dwel­ling in the contemplation of the approaching full manifestation of the glorious priviledges of the Sons of God, with much minding of earthly things and groveling in the earth, make the Cross seem very terrible, and even intolerable; whereas heavenly mindedness, and much looking at things unseen and eternal, notably ward off the dint of the blowes of afflictions, that they do not much get in on the heart, to divert from following of Christ, by anxious and vexatious thoughts about them. 4ly. We would study to be much in fore­casting of, and in acquainting our selves with the saddest difficulties ere they come; not looking at our selves, as exeemed from the heaviest and most sadly circumstantiated afflictions that any of [Page 139] Gods People have met with; Thus shal that which is less be the better born, unjust shame & reproach will not be thought so very much of, neither will there be such startling at a cross word, nay, not at Bonds and Imprisonment, and spoiling of Goods, when we have laid our account in our thoughts to meet with the greatest afflictions: God hath hitherto keeped the greatest part of us from any very considerable personal Tryalls, and Tribulations, and we are ready to look at these as being quite worn out of use; but we would bring them near, and habituat our selves in our thoughts to them, and by Christian bearing lesser ones, be fitting our selves against the coming of the great Cross and Tryal; if we cannot indure little pettie Tryals, such as a frown, a check, or a word of reproof from others, how will we be­have, when it comes to greater Sufferings if the running with Foot-men weary us, how will we be able to contend with Horses? if we faint in the land of peace, what will we do, when it comes to the flowings of Jordan? 2ly. When many of you are upon every trifling occasion, chideing; jangling and brauling in your Families, and every smal matter awakens Passion; and when we are not learning Christianly to bear the smallest things, how can we expect to be able to bear the greatest Crosses? It were very desirable, that we made it our study to accustome our selves dayly to bear our little Crosses suitably; when injuries are of­fered to us, though we be not called to be out­terly sensless under them, yet we would learn to carry them with Christian meekness, and mode­ration; but when men allow themselves in their [Page 140] Passion, and Revenge, because of Injuries do [...] them, and proudly scorn and disdain to take [...] affront, this teacheth proud Self a habitual wa [...] of carrying thus on every occasion, and mightil [...] unfits for future greater Tryals.

From the Duty that a follower of Christ is ca [...] led to. Observe. 2dly. That the followers of Chri [...] would heartily welcome, and chearfully submit unt [...] the cross that they may meet with for his sake, an [...] on his account: Let him take up his cross, Insinuats That he is not to reason or dispute against, no [...] sinfully to shift it, neither is he reluctantly to be drawn and dragged to it, but to take it up w [...]lling­ly and pleasantly (when called to it) and when it is taken on, to carry it contentedly and chear­fully, without all grudging, fretting, or repin­ing: There are several things that do both con­firm and press this point. As 1. The great good that comes by willing, ready and chearful taking up, and bearing of Christs Cross, such as the try­all and improvement of Graces, furthered con­formity to Christ, access to glorifie him, much of the Spirit of God, and of Glory resting on the Sufferer, the honest Sufferer for Christ, even all the peaceable fruits of Righteousness, that after­ward wait on them that are exercised thereby; It's true, no affliction is for the present joyous, but grievous, and even the Believer in Christ may find difficultie, yea, not only so, but much aversness, and resistance from the unrenewed part, but the regenerat part makes him patient­ly and pleasantly to stoup; Thus the Lord sayes of Peter, That he should be carried whither he would not; There was in him not only a purely natur­all [Page 141] aversion from Suffering, (such was in blessed [...]esus himself, without any the least sinfull dis­composure) but somewhat culpably so, through [...]he remainder of indwelling Corruption, but the regenerat part, through assisting Grace prevail­led, so that he glorified God by his Suffering of a violent Death. A 2d. Thing that confirmeth, and presseth this, is, not only the great good and benefit that cometh to us by it, which makes Paul to glorie in the midst of tribulations and James to exhort Christians, to count it all joy when they fall into divers tentations; but also the great and honourable priviledge that is in being count­ed worthy to suffer for his name, rejoyce (sayes Peter) in as much as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings: And if we consider a little more par­ticularly, we will find, that there are a great ma­ny priviledges, that wait honest and chearful Sufferings for Christ, beside all the good of it. As namely 1. When God puts the honour on some to be instrumental in high and honourable pieces of service to him, particularly in suffering for him, which is most honourable; giving them not only to believe in Christ, but also to suffer for his sake, (as it is, Philip. 1.29. Where there is an observable gradation) all Believers have not this honour. 2dly. There is a measure of mystical Christs Sufferings to be filled up; For as Christ is not compleat without his body, the Church, so his Sufferings in that respect are not compleat till that appointed measure be filled up. So, Col. 1, 24. Believers are said, to fill up what is behind of the sufferings of Christ mystical, and there is thereby a great priviledge, and piece of honour put [Page 142] upon them; It's true, their Sufferings are neither meritorious nor satisfactory to Divine Justice that is already done to their hand, it being the peculiar and incommunicable priviledge of the personal sufferings of Christ, but to be joyned with him in the same work, in order to the sam [...] general end, viz. The glorifying of God, is, doubtless a great honour. A 3d. Priviledge is, that Believers Sufferings for Christ make way according to Gods disposal, and order of things, for more eminent degrees of Glory, Matth. 5.11.12. It's true, they merit none, yet he hath in his wisdom ordered that connection, and pro­mised, that if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him; and if we suffer with him, that we shall also be glorified together with him, 2 Tim. 2.12. Rom. 8.17. And says the Lord to his Dis­ciples, Luke 22.28, 29. To this purpose, Ye are they that have continued with me in my tentations, and I appoint unto you a kingdom, &c. It is not in­deed by way of merit, but by way of connection, that much Suffering is recompensed with much Glory: It's a righteous thing with God (says the Apostle, 2 Thess. 1.6. to render tribulation to them that trouble you, and to you that are troubled rest with us; There is a sort of Righteousness, in mak­ing much Suffering for Christ to be followed with much Glory, so that though the Saints right­eousness, be a righteousness of Grace, yet there is somewhat in Gods Righteousness, and equal, or suitable way of dealing, that me [...]s out great Glo­ry, according to great Sufferings for Christ. A 4th Priviledge is, more liveliness in Duties, more immediat access to God under the Cross, a great­er [Page 143] nearness to him, and greater manifestations of of his comforting presence under Suffering for Christ, then is ordinarly attained unto otherwise; So much is declared by the Apostle, 1 Pet. 4.14. If ye be reprached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the Spirit of God, and of G [...]y resteth upon you. A 5th Priviledge is, That Sufferers for Christ are someway equalled to the most eminent Saints, Prophets and Apostles, that have gone be­fore them; To this purpose, says our Lord to his Disciples, Matth. 5. v. 11, 12. Blessed are ye when men shal revile, and persecute you; for so did they persecut the Prophets that were before you; And to be dealt with as all the great men of God, and the Prophets before us were, and to be put in the same rank, roll, and catalogue with them, is no small Priviledge, nor is it any little honour, for such poor creatures as we are, to be thus highly ranked, and classed. There is a 3d thing that confirmeth, and presseth the Point, and that is, the Fountain whence this willing taking up, and chearful bearing of Christs Cross flowes, which is, the believing contemplation, and con­sideration of the Love of God in Christ, of the faithfulness of his Promise, and Covenant, and of his tender Fatherly care, and pity towards his Children; Ye have forgotten, (saith the Apostle) Heb. 12.5. the exhortation that speaks to you, as to Children; My son, despise not thou the chastning of the Lord, neither faint when thou art rebuked of him. (Importing, that they had forgotten the nature of affliction, and of the relation that they stood in to God, when they fainted under the Cross,) For whom the Lord loveth, he correcteth, [Page 144] and chastneth every son whom he receiveth, and if ye indure chastisments, ye are dealt with as Sons, &c. As if he had said, Gods ch [...]stning puts this honour upon you in that, as it flowes from his special Love, so it declares you to be his Sons; all your chastisements are effects of his Fatherly Love to you, and of his tender care of you, and by this Character he d [...]fferenceth you from ba­stards.

The First Use serves, to exhort, stir up, and provock all Christs Followers, sweetly to take on, and chearfully to bear the Cross of Christ, when he calls to it, and layes it on; We would rejoyce, and be exceeding glad, and count it all joy; we would rejoyce, in as much as we are made partak­ers of the sufferings of Christ, as our Lord, and his Apostles James and Peter from him exhorts us: Ah! how far are we removed from this in our practice? we should glory in tribulation, and glo­rifie God in the fires, yea, should make our Cross for Christ a great ground of our chearfulness and joy; not that we would have Christians either to be rash and hastie in drawing on Suffering on themselves, even in a good cause, or to be car­nal, vain, conceity and proud under it; but when the Lord calls us to it, we would readily stoup to take on his Cross, and carry it hand­somly and chearfully, that we may commend, and give a good word to the Cross of Christ to others, that they may know the exhortations to Sufferings this way, and the promise made to honest Sufferers are not in vain, that they may be incouraged to adventure on Suffering for Christ when he calls to it, in hope of being made, to [Page 145] experience, somewhat of the same allowance for [...]eir honourable through-bearing.

The 2d. Use serves to reprove, not only our [...]suitable shifting of the Cross, but also our [...]avie and heartless bearing of it, when God [...]yes it on; It may be, when we cannot possibly [...]et it shifted without gross and palpable guilt, [...]e will stoup, as it may be, to take it on, but [...]e unwilling to bear it far, and are ready to [...]eary greatly of it; It's true (as I said) we [...]ould not be culpably accessory to the bringing [...] it on our selves, but when he layes it on, we [...]ould not shew such aversion from it, neither [...]ould we account it to be so heavy and uneasie a [...]oke, nor walk with so much discouragement [...]nder it, as if it were not the honourable Cross [...] precious Jesus Christ, and as if there were no [...]romise of an out-gate from it, nor of assistance [...] bear it; or, as if our life consisted in the a­ [...]undance of these outward things; this is [...]ertainly exceeding blame-worthy, and very un­ [...]ecoming the followers of Jesus Christ.

The 3d Use serves to teach us, not to tye our [...]omfort to an outward prosperous condition in [...]he World; nor to be anxious, when our prospe­ [...]ity is turned to adversity; but to labour to be [...]lear in our Duty, and to walk evenly in follow­ [...]ng of Christ, not being very solicitous what we may meet with, in following him; for if we consider rightly, we will find, that mens sinful [...]hifting of the Cross, and their earkingly care­ [...]ull way of walking under it, is that which hight­heth the difficultie of it, and makes it to be­come doubly a Cross; whereas, if there were a Christian resolution before hand to take it on, [Page 146] and a kindly stouping to it, when it comes; [...] would blunt the sharp edge of the Cross, lighten it, and make it easily portable: Much mor [...] might be said, in prosecut [...]ng of this Use, whic [...] we will not now insist in, only consider well, an [...] lay due weight on our Lords words, especially when the Cross is come to our door; If any ma [...] will come after me, let him deny himself, take up hi [...] cross and follow me; and the Lord himself graciously inable us to do so.

THE bussiness of following Christ a­right, is one of the greatest, and gravest, of the most concerning, and highly momentuous bussinesses in the World, in comparison with which, all others are but bussinesses in the By; which our Lord knowing infallibly well, would have all His Disciples to know it also, and to ac­knowledge it; and therefore insists the more in it, holding forth the indispensablie requisit quali­fications of his followers, viz. That they must de­ny themselves, and take up their cross, which two qualifie, fit, and prompt for the thrid, to wit, following of him.

We spoke somewhat of taking up the Cross, as it holds forth the case that Christs followers are in, ordinarily in the World, and it is to have the Cross, some one sad affliction, or another, [Page 147] where we considered it, as a Duty that they are called to; being commanded to take it up, when they meet with it, not to shift it, but to stoup pleasantly to the taking of it on, and to bear it chearfully after him; Now ere we come to speak of the Uses, that Christ aims at in all this; we would take notice of that word [...]ast in, not sure [...]y guess, but purposly, His Cross; whereby it [...]eems, he puts a difference betwixt the common afflictions of all, and the more particular afflicti­ons of this and that Believer; as if he had said, it is not enough, that Believers should submit to afflictions in common, but they must submit to [...]hese particular afflictions that are theirs, or shap­ed out to them in particular, this, and that, and [...]he other; every Believer hath his own parti­cular affliction, or cross, beside that which is common to all, which he is called to submit unto and take on, Whence Observe, That these who would follow Christ aright, must not pitch upon waill, or make choice of their own Cross, but sub­mit unto that Cross that is particularly carved out for them, and allotted to them; Which leads us to touch on these two things; one whereof is, that beside the lot which all Believers have in com­mon, under publick calamities, every Believer, and Follower of Christ hath his own Cross, par­ticularly shaped out for him; whether it be a distinct particular Cross, or that which is com­mon and publick but accompanied with some peculiar circumstances, in reference to him; The other is, That the Believer in Jesus Christ, should welcome the Cross, as it is circumstanti­ated to him, and as it is his particular Cross; we need not speak of the first of these distinctly by it [Page 148] self, it being obviously implyed in the Second Our Lords words are clear to this purpose, Matth 23.4. Behold, I send unto you wise men, and Pro­phets, and some of them ye shal kill, and crucifie some of them ye shall scourge in your Synagogues and persecute them from city to city; Where he speaks of several sorts of Crosses, that men ap­proven of God shal meet with, and which the [...] must take up, and carry after him, as he is pleas­ed to carve them out to them; the experience o [...] all the Lords People, in all Ages, and times further clears, and makes it out; there are non [...] of the Saints who have not had their own Cross; there have been some, who have been crucified, and killed, some scourged, and others perse­cuted from city to city, &c. Abel, Abraham, Moses, David, Job, Jeremiah, and the rest had all the Cross, yet was there something in ones Cross that was not in anothers; So Heb. 11.36, 37, 38. Where the account of Believers Suffer­ings is summed up, it is said, That some had tryal of cruel mockings, and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment, they were stoned, saw [...] asunder, &c. Some had one sort of tryal, some another, as the wisdom of God thought meet to allot to them: we need not here descend to particulars, some are crossed in the spoiling of their Goods, some in their Children, some have their Children taken from them by Death, some have them preserved alive to be a cross to them, some have crosses in their own Persons, some in their Families, some are under poverty and want, some are under reproach and con­tempt, and so forth: If ye would have some reasons of this Point, ye may take these shortly. [Page 149] The First whereof may be drawn from Gods infinit Wisdom, and absolute Soveraignity, he thinks meet that it should be so; as the Potter hath power over the clay, to put it in what form or shape he will, much more hath he, the great God, who is former of all things, power over his own creatures, to exercise, & handle them as he thinks good; to which purpose there is much [...]xcellently discoursed in the Book of Job; He think fit to exercise one Person this way, and ano her that way, and who may say to him, what doest thou? he is not [...]ound to give a rea­son of his acti [...]s. 2ly. There are some reasons relating to us, and our condition, and to the end that God hath before him, in this variety, which shew, that it is good it should be so: As 1. There must be a suitableness betwixt the Cross and the Person, every Believer is not in a like case, and therefore there is reason, that there be some difference among them, in respect of their Crosses; they have their several Idols, and these require several and suitable Crosses, to bring, and keep them down; as for instance, when ones predominant is Pride, and Self con­ceit, he readily so disposeth, that contempt and reproach are made to meet such a man, as most suitable to beat down that Idol; If his Idol be covetousness, he can, and oftentimes doth make Riches take wings and flee away, or he canker­eth, and imbittereth them, some one way or another; If the Idol be strength of body, he readily by pain, or sickness layes him low, and on his back; or, if the Persons Idol be his Children, (as its very probable Absalom was Davids) he readily either removes them by [Page 150] Death, or blasts all expectation conceived [...] them, so that they become the greatest instruments of their trouble and grief; This great an [...] Infinitely skilful Physician gives not the same Po [...] tion to all his diseased Patients, but varieth it according to the nature of the disease, and constitut [...] on of the several Persons. 2ly There must be a sui [...] ableness betwixt the Cross, and Gods end; if hi [...] end be a tryal of the Person, that will be a try [...] to one which will not be so to another; and as h [...] hath several sorts of Persons, so he hath severa [...] Graces to try; which requires several sorts o [...] Crosses, Some would think but little of the wan [...] of wealth, if they had their health, therefore h [...] exercises them with sickness, and infirmitie o [...] body; others could much submit to the want o [...] both, but cannot endure to have their name rubbed on, and he will needs have that to be thei [...] tryal; if one mans exercise were but just th [...] same exercise of another, he would think th [...] less of it: and therefore in reference to all these it is very suitable and congruous to the Follower [...] of Christ, that they submit to their own Cross, to the Cross that is carved out to them in parti­ticular; sweetly to submit to the present Cross and as it is circumstantiated, is the present duty; therefore our Lord Jesus sayes, The cup that my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? He hath a cup mixed and prepared to him peculiar­ly, which he takes and drinks out pleasantly; as it is every Believers duty, not only to resolve in the general, to take on the Cross, but also to take on his Cross in particular, to drink the cup mixed with such and such ingredients, suited [Page 151] to them, and put in their hand, as their tryal. [...]ly. There is a suitableness betwixt the Cross, [...]nd the good that the Lord intends thereby to [...]he Believer, a suitableness betwixt the Physick [...]nd the Disease; the Plaster and the Wound de­ [...]igned to be cured and healed: It is therefore [...]ery absurd to think, or say, any cross but this, [...]ven as absurdly unreasonable, as it would be for [...] sick man to say, If I had gotten the Pils, or Potion that such another Person got, I could have digested it, would have been the better of [...]t, but I cannot away with this bitter, and very [...]npleasant one; Whereas the physick that the other Person got, would have done thee no good [...]or suited to thy Disease; for the good of the Physick lyeth in this, that it is exactly suited to [...]he disease whereof thou art Sick.

The Use of it Serves to teach us, not to half our submission to the Cross, nor to think a sub­mission to the Cross in general will do the turn; some are ready to say, that they would submit to any thing but this; or, this is a thing that they cannot endure; but if it were not a Cross of that sadly exercising nature, it would not suit your condition; Therefore there would be 1. A sub­mission to the kind of the Cross, and as it is cir­cumstantiated; whether it be a Cross on our Body, Goods, Name, Children, Husband, Wife, &c. Whether it be a Cross that we have more ease under, or a Cross that doth continually trouble us. 2ly. There would also be a submissi­on to the time of the coming on of the Cross, or to the time whence it bears date; one will be ready to say, I could submit to this Cross, but its come upon me unseasonably, when as, if all [Page 152] things were well known, and considered, it wo [...] be found to come very seasonably. 3ly. The would be submission to the continuance of t [...] Cross and affliction, whether for a day, mone [...] or a year, or throughout thy whole lifetime, it were even from thy youth up, to thy dyt day, there must be a submission to Gods ter [...] day, and date of expiration. 4ly. The [...] would be submission to the measure and degr [...] of it, wh [...]tever measure or height God is pleas [...] to bring our affliction and Cross unto, it must [...] submitted to, for it hath probably come to greater measure, and a higher degree in ma [...] of the Saints before us, who were sawn asund [...] stoned, slain with the sword, who wandered abo [...] in sheeps-skins, and goats-skins, being destitu [...] afflicted, tormented. Finally, There would [...] submission, as to the Parties or Persons fro [...] whom it comes more immediately; Som [...] think, and will be ready to say, that they coul [...] indure a Cross, but think it hard, and intole [...] able to indure it, from such and such Person [...] from such and such Instruments, as from Hu [...] band, or Wife, Parent, or Child, Brother, o [...] Sister, Kinsman or Friend, &c. But from whomsoever it comes, whether from Friends or Fo [...] from Countrey men, or Strangers, from False brethren, or from He [...]thens, it must be submit­ted unto; for herein the [...]e is nothing strange and submission, in this respect, is a part of ou [...] beautiful conformity, to the great Patern, ou [...] blessed Lord Jesus, whose cross, affliction, and tryal it was, to have Heaven, and Earth, and Hell, the Gentiles, and People of the Jews, and these that did eat bread at his own table, combyning a­gainst [Page 153] him: very readily, and ordinarly, when we dare not fret at the Cross, in the general, or as to the substance of it (to speak so) we will pitch on some circumstance or particular of it, and carp at that; but it is not right, and suitable sub­mission, which is not to the Cross, as so circum­stantiated, and suited to our particular condition.

The 2d Use Serves, for tryal of our sub­mission; right and kindly submission is universal, and absolute, and teacheth us to present a blank to God, and to allow him to put in, or write down, what Cross he thinks good, as to the mat­ter, and manner of it, the time of it's coming, the continuance of it, the measure or degree, the Parties and Instruments from whom, and all the other circumstances of it.

The 3d Use Serves, for discovery, and re­proof; if we examine our selves narrowly, and impartially by this, it will be found, that there is much which we account, and call submission, that is not worthy that name; O! how sadly doth it reprove the practice of many of us, who, if not in whole, yet in part presume to offer, at the carving out of our own condition, and cross to God, and do not sweetly submit to his carving of it out to us; quarrelling Gods wisdom, as if this and that were not rightly done, reflecting on his skill, as if he had not taken up our dis­ease [...]right, or had not suited the cure unto it; God hath thought good, not only to afflict Scot­land, but in such a manner, and measure, and by such instruments, overturning Church and State, pouring contempt and reproach upon us, at home, and abroad, opening all mouths against us, and redacting us to slavery and bondage; It is this, that the People of God are called to sub­mit [Page 154] unto, in all it's sad circumstances, and n [...] to fret at such a dispensation, nor to take up a [...] prejudice at holiness, because of it, nor to suff [...] our passions sinfully to rise against instruments and wherein it is otherwi [...]e with us, we are ce [...] tainly reproof worthy.

From this, and the former Doctrine, concer [...] ing chearful bearing the Cross of Christ, som [...] will be ready to Obj ct, and say, we would no [...] care to take on any, or to incounter any difficulti [...] if we knew it were Christs Cross; Yea, we woul [...] think it an honour to suffer, if it were on th [...] account of giv [...]ng a testimony to him; but it our great doubt, that any Cross we are unde [...] cannot be called Christs Cross; and when w [...] cannot discern it to be of that nature, we ca [...] neither have that sweet peace, in submitting t [...] it, nor can we with that cheerfulness bear it [...] becomes: To which I Answer. 1. Christs Cro [...] consists not always in the measure of the afflict on that thou indurest; it may be a part of Chris [...] Cross, when it is but a word of reproach, a tau [...] or mock, that thou suffers; Therefore it is said Gal. 4.29. He that was born after the flesh pe [...] secuted him that was born after the spirit, &c. No [...] it is clear from Gen. 21.9. That this persecutio [...] was Ishmaels mocking of Isaac; and Heb. 11.3 [...] Some of these worthies had tryal of cruel mockings: There is by the way a deceit that woul [...] be taken heed to here; some flatter themselve [...] so far, as to think that they would lay dow [...] their life for a Testimony to Christ, who y [...] cannot abide a reproach or mock; but is it likely they would suffer the loss of Life for Chris [...] who cannot indure to be called Hypocrites, o [...] to be reproached, or ill-spoken of unjustly, [...] [Page 155] seditious Persons, and troublers of Israel? But [...]o hold closs by our point in hand; even that would be looked upon, as a part of suffering for Christ, and so a part of his Cross; which in the first rise of it is for him, or for something of his work in thee; were it but a mock, or a re­proachful word betwixt Man and Wise, Parent and Child, Child and Child, Servant and Ser­vant, Neighbour and Neighbour, when some­what of God in the Person draws out the re­proach, it is a part of Christs Cross. 2ly. We would not alwayes limit suffering for Christ to the main, and fundamental things of the Gospel, (for which Christians think, if they were cal­led to suffer, they would be chearful in their Sufferings) but though they be things less thought of, and comparatively of less moment indeed, if it be a point of real Truth, or Dutie, It is Suffering for Christ, when we are called to Suffer on that account; John the Baptist did not Suffer fo [...] the Gospel, or for any great Gospel-Truth strictly taken, but for a reproof given to Herod, for saying, that it was not lawful for him to have his brothers wife, for bearing witnes to a point of truth concerning what was moral; and yet doubtless he was a sharer of Christs Suffer­ings in that particular; There is not in some re­spect, a more and a less in the matter of Duty, and in the matter of Truth, or in re [...]pect of Suffering on the account of, or for Truth; but if it be indeed Duty, or Truth, it is to be Suf­fered for, and is as w [...]ll approven of God, and hath a comfortable Out gate, as well as Suffer­ing for that, which simply considered, is of far greater moment, and this comparatively but of little; This is clear in the example of Moses [Page 156] who would not leave a hoove behind him; [...] Daniel, who would not shut his windows; an [...] in Mordecai, who would not bow the knee [...] Haman; all which many would have thought w [...] little to be stuck at, and far less to hazard all o [...] yet having found these things to be Duties t [...] which they were in Conscience oblidged, the [...] discerned no such distinction in the command [...] God, betwixt less and more, in the matter o [...] Duty, so as to allow them to abandon, and d [...] ny the lesser more than the greater; nothing [...] too little to suffer for, that God has commanded 3ly. It is not only Christs Cross, when we Suffe [...] immediately for duty to him; but also, whe [...] we Suffer for Duty to men, if it be command­ed by him; Suffering for a Duty of the Secon [...] Table of the Law, is Suffering for Christ, as we [...] as Suffering for Duties of the First Table; an [...] not, as many think, that it is only Suffering for Christ, when it relates to Duties of the first Table; A Christian Child, no doubt, may Suf­fer, for performing, or for not neglecting Dutie to his Father, and so for Christ; and the Apostle speaking to Christian Servants, 1 Pet. 2.19. Tells them, If ye indure grief, suffering wrong­fullie, for conscience towards God, it is thank­worthie, and Chap. 3.14. He sayes to all, If ye suffer for righteousness sake, happy are ye; What­ever be a mans Dutie, it hath the promise of hap­piness, whether it be a Dutie rela [...]ing to the First, or to the Second Table, when he Suffers for it; and so it's suffering some way for Christ. 4ly. We would not limit Suffering for Christ to a direct Suffering for him, as when the quarrel, opposi­tion, or persecution is stated down right on his account, or for his sake; for there is an indirect [Page 157] Suffering for Christ; as when men are ashamed [...]o afflict, or persecute directly and expre [...]sly for Christs sake, or for any thing of Christ, that ap­pears in such a Person, or Persons, they pre­tend some other ground of quarrel, but still from a secret Heart-picque and prejudice at some what of Christ in them; as it may be, they will call them seditious, unclean, intemperat, and the like, and under that disguise put upon them, persecute them, blast their reputation, and defame them; while in the mean time, the true & principal, if not the alone ground of the quarrel is, a malicious hatred of somewhat (as I said) of God discov­ered to be in the Person or Persons, and not hatred of the sin, wherewith they reproach them; otherwise they would hate that sin in themselves and in others, which yet they do not; a plain evidence, that the Persons either sup­posed, or real Sin, is not the ground of the quar­rel, however pretended, but that they reproach them with it on a malicious design, thereby to obscure, and cry down the good that is in them; such men will not readily say, this or that man is a godly man, and therefore he must suffer, but he is this, and that and the other odious thing, and therefore away with him, he is not worthy to live, as they said of Jeremiah; and how often were the Apostles persecuted under the false pre­tex [...] of their being turners of [...]he World up side-down? and that horrid and hellish things were most falsly charged by persecuting Pagans, on the Primitive Christians, that under that disguise they might the more freely persecute them? yet all these were for Christ, 5ly. We would not limit sufferings for Christ, to things simply law­full, or unlawfull, for it may be, sometimes for [Page 158] things indifferent in their own nature, which y [...] being so and so circumstantiated to us, may dra [...] on Suffering; and these Sufferings may be Suffe [...] ings for Christ; a thing may be indifferent, an [...] lawfull to some, which to others stated unde [...] such and such circumstances may be accounted [...] receding from some part of a just Testimony, o [...] a refusing to give a Testimony; even though th [...] matter be not (as I said) such in it self, an [...] in it's own nature, yet it may be so circumstantiated to some Persons, as it may be lyable to tha [...] construction, if they shall recede from, or for bear it; as in the example of Daniel, who suffers for opening his windows, which was a thin [...] indifferent in it self, & not essential to his wor [...] shiping of God; but having used to open his windows, and pray towards Jerusalem before, and now being brought on the Stage, and a Decre [...] having gone forth from the King, that none should put up a Petition to any God or man, bu [...] to the King only, for so many dayes, he finds himself bound in Conscience, and that on very just ground, to do as he had wont to do before, and that on the manifest hazard of his life, least his malicious enemies should have it to say, that he receded from his Duty, and that he thought more shame now, or was more afraid now, than [...] before to worship the true God. 6ly. We would not limit Sufferings for Christ, to wrongs and injuries that come at us mediatly, by evil men, as the instruments; for the Cross may sometimes come immediately from the hand of God, as Pain, Sickness, Scarcity, Want, &c. may come that way, and we can blame no in­struments for them, and they may be casual and accidental, as to us (though nothing be so in re­spect [Page 159] of Divine Providence) yet even these may [...]e Sufferings for Christ, though not in respect of [...]he matter, yet in respect of the manner, viz. When they are christianly submitted to, and [...]atiently born, with respect to Christs honour, [...]nd the Soveraignity of God, which so overaw­eth, and keepeth down our Corruption, that [...]ave dar not fret nor repine under Gods hand; when ordinary Crosses are thus born, they come in amongst the Sufferings for Christ; Therefore Paul reckoning up his Sufferings, 2 Cor. 11. He brings in his Ship-wracks, and other Crosses in his voyages by Sea, in the prosecution of his cal­ling, his hunger, and thirst, &c. So that, even in these, Christains may come in to share of the con­solation that flows from patient bearing of the Cross, and have them reckoned to them as Crosses for Christ in some respect, because the same principle of Love that puts them to bear the Cross, that comes on them directly for Christ, and the Gospels sake, makes them bear these other Afflictions, and they walk by the same Rule, and have the same End before them in them, that they have under direct and more proper Sufferings for Christ; therefore they may some way partake of the same name; and when Scripture speaks of the Crosses of Gods People, and of their being chastened every morning, it secludes not this immediat sort of Suffering from Gods own hand, more than that which is medi­at, by the intervention of Instruments, from coming into the account, and reckoning of Suffer­ings for Christ; which is not a little comfortable.

But 2dly. Some will Object, and say, we would have peace, if we knew when we are called to Suffer for Christ, but we know not when or [Page 160] whether we be called in this, and that part [...] cular to Suffer; this is an Objection that useth t [...] be made, and a question that uses to be moved and debated, more especially, by such as have no great mind to Suffer; If it be asked then when are Christians called to Suffer? We A [...] swer, it Is beside our scope and design, nor is [...] easie, if at all possible to assign particular, an [...] exact Rules of tryal and direction in all the emergent cases, wherein Christians may be called to Suffer; These being so [...]ery many, and so vari­ous, there being withall so much need o [...] single­ness, impartiality, and Se f denyal, in th [...] appli­cation even of general Rules, yet we shall touch on some general instances of Cases wherein we are called to Suffer, as namely, First. When we cannot keep by our Duty, and eschew S [...]ffer­ing, but by taking our selves to some sinfull midse; I mean of whatever nature the Duty be, and of whatever nature the sin be, when the midse is sinfull; it will, I suppo [...]e, be granted by all, that we are bound to prefer Suffering to sin. 2ly. When the midse is not only directly sinfull, but when we cannot eschew Suffering, but sinfullie, we are called, in that Case to Suf­fer, for the mean may be lawfull in it self, and yet so circumstantiated, that to us it may be sinful; as a man may, through want of present light be doubtfull, whether or not he may use such and such a mean to eschew Suffering, and he is not wilfully cherishing his ignorance; only he know­eth not for the time, whether it be lawful for him or not, to use such a mean, if he should in that case, do such a thing, he should do it doubtingly, & so sinfully; and till God give more clearness, it is better for such a man to hazard on Suffer­ing; [Page 161] for if in that case, he use the mean, or [...]o the thing, he will do it sinfully; though in it self, and it may be to another, it be not sinful. 3ly. When we cannot without sin, eschew some manifest prejudice to the work of God, or some notable reproach on his People, even though the mean be lawful in it self, we are called in that case, rather to Suffer, for though the mean be lawfull, yet if it should be used by us, it is very probable, it would derogat from, and re­flect upon our profession, and be matter of stum­bling to the People of God, and minister occa­sion to adversaries, to insult or speak ill; as for instance, it was not simply unlawful, or sinfull, for Nehemiah to flee to save his life, yet he says, should s [...]ch a man as he flee? He finds on due consideration, that for such a man, in such a place, and so stated to flee, would have been a reproach to his profession, and would have stum­bled many; therefore he judges it unsuitable to redeem his life at the too dear rate of such a repro [...]ch, and that he is called rather to hazard on Suffering: men would not be vain, and car­nal in [...]eking to maintain their own credit, in a suffering time; yet they would concernedly see to the credit of the Gospel, and of their profes­sion; and it is on this ground, that Paul goes in many of hi [...] Suffe [...]ings, that by his Sufferings others may be streng [...]hned, ed [...]fied and con­fi [...]med, and ma [...]e m [...] hold, and no wayes prejudiced, and the mou [...]hs of adversaries stop­ped, that were ready to take advantage, and speak evil; and to come by these ends, he re­joyced in Sufferings. A 4th. Case is, when our doing of such and such a thing hath a longer [Page 163] train of consequents following it, than the [...] is any great matter in the thing it self, whic [...] may give advantage to the enemy, or may bri [...] prejudice to Gods Work, or to his People, we a [...] called, in that case, rather to forbear, and ha [...] ard on Suffering; as for example, it was but [...] little thing in it self, for Daniel to shut the wi [...] dows, and for Mordecai to bow before Haman But when either of these is considered, with th [...] train that followed on it; whilest thereby it [...] attempted, to beat them from their stedfastnes [...] their yielding to such a thing, would have give occasion of boasting, rejoycing, and triumph t [...] the enemy, and of sorrow and sadness to th [...] People of God, and might seem to be a recedin [...] from a called for Testimony; and upon these cons [...] derations they find themselves concerned & clea [...] ly called, rather to hazard on Suffering, than [...] do such a thing, which in other cases migh [...] have been done: This Case, as also the former call for much Holy Wisdom, Prudence, an [...] Self denyal, and much Light and Direction from God; and I have instanced them for this cause that we may not think, that we are not called to Suffer, when the thing is little, or such a in other Cases, or in other Circumstances might be done; It is true, the thing may be little con­sidered simply, and in it self, and if there were no more following on it, is such as might b [...] done; but when we see it is designed, and made use of to be, as it were, a needle to draw with i [...] a long threed of consequences, and to bear and bind upon us such things, that in Conscience we cannot comply with, nor allow of; we are not in that case to consider, and weigh the thing, as [Page 162] abstracted from, and divested of the consequents [...]d circumstances thereof, but as it is attend­ [...] by, and cloathed with them; we shall not [...]stance any more particular Cases: but earnest-beseech every one gravely to perpend, and [...]nder these, as they shall find themselves in [...]ch and such circumstances to be concerned, [...]nd always to remember, that it's better to [...]oise to suffer affliction than sin, or the pleasures [...] it, which indure but for a season.

2ly. From Christs requiring, that the Cross [...]ay be taken up, and born, as it leads unto, [...]nd furthers, in the following of him, and as [...] fits and prompts, for following of him, Ob­ [...]ve, in a Word (for we hasten to a close) [...]hat suffering of it self, never profiteth, or ad­ [...]antageth men in the way of holiness, nor is it ac­ [...]ptable to Christ; but only as it fits for follow­ [...]g of him, and furthers [...]s therein; For Crosses [...]nd Afflictions are common to good and bad; [...]nd that which makes crosses and afflictions ac­ [...]eptable to him, and profitable, comfortable, [...]nd lovely to Believers, is this, that they are [...]lessed towards their furtherance, in following [...]f him, towards their advances in conformity to [...]im, and communion with him:

For Use, Take this as the great Scope, and [...]pshot of Sufferings, and take it also for a mark, [...]o try right Suffering by; It is not the mea­ [...]ure of Suffering, but Suffering, as it hath this [...]weet fruit growing on it, even progress in like­ness to Christ, in holiness, and in fellowship with him, that makes it pleasing to God on Christs account, and profitable to us; and in­deed it may make a very sad and humbling dis­covery of our present condition, as to most of [Page 164] us; our Sufferings have not been few, and have met with several sad dispensations; [...] alas! how little h [...]ve they participat of the [...] ture of the Cross of Christ? It's t [...]e, in respect the material cause of them they have been [...]or h [...] yet in so sa [...] as few are bettered, & fa [...]th [...]o holiness by them, and made to run after him, in [...] way of hi [...] Commandments; we may sadly say, th [...] hath been but little, lament [...]bly [...] [...]ff [...]ing Christ: we have much reas [...] [...]o [...]ear, that as have many things to count s [...], in reference t [...] greatly abused glorious Gospel, so his inpar [...]icu [...] abused Crosses & Afflictions; he hath smitten [...] and we have not suitably grieved neither have [...] turned to the hand that smote us; ah! what pro [...] ­ing is there in respect of the inward mortificati [...] of Sin, and of delight in God; or in respect of a [...] sible holy, and examplary conversation becom [...] the Gospel of Christ, by all our Sufferings? Is the not, beside these great defects as to the power godliness, some wearing out of the very form of [...] that had wont to be? abused Crosses may be very sad article in our Libel and Indirement; an [...] when we grow not better by Crosses, we read [...] grow worse.

3ly. From our Lords requiring from all that w [...] come after him, the taking up, and bearng of h [...] Cross, as it fits following of him Observe, That the right taking up and bearing of the Cross notably qu [...] lifies and fits men for following of Christ; Therefor [...] do [...] he here propose i [...], as a fit & suitable midle, fo [...] coming at that end; It i [...] not the Cross co [...]sidere [...] simply, and in it self (as I said) that fits for following of Christ, but the kindly submitting to, & bea [...] ing of it, that hath this blessed fruit & effect; Lam. [Page 165] 3.27. It is good for a man (saith Jeremiah) that he [...]r the [...]ock in his youth, he sits alone, & keeps silence [...] Kindly submitting to the Cross, makes humble [...]d patient, & suffers not the afflicted man to fret, [...]r to prescribe to God; many take on the Cross, [...]ou do not (to speak so) bear it; and many bear when it is in a manner so bound on them, that [...]ey cannot get it sh [...]ken off; who yet fret, repine [...]d grumble under, & greatly weary of it, as an in­ [...]lerable burden; but this kindly bearing of it, [...]akes silent & sweetly submissive of the afflicted [...]rsons own accord; If ye indure chastening (sayeth [...]e Apostle, Heb. 12.7.) God dealeth with you, as [...]ith Sons; This genuine & kindly exercise under [...]e Cross, bespeaks a clearing and comforting evi­ [...]ence of Son-ship.

The Use of it serves, in short to discover to us [...]e great let & obstruction that lyeth in the way [...]f our ready, resolute & chearful following of Christ [...]ven our not being folding, yielding, toward, and [...]actable to the Lord, by the Cross, but much in­ [...]lining either to shift, or shake it off; either to fret [...]nder it, or at best preposterously to seek after a [...]hange of it; of what ever nature it be, whether a [...]hare of that which is more common & publick, or [...]om whatmore particular, & domestick or personal; we should have it for our great work and task, to bear, and by hearing, to be benefited and bettered by our Cross; to be alwayes in a posture of rea­diness to Suffer, which will lay our pride, & keep down our easily discomposing and distempering passions, it would contribute to the grouth of Grace, and would through Gods blessing, be as a weeding-iron to draw up the weeds of corrupti­on from among the herbs, and would make them [Page 166] die, which alas! often grow ranker than herbs; [...] Cross rightly born would, in a word, notably h [...] to follow Christ.

4ly. Observe, but in a short word, That there [...] no following of Christ aright, unless we resolve [...] take up and bear patiently, and pleasantly our o [...] particular Crosses shaped to us; If any man (sayeth o [...] Lord he [...]e) will come after me, let him take up his cr [...] and follow me; The way of following of Christ, is [...] hedged as it were, with thorns, that through ma [...] Tribulations & Afflictions all that will follow hi [...] must needs enter into the Kingdom of God; an [...] the Christian race, and c urse of Godlines [...] hath [...] many enemies on all hands, and from all quarte [...] that the man who resolves not to suffer for Chris [...] will make no progress in it; There is nothing mor [...] frequently proposed unto, and pressed upon [...] the profest followers of Christ than this; and it [...] here laid down by him, as one of the first, & gre [...] articles of his capitulation (to speak so) with a [...] that will come after him; the necessity whereof i [...] powerfully pressed, and put home by all thes [...] weighty arguments which follow our Text, to th [...] close of the Chapter, which are all linked toge­ther with this, that if any man will come after Christ, he must deny himself, take up his cross and fol­low him; who is infinitly worthy to be fol­lowed, notwithstanding all the Crosses that at­tend and follow his followers, while they so­journ in this present evil, sinfull and trouble­some Wo [...]ld, out of which, when they shall be gone, they will exchange their Cross for [...] an incorruptible Crown.