sult their worldly pleasure, or carnal ease, or interest (for such are captivated in a moment) but continually to watch against the very appearances of evil, and by the obedience of faith, that is, of true love to and confidence in God, cheerfully to offer up, to the death of the cross, that evil part, that Judas in themselves, which, not enduring the heat of the siege, and being impatient in the hour of temptation, would, by its near relation to the tempter, more easily betray their souls into his hands. Sect. 6. O this shews to every experience, how hard it is to be a true disciple of Jesus! the way is narrow indeed, and the gate very strait, where not a word, no, not a thought must slip the watch, or escape judgment: such circumspection, such caution, such patience, such constancy, such holy fear and trembling. This gives an easy interpretation to that hard saying, "flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God:"e those that are captivated with fleshly lusts and affections; for they cannot bear the cross; and they that cross, must never have the crown. cessary first to suffer.f e Mat. xxiv. 42. xxv. 13. xxvi. 38, 42. 1 Cor. xv. 50. cannot endure the To reign, it is ne f Phil. ii. 12. 1 Th. iii. 5. CHAP. IV. SECT. 1. What is the great work of the cross? The answer to this of great moment. 2. The work of the cross is selfdenial. 3. What was the cup and cross of Christ? 4. What is our cup and cross? 5. Our duty is to follow Christ as our captain. 6. Of the distinction upon self, a lawful and unlawful self. 7. What the lawful self is. 8. That is to be denied in some cases, by Christ's doctrine and example. 9. By the apostles pattern. 10. The danger of preferring lawful self above our duty to God. 11. The reward of selfdenial, an excitement to it. 12. This doctrine as old as Abraham. 13. His obedience of faith memorable. 14. Job a great instance of self-denial, his contentment. 15. Moses also a mighty example, his neglect of Pharoah's court. 16. His choice. 17. The reason of it, viz. the recompense of reward. 18. Isaiah no inconsiderable instance, who of a courtier became an holy prophet. 19. These instances concluded with that of holy Daniel, his patience and integrity, and the success they had upon the king. 20. There might be many mentioned to confirm this blessed doctrine. All must be left for Christ, as men would be saved. The way of God is a way of faith and self-denial. An earnest supplication and exhortation to all to attend upon these things. 21. 22. BUT, fourthly, what is the great work and business of the cross, respecting man? Sect. 1. This indeed is of that mighty moment to be truly, plainly, and thoroughly answered, that all that went before seems only to serve for preface to it; and miscarrying in it, to be no less than a misguidance of the soul about its way to blessedness. I shall therefore pur sue the question, with God's help, and the best knowledge he hath given me, in the experience of several years discipleship. The great work and business of the cross of Christ, in man, is self-denial; a word of as much depth in itself, so of sore contraction to the world; little understood, but less embraced by it; yet it must be borne for all that. The Son of God is gone before us, and by the bitter cup he drank, and baptism he suffered, has left us an example, that we should follow his steps. Which made him put that hard question to the wife of Zebedee and her two sons, upon her soliciting that one might sit at his right, and the other at his left hand in his kingdom; "are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with?" It seems their faith was strong; they answered, we are able. Upon which he replied, "Ye shall drink indeed of my cup, and be baptized with the baptism I am baptized with ;" but their reward he left to his father. Sect. 3. What was his cup he drank, and baptism he suffered? I answer; they were the denial and offering up of himself by the eternal spirit to the will of God, undergoing the tribulations of his life, and agonies of his death, upon the cross, for man's salvation. Sect. 4. What is our cup and cross that we should drink and suffer? They are the denying and offering up of ourselves, by the same spirit, to do or suffer the will of God for his service and glory: which is the true life and obedience of the cross of Jesus: narrow still, but before, an unbeaten way. For when there was none to help, not one to open the seals, to give knowledge, to direct the course of poor man's recovery, he came in the greatness of his love and strength, and though clothed with the infirmities of a mortal man; being within fortified by the Almightiness of an immortal God, he d Matt, xx. 91, 22, 23. travelled through all the straits and difficulties of humanity; and first, of all others, trod the untrodden path to blessedness. Sect. 5. O come let us follow him, the most unwearied, the most victorious captain of our salvation! to whom all the great Alexanders and mighty Cæsars of the world are less than the poorest soldiers of their camps could be to them. True, they were all great princes of their kind, and conquerors too, but on very different principles. For Christ made himself of no reputation to save mankind; but these plentifully ruined people, to augment theirs. They vanquished others, not themselves; Christ conquered self, that ever vanquished them; of merit therefore the most excellent prince and conqueror. Besides, they advanced their empire by rapine and blood, but he by suffering and persuasion; he never by compulsion, they always by force prevailed. Misery and slavery followed all their victories; his brought greater freedom and felicity to those he overcame. In all they did, they sought to please themselves; in all he did, he aimed to please his Father, who is God of gods, King of kings, and Lord of lords. It is this most perfect pattern of self-denial we must follow, if ever we will come to glory; to do which, let us consider self-denial in its true distinction and extent. Sect. 6. There is a lawful and unlawful self, and both must be denied, for the sake of him, that in submission to the will of God counting nothing dear, that he might save us. And though the world be scarcely in any part of it at that pass, as yet to need that lesson of the denial of lawful self, that every day most greedily sacrifices to the pleasure of unlawful self: yet to take the whole thing before me, and for that it may possibly meet with some that are so far advanced in this spiritual warfare, as to receive some service from it, I shall at least touch upon it. F Sect. 7. The lawful self, which we are to deny, is that conveniency, ease, enjoyment and plenty, which in themselves are so far from being evil, that they are the bounty and blessings of God to us: as husband, wife, child, house, land, reputation, liberty, and life itself; these are God's favours, which we may enjoy with lawful pleasure, and justly improve as our honest interest. But when God requires them, at what time soever the lender calls for them, or is pleased to try our affections by our parting with them; I say, when they are brought in competition with him, they must not be preferred, they must be denied. Christ himself descended from the glory of his Father, and willingly made himself of no reputation among men, that he might make us of some with God; and, from the quality of thinking it no robbery to be equal with God, he humbled himself to the poor form of a servant; yea, the ignominious death of the cross, that he might deliver us an example of pure humility, and entire submission to the will of our heavenly Father. Sect. 8. It is the doctrine he teaches us in these words: "He that loveth father or mother, son or daughter, more than me, he is not worthy of me.' Again, "Whosoever he be of you, that forsaketh not all that he hath, cannot be my disciple." And he plainly told the young rich man, that if he would have eternal life, he should sell all, and follow him: a doctrine sad to him, as it is to those that like him, for all their high pretences to religion, in truth love their possessions more than Christ. This doctrine of self-denial is the condition to eternal happiness: "He that will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." Let him do as I do: as if he had said, he must do as I do, or he cannot be as I am, the Son of God. h Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7, 8. ¡ Matt. x. 37. Luke xiv. 33. |