[2.] For the object — in all things. Let not your self-denial be partial and halting ; as Saul slew some of the cattle, but spared the lat, and Agag. Many can deny themselves in many things, but they are loth to give up all to God without bounds and reservations. As Joshua dejjosed all the kings of Canaan, so every lust is to be cast out of the throne. He that denies himself only in some things, really he denies himself in none. Jehu ])Ut Baal's priests to death, but con-
Book I.] a treatise of self-denial. 187
tinned the calves in Dan and Bethel, out of interest and reasons of state. Herod deniedhimself in many things, but could not part with his Herodias.
[3.] You must deny yourself always ; it must not be temporary and vanishing. In a good mood we can give up and renounce all, and be humble, and ascribe all to grace. We may hang the head for a day like a bulru.sh, Isa. Iviii. There should be a constant sense of our unworthiness kept up, and a purpose of renouncing all and giving up all. It is not enough to deny a man's self in a thing wherein there is no pleasure, and when his soul abhors dainty food, but it must be in things which are desirable, and this must be constantly practised too. Ahab humbled himself for a few days.
[4.] It must be with all our heart. Which signifies that it must not be done by a mere constraint of providence, as a mariner in a storm casts away his goods by force, but as a bride leaves her father's house : Ps. xlv. 10, ' Forget thy father's house ; ' it must be out of a prin- ciple of grace, and out of love to Christ. Now you must not do it politicly, but with your whole heart. There is no such great self- seeking as is carried on usually under the colour of self-denial. As the apostle speaks of some, 2 Cor. xi. 12, that would preach the gos- pel freely, to shame and cast contempt upon Paul. The devil dis- guiseth himself into all forms and shapes. As Jacob put on Esau's clothes that he might appear rough and hairy, and so get the blessing ; so many seem to deny themselves of the comforts of life, but it is but for their own praise. The Pharisees were liberal in alms ; they could deny themselves in giving, which others could not do ; but it was to be seen of men. Therefore this self-denial must not be self-seeking, carried on under a pretence, for that is abominable to God. Thus for the extent of the duty.
Secondly, I come to handle some reasons, with the most effectual enforcements. It is the duty of all that would be Christ's disciples to deny themselves , I shall prove it by several grounds.
1. We cannot else be conformed to our great Master. Jesus Christ came from heaven on purpose to teach us the lesson of self-denial ; his birth, his life, his death, was a pattern of self-denial. His birth, it was a great step from God's bosom into the virgin's lap ; a great condescension : 2 Cor. viii. 9, 'When he was rich, he became poor, that we might be rich.' None can deny themselves so much as Christ did, because none was so rich as he. We may talk of flocks and herds, and the poor ornaments and supplies of a frail life ; but he had the possession of a perfect happiness and glory in the divine nature, he was rich indeed. He needed not to have the respect of the creature to make him more happy ; he was the lord of glory, and heir of all things. Yet when he was thus rich he made himself poor. He did not only subject himself to the law, and abject condition of the creature, but came in a poor, mean way, not in pomp, not in a princely equipage. As soon as he took our nature, he would have a feeling of our wants and miseries, therefore was born in a mean, obscure way. Born of a poor mother, in a poorplace, wrapt up in cheap and unworthy swaddling- clothes, the fellow of God, the heir of all things, the lord of angels, he is thrust out among beasts in a stable. Christ would not come in pomp, but with slender provision and furniture, to put a disgrace upon
188 A TREATISE OF SELF-DENIAL. [BoOK I.
worldly greatness and bravery. He would overturn the idol of the world, not only by power, but by the choice of his life. And as his birth, so was his life ; he was exercised with sorrows and labours. Christ was not a man of pleasure, but a man of sorrow. Kom. xv. 3, the apostle saith, ' Christ pleased not himself,' neither in the choice of his own life, nor in any delights that he could propose to himself of his own profit and advantage, he was happy enough without them. So in his death. If any had reason or cause to love his natural life, Jesus Christ had. His soul dwelt with God in such a fellowship as we are not capable of; and yet he gave up himself to redeem us from the present world. Gal i. 4 It is but ridiculous to profess Jesus Christ to be our master, and not to conform to his example. We have no reason to be more tender and delicate of our interest than Christ was. What is our self to Christ's self ? We are poor creatures under a law ; Christ was God over all, blessed for ever. The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord — ' It is enough for the disciple to be as his master, the servant as his lord. If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more shall they call them of his household ! ' Mark x. 25. We should not murmur, we cannot be worse used than Christ was , we have no cause to complain if we be reduced to a coarse robe, when we remember Christ's swad- dling clothes ; to complam of a hard bed or prison, when Christ was laid in a manger. Certainly an innocent poverty is more comfortable than all the pomp in the world, if we would but choose what Christ chose. Christ was a pattern of suffering from the cradle to the cross. They that caress themselves in all the delights of the world seem to profess another master than Christ. We are of a base condition, but two or three degrees distant from dust and nothing. The sun can go back ten degrees ; Christ, the Lord of glory, might go back ten degrees, but we have not so much to lose.