Book I.] a treatise of self-denial. 275
ever tliey are put to the trial, they fall off from Christ to the ' present world/ as 2 Tim. iv. 10. They seek to provide for their safety and profit rather than peace of conscience, and never, or but in a slight manner, look after their true self, and I may add, are not grieved for the failings in act. This showeth it is an habituated disposition ; self is in the throne, and not God.
3. I come now to offer some remedies. Herein I shall speak some- thing by way of consideration, and something by way of means. I shall be brief, because prevented in the general part. To inform the judgment is not so necessary, every one will confess that it is not fit the creature should be preferred before God ; but to impress an awe upon the heart, and to awaken faith and meditation.
[1.] Consider, how much thou differest from the temper of God's children, when thou preferrest self before God, and esteemest the out- ward appendages of life rather than that w^hich is properly thyself. The children of God count the wor?;t part of godliness better than the best of worldly pleasures. Take Christ at the worst ; when obedience puts us upon inward trouble or outward suffering, yet they think it is fit he should have the preferment ; they count the groans of prayer better than the acclamations of the theatre. The very tears of God's children are blessed, and they look upon the most burdensome and difficult duties as sweet. They cannot only say, ' Thy loves are better than wine,' as Cant. i. 3 ; the manifestations of his grace are more choice than the best refreshments of the creature ; but, ' One day in thy courts is better than a thousand,' Ps. Ixxxiv. Galeacius Carracciolus said, Cursed be the man that thinks all the world worth one hour's communion with God. Now when thou preferrest thy pleasure and contentment, what a vast difference is there between thee and them ! It is recorded of Moses, Heb. xi. 26, that ' he esteemed the reproaches of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt.' He looks upon that as the most glorious passage of his life. And Thuanus saith of Lewis Marsae, a French nobleman, when he was condemned to suffer for religion, and because of the nobility of his blood was not bound with ropes, as others were, Cur non et me torque donas, &c. — Give me my chain also, and make me a knight too of this excellent order. The reproaches of Christ are better than all the pleasures of the world.
[2.] Consider, how wilt thou be able to look Jesus Christ in the face on the day of recompenses, when you have such cheap and low thoughts of him for trifles, when you are content to part with God and Christ, and all the comfort and hope of the Spirit, for a trifle, for worldly concernments, base and dreggy pleasures. The day of judg- ment is one of the enforcements of self-denial When Christ had laid down this doctrine of self-denial, ver. 27, saith he, 'For the Son of Man shall come in the glory of his Father, with his angels, and then he shall reward every man according to his works.' The devil will insult over you, because you would forsake Christ upon so smaU a temptation, and would sell all the excellent things of religion for a toy, a matter of nothing. And how will you look the blessed companions of Christ in the face, angels, and those self-denying saints that could give up every concernment, and counted not their lives dear ? You become the scorn of saints and angels : Ps. Hi. 7, ' Lo, this is the man
276 A TREATISE OF SELF-DENIAL. [BoOK I.
that made not God his strength, but trusted in the abundance of his riches, and strengthened himself in his wickedness/ This is the man that would not make God his portion, that preferred his body befora his soul, and his wealth and pleasure before Christ ; this is he that would not part with a little comfort in the world for Christ's sake.
[3.] Consider, if we would love ourselves, we should love our best self. The dignity of the soul requires the chiefest care to keep and save it. The body was made to be the soul's instrument to work by, therefore it is inferior to it ; we should look principally to the safety of the soul. Besides, the bodily life may be lost, but the soul endures to eternity ; the bodily life may be repaired, while the soul is sick. Therefore it is best to secure the soul in the hands of Christ, and then thou canst not miscarry. Alas ! the body is but the case, but the vessel, as Anaxarchus said, Tunde vasculum, &c. When he was put into a great mortar, and pounded with brazen pestles, he cried out to his tormentor. Beat on, beat on the bag of Anaxarchus, thou canst not hurt himself. Now who would preserve the case, and lose the treasure ?
[4.] You may seek self with more allowance and leave from God and conscience, yea, and with more success, when the better part of self is once secured and made safe. Self-love is not abrogated and disannulled by grace, but overruled and put in its proper place. By the law of nature we are first to look after the necessities, and then the conveniences of life. We are bound to look after the necessities aud conveniences of the body, but first we must look to the soul : Luke x. 42, ' One thing is necessary ; ' it is a necessary thing to secure the soul. It should be the main care of a christian to state what is neces- .sary for the salvation of his soul ; this will stead you in life and death. This one thing is simply necessary ; one thing is necessary for itself, all other things necessary in order to' it. Thou art to maintain thy body, that it may be an instrument for thy soul while thou actest and workest toward true happiness. ' Seek first the kingdom of God,' Mat. vi. 33 ; that is, fii-st seek to get into a state of grace. The kingdom of God is put for all the whole state of evangelical grace. The first thing the Israelites did in the morning was to seek manna ; this kept them alive. So the first thing, and thy chiefest care and work should be to secure thy soul, and then all other things will be added, so far as they are convenient.