*Let it be considered, that this apostle, who lived _in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses_ for Christ’s sake, who was also full of _signs and wonders, and mighty deeds_, and who had been _caught up into the third heavens_; yet reckons all his virtues as insecure, and his salvation in danger, without this constantly continued course of universal self-denial. Nay he thought all his advancements in piety, without this, to be as vain a labour as _beating the air_.
_So run I_, says he, _not as uncertainly_; by which he plainly teacheth us, that he who does not thus run, who does not thus continually _keep the body under, does run uncertainly, and fighteth_ to as little purpose as he _that beateth the air_.
An apostle preaching the gospel with _signs and wonders_, in the midst of distress and persecution, thought his own salvation in danger, without this subjection of his body. And shall we think it safe to feed to the full, and indulge our bodies in ease and plenty?
XXII. *There are no truths more plainly delivered in scripture than these two, _the general corruption_ of human nature, and the _absolute necessity_ of divine grace. Now these make the necessity of a continual self-denial plain and obvious to the meanest capacity; and extend it to all those things and enjoyments which either strengthen the _corruption_ of our nature, or _grieve the Holy Spirit of_ God, and cause him to depart from us.
Whoever reflects on these, will soon be convinced, that all those enjoyments are to be abstained from, which either support our natural corruption, or hinder the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.
He will find also, that this self-denial must extend itself to every day of our lives, unless he can find a day, which offers nothing suitable to the corruption of his nature, or nothing contrary to the good motions of the Holy Ghost.
XXIII. Most people acknowledge this in general: that we ought to avoid what strengthens our corruptions and _grieves_ the Spirit of God: but then they think to abstain from gross sin is sufficient for this.
But let such consider, that a _dropsy_ or a _gangrene_, is not only increased by drunkenness, but by every little indulgence that suits with it.
Now the corruption of our nature is an inbred distemper that possesses us in the manner of a dropsy or gangrene. If we give into notorious sins, it quite overcomes us, and we are straightway dead in sin.
*But tho’ we keep clear of great offences, yet if we indulge ourselves in little things that suit with the corruption of our nature, we certainly nourish a slow death, and destroy ourselves by degrees.
Our self-denial therefore must be as _universal_ as the means of our corruption. It is to last as long as our disorder, and to extend itself to every thing that might increase it. And this for as plain a reason as a man in a dropsy is not only to abstain from drunkenness, but from every indulgence that increases his disorder.
XXIV. *Let it be farther considered, that the corruption of our nature is but faintly represented by comparing it to these distempers. For one in these distempers may have only some part affected; but the corruption of our nature is as extensive as our nature. It is the corruption of every faculty and every power. It is blindness in our understandings; it is self-love and perverseness in our wills, intemperance in our ♦appetites. It is anger, lust, pride and revenge in our passions; it is falseness, hypocrisy, malice and hatred in our hearts. Now all this, and far more than this, makes the miserable corruption of human nature.
♦ ‘appeties’ replaced with ‘appetites’
So that it is as necessary that our lives be a state of _regimen_, contrary to this variety of disorders, as it is necessary for a man under a complication of distempers, to observe a _course_ of regularity.
For seeing all ill tempers are increased by indulgence, and the more we yield to any, the stronger it grows, ’tis plain we must practise as many sorts of self-denial as we have ill tempers to contend with.
XXV. *When we speak of self-denial, we are apt to confine it to eating and drinking: but we ought to consider, that these are the easiest and smallest instances of it. Pride, vanity, self-love, covetousness, envy, and other inclinations of the like nature, call for a more constant and watchful self-denial, than the appetites of hunger and thirst.
*’Till therefore our self-denial is as universal as our corruption; ’till we deny ourselves all degrees of vanity and folly, as earnestly as we deny ourselves all degrees of drunkenness; till we reject all sorts of pride and envy, as we abhor all kinds of gluttony; till we watch and deny all irregular tempers, as we avoid all sorts of sensuality, we can no more be said to practise self-denial, that he can be said to be just, who only denies himself the liberty of stealing.