t:o Chap fSeCt,t. ------d;r;.ipti~n i~ take~ from the fimilitude of a fervant who renounccth to be under the government offuch '1. Lord. To deny a mansfclf (fay others) it is not to deny hi,ifelfto be a"""'' o'r to ptet olfhwnane alfdls, but to humble hinjelf. This likewife is true, but 'tis not full enough for a Chrifl:ians Sc!f-denyal, And therefore to deny a mamfcif (fay others) it is to put himftlf, and all that he hath tn haz.ard, _rather then t& ncglcU tfJc glory uf Chrtjf. This .Amuhejis much enlargeth 1t ; and m thts fence a man is faid to deny Gal. z. zo. 1Ji,4elf when he comes up to that hetght of the Apofl:le, as to fay, I live, )'et not I, bu Ch,·ijt /ivcth in"''· q. d. the life that 1 live 111 refpc{! of the Ongmal, 1t 1s n.ot·of nature, but of grace; not of my fclf, but of Chrifl:; in refpe{! of the Rule, It is not after my own fancy, but according to the will of Chrifl:; not after my own )ufl:s, but after the Spirit ; in rcfj>cCl of the End, It 1s not to my felf, but to Chrifl:; not to exalt or mognifie my felf, but to be all that I am unto Jcfus Chrifl:; in refpeer of Opinion, It is not to Jllake my fc!_f my own Lord and_M~aer,but to prolhatc all at the feet of Chrijf; not to fuffcr auy thmg mme to exa!ttt fetf, but to make all vet! and bow to Chrit!. • .And hence I fhall give this defcription of it, that Self-den)'"'" a total, thorough, """ _abnegation ofa mam liJVn enas 1 cr-umels, ajfcEtio;;s~ ana a whole proftrat ton of himflf> and · cfall that is thw under Chr:jf Jcfu<. .And thus we have t~e meaning of Chrift, if"-''Y man wz/1 come after me, ltt hundeny hunflf. ( •.c.) Let h1m lay afide his own wif"ome as an empty lamp, his own will as •n evil commander, his own imaginations as a falfe rule, his own affe{!ions as corrupt councellors, and his own ends as bafc and unworrh'y marks to be aymed at. Lcr him deny ht~~if. tf, whatfocvcr is of himfclf, within himfelf, or belonging to himfclf as a corrupt and carnallmon; Let him go out ofhimlelf, that he may come to me ; let him empty himfell ofhimfclf, that he may be capable of me, and that I may reign and rule within him. As in jojiphs dream, the Sun, M oon, andthe Gen. 37• 7, 9• eleven Stars did obcyfance to him, and all the jheavo in the field veiled to his fhcaf • So in the life, way, work, and fou l of a regenerate man, all the fupernatural gifts and graces, all the moral endowments and abilities, all the natural powers anq faculties of the foul, With all the members of the body, and all the labours of the life, and whatfo- , ever elfe, muft do obeyfance, and veil, and be made fubject and fcrviceable unto Jefus Chrift. And this is true Self-denial. Ephcf. 4· z,. 1 Cor. IS 47• 1\olfl. 7· 24. Rom 8. 7· lie. 2. 12, ~John. z. t6, Colof. 3· to. 1\om. 8, 29· S E C T. 2. Of the dijfributionofSelf, and ofthe marmer how every Self is to be denyed. BUt for the better underftanding of this Duty ofSelf-denyal, we mutl: firft difl:inguifh of Self, and then apply it accordingly. I. There is a threefold Self, viz. a finful Self, a natural Self, and a moral, vertuous, or rencwd Self. The firtl: Self, which is finful Self, or corrupt. Self, is that which the Apoflle calls the oldman, Ephcf. 4. 21. the earthly .Adam, 1 Cor. I 5. 47· the body ofdeath, Rom. 7· 24. the earnall mind, Rom. 8. 7· in which fence to deny a mans-felf, it is in the Apoftlcs phrafe. to deny ungodlincjfe, and worldly tufts, Tit. 2. I 2. · The fecond Setf, which is natural Self, is either confidel"lblc in regard of being, or of well-being: I. In regard of being and fubllancc, and fo 1t imports our life, which is the continuanceand prcfervation of our being,together with the faculties andpow:n of nature, our underlbnding, will, affections, fenfes, flcfhly members. 2. In regHd'of well-being, or the outward comforts of life,and they are either, I. External relations, as betwixt husband and wife, parent and child, brother and brother, friend and friend: Or 2ly. Special gifts and endowmeNs, as learning, wifdome, power, or any ot.\er abilities of mind and body. Or 3'/y. Common ends, which naturally men purfue and fcekafter, and they arc all by the Apoftle comprizedunder three heads, of profit, pleafure and honour ; The lujfs ofthe eyes, the 1"-fls of the .flejh,_ and the pride oflife, I John 2. 16. Of this kind are houfes, lands, polfdlions ; flclll!y, worldly, natural, unnatural,artificial delights; liberty, Praifc, favour, applaufe, any thing from which a man cloth draw any kind vf content or fatisfa{!ion in order to hnnfclf. The third Self,_ which is moral Self, or vertuous Self, or renewed Self, it is amans Duties, holinelfc, obedience, righteoufnelfe, the graces of the Spirit, the image of Chrifl:, Col. 3. 1 o. Rom.-8. 29, For as the firtl: .Adam bcgets us after his image; fo the ferond'
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