Of Self-Denial. 19 virtue is improveable, and by degrees grows S E R M. no to perfeátionby our own diligence; fo every I. one fees in the fruition of life, our intereft is carried on, and our temporal happinefs ad- vanced by the proper exercife of our own pow - ers, and the prudent diligent ufe of filch means as providence puts into our hands. Both are óbftruEted by the fame means, and both pro- moted by the fame means. The great impedi- ments to our interefis in this world, I mean the regular and fuccefsful profecution of them, are appetites and paífions, efpecially when con- firmed by habits. Who is the man that enjoys life, eafily attains to a comfortable worldly eftate, and to a high reputation ? not furely the glutton, the drunkard, the fluggard, the proud, the revengeful and the cruel or that . any other way gives an unbounded liberty to his lulls and his pallions; but, on the contrary, he that is matter of himfelf, that can thwart his humours, bridle his inclinations and deny his eafe, or other fenfual gratifications; and the fame are the means of advancing to moral perfeElion. We fee then that God, as the mailer of our lives and worldy eftates, the guardian of our prefent condition of being, has taught us to deny ourfelves and that by the fame kind of difcipline which is neceffary to our being wife in our prefent generation, we a are
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