190 Natnral Life to be denied. defPifng thefhame, and isfet down at the right handof the Throne of God : For Confider him that enduredfuch contraddlion of fin- ners againft himfelf, left yebe wearied and faint in your mind,] Hcb. I 2. 2, 3. [ If*henye do well andfoffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God ; for even hereunto were ye called; becaufe C brig alfo fafferedfor to leaving tu an example that yefhould follow hid flops, whodid no fin, neither was guile found in his mouth : Who when hewas reviled, revilednot again; when he fuffered threatned not, but committedhimfelfto him that judgeth righteonfly, i Pet. .2. 20, 21, 22, 23. Upon all thefe confiderations you may fee that in thegreat- en affliaions or torments ofthe flefh, we have reafon enough for the practice of leg-denial! And therefore as Chrift ufed Peter, Mat.16. when he perfwaded him to have favoured kimfe/f, and tohave avoided fuffering when it was neceffary for us, biddinghim [Get behind me Sathan,thon art an offence veto me ; for then favourefl not the thing, that be of cod, but thole that be of men] 21. 23. fo do you deal by carnal felf, when it would perlwade you to favour your lelves and put by fuffering byyielding to fin : take thisfelf tobe but a Satan toyou, that favoureth not heavenly things but earthly, and command it to be filent and to get behindyou; anddo not fo much as make your flefh of your Counfef, nor hearken to any of its advice, incafe of fuffering for Chrift. CHAP. XXXVII. 1174tur4Life to be denyed. 20. PUT the greateft point of felf-denyal is yet behind is foneer toSelfas Life. Nothing that na- ture doth fo highly value and dearly love, and tenderly look to, and unwillingly let go. And yet this alfo muft be denyedfor Chrifi. All other parts of felfifh intereft are as it were fummedup and contracted in this. And many a one can yield inother points, that when he comes to this, is ut terly flailedandwill go away forrowfull, rather then follow Chrift
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