Deny Self or you willdeny Chrift. CHAP., LXX. Deny self or psi will deny chrifl.. 8. Oreov.er, thefelpifeill newerfir er 'at Cleriflian.t, boa denyChrift in a day of trial; when the"elf-denying will go throligh all, andbe laved Nothing,doth fo throughly try whether felf or God be belt beloved`, as fuffering for his caufe. In this it is that Chriftaeth to try mensfelf-denial : and it is a principal ufeof perfeattion. When you hear of coming be- fore Rulers and Judges; andbeinghate4Ofallmen for arias name fake, then fell rifethUp to pteadfor itsintereft, and ne- ver makethmore ado then when it feeth the flames. The flefh cannot Reafon, but it can firive againft Reafon, and draw it to its fide. No Reafon feemeth fufficient to it, to perfw,ade it to choofe a fuffering flare. If you perfwade a Carnal man to let go his elate, tobe poor anddefpifed in the world, and to give up life it felfif it be called for, and all this for the hope ofan invifible felicity, you lofe your labour (till God let in) , and all fuch reafoning teems to him moil unreafonable. And what a dreadful cafe fuch fouls are in, my text and many an other paffage in Scripture may convince you. If you can- not drink of his cup, and be baptized with his baptifm, you cannot be advanced with him to glory. Through many tri- bulations we mug enter into the Kingdom of God. The pleating of the fiefh is the high way to mifery by difpleafing God : and the voluntary fubmiffion to the flittering of the flefh for the caufe of Chrift,, is the high way to felicity, 2 Tim. 2. I I, I2. [It it afaithfulfaying : for if we be dead with him we /hall alfe bye with him ; if we Infer, we fh,111 4110 reign with him ; if we deny him, h alfo willdeny ut ] Rom. 8 17. [Tea, andall that will live godly in Chrifi yefus 'hall infer perfectetionj 2 Tim. 3. 1z. The day of trial is a kind of judgement day to the felfifh unfanftifiedman : For it diftove- reth his hypocrite, and fheweth him to be but drofi and fepa- rateth him from the fatering fervants of Chrift. But
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