What Seffithnefs and Self-deniAl are ; at the Root. confequently, our carnal Content in thefe, as to be willing and Refolved to part with them all, rather then with him and ever- failing life : even as Abrahamwas bound to love his fon Ifaac but yet fo to prefer the Love and Will of God, as to be able to fact ifice his fon at Gods Command. And the Lord Jefus himfelf was the livelyefl Pattern to us of this Setf.denial that ever the world law : Indeed his whole life was a continued praCtice of it. And it bath oft convinced me that it is a fpecial part of our Sanetification, when I have con- fidered how abundantly the Lord bath exercifed himfelf in it for our example. For as it is defperate to think with the Soci- nians that he did it onlyfor our Example ; fo it is alfo a defperate Error of others, to think that it was only for fatisfaCtion to God, and not at all for our Example. Many do give up them. (elves toFlell-pleafing, upon a mikonceir that Chrift did there- foredeny his flefh, to purchafe them a liberty to pIcafe theirs. As in his Falling and Temptations, and his fufferings by the re- proach and ingratitude of men, and theoutward Poverty and Meannefs of his condition, the Lord was pleafed to deny him- felf ; fo efpecially in his laft Paffion anddeath. As I have (hew- ed tlfewhere , he loved his natural life and peace and there- fore in manifeftationof that, he prayeth; Father, if it be thy this Cup parrfromme : But yet when it came to the corn.. parativepradical Ad, he proceeded to choofe his Fathers Will with death, rather then life without it, and therefore faith, [Not my Will (that is, my Pimple love of life) bat thy willbe done. ] In which very words hemanifefteth another will of his own, be. fides that,which he confenteth (hall nor be done, and fheweth that he prefered the pleatingof his Father in the Redemption of the world, before his own life. And thus in their meafure he ankh all his Members to do : fo that life, and all the comforts oflife,are not fo dear to them as the love of God andeverlafting life. 4. When God had created man, he was prefently the Owner of him, and man underftood this that he was God's, and not his OM And he was not to claim a Tropriety in himfelf, nor to be affected to himfelfas his own, nor to live as his own , but as His that made him. But
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=