What Selfifhnefs andSelf-denyal are; at the Root. uponhim. Ifhe fee things that little concern him he bath .a will of his own that would fain have the Difpoial of them. If he hear of the affairs of other Nations , fome will he hash of his own which he would have fulfilled in them , at feel fo far as any of his own intereft may be involved in the blifi- nefs. But when Sanatification bath brought men to felf-denyal, then they difcern and lament this folly : They fee what filly gid- dy worms they are to beDifpafeei of themfelves,or of the world: They fee that they have neither wifdom , nor goodnefs nor power fufficient for fo great a work. They then perceive that it were better make an Ideot the Pilot of a Ship, or an Infant to be their. Phyfitian when they are lick, or the Difpofer of their eflates, then to commit themfelves and the world to their difpofe. They fee how foolifhly they have endeavoured or de- fired to rob God ofhis prerogative : And therefore they return from themfelves to him, and give up all by free confent to his foie Difpofal ; that fo he may do with his own as he lift. He finds that he bath work enough to doofhis own, and is become too unfit for that: and therefore he dare no more undertake the work of God , for which he is infinitely unfit. He finds that the more he hash his own will, the worfe it goes with him : and therefore he willgiveup himfelf to God and ftand to his will : Ifhe feels that 'rovidence doth crofs his flefh , and that he bath, Poverty when the flefh would have riches, and ehame when that carill [elf would have honour, and labour when the flefh woulfhave eafe,and ficknefs when the flah would have health, he wod not for all that have the work taken out. of the hand of Godbut truly faith, Not my will but thine be done : and btlieveth dr Gods difpofal is the belt ; and that tiffs Father knows welenough what he doth ; And if it were put to his choice, hether God or he fhouldbe the Difpofer of his elate and honer and Life, he had rather it. were in Gods hands then his owr and would not undertake the charge,if it were offered him, Alas, thinks he, I am altnoft below a man and am I fit to Enka Godof ? I come of fo lamely in-the duty of a creature as (serves damnation : and am I fit to arrogate the wgrk of the ciator? &Moreover
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