96 vol. I. SERMON XIII. Of Self - denial, and Suffering for Chi-ill's Sake. he Second Sermon on MATT tbir Text. Ff. XVI. 24. Then Paid Jefus unto his Difciples, If any Man will come after me, let him deny himfelf, and take up his Crofs, and follow me. THENfaid7efus to his Difciples, that is, upon Occafion of his former Difcourfe with them, concerning his approaching Paffion, and that he mull fhortly go up to 7erufalem, and there fuffer many things of the Elders and Chief Priefts and Scribes, and at lait be put to death by them ; Then faidferias unto his Difciples, Ifany Man will come after me ; that is, If any Man will be my Difciple, and undertake the Profeffion of my Religion, he mutt do it upon thefe Terms of Self denial and Suffering. In the handling of thefe Words, I proceeded in this Method. Firfl, I confidered the Way which our Saviour here ufeth in making Profelytes, and gainingMen over to his Religion. He offers no manner of Force and Vio- lence to compel Men to the Profeffion of it ; but fairly propofeth it to their Con- fideration and Choice, telling them plainly upon what Terms they muff be his Difciples ; if they like them, and be refolved to fubmit to them, well; if not, 'tis in vain to follow him any longer; for they cannot be his Difciples. And to ufe any other way than this to gain Men over to Religion, is contrary both to the Nature of Man, who is a Reafonable Creature ; and to the Nature of Religion, which, if it be not our Free Choice, cannot be Religion. Secondly, I explained this Duty or Precept of Self denial, exprefs'd in thefe Words, Let him deny himfelf, and take up his Crofs; which Phrafe of taking up one's Crofs, is an Alluuon to the Roman Cuftom, which was, That the Malefa cor that was tobe Crucified, was to take up his Crofs upon his Shoulders, and to carry it to the Place of Execution. Now for our clearer underflanding of this Precept of Self- denial, I told you, that it is not to be extended to every thing that may properly be call'd by that Name, but to be limited by the plain Scope and Intendment of our Saviour's Dif- courfe ; and therefore I did in the Firfi Place removefeveral things which are inffanced in by force, as intended and required by this Precept. As, I. That we fhould deny and renounce our ownSenfe in matters of Faith. But this I (hewed to be abfurd and impoflìble ; becaufe if we do not believe what we fee, or will believe contrary to what we fee, we defiroy all Certainty, there be- ing no greater than that of Senfe. Befides, that the Evidence of Faith being lets clear and certain than that of Senfe, it is contrary to the Nature ofAifent, which is always fway'd and born down by the greatefi and clearefl Evidence. So that we cannot of ent to any thing in plain Contradict ìon to the Evidence of Senfe. 2. Others would comprehend under this Precept, the denying of our Reafon in in matters of Faith; which is in the next degree of Abfurdity to the other; be- caufe no Man can believe any thing, but upon fouie Reafon or other ; and to be- lieve without any Reafon, or againff Reafon, is to make Faith unreafonable, and Infidelity reafonable. 3. Others pretend, that by virtue of this Precept, Men ought to be content to renounce their own Eternal Happinefs, and to be Miferable for Ever, for the Glory
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