102 Of Self-denial,, ,and Sufering fir Ghrifi's Sike. V ®l. I So that tho' Suffering for Chrift be accounted great Self-denial, and he is gracioufly pleafed fo to accept it, becaufe in denying things Prefent and Senfible, for things Future and Invifble, we do not only declare our Affection to him, but our great Faith and Confidence in him, by fhewing that we relyupon his Word, and venture all upon the Security which he offers us in another World ; yet ac- cording to a right Eftimate of things, and to thofe who walk by Faith ançl not by Sight, this which we call Self denial, is, in Truth and Reality, but a more commendable fort of Self-love, becaufe we do herein molt effectually confialt, and fecure, and advance our own Happinefs. IV. And Laflly, Since God hatla been pleafed for fo long a time to excufe us from this hardeft part of Self -denyal, let us not grudge to deny our feives in leffer Matters, for the fake of his Truth and Religion ; to mifs a good Place, or to quit it upon that account; much lefs let us not.think much to renounce our Vices, and to thwart our evil Inclinations for his fake. As Naaman's Servant faid to him, concerning the means prefcribed by the Prophet for his Cure, If he had bid thee do force Great thing, wouldefl thou not have done it ? How much" more, when he bath only faid, Wafh and be clean ? Só finte God im- pofeth no harder Terms upon us, than Repentanceand Reformation ofour Lives, we should readily and thankfully fubmit to them. This, I know, is difficult to fame, to mortifie their earthly Members, to crucifie the flefh, with the affeëlions and lufls of it ; 'tis like cutting of a right Hand and plucking out a right Eye. Some are fo ftrongly addicted to their Lufts and Vices, that they could with more cafe defpife Life in many Cafes, than thus deny themfelves. But inTruth, there is no moreof Self-denial in it, than a Man denies himfelf when he is mortally Sick and Wounded, in being content to be Cured, and willing to be Well. This is not at all to our Temporal Prejudice and Inconvenience, and it directly conduceth to our Eternal Happinefs ; for there is no Man that lives a holy and virtuous Life, and in Obedience to the Laws of God, that can lightly receive any Prejudice by it in this World. Since God Both not call us to Suffer, we fhould do fo much the more for him. Since he Both nòt put us to teftife our Love to him, by laying down our Lives for him, we fhould 'hew it by a greater Care to keep his Commandments. God was pleafed to exercife the firft Chriftians with great Sufferings, and to try their Love and Conftancy to him and hisTruth, in a very Extraordi- nary manner, by Severity and Contempt, by the fpoiling of their Goods, and the Lofs of all things ; by Bonds and Imprifonments ; by cruel Mocking: and Scourging: ; by the extremity of Torments, and by refilling even unto blood; by being kill'd for his fake all the day long, and appointed as Sheep fàr the flaughter. God was pleafed to make their way to Heaven very 'halt) and painful, and to hedge it in as it were with thorns on every fide, fo that they could not, but through many tribulations, enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Thus we ought al/ to be in a Readinefs and Refolution to fubmit to this Du- ty, if God fhould think fit at any time of our Lives to call us to it. But if he be pleafed to excufe us from it, and to let this Cap pafs from us, (which may lawfully be our earneft Prayer to God, fince we have fo good a Pattern for it) there will be another Duty incumbent upon us, which will take up the whole -Man, and the whole time of our Life, and that is to ferve him without fear, in holinef: and righteoufnefs before him ä1 the days of our lives. SERMON
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