GRACE. TO THE HUMBLE. AS Preparations to Receive the SACRAMENT. Preached by the Late famous Preacher JOHN PRESTON, Doctor of Divinity, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his M tie. Master of Immanuel College, and sometimes Preacher in Lincolns-inn.  
LONDON Printed by Tho. Cotes, for Michael Spark junior, and are to be sold at the sign of the Blue Bible in Green Arbour. 1639.   

GRACE. TO THE HUMBLE. The fourth SERMON.  LUKE 9.23. 
And he said to them all, if any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross daily and follow me.  
IN the receiving of the Sacrament, our choice business is, to remember the Covenant between God and us, and that hath two Parts:  
First, The Promise on Godspart;  
Secondly, the Condition on our part.  
The Promise on God's part, and that is the gift of Christ, whom he gives as freely, as a man gives his Lands to his heir; now Christ he comes not naked, but he comes accompanied with these three blessings.  
First, justification, and all that follows upon that.  
Secondly, Sanctification, to whom he gives Christ, them he sanctifies with his Spirit.  
Thirdly, all outward things.  
Now there is a Condition required at our hands, and it is expressed by diverse words in the Scriptures, sometimes by the name of repentance, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Sometimes by the name of Believing, Believe me; and you shall be saved. And here it is set down by following of Christ. All these are joined together, for if you Repent, you Believe, and follow Christ, and none can follow Christ, without Faith and Repentance.  
Now the occasion of these words, is this: Our Saviour had told them a little before, That he must suffer many things; he must die, & rise again; and then tells them the consequent of this, that they must not look for a temporal kingdom, my Disciples follow me, and I go rough ways: So that the main duty that he gives them here, is to follow him; to this he adds two Conditions, or two causes, without the which we cannot by any means follow him.  
First, He must deny himself, that is, If a man will come to follow me; the flesh will propound to him many things that are pleasing and profitable; it will be as a rough bias to turn him aside, and therefore he must deny himself, and his own flesh. And again he will meet with many afflictions; and for those he must not look out of the way, but he must go through these crosses, he must take up his cross daily. The Doctrine is this,  
That no man can have interest in Christ, 
Doct.  without selfe-deniall: If any man will will be my disciple, let him deny himself. Although before you come to Christ, there is nothing required, but a simple and bare desire. It is no matter for Sanctification; yet when we do come, he must then be our Lord and Master, and we must follow him, denying our own lusts; and this cannot be without selfe-deniall; and therefore it is that, that those that have failed in this point have not followed him. Demas followed him a great way, but when he came to this self denial, than he left him, and embraced this present world, and this was the reason why Paul followed him, because he was willing to deny himself; What was the reason that Caleb followed God so constantly, because he denied himself, and resolved whatsoever he saw, to stick close to God, and his Commandments; and so Abraham, he left his country and friends cleaving to God.  
Indeed if our will and Christ's Will were coincident, than this might be without selfe-deniall, but being at odds, we cannot go together, for we cannot walk together, not being agreed, and therefore we must conform ourselves unto Christ, his Will must not be brought down to ours, but our will is out often, and therefore it must be wound up to his.  
Now the Question will be what selfe-deniall is. 
Quest.   
To deny a man's self, 
Answ.  is not to make himself his end, but God only, and to renounce himself as sorry, he is opposite to God and his ways; So that to deny himself ' is to deny the aversement the corruption & illness of nature, which is called the flesh, the body of death, and the old man, and the old leaven, which are a man's self; and this the Apostle meaneth, We preach not ourselves, 
2 Cor. 4.5.  but jesus Christ; that is, I preach not for applause and vainglory, to please myself by myself, here he means his flesh, which he will not satisfy; for when the Apostle had told them of his Vision and Revelation, 
2 Cor. 12.5.  of such a man, said he, I would rejoice, of myself I would not rejoice. Why should he not rejoice of himself? Because himself was nothing but a bundle of corruption in himself was no good but of such a man so renewed he would rejoice.  
But why is flesh called a man's self? 
Quest.   
Because it is so spread over all the faculties and powers of a man, 
Answ.  and is predominant as the form over the matter, for a man loves it as himself and fights against all things that oppose it, and nourisheth all that nourisheth it.  
But how is it possible that a man can deny himself, 
Quest.  for in denial there must be one to ask, and another to deny, there must be one denying, and one denied; himself must be denied? how can himself deny himself?  

Answ.  To this I answer, that there is in every man that is in Christ a double self, and the regenerate man hath three natures. First, a common nature, neither good nor bad in itself. Secondly, a spiritual and renewed condition, Thirdly, the flesh and corruption. The meaning than is this; common nature guided by the spirit and renewed nature is to deny the flesh, that is, the corrupt nature's petition when both stand in competition the flesh is to be denied, if the flesh desires honours riches and preferments beside the rule, than the flesh is to be denied, but the Spirit is to be heard in all his requests, and this is that, that every man must do if he will be saved and there is not only necessity but much reason why we should deny ourselves, as in every command of God there is much reason if we could see it, so here is great reason for this.  
First in regard of God, 
Reas. 1.  God hath no causes, therefore he may think himself the end: but every creature hath an efficient and final cause: therefore it must not make itself its order, it is against the order of nature, and rule of things that the creature which is not of itself should make itself its end, being man's efficient cause is out of himself, therefore his end must needs be out of himself, he should make himself God, and God an Idol: For if a man will set up himself, that is, will not deny himself, he sets himself above God, and makes a God of himself. We do not worship God as we as we ought without we deny ourselves.  

Reas. 2.  In regard of ourselves, because if we do not deny ourselves we destroy ourselves, because when we yield to ourselves we yield to the disease, and when we yield to the disease, we destroy ourselves; this disease is the flesh, every man is aeger inter morbum & medicum; now which is better for a a man to hearken to the Spirit, the Physician, or to the flesh the disease. This reason is taken out of the sixth of the Galatians, 
Gal. 6.6.  he that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. He that yeeds to his flesh doth destroy himself, for all the ways of sin lead down to the chambers of death, that is, they bring death at the latter end, that is the fruit and wages of it at the last, but he that doth deny himself, doth best provide for himself, for he hath not only the general promise, 
Mar. 10. 3●  but also the particular promise; 
Mark. 10.30.  there is no man that hath left house or brethren, etc. Both in regard of ourselves, and in regard of God there is equity for it: nothing is hard to a reasonable man, when he sees a reason that it is best for him to do it, he is easily persuaded to it; besides it is the greatest folly in the world, to go about to join God and ourselves together, God and sin, God and other respects, for you loose both by this: for God hates such an one, and you find no content in mind, neither can you serve yourselves perfectly if you join yourselves with God, and therefore you can have no absolute content, and there will be a reluctancy which way so ever you turn. Again suppose they should both be joined, yet the more you gain in the flesh, the more you lose of God and the Spirit. Now he that hath any union, desires more union with God, and this cannot be unless you have less union with the flesh Again it is needless to join God and yourselves together, you may have enough in God; you add but a candle to the Sun and water to the Ocean, and then you go about an impossible thing for you cannot serve two masters, 
Matth. 6.24.  all your labour will be lost. 
Mat. 6.24.  Amaziah walked in the ways of God; but he lost all his labour because his heart was not perfect with the Lord.  

Object.  But now it will be objected, how is it possible that a man should deny himself! In shunning sin may he not have an eye unto hell; and in walking the ways of God, may he have an eye to heaven? To this I answer that we deny not but that a man may love himself, 
Answ.  for its impossible that he should do otherwise; for i●s impossible but that the will should be carried to that which is good, or apprehended to be good: and it is a sin for a man to hurt himself, it is a sin for a man to kill himself, and every hurt is a degree to that, and God would not command that which is sinful, 
Matth 3.2.  and again useth those as motives to seek salvation. Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand; If you will come in behold here is a kingdom for you, 
Matth. 10 28.  fear not him that killeth the body, etc. The ways of wisdom are ways of pleasure: 
Prov. 3.17.  And lastly it is a plant that God himself hath planted in the hearts of men, 
Matth. 15.13.  and such plants as our heavenly father hath planted, no man ought to pluck up. This is the work of nature, and that which is opus naturae est opus authoris, naturae. And grace doth not take away nature, gratia non tollit naturam, sed attollit, it doth not take it away but it reforms it; it doth not extinguish it, but sets it in order, it doth not dry up this stream, but turns it into the right channel, it doth not extirpate these plants, but as the horse rider takes not away the nature from the horse, but doth guide him: so it takes not the desire of nature away, but guides it aright; and if we do it in all desires of nature, we must needs do it in the chiefest desire, in the desire of salvation; but we would have a man to deny himself no further than the want thereof doth hurt him. Now the way to hurt yourselves, is to make yourselves the end, but the way for a man to do good to himself, is not to follow his own will, nor to seek himself, but to seek God, when his will comes in opposition with any command of Gods: for that is the difference between a regenerate and an unregenerate man, the unregenerate man thinks his best way to get comfort, is to rely on himself and the creatures, not to seek it from God: but the regenerate man seeing the vanity of the creature, and the fullness of God, rejects these things and only follows God, and serves with a willing heart and mind: Both seek their own good but a divers way.  

Use 1.  Is it so then, that none can have interest in Christ without self-denial: then first we make this use of this. Hence we see that both cannot stand together, seeking a man's self and following jesus Christ. He that will follow me must deny himself, there is an necessity, choose you which you will have, if you will follow me you must you must deny yourselves, and if you will follow yourselves you must not have me; the words are put in a necessary disjunction: therefore deceive not yourselves in this, to think you may follow yourselves, and yet follow Christ. To deny a man's self, is if there be any thing pleasing to him to part with it, for Christ; if there be any thing pleasing, if a man be not willing to part with it for Christ, he cannot have Christ and salvation: If any thing be evil and hurtful which he most shuns and avoids, if he cannot undergo it, he must go without Christ.  
But if you ask what need there shall be of so general denial. 
Quest.   
I answer, these very words to deny a man's self shows us so much: 
Answ.  for to deny himself, is to deny the whole body of himself: we must not deny some part of ourselves, as pleasure and profit, which are but some branches, but we must deny all. And therefore you see in Peter, that was the profession that he made. Lord we have forsaken all and followed thee: 
Mark. 10.28.  If we hold any thing between our teeth, we must let go our hold of Christ. He that will seek praise and credit among men, must not have interest in Christ. How can ye believe which seek honour of one another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God; 
joh. 5.44.  only it will make him st●ll be out of the way, when any such thing comes in competition. So the rich man in the Gospel, because he had set his heart upon his wealth, Christ told him that time that he could not follow him. The light of the body is the eye, if the eye be single the whole body is light, 
Matth. 6.22.  but if the eye shall be dark, mark what is said there of a single eye, and what opposition is made; An eye is said to be single in respect of the object, that is, if the eye be single & look only on God, than all the body is light, that is, all his life is good, God counts his sins but infirmities. But if a man have a wicked eye, the opposition is if the eye be double, but it is put in wicked, because a double eye is a wicked eye, that is, looking partly upon God and partly upon himself, than the body is dark; and there is good reason for this: For it is impossible if a man do not make God his utmost end to be saved, if he make himself his coordinate end, he than makes himself joint God, besides this man will be constant in all his ways, and therefore is not pleasing to God. The reason why God regards them not is because they are not constant: 
jam. 1.8.  A double minded man is unstable in all his ways: who will regard him that is a friend to day and none to morrow? God loves not such whose hearts are not perfect with him; now no man is such that does not deny himself perfectly, if there be any sweet morsel that he keeps under his tongue and will not part with it.  
If we have not interest in Christ without selfe-deniall, 
Use 2.  than this should teach us to judge of things aright: it may seem to rectify our opinions; it should teach us what to think when we begin to give up our names to Christ: we must not think to go to heaven in a Feather bed, where we may have elbow room enough as it was our Saviour's precept we must lay the foundation before we begin to build. So it was his practice, if any man came to him to tell him before what he should suffer afterwards: So when any one comes to him saying, good master I will follow thee, he presently answers him, 
Matth. 8.19, 20.  the Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head: 
Mark. 10.2.  And when the young man came so prepared that Christ began to love him. I but mistake me not saith Christ, if you come to me you must deny yourself, and that which is most precious to you which was his wealth: you must prepare yourself for crossses, and not for crosses which should come now and then, but for daily crosses; you must keep yourself for a rough way, that is, you must be ready to go up the hill; you must be busy when your flesh would be at ease, you must endure infamy and reproach when your flesh would have an applause, we must be contented to be hated among all men: A course of Godliness is nothing but a continaull opposition of the flesh to do something contrary to ourselves. To think upon this aforehand will help us much, we are to resolve and say in the morning this flesh will put many sins against the Spirit, but we must resolve to cross ourselves▪ and at night let a man examine himself and say, what is it that my flesh did desire, and how have I denied myself. This should be the course of a Christian: If you will do no more than that you are willing to do its no thanks: Such as serve God with their ease so long as it stands with their flesh, what thanks have they? but we must deny ourselves and cross the flesh, neither must we do this of necessity, but cheerfully: but we must be content to part withal, and think we have a good bargain too: as the Mercant man sold all his possessions and went away rejoicing: that is, we must not only do a thing for Christ for necessity, because we cannot otherwise have salvation, but also we must think we have got a good purchase; many will say, rather than I will go to hell I will deny myself: But we must labour to see an amiableness in Christ, a worth in Christ to draw us along, or else we shall faint, and count it an hard way, we must think the gain of Christ with the loss of all a good bargain.  
But how shall a man bring his heart to this hard 
Quest.  thing? it seems almost impossible, but if we were enlightened and could see things as they are, we should do it willingly, for that amiableness that is in Christ.  

Answ.  There are four considerations why we should do this and think it a good bargain.  
Consider the equity and justice of it, how unreasonably and unequally you deal with Christ if you do it not: Christ hath bought us of ourselves, not only of the world and the devil, but also of ourselves. We are not ourselves, we are bought with a price: 
2 Cor. 6.16.  we are the temples of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and I will walk in them, and they shall be my people, and I will be their God: If a man will go and sell himself to another man he must not do his own work, for than he shall wrong him that bought him.  
But I make no such bargain with Christ you will say? 
Object.   
You have, 
Answ.  or aught to do it, you have done as much in effect: for Christ hath shed his blood for every man in this sense; so that it is propounded before all; and every man shall answer for the neglect of it: as it is, 2 Pet. 2. there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, & bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
Rom. 14.15.  Destroy not thy brother with thy meat for whom Christ died: So for every man that it lies exposed to him, and he commits a double sin that doth not receive him, etc.  
1. He doth neglect him.  
2. He doth not as he is commanded. In the levitical Law if one bought a servant, and he in punishing him died under his hands, there was no Law against him, for he was his money. So we may say of every man to whom the Gospel is revealed, that he is Christ's money; yea Christ's blood; for that is the price that hath been paid for him, and laid out for him, and it is his fault that he takes it not; and he shall be accused one day for one that took such a great price, & yet would not serve the Lord jesus Christ: For as much as ye know ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and Gold from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ. When Christ saw you walking idle in vanity he comes and buys you to his service not with silver and gold, but with his own blood, and this he hath done to redeem you from your vain conversation; but if any man walk vainly still, and does not follow Christ, he rejects Christ's price, and at the last day it will be objected against him, that he did not serve God for the price that he had received. Therefore let this move you to serve Christ.  

Object.  But you will say, I see there is reason and necessity for this, but I will not do it yet, I will do it hereafter.  

Answ.  But consider Christ hath paid the price for you, and he hath bought all your life, not some one part, and as a man hired for a day doth not begin it till noon, he doth the man wrong that hired him: So every man that doth not serve God in his youth wrongs God, let us not therefore defer it, but do it as suddenly as we can.  
It is good for a man to deny himself, for his life is more preserved in God then in himself, for else there were no reason for that commandment, love me more than thyself, and again the perfection of every thing is in the end; every thing is then perfect when it attains its end; now God is that end of every thing, and therefore of man, and man is to serve him though it be with the loss of goods and loss of life, yea of life eternal; for yet man's happiness consists in the attaining of God his end, and so those places of Moses and Paul are to be expounded; 
Exod. 32.32.  If thou wilt not forgive them blot me out of the book of life, so it may be to God's glory. So Paul, 
Rom. 9.3.  I could wish that myself were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen in the flesh, so long as any advantage would come to God, they cared not what became of themselves, and besides if a man should seek his good in himself, he could not get it, for there is no bottom. And again besides th●se reasons the Scripture is plain for it; if a man would lose his life for me he shall find it. This is the best way to provide for himself: the best way for a man to do good to himself is by way of reflection to serve God and man with his fatness, so he shall have a full recompense, a measure pressed down and running over; so that if a man would think with himself, what shall I do now to get happiness in this world, the way is not to get honour and riches, but to learn to deny myself, and how I may honour God, and how I may spend my life for his glory and his service, this is the wisest way to make our selves happy; labour therefore to be persuaded of this, and you will easily be persuaded to do it.  
Consider the emptiness of these things that draw us out of the way, that sue to us, and are the byasses of our life, that carry us wrong, the sight of their emptiness is a great help to us to deny ourselves, for a man should consider what he seeks, and that is happiness, and where it is to be found, certainly not in ourselves, for how many thousand are there who are still seeking to other creatures, and if we find nothing in ourselves, then surely in nothing below ourselves, as riches, pleasures, and honours, therefore we must seek something above ourselves and that is God, those things are called vanity and empty things that seem to promise something and perform nothing, as those things are said to be empty which promise some satisfaction but deceive us, as an empty well, and empty clouds that seem to promise rain but there comes none: so it is with the creatures; all the world look for some thing from the creatures, but that which we seek for is not in them, and God calls them empty. So the multitudes of them will show that there can be no perfection in them, for if they had any perfection, they need not be so many, and though they would have contentment in them, yet they are but brittle as glass, holding some comfort in them, which is quickly broken, and then our comfort falls like water upon the ground, which cannot be gathered up again. Now if we would bring our hearts to be persuaded of the emptiness of these things, then surely we should do it with ease: it was easy with Solomon to deny himself in repenting, for he saw the vanity of all things, no argument will make us do this, but only the Spirit of God when we are convinced by it, and then we shall do it with ease.  
By denying yourselves you shall weaken the flesh and strengthen the Spirit, that is, the more you yield to the flesh, the more you strengthen it, and the more you resist it the weaker it grows, and the more the Spirit is strengthened, that is, the renewed quality that is in you.  
I but what motive is this? 
Object.  what though the flesh do get the superiority and the Spirit decay?  
O but if you had eyes of judgement to see the excellency of grace and renewed nature, 
Answ.  and the baseness of the flesh, it would be a very good argument. Paul thought he had said enough to enforce the Galatians, when he had told them that the works of the flesh were adultery, 
Gal. 5.9.22.  fornication, uncleanness, wantonness, Idolatry, etc. This is enough to make a man strive against the flesh for the works of it are vile, not worth a man, but the work of the Spirit it is love, joy, peace, etc. Some men seek excellency in health, wealth, earthly wisdom, but yours lies in the Spirit, the more you enlarge the health of your soul, and the more you deny your flesh, the more you weaken your disease, for the flesh is but a disease, and therefore Christ is said to come and heal the sick, and the word of God is called balm: now where there is mention made of a Physician and a remedy there must be a disease, and that disease is this flesh.  
And the more you begin to deny this flesh, the more you escape that which you most abhor and are ashamed of, namely death and sin, first sin, what fruit have you then of those things whereof you are ashamed: 
Rom. 6.24.  for the end of those things is death. Shame indeed is the correllative of sin, and where sin is there is shame, and no where else: the second is death and sickness, and death and trouble, and all steps and degrees thereto, but if you walk in the Spirit you have glory and life eternal, and all the comforts of this life, as steps and degrees thereto, to conclude all therefore resolve to deny your flesh and all his requests. And know thus much, that it is a very difficult thing, for the flesh is very near and dear to us: It's hard to deny a stranger or a friend, harder to deny a child or a wife, and therefore much more hard to deny ourselves: Again the flesh is importunate, & comes with a bribe in his hand, as ease, or profit, or pleasure or such like, & our hearts are quickly drawn to such; as Iron to the loadstone; again it's cunningly helped by the slight & policy of the devil, and therefore it is that S. james calleth sensual wisdom, 
jam. 3.15.  devilish wisdom, because the devil joins his wisdom with it. Therefore go about this as an hard work, deal hardly with it: as the Prophet bids them with the messenger that came from Ahab, shut the doers on him, admit no conference with him, shut thy ears against the persuasion of the flesh, and wicked men, give it no hearing. The flesh is ready to suggest reasons, but we must not hearken to it: So Paul when he was to go about a hard matter, I did not confer with my flesh saith he: we see that it was his practice when his friends entreated him not to go up to jerusalem, what mean you to weep, and to break my heart, for I am ready not to be bound only, 
Act. 21.13.  but also to dye at jerusalem for the name of the Lord jesus: he would admit of no conference with them. So David when joab and Abishas would have taken off Shimeihs' head for cursing him, what have I to do with you ye sons of Zerviah saith he: 
2 Sam. 16.9, 10.  And so did jesus Christ when Peter came to him Master pity thyself, 
Mark 8.32. Matth. 16.23.  what have I to do with thee saith he? thou knowest not the things that belong to God, he would admit of no conference with him, the best is to deny ourselves, to give peremptory denial, have no more strength than our Mother Eve, she was tempted by admitting plea wih the devil and the flesh: If we think of our sins Satan will be ready to suggest reasons, distinctions and evasions to make us walk upon the brink side, and then we fall unawares into the pit. 
1 King. 13.1.  So the Prophet which God sent to Bethel, when he had conferred with the old Prophet, he was enticed to come back and eat with him, which was his destruction; when as indeed he should not have conferred with him, kept himself close to the commandment of God: nothing is worse than a peremptory will in a bad cause, and nothing better in a good cause. Casta est quam nemo rogavit, she is a chaste woman that carries herself so, as that she admits of no man to solicit her. So we should carry of selves so that the devil dare not to attempt us. Think that you shall be overcome it is hard and difficult, it is good to be jealous over ourselves in doubtful things.  

Use 3.  If all that are Christ's disciples must deny themselves, hence then this will follow that ourselves are prone exceedingly to evil: we are ready in every thing to act ourselves, we are ready to preach ourselves; our flesh will have one hand in every thing, it will have an Oaer in every Boat. There is nothing to do but the flesh will put itself forth; what the Apostle saith of envy the flesh lusteth after envy; we may say of every sin that the flesh lusteth after it. Take heed therefore to yourselves; 
jam. 4.5.  as our Saviour bids us take heed of men. So we must take heed of ourselves, nothing will ●eceive us so soon as our own hearts. 
jer. 17.19.   
The heart is deceitful and wicked above all things, who can know? look on the most deceitful thing that is, the heart is more deceitful than that. If you have a servant that will deceive you, you have an eye continually upon him. If there be any thing, wherein you may get applause and credit; how ready are we to do it, but if there be any things that appertain to the glory of God, how backward are we, how ready to find out excuses, twenty Lions are in the way in such a case; if we have a mind to do any thing though the lawfulness be doubtful, yet we have distinctions and evasions for it, otherwise Christ would not command us here to deny ourselves; 
Object.  I but you will say, how shall I come to discern this meddling of the flesh? 
Answ.  It is true some things are evidently good, and some things evidently bad, but in things ambiguous it is hard to discern the flesh, a man may desire such a preferment, and think he does well, but yet this desire may be from the flesh, and therefore there are some rules whereby we may discern whether our desires come from the flesh, or no, and how we may do them.  
If you find the desires turbulent, it is a sign they come from the flesh; for the desires of grace are like them that come from pure nature; 
Gen, 30.1.  as Rachel's desire, give me children or else I die: The vehemency shows it came from the flesh.  
When the desires are hasty, it is a sign they come from the flesh, for it is the property of the flesh to run without his errond, to go without his rule, the fool rageth and is careless, where is a wise man saith Solomon that ponders his ways: we cannot go about that which is good, without consideration. 
Psal. 119, 59  I considered my ways saith David, and turned my feet into thy testimonies, If our nature were good, the more hasty it is to any thing the better it would be, but being our nature is bad it is likely the hastier it is to any thing the worse the things.  
If you find the thing desired to strengthen the flesh; it is from the flesh; if it strengthen the Spirit than it is from the Spirit; if it weakens the Spirit and works in us any indisposition to do any good, as to pray, toward the word and such like, than it doth not come from the Spirit.  
Consider what you do in like cases, where you have no self respect, we may do many good things, and yet have self respect in them: for example jehu was zealous enough for God, so long as he expected a kingdom, that pricked, but when it was gotten he fell to Idolatry. And so those they were ready to fast and pray, but there was self respect in it: 
Host 7.14.  They assemble themselves together, but the Prophet saith it was for corn and wine: and so they were ready to follow Christ, but it was because they eat of the loaves and were filled, 
joh. 6.26.  many in sickness and trouble are ready to pray and to seek God, but when the storm is blown over, what do they then? by this we may learn somewhat to judge whether the desires come from the flesh or no.  
Hence learn how to judge of your condition, 
Use 4.  whether you are in Christ or not. Christ puts it as a necessary condition to deny yourselves. It is a sure rule if you deny yourselves you are in Christ, if not you have no part in him, but here every man (as it is the part of the most unsound to flatter themselves) will say he doth not profess himself, no body will grant that he doth please himself. Therefore for the trial of this, take these rules. If you will know whether you deny yourselves or not, first consider whether you are throughly humbled, vile & little in your own eyes: such a man is not angry because he hath no more grace but wonders he hath so much. He lets God deal with him as he lists, if he will have him to be disgraced willing to be shifted from vessel to vessel, from condition to condition, so he have God in heaven, what becomes of him he cares not. He counts Christ his greatest good, and sin his greatest evil; He cares not what he looseth so he can get God, such a man will deny himself, and no man else; we may see this disposition in Paul, if God will not have him preach in Bithynia, what desire soever he hath, he will not do it; if God will have him shut up in prison he is content, whatsoever it was he would do it. So in David we shall find the same disposition; if God will take away his kingdom from him let him do what seems good in his sight: If God send Shimeah to curse him, 
2 Sam. 16.10.  God the Lord hath bidden him curse David and let him do it: and when he was loaden with reproaches, he was a dumb man because God did it. And his words to M●chal show the reason of it, I will be more vile than this, and will be low in mine own eyes and sight: 
2 Sam. 6.22.  This shows he thought himself vile before, but yet because God called him to it he will be more vile, but take a man of a contrary disposition, that hath a proud heart, that will have such a thing or else all is marred, such a man will not deny himself; if God come to him ask his credit or riches or any thing else, he will not do it, he resists God, and God resists him. But God gives grace to the humble, that is, he shows favour to him, 
1 Pet. 5.5.  & whatsoever he asketh he will grant him.  
Secondly, if you would know whether you deny yourselves, consider whether you do it in time of difficulty, when lust and opportunity meet together; it is no matter what you say in cold blood, A Pilots skill is in time of tempest, and a soldier's valour is in the heat of a battle, when you have no occasion to be intemperate it is nothing, but when a fair way is laid open to you, and you can deny your lust his opportunity, it shows you deny your self. To profess Christ in a wicked and adulterous generation, when he hath some opposition to the contrary, is a trial to a man. If a man can hate all sins, so as he would not commit any for the greatest gain; As David would not touch the Lords anointed for a kingdom: 
1 Sam. 24.7.  when he would not omit the least good to avoid the greatest evil; as Daniel would not omit prayer for the saving of his honour and of his life. 
Dan. 6.10.11.  See what you would do when the Lord and your flesh stand in competition; when the conscience shall bring you a message, the Lord hath need of such a thing, and the flesh shall say, I have need of such a thing contrary to it, what should we do in such cases? Indeed it is no trial else except a man be earnest with himself, when he importunes himself, when a man is easy to deny himself i●s no trial, set your particular humours, your personal sins; if you set yourselves to deny them; when God would try Abraham whether he preferred his will, before his own will, he tries him in that whereon his affections were most set, the offering of his son Isaac and thereupon God pronounceth the sentence I know that thou lovest me seeing for my sake thou hast not with held thy only son. 
Gen. 22.12.  If there be any thing on which our hear●s are more set, God tries us there, if we deny our selves there, than we have the self denial.  
Consider whether you are willing to be fully enlightened: whether you are content to have a through information to sift the matter to the bran, than you have this self denial, but when he hath secret whisperings in his conscience, and yet will shut his eyes, will not see to and fro, this man whatsoever he pretendeth he sinneth against his conscience: 
Num. ●2. 23.  therefore consider this in Balaams' case, if we look upon Balaams' carriage he seemed to deny himself as much as a man could do, if thou wouldst give me this house full of gold and silver, I could not do except God commanded me: but he would not seek this out, he sought the wages of Iniquity, there was a crevice of light, but he would not search out the truth, such a case was that of johanan, he came to jeremiah and said unto him according to all things for which the Lord thy God shall send thee to us, whether it be good or evil, we will obey the voice of the Lord God: 
jer. 42.5.6. Ver. 20.  jeremiah comes and tells him again, this is the business, but withal I must tell thee you dissembled in your hearts when you sent me to the Lord your God, he discovers his hypocrisy to him. To be throughly informed, to sift the things before you do it is a sign of self denial, it is ill halting before men, but God he knoweth the Spirit, so the meaning of the flesh and man's conscience, 
2 Cor. 4.2,  God's witness will find us out. Therefore of the Ministers of the Word saith Saint Paul, we approve ourselves to the consciences of men, not to the wits, humours, and wills, but to the consciences, and the truth will always join together.  
Let us not shut up this truth in darkness, he that doth truth saith our Saviour cometh to the light that his deeds might be manifest. 
joh. 3.21.  It is a Metaphor taken from such who when they would throughly know what cloth it is they hold it up against the Sun, to see if it be moth eaten or not, or whether it have any other fault, therefore take heed of false pretences. A man if he were convinced of them he would be more careful and religious in his ways, but he thinks it superstitious, he would be more wary of his company but he ●akes it, for morosity and niceness, but if you would sift yourselves there would be some sign of self denial; but now for what end is all this? it is not to discourage any, it is not for the end that any should be dejected in the ways of God, it is not for destruction, but for instruction; It is for this that you may judge aright of yourselves, 
Quest.  but now at last you will begin to s●y, I would do this duty if I knew how to perform, and therefore I will show you how to deny yourselves.  
If you will be enabled to deny yourselves you must get another man into yourselves than you have by nature. If a man hath nothing but that which he hath by nature, his flesh, sin, and corruption and the outward bulk of soul and body, whereby he consists when there is nothing else in a man, when he hath no other self in himself, than it is impossible for him to deny himself, but if a man hath another man in himself if he have the regenerate part in him then this is easy, let a man reckon the regenerate himself, than he will let all go, rather than let himself be destroyed: he will be sure to keep sin off, for that is it which destroys him, he will be sure to maintain a good conscience. But now take another man a common man, that hath nothing given him but the bulk of the body, that is satisfied with meat, drink, and clothing, and house and friends, and the flesh and sin, he will let all go that destroys himself, God, Christ, faith, and a good conscience, and all, and therefore we are to judge aright of ourselves, as the Apostle, It is no more I that do it but sin that dwells in me: 
Rom. 7.17.  The Apostle counts the flesh a troubleblesome guest, he would gladly be rid of him: 
2 Cor. 5 1.  and so we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle be destroyed, we have a building given us of God, that is, an house not made with hands but eternal in the heavens, That is the regenerate part so long as that is going up it makes no matter, though the outward man suffer much: So long as this new building is going up it makes no matter though the old one be pulled down, but when a man hath no such new building going up, he hath reason to keep up the old, let a man's judgement be right, let him conceive that to be himself which is in himself, and then it is easy to deny himself.  
You never deny your selves but you are great gainers by it, and let a man yield to the flesh and he loses by it, and that is the reason that is given verse the 24. and in other Gospels who soever shall lose his life for my sake shall save it, but when a man shall save his life, his liberty, his credit when God calls for it, shall be but as a flower: God will blow upon it & he shall quickly lose it, 
Matth. 19.39.  
Matth. 16.25.  he that will save any of those he shall quickly lose them, God will so bring it to pass in the end, if you would consider that promise, 
Mark. 10.30.  whosoever shall forsake houses or brethren, 
Matth. 19.29.  or sisters, or fathers, or mothers, or wives, or lands for my sake shall receive an hundred fold and shall inherit life everlasting, there would be no difficulty in this thing.  

Object.  But you will say we see such as wal●e most perfectly most deny themselves, a●e most despised, most trampled on, but this is no good argument. 
Answ.  For as in the midst of all contents God can fill our hearts with bitterness, so in the midst of all wants God can fill our hearts with all comforts, as tribulations abound so comfort abounds, the Apostle Paul found this so, he had his consolations abounding when his afflictions increased. Consider with yourselves whether any man lost any thing by denying himself to honour God. Did Abraham lose by it, by denying himself in his son Isaac? no his son was given him; was Solomon a loser by denying himself in riches and honour, when he asked wisdom to govern the commonwealth? 
1 King. 3.9.  No, he gained all; did joseph lose by denying himself in his lust. 
Gen. 39.20.  Though for the present to lose by it being cast into the prison, yet that was but a step to his honours. None ever gained by yielding to the flesh: 
Gen. 49.3.4.  As Reuben by yielding to his lust, his father tells him, Rueben thou art my might, and the beginning of my strength. Thou shalt not be excellent because thou wentest up to thy father's bed, thy excellency is gone: He should have had a Priesthood because he was the first borne, but he lost it, for Levi had it: he should have had the kingdom but lost it, for judah had it: He being the first borne should have had a double portion, but he lost it, for joseph had it; thus he was a loser in it, though at first he seemed to gain. Now if these things be settled in us we shall come easily to deny ourselves; now that you may be persuaded to this, consider two things.  
Consider all these creatures, wherein you see comfort can neither do you good nor hurt without God, there is nothing that doth good but the blessing of God, or the cursing of of God, that is, no creature can comfort unless God bids it comfort us: for that is the blessing of it when God must say refresh him, comfort him, strengthen him, or else it cannot do no good. 
jer. 4.24.  I am the Lord who show mercy, judgement and righteousness, he shows mercy not the creatures, Therefore we had need to deny ourselves in any thing that is contrary to him. The creatures are but instruments, and you know all instruments work by some efficacy, which they receive from their efficient cause, they comfort with borrowed comfort, as the air enlightens with borrowed light, and the water heats with borrowed heat.  
If you get your requests, riches and honours, and pleasures to you, either they will be snares to you, or crosses to you, we cannot promise ourselves good from them as they come from God's promise, but only from his mercy. So on the other side, when we deny ourselves, we can have no hurt by them, unless God bids them hurt us: let the Axe be never so keen, yet it will never do any thing, except the carpenter takes it in his hand and sets to the work, so the tongues of men, though they be as sharp as a sword, yet Shimei cannot curse David till God bids him curse him.  
Put case that they will hurt you or do you good, yet all things wherein God bids you deny yourselves you must, God he keeps all things, commit therefore what thou hast to him, put them into his hand. It was the speech of a great and wise man when he fell from the favour of the King, if I had served God, as I have served the King, I had not come to this, that is, had I committed the King's favour to Gods keeping I should not have lost it: There is no change here upon earth but there is first a change in heaven: except there be an eclipse first there, you shall find none here to help you to deny yourselves, labour to act these three graces.  

First the knowledge of God.  
Secondly Faith.  
Thirdly love.   
Labour to act them, stir up in you first the knowledge of God, consider that you shall find him worthy, that you should deny any thing for him; consider that he is the fairest often thousand: As a man faith of a friend that hath done much for him, that hath ventured his life for him, if that friend should come to him, and ask him any thing, if he have any ingenuity in him, he will say let him have it, for he is worthy of it, so must we do with Christ. 
1 Cor. 1.12  Thus Paul argues this, I saith that every one of you saith, I am Paul, I am Apollo, I am Cephas, & I am Christ: is Christ divided? was Paul circumcised for you, that is, those men are not to be named with Christ, hath not he been crucified for you? is not worthy to be looked after before other men: So David when he offered a mass of Gold to the building of the temple, out of my poverty saith he I have offered unto thee. Why, because he thought God worthy of all, and more than he had, therefore he thought himself poor.  
Secondly Faith, labour to act that, consider the reasons of those great deniers of themselves, they did so more than we because they believed more; what was the reason of Moses self denial; He feared not the fierceness of the cross, because he saw him which was invisible; that is, he believed the anger of God was greater than the anger of, Pharaoh. And that the love of God was greater than the love of Pharaoh, and therefore he had an eye unto the recompense of reward; Go and sell all that thou hast, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven; Christ bids the young man in the Gospel, if he had believed he would have done it, 
Matth. 19.21.  for the Saints they suffered with joy the spoiling of their goods, knowing in themselves how they have a better and more enduring substance: 
Heb. 10.34  So Paul they wondered that he had endured so much, but he saith therefore we labour, and are rebuked because we trust in the living God, which is the Saviour of all men, especially of such as believe.  
Let a man stir up his love, that will make him move him to deny himself, we know what is said of love there. 
1 Cor. 13.4.5.  Love suffers long, it is bountiful it seeks not herself, it will deny herself for Christ's sake as Paul did. The love of Christ carried him through all bonds; 
Act. 21.33.  and afflictions were nothing to him; if a man would labour to increase his love, the more love the more self denial, and the more knowledge the readier we are to deny ourselves. Lastly, when you come to any particular case wherein you come to deny yourselves, bring arguments, give not over till you have brought yourselves to some conclusion. For this consider these things.  
First, put case you deny yourselves in any pleasure, you gain more pleasure by it, for no man ever loosed by denying himself, for he doth gain peace of conscience and joy in the holy Ghost.  
Secondly, consider if you deny yourselves you do wipe away your blot, and it is a great matter to keep yourselves blameless with God and spotless with the world.  
Thirdly if you give way to your inordinate desires you shall be subject to a hundred indigences, and it is a man's happiness that he meets as little as he can, but to stand on his own bottom.  
Again consider if you deny yourselves, in such a case, you are freed from the greatest bondage that can be: as Paul said, you will not be brought under the power of any thing by denying your lusts, 
1 Cor. 6.12  you gain the greatest freedom that can be.  
Again consider if you yield to yourselves in any thing, where your affection is inordinate there your cross will be; as Ammon's cross was in his Tamar, 
2 Sam. 13. 2 Sam. 18.33.  Absoloms in his kingdom, David in his Absolom, 
2 Sam. 18.  strong affections bring strong afflictions.  
Last of all consider, if you yield to such a desire it will never make an end, for you do but add fuel to the fire; the greater the fire is, the more fuel it requires, and there is no way to extinguish our desires, but to put out the very sparks of our lust; therefore in any particular case of lust, never give over till you have brought yourselves to this resolution, whether it is best to deny myself or not to deny myself.  
FINIS.   

GRACE. TO THE HUMBLE. The fifth SERMON.  LUK. 9.23. 
And he said to them all, if any will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross daily and follow me.  
A Second doctrine is this, 
Doct. 2.  that the ways of God are full of crosses and difficulties, for Christ would not give them a warning to no purpose: he would not tell men that they that come to him, must take up their cross daily and follow him, unless his ways were full of difficulties.  

Doct. 3.  The third Doctrine is, That notwithstanding this difficulty we must go through the ways of God though they be never so full of difficulty and crosses.  

Reas. 1.  They are full of crosses and that in four respects.  
It must needs be so from God's providence he hath ordained so, it is his will that all those that are members of his son, and have interest in him, should be made conformable to his son: And he through many tribulations entered into the kingdom, so should they, and if there were no other reason we should rest in this: for in many things we have no reason but Gods will: As thou hast hid these from the wise and men of understanding, and hast revealed to fools; 
Matth. 11.25, 26.  even so Father for thy good pleasure was such: and partly he doth it that there may be a witness borne to the truth: Now there is a twofold witness.  
First, a witness in words which may be done without crosses.  
Secondly, a witness in deeds, when with man's blood there is a witness borne to the truth, and this is called a good witness; Christ's witness is a good witness, 
2 Tim. 6.13.  before Pontius Pilate, for it is better than that which is in word only And to this end God sendeth crosses, that he might give witness to the truth. And again that those that are appointed, might be tried, that those that are good might be known: As it is said of heresies, there must be heresies even among you, 
1 Cor. 11.19.  that they which are approved among you might be known: So it may be said of crosses, there must be crosses, that the true members might be distinguished from the worldlings, the Gold from the Copper.  
It must needs be so if we look upon the nature of the thing: No duty but hath one cross joined with it: If we come to reprove a man which must be done, yet this will bring loss of credit, friends, liberty, and life, as it did john Baptist: It cost him his life; 
Matth. 14.10.  we must preach and profess Christ, which will bring trouble, ignominy, and persecution, as it did Paul, as it did Christ, as it did Daniel, we must keep the Commandments and walk down right with God, and yet this will breed us much trouble, this will cause us to be loser's, when others are gainers: it will cause us to lose many advantages, which we might gain with wicked consciences.  
It must needs be so in regard of the world, the world hates them, the world loves her own, and they are opposite to them: if they were not opposite to the world, or able to resist their forces it might be otherwise, but the Saints are of low estate, and where the hedge is low every beast will leap over. The godly are Antipodes to the world, they are of a contrary condition, and disposition to the world; and therefore it fareth with them as it did with Christ; when Christ 
Luk. 2.35.  is come then the thoughts of many hearts shall be opened, that is, to oppose; for before Christ came they thought no hurt, and so it is with the Saints that are the Image of Christ, that have the same spirit with Christ, that do the same things for kind, though not for degree with Christ.  
It must needs be so in regard of the Saints, they need this to keep them in order, they need humiliation, and they need a renewing of their repentance, they had need to be chastised for their sins past; as we see in David, Also to keep them from future sins, that they might keep the flesh low; for God does with his Saints as Shepherds do with their sheep, the Shepherd sometimes sends his dog only to bark at his sheep, if that would do it, but afterwards he sends his dog to bite them too, only to keep them in the right way. So doth God with the Saints to keep the right way, so that if you join all these together, the providence of God, he will have it so, the nature of the thing, scarce any thing but is hard, the hatred of the world, and the condition of the Saints, that they are to be kept in the way, from straying out of it, we shall find that the ways of God are full of crosses.  
I add they are full of difficulties, for as those world's, take up your cross daily and follow, show they are full of crosses, so these words, you must deny yourself, show they are full of difficulty. They are full difficulty in these respects.  
First, because the Law of God is a pure Law and strait, 
Reas. 1.  but our natures are corrupt and sold under sin; now when such a nature is to be brought to such a Law, than there is a difficulty: If the Law were a leaden rule to be bend to our disposition, than it were not hard, but it is a straight rule and we must be conformable to it in all things, and therefore it is difficult.  
If we look upon our affections, they show that it is a difficult thing; they are apt to be distempered, and quickly stirred up, and when they are distempered, not easily quieted, hardly ruled; our affections are ready to take hold of every twig, to stay us in our ways; so that our affections are moved upon every occasion, to love when we should not love, and to love and to overlove, and to joy and overjoy; we are apt to mourn and to overmourne, we are ready to speak and to over speak: As a barrel of Beer if you stir it, all that you draw out of it will be thick, and taste naughtily, because it was stirred; so it is with a man's affections, they are ready to be distempered upon every occasion, and then his speech and all his actions are out of order.  
In respect of our nature; In a man out of Christ there is a common nature and a corrupt nature; and in a man in Christ there are these two things though there be something else. Now all the ways of God, all the duties of new obedience are above common nature, now it is a hard thing to do a thing beyond our reach, to go up the hill must needs be difficult: & again they are contrary to corrupt nature, and where contrariety is there must needs be reluctancy, and where that is, there must needs be grief, and all grief is but a certain revitency to the will, and where this is there must needs be difficulty.  
Consider it comparatively and it is difficult, if we compare Religion with other things; as take other things whereto our natures are agreeable, there is a difficulty in them if they be excellent as manual arts they are hard. A man must serve apprenticeship of seven years, and labour very hard; and so in liberal sciences, to get sciences is a difficult thing, there is much labour to get much wisdom in these arts, there is much trouble and grief of the flesh: Now Religion is an art above all, much more harder than all these, and much more difficult.  
The variety of employments a Christian is occupied in, shows that the way is difficult, a Christian must be content to do every thing, and to suffer any thing, he must learn to be in low estate and high estate, to be in riches and poverty, he must learn to want and to abound, now to do all this is difficult; may be a man cares not for poverty, when he hath riches, but when riches do increase he sets his mind upon them readily: It's hard for him to resist, the world coming upon him, and though he can do this let pass riches too, yet it may be in a matter of praise, he can be content to have praise, and seek it where he should not, and if not so, yet disgrace again and an ill report that is a hard thing to bear, or again it may be he can bear ill report, yet he hath some thing which he doth desire much, and he cannot leave that, some delight that is connatural to him, some lust that is dear to him, therefore to keep a man's heart aright in all must needs be difficult.  
And again the paucity of those that go with us show that it is difficult, we have no company, there are so few to bore us company, and not that only but the multitude of those that are against us, we go against the crowd, against the streams of the world, and where a multitude is against us, there must needs be shame cast upon us, though they be in a wrong way; and this is sufficient to show there be many difficulties in the way to heaven. Now there are two questions to be answered before we come to the uses.  
This may first be demanded, how this can come to pass that the ways of God should be difficult, 
Quest.  whereas the ways of wisdom are pleasure and all her paths prosperity, 
Prov. 3.17.  that is, a man takes not a step in the ways to godliness, but there is some delight in them, there is prosperity that attends upon the ways of godliness▪ So again Christ tells them his yoke in as easy yoke, 
Mat. 11.30  and his burden is a light burden, and the reward of such as fear the Lord is life, honour and riches.  

Answ.  For answer to this the ways of God are pleasant in themselves, and the reason why we find them not so, is from the distemper of our nature, we find them so distasteful, because of the badness of our nature even as you say of meat and drink, if any man ask you what, is not the meat sweet, yes, but to a weak and sick stomach they are most unsavoury a sick man cannot endure meat and drink, and he takes it for the greatest injury you can do him to set them before him. And dough not say of light it is most pleasant? as it is indeed, but if a man have sore eyes, nothing is so unpleasant to him as light: So it is in the ways of God, they are light they are most pleasant in themselves, but to those that have sore consciences they are the worst of any things. But are there none that find this pleasure? yes, there are some that are removed out of their sickness, those that have a desire to keep the Law of God find this pleasure and content as the Apostle speaketh of wisdom, we speak among you that are perfect: So we may say of all the ways of God, 
1 Cor. 2.6.  though to carnal men, to sick men, to wounded men, to those that have a sore conscience, they are not pleasant, yet to the perfect they are pleasant, that is to those that have attained to the highest pitch of a godly life, but those that are sincere and upright, for so (perfect) is taken in that place.  
If the ways of God be so full of difficulty and crosses, 
Quest.  how can a man undergo them? this is the way to make men afraid of the ways of God; it is a hard thing for flesh and blood to do all this, and who shall be religious, and who shall be saved, if all this be true.  
For answer to this as Christ said to his Disciples, 
Answ.  A rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven, that is, a man that sets his heart upon riches, whose heart is not in his own hands should turn when he would; for to do this to walk in these ways of God, with man it is impossible while he is left to his own strength, yet it is most possible with God, but how is it possible? for answer to this, four things there are which makes it easy.  
It is possible if God give you a new nature, ye shall have new affections, and new delights, if we have a new Law given us, we shall have new delights in it, and then we shall do it with delight and facility.  
If you consider that though the toil of Christians, and it being taken alone, and it doth make them of all men most miserable, as the Apostle saith, if we have our reward here we are of all men most miserable, 
1 Cor. 15.17.  yet if you put into the other end of the balance, that which we have for reward, that which accompanies the pains, they are made sweet. As it is with the Merchant man, tell him of the danger he must undergo, than it is difficult for him to undertake, but he considering the gain he shall get by his travail undertakes it: And so the covetous man grieves to break his ease, but the gain sweetens all the toil, for we say, Finis dat amabilitatem medijs, let a man look to the end, and it will sweeten the whole labour: So Physic though it be bitter, yet considering it procureth our health, it is easily taken of us. Though the ways of God are odious to the flesh, yet if we look to the crop, the gains, the victory that followeth, than we may walk in them with ease.  
If the burden be heavy yet if a man have a new sufficient strength given him, he rasily bears it. If you put a heavy burden upon a child having but a child's strength it will press him down, but give a man strength and he will easily bare it. Set a man to do a work and if he have no skill than it is hard to be done; but if he have skill & the art, than he doth it with ease, so if God give strength equal to the burden, which he layeth on us, than we do it with ease: if God give new habits, new graces, which abilitate us & make us to bear the burden.  
For a man to part with the things, that are pleasant to him according to the the flesh, with the things that he prizeth much, that he thinks his life, and his safety consists in, while he thinks of them, thus it is hard to deny himself: but let a man be enlightened once and they be showed him, to be only as vanishing things; while he sees them as vanity he will despise them; and therefore the Scripture calls them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉; no man grieves at the flowers which are within his hand; or for the loss of some counters, or false treasure, or that the shadow perisheth. Now the things of the world are like to these as Saint james saith, 
jam. 1.10.  The rich shall vanish away as the flower of the grass, that is, though he be glorious for a time in the sight of all men, and in his own conceit, yet this beauty presently perisheth, and so a man must reckon of his treasure, but as some counter or counterfeit treasure, as that place declares. If 
Luk. 16.11  we have not been faithful in the unrighteous Mammon, who will trust us in the true treasure? intimating that the other is but a false treasure, that is, that it is but Copper, that is, but a counter, it is but a counterfeit thing: So again the things of this world are but shadows, the best of the wicked are but as a shadow; now when one comes home to Christ he sends his Spirit into his heart, to enlighten him, which shows him the vanity of these earthly things, and then he is willing to part with them.  
Now we come to the use of it; 
Use. 1.  first then learn hence to prepare for crosses make account of them, that is we must not look for pleasure here, seek for great things here, our great things are laid up in heaven. 
joh. 16.33.  In the world saith Christ ye shall have trouble, that is, here you shall have crosses, if you will be down right in your profession, and walk in the straight way of the Gospel; you must resolve to part with those things that are most pleasant to you, and to undergo those things which are most unpleasant to you, when you resolve to serve God with a perfect heart, you must make account to bear whatsoever crosses shall come; and if any better thing come you must count that as gain; look about and consider what is dear to you and resolve to leave it: And know that when the knot is tied between God and you and the band be made, than you are engaged to this; it may be God will not bring you to it, but you must howsoever prepare for it; shall a soldier go to war and not make account of enemies? he is no good soldier that resolves not to dye in battle: shall a Pilot go to Sea and not resolve for a tempest? Aristotle speaks of a fortitude which comes from ignorance when they see the thing more difficult, and their strength less than they thought of, they presently desist; and so we find it with many Christians because they considered not before of the danger, they leave off the good way that they began to walk in; many a man goes out of Egypt, leaves the flesh, and resolves to take a new course but he dies by the way, and never arriveth at heaven, by reason of the difficulty he meeteth with never expected, therefore say with yourselves though Summer be now, yet Winter may come, though it be fair to day, yet we know not but a storm may come before night, prepare therefore for a storm in a fair day.  
We should learn hence not to mistake the ways of God, 
Use. 2.  for though the ways of God be full of crosses, then certainly that is not the way to heaven, which most men go; 
Luk. 6.25.  it is not for naught that our Saviour saith, cursed be you that have your heaven here, and that laugh here, the meaning of those words is this, as if he should say, it is impossible to be a true Christian indeed, and enjoy that carnal pleasure, wealth, and ease that others do, otherwise there were no end of those words if they might be joined together: The rich men are blamed for that they lived in pleasure on the earth, ye have lived in pleasure upon the earth: and in wantonness you have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter, that is, you may look for pleasure in heaven, but if you look for pleasure here on earth you shall never go to heaven. And if you go to a place, and if it should be told you that the way is full of danger, of narrow bridges and styles, full of thiefs and sirens, baits to entice you away, if you meet with none of all these, you may justly suspect you are put out of your way; so it is here, for if the way of God be such a way, a way full of difficulties and full of crosses, and you enjoy pleasure and ease, you may conclude you are out of the way.  
I but this is to such as are indiscreet, 
Object.  that know not when to speak, and when to hold their peace? but will not discretion help me? & yet if not that? will not a man's innocency and good parts help him out?  
I answer, none of all those will do it: 
Answ.  If you look upon David, he was a man of as great wisdom and discretion as men are usually capable of, and it is said of him that David behaved himself wisely, 
1 Sam. 18.5.  and was accepted in the sight of all the people, and he was a man of excellent parts, 
1 Sam. 18.5.  an excellent soldier, an excellent musician and he had honour enough too. David hath slain his 10000 and yet for all this, he was subject to the obloquys of men. And if this example will not serve the turn, then look to jesus Christ, in him there was no want of wisdom, in him there was no want of goodness, and yet he was thus opposed: therefore you must be so far from thinking yourselves freed from troubles, and crosses by your discretion, innocency and good parts, that you must be resolved on the contrary, that the more you have of these, the more you are liable to the cross, and there is good reason for it, for if the object be greater the more the faculty is exercised above it. Now goodness and holiness is the object of the world's hatred, the more of this goodness and holiness you have, the more the world hates you: And the more you grow in grace, the more opposition you will have. The world loves her own, therefore in what measure a man is not the worlds, in that measure the world hates him: and therefore take heed of mistaking the ways of God; and you have more reason to look to it now at the receiving of the Sacrament: for if you be in this way, many think if they sin and ask God forgiveness they may come to the Sacrament; but that is not enough; you must remember that whosoever takes Christ as a Saviour, must take him as a Lord too: you find these two words joined together, the Lord our Saviour; and what God hath joined let no man separate; that is, he that will have Christ as a Saviour, 
Matth. 10.5.  must have him as a Lord too: many will serve Christ as retainers do; they will attend on their Master on Sabbath days, and Holidays, and wear their Liveries, but will not do any other service all the week, so we would take Christ for our Saviour, to have the use and benefit of him, but we are not willing to serve him, we are loath to take him as an husband, for better for worse to subject our wills to his: some come to the feast without their wedding garments of their conjugal love. There are two things in that wedding garment. First, she that will marry another must divorce herself from all other. Secondly, she must love her husband. So it must be in the love of jesus Christ; 
1 Cor. 16.22.  If any man love not the Lord jesus Christ, let him be an Anathema, Maran-atha; we must love him indeed down right, we must love him in good earnest; as a chaste wife loves her husband's; we must not part with him; where there is error personae there is no marriage: so many men marry themselves to an imaginary Christ, they mistake Christ, and therefore the marriage hold not; except your righteousness, that is, you that are in Christ, and are justified by him, except your righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees you cannot be saved. There must be Paul's disposition in us, Lord what wilt thou that I do? what should I suffer for thee.  

Use 3.  Hence we learn not to be discouraged from any exercise, for any cross that follows it, or difficulty that is in it, because these are necessary companions of doing good, they will not be separated: for it may be many a man hath a good meaning; he would do such and such a thing, but he shall lose such and such an advantage, he shall suffer such and such a disgrace; but this you must not do, for these are knit together; duties, crosses, and difficulties: we find it in the Scriptures said of good Kings, that they turned not to the right hand nor to the left, that is, a man must walk in a straight course, he shall meet with Lions, and with storms, but he must not balk them, but he must grapple with the Lion, if he withdraweth himself, as the Apostle speaketh in the name of God, 
Heb. 10.29  my soul shall have no pleasure in him; simple doing is not worth the doing, but the cross hath the blessing. Again to what end have we grace and the Spirit, but to raise us up to higher degrees of parts, we hear of men that shall seek out adventures: Soldiers are glad when they have occasions who shall scale the walls, who shall first set upon the breach. For aught I see Luther was so far from fearing disgrace, as that he rejoiced in it, and the Apostle not to be excepted against; thus Saint Paul counted it a great grace, and counted the Philippians happy that they had occasion to exercise this grace. Let us not draw ourselves into difficult matters, for Christ knows our work, and our opportunity. And you know this you shall be punished, as well for omission as for commission; for sinful silence, as well as for corrupt talk. There is a prize in the hand of a fool and he knows not how to use it; for every opportunity to do good is as a particular talon, as a prize for the use of which we must be countable: such as fought not the Lords battles were accursed as well as such as fought amiss, and the fearful and unbelieving are shut out from heaven: And remember this, that barren trees shall be cut down as well as thorns and briers, 
Reve. 21.8.  for the Text saith, they keep the ground idle: Many a man set in a great place doth nothing, but another in his place having his opportunity would have done much, why hinders he the good. It was the Prophet's complaint, no man is bold for the truth. Many have good opportunities, but no courage. As we say of Hearts they have great horns, but they do nothing, quia deest annimus, because they want courage. And remember when you have taken such a person as Christ upon you, you must do the things beseeming such a great person. Thus a man should be ready to say as Saint Paul saith: It is better for me to dye, then to hinder the Gospel of Christ any way. The keeping of a good conscience is our treasure, the best flower in our garden, we had better lose all then this: let a man so reckon of it, let a man consider what is every man that is a Christian, he is a pearl among common stones; his works and actions must not be the same with theirs. As we say a mud wall might be made of any thing, of any rubbish, but if a man will make a palace he must take the best and finest stones; so to make a temple for the holy Ghost, there must be holy affections, a new frame and temperature, your words must be changed with your behaviour, if you be of Christ you must set upon greater things, than others do.  

Object.  But it will be objected, I shall do no good by doing of this; if I should do any good by it, I would willingly do it.  

Answ.  But to this I answer that it is nothing howsoever; whether you do good by it or no, you must do it, for it is your dear friend, and besides witness must be borne to the truth: which you may do, though you attain not to your end; and again consider though you do me no good, yet you have your reward; as the Physician looseth not his reward though the patient die. The Lawyer is not deprived of his fee, however the case go. So let a man endeavour and though the success answer not his intent, yet he hath reward.  
But you will say the times are so evil, 
Object.  that it is not to no end to go about such a thing now.  

Answ.  But this must be quite otherwise, for in coldest weather the fire is hottest; now in such a time God hath need of some to stand for him. The more evil the times are the more courageous you should show yourselves in God's causes. 
Object.  I but I am alone. 
Answ.  So was Luther, when he began he was alone, and Elias he was alone, and though you be alone, you know not what good you may do, you ●e on● coal kindles another, and that another, and you know not how far it may go. And again consider the Prophet complains of these, there 
Ezek. 22.30.  is not any that could most pitch you can, for if you do otherwise, your labour will be to short for the work.  
If Religion be so cross and opposite to our nature, 
Use 5.  learn hence to humble ourselves; if Religion be good, than the contrary to it must needs be bad, which is our nature, we must not run out as a man's heart would do, to say they are straight Laws, Laws made with blood, and God is a hard God, a hard Master, but learn on the other side to return to ourselves, and say, what natures have we, that we cannot walk in the ways of God, without this difficulty, say with Saint Paul, the Law is spiritual, but I am carnal and sold under sin; we must humble ourselves, and not exalt ourselves as many do, and say we are but flesh and blood, we do as much as we can, our mind and intention is good: but we must humble ourselves, when you find Religion opposite to you, and you opposite to Religion and God, think that out of this contrariety must needs come God's hatred, look to his pure nature, and your impure affections, and sure they must needs breed an Antypathie between him and us; therefore we cannot but be loathsome to God, and he must needs hate us; now we should confirm our judgements to God, and loathe, hate, and abhor ourselves, for the evil disposition that is in us, and every time that you come to an holy duty, as to pray, and you find backwardness in yourselves, when you come to speak profitably, and you find a contrariety in you, when you come to hear the word, and you find a lumpishness in your hearts, this should humble you, this should open as it goes a new crevice of light to you, which makes us to see our misery, and long after Christ and prise him: we should humble ourselves that God may lift us up; for God giveth grace to the humble, this advantage we may get by the sight of our own vileness.  

Use 6.  Hence we may learn to justify the truth of our Religion; if it had been the device of Politicians they would have had one of these two ends, either to please themselves, or else to get a multitude of followers; so to make something of themselves: but you shall find Religion to have in it that which is contrary to a man's desire; it crosses his will, it crosses his opinion, it crosses his affections and intentions; and takes his ends, his profit his credit, and his pleasure. And beside, there is nothing in it to draw our nature after it, but it is contrary to it. Take them that are fishers and fowlers, they always use baits that are agreeable to the Fish, and the Fowl. This is not the way that Christ hath taken. In his Word there is nothing to draw our nature, but quite opposite to it: we must deny ourselves, we must be ready to part with all, and become other men, and we shall mee●e with crosses every day and he that follows Christ must look for them: This purity in the whole book of God contrary to man, and these infinite crosses here foretold may help us to make an argument to confirm us in the present truth.  

Doct. 4.  The last Doctrine that these words afford us is this, that all that are Christ's Disciples must follow him, that is, although this be required that you must deny yourselves, and take up your cross, though difficulty hang upon Religion, yet you must go through all: All that are Christians, all that will have any benefit by Christ, must tread in his steps, must be made like Christ. 
Rom. 8.29.  God hath predestinated them which he knew to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the first borne among many brethren; that is, God will have all his Sons of one fashion; as parents will put their children in one fashion, masters their servants in one livery, so God will have you like his eldest Son, he will have no iniquality: Indeed there is inequality for degrees, but God will have an equality for fashion, he will have a perfection for parts, though not for degrees that he may be the first borne among many brethren; that is, every man that will be saved, must look what Christ did, that must he do. As Gideon said to his Soldiers, 
judg. 8.17.  look what ye see me do, do ye likewise: for I am your guide and captain whom you must follow, when you see me blow the trumpets, and when ye see me break the pitchers do you so. So when Abimelech cut down bows, 
judg. 9.48.  all his people did do the like, so saith Christ, whatsoever you see me do that do ye, for he is our Captain, he is our Prince, he is the General of the Army, and all that will be victors must be obedient unto him, as Soldiers are unto their General, which is the strictest obedience that is, they must keep their watch and stations, oppose all dangers, fight when he will have them, turn this or that way as he commands, and every relation that replies, following is found in him; he is the guide, the guide of our feet, our Lord, our Master, our Captain, our Father, our Husband. He saith this to all his Disciples follow me; that is, as if he should say, there are two sorts of men in the world, some straggling people, as sheep without Shepherds: Malantes milites, as Soldiers without a Captain, Masterless servants, as wand'ring beggars, of which not only our high ways, but also our cities and streets are full; that is, they are idle persons that make a conscience of nothing, that swear, that break the Lords day: They are privileged persons, they may do what they will, I have nothing to do with them. But there are another sort of men, that have given up their names to Christ to be his servants, such as you are must follow me, you have a rule to go by, that is Christ.  

Quest.  But is Christ our rule? the Law is our rule; have we two rules?  

Answ.  It is true the Law is our rule? but Christ is the rule of that rule: Christ and that Law differ, as Christ and the example, as in our Grammar and Logic, you have the rule and the example: So it is here, the Law is the rule, and Christ is the example.  
But Christ is an high example, he is to high for us, 
Object.  we can never attain to him, and take away the hope and take away the the endeavour; Tolle spem & tolle conatum.  
To this I answer, 
Answ.  that though it be so that we shall never attain to him, yet it is best that there should be an high example; for the best copy is the best help: And so those that learn to write, we set the best copy to them that begin to write, and there is reason for it; because a man cannot hit the mark, therefore shall I set him a wrong mark: so because a man could not do according to the rule, therefore shall I set him a false rule? And again it is necessary that we should have him for an example, though he be so high that we may be still on progress, go on further still in godliness, and it is not expected that we should do all at the present, but that we should be still mending and turn to the right rule, and last of all it is needful you should have such an example set you, that you may be kept humble, it will show us our defects when we compare ourselves with ourselves, or other men we think somewhat of ourselves: But when we compare ourselves with Christ, than we are humbled, as Peter when he once saw him in his purity, and his majesty that confounded him, Lord I am a sinful man, I am not worthy that thou shouldest come to me.  
But you will object it is ●●ue indeed; 
Object.  if Christ had ●ived among us as among ●he Apostles, if he would ●ead us by his hand, but he is taken from us and how should we do?  
But to answer to this, 
Answ.  know that though he be gone, he hath left his Spirit and that Spirit is put into your hearts, and that Spirit will guide you, that is, it will be as a monitour behind your backs to tell you this is the way, walk in it, when we are straggling out of it, it lusteth against the flesh: this Spirit all those that are in Christ have, because you are sons God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your hearts: 
Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.9.  If any man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his: that is, every man that comes to him, though he be taken from him, yet he sends his Spirit into his heart, and tells him the way, the Spirit shall lea● you into all truth. Though in special it led the Apostles, yet in fundamental points it shall lead them all that are the servants of Christ.  

Object.  But this is an uncertain rule, I may be deceived in it; I may take the suggestion of the Devil for the evidence of the Spirit.  
But to try you have the word for a rule, 
Answ.  the Spirit dictates nothing but agreeing to the word; if it agree with the word it is from the Spirit.  
But yet you will say the words of the Spirit are but remote guides, 
Object.  they are but intellectual things: Therefore there are more sensible guides, 
Answ.  the lives of the Saints which are written for our instruction; and we have many living Saints, the present Saints that live among these are helps to you, these are companions in your ways these are good lights to follow: God hath not left himself destitute, but he hath Saints in every nation, where the Gospel is preached: But this caution you must take, that the Saints may err from the way and straggle a little from it Therefore you must follow them as that you must fix your eyes upon Christ, because he only is the Author and finisher of your faith, that is, as he began the doctrine of faith, and taught us the rules of it, so he hath consummated it, and left us examples to follow: it is not so with men, for that rule is most true. Non est ejusdem & inv●nire & preficere artem. Take the most learned man though he found out an art, yet he never finished it, yet Christ hath done this: Therefore look to him; though there be a cloud of witnesses as a cloud went before the Egyptians, yet Christ is the surest guide: But further to explain this I will show you two things.  
First, what it is to follow?  
Secondly, whom you are to follow; first the act, and then whom you are to follow.  
First what it is to follow, and thus I may briefly describe it to you: 
A description of following.  To follow Christ is nothing but to resolve, to do and suffer willingly, and withal our heart what he commands, etc. There are four difficult things put together in this description, which are to be handled severally.  
I say to follow Christ, is nothing but to resolve, that is, when you come to Christ once, you must have a mind to go which way soever he will lead you: we must not reason with flesh and blood, but be obedient to him, not knowing whether we go, as a man that goes into a strange county, he puts himself into another man's hands, saying I will follow thee; be the ways what they will he is resolved to go through rough and plain, thick and thin, whether his place be dangerous or safe, hard or easy, such a resolution must they have that follow Christ, there must be no mincing, no excepted place, I will follow thee but not in this path, but not in this place, as the Apostle speaketh you have obeyed from the heart to the whole form of doctrine whereunto you have been delivered; 
Rom. 6.17.  that is, there is a whole form of doctrine, every jot of this must be obeyed, Christ hath delivered you to obey it, that is, to this end Christ hath redeemed you from hell and death, that you may obey the whole passage of it; not pick and choose, but whatsoever he doth command we must resolve to obey, whatsoever way he lead to follow him, may be he will lead through poverty and infamy, and disgrace, & hatred of all men, and imprisonment. Therefore I say we must resolve to do and suffer, for indeed suffering is but a higher degree of doing, as the Philosopher well said, bare suffering is not laudable, but so far as a man acts in his suffering, that is, some actions there are that require but simple obedience, but in some actions you must suffer if you will do them, the good ground brings forth fru●te with patience, that is, many duties have crosses joined with them, with patient bearing they bring forth fruit. 
Heb. 12.1.  Run with patience the race that is set before you; 
Rom. 2.7.  so we render it continuance, the original is by patience in well doing. So God sent Annanias to tell Paul, 
Act. 9.16.  what he must suffer at Damascus, I will show how many things he must suffer for my name's sake. So it is with every one that is called home to Christ. There are certain things that he must do and suffer, that he must resolve to do and suffer. Secondly he must resolve to do and suffer willingly and with all his heart: There is a kind of following which proceeds from a natural inclination, as the leaf the bow, the Iron, the loadstone, they can do no otherwise: thus must you follow Christ.  
But you will say have we flesh in us which is backward and untoward, and therefore we cannot follow Christ so willingly. But as we say a Bear follows to the stake obtorto collo, against his will, and this is found in the Saints as it is said of Peter, when thou art old another shall stretch forth thine hand, 
joh. 21.18.  and another shall gird thee, and lead thee whether thou wouldst not. Christ tells him there of his death, and that he should lead him whether he would not, now Peter was a Martyr, and we cannot think but that he died and suffered Martyrdom willingly: 
Answ.  but yet he should be led whether he would not, that is, whether his flesh would not: it is true the flesh cannot thus willingly follow Christ: therefore you must if you would follow Christ aright, find something in you, that you should follow Christ, with propensivenesse and willingly: to express this I have added these other words, with all your heart, we find expressed in the old Testament by three phrases, love the Lord with all your mind, with all your heart, and with all your might, first, with all your mind, that is, your understanding; secondly, with all your heart, that is, your affections; thirdly with all your might, that is, with your executive power. We are to follow him with all our mind, and I rather use these three, because the word (follow) is applied to all these, some are said to be followers of such whose opinions they follow. As those that follow Aristotle and Ramus: So some are said to follow Paul, some Apollo's, but we must follow Christ: thus we must follow his opinions his tenants, keep close to his word, that is, we should consider what Christ said, what the Scripture saith, for otherwise it is no faith, for is fides fundatur in ore Dei; we must not take things on trust, we must not receive such a truth, because such a writer set it down; but we must see what warrant it hath in the word of God, otherwise we are not rooted in the faith, we are to have an estimation of orthodoxal fathers, but we are to fix our eyes on Christ. As for example the doctrine of justification, this you may learn out of writings, but you must see what footing it hath in the Scriptures, or else when our strong adversaries set upon us we shall quickly be convinced: And again you must do it that when you preach the Word of God, you may have more authority: when one creature hath to deal with another it hath no authority, but when God hath to deal with the creature, he doth much prevail.  
We use to say some follow such a man whom they desire to imitate: for there are some who in their opinions are higher than the rest of whom we think that all that they do is comely; and this is that second way of following Christ to love him, when we affect whatsoever we see him do, and whatsoever we see of him in his servants, that is, we must so imitate them as that our imitation may be referred to Christ, when we see the image of Christ in them, we must take heed that we adhere not to the creature, but say it is a spark and glimpse of Christ; I will follow him: But above all take heed of the contrary, when we see something of Christ rising in their conversation, that we do not despise and contemn him: It is the world that hates the godly. We are to follow him with all our might, that is, with all our executive powers; that is, whatsoever we do, whatsoever we act, whatsoever we take in hand, we must follow him, when a man follows another man's counsel, he will follow that and nothing but that, as courtiers follow the King, when any one ask us a thing we must pause upon it, to see whether it be Gods will or not: As it is said of David, I have a man after mine own heart, etc. on this manner we should follow Christ; we must follow him at all times, for there are uncertain times, when it is easy to follow Christ; but there are some difficult when you are put to an exigent, when there is some difficulty in following Christ, now you must not pick and choose, but you must take him for better and worse, there are some brunts as we may see, shun not them. If Daniel might have spared himself, in such a brunt as this, he might have spared himself in all, but we see it might not do it: If Mordicai could have bowed to the King's favourite which doubtless he could not do, than he he need not have procured that displeasure. Moses might have enjoyed Pharaohs pleasure, if in some particulars he might have granted to him, but he might not: we must not do as many servants do with their masters, run from them when harvest comes in, when labour begins; for if we do we may fear Christ will say to us, as such masters say to such servants. If you will stay from me when I most need you, I will not keep you all the year beside when I have no need of you, and therefore take heed of it. If a man out of fearfulness in such times shall not follow Christ, he shall receive no reward. A soldier when the battle comes flees from his colours, but he can be content to take his wages and lie in quietness and peace: take heed of forsaking Christ when the battle comes, that is, when there comes something dangerous to the flesh: you must resolve to follow Christ thus. Christ tells you that if you follow him, that he hath no houses, no lodging, no earthly content, neither must you look for any, your will and advantage must be spiritual. In the world you shall have trouble: He dealeth with man in this case as Naomi dealt with Ruth; 
Ruth 1.  we see how she dealt with her, she bids her go to return again, and tells her she was too old to bear children, etc. and then she sets upon her again; Behold thy sister is gone back, and wilt thou go alone? At length Ruth gives her this answer, that nothing but death should part, I will go, etc. and there she rests: After this manner Christ deals with us, when men come to follow him, he tells them they must look for no Riches, as to the young man in the Gospel, go and sell all that thou hast and then come to me, you must look for no ease. The Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not whereon to lay his head, you must look for many crosses; but if he meet with such a one that saith, naught but death shall part thee and me, such an one Christ receiveth, such an one God accepteth. So that it is as it was with the Israelites, if any one were faint hearted, he should not go up to battle, for they would do no good, and then also they weakened others: So we say to all men we tell you now what it is to follow Christ, you must go to war with him, and we tell you, if you be faint hearted, you must not come under the banner, if you will not follow Christ through the love and hatred of all men, through poverty and riches, you will do no good, but discourage others.  
We must follow Christ all manner of ways, now for the meaning of this last it is this, that is, those two-wayes, inwardly and outwardly, and there is difficulty in both: you must follow Christ inwardly; whom I serve with my Spirit saith Paul, that is, I do not only do the outward work, but I serve him with my Spirit, it is a hard thing to do so, it were nothing, if we were only to do the outward work, but we must do it with our spirits, that is, when your conscience shall tell you within you, such a duty you must not omit, such vain glory you must not seek, such pleasure you must part with: then so to do that duty is to follow Christ inwardly; to approve all the inward affections of your hearts to God, who searcheth the inmost windings of the Spirit, that is difficult, many might go well away were it not for the inward lust.  
You must do it outwardly, that is, you must profess his name, and that you must do before a wicked and adulterous generation, when there is difficulty, shame and disgrace, than we must follow Christ: so this was the occasion of these words, If you will venture to follow me, know this, that I must suffer many things at jerusalem; therefore deny yourselves and take up your cross daily and follow me. Many a man will follow Christ, but he will follow him a far off, he will follow him without his livery, that men should not know whose servant he is, but he that will follow Christ must follow his colours before all men openly: he that will be ashamed of me, saith Christ, I will be ashamed of him before my father which is in heaven; we are fallen into such times as it is easier to follow Christ inwardly then outwardly, when men are ashamed to make show of so much as is within them, whereas heretofore times were such as men should make a show of more than he had. So we see what it is to follow Christ, consisting in these four things. First, to do whatsoever he commands. Secondly to do it with all our hearts, that is, wi●h all our minds, with all our soul, & with all our might. Thirdly, to follow him at all times. Fourthly, all manner of ways.  
The second thing is what is to be followed, and that is Christ, that is, to follow his example, and to follow his precepts, but this in the general is to little purpose, therefore I will pick some special examples, & some special precepts wherein we are to follow Christ, therefore you shall find these things in Christ example.  
First, he was abundant in love which he showed many ways, he showed it by giving a life for us, no greater love then to give himself for us, when we were his enemies, when there was no worth nor goodness in us, he shed his blood for us. 
Rom. 5.  So it was showed partly in his aptness to giving. 
Acts 20.35  Paul relates this as a love saying of our Saviour: It is better to give then to receive. And what he said no doubt he preached: again another fruit of his love was to forgive, no disgrace no contumely so great, but he easily passed it by: So in the greatest despite of all his crucifying he easily forgave them that crucified him. And another thing wherein his greatest love was seen, was his great compassion, his bowels rolled in him. He was compassionate both to men's souls and bodies: So on other bodies, 
Matth. 9.36.  he took compassion on them as sheep having no shepherd: So when he saw the people fainting after they had followed three days, 
Mark 6.38  he had compassion on their bodies; he wrought a miracle to help them, 
Col. 3.12, 13.  he fed five thousand with five loaves and two fishes▪ And this is that that is commended to us in Christ, Put on therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved bowels, etc. And so I say to you labour to abound in love, in love to God, and in love to one another, be ready to do any kindness, and forgive any unkindness, let your bowels melt over other men's miseries, have a tender compassion for other men's sins especially in ministers labour to have a love to all mankind, for it is love that edifies, knowledge that puffeth up, and it is that which Saint john moveth us unto in his Epistles; love one another, yea transgressions and any offences we must forgive them even as Christ forgave us our sins; If there be any infirmities we must pass by them as Christ passed by ours, that is, your failings towards Christ are ten times more than men's failings towards you, he forgave you, therefore do you forgive them, and this love must be renewed at the Sacrament, etc.  
He was one that sought no praise of men, no applause, no vain glory, he desired not to be some body in the eyes of men, which appears by this, all which he did he laboured to hide, that which was excellent in him, observing his miracles, charging those in whom he wrought them to be silent: He endured the Cross and despised the shame, that is, when he was mocked he despised it; so should we despise the shame, mark the word despised the shame, endured the Cross, because that was a heavy burden, and he endured the shame. There will still be Ishmaels' that will mock the isaack's of God, false nicknames and approbrious speeches will be cast on such as make profession of Religion: But despise the shame, alas shame is but a chip of the Cross; 
Object.  but why did Christ despise it? he had an eye to the recompense of reward, that is, when a man beholds God, and looks upon heaven having such great things in his eyes, he cares not what men say, and if you despise you w●ll despise credit as Christ did, as that deed of his shows more plainly. 
Luk. 23.8.11.  Herod desires to see him, Pilate sent him to him, and so expected some miracle of him but Christ would do no miracle, so that Herod his men of war despised him: Now here a man is more put to it, when men expect something from him, when he is engaged for his credit to do something then to despise this, and omit this opportunity is a great thing. He was despised of Herod, and of his men of war, he despised obloquys & the reproach of men, and also praise of men; for it was but an empty thing; but let the praise of God be great in your eyes.  
Thirdly, he was exceeding obedient to his Father, if God would have him dye on the Cross which was a great matter, he would do it: So in drinking of the cup he seemed unwilling something, but yet since his Father had mingled it he would do it, this is obedience, when we do what God would have us do? we would have health but God puts us in sickness; he afflicts us with sharp diseases: this is the cup that my Father hath mingled for me, and I will drink. And another part of his obedience is in this; when he had sent forth his Disciples, when they brought in poor fellows he thanked God for it; of which there could be no other reason rendered but his Fathers will.  
FINIS.