SERMON LI. ON SELF-DENIAL. LUKE IX. 23. "And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Cross daily, and follow me." 1. IT has been frequently imagined, that the direction here given, related chiefly, if not wholly, to the Apostles; at least, to the Christians of the first ages, or those in a state of persecution. But this is a grievous mistake: for, although our blessed Lord is here directing his discourse more immediately to his Apostles, and those other disciples, who attended him in the days of his flesh; yet, in them he speaks to us, and to all mankind, without any exception or limitation. The very reason of the thing puts it beyond dispute, that the duty, which is here enjoined, is not peculiar to them, or to the Christians of the early ages. It no more regards any particular order of men, or particular time, than any particular country. No: it is of the most universal nature, respecting all times, and all persons; yea, and all things not meats and drinks only, and things pertaining to the senses. The meaning is, If any man, of whatever rank, station, circumstances, in any nation, in any age of the world, will effectually come after me, "let him : deny himself" in all things; let him "take up his cross," of whatever kind, yea, and that "daily, and follow me.” 2. The denying ourselves, and the taking up our cross, in the full extent of the expression, is not a thing of small concern: It is not expedient only, as are some of the circumstantials of Religion; but it is absolutely, indispensably necessary, either to our becoming, or continuing his disciples. It is absolutely necessary, in the very nature of the thing, to our coming after him, and following him. Insomuch, that, as far as we do not practise it, we are not his disciples. If we do not continually deny ourselves, we do not learn of him, but of other masters. If we do not take up our cross daily, we do not come after him, but after the world, or the prince of the world, or our own fleshly mind. If we are not walking in the way of the cross, we are not following bim, we are not treading in his steps, but going back from, or, at least, wide of him. 3. It is for this reason, that so many ministers of Christ, in almost every age and nation, particularly since the Reformation of the Church from the innovations and corruptions which had gradually crept into it, have written and spoken so largely on this important duty, both in their public discourses, and private exhortations. This induced them to disperse abroad many tracts upon the subject; and some in our own nation. They knew both from the Oracles of God, and from the testimony of their own experience, how impossible it is not to deny our Master, unless we will deny ourselves: and how vainly we attempt to follow him that was crucified, unless we take up our own cross daily. 4. But may not this very consideration make it reasonable. to enquire, If so much has been said and written on the subject already, what need is there to say or write any more? I answer, There are considerable numbers, even of people fearing God, who have not had the opportunity either of hearing what has been spoken, or reading what has been written upon it. And, perhaps, if they had read much of what has been written, they would not have been much profited. Many who have written, (some of them large volumes,) do by no means appear to have understood the subject. Either they had imperfect views of the very nature of it, (and then they could never explain it to others,) or they were unacquainted with the due extent of it: they did not see how exceeding broad this command is; or they were not sensible of the absolute, the indispensable necessity of it. Others speak of it in so dark, so perplexed, so intricate, so mystical a manner, as if they designed, rather to conceal it from the vulgar, than to explain it to common readers. Others speak admirably well, with great clearness and strength, on the necessity of self-denial; but, then, they deal in generals only, without coming to particular instances, and so are of little use to the bulk of mankind, to men of ordinary capacity and education. And, if some of them do descend to particulars, it is to those particulars only, which do not affect the generality of men; since they seldom, if ever, occur in common life; such as the enduring imprisonment or tortures: the giving up, in a literal sense, their houses or lands, their husbands or wives, children, or life itself: to none of which we are called, nor are likely to be, unless God should permit times of public persecution to return. In the mean time, I know of no writer in the English tongue, who has described the nature of self-denial in plain and intelligible terms, such as lie level with common understandings, and applied it to those little particulars, which daily occur in common life. A discourse of this kind is wanted still and it is wanted the more, because in every stage of the spiritual life, although there is a variety of particular hindrances, of our attaining grace or growing therein, yet are they all resolvable into these general ones, either we do not deny ourselves, of we do not take up our cross. In order to supply this defect in some degree, I shall endeavour to shew, First, What it is for a man to deny himself, and what to take up his cross: and, Secondly, That if a man be not fully Christ's disciple, it is always owing to the want of this. I. 1. I shall, First, endeavour to shew, What it is for a man to "deny himself, and take up his cross daily." This is a point, which is, of all others, most necessary to be considered and thoroughly understood, even on this account, that it is, of all others, most opposed by numerous and powerful enemies. All our nature must certainly rise up against this, even in its own defence: the world, consequently, the men who take nature, not grace, for their guide, abhor the very sound of it. And the great enemy of our souls, well knowing its importance, cannot but move every stone against it. But this is not all: even those, who have in some measure shaken off the yoke of the devil, who have experienced, especially of late years, a real work of grace in their hearts, yet are no friends to this grand doctrine of Christianity, though it is so peculiarly insisted on by their Master. Some of them are as deeply and totally ignorant concerning it, as if there were not one word about it in the Bible. Others are farther off still, having unawares imbibed strong prejudices against it. These they have received partly from outside Christians; men of a fair speech and behaviour, who want nothing of godliness, but the power; nothing of religion, but the spirit: and partly from those who did once, if they do not now, 66 taste the powers of the world to come." But are there any of these, who do not both practise self-denial themselves, and recommend it to others? You are little acquainted with mankind, if you doubt of this. There are whole bodies of men, who only do not declare war against it. To go no further than London: Look upon the whole body of Predestinarians, who, by the free mercy of God, have lately been called out of the darkness of nature, into the light of faith. Are they patterns of self-denial? How few of them even profess to practise it at all! How few recommend it themselves, or are pleased with them that do? Rather, do they not continually represent it in the most odious colours, as if it were seeking "salvation by works," or "seeking to establish our own righteousness?" And how readily do Antinomians of all kinds, from the smooth Moravian, to the boisterous, foul-mouthed Ranter, join the cry, with their silly, unmeaning cant of legality, and preaching the law! Therefore, you are in constant danger of being wheedled, hectored, or ridiculed out of this important gospel-doctrine, either by false teachers, or false brethren, (more or less beguiled from the simplicity of the gospel), if you are not deeply grounded therein. Let fervent prayer then go before, accompany, and follow, what you are now about to read, that it may be written in your heart by the finger of God, so as never to be erased. 2. But what is Self-denial? Wherein are we to deny ourselves? And whence does the necessity of this arise? I answer, The Will of God is the supreme, unalterable rule for every intelligent creature; equally binding every angel in heaven, and every man upon earth. Nor can it be otherwise: This is the natural, necessary result of the relation between creatures and their Creator. But if the Will of God be our one rule of action, in every thing, great and small, it follows, by undeniable consequence, that we are not to do our own will in any thing. Here, therefore, we see at once the nature, with the ground, and reason of self-denial. We see the nature of self-denial: It is the denying or refusing to follow our own will, from a conviction that the will of God is the only rule of action to us. And we see the reason thereof, because we are creatures; because "it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves." 3. This reason for self-denial must hold, even with regard to the angels of God in heaven; and with regard to man, innocent and holy, as he came out of the hands of his Creator. But a farther reason for it arises from the condition wherein all men are since the fall. We all now are 66 shapen in wickedness, and in sin did our mother conceive us." Our nature is altogether corrupt, in every power and faculty. And our will, depraved equally with the rest, is wholly bent to indulge our natural corruption. On the other hand, it is the will of God, that we resist and counteract that corruption, not at some times, or in some things only, but at all times, and in all things. Here, therefore, is a farther ground for constant and universal self-denial. |