CHAP. III.CHRISTIANITY calleth all men to a state of self-denial and mortification.I.It would be strange to suppose, that mankind were redeemed by the sufferings of the Son of God, to live in ease and softness themselves, without any suffering or cross at all!Are we not all to die? Does God then unmake and dash our very form into pieces; and can we think that a life of pleasure and self-indulgence can become us under such a sentence?II.*If any man will come after me, saith Christ,let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.To shew that this belongs to all Christians,St.Lukesaith,He said unto themAll:St.Markhath it thus;and when he had called the people unto him, with his disciples also, he said unto them.Let us now suppose that Christian churches are full offine, gaypeople, who spend their time in all the pleasures and indulgences which the spirit of the world can invent.Can it be said of such, that they aredenying themselves, and taking up their cross daily? May they not with as much regard to truth be said, to livein sackcloth and ashes? Or can they who live in all the scenes of pleasure be said, to beworking out their salvation with fear and trembling? May they not as justly be said, to be walking bare-foot toJerusalem?III.Several instances of this self-denial and daily cross, are to be seen in the following words.Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that you resist not evil; but whosoever will smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also: and whosoever shall compell thee to go with him a mile, go with him twain.We are to deny ourselves then in not demandingan eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth. We are to take up our daily cross, byturning our cheekto the smiter, and suffering such ill usage as we could prevent by resistance.We are to take up the cross of one injury after another, rather than revenge ourselves.The words that deliver this doctrine are so plain and express, that they need no illustration: And it is as plain, that they equally belong to all Christians of all ages. The manner of our Saviour’s delivering them, puts it out of all question, that these were to be the perpetual marks of his followers.Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye,&c.But I say unto you that ye resist not evil.It was not possible for our Lord to express himself in a more authoritative manner, or to shew us more plainly, that he was here acting as the great lawgiver of Christians, and delivering perpetual laws to all his disciples. Nor is it possible for any one to evade the literal meaning of thesedoctrines, but by such a way as must destroy the sense of any other part of scripture.IV.If it could be shewn that we are not obliged by the plain doctrine of these passages, it might as well be shewn that the next doctrine,But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, does not oblige us in the plain and literal sense of the words.For both the passages are supported by the same authority expressed in the same manner,I say unto you. These virtues are likewise necessary to one another: we cannot thus love and do good to our enemy, unless we are thus patient under sufferings, and deny ourselves all instances of anger and resentment at them.V.If these doctrines seem grievous, they can only seem so to such as have wrong notions of human life.Too many imagine this life to be something that is valuable for its own goods; and look upon religion as something that is added to it, to make a worldly life more easy, regular and happy: And so embrace religion only as it complies with the ease and order of that way of life in which they live.Our Saviour has fully confuted this opinion, by teaching us, that there is butone thing needful. If then we can take his word, the grievousness of self-denial is struck off at once.For what though meekness and patience may make us sufferers; yet if by such sufferings we lose only such things as arenot needfulfor us, where is any ground for complaint?VI.But farther, such sufferings not only do us no real hurt, but they are blessings and matter of solid joy.Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil of you♦falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven.♦‘falsly’ replaced with ‘falsely’Christ does not comfort us in this, as if it were anhardormelancholystate, which wemustbear, because it is made easier by patience. But he looks at it in quite another view, not as needing comfort, but affording matter of congratulation.What Christians then are they, who reckon those things among the hardships of religion, which Christ recommends to us as reasons ofrejoicing, yea of beingexceeding glad?VII.The whole of the matter is this: if our sufferings, our injuries or hardships be such as we undergo, because we dare not depart from that meekness and patience, and charity, which Christ hath taught; because we had rather love our enemies than be revenged on them; rather suffer like Christ, and be full of his Spirit, thanavoid sufferings by a contrary temper; such sufferings are our greatest gains.Now, be these sufferings what they will, if they make us more like Christ, they have done more for us than all the prosperity in the world can do. And he that defends himself at the expence of any temper, that was the temper of Christ, has done himself an injury greater than the most powerful of his enemies can bring upon him.And all this turns on one point, that there is butone thing needful, the salvation of our souls. It is this that changes the nature of all human things, and makes every thing good or evil, only so far as it promotes or hinders thisone endof life. The salvation of the world is the only happiness of the world: and he that has secured his share in that, has secured to himself all the joy and gladness that can befal human nature.A Christian therefore that is not content with salvation, that would add a worldly joy to the great things of religion, is more senseless than a man that would not be content to be saved from ashipwreck, unless he was carried off upon acedar plank.VIII.Before I proceed to other instances of self-denial, it may be proper to shew the reasonableness of it.God is reason and wisdom itself. As sure therefore as there is a God, so sure it is that areligion from God has only reasonable commands. God can only will that reasonable creatures should be more reasonable, more perfect and like himself: and consequently can enjoin no duties but such as have this tendency; all his commands are founded on the necessities of our natures, and are only so many instructions to become more happy than we could be without them.IX.*Now let us apply this. If a person were to walk upon aropeacross some great river, and he was bid to deny himself the pleasure of walking insilver shoes, or looking about at the beauty of the waves, or listening to the noise of sailors: if he was commanded to deny himself the advantage offishingby the way, would there be any thing unreasonable in such self-denial?Straight is the gate, saith our Lord, andnarrow is the way that leadeth unto life. Now, if Christians are to walk in a narrow way that leadeth to eternal life, it must be the part of a Christian to deny himself all those things which may stop him in, or lead him out of this narrow way. And if they think that pleasing their senses, and worldly indulgences, are consistent with their keeping in this narrow way, they think as reasonably as if the man upon theropeshould think that he might safely usesilver shoes, or stop in his way tocatch fish.X.The plain case is this: Christians are called from a state of sin and disorder, to a state of holiness and resemblance of the divine nature. If therefore there are any things or ways of life, that corrupt our minds, support our vanity, increase the disorder of our souls, or nourish sinful affections; all these are as necessarily to be avoided, as it is necessary to be holy.If indeed (to instance in one point only) there are no indulgences ineating, that do us harm, then it might be said,fastingis of no use: But if there are, if all indulgences of this sort, inslave the soul, and give it a sensual taste, then we are as much obliged to abstain from what does us this harm, as we are obliged toprayfor any thing which can do us good.XI.Eating and drinking are the common supports of life. But as they are the supports of a corrupt life, the nourishment of a disordered body that weighs down the soul; whose appetites are in a state of enmity with the life and purity of the soul; it is necessary that we take care so to support the life of the body, as not to occasion the sickness and death of the soul.The difference between the same man full and fasting, is often almost the difference of two persons; a man that in the morning finds himself fit for any meditation, is after a full meal changed into another creature, fit only for idle amusements or the yawnings of an animal.He has not only created a dulness in his soul, but has perverted its taste: for he can be pleased with aromance, orimpertinenthistory, while he has no relish for a book of devotion.This shews, thatfastinghas a nearer relation to allreligioustempers than is generally thought; and that full feeding not only dulls the mind, but more particularly gives it a dulness towards the things of religion.XII.*Indeed every indulgence of the body in eating and drinking, is adding to its power over the soul.A man that makes every day a day offullandchearfulmeals, will by degrees make the happiness of every day depend upon it, and consider every thing with regard to it.He will go tochurchor stay at home, as it suits with hisdinner, and not scruple to tell you, that he generally eats too heartily to go to afternoon service.Now such people are under a worse disorder than thejaundice, and have their sight more perverted than he that sees all thingsyellow.For what discernment have they, who have more taste for the preparations of thekitchen, than for the comforts of the house of God: who chuse rather to make themselvesunfitfor divine service, than to baulk the pleasure of afull meal?Can they think they have the Spirit of Christ who are thus enslaved togluttony? Or can they be said, to have forsaken all to follow him, who will not so much as forsakehalf a mealfor the worship of God?XIII.I know it will be thought too severe to call thatgluttony, because it is the practice of numbers of people ofworthandreputation. But I hope they will turn their dislike of the name into a dislike of the thing: for ’tis as certainlygluttonyas picking of pockets is stealing.The sin of gluttony is the sin of over-eating. Now this may be difficult to state exactly in some cases. But he that owns he eats so much as renders himindisposedfor the public worship of God, has determined against himself, and put his own case out of all question.Men may fancy, they are only guilty ofgluttony, who eat till theysurfeittheir bodies. They may think those only guilty ofdrunkenness, who drink till they have lost their senses. But there is a much surer rule to go by;whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory ofGod. All therefore in eating and drinking that is not to the glory of God, is offered to something that is not the glory of God; it is offered to the corruption and sensuality of our natures. It is the sin of intemperance; and is indevotion too, when indulged at a time that keeps us from the public worship of God.XIV.*Indeed a constant course of full feeding is the death of the soul, and every day that is a day of such happiness, is a day lost to religion.When a man has rejoiced himself with full eating and drinking, he is like any other animal, disposed only toplayoridleness. He has no more feeling of sin than he has ofhunger, and can no more perceive himself to be amiserable fallencreature, than he can perceive himself to be abeggar.For this course of sensual enjoyments, is as contrary to a true sense of sin, as it is contrary to a state ofbeggary and want; and a man in such happiness, can no more feel theweight of sin, than he can feel himself in themisery of poverty.XV.I know some object, that fasting is not anuniversalduty; but fit for some particular cases, and particular constitutions.To this I answer, if by fasting you mean an entire abstinence from food, for such a space of time, in this sense it is not an universal duty.But this is quite a wrong notion of it. For the fasting whereof I speak is not anyfixed degreeof abstinence from all food: but, such an exercise of abstinence and self-denial as is proper to every one’s particular state.Now in this sense fasting is as constant and universal a duty as repentance.For as repentance is anuniversalduty, because the reason of it is common to all men; so is fasting, because sensuality, and fleshly lusts, is theuniversalcorruption of all men.It is nofixed degreeof sorrow that is the common repentance of all men. It is nofixed formorlengthorhourof prayer, that is the common devotion of all men. Yet are theseconstantanduniversalduties.In like manner, though fasting be subject to all the same variations, yet is it aconstantanduniversalduty.XVI.*Justusis a grave, sober man. He is very angry at those who neglect fasting. He thinks they know nothing of religion.But presently after,Justuswill tell you, that he never fasts but onGood Friday, and the30thofJanuary.IfJustushad lived before the murder of KingCharles, he had had but one fast in the year. Yet in all likelihood he would then have stood up for thedoctrineof fasting.If a man was to be angry at those who neglect the service of the church, as people that know nothing of religion, and then tell you, that he himself never goes thither but onGood Friday, and the30thofJanuary, you would say, that he knew nothing of the nature of church service.NowJustusshews the same ignorance of the nature offasting.If prayer and repentance and the service of the church, were not common acts of devotion, and necessary ways of worshipping God, they would not be necessary onGood Friday.In like manner, unless fasting was a common and necessary part of religion, it would neither be necessary nor acceptable on those particular days.For it is not the day that makes the duty to be necessary. But the day happens to be a proper occasion of exercising a necessary duty.XVII.IfJustuswas to say, that he neverrepentsbut on those public days, he might as easily defend himself as when he says, he only fasts but at those times.For, is there any benefit in fasting at those times? Does it add any thing to your piety and devotion? Does it calm your mind and put you into a better state for prayer, than when you take your usual meals? If it has not something of this effect, where is the use of it at any time? And if it has this effect, how comes it that you will have but one or two such days in the year? Why will you not thus assist your devotions, thus calm your mind, thus raise your heart, ’till thedaycomes on which KingCharleswas murdered? Is not this like staying till then before you repent?XVIII.Farther; when the disciples of our Lord could not cast the evil spirit out of a man that was alunatic, he not only tells them, it wasfor want of faith, but also gives them a very important instruction in those words,Howbeit this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting.Matt.xvii.21.Now, does this look as if fasting were designed only for a day or two in the year? Is it ranked with prayer, as being equally prevalent with God? And is not this sufficient to teach us, that we must think of fasting as we think of prayer; that it is a proper way of devotion, a right method of applying to God? And if that prayer is most prevailing which is attended with fasting, it is proof enough surely, that fasting is to be a common part of our devotion.Is it powerful enough, by the blessing of God, to cast out devils, and cure lunatics? And shall we neglect it, when we pray against the evil tempers which possess our hearts? Shall we not then pray to God in the most powerful prevailing manner that we can?*If we were to fast without praying, would not this be a way of worship of our own invention? And if we pray and neglect fasting, is it not equally chusing a worship of our own? For he that has taught us the use and advantage of prayer, has also taught us the use and advantage of fasting. And has likewise joined them together, as having the same power with God.XIX.*We may also observe, that the reason of self-denial and abstinence is perpetual, becausewe are perpetually united to a body, that is more or less fit to join with the soul in acts of holiness, according to the state it is in.It is therefore absolutely necessary that we avoid every degree of indulgence, every kind of irregularity, that may make our bodies lessactiveor less fit for the purpose of a holy life.Christian temperance is no more that which passes for temperance in the sight of men, than Christian charity is that which passes for charity in the world.A worldly man may think himself temperate, when he only abstains from such excesses as may make him fitter to enjoy a healthfulsensuality.But Christian temperance is of quite another kind, and for other ends. It is to keep the body in a state of purity and submission, and to preserve in the soul a divine and heavenly taste.XX.It is out of all question, that there are some states of body fitter for virtue than others.This is as certain as thatgluttonyanddrunkennessdispose men to all sorts of sins, and give them a disrelish for all sorts of holiness. For as these vices have the utmost contrariety to religion, so everyapproachtowards them is, in a certain degree, partaking of them.A man that lives so as not to be called either agluttonor adrunkard, may yet be so nearthem, as to partake of those tempers which are the effects ofgluttonyanddrunkenness.*As a man may be vain and uncharitable, yet not so as to be remarkable for his vanity and uncharitableness, so he may be under the guilt and evil effects of eating and drinking, though not so as to be esteemed either a glutton or intemperate.*So that a wise Christian will constantly practise such abstinence, as may not only secure him from sensuality in the sight of the world, but as best suits with a body which is the holy habitation of a soul devoted to God.XXI.St.Paulsaith,I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.1 Cor.ix.Let it be observed, that the apostle practised this self-denial, not only as a good and advisable thing, but as of the last necessity. It was not, as he was anapostle, and that he might be fitter for the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost: but it was, to secure his salvation, andlest when he had preached to others, he should himself be a castaway.*Let it be considered, that this apostle, who livedin infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, inpersecutions, in distressesfor Christ’s sake, who was also full ofsigns and wonders, and mighty deeds, and who had beencaught up into the third heavens; yet reckons all his virtues as insecure, and his salvation in danger, without this constantly continued course of universal self-denial. Nay he thought all his advancements in piety, without this, to be as vain a labour asbeating the air.So run I, says he,not as uncertainly; by which he plainly teacheth us, that he who does not thus run, who does not thus continuallykeep the body under, does run uncertainly, and fightethto as little purpose as hethat beateth the air.An apostle preaching the gospel withsigns and wonders, in the midst of distress and persecution, thought his own salvation in danger, without this subjection of his body. And shall we think it safe to feed to the full, and indulge our bodies in ease and plenty?XXII.*There are no truths more plainly delivered in scripture than these two,the general corruptionof human nature, and theabsolute necessityof divine grace. Now these make the necessity of a continual self-denial plain and obvious to the meanest capacity; and extend it to all those things and enjoyments which either strengthen thecorruptionof our nature, orgrieve the Holy Spirit ofGod, and cause him to depart from us.Whoever reflects on these, will soon be convinced, that all those enjoyments are to be abstained from, which either support our natural corruption, or hinder the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.He will find also, that this self-denial must extend itself to every day of our lives, unless he can find a day, which offers nothing suitable to the corruption of his nature, or nothing contrary to the good motions of the Holy Ghost.XXIII.Most people acknowledge this in general: that we ought to avoid what strengthens our corruptions andgrievesthe Spirit of God: but then they think to abstain from gross sin is sufficient for this.But let such consider, that adropsyor agangrene, is not only increased by drunkenness, but by every little indulgence that suits with it.Now the corruption of our nature is an inbred distemper that possesses us in the manner of a dropsy or gangrene. If we give into notorious sins, it quite overcomes us, and we are straightway dead in sin.*But tho’ we keep clear of great offences, yet if we indulge ourselves in little things that suit with the corruption of our nature, we certainly nourish a slow death, and destroy ourselves by degrees.Our self-denial therefore must be asuniversalas the means of our corruption. It is to last aslong as our disorder, and to extend itself to every thing that might increase it. And this for as plain a reason as a man in a dropsy is not only to abstain from drunkenness, but from every indulgence that increases his disorder.XXIV.*Let it be farther considered, that the corruption of our nature is but faintly represented by comparing it to these distempers. For one in these distempers may have only some part affected; but the corruption of our nature is as extensive as our nature. It is the corruption of every faculty and every power. It is blindness in our understandings; it is self-love and perverseness in our wills, intemperance in our♦appetites. It is anger, lust, pride and revenge in our passions; it is falseness, hypocrisy, malice and hatred in our hearts. Now all this, and far more than this, makes the miserable corruption of human nature.♦‘appeties’ replaced with ‘appetites’So that it is as necessary that our lives be a state ofregimen, contrary to this variety of disorders, as it is necessary for a man under a complication of distempers, to observe acourseof regularity.For seeing all ill tempers are increased by indulgence, and the more we yield to any, the stronger it grows, ’tis plain we must practise as many sorts of self-denial as we have ill tempers to contend with.XXV.*When we speak of self-denial, we are apt to confine it to eating and drinking: but we ought to consider, that these are the easiest and smallest instances of it. Pride, vanity, self-love, covetousness, envy, and other inclinations of the like nature, call for a more constant and watchful self-denial, than the appetites of hunger and thirst.*’Till therefore our self-denial is as universal as our corruption; ’till we deny ourselves all degrees of vanity and folly, as earnestly as we deny ourselves all degrees of drunkenness; till we reject all sorts of pride and envy, as we abhor all kinds of gluttony; till we watch and deny all irregular tempers, as we avoid all sorts of sensuality, we can no more be said to practise self-denial, that he can be said to be just, who only denies himself the liberty of stealing.And till we do thus universally deny ourselves, our lives will be aridiculous mixtureof I know not what;soberand covetous, proud anddevout,temperateand vain,regularin our forms of prayer, and irregular in our passions, circumspect inlittle modesof behaviour, and careless of tempers the most essential to piety.XXVI.A little attention to that great principle ofreason and religion, that God is our only good, will convince us still farther of the necessity of universal self-denial.For what can be a greater self-denial, or more contradictory to all our natural sentiments, than to live and govern ourselves by a happiness that is to be had in God alone? A happiness which our senses, our old guides, neither see, nor feel, nor taste, nor perceive: a happiness which gives us neither figure, nor dignity, nor power, nor glory, among one another?Look at man in his natural state, acting by the judgment of his senses, following the motions of his nature; and you will see him acting as if the world was full of infinite sorts of happiness.He has not only a thousand imaginary pleasures, but has found out as many vexations; all which shew, that he thinkshappinessis every where to be found. For no one is vexed at any thing, unless he thinks he is disappointed of some possible happiness.A happiness therefore in God alone, is the greatest contradiction to all our natural tempers. Not only as it proposes a good which our senses cannot relish, but as it leads us from all those imaginary enjoyments on which our senses have fixed our hearts.XXVII.If then we think of religion, without self-denial, we know nothing at all of it. For its whole nature is, to direct us by a light and knowledge and wisdom from God, which is all contrary to the darkness, ignorance and folly of our natures.It is therefore altogether impossible for any man to enter into the spirit of religion, but by denying himself, by being divested of all hisnatural tempersand judgments, which have been formed by the blind motions of flesh and blood, and strengthened by the example and authority of the world. He cannot walk in the light of God, unless he reject thedreamsof his senses, and thedarknessof worldly wisdom.*We may let our senses tell us, what we are toeatanddrink, or when we are to sleep. We may let them teach us, how near we may draw to afire, how great aburdenwe may carry, or into how deep awaterwe may go. In these things they are our proper guides.But if we appeal to them to know thetrue goodof man, or the proper happiness of our rational nature; if we ask them whatguiltthere is in sin, or whatexcellencethere is in piety; if we consult them as guides in these matters, we act full as absurdly as if we were to try tohearwith oureyes, or toseewith ourears.XXVIII.*While we forget this, all our judgments of things are corrupted by the grossness and errors of our senses.We judge of every thing in the same manner as the child judges of hisplay things. It is by oursensesalone we pass the judgment, tho’ we think we act with thereason of man.The world is made up offine sights, sports, shew and pageantry, which please and captivate the minds of men, because men have still the minds of children, and are just the same slaves to their senses that children are.As children and men see the samecoloursin things, so children and men feel the same sensible pleasures, and are affected with external objects in the same manner.But the misfortune is, that we laugh at thelittlepleasures,poordesigns, andtriflingsatisfactions of children; while at the same time thewisdomandgreatnessof men, is visibly taken up with thesame trifles.Acoachandsixand anembroidered suit, shall make a greatstatesmanas happy, as ever ago-cartandfeathermade a child.Ask a child, what he thinks he would do with a great sum of money? Why, he would buy twentylittle horses, he would have twentyfine coats, see allfine sights, and the like.Now promise but a man a great estate, and you will raise all these same thoughts and designs in his mind.And whence is this, but from hence, that men act with the samevanityof mind, are under the samepoor guidanceof their senses, are as ignorant of theirtrue happiness, as great strangers to their own nature, as when they first set out in life.And is not this a plain reason for self-denial? For to indulge ourselves in ournatural tempers, is to grow old in the follies ofchildhood.XXIX.*Let us take another view of the disorder of our nature, that we may see a still greater necessity of not walking according to it.When we see peopledrunk, or in a violent passion, we own they are so long in a state of delusion, thinking, saying, and doing irregular things, by the mere force of their blood and spirits. Here we all see the power of our bodies over our reason; and never suppose a man capable of judging or acting wisely, so long as he is under the violence ofpassion, or heated bydrink.Now this is more or less the constant,naturalstate of all mankind; who are by bodily impressions, and the agitations of the blood and spirits, in the same kind ofdelusion, as men that aredrunk, or in apassion, tho’ not always in the same degree.Sometimes the disorder is moreviolentthan at others. But it never ceases. Men are always in somepassionor other; and this, even when it is not to that degree, as to be visible to others, yet occasions the same weakness of mind, the same disordered imagination, and the same wrong apprehension of the nature of things.Asilent envy, asecret vanity, which no body sees, disorders our judgments in the same manner as moreviolentpassions.You may increase thevanityorenvy, till it end in distraction, as it sometimes happens. But then you may be sure, it disordered our understanding in some degree, long before it came to madness. All men therefore while, in a natural state, resemble those who are drunk, or in a violent passion; having some passion or other that affects their spirits and disorders their judgment, in the same manner tho’ not in the same degree.XXX.*Another circumstance of drunkenness is this, that it gives us a taste peculiar to it, so as to leave a dulness and indisposition towards any thing else. An habitual drunkard has no pleasure like that confused heat of thoughts that arises from inflamed blood. The repeating this so often has given him a turn of mind that relishes nothing but what relates to intemperance.Now this is naturally the state of all people, in some respect or other. There is something has got hold of them, and given them a taste for it, in the same manner that drinking has formed the taste of a drunkard. All people are not intemperate; but all are under some habit that affects the mind in the same manner as intemperance.Some people have indulged themselves so long indressing, others inplay, others insportsof thefield, others only in littlegossiping stories, that they are as much slaves to these, as the intemperate man to liquor.Now we readily own, that a man who has enslaved himself to drinking, has thereby rendered himself incapable of being areasonable judgeof other happiness; but then we do not enough consider, that we are hurt in the same manner by any thing else that has taken hold of us, and given us a temper and turn of mind peculiar to it.It is to as little purpose to talk of the happiness of religion, to one that is fond ofdress, orplayorsports, as to a drunkard; for the pleasures of these particular kinds, make him as deaf to all either proposals of happiness, and as incapable of judging of them.*A lady abominates asot, as a creature that has only the shape of a man: but then she does not consider, that perhaps, drunken as he is, he can be more content with the want ofliquor, than she can with the want offine cloaths. And if this be her case, she only differs from him, as one intemperate man differs from another.Thus it appears, whether we consider the nature, circumstances or effects of drunkenness, that all mankind are more or less in the same state of weakness and disorder.Hence also appears the absolute necessity of denying our natural tempers and inclinations, and giving ourselves up without reserve to the lightand wisdom of God; since by our natural corruption and slavery to the body, we are always under the power of its blind motions, and since all our inclinations and judgments, are only the judgments of heated blood, drunken spirits and disordered passions.XXXI.Every one sees people in the world, whom he takes to be incapable ofsoberjudgments andwisereflections, because he sees they are full of themselves, blinded with prejudices, violent in their passions, wild and extravagant in their imaginations.Now when we see these, we should reflect that we see ourselves; for we as certainly see atrue representationof ourselves, when we look at such people, as we see a true picture of our state when we see a man in the agonies of death.You are notdyingas this man is; but still he shews you your owntrue picture. He shews you that your life is in the midst of death, that you have in you the seeds of sickness and mortality, and that you are only at alittle uncertain distancefrom those who are lying upon their last beds.In like manner, you are not, it may be, in the same height of passion that another man is. You are atsome uncertain distancefrom his state. But if you fancy you are not corrupted with self-love, not weakened by prejudices, not vain in your imaginations, not disordered in your tempers, because you are not in thatextremityofdisorder wherein some other people are; you think as absurdly, as if you imagined yourself to be immortal, because you are not in theagoniesof death.When therefore you see the violence of other mens passions, the folly of their tempers, and vanity of their minds, remember that you see so many plain reasons for denying yourself, and resisting your own nature, which has in it the seeds of all the same evil tempers.XXXII.From all this we may learn, (as was observed above) that abstinence as to eating and drinking, is but a small part of Christian self-denial: it being full as dangerous to indulge any evil temper, as to live in gluttony and intemperance.*You think it shameful to be anepicure, or to be fond ofliquor. You are very right: but then proceed a step further, and think it as shameful to be fond ofdress, or delighted withyourself, or to be fond ofdainties: and that it is as great a sin, to please any corrupttemper, as to please yourpalate. Remember, that blood heated with anypassion, is like blood heated withliquor, and that the grossness of gluttony is no greater a contrariety to religion, than the politeness of pride or vanity.I have been the longer on this subject, trying to represent the weakness and corruption of our nature, because so far only as we see this, can wesee the necessity of denying ourselves. This would be needless, if we were wise and good; but if we see that our whole nature is in a disorder, that our light is darkness, our wisdom foolishness, our judgments as gross and blind as our appetites; that our senses govern us as they govern children; that our hearts are taken up withgewgawsand trifles; that the state of our souls is a state of error and delusion, like that of drunkenness and passion.If we see ourselves in this true light, we shall see the great reason of Christian self-denial, of renouncing our whole selves, that we may see all things in God; that our hearts may be moved by a motion from him, and our wills and inclinations wholly directed by the light and wisdom of his Spirit.
CHRISTIANITY calleth all men to a state of self-denial and mortification.
I.It would be strange to suppose, that mankind were redeemed by the sufferings of the Son of God, to live in ease and softness themselves, without any suffering or cross at all!
Are we not all to die? Does God then unmake and dash our very form into pieces; and can we think that a life of pleasure and self-indulgence can become us under such a sentence?
II.*If any man will come after me, saith Christ,let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me.
To shew that this belongs to all Christians,St.Lukesaith,He said unto themAll:St.Markhath it thus;and when he had called the people unto him, with his disciples also, he said unto them.
Let us now suppose that Christian churches are full offine, gaypeople, who spend their time in all the pleasures and indulgences which the spirit of the world can invent.
Can it be said of such, that they aredenying themselves, and taking up their cross daily? May they not with as much regard to truth be said, to livein sackcloth and ashes? Or can they who live in all the scenes of pleasure be said, to beworking out their salvation with fear and trembling? May they not as justly be said, to be walking bare-foot toJerusalem?
III.Several instances of this self-denial and daily cross, are to be seen in the following words.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. But I say unto you, that you resist not evil; but whosoever will smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also; and if any man will sue thee at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy cloak also: and whosoever shall compell thee to go with him a mile, go with him twain.
We are to deny ourselves then in not demandingan eye for an eye, or a tooth for a tooth. We are to take up our daily cross, byturning our cheekto the smiter, and suffering such ill usage as we could prevent by resistance.
We are to take up the cross of one injury after another, rather than revenge ourselves.
The words that deliver this doctrine are so plain and express, that they need no illustration: And it is as plain, that they equally belong to all Christians of all ages. The manner of our Saviour’s delivering them, puts it out of all question, that these were to be the perpetual marks of his followers.
Ye have heard that it hath been said, an eye for an eye,&c.But I say unto you that ye resist not evil.
It was not possible for our Lord to express himself in a more authoritative manner, or to shew us more plainly, that he was here acting as the great lawgiver of Christians, and delivering perpetual laws to all his disciples. Nor is it possible for any one to evade the literal meaning of thesedoctrines, but by such a way as must destroy the sense of any other part of scripture.
IV.If it could be shewn that we are not obliged by the plain doctrine of these passages, it might as well be shewn that the next doctrine,But I say unto you, love your enemies, bless them that curse you, does not oblige us in the plain and literal sense of the words.
For both the passages are supported by the same authority expressed in the same manner,I say unto you. These virtues are likewise necessary to one another: we cannot thus love and do good to our enemy, unless we are thus patient under sufferings, and deny ourselves all instances of anger and resentment at them.
V.If these doctrines seem grievous, they can only seem so to such as have wrong notions of human life.
Too many imagine this life to be something that is valuable for its own goods; and look upon religion as something that is added to it, to make a worldly life more easy, regular and happy: And so embrace religion only as it complies with the ease and order of that way of life in which they live.
Our Saviour has fully confuted this opinion, by teaching us, that there is butone thing needful. If then we can take his word, the grievousness of self-denial is struck off at once.
For what though meekness and patience may make us sufferers; yet if by such sufferings we lose only such things as arenot needfulfor us, where is any ground for complaint?
VI.But farther, such sufferings not only do us no real hurt, but they are blessings and matter of solid joy.
Blessed are ye when men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil of you♦falsely for my sake. Rejoice and be exceeding glad; for great is your reward in heaven.
♦‘falsly’ replaced with ‘falsely’
Christ does not comfort us in this, as if it were anhardormelancholystate, which wemustbear, because it is made easier by patience. But he looks at it in quite another view, not as needing comfort, but affording matter of congratulation.
What Christians then are they, who reckon those things among the hardships of religion, which Christ recommends to us as reasons ofrejoicing, yea of beingexceeding glad?
VII.The whole of the matter is this: if our sufferings, our injuries or hardships be such as we undergo, because we dare not depart from that meekness and patience, and charity, which Christ hath taught; because we had rather love our enemies than be revenged on them; rather suffer like Christ, and be full of his Spirit, thanavoid sufferings by a contrary temper; such sufferings are our greatest gains.
Now, be these sufferings what they will, if they make us more like Christ, they have done more for us than all the prosperity in the world can do. And he that defends himself at the expence of any temper, that was the temper of Christ, has done himself an injury greater than the most powerful of his enemies can bring upon him.
And all this turns on one point, that there is butone thing needful, the salvation of our souls. It is this that changes the nature of all human things, and makes every thing good or evil, only so far as it promotes or hinders thisone endof life. The salvation of the world is the only happiness of the world: and he that has secured his share in that, has secured to himself all the joy and gladness that can befal human nature.
A Christian therefore that is not content with salvation, that would add a worldly joy to the great things of religion, is more senseless than a man that would not be content to be saved from ashipwreck, unless he was carried off upon acedar plank.
VIII.Before I proceed to other instances of self-denial, it may be proper to shew the reasonableness of it.
God is reason and wisdom itself. As sure therefore as there is a God, so sure it is that areligion from God has only reasonable commands. God can only will that reasonable creatures should be more reasonable, more perfect and like himself: and consequently can enjoin no duties but such as have this tendency; all his commands are founded on the necessities of our natures, and are only so many instructions to become more happy than we could be without them.
IX.*Now let us apply this. If a person were to walk upon aropeacross some great river, and he was bid to deny himself the pleasure of walking insilver shoes, or looking about at the beauty of the waves, or listening to the noise of sailors: if he was commanded to deny himself the advantage offishingby the way, would there be any thing unreasonable in such self-denial?
Straight is the gate, saith our Lord, andnarrow is the way that leadeth unto life. Now, if Christians are to walk in a narrow way that leadeth to eternal life, it must be the part of a Christian to deny himself all those things which may stop him in, or lead him out of this narrow way. And if they think that pleasing their senses, and worldly indulgences, are consistent with their keeping in this narrow way, they think as reasonably as if the man upon theropeshould think that he might safely usesilver shoes, or stop in his way tocatch fish.
X.The plain case is this: Christians are called from a state of sin and disorder, to a state of holiness and resemblance of the divine nature. If therefore there are any things or ways of life, that corrupt our minds, support our vanity, increase the disorder of our souls, or nourish sinful affections; all these are as necessarily to be avoided, as it is necessary to be holy.
If indeed (to instance in one point only) there are no indulgences ineating, that do us harm, then it might be said,fastingis of no use: But if there are, if all indulgences of this sort, inslave the soul, and give it a sensual taste, then we are as much obliged to abstain from what does us this harm, as we are obliged toprayfor any thing which can do us good.
XI.Eating and drinking are the common supports of life. But as they are the supports of a corrupt life, the nourishment of a disordered body that weighs down the soul; whose appetites are in a state of enmity with the life and purity of the soul; it is necessary that we take care so to support the life of the body, as not to occasion the sickness and death of the soul.
The difference between the same man full and fasting, is often almost the difference of two persons; a man that in the morning finds himself fit for any meditation, is after a full meal changed into another creature, fit only for idle amusements or the yawnings of an animal.
He has not only created a dulness in his soul, but has perverted its taste: for he can be pleased with aromance, orimpertinenthistory, while he has no relish for a book of devotion.
This shews, thatfastinghas a nearer relation to allreligioustempers than is generally thought; and that full feeding not only dulls the mind, but more particularly gives it a dulness towards the things of religion.
XII.*Indeed every indulgence of the body in eating and drinking, is adding to its power over the soul.
A man that makes every day a day offullandchearfulmeals, will by degrees make the happiness of every day depend upon it, and consider every thing with regard to it.
He will go tochurchor stay at home, as it suits with hisdinner, and not scruple to tell you, that he generally eats too heartily to go to afternoon service.
Now such people are under a worse disorder than thejaundice, and have their sight more perverted than he that sees all thingsyellow.
For what discernment have they, who have more taste for the preparations of thekitchen, than for the comforts of the house of God: who chuse rather to make themselvesunfitfor divine service, than to baulk the pleasure of afull meal?
Can they think they have the Spirit of Christ who are thus enslaved togluttony? Or can they be said, to have forsaken all to follow him, who will not so much as forsakehalf a mealfor the worship of God?
XIII.I know it will be thought too severe to call thatgluttony, because it is the practice of numbers of people ofworthandreputation. But I hope they will turn their dislike of the name into a dislike of the thing: for ’tis as certainlygluttonyas picking of pockets is stealing.
The sin of gluttony is the sin of over-eating. Now this may be difficult to state exactly in some cases. But he that owns he eats so much as renders himindisposedfor the public worship of God, has determined against himself, and put his own case out of all question.
Men may fancy, they are only guilty ofgluttony, who eat till theysurfeittheir bodies. They may think those only guilty ofdrunkenness, who drink till they have lost their senses. But there is a much surer rule to go by;whether ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory ofGod. All therefore in eating and drinking that is not to the glory of God, is offered to something that is not the glory of God; it is offered to the corruption and sensuality of our natures. It is the sin of intemperance; and is indevotion too, when indulged at a time that keeps us from the public worship of God.
XIV.*Indeed a constant course of full feeding is the death of the soul, and every day that is a day of such happiness, is a day lost to religion.
When a man has rejoiced himself with full eating and drinking, he is like any other animal, disposed only toplayoridleness. He has no more feeling of sin than he has ofhunger, and can no more perceive himself to be amiserable fallencreature, than he can perceive himself to be abeggar.
For this course of sensual enjoyments, is as contrary to a true sense of sin, as it is contrary to a state ofbeggary and want; and a man in such happiness, can no more feel theweight of sin, than he can feel himself in themisery of poverty.
XV.I know some object, that fasting is not anuniversalduty; but fit for some particular cases, and particular constitutions.
To this I answer, if by fasting you mean an entire abstinence from food, for such a space of time, in this sense it is not an universal duty.
But this is quite a wrong notion of it. For the fasting whereof I speak is not anyfixed degreeof abstinence from all food: but, such an exercise of abstinence and self-denial as is proper to every one’s particular state.
Now in this sense fasting is as constant and universal a duty as repentance.
For as repentance is anuniversalduty, because the reason of it is common to all men; so is fasting, because sensuality, and fleshly lusts, is theuniversalcorruption of all men.
It is nofixed degreeof sorrow that is the common repentance of all men. It is nofixed formorlengthorhourof prayer, that is the common devotion of all men. Yet are theseconstantanduniversalduties.
In like manner, though fasting be subject to all the same variations, yet is it aconstantanduniversalduty.
XVI.*Justusis a grave, sober man. He is very angry at those who neglect fasting. He thinks they know nothing of religion.
But presently after,Justuswill tell you, that he never fasts but onGood Friday, and the30thofJanuary.
IfJustushad lived before the murder of KingCharles, he had had but one fast in the year. Yet in all likelihood he would then have stood up for thedoctrineof fasting.
If a man was to be angry at those who neglect the service of the church, as people that know nothing of religion, and then tell you, that he himself never goes thither but onGood Friday, and the30thofJanuary, you would say, that he knew nothing of the nature of church service.
NowJustusshews the same ignorance of the nature offasting.
If prayer and repentance and the service of the church, were not common acts of devotion, and necessary ways of worshipping God, they would not be necessary onGood Friday.
In like manner, unless fasting was a common and necessary part of religion, it would neither be necessary nor acceptable on those particular days.
For it is not the day that makes the duty to be necessary. But the day happens to be a proper occasion of exercising a necessary duty.
XVII.IfJustuswas to say, that he neverrepentsbut on those public days, he might as easily defend himself as when he says, he only fasts but at those times.
For, is there any benefit in fasting at those times? Does it add any thing to your piety and devotion? Does it calm your mind and put you into a better state for prayer, than when you take your usual meals? If it has not something of this effect, where is the use of it at any time? And if it has this effect, how comes it that you will have but one or two such days in the year? Why will you not thus assist your devotions, thus calm your mind, thus raise your heart, ’till thedaycomes on which KingCharleswas murdered? Is not this like staying till then before you repent?
XVIII.Farther; when the disciples of our Lord could not cast the evil spirit out of a man that was alunatic, he not only tells them, it wasfor want of faith, but also gives them a very important instruction in those words,Howbeit this kind goeth not out, but by prayer and fasting.Matt.xvii.21.
Now, does this look as if fasting were designed only for a day or two in the year? Is it ranked with prayer, as being equally prevalent with God? And is not this sufficient to teach us, that we must think of fasting as we think of prayer; that it is a proper way of devotion, a right method of applying to God? And if that prayer is most prevailing which is attended with fasting, it is proof enough surely, that fasting is to be a common part of our devotion.
Is it powerful enough, by the blessing of God, to cast out devils, and cure lunatics? And shall we neglect it, when we pray against the evil tempers which possess our hearts? Shall we not then pray to God in the most powerful prevailing manner that we can?
*If we were to fast without praying, would not this be a way of worship of our own invention? And if we pray and neglect fasting, is it not equally chusing a worship of our own? For he that has taught us the use and advantage of prayer, has also taught us the use and advantage of fasting. And has likewise joined them together, as having the same power with God.
XIX.*We may also observe, that the reason of self-denial and abstinence is perpetual, becausewe are perpetually united to a body, that is more or less fit to join with the soul in acts of holiness, according to the state it is in.
It is therefore absolutely necessary that we avoid every degree of indulgence, every kind of irregularity, that may make our bodies lessactiveor less fit for the purpose of a holy life.
Christian temperance is no more that which passes for temperance in the sight of men, than Christian charity is that which passes for charity in the world.
A worldly man may think himself temperate, when he only abstains from such excesses as may make him fitter to enjoy a healthfulsensuality.
But Christian temperance is of quite another kind, and for other ends. It is to keep the body in a state of purity and submission, and to preserve in the soul a divine and heavenly taste.
XX.It is out of all question, that there are some states of body fitter for virtue than others.
This is as certain as thatgluttonyanddrunkennessdispose men to all sorts of sins, and give them a disrelish for all sorts of holiness. For as these vices have the utmost contrariety to religion, so everyapproachtowards them is, in a certain degree, partaking of them.
A man that lives so as not to be called either agluttonor adrunkard, may yet be so nearthem, as to partake of those tempers which are the effects ofgluttonyanddrunkenness.
*As a man may be vain and uncharitable, yet not so as to be remarkable for his vanity and uncharitableness, so he may be under the guilt and evil effects of eating and drinking, though not so as to be esteemed either a glutton or intemperate.
*So that a wise Christian will constantly practise such abstinence, as may not only secure him from sensuality in the sight of the world, but as best suits with a body which is the holy habitation of a soul devoted to God.
XXI.St.Paulsaith,I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air. But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection, lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.1 Cor.ix.
Let it be observed, that the apostle practised this self-denial, not only as a good and advisable thing, but as of the last necessity. It was not, as he was anapostle, and that he might be fitter for the miraculous gifts of the Holy Ghost: but it was, to secure his salvation, andlest when he had preached to others, he should himself be a castaway.
*Let it be considered, that this apostle, who livedin infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, inpersecutions, in distressesfor Christ’s sake, who was also full ofsigns and wonders, and mighty deeds, and who had beencaught up into the third heavens; yet reckons all his virtues as insecure, and his salvation in danger, without this constantly continued course of universal self-denial. Nay he thought all his advancements in piety, without this, to be as vain a labour asbeating the air.
So run I, says he,not as uncertainly; by which he plainly teacheth us, that he who does not thus run, who does not thus continuallykeep the body under, does run uncertainly, and fightethto as little purpose as hethat beateth the air.
An apostle preaching the gospel withsigns and wonders, in the midst of distress and persecution, thought his own salvation in danger, without this subjection of his body. And shall we think it safe to feed to the full, and indulge our bodies in ease and plenty?
XXII.*There are no truths more plainly delivered in scripture than these two,the general corruptionof human nature, and theabsolute necessityof divine grace. Now these make the necessity of a continual self-denial plain and obvious to the meanest capacity; and extend it to all those things and enjoyments which either strengthen thecorruptionof our nature, orgrieve the Holy Spirit ofGod, and cause him to depart from us.
Whoever reflects on these, will soon be convinced, that all those enjoyments are to be abstained from, which either support our natural corruption, or hinder the inspirations of the Holy Spirit.
He will find also, that this self-denial must extend itself to every day of our lives, unless he can find a day, which offers nothing suitable to the corruption of his nature, or nothing contrary to the good motions of the Holy Ghost.
XXIII.Most people acknowledge this in general: that we ought to avoid what strengthens our corruptions andgrievesthe Spirit of God: but then they think to abstain from gross sin is sufficient for this.
But let such consider, that adropsyor agangrene, is not only increased by drunkenness, but by every little indulgence that suits with it.
Now the corruption of our nature is an inbred distemper that possesses us in the manner of a dropsy or gangrene. If we give into notorious sins, it quite overcomes us, and we are straightway dead in sin.
*But tho’ we keep clear of great offences, yet if we indulge ourselves in little things that suit with the corruption of our nature, we certainly nourish a slow death, and destroy ourselves by degrees.
Our self-denial therefore must be asuniversalas the means of our corruption. It is to last aslong as our disorder, and to extend itself to every thing that might increase it. And this for as plain a reason as a man in a dropsy is not only to abstain from drunkenness, but from every indulgence that increases his disorder.
XXIV.*Let it be farther considered, that the corruption of our nature is but faintly represented by comparing it to these distempers. For one in these distempers may have only some part affected; but the corruption of our nature is as extensive as our nature. It is the corruption of every faculty and every power. It is blindness in our understandings; it is self-love and perverseness in our wills, intemperance in our♦appetites. It is anger, lust, pride and revenge in our passions; it is falseness, hypocrisy, malice and hatred in our hearts. Now all this, and far more than this, makes the miserable corruption of human nature.
♦‘appeties’ replaced with ‘appetites’
So that it is as necessary that our lives be a state ofregimen, contrary to this variety of disorders, as it is necessary for a man under a complication of distempers, to observe acourseof regularity.
For seeing all ill tempers are increased by indulgence, and the more we yield to any, the stronger it grows, ’tis plain we must practise as many sorts of self-denial as we have ill tempers to contend with.
XXV.*When we speak of self-denial, we are apt to confine it to eating and drinking: but we ought to consider, that these are the easiest and smallest instances of it. Pride, vanity, self-love, covetousness, envy, and other inclinations of the like nature, call for a more constant and watchful self-denial, than the appetites of hunger and thirst.
*’Till therefore our self-denial is as universal as our corruption; ’till we deny ourselves all degrees of vanity and folly, as earnestly as we deny ourselves all degrees of drunkenness; till we reject all sorts of pride and envy, as we abhor all kinds of gluttony; till we watch and deny all irregular tempers, as we avoid all sorts of sensuality, we can no more be said to practise self-denial, that he can be said to be just, who only denies himself the liberty of stealing.
And till we do thus universally deny ourselves, our lives will be aridiculous mixtureof I know not what;soberand covetous, proud anddevout,temperateand vain,regularin our forms of prayer, and irregular in our passions, circumspect inlittle modesof behaviour, and careless of tempers the most essential to piety.
XXVI.A little attention to that great principle ofreason and religion, that God is our only good, will convince us still farther of the necessity of universal self-denial.
For what can be a greater self-denial, or more contradictory to all our natural sentiments, than to live and govern ourselves by a happiness that is to be had in God alone? A happiness which our senses, our old guides, neither see, nor feel, nor taste, nor perceive: a happiness which gives us neither figure, nor dignity, nor power, nor glory, among one another?
Look at man in his natural state, acting by the judgment of his senses, following the motions of his nature; and you will see him acting as if the world was full of infinite sorts of happiness.
He has not only a thousand imaginary pleasures, but has found out as many vexations; all which shew, that he thinkshappinessis every where to be found. For no one is vexed at any thing, unless he thinks he is disappointed of some possible happiness.
A happiness therefore in God alone, is the greatest contradiction to all our natural tempers. Not only as it proposes a good which our senses cannot relish, but as it leads us from all those imaginary enjoyments on which our senses have fixed our hearts.
XXVII.If then we think of religion, without self-denial, we know nothing at all of it. For its whole nature is, to direct us by a light and knowledge and wisdom from God, which is all contrary to the darkness, ignorance and folly of our natures.
It is therefore altogether impossible for any man to enter into the spirit of religion, but by denying himself, by being divested of all hisnatural tempersand judgments, which have been formed by the blind motions of flesh and blood, and strengthened by the example and authority of the world. He cannot walk in the light of God, unless he reject thedreamsof his senses, and thedarknessof worldly wisdom.
*We may let our senses tell us, what we are toeatanddrink, or when we are to sleep. We may let them teach us, how near we may draw to afire, how great aburdenwe may carry, or into how deep awaterwe may go. In these things they are our proper guides.
But if we appeal to them to know thetrue goodof man, or the proper happiness of our rational nature; if we ask them whatguiltthere is in sin, or whatexcellencethere is in piety; if we consult them as guides in these matters, we act full as absurdly as if we were to try tohearwith oureyes, or toseewith ourears.
XXVIII.*While we forget this, all our judgments of things are corrupted by the grossness and errors of our senses.
We judge of every thing in the same manner as the child judges of hisplay things. It is by oursensesalone we pass the judgment, tho’ we think we act with thereason of man.
The world is made up offine sights, sports, shew and pageantry, which please and captivate the minds of men, because men have still the minds of children, and are just the same slaves to their senses that children are.
As children and men see the samecoloursin things, so children and men feel the same sensible pleasures, and are affected with external objects in the same manner.
But the misfortune is, that we laugh at thelittlepleasures,poordesigns, andtriflingsatisfactions of children; while at the same time thewisdomandgreatnessof men, is visibly taken up with thesame trifles.
Acoachandsixand anembroidered suit, shall make a greatstatesmanas happy, as ever ago-cartandfeathermade a child.
Ask a child, what he thinks he would do with a great sum of money? Why, he would buy twentylittle horses, he would have twentyfine coats, see allfine sights, and the like.
Now promise but a man a great estate, and you will raise all these same thoughts and designs in his mind.
And whence is this, but from hence, that men act with the samevanityof mind, are under the samepoor guidanceof their senses, are as ignorant of theirtrue happiness, as great strangers to their own nature, as when they first set out in life.
And is not this a plain reason for self-denial? For to indulge ourselves in ournatural tempers, is to grow old in the follies ofchildhood.
XXIX.*Let us take another view of the disorder of our nature, that we may see a still greater necessity of not walking according to it.
When we see peopledrunk, or in a violent passion, we own they are so long in a state of delusion, thinking, saying, and doing irregular things, by the mere force of their blood and spirits. Here we all see the power of our bodies over our reason; and never suppose a man capable of judging or acting wisely, so long as he is under the violence ofpassion, or heated bydrink.
Now this is more or less the constant,naturalstate of all mankind; who are by bodily impressions, and the agitations of the blood and spirits, in the same kind ofdelusion, as men that aredrunk, or in apassion, tho’ not always in the same degree.
Sometimes the disorder is moreviolentthan at others. But it never ceases. Men are always in somepassionor other; and this, even when it is not to that degree, as to be visible to others, yet occasions the same weakness of mind, the same disordered imagination, and the same wrong apprehension of the nature of things.
Asilent envy, asecret vanity, which no body sees, disorders our judgments in the same manner as moreviolentpassions.
You may increase thevanityorenvy, till it end in distraction, as it sometimes happens. But then you may be sure, it disordered our understanding in some degree, long before it came to madness. All men therefore while, in a natural state, resemble those who are drunk, or in a violent passion; having some passion or other that affects their spirits and disorders their judgment, in the same manner tho’ not in the same degree.
XXX.*Another circumstance of drunkenness is this, that it gives us a taste peculiar to it, so as to leave a dulness and indisposition towards any thing else. An habitual drunkard has no pleasure like that confused heat of thoughts that arises from inflamed blood. The repeating this so often has given him a turn of mind that relishes nothing but what relates to intemperance.
Now this is naturally the state of all people, in some respect or other. There is something has got hold of them, and given them a taste for it, in the same manner that drinking has formed the taste of a drunkard. All people are not intemperate; but all are under some habit that affects the mind in the same manner as intemperance.
Some people have indulged themselves so long indressing, others inplay, others insportsof thefield, others only in littlegossiping stories, that they are as much slaves to these, as the intemperate man to liquor.
Now we readily own, that a man who has enslaved himself to drinking, has thereby rendered himself incapable of being areasonable judgeof other happiness; but then we do not enough consider, that we are hurt in the same manner by any thing else that has taken hold of us, and given us a temper and turn of mind peculiar to it.
It is to as little purpose to talk of the happiness of religion, to one that is fond ofdress, orplayorsports, as to a drunkard; for the pleasures of these particular kinds, make him as deaf to all either proposals of happiness, and as incapable of judging of them.
*A lady abominates asot, as a creature that has only the shape of a man: but then she does not consider, that perhaps, drunken as he is, he can be more content with the want ofliquor, than she can with the want offine cloaths. And if this be her case, she only differs from him, as one intemperate man differs from another.
Thus it appears, whether we consider the nature, circumstances or effects of drunkenness, that all mankind are more or less in the same state of weakness and disorder.
Hence also appears the absolute necessity of denying our natural tempers and inclinations, and giving ourselves up without reserve to the lightand wisdom of God; since by our natural corruption and slavery to the body, we are always under the power of its blind motions, and since all our inclinations and judgments, are only the judgments of heated blood, drunken spirits and disordered passions.
XXXI.Every one sees people in the world, whom he takes to be incapable ofsoberjudgments andwisereflections, because he sees they are full of themselves, blinded with prejudices, violent in their passions, wild and extravagant in their imaginations.
Now when we see these, we should reflect that we see ourselves; for we as certainly see atrue representationof ourselves, when we look at such people, as we see a true picture of our state when we see a man in the agonies of death.
You are notdyingas this man is; but still he shews you your owntrue picture. He shews you that your life is in the midst of death, that you have in you the seeds of sickness and mortality, and that you are only at alittle uncertain distancefrom those who are lying upon their last beds.
In like manner, you are not, it may be, in the same height of passion that another man is. You are atsome uncertain distancefrom his state. But if you fancy you are not corrupted with self-love, not weakened by prejudices, not vain in your imaginations, not disordered in your tempers, because you are not in thatextremityofdisorder wherein some other people are; you think as absurdly, as if you imagined yourself to be immortal, because you are not in theagoniesof death.
When therefore you see the violence of other mens passions, the folly of their tempers, and vanity of their minds, remember that you see so many plain reasons for denying yourself, and resisting your own nature, which has in it the seeds of all the same evil tempers.
XXXII.From all this we may learn, (as was observed above) that abstinence as to eating and drinking, is but a small part of Christian self-denial: it being full as dangerous to indulge any evil temper, as to live in gluttony and intemperance.
*You think it shameful to be anepicure, or to be fond ofliquor. You are very right: but then proceed a step further, and think it as shameful to be fond ofdress, or delighted withyourself, or to be fond ofdainties: and that it is as great a sin, to please any corrupttemper, as to please yourpalate. Remember, that blood heated with anypassion, is like blood heated withliquor, and that the grossness of gluttony is no greater a contrariety to religion, than the politeness of pride or vanity.
I have been the longer on this subject, trying to represent the weakness and corruption of our nature, because so far only as we see this, can wesee the necessity of denying ourselves. This would be needless, if we were wise and good; but if we see that our whole nature is in a disorder, that our light is darkness, our wisdom foolishness, our judgments as gross and blind as our appetites; that our senses govern us as they govern children; that our hearts are taken up withgewgawsand trifles; that the state of our souls is a state of error and delusion, like that of drunkenness and passion.
If we see ourselves in this true light, we shall see the great reason of Christian self-denial, of renouncing our whole selves, that we may see all things in God; that our hearts may be moved by a motion from him, and our wills and inclinations wholly directed by the light and wisdom of his Spirit.