5. To bear Contempt patiently, 2 Cor. xii. 10. II. MOTIVES to be meek and lowly. Con&der, 1. The Majefty of GOD, 1 Pet. v. 6. 1. The Excellency of Humility. 1. GOD dwells with the Humble, t Ivii. IS. 2. Accepts of us for it, Pfal. li. 17. 3. It is our Wisdom, Prov. xi. 2. 4. It is the Ornament of the Soul, 1 Pet iii. 4. V. S. the Mother of all Virtues, 1 Pet. 3. The Promises made to it; as, 1. GOD will refpect the humble, så. lxti, 2; give them Grace, S. Jam. iv. 6. exalt them, I Pèt. v. 6. 2. 3. 4. give them all good Things, Prov. xxii. 4. 5. There is nothing that we have, that we can be proud of, but we have cause to be humble for all Things. * 2 S. MATT S. MATT. xvi. 24. Then faid Jefus unto his Difciples, if any Man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his Crofs and follow me. T quir'd HERE are these three Conditions requir'd of those that will be Chrift's true and faithful Difciples; 1. That they be ready to deny themselves. 2. 3. to take up their Cross. and to follow Chrift in all Things that He hath prefcrib'd to them by His Example or Commands, or does require of them. I. DOCTRINE. Every true Difciple of Chrift must deny himself. 1. What is it to deny ourselves? 1. Not to indulge ourselves in any thing that stands in Competition with our Duty to GOD; nor to grant ourfelves what He denies us; nor allow ourselves in any known Sin, Pfal. xviii. 23. Tho', 1. Never fo pleasant. 2. profitable. 2. To turn from ourselves to GOD, Zach. i. 3. Seipfum fibi homo abneget, & totus mutetur. Ambrof. 1. In denying our own Wills, if they in cline us, H 1. Not to do what GOD commands us, 2. Nor to fuffer what He lays upon us, 2. In denying our Affections, when they are 1. Self-Love. We naturally love ourselves, 4. Defires. Nothing must come in Competition with GOD in our Defires. No Interefts or Enjoyments in the World whatfoever, Pfal. Ixxiii. 25. Phil. iii.8. 1. Not Estate, Prov. iii. 9. 2. Not Credit or Honour, Matt. v. 11. 4. Not Liberty. 5. Not Health. 6. Not Life, Luk. xiv. 26. 7. Much less our Lufts and Corruptions. 2. Why are we to deny ourselves, if we follow Christ? 1. God hath commanded us. 2. Unless we deny ourselves, we shall deny GOD, Matt. vi. 24. 3. We are not our own, therefore we are not to act according to our own Wills and Humours, 1 Cor. vi, 20. INFERENCES. 1. How fem are there in the World, that follow Christ aright, Luk, xii. 32. K 3 2. How 2. How hard a thing is it so to do? 3. Wherefore, endeavour to deny yourselves, by confidering, 1. That Chrift deny'd Himfelf for you, Phil. ii. 6, 7, 8. Hebr. xii. 2, 3. 2. Unless you deny yourselves, Chrift will deny you, Matt. x. 33. 9. It is only by denying yourselves, that you manifeft yourselves to be Chrift's Difciples. 4. Deny yourselves for Chrift here, and you will find yourselves with Chrift hereafter. Wherefore, manifeft your Self-denial. 1. In Leaving your former Sins, tho' never fo delightful, or advantageous to you in the way of the World. 2. In Living above yourselves, not your Eftates, but Sins, not your Conditions, but Corruptions. II. DOCTRINE. Whofoever will be Chrift's Difciple, must take up His Crofs. 1. What are we to understand by Crofs? 1. Inward; as, 1. Parting with our dearest Corruptions, S. Matt. xix. 27. 2. Subjection to Chrift's Commands, S. Matt. xi. 29, 30. 3. Temptations from the Devil, 1 S. Pet. v. 8. 2. Or outward; as, 1. Hatred, S. Matt. x. 22.. 2. Reproach, 1 Tim. iv. 10. Ifa. liii. 3, 4 3. Deprivation of temporal Comforts, 2 Cor. vi. 4. and xi. 24, 25, 26, 27. and xii. 10. 4. Imprisonment, 2 Cor. vi. 5. 5. Scourges, Wracks, Tortures, Hebr. xi.37: 6. Death, Luk. xiv. 26. Phil. ij. 8. Now there are two Things that make our Croffes to be the Cross of Chrift. 1. That we suffer in the way of well- 2. What is it to take up our Cross? 1. Not to run ourselves into Sufferings. 2. Nor the meer bearing of Afflictions, 2 Cor. xi. 33. 2. Positively. To be willing to bear whatfoever is laid upon us for Christ's fake; not to think much to fuffer for Him, who thought not much to die for us. An Horfe fuftinet, fed non fufcipit onus. And there K 4 are |