more into the presence of God, than pride of Cloaths and these outward things do, and therefore it is the bolder, and the greater fin,& therfore, who would not take heed hereof! who would not labor for this Self denial? to be humble, and denying of ones felf in fpiritual things? Truly,the first ftep to Humility, is, to fee ones Pride: and the firft ftep co Self denial, is to be convinced of ones Self Advancing.

But will fome poor foul fay, that hears all this: I am Object. convinced of mine own Pride and Selvishneß in all my Duties; I can do nothing, but Self gets in, I write an I upon all that I do, I cannot deny my felf in fpiritual things: I bave heard of fome, that have been fo Humble, and Self Denying, that they have been willing, and contented to go to Hell if God would bave it fo: But as for me, the Lord knows, I am not contented fo: I bave a Proud beart, and Self creeps into all that I do, and therefore I fear that Ibave not this Faith, therefore I fear that the Gospel never came in power upon my foul to this day.

Though every true Beleever, be an Humble, Self denying Answ. perfon, and is made partaker of this Gofpel Self denial : yet know, there is fomething of Self, fome remains of Self that ftill continues with the beft, fomething ftill that will taft of the Cask. Though the Onion that is beaten in the mortar, be taken out of the morter, yet the morter wil fmel of it. A godly, gracious man, is fenfible of his own Pride, and Self Advancing in Spiritual things, and will cry out and fay, Oh! what a proud heart have I! a Self Advancing heart have I! But fhew me that man, that was ever so transformed, melted, changed into the mould of the Gofpel; but still fame favor of Self remains.

Whereas you fay, That fome are willing, and contented to go to Hell if God would have it fo. I have heard it of fome; yea, and that fome Minifters have put people upon this trial, 18 thus: Art thou contented to go to Hell if God would have it fo? Ifay, I have heard, that even fome Mi nifters have put people upon fuch a trial as this is But where is their Commiffion? where hath any Minifter fuch a Comiffion from the Lord, to put poor people upon fuch a tryal!

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tryal as this is; Soul! art thou contented to go to Hell if God would have it fo? Let any Minister fhew me bis Commiffion to pat a foul upon fuch a tryal as this is. And where Soul ! haft thou a Commiffion to put thy felf upon fuch a tryal? No, we may have an eye to the recompence of reward; the Lord Chrift himself had fo, he had an eye him. felf unto the recompence of reward: and therefore, though thou canst not bring thy foul unto this height, yet there may be fome Humility, even Gofpel Self-denial, that may lic under the leaf. This Gofpel Humilitie,and Self-denial, it is (as I may fo fpeak) the foul Violet: The Violet (ye know it is a very fweet flower; but it lies very low,it hangs down its head, and it lies under other Herbs, obfcure Herbs; e if it loved to be unfeen; but ic fmels very fweetly: and if you would find out this sweet smelling Herb, and Violet, you maft lift up other obscure leaves, and there you fhall feeir. So, this Humility, and Self-denial, it lies under o ther Duties,and ander other Exercises; and if you would fee it, you muft lift up other leaves: though thou beeft not able to attain to that height as to fay,Thou wouldst be contented to go to hel if God would have it fo: yet thou mayeft have this fweet Violet; though it lie under other Herbs, yet thou maieft fee it, and it may be fuelt. Only this: If at any time Self breaks out; if at any time thy foul begins to be advanced in regard of Duty, or Spiritual things; 1 do here call upon you, fall down before the Lord,and humble thy felf before him for the pride of thy heart concerning Spiritual things, and labor to get this Self Denial in Spiritual things, I am not to speak of Self denial at large; but I cal upon you from the Lord,to labor to get Self denial in fpiritual things. And take thefe Two or Three motives to it. Firft. The more you deny your felf in Spiritual things, the more you that be fure to keep them. Saies Chryfoftom, The best treasury to keep any good work in, i, forgetfulness of tbm good work. Ye know, that if a man be to travel; the way to keep himfelfand his money is, not to go to the Markets Croffe, and there proclaim that he bath fo much money a

bout

bout him, or to carry with him in his journey; the only way for a man to lose his money, is, to let it be known,and to brag of it abroad. And truly, what is the reason, that fo many in thefe daies of ours,have made fhipwrack? Some heretofore have been very forward, had great Gifts, great Parts; and now they are rotten, they have loft all; Why? because they were proud of them, and did not walk humbly under them.

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Secondly. The more you do deny your felves in fpiritual things, the more humble you will be in other things: and the more humble you are, the more fweerly fhall your live in your own bosom, yea, towards and among others. Some poffibly complain of a Froward spirit : Ŏh! faies one, I am of an angry difpofition: my Husband, my Children, my Servants, my Wife, or my Friends, cannot meddle with me, or touch me, but I am ready to break out in difemper, anger, and frowardness; the Lord knows, I have a very froward and peevish beart of mine own. But what is the reason? Pride, pride is the caufe of Frowardneffe. Ye fee how it is with a Bladder: let a Bladder be blown full of wind,and though you may take it at the end, yet notwithstanding you cannot hold the bladder in your hand, or the greateft hand in the town cannot hold the Bladder. Bat take a pin, and prick the bladder, and the leaft child may hold it then. What is the reafon that men cannot be held, cannot be handled, cannot be touch'd by their neighbors, friends,and thofe that are about them they cannot be grafp'd, and walk'd with? but because they are proud and (woln. Therefore, get an humble, and felf denying heart, and thou fhalt walk more fweetly with thy own foul, and others that are about thee.

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Thirdly. The more you deny your felves in fpiritual things, the more you fhall be exalted in them. Ifay, The more you denie your felves in fpiritual things, the more thofe (piritual things fhal grow,be exalted,the more increa fed. Humble thy felf, or your felves (fates the Apoftle) under the 1Pet.5.6 band of the Lord, and be will exalt you in due time. And let

me

me tell you this: that look what that is wherein you do Humble your felves before the Lord, therein the Lord will exalt you. Doeft thou humble thy felf before the Lord in regard of these outward things? There will the Lord Exalt thee. Doeft thou humble thy felf before the Lord in regard of thy Parts, and thy Gifts? There will the Lord exalt thee. Doeft chou humble thy felf before the Lord in regard of thine own Graces? and thine own Obedience? and thine own Righteoufnels? Therein will the Lord exalt thee. Ye know that John the Baptift faid concerning Job.3.30 Chrift, He must increase, but I must decrease. And faies Jobn Job.1.27 again concerning our Savior Chrift, Whofe fhoe. Latchet I am not worthy to unloofe: Or, whofe fhoes I am not worthy to carry. Mark how he humbles himself to Jefus Chrift: And mark how Chrift honors John; Oh! (faies Chrift) There's not a greater among women, than John the Baptift; Chrift exalts Mat.8.8 him. And fo faies the Centurion, Ob! Lord, I am not

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worthy that thou shouldeft come under my Roof. Mark bow he humbles himself here before the Lord Chrift: And mark Verf. 10. what our Savior faies of him, I tell you, I bave not found fuch faith, no not in Ifrael. So that look where thou Humbleft thy felf, there will the Lord Exalt thee. Soul! doeft thou defire therefore,that the Lord would Exalt thy Gra ces,that thy Gifts and Graces fhould be increased? Humblethy felf there, and learn to deny thy felf in Spiritual things; not only in regard of outward, but in Spiritual things; that you may fay, I live, yet not I.

Quest.

Answ. I

But you will fay, This is a hard thing: What may we do, that we may be able to deny our felves in Spiritual things?

First, Never perform any Duty, but as often as thou canft, refl: & upon thy performance, and obferve the De fects thereof. When ye write a Letter, after ye have written it, you reade icover: Or what ever ye write (almoft) if it be of any concernment, after ye have written it, then you reade it over and if ye find any thing amifs, then ye blot it out, and when ye have done, ye take your fand-box, and throw duft upon it; or ye go to the Chimney, and take

afbes

Will ye

do thus for your

alhes and throw upon the paper.
letters that you write and will ye not do thus for your
Duties and Performances? When you have Prayed, and
performed Duty, Go, go and look it over, and there you
will find many Defects; many things to be blotted out,
and many things to be put in; and when you have found
the Defects in your Dutie, throw duft upon it; and hum-
ble your felves before the Lord.

Secondly, If you would Deny your felves in fpiritual things; Obferve much the In-comes of the Spirit of the Lord upon your foul. The way and manner of it, how Suddenly, how Unexpectedly, how Freely the Lord by his Spirit breaths upon your foul. When your heart is Dead, when your heart is Hard, when you fay, God is now gone, and will never return again: Ob! what freedom once I had in Prayer: but now my heart is hard, and I fhall never be able to Pray again: Then comes the Spirit of God, and breaths upon your foul, and gives you Prayer again. Now if I would but obferve the breathings of the Spirit of the Lord, how it comes upon me thus, when I am dead, when my heart is hard, when I fay 1 fhall never have prayer again; if I could but obferve the Freeness of the Spirits breathing over my foul, and raifing up my heart to Duty again; thould I be proud of Duty, think you? fhould I not rather,fay,Shall I be proud? I was dead, heart hard, and had not the Spirit come and breathed upon my foul, I had never been able to pray again,but had been lock❜d up for ever: and shall I be proud? Obferve the In-comes of the Spirit; the way and manner of it; be much in this, and you will be able to deny your felves in fpiritual things,

my

Laftly, Look much into the Gofpel: ftudy much the Gospel, and the way of the Gofpel. The more you fee an Humble Chrift, the more you will learn Humility: Where shall you fee an humble Chrift, but in the Gospel? The more you fee a Self-denying Chrift, the more you will learn Self denial: And where hall you reade of a Self-de

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