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PART 2 - General Directions on How to Live a Holy and Christian Life.

I am now to give you some directions how to live that holy and Christian life, which in the former part of this book, I have endeavored to persuade you to. It shall be my care not to trouble you with many and less necessary things. And I beg you, that it may be yours to consider what I say impartially and to give it the regard which, upon consideration, you shall find it to deserve. Now, because I suppose you to be convinced that if you would be happy eternally it is necessary that you should live a holy life.  The first thing I shall advise you to is

Chapter 1  - To Resolve Upon a Holy Life

1.1       Containing the first advice, seriously to resolve upon a holy life - as well as  the necessity of such a resolution, and the great virtue and efficacy of it.

1.2       Containing some directions on how to form a lasting resolution. First, to resolve soberly and deliberately, not rashly and in haste, maturely to consider what it is we must resolve, and carefully to examine all the advantages and disadvantages on both sides. Secondly, to take the matter into consideration several distinct times, before we fix our resolution. Thirdly, to back this resolution with a solemn vow.

1.3.      A prosecution of the same argument, containing some further directions in making a lasting resolution, as fourthly, to write down our resolutions in the words wherein we make them, and to engage ourselves to God in a solemn bond and contract. And fifthly, to make known this resolution to the world, as often as a fit occasion offers, which very much tends to the glory of God, delivers us from many temptations, and makes us more steadfast to what we resolve. And sixthly, to seek out some good men and women who have taken up the same resolutions, and to contract an intimate friendship and acquaintance with them. Or, if we cannot find any such, to endeavor to persuade our old friends and companions to enter into such a religious friendship.

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1.1.      A Resolution Will Strengthen Your Cause  -  Make an absolute and peremptory resolution to live a holy life. “I see, it is necessary that I should do so (may you say). I cannot be happy for ever, if I do not live so; and therefore I am resolved I will live so, and nothing shall divert or hinder me.”

Without this peremptory resolution, you will never be able to do what you may desire. You may begin well, but you will fail to persevere to the end. You will be as the double-minded man, which St. James speaks of, in Chapter 1:8, “Unstable in your ways.” You will be of one mind while in the good way, and another while in the bad, according to the circumstances of your life, and the sway of your inclinations. But with this resolution begin and prosper. Resolution works wonders every day in other matters, and in this, be confident, it will do much more, - because God will bless it. It has a mighty efficacy in itself, and whoever is possessed of it, seldom fails to bring his design to pass.

It makes a person intent upon the thing he would do, inquisitive after the best means to effect it, watchful and ready to lay hold upon all fitting opportunities, jealous of the least impediments and hindrances, bold and constant in the midst of difficulties and dangers, and so excludes that forgetfulness and inadvertency, that negligence and sloth, that rashness and levity, that doubtfulness and faintheartedness, which overthrows the good purposes of many, and frustrates their best designs. But how much better will the efficacy of it be, do you think, when it is backed with the almighty grace of God, which in this matter will be ever assisting  it? The truth is, your work is half done when you are fully resolved, and if your resolution does not fail, I dare promise you as good success  as your heart can wish. But then care must be taken that your resolution continues firm, and strong. That it may do so, you must observe the following directions.

1.2   - Directions on How to Form a Resolution -  You must make it soberly and deliberately, not rashly and in haste. You must consider what you are about to resolve upon, what difficulties and discouragements you are likely to meet with, and what dangers and inconveniences may attend you in it. And when you have done this, you must consult your own reason and understanding, upon these and the like questions:

Is it reasonable that I should undertake, and resolve upon such a business as this is? Is it possible for me to effect it? Can I march through all the difficulties, and overcome all the temptations which may or can befall me in it? Is the design honorable and worthy? And can I hope for a sufficient recompense for all the troubles it will put me to?

For the avoiding of all error and mistake, it will not be amiss for you to put down in writing (if you can) all that you are considering, as also your judgment and determination upon every particular. However, fail not to get as clear and distinct an idea of every thing as possibly you can, and let nothing pass you without due consideration. Run through all the parts and duties of a holy life in your thoughts, and tell your heart, “This I must do; this I must fly from; this I must suffer. Almighty God requires it, and I cannot hope to be excused in any thing. Tell me, O my heart (you may say) will you be content if I shall do it, or not? Will you not prove false to me, if I resolve it?”

These things I must attend to, not for a few days only, or at some certain times and seasons, but constantly and perpetually, throughout the whole course of my life. It must be my business to obey and please God in all my ways, and all my worldly affairs and fleshly pleasures must give place to it. “Tell me, O my heart, how do you approve of this? Have I your free consent to undertake it? And will you be content that I now begin it?”

Then suppose within yourself the greatest temptations that can befall you, to discourage and draw you aside. Suppose that your mother who bare you in her womb, and nourished you with her breasts, and loves you as her life, should come with weeping eyes to you, and, with the most melting expressions that love and sorrow could put into her mouth, should entreat you to do some wicked act, or to prevent you from doing your duty in any matter. And suppose the wife (or husband) of your bosom, who is  as your very soul, should join with her in the same desire, and tell you, as Delilah did Sampson (Judges 16:15),” How can you say I love you, when your heart is not with me?” And it may be that your dearest friends and family members will plead with you also for the same thing.

And then you must ask yourself, “Shall I be able to withstand all these temptations, to resist the pleading of a kind and tender mother, to turn my back upon the wife of my bosom, and to ignore all my friends, rather than sin against God, and wound my own conscience?” And further, imagine for yourself the worst things that can befall a someone in this world. Suppose you must lose all you have in the world, yes, and your very life, if you will not sin against him. Suppose you must suffer the sharpest reproaches, and the most cruel death that ever was invented, if you will be faithful to him, and do your duty.

And then charge your heart to tell you, whether it will not sink at such a trial, and basely betray you to sin and shame. These are hard things indeed, and the bare thoughts of them are dreadful. How much more will the things themselves be, when you come to try them. But what good thing was ever obtained without some difficulty? And what wise man was ever discouraged with difficulties, that was sure of a recompense far exceeding the worst troubles he could possibly undergo? Is it not reasonable that I should do and suffer anything that my God shall impose upon me?

Should not that life and being which he has given me, be altogether at his service? May not my dear and loving Savior justly expect as much from me, since he has purchased me with his most precious blood? Did he not undergo much more for my sake than he requires me to do for his? And may not that joy which encouraged him be a just encouragement for me? Will not heaven make amends for all, and justify my choice and resolution to all the world? What if I am weak and frail? What if there are many subtle enemies to  my undertaking? Is not he that is with me greater than all that are against me? Cannot the spirit of my God make my weakness strong, and cause me to triumph over all my adversaries? Has he not done as much for millions of such weaklings as I am? Have not many before us taken up the very same resolution, and in spite of all the powers of darkness and their accursed instruments made it good to the last minute of their lives? I know, I know, my God and Savior will not fail me in so good an undertaking, and he will make my weakness to redound to the glory of his grace. Therefore I may, I must, I will, I do resolve upon a holy life

Thus I do advise you to consider things before you do resolve, that your resolution may be the work of your whole soul, that your understanding may fully approve of it under the most disadvantageous circumstances, and your will entirely embrace it, and that nothing may befall you in your after-life that may stagger you as not foreseen, or cause you to question the wisdom of your undertaking. And this advice (you must know) is not the mere issue of my own brains, but the counsel of our great and good Master in two plain parables, Luke 14:28-32: “Which of you  intending to build a tower, does not sit down and count the cost, whether he has sufficient to finish it? Lest happily after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, this man began to build, and was not able to finish it. Or what king, going to make war against another king, sits not down first and considers whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him that comes against him with twenty thousand, or else while the other is yet a great way off, he sends an ambassador and desires conditions of peace.”

Parables plainly tell us that no wise man will begin to build, but who sees that he shall be able to finish. And no wise king will begin a war without first considering his ability to go through with it. Nor can anyone be thought wise, that will take upon himself to be a disciple of Christ, and to follow him in a holy life, before he has well considered what he undertakes, and what trouble and danger it may cost him. The fruits of such rash and unadvised undertakings can ordinarily be no other than shame and sorrow. If religion is once throughly wrought into the heart (which will not be done in an hour, or two, and can be done by no better way than by frequent meditations), it will in all probability keep possession of it for ever. And if a man is once resolved upon the practice of piety and virtue from a full conviction of the goodness and reasonableness of it, he will hardly be turned aside from it by any temptation. However, if it is admitted into the borders or the skirts of the soul only, to possess only the fancy or imagination, and by the help of these  alone does warn the affections, it will in a little time be cast off and all the good purposes which it may for the present produce, will, upon the least alteration of circumstances, be forgotten or laid aside.

Therefore in the second place, I shall commend to you that you do not fully determine, and fix your resolution upon just one consideration or deliberation (however seriously  you have done it) but that you take the matter twice or thrice into consideration, after some intermissions - for you will thereby discern whether your resolution is the effect of your judgment, and your entire choice, or whether it is merely of a good temper of body apt to receive religious impressions and a kindly heat, kindled by the working of your imagination.

If it is the good temper and warm imagination that disposes you to it, you will be of another mind after you have slept, or been dealing in other matters. But if it proceeds from the better principle but now mentioned, then what you approve of this day, you will approve of tomorrow, and for ever. The more you consider things, the better you will like your intended resolution, and the more ready you will be fully and finally to fix it. What you have considered one day, my counsel is that you take a review of it the next day. Consider afresh what you are to do, consider the pleasures which you must forsake, and the difficulties you must undergo. And if, after all, you find yourself sincerely bent to serve the Lord in a holy and Christian life, and no objection offers itself, which you perceive your heart to stumble at, then fix your resolution, resolve fully, peremptorily and irrevocably.

And that it may have as the strength which we can possibly add to it, let me advise you further,

1.3  - Take a Solemn Vow - Back it with a vow, with a solemn protestation to almighty God, to keep it firm and steadfast to the end of your life, for as long as any sense of God remains upon your soul. You will thus dread the not-doing of that which by a solemn promise to God you have bound yourself to do - it being in the opinion of all mankind a most abominable thing to falsify our vows and oaths to God, and deserving the severest vengeance that can fall upon the heads of wicked men.

1.4  - Write Down the Resolution.  And further, when you have done this, it will not be amiss to write down your resolution  in the very words you have made it, adding likewise the year, and month, and day, wherein you thus engaged yourself; and to keep it by you, as a thing of great concern to you, and once a month at least to look seriously upon it, saying to your heart, “See, O my heart, what you have done, observe the bond which you have laid upon yourself: it is your own act and deed. There is no disowning it, or excepting against it. As sure as I now see it with my eyes, it is recorded before God in heaven, and it shall one day be brought forth against me to my everlasting condemnation, if I do not discharge and satisfy it. Go on, O my heart, go on, as you have begun, to keep your resolution firm, and to pay your vows unto the most high. And be confident that the Lord will prosper your good desires and endeavors, and reward you according to his gracious covenant and promise, with everlasting glory and felicity.”

1.5  - Announce Your Resolution to the World.  All this being done, I think you may do well to make known your resolution to the world, as often as fitting occasions may be offered you, that is, as often as God may receive honor by it, or yourself be secured from temptation or sin. Such occasions, in this age, you will frequently meet with. Sometimes you will fall into the company of evil people who dishonor the holy religion which they profess by their wicked and ungodly lives,  and they will not spare to reproach you for not running with them into the same excesses and debaucheries. Then you may do well to tell them that you are fully resolved against such practices, and that you did long since take upon you a vow which allows them not, as they have also done; a profession of obedience to the doctrine, and of conformity to the example of the pure and holy Jesus; and that you cannot without gross hypocrisy and inexcusable folly act so contrary to it as they do.

Such a declaration as this will honor your Lord and Master and shame evil doers, if they are not past all shame and all hope of amendment. Sometimes again, you will meet with men and women that will play the devil’s part, and use all their cunning to persuade you to some sinful act. Such people you must let know without delay that you are in the full purpose of your heart as well as in outward profession a Christian, and that you are resolved to serve your Lord and Master to your death, and never do  anything which you shall know will in the least displease him. That how ever light a matter others may make it to disown him by their works whom with their mouths they own and flatter yet you esteem it so base and shameful a thing that by the help of God’s grace, you have determined never to be guilty of it. And that you cannot but believe it to be as bad, no, much worse, to be false to God, than to be false to men.  That they who do not think so do most unworthily prefer vile dust and ashes, before the high and holy God of heaven and earth.

This must needs stop the mouths of the most impudent tempters, and when you are known to the world to be thus well resolved, you will find a happy freedom from temptations by it. Your old companions in sin (if you have had any) will cease to importune you, and the devil, in despair of success, will seldom trouble you. You will also disarm him of one of the most dangerous weapons by which he destroys the soul of men. You will turn it against himself, and make that to be the instrument of your safety, which might have been the instrument of your ruin. By this I mean the fear of reproach from wicked men. (This fear  keeps thousands in bondage to sin all their days, going on in their wonted courses, not because they approve, or are truly pleased with them, but because they are ashamed to amend them).

This reproach, which you have  courageously condemned by publicly owning your resolution, will be of  little account to you  afterwards. For as a resolute soldier -  that has passed through the hardest service against the enemy without wound or scar -  feels no fear within himself of that which remains, so it will be with you. Having born the first reproaches of an ungodly world, which are ever the most bitter, you will readily condemn and set at nothing the rest.

The only fear of reproach which will then remain in you will be, only that which is just and good, namely the fear of deserved reproach for not making good that resolution which you have declared to the world.  The greater your fear of this is, the safer and the happier you will be.

Objection.  Against this part of my advice, I know but one thing that can be objected, namely, that in case you should fail to make good your resolution after this, returning to your former wickedness or carelessness as many, perhaps, have done after they have intended to do well, you will bring shame upon yourself, and dishonor to your holy religion.

Answer. And true it is, my friend, that these will be the effects of your failing, and it is as true that great care ought to be taken that nothing be done which will produce so great an evil as either of those. But it is not necessary that you should fail thus. It is not probable, if you use that sincerity, consideration, caution, and circumspection which I have commended to you -  because of the sufficient grace of God, which will never fail you. Thus  the force of the objection lies not against all resolving or owning your resolution, but against doing it rashly, and unadvisedly, proudly and vaingloriously.  It only admonishes us to proceed with great deliberation and prudence, and to forbear the public owning of it, till we have had some proof of our sincerity towards God, by the discharge of our several duties, and the resistance of some of the more dangerous temptations -  especially if we know ourselves to be of a hasty temper, and not very constant in other things.

But this being secured, I doubt not but you will find my advice good, and proposed it to you because of the abounding wickedness of the age. For, though many people call themselves Christian, and think themselves affronted if they are  not so esteemed, yet true Christian piety is owned by very few. It is become as disgraceful truly to practice it or to plead for it (more is our misery) as it is to disown it.  And therefore we take it to be as much our duty now thus to claim the cause of it against the vile practices of those who foolishly reproach and persecute it -  even while they call themselves Christians as it was of old the duty of Christians to own the name and profession against the persecutions of the heathen and unbelieving world. 

Certain it is that Christ is as well confessed by maintaining and defending that real holiness which he came to implant in the hearts and lives of men, as he is by the belief and acknowledgment of those things which he was pleased to do and suffer for our sake.

Therefore, the denying, of our obligation to his holiness, or of our resolution to embrace, and live in it, whenever we have a just cause to own it, is as truly a denying of Christ as is our protesting, when in danger, that we know him not. Be not afraid nor ashamed then to make yourself known to the world to be in the resolution of your heart a true Christian, that Christ may not be ashamed of you before the angels of God, in that day when all the secrets of our hearts shall be made manifest.

Those vile wretches that live to the dishonor of him whose name they are called by, and to the reproach of human nature, do not blush (as you may observe) to make known the baseness of their designs and the lewdness of their actions. They commit their wickedness in the sight of the sun, and are not ashamed to boast of it.

Should you be ashamed to live worthy of Christ, to be truly a Son of God, and to have a design upon glory and immortality? No, let them be ashamed that do shameful things. But for you, your design is honorable and worthy of a man, and your resolution is becoming a Christian, and it is necessary to you, being one. There is a shame, we are told, that ends in death. Surely this is that: when men and women are ashamed of that which is truly their glory -  and they dare not be what they know they ought to be -  because they may be reproached by evil people when they are known to be so.

1.6  - Seek Out Like-Minded People.  There is but one thing more to be added in this matter, namely, that you will do well to seek out some good people that have taken up the same resolution, and to acquaint yourself with them, and if possible  to make them familiar and bosom friends. Let them know your design and purpose of living a holy and Christian life. Tell them what  esteem you have for them, because you perceive that they intend to do no less. Beg their good opinion, and their love according as they shall behold the sincerity and reality in the vows you make. Desire their prayers, their instruction, their reproofs, their encouragements, according as they shall see you stand in need of them. And ask that they will look upon you as a poor and unworthy member of that holy body to which they belong and of which Christ is the head - that holy body that hopes by the mercy of God to be glorified with Christ one day. They will therefore have that regard and tenderness for you which the members of the same body have for one another. Desire them to accept  the like regard and love from you, and of all the good offices that true Christian charity can enable you to do for them.

I confess it will be no easy matter for you to find such persons. The number of them is but small, and they are generally no great pretenders, but modest and reserved, and perhaps more reserved, all things considered, than they ought to be.  The vile hypocrisy of pretenders to holiness in this last age, and the daily abuse of its good name by men and women that seek themselves in the ruin of the Church, may seem to encourage their closeness, and desire of being unknown. But the growth of  atheism and profaneness which those false pretenses have occasioned, and the danger we have fallen into -  of losing those great advantages of the practice of piety which our Church affords us does more strongly require the sincere  to lay open that piety which they practice in secret, and to let the world know by their actions that there are some that own the cause of real holiness, without hypocrisy and guile.

And let me tell you that if good men of this Church will thus show themselves, and unite together in the several parts of the country, disposing themselves into fraternities, or friendly societies, and engaging each other in their several and respective combinations, it will be helpful to one another in all good Christian ways. It would also be the most effectual means for restoring our decaying Christianity to its primitive life and vigour, and the supporting of tottering and sinking Church. But, not to lead you too far from the matter I was about, if you can find any of these good people, I have spoken of, I charge you to let your heart cleave unto them, and let there not be the least strangeness between you.

Be all as one person (thus it was with the primitive Christians, see Acts 2) and so march forward in the good ways of God against all opposition, observing and “considering one another, to provoke unto love and to good works” as the apostle’s expressions are (Hebrews 10:23-24), having an eye continually to the captain of our salvation, who has entered into heaven -  despite all the powers of darkness - and is there preparing a place for us. You will be no sooner engaged with these good people in love and friendship, but you will begin to feel the advantages of it. You will be afraid of no discouragements when you have gotten the assistance of so many true friends, and you will never fall back from that resolution which has been the occasion of engaging you in such good company. If you forget yourself at any time, you will not be without a reminder, and whenever you fail you will find a restorer. When you are seized with any coldness or dullness, they will be ready to warm and quicken you.

These are advantages so considerable that you can not prudently care about any pains it may cost you to procure them. And if you can not be so happy as to be acquainted with any of these good people, you must do as much as lies in you to make some of your old acquaintances good, by engaging them in the same resolution which you have taken up yourself.

To this purpose, you must make use of all the knowledge you have of them, and the interest you have in them. Tell then what you are resolved upon, with the grounds and reasons of your resolution and urge them to consider them seriously and impartially. If they approve of what you have done, press them to do the same. If they have ought to object against it, answer their objections, and remove their prejudices. If you cannot work upon them at one time, try what you can do at another, and watch for the fittest seasons for your purpose. If one way of discoursing will not take effect, try what another way will do, and remember to fit yourself to their tempers and dispositions, so far as innocently you may. If reason will not prevail, try pleading - but to all endeavors with them fail not to add prayers to God for them. In a word, press them with arguments and love and press Almighty God with prayers in their behalf, and be confident that sooner or later you shall move according to your heart’s desire.

One person thus gained will make you amends for all your pains, for besides the fact that he may prove to be a friend to you, as would  those that entered upon a holy life before you, yet he will be a far greater comfort to you than any of them -  because in all the good he does, you will have some kind of share. Every step he takes in those good ways you have brought him to, will be as a new pledge to assure you of your future glory. There being no greater promises made to any, than to those “who turn to righteousness from the error of their ways;” (Daniel 12:3). But enough has been said of framing and fixing your resolution, and the things which I can conceive to be requisite for making it firm and effectual. It is now time that I direct you how to put it in practice, and therefore,

Chapter 2  - Self-Denial

2.1.      Containing the second advice, To take up our cross and forsake all to follow Christ, wherein is explained the nature of this duty, and the necessity of it.

2.2.      Containing several arguments to reconcile us to this duty of self-denial for our spiritual life and health, from the example of our Savior, who was a great pattern of self-denial. And from the reasonableness of this duty considered in itself, and the great advantages of it.

2.3.      Containing some directions how to put this duty of self-denial in practice.

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2.1  - Take Up Your Cross and Forsake All. You must deny yourself, take up your cross, and forsake all. This is the first thing that is to be done by those that are resolved upon a holy and Christian life, and it is so necessary to be done in the first place, that if you fail in it, it will be a vain thing for me to offer you any further direction. Now it is so important that you  be persuaded of this truth, that you must allow  me leave to show you that I tell you no more in this case than what our blessed Lord and Master has done, in Luke 9:23, 24:”He said to them all, if any man will come after me, let him deny himself, take up his cross daily, and follow me; for whoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose it for my sake, the same shall save it.” The meaning of which words is plainly this: all those that would be Christians indeed must deny themselves, take up their cross and follow Christ, and not reserve so much as their very lives, but be willing and ready to resign up all for him.

But lest we should imagine this to concern some choice persons only, whom he designed to bring to greater perfection such as his apostles may be thought to be -  he was pleased to speak as much, at another time, to the multitudes that followed him, in Luke 14:25, 26, 27: “There were great multitudes with him, and he turned and said unto them, if any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, and wife and children, and brothers and sisters, yes and his own life also, he cannot be my disciple; and whosoever does not bear his cross and come after me, cannot be my disciple.”That is, he that will not deny, and forsake (as we are wont to do things we hate) whatsoever is dear to him in the world, be it father and mother, or wife and children, brothers and sisters, preferring Christ before them all, and is not fully resolved and prepared to suffer anything, however hard, for Christ’s sake, cannot be a disciple of Christ, or a true Christian.

The word “cannot” signifies such an impossibility as implies a contradiction. To deny ourselves, and all our dearest interests in this world, is essential to the sincere profession of Christianity, and therefore anyone, who will not do this cannot be a Christian. Those dear things which he cannot renounce, will not allow him to take this profession upon him. Or if he does take it upon him, they will in time cause him to repent his undertaking, and to fall away with shame from it.

And then in the words following, he advises them to consider seriously what they are about to do, before they took upon themselves to be his disciples. And that his advice might sink more deeply into their minds, he expresses himself in two parables (which I have before mentioned) namely (Luke 14:28-31) of a man intending to build a tower, and sitting down first to consider the cost, and of a king going to make war against another king, and considering first his abilities to go through with it: And then he concludes Luke 14: 33,” so likewise, whosoever he be of you, that forsakes not all that he has, he cannot be my disciple.”

This conclusion makes it plain: We cannot wisely nor safely engage ourselves to Christ, or enlist ourselves as soldiers under his banner, till we have denied, renounced, given up all interest in ourselves, and whatsoever is dear unto us. Not thus prepared, we do but exasperate and provoke an enemy, our old enemy the devil, whose forces we shall not be able to withstand and so we lay a foundation for our future shame and ruin. At first reading we may think those comparisons from Luke but ill applied -  for what agreement is there between having riches and armies, and forsaking all that we have?

Yet upon second thought, we may perceive a very wise design in it. For Christianity is a spiritual warfare, and some of the most powerful enemies we are to encounter are the riches and pleasures and honors of this world, and therefore the strength and courage of a Christian soldier, whereby he will obtain a glorious victory, consist in self-denial and a contempt of this world. And a Christian is God’s building, or spiritual house, the temple of God. The very foundation of this building is laid in humility and self-denial, from where proceed all those divine graces and virtues, which both complete and adorn the building. These make humility and poverty of spirit, renouncing the love of this world and the very possession of it too in some cases -  as necessary to our becoming Christians as a great deal of money is to erect and finish a stately and magnificent building. This appears to be a great truth, and no groundless fancy, as proven  by the parable of the wedding supper in the former part of the chapter, which you may do well to reflect upon:

The master sent his servants to call them that were bidden, when his supper was ready, but they all refused, and desired to be excused. One had bought a piece of ground, and he must go and see it Another had bought five yoke of oxen, and he must go and prove them. Another had married a wife and he could not come. But when he sent his servants to call the poor, the blind, and the lame, they came in immediately so that the poor and miserable people of the world, that have no worldly thing to trust to, or those who have these things but have conquered the love of them, are better disposed to receive the Gospel, and to become Christians, than the rich and the great. They have the world at will, as we say, and wallow in the pleasures thereof.

We have a very remarkable instance of the mischief that worldly riches do to those that both have and love them, in the 10th Chapter of St. Mark’s Gospel, and the 17, and 18 verses and following. There are several things in the chapter, relating to it, that deserve our regard. In the verses before we find our blessed Savior displeased with his disciples for forbidding little children to be brought unto him, and saying to them “Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not, for of such is the kingdom of God.” That is, their innocency and simplicity, their willingness to be guided and sustained by others, makes them the fittest emblems of those that do truly belong to his Church and kingdom. And then he adds, “Verily I say unto you, whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein,” That is, he that will not take the Christian profession upon him as a little child -  that is, with that very humility, disinterestedness, self-denial and resignation as is remarkable in little children -  will never submit to those laws which he gives to the world, and shall never be received by him as a Christian.

Now immediately upon this, as if divine providence had designed it for a confirmation of this truth, there came a young man to Christ, upon a very weighty and important business. This young man’s heart was in a good measure set upon eternal life, and he had entertained a great opinion of Christ, as appeared by the haste he made, by the humility of his carriage, and the words he used to him (Mark 10:17), “He came running, and kneeled to him, and asked him saying, Good Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” He had done much in order to it before. He had kept the Commandments from his youth up,” so he professed, and there is no doubt but he spoke what he thought, and what he had done in a good measure, for it is said verse 21 that “Jesus loved him”, that is, he approved of his good beginnings, and desired that they might be perfected. But when he told him that there was one thing still wanting, namely, that he “must go and sell all, and give to the poor, and take up his cross and follow me, the forward young man disliked his counsel, became sad and went away grieved. And why? Because he had great possessions. He had them, and he loved them likewise; and who can blame him for being sad, when he was told that either he must love eternal life, or part with them?

He had not got his riches by fraud and deceit, by violence and oppression, as many among us have done and resolve to keep them -  and yet hope for everlasting life (for if so he had not kept the commandments, which Christ spoke to him of). His love of the world had not prevailed so far upon him as to draw him to such wickedness, but his fault was that he had so great a love of his riches, that he could not find it in his heart to part with them, even for the obtaining of everlasting life.

Had he been as a little child, and had valued them no more than a child would have done, he would have  obtained his desire, and have entered into the Kingdom of God. But because it was not thus with him, his good meanings miscarried, and he fell short of that happiness which he sought after. Thus was this unhappy man a sad instance of the truth of our blessed Savior’s words. And so the disciples looked upon him, being astonished at the bewitching power of worldly possessions, but they were astonished to see a man that meant so well, and was come so near to the kingdom of God, overthrown by his great possessions. And since riches had so great a power over him, and could turn him back from the kingdom of God, they believed they would turn all the rich men in the world from it. For he, after having kept the commandments from his youth up, trusted in his riches. Thus, no rich man could be found, they thought, that they did not trust in them, and therefore said among themselves, in Mark 10:26, “Who then can be saved?”

And though Peter immediately expressed some hope of his salvation, and the salvation of his fellow disciples, because they had left all, and followed him, yet it appears from what follows in the chapter from verse 35 that he was deceived in his opinion of what they had done. For, though they had left their possessions to follow him, yet there was something of selfishness still remaining in them, and to be renounced by them. They had too great an opinion of the world’s grandeur, and they aimed at it more than they should. And this their Master was very well aware of, and therefore he tells them in another place, Matthew 18:3 (when they had proposed a question to him which showed the inclinations of their hearts, asking him, “Who was the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?”). That except they were converted and became as little children, that is, as unconcerned for that greatness which they thought of as little children are, “They should not enter into the kingdom of heaven.”

They were converted in a good measure then, and had given a good evidence of it, by quitting their possessions for their master’s sake. But it seems there was still something to be done. They were not so estranged from the world, nor so resigned as to all fleshly interest, but they needed to be put in mind that they must deny themselves more entirely, “and become as little children.” Then would they be fit for that service he designed to put them upon, and not till then. And thus, indeed, it was with them. For, while their heads were possessed with fancy, that their master was to be a mighty temporal prince, and their souls were hankering after the glories which they imagined they should partake of with him, they were often offended with his discourse. And, when they saw him in the hands of his enemies and began to suspect the ruin of their hopes and expectations, they shamefully deserted him.

Thus in St. Mark’s Gospel, when he began to tell them, That “he must suffer many things and be rejected of the chief priests and elders and scribes, and be put to death,” Peter” took him and rebuked him.” (Mark 8:32). And when those things were coming upon him which he spoke of, “They all forsook him and fled” (Mark 14:50).  Afterwards, when their mistakes were rectified, and their souls more perfectly purged from the love of earthly things -  by the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them -  every word that their master had spoken to them and which the Spirit brought to their remembrance, was dear to them, and they were not afraid nor ashamed to confess him before their greatest enemies.

Then, the cross of Christ was their greatest glory, and the great desire and joy of their hearts was to be made like to him in suffering and patience and resignation, to God.  Then they could call upon men to deny themselves, and forsake all, as earnestly as their master had done before them. For what else do those repeated exhortations signify, of not living to ourselves, of dying to our sins, of being crucified to the world, of being crucified, dead and buried with Christ, of offering ourselves sacrifices to God, and many more the like, which we read in their epistles? And, indeed, they did it very effectually while their doctrine and practice went hand in hand together. For in spite of the wickedness of the world, and the subtle malice of the devil, they prevailed in all places, and filled every corner of the world with the wonders of self-denial, and patience, and contempt of the world; with men that could take joyfully the spoiling of their goods, as we read Hebrews 10:34.

They counted not their lives dear for Christ’s sake and the gospels. And such self-denying men were Christians generally in the first ages of Christianity. Witness Athenagoras, who speaking of those of his time, tells us.

We are not moved with the loss of our estates which our enemies wrest from us, nor with the violence that is offered to our credit and reputation, or if there be anything of greater concernment than these. For, although these things are mightily prized and valued amongst men, yet can we despise and slight them? No, we cannot only when beaten refrain from striking again, and make no resistance against those that invade and spoil us, but to those that smite one cheek, we can turn the other, and to them that take away the coat, we can let go the cloak also.

Thus did the apostles and first Christians deny themselves and forsake all. And are not we bound to do so likewise, do you think? May we be his disciples upon easier terms than they were? Has he made the way to heaven broader than it was, and given us allowances which he did not give them of former ages? Certainly not.

It is true that we are not altogether in the same circumstances as they were in, for the Christian profession (though now honorable among us) was then so vile a thing in the eyes of the world, and so extremely hated, that none could take it up and own it publicly without hazarding the loss of all they had. Therefore, if  any were so rash as to take it up before they had denied themselves, they quickly discovered their rashness and want of self-denial by falling away from it.  It must be granted that self-denial is not now so necessary the taking up and retaining of the mere profession of Christianity as it was of old. But then as to the practice of it, it is certainly as necessary as ever it was - and though the profession be honored at present, yet the practice is as much despised, and doing what we profess, in a pure and holy life, will as certainly expose us to as many evils (God be thanked that I cannot say “to death”) as the profession of old was used to do. Therefore, he that will satisfy that Name which he has taken upon him, and observe the profession which he has made in baptism, must be brought to that frame and temper of mind, which those good men and women in the beginning of Christianity were brought to. That is, they must  take off from themselves all self interests and self-satisfactions. They must renounce all propriety in themselves and everything else, be dead to the world, and have no more affection to the worldly things than the dead have. All that so nothing may hinder them from living unto God.

There are but few indeed that seriously consider this, and therefore we see, that people generally account themselves Christians from their baptism. And as long as they do not renounce their baptism, they are confident that they are so. But he  has told us that many are called (that is, to be Christians), but few are chosen. Those who only profess themselves to be so, he makes another judgment of them. And they will know it one day to their shame and sorrow. They have fallen by God’s good providence upon that which is in fashion among us, and they see at present no reason why they should call it off -  I mean the outward profession of Christianity. But as for that which is not fashionable and in credit, that is the denying of ourselves and dying to the world - they never understood it. And because they do not deny themselves, and die to the world, they cannot live to God.

This might suffice, my friend, to convince you that you must deny yourself and forsake all, if you desire to live a holy and Christian life. Because I know of our unwilliingness to entertain this hard saying (as they are apt to term it), and because I know that it is so absolutely necessary that those who will live a Christian life do both believe and practice it, I shall show you yet further that not considering or not practicing this self-denial has been the main cause why so many have rejected the gospel in all ages. And it is why so many of these that have seemed to receive it have yielded so lame and so imperfect an obedience to it. Did you never read in your Bible how few of those that heard Christ preach while he was upon the earth, and saw the miracles that he wrought, especially of the greater sort, did truly believe in him? Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? This was a choking question to any that would dare to speak for him (John 7: 48).  Those few disciples that he had were of the poorer sort of people that had not much to trust to, or much to lose for his sake.  If any of the richer or greater sort were convinced that he was the Christ, then they did not dare to own it. They would go by night and in secret to tell him of their faith, but publicly and openly they professed it not.  And what might be the reason for this, do you think?

Had not these great men those natural powers of judging, of  assenting and consenting to the truth, which the others had? Was not their natural courage as great, and would they not have showed it as much in other cases, as these poor people could have done? Yes, undoubtedly. In all other matters they were the wise, and the others the ignorant; they the bold and the hardy, the others the poor spirited and cowardly. But in this case the wise were fools, and the courageous mere cowards. And how was this? Those great rich and proud men could not - or would not -  learn this one lesson. It would have opened their blind eyes, and have raised their poor spirits, to that degree of boldness, which they beheld in the disciples of Christ, and wondered at. How can you believe (said Christ himself to them) as long as you receive honor from one another, and seek not the honor that comes from God only (John 5:44)? They loved themselves, and the praise of men too well, to approve of any thing that would lessen their reputation in the least, or bring them one step lower in the esteem of the world. And they were too covetous, as appears from other places of scripture, to leave all, to follow one that had not a house to put his head in. Did you never observe the monstrous unbelief of many among us, and the gross hypocrisy of others? Did you never observe what great opposition is made by some people against some of the clearest truths of Christianity, who yet seem very fond of other truths, that are not so clear, and lie not so open to human understanding?

And did you never take notice how strict some people are in some things who yet allow themselves to violate very plain and very weighty precepts? As for instance the doctrine of the Trinity we see unanimously acknowledged by many thousands among us, when the divine authority of Christ’s ministers, and the right of their wages meets with many opposers in all places. And some people can preach and pray from morning till night, and talk scripture to each other with much seeming seriousness, when like the Pharisees of old they will embrace any fair chance to devour the house of a poor widow or orphan or to exalt themselves somewhat higher in the world. And what do you think is the reason of these things? The same, without doubt, that hindered the Jews of old from receiving Christ. And if these truths which they profess to believe, and these Christian duties which they follow, did as much to oppose their worldly interests and fleshly lusts as the acknowledging of Jesus to be the Christ opposed the interests and lusts of the unbelieving Jews, then  they would quickly fall away from those truths and those duties, if not also from the whole religion.

Not that I believe that they have merely pretended when they first professed Christ,  or that they are and have been so zealous in some things merely for worldly ends.  I doubt not but many of them have meant well from the very beginning. But, those naughty and corrupt affections, which being renounced by Christ, did so fatally prejudice the Jews against him, do as strongly prejudice these professed Christians against the great part of his doctrine. Those corrupt affections, which they should have renounced at their first setting out, are like a thick cloud upon the eyes of their minds, not allowing them to discern those truths which to genuine Christians are as manifest as the sun at noonday. These corrupt affections are a strong bias upon their wills, drawing them aside from those good paths which they have a desire to walk in. These people intend well in the general, like the rich man when he came to Christ, and they do well in those things that do not oppose  their inordinate affections. But when they are to learn those duties to which their lusts will not be reconciled, either they are not able to understand them, or have not the power to practice them. They are like the wolf in the fable, that was sent to school to read, could make no word of all the letters, but a only see in them lamb - because of his appetite for the flesh of that harmless creature. They also can see nothing but what they lust after.

I will conclude therefore (and I think I have good reason for it) that if we desire and are resolved to be Christians, we must in the first place renounce ourselves, and entirely put off our carnal lusts and worldly affections. Our desires and resolutions will be vain and come to nought, if we fail to do it. We may intend well, and perhaps do many good things. And we may make a fair show for a while, and mount up to heaven in our own thoughts, and in the opinion of the world. But like as an unwise builder, that raises a very fair structure upwards, not having laid a good and firm foundation, and who will in a little time be convinced of this error by its ruin, so when a time of trial and temptation comes to us, our own fall will show us our error. When the winds blow and rains fall, and the floods come, our pretty frame of religion will come to ruin, and our high hopes will perish together with it.

Now after this, I suppose, I need to tell you that I have insisted so much upon this particular with great reason.

2.2  - Christ is Not a Hard Master.  It remains that I endeavor briefly to create in you a good opinion of the duty I have been speaking of, and to show you that it is not such an unreasonable thing as some people imagine it, to be obliged to it, and that Christ cannot reasonably be thought a hard master for laying it upon us. For surely,

2.2.1  - He Requires Nothing From Us But What is Necessary  He that has laid nothing upon us, but what our state and condition, and his own design of love and mercy towards us, did make necessary, cannot be judged hard or cruel to us. And has Christ required any thing more in this matter? No, undoubtedly he could not give us health and life (how ever much  he desires it) without removing our desires. He could not be the author of salvation to us, without taking away that which was our ruin and destruction. And what was our disease and ruin but an inordinate and immoderate love of ourselves and our fellow creatures -  whereby we fell away from God, to be as Gods ourselves, to please ourselves, to provide for ourselves to do our own wills, and to satisfy our own desires without restraint or control?

Now, what is it that we would have, when we quarrel with Christ, and call this commandment grievous? Would we have our health and our diseases too?  Would we live and die also? Would we serve God a little, and ourselves much more? Or, would we serve him so far only, as we shall please ourselves, and have that be taken for all the service that we owe him. If  you think this to be unreasonable, as you cannot but do, you must acknowledge it to be necessary that you should be taken from yourself, and all worldly things, that you might serve your God. But besides,

2.2.2  - He Was Our Greatest Example of Self-Denial. We cannot reasonably look upon him as a hard master, who submitted himself to that which he has imposed upon us, being himself the greatest example of self-denial, and forsaking all that ever was. What do you think of his appearing in our frail flesh, of his low estate in the world, of his pain and travail, of this thorny crown and cross? Was there not self-denial in all this, and such as angels and men may justly wonder and be astonished at for ever?

He, who being in the form of God, thought it no robbery to be equal with God, made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of a man, and being found in fashion as a man, humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross (Philippians  2:6-8).

He, who might have commanded all the riches and glory of the world, as being Lord of all, became poor, that by his poverty we might be made rich (2 Corinthians 8:9). He, who made all mankind to serve and please him, pleased not himself, but became a servant for our good (Romans 15:3). He who could have had more than twelve Legions of angels for his guard (Matthew  26:53), yielded his cheeks to be smitten, his face to be spit upon, his back to be scourged, his hands and feet to be nailed to an infamous tree, and his side and heart to be pierced by the vilest sinners, whom with one word of his mouth he might have turned into hell.

Thus did our great and good Master deny himself, and forsake all. And can we poor worthless wretches think it much to deny our vile selves, and to forsake those little things which we call our own, for his sake, and in obedience to his command? Had he dealt with us, as those that once sat in Moses’ chair did with their disciples, laying heavy burdens upon them, and grievous to be born, which they themselves would not touch with one of their fingers (Matthew 23:4), we might have had some seeming cause of complaint. But since he himself has born the burden which he has laid upon us, yes, and  far more,  we are most unreasonable people if we open our mouths against him. He is too soft and delicate a servant  that would fare better than his Lord, and be exempted from that work which his Lord disdains not to put his hand unto.

2.2.3  - He has made Us For Himself.  I beseech you, friend, tell me what it is which you judge hard and unreasonable in this commandment. It is that we should believe ourselves to be what we really are, and that we should demean ourselves in the world accordingly? Is it that we who are as nothing ourselves, and have nothing  ourselves, and should be as nothing to ourselves, should be  in subordination to him of whom we are, and from whom we have received all? Is it that he who has made us for himself,  and who has freely given us all we do possess, will dispose of us and all according to his pleasure? Is it that we should prefer him before ourselves and his will before our own, and be ready and willing to part with all that he has given us, whenever he is pleased to call for it?

Is it is that we should be content to receive difficulty from him as well as good, when he shall see it fit for his own glory and our greater good? I dare say that there is nothing in all this, that you may fairly object to -  and this is all that is required of you. But yet further;

2.2.4  - What He Requires is Advantageous to Us.  Suppose it appear after all that what is here required is not only just and reasonable, but hugely profitable and advantageous for us. May we not justly look upon those who quarrel with it to be very unreasonable? And truly thus it is, and thus it will appear to be, upon very little consideration. It is no small advantage to be at liberty to obey God entirely and to be able to do it with ease, with delight and pleasure. It is no little benefit to be out of the reach of the devil’s malice and of all those dangerous weapons wherewith he assaults and destroys poor souls.

And this we shall infallibly obtain by the practice and performance of this one duty. For what is it that indisposes us to the service of God, that makes his righteous and holy laws to be grievous and uneasy to us, but our believing we are something by ourselves, and choosing to dispose of ourselves according to our own wills?

What is it that gives the devil so much advantage over us but our disorderly passions and affections? And whence have all his temptations their force and power, and all his artifices their success, but from our inordinate love of ourselves and these worldly things? And therefore when we have put off this love, and banished these things from our hearts as we are taught to do, we have disarmed our enemy, or taken off the edge of all his weapons. We have baffled his accursed policies, and secured ourselves from his devices. To those that are dead, people may talk of riches and honors and fleshly pleasures as long as they please; they may threaten them with reproaches and pains, and other evil things, till they have wearied themselves, and not find them moved in the least. And no less unmoveable shall we be, to all the temptations of the devil, if we are but perfectly dead to them.

These are great advantages but there is yet one more, no less considerable in the esteem of some, namely, that this will raise us up above all the troubles, perplexities and sorrows of this miserable world. Let what will come upon us here, it shall never be able to hurt us. For whence have all the evil things of the world (as we are wont to call them) their sting and edge, but from our unrenounced selves, our unkilled lusts and passions?  We will be something! We will do everything! And everything must be as we will have it! But in the event we find we are nothing, and that we can do nothing, and the stubborn things will not comply with us then we are troubled, we are in pain, we are overwhelmed with grief and sorrow. This is an evil that has no remedy but self-denial and resignation to God -  and this is a remedy that never fails. When we have put off ourselves as we ought, and disengaged our affections from all earthly things, and can give God leave to dispose of his own creatures, and to govern his own world, then we shall be in peace, then we shall be happy -  and not till then. Then nothing can go against us, because we shall be willing to comply with everything.

By this time I hope I have perfectly reconciled you to this duty, and that you are resolved to put it in practice. It remains now that I show you as briefly as may be how to do it. And,

2.3 - You Have Been Accustomed to Serve Yourself. Because you will certainly meet with many and great difficulties in your first endeavors, and the difficulties will be the more and the greater, the more you have loved yourself and the world, and have been accustomed to please yourself and to indulge your affections, it will be necessary,

2.3.1  - You Will Meet With Many and Great Difficulties. That you enter upon the practice of it with the strongest convictions possible, both of the necessity and reasonableness of it. And that you arm yourself with such considerations  as may beat down all opposition, and effectually encourage you against all the difficulties you can encounter. To this purpose you may make use of all that I have already said, and of many other things which my design will not permit me to give an account of. And after this manner may you discourse with your own heart concerning it. I am told that if I will be a true Christian I must deny myself and forsake the world, and take up my cross. I am told it by Christ himself, and if I do not believe him, why do I call him my Lord, and profess to trust in him as my Savior? I know that his words have been confirmed and are confirmed daily by a thousand instances. Indeed, I myself am an unhappy instance of the truth of them, having make but little progress in Christian knowledge, and less in Christian virtue, merely for want of a serious regard for them. But if I do believe them, why do I not practice them accordingly?

 Does not my everlasting happiness depend upon my being a Christian? Indeed, can I reasonably stick at anything that is needful for the securing myself of that? Is it fit that such a poor derivative thing as I am should take it upon myself to be absolute and independent? What have I done for myself heretofore, and what can I do for myself hereafter, that I should presume to please myself, or seek myself in anything? I cannot add one inch to my stature, I cannot make one hair white or black, I cannot do myself the least good, nor remove from myself the lightest evil. And shall I take upon me to do my own will without respect to Him, by whom alone I am, and without whose influence and blessing I can do nothing? And what is the world that I should set my heart upon it, and prefer it before my God and  Savior? Did my love of it ever do me any good? Or will it do me any without God’s blessing? Or when I am to leave it that I should cleave at present so close unto it? I know that it is God alone that gives me any portion in it, that gives me any comfort by it, and I know that he can deprive me of both when he pleases.

 And therefore I shall be not only a rebel but a fool if I don’t resign myself and the world to him, and say, “Whatever is laid upon me, it is the Lord, let him do whatsoever seems good unto him.”

Come therefore, O my heart, let us be no longer rebels against heaven, and enemies to our own happiness. We are not our own, we are not the world’s, but we are God’s, we are Christ’s, and therefore let God dispose of us as he will, and let him give those worldly things to whom he pleases, so that we may have his favor and enjoy it for ever.

O naughty self! How do I detest you for taking so much upon you, as you have done hitherto. O vain, O transitory world! I abhor you, I renounce you utterly. Court me no more with your foolish pleasures, with your glittering bravery, with your deceitful shows. I am now dying and I will be for ever dead unto you, that I may follow Christ, and live unto my God. Favor these good desires, favor them with your grace, O my God, and suffer not a soul that earnestly aspires towards you, to fall short of you.

With these and such like thoughts, you will do well to enter upon the practice of this duty. But then, I advise you,

2.3.2  - Begin Every Day With These Thoughts. To do as much as you can to keep these and the like thoughts continually in your mind. However, fail not to begin every day with them. When you first behold the light in the morning, after you have sent up your heart to God in some short acknowledgments of his mercy towards you, tell your heart that you have by God’s goodness another day added to your life, which you must employ for him and his service. He has bestowed it on you, and not for the pleasing of yourself and the satisfying of your lusts. Charge your heart, as it will answer for it at the great day, that it take care to do so consistently.  Like thoughts and resolutions will do well again about noon and indeed, at any time of the day, and the oftener they return into your mind, the more easily and speedily will you come to that perfect resignation which you are concerned to aim at. But yet further,

2.3.3.   Exercises of Mortification and Self-Denial It will behoove you to be frequent in exercises of mortification and self-denial. Refrain your wonted liberties, and deny yourself your accustomed satisfactions. Acquaint yourself sometimes with hardships, and turn not always away from sufferings, remembering that you are a soldier under the ensign of the Cross, and therefore must not be nice and tender, soft and delicate. Mortify your senses, and accustom them to those things that are least agreeable, knowing that there are some offices to be done sometimes by a Christian, such as visiting poor prisoners, and dressing of poor people’s sores.  Which people of a nice and squeamish sense will hardly be persuaded to perform.

Mortify your passions likewise, and keep them strictly within their bounds. For as he is a beast that is a slave to sense, so is he a fool that is governed by his passions. In one word, consider yourself well, mark your temper, your inclinations and affections, and keep yourself and them under constant discipline and correction. Have you a trifling wanton spirit? Are you much delighted with the ridicule, banter, jokes and jestings of wanton fancies and loose tongues? Fail not, I beseech you, to restrain your inclinations. Avoid the company of light and vain persons, and turn away your thoughts from trivial matters, to the concernment of a soul that must shortly appear before the bar of a just and holy God remembering that the Master whom you professes to serve was a serious, grave and useful person, and not a buffoon or stage player. It was the grief of a devout man many years ago (St. Bernard) to observe the lightness, laughter, and security of many Christians, and his continual fear that he should see them forsaken of the divine grace of which they showed themselves to be unmindful.

What grief, what fear, do you think would have possessed his heart, if he had lived in this age, and had been a witness of our vanity of this kind? We live in a merry world at present, and nothing is sacred or weighty enough to escape our jokes. But believe it, God will shortly spoil our vain mirth, and make us serious whether we will or not.

Are you soft and slothful, inclined to sensuality and voluptuousness? Rouse up yourself, and be always doing. Take up with plain food, fast often, lie on a hard bed, go frequently to the house of mourning, and keep him continually in your eye, who, after a life of continued travel in doing good, had no easier a bed than a cross to rest upon. Do the riches of the world please you? Refuse them when they are offered, or let the hand of liberality immediately distribute them to those that want them. And keep in mind those good individuals, whom your Bible tells you of, who, though they could have enriched themselves by miracles, yet continued poor, and had not so much as a house to put their heads in. Do worldly honors tickle you, and the applause of others delight you?

Retire from public offices, and hide yourself in the meanness and obscurity of a country life. Be exact and open in the practice of those virtues which are most unfashionable and which the generality of people have a mean opinion of. Forget not that there was a person once in the world who was able to have governed the whole world, and that led the greatest part of his life in the country villages and among poor people, and would not have his great and mighty works be publicly spoken of.

This is to practice self-denial, and by these and like practices, you will in a short time arrive at that perfect resignation to which I desire to lead you. But then in the last place,

2.3.4  - Be Employed Not For Yourself But For God. Be sure that in these practices and in whatever else you do, you take nothing to yourself; but refer yourself and all to almighty God. You may begin well, my friend,  in renouncing yourself.  Yet you may end ill in that very self which you did at first renounce. If  you do these things for the satisfaction of yourself, and seek your own glory in them. Forget not therefore this last advice: ‘It is not for yourself, but for God, that you must be  employed, if  you wish to be entirely resigned to God, and be forever united with God. You must be as nothing to yourself, and the world must be as nothing to you, that God may be all in all.

Chapter 3  - To Give Ourselves to God

3.1.      Containing a third advice to give up ourselves souls and bodies entirely to God, with several arguments to persuade us to it.

3.2.      Containing several directions how to put into practice this advice of giving ourselves to God.

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3.1  - Give Up Our Souls and Bodies Entirely to God   Give up yourself, your soul and body, all the faculties of the one, and all the members of the other, together with all you have in the w3e cd `xsw2orld, wholly and entirely to God through Christ Jesus, uniting yourself to him in the closest manner, and by the strongest bonds that possibly you can, resolve to be his, and only his forever. To make you capable of doing this was the design of my former advice, and if you can practice that well, you will readily follow this. For by breaking those bonds  which kept you from God, you will as naturally rise to him as fire  ascends upwards, when that which depresses it, or keeps it down is removed from it. And therefore, fewer words may serve to enforce this advice upon you. The heads of some few considerations I shall briefly offer you. Enlarge upon them as you see good. In the first place then,

3.1.1  - We Are God’s Creatures.   You must and do acknowledge yourself to be God’s creature. He is the only spring and root of your being and life. And is it not just then that you should be and live to him, and to him alone? Are you not a very unreasonable creature if you refuse to be his, by whom alone you are, and without whom you cannot be at all? Yes surely.

3.1.2  -  God is Our Only Supporter   You must acknowledge God to be the only supporter, preserver, and maintainer of your life and being. You live by him as surely as the tree by its root, and if he withdraw his quickening influence and power but one moment, you are dead without remedy. Those necessities for the preserving of life, which the world furnishes you with are all fallen from him. And all the virtue and efficacy they have for that purpose are no less from him. It is he that refreshes you by heat and light, that nourishes you by meat and drink, that cures you by medicine and cleansing, and without him you could have no nourishment, no health, no refreshment. And with what reason, then, can you withhold yourself from him? Surely with none at all.

3.1.3  - God is Our Savior   You believe God to be your Savior, i.e., that he has given you his only begotten Son to deliver you from sin and death, and to bring you to everlasting life. And that as he, as a man, offered up himself a sacrifice upon the cross for your sins, so he has undertaken to bring back your erring and lost soul to God. And therefore, you are a most unworthy and ungrateful wretch, if you will not comply with his gracious undertaking, but refuse to be Christ’s, that you may be God’s for ever.

3.1.4  - His Holy Spirit is Working in You .  You do believe and acknowledge that for this end he has taken possession of you by his Holy Spirit, who is continually working in you, to help you by putting off yourself, and all selfish inclinations and desires, and by abandoning all that is dear to you. This is to offer up yourself, as Abraham offered up his Isaac, a sacrifice unto God. And therefore you cannot, without the guilt of the most abominable sacrifice, take upon you to be anything - or to do anything - but for God, and to God. See 1 Corinthians. 6:19, 20.

3.1.5.   At Your Baptism You are Joined to God  You have made a show, an outward profession of giving up yourself to God, and of being God’s, long ago. This you did at your baptism, when renouncing the devil, the world, and the flesh, you did give up your self to God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. And this profession you have (probably) renewed often at the table of the Lord, where commemorating, and giving thanks to God for the greatest expression of the greatest love to man that ever was, you did “offer and present yourself, your soul and body to be a reasonable, holy and living sacrifice to the Lord.” And you have seemed to the world to this very day to accept all this. And therefore, if  you will not be God’s after all this, by the full consent of your heart, then you are the falsest and vilest hypocrite upon earth, and an accursed traitor to your great creator, to your gracious and loving Savior. To all this you may add,

3.1.6  - Faithful Service and Obedience Forever   This is that holiness which the scriptures so frequently recommend unto you, and without which you cannot hope to see the Lord. When things are separated from common uses, and are given up to God, so as never to be make use of but for him, or in his worship and service, they are called holy things. And so indeed they are, so far as things can be. Thus, when you have separated yourself, taken off your heart from all created things, and have given up yourself to God, to be his and only his -  in faithful service and obedience for ever - you are holy, and not till then. And if you think otherwise, you do dangerously deceive yourself. Add to this,

3.1.7  - Resign Yourself to God   This is your perfection, and the greatest perfection you are capable of. You can do nothing better than to resign yourself to God. And you cannot possibly be in any better state than in a state of pure resignation to him. And therefore in the last place,

3.1.8  - Holiness, Perfection and Happiness are the Same  You may safely believe that this is your happiness, and the greatest happiness you can attain unto. The truth is, these three words, holiness, perfection, and happiness, though they differ in sound, are all the very same in sense and signification. He that says that the saints in heaven are blessed, says no other thing than this, that they are made perfect. And he that says that they are made perfect, says no other thing than this that they are fully and completely holy. And he that speaks this says no more than that they are entirely God’s, that they are perfectly disengaged from everything that might withhold them in the least from him.  They are so united to him that nothing can separate or dissolve the union. All that I would now persuade you to, is but to make yourself as perfect and happy as you can be. And I think in this case it should be no hard matter to prevail with you, when you cannot but see your interest in that which is recommended to you as your duty. It is not impossible, if you are the person I now suppose you to be, but you must yield your full consent to it. And therefore I leave these things to your serious thoughts, and proceed to give you some directions on how to perform this good and happy work.

3.2  - Directions for the Holy Life  That you are concerned to take the greatest care  to do it well, I presume I need not tell you. And therefore, as I do earnestly recommend the following directions to you, so I hope you will not fail to practice them. And because it is a matter of great moment in everything to begin well, I advise you,

3.2.1  - Separate Yourself From the World.  Separate yourself for some time from the world. Retire into your closet, or into some secret place, where no eye may see you, and nothing divert or disturb you. And when you are there, consider that you are  there about a business of the greatest importance to you. You are to give yourself to God, to unite yourself most firmly to him. But of yourself, and without God’s special grace, you are not able to do it. If  he does not draw you, if he does not overcome your sorry heart by the sweet and powerful influences of his love, you will make but faint and feigned offers of yourself unto him. And therefore you must not fail in the first place,

3.2.1.1  - Talk With God Alone   To fall upon your senses, and with the greatest reverence and submission, to acquaint him with the desires of your soul, and to beg his favorable acceptance of them, and his blessing upon them. And if you don’t know  how to do it better, you may make use of this form of words:

My Lord, and my God, you know the very bottom of my heart, and my desires are not hidden from you. I am encouraged by my own happy experience of your goodness, as well as by your gracious declaration of your will, to present myself before you, even though I know myself to be unworthy of the least favor from you. I am ashamed when I think how I have demeaned myself  towards you, and that I have lived so long a stranger. I have even been an enemy to you, taking upon me to rule myself, and to run myself in the main course of my life without the least regard to you. I abhor myself for it, and acknowledge that I deserve for ever to be abandoned by you.

But you have not dealt with me according to my deserts - blessed be your goodness for it! And therefore I now desire without hesitation  to return unto you, and renounce all interest and propriety in myself. I detest all my former ungodly practices. I desire to give up myself wholly and entirely to you.

I would be yours, and only yours, in all Love and service, in perfect submission and obedience for ever. But I know I am nothing, and can do nothing of myself.  If ever I am yours, as I desire to be, I must be indebted wholly to your goodness for it.

 O my God, my Savior and my Sanctifier, turn not your face away from a poor soul that seeks you, and places all confidence and comfort in you. But as you have kindled these good desires in my heart, so favor them with your blessing, and confirm, increase, and sanctify them.

Reject not that poor gift, which I would make of myself unto you, and enable me to make it in such a manner that it may be pleasing and acceptable in your sight. Lord, hear me, help me, and show mercy to me, for Christ Jesus’s sake. Amen.

When you have thus offered your desires to God, rise from your knees, and either walking or sitting, as you think best,

3.2.1.2  - Stir Yourself to Perfect Surrender  Begin to excite, and stir up your soul, to a perfect surrender of itself, by the arguments before laid down, pressing them upon yourself with all your might. And that they may have as great an influence upon you as is possible, you may imagine that you hear Almighty God speaking to you from heaven in this manner: “Consider yourself, O creature, and take notice what you are, and what good things you do possess; look upon your body and all its useful members. Consider your soul, and all its faculties and powers, and observe their several motions and operations, and tell me whence you are, and to whom you are indebted for them. Look upon the world that furnishes you with all things necessary and fitting for you, and tell me who was the framer of it, and who made it useful and serviceable to you.”

“Can you deny that I have done all this? And wherefore, then, have you lifted up yourself against me, and presumed to act as if you had no dependence upon me, or obligation to me? If you sow your feed in your field, you expect to reap the crop. If you did nourish and provide for a poor beast, you think that you may use him at your pleasure. If you make an instrument to work, you have a right to use it. But I have maintained and preserved a creature (hear and be ashamed of yourself) and you will allow me no right and title to him and his service. Tell me, O you unjust and ungrateful wretch, did I ever give you liberty to rule yourself? Did I ever give you occasion to think, that I made no reckoning of you, or that I expected no acknowledgment from you? No, wretched creature, you knew that I made you for myself, and that I would not give away my interest in you.  I put a great value upon you, and  as I made you capable of serving me, so I expected and desired it from you. Therefore did I love you from the beginning, and bestowed innumerable gifts upon you. I gave you all things that were fitting for you, and assured you that I would withhold no good thing from you. Yes, I gave you myself in my only begotten Son, who descended out of my bosom to assure you of my love, as well as to convince you that you had deserved my hatred.”

You can rage against a poor employee that neglects your business, and seems to slight you. Your poor neighbor, who has no dependence upon you,  feels the effects of your displeasure if he chance to wrong you. They must seek your pardon and crouch before you, and think themselves beholden to you, if by so doing they can make their peace. And yet I have humbled myself to you, you vile worm, and have not spared my own Son that I might spare you, and bring you to a due sense of your duty to me. Heaven and earth can witness for me, that I have stooped low enough in desiring the friendship of rebellious dust and ashes. And others shall witness the justice of my severity to you, if so much love and condescension will not work upon you.”

Here you may pause a while and observe how your soul is affected with these things. And then you may imagine again, that you hear almighty God speaking further to you and more fully relating the wonderful history of his love in Christ Jesus.

And after he has given you an account of his mean birth, of his humble and painful life, of his bloody and cruel death, and his design and end in all this, proceeding to show you with how much love, and with what tender regard for you he left this world, and ascended to his Father. And how, that after he had done and suffered in his own person, as much as was necessary and fitting for him, he sent the holy ghost to complete the great and good work of your eternal salvation. And then imagine that he tells you, what that blessed and holy spirit has for his part done for you, what gifts he has bestowed, what wonders he has wrought, what arts and methods he has used, and with what goodness and patience, and long-suffering, to bring you to a right understanding and a real sense of all his love, and of all your duty to him.  All this to excite, encourage, and enable you to the performance of it.

And in the end he speaks to you in this manner: “ Wretch that you are, must all this love be lost upon you? And must I love you for ever, after all that I have done for you? Will nothing work upon your hard heart upon your proud and stubborn will? Will nothing conquer the perverseness of your spirit? Not the commands of your maker, not the death of your Savior, not the good motions and inspirations of your sanctifier?”

“Can you withstand my power, that you are thus obstinate against my goodness? And if you will allow me to save you, do you think that I am not able to destroy you? O foolish creature and unwise! Consider these thing seriously, and as you ought. Remember what you have done, and what unreasonable courses you have taken,  and proceed no further in your folly.  Return to that love that calls you, that entreats you, that would save you.”

Here you may pause a little. If anything more is necessary to shame and humble you, to soften and melt you. You may turn yourself to consider your own engagements, and to charge yourself with that monstrous foolishness which you have, and will continue to be guilty of, if you now withstand the calls of God. And that your foolishness may appear the more detestable, you may consider finally this: that  which you are now called to do it is not  anything unjust, dishonest or unreasonable. It is not to destroy yourself, or to make yourself miserable, but on the contrary, it is to do the most just, the most reasonable and the best thing that you are capable of doing. It is to return to the author of your being, and thereby serve the end of your creation. It is the only happiness, and rest of your soul. It is to unite yourself to the supreme good, to make yourself his, and to make him yours, forever. And is this a thing so repugnant to you, that you need so much invitation and persuasion to accept it? O my soul! my foolish soul, may you say, what can you say for yourself in this case? Is there any excuse for your folly? Any plea for your wickedness? No, far be it from you to seek for any. Let us rather amend what we have done amiss, and be more wise for the time to come.

We would have been happy if we had needed as much of an invitation to destroy ourselves. But since we could do that with very little or none at all, let us no longer withstand this which is so earnest, and begs us to save our selves. In turning yourself to God (in whose presence you have been all this while) you may speak (as I hope you will be able with truth to do) in this manner to him:

“I am overcome, I am overcome, O God. I can no longer withstand your mighty love. I must and I do yield myself a captive to it. I am yours. I do acknowledge this by all right, and I will be yours for ever, by the full consent of my heart.”

“I can do no less in return for that wonderful love you have shown me, and I can do no more. O, let this little that I can do, be accepted by you, and receive me for your own. Take possession of me by your Spirit, and let it preserve me for ever to yourself, according as I do now sincerely resign  myself, and all I have, to you.” 

3.2.1.3  - Give Yourself Body and Soul to God   Casting yourself upon the ground, say thus, and say it with all your heart and soul.

“To God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, my creator, redeemer and sanctifier, do I give myself soul and body, and all that belongs unto me, to be guided, governed, and disposed of according to his will, and to his honor and glory, and may he be a witness to this my act, which I promise never to revoke. And may I never obtain the least favor from him if I do it not with an upright heart, and a sure purpose to make it good to my life’s end. You are my witness, O my God, and so be also my helper with your continued grace, that I shall be faithful to you according to my heart’s desire. Amen, Amen.

3.2.1.4  - Make a Private Vow Between Yourself and Your Maker   But then as in matters of the world, that which is done in private between one person and another, must in some cases receive a further confirmation by such solemnities as are appointed by human laws. Thus that which you have done between God and your own soul must be further confirmed, and  completed, by those solemnities which the laws of God require. Therefore fail not to take the first opportunity that is offered you to go to the table of the Lord. And having prepared yourself at home by such meditations as I have before taught you, and by reading some good book of the holy sacrament (such as Dr. Patrick’s Christian Sacrifice, which I desire may find a place both in your closet and in your heart) renew there what you have done in private, and in public  avow it and confirm it. At that holy table God will not fail to meet you attended with an innumerable company of holy angels, and he strictly requires and expects it from you.

Therefore, when you are at that table, and behold what manner of love is there showed you, and which cannot but draw your very heart from you, remember what you are to do, and let your heart speak in this manner to Almighty God:

“There is all the reason in the world, O Heavenly Father, that I should give up myself entirely to you, since you have not withheld your Son, your only Son from me. There is all the reason in the world, O my blessed Savior, that I should surrender myself, and all I have, into your hands, since you did offer yourself a sacrifice upon the cross for me, and do now offer these holy pledges of the all-sufficient virtue of that sacrifice to me. There is all the reason in the world that I should resign myself to you, O holy and blessed Spirit, since you do offer yourself to be a principle of holiness and life in me.”

And therefore, I do now accept with all thankfulness those great and inestimable favors, and do declare my acceptance of them in the sight of these your servants, and all your holy angels here present, by receiving those tokens and pledges of them according to your command and institution. I give up myself and all I have to you, and declare it before the face of all these witnesses and I earnestly desire that even my unworthy self may be accepted through this my poor gift, the perfect sacrifice and oblation of my dearest Savior.  May it be sanctified by the Holy Ghost, and be owned by my God, to the everlasting praise of the holy, blessed, and undivided Trinity, whose I am, and whose I will be for ever, and ever. Amen, Amen.” 

3.2.1.5  - Surrender Yourself Alone and In Writing   When you are gone from this holy table, retire as soon as possibly you can, and while these good thoughts are warm in your breast, into your closet and there take the book of your spiritual accounts into your hand (for I would not have you to be without such a book, for recording these things wherein the welfare of your soul is greatly concerned, and with your pen write thus:

In such a year and such a month, and on such a day, I did through God’s grace, with all the devotion of my heart, and soul, make an entire surrender of my self, and all things belonging to me, to almighty God proclaiming and vowing that he should have the full guiding, governing, and disposing of me and mine for ever.

And then, that you may have a more distinct understanding of what you have done, and what you are obliged to do for the time to come, you may under-write these following particulars, namely,

I have given myself up entirely to God and therefore I must not serve myself, but Him all the days of my life.

I have given Him my understanding: and therefore my  chief care and study must be to know him, his nature, his perfections, his works, his will. These must be the subject of my meditations night and day; as for all other things, they must be as dross and dung to me; and the knowledge of them must be as loss for the excellency of the knowledge of God in Christ (Philippians 3:8).  I must believe all his revelations, and silencing all the carnal reasonings against whatsoever he teaches me, I must rest myself on his veracity, being fully persuaded that he can neither be deceived himself, nor deceive me.( See Romans 4:19, 20).

I have given him my will, and therefore I must have no will of my own. Whatever he wills, I must will also. I must will his glory in all things, as he does, and that must be my chief end in everything. I must prefer it before all desirable things, and subordinate my own desires, delights and satisfactions to it. I must say, as the Psalmist did, Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is none upon earth, that I desire besides you (Psalm 73:25). I must do whatsoever God commands me and forbear whatever he forbids, and I must do it for this reason:  because he does command or forbid me. Indeed, I must delight to do it  (Psalm 40:8). And it must be to me as my meat and drink (John 4:34). I must content to suffer whatever he will lay upon me, and though it may be his pleasure to lay hard things upon me, and grievous to be born, yet I must not complain or murmur. But with cheerfulness, alacrity and thankfulness, I will submit myself to it. Whatever threatens me, I must say, It is the Lord, let Him do what seems good to Him (1 Samuel 3:18), and whatever befalls me, I must give thanks, for that is his will concerning me in Christ Jesus (1 Thessalonians 5:18).

I have given him all the passions and affections of my soul and therefore he must direct them, govern, and set bounds for them. He must have my love, my fear, my delight, my joy - and nothing in the world must have any share in these, or any other of my affections. What he loves, I must love. What he hates, I must hate. What he is well pleased with, I must rejoice in. What he is grieved with, I must mourn for. The objects of his pity I must have compassion on, and those of his wrath and indignation I must be zealous against. And all in such measures only to the degree  he is pleased to allow me.