Selected quad for the lemma: power_n
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A65294
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The duty of self-denial briefly opened and urged. By Thomas Watson, minister of the Gospel
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Watson, Thomas, d. 1686.
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1675
(1675)
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Wing W1122A; ESTC R7336
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20,236
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63
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species So when the bodies of men are commixed with other Substances the wise God can make a sudden extraction and clothe every Soul with its own Body did not the same numerical Body rise it would be rather a Creation than a Resurrection Acts 26.8 Why should it be thought incredible that God should raise the dead God can do it because of his Power Mat. 22.29 And he cannot but do it because of his Truth The Doctrines of Faith do not oppose Reason but transcend it 2. Reason must be denied in Agendis In Duties enjoyned to be practised There are many Duties in Religion which carnal Reason quarrels at God saith it is The glory of a man to pass by an offence Prov. 19.11 No saith carnal reason it is Cowardise The Heathens thought it gallantry of spirit to revenge injuries God saith the paths of holiness are strowed with Roses Prov. 3.17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness No saith Reason they are severe and Cynical I must crucifie my delights and drown my mirth in Tears God saith Religion is gainful 1 Tim. 6.8 Godliness is great gain It brings contentment arising from the favour of God it brings Temporal riches Prov. 3.16 In her left hand riches and honour The way to be prosperous is to be pious No saith Reason if I follow the Trade of Religion I shall break 2 Chron. 25.9 What shall I do for the hundred Talents In this case carnal Reason must be denied and oppugned He who will go no further than Reason will come many Leagues short of Heaven 2. A Christian must deny his Will This is Brugensis gloss upon the Text The will is the primum mobile the great wheel in the Soul that moves all the Affections The Will in innocency was regular it did eccho to Gods Will but since the fall though it retains its freedom in moral actions yet as to spiritual it is depraved If the Will could cease from sinning saith Bernard there would be no Hell The greatest wound is fallen upon the Will The Mariners Compass being stricken with Thunder causeth the point of the Needle to stand wrong Mans Nature being corrupted causeth the Will to point wrong it inclines to evil There is in the Will not only impotency but obstinacy Acts 7.51 Ye have always resisted the Holy Ghost Now here we must deny our Will and bring it to Gods Will. If a Stick that is crooked be laid upon ground that is level we do not go to bring the ground even with the Stick but to make the Stick even with the ground So Gods Will is not to be brought to ours but our Will being crooked must be brought to Gods Will. We pray Thy will be done The way to have our Will is to deny it 3. A Christian must deny his own righteousness his civilities duties good works Phil. 3.9 That I may be found in him not having mine own Righteousness The Spider weaves a web out of her own bowels an Hypocrite would spin a web of Salvation out of his own Righteousness But St. Paul like the Bee suck'd Salvation from the flower of Christs Righteousness Isa. 64.6 Our righteousnesses are as filthy rags Our best duties are fly-blown with sin Put Gold in the fire and there comes out dross Our most golden services are mixed with unbelief The Angel pouring sweet odours into the prayers of the Saints Revel 8.3 shews that they are in themselves unsavoury and need Christs sweet odours to perfume them Use Duty but trust to Christs Righteousness for Salvation Noah's Dove made use of her wings to fly but trusted to the Ark for safety And if we must deny our holy things in point of Justification then much more our Civilities A Stake may be finely painted but it hath no root A Man may be painted with Civility yet have no root of Grace a moral person is washed not changed The life may be Civil when the heart is Wicked as the Sea may be Calm when the Water of it is Salt The Pharisee could say he was no Adulterer Luke 18.11 But could he say he was not proud The civiliz'd person may have a secret antipathy against goodness he may hate Grace as much as Vice Civility is but a crack'd Title to Heaven A piece of Brass may shine but wanting the Kings image it will not go currant A man may shine with moral Virtues but wanting the Image of God consisting in holiness he will not pass currant at the day of judgment Morality is good but God will say Yet lackest thou one thing Mark 10.31 Civility is a good Iacobs staff to walk with among men but it is a bad Iacobs ladder to climb up to Heaven 4. A Christian must deny all Self-confidence How confident was Pendleton of himself This fat of mine saith he shall melt in the fire for Christ but instead of that his courage melted The same Hebrew word signifies both confidence and folly Self-confidence betrays folly Peter did presume too much upon his own strength Mat. 26. 34 Though I should dye with thee yet will I not deny thee But how soon was his confidence shaken and blown down with the breath of a Maid Mat. 26.71 72 He denied with an Oath saying I know not the man Peters denying of Christ was for want of denying himself Self-jealousie is good Rom. 11.20 Be not high-minded but fear The trembling reed oft stands when the confident Cedar falls Who that knows the fierceness of a Tryal or the falseness of his Heart will not fear How have some professors shined as Stars in the Churches Hemisphere yet have been falling stars Porphyry Iulian Cardinal Pool Gardner Iudas The Apostles have been called by some of the Antients the eyes of the World Christs feet theChurches breasts Iudas was one of these yet a Traitor Nay some of the Saints through Gods withdrawing the influence of his Spirit have for a time relapsed As Cranmer and Origen whose heart fainted in the seventh persecution and he offered incense to the Idol Deny self-confidence 1 Cor. 10.12 Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest be fall 'T is just with God that he who trusts to himself should be left to himself The Vine being weak twists about the Elm to support it A good Christian being conscious of his own imbecillity twists by Faith about Christ. Phil. 4.13 I can do all things through Christ strengthening me Sampsons strength lay in his hair ours lyes in our Head Christ. 5. A Christian must deny self-conceit Job 11.12 Vain man would be wise In the Hebrew it is empty man Man is a proud piece of flesh He is apt to be highly opinionated of himself Ostendit avis junonia pennas Acts 8.9 There was a certain man named Simon giving out that himself was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some great one Sapor writes himself Brother of the Sun and Moon Commodus the Emperor called himself The Golden