Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulness of sin. The life…Three treatises of the vanity of the creature. The sinfulnesse of sinne. The life…

Lastly, our Holiness must be proportion ed unto Christ in the manner of working: I shall observe but three¹ particulars of many. First, it must be done with self-denial; He that will follow Christ must deny himself: Christ for us denied himself, and his own will; His natural love towards his own life yielded to his merciful love towards his members; not as I will in my natural desire to decline dissolution, but as thou wilt in thy merciful purpose to save thy Church. Many men will be content to serve God as long as they may with all advantage themselves: but to serve him and deny themselves is a work which they have not learned. Ephraim ²loveth to tread out the corn, saith the Prophet. You know the mouth of the Ox was not to be muzzled that trod out the corn, he had his work and reward together. But ploughing is only in hope: for the present it is a hungry and a hard work. So, saith he, while Ephraim may serve me and himself, make religion serve his other secular purposes, he will be very forward: but when he must plough, that is, serve in hope of a Harvest, but in pain for the present, he hath an easier plough going of his own, as it follows, ye have ploughed wickedness.

Lastly, our Holinesse must bee proportion ed unto Christ in the manner of working: I shall observe but three¹ particulars of many. First, it must be done with selfedenyall; He that will follow Christ must deny himselfe: Christ for us denyed himselfe, and his owne will; His naturall love towards his owne life yeelded to his mercifull love towards his members; not as I will in my naturall desire to decline dissolution, but as thou wilt in thy mercifull purpose to save thy Church. Many men will be content to serve God as long as they may with all advantage themselves: but to serve him and deny themselves is a worke which they have not learned. Ephraim ²loveth to treade out the corne, saith the Prophet. You know the mouth of the Oxe was not to be muzled that trod out the corne, he had his worke and reward together. But plowing is onely in hope: for the present it is a hungry and a hard worke. So, saith he, while Ephraim may serve me and himselfe, make religion serve his other secular purposes, he will be very forward: but when he must plow, that is, serve in hope of a Harvest, but in paine for the present, hee hath an easier plow going of his owne, as it followes, ye have plowed wickednesse.