A81893:106
The great corruption of subtle self, discovered, and driven from it's lurking-places and starting-holes…The great corruption of subtile self, discovered, and driven from it's lurking-places and starting-holes…
The great corruption of subtle self, discovered, and driven from it's lurking-places and starting-holes And the contrary grace, self-denial commended, as an indispensably necessary requisite to the acceptable and successful performance of all commanded-duties, and as notably fitting for taking up of the cross, and following Christ. In seven sermons. By master James Durham, late minister of the gospel in Glasgow.The great corruption of subtile self, discovered, and driven from it's lurking-places and starting-holes And the contrary grace, self-denyal commended, as an indispensably necessary requisite to the acceptable and successfull performance of all commanded-duties, and as notably fitting for taking up of the cross, and following Christ. In seven sermons. By master James Durham, late minister of the gospel in Glasgow.
Edinburgh: printed by the heir of Andrew Anderson, 1686
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
For yet further clearing of this matter, I shall speak a little to these two things. 1. To the corrupting influence that Selfiness has on Duty. 2ly. To the reason of it.
For yet furder clearing of this matter, I shal speak a little to these two things. 1. To the corrupting influence that Selfiness has on Duty. 2ly. To the reason of it.
As for the first, The corrupting influence that selfiness has on Duty; let us try Duty from the very rise, to the close of it, in our following of Christ, and we will find that it hath such an influence on it all along, whether we consider Duty, in reference to our selves that perform it, or in reference to God, to whom it is performed: first, Consider Duty, in reference to the performer of it, and behold the corrupting influence of Self. 1. In discerning Duty, Selfieness will readily shut out light, and shuffle by many things to get some pretext for walking contrary to what light points out as Duty, if it should even go with Balaam, to seek after new light, not holding with the clear light that it hath already gotten; and if it dare not go directly against ⟨p. 83⟩that light, yet it will un-necssarily adventure on re-examination of it, secretly wishing, and •eeking after another light; In this case, it's just •ith God, when men out of love to Gain, or •erferment, or somewhat else of that kind, will •ot submit to Duty clearly holden forth to them, •ut will needs seek after new Light, To answer •hem according to the idol of their own hea•t; Thus it was with that wretched Prophet, and it •ay be so with others, less or more. 2ly. Look •o it in mens following of Duty, and there it will be found so to obstruct and langle them, as it were, that they cannot run the way of Gods Commandments, till the loins of the mind, the affections, and this especially be girded up, as the Apostle exhorts, 1 Pet 1.13. 3ly. This Corruption hath such influence, that it will much blast a person in Duty, I mean, it will not only unfit, & indispose him for it, but it will make him dry and dead, in the performance of it; as the Apostle insinuates it to have been with those false Teachers, who preached themselves, they had Words but wanted the Power.