A81893:134
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.
3ly. It is called for, as it is a requisite qualification of Christs followers; and so we come to the 2d Branch, which I proposed for clearing ⟨p. 110⟩of this matter; Self-denial fits and qualifies fo• following of Christ, and for all other Duties; […] that before a man can to any purpose follow Christ, he must needs be thus qualified; for th• clearing whereof, ye may consider, how it fi• and qualifies a man for any Duty that Christ ca• him to. 1. In so far as it makes him single i• taking directions from Christ, and suffers him not to be biassed, by himself, or by Selfie respect to any thing within or without himself, an• this seems to be Christs great design, and scope as to Peter here, that before he can suitably follow him, he must be at a point with forgoing his life; Therefore in the following words, he says, whosoever will save his life, shall lose it, signifying thereby, that a man that is not denied to life; let be to the external comforts, conveniences, and accommodations thereof, is no in a fit capacity to do the Duties to which Chris• calls him. 2ly. Consider, that as it qualifies for Duty, so it guards against snares; with the rightly Self-denied man, death and life have no• great weight, that by which he is mainly swayed being conscience of Duty, & regard to the glory of Christ. He is so crucified to the world, and the world so crucified to him, that it hath little or no influence on him, to make him flinch, or draw back from what Christ calls him to; Therefore Paul says, Act. 20.24. In reference to Bonds, and Imprisonments, that were to attend him in every place; None of these things move me, neither do I count my life dear unto my self, so that I may finish my course with joy, &c. Selfiness exposes and casts a man open to many snares, and is like some entanglement, which Self-denial rids him of delivers ⟨p. 111⟩