Some important truths about conversion, delivered in sundry sermons, / by Increase Mather, D.D.…

The Ancient that prayed, Lord deliver me from that miserable Wretch my self; had a great deal of reason for what he said. Self-denial is requisite in order to Salvation, as the Apostle showeth in this Context, but that's an hard task. The first Lesson in Christianity is an hard Lesson, namely, that a man must deny himself, Mat. 16.24. Natural Self must be denied, Prov. 3.8. Lean not to thine own understanding. A mans own understanding, his own will, his own affections and inclinations, so far forth as they stand in opposition to, or in competition with the will of God, must be denied; yet there is no man that hath any acquaintance with his own heart, but finds that this is hard work, so for Corruption, & sinful self, this must be denied; yet this is very difficult: The sins of men are like strong fetters, which keep them from going forward in the way to Salvation. Peter ⟨p. 248⟩said to Simon Magus, Thou art in (the bond) of Iniquity, Acts 8.23. How should a man that is bound hand and foot get forward? Thus do the Bonds of Iniquity, the Chains of sin, keep down the Souls of men, that they cannot mount up towards Heaven: A very hard thing it is to part with a beloved darling Lust. Mens sins are called their members, Col. 3.9. Mortify your members, because they are as dear, and men are as loth to part with them, as the members of the body, life and limbs are not more dear to the sinner, than are the vile lusts of his heart. Hence Christ saith, If thy right eye offend thee, pull it out, and if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee, Mat. 5.29, 30. Many a man that hath a lust, that he had as lieve have his right eye pulled out of his head, or his right hand cut off from his arm, as to part with that sin, yea, and rather too. As I remember I have read of a miserable man, that was addicted to the sin of Drunkenness, and thereby a disease in his eyes was cherished; and being persuaded by some to leave his Drunkenness, because it was hurtful to his eyes; Replied, that he had rather lose his eyes, than part with his Drunkenness. Miserable Wretch! Thus hard is it to forsake sinful self. Yet