The poor doubting Christian drawn to Christ. Wherein the main hindrances, which keep men…

Object But oh (saith a poor Sinner) fain would I go out of my self. I see too well now, that I have rested, and do rest upon Duties done; but I cannot deny my self as I would.

Answ. I answer, It is Satan's Subtlety to keep us in ourselves, by endeavouring thus to make us go out of ourselves: For by our own Strength he would have us to do it; and persuades us we may. But this is a marvellous Deepness of his, wherein he shows both Malice and Cunning in the superlative. For here he makes us believe (and we, out of Ignorance are persuaded as he would have us) that we have the Staff in our own Hands, that is, the Power to get out of our selves. But is it so? Oh no, it is a supernatural Work to be quite out of our selves. The same Hand must bring us out of our selves, that must bring us to Christ: And this is Self-denial: And Self-denial is, when the Soul knoweth it hath nothing,¹ and therefore is so over-powered with the mighty Hand of God, and the Work of his Spirit, that it doth not so much as expect any Power or Ability from it self, or from the Creature, in the doing of any Good: For it knows it is dead, and therefore cannot help it self, much less can the Creature do it any Good, It therefore looks up to Heaven, and seeks all Sufficiency from God alone. For (observe it) whiles I thus think that I have Ability ⟨p. 21⟩to go out of my self; do I not then say, I have a Principle within me to deny my self? But it is not so; rather it is quite contrary: For to deny a Man's self, is to know he hath no Power in himself to do any spiritual Duty: Therefore we must look only to the Voice that calleth us, the Voice of Christ, and know that he that calls us from the Ways of Darkness, and out of our selves, must and will bring us out. Therefore expect only Power from Christ to pluck thee out of thy self, and to make thee a Believer; for the same Hand must do both, or it will never be.

Answ. I answer, It is Satan's Subtilty to keep us in ourselves, by endeavouring thus to make us go out of ourselves: For by our own Strength he would have us to do it; and perswades us we may. But this is a marvellous Deepness of his, wherein he shews both Malice and Cunning in the suparlative. For here he makes us believe (and we, out of Ignorance are perswaded as he would have us) that we have the Staff in our own Hands, that is, the Power to get out of our selves. But is it so? Oh no, it is a supernatural Work to be quite out of our selves. The same Hand must bring us out of our selves, that must bring us to Christ: And this is Self-denial: And Self-denial is, when the Soul knoweth it hath nothing,