Q. Will you befriend me so much?—A. Yes. 1. He that makes not daily conscience of self-denial, is very unlike to abide a disciple for times to come, if difficult. Judas did not deny himself daily, and therefore fell when the temptation came (John 12:6).
Q. Will you give me another sign?—A. Yes. He that indulgeth any one secret lust under a profession, is not like to deny himself in all things for Christ.
Q. Who are they that indulge their lusts?—A. They that make provision for them, either in apparel, or diet, or otherwise (Rom 13:12-14; Isa 3:6-24; Amos 6:3-6).
Q. Who else do so?—A. They that excuse their sins, and keep them disguised that they may not be reprehended, as Saul did, &c. (1 Sam 15:18-22).
Q. Who else are they that indulge their lusts?—A. They that heap up to themselves such teachers as favour their lusts (2 Tim 4:3,4; Isa 30:10).
Q. Who else do indulge their sins?—A. They that choose rather to walk by the imperfect lives of professors than by the holy Word of God: or thus, they that make the miscarriages of some good men an encouragement unto themselves to forbear to be exact in self-denial, these eat up the sins of God's people as men eat bread (Hosea 4:7-9).
Q. Will you now shew me who are like to do this part of God's worship acceptably?—A. Yes; he whose heart is set against sin as sin, is like to deny himself acceptably (Rom 7:13,14).
Q. Who else?—A. He that hath the sense and savour of forgiveness of sins upon his heart (2 Cor 5:14).
Q. Who else is like to deny himself well?—A. He that hath his affections set upon things above, where Christ sitteth at the right hand of God (Col 3:1-5).
Q. Who else is like to deny himself well for Christ?—A. He that seeth a greater treasure in self-denial, than in self-seeking (2 Cor 12:9-11; Heb 11:24-26).