You are not dying as this man is; but still he shews you your own true picture. He shews you that your life is in the midst of death, that you have in you the seeds of sickness and mortality, and that you are only at a little uncertain distance from those who are lying upon their last beds.
In like manner, you are not, it may be, in the same height of passion that another man is. You are at some uncertain distance from his state. But if you fancy you are not corrupted with self-love, not weakened by prejudices, not vain in your imaginations, not disordered in your tempers, because you are not in that extremity of disorder wherein some other people are; you think as absurdly, as if you imagined yourself to be immortal, because you are not in the agonies of death.
When therefore you see the violence of other mens passions, the folly of their tempers, and vanity of their minds, remember that you see so many plain reasons for denying yourself, and resisting your own nature, which has in it the seeds of all the same evil tempers.
XXXII. From all this we may learn, (as was observed above) that abstinence as to eating and drinking, is but a small part of Christian self-denial: it being full as dangerous to indulge any evil temper, as to live in gluttony and intemperance.
*You think it shameful to be an epicure, or to be fond of liquor. You are very right: but then proceed a step further, and think it as shameful to be fond of dress, or delighted with yourself, or to be fond of dainties: and that it is as great a sin, to please any corrupt temper, as to please your palate. Remember, that blood heated with any passion, is like blood heated with liquor, and that the grossness of gluttony is no greater a contrariety to religion, than the politeness of pride or vanity.
I have been the longer on this subject, trying to represent the weakness and corruption of our nature, because so far only as we see this, can we see the necessity of denying ourselves. This would be needless, if we were wise and good; but if we see that our whole nature is in a disorder, that our light is darkness, our wisdom foolishness, our judgments as gross and blind as our appetites; that our senses govern us as they govern children; that our hearts are taken up with gewgaws and trifles; that the state of our souls is a state of error and delusion, like that of drunkenness and passion.
If we see ourselves in this true light, we shall see the great reason of Christian self-denial, of renouncing our whole selves, that we may see all things in God; that our hearts may be moved by a motion from him, and our wills and inclinations wholly directed by the light and wisdom of his Spirit.
CHAP. IV.
THE necessity of divine grace, another general ground of self-denial.