ot merely from sin, but from innocent comforts and
enjoyments of this life, or a self-denial in things lawful.

Again, He says, "If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself,
and take up his cross daily, and follow Me[3]." Here He shows us from
His own example what Christian self-denial is. It is taking on us a
cross after His pattern, not a mere refraining from sin, for He had no
sin, but a giving up what we might lawfully use. This was the peculiar
character in which Christ came on earth. It was this spontaneous and
exuberant self-denial which brought Him down. He who was one with God,
took upon Him our nature, and suffered death--and why? to save us whom
He needed not save. Thus He denied Himself, and took up His cross.
This is the very aspect, in which God, as revealed in Scripture, is
distinguished from that exhibition of His glory, which nature gives us:
power, wisdom, love, mercy, long-suffering--these attributes, though
far more fully and clearly displayed in Scripture than in nature, still
are in their degree seen on the face of the visible creation; but
self-denial, if it may be said, this incomprehensible attribute of
Divine Providence, is disclosed to us only in Scripture. "God so loved
the world that He gave His Son[4]." Here is self-denial. And the Son
of God so loved us, that "though He was rich yet for our sakes He
became poor[5]." Here is our Saviour's self-denial. "He pleased not
Himself."

And what Christ did when He came on earth, that have all His saints
done both before and since His coming. Even the saints of the Old
Testament so conducted themselves, to whom a temporal promise was made,
and who, if any, might have surrendered themselves to the enjoyment of
it. They had a temporal promise, they had a present reward; yet, with
a noble faith, and a largeness of soul (how they put us to shame who
have so much higher privileges!) the Jewish believers grudged
themselves the milk and honey of Canaan, as seeking a better country,
that is a heavenly. Elijah, how unlike is he to one who had a temporal
promise! Or take again the instance of Daniel, which is still more
striking,--"They that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses." Daniel
was first in power in the palace of the greatest monarchs of his time.
Yet what do we read of him? First of his living upon pulse and water,
afterwards of his fasting in sackcloth and ashes, at another time of
his mourning three full weeks, eating n