It is true, this may be partly owing in some cases, to the want of the means of grace: of hearing the true word of God spoken with power, of the sacraments, or of Christian fellowship. But where none of these is wanting, the great hindrance of our receiving or growing in the grace of God, is always the want of denying ourselves, or taking up our cross. 2. A few instances will make this plain. A man hears the word which is able to save his soul. He is well pleased with what he hears, acknowledges the truth, and is a little affected by it. Yet he remains _dead in trespasses and sins_, senseless and unawakened. Why is this? Because he will not part with his bosom-sin, tho’ he now knows it is an abomination unto the Lord. He came to hear, full of lust and unholy desire: and he will not part with them. Therefore no deep impression is made upon him, but his foolish heart is still hardened: that is, he is still senseless and unawakened, because he will not _deny himself_. 3. Suppose he begins to awake out of sleep, and his eyes are a little opened, why are they so quickly closed again? Why does he again sink into the sleep of death? Because he again yields to his bosom-sin: he drinks again of the pleasing poison. Therefore it is impossible that any lasting impression, should be made upon his heart. That is, he relapses into his fatal insensibility, because he will not _deny himself_. 4. But this is not the case with all. We have many instances of those, who when once awakened sleep no more. The impressions once received, do not wear away; they are not only deep, but lasting. And yet many of these have not found what they seek: they mourn, and yet are not comforted. Now why is this? It is because they do not _bring forth fruits meet for repentance_: because they do not according to the grace they have received, _cease from evil, and do good_. They do not cease from the easily besetting sin, the sin of their constitution, of their education, or of their profession. Or they omit doing the good they may, and know they ought to do, because of some disagreeable circumstances attending it: that is, they do not attain faith, because they will not _deny themselves_, or _take up their cross_.