Instructions About Heart-Work, Text (4 of 8)

Instructions About Heart-Work · Text (4 of 8)

p. 1282. Self-will. That Brand which is put upon falſe Teachers and their followers, 2 Pet. 2.10. is upon the Heart of every Sinner, they are Self-willed; and this brand is more or leſs remaining upon the Heart of every Saint: There's too much of Self-willedneſs in the beſt Hearts. Here I ſhall ſhew you,

1. That the great Controverſy betwixt God and Self is, whoſe Will ſhall ſtand.

2. That in the Converſion of a Sinner, the Power of Self-will is broken.

3. But yet the Will is not ſo broken, but Self hath ſtill a root remaining, which will be putting forth again.

4. That therefore there is a neceſſity of keeping the Heart under conſtant Government.

1. The great controverſie betwixt God and Self is, whoſe Will ſhall ſtand: God will have his Will, Iſa. 45.23. I have Sworn by my Self, the Word is gone forth of my Mouth, and ſhall not return, that unto me every knee ſhall bow; In one way or other, firſt or laſt, I'le make them all to ſtoop. God will have his Will, but Self alſo will have its Will; what is ſaid concerning the Wiſdom of the Fleſh, Rom. 8.7. is true of the Will of the Fleſh; The Wiſdom of the Fleſh is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed can be; the Will of the Fleſh is not ſubject to the Law of God, neither indeed will be. What is the Will of God? This is the Will of God, even your Sanctification, 1 Theſ. 4.3. He hath ſaid, Be ye holy, for I the Lord your God am holy, 1 Pet. 1.16. This is the Will of God to ſinners, their Salvation. 1 Tim. 2.4. He will have all men to be ſaved, and come to the Knowledge of the Truth. The reaſon why ſo many are damned, is not becauſe God will have them damned, but becauſe they will not be ſaved. Though they will the end, their Salvation, yet they will not the means, their Sanctification. This is the Will of God, in order to the Salvation of Sinners, their Humiliation, their Repentance, their Obedience to the Goſpel; but theſe Self-will'd Sinners will not be humbled, will not repent, though their lives lye p. 129upon it, they will not; though their Salvation lyes upon their Humiliation and Repentance, yet they will not be humbled, they will not repent. The Will of God is, that men ſet their affections on things above, not on Earth, Col. 3.2. The will of Sinners is, to ſet their affections on the earth, and not on things above. The Will of God to Sinners is, their ſubmiſſion to his Government, to his diſpoſal; but the Will of the Fleſh is, to be their own Lords, to be at their own diſpoſal. Sinners are for living as they will, for having what they will; they would be let alone to take their own courſe, to walk in the way of their own Hearts, and the ſight of their own eyes. Now this is the great controverſie between God and ſinners, whoſe Will ſhall carry it. But you'l ſay, How can man have a controverſie with God? how can the Will of man ſtand it out againſt the Will of God? So the Apoſtle, Rom. 9.19. Who hath reſiſted his Will? Anſw. There is the Will of God concerning events or matters of Fact, and there is the Will of God concerning matters of Duty. As to the Will of God concerning Events, what God hath Decreed and determined to be done, ſhall be done, thus there's no reſiſting his Will: But then there is the Will of God concerning matters of Duty; God wills that it ſhall be every mans Duty to Repent and be Sanctified, and be obedient to the Goſpel, and accordingly commands them. And though there can be no ſuch reſiſtance here, but what God Wills to be mens Duty, ſhall be their Duty, yet ſuch reſiſtance there is, that what God Wills to be mens Duty to do, they will not do.

God governs the world, and orders every thing to come to paſs in the World, according to his Will; but then there is his natural and phyſical Government, which he carries on by his abſolute Power, and there is his moral Government, by Laws, his Governing men as rational Creatures, by Laws and by Rewards and Puniſhments. This is Gods governing Will, that men make uſe of their reaſons, that they conſider what 'tis that he requires, and what 'tis that he forbids; that to the drawing them to obedience, and the deterring them from diſobedience, they conſider and improve Gods arguments, the great and Eternal rewards of obedience, and the dreadfull and eternal penalties of diſobedience; and ſo to order their courſe, that they may attain thoſe bleſſed rewards, and eſcape thoſe eternal puniſhments: And here he does not impoſe an invincible neceſſity upon mens Wills, but leaves men p. 130to their choice; he commands them to obey, that is his governing Will, but if they will diſobey, let them at their own peril; and this commanding Will of God is that which Self doth reſiſt; God wills and requires men to repent, but they will not repent; God requires men to be holy, but they will not be holy; God requires men to ſeek, and to work out their own Salvation, but they will not, but ſet to Damning their own Souls; God requires men to ſubmit, not only to his Precepts, but to his diſpoſal, whether to be rich or poor, whether to be in Honour or Contempt, whether to be in health or in ſickneſs, but they will do neither; they will be, as far as they are able, their own Lords and their own Carvers; they will obey themſelves, and will ſhift for themſelves; they will not be content it be with them as God will have it; God would have them in all Eſtates to be content, this they will not be, but would have every thing, and to their own minds, whatever the Will of God be.

There is in this Self-will,

Wickedneſs and Miſchief.

Stiffneſs.

1. Wickedneſs. The things willed, and the willing of them, are either materially or circumſtantially wicked, and eventually they are pernicious and miſchievous. What is it Sinner that thou wouldſt have? why, I would have mine Eaſe, I would have my Pleaſure, I would have my Liberty, I would have mine own way. Why man, all this is naught for thee; thy Eaſe, and thy Pleaſure, and thy carnal liberty, they are all naught for thee; but who ſhall be judge whether they be naught or no? If Self and Senſe may be judge, theſe will ſay, 'tis all very good that I would have. Is not eaſe good? Is not Pleaſure and Liberty good? is Pain and Bondage good? 'tis good that I have my liberty and my way. But if God may be Judge, if Reaſon and Conſcience may be Judge, theſe will tell thee, thy eaſe, and thy carnal liberty, and carnal Pleaſures are all naught for thee; they are like to be thy bane, and thy ruin, and everlaſting undoing; but yet theſe are the things that their Wills are for.

2. Stiffneſs or ſtubbornneſs; that's counted a ſelf-will'd man, that's ſtiff and ſtubborn, and will not be perſwaded out of his own way; his heart is ſet in him to do evil, Eccleſ. 8.11. His will is ſet upon evil, and he is ſet upon his own will. You ſay 'tis naught to live in eaſe and idleneſs; you ſay, this Carnal Liberty, theſe earnal Pleaſures, theſe ſinful Gains, are all naught p. 131for me; well however, ſaith the ſelf-will'd-heart, be it good or evil, be it right or wrong, 'tis that which I like and is grateful to me, and therefore come what will, I muſt have it; I am for my Pleaſures, and Carnal contentments, however; I am for my Liberty, however; I am for growing Rich in this World, for a Thriving proſperous State, however; Be content to be poor and in diſgrace who will for me, be content to come under the reſtraint and ſevere government of Conſcience who will for me, I am for my Freedom to do and live as I liſt.

This now is the great Controverſie betwixt God and Self; whoſe will ſhall ſtand. God will have his will, and Self would have it's will, and the Heart is ever apt to ſide with Self againſt God. Sinners, learn to underſtand your ſelves, by what hath been ſpoken. Art not thou this ſelf-will'd Creature? What is it that carries the great ſtroak in thy Life? What is it that thou contendeſt for, but to have thine own will? What is the Law or the Rule thou wouldſt live by, but thine own unruly Will? This would pleaſe the ſinful World, if every one might be left to live as he will; to do what he will, and to have what he will. What is the Rule that Sinners do actually live by, but their own wills? What is it that hath kept you from Chriſt, ſo many of you all this while? that hath kept you from Repentance? This is your own wilfulneſs; you have been perſwaded to Chriſt, but you will not come, you have been perſwaded back from your ſins, but ye will not come back; you have been inſtructed in the way of Life, but you will not learn; you have been taught and call'd upon to become New Men, to become ſerious Chriſtians, but you will not hearken; you have been preſſed to give your ſelves to Prayer, to ſtudying the Scriptures, to ſtudying your own Hearts, to the ordering your Converſations according to the Goſpel, but you will not yield unto it; you will walk after the fleſh, you will be proud, you will be covetous and Carnal livers, and thus you ſpend out your days.

Sinners conſider, who is it fit ſhould have the Government of you? The will of God, or your own wills? What would be beſt for you in the end, to be ſubject to the Law of God or this Law of ſin? What is it that God would have with you? This is the will of God, your Salvation; he would have you to Heaven, he would that theſe poor Souls of yours, whom the Devil hath made Drudges to your Fleſh, and Slaves to his Luſt, and Sacrifices to his Malice; God would have you to be Veſſels of Honour, to bear his Image, to ſhine forth in his p. 132Glory, to live in his likeneſs, and to rejoice in his everlaſting Joy. Man, this is that which God would have, that thou maieſt live in everlaſting Bleſſedneſs, he would have thee to Heaven, and he would have thee by an Holy Life to be fitted for that Bleſſed Life, to be made meet to be a partaker of the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Therefore 'tis that he commands you to Repent, therefore 'tis that he with ſo much importunity perſwades you to Chriſt, that he might waſh you with his Blood, and guide you by his Word, and ſanctifie you by his Spirit, and preſent you blameleſs and faultleſs before the preſence of his Glory with exceeding Joy, as Jude 24. This is the will of God, that you ſhould be thus Governed and thus Ordered; that theſe Earthen Veſſels, theſe dirty Souls might be made Veſſels of Honour, and of his everlaſting praiſe.

And what is it that your own wills are for; but to live ſo, that you may be fit for nothing, but to be Veſſels of contempt, to be Fuel for the everlaſting Fire? The Devil and your own Hearts are conſpired, ſo to ſully, and to black you with your ways, that you may be fit for no other place, but to live in the Smoak and the Fire of the everlaſting Furnace.

Gods will is to bring you to that Inheritance which is reſerved in Heaven; he would have you to have all the Hell you ſhall have on this ſide the Grave, and your Heaven in that Eternity which comes after: Your ſorrows all here, and your troubles here, and hereafter your reſt from them all; but your will is, to have your Heaven here, your good things here, your Mirth and your Pleaſure here, and ſo leave nothing but your Hell for hereafter.

Now which of theſe two wills, God's will, or your own will, is it the beſt for you to be Governed by? If you ſay, God's will is better for me to follow, than mine own will; 'twill end beſt, whatever it ſeems to be at preſent; then one would think you ſhould ſee ſo much Reaſon againſt this ſelf-will'dneſs, againſt this wilfulneſs, and hardneſs, and obſtinacy in your own ways, as to tremble to think of being left any longer under the Government of your own wills.

Sinners, let me do you a kindneſs this day; let me break the Yoak of Bondage, the will of your Fleſh from off your Necks, and unhorſe your Riders; the Devil Rides your wills, and your will rides your Souls, come off from this drudgery. Let me do the Lord this Honour this day, to perſwade you under the Government of his will; what God would have me to do, that will I do, as God would have me to live, ſo will p. 133I live; will you ſay the word once? God would have me be a Penitent, and through his grace a Penitent I will be. God would have me to be a Chriſtian, a ſincere Chriſtian, and through his help a Chriſtian I will be. God would have me to walk humbly, to live honeſtly, to live a blameleſs Conſciencious Heavenly Life, and O this is the Life that I will give my ſelf to. What if you ſhould ſay this word, and ſay it heartily? What if this word ſhould prevail to fetch you off from your Wilfulneſs, and the hardneſs of your hearts, and lay your Souls at the Feet, and under the Government of the Almighty? What if ſuch a change ſhould now be wrought upon you, that your hearts ſhould now be brought about from Will towards God; from Luſt to Conſcience, from this thy Carnal and Senſual and vain Life, to a Spiritual and Heavenly Life? Would you not bleſs God for ſuch a change? Would you not ſay, This is an happy Day for me, a Bleſſed change the Lord hath wrought upon me? Then hearken to the word you have heard, and ſay the word once, I will be the Lords, and from henceforth he alone ſhall have the Government of me. You that will not, but will be ſelf-will'd ſtill, will be hardned in your way ſtill, go home and chew upon this thought, Whether will this wilful hardned Heart lead me at laſt?

2. In the converſion of a Sinner, the power of ſelf-will is broken, the Controverſie betwixt God and the Sinner is determined. The Controverſie is, whoſe will ſhall ſtand, the will of God, or the will of the Fleſh; in Converſion, the Sinner yields that God's will ſhall be thenceforth his Law. It was foretold of Chriſt, Gen. 3. That he ſhould break the Serpents Head; the Serpents Head is his Power over Man, and his Head-quarters is the will of Man, this is his Strong-hold, and in the Converſion of a Sinner, the Devil is beaten out of, and hath loſt his Strong-hold, 2 Cor. 10.4. The Weapons of our Warfare are mighty through God, to the pulling down the Strong-holds; the will of Man, which is the great Fort or Strong-hold, is ſo broken and pulled down, that

1. He is heartily willing to reſign up to God, to his Will and Government; he that before ſaid, Not God's will, but mine own, can now ſay, Not my will, but the will of the Lord be done. He that before ſaid, I will not that this Man, that Chriſt ſhould Reign over me, now ſays, I will not that this Fleſh ſhall Rule over me, Pſal. 110.3. Thy People ſhall be willing in the Day of thy Power; the Day of Converſion, is the Day of Gods Power, wherein the Power of God's Grace is p. 134revealed upon Sinners Hearts; in the Day of this Power, Sinners ſhall be willing. When the Power of Grace hath conquered the Power of Nature, the Sinner ſhall yield and reſign up to God, and be heartily contented to be thenceforth under his Rule and Government. This is the Voice of Converts, which was the Voice of the Church, Iſa. 26.13. Other Lords have had Dominion over us, but now by thee only will we make mentiom of thy Name; they are Dead, they ſhall not live; they are Deceaſed they ſhall not riſe; the old Lord is dead, it is Deceaſed, and ſhall never riſe; ſin ſhall no longer have Dominion over us, the Devil ſhall no longer, Will ſhall no longer have the Dominion over us; to thee, Lord, to thee only do we reſign up our ſelves. I reſign to the Lord, I ſubſcribe to the Lord, I give the Hand to the Almighty, and put my Neck under his Yoke for ever; his I am, and him alone will I ſerve. This is Converſion, this breaking off from under the Dominion of your own wills, and reſigning up to the will of the Lord.

2. He doth actually ſubmit to, and obey the will of God.

A Convert doth not only ſay, I will ſubmit, I will obey, but he doth ſubmit, he doth obey. The old Will, will be contending ſtill for the Government, but the Heart now anſwers, as the Men of Sodom to Lot, Gen. 19.9. Stand back, this Fellow came in to ſojourn, and now he will be Lord. Stand back O my Carnal Will, ſtand back, this Stranger ſhall no longer be Lord over me; I have reſign'd up my ſelf to the Lord, and him will I obey. Yea, and his will it doth obey; this is the will of God that he repent, and the Convert doth repent, this is the will of God that he be Holy, and harmleſs, that he walk in all the Commands of God blameleſs, and this he ſets his Heart to do, Pſal. 119.3. They do no iniquity, they walk in his ways.

3. Yet the will is not ſo broken, but that this Self and Fleſh hath a Root remaining in it; and this Root will be Springing and growing up again; like that Root of Bitterneſs mentioned by the Apoſtle, Heb. 12.15. That Root of Malice, that Root bearing Gall and Wormwood; the Apoſtle warns them to look to it, that it ſpring not up again to trouble and defile them: this Root, that Self hath even in the will of Converts, how often doth it actually ſpring up, and trouble and defile them? There's ſcarcely any buſineſs, but ſelf will have a ſtroak in doing of it; there's ſcarcely any Duty but Self ſtrikes in, and ſpoils it in the performance. O how much of this ſelf-will'dneſs is there to be found even amongſt Chriſtians? How often is it, that their wills are ſet upon vanity? and how ſtrongly p. 135are they often ſet upon their own wills? How heady and wilful are they in their way? What ſtiffneſs and tenaciouſneſs is there of their own purpoſes? They will not be adviſed, nor perſwaded out of their courſe: though as to the main, they have reſigned themſelves up to the will of God; yet in many particular Caſes, either upon miſtakes in their Opinions, or being overſwayed by corruption, they are head-ſtrong in their way, and will not be turned back. When they come to themſelves, it is their ſhame and affliction it ſhould be ſo, yet too often ſo it is, that this ſelf-will'dneſs carries them on, even againſt Counſel and Conſcience.

It's true, where this ſelf-will does carry the main ſtroak in the Life, where the ordinary courſe and way of the Life is Governed by will, there's no Converſion, but there's no Convert but more or leſs does groan under the Uſurpation and Tyranny of this Self and Fleſh. You that are Chriſtians would never have liv'd as ſometimes you have done, would never have carried it as ſometimes you have, ſo much againſt Judgment and Counſel, and the moſt ſerious advices, if Will had not had too much power over you. We ſhould be even all of us more conſiderate and deliberate in our goings, we ſhould be more eaſily intreated, and perſwaded back from running headlong on in ſome of thoſe wayes which coſt us ſorrow afterwards, if this ſelf-will'dneſs had not prevailed in us.

4. Therefore there is a neceſſity, that the Heart be kept under Government. The Government of the Heart, is to the ſame end and of the ſame neceſſity, as the Government of a Kingdom. The Government of a Kingdom, is to be for the encourageing of the good, and for the terrour and ſuppreſſion of the evil, Rom. 13.3. And to the ſame end is the Government of the Heart; to foſter, and cheriſh, and maintain, and keep alive the good that is in it; and to cruſh, and keep under the evil that is in it. If ſelf-will hath an evil Root in the Heart, if this evil Root be apt to ſpring up, then is there neceſſity of governing the Heart, to keep it under.

To the governing the Heart, is neceſſary a double inſtrument, a Spur and a Curb; a Spur to the good that is in us, to quicken Grace, and keep it in action; a Curb to that which is evil in us, to curb and hold under corruption; theſe two inſtruments of Government, are the reward and puniſhment; the bleſſed reward will be a Spur to Grace, the puniſhment to come will be a Curb to Luſt and Fleſh; the eying theſe two great recompences of reward, Glory and Wrath, the holding p. 136the ſenſe of that Life and Death upon the Heart, is a great part of our excerciſing this Government upon us: thy ſelf-will is ſuch an obſtinate Enemy, as nothing but Fire and Sword, the Fire of Divine Indignation, and the Sword of Divine vengeance, will conquer and ſubdue it. There muſt be Government, and there muſt be ſevere penalties kept in ſight, or there's no good to be done.

Friends, If ever you would Conquer this ſelf-will'dneſs, ſhew it the Fire, the Racks, the Gridirons, the Gibbets, the everlaſting Priſon, that it's ruſhing and hurrying you upon.

Self-will'dneſs is not only a kicking againſt the Pricks, but a running upon the Pikes of Divine Vengeance; thou art heady, and wilful in thy way, thou art ſet upon thine own will; whatever thou likeſt, and art pleaſed with, thou art ſo ſet upon it, that there's no perſwading thee back; but be adviſed, take heed: if thou wilt be wilful, at thy Peril be it; look before thee, to the precipice, by which this ſelf-will'dneſs is tumbling thee headlong down into the Everlaſting Pit; whenever you feel Will begin to riſe, and work, work againſt Reaſon, work againſt Conſcience, work towards iniquity and vanity, when you feel this ſelf-will getting up, lay hold on the Bridle, put on the Curb, give check to it with all your might; look towards the land of Darkneſs, whither it's carrying thee; when the fit is up, the wilful fit (for though there be an abiding habit of wilfulneſs in the Heart, yet it comes forth but by fits) when the wilful fit is up, think, Lord what now? Whither is this wilful will driving me? What will be its Fruits and Wages? What end am I like to come to, if this be my way? Stop, Oh my wretched Heart, ſtrike ſail, Oh my obſtinate will, take Counſel, be well adviſed, and run not thus headlong upon thine own ruin.

O hold up ſuch Government in your Spirits, that your Hearts may be tractable, and flexible, plyable Hearts; let them be ſtiff, and faſt to the concernments of God, but looſe and eaſily withdrawn from the intereſt of Self. Stiff againſt ſin, ſtiff againſt Temptation, reſolute for Holineſs. Is thy will brought about for God, for Religion, for Conſcience? Stand to it to the Death; never be perſwaded out of your Religion, never be perſwaded out of your Conſciences, or Conſciencious walking; let your Hearts be reſolved for the greateſt ſtrictneſs of Religion, and be ſtrict and ſtiff in ſuch Holy reſolutions; but never again be ſo ſet upon your own wills, your Carnal wills; here get a pliable Heart, never to be perſwaded p. 137off from God, eaſily to be perſwaded back from Self and Fleſh. It's Propheſied, Iſa. 11.6. There ſhall be ſuch a change wrought upon the rough and furious and ravenous Spirits of Sinners, by the power of Chriſt, that the Wolf and the Leopard and the Lyon ſhall be ſo tamed, that a little Child may lead them. They ſhall be ſo flexible and pliable, that they may be eaſily lead; that the leaſt Items or Intimations from God, or from Conſcience, may bring them to any thing; that when Luſt puts hardeſt upon them for ſin, when Self preſſes moſt impetuouſly upon them for minding or purſuing it's Intereſt, or will, a Word from God, an Item from Conſcience, may bring them about after the Lord, that Self may never be able to fortifie them againſt Conſcience, but that Conſcience may with eaſe break the Bands, and looſe the Cords of Self, and command them after their God. It was ſaid of Caeſar's Souldiers, that where his Intereſt was concerned, they were more than Men, in their own concernments they were leſs than Women. Let the Servants of Chriſt learn ſo much of the Souldiers of Caeſar; let them be ſo true, ſo faſt to the Intereſt of Chriſt, and Religion, of Holineſs, that they may be above the Spirit of a Man; and ſo the Spirit of a Chriſtian is, above the Spirit of a Man; but let them ſit ſo looſe from the Intereſt or the Commands of Self, that a Woman, or a little Child may bring them back from the purſuance of it; that ſuch a word from whatever Mouth it comes, what is this Self or this Fleſh to thee, that thou ſo hearkeneſt to it, or inſiſteſt ſo upon it? Wilt thou obey thine adverſary? Wilt thou cleave to thy Mortal Enemy? Self is no better; 'tis the worſt Enemy thou haſt, and wilt thou feed thine Enemy, Strengthen thine Enemy, Fight for thy Enemy? That ſuch a word may be enough to countermand the will of the Fleſh, and to bring the Heart back from obeying it's ſtrongeſt motions and Luſts. This will be the bleſſed Fruit of a due Heart-government the defeating and ſubduing of Self-will, and the ſweet and eaſie compliance of the Heart with, and it's complacency in the will of God; and it will be no hard thing for ſuch a Soul to ſay, Not my will, but the will of the Lord be done.

3. Self-love.

1. There is a Self-love which is our Duty; there is an innate Principle of Love, planted by God himſelf in the Nature of Man, in his State of Innocency. God hath made all Men living lovers of themſelves, and he would have them ſo. That word, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighour as thy Self, evidenceth p. 138that we muſt love our ſelves. The fruits of this Self-love are,

1. Self-preſervation.

2. Self-bleſſing.

1. Self-preſervation, the ſecuring our ſelves from Miſchief, the ſaving our ſelves from danger, Acts 2.40. Save your ſelves this generation. He that ſaid, Save your ſelves from this evil generation, hath therein ſaid much more; ſave your ſelves from Condemnation: To ſave our ſelves from ſin, to ſave our ſelves from Wrath, to ſave our Souls, this is a great Duty lying on every man in this World; and this Self-ſaving, or Self-preſervation, our Self-love will prompt and preſs us to. He that loveth himſelf will ſave himſelf, he that duly loveth his Soul, will do what he can to ſave his Soul. That men deſtroy and Damn themſelves, that men neglect Chriſt the Author of Salvation, that men neglect Religion and Godlineſs, the way of Salvation, is for want of a true love to themſelves. Sinners, Chriſt is Preached unto you, and tendred to you, and if you lov'd your ſelves better, you would love Chriſt and accept of him. You are exhorted to Repentance, to Godlineſs, and if you loved your own Souls, you would repent and be holy. Thou art an hater of thy Self, an Enemy, a Murderer of thine own Soul, who art not a lover of Chriſt, and of Religion and godlineſs. What a Brute art thou, O ſinner? yea, worſe than a Brute; thou canſt love thy Friends, thou canſt love thy Wife and thy Child, thou canſt love thy Companions, yea thou canſt love thy ſins and thy luſts, only thou haſt no love to thy Soul. 'Tis laid down as a mark of wicked Perſons, among many others, 2 Tim. 3.3. Without natural Affection: For a Child to be without natural Affection to the Parents, for Parents to be without natural affection to the Child, for men to be ſtrangers to their own fleſh, without natural Affection to their Friends or Relations, this is a mark of a wicked man. What is it then for men to be without natural affection to their own Souls? wilt thou ſay thou loveſt thy Soul, when thou ſo ſadly neglecteſt thy Soul? when thou takeſt no care for thy Soul, when for the love of thy Luſts, and thy Pleaſures, and thy Companions, thou wilt Damn thy Soul?

Sinners, what have you done for your Souls ever ſince you were born? You have done ſomething for your Fleſh; you have fed it, and cloathed it, and wrought hard for it, to get a proviſion and maintenance for it; but what have you done p. 139for your Souls? what pains didſt thou ever take that it might be well with thy Soul? what knowledge haſt thou gotten? what Grace haſt thou gotten? what Peace for thy Soul? haſt thou gotten Peace with God? haſt thou done any thing toward the reconciling thy Soul to God? thou knoweſt how little thou haſt done; thou haſt loaden ſin upon thy Soul, thou haſt loaded guilt upon thy Soul, thou haſt left it like the Soul of a Laodicean, Rev. 3.17. Poor, and miſerable, and Blind, and Naked; that Soul within thee is a miſerable Soul, a guilty Soul, a blinded hardned Soul, a polluted naked Soul; it would make your hearts ake if you conſider'd it, in what woful wretched caſe you have left your Souls to this day. If you have ſo much ſenſe in you, think of it, and lay it ſadly to Heart, what a miſerable caſe you have left your Souls in; the reaſon of this is, becauſe you are without love to your Souls, hence is it that you have had ſo little care of your Self-preſervation.

2. Self-bleſſing, Iſa. 65.16. There is a Self-bleſſing, that is our Duty; Let him that Bleſſeth himſelf in the Earth, bleſs himſelf in the God of Truth: He that loveth himſelf will bleſs himſelf. There's a double Self-bleſſing. 1. A ſeeking our own bleſſedneſs. Self-love will prompt us to ſeek an happineſs for our ſelves; not only to ſave our ſelves from Miſery, but to bring our ſelves to Bleſſedneſs. The bleſſedneſs which true Self-love wiſheth and ſeeketh for Self, is in God, in the God of Truth. He that truly loveth his own Soul, can be content with nothing leſs than God, for the bleſſedneſs of of it. No State, no Inheritance, no Treaſure can ſatisfie him below Heaven and everlaſting glory. There's not a man of you that loves his Soul, but he is ſeeking Glory, and Honour, and Immortality for it; he is taking care, and taking pains, to get a place in Heaven for his Soul, to lay up Treaſure in Heaven for it. Doſt thou love thy ſelf, who doſt not bleſs thy Self, or ſeek a Bleſſing in God for thy Self? Doſt thou bleſs thy Self in God, who ſlighteſt God, who careſt not for God, and who refuſeſt the bleſſing of God, and this for the ſake of thy Luſts and Pleaſures? Sinner, loveſt thou thy Self? loveſt thou thine own Soul? O ſeek a Bleſſing for it, a bleſſing in God, a bleſſing in Heaven for it.

2. An enjoying and rejoycing in your own Bleſſedneſs: Loving our ſelves aright, is part of the fruition and enjoying our ſelves, as loving God is of the fruition of God. No man that loves himſelf, but he would enjoy himſelf, and p. 140bleſs himſelf in the reflection on his own Happineſs. And this is the ſelf-bleſſing mentioned, let him bleſs himſelf in the God of Truth; that is, let him ſatisfy himſelf, let him comfort himſelf, let him enjoy and rejoyce over himſelf upon this account, that the God of Truth is his God, and his Happneſs: Let him not bleſs himſelf in the Earth, that Riches are his, that Pleaſures and Honours are his, that he hath the World at will, but that the Lord God is his; let him not chear himſelf with the Rich Man's Song, Luke 12. Soul take thine eaſe, thou mayeſt enjoy thy Self, for thou haſt goods laid up for many Years; but let him take up the Pſalmiſt's Song, Pſal. 116.7. Return unto thy reſt O my Soul; herein thou mayeſt bleſs thy Self, herein thou mayeſt comfort thy Self, the Lord hath dealt graciouſly with thee.

Friends, you whoſe God is the Lord, you are the Men that may bleſs your Selves, you are the Men that may enjoy your Selves; you may look into your Hearts with comfort, you may look upon your States with Joy; you may bleſs your Selves that God hath given you ſuch an Heart; you may bleſs your Selves that God hath given you ſuch a Portion. You that have an Intereſt in God, and this witneſſed by the Image of God upon your Hearts, you may enjoy your Selves and take comfort, as often as you look inward, and ſee the Marks and the Prints of Divine Grace ſtamped upon you; your very love to your Selves will make you to rejoice over your Selves, as often as you view the bleſſed Frame into which the Goodneſs and Grace of God hath brought you: Well this Self-love with it's Fruits, Self-preſervation, and Self-bleſſing, is our Duty; and the Lord hath planted it in our Hearts, on purpoſe to bring us on upon all our other Duties.

God makes great uſe of this innocent Self-love, in his Government of the World. God Governs by Laws, and Laws Govern by their Rewards and Puniſhments, and Rewards and Puniſhments have their Efficacy by vertue of this love of our ſelves; what would Laws ſignifie, were there no Rewards to the Obedient, nor Penalties to the Diſobedient? Theſe are the Sinews and Strength of Laws; and what would Rewards and Penalties ſignifie to us, were we not lovers of our Selves? Our Self-love prompts us to ſeek our good, and to prevent our miſery. As far as we love our Selves, we deſire our own Happineſs. 'Twas Self-love, that made thoſe many, Pſal. 4.6. to ſay, Who will ſhew us any good? 'Twas the Pſalmiſt's Love to the Church, p. 141Pſal. 122.9. that made him ſay, I will ſeek thy good; and hence 'tis that we endeavour the prevention of our ruin; Self-preſervation is the Fruit of Self-love. Self-love is the firſt ſpring and motive to Religion; 'tis true, when we come to be Religious indeed, there are higher motives; the love of God, the Love of Chriſt is the great Argument to carry us on in ſound Religion, when we come to be Chriſtians, then the main Motive to Chriſtianity is, that which Chriſt uſed to Peter, John, 21.15. to faithfulneſs in his Miniſtry, Loveſt thou [me?] Feed my Sheep. Loveſt thou me? Feed my Lambs. If ye love me, keep my Commandments, Joh. 14.15. But the firſt Motive to bring us to be Chriſtians, is this Self-love. Loveſt thou thy Self? Then give thy Self to Chriſt. Loveſt thou thy Soul? Then be a Chriſtian. Chriſt is the only way to bleſſedneſs; He that hath the Son, hath Life, 1 Joh. 5.12. And he that not the Son, hath not Life. Chriſt is the only way to bleſſedneſs, and the only ſecurity againſt miſery, againſt Everlaſting miſery. There is no Condemnation to thoſe that are in Chriſt, Rom. 8.1. There is no Name under Heaven, by which we muſt be ſaved; ſaved from Death, from Eternal Death, but by the Name of Jeſus, Acts 4.12. Now when Chriſt ſays, Come unto me, and ye ſhall have reſt, Mat. 11. Follow, me and ye ſhall have Treaſure in Heaven, Mark. 10. He that is aſhamed of me, of him will I be aſhamed before my Father that is in Heaven; the intent and meaning of all this is, if you love your Selves, come to me; if you love your Souls, keep my Commandments; if ever you would, that thoſe Souls of yours ſhould be happy Souls, if you would not that they ſhould be Loſt, and Burned and Drowned in everlaſting Deſtruction, if you love your Souls, and wiſh their good and happineſs, if you would not be your Deſtroyers and Murtherers, if you have ſo much love to your Souls, that you would they ſhould be Saved, and would not that they be Damned, then come unto Chriſt, then be followers of Chriſt; then believe, then repent, and obey the Goſpel. If you love your Selves be Holy, if you love your Selves be Heavenly minded, if you love your Selves be humble, be painfull, be circumſpect, and walk in all things as becometh the Goſpel. By the way, I exhort you to improve and maintain your true Self-love: I ſay not to you only, Huſbands love your Wives, Parents love your Children, Chriſtians love one another; but every one of you, love your Selves. If you love your Selves, you will love God, if you love your Selves, you p. 142will love Chriſt; if you love your Selves, you will love Godlineſs; if you love your Selves, you will be the followers of God, the Diſciples of Chriſt, and will give your ſelves to live godly in Chriſt Jeſus. See therefore that you love your Selves, that your poor Souls may grow more dear to you. Be more Zealous for the Salvation of your own Souls, be more fearful of their Damnation, be more tender of wounding and wronging your Souls. Take heed of ſin, Prov. 8.36. He that ſinneth wrongeth his own Soul; all they that hate me, love Death. You that ſin againſt God, ye wrong your own Souls. Love your Souls better, and you will never be ſuch proud Livers, or ſuch Worldlings, or ſuch Drunkards, or Rioters; you would be ſober, and ſerious, and circumſpect: If you lov'd your Selves better, you would take heed of this Lying, and theſe Oaths, and this unrighteous Dealing, of this hardneſs of Heart in your ſins; you would fall upon your Knees, you would fall upon your Faces, and be aſhamed, and bewail and repent of your ſins, and return to the Lord from them all, had you more of this true Self-love within you.

Sinners, why come you not in to Chriſt? Why will you not yet be perſwaded to repent? Why Man, haſt thou no love to thy Self? The Apoſtle tells us, Eph. 5.29. No Man ever yet hated his own Fleſh, but nouriſheth and cheriſheth it. He uſeth that word, to preſs Huſbands to love their Wives, who, ſays he, are their own Fleſh. Doſt thou not love thy Self? What wouldſt thou ſay of a Man, that doth not love his Wife, but would play the Tyrant and Tygre, brawling and ſnarling, yea fighting and beating her? You would ſay, This were a Monſter among Men, rather than a Chriſtian; worſe than the very Brutes, amongſt whom it's ſeldom ſeen, that the Male ſnarleth, or biteth, or puſheth at the Female. What then is he that loveth not his own Soul? Loveſt thou thy Self? Loveſt thou thine own Soul? Then take heed of going on in thy Sins; then take heed of ſtanding it out againſt Chriſt. You hear what a reward there is for the Righteous, you hear what an Inheritance Chriſt hath laid up for his Saints; an Inheritance in Light, Life, Love, Joy, everlaſting Pleaſure, and everlaſting Glory; Chriſt would make thoſe poor Souls, bleſſed Souls, joyful Souls, glorious Souls, partakers of the everlaſting Riches of his Glory and Joy: But what, wilt thou ſay, My Soul ſhall have no part in it? My Soul ſhall never come there; my Lot ſhall never be with the Saints, but ſhall be without, amongſt Unbelievers, Impenitents, amongſt p. 143Dogs, and Sorcerers, and Idolaters? In refuſing to come to Chriſt, to Repent, and be made Holy, thou ſayeſt in effect, my Soul ſhall never come to Heaven? Let it to Hell, amongſt Dogs, and Devils, and that vile and wicked Generation of the Damned. But Sinner, haſt thou forgot that thou art a Man? Art thou a Monſter of Men? Haſt thou loſt all love to thy Self, to thine own Soul? Doeſt thou neither love nor pity thine own Soul? Wouldſt thou that Chriſt ſhould ever love thee, when thou whilt not love thy Self? Wouldſt thou that Chriſt ſhould ever pity thee, when thou wilt not pity thy ſelf?

O Sinners, love your own Souls, pity your own Souls, be not ſo cruel and hard-hearted to your ſelves. Will you for the love of your Luſts, for the love of the World, ſell your Souls to the Devil, ſell them to Hell, to make Faggots for the everlaſting Burnings? Where are your Bowels? O pity, pity that poor blind and miſerable Soul of thine, and bring it to Chriſt for pity's ſake; go on in thy evil ways no longer, be a Drunkard no longer, a Worldling no longer, a Lyar, a Scoffer no longer, be no longer hardned in your ſins, but come away to Chriſt, and eſcape for your Lives; if you love your Selves, come, if you have any pity for your Selves, come; let the dread of the Cruelties of the Devil, bring you back from following him, and come you in, and caſt your Selves upon the Blood, upon the Bowels, and Compaſſions of Chriſt, who is ſuch an High Prieſt, as can have compaſſion upon the Ignorant, and thoſe that are out of the way, and even on the worſt of Sinners, that will return to him. What ſhall I ſay more to you? I will ſpeak but the ſame words, let every one of you ſee that he ſo love [himſelf] as Chriſt loved the Church, waſhing it and ſaving it by his Blood. Love your Selves, and ſave your Selves; love your Selves, and bleſs your Selves in the God of Truth. Don't bleſs your ſelves in the Earth, in your Money, in your Lands, in your carnal Pleaſures, in your carnal Friends; theſe things are not, nor ever think they will be, your Bleſſedneſs; but bleſs your Selves in the God of Truth; bleſs your Selves in Jeſus, whom God hath ſent to bleſs you, in turning you from your Iniquities, Act. 3.26. Turn to Chriſt, and you ſhall be bleſſed; be Believers and you ſhall be Bleſſed; come in this day, and let your Names be written among the bleſſed of the Lord; come every one of you, and put in your Names among the Diſciples of Chriſt; Let me be one, Lord, let me be another, write down p. 144my Name for one among thy Diſciples; I am willing to be thine, and do ſolemnly covenant, and this very day give my Self to Thee. Who of you are there that will thus come in? Will you be perſwaded to it, or muſt I loſe my labour? Are there any of you? Is there any one of all the Sinners in this Company, that will thus come in? Come then in the Name of the Lord; come get your Names to be thus written in the Lamb's Book, and and he will write it in Heaven, there it will be found in the laſt Day, written in the Book of Life; this do, and then you that have been hitherto the Haters, and Wrongers, and Cruel, will hence-forth appear to be Lovers of your own Souls.

2. There is a ſinful Self-love; this is the great Heart Idolatry, and the Root of all Rebellion and Diſobedience to God.

Here I ſhall ſhew you,

1. What this ſinful Self-love is;

1. It is a Love of miſtaken Self; of Carnal-ſelf, a love of the Fleſh, and it's Affections and Luſts; a love of that Fleſh which Chriſt would have us to hate and deny, Mat. 16.24. [Himſelf] that is his Fleſh, or Carnal-ſelf; Men are miſtaken in themſelves, and count that their Self which is not their Self; as Chriſt ſaid to the Woman of Samaria, John 4. concerning her Husband, He that thou haſt for an Huſband, is not thine Husband; ſo may it be ſaid to Sinners, That which thou takeſt for thy Self, is not thy Self; this Fleſh which thou takeſt for thy Self, and loveſt as thy Self, is not thy Self. You that love your Fleſh, you love your Enemy; you that pleaſe your Fleſh, you are pleaſing your Enemy; you that are working for your Fleſh, and providing for your Fleſh, and pampering your Fleſh, you are working for, and feeding your Enemy; you count you are ſeeking of, and working for your Self; no, 'tis for your Enemy; this Fleſh is your Mortal Enemy. Now this is one ſort of ſinfull Self-love, when we love our Fleſh, or our corruptions; when we love our Selves, as Fleſhly-minded Men; when we love to pleaſe, and provide for, and ſatisfie our fleſhly minds, when we foſter and cheriſh this Fleſh.

2. An inordinate love of our Selves Natural; when we love that which is our Selves, more or otherwiſe than we ought to love it. Our Natural Selves, our Bodies and our Souls are to be loved, ut ſupra. We ought to love p. 145our ſelves, not our Souls only, but our Bodies alſo, and ſo to love them as to ſeek the good and well-being of our ſelves; not only our Eternal but our Temporal well-being; we may love our eaſe, and our freedom from Pain; we may love our Credit, and our freedom from Reproach and Diſgrace; we may love our maintenance and freedom from want; yea, we may love our beauty and comelineſs, and freedom from Deformity; and we may ſo love as to maintain and provide for our ſelves in all theſe reſpects; to maintain our ſelves in Health, to preſerve our ſelves from temporal miſery, to provide for our temporal neceſſities; but now our ſinful Self-love is, when we love our Selves more or otherwiſe than we ſhould.

1. When we love our ſelves more than God: When we love our ſelves to the neglect of God; as Chriſt ſaid, Mat. 10.37. He that loveth Father or Mother more than me, he that loveth Son or Daughter more than me, ſo may it be ſaid, he that loveth himſelf, his own fleſh, his own life, more than me, is not worthy of me. Much more, when our Self-love makes an abatement of our love to God, when Self is lov'd ſo much, that God is lov'd the leſs, when the more Self is minded or cared for, by ſo much the leſs God is regarded.

2. When we love Self as ſeparated from God, or otherwiſe than in ſubordination to God, when our love determines in Self, and riſes no higher; every man ſhould love himſelf, but it muſt be for the ſake of God, whoſe ſervant he is, and whoſe Image he bears.

3. When we love our ſelves to the prejudice of the love of our Neighbour: The word is, Thou ſhalt love thy Neighbour as thy ſelf; thou ſhalt love thy ſelf, but ſo, as it may not hinder thee from loving thy Neighbour. When ſelf Monopolizes our love, when our Love which ſhould be a Common, is an Encloſure, and is impropriated and confined to our ſelves; when we ſo intenſely love our ſelves, that we love no body elſe, or care for no body elſe, or at leaſt love not others ſo much as we ſhould; when we care not whom we diſpleaſe, ſo we may but pleaſe our ſelves; when we care not whom we neglect, ſo we may provide for our ſelves; when we care not how it be with others, let them be in ſickneſs, let them be in want, let them ſtarve, let them die, we care not how it be with them, ſo it be but well with our ſelves, when our Self-love is only for the advancing of Self-Intereſt, and will invade and p. 146encroach upon, and wrong the Intereſt of others, when we can thereby advance our own. Lay theſe things together, and therein you may ſee, what ſinful Self-love is, a love of miſtaken Self, or an inordinate love of our natural Self.

2. That ſinful Self-love is the great Heart-Idolatry, and the root of all Rebellion and Diſobedience to God.

1. It is the great Heart-Idolatry. Whatever we love more than God, we make it a God; yea, when we love any thing equal with God, or in ſeparation from God, and not in ſubordination to God. If we love our Selves only for our Selves, we therein deny the God which is above: As he that loves Riches only for Riches ſake, as he that loves his meat and drink, only for the Pleaſure he hath in eating and drinking, ſo he that loves himſelf, only for ſelfs ſake, is an Idolater. Whatever we make our laſt end, we make our God: Therefore as the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 10.31. Whether ye eat or drink, or whatever ye do, ſo whatever ye love, or regard, or deſire, let it be all, let it be only for the glory of God. Rom. 11.36. To him are all things; by him they were made, and to him they muſt be directed. O Beloved, what an Idolatrous piece is the Heart of man become! O what an Idolatrous Heart is there then in every one of us! Is Self-love Idolatry? then who of us can be free from this charge of Idolatry? we have every one of us more or leſs ſet up this Idol Self in our Hearts. Do we not love miſtaken Self, our ſinful fleſh? do not our Hearts go after our Covetouſneſs, our carnal Eaſe, our carnal Pleaſures? do we not love that carnal Self which ſhould be denyed, which ſhould be Mortified and Crucified? do none of us ſo love, as to cheriſh our fleſh, and make proviſion for the fleſh? thou haſt a Proud Heart, and doſt thou not maintain and keep up that Self-eſteem? thou haſt a covetous Heart, and doſt not thou nouriſh and feed thy covetouſneſs? thou haſt a Luſt after thy carnal Pleaſure and Liberty, and thou Indulgeſt it all thou canſt; thou loveſt to be high, thou loveſt to be Rich, thou loveſt thy Pleaſure and thy Liberty; theſe things thou loveſt, and doſt thou not love them more than God? the more thou luſteſt after theſe things, and the more thou haſt of them, is not God ſo much leſs loved and regarded? Doſt thou not know, that if thou p. 147hadſt checked and croſſed that proud mind, if thou hadſt denyd that covetous Heart, the Lord God ſhould have had more of thy regard, more of thy Love than now he hath had? do you not think you ſhould have lov'd God better if you had lov'd the World leſs, or your Eaſe, or your Appetites leſs? behold theſe things have broken in and encroacht upon Gods right, have carried away Gods due; this Self, for whoſe ſake all theſe are loved, this Self hath ſtolen into the Heart, and carried it away after it.

O what a woful thing is it, that it ſhould be ſaid of any Profeſſor of Religion, that this ſhould be ſaid of them, it were well for theſe men, or at leaſt better than 'tis with them, if they loved God but as well as they love their fleſh, if they ſerved God as heartily as they ſerve their Covetouſneſs, if they were ſet upon the Pleaſing of God but as much as they are ſet upon pleaſing their Appetites, if they were delighted in God as much as they are delighted in the World, if they could find as much Pleaſure in the meditation of God and Exerciſes of Religion, as in the buſineſſes of this life! Thou knoweſt it is not thus with thee, thou doſt not Love and Delight thy Self in God, as thou loveſt and delighteſt thy Self in this earth and fleſh. Is Communion with God, is communing with thy own Heart about the things of God, is converſing with God in Prayer, in holy Contemplation and Meditation; is the exerciſing thy Faith on God, thy Hope on God, and thy looking into the Goſpel of God, and ſearching out and feeding upon the Blood and Bowels and unſearchable Treaſures laid up in Chriſt; is the exerciſing thy ſelf in theſe things as great a Pleaſure to thee, and doſt thou find as great a delight in them, as thou findeſt in eating and drinking, in buying and ſelling and getting gain? doſt thou love to be Praying or to be Praiſing the Lord, as thou loveſt to be getting Money? doſt thou love to be ſending thine Heart to Heaven, and there to ſolace it in the thoughts and joyes of the Lord, as thou loveſt to be thinking of thy Corn, or thy Cattel, or thy Income by thy Trade? Thou knoweſt thou doſt not. Canſt thou ſay with the Pſalmiſt, Pſal. 84.1, 2. How amiable are thy Tabernacles, Oh Lord, my Soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for thy Courts, mine Heart and my fleſh cryeth out for the live…ng God: A day in thy Courts is better p. 148than a thouſand; a door in thine Houſe, is better than all the dwellings of the World; Lord, lift up thy Countenance upon me, and that ſhall put more gladneſs into mine Heart than when their Corn and Wine encreaſed? Let the Corn and the Wine be whoſe it will, ſo that the Lord God will be mine, let this World go croſs and frown upon me as it will, ſo that the Face and Countenance of God do but ſhine upon me; let me be poor rather than a Stranger from God; let me want an Houſe, or want Money, or want bread, rather than want the preſence of God: canſt thou ſay ſo, heartily ſay ſo? thou knoweſt that thou canſt not; the good things of the earth, the Riches and the Pleaſures of the Earth are the Riches thou loveſt, and the Pleaſures thou loveſt, and thou couldſt be content to be ſtraitned in the Lord, ſo that thou mighteſt abound in theſe carnal things: Is it ſo with thee? O what a Heart haſt thou? what doſt thou think of thy Self? art not thou an Idolater, a lover of Money more than a Lover of God, a lover of Pleaſures more than a lover of God, a lover of thy Self and fleſh more than a lover of God? and yet, art thou not an Idolater? doth thine Heart go a Whoring after thine Idols, run away from God after thy Money, run away from God after thy Pleaſures, run away from God after thy Self and fleſh, and yet not an Idolater? art thou an Idolater then, an Idolatrous Chriſtian, an Idolatrous Profeſſor? O! how is it that ſuch a thought does not fill thy Face with ſhame, and ſet thy Soul a weeping, and cauſe trembling and aſtoniſhment to take hold upon thee? what Friends, is it nothing with you to be Idolaters, to have Idolatrous Hearts, whoring Hearts, whoring from God, and whoring after your fleſh and the Luſts thereof? ſure Friends it would make the beſt of our Hearts to ake, if we were ſenſible, what degrees of this Idolatry there were to be found in every one of us; and many of us I fear, it would convince that they are Idolaters to ſo high degree, that there is nothing of true and real love to God in them.

2. It's the root of all Rebellion and Diſobedience. Self-love, 2 Tim. 3.2. is put in the Head of a black-troop of Luſts and Wickedneſſes; Men ſhall be lovers of themſelves; there's the ring-leader, and what follows? behold a troop cometh; covetous, boaſters, proud, blaſphemers, diſobedient p. 149to Parents, unthankful, unholy, without Natural affection, Truce-breakers, falſe Accuſers, incontinent, fierce, deſpiſers of thoſe that are good, Traitors, Heady, High-minded, lovers of Pleaſure more then lovers of God; what a Regiment of ſins is here, led on by Self-love! And obſerve it, lovers of themſelves lead on the Van, and lovers of Pleaſures bring up the Rear.

Heart-ſins, are Root-ſins, and Self-love is the Root of theſe Roots; Pride is the Root of Contention, Malice is the Root of Revenge, Covetouſneſs is the Root of Oppreſſion, and ſelf-love is the Root of them all The Apoſtle ſays, 1 Tim. 6.10. The love of Money is the Root of all Evil; and Self-love is the Root of the love of Money; particularly, that you may know what a miſchievous evil this Heart-ſin of Self-love is, and how pregnant of all other wickedneſs, conſider that it is

1. The Rot of all Religion.

2. The Root of all Ʋnrighteouſneſs and Ʋnmercifulneſs.

3. The Root of all ſinful Brawls and Quarrels.

4. The Root of ſinful Self-ſeeking.

1. It is the Rot of all Religion; that is, where it is predominant, and carries the main ſtroak in our Religion. It is the rottenneſs of the Heart, under all its moſt ſpecious Religious pretences or performances. All ſincere Religion is animated by the love of God; the love of God is the Soul of Religion. If there be no love to God in our profeſſion of Religion, if no love to God in our practices of Piety, if no love to God in our Prayers, no love to God in our Faſtings and Alms, all our Religion is rotten at Heart; Self-love, which is it's only Root, is it's rotteneſs; Self-love will

1. Limit our Religion. 'Twill limit it by ſelf-Intereſt; no more, nor, no other Religion will it allow, than will ſerve our Carnal turns; no farther may we go in it than will conſiſt with this love of our ſelves; whatever part or exerciſe of Religion will pinch upon the Fleſh, the ſelf-denying part, the ſelf-abaſing part, the Fleſh-mortifying part of Religion, unleſs it be to ſome further Ends, Self-love will never bear it. So much profeſſing, ſo much Praying and Hearing, as will conſiſt with our Eaſe and our ſafety, as will not put us to too much pains, or expoſe us to too much danger and reproach; ſo much Religion, as will not hold us in too ſtrictly and ſeverely, p. 150and cloſely, Self-love will bear it; but where the Yoak of Chriſt wrings and galls, there it muſt be thrown off.

2. It will corrupt our Religion, and turn it into Hypocriſie. Selfiſh Profeſſors are Hypocrites, and all their Religion is Hypocriſie, and Hypocriſie is the rottenneſs of the Heart. You that are Profeſſors, ſee to it, that ye be not ſelf-loving Profeſſors; if ye be, whatever there be in your Tongues, or your Looks, or your Religious performances, you are rotten at the Core, rotten in your Hearts. It is love to God, wherein our ſincerity lies; Self-love is our Hypocriſie; and where this rotten Self-love hath tainted your Hearts, your Hearts will taint and corrupt all your Duties, it will pervert and corrupt all that ever you do, and turn it into quite another thing; your Religion is no Religion, your Chriſtianity is no Chriſtianity, your Praying is no Praying, your Spirituality is but fleſhlineſs, your Heavenly-mindedneſs is but Earthineſs, your ſeeming fruitfulneſs is but Emptineſs and barrenneſs: Iſrael is an empty Vine, he bringeth forth his Fruits to himſelf, Hoſ. 10.1. Iſrael ſeemed to be a fruitful Vine, that had her Cluſters upon it; there were Cluſters of Prayers, and Cluſters of Sacrifices, and Cluſters of Alms; Iſrael had their Fruits, and yet they were but a Barren and empty Vine; how ſo? Why whatever Fruits they had, they were all brought forth to Self; Self brought them forth, and Self eat them up; there was nothing for God, Iſrael was an empty Vine to him, her Fruits were to themſelves.

Friends, would you not be rejected for Barren empty Vines; for falſe-hearted and rotten Profeſſors? Would you not be found rotten at the Core? See that it be the Love of God, and not this Self-love, lying at the Bottom, at the Root of your Religion.

2. It is the Root of all Ʋnrighteouſneſs and Ʋnmercifulneſs to Men. Self-love will never learn that Leſſon, to do to others as it would be done by; it will catch all it can; and keep all it has; Self muſt be advanced, Self muſt be enriched, whoever be ruined by it; all manner of Frauds and Deceits, all manner of Oppreſſions and Wrongs, all Mens underminings, all Mens over-reachings of their Neighbours, all Mens falſhoods in their Words, their Promiſe-breakings, their Lyings, all their falſhood in their Dealings, in their Tradings, in their deceitful Words, in their deceitful p. 151Weights and Meaſures, all this Unrighteouſneſs, 'tis their Self-love that puts them upon it; ſo they may get for themſelves, and enrich themſelves, how wicked ſoever the means or wayes be to it, they care not who be impoveriſhed or ruined. And where Self will not ſuffer Men to be Righteous, it will leſs ſuffer them to be Merciful; what they are ſo much for getting, they will be but little for giving: the Hunger and Nakedneſs, the pinching and Pining, and even Starving of ſo many poor amongſt us, the ſhort Alms they can get, and that little, that it's ſo hardly come by, the failing of Compaſſions, the ſhutting up of Bowels againſt thoſe that are in need, this is all from Self-love. I ſhall need it for my ſelf, I need it for mine own, I cannot ſpare it, that's often the Word, that muſt go in ſtead of an Alms.

3. It is the Root of all Brawls and Quarrels, and Contentions in the World. Whence are there ſuch Multitudes of troubleſome Law-Suits? What are they, but the contendings of Self with Self; one ſays 'tis mine own, and I will have it, whatever it coſt me; another ſays, 'tis not thine, but mine, and I will have it; this Meum and Tuum, how hath it ſet the World together by the Ears? Not that there is Unrighteouſneſs in all Suits at Law, the Love of God may ſometimes put Men to make uſe of the Law of Man; but thoſe unjuſt or unreaſonable contendings about trifles, or for that which is none of their own, in hope by their Might or their Money, to Rob the Poor of their Right, theſe are pernicious Quarrels, and 'tis Self that ſets them on.

4. It's the Root of Self-ſeeking. Holy Self-love is the Root of Holy Self-ſeeking; as the love of God is the Root of ſeeking God, ſo ſinful Self-love, is the Root of all ſinful ſelf-ſeeking; and ſinful ſelf-ſeeking, is contrary to the ſeeking of God. The love of God is the Root of our ſeeking God. Theſe two, Love of God, and ſeeking God, are put both together in one Promiſe, Prov. 8.17. I love them that love me, and thoſe that ſeek me Early ſhall find me. Iſa. 26.9. With my Soul have I deſired thee, there's the love, and what follows? With my Spirit within me will I ſeek thee Early; the love of God will ſet us a ſeeking God; ('tis in vain that thou ſayſt, I love God, if thou canſt not ſay alſo, I ſeek God;) and the love of Self will put us on ſelf-ſeeking; and this ſinful ſelf-ſeeking p. 152is ever contrary to the ſeeking of God, Phill. 2.31. All ſeek their own, not the things that are Jeſus Chriſt's; all ſeek their own things, that is, their own Carnal things; and thoſe that thus ſeek their own, ſeek not the things of Chriſt; there is this difference betwixt Self-love and the Love of God; Self-love divides Intereſts, Self ſtands ſingle, and hath a ſeparated and divided Intereſt; that's the Intereſt of Self, which is the Intereſt of none elſe; and Self-love in ſeeking it's own Intereſt, ſeeks the Intereſt of none elſe, neither of Chriſt nor of Men; the love of God unites Intereſts; he that loves God, the things of God and his own things are the ſame; he counts nothing his own things, but thoſe that are alſo the things of God; and when he is ſeeking God, he is then moſt ſeeking his own; God is his own, and he counts nothing his own, but what is alſo the Lords; when he ſeeks God, he therein ſeeks his own, and where he ſeeks his own, he therein ſeeks God; his Soul is his own, and the Intereſt and Proſperity of Soul, theſe are the things of God; it's the Love of the Brethen▪ unites our Intereſt with the Intereſt of the Saints; 'tis the Intereſt of the whole Body, that is the Intereſt of every Member, all the Saints have the ſame common Intereſt; ſo the Love of Chriſt unites the Intereſt of every Member with the Intereſt of the Head, the love of God makes the things of God our own things, and the love of the Saints makes the things of the Church to be all our own. It is betwixt Chriſt and Chriſtians, and betwixt Chriſtians one toward another, as 'twas betwixt the Primitive Chriſtians, they have all things common, Acts 4.32. None ſaid of ought that he poſſeſſed, that it was his own, but they had all things common. Not but that Chriſtians have a real Propriety in their own Eſtates, by virtue of which civil Right their Eſtates are ſo their own as that they are not anothers; but yet by vertue of the community of Intereſts, what one Man hath, ſhould be as there is occaſ on, to the benefit of the Community. And whence was this? The love of God had united their Intereſts; and the Multitude of them that believed, were knit together by that love as one Man; they were of one Heart and of one Soul; there's no Meum and Tuum, Thine and Mine, betwixt Chriſt and his Saints, but all is Mine; I am my Beloved's, and my Beloved is mine, Cant. 2.17. p. 153We are not our own, ſay Believers, we are thine; and I am not mine own ſays Chriſt, I am yours, and that which I have is yours, John 20.17. Tell my Brethen, I go to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God; my Father is yours, my God is your God, all I have is yours; I am yours, and and my Blood and my Bowels are yours; my ſtripes, my wounds, and my Righteouſneſs, and my Inheritance is yours, 1 Cor. 3.22, 23, Whether Paul, or Apollo, or Cephas, or the World, or Life, or Death, or things preſent, or things to come, all are yours, for ye are Chriſts, and Chriſt is Gods; my Miniſters are yours, mine Ordinances are yours, my Poſſeſſions are yours, things preſent and things to come; if I have any right in this World, (the Earth is the Lords and the fulneſs thereof;) if I have any thing in the World to come, the everlaſting Crown, the everlaſting Manſions, all are yours, and ye are mine, and I am Gods. Thus Chriſts love to Chriſtians, cauſeth him to ſay to them, I am yours and all that I have, ſo Chriſtians love to Chriſt, helps them to ſay, Lord we are thine, and all we have are thine; not only our ſins are thine, our infirmities are thine, but our Parts, and our Poſſeſſions, our Graces and our Duties, yea our Houſes and our Lands, and our Poſſeſſions, all are thine.

Chriſtians, we have been call'd together this day to a Communion of Loves, and thereby to an Eſpouſal of Intereſts, betwixt Chriſt and us; we have received the Pledges of his love, his Bread and his Wine; he hath given us to Eat and to Drink, as the tokens he hath ſent us down from Heaven of his Love. I have brought you tokens every one of you, from the Lord this day; tokens of his love; we have received the Pledges of his love, and we have returned the Pledges of our love to him; our very accepting of Chriſt's Tokens, hath been our returning of our tokens. Your communion together to Eat of Chriſt's Bread, and Drink of his Cup, (provided it hath been in ſincerity, a Spiritual Eating, and a Spiritual Drinking) your Eating and Drinking his Body and Blood, Chriſt hath accepted, as a token of your loves; and this communion of love, hath been an Eſpouſal of Intereſts; Chriſt hath hereby told you, Becauſe I love you, I will be yours, and all that I have in Heaven and Earth, you may henceforth call your own. I am your own Jeſus, p. 154my Father is your own Father, and my God is your own God, and mine Inheritance is your own Inheritance, and you have ſaid (if you have ſincerely accepted of Chriſt) we are thine own, thine own Flock, thine own Inheritance, thy Ranſom'd ones, thy Redeemed ones, and thy peculiar People; this hath been the up-ſhot of the Tranſaction betwixt Chriſt and you this day: the Sealing to this word, I am my Beloveds, and my Beloved is mine.

And as there hath been an interchangeable communion of loves, and Eſpouſal of Intereſt, betwixt Chriſt and Chriſtians, ſo alſo betwixt Chriſtians and Chriſtians; as we have ſaid to our Lord, I am thine, ſo we have therein ſaid one to another, I am yours, and muſt therefore walk in that tenderneſs of love, in that dearneſs of affection one to another, in that mutual care of each others good, in that mutual Senſe of each others afflictions, in that mutual delight in each others Societies, in that mutual helping and counſelling and comforting one another, and hearty ſeeking and rejoicing in each others good, ſtudying to pleaſe each other for his good to Edification, fearing to grieve, or offend, or wrong, or fall out with, or quarrel one with another; counting the Intereſt of every Chriſtian to be the common Intereſt of the whole Body; that we hereby may prove, that we love one another, not in Word and in Tongue; but Indeed and in Truth.

This now is the Nature, and theſe are the Fruits of Divine Love; it will unite Hearts, and unite Intereſts; this will be the Intereſt of Chriſtians, which will flow from the love of Chriſt, that Chriſt's Intereſt proſper in the World; that the Name of Chriſt be exalted, and be honourable, both in themſelves and in the World; that Chriſt be loved, that Chriſt be praiſed; that the Word of Chriſt, the Worſhip of Chriſt, his Sabbaths, his Ordinances, be exalted in the World; that the Glory and Holy Image of Chriſt, his Humility, Meekneſs, Lowlineſs, Heavenlineſs, Righteouſneſs, Mercy, may ſhine forth in our Faces, and in the Faces and Wayes of all his Saints; that we may in our particulars, and jointly, ſhew forth the Spirit and Life of ſerious and poweful Religion and Godlineſs, in all manner of Holy Converſation; this we ſhould account our Intereſt with reſpect to Chriſt, that he may be thus Honour'd and Obeyed; and this will be the Intereſt of Chriſtians with reſpect to Chriſtians, that we may ſee p. 155one another, the whole Vineyard flouriſhing in the Power of Holineſs, as living and lively Inſtances of the Grace of God; and (as far as the Lord ſee it good) may ſee one another proſpering in this World, even as our Souls do proſper.

O Chriſtians, eſpouſe this common Intereſt, and do what you can to promote this Intereſt in the World; Love Chriſt, and lift up the Name of Chriſt; love Chriſt and ſhew forth the Image of Chriſt; love Chriſt and Conſecrate your Life to Chriſt; determine to know nothing, to value nothing, to rejoice in nothing, but Jeſus Chriſt and him Crucified. And then love one another, and ſtudy to pleaſe one another, to profit one another, for their good to Edification; to caſt in your Lot together, to rejoice together with them that rejoice, to grieve with them that ſuffer, to live together in love, forbearing one another, forgiving one another, comforting one another, even as you your ſelves would be Loved, forgiven, and comforted of God.

This now is the nature and the fruit of Divine Love, it unites Intereſts; but Self-love, ſinful Self-love divides Intereſts, and ſo thoſe that ſeek the things of Self, their carual things, ſeek not the things of Chriſt.

3. Sinful Self-love hath a root remaining in the beſt Hearts, even of the regenerate; though in Converſion Self hath loſt the Domlnion, and be caſt down from the Throne, yet is there a ſecret Tabernacle, a corner in the Heart, where it fortifies it Self, and is ſtill aſpiring to recover the Throne it hath loſt; the Dominion yet it retains, in ſome degree; an Intereſt in the affection, and by this affection it hath the advantage of us, and often recovers too great a Command again.

How great a Power ſinful Self-love hath ſtill in us, the experience of Chiſtians ſadly proves; for the clearing whereof, conſider yet again more diſtinctly, that there is, as hath been already hinted, a threefold Self-love, and accordingly a threefold Self-ſeeking.

1. There is a loving or ſeeking our ſelves, in conjunction with God, and in ſubordination to him. This is a loving or ſeeking Self ſpiritually, a loving or ſeeking of Self as Chriſtians, as the Servants of God and Members of Chriſt, as cloathed with the Image, and devoted to the ſervice, and aſpiring to the Salvation of God. This Self-loving p. 156and Self-ſeeking is our duty and our excellency; the Intereſt of Self ſpiritual and the Intereſt of God, are a conjunct Intereſt, only the Intereſt of Self is lower, and ſubordinate to the Intereſt of God. When we thus ſeek our ſelves, our Spiritual and Eternal good, we are therein moſt effectually ſeeking God, we cannot more effectually ſeek God than in ſeeking our own Salvation. Thoſe that ſeek Glory, Honour and Immortality, for themſelves, do therein ſeek the Glory and Honour of the Immortal God; thereby declaring that they prize and value the Lord, as their chief, nay, the only good. He that neglecting theſe lower things, doth ſeeek God as his onelyonly happineſs, doth therein take the Crown off the head of all his Idols, and ſet it where it ought to be, on the Head of the moſt High. By our ſeeking of God above all, we thereby evidently declare, that we Prize him and Honour him above all; our thus ſeeking of God, is trampling into dirt all thoſe Idols, the Vanities of the World, which ſtood in Competition with God.

2. There is a Loving and Seeking our ſelves in ſeparation from God. This is our loving and ſeeking Self natural, the good of our Perſons, our Bodies and Souls, without conſidering them as bearing a reſpect to God. Our ſeeking our well-being as meer men; our bodily well-being, our Health, and Strength, and natural Activity; the well-being or perfecting our Souls; our ſeeking Wiſdom, and Knowledge, and Learning, &c. theſe things are all good, and worth our ſeeking in their place; our bodily health and ſtrength are good; Wiſdom, and Knowledge, and Learning are good; Health is better than Sickneſs, Strength than weakneſs; Wiſdom is better than Folly, and Knowledge than Ignorance; he hath more of the excellency of a man, who is a Learned man, than he that is but an Idiot; but now the ſeeking theſe good things, as ſeparate from God, the ſeeking Health and not for God, the ſeeking Strength and not for God, the ſeeking Wiſdom and Learning and not for God, this is a ſinful Self-ſeeking: As the Lord ſpake, Jer. 9.23, 24. Let not the wiſe man glory in his Wiſdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his Might, let not the Rich man glory in his Riches, but let him that glorieth Glory in this, that he underſtandeth and knoweth me. So may it be ſaid, Let not this Might be ſought, this Wiſdom be ſought, but in order to the underſtanding, knowing and p. 157ſerving of me. Thoſe that ſeek only Lawful things for themſelves, and in Lawful and Honeſt ways, that ſeek Health, and Strength, that ſeek Eſtates, that ſeek Wiſdom and Knowledge, and all theſe in Lawful and Honeſt ways, yet if they ſeek theſe good things, theſe Lawful things, only for themſelves, and not with reſpect to God; if they ſeek not God in ſeeking their Health and Eſtates, if they do not ſeek God in their ſeeking Wiſdom and Underſtanding, this is a Sinful and Idolatrous Self-ſeeking. It may be, thou mayeſt not be an Epicure, or a Drunkard, or a Glutton, in thy Eating and Drinking thou art ſober and temperate, and eateſt only for thy Health; It may be, thou mayeſt not be Unjuſt, or an Oppreſſor in ſeeking an Eſtate for thy ſelf, yet for all this, thou mayeſt be an Idolater, and an Idolater thou art if thou ſeekeſt any of theſe things for thy ſelf, and not God.

3. There is a loving or ſeeking of our ſelves, in oppoſition to God; a ſeeking Self-carnal. 'Tis true, ſeeking our ſelves in Separation, is ſeeking our ſelves in Oppoſition to God, but this ſeeking Self-carnal is in an higher and more direct Oppoſition to God. Self-carnal is an Enemy to God, and ſeeking Self thus, is the maintaining and cheriſhing that Enmity; he that inordinately ſeeks his Eaſe, or the ſatisfaction of his Appetite and Senſes, does therein do what he can to feed and pamper that Enemy, his fleſh, that it may wax wanton, and head-ſtrong, and kick againſt God.

Now however every Convert hath decreed, and determined to ſeek himſelf, only in conjunction and ſubordination to God, to ſeek himſelf in the Lord and for the Lord; yet this ſinful Self-love hath a Root remaining in him, which will be putting forth in ſinful ſelf-ſeeking. That word, Phil. 2.21. All ſeek their own, was ſpoken of Chriſtians; there were ſuch declinings and ſuch corruptions gotten into the Churches, into the very Hearts of Profeſſors, as unhappily engaged them in this Self-ſeeking. [All] that is the moſt, 'twas a too general Diſeaſe, there were many Sick of it. And not the things of Chriſt; (that is,) not ſo heartily, not ſo zealouſly, not ſo Naturally, as 'twas ſaid of Timothy, Phil. 2.20. He did Naturally care for the things and ſtate of the Church, and of God; but ſays the Apoſtle, However it was with him, I have no Man like minded; I find few Timothies among you; p. 158whileſt he is ſeeking the things of Chriſt, moſt of you are ſeeking your own things, and not the things of Chriſt.

How much of this ſelf-love, and ſelf-ſeeking, is to be found amongſt Chriſtians, we have ſad experiences enough to prove; we need not go to Scripture for proof, we find too evident Proofs in our own Hearts and Lives; if we have not totally gone back from Chriſt to Self, yet have we not ſuffered this Idol to divide with Chriſt? O let us enquire a little.

1. Do we ſeek our ſelves and our own Intereſts, only in conconjunction with Chriſt, and in ſubordination to Chriſt? Do we count nothing our own things, but what are the things of Chriſt? Have we heatily eſpouſed the Intereſt of Chriſt, as our own Intereſt? Do we ſeek nothing in this World ſo, but that we can truly call it, ſeeking of Chriſt? Do we ſeek our Healths, and our Eſtates, and our ſafety, as the Servants of Chriſt? Can we call our labouring in our Callings, our aiming at Thriving and Proſperity in our Affairs, can we call this, and call it truly ſo, our Serving of Chriſt? If we would have Health and Strength, is it for Chriſt we would have it? If we would have Eſtates in the World and be Rich, is it for the ſake of Chriſt that we would be Rich? That we may as Prov. 3.9. Honour the Lord with our Subſtance? Do we mark up all we can get, and all we have, do we mark it up for Chriſt? Is there Holineſs to the Lord written upon all our Houſes and Poſſeſſions? This Houſe is the Lords, and theſe Lands are the Lords; 'tis for him I have gotten them, and for him I will uſe them.

2. Do we not rather Seek theſe things in ſeparation from God? Seek them for themſelves, for the love we have to them, for the ſake of Self, to whoſe ſervice we devote them? do we not ſeek theſe things, with the neglect of Chriſt? Is not Chriſt ſought the leſs, and the more grieved for that the World is ſought ſo much? Is not Chriſt the leſs minded, the leſs loved, the more ſeldom thought on by this means? Does not our Thriftineſs and good Huſbandry for the World, our Eating and Feeding upon, our taking the Pleaſure of what we have here, does not this make an abatement upon our Chriſtianity? Do we not loſe much of the Life and Spirit and Soul of Chriſtianity in our Carnal things and delights? Do we not p. 159ſo bleſs our ſelves in this Earth, that we ſo much the leſs bleſs our ſelves in Chriſt, or in the God of Truth? Chriſtians, pray conſider it; how do ye find it? Hath not this Selfiſhneſs and Earthlineſs ſpoyled you for Chriſtians? Of how many Mens Proſpering in the World, of how many Mens labouring for the World, may it be ſaid, This is the Fruit of theſe Labours, this is the Fruit of this Proſperity, it hath even ſpoyled a good Chriſtian, he hath loſt his Love, and loſt his Life, and loſt his Zeal for God, in his loving and caring and good huſbandry for himſelf? Pray conſider, if this be none of your caſes; and if this be not a ſad caſe, and whether you can take any comfort in it or no? Had not thoſe Hearts need to be look'd to, that have thus gone a Whoring, ('tis no better) that have gone a whoring from Chriſt, after the World? Haſt thou govern'd that Heart of thine well, which thou haſt ſuffered thus to play the Harlot? Haſt thou not need of looking better to it? Chriſtians, do you not ſee you had need to be more watchful over your Hearts, and to hold them in under a cloſer and ſeverer reſtraint, than you have hitherto done?

Again, if you do not ſee how far ſinful Self-love hath prevailed in you above the Love of God, conſider further for conviction: 1. Do you love them that love God, as you love them that love your Selves? There's ſcarce any Man that is ſo ill natur'd, but will love thoſe that love himſelf; Do not even the Publicans the ſame? Mat. 5. They love thoſe that love them, and are beneficial to them; But do you love thoſe that love God, as you love thoſe that love your ſelves? Thoſe that are loving and kind and friendly to you, you will love them, whether they love God or no; and do you find that thoſe that love God, you can love them, whether they love you or no? If they ſhould any of them be unkind, and unfriendly to you, yet can you love them, becauſe they love God? If not, if you can love them that love you, though they do not love God, and cannot love them who love God, in caſe they do not love you, what think you? Is not this an evidence, that this Self-love hath greater power in you, than the love of God?

2. Are you angry with thoſe that offend God, as you are with thoſe that offend your Selves? The Pſalmiſt could ſay, Pſal. 139.21, 22. Do not I hate them that hate thee? p. 160am not I grieved with thoſe that riſe up againſt thee? Yea I hate them with a perfect hatred; I count them mine Enemies: Can you ſay ſo? I am angry with them that are angry with thee: I am grieved at them, that ſin againſt God, thoſe that are his Enemies, I count them mine own Enemies. Thoſe that wrong our ſelves, and offend our ſelves, that wrong us in our Names, by traducing, backbiting or ſlandering of us, that wrong us of our Right, by Fraud or Oppreſſion, that do but ſpeak an angry or unkind word to us, how quickly does the Fire kindle? We are too hot and touchy, when Self is concerned; but are we grieved, are we offended at thoſe that ſin againſt God? yea, even though they be never ſo kind to our ſelves? Can we not wink at ſin in our Friends, can we not palliate and excuſe it, and hide our eyes from the ſins of them whom we love, and upon whoſe kindneſs and friendſhip ſelf hath ſome dependance? How then canſt thou ſay, thou loveſt God as thou loveſt thy ſelf? Touch ſelf-Intereſt who dare, he ſhall not eſcape thy wrath; let him kick againſt God, ſin againſt Chriſt, and thou art never moved; Doſt thou love God as thou loveſt thy ſelf? It was ſaid of Holy Calvin, that when he heard that Luther call'd him Devil, that he anſwered, But he is the Servant of the moſt High God; 'tis ſaid of Lot, 2 Pet. 2.8. That Righteous Man living among the Sodomites, vexed his Righteous Soul with the filthy Converſation of thoſe wicked Ones. Lot had none of the beſt Neighbours in thoſe wicked Sodomites; doubtleſs he ſuffer'd many Perſonal wrongs and unkindneſſes from them, that Righteous Man could never be Neighbour to ſuch wicked ones, without ſuffering from them himſelf; but yet we read not, that he ever fretted or vexed at any thing they did againſt himſelf; their wickedneſs againſt God, their filthy Converſation, this was it which vexed his Righteous Soul. There was a Man that loved God indeed; ſilent at wrongs done to himſelf, only vexed at what is done againſt God. Is it ſo with thee? Is it ſo with us? O how quite contrary are we? Vexing, and fretting, and chafing at whatever is againſt our ſelves, and ſilent and quiet, and not moved in the concerns of God? Is this our love to God? Are we lovers of God more than lovers of Self? Sure, beloved, this very thing, our being ſo impatient of Self-offences, and ſo patient of offences againſt p. 161God, this very thing, if well conſidered, might make the moſt of our Hearts to ake, and draw Tears from our Eyes, might ſet us all a Weeping, to think what daily Arguments we have of this kind, to prove how powerful this Self-love, and how weak the love of God is in us. Sure the more dear the Lord grows to us, the more will it go to our Hearts, that he ſhould be offended by any, and the more Self-love were mortified, the eaſier ſhould we bear Self-wrongs and Offences.

And what can we ſay with reſpect to our Brethren Neighbours? Do we not ſo love our ſelves, but that we are heartily concern'd for our Neighbours? Have we compaſſions towards them in their afflictions? Do we rejoice at their Proſperity? Can we grieve with thoſe that grieve, ſuffer with them that ſuffer, and rejoice with them that rejoyce and proſper? We can be glad when God proſpereth our Selves, and can we be glad when he proſpereth others? O how do Men rake and catch what they can, one from another? how do Men envy the proſperity of their Neighbours? O how do ſome Men gape after the Poſſeſſions of their Brethren, wiſhing even for their Death, when they are like to get any thing by it? How many Landlords are glad of the death of their Tenants? How many younger Brothers are glad at the death of the Heir? Yea, how do ſome Children wait for the death of their Parents, that the Inheritance may fall to themſelves? And whence is all this wickedneſs? Is not this from Self-love? O what Murtherous deſires and hopes doth it ſometimes bring forth? Though it dare not put upon Murtherous Practices, though it doth not make Murtherous hands, yet it often makes the Heart a Murtherous heart, and fills it with Murtherous deſires and practices, Mat. 15.19. Out of the Heart proceed evil Thoughts, Murthers, Adulteries. 'Tis this Self in the Heart, that is the Original Murtherer and Adulterer. You that are Profeſſors of Religion, ſee diligently whether there be no degree of this wickedneſs to be found in any of your Hearts; to hope for, to wiſh for, or at leaſt to be well pleaſed at the death of others, when Self doth get by their Death: Therefore

4. There is a neceſſity of keeping the Heart under Government. Is Self ſuch an Idol in the Heart? Is Self-love Idolatry, and the Root of ſo much wickedneſs? The p. 162Rot of Religion? The Root of Unrighteouſneſs, Unmercifulneſs? Yea and of ſuch Murtherous deſires and wiſhes? And is there ſomething of this Root remaining even in Chriſtians? And is it apt to put forth into ſuch Self-exaltings, and wicked Self-ſeeking, and will it certainly do ſo, where it is not carefully looked to, and held under ſevere reſtraint; then certainly there's no Government more neceſſary than Heart-Government.

2. Wherein the Government of the Heart ſtands; and it ſtands in theſe Five things:

1. In ſubjecting the lower Faculties, the Affections, Appetite and Senſes, to Reaſon and Conſcience.

2. In holding the Thoughts upon profitable and pertinent Objects.

3. In exerciſing the Paſſions or Affections upon their proper Objects, and within their due Limits and Bounds and Meaſures.

4. In ſuppreſſing and keeping under the Evil, and cheriſhing and encouraging the Good that is in the Heart.

5. In ſtrengthning the Sinews of Government.

1. In ſubjecting the lower Faculties, the Affections, Appetite and Senſes, to Reaſon and Conſcience. Reaſon muſt be Dictator in the Heart, and muſt not be controlled or over-born by the inferiour Faculties. Conſcience is inveſted with the Authority of God: Subjection to Reaſon and Conſcience, is ſubjection to God, and Rebellion againſt theſe, is Rebellion againſt God. The Reaſon of all the diſorders in the Heart is the Uſurpation of Senſe and Appetite, and their riſing up againſt Reaſon; when the People take Head againſt their Prince, what diſorders follow? God that ſaid, Prov. 3.5. Lean not to thine own underſtanding; that is, as corrupted and biaſſed by the Fleſh, yet requireth us to lean to our Underſtandings, when they are contradicted and oppoſed by the Fleſh. The Prophet complains, Iſa. 59.8. There is no Judgment in their goings, they have made them crooked Paths; no Judgment, that is, no Underſtanding, no Conſcience in their goings; and where there is no Underſtanding nor Conſcience, there's nothing but crookedneſs.

Sinners Hearts do ſet up Senſe and Appetite to be the Ruler; as 'twas ſaid of Jeroboam, 1 Kings 12.31. He made the vileſt of the People to be Prieſts; So ſinners make the vileſt p. 163and loweſt of their Faculties to be Rulers; they will not be Ruled by Reaſon, they will not be governed by Conſcience, but Affection and Appetite muſt bear the ſway. How comes it to paſs, that thou art ſuch a Carnal ſenſual Liver? Does thy Reaſon tell thee, that a Carnal Worldly Life is the beſt Life? Does thy Conſcience command thee to be Covetous, or to be a Libertine, to live at thine Eaſe and thy Pleaſure? Does thy Conſcience tell thee, that this is the Life that God would have thee to live? That God would have thee to live in the Ale-houſe; to follow thy Companions, or thy Covetouſneſs? It is not againſt thy Conſcience, to be ſober and ſerious and circumſpect in thy goings; 'tis not againſt thy Conſcience to forbear thy Lying, or thy Fraud, or thy Falſhood; no, it is thine Appetite, and thine Affections, to whom thou haſt reſigned thy Self to be governed, that lead thee on thus.

Would you have good Government to be kept within you? Set up right Government; let reaſon Govern, let Conſcience govern; make your Senſes and your Appetites to know their place, and to keep under, and to be in ſubjection to your Underſtandings and Conſcience; embrace not any thing meerly becauſe it pleaſes your Senſes, ſeek not any thing becauſe you have an Appetite to it, let not your Affections lead you, but your Judgments and Underſtandings. It would be well, if we were come thus far, to live according to the beſt of our Ʋnderſtandings; and ſo far forth as we do ſo, ſo far forth we live under Government; the Anarchy of domineering Appetites and Senſes is no Government. Do not your Underſtandings tell you, it is better to live in the love and fear of God, than in the Luſts of the Fleſh? Do not your Judgements tell you, that an holy, ſober, ſerious, heavenly Life, is better than Viciouſneſs or Vanity. Do not your Conſciences call upon you, Love not the World, nor the Wine, and ſtrong Drink; follow not thy Sports and thy Pleaſures, Fly youthful Luſts? haſt thou not a Conſcience within thee, that calls thus upon thee? When thy Luſts call thee after thy Pleaſure, when thy Covetouſneſs calls thee after the World, when thy Senſe calls upon thee, Take thine Eaſe, take thy Liberty, haſt thou not a Conſcience within thee calling thee back, and charging thee to take heed, and beware of Living thus? When thy Carnal will and thy Luſts call thee from minding Chriſt, and Holineſs, and Righteouſneſs, let it all alone, meddle not with ſuch a ſevere p. 164Life, yet haſt thou not a Conſcience within thee, telling thee, it is beſt for thee to be a ſerious Chriſtian? It would be better for thee if thou wouldſt give thy ſelf to an Holy, Humble godly Life, than to live ſuch a Libertine? It would be better for thee to be a ſincere, ſtrict, diligent, active Chriſtian, than to be ſuch a trifling lazy Hypocrite and looſe Profeſſor? Does not thy Conſcience tell thee thus, and charge thee to be ſuch an one? Why let Conſcience carry it, reſign up thy ſelf to the Government of it.