A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 13
CHAP. XIII. 1. Selfiſh Diſpoſitions muſt be denyed, and 1. Selflove.
HAving ſeen in what reſpects and upon what accounts it is that ſelf muſt be denyed; I am next to tell you the particulars of that ſelfiſh intereſt that muſt be denyed, and the parts that are contained in this needful work.
And here you muſt remember what ſaving faith is, that ſeeing how ſelf oppoſeth it, you may know wherein it muſt be denyed.
Saving faith is ſuch a Belief in Chriſt for Reconciliation with God, and the everlaſting fruition of him in Glory, as makes us for ſake all the things of this world, and give up our ſelves to the conduct of the word and ſpirit, for the obtaining of it.
When a man can ſtrip himſelf of all the pleaſures and profits, and honours of this world, firſt in his eſtimation, and love, and reſolution, and then in the actual forſaking of them at the Call of God, becauſe of the firm belief and hope that he hath of the fruition of God in Glory, as purchaſed and promiſed by Jeſus Chriſt; this is a Chriſtian, a Diſciple of Chriſt, a true believer; and none but this. And (as I have told you) as God in Unity, and Father, Son, and Holy Ghoſt in Trinity, is the Object of our ſaving faith; ſo Carnal Self in unity, and Pleaſure, Profits, and Honours in trinity muſt be renounced and denied by all true Chriſtians; as being that which we turn from, when we turn to God. So that in brief to deny your ſelves, doth generally conſiſt in denying all your own Diſpoſitions and Intereſts whatſoever as they are againſt God the Father, Son, or Spirit, or ſtand not in a due ſubſerviency to him: And this Intereſt which you muſt deny, conſiſteth in your Pleaſures, Profits, and Honour: Of theſe therefore I ſhall ſpeak diſtinctly, though but briefly.
I. You muſt begin at the denial and mortification of your Corrupt and ſelfiſh Diſpoſition, or elſe you can never well deny your ſelfiſh intereſt. It is not enough to keep under this ſelfiſhneſs by denying it ſomewhat that it would have: but the ſelfiſh Inclination or Nature it ſelf muſt be ſo far mortified and deſtroyed, that it ſhall not reign as formerly it did. For this which we call ſelfiſhneſs is not your very Perſons, nor any ſpiritual or right natural deſire of your owngood: But it is the inordinate adhering of the ſoul to your ſelves, by departing from God to whom you ſhould adhere: and ſo a carrying over Gods intereſt and honour to your ſelves. Holineſs is an Inclination and Dedication to God: by which two we are ſaid to be ſeparated to him. And wickedneſs is an Inclination, and Addictedneſs, or Devotedneſs to our ſelves above God, or as ſeparated from God: And this Inclination, Diſpoſition, or Separation of man to Himſelf inſtead of God, is it that I call ſelf or ſelfiſhneſs; and this ſelf muſt it ſelf be firſt deſtroyed, as to the predominant degree.
And therefore let us Firſt obſerve wherein this ſelfiſh Diſpoſition doth conſiſt, which muſt be deſtroyed; and then Secondly, wherein the ſelfiſh Intereſt doth conſiſt that muſt be denied.
And firſt the ſelfiſh Diſpoſition conſiſteth in theſe ſeveral parts that follow.
1. The principal part of it conſiſteth in an inordinate Self-love: This is a corruption ſo deep in the heart of man, that it may be called his very Natural Inclination, which therefore lieth at the bottom, below all his Actual ſins whatſoever; and muſt be changed into a New Nature which principally conſiſts in the Love of God. This is Original ſin it ſelf, even in the heart of it. This ſpeaks what man by Nature is: even an inordinate ſelf-lover; And as he is, ſo he will act. In this all other vice in the world is virtually contained: even as all grace is in the Love of God: which made the Schoolmen ſay, that Love is the Form of all Grace: not as they are this or that Grace in particular; not of Faith as Faith, nor of Hope as Hope; but of Faith, Hope, &c. as vital or gracious acts: becauſe the reſpect to the End is eſſential to the means as a means: and therefore the reſpect to God as the End, is Eſſential to Faith, Hope, &c. as a means to him: and therefore that Grace (of Love) which is terminated on the End, muſt have an eſſential participation, concurrence, or influence on thoſe that are directly terminated on the Way or Means; and muſt convey ſomewhat of its very eſſence to them; and ſo far as they partake of that eſſence of Love, ſo far are they indeed thoſe ſpecial Graces which carry the ſoul to God its End: And in this ſence we may allow the diſtinction between Fides, Spes, &c. formata charitate (which is true Chriſtian Faith and Hope,) and Fides, Spes &c. informis, which is but an opinion and dream. And ſo it is in the body of ſin: When ſelf-love doth reign, it is the Heart of wickedneſs: And though every ſin hath its own ſpecifick nature; yet all are virtually in ſelf-love, and are ſo far mortal, or prove men graceleſs, as they are informed by the eſſential Communication of ſelf-love: For ſelf being the End, informeth all the means as they reſpect it. I ſay the more to you of this, becauſe indeed it is a weighty truth, for the right underſtanding of the true nature of Grace and ſin; and I doubt many are in the dark for want of underſtanding & conſidering it. A man that feareth and Loveth God, and an unſanctified man may be both overtaken with the ſame ſin; perhaps a groſs one, as Noahs, and Davids, and Peters was: and yet this may be a mortal ſin in the ungodly; I mean ſuch as proves him in a ſtate of death, and yet not ſo in the gracious perſon. The wicked will deride this in their ignorance, as if we made God partial; but it's no ſuch matter: The Papiſts cannot endure it, but ſuppoſe Peter, David, and Noah, were quite without the Love of God, and ſo were again unſanctified men: but this is their error. It was not from the Power of reigning ſelf-love, and the Habitual abſence of the Love of God, that theſe men (or any Saints) did ſin: but from a particular act of mortified ſelf-love by a ſurprize upon the neglect of the actual exerciſe of the Love of God. But all the ſins of unſanctified men, or at leaſt their common ſins, are from the Habitual reign of ſelf-love, and the Habitual abſence of the Love of God: And therefore the ſins of the Saints are, as the Schoolmen ſpeak of the graces of the ungodly, unformed: they be not Mortal ſins in the ſenſe aforeſaid, becauſe they be not naturalized, informed, animated, by the malignity and venom of the Mortal End and Principle, which is Habitual reigning ſelf-love: But thoſe of the wicked are ſins informed by this inordinate ſelflove as an habitual reigning ſin; and therefore being animated by its malignity are mortal: Yet ſay not that this makes God partial, and not to hate the ſame ſin in one as he doth in another. For two things muſt be taken in: 1. Where the heart is ſanctified, ſuch ſins are ſtrangers: perhaps one Godly man of ten or twenty may be guilty of one of them, as Noah was of drunkenneſs once in all his life (ſince his converſion:) For it will not ſtand with grace to live in them. For ſuch as a mans Love, and Inclination, and nature is, ſuch will be the drift of his Life. And would not you have God make a difference between thoſe that ſin once, and thoſe that live in it? 2. Beſides, will not any honeſt man make a great difference of the ſame acts according as they come from different hearts? you will not take a paſſionate word from a Father, Husband, or Wife, ſo ill as the ſame word from a malicious enemy. If an unthrifty Son ſhould ſpend you twenty ſhillings waſtfully, you will not proſecute him as you would do a thief or an enemy that takes it from you violently. Wilful murder and caſual man-ſlaughter, have not the ſame puniſhment by the Law of the Land. If you will make ſuch a difference your ſelves, of the ſame words or deeds as they come from different meanings and affections, quarrel not with God for doing that which you confeſs is juſt and neceſſary to be done.
1. The Faculty where this Diſpoſition is principally ſeated, is the Will: which in man is the Heart of Morality, whether Good or Evil. And the Principal Act is, an Inordinate Adheſion of man to himſelf, and Complacency in himſelf: And this is the inordinate ſelf-love that muſt be firſt mortified.
2. The next faculty that ſelf hath corrupted, is the Underſtanding; and here we firſt meet with the ſin of ſelf-eſteem, which is the ſecond part of ſelfiſhneſs to be mortified. It is not more natural for man to be ſinful, vile, and miſerable, than to think himſelf vertuous, worthy and honourable. All men naturally over-value themſelves, and would have all others alſo over-value them. This is the ſin of Pride. But of this I muſt ſpeak by it ſelf.