A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 16 – Chapter 17
CHAP. XVI. Selfiſh Paſſions to be denied.
5. ANother part of ſelfiſhneſs to be mortified and denied, is, ſelfiſh Paſſions. The ſoul is furniſhed with Paſſions by God, partly for the exciting of the will and other faculties, that they do not ſluggiſhly neglect their duties; and partly to help them in the execution when they are at work: So that they are but the wheels or the ſails of the reaſonable ſoul, to ſpeed our motion for God and our Salvation, and not to be employed for carnal ſelf. When Paſſions and affections are ſanctified and uſed for God, they are called ſuch and ſuch particular Graces, and the fervour of them is an holy Zeal; But when they are uſed for carnal ſelf they are our vices; and the heat of them is but fury, or carnal zeal, and the height of vice. But how rare is it to meet with men that are meek and patient in their own cauſe, and paſſionate in a holy zeal for God? I know many are paſſionate in diſputes and other exerciſes about Religion, and think that it's purely zeal for God, when ſelf is at the bottom of the buſineſs, and ruleth as well as kindleth the fire, when they ſearce diſcern it, and little know what ſpirit they are of: But pure zeal for God, conjoyned with ſelf-denial, is exceeding rare. How few can ſay that their Love to God, is greater and hotter than their Love to themſelves? The Deſires of men are ſtrong after thoſe things that ſupply their own neceſſities, and pleaſe their own corrupted wills: but how cold are they after the honour of God? How averſe are men from that which hurteth the fleſh! as to go into a Peſt-houſe, or to take deadly poyſon, or to ſuffer any pain: but few are ſo averſe to the breaking of the Law of God. A hard word or a little injury done to themſelves, will put them into a paſsion, ſo that their anger is working out in reproach, if not in more revenge: but God may be abuſed from day to day, and how patiently can they bear it? There's few carnal minds but can more patiently hear a man ſwear, or curſe, or ſcorn at Scripture and a holy life, than hear him call them Rogue, or Knave, or Thief, or Lyar, or any ſuch diſgraceful name. It ſeems an intolerable diſhonour with ſelfiſh perſons that are advanced by Pride to be great in their own eyes, for a man to give them the lye, or to reproach their Parentage, or make them ſeem baſe: but they can hear twenty oaths and reproaches of the truths or ways of God as quietly and patiently as if there were no harm in them. Their own enemies, whom God commandeth them to love, they hate at the heart: but the enemies of God and holineſs, whom David hated with a perfect hatred, Pſal. 139. 21, 22. do little or nothing at all offend them. It is not thus with ſelf-denying gracious ſouls. When David heard Shimei curle him, he commanded his ſouldiers to let him alone, for God had bidden him; that is, by that afflicting providence on David he had occaſioned it, and by the withdrawng of his reſtraint he had let out his malice, for a trial to David. Thus David could endure a man to go along by him curſing him, and reviling him as a Traitor, and a man of blood, and throwing ſtones at him; and he rebuked Abiſhai that would have taken off his head, 2 Sam. 16. 7, 8, 9, 13. But when the ſame David ſpeaks of the wicked, the froward, the ſlanderer, the proud, the lyar, and the deceitful, he reſolveth that he will not know them, they ſhall not dwell in his houſe, nor tarry in his ſight; he hateth them; they ſhall depart from him; he will cut them off, and early deſtroy him from the Land, and from the city of the Lord, Pſal. 101. So was it with Moſes: when God was offended by the Idolatry of the Iſraelites, he was ſo zealous that he threw down the Tables of Stone, in which God had written the Law, and broke them: but when Miriam and Aaron ſpake againſt himſelf, he let God alone▪ with the cauſe, and only prayed for them; for ſaith the Text, [He was very meek above all the men that were on the face of the earth.] Numb. 12. 3. Phinehas his zeal for God did ſtay the plague, and was imputed to him for righteouſneſs: when the ſelfiſh zeal of Simeon and Levi was called but a curſed anger, and brought a curſe on them inſtead of a bleſſing from their dying Father, that they ſhould be divided in Jacob, and ſcattered in Iſrael; and left them the name of Inſtruments of cruelty, Gen. 49. 5, 6, 7.
Take warning then from the word of God; & uſe your paſſions for God that gave them you; but when it is meerly the cauſe of ſelf, be dead to paſſion as if there were no ſuch thing within you. If the wrong be done to you, think then with your ſelves, [alas, I am ſuch a ſilly wretched worm that a wrong done to me is a ſmall matter, in compariſon of the leaſt that's done to God: it is not great enough for indignation or paſsion:] Remember, that it's Gods work to right your wrongs, and your work to lament and hinder the abuſe of God. And therefore if men curſe you, or revile you, or ſlander you, if Gods intereſt in your reputation command you to ſeek the clearing of it, then do it, but not for your ſelf, but for God: but otherwiſe, be as a dead man that hath no eyes to ſee an injury, nor no ears to hear it, nor no heart to feel it, nor no underſtanding to perceive it, nor no hands to be revenged for it: This is to be mortified, and dead to ſelf. When Paſſion begins to ſtir within you, ask What's the matter? who is it for? and who is it that is wronged?] If it be God, ask counſel of God, what he would have you to do, and let your paſſion be well guided and bounded, and then it will be acceptable holy zeal: but if it be but ſelf that's wronged, remember that you are not your own; and therefore take no thought of the buſineſs, but leave God to look to his own, and do with it as he pleaſe: If you are his, your cauſe is his, and therefore let him look to it that is concerned in it more than you; and that hath ſaid, [Vengeance is mine, and I will repay.]
CHAP. XVII. Self-imagination to be denied.
6. ANother part of ſelf to be mortified and denied, is Self-imagination. It is the ſelfiſhneſs of mens thoughts, that is the vanity of their thoughts; and theſe are the imaginations that are only evil continnally. The thoughts ſhould be let out on God, and his ſervice; ſo that our meditation of him ſhould be ſweet, and we ſhould delight in the Lord, Pſal. 104. 34. and in the multitude of our thoughts withi nus, his comforts ſhould delight our ſouls, Pſal. 94. 19. His word ſhould be our meditation all the day, Pſ. 119. 97, 99. and in his Law we ſhould meditate day and night, Pſ. 1. 2. God ſhould be the Spring, the End, the Sum of all our thoughts; If we find a thought in our minds, that ſavoureth not of God, yea that is not ſent by him, and doing his work, we muſt diſown it, apprehend it, & caſt it out. But alas how contrary is the caſe with the moſt? As ſelf is advanced higheſt in their imagination, ſo doth it there attract and diſpoſe of the thoughts. What are all the thoughts of unſanctified men employed for, but for themſelves and theirs? Their fantaſies hunt about the world; but it's their own game and pleaſure that they range about. The thoughts of one man run upon his covetouſneſs, and another man's upon his filthy luſts, and another man's on his ſports and pleaſures, and anothers upon his honour & reputation with men! They feed the imaginations of their mind upon almoſt nothing but ſelfiſh things! ſometimes delighting themſelves with the very thoughts of mens eſteem of them, or of their worldly plenty, or of their ſinful luſts and pleaſures, and ſometime troubling themſelves with the thoughts of their wants, or low condition, or croſſes, or injuries from men: ſometime contriving how they may attain their deſires; and carking and caring for accompliſhing their ſelfiſh ends: morning and evening, at home and abroad, as the thoughts of the ſanctified are on God, and heaven, and the way thereto: ſo the thoughts of the unſanctified are all upon ſelf, and the intereſt of ſelf, and the means thereto. O cleanſe your minds Sirs, of this great ſelf-pollution: Keep them more clean and chaſte to God. Deny ſelf this room in your imaginations, and waſte not thoughts and precious time, on ſuch unjuſt and unprofitable imployment. It is an impertinency, to be ſo much ſolicitous about the charge of God, and to care ſo much when he hath bid us, Be careful for nothing: It is a debaſing of our minds to feed them ſo long on ſo low an object, when they might be taken up with God. Care not therefore what you ſhall eat or drink, or wherewith you ſhall be cloathed; for after all theſe things do the ſelfiſh unſanctified Gentiles ſeek; and our Father knoweth that we have need of all theſe things: but ſeek ye firſt the kingdom of God and his righteouſneſs, and all theſe things ſhall be added to you, Ma…. 6. 31, 32, 33. Self doth but rob you of the fruit of your thoughts which you might reap by feeding them on God.