A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 4
CHAP. IV. The Prevalency of Selfiſhneſs in all Relations.
BEſide all the generals already mentioned, it will not be amiſs to give you ſome particular Inſtances of the power of ſelfiſhneſs, and the rareneſs of ſelf-denyal in the world, that you may ſee what cauſe of lamentation is before us.
1. How ready and ſpeedy, how effectual and diligent, how conſtant and unwearied are they in the ſervice of ſelf? and how ſlow and backward, how remiſs and negligent, how unconſtant and tired are they in the works that are meerly for God, and their ſalvation? Do I need to prove it to you? You may as well call for proof whether there are men in the world? I were beſt for inſtance begin next home. Many Miniſters think it a drudgery and a toil that God requireth at their hands to confer with every family in their Pariſhes, and inſtruct them privately in the matters of ſalvation. But ſee what ſelf can do: If the ſame men have but their tithe to gather, they will not think it a needleſs thing, to go or ſend to every family, and ſpeak with them all about their own buſineſs. At leaſt if it were any conſiderable ſum, they would not loſe it for want of ſpeaking for.
Our neighbours do many of them think it much that we ſhould call them to be perſonally Inſtructed or Catechized, and they will not come at us; but ſay, [What needs all this ado? have we not teaching enough at Church? Its Children that muſt be Catechized, and we are paſt Children.] You ſee how little intereſt God and their Miniſters and their own ſalvation hath in them: But will you ſee what carnal ſelf can do more? Had I but money enough, I would undertake to make them come to me, and follow me as a horſe will follow his provender! Had I but ten pound a piece to give them, yea or but ten ſhillings, I do not think I ſhould have any refuſe to come and fetch it, unleſs it were thoſe that now are the forwardeſt in ſeeking relief for the wants of their ſouls. Had I but the eſtates or lives of all theſe men in my power, how eaſily would they be ruled and how diligently and ſubmiſſively would they attend, that now for God and their everlaſting life, diſdain to come and ſeek inſtructions. And yet theſe men would ſcarce believe you, if you ſhould tell them that ſelf and the world is made their God, and that God himſelf is denyed and rejected by them.
Moreover, a long time I have been perſwading all the families in the Town and Pariſh, to read the Scripture, and daily call upon God together: I have proved it their duty from Scripture, and this doth not prevail. But ſee what fleſh and ſelf can do? If theſe men were but ſure of ten or twenty ſhillings a time, for every Morning and Evening that they pray together, I warrant you, what ever the heart did, the lips ſhould be taught to do their part. O how buſie would all the Town and Pariſh be to learn to pray, that now look not after it? I do not believe that there is ever a houſe among them all that would not very ſhortly ſet up prayer, if they were but paid for it after theſe rates? Judge now whether God or ſelf bear ſway among theſe men, and whether ſoul or body be more regarded.
Moreover, we have too many drunkards in the Town, that no means that we can uſe will reſtrain and keep ſober. They love the drink, and they cannot forbear; and tell them of Gods word, that doth threaten them with damnation, and they will for all that be drunk the next day. But if one of theſe wretches might have but ten pound a week on condition he would forbear, I do not think for all this but he could forbear: Or if he were ſure that for every cup of drink, he ſhould drink after it a cup of piſs or gall, I warrant you he would ſoon begin to abate.
We have abundance of ignorant ſenſual men that for love of ſin refuſe Church-Government, and will not come under it. But if the Magiſtrate would but make a Law, that all men ſhall he members of a particular Church and ſubmit to diſcipline, or forfeit but twenty ſhillings a month, how few refuſers ſhould we have in all the Town or Country?
We have many that ſeldom come to hear in the publick Aſſemblies; but let the Parliament make a Law that they ſhall pay for their reſuſal, and how readily will it bring the moſt of them? (unleſs they have hopes that the Law will not be executed) And judge now whether ſelf or God have greater Intereſts in theſe mens hearts.
I ſee but one piece of ſelf-denyal among this ſort of people in this Town, and that this: Though the officers are to give the money to the poor which they have from ſwearers, drunkards, unlicenſed and abuſive Aleſellers, prophaners of the Lords day, &c. yet that ſort of the poor themſelves do hate thoſe officers that are zealous in their duties. This is ſtrange, that the love of money doth not change them. But whether it be that they can deny their fleſh for the Devil, though not for God; and in enmity to godlineſs, though not to further it; or whether it be that the officers do uſe to give their mony to an honeſter ſort of poor, and theſe have none of it, I cannot well tell.
And having given ſo many ſad inſtances of the power of ſelf and ſcarcity of ſelf-denyal in others, I hope the Magiſtrates will not take it ill if we help them to diſcern this enemy in themſelves, nor be offended that they come laſt, unleſs it were in a more honourable cauſe. I hear the beſt and wiſeſt men that I can meet with, complain that in moſt places, Ale-houſes flouriſh under the Magiſtrates Noſes; and that whoredom, ſwearing, prophaning the Lords days, ſhall ſeldom be puniſhed, but when they are very much urged to it, nor then neither if it will but diſpleaſe a neighbour, or friend, eſpecially if it be a worſhipful ſwearer or drunkard that is to be puniſhed. We ſee in moſt places that its more than the Juſtice can do to put down one Alehouſe of many that they conſeſs ſhould be ſuppreſſed; and I doubt but few can keep them from increaſing: Men ſay that there is ſo much ado before they can have Juſtice from many of them, and thoſe that ſeek it are counted but for buſie troubleſome fellows, that many are ready to let all alone: And whence is all this, that men in Power can do ſo little againſt thoſe that have no Power to reſiſt them? Why Alas the cauſe is plain: Self is againſt it: They have none but God and Miniſters, and a few preciſe fellows to perſwade them to it: and they have no greater motives, than what is fetcht from Heaven and Hell to move them to it: and theſe are but ſmall matters with them (I ſpeak of the unſanctified) It muſt be one that hath greater intereſt in them than God that muſt perſwade them to it: It muſt be more powerful matters than the promiſes of Heaven and the Threatnings of damnation that muſt prevail with ſuch moderate Gentlemen as theſe. And who is it that can do this that God and their ſalvation may not do? Why even ſelf, carnal ſelf▪ If you know but how to engage their own ſelf-intereſt in the buſineſs, I warrant you it will go better on. Let but every informer be well p…d for his pains, and every Juſtice have a h…dr…d pound from the Exch…quer for every due exec…ion of ſuch laws, and how roundly would the work go on? Then they would not ſay [We cannot do it, or We are not bound to look after them.] Do you think I wrong them or ſpeak without proof? I will leave it to your judgement when I have given you but theſe few inſtances. Let but the Plague break out in the Town, and infect but a quarter as many houſes as here are infectious Alehouſes that harbour tiplers and drunkards, and ſee whether the Magiſtrates of this or any Town will not a little better beſtir themſelves, and ſend to ſearch after infected places, and nail up their doors, and write on them [Lord have mercy on us] that all may take warning and keep away: They will not here be offended with Informers, nor ſay, [Am I bound to look after them?] And why are they not as zealous againſt ſin as againſt the plague? Great reaſon! Self is for ſin; and God only is againſt it: but ſelf is againſt the Plague, becauſe it is concerned in it: ſin doth but hurt the ſoul, and bring men to Helfire▪ but the plague deſtroys their body; and this is the greater matter with them, becauſe they have fleſh and ſenſe to judge of it; but they have not faith to believe the other.
Again, let but one houſe in the Town be on fire, and all are up to quench it, and the Bell is rung, and the Magiſtrate doth not think that he wants a Call himſelf to look after it. And when the fire of Hell is kindling in an Ale-houſe, that's nothing, but muſt be let alone: there's no ſuch zeal, nor no ſuch haſte. And why ſo? Why one they ſee in good ſadneſs, and perceive that it is fire indeed: but the other they believe in jeſt, as if it would prove but a painted fire.
Again, let but an ungodly fellow ſlander the Magiſtrate, or call him all to naught, eſpecially if he give him but two or three boxes on the ear, and ſee whether he will let that man alone. But let the ſame man abuſe the name of God, and break his Laws, and with too many he may be let alone, unleſs they be urged to do Juſtice. And how comes this difference? Why ſelf is toucht in one, and it is but God (But God! O Atheiſts!) that's touched in the other. Self can do more with them than God can do (Remember ſtill when I ſay that ſelf can do more with them than God, that I ſpeak not of what God could do by his Omnipotency if he would; but of the final Cauſality, or the ſmall intereſt that God hath in their hearts by holy Faith and Love.)
Again, let but a ſervant rob the Magiſtrate, and carry his money and goods to an Ale-ſeller to reſet; and try whether he will look after him and the Ale-ſeller. And why not as ſoon and as zealouſly when Ale-ſellers reſet mens ſons and ſervants, and drown mens underſtandings and turn them into beaſts? Why? becauſe in one it is but God and mens ſouls that are concerned: (a matter of nothing) but in the other it is ſelf, (a greater matter with them.)
Shall I give you but one inſtance more, that the Ale-ſellers themſelves will take my part in, ſo far as to bear me witneſs that its true! Here are Farmers of the Exciſe that have power to know what Ale-houſes are in the Town, and their gain lyeth on it: and there ſhall ſcarce a man in Town or Country ſell Ale ſo ſecretly but they will know it; nor ſell a Barrel but what they are acquainted with. They do not ſay, [I am not bound to go ſearch after them:] nor that they be not able to diſcover them and to bring them to pay Exciſe. But the Juſtices (too commonly) can overlook abundance that the Exciſe-men can find; and they cannot make one of twenty pay, when the other can; And whats the matter? Why one works for ſelf and money, and the other works but for God and his own and other mens ſalvation (a ſmall matter!) See then beyond denyal what ſelf and money can do with ſuch men, when God and mens ſalvation can do next to nothing.
But I muſt deſire you not to miſtake me, and think I ſpeak this of any honeſt godly Magiſtrate, and abuſe the good by joyning them with the bad! No: far be it from me to be ſo injurious. For its evident that they can be no good men, nor have any true Love of God in their ſouls, that are ſuch in a predominant ſenſe as I have here deſcribed. It is not in my thoughts to lay this blame on any honeſt Godly Magiſtrate: for none but the ungodly would do as I have mentioned, and prefer themſelves before the Lord, and the bodies of men before the ſouls.
And, alas, if the Soveraign Powers of the Nations of the world were not too ſick of the ſame diſeaſe, gain would not be accounted Godlineſs, but Godlineſs the greateſt gain: and carnal Policie would not go for Piety, but true Piety would go for the ſureſt Policie: It would not be ſo common in moſt Nations to have the Truth and Cauſe of Chriſt diſowned, and his ſervants perſecuted, and their lives and blood to be made a ſacrifice to carnal Self and worldly Intereſts. Nor would the breaches of the Churches be ſo long unhealed, and grow wider and wider, and few much regard them, but all have their own work to do which muſt be looked after. Yea and the Cauſe of Chriſt and the Goſpel muſt be trod down if it ſtand in the way of their own: And the Churches muſt be ſet on fire by their wars and contentions for their ſelfiſh Intereſts. And if Self were not too ſtrong among us, we ſhould not have had ſuch connivence at doctrinal and practical abominations, nor ſo much delay or neglect of healing the diſcompoſed Churches, and uniting the divided Chriſtians, or attempting it more effectually than we have done. But becauſe I deſire to ſpeak to none but thoſe that are within my hearing, I will return home to our ſelves.
The holy ordering and inſtructing of families, and ſuppreſſing ſin in Children and ſervants, is one of the moſt effectual works, for the building up of the Church, and the glory and ſtability of the Common-wealth. O if Parents and Maſters would but ſanctifie their houſes to the Lord, and teach their families the will and fear of God, and do their beſt (by puniſhment, when inſtruction will not ſerve) to hinder ſin, how faſt would Reformation then go on? And what hindreth? why carnal Self: If it were but for wordly commodities they would do more: Would you have me prove it? Let experience ſpeak. Let a ſervant or child go prayerleſs to their work, and few regard it: but they will not go without meat, or drink, or cloaths. The Maſter will ſuffer them to neglect Gods ſervice; but if they neglect his own, and ſhould do him no more or better ſervice than they do to God, they ſhould ſoon hear of it, and be turned out of door: and they were no ſervants for him. They will teach their children to do their own work, or ſet them Apprentices to learn it; but the work of God and their ſalvation, they ſhall for them have little teaching in, how plainly ſoever God hath commanded it them, Deut. 11. 18, 19. & 6. 6, 7, 8. Epheſ. 6. 4.
Let a ſervant or child reproach his Maſter or Parent, or call them all to naught, and they think not fit to put up that (nor indeed is it) but let them ſwear by the name of God or break his Laws, and they can patiently bear with it, and a cold rebuke like Eli's will ſerve turn. They can get them into field or ſhop to work together, but they cannot get them before and after to prayer together. And why is all this? Why one is for Self, and the other is for God: One is for the body, and the other is for the ſoul. So that you ſee what Self can do, and how commonly it is the maſter of Families, Towns and Countries, becauſe it is the maſter in mens ſouls.
God muſt be loved above all, and our neighbour as our ſelves: But if God were allowed but ſo much love as a very neighbour ſhould have, it would not be all ſo ill with the ſelfiſh world as now it is. But becauſe I have been ſo long on this firſt diſcovery of the power of Self, and the ſcarcity of Self-denyal, I will be ſhorter in the reſt that follow.