A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 63
CHAP. LXIII. Motives: 1. Selfiſhneſs the grand Idolatry of the world.
1. SElfiſhneſs is the grand Idolatry of the world, and ſelf the worlds Idol, as I have told you before. It uſurpeth the Place of God himſelf in mens Judgements, wills, affections and endeavours. It was the work of the ten Diſcoveries in the Beginning of the Book to demonſtrate this: and therefore I ſhall ſay but little more. But ſelf-denial deſtroyeth the worlds great Idol, and giveth God his own again. The ſelfiſh lean moſt to their own underſtandings: but the ſelf-denying truſt the Wiſdom of God. The ſelfiſh are careful principally, for themſelves, and their own felicity, even a terrene and carnal kind of felicity: But the ſelf-denying are principally careful how they may Pleaſe and Honour God, and promote the welfare of his Church, and in this way attain the ſpiritual everlaſting felicity of the Saints. The ſelfiſh muſt have their own humors pleaſed, and their own wills accompliſhed, and their own deſires granted: But the ſelf-denying do ſlay their own carnal wills, deſires, and conceits, and lay them dead at the feet of Chriſt, that his will alone may be exalted. The ſelfiſh would have all men love them, admire them, and commend them. But the ſelf-denying would have all men to Love, Admire, and Glorifie the Lord, above himſelf and all the world. The ſelfiſh can bear with Gods enemies, but not with their Own: and they can ſuffer men to wrong Cod, and ſin againſt him, more patiently than they can ſuffer them to wrong themſelves. But it is contrary with the ſelf-denying: A wrong to God and his Church ſeemeth far greater to them than a wrong againſt themſelves. In a word, the ſelfiſh intend themſelves, and live to themſelves, and the ſelf-denying intend God, and live to him, in the courſe of their lives. And therefore when the ſelfiſh are troubled about many things, the ſelf-denying are minding the One thing Neceſſary: And when the ſelfiſh are ſeeking to know what is good or evil to their fleſh; the ſelf-denying are ſeeking to Pleaſe the Lord, and deſire to know nothing but him in Chriſt crucified; and they could part with all the knowledge of the creatures, as uſeful to themſelves, if they could but know more of God in Chriſt. The ſelfiſh would be in his own hands, at his own diſpoſe and government, and the ſelf-denying would be in the hands of God, and at his diſpoſe and Government.
And doubtleſs, the very ſtate of mans Apoſtacy did lie in turning from Cod to ſelf, and to the creature for ſelf: ſo that he now ſtudyeth, and uſeth, and loveth the Creature but for himſelf: And ſo he would have himſelf, and all as far out of the hands of God in his own, as poſſibly he can. I gave you my thoughts in the beginning, that this was the meaning of mans knowing Good and Evil by the Fall: And ſince I wrote that, I meet with the ſame Expoſition in Damaſcene, do Orthodox. fid. li. 11. c. 11. p. (mihi) 113. part of whoſe words I ſhall here tranſlate [In the midſt of Paradiſe, God planted the Tree of Life, and the Tree of Knowledge: And the Tree of Knowledge was for the tryal, and proof and the exerciſe of mans obedience and diſobedience. And therefore it is called the Tree of Knowledge of good and evil: Or becauſe it gave man a power to Know his Own nature; which indeed to the perfect is good, but to the infirm is evil; and to them that are yet prone to concupiſcence, as ſtrong meats to the weak and thoſe that need milk. For the Lord that created us, would not have us careful and troubled about many things, nor to become Contrivers and Providers for our own lives: into which it was that Adam fell. For when he had eaten, he knew that he was naked, and made hmſelf an apron of fig-leaves to cover his nakedneſs. But before both Adam and Eve were naked and not aſhamed. And God would have had us inſenſible of (or not to ſuffer by) ſuch things: For this is but an inſenſibility or impaſſibility. But we had One work only to do without vexation and care, which is the work of Angels, unweariedly and continually to praiſe our Creator, and to delight in the contemplation of him, and to caſt all our care on him, as he taught us by the Prophet David, ſaying, Caſt thy care on the Lord, and he ſhall nouriſh thee; aud the Lord taught his own Diſciples in the Goſpel, Take no care what you ſhall eat, nor wherewith you ſhall be cloathed; and again, Seek firſt the Kingdom of God and his Righteouſneſs, and theſe things ſhall be added to you; and to Martha: Martha, thou art careful and troubled about many things, but one thing is needful: Mary hath choſen beſt part which ſhall not be taken from her;] that is, to ſit at his feet, and hear his word; and this is the tree of Life.] So far Damaſcene, who you ſee driveth at the ſame ſenſe, though it be not clearly and fully expreſt by him.
And as man by his Fall, deſired to know what was good and evil for himſelf, that is, to his own Nature, for his daily proviſion and ſafety, that he might be able to chooſe for himſelf, and not truſt himſelf wholly on the Proviſion of God; ſo accordingly God in judgment hath given him over to himſelf according to his deſire, of which more anon.
And accordingly our Reſtauration from this lapſed ſtate, conſiſteth in retiring from our ſelves to God; and giving up to him again thoſe minds, thoſe thoughts, thoſe wills, thoſe affections that have been, all this while detained from him, and miſ-imployed by ſelf; Down then with this Idol and ſet up God. Did you make your ſelves? or redeem your ſelves? or do you ſuſtain your ſelves, or are you ſufficient for your ſelves? Let him that doth all this for you be acknowledged to have the only Title to you; And conſider what an odious crime it i; for ſuch worms to exalt themſelves as Gods, and ſo deny the Lord to be their God.