A Treatise of Self-Denial, Treatise · Chapter 9 – Chapter 10
CHAP. IX. The great Power and prevalency of ſelfiſhneſs diſcovered.
ANd that you may ſee what cauſe we have for our Lamentation: Conſider the greatneſs of ſelfiſh Tyranny in theſe Particulars.
1. Conſider what a Power it is that ſelf beareth down in the world: The Commands of the God of heaven are overcome by it. The promiſes of eternal life, are trod under foot by it. The threatnings of endleſs torments are nothing to it. It caſts by Heaven: it ventures upon Hell: It tramples upon the precious blood of Chriſt: It will not hear the voice of wiſdom it ſelf: Nor the voice of goodneſs and mercy it ſelf: It refuſeth him that ſpeaks from heaven: Love it ſelf is not lovely where ſelf is Judge: It quencheth all the motions of the Spirit: it deſpiſeth Miniſters: It turneth mercies into wantonneſs and ſin: Like Sampſon, it breaks all bonds that are laid on it: and till it be weakned it ſelf, there is no holding, no ruling, no ſaving the ſoul, thats ruled by it.
2. Conſider alſo the exceeding Number of its Subjects: Truly if there were no other proof, that the ſanctified and the ſaved are very few, this one is ſo full and ſad a proof, that it tempteth me ſometime to think them much fewer than willingly I would do. Alas, how few ſelf-denying perſons do you meet with in the world; yea in the Church! yea among the ſtricter Profeſſors! Look over all the world, and ſee how few you can find at work for any one but for carnal ſelf? If you obſerve the Courts, and ſee whoſe work is done moſt there; and look into the Armies of the world, and ſee who it is that ruleth there: if you look upon the affairs of Nations, and the wars of Princes, and their confederacies, and ſee who it is that rules in all; how little will you ſee (ſave here and there) but carnal ſelf? It is ſelf that makes the cauſe and manageth it: It is ſelf that maketh Wars and Peace. Come down into our Courts of Juſtice, and whoſe voice is loudeſt at the bar, but ſelfs? and who is it commonly elſe that brings in the Verdict? at leaſt who is it elſe that made and followeth on the quarrel? How many cauſes hath ſelf at an Aſſize, for one that God hath? Come lower into the Country and who is it that plows and ſows; who is it that keeeps Houſe or Shop but ſelf? I mean what elſe but carnal ſelf is the Principle? what elſe but carnal ſelf is the End? what elſe but the will of ſelf is the Rule? and what elſe but ſelfiſh commodity, or pleaſure, or honour are the matter, or ſome proviſion that is made for theſe; and conſequently what elſe but ſelf-reſpect is the form? For the End informeth the means as means; and therefore all that is done for ſelf is ſelf-ſervice and ſelf-ſeeking. In a word, as God is all in all to the ſanctified, ſo ſelf is as all in all to the ungodly. And alas how great a number are all theſe!
3. Conſider that it is a ſin that is nearer us objectively than any other ſin; And the nearer the more dangerous. Alas that a man ſhould turn his own ſubſtance into poiſon & feed upon it to his own deſtruction! If you have drunk poyſon, you may caſt it up again, or nature may do much to work it out: but if your own blood, and humours, and ſpirits be turned into venom, that ſhould nouriſh and preſerve your life, what then ſhall expell this venom, and deliver you?
4. Moreover it is the moſt obſtinate diſeaſe in the world. No duty harder (except the Love of God) than ſelf-denial. O how many wounds will ſelf carry away and yet keep life, and heal them all. How commonly do we convince ſome carnal Gentlemen, that One thing is needful, and that its a better part than Earth, and honour, and ſenſuality that muſt be choſen, or elſe they are undone; and that the more they have, the more they muſt forſake, and the more ſelf-denial is required to their ſalvation; (and that all their lands, and wealth, and honours, and all their wit, and parts, and intereſt muſt be at the ſervice of their Maker and Redeemer; and that when they have all in the world that they can get, that all muſt become Nothing, and God muſt become all; their treaſure muſt become the droſs and dung, and Chriſt muſt become their treaſure, or they are loſt? I ſay, how oft do we convince men of all eſtates of theſe important evident truths? And yet this ſelf is ſtill alive, and keeps the garriſon of the heart; and all that we can have from moſt of them, is, as the rich man, Luk. 18. 23, 24. to be very ſorrowful that they cannot have heaven at eaſier rates, and that Chriſt will not be a ſervant unto Self, or they cannot have two Maſters! They go away ſorrowful (but away they go) becauſe they are rich; which makes Chriſt ſay upon this obſervation, How hardly ſhall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God? But when the Diſciples were troubled at his obſervation, he lets them know that it is Self and not Riches that is indeed the deadly enemy. It is the ſelfiſh that truſt in Riches, and love and uſe them for themſelves, and deny not themſelves, and devote not all to God, that will be kept out of Heaven by them; Or in Chriſts own words, Luk. 12. It is [he that layeth up treaſure for Himſelf, and is not rich towards God.] Conquer ſelf and Conquer all.
5. Moreover ſelf is the moſt conſtant malady; the ſin that doth moſt conſtantly attend us. Many actual ſins may be laid by, and we may for the time be free from them. But ſelfiſhneſs is at the heart, and lives with us continually; It parteth not from us ſleeping or waking: It goes to the worſhip of God with us: it will not ſtay behind in the holieſt ordinance: It will not forbear intermixing it ſelf in the pureſt duties; but will defile them all. So that above all ſins in the world, its this that muſt have the ſtricteſt, conſtanteſt watch, or elſe we ſhall never have any peace for it.
6. Yea this ſelf doth lamentably ſurvive even in the ſanctified ſoul, among the ſpecial graces of the Spirit, and lamentably diſtempereth the hearts and lives of too many of the godly themſelves. Not that any godly man is ſelfiſh in a predominant ſenſe; or that ſelf is higher or more powerful in his heart than God: for that's a contradiction: ſuch a man cannot be a godly man (without Converſion:) But yet the very remnants of conquered Self, what a ſmoak do they make in our Aſſemblies, and what noiſom ſcent in the lives of many godly men? what a ſtir have we ſometimes with thoſe that we hope are godly, before we can get them to an impartial judgment; to lament their own fowl words, or other miſcarriages, and to humble themſelves, or freely to forgive another that hath wronged them! eſpecially to confeſs diſgraceful ſins in any ſelf-denying manner? How cloſe ſtick they to their own conceits? how lamentably do they improve them, to the contempt of Miniſters, & trouble and diviſion of the Church? How wiſe are they in their own eyes, and how hardly yield they to any advice that croſſeth Self? How hardly are they brought to any dear and coſtly duty? How much do they indulge their appetites and paſſions? and how cheap a Religion do many think to come to heaven with? we can ſcarce pleaſe ſome of them, they are ſo ſelfiſh: either becauſe we croſs them in their opinions, or in their wayes; or becauſe we allow them not ſo much ſpecial countenance and reſpect as ſelf would have: or deny them ſomewhat which ſelf deſires. If they have any uſe for us, if we leave not more publick or greater work which god hath ſet us on, and allow them not that part in our time or labours, or other helps, which God and Conſcience will not allow them, they are offended & take it ill, that ſelf is not preferred before God and the publick ſervice. Their ſelves are ſo dear to themſelves, that they think we ſhould neglect all to ſerve them.
Let the moſt uſeful Miniſter live in a place that hath the plague, or other contagious mortal ſickneſs; and moſt that are viſited, will take it ill if the Miniſter come not to them, though they know that his life is hazarded by it, and that his loſs to the whole Church is more to be regarded than the content or benefit of particular perſons; and it is not the pleaſing of them, nor their benefit by him then, that will countervail the Churches loſs of him. What is this but too much preferring ſelf (I hope not habitually, but) in that act, before the Church and honour of God?
Let a Miniſter or any other man reſolve to beſtow all that God hath given him for his ſervice, on the poor, or pious uſes: Perhaps he ſhall diſpleaſe as many as he pleaſeth, becauſe he hath not enough for all: and if he give to nineteen, the twentieth will ſay [He paſt by me; and I am never the better.] And thus this inſatiable, unreaſonable ſelf will hardly be pleaſed; And among the godly how much doth it prevail! O how many Miniſters in England can tell by ſad experience, how much of ſelf ſurviveth in Profeſſors! ſo much that we can hardly rule them or keep them from breaking all to pieces, and every man running away of his own. The ruine of England's expected Reformation; the fall of our hope▪ in too great a meaſure, the multiplying of ſects: the ſwarms of errors: the rage againſt the faithfulleſt Miniſters: the neglect of Diſcipline, and obſtinate refuſal of penitent confeſſions, and humbling, ſelf-denying duties: the backwardneſs to learn: the forwardneſs to be teachers; the high eſteem of weak parts, and weaker grace: the commonneſs of backbiting, cenſuring, and ſlandering, eſpecially thoſe that are not of their fond opinions: the riſing deſigns of many▪ the tenderneſs of their reputations: the contendings for preheminence, all theſe, with many others, do too loudly tell the world how much of ſelf, and how little ſelf-denial is in many that ſeem godly.
7. But yet this is not the higheſt diſcovery of the power of Carnal ſelf. Though its ſad to think that it ſhould be ſo potent in any that have grace: yet its ſadder to think, that it hath too much Power in the wiſeſt and moſt learned Magiſtrates and Miniſters, that ſhould be the greateſt enemies of it in the reſt. A Magiſtrate, as a Magiſtrate is for the common good. Political ſocieties conſiſting of Soveraign and Subject, are therefore called Commonwealths, from the final Cauſe, which is the common good, or weal of all: ſo that it is eſſential to a Magiſtrate to be for the common good. And yet ſelf creeps in, and makes ſuch work with many of them, that its hard to judge whether it have left them the eſſence of the Magiſtracy, and whether they ſhould be called Magiſtrates or no.
But yet its ſadder, that the Learned, Godly Preachers of ſelf-denial ſhould have ſo little of it, as too many have. Alas, that Miniſters do not remember how ill Chriſt took the firſt contendings among his Diſciples, who ſhould be the greateſt; that they do not imprint upon their minds the image of Chriſts ſetting a child before them, and after girding himſelf, and waſhing their feet. I think thoſe men that make a Sacrament of this, do err much leſs than thoſe that forget it. And I ſuſpect that our contrariety to this example, will tempt ſome ere long into this contrary extream, and it may be ſet up as a Sacrament indeed. O woful caſe! to be daily lamented by all the compaſſionate members of the Church: that the Learned, Zealous Paſtors of it, are the leaders, fomenters, and continuers of her diviſions: and when they have opportunity to ſeek for healing, they want a will; and ſo much of ſelf ſurviveth in them, that though God call to them for Peace and Unity, and the bleeding Church is begging it of them on her knees; yet ſelf hath ſuch power over them, that God is not heard, and the Church cannot be regarded; but Peace, and Piety, and all muſt be ſacrificed to the will and Intereſt of ſelf: As if they were the Prieſts of ſelf, and the honour of God, and Peace of the Church were the daily ſacrifice which they have to offer! Not a motion can be made for Reformation or Unity, but ſome ſelfiſh Miniſters riſe up to ſtrangle it, under pretence of mending the terms. Not a conſultation can be held, but ſelf creeps in, yea openly appears, and ravels the work, and will needs be the doer of all thats done, or nothing muſt go on thats done againſt it.
O Bleſſed Nation, if ſelf-denial were more eminent & predominant therein! O pretious Miniſtry, and Great, and Honourable, if we truly ſought our honour in the habit of children, and by being the ſervants of all! O happy Churches, abounding in Holineſs and Peace, if once the Paſtors and People were better skilled in the practice of ſelf-denial! I muſt confeſs, to the praiſe of Gods grace, many ſuch Miniſters and people I have had the happineſs to converſe with! and how ſweet the fruit hath been both to them and me, both they and I are ready to confeſs. But one ſelf-ſeeking, unmortified Miniſter, is enough to diſturb a whole ſociety, and break the good endeavours of many: And alas how many ſuch are abroad, that talk of almoſt nothing but their opinions, or parties, or carnal intereſts; and are not in the harveſt as Reapers to gather, but as wild beaſts that are broken in to make ſpoil, or Sampſons Foxes to ſet all on fire; running up and down from Country to Country with fire-brands at their tails, and ſtings in their mouths, which they call by the reverend name of Zeal.
But you may think I have been long in diſcoveries, aggravations, and complaints; and therefore I will go no further in that ſort of work, but only to adjoyn theſe three or four practical conſectaries following.
CHAP. X. Some weighty Conſectaries.
Conſect. 1. SO common and Potent is ſelfiſhneſs in the world, that its enough to convince a rational Conſiderate man, of the truth of the doctrine of the fall of man, and of Original corruption, againſt all the objections that all the Socinians or Pelagians in the world do make againſt it. He that thinks that God made man in this diſtempered, diſtracted ſtate that ſelfiſhneſs doth hold the world in, hath unreaſonable thoughts of the workmanſhip of God. He that ſeeth even children before they can ſpeak or go ſo ſelfiſh as they are, & all mankind without exception to be naturally as ſo many Idol gods in the world, and can believe that this is the Image of God, in which they were created, doth make the Image of Satan to be the Image of God: No wiſer, no better is the Doctrine that denieth Original ſin, when ſelf hath ſuch a tyrannical, univerſal raign in all the world.
Conſect. 2. So deep rooted, and powerful, and univerſal is this abominable vice, that it muſt teach us what to expect in all places we live in, and may help us to make the trueſt Prognoſticks, or probableſt conjectures of any mutations where the will of man is like to be the determiner. Know once but where ſelf-intereſt lies, and you may know what almoſt all men will endeavour, and might write a probable Prognoſtication of the changes that are like to be in States, and Kingdoms, and anywhere in the world, were it not for the interpoſition of two greater Powers that have got the victory of ſelf, and that is Grace, and Divine-over-ruling Providence. I ſay were it not that theſe ſtep in, and croſs ſelf, and hinder its deſigns, you might fore-ſee in ſelf-intereſt the changes that are made in humane affairs.
Conſect. 3 And ſo Potent and common is the Dominion of ſelf that it may warrant an honeſt, moderate incredulity and jealouſie of almoſt all men, in caſes where the intereſt of ſelf is much concerned. Let him be never ſo ingenuous, let his parts and profeſſion be never ſo promiſing, let his former engagements to you be never ſo great,, let him be your own Brother; yet be not too confident of him, if his carnal ſelf be concerned or engaged againſt you. For you ſhall ſee by experience, as long as you live, that ſelf will ſtill bear Dominion in the moſt.
Conſect. 4. Above all, every wiſe and godly man ſhould herein maintain the greateſt Jealouſie of his own heart: Keep the heart above all keepings; and keep out ſelf above all ſins whatever: Take heed of ſelfiſhneſs, as ever you would be Chriſtians, and live as Chriſtians, and have the Peace of Chriſtians. And to that end be alwayes ſuſpicious of every cauſe, opinion, controverſie, or practice, where ſelf is much concerned. The very names of SELF and OWN ſhould ſound in a watchful Chriſtians ears as very terrible, wakening words, that are next to the names of Sin and Satan; and at leaſt carry in them much cauſe of ſuſpition.
And this hath led me up to the next Uſe of the Point.