Practical Divinity, Sermon 2
A SERMON OF SELF-DENIAL.
LUKE 9. 23.
And he ſaid unto them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf, and take up his croſſe daily, and follow me.
THis Text contains the firſt action performed of every Chriſtian, viz. to deny himſelf; concerning which you may here ſee,
Firſt the grounds of it.
Secondly the reaſons of it.
Thirdly, the occaſion of it.
Fourthly, the parts of it.
Faſthly and laſtly, the neceſſity of it.
I intend to handle theſe words as they are in relation to the context.
Firſt, the grounds of this truth, viz that every man muſt deny himſelfe And it is here expreſſed to be twofold, viz. the contrariety that is between Chriſt and a mans ſelfe; mee, and himſelf, theſe two termes are contradictorie one to the other; if any man will come after me, let him deny himſelf; theſe two cannot ſtand together.
Secondly. The contrariety that is between ſelf and ſelf; if a man be in Chriſt he hath two ſelves; he hath a ſelf in himſelf, and a ſelf out of himſelf; the ſelf in himſelfe is old Adam; the other in Chriſt, which is the new man; there is ſelf denying and ſelfe-denyed; if a man will find himſelf, he muſt loſe himſelf. Paul muſt not be found in Paul having his owne righteouſneſſe, but he muſt find himſelf in Chriſt; for ſalvation belongeth unto the Lord Pſal. 3. 8. And ergo let him deny himſelf.
Secondly, you may ſee the reaſon of it, which is threefold.
Firſt, Chriſts own example verſe 22. the ſon of man muſt ſuffer, muſt be rejected, Chriſt himſelf denyes himſelf; he might have commanded himſelfe, hee might have demanded credit, honor, or riches, &c. he might have done thus; yet though he had no wicked ſelf, but good ſelf, yet he denyed himſelf; and therfore if we will goe after Chriſt, we muſt do to.
Secondly, here is Chriſts merit, he hath merited this dutie; Chriſt did not humble himſelfe for himſelfe, but he did it for us, and therefore we may well deny our ſelves for him. This is included in this word And. And if I have done this for you, I would have you doe the like for mee.
Thirdly, here is Chriſts command too; let him deny himſelf; Chriſt enjoynes this to all that will come after him, let him deny himſelfe.
Now fellows the occaſion, and that is threefold.
Firſt, Peters offence; when Chriſt had told Peter and the reſt of his Apoſtles how that he muſt ſuffer; Peter was offended ſaying, Maſter, favourthy ſelfe; even like a ſervant that out of love to himſelfe would be loth his Maſter ſhould be troubled, becauſe then he thinkes himſelfe ſhall be troubled alſo; oh ſaith Chriſt, art thou offended at this? I tell thee, neither thou nor any other can come after mee unleſſe you deny your ſelves. If any man will come after me, &c.
Secondly, as Peter was offended, ſo alſo were the reſt of the Apoſtles. They were very ſorrie, Mat. 17. 22. they thought to have gotten credit in the world, and riches and worldly preferment, and now it grieved them to heare that they muſt have a ſuffering kinde of trade of it; ergo Chriſt ſaid not only to Peter, but to them all, if any man, &c.
Thirdly, like as his Apoſtles, ſo likewiſe he did foreſee that all the world will be offended at this; for many would faine have Chriſt and their ſelfe-will too; but Chriſt gives a watch-word before-hand, if any man will, &c.
Fourthly, the parts of it. The whole dutie is this, Let him deny himſelfe. Chryſoſtome on the text ſaith, not onelyonly deny himſelfe, but in the originall deny away himſelfe; not onelyonly deny credit, &c. but abhorre it; if it cannot be had but with the loſſe of Chriſt, we muſt not only barely deny ſelfe reſpects, but abhorre them and trample them under our feet.
The parts of this duty are two.
Firſt, let him take up his croſſe.
Secondly, let him deny himſelfe and follow mee.
The firſt is oppoſed to ſelfe-favouring, the ſecond to ſelfe-doing.
Firſt, let him take up his croſſe, let him not favour himſelfe; hee muſt be content to part with ſelfe-means and maintenance, and ſelfe ends too; he muſt be content to part with all theſe; hee that will come after me, muſt loſe many good friends, and many a good bit and ſweet morſell to the fleſh; he that will come after mee, muſt not ſtand upon theſe termes; ſuppoſe a croſſe of diſgrace, come, take it up and weare it as thy crowne, nay thou muſt be willing to take a croſſe before it is offered, and when thou haſt it, thou muſt be willing to bear it.
Secondly, he muſt follow me too; ones ſelfe will doe as ones ſelfe would have him; that is true; but you muſt follow me, not your ſelfe; looke to me, and frame your ſelves to walk in my ſteps, take up my croſſe, &c.
Laſtly, here is the neceſſity of it. It is abſolute true a man may go to hell if he be ſo minded, he may follow himſelf to hell; but if a man tender his ſalvation, then here is an hypotheticall neceſſity, a neceſſity with an if.
Firſt, if he mean to come after me, hee muſt take up his croſſe and deny himſelfe.
Secondly, if a man would ſave his life, he muſt loſe it: if hee will loſe it, he ſhall ſave it. If a man will keep his old relation, he may; but if he will find credit and life in heaven, hee muſt deny all ſelfe-reſpects.
Thirdly, if a man will gaine himſelfe, let him deny himſelf. But what ſay ſome, how ſhall we live then? how then ſhall I hold up my head? Theſe men would faine have the gaine of the world, but what is a man profited, if he win the world and loſe his ſoule? &c. verſe 25. if you ſtand upon theſe termes, if you can baulke a commandement for ſelfe reſpects, you may loſe your ſouls; but if you will ſave your ſoules, thus you muſt doe. Again the text ſaith, if a man be aſhamed of me and of my word, of him ſhall the ſon of man be aſhamed; ergo if ever you looke that the ſon of man ſhould not be aſhamed of you, deny yourſelves.
Now for the Expoſition.
Deny himſelf; there is the difficulty. A man cannot deny himſelf, 2 Tim. 2. 13. for affirmare & negare are contradictions; ergo ſomewhat muſt be meant by ones ſelf: yet by ones ſelf is not meant the Devill, as Micarius would have it; for ſince man hath ſinned, ſaith he, the Devill is got into him, and is as neer unto him as himſelf, he is another ſelf within his own ſelf, another heart within his own heart: ergo, if he will come after Chriſt, he muſt forſake the Devill; though this be true, yet this is not the meaning of the text.
But firſt, a mans corrupt will, wit, reaſon, and all a mans corrupt ſelf muſt be put off. Put off concerning the former converſation the old man, &c. Epheſ. 4. 22. which is a mans ſelf. Viz. thou muſt lay aſide the man that thou art, thou muſt not be the ſame man if thou wilt follow Chriſt, thou muſt be a new ſelf in Chriſt.
2. Here is not only meant a mans corrupt will, wit, reaſon, and affections, but alſo all mens luſts and corruptions, all ſinnes that cleave ſo cloſe as if they were himſelf, as fornication, uncleanneſſe, evill concupiſcence, &c. mortifie therefore your earthlie members, Coloſ. 3. 5. the Apoſtle accounts a mans luſts to as cloſe to him as his members; for untill a man be brought home to Chriſt, he and his ſins are all one, he muſt deny himſelf, viz. all his luſts.
Thirdly, By ſelfe is not onelyonly meant a mans corrupt ſelfe as ſinne and iniquity: but alſo a mans good ſelfe in ſome reſpects; not only ſins, but alſo Father, Mother, Children, Friends, &c. yea, life it ſelf, all, if they be hinderances to him from Chriſt, ſo farre he muſt deny all theſe, nay grace it ſelf; for a man may make a God of grace, or of prayer, &c. a man I ſay muſt deny all theſe ſo farre as they are ſtumblings and offences in his way to hinder him from Chriſt.
But oh ſayes one, my father will diſinherit me, I muſt humour him, he cannot endure a Puritan; If I muſt live as you would have me, I ſhall never have foot of his land; ſo the ſervant ſaies, I have a prophane maſter and he will turne me out of doors if I be ſo preciſe; yea, but what ſayes Chriſt? if you will come after me, you muſt deny Father and Mother and all; better it were that thy Father diſinherit thee then that Chriſt ſhould reject thee; therefore you muſt deny all and take up his croſſe and make it thine owne.
And ſo I come to the words Let him deny himſelfe; becauſe juſtification is after regeneration, it is neceſſarie to ſhew what ſelfe-ſeeking is, before you underſtand what ſelfe-denyall is.
By ſelfe-ſeeking, I meane a man that hath a head luſt whereby he is ſelfe-conceited of himſelfe.
There are five things in ſelfe-ſeeking.
For firſt, ſelfe is a head luſt.
Secondly, it's a luſt of ſelf-conceit.
Thirdly, of ſelf-will.
Fourthly, of ſelf-wit.
Fifthly, of ſelf-confidence.
1. Selfe is a head luſt, it is the main luſt that keeps men from coming unto Chriſt; all ſeek their owne, not that which is Jeſus Chriſts, Philip, 2. 21. What is the reaſon? why becauſe they ſeek ſelfe, they follow their owne thoughts; and becauſe they are ruled by their owne ſelves, therefore they art not ruled by Chriſt.
That it is a head luſt, I prove it by five argument.
1. Becauſe it is the leading luſt to all luſts; no luſt in the world but ſelfe leads the dance; why is man proud, but becauſe ſelfe would get credit? why is a man covetous, but becauſe ſelfe would have means and maintenance? why is a man revengefull, but becauſe ſelfe will not put up wrongs? Chriſt bids us of all luſts to take heed of ſelfe, Luke 21. 34. Chriſt knowing what a deceitfull thing ſelfe is, he bids us have a care of ſelf-beguiling; Take heed to your ſelves (ſaith he) for if you do not, ſelfe will bring you into many noyſome luſts, as ſurfeting and drunkneſſe, and the cares of this life, &c. and ſo that day will come upon us unawares.
2. Selfe is the cauſe of all other luſts of the heart; it is the plotter and the ruler of all, it is the maſter of Arts; it was ſelfe that found out all luſts. Selfe found out pride, ſecurity and covetouſneſſe, and all other noyſome luſts; ſelfe is loth to take the paines that God would have it, and therefore ſelf ſets his wits on the tainters, and hence it is that Solomon ſaith God made man upright, but he (viz. ſelf) hath found many inventions, Eccle. 7. 21. Man was upright, and God was the cauſe; He became wicked, how? why ſelfe found out many inventions. ſelfe is the inventer of all, and when ſelfe cannot get meanes enough by that way which God hath allowed, then ſelfe ſeekes out for credit, wealth, pleaſure, &c. then it deviſes wayes of it ſelfe to get reputation, ſo that ſelfe is the cauſe of luſt.
3. Selfe is an inluſt, it runnes along through all the luſts of the fleſh, there is in every luſt of the fleſh an ounce of ſelfe. There would be no ſecurity in man but that ſelfe would faine live at eaſe. So that as David ſaid unto the woman of Tekoah, hath not Joab a hand in all this? ſo may I ſay, hath not ſelfe a hand in all this? Aquinas ſaith it is called ſelfe out of an inordinate love that a man bears to himſelf and to thoſe things which ſeem good to mans ſelfe: A man hath not onelyonly luſt to pride, pleaſure, &c. but a man looks alſo to things for ſelfe, either for ſome profit for ſelfe, or credit for ſelfe; ſelfe is alwayes an inluſt. See it in the wicked Steward, Luke 16. he ſaid within himſelfe, &c. hee was to be turned out of his ſtewardſhip. Now, what did he? He ſaid to himſelfe, or within himſelfe; what ſaid he? why, he ſaid to begge he was aſhamed, and dig hee could not; ſelfe was too lazie to work, and too proud to beg, and ſo he brought his maſters two hundred pounds to fifty; and what was his reaſon for it? why, ſaith he, that they may receive me into their houſes, verſe 2. &c. and it is ſaid, the Lord commended the unjuſt Steward, not as if he had commended the ſinne, but as if he ſhould ſay, I commend his wit.
4. It is a make luſt; a man would never break out into luſt if it were not for ſelfe. Doeg had a luſt of confidence in his riches, Pſal. 52. 7. and this made Eſau comfort himſelfe againſt Jacob; hee had a murthering luſt to comfort himſelf, Gen. 27. 42. The Jewes had a luſt of formality to pray, to hear, to bring offerings, to obſerve all the new Moones, and Ordinances of God, ye they had no delight in theſe things; no, their mind was on their imaginations, they loathed the word of God; why then would they do this? why ſelfe was the cauſe, and they thought thereby to ſtay themſelves upon God, Eſay 48. 2. And for this cauſe many amongſt us come to Church; this is a damnable luſt.
Haman would not have vaunted of being invited to the Queenes banquet, but that the Queene invited none but himſelfe with the King; he would not have beene ſo willing to anſwer to A haſhueroths queſtion, but for himſelfe; whom doth the King delight to honour more then my ſelfe thought he; ſelfe makes a man covetous, injurious, and full of wrongs, &c.
5. As it is a make luſt, ſo it is a requeſting luſt; Other luſts are with ſome men out of date; many reprobates cannot abide drunkenneſſe, nor pride, nor uſury; theſe ſinnes are out of date; why, doth not a man love a niggard? why, becauſe ſelfe is not the better for him; he cannot get ſo much as a dinner by him; many other ſinnes may be out of date alſo with men: but ſelfe is never out of date, it is alwayes in requeſt, and ſo long as men do well unto themſelves they ſhall be praiſed, ſaith the Pſalmiſt. Pſal. 49. 18. he hath none to make much of himſelfe but himſelfe. Every man for himſelfe and God for us all, ſaith ſelfe. But ſometime ſelfe is out of love; but how? why hee will do no good but unto himſelfe; this men cannot abide; this they ſay is ſelfe out of his wits; but ſelfe with the wiſdome of the fleſh is alwayes in requeſt, viz. when men will be kind to others that they may be kind to them againe; this ſelfe the world loves alife.
2. Now I come to the ſecond, which is ſelf-conceit; ſelf-ſeeking ſuppoſeth ſelfe conceitedneſſe. There is a bird called S. a faire bird, in French it is called the Devils bird, it is a black-bird, and yet it is conceited with it ſelf that it is faire. By S. I meane firſt the conceit a man hath of himſelfe. What ſhall I (ſaith ſelfe) be diſgraced by one that goes to plough and to cart, and ſhall I put it up? No, I am a Gentleman, &c. Another ſaith I am ſuch and ſuch a Scholar, and ſhall I be contented with ſuch a poor living? theſe men will beare no reproofe, they will none of my counſell, Prov. 1. 30. and therefore they ſhall eate o the fruit of their own way, &c. verſe 31.
Secondly, when a man is conceited of himſelfe and of his owne gifts, as commonly women are of their beauty, and ſcholars of their learning. A hanſome man, and I warrant you he knowes it; diligent at Church, and he knowes it is ſo, &c. and he thinks his caſe the better; nay, you ſhall have men ſo conceited of their parts, as that they will be conceited of their wicked parts, as Simon Magus was of his Sorcerie, Acts 8. 9.
Thirdly, when a man is ſelf-conceited of his actions; he doth as Siſera's mothers Ladies did when they had given their verdict of Siſeras ſtaying; they were preſently conceited, oh what a wittie anſwer they made her; ſee Judges 5. 29. 30. as if they ſhould ſay, we have anſwered very wiſely; ſo a man cannot make a ſermon, but preſently hee is conceited oh what a learned Sermon it was; he cannot break a jeſt, but ſtraight he is conceited, oh what a wittie one it was; nay of wicked actions; you ſhall hear many an old man tell what prettie pranks (as hee calls them) he played in his youth, and he tells it laughingly, which is a ſigne that he is ſelf-conceited, or elſe ſurely he would ſpeak it wit ſhame and greife of heart.
Fourthly and laſtly, ſelf-conceit is when a man is ſelf-conceited of the eſtate he is in. Many a man though he be the child of hell, yet he is conceited that hee is the child of God; who with the wretch in the Goſpel have conceits that they love God and Chriſt, and therefore with him they will come to the Sacraments; but Chriſt will ſay to ſuch as he did to him, friends how came you in hither? can you conceit your ſelves to be friends? get you gon into utter darkneſſe (ie) into hell, ſaith our Saviour.
Now if you would know what ſelf-conceit is, you muſt remember that it containes foure things.
Firſt, where there is ſelf-conceit, there is no reall worth at all; hee that is ſelf-conceited is a baſe man; take that for a rule. A ſelf-conceited fellow is a baſe fellow, as we uſe to ſay; there is no reall worth at all in a conceited man; all the worth that hee hath, is either reall as he thinks, or conceitable; now what reall worth can ſelf have? You know what the Scripture ſaith, tis only in imaginations, and God ſcatters the proud in the imaginations of their hearts. Luke 1. 43. They it may be doe imagine that they are Gentlemen, or that they have faith, and yet God ſcatters theſe men in their imaginations.
Secondly, as hee hath no reall worth in himſelf, ſo hee will not ſtand to the judgement of thoſe that can judge him. God can tell the worth of every thing, but they will not be judged by him; Gods Miniſters out of Gods word can tell him that he hath no reaſon to think his caſe good; but he will not ſtand to the judgement of Gods Miniſters. If a Miniſter ſhould come to a man and ſay unto him, Sir, you are conceited that you are a good Chriſtian, I pray what ſignes have you for it; you pray, ſo doe Reprobates; you heare the word and receive the Sacraments, ſo doe Reprobates; haſt thou no better ſignes then theſe? no better arguments then theſe? Why, I tell thee that a Reprobate hath theſe and more then theſe too. A ſelfe-conceited man will be judged by none but by himſelf; A ſluggard is wiſer in his own conceit then ſeven men who can give a reaſon, Prov. 26. 16. The ſluggard is loth to take more paines; why, he thinks he takes paines enough, and ſo he is conceited, and more he will not doe; let ſeven men come and tell him that he muſt take more pains, yet he will not, and that becauſe he is conceited that hee doth enough. Even ſo it is with the ſluggiſh Chriſtian, he is wiſe in his own conceit; for let ſeven Miniſters come and tell him that hee muſt take more paines for heaven, or elſe he will never come there; yet he will not beleeve them, he is wiſer then ſo, they are fooles as hee thinks, though hee have no reſon ſo to thinke; he indeed is not as he ſhould bee, and Gods Miniſters can bring reaſons out of the Scriptures to prove it; for Wiſdom is profitable to direct, Eccleſ. 10. 10. But every conceited man is a blinde man.
Thirdly, A ſelf-concieted man as hee will not ſtand to the judgement of thoſe that can judge him, ſo he hath too high a conceit of himſelf; be he never ſo little godly, he is preſently conceited he is a child of God; ſo if a man have never ſo little humility or patience, I hee come to Church, pray or doe but a few good duties in religion, hee thinks preſently it is as a high wall unto him, and he ſhall goe to heaven cock ſure; and let other men be never ſo holy, ſtrict, religious, and pious in their waies, yet they are apt to think them Reprobates. If he ſee never ſo little ſlipps among them, hee is preſently ready to ſay they are all naught; if any be flaſe among them, hee is ready to ſay they are all-hounds; but if himſelf bee conceited that hee have never ſo little faith, oh preſently hee thinks that is a high wall.
Fourthly and laſtly, hee reſteth in the judgement of him ſelf; and this is the caſe of thouſands in the world; they think well of their own caſes, when they die they ſhall goe to heaven, there is no queſtion but Chriſt will ſave them, and from this conceit they will never be put; let all the Miniſters in the world come one after another, and diſcover unto a wicked man his eſtate, yet hee will not come from his own cenſure; for though you bray a foole in a morter among wheat with a peſtle, yet will not his fooliſhneſſe depart from him, Prov. 27. 22. So if you ſhould bray theſe men with the threatnings of the law, with the plagues contained in the Bible, making theit conſciences black and blew (as we uſe to ſpeak) yet they will not leave off their conceitedneſſe.
Now the reaſons hereof are foure.
1. Becauſe all ſinners are fooles; and the fooliſh ſhall not ſtand in Gods ſight, Pſal. 5. 5. All that work iniquity are fooles; a ſelf-conceited foole is a proverbe; and our Saviour who knew the combination of all ſinnes, joynes pride and fooliſhneſſe together, Mark 7. 22. a proud conceited man and a foole are put together by our Saviour. And this is the cauſe why ſo many thouſands in the world are conceited of themſelves that their caſe is good when tis nothing ſo, even becauſe they are fools; none but fools will look more after pelf, then jewels, and prefer tranſitorie things before heavenly; yet ſuch are the wiſe men of this world. That man is a fool that cannot eate his meate; and ſuch is every ſinner; his ſoule hath no food but Chriſt, the word and his promiſes; yet he knowes not how to feed on them; he hath no cover to hide his nakedneſſe but Chriſt, &c. yet he knowes not how to put on Chriſt; therefore he is a fool.
Secondly, men are borne fooles; of all fooles none ſo ſelf-conceited as the born foole; one that hath been a wiſe man, knows how to hold his peace, but a born foole is invincible; vain man would be wiſe, though he be borne like a wild Aſſes colt, Job 11. 12. Of all creatures the foal of the Aſſe is the ſimpleſt; needs then muſt the wild Aſſes colt be moſt ſimple. So although a man be borne a foole, yet he would be counted wiſe; he is conceited that all the Miniſters in the world cannot direct him; no, he is wiſe enough for that mater; this folly is bred and borne in him, he hath it by kind, and that is the reaſon that it is hardly clawed off, but they are ready to ſay they are as wiſe as the Miniſters themſelves.
I call not into queſtion the wits of many; I know many of you are underſtanding men and women; but I ſpeak now of the Wiſdome of the Spirit, and how you may underſtand to ſave your ſouls. What is it for a man to be worldly wiſe, to get riches and honour, and to behave himſelfe like a Gentleman, and yet a foole in ſeeking his ſalvation? this is to be penny wiſe; but here is the queſtion, are you not pound fooliſh? can you go on in your ſinnes, ſwearing, &c? then ſurely you are pound fooliſh; all your wiſdome and money availes nothing; alas you are but penny Gentlemen. The Sodomites, Gen. 19. were blind, they could not find the doore; they could ſee well enough elſe, they were onelyonly blind in this; ſo man is ſtultus ad hoc, wiſe enough for any thing in the world but this; take him for husbandrie, and his knowledge is good; for matter of carriage he can behave himſelfe as well as the wiſeſt; he is only ſtultus ad hoc, for ſalvation he is a foole, a born foole, and ſelf-conceited.
3. Men are ſelf-conceited for their owne eſtate; thoſe that praiſe themſelves wee uſe to ſay have ill neighbours; ſo if a fool had a good neighbour to tell him of his folly, and to laugh at him for it, he would not praiſe himſelfe; ſo he that praiſeth hmſelfe, it is certaine he hath ill neighbours: ſo the reaſon why men are well conceited of themſelves, is becauſe they have ill neighbours; they think they are honeſt, and ſo do their neighbours; but now if a drunkard could go nowhere but that every one would tell him that he were a hellhound, he would not be drunk; but an ill neighbour he tels him he need not feare, by the grace of God he ſhall do well enough, he is a good Chriſtian; and hence it is that when fooles are not anſwered according to theit folly, that they are conceited of themſelves; when men are ſoothed up, others thinke well of them, and they alſo think their owne caſes good; for ſay they, if I were not a good Chriſtian, ſuch and ſuch would not be acquainted with me.
Fourthly and laſtly, becuaſe the Lord delivers many up to the ſpirit of ſlumber, Rom. 11. 8. Black poppy ſeed will caſt a man into ſuch a ſleep as that his eyes ſhall be broad open, and yet he not ſee; ſo the Lord hath caſt men into a ſlumber like a man betweene ſleeping and waking; of all ſleep none like to ſlumber, becauſe it is full of imaginations; never is a man ſo full of dreams as then when he is in a ſlumber. If a man were a drunkard and in the deep of all evill, and luld in the deep ſea of ſecurity, he could not be ſo well conceited; but now that his eyes are halfe open, halfe ſhut, halfe awake, halfe aſleepe, halfe out, halfe in, he thinkes his repentance is good, his caſe good, and he hopes he ſhall find merciemercy at the hands of God, as well as the beſt Puritan in the pariſh; they are like the dreamer (as Ioſephs brethren termed him) ſingular, in Hebrew the Maſter Dreamer; they dreame they ſhall have merciemercy, and they ſhall not be damned, theſe men are in a ſlumber, they have eyes and ſee not, &c. Eſay. 28. they ſee the judgement of God, but perceive it not.
Conſider what a wofull caſe theſe men are in, and how the Scripture calls this ſelfe-conceit.
Firſt, it calls it nothing but a thinking; if a man think himſelfe to be ſomething, he is nothing. Gal. 6. 3. to think thy ſelf a Chriſtian, is a vain thought.
2. The Scripture calls it ſuperſtition; what a vaine thing it is for a man to be a ſuppoſing? they ſuppoſe they ſhall goe to heaven, they ſuppoſe they are better then others, better then thoſe on whom the Tower of Siloam fell; and ſo many ſuppoſe they are not in the gall of bitterneſſe not in the band of iniquity.
Thirdly, it calls them ſhaddowes; they walk in a vain ſhew Pſal. 39. 6. viz. their repentance ſhewes as if it were good repentance. They can ſpeak lowly, there is a ſhew that they are humble. Man walks in vain ſhew, like a Tradeſman who hath abundance of things which he makes ſhew of, yet are none of his own; ſo hee talkes of grace which was never his own.
Fourthly, it calls them imaginations, Acts 4.
Fifthly, it calls them appearances, Matth. 6. 16. So men appeare all at a Sermon, but their hearts never lie down before the Word, there are nothing but ſeemings, 1 Cor. 3. Thus you may think your ſelves or ſuppoſe your ſelves to be in good caſe, when as it were better thou didſt appeare to be a hell-hound then a Chriſtian, and not be ſo indeed; for then there were ſome hope that thou wouldſt look out. If a man be ſick, yet if he ſeem to be well, none will look out for him as they would doe if he ſeemed to be ſick indeed; and therefore this is the moſt dangerous ſickneſſe; ſo if men did ſeem to be damned wretches, that they were borne and continue in ſin, and when they dye they muſt be damned, if men feared thus, they would look out.
Secondly, conſider ſo long as thou art well conceited of thy ſelf, Chriſt hath no commiſſion to call thee; and Chriſt will doe nothing but what he hath commiſſion to doe, he will not runne into a Praemunire; Chriſt doth proteſt to all the world that hee hath no commiſſion from his Father for ſuch; I am not came to call the righteous, &c. Matth. 9. 3. viz. thoſe that are righteous in their owne eſteeme and thoughts, but are not; if a man tell them that they are fitter for hell then for heaven, they are duplicate page duplicate page better-conceited of themſelves then ſo; if a man tell them for all their profeſſion they may be hell-hounds, yet they conceit better of their profeſſion then ſo; now then conſider what a caſe thou art in, if thou bee out of Chriſts road.
Thirdly, as Chriſt hath no commiſſion, ſo he is glad he hath not, and he gives thanks to his Father that he put him not into commiſſion, I thank thee O Father, &c. Luke 10. 21. q. d. thou doſt not convert thoſe that are ſelf-conceited, thoſe that think they ſhall not be damned, ſuch as conceit that they need no ſummons, that are righteous enough; Father, I am glad of it, &c. and it is ſaid there that Jeſus rejoyced, &c. I rather rejoyce that thou haſt ſent me to poor ſouls, ſuch as are the off-ſcouring of the world, &c. but he that is ſelfe-conceited, is wiſer forſooth then ſo; Chriſt tels thee that thou muſt take up his croſſe; but thou thinkeſt that thou haſt more wit, thou canſt goe a wiſer way to worke; thou haſt an eaſier way to heaven, thou wilt none of the Croſſe; and I tell thee then that Chriſt will none of thee, but he wIll be glad to ſee thee damned.
Fourthly and laſtly, he is in the broad way to hell that is ſelfe-conceited; there be many wayes to hell; the covetous goes one way, the Drunkard goes another, there are a thouſand wayes to hell; though there by ſundry wayes to hell, yet they all meet in ſelfe-conceit, there is the broad high way where all meet; ſelfe-conceit is not only the way to hell, but it is the broad way where all wayes meet. There is a way (ſaith the wiſe man) that ſeems right, &c. Prov. 14. 12 but the end of it is death; there is the wages, there all the wayes meet. Oh then examine your ſelves. I ſhould give you ſignes and tokens to make it appeare unto you; but the time will not give me leave. I will only name one or two. That man that ſelfe-ſweares, is conceited of himſelfe, that is one ſigne; As I am an honeſt man, As God ſhall help me, by my faith and troth, As I looke that the Lord ſhould ſave my ſoule, &c. theſe men are highly conceited of themſelves, they think that their ſalvation is ſure, yea ſo ſure that that they may ſweare by it, but theſe are devilliſh and damnable ſelfe-conceits; it is Gods prerogative only tr ſweare by himſelf, Heb. 6. l3, 14. I ſpeak this becauſe I know it is a common practiſe among men, and a helliſh brand of a curſed ſelf-conceited man.