of the cause contempt of God the cause of sin being found in every sin and in regard of Originall all other vices springing either mediately or immediately from this the more a man exalts himselfe the more he dishonours God the more a man doth lift himself up in his own conceit and opinion the more he doth cast plung himself into the gulf and mire of spirituall pollution fulnes of pride and fulnesse of uncleannesse are inseparable companions 2. Self-exaltation is the patron and protector of all other vices this blinds men that they cannot see their sinnes this hardens men that they will not confesse their sinnes this makes men such admirers of themselves and their owne wayes that they apprehend their very vices to be virtues this makes men studious and artificiall to cloake and colour and hide their sins this makes instruction and admonition the meanes of suppressing sin contemptible and causeth man with impudency and shamelesse boldnesse to maintaine and plead for his profanenesse the soule which learnes not to be humble cannot cease from transgression pride among other vices is like Goliah among the Philistines the Philistines were invincible untill Goliah was overthrowne other lusts in the soule of man are impugnable untill pride and self-exaltation is cast downe mans labour in the worke of mortification is vain and fruitles untill his pride is mortified the spirituall conquest is never gotten as long as pride beares the dominion He that overcomes not this overcomes no lust Selfe-exaltation in the soule of man is like a Castle or Fort and other vices like houses built under the Castle which cannot easily be assaulted and beaten downe because the Fort defends them the overthrow of other vices is impossible untill the Castle of pride is beaten downe in the heart of man the Pharisees being given to self-exaltation to the seeking and lifting up of themselves were under the power of every base lust erronious superstitious covetous malicious their very piety was nothing but hypocrisie he that doth not cease from himself will cease from no sinne if he be but once put upon the temptation therefore be not wise saith Solomon in thine owne eyes feare the Lord and depart from evill implying that where there is not a cessation from self-wisdome and self-exaltation there is no feare of God no keeping of Gods precepts no disposition no care to please God no cessation from sin for conscience sake therfore take away this vice saith Chrysostome that men would not appeare to men this vice of self-exaltation and all vices are cut off without labour Vpon the death of the first-borne of Pharaoh the children of Israel were delivered upon the mortification of pride the first-borne of the spirituall Pharaoh the soules of men obtain a gracious freedome Goliahs head being cut off all the Philistines fled the death of pride is the slight of all sinne he that exalts himselfe remaines both a stranger to the life power and comfort of all godlinesse and a nurse and patron to all unclean and base affections 3. Self-exaltation is the most invincible of all vices the roots thereof are so deepe and strong and so largely spread in the heart of man it puts the soule at such a great distance from God makes man so uncapable of Christ and heavenly wisdome so weds man unto himselfe and causeth man so to please and delight himselfe in himselfe so to prize the applause of man and to slight the approbation of God that there is no disease in the soul of man so uneasily cured no weed in the garden of mans heart so uneasily plucked up no enemy in the common-weale of mans soul so difficultly overcome as self-exaltation it is the hardest taske that ever man undertooke truly to deny himselfe and fully to prostrate and put himselfe under God and Christs yoake Pharaoh did many things in the way of love and honour to Joseph he put his ring upon his hand and arrayed him in vestures of fine linnen and set him over his house but yet he reserved this unto himselfe to be greater in the throne then Joseph man may doe much in the way of outward zeale for God he may exalt God very farre above his profit above his pleasure above his peace yea above his life and yet still reserve to himselfe a preheminence above God he may cloath the naked feed the hungry and give his body to be burned in the cause of God and yet doe all this for himselfe more then for his God for his owne applause more then for the praise of God for the having of a name with men more then for the glorifying of the name of God Of all conquests selfe-conquest is the most difficult most excellent most noble and glorious he that can rule his spirit saith Solomon his proud his self-seeking and self-exalting spirit is better then he that taketh a City Man hath no greater enemy then himself he never doth more excellently then when he overcomes himselfe the overcoming of a Kingdome is nothing in comparison of mans conquest of his owne corruption pride is the first evill in mans departure from God and the last evill which is overcome in man returning unto God Shamma stood it out and defended the field when the people fled Self-exaltation stands it out like a mighty champion in the heart of man when all other lusts seeme to fly when other lusts goe out like fire that wants fewell yet this lust of self-exaltation as long as any thing of the old-man remaines in man will put it self forth and strive to soare aloft and climbe up in the thron of God Man hath most cause to watch pray against self-exaltation of all the evils which are within him 4. Self-exaltation corrupteth and destroyeth all the gifts and graces bestowed on man the evill herbe in the Prophets pot made the pot a pot of death ambition and self-exaltation in the soule of man marres all the excellencies of man turns all his gifts into a pot of death poysons all the endowments of man the more he hath received the lesse mindfull he is of God the higher thoughts he conceiveth of himselfe the more able and active he sheweth himself in evill and the more he sleights and scornes all instruction That man of all others is the fittest instrument to doe the worke of the prince of darknesse in whom abilities and a proud spirit are concurrent this like leaven sowrs the whole lump of mans vertues the tree sweetned the waters of Marah which were bitter but this like gall and wormwood sowres and imbitters those gifts and abilities which in themselves are very sweet and of singular use making vertue and the duties of piety subject and serviceable to mans vain-glory it is Gregories observation that as humility cuts the sinews of all vices and strengthens all vertues so pride destroyes all vertues and strengthens all vices pride is a very pernicious and venimous
abilities upon Christs service He that truly feares Christ will withhold nothing which may tend to the exaltation of Christ his Church and Gospell 3. Lively sence and feeling of the necessity of Christ and his Gospell Mens exaltation of Christ is according to their apprehension of the necessity of Christ When the Elders of Gilead saw the necessity they had of Jeptha then they made him head and Captaine over them When men see and feele the want of Christ the perill of their estate without Christ then they put themselves under Christ then they exalt and magnifie Christ then they labour the setting up of Christ and his Gospell Sence of sicknesse famine siege bondage makes physicke food an army a ransomer very precious Physitians were of great esteeme with the woman troubled with a fluxe of bloud she spent all her substance upon them Christ and his Gospell are of great price with the man to whom sinne is a torment a griefe a trouble he will withhold nothing which may tend to the exaltation of Christ and his Gospell to the working out and removing of the sinne which doth molest him When Josephs brethren were in want and had no bread to sustaine them then they came and bowed themselves before Joseph and when they called to mind their great trespasse against him then they besought his favour and were very submissive to him Mans sence of his owne emptinesse drives him to Christ and causeth him to vaile and stoop to Christ to put himselfe under the feet of Christ and readily to exalt and set up Christ selfe-opinion ignorance of mans want of Christ and the Gospell is a great impediment to our setting up of Christ and his kingdome 4. Elevation and raising of the heart of man to a holy spirituall and noble frame and temper The heart of man naturally is very base carnall and earthly delighting like the swine in the mire and mud of the world rellishing and savouring nothing but that which is worldly and fleshly his spirit is very low and ignoble and his highest aime is but to ascend some mole-hill or mountaine of the earth like the prodigall he is a companion of swine and feeds on the huskes of worldly vanities his longings like the besotted Israelites is after the onyons and flesh-pots of Egypt poore things unworthy and empty things of the earth Man like Nebuchadnezzars image how ever deckt with gold and silver authority and dominion and glorious in outward appearance to the world yet his feet are yron and clay his thoughts his affections the motions and goings of his heart are very base and dishonourable The spirit of man must be therefore sublimated and refined by Christ the great refiner of the soule Mans drosse and tin must be purged out the earthinesse and basenesse of his spirit must be taken away and man endowed with a more spirituall sublime and noble disposition and temper of soule or he can never intend Christ exalt Christ and his Gospell It is recorded in Ezra that the chiefe of the fathers rose up with all them whose spirits God had raised to goe up to build the house of God in Ierusalem First God raised their hearts put willingnesse alacrity enlargement opennesse and courage into their hearts to doe the worke and then they went to build Thus God must raise our hearts innoble our spirits make us spiritually heroicall or we shall never build Ierusalem never labour the advancement of Christ and his â—ospell Christ raised Lazarus out of the grave and then he followed him Christ must raise our spirits from their earthlinesse and basenesse or they will never be serviceable to him The Spirit of the living creatures was in the wheeles and they moved where the living creatures moved Christ must put his Spirit into us or we shall never follow him never seeke his honour and the welfare of his Gospell It is said of Saul when the Lord had made him King that he went home to Gibeah and there went with him a band of men whose heart God had touched God hath set Christ his King upon his holy hill of Sion but there is no man followes him no man exalts and honours him as a King but such whose hearts the Lord doth touch with the gracious finger of his Spirit the basenesse cowardlinesse and earthlinesse of our spirits must be put away and our hearts throughly refined otherwise we cannot discerne Christ we cannot rellish Christ we cannot love Christ we cannot prize Christ we can never put our selves upon the exaltation of Christ his Kingdome and Gospell but when old things are past away and all become new when we are renewed in the spirit of our mind when the Spirit of God like Eliahs fiery charet hath taken us up from the earth and hath raised our hearts thoughts desires and affections to the things which are above then shall we rejoyce in Christ and his Gospell then shall we put our selves and all that we have upon the service of Christ and the Gospell then shall we pray for the prosperity welfare and advancement of Christs Gospell and kingdome then shall we say Blessed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord. CHAP. XII CHrist came not as the false prophets of old in his owne name he had his calling and commission from above No man saith the Apostle speaking of Christ taketh this honour to himselfe but such an one as is called of God as Aaron was and this is the second particular in the first generall part of these words Christs Calling and Commission He came in the name of the Lord Christ is said to come in the name of the Lord. 1. In respect of Ordination Christ as Mediator was appointed of old to minister salvation to Gods chosen fore-ordained saith Saint Peter before the foundation of the world but was manifest in these last times A lambe slaine from the foundation of the world saith Saint John slaine from the foundation of the world in the eternall preordination of God in the promise of the seed of woman to breake the serpents head in the legall sacrifices in the faith of the fathers and in the sufferings of his members in whose sufferings Christ suffered their sufferings then shadowing Christs suffering to come 2. In respect of preparation Christ as Man and Mediator is prepared and furnished with all abilities to execute and accomplish his office it pleased the Father saith Paul that in him should all fulnesse dwell fulnesse of wisedome power grace righteousnesse and worth to minister to his Church whatsoever appertained to the salvation welfare or peace thereof he having the Spirit poured out upon him above measure 3. In respect of Calling designation and investiture into his office The Lord saith Christ as Mediator hath called me from the wombe from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name and I
3. There must be a deposition of our selves we must lay aside our selves in respect of opinion we must have very low thoughts of our selves in respect of delight and pleasure we must not please our selves in our selves but loath ourselves in respect of Love we must not love our selves please mind and exalt our selves but deny our selves in respect of trust we must not trust in our selves but be jealous of our selves distrust our owne hearts accuse and condemne our selves and in respect of the end we must not intend our selves propose our owne ends but intend Christ and the glory of Christ Thus we must lay aside our selves and empty our selves of our selves that wee may receive Christ the empty vessell receives the liquor there is no place for it in the full 2. Holy wise and carefull preparation to the hearing of Christ in the Gospell Elisha before he prophesâ—ed before Jehosaphat and Jehoram called for a Musitian to play some sacred song the better to appease his spirit and put his mind in a quiet and heavenly frame and then the hand of the Lord was upon him and he prophecyed Thus before we come into the presence of Christ to heare we should by some holy meditation and fervent prayer gather home our thoughts take off our selves from the world suppresse and put away the distemper of our spirits worke our hearts into a holy and gracious frame and tempor and compose our selves to heare so shall the hand of God he upon us in hearing and we shall heare and receive Christ with much joyfulnesse the preparednesse of the eye to see of the care to heare and of the pallate to taste makes them joyfull in seeing hearing tasting the soules joy and comfort in hearing is ordinarily sutable to mans preparation Man is ashamed and grieved to receive his Prince into a sâ—rded and filthy house but having his house clensed garnished and all things set in order he is joyfull in the entertainment Want of preparation is the cause of much discomfort sadnesse and dulnesse in hearing Christ comming in the Gospell is very comfortably entertained by the soule which is duely prepared 3. Sure and gracious interest in Christ Beleeve in Christ lay hold on Christ select and take Christ unto your selves make him yours As the Merchant sold all for the precious pearle in the parable and made the pearle his owne so sell all put away all your sinnes remove all worldly vanities and interest your selves in Christ as the woman leaves her owne people and her fathers house to make another man her husband thus leave the world your sinfull acquaintance your corrupt and carnall customes come off from them all and apply your selves to Christ espouse your selves by faith and love to him and then your soules shall joyfully wait upon him in the Gospell as the Queene waits upon the King in his palace with joy and gladnesse as the bride doth joyfully heare the voice of the bridegroome thus the Spouse professeth her joy and comfort in Christ in the Gospell his mouth his word and doctrine is most sweet he is altogether lovely There is the expression of her joyfull receiving Christ in the Gospell this is my Beloved and this is my friend there is the declaration of her interest in him Christ is ever more or lesse joyfull to the heart of man in the Gospell according to mans assurance of interest in him he never feeles Christ a sweet and gracious comforter that looks upon him in his word as a stranger 4. Cleare and lively discerning and apprehension of the dignity worth and excellency of Christ He that hath a jewell and knowes not the worth of him is nothing affected with him like Esops cocke he rejoyceth more in a barley corne ignorance of the worth of Christ takes away the soules delight and joy in Christ the wise Merchant knowes the worth of a pearle and is much joyed at the finding of him the wise Christian knowing the price and worth of Christ is much joyed when he meets with Christ in the Gospell â— the Spouse in Solomons Song sets forth her apprehension of the beauty worth and excellency of Christ of his Godhead and manhood in one person of his glory innocency grace mercy and justice of his preheminence and exaltation above all creatures of his glorious kingdome his unsearchable wisedome his gracious and mercifull beholding of grieved sinners his beauty and comelinesse to the eyes of faith and concludes at length his mouth is most sweet and altogether lovely His mouth the doctrines words promises comforts of his Gospell are very sweet as the honey or the honey-combe strive then more clearly to discerne the worth of Christ if you intend the increase of your comfort in Christ The prophane Gaderine that thinks more highly of his swine then of Christ never meets with joy in Christ 5. Holy and gracious making use of Christ in the Gospell The eye makes use of the Sunne it sees by it the care makes use of the voice it discernes what is spoken by it the thirsty traveller makes use of the fountaine he quencheth his thirst with it refresheth himselfe by it And all these rejoyce the eye in the Sunne the care in the sound and the thirsty in the fountaine and in these they rejoyce because they make use of them Make use then of Christ in his Gospell as a scholler doth of his teacher learning heavenly wisedome as a sicke man doth of his Physitian recovering spirituall health by him as a besieged City doth of their Captaine feeling him casting downe the holds of sinne and restoring thy soule to freedome as the wise man in the parable did of the rocke build upon him the more use you make of Christ the more comfort you shall find in Christ Christ is both unprofitable and uncomfortable to him that makes no use of him as a sealed Well and an eclipsed Sunne There is a price saith Solomon in the hand of a foole but he hath not a heart to make use of him We have Christ in the Gospell a pearle of great price and it is mans exceeding great foolishnesse not to make use of Christ Iesus 6. Blessed and heavenly sence and experience of Christs sanctifying and saving worke upon our soules in the Gospell The influence and operation of the Sunne upon the earth in the Spring makes it appeare very pleasant and joyfull the sence of Christs gracious worke upon the heart glads the heart he brought me saith the Spouse into his chambers that is he revealed unto me the secret of the Lord the secret worke of the Lord in the illumination of my understanding in the regenerating of my heart in the quickning of my soule in the putting of a new nature upon me in the pacifying of my conscience and comforting of my soule these are the chambers whereinto she was brought the secret and blessed wayes of Christ with a gracious
By the trouble which remaining and rebelling lusts are unto the soule of man If they be troublesome to the soule as the Canaanites to Israel as thornes in our sides and prickles in our eyes as diseases in our flesh and burthens on our backs as rebels and mutinous persons in a common-weale are a trouble to the common-weale Though we are not fully freed from yet we have truly denyed them when sinne is not sweet as wine but bitter as gall to our palate not pleasant as bread but troublesome as gravell to our teeth not pleasing as the wife of a mans bosom but offensive as a contentious and quarrelsome inmate there the lusts of a man are denyed they doe not raigne and beare dominion they have not the full and peaceable possession where they are a trouble Paul was one that had in a very high measure denyed himselfe yet he complaines of sinne as of a law in his members rebelling against the law of his mind and sometimes leading him captive yet this being a trouble to him as a dead member to the body as a mote to the eye as a thorne to the foot the Lord comforts him with the sufficiency of his grace My grace is sufficient for thee 2. By the godly griefe and sorrow of the heart of man for the lusts yet remaining and making warre within him When the presence and opposition of corruption makes man to sorrow as a woman in travell untill his soule is delivered and discharged of them to mourne as the Israelites lift up their voice and wept because the Canaanites continued among them and to grieve for the presence of sinfull lusts in his heart as Sarah was grieved for the presence of the daughters of Heth in her house When a mans sorrow is continually before him because sinne is continually within him such a man may assure himselfe of his self-denyall He that hath a continuall godly sorrow for his sinne is not under the dominion of sinne true repentance argues an infallible denyall of corrupt and carnall affections 3. By a holy gracious and constant Contestation against the lusts which remaine within him He that feeles the Spirit the regenerate part striving against the flesh as Rebeckah felt Jacob striving against Esau in her wombe He that fights against his lusts as Joshuah against the Amalekites he that makes warre against his corruptions as the house of David against the house of Saul and prevailes and increaseth his strength as the house of David did may ascertaine himselfe of freedome from the Lordship and power of his corruptions He that warres against sinne makes no provision for sinne any more then a man doth for the enemy against whom he wages warre He that warres a good warfare against Satan the world and his owne lusts holding faith and a good conscience is a blessed conquerour hath won the conquest though much assaulted by Satan and his owne corruptions It is not mans being assaulted by his lusts but mans yeelding to his lusts which argues absence of self-denyall 4 By mans humbling himselfe for his want of humility and tendernesse and softnesse of heart freely confessing the pride self-love and high thoughts which he discerneth in himselfe shaming and loathing himselfe for the obstinacy haughtinesse and deceitfulnesse of his heart as David considering and feeling the pride and rebellion of Absalon went weeping with his head covered and his feet bare So man that feeles the pride and rebellion of his heart must mourne humble and abase himselfe before the Lord for it the hypocrite is proud of his humility the sincere man is abased and ashamed for the remainders of pride which he discerneth in himselfe The state of him that is exalted with his gifts is very dangerous the state of him that is made vile in his owne eyes with the sence of his corruptions is hopefull and gracious It is a blessed argument of self-denyall when the sence of a mans secret self-love and lurking corruption doth abase him in his owne apprehension pride and self-love have no dominion as long as the soule is moved to humiliation by the sight and sence of them He that abhorres abases and humbles himselfe because his heart is not more humble is undoubtedly truly humbled though his humility want some perfection 5. By mans frequent and fervent prayer to be freed and throughly purged from all pride self-love and sinister respects He cannot be a lover and servant of sinne that prayes feelingly fervently and constantly against his sinne If Moses hands be lifted up the Amalekites will fall If the heart be constantly lifted up in holy and gracious prayer unto God proud lusts and self-respects will fall prayer will surely bring them downe and worke the heart to a very humble and gracious frame The Church prayed and Peter was set free from his fetters from the souldiers and Herods prison holy and earnest prayer hath a very forcible operation to worke the soule to spirituall freedome from all sorts of evill to make it truly sincere and humble both in the inward disposition secret intention and outward execution of every action Certainly mans prayer is but lip-labour no cordiall prayer but vaine babling words of custome or of ostentation if they make not the heart sincere and humble He that knowes the holy humble constant and earnest way of his heart in secret prayer with God may assure himselfe of his self-denyall before God CHAP. XII AS Self-denyall is a holy and gracious worke of Gods Spirit a lively and honourable character of a true Christian the prostrating of mans selfe and all that he hath under Christ The seeking and exalting of Christ above all is the crowne and glory of a Christian so self-seeking and self-exaltation is a very shamefull and dangerous evill an evill indeed very common Most men sowing to the flesh and not to the Spirit to themselves and not to Christ Men generally moving and tending in their understandings wils thoughts and affections to themselves as rivers to the sea levelling the arrowes of their endeavours to some carnall marke of their owne and not to the honour of Christ All saith the Apostle seeke their owne all comparatively in respect of the paucity of others seeke their owne their owne profit their owne ease their owne pleasure their owne honour they confine themselves within themselves they seeke themselves and not the things which are Jesus Christs The honour of Christ the edification of the Church of Christ the propagation and welfare of the Gospell they seeke not this they mind not this they intend not they are all given said the Prophet of old to their covetousnesse to the minding and seeking of themselves their owne low base and unworthy ends from the highest of them to the lowest and from the Priest unto the people Self-seeking like the deluge overslowes the whole world few then addressed themselves unto the Arke few
belly they serve not God but Mammon saith Christ Self-seekers are the servants of worldly vanities and the slaves of carnall lusts and affections the soules unhappy bondage and enthralment is the fruit of self-intendments all self-seekers like Israel are empty vines they bring forth fruit unto themselves and not to Christ Such mens services are an illegitimate brood spurious works begotten by the world Satan and the flesh and not by the Spirit of Christ To such our Saviour saith ye are of your father the Devill and the lusts of your father you will doâ— Of such Saint John saith they are of the world therefore speake they of the world they have worldly hearts worldly thoughts worldly language and worldly intendments and all their labours are a worldly service The intendment of man in his undertaking is ever sutable to mans originall He that is not of Christ cannot intend Christ nor referre his â—ervice unto Christ We are of God saith the Apostle he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of errour Lastly this alienates from all true and sweet delight and joy in Christ Self-seekers rejoyce in themselves and in the creatures and not in Christ as the men of Sichem rejoyced in Abimelech the bramble and not in the sonnes of Jerubbaal the Vine Olive and Fig-tree in Jothams parable He that seekes himselfe rejoyceth in a very empty and unworthy object in the creature which like a bramble hath neither fruit nor shadow to minister either satisfaction or safety but pricketh scratcheth vexeth all that set their hearts upon it and he leaves Christ who like a Vine Olive and Fig-tree communicates food and shadow pleasure contentation defence and sweet refreshment to all that come unto him and place their confidence in him The Jewes in the Prophet refused the waters of Shiloah the defence and ayde which God promised them and rejoyced in Rezin and Remeliahs sonne The man that seeks himselfe refuseth Christ sleighteth and undervalueth Christ the fountaine of living waters from whom slowes all protection comfort and contentation to them that sincerely embrace him and rejoyceth in the creature which proves a sandy foundation and a broken cisterne Of such the Prophet saith they rejoyce in a thing of nought in a thing of no strength of no fulnesse of no continuance Herod sought himselfe the establishment of himselfe in the kingdome and the tydings of Christs birth was terrible to him The Pharisees were great self-seekers and the presence preaching and miracles which Christ wrought did very much perplexe and grieve them Mans inordinate minding and intending himselfe and worldly riches honours or pleasures deprives him of all delight and joy in Christ Jesus Self-seeking works a very unhappy alienation from Christ and makes the soule a very great stranger to Christ 5. Self-seeking puts a man upon unlawfull and forbidden meanes to accomplish his corrupt and unworthy ends Through self-seeking the covetous man thrusts himselfe into unlawfull wayes of gaine the ambitious man into forbidden wayes to attaine honour and high places and the voluptuous man into unlawfull wayes of carnall and fleâ—hly pleasures the covetous man seeking himselfe and worldly wealth defraudeth oppresseth deceiveth He intrudes himselfe upon the time and things which God hath made sacred He turnes the day of sacred rest into a day of bodily labour into a day of treading wine-presses bringing in of sheases and bearing of burthens as sometime Nehemiah saw it in Judah This makes them according to Salomons phrase to devoure holy things things dedicated to the honour worship and service of God This makes them use as the Lord speakes by the Prophet the wicked ballances and the bag of deceitfull weights For this they are full of violence speake lies and their tongue is deceitfull in their mouth they fell as Amos saith the righteous for silver and the poore for a paire of shooes Self-seeking sets man upon many ungodly injurious and dishonourable practises to gaine the wealth of the world This makes the ambitious man full of fraudulent and bloudy plots and designes to exalt himselfe and make himselfe a man of eminency and great authority amongst men Why did Joab murther Abner why did Absolon seeke to put his owne father from the throne The one feared lest through Abner entring into Covenant with David his honour would be eclipsed and the other was ambitious of his Fathers Throne carried away with an inordinate desire to reigne Self-seekers are not terrified with the horridnesse of any practise be it never so unnaturall and mercilesse The Prodigall in the parable making carnall pleasures the prime object of his desires fully minding and intending the satisfaction of his owne lusts left his Fathers house put himselfe into consortship with harlots and spent all his patrimony Man being over indulgent to himselfe and his owne corrupt affections forsakes God the Word and way of God and runs into all exorbitancies very shamefull and odious are the wayes and courses entred upon by self-seekers He that restraines not himselfe from self-seeking will never containe himselfe within the bounds and limits which God hath prescribed to him but will wander from God and the rule of holy walking into many forbidden evils Sarah and Rahel being carried with an over-strong desire after children seeking themselves too much in that behalfe became impatient and would not wait for God any longer in Gods way they put themselves upon a forbidden way and gave their handmaids to their husbands Saul contrary to the Lords commandement intending his owne worldly profit spares the best of the Amalekitish beasts Achan in a self-seeking humour layes his greedy hands upon the golden wedge and Babylonish garment the cursed thing which God had forbidden to be spared there is no evill so odious soule and hatefull which he will not adventure upon that is overswayed with the lust of self-seeking 6. Self-seeking makes man unthankefull and discontented with his present estate and condition though in it selfe an estate very full and comfortable The eyes of a self-seeker are so much upon what he hath not that he neither takes notice nor tasts the sweetnesse of what he hath his full vessell is an empty bottle and his Paradise in his owne apprehension as a barren wildernesse his thoughts are more perplexed with the desire of what he seemes to want then comforted with the presence of what he doth indeed possesse the more he hath the more his desire of having is increased There is no end saith Solomon of all his labour neither is his eie satisfied with riches His abundance gives no satisfactory answer to his desires he hath no contentment in what he hath but is full of murmuring and repining he dreames of a condition more happy then that wherein the Lord hath set him and therefore loseth the comfort of his
present plentifull possession This is the constant anâ— common lot of them that seeke themselves and not the Lord Jesus to be strangers to contentment and satisfaction in the great abundance of the world A foolish sonne saith Solomon is a griefe to his father and bitternesse to her that bare him his parents have no contentment in him such a foolish birth such an unhappy possession is the worldly fulnesse of self-seekers a griefe and bitternesse to their soules they have no satisfaction with it it is a bed of thornes and a feast of gall and gravell bread of sorrowes as the Psalmist termes it Their dayes saith Solomon are sorrowes and their travell griefe their heart taketh not rest in the night they are eveâ— discontented the Lord gave Israel Manna from Heaven he fed them with Angels food yet having a self-seeking lust within them they were not contented they murmured and fell a lusting after the flesh-pots of Egypt their Manna seemed to be a light bread If God doth not crucifie mans carnall lusts and affections man meets with nothing but distraction and trouble in the choisest condition under Heaven what felicity like that of our first parents being created after Gods Image placed in Paradice and having nothing within or without them to molest them yet through self-seeking having a desire to be as Gods they undervalued and grew discontented with their present holy happy and blessed estate Surely did not the blessed vision and fruition of God abolish the lust of self-seeking man would in a short time be discontented with Heaven Like the lapsed Angels he would not long keep his station but grow weary of that glorious Kingdome CHAP. XIII SElf-seeking opens the eares of men to Satan and corrupt Counsellors makes men ready to give audience to Satans suggestions and the perswasions of his instruments prone to entertaine any ungracious counsell that may promote their owne carnall ends and further the accomplishment of their fleshly and worldly purposes This makes men hearken to corrupt teachers Satans trumpeters As the Israelites hearkened to Sheba the sonne of Bichri when he blew the trumpet of Rebellion and drew the people from David This makes men apt to receive him that comes in his owne name with a humane carnall and deceitfull doctrine when like the deafe adder they stop their eares against him that comes in Gods name preaching Christ sincerely seeking Gods glory and handling the word of God truly Self-seekers are of the world worldly minded carnally disposed and therefore they heare him that speaketh of the world that delivereth a carnall and earthly doctrine to them The world wonders after the beast all self-seekers are very ready to become Antichrists followers Ahab was a man that sold himselfe to commit wickednesse a great self-seeker and when the Devill became a lying spirit in the mouth of his Prophets he gave them full and ready audience followed their counsell though to his utter ruine contrary to the charge of the true Prophet Self-seeking makes a man a ready embracer a great admirer of corrupt perswasion a prophane despiser of wholsome admonition our first Parents inclining to self-seeking gave present entertainment to Satans counsell and eat of the forbidden Tree Self-seeking makes the heart to Satans suggestions like tinder to the fire it kindles without any resistance Judas having a worldly and self-seeking spirit his heart was open to entertaine Satan as ready to betray Christ for gaine as the Devill was to suggest the thought or the Priests to offer the money Self-seekers are of all others the fittest subject to receive Satans counsels to swallow his hookes when they are baited with something sutable to their owne lusts and tending to their owne ends there is no power nor possibility for that man to decline Satans temptations who is strongly addicted to self-seeking Satan seldome failes of accomplishing his end in such as are given to the seeking of their owne ends 8. Self-seeking doth exceedingly abase man it makes man the Lord of the creature to become the servant of the creature It fils him with base thoughts about the creature with base counsels to gaine the creature with base and servile love to the creature with base confidence in the creature with base services under the creature Self-seekers are even the most base of all persons Such are under the creature and their owne lusts as Israel under Pharaohs burthens and taskmasters Man by self-seeking spoiles himselfe both of corporall and spirituall freedome therefore these are stiled the servants of Mammon The servant is not his own but his Masters goes and comes at his Masters command cannot dispose of himselfe but is disposed by his Master works not for himselfe but for his Master Thus self-seekers are not their owne but the creatures goe and come at the command of the creature As the souldiers in the Gospell went and came at the command of the Centurion and did what he would have them They cannot dispose themselves to any good duty they cannot put themselves upon the service of Christ they cannot marry themselves unto Christ but are altogether at the disposall of the creature they are so under the power of the creature that with the invited guests in the Parable they cannot come to Christ They cannot intend Christ the honour of Christ and the everlasting welfare of their owne soules the creature and their owne lusts are the prime and ultimate objects of their intendments they can looke neither above nor beyond these And the Apostle expresseth the shamefull abasement of such men by terming their belly their God and their glory their shame their belly their God true worshippers put themselves under God study how to please God referre all to to the glory of God Self-seekers prostrate themselves under the creature study how to please their lusts and referre all to their owne corrupt and carnall ends and that wealth that honour that ease that pleasure that applause wherein they now glory proves their shame at the last The present condition of self-seekers is a wretched bondage and their latter end most shamefull and ignominious 9. Self-seeking makes a man both an Idolater and an Idoll An Idolater in serving the creature and his owne lusts and an Idoll in exalting and setting up himselfe in the roome of God Self-seekers bow downe to the creature and to their owne base and carnall affections As Gideons many thousands bowed downe to the waters Jacob prophesied of Issachar Issachar is a strong Asle couching downe between two burthens and he saw that rest was good and the land that it was pleasant and bowed his shoulder to beare and became a servant unto tribute Such base sloathfull and stupid asses are all self-seekers couching downe between the creature and their fleshly lusts as between two burthens They see it appeares to them in their carnall apprehension that the creature is
herbe poysoning all the liquor in the pot his vertues will at the last be censured as vices in whom the ambitious humour of self-exaltation beares dominion the least measure of grace with humility and meeknesse is farre better then the greatest abilities with a proud spirit It is better feeding on a slender dish well seasoned then on a great dish furnished with all dainties having poyson mingled with it 5. Self-exaltation keepes the soule barren barren of knowledge he that exalts himselfe regards not wholesome counsell he rejects the Word of God and there is no true wisdome in him the proud saith the Apostle knowes nothing Nothing of God the Father regenerating him of Christ redeeming him of the Spirit sanctifying him of the Word enlightning humbling changing and renewing him he leanes upon his owne corrupt and carnall reason a lamp wherin is no light the proud mans light is darknesse his very knowledge is miserable and wretched ignorance he continues barren of Faith he builds on man and not on Christ How can ye beleeve saith Christ who seeke honour one of another and not the honour which cometh from God he remaines barren of love a self-lover and no lover of God the motion of his heart is terminated within himselfe he brings forth all his fruit unto himselfe and is an empty vine in Gods accounts he continues barren of all grace God giving grace to the humble but resisting the proud Isidore relates that on the mountaine on Libanus there are Cedars very tall and gloriously flourishing but never bearing fruit and the reason is rendered because the Mountains on which they grow are so high that they receive not the reflection of the Sun-beames and the waters naturally descend unto the valleyes Thus self-exalters seated on the high Mountaines of common abilities are barren of all fruit acceptable unto God because they are neither savingly enlightned nor warmed with the beames of the Sun of Righteousnesse nor watered with the dew and moysture of heavenly grace none more empty of saving goodnes then such as are most exalted in their own imaginations 6. Self-exaltation abaseth God The Philistines placed their Dagon above the Arke the proud man sets himself above God ambitious self-exalters like so many petty Antichrists exalt themselves above all that is called God They set themselves above the law of God they breake the bands therof asunder and cast away the cordes therof from them they serve not God according to Gods institution but after their own invention instead of receiving Gods prescription they prescribe how God shall be served by them they exalt themselves above the Ministers of God they esteeme not their instruction their words are in their account but babling they exalt themselves above the offices of Christ they entertain not Christ as a Prophet instructing them as a Priest to sanctify them as a King to beare spirituall dominion within them they exalt themselves above the attributes of God above the dominion of God refusing subjection above the wisedome of God rejecting his counsell not suffering themselves to be guided by him and above the power of God resting upon an arme of flesh and not upon the arme of the Lord there is no sin that makes man more injurious unto God nor that sets man in greater opposition against God then self-exaltation all other vices saith Gregory fly from God to the creature as covetous to gold and silver luxury to fleshly delights c. Onely pride opposeth it selfe against God and usurps that unto it selfe which is proper to God I say unto you saith Bernard that every proud man exalts himselfe above God for God will have his will to be done and the proud man will have his will to be done but God only in things which right and reason doth approve the proud man in things which are beside and against both right and reason man doth very shamefully abase God by exalting himselfe and his own will above the word and will of God 7. Self-exaltation deceiveth making man thinke himselfe wise when he is ignorant holy when he is profane free when he is captive full when he is empty It makes man appeare unto himselfe to be another then in deed he is Like him in the Prophet that dreamed he had eaten and was full but when he awakened he found himselfe empty No man more apt to be deluded then he that is self-conceited and desirous to be applauded 8. This likewise shamefully abaseth man makes him the consort and very habitation of Satan God dwels with the humble Satan with the proud whom God resisteth Satan possesseth the more a man doth exalt himselfe against God the more he doth abase himselfe under Satan the more God with-drawes himself from him the nearer Satan draweth to him the more God abhorres him the more delight Satan takes in him and therfore the proud man is not unfitly termed by one umbraculum Satanae a shadow set by Satan against the Sun of Righteousnesse driving the light of grace from him and making himselfe a shadow for Satan to sleep and rest in O how dishonourable base and shamefull is their condition who seeke their owne honour with Gods dishonour Hee that most magnifies himselfe above others is the most base of all others He alone that puts himselfe and all that is his under Christ is truly honourable he that exalts himselfe and denyes obedience to Christ is most base and contemptible he that is not Gods holy and gracious servant is Satans shamefull and unhappy slave 9. And lastly Self-exaltation alienates man from Heaven the way to Heaven is by humility and self-denyall Jonathan and his Armour-bearer ascending the hill 1 Sam. 14. crept upon their hands and their feet Christ humbled himselfe and then he was exalted he went by the Crosse to the Crowne and all believers his armour-bearers and followers as many as intend Heaven must tread the steps of Christ vaile and bow to Christs Scepter he must learn of Christ to be meeke and lowly hee must deny himselfe and take up his Crosse and follow Christ or he can never enter into Christs glorious rest hell is the appointed habitation for every soule that is not humble God will cast downe them that exalt themselves the Lord will shame them who honour themselves and not him this is the great evill and danger of self-exaltation CHAP. XVI IF you demand how it comes to passe that vain man is so prone and forward to exalt himself to magnifie himselfe in the eyes of men and so slow and backward to exalt and set up Christ I answer this ariseth 1. From mans ignorance of his own corrupt and base estate did man see how he is a dead man in whom is no life of grace a bond-man a spirituall prisoner unto Satan having many lusts like chains and fetters tying him an empty house wherin dwelleth no good and a loathsome Leper having