will cease also The rednesse of blushing in the face is soon down again Prov. 17.17 't is that of the naturall complexion that onely continues A man that is high and hot in his services will soon bee low and cold again if there bee not a holy naturalnesse an inward integrity in the soul for the things of Iesus Christ I have done with the third and last branch of explication wherein the hinderances stand that the seeking of our own things causeth I come to the second thing I intend in the prosecution of this point viz. the confirmation Every in ordinate lusting after any thing that concerns our selves takes up ingrosseth and menopelizeth as it were 1. Reason Inordinate lusting for self takes up the whole man in what he is and doth the whole man and gives way to it to attend upon nothing but its own satisfaction unlesse by the way and so farre forth as its maine drift may not bee hindered As in the regular and due bestowing our hearts and searches upon God and his wayes * Qui tua animi cententione in unum Deum defertur in plura studia animum non pertâ—tur Cal. in Matt. 6. â—4 there 's an affording the whole man to them and it there be any other â—eject comes in the way Non exhibitione ceremoniarum sed obâ—â—â—ione conâ—upisâ—entiâ—rum Gregor a Saint that makes God his chiefe end gives it but a slight salute and so useth it as if be used it not Thus it is with those that resign and deliver their affection to the power of any enquiry or employment whatsoever of there be any 〈◊〉 lusting in a way of 〈◊〉 allowâ—â—â—â—â— it 〈◊〉 a ghâ—biâ—â—ployes the whole man Amâ—â—est quida â— sui eâ—itus quaedam a se peregrinatiâ— vâ—luntaria mâ—â—s Eâ—s Niâ—r de arte 〈◊〉 as all our endeavors were made for a god so they 〈◊〉 make a god or finde a god and if so what can be expected for the things of Iesus Christ but that they should bee lookt after in the second place very poorly if at all in a way of â—â—â—serviencie to self and at the allowance of lust If honours for our selvâ—â— wealth pleasures revenge be the end we propound the whole man will be employed for the accomplishment The understanding will undervalue any thing else in comparâ—â—on 1. The understanding it admire â—that highly which the heart is set upon raâ—sessublime estimates upon it Quisquis amat ranam ranam putas esse Diâ—â—am Oâ—hinksit had â—â— this or that I were made for over 〈◊〉 thinks there 's no other heaven but wealth and honour things sutable to the corrupted faculty For the will and affections 2. The will and affections they will bee employed about the prosecution of the thing principally sought after â—ither wealth or honour or the like that thing will he â—isous spirit 〈◊〉 the wings of the afâ—â—ctions will bee so besmeared with it Quando dulcesâ—it mundus amaâ—â—sâ—it Deus there will be no soaring God-ward Hee 'l grow bitter when the world is sweet and there is such a twisting andâ—nt wining of the affections within one another that all will be entangled about that object which is principally pursued the ioy in pleasing it self with it if oâ—â—â—ained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the desire in craving it if wanted the hope in expecting it if probable the anger in overcomming if resisted the grief in lamenting if removed And what 's now left for the things of Iesus Christ The thoughts they will bee busied with 3. The â—â—oughts and buried in selfe-employments God being not sought hee will not bee in all the thoughts Psal 10.4 the thoughts of remembrance of contrivance enquiry will all bee set upon these own things these will onely busie the brain The thoughtâ— are like a mill alway turning and the affection of love throws in the grain and seed which they grind if it therefore bee set upon self what but self and own things can bee put into the thoughts the afflictions of Ioseph will be forgotten the welfare of Ierusalem the safety of Sion will bee uninquired into these own things will take up all the thoughts The tongue which speaks out of the abundance of the heart 4. The toâ—igâ—e will altogether talk of earthly prosecutions as what kinde of goods fill the shop within will hang upon the stall without so if the hearts searches be for self the tongues enquiries will be so too Earthy and speaking of the earth are put together Ioh. 3.31 so if there bee self-seeking speaking for self will follow The hand of the Clock doth but shew how the wheels go within An unsavory stomack will not send forth a sweet breath earthy hearts will send forth a breath in common talking like to the breath of dying man savouring onely of the earth Where then will bee the tongue for the things of Christ the directing tongue the encouraging tongue the commanding tongue The actions will bee employed 5. The actions and steerd according to the motions of love A self-minding-man will do nothing for Christ If self have withdrawn the heart 't will wither the hand toe There will be no contributing hand for Christ or his truth or his members commonly 't is employed in receiving onely If it parts with ought commonly it comes by constraint it gives as a narrow mouth'd bottle sends forth water with a muttering If the Law will enforce nothing truly conscience will bestow nothing If any thing prevaile with it 't will be death then perhaps like a poor mans box when broken a self-seeker may afford somewhat when the cause of God craves his assistance where 's his helping hand he had rather the Church should for ever stick in the mire of miserie then lend her it never will he stretch it forth though to the raising up the poor fainting Spouse of Christ He is so worn out and wearied in self-employments that Christs things must be neglected hee burns out the taper of his strength wealth parts in doing his own works when Christs things are to be done the candle 's out Thus you see this inordinate seeking our own things takes up the whole man in what hee is and does That 's the first Reason But Secondly It takes not onely in him and of him up all 2. Reason but all this unweariedly The prosecutions of lusting for self are incessant uncessantly where 't is allowed there is an enlarging without measure therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an effusion a rushing out of lustings an aestus like the foaming or boyling of the sea Quitquid proponâ—tur tanquam finis quaeritur â—ulla adhibita mâ—â—sura 1. Pet. 4.4 Es 55.2 Oblitus Dei voluntatem occupas non imples â—reaturae non sunt ad occupandum volumatem sed ad â—uvandum memoriam Admonenâ— mentem non satisfaciunt â—mori These sinfull searchings can never be caried to any
Common-wealth was but in a manner in reference to the Church what but self-seeking hath retarded the Churches Reformation the which if advanced would be so great a burden to malignant self in some licentious self in others to whom killing confusion is more welcome then healing order and all that self might enjoy a latitude not of Conscience but of sinning like little children that are glad their mother is sick that so they might play without controulment 'T is seeking our own things that opposeth a setling of Government not withstanding the studies and prayers and tears not withstanding the learned and cleare Convictions which the godly and Orthodox Divines have expressed 'T is this which yet doth cavill away our peace and holinesse our order reformation and power of godlinesse and threatneth a necessitie whether more wofull or wicked God knoweth of bearing with all religions What is it but self-seeking which makes us who in my young remembrance could weepe and fast and seeke God against the feares of a toleration of Poperie now to thinke that it may wel be endured if separated from tyranny and treason against the State This it is that would make Covenanting with God which the godly in all ages used as a meanes to pacifio his wrath and work reformation of life a meer politick Character onely to put a difference betweene our owne private friends and foes What but this self-seeking lies at the bottome of all those damnable some distracting other new opiniós with which the Church of Christ is so pestered what but this founded and planted them what but this favoureth and watereth them did not seeking of self reputation and gaine which could never have been attained by preaching or printing 2 Pet. 2.3 good honest old Scripture truths in a giddie age put the Founders of these opinions upon the first contriving of them and since can it be any thing els but the seeking praise of men more then the praise of God that makes the furtherers to countenance them more then a godly Minister who when hee preacheth them downe is not onely lookt upon with neglect 3. Self-seeking hath hindered the things of Christ In his ordinances but with the suspect of Semi-Malignancie Tell mee now are the things of Christ in the Cause of Reformation beholding to self-seeking Thirdly the things of Iesus Christ in his Ordinances have been infinitely neglected 1. In his word 1. It making Ministers to neglect the word by seeking these own things First Ministers have neglected the Word as well as people and all through self-seeking For Ministers They have heretofore neglected the preaching of the Word Tot quotidie perdimus quot ad gebeâ—nam c. Greg. By sinfull feare and by their sinfull silence murthered thousands of soules But was not self-seeking the cause of self-silencing sometime self fearing to preach too oft for displeasing the reverend Father or his Grace holding of ones peace being then the strongest though the basest tenure of holding ones living by Sometime self seeking hath caused self-silencing by a wretched necessity of non-residencie more places then one Hoskins s Tenuâ—sse silentia clerum By sinfull non-residing Inveniar superbus â—varus adulter homicida antipapa omuium vitiorum reus modo impii silemii non arguar Luth. ad Staup. Ut praesint non ut prosâ—nt Piscatores deâ—imarum non animarum An non limina Apostolorion plus ambitio quam devotio terit Bern. In vit Bonif. 3. Quaeritur quantum Episcopatus reddat non quot sint oves Plat. requiring presence at the same time when 't was said that Ministers laboured more to fish for tithes then for soules and hence principally those termes of disgrace in their severall times were cast upon them As peculatores non speculatores robbers not watchmen praedatores non praedicatores theeves not teachers This kinde of self-seeking made Bernard cnmplain in his time That more ambition then devotion employed those that should have been most carefull of the Church and Platina to say That they were wont onely to enquire how many pounds they might get not how many persons they might teach These men checked sufficiently by the very * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 name of their Office and this abuse by Pluralities as severely reproved by many learned Papists nay opposed even to eagernesse in the Councell of Trent is in part redressed and the reformation thereof will bee much furthered when Impropriations the more wealthy theeveries of the two and as some think the onely sinne establisht by a Law shall bee suppressed the neglect of the Word by the want of which reformation deserving to bee thought with the neglecting of it by Pluralities to spring from the same root of self-seeking Nor hath self-seeking caused timerous ones and pluralists to neglect the word of Christ but those also whom it puts upon the Ministery for smaller gains handfuls of barley and peeces of bread though their palpable insufficiencie makes them as unfit for one place as the other were for two or three these make the Word the scorn of prophane ones and keep it as a sealed book from the ignorant ones If these can startle some well meaning people into an admiration of them or into a contribution to them By entrance upon the Ministery ungifted they never care for informing their understandings by principling and grounding them in the fundamentalls of Religion but raising by loud voices and strange gestures wonderment and passion in their hearers leave these poor ignorant soules as a prey to the subtill adversary who taking advantage by their present tendernesse and affrightments as Simeon and Levi destroyed the Shechemites when they were sore abuse and seduce them into wayes of error and schisme the blinde guide meane while who was followed formerly no man knew why is now left no man knows how By corrupting the word with pâ—ausibility of eâ—pression At other times self-seeking hath made the Word suffâ—r by Ministers through their corrupting and depraving of it sometime with the mixtures of a trifling wittinesse and an empty neatnesse of phrase though commonly savouring of as little learning as edification they yet seeking rather hereby to please a few silly malignants then to preach Iesus Christ in power and purity I 〈◊〉 sit mibi praed◠〈◊〉 non qui 〈◊〉 plausum sed qui mibi planctum movet â—ern What but self-seeking hath heretofore turned our Churches into Stages and Preachers almost into players when as the Minister who should onely account the tears the sobs the groans of his hearers his commendations was wont to stop as at the end of his stage for a humming at the close of every point Hath not the Word among us sometimes been depraved by erroneous glosses And with erroneoâ—â— interpretations tortured by violent interpretations how frequently have men made it speak according to their mindes not bringing their hearts to the Word but the Word to their hearts
in himself At other times by corrupting and adulterating the truth with sinner-soothing words as wine with water not the words of wisdome but the wisdome of words as Paul speaks 1 Câ—rin 1.17 all this while they speaking three words for themselves for one in the behalf of Christ Sometime again Self-seeking hath corrupted the preaching of the Word by putting Ministers upon perverting it for the upholding of impious opinions gainfull to the purse and hurtfull to the heart thus the Apostle speaks of filthy lusre that made some preach things which they ought not â—arthly mindednesse in others that caused enmity to the crosse of Christ I conceive the Apostle means their preaching the Law in a way of opposition to Christs satisfaction Covetousnesse and desire to make merâ—hâ—ndise of souls puts others upon bringing in dâ—â—â—able heresies At other times self-regarding hath put Ministers upon preaching the Word who are altogether unsâ—â—â—â—full and unprepared To adventure upon preaching it unpreparedly workmen that may well be ashamed never trained up to handle their spirituall atms not like those â—ilfull Beniâ—â—â—ites able to shoot at a hairs breadth though too like them in being left handed Iudg. 20.16 attending to and preaching of exhortation but unable to meddle with doctrine though God commands both tormenting the most innocent Texts making them speak what they never intended 2 Tim. 4.2 Vid. Cal. in loc dealing with the Scriptures as Chyâ—â—ists with naturall bodies labouring to extract that out of them 2 Pet. 3.16 which nature never put in them wounding the Scriptures with their own weapons and making them Vriah-like carry letters for their own destruction Nor hath the Word fared better from self-seeking hearers 2. Self-seeking hinders people from seeking the things of Christ in the word hereby they contemn the threatnings of it Deut. 29.19 Hos 12.7 8. Luk. 16.12 Per hoc quod amant coguntur ad hoc quod vitant Greg. 1 Tim. 6.9 2. The commands of it Ezek. 33.31 For how have they disregarded all the administrations of it what have its threatnings been in allages to them but empty cracks do they not blesse themselves in the saddest denuntiations of it placing their prosecutions of their own things as a skreen between themselves and Gods wrath These they were that evermore despised and derided the sharpest Sermons instifying themselves because haply men had nothing to say against them hardning their necks though oft reproved if the threatnings be severe they care not they will on in their pursuits though the Word tell them hell and destruction and perdition be in the way For the commands of it they will perhaps give them the hearing but though the Ministers be alâ—vely song and a pleasant â—â—ice and one that can play well on an instrument yet their words they will not do for their hearts run after their covetous inquiries and the Apostle Peter 1 Pet. 4.2 gives the reason in that place where he implies that the lusts of men are flatly opposite to the will of God A heart sâ—t upon seeking the world gives that deportment to the Word which Abraham gave to his servants who â—id them stay behinde a while Gen. 22.5 till he and his sonne had gone to sacrâ—fiâ—â— but then he comes again unto them so these if they can spare so much time will for an hour in a week bid their â—arthly enquiries stay till they have heard what their precise instructer will deliver but then they 'l after ward make up their constrained inâ—â—â—â—â—ission with a more â—ager prosecution of all the services and 〈◊〉 of selfâ—â— They who 〈◊〉 not â—e boâ—nded in their affections by the 〈◊〉 of health or â—â—nength or 〈◊〉 or honour shall we think that these will be restrained by precepâ—â— Gods own immediat 〈…〉 Balâ—â—â—â— Num. 22.22 how frâ—itlesse was iâ—â— up he gets him betimâ—â— in â—he morning as if his bed had been at full of thorns as his soul add though 〈…〉 and again these â—ruell thirstings break through 〈◊〉 of diâ—â—icultiâ—â— What beâ—efit received Indâ—s from himâ—or his words who was in his life a visible Sermon as well as was his doctrine an audible Sermon against self-seeking But perhaps the coâ—â—foâ—â— and promises in the word of Christ may finde better entertainment with self-seeking hearers 3. The comforts and promises of it Non invideram Deo coelum sâ—â—â—â— Luk. 14. Convivae invitantur ad coelum saturantur in terris Concisam informent creaturarâ—â—â— bâ—nitatem quae divinae est vestigium diligunt adâ—rant augustâ—m illâ—m originalâ—â— imegram pulcherrimaâ— contemâ—unt Nier Litura placet sed vivum limpidum archetypum non delectat no their carnall palats relish none of these delicacies these things are 〈◊〉 Aquavitâ— offered to one in a swoon who shuts his teeth the harder against it by how much the more he wants it what are the precious â—â—ings of â—â—erâ—ity to him but warm clothes to a dead câ—â—casse Would God but grant him as 〈◊〉 read of one that proâ—est it in words a thousand 〈◊〉 respit to follow his â—â—n things and to find a certain proportion of honour wealth and pleasure he would not envie God his heaven Dâ—th not Christ tell us that they set light â—y and desire to be excused from the troublesome participation of the Evangelicall Supperâ— their stomacks are so clog'd with these own things that the things of Christ have no room left for them any thing from God pleaseth them more then himself If at any time they commend the good things of the Gospel it is not from any â—ast of sweeâ—â—esse in them but it is meerâ—ly a commendation upon hearsay and to comply with the really taken with Christ There are some hounds whâ— in hunting make a very loud noise but it is not from anysent they have of the Hare but onely in imitation of the rest A heart eagerly set upon any lusting for self in all its seeming delighâ—â—â—â— hâ—â—veâ—s or Christ or eterâ—ity findes no true sweethesâ—â—in them but 〈◊〉 rather in his estimate lock upon them as very poor things It thinks the life of faith depâ—â—dâ—â—â—â— upon a swordâ— to bee â—ich in reversion c. meer empty speâ—â—dâ—tions and notions The third branch of eâ—phcation The inordinate seeking our own things doth * Possunt manere in eâ—cleâ—iaâ— saâ—â—item animarum curare c. sed ita ut mâ—iâ—rera babeant rationem sui commodi c. Zâ—nch in loc not hindeâ— all manor of seeking the things of Iesus Christ for self-seekers may be employed in governing preaching c. in the Church But it hinders from seeking them 3. Branch of explication What hinderance of the things of Christ the seeking of our own things causeth 1. Self-seeking hinders from seeking the things of Christ Inwardly Exod. 3.2 Ezek. 33. 1. Heartily inwardly A self-â—â—â—ker seekes the things of Iesus Christ seemingly superficially onely like some men who lifting with others at a burden it may be
mâ—dus Aug. when wee doe not exevcise our limbes but craâ—â—â— out sinewes 〈◊〉 them not dip the tip of our rod in tasting the honey oâ— profit pleâ—sure honour c. but thrust it in even all over and engulph and swallow up our selves in matters of seâ—fe 〈◊〉 going beyond what is enough for our calling and condition resolving to have these things what even they cost us as the Apostle speaks of some 1 Tim. 6.9 who will berich who will through five and water and difficulties armies of these shall not hinder them from the water after which they thirst Fourthly The seeking our own things unleasâ—nably bastowing houres upon them that are due to other things is a seeking which makes us neglect the things of Iesus Christ when weroh the 〈◊〉 of her opportunities pilâ—er from God clip the Sabbath our Prayerâ— Religion the Church and Cause of Christ when the senlofeth here 2 Kings 5.26 that so it may gaine upon our owne things which we will seeke through Christ in his Saints and cause requires the contrary Is this a time said the Prophet to Gehazi to receive money and garments So might Paul have said to these tender delicate brethren that were so unlike to Timothie Is this a time to minde case and rest and safety and selfe such a kind of seeking our own things must needs hinder the seeking the things of Iesus Christ I have done with the first thing that I propounded to be â—pened viz. what seeking it is that hinders us from seeking the things of Iesus Christ The second followes 2. Branâ—â— of Expliâ—â—tion Secondly the point opened by she wing what things of Christ Self-seeking hinders us from seeking 1. It hindred fró seeking and regarding Christ a himself what things of Christ this self-seeking hindereth 1. This caused a neglect of Christ himselfe when he was here upon the â—â—â—th even to an earnest soliciting him sometimes to depart out of their â—â—â—sts Matth. 8.34 Sometimes it made people fearefull to acknowledge him Iohn 9.22 At other timeâ—openly to 〈◊〉 him T was this that derided him in the 〈◊〉 Pharisâ—â—s Luke 16.14 T was this that persecuted him in the Rulerâ—â—â— T was this that 〈…〉 Mâ—â— 19 2â— Danyed him so far as it prevailed in Peter Matth â—6 30 That bewayed him in Indas Matth. 26.47 That conirived his death in the chief Priests they were wholly bent upon presetving their owne place and their nation Iohn 11.48 T was this that condeâ—ned him in Pilate Luke 23.24 In a word it made his whole life a life of neglect and 't was the reason why Christ came to his owne and his owne received him not His owne sought their owne things Secondly Inordinate self-regarding hath ever caused and expressed a neglect of Christ and his things 2 And from seeking the things of Christ in his servants in mens cariage toward his servants What was it but this which made them accounted the burdens of the earth the wondermen of the world the plagues of their severall ages they were against selfe and selfe in every man was against them T was seeking their owne things that made Diana's worshippers so loude in their out-cryes against Blessed Paul Acts 19.28 that made Peter and Iohn threatned for that miracle of mercy that imprisoned and abused the Apostles Acts 4 18.5.40â— that stonâ—d Sâ—â—ven for feacre of suffering a change in old and owne customes that moved Herod to kill James Acts 6 13.7.59â— Acts 12.3 and endeavour the murder of Peter Self-regarding was the winde that ever raised stormes against the servants of Christ at the best it made them lookt upon with neglect and contempt it made people fearfull to accompany with them or ioyne to their Societie Acts 5.19 or if some did goe so faâ— as out ward Compliance with them yet hath this self-regarding caused squint-eyed aimes and secret resolutions upon occasion of difficultie to forsake them What but this hath neglected Christ in his distressed members often denying reliefe to them 1 Sam. 25.11 Tâ—ties dixit me tâ—â— meum 〈◊〉 tandem 〈◊〉 fecit siantâ— stâ—rving Christ in his Saints Was it not this that made Nabal branded with the name of a churle and caused that unkinde deniall of Davias slender request Shall I give saith he my bread my water my fiâ—sh c. Thirdly This immoderate regarding our own things From seeking the things of Christ in the cause of Religion hath neglected the things of Christ in the cause of Religiâ—n What but this kept Meroz back from helping the Lâ—rd What if not this detained Râ—nben among the sheep-folds to hear the bleating of the â—â—ocks when the cause of God was in â—copaâ—dy Judg. 4. Chap. â— This tâ—ed Dâ—n to his ships This shut up the hearts and hands of the men of Sâ—ccoth and Pennel against the Faiâ—ting bodies of the purâ—â—ers of Gods and his â—hurches 〈◊〉 'T was the seeking their own things that would have cursed the Church by Bâ—lâ—â—â—â— Numb 22. disturbed it by Coraâ— Dathan and Abirâ—â—â— Nâ—â—â—â— 26.9 and 16.3 that abolished the purity of worship out of the kingdom of Israel by Jeroboam 1 King 12.26 27. that hindered the full reformation of it in Jehu's time 2 King 10.19 that retarded the reformation after the Babylonish-captivity Zâ—ch 2.7 Rom. 16.17 In a word all the home-bred distractions and divisions 〈◊〉 the unsound opinions sidings half-reformations sinfull limitations to go thus far and no farther ungodly bredths which people have indulged to themselves wretched allowances of grosse sinnes and errors in some though persecuting the appearances of them in others all these with infinite more have self-seeking in the Church for their source This hath been ever the * Tineâ— babet damnum non sonitum mâ—th of the Church Amarissâ—ma mea amaritudo in moribus domesticorum pax a paganis ab haereâ—â—cis sed non a filiis making up in hurt what it wants in noise Sions Still-Destroyer to which the Church may say as Iâ—phtah to his dangliter I am and ever was brought low for thy sake O self-seeking and therefore holy Bernard makes it a greater enemy to the Church then the most raging persecutions Fourthly 4. And from seeking the things of Christ in his word it hinders Ministers by making them to be sinfully silent Ephes 6.19 To adulterate it with humane wisedom 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 2.17 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 semper in fames habitâ— quod merâ—es adulterant To wrack it for false opinions Tit. 1.11 Phil. 3.19 2 Pâ—â— 2.1 2 3. This seeking our own things neglects the things of Christ in the preaching of the Word Self-seeking hath made Ministers and people neglect Christ in his Word For Ministers it hath made them neglect the Word sometime by sinfull silencing some truthes and un worthy face-fearing A sinne so ready to creep into the Pulpit that Paul desires the Ephesians Ephes 6.19 to pray it down even
hath not out of the sweet fountain of truth the bitter streames of error been made to proceed are there not some who have laboured to turne these waters into bloud and to kill those by them who should have lived in them Surely 't is so the most prodigious heresies pretend to a Scripture and the worst will be wicked by a Law But is there not the hand of self-seeking in all this Certainly this it is that hereby to draw many admirers to self cares not how many it withdraws from God and so as it may but be a gainer cares not though precious souls be the merchandize which it puts off for base pelf Tâ—t 1.11 for filthy lucre to Satan himself But is the Word beholding more to self-seeking people 2. Self seeking hath made people neglect the word by denying sometimes their presence at the preaching of it then to Ministers Surely the Word in most places can scarce bee by them afforded audience There are some who say they are above Ordinances 't were far better if they were fruitfull under them nay that question whether there bee any Ordinances or no and these are not called self-seekers but seekers others that Hanun-like have cut off the Word by the middle the old Testament By denying the authority of it in their iudgements and what ever the truth bee that is urged from that it is branded with the name of legall which in their sense is as much as illegall and the faithfull reprovers of sin and zealous exhorters to a strict life are termed but Old Testament Ministers like Saul when David was endeavouring to drive away the evill spirit with his Harp they have this javelin to throw at the faithfull Minister when he is most employed in reproving of sin others there are that haply give the Word their care and their pen and their talk but 't is easie to see how slight and shallow the impressions are which the Word leaves upon their consciences By denying the power of it in their lives and conversations They being like some herbes which Physitians tell us are though hot in the mouth yet cold in operation so these are sometime holy in their tongues but heathenish in their lives or like the hill Etna that casts forth burning coales at the top but hath at the same time frost and snow at the foot thereof so though upon occasion their words are fiery yet their lives their feet are little better then recantations of the Sermons they hear the old solid Christianity the life of self-deniall faith and the new creature being turn'd into a kinde of spruce slight notionall out-side profession and there must be such a latitude for Christian liberty in discoursing trading eating drinking passions antique habits that some begin to think people may bee known by these things even to be professors But what may be the cause of this new entertainment of the Word surely this self it is that expects more ease a milder and more indulgent religion such a latitude as may suffice for Christ and self too 2. For the Sacraments how are they in most places almost cast off and forgotten 2. Self-seeking hath hindered the things of Christ in the Sacraments 1. The Sacrament of the Supper In Baptisme By abstaining altogether and people are very willing to stay without them that of the Supper being now accounted an indifferent thing the seldomer celebrated Popery hath tackt about we see the better and for that other of Baptism 't is by some esteemed null fond and groundlesse who deride through ignorance that condescension of Christ which they should praise with thankfulnesse What is self here too yes This proceeds from the same root with that 1 Cor. 11.21 a love of division from others an overweening opinion of our selves and way or an admiring of a selfe-contrived and unscripturall sanctity it being the most pleasing thing in the world to self to have opinions of out own breed especially if they teach and plead for holinesse in others for men may urge that with much credit and little cost and that 's the reason that you shall observe among people forty discourses of the qualifications of the company they receive withall for one discourse of the hearts which they themselves should receive withall Others neglect the Sacrament in the manner of their comming not in their keeping away but in comming with little raisednesse of soule dead affections narrow hearts to entertaine a great good 〈…〉 not with empty hands to take Iesus Christ in the Sacrament What 's the reason self-employments have so fill'd and stuf't their hearts with trash that there 's no room for pearls Others come with impure unclean soules with no sutable sanctity to a glorious God to whose entertainment they pretend adventuring like Mephibosheth who when he went to meet David went untrimmed undressed unwashed so these receive with dirty unwashen hands lustfull proud revengefull covetous hearts What 's the cause they come with the same hearts in which they were in their self-prosecutions they love to go so dressed as they may be ever in a readinesse to serve self The wedding garment is to them like Sauls armour to David too burdensome and heavy too great a hinderance from earthly enquiries I have done with the second Inference viz. Self-seeking is the cause why the things of Christ have been neglected among us A third follows Wee ought to endeavour the beating down this self-seeking in all our souls 3. Inference Direction this immoderate letting the heart run out in self-searches Lay the foundation of mortification deep Rom. 6.19 1. Direction Lay the foundation of mortification deep even deeper then ever was thy delight in thy most eagerly prosecuted comforts not in a meer abstinence from the use of but in an inward taking off the heart from any thing that may take thee off from Christ There are many who think if they leave the pleasure the outward following this or that sinfull gaine or ambitious promotion that they are mortified soules alas what 's this as long as the heart is uncleansed the affection uncrucified A man that desires to shun sicknesse must not onely be watchfull in keeping himself from the sharpnesse of the ayre but must remove the corruption of his stomack If the body be distempered 't will catch cold with the least blast and so an uncleansed soul will be wrought upon by very temptation The bird which is tied by the legge with a siring to a stone Non voluptas relinquenda sed voluntas depo nenda non abscindunt sed ab scondunt peccata Tert. Quando a me ipso alienabor 〈◊〉 perdam Bern. Revelle â—e ateipsâ— ut Deo inserari dividâ— te a teipsâ— ut cum creatore nâ—iaris extirpaâ—â— a te pessimo ut in omâ—â— bono radiceris Tu qui om nia relinquere disponis te quâ—que inter relinquenda numeraâ—e memento Bern. Nescivit suis parâ—ere quia