CHAPTER VII – Men's tenderness of self in cases of suffering
him whom he has wronged (Luke 17:3–4)—yet proud-hearted selfish men will refuse it.
What! Will they stoop to such a fellow and ask him forgiveness (especially if he be their inferior)? No; they scorn it. Never talk to them of it more; they will never do it.
And why so? Would not God have them do it? Has not he said, He that humbleth himself shall be exalted? Yea, but what do you tell them what God says, and what Scripture says, as long as self, and flesh, and pride are against it?
Judge now by these ten duties that I have named, whether God or self be king with most.
CHAPTER VII.
Men's exceeding tenderness of Self in case of any suffering.
4. Another discovering instance of the dominion of self, and the scarcity of self-denial, is the exceeding tenderness of ourselves in any case of suffering, and the great matter that we make of it, and our displeasure against all that are the causes of it, be it never so just. I shall here also give you some more particular instances.
5. When did you ever see an offender (at least very few) that justified the judge, and heartily confessed that his punishment is due—unless some few at the gallows, when the sight of death takes down their pride? But for the most part, everyone that suffers for his fault does repine at it, and at them that caused it, and thinks he has wrong or is hardly dealt with. If all the swearers, cursers, profaners of the Lord's day, drunkards, or alesellers that reset them, or are otherwise guilty, were accused by their neighbors and punished by the magistrate but according to the law—how many of all these is there that would not be displeased with the accusers and with the magistrate, and think himself wronged, and bear them a grudge in his mind that did it?
And why so? Is it not just and according to the laws of God and man?
Must we make a stir in choosing Parliament-men? And must they sit there month after month, and use their utmost skill and diligence to make such laws as are necessary for the common good? And when all is done, must not these laws be executed? Why then, it were better to spare the Parliament-men the labor of sitting about them, and ourselves the trouble of choosing Parliament-men, than do all this for nothing.
What—is every ale-seller, or drunkard, or swearer, or profane person wiser than all the Parliament and the Prince? Or are they all better, and juster, and honester than they? No; but it is self that stands up against all. It is in vain to tell them of kings, or parliaments, or laws, or common good, as long as you go about to cross the flesh, and trouble them in their private interest. Set but self against all, and all goes down before it as nothing. There is scarce a thief or murderer