CHAPTER IX – The great power and prevalence of self discovered
make you see, against the blinding power of Self) how rare selfdenial is in the world, and what a large dominion Self obtaineth.
I would here have added some more Discoveries, as:
6. From the excessive care, and cost, and labor that almost all the world is at for Self, and the little they are at for God or the good of others.
7. The large proportion that is expended on Self, in comparison of God and others.
8. The zeal of men to vindicate Self, but the little zeal for God or others.
9. The rigorous laws that are made in the cause of Self (thieves and traitors must die), and the remissness of law-givers in the cause of God: blasphemy, malignity, and impiety are not so roughly handled.
10. The firmness of men to carnal Self, and their great mutability and unfaithfulness to God.
But I had rather omit somewhat than be too tedious; and therefore I go no further in these Discoveries, save only to add a few of those
Aggravations that show you the extent of Self's dominion, as you have seen the sad discoveries of the reality of it.
CHAPTER IX.
The great Power and Prevalency of Selfishness Discovered.
And that you may see what cause we have for our lamentation: consider the greatness of selfish tyranny in these particulars.
1. Consider what a power it is that Self beareth down in the world.
The commands of the God of heaven are overcome by it. The promises of eternal life are trod underfoot by it. The threatenings of endless torments are nothing to it. It casts by heaven; it ventures upon hell; it tramples upon the precious blood of Christ. It will not hear the voice of wisdom itself, nor the voice of goodness and mercy itself. It refuseth him that speaks from heaven. Love itself is not lovely where Self is judge.
It quencheth all the motions of the Spirit. It despiseth ministers.
It turneth mercies into wantonness and sin. Like Samson, it breaks all bonds that are laid on it; and till it be weakened itself, there is no holding, no ruling, no saving the soul that is ruled by it.
2. Consider also the exceeding number of its subjects.
Truly, if there were no other proof that the sanctified and the saved are very few, this one is so full and sad a proof that it tempteth me sometime to think them much fewer than willingly
I would do. Alas, how few self-denying persons do you meet with in the world—yea, in the Church—yea, among the stricter professors! Look over all the world and see how few you can find at work for anyone but for carnal Self.
If you observe the courts and see whose work is done most there; and look into the armies of the world and see who it is that ruleth there; if you look upon the affairs of nations and the wars of princes and their
confederacies and see who it is that rules in all—how little will you see (save here and there) but carnal Self? It is Self that makes the cause and manageth it. It is Self that maketh wars and peace.
Come down into our courts of justice, and whose voice is loudest at the bar, but Self's? And who is it commonly else that brings in the verdict? at least, who is it else that made and followeth on the quarrel? How many causes hath Self at an Assize, for one that God hath?
Come lower into the country, and who is it that plows and sows?
Who is it that keeps house or shop but Self? I mean, what else but carnal Self is the principle? What else but carnal Self is the end?
What else but the will of Self is the rule? And what else but selfish commodity or pleasure or honor are the matter—or some provision that is made for these? And consequently, what else but self-respect is the form? For the end informeth the means as means; and therefore all that is done for Self is self-service and self-seeking.
In a word, as God is all in all to the sanctified, so Self is as all in all to the ungodly. And alas, how great a number are all these!
3. Consider that it is a sin that is nearer us objectively than any other sin; and the nearer, the more dangerous.
Alas, that a man should turn his own substance into poison and feed upon it to his own destruction! If you have drunk poison, you may cast it up again, or nature may do much to work it out; but if your own blood and humors and spirits be turned into venom, that should nourish and preserve your life, what then shall expel this venom and deliver you?
4. Moreover, it is the most obstinate disease in the world.
No duty harder (except the love of God) than selfdenial.
O how many wounds will Self carry away and yet keep life, and heal them all! How commonly do we convince some carnal gentlemen that one thing is needful, and that it is a better part than earth and honor and sensuality that must be chosen, or else they are undone; and that the more they have, the more they must forsake, and the more self-denial is required to their salvation; and that all their lands and wealth and honors, and all their wit and parts and interest must be at the service of their
Maker and Redeemer; and that when they have all in the world that they can get, all must become nothing, and God must become all; their treasure must become dross and dung, and Christ must become their treasure, or they are lost.
I say, how often do we convince men of all estates of these important, evident truths? And yet this Self is still alive and keeps the garrison of the heart; and all that we can have from most of them is, as the rich man, Luke 18.23–24, to be very sorrowful that they cannot have heaven at easier rates, and that Christ will not be a servant unto Self, or that they cannot have two masters! They go away sorrowful (but away they go) because they are rich; which makes Christ say upon this observation, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God?
But when the disciples were troubled at his observation, he lets them know that it is Self, and not riches, that is indeed the deadly enemy.
It is the selfish who trust in riches, and love and use them for themselves, and deny not themselves, and devote not all to God, that
will be kept out of heaven by them. Or, in Christ's own words, Luke 12: It is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God. Conquer Self and conquer all.
5. Moreover, Self is the most constant malady; the sin that doth most constantly attend us. Many actual sins may be laid by, and we may for the time be free from them. But selfishness is in the heart, and lives with us continually. It parts not from us sleeping or waking. It goes to the worship of God with us. It will not stay behind in the holiest ordinance. It will not forbear intermixing itself in the purest duties, but will defile them all. So that above all sins in the world, it is this that must have the strictest, constantest watch, or else we shall never have any peace for it.
6. Yea, this Self does lamentably survive even in the sanctified soul, among the special graces of the Spirit, and lamentably distempers the hearts and lives of too many of the godly themselves. Not that any godly man is selfish in a predominant sense, or that Self is higher or more powerful in his heart than God—for that is a contradiction: such a man cannot be a godly man without conversion. But yet the very remnants of conquered Self—what a smoke do they make in our assemblies, and what a noisome scent in the lives of many godly men!
What a stir have we sometimes with those whom we hope are godly, before we can get them to an impartial judgment; to lament their own foul words or other miscarriages, and to humble themselves, or freely to forgive another that has wronged them—especially to confess disgraceful sins in any self-denying manner? How closely do
they stick to their own conceits? How lamentably do they improve them, to the contempt of ministers, and to the trouble and division of the Church? How wise are they in their own eyes, and how hardly do they yield to any advice that crosses Self? How hardly are they brought to any dear and costly duty? How much do they indulge their appetites and passions? And how cheap a religion do many think to come to heaven with!
We can scarcely please some of them, they are so selfish: either because we cross them in their opinions or in their ways, or because we allow them not so much special countenance and respect as Self would have, or deny them something which Self desires. If they have any use for us, if we leave not more public or greater work which God has set us on, and allow them not that part in our time or labors, or other helps, which God and conscience will not allow them, they are offended and take it ill that Self is not preferred before God and the public service. Their selves are so dear to themselves that they think we should neglect all to serve them.
Let the most useful minister live in a place that has the plague or other contagious mortal sickness; and most that are visited will take it ill if the minister come not to them, though they know that his life is hazarded by it, and that his loss to the whole Church is more to be regarded than the content or benefit of particular persons; and it is not the pleasing of them, nor their benefit by him then, that will countervail the Church's loss of him. What is this but too much preferring Self (I hope not habitually, but in that act) before the Church and honor of God?
Let a minister or any other man resolve to bestow all that God has given him for His service, on the poor or on pious uses: perhaps he shall displease as many as he pleaseth, because he has not enough for all. And if he give to nineteen, the twentieth will say, "He passed by me; and I am never the better." And thus this insatiable, unreasonable Self will hardly be pleased.
And among the godly, how much does it prevail! O how many ministers in England can tell by sad experience how much of Self survives in professors: so much that we can hardly rule them or keep them from breaking all to pieces, and every man running his own way. The ruin of England's expected Reformation, the fall of our hope in too great a measure, the multiplying of sects, the swarms of errors, the rage against the faithfullest ministers, the neglect of discipline, and obstinate refusal of penitent confessions and humbling, self-denying duties; the backwardness to learn, the forwardness to be teachers; the high esteem of weak parts and weaker grace; the commonness of backbiting, censuring, and slandering—especially those that are not of their fond opinions; the rising designs of many; the tenderness of their reputations; the contendings for preeminence—all these, with many others, do too loudly tell the world how much of Self, and how little self-denial, is in many that seem godly.
7. But yet this is not the highest discovery of the power of carnal Self. Though it is sad to think that it should be so potent in any that have grace, yet it is sadder to think that it has too much power in the wisest and most learned Magistrates and Ministers, who should be the greatest enemies of it in the rest.
A Magistrate, as a Magistrate, is for the common good. Political societies consisting of Sovereign and Subject are therefore called
Commonwealths, from the final cause, which is the common good or weal of all; so that it is essential to a Magistrate to be for the common good. And yet Self creeps in and makes such work with many of them, that it is hard to judge whether it has left them the essence of the Magistracy, and whether they should be called Magistrates or no.
But yet it is sadder still, that the learned, godly preachers of selfdenial should have so little of it as too many have. Alas, that Ministers do not remember how ill Christ took the first contendings among His disciples, who should be the greatest; that they do not imprint upon their minds the image of Christ's setting a child before them, and afterward girding Himself and washing their feet. I think those men that make a sacrament of this do err much less than those who forget it. And I suspect that our contrariety to this example will tempt some ere long into the contrary extreme, and it may be set up as a sacrament indeed.
O woeful case, to be daily lamented by all the compassionate members of the Church: that the learned, zealous pastors of it are the leaders, fomenters, and continuers of her divisions; and when they have opportunity to seek for healing, they want a will. Such a measure of Self survives in them, that though God calls to them for peace and unity, and the bleeding Church is begging it of them on her knees, yet Self has such power over them that God is not heard, and the Church cannot be regarded; but peace, and piety, and all must be sacrificed to the will and interest of Self. As if they were the priests of Self, and the honor of God and the peace of the Church were the daily sacrifice they have to offer!
Not a motion can be made for reformation or unity, but some selfish Ministers rise up to strangle it under pretense of mending the terms.
Not a consultation can be held, but Self creeps in—yea, openly appears—and ravels the work, and will needs be the doer of all that is done, or nothing must go on that is done against it.
O blessed Nation, if self-denial were more eminent and predominant therein! O precious Ministry, and great and honorable, if we truly sought our honor in the habit of children, and by being the servants of all! O happy Churches, abounding in holiness and peace, if once the pastors and people were better skilled in the practice of selfdenial!
I must confess, to the praise of God's grace, that many such Ministers and people I have had the happiness to converse with; and how sweet the fruit has been both to them and me, both they and I are ready to confess. But one self-seeking, unmortified Minister is enough to disturb a whole society, and break the good endeavors of many. And alas, how many such are abroad, that talk of almost nothing but their opinions, or parties, or carnal interests; and are not in the harvest as reapers to gather, but as wild beasts that are broken in to make spoil, or as Samson's foxes to set all on fire—running up and down from country to country with firebrands at their tails and stings in their mouths, which they call by the reverend name of Zeal.
But you may think I have been long in discoveries, aggravations, and complaints; and therefore I will go no further in that sort of work, but only adjoin these three or four practical consectaries following.