CHAPTER VI – Men's averseness to costly or troublesome duties
5. And hence it is that disputations so seldom change men's minds, because they take it to be a dishonor to be changed by another
(unless it be a person of great renown). We envy to an opposite the glory of altering our understandings; but if we may have the doing of it ourselves, by the power of our own understandings and studies, we will sometimes yield to change our minds.
He is a stranger to the ungodly world that sees not how much selfinterest does to master their understandings and turn their hearts from the holy doctrine of Christ, and how much it does to make them like or dislike their teachers, or any point or practice in religion. And he is a stranger, even among divines themselves, that sees not the sway that self bears in their judgments, and disputes, and course of life, and the choice of their party or society to which they join themselves.
CHAPTER VI.
Men's great averseness to costly or troublesome duties.
3. Another discovering instance of the rarity of self-denial is this: the great averseness of men to any costly, or troublesome, or self-denying duty—how necessary soever, how plainly soever revealed in the Scripture, and how generally soever acknowledged by the Church. As if self had a negative voice in the making of laws for the government of the world, and none
must be binding without its consent. I shall come down to some more particular instances.
4. The great duty of charitably relieving our brethren in necessity to the utmost of our power is commonly made almost nothing of in the world. And men cheat their souls by thinking they are passed from death to life because they love the brethren with such a cold and barren love as will neither lay down estate for them nor venture life for them, but think they are sure
Christians because they can say, as the believers that James mentioneth, Depart in peace: be you warmed and filled, but give them not that which is necessary thereto (James 2:16).
Though it be told them plainly by Christ himself that it is not a fruitless, ineffectual love, but that which causes them to feed and clothe and visit the saints, that must stand them instead at judgment
(Matt. 25), and though the Apostle asks them how the love of God can dwell in that man that sees his brother have need and shuts up the bowels of his compassion from him (1 John 3:17), yet men think that by dropping now and then a penny they have discharged all this great duty. And when they see many ways by which they might promote the Gospel, help the Church, and serve God with their estates, yet self will not let them see the meaning of the plainest
Scriptures that require it.
2. When men should practice the great duty of forgiving injuries, trespasses, and debts, and of loving our enemies, blessing them that curse us, and praying for them that hate and persecute us— how stubbornly does selfishness resist these duties! What abundance of words may you use in vain with most men to
persuade them to any of this work? No: they must have their right, and that which is their own, though it be to the undoing of their brother.
Passion and revenge even boil within them, and the thoughts of an injury stick in their minds; and if they do take on them dissemblingly to forgive it, yet they cannot forget it, nor heartily love a brother that displeases them—much less an enemy. And all this is from the dominion of self, and shows that it prevails above God in the soul, and therefore shows a graceless heart.
3. When the Ministers of the Gospel themselves should be painstaking in their great and necessary work, and should watch over all the flock (Acts 20:28), warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that they may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus (Col. 1:28), condescending to men of the lowest sort, and teaching them in season and out of season— what reasonings and shifts will self bring in to resist so great and excellent a duty, and prove it to be no duty, and that God will give them leave to spare their pains? And all because of the powerful interest of self.
4. And let the same Ministers have a disordered flock that has scandalous members, especially if they be great ones or many, and how rarely will they do their duty to them in plain reproof; and, in case of impenitency and continuance in sin, by public admonition and rejection? What shiftings and cavillings will they find against this displeasing work of discipline—even when they will reproach a man themselves whose opinion is against
discipline, and when they have preached and written and disputed so much for it?
Almost all parties are agreed of the necessity of it in the substance; yet when it comes to practice, it cannot be done without procuring men's hatred and opposition, and laying us open to much incommodity; and therefore self persuades us to forbear. And whether God or self has the more servants even yet in a reformed ministry, I leave you to judge as your observation of the congregations through the land shall direct you.
But were it not for self, I would undertake to do more for discipline and personal instruction with most Ministers by one argument, than
I have done by a volume; and you might see an unanimous concurrence in the work, and consequently a great alteration in the Churches.
5. And whence is it but from selfishness that plain and close application in our sermons is taken to be an injury by those that think themselves concerned in it? If a Minister will speak alike to all, and take heed of meddling with their sores, they will patiently hear him; but if he make them know that he means them in particular, and deal closely with them about their miserable state or against any special disgraceful sin, they fall to railing at him and reproaching him behind his back, and perhaps they will say they will hear him no more.
O, says the selfish ungodly wretch, I know he meant me today: had he nobody but me to speak against? As if a sick man should be angry with the physician for giving directions and medicines to him in
particular, and say, Had he nobody to give physic to but me? Were there not sick men enough in the town besides me?
When Christ told the despisers of the Gospel of the certain and dreadful destruction that was near them (Matt. 21:41, 44–45), it is said that when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke of them! (A heinous business!) And therefore they sought to lay hands on him, but they dared not do it for fear of the multitude.
6. Nay, let a Minister preach but any such doctrine as seems consequentially to be against self, and to conclude hardly of them, and they are ready to say as Ahab of Micaiah, I hate him, for he prophesies not good of me, but evil (1 Kings 22:8). Let us but tell them how few will be saved; what holiness and striving and diligence is necessary—though we have the express Word of God for it (Heb. 12:14; Matt. 7:13–14; Luke 13:24; 2 Pet. 1:10)— yet because they think it makes against their carnal peace, they cannot abide it.
Plain truth is unwelcome to them because it is rough, and grates upon the quick, and tells them of that which is troublesome to know.
Though they must know their sin and danger and misery, or else they can never escape it, yet they would rather venture on hell than hear the danger. And as a foolish patient, they love that physician better who will tell them there is no danger and let them die, than him who will tell them, Your disease is dangerous; you must bleed or vomit or purge, or you will die.
O what a wrong they take it to be told thus! If a Minister tell one of them who has the death-marks of ungodliness in the face of his
conversation, Neighbor, I must deal plainly with you: your state is sad; you are unsanctified and unjustified, and in the slavery of the Devil, and will be lost forever if you die before you are converted and made a new creature; and therefore turn presently as you love your soul, it is ten to one that he should receive a reproachful answer instead of thanks and obedience. And all this shows that self bears the rule.
I will give one instance from the Gospel that will tell you plainly the power of self. In Luke 4:20ff you read of an excellent sermon preached by Jesus Christ himself, so that all wondered at his gracious words; yet few were converted by it. They fell to cavilling against him because of his supposed parentage and breeding.
Whereupon Christ tells them that Elijah and Elisha, though most excellent prophets, were sent but for the sake of a few; and therefore it was no wonder if, of all that multitude, it was but a few that should be converted and saved by him.
This very doctrine so nettled these wretches that the text says (vv.
28–29), All they in the synagogue, when they heard these things, were filled with wrath, and rose up and thrust him out of the city, and led him to the brow of the hill whereon their city was built, that they might cast him down headlong. See what entertainment such doctrine had, even from Christ himself! As if they should have said,
"What! are we all unconverted and ungodly? Shall none be saved but a few such as you?" Self was not able to bear this doctrine; they would have had his life for it.
7. Again, let but a Minister or private Christian deal closely with ungodly men or hypocrites about their particular sins by private
reproof, and see whether self be not lord and king in them. O how scurvily they will look at you! Their hearts presently rise against you with displeasure, and they meet you with distaste and passion, and plead for their sins, or at least excuse or extenuate them; or bethink themselves what they may hit you in the teeth with of your own.
Or if malice itself can fasten nothing on you, they let fly at professors, or those whom they think are of your mind and way. In a word, they show you that they take it not well that you meddle with them and will not let their sin alone. Yet God has expressly commanded us
(Lev. 19:17), Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thy heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. And in Heb. 3:13, Exhort one another daily while it is called today, lest any be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. And Matt. 18:15–
16.
Try but plain dealing with your neighbors one twelve-month with as much prudence and love and lenity as will stand with faithfulness; and when you have done, I dare leave it to yourselves to judge whether God or self has the more servants in the world, and whether self-denial and sanctification be not very rare.
8. Yet further, you see it is the duty of Christians to admonish and faithfully reprove one another; but because most men take it ill, and plain dealing will displease and lose a friend, how few even of professors will be brought to perform it—even of those who expect a Minister should reject the offender when it cannot be done until after admonition and impenitency thereupon. No:
this is a troublesome duty, and self will not give them leave to do it.
9. Moreover, you know that Church government and discipline is an undoubted ordinance of Christ which the Church has owned in every age (though in the execution some have been negligent and some injurious), and that open scandalous sins must have open confession and repentance, that the ill effects may be hindered or healed, and the Church see that the person is capable of their communion, and that the absolution may be open and well grounded.
And yet let any man (except the truly penitent and godly) be called after a scandal to such a necessary confession, and how hardly are they brought to it? What cavilling shall you have against the duty?
They will not believe that it is their duty—no, not they! And why so?
Is it because it is not plainly required by God? No, but because it tends (they think) to their disgrace; and self is against it.
And when you have shown them such reasons for it that they cannot answer, yet the sum is: they will not believe it; or if they believe it, they will not do it. What! will they make themselves the laughingstock and talk of the country? No, they will never do it.
And it is an injury, they think, for God or man to put them upon it.
God commands, and self forbids. God bids them yield, lest they perish in impenitency; self bids them not yield, lest they shame themselves before men. God persuades, and self dissuades—and which is it that most commonly prevails? (Though to avoid the shame of excommunication, self also will sometimes make them yield.) Did but the Magistrate, by a penalty of ten or twenty pounds
upon refusers, persuade them to this, not one of a hundred would then refuse. But when God urges them with the threatening of hell, the wages of impenitency, they make little or nothing of it—as if they could escape it by not believing it, or some way or other deal well enough with him.
Judge by the performance of this one duty whether God or self has more disciples.
10. Lastly, let me instance in one duty more. Suppose a deceitful tradesman, or an oppressing landlord, or anyone who has gotten unlawfully from another, is told from the Word of God that it is his duty to make restitution—either to the person, or to his posterity (or to God by the poor, if neither can be done)—and to give back all that ever he thus unjustly came by, though he has been possessed of it (without disgrace) never so long. See what entertainment this doctrine will have with the most.
Self will not lose the prey that it has got hold of, until death shall wring it out of its jaws, and hell make them wish they had never meddled with it, or else had penitently and voluntarily restored it. O what abundance of objections has self against it! And no answer will satisfy from God or man. Of a thousand unjust getters, how many do restore, and say as Zacchaeus, Luke 19:8, Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have taken anything from any man by false accusation, I restore him fourfold.
Nay, let us instance in a duty of lesser self-denial than this of restitution. If two do but fall out, and one give railing words to the other; or if one slander his neighbor and do him wrong—though it be undoubtedly the will of Christ that he penitently ask forgiveness of