The Still-Destroyer

THE STIL-DESTROYER DISCOVERED.

A T the writing whereof the body of Paul was under the restraint of bonds and imprisonment, but never was the soul of this blessed man more then at this time enlarged; his soul was happy in a double enlargement. First, in that of spiritual joy, secondly, of spiritual desire. His joys were so abundant, that he expresseth them near twenty several times in this no long Epistle; never made he so frequent mention of death, bonds and dissolution, as in this Epistle, nor ever made he more frequent expressions of Divine joys and comforts; now he exhorteth the Philippians (for he had of this oil of joy for their lamps also) to rejoice, to rejoice always, and again to rejoice; The thorn was at his breast, and never sang he so sweetly as now; He had a fountain of joy in his soul, which the scorching season of a prison was not able to dry up; Oh the power and effic • cie of the supplies of the Spirit of Jesus Christ! How able are they to pose the cruelties of men? There is still as much in Jesus Christ for us; his comforts are imparted, not impaired; a prison cannot keep him more out now then in Paul's time. He still loves to feed his people through the grate, and when he sends them a great journey of trouble and •• derling, to bid them once and again, up and eat: and will the Lord keep us from soul-straitnings? what matters it how strict and close the confinements of our bodies are?

For the largeness of Paul's desires, they were not in this Epistle employed for him self as prisoners wishes commonly are, but for the Philippians. His own miseries lose themselves in the fears of theirs; his only grief was that of compassion; throughout all this rejoicing Epistle I find him weeping but once, and that was from apprehensions of their dangers. His desire of benefiting their souls could have made him content at one time almost, to stay a while longer from Jesus Christ, and (as Bernard speaks of another) rather to stand at the door a begging with his children in the rain, then to go in and feast with Jesus Christ himself, and leave them without. Oh the excellency of a public Spirit! It is not limited or confined within the bounds of self concernments. Oh the greatness of a Soul widened, with desires to advance the Kingdom of Jesus Christ! Paul's zeal in this respect puts him upon contriving some way of making a supply of his necessitated absence from the Philippians; what he could not do by himself, he desires to do by another, even Timothy, him he promiseth to send as a living Epistle to second this other, so as Jesus Christ might be advanced, he cares not by whom it were, whether by himself or another. He was willing to stand in the crowd and be hidden, so as Christ might stand upon his shoulders and be seen • .

Paul being about to give a Commission to Timothy for this purpose, sends first a commendation of him. He commends him from his carefulness of the Philippiuns state. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , from his holy solicitousnes, the word importeth a soul-cutting care. 'It is then happy with the Church of God, when they who are employed in it, have endowments suitable to their employments, especially that of caring for souls. Ministers must not then be without care when they are to enter upon it. How unfitly are many Congregations in this distracted England called Cures? many there are that cut the souls of their people, few that cut their own souls with caring for their people; Timothy had within him a soul-diving care for the Philippians state.

This care in Timothy toward the Philippians, Paul commends for its sincerity, its naturalnes; He careth for your state naturally (saith he) that is, heartily, truly, not paintedly, appearingly, artificially, or (as some) willingly, not constrainedly; Timothy was not a Minister in title, in dignity, in coat, in cloth, but in truth; he had the heart of a Minister in him; he was not a Praelate in show, and a Pilate in heart, as Bernard complains of some in his time; there was in him Genuinus germanus affectus, a reality of inward and hearty affection toward the Philippians; he was careful naturally, sincerely.

This sincerity of Timothies care Paul commends from the rarity of it; I have none, faith he, like-minded, equally-hearted to Timothy in this cause of Christ, I have divers Ministers with me, but only one Timothy, the rest are far inferior to him in integrity, and of a lower form in Ministerial fitness to be employed, he is the most choicely spirited man that I know in all Rome; I have not his fellow left when he is gone, Paul had no regard to his own private loss of so precious a companion; he had but one, and he too was deserving, and receiving from Paul the love of a father, yet part with him he will if the Church want him. O self-denying soul! how dost thou shame those, who boasting that they succeed in the place of Apostleship, are (were at least) yet so far from the grace of it, that if Philippi had been in their Dioces, would rather have taken away from Philippi an hundred Timothies and not have left one, then have sent one to Philippi, though there had been a hundred by them desirous to go? 2. Paul to make the Philippians value Timothy the more, tells them that such Timothies were very rare a motive likely to be prevalent to move respect to Timothy. The rarity of godly Minister • height en • the esteem of them. Oh that the times wherein were live were not too sad a proof • hereof! When our Timothies were rare how frequently were they beloved? but now they are by the blessing of God in greater abundance (in these parts) how commonly are they loathed? And this is occasioned by the plenty of their labors, under which cost of a good God we grow more luxuriant and rank in weeds, more propense to liberty, pride, contentions, and contempt of God's so familiar Dispensations, even to the taking up the old trade new dressed; I mean a siner spun persecution. Take heed, if rarity be a means to procure love to Ministers, the Lord may soon remove from you these now (as they are counted) Antichristian burdens, and by their rarity teach you to esteem them; I scare your madness must be cured by keeping you in the dark, and that with shorter and courser fare too. Paul endeavors to heighten the Philippians esteem of Timothy, by declaring the unusualness of such Timothies; I have none equally minded, &c.

Paul gives the reason of this rarity in the 21. verse. the words that I choose in my following discourse to insist upon; What is the cause that there are few or none besides Timothy that regard the things, the state of the Church? because others seek their own things, therefore not Christ's things. Their affections are full flood earth-ward, self-ward; therefore ebbing heavenward, Christ-ward.

All seek ] He speaks not of those that had made an open defection from the faith, totally forsaking the Apostle, as Hymenaeus, Philetus, &c. but of those who were Brethren and fellow laborers: Nor yet doth he intend that simply all these were so neglective of the things of Christ, as that there was not one but Timothy that regarded the Church; for there was Epaphr • ditus and others who did regard them, but the word [All] is here to be taken as else-where, & in common speech it is used, that is, not as importing its full extent, and as it is most comprehensive, but as importing the generality, the many, the most; so when Paul speaks as if all the Cretans were evil beasts and slow bellies, he must be understood as speaking of the most; the generality of the fault, causing an expression of universality. All, almost, or for the generality seek their own things.

Seek ] The word signifieth an eager and studious prosecution and desire, by way of inquiry after anything; (as Mark 12.12. Luke 11.18.) sometimes also the requiring or exacting of a thing; ( Luk. 12.46.) here 'tis taken in the former sense, and imp • rts a too • ager immoderate prosecution of our own things, not a lawful subordinate endeavor to preserve ourselves and ours, so as to advance God's glory thereby, but an immeasurable vehement out-going of affection after our own things which we make our aim, and end, and scope in a way of oppositnesse even to the things of Christ himself when both come in competition.

Their own ] Or things for themselves, and that belong to themselves, and here they are to be understodd of bodily comforts, as riches, health, pleasures, &c. though Christ calls these another's (Luk. 16.12.) & those only our own which are our souls, Grace being the 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , your own, spoken of in that place, and indeed spiritual blessings only deserve this title of our own, because they are only qualified for that part of a man, that is the man, the soul, and they only continue. Other things, the own things spoken of here being rather our Carcasses then our own, & they shall have others to own them ere long; but in regard of our civil propriety in them among men, and in regard of the opinions of carnally minded men, using and desiring them as if their souls could be satisfied with them, as also own them always, these folicitously immoderately regarded things are called our own.

Not the things of Jesus Christ ] What he had called the state and things of the Church in the fore-going verse, he here calls the things of Jesus Christ, in regard that Christ hath a true interest in the Church and all that belongs to it. The Church is his Church, her grace, glory, conditions, all his.

Not ] That is, Comparatively to Timothy; they were not equally hearted to him for the Church, not that they did simply throw off all care of the Church; but their own private proper profits and interests did so take them up, that they had not at that time hearts suited to so difficult an employment for Christ; To seek the things of Christ is to make the glory of Christ principally in our ay •• es, to employ our parts and endeavors chiefly for advancing his Honor, preferring him to all our private conveniences, or exigencies, to make Christ the scope of our life: so Phi. 1. To me to live is Christ. Contrarily, not to seek him is not only not to regard him at all, and purely to throw off all looking after the things of Christ, but not to seek them in the first place, and not to propound them as our chief end, but rather to undertake employments seemingly for Christ, but intending principally our own benefit, honor, case, &c. more then the things of Jesus Christ.

The words of both the verses thus opened, those of the twenty first verse, which I shall only insist upon contain a proof, and an aggravation of a fault more lightly touched in the foregoing verse, by occasion of Timothies commendation: The fault was Carele • nesse of the Churches state; the Apostle amplifieth it here th •• e ways.

First, by she wing what it was to be careless of the state of the Church; 'twas to neglect the things even of Christ himself: it is a considerable person that is neglected with the Church.

Secondly, by she wing how or upon what ground these things of the Church came to be neglected; it was by reason of the seeking their own things, it was a very inconsiderable ground upon which they were so careless of the things of the Church.

Thirdly, by she wing the generality of those that were so careless and neglective of these things. All, saith Paul in a manner all, by f • r the most seek their own things, &c.

Or we may observe two things mainly considerable in this o • e and twentieth verse,

First, a fault or offense described.

Secondly, the generablitie of the delinquents or offenders.

First, the fault hath two branches: First, a positive branch, They sought their own things. Secondly, a negative branch, not the things of Jesus Christ.

In the first, the positive, first, here is an act seeking, there is eagerness.

Secondly, an object, their own things, there is unworthiness.

In the second the negative branch; there is first, the kind of • ffence, it was an omission; the state of the Church was neglected, o •• itted, not the, &c.

Secondly, the d • gree of it, or the aggravating and heightening of it, the things o •• s of Jesus Christ were neglected in the neglect of the Church.

Thirdly, the cause of all this neglect necessarily implied, it was in regard of following inordinately their own things.

The generality of the offenders is to be handled under several considerations.

In prosecution of this second division sundry fruitful observations in every branch would offer themselves, as, from the first part the offense as considered, first, in the positive branch, the seeking their own things.

First, observe as this eager act of seeking was bestowed upon things that were licita non inhonesta, own things permitted by God to be sought after, that we are very liable to offend in lawful things.

Secondly, as these things were privata non publica, their own private, not the Public things, that it is a very ignoble temper of soul for Christians in times wherein the Public wants them, to regard immoderately their own private affairs.

Thirdly, as these things were dissimulata non manifesta, things sought underhand; no man professing or seeming to seek his own things, but the contrary the good of the Church; that it is ordinary, but very discommendable for Christians, under pretence of seeking the things of the Church, to regard mainly themselves and their own things.

So from the offense considered in the negative branch, not the things of Jesus Christ; first, from the kind of this offense, it being an offense of omission, we might observe that it is a sin not only to persecute the Church, but even not to labor the prosperity of it.

Secondly, from the aggravation of this neglect of the Church, it being a neglect of the things of Jesus Christ, we might observe; first, the propriety and interest that Christ hath in his Church, and the things of it, they are the things of Christ himself; as the Church itself, so her Grace, Glory, Conditions, Officers, are all his.

Secondly, that this interest which Christ hath in his Church, and the things thereof, doth much heighten the offense of neglecting the Church, in regard it imports, first, a neglect of a service we pretend to advance, all making a show of serving Christ.

Secondly, a neglect of a service that deserves our regard by reason of its honor, safety, sweetness, advantage.

Thirdly, Aneglecting of him that was so loving and industrious in seeking of us.

Fourthly, A neglecting of his service who will one day call us to an account for it.

Thirdly, from the cause of this neglecting the things of Christ, it is observable that the seeking our own things, binders the seeking of the things of Christ's.

The second part of the Text, viz. the generality of the offenders, contains a threefold respect.

First, to Paul, in whom it notes sorrowful resentment of this fault, and courage in reproving it.

Secondly, to Timothy, by whom it notes commendablenesse in differing from the generality.

Thirdly, to the self-seekers; who were brethren and fellowlabourers; in whom it notes the discovery that difficulties make of pretenders to Christ and his things.

But I shall in this first part only prosecute the last particular in the second branch, viz. the cause of the neglect of the things of Christ, and in that the forenamed point which the context compared with the words themselves, clearly show us was the Apostles scope; all the other particulars before mentioned in a manner naturally falling in with it in the through handling of it; It was this, The seeking of our own things will hinder us from seeking the things of Jesus Christ.

In the prosecution of which point I shall proceed, First by way of Explication.

Secondly, of Confirmation.

Thirdly, of Application.

There are three things which want Explication.

First, what kind of seeking our own things it is that will hinder us from seeking the things of Jesus Christ.

Secondly, what things of Christ they are that will be hindered by seeking our own things.

Thirdly, wherein the hindrance stands and doth consist, that will follow this seeking our own things.

1. What I mean by seeking our own things.

2. What by the things of Christ.

3. What by the hindrance or neglect of the things of Jesus Christ.

First, what I mean by seeking our own things. All kind of seeking our own things will not hinder us from seeking the things of Christ. There is a lawful and an allowed seeking our own things; A diligent, Christian, providential labor in looking after them, is by the Scripture commanded and commeuded, there being no repugnancy at all between it and seeking the things of Christ; A Christian is not exempted from all kind of socking their own things, which as they are to be sought for from God, before we labor for them upon the earth; so must we labor for them upon the earth, when we have sought them from God; Are we hungry? we must not sit still till miraculous showers of Manna rain down upon us; Are we thirsty? we must not wait for God to cleave the Rocks into Cups, and give us water thence; Are we desirous of c • oathing? we doserve to go naked if we will stay till the Sheep resign their coats to be our garments; What then? what kind of seeking is it that a Christian must shun as hindering from seeking the things of Jesus Christ?

First, it is a seeking our own things with an • iety of heart, with distrustfulness of God's promise and providence; such a seeking as wherein we depend not upon a father to seek with us and for us, and to be careful of us. When we cast not the burdensomenesse of our seeking upon God, when we are not like the sheep that follows the Shepherd for food, but like the Lion always roaring and raving, as if there were none to provide for us; when as we are cutting our souls with care; when we are always of a doub • full •• oubled mind for these own things, as Christ speaks; when we hang in suspense for the event of our enquiries, and are like Meteors in the air tossed up and down, hîther and thither, at the pleasure of every blast.

Secondly, the seeking our own things with the beight of raised expectation to find comfort and supplies and sufficiency in them, hinders from seeking the things of Jesus Christ; when we think of our own things above what they are; when we regard our health, wealth, honor, &c. as if there were no other heaven but these, and no other hell but the contrary; when we bless ourselves securely in the hopes or possessions of them, and trust and confide in them, as Christ speaks, Mar. 10.24. Making gold our confidence, trusting in the abundance of riches. lí a man thinketh these things to be something, when they are nothing, he deceiveth himself; they all say to a man they are not the things we lo • ke for, they point to God; if we regard them with the height of hopes, and firmness of dependencies, we shall neglect all of Jesus Christ.

Thirdly, the seeking our own things with 〈◊〉 and unlimited eagerness in going out after them, when the hear i • for upon them, and sold unto them, there being no moder • tion to held the rains of our industry, we being carried not with the g •• tle gales of indifferency, but the furious winder of vi •• dence; this kind of seeking also hinders from seeking the things of Jesus Christ; when we do not exevcise our limbs, but cra ••• out sinews 〈◊〉 them, not dip the tip of our rod in tasting the honey o • profit, ple • sure, honor, &c. but thrust it in even all over, and engulph and swallow up ourselves in matters of se • 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, 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 unleas • nably, bastowing hours upon them that are due to other things, is a seeking which makes us neglect the things of Jesus Christ, when weroh the 〈◊〉 of her opportunities, pil • er from God, clip the Sabbath, our Prayer • , Religion, the Church and Cause of Christ; when the senlofeth here, that so it may gain upon our own things: which we will seek 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 Timothy; Is this a time to mind case, and rest, and safety, and self? such a kind of seeking our own things, must needs hinder the seeking the things of Jesus Christ. I have done with the first thing that I propounded to be • pened, viz. what seeking it is that hinders us from seeking the things of Jesus Christ.

The second follows, what things of Christ this self-seeking hindereth.

1. This caused a neglect of Christ himself when he was here upon the ••• th; even to an earnest soliciting him sometimes to depart out of their ••• sts, Matth. 8.34. Sometimes it made people fearful to acknowledge him, John 9.22. At other time • openly to 〈◊〉 him; Twas this that derided him in the 〈◊〉 Pharis •• s, Luke 16.14. Twas this that persecuted him in the Ruler ••• Twas this that 〈…〉 , M •• . 19.2 • . Danyed him (so far as it prevailed) in Peter, Matth, • 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 own place and their nation, John 11.48. Twas this that conde • ned him in Pilate, Luke 23.24. In a word, it made his whole life, a life of neglect, and 'twas the reason why Christ came to his own, and his own received him not. His own sought their own things.

Secondly, Inordinate self-regarding hath ever caused and expressed a neglect of Christ and his things, in men's carriage 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 several ages? they were against self, and self in every man was against them; Twas seeking their own things that made Diana's worshippers so loud in their out-cries against Blessed Paul; that made Peter and John threatened for that miracle of mercy; that imprisoned and abused the Apostles; that ston • d S •• ven for feacre of suffering a change in old and own customs; that moved Herod to kill James, and endeavor the murder of Peter. Self-regarding was the wind that ever raised storms against the servants of Christ; at the best it made them looked upon with neglect and contempt, it made people fearful to accompany with them, or join to their Society; or if some did go so fa • as out ward Compliance with them, yet hath this self-regarding caused squint-eyed aims, and secret resolutions upon occasion of difficulty to forsake them. What but this hath neglected Christ in his distressed members, often denying relief to them, st • rving Christ in his Saints? Was it not this that made Nabal branded with the name of a churl, and caused that unkind denial of Davias slender request; Shall I give, saith he, my bread, my water, my fi • sh, &c.

Thirdly, This immoderate regarding our own things, hath neglected the things of Christ in the cause of Religi • n. What but this kept Meroz back from helping the L • rd? What, if not this, detained R • nben among the sheep-folds, to hear the bleating of the •• ocks, when the cause of God was in • copa • dy? This t • ed D • n to his ships; This shut up the hearts and hands of the men of S • ccoth and Pennel against the Fai • ting bodies of the pur •• ers of God's and his • hurches 〈◊〉 . 'Twas the seeking their own things that would have cursed the Church by B • l •••• , Numb. 22. disturbed it by Cora • , Dathan, and Abir ••• , N •••• . 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, Z • ch. 2.7. In a word, all the home-bred distractions, and divisions, 〈◊〉 the unsound opinions, sidings, half-reformations, sinful limitations, to go thus far, and no farther, ungodly bredths, which people have indulged to themselves, wretched allowances of gross sins, 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 m • th of the Church, making up in hurt, what it wants in noise; Zion's Still-Destroyer, to which the Church may say, as I • 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, 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 sinful silencing some truths, and un worthy face-fearing; A sin, (so ready to creep into the Pulpit) that Paul desires the Ephesians, Ephes. 6.19. to pray it down, even in himself; At other times by corrupting and adulterating the truth with sinner-soothing words (as wine with water) not the words of wisdom, but the wisdom of words, as Paul speaks, 1 C • 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, gainful to the purse, and hurtful to the heart; thus the Apostle speaks of filthy lusre, that made some preach things which they ought not; • arthly mindedness in others, that caused enmity to the cross of Christ, (I conceive the Apostle means, their preaching the Law in a way of opposition to Christ's satisfaction:) Covetousness and desire to make mer • h • ndise of souls, puts others upon bringing in d ••• able heresies; At other times, self-regarding hath put Ministers upon preaching the Word, who are altogether uns •••• full, and unprepared, workmen that may well be ashamed, never trained up to handle their spiritual atms, not like those • ilfull Beni ••• ites able to shoot at a hairs breadth, though too like them in being left handed; 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; dealing with the Scriptures as Chy •• ists with natural bodies, laboring to extract that out of them, which nature never put in them; wounding the Scriptures with their own weapons, and making them (Uriah-like) carry letters for their own destruction.

Nor hath the Word fared better from self-seeking hearers; For how have they disregarded all the administrations of it? what have its threatenings been in allages to them but empty cracks? do they not bless themselves in the saddest denuntiations of it? placing their prosecutions of their own things as a screen between themselves and God's wrath; These they were that evermore despised and derided the sharpest Sermons; instifying themselves because haply men had nothing to say against them, hardening their necks though oft reproved, if the threatenings 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 all • vely song, and a pleasant •• 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 s • t upon seeking the world, gives that deportment to the Word, which Abraham gave to his servants who • id them stay behind a while, till he and his son had gone to sacr • fi •• , 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 • arthly enquiries stay till they have heard what their precise instructer will deliver, but then they'll after ward make up their constrained in ••••• ission with a more • ager prosecution of all the services, and 〈◊〉 of self •• They who 〈◊〉 not • e bo • nded in their affections, by the 〈◊〉 of health or •• nength, or 〈◊〉 , or honor, shall we think that these will be restrained by precep •• God's own immediate 〈…〉 Bal •••• , how fr • itlesse was i •• up he gets him betim •• in • he morning, as if his bed had been at full of thorns as his soul; add though 〈…〉 and again, these • ruell thirstings break through 〈◊〉 of di •• iculti •• : What be • efit received Ind • s from him • 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 co •• fo •• and promises in the word of Christ may find better entertainment with self-seeking hearers; no, their carnal palates relish none of these delicacies; these things are 〈◊〉 Aquavit • 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 •• ings of •• er • ity to him, but warm clothes to a dead c •• casse? Would God but grant him (as 〈◊〉 read of one that pro • est it in words) a thousand 〈◊〉 respite, to follow his •• n things, and to find a certain proportion of honor, wealth, and pleasure, he would not envy God his heaven: D • th not Christ tell us, that they set light • y, and desire to be excused from the troublesome participation of the Evangelical Supper • their stomachs are so clogged with these own things, that the things of Christ have no room left for them; anything from God pleaseth them more then himself; If at any time they commend the good things of the Gospel, it is not from any • ast of swee •• esse in them, but it is mere • lie a commendation upon hearsay, and to comply with the really taken with Christ. There are some hounds wh • in hunting make a very loud noise, but it is not from anysent they have of the Hare, but only in imitation of the rest: A heart eagerly set upon any lusting for self, in all its seeming deligh •••• h •• ve • s, or Christ, or eter • ity, finds no true sweethes •• in them, but 〈◊〉 rather in his estimate lock upon them as very poor things: It thinks the life of faith, dep •• d •••• upon a sword • to be • ich in reversion, &c. mere empty spe •• d • tions and notions.

The third branch of e • phcation.

The inordinate seeking our own things doth not hind • all manor of seeking the things of Jesus Christ; for self-seekers, may be employed in governing, preaching, &c. in the Church.

But it hinders from seeking them,

1. Heartily; inwardly. A self- ••• ker seeks the things of Jesus Christ seemingly, superficially only; like some men who lifting with others at a burden, it may be make as great a noise, and as l •• d a cry as the rest, but yet they put to it no strength at all; A self-seeker commonly makes the greatest noise, and doth the least work; his fir • is like that in the bush, which Moses saw, making a great flame but not burning at all. Jehu was in appearance a great seeker of God, and reformation, he made a great noise; but his heart was never further from seeking the things of God, then when he was seeking them. He did but act a reformer. The people that heard Ezekiel's Sermons made much out ward appearance of delight in them, but their hearts went after self-prosecutions; A Christ-seeker contrarily is more then he can express for Christ; hath a heart within whereof all he doth for Christ out watdly, like an Interpreter that reacheth not the emphasis of the original, cannot fully express the love it be a •• th to Jesus Christ. 〈◊〉 Lord take it, saith he, be it life, limb • , wealth, &c. and oh that they were better for thy sake!

2. Self-seeking hindereth from seeking the things of Jesus Christ solely, and by themselves alone. A self-seeker regards not Christ unless his work hath some attendances of honor, wealth, pleasure; like little children that love not a lesson wherein there is not a gay; Plain work and service which is not fring'd with honor, wealth, observation of the people, &c. he goeth about very listlesly: As Elijah said to Aha • , that if it were not for Iebeshaphats presence he would not so much as bestow a look upon him; so thinks the self-seeker, were not rewards present, renown present, applause present with Christ's service, he would not regard it; see how different this temper is from that of a Christ. seeker: Could Paul but save souls, he regarded not his own profit or name, be cared not whether that were present or no. A Saint saith as that noble Commander, who being to undertake an expedition of danger • and thereupon diss •• added, resolvedly answered, 'It is not necessary I should live, but that the work should be done; and is the work brought about, he cares nor though his industry, fidelity, parts, prudence, all lie hid; nay he fear • to discover them for gratifying of self, as Moses parents were afraid he should be seen, because he was fair, and therefore hid him in the ark.

3. It hinders from seeking Christ's things comfortably and with rejoicing; The building of comfort is only set upon the foundation of integrity: A self-seeker is left of God to be comforted, after employment, by him that set him on work; he hath an unpacified spirit, in all the applauses, and admirations that he meets with from men; he can never be quieted from God, that is not employed by God; God hath reserved this reward of joy, only for his own service; an unsound crazy heart can never hold that precious liquor. If the service go cross, the Christ-seeker is comforted by the integrity of his aims. David was not permitted to build the Temple, yet he rejoiced at his own, and his people willingnesses, 1 Chron. 29. A self-seeker when he doth effect anything advantageous to the cause of Christ, leaves all the joy of that service to him that loves Jesus Christ; the one laboreth, and the other enters into his labors.

4. It hinders from seeking Christ's things thoroughly. A self-seeker ever sets himself bounds, thus far he will go, and no further, this abuse (is he a Magistrate) he will reform, not the other; this man shall be punished when he refuseth the Covenant, not another; He aims not at the doing the work of Christ to beauty, perfection, and exactness; put case, at the first he endeavors the reíormation of idolatry, profaneness, heresies, &c. nay covenants too that he will do so, yet if his own end be served once, and his own way permitted, let Popery, or the worst of abominations go untouched afterward he cares not; so that his studying for a reformation, is like some Gentlemens study of the Law, into which they desire to get no further insight, then only for the saving their own estates; the employment that is easy and safe he undertakes, withdraws from another more difficult, like to one that hath an unsound foot, who picks out the softest way to travel in, and if he must go in a hard way, there he hal • s; Many acts of Christ's service are too high for self to carry us upon, too irrational for self apprehension to submit unto, too dangerous for selfs tenderness to adventure in; A self-seeker loves not to engage too deeply, lest he should never come off safe; a heart truly above self is only above fears, see it in the Apostle Paul; nothing moved him, neither did he account his life dear so as he might finish his Ministry with joy.

5. Self-seeking hinders from seeking the things of Christ fervently, zealously, with our might: the cream, and flour of our abilities are taken off for self; performances that come not from the heart, are done slightly, and coldly; the tongue will be no ready writer, unless the heart be boiling with a good matter; our services will never be costly, unless the heart be full of affection; that's the reason that a self-socker whose souls bent is set for his own things, is so dead, so faint, so listlesse for God. When the spleen swells, all the other parts decay, and when we are much in satisfying self, out services for God are but lean, and thin, and slight: a divided heart betwixt Christ and self, will be a lazy heart. The eye that should look toward Christ, will never be sharp-sighted, unless that which looks toward self be shut, or rather put out.

6. It hinders from seeking Christ's things constantly. A self-seeker wants a principle, a fountain, from whence to issue his services. A standing pool, or a shallow plash of water will soon dry up, so will his goodness that wants the heart to feed it. 'It is only a friend that loves at all times; he that seeks the things of Christ for fear of authority, for love of credit, gain, &c. when these cease, his search will cease also. The redness of blushing in the face, is soon down again; 'tis that of the natural complexion that only continues; A man that is high and hot in his services, will soon be low, and cold again, if there be not a holy naturalness, an inward integrity in the soul, for the things of Jesus Christ.

I have done with the third and last branch of explication, wherein the hindrances 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 anything that concerns ourselves, takes up, engrosseth, and menopelizeth, as it were, the whole man, and gives way to it to attend upon nothing but its own satisfaction, unless by the way, and so far forth as its main drift may not be hindered: As in the regular and due bestowing our hearts and searches upon God and his ways, there's an affording the whole man to them, and it there be any other • eject comes in the way, a Saint that makes God his chief 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 〈◊〉 allow ••••• , it 〈◊〉 a gh • bi •• ployes the whole man; as all our endeavors were made for a god, so they 〈◊〉 make a god, or find a god; and if so, what can be expected for the things of Jesus Christ, but that they should be looked after in the second place, very poorly, if at all, in a way of ••• serviencie to self, and at the allowance of lust? If honors for our selv •• , wealth, pleasures, revenge, be the end we propound, the whole man will be employed for the accomplishment.

The understanding will undervalue anything else in compar • • on, it admire • that highly which the heart is set upon, ra • sessublime estimates upon it. O • hinksit, had •• this, or that, I were made for over; 〈◊〉 thinks there's no other heaven but wealth, and honor, things suitable to the corrupted faculty.

For the will and affections, they will be employed about the prosecution of the thing principally sought after, • ither wealth, or honor, or the like; that thing will he • isous spirit 〈◊〉 , the wings of the af •• ctions will be so besmeared with it, there will be no soaring Godward. He'l grow bitter when the world is sweet; and there is such a twisting, and • nt wining of the affections within one another, that all will be entangled about that object which is principally pursued; the joy in pleasing itself with it if o ••• ained, the desire in craving it if wanted, the hope in expecting it if probable, the anger in overcoming if resisted, the grief in lamenting if removed; And what's now left for the things of Jesus Christ?

The thoughts they will be busied with, and buried in self-employments; God being not sought, he will not be in all the thoughts; the thoughts of remembrance, of contrivance, enquiry, will all be set upon these own things; these will only busy the brain. The thought • are like a mill, always turning, and the affection of love throws in the grain and seed which they grind; if it therefore be set upon self, what but self and own things can be put into the thoughts; the afflictions of Joseph will be forgotten, the welfare of Jerusalem, the safety of Zion will be uninquired into, these own things will take up all the thoughts.

The tongue which speaks out of the abundance of the heart, will altogether talk of earthly prosecutions; as what kind 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; so if there be self-seeking, speaking for self will follow. The hand of the Clock doth but show how the wheels go within. An unsavory stomach 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 only of the earth: Where then will be the tongue for the things of Christ, the directing tongue, the encouraging tongue, the commanding tongue?

The actions will be employed, and steerd according to the motions of love. A self-minding-man will do nothing for Christ; If self have withdrawn the heart, 'twill wither the hand toe. There will be no contributing hand for Christ, or his truth, or his members, commonly 'tis employed in receiving only; If it parts with ought, commonly it comes by constraint; it gives as a narrow mouthed bottle sends forth water, with a muttering; If the Law will enforce nothing, truly conscience will bestow nothing; If anything prevail with it, 'twill be death, then perhaps like a poor man's 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 forever stick in the mire of misery 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 Christ's things must be neglected; he burns out the taper of his strength, wealth, parts, in doing his own works, when Christ's 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 he is and does. That's the first Reason. But,

Secondly, It takes not only in him and of him up all; but all this unweariedly, incessantly where 'tis allowed, there is an enlarging without measure, therefore called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , an effusion, a rushing out of lustings, an aestus like the foaming or boiling of the sea. These sinful searchings can never be carried to anything in w ^ch they may rest, therefore they will be always in motion; for though there be not enough in the things they follow to satisfy them, yet there is enough perpetually to entice them. Desires and searchings are like numbers, one can never go so far in numbering, but there may be a number named beyond it, and above it; so there are ever more remaining desires, a reserve of desires (as I may say) in the heart, fresh supplies new raised, whensoever any old ones are cloyd or clogged; (for so they are rather then satisfied) It may be said of these lustings, when we endeavor to fill them, as 'twas of the Israelites, when the Egyptians endeavored to suppress and destroy them, they grew the more in numbers and strength, the more they were oppressed. God whose commands t • nd not to the impoverishing of the body (as Chrysostom saith) hath allowed time and employment, and wealth sufficient for needful provisions, nay sometime for delight, and as God saith to David, If this had not beenenough, thus and thus could I have done for thee • but a man that alloweth himself in his lusts and prosecutions for self, breaks over the hedge of sufficiency into the wide Common of excess, and there loseth himself. Oh the prodigious unwearyedness of a man set upon any searching for self! the carcass, the instrument may be worn and wearied out, but the lusting is never tired, there's a weariness perhaps of service in the members, but none of command in the Law; so the Prophet, Th • u art wearied in thy way, yet saidst thou not there is no hope; though thou art outwardly tired in the prosecutions of lusts, yet thou sayest not, Ise give over, my hopes are not yet at an end; thou still dreamest of satisfaction, and therefore wilt go on with wonted madness; A lust out-lives its faculty; concupiscence never groweth crazy in the weakest body, if the faculty could, lust would still rise up early, lie down late, lade it self with thick clay, how ever 'tis still wishing, woulding, seeking these own things; what time is now left for the things of Jesus Christ? not so much as the dregs of sickness or old age, for the lust is still strong and young, and craving, when life is ending.

Thirdly, The inordinate allowance of our industries in self-services, must needs hinder us from seeking the things of Jesus Christ, in regard of the oppositnes and repugnancy between our cravings and searchings, and the Work and will of Jesus Christ, the one withstands the pursuit of the other. There can be no serving these two opposite masters; if one be loved sought, the other will be loathed; inordinate affection draws one way, the will of Christ another; like the two women that were pleading for the living child before Solomon, but with this difference, the things of Christ, and self, both plead, but neither will admit of a division, a parting of the height of our enquiries; there can be no accommodation between inordinate inquiries, and Christian. Enmity to Christ is in seeking these earthly things; they are like two balances, if the one go up, the other goeth down, the serving of Christ and of our own bellies cannot stand together. It's impossible to look heavenward and earth-ward at the same time in this spiritual sense. Self-enquiries like the woman's disease in the Gospel, bows us down to the earth, the seekings of Christ require elevation. When the Moon is at full its directly opposite to the Sun, when our hearts and enquiries are fully set upon self, they will then oppose Christ; Indeed tis not impossible to do our own things, or to delight in the blessings God bestows upon us, and at the same to seek Christ's things too, but then the main aim and scope of the heart will be for God, and our other desires, and delights will be only in a way of subordination and reference; as put case, Abraham's steward when he was in the journey had fair weather and uninterrupted passage, and pleasant rode, these might have delighted him, and these he might before have desired, but yet not so as to take off his mind from the main end, for which Abraham sent him forth, but so as hereby he might be the more enabl'd to do his Masters business; God owns not services which have not him for the main scope, at least which endeavor it not; the inordinate seekings of self are opposite to those of Christ; Christ may have many seekers, but these seekers cannot have many Christ's.

The sin and misery of a man enthralled to any one lusting for self, he is detained from doing anything for Jesus Christ; he is a mere useless Drone, a Cipher, a Mute, a Nullitie; Certainly, a Supersedeas from serving Jesus Christ, would be to a gracious heart the greatest burden in the world; This is his condition that is a slave to himself, he's like the branches of a Vine fit for nouse in building a house, meet for doing no work, good for nothing but the fire; he is a mere broken Idol, a vessel of no pleasure, no ways fitted for the Masters use; he is one that diverteth himself from the scope to which God directs him, one that is drawn from the use agreed upon in heaven; (nothing in the creature being ordained for it sel • e, as light in the sun, water in the well, both are for man, and man for God.) When he is about these own things, he is in God's account as if he were doing nothing, as Christ tells his Disciples, they had hitherto asked nothing, because they had only desired worldly greatness, honor, promotions, &c. So they that give over themselves to these self employments work nothing, seek nothing; This would be a hell to a Saint, though it deserved not another to follow it. But then to leave all the things of Christ even for lusts sake, this greatens the misery; if it were for something else, near as good that a man neglected Jesus Christ: If for another Christ, another Master that could love him as dearly, use him as kindly, provide for him as plentifully, reward him as liberally, employ him as nobly; the wonder of wretchedness were not so great: But in not seeking Christ, know O man (if thou doest not rather unman thyself by leaving thy God) that thou addictest thyself to those searchings and servings that thy own lusts impose upon thee, thy lusts which are in number many, thou must be pestered with many satanical swarms of them, when thou forsakest one Lord, all haling and tugging thy soul to different, and (in a sort) oft times opposite employments; among which thou art but Pila diaboli, the devils Ball, which he by thine own lustings tosseth hither and thither.

Thy prosecutions are vile and low, and unworthy they are the ladings of thyself with thick clay, wallowings of a swine, whereas they might have been the workings a Saint, nay an Angel. Thon art one that invites lust to enter upon the goods of God himself, one that appropriates to that abomination what is dedicated to a holy use, worse then Belshazzar carousing in the golden vessels of the Temple, or one who digs in a dunghill with a golden spade. God hath bestowed a vessel, a spirit of gold, admirable abilities and endowments, and these are at the devotion of lust, upon which are bestowed Wells that they never digged, vineyards that they never planted, a soul, and endowments that they never created.

The Philistines would not suffer the feet of men to tread upon that threshold, upon which their but fictitious and supposed Deity had fallen, but thou admittest that which is baser then a toad, nay a devil (Satan's excrement, as Bernard calls it) to trample upon that excellent nature which God assumed, which is capable of the divine nature here, and of participation of the presence of the great God to eternity; thou goest as far beneath thyself, as a King doth in stopping an Oven with his Robes, or in shaking hay with his Scepter. When a Saint is taking a turn in the Ivorie Palaces, hath his heart and head busied in and for heaven, and walks even hand in hand with Angels, and is busied in the employments of Christ, then is a sinner toiling in the vile drudgery of lust, he is by a preposterous patience a true slavish Cham, a servant of servants, an embracer of a dunghill, nay, a slave to that which God did never make, that is now invited to destroy his creature.

And these prosecutions are as cruel and tyrannical, as they are vile and abominable, there's never any peace in them. The Be never stings but when out of the hive; nor the affections but when out of the embracements of Jesus Christ, this is thy portion to lie down in sorrow; every employment for lust is an affrightment; no peace from God but in the service of the God of peace. All searchings for self are soul-scratchings, they are thorns to rend the spirit, which God hath interwoven in every service of lust; the uncertain profits and pleasures which thou aimest at, are but appearing huskie goods, but the evils which necessarily attend, are true and real evils and troubles.

What shall I say of that incessancy of toile which thou undergoest in these works of cruelty? It's a true speech, Peccator nunquam feriatur, this cager pursuer of any inordinate lusting keeps no holy-days; when he is upon his bed of Down, then he is pierced with these thorns of distraction and care, he caries a furnace of tortures in his breast: 'tis true, sometimes Satan gives (and God in justice permits) a dream of joy, a little of something like contentment, in the hope or acquiring of some vain gain, or pleasure: but these are but sick slumbers; how cruel must those sleeps be, which are upon the knees of a Delilah? and poured upon thee by an enemy? Whatever seeming good thou at tamest in this way, 'tis but an angry mercy, thou usest it as a mere bribe to the arests of conscience, which one day nevertheless will do his office: The raw-flesh that is laid to the Wolf in the breast, will not always last, and when 'tis devoured, then that living disease gnaws upon the tortured patient; All thy profits, pleasures, honors, do but while-away, and neither truly intermit, nor to be sure, abolish thy sorrows; there's the root of all vexation in thee, departure from God in Christ.

And though thy very work be a dismal punishment, and a sufficient torture in the apprehension of a Saint, yet the wages of all these out-goings of soul from thy God, shall be punishment even to the height: All those honors, gains, or pleasures, for the sake whereof thou hast toil'd and drudg'd so much in this world, even to a neglect of Christ, will all leave thee, (had there been as much pains taken for Christ's things, they would have followed thee) as Absalom's Mule did him, when he was hanged in the tree: How much better will it then appear to thee, if thou hadst neglected a hundred gains, and undergone as many deaths for the things of Jesus Christ, then by reason of a short and troublesome prosecution of thine own things, to lose thy God and self too? how true then will that speech be found; He that loves himself above Christ, loves neither himself nor Christ? How gladly wouldest thou then throw back with Judas thy thirty pieces of silver, all those gains, which thou perhaps didst get in betraying the cause of Christ? then how wilt thou second God's condemning thee with self-condemnation for thy folly, in preferring a childish gay before an advantageous conveyance; In being so deluded by Satan, who though heretofore he (like Solomon's buyer) said, 'It is naught, 'tis naught, Christ and Religion, &c. are nothing worth, yet now he hath guld thy soul of them, goeth away and laugheth at thee. Oh that (beloved) you would think what damage it is to lay out your enquiries altogether for receivings, while you never think of being received; none buyeth so dear and selleth so cheap, as he that by seeking his own things, will part with Jesus Christ; my last inference will more fully clear this, I shall not here therefore prevent myself.

I have done with the first. A second and a more close one follows. 2. Inference. The seeking our own things hath been the cause why the things of Christ have been neglected in England.

1. The things of Jesus Christ as they respect his servants, his Ministers especially, how have they been neglected? and oh that I could say but neglected and no more! Hath not Christ in his servants and Ministers been summus Martyr, the greatest Martyr? As Luther once said in respect of the imputation of their sins, Christ was Summus peccator the greatest sinner; may not we as confidently affirm that he hath ever been the sorest sufferer in his saints? Hath not our English soil been died with the blood of the Saints of Christ? hath it not been the shambles of his innocent lambes in Queen Mary's days, who was the rod upon the back of this poor Kingdom in the hand of God, for his Churches wantonness under his indulgencies, in godly King Edwards Reign? since, though the quiet ashes of those blessed Martyrs could not be disturbed, yet hath not Martyrdom risen again? 'It is plain it hath, I, & that sometime even to resistance unto blood; not to doubt but that it was even in the calmer reign of that cruel Queens two next Successors, (though it durst not appear so publicly, as in Smithfield) hath it not of late showed it self with an emboldened brow; should I either doubt of, or deny it, you might ask me whether I am the only stranger in Jerusalem? nay these things have not been done or suffered in a corner, not ourselves at home, but even all the Protestants in Europe, (and oh that we had never sent the tidings hereof to America) have with astonishment beheld them; who hath not heard of the whippings, the brandings, the banishments, and imprisonments of many precious Saints? how frequent was it for a Ceremony which never searc • could get beyond the commendation of a tolerable triste, to deprive the most learned and godly Ministers of not living only, but all livelihood, health and habitation, (the beggering their wives and children, and the starving of their flocks being counted but a trifle) and what might be the cause why these things of Jesus Christ went so to the wrack? did Prelates think we offer these sacrifices to a dull dry Ceremony a posture of the body, or the table? no there was the seeking of these own things; higher promotions for self, more gracious looks from Superiors, a more glittering attendance forselfe, these things put them upon these furious courses; now Ceremonies and preferments are severed, there are not more forward men in the world (I speak upon knowledge) then many late admirers of Prelacie, to cry down what heretofore they so eagerly voiced up; But have the faithful Ministers of Christ been better used by self seeking of late? surely no. Satan changeth his colors, never his conditions; now the most strictly pious and courageous of them in times of Prelacie, who did not (durst not) leave their flocks to fly for more safety and plenty elsewhere; but stood it out like David's Worthy against hundreds of oppositions; these (I say) who throughout the whole Kingdom have been the greatest instruments of praying, weeping, preaching, living down Anti-christ, must now be counted and called the limbs of Anti-christ; no disgraces thought enough to asperse them and their doctrine; But what's the cause of this neglect of the servants of Christ? surely this self-seeking lies at the bottom; either self thinks their doctrine too sharp, their lives too strict, their respect too great, their maintenance too burdensome, their gifts too eminent, their preaching too opposite to liberty of Conscience, public exercise of every ones gifts, or the like, sure I am 'tis self that is the Enemy (I write not these things with a bitter, but a bleeding heart.)

2. Let us take a sorrowful view of the neglect of the things of Jesus in this present Cause of Reformation, and that will plainly appear also to arise from seeking these own things; What if not self-seeking hath spun us such alasting thread of calamities, and made our woes so long lived, not to speak of the hurt it hath done by the professed opposers of Religion, whom it makes little better then devils in flesh and blood, though to speak only of these would haply more please us (men commonly taking honey only out of the carcass of the dead Lyon, and delighting only in reproofs that meddle not with themselves.) 'It is self-seeking that hath not been only the dreyner of our treasures, but the Leech that hath sucked not the bad, but even the best blood out of English veins, the Moth that hath so stilly destroyed us, the rotten tooth, the broken style of a poor abused nation; self-seeking hath betrayed our Cities, Forts, Magazines, Armies, 'tis this that hath made a trad • of our miseries, that hath made Commanders over places of greatest Concernment cowardous and treacherous, I, and perhaps sometime hath connived at them too; 'It is this that hath revealed our Counsels, and retarded our Expeditions, coveting for self, revenging for self, ambition for self have done these things, and thereby undone us. Are there not among us those to be found that desire to keep our flames still unquenched, that so instead of putting out the fire, they may in a common confusion steal the goods out of the house for enriching of selves? If England be buried, may not this be written on her tomb, Self-seeking hath laid her here; 'It is no wonder that God hath sought us no more, that have sought him so little; had we sought him, and not out selves, we might have found him and ourselves, but seeking ourselves and not him, we lose both; if seeking of Christ had been here, England had not died.

But haply self-seeking hath less neglected Christ's things, in respect of the Church; but here alas I must not renew, but redouble my complaints; This monster hath aimed mostly at the hindering the things of Christ in that and all it's malice to the Commonwealth, 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, 'It is seeking our own things that opposeth a settling of Government, not withstanding the studies, and prayers, and tears, not withstanding the learned and clear Convictions, which the godly and Orthodox Divines have expressed. 'It is this which (yet) doth cavil away our peace and holiness, our order, reformation, and power of godliness, and threateneth a necessity, whether more woeful or wicked (God knoweth) of bearing with all religions. What is it but self-seeking, which makes us who (in my young remembrance) could weep, and fast, and seek God against the fears of a toleration of Popery, now to think that it may well 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 means to pacifio his wrath, and work reformation of life, a mere politick Character, only to put a difference between our own private friends and foes. What but this self-seeking lies at the bottom 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 favoreth and watereth them? did not seeking of self reputation and gain (which could never have been attained by preaching or printing, good honest old Scripture truths in a giddy age) put the Founders of these opinions upon the first contriving of them? and since can it be anything else 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 he preacheth them down is not only looked upon with neglect, but with the suspect of Semi-Malignancie? Tell me now, are the things of Christ in the Cause of Reformation beholding to self-seeking?

Thirdly, the things of Jesus Christ in his Ordinances have been infinitely neglected, 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, and by their sinful silence, murdered thousands of souls, 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, requiring presence at the same time,) when 'twas said that Ministers labored more to fish for tithes, then for souls; and hence principally those terms of disgrace in their several times, were cast upon them: As peculatores, non speculatores, robbers, not watchmen; praedatores, non praedicatores, thieves, not teachers: This kind of self-seeking, made Bernard cnmplain in his time, That more ambition then devotion, employed those that should have been most careful of the Church; and Platina to say, That they were wont only to inquire 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 eagerness, in the Council of Trent, is in part redressed, and the reformation thereof will be much furthered, when Impropriations (the more wealthy thieveries of the two, and as some think, the only sin established by a Law) shall be suppressed; the neglect of the Word, by the want of which reformation deserving to be thought with the neglecting of it by Pluralities, to spring from the same root of self-seeking. Nor hath self-seeking caused timorous ones, and pluralists, to neglect the word of Christ, but those also whom it puts upon the Ministry for smaller gains; handfuls of barley, and pieces of bread, though their palpable insufficiency makes them as unfit for one place, as the other were for two or three; these make the Word the scorn of profane 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, they never care for informing their understandings, by principling and grounding them in the fundamentals of Religion, but raising by loud voices, and strange gestures, wonderment and passion in their hearers, leave these poor ignorant souls as a prey to the subtle adversary, who taking advantage by their present tenderness and affrightments, (as Simeon and Levi destroyed the Shechemites when they were sore) abuse and seduce them into ways of error, and schism, the blind guide mean while, who was followed formerly, no man knew why, is now left no man knows how. At other times self-seeking hath made the Word suff • r by Ministers, through their corrupting and depraving of it, sometime with the mixtures of a trifling wittiness, and an empty neatness 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 Jesus Christ in power and purity. What but self-seeking, hath heretofore turned our Churches into Stages, and Preachers almost into players, when as the Minister who should only 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, tortured by violent interpretations? how frequently have men made it speak according to their minds? not bringing their hearts to the Word, but the Word to their hearts; hath not out of the sweet fountain of truth, the bitter streams of error been made to proceed? are there not some who have labored to turn these waters into blood, and to kill those by them, who should have lived in them? Surely 'tis 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, for filthy lucre, to Satan himself.

But is the Word beholding more to self-seeking people, then to Ministers? Surely the Word in most places can scarce be by them afforded audience: There are some who say, they are above Ordinances, ('twere far better if they were fruitful under them) nay that question whether there be 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; and what ever the truth be, that is urged from that, it is branded with the name of legal, which in their sense is as much as illegal; and the faithful reprovers of sin, and zealous exhorters to a strict life, are termed but Old Testament Ministers; like Saul, when David was endeavoring to drive away the evil spirit with his Harp, they have this javelin, to throw at the faithful 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 'tis easy to see how slight and shallow the impressions are, which the Word leaves upon their consciences, and conversations: They being like some herbs, which Physicians 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 coals 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-denial, faith and the new creature, being turned into a kind of spruce, slight, notional, outside 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 be 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, 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, 'tis by some esteemed null, fond, and groundless, who deride, through ignorance, that condescension of Christ which they should praise with thankfulness. 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 ourselves, and way; or, an admiring of a self-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 holiness 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 withal, for one discourse of the hearts which they themselves should receive withal.

Others neglect the Sacrament in the manner of their coming, not in their keeping away, but in coming with little raisednesse of soul, dead affections, narrow hearts to entertain a great good, not with empty hands to take Jesus Christ in the Sacrament. What's the reason? self-employments have so filled and stufit their hearts with trash, that there's no room for pearls.

Others come with impure, unclean souls; with no suitable 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, lustful, proud, revengeful, 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 readiness to serve self. The wedding garment is to them like Saul's armor to David, too burdensome and heavy, too great a hindrance 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: We ought to endeavor the beating down this self-seeking in all our souls; this immoderate letting the heart run out in self-searches.

Lay the foundation of mortification deep, even deeper then ever was thy delight in thy most eagerly prosecuted comforts, not in a mere abstinence from the use of, but in an inward taking off the heart from anything that may take thee off from Christ. There are many who think, if they leave the pleasure, the outward following this or that sinful gain, or ambitious promotion, that they are mortified souls; alas, what's this, as long as the heart is uncleansed, the affection uncrucified? A man that desires to shun sickness, must not only be watchful, in keeping himself from the sharpness of the air, but must remove the corruption of his stomach. If the body be distempered, 'twill 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 leg with a siring to a stone, perhaps with some struggling gets loose from the stone, to which the string on the other end was fastened, but then flying with the string about her leg, she is entangled in the next bough she flies to, more then before. 'It is not enough to leave the use of this, or that way, or object, unless we strive to pull off the string too, the lust that tied us. Never be at quiet as long as there's this Mordecai in the gate; entreat God to alienate thee from thyself, to root up self in thee, to annihilate whatever stands up in thy soul, in a way of resisting Christ; though the lot fall even upon Jonathan, let him go; Say, Oh that I could loose myself, to come to Christ! Let the motions of self in the soul be thy continual sighing; reserve nothing in it from the stroke of Christ, for if so, provision will at length be made for it, even to a forsaking of Christ, if occasion require; This imperfect aim at self-subduing, is the cause of self-seeking, and very dangerous are these semi-renouncings of self; If there be any lust unsubdued, it will plead its interest, and often so craftily, as there will be no answering it, carnal will, evermore having carnal wit, and excuses to further it; Let not the blade of the lusting be snib'd, but let the root be cut up. If thou wouldest put out the flame, quench the bottom of it: Levi killed his own nearest kindred, because he had killed self before.

Secondly, Make a right discovery of the ravishing delights, and the satisfying benefits which every believer hath in Jesus Christ, who infinitely •• t-bids all that self is so eager in prosecution of. Behold the comforts of Jesus Christ, in this seven-fold discovery.

1. View them as realities, not as notions; Self counts all the things of heaven but empty speculations; A carnal heart saith, Look thee here, behold this pleasure, profit, &c. taste it, touch it, handle it, be enriched with it; a spirit hath nothing for thy body, thy life, &c. for your good things of heaven, they have nothing but empty names; what talk you of the life of faith? you might beg if 'twere not for your land. When Moses was in the Mount, and the Israelites knew not what was become of him, then they made golden gods; and thus it is with carnal hearts, they know not what's become of heaven, and Christ; they think they are lost and gone things, and that there's nothing in them, and then's the time to make gold, and pleasure, and honor our gods. Therefore, O Christian, look upon the things of eternity, as real, certain things; not opinions, but assertions. The Apostle speaks of things, that are not seen; yet mark, he saith, for all that, we look at these things. They are not imaginary, because invisible; look upon them, as being a substance; for so they are denoted, more then once, in the Scripture. I know not how it comes to pass, but these things of self-enquiry have stolen away the name of substance from Christ's things; men's goods are called their substance; a woe • ldly rich man, is called a substantial man, &c. where as all these things below, are but shadows, and have only so much of substance, as they have of Christ in them. Hitherto you have asked nothing, saith Christ, though they had asked honors, and wealth. That which is not, the Wiseman calls them: Therefore when Christ speaks of himself, and his own things, he calls them, things indeed, as if other things were but fantastical; but here's the misery, we speak of the things of Christ, as dreams and sp • culations; and that's the reason, when something, as we think, more certain comes in the way, our hearts are gone.

2. View the comforts of Christ, as full, abundant, not as scanty, suitable to all thy exigencies, so that thou needest not go to anything here below, to eek them out withal; they are such full things, that they want nothing but wants, and thirstings after them. View them, as able to satisfy all thy longings, to quiet thy wishes, to silence thy desires, to kill thy hunger; able to fill thy soul, like the Water-pots of Galilee, up to the brim; no satisfaction but from these comforts. The soul can never say, it hath enough, till it hath an interest in them. It is enough, said old Jacob, Joseph my son is yet alive. It is enough, may that soul say in whom Christ liveth, for whom Christ died; enough though God should give me no more; enough honor, though I should always be in disgrace; enough strength, though my body be weak; enough riches, though I be otherwise in poverty; there's so much of all good in Jesus Christ, that the soul owes him all the inclinations, and propensities by which all the things in the world are with greatest vehemency carried to their several objects, centers, and rests. A Christian should labor to gather together all his dispersed and scattered desires, that have run out upon other by-comforts, and fix them alone upon Jesus Christ, who hath the sweetness, and the desireableness of them all within himself; there's so much in Jesus Christ, that the abundance that one Saint receives, can be no cause of repining in anoother; there's vera 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , so much plenty, that it banisheth envy, Christ is a Beersheba, a well of plenty and satisfaction for all his Saints; our vessels will sooner be wanting then his oil.

3. View them as precious, sublime, and excellent, not as common, and drossy. This will heighten thy soul, and put an h • lie generosity into it, and make thee count the beautifullest things that self admires, unworthy thy stoop, as Themistocles, who did bid a poor man standing by him, take up a pearl that lay upon the ground, for thou (said he) art not Themistocles. He that looks earnestly upon the Sun, will have his eyes so dazzled, that he can see nothing upon the sudden. Let the eye of thy saith be hold the beauties of eternity, and then other things will not be counted worthy thy regard; there will be in thee a holy neglectivenesse of them: Thou wilt say to thyself of the most glorious buildings, and sumptuous palaces upon earth, as Christ, upon occasion of his Disciples admiration, of the Temples structure; Are these the things thou lookest upon?

4. View them as useful, and efficacious, not as idle, and unhelping; Even in thy saddest hours, able to comfort thee; in thy poverty, to enrich thee; in thy doubts, to direct thee; in thy straights, to enlarge thee: It is therefore by some thought, that the pleasures of the Saints in Scripture, are said to be at God's right hand, in regard of the strength and power (that being the emblem of strength) which God bestows upon them, to relieve and uphold their souls. The benefits that God in Christ bestows, are not such as we uphold, but such as uphold us: the comforts of eternity are living waters; quick, and quickening, and enlivening comforts. The consolations the Apostle speaks of are strong consolations, i. e. strengthening. David speaks of songs in the house of his pilgrimage; when he was far from friends, they made a supply. The love of Christ is said to be a banner, an ensign, to note the courage, and divine valor, which in apprehending of it, a Saint may gather to himself. Jonathan strengthened David's hand, and so doth Christ his people's. David comforted himself in his God. Look upon Christ, as able to sustain thee, casting thyself upon him, though all creature crutches were removed.

5. Look upon them, as things wherein thou hast a propriety, not as an others only. Unite, apply, appropriate the benefits of Christ to thine own soul. A man that views never so much land, or wealth, if he have not an interest therein, will not be thereby stopped in his poorer enquiries, and desires. Christ is never good in a souls account, till it hath something of him; and the more it hath of him, the less it seeks in anything else beside him. 'It is the owning of Christ, and taking him as thine, that will make thee contented, when thou seest that nothing is thine else; 'tis only this which can take thee off from earthly-prosecutions. In one Christ, is comprised every scattered comfort here below. Christ mine, saith the soul, and all mine. An union to Christ, easily disunites from anything else. The soul answers the unlawful offers that the world makes to it of honors, riches, &c. like the contented Shunamite, when she had offers of Court courtesies, I dwell with mine own Christ, I desire not to alter my condition; my Christ hath all you offer, and much more.

6. View them as present, brought near; let thy faith pull them even into thy soul: What's the reason that the worlds offers prevail with us more then Christ's? the world comes with money in hand, we look upon it as near, we think that God asks too long day for payment; we look not with the Prospective of faith upon the things of heaven, did we so, we should see them hard by, and a few months and years would be counted as Jacob's staying for Rachel but a very short time; faith would present them as at hand, and as their's did them, would make us to salute and embrace them so, although they should be to sense afar off; faith even now lays hold on eternal life, and views the promises as already performed, and therefore David even when he was crying, and praying, tells us 'twas to that God that performeth all things for him, performeth now.

7. View them as eternal, not as finite; comforts that shall triumph over time; so the word, Psal. 16. translated (evermore) importeth. Time triumpheth and maketh a spoil of everything thou canst seek here upon earth, but Christ's things triumph over time; so shall we ever be with the Lord, saith Paul. There will come a time when as Christ will not say, The poor you have always with you, and me you have not always; no, me you shall have always, and poverty no longer; joys always, tears no longer; fullness always, hunger no longer; glory always, shame no longer: oh study what 'tis to be forever with the Lord; Ever, Ever! Christ hath made an Act of Continuation for thy joys, they shall never break up. The good things of Christ are called in Scripture frequently a treasure; the word signifieth something laid up for afterward; Jesus Christ and his benefits are only the same, yesterday, and today, and forever.

3. I have done with the second Direction to beat down self-searches, which was to take a right view of the benefits of Christ, I come to a third. Labor for a sanctified use of all embitterments or stoppages, in thy eagrest self-enquiries and prosecutions; when the sea stormed 'twas a sign God would have Jonah return to his work, and leave his eager and unlawful voyage; Doth God raise any storms of disgrace, poverty, sickness, in the following this or that lusting? use it as stoppage in thy course; as one said once, Vix licet vivere & licet fornicari? I can scarce live, and should I be unclean, proud, revengeful, ambitious? The heathen could observe that when men were sick, they would abstain from former excesses. Look upon God's more bitter dispensations, as so many meetings of thee in the narrow way, as he did Balaam to keep thee from going on in thy eager prosecutions, so many breakings down of the bridges to hinder thy passage, use holy upbraiding • of thyself when thou sufferest from God. Tell thy gadding soul, thou mayst thank it for all thy sorrows; drive home the nail of affliction further by the self-crucifying hand. Think with thyself when God makes the things of the world to leave thee, as Joseph did his Mistress when she would have plaid the Adulteress; that God's aim is, thou shouldest not commit spiritual adultery with the gifts of God, which he only gave thee for thy servants.

4. A holy moderating of thy lusting out-running heart, in the offers and enjoyments of those lawful objects with which thy lusts have been most taken. Fire the ships if thou wouldst not be carried away by them, be watchful and moderate in lawful comforts, use them with a godly jealousy; deny thyself much even of that which possibly thou mayst use well, engulph not thyself in pleasure, employments, profits. A ship in the mud is launched forth with difficulty; so is a man's heart allowing himself boldly abundance of outward comforts, with difficulty carried off to the employments of Christ from self-attendances. A man should in this case even stop up the wells, as they did when they would do the enemies a discourtesy, and mar every good piece of ground, every naturally bewitching object with a sober heedful sparing enjoyment of it, pare off superfluities and abundance, set this taskmaster of wariness over thy gadding idle soul; Make not provision, Rom. 13.14. for the flesh. Let not thy soul be (as a candle in a stinking filthy lanthorn) in a body wallowing in sensual pleasures; use the things of the world as Gideon's soldiers drank those waters, not stooping down to them, and lying along, but out of the palms of their hands; let these things be thy refreshments, not thy businesses; let not thy life be the life of a Mushrum, as if thou hadst no other soul but a vegetative; ever be willing to deny thyself some what of that thou mayst do or enjoy, as the Jews in punishing Malefactors, were allowed to give forty stripes, but they gave but 39. so let thy care be to cut thyself short in many things thou mayst do.

5. A dear love to Jesus Christ; praedominant over all other: Love thyself only in Christ, and these things only as they are bestowed upon thee as pledges of his love; As thou canst not please Christ by any outside performances thou givest him, unless thou givest thyself; so neither let him please thee, unless he gives thee himself, though he bestows the world in never such abundance. Delight not in these things, nor desire them further then as they may either be seen to proceed from a loving Savior, or returned unto him. If thy love were principally set upon Christ, thou wouldest only regard these things as they are tokens of his love, as mercies not as gifts; without his love they would be as a ceale without fire in it, all dark and black and uncomfortable any further then thou didst see Christ in them; If anything sweet and amiable presented it self to thee, thou wouldest presently say and think, Oh what is there in my beloved if there be so much in these things! I will not be employed in a drop, in an atom of sweetness, but be raised up in my thoughts, and be infinitely taken with him that is the fountain of all love and lovelines; these things below would not fallere, but monere; not be witch thee from him, but admonish thee of and to him, they would be so many steps to raise up thy soul more to Jesus Christ; they would be but Phylacteries to make thee mindful of his will and pleasure in them, and no further wouldst thou be rejoiced in the enjoyment of them, then that thou mightest be serviceable to Christ by them.

6. Occasion of thy enquiries from self and earth, by spending much time in heavenly services and employments, praying, reading, hearing, meditating. Otiosus versatur in desideriis, idle persons are craving oft, Pro. 13.4. Tell thy lustings when they solicit thee, thou art otherwise busied. Let the tempter never find thee idle; empty table books may have anything written in them, if filled before, the writer is prevented; let Satan find thy soul filled ever with something of Jesus Christ, if thou wouldst shun Satan's temptation to lustings.

7. Labor daily to increase thy humble and sweet familiarity with Jesus Christ, never stand at a stay in taking in his comforts, labor to have them come in fresh every morning, endeavor that thy flame of loves and desires may daily be supplied with fresh fuel, please not thyself in any degrees of his comforts, grace, manifestations; if thou doest, he will soon grow less desirable to thee and them, thou wilt go else-where for refreshments. Christ hath war • ety of blessed employments, fly from flower to flower, rejoicing in the variety of his precious promises, deceive thy nauseating nature with intermixing one holy service with another, sometime hear, other while pray, frequently meditate, be not seldom in godly company; Christ this way will with more delight take thee up from self employments; when thy lustings solicit thee to this or that object, ask thy soul the question that the Prophet did Ahaziahs messengers; Is there not a God in Israel, that thou shouldst go to Baal-z • bub the God of Ekron? Is there never a promise in the Scripture? never a Saint of my acquaintance? never a mercy to be thankful for? never a lust to be striving with? no beauty and glory in heaven to be panting after?

I have done with the third Inference, which was that we ought to endeavor the remoovall of self-seeking out of our souls.

A fourth and the last follows.

4. We should be dissuaded from the seeking our own things, whereby the things of Christ are so neglected.

I shall urge this Dehortation upon a twofold consideration, both taken out of the Text.

1. Be dehorted from these inordinate searches, by considering upon what ground and reason men take them up; 'tis upon this ground: They look upon the things they seek and follow as their own things.

2. By considering whose the things are that will be neglected thereby, even the things of Jesus Christ.

1. That which puts us upon the eager attendance upon these things, is the accounting them our own things.

Now in this first consideration, viz. the ground of people's search, there be three notable dissuasions to take us off from seeking these things, upon that ground that they are our own.

1. The falseness and deceitfulness of a search and inquiry upon that ground.

2. The lowness and the unworthiness of it.

3. Our liableness and readiness to be overtaken by it, and to offend in it.

1. To seek other things beside the things of Jesus Christ as our own, is to be false to ourselves, to deceive ourselves, (self-seeking is self-deceiving in this respect) for they are not our own, they want that for the which we so eagerly prosecutE them; Isaac being blind, demanded of Jacob who came to him for the Blessing, whether he was his very son Esan, or no; had he not thought that he had been so, he would not have blest him; did not people think that these things below were their very own, they would never bestow their regards upon them as they do; upon that foundation they set up the building of all their prosecutions, but alas! what a slender sandy foundation is it? the Scripture tells us they are not our own.

Here's self-deceit, when we account them our own, in a three-fold respect.

1. They are not our souls things, and therefore not our own things, they are thy carcasses not thy souls, thy purses, thy shops, thy chests, not thy souls.

They are not proportioned in respect of abundance, or largeness to thy capacious soul, the whole world is not to thy soul so much as a drop to the belly of an Elephant; All fullness that is not my God (saith one) is nothing but emptiness; all that is not Jesus Christ is curt and penurious, and scantie; they are not able all put together to throw in one mite into the treasury of the soul. Hagar when she was out of Abraham's house, instantly found poverty, and soon was her bottle of water spent, and so all earthly comforts afford no supply out of Christ.

2. They are not proportioned in worth for the soul, they are mean and drossy; they are not a match fit for thy soul: It again may be said of all the Creation as 'twas once upon another occasion, Among all the creatures there was not found an help meet, &c. Among all the things here below there's not to be found a meet companion for the soul; there's no food here below that thy soul loves, no clothing to cover thy soul, no coin to enrich thy soul, no habitation to entertain thy soul; they are all below it of another kind. Thy soul when it becomes a seeker of these things, is like the excellent trees that went to the bramble to be their King. These things below that thou settest the enquiries of thy soul most upon deserve more that the tramplings of thy feet should be upon them; there's no more preciousnes in them then what thy opinion imposeth upon them.

2. They are not thine in respect of usefulnes, when thou standest in greatest need of them; adversity will try what they things are, they are then but broken stilts; • These Baals cannot plead for themselves, if either fire, or thieves, or sickness, or losses seise upon them, how then should they plead for thee? There's nothing that thou here trustest in, but like Micah's gods may be stolen away; poor gods that cannot defend themselves.

These things profit not in the day of Wrath; we may expect much from them, but when any come to use them, they are like quagmires that show green, and seem to be hard, but when thou goest to tread upon them they will not bear thy weight.

3. They are not things that will stay with us, therefore not our own, they are like lo • eph when his Mistress laid hold upon him, be gave her the slip This night said God to the rich fool shall thy soul be taken from thee, and then whose shall these things be that thou reckonest upon? All creature comforts are like those enemies of Christ, that passed by him when he was upon the cross, all transitory; the fashion of this word passeth away, perishing comforts should be prosecuted with a perishing love, and a vanishing affection; not as the things for which we do live, but as the things in this state, without which we cannot altogether live. Christ tells us of a moth that eats into all earthy treasures; Child, and land, and beauty, nay life, have their moth. The sweetest comforts like the Rose wither soonest, they are all like poor or deceitful traders, they will break sooner or later, and then what will become of thee that hast lent them, nay bestowed upon them thy loves and affections, which are all thou art worth? if they break thou must needs lose too: there's nothing hereto be loved, but as if thou wert always about to leave it, nay to loath it if God require; there's nothing here below died in grain, all their sweetness and beauty will soon wear and wash out.

There's the first disuasion in the first Consideration, the deceitfulness of this principle, that they are our own.

2. The second disuasion in the first Consideration, viz. that they are sought, because our own is the vileness an unworthiness of this principle.

2. It argues an unworthy unchristian temper, for a man to lay out his prosecutions upon his own private employments, is infinitely below a true Saintlike soul; 'tis much below the end of a Saint, only to seek the salvation though of his own soul, but to regard these own things of the body, Christ tells us 'tis the disposition of a heathen; the advancing of Christ's name in the world must be our scope; the making him famous, our work; our desire must be only to be conduits of Christ's favors, to be stewards of his goods, to lay out our very selves in his praise, unserviceablenes must be a Saints greatest burden. The excellency of a pillar is not beauty, but service and usefulnes in bearing up the building, and so 'tis with a Saint; his excellency stands not in wealth, in honors &c. but bearing up the glory and cause of Jesus Christ; not to live for himself, but even to die for the Public if God should call for it; the glory of a Saint is to have had somewhat to which he hath preferred, or may prefer Jesus Christ, to set up Christ a building of glory though upon his own ruins.

The most famous Saints in the world were made so by public spiritednes; how glorious will Moses be to posterity, that he was not willing to be happy alone either in Pharaohs Court or God's favor: so Nehemiah, and David, and Paul with the r • st, they were all made noble by this being above their own things; Oh what a vile temper is it for a Christian to be himself the Center of his own ends, and the gulf of his own comforts? Cast (saith Christ) that unprofitable servant into utter darkness, & then there's gurges in gurgite, one gulf in another; how unlike is this temper to that of the Saints in heaven, who have no other work but to sing the praises of Christ to • ternitie?

3. A third disuasion in the first Consideration is this; As there is much lowness and unworthiness in seeking our own, so there is much readiness in us to offend God in seeking them. 'It is infinitely difficult not to miscarry in following these own things, and that

1. Jn regard, following our own is a lawful liberty.

2. Offences in following our own things, seldom are reproved.

3. We are infinitely, & eager, and vehement in prosecutions for self.

1. We are liable to offend God in following our own things, because the seeking of them is in a sort allowed by God as lawful. Satan commonly puts off his bad wares of sin among these good ones, lawful things; as Satan came in among the sons of God, so commonly sin comes in in employments in their own natures lawful enough; Poison is not given to any under that notion, but under the notion of good food & wholesome diet, and so it is taken unsuspectedly. It's easy to sin in lawful things, to seek sinfully ourselves, immoderately, regardlesly of God or his Church, when God allows to seek at all; though indeed God's gracious permission herein should rather make us more free in his service, then full in our own, and be rather a bond of obedience, then a snare of Satan. The old world was first drowned in the abuse of lawful pleasures and profits, before 'twas drowned with water: They did eat and drink, they married, &c. 'Twas the abuse of lawful things, buying and selling, &c. that kept them from the Supper; so 1 Cor. 10.7. We see what the people offended in, they sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Food, apparel, acquaintance, marriage, callings, recreations all lawful, and do not thousands miscarry in the sinful using of them? Satan commonly lieth in ambush against out souls, behind our lawful liberties. Things lawfully gotten, are most commonly unlawfully affected.

2. Others cannot easily discover it in us, or reprove and taxus for these searches, they may think perhaps 'tis needful provision for family, wife, children, health, supportation of rank, and place, when yet our hearts are immoderately bent upon our self-prosecutions; we are not noted for any scandalous faults; as uncleanness, swearing, Sabbath-breaking, &c. and therefore haply others may have a good opinion of us in the midst of our most sinful self-seeking, hence the condition of a self-seeker is worse then of one more openly profane, who like a man that snorts, and makes a noise in his sleep, is jogged, and pulled, whereas the secret self-seeker, that sleeps quietly, is haply let alone by all, and never wakes till hell wakes him; the devil can tempt him without fear. Jesus Christ, indeed who knew the heart bestowed the most of his jogs, and threatenings, and admonitions, upon these still and sly wretches; and 'tis as observable, these justified themselves always, and ever had a most deadly hatred against him.

3. We are infinitely propense and eager to do, and in doing anything for self. Lovers of their own selves are particularly mentioned, 2 Tim. 3. • . If our own houses be burning, our own cause a pleading, our own children a dying, our own bargains a driving, how earnest are we in suitable affections? Here 'tis true, quicquid agimus valde agimus; vehement we are in such prosecutions. The Apostle speaks of some, that will be rich; and the Prophet of some, that lie down late, and rise up early, and eat the bread of anxiety; and the Apostle of those, that loved pleasures more by far then God; we read of some, that load themselves with thick clay, and of others, that wearied themselves in the abundance of their way, when they were in these prosecutions for self; in which no bounds of health, prudence, commands, friendship, relations, place, promise, religion, Scripture, can keep them in; as we see in Balaam and Judas, the idolaters of Ephesus, Gebezi; were not all these like a company of swift Dromedaries, traversing the ways of self? when in performance of anything for God, how dull are we? when for self, how nimble? how hearty in begging our daily bread? how faint in desiring God's kingdom • may come? we can more easily give our blood for earth, then our breath for heaven; when we are about anything for God, we do it but as it were feinedly, and faintly, we under-do it; but 'tis the hardest thing in the world, when we do anything for self, not to over-do it: This is tht common cause of all the fury, and impetuousness in the world; take away meum and tuum, mine and thine, and all will fall to the ground;

There's the first dissuasive consideration, from seeking these things, in regard of the principle, or ground, upon which we are so eager in seeking them, viz. these being our own; which argues,

1. Deceitfulness to ourselves in seeking.

2. Vnworthinesse, and lowness in seeking.

3 Liablenesse to sin in seeking.

The second consideration to dissuade us from seeking our own things, is this; Whose things they are, which the seeking our own, will make us neglect, viz. The things of Jesus Christ. 'It is observable, that Paul commonly greatens offenses, by showing how they reflect upon Jesus Christ: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha; So, They serve not the Lord Jesus Christ, but, &c. So, They are enemies to the Cross of Jesus Christ; so here, They seek not the things of Jesus Christ.

Take this second dissuasive branch, as comprehending four weighty dissuasions, everyone whereof should take us off from self-seeking; The things of Jesus Christ will hereby be neglected.

1. It is a neglect of the things of one who is in pretence our Lord and Master, and whose things we seem to seek, and so it argueth insincerity, and rottenness of intention. A great sin; never to be farther from seeking the things of Christ, then when we are a seeking them; to make Jesus Christ only a cloak and shelter for our covetousness, as the Apostle speaks, 1 Thes. 2.5. Only to make a show of service, Gal. 6.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as the worshippers of Diana, had dolum in idolo, deceit in their service, eager for Diana outwardly, but their great gains lay under their great cries; only to be a servant in show, an Angel by name, and a drone in nature, not to serve whom they do serve; this temper God abhors; this being in the skin a Christian, and in the coar a heathen; this mere outside complemental Christianity, that bows to Christ, and yet mocks him, as the soldiers did, shall be one day found to have had profession for the increasing of judgment, not for a remedy to wretchedness; The discovery of it, will one day more ashame, then the secrecy of it formerly hath pleased; Christ will uncase, uncloak all these servants; he will publicly pronounce, that for all their fair shows, he never knew them, Christ will plainly profess it. Impudency then will be dashed out of countenance. When the Sun ariseth, the glow-worm that all night glistered brightly, shines not at all; no more shall these glow-worms in religion, when Christ shall appear in the brightness of his presence, 'twill then be evident, that Christ never sought such to serve him, nor ever regarded their performances; he ever respecting duty, and measuring actions, not from the event, but the affections: The integrity of the soul, and the singleness of intention, is the sweet of every service, and sacrifice which is made thereby, sacrificium medullatum, the only sacrifice with marrow, whereas a service without it, is made up of husks, and shadows, it hath, as we use to say of some meats, no heart in it.

There's the first; A neglect of Christ's things, argues insincerity of aim.

2. It is a neglect of the things of one, who hath sought our things, and forsook heaven, and the bosom of his Father for us, and if we will not forsake trifles for him; it notes ingratitude, and an uningenuous temper. Christ spun out his very bowels, in a way of love to us; and we spin out our strength, and abilities, in sinful lustings, that are indeed his only enemies. Christ came to seek, but what? not ours, but us, that which was lost; Shall he seek us, and not we him? he sought us, when vile and wretched, shall not we him, that is so glorious and desirable? They can do no more but neglect Christ, that never had any comfort or benefit by him; Shall we neglect him, whose industries were all employed for our good? 'twas the meat and drink of Christ, to seek and save poor lost souls; he went about continually doing good. Be ashamed, O Christian, under such a head, that there should be such a member, so unprofitable, unuseful as thou art: Christ was crowned with thorns for thee, and will nothing serve thy turn but a garland of flowers?

There's the second.

3. It is a neglecting of the things of him, all whose employments deserve so well at our hands. Every thing that Christ sets us about being,

1. Very honorable. It is greater honor to be about the things of Christ, then to be the head of an Empire. Paul, when he calls himself so frequently in his Epistles, the servant of Jesus Christ, is compared by Chrysostom to some great Prince, who writing to others, in the beginning of his letter, assumes some lofty title, the more to move respect in them that should read it. The highest honor of Paul was to style himself a prisoner of Christ; the deeper in the things of Christ, the higher in honor: It is observed by some, when David had sinned in numbering the people, God would not honor him so far, as to call him his servant; Go saith God to Gad, and tell David; (giving him no title) But when David's heart was set upon building God an house, then God bids Nathan go and tell David his servant, &c. It's a great honor, for God to call us, and count us his servants. Moses was a Prince Iesurum, and 'twas his highest title to be called, Moses the servant of the Lord. David principally delights to be styled so, Truly I am thy servant, I am thy servant. The badge of Christ is a badge of truest honor; Every service of Christ is very honorable, as admission into the presence of the great King by prayer, praise, (the work of Angels) warring against sin, and Satan, principalities, and powers, saving of Kingdoms, of souls, helping the Spouse of the King of Kings, &c.

2. Every thing that Christ sets us about, is full of sweetness, and delight: In his employments, there are soul ravishing joys. His service is a Map of heaven, the place of rejoycers. A Christian hath never any true comfort in the services of any other, and if he have not comfort evermore in these, the fault is not in the services, but in the manner of his performing them; these own things, other employments, in which he hath taken too much liberty, and sensual content, commonly damp his joy. When a man sweats most out wardly, he is coldest inwardly; that man who laboreth most for, and delighteth most in outward things, as honor, wealth, &c. (the things that abused self seeks) hath least inward heat of heavenly comfort. There's more true peace in weeping with Jesus Christ, suffering for him, in being disgraced, impoverisht, nay in dying for the things of Christ, then there is in all the sports, and pleasures of the world. Christ sweetens the sourest performance, gives his people joy, and sweetness out of the fiercest, and strongest Lion; and his very rod like Jonathan's, hath honey at the end of it; the truth is, Christ hath sucked out the bitterness, and taken away the burdensomnesse of the most unpleasing sufferings and services; he hath labored, and we are entered into his labors: Our sufferings have now but a quasi, an [as] as dying, as sorrowful, as chastened, &c. The misery, the painfulness of every suffering, is taken away in the death of Jesus Christ. Death itself is a sword, that hath lost its edge, having been stricken against Christ, as against a R •• k. All the woes in the world have left their stings in the sides of Christ. The common, ordinary, standing employments of Christ, are even in themselves refreshments, and comforts to nature, as meekness, patience, temperance, contentation, love, as Chrysostom hath excellently observed, in his Sermon persuading to brotherly love: No man, saith he, can pretend, that this command is destructive to his health, &c.

3. The things of Christ are safe. Christ will keep us in all his ways, as the apple of the eye, as with wings of warmth and shelter, as with a shield, &c. There was never any miscarried in his works, unless for not being full, and through sincere, and constant in them, they minding their own things more then his. A Saint may commit himself to Christ in well doing; How safe even outwardly, when God sees it safest for their souls, doth he keep them, keeping even their carcasses, which are but the cabinets, and cases of their souls, most tenderly from hurt and injury? but how ever, God will keep the soul which is more endangered in the sweetest employments of self, then in the hardest of Jesus Christ; The keeping of the spirit, is the gracious keeping; and often that, even sees greatest safety in the approach of outward dangers, mountains full of chariots and horses of fire; A reserve of mercy, and love, and strength, drawing near to sustain it, making it more then a conqueror. The very height of danger sends a Saint beyond danger, even into the bosom of Jesus Christ. A dying Saint may say to all miseries, as Christ to the Jews, Whither I go, ye shall not come; 'It is possible indeed, there may in the passage be fear, but yet 'tis certain, there is safety: Safety though sickness, safety though poverty, though death, &c. A child of God in greatest worldly unsafeness, is like a ship upon a boisterous Sea, and driven with a strong wind, but yet such a wind, which is not so strong to affright, as it is right set, to carry to the Haven; therefore Christ forbids fear.

4. All the things of Christ, and his employments are advantageous; None shall be losers by them. Indeed Christ's things should not be sought only for reward, but Christ will not suffer them to be sought without reward; the things of Christ, like the seed that Isaac sowed, bring forth an hundred-fold, in respect of recompense. Christ will be beholding to none, they shall be paid to the full: Indeed sometime he asketh day, but when the day of payment comes, he infinitely more then countervaileth for deferring; All that we do, or suffer, in the hardest things of Christ, are not worthy the glory that shall be revealed. They cannot so much as stir that balance wherein glory is, though all the sufferings and employments in the world were thrown into the other. Christ takes notice of all the things that are done for him, all are set down and registered. In the building the wall, and setting up the gates of Jerusalem, all is observed, even to the making of bars, and locks for the gates. Every piece of a seemingly mean work, is rehearsed by Christ. A Saint is like a rich man, that drives a secret trade, his dangers and slight losses are seen haply, but his close gain • s are invisible. Our life is hid (saith Paul sweetly) with Christ in God; Our happiness is laid up, and secret indeed, but yet it is, and is abundant too. For the present, so far forth as 'tis good for them, Saints shall be rewarded, even in this life; and if it be not for their good, what reward call you that? 'tis an angry reward; it would be a better reward to want it.

4. The neglecting of the tings of Jesus Christ, is of the things of one, that will one day call us to an account and reckoning, and require at our hands, all those neglects of himself, and ways, and servants, and cause; so it argues regardlesnesse of account, fearlesnesse of reckoning. There's not one servant but 'twill be demanded of him, what he hath done; he will be called to a reckoning; and therefore Paul chargeth Timothy, to look well to the things of Christ, for he tells him, there will come a reckoning, an answering day: elsewhere the Apostle tells us of an account that must be made of our looking after the things of Jesus Christ; You may bribe your own consciences, but never him, that is to call you to the account; people may be silent of it, and forget it themselves, but they cannot make Christ forget it. Seek the things of Christ in his Church, in his Cause, in his Word, in his Servants; if ever you would have him regard you hereafter, regard him here. Be a shield to Christ's cause now, if thou wouldst have him to be a shield to thee hereafter. Paul saith, that Onesiphorus sought him out diligently, and refreshed him, even in his chains, and we see what follows, even a prayer, that he may find mercy from Christ in that day of account, since he had sought these things of Christ before.

And thus I have done with the first general part of the Text, the nature of the offense. 2. The generality of the offenders follows.

The second general head in the Text, is the generality of the offenders. All (saith the Apostle) seek, &c.

An expression, which I conceive, comprehends a threefold reference, or looks with a threefold Aspect;

1. Upon Paul.

2. Upon Timothy.

3. Upon the generality of whom the Apostle here complains that they sought their own things.

I shall name all the three respects.

1. As it hath reference to Paul, it notes two things.

1. Sorrowfull resenting of the neglect of the Church, even as if everyone had forsaken it, and not one left to own it, and the things of Christ. A gracious person, deeply and sadly lays to heart the neglect of the things of Jesus Christ. We find (as I said before) Saint Paul once weeping in this Epistle, but 'twas because of some that were not friends to Jesus Christ. When two strings of an Instrument are tuned one to the other, if the one be struck upon, and stirred, the other will move and tremble also. A Saints soul is harmoniously consenting in its affections to Christ; and if he suffer and be struck, a Saint will tremble, and be moved likewise.

2. In reference to Paul, it notes courage in reproving zeal in opposing a spreading fault; Paul dares speak even against all, if all will neglect Christ: A gracious heart will stand for Jesus Christ, in the midst even of a prevailing number that oppose him; the multitude and generality of resisters he meets withal, will not, must not, make him desist; And therefore hence we may gather a probable mark of a Christians, or a Ministers sincerity; do they oppose the spreading prevailing sins of the time wherein they live? It's ordinary to see and hear men cry down sins that are put down, and discountenanced to their hand, that perhaps, have few or none to plead for them; but the sins of the age and place, as suppose it be erroneousness in judgment, or contempt of the public Ordinances, reviling the Saints, slightnesse in religion, &c. these sins that are in fashion, and are prevailing, require a courage and a faithfulness, like to Paul's to deal with them.

There's the first respect in the word [All,] viz. to Paul.

2. The second respect of this word [All,] is as it concerns Timothy, whose graces of zeal, and integrity the Apostle doth clearly here beautify and adorn by that foil of self-seeking in others. In the foregoing verse he had commended Timothy for his uprightness and zeal for the Churches good, here he amplifies that commendation, from setting down how opposite the generality was to him; he was for the things of Christ, though the most were against him; And thus it notes, The true commendation of a Christian.

That Christians piety and zeal for Christ, is most highly commendable, which holds up, in times and places, when, and where Christ is neglected. The darkness of the night makes the candle, or the star, the more bright and shining:

There's the second.

3. As this word [all] here refers to the generality; who were Brethren, and • ellow-laborers, and professors, even together with Paul, and Timothy; it notes,

Discovery (by difficulties) even of the fairest pretenders to the things of Jesus Christ: It's a rare thing, even among great numbers of Christ's seeming friends, to find those that in straights will cleave to him: Who is it almost that forsakes him not, and flies, when following him, is followed with dangers? Very few that continue with Christ in an hour of temptation. Christians for the most part, take up profession of Religion, as some people go to Sea, upon pleasure and recreation; when the weather grows stormy, they presently think of coming back again. Vnsound fruit will hang on the tree, in a fair Sun-shining-day, but in a boisterous windy day, it soon falls off. Outward troubles will overcome a merely visible and outside professor, but they cannot • each the soul truly implanted into Christ.