(but away they go) because they are rich; which makes Christ say upon this observation, "How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!". But when the disciples were troubled at his observation, he lets them know that it is self and not riches that is indeed the deadly enemy. It is the selfish that trust in riches, and love and use them for themselves, and deny not themselves, and devote not all to God, that will be kept out of heaven by them; or in Christ's own words, it is " he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God;" Luke xii. 21. Conquer self, and conquer all.

5. Moreover, self is the most constant malady; the sin that doth most constantly attend us. Many actual sins may be laid by, and we may for the time be free from them. But selfishness is at the heart, and lives with us continually; it parteth not from us sleeping or waking; it goes to the worship of God with us; it will not stay behind in the holiest ordinance; it will not forbear intermixing itself in the purest duties, but will defile them all. So that above all sins in the world, it is this that must have the strictest and most constant watch, or else we shall never have any peace for it.

6. Yea, this self doth lamentably survive even in the sanctified soul, among the special graces of the Spirit, and lamentably distempereth the hearts and lives of too many of the godly themselves. Not that any godly man is selfish in a predominant sense; or that self is higher or more powerful in his heart than God, for that is a contradiction; such a man cannot be a godly man (without conversion). But yet the very remnants of conquered self, what a smoke do they make in our assemblies, and what noisome scent in the lives of many godly men! What a stir have we sometimes with those that we hope are godly, before we can get them to an impartial judgment; to lament their own foul words, or other miscarriages, and to humble themselves, or freely to forgive another that hath wronged them! Especially to confess disgraceful sins in any self-denying manner! How close stick they to their own conceits! how lamentably do they improve them, to the contempt of ministers, and trouble and division of the church! How wise are they in their own eyes, and how hardly yield they to any advice that crosseth self! How hardly are they brought to any dear and costly duty! How much do they indulge their appetites and pas

sions! and how cheap a religion do many think to come to heaven with! We can scarce please some of them they are so selfish; either because we cross them in their opinions, or in their ways; or because we allow them not so much special countenance and respect as self would have; or deny them somewhat which self desires. If they have any use for us, if we leave not more public or greater work which God hath set us on, and allow them not that part in our time, or labours, or other helps, which God and conscience will not allow them, they are offended and take it ill, that self is not preferred before God and the public service. Their selves are so dear to themselves, that they think we should neglect all to serve them.

Let the most useful minister live in a place that hath the plague, or other contagious mortal sickness; and most that are visited will take it ill if the minister come not to them, though they know that his life is hazarded by it, and that his loss to the whole church is more to be regarded than the content or benefit of particular persons; and it is not the pleasing of them, nor their benefit by him then that will countervail the church's loss of him. What is this but too much preferring self (I hope not habitually, but) in that act, before the church and honour of God?

Let a minister or any other man resolve to bestow all that God hath given him for his service, on the poor, or pious uses; perhaps he shall displease as many as he pleaseth, because he hath not enough for all; and if he give to nineteen, the twentieth will say, He passed by me; and I am never the better.' And thus this insatiable, unreasonable self will hardly be pleased; and among the godly how much doth it prevail! O how many ministers in England can tell by sad experience, how much of self surviveth in professors! so much that we can hardly rule them, or keep them from breaking all to pieces, and every man running a way of his own. The ruin of England's expected reformation; the fall of our hopes in too great a measure; the multiplying of sects; the swarms of errors ; the rage against the most faithful ministers; the neglect of discipline, and obstinate refusal of penitent confessions, and humbling, self-denying duties; the backwardness to learn; the forwardness to be teachers; the high esteem of weak parts, and weaker grace; the commonness of backbiting, censuring and slandering, especially

VOL. XI.

those that are not of their fond opinions, the rising designs of many; the tenderness of their reputations; the contending for pre-eminence; all these, with many others, do too loudly tell the world how much of self and how little selfdenial is in many that seem godly.

7. But yet this is not the highest discovery of the power of carnal self. Though it is sad to think that it should be so potent in any that have grace; yet it is more sad to think that it hath too much power in the wisest and most learned magistrates and ministers, that should be the greatest enemies of it in the rest. A magistrate, as a magistrate, is for the common good. Political societies consisting of sovereign and subject, are therefore called commonwealths, from the final cause, which is the common good or weal of all; so that it is essential to a magistrate to be for the common good. And yet self creeps in, and makes such work with many of them, that it is hard to judge whether it have left them the essence of the magistracy, and whether they should be called magistrates or no.

may

But yet it is more sad, that the learned, godly preachers of self-denial should have so little of it, as too many have. Alas, that ministers do not remember how ill Christ took the first contendings among his disciples, who should be the greatest; that they do not imprint upon their minds the image of Christ's setting a child before them, and after girding himself, and washing their feet. I think those men that make a sacrament of this, do err much less than those that forget it. And I suspect that our contrariety to this example, will tempt some ere long into this contrary extreme, and it be set up as a sacrament indeed. O woful case! to be daily lamented by all the compassionate members of the church; that the learned, zealous pastors of it are the leaders, fomenters, and continuers of her divisions: and when they have opportunity to seek for healing, they want a will; and so much of self surviveth in them, that though God call to them for peace and unity, and the bleeding church is begging it of them on their knees; yet self hath such power over them, that God is not heard, and the church cannot be regarded; but peace, and piety, and all must be sacrificed to the will and interest of self; as if they were the priests of self, and the honour of God and peace of the church were the daily sacrifice which they have to offer! Not a motion

can be made for reformation or unity, but some selfish ministers rise up to strangle it, under pretence of mending the terms. Not a consultation can be held, but self creeps in, yea, openly appears, and ravels the work, and will needs be the doer of all that is done, or nothing must go on that is done against it.

O blessed nation, if self-denial were more eminent and predominant therein! O precious ministry, and great and honourable, if we truly sought our honour in the habit of children, and by being the servants of all! O happy churches, abounding in holiness and peace, if once the pastors and people were better skilled in the practice of self-denial! I must confess, to the praise of God's grace, many such ministers and people I have had the happiness to converse with; and how sweet the fruit hath been both to them and me, both they and I are ready to confess. But one selfseeking, unmortified minister, is enough to disturb a whole society, and break the good endeavours of many. And, alas! how many such are abroad, that talk of almost nothing but their opinions, or parties, or carnal interests, and are not in the harvest as reapers to gather, but as wild beasts that are broken in to make spoil, or Sampson's foxes to set all on fire; running up and down from country to country with firebrands at their tails, and stings in their mouths, which they call by the reverend name of zeal.

But you may think I have been long in discoveries, aggravations and complaints; and therefore I will go no further in that sort of work, but only to adjoin these three or four practical consectaries following.

CHAPTER X.

Some weighty Consectaries.

Consect. 1. So common and potent is selfishness in the world, that it is enough to convince a rational, considerate man of the truth of the doctrine of the fall of man, and of original corruption, against all the objections that all the Socinians or Pelagians in the world do make against it. He that thinks that God made man in this distempered, distracted state, that selfishness doth hold the world in, hath unrea

sonable thoughts of the workmanship of God. He that seeth even children, before they can speak or go so selfish as they are, and all mankind, without exception, to be naturally as so many idol gods in the world, and can believe that this is the image of God, in which they were created, doth make the image of satan to be the image of God. No wiser, no better is the doctrine that denieth original sin, where self hath such a tyrannical, universal reign in all the world.

Know

Consect. 2. So deep rooted, and powerful, and universal is this abominable vice, that it must teach us what to expect in all places we live in, and may help us to make the truest prognostics, or most probable conjectures of any mutations where the will of man is like to be the determiner. once but where self-interest lies, and you may know what almost all men will endeavour, and might write a probable prognostication of the changes that are like to be in states, and kingdoms, and anywhere in the world, were it not for the interposition of two greater powers that have got the victory of self; and that is grace, and divine, over-ruling providence. I say were it not that these step in, and cross self, and hinder its designs, you might foresee in self-interest the changes that are made in human affairs.

Consect. 3. And so potent and common is the dominion of self, that it may warrant an honest, moderate incredulity and jealousy of almost all men, in cases where the interest of self is much concerned. Let him be never so ingenuous, let his parts and profession be never so promising, let his former engagements to you be never so great, let him be your own brother; yet be not too confident of him, if his carnal self be concerned or engaged against you. For you shall see by experience, as long as you live, that self will still bear dominion in the most.

Consect. 4. Above all, every wise and godly man should herein maintain the greatest jealousy of his own heart. Keep the heart above all keepings; and keep out self above all sins whatever. Take heed of selfishness as ever you would of be Christians, and live as Christians, and have the peace Christians. And to that end be always suspicious of every cause, opinion, controversy, or practice, where self is much concerned. The very names of Self and Own, should sound in a watchful Christian's ears as very terrible, wakening