[1] There is a seeking of those things, which are grateful and pleasing to the Spiritual Self of a good Christian; those, which may promote its interests and concerns, and make it flourishing and vigorous in us. And this is a self-seeking so far from being condemned, that it is our highest praise and glory. The tendency of the new nature is towards Two things: The Participation of Glory, hereafter. For the First, all grant that we ought to labour. But, for the Second, some have been so weak as to doubt, whether we might make the eternal glory and happiness of our souls the end of our duties and endeavours: and, with many high-flown inconsistencies, that seem to have in them much of spiritual rapture, but indeed are nothing else but idle dreams and false delusions, tell us that we must serve and obey God only out of love and gratitude, neither for hope of reward, nor fear of punishment; and condemn all that obedience, which respects these, as sordid and mercenary, unworthy of the true and generous spirit of the Gospel. But, if we should tell these men, that they pretend to a greater degree of spiritualness than ever Moses did, possibly their pride and self-conceit would make them assume it: for, alas! Moses was but a poor Old-Testament Saint, and we read of him, Heb. xi. 26. that he had respect unto the recompence of the reward: but, though they think themselves more spiritual than he, what! are they likewise more spiritual than St. Paul? and yet he tells us, Phil. iii. 13, 14. that he reached forth unto those things, which are before, pressing toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus: or have they attained to an elevation of spiritualness beyond our Lord Jesus Christ himself? of whom the Apostle witnesseth, Heb. xii. 2. that, for the joy that was set before him, he endured the cross and despised the shame. It is allowable, therefore, yea it is necessary, to be selfish; to consider our own interest and our own advantage, in this case: for, since our very nature is so tempered, that the two great advantages which we have to quicken it, are hopes and fears, I shall very much doubt that those will prove but slothful and negligent Christians, who shall, out of a fond conceit of greater spiritualness and perfection, lay these spurs aside; and pretend to make use of other arguments, which, though they seem more specious, yet, I am sure, must needs be less effectual. Others again, who do allow that our obedience may be directed unto God, with an eye and respect unto the reward which he hath promised us, yet question whether we ought chiefly and principally to regard our own happiness or his honour, our own glory or his. I answer: This is but a nice and needless scruple: and, though many infirm and tender spirits may be much puzzled in directing their obedience, yet this solicitude is but vain; for, whilst they do either, they do both: for what is the glory of God's grace and mercy? is it not the accomplishment of our salvation? and therefore, certainly, whilst I endeavour to promote mine own salvation, I do as much endeavour to promote the glory of God: although, perhaps, in every duty I do it not with a distinct particular act of reflection; yet, so long as I endeavour to promote mine own salvation, I do implicitly and interpretatively endeavour the advancement of God's glory; for that is the next and immediate means to this: we need not, therefore, be anxious, whether we seek ourselves, or the honour of God; for, in thus seeking ourselves, we do nothing else but seek his honour and glory. Let us again consider what is our happiness and felicity: our objective happiness, is the infinite and boundless good, even God himself; our formal happiness, is our clear vision and full fruition of him, and the near conjunction of our souls unto him by love and inherence: now, certainly, his infinite goodness will never reject those duties as sordid and mercenary, that aspire to no greater, no other reward but the enjoyment of himself: in thus seeking ourselves, we seek God; and, the more intensely we thus love our own souls, the more supremely do we love God, while we breathe and pant after the fruition of him with the holy impatience of an amorous spirit: in this sense, therefore, although we are not our own, yet we may seek our own: we appertain not to ourselves, but to God; yet, certainly, when this self which we seek hath God for its object and end, we seek him in seeking of ourselves. And that is the First kind of seeking, which is not only warrantable but necessary. But [2] There is a seeking of those things, which are only conducible to the case, profit, and advantage of the Natural and Earthy Self. And these St. John hath briefly summed up in three things: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life : which is but to tell us more enigmatically, that they are pleasures, riches, and honours. Self is the center of all the actions of a worldly man; and, whatsoever he doth are but so many lines, which, though they may seem far distant one from another, yet all meet together there. Indeed, there is a seeking of these worldly advantages, which is not justly to be branded with this black mark of self-seeking. And that is, 1st. When we seek them only by lawful means. As industry in our callings, and prayer to God for a blessing upon it; detesting all the wicked and base methods of fraud and superchery. 2dly. When we seek them with due moderation. When our care about them is but prudent and provident ; not carking, nor distracting. 3dly. When we seek them at allowed seasons. The shop must not intrench upon either the church or the closet; nor the duties of our particular callings, as we are men, devour the duties of our general callings, as Christians. Both are beautiful in their season; and, indeed, the one is an excellent preparative for the other. How comfortably may that man follow his vocation all day, who hath begun the morning with God, and humbly implored his blessing and assistance! and how sweetly may that man close up his day's task with prayer, who hath used such care and conscience in his calling, as to bring no new guilt to confess in the evening! 4thly. When we seek these things with a due subordination to the higher and more noble ends of piety and holiness. And that is, (1st) When we seek them, that we may avoid those temptations, which possibly the want of them might expose us unto. Thus Agur prays, Prov. xxx. 8. that God would feed him with food convenient, lest he be poor, and steal, and take the name of his God in vain: that is, as I conceive, lest he should be, first, tempted to theft; and, then, to perjury to conceal it, if suspected. (2dly) When we seek them, that we may be the better furnished for good works. For earthly comforts and enjoyments, if they be well improved, are excellent instruments to promote the glory of God, in furthering the good and welfare of others. Hence the Apostle, Eph. iv. 28. Let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth. And indeed it will require somewhat of a plentiful estate, to be able to maintain good works, as the Apostle twice useth that expression, Titus iii. 8. and at the 14th verse. If these rules be duly observed, he is no self-seeker, who diligently may seek after these temporal accommodations, But, when gain shall be preferred before godliness; and all the crooked ways of deceit and fraud made use of, only to amass together a heap of ill-gotten trash: when thou wilt rather choose to make shipwreck of faith and a good conscience, than to cast overboard any part of thy wealth, though it be to save thy soul from being drowned and sunk in perdition: when this golden idol shall be set up by thee; and God, and Christ, and religion, and conscience, all sacrificed unto it: what is this, but a base self-seeking, unworthy of a Christian, nay of a man? too impious for a Christian, too foolish for any man: seeking themselves, they lose themselves for ever. that, which the Apostle so grievously complains of, All seek their own, not the things which are Jesus Christ's. A mean and sordid temper this. And, as it is sordid; so is it, likewise, most unjust and unreasonable: for consider, you are not your own, but God's: he hath manifold titles to you: you have no self of your own, but you, and all, are his: and what presumption is it for you to provide for what is his, otherwise than he hath ordered; yea, contrary to his express command! That is the First Inference. for, in thus And this is Phil. ii. 21. (2) If we are not our own, we may infer, that certainly we are not at our own dispose. And this should teach us patience in all the cross and sad occurrences of our lives. We are not our own; and, therefore, we may not carve out our own condition to ourselves, nor prescribe to God what we would have done, or what we would avoid for this is boldly to intermeddle with that, which doth not belong to thee. Thou art God's; and what is it to thee, O busy man, what he doth with his own? If it seemeth good to him to chastise thee with poverty, reproach, pains, and diseases, or to take from thee any of thy dearest and most desirable comforts, what hast thou to do to interpose with thy complaints and murmurings? May he not do what he will with his own? Thou art no farther interested in any of these things, than to bear them meekly as a Christian; and voluntarily to resign up thyself unto him, unto whom thou dost naturally and necessarily belong. (3) If we are not our own, we may very rationally infer, that we ought not to follow our own wills and our own affections. Indeed, the great contest between God and man ever was, and still is, about sovereignty. It hath been the perpetual quarrel of all ages, which shall be the chief; and whose will shall take place, either his or ours. The first crafty temptation, Ye shall be as gods, hath strangely prevailed upon us ever since : we would fain all be gods, independent and uncontroulable. Now check this rebellion of thy will and affections, by considering that thou art not thine own, but God's: he hath the supreme right to thee; and thou art injurious to his right, if thou settest up thy will a competitor with his. Yea, indeed, thou oughtest to have no will peculiar to thyself, but it should be all melted down and resolved into God's. And, therefore, the Apostle puts an excellent form of words into our mouths: James iv. 15. If the Lord will, we will do thus and thus. So say thou," If the Lord will, I will." Bring thy will to conform unto his Will of Precept, absolutely; for that he hath made known unto thee in his word: and neither will nor desire what he hath therein forbidden thee. Bring it also to conform unto his Will of Purpose, conditionally; for that is hidden and secret to us, until the event declare it: but, when God hath manifested it by the effects, bend thy will unto it; and quietly acquiesce in all his dispensations, as infinitely wise and gracious. Say thou unto him, "Lord, I am blind and ignorant; and cannot see through the consequences of things. That, which I apprehend at present would be for my advantage, may possibly prove a snare and a curse unto me. Thou comprehendest all, in thy infinite wisdom; and, therefore, I resign up my choice to thee. Do thou, Lord, choose for me: and, howsoever thy providence shall order my affairs, make me as thankful for disappointments, as I ought to be for successes." This is a right, Christian temper; worthy of him, who acknowledgeth himself, not to be his own, but God's. (4) Ye are not your own; look not then upon any thing as your own. Certainly, if thou thyself art God's, whatsoever thou fondly accountest thine is much more his. Shall the principal be his, and not the accessaries? Thy friends, thy children, thy estate, thy good name, are not indeed thine: and, though.common |