[3.] In all conditions of life, a christian should be iudiflPerent to every estate, so God may be glorified ; to be like a die in the hand of God, let providence cast him high or low, as it pleaseth God : Phil. i. 21, ' So be it, that Christ may be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death ; ' I am indifferent, my aim only is to magnify Christ. This is the temper of a christian ; things may fall out, not as we think, but always as we would, if our general aim be to God's glory, for in providence we are required only to be passive. There is nothing left to our choice ; we are to resign up our wills to his good pleasure ; our duty is submission , events must be left to God himself, and in these things he will provide for his own glory. Well then, whether your condi- tion be prosperous or adverse, pleasing or displeasing, if it be for God's glory, it should be all one to you. A traveller, when he asks the way, it is all one to him if you direct him to the right hand or left, so he may accomplish his journey ; so it is to a christian ; whether his way to heaven lies by sickness or health, by quiet or trouble, by living at home or by exile and banishment, abased or abounding, by estate or poverty, a christian is content, so God may be glorified. Thus should we, in all
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conditions of life, submit ourselves to the disposal of God, that he might be glorified upon us. Some dispute whether we are not to be at such a pass for the eternal state of our souls, whether he will damn us or save us, so he may be glorified. I answer, No ; this seems to be extremely harsh, and Grod doth not put us upon that trial, the laying down our souls to the disposal of God ; that is only required of Christ, that he should lay down his soul as to the consolations of the Godhead, for a while. It would put a creature into an indifierency in point of duty, or into despair in point of hope ; whereas God in his covenant seeks to draw on the creatures to be earnest for the everlasting welfare of their souls, rather than to leave it at his disposal. By this you may see what is self-seeking ; we do not make it our aim to enjoy God and glorify him in this manner.
Secondly, To give you the signs by which a self-seeker may be dis- covered. The best judge is his own conscience. Yet to revive guilt by a note or two.
1. A man is guilty of this self-seeking when he puts himself upon the profession of godliness, out of the promise of some worldly advantage. Gen. xxxiv. 22-24, observe the argument of tlie Shechemites, they would yield to circumcision upon this supposition — ' Shall not all their cattle, and all that they have be ours ? ' A brutish argument ; and yet this is very usual, especially in times of public changes. It is usual for men to follow a dying church for a legacy, as vultures for a carcase ; the change may be good, but their end is stark naught. It was a complaint made, Non pietate everterunt idola, sed avaritid. There may be a great idol in their own hearts. Men may follow Christ ' for the loaves,' John vi. 26 ; they did not value his person, but they would live at ease, and be fed with miracle. Vix diligitur Jesus propter Jesum — Seldom is Jesus valued for his own sake. Men seek temporal conveniences in the practice and profession of the gospel, ease, peace, wealth, credit, and so they appropriate Jesus Christ to secular uses. It was an inestim- able mercy that God should send his Son, yet they look no further than the loaves.
2. When a man cannot endure to be crossed for his religion. Carnal professors are * enemies to Christ's cross,' Phil. iii. 18 ; their lamp will not burn, unless it be fed with the oil of praise and profit. A godly man is contented to be neglected and abased for Christ, and yet still is satisfied with his work: 2 Sam. ii. 22, -'I will be yet more vile.' Blessed be God, I can sufi'er this for his sake. A horse that hath a nail in his foot may travel well upon soft ground ; but in a hard and gravelly way there he halteth. So men as long as religion is accom- panied with conveniency, then they may like it, but are ' enemies to the cross of Christ;' then hirelings will soon prove changelings : Job ii. 9, ' Dost thou yet retain thine integrity ? ' When men are delicate and tender, and cannot endure the cross, it is a sign they had other aims of credit and profit in their profession.
3. By envying others in the same profession ; we should rejoice in their gifts and graces, and be glad that God may be honoured by others as well as ourselves ; but proud men would shine alone, they envy the gifts and graces of others ; this is a sure note of self-seeking. It is not grace they look after, but carnal advantage. This is th.e practice