284 A TREATISE OF SELF-DENIAL. [BoOK I.
of the elder brother, -winch Christ taxeth in the loth of Luke ; he that is trul)' gracious, desires that others may partake of the same grace, for he knows that God is thereby the more glorified. But wlien we are covetous of reputation, and design our own honour, then the fewer, the greater is our advantage. These men know that their stream will suffer some loss, when it is diffused into so many channels. It is notable, that of the apostle, Gal. v. 26, ' Let us not be desirous of vainglory, envying one another, provoking one another.' Self-seeking ])uts men upon passions and envy ; they are touchy, because they are jealous of their own interest ; and they are envious, because they think the common- ness of gifts and graces detracteth from their esteem.
Thirdly, To show you how necessary it is that you should practise, and that we should preach, this part of self-denial. How necessary it i5 appeareth enough already ; but yet further, it may be added that you should regard it. (1.) Partly, tliat you may not rob God of his essential honour. There is nothing that alienates a man from God so much as self-seeking. Devotion and service are preserved when we make God our paymaster ; but when men look to the world and the approbation of men, they do not care for God — 'If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him,' 1 John ii. 16. Christ is troublesome to such, not welcome, because of the interest he hath in conscience. Brethren, it is no small matter I am speaking about; self- seeking abuseth God exceedingly. It is one of his prerogatives to be the utmost end of the creature's being and operation, and you usurp that which is proper to God ; when self hath a pre-eminence above him, God is kept out of the throne. Pharaoh only reserved this, to be greater in the throne than Joseph ; you may do much that is good, clothe the naked, feed the hungry, give your body to be burnt, but, all this wliile, self is greater than God in the throne. (2.) This is very necessary, that you may not rob him of his tribute from the creatures. God hath given us many things, only reserved this — ' My glory will I not give to another.' He hath given us the profit, that we may give him the glory. God hath given us a lease of the comforts of the world, only this he hath reserved as his rent and acknowledgment — that he will be glorified in all our actions and honoured in all our blessings. God hath made us, and hath a right and title to us. He that planted the tree, hath a right in the fruit. God thut made us, certainly expects some fruit from us. God gave us talents to this purpose, or rather lends us ; we are but servants, to employ the talents to our master's use. A christian hath given himself up to God a ' living sacrifice,' Eom. xii. 1. You are not your owm, God hath a right and title to you, therefore do not rob him of his glory; a sacrifice under the law was no more his that oft'ered it, but the Lord's.
And as it is necessary you should practise it, so it is necessary we should press it again and again upon you. Self-seeking is a close evil, as well as a dangerous and heinous one. Two things I observe — (1.) That the greatest self-seeking usually is carried on under the colour of self-denial, As the Gibeonites put on old shoes and old garments to make a league with -Joshua ; so many pretend mortification and self- denial to endear themselves to others, for worldly profit and advantage, as those the apostle speaks of, in 2 Cor. xi., that to gain credit, entrance,
Book I.J a treatise of self-dental. 285
and applause, would take no maintenance. All the carnal designs of men have been carried on nnder a pretence and veil of religion. Herod, under a pretence of worship, would have Christ to be destroyed. Mat. ii. 8 ; and Jezabel proclaims a fast to destroy Naboth, 1 Kings sxi. 9 ; so Simeon and Levi pressed the Shechemites to be circumcised out of revenge. A crocodile weepeth, and then maketh a prey. Carnal ends are often shrouded under religious pretences. (2.) That we are more apt to accuse others out of envy than to reflect upon ourselves. Many think self-seeking is a sin only incident to them that are called to public employment, either in the church or common-wealth. We may warn others, but we cannot judge of them ; for self-seeking lies in the aim of the spirit, and is liable to the censure /ind judgment of God alone. When the action was fair, Job i. 9, it was Satan's accusation, ' Doth Job serve God for nought ? ' You should not out of envy ac- cuse others, but reflect on thy own heart. We may not have such opportunity as they to enrich ourselves, and that may put us upon envy; but art not thou a self-seeker so far as thou canst reach within thy grasp ? Oh, the envy that is in our hearts, and the pride that"is in our prayers and conferences which we do not take notice of! Wouldst thou be thought well of in thy place, as Simon Magus, would be /A67a9, ' some great one ; ' thou mayest be guilty of simony, as they may be guilty of hypocrisy, bribery, and purloining from the public.