Obs. A second thing that I observe hence is this, Jioly and gracious men, that are led hij the Spirit of God, can deny themselves and their own best good for the church's benefit. They know that God hath appointed them as instra- ments to convey good to others ; and knowing this, they labour to come to Paul's spirit here, to deshe to live, to have life in patience, and death in desire in regard of themselves ; for it were much better for a good man to be in heaven, out of misery, out of this conflicting condition with the devil and devihsh-minded men.
CHEIST IS BEST. 345
Eeason 1. The reason is, because a good man, as soon as he is a good man, hath the spirit of love in him, and ' love seeketh not its own,' 1 Cor. xiii. 5, but the good of another ; and as the love of Christ and the love of God possesseth and seizeth upon the soul, so self-love decays. What is gracious love but a decay of self-love ? The more self-love decays, the more we deny ourselves.
2. Again, God's people have the Spirit of Christ in them, who minded not his own things, 1 Cor. x. 24. If Clu-ist had minded his own things, where had our salvation been ? Christ was content to leave heaven, and to take our nature upon him, to be Emmanuel, God with us, that we might be with God for ever in heaven. He was content, not only to leave heaven, but to be born in the womb of a virgin. He was content to stoop to the grave. He stooped as low as hell in love to us. Now, where Christ's Spirit is, it will bring men from their altitudes and excellencies, and make them to stoop to serve the church, and account it an honour to be an instrument to do good. Christ was content to be accounted, not only a servant of God, but of the church. ' My righteous servant,' &c., Isa. liii. 11. Those that have the Spirit of Christ have a spirit of self-denial of their own. We see the blessed angels are content to be ministering spirits for us, and it is thought to be the sin of the devil, pride, when he scorned to stoop to the keeping of man, an inferior creature to himself. The blessed angels do not scorn to attend upon a poor child, ' little ones.' A christian is a consecrated person, and he is none of his own. He is a sacrifice as soon as he is a Christian. He is Christ's. He gives himself to Christ ; and as he gives him- self, so he gives his Ufe and aU to Christ, as Paul sailh of the Corinthians, they gave themselves and their goods to him, 2 Cor. viii. 5. When a Christian gives himself to Christ, he gives all to Christ ; all his labour and pains, and whatsoever he knows that Christ can serve himself of him for his church's good and his glory. He knows that Christ is wiser than he ; therefore he resigns himself to his disposal, resolving, if he live, he lives tu the Lord ; and if he die, he dies to the Lord, Kom. xiv. 8 ; that so, whether he live or die, he may he the Lord's.
Use 1. Oh, beloved, that we had the spirit of St Paul, and the Spirit of Christ, to set us a ivork to do good while ice are here, ' to deny ourselves,' Titus ii. 12. Oh, it would be meat and di'ink, as it was to our blessed Saviom* Christ, to do good all kinds of ways. Consider aU the capacities and abilities we have to do good, this way and that way, in this relation and that relation, that we may be trees of righteousness, that the more we bear the more we may bear. God wiU mend his own trees. He will pm'ge them and prune them to ' bring forth more fruit,' John xv. 2. God cherisheth fruitful trees. In the law of Moses, when they besieged any place, he com- manded them to spare fruitful trees. God spares a fruitful person till he have done his work. We know not how much good one man may do, though he be a mean person. Sometimes one poor wise man delivereth the city, Eccles. ix. 15 ; and the righteous delivereth the land. We see for one servant, Joseph, Potiphar's house was blessed, Gen. xxxix. 3. Naaman had a poor maidservant that was the occasion of his conversion, 2 Kings V. Grace will set anybody a- work. It puts a dexterity into any, though never so mean. They cavrj God's blessing wheresoever they go, and they bethink themselves when they are in any condition to do good, as he saith in Esther iv. 14, ' God hath called me to this place, perhaps for this end.' We should often put this quare to ourselves. Why hath God called me to this place ? for such and such a purpose ?
346 CHRIST IS BEST.
Now, that we may be fruitful as Paul was, let us labour to have humble spirits. God delights in an humble spirit, and not in a proud spirit, for that takes all the glory to itself. God delights to use humble spirits, that are content to stoop to any service for others, that think no office too mean.