Morbus epidemicus: or, the danger of self-seeking; discovered in a sermon preached before the right honorable, the Lord Major of the city of London, at Mercers-Chappel, Novemb. 18. 1649. By John Cardell.

Morbus Epidemicus: OR, THE DANGER OF Self-Seeking. PHIL. 2.21.

For all ſeek their own, not the things which are Jeſus Chriſts.

THe Apoſtle directs this Epiſtle to all the Saints that were at Philippi, Coherence. Chap. 1. ver. 1. as you may perceive from the firſt verſe of the firſt Chapter of it: And after his Salutation of them (wherein he wiſhes them Grace and peace from God our Father, ver. • . and from the Lord Jeſus Chriſt) in the next place he gives ſolemn Thanks unto God, for their conſtant fellowſhip in the Goſpel: In the 3d, 4th and 5th verſes, ver. 3, 4, 5. I thank my God, ſays he, upon every remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all, making requeſt with joy for your fellowſhip in the Goſpel, from the firſt day until now. Note. It is certainly matter of great joy and rejoycing (and that unto others, as well as unto themſelves) to ſee Believers conſtant and unwearied in the fellowſhip of the Goſpel: There are other fellowſhips that a man may ſoon be weary of, by reaſon of the many ſad Diſtempers and Diſtractions that are to be found in them; but the fellowſhip of the Goſpel (where it is rightly apprehended, and accordingly imbraced) that's ſo eaſie a yoke, and ſo well lined with love, that it can be offenſive to none, but ſuch whoſe ſhoulders are very ſore, and not able to bear any thing. Three diſcoveries of the Apoſtles tender care over the Saints at Philippi, walking together in the fellowſhip of the Goſpel.

The ſight of this fellowſhip among the Saints at Philippi, made the Apoſtle very tender over them, and very reſpective towards them, as may appear by ſundry remarkable expreſſions in this Epiſtle of his unto them.

Diſcov. 1 At the eigthth verſe of the firſt Chapter, God is my record (ſays he there) at the 8 ver. of the 1 Chapter. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Quantoperè expetam: Mihi videtur in gevere vehementiſſimū in illos amorem ſuum Apoſtolus hoc verbo ſignificare ex Hebraeorum idiotiſmo: ut autem ſignificet ex quo fonte promanet affectus iſte, & quò etiam feratur, additam viſceribus nomen, magnum pondus addit ſeutentiae, ut intimus am • r ſignificetur: Solent enim Hebrai 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 rachamim id eſt viſcera, omnes teneros ac veluti maternos affectus vocare. Bez. in loc. how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt; which are words that have a fulneſs of love in them, or a fulneſs of care and tenderneſs, that he ſhould long after them, and after them greatly, and greatly after them all, and after them all in the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt; and that he ſhould be ſo ſerious in it, as to call God himſelf to bear witneſs unto the truth of his heart herein, ſaying, God is my record, how greatly I long after you all, in the bowels of Jeſus Choiſt: This was a very full expreſsion of his good affection towards them.

Diſcov. 2 But beſides this, a little after in the ſame Chapter, he goes yet higher; and at the 24 ver. ver. 24. of the 1 Chapter. he tells us of a great ſtrait that he was in, and his ſtrait lay between theſe two things, He knew not well whether he ſhould deſire to be with Chriſt in heaven, fully and abſolutely; or to continue ſtill among the Philippians; Pauls ſtrait. I am in a ſtrait between two, ſays he, having a deſire to depart, and to be with Chriſt, which is far better; nevertheleſs, to abide in the fleſh is more needful for you: Like ſome tender-hearted Mother, Simile. that hath her Children about her in one Countrey, and her Husband inviting her to a place of very great honor with himſelf in another Countrey; ſhe is willing to go to her Husband, but loth to leave her Children: ſuch was the Apoſtles ſtrait here in this place; the Philippians loſs on the one ſide, and his own gain on the other ſide; their neceſsity on the one ſide, and his own felicity on the other ſide, did not a little ſtraiten him, and which of theſe two he ſhould chuſe, he could not eaſily determine: which was another rare unheard of demonſtration of his love and good affection towards them, Note. in that he was ſo far from being inticed to leave them, by any ſmall part of this Worlds glory, that the glory of heaven it ſelf could not eaſily gain, or take him away from them.

But farther yet, and in the third place, another Diſcovery of the Apoſtles great love unto theſe Philippians (united and walking together in the fellowſhip of the Goſpel) is here in this Chapter, about the words now read unto you, and it was this, That now, Vid. Zanch. in cap. 1. hujus Ep. when he could not come to them himſelf (being a Priſoner at Rome under Nero) he was very careful to viſit them by another, Diſcov. 3 that might very ſufficiently ſupply his place in his abſence: ver. 19. of this Chapter, ver. 19. of the 2 Chapter. I truſt in the Lord Jeſus (ſays the Apoſtle there) to ſend Timotheus ſhortly unto you, that I may be of good comfort, when I know your ſtate by him. And that his great care and love might ſo much the more appear, in the ſending of this Meſſenger, he tells them in the following verſes, what a one he was (An extraordinary Meſſenger) and not onely one, of whoſe fidelity they had formerly had experience (at the 22 ver. Ye know the proof of him, that as a ſon with the father, he hath ſerved with me in the Goſpel) not onely ſo, but moreover and beſides this, he tells them at the 20 ver. that he was ſo choyce and rare a man, that he for his part knew no man like him; 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 Neminem habeo aequè animatum ad res veſtras curan • as: Petius onim cum allis Timotheum Paulus comparat quam ſecum, & quidem eo couſilio ſingulare et clogium tribuit, ut propter raritatem majore fit in pretio. Calv. in loc. Text divided into 3 parts. I have no man like minded by me (in the verſe before the Text, that's his language) to whom I can ſo ſafely commend you, or that will ſo naturally care for your eſtate, as this man will; for, ſays he, this is the preſent frame and temper of mens ſpirits, All ſeek their own, not the things which are Jeſus Chriſts.

In which words you have three things notable: Firſt, here is a great Iniquity complained of, and that is, Mens ſeeking their own things. Secondly, the generality of this Iniquity, All ſeek their own. Thirdly, the maner how this is done, how men do ſeek their own things inordinately, they always do it with a neglect (at leaſt) of better things, All ſeek their own, and not the things which are Jeſus Chriſts.

Now foraſmuch as the holy Apoſtle takes notice of it here, The riſe of the Doctrine. and puts a mark upon it, for a dangerous Epidemical Diſeaſe, that All ſought their own, and not the things of Chriſt; That I may endeavor fully to open the nature of this Diſeaſe, and ſhew you the bottom of it, Let this be the foundation or Ground-work of that which follows: Doctrine. That it is a very dangerous Diſtemper, either in a perſon, or in a People, to be inordinately ſtudious, or inquiſitive, about that which is their own.

In the proſecution of this Obſervation, Three things enquired for the explication of the Doctrine and for the better underſtanding of it, wee'll enquire three things:

Firſt, what's meant here by that which is our own?

Secondly, what by ſeeking that which is our own?

Thirdly, how great an evil this muſt needs be, to be inordinately ſtudious, or inquiſitive, about that which is our own?

For the former, Queſt. 1 what's meant here by that which is our own?

Anſ. 1 In Anſwer to that, you may pleaſe to obſerve, That there is nothing ſo ſtrictly, or formally, or directly ſaid to be our own, as Sin and Corruption, Nothing ſo much our own as ſin. together with that Shame and confuſion of face, which follows as the juſt reward or fruit of ſin: and therefore ſays Daniel, in that humble acknowledgement or confeſſion of his, Dan. 9.8. O Lord, to us belongeth confuſion of face, to our Kings, to our Princes, and to our fathers, becauſe we have ſinned againſt thee: Confuſion of face belongs to us, we have a juſt Right and Title to it, it is our own; as Chriſt ſays of him that is the Father of Lyes, that when he ſpeaketh a lye, he ſpeaketh of his own, John 8.44. or as 'tis ſaid of Judas, that when he dyed, he went 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , to his own place, Acts 1.25. So All that is good in us, that's Gods, & all that is evil, that's Satans firſt, and by his means our own. Cum ergo Deus • a ſit per fectè bonus, ut •• us omn • a exc • llenti quodam modo bona ſint, quaeſitum olim eſt & graviſſime diſputatum, unde illud milum natum ſit, quod tam latè m •• averat, & quaenam huyus mali cauſe extiterit. Hoc malum nos à Diabolo invectum eſſe dicimus, qui eiſi erat bonus à Domino factus initio, tamen liberá voluntate à Domino defecit, & pecca • tt, & homini, ut peccaret, perſuaſit, author que fuit: Hine quicquid eſt peceiti vel in damonibus, vel in hominibus totum flaxit. Whitaker. Reſponſ. ad Rat. 8. Campian. Tom. 1. eper. p • g 33. whatever is good in us, that's Gods, and whatever is evil, that's our own. Look how far forth our thoughts, or our words, or our ways, are evil and ſinful, ſo far forth are they ſaid to be our own thoughts, and our own words, and our own ways in Scripture: If thou turn away thy foot from the Sabbath from doing thy pleaſure on my holy day, and ſhalt call the Sabbath a delight, &c. not finding thine own pleaſure, nor ſpeaking thine own words, Iſa. 58.13. The backſlider in heart ſhall be filled with his own ways, Prov. 14.14. Thine own wickedneſs ſhall correct thee, and thy backſliding ſhall reprove thee, Jer. 2.19.

But more particularly and properly, that's here in this place ſaid to be a mans own, That a mans own here, wherein he himſelf hath a civil Intereſt, and that either does or may ſtand in competition with the things of Ieſus Chriſt. wherein he himſelf hath a civil propriety, or a civil intereſt, and that either does, or may at any time ſtand in competition with the things of Jeſus Chriſt; and thus a mans Life is his own, and a mans Liberty his own, and a mans Eſtate his own, and a mans Good Name his own, and a mans Family his own, together with all thoſe ſeveral appurtenances that may ſerve to render any of theſe either comfortable or conſpicuous: Theſe things I calls a mans own, his Life, his Liberty, his Eſtate, his Good Name, his Family, not becauſe of any abſolute irreſpective intereſt that a man hath in any of theſe things, for ſo God alone is the great and abſolute Proprietary, he is the mighty God, the ſupreme Landlord of all the whole World, and we are all but his 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , noſtrarum facultatum non ſumus nos Domini ſed adminiſtratores at que curatores. Theophylact. & Camerar. in Luc. 16.1, 1. Stewards or Tenants at will, and he may ſay to any of us, when he pleaſes, Give account of thy ſtewardſhip, for thou mayeſt be no longer ſteward.

But yet I ſay, People have a civil intereſt, or a civil propriety in all thoſe things already mentioned, from that God who hath given the Earth to the children of men; for ſo the Pſalmiſt tells us, Pſal. 115.16. Admonentur ex hoc verſu, Poteſtates, & Judices terrae, & quotquot terram incolunt, ut agnoſcant Regem ſuum in caelis, à quo acceperunt, quicquid in hac terrâ poſſidēt, ſint que illius verbo obcdicutes & ſubjecti: Nam is eſt, qui regna mutat, potentes ſed thus deponit, & regiones fertiles mutat in ſteriles. Muſc. in loc. vid. Plura ibid. obſerv. valdè digna. The Heaven, even the Heavens are the Lords, but the Earth hath he given to the children of men: He gives men their Lives, and their Liberties, and their Eſtates, and their Good Names, and Families; and as for ſuch as walk honeſtly, and unblameably (and that do not make a forfeiture of them, by any ſinful unworthy miſcarriage) theſe things ought to be preſerved, and kept inviolably unto ſuch; and if any one ſhall go about to wrong or prejudice his Neighbor, either in his Life, or in his Liberty, or in his Eſtate, or in his Good Name, or Family, the party wronged, may and ought to plead Exemption, from the preſent Oppreſsion: And they that have Power and Authority in their hands, have it purpoſely given them, to vindicate all ſuch; and if they do it not, Meminerit Magiſtratus ſibi gladtum datum eſſe à Deo, non ut illum geſt • t fruſtrà: ſed ut eo utatur ad vindictam ſceleratorum, ac defenſionem bonorum. Piſcator. in Rom. 13.4. Magiſtratus vice Dei ſungitur, cum in Praemiis dandis obedientibus, tùm in Paenis inſtigendis contumacibus. Nicol. Heming ibid. Inductus eſt ita que Magiſtratus, ut leges quàm diligentiſſimè conſerventur, ſontes puntantur, & boni juventur ac ſoveantur: Et ſanè lexeſt mutus Magiſtratus, & victſsim Magiſtratus lex animata & loquens. Pet. Martyr. in cap. 19. lib. Iud. They bear the Sword in vain, and are not ſo juſt and faithful in their places, as they ſhould and ought to be. And ſo much for Anſwer to the firſt Queſtion, what's meant here by that which is our own?

In the next place we are to enquire, Queſt. 2 What's meant here by ſeeking that which is our own? All ſeek their own, ſays the Apoſtle; and what hurt is there in that? Is it not lawful enough for a man to ſeek, and look after that which is his own? May we not without any danger, ſeek to maintain, ſeek to preſerve, yea ſeek to increaſe that which is our own? Does not the Apoſtle himſelf elſwhere ſay, that If any provide not for his own, eſpecially for thoſe of his own houſe, that he hath denied the faith, and is worſe then an Infidel? 1 Ep. to Tim. chap. 5. ver. 8.

For Anſwer to this, Anſ. we are to know, That there is doubtleſs Quaerenda ſunt quae Chriſti, ſed interim negligenda non ſunt quae ſunt noſtra, & quae c • rare à Deo jubemur. Zinc. in Text. Our own things inordinately ſought two maner of ways a lawful ſeeking of that which is our own, which the Apoſtle condemns not here; but the dangerous evil complained of, or ſpoken againſt here in this place, it is a ſinful inordinate ſeeking of that which is our own; and this is done two maner of ways:

Either when a man ſeeks his own, with prejudice to another mans private intereſt;

Or elſe when he does it with prejudice to the publique intereſt of that Nation or Commonwealth wherein he lives: Whoſoever fails in either of theſe particulars, he ſins dangerouſly in the purſuit of that which is his own.

Firſt, when a man ſeeks his own, to the manifeſt, neceſſary, When a man ſeeks his own with prejudice to another mans private intereſt, which is done three ways. or apparent prejudice of his Neighbors private intereſt, now he walks inordinately; and this is done principally or eſpecially three ways: 1. Either when a man ſeeks his own, with detriment to his Neighbor. 2. Or when he ſeeks his own, with diſparagement to his Neighbor. 3. Or when he ſeeks his own, with diſcouragement to his Neighbor.

Now he is not ſo careful as he ſhould be, to avoid offences in the ſeeking of his own. 1. When a man ſeeks his own, with detriment to his Neighbor.

Firſt, when a man ſeeks his own, to the detriment, or hurt, or injury of another; now he walks inordinately, and not according to Rule, or according to the minde of God.

Chriſtians eſpecially ſhould be innocent, as well as wiſe; holy within, and harmleſs without; their Conſciences ſhould be void of offence towards men, as well as towards God: which was Pauls daily exerciſe, and the ſame that ſhould be ours; Herein, ſays he, do I exerciſe my ſelf, Acts 24.16. Rom. 2.24. 1 Tim. 6.1. to have always a conſcience void of offence, towards God and towards men, Acts 24.16. For, as on the one ſide, nothing does more Ubi ſublimi. or eſt praerogativa, major eſt culpa, & ideò hoc ipſo Chriſtiani deteriores ſunt, quia melioreseſſe deberent: Non enim probant quod fatentur, & impugnant Profeſſionem ſuam moribus ſuis: Magis enim damnabilis eſt malitia, quam titulus Bonitatis accuſat, & reatus impii eſt pium nomen: Cùm que ipſe Salvator noſter ad nos quotidiè clamet, aggravate ſin, or ſooner cauſe the Name of God to be blaſphemed, then the lewd lives, and vicious practices of thoſe that profeſs the Truth, who ſay they are Chriſtians, and are not, but of the Synagogue of Satan: ſo on the other ſide, nothing does more adorn or beautifie the Doctrine of God our Savior in all things, or render it more ſavoury and acceptable among men, then when it is attended with an innocent, harmleſs, unblameable Converſation: And therefore ſays Chriſt unto his Diſciples, Be wiſe as Serpents, and withal, innocent as Doves, Matth. 10.16. And ſays he moreover, Sic luceat lux veſtra coram homiuibus, ut videant filii hominum opera veſtra bona, & MAGNIFICENT Patr • m veſtrum qui eſt in caelis: Nos ita vivimus è contrario, ut ſilii hominum videant opera noſtra mala, & BLASPHEMENT Patrem noſtrum qui eſt in caelis: Praeter enim pauciſſimos quoſdam qui mala fugiunt, quid eſt aliud penè omnis caetus Chriſtianorum quàm ſentina vitiorum? Salvian. de Gubern. Dei lib. 4. Let you light ſo ſhine before men, that they may ſee your good works, and glorifie your Father which is in heaven, Matth. 5.16.

2. When a man ſeeks his own, 2. When a man ſeeks his own, with diſparagement to his neighbor. to the diſparagement of another; now he walks inordinately: He that loves his Neighbor as himſelf, will be as careful not to defame others, as he would have others careful not to defame him; he will be as tender of anothers Good Name, as he would have another tender of his Good Name; he will be afraid to walk with ſlanders towards others, leſt others be left, and Quicuriosè trqui • unt in aliena facta, ea que reprehendūt tenerè, & odio quodam preximi ut racliores ſarctiorcſ que oideantur: tlli viciſſim judicia aliorum, & imprimis judicium Dei non effugiunt. Polan. Syntag. Theol. • b. to cap. 41. providentially ordered to walk with ſlanders towards him. It is reported of In ipſá menſâ magis lectionem vel diſputationen, quam Epulationem potationem que diligebat, & contra peſtilentiam humanae conſuetudinis in ea ita ſcriptum habebat. Quiſquis amat dictis abſentum rodere famam, Hanc menſam indignam noverit eſſe ſibi. Poſſid. de vit. Aug. cap. 22. Auſtin, by him that Writes his Life, That he would not endure any at his Table, that ſhould ſhew any malice againſt others by Backbitings or Detractions; and to that purpoſe he had two Verſes written over his Table, to admoniſh thoſe that ſate with him, that in ſuch caſes that Table was not for them: If the ſame courſe were generally taken, to admit of no ſuch talk, either at our tables, houſes or ſhops, there would certainly be more Prov. 26.20. peace, and quietneſs, and love amongſt us, then now is to be found.

3. When a man ſeeks his own, 3. When a man ſeeks his own, with diſcouragement to his neighbor. with diſcouragement to another, now he walks inordinately, and not with a right foot to the Goſpel, or ſo as he ought to walk: Chriſtians in this, ſhould be as Chriſt himſelf was; and it is even admirable to conſider, how careful he hath always been to cheriſh ſmall beginnings, and to encourage yong beginners, to lift up the hands that were ready to hang down, Heb. 12.12. Iſa 40.11. and to ſtrengthen the feeble knees; Iſa. 40.11. Manſuetudinem & miſericordiam Chriſti deſcribit, Varab. in loc. Matth. 12. He ſhall feed his flock like a ſhepherd, he ſhall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his boſom, and gently lead thoſe that are with yong: A bruiſed reed ſhall he not break, nor quench ſmoaking flax, until he ſend forth judgement unto victory: And as Boni ſcilicet Domini bonus famulus, & ſingularis magiſtri praeclarus imitator: qui in veſtigiis Domini ſui ambulans, patentiora quodammodo & expreſſiora pedibus ſuis fecit Domini ſui eſſe veſtigia. Salvian. de Gubern. Dei lib. 3. He is thus tender himſelf, ſo he would have us alſo to be in our ways and walkings, and not to Zech 4.10. deſpiſe the day of ſmall things; but ſtill to drive on Jacobs pace, and ſo, as that we leave not the Gen. 33.13, 14. See the Concluſion of Mr. Pembles Preface to his Vindic. Grat. Ewes with yong, or the tender lambs behinde.

The ſum of all is this therefore, How far forth a man may ſeek his own, without any prejudice to the private intereſt of others. A man may lawfully ſeek his own in a more private way of acting (for we are not yet come to the publique) Provided, That this be not done either to the oppreſsing of others, or to the diſparaging of others, or unto the diſcouraging or diſheartning of others, in any lawful way.

But then withal, this Caution muſt here be entred, before we leave this, Caution. That if a man be ſeeking his own lawfully, or doing his Maſters will faithfully and ſincerely, in a way that is commanded, and that is of Divine Appointment; If in ſuch a caſe, ſome men do ſuffer, by being either injured in their Eſtates, or defamed in their Credits, or diſheartned in their proceedings, A mans ſeeking his own lawfully, or doing his Maſters work faithfully, is no more to be blamed for this, then the ſhining of the Sun is to be blamed for hurting ſore eyes, or for extracting noiſom ſavours out of a filthy dunghil.

And therefore, if ye walk honeſtly, and unblameably, every one in his place, and do not Peccatum recipit ſpeciem ex intentione Peccantis. Aquin. 1.2. qu. 72. intentionally ſeek to injure others, or to defame others, or to diſhearten others, by ſeeking your own; if any ſuch thing fall out caſually, contingently, or unavoidably from your lawful actings, in ſuch a caſe, they that finde themſelves agrieved, muſt be content to bear their own burthens, and ſtudy to make a good uſe of what they ſuffer, and not blame others for doing that which was their duty to do.

But ſecondly, 2. Men ſeek their own inordinately, when they do it to the prejudice of the publique intereſt. Men ſeek their own inordinately (as I told you before) not onely when they do it, to the prejudice of any private intereſt, but eſpecially when they do it to the prejudice of the In bonis temporalibus tenetur quiſ que perſonam publicam vel communitatem ſibimetipſi praferre. Benum cuim to •• us pluris faciendum eſt, quam bonum un • us alicujus partis: Perſonis autem public is an • umerandi ſunt • il • i, quos conſta • valde utiles eſſe Re • -publica Ameſ. de Conſcient. l. 5. c 7. publique-Intereſt of that Nation, or Commonwealth wherein they live.

Now this publique-Intereſt (that I tell you of, The publique-Intereſt twofold Civil and Sacred. and that is indeed chiefly conſiderable in this buſineſs) it is either Civil or Sacred; it is either that Civil publique-Intereſt that men have as men, or elſe it is that Sacred publique-Intereſt that Jeſus Chriſt himſelf hath in each particular Nation. The publique-Intereſt of men.

The Civil publique-Intereſt of men, or of Inhabitants in each particular Nation, it lies in thoſe Laws, Conſtitutions or Orders, that are either made, or to be made, Enacted, or to be Enacted, in ordine ad ſalutem Populi, in order to the common ſafety, or Cum lex ſit regula humanorum actuum quorum ultimus finis eſt beatitudo, & quidem communis: neceſſe eſt eum ad bonum commun • e ſemper ordinari. Aquin 1. 2 qu. 90. Art. 2. publique welfare of the whole Body of the People; which Laws or Conſtitutions are to be ſo plainly publiſhed or made known, and withal, ſo equally and indifferently adminiſtred, that they may from time to time be a terror to thoſe that do evil, and a protection to thoſe that do well; and not like Cobwebs, to catch little flyes, and let the great ones break through; or like ſnares, to vex the poor innocent Doves, and let the cunning Dat veniam corvis, vexat cenſura columbas. Iuve. Sat. 2. Rooks alone.

Then the Sacred publique-Intereſt that Jeſus Chriſt hath, The publique-intereſt of Chriſt is to Acts 2.39. call as many as he pleaſes, or as many as 13.48. were ordained unto eternal life, out of every Rev. 5.9. kindred, and nation, and tongue, and people, making them Pſa. 110.3. willing in the day of his power, to Mat. 11.29 take his yoke upon them, and to accept of his Iſa. 9.6. Government, and Pſ 105.45. to keep his Laws, and to obſerve his Statutes, and to acknowledge no other Law-giver but himſelf, in things that are of a Divine, and of a Spiritual nature; for ſo the Apoſtle tells us, that in ordine ad ſpiritualia, there is but one Eſt enim legiſlator univerſalis judex, & lex univerſal • judicium, cui omnia omnium jud •• ia ſubjici & adaptari debent. Davenant. de Iud. & Nor. ſid. cap. 3. Law-giver, who hath poteſtatem vitae & necis, power to ſave and to deſtroy, Jam. 4.12.

Now (mark ye) when men ſhall go about (any men whatſoever) to ſet up their own Luſts, their own Wills, Note. their own Ends, their own Advancements, their own Party, any thing in the world that is their own, either above common ſafety, or above the Throne and Scepter of Jeſus Chriſt (as Loquimur d • Pontifice ratione ſolius Pontificatus, ac dicimus cum, etiamſi ditionem temporalem nullam haberet, non poſſe ullo modo judicari, in terris, ab ullo principe Chriſtiano, five ſeculari, ſive Eccleſiaſtico, ne que ab omnibus ſimul in concilio congregatis. Bellarm de Rom Pontif. lib. 2. cap. 26. Romani Pontifices ad imitationem Luciferi adorari volunt ut Dii, ne que reputant ſe ſubditos eſſe cuiquam, ficut filii Belial fine jugo; ne • ſibi poſſe dici, Cur ita facis? nec Deum timent, nec homines reverentur. Gerſ. conſid. 4. poſt tract. de unit. Eccleſ. citante Field, lib. 3. de Eccleſ cap. 2. Popery does in the very formality of it, and every thing elſe that is Antichriſtian) or elſe when men do but onely pretend to common ſafety, or to the things of Jeſus Chriſt, meerly for their own Ends, and for the advancement, or lifting up of their own things, this is moſt abominable Self-ſeeking, and that which utterly ruines or pulls down all, as much as in it lies, as having no maner of conſiſtency, either with the Laws of God or Men.

And thus have I brought you to the ſight of the Diſtemper or Malady here complained of, The Diſtemper diſcovered. by ſhewing you 1. What's meant here by that which is our own: And 2. What by an inordinate ſeeking of that which is our own.

Now in the next place we are to enquire, Queſt. 3 how great an evil this is, for men to be thus inordinately ſtudious, or inquiſitive, about that which is their own?

Anſ. And it will appear to be a moſt dangerous Evil or Diſtemper, upon a threefold ground or conſideration; it being contrary 1. The danger of Self-ſeeking: it being To all Rules of Piety. 2. To all Rules of Unity. 3. To all Rules of Policy.

Firſt, A ſelfiſh diſpoſition, or an inordinate ſeeking of that which is our own, Contrary to all Rules of Piety. is clean contrary to all Rules of Piety: And that I may not be too long upon this, I ſhall onely inſtance in three Leſſons, which true Piety teaches, that the ſelfiſh man can never ſtoop to, or the man that meerly ſeeks his own things: A Leſſon of Humility. Three leſſons that Self can never ſtoop to. A Leſſon of Contentation: and A Leſſon of Liberality.

Firſt, Religion or true Piety, calls upon us to be humble, A leſſon of Humility. ſelf-denying creatures; Micah 6.8. He hath ſhewed thee, O man, what is good: and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do juſtly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? Nothing ſo contrary to Piety, as Pride, or ſo full of impiety; and Quid tu igitur ſuperbis terra & cinis? Si ſuperbientibus Angelis Deus non pepercit: quanto magis tibi putredo & vermis? Bern. de Advent. Dom. Serm. 1. Gen. 18.27. therefore Why are we proud? Poor creatures! what have we to be proud of, who are but duſt and aſhes? who muſt ere long Iob 17.14. ſay unto Corruption, Thou art our father; and unto the Worm, Thou art our mother and our ſister? Iude v. 6. The Angels of God that kept not their firſt eſtate, but left their own habitation, and that are now reſerved in everlaſting chains under darkneſs, to the judgement of the great day, Fugite ſuperbiam fratres mei (quaeſo) multum fugite, Initium omnis peccati ſuperbia: quae tam velociter ipſum quo que ſyderibus cunctis clariùs micantem aeternâ caligine obtenebravit Luciferum: quae non modo Angelum, ſed Angclorum primum in Diabolum commutavit Bern ibid. they fell by pride, and ſo do men always; every ſin hath its riſe from pride, for upon what other account do men ſin, but becauſe (through Obad. v. 3. the pride of their hearts) they either know not, or neglect, or elſe Prov. 1.25. contemn the counſel of the Pſa. 92.8. moſt High God? All ſin goes along with pride, and All pride with ſin; but where there is any thing of piety, there muſt be ſomething of humility, for God reſists the proud, and he gives grace to none but to the humble, Jam. 4.6. He ſcorns the ſcorners, and he gives grace to to none but to the lowly, Prov. 3.34. To none but ſuch as Chriſt was, meek and lowly in heart, Matth. 11.28. The ſpecial habitation or dwelling-place of God, the two Thrones of God, are the higheſt Heaven, and the loweſt Heart: O how good, and amiable, and honorable a thing is it, to be upon the Throne with God! to dwell where God dwells! for ſurely, whereſoever he dwells, there Grace dwells, and there Peace dwells, and there Comfort dwells: All good dwells where God dwells; and (loe) his Promiſe is, to dwell with thoſe, that are of an humble ſpirit; Iſa. 57.15. Thus ſaith the high and lofty One, that inhabiteth Eternity, whoſe Name is Holy, I dwell in the high and holy place, with him alſo that is of a contrite and humble Spirit, to revive the Spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.

But how can this be ever relliſhed by the ſelfiſh man, or by him that meerly ſeeks his own things, and that never mindes the publique good, or the things of Jeſus Chriſt? How can Self deny it ſelf, Self not able to deny it ſelf, or to humble it ſelf, or to cleanſe it ſelf. or humble it ſelf, or abhor it ſelf? Can any thing work beyond the Spheare of its own activity? Can that which is filthy, make it ſelf holy? or that which is Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one, Job 14.4. unclean, make it ſelf clean? Can the creature firſt break or unmake it ſelf quite, and then afterwards repair or make it ſelf up again, and be in a better condition then ever? Is it in the power of the creature to bring light out of darkneſs, or good out of evil, or ſomething out of nothing? No ſurely; God can do this, and he may do it, when he pleaſes; but the creature cannot do it; Self hath neither ſtrength nor ſtomack, neither power nor will to do it.

Secondly, Another Leſſon that Religion or true Piety teaches, A leſſon of Contentation. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . is that of Contentation; Godlineſs with contentment is great gain, or Godlineſs with ſelf-ſufficiency: 1 Tim. 6.6. Let your converſation be without covetouſneſs, and be content with ſuch things as ye have; for he hath ſaid, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . 5 Neg. Eſt negationis conduplicatio ut fit vehementior pollicitatio. Eſtius in loc. I will never leave thee nor forſake thee, Heb. 13.5. Paul had exactly learned this Leſſon; Piety had made him perfect, Religion had made him very skilful in the Leſſon of Contentation: Phil. 4.11, 12. I have learned, ſays he, in whatſoever ſtate I am, therewith to be content; I know how to be abaſed, and I know how to abound: every where, and in all things I am inſtructed, both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound, and to ſuffer need: I pray mark, I have learned, ſays Paul, I know, and am inſtructed, he ſpeaks experimentally; as Laban ſaid to Jacob in another caſe, Gen. 30.27. I have learned by experience, that the Lord hath bleſſed me for thy ſake: ſo Paul knew by experience, That although of himſelf he was as apt to murmure and be diſcontented, as any other man, yet that 1 Pet. 5.10 the God of all Grace, had now given him ſo much Grace, as to be contented with his portion.

But now it is a thing impoſsible, that ever created Self ſhould be ſatisfied with it ſelf, No real ſelf-ſufficiency among the creatures. becauſe the creature hath no ſelf-ſufficiency within its own bounds or limits; and therefore Zophar ſays of a wicked man, that Although his excellency mount up to the heavens, and his head reach unto the clouds, yet even in the fulneſs of his ſufficiency he ſhall be in ſtraits, Job 20.6, 22. God never ordained, or appointed the creature, to be the Center of its own felicity, Auguſt. Conf. lib. 1. cap. 1. Vae animae audaci quae ſperavit ſi à te receſſiſſet, ſe aliquid melius habituram: verſa & reverſa in tergum, & in latera, & in ventrem, & dura ſunt omnia, & tu ſolus requies. Idem Confeſſ. lib. 6. cap. 16. but to go out of it ſelf, and reſt upon him alone, for all maner of ſatisfaction; according to that known ſaying of (p) Auſtins, Quoniam feciſti nos ad te Domine, &c. Becauſe thou haſt made us Lord unto thee, therefore our heart is unquiet, till it reſt it ſelf in thee: and, Return unto thy reſt, O my ſoul, ſays David, Pſal. 116.7. that is, unto thy God, O my ſoul, and unto thy God in Chriſt, for there is no beholding God, but in the face of Jeſus Chriſt; No man knoweth the Father, ſave the Son, and he to whomſoever the Son will reveal him, Matth. 11.27.

Thirdly, Another Leſſon, or Doctrine of great concernment, A leſſon of Liberality. that Religion preſſes and urges upon thoſe that are Rich in this World, is, To be free, and to be liberal, to be open-hearted, and open-handed, Pſa. 112.9. to diſperſe, to give to the poor, to Luke 16.9. make friends of the Mammon of unrighteouſneſs; 1 Tim. 6.18 to be rich in good works, ready to diſtribute, willing to communicate; Eccl. 11.1. to caſt their bread upon the living waters, that after many days they may finde it again; Iam. 1.27. Caecorum baculus, eſuricutium cibus, spes miſerorum, ſolamcu lugentium fuit. Hieron. de Mort. Nepot, Epiſt. 3. to viſit the fatherleſs and widows in their affliction; to be as Iob 29.13 15.16. Job was, Eyes to the blinde, and feet to the lame, and fathers to the poor, and to make the widows heart even to ſing for joy. I do not know any one thing, that the Scripture does more frequently or earneſtly preſs, then this, or that we had more need to preſs in theſe hard Times, Pulchritudo divitiarum non in ſacculis divitam, ſed in alimentis pauperum eſt: In illis infirmls & egeuis melius opes lucent: Diſcant ita que pecunioſi, non ſua, ſed ea quae ſunt Chriſti quaerere, ut illos & Chriſtus requirat, ut illis ſua largiatur. Ambroſ. Epiſt. l. 3. wherein abundance of poor people are even ready to ſtarve for want of neceſſaries.

But what ſays Self to this now, or the man that meerly ſeeks his own things? Self a great enemy to liberality. O no, ſays he, I muſt not be too free, I muſt not be too liberal, I muſt not give away all, or give away too much; by all means I muſt take heed of that, for either I my ſelf may want it, or my children want it, or my trade want it, or my luſts want it: and ſo there's little or nothing to be had, where covetous unbelieving Self riſes up, and forbids the practice of this Religious Leſſon.

Secondly, this inordinate ſeeking of our own things, as it is contrary to All Rules of Piety, Contrary to all Rules of Vnity. ſo to All Rules of Unity, and Peace, and Concord: For what elſe is it, that divides people, and that does ſo mightily diſquiet and diſtract them, but onely this, That Self carries them upon ſeveral Principles, unto ſeveral Ends, by ſeveral Rules, one againſt another? otherwiſe, were it not for this, Foundations of Agreement. there are Foundations enough of Unity and of Agreement, both in Civil things, and in Sacred; and ſuch Foundations as could never be caſt down, if men were not too ſelfiſh, or too eagerly bent upon their own things.

For firſt, In Civil things, if I would have 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; Chryſoſt. Hom 14. in Epiſt. ad Philip. another to dwell ſecurely, In Civil things or to live quietly by me, muſt not I live quietly by him? If I would have him to practiſe no evil againſt me, muſt not I be ſure to practiſe no evil againſt him? If I would have him careful not to injure me, muſt not I be careful not to injure him? If I would have him tender of my welfare, muſt not I be tender of his welfare? Does not the very Law of Nature, as well as the Law of God, lay this Injunction upon us, To do as we would be done by? And ſo long as ye keep within theſe Bounds, and are followers of that which is good, who is he that will harm you? ſays the Apoſtle, 1 Pet. 3.13.

And I pray what is it, that puts us at any time upon exceeding the limits of that Golden Rule, Violence offered by Self unto that excellent Rule of Doing as we would be done by, Mat. 7.12. See M. Perkins on the place, in his Expoſition of Chriſt, Serm. in the Mount. of Doing as we would be done by, but our neglecting the publique good, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt, and our being too eagerly bent upon our own things? We ſhould agree well enough, if it were not for that, every man with his Neighbor, and every man with his Brother, and rather bear with one another, in caſe of wrongs and injuries, then be at daggers drawing ſtrait, upon every ſmall offence.

And ſo likewiſe in Sacred things, in matters of Faith, or of Chriſtianity, In Sacred things. there are ſo many fundamentals of Agreement in theſe things, that a man would wonder, how there ſhould be any material difference among thoſe, who are ſo many ways united, or faſt glued together; as namely, ſince there is but Eph. 4.4, 5, 6. Vid. Piſcat hic. Mr. Cartwr. Anſwer to the Rhem. Annota. Non habent Dei charitatem, qui Eccleſiae non diligunt unitatem, Aug de Baptiſm. lib. 3. cap. 16. Vid. Cypr. de unit. Eccleſ. Gregor. Nazianz. Orat. 14. Euſeb. de vit. Conſtant. lib. 2. cap. 68. & lib. 3 cap. 13. Whitaker. contr. 3. quaeſt. 4. Davenant Epiſt Pacificat. Iren. Ier. Burr. & Al. one God, and one Chriſt, and one Spirit, and one Faith, and one Baptiſm, and one Body, and one hope of our Calling; ſince in thus many things we are already agreed as one, why then do we differ ſo much, or why do we diſagree at all? why do we not go on ſtill, according to theſe good beginnings?

The general Reaſon of it, Why ſo much difference, notwithſtanding all former unities. is this, Becauſe when theſe Principles fall into the hands of formal perſons, or when they come to be managed and improved by thoſe, that are no Chriſti extraordinaria gubernatio, & Spiritus ſancti ſalutifera illuminatio, illos reſpicit, qui ſunt vera & viva membra eccleſia: non autem ill is alligatur qui obtinent tantummodo locum externum in Eccleſiâ: Si enim pertinent ad Synagogam Satanae (quod quando que accidit) illu • unum corpus, & unus Spiritus, & Chriſtus eſt caput Eccleſiae, ad cos emnino non pertingit, Davenant. Diſp. de Iud. & norm. fid. cap. 18. true living members of the myſtical body of Chriſt (having onely ſome outer Room for a while in the Church) there Self interpoſes, and troubles the waters, by putting ſeveral gloſſes or interpretations upon theſe things, no way conſiſtent with the nature of them, and ſo cauſes Nimium altercando veritas amittitur, A. Gell. Fides eſt veritatis, non voluntatis, Evangeliorum non temporum, Hilar. cont. Conſtant. jars, and contentions, and quarrels, and ſeveral voyces to be heard, where there ſhould be but one voyce; and the greateſt diſcrepancy, where there ſhould be the ſweeteſt harmony.

More particularly, Three ſpecial Rules of unity broken aſunder by Self. there are three ſpecial Rules, or Ligaments of Unity, that are all diſſolved or broken aſunder by Self, or by mens poring too much upon their own things: Brethren that would dwell together in Unity, 1. They muſt love one another. 2. They muſt be faithful to one another. 3. They muſt bear with one another.

And you ſhall briefly ſee, how Self deſtroys each of theſe Bands, or Rules of Unity.

Firſt, Rule. 1 Whereſoever there is Unity, there muſt be Love; that's a clear caſe, Where there is unity there muſt be love. and a moſt ſure Rule: And therefore the Apoſtle calls love, not onely As ens in Logick communicates his being to the ten Predicaments, ſo is love to the ten Commandments. Dr. Stoughton L. S. Spouſe, pag. 48. A fulfilling of the Law, Rom. 13.10. and the end of the commandment, 1 Tim. 1.5. but he calls it likewiſe, The bond of perfectneſs, or The moſt perfect bond, by an uſual Hebraiſm, Col. 3.14. it being that which cements, and ſoders, and holds us together more then any thing, even the Sacred bond of love: Neither is there any one duty, that the New Teſtament does more frequently or earneſtly preſs upon us, then this neceſſary duty, of Love to one another; which is both the duty, and the beauty, the honor and the Amor impenetrabil is eſt lorica, reſpuit jacula, gladios excutit, periculis inſultat, mortem ridet, ſi amor eſt vincit omnia: Chryſol. de bono Paſt. Serm. 40. armor of a Chriſtian.

But now where Self prevails, No ſincere love, where ſelf prevails, and is predominant. or where there is an inordinate minding of our own things, there can be no love; for as the praeternatural heat in the body of a ſick Feveriſh man, conſumes the natural heat, and ſo deſtroys the man; ſo carnal ſinful ſelf-love, eats out the heart of all true love: He that loves no body but himſelf, can never be ſuppoſed to love his Neighbor as himſelf.

Rule. 2 Secondly, Where there is Unity, there muſt be Faithfulneſs too: No greater enemy to unity, then treachery, Where there is unity, there muſt be faithfulneſs. or falſeneſs of ſpirit; they can never be firmly united one to another, that know not how to truſt one another. Nulla res v • hementius Rempublicam continet quam fides. Ciero. No one thing does more ſtrongly unite, or hold together a Commonwealth, then Fidelity, ſays an Heathen Author: Anſwerable whereunto, is that of the Apoſtles, Eph. 4.25. Put away lying, and ſpeak every man truth to his Neighbor; and that upon this ground, Becauſe we are members one of another.

But who more unfaithful or treacherous, The treachery of Self, or vile perfidiouſneſs of it. then ſelfiſh men, that meerly minde their own things? And that can eaſily turn either this way, or that way, to this ſide or to that, according as their own advantages or occaſions ſhall at any time incline, or perſwade them ſo to do; yea, it is many times a matter of no great moment, an exceeding ſmall matter, a very poor mean thing, that will turn theſe Weather-cocks about and about. We read in Amos, of ſome that ſold the righteous for ſilver, and — Egentē pro pari calccorum, hoc eſt, re viliſſimâ. Tarnov. in loc. the poor for a pair of ſhoes, Amos 2.6. And Ezekiel ſpeaks of ſome, that would pollute Gods Name among the people, but for — Propter pugillum Hordei, minimâ mercede. Maldonat. hic. handfuls of barley, and for pieces of bread, Ezek. 13.19. Prophane Gen. 25.34 Heb. 12.16. Eſau ſold his birthright but for a meſs of pottage; and Mat. 26.15. Judas his Maſter but for Thirty pieces of ſilver.

Thirdly, Rule. 3 Where there is Unity, there muſt be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , Iam. 1.4. Heb. 10.36. Epheſ. 4.2. Patience mutually to bear with, Where there is unity, there muſt be patience. and forbear one another: The beſt of men, are but men at the beſt, and in that reſpect liable to manifold infirmities; and therefore, if we would agree with them, we muſt of neceſſity bear with them, and give them their allowance; eſpecially we ſhould do this, that are called Chriſtians: Bear ye one anothers burthens, ſays the Apoſtle, and ſo fulfil the law of Chriſt, Gal. 6.2. He does not onely bid them to bear their own burthens patiently and quietly, but the burthens of one another alſo, as well as their own.

There are none that gain ſo much upon the hearts and affections of others, in order to their Eternal welfare, as they that are of a meek, and of a patient Spirit, enabling them to Hic eſt ille Farellus qui nullis difficultatibus fractus, nul lis minis, convitiis, verberibus deui que inflict is territus Mompelgardenſes, Aqutleienſes, Lauſanenſes, Genevenſes, Novocomenſes Chriſto lucrifecit. Mel. Adam. Decad. in vitâ Farel. bear long with very much, that they may win ſouls to Chriſt: 2 Tim. 2.10. Therefore I endure all things (ſays the Apoſtle) for the Elects ſake, that they may alſo obtain the ſalvation which is in Chriſt Jeſus, with eternal glory.

But how or which way muſt this be done? How ſhall a man attain to ſuch a frame of ſpirit as this? The ſame Apoſtle gives you an excellent Rule for that, Rom. 15.1. We that are ſtrong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and Placere ſibi dicitur, qui effertur & gloriatur: de quo non agit hic propriè Apoſtolus, ſed de co potius qui caeteris contemtis ſui unius rationem habet, id que unum spectat, ut animo ſuo morem gerat. Beza in loc. Vide etiam Gualther. & Willet. ibid. not to pleaſe our ſelves, for even Chriſt pleaſed not himſelf; at the 3 ver. of that Chapter: as if he ſhould have ſaid, If we do go about to pleaſe our ſelves; if we do ſeek our own things meerly, and not the good of others, we ſhall not onely offend againſt the Example of Chriſt, but againſt that Royal Law of his, which expreſly bids us, to bear one anothers burthens. And thus ye ſee, how inconſiſtent a ſelfiſh diſpoſition is, both with All Rules of Piety, and likewiſe with All Rules of Unity.

There is but one particular more to be opened, and that is to ſhew you, Contrary to all Rules of Policy. That an inordinate ſeeking of our own things, is not onely contrary to All Rules of Piety, and contrary to All Rules of Unity, but contrary to All Rules of Policy alſo.

And here I would intreat you to obſerve, That I take the word Vide Scapul. Lexic. in voc. [ 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ] Budaeum, Paſor. & Alios. Policy, in the moſt innocent, harmleſs intention or ſignification of the word, as it betokens Order, or Diſcipline, or Government; a right compoſure, or diſpoſition, or framing of humane Societies into ſuch a way, wherein the Inhabitants or People may be mutually helpful, or advantageous, or Cur enim per univerſos populos diverſa & varia jura ſunt condita, niſi quod unaquae que gens, id ſibi ſanxit, quod putavit rebus ſuis utile? Lactant. de Ver. Cult. lib. 6. cap. 9. uſeful unto one another.

Now in every outward Government (what De Rerumpubl. form. carum que Adminiſtrat. Vide Ariſt. Polit. lib. 4. cap. 7. Platon. Greg. Tholoſ. de Rep. Bodin. Keckerman. Syſtem. Polit. Polan. Syntag. Theol. l. 7. c 19 Two ſorts of things chiefly conſiderable in every outward Government. Caeſars ſpeech to the Marriner in a ſtorm. Name ſoever ye put upon it, whether ye call it a Monarchy, or an Ariſtocracy, a Kingdom, or a Commonwealth, or whatever elſe ye pleaſe to call it) there are but two ſorts of Things chiefly conſiderable in it, Salus Populi, and Res Chriſti, The publique Safety or Intereſt of the People, with all that comes under that, and The things of Jeſus Chriſt; whatſoever elſe is viſible in any outward Government, it either is (or ſhould be at leaſt) ſubſervient unto theſe two ſorts of Great things: And therefore, as he ſaid to the Marriner, in that known Story, Perge contra tempeſtatem fortiter, Caeſarem vehis, & fortunam Caeſaris; Bear up ſtoutly againſt the ſtorm, thou haſt Caeſar in thy Veſſel, and the fortune of Caeſar: ſo we may ſay to thoſe that ſit at the Stern, and that Rule over Nations, See that your Tackling be ſtrong, and tite, and good, having a mighty Charge committed to you; for ye have not onely the Lives, and Liberties, the Eſtates and Poſſeſsions of many thouſands of people, But ye have the things of Chriſt alſo, in ſome ſenſe, imbarqued in the ſame Ship with you; though perhaps you your ſelves think not of it, nor never ſo much as dream of any ſuch matter.

But now, The trade of Self either below or againſt the publique-Intereſt & the things of Ieſus Chriſt. if ye mark the diſpoſition of the ſelfiſh man, you ſhall finde, That either he mindes not the publique good, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt at all, or elſe he mindes his own things, more then he does theſe things; either he drives a trade below theſe things, and far ſhort of them, or elſe he drives a trade againſt theſe things, and in an abſolute way of contradiction to them.

Firſt, The ſelfiſh mans trade below the publique Intereſt and the things of Chriſt. I ſay, The natural man, the ſelfiſh man, the man that meerly ſeeks his own things, he frequently drives a trade below the publique-Intereſt, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt; that is to ſay, Provided that he may but have liberty to Iam. 5.13. buy and ſell, and get gain, to feather his own neſt, and to fill his own purſe, and to make his own Hab. 1.16. portion fat and plenteous, he never cares what becomes of the publique, or of the things of Jeſus Chriſt; let others look after thoſe things, what cares he for them? As they ſaid to Judas, when they had hired him to betray his Maſter, and he came and complained to them, that he had ſinned, in betraying innocent blood; Mat. 27.4. Quid ad nos, hoc eſt, quid noſtra refert, nocentem prodideris an innocentem? Cornel. Ianſan. in Concord Evang. Ad modum Caini loquuntur, vera progenies Caini. Hug. Grot. Annotat. in lib. Evang. What is that to us? ſay they; ſee thou to that: And ſo, ſpeak to the ſelfiſh man at any time, about any thing that concerns the publique, about any thing that concerns Religion, or the things of Jeſus Chriſt, What's this to me? ſays he preſently, let others look to that: There are too many Acts 18.17. Gallio's that care for none of theſe things.

And although this be a very great and ſhameful iniquity, The ſelfiſh mans trade not onely below, but againſt the publique-intereſt, and the thin • s of Ieſus Chriſt. yet this is not all the guilt that ſelfiſh men contract, by doting too much upon their own things, unto not onely a neglecting, but unto an undervaluing alſo, or throwing aſide the publique good, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt; for ſo you ſhall finde, that they do not onely drive a trade here below, quite beneath theſe things, but againſt them likewiſe, or clean contrary to them; This being the property of all ſuch men, That if at any time any thing of their own, any profit of their own, any gain or advantage of their own, ſhall providentially competition with the publique good, or with the things of Jeſus Chriſt; men that have not yet learned to deny themſelves, they muſt and can do no otherwiſe, then let go publique, and Vae autem illi cui Chriſtus dicet, Quaſiviſti commodum tuum non meum: Il lud obtinuiſti: Accepiſti igitur mercedem tuam. Olevian. in cap. 14. Epiſtol ad Rom Chriſt, and all, meerly for the ſatisfaction of their own Qui mavult benè vivere in aeternum malè vivet ad tempus, & qui maluerit benè vivere ad tempus, malè vivet in aeternum: Damnabitur enim ſententiá Dei ad aternam panam, qui coeleſtibus bonis terrena praepoſuit. Lactant. de Divin. Praem. lib. 7 cap 5. private concernments; Then which, how there can be a readier way, or a wickeder way to deſtroy all Government, to pluck it up by the roots, and lay the Honor of it in the duſt, I for my part do not yet underſtand.

And thus have I endeavored to lay open the Myſtery of this great Iniquity, the nature of this dangerous Malady here complained of in the Text, by ſhewing you the inconſiſtency of an inordinate ſeeking of our own things, with all Rules either of Piety, or Unity, or Policy. The Application of this follows in ſome few ſhort hints, and ſo we ſhall conclude.

And firſt, Uſe. 1 if this be ſo dangerous a Diſtemper, either in a perſon, or in a people, to be inordinately ſtudious, or inquiſitive, about that which is their own; if Self be ſuch a deſtroyer, and ſuch a diſturber, Then let no man bleſs himſelf in this, That he hath no Inward enemies our greateſt enemies. Quid nos decipimus? non eſt extrinſecus malum noſtrum, intra nos eſt: in viſceribus ipſis ſedet, & ideò difficulter ad ſanitatem pervenimus, quia nos aegrotare neſcimus. Sen. Ep. 50 outward Enemy to combat withal, no outward adverſary to moleſt or trouble him; for if thou haſt no enemy to conteſt with but thy ſelf, that's enough: We our ſelves are naturally the greateſt enemies to our ſelves; O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, ſays God; thou needeſt no outward enemy to plunder thee, or to ſpoil thee, or to rob thee of all good, for thou haſt done it thy ſelf, Thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelf, Hoſ. 13.9.

Secondly, Uſe. 2 do not bleſs your ſelves in this neither, That no one can lay any open notorious crime to your charge, about matters that are generally known to be unlawful, for you may periſh even under the abuſe of Lawful things muſt not be overuſed Semper ab illicitis, quando que & à licitis. Greg. vid Luk. 17.26.—29. 1 Cor. 7.29, 30, 31. lawful things: Though no body can lay any thing to your charge about the things of another, yet you may periſh for ever, by reaſon of the inordinacy of your affections and endeavors about your own things; though ye never had any covetous, eager, griping deſire in you, to get into your poſſeſsion that which was anothers, yet you may be miſerable enough, either by detaining, or ſeeking a farther inlargement of that which is Our own things liable to very much abuſe. See Dod and Cleaver on the 7 Command. in the cloſe of the third outward breach of it. your own: A man needs no other miſery, neither is he capable of any greater miſery, then that which his own things, in their abuſe, may very eaſily bring upon him, and that very ſpeedily too: For, The better our own things are, the worſe do our Corruptio optimi eſt peſſima. corruptions make them; the fuller we are of In Saturitate cibi vivens Sodoma, cibus ignis effici meruit. Fulgent. ad Probam. Epiſt. 3. bread, and all other outward enjoyments, the nearer many times to perdition, and eternal condemnation.

Thirdly, let us from hence be admoniſhed, Uſe. 3 to bewail the Quid ergo horum facimus Chriſtiani, quod Chriſtus, an quod Apoſtolus jubet? Puto omnino, quod neutrum: Nam tantum abeſt, ut aliorum commodis aliquid cum propriâ incommoditate praeſtemus, ut omnes vel maximè noſtris commodis cum aliorum incommodo conſulamus Salvian. de Gubern. Dei lib. 3. Serpit hodic putida rabies per omne corpus Eccleſiae, & quò latius cò desperatius, có que periculoſius quò interiùs: Nam ſi infurgeret apertus inimicus hareticus mitterctur for as & areſcerct: ſi violentus inimicus, abſconderet ſe forſitan ab co. Nunc verò quem ejiciet, aut à quo abſcondet ſe? omnes am • ci, & omnes inimici: omnes neceſſarii, & om • es adverſarii: omnes d • m • ſtici, & nulli pacifici: omnes proximi, & omnes quae ſua ſunt quaerunt: Miniſtri Chriſti ſunt, & ſerviunt Antichriſto; Honorati incedunt de bonis Domini, qui Domino honorem non deferunt. Bern. ſuper Cantic. Serm. 33. rifeneſs and frequency of this great Evil amongſt us, that we are generally ſo inordinate in the purſuit of that which is our own; and that the good of the publique, and things of Jeſus Chriſt, are no more heeded, nor no more regarded by us: For ſurely this is an Epidemical Diſeaſe ſtill, yea is at preſent The great Diſtemper of ENGLAND, even that which hath been all along The great Diſtemper of all Mankinde; Ever ſince the Fall we have continued the riſe of that firſt Tranſgreſsion. In all Times and Ages, Self hath been the great Diana, that all the world hath worſhipped, and that hath ſtill been ready to eat up all, and to ſwallow up all that ever came near it; Gifts, Parts, Victories, Deliverances, Prayings, Faſtings, Thankſgivings, all made ready to bow down to this Idol Self, and to proſtrate themſelves at the feet thereof, by too many of us; Seldom hath any great work been done in the world, but Self hath put in for a ſhare; yea, its well if the whole hath not been drowned in that dead Sea of Creature-advancement, or Self-exaltation. Acts. 19.27.

A man would admire to ſee what a narrow crevis Self will creep in at, Too much of Self in the beſt of our own performances. and how inſenſibly it many times ſteals upon us, in the very beſt of our own performances: As for Example,

When a people ſet apart ſome days to Faſt and Pray unto God, Extraordinary Duties inſtanced in. and other days to Rejoyce, and give Thanks unto God, one would think that Self ſhould have nothing to do with theſe people, that ſay they meet purpoſely to humble and abaſe themſelves firſt, and then to lift up the Name of their God; And yet mark the language that God himſelf uſes to the Jews, after they had been a long time exerciſed in duties of this nature, Iſrael is an empty vine, ſays he; and why? why an empty vine? He Fructum reponit ſibi, id eſt, nemini eſt fructuoſ • : ſi quid profert eo toto in libidinem ſuam abutitur. Iun. & Trem. in loc. brings forth fruit unto himſelf, Hoſ. 10.1. And in Zech. 7.5, 6. When ye faſted and mourned in the fifth and ſeventh moneth, even thoſe ſeventy years, Did ye at all faſt unto me, ſays God, even to me? When ye did eat, and when ye did drink, Did ye not eat for your ſelves, and drink for your ſelves? as if he ſhould have ſaid, Both when ye faſted, and when ye feaſted, when ye had your days of Humiliation, and when ye had your days of Thankſgiving, was it not ſtill your ſelves that ye aymed at therein, and not my Glory? O what a deal of ſavoury precious oyntment hath this dead fly ſpoiled! How exceeding uncomely hath Self made that, which would otherwiſe have been incomparably beautiful in the eyes of God and Men!

When Jehu marched ſo furiouſly againſt the Idolatries of the houſe of Ahab, Another ſad inſtance of the miſchief that Self hath done and may do again. and deſtroyed Baal out of Iſrael, and carried that buſineſs every way ſo nobly and honorably, that God himſelf gives this teſtimony of him, That he had done it according to all that was in his heart, 2 Kings 10.30. Would any one have thought, that ſhould have ſeen him in his march, that this man had been a Murtherer all this while, or one that took a direct courſe, in that very ſervice to defile himſelf with blood? And yet, becauſe it was not the Glory of God, but Virtutes quae carnalibus delectationibus, vel quibuſcun que commodis & emolument is temporalibus ſerviunt, verae prorſus eſſe non poſſunt: verae quippe virtutes Deo ſerviunt in hominibus, à quo donantur hominibus; Deo ſerviunt in Angelis, à quo donantur etiam Angelis; Quicquid autem bonum fit ab homine, & non propter hoc fit, propter quod fieri debere vera ſaptentia praecipit, ctſi officio vidcatur bonum, ipſo non recto fine peccatum eſt. Tho Bradwa din de cauſa Dei lib. 1. cap. 39. himſelf that Jehu aymed at in all this, therefore, Yet a little while, ſays God, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel, upon the houſe of Jehu, Hoſ. 1.4.

And therefore Quum audimus conquerentem Paulum, aurco illo ſecuto quo virtutes omnes, effloruerunt tam raros fuiſſe verè cordatos, ne animos deſpondeamus ſi hodie talis ſit noſtra conditio: tantum ſibi quiſ que caveat, ne jure in hoc catalogo cenſeatur. Calv. in Text. take heed, I beſeech you, Caution. That this 2 Kings 4.39, 40. weed be not in the pot; that this Eccleſ. 10.1. dead fly be not in the oyntment; that this evil ſeize not upon you mortally, or that it remain not amongſt you to ruine you, either at this time, or at any other time; this capital vice, or grand iniquity, that turns all Bleſsings into Curſes, and all Mercies into Miſeries, and all Adminiſtration of Juſtice into Murthers, and all preſent Deliverances into farther Bondages, when Self is meerly aymed at in what ye do, and not the Glory of God.

And yet I Appeal to the Experience of any ſober, Experience ſhews, that there is a ſuperfluity of this naughtineſs, or too much of Self every where amongſt us. diſcreet, honeſt, impartial man, that does but tranſiently caſt an eye upon the preſent actings of men, whether this be not a ſeaſon, wherein the Apoſtles complaint here in the Text, both may and ought to be renewed amongſt us, and ſadly thought upon by us: Doubtleſs there are in many parts of England, and more eſpecially here in London, many wiſe men, and many rich men, and many learned men, and many valiant men, and many large-parted men, and many brave-gifted men, But how many among all theſe do you or I know to be publique-ſpirited men? Quod omnes dicit, non urgenda eſt particula univerſalis, ut nullam exceptionem admittas: erant enim alii quo que , qualis Epapbroditu • , ſed pauci: verum omnibus tribuit, quod paſſim erat vulgare. Calv. & Beza in Text. All ſeek their own, ſays the Apoſtle here; and may not we ſay the very ſame? Was it ever truer at any time, then now at this time?

And when we ſeriouſly minde, or think upon theſe things, how exceedingly ſhould we commiſerate or pity the poor Nation, that now lies languiſhing under this ſad and dangerous infirmity; that is now ſick of ſuch a Diſeaſe, then which there cannot be a greater Diſeaſe; for in the Satis ſuper que eſt ei qui non eſt captus oculis, ut videat facem praeferre; caco ad videndum non eſt ſatis, ut vel toto ſole feriatur. Ioh. Camero Praelect. in Pſal 68. Self the great & onely Diſtemper that we have now cauſe to fear. eye of any ſeeing man, what can there be more dangerous, then that which holds forth an abſolute repugnancy or contrariety, both to All Rules of Piety, and to All Rules of Unity, and to All Rules of Policy? And as it is the greateſt, ſo (as the caſe now ſtands with us) it is the onely Diſtemper that we have cauſe to fear, the onely Diſeaſe that hath for the preſent any face of Ruine, or any appearance of mortality in it, in reference to the publique.

It is to this purpoſe a very conſiderable expreſſion of that worthy Duke of Rohan's, concerning this Nation of ours, in his Book of THE INTEREST OF THE STATES AND PRINCES OF CHRISTENDOM; when he comes to ſpeak in particular concerning the Intereſt of England, he ſays, See page 35. of that Book, where this paſſage is mentioned by that Illuſtrious Duke, as an Aphoriſm of the late Queen Elizabeths. That England is a mighty Animal, which can never dye, except it kill it ſelf: And ſurely at this time, (bleſſed be God for it) it is no other way like to kill it ſelf, if Self do not kill it.

And therefore in the next place, Uſe. 4 let that be one of my laſt and utmoſt endeavors, Containing an Exhortation to publiquenes of ſpirit, upon ſeveral motives: which are to ſtir up a mighty Spirit in you that are the Fathers of this Famous City, and in us all, for the Publique, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt.

But here, Vincitur Sermo rei magnitudine, quanto que majus fuerit quod dicendum eſt; tantò magis obruitur qui magnitudinem rerum verbis non poteſt explicare. Hier. ad Heliod. de Mort. Nepot. epiſt. 3. Two ways propounded. in the very Entrance upon this great and neceſſary work, of perſwading to publiqueneſs of Spirit: I confeſs I am (and may well be) at a ſtand in my own thoughts about it, having ſo much to ſay, that I know not well what to ſay; —inopem me copia fecit, Plenty hath made me poor. When a man hath the publique good before him, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt before him, he hath rather too much then too little, having then all before him that is any way needful to be ſpoken to.

But I ſhall exceedingly contract my ſelf, and draw up all under theſe two Heads: Something I ſhall ſpeak, 1. More generally, or at large to it; And ſecondly, Something alſo more cloſely or particularly.

In the general, I beſeech you to conſider,

Firſt, More generally. that as nothing elſe hath heretofore been ſo diſhonorable and deſtructive, unto Po • quam imperatores Romani caeperunt de induſtria Chriſtianos atrocitate ſuppliciorum à Chriſto abſterrere, nunquam illis bene fuit; aut pauci corum, aut nullus ferè, ficea morte deſcendit ad generum cereris. Camer. Prael. ct. de verb. Dei pag. 444. Col. 2. Governors and others (whether among our ſelves or elſwhere in the World) as when they have degenerated from the publique-Intereſt, to lay hold upon Principles and Practices of Cruelty and Diſorder, and ſo have been ready Inſtruments in the hand of Satan, to perſecute thoſe that ſhould have been protected by them. As this hath been the ruine and overthrow of Governments and Governors formerly;

So conſider ſecondly, That nothing could be a greater Honor or Ornament unto you then this would be, If the Lord himſelf would but pleaſe to clothe you with a publique Spirit; Iob 29.11. This would make the eye that ſees you to bleſs you, and the ear that hears you to give witneſs to you; yea, and beſides the many ſweet refreſhments that others would receive by this means from you: How could there be any thing more ſweet, or ſavory, or comfortable in your own boſoms, then this, That ye have put on high, and holy, and heavenly Reſolutions, in the ſtrength of God to live and dye to the Publique, and even to contemn or deſpiſe your own things, Something ſuggeſted in the general from hence that is of concernment. in compariſon of the things of Chriſt? which is certainly the Duty both of Magiſtrates, and of Miniſters, and of All that are called Chriſtians, even thus to be, for the Publique, and for the things of Chriſt.

That I. To Magiſtrates. Inter homines egregium hominem eſſe convenit, qui mulitudini praſit: inter Chriſtianos poteſtate functurus, non modo egregius homo, ſed & egregius Chriſtianus eſſe debet: Egregium autem Chriſtianum veco, • on qui potentia, robore, & opibus, ſed qui fide in Chriſtum, dilectione erga fratres, zelo Dei, ſtudio juſtitiae, & ſanctimonia vitae caeteris ſit Chriſtianis praeſtantior; Quibus libertas eſt eligendi Magiſtratus, tales ex omni populo quaerant & eligant. Muſc. loc. Com. tit. de Magiſt. p. 573. See Jethro's advice to Moſes, E • od. 18.21. Magiſtrate loſes his Honor, and extremely diſgraces that high Place God hath called him unto, who hath not yet learned to prefer the publique good, before his own private good.

That Damnatur (ſc. verbi Miniſter) ſi ita quae ſua ſunt curet, ut quae ſunt Jeſu Chriſti negligat: Hoc enim eſt quaererc quae ſunt ſua, non quae Jeſu Chriſti: Damnatur ctiam, ſi ideo accedit ad miniſterium, & illud exercet, ut ſibi conſulat, non autem Eccleſiae Chriſti: Hoc eſt enim quaerere quae ſunt ſua: Finis quem • ibi in tuis actionibus proponis, efficit ut dicaris quaerere, vel quae ſunt Chriſti, vel quae ſunt tua. Zanch. in Text. Miniſter is no Miniſter, II. To Miniſters. no fit man for ſuch an imployment, that is either wholly ignorant of the things of Chriſt, or that is but any way careleſs or negligent about them; or that hath not yet learned to prefer the things of Chriſt before his own things, yea the leaſt and loweſt of the things of Chriſt, before the greateſt and higheſt of his own things.

That Chriſtian is no Chriſtian, III. To All of us. he hath but a Rev. 3.1. name to live, and is dead, who hath not yet learned to Luke 9.23. deny himſelf in Animad verte frater, non tibi licet de tuis quidquam habere rebus: omnis, inquit Dominus, qui non renuntiaverit cunctis, quae poſſ • det, non poteſt meus eſſe diſcipulus: Filius hominis non habet ubi caput reclinet, & tu amplas porticus, & ingentia rectorum spatia metiris? Haereditatem expectans ſ ••• uli, cohaeres Chriſti • ſſe non poteris. Hieron. ad Heliodor. Epiſtol. • . all his own things, and to Erras frater, Erra • , ſi putas unquam Chriſti • num perſecutionem non pati: Tunc maximè oppugnaris, ſi te oppug •• ri neſcis. Idem. ibid. take up his croſs daily, and to follow the Quocun que te vocat Chriſtus cundum eſt properè, altis omnibus relict • : ita reſt icierda tibi eſt vocatio tut, ut ab omnibus avocamentis, ſenſus tuos omnes avertas: Jure tao cedendum eſt, ut officium facias: tut ratio Chriſti gloriae ne que praeferenda eſt, ne que aequanda. Calv. in Text. Lamb whitherſoever he ſhall lead him; ſaying to Jeſus, as the people unto Joſhua, All that thou commandeſt me will I do, and whitherſoever thou ſendeſt me will I go, Joſh. 1.16.

More particularly, to prevail with you for this publiqueneſs of Spirit; look upwards, and look downwards, More particularly. look upon God, and look upon your ſelves, and there ye ſhall finde Arguments enough for publiqueneſs of Spirit.

Firſt, look upwards unto God, there being nothing better for any of us, then to have our thoughts often aſcending, rather then deſcending; eſpecially nothing ſafer for Magiſtrates, that are called to judge others, then to be often Boni judicis eſt ſu • picere non deſpt • ere. Ferus in Ioh 5.30. looking up unto that God, who will one day judge them.

And in your looking upwards unto God, Motives to publiquenes of Spirit from all the three Per •• ns in the Trinity, looked upon do not any way ſtraiten your ſelves, but look upon all the Three Perſons in the ever bleſſed Trinity; look upon them ſeverally, or look upon them joyntly, and you ſhall both ways finde them to be (what they in a due proportion would have you to be) a publique good.

Look upon them ſeverally firſt, Severally. and then if your apprehenſions of them be not Omnis intellectus qui phantaſticâ quadam • ogitatio • e qu • ſi 〈◊〉 Dioinam natur • m apprehendit, ſ •• u •••• rum quidem Dei ſ •• xit inmente, Deum autem non intellexit. Greg. Nyſſen. de vit. Moſis. phantaſtical, or vainly conjectural, but Vid. Aug. de Trinit. Zanch de trib. Eloh. lib. 1. cap. 4. Lombard. Sentent. lib. 1. Diſtinct. 9. R •• nold. Confer. with Hart, Chap. 2. Diviſ. 2. & Al. pure Evangelical apprehenſions, ye cannot but look upon all and each of them as a publique good; God the Father being in himſelf a publique good, Jeſus Chriſt a publique good, The Spirit of Grace and Truth a publique good.

Secondly, look upon them joyntly, as they are three diſtinct Perſons, Ioyntly. See the Annet. of H. Ainſworth on this place. and but one God, and ſo they are a publique good: (x) Hear O Iſrael, the Lord our God is one Lord, ſays Moſes, Deut 6.4. And unto us there is but one God, ſays the Apoſtle, 1 Cor. 8.6. one God, and one Good; and that Good the chief Good; and therefore the chief Good, Summum b • nū eſt ſummè publicum bonum. becauſe a publique Good: with all due reverence be it ſpoken, God himſelf could not be the chief Good, if he were not the chief publique Good: And therefore this muſt needs be the Excellency of Excellencies, the moſt Qui amat quod verè putat • ſſe ſummum bonum, id unicè amat: Ita que ut id redimat, nihil non facit, nihil haber penſi: Exemplo ſit in Evangelio, qui theſaurum reperit in agro, agrum emit, & qui ſcripſit— Inveni Portum, ſpes & fortuna valete, N • l mihi vobiſcum, ludite nunc alios. Camer. Collat. cum T • len. pag. 650. col. 2. Minus te amat, qui tecum aliquid amat quod non pr • pter te am • t. Aug Confeſſ. 〈◊〉 10. cap. 29. amiable excellency in all the world, to be of a publique Spirit; ſince there is not a greater excellency, no not in God Himſelf, then that which this amounts to.

When ye have thus looked up unto God, Other Motives to publiquenes of Spirit, from our ſelves, being loked upon then reflect or look back upon your ſelves; Look upon your ſelves as Chriſtians, or look upon your ſelves but as reaſonable men; and under both theſe Conſiderations, ye ſhall have mighty Arguments for a publique Spirit.

Firſt, look upon your ſelves as Chriſtians, and then what maner of perſons ought ye to be, As Chriſtians. Chriſtianitas eſt Chriſto conformitas. but ſuch as Chriſt himſelf was? Godlineſs is God-likeneſs; Chriſtianity is Chriſt-conformity; and if ye do throughly conform to him, ye muſt of neceſsity be of a marvellous large and publique Spirit: For never was the world acquainted with ſuch another Example of Self-denyal, with ſuch another Preſident for publiqueneſs of Spirit, as that which Christ held forth; which is plainly and clearly intimated or held forth unto us, by thoſe expreſsions, where it is ſaid, that he Phil. 2.7. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ſemetipſum exinanivit Vulg. Exhauſit ſemetipſum, Tertul. adverſus Marcion. lib. 5. emptied himſelf, and that he Gal. 2.20. gave himſelf for us, &c. that is, All that excellent glory that he was poſſeſſed of with the Father from all Eternity, he gave it all away, he emptied himſelf of it all, for the good of the Elect of God, for the benefit and advantage of poor, ſinful, undone creatures: He came from the highest degree of ſublimity, and he ſtooped to the lowest degree of ignominy; for he did not onely John 17.9. Pray for us, and Luke 22.44. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Grumi ſanguinis. vide Crit. Sacr. by E. L. in voc. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Sweat for us, and Eph. 1.7. Bleed for us, and 2 Cor. 5.15. Dye for us, but he was made Mark 9.12. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . pro nilulo habeatar. vid. • ez. & Eraſm. hic. vile, and of no reputation; he was Gal. 3.13. made a curſe, yea he was 2 Cor. 5.21. made ſin for us, as ye know the Scripture ſpeaks.

Let me for this, intreat you to caſt your eyes more eſpecially upon that one place of Scripture, 2 Cor 8.9. opened. 2 Cor. 8.9. The Apoſtle was there ſtirring up the Corinthians unto liberality, An Exhortation to liberality 1. Propounded, v. 7. unto a liberal contribution towards the relief of the poor Saints of God: At the 7 v. of that Chapter, his words are theſe, Therefore (as ye abound in every thing elſe, in faith, and utterance, and knowledge, and in all diligence, and in your love to us) ſee that ye abound in this grace alſo, this grace of liberality: And he uſes the greateſt Argument in the world to perſwade hereunto, to perſwade the Corinthians (and in them us) unto liberality; 2. Argued v. 9. Two things in the argument. for ſays he, Ye know the grace of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt, that though he was rich, yet for your ſakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich.

I pray mark, The riches of Chriſt. He was rich, ſays the Apoſtle; Jeſus Chriſt was rich: How rich was he? ſo rich, that he was 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , H • b. 1.2. Heir of all things: Look how rich God himſelf was, even Nos autem ci • ites ſu • paupertate nul •• te • us faceret, ſi pauper factus naturalis divir ••• tis in ſe d •• itias non haberet: Pauper ergo factus eſt, 〈◊〉 f • rmam ſervi • • ives per ••• ſit. ſecand • m 〈◊〉 T •• i. Pulgent. contra Sermon. Faſtid. cap. 13. ſo rich Jeſus Chriſt was: for he Phil 2.6. thought it no robbery to be equal with God; C. l. 2.9. The fulneſs of the Godhead dwelt in him bodily: The Lord himſelf ſays of him, He is my fellow, not onely I •• 41.8. my friend (as Abraham) but my fellow; Awake, O ſword, againſt my Shepherd, and Super v •••• contribalem m •• m: Ita Symmach. Vid. Ioh. Druſ. Fragment. in Zach. Montin. & Iun. in lo • . againſt the man that is my fellow, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, Zech. 13.17.

And yet though he was thus rich, and thus great, yet ſays the Apoſtle, The poverty of Chriſt. For your ſakes he became poor; How poor? ſo poor, that there was hardly ever any one poorer, in regard of outward things; for Mat. 8.20. The foxes had holes, and the birds of the ayr had neſts, but the Son of man knew not where to lay his head: And all this poverty did he voluntarily ſubject himſelf unto, Poſſideart opes ſub Chriſto paupere, quas ſab locuplete Diab • lo non habuerant: & ſuspiret cos Eccleſia divites, quos tenuit mundus ante mendicos. Hier. ad Hel • odor. Epiſt 3. that we through his poverty might be made rich, or that we might be made Eph. 1.18. the riches of God in him: Now ſays the Apoſtle here in this Chapter to the Philippians, Phil. 2.5. (where he ſtill ſpeaks upon the ſame account, upon the very ſame ground or conſideration) Let the ſame minde be in you, ſays he, that was alſo in Jeſus Chriſt; and as he humbled himſelf, and emptied himſelf for the good of you all, even ſo be ye willing from time to time to humble your ſelves, and to empty your ſelves for the good of one another.—Thus then as Chriſtians there are ye ſee very ſtrong engagements upon you, to be of a publique Spirit.

Or if this were not, yet in the ſecond place, As reaſonable m • n. if ye look but upon your ſelves as reaſonable men, That alſo calls for publiqueneſs of Spirit: For I would but ask any man in this Congregation, or any man elſwhere, that hath but a competency of Reaſon to guide him in his way, Do you think that he is a good Commonwealthsman, or a good Patriot, Sanis hominibus public • pr • vitis potiora 〈◊〉 S ••• de C • em lib. 1. cap. 4. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . A •• ſt. Polit. l. 8. cap. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Xenophen de Venat. that prefers his own private wealth, before the good of the Commonwealth? There is no man that muſt dare to affirm this, who would not have his own Underſtanding to riſe up in Judgement againſt him.

So that the Stone that I have all this while been rolling, it now comes down with all the weight of Heaven and Earth upon it, purpoſely to deſtroy Self among you, ſinful, inordinate Self: And I pray take heed, for by the Chriſt (the Shepherd and the Stone of Iſrael, Gen. 49.24.) is in nothing ſo much concerned, as in that which is of publique concernment; and therefore in that reſpect eſpecially, whoſoever falleth on this Stone ſhall be broken, but on whomſoever it ſhall fall, it will grinde him to powder, Matth. 21.44. Fall of it (which is very great) it muſt of neceſsity either deſtroy that, or deſtroy you; either it muſt grinde that to powder, or elſe grinde you to powder. The ſum of all being this, That if there be any thing of God in you, or any thing of Chriſt, or any thing of the Spirit, or any thing of Chriſtianity, or any thing of Humanity, Then ye muſt not any longer minde your own things, or ſeek your own things any otherwiſe, then in a way of humble ſubſerviency unto the publique good, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt.

And as for matter of Advice or Counſel herein, Uſe. 5 how to attain unto this publiqueneſs of Spirit, Containing a word of Advice about the attainment of a publique Spirit. The main difference between Gods Spirit & mans. I ſhall ſay no more to that but onely this, That certainly it is in this reſpect a very ſad thing to be left unto our own Spirits, and a very bleſſed thing to be acted by Gods holy Spirit, in all our ways and walkings: This being the main Difference between the Spirit of God, and mans Spirit, That the Spirit of man is a private narrow Spirit, but the Spirit of God is a large publique Spirit, and ſuch as will every way reach or extend it ſelf to all the concernments of a Chriſtian, in one kinde and another: And if God Himſelf once put this holy Spirit of his within you (which is one of his often-repeated Promiſes unto his People) Then ſo long as ye are acted thereby, Iſa. 44.3. Ezek. 36.27. Ioel 2.28. Zech. 12 10. Luke 11.13. Ioh 7.33.39. Acts 2.17, 18, Gal. 3.14. ye muſt and can do no other, then prefer the Good of the publique, and the things of Jeſus Chriſt, before any thing elſe, that does but meerly reſpect or concern your ſelves.

FINIS.