banish (and some of the bloodier sort, to kill) the ministers of Christ, when they do but think they stand cross to their carnal interests; and if you will plead the interest of Christ and souls against theirs, and tell them that the banishment, imprisonment, silencing or death of such or such a servant of the Lord, will be injurious to many souls, and therefore if they were guilty of death in some cases, they should reprieve them, as they do women with child, till Christ be formed in the precious souls that they travail in birth with (so their lives be not more hurtful by any contrary mischief, which death only can restrain, which is not to be supposed of sober men); yet all this seems nothing to a selfish persecutor, that regards not Christ's interest in comparison of his own. Self is the great tyrant and persecutor of the church.

10. Observe also how few they be that satisfy their souls in God's approbation, though they are misjudged and vilified by the world; and how few that rejoice at the prosperity of the Gospel, though themselves be in adversity; most men will needs have the hypocrite's reward, Matt. vi. 2., even some commendation from men; and too few are fully pleased with His eye that seeth in secret, and will reward them openly; Matt. vi. 4. 6. And hence it is that injurious censures and hard words do go so near them, and they make so great a matter of them. Those times do seem best to selfish men which are most for them; if they prosper and their party prosper, though most of the church should be a loser by it, they will think that it is a blessed time; but if the church prosper, and not they, but any suffering befal them, they take on as if the church did stand or fall with them. Selfinterest is their measure, by which they judge of times and things.

11. Observe also how eagerly men are set to have their own wills take place in public businesses, and to have their own opinions to be the rule of the church and commonwealth, and then judge by this of their self-denial. Were not self predominant there would not be such striving who should rule, and whose will should be the law; but men would think that others were as likely to rule with prudence and honesty as they. How eager is the Papist to have his way by an universal monarch! How eager are others for one ecclesiastical national head! How eager are the popular

party for their way! As if the welfare of all did lie in their several modes of government. And so confidently do the Libertines speak for theirs, that they begin now to make motions that our parliament-men shall be hanged or beheaded as traitors, if any should make a motion in (a free) parliament against the general liberty which they desire. Wonderful! that men should ever grow to such an overpowering of themselves and overvaluing their own understandings, as to obtrude so palpable and odious a wickedness upon parliaments so confidently, and to take them for traitors that will not be traitors or grossly disobedient against the Lord. Self-denial would cure these peremptory demands, and teach men to be more suspicious of their own understandings.

12. Lastly, Observe but how difficult a thing it is to keep peace (as in families and neighbourhoods) so in churches and commonwealths, and judge by this of men's self-denial. Husbands and wives, brothers and sisters, masters and servants, live at variance, and all through the conflicts that arise between their contrary self-interests. If a beast do but trespass on a neighbour's grounds; if they be but assessed for the state or poor above their expectations; if in any way of trading their commodity be crossed; you shall quickly see where self bears rule. This makes it so difficult a work to keep the churches from divisions. Few men are sensible of the universal interest, because they are captivated to their own; and therefore it is that men fear not to make parties and divisions in the church; and will tear it in pieces to satisfy their interests or selfish zeal. Hence it is that parties are so much multiplied, and keep up the buckler against others, because that selfishness makes all partial. Hence it is that people fall off from their pastors, or else fall out with them, when they are crossed in their opinions, reproved for their sins, or called to confess or make restitution, and perhaps that they may sacrilegiously defraud the church of tithes or other payments that are due. Hence it is also that members so often fall out with one another for foul words, or differences of judgment, or some point or other of self-interest; nay, sometimes about their very seats in the place of worship: while every man is for himself, the ministers can hardly keep them in charity and

peace.

And is any of this agreeable to our holy rule and pattern? No man can think so that hath read the Gospel, but he that is so blinded by selfishness as not to understand what makes against it. And here besides what is more largely spoken after, let me tell of a few of the evils of this sin, and the contrary benefits of self-denial.

1. The power of selfishness keeps men strangers to themselves; they know not their original nor actual sins with any kindly humbling knowledge. The very nature of original sin doth consist in these two things, Privatively, in the want of our original love or propensity to God as God; I mean the privation of the root, or habit, or inclination to love God for himself, as the beginning or end of us and all things, and the absolute Lord, and infinite, simple, inestimable good. And positively, in the inordinate propensity or inclination to ourselves, as for ourselves, and not as duly subordinate to God. The soul having unfaithfully and rebelliously withdrawn itself from God, in point of love and subjection, it becomes its own idol, and looks no higher than itself, and loveth God and all things but for itself (and principally for its carnal pleasure); and the propensity to this, with the privation of the soul's inclination to God, is original sin; the disposition suited to the actual sin that caused it, which was a retiring from God to self. He that feeleth not this evil in himself hath no true knowledge of original sin and it is the want of the sense of this great evil (and so the want of being acquainted with their hearts) that causeth so many to turn Pelagians, and to deny the being of original sin.

2. Both selfishness and the want of a true discernment of it, doth breed and feed abundance of errors, and teach men to corrupt the whole body of practical divinity, and to subvert many articles of faith which stand in their way. How comes the world to be all in a flame about the universal reign of the pope of Rome, but from the dominion of selfishness? Whence is it that the nations of the earth have been so troubled for patriarchs, metropolitans and diocesans that must do their work by others, and for many things that (at best) can pretend to be but human, indifferent, changeable forms, but from the prevalency of self? Whence is it that men's consciences have been ensnared, and the churches troubled by so many ceremonies of men's invention, and the

church must rather lose her most faithful pastors, than they be permitted to worship God as Peter and Paul did; hath not selfishness and pride done this? It is self that hath taught some to plead too much for their own sufficiency, and to deny the need of special grace. And so far hath it prevailed with some of late, as to lead them doctrinally to deny that God is the ultimate End of man, and to be loved for himself, and above ourselves and all things; but only (they say) he is our 'finis cujus vel rei' to be loved' amore concupiscentiæ.' In a word, it is this woful principle that hath corrupted doctrine, discipline and worship in so many of the churches.

3. We shall never have peace in church or commonwealth while selfishness bears sway. Every man's interest will be preferred before the public interest, and rise against it as oft (which will be oft) as they seem inconsistent. This is the vice that informeth tyranny, whether it be monarchy, aristocracy or democracy, when selfish interest is preferred before the common interest. This makes our people too wise or too good to learn or to be guided by their pastors, and every man (of this strain) seems wise enough to lead off a party of the church into a mutiny against the pastors and the rest. This makes the labours of reconcilers unsuccessful, while selfishness engageth so many wits, and tongues, and pens, and parties, against the most necessary equal terms and endeavours of such as would reconcile. Were it not for these selfish men, how soon would all our rents be healed: how soon would all our wars be ended; and all our heartburnings and malicious oppositions be turned into charitable consultations for a holy peace! If once men were carried above themselves, they would meet in God the centre of unity.

4. It is for want of self-denial that we undergo so many disappointments, and suffer so much disquietment and vexation. Were our wills more entirely subjected to the will of God, so that his will were preferred before our own, we should rest in his will, and have no contradictory desires to be disappointed, and no matter left for self-vexation. Had we no disease we should feel no pain; and it is our self-will rebelling against the will of God that is our disease. Selfdenial removeth all the venom from our hearts: persecution, and poverty, and sickness may touch our flesh, but the

heart is fortified so far as we have this grace. O how happily doth it quiet and calm the mind, when things befal us that would even distract a selfish man! O happy man where God is all and self is nothing! There duty, and love, and joy are all, and trouble and distress is nothing. These are not our matters now; partly because we are above them, and partly because they belong not to our care, but to his providence. Let us do our duty and adhere to him, and let him dispose of us as he sees meet. Who would much fear a tyrant or any other enemy, that saw God and glory, which faith can see? Did we see the glorious throne of Christ, we should be so far from trembling at the bar of persecutors, that we should scarce so much regard them as to answer them; the infinite glory would so potently divert our minds. As we scarce hearken to our children's impertinent babblings when we are taken up with great affairs, so if a tyrant talk to us of hanging or imprisonment, we should scarce hearken to such trivial impertinencies, were we so far above ourselves as faith and love should advance the soul.

I have further shewed you in the following treatise, how self-denial disableth all temptations; how it conduceth to all eminent works of charity, but especially to the secret works of the sincere. It is of absolute necessity to salvation: it is the thing that hypocrites are condemned for want of: it is the wisdom of the soul, as being the only way to our own security: and it is the holiness and justice of the soul (as it is conjunct with the love of God), in` that it restoreth to God his own. The excellency of grace is manifested in self-denial. To do or suffer such little things as self is not much against, is nothing; but to be nothing in ourselves and God to be our all, and to close with our first and blessed end, this is the nature of sanctification.

Alas, poor England (and more than England, even all the Christian world), into what confusion and misery hath selfishness plunged thee! Into how many pieces art thou broken, because that every hypocrite hath a self to be his principle and end, and forsakes the true universal end! How vain are our words to rulers, to soldiers, to rich and poor, while we call upon them to deny themselves! And must we lose our labour? and must the nation lose its peace and hopes? Is there no remedy, but selfishness must undo all? If so, be it known to you, the principal loss shall be