to mind and care for: so that though still we must examine and observe ourselves, and that for ourselves, yet more for God than for ourselves: when we are mindful of God, he will not be unmindful of us: when it is our care to please him, the rest of our care we may cast on him, who hath promised to care for us. Even when we suffer "according to his will, we may commit the keeping of our souls to him in well doing, as to a faithful Creator;" 1 Pet. iv. 19. And it is not possible in this more excellent way (1 Cor. xii. 31.) to be guilty of a careless neglect of our salvation, or of the want of a necessary love to ourselves; for the higher containeth the lower, and perfection containeth those degrees that are found in the imperfect. This neglect of ourselves through the love of God, is consequentially the most provident securing of ourselves this carelessness is the wisest care: this ignorance of good and evil for ourselves, while we know the Lord, and know our duty, is the wisest way to prevent the evil. To be something in ourselves, is to be nothing; but if we be nothing in ourselves, and God be all to us, in him we shall be something. Be not wanting to God, and I am sure you cannot be wanting to yourselves. He will reward if you will obey.

I have shewed you hitherto the nature and necessity of self-denial. O that I could next shew you the nations, the churches, that are such indeed as I have described! But when I look into the world, when I look into the churches of all sorts, and consider men of all degrees, my soul is even amazed and melted into grief; to think how far the most forward professors are swerved from their holy rule and pattern! O grievous case! How rare are self-denying men! Nothing in the world doth more assure me that the number that shall be saved are very few, when nothing is more evident in Scripture, than that none but the self-denying shall be saved; and nothing more evident in the world, than that self-denying men are very few. Would God but excuse men in this one point, and take up with preaching and praying, and numbering ourselves with the strictest party, then I should hope that many comparatively would be saved. Would he give men leave to seek themselves in a religious way, and to be zealous only from a selfish principle, and would he but abate men this self-denial and the superlative love of God, I should hope true godliness were not rare.

But if self-denial be the mark, the nature of a saint, and this as effected by the love of God, then, alas, how thin are they in the world! And how weak is grace even in those few! It is the daily grief of my soul to observe how the world is captivated to SELF; and what sway this odious sin doth bear among the most forward professors of religion; and how blind men are that will not see it; and that it hath so far prevailed that few men lament it, or strive against it, or will bear the most suitable remedy. Alas, when we have prevailed with careless souls, to mind their salvation, to read and pray, and hold communion with the godly, and seem well qualified Christians, how few are brought to self-denial! And how strong is self still in those few! What a multitude that seem of the highest form in zeal, and opinions, and duties, delude themselves with a selfish kind of religiousness! And it grieveth my soul to think, how little the most excellent means prevail, even with professors themselves, against this sin! What abundance of labour seemeth to be lost, that we bestow against it! When I have preached over all these following sermons against it, (though grace hath made them effectual with some, yet) selfishness still too much bears sway in many that heard them. O what a rooted sin is this! How powerful and obstinate! Men that seem diligently to hear, and like the sermon, and write it, and repeat it when they come home, and commend it, do yet continue selfish. And they that walk evenly and charitably among us in all appearance, as long as they are smoothly dealt with, when once they are but touched and crossed in their self-interest, do presently shew that there is that within them which we or they before perceived not. It was (doubtless) from too much experience of the selfishness even of professors of religion, and of the successfulness of temptations in this kind, that satan did tell God so boldly, that Job would sin if he were but touched in his self-interest; "Doth Job (saith he) fear God for nought? Hast thou not made an hedge about him, and about all that he hath on every side? Thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land: but put forth thy hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face;" Job i. 9-11. As if he should have said, 'Glory not of Job or any of thy servants: it is not thee but themselves that they seek they serve thee but for their

own commodity: it is self and not God that ruleth them, and that they do all this for. Seem but to be their enemy, and touch their self-interest, and cross them in their commodity, that they may serve thee for nothing, and then see who will serve thee.' This was the boast of satan against the saints of the Most High, which hypocrites that encouraged him hereto would have fulfilled; and which God doth glory in confuting; and therefore he gives the devil leave to try Job in this point, and putteth all that he hath into his power; ver. 12. And when satan by this succeeded not, he yet boasteth that if he might but touch him more nearly in his self-interest, he doubted not to prevail. "Skin for skin, yea all that a man hath will he give for his life put forth thine hand now, and touch his bone and his flesh, and he will curse thee to thy face;" Job ii. 4, 5. This confidence had satan, even against such a servant of the Lord, "That there was none like him in the earth, a perfect and upright man, that feared God and eschewed evil;" Job i. 8. And though the power of grace in Job did shame the boasts of satan, yet how frequently doth he prevail with men that seem religious? How truly may we say of many among us, Now they seem godly, but let the times turn, and godliness undo them in the world, and then see whether they will be godly. Now they seem faithful to their pastors and brethren; but give them a sufficient reward, and see whether they will not play the Judas. Now they seem peaceable, humble men; but touch them in their self-interest, cross them in their commodity or reputation by an injury, yea, or by justice, or necessary reproof, and then see what they will prove.' O that the devil could not truly boast of thousands that by a few foul words, or by crossing their self-willedness, he can make them speak evil of their neighbours, and fill them with malice and bitterness against their truest friends! O where are the men that maintain their love, and meekness, and concord any longer than they are pleased, and their wills and interests are complied with, or not much contradicted?

Besides what I have more largely spoken of this common master, sin, in the following discourse, take notice here of a few of the discoveries of it.

1. Observe but the striving there is for command and dignity, and riches, and this even among professors of religion, and judge by this whether they are self-denying men.

Who is it for but themselves that men make such a stir, for offices and honours, and places of superiority? Surely if it were for the good of others, they would not be so eager and so forward. We cannot perceive that their charity is so hot, as to make them so ambitious to be serviceable to their brethren. If that be it, let them keep their service till it be desired or much needed, and not be so eager to do men good against their wills, and without necessity. As Greg. Mag. saith of the ministry, 'Si non ad elationis culpam, sed ad utilitatem adipisci desiderat, prius vires suas cum eo quidem subiturus onere metiatur; ut et impar abstineat, et ad id cum metu cui se sufficere existimat accedat.' Men use not to be ambitious of duty or trouble. He that desireth government ultimately and principally for himself, desireth tyranny, and not a lawful government, whose ultimate end is the common good. And will not the wrath of the King of Kings be kindled without so much ado, or hell be purchased at cheaper rates, than all the contrivance, cares and hazards that ambitious men do draw upon themselves? O ambitio, (inquit Bernardus) ambientium crux, quomodo omnes tor"ques? Omnibus places, nil acrius cruciat, nil molestius inquietat, nil tamen apud miseros mortales celebrius negotiis. ejus.' Wonderful! that such abundant warning tameth not these proud, aspiring minds! They set up or admired them but yesterday, whom they see taken down or despised today, and see their honour turned to scorn, and yet they imitate their folly! They see the sordid relics of the most renowned conquerors and princes levelled with the dirt; and yet they have not the wit to take warning, and humble themselves that they may be exalted! They know how death will shortly use them, and read of the terrors that pride and ambition bring men to; but all this doth not bring them to their wits. When death itself comes, then they are as sneaking, shrinking worms as any; and the worm of ambition that fed upon their hearts in their prosperity, doth breed a gnawing worm in their consciences, which will torment them everlastingly. But, (ut Juvenal,)

Mors sola fatetur,

Quantula sunt hominum corpuscula.

This Ærugo mentis,' as Ambrose calls it, and 'regnandi dira cupido,' (ut Virgil,) doth keep men from knowing what

they know, and denieth them the use of their understandings. All former professions are forgotten; repentings are repented of; the best parts are corrupted and sold to the devil (as truly, as witches sell themselves, though not so grossly), and men are any thing that self would have them be, where the humour of ambition doth prevail, and this secret poison insinuateth itself into the mind: this 'subtile malum (ut Bernard) secretum virus, pestis occulta, doli artifex, mater hypocrisis, livoris parens, vitiorum origo, tinea sanctitatis, excæcatrix cordium, ex remediis morbos creans, ex medicina languorem generans.' The God of vengeance that abhorreth the proud, and beholdeth them afar off, and that did cast aspirers out of paradise, will shortly take these gallants down, and lay them low enough, and make them wish they had denied themselves.

2. Observe but men's desire of applause, and their great impatience of dispraise, and judge by this of their self-denial. Who is it that is angry with those that praise them, yea, though they exceed their bounds, and ascribe more to them than is due? Saith Seneca, Si invenimus qui nos bonos viros dicat, qui prudentes, qui sanctos, non sumus modica laudatione contenti; quicquid in nos adulatio sine pudore congessit, tanquam debitum prehendimus: optimos nos esse, sapientissimosque affirmantibus assentimus, quam sciamus illos sæpe multa mentiri. Adea quoque indulgemus nobis, ut laudari velimus in id, cui contraria maxime facimus.' Even proud men would be praised for humility, and covetous men for liberality, and fools for wisdom, and ignorant men for learning, and treacherous hypocrites for sincerity and plain honesty; and few of the best do heartily distaste their own commendations, or refuse any thing that is offered them, though beyond desert. But if they think they are lightly or hardly thought of, or hear of any that speak against them, or dishonour them in the eyes of men, you shall see how little they can deny themselves. O how the hearts of many that seemed godly men, will swell against them that speak to their disparagement! What uncharitable, unchristian deportment, will a little injury produce! What bitter words! What estrangedness, and division, if not plain hatred, and reviling, and revenge! Yea, it were well (in comparison) if a due reproof, from neighbours or from ministers (that are bound to do it by the Lord) would