frivolous and unconscionable excuses If thou art like unto Hormisdas a Nobleman of Persia who was deposed from all his Honours because he would not deny his Religion and afterwards restored again and a little after solicited again to deny Christ and his truths but he rent his purple robe and laid all his honours at the foot of the Emperour and said Si propter ista me denegaturum Christum put as ea denuò accipe If you thinke to gaine me to deny Christ for the re-obtaining of my honours take them all back againe If this be the frame of thy heart it is a certaine token that thou prizest lovest and seekest the things of Christ before and more then thine owne things 3. The third sort of those who are guilty of this sinfull selfe-seeking are such who pretend to seek the things of Christ but seek their owne things under colour of seeking the things of Christ who hold forth the preservation and propagation of Religion as a stalking horse to catch men by as a blinde to deceive the world but aime aâ— nothing lesse then Religion but either with Demetrius at their owne gaine or with Jehu at the obtaining of a Kingdome or with Balaam at the wages of iniquity This sinne of selfe-seeking is so odious both to God and Man that it never appeares upon the stage in its owne likenesse but alwaies covered over with Samuels mantle There is no sinne hath more {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} and {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Fig-leaves and religious cloaks to cover it then this sinne By this meanes the Pope of Rome hath purchased his triple Crowne It is said Rev. 13. 11. that Antichrist should have two hornes like a Lambe but yet act like a Dragon signifying unto us that Antichrist should under colour of Religion act all his villanies and bloudy Massacres and by this means deceive all the world Therefore Antichristianisme is called a Mysterie of iniquity that is iniquity covered over with faire shewes and pretences of godlinesse What Murders what Treasons hath not the Pope committed under the colour of defending the Catholique Religion under pretence of being Peters successor and of having â—eters keyes and chaire Witnesse the holy league as it was called in France witnesse the Gunpowder treason amongst us undertaken under shew of Religion for the defence of the Catholique cause What I affirme of Papists and Jesuites the like I say of all the Errors and Heresies that have been broached in the Christian world The Apostle tells us that the first Authors of Heresies and Schismes were great selfe seekers Men greedy of filthy lucre who served not the Lord Jesus but their owne bellies who made merchandise of the Soules of people making gaine their godlinesse not godlinesse their gaine But though they were such yet they did not appeare to be such but seemed to be very holy and selfe-denying Therefore Christ calls them Wolves in sheeps cloathing ravening Wolves inwardly though innocent Sheep outwardly They honied over the poison of their Doctrine with good words and faire speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16. 18. Such a one was Pelagius one of the greatest enemies to the Doctrine of Grace that ever the Church had who made such a shew of godlinesse that when Hierome first wrote against his Heresies he was forced to conceale his name lest by appearing to write on purpose against him his book should have been rejected by the people who did so highly magnifie him Let me adde This is a sinne which not onely Papists and Jesuits Schismaticks and Hereticks but most Christians in the world are tainted withall It is a most true saying Pauci amant Iesum propter Iesum there are few and but very few who love Christ for Christs sake Most people follow Christ for the loaves and make use of Christ to serve their own ends and interest Let a Man be to marry a Wife and he will in words pretend that it is Religion and Godlinesse that he most of all desires but if you had a window to look into his heart you will finde that it is Money which is his chiefe aime But amongst all sorts of Men the great States-men and deep Polititians are most eminently guilty of this sin who usually bring Religion upon the stage meerly to usher in their Politick designes It is a cursed Maxim in Machiavel that Kings and Princes should labour after a shew of Religion but not look much after the substance For the substance would be a burden but the shew of it would be very usefull for the carrying on of their own ends and designes This wicked advise and counsell is followed by many Kingdoms Common-wealths at this day there was scarce ever any State or Church-reformer who did reforme Religion for Religions sake but for his owne ends either to be revenged of his enemies or to gaine Church-revenues or to be a coy-Duck to draw a party to side with him Let me give in a few Examples It pleased God so to order affaires in Henry the Eights time that the Popes supremacy was abolished in England But what was the principle that moved the King to doe this was it out of love to the true Religion or was it not rather that thereby he might be revenged of the Pope who would not allow of his Divorce from his first Wife I have read of Maximilian Emperour of Germany who living in Luthers time professed a great deale of zeale after Reformation and especially in plucking down golden Images But the story saith that it was not so much out of hatred to the Images as out of love to the gold which made him undertake it In the History of the Civill Warres in France I read that when the Princes of the blood fell out one with another one party called in the Protestants to their assistance not out of love to Religion but that thereby they might gaine a party That which I say of Kingdomes and Common-wealths the like I say of Armies I read of Goliahs sword hid in a cloth behind the Ephod 1 Sam. 2. 9. The sword never appeares to the world under bloudy colours but alwayes cloathed with a linnen Ephod pretending Reformation of abuses in Church and State But it is worth remembring that this sword was the sword of Goliah who was a defier of the Israel of God and a great enemy to Religion The summe of all amounts to this that in all ages of the Church especially in times of Civil Warre and in times of Reformation there are thousands that hold forth to the world in their words and Declarations a sincere desire to propagate the Gospel and the Kingdome of Christ and to advance the pure Ordinances of Christ yet notwithstanding minde nothing really and inwardly but their preferment and advancement Quest But how shall I know whether I am but a pretender to the things of Iesus Christ whether I am one who makes
Iesus Christ A. In generall they are nothing else but the preservation and propagation of the Kingdome of Jesus Christ The building up of the Church of Christ in verity purity and unity But more particularly the things of Christ are 1. The pure worship of Jesus Christ the Preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments in Christs way 2. The precious truths of the Gospel 3. The government of the Church according to Scripturepatterne 4. The day of Christ 5. The godly Ambassadors of Christ 6. The Reformation of the Church when corrupted in Doctrine Worship and Discipline Now then the charge is That the Christians in the Primitive times both Ministers and others did seek their own interest and not the interest of Jesus Christ to build their own houses and not the houses of God to ingrosse a Kingdome to themselves and not to propagate Christs Kingdome Q Did these Primitive Christians not at all seek the things of Christ A. This word Not is not to be taken positively but as Calvin saith comparatively Wee must not suppose that Church-officers and Church-members did absolutely throw away all care of Christ and the Churches of Christ but the meaning is that they did not seek the things of Christ cordially sincerely zealously and primarily They sought them in the least place and in the last place They pretended to seek the things of Christ but sought their own things under colour of seeking the things of Christ and therefore are said not to seek them at all The charge will be yet greater if we consider 2. The multitude of the persons offending The text saith All men Q. Was there no man in the Apostles dayes that sought the good of the Church of Christ A. The word All is not here to be taken collectively but distributively not for every one of all sorts but for all sorts not for all men properly but for many as it is taken 1 Cor. 10. 23. or for the most of men as it is 2 Tim. 4. 16. All men forsake me c. that is most men Thus Calvin Quod omnes dicit non urgenda est particula universalis no nullam exceptionem admittas erant enim alii quoque qualis Epaphroditus sed pauci Verum omnibus tribuit quod passim erat vulgare The full meaning then of the text is this That even in the Apostles dayes In aureo illo saeculo in quo omnes virtutes effloruerunt in that golden age in which all vertues did flourish there were many and very many Church members and Church-officers that professed outwardly a great deale of love to Christ his Church and yet notwithstanding sought their owne ease quiet honour and profit more than the preservation and propagation of the Kingdome of Christ their owne private gaine and interest before and more than the interest of Jesus Christ The words thus expounded are a perfect representation of the times in which we now live Methinks I can hardly see a man in place and power but I can see it written upon his forehead in great Characters this man seeks himselfe and not the things of Jesus Christ If I had a window to look into the hearts of all here present I feare me I should finde many selfe-seekers but few Christ-seekers so that this text may sitly be called Englands looking-glasse wherein we may behold 1. The great sinne of England I may truly say the sinne that is the Father and Mother of all her other sinnes the Metropolis of all sinne and that is Her seeking her owne things and not the things of Iesus Christ 2. The great and chiefe cause of all the miseries and calamities that have hapned to this nation The Source and Originall of all our unhappinesse Because all men seek themselves and no man the things of Christ 3. The onely way and remedy to be freed from all our miseries and afflictions and that is by walking quite contrary to the text By seeking the things of Iesus Christ before our owne things and more then our owne things and by seeking them heartily throughly zealously and sincerely this is the only balme to cure Englands soars the onely England-preserving mercy For these three ends and purposes I have chosen this text The Doctrine I shall insist upon is Doct. That amongst the multitude of Christians who professe love to Christ and his Church there are many selfe-seekers but few Christ-seekers Or thus That it is an antient common grievous and hidden iniquity for a Christian professing love to Christ to be a selfe-seeker and not a Christ-seeker 1. It is an old and antient sinne as old as the Primitive times A sinne of 1600. years standing 2. It is a generall and Land overspreading sinne A sin that hath seized upon men of all sorts upon Ministers Magistrates Masters and Parents An Epidemicall disease 3. It is a great and grievous sinne a Soule-destroying a Church and State-destroying sinne 4. It is a secret and hidden sinne a sinne that most are guilty of and yet few will confesse their guiltinesse There is no sin hath more Fig-leaves to hide it more excuses to extenuate it more cloaks to cover it than this sinne That I may the better uncase and uncloath this great transgression I shall briefly answer to these 4. questions Qu. 1. Whether all selfe-seeking be diametrically opposite to Christ seeking Qu. 2. What is that selfe seeking which is inconsistent with Christ-seeking Qu. 3. What is the reason that amongst such a multitude of Christians there should be so many selfe-seekers and so few Christ-seekers Qu. 4 Wherein the grievousnesse and mischievousnesse of this sinne consisteth Qu. 1. Whether all selfe-seeking be contradictory to Christ-seeking Whether a man may not be a Christ-seeker and yet a selfe-seeker Ans For answer to this you must know that it is not simply and absolutely unlawfull for a man to seek himselfe no more than it is to love himselfe Religion doth not destroy naturall affections but onely regulates them and sanctifieth them Gratia non extinguit sed ordinat affectiones saith Aquinas Non tollit sed attollit naturam Grace doth not destroy but elevate nature It doth not dry up the stream of selfe-seeking but onely turnes it into the right channell Religion doth not pluck up but weed the garden of Nature As Musitians when their instruments are out of tune will not break but tune them So Religion doth not abolish but onely tune and order our selfe-seeking Therefore you shall finde in Scripture that there are many arguments drawne from selfe-love and selfe-seeking to perswade us to holinesse and disswade us from sin Deut. 28. Lev. 26. Deut. 32. 46 47. Is. 1. 19. Rom. 2. 7 8. Rom. 8. 13. Gal. 6. 8. The Scripture gives us leave to love our selves and to seek our selves so it be in a right manner Moses did not sin in having an eye to the recompence of reward Nor did the Martyrs who could not accept deliverance that they might
use of Religion to serve mine owne interest Whether I am like Demetrius the Silver-smith who minded his gaine more then his Goddesse Answ. If we would deale faithfully with our owne Soules we could not but easily know this To help you in it take these rules 1. If thou art as zealous for the advancement of Religion and Reformation when it doth not concerne thy int rest as when it doth this is a certaine signe thou seekest the things of Christ in sincerity Thus it was with Moses in the Rebellion of Corah and his company there was a conjunction of interests the conspiracy was against God and Moâ—es but the Idolatry of the Golden calfe was onely against the interest of Gâ—d Moses was not prejudiced by it and yet he was every way as zealous for the glory of God in the latter as in the former But now on the contrary if thou drivest furiously when any gaine is to be got by a Reformation but very heavily and slowly when thy interest is not at all concerned this is a signe that thou makest use of Religion for thine owne ends Thus it was with Iehu he had a double Idolatry to root oâ—t the Idolatry of Baal and of Ieroboams Calves he destroyed the first but continued the second because it was against his interest to abolish it Thus it is with many Masters of Families if their Servants play the theeves they will cry out against them as dishonourers of God but let the same Servants prophane the Sabbath or abuse the name of God by vaine Oaths they are not troubled at it because it is not against their private interest 2. A pretender to the things of Christ if he undertakes to doe service for Church or State he will doe it by halves so far as it makes for his interest and no farther This is the reason why the Reformation of Religion in most places of the Christian world is but a patcht Reformation and as a Cake halfe baked because that States and Kingdomes mould the Reformation not according to the Word of God but according to State-interest Thus it was in Henry the Eights time he thrust out the Popes Supremacy because it furthered his designe of a second Marriage but he continued much of the Popish Religion and made six Articles called A whip with six strings which were the death of many godly men Erasmus hath a notable saying of Luther That he had been a good man had he not medled too much with the Monks bellies and the Popes triple Crowne the Pope was willing to yield to a Reformation of the Church so far as it might consist with the upholding of his triple Crowne and no farther c. 3. A pretender to the things of Christ when he hath got what he aimes at will leave Christ wholly and lay aside all his pretences As the Angels who appeared to Abraham and Lot and divers others assumed bodies not out of love to the bodies they assumed but onely to doe their errant and when they had done it laied them aside So there are many who assume a profession of Religion for the pursuing of their ambitious designes which when they have obtained they lay aside as the Fisherman did his Net when he was made Pope when he was an Abbot and then a Bishop and then a Cardinal he would have his Net spread for a Table-cloath to put him in minde of his meane and poor originall But when he came to be Pope he then commanded his Servants to lay aside his Net for now he had caught what he had been so long Fishing for 4. He that seeks his owne things under pretence of seeking the things of Christ will walke contrary to his Protestations Declarations Vowes and Covenants even then when he seems outwardly to be most solemne and serious in making of them Thus did Balaam he protesteth that if he had an house full of Gold given him he could not doe any thing contrary to the will of God and yet at the same time he goeth with the Messengers sent by Balac Are there not many amongst us who when they Covenanted with hands lifted up to Heaven to endeavour the extirpation of error and Heresie and whatsoever was contrary to sound Doctrine did even at the very same time secretly foment and countenance the things they Covenanted against 5. Lastly He that pretends to the things of Christ and intends his own cares not by what wayes and meanes he compasseth his ends nor by what kind of persons whether the wayes be lawfull or unlawfull the persons good or bad it is all one to him so he may obtaine his ambitious intendments which is a certaine signe of a notorious hypocrite For he that truly and sincerely indeavours to promote the Glory and Honour of Christ will never goe out of Christs way to obtaine his desires For Christ will be more dishonoured by his sin than honoured by his indeavours though never so laborious and sincere Let us I beseech you examine our selves according to these severall notes and markes whether we be guilty of this sinfull cursed and Devilish selfe-seeking And know that if this sinne rule and raigne in us it makes us accessary to a fourefould murder It makes us selfe-murderers Church and State-murderers and Christ-murderers It brings us under a double Gospel curse for if any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be saith the Apostle Anathema Maranatha The Lord give us hearts seriously to weigh these things The second Use is an use of Exhortation which is twofold 1. To beseech all here present whether Magistrates Ministers or private Citizens to take heed of this sinfull selfe-seeking and sixe headed Monster of seeking our owne gaine and credit seperatedly from the things of Christ or before or more then the things of Christ of seeking our owne things under pretence of seeking the things of Christ or when they stand in opposition to or competition with the things of Christ of seeking the good of our vile bodies with the neglect of our pretious and immortall Soules As Christ saith of Covetousnesse so I of this sinne Take heed and beware of sinfull selfe-seeking consider the exceeding greatnesse of this sinne and the wofull and mischievous fruits and effects of it This is the plague-soar of Church and State The great Caterpillar that devours all the green things of the land This hath destroyed our Parliaments our Ministery our Gentry This is that which obstructeth that glorious reformation so long expected and desired c. This is not selfe-seeking but selfe-hating and selfe-destroying he that seeks to give satisfaction to his corrupt selfe is just like a Man who gives strong wine to his friend in a high Feaver which is not to love him but to kill him He that seeks to please his sinfull selfe seeks to strengthen his disease to maintaine that within him which God hateth and to nourish that which will destroy his Soule He that seeks the welfare
of his body and neglects the welfare of his soule destroyes as I have said both body and soul This is just as if a Husbandman in time of Harvest should gather in his stubble leave his corne to be devoured by hoggs Just like a Father who takes care to feed cloath his children but not to instruct and teach them In a word he that seeks his owne ease and safety his owne gaine and credit his owne pleasure and satisfaction and neglecteth and slighteth the things of Christ this Man is the greatest selfe-hater and selfe-destroyer For he that sesks not the interest of Christ shall never have any interest in Christ 2. To beseech you to labour for the divine heavenly and blessed self-seeking mentioned in the beginning of the Sermon Physitians when they see men bleed immoderately at the nose will let them bloud in another veine that so they may make a diversion and thereby stop the bleeding Oh that God would use me this day as his instrument to make a most glorious and most happy diversion and to turn you all from self-seekers into Christ-seekers Oh that I could prevaile with you to seek the things of Jesus Christ before and more then your own things Oh how happy would London be if it could be said of it All thy Magistrates Ministers and private people seek the things of Christ more vigorously and cordially then they doe their own things To move you to this consider 1. What these your own things are which you so immoderately and inordinately seek after 1. They are not your owne in a proper sence as you have heard 2. They are not Worth owning they are vain and empty empty of reality and Soul-satisfaction they are vanishing perishing like houses made of Snow or waxe and not only so but they are also vexing and tormenting according to what is said by one that had full and ample experience of them Eccles. 2. 2 17 26. 2. Consider the excellency of the things of Jesus Christ which you so much neglect undervalue The truths of Christ the Ordinances Day Ministry and Government of Christ the Preservaon Propagation and Reformation of Religion These are Glorious and Excellent things in their own Nature and so far exceeding your own things which you so greedily labour after that they are not worthy to be named that day in which we speak of the things of Christ I want time to set out the transcendent Glory and Excellency of Gospel concernments and the vanity emptinesse and nothingnesse of all our own Earthly enjoyments Onely let me desire you to take notice 1. That Jesus Christ sought not his owne things he left Heaven for us and shall not we neglect Earth for him 2. For what poor trifles you despise the glorious things of the Gospel 3. If you seek not after the things of Christ more then your owne you are in a cursed condition and better you had never been borne 4. The things of Jesus Christ shall prosper though you seek not the prosperity of them What Mordecai said to Ester in another case I crave leave to say to you Enlargement and deliverance shall arise to the people of God from another place but thou and thy Fathers house shall be destroyed There will a time come when the Mountaine of the Lords house shall be established in the top of the Mountaines and shall be exalted above the Hills and all Nations shall flow to it when the Kingdomes of this world shall become the Kingdomes of our Lord and his Christ when the little stone cuts out of the Mountaine without hands shall destroy all opposite Kingdomes and become a great Mountaine and fill the whole earth when every Nation and Kingdome that will not serve the Lord Jesus shall perish and be utterly wasted For neglecting to set up this Kingdome of Christ God hath destroyed many Nations and Kingdomes and so he will us if we follow their examples If we preferre the building of our owne houses before the building of Gods house God will build up his owne house by other instruments but he will destroy us and our Houses 3. Lastly Consider That man seeks himselfe most who most seeketh the things of Christ He that is the greatest Christ-seeker is the greatest selfe seeker For God hath said Seek ye first the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added unto you When Solomon begged wisdome God gave him wealth and riches as an overplus If we seek the things of Christ in the first and chiefe place God will give in our own things into the bargaine even as Paper and thred is added to a bought commodity Thus I have put an end to the Sermon of selfe-seeking Oh that I could put an end to the sinne of selfe-seeking Two things I dare affirme 1. That this sin hath been the Originall cause of all Englands miseries 2. That it will never be well with England nor shall we ever see better dayes till this sinne be mortified Let us goe to Christ and labour by Faith to fetch power from his Death to crucifie and mortifie this sinne Let it be our daily prayer that England may have more Christ-seekers and fewer selfe-seekers or which is all one That God would make us all true selfe-seekers by making us true Christ-seekers FINIS ERRATA PAge 2. line 18. Their owne what in the marg. put into the Text next after their owne p. 3. l. 28. leave out the figure 4. and joyne the line to the foregoing p. 7. l. 7. for could r. would p. 9. l. 33. for haugtinesse r. naughtinesse p. 17. l. 14. for blasphemous r. blasphemers p. 18. l. 29 for â—vies r. lives p. 19. l. 17. for vel amicitia r. non amicitiae p 19. l. 23. for abhorsed r. abhorred p. 2â— l. 3. for runam r. ruinam ibid l. 33. for thy r. the p. 24. l. 36. for would r. should p. 33. l. 25. for builing r. building Civitas Dei incipit et construitur ex amore Dei et crescit ad odium suiipfius Civitas vero Diaboli incipit ab amore sui et crescit usque ad odium Dei per contemptum proximorum Qui enim proximuÌ„ odit et contemnit mox etiam Deum odio babebit et contemnit Aug de Civ. Dei lib. 1. 1 Cor. 5. 5. â— Tim. 3. 2. Decet saâ—è cum qui magâ— vir futurus est neque seipsum neque sâ—a diligere sed juâ—a sempâ—r five ab ipso five ab also geranâ—ur Nescio quo inexplicabili modâ— quisqu◠〈◊〉 non Deum amat non se amâ—t quisquâ— Dâ—um non sâ—psum amat ipâ—e se amat Qui enim non potest vivere dâ— se moâ—itur utique amando se cum veâ—ò ille dilâ—gitur de quo vivitur â—on se diligendo magâ— diligit qui propâ—rca se non diligit ut cum diligat de quo vivit Aug de Tâ—ctat 123 in Joanneâ— Neh. 2. 10. Psal. 137. 6. Noâ— loquitur de iâ— qui planè abjeceâ—ant studium 〈◊〉 sed de iâ— ipâ—s quos pro fratribus habebat in ò quos ferebat in su◠〈◊〉 Illos tamen ita calore dicitur rebus suis curandis ut sint ad opuâ— Domini frigidiores Calv. in loc. De Christians Ministris Apostolo Serâ—o est Est. in loc. Their own 〈◊〉 Non ita accipiâ— quasi suis tantum commodis intenti nullam pâ—or us Ecclesiaecura 〈◊〉 haberunt sed quod implâ— itâ— privatis coâ—dis ad publicum Ecclesiae bonum pâ—omovendum negligentiores erant Calv. in loc. â—in Prop. 1. Prop. 2. Prop. 3. Prop. 4. Prop. 5. Prop. 6. Prop. 7. Prop. 8. Qu. 4. Applicat Titus 1. 11. Rom. 16. 18. 2 Pet. 2. 2. 1 Tim. 6. 5. Mat. 7. 15. 2. Use Exhort 1. Exhort 2. Ester 4 14. Isaiah 2 2. Rev. 11. 15. Dan. 4. 35. 41 45. Isa 6. 60. 12.
sad lamentable and unusual Fires kindled amongst us Now it ought to be your care as the true fruit of this Fast not onely in your personall capacities to abstaine from but as you are publique Magistrates of this City to indeavour so far as your power will reach to suppresse all those sins for which God hath threatned this great Judgement This is a divine blessed and most heavenly self-seeking God hath threatned to destroy a Nation by fire 1. For Sabbath breaking Jer. 17. 27. 2 For despising and misusing the godly Ministry 2 Chron. 36. 16. 19. 3. For assuming the Office of the Ministry without a lawfull call Numb. 16. 16 17 18 35. 4. For worshipping God after a false manner Lev. 10. 1. 2. 5. For breaking the Brotherly Covenant Amos. 1. 9 10. 6. For pride Idlenesse fulnesse of bread uncharitablenesse for giving our selves over to Fornication and going after strange flesh which were the sins of Sodom Ezek. 16. 49. compared with Jude 7. and for which God raigned fire and brimstome from heaven for their destruction The Lord cloath you with zeale as with a Garment and inable you to be instrumentall to quench the burnings which these sins have kindled and to make this famous City a habitation of Justice and a Mountaine of holynesse Jer. 31. 23. That the name of it from this day may be The Lord is there Ezek 48. 35. So prayeth Your Servant in the work of the Lord Edm Calamy PHIL. 2. 21. For all seek their owne not the things which are Jesus Christs THese words may very fitly be called Paul's complaint or black bill of indictment drawn up against the Times in which he lived There are 4 things that make this complaint very remarkable 1. Because it is not made out of Passion Faction or any private discontent but by a holy Man of God as he was guided by the Holy Ghost And therefore it is a true and a most just complaint 2. It is not spoken of the Heathens who knew not Christ for it is no wonder for them that knew not Christ not to seek the things of Christ nor of Apostate Christians that had totally forsaken Christ but as Calvin and Estius observe of Brethren and Fellow-labourers of such Christians that were not onely baptized into the name of Christ but also professed a great deale of Love outwardly to Christ and his cause and yet it is said even of those That they sought their owne and not the things of Jesus Christ And therefore it is not onely a true and a just but a great most sad and heavy charge 3. It is not drawn up by way of prediction what should happen in the last and worst times of the world but by way of Declaration what was practised in the Apostles dayes when the Church of Christ was a Virgin Church flourishing in all its beauty and glory whilest the blood of Christ was yet warm and Christians by this warm blood were sodered together in Love and Unity whilest it was the golden age of the Church even in the Apostles dayes All men sought their owne and not the things of Jesus Christ Had these words been a Prophecy of our times which are the last and worst times the iron age of the Church in which it is crumbled into a thousand fractions it had been no wonder but to charge them upon the Primitive Apostolicall times that in the infancy of Christianity all men should seek their owne and not the things of Christ this makes the complaint not onely very true and very heinous but also very strange and wonderfull 4. The charge it selfe in its owne nature is higher than any other in all Saint Pauls Epistles and if I be not mistaken I may truly call it the blackest bill of indictment that was ever drawne up against the pure primitive Apostolicall age which that we may the better understand we must consider 1. The heinousnesse of the offence 2. The multitude of the persons offending 1. The offence is both Affirmative and Negative 1. Affirmative All men seek their owne Their owne honour and advancement Not the honour of Christ but their owne honour their owne private gaine and advantage not the profit of Religion but their owne profit their owne delights pleasures and recreations their owne ease safety and security not the safety of the Gospel but their owne safety their owne wills lusts and carnall contentments Not to please Christ and doe his will but to doe their owne wills and to please themselves And to speak according to the language of our times Their owne private carnall and Creature-interest Quest But why are these things called their own Answ. Not because they are so properly for there is nothing truly ours but our sinnes Our health wealth riches and honours are not ours but Gods Hag. 2. 8. The silver is mine and the gold is mine c. Hos. 2. 9. My wood and my flax c. We are but Stewards of these things and Stewards at the will and pleasure of the Lord That is properly called our own which we may keep as long as we please and doe with it what we please but we cannot doe so with our health riches and honours c. For riches have wings and fly away from us whether we will or no and so have honours and health therefore cannot be said to be our own properly neither may we use them as we please but according as God hath prescribed therefore they are called another mans and not our owne Lâ—k 16. 12. We our selves are not our owne 1 Cor. 6. 19. You are not your owne much lesse are these bodily comforts our own but they are here so called because men have a civill title to them and because in the opinion of the world they are their owne This is the positive and affirmative part of the offence and it is of an high nature For a Christian that believes the immortality of his Soule to seek his owne bodily promotion and interest and to neglect the profit and comfort of his eternall Soule For a Christian that is elected and called to things heavenly and everlasting to seek onely after things earthly and temporary this is a sinne of the superlative degree And it will appeare the greater if we consider 2. The Negative branch of the offence And not the things of Jesus Christ The things of Jesus Christ are the things of the Church of Christ which are therefore called the things of Christ 1. Because Christ is the Husband of the Church and the things of the wife are the things of her husband 2. Because Christ hath purchased them for us by his Death and Passion 3. Because of the great love that Christ hath to his Church which is so great as that the Churches interest is his interest and her injuries his injuries Act. 9. 4. 〈◊〉 They that neglect the things of the Church neglect the things of Christ Q. But what are the things of