Directions for weak distempered Christians, to grow up to a confirmed state of grace…

which Timothy did naturally as if he had been born to it, and Grace had made the Love of Christ and the souls of men and the good of others as natural to him as the Love of himself Alas how loudly do their own distempers and soul miscarriages, and the ⟨p. 41⟩divisions, and calamities of the Church, proclaim, that the weaker sort of Christians have yet too much selfishness, and that self-denial is lamentably imperfect in them.

which Timothy did naturally as if he had been born to it, and Grace had made the Love of Christ and the souls of men and the good of others as naturall to him as the Love of himself Alas how lowdly do their own distempers and soul miscarriages, and the ⟨p. 41⟩divisions, and calamities of the Church, proclaim, that the weaker sort of Christians have yet too much selfishness, and that selfdenial is lamentably imperfect in them.

3. But in the seeming Christian selfishness is still the predominant principle: he loveth God but for himself; and he never had any higher end than self: All his Religion, his opinions, his practice is animated by self-love, and governed by it, even by the Love of carnal self: self-esteem, self-conceitedness, self-love, self-willedness, self-seeking and self-saving, are the constitution of his heart and life. He will be of that opinion, and way and party in Religion, which selfishness directeth him to choose: He will go no farther in Religion, than self-interest and safety will allow him to go. He can change his friend, and turn his love into hatred, and his praises into reproach, when ever self-interest shall require it. He can make himself believe, and labour to make others believe, that the wisest and holiest servants of God, are erroneous, humorous, hypocrites, and unsufferable, if they do but stand cross to his opinions and interest. For he judgeth of them, and loveth or hateth them, principally as they conform to his will and interest, or as they are against it: As the godly measure all persons and things, by the will and interest of God, so do all ungodly men esteem them as they stand in reference to themselves. When their factious interest required it, the Jews, and specially the Pharisees, could make themselves and others believe, that the Son of God himself was a breaker of the Law, and an enemy to Caesar, and a blasphemer, and unworthy to live on the earth: And that Paul was a pestilent fellow, and a mover