Thirdly, But the especial thing that makes the disposition of a man to receive a truth or a temptation different at one time from that it is at another, is when self is engaged in a business: As now take it in person or opinion; Suppose there is such a man or woman that I am any way engaged to and serve my turn in; in any thing that is spoken for them or their commendation, I am ready to embrace it; but suppose this man or woman do not serve my turn, but the engagement is broke, then I believe the least evil that is spoken against them, when as I would not have believed ten times as much before, not that there is more in them then before, but only the frame and disposition of my heart towards them is otherwise then before: And so in opinion: If a man hold an opinion upon which there follows some consequents that he did not see before, after he hath held this opinion upon which such consequents ⟨p. 102⟩will follow, he seeks with all his might to maintain it, not because the consequents are true, but because it is his opinion that he holds. Come to a man that is ignorant which holds an opinion, and tell him nakedly the consequents that will follow upon that opinion he holds, without any reference to that opinion, and he is mightily against them, but come another time and seek to draw those consequents from that opinion which he holds, and he seek to maintain them, which he would not do but for that engagement he hath unto that opinion; but when a gracious heart finds this that all engagements to men, and the world, and self are broken, and he gives himself to be engaged wholly in God, all that was self before in his credit, and liberty, and estate, and ease, and comfort, is put upon the name of God, the praise of God, the furthering the truth of God and his Gospel, then any truth of God that comes to the soul at this time, it prevails mightily, because the heart is engaged in God and his truth: and indeed if so be we did understand aright, we should see more of our own good to consist in God, then in our selves; and this is the ground and principle of self denial, when as the soul shall come to see my good is more in God, then in my self, and therefore I will deny my good and comfort so far as it is in my self and I will seek my good and comfort in God:
Thirdly, But the especial thing that makes the disposition of a man to receive a truth or a temptation different at one time from that it is at another, is when self is engaged in a business: As now take it in person or opinion; Suppose there is such a man or woman that I am any way ingaged to and serve my turn in; in any thing that is spoken for them or their commendation, I am ready to imbrace it; but suppose this man or woman do not serve my turn, but the ingagement is broke, then I beleeve the least evil that is spoken against them, when as I would not have beleeved ten times as much before, not that there is more in them then before, but only the frame and disposition of my heart towards them is otherwise then before: And so in opinion: If a man hold an opinion upon which there follows some consequents that he did not see before, after he hath held this opinon upon which such consequents ⟨p. 102⟩will follow, he seekes with all his might to maintaine it, not because the consequents are true, but because it is his opinion that he holds. Come to a man that is ignorant which holds an opinion, and tel him nakedly the consequents that will follow upon that opinion he holds, without any reference to that opinion, and he is mightily against them, but come another time and seeke to draw those consequents from that opinion which he holds, and he seek to maintaine them, which he would not do but for that ingagement he hath unto that opinion; but when a gracious heart finds this that al ingagements to men, and the world, and selfe are broken, and he gives himself to be ingaged wholy in God, al that was self before in his credit, and liberty, and estate, and ease, and comfort, is put upon the name of God, the praise of God, the furthering the truth of God and his Gospel, then any truth of God that comes to the soule at this time, it prevailes mightily, because the heart is ingaged in God and his truth: and indeed if so be we did understand aright, we should see more of our own good to consist in God, then in our selves; and this is the ground and principle of self denial, when as the soule shall come to see my good is more in God, then in my selfe, and therefore I will deny my good and comfort so far as it is in my selfe and I will seeke my good and comfort in God:
