The monster of sinful self-seeking, anatomized together with a description of the heavenly and…The monster of sinful self-seeking, anatomizd together with a description of the heavenly and…

The second Use is, an use of Exhortation, which is twofold:¹

1. 12. Use.

1. To beseech all here present, whether Magistrates, Ministers or private Citizens, to take heed of this sinful ¹self-seeking, and six headed Monster, of seeking our own gain and credit seperatedly from the things of Christ, or before, or more then the things of Christ, of seeking our own 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 precious and immortal Souls. As Christ saith of Covetousness, so I of this sin, Take heed and beware of sinful self-seeking, consider the exceeding greatness of this sin, and the woeful 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 Ministry, our Gentry: This is that which obstructeth that glorious reformation so long expected and desired, &c. This is not self-seeking but self-hating and self-destroying: he that seeks to give satisfaction to his corrupt self, is just like a Man who gives strong wine to his friend in a high Fever, which is not to love him, but to kill him. He that seeks to please his sinful self, seeks to strengthen his disease, to maintain that within him, which God hateth, and to nourish that which will destroy his Soul. He that seeks the welfare of his body, and neglects the welfare of his soul, destroys (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 corn to be devoured by hogs. Just like a Father who takes care to feed & clothe his children, but not to instruct and teach them. In a word, he that seeks his own ease and safety, his own gain and credit, his own pleasure and satisfaction, and neglecteth and slighteth the things of Christ, this Man is the greatest self-hater, and self-destroyer; For he that seeks not the interest of Christ, shall never have any interest in Christ.