18o Self feek ng perilloxe. q Phil.s.tt. rlcr.6 is the crowne and glory of a Chriftian : fo felf-feeking and felf-exaltation is a very Ihamefiill and dangerous evill , an i evil indeed very common : Mot} men fowing to the fle,h, and not to the Spirit, to themfelves, andnot to Chrif}; Men generally moving, and tending in their understandings, wils, thoughts, and aff&ions to themfelves, as rivers to the fea, levelling the arrowes of their. endeavours to force car- nal, marke of their owne, and not to the honourof (Thrift : All (faith the Apoftle) f eke i their ovine-; all comparatively in refpec`t of the paucity of others, feeke their owne, their owne profit, their owne cafe, their ovine, pleafure, their owne honour, they confine themfelves within themfelves, they feeke themfelves , and not the things which are yefiu Chrifts : The honour of Chrift, theedificationofthe Church of Chrift, the propagation and welfare ofthe Gofpell they feeke not, this they mind not, this they intend not ; they. are all r given (faid the Prophet of old) to their covetoufnei to the minding and feeking of' themfelves, their owne low, bate and unworthy ends, from the higheft ofthem to the loweft , and from the Prieft unto the people. Self-feekiiag like the deluge overflowes the whole world ; few thenad- dreffed themfelves unto the Arke, few now addrefl'ethem- {elves to Chrift , feeke intereft in Chrift , or f rioufly in- tend and mind Chrift. Generally, then they lay, drowned under the waters, commonly now they are overwhelmed with the Sea of fèlf-cogitations, felf-defires and intendments. Mans neglect of' (Thrift, and felffeekin z ever turnes tomans ruine, as their nef?leht of' the Arke, and feeking other places of refuge pr^ved their de{truhtion : v any indeed prokff,e Chrift, but -ew intend Chrift, like bad fervants, they call him Lord and Matter, but they doe not his worke, they mind themfelves and not Chrift. Reholoam r /h-eneyhened, hrmflfe, 6:.t he did evil, and prepared not , or fixed not hail heart to Peke the Lord. There are many of Reh,6oams gene-1 ration, they ftren;then themfe'ves ia- vvealth, in friends, in carnal, pol`cies, and worldly honours ; but they preuare; not, they doe not difpnfe and frame their hearts to feeke Chrift, to exalt and í_t up Chrift ; they doe not fxe their hearts
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