186 pRom, t6.î leg Mat 6.24. Self -feeke;; Self lofer;. in the white of an egge ? The things which my foule refu- feth to touch are as my forrowfull meat : Such is the Mi- nisters fpeech and preaching of Chrift to feelf-Seekers,alto- gether unfay.,ury , having no fweet rellifh, or comfortable tafte to their palates ; their foule refufeth it as forrowtüll meat, troubling rather then comforting , grieving rather than rejoycing them. Chrift ever proves very troublefome to the foule that is addicted to felf-Seeking ; Man fpoyles himfelfe of many fweet and heavenly comforts in Chrift Jefus, by feeking himfelfe, and the fatisfa&ion ofhis owne corrupt aff ions : This alienates man from thefaith ofChrift. He that reeks himfelfe cannot beleeve in Chrift, he cannot take unto himfelfe Chrift for his husband to love him, for his king to honour him , for his Counfellor to be guided by him, for his rocke to build upon him, and for his pre- cious pearle to reft himfelfe contented with him :Thefoo_ liJh`man (in the parable) Who built upon the fand, didnot afo build upon the rocke ; He that leaner upon the creature, leanes not upon Chrift ; He that feeks himfelfe trufits in himfelfe, and not in Chrift : True faith and felf-feeking like the Arke and Dagon cannot Band together. How can ye beleeve (faith our Saviour) which receive honour one of another, andfeeke not the honour that commeth from God only, You feeke the praife and applaafe of men , to exalt and magnifie your felves in the eyes of men, you feeke not the teftimony and approbation of God, you labour not to approve your felves unto God, and therefore you cannot beleeve, you cannot, receive and embrace me, you cannot reft and relye upon me, you cannot quiet and content your felves with me. Doubticffe all worldly and ambitious felf-feekers are mife- table and wretched unbeleevers ; all inordinate felt-lovers are very great firangers to Chrift Jefus ; Cutfed and fhame- full is that fruit of Pelf- feeking which turnesoffthe foule of man from Chrift, and fpoyles him of all inter_ft in Chrift : This alienates man from the fervice of Chris% all felf-feekers ferve themfelves, they ferve not our Lord Jefus Chrifl(faith Saint Paul) but their owne belly, they ferve not rod but Mammon (faith Chrift) Self -feekers are the fervantsofworld- ly
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