If you seek your soul's eternal happiness like you seek your body's wellbeing do you think this will straighten everything else out in your life?  I think it does if I understand Manton correctly.  Often though I feel like this dog in the moment of choices.  What about you?

This is a review of Thomas Manton’s work A Treatise Of Self-Denial with comments and study questions along the way. Feel free to study along and answer the questions or ask your own in the comments’ section below to enrich our learning. www.ChapelLibrary.org has this copyright notice.  To go to the start of this series click here.

Previously…

II. SELF-DENIAL IN RESPECT TO God

A. God The First Cause / Denying Self-dependence

B. God the Highest Lord / Denying Self-will

C. God the Chief Good: Denying Self-love

1. How Far Self-Love Is Criminal

2. Self-love to Our Persons

And now…

3. Self-love to Our Interests and Enjoyments

I come now to the second kind of self-love [the first being self-love to our persons]: self-love to our interests and enjoyments.

There is a lawful respect to the safety and convenience of our lives. As we are bound to love ourselves, so we are bound to love our interests and our relations. The service of Christ requires no violation of the laws of God and nature, but still the greater interest must be preserved. We are bound to love ourselves, but we must love God more than ourselves. He is a true disciple that does not seek his own honour but that of his Master.

Now, the place of Scripture for this is in Luke 14:26, “If any man come to me, and hate not his father and mother, wife and children, brethren and sisters, yea, and his own life, he cannot be my disciple.” To all these relations the Scripture enforces a dear and tender love; and yet in such cases where this love is incompatible with the love of Christ, we should rather hate than love. “Hatred” in this verse compares to “denial” in Matthew 16:24; to deny oneself is to hate one’s own life. All must be renounced for Christ’s sake because there is a higher obligation. We are more obliged to our Creator than to our parents, and we owe more service to our Redeemer than to our greatest friends and benefactors in the world. Let us not love father and mother above Christ (Mat 10:37).

Notice again, all these relations are mentioned because at one time or another they may prove a snare. The frowns of a father or mother are an ordinary temptation. When a child takes to religion, he exposes himself to the displeasure and browbeating of a carnal father and mother. And so is the insinuation of a wife, the one that lies nearest to our hearts, a great snare. And so is provision for our children and family. And so are brothers and sisters—loss of familiarity with them. When we are to lose our commerce, it is a great temptation. Then consider love to our own lives. Life is the great possession of the creature, by which we hold other things. These are known temptations.

Well then, it is a faulty self-love when we love anything that is ours, and prefer it before the conscience of our duty to God. It is a faulty self-love when we are loath to part with our lives, our relations, or anything that is ours, for Christ’s sake or the just reasons of religion.

[3.1] Observations concerning self-love to our interests and enjoyments

Concerning this self-love, I shall observe the following:

(1.) We mistake self.

I observe that we mistake our own identity, and think “self” lies more in the conveniences of the body than of the soul. A man has a soul as well as a body, and he is to seek the welfare of both. Now we love the body and seek the conveniences of the body. Often, self is expressed by the body in Scripture. Naturally our love runs out that way: “So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies” (Eph 5:28). Men love this life rather than the next, and their bodies rather than their souls, and pleasure more than their bodies. They waste and harass the body in hunting after riches, pleasure, honour, profit, and such like additions to the outward life.

Now these are mere mistakes. The “self” we are to preserve and maintain is body and soul, in a proper state and constitution to perform duty to God and to attain true happiness. Now when we love only the body, we do not love that which is properly ourselves.^[1] The body has more affinity with the beasts, as our souls have with the angels. Our souls are ourselves: “What shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Mar 8:36). In another evangelist it is “lose himself” (Luk 9:25). Our souls are regarded chiefly by Christ (Mat 10:28); in the work of redemption He poured out “his soul unto death” for our souls (Isa 53:12).^[2]

Therefore in denying yourself this must be distinguished. Whatever you do with the body or the conveniences of the body, do nothing to prejudice the soul and eternal happiness. I ground this observation upon this very context. Christ had spoken something of His bodily sufferings, and Peter in effect said unto His master, “Favour thyself” (Mat 16:22). Then Christ gives this lesson in the text: “If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it” (Mat 16:24-25). And then Christ explains it, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mat 16:26). We lose by saving the body. He who makes his body to be “himself,” and the conveniences of the temporal life to be “himself,” will deny Christ, but will never deny himself. You must reckon upon and discern this first: what is yourself.^[3]

(2.) We misplace self.

We misplace self as well as mistake it. He that loves himself more than God lays God aside, and sets self on the throne in his heart.^[4] This is a great crime in the eye of nature. There is a natural reverence to what we conceive to be of divine power. Everyone will say, “I love God best; God forbid, I should love anything above God.” We cry out against the Jews for preferring Barabbas before Christ, yet we do the like every day when we prefer a carnal satisfaction before communion with God.

We think the Gadarenes were vile men, who could be content to part with Christ and preferred their swine before Him (Luk 8:26-37). Yet we, who profess to believe the dignity of His person, do little less much of the time. We look upon it as a great scorn in the Philistines that they should set up Dagon above the ark (1 Sa 5:2); yet this is done by carnal persons, but they are not sensible of it because it is done spiritually (as idolatry is, under this light we enjoy).

Look, when a man may give the devil bad words and yet hold the crown upon his own head, it does not exempt him from the devil’s power and dominion. Many defy the devil in their words, yet defy him not with their heart; so empty professions do not satisfy. This self-love is not to be measured by naked professions, but by real experiences. If your heart is carried out more to your own person and interests than to God, and if the strength of your spirit runs out to pleasure, and if you spend whole hours and days that way and can find no time for God, then you love yourself more than God, though you do not say so much in obvious language.

[3.2] Signs of self-love to interests and pleasures

But here a question will arise: What are those usual experiences by which self-love is to be measured? I shall answer it in several propositions.

(1.) The comparison of affection with affection

The comparison of affection with affection is the best way to discover the temper and strength of our love, when we compare our affection to Christ with our affection to other matters. We cannot judge of any affection by its single exercises; that is, what it does alone toward one object. [We can judge our affections much better] by observing the difference and disproportion among our respects to several objects. If you observe the vein of marks and signs in Scripture,^[5] they put us upon this compounded trial: the disproportion of our respect to God and to the world. We shall examine this both in the pleasure and profit of the world.

In the pleasure of the world, there is a description of very carnal men: “Lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God” (2 Tim 3:4). A man may not be as well tried by considering only his love to God or only his love to pleasure—not by his love to God, because there is in all men a pretence of devotion and service to God; nor by his love to pleasure, because there is a lawful allowance of taking pleasure in created things, provided they do not take and overcome our hearts. But now, when you compare affection with affection, when the strength of a man’s heart is carried out to the use of worldly comforts and pleasures, when he neglects God and cannot find any delight in the exercises of religion and the way of communion that God has established between Himself and us—this is an ill note, and, if these reign, shows that we are “lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.”

It is the same for the profit of the world. Christ spoke a parable to show who is the covetous man, and concludes it thus, “So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luk 12:21). A man cannot be judged simply by his laying up of treasures, by hoarding up worldly provision, and by getting increase in the world. Why? Because we are allowed to be active and cheerful in the way of our calling, and God may bless our industry. Neither, on the other hand, [should a man be assured simply] because a man may think he has made some provision for heaven when he waits upon God in some duties of religion, and because of some cold and faint operations, some devout and cold workings of his soul.

But now compare care with care, “He that lays up treasures to himself, and is not rich towards God”; that is, when a man is all for getting wealth for himself, and is not so earnest to get grace and a covenant interest^[6] for himself, to be enriched with spiritual and heavenly exercises. When men follow after spiritual things in a formal and careless manner, and after earthly things with the greatest earnestness and strength that may be; when respects to the world are accompanied with the neglect of heaven; when men can be content with a lean soul, so they may have a fat estate; when all their care is to join land to land, and not lay up evidences for heaven—this is a sign the heart is wicked and totally covetous.

(2.) The solid esteem and constitution of the spirit

Though comparison is the best way to discover love, yet this love is not to be measured by the lively stirring acts of love so much as by the solid esteem and constitution of the spirit. Why? Because the act may be more lively where the love is less firm and rooted in the heart. The passions of suitors are greater than the love of the husband, yet not so deeply rooted. The commotion may be greater in less love, but esteem and solid satisfaction are always the fruit of the greater love.

Men often will laugh most when they are not best pleased. A man may laugh at a toy, yet he cannot be said to rejoice more in that toy than in other things just because the act of his joy is more lively than it would be in a solid, serious matter. We laugh more at a trifle, but are better pleased at a great courtesy. The commotion of the body and spirits depends much upon the strength of mental image, and mental image depends much upon the sense and the presence of the object, so that the senses do much affect and urge us in the present state to which we are subjected. We are masses of flesh and blood, and it is our infirmity introduced by sin that the senses and animal spirits are affected with things of sense rather than spiritual things.^[7]

For instance, a man may have more affectionate expressions upon the loss of a child or an estate, than at God’s dishonour.

A man may weep more for a temporal loss than for sin. Why? Because in spiritual things grief does not always vent itself by tears.

So a man may seem to have more lively joy in physical blessings than in spiritual, and yet he cannot be concluded to be carnal. Why? Because of the solid estimation of his heart: he could rather part with all these things than offend God—could rather lack this and that comfort than miss the favour of God. David longed and fainted for the waters of Bethlehem as strongly as the spouse who was sick of love longed for Christ (2 Sam 23:15; Song 2:5). But he would not have refused the consolations of the Spirit, as he refused the water of Bethlehem when he poured it out. The affections may be violently carried out to a present good, and even though they may have some weakness and sin, yet the affections in this case do not argue a state of sin.

Therefore the judgment you are to make upon your heart, whether you love your relations and satisfactions more than God, is not to be determined by the rapid motion of the heart, but by its constant stream and bent.^[8] Your affections may be more vehemently stirred up to outward objects because two streams meeting in one channel run more vehemently and strongly than one stream. It is a duty, required of us by nature and grace, moderately to prize these things: children and friends, outward delights and comforts. Nature craves a part, and grace judges it to be suitable; there may be more sensible stirring in the one, though the solid esteem of the soul be set right.

(3.) The time and care that we give to outward things

As our affection to outward things is not to be judged by the vigorous motion and excitement of the spirits, so neither altogether by the time and care that we give to them. A man may spend more time in the world than in prayer with God, yet he cannot be said to love the world more than God. Why? Because bodily necessities are more pressing than spiritual. In the proportion of time, we see that God allowed six days for man to labour, and appropriated only the seventh to Himself, which seems to indicate that the supply of bodily necessities will require more time than spiritual.^[9]

I do not speak this as if in the week a man were free whether he would serve God or no, for as we may do works of necessity on the Sabbath day to preserve ourselves, so we must in the week redeem seasons for spiritual duties. But I speak this to show that the great proportion of time spent in the world does not argue disproportion of affection to God and the world. The body must be maintained; nature and grace have laid a law upon us so to do, and it cannot be maintained without active diligence in our calling. And therefore, though I should give God but two hours in the day for direct service, and spend the other in my calling and necessary refreshment, yet I cannot be said to love God less and the world more.

This is the case, provided it is with these two cautions.

(a.) Obedience

I must go about the duties of my calling in obedience, upon a principle and for the ends of religion. If a Christian were wise, he might give God all his time, not only that which he spends in the closet, but that which he spends in the shop—as when you go about your worldly business with a heavenly mind, and do it as God’s work for His glory. Those that live by manual labour must work not merely to sustain themselves, but to glorify God and do good to their neighbours. “Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth” (Eph 4:28). Mark, if a man were in such necessity, if he lives but from hand to mouth through manual labour, yet he is to have a gracious end to bring glory to God by being useful to his neighbour, to give to him that needs.

In effect, then, God receives the greatest portion, though grace be exercised in temporal rather than spiritual employments, for the difference is not so much in the proportion of time as in the [grace itself]. Grace works in our vocational callings; it keeps the heart right in worldly employments. And grace keeps the heart right in duties of worship. This is so that in worldly business we may have a heavenly mind, and that in spiritual business we may not have carnal minds—that now and then in your vocation you may send a glance to heaven, and in your spiritual duties you may not wander into the world.

(b.) Grace

My next caution is that you sometimes will make the world give way to grace, and encroach rather upon your temporal than your spiritual necessities. Too, too often we find the lean cows devour the fat (Gen 41:20). Now it is good sometimes to take revenge,^[10] and let grace encroach upon the world for special and solemn duties. Look, as it is a sin to eat without gratefulness to God for providing the food, so it is a sin to work without reverence to God, lest we should be too much in the world. Remember, “we are debtors, not to the flesh” (Rom 8:12). Did we promise we would be all for the flesh? No, but rather we are debtors to the Spirit…It is better to make business give way to spiritual duty, than duty to business. Bernard has a pretty^[11] expression: “That is a happy family where Martha is complaining about Mary”; that is, when the world complains of spiritual duty,^[12] rather than duty complains of the world, for…our time and care should be spent in the work of God.

(4.) When duty and self-interest are utterly severed

The great trial of our esteem and love to God is when spiritual duty and self-interest are required to be utterly severed, when we are put upon a great difficulty requiring us to deny either ourselves or Christ. It is as a dog following two men: when they walk together in company, we do not know to whom the dog belongs, but the matter is settled when they part. God and mammon may sometimes walk together; but when they part company, you are put to your choice, whether you will leave God or the company of mammon. I leave all upon this decision, because such difficult cases are called trials: “Knowing the trial of your faith worketh patience,” and, “count it all joy when ye fall into divers trials” (see Jam 1:2-3). Our affections are brought into the ranks, and God and angels behold the combat. Here is a deliberate debate; and when in a deliberate debate the world gets the victory of conscience, it is an ill sign. Here you show whether your esteem and a solid satisfaction is in God or not.

The things of religion seem best in the absence of a temptation. But when you are brought to an actual choice, either of duty or sin—when duty is left without sensible encouragement, or loaded with sensible discouragement—what will you do then? Which will you prefer? “They loved not their lives unto the death” (Rev 12:11) when it came to the crisis. A temptation, represented in imagination and speculation, is nothing so terrible as it is in its actual appearance. We may be of great confidence in our own imaginations, as Peter was; but when we are called out to death itself, then not to love our friends or lives, to risk the frowns of a father, the familiarity of kindred, provisions for your children—is a sign your love to God is real. It is true, in such a case as this, a child of God may be overcome by the violence of such a temptation, but speedily he repents. Here is the great trial: when we are called out to break a law or risk an interest (as we will be sooner or later), to please men or to please God, then we are tested to see if we will deny ourselves or Christ.

The high priest under the Law had the names of the tribes upon his breast, but the name of God on his front or forehead (Exo 28:29, 36-38)…An emblem of every Christian should be this: if his relations be on his breast, yet the honour of God must be on his forehead. That interest must be chief and predominant. When we can habitually venture upon the displeasure of God to gratify our interest, this is to love ourselves more than God.

But you will say, “Many of us are still left in the dark, everyone is not called to martyrdom and public contests. How shall we judge of our own hearts, and know whether we have this kind of faulty self-love; whether we mistake and misplace ourselves, or not?” I answer, we need not wish for these cases, they will come fast enough before we come to heaven. But if they come not, there are a great many other cases by which you may try your souls—cases that do not belong to martyrdom. I shall,

-Show what are the acts of self-love,

-Clarify what shows the reign and state of self-love, and

-Give some remedies for self-love.

Questions & Notes

1. When we love only the _________, we do not love that which is properly ourselves. ↑
2. The body is also important and shall be raised and redeemed (Rom 8:23; 1Cor 15; Act 24:15). ↑
3. What must you understand first when it comes to denying self? ↑
4. What does it mean to misplace self? ↑
5. vein of marks and signs in Scripture – those portions of the Bible instructing us how to recognize our true spiritual condition. ↑
6. covenant interest – part in the rich blessings of the new covenant (Jer 31:31-34; Heb 8:10-12). ↑
7. It is our infirmity introduced by _________ that the senses and animal spirits are affected with things of sense rather than spiritual things. ↑
8. The judgment you are to make upon your heart, whether you love your relations and satisfactions more than God, is not to be determined by the rapid motion of the heart, but by its _________ _________ _________ _________. ↑
9. How do we know that the supply of bodily necessities will require more time than spiritual? ↑
10. revenge – in this context, taking time from your work to devote directly to God, as in prayers of thanks and asking for aid. ↑
11. pretty – clever. ↑
12. Because spiritual duties are given a high priority. ↑

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