When Jesus began His ministry He noticed two men following Him.  "And Jesus turned, and beheld them following, and said to them, 'What do you seek?'" (John 1:37-38)  What do you seek?  What do you want?  That's always a good question to ask from time to time.  What is the aim of your life?  Why did you get up this morning?  Why are you climbing that ladder?  The highest joy a man can experience is found in the aim of his life.  This is Manton's concern in this section.  Be careful what you aim at.  

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

And now…

D. God the Last End – Denying Self-seeking

The fourth branch of self-denial is against self-seeking, by which I mean a denial of our own ends, goals, and purposes, for God must be the utmost end of all the creature’s actions.

Here I shall show,

1. What this self-seeking is,
2. The evidences through which it shows itself,
3. How necessary it is to handle it,
4. How difficult it is to deny this part of self, and
5. Some remedies by way of consideration and practice.

1. What Self-seeking Is

Self-seeking is a sin by which men refer all they do, or can do, to their own glory and advancement.^[1] There is a double self-seeking, which reflects the double end of the creature’s being and operation: 1) one by which we aim at our own profit, and 2) another by which we aim at our own glory. For the two great ends of the creature’s being are that we may enjoy God, and then that we may glorify God.

[1.1] When we aim at our own profit, and are satisfied with it without God

Our great aim should be to enjoy God, that is, the happiness to which we are inclined by the bent of nature. An immortal soul was made for an eternal good; nothing beneath God will satisfy it (Ecc 5:10). The heaven that we expect is the filling up of the soul with God (Eph 3:19). In this world, while we are here below, there is a great controversy between God and self; but in heaven the quarrel will be resolved, and we and God will be united in the nearest and closest way of union and communion, so that we may enjoy Him forever.

Now, when we rest in any low enjoyment, and are satisfied with it without God, that is self-seeking; in effect, it is self-destroying and self-losing (Mat 16:25). But the Scripture speaks according to our aim and intention; we intend to seek ourselves, though in effect we do but lose ourselves. Scripture speaks, “All seek their own, and not that which is Jesus Christ’s” (Phil 2:21). Of this kind of self-seeking, some who do God’s work are guilty—they do not do it for God’s end, to enjoy Him, but rather to enjoy [profit of] the world. Some make a mere merchandise of obedience. If they have worldly gain, they are satisfied…“They have their reward” (Mat 6:2).

They will acquit and release God of all the grant and promise that He has made of heaven to them in the covenant of grace, if God will give them a patent to enjoy as much of the world as they can. This indicates a sordid and base spirit.

They are such as “serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Rom 16:18). The Apostle speaks of false teachers who did not make God their end, but were wholly bent upon their secular profit. Such may not reprove men for their sin, but soothe men in their sin. In their preaching there is no salt, and in their private visits there is a great deal of worldly compliance. This is all because they have set up another god, such a base thing as the belly, instead of Christ.

[1.2] When the aim of the heart is at our own glory

The next aim of the creature should be to glorify God in all the motions and operations of the soul. This must be the settled frame and constitution of the soul. To enjoy God is our happiness; to glorify God is our work; and, therefore, when the aim of the heart is at our own glory and praise, this is self-seeking.^[2]

Now, so that you may discern it the better and see when the soul is guilty of it, I shall show you how far we are to intend the glory of God in every action of ours. I shall do it in the following propositions:

(1.) In all civil^[3] actions

The glory of God must be the end we propose to ourselves in all our civil actions. Though the action be civil, yet the end must be religious—that I may glorify God and do good to others, though it be but in such natural actions as eating and drinking. This must be the fixed aim, to do all to the glory of God (1 Cor 10:31); otherwise you set up another god, a Moloch instead of God (Jer 32:35). When merely you eat to gratify your own flesh, it may be a meat-offering and drink-offering to appetite. So also for your business: if it be merely for wealth, it is but consecrating yourselves to mammon and setting the world in the place of God.

This is the great mercy of God, that, considering our necessity, He has so wisely ordered the world that He might lose no part of our time. Even our natural actions may be religious. Works of nature may become acts of grace, and our business dealings may be a kind of worship, when our ends are to glorify Him. Otherwise we set up self in His place. Your very eating is idolatry when it is merely to please and gratify self; your table is a table of devils—“whose God is their belly” (Phil 3:19). And then, as for your business, when you trade in the world merely to grow rich, and have not an aim at the glory and service of God, you set up another god: mammon is your god. “No man can serve two masters…Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Mat 6:24).

But here a question arises that is worthy of discussion: whether in every action we are bound actively to intend God’s glory? I answer, we should labour as much as we can to make our very thoughts active (2 Cor 10:5). This is the very vitality and vigour of the spiritual life, when all our natural actions are raised up to a supernatural intention.^[4] As a Christian is not to have evil aims, so also he is not to be like a blind archer, to shoot at random and without a mark.

Why should we at any time forget God, Who always remembers us? There is not a moment that passes but God looks after you, or else you could not live (Psa 3:5; Col 1:17)…There is not a good thought of yours forgotten. The spiritual life seems to be asleep when we do not think of God. We are obliged to gratitude.

Certainly an active elevation of the soul should be of no great labour and trouble, because thoughts are quick and sudden. It will not hinder us, or be a burden to us, to look up with the eye of our soul, but it would be of great profit! It would make the actions of the mind more acceptable to God (1Pe 2:5), and the soul would the better be kept upright. This will be as a golden crown upon the head of every action, and will be an excellent means to prevent carnal injections.^[5]

However, because of our infirmities in the lesser actions of life,…a Christian may not always actually think of heaven, yet his heart is set that way…

In the noble actions of life that require more labour and difficulty, our thoughts should be explicit. The reason is because Satan is ready to blast every serious duty with the injection of carnal thoughts. The devil is not only with you in the shop, but in the closet and at religious duty. Many times, though we begin “in the spirit,” yet we are apt to end “in the flesh” (Gal 3:3). Self recoils upon us! When Abraham had quartered the sacrifices the fowls came down, but he drove them away (Gen 15:11). When we think of offering duty to God, carnal thoughts are apt to rush into the mind; so that without this actual intention we may easily begin for God, and yet notwithstanding end for self-interest!

(2.) In all sacred actions

In sacred actions—in the higher operations of the soul, be they either internal or external—the utmost end must be the glory of God.

(a.) In internal actions

In internal actions, in desires of grace and salvation, our only end must not be self. Our motions are proper when they are conformed to God, when we have the same end and aim as God has. Now whatsoever God does, both within and without, in creation and grace, it is for Himself, “The LORD hath made all things for himself” (Pro 16:4). Well then, we should seek grace and glory with the same aim that God gives it: the praise of the glory of his grace (Eph 1:5-6). God’s aim is that grace may be glorified in your salvation and in your acceptance of Jesus Christ. I desire my salvation, but I should not rest there; instead, my utmost aim should be that God may be glorified in my salvation.

Some question whether or not we may look to the reward; but those that do so seem to misunderstand heaven. They have a carnal notion of the reward of the gospel, and dream of the Muslim heaven, not the heaven of the gospel. What is the heaven of the gospel but to enjoy God forever, in the way of a blessed and daily communion? Now, can any man be so irrational to conceive that we should not aim at the inheritance of the saints in light, as well as at the vision and enjoyment of God? This of necessity must be a high act of grace, to seek my own happiness in the highest way of communion with God. They misunderstand the nature of the covenant, or the way with which God would deal with men, for God has invested His precept with a promise, and men would seem wiser than God.

We may use the Spirit’s motives without sin, as the saints have done throughout history. It was a foolish modesty in Ahaz, when God bade him ask, and he would not ask a sign (Isa 7:10-12); so it is a foolish modesty when men will not act their faith upon the blessed rewards. Christ used this way, as it is said, “for the joy that was set before him [he] endured the cross, despising the shame” (Heb 12:2).^[6]

And truly all creatures, as they are now made, must take this course: to look at the glory, so that they may discharge the duty and endure the cross. No created agent can rest merely in the beauty and goodness of his own action. It is folly to say that virtue is a reward to itself, if you speak of eternal reward. Rather, [eternal reward to His children] is God’s covenant way. We are not only to regard duty, but the encouragement of duty.

However, the reward must not be the chief cause, but only the encouragement. The ultimate reason must be the glory of God. When we make the reward the ultimate end of all we desire, this is to respect self above God. Rather, the glory of God must be the mainspring of all our desires and hopes. To look after happiness is an innocent aim of nature, but to glorify God is the aim of grace. Now, only to aim at happiness is the mere motion of nature and our own will; but it is our duty to have a further aim at the glory of God. By the law of our creation we were bound to aim at the glory of God—even if our happiness were not subordinate to it—for God “made all things for himself” (Pro 16:4).

(b.) In external actions

In external actions and in duties of worship, we must have a good aim. It is dangerous in sacred things to be insincere, and by the temple to serve the concerns of the shop. This is to put dung in God’s own cup; this is to make God serve with our iniquities; and to use worship as a pretence and cover to our own interest. When we pervert things from their proper use, we do them an injury. If a cup were made for a king to drink in, and we should use it as a vessel to keep dung, it would be a high affront…Duties of worship were made for the special honour of God by His appointment, therefore they should have no end beneath themselves.

(c.) In all conditions of life

In all conditions of life, a Christian should be indifferent to every condition so that God may be glorified. He should be like a die in the hand of God: let providence cast him high or low, as it pleases God. So be it, that Christ may be magnified in my body, whether it be by life or death (Phil 1:20). I am indifferent; my aim is only to magnify Christ.

This is the temper of a Christian. Things may fall out, not as we think but always as we would, if our general aim is to God’s glory, for in providence we are required only to be passive. There is nothing left to our choice; we are to resign up our wills to His good pleasure. Our duty is submission. Events must be left to God Himself, and in these things He will provide for His own glory.

Well then, whether your condition is prosperous or adverse, pleasing or displeasing, if it is for God’s glory, it should be all the same to you. When a traveller asks the way, it is all the same to him if you direct him to the right hand or left, just as long as he may accomplish his journey. So it is to a Christian: whether his way to heaven lies by sickness or health, by quiet or trouble, by living at home or in exile and banishment, abased or abounding, by possessions or poverty, a Christian is content, as long as God may be glorified. Thus should we, in all conditions of life, submit ourselves to the disposal of God, that He might be glorified in us.

Some say that we should think about the eternal state of our souls in a particular way: that it should make no difference to us whether He will damn us or save us, just as long as He may be glorified. I answer, No; this seems to be extremely harsh, and God does not put us upon that trial…Such a trial was only required of Christ, that He should lay down His soul for a while without the consolations of the Godhead…God in His covenant seeks to draw on men to be earnest for the everlasting welfare of their souls, rather than to leave it at His disposal (Act 2:40).

By this you may see what is self-seeking: when we do not make it our aim to enjoy God and glorify Him.

Questions & Notes

1. Self-seeking is a sin by which men refer all they do, or can do, to their own _________ and _________. ↑
2. To enjoy God is our _________; to glorify God is our _________. ↑
3. civil – done for or in relation to other people. ↑
4. This is the very vitality and vigour of the spiritual life, when all our _________ actions are raised up to a _________ intention. ↑
5. carnal injections – occurrences of sinful thoughts in the mind. ↑
6. Is it ok to seek my own happiness in the highest way of communion with God? ↑

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