things of Christ. When he first seeks his owne things, and af∣terwards the things of Christ; of this the Prophet Haggai complanes, Hag. 1. 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11. The people said, It was not time to build Gods house, but it was time to build their owne houses. Therefore the Heavens over them were as brasse, and the Earth withheld her fruit.3. When a man seeks his owne things, and the things of Christ also, but seeks his own things, chiefly and principally, not onely before, but more then the things of Christ, and that both in his value and esteem, and in his love and affection. When a man prizeth his owne profit and preferment, and loveth his owne praise and glory more than the profit, praise and honour of Christ and his Gospel. Such were the Gade∣rens, who preferred their Hogges before Christ. Such were the Merchants and Farmers, Mat. 21. 3. who made light of the call of Christ, and preferred their Farmes and Merchan∣dizing before Christ and his Gospel. Such was Demas, who forsook Paul and embraced the present world, and such were the Pharisees, John 12. 43. Who loved the praise of Men, more than the praise of God.4. When a Christian seeks his owne things in seeking the things of Christ, when he pretends to seek the things of Christ, and yet intends no such thing, but seeks himselfe even under colour of seeking the things of Christ. Such a one was Jehu, who pretended a great deale of zeale for the Lord of Hoasts. Come (said he to Jonadab) and behold my zeale, &c. but he did but pretend a zeale for God, his zeal was to purchase the Kingdome to himselfe. Such a one was Balaam, who preten∣ded that if he had a house full of Gold and Silver offered him, he would not goe beyond the Commandement of God, and yet notwithstanding he did but counterfeit, for he loved the wages of iniquity, and was mad after the preserments that Balac proffered him. Such another was Demetrius the Silver-Smith, who pretended a zeal to the great Goddesse Diana, and therefore caused an uproare against Paul to defend the God∣desse, but it was the gaine he got by making Shrines for Di∣ana, that was the principle that set him on worke, he pre∣tended Diana, but intended himselfe, he had dolum in idolo, as one saith.0