{"collection":"scripture-revelation","full_text_available":true,"graph_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/api/page/gutenberg_44071/graph","html_url":"https://unchartedknowledge.5gfusion.net/v2/page/gutenberg_44071","id":"gutenberg_44071","license":"Public Domain (US)","rights_basis":"gutenberg_metadata_copyright_false","source":"gutenberg","source_url":"https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/44071","summary":null,"tags":["Category: Essays, Letters & Speeches","Category: History - American","Category: Religion/Spirituality","Congregational churches -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800","New England -- History -- Colonial period, ca. 1600-1775","Pride and vanity -- Sermons -- Early works to 1800","Sermons, American -- Early works to 1800"],"text":"Transcribers Note: The typesetting in the book was poor, all errors\nhave been retained as printed.\n\n\n\n               [Illustration: G. L. Brown. S. Schoff.\n\n       LANDING OF THE PILGRIMS AT PLIMOUTH 11th. DEC. 1620.]\n\n\n\n\n                                THE\n                           SIN AND DANGER\n                                 OF\n                             SELF-LOVE\n                             DESCRIBED,\n                                IN A\n                               SERMON\n                              PREACHED\n                 AT PLYMOUTH, IN NEW-ENGLAND, 1621,\n                                 BY\n                          ROBERT CUSHMAN.\n\n                    WITH A MEMOIR OF THE AUTHOR.\n\n                              BOSTON:\n                     PUBLISHED BY CHARLES EWER,\n        AND FOR SALE BY CROCKER & BREWSTER, SAMUEL G. DRAKE,\n              LITTLE & BROWN, JAMES MUNROE & COMPANY,\n                BENJAMIN PERKINS, AND JAMES LORING.\n\n                           DEC. 22, 1846.\n\n\n\n\n                        BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH,\n                                 BY\n                          HON. JOHN DAVIS,\n\n  LATE JUDGE OF THE U. S. DISTRICT COURT, MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT.\n\n\nROBERT CUSHMAN, the author of the preceding discourse, was one\nof the most distinguished characters among that collection of\nworthies, who quitted England on account of their religious\ndifficulties, and settled with Mr. _John Robinson_, their pastor\nin the city of Leyden, in Holland, in the year 1609. Proposing\nafterwards a removal to America in the year 1617, Mr. Cushman and\nMr. John Carver, (afterwards the first Governor of New-Plymouth)\nwere sent over to England, as their agents, to agree with the\nVirginia Company for a settlement, and to obtain, if possible, a\ngrant of liberty of conscience in their intended plantation, from\nKing James.\n\nFrom this negotiation though conducted on their part with great\ndiscretion and ability, they returned unsuccessful to Leyden, in\nMay 1618. They met with no difficulty indeed with the Virginia\nCompany, who were willing to grant them sufficient territory, with\nas ample privileges as they could bestow: but the pragmatical\nJames, the pretended vicegerent of the Deity, refused to grant\nthem that liberty in religious matters, which was their principal\nobject--when this persevering people finally determined to\ntransport themselves to this country, relying upon James's promise\nthat he would _connive_ at, though not expressly _tolerate_ them;\nMr. Cushman was again dispatched to England in February 1619, with\nMr. William Bradford, another of the company, to agree with the\nVirginia Company on the terms of their removal and settlement.\n\nAfter much difficulty and delay, they obtained a patent in the\nSeptember following, upon which part of the Church at Leyden, with\ntheir Elder Mr. Brewster determined to transport themselves as\nsoon as possible. Mr. Cushman was one of the agents in England to\nprocure money, shipping and other necessaries for the voyage, and\nfinally embarked with them at South-Hampton, August 5th, 1620.\nBut the ship, in which he sailed, proving leaky, and after twice\nputting into port to repair, being finally condemned as unfit to\nperform the voyage, Mr. Cushman with his family, and a number of\nothers were obliged, though reluctantly, to relinquish the voyage\nfor that time and returned to London. Those in the other ship\nproceeded and made their final settlement at Plymouth in December\n1620, where Mr. Cushman also arrived in the ship Fortune from\nLondon, on the 10th of November 1621, but took passage in the\nsame ship back again, pursuant to the directions of the merchant\nadventurers in London, (who fitted out the ship and by whose\nassistance the first settlers were transported) to give them an\naccount of the plantation.[A] He sailed from Plymouth December\n13th, 1621, and arriving on the coast of England, the ship, with\na cargo, valued at 500l. sterling, was taken by the French. Mr.\nCushman, with the crew, was carried into France; but arrived in\nLondon in the February following. During his short residence at\nPlymouth, though a mere lay character, he delivered the preceding\ndiscourse, which was printed in London in 1622, and afterwards\nre-printed in Boston in 1724. And though his name is not prefixed\nto either edition, yet unquestionable tradition renders it certain\nthat he was the author, and even transmits to us a knowledge of\nthe spot where it was delivered. Mr. Cushman, though he constantly\ncorresponded with his friends here, and was very serviceable to\ntheir interest in London--never returned to the country again, but\nwhile preparing for it was removed to a better, in the year 1626.\nThe news of his death and Mr. Robinson's arrived at the same time\nat Plymouth, by Captain Standish, and seem to have been equally\nlamented by their bereaved and suffering friends there. He was\nzealously engaged in the prosperity of the plantation, a man of\nactivity and enterprise, well versed in business, respectable in\npoint of intellectual abilities, well accomplished in scriptural\nknowledge, an unaffected professor, and a steady sincere practiser\nof religion. The design of the following discourse was to keep up\nthe noble flow of public spirit, which perhaps began then to abate,\nbut which was necessary for their preservation and security.\n\n[Footnote A: It seems to be a mistaken idea that Mr. Cushman\nstarted in the smaller vessel, which put back on account of its\nproving leaky. This mistake has arisen from the fact that Mr. C.\nwas left in England in 1620, and did not come over in the Mayflower\nwith the first emigrants. The fact is that Mr. Cushman procured\n'the larger vessel,' the Mayflower, and its pilot at London and\nleft in that vessel; but in consequence of the unsoundness of the\nsmaller vessel, the Speedwell, it became necessary that part of\nthe pilgrims should be left behind, and consequently Mr. Cushman,\nwhom Gov. Bradford called 'the right hand with the adventurers,'\nand who 'for divers years had managed all our business with them to\nour great advantage,' was selected as one who would be best able\nto keep together that portion of the flock left behind. Although\nMr. Cushman did not come over in the Mayflower, yet such was the\nrespect for him among those who did come, that his name is placed\nat the head of those who came in that ship, in the allotment of\nland at a time when he was not in New England.\n                                                           N. B. S.]\n\nAfter the death of Mr. Cushman, his family came over to New\nEngland. His son, Thomas Cushman, succeeded Mr. Brewster, as ruling\nelder of the Church of Plymouth, being ordained to that office\nin 1649. He was a man of good gifts, and frequently assisted in\ncarrying on the public worship, preaching, and catechising. For it\nwas one professed principle of that Church, in its first formation,\n'to choose none for governing Elders, but such as were able to\nteach.' He continued in this office till he died, in 1691, in the\neighty-fourth year of his age.\n\n\n\n\n                      LETTER FROM JUDGE DAVIS.\n\n\n                                           BOSTON, DEC. 21, 1846.\n\nDEAR SIR:\n\nHaving communicated to me your intention of publishing a new\nedition of Robert Cushman's memorable discourse, delivered in\nPlymouth, 1621, together with the memoir of the author, which I\nprepared for the edition printed by Nathaniel Coverly in Plymouth,\nin 1785; I take the liberty to advise you to follow for your\npurpose that copy of the memoir which was inserted by the Rev. Dr.\nBelknap in the second volume of his American Biography, with the\naddition of some particulars respecting the family, especially of\nelder Thomas Cushman, son of Robert Cushman, and who, like his\nfather, was held in high esteem by all his cotemporaries.\n\nThe original memoir prepared for the Plymouth edition, was\nanonymous. My highly esteemed friend the Rev. Dr. Belknap, in\ngiving it a place in his valuable work was pleased to announce the\nname of the writer.\n\nThe remarks on the discourse originally accompanying the memoir,\nwere prompted by views supposed to have been adopted by the\nPlymouth pioneers respecting property and civil polity, in which\nI was afterwards convinced I had made a mistake. I had adopted an\nopinion corresponding with that of Dr. Robertson and other writers,\nthat misguided by their religious theories and in imitation of the\nprimitive christians, they voluntarily threw all their property\ninto a common stock. And that their difficulties and embarrassments\nwere greatly enhanced by adopting, and perseveringly adhering to an\nimpracticable system. But further inquiry induced the conviction\nthat this conjecture was erroneous, and that the severe pressure\nthey experienced, was in a great degree produced by the operation\nof their articles of agreement with the adventurers in England,\nwhich established a community of interest for seven years, and\nprevented the holding in severalty the fruits of their industry\nand enterprise.\n\nThese views of the subject, and an acknowledgement of my previous\nmistake, were expressed in a discourse delivered at Plymouth, in\nthe year 1800, on the anniversary of the landing of the fathers.\nThe Rev. Mr. Abbot of Beverly, afterwards, on a like occasion,\nwithout any knowledge of the contents of that discourse, which was\nnot published, was led in his investigation of the subject, into\na similar conclusion, and fully vindicated the pilgrims from the\ncensures which had been expressed relative to this branch of their\nproceedings. The onerous connection with the merchant adventurers\nremained until 1627, when an amicable and satisfactory settlement\nwas made with them by a purchase of all their interest in the\nconcern. The sum contracted to be given for this purchase, was 1800\npounds sterling, payable by instalments of 200 pounds annually.\n\nThus says Governor Bradford in one of his letters:\n\n     \"All now is become our own, as we say in the proverb,\n     when our debts are paid. And doubtless this was a great\n     mercy of God unto us, and a great means of peace and\n     better subsistence, and wholly dashed all the plots and\n     devices of our enemies, both there and here, who daily\n     expected our ruin, dispersion and utter subversion by the\n     same; but their hopes were thus far prevented though with\n     great care and labor, we were left to struggle with the\n     payment of the money.\"\n\nUnder these impressions I think it will be well for you to omit\nthe insertion of the remarks above mentioned on Mr. Cushman's\ndiscourse. That discourse is a precious relic of ancient times,\nthe sound sense, good advice, and pious spirit, which it manifests,\nwill, it may be hoped, now, and in all future time, meet with\napproval and beneficial acceptance in our community.\n\nThe information contained in the note of your correspondent\nrespecting Mr. Cushman's embarcation, and the assignment of land\nmade to him in the colony, is believed to be correct.\n\n                          _Respectfully Your Ob't. Servant_,\n                                                         J. DAVIS.\n\n  To CHARLES EWER, Esq.\n\n\n\n\n       TO HIS LOVING FRIENDS THE ADVENTURERS FOR NEW-ENGLAND.\n\n                              TOGETHER\n         WITH ALL WELL-WILLERS, AND WELL-WISHERS THEREUNTO,\n                        GRACE AND PEACE, &C.\n\n\nNEW-ENGLAND, so called, not only (to avoid novelties) because\nCaptain _Smith_ hath so entitled it in his Description, but because\nof the resemblance that is in it, of _England_ the native soil of\nEnglishmen; it being much what the same for heat and cold in Summer\nand Winter, it being champaign ground, but no high mountains,\nsomewhat like the soil in _Kent_ and _Essex_; full of dales, and\nmeadow ground, full of rivers and sweet springs, as _England_ is.\nBut principally, so far as we can yet find, it is an island, and\nnear about the quantity of _England_, being cut out from the main\nland in _America_, as _England_ is from the main of _Europe_, by a\ngreat arm of the sea, which entereth in forty degrees, and runneth\nup North West and by West, and goeth out either into the South-Sea,\nor else into the Bay of _Canada_. The certainty whereof, and\nsecrets of which, we have not yet so found as that as eye-witnesses\nwe can make narration thereof, but if God give time and means, we\nshall, ere long, discover both the extent of that river, together\nwith the secrets thereof; and so try what territories, habitations,\nor commodities, may be found, either in it, or about it.\n\nIt pertaineth not to my purpose to speak any thing either in\npraise, or dispraise of the country; so it is by God's Providence,\nthat a few of us are there planted to our content, and have with\ngreat charge and difficulty attained quiet and competent dwellings\nthere. And thus much I will say for the satisfaction of such as\nhave any thought of going hither to inhabit? That for men which\nhave a large heart, and look after great riches, ease, pleasures,\ndainties, and jollity in this world (except they will live by other\nmen's sweat, or have great riches) I would not advise them to come\nthere, for as yet the country will afford no such matters: But if\nthere be any who are content to lay out their estates, spend their\ntime, labors, and endeavors, for the benefit of them that shall\ncome after, and in desire to further the gospel among those poor\nheathens, quietly contenting themselves with such hardship and\ndifficulties, as by God's Providence shall fall upon them, being\nyet young, and in their strength, such men I would advise and\nencourage to go, for their ends cannot fail them.\n\nAnd if it should please God to punish his people in the Christian\ncountries of _Europe_, (for their coldness, carnality, wanton\nabuse of the Gospel, contention, &c.) either by Turkish slavery,\nor by popish tyranny which God forbid, yet if the time be come,\nor shall come (as who knoweth) when Satan shall be let loose to\ncast out his floods against them, (_Rev._ 12. 14. 15.) here is a\nway opened for such as have wings to fly into this wilderness; and\nas by the dispersion of the Jewish church through persecution,\nthe Lord brought in the fulness of the Gentiles, (_Act._ 11. 20,\n21.) so who knoweth, whether now by tyranny and affliction, he\nsuffereth to come upon them, he will not by little and little chase\nthem even amongst the heathens, that so a light may rise up in the\ndark, (_Luke_ 2. 32.) and the kingdom of Heaven be taken from them\nwhich now have it, and given to a people that shall bring forth the\nfruit of it. (_Mat._ 21. 43.) This I leave to the judgment of the\ngodly wise, being neither prophet nor son of a prophet, (_Amos_ 7.\n14.) but considering God's dealing of old, (_2 Kings_ 17, 23.) and\nseeing the name of Christian to be very great, but the true nature\nthereof almost quite lost in all degrees and sects, I cannot think\nbut that there is some judgment not far off, and that God will\nshortly, even of stones, raise up children unto _Abraham_. (_Mat._\n3. 5.)\n\nAnd who so rightly considereth what manner of entrance, abiding,\nand proceedings, we have had among these poor heathens since we\ncame hither, will easily think, that God has some great work to do\ntowards them.\n\nThey were wont to be the most cruel and treacherous people in all\nthese parts, even like lions, but to us they have been like lambs,\nso kind, so submissive, and trusty, as a man may truly say, many\nchristians are not so kind, nor sincere.\n\nThey were very much wasted of late, by reason of a great mortality\nthat fell amongst them three years since, which together with their\nown civil dissentions and bloody wars, hath so wasted them, as I\nthink the twentieth person is scarce left alive, and those that\nare left, have their courage much abated, and their countenance is\ndejected, and they seem as a people affrighted. And though when\nwe came first into the Country, we were few, and many of us were\nsick, and many died by reason of the cold and wet, it being the\ndepth of winter, and we having no houses, nor shelter, yet when\nthere was not six able persons among us, and that they came daily\nto us by hundreds, with their _sachems_ or _kings_, and might in\none hour have made a dispatch of us, yet such a fear was upon them,\nas that they never offered us the least injury in word or deed.\nAnd by reason of one _Tisquanto_, that lives amongst us, that can\nspeak English, we have daily commerce with their kings, and can\nknow what is done or intended towards us among the savages; also\nwe can acquaint them with our courses and purposes, both human\nand religious. And the greatest commander of the country, called\n_Massasoit_, cometh often to visit us, tho' he lives 50 miles from\nus, often sends us presents, he having with many other of their\ngovernors, promised, yea, subscribed obedience to our sovereign\nLord King James, and for his cause to spend both strength and life.\nAnd we for our parts, through God's grace, have with that equity,\njustice, and compassion, carried ourselves towards them, as that\nthey have received much favor, help, and aid from us, but never the\nleast injury or wrong by us.[A] We found the place where we live\nempty, the people being all dead and gone away, and none living\nnear by 8 or 10 miles; and though in the time of some hardship we\nfound (travelling abroad) near 8 bushels of corn hid up in a cave,\nand knew no owners of it, yet afterwards hearing of the owners of\nit, we gave them (in their estimation) double the value of it. Our\ncare hath been to maintain peace amongst them, and have always set\nourselves against such of them as used any rebellion, or treachery\nagainst their governors, and not only threatened such, but in some\nsort paid them their due deserts; and when any of them are in want,\nas often they are in the winter, when their corn is done, we supply\nthem to our power, and have them in our houses eating and drinking,\nand warming themselves, which thing (though it be something a\ntrouble to us) yet because they should see and take knowledge of\nour labors, order and diligence, both for this life and a better,\nwe are content to bear it, and we find in many of them, especially,\nof the younger sort, such a tractable disposition, both to religion\nand humanity, as that if we had means to apparel them, and wholly\nto retain them with us (as their desire is) they would doubtless\nin time prove serviceable to God and man, and if ever God send us\nmeans we will bring up hundreds of their children, both to labor\nand learning.\n\n[Footnote A: They offer us to dwell where we will.]\n\nBut leaving to speak of them till a further occasion be offered; if\nany shall marvel at the publishing of this treatise in _England_,\nseeing there is no want of good books, but rather want of men to\nuse good books, let them know, that the especial end is, that we\nmay keep those motives in memory for ourselves, and those that\nshall come after, to be a remedy against self love the bane of\nall societies. And that we also might testify to our Christian\ncountrymen, who judge diversly of us, that though we be in a\nheathen country, yet the grace of Christ is not quenched in us, but\nwe still hold and teach the same points of faith, mortification,\nand sanctification, which we have heard and learned, in a most\nample and large manner in our own country. If any shall think it\ntoo rude and unlearned for this curious age, let them know, that to\npaint out the Gospel in plain and flat English, amongst a company\nof plain Englishmen (as we are) is the best and most profitablest\nteaching; and we will study plainness, not curiosity, neither in\nthings human, nor heavenly. If any error or unsoundness be in\nit, (as who knoweth) impute it to that frail man which endited\nit, which professeth to know nothing as he ought to know it. I\nhave not set down my name, partly because I seek no name, and\nprincipally, because I would have nothing esteemed by names, for I\nsee a number of evils to arise through names, when the persons are\neither famous, or infamous, and God and man is often injured; if\nany good or profit arise to thee in the receiving of it, give God\nthe praise and esteem me as a son of _Adam_, subject to all such\nfrailties as other men are.\n\nAnd you my loving friends the adventurers to this plantation; as\nyour care has been, first to settle religion here, before either\nprofit or popularity, so I pray you, go on, to do it much more, and\nbe careful to send godly men, though they want some of that worldly\npolicy which this world hath in her own generation, and so though\nyou lose, the Lord shall gain. I rejoice greatly in your free and\nready minds to your powers, yea, and beyond your powers to further\nthis work, that you thus honor God with your riches, and I trust\nyou shall be repayed again double and treble in this world, yea,\nand the memory of this action shall never die, but above all adding\nunto this (as I trust you do) like freeness in all other God's\nservices both at home and abroad, you shall find reward with God,\nten thousand-fold surpassing all that you can do or think; be not\ntherefore discouraged, for no labor is lost, nor money spent which\nis bestowed for God, your ends were good, your success is good, and\nyour profit is coming, even in this life, and in the life to come\nmuch more: and what shall I say now, a word to men of understanding\nsufficeth, pardon I pray you my boldness, read over the ensuing\ntreatise, and judge wisely of the poor weakling, and the Lord, the\nGod of land and sea, stretch out his arm of protection over you and\nus, and over all our lawful and good enterprizes, either this, or\nany other way.\n\n  _Plymouth in New-England, December 12, 1621._\n\n\n\n\n                                 A\n                               SERMON\n          _Preached at_ PLYMOUTH, _in_ New England, 1621.\n\n\n                       1 CORINTHIANS, 10. 24.\n\n      LET NO MAN SEEK HIS OWN: BUT EVERY MAN ANOTHER'S WEALTH.\n\nThe occasion of these words of the Apostle _Paul_, was because of\nthe abuses which were in the Church of _Corinth_. Which abuses\narose chiefly through swelling pride, self-love and conceitedness,\nfor although this church was planted by _Paul_ and watered by\n_Apollos_, and much increased by the Lord; yet the sower of\ntares was not wanting to stir up evil workers and fleshly minded\nhypocrites, under a shew of godliness, and with angel-like holiness\nin appearance, to creep in amongst them to disturb their peace, try\ntheir soundness, and prove their constancy. And this the Apostle\ncomplains of very often: as first, in their carnal divisions, chap.\n1. then in their extolling their eloquent teachers, and despising\n_Paul_, chap. 4. Then in their offensive going to Law, before the\nheathen judges, chap. 6. Then in eating things offered to idols, to\nthe destroying of the tender consciences of their brethren, chap.\n8. Then in their insatiable love feasts, in the time and place\nof their church meetings, the rich which could together feed to\nfulness, despising and contemning the poor, that had not to lay it\non as they had, chap. 11. Finally in both the epistles, he very\noften nippeth them for their pride, and self-love, straitness and\ncensoriousness, so that in the last chapter he willeth them again\nand again to prove, try and examine themselves, to see whether\nChrist were in them or not, for howsoever many of them seemed, as\nthousands do at this day to soar aloft, and go with full sail to\nHeaven: yet as men that row in boats, set their faces one way,\nwhen yet their whole body goeth apace another way: so there are\nmany which set such a face upon religion, and have their mouth full\nof great swelling words: as if they would even blow open the doors\nof heaven, despising all humble minded and broken-hearted people,\nas weak, simple, sottish, &c. when yet notwithstanding, these\nblusterers, which seem to go so fast, and leave all others behind\nthem, if like these glosing _Corinthians_, they carry affectedly\ntheir own glory with them, and seem thus to stand for the glory of\nGod. What do they else but join flesh to spirit, serving not God\nfor nought, but for wages, and so serving their bellies, whose end\nwill be damnation, except a speedy and sound remedy be thought of,\nwhich remedy is even that which our Saviour teacheth the rich young\ngallant, and which _Paul_ here prescribeth, in willing them not to\nseek their own, but every man another's wealth, which physic is as\nterrible to carnal professors, as abstinence from drink is to a man\nthat hath the dropsy; and it is a sure note, that a man is sick of\nthis disease of self-love, if this be grievous to him, as appeareth\nin the man whom Christ bid sell that he had, and he went away very\nsorrowful, yet surely this vein must be pricked, and this humor let\nout, else it will spoil all, it will infect both soul and body,\nyea, and the contagion of it is such (as we shall see anon) as will\neven hazard the welfare of that society where self seekers and self\nlovers are.\n\nAs God then did direct this Apostle to lay down this brief\ndirection as a remedy for that evil in _Corinth_, so you may think\nit is by God's special providence, that I am now to speak unto you\nfrom this text: and say in your hearts, surely something is amiss\nthis way: let us know it and amend it.\n\nThe parts of this text are two. 1. A _Dehortation_. 2. An\n_Exhortation_. The Dehortation, _Let no man seek his own_. The\nExhortation, _But every man another's wealth_.\n\nIn handling of which, I will first, open the words. Secondly,\ngather the doctrine. Thirdly illustrate the doctrine by scriptures,\nexperience and reasons. Fourthly apply the same, to every one his\nportion.\n\nThe proper drift of the Apostle here is not to tax the\n_Corinthians_, for seeking their own evil ends in evil actions,\nbut for aiming at themselves, and their own benefits in actions\nlawful, and that appeareth in the former verse, where he saith,\n_All things are lawful, &c._ viz. all such things as now we speak\nof, to eat any of God's creatures, offered to idols or not, to\nfeast and be merry together, to shew love and kindness to this or\nthat person, &c. but when by such means we seek ourselves, and have\nnot a charitable loving and reverent regard of others, then they\nare unexpedient, unprofitable, yea unlawful, and must be forborne,\nand he that hath not learned to deny himself even the very use\nof lawful things, when it tendeth to the contempt, reproach,\ngrief, offence and shame of his other brethren and associates,\nhath learned nothing aright, but is, apparently, a man that seeks\nhimself, and against whom the Apostle here dealeth most properly.\n\nThe manner of the speech, may seem as counsel left at liberty: as\nMat. 27. 49. And in our ordinary speech, we think they be but weak\ncharges, which are thus delivered, let a man do this, or let him\ndo that. But we must learn the apostle's modesty, and know that\nwhatsoever the terms seem to imply, yet even this and other the\nlike in this epistle, are most absolute charges: as, _Let a man\nesteem of us, as the ministers of Christ_, _chap._ 41. That is, a\nman ought so to esteem of us. _Let a man examine himself_, _1 Cor._\n11. 28. That is, as if he said, a man must examine himself. _Let\nyour women keep silence in the churches_, _1 Cor._ 14, 34. that is,\nthey ought so to do.\n\nThe meaning then summarily is, as if he said, the bane of all these\nmischiefs which arise among you is, that men are too cleaving to\nthemselves and their own matters, and disregard and contemn all\nothers: and therefore I charge you, let this self seeking be left\noff, and turn the stream another way, namely, seek the good of your\nbrethren, please them, honor them, reverence them, for otherwise it\nwill never go well amongst you.\n\n_Obj._ But doth not the Apostle elsewhere say? _That he, which\ncareth not for his own, is worse than an infidel._ 1 _Tim._ 5. 8.\n\n_Ans._ True, but by (own) there, he meaneth properly, a man's\nkindred, and here by (own) he meaneth properly a man's self.\n\nSecondly, he there especially taxeth such as were negligent in\ntheir labors and callings, and so made themselves unable to give\nrelief and entertainment to such poor widows and orphans as were of\ntheir own flesh and blood.\n\nThirdly, be it so, that some man should even neglect his own self,\nhis own wife, children, friends, &c. And give that he had to\nstrangers, that were but some rare vice, in some one unnatural man,\nand if this vice slay a thousand, self-love slayeth ten thousands.\n\nAnd this the wisdom of God did well foresee, and hath set no\ncaveats in the scriptures either to tax men, or forewarn them\nfrom loving others, neither saith God any where, let no man seek\nout the good of another, but let no man seek his own, and every\nwhere in the scriptures he hath set watch words against self good,\nself-profit, self-seeking, &c. And thus the sense being cleared, I\ncome to the doctrine.\n\nDoct. 1. _All men are too apt and ready to seek themselves too\nmuch, and to prefer their own matters and causes beyond the due and\nlawful measure, even to excess and offence against God, yea danger\nof their own souls._\n\nAnd this is true not only in wicked men which are given over of\nGod to vile lusts, as _Absalom_ in getting favor in his father's\ncourt: _Jereboam_, in settling his kingdom fast in _Samaria_,\n_Ahab_ in vehement seeking _Naboth's_ vineyard, but men, otherwise\ngodly, have through frailty been foiled herein, and many thousands\nwhich have a shew of godliness, are lovers of themselves: _David_\nwas about to seek himself when he was going to kill _Naball_:\n_Asa_ in putting _Hanani_ in prison: _Josiah_ when he would go to\nwar with _Necho_, against the counsel of God, and reason; _Peter_\nwhen he dissembled about the ceremonies of the law, yea and _Paul_\ncomplains of all his followers (_Timothy_ excepted) that they\nsought their own too inordinately.\n\n       *       *       *       *       *\n\nAnd why else are these caveats in the scriptures, but to warn the\ngodly that they be not tainted herewith? as, _Look not every man\non his own things, but on the things of another: Love seeketh not\nher own things. Be not desirous of vain glory, &c._ Philip. 2. 4. 1\nCor. 13. 6. Gal. 5. 26.\n\nYea and doth not experience teach, that even amongst professors\nof religion, almost all the love and favor that is shewed unto\nothers is with a secret aim at themselves, they will take pains\nto do a man good, provided that he will take twice so much for\nthem, they will give a penny so as it may advantage them a pound,\nlabor hard so as all the profit may come to themselves, else\nthey are heartless and feeble. The vain and corrupt heart of man\ncannot better be resembled then by a belly-god, host, or innkeeper\nwhich welcometh his guests with smilings, and salutations, and a\nthousand welcomes, and rejoiceth greatly to have their company to\ndice, cards, eat, drink, and be merry, but should not the box be\npaid, the pot be filling, and the money telling, all this while,\nthe epicure's joy would soon be turned into sorrow, and his smiles\nturned into frowns, and the door set open, and their absence\ncraved: even so men blow the bellows hard, when they have an iron\nof their own a heating, work hard whilst their own house is in\nbuilding, dig hard whilst their own garden is in planting, but\nis it so as the profit must go wholly or partly to others; their\nhands wax feeble, their hearts wax faint, they grow churlish, and\ngive cross answers, like _Naball_, they are sour, discontent, and\nnothing will please them. And where is that man to be found, that\nwill disperse abroad, and cast his bread upon the waters, that\nwill lend, looking for nothing again, that will do all duties to\nother freely and cheerfully in conscience to God, and love unto\nmen, without his close and secret ends or aiming at himself; such\na man, out of doubt, is a black swan, a white crow almost, and yet\nsuch shall stand before God with boldness at the last day, when\nothers which have sought themselves, though for love of themselves\nthey have sought heaven, yea, and through self-love persuaded\nthemselves they should find it, yet wanting love unto others, they\nwill be found as sounding brass, and as a tinkling cimbal, and\nwhilst they have neglected others, and not cared how others live,\nso as themselves may fare well, they will be found amongst them,\nthat the Lord will say unto, _I know you not, depart ye cursed into\neverlasting fire_, Mat. 25. 41. 42.\n\nBut that I may not walk in generalities, the particular ways by\nwhich men seek their own are these: First, such as are covetous,\nseek their own by seeking riches, wealth, money, as _Felix_\npretending love unto _Paul_, sent for him often, but it was in hope\nof money. Many there are who say, _who will shew us any good_,\nPsal. 4. 7. And pretend religion, as some of the Jews did the\nkeeping of the Sabbath, which yet cried out, when will the Sabbath\nbe done, that we may sell corn, and get gain; if a man can tell how\nto get gold out of a flint, and silver out of the adamant, no pains\nshall be spared, no time shall be neglected, for gold is their\nhope, and the wedge of gold is their confidence, their hearts are\nset upon the pelf of this world, and for love of it, all things are\nlet slip, even all duties to God or men, they care not how basely\nthey serve, how wretchedly they neglect all others, so as they may\nget wealth: pinch who will, and wring who will; all times are alike\nwith them, and they run for the bribe and _Gehazie_; and this is\nthe first way that men seek their own.\n\nNow the contrary is seen in _Nehemiah_, who when the people were\nhard put to it, and the land raw, he took not the duties which\nwere due to him being a magistrate, he bought no land, nor grew\nrich, for it was no time: but he maintained at his table many of\nhis brethren the Jews, and so spent even his own proper goods.\nAnd _Paul_ sought no man's gold nor silver, but though he had\nauthority, yet he took not bread of the churches, but labored with\nhis hands: and why? It was no time to take, some churches were poor\nand stood in want, as _Thessalonica_, others were in danger to be\npreyed upon by covetous belly-gods, as _Corinth_: and therefore he\nsaw it no fit time now to take any thing of them.\n\nAnd indeed here is the difference between a covetous worldling,\nand an honest thrifty Christian, it is lawful sometimes for men to\ngather wealth, and grow rich, even as there was a time for _Joseph_\nto store up corn, but a godly and sincere Christian will see when\nthis time is, and will not hoard up when he seeth others of his\nbrethren and associates to want, but then is a time, if he have any\nthing to fetch it out and disperse it, but the covetous gathers\ngoods, he like _Achan_ covets all that he seeth; and neglects no\ntime, but gathers still and holds all fast, and if it were to save\nthe life of his brother, his bags must not be diminished, nor his\nchests lighted, nor his field set to sale, gather as much as he\ncan, but it's death to diminish the least part of it.\n\n2. The second way by which men seek their own, is when they seek\nease, or pleasure, as the _Scribes_ and _Pharisees_, who would\nnot touch the burden with one of their fingers; for there is a\ngeneration, which think to have more in this world then _Adam's_\nfelicity in innocency, being born (as they think) to take their\npleasures, and their ease, let the roof of the house drop through,\nthey stir not; let the field be overgrown with weeds, they care\nnot, they must not foul their hand, nor wet their foot, it's enough\nfor them to say, Go you, not let us go, though never so much need;\nsuch idle drones, are intollerable in a settled commonwealth, much\nmore in a commonwealth which is but as it were in the bud; of what\nearth I pray thee art thou made, of any better than the other of\nthe sons of _Adam_? And canst thou see other of thy brethren toil\ntheir hearts out, and thou sit idle at home, or takest thy pleasure\nabroad? Remember the example of _Uriah_, who would not take his\nease nor his pleasure, though the King required him, and why?\nBecause his brethren, his associates, better men than himself (as\nhe esteemed them) were under hard labors and conditions, lay in the\nfield in tents, caves, &c.\n\n3. The third way is when men seek their own bellies, as some did\nin the Apostles' times, which went about with new doctrines and\ndevices, knowing that the people had itching ears, and would\neasily entertain and willingly feed such novelists, which brought\nin dissensions, schisms, and contentions, and such were rocks, or\npillars in their love-feasts, as _Jude_ speaketh, _ver. 12._ They\nwere shadows in God's service, but when feasting came, then they\nwere substances, then they were in their element. And certainly\nthere are some men which shape even their religion, human state,\nand all, even as the belly cheer is best, and that they must have,\nelse all heart and life is gone; let all conscience, care of others\ngo, let _Lazarus_ starve at the gate, let _Joseph's_ affliction\nbe increased, they must have their dishes, their dainties, or no\ncontent. The contrary was seen in _Nehemiah_, who would not take\nhis large portion allotted to the governor, because he knew it went\nshort with others of his brethren; and _Uriah_ would not receive\nthe King's present, and go banquet with his wife, because he knew\nthe whole host his brethren were fain to snap short in the fields.\n\nAnd the difference between a temperate good man, and a belly-god\nis this: A good man will not eat his morsels alone, especially, if\nhe have better than others, but if by God's providence, he have\ngotten some meat which is better than ordinary, and better than\nhis other brethren, he can have no rest in himself, except he make\nothers partake with him. But a belly-god will slop all in his own\nthroat, yea, though his neighbor come in and behold him eat, yet\nhis griple-gut shameth not to swallow all. And this may be done\nsometimes, as well in mean fare as in greater dainties, for all\ncountries afford not alike.\n\n4. The fourth way by which men seek their own, is by seeking\noutward honor, fame and respect with men; as King _Saul_ when he\nhad lost all respect and favor with God, then thought to give\ncontent to his heart by being honored before the Elders of the\npeople; and it is wonderful to see how some men are _desirous of\nvain glory_, _Gal._ 5. 26. And how earnestly they seek praise,\nfavor, and respect with men, and can have no quiet longer than\ntheir worldly favor lasteth, and that they will have what dishonor\nsoever come to God, or disgrace unto men, yea, they will disgrace,\nreproach, and disdain others, to gain honor and advancement to\nthemselves, yea, they will make bold with the Scriptures and Word\nof God, to wrest and wring, and slight it over for their credit's\nsake. And let a man mark some men's talk, stories, discourses,\n&c. and he shall see their whole drift is to extol and set out\nthemselves, and get praise and commendation of men.\n\nNow the contrary was seen in _Paul_, he saith, _He needed no\nletters of commendations_, 2 Cor. 3. 2. And again, _He is\nnot affected with men's praise_, 1 Cor. 10. 12. And here is\nindeed the difference between an humble-minded Christian, and a\nproud self-lover; an humble man often hath praise, as _David_,\n_Hezekiah_, and _Josiah_, but he seeks it not, he desires it not,\nhe is content to go without it, he loves not the praise of men,\nfor he knows it but froth and vanity: but a proud self-lover, he\nseeks it still, get it or not get it, and if he get it he is fully\nsatisfied, if he get it not he hangs his head like a bull-rush, and\nhath no comfort.\n\n5. The fifth way by which men seek their own, is _by seeking to\nhave their wills_; as the wrong doers in _Corinth_, who thought\nit not enough to do wrong and harm to their brethren, but to\nhave their wills enough of them, drew them before the Heathen\nmagistrates.\n\nAnd truly some men are so prince-like, or rather Papal, that their\nvery will and word is become a law, and if they have said it, it\nmust be so, else there is no rest or quietness to be had, let never\nso many reasons be brought to the contrary, it is but fighting with\nthe wind. They are like the obstinate Jews, who when against God's\nlaw, and reason, they asked a King, though _Samuel_ shewed them\nthat it would turn in the end to their own smart, yet still held\nthe conclusion, and said, nay, _But we will have a King_, 1 Sam.\n8. 19. Thus men are caught by their own words, and insnared by the\nstraitness of their own hearts, and it is death to them not to have\ntheir wills, and howsoever sometimes (like _Jezebel_) they are cut\nshort of their purposes, yet self-willed men will strut and swell\nlike _Absalom_, saying neither _good nor bad_, 2 Sam. 13. 22. but\nhope for the day, and threaten like prophane _Esau_, Gen. 27. 41.\nNow the contrary is seen in _David_, though a prince, a captain, a\nwarrior, who having said, yea sworn, that he would kill _Nabal_,\nand all his family that day, yet upon reasonable counsel given, and\nthat by a weak woman, he changed his mind, altered his purpose,\nand returned, without striking one stroke, an example rare, and\nworthy imitation; and when men are sick of will, let them think of\n_David_, it was his grace and honor to go back from his word and\npractice, when reason came. So was it _Herod's_ disgrace and shame\nto hold his word and will against reason and conscience, _Math._\n14. 8, 9.\n\n_Quest._ But some men happily will say unto me, It is true, that\nmen seek their own by all these ways, _But what should be the\nreason and cause of this? that men seek so earnestly themselves, in\nseeking riches, honor, ease, belly-cheer, will, &c. something there\nis that carrieth them_.\n\n_Ans._ True, and the reasons and causes are specially these three:\n\nFirst, pride and high conceitedness, when men overvalue themselves:\nand this made _Absalom_ to seek his father's kingdom, because he\nthought himself worthy of it. _2 Sam._ 15. 4. This made _Haman_ so\nsore vexed, because _Mordecai_ bowed not to him, because he highly\nvalued himself, _Esther_, 3. 5.\n\nAnd surely that which a man valueth much, he giveth much respect\nto, and so it is a sure sign that a man loves himself most when\nhe giveth most to himself; and some intolerable proud persons\neven think all the world is for them, and all their purposes and\nendeavors shew what a large conceit they have of themselves.\n\nSecondly, want of due consideration and valuation of other\nmen's endowments, abilities and deserts; when men pass those\nthings by, though they have both seen, heard, and felt them; as\n_Pharaoh's_ butler forgot _Joseph's_ eminency when he was restored\nto his place, _Gen._ 40. 23. So men used to write their own good\nactions in brass, but other men's in ashes, never remembering nor\nconsidering the pains, labor, good properties, &c. which others\nhave, and so they have no love to them, but only to themselves; as\nif God had made all other men unreasonable beasts, and them only\nreasonable men.\n\nThirdly, want of heavenly conversation, and spiritual eye to\nbehold the glory, greatness, and majesty, and goodness of God;\nas the Queen of _Sheba_, thought highly of her own glory, wisdom\nand happiness, till she saw _Solomon's_ wisdom and glory, and\nthen she cried out, not of the happiness of her own servants, but\nof his servants that stood before him, 1 _Kings_ 10. 7, 8. And\nverily, if men were conversant courtiers in Heaven, they would\ncry out with _Paul_, Rom. 11. 33. _Oh the depth of the riches,\nwisdom, and knowledge of God, &c._ and would be ashamed of their\nown sinfulness, nakedness and misery; for, as countrymen which\nnever saw the state of cities, nor the glory of courts, admire even\ntheir own country Orders: And as the savages here which are clad in\nskins, and creep in woods and holes, think their own brutish and\ninhuman life the best, which if they saw and did rightly apprehend\nthe benefit of comely humanity, the sweetness of religion and\nthe service of God, they would even shamefully hide themselves\nfrom the eye of all noble Christians. Even so, if men in serious\ncontemplation, by the eye of faith, would behold the glory of God,\nand what great riches, beauty, fulness, perfection, power, dignity\nand greatness is in God, they would leave admiring of themselves,\nand seeking of themselves, and would say with _David, What am I?\nAnd what is my father's house? that thou shouldest thus bless me?_\n2 Sam. 7. 18. Yea _What is man? or the son of man that thou so\nregardest him?_ Psal. 8. 3.\n\nBut it is time to come to apply these things more particularly to\nourselves, and see what Use is to be made of them:\n\n_Use 1._ Is it so, that God seeth a proneness in all the sons of\n_Adam_, to seek themselves too much, and hath given them warnings\nand watch-words thereof, as we have heard, and doth experience\nconfirm it? Then hence are reproved a number of men, who think\nthey can never shew love enough to themselves, nor seek their own\nenough, but think all cost, charges, cherishing, praise, honor,\n&c. too little for them, and no man needeth to say to them, as\n_Peter_ did to Christ, _favor thy self_; but if they do a little\nfor another man, they account it a great matter, though it be but\na morsel of bread, or a single penny; but no varieties of dainties\nis too good for them, no silk, purple, cloth, or stuff is too\ngood to clothe them, the poor man's idleness and ill husbandry is\noft thrown in his dish, but their own carnal delights and fleshy\nwantonness is never thought upon: and why? Because they think even\nGod and man owes all to them, but they owe nothing to none. Why,\nthou foolish and besotted man, hath not the Holy Ghost read it in\nthe very face of every son of _Adam_, that he is too apt to seek\nhis own, and art thou wiser than God, to think thou never seekest\nthine own enough? or dreamest thou that thou art made of other, and\nbetter mettle than other men are? Surely, I know no way to escape,\nhaving of corruption to thy father, and the worm to thy sister and\nbrother. And if God had any where in all the Scriptures said, love\nthyself, make much of thyself, provide for one, &c. there were\nsome reason for thee to take up the niggard's proverbs, _Every\nman for himself, and God for us all; Charity beginneth at home,\n&c._ But God never taught thee these things; No, they are Satan's\npositions. Doth God ever commend a man for carnal love of himself?\nNay he brands it, and disgraceth it, as _self love, taking thought\nfor the flesh; loving of pleasure, &c._ Rom. 13. 14, 2 Tim. 34.\n\n_Obj._ _It is a point of good natural policy, for a man to care and\nprovide for himself._\n\n_Ans._ Then the most fools have most natural policy, for you\nsee not the greatest drones and novices, either in church, or\ncommonwealth, to be the greatest scratchers and scrapers, and\ngatherers of riches? Are they not also for the most part, best fed\nand clad? And live they not most easily? What shall I say? Even\nhogs, dogs, and brute beasts know their own ease, and can seek\nthat which is good for themselves; and what doth this shifting,\nprogging, and fat feeding which some use, more resemble any thing\nthan the fashion of hogs? And so let it be what natural policy it\nwill.\n\n_Use 2._ If God see this disease of self-love so dangerous in\nus, then it standeth us all in hand to suspect ourselves, and so\nto seek out the root of this disease, that it may be cured. If a\nlearned physician, shall see by our countenance and eye, that we\nhave some dangerous disease growing on us, our hearts will smite\nus, and we will bethink ourselves where the most grief lieth, and\nhow it should come, whether with cold, heat, surfeit, over-flowing\nof blood, or through grief, melancholy, or any such way, and every\nman will bestir himself to get rid of it, and will prevent always\nthat which feeds the disease, and cherish all courses that would\ndestroy it.\n\nNow, how much more ought we to bestir ourselves, for this matter\nof self love, since God himself hath cast all our waters, and felt\nall our pulses, and pronounceth us all dangerously sick of this\ndisease? Believe it, God cannot lie, nor be deceived; He that made\nthe heart, doth not he know it? Let every man's heart smite him,\nand let him fall to the examination of himself and see first,\nwhether he love not riches and worldly wealth too much, whether his\nheart be not too jocund at the coming of it in, and too heavy at\nthe going of it out, for if you find it so there is great danger,\nif thou canst not buy as if thou possessed not, and use this world\nas though thou used it not, (_1 Cor._ 7. 30, 31.) thou art sick,\nand had need to look to it. So, if thou lovest thine ease and\npleasure, see whether thou can be content to receive at God's hands\nevil as well as good, (_Job_ 2. 10.) whether thou have learned as\nwell to abound as to want, (_Phil._ 4. 10.) as well to endure hard\nlabor, as to live at ease; and art as willing to go to the house of\nmourning as to the house of mirth, (_Eccl._ 7. 6.) for, else, out\nof doubt, thou lovest thy carnal pleasure and ease too much.\n\nAgain, see whether thy heart cannot be as merry, and thy mind as\njoyful, and thy countenance as cheerful, with coarse fare, with\npulse, with bread and water (if God offer thee no better, nor the\ntimes afford other) as if thou had the greatest dainties: (_Dan._\n1. 15.) So also whether thou can be content as well with scorns\nof men, when thou hast done well, as with their praises, so if\nthou can with comfort and good conscience say, I pass little for\nman's judgment; whether thou can do thy duty that God requireth,\nand despise the shame, referring thyself unto God, for if thou be\ndisheartened, discouraged, and weakened in any duty because of\nmen's dispraises, its a sign thou lovest thyself too much.\n\nSo for the will, if thou can be content to give way even from that\nwhich thou hast said shall be, yea, vowed shall be, when better\nreason cometh, and hast that reverence of other men, as that\nwhen it standeth but upon a matter of will, thou art as willing\ntheir wills should stand as thine, and art not sad, churlish, or\ndiscontented, (_1 Kings_ 21. 4.) but cheerful in thine heart,\nthough thy will be crossed, it is a good sign, but if not, thou\nart sick of a self-will, and must purge it out. I the rather press\nthese things, because I see many men both wise and religious, which\nyet are so tainted with this pestilent self-love, as that it is in\nthem even as a dead fly to the apothecaries' ointment, spoiling\nthe efficacy of all their graces, making their lives uncomfortable\nto themselves, and unprofitable to others, being neither fit for\nchurch nor commonwealth, but have even their very souls in hazard\nthereby, and therefore who can say too much against it.\n\nIt is reported, that there are many men gone to that other\nplantation in _Virginia_, which, whilst they lived in _England_,\nseemed very religious, zealous, and conscionable; and have now lost\neven the sap of grace, and edge to all goodness; and are become\nmere worldlings. This testimony I believe to be partly true, and\namongst many causes of it, this self-love is not the least. It is\nindeed a matter of some commendation for a man to remove himself\nout of a thronged place into a wide wilderness; to take in hand\nso long and dangerous a journey, to be an instrument to carry the\nGospel and humanity among the brutish heathen; but there may be\nmany goodly shews and glosses and yet a pad in the straw, men may\nmake a great appearance of respect unto God, and yet but dissemble\nwith him, having their own lusts carrying them: and, out of doubt,\nmen that have taken in hand hither to come, out of discontentment\nin regard of their estates in _England_; and aiming at great\nmatters here, affecting it to be gentlemen, landed men, or hoping\nfor office, place, dignity, or fleshly liberty; let the shew be\nwhat it will, the substance is naught, and that bird of self-love\nwhich was hatched at home, if it be not looked to, will eat out\nthe life of all grace and goodness: and though men have escaped\nthe danger of the sea, and that cruel mortality, which swept away\nso many of our loving friends and brethren; yet except they purge\nout this self-love, a worse mischief is prepared for them: And who\nknoweth whether God in mercy have delivered those just men which\nhere departed, from the evils to come; and from unreasonable men,\nin whom there neither was, nor is, any comfort, but grief, sorrow,\naffliction, and misery, till they cast out this spawn of self-love.\n\nBut I have dwelt too long upon this first part; I come now to the\nsecond, which concerns an Exhortation, as I shewed you, in the\nDivision.\n\n_But every man another's wealth._\n\nIn direct opposition, he should say, _Let every man seek\nanother's_, but the first part being compared with the latter, and\n(_seek_) being taken out of the former and put to the latter, and\n(_wealth_) taken out or rather implied, in the former, the whole\nsentence is thus resolved, _Let no man seek his own wealth, but let\nevery man seek another's wealth_.\n\nAnd the word here translated _wealth_, is the same with that in\n_Rom._ 13. 4, and may not be taken only for riches, as Englishmen\ncommonly understand it, but for all kinds of benefits, favors,\ncomforts either for soul or body; and so here again, as before you\nmust understand an Affirmative Commandment, as the Negative was\nbefore: and least any should say, If I may not seek my own good, I\nmay do nothing; Yes saith _Paul_, I'll tell thee, thou shalt seek\nthe good of another, whereas now all thy seeking helps but one, by\nthis means thou shalt help many: and this is further enforced by\nthese two circumstances, (no man) may seek his own, be he rich,\nlearned, wise, &c. _But every man must seek the good of another_.\n\nThe point of instruction is taken from the very letter and phrase,\nviz.\n\nDoct. 2. _A man_ must _seek the good, the wealth, the profit of\nothers._\n\nI say he _must_ seek it, he must seek the comfort, profit and\nbenefit of his neighbor, brother, associate, &c. His own good he\nneed not seek, it will offer itself to him every hour; but the good\nof others must be sought, a man must not stay from doing good to\nothers till he is sought unto, pulled and hauled, (as it were) like\nthe unjust judge, for every benefit that is first craved, cometh\ntoo late. And thus the ancient patriarchs did practice, when the\ntraveller and wayfaring men came by, they did not tarry till they\ncame and asked relief and refreshment, but sat at the gates to\nwatch for such, (_Judges_ 19. 20, 21) and looked in the streets to\nfind them, yea, set open their doors that they might freely and\nboldly enter in. And howsoever, some may think this too large a\npractice, since now the world is so full of people, yet I see not\nbut the more people there is, the larger charity ought to be.\n\nBut be it so, as a man may neglect, in some sort the general\nworld, yet those to whom he is bound, either in natural, civil,\nor religious bands, them he must seek how to do them good. A\nnotable example you have in _David_, who, because there was twixt\nhim and _Jonathan_ a band and covenant, therefore he enquired,\n_Whether there was any left of the house of Saul, to whom he might\nshew mercy for Jonathan's sake_, 2 Sam. 9.1. So this people of\n_Corinth_, to whom _Paul_ writeth, they were in a spiritual league\nand covenant in the _Gospel_, and so were a body. Now for one\nmember in the body to seek himself, and neglect all others were, as\nif a man should clothe one arm or one leg of his body with gold and\npurple, and let all the rest of the members go naked. _1 Cor. 12.\n27._\n\nNow brethren, I pray you, remember yourselves, and know, that you\nare not in a retired monastical course, but have given your names\nand promises one to another and covenanted here to cleave together\nin the service of God, and the King; What then must you do? May\nyou live as retired hermits? and look after no body? Nay, you must\nseek still the wealth of one another; and enquire as _David_, how\nliveth such a man? How is he clad? How is he fed? He is my brother,\nmy associate; we ventured our lives together here, and had a hard\nbrunt of it and we are in league together. Is his labor harder than\nmine? surely I will ease him; hath he no bed to lie on? why, I have\ntwo, I'll lend him one; hath he no apparel? why, I have two suits,\nI'll give him one of them; eats he coarse fare, bread and water,\nand I have better, why, surely we will part stakes. He is as good a\nman as I, and we are bound each to other, so that his wants must be\nmy wants, his sorrows my sorrows, his sickness my sickness, and his\nwelfare my welfare, for I am as he is. And such a sweet sympathy\nwere excellent, comfortable, yea, heavenly, and is the only maker\nand conserver of churches and commonwealths, and where this is\nwanting, ruin comes on quickly, as it did here in _Corinth_.\n\nBut besides these motives, there are other reasons to provoke us\nnot only to do good one to another; but even to seek and search how\nto do it.\n\n1. As first, to maintain modesty in all our associates, that of\nhungry wanters, they become not bold beggars and impudent cravers;\nfor as one saith of women, that, when they have lost their\nshamefacedness, they have lost half their honesty, so may it be\ntruly said of a man that when he hath lost his modesty, and puts\non a begging face, he hath lost his majesty, and the image of that\nnoble creature; and man should not beg and crave of man, but only\nof God. True it is, that as Christ was fain to crave water of the\nSamaritan woman, (_John_ 4. 5.) so men are forced to ask sometimes\nrather than starve, but indeed in all societies it should be\noffered them. Men often complain of men's boldness in asking, but\nhow cometh this to pass, but because the world have been so full\nof self-lovers as no man would offer their money, meat, garments,\nthough they saw men hungry, harborless, poor, and naked in the\nstreets; and what is it that makes men brazen-faced, bold, brutish,\ntumultuous, but because they are pinched with want, and see others\nof their companions (which it may be have less deserved) to live in\nprosperity and pleasure?\n\n2. It wonderfully encourageth men in their duties, when they see\nthe burthen equally borne; but when some withdraw themselves and\nretire to their own particular ease, pleasure, or profit; what\nheart can men have to go on in their business? when men are come\ntogether to lift some weighty piece of timber or vessel; if one\nstand still and do not lift, shall not the rest be weakened and\ndisheartened? Will not a few idle drones spoil the whole stock of\nlaborious bees: so one idle-belly, one murmurer, one complainer,\none self-lover will weaken and dishearten a whole colony. Great\nmatters have been brought to pass where men have cheerfully as\nwith one heart, hand, and shoulder, gone about it, both in wars,\nbuildings, and plantations, but where every man seeks himself, all\ncometh to nothing.\n\n3. The present necessity requireth it, as it did in the days of the\n_Jews_, returning from captivity, and as it was here in _Corinth_.\nThe country is yet raw, the land untilled, the cities not builded,\nthe cattle not settled, we are compassed about with a helpless and\nidle people, the natives of the country, which cannot in any comely\nor comfortable manner help themselves, much less us. We also have\nbeen very chargeable to many of our loving friends, which helped\nus hither, and now again supplied us, so that before we think of\ngathering riches, we must even in conscience think of requiting\ntheir charge, love and labor, and cursed be that profit and gain\nwhich aimeth not at this. Besides, how many of our dear friends did\nhere die at our first entrance, many of them no doubt for want of\ngood lodging, shelter, and comfortable things, and many more may go\nafter them quickly, if care be not taken. Is this then a time for\nmen to begin to seek themselves? _Paul_ saith, that men in the last\ndays shall be lovers of themselves, (_2 Tim._ 3. 2.) but it is here\nyet but the first days, and (as it were) the dawning of this new\nworld, it is now therefore no time for men to look to get riches,\nbrave clothes, dainty fare, but to look to present necessities; it\nis now no time to pamper the flesh, live at ease, snatch, catch,\nscrape, and pill, and hoard up, but rather to open the doors, the\nchests, and vessels, and say, brother, neighbor, friend, what\nwant ye, any thing that I have? make bold with it, it is yours to\ncommand, to do you good, to comfort and cherish you, and glad I am\nthat I have it for you.\n\n4. And even the example of God himself, whom we should follow\nin all things within our power and capacity, may teach us this\nlesson, for (with reverence to his Majesty be it spoken) he might\nhave kept all grace, goodness, and glory to himself, but he hath\ncommunicated it to us, even as far as we are capable of it in this\nlife, and will communicate his glory in all fulness with his elect\nin that life to come; even so his son Jesus Christ left his glory\neclipsed for a time, and abased himself to a poor and distressed\nlife in this world, that he might, by it, bring us to happiness in\nthe world to come. If God then have delighted in thus doing good\nand relieving frail and miserable man, so far inferior to himself,\nwhat delight ought man to have to relieve and comfort man, which is\nequal to himself?\n\n5. Even as we deal with others, ourselves and others shall be\ndealt withal. Carest thou not how others fare, how they toil,\nare grieved, sick, pinched, cold, harborless, so as thou be in\nhealth, livest at ease, warm in thy nest, farest well? The days\nwill come when thou shalt labor and none shall pity thee, be poor\nand none relieve thee, be sick, and lie and die and none visit\nthee, yea, and thy children shall lie and starve in the streets,\nand none shall relieve them, for _it is the merciful that shall\nobtain mercy_; Mat. 5. 7. and _the memory of the just shall be\nblessed_ even in his seed; _Prov._ 10. and a merciful and loving\nman when he dies, though he leave his children small and desolate,\nyet every one is mercifully stirred up for the father's sake to\nshew compassion, but the unkindness, currishness, and self-love\nof a father, is through God's just judgment recompensed upon the\nchildren with neglect and cruelty.\n\n6. Lastly, That we may draw to an end; A merciless man, and a man\nwithout natural affection or love, is reckoned among such as are\ngiven over of God to a reprobate mind, (_Rom._ 1. 30.) and (as it\nwere) transformed into a beast-like humor; for, what is man if he\nbe not sociable, kind, affable, free-hearted, liberal; he is a\nbeast in the shape of a man; or rather an infernal spirit, walking\namongst men, which makes the world a hell what in him lieth; for,\nit is even a hell to live where there are such men: such the\nScriptures calleth _Nabals_, which signifieth _fools_, (_Psal._\n14. 1.) and decayed men, which have lost both the sap of grace\nand nature; and such merciless men are called goats, and shall be\nset at Christ's left hand at the last day, (_Math._ 25. 33.) _Oh\ntherefore seek the wealth one of another_.\n\n_Obj._ But some will say, _It is true, and it were well if men\nwould so do, but we see every man is so for himself, as that if I\nshould not do so, I should do full ill, for if I have it not of\nmy own, I may snap short sometimes, for I see no body showeth me\nany kindness, nor giveth me any thing; if I have gold or silver,\nthat goeth for payment, and if I want it I may lie in the street,\ntherefore I had best keep that I have, and not be so liberal as you\nwould have me, except I saw others would be so towards me_.\n\n_Ans._ This Objection seemeth but equal and reasonable, as did the\nAnswer of _Nabal_ to _David's_ men, but it is most foolish and\ncarnal, as his also was; for, if we should measure our courses by\nmost men's practices, a man should never do any godly duty; for,\ndo not the most, yea, almost all, go the broad way that leadeth to\ndeath and damnation, (_Luke._ 13. 23, 24.) Who then will follow a\nmultitude? It is the word of God, and the examples of the best men\nthat we must follow. And what if others will do nothing for thee,\nbut are unkind and unmerciful to thee? Knowest thou not that they\nwhich will be the children of God must be kind to the unkind,\nloving to their enemies, and bless those that curse them? (_Mat._\n5. 44, 47.) If all men were kind to thee, it were but _publicans'_\nrighteousness to be kind to them? If all men be evil, wilt thou be\nso too? When _David_ cried out, _Help Lord, for not a godly man is\nleft_, Psal. 12. 1. did he himself turn ungodly also? Nay, he was\nrather the more strict. So, if love and charity be departed out of\nthis world, be thou one of them that shall first bring it in again.\n\nAnd let this be the first rule, which I will with two others\nconclude for this time.\n\n1. Never measure thy course by the most, but by the best, yea,\nand principally by God's word; Look not what others do to thee,\nbut consider what thou art to do to them: seek to please God, not\nthyself. Did they in _Mat._ 25. 44. plead, that others did nothing\nfor them? No such matter, no such plea will stand before God, his\nword is plain to the contrary, therefore, though all the world\nshould neglect thee, disregard thee, and contemn thee, yet remember\nthou hast not to do with men, but with the highest God, and so thou\nmust do thy duty to them notwithstanding.\n\n2. And let there be no prodigal person to come forth and say, Give\nme the portion of lands and goods that appertaineth to me, and let\nme shift for myself; _Luke_ 15. 12. It is yet too soon to put men\nto their shifts; _Israel_ was seven years in _Canaan_, before the\nland was divided unto tribes, much longer before it was divided\nunto families; and why wouldst thou have thy particular portion,\nbut because thou thinkest to live better than thy neighbor, and\nscornest to live so meanly as he? but who, I pray thee, brought\nthis particularizing first into the world? Did not Satan, who was\nnot content to keep that equal state with his fellows, but would\nset his throne above the stars? Did not he also entice man to\ndespise his general felicity and happiness, and go try particular\nknowledge of good and evil; and nothing in this world doth more\nresemble heavenly happiness, than for men to live as one, being of\none heart, and one soul; neither any thing more resembles hellish\nhorror, then for every man to shift for himself; for if it be a\ngood mind and practise, thus to affect particulars, _mine_ and\n_thine_, then it should be best also for God to provide one heaven\nfor thee, and another for thy neighbor.\n\n_Object._ But some will say, _If all men will do their endeavors as\nI do I could be content with this generality,--but many are idle\nand slothful, and eat up others' labors, and therefore it is best\nto part, and then every man may do his pleasure_.\n\nFirst, this, indeed, is the common plea of such as will endure no\ninconveniences, and so for the hardness of men's hearts, God and\nman doth often give way to that which is not best, nor perpetual,\nbut indeed if we take this course to change ordinances and\npractices because of inconveniences, we shall have every day new\nlaws.\n\nSecondly, if others be idle and thou diligent, thy fellowship,\nprovocation, and example, may well help to cure that malady in\nthem, being together, but being asunder, shall they not be more\nidle, and shall not gentry and beggary be quickly the glorious\nensigns of your commonwealth?\n\nThirdly, construe things in the best part, be not too hasty to\nsay, men are idle and slothful, all men have not strength, skill,\nfaculty, spirit, and courage to work alike; it is thy glory and\ncredit, that thou canst do so well, and his shame and reproach,\nthat can do no better; and are not these sufficient rewards to you\nboth.\n\nFourthly, if any be idle apparently, you have a law and governors\nto execute the same, and to follow that rule of the Apostle, to\nkeep back their bread, and let them not eat, go not therefore\nwhispering, to charge men with idleness; but go to the governor and\nprove them idle; and thou shall see them have their deserts. _Acts_\n19. 38. 2 _Thes._ 3. 10. _Deut._ 19. 15.\n\nAnd as you are a body together, so hang not together by skins and\ngymocks, but labor to be jointed together and knit by flesh and\nsinews; away with envy at the good of others, and rejoice in his\ngood, and sorrow for his evil. Let his joy be thy joy, and his\nsorrow thy sorrow: Let his sickness be thy sickness: his hunger thy\nhunger: his poverty thy poverty; and if you profess friendship, be\nfriends in adversity; for then a friend is known and tried, and not\nbefore.\n\n3. Lay away all thought of former things and forget them, and\nthink upon the things that are; look not gapingly one upon other,\npleading your goodness, your birth, your life you lived, your\nmeans you had and might have had; here you are by God's providence\nunder difficulties; be thankful to God, it is no worse, and take\nit in good part that which is, and lift not up yourself because of\nformer privileges; when _Job_ was brought to the dung-hill, he sat\ndown upon it, _Job_ 2. 8. and when the Almighty had been bitter\nto _Naomi_, she would be called _Marah_; consider therefore what\nyou are now, and whose you are; say not I could have lived thus,\nand thus; but say thus and thus I must live: for God and natural\nnecessity requireth, if your difficulties be great, you had need\nto cleave the faster together, and comfort and cheer up one another,\nlaboring to make each other's burden lighter; there is no grief\nso tedious as a churlish companion and nothing makes sorrows easy\nmore than cheerful associates: bear ye therefore one another's\nburthen, and be not a burthen one to another; avoid all factions,\nfrowardness, singularity and withdrawings, and cleave fast to the\nLord, and one to another continually; so shall you be a notable\nprecedent to these poor heathens, whose eyes are upon you, and who\nvery brutishly and cruelly do daily eat and consume one another,\nthrough their emulations, ways and contentions; be you therefore\nashamed of it, and win them to peace both with yourselves, and one\nanother, by your peaceable examples, which will preach louder to\nthem, than if you could cry in their barbarous language; so also\nshall you be an encouragement to many of your christian friends in\nyour native country, to come to you, when they hear of your peace,\nlove and kindness that is amongst you: but above all, it shall go\nwell with your souls, when that God of peace and unity shall come\nto visit you with death as he hath done many of your associates,\nyou being found of him, not in murmurings, discontent and jars, but\nin brotherly love, and peace, may be translated from this wandering\nwilderness unto that joyful and heavenly Canaan.\n\n                               AMEN.","title":"The Sin and Danger of Self-Love: Described by a Sermon Preached At Plymouth, in New-England, 1621","tradition":"scripture-revelation","translated_text":null,"word_count":12701}