V. Prov. i. 25. harden their hearts against most pathetical and softening SERM. discourses; they withdraw their shoulder; they stiffen their LXII. neck against all sober precepts, admonitions, and reproofs; Neh. iz. 28. they defeat all means and methods of correction; they will Jer. vii. 26. not hear God commanding, entreating, promising, threat- Deut. xxxi. ening, encouraging, chastising; they will not regard the 27. advices and reprehensions of friends; the most apparent consequences of damage, disgrace, pain, perdition, upon their ill courses will not stir them; their will is impregnable against the most powerful attempts to win and better them let all the wisdom in the world solicit them, with a Turn at my reproof; it shall have occasion to complain, Prov. i. 23, They would none of my counsel, they despised all my reproof. 25, 29. This is that also more particularly, which breedeth so much mischief to the public, which pestereth and disturbeth private conversation: this maketh conversation harsh, and friendship intolerable. c κος. Plat. Hence are men in their demeanour so peevish and fro- Aúðáðsiæ iward, so perverse, and cross-grained, so stiff and stubborn ρημία ξύνοι with much inconvenience to others, and commonly with ad Dionem. more to themselves. Hence will they not submit to the commands of their superiors, they will not comply with the customs of their country, they will not be complaisant in conversation; but every where raise factious oppositions, kindle fierce contentions, maintain disorderly singularities: they care not how for enjoying their humour they break the peace of the world, they disturb the order of things, they create tumults and troubles in any society, they bring vexations and mischiefs on others, on themselves. They do not consider or value the great harm they bring upon the public, nor how much themselves do suffer by it; so they have their will, what if the state be plunged into confusion and trouble; what if their neighbours be sorely incommoded; what if themselves lose their ease and pleasure? It must be just as they will have it; what if ten to one τούτῳ δ ̓ ἀνδρὶ μήτ' εἴην φίλος, Μήτε ξυνείην, ὅστις αὐτάρκη φρονεῖν Πέποιθε, δούλους τοὺς φίλους ἡγούμενος. Eurip. Ep. 4. SERM. think otherwise; what if generally the wisest men are LXII. agreed to the contrary; what if the most pressing neces 2, 3. 1 Cor. x. sity of affairs do not admit of it; what if public authority (those whom all equity doth constitute judges, and to whom God himself hath committed the arbitration thereof) do not allow it; yet so it must be, because they fancy it, otherwise they will not be quiet: so do they sacrifice the greatest benefits of society (public order and peace, mutual love and friendship, common safety and prosperity) to their pri vate will and humour. This is that which St. Paul so often did forbid in word, and discountenanced in practice: for the edification of others, to procure advantage to his endeavours, to shun offence, to preserve concord and amity, he waved pleasing his own desire and fancy, he complied with the conceits and humours even of those who were most ignorant and weak in judgment; he even subjected and enslaved himself Rom. xv. 1, to the pleasure of others, directing us to do the like: We then, saith he, that are strong, ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves: let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification; for even Christ pleased not himself, (he adjoineth the great example of our Lord to enforce his own.) Again; Give none of33. xi. 1. fence, saith he, even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of the many, that they may be saved: Be ye (herein) followers of me, as I am of Christ and again, To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak; I am made all things to all men that I might by all means save some: Though I be free from all men, (that is, although I have no superior, that can command me, or oblige me in these matters,) yet have I made What myself servant to all, that I might gain the more. this excellent person was in this instance of managing ecclesiastical discipline, and promoting the Gospel, that, both in the same cases, and in the prosecution of all other designs, in all our conversation and practice, should we likewise be. 1 Cor. ix. 22, 19. We should in no case indulge our own humour or fancy, but ever look to the reason of the thing, and act accordingly, whatever it requireth. We should never act without striving with competent ap- SERM. plication of mind to discern clearly some reason why we act; LXII. and from observing the dictates of that reason, no unaccountable cause should pervert us: blind will, headstrong inclination, impetuous passion, should never guide, or draw, or drive us to any thing; for this is not to act like a man, but as a beast, or rather worse than a beast; for beasts operate by a blind instinct indeed, but such as is planted in them by a superior wisdom, unerringly directing them to a pur, suit of their true good: but man is left in manu concilii sui, Wisd. i. 12. is obliged (under sore penalties) not to follow blind inclina- Deut xxx. tions or instinct; but to act with serious deliberation and i Cor. 10. choice, to observe explicit rules and resolutions of reason. 24. OF SELF.INTEREST. 19. in 1 Cor. Or. 25. V. Another culpable sort of self-love is that of self-in- Vid. Chrys terest; when men inordinately or immoderately do covet and strive to procure for themselves these worldly goods, merely because profitable or pleasant to themselves, not con- . sidering or regarding the good of others, according to the rules of justice, of humanity, of Christian charity; when their affections, their cares, their endeavours do mainly tend to the advancement, advantage, or delight of themselves; they little caring what cometh on it, who loseth, who suffereth thereby. They look upon themselves as if they were all the world, and no man beside concerned therein, or considerable to them; that the good state of things is to be measured by their condition; that all is well, if they do prosper and thrive; all is ill, if they are disappointed in their desires and projects. The good of no man, not of their brethren, not of their friends, not of their country, doth come with them under consideration; what scandals do arise, what disorders are committed, what mischiefs are caused, they matter not, if they get somewhat thereby: what if the Church or State be reproached, what if the neighbourhood be offended or disturbed, what if the world cry out and complain, if they SERM. become richer by it, or have their passion gratified, or find some pleasure in it? LXII. This is the chief spring of injustice; for from hence it is, that oftentimes men regard not what courses they take, what means they use, (how unjust, how base soever they be,) toward the compassing their designs; hence they trample upon right, they violate all laws and rules of conscience, they falsify their trusts, they betray their friends, they supplant their neighbour, they flatter and collogue, they wind about and shuffle any way, they detract from the worth and virtue of any man, they forge and vent odious slanders, they commit any sort of wrong and outrage, they (without regard or remorse) do any thing which seemeth to further their design. This is the great source of uncharitableness; for from hence men affect no man otherwise than he seemeth able to serve their turn; the poor therefore is ever slighted and neglected by them as unserviceable; the rich only is minded and respected as capable to promote the ends; they become hardhearted toward others, not considering or commiserating their case; they will part with nothing from themselves to those who need their relief; they delight in nothing which doth not make for their advantage; all their shews of friendship and respect are mercenary, and mere trade; they do nothing gratis, or for love. This is the great root of all the disorders and mischiefs in the world; this self-love prompteth men to those turbulent scramblings and scufflings, whereby good order is confounded; this engageth them to desert their stations, to transgress their bounds, to invade and encroach upon others with fraud and violence: did men with any conscionable moderation mind and pursue their own private interest, all those fierce animosites, those fiery contentions, those bitter emulations, those rancorous grudges, those calumnious supplantings, those perfidious cozenages, those outrageous violences, those factious confederacies, those seditious murmurings and tumultuous clamours, would vanish and cease; self-interest it is that gives life and nourishment to all such practices, the which embroil the world in discord and dis in arma. order. It is not out of pure madness or wanton humour that SERM. commonly men engage themselves and others in those base LXII. and troublesome courses, but out of design to get by it; hope-nullum of gain to be raked out of public ruins and disorders is the furor egit principle that moveth them, the reward they propound to Bella pethemselves for their pains in meddling, toward the promoting them; like those who set fire on the town, that they mercede.may get opportunity to rifle and pillage. He that taketh himself to be as but one man, (naturally like and equal to others,) conceiving that he ought to consider the interest and right of other men in the same rank with his own, that he in reason should be contented with that share which ariseth to him by fair meansd; who thence resolveth to be satisfied with his own lot, to abide quiet in his station, to yield the same deference and compliance to others which he can presume or pretend to receive from them; who desires only to enjoy the gifts of Providence and the fruits of his industry in a due subordination to the pub lic peace and welfare; he will not easily strive or struggle for preferments, he will not foment emulations or factions for his advantage, he will never design to cozen or supplant, to detract or calumniate for advancement of his ends; he thence will not contribute to the mischiefs and troubles in the world. Self-interest therefore is the great enemy to the commonweal; that which perverteth all right, which confoundeth all order, which spoileth all the convenience and comfort of society. It is a practice indeed (this practice of pursuing self-interest so vehemently, so especially above all things) which is looked upon and cried up as a clear and certain point of wisdom; the only solid wisdom; in comparison whereto those precepts which prescribe the practice of strict justice, ingenuous humanity, free charity, are but pedantical tattles, or notions merely chimerical; so the world now more than d Ut quisque maxime ad suum commodum refert quæcunque agit, ita minime est vir bonus; ut qui virtutem præmio metiantur, nullam virtutem nisi malitiam putant, &c. Cic. de Leg. 1 tunt mag na victi |