doings; to be pragmatical obfervers of what is faid S ER M. or done without us (that which perchance may little xvII. concern, little profit us to know), and in the mean while to be strangers at home, to overlook what paffeth in our own breafts, to be ignorant of our most near and proper concernments, is a folly, if any, to be derided, or rather greatly to be pitied, as the fource of many great inconveniences to us. For it is from ignorance of ourselves that we mistake ourselves for other perfons than we really are; and accordingly we behave ourselves toward ourselves with great indecency and injuftice; we affume and attribute to ourselves that which doth not anywife belong unto us, or become us: as put the cafe we are ignorant of the perfons we converse with, as to their quality, their merit, their humour; we shall be apt to mifcall and mistake them; to misbehave ourselves in our demeanour toward them; to yield them more or less respect than befits them; to crofs them rudely, or unhandfomely to humour them: in like manner, if we be strangers to our hearts, fhall we carry ourselves toward our own felves; we shall hence, like men in a frenzy, take ourselves for extraordinary people, rich and noble, and mighty, when indeed, our condition being duly estimated, we are wretchedly mean and beggarly. We do frequently hug Rev. iii. 17. ourselves (or rather fhadows in our room), admiring ourfelves for qualities not really being in us; applauding ourselves for actions nothing worth; fuch as proceed from ill principles, and aim at bad ends; when as, did we turn our thoughts inwards, and regard what we find in our hearts, by what inclinations we are moved, upon what grounds we proceed, we fhould be ashamed, and fee cause rather to bemoan than to bless ourselves: defcending into ourselves *, we might perchance difcern that most of our gallant performances (fuch as not confidering our hearts we * Ut nemo in fefe tentat defcendere, nemo. prefume SER M. prefume them to be) are derived from felf-love or XVII. pride; from defire of honour, or love of gain; 9. from: fear of damage or difcredit in the world, rather than out of love, reverence, and gratitude toward God, of charity, compaffion, and goodwill toward our brethren, of fober regard to our own true welfare and happiness; which are the only commendable principles, and grounds of action. St. Luke Luke xviii. telleth us of certain men, who perfuaded themselves that they were righteous, and defpifed others; upon occafion of whom our Saviour dictateth the parable of the Pharifee and Publican. Whence, think we, came that fond confidence in themselves, and proud contempt of others? From ignorance furely of themfelves, or from not obferving thofe bad difpofitions, those wrong opinions, thofe corrupt fountains within, from whence their fuppofed righteous deeds did flow. Gal. vi. 3,4. If any man, faith St. Paul, giving an account of fuch prefumptions, thinks himself to be fomething, when he is nothing, tauτòv peevanara, he cheats himself in his mind; but let every man examine his work, and then he shall Пgosaur have rejoicing in himself alone (or privately with himfelf); fome, he implieth, do impofe upon and delude themfelves, imagining themfelves fomebodies (endued forfooth with admirable qualities, or to have atchieved very worthy deeds), when as, if they would enquire into themfelves, they fhould find no fuch matter; that themfelves were no fuch men, and their works no fuch wonders: but if, faith he, a man doth, δοκιμάζειν ἑαυτῷ τὸ ἔργον, implore and examine what he doth, and in refult thereof doth clearly perceive, that he acteth upon good reasons, and with honeft intentions, then may he indeed enjoy a folid interior fatisfaction (a true xxxnx, or exultation of mind), whatever others, not acquainted with those inward fprings of his motion, do please to μόνον. ἑαυτὸν * Ῥᾷςον ἑαυτὸν ἀπατᾷν, καὶ οἴεσθαι εἶναί τι ἐδὲν ὄντα, ὑπὸ τῆς κινῆς Jóns Quiétior. Nazianz. Orat. 27. judge judge of him, and his proceedings. No man indeed S E R M. can truly value himself, or well approve of his own xvII. doings, fo as to find any perfect comfort in himself, or in them, who doth not by studying himself difcover whence and why he acts: one may be a flatterer, but cannot be a true friend to himself, who doth not thoroughly acquaint himself with his own inward ftate; who doth not frequently confult and converse with himself: a friend to himself, I faid; and to be fo is one of the greatest benefits that human life can enjoy; that which will moft fweeten and folace our life to us friendship with others (with perfons honeft and intelligent) is a great accommodation, helping much to allay the troubles and ease the burthens of life; but friendship with ourselves is much more neceffary to our well-being; for we have continual opportunities and obligations to converfe with ourfelves; we do ever need affiftance, advice, and comfort at home *: and as commonly it is long acquaintance and familiar intercourfe together, which doth conciliate one man to another, begetting mutual dearness and confidence, fo it is toward one's felf: as no man can be a friend to a mere ftranger, or to one whofe temper, whofe humour, whofe defigns he is ignorant of; fo cannot he be a friend to himself, if he be unacquainted with his own difpofition and meaning; he cannot in fuch a cafe rely upon his own advice or aid when need is, but will suspect and diftruft himself; he cannot be pleasant company to himself, but shall be ready to cross and fall out with himself; he cannot adminifter confolation to his own griefs and diftreffes; his privacy will become a desertion, his retirement a mere folitude. * patriæ quis exul fe quoque fugit? Αὐτὸς σεαυτῷ χρῷ συμβέλῳ, καὶ τῷ θεῷ. Naz. Epif. 60. † Ενιοι τὸν ἴδιον βίον ὡς ἀτερπέσατον θέμα προσιδεῖν εχ υπομένουσιν, οὐδ ̓ ἀνακλάσαι τὸν λογισμὸν ὡς φῶς ἐφ ̓ ἑαυτὸς καὶ περια[αγεῖν· ἀλλ ̓ ἡ ψυ χὴ γέμουσα κακῶν παντοδαπῶν, να φρίτουσα, καὶ φοβουμένη τὰ ἔνδον, ἐκε nda dúgale, &c. Plut. de Curiof. p. 916. A a But SER M. But paffing over this general advantage, I fhall with XVII. fome more minutenefs of diftinction confider divers particular advantages accruing from the practice of this duty, together with the oppofite inconveniences, which are confequent upon the neglect thereof, in the following difcourfe. SERMON SERMON XVIII. Keep thy Heart with all Diligence, &c. PROV. iv. 23. Keep thy Heart with all Diligence, &c. PROCEED to the particular advantages of the s ER M. practice of this duty, and the inconveniences of XVIII. the neglect of it. 1. The conftant and careful obfervation of our hearts will ferve to prevent immoderate felf-love and felf-conceit; to render us fober and modeft in our opinions concerning, and in our affections toward ourfelves; qualifying us to comply with the apostolical precept, μὴ φρονεῖν ὑπὲρ ἃ δεῖ φρονεῖν, that is, not to overween, or overvalue ourselves, and our own things: for he that, by ferious infpection upon his own heart, fhall difcern how many fond, impure, and ugly thoughts do fwarm within him; how averfe his inclinations are from good, and how prone to evil; how much his affections are mifplaced and diftempered (while he vehemently delights in the poffeffion, and impotently frets for the want of trifles, having fmall content in the fruition, and but flender difpleasure for the abfence of the greatest goods; while empty hopes exalt him, and idle fears deject him; while other various paffions, like fo many tempefts, drive and tofs him all about); who shall observe, how clouds A a 2 |