SERM. that which it aimeth at. Self-commendation is fo far LXIII. from procuring a good opinion, that it breedeth an evil one. Men have a prejudice against what is faid, as proceeding from a fufpected witnefs; one who is biaffed by felf-love 2 Cor. x. 18. and bribed by self-interest to impose upon them. Not he that commendeth himself is approved. τρα καυχη 2 Cor. x. 13. It is fastidious, as impertinent, infignificant, and infipid ; ἐχὶ τὰ xrà aufpending time, and beating their ears to no purpose; they take it for an injury to suppose them so weak as to be moved by fuch words, or forced into a good conceit. σόμεθα. It is odious and invidious; for all men do love themfelves, no less than we ourselves; and cannot endure to fee those who affect to advance themselves and reign in our opinion. It prompteth them to speak evil of us; to fearch for faults to cool and check us. It is therefore a prepofterous and vain way to think of gaining credit and love: men thereby infallibly lose or depress themselves. Of all words those which express ourselves and our things, I and mine, &c. are the leaft pleafing to men's ears. It spoileth conversation; for he that loveth to speak of himself doth least love to hear others speak of themselves, and fo is not attentive. If a man have worthy qualities and do good deeds, let them speak for him; they will of themselves extort commendation; his filence about them, his seeming to neglect them, will enhance their worth in the opinion of men. Prating about them, obtruding them upon men, will mar their credit; inducing men to think them done not out of love to virtue, but for a vain-glorious defign. Thus did Cicero, thus have many others blafted the glory of their φρων καυχώ- virtuous deeds. riyava μενος. 2 Cor. xii. 11. 3. Suppofing you get the belief and the praise you aim 2 Cor. xi. at, to have complacence therein is bad or dangerous; it is a fond fatisfaction, it is a vicious pleasure; it puffeth up, it befooleth. 17. 4. It is against modefty. It argueth the man hath a SERM. high opinion of himself: if he believe himself what he LXIII. faith, he hath fo; if not, why would he perfuade others to have it? Modesty cannot without pain hear others speak of him, nor can with any grace receive commendations; it is therefore great impudence to speak of himself, and to feek praise. 5. We may obferve it to be a great temptation to speak falfely. Men, when they affect commendation, will gladly have it to the utmoft; are loath to wrong themselves, or to lose any thing; they will therefore at least speak to the extreme bounds of what may be said in their own behalf; and while they run upon the extreme borders of truth, it is hard to ftop their career, fo as not to launch forth into falfehood: it is hard to ftand upon the brink, without falling into the ditch. It is therefore advisable in our difcourfe to leave ourfelves out as much as may be; never, if we can help it, to say, I, mine, &c. never seeking, commonly fhunning and declining occafion to speak of ourselves: it will bring much convenience and benefit to us. Our discourse will not be offenfive; we shall decline envy and obloquy; we fhall avoid being talked of; we shall escape temptations of vanity; we fhall better attend to what others fay, &c. If we will be speaking of ourselves, it is allowable to speak fincerely and unaffectedly concerning our infirmities and faults; as St. Paul does of himself. 2 Cor. xii. 5. xi. 30. Plut. πῶς τις ἑαυτὸν There are fome cafes wherein a man may commend himself; as in his own defence, to maintain his authority, to urge his example, &c. fo doth St. Paul often. Heavies. calleth it folly to boast, (because generally fuch it is,) yet he doth it for thofe ends. Let another praife thee, and not thine own mouth; a Prov. xxvii. ftranger, and not thine own lips. THINKING OF OURSELVES. Thinking of ourselves with glee and pleasure; this is a 2. LXIII SERM. great nourisher of immoderate felf-love; for the more they indulge to a gazing upon themfelves with delight, the more they grow in love, the more paffionately they come to dote on themselves. It is good to reflect inward, and to view our fouls; but we should do it fo as to find a wholesome displeasure and regret in beholding ourselves so foul and impure, so weak and defectuous, fo ugly and deformed: if we do thus, we shall not over-love ourselves. Some general Remedies of Self-Love. 1. To reflect upon ourselves seriously and impartially, confidering our natural nothingness, meanness, baseness, imperfection, infirmity, unworthinefs; the meanness and imperfection of our nature, the defects and deformities of our fouls, the failings and misdemeanours of our lives. He that doeth this cannot surely find himself lovely, and must therefore take it for very abfurd to dote on himself. He will rather be induced to dislike, defpife, abhor, and loathe himself. 2. To confider the loveliness of other beings fuperior to us; comparing them with ourselves, and obferving how very far in excellency, worth, and beauty they tranfcend us; which if we do, we must appear no fit objects of love, we must be checked in our dotage, and diverted from this fond affection to ourselves. It cannot but dazzle our eyes and dull our affections to ourselves. If we view the qualities and examples of other men, who in worth, in wisdom, in virtue, and piety, do far excel us; their noble endowments, their heroical achievements; what they have done and suffered in obedience to God, (their ftrict temperance and aufterity, their laborious induftry, their felf-denial, their patience, &c.) how can we but in comparison despise and loathe ourselves? If we confider the bleffed angels and faints in glory and blifs; their purity, their humility, their obedience; how can we think of ourselves without contempt and abhorrence? Efpecially if we contemplate the perfection, the purity, the majesty of God; how must this infinitely debase us in SERM. our opinion concerning ourselves, and confequently di- LXIII. minish our fond affection toward things fo vile and unworthy? 3. To study the acquifition and improvement of charity toward God and our neighbour. This will employ and transfer our affections; these drawing our fouls outward, and fettling them upon other objects, will abolish or abate the perverse love toward ourselves. 4. To confider, that we do owe all we are and have to the free bounty and grace of God: hence we fhall fee that nothing of esteem or affection is due to ourselves; but all to him, who is the fountain and author of all our good. 5. To direct our minds wholly toward those things which rational felf-love requireth us to regard and feek: to concern ourselves in getting virtue, in performing our duty, in promoting our falvation, and arriving to happinefs; this will divert us from vanity: a fober felf-love will ftifle the other fond felf-love. SERMON LXIV. PROVIDE THINGS HONEST IN THE SIGHT ROM. xii. 17. Provide things honeft in the fight of all men. SERM. THE world apparently is come to that pass, that men LXIV. commonly are afraid or afhamed of religious practice, Ifa. iii. 9. hardly daring to own their Maker by a confcientious observance of his laws. While profaneness and wickedness are grown outrageously bold, so that many declare their fin as Sodom; piety and virtue are become pitifully bashful, so that how few have the heart and the face openly to maintain a due regard to them? Men in nothing appear fo referved and fhy as in avowing their confcience, in discovering a sense of their duty, in expreffing any fear of God, any love of goodness, any concern for their own foul. It is wisdom, as they conceive, to compound with God, and to collude with the world; referving for God some place in their heart, or yielding unto him some private acknowledgment; while in their public demeanour they conform to the world, in commiffion of fin, or neglect of their duty; fuppofing that God may be fatisfied with the invifible part of his service, while men are gratified by vifible compliance with their ungracious humours. Such proceeding is built on divers very fallacious, abfurd, and inconfiftent grounds or pretences; whereby men |