,transcribers ,note3 ,the typesetting in
 the book was poor1 all errors  have    
been retained as printed4               
,illustration3 ,g4 ,l4 ,brown4 ,s4      
,schoff4           ,,landing ,,of ,,the 
,,pilgrims ,,at ,,plimouth #aath4 ,,dec4
 #afbj4                                 
,,the                             ,,sin 
,,and ,,danger                          
,,of                                    
,,self-,,love                           
,,described1                            
,,in ,a                                 
,,sermon                                
,,preached                   ,,at       
,,plymouth1 ,,in ,,new-,,england1 #afba1
                                   ,,by 
,,robert ,,cushman4                     
,,with ,a ,,memoir ,,of ,,the ,,author4 
,,boston3                               
,,published ,,by ,,charles ,,ewer1      
,,and ,,for ,,sale ,,by ,,crocker       
,,brewster1 ,,samuel ,g4 ,,drake1       
,,little  ,,brown1 ,,james ,,munroe     
,,company1                  ,,benjamin  

,,perkins1 ,,and ,,james ,,loring4      
,,dec4 #bb1 #ahdf4                      
,,biographical ,,sketch1                
,,by                            ,,hon4  
,,john ,,davis1      ,,late ,,judge ,,of
 ,,the ,u4 ,s4 ,,district ,,court1      
,,massachusetts ,,district4             
,,robert ,,cushman1 the author of the   
preceding discourse1 was one  of the    
most distinguished characters among that
 collection of  worthies1 who quitted   
,england on account of their religious  
difficulties1 and settled with ,mr4     
,john ,robinson1 their pastor  in the   
city of ,leyden1 in ,holland1 in the    
year #afji4 ,proposing  afterwards a    
removal to ,america in the year #afag1  
,mr4 ,cushman and  ,mr4 ,john ,carver1  
7afterwards the first ,governor of      
,new-,plymouth7  were sent over to      
,england1 as their agents1 to agree with
 the  ,virginia ,company for a          
settlement1 and to obtain1 if possible1 
a  grant of liberty of conscience in    
their intended plantation1 from  ,king  

,james4    ,from this negotiation though
 conducted on their part with great     
discretion and ability1 they returned   
unsuccessful to ,leyden1 in  ,may #afah4
 ,they met with no difficulty indeed    
with the ,virginia  ,company1 who were  
willing to grant them sufficient        
territory1 with  as ample privileges as 
they could bestow3 but the pragmatical  
,james1 the pretended vicegerent of the 
,deity1 refused to grant  them that     
liberty in religious matters1 which was 
their principal  object--when this      
persevering people finally determined to
  transport themselves to this country1 
relying upon ,james's promise  that he  
would connive at1 though not expressly  
tolerate them2  ,mr4 ,cushman was again 
dispatched to ,england in ,february     
#afai1 with  ,mr4 ,william ,bradford1   
another of the company1 to agree with   
the  ,virginia ,company on the terms of 
their removal and settlement4    ,after 
much difficulty and delay1 they obtained
 a patent in the  ,september following1 

upon which part of the ,church at       
,leyden1 with  their ,elder ,mr4        
,brewster determined to transport       
themselves as  soon as possible4 ,mr4   
,cushman was one of the agents in       
,england to  procure money1 shipping and
 other necessaries for the voyage1 and  
finally embarked with them at           
,south-,hampton1 ,august #eth1 #afbj4   
,but the ship1 in which he sailed1      
proving leaky1 and after twice  putting 
into port to repair1 being finally      
condemned as unfit to  perform the      
voyage1 ,mr4 ,cushman with his family1  
and a number of  others were obliged1   
though reluctantly1 to relinquish the   
voyage  for that time and returned to   
,london4 ,those in the other ship       
proceeded and made their final          
settlement at ,plymouth in ,december    
#afbj1 where ,mr4 ,cushman also arrived 
in the ship ,fortune from  ,london1 on  
the #ajth of ,november #afba1 but took  
passage in the  same ship back again1   
pursuant to the directions of the       

merchant  adventurers in ,london1 7who  
fitted out the ship and by whose        
assistance the first settlers were      
transported7 to give them an  account of
 the plantation4,a ,he sailed from      
,plymouth ,december  #acth1 #afba1 and  
arriving on the coast of ,england1 the  
ship1 with  a cargo1 valued at #ejjl4   
sterling1 was taken by the ,french4 ,mr4
  ,cushman1 with the crew1 was carried  
into ,france2 but arrived in  ,london in
 the ,february following4 ,during his   
short residence at  ,plymouth1 though a 
mere lay character1 he delivered the    
preceding  discourse1 which was printed 
in ,london in #afbb1 and afterwards     
re-printed in ,boston in #agbd4 ,and    
though his name is not prefixed  to     
either edition1 yet unquestionable      
tradition renders it certain  that he   
was the author1 and even transmits to us
 a knowledge of  the spot where it was  
delivered4 ,mr4 ,cushman1 though he     
constantly  corresponded with his       
friends here1 and was very serviceable  

to  their interest in ,london--never    
returned to the country again1 but      
while preparing for it was removed to a 
better1 in the year #afbf4  ,the news of
 his death and ,mr4 ,robinson's arrived 
at the same time  at ,plymouth1 by      
,captain ,standish1 and seem to have    
been equally  lamented by their bereaved
 and suffering friends there4 ,he was   
zealously engaged in the prosperity of  
the plantation1 a man of  activity and  
enterprise1 well versed in business1    
respectable in  point of intellectual   
abilities1 well accomplished in         
scriptural  knowledge1 an unaffected    
professor1 and a steady sincere         
practiser  of religion4 ,the design of  
the following discourse was to keep up  
the noble flow of public spirit1 which  
perhaps began then to abate1  but which 
was necessary for their preservation and
 security4    ,footnote ,a3 ,it seems to
 be a mistaken idea that ,mr4 ,cushman  
started in the smaller vessel1 which put
 back on account of its  proving leaky4 

,this mistake has arisen from the fact  
that ,mr4 ,c4  was left in ,england in  
#afbj1 and did not come over in the     
,mayflower  with the first emigrants4   
,the fact is that ,mr4 ,cushman procured
  'the larger vessel1' the ,mayflower1  
and its pilot at ,london and  left in   
that vessel2 but in consequence of the  
unsoundness of the  smaller vessel1 the 
,speedwell1 it became necessary that    
part of  the pilgrims should be left    
behind1 and consequently ,mr4 ,cushman1 
whom ,gov4 ,bradford called 'the right  
hand with the adventurers1'  and who    
'for divers years had managed all our   
business with them to  our great        
advantage1' was selected as one who     
would be best able  to keep together    
that portion of the flock left behind4  
,although  ,mr4 ,cushman did not come   
over in the ,mayflower1 yet such was the
  respect for him among those who did   
come1 that his name is placed  at the   
head of those who came in that ship1 in 
the allotment of  land at a time when he

 was not in ,new ,england4              
,n4 ,b4 ,s4    ,after the death of ,mr4 
,cushman1 his family came over to ,new  
,england4 ,his son1 ,thomas ,cushman1   
succeeded ,mr4 ,brewster1 as ruling     
elder of the ,church of ,plymouth1 being
 ordained to that office  in #afdi4 ,he 
was a man of good gifts1 and frequently 
assisted in  carrying on the public     
worship1 preaching1 and catechising4    
,for it  was one professed principle of 
that ,church1 in its first formation1   
'to choose none for governing ,elders1  
but such as were able to  teach4' ,he   
continued in this office till he died1  
in #afia1 in the  eighty-fourth year of 
his age4                                
,,letter ,,from ,,judge ,,davis4        
,,boston1 ,,dec4 #ba1 #ahdf4    ,,dear  
,,sir3    ,having communicated to me    
your intention of publishing a new      
edition of ,robert ,cushman's memorable 
discourse1 delivered in  ,plymouth1     
#afba1 together with the memoir of the  
author1 which ,i  prepared for the      

edition printed by ,nathaniel ,coverly  
in ,plymouth1  in #aghe2 ,i take the    
liberty to advise you to follow for your
  purpose that copy of the memoir which 
was inserted by the ,rev4 ,dr4  ,belknap
 in the second volume of his ,american  
,biography1 with the  addition of some  
particulars respecting the family1      
especially of  elder ,thomas ,cushman1  
son of ,robert ,cushman1 and who1 like  
his  father1 was held in high esteem by 
all his cotemporaries4    ,the original 
memoir prepared for the ,plymouth       
edition1 was  anonymous4 ,my highly     
esteemed friend the ,rev4 ,dr4 ,belknap1
 in  giving it a place in his valuable  
work was pleased to announce the  name  
of the writer4    ,the remarks on the   
discourse originally accompanying the   
memoir1  were prompted by views supposed
 to have been adopted by the  ,plymouth 
pioneers respecting property and civil  
polity1 in which  ,i was afterwards     
convinced ,i had made a mistake4 ,i had 
adopted an  opinion corresponding with  

that of ,dr4 ,robertson and other       
writers1  that misguided by their       
religious theories and in imitation of  
the  primitive christians1 they         
voluntarily threw all their property    
into a common stock4 ,and that their    
difficulties and embarrassments  were   
greatly enhanced by adopting1 and       
perseveringly adhering to an            
impracticable system4 ,but further      
inquiry induced the conviction  that    
this conjecture was erroneous1 and that 
the severe pressure  they experienced1  
was in a great degree produced by the   
operation  of their articles of         
agreement with the adventurers in       
,england1  which established a community
 of interest for seven years1 and       
prevented the holding in severalty the  
fruits of their industry  and           
enterprise4    ,these views of the      
subject1 and an acknowledgement of my   
previous  mistake1 were expressed in a  
discourse delivered at ,plymouth1 in    
the year #ahjj1 on the anniversary of   

the landing of the fathers4  ,the ,rev4 
,mr4 ,abbot of ,beverly1 afterwards1 on 
a like occasion1  without any knowledge 
of the contents of that discourse1 which
 was  not published1 was led in his     
investigation of the subject1 into  a   
similar conclusion1 and fully vindicated
 the pilgrims from the  censures which  
had been expressed relative to this     
branch of their  proceedings4 ,the      
onerous connection with the merchant    
adventurers  remained until #afbg1 when 
an amicable and satisfactory settlement 
was made with them by a purchase of all 
their interest in the  concern4 ,the sum
 contracted to be given for this        
purchase1 was #ahjj  pounds sterling1   
payable by instalments of #bjj pounds   
annually4    ,thus says ,governor       
,bradford in one of his letters3        
,all now is become our own1 as we say in
 the proverb1       when our debts are  
paid4 ,and doubtless this was a great   
mercy of ,god unto us1 and a great means
 of peace and       better subsistence1 

and wholly dashed all the plots and     
devices of our enemies1 both there and  
here1 who daily       expected our ruin1
 dispersion and utter subversion by the 
same2 but their hopes were thus far     
prevented though with       great care  
and labor1 we were left to struggle with
 the       payment of the money4        
,under these impressions ,i think it    
will be well for you to omit  the       
insertion of the remarks above mentioned
 on ,mr4 ,cushman's  discourse4 ,that   
discourse is a precious relic of ancient
 times1  the sound sense1 good advice1  
and pious spirit1 which it manifests1   
will1 it may be hoped1 now1 and in all  
future time1 meet with  approval and    
beneficial acceptance in our community4 
,the information contained in the note  
of your correspondent  respecting ,mr4  
,cushman's embarcation1 and the         
assignment of land  made to him in the  
colony1 is believed to be correct4      
,respectfully ,your ,ob't4 ,servant1    
,j4 ,,davis4      ,to ,,charles ,,ewer1 

,esq4                 ,,to ,,his        
,,loving ,,friends ,,the ,,adventurers  
,,for ,,new-,,england4                  
,,together           ,,with ,,all       
,,well-,,willers1 ,,and ,,well-,,wishers
 ,,thereunto1                           
,,grace ,,and ,,peace1 ,c4              
,,new-,,england1 so called1 not only 7to
 avoid novelties7 because  ,captain     
,smith hath so entitled it in his       
,description1 but because  of the       
resemblance that is in it1 of ,england  
the native soil of  ,englishmen2 it     
being much what the same for heat and   
cold in ,summer  and ,winter1 it being  
champaign ground1 but no high mountains1
  somewhat like the soil in ,kent and   
,essex2 full of dales1 and  meadow      
ground1 full of rivers and sweet        
springs1 as ,england is4  ,but          
principally1 so far as we can yet find1 
it is an island1 and  near about the    
quantity of ,england1 being cut out from
 the main  land in ,america1 as ,england
 is from the main of ,europe1 by a      

great arm of the sea1 which entereth in 
forty degrees1 and runneth  up ,north   
,west and by ,west1 and goeth out either
 into the ,south-,sea1  or else into the
 ,bay of ,canada4 ,the certainty        
whereof1 and  secrets of which1 we have 
not yet so found as that as             
eye-witnesses  we can make narration    
thereof1 but if ,god give time and      
means1 we  shall1 ere long1 discover    
both the extent of that river1 together 
with the secrets thereof2 and so try    
what territories1 habitations1  or      
commodities1 may be found1 either in it1
 or about it4    ,it pertaineth not to  
my purpose to speak any thing either in 
praise1 or dispraise of the country2 so 
it is by ,god's ,providence1  that a few
 of us are there planted to our content1
 and have with  great charge and        
difficulty attained quiet and competent 
dwellings  there4 ,and thus much ,i will
 say for the satisfaction of such as    
have any thought of going hither to     
inhabit8 ,that for men which  have a    

large heart1 and look after great       
riches1 ease1 pleasures1  dainties1 and 
jollity in this world 7except they will 
live by other  men's sweat1 or have     
great riches7 ,i would not advise them  
to come  there1 for as yet the country  
will afford no such matters3 ,but if    
there be any who are content to lay out 
their estates1 spend their  time1       
labors1 and endeavors1 for the benefit  
of them that shall  come after1 and in  
desire to further the gospel among those
 poor  heathens1 quietly contenting     
themselves with such hardship and       
difficulties1 as by ,god's ,providence  
shall fall upon them1 being  yet young1 
and in their strength1 such men ,i would
 advise and  encourage to go1 for their 
ends cannot fail them4    ,and if it    
should please ,god to punish his people 
in the ,christian  countries of ,europe1
 7for their coldness1 carnality1 wanton 
abuse of the ,gospel1 contention1 c47   
either by ,turkish slavery1  or by      
popish tyranny which ,god forbid1 yet if

 the time be come1  or shall come 7as   
who knoweth7 when ,satan shall be let   
loose to  cast out his floods against   
them1 7,rev4 #ab4 #ad4 #ae47 here is a  
way opened for such as have wings to fly
 into this wilderness2 and  as by the   
dispersion of the ,jewish church through
 persecution1  the ,lord brought in the 
fulness of the ,gentiles1 7,act4 #aa4   
#bj1  #ba47 so who knoweth1 whether now 
by tyranny and affliction1 he  suffereth
 to come upon them1 he will not by      
little and little chase  them even      
amongst the heathens1 that so a light   
may rise up in the  dark1 7,luke #b4    
#cb47 and the kingdom of ,heaven be     
taken from them  which now have it1 and 
given to a people that shall bring forth
 the  fruit of it4 7,mat4 #ba4 #dc47    
,this ,i leave to the judgment of the   
godly wise1 being neither prophet nor   
son of a prophet1 7,amos #g4  #ad47 but 
considering ,god's dealing of old1 7#b  
,kings #ag1 #bc47 and  seeing the name  
of ,christian to be very great1 but the 

true nature  thereof almost quite lost  
in all degrees and sects1 ,i cannot     
think  but that there is some judgment  
not far off1 and that ,god will         
shortly1 even of stones1 raise up       
children unto ,abraham4 7,mat4  #c4 #e47
    ,and who so rightly considereth what
 manner of entrance1 abiding1  and      
proceedings1 we have had among these    
poor heathens since we  came hither1    
will easily think1 that ,god has some   
great work to do  towards them4    ,they
 were wont to be the most cruel and     
treacherous people in all  these parts1 
even like lions1 but to us they have    
been like lambs1  so kind1 so           
submissive1 and trusty1 as a man may    
truly say1 many  christians are not so  
kind1 nor sincere4    ,they were very   
much wasted of late1 by reason of a     
great mortality  that fell amongst them 
three years since1 which together with  
their  own civil dissentions and bloody 
wars1 hath so wasted them1 as ,i  think 
the twentieth person is scarce left     

alive1 and those that  are left1 have   
their courage much abated1 and their    
countenance is  dejected1 and they seem 
as a people affrighted4 ,and though when
  we came first into the ,country1 we   
were few1 and many of us were  sick1 and
 many died by reason of the cold and    
wet1 it being the  depth of winter1 and 
we having no houses1 nor shelter1 yet   
when  there was not six able persons    
among us1 and that they came daily  to  
us by hundreds1 with their sachems or   
kings1 and might in  one hour have made 
a dispatch of us1 yet such a fear was   
upon them1  as that they never offered  
us the least injury in word or deed4    
,and by reason of one ,tisquanto1 that  
lives amongst us1 that can  speak       
,english1 we have daily commerce with   
their kings1 and can  know what is done 
or intended towards us among the        
savages2 also  we can acquaint them with
 our courses and purposes1 both human   
and religious4 ,and the greatest        
commander of the country1 called        

,massasoit1 cometh often to visit us1   
tho' he lives #ej miles from  us1 often 
sends us presents1 he having with many  
other of their  governors1 promised1    
yea1 subscribed obedience to our        
sovereign  ,lord ,king ,james1 and for  
his cause to spend both strength and    
life4  ,and we for our parts1 through   
,god's grace1 have with that equity1    
justice1 and compassion1 carried        
ourselves towards them1 as that  they   
have received much favor1 help1 and aid 
from us1 but never the  least injury or 
wrong by us4,a ,we found the place where
 we live  empty1 the people being all   
dead and gone away1 and none living     
near by #h or #aj miles2 and though in  
the time of some hardship we  found     
7travelling abroad7 near #h bushels of  
corn hid up in a cave1  and knew no     
owners of it1 yet afterwards hearing of 
the owners of  it1 we gave them 7in     
their estimation7 double the value of   
it4 ,our  care hath been to maintain    
peace amongst them1 and have always set 

ourselves against such of them as used  
any rebellion1 or treachery  against    
their governors1 and not only threatened
 such1 but in some  sort paid them their
 due deserts2 and when any of them are  
in want1  as often they are in the      
winter1 when their corn is done1 we     
supply  them to our power1 and have them
 in our houses eating and drinking1  and
 warming themselves1 which thing 7though
 it be something a  trouble to us7 yet  
because they should see and take        
knowledge of  our labors1 order and     
diligence1 both for this life and a     
better1  we are content to bear it1 and 
we find in many of them1 especially1  of
 the younger sort1 such a tractable     
disposition1 both to religion  and      
humanity1 as that if we had means to    
apparel them1 and wholly  to retain them
 with us 7as their desire is7 they would
 doubtless  in time prove serviceable to
 ,god and man1 and if ever ,god send us 
means we will bring up hundreds of their
 children1 both to labor  and learning4 

,footnote ,a3 ,they offer us to dwell   
where we will4    ,but leaving to speak 
of them till a further occasion be      
offered2 if  any shall marvel at the    
publishing of this treatise in ,england1
  seeing there is no want of good books1
 but rather want of men to  use good    
books1 let them know1 that the especial 
end is1 that we  may keep those motives 
in memory for ourselves1 and those that 
shall come after1 to be a remedy against
 self love the bane of  all societies4  
,and that we also might testify to our  
,christian  countrymen1 who judge       
diversly of us1 that though we be in a  
heathen country1 yet the grace of       
,christ is not quenched in us1 but  we  
still hold and teach the same points of 
faith1 mortification1  and              
sanctification1 which we have heard and 
learned1 in a most  ample and large     
manner in our own country4 ,if any shall
 think it  too rude and unlearned for   
this curious age1 let them know1 that to
  paint out the ,gospel in plain and    

flat ,english1 amongst a company  of    
plain ,englishmen 7as we are7 is the    
best and most profitablest  teaching2   
and we will study plainness1 not        
curiosity1 neither in  things human1 nor
 heavenly4 ,if any error or unsoundness 
be in  it1 7as who knoweth7 impute it to
 that frail man which endited  it1 which
 professeth to know nothing as he ought 
to know it4 ,i  have not set down my    
name1 partly because ,i seek no name1   
and  principally1 because ,i would have 
nothing esteemed by names1 for ,i  see a
 number of evils to arise through names1
 when the persons are  either famous1 or
 infamous1 and ,god and man is often    
injured2 if  any good or profit arise to
 thee in the receiving of it1 give ,god 
the praise and esteem me as a son of    
,adam1 subject to all such  frailties as
 other men are4    ,and you my loving   
friends the adventurers to this         
plantation2 as  your care has been1     
first to settle religion here1 before   
either  profit or popularity1 so ,i pray

 you1 go on1 to do it much more1 and  be
 careful to send godly men1 though they 
want some of that worldly  policy which 
this world hath in her own generation1  
and so though  you lose1 the ,lord shall
 gain4 ,i rejoice greatly in your free  
and  ready minds to your powers1 yea1   
and beyond your powers to further  this 
work1 that you thus honor ,god with your
 riches1 and ,i trust  you shall be     
repayed again double and treble in this 
world1 yea1  and the memory of this     
action shall never die1 but above all   
adding  unto this 7as ,i trust you do7  
like freeness in all other ,god's       
services both at home and abroad1 you   
shall find reward with ,god1  ten       
thousand-fold surpassing all that you   
can do or think2 be not  therefore      
discouraged1 for no labor is lost1 nor  
money spent which  is bestowed for ,god1
 your ends were good1 your success is   
good1 and  your profit is coming1 even  
in this life1 and in the life to come   
much more3 and what shall ,i say now1 a 

word to men of understanding  sufficeth1
 pardon ,i pray you my boldness1 read   
over the ensuing  treatise1 and judge   
wisely of the poor weakling1 and the    
,lord1 the  ,god of land and sea1       
stretch out his arm of protection over  
you and  us1 and over all our lawful and
 good enterprizes1 either this1 or  any 
other way4      ,plymouth in            
,new-,england1 ,december #ab1 #afba4    
,a                                      
,,sermon            ,preached at        
,,plymouth1 in ,new ,england1 #afba4    
#a ,,corinthians1 #aj4 #bd4             
,,let ,,no ,,man ,,seek ,,his ,,own3    
,,but ,,every ,,man ,,another',s        
,,wealth4    ,the occasion of these     
words of the ,apostle ,paul1 was because
 of  the abuses which were in the       
,church of ,corinth4 ,which abuses      
arose chiefly through swelling pride1   
self-love and conceitedness1  for       
although this church was planted by     
,paul and watered by  ,apollos1 and much
 increased by the ,lord2 yet the sower  

of  tares was not wanting to stir up    
evil workers and fleshly minded         
hypocrites1 under a shew of godliness1  
and with angel-like holiness  in        
appearance1 to creep in amongst them to 
disturb their peace1 try  their         
soundness1 and prove their constancy4   
,and this the ,apostle  complains of    
very often3 as first1 in their carnal   
divisions1 chap4  #a4 then in their     
extolling their eloquent teachers1 and  
despising  ,paul1 chap4 #d4 ,then in    
their offensive going to ,law1 before   
the  heathen judges1 chap4 #f4 ,then in 
eating things offered to idols1 to  the 
destroying of the tender consciences of 
their brethren1 chap4  #h4 ,then in     
their insatiable love feasts1 in the    
time and place  of their church         
meetings1 the rich which could together 
feed to  fulness1 despising and         
contemning the poor1 that had not to lay
 it  on as they had1 chap4 #aa4 ,finally
 in both the epistles1 he very  often   
nippeth them for their pride1 and       

self-love1 straitness and               
censoriousness1 so that in the last     
chapter he willeth them again  and again
 to prove1 try and examine themselves1  
to see whether  ,christ were in them or 
not1 for howsoever many of them seemed1 
as  thousands do at this day to soar    
aloft1 and go with full sail to         
,heaven3 yet as men that row in boats1  
set their faces one way1  when yet their
 whole body goeth apace another way3 so 
there are  many which set such a face   
upon religion1 and have their mouth full
  of great swelling words3 as if they   
would even blow open the doors  of      
heaven1 despising all humble minded and 
broken-hearted people1  as weak1 simple1
 sottish1 c4 when yet notwithstanding1  
these  blusterers1 which seem to go so  
fast1 and leave all others behind  them1
 if like these glosing ,corinthians1    
they carry affectedly  their own glory  
with them1 and seem thus to stand for   
the glory of  ,god4 ,what do they else  
but join flesh to spirit1 serving not   

,god  for nought1 but for wages1 and so 
serving their bellies1 whose end  will  
be damnation1 except a speedy and sound 
remedy be thought of1  which remedy is  
even that which our ,saviour teacheth   
the rich young  gallant1 and which ,paul
 here prescribeth1 in willing them not  
to  seek their own1 but every man       
another's wealth1 which physic is as    
terrible to carnal professors1 as       
abstinence from drink is to a man  that 
hath the dropsy2 and it is a sure note1 
that a man is sick of  this disease of  
self-love1 if this be grievous to him1  
as appeareth  in the man whom ,christ   
bid sell that he had1 and he went away  
very  sorrowful1 yet surely this vein   
must be pricked1 and this humor let     
out1 else it will spoil all1 it will    
infect both soul and body1  yea1 and the
 contagion of it is such 7as we shall   
see anon7 as will  even hazard the      
welfare of that society where self      
seekers and self  lovers are4    ,as    
,god then did direct this ,apostle to   

lay down this brief  direction as a     
remedy for that evil in ,corinth1 so you
 may think  it is by ,god's special     
providence1 that ,i am now to speak unto
 you  from this text3 and say in your   
hearts1 surely something is amiss  this 
way3 let us know it and amend it4       
,the parts of this text are two4 #a4 ,a 
,dehortation4 #b4 ,an  ,exhortation4    
,the ,dehortation1 ,let no man seek his 
own4 ,the  ,exhortation1 ,but every man 
another's wealth4    ,in handling of    
which1 ,i will first1 open the words4   
,secondly1  gather the doctrine4        
,thirdly illustrate the doctrine by     
scriptures1  experience and reasons4    
,fourthly apply the same1 to every one  
his  portion4    ,the proper drift of   
the ,apostle here is not to tax the     
,corinthians1 for seeking their own evil
 ends in evil actions1  but for aiming  
at themselves1 and their own benefits in
 actions  lawful1 and that appeareth in 
the former verse1 where he saith1  ,all 
things are lawful1 c4 viz4 all such     

things as now we speak  of1 to eat any  
of ,god's creatures1 offered to idols or
 not1 to  feast and be merry together1  
to shew love and kindness to this or    
that person1 c4 but when by such means  
we seek ourselves1 and have  not a      
charitable loving and reverent regard of
 others1 then they  are unexpedient1    
unprofitable1 yea unlawful1 and must be 
forborne1  and he that hath not learned 
to deny himself even the very use  of   
lawful things1 when it tendeth to the   
contempt1 reproach1  grief1 offence and 
shame of his other brethren and         
associates1  hath learned nothing       
aright1 but is1 apparently1 a man that  
seeks  himself1 and against whom the    
,apostle here dealeth most properly4    
,the manner of the speech1 may seem as  
counsel left at liberty3 as  ,mat4 #bg4 
#di4 ,and in our ordinary speech1 we    
think they be but weak  charges1 which  
are thus delivered1 let a man do this1  
or let him  do that4 ,but we must learn 
the apostle's modesty1 and know that    

whatsoever the terms seem to imply1 yet 
even this and other the  like in this   
epistle1 are most absolute charges3 as1 
,let a man  esteem of us1 as the        
ministers of ,christ1 chap4 #da4 ,that  
is1 a  man ought so to esteem of us4    
,let a man examine himself1 #a ,cor4    
#aa4 #bh4 ,that is1 as if he said1 a man
 must examine himself4 ,let  your women 
keep silence in the churches1 #a ,cor4  
#ad1 #cd4 that is1  they ought so to do4
    ,the meaning then summarily is1 as  
if he said1 the bane of all these       
mischiefs which arise among you is1 that
 men are too cleaving to  themselves and
 their own matters1 and disregard and   
contemn all  others3 and therefore ,i   
charge you1 let this self seeking be    
left  off1 and turn the stream another  
way1 namely1 seek the good of your      
brethren1 please them1 honor them1      
reverence them1 for otherwise it  will  
never go well amongst you4    ,obj4 ,but
 doth not the ,apostle elsewhere say8   
,that he1 which  careth not for his own1

 is worse than an infidel4 #a ,tim4 #e4 
#h4    ,ans4 ,true1 but by 7own7 there1 
he meaneth properly1 a man's  kindred1  
and here by 7own7 he meaneth properly a 
man's self4    ,secondly1 he there      
especially taxeth such as were negligent
 in  their labors and callings1 and so  
made themselves unable to give  relief  
and entertainment to such poor widows   
and orphans as were of  their own flesh 
and blood4    ,thirdly1 be it so1 that  
some man should even neglect his own    
self1  his own wife1 children1 friends1 
c4 ,and give that he had to  strangers1 
that were but some rare vice1 in some   
one unnatural man1  and if this vice    
slay a thousand1 self-love slayeth ten  
thousands4    ,and this the wisdom of   
,god did well foresee1 and hath set no  
caveats in the scriptures either to tax 
men1 or forewarn them  from loving      
others1 neither saith ,god any where1   
let no man seek  out the good of        
another1 but let no man seek his own1   
and every  where in the scriptures he   

hath set watch words against self good1 
self-profit1 self-seeking1 c4 ,and thus 
the sense being cleared1 ,i  come to the
 doctrine4    ,doct4 #a4 ,all men are   
too apt and ready to seek themselves too
  much1 and to prefer their own matters 
and causes beyond the due and  lawful   
measure1 even to excess and offence     
against ,god1 yea danger  of their own  
souls4    ,and this is true not only in 
wicked men which are given over of  ,god
 to vile lusts1 as ,absalom in getting  
favor in his father's  court3 ,jereboam1
 in settling his kingdom fast in        
,samaria1  ,ahab in vehement seeking    
,naboth's vineyard1 but men1 otherwise  
godly1 have through frailty been foiled 
herein1 and many thousands  which have a
 shew of godliness1 are lovers of       
themselves3 ,david  was about to seek   
himself when he was going to kill       
,naball3  ,asa in putting ,hanani in    
prison3 ,josiah when he would go to  war
 with ,necho1 against the counsel of    
,god1 and reason2 ,peter  when he       

dissembled about the ceremonies of the  
law1 yea and ,paul  complains of all his
 followers 7,timothy excepted7 that they
  sought their own too inordinately4    
99       99       99       99       99  
,and why else are these caveats in the  
scriptures1 but to warn the  godly that 
they be not tainted herewith8 as1 ,look 
not every man  on his own things1 but on
 the things of another3 ,love seeketh   
not  her own things4 ,be not desirous of
 vain glory1 c4 ,philip4 #b4 #d4 #a     
,cor4 #ac4 #f4 ,gal4 #e4 #bf4    ,yea   
and doth not experience teach1 that even
 amongst professors  of religion1 almost
 all the love and favor that is shewed  
unto  others is with a secret aim at    
themselves1 they will take pains  to do 
a man good1 provided that he will take  
twice so much for  them1 they will give 
a penny so as it may advantage them a   
pound1  labor hard so as all the profit 
may come to themselves1 else  they are  
heartless and feeble4 ,the vain and     
corrupt heart of man  cannot better be  

resembled then by a belly-god1 host1 or 
innkeeper  which welcometh his guests   
with smilings1 and salutations1 and a   
thousand welcomes1 and rejoiceth greatly
 to have their company to  dice1 cards1 
eat1 drink1 and be merry1 but should not
 the box be  paid1 the pot be filling1  
and the money telling1 all this while1  
the epicure's joy would soon be turned  
into sorrow1 and his smiles  turned into
 frowns1 and the door set open1 and     
their absence  craved3 even so men blow 
the bellows hard1 when they have an iron
  of their own a heating1 work hard     
whilst their own house is in  building1 
dig hard whilst their own garden is in  
planting1 but  is it so as the profit   
must go wholly or partly to others2     
their  hands wax feeble1 their hearts   
wax faint1 they grow churlish1 and  give
 cross answers1 like ,naball1 they are  
sour1 discontent1 and  nothing will     
please them4 ,and where is that man to  
be found1 that  will disperse abroad1   
and cast his bread upon the waters1 that

  will lend1 looking for nothing again1 
that will do all duties to  other freely
 and cheerfully in conscience to ,god1  
and love unto  men1 without his close   
and secret ends or aiming at himself2   
such  a man1 out of doubt1 is a black   
swan1 a white crow almost1 and yet  such
 shall stand before ,god with boldness  
at the last day1 when  others which have
 sought themselves1 though for love of  
themselves  they have sought heaven1    
yea1 and through self-love persuaded    
themselves they should find it1 yet     
wanting love unto others1 they  will be 
found as sounding brass1 and as a       
tinkling cimbal1 and  whilst they have  
neglected others1 and not cared how     
others live1  so as themselves may fare 
well1 they will be found amongst them1  
that the ,lord will say unto1 ,i know   
you not1 depart ye cursed into          
everlasting fire1 ,mat4 #be4 #da4 #db4  
,but that ,i may not walk in            
generalities1 the particular ways by    
which men seek their own are these3     

,first1 such as are covetous1  seek     
their own by seeking riches1 wealth1    
money1 as ,felix  pretending love unto  
,paul1 sent for him often1 but it was in
 hope  of money4 ,many there are who    
say1 who will shew us any good1  ,psal4 
#d4 #g4 ,and pretend religion1 as some  
of the ,jews did the  keeping of the    
,sabbath1 which yet cried out1 when will
 the ,sabbath  be done1 that we may sell
 corn1 and get gain2 if a man can tell  
how  to get gold out of a flint1 and    
silver out of the adamant1 no pains     
shall be spared1 no time shall be       
neglected1 for gold is their  hope1 and 
the wedge of gold is their confidence1  
their hearts are  set upon the pelf of  
this world1 and for love of it1 all     
things are  let slip1 even all duties to
 ,god or men1 they care not how basely  
they serve1 how wretchedly they neglect 
all others1 so as they may  get wealth3 
pinch who will1 and wring who will2 all 
times are alike  with them1 and they run
 for the bribe and ,gehazie2 and this is

  the first way that men seek their own4
    ,now the contrary is seen in        
,nehemiah1 who when the people were     
hard put to it1 and the land raw1 he    
took not the duties which  were due to  
him being a magistrate1 he bought no    
land1 nor grew  rich1 for it was no     
time3 but he maintained at his table    
many of  his brethren the ,jews1 and so 
spent even his own proper goods4  ,and  
,paul sought no man's gold nor silver1  
but though he had  authority1 yet he    
took not bread of the churches1 but     
labored with  his hands3 and why8 ,it   
was no time to take1 some churches were 
poor  and stood in want1 as             
,thessalonica1 others were in danger to 
be  preyed upon by covetous belly-gods1 
as ,corinth3 and therefore he  saw it no
 fit time now to take any thing of them4
    ,and indeed here is the difference  
between a covetous worldling1  and an   
honest thrifty ,christian1 it is lawful 
sometimes for men to  gather wealth1 and
 grow rich1 even as there was a time for

 ,joseph  to store up corn1 but a godly 
and sincere ,christian will see when    
this time is1 and will not hoard up when
 he seeth others of his  brethren and   
associates to want1 but then is a time1 
if he have any  thing to fetch it out   
and disperse it1 but the covetous       
gathers  goods1 he like ,achan covets   
all that he seeth2 and neglects no      
time1 but gathers still and holds all   
fast1 and if it were to save  the life  
of his brother1 his bags must not be    
diminished1 nor his  chests lighted1 nor
 his field set to sale1 gather as much  
as he  can1 but it's death to diminish  
the least part of it4    #b4 ,the second
 way by which men seek their own1 is    
when they seek  ease1 or pleasure1 as   
the ,scribes and ,pharisees1 who would  
not touch the burden with one of their  
fingers2 for there is a  generation1    
which think to have more in this world  
then ,adam's  felicity in innocency1    
being born 7as they think7 to take their
  pleasures1 and their ease1 let the    

roof of the house drop through1  they   
stir not2 let the field be overgrown    
with weeds1 they care  not1 they must   
not foul their hand1 nor wet their foot1
 it's enough  for them to say1 ,go you1 
not let us go1 though never so much     
need2  such idle drones1 are            
intollerable in a settled commonwealth1 
much  more in a commonwealth which is   
but as it were in the bud2 of what      
earth ,i pray thee art thou made1 of any
 better than the other of  the sons of  
,adam8 ,and canst thou see other of thy 
brethren toil  their hearts out1 and    
thou sit idle at home1 or takest thy    
pleasure  abroad8 ,remember the example 
of ,uriah1 who would not take his  ease 
nor his pleasure1 though the ,king      
required him1 and why8  ,because his    
brethren1 his associates1 better men    
than himself 7as  he esteemed them7 were
 under hard labors and conditions1 lay  
in the  field in tents1 caves1 c4    #c4
 ,the third way is when men seek their  
own bellies1 as some did  in the        

,apostles' times1 which went about with 
new doctrines and  devices1 knowing that
 the people had itching ears1 and would 
easily entertain and willingly feed such
 novelists1 which brought  in           
dissensions1 schisms1 and contentions1  
and such were rocks1 or  pillars in     
their love-feasts1 as ,jude speaketh1   
ver4 #ab4 ,they  were shadows in ,god's 
service1 but when feasting came1 then   
they  were substances1 then they were in
 their element4 ,and certainly  there   
are some men which shape even their     
religion1 human state1  and all1 even as
 the belly cheer is best1 and that they 
must have1  else all heart and life is  
gone2 let all conscience1 care of others
  go1 let ,lazarus starve at the gate1  
let ,joseph's affliction  be increased1 
they must have their dishes1 their      
dainties1 or no  content4 ,the contrary 
was seen in ,nehemiah1 who would not    
take  his large portion allotted to the 
governor1 because he knew it went  short
 with others of his brethren2 and ,uriah

 would not receive  the ,king's present1
 and go banquet with his wife1 because  
he knew  the whole host his brethren    
were fain to snap short in the fields4  
,and the difference between a temperate 
good man1 and a belly-god  is this3 ,a  
good man will not eat his morsels alone1
 especially1 if  he have better than    
others1 but if by ,god's providence1 he 
have  gotten some meat which is better  
than ordinary1 and better than  his     
other brethren1 he can have no rest in  
himself1 except he make  others partake 
with him4 ,but a belly-god will slop all
 in his own  throat1 yea1 though his    
neighbor come in and behold him eat1 yet
  his griple-gut shameth not to swallow 
all4 ,and this may be done  sometimes1  
as well in mean fare as in greater      
dainties1 for all  countries afford not 
alike4    #d4 ,the fourth way by which  
men seek their own1 is by seeking       
outward honor1 fame and respect with    
men2 as ,king ,saul when he  had lost   
all respect and favor with ,god1 then   

thought to give  content to his heart by
 being honored before the ,elders of the
  people2 and it is wonderful to see how
 some men are desirous of  vain glory1  
,gal4 #e4 #bf4 ,and how earnestly they  
seek praise1  favor1 and respect with   
men1 and can have no quiet longer than  
their worldly favor lasteth1 and that   
they will have what dishonor  soever    
come to ,god1 or disgrace unto men1 yea1
 they will disgrace1  reproach1 and     
disdain others1 to gain honor and       
advancement to  themselves1 yea1 they   
will make bold with the ,scriptures and 
,word  of ,god1 to wrest and wring1 and 
slight it over for their credit's  sake4
 ,and let a man mark some men's talk1   
stories1 discourses1  c4 and he shall   
see their whole drift is to extol and   
set out  themselves1 and get praise and 
commendation of men4    ,now the        
contrary was seen in ,paul1 he saith1   
,he needed no  letters of commendations1
 #b ,cor4 #c4 #b4 ,and again1 ,he is    
not affected with men's praise1 #a ,cor4

 #aj4 #ab4 ,and here is  indeed the     
difference between an humble-minded     
,christian1 and a  proud self-lover2 an 
humble man often hath praise1 as ,david1
  ,hezekiah1 and ,josiah1 but he seeks  
it not1 he desires it not1  he is       
content to go without it1 he loves not  
the praise of men1  for he knows it but 
froth and vanity3 but a proud           
self-lover1 he  seeks it still1 get it  
or not get it1 and if he get it he is   
fully  satisfied1 if he get it not he   
hangs his head like a bull-rush1 and    
hath no comfort4    #e4 ,the fifth way  
by which men seek their own1 is by      
seeking to  have their wills2 as the    
wrong doers in ,corinth1 who thought  it
 not enough to do wrong and harm to     
their brethren1 but to  have their wills
 enough of them1 drew them before the   
,heathen  magistrates4    ,and truly    
some men are so prince-like1 or rather  
,papal1 that their  very will and word  
is become a law1 and if they have said  
it1 it  must be so1 else there is no    

rest or quietness to be had1 let never  
so many reasons be brought to the       
contrary1 it is but fighting with  the  
wind4 ,they are like the obstinate      
,jews1 who when against ,god's  law1 and
 reason1 they asked a ,king1 though     
,samuel shewed them  that it would turn 
in the end to their own smart1 yet still
 held  the conclusion1 and said1 nay1   
,but we will have a ,king1 #a ,sam4  #h4
 #ai4 ,thus men are caught by their own 
words1 and insnared by the  straitness  
of their own hearts1 and it is death to 
them not to have  their wills1 and      
howsoever sometimes 7like ,jezebel7 they
 are cut  short of their purposes1 yet  
self-willed men will strut and swell    
like ,absalom1 saying neither good nor  
bad1 #b ,sam4 #ac4 #bb4 but  hope for   
the day1 and threaten like prophane     
,esau1 ,gen4 #bg4 #da4  ,now the        
contrary is seen in ,david1 though a    
prince1 a captain1 a  warrior1 who      
having said1 yea sworn1 that he would   
kill ,nabal1  and all his family that   

day1 yet upon reasonable counsel given1 
and  that by a weak woman1 he changed   
his mind1 altered his purpose1  and     
returned1 without striking one stroke1  
an example rare1 and  worthy imitation2 
and when men are sick of will1 let them 
think of  ,david1 it was his grace and  
honor to go back from his word and      
practice1 when reason came4 ,so was it  
,herod's disgrace and shame  to hold his
 word and will against reason and       
conscience1 ,math4  #ad4 #h1 #i4        
,quest4 ,but some men happily will say  
unto me1 ,it is true1 that  men seek    
their own by all these ways1 ,but what  
should be the  reason and cause of this8
 that men seek so earnestly themselves1 
in  seeking riches1 honor1 ease1        
belly-cheer1 will1 c4 something there   
is that carrieth them4    ,ans4 ,true1  
and the reasons and causes are specially
 these three3    ,first1 pride and high 
conceitedness1 when men overvalue       
themselves3  and this made ,absalom to  
seek his father's kingdom1 because he   

thought himself worthy of it4 #b ,sam4  
#ae4 #d4 ,this made ,haman so  sore     
vexed1 because ,mordecai bowed not to   
him1 because he highly  valued himself1 
,esther1 #c4 #e4    ,and surely that    
which a man valueth much1 he giveth much
 respect  to1 and so it is a sure sign  
that a man loves himself most when  he  
giveth most to himself2 and some        
intolerable proud persons  even think   
all the world is for them1 and all their
 purposes and  endeavors shew what a    
large conceit they have of themselves4  
,secondly1 want of due consideration and
 valuation of other  men's endowments1  
abilities and deserts2 when men pass    
those  things by1 though they have both 
seen1 heard1 and felt them2 as          
,pharaoh's butler forgot ,joseph's      
eminency when he was restored  to his   
place1 ,gen4 #dj4 #bc4 ,so men used to  
write their own good  actions in brass1 
but other men's in ashes1 never         
remembering nor  considering the pains1 
labor1 good properties1 c4 which others 

have1 and so they have no love to them1 
but only to themselves2 as  if ,god had 
made all other men unreasonable beasts1 
and them only  reasonable men4          
,thirdly1 want of heavenly conversation1
 and spiritual eye to  behold the glory1
 greatness1 and majesty1 and goodness of
 ,god2  as the ,queen of ,sheba1 thought
 highly of her own glory1 wisdom  and   
happiness1 till she saw ,solomon's      
wisdom and glory1 and  then she cried   
out1 not of the happiness of her own    
servants1 but  of his servants that     
stood before him1 #a ,kings #aj4 #g1 #h4
 ,and  verily1 if men were conversant   
courtiers in ,heaven1 they would  cry   
out with ,paul1 ,rom4 #aa4 #cc4 ,oh the 
depth of the riches1  wisdom1 and       
knowledge of ,god1 c4 and would be      
ashamed of their  own sinfulness1       
nakedness and misery2 for1 as countrymen
 which  never saw the state of cities1  
nor the glory of courts1 admire even    
their own country ,orders3 ,and as the  
savages here which are clad in  skins1  

and creep in woods and holes1 think     
their own brutish and  inhuman life the 
best1 which if they saw and did rightly 
apprehend  the benefit of comely        
humanity1 the sweetness of religion and 
the service of ,god1 they would even    
shamefully hide themselves  from the eye
 of all noble ,christians4 ,even so1 if 
men in serious  contemplation1 by the   
eye of faith1 would behold the glory of 
,god1  and what great riches1 beauty1   
fulness1 perfection1 power1 dignity  and
 greatness is in ,god1 they would leave 
admiring of themselves1  and seeking of 
themselves1 and would say with ,david1  
,what am ,i8  ,and what is my father's  
house8 that thou shouldest thus bless   
me8  #b ,sam4 #g4 #ah4 ,yea ,what is    
man8 or the son of man that thou so     
regardest him8 ,psal4 #h4 #c4    ,but it
 is time to come to apply these things  
more particularly to  ourselves1 and see
 what ,use is to be made of them3       
,use #a4 ,is it so1 that ,god seeth a   
proneness in all the sons of  ,adam1 to 

seek themselves too much1 and hath given
 them warnings  and watch-words thereof1
 as we have heard1 and doth experience  
confirm it8 ,then hence are reproved a  
number of men1 who think  they can never
 shew love enough to themselves1 nor    
seek their own  enough1 but think all   
cost1 charges1 cherishing1 praise1      
honor1  c4 too little for them1 and no  
man needeth to say to them1 as  ,peter  
did to ,christ1 favor thy self2 but if  
they do a little  for another man1 they 
account it a great matter1 though it be 
but  a morsel of bread1 or a single     
penny2 but no varieties of dainties  is 
too good for them1 no silk1 purple1     
cloth1 or stuff is too  good to clothe  
them1 the poor man's idleness and ill   
husbandry is  oft thrown in his dish1   
but their own carnal delights and fleshy
  wantonness is never thought upon3 and 
why8 ,because they think even  ,god and 
man owes all to them1 but they owe      
nothing to none4 ,why1  thou foolish and
 besotted man1 hath not the ,holy ,ghost

 read it in  the very face of every son 
of ,adam1 that he is too apt to seek    
his own1 and art thou wiser than ,god1  
to think thou never seekest  thine own  
enough8 or dreamest thou that thou art  
made of other1 and  better mettle than  
other men are8 ,surely1 ,i know no way  
to escape1  having of corruption to thy 
father1 and the worm to thy sister and  
brother4 ,and if ,god had any where in  
all the ,scriptures said1 love  thyself1
 make much of thyself1 provide for one1 
c4 there were  some reason for thee to  
take up the niggard's proverbs1 ,every  
man for himself1 and ,god for us all2   
,charity beginneth at home1  c4 ,but    
,god never taught thee these things2    
,no1 they are ,satan's  positions4 ,doth
 ,god ever commend a man for carnal love
 of himself8  ,nay he brands it1 and    
disgraceth it1 as self love1 taking     
thought  for the flesh2 loving of       
pleasure1 c4 ,rom4 #ac4 #ad1 #b ,tim4   
#cd4    ,obj4 ,it is a point of good    
natural policy1 for a man to care and   

provide for himself4    ,ans4 ,then the 
most fools have most natural policy1 for
 you  see not the greatest drones and   
novices1 either in church1 or           
commonwealth1 to be the greatest        
scratchers and scrapers1 and  gatherers 
of riches8 ,are they not also for the   
most part1 best fed  and clad8 ,and live
 they not most easily8 ,what shall ,i   
say8 ,even  hogs1 dogs1 and brute beasts
 know their own ease1 and can seek  that
 which is good for themselves2 and what 
doth this shifting1  progging1 and fat  
feeding which some use1 more resemble   
any thing  than the fashion of hogs8    
,and so let it be what natural policy it
  will4    ,use #b4 ,if ,god see this   
disease of self-love so dangerous in    
us1 then it standeth us all in hand to  
suspect ourselves1 and so  to seek out  
the root of this disease1 that it may be
 cured4 ,if a  learned physician1 shall 
see by our countenance and eye1 that we 
have some dangerous disease growing on  
us1 our hearts will smite  us1 and we   

will bethink ourselves where the most   
grief lieth1 and  how it should come1   
whether with cold1 heat1 surfeit1       
over-flowing  of blood1 or through      
grief1 melancholy1 or any such way1 and 
every  man will bestir himself to get   
rid of it1 and will prevent always  that
 which feeds the disease1 and cherish   
all courses that would  destroy it4     
,now1 how much more ought we to bestir  
ourselves1 for this matter  of self     
love1 since ,god himself hath cast all  
our waters1 and felt  all our pulses1   
and pronounceth us all dangerously sick 
of this  disease8 ,believe it1 ,god     
cannot lie1 nor be deceived2 ,he that   
made  the heart1 doth not he know it8   
,let every man's heart smite him1  and  
let him fall to the examination of      
himself and see first1  whether he love 
not riches and worldly wealth too much1 
whether his  heart be not too jocund at 
the coming of it in1 and too heavy at   
the going of it out1 for if you find it 
so there is great danger1  if thou canst

 not buy as if thou possessed not1 and  
use this world  as though thou used it  
not1 7#a ,cor4 #g4 #cj1 #ca47 thou art  
sick1  and had need to look to it4 ,so1 
if thou lovest thine ease and  pleasure1
 see whether thou can be content to     
receive at ,god's hands  evil as well as
 good1 7,job #b4 #aj47 whether thou have
 learned as  well to abound as to want1 
7,phil4 #d4 #aj47 as well to endure hard
  labor1 as to live at ease2 and art as 
willing to go to the house of  mourning 
as to the house of mirth1 7,eccl4 #g4   
#f47 for1 else1 out  of doubt1 thou     
lovest thy carnal pleasure and ease too 
much4    ,again1 see whether thy heart  
cannot be as merry1 and thy mind as     
joyful1 and thy countenance as cheerful1
 with coarse fare1 with  pulse1 with    
bread and water 7if ,god offer thee no  
better1 nor the  times afford other7 as 
if thou had the greatest dainties3      
7,dan4  #a4 #ae47 ,so also whether thou 
can be content as well with scorns  of  
men1 when thou hast done well1 as with  

their praises1 so if  thou can with     
comfort and good conscience say1 ,i pass
 little for  man's judgment2 whether    
thou can do thy duty that ,god          
requireth1  and despise the shame1      
referring thyself unto ,god1 for if thou
 be  disheartened1 discouraged1 and     
weakened in any duty because of  men's  
dispraises1 its a sign thou lovest      
thyself too much4    ,so for the will1  
if thou can be content to give way even 
from that  which thou hast said shall   
be1 yea1 vowed shall be1 when better    
reason cometh1 and hast that reverence  
of other men1 as that  when it standeth 
but upon a matter of will1 thou art as  
willing  their wills should stand as    
thine1 and art not sad1 churlish1 or    
discontented1 7#a ,kings #ba4 #d47 but  
cheerful in thine heart1  though thy    
will be crossed1 it is a good sign1 but 
if not1 thou  art sick of a self-will1  
and must purge it out4 ,i the rather    
press  these things1 because ,i see many
 men both wise and religious1 which  yet

 are so tainted with this pestilent     
self-love1 as that it is in  them even  
as a dead fly to the apothecaries'      
ointment1 spoiling  the efficacy of all 
their graces1 making their lives        
uncomfortable  to themselves1 and       
unprofitable to others1 being neither   
fit for  church nor commonwealth1 but   
have even their very souls in hazard    
thereby1 and therefore who can say too  
much against it4    ,it is reported1    
that there are many men gone to that    
other  plantation in ,virginia1 which1  
whilst they lived in ,england1  seemed  
very religious1 zealous1 and            
conscionable2 and have now lost  even   
the sap of grace1 and edge to all       
goodness2 and are become  mere          
worldlings4 ,this testimony ,i believe  
to be partly true1 and  amongst many    
causes of it1 this self-love is not the 
least4 ,it is  indeed a matter of some  
commendation for a man to remove himself
  out of a thronged place into a wide   
wilderness2 to take in hand  so long and

 dangerous a journey1 to be an          
instrument to carry the  ,gospel and    
humanity among the brutish heathen2 but 
there may be  many goodly shews and     
glosses and yet a pad in the straw1 men 
may  make a great appearance of respect 
unto ,god1 and yet but dissemble  with  
him1 having their own lusts carrying    
them3 and1 out of doubt1  men that have 
taken in hand hither to come1 out of    
discontentment  in regard of their      
estates in ,england2 and aiming at great
  matters here1 affecting it to be      
gentlemen1 landed men1 or hoping  for   
office1 place1 dignity1 or fleshly      
liberty2 let the shew be  what it will1 
the substance is naught1 and that bird  
of self-love  which was hatched at home1
 if it be not looked to1 will eat out   
the life of all grace and goodness3 and 
though men have escaped  the danger of  
the sea1 and that cruel mortality1 which
 swept away  so many of our loving      
friends and brethren2 yet except they   
purge  out this self-love1 a worse      

mischief is prepared for them3 ,and who 
knoweth whether ,god in mercy have      
delivered those just men which  here    
departed1 from the evils to come2 and   
from unreasonable men1  in whom there   
neither was1 nor is1 any comfort1 but   
grief1 sorrow1  affliction1 and misery1 
till they cast out this spawn of        
self-love4    ,but ,i have dwelt too    
long upon this first part2 ,i come now  
to the  second1 which concerns an       
,exhortation1 as ,i shewed you1 in the  
,division4    ,but every man another's  
wealth4    ,in direct opposition1 he    
should say1 ,let every man seek         
another's1 but the first part being     
compared with the latter1 and  7seek7   
being taken out of the former and put to
 the latter1 and  7wealth7 taken out or 
rather implied1 in the former1 the whole
  sentence is thus resolved1 ,let no man
 seek his own wealth1 but let  every man
 seek another's wealth4    ,and the word
 here translated wealth1 is the same    
with that in  ,rom4 #ac4 #d1 and may not

 be taken only for riches1 as           
,englishmen  commonly understand it1 but
 for all kinds of benefits1 favors1     
comforts either for soul or body2 and so
 here again1 as before you  must        
understand an ,affirmative ,commandment1
 as the ,negative was  before3 and least
 any should say1 ,if ,i may not seek my 
own good1 ,i  may do nothing2 ,yes saith
 ,paul1 ,i'll tell thee1 thou shalt seek
  the good of another1 whereas now all  
thy seeking helps but one1 by  this     
means thou shalt help many3 and this is 
further enforced by  these two          
circumstances1 7no man7 may seek his    
own1 be he rich1  learned1 wise1 c4 ,but
 every man must seek the good of        
another4    ,the point of instruction is
 taken from the very letter and phrase1 
viz4    ,doct4 #b4 ,a man must seek the 
good1 the wealth1 the profit of  others4
    ,i say he must seek it1 he must seek
 the comfort1 profit and  benefit of his
 neighbor1 brother1 associate1 c4 ,his  
own good he  need not seek1 it will     

offer itself to him every hour2 but the 
good  of others must be sought1 a man   
must not stay from doing good to  others
 till he is sought unto1 pulled and     
hauled1 7as it were7 like  the unjust   
judge1 for every benefit that is first  
craved1 cometh  too late4 ,and thus the 
ancient patriarchs did practice1 when   
the  traveller and wayfaring men came   
by1 they did not tarry till they  came  
and asked relief and refreshment1 but   
sat at the gates to  watch for such1    
7,judges #ai4 #bj1 #ba7 and looked in   
the streets to  find them1 yea1 set open
 their doors that they might freely and 
boldly enter in4 ,and howsoever1 some   
may think this too large a  practice1   
since now the world is so full of       
people1 yet ,i see not  but the more    
people there is1 the larger charity     
ought to be4    ,but be it so1 as a man 
may neglect1 in some sort the general   
world1 yet those to whom he is bound1   
either in natural1 civil1  or religious 
bands1 them he must seek how to do them 

good4 ,a  notable example you have in   
,david1 who1 because there was twixt    
him and ,jonathan a band and covenant1  
therefore he enquired1  ,whether there  
was any left of the house of ,saul1 to  
whom he might  shew mercy for           
,jonathan's sake1 #b ,sam4 #i4a4 ,so    
this people of  ,corinth1 to whom ,paul 
writeth1 they were in a spiritual league
  and covenant in the ,gospel1 and so   
were a body4 ,now for one  member in the
 body to seek himself1 and neglect all  
others were1 as  if a man should clothe 
one arm or one leg of his body with gold
 and  purple1 and let all the rest of   
the members go naked4 #a ,cor4 #ab4     
#bg4    ,now brethren1 ,i pray you1     
remember yourselves1 and know1 that you 
are not in a retired monastical course1 
but have given your names  and promises 
one to another and covenanted here to   
cleave together  in the service of ,god1
 and the ,king2 ,what then must you do8 
,may  you live as retired hermits8 and  
look after no body8 ,nay1 you must  seek

 still the wealth of one another2 and   
enquire as ,david1 how  liveth such a   
man8 ,how is he clad8 ,how is he fed8   
,he is my brother1  my associate2 we    
ventured our lives together here1 and   
had a hard  brunt of it and we are in   
league together4 ,is his labor harder   
than  mine8 surely ,i will ease him2    
hath he no bed to lie on8 why1 ,i have  
two1 ,i'll lend him one2 hath he no     
apparel8 why1 ,i have two suits1  ,i'll 
give him one of them2 eats he coarse    
fare1 bread and water1  and ,i have     
better1 why1 surely we will part stakes4
 ,he is as good a  man as ,i1 and we are
 bound each to other1 so that his wants 
must be  my wants1 his sorrows my       
sorrows1 his sickness my sickness1 and  
his  welfare my welfare1 for ,i am as he
 is4 ,and such a sweet sympathy  were   
excellent1 comfortable1 yea1 heavenly1  
and is the only maker  and conserver of 
churches and commonwealths1 and where   
this is  wanting1 ruin comes on quickly1
 as it did here in ,corinth4    ,but    

besides these motives1 there are other  
reasons to provoke us  not only to do   
good one to another2 but even to seek   
and search how  to do it4    #a4 ,as    
first1 to maintain modesty in all our   
associates1 that of  hungry wanters1    
they become not bold beggars and        
impudent cravers2  for as one saith of  
women1 that1 when they have lost their  
shamefacedness1 they have lost half     
their honesty1 so may it be  truly said 
of a man that when he hath lost his     
modesty1 and puts  on a begging face1 he
 hath lost his majesty1 and the image of
 that  noble creature2 and man should   
not beg and crave of man1 but only  of  
,god4 ,true it is1 that as ,christ was  
fain to crave water of the  ,samaritan  
woman1 7,john #d4 #e47 so men are forced
 to ask sometimes  rather than starve1  
but indeed in all societies it should be
  offered them4 ,men often complain of  
men's boldness in asking1 but  how      
cometh this to pass1 but because the    
world have been so full  of self-lovers 

as no man would offer their money1 meat1
 garments1  though they saw men hungry1 
harborless1 poor1 and naked in the      
streets2 and what is it that makes men  
brazen-faced1 bold1 brutish1            
tumultuous1 but because they are pinched
 with want1 and see others  of their    
companions 7which it may be have less   
deserved7 to live in  prosperity and    
pleasure8    #b4 ,it wonderfully        
encourageth men in their duties1 when   
they see  the burthen equally borne2 but
 when some withdraw themselves and      
retire to their own particular ease1    
pleasure1 or profit2 what  heart can men
 have to go on in their business8 when  
men are come  together to lift some     
weighty piece of timber or vessel2 if   
one  stand still and do not lift1 shall 
not the rest be weakened and            
disheartened8 ,will not a few idle      
drones spoil the whole stock of         
laborious bees3 so one idle-belly1 one  
murmurer1 one complainer1  one          
self-lover will weaken and dishearten a 

whole colony4 ,great  matters have been 
brought to pass where men have          
cheerfully as  with one heart1 hand1 and
 shoulder1 gone about it1 both in wars1 
buildings1 and plantations1 but where   
every man seeks himself1 all  cometh to 
nothing4    #c4 ,the present necessity  
requireth it1 as it did in the days of  
the  ,jews1 returning from captivity1   
and as it was here in ,corinth4  ,the   
country is yet raw1 the land untilled1  
the cities not builded1  the cattle not 
settled1 we are compassed about with a  
helpless and  idle people1 the natives  
of the country1 which cannot in any     
comely  or comfortable manner help      
themselves1 much less us4 ,we also have 
been very chargeable to many of our     
loving friends1 which helped  us hither1
 and now again supplied us1 so that     
before we think of  gathering riches1 we
 must even in conscience think of       
requiting  their charge1 love and labor1
 and cursed be that profit and gain     
which aimeth not at this4 ,besides1 how 

many of our dear friends did  here die  
at our first entrance1 many of them no  
doubt for want of  good lodging1        
shelter1 and comfortable things1 and    
many more may go  after them quickly1 if
 care be not taken4 ,is this then a time
 for  men to begin to seek themselves8  
,paul saith1 that men in the last  days 
shall be lovers of themselves1 7#b ,tim4
 #c4 #b47 but it is here  yet but the   
first days1 and 7as it were7 the dawning
 of this new  world1 it is now therefore
 no time for men to look to get riches1 
brave clothes1 dainty fare1 but to look 
to present necessities2 it  is now no   
time to pamper the flesh1 live at ease1 
snatch1 catch1  scrape1 and pill1 and   
hoard up1 but rather to open the doors1 
the  chests1 and vessels1 and say1      
brother1 neighbor1 friend1 what  want   
ye1 any thing that ,i have8 make bold   
with it1 it is yours to  command1 to do 
you good1 to comfort and cherish you1   
and glad ,i am  that ,i have it for you4
    #d4 ,and even the example of ,god   

himself1 whom we should follow  in all  
things within our power and capacity1   
may teach us this  lesson1 for 7with    
reverence to his ,majesty be it spoken7 
he might  have kept all grace1 goodness1
 and glory to himself1 but he hath      
communicated it to us1 even as far as we
 are capable of it in this  life1 and   
will communicate his glory in all       
fulness with his elect  in that life to 
come2 even so his son ,jesus ,christ    
left his glory  eclipsed for a time1 and
 abased himself to a poor and distressed
  life in this world1 that he might1 by 
it1 bring us to happiness in  the world 
to come4 ,if ,god then have delighted in
 thus doing good  and relieving frail   
and miserable man1 so far inferior to   
himself1  what delight ought man to have
 to relieve and comfort man1 which is   
equal to himself8    #e4 ,even as we    
deal with others1 ourselves and others  
shall be  dealt withal4 ,carest thou not
 how others fare1 how they toil1  are   
grieved1 sick1 pinched1 cold1           

harborless1 so as thou be in  health1   
livest at ease1 warm in thy nest1 farest
 well8 ,the days  will come when thou   
shalt labor and none shall pity thee1 be
 poor  and none relieve thee1 be sick1  
and lie and die and none visit  thee1   
yea1 and thy children shall lie and     
starve in the streets1  and none shall  
relieve them1 for it is the merciful    
that shall  obtain mercy2 ,mat4 #e4 #g4 
and the memory of the just shall be     
blessed even in his seed2 ,prov4 #aj4   
and a merciful and loving  man when he  
dies1 though he leave his children small
 and desolate1  yet every one is        
mercifully stirred up for the father's  
sake to  shew compassion1 but the       
unkindness1 currishness1 and self-love  
of a father1 is through ,god's just     
judgment recompensed upon the  children 
with neglect and cruelty4    #f4        
,lastly1 ,that we may draw to an end2 ,a
 merciless man1 and a man  without      
natural affection or love1 is reckoned  
among such as are  given over of ,god to

 a reprobate mind1 7,rom4 #a4 #cj47 and 
7as it  were7 transformed into a        
beast-like humor2 for1 what is man if he
  be not sociable1 kind1 affable1       
free-hearted1 liberal2 he is a  beast in
 the shape of a man2 or rather an       
infernal spirit1 walking  amongst men1  
which makes the world a hell what in him
 lieth2 for1  it is even a hell to live 
where there are such men3 such the      
,scriptures calleth ,nabals1 which      
signifieth fools1 7,psal4  #ad4 #a47 and
 decayed men1 which have lost both the  
sap of grace  and nature2 and such      
merciless men are called goats1 and     
shall be  set at ,christ's left hand at 
the last day1 7,math4 #be4 #cc47 ,oh    
therefore seek the wealth one of        
another4    ,obj4 ,but some will say1   
,it is true1 and it were well if men    
would so do1 but we see every man is so 
for himself1 as that if ,i  should not  
do so1 ,i should do full ill1 for if ,i 
have it not of  my own1 ,i may snap     
short sometimes1 for ,i see no body     

showeth me  any kindness1 nor giveth me 
any thing2 if ,i have gold or silver1   
that goeth for payment1 and if ,i want  
it ,i may lie in the street1  therefore 
,i had best keep that ,i have1 and not  
be so liberal as you  would have me1    
except ,i saw others would be so towards
 me4    ,ans4 ,this ,objection seemeth  
but equal and reasonable1 as did the    
,answer of ,nabal to ,david's men1 but  
it is most foolish and  carnal1 as his  
also was2 for1 if we should measure our 
courses by  most men's practices1 a man 
should never do any godly duty2 for1  do
 not the most1 yea1 almost all1 go the  
broad way that leadeth to  death and    
damnation1 7,luke4 #ac4 #bc1 #bd47 ,who 
then will follow a  multitude8 ,it is   
the word of ,god1 and the examples of   
the best men  that we must follow4 ,and 
what if others will do nothing for thee1
  but are unkind and unmerciful to thee8
 ,knowest thou not that they  which will
 be the children of ,god must be kind to
 the unkind1  loving to their enemies1  

and bless those that curse them8 7,mat4 
#e4 #dd1 #dg47 ,if all men were kind to 
thee1 it were but publicans'            
righteousness to be kind to them8 ,if   
all men be evil1 wilt thou be  so too8  
,when ,david cried out1 ,help ,lord1 for
 not a godly man is  left1 ,psal4 #ab4  
#a4 did he himself turn ungodly also8   
,nay1 he was  rather the more strict4   
,so1 if love and charity be departed out
 of  this world1 be thou one of them    
that shall first bring it in again4     
,and let this be the first rule1 which  
,i will with two others  conclude for   
this time4    #a4 ,never measure thy    
course by the most1 but by the best1    
yea1  and principally by ,god's word2   
,look not what others do to thee1  but  
consider what thou art to do to them3   
seek to please ,god1 not  thyself4 ,did 
they in ,mat4 #be4 #dd4 plead1 that     
others did nothing  for them8 ,no such  
matter1 no such plea will stand before  
,god1 his  word is plain to the         
contrary1 therefore1 though all the     

world  should neglect thee1 disregard   
thee1 and contemn thee1 yet remember    
thou hast not to do with men1 but with  
the highest ,god1 and so thou  must do  
thy duty to them notwithstanding4    #b4
 ,and let there be no prodigal person to
 come forth and say1 ,give  me the      
portion of lands and goods that         
appertaineth to me1 and let  me shift   
for myself2 ,luke #ae4 #ab4 ,it is yet  
too soon to put men  to their shifts2   
,israel was seven years in ,canaan1     
before the  land was divided unto       
tribes1 much longer before it was       
divided  unto families2 and why wouldst 
thou have thy particular portion1  but  
because thou thinkest to live better    
than thy neighbor1 and  scornest to live
 so meanly as he8 but who1 ,i pray thee1
 brought  this particularizing first    
into the world8 ,did not ,satan1 who was
  not content to keep that equal state  
with his fellows1 but would  set his    
throne above the stars8 ,did not he also
 entice man to  despise his general     

felicity and happiness1 and go try      
particular  knowledge of good and evil2 
and nothing in this world doth more     
resemble heavenly happiness1 than for   
men to live as one1 being of  one heart1
 and one soul2 neither any thing more   
resembles hellish  horror1 then for     
every man to shift for himself2 for if  
it be a  good mind and practise1 thus to
 affect particulars1 mine and  thine1   
then it should be best also for ,god to 
provide one heaven  for thee1 and       
another for thy neighbor4    ,object4   
,but some will say1 ,if all men will do 
their endeavors as  ,i do ,i could be   
content with this generality1--but many 
are idle  and slothful1 and eat up      
others' labors1 and therefore it is best
  to part1 and then every man may do his
 pleasure4    ,first1 this1 indeed1 is  
the common plea of such as will endure  
no  inconveniences1 and so for the      
hardness of men's hearts1 ,god and  man 
doth often give way to that which is not
 best1 nor perpetual1  but indeed if we 

take this course to change ordinances   
and  practices because of               
inconveniences1 we shall have every day 
new  laws4    ,secondly1 if others be   
idle and thou diligent1 thy fellowship1 
provocation1 and example1 may well help 
to cure that malady in  them1 being     
together1 but being asunder1 shall they 
not be more  idle1 and shall not gentry 
and beggary be quickly the glorious     
ensigns of your commonwealth8           
,thirdly1 construe things in the best   
part1 be not too hasty to  say1 men are 
idle and slothful1 all men have not     
strength1 skill1  faculty1 spirit1 and  
courage to work alike2 it is thy glory  
and  credit1 that thou canst do so well1
 and his shame and reproach1  that can  
do no better2 and are not these         
sufficient rewards to you  both4        
,fourthly1 if any be idle apparently1   
you have a law and governors  to execute
 the same1 and to follow that rule of   
the ,apostle1 to  keep back their bread1
 and let them not eat1 go not therefore 

whispering1 to charge men with idleness2
 but go to the governor and  prove them 
idle2 and thou shall see them have their
 deserts4 ,acts  #ai4 #ch4 #b ,thes4 #c4
 #aj4 ,deut4 #ai4 #ae4    ,and as you   
are a body together1 so hang not        
together by skins and  gymocks1 but     
labor to be jointed together and knit by
 flesh and  sinews2 away with envy at   
the good of others1 and rejoice in his  
good1 and sorrow for his evil4 ,let his 
joy be thy joy1 and his  sorrow thy     
sorrow3 ,let his sickness be thy        
sickness3 his hunger thy  hunger3 his   
poverty thy poverty2 and if you profess 
friendship1 be  friends in adversity2   
for then a friend is known and tried1   
and not  before4    #c4 ,lay away all   
thought of former things and forget     
them1 and  think upon the things that   
are2 look not gapingly one upon other1  
pleading your goodness1 your birth1 your
 life you lived1 your  means you had and
 might have had2 here you are by ,god's 
providence  under difficulties2 be      

thankful to ,god1 it is no worse1 and   
take  it in good part that which is1 and
 lift not up yourself because of  former
 privileges2 when ,job was brought to   
the dung-hill1 he sat  down upon it1    
,job #b4 #h4 and when the ,almighty had 
been bitter  to ,naomi1 she would be    
called ,marah2 consider therefore what  
you are now1 and whose you are2 say not 
,i could have lived thus1  and thus2 but
 say thus and thus ,i must live3 for    
,god and natural  necessity requireth1  
if your difficulties be great1 you had  
need  to cleave the faster together1 and
 comfort and cheer up one another1      
laboring to make each other's burden    
lighter2 there is no grief  so tedious  
as a churlish companion and nothing     
makes sorrows easy  more than cheerful  
associates3 bear ye therefore one       
another's  burthen1 and be not a burthen
 one to another2 avoid all factions1    
frowardness1 singularity and            
withdrawings1 and cleave fast to the    
,lord1 and one to another continually2  

so shall you be a notable  precedent to 
these poor heathens1 whose eyes are upon
 you1 and who  very brutishly and       
cruelly do daily eat and consume one    
another1  through their emulations1 ways
 and contentions2 be you therefore      
ashamed of it1 and win them to peace    
both with yourselves1 and one  another1 
by your peaceable examples1 which will  
preach louder to  them1 than if you     
could cry in their barbarous language2  
so also  shall you be an encouragement  
to many of your christian friends in    
your native country1 to come to you1    
when they hear of your peace1  love and 
kindness that is amongst you3 but above 
all1 it shall go  well with your souls1 
when that ,god of peace and unity shall 
come  to visit you with death as he hath
 done many of your associates1  you     
being found of him1 not in murmurings1  
discontent and jars1 but  in brotherly  
love1 and peace1 may be translated from 
this wandering  wilderness unto that    
joyful and heavenly ,canaan4            

,,amen4