SERMON X.

UPON SELF-DECEIT.

2 SAM. xii. 7.

And Nathan faid to David, Thou art the man.

THESE words are the application of Nathan's parable to David, upon occasion of his adultery with Bathsheba, and the murder of Uriah her husband. The parable, which is related in the most beautiful simplicity, is this: 'There were two men in one city; the one rich, and the other poor. The rich man had exceeding many flocks and herds: but the poor man had nothing, fave one little ewe-lamb, which he had bought and nourished up: and it grew up together with him, and with his children; it did eat of his own meat, and drank of his own cụp, and lay in his bofom, and was unto him as a daughter. And there came a traveller unto the rich man, and he Spared to take of his own flock, and of

1 Ver. 1.

his own herd, to drefs for the way-faring man that was come unto him, but took the poor man's lamb, and dreffed it for the man that was come to him. And David's anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, As the Lord liveth, the man that hath done this thing shall furely die. And he shall restore the lamb four-fold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity. David paffes sentence, not only that there fhould be a four-fold reftitution made; but he proceeds to the rigour of justice, the man that hath done this thing shall die and this judgment is pronounced with the utmost indignation against such an act of inhumanity; As the Lord liveth, he shall furely die: and his anger was greatly kindled against the man. And the Prophet answered, Thou art the man. He had been guilty of much greater inhumanity, with the utmost deliberation, thought, and contrivance. Near a year must have paffed, between the time of the commiffion of his crimes, and the time of the Prophet's coming to him; and it does not appear from the story, that he had in all this while the least remorfe or contrition.

There is not any thing, relating to men and characters, more furprising and unaccountable, than this partiality to themselves, which is obfervable in many; as there is nothing of more melancholy reflection, refpecting morality, vir

tue,

tue, and religion. Hence it is that many men feem perfect strangers to their own characters. They think, and reason, and judge quite differently upon any matter relating to themselves, from what they do in cafes of others where they are not interested. Hence it is one hears people expofing follies, which they themselves are eminent for; and talking with great feverity against particular vices, which, if all the world be not mistaken, they themfelves are notoriously guilty of. This felf-ignorance and felf-partiality may be in all different degrees. It is a lower degree of it which David himself refers to in these words, Who can tell how oft he offendeth? O cleanfe thou me from my fecret faults. This is the ground of that advice of Elihu to Job: Surely it is meet to be faid unto God, That which I fee not, teach thou

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me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more. And Solomon faw this thing in a very strong light, when he said, He that trufteth his own heart is a fool. This likewife was the reafon why that precept, Know thyself, was fo frequently inculcated by the philofophers of old, For if it were not for that partial and fond regard to ourselves, it would certainly be no great difficulty to know our own character, what paffes within the bent and bias of our mind; much less would there be any difficulty in judging rightly of our own actions. But

from

from this partiality it frequently comes to pass, that the obfervation of many men's being themselves laft of all acquainted with what falls out in their own families, may be applied to a nearer home, to what paffes within their own breasts.

There is plainly, in the generality of mankind, an absence of doubt or distrust, in a very great measure, as to their moral character and behaviour; and likewise a disposition to take for granted, that all is right and well with them in these refpects. The former is owing to their not reflecting, not exercifing their judgment upon themselves; the latter to selflove. I am not speaking of that extravagance, which is fometimes to be met with; inftances of perfons declaring in words at length, that they never were in the wrong, nor had ever any diffidence of the juftnefs of their conduct, in their whole lives. No, these people are too far gone to have any thing faid to them. The thing before us is indeed of this kind, but in a lower degree, and confined to the moral character; fomewhat of which we almost all of us have, without reflecting upon it. Now confider how long, and how grofsly, a perfon of the best understanding might be imposed upon by one of whom he had not any fufpicion, and in whom he placed an entire confidence; especially if there were friendship and real kind

nefs

ness in the case: furely this holds even stronger with respect to that self we are all fo fond of. Hence arises in men a disregard of reproof and inftruction, rules of conduct and moral difcipline, which occasionally come in their way : a difregard, I fay, of these; not in every respect, but in this fingle one, namely, as what may be of service to them in particular towards mending their own hearts and tempers, and making them better men. It never in earnest comes into their thoughts, whether fuch admonitions may not relate, and be of fervice to themselves; and this quite diftinct from a pofitive perfuafion to the contrary, a persuasion from reflection that they are innocent and blameless in thofe refpects. Thus we may invert the obfervation which is fomewhere made upon Brutus, that he never read, but in order to make himself a better man. It fcarce comes into the thoughts of the generality of mankind, that this ufe is to be made of moral reflections which they meet with; that this use, I fay, is to be made of them by themselves, for every body obferves and wonders that it is not done by others.

Further, there are instances of persons having fo fixed and steady an eye upon their own interest, whatever they place it in, and the interest of those whom they confider as themfelves, as in a manner to regard nothing else;