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fcrutaberis

quam,

13. We fhould not prefs into the retirements ofs ER M. men; to do fo is not only immodeft and rude, but xvIII. unjuft 'tis immodeft to defire to know from any man what he is afhamed or unwilling to fhew: 'tis rude to disturb any man in the enjoyment of his lawful freedom, to interrupt him in his converfation Arcanum with himself, to obftruct his private fatisfactions: neque tu 'tis unjust to bereave a man of that leifure and op-ullius unportunity which he poffeffeth, of doing that which commifhe best liketh, and perhaps is greatly concerned in ;fumque teof enjoying his own thoughts, of meditating upon tortus et his concerns, of examining his ways, of compofingira. his paffions, of studying truth, of devotion and intercourfe with his God, of contriving and carrying on in any wife the welfare of his own foul. Why doth he retire, but to fhun diverfion, or that he may be master of his time and thoughts? Why then are we fo unkind, or fo unjust, as to deprive him of those contents and advantages?

14. We should not pry or peep into men's fecrets; it is a practice upon many accounts blameable.

It is commonly impertinent curiofity; for men hide things, because they do not think others concerned to know them; the concealment argueth their opinion to be fuch, and confequently that he is fondly curious who would fearch into them: Why (faid he well to one, who, feeing him carry a basket covered, did ask what was in it) doft thou seek to know, when thou feeft it covered, that thou mayeft not know e ?

It is foully difcourteous, because offenfively depriving men of the fatisfaction they take in concealing their matters; encroaching upon the innocent freedoms which they would enjoy, without rendering account to any; trefpaffing upon their bafhfulness, or fruftrating their difcretion; for therefore men

- Τὸ ξ Αἰγυπτίω χάριεν πρὸς ἢ ἐρωτῶντα τί φέρει συγκεκαλυμμένον, διὰ τέτο συγκεκάλυπται. Plut. περὶ πολυπρο

choofe

ges, et vino

SER M. choose to keep things clofe, because they like not, or XVIII. judge it not expedient to declare them. Take no beed unto all words that are fpoken, left thou hear thy fervant Ecclef. vii. curse thee.

21.

It is alfo grofsly injurious to deal thus, for it is a robbery of what is moft dear to men; which they with more care referve and guard, than they do their gold or their jewels; fo that to break open the clofet of a man's breaft, to ranfack his mind, to pilfer away his thoughts, his affections, his purposes, may well be deemed a worfe fort of burglary or theft, than to break open doors, to rifle trunks, or to pick pockets.

It is a practice in the common opinion of men worthily esteemed very difhoneft and treacherous; for men generally do fuppofe each other to be under a tacit, but well-understood compact, obliged mutu ally (as they tender greatly the retaining their own fecrets, fo) to abftain from attempting to discover the fecrets of others; to do otherwise is therefore taken for an act of perfidious enmity, and a violation of mutual confidence.

In fine, to peep into chinks, to liften at doors or windows, to mind whispers, to dive into letters and papers, and the like practices, are the practices of infidious eves-droppers, fpies, and fycophants, which common humanity will not endure.

Yea, if the knowledge of what our neighbour would conceal doth cafually arrive to us, it is advifable to fmother it, 'tis inhumanity to reveal it to his prejudice. To reveal fecrets, is a practice condemned Prov.xx.19. in Scripture as odious and base. He that goeth about Prov. xi.13. as a tale-bearer, revealeth fecrets: A tale-bearer revealeth fecrets; but he that is of a faithful Spirit concealeth

Μηδέποτε

the matter.

Not to take up, or fcatter reports prejudicial. δευτερώσης En Ecclus. xix. 7. 10.

λόγον Ακή. moas Mayor;

A wife man would not willingly any wife know

GuvaoSave the fecrets of others, but gladly would fhun them,

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although offering themselves to his knowledge; that S ER M. he may be freed from the burden of keeping them, xvIII. and the danger of venting them, to the distaste, wrong, or prejudice of others: and he is commended for his discretion, who, to a prince asking him, What of his he should impart to him? replied, Whatever you pleafe, except your fecrets. Them he well thought unfafe to keep, and dangerous to utter. How foolish then is it voluntarily to intrude, or carefully to search into them!

15. We should not lie in wait to surprise or catch any man at advantage, to overthrow him when he trips, to infult upon his mistake or his difafter; to do thus is always ill manners, 'tis fometimes barbarous inhumanity. Goodnefs in fuch cases would difpofe a man to support, relieve, and comfort another, if he demandeth, or his cafe needeth fuch meddling.

16. Laftly, we should never, at leaft with much earnestness, meddle with affairs more properly belonging to others, and which we do not, or may not handsomely pretend to understand fo well as others : fuch are affairs befide our profeffion, which if we understand not, 'tis a folly, in a peremptory manner, to treat of them; if we do understand them, 'tis yet indecent to conteft or dictate about them, in the prefence at least of those who profess them: thus fhould private men beware (at least in that magifterial or eager way) to meddle with political affairs, illiterate men with fcholaftical, laymen with theological, unexperienced men with any fuch matters, the comprehenfion whereof dependeth upon fkill and exercise no man should be forward to meddle with things extraneous to his way and calling: doing fo is wont to create much offence, it hath ufually much immodesty and much folly in it; often it containeth much injuftice,

σου,

Philippides apud Plut. in Apoph. ad Lyfimach. Tvós σoi, ilπεν, ᾗ ἐμῶν μεταδῶ ; κακεῖνος, Οὗ βέλει πλὴν Ἡ ἀποῤῥήτων.

These

SERM.

These are some more general rules concerning the XVIII. matter in hand: I should now (if time did permit) infift upon fome particular kinds of meddling, (advice, reproof, interpofing in contefts :) but in regard to your patience, I fhall proceed no farther at prefent.

SERMON

SERMON XIX.

Of Quietness, and doing our own Business.

I THESS. IV. II.

And that ye ftudy to be quiet, and to do your own

bufiness.

N a former difcourfe upon these words, I have al-S ER M. ready fhewed,

IN

I. In what cafes it is allowable or commendable to meddle with the affairs of others.

II. Next, I propounded fome general rules concerning this matter, according to which we may difcern in what cases meddling with the affairs of others is commonly blameable. Thus far I have pro

ceeded.

III. I fhall now give fome directions concerning particular kinds of meddling. And because they are many, I fhall at prefent only infift upon three; (referring others to other occafions ;) they are, advice, reproof, interpofing in contefts, and contentions.

I. As to meddling in advice, we may do well to obferve thefe directions.

1. Advise not (except upon call) a fuperior, or one more eminent than thyfelf in authority, in dignity, or in age: for he that offereth to advife, doth

thereby

XIX.

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