It is a common principle, Every one for himself. Proximus egomet
mihi--None so near to me as myself. Now, if this be rightly understood,
it will be a reason for the cherishing of gracious dispositions in
ourselves and the crucifying of corrupt ones. We are friends or enemies
to ourselves, even in respect of present comfort, according as we are
or are not governed by religious principles. 1. A merciful, tender,
good humoured man, does good to his own soul, makes and keeps himself
easy. He has the pleasure of doing his duty, and contributing to the
comfort of those that are to him as his own soul; for we are members
one of another. He that waters others with his temporal good things
shall find that God will water him with his spiritual blessings, which
will do the best good to his own soul. See Isa. lviii. 7, &c. If thou
hide not thy eyes from thy own flesh, but do good to others, as to
thyself, if thou do good with thy own soul and draw that out to the
hungry, thou wilt do good to thy own soul; for the Lord shall satisfy
thy soul and make fat thy bones. Some make it part of the character of
a merciful man, that he will make much of himself; that disposition
which inclines him to be charitable to others will oblige him to allow
himself also that which is convenient and to enjoy the good of all his
labour. We may by the soul understand the inward man, as the apostle
calls it, and then it teaches us that the first and great act of mercy
is to provide well for our own souls the necessary supports of the
spiritual life. 2. A cruel, froward, ill-natured man, troubles his own
flesh, and so his sin becomes his punishment; he starves and dies for
want of what he has, because he has not a heart to use it either for
the good of others of for his own. He is vexatious to his nearest
relations, that are, and should be, to him as his own flesh, Eph. v.
29. Envy, and malice, and greediness of the world, are the rottenness
of the bones and the consumption of the flesh.