The manner of the speech, may seem as counsel left at liberty: as Mat. 27. 49. And in our ordinary speech, we think they be but weak charges, which are thus delivered, let a man do this, or let him do that. But we must learn the apostle's modesty, and know that whatsoever the terms seem to imply, yet even this and other the like in this epistle, are most absolute charges: as, Let a man esteem of us, as the ministers of Christ, chap. 41. That is, a man ought so to esteem of us. Let a man examine himself, 1 Cor. 11. 28. That is, as if he said, a man must examine himself. Let your women keep silence in the churches, 1 Cor. 14, 34. that is, they ought so to do.
The meaning then summarily is, as if he said, the bane of all these mischiefs which arise among you is, that men are too cleaving to themselves and their own matters, and disregard and contemn all others: and therefore I charge you, let this self seeking be left off, and turn the stream another way, namely, seek the good of your brethren, please them, honor them, reverence them, for otherwise it will never go well amongst you.
Obj. But doth not the Apostle elsewhere say? That he, which careth not for his own, is worse than an infidel. 1 Tim. 5. 8.
Ans. True, but by (own) there, he meaneth properly, a man's kindred, and here by (own) he meaneth properly a man's self.
Secondly, he there especially taxeth such as were negligent in their labors and callings, and so made themselves unable to give relief and entertainment to such poor widows and orphans as were of their own flesh and blood.
Thirdly, be it so, that some man should even neglect his own self, his own wife, children, friends, &c. And give that he had to strangers, that were but some rare vice, in some one unnatural man, and if this vice slay a thousand, self-love slayeth ten thousands.
And this the wisdom of God did well foresee, and hath set no caveats in the scriptures either to tax men, or forewarn them from loving others, neither saith God any where, let no man seek out the good of another, but let no man seek his own, and every where in the scriptures he hath set watch words against self good, self-profit, self-seeking, &c. And thus the sense being cleared, I come to the doctrine.
Doct. 1. All men are too apt and ready to seek themselves too much, and to prefer their own matters and causes beyond the due and lawful measure, even to excess and offence against God, yea danger of their own souls.
And this is true not only in wicked men which are given over of God to vile lusts, as Absalom in getting favor in his father's court: Jereboam, in settling his kingdom fast in Samaria, Ahab in vehement seeking Naboth's vineyard, but men, otherwise godly, have through frailty been foiled herein, and many thousands which have a shew of godliness, are lovers of themselves: David was about to seek himself when he was going to kill Naball: Asa in putting Hanani in prison: Josiah when he would go to war with Necho, against the counsel of God, and reason; Peter when he dissembled about the ceremonies of the law, yea and Paul complains of all his followers (Timothy excepted) that they sought their own too inordinately.