True Christianity Part 66

_Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world._-1 JOHN 2:15.

As our love is the most n.o.ble present we can make, and has a power of changing our will into the nature of the thing beloved, so that we are under the control of that which we heartily love; it follows, that we act meanly and unworthily, when we give to anything that is vile and earthly, the power of enslaving our will, which is a spiritual faculty, and, consequently, more n.o.ble than anything corporeal: and that he is very unhappy and foolish, who places his love on his body, and the gratifications of sense, for instance, on his furniture, equipage, houses, and estates; all which debase the soul, and can yield it no satisfaction in trouble, no comfort in the hour of death, or in the day of judgment.

Nothing can do this but G.o.d, who is the highest and chief Good, and alone is worthy of our love.

2. We must not, therefore, waste our love on anything that is not sensible of the honor we pay it, nor able to make us a worthy return for it, much less on things that corrupt and debase it, making it earthly, sensual, and unprofitable. On the other hand, as G.o.d loves us above all creatures, he deserves a suitable love from us; and that not only as he raises and enn.o.bles our love, but as he requites us with his own, which is infinite, uncreated and eternal.

Chapter x.x.x.

Our Chief Love Is Due To G.o.d, As The First And Last, The Beginning And The End Of All Things.

_He is the Rock, his work is perfect: for all his ways are judgment: a G.o.d of truth and without iniquity, just and right is he._-DEUT. 32:4.

Not only the universal voice of nature, but our own consciences also bear witness that our chief and highest love is due to G.o.d. 1. Because he is our chief and eternal Good. 2. Because not only man, but all other creatures derive their being from him. 3. Because the love and goodness of G.o.d are conveyed unto man by all the creatures. Whence it follows, that G.o.d, who is the fountain of goodness and love, deserves to be loved by us more than any creature, yea, than all the creatures put together; they being no more than means or instruments of conveying to us the transcendent and eternal love of G.o.d. So that our love is never true, right, regular, or reasonable, but when it is fixed upon G.o.d; which may be properly called the rect.i.tude of our will.

2. On the other hand, when self-love predominates, and a man makes all his love centre upon himself, that love is unnatural, preposterous, unjust, and irregular, a direct opposition to G.o.d, and the root and seed of all sin and iniquity. For what can be more unjust and ungrateful than to withdraw our love from G.o.d, who alone has a right to it, and to fix it upon ourselves or upon any creature? This, in short, is the highest injustice, and the highest violation of the laws of nature, as well as of G.o.d.

Chapter x.x.xI.

He Who Princ.i.p.ally Loves Himself, Actually Sets Up Himself In G.o.d's Stead.

_O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces._-DAN. 9:7.-_Not unto us, O Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory._-PS. 115:1.

As G.o.d is the beginning and end of all things, so the first and chief love of man is due to him. And whosoever transfers it to any other object, really and truly makes that his G.o.d; which is the greatest affront that can be offered to his divine Majesty. For as it is the nature of love to unite the lover with the thing beloved, so the fixing of our love upon any creature separates and alienates us from the Creator. Whosoever princ.i.p.ally loves himself, certainly loves everything else solely for his own sake; which he ought to love purely for the sake of G.o.d; and so all his love is founded in and upon himself, which ought to be fixed entirely upon G.o.d.

2. Hence he is employed in doing his own will instead of G.o.d's; he usurps G.o.d's right; attempts to invade his kingdom; sets up an authority in opposition to G.o.d's kingdom; and actually rebels against his Maker and his G.o.d.

Chapter x.x.xII.

Love To G.o.d, The Source Of All That Is Good; Self-Love, The Source Of All Evil.

_O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me is thine help._-HOS. 13:9.

Love is the efficient cause of all things; and as there are two sorts of love, the love of G.o.d and the love of ourselves, and as these are directly opposite to each other, it follows, that the one must be extremely good, and the other extremely evil. But forasmuch as it is plain that the preference is to be given to divine love, it follows, that this alone is good. For the love of G.o.d is a divine seed in us, from which no evil, but all good things proceed. This love unites itself to its object, which is G.o.d, its chief, its only Good, in whom it rests, triumphs, and rejoices, even as G.o.d does in it. For joy and pleasure arise from love, as we learn in Psalm 18:1, 2. This spreads itself over all the world, and, like G.o.d, its author and object, communicates and bestows itself upon every worthy receiver. And truly, as love finds all things in G.o.d, and is happy in the enjoyment of him, it stands in need of no creature.

2. But as from divine love proceeds nothing but good, so from self-love proceeds nothing but evil. This is the root of all the iniquity, sin, blindness, ignorance, and misery, of which human nature is capable. By this a man makes his own will his G.o.d; and, as the true G.o.d is the fountain of all good, so this false G.o.d, this vain idol, our self-will, is the fountain of all evil. Moreover, as the creatures which we are so fond of, are made out of nothing, and are so weak and uncertain that they are always tending to their original state, and, in the meantime, are nothing but poverty, misery, and sorrow; it follows, that as man is changed into the nature of the thing which he loves, he must likewise partake of their inconstancy, their poverty, and misery, and can have no rest in the enjoyment of them. If the creature is vanity and sorrow, the heart that cleaves to the creature enters into its vanity, and must be partaker of its sorrow.

3. Thus self-love, when it rules and is uppermost in men, makes them enemies to G.o.d, fills them with all iniquity, and brings them into subjection to the creatures. As the love of G.o.d dilates and enlarges the soul, so the love of ourselves contracts and straitens it, making it unjust, corrupt, proud, and covetous. As the love of G.o.d makes us quiet, easy, peaceable, and benevolent; so the love of ourselves makes us unquiet, turbulent, and ill-natured. As the love of G.o.d reinstates us in the liberty of the sons of G.o.d; so self-love makes us slaves to the creatures. The one gives us firmness and constancy of mind and will; the other makes us inconstant and changeable. The one makes a man courteous, courageous, generous, and obliging; the other makes him sour, timorous, mean, and an enemy to everybody but himself.

Chapter x.x.xIII.

Of The Love Of G.o.d, And The Love Of Self.

_The carnal mind is enmity against G.o.d._-ROM. 8:7.

As it is plain that by the love of G.o.d, or the love of self, all the motions and operations of our will are governed and directed, and that all other desires and inclinations have their birth and bias from them; it follows, that upon them depends all our knowledge, either of good or evil.

For as the love of G.o.d is the principle by which we know and judge of all the good that is in man; so self-love discovers to us all the evil. And whosoever understands not what self-love is, knows not what evils there are in man; just as he that understands not the love of G.o.d, cannot know the good that is in Him. For no man can judge of either good or evil who knows not the springs and fountains from which they flow. The love of G.o.d is a shining light, discovering to us not only itself, but its enemy, which is self-love; on the contrary, self-love is a thick darkness, blinding the eyes of men, that they cannot see the good or evil that is in them. These, then, are the two roots of good and evil, which, whosoever is ignorant of, cannot rightly judge of either.

2. For as man consists of two parts, namely, soul and body; so in respect of one, he sets his heart upon honors, dignities, and preferments; whilst the other tempts and draws him to fleshly and sensual pleasures. So that whosoever thus loves himself, must be a slave either to honor or pleasure, which he looks upon as his greatest happiness, as gratifying that inclination to himself, which is uppermost in his heart. And from these two kinds of self-love spring many others, as various as are the means and instruments of obtaining the honors, or fulfilling the l.u.s.ts, which have taken possession of our hearts. And these are chiefly three: 1. Pride, or an inclination to be eminent and popular in the world. 2. Pleasure and luxury, by which we indulge and gratify the flesh. 3. Covetousness, or an inordinate love of worldly things. Whosoever eagerly seeks honor, cannot but hate everything and every person that stands in his way and hinders his designs; whence proceed anger, revenge and envy of all those who are possessed of any advantages which we want, or which seem to eclipse or lessen the figure which we desire to make in the world. Hence also proceed indolence and sloth, and a mean fear of laboring or sufferings, both of which are ungrateful to flesh and blood. In a word, all sins and iniquities proceed from this fruitful fountain of self-love.

Chapter x.x.xIV.

Love To G.o.d, The Only Source Of Peace And Unity.

_Above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness._-COL. 3:14.

If all men had an equal love for G.o.d, the supreme Good, they would then all be of one heart and of one mind, and the sincerity and unanimity which they would manifest in the love of G.o.d, would cordially unite them to each other.

2. But instead of this, every man loves himself, and pursues the inclinations of his own heart, so that hardly two can agree together. For as he whose heart is set upon honor, cannot but hate and envy every one that is preferred before him; so from these different interests and inclinations, nothing can proceed but emulation, strife, and discord.

Moreover, as he that pursues his own will, and courts the esteem of men, makes himself his own G.o.d, there must by consequence be as many of these idols and false G.o.ds as there are proud, ambitious men in the world. Hence arise envy, hatred, wars, and fightings, whilst every one is bent upon increasing and defending his own grandeur, in opposition to that of his neighbors. Hence it plainly appears that as the love of G.o.d is the bond of peace and union; so self-love is the root and cause of all the discord and contention that is in the world.

Chapter x.x.xV.

Showing How We Ought To Love G.o.d.

_Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned._-1 TIM. 1:5.

There is no better way of convincing a man than by appealing to his own conscience. There, as in a gla.s.s, we may read our duty much more plainly than ten thousand teachers can instruct us. We have already shown that it is a point of natural equity to love G.o.d above all things, and that he who does otherwise, sets himself up as his own idol. And now, if any man desire to know to what his duty to G.o.d obliges him, let him look into himself, and examine his own heart, and conclude that whatsoever he would have done for himself, _that_ he is obliged to do for G.o.d. Therefore, as self-love is natural to us all, we must reverse that, and offer to G.o.d that which we unjustly arrogate to ourselves, by loving him as we have hitherto loved ourselves.