2. We misplace self as well as mistake it. He that loves himself more than God lays God aside, and sets self on the throne in his heart . now this is a great crime in the eye of nature. There is a natural reverence to what we conceive to be of divine power. Every one will say, I love God best ; God forbid, I should love anything above God. We cry out against the Jews for preferring Barabbas before Christ, yet we do the like every day, when we prefer a carnal satisfaction before communion with God. We think the Gadarenes were vile men, that could be content to part with Christ, and preferred their swine before him ; yet we, that profess to believe the dignity of his person, do many times little less. We look upon it as a great scorn in the Philistines that they should set up Dagon above the ark; yet this is done by carnal persons, and they are not sensible of it, because it is done (as idolatry is, under this light we enjoy) spiritually. Look, as a man may give the devil bad words, yet hold the crown upon his head, that doth not exempt us from his power and dominion — many that defy the devil in their words, yet defy him not with their heart — so empty professions do not satisfy. This self-love is not to be measured by naked professions, but real experiences. If your heart be carried out more to the creature than to God, and the strength of our spirit run out to pleasure, and we spend whole hours and days that way, and can find no time for God, we love the creature more than God, though we do not say so much in gross language.
But here a question will arise, What are those usual experiences, by
268 A TREATISE OF SELF-DENIAL. [BoOK I.
Avliich this disposition is to be measured ? I shall answer it in several propositions.
1. The comparison of affection with affection is the best way to dis- cover the temper and strength of our love ; that is, when we compare our affection to Christ with our affection to other matters ; for we can- 7)ot judge of any affection by its single exercises, what it doth alone as to one object, as well as by observing the difference and disproportion of our respect to several objects. If you observe the vein of marks and signs in scripture, they always put us upon this compounded trial, the disproportion of our respect to God and to the world ; as to instance l)oth in the pleasure and profit of the world. In the pleasure of the world, 2 Tim. iv 3, there is a description of very carnal men — ' Lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.' Simply and apart, a man can- not be so well tried, either by his love to God or by his love to pleasure ; not by his love to God, because there is in all men a pretence of devo- tion and service to God ; nor by his love to pleasure, because there "is a lawful allowance of taking pleasure in the creatures, provided they do not take and overcome our hearts. But now, when you compare affection with affection, wlien the strength of a man's heart is carried out to the use of worldly comforts and pleasures, and God is neglected, and we cannot find any delight in the exercises of religion and the way of communion, God hath established between himself and us ; this is an ill note, and shows that we are * lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God.' So for the profit of the world, Luke xii. 21, Christ spake a parable, to find out who is the covetous man, and concludes it thus — ' And so is he that lays up treasures to himself, and is not rich towards God.' Simply, man cannot be tried by laying up of treasures, ])y hoarding up worldly provision, and by getting increase in the world. Why ? because we are allowed to be active and cheerful in the way of our calling, and God may bless our industry. And besides, on the other hand, a man may think he hath made some provision for heaven, because he waits upon God in some duties of religion, and because of some cold and faint operations, some devout and cold actings and workings of his soul. But now compare care with care — ' He that lays up treasures to himself, and is not rich towards God ; ' that is, when a man is all for getting wealth for himself, and is not so earnest to get grace and get a covenant interest for himself, to be enriched with spiritual and heavenly exercises ; when men follow after spiritual things in a formal and careless manner, and after earthly things with the greatest earnestness and strength that may be ; when respects to the world are accompanied with the neglect of heaven ; when men can be content with a lean soul, so they may have a fat estate ; when all their care is to join land to land, and not lay up evidences for heaven; this is a sign the heart is naught, and grossly covetous.