[In a subordinate way we may love the creature, but not so as to put it in competition with God. There is nothing in the whole universe which we should desire, or seek, in com- parison of Him ; nor any thing which we should not willingly
part with, rather than offend him The state of our
minds towards God should be like that of David, " Whom have I in heaven but thee ? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides theec." To make pleasure, or riches, or honour, or any thing but God, our chief good, is idolatry3.]
2. Our fear —
[Scarcely do any begin to fear God, but their acknow- ledgment of him is retarded by the fear of man. Those who were never ashamed of sin, and who were wont to commit all manner of iniquity with greediness, are filled with appre- hensions lest their change of sentiment should be discovered, and they should be called to suffer reproach or persecution for the Lord's sake. But all such fear argues a forgetfulness of Gode, who alone is worthy to be fearedf If we re- gard God as we ought to do, our answer to every cowardly thought will be, " The Lord is my strength and my salvation; whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom then shall I be afraid g?"]
3. Our confidence —
[When trials of any kind arise, we almost universally turn our eyes to the creature, rather than to God : either we look to our own wisdom and energy to deliver us, or to the favour and exertion of our fellow-creatures : we can scarcely ever realize the thought of a superintending Providence, who is able and willing to interpose for us : we are apt rather to imagine, that it would be an insult to the Most High to sup- pose that he will trouble himself about such trifling concerns as ours. In like manner, if our trials be of a spiritual nature, we look to our own wisdom to guide us, our own righteousness to justify us, and our own strength to obtain for us the victory over all our spiritual enemies. But in all this, we greatly dis- honour God, in whom should be all our trust for body and for soul, for time and for eternity11 In all such creature- confidence we manifest an entire departure of heart from God, and subject ourselves to his just and heavy displeasure1.]
The equity of this command is strongly marked in,
c Ps. lxxiii. 25.
d Phil. hi. 19. " Whose god is their belly." Col. hi. 5. " Covet- ousness, which is idolatry."
e Isai. li. 12, 13. f Luke xii. 4, 5. Isai. viii. 12, 13.
s Ps. xxvii. 1. h Ps. xi. 1, 4. ' Jer. xvii. 5, 6.