it as importing, that we are not to give to any object of time and sense that kind or measure of affection which is due only to things of eternal moment.
The Apostle's own explanation of his meaning will throw further light on this matter. " The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life," are very generally under- stood as importing all those things which administer to sensual gratification ; and those things which, when beheld, are apt to fascinate us with their attractions ; and those things which men chiefly affect, as elevating them in the estimation of mankind; or, in other words, pleasure, and riches, and honour. And if to these we apply what was before specified as implied in the term " love," we shall be prepared to determine with very considerable accuracy,]
2. The extent of the prohibition — [The word "love" comprehends three things; esteem, desire, and delight : and, if we apply it in this extent to the various things above-mentioned, we shall, I think, understand with clearness the Apostle's meaning in our text. Some mea- sure of love, I again say, the things of this world are entitled to : thev may be esteemed, as gifts from a gracious God ; they may be desired, as means of honouring him, and benefiting our fellow-creatures ; and they may be delighted in, as conducive to our comfort, when rightly improved : for " God has given us all things richly to enjoy d." But,
They are not to be esteemed, as though they possessed any intrinsic good. They are all in themselves empty, vain, perish- ing, and utterly incapable of administering any real comfort to the soul, or even of benefiting us at all, any farther than God shall be pleased to make use of them for that end.
They are not to be desired so as in the least degree to interfere with our pursuit of higher and better tilings. " Our affec- tions are to be set on things above, and not on things on the earth*." The two cannot, and must not, be put in compe- tition with each other. The one, how dear soever in itself, must be despised and hated in comparison of the other: father, mother, wife, children, yea and our own life also, must be of no account with us, if they at all stand in our way of serving and honouring our Godf. His claims are paramount to every other; and there is nothing either in heaven or on earth to be desired in comparison of himg.
They are not to be delighted in, as things in which, to what- ever extent they were multiplied, we could be satisfied with taking up our rest. Job seems to have had singularly clear
'i 1 Tim. vi. 17. e Col. iii. 2.
f Luke xiv. 26. R Ps. lxxiii. 25.