Chapter XXXIII.

Of The Love Of God, And The Love Of Self.

The carnal mind is enmity against God.—Rom. 8:7.

As it is plain that by the love of God, 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 God 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 God, 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 God 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 lusts, 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.