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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A44137	A discourse of the knowledge of God, and of our selves I. by the light of nature, II. by the sacred Scriptures / written by Sir Matthew Hale, Knight ... for his private meditation and exercise ; to which are added, A brief abstract of the Christian religion, and, Considerations seasonable at all times, for the cleansing of the heart and life, by the same author.	Hale, Matthew, Sir, 1609-1676.	1688 (1688)	Wing H240; ESTC R4988	321,717	542

And the suffering of Christ without the Gate was not without some Allusion to the placing of this Altar without the Tabernacle Vide Heb. 13.12 And as the situation of the Altar so the Sacrifice upon this Altar not without a Mystery for besides those many Sacrifices which were diversified according to the several natures of the Occasion here was one Sacrifice appropriate to this Altar the continual Burnt-Offering a Lamb of the first year in the Morning a Lamb of the first year at Even Exod. 29.38 Numb 28.3 And the Spirit of Truth takes up this description of Christ more frequently than any John 1.29 Behold the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world 1 Pet. 1.19 Redeemed with the precious blood of Christ as of a Lamb without blemish or spot Revel 5.6 The Lamb that was slain c. Revel 13.8 The Lamb slain from the foundation of the world And between this Altar and the Sanctuary stood the Laver of Brass not only typifying the Sacramental Initiation by Baptism but that Purity and Cleansing that is required of all those that partake of this Altar before they enter into the Sanctuary John 3.5 Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God As the Blood of Christ cleanseth from the Guilt of our Sin so it cleanseth us from the Power of our Sin before we are to expect an admission into the Sanctuary It was as well Water to cleanse as Bloud to expiate 6. The typifying of Christ in the Priesthood of Aaron and his Successors High Priests Divers of the Ceremonies especially in the Consecration of them were meerly relative to their natural pollutions and the cleansing of them Heb. 7 27. Offering Sacrifices first for their own Sins such was the Sin-offering Levit. 9.7 Levit. 8. ●4 Others in reference to their service and designation thereunto and exercise thereof as their washing with Water Levit. 8.6 Their anointing with the holy Oyl Ibid. Verse 12. The Ram of Consecration Ibid. Verse 22. Their residence at the door of the Tabernacle seven days Ibid. Verse 33. And some parts of his Garments But there were some things that in a special manner were typical of Christ 1. The Breast-plate of Aaron bearing the Names of the Children of Israel called the Breast-plate of Judgement Exod. 28.29 And Aaron shall bear the Names of the Children of Israel in the Breast-plate of Judgment when he goeth into the holy place for a memorial before the Lord continually importing not only the nearness of the Church and redeemed of Christ unto him but also his continual presenting of their Names their Persons in his Righteousness before his Father 2. The Plate of Gold upon the Mitre engraven with Holiness to the Lord Exod. 28.38 And it shall be upon Aaron's forehead that Aaron may bear the iniquity of their holy things that they may be accepted before the Lord. As our Persons are accepted by God in the Righteousness of Christ presented for them to his Father so our Services are accepted in the strength of the same Mediation Christ presenting our Prayers and Services to his Father discharged of those Sins and Defects with which they are mingled as they come from us 3. His Solemn Atonement when he entred into the Holy of Holies Levit. 16. Wherein we shall observe 1. A most special Reconsecration almost of all the things incident to that Service before it was performed the Priest was to make an Atonement for himself by the Blood of the Bullock Verse 11. and for the Altar Verse 18. which signifie that Purification of the Humane Nature of Christ from all Sin Original and Actual from all Sin even in his Conception that so he might be a fit High Priest Heb. 7.26 For such a high priest became us who is Holy Harmless Vndefiled Separate from Sinners and made higher than the Heavens The difference was this Aaron notwithstanding his first Consecration to his Office needed a new Atonement when he entred into the Holy of Holies and exercised that high Type of Christ's Ascension and Intercession But Christ being once Consecrate needed no new Consecration Heb. 7.28 For the Law maketh men High Priests which have infirmities but the Word of the Oath which was since the Law maketh the Son who is Consecrated for evermore 2. This was to be done but once in the year Some services had frequent iterations but those special Services that were but once in the Year were Types of those things that were to be done but once though remembred yearly such was the killing of the Passover Christ by one Offering hath perfected them that are sanctified Heb. 10.14 3. This great Atonement not made but by Blood Heb. 9.7 The high Priest entred not without Blood Livit. 26. And this Atonement was to be made upon the Horns of the Altar Levit. 16.18 viz. The Golden Altar of Incense Exod. 30.10 Hence Christ called the Blood of sprinkling Hebr. 12.24 The Offering that was to be used in this solemn Atonement for so much as concerned the Sins of the People were two Goats which were to be presented before the Lord at the door of the Tabernacle Levit. 16.7 And Lots to be cast one for the Lord the other for the Scape-Goat the former was to be the Sin-offering for the People and his Blood to be brought within the Veil Verse 23. And the other was to bear the Iniquity of the Children of Israel but to be sent into the Wilderness Ibid. Vers 21. Although in the Sacrifice of Christ his Body only died and his Soul escaped yet both were but one Sacrifice he did bear our sins in both his Soul was heavy unto death as well as his Body crucified and as God had prepared him a Body in order to this Sacrifice Heb. 10.5 So he made his Soul an Offering for Sin Isa 53.10 4. As after all this the Priest entred into the most Holy and presented this Blood of Reconciliation before the Mercy Seat and no Man was to be in the Tabernacle when he goeth in Levit. 16.17 So Christ having trodden alone the Wine press of his Father's Wrath Isaiah 63.3 Is entred into the Holy Place not made with Hands now to appear in the presence of God for us Hebr. 9.24 And as the People did representatively by their Mediatour Aaron pass into the Holiest so our High Priest hath consecrated for us Access into the Holiest by a new and living way through the Veil of his Flesh Hebr. 10.20 Who as he is our Advocate with the Father John 2.1 To bear our Names before him as the High Priest did the Names of Israel to present his own Blood before the Father of Mercy as the High Priest did the Blood of the Sin-Offering before the Mercy Seat to bear the Iniquity of our holy things as the High Priest did upon his Forehead so likewise to present our Prayers to the Father Ephes 2.18 Through him we have access

that most rational and clear Doctrine of our Saviour 2. The thing denominating that action sinful it is the Obliquity of the act of the Will for the last act of the Will which preceeded the action is the Sin and the action divided from that act of the Willing is not nor can be sinful It is therefore called a sinful action because it is the fruit or expression of an act of the Will moving contrary to this Law of God. And by this it is evident that the Sin is not inherent in the external action produced by the Will but in the Will it self and that the Sin hath a pre-existence such as it is in the Consent of the Will before the action is produced And according to the measure of the freeness and fulness of that Consent is the measure of the Sin and not according to the action though it be regularly true that that consent of the Will that is strongest produceth most ordinarily an action Hence it is that an action contrary to the Command of God produced either through Incogitancy Fear Surprize Passion is not so great a sin as a deliberate studied resolved Sin though in truth it be not produced into act by reason of some extrinsecal impediment because there is a fuller Consent of the Will in the latter than in the former These things being premised we may conclude 1. God's Counsel doth not predetermine the Will to any evil for although it is true the Obligation of a Law is the necessary Antecedent of every Sin and it is impossible that the Laws which God gives to man do bind the Law-giver yet this is inconsistent with his Purity Truth and Justice Inconsistent with his Purity for certainly there is an intrinsecal Justice and Holiness in the Law of God whereof he cannot cause the Violation Inconsistent with his Truth the Will of his Counsel never crosseth the Will of his Command Inconsistent with his Justice to require an Obedience to that Law whereof he doth necessitate the breach And in this case predeterminating the Action by way of necessitating the Will and to predetermine the Obliquity differs little 2. Much less doth he infuse Obliquity or Evil into the Will to serve the Series of his Counsels But then it seems the Evil Actions of Men are out of the Counsel of God or God must take up new Counsels upon the Vision or at least Prevision of the actions of Men. No But here we must remember what hath been before premised that here is seen the great Justice and Wisdom of this Counsel that it puts nothing off from that manner of operation wherewith the God of Nature hath endued it Thus he draws out infallibly the action of a free Agent even in things sinful and yet the Will moves freely in what it doth and consequently owes that Sin to it self The Counsel of God is active in these particulars 1. Proposing of an Object The Babylonish Garment was no cause of Achan's sin for it was propounded to him meerly objectively and was passive to his Choice 〈◊〉 Permitting extrinsecal Moral Perswasions unto 〈…〉 This is Temptation Adam was created without 〈◊〉 yet with Liberty to sin He was left wholly in the hands of his own Will here was an Object presented the fruit was fair to look upon and Moral Perswasions by the Devil that there was no danger that it would make them wise the Man eats This is most clearly a most free act for neither the proposition of the Object nor Perswasions do any way derogate from the freedom of the action God could in his Counsel have intercepted the Object or impeded the Perswasion he doth neither the sin is committed and that without the least colour of imputation to the Counsel of God for the Man's Will was not necessitated he sinned freely 3. By withdrawing those efficacious Aids of his Grace and Dispensation which especially since the Fall of Man are the great impediment to that Career of sin that Man would run And this is no violation of Man's Nature or Freedom for they are extrinsecal to his Nature and therefore not due to him nor is he injured if withdrawn from him especially since for the most part Man thrusts them away before they are taken Such are the outward dispensations of his Providence in Education Affliction Prosperity the Preaching of his Word Advice of Friends giving external Allays to the humours of the Body These and the like God lends to the Sons of Men and may take them again when he will. And as he hath such outward operations so without question such is the Vicinity of God to our Souls that there are Secret Inward Perswasions sent in by the Power of God to our Souls which as they do not violate the Liberty of our Wills but direct them so they are not due to the Creature debito justitiae and may be withdrawn without injustice 4. By Ordering it Thus the Wise God oftentimes brings Good out of Evil by the restraining the sin quo ad hoc by the Dispensation of his Providence as a wise Politician will order the Ambition Cruelty Lust c. of Men for bringing good to the Common-wealth The Depravation of Man's Nature is Universal and like as the Water would diffuse it self over the whole Surface in the pursuit of its own motion and Nature so the corrupted Nature of Man being now become universally evil would diffuse it self in all disorders but as a wary Artist will by external Provisions not only confine this natural motion of this extravagant Element to this or that course but also make its natural motion serviceable for artificial ends so the Wise God doth not only set Bars and Doors and saith to this Sea of Mischief Hitherto shalt thou go and no farther and here shall thy proud Waves stay but also so manageth the same that whiles Man sins he works his Creator's Will which he knows not O Assyrian the rod of mine anger c. howbeit he meaneth not so neither doth his heart think so but it is in his heart to destroy and cut off nations not a few Isa 10.7 A sinful and unthankful Israel deserves a punishment an ambitious and cruel Assyrian flies at all opportunity of Rapine and Spoil the Wise God shuts him up upon all sides but that which is towards Israel and there he finds a passage and breaks out satisfies freely his own ambitious ends which only he pursued yet fulfils the Will of our Creator which he knew not nor thought of This also cometh from the Lord who is wonderful in Counsel and excellent in working Those ways of God and the manner of his Concurrence in those actions are evident in Scripture Exod. 7.3 I will harden Pharaoh 's he●rt c. Verse 11. They cast down their rods and they became Serpents c. and he hardened Pharaoh 's he●rt that he hearkened not unto them Exod. 8.15 When Pharaoh saw that there was respite he hardened his heart and

special and peculiar way and is that very Power whereby their Acts and Motions to eternity are acted and was not communicated in that perfection till after Christ's Ascension John 16.7 If I go not away the Comforter will not come This Spirit of Christ is a Spirit of Illumination and Instruction John 14.26 The Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name he shall teach you all things 1 Joh. 2.27 The anointing which is from above teacheth you all things a Spirit of Conviction and Redargution John 16.8 a Spirit of Renovation and Cleansing Tit. 3.5 a Spirit of Strength Ephes 3.16 Strengthned with his might by his Spirit a Spirit of Assurance Ephes 1.13 Sealed with the Holy Spirit of Promise a Spirit of quickening Rom. 8.11 quickned by his Spirit that dwelleth in you a Spirit of Adoption and Attestation Rom. 18.15 16. We nave received the Spirit of Adoption a Spirit of Supplication and Intercession Rom. 8.26 27. The Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us The Spirit of defence against Temptation Ephes 6.17 The Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God A Spirit of Union There is a double and reciprocal means of Union between Christ and his people 1. By Faith whereby Christ is united unto them Ephes 3.17 That Christ might dwell in your Hearts by Faith. 2. By the Spirit whereby we are united unto him Rom. 8.9 If any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Ephes 2.20 In whom also ye are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit 1 John 4.13 Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Cor. 6.17 He that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit And this Union with Christ was that which he so much desired of his Father for his Church John 17.22 23. And as by Faith all that Satisfaction and Righteousness which was in him was made ours so all our Actions proceeding from this Spirit are in truth his both in virtue and acception with the Father Ephes 2.18 Through him we have access by one Spirit to the Father Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me And by reason of this Union with Christ as he is a Son so are we Sons Rom. 8.17 Joynt Heirs with him and Galat. 4.7 an Heir of God through Christ thus we apprehend Christ and are apprehended of him Phil. 3.12 3. The third effect and end of Christ's Ascension is his perpetual Intercession in the Presence of the Glory of God for his People Christ in his humane Nature was our Sacrifice and that was but one Sacrifice and but once offered Heb. 9.28.10.14 And Christ who in both Natures was the Priest that offered that Sacrifice Heb. 9 14 25. Who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God though he finished that part of his Priestly Office while he was with us yet as the Priesthood of Christ was for ever according to the order of Melchisedec so the exercise of that Priesthood still continues Heb. 9.24 Christ is entred into Heaven it self now to appear in the Presence of God for us And as by his Spirit which he hath given to his people he makes Intercession in them for we have Access to the Father by his Spirit so by himself he makes Intercession for us Heb. ● 25 Wherefore he is able to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him seeing he ever liveth to make Intercession for them 1 John 2.1 And if any man sin we have an advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous And it is the strength of this Intercession of Christ that makes the Prayers of his People effectual John 16.23 Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my Name he will grant it That Incense that was mingled with the Prayers of the Saints Revel 8.3 And here let 〈◊〉 ever admire the endless goodness of God Man is dead in trespasses and sins God sends his Son into the World with a Ransom and with Life John 1.4 In him was life and the life was the light of men But for all this the World still continues in death and darkness John 1.10 The world knew him not He therefore by his Providence conveys Truth to their Ears and by his Spirit carries Life and Light into their Souls and conquers the darkness and death that is in us And when he hath rescued us from ruine he still leaves that Spirit of his to contest with our Corruptions to discover his Mind to form us every day more and more to our lost Image to supplicate and communicate our wants and fears and though those supplications of ours are mingled with imperfections distrusts doubtings and distractions yet he that knows the mind of his own Spirit takes these Prayers of ours and cleanseth them from the dross that hangs about them mingles his own Merit with them presents them to his Father in the strength of his own Intercession and so bears the iniquity of their holy things Nay when we vex and grieve that Agent of his that he hath left in us to perfect our Blessedness and oftentimes stifle his motions and have scarce the sign of Life left in us he nevertheless makes Intercession for us Isa 53.12 He made intercession for the transgressours 3. The next inquiry is for whom the Satisfaction of Christ was 1. Christ did Intentionally lay down his Life for the sins of the Elect of God John 10.15 I lay down my life for my sheep And these Sheep of Christ as they were not confined to one time or age of the World so neither to one Nation or company of People John 10.16 Other sheep I have which are not of this fold viz. of the Nation of the Jews And thus some understand 1 John 22. And not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world using us the world as a contradistinction of the Gentiles from the Jews to whom it seems he wrote 2. As Christ died Intentionally for the Redemption of the Elect so he died Effectually for them and God hath so ordered his Counsels that those that he hath appointed to eternal Life shall use that means which he hath appointed to be instrumental for the partaking of the Efficacy of his Death John 6.37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me and him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out 3. Whatsoever were the Intention or Efficacy of the Death of Christ yet we are sure that all Men shall not partake of the full and compleat Effect of Christ's Satisfaction viz. Eternal Life This is a clear Truth yet all the lost Sons of Adam shall be left wholly unexcusable and condemned by the most Righteous and Natural Justice that is imaginable There have been three great Promulgations of Laws in the World. 1. The Law written in the Hearts of Men Rom 1.19 That which may be

our Flesh was to exhibit himself a Pattern of Holiness towards God and Righteousness towards Man. And thus the History of our Saviour's Life is a Rule of Righteousness in his Meekness Matth. 11.29 Learn of me for I am meek in his Humility Philip. 2.5 Let the same mind be in you as was in Christ Jesus c. in his Patience under Affliction or Persecution 1 Pet. 2.11 12 13. Because Christ hath also suffered for us leaving us an example who when he was reviled reviled not c. in Offices of Love and Charity towards our Brethren John 13.14 15. For I have given you an example that ye should do as I have done in love and tenderness towards others Ephes 5.12 Be ye followers of God as dear children and walk in love as Christ also hath loved us c. in Obedience to Parents to Magistrates in Liberality in Compassion in sweetness of Conversation in a word we may in his Life find not only that external Conformity to the Divine Law that God requires of us but also a radical habitual frame of Mind and Life in all Vertue so that we may plainly see in the comparing of his Life with these Apostolical Precepts and Directions contained in the Epistles that the former was as it were the Text and the latter but Collections or Animadversions upon it turning the practice of his Life into Precepts and concluding what we ought to be by observing what he was and did God intending to re-instamp his Image upon Man did send his Son the Image of the invisible God as a Seal into the World to imprint upon his Followers the Image of God which consisted in Righteousness and true Holiness As in our Conformity to the Life of Christ consists our Righteousness here so shall our Glory be hereafter for we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him 2. As thus the History of Christ contains a Rule and Pattern of Righteousness so do the Precepts and Counsels of the Gospel contain a Rule of Righteousness and that more excellent than the Law and that especially in these particulars 1. In that it teacheth and infuseth the true Principle of all Righteousness by shewing us the Love of God to us and therewith commandeth and thereby begetteth Love to God again and in that Love and from it doth teach and enable us to all the Duties of Righteousness towards Men it discovereth a greater and higher act of God's Love to us than the Law did because it discovers his Gifts of Christ unto us and with and in him all things and it doth more distinctly inform us in that Principle of Righteousness in and from the Love of God. 2. It discovers more effectual Motives and Incitements unto this and all other duties in respect of our selves The Law having a shadow of good things to come did inforce its Obedience by Promises of Temporal Advantages and Threatnings of Temporal Punishments but the Promises of the Gospel and its Threatnings are of a higher and more operative nature viz. Eternal Life and Eternal Wrath. 3. It doth improve the Commands and Prohibitions of the Law to its proper yet spiritual and sublime Sense for the Commands or Prohibitions of the Law seemed to respect more principally the outward Act and though in truth it looked farther for the Law in spiritual yet the extent of it was not so clearly evidenced till our Saviours Divine Comment upon it Matth. 5. 4. It doth superadd many Precepts not only of Righteousness towards God but even of Righteousness towards Man that were not contained or at least not so explicitly and positively as in the Gospel such are Works of Mercy and Compassion Patience in Persecution Liberality towards others loving our Enemies abstinence from Revenge Gentleness Moderation and right placing of our Affections contempt of the World Humility and the like These though we find them commended in the passages of the Prophets and Psalms yet they are not so distinctly delivered nor so binding and peremptorily injoyned till we come to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles who have put an equal necessity upon his Disciples to observe these as those other Injunctions of the mere Law. The Pharisees whose exact and rigid obedience to the Commands of the Law was their study and practice yet our Saviour tells his Disciples That except their Righteousness exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees they can in no wise be his Disciples nor enter into Heaven Matth. 5.20 Now this exceeding of their Righteousness consisted in this that is before observed 1. In an Obedience to the Commands of the Law in the spiritual intention and application of it 2. In the practice of those Vertues which came not under the Letter of the Law unto which he had before annexed his Beatitudes Poverty of Spirit Mourning Meekness Hungring after Righteousness Purity Peace-making Patience in Persecution And in these four Particulars especially the Rule of Righteousness contained in the Gospel I cannot say exceeded the Law but exceeded the manner or clearness of the manifestation of the Law it having been the method of Almighty God ever since the Fall of Man to make several steps of discoveries of his mind unto Man and the latter to contain a more eminent degree of Light than the former in Abraham and the Patriarchs was one step in the Law a second in the coming of Christ in the Flesh a third and in the sending of the Holy Ghost a fourth and yet all contained one and the same truth but different degrees of manifestation And as in these Particulars the Rule of Righteousness contained in the New Testament was more clear and excellent than that of the Law so in the same and other respects it infinitely outgoes all the Rules and Dictates of Righteousness contained in the Philosophers whose Rules were Traditions which God by his Providence conveyed from Age to Age for the ordering and governing of Mankind and those improved by the Wisdom and severe and polished Judgments of Men to whom God had given a great measure of Reason and Truth to whom he gave so much Light as might leave the World unexcusable in their disobedience yet reserved so much from them as might glorifie his Son to be one that was a Teacher sent from God and none taught like him CHAP. XXX Of the general Precepts of Righteousness given by Christ and 1. Loving our Neighbour as our self NOW as in our Duty towards God Christ doth not only deliver unto us many special and particular Duties but also delivers some short general Precepts which are easie to be remembred and do include our whole Duty to God As that of Matth. 22.37 Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. so in the matters of Righteousness and Justice towards Men he doth not only deliver some special and explicite Duties but hath given us some general Precepts from whence a good Conscience may easily deduce Conclusions applicable to

every particular Action and Occasion of our Lives in reference to others These are principally two viz. that of Matth. 22.39 taken out of Leviticus 19.18 and again enforced by the Apostle Rom. 3.9 Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy self and that other which is but a repetition of the former in different words Matth. 7.12 Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you do ye even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets It is a certain Rule and easily applicable to every Action of our Lives because if a Man will not wilfully blind himself he is able to judge whether the Action he now doth or resolveth be such as he would be contented should be done to him were the Persons and conditions changed And because these two great Rules are the best and clearest direction of our Consciences and the Conscience is not regular where it is not conformable to these Rules we shall examine them more particularly Then as to the first Thou shalt love thy Neighbour as thy self wherein we must take this word Neighbour as our Saviour himself expounds it that it includes every Person of what Relation or Condition soever though a Person is my Enemy therefore Matth. 5.43 our Saviour confutes that false Gloss of the Jewish Masters that did contradistinguish a Neighbour to an Enemy and tells us that an Enemy is to be the Object of our Love and Beneficence Luke 10.33 a Jew and a Samaritane between whom there was not only a kind of civil and national Enmity but an Hatred grounded upon difference in Religion in so much that the Jews could not use a more bitter reproach against our Saviour than to stile him a Samaritan John 8.48 yet these were within the comprehension of this Command So that whatsoever he be whether knit unto me in any relation or not nay though extreamly contrary unto me either in civil Enmity or in Religion yet such a Person is the subject of this Command This being premised these things are evidently consequent upon this Command 1. That every Man is bound to love himself 2. That every Man is bound to love another as he loves himself 1. Concerning the former it is certainly a Duty and if it were not a Man might easily elude this Precept for if I might hate my self the rule and measure of my Love to my Neighbour were lost therefore a Love to my self is implicitly injoyned in this Precept of our Saviour as well as in the Inclination of Nature Ephes 5.29 No man ever hated his own flesh but the Errors of Self-love are that which our Saviour elsewhere so often reproves 1. When a Man mistakes and esteems that himself which indeed is not when a Man takes that for an Eye or a Hand or a Foot viz. parts of himself which indeed are not Matth. 5.29 When a Man shall make the lust of his Eye as dear as his Eye and the corruption of his Hand as dear as his Hand to these our Saviour commands cruelty to be shewn to be cut off and pulled out when a Man shall mistake that old Man that is in him to be himself which is to be put off and crucified Ephes 4.22 and shall take those to be members of himself which are members of the old Man which are not to be loved but mortified Colos 3.5 Such is the disorder and corruption of our Nature that we esteem our Sins and Lusts to be part of our Essentials and thereby misplace our Love upon them in stead of our selves And this is a Self Love forbidden nay they are our only Enemies Enemies that fight against our Souls 2. When our Love though it be partly right placed yet it is either beyond the due measure and proportion or doth not take in our whole Selves Every one is bound by the Laws of God and Nature to love his own Flesh but he that so loveth his own Flesh that he neglects his Soul he loves not his whole self and consequently hath indeed less love for himself than he should have Thus he that loseth his Life shall save it That Man that for the advantage of a temporal Life much less for the advantage of some temporal Profit or Pleasure shall hazard his everlasting Soul loves himself less than he should because he prefers the temporary advantage of his worse part before the eternal advantage of his better part 3. When Love to a Man's self wants the due subordination to our Love to God. The Good that is in God is infinite and the Good that we receive from him is the highest Good we are capable of for our Being which is our Capacity to receive any Good and all the Comforts Benefits and Conveniences that fill up that Capacity we receive from him and therefore our Love to him ought to take up the whole Compass and Capacity of our Soul. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy Soul and with all thy might the first and great Commandment Matth. 22.37 And as the Being of the Creature is a dependant Being so his own Love to himself ought to be a subordinate Love to him upon whom it hath his dependance Luke 26.14 If any man come to me and hate not his father c. yea and his own life he cannot be my disciple Yet such is the wonderful Bounty and Wisdom of the Will of God that in Conformity thereunto a man exactly conforms to his own Happiness Our highest and most universal Love to God is joyned with a true and exact Love to our selves for he hath conjoyned the Happiness of the Creature with the Duty to himself Both which we find Matth. 16.25 Whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it It may so happen that thy Love to thy Saviour may not consist with thy external Honour Wealth or Peace nay not with the enjoyment of thy own Life but it shall ever consist with the life and blessedness of thy Soul unto all Eternity and what can be an exchange equivalent to thy immortal Soul Thus whilst thou hatest thy Life when the Love and Duty thou owest to God calls for it thou dost at once perform a double duty of Love to God and Love to thy self 2. From hence it appears that in the relation between my Neighbour and my self there is a priority of Love due to my self to that Love I owe to my Neighbour for the Love to my self is presupposed and made the Rule of that Love I owe to my Neighbour therefore in an equality of Concernment to my self and my Neighbour I am to prefer my self as if this unhappy Necessity should lie upon me either to preserve my own Life or that my Neighbour must lose his and that without my fault I may I must prefer the saving of my own Life But where there is an inequality of Concernment there the difficulty is great to discover the measure of my Duty to my Neighbour