Discourses upon the Existence and Attributes of God

1. Natural, which is common to us by the Law of nature with other Creatures, Inanimate, as well as Animate; and so closely twisted with the nature of every Creature, that it cannot be dissolved, but with the dissolution of nature it self. It consisted not with the wisdom and goodness of God to Create an unnatural nature, or to Command any thing unnatural: Nor doth he; for when he Commands us to Sacrifice out Selves, and dearest lives for himself, tis not without a promise of a more noble state and being, in exchange for what we lose. This self-love is not only commendable, but necessary, as a Rule to measure that duty we owe to our Neighbour, whom we cannot love as our selves, if we do not first love our selves: God having planted this self-love in our nature, makes this natural principle the measure of our affection to all Mankind of the same blood with our selves.

1. Natural, which is common to us by the Law of nature with other Creatures, Inanimate, as well as Animate; and so closely twisted with the nature of every Creature, that it cannot be dissolved, but with the dissolution of nature it self. It consisted not with the wisdom and goodness of God to Create an unnatural nature, or to Command any thing unnatural: Nor doth he; for when he Commands us to Sacrifice out Selves, and dearest lives for himself, tis not without a promise of a more noble state and being, in exchange for what we lose. This self-love is not only commendable, but necessary, as a Rule to measure that duty we owe to our Neighbour, whom we cannot love as our selves, if we do not first love our selvs: God having planted this self-love in our nature, makes this natural principle the measure of our affection to all Mankind of the same blood with our selves.

2. Carnal self-love, when a man loves himself above God, in opposition to God, with a contempt of God; when our thoughts, affections, designs, Centre only in our own fleshly interest; and rifle God of his honour, to make a present of it to our selves: Thus the natural self-love, in it self good, becomes Criminal by the excess, when it would be superior and not subordinate to God.