11. The first false glass is Self-love, and the property of love is to make the good things in the party it loves very great, and the vices very little, Self-love represents nothing in it's true shape. The Apostle speaking of the latter days, 2 Tim. 3. saith, There shall be perilous times: And wherein lieth the peril? Men shall be lovers of their own selves. As if he had said, that is one of the worst perils, for a man to have a great conceit of himself. If one be sick of this disease, it will so blind him, that he shall never see a thing in its right place: we may see it by the contrary in the want of love. Suppose it in the case of a malignant neighbour, for example; he that is full of malice and envy towards his neighbour, (consider what a false glass this is.) will never want matter of quarrel against him. The man that wants love, see how the good and bad deeds of his neighbour show themselves to him: when he looks on the good actions of his neighbour, they appear but very small, he is always abridging ⟨p. 19⟩and contracting his virtues and good things, making them seem less then indeed they are. On the other side, all things he sees amiss in him, this want of love makes them far greater, then they are. Love breeds the contrary; when a man loves himself, his good things seem very great, and his evil things very small, those he abridges and contracts; and hereupon is that instance brought of the Jews, Rom. 2.3. Thinkest thou O man that judgest them that do such things, that thou shalt escape, &c. When such a man looks upon his own sins; they appear small to him; but when on the infirmities of others, they seem very great. With one eye he looks on himself, with another on his neighbour. This man perchance is a Drunkard as well as his neighbour, covetous, as well as him, yet he concludes them great evils in his neighbour, but extenuates them within himself: Self-love causes this difference. As long as this sways us, that we love things, because they are our own, we shall never be able to guess at our own condition. If another man should look on you both, would he not account thee partial? If a man hath a Son or Daughter, though they be not so wise or beautiful, as another mans, yet he delights in them as much as if they were, he loves them because they are his own.
11. The first false glass is Self-love, and the property of love is to make the good things in the party it loves very great, and the vices very little, Self-love represents nothing in it's true shape. The Apostle speaking of the latter dayes, 2 Tim. 3. saith, There shall be perillous times: And wherein lieth the peril? Men shall be lovers of their own selves. As if he had said, that is one of the worst perils, for a man to have a great conceit of himself. If one be sick of this disease, it will so blind him, that he shall never see a thing in its right place: we may see it by the contrary in the want of love. Suppose it in the case of a malignant neighbour, for example; he that is full of malice and envy towards his neighbour, (consider what a false glass this is.) will never want matter of quarrel against him. The man that wants love, see how the good and bad deeds of his neighbour shew themselves to him: when he looks on the good actions of his neighbour, they appear but very small, he is alwayes abridging ⟨p. 19⟩and contracting his vertues and good things, making them seem less then indeed they are. On the other side, all things he sees amiss in him, this want of love makes them far greater, then they are. Love breeds the contrary; when a man loves himself, his good things seem very great, and his evil things very small, those he abridges and contracts; and hereupon is that instance brought of the Jews, Rom. 2.3. Think•st thou O man that judg•st them that do such things, that thou shalt escape, &c. When such a man looks upon his own sins; they appear small to him; but when on the infirmities of others, they seem very great. With one eye he looks on himself, with another on his neighbour. This man perchance is a Drunkard as well as his neighbour, covetous, as well as him, yet he concludes them great evils in his neighbour, but extenuates them within himself: Self-love causes this difference. As long as this sways us, that we love things, because they are our own, we shall never be able to guess at our own condition. If another man should look on you both, would he not account thee partial? If a man hath a Son or Daughter, though they be not so wise or beautiful, as another mans, yet he delights in them as much as if they were, he loves them because they are his own.
- 11 Glass. Self-love.
