Chap. 3 t , An Expofttion upon the Book of J ò a, Veil, 3. 3t5 As felfe-love might move us, if there were nothing elfe to move us, to doegood, teeing by doing good we doe moft good to our (elves ; fo felfe love may move us, were there no other motive not to doe eviil, Peeing by doing evil) we doe molt evill to our felves. Will any man knowingly fpoyle his owne portion, and marrehis owne inheritance ? ifwe have no love to God, none to holineffe, yet let us take heedof fin , left we undoe our felves, and !Dote our portion. There is a felfe-love, which is the root of all evil!, (aTim. 3. t, a.) This know alfo that in the laß dayes perillous times "hall come , for men Jhall be lovers of their creme [elves, Covetous, boaflers, proud, blaf'ihemers, difobedient to pa- rents, unthankfulI, unholy. There is alto a Idle-love that is good, and is a mote ofall good ; Did men love themfelves truely, they would not be covetous but charitable ; They would not be proud but humble, obedient, thankful!, holy. True felfe-love is fe good,that it is the rule of loving others and doing them good. Thoufsa1e love thy neighbour as thy felfe ; Though we ought to turne fromevil! upon higher principles,yet wehave need to deale with our foules upon this alto, and upon all other Topicks ( and all littleenough) efpecially upon thofe two which are the molt general! and comprehenfive ones ; The withholding of good from us, and the drawingofevill upon us as it follows in the next verfe. Verf. 3. Is not ekßrutlion to the wicked, and a firange punifh- ment to the workers of iniquity ? Whether we take thefe words as an Anfwer to the fecond verfe, or as the fecond reafon of what lob afferted concerning himfelfe in the firft verfe, The meaning is alike ; hee would not hinder his owne mercies, nor would he run upon his owne mil- chiefe. Is not deffruHim to the wicked ? Is not that their portion, and all the portion they can ratio- TR perditio naliv expe& from God ? The word fignifieth utter deftru&ion, pernicie in. ruining deflrut`kion,fuch as leaves nothing undeftro5'ed, Like that teritus. which the Prophet Nahum threatned the Lords enemies with (Chap. t. 9 ) What doeye imagine againfi the Lord ? he will make a - utter end : affliaion'hall not rife up thefecond time. The Nine- S f z vises
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