“Private self-love seems to be the root of depravity; the grand succedaneum in human affection to the love of God and man. Self-admiration, self-will, and self-righteousness are but different modifications of it. Where this prevails, the creature assumes the place of the Creator, and seek his own gratification, honour, and interest, as the ultimate end of all his actions. Hence, when the apostle describes men under a variety of wicked characters, the first link in the chain is—lovers of their own selves. Hence also the first and grand lesson in the Christian school is—to deny ourselves. " (Note to the reader---succedaneum means SUBSTITUTE)
Andrew Fuller (1754-1815)
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