James Gray offers four warnings to those who are tempted to prefer things above God:"1. Be persuaded that there is more joy in the hope and expectation of your idols than in the enjoyment of them. All the enjoyment of an idolater stands in hope, little of it stands in fruition.2. When a soul comes to the enjoyment of its predominant idol, God [often] blasts the idol or cuts short your life ordinarily. We see this in the parable of that fool in the gospel, when he embraces his predominant idol.3. An eternity's enjoyment of your idols is not worthy to be compared to one moment's enjoyment of Christ; for all the pleasures that idols can afford unto you, the loss of one hour of fellowship with Christ is a greater loss than they all can compensate.4. Finally, notice that when the devil presents you with the beauty of your idols and you embrace these temptations, be then afraid lest there be a knot of marriage made between you and your idols. There are two knots that will be made between you and your lust, there is a knot of love and a knot of desire. Certainly, when you cast these knots between you and your idols, God will cast a third knot between you and them. He [may] pass a sentence in heaven, saying, 'They are joined to their idols, let them alone.'"Remedies Against Satan's Devices (1)