Commentary on 1 John, Commentary · Chapter 2 · Verse 15
1 JOH. 2.15.
Love not the world, nor the things of the world, &c.
THe Apoſtle having exhorted to many Duties, as keeping the Commandments, and walking as Chriſt walked; here hee removes an impediment which might hinder all, and that is, Love of the world; and he writes here to young men, and old men chiefly, to little Babes he writes, verſe 18. In this verſe we have a prohibition of Love in reſpect of a double Object; 1 The world. 2 The things of the world. This prohibition is grounded on a three-fold reaſon;
1 From the removal of the love of the Father from ſuch.
2 Love not the things of the world; becauſe whoſoever is in the world, is either the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, or the pride of life, and is not of the Father, verſ. 16.
3 From the tranſitorineſs of the World, and the contrary permanency of the love of God, v. 17.
Q. 1. What is the World?
A. The World is taken Four ways, and all incident to this place.
1 For the frame and fabrick of Heaven and Earth, and all the Creatures, Act. 17.24. So love not the world, that is, not the Creature.
2 The wicked of the world, Joh. 15.19. and though he doth not here intend them, yet we are to ſeperate our ſelves from them.
3 The World is taken for the Faſhions and Cuſtoms of the world, Be not transformed after the world, Rom. 12.2.
4 The world is taken for thoſe endowments and benefits the World affords, as Riches, Honours, Profits, and Pleaſures, &c. Jam. 4.4.
Theſe three are chiefly aimed at, Love not the Creature, love not the Faſhions and Cuſtoms of the world, love not the Profits and Pleaſures of the world.
Obj. May not we love the Creature? are not all the Creatures very good? Gen. 1. ult. are we not exhorted to do good to all? muſt we not then love all? Gal. 6.10. what then is the love of the world which is here forbidden?
A. Love is ſuch an affection of the heart, whereby a man affects communion with the Creature, and communion of good to it, as the love of Money, is when we love it for it ſelf. This love is double;
1 Amor concupiſcentiae, when a man covets the thing for the thing it ſelf, for the gain of it.
2 Amor amicitiae, which is, when I not only deſire communion with it, but communication of good to it.
The firſt is chiefly here forbidden, when I affect the World, or the things of the World for themſelves, for its own ſake, and not for Gods, that it may be a furtherance to Gods ſervice, when we love the world rather than God, when we deſire it though we be without God, and rejoyce in it for it ſelf; this is the love of the world here forbidden.
Q. What is meant by the things of the World?
A. 1. Not the Creatures, for that is included in the world, Act. 17.24. and it appears by verſe 16. that by the things of the world, he means the luſts of the world, not only luſting after women, but ſuch an affection whereby we are carried after any Creature inordinately, that is luſt, Rom. 7. Gal. 5.17. and again the Creatures are of the Father, but he ſpeaks of ſuch things as are not of the Father. Love not the World, he writes to old men and young men, ſuch as are moſt ſubject to it.
Doct. The World is not to be beloved of young or old.
I write unto you Fathers, love not you the World; I write unto you young men, love not you the World; St. James is ſharp in this p int, Jam. 4.3, 4. where he reproves them as Adulterers that love the World; thoſe that are friends to the world, are enemies to God.
Obj, Are not all the Creatures of God good, and ought we not to be merciful to our Beaſts?
Anſ. Hee doth not forbid mercy or love to Beaſts or Creatures, but hee would not have your love terminated in them, bounded in them, he would not have you rejoyce or delight in the Creature, before you have part in the Creator, for if you affect theſe things for themſelves, the love of God is not in you.
Reaſ. 1 From the enmity that is in the Creature it ſelf, againſt the Creator, ever ſince the fall, there lyes this vanity on the Creature, that it emptyes our ſouls of Grace, and love to the Creator, and from all Gods ordinances.
1 In hearing the word, if it be poſſible, the world will keep you back; let God propound a Feaſt of fat things, One makes an excuſe he hath hyred a Farm, and he muſt go ſee it; another hath bought yoaks of Oxen, and he muſt go try them, a third hath married a Wife, and he cannot come. Luk. 14.19, 20
2 If a man break through this, and come to the ordinances, hee ſhall find that the world is a great enemy to him there, Ezek. 33, 21, 22. his heart is drawn after profits and pleaſures, it may be it will make you deſpiſe what you hear, as the Phariſees did, they ſcoffed at Chriſt, as a poor man himſelfe who had not felt the ſweetneſſe of the world; and this is the enmity of the world.
3 If you ſhould hear the Word and attend to it, and delight ſomething in it, yet the World will ſo damp you, or choak you, that all the ſeed will be ſmothered, Mat. 13.22. while we buſie our ſelves here and there in the World, the Word is gone, and Grace is gone, this is the enmity of the World.
Ʋſe 1 It may ſerve to teach all, young and old, to take up this exhortation, love not the World; no man is addicted to the World, but he is in more ſlavery and bondage, than any gally-ſlave, whoſe hands may be bound, and his feet ſhackled, but his heart is free, and he deſires freedome from that ſlavery; but a worldly man is imployed and buſied in the World, and his body is a ſlave to it, and not only ſo, but his very mind and heart is a captive to the World, hee cannot be free to any good and ſpiritual imployment, neither can he ſo much as deſire freedome from this ſlavery; what a miſerable thing is it, to ſee a man imployed altogether for his body and eſtate, and have no heart at all to that which is good? O! they may not be ſuffered to come to ſermons, they have other things to attend to; for men to be thus inthralled it is a miſery; and if they come to the Word, yet the World fills their heads, that either they cannot attend to it, or if they do, after they are gone, the World ſteals all away; therefore I ſay again, love not the World, if riches increaſe, ſet not your hearts upon them, nor count them your chiefeſt good, but be ſure firſt to ſeek the Kingdom of God, and if God beſtow any worldly bleſſings upon you, take it as a pledge of his love, and be thankfull to him, and acknowledge your own unworthineſſe, Gen. 32.10. as Jacob there did, and make them a means to help you forward in Gods ſervice: as it is with Seamen, the deeper and wider the Sea is, the more free they are, and leſſe carefull, ſo if you have abundance of wealth to ſwim and wallow in, you muſt uſe more liberty in good courſes, and take no care for winds and ſtorms, you have Sea-room enough, ſet not your hearts on them, but go on in a more ſpeedy courſe of Chriſtianity.
Ʋſe 2 A ſign of trial, whether thou love the world or no; Doſt thou love the world for it ſelf? Doſt thou think it well with thee if thou haſt the world, and not well if thou haſt not the world? doth all thy content reſt in the world, like the rich man in the Goſpel? then thou loveſt the world; but if thou regard the world no further than it may help thee on in a Chriſtian courſe, then it will never hinder thee in the ways of God, and thou loveſt not the world, but the love of God is in thee.
Doct. There is in our corrupt nature not only a love to the world, but alſo a love to our own luſts.
Love not the world, nor the things of the world, that is, our own Luſts, implying, there is in us by nature a love to the world, and the things of the world, the luſts of the fleſh, the luſts of the eye, and the pride of life.
The luſt of the fleſh is ſuch a corrupt inclination, whereby our bodies do affect ſenſual luſts, and ſenſual objects, as meat and drink, that is, intemperancy, or women, that is Incontinencie, or Paſtimes and Pleaſures; and that is Voluptuouſneſſe; and they are called the Luſts of the fleſh becauſe our fleſh ſets us a work to them, what are the luſts of the eye? there is a good eye, a bountiful eye, but an evil eye is called a covetous eye, Pro. 23.6. Deu. 15.7. ſo then the luſts of the eye is Covetouſneſſe, and it is called the luſt of the eye, becauſe the eye ſtirs us up to it; and that is all he hath to behold them, Eccleſ. 5.10, 11. the very beholding ſatisfies.
The pride of Life, is the affecting of a mans own carnal excellency, when as he doth look at himſelf only, whether he doth it in heart by high conceit, or worldly boaſtings, or in outward carriage, now all theſe we are ready to love, we are ready to love our own wantonneſſe, our intemperancy, or to be carried away with the luſt of the Eye, the profits of the World, or elſe to be puft up with our own excellency: whatſoever the heart luſts after, it is either honour, or profit, or pleaſure: now, love not the World, nor the luſts of it: why, would you think a man ſhould be ſo wicked as to love Voluptuouſneſſe, or Profit, or Honour? Yes, St. John elſe would not ſo carefully have forbidden it.
Reaſ. 1 Now that this is ſo, appears, 1. From our aptneſſe to take part with our own luſts, when they are either diſcovered or reproved; thus Herod loved his luſt, his Herodias, which appears in that he took part with his luſt againſt John Baptiſt, and took it hainouſly that he ſhould reprove him for it, Matth. 14.3. he will rather reſtrain John than reſtrain his luſt, when a man would rather reſtrain the Miniſters than his luſt, that is a ſign of his love to his luſt. So Aſa, 2 Chron. 16.10. he not only affected his ſecurity, but he loved his luſt, which is manifeſt, in that he took it ſo hainouſly when the Prophet reproved him for it: ſo for pride of life, it was Jonahs greateſt luſt, love of his own credit, which appears, in that hee was diſpleaſed exceedingly, becauſe he was croſt in it, that the City was not deſtroyed: hee had Prophecied deſtruction to Niniveh, and God upon their repentance ſpared them, and he thought he ſhould be counted a falſe Prophet, and loſe his credit, and therefore he was much diſpleaſed, yea, he was diſpleaſed that God ſhould reprove him for his frowardneſſe, Jon. 4. ſo that he loved this pride and anger in himſelf, becauſe he pleaded for it, when God askt him, Doſt thou well to be angry? Yea, ſaith he, I do well to be angry even to the death. If a man plead for his Luſt, and ſtand out againſt reproof, that is a ſign he loves that luſt.
Reaſ. 2 From the ſlight regard we give to exhortations againſt our Luſts: if Miniſters exhort, Love not the world, nor the things of the world, if we ſlight them, and ſearch not out our luſts, and put them away, and mortifie them: if we favour our ſelves therein, it plainly appears wee love them. If a Prince ſhould ſend to a City, not to harbour ſuch and ſuch Traitors, but to ſeeke them out and puniſh them, if they never look after them, never ſeek them out, is it not a ſign of their love to thoſe Traitors? ſo if we hear of ſinfull luſts, that we ſhould not love them: if yet notwithſtanding we go home, and never regard them, it is a manifeſt ſign that we love theſe luſts.
Ʋſe 1 May ſhew us the wonderfull depth of the wickedneſſe that is in our hearts; one would think it were wickedneſſe enough to have Voluptuouſneſſe, and Covetouſneſſe, and Pride, and vanity in our hearts, but this is nothing in reſpect of our love to them, we not only have theſe luſts, but wee love them; therefore this ſhould learn us to abhor our own carnal eſtate, that we are not only full of pride, and covetouſneſſe, and intemperancie, but that we ſhould love theſe luſts, that is a depth of wickedneſſe; that a man ſhould ſtand out againſt any friend, or counſel, or reproof, or exhortation, and take part with his luſts, this is a ſign that the heart is deſperately wicked, Jer. 17.9. therefore let no man have an high conceit of himſelf, but labour to ſee the depth of the wickedneſſe of his heart by Nature, in that he not only is filled with theſe luſts but loves them.
Ʋſe 2 May ſerve to teach us, whenſoever we renew our repentance, and finde out any covetouſneſſe, or pride, or intemperance, go but a little lower, and you ſhall finde a love of thoſe luſts in your hearts; and as God ſaid to Ezekiel, Ezek. 8.6. Turn thee, and thou ſhalt ſee greater abominations than theſe, ſo ſhall we finde in our own hearts; whence elſe comes all extenuating, and mincing, and hiding of ſin? whence elſe comes diſputing, and pleading for our luſts? it is made manifeſt, that rather than we will be acccounted proud, or wanton, or covetous, we will bid defiance to all; alas, what is this but to love the world, and the the things of the world?
Doct. The Luſts of the world, young and old are to be weaned from.
The love, of Chriſtians is not to be ſet on the luſts of the world.
The Holy Ghoſt dehorts from this by Scriptures that enforce reſtraint from theſe luſts, 1 Pet. 2.11. 2 Tim. 2.22. Fly youthful luſts, and St. Peter wiſhes them to abſtain from them, as if they were ſome deadly poyſon, that would ſtain and infect our ſouls; it implies ſome great danger, Rom. 13.14. fly from them, make no means to accompliſh them.
2 There are other words which ſhew more enmity, as mortifying; Col. 3.5. there he calls Luſts the members of the body, implying, there is a body of ſin; now this mortifying is a metaphor taken from Chirurgions, who when they would cut off a Member, they mortifie it, by binding it, and hindering the recourſe of the bloud and and ſpirits, and ſo benumb it. Secondly, They apply Corroſives to ſtupifie it, and then cut it off, leſt it fret and kill the whole body; ſo we ought to mortifie our luſts, by reſtraining and binding our hearts from delight in any pleaſure, Pſal. 119.101. my feet, that is, the inclination of my heart, he had bound up his ſpirit from them, and reſtrained it from any fellowſhip with them.
2 As Chirurgions apply Corroſives, ſo Chriſtians to mortifie their luſts apply ſuch Corroſives may ſubdue their luſts, Rom. 8.13. If ye walk after the fleſh ye ſhall dye, but if ye through the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body, ye ſhall live; either kill your luſts, or elſe you will kill your ſouls, therefore mortifie your luſts through the Spirit that you may live; which is a notable Corroſive to mortifie them by the Spirit of God; ſo another Corroſive is, when a man applies the threatnings of God to his ſoul, and againſt his Luſts; if you ſhall lay to heart all the dangers of your luſts, it will eat out the corruption of the fleſh. Another ſpecial Corroſive is the Death of Chriſt, when we conſider Chriſt dyed for us, and we are dead in him, how then ſhould we live any longer to ſin, Rom. 6.1 to 6.
3 As Chirurgions cut off that Member that is thus mortified, ſo Chriſtians, that they may not love their luſts, muſt cut off thoſe luſts, and caſt them away, Matth. 18.8, 9. were our luſts as near and precious to us as our right eye, were they never ſo convenient or neceſſary, even as our right hand, though we ſhould diſ-inable our ſelves in our Callings, yet cut them off, it is better you ſhould be lame in your buſineſſe, better you ſhould goe with reproach and ſhame in the world, than at length be caſt body and ſoul into Hell fire; cut off the members of ſin, which are as near, and dear, and neceſſary unto you, as right eyes and hands, in regard of your worldly employments, yet away with them, mortifie them.
Like to this phraſe of Mortifying, is the Crucifying of the fleſh, with the affections and luſts, Gal. 5.24. they that are in Chriſt have crucified the fleſh, with the affections and luſts, they have crucified the whole body of ſin, partly in the affections, which are not ſinful in themſelves, but as they are inordinate, but they keep in their affections and paſſions in ſuch order, that they ſinne not in anger, or joy, or love, &c. and partly their luſts of the fleſh alſo, covetouſneſſe, pride, vanity, wantonneſſe, they are crucified; they look at all their luſts as Crucifying Chriſt, and they look up to Chriſt for the pardon of ſin, and ſo alſo for the healing of ſin, for pardoning and healing goes together, Hoſ. 14.3, 4. 1 Joh. 1.7, 8. they that are Chriſts looking up to the vertue of Chriſts Death, they find their luſts not only pardoned, but healed; crucifying of our luſts, hath ſome reſemblance with Chriſts Death; as,
1 They attach Chriſt, ſeek him out, and are content to give money rather than to find him; ſo will a Chriſtian doe in regard of his luſts.
2 He layes them open as enemies to Caeſar, to the great God, and deſires vengeance on them.
3 He conſiders that Chriſt is dead for him, and he is crucified with Chriſt, therefore what hath he to doe to live to the world, or the luſts thereof?
Reaſ. 1. Why, all ſhould be weaned from luſts, from the enmity which theſe luſts have againſt God, which is a ſufficient motive to weane us from the world, Gal. 5.17. if they be enemies to God, then a Chriſtian hath reaſon to hate them as enemies to his beſt friend, and indeed he cannot love God, and thoſe luſts too, He that loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him; he is not fit for any duty, he that loves the world cannot accompliſh the will of the Father; every luſt hinders ſpiritual duties, hearing of the Word, Prayer, receiving of the Sacrament; any one luſt tolerated, or lived in, hinders all Spirituall duties.
Reaſ. 2. From the enmity they have againſt our ſouls, 1 Pet. 2.11. Dearly beloved, as ſtrangers and pilgrimes abſtain from fleſhly luſts which fight againſt your ſouls; they fight againſt your ſouls, and ſo fight, that either you muſt kill them, or they will kill your ſouls; either mortifie them, or they will mortifie your ſouls; either captivate them, or they will captivate your ſouls. Therefore ſeeing they are ſo contrary to God, and any Spiritual life, and our own ſouls, as we would not have our luſts hinder our peace with God, and eat out our grace, as we would maintain our communion with God, and the life of our ſouls, Love not the world, nor the luſts of the world.
Ʋſe 1. To teach us, it is not enough for us to abſtaine from outward groſs ſins, but love not your luſts: thou mayeſt refrain from the outward acts of ſin, but yet thy heart may be ſtrongly affected towards ſin, and thou mayeſt delight therein; if thou doſt, thou loveſt the world, and the things of the world; therefore labour to cleanſe your ſelves from ſecret luſts. Circumciſion was the cutting off the fore-skin of a ſecret member, and yet God would have another Circumciſion more ſecret, and that is of the heart, we muſt not content our ſelves with outward reformation, but circumciſe our hearts: Levit. 3.3, 4. God took ſpeciall care that he might have all the Kidnies and Fat; the Kidnies and Fat are our ſtrongeſt deſires and luſts, why, when we come to offer Sacrifice, we muſt bring them before the Lord, and burn them, there is no ſavour ſo ſweet in Gods noſtrils as the burning of our ſtrongeſt luſts, the more our luſts ſtink in our noſtrils, the more ſweet ſmelling ſavour it is to God, ſo long as our luſts ſmel ſweet in our noſtrils, ſo long we are loathſome to God.
Ʋſe 2. It muſt teach us, it is not enough to cut off ſome luſts, but thoſe that we love moſt; a good husband that hates prodigality, you ſhall not need to exhort him to frugality; ſo prodigality cannot endure covetouſneſſe, it hates baſeneſſe and pinching, he cannot abide it, it is not his own luſt; ſo another he cares not for this pride and bravery, ſo he may ly cloſe at the pot, or an Harlot; why this is no great matter to cry out againſt thoſe luſts that are not ours, but it is a Chriſtian duty, not to love our own luſts; covetouſneſſe is not thy luſt, but if prodigality be thy luſt, doe not thou cry out againſt covetouſneſſe; and thou which art covetous, doe not thou ſtand out againſt another mans prodigality, but ſtrive againſt thy own covetouſneſſe; there are luſts which are to us, as Eves apple, fair to the eye, ſuch luſts as our ſouls luſt after, Rev. 18.14. look thou to theſe luſts which thy ſoul luſts after, let them depart from thee.
Ʋſe 3. This reproves our aptneſſe to cheriſh and nouriſh our own luſts; when we are commanded not to love them, to mortifie them, not to make proviſion for them, if we then provide for them, we are juſtly to be reproved, Job 24.15. Prov. 7. Woe be to them that draw iniquity with the cords of vanity, and ſin as it were with Cart-roaps, Iſa. 15.18. that take occaſion to fulfill their ſins, that draw them on with Cart-roaps, that give way to ſuch reaſons, and ſuch intentives as draw on a luſt, woe be to them that put away all feare of judgement, and ſo draw on luſts with the cords of vanity.
Ʋſe 4. To teach us all to wean our ſelves from theſe luſts. Young men I write unto you, love not the World, nor the things of the Werld; and old men have nothing to doe with them, refrain from them, apply ſuch corroſives, ſuch threatnings, ſuch promiſes, Chriſts death, and cut off all occaſions of ſin, root it out, challenge your hearts, arraign them before God, bring them as enemies to your ſouls, and labour to cut them off utterly.
If any man love …he world the love of the Father is not in him.
Doct. It is not the having, but the love of the world, that keeps our hearts from the love of the Father.
It is not the having of the World, for Davids mountaine was ſtrong, Joſeph had his will in Aegypt, Abraham was rich, but though they had the World, yet they had not the love of the World, Jam. 4.3, 4. whoſoever is a friend to the World, is an enemy to God; it is not the Lordſhip of the World, but the friendſhip of the World, that is enmity againſt God, for the time ſhall come, that they that take the Lambs part, ſhall be Princes of the World; and Saint James calls the love of the World Adultery; as a woman that makes her ſelfe a friend to another man, and beſtows that love upon him, which her Husband only ſhould injoy, is an enemy to her Husband, ſo a man that is a friend to the World, or to the luſts of it, is an enemy to God, alienated from him, and he would have them know, that there is no worldly covetous man, but he knows that his love of the World is enmity againſt God, it is the World that hinders you from the Word, and Prayer, and good duties.
Reaſ. 1 From the amplitude of that love which we owe to God, which cannot therefore be divided to others; Thou ſhalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and all thy ſoul, and minde, and ſtrength, Mat. 22.37. then we muſt love the World no further than it may help us in his ſervice, and we may imploy it to his advantage, if we love it more we ſin againſt the great Commandement; if we muſt love the Lord with all our heart, and mind, and ſtrength, then what ſorry weake affection is due to the World; even an heartleſs faint love; all our love and vigour of our ſpirits is to be ſet on God, now if a man love the World, he cannot thus love God, for if he love the World, his firſt and chiefeſt care is for wealth and riches, and then it may be he will a little look towards God; firſt let me bury my Father; firſt let me ſtock my Farm, and try my Oxen, and then if I have any time, I will come to the Feaſt.
2 A covetous, or a luſtfull, or a proud man, when he hath the World, and the luſts thereof, he is fully ſatisfied with his portion, without God, Pſal. 17.8. ſo Luk. 12.19. Soul take thine eaſe, thou haſt goods laid up for many years; he wraps up the comforts of his ſoul in theſe outward things; if he have wealth, or pleaſure, he is content without God, the more he hath of the World, the leſſe he cares for God; as the Moon when it is at the full, it is moſt oppoſite to the Sun, ſo is it with a worldly man.
3 The love of the World, will make a man part with God, rather than with the World, he will rather part with Grace and Heaven too than leave the World, he will rather part with eternal life than his wealth; as the young man in the Goſpel, Mat. 19. from 16. to 22. he had rather part with Chriſt, and an expreſſe promiſe of heaven than part with his poſſeſſions; ſo we ſee how the love of the World keeps us from the love of God. Notable is that ſpeech of Chriſt, Mat. 6.24. No man can ſerve two Maſters, &c. God and this World are as two Maſters, ſuch is the amplitude of Gods ſervice, that he that ſerves God as he ought, hath no time to ſerve the World. No man that hath a ſervant but he looks that his whole time ſhould be ſpent in his ſervice; ſo if we ſpend any time in the ſervice of the World, we cannot be ſervants to God. Indeed if ſervices be ſubordinate, we may ſerve many, ſo we may ſeek and take pains for the World, but be ſure it be in ſubordination to Gods ſervice, look that it may make you more free to Gods ſervice.
Ʋſe 1. To diſcourage any man from the love of the World; there is no greater diſcouragement than to ſay, If we love the World, the love of the Father is not in us. As if a Father come to a childe and ſay, if you love ſuch a young man or woman, you cannot love me, and I ſhall take you for my utter enemy, and you ſhall never make it up againe, would not any ingenuous childe rather than he would be an enemy to his Father, part with any? ſo when God ſaith, If you love the World, you cannot love me, I ſhall look at you as my enemies, were not this enough to make any chriſtian out of love with the World? therefore chuſe whether you will love God, or the World, if you love the one, you cannot love the other; therefore it is not a matter of frugality or providence to love the World, for I ſay, If any man loves the World, he makes the World his God: therefore covetouſneſſe is called Idolatry, Col. 3.5. a mans belly may be his God, the love of the World is directly againſt God, the love of God requires all your hearts, ſouls, and ſtrength, therefore no part to be ſet on the World.
Ʋſe 2. It may exhort Chriſtians to mortifie their love to the World, you muſt either crucifie your love to the World, or to God, If you love the world, you cannot love God; if you love God, you cannot love the world, you cannot ſerve God and Mammon. Motives.
1 If a man can but withdraw his mind from the World, he may be Maſter of the field in any temptation, that befals him; what is the World? all that is in the world, is either profit, or pleaſure, or credit, and we regard the World no further; ſo that if thou beeſt weaned from thy profit or pleaſure, in meat or drink, or Paſtime; if thou beeſt weaned from credit thou ſhalt bereave Satan of the weapons he fights againſt thee with, for how doth he keep men back from Religion, but that it will not ſtand with his credit, and applauſe in the World? what hinders them from holy duties, but love to their profits and pleaſures? therefore could but a man wean himſelf from them, he might eaſily overcome the wicked one; how did Joſephs Mr. work on him? was it not from pleaſure? and if Joſeph be content to leave the luſts of the fleſh, he over-maſters that temptation; what made David fall, but the luſt of the fleſh? what made Peter deny his Maſter? was it not fear of death? what made D…mas forſake Paul? was it not love of the World? ſo that there is no temptation, but it is headed with the World: if it be not pointed with the World, it can doe little, ſo that if the Prince of the World come and find nothing of the world in us, or love to profit, or pleaſure, or credit, he can doe nothing: as Chriſt when he ſaw he had no love to theſe things, he had nothing to doe with him.
Ʋſe 3 Of conſolation to every ſoul, who though he be buſie in the World, yet loves not the World, it is not the having of the World, nor the having of the luſts of the World, that makes you enemies to God, but the love of them, ſo that you may have the World, and the luſts thereof, and yet have God too, ſo that you love them not, but deſire to mortifie them, and crucifie them, let God ſee that your heart, and ſtrength, and the vigour of your ſpirits be towards God, not for your own luſts, but for Gods ſervice, and then though a man have the World, and many luſts in him againſt his will, theſe doe not ſeperate him from the love of the Father.