First Epistle of John Applied Part 1, Lecture 21
THE FIRST EPISTLE OF St JOHN.
CHAP. 2. VERS. 15.
Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world; if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
WHat was the ſaying of thoſe Jews upon the hearing of Chriſts diſcourſe, I doubt is the thought of many Chriſtians upon the reading of this Scripture; This is an hard ſaying, who can heare it? John▪ 6. 60.Promiſes of mercy tickle, but precepts of duty (ſuch eſpecially as are contrary to our luſts) grate the ears; the very hearing is irkſome, but the practiſing much more. This is an hard ſaying, who can hear it? It is harder doing, who can performe it? True, the worke is excellent, but withall difficult: it is a matter of moment, but not acted in a moment. To divert our corrupt natures from worldly love, is no leſs then to turne a ſtreame; and that will aske no little time and paines. No wonder then if our Apoſtle contents not himſelf with the bare mention of this duty, but withall annexeth ſtrong inducements to the performance of it; that hearing, not only what we are to do, but what great reaſon there is why we ſhould do it, we might with the ſtronger reſolution ſet about it: Love not the world, for if any man love the world, &c.
It is that part of the Text I am now come to; namely,Gen. 2. the Argumentation which our Apoſtle adjoyneth to his Dehortation; which conſiſts of two parts, or rather preſents us with two Arguments.
1. The firſt whereof is drawn from worldly love, its contrariety to that which is divine; and this is both aſſerted in the end of the fifteenth, and proved in the end of the ſixteenth; ſo that in this part there are two things offer themſelves to our diſcuſſion.
An eminent point,
An evident proofe; or, if you will, here is a double confirmation;
The one Principall, which is the reaſon of the dehortation, in theſe words, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
The other Collaterall, which is a reaſon of the reaſon, and is expreſſed in thoſe words, Is not of the Father, but of the world.
At this time of the firſt, the principall confirmation; If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him; which words are ſo a proofe, that they are withall a point well worthy my diſcuſſion, and your attention. They are an univerſall negative propoſition, wherein we are to take notice of the ſubject, and the praedicate, of whom, and what it is, that is here denied.
1. The Subject of this propoſition is every lover of the world; it is that I ſhall not need to inſiſt upon as having been already handled at large in the prhibition▪ only give me leave to minde you in a few words, That
1. On the one hand this is to be reſtrained to the immoderate lovers of the world, who wanting, exceſſively deſire after; or having, unmeaſurably delight in it. Indeed it cannot be denied, but that the very having of this world is dangerous, and therefore our Saviour aſſerts, its difficult for rich men to enter into Heaven; and St Paul ſaith, not many mighty are called. A large portion of worldly things, is like a long garment, which reaching to the foot, retards men in their walking; nay▪ ſometimes maketh them ſtumble. But ſtill, only the loving, not the having of this world; no nor yet the love of the world which is ſubordinate, but only that which is co-ordinate, and ſo inordinate, is inconſiſtent with the love of the Father. It is an excellent ſaying of St Bernard, Sic vult amari Deus, ut cunctae res ſimul am…n…ur Bern. in coenâ dom. Serm. 8.cum ipſo, & ſic vult amari ut nihil praeter ipſum ametur: God will be ſo loved, that all things elſe may be loved with him; and yet ſo loved, that nothing be loved beſides him; that is, (as he fully explaineth it) he will have every Creature to be loved, as from him; and it is himſelf, he will have to be loved in every Creature; and only ſuch a love of the world, as is in, and for God, conſiſts with the love of God.
2. On the other hand, This is to be enlarged to all thoſe ſeverall luſts, which grow out of this root of worldly love: to wit, Gluttony, Ebriety, Luxury, Rapacity, Tenacity, and Curioſity, ſelf Conceitedneſs, Ambition, and vain Glory: all of which where ever they are entertained, whither joyntly or ſingly, will not ſuffer divine love to have any roome in the heart; ſo that theſe words, If any man love the world, may be thus Paraphraſed, and are accordingly to be underſtood, If any man inordinately luſt after and take delight in the pleaſures, riches, or honours which this world affords: or if you will more particularly, If any man live in Gluttony, and drunkenneſs, chambering, and wantonneſs, ſloth, and idleneſs, rapine, and covetouſneſs, pride and ambition.
2. But that which is here eſpecially to be unfolded, is the predicate which is denied concerning all worldly lovers, to wit, the love of the Father.
The better to make way for the handling of this, Be pleaſed to know, That the love of the Father may be conſtrued either Actively, or Paſſively: Actively, the Father is the Subject of this love, and him the Object; Paſſively, the Father is the Object, and him the Subject, and ſo here is a double Negative in this one.
1. The worldly lover hath no intreſt in the Fathers love; he may be in the warme Sunſhine, but it is without Gods bleſſing; or rather he may have the Moon light of outward comforts, but he wants the warme Sunſhine of Gods favour. St Paul ſaith of the widow that liveth in 1 Tim. 5. 6.pleaſure, that ſhe is dead whilſt ſhe liveth; ſo are all voluptuous Epicures, as ſo many dead, nay, loathſome carkaſes in Gods account. The Pſalmiſt mentioningPſ. 10. 3. the covetous, faſteneth this brand upon him, whom the Lord abhorreth: he that ſits in the Heavens, spurneth at them, who creep upon the Earth; Finally, St James James 4. 6.ſpeaking of the proud, aſſerts, That God reſiſteth him, (foreign, a military phraſe) he ſetteth himſelf as it were in Battle-array, bidding open defance and proclaiming war againſt the proud. In a word, he that will be the worlds Darling, looſeth a Friend of God.
A ſad truth, and ſuch as may juſtly ſtrike terror, and horror into the heart of every worldling. Indeed however men ſooth up themſelves in their preſent prosperity, not regarding Gods favour, whilſt they enjoy the worlds treaſure: yet the day is coming when they ſhall know and acknowledge how infinitely miſerable their condition is, for want of a ſmile from Heaven: yea, when they would purchaſe a beame of Gods love (were it poſſible) with a totall and finall abdication of all ſecular contentments. Alas, poore wretches, notwithſtanding all the comfort they have for preſent, it is but night with them; and when the time comes, that the Moon and Stars ſhall hide their heads, loſe their light (methinks they ſhould tremble to conſider) in what a black night, of worſe then Aegyptian darkneſs, they ſhall be for ever involved, and that becauſe the Sun will deny his golden beames, God will eternally withhold his favour from them.
2. But though this be a very uſefull meditation, yet I conceive it is not here intended, ſince it is not ſaid, The love of the Father is on, but in him: and ſo the Negation here aſſerted is, That the worldly lover hath no love of the Father in him.
Before I proceed further in the diſcuſſion of this point, it will be needfull to take notice of the fitneſs of the phraſe, which our Apoſtle uſeth, when he ſaith, the love of the Father.
That by the Father is meant God, I ſuppoſe is obvious Patris i. e. caeleſtis patris Dan.to every eye; nor would it be paſſed by that God is emphatically called the Father. Look as though there are other lives, yet the life to come is ſometimes foreign, called life; ſo though there are other Fathers, yet here God is ſtiled the Father, as he to whom this primarily belongs. Other Fathers are but the inſtruments, he is the principall efficient of our being. They are the Fathers of our fleſh, he is the Father of our spirits: they are but earthly, he is our Heavenly Father; Finally, They provide for us only for a time, he taketh care for our eternall wellfare, and therefore eminently the Father.
Again, It would not be paſſed by, that our Apoſtle ſaith, not your, but the Father: ſince though he is a Father, yet not to them, who love the world. Indeed they are ofttimes ſo preſumptuous as to call him Father, but they are none of his Children. Theſe luſts whereever they rule, are not the spots of Gods Children.
But that which would be here eſpecially obſerved is, that our Apoſtle ſpeaking of the love of God, calls it the love of the Father: nor is it without good reaſon, and that upon a double account.
1. To informe us under what notion chiefly God is the Object of love. True indeed in himſelf, he is good, nay goodneſs, which is loves Object; but yet this goodneſs is known to us by its communication; and it is good as known which cauſeth love; ſo that we love God chiefly under thoſe mercifull relations in which he ſtands to us; nor is there any relation of greater goodneſs towards man, then that of a Father. He is our King, our Maſter, our Judge: but under theſe notions he is eſpecially to be feared; as he is our Father, principally he is to be loved.
2. To inſinuate how greatly we are obliged to love God, rather then the world. The world, at the beſt is but a ſervant, at the worſt our enemy; as our ſervant, it is to be uſed, not loved; at leaſt not with a choice love: as our enemy, it is to be, not loved, but hated, and trampled on. Now God is our Father, and there is a naturall affection due from Children to their Parents, whom ſhould we love if not our Father? ſo that to love the world before God is, as if one ſhould preferre his Servant, nay his enemy before his friend, his Lord, his Father: then which what can be more monſtrous? And when I find the Apoſtle here diſſwading from worldly love, upon the account of its inconſiſtency with the love of God; I am apt to believe that he purpoſely phraſeth it, the love of the Father, to render the love of the world, which is ſo repugnant to the love of God, ſo much the more odious to us.
But to let go the phraſe, The deſign of this propoſition is manifeſt; there is no poſitive love of God in him, in whom there is a Superlative love of the world; he that loveth the world chiefly, doth not love God truly; he that is a lover of pleaſure, or wealth, or honour more then God, is not at all a lover of God. Indeed a worldling may be in ſhew a Saint, and (as farre as words will go) a friend of God; ſo may an Harlot ſeem kinde to her Husband; but as ſhe who giveth her heart to another, beareth no reall love to her Husband; ſo he who loveth the world hath no ſincere affection to God. Upon which account St James calleth worldly ſinners, Adulterers James 4. 4.and Adultereſſes; ſo that to ſpeak after our Apoſtles phraſe elſewhere, He that ſaith he loveth the Father, and yet loveth the world, is a lyar, and there is no truth in him.
It is that indeed which holds true, both waies; as it is with a paire of ſcales, the one goeth up, the other goeth down, ſo it is with theſe two Loves.
1. On the one hand, The Negation holds firme, the propoſition being inverted, If any man love the Father, the love of the world is not in him. Moſes rod ſwallowed up the Magicians; ſo doth the love of God all other loves. It is obſerved of the Sun beames, that if they ſhine bright and hot upon the fire, they put it out; ſo do Heavenly affections extinguiſh Earthly; Poſtquam Amarillis nos tenuit, Galatea reliquit.
When divine love enters in, carnall goeth out. The command of love to God, is of a large extent, Thou ſhalt Divinus amor ubi venerit omnes captivat affectus. Bern. Serm. 13. in Cant.love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy ſoule, and with all thy might: and if the love of God take up the whole, there is not ſo much as a corner for left worldly love. St Bernard commenting upon that precept thus expounds it, and that aptly to our preſent purpoſe, thou ſhalt love God withall thy heart, ſoul, might, that is, dulciter, prudenter, fortiter, ſweetly, wiſely, ſtrongly, and where this love is predominant, (as that Father hath excellently obſerved) there is no roome for worldly luſts; he that loveth God ſweetly withall his heart, taſteth no ſweetneſs in carnall things, which is the luſt of the fleſh; he that loveth God wiſely with all his ſoul, is not curicus, or covetous of temporall things, which is the luſt of the eyes; he that loveth God ſtrongly, ſo as to indure all things for him, regards not honours, which is the pride of life.
Nor is it leſs true in the direct, then in the inverted notion, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. Indeed one who hath been a lover of the world, may be won to be a lover of God; yea, he who loveth the world in the ſecond, may love God in the firſt place: but as St Gregory hath pithily and aptly expreſtGreg. Mor. l. 18. c. 5. it, Utra que ſ…mul & aequaliter amari non poſſunt, both cannot together be equally loved; when the inferior ſenſitive powers of the ſoul are vehemently affected, the ſuperior rationall faculties are hindred in their operations; ſo is spirituall love by carnall. The trees which ſpread in breadth grow not in height; thoſe who extend their love to the things below, aſcend not in love to the things above. Pharaohs leane Kine did eate up the fat; ſo doth the pining love of the world devoure the love of God, which is the Fat and Marrow of the ſoul. It is very obſervable, that St Paul deſcribing the wicked converſation of falſe teachers, brandsPhil. 3. 19, 20. them with theſe three luſts, whoſe belly is their God, the luſt of the fleſh; who glory in their ſhame, or as ſome read it, whoſe glory is their ſhame, the pride of life; who minde earthly things, the luſt of the eyes; to all which he oppoſeth that one character of himſelf, and the reſt of the teachers, but our converſation is in Heaven, thereby intimating, that they who give themſelves to worldly luſts, are ſtrangers to an Heavenly converſation, and conſequently to divine affection, by which eſpecially we climbe to, and converſe with God in Heaven.
To give you yet more fully the ſenſe of this propoſition, if you compare it with parallel Scriptures, you ſhall finde it will admit of a double enlargement, to wit, in regard of the predicate, and the copula; the thing denied, and the manner of denying it.
1. The love of the Father is not in him, nay The hatred of the Father is in him: ſo St James his aſſertionJames 4. 4. runs, Know you not that the friendſhip of the world is enmity with God, and that he might bring the charge home to their conſciences, he repeats it with the change of the Abſtract into the Concrete, Whoſoever therefore will be a friend of the world, is an enemy of God. It is true (as hath been already intimated) he may be a ſeeming friend, but he is a reall enemy, and ſo much the worſe enemy, becauſe a ſeeming friend.
I know if this Queſtion were put to many lovers of the world, Do you hate God? they would ſay in Hazaels language, Am I a dead Dog, that I ſhould do this thing? I ſay my Prayers, frequent the Church: and thinke you I hate, nay do I not love God? But oh vaine man, do not deceive thy ſelf; whoſoever is the worlds friend, is at leaſt virtually Gods enemy; and ſo farre from loving, that he doth in effect hate him; and all his ſervioes, are no better then a mocking (as much as in him lieth) of the ſacred deity.
2. The love of the Father is not; nay not only is not, but cannot be in him; our bleſſed Saviour is expreſs concerningMat. 6. 24. obedience; you cannot ſerve God and Mammon; and it is no leſs true of love, you cannot love God and the world, much leſs the world and God. The impoſſibility of the conſiſtency of theſe two, will appear if you conſider
1. The nature of love, It is an ingroſſer appropriating the heart to the Object; love ſaith to its beloved, I am thine, to wit, wholly, ſoly; and therefore it cannot be anothers; when the ſtreame runs into one channell, then it runs violently; vehement affection admits not of diviſion. It is as poſſible for a direct line to terminate in two points, or for one member to ſerve two bodies, as for love intenſively at once to minde two Objects.
2. The contrariety of the Obiects; God and the world, in the very next Verſe, they are ſet one in oppoſition to the other. The Father is above, the world is below; ſo that to uſe a compariſon of an Ancient, the ſame eyes may as well at the ſame time behold Heaven and Earth, as the ſame affection be carried towards God and the12. Abuſionum gradus in Cypr. Aug. world. God is light, and the world is darkneſs; Fieri non poteſt (ſaith Damaſcen) It cannot be that divine and worldly love ſhould cohabit, no more then that light and darkneſs ſhould reſide together. Two contrary formes Damaſc. par. l. 1. c. 30.may as ſoon at once informe one and the ſame matter, and two contrary intenſe qualities meet together in the ſame Subject, as the love of the world, and the love of the Father dwell in the ſame heart. If I love another mans enemy and that as he is his enemy, I muſt needs be an enemy to him; the worldling loveth the world, not as in ſubordination to, but competition with; and therefore he can be no other then an enemy to God; ſo true is this of our Apoſtle, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.
That it may yet more plainly appear, that there neither is nor can be any true love of God in the worldling: take notice of theſe enſuing particulars.
1. Can there be any love of the Father in him, who hath no love to his name, eſpecially his word which God hath magnified above all his name? and yet this is evident in worldly lovers; their luſts like thorns choak the good ſeed of the word, that it can take no root in their hearts; their proud necks will not ſtoop to put on this ſacred yoake; the voluptuous mans eare is deafe to this Heavenly charme; and when the ſpirituall fiſhers would catch the covetous, he ſlippeth (with the Eele) into the mud of the world, and ſo renders all their pains uſeleſs.
2. Can there be any love of the Father in him, who doth not cleave to him with full purpoſe of heart, and will renounce his Religion, rather then ſuffer perſecution? If any man draw back, my ſoul (ſaith God) ſhall have no pleaſure in him; and it is as true, his ſoul hath no pleaſure in God. Now the love of the world cauſeth men to grow lukewarme, nay at laſt, quite cold. St Paul obſerveth it, as the ground of Demas his Apoſtacy, he 2 Tim. 4. 10.hath forſaken me (and with him Chriſt) having embraced (to wit, with the armes of love) this preſent world. What made Judas ſo frozen, ſo falſe hearted to ſo gratious a Maſter, but the love of money? had not Moſes inſtead of loving despiſed the pleaſures and honours of Pharaohs Court, he had left the People of God. Danger and nakedneſs, want and penury, reproach and infamy, will quickly affright that man from his Chriſtian Profeſſion in whom the luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life raign.
3. He that hath any true love of the Father, will call the Lords day a delight; loves to converſe with God by Prayer and other holy ordinances; but the worldly lover either wholly caſts off holy duties, holy daies, holy things; or elſe he takes no joy in the performance of them; no time being worſe ſpent in his eſteeme, then that which is in Gods courts. Worldly men in Heavenly duties are like a fiſh upon the ſhoare, they faint and gaſpe, and are never well, till they returne to the muddy waters. When will the Sabboath be gone, that we may ſell and get gaine, ſaith the covetous; that we may take our pleaſure, ſaith the voluptuous; that we may purſue our politique deſigns, ſaith the ambitious? Nay it is not ſeldome ſeen, that every one of theſe will not ſtick to fulfill their own luſts even when they ſhould be imployed in Gods ſervice.
4. It is impoſſible that the love of the Father ſhould conſiſt with ſacriledge. No man ever looked upon a thief as his friend; to live in any ſinne, much more in ſuch a ſinne as reflects upon God, muſt needs be repugnant to the love of him. Now worldly love puts men upon the commiſſion of this great wickedneſs. Every proud man is a ſacrilegious thief, robbing God of his glory, which he will not give to another; and it is not ſeldome ſeen that covetous and voluptuous men rob God of his Revenues. Belſhazzer proſtitutes the veſſels of the Temple, to the luſt of the fleſh, by quaffing in them. Achan through the luſt of the eyes, alienateth the devoted gold, and garment; wicked worldlings will not ſtick to be not only ſellers and buyers in, but of the Temple, taking the houſes of God into their poſſeſſion.
5. Finally, He that ſetteth up any thing in the roome of God, cannot have a ſincere affection towards him. The curſed Idolater as much as in him lieth, dethroneth the divine majeſty, which ſurely cannot conſiſt with amity. And yet it is an undoubted truth; every worldling is an idolater, to wit, in a spirituall ſenſe, bowing down Vide Cypr. de 2••. martyr.though not with his knee to an Idoll, yet with his heart to the world. St Paul ſpeaking of Epicures, who are given over to the lust of the fleſh, giveth them this brand, whoſe belly is their God, and conſequently their Kitchin is their Temple, Table their Altar, and Cooke their Prieſt. The ſame Apoſtle mentioning covetouſneſs, preſently addeth which is Idolatry. Indeed with a covetous man, ſeulpture is his Scripture; Bills and Bonds are his Bible; the Exchange his Temple, and Gold his God; as he ſaith to it, thou art my love, ſo likewiſe thou art my hope, my truſt; The proper acts of naturall worſhip, which are due only to the Deity. He dealeth with it (as the two Giants ſometime did with Mars,) firſt he looks it faſt, and then worſhips it. Finally, The proud man worſhippeth (though not images, yet) his own imaginations, and ſets up himſelf in Gods roome, admiring and adoring his own (though but ſometime fancied) excellencies; nay, which is yetJer. 48. 26, 29, 4…. worſe, he ſo ſets himſelf above, that he ſets himſelfe againſt God; for ſo the Prophet accuſing M…a… of pride, and haughtineſs; proveth it by this Medium, Thou haſt magnified thy ſelf againſt God. In this reſpect it is enquired and reſolved by the Schooles, Aquin. 2a. 2ae. l. d.that pride is the greateſt of ſ…ns: for whereas in other luſts, there is directly a converſion to the Creature, in this there is a direct averſion from the Creator; by all which it appeareth, how injurious theſe luſts are to the Father, and therefore incompatible with the love of the Father.
To what hath been already ſaid concerning the expreſs and poſitive truth of this clauſe, I muſtEſt. in loc. not forget to adde, that there is another implicite and conſequentiall truth wrapped up in it; namely, That if any man love the world, the love of the Brethren is not in him. Indeed the ſ…nſe of theſe words, the love of the Father, may be rendred, the love which the Father requireth, and ſo it extends to Botherly love. Beſides, the Connexion ſeemeth to intimate, that loving the world is forbidden as an enemy to Brotherly love, which is diſcuſſed a little before. Finally, Omne majus continet in …ſe mi…s, the leſs is involved in the greater: ſo that as E…ius well notes, ſince the love of the Father (which is the greater) the love of the Brethren (which is the leſs) is alſo to be denied of him, who loves …he world, S Paul ſpeaking of charity ſaith, ſhee ſeeks not her own, whereas the worldling is altogether for himſelf, and therefore hath no affection to others; though to ſpeake truth, as he is nomini bonus, good to no man, ſo he is ſibi nequam, worſe to himſelfe.
To enlarge upon this a little, Conſider the worldly lover, in reference to his Superiours, Inferiour, Equals, and you ſhall finde he hath no love to any.
1. He is ſo farre from loving, that he envieth thoſe that are are above him, in place, in wealth, in power. To uſe the phraſe of the Text, The Sixt. pap. l. de divitiis.love of the Father is not in him, not of the politicall Father, againſt whom he will not ſtick to rebell, when opportunity is offered. The proud man grudgeth Subjection; the Covetous man Tribute; and the Epicure Obedience to his Laws: Not of the Eccleſiaſticall Father, whom worldly luſts prompt him to undervalue; yea if he reprove him to spurne againſt; nay ofttimes not of the naturall Father, whileſt they who are tainted with theſe luſts, like Eſau, wiſh, The daies of mourning for their Father were at hand; nay ſome like Abſolom conſult their Fathers ruine, that they may enjoy their honours and eſtates.
2. As for thoſe who are under him, he is very apt to trample them under his feet; and if they be in want, very backward to reach forth an hand of ſuccour to them. The Voluptuous layeth out ſo much upon his pleaſures; the ambitious wants ſo much for the maintaining of his honours, and the covetous layeth up ſo much for the ſatisfying of his eyes, that they have little or nothing to spare for the needy; nay that too often they oppreſs and grinde the faces of the poore.
3. Inſtead of loving his equall, he is apt to contend and quarrell with them, Whence come wars and fightings among you? ſaith St James, and anſwering his Queſtion he addeth, Come they not hence, even of the luſts that war in your Members? Omnia perfecte in pace conſiſterent ſi hominem imperandi cupiditas non teneret, ſaid Valerius truly. It is the deſire of being Valer. hom. 20. de Araſit.above others, that hindreth us from living in peace with others; and ſpeaking of covetouſneſs, he aſſerts, Hinc pullulare odiorum cauſas & amicitiarum faedera diſſipari, it to be the breaker of amity, and begetter of enmity amongſt men; nor is it leſs true of ſenſuall luſts, which very often blow the fire of diſcord into a flame.
In one word, what wrong will not men do to their Neighbours in their relations, names, eſtates, by fraud and treachery, by violence and cruelty, in words and works, for the baſe love of wealth, of honour, or pleaſure, all which are directly repugnant to brotherly love?
To cloſe up with ſome uſefull inferences from the conſideration of what hath been handled: Learne we
1. How deſperate and dangerous a ſin is worldly love. One upon this clauſe hath well obſerved,Lor. in loc. Lenis oratio, ſed plena aculeo, it is ſeemingly a gentle ſpeech, but carryeth a ſting with it. For in ſaying there is no love of the Father, and conſequently not of his Brother, in him that loveth the world, he ſaith in effect, he is one that breaketh all the Commandement; for if love be the fullfilling of the Law, to wit, love to God of the firſt, and love to our Neighbour of the ſecond, he that neither loveth God nor Men, muſt needs breake both. It is very obſervable, that David praying God to incline his heart to his Teſtimonies, preſently addeth, and not to covetouſneſs; thereby implying, that if he were inclined to covetouſnes, he could not love or keep Gods Teſtimonies. Moſes brake the Table in pieces out of a zealous anger at the golden Calfe; and the worldling will breake the Laws written on thoſe Tables, for the Gold upon the Calfe. The love of money, I and of honour and pleaſure, is the rot of all goodneſs, and the root of all wickedneſs, the Moath of ſanctity, the ruſt of virtue, the breeder and the feeder of vice. Ungodlineſs and worldly luſts are coupled together1 Tim. 6. 10. Titus 2. 11. 1 Pet 2. 11. Bern. in Pſal. Qui habit. by St Paul; Abſtaine from fleſhly luſts, and having our converſation honeſt, are joyned together by St Peter: there is neither honeſty nor piety to be found, where worldly love raigneth.
2. How great is the folly of Hypocrites, who thinke to joyne what here St John hath oppoſed) the love of the world, and the love of the Father together. Many there are (ſaith Iſidore Hiſpalenſis truly) who will flye to Heaven by a divine converſation, but yet they are loath to leave earthly contentments; Provocat eos amor Chriſti, ſed revocat amor ſeculi; The love of Chriſt puts them a little forward, but the love of the world pulls them backward: and ſo (as Eraſmus isMunſt. Coſmog. painted by the Romans) they hang between Heaven and Earth. There is a City in Germany, which belonging to two Governments, was called Mindin, which is (according to the ſ…gnification of it in the Germane language) mine and thine. Thus the Hypocrite ſaith to God, thou art mine, and to the world, I am 1 King. 17. 32, 18, 11.thine: in which reſpect he is called a double minded man, and is ſaid to have an heart, and an heart; like the Samaritans who feared the Lord, and ſerved Idols, the Iſraelites who halted between God and Baal; thoſe in the Prophet Zephany, who did ſweare by the Lord and Malchom, and thoſe lukewarme Laodiceans, Zeph. 1. 5.who were neither hot nor cold. But alas how vainly do ſuch men deceive themſelves! Indeed the falſe Mother of the Childe would have it parted between them, but the true Mother would have all or none. The world is content to have a corner in thy heart, but God will have thy whole heart. The Arke and Dagon cannot ſtand together in one Temple; and therefore whenSivis eſſe templum veritatis, fuge idolum falſitatis, &c. Aug. Serm 14. in feſto ſanct. the Arke is brought in, Dagon falls down; no more can God and the world in one ſoule: and therefore if we will ſet up God in the throne, the world muſt be caſt down, nay out. The Spouſe in the Canticles is ſaid to wound Chriſt with one eye, Quia alterum non habebat, becauſe ſhe had no other; Chriſt calls upon us in the Gospell, to cut off one foot, one hand, and to pluck out one eye: the heart in all languages is a Monaſyllable, unum uni, the one heart muſt be dedicated to the one God. In the meat offering God required all the Frankincenſe, and in the ſacrifices all the fat; to teach us that the intention of our minde and affection of our heart muſt be wholly carryed towards God. Among the Pythagoreans the Duall number was infamous; ſure I am, the double minded man is odious to God, ſo odious that he threatneth foreign, to cut him aſunder, a puniſhment very ſutable to his fault; like that which the King of the Albines inflicted on the King of the Romans, when he cauſed him to be tied to two horſes, who by drawing contrary waies, tore his body in two pieces.
3. Laſtly, How juſt and neceſſary it is to caſt the love of the world out of the hearts, in order to the entertaining of the love of the Father. Indeed as St Gregory Greg. Mor. l. 18. c. 8. Leo Serm. 51. ſeptimi menſis.and Leo have both well obſerved, The reaſonable ſoul cannot be all together without delight and void of love. Aut infimis delectatur, aut ſummis; ſo the one Aut, Dei amator eſt, aut mundi; ſo the other, Our delight muſt either aſcend or deſcend, our love muſt either be ſet upon God or the world. How impoſſible it is for theſe two to dwell together, you have already heard; ſo that either we muſt hate the one, or love the other, or hold to the one, and deſpiſe the other, as our Saviour tells us▪ And now as Eliah ſaid to the Iſraelites, If the Lord be God, follow him; but if Baal be God, follow him; ſo let me beſeech you, If the Lord be God, love him; if the world, love it. If the world have as much excellency in it as God hath; if the world have as much right to you, as God hath; if the world can do as much for you, as God can and will, then love it. But alas, whatever good is in the world, is but a ray of that Sun, a drop of that Fountaine derived from, and infinitely inferiour to the goodneſs of God; in which reſpect ſaith St Auſtin excellently,Aug. in loc. Pulcher eſt mundus, ſed pulchrior à quo factus eſt mundus, The world is beautifull; ſurely then he that made it ſo, is farre more beautifull. Beſides, The world was made for us, and therefore only to be uſed, whereas God is our Creator, Maſter, Father; and therefore to be feared, and honoured, and loved. Methinketh, the Father ſaith to us concerning the world, as Saul to his Servants concerning David, Will the Son 1 Sam. 22. 7.of Jeſſe give every one of you fields and vineyards? will or can the world do that for you, which I will do, give you grace and glory, felicity and immortality? Nay, let me adde a word more, The world would infect and infeſt us, inſtead of doing us good, bring us into temptations and ſnares: and tell me then, whither the Father be not to be preferred in our eſtimation and affection before the world? Infine, that God ſhould have our love we cannot but acknowledge moſt reaſonable; and therefore what remaineth, but that every one of us take up firme reſolutions of rejecting the world; love both we cannot, one we will, God we ought; and to that end, we muſt leave the world, that we may cleave to God.
No doubt the world is, and will be a very earneſt and importunate ſuiter to us for our love; and too often ſhe ſo far prevaileth, that we conſent; but remember I beſeech you our Father forbids the banes, and ſhall we match againſt our Fathers conſent, nay let me tell you, if we marry the world, the Father will diſclaime and diſown us as none of his Children, and therefore if we call on the Father, let us renounce the world. Believe it, an ill match is better broken then carried on, and ſo much the rather, becauſe whatever promiſe we make to the world, it is a breach of the firſt vow we made to God in our Baptiſm, and therefore to be diſannulled, as inconſiſtent with our former obligation.
To end all: I cannot better preſs this then in St Auſtins language, who calls theſe words Verba extirpantia, words of extirpation; if you finde a weed you grub it up, that you may ſow good corn; ſo muſt we pluck up worldly, that we plant Heavenly love. Vas es (ſaith that Father) ſi plenum, effunde quod habes, effunde amorem ſaeculi, Aug. l. d.ut implearis amore Dei. Thy ſoul is a veſſell, if it be full, (as indeed whoſe is not?) empty it, poure out the love of the world, that thou maiſt be filled with the love of God, which otherwiſe is impoſſible. For if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.