wants of others, to lessen the miseries, and | choice, and engages the whole man in But our love of the world becomes excessive and sinful, when we give it that room in our hearts which is only due to God; when it is desired for its own sake, as a sufficient portion independent of his favor and friendship. If the world will keep its due place, it may be valued and esteemed in that place; but if it usurp an higher station, and promise more than it is able to give, it must be rejected, as a deceiver, with abhorrence and contempt. When we seek after earthly things, merely that our inordinate desires may be gratified, that the pride of our hearts may be cherished, or our ambition attain its object; when we are not contented with our daily bread, and that portion of the good things of life which is sufficient to sustain us during our pilgrimage to a better country-then is our love of the world undue and excessive; and the more we desire it under such views, the worse, the more corrupted and estranged from the love of God, will our hearts become. This leads me, II. To inquire wherein the malignity of this sin consists. This will be most effectually illustrated by considering how deeply it taints the whole character and principles of action. There are sins which only engage particular faculties of our nature in their service. Thus the love of pleasure is chiefly seated in the senses and the imagination. While these are strongly agitated by a particular enticement, conscience may indeed be totally overpowered for a season, and the person be carried along by an headstrong irresistible impulse: But the moral faculties have afterwards leisure to resume their influence; reason is again at liberty to represent the pernicious consequences of transgression; and experience is always at hand, to convince the sinner how inconvenient and dangerous his forbidden pleasures are. But no such checks are ready to occur to the man in whom the love of the world predominates. His sin is of deliberate pur suit of its own ends. It is not an error about the means, it is not seeking a right end in a mistaken way; but it is pursuing a false and pernicious end, with care, anxiety, and self-approbation. Hence it is called in Scripture IDOLATRY, not from any resemblance it has to the outward act of falling down before stocks or stones, but because it entirely displaces our affections from their proper object, and leads them to the preference of an unjust and delusive rival. Hence it is asserted, by the apostle James, that "the friendship of the world is enmity to God." It is not merely a want of affection to our Maker, which more or less characterizes every sin; but it is an absolute opposition and hatred to him, so that, in the language of the text, "if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.” From these considerations it is evident, that this sin stands as it were at the most remote distance from repentance. It overspreads the mind so entirely, as to leave in it no sound principle to withstand the progress of complete alienation from God. It resembles those diseases which do not attack one part of the body only, but which invade the whole constitution; and resembles such diseases in another respect also, that the person is seldom convinced of their reality, until the approach of a fatal termination renders it impossible for him longer to deceive himself. This reasoning is confirmed by experience. No fault in the mind is in fact so rarely cured as a worldly disposition. Age and experience, which often bring a remedy with them for other follies, only confirm and increase the habits of an earthly mind. Even on the brink of the grave, when every other passion and desire has been extinguished, it has been known to occupy the departing spirit with an anxiety little, if it all inferior, to that which animated its most active pursuits. Such is the peculiar malignity and dangerous nature of this sin. But as few will defend this criminal disposition directly, and as many who are enslaved by it are ready enough to join in generally condemning it, I proceed, III. To lay before you a few symptoms of a worldly mind, and to examine some of the apologies upon which men flatter themselves with being free of it. the true state of your souls, whether they be growing in the favor of God, and in meetness for the heavenly inheritance? If so, the world has deceived you, and God has little room in your affections. I 1st, then, We love the world plainly to excess, when we use any unlawful means to obtain its advantages. This is a mark which cannot well be controverted; and 3dly. The world predominates in your yet how many will it involve in the charge hearts, when it engrosses the principal of a worldly mind! Prove yourselves, train of our thoughts; when it is the last then, by this characteristic. Would any idea that possesseth us when we lie down, prospect of gain tempt you to cheat or dis- and the first when we arise; when it dissemble? Will your consciences allow you tracts us in our attendance on the duties to go beyond or defraud your neighbor, of religion, interrupts our devotion in providing you can do it in a way so secret prayer, diverts our attention in hearing, Does it and fetters our minds in meditation. seem a light matter to you, to take ad- mean not to assert, that every degree of vantage of the simplicity or ignorance of influence which it has in these respects beothers in the course of business? If so, trays its absolute ascendency over the your minds are indeed deeply corrupted; mind; for who then could free himself of and it is not regard to God or his law, but this charge? But when these worldly to your own credit and safety, which re- thoughts engross the mind by its own constrains you from the most flagrant acts of sent, when they make us grudge the time injustice. Such persons may assure them- bestowed on religion, and eager to resume selves, without further examination, that our earthly occupations, as soon as we have the love of the Father is not in them, and lulled our consciences with an unmeaning that their hearts are wholly alienated from attendance on its ordinances-when, like God: For, as the apostle to the Romans the Jews of old, we say of the Sabbath, argues, "Know ye not, that to whom ye" what weariness! when will it be over, yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey, whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness." And " no man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other; ye cannot serve God and Mammon." that we may sell corn ?" This is not only a preferring of the world to God, but in reality a solemn mockery of him, not less provoking than open profanity itself. The 4th and last mark of a worldly mind which I shall mention, is unmercifulness to the poor. Those who have a large measure of temporal goods bestowed on them, ought certainly, in proportion to their abundance, contribute to the necessities of their fellow creatures. 2dly. We love the world to excess, when in the enjoyment of its good things we are ready to say, with the rich man represented in our Lord's parable, "Soul, This is evidently the design of Provitake thine ease, thou hast goods laid up dence in permitting, or rather appointing, for many years, eat, drink, and be merry." such extreme diversities of condition in Too much complacency, in what we possess, the world. But too many of the opulent is no less an evidence of a worldly mind seem to think no such duty required of than an excessive desire of more. Ex- them. They flatter themselves that they amine yourselves, then, with regard to do all that is incumbent on them in this the source whence you derive your plea- respect, if, by the plenty of their tables sures-from heaven or from earth-from the splendor of their dwellings, the sump the abundance of corn and wine, and oil, tuousness of their equipage, and other ar or from the light of God's reconciled ticles of their luxury, they find employ countenance. Can you surrender your ment for the poor by providing for their selves to the relish of earthly enjoyments consumption. This, indeed, is an evenwithout any acknowledgment of him who tual benefit to society, but is far from abbestows them? When riches increase, do solving them from the obligation they owe you yield yourselves to the satisfactions to it, much less does it acquit them of arising from them, without considering their duty to him who favored them with such distinguished blessings: For what extensive acquisitions in it; very small mark of gratitude to God is it, that we consume his bounty upon our own pleasures, although, in so doing, we cannot avoid distributing a part of it to our fellow creatures? matters would satisfy him, and a moderate competence is all that he desires. But if your hearts are more set on these supposed moderate matters than on the heavenly inheritance, you are still slaves to the world; and the more mean and inexcusable you are that your object is so trifling and inconsiderable. Such persons, whatever they may think of themselves, how remote soever they may think a worldly character from being applicable to them, are in fact deeply charge- Besides, this is a very indecisive mode able with it. Perhaps they even do give of reasoning. He that engages to seek a part of their superfluity for the relief of only a competence, takes on himself a very their brethren, and estimating that by its easy engagement, because he binds himproportion to what others give, and not to self only to a condition which is to be asthe extent of their own means, think them-certained by his own opinion. The most selves uncommonly bountiful. But this covetous man on earth may make the same is a gross deception, and will be found so profession, provided you leave him to be in the day when every false pretence shall the judge of what that competency amounts be detected before the judgment-seat of to. Look above you to the superior ranks Christ. Then shall they be found among of society, and see whether their extensive those who loved the world, and in whose possessions extinguish their desires for hearts the love of the Father had no place. more. Is not the reverse the fact? These symptoms, if properly attended richest are often in as great necessity as to, may be of considerable use towards dis- the most indigent-as often, at least (and covering the true state of your characters it is not seldom) as the imaginary wants in this respect. But as the heart is deceit- created by luxury exceed their means of ful, and as we are extremely prone to flat- gratifying them. The decisive inquiry is ter ourselves that we are free of this crim- not how much you desire, but for what inal disposition, it may be proper to en- ends you desire it. deavor, before closing this head of discourse, to detect some of those false apologies upon which men flatter themselves that they are not chargeable with it. One concludes thus in his own favor, because he is poor, and necessity obliges him to work for his daily bread. How (says he) should I be suspected of a criminal love to the world, when I possess so little of it, and can, by all my labor, procure so few of its advantages? But this is a very deceitful ground of reasoning. He who lacks riches, may love them as well as he who possesses them: And therefore if you be discontented with your state; if you envy those above you; if, in your habits of thought, you consider wealth and happiness as inseparable; and if your diligence to prepare for another world be not superior to your industry in endeavoring to obtain a share of this: the world is still your idol," and the love of the Father is not in you. Another flatters himself that he has no undue attachment to the world, because he does not project for himself any great or The A third conceives a favorable opinion of himself, because he uses no unlawful means to rise in the world. Now this is in so far good, and would to God we could all say as much for ourselves. But even this is not decisive in the point; for a man may love the world inordinately, who would neither steal nor rob, nor dissemble, in order to enrich himself. The fact is, that those who have a just and steady sense of their interest, find that these are by no means the best ways of advancing it. A good character is so necessary to carrying on worldly business of any kind with success, that a wise man in his generation will be fair and honest in his dealings, from mere regard to his own advantage. But with all this prudential regard, coinciding with seeming virtue, his affections may be entirely placed on the world to the exclusion of things spiritual and everlasting; which is the very character described and condemned in the text. But, saith a fourth, it is impossible that I should love the world to excess, for it is the very vice which I principally hate and condemn in others. But, alas! so do many | world is no greater than it ought to be. thousands who are themselves abject slaves I now proceed to enforce the exhortation, to the world, to the conviction of every and to offer a few directions for the help person but themselves. It would indeed of those who are desirous of having their be utterly astonishing to observe, how affections weaned from the world, that they keenly worldly men inveigh against the may rise upwards to spiritual things. Consame dispositions in others, if this account sider then, of the appearance did not offer itself, viz., that the more they are rivals in this love, the more mutual jealousy and resentment must arise in their minds; or, to speak ment in the text: "If any man love the without any figure, the more covetous their world, the love of the Father is not in neighbors are, the more they stand in the him." "No man," said our blessed Lord, way to prevent their obtaining the emolu-" can serve two masters; for either he ments they desire for themselves. I will mention but one more pretence by which men deceive themselves in the respect we are considering, and that is the resolution of leaving their substance to charitable purposes when they die. But ah! what an absurd delusion is this, to offer their worldly possessions to God af ter they have abused them as they could, and can now retain them no longer. But upon this point I need not dwell longer; for although an abuse very common in former times, it is one with which the present age is not peculiarly chargeable. "Be not deceived then, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. He that soweth to the flesh, shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit, shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting." Amen. SERMON LXXIV. THE IMPOSSIBILITY. 1 JOHN II. 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." I. THAT this undue attachment to the world is absolutely inconsistent with the love of God. This is the apostle's argu will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.” Hence covetous men are styled idolaters. They reject the true God, and substitute. an idol in his room; they put the creature in place of the Creator, and make the gifts of his bounty, which should knit their hearts to him, the occasions of alienating their affections from him. I am aware that worldly men are very unwilling to acknowledge this charge, and would be highly offended should any accuse them directly of hating the God that made them. There is something so monstrous and shocking in the idea of hatred and enmity against God, that it is scarcely to be supposed any thinking man can reconcile himself to it. But be assured this charge, however odious it may appear, will be made good against every worldly man at last; and, therefore, as you would avoid the shame of standing before the judg ment-seat in such a character, labor to get your affections divorced from earthly things, and henceforth let God be supreme in your hearts. Consider, II. THAT an immoderate love of the world is not less foolish than sinful. “All that is in the world," saith the apostle, in the verse following the text," the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the I HAVE already described that excessive pride of life, is not of the Father, but of love of the world, from which the apostle the world. And the world passeth away, here dissuades us, and represented to you and the lust thereof." Many of its enjoythe greatness and malignity of this sin. Iments are imaginary as well as transient. also laid before you some symptoms of an earthly mind, and endeavored to detect the falsehood of those pretences, by which too many impose on their consciences, and flatter themselves that their love of the The pleasure and happiness we expect from them have no foundation in the nature of things, but depend entirely on a discased corrupt fancy. If we look back to the history of mankind in all ages, the discon III. THAT as the love of the world to excess is sinful and foolish, so it is also pernicious and fatal. They that will be rich," saith the apostle to Timothy, "fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition; for the love of money is the root of all evil.” tented and miserable will be as often found | joy to contemplate those possessions, from among the prosperous and affluent as which you are presently to be divorced for among the poor and depressed conditions ever? You cannot think so. You must of life. Those situations which appear so be sensible, that all things below the sun desirable as objects of expectation, are of will prove miserable comforters in dying ten in experience found marvellously bar- moments, and that the favor of God will ren of real happiness. Whence does this then appear infinitely more desirable than arise? Is it not from the wise appoint- ten thousand worlds. What infatuation ment of God, that nothing here below then is it to set your hearts supremely on should satisfy the desires of an immortal that which you know will appear most creature? Vanity is, for this reason, en-contemptible at last? Consider, graved in deep and legible characters on all things below the sun; and he that pursues the good things of this world as his only portion, will inevitably find that the most fortunate experience of life will never amount to a solid happiness, in which the heart of man can find rest and satisfaction. "He that loveth silver shall not be satisfied with silver, nor he that It were an endless task to enumerate loveth abundance with increase." There- all the dismal effects of this sordid dispofore said our Lord to the multitude, sition. "From whence come wars and "Take heed, and beware of covetousness, fightings ?" saith the apostle James; for a man's life consisteth not in the abun-"Come they not hence, even of your dance of the things which he possesseth." lusts which war in your members? Ye Nature is easily satisfied; but when men lust and have not; ye kill and desire to create for themselves imaginary wants, have, and cannot obtain." It is this which they only provide an inexhaustible stock engenders strife and contention, and almost of solicitude and disappointment. The craving appetite will still be crying, Give, give; and in the fulness of their sufficiency they will be in want. What has the world ever done for its most devoted servants, that should make you desire it so greedily? Solomon went as far as any man ever did, both in the acquisition and enjoyment of earthly things, and in the conclusion passed this sentence on the review of all his experience, "Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity and vexation of spirit." And have you discovered an art of extracting com fort from the creatures beyond what the wisest of men was able to do? What do you seriously expect from the world? Will it prevent or remove sickness? Will it ward off the stroke of death? or will it ing of the wise man, (Prov. i. 19.) was even administer any consolation to you at that trying season? Should one come to you on your death-bed, when your spirits are languishing, your hearts failing, and your bodies possessed with racking pain, and begin to console you by representing your vast acquisitions of wealth, would his words be reviving? Will it afford you any every evil work. It destroys the tranquillity of the person possessed by it; it incites him to trespass on the rights and enjoyments of others; and on both these accounts is often punished with remarkable judgments, even in the present life. How awful is that curse pronounced by the prophet Habakkuk ! "Woe to him that coveteth an evil covetousness to his house, that he may set his nest on high, that he may be delivered from the power of evil. Thou hast consulted shame to thyself, and hast sinned against thy soul; for the stone shall cry out of the wall, and the beam out of the timber shall answer it." How dismal was the fate of Ananias and Sapphira! How horrible the end of Judas Iscariot! In both these instances the say remarkably verified, "the greediness of gain taketh away the life of the owners thereof." But although they should escape in this world, yet they shall not escape the damnation of hell. Then shall they find that riches will not profit them in the day of God's wrath. There is a striking passage to this pur |