r ]oh. 2. •5· Math. 5. 24~ Jam 4 4· 2 Pct. 2. 20. Math. 4· 8. t.Gor 7. 31· Book JL Chap.l.Sett 6. SECT. VI. Oftbe dJttieJ that concern us, iJt rcfpdl oft be mediate 'ffJ!<lts. 2 TO !~~ mediJte a!Taults by the World, or Flefh, m.1ke ufe of there rep~lfcs. 1• To his aifaults by the World, .Confider -- '. It is the Lords command that .we fhould have 'no intimate 'indencd -~miry 0 corrcfpo.n_dency with the World. L•ve not the w.rld, neitber tbe'tbiu,;I that .rei,; tb~ 1Yorld, if ,u_y man love tbc IJ7orld, tbc love •ftbe Fatber is not in him. '· God and the World are at. fuch enmity, that we cannot fnve both. No manun fcr<~e tlVoM<]lrrJ ( that are oppohte ) for either he jhall hate tbe OIIP, and love the other, or elfebe ]hall lean totbemu, a1tti defpife the other; ye ca>f!tol jirve God aild Mamm 1 r,, The Apol\le herein appeals to our confciences; "'-now ye"" th~t the amity oftheWorld is en– mity witiJ God l wb~f;ever thmfore will be afriwd of the wJTid, ma!(sth bim{tlf the enemy ofGod, It IS a rou<mg qudhon, k_nowye not? ~ordly men <Jo not !o much out nf igno– ran.e, as out ol"lncog•tancy; they do not conhJer :and what ilJOuld they confuicr 1 That the amity of the World is enmity with God, that to pleafc the World is to wage war againft Heaven. Ub,conjider tbisyethatforget G,d. ' ~-.In our blptifme we renounced the World, with all the vain pomps, and glorious vamt1es thcreol ; then we profeifed that we would couragroufly fight againll them un· der Chrill ; and fhall we run away from the banner of Chrifl ?ihall we call afidethe Li– very ofJefus Chrift >Shall we backllide from our Keligion in Trmh and Power, and juyn in league with the profeft ~nemies of God and Chrifl? what is this but to be woJfc, and more nefarious in the latter end, than we were in the beginning? l:'orif afterw,h.l'lle e{caped the pollrttions ofthe world, t~rougb tht k_~owledge of the Lord, aJtd Saviortr Jejjts Chrijf, wea"eagain·inta?tjjle<lthetem, and overcome, tl>e latter end is n>orfo tl.antbebe– ginlling. 4 • What is the World, but changeable, variable•, deceitful, miferable ? was thei-e ever more cxp.rience of this Trmh than at this time? Oh, what tumbliugs and tol!ings have been of late> how have men been deceiVed in their expee.htions and lruitions? fair !hews have been reprefented to fome, as they were to Chrifi, wbm the Deviljhewtd him all tht KiJtg,J,mi oftbe world, and the gi~Yy ofthem, and bow many-have fallen down and worfhippcd? but arc they not deceive?_? W~Jt m1tters the world gorgeous fhowsi' It is in touch a f(ather, in fight a lhadow, In we•ght a fmolk, in trufi a reed, in all de– ceitful? Achitopbel for all his policy, Ham"t for all his fway, Goliab for all his llrcngth, Ntbllcbad~taK;z;ar for all his pleafure; thefe worldings that fuckt in the [weets of thi$ World, ihcy fG>und it's deceit, and now feel it's punifhment. Wicked World! bow doli thou undoe men ,with a world of treacl~eries? it hates them ibat love it, deceives them that trul{ it; afllicts them th•r fcrve it, reproaches them that honour it, damns them that follow it. Atbanafius tells ofan Hermite to whom God fhould reveal the tlate ofthis World, Etomnia vifeofa, omni4 operta tentbris, & objiff; l.rqtteis, v!ll hanjr,td fuUof•ms and Devilt j'arc by to watch tbem. Go you over chewhole>W~ beho:d Countries, view Provinces, look into Cities, harken at doors, fee what is done in Halls, in Pallaces, in private houfes; are not the !=><v•ls fnares in every corner) jufiice ;s fold, fh1m~ is loft, truth is wrcllcd, right defpifed ; what lying, what tlandai~g, what deceiving is there? the innocent are condemnned, the guilty delivered, the wicked ad· vancod the vcrtuous oppreifed; pride, envy, perjury, vanity thefe bare fway. Ah 'poor Son!! doth tht world interpofe to hinder thy confideration, or thought of change? doth it tell thee of RJChes, f;!onours, PlcafnJLS .I fay then With _Chnfi, wh•t if a man gain the wbole world, and lofo hu Soul ? or dorh 11 tell tbec of aflllCl:wa,, per• !ecut!ons, ,torments? fay then with the Apoflle, That the afjliliionsof this life arc n•t worthy ofthe Glory, which Jl":ll be revealed in 11!• Or ifall thi> will not flop rhe mouth_ of the world, confider ag•in, and confider of thefe paitic11lars; the corrunands ot Chrifl, theemnity betwixt the world and Chrifi, thy promife, and _vow, and firllob·· Iigation to Chrift; yea, confider of what the world is, either in rt fe!fe, or to thy felf; and then bid it be gone ; aw•y world, for it is writlen, tbe time it jhort, - a 11 d tbe f ajhion ofthis worldf<•ffitb away.
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