The malignity and filfls of Worldlinefs. )l, 5 . I I 1. The Malignity or Grcatncfr of this fin ~onfifieth in_• thcfo po.ints, .C efpecially when it The Maligoi; is predominant). .I. The love of the World, or of Rtch_es_, ts a hn ~f 1Jel,bcratton, ~nd not of meer ty of ,t, temerity or fudden paffion·; Worldlings comrjve the attammg of thetr ends. 2· lt tS a fin of lnlt· rrjl, Loveand Choict, fet up againfi our chiefefi brtertfl: It is the fctting up of a falfe end, and fte~- i11g tbat; and not only a fin of error in the means, or a fctking the right ~nd m a ~11iaken way.. 3• ~t Ephef. S· s; is Idolatry, or a denying God, and depofing him in our hearts, and fettmg up hts creatures m h1s Col. J· S'· fttad, in that meafure as it prcvaileth. The worldling givcth that Lout, and that 'Tru(l unto the. cru- Jam. 4 • 4 • ture, which is due to God alone: He delighttth in ir infiead of God, and flek.,tth and holdeth it as , hiS tClicity infiead ofGod: And therefore fofar as any man lrnmb the worhl, the l!JVl of the Father ';,not in him. r John •· '5· And ihe frimdjbip of the world ir enmity to God. 4• It is a contempt of Htaven ; when it rnutl: be negleCted, and a miferable world preferred. 5• It !hcweth that unbe– lief prevaileth at the heart, fo far as woridlinefs prevaileth: for jf men did pra<~hcally belie:ve rhe Heavenly Glory, and the promifi: rhereof, they would be carried above t~efe.prcfent things. 6, Iris a debating of the foul of man, and ufing it like the Brutes, .whtle tt IS prmc.<pally fer upon the ferv– ing of the fldh, and on a temporal felicity, and negl~c5teth us eternal. ha~pt~efs and concernrnents.' 7· It is a perverting of the vtry drift of a mans hfe, as employed m feekmg a wrong end, and nor only of fame one faculry or act : Ir is a habitual fin of rhe jlate and courfi of mind and life, and not only a particular aCtual fin. 8. It is a perverting ofGods creatures to an End and Ufc clean contrary to that which they wcte made ana given for : ~nd an abufing God by his own gifts by which he {hould be ferved and honoured: And a dcfl.roying our fouls with thofc mercies which were given us for cheir help and bendir. . This is the true character of this heinous fin. In a word , it is the fOrfaking God, and turning th~ heart from him, and alienating the Life from .his ftrvice, to this prefenr world, and the fcrviceof the flefh. Fornicatiotl, drunkennefs ., murdei, fwcaring, per– jury, lying, fiealing, &c. are very heinous fins :· But a fingle aet of one of thefe 'ornmitccd rafhly in the violence of pailion, or temptation, fpeakctl) not {Uch a malignant turning away of the hearr habi~ tuallX from God, ~s to fay a man is Covetous or a IYorldling. 9· 6. IV. The figns ofCovetoufm![s are th~fe : ·•r. Not preferring God and our everlalling Hap- SiglU of pinefs before theProfperiry and Plcafure of the f\eOt ; bur valuing and loving f\clhly profperity above Worldltnefs. its worth. 2. Efieeming and loviog the creatures of God as provilion for the flefb, and nor w fur- R .. ther u~ in t~efervice a'f G~d. 3"· Dcfiring mote than is ~1eedful or ?feful to further us jn.our duty. M~~b.11.' ;:: 4· An mordmate iagernrfi m.our defires after earthly thtngs. 5· D1firufifulnefs, and carktng cares, 1 Tim. J· s. · and contrivances for time tocome. 6. Difcoment, and trouble, and repining at a poor condition, Phil.J: 18, , when we have no more than ou£1daily bread. 7· When the world taketh up our thought.r inordi~ E7.ck. 3~· ~1• natdy : when our thought.r will cafilier run out upon the world, than upon better rhings: And when Jer. ,. 2.). our thoughts of worldly plenry are more pleafant and fwm ro us, than our thoughts of Chrifl, and Grace-, and Heaven : And our thoughts of want and poverry are more bitttr and f!.ritvout to us, than o•r thoughts of fin and Gods difpleafure. 8. when our jpmb is Jrttr and fwwer about ptofperity :iu the world, than about rhe concernments of God and our fouls. 9· When the world beartth fway M k ~ i. in our families and converfe, and fbuttcth out all f~ious eadeavours in the fervice of God, 3nd for our ar 7 " ~ • own and others ~ouls ~ Or at leafi doth cut jhort Religious duties, and is prcfened before them, and thrufl.eth thtm Into a corner, and rnaketh us llight.ly huddle them over. 10. When we are dejected over much, and impatient under lofTes, and croffes, and worldly injuries from men. 1 r. When worldly matters feem {i.tfiident to engage us in contentions, and to make us break peace : and we will by Law-fuits fcek our.ri.gln, when greater hurt is liker to folio~ to ~ur hi-orhers foul, or greater )-– wrong to the caufeofRel1g10n, or the honour of God, than our R1ght JS worrh. 12. Whm in ouY'./ trouble and difirefs we fetch our comfort more from the thoughts of 0\.U provitions ln the world, or our hopes of fupply, than from our trufi in God, and our hopes ot Heaven. I 3. When we are more thankful r_o God or m~n, for outward richn, or any gift for the proviGon of the fle!h, than for hopes, Job 1 • 21 • ~ 1 or helps m order to {alvation: for a powerful Minifiry, good Books, or feafonable infiruCI:ions for the foul. I4· When we are quiet and pleafld if we do but profper, and have plenty in rhe world, though the foul be miferable, uncanttitied and unpardoned. I 5· When we are more careful ro pro- . vide: a ~or/d~'. than a hea~cnf)1 portion, for children and frieJ~ds, and rejoyce more in their bodily, than the1r fpmtual profpenty, and are troubled more for their povcrt)l, than their ungodlincfs or fin. I 6. ~hen we can fee our\ brot~cr have need, and fhut up the bowels of our compaffion ; or can part With no more than meer {uperfluities for his relief: when we cannot fpare that which 1 Tim.6. r7; makes but for our bezter being, when it is neceffary to pref~rvc his Being it fllf: or when we give 1 8 rS. '!:nwi.Uingly .or [paringly• . I7· When we will 'venture upon finful mtan.r for gain, as lying, over-reach- ):dg~·,. ':;. mg, decctvmg, fianeriug, or going againfi: our Confcicnces, or the Commands ofGod. 18. when we arc too much in e'!pelling /ibcrtJlity from othtrl, and think that all wt buy of, Chould fell cheaper Our res .. to us th3:n they can atlord; and confider not their lo[s or wam, fo that fr'C have the gain: · nor arc maxime hotll.!• contented i~they be neverfo bountiful to othtr.r, if they be notfo to us. rg. \VhCn we make too 6~iu~di:~~: &. avaritia. cictro_r. ~d f!tr.t11. C()r~upti funt derrav:tlique 11_10res :~.d_mimione "di~·itiarum; Idtm :?.. OJ!ic. Nihilu~ri ~\~"(~~~ d:um quod non VJOlsn, mhd ram ruum~um qt1pd non expugnan pecuma poffit. CICtrD 2. J/J Vcrtt'!l. WheAAi•xaflda fent PhociM on hundred ulems, he askfd, whyhe uth,ct fcm. it to bim, th~n all the reH of che Athmians? He anfwered, Bccaulc he took him eobe the: only hon:H man inAtfxns: whereupooPbiUIOil rc:tumcd it eo him ag:tin; inrreating hinlto give: bim ka;·e cobe bonefi {hi!. mue:h
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