440 The Life of Faith. thinkbetter ofriches and honour, than thofe that have them ; because they never trycd how vain and vexatious they are; and ifthey had toyed them, perhaps would love them refs. The world is but a paintedStrumpet; admired afar off; but theneerer you come to ir, and the more it's known, the worfe you will like it. Is it by your own defire that you are poor? or is it againfyour wills ? Had you not rather be as great and rich as others ? Had you not rather live at eafe and fulnefs ? And do you think God will love you ever the better,for that which is againftyour wills? Will he count that man to be no worldling, that would fain have more of the world, andcannot ? and that lovethGod and Heavenno better than the rich? Nsy, hat will fin for a shilling, when great ones do it forgreater lumens ? who can be more unfit for Heaven, than he that loveth a life of labour, and want, and misery better ? Alas it is but little that the greate(t worldlings have for their falvation : But poor worldlings fell it for lefs than they, and therefore do de- fpifc it more. Direct. q. Let the truenature and aggravations of the fin of sworldlineß, be fill in your eye to matte it odioue to you. As for inftancc r. It is true and odious Idolatry; Ephcf. 5. 5. Col. 3.5. To have God for our God indeed, is to love him as our God, and to delight inhim, and be ruledby him. Who then is an Idolater, ifhebe_not one, who loveth the world, and delighteth in it more than in God, or cftecmeth it fitterto be the matter of his dcl,ght? and is ruled by it, and fecketh it more? Ifa.5 5.1,2,3. 2. It is a blafphemous contempt of God and Heaven, toprefer a dung. bill worldbeforebim : To set more by the provifions and pleasuresof the flcfh, thanby all the blcfs. dnefsof Heaven It is called prophaneneßin Efate, to fell his birth-right for one morfd, Heb. I2. 16. What prophanenefs is it then to fay, as . worldlings hearts and lives do, The fatisfying cf myflöh and fan/le for a time, M better than God and the yuyes of Heaven to ail eternity. 3. le is afin of Interef,and not only of Paffion; and there- fore itpoffiff'eth the very Heart and Love, which is the prin- cipal faculty ofthe foul,and that which God molt referveth for -hinafelf. No aelual fm, which is but little Caved, is fo heinous and
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