3. Because of the unsuitableness of it to the divine nature. It is most unsuitable to the new nature : 1 John v. 4, ' Whatsoever is bom of God overcometh the world.' It is unsuitable to our hopes. God hatli provided heaven on purpose to draw us off from the world. God is most liberal in this world to the worst ; as Judas had the bag. These are gifts for worldly men, not for God's favourites : Gen. xxv. 6, ' Unto the sons of the concubines which Abraham had, Abraham gave gifts, and sent them away from Isaac his son.' Isaac had the inherit- ance. It is contrary to the aim of Christ ; his whole aim in coming and going was to bring us to heaven : Heb. xi. 16, ' Now they desire a better country, that is an heavenly ; wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he hath prepared for them a country.'
Use. To press us to beware the more of woiidliness. Christ doth ■^once and again say, * They are not of the world.' 2 Kings v. 26, ' Is
408 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXV.
it a tiiue to receive money, and to receive garments, and olive-yards, and vineyards, and sheep, and oxen, and men-servants, and maid- servants?' Especially in these times, in which so many miscarry by worldly practices, and when God hath declared so nmch of his dis- pleasure against worldly greatness. To this end —
1. Consider your condition ; you are strangei's and pilgrims. David was a king, yet not at home in the world : Ps. xxxix. 12, ' I am a stranger, and a sojourner with thee, as all my fathers were.' We never read that Abraham made any purchase but of a grave ; Cain built a city. We are gone hence to-morrow, and who would hang a room in an inn ?
2. We are called to better things: 1 Thes. ii. 11, 12, 'As ye know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children, that ye would walk worthy of God, who hatk called you unto his kingdom and glory.' It is not for princes to em- brace the dunghill. Who would believe that a man raking in a dung- hill or nasty ditch were heir to a crown ? You show yourselves hereby to be unworthy of heaven.
3. Take the apostle's argument : 1 Tim. vi. 7, ' We brought nothing with us into the world, and it is certain that we can carry nothing out.' The millwhecl turneth round all day, but at night it is in the same place. So at death, we are in the same estate as at our birth. A man's wealth doth not follow him, but his works do. Your iniquity will find you out. You did not come rich into the world, and you were born to die. In our birth we were contented with a little cradle, at death with a little grave ; but here we join house to house, as if the whole world would not contain us.
4. Consider how hard it is to have Christ and the world, to have heaven and the world : Mat. xvi. 26, ' What shall it profit a man to gain the whole world, and lose his own soul ? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?' You are put to your choice; who would lose a crown to be owner of a dunghill ? It is a vain design to think to reconcile Christ and mammon.
5. Thou art as tliy love is. If thou lovest this world thou art worldly ; if thou lovest God thou art godly. A man is not as his opinion is, but as his affection is ; a bad man may be of a good opinion, but a bad man can never have good affections. The soul is as wax, it receiveth an impression from the object. Take a glass, put it towards heaven, there you shall see the figure of heaven; put it towards the earth, and you see the figure of the earth, trees, meadows, fruits : thou receivest a figure from the objects to which thou appliest thy heart, earthly things or heavenly.
But you will say, What would you have us do ? Is it a fault to enjoy the world ? No ; but to have a worldly spirit.
(1.) Be not of a worldly spirit when thou wantest the things of this world. Be not over-careful for the things of this life ; use the means God hath ordained, trust God with the issue and event of all. Carking implies not only distrust, but discontent with God's allowance ; and both imply worldliness, disLi'Ust, and fear : Luke xii. 22, ' Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat ; neither for the body, what ye sliall ])ut on.' I am siu-e discontent doth. Be contented with a meau
VeK. 16.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 409
condition ; if these things were good for us, God would never deny them to us, never have bidden us to contemn them. Saints are never more iUustrious than when they have least of the world ; the less splendour they have in the world the more bright and glorious are they ; had the saints a worldly glory, their grace would not appear with such advantage.