You will say, How can the apostle speak thus ? There are sun, moon, and stars, and glorious creatures in the Avorld ; why doth the apostle instance only in the sink and kennel of the world ?
I answer — The world is taken for the corrupt world ; all that is of price, all that is of account with carnal men, all that takes up their care and thoughts, is lust and vanity ; either the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eyes, or the pride of life. He doth not speak of the natural world, which is full of glorious creatures, but of the corrupt world, which is opposite to the kingdom of Christ, that is full of lusts and sins.
But let us see a little particularly what are the contents of this world— (1.) The lust of the flesh ; (2.) The lust of the eyes ; (3.) The pride of life.
1. * The lust of the flesh/ Flesh is sometimes taken in a large sense for corrupt nature, for the whole dunghill of corruption that we brought with us into the world ; and tlie lusts of the jlesh for the workings of this corruption, the reeking of this dunghill, whether in the under- standing by thoughts or carnal counsel, or in the will by carnal desires ; so it is taken at large. But here it is taken more strictly for the corruptions of the sensual appetite, or for the immoderate desire of soft and delicate living, and for sensuality, or the intemperate use of pleasures, meats and drinks, and such things as gratify the flesh.
2. ' The lusts of the eye," some expound by curiosity, others by w^antonness. Indeed the eye is the usual broker of temptations. The eye lets out the lust, and lets in the temptation ; all kind of lusts make use of it. But I suppose covetousness is here intended, or an inordinate deshe of profit. When we look upon the bravery of the world, or upon money, or anything that pleaseth this kind of coii'uption, the eye seduceth the heart as soon as we look upon a thing. This is charged upon the eye ; Eccles. i. 8, ' All things are full of labour ; man cannot utter it ; the eye is not satisfied with seeing ; ' Prov. xxvii. 20, ' Hell and destruction are never full ; so the eyes of man are never
94 SERMONS UPON TITUS II. 11-14, [SeR. V.
satisfied.' All strong desires look out by the eye, especially insatiable avarice.
3. The next part of the corrupt world is ' pride of life/ so called because it cannot be kept in, but is manifested in our lives ; or rather, because it is a sin of a diffusive nature, that spreads itself throughout the whole life of man. Whereas other sins are confined and limited, he ascribeth a universal and unlimited influence to pride. The lusts of the flesh, they are but for the flesh, to content the body ; the lusts of the eye, there he noteth the instrument, the eye purveyeth for the heart ; but pride of life, there he ascribes a universal and unlimited influence, and calls it 'pride of life,' because it taints every action, it serves itself of every enjoyment, it mingles with other lusts, the whole life is but sphere enough for pride to discover itself. Other vices destroy only their contraries ; covetousness destroys liberality ; drunk- enness, sobriety ; but pride destroyeth all ; it runs through all enjoyments, wit, strength, beauty, riches, apparel, learning, grace. There is nothing so low but it yields fuel to pride ; the hair, which is but an excrement, is often hung out as a bush and ensign of vanity. And there is nothing so high and sacred but pride can abuse it ; like mistletoe, it groweth upon any tree, but most upon the best. Well, then, all worldly lusts are reduced to these three heads, for he says, ' All that is in the world.' Usually we understand by worldliness nothing but covetousness, or an inordinate desire of worldly profit ; but the corrupt world is of a larger extent. Pride is a worldly lust, and so is sensuality, or a love of pleasure. For look, as the ocean is but one, yet several parts of it have divers names, so worldliness is but one sin, yet, having divers kinds, it hath several names. Those that mind honours are guilty of worldly lusts, ' Pride of life.' Those that mind riches, are guilty of worldly lusts, ' The lusts of the eye.' Those that are voluptuous, and mind pleasure, are still guilty of worldly lusts, ' The lusts of the flesh.' This is, as one saith, the world's trinity, the roots of all other sins, against ■which we should bend the main endeavours of our souls. You do nothing in mortification till the axe be laid to the root of these sins, sensuality, covetousness, pride.
[1.] ' The lusts of the flesh,' viz., sensuality, or an inordinate desire of pleasures. It is the happiness of beasts to enjoy pleasure with more hberty than man can, and without remorse of conscience ; and there- fore a heathen could say, ' He is not worthy the name of a man {qui unicm diem velit esse in voluptate) that would spend one day in pleasure. Other sins deprive us of the image of God, but the lusts of the flesh deprive us of our own image ; they unman us of all desires. These bring most shame, because it is the lowest, basest act of self-love, and the matter of them is gross and burthensome, and they do emasculate and quench the bravery of the spirit, and embase it, and keep the soul at the greatest distance from God and spiritual employments.^ How- can they look after God and heaven whose hearts are sunk in their bellies ? The lusts of the flesh quench the vigour of nature, how much more do they hinder the ])0werful operations of the Spirit? Jude 19, ' Sensual, not having the Spirit.' The Spirit is divine and active, and raises the soul to higher things ; but sensual persons have no radiancy of graces nor vigour of gifts. Nay, in some sense this is at the bottom,