VeR. 22.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. 19
things above, not on things of the world.' Our desires cannot be carried out after heavenly things with any intention unless they be remitted to the world.
2. The love of the world sets the heart against Christ, and carries it to contrary things. I shall prove it by three considerations — it dis- poseth and inclineth the soul to all evil ; it incapacitateth us for the doing of any good ; and it liinders us from the receiving any good.
[1.] It disposeth and inclineth the soul to all evil. It makes a man break every command of the law of God : ' The love of money is the root of all evil/ 1 Tim. vi. 10. Let it once reign in the heart, and then a man sticks at no sin, and he becomes a ready prey for Satan when bis heart is intoxicated with the love of present things : Micah ii. 2, ' Covet fields, and take them by violence, and houses, and take them away ; so they oppress a man and his house, even a man and his heritage.' First they covet, and then they will stop at nothing, but break out into all that is unseemly. Let Judas but enchant his thoughts with the pleasure of a supposed gain that he can make of his master, and he will soon come with a Quid dabitis ? — What will you give me ? Gehazai, let him but affect a reward, and he will dis- honour God and lay a stumbling-block in the way of a new and noble convert. Let Achan's heart be tickled and pleased a little with the sight of it, and he will be purloining the wedge of gold and Babylonish garment. Let Balaam hear of gold and silver, and lie will curse Israel against his conscience, and venture though there be an angel in the way to stop them. Ahab will consent to Naboth's blood when his vineyard is in the chase. Ananias and Sapphira will keep back part of what was dedicated to God, if they look upon what they part withal. Simon Magus will deny religion, and return to his old sor- ceries, that he may be some great one among the people. So that there is no sin so foul but the love of the world will make it plausible, and reconcile it to the thoughts of men.
[2.] It incapacitateth us, and makes us incapable of doing service to God in our general and particular calling.
(1.) In our general calling.
(\st?) It destroys the principle of obedience, which is the love of God : ] John ii. 15, 'If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.' The great principle which sways and inclines the heart to do the will of God is love ; now the love of the world and the love of God are contrary and inconsistent. Love anything besides Christ, and you will soon love it above Christ. Why ? Because the love of God is a stranger and foreigner, the love of the world is a native.
(2c/.) It is contrary to the matter of our obedience. The commands of God and the commands of mammon are contrary : Mat. vi. 24, ' No man can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will hold to the one and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.' God saith. Pity the afflicted, relieve the miserable, venture all for a good conscience, seek heaven in the first place with your most ardent affection, with yotirmost earnest diligence. But now mammon saith, Be sparing of your substance, follow the world as hard as you can, stick at nothing, lie, steal, comply with the lusts of men, and then you shall be rich. Well, now, he that is ruled
20 . SERMOXS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. IX.
by mammon, whose eyes the god of this world hath blinded, that is, enchanted with the love of worldly goods, he can never serve God ; he loves wealth above all, he trusts it above all, he serves it more than God himself ; though his tongue dare not say earth is better than heaven, and that the things of this life are better than everlasting blessedness, and therefore they shall have more of his heart and care, yet his life says it ; he can part with God for the matters of this world. In short, it unfits us not only for one duty, but for all duties required of us. God's laws are for our respects to God, neighbour, and self; this inordinate love of the world denies what is due to God, what is neces- sary for our neighbour, and what is comfortable for ourselves. A man that loves the world is unthankful to God, unmerciful to his neighbour, and cruel to himself.
{3d.) It slights the encouragements of obedience, which are the rewards of God, as it weakeneth all our future hopes, and depresseth our heart from looking after spiritual and heavenly things. They de- spise their birthright, Heb. xii. 16, and when they are invited to the wedding, Mat. xxii., they prefer their farm, oxen, and merchandise, before the rich feast of grace which God invites us to.