It implies, the trusting in the world for happiness; the supposing that _a man’s life consisteth_ (the comfort of his life) _in the abundance of things which he possesseth_: the looking for rest, in the things that are seen; for content in outward plenty; the expecting that satisfaction in the things of the world, which can never be found out of God.
And if we do this, we cannot but make the world our end: the ultimate end, if not of all at least of many of our undertakings, many of our actions and designs: in which we shall aim only at an increase of wealth, at the obtaining pleasure or praise; at the gaining a larger measure of temporal things, without any reference to things eternal.
9. The _serving mammon_ implies, secondly, loving the world: desiring it for its own sake; the placing our joy in the things thereof, and setting our hearts upon them: the seeking (what indeed it is impossible we should find) our happiness therein: the resting with the whole weight of our souls, upon the staff of this broken reed; although daily experience shews it cannot support, but will only _enter into our hand and pierce it_.
10. To resemble, to be conformed to the world, is a third thing we are to understand by _serving mammon_: to have not only designs, but desires, tempers, affections suitable to those of the world: to be of an earthly, sensual mind, chained down to the things of earth: to be self-willed, inordinate lovers of ourselves: to think highly of our own attainments; to desire and delight in the praise of men: to fear, shun, and abhor reproach: to be impatient of reproof, easy to be provoked, and swift to return evil for evil.
11. To _serve mammon_ is, lastly, to obey the world, by outwardly conforming to its maxims and customs; to walk as other men walk, in the common road, in the broad, smooth, beaten path; to be in the fashion, to follow a multitude; to do like the rest of our neighbours; that is, to do the will of the flesh and the mind, to gratify our appetites and inclinations: to sacrifice to ourselves; aim at our own ease and pleasure, in the general course both of our words and actions.
Now what can be more undeniably clear, than that we _cannot_ thus _serve_ God _and mammon_?
12. *Does not every man see, that he cannot _comfortably_ serve both? That to trim between God and the world, is the sure way to be disappointed in both, and to have no rest either in one or the other? How uncomfortable a condition must he be in, who having the fear but not the love of God, who serving him, but not with all his heart, has only the toils and not the joys of religion? He has religion enough to make him miserable, but not enough to make him happy: his religion will not let him enjoy the world; and the world will not let him enjoy God. So that by halting between both he loses both, and has no peace either in God or the world.
13. Does not every man see, that he cannot serve both, _consistently_ with himself? What more glaring inconsistency can be conceived, than must continually appear in his whole behaviour, who is endeavouring to obey both these masters, striving to _serve_ God _and mammon_? He is indeed _a sinner that goeth two ways_; one step forward and another backward. He is continually building up with one hand, and pulling down with the other. He loves sin, and he hates it: he is always seeking, and yet always fleeing from God. He would and he would not. He is not the same man, for one day, no, not for an hour together. He is a motly mixture of all sorts of contrarieties; a heap of contradictions jumbled in one. O, be consistent with thyself, one way or the other. Turn to the right-hand or to the left. If _mammon_ be God, serve thou him; if the Lord, then serve him. But never think of serving either at all, unless it be with thy whole heart.