1 John li. 15 — 17. Love not tlie world f neither the things that are in the ivorld. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the luit of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, is not
of
of the Fathei; hut is of the world; mid the world passeth
away, arid the lust thereof: hut he that doeth the ivill of God
ahidethfor ever.
WHATEVER our attainments may be in the Divine life, we still need the voice of warning and exhortation, to keep us from the evils to which we are exposed. As Believers, we have been brought out of " a world which lieth in wickedness:" but still we are encompassed with temptations, and bear about with us a corrupt nature which is ever liable to be ensnared by them. In persons most advanced in the Divine life *' the flesh lusteth against the spirit, as well as the spirit against the flesh ; so that tliey cannot do all that they would;" and may be easily seduced to do things, which, according to their better judgment, they would not.
The Apostle has been addressing the whole Chris- tian Church according to their age and stature in the Divine life, under the names of Little Children, Young Men, and Fathers : and now, to the one as well as to the other of these classes, he gives the injunction in our text. Let all classes therefore amongst you also receive the word as addressed per- sonally to yourselves, whilst we consider,
L The injunction here given —
There are few subjects, if any, in the whole course of our Ministrations, that require a more careful and temperate discussion than that before us. The so- lemnity with which it is introduced, and the extra- ordinary emphasis with which it is hnpressed on our minds, evince beyond a doubt the great importance of it: whilst, as if it were of no importance whatever, or there were no danger of erring in relation to it, every one puts the construction upon it which suits his own habits and inclinations, and takes for granted that his views of it are correct. But the truth is, that there is in this subject a need for the nicest dis- crimination, lest, on the one hand, we make the pro- hibition more strict than Jehovah himself intended it to be ; or, on the other hand, give to it a latitude which is contrary to his mind, and ruinous to all who
prac-
1182.^ LOVE OF THE WORLD FOItBlt>DEI^. 23/
practically adopt it. A man who lives in monastic seclusion will be ready to say, that this passage forbids all intercourse with the world : whilst a person liv- ing in an unrestrained commerce with the world, will see in it nothing that condemns the most un- restrained compliance with the maxims and habits of the world, provided they be not palpably and grossly immoral. In like manner they will differ as widely respecting the extent of the prohibition as the object of it ; the one supposing that every degree of inclination towards the world is forbidden; the other, thinking himself at liberty to '^ wallow in earthly in- dulgences as a sow in the mire''." It is obvious therefore that we should enter on this subject with extreme caution ; determining with the greatest care,
1 . The import of the terms — [What are we to understand by " the world P" In answer to this question, I should say, It comprehends all the things of time and sense, as standing in opposition to the things which relate to a better world. The apostle Paul suggests to us this very distinction, when he says that we are to " look, not at the things which are seen and are temporal, but at the things which are not seen and eternaP." This will appear more clear, whilst we consider what is meant by " loving''^ the world. We are not to understand every degree of attachment to it, but only such a degree as is inordinate, and such a degree as puts its object in competition icith the things which are invisible and eternal. Amongst the things of time and sense must be reckoned a man's intercourse with his own family. Shall we then say, that a man ought to have no pleasure in the society of his own wife and children? Such an absurdity carries its own refutation along with it. Hence then I take the term, not in a positive, but comparative, sense ; and regard it as importing, that we are not to give to any object of time and sense that kind or measure of affection v/hich is due only to things of eternal moment.