LECTURE LIX.

CHRISTIANS CAUTIONED AGAINST THE LOVE OF THIS WORLD.

1 JOHN ii. 12—15.

12. I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name's sake.

unto you,

13. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write little children, because ye have known the Father. 14. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked

one.

15. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father

is not in him.

With a most solemn address St. John prefaces his important counsel, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. He applies himself to every period of life, because every period of life is concerned in it. He addresses the youngest, the little children, that they might remember the blessings possessed by them: the forgiveness of sin, the knowledge of the Father. He addresses the young men, because they were entering upon life and its

temptations under an engagement to contend against and overcome the wicked one, "the prince of this world." And he also appeals to the fathers in Christ, because of their experience. They had known "the only true God, through Jesus Christ whom he had sent." Upon all these he enforces the same truth, because they were all exposed to the same trial, their faith subject to the same test. Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. The duty is, to love God with all the heart: and if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

We cannot read this sentence, without perceiving how much it deserves to be considered. I am in the world; my duties, my affairs, my pleasures belong to the world; yet I am not to love the world. And, yet, many of the things which are in the world I am bound to love. If we could refuse to love relations, parents, husbands, wives, children, we should be disobeying another command of God. Still here is the precept, Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. How are we to interpret this?

We must not so love anything connected with the world, as in our wishes and habits to prefer it to that better world which is to come, or to set it above the will of God. We must not so love any earthly thing as to "seek it first." We must not so desire it, as to try for it in any unlawful way. We must not love it, more than we love the Father. very idea sounds shocking. Yet every one has done this, who has ever pursued a present object in defiance or neglect of God and his commands.

The

For example. One of the things in the world which we cannot help loving, and desiring to possess, is the friendship and good word of those about us. But there be those about us, those with may whom we are much engaged in daily affairs, who neglect the care of the soul, and despise others who treat it as the first object to be considered. We must not, for the sake of pleasing or conciliating these, descend from our own principles, or lower our own practice. We must not, for the sake of keeping their good opinion, either do a wrong thing, or leave a right thing undone.

St. John acquaints us, (xii. 42,) that “ many among the chief rulers believed on Jesus:" believed him to be the Christ: " but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue." These, then, were induced to act contrary to their duty, by the love of this world. As St. John truly explains it, they "loved the praise of men more than the praise of God."

Again: It is lawful to possess the riches, the honours, the good things of the present life. No reproach attaches to a man, because he is born heir to a throne, or a large estate, or a great fortune. He is not to blame, if his talents have been so well used, or his industry so much blessed, that his worldly substance is increased. He is not to blame, if he possesses the comforts which the gifts of fortune are able to bestow. God gives us all things richly to enjoy, which we can procure honestly, and enjoy innocently.

But so to love these things, as to make them our chief object; to serve only ourselves, and not God, by the use of them: to be proud of possessing them, or selfish in enjoying them: this is to love the world, and the things that are in the world, sinfully. Nebuchadnezzar offended thus, (Dan. iv. 29, 30,) when "he walked in the palace of the kingdom of Babylon, and the king spake and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the honour of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?" By thoughts like these he manifested the state of his heart, and showed that he had forgotten "the Most High who ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will."

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The rich man in our Lord's parable (Luke xii. 16) was a sinful lover of the world and its possessions, when he said to his soul, "Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years: take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.

Job, on the other hand, saw the danger connected with the world, (xxxi. 24,) and says, "If I have made gold my hope, or said to the fine gold, Thou art my confidence: if I rejoiced because my wealth was great, and because my hand had gotten much: this were an iniquity to be punished by the judge, for I should have denied the God that is above."

The business of the world has with it a snare of the same kind. It ought to be followed; but followed lawfully, and consistently with the service of God. It may be so followed, as to exclude the love of the Father. This is shown in the parable of the

1 Dan. vi. 32.

2 Luke xiv. 18, &c.

2

marriage banquet, and the answer of those bidden. "I have bought a piece of ground. I have bought five yoke of oxen, and I go to prove them. I pray thee have me excused. I have married a wife, and therefore I cannot come." In all these, the love of the world and the things that are in the world prevails over the love of God. If that had been uppermost in the minds of the guests invited, all other engagements would have been secondary when his command arrived.

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Therefore St. John has truly said, If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. He does not obey the demand of God, which asserts his claim to our first affections. My son, give ME thy heart." It is the same thing to love the Father, and to serve the Father: and we can no more love God and mammon, than we can serve God and mammon.

May then "the Lord direct our hearts into the love of God, and the patient waiting for Christ," who has invited us to choose that "one thing needful," that "good part, which shall not be taken away." 3

3 2 Thess. iii. 5; Luke x. 42.