First, The World is fometimes taken for the whole Frame of Nature which we behold, or the glorious Fabrick of Heaven and Earth, with all the Variety of Creatures contain'd in it. In this fenfe, the World is the Workmanfhip of God, and is rather to be admir'd than renounc'd by us; for God faw that every thing he had made was very good, Gen. 1. 31. David made this the Subject of his daily Meditation, and hath taught us to fet forth the Praise and Glory of our Creator, and to celebrate the infinite Power, Wisdom, and Goodness, that fhine fo brightly in all the Works of his Hand: to renounce the World in this fenfe, would be to defpife the Workmanship of our Maker, and to difparage the Operations of his Hand. 2. The World is fometimes taken for evil Men, which make up the greatest part of it; for which reafon 'tis call'd the wicked World, becaufe it directly oppofes God's Glory and our own Happiness; fo 'tis taken John 7. 7. and in fundry other places. St. James ftyles the Friendfhip of the World, Enmity with God, James 4. 4. In this fenfe, to renounce the World, is to caft off all Intimacy and Familiarity with the wicked part of it, Not to company with Fornicators, as the Apostle exhorts; or if any be an Idolater or Railer, a Drunkard or an Extortioner, with fuch a one no not to eat: 1 Cor. 5. 11. Not that we are always to disclaim or refuse the Company of wicked Men, for then (as the fame Apoftle tells us) we must go out of the World, or retire into Defarts and Solitudes; which would be to fly from the Enemy we are bid to conquer: but we are not to accompany them in their Sins, nor to contract any unneceffary Intimacy, fo as to become Brethren and Companions with them in Iniquity; but to choose rather to walk in the folitary Paths of Virtue and Religion, than to follow a Multitude to do Evil, or be carry'd away with the Stream of their evil Example. 3. The W rld is fometimes taken for the finful Cuftoms, and vile Practices of the World. In this fenfe is that of the Apoftle, Be not conformed to this World, Rom. 12. 2. which forbids all Compliance or Conformity with the Vices and Wickednefs of Men. Indeed the Heathen World (against which this part of the Vow was particularly directed) had many vile and barbarous Cuftoms fome against the very Light of Nature and Reafon; others against the written Law and Word of God: both which prevail'd ; fo fo far at that time, that St. John tells us, the whole World lay in Wiekedness. Now against thefe was this Vow chiefly fram'd, which requires all Chriftians to renounce all the leud and barbarous Cuftoms of the wicked World. So that whatever Countenance or Encouragement Sin may at any time have, either by the Connivance of Authority, the Temptations of Company, or the Examples of Great Men; yet ftill we are to difclaim and abandon it: having no Fellowship with the unfruitful Works of Darknefs, but rather reprove them. This, in fhort, is that World, which the Apoftle wills us not to love; and our Catechifm here, folemnly and refolutely to renounce. But, Secondly, what are the Things of the World, which the Apostle would have excluded likewife out of our Affections? Love not the World, nor the Things of the World : Which being mention'd apart from the former, must be particularly confider'd. Thefe our Catechifm ftyles the Pomps and Vanities of the World; and by which we are to understand in general, all the Gaieties and glittering Shows of the World, that are apt to dazzle the Eyes, and draw away the Hearts of Men from better things. More particularly, the Pomps and Vanities here at first pointed at, were thofe gay Shows made by the Heathens in their Triumphs and Games: Thefe we find peculiarly call'd Pomps, and being many of them ufed as facred Rites, in honour of their Deities, were likewife juftly ftyled Vanities; both which, the Chriftians upon their embracing of Chrif tianity, were requir'd to renounce, as the Marks and Badges of Heathenifm. Moreover, All that Luxury and various kind of Exceffes, that were wont to accompany thofe Seafons of Jollity and Festivity, come under the Character of the Pomps and Vanities of the World. Again, All that oftentatious Bravery or Gallantry of Attire, that was us'd to adorn their Triumphs, and draw the Admiration of vain Men, fell under the fame Character, and were to be renounc'd, as the Pomps and Vanities of this wicked World. In a word, All glittering Shows or Appearances, that adminifter to Pride or the inflaming of Luft, are to be reckon'd among thefe Pomps and Vanities, and are by G 4 this this part of our Baptifmal Vow, renounc'd by all Chrif tians. But St. John, in the next Verfe to our Text, has fumm'd up all the things that are in the World under three Heads. 1. The Wealth and Riches of the World, call'd the Luft of the Eye; because all that is above our neceffary use, is only the beholding of it with the Eye. 2. The Pleasures and Delights of the World, call'd the Lufts of the Flesh, because they ferve only to gratify the carnal or fenfual part. 3. The Honours and Glories of the World, ftyl'd the Pride of Life, becaufe they are apt to fwell and puff Men up with Pride. Thirdly, This being the Inventory of this World's Goods, it will be requifite to know how we are to use, and how to renounce them; for we are not debar'd all ufe of this World, but are only bid fo to use, as not to abufe it, or ourselves by it. know, To which end you must 1. That Wealth and Riches not being in themselves evil, are not abfolutely to be renounc'd; but contrariwise, being the Bleffings of God, and affording great Advantages of doing good, both to ourfelves and others, are to be thankfully receiv'd and us'd by us. We are not requir'd 10 voy Poverty, or difdainfully to reject the Favours of Heaven: No, 'Tis the Bleffing of God (faith Solomon) that maketh rich, and brings no Trouble with it; yea, by ufing well the Subftance which God giveth us, it will multiply into a greater Treasure in Heaven, and lead to a far more enduring Subftance. Then, For the Pleafures of the World: Thefe likewife in their lawful Ufe afford great Benefit and Comfort to Mankind, and fo are not abfolutely to be renounc'd: they serve to refresh our Spirits, to quicken us in our Duty, and to lighten the Burden of cur Cares and Troubles. God Almighty has planted in us natural Appetites and Defires, and likewife given futable Objects for their Gratification: Neither has he reftrain'd us from a free and cheerful Ufe of them, Religion does not will us to hang down our Heads like a Bull-rufh, nor doom us to an abfurd and perpetual Melancholy No, 'tis fo far from abridging, that it heightens and encreases our Pleafures; Her ways are ways of Pleafantness, and all her Paths are Peace. : 3. For the Honours and Glories of the World: These two are of great ufe, and ferve many times to excellent Purposes; for they excite to Virtue, and are a Spur to great and noble Undertakings. Honour is a neceffary Ingredient and Attendant upon Power, for it makes Men bear the Burden, and discharge the Bufinefs of their Places with great Eafe and Diligence; and likewife ftrikes those with greater Awe and Reverence, that are fubject to their Authority. So that these Things being not Evil, but Good in themfelves, and tending to many useful Purposes, are not abfolutely to be renounc'd by us. We may not think that God Almighty has fill'd the World only with Trifles, that are good for nothing but to be defpis'd and trampled on; this were to libel our Maker, and not only to vilify his Blef fings, but to destroy the Encouragements of Industry and Virtue. But how then are we to understand this Caution of the Apoftle, against loving the World, or the Things that are in it? In anfwer to which, I fay, 1. That this does not condemn all moderate and fubordinate Love to earthly Subjects, for we are bid to love our Friends and Relations and he that hateth Father and Mother, hall die the Death. Neither does it forbid all regular Defires and Endeavours after the good things of this Life, but only moderate our Affections towards them. We are not hereby taught to caft off all due care and concern for worldly Things, or to abandon ourselves to Idleness and a careless Neglect of them for the Apostle wills to provide things honeft in the fight of all Men, Rom. 12. and he that provides not for his own House and Family, has deny'd the Faith, and is worse than an Infidel. So that this Caution in the Text is not defign'd to root out, but to regulate our Love to these things. And therefore, 2. Both our Text and Catechifm will us to renounce all inordinate Love of the World, and the Things of it, so as not to be inveigled by them; we must not love any thing in oppofition to, or in competition with the Love of God' He that loves Father or Mother more than me (fays Chrift) is not worthy of me. More particularly, : We are to renounce the inordinate Love of Riches, fo as not to betake ourselves to any indirect means to get them. The Apoftle speaks of fome that will be rich, they care care not how, whether by Robbery or Oppreffion, or Fraud, or any other unjust ways of Gain; and thefe, he tells us, fall into Temptations and a Snare, and into many foolish and burtful Lufts, which drown them in Destruction and Perdition: 1 Tim. 6. 9. Again, We are not to defire or ufe Riches to any bad Ends; as, to gratify our Lufts, or to fupport Luxury and Intemperance: this is to turn the Bleffings of God against himself, and to make the Inftances of his Bounty become the Inftruments of his Difhonour. Neither are we to put our Trust in uncertain Riches, as too many do, who make it their Refuge and their ftrong Tower, relying more on their Wealth than on the All-fufficient God. Nor laftly, Are we to doat fo much upon the Wealth of this World, as to be unwilling to part with it, either by Acts of Charity, or Refignation of it at God's Call, or in his Cause. These are all Inftances of an inordinate Love of Riches, which our Baptifmal Vow engages us to renounce. Then for the Pleafures of the World: we are utterly to renounce all unlawful Pleasures, and likewife all immoderate Ufe of lawful ones; not fuffering them to engross too much of our Time and Affections, which Religion requires fhould be laid out upon better and weightier Matters. : Laftly, For the Honours, Titles, and Glories of the World Thefe are to be renounc'd likewife, as the Pomps and Vanities of it; that is, we must not have too high a value for them, nor value ourselves too much upon them: being only vain, tranfitory, and uncertain things, that add no intrinfick Worth to any Man's Perfon, and depend only upon the fickle, inconftant Breath of other Men, we are not vainly to affect, or be ambitious of them, and much lefs to be lifted up with Pride by reafon of them, or to look down with Scorn and Contempt on thofe that are beneath us: when it comes to this, they are Vanities indeed, and juftly deferve to be renounc'd by all good Chriftians. Thus having fhew'd what is meant by not loving the World, or the Things of it, I proceed, Fourthly, to the Reafon here annex'd, taken from the Inconfiftency of it with the Love of God, from these words; If any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in bim. The Force of this Reafon is taken from these words of |