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380
A SERMON ON JAMES iv. 4.
was in heaven, who had their affections on things above, not on the things of the earth: though they walked in all the ordinances of GOD, though they still abounded in good works, and abstained from all known sin, yea, and from the appearance of evil; yet they gradually and insensibly decayed, (like Jonah's gourd, when the worm ate the root of it) insomuch, that they are less alive to GOD now, than they were ten, twenty, or thirty years ago. But it is easily accounted for, if we observe, that as they increased in goods, they increased in friendship with the world which indeed must be the case, unless the mighty power of GOD interpose. But in the same proportion as they increase in this, the life of GOD in their soul decreased.
4. Is it strange that it should decrease, if those words are really founded on the oracles of GOD? Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with GOD? What is the meaning of these words? Let us seriously consider. And may GOD open the eyes of our understanding, that in sight of all the mist where-with the wisdom of the world would cover us, we may diseern, what is the good and acceptable will of GOD.
5. Let us first consider, what is it which the apostle here means by the world? He does not here refer to this out-ward frame of things, termed in scripture, heaven and earth; but to the inhabitants of the earth, the children of men:or at least the greater part of them. But what part? This is fully determined both by our lord himself, and by his beloved disciple. First by our Lord himself, His words are, If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me, before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love its own; but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. And all these things will they do unto you, because they know not him that sent me, John xv.18, and seq. You see here that the world is placed on one side and those who are not of the world on the other. They whom GOD has chosen out of the world, namely, by sanctification of the Spi-
A SERMON ON JAMES iv.4. 381
 -rit and belief of the truth, are set in direct opposition to those, whom he hath not so chosen. Yet again, Those who know not him that sent me, faith out Lord, who now not GOD, they are the world. 
6. Equally express are the words of the beloved disciple. Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you: we know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren, 1 John iii. 13, 14. As if he had said, You must not expect any should love you, but those that have passed from death unto life. It follows, Those that are not passed from death unto life, that are not alive to GOD, are the world. The same we may learn from these words in the fifth chapter, ver. 19. We know that we are of GOD, and the whole world lieth in the wicked one. Here the world plainly means, those that are not of GOD, and who consequently lie in the wicked one.
7. Those on the contrary are of GOD, who love GOD, or at least fear him, and keep his commandments. This is the lowest character of those that are of GOD, who are not properly sons, but servants: who depart from evil, and study to do good, and walk in all his ordinances, because they have a fear of GOD in their heart, and a sincere desire to please him. Fix in your heart this plain meaning of the term, the world, those who do not thus fear GOD. Let no man deceive you with vain words: it means neither more nor less than this. 
8. But understanding the term in this sense, what kind of friendship may we have with the world? We may, we ought to love them as ourselves, (for they also are included in love in the word neighbour) to bear the real good-will, to desire their happiness as sincerely as we desire the happiness of our own souls: yea, we are on a sense to honor them: (seeing we are directed by the apostle to honour all men) as the creatures of GOD, nay, as immortal spirits, who are capable of knowing, of loving, and of enjoying him to all eternity. We are to honor them, as redeemed by his blood, who tasted death for every man. We are to bear them tender compassion, when we see them forsaking 
their 

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