A supplement to The Morning-exercise at Cripple-Gate, or, Several more cases of conscience practically…

Love to the world may be considered as Predominant, and so altogether inconsistent with the very being and existence of love to God; or else as infirm and in part subdued. We shall here treat of it in the former respect only, which seems chiefly intended by John. And so love to the world may be described. A certain habitual pondus or weight of concupiscence, and Lust, whereby the soul is strongly impelled and inclined towards the fruition of, and satisfaction in the world, as its last end, and chiefest Good. In this description of love to the world, we find its Object, subject, end, principle, Act and measure; which will all fall under a more particular consideration in the following propositions.

¹1. Prop. To love the world is to affect some private, particular inferior. Good, for it self, as the chiefest Good, and last end. This proposition states and specifies the proper formal Object of worldly love; which is some private, particular inferior good, loved for it self, as the chiefest supreme good, and last end. Now the world may be constituted the chiefest good, and last end two ways. (1). Positively, when it is loved for it self as a total supreme good, unto which all things are referred. (2). Negatively, when, though it be loved only as a partial good, yet it is loved for it self, and not referred to God, either actually or habitually, as the supreme good. Such is the cursed love of many worldly professors, who love the world only as a partial good, yet so, as they refer it not to God the supreme good; and therefore may be said to love it for it self, as their last end and chiefest good, negatively, though not positively. This love to the world for it self, as the last end, and chiefest good, is fully described by John in the verse following our text, 1 John 2.16. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but it is of the world. These words give much light and evidence to our text and present subject; wherefore we shall a little insist on the explication of them.