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

2. Hence also infer, that Love to God, and Love to the world, divide all mankind. There is no middle state between these two opposites; neither can they ever consist together in their perfect degrees. If thou art a lover of the world, in John's sense, thou art a hater of God: and if thou lovest God thou art an hater of the world. Hereby then thou mayest make a judgment of thy state, whether thou art a Saint or a sinner; a Godly, or worldly man. And remember this, that to love any worldly good more than God, is in the Scripture's sense, to hate God, Mat. 6.24.

3. This also instructs us, that all natural irregenerate mens Love, is but concupiscence or Lust. Do not all men in their natural state prefer the creature before the Creator? are not the pleasures, profits, and Honours of this world, the worldly man's Trinity, which he adoreth, and sacrificeth unto? Have not all men by nature a violent impetuous bent of heart towards some one or other worldly Idol? are not their souls bound up in something below God? Do not all men naturally esteem, love, use, and enjoy the creature for it self, without referring it to God? and what is this but Lust?

4. We are hence likewise taught, that a regular and ordinate love to, and use of this world's goods, is very difficult and rare; Alas! how soon doth our love to creatures grow inordinate, either as to its Substance, Quantity, Quality, or Mode? yea, how oft, and how soon doth our love to things lawful grow irregular and unlawful? what an excess are most men guilty of in their love to, and use of things indifferent? how few are there, who in using this world do not abuse it, as 1 Cor. 7.31