CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…

Obs. That the godly mans life in this world is full of spiritual danger and outward trouble; For To be in the world, these two things are implied,¹ To be in a place of wickedness, where are daily temptations to sin, and in a place of misery where are constant troubles and pressures, and indeed the former is the greatest evil, though we fear the latter more, Therefore our Saviour prayeth v. 15. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world; They must be in the world, but let not the evil thereof infect them, it being no ⟨p. 278⟩less a miracle to be kept from the sins of the world while we live in it, then for those three Worthies not to be burned while in the fiery Furnace; The Apostle John excellently describeth the foul contagion of the world, 1 Joh. 5.19. The whole world lieth in wickedness, the whole world, None are exempted till called out of it by Grace; All the humane Grecian power, though so famous for wit and moral virtues is included herein, and then it lieth in wickedness, this denoteth the habitual custom of sin, as also the impotency even to help it self: It lieth in wickedness, there is also their contentedness and delight, as the Swine lieth in her mud; And then in wickedness [Greek or Hebrew] a troublesome wickedness, that makes trouble and vexation to those that are not in the same excess of wickedness with them.

Obs. That the godly mans life in this world is full of spiritual danger and outward trouble; For To be in the world, these two things are implied,¹ To be in a place of wickednesse, where are daily temptations to sinne, and in a place of misery where are constant troubles and pressures, and indeed the former is the greatest evil, though we fear the latter more, Therefore our Saviour praieth v. 15. that the Father would keep them from the evil of the world; They must be in the world, but let not the evil thereof infect them, it being no ⟨p. 278⟩lesse a miracle to be kept from the sinnes of the world while we live in it, then for those three Worthies not to be burned while in the fiery Furnace; The Apostle John excellently describeth the foul contagion of the world,