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If we love the world—the honors, the pleasures, or anything in
the world—we will not be satisfied with it. This is because
everything has a crack in it; yes, there is a curse that goes
along with it … every creature contains a vacuum, an emptiness
that will not produce satisfaction. Nothing will yield that
which we expect from it and look to it for. The satisfaction
that we expect in riches, honors, trades, health, wives,
children, or estates is not really there. [18]
The world is the devil’s instrument whereby he ensnares men and
women and leads them captive at his pleasure … thus he caught
Eve by the fruit of the garden. Thus he caught David by
Bathsheba. Thus he caught Achan by a wedge of gold and a
garment. And thus he catches men and women today, some by wine,
some by women, and some by kingdoms. [27]
Are you content with a little grace, with a little knowledge of
God, with a little communion with God, with a little heavenly
mindedness? But are you not eager for the things of the world,
and never content and satisfied with what you have of them?
Would you not have more and more and more, and more still of the
things of the world—more this week, more next year, and daily
more and more of the world? [48]
We should not love the world because we can neither have nor
enjoy its pleasures long. It may be that they will leave us, but
if not, we must leave them. And the stronger affections we have
toward anything, the more bitter the affliction when we leave
it. Strong affections bring great afflictions to men and women.
[61]
Your lusts will beg to have the world—to have honor, power, and
riches—yet your soul will not be satisfied. But if our lusts
were mortified, all these things would presently be at an end.
Sadly, we seek to gratify our lusts, and they undo us. [68]
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