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World, the other, the Children of Light. 2. The Judgment he gives concerning the Wisdom of thefe two forts, the former is wiser than the latter. 3. The Qualification of this Judgment, or his Right Meaning in it explain'd, they are wifer, but 'tis only in their Generation,. And for the right Understanding of this, we are to learn. 1. Who are they who are call'd the Children of this World, and who they are who are call'd the Children of Light. 2. What these words in their Generation fignifie. Thefe things underfood, the Inftructions bere to be learn'd will lie open before

us.

First, Who are they who are called the Children of this World? Eph. 1.21. We read of this World, and that which is to come. These two are often mention'd together as two Oppofites. In this World now we live, but there is another World wherein we hope to live when we go out of this. By this World we here underftand the Life we here live, and the things pertaining to this Life, wherewith this World is furnished. And then the Children of this VVorld are they whose whole Concern is about this prefent Life, and the Things of this prefent World; not much troubling themselves about the Life to come, or what is to be in the World

to come.

Secondly, Who are the Children of Light? We read of God, that He is Light. 1 Joh. 1. 5. And the Inheritance of the Saints in Light. Col. 1. 10. And the Word of God is a Light. Pfal. 119. And then the Children of Light are they, who being brought to the Knowledge of God by his Z 4

Word,

Word, and of the Inheritance which he hath provided for them that ferve him in the otherWorld; profefs themselves to be his faithful Servants, and to make that Inheritance their chief aim, and to purfue it by fuch means as God prefcribed in his Word.

Thirdly, What mean thefe Words, in their Generation? It is this, That it is only in their own way, in the Concerns of this World, which they make their Care and Bufinefs; in fuch Things they are wifer, but not in all Things. Our Saviour means not that the Children of this World are fimply or abfolutely wifer than the Children of Light, but in fome Refpects only, and fo far, that in compaffing their worldly and carnal Ends, they fhew more Wisdom, than the Children of Light are wont to do, in order to the obtaining those much better Things which they pretend to aim at.

Thefe three things thus briefly explained, let us now fee what Inftructions are given us by our Saviour in thefe words. And to prevent Miftakes, as much as may be, I fhall as well fhow what we are not taught, as fome may poffibly imagine we are, as what we are taught. Take all in three Propofitions.

1. Our Saviour doth not here affirm, That worldy Men are indeed truly wife. Nor deny that the Children of Light are wife.

2. He doth affirm, That worldly Men however, take a wifer course to attain to their worldly Ends, than the Children of Light do to attain to what they seek after..

3. He would by this perfuade us forvery shame, to take a wifer courfe in the profecution of our great Defign.

1. Our Saviour doth not here affirm, That worldly Men are indeed truly wise, nor deny that the Children of Light are fo. No, the quite contrary to this is the truth which he teacheth us. That worldly Men, how wife foever they think themselves, or are esteem'd by others, are indeed Fools; and that Religious Men are the only wife Men, however they are accounted of in the World. The fear of the LORD, that is Wifdom, and to depart from evil, that is Understanding. Job. 28. 28. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of Wisdom, and the Knowledge of the Holy is Underftanding. Prov. 9. 10. Labour not to be rich (faith the wife Man. Prov. 23. 4.) and he adds very properly, Ceafe from thine own Wifdom. Thou may'ft think it great Wisdom, by all means, to get as much as thou canft of this VVorld, but it is not fo, and therefore cease from it. For wilt thou fet thine Eyes upon that which is not? Canft thou think it Wisdom to Labour for that which is most uncertain, and thou canst not confidently promife thy felf either to get or keep? Thou Fool (faith our Saviour to the rich Man, who promised himfelf much pleasure and happiness in his Wealth,

.) This Night fhall thy Soul be required of thee, and then whofe fhall these things be? They that will be rich, fall into Temptation, and a Snare, and fall into many foolish and burtful Lufts, which drown Men in Deftruction and Perdition. I Tim.9.6. To make it plain,that theChildren of this

World

World are not here commended as wife Men, the Words themselves are enough, and we have that in them which fhould make all Wordlings tremble when they hear it. And that, whether we confider the Defcriptions of these two forts of Perfons, or the Limitation of the Judgment Christ gives of their Wisdom, when they are compared the one with the other.

First. The Defcriptions of these two forts of Men, evidently fhew, which is indeed wife, and which foolish. The one fort is called the Children of Light, the other as oppofite to them, the Children of this World, that is, of Darkness. Now let us confider what these two Descriptions imply.

The Children of this World are fo call'd, because they are in Love with this World, and conform themselves to this World, and think to make themselves happy in this World. And fo fhew plainly, That they are not the Children of God, nor the Children of another World which is to come. If any Man love the World, the Love of the Father is not in him. 1 Joh. 2. 15. For all that is in the World, the Luft of the Flesh, and the Luft of the Eyes, and the Pride of Life, (which are the things that worldly Perfons love) is not of the Father, but is of the World. And if they be not the Children of God, then whose Children are they but the Devils? For fo all Mankind stands divided, into the Children of God, and the Children of the Devil. 1. Joh. 3. 10. So that the worldly-minded Perfon having not chofen God for his Father whom he loveth, hath made himfelf a Child of the Devil? Tis he that tempts

Men

Men to love and worship him, with the Kingdoms of this World, and the glory of them. Matt. 4. The Devil is the God of this World. 2 Cor. 4. 4. that is, worldly Men make him their God, and live in Subjection to him. Hence 'tis eafy to guefs at his Wisdom, by the wife Choice he hath made of his God. And as the Children of this World are not the Children of God, fo are they not the Children of the other World to come. For our Saviour hath told us, That the World to come is a Kingdom prepar'd to be inherited by the Bleffed Children of his Father. Matt. 25.34. The Men of the World bave their Portion in this Life. Pfal. 17. 14. Thus it befel the Rich Worldling and Voluptuous Epicure in that other Parable, which we read in this Chapter; he was a Child of this World, and Lazarus a Child of Light; therefore when they left this World, Lazarus only was carried into Abraham's Bofom, and the Rich Man went to Hell to be tormented in Flames. And Abraham bids him there remember his wife Choice. Son remember, that thou in thy Life Time received thy good Things, and likewife Lazarus evil Things, but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented. v. 25. The Inheritance is provided for them that love God, and not for his Enemies, fuch as are the Children of this World. For the Friendship of the World is Enmity with God. Whosoever therefore will be a Friend of the World, is the Enemy of God. Jam. 4, 4.

Again, the Children of this World ftand here oppos'd to the Children of Light; whence it implieth, that they are the Children of Darkness, Having the Understanding darkned through the Ignorance that is in them. Eph. 4. 18. The God of this

World

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