Slaves to the customs and temper of the world.

Slaves to the customs and temper of the world. (William Law, "A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life") "If you belonged to the world, it would love you as   its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world,   but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why  the world hates you." John 15:19 "They are not of the world any more  than I am of the world." John 17:14 "And we know that we are of God, and the  whole world lies in wickedness." 1 John 5:19 All the ways, and maxims, and tempers  of the world, lie in wickedness. Notwithstanding the clearness and plainness of these  Scriptures which thus renounce the world, yet a great  part of professing Christians live and die slaves to the customs and temper of the world. According to the spirit and vogue of this world,  whose corrupt air we have all breathed, there are  many things that pass for great and honorable,  and most desirable, which yet are so far from  being so, that the true greatness and honor of  our nature consists in the NOT desiring them.  The general temper and spirit of the world,  is nothing else but . . .   pleasure,    folly,   extravagance,   sensuality,    self love,    pride,   covetousness,   ambition,   and vainglory. To abound in wealth,  to have fine houses, and rich clothes,  to be attended with splendor and equipage,  to be beautiful in our persons,  to have titles of dignity,  to be above our fellow creatures,  to command the bows and obeisance of other people,  to be looked on with admiration,  to overcome our enemies with power,  to subdue all that oppose us, to set out ourselves in as much splendor as we can, to live highly and magnificently, to eat, and drink, and delight ourselves in the most costly manner,  these are the great, the honorable, the  desirable things, to which the spirit of  the world turns the eyes of all people.  And many a Christian is afraid of not engaging  in the pursuit of these things, lest the same  world should take him for a fool.  But the history of the Gospel is chiefly the history  of Christ's conquest over the spirit of the world. And the number of true Christians is only the number  of those who, following the Spirit of Christ, have lived  contrary to this spirit of the world.  You must unlearn all those notions which you have  been all your life learning from this corrupt spirit of  the world. You must stop the power of the world over  you, and resolve against a blind obedience to its laws. "And we know that we are of God, and the  whole world lies in wickedness." 1 John 5:19 "They are not of the world any more  than I am of the world." John 17:14