Two Masters

The love of Christ and the love of the world cannot lodge together in one heart. For they are two masters who rule by contrary laws. Christ was resolved to suffer, but the world said, 'Spare yourself' (Matt. 16:22). How can these agree? I do not deny that a man may be truly religious and abound with all outward blessings; but the love of the world and the love of Christ cannot harbour in one breast. When the love of the world entered into Judas, it is said the devil entered into him (John 13:2). Christ and Satan are contrary to each other. Where religion is, it carries the soul upwards to heaven and heavenly things; but where the love of the world is, it brings the soul downward to the earth and things below.
This reveals the gross hypocrisy of men who labour to bring God and the world together, which cannot be. When the world has possession of the heart, it makes us false to God and false to each other. it makes us unfaithful in our callings, and false to religion itself. Labour to have the world in its rightful place, which is under your feet. For if we love the world, we will break with religion, with the church, and with God himself. We see how it hindered the rich man, in the Gospels, from blessedness. As soon as Christ told him to 'sell all that he had and give it to the poor' he went away sorrowful 'for he had great possessions' (Matt. 19:22). Oh, how these things steal the good word out of our hearts, as the birds did the seed that was on the path (Matt. 13:4). It even chokes the word, as the tares choked the corn when it had sprung up (Matt. 13:26). Where the love of the world is, there can be no true profession of Christ.

Devotional Readings taken from Puritan Richard Sibbes 'Refreshment for the Soul.'
Experience Triumphing, Works, vol. 7, pp. 412
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