16. Here some man shall say;
“If the concupiscence of the bad, whereby it comes that they bear
all evils for that which they lust after, be of the world, how is
it said to be of their will?” As if, truly, they were not
themselves also of the world, when they love the world, forsaking
Him by Whom the world was made. For “they serve the
creature
more than the Creator, Who is blessed for ever.”
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Whether
then by the word “world,” the Apostle John signifies lovers of
the world, the will, as it is of themselves, is therefore of the
world: or whether under the name of the world he comprises heaven
and earth, and all that is therein, that is the creature
universally, it is plain that the will of the creature, not being
that of the Creator, is of the world. For which cause to such the
Lord saith, “Ye are from beneath, I am from above: ye are of this
world, I am not of this world.”
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And to the Apostle He saith, “If
ye were of the world, the world would love his own.” But lest
they should arrogate more unto themselves than their measure
craved, and when He said that they were not of the world, should
imagine this to be of nature, not of grace, therefore He saith,
“But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out
of the world, therefore the world hateth you.” It follows, that
they once were of the world: for, that they might not be of the
world, they were chosen out of the world.
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Rom. i. 25
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John viii. 23