When men ask of God prosperity, they often ask with wrong aims and intentions. If we thus seek the things of this world, it is just in God to deny them. Here is a decided warning to avoid all criminal friendships with this world. Worldly-mindedness is enmity to God. So that any one who resolves at all events to be upon friendly terms with the world, must be the enemy of God.
Natural corruption shows itself by envying.
The word rendered lusts is in the margin rendered pleasures. It may be applied to any desire of sensual gratification, and then to the indulgence of any corrupt propensity of the mind. The lust or desire of rapine, of plunder, of ambition, of fame, of a more extended dominion, I would be properly embraced in the meaning of the word. The word would equally comprehend the spirit which leads to a brawl in the street, and that which prompted to the conquests of Alexander, Caesar, or Napoleon. All this is the same spirit evinced on a larger or smaller scale.