The crucifying of the world

Having written here of a subject that nearly concerneth you, I have thought it my duty to give you a place, and according to your Dignity, the first place in the Application of it. Of which I shall first tender you my Reasons, and then set before you the matter of this address.

HAving written here of a subject that nearly concerneth you, I have thought it my duty to give you a place, and according to your Dignity, the first place in the Application of it. Of which I shall first tender you my Reasons, and then set before you the matter of this address.

1. You are among us the most eminent and honoured persons, and therefore not to be neglected and past by: you are first, and therefore should first be served. You hold your selves most worthy of any temporal honour that's to be had; and therefore I shall honour you so much more, as to judge you fit, to be first spoken to by the Ministers of Christ, in a case that doth much more concern you: As you have and would have the precedency in worldly matters, here also you shall have ⟨image 7⟩the precedency: Its pity that you shall be first in Hell, that are first in a Christian State on earth; or that you should be least in the Kingdom of Heaven, that are Greatest in that which is esteemed in the world. 2. You are Pillars in the Common-wealth: and the stakes that bear up the rest of the hedge. Your influence is great in lower bodies: You sin not to your selves only; nor are you Gracious only to your selves. The spots in the Moon are seen by more, and its Eclipses felt by more, then the blemishes or changes of many of us inferior wights. You are our first figures, that stand for more in matters of public concernment, then all that follow. You are the Copies that the rest write after, and they are more prone to Copy out your vices then your graces. You are the first sheets in the Press; you are the Stewards of God, who are entrusted with his talents for the use of many. You are the noble members of the Body Politic, whose health or sickness is communicated to the rest: If you be ungodly, the whole body languisheth: If you live and prosper, it will go the better with us all: For your Wisdom, and Holiness, and Justice, will be operative; and your station alloweth them great advantage, to work upon many, and to emulate a kind of universal Causality. Interest is the worlds bias; and all Power hath respect to use: You that have possession of the Treasure that is so commonly and highly esteemed, may do much to lead the sensual world by it, which way you please: Be it better or be it worse; they will follow him that bears the purse. If money can do wonders, you may do wonders. As money can persuade the blind, to part with God and life everlasting, and to renounce Religion and Reason it self, so no doubt but it might do something were it faithfully used, though not directly to sanctify the heart, yet somewhat to incline it to the means by which it may be sanctified.