A26905:265
The crucifying of the world
The crucifying of the world by the cross of Christ with a preface to the nobles, gentlemen, and all the rich, directing them how they may be richer / by Richard Baxter.
London: printed by R. W. for Nevill Simmons, 1658
The Crucifying of the world, BY The Cross of CHRIST. › Part 1 › Section 6
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
More particularly, 1. If we are Crucified to the world, our undue estimation of the world is Crucified. We have no Idolizing over valuing regard to it, (in that measure as we are dead to it.) As the world do not Regard the works of the Lord, Psal. 28. 5. Isa. 5. 12. So the Saints do not Regard the things of the world. The life of faith doth so elevate their spirits, that they are mounted up above the creature, and look not upon the world; or look upon it as a despicable thing. They are above that which is the delight and employment of others; and that which the sensual call Felicity, they still call Vanity: And as a mans stomach abhorreth that which a dog or a swine will greedily devour; so the soul of a Believer doth despise and abhor the delights of the ungodly. As Pride makes the Rich look contemptuously and disregardfully upon the poor: So the holy elevation of Believing souls, doth make them look contemptuously and disregardfully upon all the glory of the world. As faith doth bring them up to God, and make him their Object and their All; So doth it make them somewhat like him, and minded as he is minded. And as God regardeth not persons, Deut. 10. 17. nor accepteth the persons of Princes, nor regardeth the rich more then the poor, Job 34. 19. but is pleased more in the least of his image on the humble faithful soul, then with all the glittering glory of the world, so is it in their measure with his people. Where they see nothing of God, they feel no substance; but so far as God appeareth ⟨p. 38⟩to them in any creature, or action, or any means or benefit which they possess, so far they perceive some substance in it. As the natural man Receiveth not the things of the Spirit, nor can know them, because they are spiritually discerned, 1 Cor. 2. 14. So the Spiritual man hath shut up his senses to the world, and lost his perception of them, because they are carnally so discerned. The carnal man hath his senses quick in discerning and savouring the things of the flesh, but to the things of the Spirit he is dead and senseless. And contrarily the Spiritual man is dead and senseless to the things of the flesh, and hath no savour in those things that are other mens delights,