The crucifying of the world

I would then be content and seek no more. But when faith hath mortified us to the world, we see that all these were foolish dreams: we knew not what it was that we Hoped for! and then we give up all such Hopes for ever. Such pleasing thoughts of any worldly thing while you want it, or of ⟨p. 42⟩any place or Condition which you are absent from, and such promises and hopes from any worldly state, or person, or thing, doth manifest that so far you are alive to the world, and is a folly of the same nature with theirs that Idolize the world when they do enjoy it. For one man to say, [If I had this or that I were well] and for another that hath it, to say, [Now I am well, Soul take thy Rest] do both show the same Estimation, and Idolatrous Love to the world in their hearts; though one of them have the thing which he loves, and the other hath it not: And to be so pleased with the very fancy and conceits of those worldly things which they never had, seems worse then to be pleased with it when they have it. I pray you lay this well to heart that I say to you: Despair, utter Despair of ever being contented or well in the world, or made happy by the world in whole or in part, is the very life of Christian Mortification. It is the nature of a Carnal heart, to keep up his worldly Hopes as long as possibly he can. If you beat him from one thing, he runs to another: and if he despair of that, he looks after a third, and thus he will wander from creature to creature, till Grace convert him, or Judgement condemn him. If he find that one friend faileth him, he hopes another will prove more faithful; and if that prove a broken reed, he will rest upon a third: If he have been crossed in his Hopes of worldly contentment once, or twice, or ten times, or an hundred times, yet he is in Hope that some other way may hit, and some more comfort he may find at last: But when God hath opened a mans eyes to see that the whole world is Vanity and Vexation, and that if he had it all it would do him no Good at all, and that it is a mere deceitful empty thing: and when a man is brought to a full and final Desperation of ever finding in the world, the Good that he expected; then, and not till then is he Crucified to the world; and then he can let it go, and care not: and then he will betake himself in good earnest to look after that which will not deceive him.

I would then be content and seek no more. But when faith hath mortified us to the world, we see that all these were foolish dreams: we knew not what it was that we Hoped for! and then we give up all such Hopes for ever. Such pleasing thoughts of any worldly thing while you want it, or of