The crucifying of the world

SECT. VIII.

II. Having showed you what it is to have the world Crucified to us, and to be Crucified to the world: I am next to show you how this is done by the Cross of Christ. And here I must distinctly show you, 1. What the Cross, as suffered by Christ himself hath done to the Crucifying of the world to us. 2. What the same Cross, as Believed on and Considered by us doth towards it. 3. And what the Cross of Christ which we our selves bear in conformity to his sufferings doth towards it. Of all which briefly.

II. HAving shewed you what it is to have the world Crucified to us, and to be Crucified to the world: I am next to shew you how this is done by the Cross of Christ. And here I must distinctly shew you, 1. What the Cross, as suffered by Christ himself hath done to the Crucifying of the world to us. 2. What the same Cross, as Believed on and Considered by us doth towards it. 3. And what the Cross of Christ which we our selves bear in conformity to his sufferings doth towards it. Of all which briefly.

1. It is not only his Crucifixion, but the whole Humiliation of Christ which is in this and other Scriptures called his Cross: the whole being denominated from the most eminent part, as was touched before. And there are five notable blows that the world hath received by the suffered Cross of Christ. 1. One is, that Christ himself in his own person hath perfectly crucified and conquered the world, so that we have a victorious Head, and the world is now a conquered thing. It assaulted him from his birth to his death, and still he overcame. It assaulted him by fair means and by foul, by frowns and smiles, by alluring baits and persecuting storms, and still it was overcome. The threatenings and persecutions could never draw him to the committing of a sin: The enticing offers of it could never bring him to an inordinate esteem of it, nor abate the least of his love to God. In his great combat in the wilderness he was assaulted both ways. Hunger could not make him tempt God or distrust. The Kingdoms and Glory of the world, were despised by him when they were the matter of his temptation. He would not have so much as a settled habitation, nor any worldly pomp or splendour, that so he might show that he contemned it by his actions. If he had set by it, he could soon have mended his condition. When the people would have made him a King, he past away from them; for he would not be a King of the peoples making, nor have any Power or Dignity which they could give. He came not to Receive honour of men, but to Give salvation to men. When Peter would have persuaded him to favour himself, as favouring the things of Man, and not of God, Christ calleth him Satan, and bids him get behind him: If he will do the work of Satan, he shall have the name of Satan, and the same words of rebuke that Satan had. Even in their hour and the power of darkness,