A26905:337
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 11
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.
SECT. XI.
I Have showed the necessity of crucifying the world, as from Gods interest, which the world doth contradict; I shall next show it you from your own interest. And in these conjunct considerations it will appear. 1. The world is not your happiness. 2. The world is occasionally through the corruption of our nature, a great enemy to your happiness. 3. God only is your happiness. 4. God is not fully to be enjoyed in this world. 5. It is by knowing, loving and delighting in him as God, that he is to be enjoyed to make us happy. 6. As therefore it is impossible to have two ultimate ends, two chief goods, and to enjoy them both, so is it impossible, that God and the world should both have our chiefest estimation and affection. All this set together doth demonstrate the necessity of being crucified to the world, unless we will renounce our own felicity.
I Have shewed the necessity of crucifying the world, as from Gods interest, which the world doth contradict; I shall next shew it you from your own interest. And in these conjunct considerations it will appear. 1. The world is not your happiness. 2. The world is occasionally through the corruption of our nature, a great enemy to your happiness. 3. God only is your happiness. 4. God is not fully to be enjoyed in this world. 5. It is by knowing, loving and delighting in him as God, that he is to be enjoyed to make us happy. 6. As therefore it is impossible to have two ultimate ends, two chief goods, and to enjoy them both, so is it impossible, that God and the world should both have our chiefest estimation and affection. All this set together doth demonstrate the necessity of being crucified to the world, unless we will renounce our own felicity.
1. For the first Proposition; that the world is not your Happiness; I think all your tongues will readily confess it, I would your hearts would do so too. Do you think that God doth envy you your happiness, or that he would take the world from you, because he esteemeth it too good for you? No, it is because he pitieth your self-deceit: when he seeth you take that for your happiness that is not; and because he hath far better things to bestow. If the world were as good for you as you take it to be, and had that in it to satisfy you, as you imagine it to have, you might keep it, and much good might it do you; for God would not be about to take it from you. He that made you to be Happy, doth not grudge you that which should procure it.