The crucifying of the world

Either they will not read such long and tedious discourses as are against them, or they find some passage presently to quarrel with, that's too displeasing, and makes them cast away the rest: Or if they read the whole, or hear you to the last, it is with a resisting spirit all the while: Before they know what you will say, they have confuted you: For they have resolved to believe that your reasons are insufficient, and their cause is good. They read and hear not only with a prejudice answerable to the reasons that formerly resolved them, but with an opposing enmity and fixedness of will. Had we only their understandings to dispute with, it were the less: but our main dispute is with Will and Passion, which have no ears, nor eyes, nor brains, though sense enough. Their deceiving baits first catch the sensual part, and so come to bribe the Intellect and the will; and their strongest root is still in the brutish part where it begun, which will hear no reason. When Paul was told of the truth of that Doctrine which he before had persecuted, and must himself be persecuted if he should entertain it, he sticks not at that, but immediately consulteth not with flesh and blood, but falls to work, Gal. 1. 16. But these men will scarce do any thing but flesh and blood must be consulted with. The Word was Davids Counsellor; and the World is theirs. Their first question is, Is it for my honour or dishonour▪ my profit or disprofit, my pleasure or my trouble: and as it relisheth with their flesh, so is it esteemed of and concluded. And which is more, their Carnal Interest so blinds their eyes, that they see not oft-times their most palpable delusions. When their actions are such as unprejudiced standers by do blush at, and the wisest and faithfullest of their friends lament, and the shame of them is open to the view of the world, yet flesh doth so befool them, that they see not their nakedness, but glory in their shame: Commodity cannot blush: The applause of flatterers justifieth their crimes, against the accusations of God and all good men. Have these men Crucified the world indeed?

Either they will not read such long and tedious discourses as are against them, or they find some passage presently to quarrel with, that's too displeasing, and makes them cast away the rest: Or if they read the whole, or hear you to the last, it is with a resisting spirit all the while: Before they know what you will say, they have consuted you: For they have resolved to believe that your reasons are insufficient, and their cause is good. They read and hear not only with a prejudice answerable to the reasons that formerly resolved them, but with an opposing enmity and fixedness of will. Had we only their understandings to dispute with, it were the less: but our main dispute is with Will and Passion, which have no ears, nor eyes, nor brains, though sense enough. Their deceiving baits first catch the sensual part, and so come to bribe the Intellect and the will; and their strongest root is still in the bruitish part where it begun, which will hear no reason. When Paul was told of the truth of that Doctrine which he before had persecuted, and must himself be persecuted if he should entertain it, he sticks not at that, but immediately consulteth not with flesh and blood, but falls to work,