The crucifying of the world

How great then is your sin, that destroy your blessings by depriving them of their Life? and that in a sort destroy the world to your selves, by separating it from its soul? and so most heinously injure God, and rob your selves of the comfort of all, and turn your blessings into burdens, and your helps into hinderances and snares to your souls. Have you lived so long in the School of the world, yea and of the Church too, where you have not only the Library of Nature, but supernatural Revelations ⟨p. 110⟩to teach you to understand it, and yet do you not know a word or letter? You do but lose and abuse the creatures of God, if you see him not in them; and if you be not in the use of them led up to himself. The heavens declare the Glory of God, and the firmament showeth his handy work: Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge: there is no speech or language where their voice is not heard; their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world, Psal. 19. 1, 2, 3. and yet poor carnal wretches will not understand them. All the works of God do praise him; for he is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works, Psal. 145. 10, 17. and yet the wicked will not understand. O how many talents must the ungodly be accountable for, as having neglected them, and perverted them from the prescribed use! Every creature that you see is a Teacher of Divine things to you; and you shall answer for your not learning by them Every creature is an Herald sent from heaven to proclaim the will of your Maker, and your Duty: and you gaze upon the Messenger, and note his garb, and hear his voice, and never understand or regard his Message. I would you did but consider what you lose by this your folly! and what life and sweetness there is in creatures, which the heavenly believer draweth forth, and you have no taste of? And till the Spirit of Sanctification have fitted you to such a work, you are never like effectually to taste it. For it is not every fly that can suck honey from the sweetest flower, though the Bee can do it from that which we call a stinking weed. An ignorant Countryman hath a Meadow that aboundeth with variety of herbs; he can make no other use of them then to feed his cattle with them: Or if he walk into his garden, he can only smell the sweetness of a flower: