The crucifying of the world

This is the World; and thus is it used by sensual men. Judge now whether it deserve not to die the death; and to be cast out of your souls! and whether we have not reason to say, Crucify it, Crucify it? Ask me no more, What evil it hath done! You see it is such an enemy to the God of heaven, that if you cherish it and let it live in your hearts, you are not friends to Christ or your salvation. Away with it then without any more ado; and use it as the world did use your Lord: and as it nailed him on the Cross, so go to his Cross, for a nail to fasten it, and for strength to Crucify it, that you may be victors and super-victors through him that loved you, and overcame the world for you. Choose not to be slaves, when you may be free-men and triumphers. Take warning by all that have gone before you: serve not a Master that casteth off all his servants in distress; and leaveth ⟨p. 116⟩them all in fruitless complaints of its unprofitableness! Think not to speed well where never man sped well before you; nor to find content, where none have found it. If all the worlds followers complain of it at the parting, take warning by them, and foresee the end. Find out one man that ever was made happy by the world, (in a true and durable happiness) before you venture your own hopes and happiness in such hands. Put not your selves and all that you have in such a leaking vessel that never yet brought man safe to shore. Will neither the experience of your own lives, nor the experience of all the world before you, delivered in the history of so many thousand years, be a sufficient warning to you to avoid the snare? What will you take then for a sufficient warning? Were not reason captivated, one would think that a walk into the Church-yard might satisfy you. The sight of a grave or of a dead body should kill and disgrace the world in your eyes. Do you see where you must lie, and what that flesh which you so regard must be turned to, and what is the most that can be expected from the world, and in how poor and despicable a case it will then leave you? and yet will you dote upon it, and neglect and lose the life everlasting for it? Will you be wilfully seduced by the vain-glory and ostentation of blinded worldlings, when you are certain before-hand that they will not be long of the mind themselves, that now they are?

This is the World; and thus is it used by sensual men. Judge now whether it deserve not to die the death; and to be cast out of your souls! and wherher we have not reason to say, Crucifie it, Crucifie it? Ask me no more, What evil it hath done! You see it is such an enemy to the God of heaven, that if you cherish it and let it live in your hearts, you are not friends to Christ or your salvation. Away with it then without any more ado; and use it as the world did use your Lord: and as it nailed him on the Cross, so go to his Cross, for a nail to fasten it, and for strength to Crucifie it, that you may be victors and super-victors through him that loved you, and overcame the world for you. Choose not to be slaves, when you may be free-men and triumphers. Take warning by all that have gone before you: serve not a Master that casteth off all his servants in distress; and leaveth