The crucifying of the world

I pray you tell me; do you think that a sufficient Portion which the Devil himself would give you if he could, or is willing you should have? He is content that you enjoy your lusts and pleasures; he is willing to let you have the honours and fullness of the world, while you are on earth. He knows that he can this way best deal with your consciences, and please you in his service, and quiet you awhile till he hath you where he would have have you. He that told Christ of all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, would doubtless have given him them, if it had been in his power, to have obtained his desire. Though you think it too dear to part with your wealth or pleasures for heaven, and to be at the labour of an holy life to obtain it; the Devil would not think it too dear to give you all England, nor all the world, if it were in his power, that thereby he might keep you out of Heaven: And he is willing night and day to ⟨p. 118⟩go about such kind of work, that may but attain his ends in devouring you. If he were able, he would make you all Kings, so that he could but keep you thereby from the Heavenly Kingdom. Alas, he that tempteth you to set light by heaven, and prefer this world before it, doth better know himself to his sorrow, the worth of that everlasting glory which he would deprive you of, and the vanity of that which he thrusteth into your hands. As our Merchants that trade with the silly Indians, when they have persuaded them to take glass, and pieces of broken Iron, and brass, and knives, for Gold or Merchandise of great value, they do but laugh at their folly when they have deceived them, and say, What silly fools be these to make such an exchange! For the Merchants know the worth of things, which the Indians do not. And so is it between the Deceiver of souls, and the souls that he deceiveth. When he hath got you to exchange the love of God and the Crown of Glory, for a little earthly dung and lust, he knows that he hath made fools of you, and undone you by it for ever.

I pray you tell me; do you think that a sufficient Portion which the Devil himself would give you if he could, or is willing you should have? He is content that you enjoy your lusts and pleasures; he is willing to let you have the honours and fulness of the world, while you are on earth. He knows that he can this way best deal with your consciences, and please you in his service, and quiet you awhile till he hath you where he would have have you. He that told Christ of all the Kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them, would doubtless have given him them, if it had been in his power, to have obtained his desire. Though you think it too dear to part with your wealth or pleasures for heaven, and to be at the labour of an holy life to obtain it; the Devil would not think it too dear to give you all England, nor all the world, if it were in his power, that thereby he might keep you out of Heaven: And he is willing night and day to