The crucifying of the world

Neither God, nor any wise man, that seeth your worldly lives, and how much you set by worldly things, and how little Good you do with your wealth, and how much the flesh and your posterity have as devoted unto them, and how little God hath devoted unto him; I say, no wise man that seeth this will believe that you are mortified heavenly men. I do here proclaim to you this day from the Word of the Lord, that this your way is your folly, Psalm 49. 13. Luke 12. 20. and that you are at present in a damnable condition, that you are the enemies of God, whoever of you are friends to the world, and that if you love the world, the love of the Father is not in you, 1 John 2. 15. and that you must in Affection and Resolution forsake all that you have in the world, and look for a Portion in the world to come, or you are not Christians indeed, nor can be saved, Luke 14. 33. It would grieve the heart of a Believing man, to see how desperately many civil ingenuous Gentlemen and others delude and destroy themselves insensibly. You will I hope all cry shame upon a common swearer, drunkard or whoremonger: you will hang a Thief, a Murderer, or a Traitor. But you seem not sensible of the misery of your own Condition, that are perhaps in a more dangerous case then these. I beseech you consider! Is not that the most sinful and dangerous state, where God hath least of the heart, and the creature hath most? What know you, if you know not this? Why it is apparent, that there is less Love to the world in many an one of the forementioned wretches, then in many Civil Gentlemen, that live in good reputation in their Country, and little suspect so much mischief by themselves. That is the most wicked man, that hath in his heart the strongest Interest which is opposite unto God: and all that is not subordinate is opposite. Sin hath not so deep and strong an Interest in some Murderers, that kill a man in a passion, in some swearers that get nothing by it, but swear in a passion, or in some thieves, that steal in necessity, as it hath in many that seem sober and Religious. I say again, the greater creature •nterest, the more sinful is the estate. Alas, Sirs, the abstaining from some of these crimes, and living like Civil Religious men, if the world be not Crucified to you and you to it, doth but hide your sin and misery, and hinder your shame and repentance, but not prevent your damnation.