The crucifying of the world

Is it your children that you set your hearts upon, in inordinate Love or Care? Why, alas, how quickly can God call them from you by death? and then you will follow them to the Churchyard, and lay them in the grave with so much the sadder heart; by how much the more inordinately you loved them. And perhaps God may leave them to be Graceless and unnatural, and make that child by rebellion or unkindness to be the breaking of your heart, whom you most excessively affected. If it be a wife that you over-love, you know not but they may fall into that peevishness and frowardness, that jealousy or unkindness, that perverseness of tongue or other distempers, that may make your lives a very burden to you! Do you look after the favour of great ones? Perhaps you shall feel their injustice and cruelties; and God will be so merciful to you as to cure you by the means of their frowns, who would else have been infatuated and poisoned ⟨p. 141⟩by their favours. Is it popular applause that you so much regard; and doth it tickle you to hear of your own commendations? Take heed lest you provoke God to give you such a bitter corrective for your pride, as may make you as vile in the eyes of men, as you desired to be Honourable. He can quickly give you such a prick in the flesh, or suffer such a Messenger of Satan to buffet you, as shall humble you to your sorrow. Perhaps he may let you fall into some disgraceful sin, which the world may ring of to your reproach: Or if you be never so innocent, the tongues of men may make you guilty. If you be as chaste as any man, it is easy for a slanderous tongue to make you incontinent, and to lay some odious blot upon your name, which shall never be wiped off, till the Judge of all the world shall▪justify you. If you give to the poor and other charitable uses as far as you are able, it is not hard for slanderous tongues to make you seem uncharitable and covetous. If you be never so temperate, in meat and drink, apparel and recreations, its easy for a slanderer to make you seem a proud, or luxurious scandalous man. The weather-cock is not more unconstant, nor the waves more impetuous, then the giddy raging vulgar are. And will you repose your selves in the thoughts of such?

Is it your children that you set your hearts upon, in inordinate Love or Care? Why, alas, how quickly can God call them from you by death? and then you will follow them to the Churchyard, and lay them in the grave with so much the sadder heart; by how much the more inordinately you loved them. And perhaps God may leave them to be Graceless and unnatural, and make that child by rebellion or unkindness to be the breaking of your heart, whom you most excessively affected. If it be a wife that you over-love, you know not but they may fall into that peevishness and frowardness, that jealousie or unkindness, that perversness of tongue or other distempers, that may make your lives a very burden to you! Do you look after the favour of great ones? Perhaps you shall feel their injustice and cruelties; and God will be so merciful to you as to cure you by the means of their srowns, who would else have been infatuated and poysoned