The crucifying of the world

They that have to do with such a cheater in a case of such everlasting consequence, should be suspicious of every thing, and trust the world as little as is possible, when, Qui cavet ne decipiatur, vix cavet, cum etiam cavet.

Et cum cavisse ratus est, saepè is cautor captus est (ut Plaut.)

As Bucholcer was went to say when his friends extolled him, terreri se etiam laudationibus illis, ut fulminibus; So should you possess your Honours and Riches in the world. And as the same Bucholcer said to Hubner when he went to be a Courtier: Fidem diabolorum tibi commendo: credere & contremiscere: viz. promissionibus aulicis credere sed cautè, sed timidè: So should you be affected to the world: Trust and tremble; or rather Trust it not all: Nay, have you not been deceived by it already? And will you be more foolish then the silly fish, that will scarcely take the hook that he was once pricked by; or then the silly fowls that will be afraid of the net that once they have escaped from, and of the Kite that once hath had them in her claws: Tranquillas etiam naufragus horret aquas. Nay at the present, if you take any heed of your souls, you may easily perceive what a clog the world is: We are commonly better when we have least of it, or are leaving it, then when we have it at our will. A man may see the utmost visible part of the earth, and the Horizon at once; but if he look on the earth that is near him, he cannot see the heavens at that time, much less the Zenith. Our Own Riches, our Present Riches, our Nearest and Dearest temporal good, is the greatest averter of the mind from heaven. We are commonly like Antigonus sick soldier, that fought well because he looked to die: but grew a Coward as soon as he was cured. So that ⟨image 19⟩most of us have need of the counsel which the Bishop of Colen gave the Emperor Sigismund that asked him, What he should do to be happy? [Live, saith he, as you promised to do, when you were last sick of the stone and gout.] Even the most notorious sinners seem Saints when they see the world is leaving them. And doth not common reason tell us that that which will so move us then, should prevail with us as much before, when we are certain all our life time that this parting time will come? Indeed the creature as it is annexed unto God and subservient to him, may have an answerable trust and love: The smallest twig that is fast to the tree, may help you out of the water if you lay hold of it; But if it be broken from the tree, it will deceive you, though you hold it never so fast. O therefore look for surer footing: A handful of water will not save you from being drowned. Build on the Rock of ages, that never faileth them that trust him;