The crucifying of the world

I Have now told you how you should Crucify the world, and be Crucified to it; but which of you will be so happy as to practise these Directions, I cannot tell. I have brought you the armour and weapons by which this mortal enemy must be conquered; but it is not in my power to give you courageous hearts to use them. I can certainly tell you what a safe and comfortable life you might live, if you had but this enemy under your feet; and what an easy and happy death you might die, if you were first dead to the world: But to make you so happy is not in my power. I can foresee the certain damnation of all unconverted sensualists and worldlings, and how sad a farewell they must shortly take of all their felicity: But to prevent it is not in my power. For I cannot make you willing to prevent it. Its a greater work then bare information that is here to be done. If it were but to give the world a few contemptuous words, and to call it vanity and a worthless thing, I should make no doubt of prevailing with the most: But to kill it in your hearts is an harder work: And with some kind of men, it prospers most, when it is hardlyest spoken of. Its easy to tell a man why and how he should lay down his life for Christ if he be called to it: But there's more to be done before it will be practised. Till an heavenly light possess your minds, and show you the better things to come, and assure you of more to be had in Christ, then the world can afford you; I cannot look you should lose your hold, nor that an hundred Sermons should make you willing to seek the death of that which hath your heart. Sense is tenacious, and unreasonable: When you have knock• it off an hundred times, yet still it will be sense, and will be eager after its delights again. Some will be still thinking that Mortification and heavenly mindedness is so rare a thing, that God will be more merciful then to condemn all that are without them: And some will be inconsiderate and senseless when the clearest reason is set before them; and will venture their salvation rather then become dead to all their worldly lusts and hopes. So that with sorrow I must say that now I have said all, and delivered my Message, I fear the most will still be the same, and reject the counsel of God to their perdition. For this is a grace that accompanieth salvation▪ and therefore will be the ⟨p. 176⟩portion only of the heirs of salvation.

I Have now told you how you should Crucifie the world, and be Crucified to it; but which of you will be so happy as to practise these Directions, I cannot tell. I have brought you the armour and weapons by which this mortal enemy must be conquered; but it is not in my power to give you couragious hearts to use them. I can certainly tell you what a safe and comfortable life you might live, if you had but this enemy under your feet; and what an easie and happy death you might die, if you were first dead to the world: But to make you so happy is not in my power. I can foresee the certain damnation of all unconverted sensualists and worldlings, and how sad a farewell they must shortly take of all their felicity: But to prevent it is not in my power. For I cannot make you willing to prevent it. Its a greater work then bare information that is here to be done. If it were but to give the world a few contemptuous words, and to call it vanity and a worthless thing, I should make no doubt of prevailing with the most: But to kill it in your hearts is an harder work: And with some kind of men, it prospers most, when it is hardlyest spoken of. Its easie to tell a man why and how he should lay down his life for Christ if he be called to it: But there's more to be done before it will be practised. Till an heavenly light possess your minds, and shew you the better things to come, and assure you of more to be had in Christ, then the world can afford you; I cannot look you should lose your hold, nor that an hundred Sermons should make you willing to seek the death of that which hath your heart. Sense is tenacious, and unreasonable: When you have knock it off an hundred times, yet still it will be sense, and will be eager after its delights again. Some will be still thinking that Mortification and heavenly mindedness is so rare a thing, that God will be more merciful then to condemn all that are without them: And some will be inconsiderate and sensless when the clearest reason is set before them; and will venture their salvation rather then become dead to all their worldly lusts and hopes. So that with sorrow I must say that now I have said all, and delivered my Message, I fear the most will still be the same, and reject the counsel of God to their perdition. For this is a grace that accompanieth salvation and therefore will be the