The crucifying of the world

Benefit 5.

Moreover this Mortification, Will help you to prevent a great deal of sharp Repentance, which must tell unmortified worldlings of their folly. When they have run themselves out of breath, and abused Christ, and neglected grace, and either lost or hazarded their souls, they must sit down in the end and befool themselves for losing their time and lives for nothing. When God hath given a man but a short life, and laid his everlasting life upon it, and put such works into his hand as call for his utmost wisdom and diligence: What a sad perplexing thought must it be, to consider that all or most of this time hath been cast away upon worldly vanities? If a man shall run away from his own Father, and serve a Master that at last will turn him off with nothing but shame and blows, will he not wish that he had never seen his face? Such a Master all worldlings and sensualists do serve: And he that got most by the world among them, shall wish at last that he had never served it: When the mortified Christian that slighted the world, and laid out his care and labour for a better, may so far escape the bitterness of such Repentings, and be glad that he hath chosen the better part. That is not the best meat that is sweetest in the eating, when afterward it must be vomited up with pain, because it cannot be digested. The sparer diet of Mortified men, will prevent such after pains and troubles.

MOreover this Mortification, Will help you to prevent a great deal of sharp Repentance, which must tell unmortified worldlings of their folly. When they have run themselves out of breath, and abused Christ, and neglected grace, and either lost or hazarded their souls, they must sit down in the end and befool themselves for losing their time and lives for nothing. When God hath given a man but a short life, and laid his everlasting life upon it, and put such works into his hand as call for his utmost wisdom and diligence: What a sad perplexing thought must it be, to consider that all or most of this time hath been cast away upon worldly vanities? If a man shall run away from his own Father, and serve a Master that at last will turn him off with nothing but shame and blows, will he not wish that he had never seen his face? Such a Master all worldlings and sensualists do serve: And he that got most by the world among them, shall wish at last that he had never served it: When the mortified Christian that slighted the world, and laid out his care and labour for a better, may so far escape the bitterness of such Repentings, and be glad that he hath chosen the better part. That is not the best meat that is sweetest in the eating, when afterward it must be vomited up with pain, because it cannot be digested. The sparer dyet of Mortified men, will prevent such after pains and troubles.