The crucifying of the world

Moreover if indeed you are Crucified to the world, your hearts will be still open to the motions of the Spirit, and the motions of further Grace: And so you will have abundant advantage, both for the exercise and increase of the graces which you have received. The earthly minded have their hearts locked up against all that can be said to them: Never can the Spirit or his Ministers make a motion to them for their good, but some worldly interest or other doth contradict it, and rise up against it. But what have you to stop your ears when the world is dead? The word then will have free access to your hearts. When the Spirit comes, your thoughts are ready, your affections are at hand; and all are in a posture to entertain him and attend him: and so the work goes on and prospers. But when he comes to the worldly mind, the thoughts are all from home; the affections are abroad and out of the way, and there is nothing for his entertainment, but all in a posture to resist him and gainsay him. O what work would the preaching of the Gospel make in the world, if there were not a worldly principle within, to strive against it? But we speak against mens Idols, against their Jewels and their Treasure, and therefore against their hearts and natures. And then no wonder if we leave them in the jaws of Satan where we found them, till irresistible merciful violence shall rescue them. But so far as you are mortified, the enemy is dead; contradictions are all silenced; opposition is ceased; the Spirit findeth that within that will befriend its motions, and own its cause; the soul lieth down before the word; and gladly hears the voice of Christ: And thus the work goes smoothly on.

MOreover if indeed you are Crucified to the world, your hearts will be still open to the motions of the Spirit, and the motions of further Grace: And so you will have abundant advantage, both for the exercise and encrease of the graces which you have received. The earthly minded have their hearts locked up against all that can be said to them: Never can the Spirit or his Ministers make a motion to them for their good, but some worldly interest or other doth contradict it, and rise up against it. But what have you to stop your ears when the world is dead? The word then will have free access to your hearts. When the Spirit comes, your thoughts are ready, your affections are at hand; and all are in a posture to entertain him and attend him: and so the work goes on and prospers. But when he comes to the worldly mind, the thoughts are all from home; the affections are abroad and out of the way, and there is nothing for his entertainment, but all in a posture to resist him and gainsay him. O what work would the preaching of the Gospel make in the world, if there were not a worldly principle within, to strive against it? But we speak against mens Idols, against their Jewels and their Treasure, and therefore against their hearts and natures. And then no wonder if we leave them in the jaws of Satan where we found them, till irresistible merciful violence shall rescue them. But so far as you are mortified, the enemy is dead; contradictions are all silenced; opposition is ceased; the Spirit findeth that within that will befriend its motions, and own its cause; the soul lyeth down before the word; and gladly heares the voice of Christ: And thus the work goes smoothly on.