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the world from you, because he esteemeth it too good for you? No, it is because he pitieth your self-deceit, when he seeth you take that for your happiness that is not; and because he hath far better things to bestow. If the world were as good for you as you take it to be, and had that in it to satisfy you, as you may imagine it to have, you might keep it, and much good might it do you; for God would not go about to take it from you. He that made you to be happy, doth not grudge you that which should procure it. Doubtless if he did not see that it is vanity, and that you have made a wrong choice, and do mistake your mark, he would never trouble you in a worldly course, nor call you off. But it is because he seeth your folly and deceit, and wisheth you much better. Woe to you that ever you were born, if have no better happiness than the world can afford you. Is it not necessary then that you discern your error, and be brought into your right way, and spend not your time and pains for nothing? If God should let you alone to catch at this shadow, and please yourselves with worldly toys, till the time of grace were passed; and then let you see that you were befooled, when it is too late; you would then be left to a fruitless repentance, and to the sense of that unhappiness which you chose to yourselves.

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2. And that the world is an enemy to your happiness, may appear two ways. First, in that it deceitfully pretendeth to be your happiness, when it is not; and so would turn away your hearts from that which is. Secondly, in that by allurements or discouragements, it is always hindering you in the way to life, and is a snare to you continually in all that you do. And is it not necessary to your salvation that you be delivered from the enemies of your salvation? and freed from such perilous snares? Can you conquer while you are conquered? And if the world be not crucified to you, it doth conquer you: for its victory is upon your will and affections and if it conquer you, it will condemn you. To be servants to the world, is to be servants to sin: and "the servants of sin are free from righteousness," Rom. vi. 20. and free from Christ, and free from salvation. A miserable freedom!

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3. The following propositions I shall speak of together. That God only is our happiness and chief good, I need not prove to any that indeed believeth him to be God. That

salvation consisteth in the fruition of this happiness, is past doubt. And as sure is it that God is not fully enjoyed in this world; much less in the creature, when it is loved for itself, and not esteemed as a means to him. All that believe a life after this, do surely believe that there is our felicity. And lastly, that the soul doth enjoy its own felicity, by knowing, and loving, and delighting in its object, is also past doubt. So that you may see that a worldly state of mind is in itself inconsistent with a state of salvation. To be saved is to have the blessed vision of God, and to love him and delight in him perfectly to everlasting. And can you do this, when you love and delight in the world above him, or in opposition to him? Would you have God to save you, and yet not to take off your affections from the world to himself? That were to save you, and not to save you; to feed you by that which is not food; to comfort you by that which cannot comfort. If a worldling would be saved, and not be mortified, either he speaks he knows not what, but plain nonsense or contradictions, or else he meaneth one of these two things either that he would have a heaven of worldly riches, or honours, or fleshly pleasures (there is no such to be had); or else, that he would have the world as long as he can, and have heaven when he can keep the world no longer, and so would have the world crucified to him, when there is no such world, or when he is taken from it. But as, 1. No man can truly desire future grace and holiness, that doth not desire it at the present, this being rather an unwilling submission to it, as a tolerable evil, than a true desire of it, as a certain good. So 2. God hath determined that this life only shall be the way, and that the end: here only must we use the means; and there must we partake of the success of our endeavours. You may better expect that God should give you a crop at harvest, who refused to plough and sow your land; or that your children should be men, before they are born; than that he should be your happiness in the life to come, if you finally reject him in this life, and choose to yourselves a secular happiness. Such as you now make choice of, such and no other shall you have. Heaven and earth were set before you. You knew that earthly happiness was short; if yet you would choose it, think not to have heaven too; for if you do, you will prove deceived at the last.

The Uses.

V. Beloved hearers, I suppose you will give me leave to take it for granted, that you are all the rational creatures of God, made subject to him, and capable of enjoying him, and such as must be happy or miserable for ever; as also that you are all unwilling to be miserable, and willing to be happy; and that this life is the time for the use of those means on which your everlasting life dependeth; and that judgment will turn the scales at last, as grace or sin shall turn them now. I hope also that I may suppose that you are agreed that Christianity is the only way to happiness, and consequently that you are all professed Christians. And one would think that where men are so far satisfied of the end, and of the way, we might conceive great hopes of their sincerity and salvation. But when we see that men's lives do nullify their professions, and that while they look towards God, they row towards the world; and while they hope for heaven, their daily travel is towards hell; and while they plead for Christ, they work against him; our hopes of them are turned to necessary lamentation. But how comes this to pass that reasonable men, yea men reputed wise and learned, yea many that seem religious to others and to themselves, should be so shamefully overseen, in a matter that so concerneth their everlasting state? As far as I am able to discover, the causes of this calamity are these two.

1. One part of the professed Christians of the world, understand not what Christianity is, and so profess but the empty name, when indeed the thing itself which is in their conception, and which they mean in that profession, is nothing like to true Christianity.

II. The other part of miscarrying professors, though they do conceive of the Christian religion as it is, yet not with an apprehension intensively answerable to the thing they apprehend; though their conceptions of the Christian verities have a moral truth in them, it being not false but true which they conceive; yet there is no firmness and solidity in the act, and so they do not effectually apprehend them. Nothing more easy, more common and more dangerous, than to make a religion either of names and words, which he that useth doth not understand; or of mere speculations and su

perficial conceits, which never became practical, habituate and predominant; nor were the serious, effectual apprehensions of the man. A right object, and a sincere and serious act, do essentially constitute the Christian's faith. If either be wanting, it is not that faith, whatever it may pretend to be. Nothing but the Gospel objects will suffice to a man's salvation, were it never so firmly apprehended. And nothing but a firm and serious belief of those objects, will make them effectual, or saving to the believer. Were we able to cure the two forementioned defects, and to help you all to these two requisites, we should make no question but you would all be saved. We cannot expect that men should let go their sensual delights, till they hear of somewhat better to be had for them, and till they firmly and heartily give credit to the report.

And because the matter before us in my text is fitted to both these needful works, and containeth those very truths which must rectify you in both these points, I shall draw them forth, and distinctly apply them hereunto.

Use 1. And in the first place you are here informed that the cross of Christ, is the crucifier of the world. Which containeth in it these two parts, which make up the point: 1. That this is the use of the cross, and one great end of the doctrine of Christianity, to crucify the world to us, and us to the world. 2. That where the cross of Christ and his doctrine are effectual, this work is always actually done: in all true Christians the world is thus crucified.

O that these truths were as plainly or truly transcribed upon your hearts, as they are plainly and truly contained in my text!

1. For the first, That this is the end of Christ crucified, and of his doctrine, I shall briefly shew, 1. The necessity of this information. And 2. The certain truth of it.

1. Both the commonness and the dangerousness of erring in this point, do shew the necessity of this information. It is not only the contemners of religion, but also too many that go among us for very godly men, that know not where their happiness lieth, nor what the Christian religion is. Almost all the apprehensions which they have of happiness, are sensual; as if it were but a freedom from sensible punishments, and the possession of some delights of which they have merely sensual conceits. And so they think of Christ

as one that came to free them from such punishments, and help them to such a happiness as this. And as for the true knowledge and fruition of God, in love and heavenly delights, they look upon these either as insignificant names or terms, or as certain appurtenances and fruits of religion, which we ought to have, but may possibly be without, though we be true believers. A confidence that Christ hath freed them from torments, and made them righteous by imputation of his obedience unto them, they take to be all that is essen tial to their Christianity. And the rest they call by the name of good works: which, if it be not with them a term of as low importance as the name of Works' alone, or Works of the law,' is taken to be in Paul's Epistles, yet at least they take it for that which doth not constitute their religion. So that true sanctification is either not understood, or taken to be of less necessity than it is. A man that makes a great deal of talk and stir about religion, and is zealous for his opinions and pious compliments, goes current with many for a true believer, though the interest of his flesh and of the world be as near and dear to him in this way of religiousness, as other men's is to them in a way of more open, professed sensuality.

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And is it possible for a man to be a Christian indeed, that so far mistaketh the very nature and ends of Christianity itself? It is not possible. By what is said already, and will be by and by, it is evident that this is a damning error, for any man to feign a Christianity to himself that excludeth mortification, or is separable from it, in a capable subject. When men look at a predominant fleshly interest, or worldly mind, as they do at some particular sin, consistent with true faith: I say, this is an error about the very essence of Christianity, and which hazards their salvation.

2. And that it is the end of the cross of Christ, and his doctrine, to crucify the world to us, and to sanctify us to God, I have already manifested in part, and shall now further manifest.

1. It is the end of Christ, and his cross and doctrine, to recover God's interest in the souls of men: but it is by mortification, as a part of true sanctification, that God's interest in men's souls is recovered. Therefore, &c. As God could have no lower ultimate end than himself in our creation, so neither in our redemption. Christ himself as Me

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