The crucifying of the world by the cross of Christ with a preface to the nobles, gentlemen, and all the rich, directing them how they may be richer / by Richard Baxter.

SECT. XII.

The Uses.

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 everlast∣ing life dependeth; and that Judgement 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 Christi∣ans. 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 mens lives do nulli∣fie 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 la∣mentation. 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 over seen, 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, under∣stand not what Christianity is, and so profess but the empty name, when indeed the thing it self which is in their conception, and which they mean in that profession, is nothing like to true Christianity.

2. The other part of miscarrying professors, though they do conceive of the Christian Religion as it is, yet not with an ap∣prehension intensively answerable to the thing which they appre∣hend: Though their conceptions of the Christian verities have a morall Truth in them, it being not false but True which they

conceive; yet there is no ••irmness and solidity in the Act, and so they do not effectually app••••••••nded them. Nothing more easie, more common, and more dangerous, then to make a Religion either of Names and Words, which he that useth doth not un∣derstand; or of meer speculations and superficial 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 Christians 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 mans salvation, were it never so firmly appre∣hended. And nothing but a firm and serious Belief of those ob∣jects, will make them effectuall, or saving to the Believer: Were we able to cure the two fore-mentioned 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 sitted to both these needfull works, and containeth those very truths which must rectifie 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 Cros•• of Christ, is the Crucifier of the world. Which con∣taineth 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 Crucifie the world to us, and us to the world. 2. That where the Cross of Christ and his Doctrine are effectu∣all, this work is alwaies 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 ••••••••h of it.

1. Both the Commonne's 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 happi∣ness lyeth, 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 pos∣session of some delights of which they have meerly sensual con∣certs. And so they think of Christ as one that came to free them from such punishments, and help them to such an happiness as this. And as for the true knowledge and fruition of God, in Love and Heavenly delights, they look upon these either as insig∣nificant means, or as certain appurtenances and fruits of Reli∣gion, 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 imputa∣tion of his obedience unto them, they take to be all that is essen∣tiall 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 im∣portance, as the name of [Works] alone, or [Works of the Law] is taken to be in Paul•• Epistles, yet at least they take it for that which doth not constitute their Religion. So that true San∣ctification is either not understood or taken to be of less Neces∣sity then it is. A man that makes a great deal of talk and stir about Religion, and is zealous for his opinions and pious comple∣ments, goes currant 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 mens is to them in a way of more open professed sensuality.

And is it possible for a man to be a Christian indeed, that so far mistaketh the very Nature and Ends of Christianity it self? It is not possible. By what is said already, and will be by and by, it is evident that this is a damning errour, for any man to feign a Christianity to himself that excludeth Mortification, or is sepa∣rable from it, in a capable subject. When men look at a pre∣dominant fleshly interest, or worldly mind, as they do at some particular sin, consistent with true faith: I say, this is an errour

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 Do∣ctrine, to Crucifie the world to us, and sanctifie us to God, I have already manifested in part, and shall now further ma∣nifest.

1. It is the end of Christ, and his Cross and Doctrine, to recover Gods Interest in the souls of men: But it is by mortifi∣cation, as a part of true sanctification, that Gods Interest in mens souls is recovered. Therefore, &c. As God could have no lower ultimate end then himself in our Creation, so neither in our Re∣demption. Christ himself as Mediator, is but a Means to God who is our End; he is the way to the Father, and no man cometh to the Father but by him, Joh. 14. 6. He is the Truth that revealeth the Father, and the Sun of the world which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world, Joh 1. 9. revealing to us both the End and Means; That as there is no light in the earth, but what is communicated by the Sun, which enlighteneth some by the Moon at midnight, and some by its direct approaching light, at the break of day, before they see the Sun it self, and others by its glorious rays when it is risen, and visible to them, and hath also in it self an objective sufficiency to enlighten those that shut their eyes, or want eye-sight by which they should receive it: Even so is Christ the Sun of the Redeemed World, which actu∣ally affordeth all that Light to all which they do possess; even some (to all that have the use of Reason) which hath a tenden∣cy to recovery; and he hath an Objective sufficiency to the sa∣ving illumination of those that through their own fault are never so illuminated. The pure Godhead is the Beatifical Light to be enjoyed for felicity. The Mediator is the Mediate Light, to shew u•• the way to God. And in these two consisteth Life Eternal; to Know God the Beginning and End, who himself hath no Be∣ginning or End; and to know Jesus Christ whom he hath sent, to •• call us to himself, Ioh. 17. 3. Whether he that is now to us Medi••tor acquisitionis, will also hereafter be Mediator fruitio∣••is, and whether the glorified do only see the Godhead in the glass of the glorified body of Christ, and of the most glorious effects which then they shall partake of, or also shall immediatly beheld it in it self, and see Gods essence, face to face, I shall not

presume to determine, while Scrip••••••••▪ seems so silent, and learned conjectures are so much at odds. But as he is the Redeeming, re∣storing Mediator, it is that we speak all this while of Christ: And ••o his Office is to recover Gods Interest in the souls of men.

Now his Interest lyeth in our Estimation, and our Love; And these the world hath dispossest him of. It is therefore the work of Christ to pull down this Idol, and set up God in the throne of the soul. And therefore though faith be the principal Mediant, using Grace; yet Love is the most principal finall, enjoying grace; and more excellent then faith, as the end, or that act which is next the end is more excellent then the means.

2. It is the End of Christ, his Cross and Doctrine, to Heal us, and to save us: to Heal us of our sin, and to save us from it, and its destroying fruits. But by sanctification, and so by mortifi∣cation, doth Christ thus Heal and Save us. If health be worth nothing, the Physician and all his Physick is worth nothing. The Health of the soul objectively is God, and formally is its Holi∣ness, or perfect Disposedness, and Devotedness to God, of which anon. These therefore doth Christ come to restore: And therefore he comes to call us off the Creature, and bring our af∣fections back to God.

3. It is the End of Christ, his Cross and Doctrine, to conquer Satan and destroy his works, and with him, the rest of the ene∣mies of God, and of our salvation: But the world is one of these enemies, and the Means by which the Devil doth prevail▪ there∣fore it is Christs End to overcome the World, and cast it out of the hearts of men, Luk. 11. 22. Ioh. 16. 33. 1 Ioh. 3. 5, 8. He was manifested to this end, to take away our sins, and destroy the works of the Devil: And therefore he causeth his followers to over∣come him, 1 Ioh. 2. 13, 14. And herewithal observe, that it is es∣sential to the Relation to respect the End; to the Physi••ian, that he be for the health of the Patient: and to Christ the Redeemer, that he be the Saviour of his People from their sins, and the Re∣storer of their souls to the Love of God: So that Christ is denyed and made no Christ, where Mortification, and Sanctification are denied: He is not believed in as Christ, where he is not believed in for these Ends. And therefore he that cometh not with this in∣tent to Christ, that he may restore the Image of God upon him, and bring him off from the Creature unto God, that he may live

to him, doth not come to Christ as Christ, and is not indeed a true Christian.

The Doctrine of Christ doth lead us from the world, in these several parts of it, and by these steps (How the Cross doth it, I shewed before.) 1. It declareth to us what God is, and what man is: and so that God is our absolute Owner, and Governour: and that he is the only Primitive, simply, necessary being; and that man was made by him, and therefore for him, and disposed to him. 2. It declareth to us that the state of our integrity consist∣ed in this closure of the soul with God. 3. It sheweth us that our selicity consisteth in his Love, and in the fruition of him by a mutual complacency. 4. It sheweth us that our first sin was by turning from him to Carnal self and to the world 5. And that this is our lost estate wherein both sin and misery are conjunct, to Adhere to self and Creatures and to depart from God. 6. It shew∣eth us what Christ hath done and suffered, to Reconcile God to us, and open us a way of admission into his presence, and how far God is Reconciled to us; and thus Revealeth him in the face of a Mediater as Amiable to our souls, that so we might be ca∣pable of loving him, and closing with him again. For if he had remained in his wrath, he would have been the object of our ha∣tred, or meer terrour at least, and not of our Love. And no man can Love him that is not presented to him, and apprehended by him as Lovely, that is, as Good. For it is impossible that there should be an act without its proper object. Nothing but appearing Good is Loved. If a lost condemned sinner have no hope given him of Gods Reconciliation or his willingness to re∣ceive him to mercy, it is (ex parte objecti) an impossible thing that the mind of that sinner should be reconciled to God. And therefore the Gospel publisheth Gods Reconcilation to sinners (viz. his universal Conditional Reconciliation) before it be∣seech them to be reconciled to God, 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20. And before they believe, we cannot give any one man the least assurance that God is any more reconciled to him, then to others that are un∣converted, or that he is any willinger to Receive him, then others.

This therefore is the great observable means whereby Christ by his Gospel recovereth the Heart of a sinner unto God, even by turning the frowning countenance of God, by which he de∣terred

the guilty into a more Lovely face, as being Reconcilable, and Conditionally Reconciled to the world through Christ, and so become to all the sinful sons of Adam, a fit object to attract their Love, and draw off their hearts from the deceiving world, to which they were revolted: and as being actually reconciled to all true Believers, and thereby become a yet more powerful at∣tractive of their Love. 7. It doth also more fully reveal the face of God, the object of our Love, and the transcendent Glory that in him we shall enjoy. 8. And it disgraceth the crea∣tures which have diverted our Affections; that we may be taken off our false estimation of them. 9. It earnestly perswadeth and solliciteth us to obey, and calls on us to turn from the world to God. 10. It backeth these perswasions with terrible threatnings, if we do not forsake the creature and return. 11. It prescribeth to us the standing Ordinances and Means by which this work may be further carryed on. 12. And lastly it directeth us to the right use of the creatures, instead of that carnal enjoying of them that would undo us. By all these means, (which time doth permit me but briefly to mention) the Gospel of Christ doth tend to Crucifie the world to us, and to recover our hearts to the Chiefest Good.

And besides all this which the Cross and the Doctrine of Christ do to this End▪ that you may yet fullyer perceive how much it is the End of Christs very office, and the execution thereof, let me add these two things. 1. That it is the End of Christs providential dispensations. 2. And the work which he sendeth the Holy Ghost to perform upon the souls of his Elect.

1. As the Mercies of God are purposely given us to lead up our hearts to him that gave them: So when we carnally abuse them, and adhere unto the creature, it is the special use of Af∣fliction to take us off. If the rod have a voice, it speaks this as plain as any thing whatsoever; and if it reprehend us for any sin, it is for our overvaluing and adhering to the creature. The wounds that Christ giveth us, are not to kill us, but to separate us from the world, that hath separated us from God.

2. And that this is the very office or undertaken work of the Holy Ghost, is past all controversie: His work is to sanctifie us; and that is by taking us off the creature, to bring us to be hearti∣ly Devoted unto God. Sanctification is nothing else, but our

separation from the creature to God, in Resolution, Affection, Profession and Action. So that in what measure soever a man hath the Spirit, in that measure is he sanctified: and in what measure he is sanctified, in that same measure is he crucified to the world: For that is the one half of his Sanctification, or it is his Sanctification denominated from the terminus à quo; as many Texts of Scripture do manifest.

By this time I hope it is plain to you, that Mortification is of the very being of Christianity, and not any separable adjunct of it, and that if you profess not to be Dead to the world, you do not so much as profess your selves Christians.