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.

AND let me add in the Conclusion, as most necessary for your observation, that there is in the world an inseparable aptitude to tempt us dangerously to the foresaid abuse: and therefore when we have done all that we can in Crucifying and sublimating it, we must never imagine that we can make it so wholsom or harmless a thing, as that we may feed upon it with∣out great caution and suspition, or ever return to friendship with it again, till fire have refined it, and grace hath perfectly refined

us. And yet this is not long of the creature without us, but of us, and the tempter. The world is in it self Good, as being the work of God; and it cannot be the proper efficient culpable cause of our sin: For it hath no sin in it self. (I mean the world as distinct from the men of the world;) and therefore cannot be the direct cause of sin. But yet there is that in it, which is apt to be the Matter of our temptation; and so apt, as that all that perish do perish by the world. As there is no salvation but by the whole Trinity Conjunct, who have each person his several office for our recovery; so there is no damnation but by the whole Infernal Trinity, the flesh, the world and the Devil: Even to Innocent Adam the world must be the bait, and Satan found somewhat in it, that made it apt for such an office, though no∣thing but what was very good. But now that the flesh is be∣come the Predominant part and power in us, as it is in all till the Spirit overcome it, the case is much worse, and the world is in∣comparably a more dangerous enemy then to Adam it could be. For though still the creature is good in it self, yet we are so bad, that the better the creature is, the worse it becomes to us: For we are naturally propense to it, in its separated capacity, and all men till regeneration, are fond of it as their felicity, and hug it as their dearest good, and Sacrifice to it as their Idol. So that an enemy it is, and an enemy it will be, when we have done our best, as long as we are on earth. For while we have a flesh that would fain be pleased, by that which God forbiddeth, and there is a Devil to offer us the bait, and tempt us to this flesh-pleasing, the world which is the bait will still be the matter and occasion of our danger. The consideration of this may cut the throat of li∣centious principles, and hence we may answer the most of their vain pretended reasons, who under the Cloak of Christian liber∣ty, would again indulge the flesh, and be reconciled to the world. But certainly it will never lay by its enmity, till we lay by our flesh: and therefore there is no thoughts to be entertained of closing with it any more: but we must be killing it, and dying to it, to the last.