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.

1. It is not only his Crucifixion, but the whole Humiliation of Christ which is in this and other Scriptures called his Cross: the whole being denominated from the most eminent part, as was toucht before. And there are five notable blows that the world hath received by the suffered Cross of Christ. 1. One is, that Christ himself in his own person hath perfectly crucified and conquered the world, so that we have a victorious Head, and the world is now a conquered thing. It assaulted him from his birth to his death, and still he overcame. It assaulted him by fair means and by foul, by frowns and smiles, by alluring baits and persecuting storms, and still it was overcome. The threatnings and persecutions could never draw him to the committing of a sin: The enticing offers of it could never bring him to an inor∣dinate esteem of it, nor abate the least of his love to God. In his great combat in the wilderness he was assaulted both waies. Hunger could not make him tempt God or distrust. The King∣doms and Glory of the world, were despised by him when they were the matter of his temptation. He would not have so much as a setled habitation, nor any worldly pomp or splendor, that so he might shew that he contemned it by his actions. If he had set by it, he could soon have mended his condition. When the peo∣ple would have made him a King, he past away from them; for he would not be a King of the peoples making, nor have any Power or Dignity which they could give. He came not to Re∣ceive honour of men, but to Give salvation to men. When Peter would have perswaded him to favour himself, as favouring the things of Man, and not of God, Christ calleth him Satan, and bids him get behind him: If he will do the work of Satan, he shall have the name of Satan, and the same words of rebuke that Satan had. Even in their hour▪ and the power of darkness, Luke 22. 53. they could do nothing that might make the least breach in his perfection: And when they boasted of their power to cru∣cifie him or release him, Iohn 19. 10. they could not boast of their power to draw him to the smallest sin. Yea upon the Cross did he consummate his conquest of the world, when it seemed to have conquered him: and he crucified the world, when it was crucifying him; and gave it then the deadly wound. And there did he openly make a shew of the principalities and powers

which he had spoiled, and there did he triumph over them, while they mistakingly triumphed over him, Col. 2. 14, 15.

If you say, What is all this to us? I answer, When the world is once conquered, the heart of it is broken: And when our Head hath overcome it, there is a great preparation made for our victory. Else would he not have said to his Disciples, Iohn 16. ••3. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good chear, I have overcome the world.] For as the consequence is good, [Because I live, ye shall live also], Iohn 14. 19. So it will hold, [Because I have overcome the world, ye shall overcome it also.] Yea as it is said of his Works, [Greater works then these shall ye do.] Iohn 14. 12. So is it said of our conquest, [In all these things we are supervictors, or more then Conquerors through him that hath loved us, Rom. 8. 37.]

2. Another wound that the world hath received by the Cross of Christ by him suffered, is this: By it satisfaction is made to God for the sin that the world had enticed man to commit, and so quoad pretium, the victory which the world had formerly obtain∣ed over us, is nulled, and its Captives rescued, and we are cured of the deadly wounds which it had given us: For he healeth all our diseases, Psal. 103. 3. and his stripes are the remedy by which we are healed, Isa. 53 5. So that it is a vanquishing of the world, when Christ doth thus nullisie its former victories: For thus he began to lead captivity it self captive, which at his Resurrection and Ascension he did more fully accomplish, Psalm 68. 18. Eph. 4. 8.

3. Another most mortal wound which the world received by the Cross of Christ, was this. By his Cross did Christ purchase that Glorious Kingdom, which being revealed and propounded to the sons of men, doth abundantly disgrace the world as a Competitor. If there had been no greater good revealed to us, or the revelation had been obscure and insufficient, or no Assu∣rance of it given us, then might the world have easily prevailed. For he that hath no hopes of greater, will take up with this: And he that looketh not for another life, will make as much of the present as he can. When the will of a man is the fort that is contended for, the assault must be made by Allurement and not by force. The competition therefore is between Good and Good:

and that which appeareth the Greater Good to us, will carry it, and have admittance. If God had not set a Greater Good against the world, it would have been every mans wisdom and duty to have been worldlings. But when he revealeth to us another world of infinite value, yea when he offereth us the fruition of himself, this turneth the scales with wise men in a moment, and shameth all competitors whatsoever. Now it is the Cross of Christ that opened the Kingdom of heaven to all true Believers, which sin had before shut up against all mankind. This marrs the markets of the world: Its nothing worth to them that have tasted of the blessedness of this Kingdom. Were it not for this, the temptations of the world and flesh might prevail. What should we say to them? or how should we repulse them? Reason would say, Its better have a small and unsatisfactory Good, then none. But now we have enough to say against any such tempta∣tion. One argument from the everlasting Kingdom is sufficient (where grace causeth a right apprehension of it) to confound all the temptations, by which the enemies of our happiness can assault us. What I Shall we prefer a mole-hill before a King∣dom? a shadow before the substance? an hour before eternity? Nothing before all things? Vanity and Vexation before Felici∣ty? The world is now silenced: It hath nothing to say, which may take with right Reason. It must now creep in at the back door of sense, and bribe our bruitish part to befriend it, and to enter∣tain it first, and so to betray our reason, and lead it into the inner rooms. The Cross of Christ hath set up such a Sun, as quite darkeneth the light of worldly glory. Who will now play so low a game, that hath an Immortal Crown propounded to him? Though earth were Something, if there were no better to be had, yet it is Nothing when Heaven stands by. This therefore is the deadly blow by which the world is Crucified by the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.

4. Another mortall wound that the Cross of Christ hath given it, is this. The Cross hath purchased for us that Spirit of Power, and all those Ordinances and Helps of Grace, by which we our selves in our own persons may Actually Conquer and Crucifie the world, as Christ did before us. His Cross is the meritorious cause of his following Grace. And as he hath there procured our Ju∣stification, so also our Sanctification, by which the world is re∣nounced

by us and contemned. There shall a vertue flow from the Cross of Christ, that shall give strength to all his chosen ones, to go on and conquer, and tread the world and all its glory under their feet, and by the leaves of this Tree, which seemeth dead to a carnal eye▪ the Nations shall be healed. And thus by it the world is Crucified.

5. Lastly, by the Cross of Christ, a Pattern is given us for our Imitation; by which we may learn how to contemn and so Cru∣cifie the world, [If when ye do well and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is accceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps: who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: who when he was reviled, reviled not again: when he suffered he threatned not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously. 1 Pet. 2. 20, 21, 22, 23. [Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Iesus—that made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant—and humbled him∣self, and became obedient to death, even the death of the Cross,] Phil. 2. 5, 6, 7. [Let us therefore lay aside every weight, and the sin that doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us; looking to Iesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him, endured the Cross, de∣spising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God, Heb. 12. 2. This leads us to the next.