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.

3. THE next thing to be declared is, How the Cross which we our selves do suffer in obedience and conformity to Christ, and for his sake, doth crucifie the world to us, and us to the world. That the bearing of this Cross is necessary to all that will be Christs Disciples; yea the daily bearing of it is plain, Luke 9. 23. & 14. 27. Mat. 10. 38. Two waies doth this tend to the crucifying of us to the world.

1. It doth more sensibly convince us of the Vanity and Enmi∣ty of the world, then any meer doctrine or distant examples and observations could have done. I confess we see so much of the worlds deceit of others, that might satisfie a reasonable man that it is vain. But the flesh doth draw us into a participation of its bruitishness: and reason will not see the light. But the Cross doth convince even the flesh it self, the grand deceiver. When the malice of wicked men lets flie at us, and the world do spit in our faces as they did in Christs; when we are made a common by-word and derision, and become as the filth of the world to them, and the off-scouring of all things; when we have fears within and troubles without; and the sorrows of death lay hold upon us, and enemies compass us round about; O how effectu∣ally will this convince us that the world is vain, and worse then vain! Who will look for Happiness from a known Enemy and Tormentor? When we have Iobs Messengers of sad tidings▪ and troubles are multiplyed: When pain and anguish seiseth upon our bodies, and grief hath taken up its dwelling in our very flesh and bones▪ who then will admire or dote upon the world? Who will not then cry out against it as Vanity and Vexation? When friends abuse one another, they will fall out for the time, though they turn not enemies. And even the wicked when they suffer in the world, will speak hardly of it, though the friendship of it still dwell in their sensual dispositions. How much more will the Enmity be encreased in the Saints, when the world doth use them as its enemies, and spit out the bitterest of their malice against them? If we have any thoughts of reconciliation with the world, God useth to suffer it to buffet and abuse us, that stroaks and smart may maintain the Enmity, if nothing else will serve to do it.

Believe it Christians, God doth not permit your sufferings in vain. He seeth how apt you are to dote upon the world, and how dangerous it will prove to you, if you be not delivered from the snares of this deceiver: and therefore he had rather that the world should make you smart awhile, then undo you for ever: and that it should buffet you, then befool you out of your felici∣ty. The blows which the world giveth you do light upon it self; As it Crucified it self in Crucifying Christ, so doth it in Crucify∣ing his people. It killeth it self by your calamities: And if it de∣prive you of your lives, you will then begin to Live: but the death which it bringeth on it self, is such as hath no Resurrection. If it kill you, you shall live again, yea live by that death: but thereby it will so kill it self, as never to live again in you. The Cross is an happy Teacher of many excellent truths: But of no∣thing more effectually, then of the contemptibleness of the world. If it turn our breath into groans, we shall groan against it, and groan to be delivered, desiring to be cloathed upon with our house which is from heaven, 2 Cor. 5. 2. We shall cry to heaven against this Task-master, and our cryes will come before God, and procure our deliverance. The world gets nothing by its hard usage of the Saints: It maketh a Cross for the Cruci∣fying of it self, and turneth their hearts more effectually against it.

2. And as it thus declareth it self contemptible, and crucifyeth it self to us, so doth it exercise us in Patience, and awaken us to deeper considerations of its own Vanity, and drive us to look after better things: It forceth us also to seek out to God, and to see that all our dependance is on him, and draweth forth our holy desires and other graces: And thus it doth Crucifie us also to the world. It makes us go into the Sanctuary, and consider of the End: how the wicked are set in slippery places, and that at last it will go well with the just: It teacheth us to consider, that while [the Lord is our Portion, we have ground enough of hope: For he is good to them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him: It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the Lord: It is good for a man that he bear the yoak in his youth: He sitteth alone, and keepeth silence, because he hath born it upon him; he putteth his mouth in the dust, if so be there may be Hope: He giveth his check to him that smiteth him; he is

filled full with reproach: For the Lord will not cast off for ever: but though he cause grief, yet will he have compassion, according to the multitude of his Mercies] Lam. 3. 24. to 33. [And not on∣ly so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope, and hope maketh not ashamed] Rom. 5. 3, 4, 5. [For if we suffer with Christ, we shall also be glorified together: and the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that shall be revealed in us.] And [we our selves do groan within our selves, waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.] Rom. 8. 17, 18, 23. [When Paul suffered for Christ the loss of all things, he accounted them dung that he might win Christ.] [That he might know the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffer∣ings, and be made conformable to his death] Phil. 3. 8, 10. [He re∣joyced in his sufferings, and filled up that which is behind of the affli∣ctions of Christ in his flesh, for his bodies sake, which is the Church] Col. 1. 24. [And thus was he Crucified with Christ, and yet lived; yet not he, but Christ lived in him; and the life which he lived in the flesh, he lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved him and gave himself for him, Gal. 2. 20.