Baxter - BV4253 B39 C78 1658

12 6 The Crucifying of the world, that are on earth. Crucifie this your pretended King. Away with the world out ofyour hearts, is is not fit that it fhould there live. Honourable,Worfhipfuil, and all Well-Beloved ; I.befeech you hear me nor, as if 1 fpeak but words of coutfe to you or read you but a formal Leäture. I mean as I fpeak , and I prolels to the faces of you all, that either the world and flrjh orjocz fháil die. K Il ir or itwill kill you ; and Chrift will deflroy both it and you. Think not any more of a fiefhiy earthly minded man, that bath his aff &ions on this world, as a tollerable firmer ofthe frnaller fize : I tell you, the Devil may as loon be faved , as a man that liveth and dyed a fenfualilt. I mean not only the no- torious Milers; or the infamous Drunkards Gamellers or idle Gallants ; but all men, even the moil Civil or feemingly Religi- ous, in whole hearts a worldly fLfnly incerea is predominant. If you are fuch, your Honours and Riches will not keep you from being fire- brands of hell. Down therefore with the world and let up God alone in your fouls. I cannot but underiand that I am like to be an unwelcome Meffenger to you, that comeen luth an ungratefull errand. 1 f I came as the Levellers or Quakers, to cry downyour pride and worldl refs, with fuch mixtures of dcl1raction as might make you laugh at me as a Pelf- conceited fantaulicail perfon , perhaps it would trouble you lets ro hear me. For you look on them as hi- ftrionicall aftors. Quakers do but deft with you, or harden you by their vanity : Buc we are in good fadr.els and God himfelf is in good fadnefs with you. We mua have your worldly Interefl out of the very hearts ofyou ; Chrift will have yourheart blood for ir, if he (hail not have ir. . And here you may fee that it is nowonder if the ferious f; ithfoll Mirifters of Chrift, be men detefted by molt of the world, even of profcff d Chraiancthemfelves. For alas, what an errand is it that God doth tend u on ! If 1 fhould take the Crown from the Princes head, and tread it in the dirt, what muff I expn1 1 If"I came to take awayyour honours, or your c!lære:, your houses, lands, or moneys ; What mu 'k expert ! Do you not profecute and hang Thieves for robbing you of fome oftheft. l Why though f do lefs in form refpefls, it is more that lam fent to do in other refpeas. Thou h we take not the PrincesCrown fromhis head, we mutt take it froth leis heart. Though we tike not

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