8z The Crucifying of the world, the Lord himfelf. And yet how many profeffors have I known that have tormented themfelves with cares and forrows, yea and caf their bodies intodifeafes by it, and manyof them havedyed of it, and forre it kath brought befides their wits : Soobfervable is that of the A poflie ; z Cor. 7. io. The farrow of the world worketh death] even temporal and eternal, unlefs we bedeliver- ed by undefervedGrace. Bear all conditions thenwith an equal mind, and let yourpaillons fhewthat you are Crucified to the world. 4. F you are Crucified to the world then Let it not thrtef ant the fervice of God , and be made an excufefor a negli- gence in Religion. How rare ire holy Meditations in theminds of :many that think themfelves Religious ? And it is worldly Thoughts that thrufl them out , and worldly bufinefres that are the common excufe. How formal are many in the Inílructing of . their families ? how feldom and how coldly do they exhort their children or fervants to make ready for death, andmake fure of theirfalvation ? How coldly and curforily are family prayers and otherduties.flubbered osier ? And all is becaufe they have other things to mind : the world will give them leave to do no more. The decay of zeal and diligence in family-duties is the .common fymptom and caufe too, of the deítru&ion of know- ledge and godlinefs in the Land. And all is becaufe the world is Alafter , and mutt be ferved before God : The bufinefs of the world loth feem to them the principal bufinefs, and muff firft be done ; and all thoughts and talk of Heaven mutt Rand by till the world will give them leave to enter. Men cannot have while tocall upon God and inítruc`t their families becaufe they have theirworldly works todo. Go into the families of molt Noble- men, Knights or Gentlemen in England , and fee there whether God or the world be mold regarded and.lookt after. Perhaps they may civilly yield an ear while a Chaplain makes a fhort prayer among them : but if you look after heavenly mindednefs, and ferioufnefs in Religion, and zeal againft fin, and diligence to help to fave the fouls that are under their charge, how little ihalf you find ? Do they earneilly perfwade their fervants to study holy things ? anddo they e4amine them about their everlafling Hate,
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