214 The Crucifying of the world, givenme morecaufe to lament the mifery of their fouls then of their bodies. When they take on as if they were quite undone, and had loft their God and hope of heaven doth it not too plainlyPhew, that they made the world their God and their heaven ? Benefit 8. 1 /1Oreover if indeed you are Crucified to the Vl world, your hearts roil!hefii!lopen to the-'noti- ons of the Spirit, and the motions offurther Grace : And fo you will have abundant advantage, both for the exercife and encreafe of the graces which you have received. The earthlyminded have their hearts locked up againflall thatcan be laid to them : Never can the Spirit orhis Miniflers make a motion to them for their good, butfome worldly intercil or other doth contradict it, and rife upagainfl it. But what have you toflop your ears when the world is dead ? The word then will have free accefs to your `hearts. When theSpirit comes, your thoughtsareready, youraf_ fec`lions areat hand ; and all are in a pollure to entertain him and attend him : and fo the workgoes on and profpers. But when he comes to the worldly mind, the thoughts are all from home ; the affeftions are abroad andout of the way and there is nothing for hisentertainment all in a pofture to refill him and gain_ fayhim. Owhat wokwould the preachingof the Gofpel make in the world , if there werenot a worldly principle within, to firiveagainf it ? But we fpeakagainfl mens Idols, againll their jewels and their Treafure , and therefore againfi their heartsand matures. And then no wonder if we leave them in the jaws of Satan wherewe found them, till irrefiflible merciful violence (hall refcue them. But fo far as you are mortified, the enemy is dead contraditions are all filenced ; oppofition is ceafed ; the Spirit findeth that within that will befriend its motions, and own its caufe the foul lyeth down before the word ; and gladlyhearts thevoice of Chrifl:: And thus the workgoes fmoothly on Benefit
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