By the Crofs of Chrift. 3 au. And yet this is not long of the creature without us, but of us and the tempter. Theworld h init felf Good, as being the work of God ; and it cannot be the proper efficient culpable caufe of our fin : For it hath no fin in it fell. (I mean the world as diftin& from the men of the world ;) and therefore cannot be the direct caufe of fin. But yet there is that in it which is apt to be the Matter of our temptation ; and fo apt; as that all that perifh do penal by the world. As there is no falvation but by the whole Trinity Conjun&, who have each perfonhis feveral office for our recovery ; fo there is no damnation but by the whole InfernalTrinity,the flefh, the world and the Devil : Even to Innocent PAdam the world mull be the bait, and Satanfound fomewhat in it, that made it apt iór fuch an office, though no- thing but what was very good. But now that the flail is be- come the Predominant part and power in us, as it is in all till the Spirit overcome it, the cafe-is much worfe and the world is in. comparably a more dangerous enemy then to .?dam it could be. For though Bill the creature is good in it felf, yet we are fo bad , that the better thecreature is, the worfe it becomes to us : For we are naturally propenfe to it, in its feparated capacity and all men till regeneration, are fond of it as their felicity ,' and hug it as their deareft good , and Sacrifice toit as their idol. So that an enemy it is, and an enemy it will be, when we. have done pur bell, as long as we are on earth. For while we have a flefh that would fain be plea fed, by that which God forbiddeth , and there is a Devil to offer us the bait,and tempt us to this flefh-pleafing, the world which is the bait will Rill be the matter and occafìon of our danger. The confederation of this may cut the throat of li- centious principles, and hence we may anfwer the molt of their vain pretended reafons, who under the CIoak of Chriftian liber- ty, would again indulge the fle(h,and be reconciled to the - world. But certainly it will never lay by its enmity, till we lay byour fiefh : and therefore there is no thoughts to be entertained of clofing with it any more : but we mule be killing ir, and dying to it, to the laft. SE:ÇT.
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