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and, in particular, will ferve to distinguish real religion from fome of its moft deceitful and plaufible counterfeits. At the fame time, it will furnish the fincere Chriftian with very important directions for his prefervation and improvement, by pointing out the moft fatal and dangerous rocks of temptation, which it is his intereft to avoid. Having explained the words in my difcourfe upon the former part of the verse, I now only obferve, that the propofition contained in them is, "That the world is crucified to the be"liever, and he to the world, by the crofs of "Chrift." This naturally refolves itself into two parts, which I propose to confider diftinctly,

viz.

1. What is the import of a believer's being crucified to the world, and the world to him. 2. What influence the cross of Chrift hath in producing this effect. Having done this, I will, 3. Make a practical improvement of the fub

je9.

I. FIRST, then, we are to confider the im port of a believer's being crucified to the world, and the world to him. This feems to deserve the greater attention, that through the whole New Testament, there is a direct oppofition ftated between the world and the difciples of Chrift: an oppofition of character, an oppofition of intereft, and a continual conflict in confequence of both: John xv. 18. 19. "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it haIf ye were of the world, the world "would

❝ted you.

"would love his own: but because ye are not "of the world, but I have chofen you of the "world, therefore the world hateth you." In this paffage the world feems to be taken chiefly for the men of the world, or its inhabitants. It is, however, taken in a more extenfive fenfe in the two following: 1 John ii. 15. "Love "6 not the world, neither the things that are in "the world. If any man love the world, the "love of the Father is not in him." 1 John v. 4. "For whatfoever is born of God, overcometh the "world: and this is the victory that overco

meth the world, even our faith." Here, no doubt, it fignifies not only men, and our hopes or fears from them, but every thing in the prefent life that may be the object of carnal affec tion, of finful or undutiful attachment.

The expreffion in the text, "The world is "crucified to me," is figurative; but abundantly plain, and exceedingly strong. It might be confidered very extenfively, and feveral things upon it may probably afterwards occur. Let it fuffice at present to make two obfervations. 1. This intimates the fincerity and heartiness of the believer's oppofition to the world. It must be remembered, that crucifixion was a death the most painful and disgraceful that could poffibly be inflicted. When this image, therefore, is borrowed, and applied to the believer's separation from the world, it implies not only an indifference to it, but the moft fovereign contempt of it, from the deepest and strongest conviction of its abfolute vanity. Nay, as no perfons were crucified,

but

but who were hated as well as despised by their judges, to be crucified to the world, implies an unfeigned abhorrence of its pollution, and a dread of being inflaved by it.

2. The fame thing intimates the perpetuity and fixed nefs of the Chriftian's oppofition to the world. Those who were crucified were devoted to deftruction, when they were nailed to the tree: they were not only tormented for a fea. fon, but fixed there till death concluded the * fcene: so I apprehend the apostle intended to fignify, by this expreffion, his final feparation from the world, without the leai. hope or defire of ever returning to it.

After taking this short and general view of the import of the expreffion, it will be neceffary more diftinctly and fully to confider what is implied in being crucified to the world. This ought to be done with the greater care, that it is at once an important and difficult duty. To be truly crucified to the world, I am afraid is exceeding rare; and even thofe who are so in fincerity, upon the whole, are far from being fo in the degree that they ought to be. The punishment of crucifixion is a ftrong image, in one particular, of the believer's character. Though it was certain death, it was flow and lingering: fo worldliness, in many perfons, continues long vigorous, and dies very flowly.

There is another reafon for treating this fubject with care, that men are very apt to confi der fuch expreffions as extravagant, and carrying matters an unreasonable length. Mistaking

the

the nature of the duty, they are neither concerned themfelves to practife it, nor will they allow that any body elfe does fo in reality. I will therefore endeavour to fhew you, 1. What is not implied in crucifying the world; 2. Wherein it immediately and properly confifts.

On the first of these, I beg your attention to the following particulars.

1. The world's being crucified to us, does not imply that there is any evil in the natural world, confidered in itself, and as the work of > God. The whole frame of nature, as it was produced and is preferved by God, and the whole course of providence, as conducted by him, are perfectly faultlefs. We may even fay more, the creation carries on it fuch an image of its maker, as the materials are able to bear. In this view, it is our duty to look upon the world with reverence, and adore the glory of God in all its parts, from the higheft to the lowest. The evil arifes wholly from our felves, and our disposition to fin. When we say a corrupt enticing deceitful world, it is but another way of speaking for the corruption of the human

heart.

2. It does not imply that we fhould undervalue or be infenfible of prefent mercies. Every gift of God is good, if it be received with thankfulness, and ufed with fobriety. The more the world is crucified as it ought to be, the more we will difcern the goodness of God, even in common mercies. It is matter of daily ex. perience, and well worthy of obfervation, that

thofe

those who idolize the world moft, as an object of finful defire, do ufually defpife the world moft, as the fubject or ground of thankfulness to God. A voluptuous, ambitious, or envious perfon, who pursues the world with eagerness, and never thinks he has enough, is commonly discontented and unthankful. His eyes are fo wiftfully fixed on what he wants, that he neither remembers nor values what he already has. On the contrary, the felf-denied and mortified Chriftian, though defpifing the world as an object of purfuit, is yet deeply fenfible of the kindness of providence, in his daily preservation, or liberal provision. A mind formed upon the principles of the gofpel, may look down with contempt upon the luftre of a throne, and yet know the value, and feel a fenfe of gratitude in the poffeffion of a crumb.

3. It doth not imply that the world is ufelefs to a believer, even with regard to his spiritual benefit. It is not only certain that he may have, but that he will have, the fanctified improvement of every ftate: -Rom. viii. 28. "And we know "that all things work together for good, to them "that love God, to them who are the called ac "cording to his purpofe." The fame mercies which make a wicked man infolent, make a good man thankful. They alfo extend his power of doing good to others. You may fee, by our Saviour's advice, how the world may be profit. ably employed: Luke xvi. 9. "And I fay un"to you, Make to yourselves friends of the "mainmon of unrighteoufnefs; that when ye VOL. I.

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"fail,

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