34 TheCrucifying of the world, as theend for which it muff beufed and regarded it might then have had the honour of being ferviceable to-our falvation,and to our Matters work : But feeing it will needs be a competitor with heaven, it thereby difrobeth it felf of its glory, and becom. eth a vite contemptible thing And fo muff it be efleemed by all the friendsof God. A found Believer looks on the world, as the world loon t on Chrift whenhe hanged on the Crois ; not on- ly as a Malefador., but as a contemptible thing And as the worldeffeemeth the Saints thetrifelves to be hypocrites,deceiverl, fools, weak, defpifed, a fpe tacle to the world, yea as the filth of the world, and the off fcouringof all things : So mull the Be- liever efteem of the world, as feeraing to bewhat it is not,; as a weak and infufircient thing,as the 7npr?, cQ ,xru x nros'vre o I Car. 4.3 i, iz, 13. the very filth of the fl:reets that is fwept away or caft upon the dung -hill : or as a thing devoted to death, for the avertingof an imminent judgement. Pauli judgement isIn a prevalent degree, the judgement of every gracious foul, Phil. 3.7, 8. what things weregain to me thofe Icounted lofs for Çhrifl : Tea doubtlefr andIcount all things but loft for the excel- lency of the knowledge of Chrift7efist my Lord; for whom I have ftsffered the loft ofall things, and do count thembut dung , that I may win Chrift. ] Were the world battling conceived of by a. practical judgement, it were half crucified already. If men did verify think that the world is their Lofs,they would love itlefs, and leis greedily feek ,after it, then nowmolt do. Gehezi would not have run. after 2Vgaman for his money if he had thought that it had beenhis lofs: Achan would not have hid the forbidden gold as a treafure, if he had thought it had beenhis lofs. Who Would be at fo much care and pains, for their lofs , as woridlings and fenfualifts are for their delights. And if the judgement did.. once efteem the world as dung, they would not be fogreedy for . it, nor put it into their. boforns. Who would fall in love with dung, or doteupon filthor dogs-meat ? As the judgement doth . siteem it , the affe lioou will be towards it. And they that know_, not of a better condition, will value thisas the belt, though com-.. monreafonwill call it vanity. But they that by faith have found . out the true felicity, have low and contemptuous thoughts ofthe. world. O ;what a carkaife, what a fhadow is it in their eyes ? What a poor lowthing is it which the fops of men do tire them- felyes-,
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