210 The Crucifying of the world, Benefit 4. A Nother Benefit thatfolloweth our Crucifixionof the world, is this, It will prevent abundance of needlefsunprofitable cell and labour,that other menareat. You will not bedrawn to run and toyl for a thingof nought Whenother men are riding, and going, and caring, and labouring for a little fmoak,or a flying fhadow, youwill fit, as it were, over them,and- difcern, andpitty, and lament their folly. To fee one man rejoyce that bath got his prize ; and another lament becaufe he cannot get it ; anda thirdin the eager purfuit of it ; as if it were for their lives. While they live as if they had forgotten the eternal Life which is at hand ; will caufeyou to lift up your foul to his praifes, thatbath faxed you from this dotage. The world worketh on the fenfual part firft, and thereby corrupteth, and as it were brutiti- ath our very reafon ; and the whole courfeof worldly defigns and affairs, even from the gloriousa&ions of Kings and Com- manders, to thedaily bufinefsof the plow-man and the beggar, are all but the actionsof frantick men, or mad men. I fay, fo far as the affairs of the world are managed by this fenfuall unmorti- fied principle, a fan&ified Believer can look upon them all, as on the runnings or tumults of children or ideots, or on a gameat Chefs, where wit is laid out to little purpofe. Mortification will helpyou to turn your thoughts, and cares , and labours into a moreprofitable courfe : So that when the end comes , you will have fomewhat to thew that you have gained ; when others mull complain,that they have loft all their labour, and worfe then loft it. Whatabundance ofprecious timedo other men lofe, indream- ing purfuits of an empty, deceiving, tranfitory world ? When God hath taken off the poile fromyou, of fuchunprofitablemo- tion ; and taught you better toemploy your time. Many an hun- dred hours which others can away upon worldly thoughts, or difeourfe,orpradifes, are redeemedby the wife for their ever! kiting benefit. Benefit
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