The crucifying of the world

or as a thing devoted to death for the averting of an imminent judgement. Pauls judgement is in a prevalent degree, the judgement of every gracious soul, Phil. 3. 7, 8. What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ: Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.] Were the world but thus conceived of by a practical judgement, it were half crucified already. If men did verily think that the world is their Loss, they would love it less, and less greedily seek after it, then now most do. Gehezi would not have run after Naaman for his money, if he had thought that it had been his loss: Achan would not have hid the forbidden gold, as a treasure, if he had thought it had been his loss. Who would be at so much care and pains, for their loss, as worldlings and sensualists are for their delights. And if the judgement did once esteem the world as dung, they would not be so greedy for it, nor put it into their bosoms. Who would fall in love with dung, or dote upon filth or dogs-meat? As the judgement doth esteem it, the affections will be towards it. And they that know not of a better condition, will value this as the best, though common reason will call it vanity. But they that by faith have found out the true felicity, have low and contemptuous thoughts of the world. O what a carcass, what a shadow is it in their eyes? What a poor low thing is it which the sons of men do tire themselves ⟨p. 35⟩in seeking after? What a dung-hill do they wallow in, as if it were a bed of Roses? What deformities do they dote upon, as if they were the most real beauties? A toad abhorreth not the company of a toad; but shall not a man abhor it? But we shall have occasion of saying more to this in the Application.

or as a thing devoted to death for the averting of an imminent judgement. Pauls judgement is in a prevalent degree, the judgement of every gracious soul, Phil. 3. 7, 8. What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ: Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord; for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.] Were the world but thus conceived of by a practical judgement, it were half crucified already. If men did verily think that the world is their Loss, they would love it less, and less greedily seek after it, then now most do. Gehezi would not have run after Naaman for his money, if he had thought that it had been his loss: Achan would not have hid the forbidden gold, as a treasure, if he had thought it had been his loss. Who would be at so much care and pains, for their loss, as worldlings and sensualists are for their delights. And if the judgement did once esteem the world as dung, they would not be so greedy for it, nor put it into their bosoms. Who would fall in love with dung, or dote upon filth or dogs-meat? As the judgement doth esteem it, the affections will be towards it. And they that know not of a better condition, will value this as the best, though common reason will call it vanity. But they that by faith have found out the true felicity, have low and contemptuous thoughts of the world. O what a carkaise, what a shadow is it in their eyes? What a poor low thing is it which the sons of men do tire themselves