The crucifying of the world

2. The believing Meditation of the Cross of Christ, doth make us apprehensive of the Vanity and Enmity of the world, and so doth kill our esteem of it, and affection to it. For when we consider how little Christ did set by it, and how he made it his work professedly to contemn it, this will tell us how to think of it our selves. For doubtless the judgement of Christ was true: He was able to discern between good and evil: If it had been valuable, he would have valued it. He would not have contemned it, if it had not been contemptible. He could have had better usage in the world, if he had desired it, and thought it meet. But he would show us by his Example as well as by his Doctrine, how to judge of it, and what to expect from it. If you saw the wisest man in the world tread a thing under feet in the dirt, or throw it away, you would think it were a thing of no great worth.

2. The believing Meditation of the Cross of Christ, doth make us apprehensive of the Vanity and Enmity of the world, and so doth kill our esteem of it, and affection to it. For when we consider how little Christ did set by it, and how he made it his work professedly to contemn it, this will tell us how to think of it our selves. For doubtless the judgement of Christ was true: He was able to discern between good and evil: If it had been valuable, he would have valued it. He would not have contemned it, if it had not been contemptible. He could have had better usage in the world, if he had desired it, and thought it meet. But he would shew us by his Example as well as by his Doctrine, how to judge of it, and what to expect from it. If you saw the wisest man in the world tread a thing under feet in the dirt, or throw it away, you would think it were a thing of no great worth.

When you are tempted to set too much by your credit, and to sin against God for the esteem of men, remember that Christ Made himself of no reputation, Phil. 2. 7. And can your reputation be less then none? How did he value his honour with men, that gave his cheeks to be smitten, his face to be spit upon, his head to be Crowned with thorn•, and his body to e arrayed contemptuously like a fool, and at last to be hanged as a contemned thing among malefactors on the Cross; to be reviled by those that passed by and by him that suffered with him? Learn here of him, that all of us must learn of, how far to set by your honour in the world.