shall go into Arabia before he enters fully on his apostolic office11. Thus does God generally cause his people's faith to be tried0; and " allures them into the wilderness, before he speaks comfortably to themp." If, then, your faith be tried, know that it is needful for your best interests'1, and that it is by your tribulations that he will further in you the work of " patience and experience and hope1."]
3. Are there amongst you those who have never yet come out of Egypt ?
[Be sure, that if you fancy yourselves children of God, whilst yet you have no desire to relinquish this vain world, you do but deceive your own souls. Your " faith," if it be genuine, "will overcome the worlds;" and "the cross of Christ," if ever its saving power be felt, will cause you " to be crucified to the world, and the world to be as a crucified object unto you*." They who are the Lord's people indeed, " are not of the world, even as he was not of the world"." I call you, therefore, to shew " whose you are, and whom you serve : " as for " serving God and Mammon too, it is impossible35;" and to attempt it, is an act of treason against Gody. Come out, then, from Egypt and its pollutions, as God has commanded you: and then " he will be a Father unto you; and ye shall be his sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty2."]
n Acts ix. 9. and Gal. i. 17. ° Heb. xii. 8. p Hos.ii. 14, 15.
<J 1 Pet. i. G, 7. r Rom. v. 3 — 5. s 1 John v. 4.
1 Gal. vi. 14. u John xvii. 14, 16.
x Matt. vi. 24. y Jam. iv. 4. the Greek.
z 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18.