hearts are in heaven, and their " conversation also is in hea- ven." They seek " pleasures which are at God's right hand for evermore ;" they labour to be " rich towards God in faith and good works ;" and they aspire after " the honour that cometh of God," the honour of being " children of God, yea, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ." And though much time and thought is spent by them in things relating to the world, yet when at liberty to follow the bent of their minds, they return to God as their beloved, their only, rest.]
We shall conclude the subject with some suitable advice —
1. Guard against the self-deception which too ge- nerally prevails —
[We have reason at this time to adopt the Apostle's words, and say, that " many walk, of whom we have told you often, and tell you now even weeping, that they are the ene- mies of the cross of Christ, and that their end will be destruc- tion, because they mind earthly thingsg." There are, alas! too many who " call Christ, Lord, Lord, but will not obey his commands," or " walk as he walked." But let us remember, that " the tree must be known by its fruits ;" and that we must judge of our interest in Christ by our conformity to his image : if our hopes and fears, our joys and sorrows, be excited principally by worldly things, we certainly are of the world : but if, with Christ, we be " crucified to the world," and our spirit and temper, our desires and pursuits, resemble his, then, and then only, may we conclude, that we are Christ's ; for " all that are born of God have overcome the world ; and all that are Christ's have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts11."]
2. Be not afraid of a necessary singularity —
[We would not recommend a needless singularity, or insinuate that there is any virtue in making ourselves appear ridiculous; but whereinsoever the world deviate from the mind and will of God, there we may, and must differ from them. If we be singular, the fault will be theirs and not ours. No blame can attach to our Lord because he was singular ; nor can it to us while we " shine as lights in a dark world," " holding forth in our conduct the word of life." We should " make our light to shine before men," and be " as a city set upon a hill;" and though the besotted world will "gaze strangely at us, and wonder that we run not with them to their excess of riot," we shall have enough to counterbalance
t Phil. iii. 18, 19. h 1 John v. 4. Gal. v. 24.