shall also live with him." If therefore Christ be dead alone; if we are not dead with him; we are as sure, that we shall not live with him.

Lastly, as to the resurrection of Christ, the Scripture shows us, how we are to partake of the benefit of it. "If ye be risen with Christ; seek those things, which are above; where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God."

Thus you see how plainly the scripture sets forth our blessed Lord, as our representative, acting, and suffering in our name; binding and obliging us to conform to all, that he did and suffered for us.

It was for this reason, that the Holy Jesus said of his disciples, and in them of all true believers, "They are not of this world, as I am not of this world." Because all true believers, conforming to the sufferings, crucifixion, death, and resurrection of Christ, live no longer after the spirit of this world; but their life is hidden with Christ in God.

This is the state of separation from the world, to which Christians are called. They must so far renounce a worldly temper; be so far governed by the things of another life, as to show, that they are really crucified, dead, and risen with Christ. It is as necessary for Christians to conform to this change of spirit, to be thus in Christ new creatures; as it was necessary, that Christ should suffer, die, and rise again for our salvation.

How high the Christian life is placed above this world, is wonderfully described by Paul in these words; "Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh; yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh; yet henceforth we know him no more. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

He, that feels the force of these words, can hardly bear any human interpretation of them. Henceforth, says he; that is, since the death and resurrection of Christ, the state of Christianity is become a state, that we do not even consider Christ himself, as in the flesh upon earth, but as a God of glory in heaven; we know

and consider ourselves, not as men in the flesh, but as fellow members of a new society, that are to have our hearts and conversation in heaven.

Thus Christianity has placed us above the world; and we fall from our calling as soon, as we fall into the temper of the world.

Now, as it was the spirit of the world, that nailed our Lord to the cross; so every man, that has the spirit of Christ, will certainly be crucified by the world some way or other. Had you lived with our Savior, as his true disciple, you had then been hated, as he was; and, if you now live in his spirit, the world will be the same enemy to you now, that it was to him then. "If ye were of the world," saith our Lord," the world would love its own; but, because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you."

We are apt to lose the true meaning of these words, by considering them only as a historical description of something, that was the state of our Saviour and his disciples at that time. But this is reading the scripture as a dead letter; for they exactly describe the state of true Christians at this and all other times to the end of the world.

For, as true Christianity is nothing else, but the spirit of Christ; so, whether that spirit appear in the person of Christ, his apostles, or followers in any age, it is the same thing.

You will perhaps say, the world is now become Christian; and therefore it is not to be considered in that state of opposition to Christianity, as when it was heathen.

It is granted, the world now professes Christianity; but will any one say, this Christian world is of the spirit of Christ? Are the passions of sensuality, self love, pride, covetousness, ambition, and vain glory, less contrary to the spirit of the gospel among Christians, than when they were among heathens? Or will you say, the passions of the heathen world are lost and gone ?

Consider, Secondly, What you mean by the world.

This is fully described by St. John. All that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. This is an exact description of the world. Now, will you say, this world is become Christian? But, if all this still subsists; then the same world is now in being, and the same enemy to Christianity, as in St. John's days.

It was this world, that John condemned, as being not of the Father; whether, therefore, it outwardly profess, or openly persecute Christianity, it is still in the same state of contrariety to the true spirit of the gospel.

Indeed the world, by professing Christianity, is so far from being a less dangerous enemy, than it was before; that it has by its favors destroyed more Christians, than ever it did by the most violent persecution.

We must therefore be so far from considering the world, as in a state of less enmity and opposition to Christianity, than it was in the first times of the gospel; that we must guard against it, as a greater and more dangerous enemy now, than it was in those times.

It is a greater enemy, because it has greater power over Christians by its riches, honors, rewards, and protection, than it had by the fire and fury of its persecutions.

It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance of enmity. Its outward profession of Christianity makes it no longer considered, as an enemy; and therefore people are easily persuaded, to resign themselves up, to be governed and directed by it.

How many consciences are kept quiet, on no other foundation; but because they sin under the authority of the Christian world! How many directions of the gospel lie unregarded; and how unconcernedly do particular persons read them; for no other reason, but because they seem unregarded by the Christian world?

Who could be content with seeing how contrary his life is to the gospel; but because he sees that he lives, as the Christian world does?

There is nothing therefore, that a good Christian

ought more constantly to guard against, than the authority of the Christian world.

All the passages of Scripture, which represent the world, as contrary to Christianity; which require our separation from it, as from a mammon of unrighteousness, a monster of iniquity; are to be taken in the same strict sense in relation to the present world.

For the change, the world has undergone, has only altered its method; but not lessened its power of destroying religion.

Christians had nothing to fear from the heathen world, but the loss of their lives; but the world, become a friend, makes it difficult for them to save their religion.

While pride, sensuality, covetousness, and ambition had only the authority of the heathen world, Christians were thereby made more intent on the contrary virtues. But, when pride, sensuality, covetousness, and ambition have the authority of the Christian world; then private Christians are in the utmost danger, not only of being shamed out of the practice, but of losing the very notion of the piety of the gospel.

There is therefore hardly a possibility of saving yourselt from the present world, but by considering it, as the same enemy to holiness, it is represented in the scriptures; and by assuring yourself, that it is as dangerous to conform to it now as when it was heathen.

Ask yourself, is the piety, the humility, the sobriety of the Christian world, the piety,the humility and sobriety of the Christian spirit? If not, how can you be more undone by any world, than by conforming to that, which is Christian?

Need a man do more, to make his soul unfit for the mercy of God, than by being greedy of honor? Yet how can a man renounce this temper, without renouncing the temper of the world, in which you live?

How can a man be made more incapable of the spirit of Christ, than by a wrong value of money; and yet how can he be more wrong in his value of it, than by following the authority of the Christian world?

Nay, in every order and station of life, whether of learning or business, in Church or state, you cannot act up to the spirit of religion, without renouncing the temper and behaviour of those, who are of the same order and business, as yourself.

Though human prudence seems to talk wisely about the necessity of avoiding particularities; yet he, that dares not to be so weak, as to be particular, will be often obliged to avoid the most substantial duties of Christian piety.

These reflections will, I hope, help you to resist those temptations, which the authority and fashion of the world hath raised against the practice of Christian humility.

CHAP. XVII.

Showing, how the education, men generally receive in their youth, makes the doctrine of humility difficult to be practised.

ANOTHER difficulty in the practice of humility arises from our education. We are, for the most part, corruptly educated, and then committed to take our course in a corrupt world; so that it is no wonder, if examples of great piety are so seldom seen.

A great part of the world are undone, by being born and bred in families, that have no religion; where they are made vicious and irregular, by being like those, with whom they first lived.

But the education, I here intend, is such, as children generally receive from virtuous and sober parents, and learned tutors and governors.

Had we contiuued perfect, as God created the first man, perhaps the perfection of our nature had been a