Is there not too little consistent exemplification- too little proof of our " counting all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ our Lord"? On the contrary, do not the deceitful-ness of the heart, or carelessness of the Lord's glory, lead many to seek by various sophistries to satisfy themselves that the Christian may have fellowship with the world, at least in some things, if not in all? But if there be any truth in every Scripture-declaration respecting the world, this one thing is certain, that he who argues deliberately how far he may continue in the world, proves that his affections are in it altogether. The application of the expressions of Scripture is often, indeed, sought to be evaded by the question, What is the world ? But is it probable that the Scripture would set forth so pregnant, so critical, a principle, enforced by such fearful warnings, and then leave to every man's notions what he was to avoid? The truth is, that its language is infinitely more exact than is commonly supposed; and the every-day conversation of men, in their common use of the term " the world," invariably expresses the thing against which we are warned. But do not such answer it full well themselves ? When they speak of rising in the world, or getting credit and a name in it, they know precisely what "the world" means:but when any thing is to be given up for Christ's sake, a sudden indistinctness invests every thing; and the unfaithful heart is allowed to draw its own line between what is and what is not of the world. But in all the various appearances which it assumes, however fair and attractive to the mind and eye, it is exclusively spoken of in Scripture as a thing to be overcome.

The example of others is often pleaded, but to our own master we stand or fall. If many Christians are mingled with it, this only renders it the more imperative on any who see the mischief, to give by their lives a more distinct protest; and thus it becomes not only a matter of faithfulness to God, but of love for the souls of others.