586 The Life of Faith. and if in anything ye be otberwife minded, God Thal reveal even tbis unto you. If any preach another Gejfrel, let him be accurfed,t Gil. 1, 7, 8. Markthem which caufe diviftons and offences con- trary to the dotirine which you have Learned, and avoid them, Rom. 16.17. Neb. 6. t I. We define that every one of you do thew the fame diligence, to the full affurance of hope to the end, that you be not flotbful, butfollowers of them, &c. g. That you avoid, refill, and overcome the fame tempta- tions, as they did, whonow arc crowned. a o. That you bear the fame crofs, and exercife the fame faith, and hope, and patience, unto the end, r Pet. 4.1. Arm your felves with thefamemind, &c. In brief, this is the truc imitation of the Saints. Dire& 9. Never fuferyour life of jenfe to engage you fo deeply in jenfible converfe with men on earth, as to forget your heavenly relations andfociety ; but live as men that unfeigned- ly believe, that you have a more high, and noble converte every day to mind. If you are Believers indeed, let your faith go along with the fouls of your departed friends, into glory : And if you have forgot them by an unfriendly negligence, renew your acquain- tance with them. Think not that thofe only that live on earth, are fit for our converfe, and our comfort : Will you converfewith nonebut ignorant, felfi(ia,woridly tanners`? Are youmore contemptuousof the heavenly inhabitants,than the Gentleman in hell torments was, Luke í6.a6, 27. that thought one from the dead, though it had been but a beggar, would have been reverenced even by his fenfual brethren on earth, fo hr as to have perfwaded themunto faving Repentance. I tell you, a dead mans skull is oft-times a more profitable compa- nion, than moll that you Shall converfe with in the common world. The duff ofyour departed friends, and the clay that corps are turned into, is a good medicine for thofe eyes that are blinded with the dull of worldly vanities. Much more thould you keep your acquaintance with the foul, which may, for all the ditlance, be perhaps more ufcful toyou, than it was in the Mil. Alas, how carnally, and coldly, or feldom, do molt Profeffors look at thew Pr; andat the Angelical hots tet.are above. ...: out converfi.tca and mind ®as.
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