242 OP SPIRITUAL MINDEDNESS. And indeed, to add a little further on the occasion of this digression, it is a sad thing to have this excep- tion made against the state of any man, on just grounds ; yea, but he loves the world. He is sober and industrious, he is constant in duties of religion, it maybe, an earnest preacher of them, a man of sound . principles, and blameless as to the excesses of life but he loves the world. The question is, how doth this appear 2 It may be, what you say, is but one of those evil surmises which all things are filled with. Wherefore, I speak it not at all to give countenance to the rash judging of others, which none are moreprone to, than those who one way or other are eminently guilty themselves. But Iwould have every man judge himself, that we be none of us condemned of the Lord. If notwithstanding the things mentioned, any of us do centre in self, which is supplied and filled with the world ; if we prefer self aboveall other things, aim at the satisfactionof self in what we do well or ill, are useless to the only good and blessed ends of these earthly things, in supplying the wants of others, according to the proportions wherewith we are in- trusted; it is to be feared, that the world, and the things that are in it, have the principal interest in our affections. And the danger is yet greater with them who divert on the other extreme. Such are they who, in pride of life, vanity in apparel, excess in drinking, pampering the flesh every day, tread close on the heels of the world, if they do not also fully keep company with it. Altogether in vain is it for such persons to counte- nance themselves with an appearance of other graces in them, or the sedulous performance of other duties. This one rule will eternally prevail against them ; if
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