ticularly the words of the text "For our conversation is in heaven." The word conversation does not bear now the same sense. as it did when our Bible was translated into English; indeed, in the original language it signifies, our citizenship is in heaven: and it alludes to a practice, frequent in St. Paul's time, among the Romans particularly, of admitting, not only private persons, but even cities, to certain privileges belonging properly to Rome. These privileges were sometimes granted as a favour, sometimes purchased at a considerable price; but however they were obtained the possession of them was considered a great advantage. St. Paul, in the Acts, refuses to submit to the sentence of scourging on the ground, that he was a citizen of Rome; and, when the captain replied that he himself had purchased this freedom with a great sum, answers that he, as a native of Tarsus, was free-born.

But then, as this freedom or citizenship conferred some privileges, so it likewise introduced some engagements of subjection to the laws and customs of that common

wealth, of which the persons were free. All this was perfectly well understood to the Philippians, to whom this epistle was written, as they themselves were citizens of Rome, though at a great distance from it. The propriety, therefore, of the expression to the Philippians in particular is very evident, and so is the application of it to Christians in general. We all, like them, belong to a city, at a distance from which it is our lot at present to dwell. That is our continuing city, "a city that hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God;" and all our hopes of a blessed immortality depend upon our being members of it. Of this city we are made inheritors a claim to it is purchased for us by the precious blood of our Redeemer.

How highly ought we to esteem, how thankful ought we to show ourselves for the privileges which such a claim confers upon us! How ought our eyes, our souls to be fixed upon them-how continually ought our thoughts, our strength, our time, to be employed in the pursuit of them! How very vigilant and careful we should

be not to dishonour our character or become guilty of any thing that may forfeit those rights!—a character which they quite forget who prefer the cares of the world, and the pleasures of sin, to the prospect of heavenly glories -a forfeiture which they certainly must expect who live only to gratify those corrupt appetites and desires, which are there allowed no place. For if we be Christians, we are heirs and citizens of heaven: even now, therefore, we must be trained in the laws and manners of that holy city; and though we cannot arrive at the purity and devotion of its blessed inhabitants; yet we are bound to strive after as near a resemblance as our present condition will allow and it is by imitating them here, that we shall be made fit to live hereafter with them.

You have seen the morning mist hang heavy upon the earth, till, warmed and made pure by the sun, it gradually rose towards the heavens, and took the light and beautiful form of clouds-so it must be with our souls; we must not go on. to the last defiling ourselves with sins which

God abhors, trusting presumptuously that the change of death will be a change of nature, but we must steadily set ourselves to live after the commandments of our Lord; that our souls, gradually purified from worldly defilements by the sun of his gospel, may mount nearer and nearer to their heavenly city; and at length, by the mighty change that Christ shall make, live in the glorious form and holy nature of the saints on high. As they are set above the vanities and changes of this world by the present enjoyment of bliss unspeakable and eternal; so should the prospect of that bliss raise our hearts above the present world; inspire a contempt for all forbidden pleasures, a temperate use of the innocent enjoyments, and short uncertain advantages here below; lighten all our afflictions, moderate all our passions, and reconcile us to the approaches of that death, which will then be but the passage to eternal joy. As they are all united in the most perfect agreement and tenderest love, so should we study unity and concord, charity, peace, mutual condescension, and kind forbear

ance.

As they are freed from sin, and shine in uninterrupted holiness, so should we consider ourselves as persons no longer under the power of the flesh, but led by the same spirit to a rational and divine life; a life of temperance and chastity, of scrupulous virtue and unpretending piety; of activity and unwearied industry in doing good; and of such habitual mortification of those desires that spur us on to sin, that as they exist not with the blessed above, so they shall now be dead in us.

Such are the manners, such the requisitions of that glorious city above, which as members of that best and most blessed society, we must observe. And thus only can we, in any sense of the word, make the proof and receive the profit" of our conversation being in heaven." It is true that while we thus endeavour to "live not after the flesh but after the spirit," we carry something within us which will give great interruption to the best of men, something for which a preposterous and dangerous fondness hinders most men from endeavouring so to live at all. Were we, like