as the man that is born blind, does from a living sensibility of light. _Academicus._ You know, Sir, that in the morning you told me of a first step, that must be the _beginning_ of a spiritual life; you gave me till to-morrow to speak my mind and resolution about it. But you have now extorted my answer from me: with all the strength that I have, I turn from every thing that is not God, and his holy will; with all the desire of my heart, I give up myself wholly to the light and Holy Spirit of God; pleased with nothing in this world, but as it gives time and place, and occasions of doing and being that, which my heavenly Father would have me to do and be; seeking for no happiness from this earthly fallen life, but that of overcoming all its spirit and tempers. But I believe, _Theophilus_, you had something farther to say. _Theophilus._ Indeed, _Academicus_, there is hardly any knowing when one has said enough of the evil effects of a _worldly spirit_. It is the canker that eateth up all the fruits of our other good tempers; it leaves no degree of goodness in them, but transforms all that we are to do, into its own earthly nature. The philosophers of old, began all their virtue in a total renunciation of the spirit of this world. They saw with the eyes of heaven, that darkness was not more contrary to light, than the wisdom of this world to the spirit of virtue; therefore they allowed of no progress in virtue, but so far as a man had overcome himself, and the spirit of this world. But the doctrine of the cross of Christ, the last, the highest, the most finishing stroke given to the spirit of this world, that speaks more in _one word_ than all the philosophy of voluminous writers, is yet professed by those, who are in more friendship with the world than was allowed to the disciples of _Pythagoras_, _Socrates_, _Plato_, or _Epictetus_. Nay, if those antient sages were to start up among us with their divine wisdom, they would bid fair to be treated by the sons of the gospel, if not by some fathers of the church, as dreaming enthusiasts. But, _Academicus_, this is a standing truth, the world can only love its own, and wisdom can only be justified of her children. The heaven-born _Epictetus_ told one of his scholars, that _then_ he might _first_ look upon himself, as having made _some true_ proficiency in virtue, when the world took him for a _fool_; an oracle like that, which said, _The wisdom of this world is foolishness with God_.