They are in a state of grace; they are the children of the light and of the day: therefore they are not to fleep as others do. 3. They must not be conformed to the world, because they are acted by another principle than the rest of world. They have a principle of faith; and this faith worketh by love: while the world lieth in unbelief; and this their unbelief worketh by enmity. They have a principle of love; and the love of Christ constrains them to ferve the Lord: while the enmity of the world constrains them to dishonour God. They have a principle of holy fear; while the world hath no fear of God before their eyes. 4. They must not be conformed to the world, because they are directed by another rule than the rest of the world. The rule that the world walks by is their own will, their own corrupt wicked will; and hence they fay with the people of old, We are lords, and we will not have this man to reign over us: but the rule by which the children of God do walk, is the word and will of God; and this is the will of God, even our fanctification. 5. They must not be conformed to the world, because they aim at another end than the rest of the world; whether we confider the end propounded by them, or the end defigned upon them.--The end propounded by them. Why, the last end, and chief end of the world is felf: to live to themselves: but the great and chief end of the godly, is to live unto GOD: the principle end they profess is God's glory, and Christ's honour. And those who differ fo far in their end, good reason they differ in their way. Again, as to the end designed upon them; why, the world will come to a dismal issue; for, the wicked will be turned into hell, and tormented with the dewil and his angels; but the godly, being chofen out of the world, will shortly enter into the joy of their Lord.-And feeing their ends are so different, surely they cannot both walk in the fame road. If one goes east, another west, furely they cannot walk the fame way. 6. They must not be conformed to the world, because they are objects of another love than the rest of the world: they are loved with an everlasting love, and fo fo drawn with loving kindness; and being drawn with the cords of love, they are to run the way of God's commandments, while others run in the broad way to destruction: the world is the object of God's hatred; Jacob have I loved, and Efau have I hated, Rom. ix. 13. 7. They must not be conformed to the world, because they are fervants of another master, than the rest of the world. The world ferves the devil, and ferves their lusts, and ferves other gods: but every believer is a Joshua in this; As for me, and my house, we will ferve the Lord. Now, a man cannot ferve two masters: and the believer cannot serve both God and Mammon; Christ and the world. 8. They must not be conformed to the world, because they are partakers of another Spirit than the world: They have not received the spirit of this world, but the Spirit which is of God. The world is led by an ill spirit to the land of darkness: whereas they are led by the good Spirit to the land of uprightness. The world is led by a poor, pitiful, low, and mean spirit: whereby they are easily put off with trifles, and fatisfied with shadows and vanities: but the godly are led by a noble, high, and heavenly spirit; whereby they aspire after divine and celestial things. - The world is led by a blind, ignorant, foolish spirit; whereby they are mad upon their idols: the children of God are led by a Spirit of wisdom, knowledge, and understanding; whereby they are wife unto salvation. And thus the circumstances of the people of God yield all the reason in the world, why they ought not to be conformed to this world. [2.] Their safety requires it also, that they be not conformed to the world: (1.) The fafety of their names, that are in danger to be disgraced. (2.) The safety of their confciences, that are in danger to be defiled. (3.) The fafety of their graces, that are in hazard of being marred. And, (4.) The fafety of their perfons, that are in danger to be punished by their conformity to the world. 1. The safety of their names require, that they be not conformed to this world: for their names are in danger of of being disgraced, by fuch a conformity. Because when they become like unto the wicked, and conformed to the world, they give occafion of their being suspected of the world, and so shame and disgrace their own name and their father's name; He that is a companion of riotous men, shameth his father, Prov. xxviii. 7. So the believer shames his heavenly Father by conformity to the world; for, what agreement is there between God and the world? He shameth his earthly father also, whether he be a graceless or a gracious man: if he be a graceless man, he shameth him, by giving occafion to say, he is like him; Like father like fon: If he be a gracious man, he shameth him, by being fo unlike unto him. But he especially shameth himself: for, whereas a good name is as precious ointment; fo his conformity to the world, in any measure, is the dead fly that causes the ointment of the apothecary to fend forth a stinking favour, Eccl. x. 1. They lofe their credit and esteem. 2. The fafety of their confciences require that they be not conformed to the world: because, by conformity to the world, their confciences are in danger of being defiled, and their fouls to be depraved; for the fin and way of the world is of an infectious nature: can a man touch pitch, and not be defiled? Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his cloaths/ not be burnt? Can he go ирон hot coals, and his feet not be burnt faith Solomon. We are told of the Jews, Pfal. cvi. 35. that when they were mingled among the beathen, they learned their works, and ferved their idols, which was a fnare to them. The finest looking-glaffes will gather dust and defilement: even fo may the children of God themselves gather dust and defilement, by mingling with the world; for fin is a plague and infection. And the haunting of finful company will defile a faint: Jofeph, in Pharaoh's court, learned to fwcar by the life of Pharoah; Peter, in the high-priest's hall, fwears and denies his Master; the Ifraelites, being ufed to the Egyptian furnaces, framed an idol. They that ly down with dogs, shall rife up with fleas; they that dwell in the kitchen, will smell of the smoke. 3. The fafety even of their graces, that are in danger to be marred and weakened, require that they be not conformed conformed to the world. There is not fuch a gracious perfon on earth, but if he cast himself, by untenderness and unwatchfulness, into the company of a carnal world he will find their conversation abate the edge of his zeal, and cool the fervour of his devotion; yea, enervate, debilitate, and weaken every grace; and, by little and little, transform him to their manner, in a great meafure, till fovereign grace reform him again: When iniquity abounds, the love of many waxeth cold. This newplanted colony of grace in the heart, is in great danger when oppofed, not only by the native, (I mean, our corruption,) but alfo by the auxiliary help and aid of the corruption of others. 4. The fafety of their persons require that they be not conformed to the world: for they who are conformed to the wicked world, are in danger of being punished therewith. Though all that are in Christ are freed from condemnation, and eternal wrath; yet they are not freed from affliction and temporal judgments, especially if they shall associate with the wicked. If Lot had not come out of Sodom, at the command of God, he had perished in the flames: If Noah had not made the ark, at God's command, he had perished in the flood with the world. And hence the command of God to us is, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues, Rev. xviii. 4. A companion of fools shall be destroyed, Prov. xiii. 20. And again, Come out from among them, and be ye separate, faith the Lord; and touch not the unclean thing, and I will receive you, 2 Cor. vi. 17. Shouldst thou help the ungodly, and love them that hate the Lord? therefore is wrath upon thee from before the Lord, 2 Chron. xix. 2. Thus you see many reasons, why the people of God muft not be conformed to this world; and that in refpect of themselves: their circumftances and their fafety every way require it. V. The fifth thing proposed, in the method, was, To make application of the subject; which we shall effay in an use of information, reproof, examination, and exhortation, inforced with some motives; and then conclude the fubject with some directions. Ufe 1. Let us improve the doctrine in an use of information. If then matters be so, as you have been hearing, That the people of God must not be conformed to the wicked world, we may hence learn, 1. What are the rules by which our conversation in the world is to be squared, and how our conversation with the world is to be cautioned. This non-conformity to the world doth not exclude all conversation whatfoever with the world: for, in feveral cafes, we may lawfully converse with them. QUEST. In what CASES may the godly converse with the world? Answ. (1.) In case of neceffity; when we are compelled and obliged to live amongst them. This was David's cafe in Kedar; Wois me that I dwell in Mesech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar, Pfal. cxx. 5. So it was with the church of Pergamus; I know where thou dwellest, even where Satan's feat is, Rev. ii. 13. Where God hath a chapel, Satan hath a throne. (2.) In case of policy, traffic, trade, and merchandise: in this respect we cannot live without the wicked of the world. It is lawful to have commerce with them; provided always we mingle not with their vices. (3.) In cafe of courtesy and civility. As this non-conformity to the world doth not exclude lawful traffic; fo neither doth it exclude, or impeach civil courtesy. It is not only lawful, but laudable to do any courteous offices towards them that are without, whereby to gain them. (4.) In case of charity: hence we are called to do good to all, but especially to the houshold of faith. Though the houshold of faith, in poverty, be the special objects of charity; yet, we are not to exclude others: Do good to all. (5.) In case of piety: and thus it is lawful to converse with the wicked as far as, by gentle and seasonable reproofs, we may, through grace, be useful to reclaim them. We are to walk wifely towards these that are with out; |