conformed to this world." By World here, we are to understand the men of the world, the wicked of the world, the lusts of the world, the way and course of the world, &c. And by not CONFORMING thereto, we are to understand, our not fashioning ourselves according to the world. All the disciples and followers of Christ must be non-conformists to this world, or unlike the wicked therein. And for the further explication of this text, I shall prosecute this doctrinal proposition.

OBSERV. That the people of God must not be like the world, or the wicked therein: They must not be conformed to the wicked world.

The method we propose to observe, for illustrating this observation, through supernatural aid, shall be the following.

I. Prove and clear the truth of the doctrine.

II. Inquire what it is in the world we are not to be conformed to.

III. Point out what this disconformity to the world imports.

IV. Give the reasons why we are not to be conformed to the world.

V. Make application of the whole subject.

Now, as I suppose, this subject is not unseasonable: so, I think, it is not unsuitable to the last we insisted upon from Prov. xxx. 14.

166

Having of late, 1. Spoken of the FATHER'S exhibition of Christ, saying, "I will give thee for a covenant of the people." 2. Of the SPIRIT's operation, in order to his being known; " He shall testify of me." 3. Of the Son's declaration of his own excellency, saying, “I and my Father are one." 4. Of the WORLD's disapprobation of this glorious person, and the harsh treatment he got among them; Behold, I and the children which the Lord has given me, are for signs and wonders in Israel." 5. Of the REASON why so many, even in Israel, pour contempt thus upon Christ and his followers; why,

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness." Here is the set of the world. We now come, 6. To inquire what is our DUTY in a suitableness to this, even not to be conformed to this world.

I. The first thing proposed, on the general method, was, To prove and clear the truth of the doctrine, viz. That the people of God must not be like the wicked world, or conformed thereto. We shall prove this both by scripture precepts and precedents.

1st. There are scripture precepts, both in the Old and New Testament, to evince the truth hereof; and I would have you to consult them carefully in your Bible, and there see what is the mind of God to you in this

matter.

:

1. There are Old-Testament precepts that enjoin this duty such as these and the like: "Thou shalt not fol low a multitude to do evil," Exod. xxiii. 2. "Enter not into the path of the wicked; and go not in the way of evil men: avoid them, pass not by them' turn from them, and pass away." Prov. iv. 14, 15. See also, Lev. xviii. 24. 27. Deut. xii. 30, 31, 32. Psal. i. 1. Prov. i. 10, 11. 14, 15, 16.

2. There are likewise New-Testament precepts enforcing the duty, such as these following; " And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation, Acts ii. 40. This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind-Be not partakers with them, Eph. iv. 17. v. 7. Keep yourselves unspotted from the world," James i. 27. See also, Mat. v. 46. vi. 31, 32. Luke xii. 29, 30. 2 Cor. vi. 15, 16. 1 Thess. v. 5. 8. 2 Pet. iii. 17.

2dly, There are scripturé precedents to influence us not to be conformed to the wicked world. I shall instance in the following persons. (1.) In Noah, Gen. vii. 1. "And the Lord said unto Noah, Come thou and all thy house into the ark; for thee have I seen righteous before me in this generation." (2.) In Lot; 2 Pet. ii. 7, 8. " And delivered righteous Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked; for that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul, from day to day, with their sinful deeds." (3.) In Joshua, chap, xxiv. 14. "And if it seem evil unto you to serve the Lord, choose you this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers

G g

served, that were on the other side of the flood, 'or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me, and my house, we will serve the Lord." 4. In Nehemiah: chap. v. 15. " But the former governors that had been before me, were chargeable unto the people, and had taken of them bread and wine, beside forty shekels of silver: yea, even their servants bare rule over the people: but so did not I, because of the fear of God." (5.) In David: Psal. xxvi. 4, 5. "I have not sat with vain persons; neither will I go in with dissemblers; I have hated the congregation of evil doers; and will not sit with the wicked."

66

The Lord would have his children to act flat contrary to the world, and not be like other men. That part of the Pharisee's prayer, Luke xviii. 11. wherein he thanks God that he was not like other men, was not amiss for the substance of it, if it had not come from a vain-glorious, proud, and lying spirit; for he thought that he was better than others, whereas he was worse than all others to whom he preferred himself: but yet every one should labour to be that truly, for which he gave thanks falsely; even not to be like others. Others neglect prayer, whether secret, family, or social: others neglect Christ, and despise his word and institutions; yea, many others, they drink, and swear, and whore, and cheat, and defraud and oppress, and lie, and break the Sabbath, and give way to all manner of impieties and immoralities. Either they are not subject to his law, and so walk in all manner of wickedness: or they are not subject to his gospel and so will not submit themselves to his righteousness, to be saved by grace through Jesus Christ. Therefore we must not be like others. Others are without; and without are dogs. And indeed, we find others, and without, are equivalent terms in scripture, Mark iv. 11. To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom, but to them that are without, all is in parables." And compared with Luke viii. 10. "To you it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom; but to others in parables.' Mark hath it. To them that are without; and Luke hath it, To others. Others then, I say, are without, and belong not to God. It is dangerous, there

fore, being with others; for they are without, and shall be without; it is better to be within alone, than without with others. So much for clearing and confirming the truth of the doctrine. We must not be like the world. II. The second general head was, To inquire what it is in the world that we are not to be conformed to. In short then, we must not be conformed to the things of the world, the fashions, worship, principles nor trade of the world,

1. We must not be conformed to the things of the world; for they are mutable, and the fashion of them passeth away. What are the things of the world that we must not be conformed to? The apostle gives us a sum of these things; "All that is in the world, the lusts of the flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world; and the world passeth away, and the lusts thereof," 1 John ii. 16, 17. We are so far to avoid being conformed to the sinful things of the world, that, in our several places and stations, we ought to witness against them; nay, even in the indifferent things of the world, which are not in themselves sinful, we must so far not conform ourselves to the manner of the world therein, as not to act by the world's dictates, as our rule: nor to aim at the world's favour, as our end. True Christianity consists much in a sober singularity. Here we might shew a variety of things in the world that we ought not to be conformed unto, or thirst after: such as the profits, the honours, preferments, pleasures, and applause of the world; but we insist not.

2. We must not be conformed to the fashions and customs of the world; "Not fashioning ourselves according to the former lusts,' as the apostle Peter speaks, 1 Pet. i. 14. There is a novelty of disposition prevails, that makes multitudes fall in with every new, vain fashion. There are vain fashions of gesture, ways of carrying, that discover nothing but levity, and expressly condemned in scripture, Isa. iii. 16. There are vain fashions of apparel, inconsistent with, and unsuitable to the rules of modesty, that many affect: contrary to the word of God, Isa. iii. 18,-23. 1 Tim. ii. 9. 1 Pet. iii. 3. This is the epidemical disease of both sexes; and even

too much affected by those who ought to be exemplary to others, of modesty and sobriety. There are vain and foolish customs, even in matters of religion; and many are fond of what is fashionable, though it be never such an ill fashion. Hence,

3. We must not be conformed to the worship of the world; for the world worship they know not what; they worship an unknown God; they worship God in a carnal, hypocritical, and superstitious way. But we are to worship him in spirit, and in truth; and in the way and manner that he hath appointed in his word, that we may not be puzzled with that question, "Who hath required these things at your hand?" but may have it to say, "He by whose authority I do these things, is neither pope, nor prelate, nor civil potentate; but there is my "warrant in the word of God."

66

66

Hence,

4. We must not be conformed to the traditions and rudiments of the world; Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy, and vain deceit, after the invention of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ," Col. ii. 8. See also, ver. 20, 21, 22. where God teacheth us our freedom from all abolished ceremonies, and ritual observances; and that subjection to ordinances of human invention and appointment, in the worship of God, is highly blameable and contrary to the freedom and liberty of the gospel; and invading the authority of Christ, the head of the church, on which account we are exhorted to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free; and not to be entangled again into the yoke of bondage. But I must here pass many things, which would natively fall in, for want of time.

5. We must not be conformed to the principles of the world. There are many doctrinal principles that we are not to be conformed to, which would lead to a large field to speak of*: but to confine myself to this point, namely, What are the principles of the unregenerate world? Why, they are even naturally of devilish and hellish

* The Reader if he pleases, may see some of those Doctrinal -Principles, by consulting Vol. III. Serm. XXXIII. under the use of Reproof.