Abbildungen der Seite
PDF
EPUB
[ocr errors]

conformed to the world. There is not fuch a gracious. perfon on earth, but if he caft himfelf, by untenderness and unwatchfulaefs into the company of a carnal world, he will find their converfation 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. new-planted 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 perfons 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 Chrift are freed from condemnation, and eternal wrath; yet they are not freed from affliction and temporal judgments, efpecial ly if they thall affociate 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 perifhed 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 partak ers of her fins, and that ye receive not of her plagues,' Rev. xviii. 4. "A companion of fools fhall be deftroyed," Prov. xiii. 20. And again, "Come out from among them, and be ye feparate, 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 fee many reafons, why the people of God must 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 propofed, in the method, was, To make application of the fubject; which we fhall ef fay in an ufe of information, reproof, examination, and

Ii3

ex

exhortation, inforced with fome motives; and then conclude the subject with fome directions.

Ule 1. Let us improve the doctrine in an ufe of information. If then matters be fo, as you have been hearing, That the people of God muft 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 fquared, and how our converfation with the world is to be cautioned. This non-conformity to the world doth not exclude all converfation whatfoever with the world: for, in feveral cafes, we may lawfully converfe with them.

QUEST. In what CASES may the godly converfe with the world?

ANSW. (1.) In cafe of neceffity; when we are compelled and obliged to live amongst them. This was David's cafe in Kedar; " Wo is me that I dwell in Mefech, that I dwell in the tents of Kedar;" Pfal. cxx. 5. So it was with the church of Pergamus; "I know where thou dwelleft, even where Satan's feat is," Rev, ii. 13, Where God hath a chapel, Satan hath a throne,

(2.) In cafe of policy, traffic, trade and merchandise : in this refpect 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; fa neither doth it exclude, or impeach civil courtesy. It is not only lawful, but laudable to do any courteous of fices towards them that are without, whereby to gain

them.

(4.) In cafe of charity; hence we are called to do good to all, but especially to the houfhold of faith. Tho' the houfhold of faith, in poverty, be the special objects of charity; yet, we are not to exclude others: "Do good

to all."

(5.) In cafe 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

without; to vifit them in their distress, when they are in affliction; and to do all the good we can to their fouls.

(6.) In cafe of affinity. This non-conformity to the world doth not take away natural affection; neither will it extend to a separation between husband and wife, for the fake of religion: it is lawful for the believing wife to converfe with the carnal hufband, as Abigail with Nabal: nay, for religion's fake, fuch are called to converle together; "What knoweft thou, O wife, whether thou fhalt fave thy hufband? or, what knowest thou, Oman, whether thou halt fave thy wife ?"Cor.vii.14.16.

In all these, and the like cafes, converfe with the wicked of the world is lawful. But the meaning of non-conformity with them is, we muft not chufe them for our daily companions, delight in their difcourfe, or frequent their haunts; "Now, I have written unto you, not to keep company; if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner, with fuch a one no not to eat," 1 Cor. v. 11. We are not to affect their fociety, nor to favour their wickedness; but keep ourfelves unfpotted from the world, James i. 27.

Thus we fee, I fay, the rule by which our converfation in the world fhould be fquared. In things which are abfolutely moral indeed, all rules of art fhould be affirmative but in this point, a man may give a nega tive rule, which may be fafe and good. Do not as the world doth do quite contrary to them. It is a good rule to live by, to mark the courfes of worldly men, and to do the quite contrary. Worldly men give themselves to covetournefs, to worldly pleafure, worldly lufts, worldly affections now, it is a good rule of walk, to observe what they do, and to do the quite contrary.

2. Hence we may fee, if it be the property of a true Christian, not to be conformed to the world, how few true Chriftians there are in the world. There are many profeffors indeed, but few godly perfons: why? because they are like the world; they live as others in the world do; they live as atheifts and infidels. Look to yourfelf, man, woman; do you not even the fame things that the rest of the profane world do? Do you not live

114

after

after the fame courfe, and at the fame rate? They reftrain prayer before God, both in fecret, and in their families they neglect the word; they regard it not, they obey it not; they fwell against it, they fnarl at it: they break and profane the Sabbath; they omit the proper duties of it, and do thofe things which are in themfelves unlawful on that day; they are malicious; they are deceitful in their dealings: they live contentedly without Chrift; though they be poor, they live contentedly without the tried gold of his grace; though they be blind, they live fatisfied without the eye-falve of his Spirit; though they be naked, they live peaceably without the white raiment of his righteoufnels. Now, what is your life? What contrariety is there between you and the world? Do you not live the very fame way? O then, you are conformed to this world with the reft; and, how few are otherwife! Therefore there are but few faints indeed; becaufe the moft part are conformed to the world, and taken up with the vanities of it.

I understand there is to be a remarkable meeting here this week; an idle, vain rendevous; I know not upon what pretence: but I fear the motto of it be, Vanity and Folly; if not Wickednefs and Debauchery in the iffue: and in cafe that prove the iffue of it, I muft exoner myfelf on the head. True; fome may be thinking, it is better that the minifter hold his peace; for, fay what he will, the company will but laugh at it, when they are conveened: But I do not value that; I muft anfwer to God for what I fay, and you must answer for what you hear and do at his tribunal; and fee who will laugh there.

I have only a few questions to propofe to all that defign to countenance that convention of idlenefs and folly, 1. Will it be no conformity to the world, and foftering of its vanity and idlenefs, to give countenance thereto? 2. Will it be with a view to glorify God, or edify any poor immortal foul, that this meeting fhall gather together? 3. Will it be of fuch a nature, that any, who countenance it, dare go to God and pray for a bleffing upon it? 4. Will it be of fuch a nature, and fhall not

coun

counteract, and contradi&t the call of providence, at this day, which calls us rather to mourning and weeping, than to joy and gladnefs? 5. Will it be a meeting of God's approbation, and fuch as they fhall be able to account for, at his awful tribunal, without fear or fhame? 6. Will it be fuch a meeting, as that your countenancing it, will give ground of joyful reflection, when your eye ftrings are breaking, and your fouls. flying out of your bodies into eternity?

If these questions can be anfwered in the pofitive, and that it be indeed a meeting of this nature, then I have no quarrel with it but if otherwife, and that none of thefe things can be faid of it, then I protest against it, in God's great name; and take inflruments, in the hands of your confciences, that I do fo. And I would earneftly exhort all, that defire to be followers of Chrift, that they would beware of it, as they would not offend God, nor grieve the generation of the righteous, and be guilty of conformity to the world: for, before ever it come, it hath no favour of Heaven about it; and, I fear, the interest of hell be advanced, and the vanity of the mind promoted by it.

Why, fay you, it is but defigned for a little diverfion and recreation. Indeed, it is eafy for perfons to put a fair face upon a foul defign: but I fear the promifcuous dancing and revelling that I hear is defigned, together with the drinking and caroufing that may take place, will difcover that the god of this world will be the great mafter-conveener, and the lufts of the world will be the great diverfion; even the lufts of the flesh, the lufts of the eye, and the pride of life,

A meeting for prayer and humiliation would be more fuitable for the fad ftate of the fouls of many of thofe who have fuch defigns in view: for, it is to be feared, fome will give countenance to that vanity, by whom the ordinances of Chrift have been little countenanced thefe twelve months; and fome who will find more pleasure in fuch merry caballing, than ever they found in God's fanctuary all their days; which fays, that they have more need that God fet them to their knees, to depricate the vengeance that is hanging over their guilty heads, than

that

« ZurückWeiter »