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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.

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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 Chrift conftrains them to ferve the Lord: while the enmity of the world conftrains them to difhonour 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 reft 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 profefs 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 defigned upon them; why, the world will come to a difmal iffue; for, the wicked will be turned into hell, and tormented with the devil and his angels; but the godly, being chofen out of the world, will fhortly enter into the joy of their Lord.-And feeing their ends are fo different, furely they cannot both walk in the fame road. If one goes eaft, another weft, 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

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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 deftruction: 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 mafter, than the rest of the world. The world ferves the devil, and ferves their lufts, 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 ferve both God and Mammon; Chrift and the world.

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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 fpirit to the land of darkness: whereas they are led by the good Spirit to the land of uprightnefs.-The world is led by a poor, pitiful, low, and mean fpirit: whereby they are eafily put off with trifles, and fatisfied with fhadows and vanities: but the godly are led by a noble, high, and heavenly spirit; whereby they afpire 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 falvation.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 fafety requires it alfo, that they be not conformed to the world: (1.) The fafety of their names, that are in danger to be difgraced. (2.) The fafety 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 fafety of their names require, that they be not conformed to this world: for their names are in danger

of

of being difgraced, by fuch a conformity. Because when they become like unto the wicked, and conformed to the world, they give occafion of their being fufpected of the world, and fo fhame and difgrace 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 fhames his heavenly Father by conformity to the world; for, what agreement is there between God and the world? He fhameth his earthly father alfo, whether he be a graceless or a gracious man: if he be a graceless man, he fhameth him, by giving occafion to fay, 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 fhameth himfelf: 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 cintment of the apothecary to fend forth a ftinking 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 bofom, and his cloaths not be burnt? Can he go upon bot 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 heathen, they learned their works, and ferved their idols, which was a fnare to them. The finest looking-glaffes will gather duft and defilement: even fo may the children of God themselves gather duft 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 Mafter; the Ifraelites, being ufed to the Egyptian furnaces, framed an idol. They that ly down with dogs, fhall rife up with fleas; they that dwell in the kitchen, will fmell of the fmoke.

3. The fafety even of their graces, that are in danger to be marred and weakened, require that they be not conformed

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conformed to the world. There is not fuch a gracious. perfon on earth, but if he caft 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 opposed, not only by the native, (I mean, our corruption,) but alfo by the auxiliary help and aid of the corruption of others.

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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 Christ are freed from condemnation, and eternal wrath; yet they are not freed from affliction and temporal judgments, especially if they fhall 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 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. A companion of fools fhall 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 F 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.

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4.

Thus you fee many reafons, 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 propofed, in the method, was, To make application of the subject; which we fhall effay in an ufe of information, reproof, examination, and

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

Ufe 1. Let us improve the doctrine in an use of information. If then matters be fo, 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 converfation 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 whatsoever 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 merchandife: 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; 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 houfhold of faith, in poverty, be the fpecial 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 feasonable reproofs, we may, through grace, be useful to reclaim them. We are to walk wifely towards these that are with

out;

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