Non-Conformity to the World
Saints are expectants of glory. They are born from above, and have no home beneath their native skies. Here they are strangers and pilgrims, and plainly declare that they seek a better country. It is their avowed profession, that their happiness and hopes are neither in, nor from the present world. Their treasure is in Heaven. Much as they are influenced by the spirit, governed by the maxims, awed by the frowns, and seduced by the flattery of the world; they are so far aloof from all its corrupting influence, that between them and the world, there is a distinct line of demarcation. Perfectly aloof from the corruptions of the world, they are not in the life. But
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they are sufficiently so to make their nonconformity a distinguishing trait in their character. They have come out, and are separate. Tiicy are on the Lord’s side. They are a city set on a hill; so far raised above the common level of the world, that they cannot be hid. They are not of this world y even as Christ was not of this world. Such is the excellence of their character and the purity of their conduct, that the world is constrained to take knowledge of them that they have been with Jesus.
The spint of the world is incompatible with the spirit of the gospel. It is the spirit of pride, and not of humility; of self-indulgence, rather than of self-denial. Riches, honours, and pleasure, form the grand object of pursuit with the men of the world. Worldly men are solicitous to lay up treasures for themselves, and are not rich toward God. Their great inquiry is,” Who will show ns any good / JVhat shall we eat, what shall we drinky or wherewithal shall we be clothed y They are sensualy not having the spirit. Regardless of every thing but that which is calculated to gratify a carnal mind, they lift vp thtir souls unto vanity, and pant after the dust of the earth. Their thoughts and their aiiection:3 aie cuained down to V /
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the things of time and sense. In these they seem to be irrecoverably immersed. They seldom think, but they think of the world; they seldom converse, but they converse of the world. The world is the cause of their perplexity, and the source of their enjoyment. The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eye, and the pride of life, close every avenue of the soul to the exclusion of every holy desire, I had almost said, every serious reflection.
This spirit, the Christian has mortified. Now we, saith the Apostle, Now we have not received the spirit of the world, hut the spirit which is of God. The heavenly mind looks down on the things of the world as lying vanities that cannot profit. The disciple of Jesus, as he has nobler affections than the worldling, has a higher object and more elevated joys. What things were gain to him, those he counts loss for Christ, yea, doubtless he counts all things hut loss, for the excellency of the hiowledgt oj Christ Jesus his Lord; for jvhom he is ready to suffer the loss of all things, and to count them but dung that he may win Christ, While the wise man glories in his wisdom; while the mighty man glories in his might, and the rich man glories in his riches — it is his privilege to glory in the Lord; to glory in nothing save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified to him, and he to the jvorld. The character and cause of the Blessed Redeemer lie so near his heart, that, in coinpaiison with these, every thing else vanishes to nothing. He views the world by the eye of faith. He sees it in a light that reflects its intrinsic importance: the light of Eternity. There, the world shrinks to a point. The fashion of it passeth away. All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereoj is as the flower of the field. Compared with durable riches and righteousness, its highest enjoyments are trifles, light as air. Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities j all is vanity.
As the spirit of the world is not the spirit of God’s people, so the men of the world are not their companions. The saints are a peculiar people. The church is uniformly represented as a society that is distinct from the world. We know that we are of God, saith the apostle, cmd the whole world lieth in wickedness. Between the people of God, and the men of the world, there is an essential difference of character. The views, the desires, and the designs of the children of God, ure diametrically opposite to the views, the de-
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sires, and the designs of the men of the world* The one loves what the other hates. The one pursues what the other shuns. Saints are passing the narrow way which leads to life; sinners the broad way which leads to death. Hence there is no common bond between them. The dissimilarity of character, the diversity in the great objects of pursuit, naturally draw them asunder. If there were no other ground for the expectation, therefore, than the common principles of human nature, we might look for dissention rather than unity, between the disciples of Christ and the men of the world. How can two walk together, except they be agreed? What fellowship hath light with darkness? Or what communion hath Christ with Belial? The same principles which prompt the men of the world not to select the people of God for their familiar companions, also induce the people of God to choose other companions than the men of the world. There is an irreconcileable spirit between them. The friendship of the world is enmity with God, IMany as may be the mutual tokens of respect, civility, and kindness, (and many there should be,) between christians and the men of the world, they are, nothwithstanding, two distinct classes of men. Much as Christians esteem the men of the world as good members of civil so-Non-conformily to the World. 189
ciety; much as they regard their happiness, and endeavour to advance it; much as they compassionate their depravity, and deplore their prospects; much as they are conversant with them in the ordinary calls of duty — still, they are not their chosen companions. They cannot court their friendship; because they are afraid of it. Evil communications corrupt good manners. He that walketh with wise men shall he wise; but a companion of fools shall be rfestroked.
Those who have mortified the spirit, and who stand at a distance from the men of the world, are also in some good degree above its corrupting in Jliieace, The claim which, from their numbers and strength, the world are apt to consider themselves as warranted to make upon the opinions and practices of God’s people, is habitually resisted. Though good men may be oflen seduced by the smiles, and awed by the frowns of the world, it is no part of their general character to conform either to its pleasure or displeasure. They act from higher motives, and maintain a more consistent character, than to give way to indulge ncies merely for the sake of pleasing the world; or to avoid duty, merely through the fear of offending it. While they regard the fear of God more than the fear of man, they will not dishonour God to please the world. And while Ihey regard the favour of God more than the favour of man, they will not purchase the favour of man at the expense of the favour of God. An habitual regard to the will and the favour of God is an effectual security against the smiles of the world. The geat object of the Christian is duty; his predominant desire, to obey God. When he can please the world consistently with these, he will do so; otherwise, it is enough for him that God commands; and enough for them that he cannot disobey. The same spirit is also an effectual security against the frowns of the world. Real Christians cannot be more afraid of the displeasure of the world, than of the displeasure of God. While they dread to offend God, they cannot tam.ely bow to the frowns of men. Whether it he right to hearken unto men, rather than unto God, judge ye! This was the spirit of the early disciples; and this will be the spirit of every disciple down to the latest period of time. So far as he manifests the spirit of Christ, wherever he is, whatever he does, the fear of God uniformly predominates over the fear of man, and the love of God, rather than the love of the world, bears uncontrolled sway over his afTections and conduct.
There would be no difficulty in pointing out the path of duty upon this o;eneral subject; but there is some in saying, how far men may swerve from this path, and yet be Christians. One thing is plain: Christians cannot be worldlings. They cannot be lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God. He who fixes his highest affections on wealth, honour, business, sensual pleasures, gay amusements, and the various pursuits of the pre. sent scene, cannot fix them supremely on God. No man can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and Mammon.
Nor is the character of the vast multitude who attempt to make a compromise between God and the world, better than that of the mere worldling. They are of their father the Devil, and the lusts of their father they will do. The mere fact that they are for ever balancing between a life of devotion and a life of pleasure; that they design now to yield the empue to God, and then to the world, decides the question against them.
We must not deny that the children of God are sometimes guilty of awful defection from the standard of Christian Character in their intercourse with the world. But after all, their prevailing feelings and conduct are not those of conformity to the world, but of habitual non-conformity. The principles of the new man are at war with the principles of the world. True believers have put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is cormpt according to the deceitful lusts, and have put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. This I say then, saith the Apostle, walk in the Spirit, and ye shall fiOT fulfil the lusts of the flesh. We cannot walk after the flesh while we walk after the Spirit. While the love of God is the reigning affection of the heart, it will turn away with disgust from the allurements of the world. The spirit of Christians is a heavenly spirit. They look not on things that are seen, hut on those that are unseen, for the things that are seen are temporal, hut the things that are unseen are eternal. They set their affections on things above, and not on things on the earth.
This subject presents a number of solemn questions, to every one who is anxious to ascerlain whether his heart is riohl in the sioht of God. It is a great point with all of us to know, Whether we are spirituaily-ininded, or worldly-minded? Whether we are conformed to this world, or transformed hij the rcnewimj of our miiuls? Whether the objects of faith or of sense, things present or to come, have the predominating influence over our hearts?
What shall we say of those, and of those professing Christians too, who exhibit to themselves, and to others, all the traits of character which belong to worldly men? What of those, who pursue worldly things with all that ardour all that intemperate zeal, which enters into the pursuits of worldly men? Is there not reason to fear, that they are supremely attached to earth, and are as yet aliens from the commonwealth of Israel?
What shall we say of those who love the circles of fashion, more than the associations for prayer? and who court the friendship of the rich, the gay, and the honoura])le, more than that of the humble disciple of Jesus? What of those who send forth their little ones like a flock, and their children dance; who take the timbrel and harp, and rejoice al the sound of the organ? Was Job uncharitable, when he ranked persons of this character with those who say unto God, Depart from us, for ive desire not the knowledge of thy ways?
What shall we say of those, who are for ever varying from the path of duty, lest it shouM be unpopular; who never lisp a syllable, or lift a finger for the honour of God, lest ihey should displease the world? ^^’hat, but that ihey love the praise of men more than the praise of God?
Conformity to the world, is to be expected from the professed worldling. It is the character of the worldling. But is it to be expected from the professed disciple of Jesus? Is it the result of the habitual determinations of a heavenly mind. Is it the character of one who looks on things that are unseen and eternal; of a stranger and sojourner; of one who sets his affections on things above, and not on things on the earth? How many, like the young man in the gospel, exhibit a decent and regular outward profession, who are wholly devoted to the world! Here their affections centre. From this polluted fountain all their joys flow. They had been Christians but
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for the world. But the world is the fatal snare. They have plunged down the precipice, and drifted almost beyond the hope of recovery.
If any man love the worlds the love of the Father is not in him. The expression of the Apostle is not too strong: To be carnally minded is DEATH. Show me the men who imbi])e the spirit of the world; who choose the company of the world; who imitate the example of the world; conform to the maxims of the world; are swallowed up in the gayety, fashions, and anmsements of the world; — behold these are the ungodly y who CiC brovght into desolation as in a moment! — 1 have seen the wicked in great power, and spreading him” self like a green bay tree. Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I soughi him, hd he coidd not be found. Surely, thou didst set them in slip ptry places; thou easiest them, down into deslruc Hon,