Pagina-afbeeldingen
PDF
ePub

father's houfe; fo fhall the King greatly defire thy beauty," Pfal. xlv. 10, 11. The child of God is made to forlake the world, and to come up from this world leaning on the Beloved: this feems to be the import of that call to the church, Song iv. 8. "Come with me from Lebanon: look from the top of Amana, from the top of Shenir and Hermon: from the lions dens, and the mountains of leopards." We profefs to renounce the devil, the world, and the flefh; to forfake the world, and follow Chrift. Now, this forfaking of the world, viewed negatively, it is not to go out of the world by a hafty death, that were double iniquity; nor is it to vow a voluntary poverty, as the Papists do; nor is it to be idle and improvident about the things of the world: but, affirmatively, to forfake the world, is to do it in point of ufe: to ufe this world as if we ufed it not; that is, moderately to forfake it in point of fervice; we are not to be flaves to it; for, we cannot ferve God and Mam, mon to forfake it in point of confidence; we are not to truft in, or depend upon outward enjoyments: and we are to forfake it in point of adherence, fo as not to be glewed to it; it fhould not be like the hair upon the head, or fkin of the hand, which cannot be pulled off without pain: but like a hat on the head, or a glovon the hand, that we can take off when we please: we muft keep a loose grip of it. And,

4. This difconformity to the world imports, an actual crucifying of the world: "God forbid, that I fhould glory, faith the apoftle, fave in the cross of the Lord Jefus Chrift; by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world." The world cares not for me, and I care not for the world; the world is dead to me, and I am dead to the world, But I infift not, and therefore proceed,

IV. To the fourth thing, which was, To enquire why, or for what reafons, the people of God muft not be conformed to the world. Why, in general, because they are of another world: they are fubjects of another kingdom; they are people of another ftate; they are perfons of another principle; they are recipients of another fpirit; they are directed by another rule; and they

are

are aiming at another world, than the rest of the world: but concerning thefe, and other things of this nature, we will have occafion to speak upon more fully afterwards. We fhall only, in the meantime, obferve, that there are two great contending parties, that powerfully draw all men after them; namely, God and the world; and there is an irreconcilable enmity between them: those who are on God's fide, are against the world; and those that are on the world's fide, are against God: and therefore, it is the duty of all the followers of Chrift, not to take the world's part against him; and confequently, not to be conformed to the world. When the three children, Dan. iii. 12. refufed to fall down and worship Nebuchadnezzar's image, he was full of fury, and the form of his vifage was changed against them, It is fo with the men of this world; if the friends of Chrift will not bow down and worship this golden image, and join in with the vanities and follies thereof, why then the worldlings run mad at them. It is true, the world would agree with the godly, if they would bow down to them: but that they cannot do, they dare not do; because the Lord forbids it: "Be not conformed to the world.”

ver. 19.

Now the reafons of the doctrine may be claffed under thefe four heads. The children of God muft not be conformed to this world, 1. In respect of God. 3. In refpect of their brethren, And, 4. In refpect of themfelves.

refpect of the world.

2. In

It, In refpect of God; there are many reafons might be given, why the people of God are not to be conformed to the world. For,

1. By being conformed to the world, you tempt God, and lead yourselves into temptation: if any of God's. people entertain unneceffary communion with the wicked of the world, like Peter in the high-prieft's hall, they tempt God, to let them fall into mifchief, contrary to his exprefs command, "Thou fhalt not tempt the Lord thy God." They run upon a dangerous precipice, where, if God take away his hand, they may fall and break all their bones.

2. By being conformed to the world, they so far for

fake

fake God, and fo forfake their own mercies, and run into idolatry hence covetoufnefs is called idolatry; for it is making the world our God. Whatever we love molt, and ferve moft, and depend upon moft, that we make our God; and fo do we, when we love, ferve, and depend upon the world fo as to juftle God out of doors: But, why do we dote upon the creature, cr upon the world? For, whatever the world hath of good, it hath it from God. Your food, raiment, comforts, and conveniencies in the world, as they are any way good to you, it is from God: and therefore, if you forfake God, and follow the world, from a defire after thefe things, you forfake the full fountain, and follow the fading ftreams; you depart even from the true good, that is in the world itself, while you go to the world for it. "My people have committed two great evils; they have forfaken me, the fountain of living waters; and hewed them out cifterns, broken cifterns, that can hold no water," Jer. ii. 13.

3. God and the world are at odds; there is a dif agreement between God and the world, between Christ and the world: all the time that Chrift was in the world, it mocked, reviled, oppofed, and perfecuted him, and at laft killed him; and Chrift, by his life and death, did fight against the world, and overcome it: and he hath put enmity between his people and the world. All the prophets, and apostles, and faints, in all ages, have been at hot war with the world, and contended with all the wicked in it; "They that forfake the law, praise the wicked; but fuch as keep the law, contend with them,” Prov. xxviii. 4. They have been men of contention in the world: Why? the world is in arms against their God; therefore the Lord hath fworn that he will have war with it, as with Amalek, unto all generations; and with all who fhall join it; yea, or stand neutral: they are curfed, because they rife not up to the help of the Lord against the mighty, Judges v. 23. Chrift hath given encouragement to his people, that they fhall be more than conquerors, through him who hath overcome the world.

4. The love of God, and the love of the world, are contrary" He that loveth the world, the love of the Father is not in him." God's work is, to draw our affecti

ons

ons from the world; the world's work is, to draw our affections from God: and both God and the world feek the whole man. If a man defire to be religious, God must have his whole heart: and he through grace must give it, and make a continual trade of religion: if a man defire to be rich, the world will oblige him to rise early, and fit up late, and eat the bread of carefulness ; yea, and employ his head and heart, and all about the world. And therefore God and the world cannot be ferved by one and the fame man. Yea, the love of the world leads to the hatred of God: because there is a contrary nature between God and the world; the Lord is pure, the world is polluted; the Lord is good, the world is evil the Lord hates the world, though not as his creature, but as it is our Lord's rival, ufurping his room in our hearts.

2dly, In refpect of the world itself, many reasons may be given, why the people of God are not to be conformed to it. And here if we view the men of this world, the god of this world, and the whole complex frame of it, we will fee grounds and reafons why we ought not to be conformed thereto.

1. The men of this world is a reafon, why the people of God fhould not be conformed to this world, or to the practice of the men that are in it. Why? it hardens the wicked in their wickedness, when they fee professors of religion, and thofe that have the reputation of godly perfons, join with them, or too familiarly converse with them and fo this their conformity to the world, is hurtful to the wicked of the world; they will applaud themselves in their wicked courfes, when fuch as are applauded for godly perfons do affociate with them. Thus, after Saul had fpared Agag, Samuel refused to return with him; " And Samuel faid unto Saul, I will not return with thee; for thou haft rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord hath rejected thee from being king over Ifrael," Sam. xv. 26. So fhould the godly fay to the wicked, Ye have rejected the word of the Lord; therefore I will not return with you, I will not join with you. If you join with the vitious, you do vice too much honour. If you join with the finner, you give fin too much

encour

encouragement. And therefore, it is fometimes the greatest act of love towards wicked men, to deny them our countenance, and withdraw from their fociety; yea, to refufe to keep company with them, may fometimes be a means to reform them.

2. The god of this world is another reafon why the people of God ought not to be conformed to it. The god of this world is the devil; and to be conformed to this world, is conformity to the devil; and to love the world, is to worfhip the devil; therefore, as covetoufnefs is called idolatry; fo the devil tempted Chrift to worship him, by offering the world to him, Mat. iv. 9. This world is the devil's walk where he goes to and fro; yea, goes about as a roaring lion, feeking whom he may devour; and like a crooked ferpent, whom he may deceive: and when we are upon the devil's ground, among the wicked of the world, joining in fellow fhip with the wicked, in their unfruitful works of darknefs, it is one to a thousand, if Satan do not cheat us through his fubtilty; and, by little and little, captivate us. As thieves ufually firft put in a little one at the window to open the door to all the reft; fo Satan prefents us an apple, a wedge of gold to the eye; or a whifpering tale, a pollut ing word, or fulpicion to the ear; thefe are the doors of the houfe; and thefe little thieves will open the door, and let in adultery, whoredom, theft, malice, murder, &c. Satan's requeft feems mannerly and modeft at firft. As Semiramis defired of Ninus only to reign one day, and that day to do what fhe pleased, what fhe lifted; which being granted, behold in that day fhe cut off his head: even fo, the devil, the god of this world, will defire only to reign a day, or to have you dedicate a day to him and to the world, and the vanities, and follies, and vices thereof; but, behold, in that very day he may cut off your head, cut off your foul, by drawing away your heart and affections from God.

3. The whole complex frame of this world, and things thereof, affords a complex reason why we are not to be conformed to this world. Why, the whole world lieth in wickedness: for, All that is in the world, the lufts of the flesh, the lufts of the eye, and the pride of life, are

nothing

« VorigeDoorgaan »