CHAPTER XVII.

DUTY OF UNIVERSAL NON-CONFORMITY
TO THE WORLD.

SUCH, my fellow-Christians, are a few of the practices and pursuits in which you, and all who name the name of Christ, must "not be conformed to this world." However, as the world is, in all moral things, diametrically contrary to the will of God, and also one of your worst enemies, you must, likewise, in every worldly practice, and in every worldly pursuit which either looks like sin, or leads to it, be true non-conformists. The practical non-conformity which is thus incumbent upon you, and upon all who call themselves Christians, is a universal nonconformity; a non-conformity extending to all things; not, we need scarcely add, to things trivial or indifferent, so as to occasion singularity or oddity, but to things of a moral nature and tendency, and which are either directly or indirectly sinful. For, do we not read that Jesus Christ "gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and to purify unto

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If,

himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works?" Are not his followers, also, as 66 partakers of the heavenly calling," and "brethren" of Him, the true "High Priest of their profession," spoken of as men wondered at?" then, it is otherwise with your non-conformity, it is not what it should be, and what it must be. From its nature, indeed, this non-conformity is not fitted to draw forth such admiration and applause, as did the non-conformity of the Puritans of the seventeenth century, and of others in Primitive times. Yet, unpopular as it may be, it is not on that account the less praiseworthy in itself, the less pleasing to God, or the less profitable to man. On the contrary, practical non-conformity to what is sinful, is as important as doctrinal nonconformity to what is heretical, or ecclesiastical non-conformity to what is erastian. More especially, may this be said to be the case, as practical non-conformity to the world, is a species of non-conformity which not only extends to all things, but which exist at all times; which is ever within the power of all professing believers, and should ever be their distinguishing characteristic; and which is also, as much their interest as their duty. For, although the times in which you live may not be such as to subject you to any thing like Primitive, or Popish, persecution

for professing non-conformity in doctrine, or non-conformity in government, your times can never fail to be such as not to call upon you to exhibit non-conformity in practice-in the practice of every thing that has the semblance of sin. The more fashionable, also, the times may be in which your lot is cast, the more powerfully are you commanded to manifest your non-conformity to the world in its practices and pursuits, as well as in its opinions, its principles, and its pleasures; and even at the expense of the greatest sacrifice, and in the exercise of the greatest self-denial. We may, likewise, here remind you, that in different ages and countries, and in different spheres of life and circles of society, this practical non-conformity may be said to vary. For, just as different doctrinal and ecclesiastical errors prevail at different periods, and in different places, so do different practices and pursuits, more or less sinful, mediately if not immediately, prevail in public and in private. In each of these respects, however, all true disciples of the Divine Man must ever approve themselves stanch non-conformists; and infinitely more so in works than in words.

Applying these remarks to our own times, while swearing, uncleanness, and Sabbath profanation frightfully predominate, drunkenness

may be said to bear the palm of precedence. On this account, chiefly, our country has become so different from what it once was, if it is not still becoming worse. In such circumstances, my dear readers, whether you are members or office-bearers of the Church, what is the duty which you, as the truest patriots and the best philanthropists, owe to others as well as to yourselves? Not to speak of drunkenness itself, that worse than beastly sin, should you be conformed to the world in those drinking customs by which this gigantic national sin has been principally pampered and promoted? Or, should you be conformed to the world in any pursuit, any more than in any practice, by which this vice is fostered and fed? In any of these ways, should you countenance and encourage, in the slightest degree, the rampant sin of the day? Should you not rather, in each of these respects, make practical non-conformity to the world your daily Christian maxim, and manifest this daily in your Christian manner of living? For, have we not seen, that to all who profess to be Christ's this is the divine command, as to every practice, and every pursuit, which leads to sin, or that is sinful? Thus, instead of allowing this and other precepts of the word, which are exactly fitted to meet the evil of drunkenness, of the drinking

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PRESENT NON-CONFORMITY.

customs of society, and of drinking occupations, to lie in abeyance, or as a dead letter, should not you, and all who are professedly Christ's, at once bring them prominently into action, or embody them in practice and pursuit? In this way, we would "stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance," so that you may not only be "established in the present" practical "truth," and contend for it, but that you may combat and conquer the present great practical error, or sin. But, while, in the name of our common Lord and Saviour, we would call upon you so to conduct yourselves daily, we would also exhort you to make it your daily prayer, that, through the grace of God, this may be characteristic of you at all times, and in all things.