ther, and the Prince of Peace, may not perhaps appear so forcible and striking as it really is: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies. of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your. reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world." Here, however, you see that it is on all hands expected, that the dedication of yourselves to God must break off your connections with the world: or, that it is the duty, and must be the care, of all Christians, to decline conformity to the world.

You see it is the former part of this verse that I have now particularly in view: "Be not conformed to this world." And here it will be necessary to inquire,

I. In what respects Christians should not be conformed to this world.

II. On what accounts they should not thus conform.

III. By what means such a conformity may be prevented or remedied.

I. In what respects Christians should not be conformed to this world.

We are informed that before the deluge "God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually." (Gen. vi. 5.) This is true, not of that race only, but of all mankind in their natural condition. Inquire what is the opinion of the world now, and you will find that the thoughts of men still continue to be vanity. What, for example, is the world's opinion of God? Do they not suppose him to be altogether such an

one as themselves? Do they not think, that, though he has said some very severe things against breaking his laws, yet that he is not so rigid as some have imagined; that he will take no notice of little sins, and will easily pardon those which are greater? Do not many believe, that let them swear never so roundly, it is but to say, God forgive me!' and all is well again; and that, let them live never so wickedly, if, when they are dying, they cry, Lord have mercy upon me!' they are as sure of getting to heaven as the holiest Christian? So lightly do men think of the holiness, the justice, and the truth of God.Again: what is their opinion of religion? Many of them boldly pronounce it all a farce; the invention of priests for the sake of getting a living. But others, that go not such lengths, think that religion is to go to church once a week, and hear divine service; and that they who do this, are as religious as any need to be.-What do they think of sin? What some austere people harshly call by this name, they term pleasure, innocent amusements, necessary recreations, constitutional propensities, which, to be sure, the merciful God of nature will never think of punishing.What opinion do they form of the world? Why, that it is all in all: that it is the chief end of man to get as much as he is able; and when he has gotten it, to take his case, and eat, drink, and be merry."-What do they think of death, judgment, heaven, and hell? They put "the evil day far from them," and consider it as an event which may never take place. Perhaps they may live to the age of Methuselahor may never die at allor, if they should die, perhaps they may never be called up from the grave: perhaps they may be

overlooked in the crowd at the day of judgmentperhaps they may steal into heaven unobserved; or, if they should be sent down to hell, perhaps one day. or other they may get out again-perhaps Christ only intended to frighten them when he said, "where the worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched."

Such is the opinion of the world.

I need not caution you, Christians, that ye "henceforth walk not as other gentiles walk, in the vanity of their minds; having the understanding darkened; being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their hearts." A Christian being enlightened from above, his opinion concerning all those points just now mentioned must be widely different, must be directly opposite: and, therefore, when the Apostle had said, "Be not conformed to this world," he adds, "but be transformed, by the renewing of your minds."

Christians must not love nor hate, nor fear not hope, nor desire nor delight in, what the world doth. Carnal minds will naturally love carnal things. It is easy enough to know what they love best, by their conversation and pursuit. When they are talking of buying and selling, and getting gain, they are never tired: it is their darling topic: it occupies their first thoughts in the morning, and their last thoughts at night, and their chief thoughts all the day and it is no wonder, if "out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh."Oh (says one) there is nothing so desirable as to have goods laid up for many years; to join house to house and field to field; and to be every year adding some

thing to our dear, dear hoard! To me (says ane other), there is nothing like being clothed in purple and fine linen, and faring sumptuously every day> to make a genteel figure in the world; keep a grand equipage, and a good table.' And I' (says a third) care for none of these things: let who will have the largest estate or the finest clothes, for me: all I mind is pleasure, pleasure; to give an unbounded swing to my appetites, and have and do whatever I have a fancy for.'

Surely a Christian must not be conformed to the world in such sordid, sensual desires as these. A Christian's love must have a nobler object. "There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon me. Thou hast put gladness in my heart, more than in the time that their corn and wine increased." (Psal. iv. 6.) Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (for after all these things do the Gentiles seek)." (Matt. vi. 23.) What! a Christian, who has the love of God shed abroad in his heart; who has felt the constraining power of the love of Christ, and tasted the joys of the world to come should a Christian be contented with the low, vanishing, embittered possessions and enjoyments of this world? What an absurdity!--if instances of it were not so common, I should have said, What an impossibility !--However, these things should not be: a Christian should not love like the world.

The same might be said as to fear.---The men of the world have no true fear of God; and they are sel dom afraid of sin---nay, they are not afraid of hell.

Though the Lord God Omnipotent hath told them, plainly and positively, that they which do such things shall not inherit his kingdom; and that the wrath of God shall be revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men; they do not care they will do these things the very next moment, and let God do his worst.-And yet those very heroes, who dare defy Omnipotence, are often afraid where no fear is. They are sometimes frightened at their own shadow, and start at the shaking of a leaf. They tremble in the presence of their own consciences, and shun them as they would a serpent or a spectre. They are afraid of à fellow-worm, and would not, for the world, that this or the other person, on whom they have a dependence, should be angry with them.

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And so as to sorrow.-Let them lose many opportunities of attending on God in his ordinances, it never gives them a moment's uneasiness: but if they miss an advantageous purchase, or sale, their chagrin is visible and lasting. They can lose (that is, they can be content without) the presence of God, the love of Christ, and the comforts of the Holy Ghost-I say, they can be easy and jocund without these: but if they lose a gourd gourd - be it father or mother, brother or sister, husband, wife, child, or any part of their worldly substancethen rivers of tears run down their eyes, and " their souls refuse to be comforted."

Itshould imagine, Christians, that I scarcely need tell you that you should not be conformed to the world in any of these respects. You should be "in the fear of the Lord all the day long," and dread nothing but sin and his righteous displeasure. The