To be thought some-body in the World and not to be looked upon as Cyphers as No-bodies to be well accounted of well spoken of by the most of their generation Some extreamly affect the good-will and the good-word of every one and hereby are betrayed to a sinful compliance Although such should remember the saying of our Savior Wo unto you when all men speak well of you Mat. 5. 2. There is a desire in most to be as free from trouble and opposition in the World as they can Most say with Issachar Rest is good Why should I say some create trouble to my self and may chuse Why should I cross with the World and cause the World to cross with me If I do as the World doth and conform to it I need not fear its frowns And this is one cause why so many sinfully comply with and conform to the World not remembring the saying of our Saviour Matt. 5. 10. Blessed are those that are persecuted for righteousness sake c. 3. There is in men naturally a desire to have company in their way Man is a sociable Creature and loves company Now the way of the World is the way most beaten and trodden and frequented being the way that most walk in Men naturally love not solitary paths but those in which they can see most foot-steps And upon this account it is that so many comply sinfully with the World for the sake of company not at all considering whither the broad way leads nor that prohibition Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil 4. Men naturally desire Elbow-room in their way They love ways wherein they may enjoy the most of sinful liberty and this they fancy to be only found in the way of the World they would have room for them and their lusts to march together and such a way the way of the World is the wide way as our Saviour saith that leads to destruction And hence it is that so many comply with the World not considering That it 's easier for a man to have so much Religion and Christianity as will please the World and go to Hell at last than to have so much as will please God and bring him to Heaven 2. The second cause is A strong love to and desire after the World's Favours There is an innate disposition in persons to enjoy the World's Sun-shine thinking there is a refreshment in those beams They think it sweet to sit in the World's lap to be hugg'd in the World's bosome to be embrac'd in the VVorld's arms Many love not to see others embraced and themselves cast out to see others favoured and themselves frowned on to see others the world's Darlings and they to be the world's Out-casts The world hath its temptations on both hands On the one hand there are its persecutions and threats and frowns on the other hand its preferments allurements and favours and the last of these have often proved the most powerful temptations to draw men to compliance with the world Thus it 's observed of Julian That he drew more away and made more Apostates by his Preferments than he did by his Persecutions VVe read Rev. 12. 4. that the Dragon with his tail drew the third part of the Starrs from Heaven the meaning is that many that were eminent in the Church and did shine as Starrs were drawn away and became Apostates by the tail of the Dragon i. e. by its embraces And this is one great reason why men have been brought to comply with and conform to the world And this hath ever been the world's way of tempting it first frowns and then flatters and the latter hath been found to be the most dangerous Thus was that famous Galeacius assaulred and when they saw threatnings would do nothing he was offered a great sum of Gold to return again to his former Religion and Countrey but his answer was That he preferr'd one day's communion with Christ in the Gospel before all the Gold in the world And thus it was with Luther when they saw Bulls and nothing else by way of Menace would do then they offered him a Cardinals Hat but his answer was Contemptus est à me Romanus favor furor I despise both Rome's Favours and Fury Though these stood as unshaken Mountains yet how many if not by the first yet by the last have been overcome like the Traveller who by the wind kept his Cloak closer was by the warm and alluring beams of the Sun invited to cast it off The Sun-shine of the world hath had more influence upon men to conform them to the world than all its cold and stormy blasts could have It 's Favours and Preferments hath drawn those whom its Persecutions could not drive Hence it is that so many comply with and conform to the world not remembring that there is more comfort and happiness attends those that are the world 's Cast-aways than those that are the world's Darlings Those Christ chuseth to be the objects of his love whom the world casts out as objects of her hatred Secondly Consider the trials and discoveries VVhether we are Conformists or Non-conformists to this world 1. He that is a Non-conformist to the world is one unlike the world he is unlike the world in his judgment affection conversation he doth not judg as the world judgeth of Christ of Holiness of Heaven of Saints of Sin Here is the question VVhether we differ from the world in these One said of Nero That must needs be good that Nero persecutes And so I say That must needs be evil that the world commends and good that the world condemns Try your selves by this Do you judg as the world judgeth Do you love and hate as the world loves and hates Is your conversation according to the course and conversation of the world Then you may conclude you are Conformists to the world Oh that Christians would but examine themselves seriously wherein they are unlike the world and by that they may find whether they are Non-conformists to the world I am brief in this because I have spoken more largely to it before 2. He that is a Non-conformist to this world is a Conformist to another world VVhen the Apostle saith Be not conformed to this world it implies there is another world to which we ought to conform Scripture mentions a world that now is and a world that is to come There is another world besides this present world a world that will be when this world shall be no more As I said before so I say again It is but a little while and the world present will be the world past and the world to come will be the world present all the days of Eternity Now Christians you are to be Conformists to the world that is to come there is an Earthly and a Heavenly world and the great thing you have to do is to examine what Conformity there is in you to the latter to the Heavenly
but those things they care for no more They make the world their rest they must have the things of the world or else they dye Give them the things of the world and it sufficeth The things of another world they mind not they desire not they seek not after What they look after and covet lies below As the Duke of Alva when he was asked by the King of France Whether he had seen a great Eclipse that was of the Sun Replied That he had so much to do on Earth that he could not have while to look up to Heaven So it is with these a Portion in this life and in this world is the highest in their esteem as that prophane Duke of Burbon said He preferr'd his part in Paris before his part in Paradice And upon this account the worst are called the world and this is that world that is chiefly meant to which Christians are to be Non-conformists So much for the first II. Consider What it is to be a Nonformist to the world so in handling that we shall do two things 1. Shew you wherein Conformity to the world stands 2. Wherein Nonconformity stands and so shall shew you what it is to be a Conformist and a Nonconformist to this world The words in the Original are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza renders the Configuremini Be not configured to the world Some render them and so the Vulgar Nolite conformari Be not conformed as here in the Text. The words may be rendered Be not figured or fashioned according to this world 1 Pet. 1. 14. Not fashioning your selves c. where the word is the same in the Original with that in the Text. Having done this I now come to shew wherein 1. Conformity to the world stands Conformity supposeth and implies a pattern to which one doth conform What is Conformity but a walking or working by a Rule or Pattern out of a study and desire to imitate it So conformity to Christ stands in the imitating and following the Pattern that Christ hath left us and writing after the Copy he hath given us treading in his steps 1 Pet. 2. 21. Leaving us an example that we should follow his steps So conformity to the world stands in treading in the world's steps writing after the world's Copy following the world's example The world hath its Tables which it hangs forth for a pattern of Conformity to others It hath its Samplers wherein is a description of its actions for the imitation of others There is a Scheme and Figure of the world according to which it wonld have all to fashion themselves It knows that man is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Creature that is apt to imitate who will be working according to some Pattern or other and therefore hath its Patterns of all sorts which it hangs forth to gain his Conformity So then there are two things that make up conformity to the world and that make a man a Conformist to the world 1. Approbation 2. Imitation 1. Approbation when a man in his judgment approves of the world's Principles and Practises concluding that best that the most of the world say and do That the world's way of worshipping God is the best way That the world's way to Heaven is the easiest way and therefore to be chosen 2. Imitation This follows upon Approbation He likes the Copy and therefore resolves to write after it He likes the Pattern and resolves to imitate it As it is in writing we first look on it and like the Hand-writing and then there is a taking of Pen in hand to write like it In a word Conforming to the World stands in this When a man is inwardly and outwardly not what God but the world would have him to be When a man judgeth as the world judgeth thinks as the world thinks speaks as the world speaks acts as the world acts loveth as the world loveth delights as the world delights hates as the world hates When a man's carriage and disposition is the the same with the men of the world when a man maketh the rule of his life to be the sinful Manners Customs and Examples of the world and salves all with worldly distinctions and limitations II. What Nonconformity to the World is and what it is to be a Nonconformist to the World Nonconformity to the World consists of these things 1. A Nonconformity to the World in Judgment He that is a Nonconformist to the world must judg of things otherways than the world doth The world calls evil good and good evil the world puts darkness for light and light for darkness the world thinks the ways of God unequal the service of God burthensome the Servants of God fools the Ministers of God illiterate Dunces Religion it self irrational It thinks Holiness singularity and strictness and preciseness in the ways of God to be foolish scrupulosities It thinks great sins little ones and little sins to be none at all It thinks Repentance and Salvation to be the easiest things in the world and that the way to Heaven is not so hard as the Scripture makes it What a low opinion hath the world of sin judging is not to be so evil as it is What a low opinion hath the world of Grace thinking it not to be so excellent as it is What a low opinion hath the World of Christ thinking him not to be so necessary amiable and desirable as he is What a low opinion hath the world of Heavenly things and the great things of Eternity thinking them not to be of that everlasting concernment as they are What a low opinion have they of the Saints of God thinking them not to be so excellent and useful as they are What a low opinion have they of Religious Duties and Ordinances thinking them not to be so necessary sweet and heavenly as they are So this is the first thing Wherein a Christian is to be a Nonconformist to this World In point of Judgment He must judg of things otherways than the World judgeth 2. A Christian must be a Nonconformist to the World in respect of Affection He must have his Affections set upon higher objects than those things the affections of worldly men are set upon he must be unlike the world in his love desires and delight The World loves nothing but what is like it self none but those in whom it espieth its own conditions and dispositions he must be unlike the world in his sorrow grief and mourning which is for worldly crosses not for sin it mourns more for the Effect than the Cause The Affections of the World run with a byass towards the World they are all edged and pointed downwards they always face some Worldly Object And in this particular a Christian is to be a Nonconformist to the World 3. A Christian must be a Nonconformist to the World in respect of Practice A Christian must not do as the World doth he must not conform to the World in respect
Ahaziah Is it because there is no God in Israel that thou sendest to Baal-zebub the God of Ekron So you that call your selves Christians let me ask you Why do you conform to the World and its sinful courses Is it because you are so commanded to do You see the Scripture commands the contrary Is it because you have nothing higher and better than the World to conform to Sure you have The saying is The first and best in every thing is the Rule of the rest Are you not called to a conformity to the best That God that is Optimus Maximus the Best and Greatest calls you to be like him calls you to be like his Son who is the most perfect pattern for our imitation calls you to be like his Saints who in their several generations pleased God served his Will and are fallen asleep he calls you to be like those Servants of his that are yet in the World and to be followers of them as they are of Christ He calls you out of the World and to be unlike it and to have nothing to do with it by way of conforming in the least to its sinful courses He cautionates you against such a conformity and tells you the dreadful danger of it and he hath laid down Rules in his Word by which Christians are to walk that are made up altogether of that purity and holiness of which the World is altogether void it lying as the Apostle saith in wickedness And now tell me How can he be a Christian indeed that is a Conformist to the World and such as are Conformists to the World you see have nothing to plead in that particular as if they had not better Rules to walk by and higher Patterns to imitate than those of the World He that is a Christian indeed is one that hath given up his Name to Christ and entred it into his List and how can such a one serve and fight under the Colours and Banner of the World Such forget their Baptismal Covenant one clause of which is this Renouncing and forsaking of the world Christians let me tell you There is a day a coming when the great enquiry will be Whose Image and Superscription you bear Your Conformity or Nonconformity to the world will speak that and accordingly will be your doom 3. Inform. Here we may see what is the cause why Christians that will be Christians indeed meet with so much trouble and opposition in and from the World the cause is Nonconformity to the World the ground of the quarrel between the World and them is That they are unlike the World that they will not do as the most do that they will not do as their Neighbours do that they are unlike every body that they are a company of foolish precise persons that delight to be singular This is the reason why the World and the men of it hate those that are truly godly Every thing loves its like and the unlikeness of the Saints to the World is the cause both of the World's hatred and the World's wonder at them 1 Pet. 4. 4. Wherein they think it strange that ye ruâ— not with them into the same excess of riot The Saint's strictness is the VVorld's wonder As I said before it is in this case as with the Eggs of Patridges hatched under a Hen when they are hatched they run and as soon as they can make away The VVorld is as it were the Hen under whose wings Christians are for a while hatched but when they begin to take their flight upwards then the world wonders at them And as this is the cause of the VVorld's wonder so it is the cause of the VVorld's hatred of them and of all the afflictions and persecutions they meet with in and from the world Our Saviour told his Disciples In the world you shall have affliction and gives this as the reason of it I have chosen you out of the world The world as our Saviour saith will love its own those in whom it can see its own conditions dispositions it s own Image and Superscription Likeness causeth love and upon this account it is that the world cannot but love those in whom she espies her own likenesse and cannot but hate those that are unlike and in whom she cannot see a conformity to her Hence it is that the World hath always been a Stepmother to the Saints of God using them rigidly and coarsely as those whom she did not own as hers because they owned not her by a conformity to her Christians if you be not like the World you must not think it strange if you be hated in and by the World If you have not the world's likeness you are not to expect the world's love If you walk contrary to the world you must expect that the world will walk contrary to you Your non-conforming to it is a secret condemning of the world's ways and courles and then it is not to be wondred at if the world condemn you Thus much for the Use of Information 2. Exhortation So I am now to exhort you to the duty of Non-conformity to the World and in doing this I shall acquaint you with three things First With what are some of the causes of a Conformity to this World Secondly With some discoveries whereby we may know whether we are not conformed to this World Thirdly With some directions to prevent yonr being Conformists to this World First We shall shew you some of the causes why so many are Conformists to the World and they are chiefly two 1. A base and slavish fear of the World's Frowns 2. A base and sinful love of the World's Favours And from both these proceeds that base and sinful compliance with the World and conformity to it 1. A base and slavish fear of the World's Frowns They fear the trouble they may meet with in the World if they should swim against the stream of being unlike the World Most love a Religion without trouble and although opposition be made the Attendant of true Religion following it as the shadow doth the body yet most love as a cheap Religion which may cost them nothing so such a peaceable Religion as may not disturb their worldly rest but that will suffer them to sleep in a whole skin Indeed for a man to be no more religious than the World would have him be may seem to make for his outward peace As a wise man said For that man that would deny his body no sensual pleasure and yet save his soul at last there was no place like that of Italy and no Religion like that of Rome So I say For that man that only studies his outward peace viz. a freedom from the World's malice hatred and opposition there is no Religion like the World 's And hence it is that so many comply with it and conform to it Consider there is in every one naturally a strong propensity and inclination to these four things 1.
forth seasonable and wholesom Fruit for the Comfort and Refreshing of others which hath occasioned no doubt the Thanks-giving of many to God on your behalf And if God hath given you with a large and plentiful Estate a large Heart and open Hand to do good it is a double Blessing and lays a double Obligation upon you to be thankful Now because the best Christians need dayly Monitors to warn them of Dangers and to awaken them to Duty and the continual Exercise of their Graces give me leave as a faithful Friend to beseech you to keep in remembrance and seriously to ponder what the Apostle writes to Timothy 1 Tim. 6. 17. 18 19. The more Splendid your outward Condition is the greater is the Danger you are exposed unto from the Temptatations of a Smiling Flattering World which being masked vetled are not easily known and discovered which if they were would more easily be resisted and were nothing so dangerous They that by Experience know what a tempting thing Worldly Grandeur is and have any acquaintance with their own hearts how apt they are to be taken with it cannot but acknowledg it is none of the easiest Points of that difficult Duty of Christian Self-denial for those that have arrived at the Haven of Worldly hopes to keep their Hearts humble from being lifted up with Self-admiring thoughts when their outward Greatness and Splendor invites others to applaud and admire them And indeed it will put the Faith of Christians to the greatest Stress and prove not only the Truth but the Strength thereof when in the midst of Worldly Enjoyments they can look above them to higher and better and in the midst of Worldly Greatness can live above it in the Soul-ravishing View of Heavenly Glory It must needs be then a Mercy worth the asking and a Lesson worth the learning to have our Hearts loosed from all outward Comforts before Hand and to leave and part with them in affection before we are called to part with them indeed seeing there will be a time of parting and we enjoy them on no other but partingterms and then whensoever they are taken from us or we from them the trouble of parting will not be great But to detain you no longer with an Epistle As concerning the Author of the ensuing Sermons it is needless for me to write any thing to you who were so nearly related and so sâ—â—iliarly acquainted with him to whom I doubt not his Memory is and will be precious and that true Love and due esteem you always had for his publick and profitable Labours is a sufficient Commendation of this Practical Piece to your Serious Perusal which I hope and heartily wish through the Blessing of God may prove advantagious to preserve you from Worldliness and for the promoting the power of Godliness in your Hearts and Lives that you may dayly strive after a nearer and closer Conformity to Christ your Heavenly Pattern in all his imitable Graces then shall you have no cause to repent the reading but rejoyce and bless God that by his good Providence it is brought forth to publick View wherein the Author though dead yet speaketh Your most Affectionate Kinsman in any Service of Christian Love to be commanded STEPH BAXTER THE CONTENTS THE words of the Text words either of Counsel Caution Command p. 1. Here considered as a Prohibitive Precept 1 The Act forbidden ibid. 2 The Object to which it hath relation 2 What is not forbidden Not living in the world All using of the world All converse with the men of the world ib. Two things forbidden to Christians in relation to the world Affection Imitation ib. Doct. It is the duty of Christians to be Nonconformists to this world 2 1. Explication Two things opened 1. What is meant by the world its Frame Family Here meant the Family 3 Five Reasons why the worst of the World are called the World 4 5 6. 2. What it is to be a Nonconsormist to this World 7 8 9. Wherein conformity to the World stands In 1 Approbation 2 Imitation 9 Wherein a Nonconformity stands In Judgment Affection Conversation 10 11 Not conforming to the World's Rules Examples 12 2 Confirmation 1 Reasons in general what a Christian is 1 Called from 2 Called to 1 Holiness 2 Happiness 13 14 15 2. Reasons in particular 1 Conformity to God and the World cannot consist 16 2 This World is one of a Christian's declared Enemies 17 3 Christians are predestinated to another Conformity ib. 4 What was a Christian's Rule before conversion cannot be after ib. 5 One End of Christ's living on Earth was to give us an Example to conform to ib. 6 It is a Debasement to a Christian to be a Conformist to this World 18 3 Vindication Quest Whether all conformity to this World be unlawful 19 Conformity distinguished into Civil 19 Sinful 28 Doubtful 30 Advice given concerning Doubtful Conformity ib. 4 Application 1 Information 1 What is the Character of a true Christian 32 What to judg of those who are Conformists to this World 34 3 Why Nonconformists to this World are so much hated 38 Exhortation Three things handled 1 The chief Causes of a Conformity viz. 1 Slavish fear of the World's frowns 41 2 Sinful love of the World's favours ib. Four things men naturally affect 1 To be thought some-body in the world 42 2 To be free from the world's hatred ib. 3 To have company in their way 43 4 To have Elbow-room 44 2. Discoveries whether we are Nonconformists to this world By being unlike the world 50 By being Conformists to another world 50 Enquiries hereupon made General Particular ib. 1 General Enquiry What conformity to those in Heaven 50 Quest Who are in Heaven Answ God Christ Angels The Spirits of just men made perfect ib Trials of our conforming to God in our Judging 51 Affecting ib. Conformity to Christ in Sufferings 53 Sanctity 55 To Angels In doing the will of God on Earth as they in Heaven That shewed in five particulars 57 To the Spirits of just men That shew'd in two particulars 60 2. Particular Queries 1 What Language do you speak 62 2 What Life do you live ib. 3 What Works do you do ib. 4 What things do you most look after 63 5 What world do you most provide for ib. 6 What world do you account your home ibid. 7 What Interest do you most rejoice in 64 8 From what world do you fetch all your comfort ib. 9 What Promises do you most prize ib. 10 How do you do the Civil businesses of this life ib. 3. Directions that we may be Nonconformists to this world 65 1 Compare both worlds together ib. Both worlds compared in seven particulars 65 to 71 The Question put upon this comparison Which world is most worthy of our conformity 72 2 Compare together the loss of conforming the gain of Not-conforming ib. The gain and loss of Conformity compared 71 to 78 The gain and