8. Conformity to the World.
Be not conformed to this world. (Romans 12:2)
It will be recollected by some who are present, that
sometime since I
made use of this text in preaching in this place, but
the object of this
evening's discourse is so far different that it is not
improper to employ
the same text again. The following is the order in
which I design to
discuss the subject of Conformity to the World.
I. To show what is not meant by the command of the
text.
II. Show
what is meant by the command, "Be not conformed to
this world."
III.
To mention some of the reasons why this requirement is
made upon
all who will live a godly life.
IV. To answer some
objections that are
made to the principles laid down.
I. I am to show what is not meant by the requirement,
"Be not
conformed to this world."
I suppose it is not meant, that Christians should
refuse to benefit by
the useful arts, improvements, and discoveries of the
world. It is not
only the privilege but the duty of the friends of God
to avail themselves
of these, and to use for God all the really useful arts
and
improvements that arise among mankind.
II. I am to show what is meant by the requirement.
It is meant that Christians are bound not to conform to
the world in the
three following things. I mention only these three, not
because there
are not many other things in which conformity to the
world is forbidden,
but because these three classes are all that I have had
time to
examine tonight, and further, because these three are
peculiarly
necessary to be discussed at the present time. The
three things are
three departments of life, in which it is required that
you be not
conformed to this world.
They are Business, Fashion, Politics.
In all these departments it is required that Christians
should not do as
the world do, they should neither receive the maxims,
nor adopt the
principles, nor follow the practices of the world.
III. I am to mention some reasons for the command,
"Be not
conformed to this world."
You are by no means to act on the same principles, nor
from the same
motives, nor pursue your object in the same manner that
the world do,
either in the pursuits of business, or of fashion, or
of politics. I shall
examine these several departments separate.
First Of Business.
1. The first reason why we are not
to be
conformed to this world in business, is, that the
principle of the worlds
that of supreme selfishness. This is true universally,
in the pursuit of
business. The whole course of business in the world is
governed and
regulated by the maxims of supreme and unmixed
selfishness. It is
regulated without the least regard to the commands of
God, or the
glory of God, or the welfare of their fellow men. The
maxims of
business generally current among business men, and the
habits and
usages of business men, are all based upon supreme
selfishness.
Who does not know, that in making bargains, the
business men of the
world consult their own interest, and seek their own
benefit, and not
the benefit of those they deal with? Who has ever heard
of a worldly
man of business making bargains, and doing business for
the benefit
of those he dealt with? No, it is always for their own
benefit. And are
Christians to do so? They are required to act on the
very opposite
principle to this: "Let no man seek his own, but
every man another's
wealth." They are required to copy the example of
Jesus Christ. Did he
ever make bargains for his own advantage? And may his
followers
adopt the principle of the world a principle that
contains in it the
seeds of hell! If Christians are to do this, is it not
the most visionary
thing on earth to suppose the world is ever going to be
converted to
the gospel.
2. They are required not to conform to the world,
because conformity
to the world is totally inconsistent with the love of
God or man.
The whole system recognizes only the love of self. Go
through all the
ranks of business men, from the man that sells candy on
the sidewalk
at the corner of the street, to the greatest wholesale
merchant or
importer in the United States, and you will find that
one maxim runs
through the whole, to "buy as cheap as you can,
and sell as dear as
you can, to look out for number one," and to do
always, as far as the
rules of honesty will allow, all that will advance your
own interests, let
what will become of the interest of others. Ungodly men
will not deny
that these are the maxims on which business is done in
the world. The
man who pursues this course is universally regarded as
doing
business on business principles. Now, are these maxims
consistent
with holiness, with the love of God or the love of man,
with the spirit of
the gospel or the example of Jesus Christ? Can a man
conform to the
world in these principles, and yet love God?
Impossible! No two things
can be more unlike. Then Christians are by no means to
conform to
the business maxims of the world.
3. These maxims, and the rules by which business is
done in the
world, are directly opposite to the gospel of Jesus
Christ and the spirit
he exhibited, and the maxima he inculcated, and the
rules which he
enjoined that all his followers should obey, on pain of
hell.
What was the spirit Jesus Christ exemplified on earth?
It was the spirit
of self-denial, of benevolence, of sacrificing himself
to do good to
others. He exhibited the same spirit that God does, who
enjoys his
infinite happiness in going out of himself to gratify
his benevolent heart
in doing good to others. This is the religion of the
gospel, to be like
God, not only doing good, but enjoying it, joyfully
going out of self to
do good. This is the gospel maxim: "it is more
blessed to give than to
receive." And again, "Look not every man on
his own things, but every
man also on the things of others." What says the
business man of the
world? "Look out for number one." These very
maxims were made by
men who knew and cared no more for the gospel, than the
heathen
do. Why should Christians conform to such maxims as
these?
4. To conform to the world in the pursuits of business
is a flat
contradiction of the engagements that Christians make
when they
enter the church.
What is the engagement that you make when you enter the
church?
Is it not, to renounce the world and live for God, and
to be actuated by
the Spirit of Jesus Christ, and to possess supreme love
to God, and
to renounce self, and to give yourself to glorify God,
and do good to
men? You profess not to love the world, its honors, or
its riches.
Around the communion table, with your hand on the
broken body of
your Savior, you avouch these to be your principles,
and pledge
yourself to live by these maxims. And then what do you
do? Go away,
and follow maxims and rules gotten up by men, whose
avowed
principle is the love of the world, and whose avowed
object is to get
the world? Is this your way? Then, unless you repent,
let me tell you,
you will be damned.
It is no more certain, that any infidel, or any
profligate wretch, will go
to hell, than that all such professing Christians will
go there, which
conform to the world. They have double guilt. They are
sworn before
God to a different course, and when they pursue the
business
principles of the world, they show that they are
perjured wretches.
5. Conformity to the world is such a manifest
contradiction of the
principles of the gospel, that sinners when they see
it, do not and
cannot understand from it the true nature and object of
the gospel
itself.
How can they understand that the object of the gospel
is to raise men
above the love of the world, and above the influence of
the world, and
place them on higher ground, to live on totally
different principles?
When they see professing Christians acting on the same
principles
with other men, how can they understand the true
principles of the
gospel, or know what it means by heavenly-mindedness,
self-denial,
benevolence, and so on?
6. It is this spirit of conformity to the world, that
has already eaten out
the love of God from the church.
Show me a young convert, while his heart is warm, and
the love of
God glows out from his lips. What does he care for the
world? Call up
his attention to it, point him to its riches, its
pleasures, or its honors,
and try to engage him in their pursuit, and he loathes
the thought. But
let him now go into business, and do business on the
principles of the
world one year, and you no longer find the love of God
glowing in his
heart, and his religion has become the religion of
conscience, dry,
meager, uninfluential anything but the glowing love of
God, moving
him to acts of benevolence. I appeal to every man in
this house, and
if my voice was loud enough I would appeal to every
professor of
religion in this city, if it is not. And if any one
should say, "No, it is not
so," I should regard it as proof that he never
knew what it was to feel
she glow of a convert's first love.
7. This conformity to the world in business is one of
the greatest
stumbling-blocks in the way of the conversion of
sinners.
What do wicked men think, when they see professing
Christians, with
such professions on their lips, and pretending to
believe what the Bible
teaches, and yet driving after the world, as eager as
anybody, making
the best bargains, and dealing as hard as the most
worldly? What do
they think? I can tell you what they say. They say
"I do not see but
these Christians do just as the rest of us do, they act
on the same
principles, look out as sharp for number one, drive as
hard bargains,
and get as high interest as anybody." And it must
be said that these
are not things of which the world accuse Christians
slanderously. It is
a notorious fact that most of the members of the church
pursue the
world, as far as appears, in the same spirit, by the
same maxims, and
to the same degree, that the ungodly do who maintain a
character for
uprightness and humanity. The world say, "Look at
the church, I don't
see as they are any better than I am; they go to the
full length that I do
after the world." If professing Christians act on
the same principles
with worldly men, as the Lord liveth, they shall have
the same reward.
They are set down in God's book of remembrance as black
hypocrites,
pretending to be the friends of God while they love the
world. For
whoso loveth the world is the enemy of God. They
profess to be
governed by principles directly opposite to the world,
and if they do the
same things with the world, they are hypocrites.
8. Another reason for the requirement, "Be not
conformed to this
world," is the immense, salutary and instantaneous
influence it would
have if everybody would do business on the principles
of the gospel.
Just turn the tables over, and let Christians do
business one year on
gospel principles. It would shake the world. It would
ring louder than
thunder. Let the ungodly see professing Christians, in
every bargain,
consulting the good of the person they are trading with
seeking not
their own wealth, but every man another's wealth living
above the
world setting no value on the world any farther than it
can be a
means of glorifying God. What do you think would be the
effect? What
effect did it have in Jerusalem, when the whole body of
Christians
gave up their business, and turned out in a body to
pursue the
salvation of the world? They were only a few ignorant
fishermen, and
a few humble women, but they turned the world upside
down. Let the
church live so now, and it would cover the world with
confusion of
face, and overwhelm them with convictions of sin. Only
let them see
the church living above the world, and doing business
on gospel
principles, seeking not their own interests but the
interests of their
fellow men, and infidelity would hide its head, heresy
would be driven
from church, and this charming, blessed spirit of love,
would go over
the world like the waves of the sea.
Secondly.
Of Fashions.
Why are Christians required not to follow the fashions
of the world?
Because it is directly at war with the spirit of the
gospel, and is
minding earthly things.
What is minding earthly things, if it is not to follow
the fashions of the
world, that like a tide are continually setting to and
fro, and fluctuating
in their forms, and keeping the world continually
changing? There are
many men of large business in the world, and men of
wealth, who
think they care nothing for the fashions. They are
occupied with
something else, and they trust the fashions altogether
with their tailor,
taking it for granted that he will make all right. But
mind, if he should
make a garment unfashionable, you would see that they
do care about
the fashions, and they never would employ that tailor
again. Still, at
present their thoughts are not much on the fashions.
They have a
higher object in view. And they think it beneath the
dignity of a minister
to preach about fashions. They overlook the fact, that
with the greater
part of mankind fashion is everything. The greater part
of the
community are not rich, and never expect to be, but
they look to the
world to enable them to make a "respectable"
appearance, and to
bring up their families in a "respectable"
manner; that is, to "follow the
fashions." Nine-tenths of the population never
look at any thing higher,
than to do as the world does, or to follow the
fashions. For this they
strain every nerve. And this is what they set their
hearts on, and what
they live for.
The merchant and the rich man deceives himself,
therefore, if he
supposes that fashion is a little thing. The great body
of the people
mind this, their minds are set upon it, the thing which
they look for in
life is to have their dress, equipage, furniture, and
so on, like other
people, in the fashion, or "respectable" as
they call it.
To conform to the world is contrary to their
profession.
When people join the church, they profess to give up
the spirit that
gives rise to the fashions. They profess to renounce
the pomps and
vanities of the world, to repent of their pride, to
follow the meek and
lowly Savior, to live for God. And now, what do they
do? You often see
professors of religion go to the extreme of the
fashion. Nothing will
satisfy them that is not in the height of fashion. And
a Christian female
dress-maker who is conscientiously opposed to the
following of
fashions, cannot get her bread. She cannot get
employment even
among professing Christian ladies, unless she follows
the fashions in
all their countless changes. God knows it is so, and
they must give up
their business if their conscience will not permit them
to follow the
changes of fashion.
This conformity is a broad and complete approval of
the spirit of the
world.
What is it that lies at the bottom of all this shifting
scenery? What is the
cause that produces all this gaudy show and dash, and
display? It is
the love of applause. And when Christians follow the
changes of
fashion, they pronounce all this innocent. All this
waste of money and
time and thought, all this feeding and cherishing of
vanity and the love
of applause, the church sets her seal to, when he
conforms to the
world.
Nay, further, another reason is, that following the
fashions of the
world, professing Christians show that they do in fact
love the world.
They show it by their conduct, just as the ungodly show
it by the same
conduct. As they act alike they give evidence that they
are actuated by
one principle, the love of fashion.
When Christian professors do this, they show most
clearly that they
love the praise of men.
It is evident that they love admiration and Italy, just
as sinners do. Is
not this inconsistent with Christian principle, to go
right into the very
things that are set up by the pride and fashion and
lust of the ungodly?
Conforming to the world in fashion, you show that
you do not hold
yourself accountable to God for the manner in which you
lay out
money.
You practically disown your stewardship of the money
that is in your
possession. By laying out money to gratify your own
vanity and lust,
you take off the keen edge of that truth, which ought
to cut that sinner
in two, who is living to himself. It is practically
denying that the earth
is the Lord's, with the cattle on a thousand hills, and
all to be employed
for his glory.
You show that reputation is your idol.
When the cry comes to your ears on every wind, from the
ignorant and
the lost of all nations, "Come over and help us,
come over and help
us," and every week brings some call to send the
gospel, to send
tracts, and Bibles, and missionaries, to those who are
perishing for
lack of knowledge, if you choose to expend money in
following the
fashions, it is demonstration that reputation is your
idol. Suppose now,
for the sake of argument that it is not prohibited in
the word of God, to
follow the fashions, and that professing Christians, if
they will, may
innocently follow the fashions: (I deny that it is
innocent, but suppose
it were,) does not the fact that they do follow them
when there are
such calls for money, and time, and thought, and labor
to save souls,
prove conclusively that they do not love God nor the
souls of men?
Take the case of a woman, whose husband is in slavery,
and she is
trying to raise money enough for his redemption. There
she is, toiling
and saving, rising up early and sitting up late, and
eating the bread of
carefulness, because her husband, the father of her
children, the
friend of her youth, is in slavery. Now go to that
woman and tell her
that it is innocent for her to follow the fashions, and
dress, and display
like her neighbors will she do it? Why not? She does
not desire to
do it. She will scarcely buy a pair of shoes for her
feet; she grudges
almost the bread she eats so intent is she on her great
object.
Now suppose a person loved God, and the souls of men,
and the
kingdom of Christ, does he need an express prohibition
from God to
prevent him from spending his money and his life in
following the
fashion? No, indeed, he will rather need a positive
injunction to take
what is needful for his own comfort and the support of
his own life.
Take the case of Timothy.
Did he need a prohibition to prevent him from indulging
in the use of
wine? So far from it, he was so cautious that it
required an express
injunction from God to make him drink a little as a
medicine. Although
he was sick, he would not drink it till he had the word
of God for it, he
saw the evils of it so clearly.
Now, show me a man or
woman, I care
not what their professions are, that follows the
fashions of the world,
and I will show you what spirit they are of.
When the cry comes to your ears on every wind, from the
ignorant and
the lost of all nations, "Come over and help us,
come over and help
us," and every week brings some call to send the
gospel, to send
tracts, and Bibles, and missionaries, to those who are
perishing for
lack of knowledge, if you choose to expend money in
following the
fashions, it is demonstration that reputation is your
idol. Suppose now,
for the sake of argument that it is not prohibited in
the word of God, to
follow the fashions, and that professing Christians, if
they will, may
innocently follow the fashions: (I deny that it is
innocent, but suppose
it were,) does not the fact that they do follow them
when there are
such calls for money, and time, and thought, and labor
to save souls,
prove conclusively that they do not love God nor the
souls of men?
Take the case of a woman, whose husband is in slavery,
and she is
trying to raise money enough for his redemption. There
she is, toiling
and saving, rising up early and sitting up late, and
eating the bread of
carefulness, because her husband, the father of her
children, the
friend of her youth, is in slavery. Now go to that
woman and tell her
that it is innocent for her to follow the fashions, and
dress, and display
like her neighbors will she do it? Why not? She does
not desire to
do it. She will scarcely buy a pair of shoes for her
feet; she grudges
almost the bread she eats so intent is she on her great
object.
Now suppose a person loved God, and the souls of men,
and the
kingdom of Christ, does he need an express prohibition
from God to
prevent him from spending his money and his life in
following the
fashion? No, indeed, he will rather need a positive
injunction to take
what is needful for his own comfort and the support of
his own life.
Take the case of Timothy. Did he need a prohibition to
prevent him
from indulging in the use of wine? So far from it, he
was so cautious
that it required an express injunction from God to make
him drink a
little as a medicine. Although he was sick, he would
not drink it till he
had the word of God for it, he saw the evils of it so
clearly. Now, show
me a man or woman, I care not what their professions
are, that follows
the fashions of the world, and I will show you what
spirit they are of.
You tempt yourself to pride and folly and a worldly
spirit.
Suppose a man that had been intemperate and was
reformed, should
go and surround himself with wine and brandy and every
seductive
liquor, keeping the provocative of appetite always
under his eye, and
from time to time tasting a little; does he not tempt
himself? Now see
that woman that has been brought up in the spirit of
pride and show,
and that has been reformed, and has professed to
abandon them all;
let her keep these trappings, and continue to follow
the fashions, and
pride will drag her backwards as sure as she lives. She
tempts herself
to sin and folly.
You are tempting the world.
You are setting the world into a more fierce and hot
pursuit of these
things. The very things that the world love, and that
they are sure to
have scruples about their being right, professing
Christians fall in with
and follow, and thus tempt the world to continue in the
pursuit of what
will destroy their souls in hell. By following the fashions, you are tempting the
devil to tempt you.
When you follow the fashions, you open your heart to
him. You keep
it for him, empty, swept, and garnished. Every woman
that suffers
herself to follow the fashions may rely upon it, she is
helping Satan to
tempt her to pride and sin.
You lay a great stumbling block before the greatest
part of
mankind.
There are a few persons who are pursuing greater
objects than
fashion. They are engaged in the scramble for political
power, or they
are eager for literary distinction, or they are
striving for wealth. And
they do not know that their hearts are set on fashion
at all. They are
following selfishness on a larger scale. But the great
mass of the
community are influenced mostly by these fluctuating
fashions. To this
class of persons it is a great and sore stumbling
block, when they see
professing Christians just as prompt and as eager to
follow the
changing of fashion as themselves. They see, and say,
"What does
their profession amount to, when they follow the
fashions as much as
anybody?" or "Certainly it is right to follow
the fashions, for see the
professing Christians do it as much as we."
Another reason why professing Christians are
required not to be
conformed to the world in fashion is, the great
influence their
disregarding fashion would have on the world.
If professing Christians would show their contempt for
these things,
and not pretend to follow them, or regard them, how it
would shame
the world, and convince the world that they were living
for another
object, for God and for eternity! How irresistible it
would be! What an
overwhelming testimony in favor of our religion! Even
the apparent
renunciation of the world, by many orders of monks, has
doubtless
done more than anything else to put down the opposition
to their
religion, and give it currency and influence in the
world. Now suppose
all this was hearty and sincere, and coupled with all
that is consistent
and lovely in Christian character, and all that is
zealous and bold in
labors for the conversion of the world from sin to
holiness. What an
influence it would have! What thunders it would pour
into the ears of
the world, to wake them up to follow after God!
Thirdly. In Politics.
I will show why professing Christians are required not
to be conformed
to the world in politics.
1. Because the politics of the world are perfectly
dishonest.
Who does not know this? Who does not know that it is
the proposed
policy of every party to cover up the defects of their
own candidate,
and the good qualities of the opposing candidate? And
is not this
dishonest? Every party holds up its candidate as a
piece of perfection,
and then aims to ride himself into office by any means,
fair or foul. No
man can be an honest man, that is committed to a party,
to go with
them, let them do what they may. And can a Christian do
it, and keep
a conscience void of offense?
2. To conform to the world in politics is to tempt God.
By falling in with the world in politics, Christians
are guilty of setting up
rulers over them by their own vote, who do not fear nor
love God, and
who set the law of God at defiance, break the Sabbath,
and gamble,
and commit adultery, and fight duels, and swear
profanely, and leave
the laws unexecuted at their pleasure, and that care
not for the weal
or woe of their country, so long as they can keep their
office. I say
Christians do this. "For it is plain that where
parties are divided, as
they are in this country, there are Christians enough
to turn the scale
in any election.
" Now let Christians take the ground that they
will not vote for a
dishonest man, or a Sabbath breaker, or gambler, or
whoremonger,
or duelist, for any office, and no party could ever
nominate such a
character with any hope of success. But on the present
system, where
men will let the laws go unexecuted, and give full
swing to mobs, or
lynch murders, or robbing the mails, or anything else,
so they can run
in their own candidate who will give them the offices,
any man is a
dishonest man that will do it, be he professor or
non-professor. And
can a Christian do this and be blameless?
3. By engaging with the world in politics, Christians
grieve the Spirit of
God.
Ask any Christian politician if he ever carried the
Spirit of God with him
into a political campaign? Never. I would by no means
be understood
to say that Christians should refuse to vote, and to
exercise their lawful
influence in public affairs. But they ought not to
follow a party.
4. By following the present course of politics, you are
contributing your
aid to undermine all government and order in the land.
Who does not know that this great nation now rocks and
reels,
because the laws are broken and trampled under foot,
and the
executive power refuses or dare not act? Either the
magistrate does
not wish to put down disorder, or he temporizes and
lets the devil rule.
And so it is in all parts of the country, and all
parties. And can a
Christian be consistent with his profession, and vote
for such men to
office?
5. You lay a stumbling-block in the way of sinners.
What do sinners think, when they see professing
Christians acting with
them in their political measures, which they themselves
know to be
dishonest and corrupt? They say, "We understand
what we are about,
we are after office, we are determined to carry our
party into power,
we are pursuing our own interest; but these Christians
profess to live
for another and a higher end, and yet here they come,
and join with
us, as eager for the loaves and fishes as the rest of
us." What greater
stumbling-block can they have?
6. You prove to the ungodly that professing Christians
are actuated by
the same spirit as themselves.
Who can wonder that the world is incredulous as to the
reality of
religion? If they do not look for themselves into the
scriptures, and
there learn what religion is, if they are governed by
the rules of
evidence from what they see in the lives of professing
Christians, they
ought to be incredulous. They ought to infer, so far as
this evidence
goes, that professors of religion do not themselves
believe in it. It is
the fact. I doubt, myself, whether the great mass of
professors believe
the Bible.
7. They show, so far as their evidence can go, that
there is no change
of heart.
What is it? Is it going to the communion table once in
a month or two,
and sometimes to prayer meeting? In that a change of
heart, when
they are just as eager in the scramble for office as
any others? The
world must be fools to believe in a change of heart on
such evidence.
8. Christians ought to cease from conformity to the
world in politics,
from the influence which such a course would have on
the world.
Suppose Christians were to act perfectly conscientious
and consistent
in this matter, and to say, "We will not vote for
any man to office,
unless he fears God, and will rule the people in
righteousness."
Ungodly men would not set men as candidates, who
themselves set
the laws at defiance. No.123
Every candidate would be obliged to show that he was
prepared to act
from higher motives, and that he would lay himself out
to make the
country prosperous, and to promote virtue, and to put
down vice and
oppression and disorder, and to do all he can to make
the people
happy and holy! It would shame the dishonest
politicians, to show that
the love of God and man is the motive that Christians
have in view.
And a blessed influence would go over the land like a
wave.
IV. I am to answer some objections that are made
against the
principles here advanced.
1. In regard to business.
Objection. "If we do not transact business on the
same principles on
which ungodly men do it, we cannot compete with them,
and all the
business of the world will fall into the hands of the
ungodly. If we
pursue our business for the good of others, if we buy
and sell on the
principle of not seeking our own wealth, but the wealth
of those we do
business with, we cannot sustain a competition with
worldly men, and
they will get all the business."
Let them have it, then. You can support yourself by
your industry in
some humbler calling, and let worldly men do all the
business.
"
Objection." But then, how should we get
money to spread the
gospel?"
A holy church that would act on the principles of the
gospel, would
spread the gospel faster than all the money that ever
was in New
York, or that ever will be. Give me a holy church, that
would live above
the world, and the work of salvation would roll on
faster than with all
the money in Christendom.
Objection. "But we must spend a great deal of
money to bring forward
an educated ministry."
Ah! if we had a HOLY ministry, it would be far more
important than an
educated ministry. If the ministry were holy enough,
they would do
without so much education. God forbid that I should
undervalue an
educated ministry. Let ministers be educated as well as
they can, the
more the better, if they are only holy enough. But it
is all a farce to
suppose that a literary ministry can convert the world.
Let the ministry
have the spirit of prayer, let the baptism of the Holy
Ghost be upon
them, and they will spread the gospel. Only let
Christians live as they
ought, and the church would shake the world!. If
Christians in New
York would do it, the report would soon fill every ship
that leaves the
port, and waft the news on every wind, till the earth
was full of
excitement and inquiry, and conversions would multiply
like the drops
of morning dew.
Suppose you were to give up your business, and devote
yourselves
entirely to the work of extending the gospel. The
church once did so,
and you know what followed. When that little band in
Jerusalem gave
up their business and spent their time in the work of
God, salvation
spread like a wave. And I believe, if the whole
Christian church were
to turn right out, and convert the world, it would be
done in a very short
time.
And further, the fact is, that you would not be
required to give up your
business.
If Christians would do business in the spirit
of the gospel,
they would soon engross the business of the world.
Only let the world see, that if they go to a Christian
to do business, he
will not only deal honestly, but benevolently, that he
will actually
consult the interest of the person he deals with, as if
it were his own
interest, and who would deal with anybody else? What
merchant
would go to an ungodly man to trade, who he knew would
try to get the
advantage of him, and cheat him, while he knew that
there were
Christian merchants to deal with, that would consult
his interests as
much as they do their own?
Indeed, it is a known fact,
that there are
now Christian merchants in this city, who regulate the
prices of the
articles they deal in. Merchants come in from the
country, and inquire
around to see how they can buy goods, and they go to
these men to
know exactly what articles are worth at a fair price,
and govern
themselves accordingly.
The advantage, then, is all on one side. The church can
make it for the
interest of the ungodly to do business on right
principles. The church
can regulate the business of the world, and woe to them
if they do not.
2. In regard to fashion.
Objection. "Is it best for Christians to be
singular?"
Certainly; Christians are bound to be singular. Then
are called to be
a peculiar people, that is, a singular people,
essentially different from
the rest of mankind. To maintain that we are not to be
singular, is the
same as to maintain that we are to be conformed to the
world. "Be not
singular," that is, be like the world. In other
words, "Be ye conformed
to the world." This is the direct opposite to the
command in the text.
But the question now regards fashion, in dress,
equipage, and so on.
And here I will confess that I was formerly myself in
error. I believed,
and I taught, that the best way for Christians to
pursue, was to dress
so as not to be noticed, to follow the fashions and
changes so as not
to appear singular, and that nobody would be led to
think of their being
different from others in these particulars. But I have
seen my error,
and now wonder greatly at my former blindness. It is
your duty to
dress so plain as to show to the world, that you place
no sort of
reliance in the things of fashion, and set no value at
all on them, but
despise and neglect them altogether. But unless you are
singular,
unless you separate yourselves from the fashions of the
world, you
show that you do value them. There is no way in which
you can hear
a proper testimony by your lives against the fashions
of the work, but
by dressing plain. I do not mean that you should study
singularity, but
that you should consult convenience and economy,
although it may be
singular.
Objection. "But if we dress plain, the attention
of people will be taken
with it."
The reason of it is this, so few do it that it is a
novelty, and everybody
stares when they see a professing Christian so strict
as to disregard
the fashions. Let them all do it, and the only thing
you show by it is that
you are a Christian, and do not wish to be confounded
with the
ungodly. Would it not tell on the pride of the world,
if all the Christians
in it were united in bearing a practical testimony
against its vain show.
Objection. "But in this way you carry religion too
far away from the
multitude. It is better not to set up an artificial
distinction between the
church and the world."
The direct reverse of this is true. The nearer you
bring the church to
the world, the more you annihilate the reasons that
ought to stand out
in view of the world, for their changing sides and
coming over to the
church.
Unless you go right out from them, and show that you
are not of them
in any respect, and carry the church so far as to have
a broad interval
between saints and sinners, how can you make the
ungodly feel that
so great a change is necessary.
Objection. "But this change which is necessary is
a change of heart."
True; but will not a change of heart produce a change
of life?
Objection. "You will throw obstacles in the way of
persons becoming
Christians. Many respectable people will become
disgusted with
religion, and if they cannot be allowed to dress and be
Christians, they
will take to the world altogether."
This is just about as reasonable as it would be for a
temperance man
to think he must get drunk now and then, to avoid
disgusting the
intemperate, and to retain his influence over them. The
truth is, that
persons ought to know, and ought to see in the lives of
professing
Christians, that if they embrace religion, they must be
weaned from the
world, and must give up the love of the world, and its
pride, and show,
and folly, and live a holy life, in watchfulness, and
self-denial, and
active benevolence.
Objection. "Is it not better for us to disregard
this altogether, and not
pay any attention to such little things, and let them
take their course;
let the milliner and manta-maker do as they please, and
follow the
usages of society in which we live, and the circle in
which we move?"
Is this the way to show contempt for the fashions of
the world? Do
people ordinarily take this course of showing contempt
for a thing, to
practice it? Why, the way to show your abhorrence of
the world is to
follow along in the customs and the fashions of the
world! Precious
reasoning this.
Objection. "No matter how we dress, if our hearts
are right?"
Your heart right! Then your heart may be right when
your conduct is
all wrong. Just as well might the profane swearer say,
"No matter what
words I speak, if my, heart is right." No, your
heart is not right, unless
your conduct is right. What is outward conduct, but the
acting out of
the heart? If your heart was right, you would not wish
to follow the
fashions of the world.
Objection. "What is the standard of dress? I do
not see the use of all
your preaching, and laying down rules about plain
dress, unless you
give us a standard."
This is a mighty stumbling block with many. But to any
mind the matter
is extremely simple. The whole can be comprised in two
simple rules.
One is Be sure, in all your equipage, and dress, and
furniture, to
show that you have no fellowship with the designs and
principles of
those who are aiming to set off themselves, and to gain
the applause
of men. The other is let economy be first consulted,
and then
convenience. Follow Christian economy; that is, save
all you can for
Christ's service; and then, let things be as convenient
as Christian
economy will admit.
Objection. "Would you have us all to turn Quakers,
and put on their
plain dress?"
Who does not know, that the plain dress of the Quakers
has won for
them the respect of all the thinking part of the
ungodly in the
community? Now, if they had coupled with this, the zeal
for God, and
the weanedness from the world, and the contempt for
riches, and the
self-denying labor for the conversion of sinners to
Christ, which the
gospel enjoins, and the clear views of the plan of
salvation,
which the gospel inculcates, they would long since have
converted the
world.
And if all Christians would imitate them in their plain
dress, (I do not
mean the precise cut and fashion of their dress, but in
a plain dress,
throwing contempt upon the fashions of the world,) who
can doubt that
the conversion of the world would hasten on apace?
Objection. "Would you make us all into
Methodists?"
Who does not know that the Methodists, when they were
noted for
their plain dress, and for renouncing the; fashions and
show of the
world, used to have power with God in prayer and that
they had the
universal respect of the world as sincere Christians.
And who does not
know that since they have laid aside this peculiarity,
and conformed to
the world in dress and other things, and seemed to be
trying to lift
themselves up as a denomination, and gain influence
with the world,
they are losing the power of prayer? Would to God they
had never
thrown down this wall. It was one of the leading
excellences of
Wesley's system, to have his followers distinguished
from others by a
plain dress.
Objection. "We may be proud of a plain dress as
well as of a
fashionable dress. The Quakers are as proud as we
are."
So may any good thing be abused. But that is no reason
why it should
not be used, if it can be shown to be good I put it
back to the objector
Is that any reason why a Christian female, who fears
God and loves
the souls of men, should neglect the means which may
make an
impression that she is separated from the world, and
pour contempt
on the fashions of the ungodly, in which they are
dancing their way to
hell?
Objection. "This is a small thing, and ought not
to take up so much of
a minister's time in the pulpit."
This is an objection often heard from worldly
professors. But the
minister that fears God will not be deterred by it. He
will pursue the
subject, until such professing Christians are cut off
from their
conformity to the world, or cut off from the church. It
is not merely the
dress, as dress but it is the conformity to the world
in dress and
fashion, that is the great stumbling-block in the way
of sinners. How
can the world be converted, while professing Christians
are conformed
to the world? What good will it do to give money to
send the gospel to
the heathen, when Christians live so at home? Well
might the heathen
ask, "What profit will it be to become Christians,
when those who are
Christians are pursuing the world with all the hot
haste of the
ungodly?" The great thing necessary for the church
is to break off from
conformity to the world, and then they will have power
with God in
prayer, and the Holy Ghost will descend and bless their
efforts, and
the world will be converted.
Objection. "But if we dress so, we shall be called
fanatics."
Whatever the ungodly may call you, fanatics,
Methodists, or anything,
you will be known as Christians, and in the secret
consciences of men
will be acknowledged as such. It is not in the power of
unbelievers to
pour contempt on a holy church, that are separated from
the world.
How was it with the early Christians? They lived
separate from the
world, and it made such an impression, that even
infidel writers say of
them, "These men win the hearts of the mass of the
people, because
they give themselves up to deeds of charity, and pour
contempt on the
world." Depend upon it, if Christians would live
so now, the last effort
of hell would soon be expended in vain to defeat the
spread of the
gospel. Wave after wave would flow abroad, till the
highest mountain
tops were covered with the waters of life.
3. In regard to politics.
Objection. "In this way, by acting on these
principles and refusing to
unite with the world in politics, we could have no
influence in
government and national affairs."
I answer, first, It is so now. Christians, as such,
have no influence.
There is not a Christian principle adopted because it
is Christian, or
because it is according to the law of God.
I answer, secondly, If there is no other way for
Christians to have an
influence in the government, but by becoming conformed
to the world
in their habitual principles and parties, then let the
ungodly take the
government and manage it in their own way, and do you
go and serve
God.
I answer, thirdly, No such result will follow. Directly
the reverse of this
would be the fact. Only let it be known that Christian
citizens will on no
account assist bad men into office; only let it be
known that the church
will go only for men that will aim at the public good,
and both parties
will be sure to set up such men. And in this way, the
church could
legitimately exert an influence, by compelling all
parties to bring
forward only men who are worthy of an honest man's
support.
Objection. "In this way the church and the world
will be arrayed against
each other."
The world is too selfish for this. You cannot make
parties so. Such a
line can never be a permanent division. For one year
the ungodly
might unite against the church, and leave Christians in
a small
minority. But in the end, the others would form two
parties, each
courting the suffrages of Christians, by offering
candidates such as
Christians can conscientiously vote for.
REMARKS.
1. By non-conformity to the world, you may save much
money for
doing good.
In one year a greater fund might be saved by the church
than has ever
been raised for the spread of the gospel.
2. By non-conformity to the world, a great deal of time
may be saved
for doing good, that is now consumed and wasted in
following the
fashions, and obeying the maxims, and joining in the
pursuits of the
world.
3. At the same time, Christians in this way would
preserve their peace
of conscience, would enjoy communion with God, would
have the spirit
of prayer, and would possess far greater usefulness.
Is it not time something was done? Is it not time that
some church
struck out a path, that should not be conformed to the
world, but
should be according to the example and Spirit of
Christ?
You profess that you want to have sinners converted.
But what avails
it, if they sink right back again into conformity with
the world?
Brethren,
I confess, I am filled with pain in view of the conduct
of the church.
Where are the proper results of the glorious revivals
we have had? I
believe they were genuine revivals of religion and
outpourings of the
Holy Ghost, that the church has enjoyed the last ten
years. I believe
the converts of the last ten years are among the best
Christians in the
land. Yet after all, the great body of them are a
disgrace to religion.
Of what use would it be to have a thousand members
added to the
church, to be just such as are now in it? Would
religion be any more
honored by it, in the estimation of ungodly men?
One
holy church, that
are really crucified to the world, and the world to
them, would do more
to recommend Christianity, than all the churches in the
country, living
as they now do. O, if I had strength of body to go
through the churches
again, instead of preaching to convert sinners, I would
preach to bring
up the churches to the gospel standard of holy living.
Of what use is
it to convert sinners, and make them such Christians as
these? Of
what use is it to try to convert sinners, and make them
feel there is
something in religion, and when they go to trade with
you, or meet you
in the street, have you contradict it all, and tell
them, by your
conformity to the world, that there is nothing in it?
Where shall I look, where shall the Lord look, for a
church like the first
church, that will come out from the world, and be
separate, and give
themselves up to serve God? O, if this church would do
so.
But it is of
little use to make Christians if they are not better.
Do not understand
me as saying that the converts made in our revivals,
are spurious. But
they live so as to be a disgrace to religion. They are
so stumbled by
old professors that many of them do more hurt than
good. The more
there are of them, the more occasion infidelity seems
to find for her
jeers and scoffs.
Now, do you believe that God commands you not to be
conformed to
the world? Do you believe it? And dare you obey it, let
people say
what they will about you? Dare you now separate
yourselves from the
world, and never again be controlled by its maxims, and
never again
copy its practices, and never again will be whiffled
here and there by
its fashions? I know a man that lives so, I could
mention his name, he
pays no attention to the customs of the world in this
respect, and what
is the result? Wherever that man goes, he leaves the
impression
behind that he is a Christian. O, if one church would
do so, and would
engage in it with all the energy that men of the world
engage in their
business, they would turn the world upside down.
Will you do so? Will you break off from the world now,
and enter into
covenant with God, and declare that you will dare to be
singular
enough to be separate from the world, and from this
time set your
faces as a flint to obey God, let the world say what
they will? Dare you
do it? Will you do it?
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