and Christ with Belial?" It is not sufficient that you "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness ; you must also reprove them V Need you be told what even a heathen writer could declare, that " evil communications corrupt good manners1?" Do you not know, that men insensibly imbibe the spirit of their associates; and that you must "come out from Babylon, if you would not be partakers of her sins and of her plagues'" ?" Know assuredly, that "a companion of fools will be destroyed";" and that, if you belong to Christ, " you will not be of the world, even as he was not of the world0." I say to you, therefore, in the words of the great Apostle, "Come out from among them, and be separate; and touch not the unclean thing ; and I will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty p."]
3. Devote yourselves entirely to the Lord —
[The conduct of those whom the Apostle addressed, will form the best comment on his exhortation. His converts instantly applied to Christ for the forgiveness of their sins, and devoted themselves unreservedly to his service : and from that day " continued in the Apostles' fellowship," (not the fellowship of their former companions,) and in the unremitted exercise of piety and love''. We say not that you are to neglect your worldly callings ; (nothing can be further from our wishes, or from your duty than this :) but you must begin from this time to " live no longer to yourselves, but unto him who died for you, and rose again." " Instead of being any longer con- formed to this world, you must be transformed in the renewing of your minds, proving what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God." To all of you then I say, Save your- selves in this manner: escape thus from the contagion and ruin of this untoward generation. Give yourselves up to God, as your reconciled God in Christ Jesus : do it without
fear do it without reserve do it without delay
Then, when the impenitent and unbelieving part of
this generation shall eat the bitter fruit of their doings, you shall be numbered with "the generation of the righteous," even of them that sought and served their Godr.]
k Eph.v. 11.
1 1 Cor. xv. 33. This is a quotation from Menander.
m Rev. xviii. 4. n Prov. xiii. 20. ° John xvii. 16.
p 2 Cor. vi. 17, 18. q ver. 11—4 7.
r Ps. xiv. 5. and xxiv. 6. and cxii. 2.