him, "rejoice that you are counted worthy to suffer for his sake." Thus shall the end of all God's mercies to you be duly answered, and his glory be advanced in your everlasting salvation.]
Rom. xii. 2. Be not conformed to this world: but be ye trans- formed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may 'prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God,
THE morality, no less than the doctrines, of the Gospel far excels the boasted inventions of philosophy. There is not one principle in the human heart, or one action of our lives, which is not depraved by sin. The whole system of man's conduct is deranged : and to rectify it in all its parts, is the scope of that reve- lation which God has given us. The inspired writers are not satisfied with lopping off a few branches ; they strike at the root of all sin ; and labour to bring us back to that state of allegiance to our Maker from which we are fallen. This is peculiarly observable in the exhortation before us, in explaining which we shall shew,
I. What is that conformity to the world which we are to avoid — Doubtless there is a degree of conformity to the world which is necessary, if we would not render our- selves perfectly ridiculous and absurd : but there are limits, beyond which we ought not to go. To mark out those limits we may observe, that we should not be conformed to,
1. Its company and conduct —
[We cannot wholly avoid worldly company ; for " then we must needs go out of the world :" but we surely should not choose such for our companions ; and much less form an indissoluble alliance with thema. If we ourselves be spiritual, it is not possible that we should enjoy the society of a car- nal person, because his views, desires, and pursuits must of
a 1 Cor. vii. 39, " only in the Lord."