the case, that these last would be the foremost of the twain to enter into the kingdoin of heaven. IV. The last obstacle now to be mentioned to the due investigation of religious truth, one which lies indeed at the root of all others, is the seductive influence of spiritual pride. To one who feels deeply the corruption of human nature no apology is necessary for ascribing to every child of fallen Adam the liability to this baneful passion. I shall rather exhort you to beware of its suggestions, to take care lest you assume too hastily the correctness of your opinions, and too readily consider each argument against them as a trial of your faith, or a persecution for righteousness sake. But indeed I am ill informed of the disposition to which I am to address myself, if there be not a real desire for information, and an anxious prayer for settlement of doubts. May that prayer be heard, may that desire be fulfilled; and may the trial to which you submit your opinions end in your securely holding fast that only which is good! My intention, with a view to conducting the enquiry proposed, is to send you a series of sermons on the following subjects: 1. The limits of conformity and nonconformity to the world. 2. The principle of Christian charity. 5. The communion of saints. 6. On the danger of scandal to religion. Any questions which you may feel disposed to ask, either immediately, or when you have perused the whole, will meet with the best consideration I can give them; and the conference may be then closed with an answer to any objections (5) or questions which you may have to propose, as arising from the discussion. SERMON II. NON-CONFORMITY TO THE WORLD. ROM. xii. 2. Be not conformed to this world, but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind. OUR Saviour had before on a very solemn occasion assured his disciples that his "kingdom was not of this world;" and the whole tenour of the Gospel seems calculated to separate the believers in Christ from the corruptions and sins of the sons of Adam. True Christians are as the people of Israel to be kept apart from the pollutions of the rest of mankind; and to be found, as that favoured nation was designed to be, earnest in the worship of the true God, whilst the rest of the world lie in ignorance and error. When therefore St. Paul bids the Christian converts at Rome not to be conformed to this world, he must be understood as requiring them to abstain from mingling in the profane rites and superstitions, the evil customs and corrupt practices, of the heathens amongst whom they lived, and out of whom they were saved from destruction by the "revelation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ." We may consider then that one of those converts in applying this precept to his own conduct would conceive it incumbent upon himself to mark by his outward behaviour his non-conformity with the su perstitions of idolatry, and whilst he avoided all unnecessary offence and all appearance of courting persecution yet fearlessly to do his duty to God, and to prove his love to Christ, by the open refusal to join in any single unchristian practice. In our own times the case is entirely altered, by the |