rit and Principle, than any is in the World. And this feems to me more efpecially the meaning of that in the Text, Te are of God, little children, and have overcome them: becaufe greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. But thefe I fhall not now enter upon. Sermon XIV. SERMON XV. The Advantages of Truth, in Sermon The fecond Sermon on this Text. I JOHN IV. 4, 5. Te are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore fpeak they of the world, and the world heareth them. I Proceed to the Second Advantage which the Spirit of Truth hath above the Spirit of Error and Seduction, namely, that the Motives which good men have to perfwade them them to adhere to Truth and HoliVolume nefs are more powerful, than the XII. Motivęs to the contrary. They who embraced the Chriftian Religion did firmly believe the eter nal Rewards and Punishments of another World; and this Principle of Faith being fix'd and rooted in them, made them victorious over all the temptations of the World, over all the allurements and terrors of it; because they were fully perfwaded of the Happiness and Mifery of another world; the Happiness of those who continued ftedfaft in the Faith and Obedience of the Gofpel, and the dreadful Mifery and Punishment of those who difobeyed the Gospel of Chrift, or apoftatized from the Profeffion of it. Hence it was that they were not to be moved by any temporal Confiderations, either of Eafe and Advantage, or of Trouble and Perfecution in this World. Their eternal intereft lay fo near their hearts, and they were fo fully polleft with the belief of the everlafting Rewards and Punishments of another life, that they overlook'd the goods and evils of this life; and all temporal Confiderations, put into the Scales against their everlafting intereft, were of no weight and moment with them. And this our Apoftle very particularly insists upon in this Epiftle, Ch. 5.4, 5. What foever is born of God, overcometh the world; the Children of God are victorious over the temptations of the World; and then he tells us what it is that makes them fo, and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our Faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jefus is the Son of God? The believing that Jefus is the Son of God, infers the belief of his Doctrine, and confequently of that eminent part of it, the eternal Recompence of another World, which whosoever firmly believes, will be able to refift and overcome all the temptations of this World. For by the belief of the Christian Religion, and Faith in the Son of God, we are fully affur'd of the reality and Sermon |