mit any Sin, for the Poffeffion of its Fayours, or for the avoiding of its Frowns: And this Interpretation of the Phrafe doth appear very agreeable to the Context, compared with the 9th Verfe of the iiid Chapter of this Epiftle. For whereas we read in the Context, Whatsoever is bord of God, overcometh the World: We find it there expreffed, Whosoever is born of God, doth not commit Šin. So long then, as we Ufe this World, as not Abufing it; fo long as we fuffer not ourselves to be influenced thereby to commit Sin; fo long we may be truly said to overcome it.

In a Word, When our Minds foar aloft towards Heaven and heavenly Things; when we place but a mean Efteem and Value upon the Things of the Earth; when we vastly poftpone them in our Judgments to Religion, and a good Confcience; and are ready to quit and forfake them, rather than violate Thefe when we can look down with a noble Air of Contempt upon worldly Bleffings and. Calamities, if fo be that they ftand in Competition with our Obedience to GOD; and would fooner furrender all that we have, and undergo any Trouble, than tranfgrefs His Laws: Then it is that we are Conquerors through CHRIST M 3

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that loved us; Then it is that we gain the Victory over the World. Won

And this is the Victory that overcometh the World, even our Faith. By Faith here must be understood, a Belief in JESUS CHRIST, that he is the Son of GOD, and that the Doctrine delivered by Him, is a Revelation of the Will of God. This is evident from what the Apostle hath subjoyn'd in the Verfe immediately following my Text; Who is be that overcometh the World, but be that believeth that JESUS is the Son of God? He that believeth that JESUS is the Son of GOD, must also believe that his Doctrine is a Revelation of the Will of GOD, One of these Truths being implicitly contained in the Other. But then we cannot rationally fuppofe, that a naked Affent to thefe Propofitions, is the Faith here intended; for daily Experience doth fadly testify, That fuch an Affent is too faint and feeble to infpire us with Re folution ftrong enough to encounter and baffle the World's Temptations. The Faith which will render us fufficient for thefe Things, must be fuch an unfeigned Belief of the Truth of the Gofpel, of the Divine Authority of thofe Rules prefcribed in it for the Conduct of our Lives, as doth incline us to conduct our Lives

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by them. It must be such a steadfast and lively Perfuafion that the Promifes and Threatnings therein contained are true, as is the Subflance of future Rewards boped for; and the Evidence of future Punishments unfeen.

From what hath been delivered, I think it appears, that the Meaning of this Paffage of Scripture before us, is as fol lows; to wit, That a firm and active Christian Faith will enable us to fubdue and overcome the Temptations of the World; fo that none of its glittering Charms fhall have Power to allure; and none of its grievous Afflictions thall have Strength to affrighten us, from acting in Conformity to our known Duty. The Senfe of the Text being thus Explained; I go on to the

Second Thing propounded, namely, To illuftrate the Truth of it. And this Point will be made out with as little Trouble as the Former: For the Holy Church throughout all the World doth acknowledge it; the goodly Fellowship of the Apostles declare it; the noble Army of Martyrs witness it; and the glorious Company of Saints (whofe Conftancy and Perfeverance in the Faith, whofe Victories and Triumphs over the World, we

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on this Day commemorate) do confirm it. For 'twas this Faith, which embolden'd the Apostles undauntedly to preach the Gofpel of CHRIST, in Defiance of all the powerful and malicious Oppoffers of it. 'Twas this Faith which made them dif dain the Promises, and delpife the Threatnings of the World. 'Twas this Faith which caused St. Paul to address himself to the Romans in these noble and triumphant Expreffions; Who shall separate us from the Love of CHRIST? Shall Tribulation or Diftrefs, or Perfecution, or Nakedness, or Famine, or Peril or Sword? Nay, in all thefe Things we are more than Conquerors, through him that loved us. For I am perfuaded, that neither Death, nor Life, nor Angels, nor Principalities, nor Powers; nor Things prefent, nor Things to come; nor Height, nor Deptb, nor any other Creature, fhall be able to Separate us from the Love of God, which is in CHRIST JESUS our Lord. 'Twas this Faith which made him and the reft of the Apoftles, behave themselves in a manner fuitable to thefe confident Expreffions; by denying themselves the Comforts of Life, and taking up their Croßs, rather than not follow their Savis

• Preached on All-Saints' Day.

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our. 'Twas the fame Faith encouraged the Chriftians of their Times, to imitate their Example; by drinking of the fame bitter Cup which they drank of; by being baptized with the fame bloody Baptifm wherewith they were baptized. 'Twas the fame Faith which animated the Chriftians of the fucceeding Ages, to tread in their Steps, to pafs through a Red Sea of their own Blood, before they could arrive at the Heavenly Canaan. 'Twas the fame Faith which enabled the Profeffors of Chriftianity fo glorioufly to triumph over those many and amazing Storms of Perfecutors which happened in the three firft Centuries: Such were their Patience and Chearfulness in bearing them, as con I founded their Profecutors, inflamed the Zeal of the Luke-warm, and were inftrumental in bringing over Multitudes to the Faith: So that the Church, which is the Myftical Body of CHRIST, instead of be ing leffened and deformed, grew larger and more beautiful, even by the Lojs of its Members.

And if we come nearer to our own Times, and confider the Church of Rome. fince the endeavoured to ufurp a Supremacy over all other Churches; fince the taught Doctrines of Devils; and brought