3. What faith is this that overcometh the world ?
A71S. It is not a naked assent, or a cold opinion, or that which the scripture calleth a ' dead faith,' James ii. 17, but such as is lively and operative. It is described, 1 John v. 5, ' And who is he that over- cometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God ? ' That is the great vital or enlivening truth, that Christ is God ; there- fore when Peter made his confession : Mat. xvi. 16-18, ' Thou art Christ, the Son of the living God,' Christ telleth him that ' flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. And I s;iy also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock will I build my church.' This truth, that Jesus is the promised Messiah, very God and man in one person, and the anointed Saviour of the world, is a truth that cannot be attained by any human means, and is the corner-stone upon whicli the faith of all believers is founded , and whosoever doth indeed build his hope upon it, the gates of hell shall not prevail against him. Many take up this opinion upon human credulity, or as the current and avowed truth of the age and country in which they live ; the universal consent of the christian world hath taken up such a principle. But those that do indeed receive it. and put all their hopes of salvation upon it, these overcome the world. More particularly —
[1.] It is such a faith as receiveth whole Christ, as king, priest, and prophet: John i. 12, 'To as many as received him;' that doth so believe Jesus to be the Messiah and Saviour of the world, as to believe his promises, and fear his threats, and obey his precepts ; for such a one hath far stronger allectives and encouragements to piety than the world can afford to the contrary. Christ hath promises of life and immortality with which this world with all its emoluments is not to be compared, or brought into reckoning the same day, Rom. viii. IS. Christ hath threatenings, Mark ix. 44, in comparison of which all the
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punishments and tortures in the world are but a flea-biting, or a thing not to be mentioned. His commands of bearing the cross and denying ourselves may be well digested, and will outweigh all the allurements and terrors of the world, if we indeed cordially believe tliem ; but when men stick at these poor inconsiderable vanities, surely they do uot take Christ to be the Messiah, or Son of God. No comforts, no terrors like his ; no commands like his, because they are his commands : Ps. cxix. 48, ' My hands also will I lift up unto thy commandments, which I have loved, and I will meditate in thy statutes.'
[2.] It is such a faith as receiveth Christ with the whole heart, a cordial assent : Acts viii. 37, ' If thou believest with all thy heart.' A naked opinion is easily begotten in us ; but we must so believe Christ as to profess his name, to hope for the things promised by him, and under that hope to follow his precepts and directions ; such an effectual faith overcometh the world.
[3.] Such a faith as ' worketh by love,' Gal. v. 6 ; as draweth us to love God above all, and to make the enjoyment of him our chief scope and happiness. This will excite us to observe what conduceth to this enjoyment of God, and eschew the contrary. Our first sin was a turu- iag from God to the creature, and our conversion is a turning from the creature to God, to love him above all, as our reconciled God and Father in Christ. He that hath such a faith may with ease overcome the world, and the terroi's and temptations thereof; and he that is carried captive to the world hath not such a faith, is not a cordial be- liever,
II. The necessity and profit of this part of the life of faith.
1. It is by the world that our spiritual enemies have advantage against us. Satan lieth in ambush in the creature, and seeketh to work us off from God by the terrors and allurements of the world ; therefore it is said, 1 John iv. 4, ' Ye are of God, and have overcome him. because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.' Conquer the world, and the tempter is disarmed, and disabled from doing that hurt to you which otherwise he would. He blindeth as ' the god of this world,' 2 Cor. iv. 4 ; he troubleth as 'the prince of this world,' John xiv. 30, ' The prince of this world cometh, and hath noth- ing in me.' He findeth it no hard matter to entice a sensual worldly mind to almost anything that is evil. He may do what he lists with them ; but when once these inclinations are mortified and broken tlie cord is broken by which he was wont to bind and lead you. The strength of temptations lieth in the bent of our aftections. Let a man be in love with wealth, or honours and pleasures, and how soon will the devil draw him to betray, and cast away his soul for any of these things ! The world is the bait and provision for the flesh : 1 John ii. 16, ' Whatever is in the world ' is in ' the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and pride of life.' The lust is put for the object, either riches, pleasures, or honours. It is the world that fits us with a diet for every distemper, and a bait agreeable to every appetite. A proud cor- rupted mind must have honour and high place, and be supplied with pomp of living ; an inordinate, sensual appetite must have pleasures and meats and drinks , so the covetous must have wealth and bags of gold. So that conquer but the world, and you may pluck up temp-