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converses with his brethren in Christ, on the love of Christ, and that is a feast to his soul. He employs himself diligently in the duties of his calling, and labours to do good in his generation, particularly by supplying the needy with that superfluous money which others expend upon their lusts. This is glorifying his God, and this is also a pleasure.

Another way in which men show themselves enslaved by the world is, by seeking the honours and dignities of it. But the believer is made a king and a priest to his God, and expects one day to sit with Jesus on his throne, even as he also overcame and sat down with his Father on his throne-what can he want more? What honour or power like this? As to worldly honour, it is dross and dung in comparison of this. If he desires a good name, it is that his God may thereby be glorified among men. If it is not to be had but with the sacrifice of a good conscience, welcome to him contempt and reproach. He will rejoice that he is "counted worthy to suffer shame for the name of Christ."

But the love of money is that peculiar evil which makes a man a slave to this world. Nothing can overcome this, but faith in Christ and his heavenly treasures. Where this is overcome, there christianity triumphs indeed. For it must be confessed, that the love of money is an evil which sticks very close to the professors of godliness. The remnants of worldly lusts, in the regenerate, are here very stubborn, and obstinate, and the heart is deceitful here above measure; because this sober vice can deceive under the specious name of frugality and economy. Nothing, however, can overcome the

world, in this respect, but faith in Christ. And where "Christ dwells in the heart by faith," he surely will overcome it. Hence the believer learns to be liberal of his substance, and delights to do good with money, as its proper use and end. He seeks "those things which are above," for his happiness is hid with Christ in God. Earth can never fill his desires, nor supply his wants. Jesus is all his salvation and all his desire: the world is as dross and dung compared with him.

Having thus shown how faith overcomes the world, with respect to its cares, its fears, its evils, and its desires, let me intreat you to search diligently, and not lightly and after the manner of dissemblers with God, man by man, and woman by woman, what you are, what is your state, and where your heart is. Are you possessed of what the apostle calls, "the faith of God's elect," or are you not? It is not worth while to inquire merely, whether you have changed your opinions and rectified your notions relating to matters of doctrine. Alas! you may do this, and be as far from God as ever. Faith does not consist in holding any notions whatever. There must indeed be an enlightening of the understanding where there is faith in Christ, and therefore doctrinal ignorance in the things of Christ is ruinous. But faith itself is a work of the heart. It is a cordial reception of Jesus Christ in all his offices. your notions of religion, then, be what they will, if you at this day live a slave to the world, you have no faith, you are yet in your sins, in the gall of bitterness, and the bond of iniquity. Ask again and again; does your heart love Jesus, or the

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world? One of the two is your state. middle state.

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Ask whether you are yet enslaved to the cares of life, so engrossed by them, that the soul is seldom thought of, that really your heart is so much taken up with worldly affairs, that you neither find leisure nor inclination to pray, and search the Scriptures? If so, you live for this world only; a constant prey to various anxieties; greedy, and discontented; now envying this man's wealth, and now that; impatient under crosses; and ever disposed to murmur and repine at your condition.

Again. Is it not more a matter of concern to you, to please man than God? Are you not overcome by all the evil you meet with? If you receive an injury, or an affront, do not you return it? Do not you repay railing with railing, and abuse with abuse? Are you still delighting in carnal pleasures? Still fond of the applause of men, and unwilling to lose your character for Christ's sake? Is your heart still bewitched with the love of money? Is it not too plain in your mean, ungenerous, hard-hearted, and avaricious conduct, that your love of self is excessive and predominant? Have you this world's goods, and do you see your brother have need, and can you shut up your bowels of compassion from him? If this be the case with you, your pretensions to christian faith may be brought to a short issue.

If you are sensible of the guilt and danger of your state, and wish to get out of it, beseech God to sprinkle your hearts from an evil conscience, and shed abroad his love in your soul, in such abundance as may overcome in you the love of this world.

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Believers! whether strong or weak, your sins are forgiven you for the sake of Jesus Christ. In him ye are dead to the world, that you may live unto God. The remnant of worldly lusts, stiH remaining in you, is burden and your grief. Resist it unto death, striving against sin, if you would live in godly comfort and spiritual joy. Be thus occupied till he who now is your life shall appear. Behold, he cometh quickly, and having burnt up this earth, to which so many are miserably enslaved, he will take you up to reign with him, in everlasting glory.

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SERMON VII.

THE DEVIL OVERCOME BY FAITH.

Rom. xvi. 20.

And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly.

WHAT a comfortable assurance is it, to a person struggling under a severe contest, with a powerful and malicious adversary, to know beforehand, that the time will shortly arrive, when he shall have a complete and effectual victory. This encourages him to maintain the battle till that period, when he shall be no more subject to any assaults, but shall enjoy an uninterrupted tranquillity. Such is the comfort afforded by the promise of the text, made to the christian warrior of final victory over the devil. The promise comes in toward the close of an epistle, which lays open the peculiar glory, and precise nature of the christian religion. The faith and the conflict of the christian are described in the foregoing chapters, as they are felt and exercised in actual experience. And to cheer the spirits of those who are heartily engaged in those things, and who might be tempted to think they should never obtain the victory, he adds, "the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly."

Let us, 1st, endeavour to illustrate the great

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