19 SERMONS rrpoii Serm,22, [Even as 1 am not of the World,] ip[t eftranged from the Culoms and Fafhions of . it. John 8. 23. Te are from beneath, I am from above ; ye are of this World, I am not óf this World. He tatted of the World's hatred : John 15. 18, 19. If the World hateth you, you Inow it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the World, the World would love its own : but becaufe ye are not of the World, but I have called you out of the World, therefore theWorld hateth you. This is added for the Confolatión of the Dilciples, that . it may not be grievous to them,to fuffer What their Matter fuffered before them. When the King is wounded in Battei, thould the Souldier (brink ? They have my Spirit, and -tire to inherit my Office; and they that have Chrift's Spirit, mull look for Chrift's En- tertainment. Only when it is laid; Even as I am not of this World, it noteth not an exa& Equality, but force Conformity : Chrift never was of the World ; Heb. 7. 26. He was Holy,Harmlefs,Vndefrled,feparate from Sinners; that is,he never was of their num- ber. After the Fall, all Men are of the World, but by Regeneration they are fo no more; therefore it is faid, John is. 59. Te are not of the Woad, but I have chofen you out of the World. Ye are feparated by God's Fan, the Wheat from the Chaff, and cut off from your old Root by the Sword of the Word. i. Qbferve ; That,Cbriflians, efpecially Minters, to whom Chrifi hath given his Word, muff expeti the World's hatred. I apply it to both, becaufe Chrift bath given the Word to both; to ordinary Chrittians by Regeneration, to Minifrers by fpecial Commifiion. Ordinary Chriftiatìs are cut off from the World by the Sword of the Word, and Conformity is theground of Love, as Difformity and Diffonancy of Pra &ice, is of Hatred and Averfation. And Minitiers have a fpecial Commiffion to preach it. Lend then both hold forth the Word : Mini(iers clearly, they manage the Fan ; and of pri- vate Chrillians it is laid, Phil. 2. 15, r6. That ye be blamelee and harmlefs, the Sons of God, without rebuke, in the midis of a crooked and perverfe Nation, among whom ye thine as Lights in the World g Holding forth the Word of Life. They copy out the Word in their Lives ; they are a living Sermon, a walking Rule ; they preach by their Lives : the Truth is held forth in a Minitter's Mouth, but in a Believer's Converfation. I. Chriftians, that do not let fall the Stri &nefs and Majefty of their Converfations, if they keep the Word that Chrift bath given to them, that is, keep dole to it, they Mu expeet troubles. Chrift's Subje &s, are the World's Rebels; and if they will not forfeit their A,llégiance to Chrift, the World will fall upon them. You mutt not expel Friends in the World, your great Friend and Patron is in Heaven. John 16. 33. In me ye (hall have Peace, in the World ye pall have Tribulation : he propoundeth it dif- jun&ively, we have feldom both together. Chrift leaveth his Subje &s in Satan's Terri- tories and Dominions, that he might try their Allegiance. 2 Tim.3.r a. All that will live Godly in Chr Jl fefns, pall Apr Perfecution 5 he doth not fay, that profefs Chrift, but that will live godly in Chrift, that are ttri&, holy, true to their. Principles. And it is not an Obfervation proper to that Age: As long as the Enmity lafts between the two Seeds, Oppofition will continue. Satan never wanted a Party to fupport his Empire: The Perfecution of the Church began in Abel, and will not be finifhed till the Day of Judgment ; and it is a wonder to fee an Abel without a Cain. Afterwards, in Ibra- ham s Family, Gal. 4.25. As then, he that was born after the Flef/i, perferuted him that was born after the Spirit; So it is now : and (till we may fay, So it is now. So it hath been, and fo it will be. So afterward Jacob and Efau ftrugled together in the Belly, and the Quarrel began before the Birth. And fo it is in all Ages; Satan hath not changed his Nature, nor the World left its Wont. Emperors and Kings have become Chrittian, but Satan never yet became Chrittfan ; and there never wanteth a ftrongFa &ion in the World, to abet him again(} the Church. In our Times we had great Hopes, but (till the Spirit of Enmity continueth, tho under other Forms and Appearances. We fee there is a quick Converfion from a Malignant to a Se &ary ; the Term is changed, but not the Perron. I would not be miftaken ; by a Malignant, I mean that which the Scripture meaneth, not one that diffents from others in Civil Matters, but one that is an Enemy to the Power of Godlinefs : And by a Setlary, I mean, one that is fo in the Scripture Notion, a Party -maker in the Church, a Carnal Man under a plaufible Form, oppofing the holy and ftri& Ways of God. I tell you, this Converfion is ealy. A piece of loft Wax, that was but now (tamped with the Shape of the Devil, may be eafily.ftamped again with the Seal that is carved into the Shape of an Angel; the Wax is the fame, brit the Impref ion is different. It is no new thing for the Saints of God to
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