DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.3689#0180
i78
?A Serious Call to
and vain-glory, less contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, now
they are amongst Christians, than when they were amongst
heathens ? Or will you say, that the tempers and passions of
the heathen world are lost and gone ?
Consider, secondly, what you are to mean by the world. Now
this is fully described to our hands by St. John. 'All that is in
' the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
' pride of life,'* &c. This is an exact and full description of the
world. Now will you say, that this world is become Christian ?
But if all this still subsists, then the same world is now in being,
and the same enemy to Christianity, that was in St. John's days.
It was this world that St. John condemned, as being not of the
Father; whether therefore it outwardly professeth, or openly
persecuteth Christianity, it is still in the same state of contrariety
to the true spirit and holiness of the Gospel.
And indeed the world by professing Christianity, is so far
from being a less dangerous enemy than it was before, that it
has by its favours destroyed more Christians, than ever it did by
the most violent persecution.
We must therefore be so far from considering the world as in
a state of less enmity and opposition to Christianity, than it was
in the first times of the gospel, that we must guard against it as
a greater and more dangerous enemy now, than it was in those
times.
It is a greater enemy, because it has greater power over
Christians by its favours, riches, honours, rewards and pro-
tections, than it had by the fire and fury of its persecutions.
It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance
of enmity. Its outward profession of Christianity makes it no
longer considered as an enemy, and therefore the generality of
people are easily persuaded, to resign themselves up to be
governed and directed by it.
How many consciences are kept at quiet, upon no other
foundation, but because they sin under the authority of the
Christian world ?
How many directions of the Gospel lie by unregarded, and
how unconcernedly do particular persons read them, for no
other reason, but because they seem unregarded by the Christian
world ?
How many compliances do people make to the Christian
world, without any hesitation, or remorse ; which if they had
been required of them only by heathens, would have been
refused, as contrary to the holiness of Christianity.
* i John ii. 16.
?A Serious Call to
and vain-glory, less contrary to the spirit of the Gospel, now
they are amongst Christians, than when they were amongst
heathens ? Or will you say, that the tempers and passions of
the heathen world are lost and gone ?
Consider, secondly, what you are to mean by the world. Now
this is fully described to our hands by St. John. 'All that is in
' the world, the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the
' pride of life,'* &c. This is an exact and full description of the
world. Now will you say, that this world is become Christian ?
But if all this still subsists, then the same world is now in being,
and the same enemy to Christianity, that was in St. John's days.
It was this world that St. John condemned, as being not of the
Father; whether therefore it outwardly professeth, or openly
persecuteth Christianity, it is still in the same state of contrariety
to the true spirit and holiness of the Gospel.
And indeed the world by professing Christianity, is so far
from being a less dangerous enemy than it was before, that it
has by its favours destroyed more Christians, than ever it did by
the most violent persecution.
We must therefore be so far from considering the world as in
a state of less enmity and opposition to Christianity, than it was
in the first times of the gospel, that we must guard against it as
a greater and more dangerous enemy now, than it was in those
times.
It is a greater enemy, because it has greater power over
Christians by its favours, riches, honours, rewards and pro-
tections, than it had by the fire and fury of its persecutions.
It is a more dangerous enemy, by having lost its appearance
of enmity. Its outward profession of Christianity makes it no
longer considered as an enemy, and therefore the generality of
people are easily persuaded, to resign themselves up to be
governed and directed by it.
How many consciences are kept at quiet, upon no other
foundation, but because they sin under the authority of the
Christian world ?
How many directions of the Gospel lie by unregarded, and
how unconcernedly do particular persons read them, for no
other reason, but because they seem unregarded by the Christian
world ?
How many compliances do people make to the Christian
world, without any hesitation, or remorse ; which if they had
been required of them only by heathens, would have been
refused, as contrary to the holiness of Christianity.
* i John ii. 16.