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THE

CONTENTS.

On Education of a Christian.

THE advantage of being well grounded in the Christian Religion.

page 1

The want of this is the occasion of so little true Religion among us.

3

The direction of the Church in this behalf, and of God himself.

8

The Obligation on Parents to observe it.

9

The Church Catechism most easy, and yet most full and comprehensive.

ibid.

The Necessity of being made Christians by Baptism.

10

And that for Children as well as adult Persons.

11

The Promise made at Baptism implies the Necessity of Christian Instruction.

13

The several Parts of that Promise, lead to the Knowledge of all the rest of the Catechism, viz. of the Creed, Ten Commandments, Lord’s Prayer, and Doctrine of the Sacraments.

14

xvii

Directions for instructing Children in this Catechism.

16

They must begin with them betimes.

17

Employ others to teach them, if they cannot do it themselves.

19

When taught the Catechism, send them, for further Instruction, to the Minister.

21

The great Obligation upon Parents, to instruct their Children.

23

Abraham’s Care, in this respect, rewarded, and Eli’s Neglect punished.

25

The Advantage of it to themselves, and to their Children.

27

An Exhortation to it.

29

On the Knowledge of God

Tho’ all Men agree about Religion in general, yet they differ about nothing mare than the particular Exercise of it.

31

Our Form of Worship incomparably the best.

33

To serve God aright, it it necessary to know that God whom we are to serve.

35

To know that he is.

36

And what he is both in himself.

ibid.

And to us.

37

To know all his Attributes.

38

All his Works.

ibid.

To know that in the one Godhead there are Three Persons.

40

Our Knowledge of God must be also practical and experimental.

41

xviii

That all this Knowledge is necessary towards serving God aright.

43

The Error of the Church of Rome in this particular.

45

Arguments to induce us to seek after this Knowledge.

46

How we ought to serve God.

49

What it is to serve him.

51

Mistakes about this.

52

We must serve him with all we are.

ibid.

And with all we have.

53

say him sincere and universal Obedience.

55

We must serve him with a perfect Heart, and with a willing Mind.

59

For what Reason we ought thus to serve God.

61

An Exhortation to it.

65

On the Mystery of the Trinity.

It is impossible to be truly religious without knowing God.

69

Which we cannot do truly but by the light of Revelation.

70

Which alone discovers to us the Mystery of the Trinity.

71

Into which our Saviour commands all Nations to be baptiz’d.

72

Where we must consider the Work be sends his Apostles about.

74

What is meant by teaching.

75

The Mistake of which occasion’d the Sect of the Anabaptists.

76

Our Saviour speaks not of teaching before Baptism, but after it.

ibid

xix

So that Infant Baptism is commanded in those very words, which are pretended to forbid it.

77

The large extent of the Commission here given.

79

Not understood by the Apostles themselves, till interpreted from Heaven.

80

The manner of admitting oil Nations into Christ’s Church.

81

The Church always baptized in the Name of the Three Persons.

83

The Trinity of Persons prov’d from the Scriptures, both of the Old Testament.

85

And especially of the New.

87

The Godhead of each Person.

89

Particularly of the Son.

90

(Who otherwise could not be our Savi.)

92

And of the Holy Ghost.

ibid.

The Order of the Three Persons..

96

Why the Father is the First.

98

Why the Son is the Second.

100

Why the Holy Ghost is the Third. =

102

His Procession from the Son.

103

Inferences from the whole.

105

The Conclusion.

108

Worldly Riches. Sect. 1.

Why Christians, notwithstanding the excellency of their Religion, led as bad lives as other Men.

113

This cannot be owing to any defect in the Gospel.

114

But proceeds from being too much concern’d for the things of this World.

117

xx

The love of Money is the Root of all Evil.

118

Where, by Money, the Apostle means the Things of this World.

119

In what the love of these things consists.

120

How it is the root of all Evil.

122

Of all the Evil of which we are guilty, viz. of Sins of Omission.

ibid.

And Commission.

127

Of all the Evil which we suffer in this life.

130

And fear in the next.

132

Directions for taking off our Affections from the things of this World.

135

On Worldly Riches. Sect. 2.

Timothy first Bp. of the Province of Ephesus.

140

He and all Ministers enjoyn’d to preach with Authority.

141

To charge, not only the Poor but the rich.

147

Whom the Apostle means by them that are rich.

148

Why they are to be charg’d not to be high-minded.

149

Why, not to trust in uncertain riches.

151

What good they are enjoyn’d to do.

153

Works of Piety towards God.

154

Works of Charity towards the Poor.

157

And to be rich in good Works.

158

Which are our principal Riches.

160

Ready to distribute.

161

Willing to Communicate.

162

The Reward promised to this Duty.

163

xxi

On Self-denyal.

The Introduction.

168

Mistaken Notions about Christianity.

170

How to know what it is to be a true Christian.

171

It is not so easy to be, as some imagine.

174

They that will be such, must deny themselves.

ibid.

Deny their Reason in Matters of Divine Revelation, which are above it.

176

Their Wills in submission to God’s.

178

And their Affections.

180

And the Enjoyment of their Estates, when they come in competition with their Duty.

182

They must deny themselves in those Sins and Lusts they are us’d to indulge.

183

And must renounce their own Righteousness.

184

Which will not justify, but rather condemn.

185

Why we must thus deny our selves.

189

We must also take up the Cross.

192

Which they only do, who suffer for Conscience.

195

The reasonableness of this Duty.

196

An Exhortation to it.

197

On striving to enter at the streght Gate.

All must expect e’re long to be in another World.

200

Either of endless Happiness.

201.

Or of Eternal Misery.

202

xxii

Our Saviour’s Direction in this case.

204

The Way to Misery is broad and easy.

ibid.

That to Happiness narrow and difficult.

207

It implies the forsaking of all Sin.

210

The performance of many hard Duties.

212

Yet it is worth striving to obtain it.

217

For, tho’ hard, yet ’tis possible.

218

We are invited to it by God himself.

220

Who affords us all necessary means to obtain it.

221

The Difficulties will soon be over.

222

Heaven will make amends for all.

223

In order hereto we must resolve,

225

And then set upon a new Life.

226

Depending intirely on the Merits of Christ.

227

Praying for the assistance of his Grace,

228

And waiting his Answer to our Prayers.

229

On the Imitation of Christ.

Christ came into the World to save Sinners.

231

saying, by his Death, the Debts we ow’d to God.

233

Giving us a Pattern of holiness in his life.

233

More perfect than any before or since.

235

Which we are bound to follow.

236

But we must not presume to follow Christ in what he did as God.

237

Nor in what he did as God-man.

239

But only in what he did as meer Man.

ibid.

Both in his behaviour towards Men.

241

In his Duty to his Parents.

ibid.

And to his Governours.

242

xxiii

In his Meekness towards all Men.

244

In his Bounty and Goodness to all, even to his Enemies.

ibid.

And in his Piety towards God.

246

Increasing in Wisdom as in Stature.

247

Tho’ as Man, his Knowledge was finite, yet that implies no Imperfection or Sin.

243

Such Ignorance is no Sin.

249

But only the Ignorance of what we ought to know.

ibid.

At least we should thus increase in godly Wisdom, when grown up.

250

Teach our Children after Xt’s Example.

251

Who, as he grew in godly Wisdom when a Child, also us’d that Wisdom when grown up, and devoted himself wholly to the service of God.

ibid.

His resignation to God’s Will, love of him, Zeal for him, trust in him, were also most exemplary.

253

So were also his external Acts of Devotion, frequently retiring to pray.

254

The meaning of Προσευχῇ.

ibid.

Frequenting the Synagog. on the Sab.

256

An Exhortation to follow Christ.

259

On our Call and Election.

Many call’d but few chosen, a hard saying.

262

The Jews rejecting Christ’s invitation, the Gentiles are call’d.

263

What is meant by bring called.

267

We are called from Darkness to Light.

ibid.

From Superst. and Idolat. to the true worship.

268

From Sin unto Holiness.

269

xxiv

From Temporal things to Eternal.

270

From Misery to Happiness.

272

God hath call’d some by immediate revelations.

271

He calls all by his Works and Providences.

ibid.

But our Saviour means his Call by the Ministry of his Word.

274

That many have been, and are thus called.

277

But few chosen.

279

Not absolutely, but comparatively few.

280

Only such as do God’s Will.

283

No Atheistical Persons.

285

None that are ignorant of the Pr. of Religion.

286

On the appearance of Ch. the Sun of Right.

Why the Scripture represents Spiritual Things by sensible Objects.

315

As Xt’s coming by the rising of the Sun of Right.

ib.

To burn up the Wicked.

316

But what healing in his Wings to such at fear God, that is to all true Believers.

318

This Sun is the Object only of our Faith.

329

He gave some light before his rising.

320

Christ is often foretold under this Emblem.

321

Is properly styled the Sun with respect both to what he is in himself.

324

And to what he is to us, the Fountain of our Light and of our Life.

ibid.

(Who by Nature are dead in Sins.

331

And of all our Joy and Comfort.

333

Of our fruitfulness in good Works.

ibid

Which receive all their lustre from the reflection of his Righteousness, as colours owe their being to the Reflection of the Sun.

335

This Sun of Righteousness thus displayed,

ibid.

By a lively Faith,

337

Would have great influence on the Holiness and Happiness of our lives.

339

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