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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
xviiDirections 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
xviiiThat 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
xixSo 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
xxThe 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
xxiOn 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
xxiiOur 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
xxiiiIn 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
xxivFrom 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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