God is re conciled to loft man. In what manner. from the gospel, was to this purpose: that on condition of man's stedfast faith, fincere repentance, and perfect obedi. ence, he should be restored thro' Christ to God's favour; and after death, to that life and happiness, which was promised to our first parents, without tafting of death. By this means God and man are brought together again; and man is redeemed from a state of fin and eternal By which death, to a state of holiness, and to the inheritance of eternal life. And this was the end for which the Son of God cloathed himself with our flesh, that as man, he might suffer what our fins had deserved, and, as he was the Son of God, he might make a full, perfect and fufficient oblation and fatisfaction to the divine justice, for the fins of the whole world; who, for the joy of delivering so many millions of fouls from mifery, endured the death of the cross, and all the afflictions of his bitter paffion, which was the perfect facrifice whereby all mankind are restored to the favour of God, and put into a state of salvation; God having, for his Son's sake, promif- And our care ed to pardon all such as shall repent, and forsake will not be their sins, and bring forth fruits meet for repentance; and to give his Holy Spirit to all such as shall fincerely pray for the same; and after death to make them eternally happy, if during this short state of trial, which is designed to amend our corrupt and disordered nature, they endeavour to observe the rules, which he has revealed in his word, and which are absolutely necessary to make them capable of eternal happiness in the kingdom of heaven. in vain. take the ne V.To conclude with the sentiments of a devoutand pious divine; The great plea that men do generally make for the wickedness or carelesness of their lives is this, That it That it is in really is not in their power to liveup to such a state every man's of holiness and virtue, as the law of God obligeth power to them to: grace is in them too weak, and their na- cessary care tural corruptions too strong, for their ever being in of his foul. a capacity, without more assistance from God, to live strict and religious lives: converfion is the work of God, and cannot be wrought by a man's self, and therefore till God shall please to come upon them, with an irresistible power of his Holy Holy Spirit, they must be contented to live as they do; nay, they must unavoidably live so. Now it is readily granted, that without God's grace no man can do any thing; and we grant likewise, that it is very probable their circumstances may be such, that it is not morally possible, unless they had greater strength and more grace than they have, on a sudden to live as they ought to do; for, their bad principles are really more powerful than their good ones: but yet, in the mean time, we must needs tell them, that they are not mere stocks and stones. How much reason soever they have to complain of the infirmity or degeneracy of their natures yet some things they can do towards the bettering of them: for instance, though they cannot on a sudden conquer the inward bent and inclination of their minds, so as to hate all fin, and to delight in virtue, yet they must needs confess that they have a power over their outward actions: they can as well (if they think it reasonable) direct their feet towards a church, as to a house of gaming, or drinking, or lewdness: their eyes will serve them as well to look upon a bible, or a ferious discourse about religion, as to read a scurrilous and a prophane book: it is as much in their power (if they please) to yield their ears to the reasonable advice of their sober friends, as to the mad harangues of the diffolute company they keep. These things they must needs acknowledge they can do, if they will: nay, and they can do more than this; for (if they please) they may give themselves time to confider and think of what they read, or what is faid to them, or what their own experience or observation of things will suggest to their minds; and they can further, if they please, add to their confideration their prayers to almighty God to direct them, to affift them, to strengthen them. It is certain, that all this without God's especial grace will not be effectual for their regeneration and converfion; yet, if they will but do as much as this comes to, we can assure them, that in time they shall have this especial grace that they now want. In the same proportion that they use and employ those gifts and powers, which they at present have, God will increase and enlarge them. And the truth of all this is confirmed to us by that memorable saying of our Saviour, which we find in his mouth at several times, and upon several occafions: to him that hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have in abundance; but from him that hath not, shall be taken away even that which he hath. The Prayer. God, the protector of all that trust in thee, without whom nothing is strong, nothing is holy; raise up, I beseech thee, thy power, and with great might fuccour me, that, whereas through my fins and wickedness I am fore lett and hindered in running the race that is set before me, thy bountiful grace and mercy may speedily help and deliver me, through the fatisfaction of thy Son; and, that as by thy fpecial grace preventing me thou dost put into my mind good defires, so by thy continual help I may bring the same to good effect: wherefore I humbly pray thee to increase and multiply upon me thy mercy, that thou being my ruler and guide, I may so pass thro' things temporal, that I finally lose not the things eternal: grant this, O heavenly Father, for the fake of thy Son Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. : THE [xx] Which for the sake of its being read over Three Times in a Year The Contents of the PREFACE. The Subjects there treated of not suited to our Times -- The Author himself has acknowledged the Defects of that Book, and attempted to supply them, and how his Endeavours have been The foregoing Particulars confirmed by the Testimony of Archbi- shop Sharp and the Confeffion of the Author of the Old Whole ) The INTRODUCTION. I. Man is composed of an immortal Soul, page ix. And II. Of a PART I. W Hat we are taught by Natural and Revealed Religion, page 1. II. The great branches of our duty to God and man, page 3. III. Our duty to God, page 3. IV. Of faith, page 4. V. The promises, page 7. VI. Of Hope, page 8. VII. Of presumption, page 9. VIII. Of despair, page 10. IX. Love of God, page 11. CHAP. II. SUNDAY II. I. Humility, or submission to the will of God, page 23. II. Depen- dence on God, page 24. III. Of Pride, page 26. IV. Of Since- rity, page 27. V. Honour due to God, page 28. VI. In his House, page 28. VII. By Prayer, page 31. VIII. In his Minifters, page I. Honour due to God in his word, page 40. II. Of Catechizing, page 42. III. Of Preaching, 43. IV. In his Sacraments, page 45. V. Of Baptism, page 46. VI. Of Divine Revelation, page 51; and more especially, VII. Of our belief in one God and Three Persons in the Godhead, page 55. VIII. Why God is called Al- mighty, page 57. IX. Of the World's Creation, page 58. X. Of God's Providence, page 58. XI. Of the Trinity, page 59. XII. I. Of Faith in Christ our Saviour, page 63. II. Why the Chrift, page 64. III. Why our Lord, page 66. IV. Objections answer- ed, page 67. V. The Truth and Excellency of the Christian Reli- gion proved, page 70. VI. The Angel's message and falutation to the Virgin Mary, page 74. VII. The Incarnation of the Son of God, page 75. VIII. The Birth of Chrift, page 76. IX. How be draws us to himself, page 80. X. His Sufferings, page 82. XI. Crucifixion, page 83. XII. Death; and XIII. Burial, page 87. 1. Of the Resurrection of Christ, page 88. II. Of his Afcenfion, page CHAP. |