On Education of a Christian.

THE advantage of being well grounded in the Christian Religion.

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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.

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And that for Children as well as adult Persons.

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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.

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Directions for instructing Children in this Catechism.

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They must begin with them betimes.

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

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

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The great Obligation upon Parents, to instruct their Children.

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

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

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An Exhortation to it.

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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.

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Our Form of Worship incomparably the best.

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

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To know that he is.

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And what he is both in himself.

ibid.

And to us.

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To know all his Attributes.

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All his Works.

ibid.

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

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Our Knowledge of God must be also practical and experimental.

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That all this Knowledge is necessary towards serving God aright.

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The Error of the Church of Rome in this particular.

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Arguments to induce us to seek after this Knowledge.

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How we ought to serve God.

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What it is to serve him.

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Mistakes about this.

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We must serve him with all we are.

ibid.

And with all we have.

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say him sincere and universal Obedience.

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

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For what Reason we ought thus to serve God.

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An Exhortation to it.

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On the Mystery of the Trinity.

It is impossible to be truly religious without knowing God.

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

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Which alone discovers to us the Mystery of the Trinity.

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

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

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What is meant by teaching.

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

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

ibid

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

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The large extent of the Commission here given.

79

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

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

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

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

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And especially of the New.

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The Godhead of each Person.

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Particularly of the Son.

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(Who otherwise could not be our Savi.)

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And of the Holy Ghost.

ibid.

The Order of the Three Persons..

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Why the Father is the First.

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Why the Son is the Second.

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Why the Holy Ghost is the Third. =

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His Procession from the Son.

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Inferences from the whole.

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The Conclusion.

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Worldly Riches. Sect.1.

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

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This cannot be owing to any defect in the Gospel.

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

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The love of Money is the Root of all Evil.

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

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In what the love of these things consists.

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How it is the root of all Evil.

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

ibid.

And Commission.

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Of all the Evil which we suffer in this life.

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And fear in the next.

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

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On Worldly Riches. Sect.2.

Timothy first Bp. of the Province of Ephesus.

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

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To charge, not only the Poor but the rich.

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Whom the Apostle means by them that are rich.

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

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Why, not to trust in uncertain riches.

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What good they are enjoyn'd to do.

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Works of Piety towards God.

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Works of Charity towards the Poor.

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And to be rich in good Works.

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Which are our principal Riches.

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Ready to distribute.

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Willing to Communicate.

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The Reward promised to this Duty.

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On Self-denyal.

The Introduction.

168

Mistaken Notions about Christianity.

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

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

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They that will be such, must deny themselves.

ibid.

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

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Their Wills in submission to God's.

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And their Affections.

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

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

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And must renounce their own Righteousness.

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Which will not justify, but rather condemn.

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Why we must thus deny our selves.

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We must also take up the Cross.

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Which they only do, who suffer for Conscience.

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The reasonableness of this Duty.

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An Exhortation to it.

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On striving to enter at the streght Gate.

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

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Either of endless Happiness.

201.

Or of Eternal Misery.

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Our Saviour's Direction in this case.

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The Way to Misery is broad and easy.

ibid.

That to Happiness narrow and difficult.

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It implies the forsaking of all Sin.

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The performance of many hard Duties.

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Yet it is worth striving to obtain it.

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For, tho' hard, yet 'tis possible.

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We are invited to it by God himself.

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Who affords us all necessary means to obtain it.

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The Difficulties will soon be over.

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Heaven will make amends for all.

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In order hereto we must resolve,

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And then set upon a new Life.

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Depending intirely on the Merits of Christ.

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Praying for the assistance of his Grace,

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And waiting his Answer to our Prayers.

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On the Imitation of Christ.

Christ came into the World to save Sinners.

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

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Giving us a Pattern of holiness in his life.

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More perfect than any before or since.

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Which we are bound to follow.

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

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Nor in what he did as God-man.

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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

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.

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Increasing in Wisdom as in Stature.

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

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Such Ignorance is no Sin.

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But only the Ignorance of what we ought to know.

ibid.

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

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Teach our Children after Xt's Example.

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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.

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The meaning of Proseuche.

ibid.

Frequenting the Synagog. on the Sab.

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An Exhortation to follow Christ.

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On our Call and Election.

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

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

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What is meant by bring called.

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We are called from Darkness to Light.

ibid.

From Superst. and Idolat. to the true worship.

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From Sin unto Holiness.

269

From Temporal things to Eternal.

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From Misery to Happiness.

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God hath call'd some by immediate revelations.

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He calls all by his Works and Providences.

ibid.

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

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That many have been, and are thus called.

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But few chosen.

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Not absolutely, but comparatively few.

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Only such as do God's Will.

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No Atheistical Persons.

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None that are ignorant of the Pr. of Religion.

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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.

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This Sun is the Object only of our Faith.

329

He gave some light before his rising.

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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.

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