The Common Principles of the Christian Religion, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS
SERMON I. Rom. 11. 36. Of him, and through him, &c. 1 Cor. 10, 31. Of the chief End of Man.
THe Fundamentals of Religion, necessary to be pondered and imprinted into the soul. Page 1.
Our chief end first to be considered. p. 2
God is independent and self-sufficient, but the most perfect of the Creatures are from another, as their first cause, and for another, as their last end. p. 3
Self-seeking in Creatures monsterous p. 4
What self-seeking in God is. ibid.
Man is in a peculiar way for God. p. 5
Sin hath exautorated Man. ibid.
What it is to glorifie God, and how Gods glorifying of us, and our glorifying of him differs. p. 6, & 7
How proper it is for man to praise God. p. 8
Whether we can alwayes have an express particular thought of God and his glory in every action. p. 9
Man is come short of all he was created for. ibid.
Glorifying of God the end of Mans second Creation. p. 10
We are to consider for what purpose we were made. p. 11
Believing the most compendious way of glorifying God. ib. p. 12.
SERMON II. Psal. 73. 24, 25. &c. 1 Joh. 1. 3. Joh. 17. 21, 22. Union and Communion with God, the principall end, and great design of the Gospel.
GODS glory, and mans happiness, inseparably linked together. p. 13
Mans dignity above the rest of the creatures. p. 14
A twofold Union betwixt God and Adam, whence communion with him flowed. p. 14, 15
The Fall hath broken off Communion with him, by dissolving the Union. p. 16
Christ the repairer of the breach betwixt God and man. p. 17, 18.
There is neither full seeing of God, nor full enjoying of him here. p. 19
The Union of a believing soul with God, is a great depth. p. 20
Love an uniting and transforming thing. ibid.
Christ's Union with the Father is the foundation of our Union with God, and among ourselves; not simply that Union of Essence between the Father and the Son, but the Union of God with Christ as Mediator. p. 21
How should an Union and Communion with God draw forth our souls in desires after such a blessedness. p. 22
The enjoyment of God the scope and design which few drive. ibid.
He who ingages not his whole soul to God, cannot truly ingage any part of it to him. p. 23.
SERMON III. 2 Tim. 3. 16. Of the Scriptures.
THat which most men seek, is not true happiness. p. 24
The principles of reason, and light of nature, are become so dark, that they cannot direct us in the pathway to everlasting blessedness. p. 25
The authority of the Scriptures divine. p. 26
How the Apostles and Prophets knew that they spake truth, and how men may be perswaded that the Scriptures are the Word of God. ibid.
The simplicity and plainness of the Scripture. p. 27
The Spirit of God must open a mans eyes before he understand the Scriptures. p. 28
The Utility of the Scriptures. p. 29
The Scriptures a Doctrine of Eternal life. p. 30
The sharpness of the Scripture mingled with sweetness. p. 31
Some cannot hear the word of reproof, others prefer their own vain imaginations to the Word of God. p. 32, 33
SERMON IV. Joh. 5. 39. Eph. 2. 20. Of the Scriptures.
THe Lamp of the Word without, and the light of the Spirit within, necessary for directing us in the way to eternal life. p. 34
Why the multitude find no sweetnes in the Scriptures p. 35
How eternal life is to be found in the Scripture p. 36
It may commend the Scriptures to us, that Eternal life is to be found in them. p. 37
We are to lay this present perishing life in the ballance with eternal life, and compare both the happiness and miseries of this life with eternal blessedness. p. 38
Many groundlessely fancy, that they have a right to everlasting life. p. 39
Most of the Hearers of the Gospel have either to knowledge at all, or nothing but knowledge. p. 40
Life Eternal is no where to be found out but of Jesus Christ. p. 41, 42
Some foolishly think; that if they do all they can, then God ought to be pleased p 43
Christ the only pacificatory sacrifice. p. 44
Christ is either the subject, or end, of all that is in the Scriptures. p. 45
The march which divides between heaven and hell, is, coming to Christ. p. 45, 46
The necessity of searching the Scriptures, and what search it must be. p. 47
The Rule whereby to measure our profiting in the Scriptures. p. 48, 49
SERMON V. Eph. 2. 20. Of the Scriptures.
BElievers, the Temple of the living God. p. 50
Christ in the Scriptures a sure foundation to build upon; all other foundations, sandy and unsure. p. 51
How firm and stable a foundation the Word of the Lord is. p. 52
A Promise layes an obligation on the Promiser, which a command doth not on the commander. p. 53
All the Promises are Yea, and Amen, in Christ. ibid
The chief point of Obedience is faith, and what that is. p 54
Christ is the Corner-stone as well as the foundation: which should strongly perswade Christians to an union in Affection. p. 55
What kind of foundation Christ is. ibid.
Some prefer their own imaginations to the Word of the Lord, under the dark notion of new light. p. 56
Many have nothing but the word of man for the foundation of their Faith. p. 57.
SERMON VI. 2 Tim. 1 13. Of the Scriptures.
ALL Religion may be reduced to these two what we are to believe, and what we ough to do. p. 58
God manifests himself differently to Man, according to his different state. p. 59, 60
The marvellousness of mercy in saving of lost sinners. p. 61 62
What manner of Persons Believers ought to be p. 63, 64
…belief ruined man at first. p. 65
A twofold mistake of the nature of Faith. ibid.
What course a soul is to take who questions its interest. p. 66, 67
The mistake of the nature of Faith leads many wellmeaning persons into labyrinth. p. 68
What Faith is. p 69
What a soul ought to do that is sentenced by the law. ibid.
The faith of a Christian no fancy. p. 70, 71
Love is unitive and operative. ibid.
Love is put for all obedience, and how it is the fulfilling of the. p. 72
God is pleased with no service that proceeds not from love, and why. p. 73, 74
How to attain to the distinct knowledge of our love to God, and the way to increase it. p. 75
Who cannot hold fast the truth. p. 76
When man lost his holiness, he could not retain his happiness. ibid.
The necessity of holding fast the form of sound words and of forbearing strange words. p. 77
SERMON VII, and VIII. Exod. 3. 13, 14. Of the Name of God.
IT is impossible to declare what God is. p. 78
How we may know that there is a God. ibid.
Naturall men are Atheists. p. 79
God's Name a mystery that cannot be conceived or expressed. p. 80, 81, 82, 83.
This name, I AM THAT I AM, imports his unsearchableness. p. 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93
His absolutness and soveraignity. p. 94
His unchangeableness and Eternity. p. 95, 96, 97
How impossible it is for a mortall creature to find out God to perfection, yet so much may be known of him as is sufficient to teach us our duty, and ma… us happy in obedience. p. 98, 99
The saving knowledge of God a self-emptying, and self-abasing thing. p. 100, 101
Why God hath called himself by so many names. ibid.
SERMON IX. Exod. 24. 5, 6, 7. What God is to us.
GOD is loath to depart, even when he is provoked to go away. p. 102, 103, 114
Infirmity and iniquity puts us into an incapacity of nearness with God. p. 105, 106
It is God himself who only can teach a soul to know what he is. p. 107
One who considers how al-sufficient God is, & how empty and insufficient all other things are, must needs cleave to him. p. 108
God vents himself towards the creatures, either in a way of Justice or Mercy. p. 109
There is a Tribunall of Justice, and a Throne of Mercy erected in the word, so that every sentenced sinner may appeal from the Bar of Justice to Christ Jesus, sitting on the Throne of Mercy. p. 110, 111.
The Name of the Lord, rightly considered, is sufficient to answer all possible objections that a sinner can make against coming to Christ; and what those objections are. p. 112, 113, 114, 115, 116, 117
Many souls suck delusion and destruction out of the sweet and saving Promises of life, which are held forth in the Gospel. p. 118, 119.
SERMON X. Joh. 4. 24. What God is.
THe knowledge of what God is, presupposed to all true worship & Christian walking: p. 120
How mishapen apprehensions we have of God. p. 121
That God is a spirit, shews us that he is not like any visible thing. p. 122
That he is invisible, & dwels in light inaccessible. ib.
That he is most perfect, & most powerful. p. 123, 124
That he cannot be circumscribed by any place. p. 125
And there is no comprehension of his knowledge. p. 126, 127
It were of excellent use and advantage for us to be all the day in the faith of Gods infinite knowledge and omniscience. p. 128.
SERMON XI. Joh. 4. 26. The true knowledge that God is, and that he is to be worshipped, goes together.
HOw inexcusable they are, who profess to believe a Diety, & do not worship him. p. 129
It is the souls honour and happiness to worship God. p. 130
It's all one, not to worship God at all, and not to worship him as he hath commanded. p. 131
What will-worship, and what true worship is. p. 132
The most part of worship, though commanded, hath no truth in it. p. 133
Truth in worship is opposed to Ceremony. p. 134
Many place all their Religion in externalls. p. 135
Men ought to be most taken up with that in Religion upon which God layes most weight, and wherein he is most delighted. p. 136
It compleats our worship, when the thing commanded is performed, according as it is commanded. p. 137
What is the right manner in worshipping God. p. 138
The best litle acquainted with spiritual worship. p. 139
True worship must have the stamp of Gods spiritual nature engraven on it. p. 140
External worship necessary under the Gospel. p. 141
The soul and spirit must be the first mover and chief agent in spiritual worship. p. 142
The greatest part of our Religion is bodily exercise. ibid.
What makes Religion burdensome and unpleasant to us. p. 143
Formality in worship, the greatest controversie against the land. ibid.
SERMON XII. Deut. 6. 4. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Of the Unity of Gods essence and the Trinity of Persons.
GOdliness and Mystery. p. 144
There is an unlawfull curiosity in men, to know those things that are kept secret. p. 145
We are to believe the mystery of the Trinity, though we know not how it is. p. 146
The light of reason may convince men, that there is but one God. p. 147
Why Christ is called the Word p. 148, 149
Of the three Witnesses upon earth. p. 150
SERMON XIII. Deut. 6. 4. Joh. 5. 7. Of the Unity of the God-head, and Trinity of Persons.
THe whole Word of God profitable. ibid.
The unsearchableness of this mystery of the Trinity ought to compose our hearts to a reverend apprehension of Gods divine Majesty. p. 151
Since there is but one God, we ought to have no other besides him. p. 152, 153
We have much and strong consolation both from the thing witnessed, and from the Witnesses that bear testimony. p. 154, 155
Faiths victory is from the object of it, the Lord God Almighty. p. 156
Few consider that Jesus Christ the Saviour is the Eternall Son of God, and the sad consequences thereof. p. 157
We are ready so far to mis-conceive of God, as if the Father, and the holy Ghost, were not so well minded to the Salvation of sinners as Jesus Christ. p. 158
The mystery of the Trinity affords us this plain instruction, how me ought to worship God. p. 159
SERMON XIV. Eccles. 1. 11. Job 23. 13. Of the Decrees of God.
GODS absolute & self-sufficient perfection admits of no accession of blessedness from the things which he hath made. p. 160
The Eternal purpose and Decree of God, it it most wise. p. 161
It is most absolute and free, having no cause without himself. p 162
It is the first rise of all things past, present, & to come. p. 163
It reaches to every particular being, and act, so that nothing falls out by chance. p. 164, 165
The purpose of God is one, and unchangeable. p. 166, 167
How we are to understand those Scriptures, which speak of his repenting. p. 168, 169
Whatever God hath purposed from Eternity, that he executes in time. p. 170
Gods commands do not so much signifie what he intends to effectuate, as what is our duty. ibid.
How comfortable it is for a Christian to consider, that whatsoever falls out, is according to an Eternall Counsel. p. 171
The Counsel of God irresistible. p. 172
The consideration of Gods Eternal Counsel should teach us that sweet Lesson of submission, wherein we are so much wanting, and so unwilling to learn p. 173
Want of submission makes a mans yoke heavy, and his bands strong. p. 174
From the absolute Dominion of God over all things, we are to learn confidence in him in all things, and for all things. p. 175, 176
Who are heirs of the promise. p. 177
It is a well-spring and fountain of consolation to the people of God that he is in one mind. p. 178
SERMON XV. Eph. 1. 11. Rom. 9. 22, 23. Of Predestination.
PRedestination a Mystery not to be curiously or boldly enquired into. p. 179
For the right up-taking of Predestination, we must know that there is not a plurality of purposes in God, but one intire purpose concerning all things. p. 180
As also, that it is not the creature, or any thing in the creature, which is first in his mind, but himself, and his own glory. p. 181
How men miscarry in conceiving of the purposes of God, while they subject the most High to the Rules of Carnall Reason: where, of the Arminian fore-knowledge, and how it derogates both from the Soveraignty of God, and the wisdome of God. ib. p. 182
Some make that first in his intention, which is last in execution. p. 183, 184, 185, 186, 187
Gods saving the vessels of mercy, by a Redeemer, is not simply to manifest the glory of his goodness, but of his gracious and mercifull goodness. p. 188 189, 190
SERMON XVI. Rom. 9. 22. Eccles. 11. Of Predestination.
HOw to silence all the secret surmises and mutinies of the heart concerning Predestination p. 191, 192
How great wickedness it is, to enquire into a cause of his will ibid.
Men speak wickedly for God in the matter of Predestination p. 193, 194, 195
The Objections of Carnall Reason against Predestination, tending to accuse God and justifie men, answered. p. 196, 197, 198, 199
SERMON XVII. Heb. 11. 3. Of Creation.
GOD is the Creator of all things, & these things which he hath made prove him to be God. p. 200, 201
When this visible world was made. p. 202
The wickedness of mens curiosity, in enquiring what God was doing before he made the world, & why he was so long in applying himself to this work. ibid. p. 203
The Lord in the beginning of the world declares more manifestly his Eternity, his Self-sufficiency, and his Liberty. p. 204, 205
God made all things very good, to declare his goodness and wisdome. p. 106
The course of nature is one continued wonder. ibid.
The power of God doth eminently appear in making all things of nothing, and how easie it was for him to do so. p. 207
Why the Lord took six dayes to perfect the work of Creation. p. 208
SERMON XVIII. Heb. 11. 3. Heb. 11. 4. Of Creation.
IT is not believed, or laid to heart, that God made the Heaven and the Earth. p. 209, 210
The faith of Gods making the world is of singular use to a Christian through his whole course. p. 211 212, 213
SERMON XIX. Gen. 1. 26. 27. Of the Creation of Man.
THe singular respect that God hath put upon Man, in creating him after His Own Image ibid. 214
How necessary it is for us to know the happy estate wherein we were created. p. 215
We are to consider what that Image of God was, which was stamped on man in the beginning. p. 216 217. 218
We should consider from what we are fallen, and how great that fall is. p. 219, 220
SERMON XX. Rom. 11. 36. Psal. 103. 13. Mat. 10. 29. Of Providence
THe Providence of God is either not at all believed, or superficially considered. ib. 221, 222
The most common and known truths most sweet. p. 223
All things depend upon God as their producing, conserving, and finall cause, and what power the Faith thereof hath to conform us to his Will. p. 224
The upholding of the World is a kind of repeated and continued Creation. p. 225
It is a most sutable exercise for a Christian to deduce all things from God as the first cause, and to reduce them all to him again with glory, as the last end. p. 226
How God governs the World. p. 227
The faith of Gods Supremacy over all things would encrease our fear of God, and abate our fear of others. p. 228
SERMON XXI. Gen. 2. 17. Gen. 1. 26. Of the first Covenant made with Man.
THe severall draughts and lineaments of Gods Image, whereinto man was created. ibid. 229 p. 230
Man in innocency enjoyed a freedom from all fear of misery, and had a dominion over the creature. p. 231
There was a law imprinted in Adams heart, and a law prescribed unto him. p. 232
Of the positive law prescribed unto Adam, and of the reasons thereof. p 233
Many perform commanded duties, not because they are commanded. p. 234
The command and will of God should perswade to obediente, without any more enquiry or debate about the matter. p. 235, 236
SERMON XXII. Gal. 3. 12. Of the first Covenant.
THe wonderfull condescension of God, in entering into covenant with Man. p. 237, 238
To speak strictly, there cannot be a proper covenant betwixt God and man. ibid.
Why God deals with man in the terms of a covenant. p. 240, 241
The terms of the first covenant, and what obedience it required. p. 242
Of the difference betwixt the first & second covenant. ibid.
Whether the first covenant did require faith, & what kind of Faith. p. 244
How the Law is not of Faith. ibid.
What the Fall hath made man now. p. 245
SERMON XXIII. Eccles. 7. 29. Of the state wherein man was created, and how the Image of God is defaced.
TRue Religion consists in the knowledge of God and of our selves. p. 246
That which we have to know of man, is, what God made him at the first, and what he hath now made himself. p. 247
We are to consider the sad consequence of the Fall. p. 248
All mens invention about the remedy of his misery vain. p. 249
How necessary it is for us, both to consider what we were, and what we now are. p. 250, 251
SERMON XXIV. Rom. 5. 12. Of sin by imputation and propagation.
HOw, and whence it is that Adams first transgression is imputed to all his posterity. p. 252
Gods gracious purpose in permitting the Fall. p. 253
Sin is entered into the word by imputation, p. 254
The hainousness of sin. p 255
What Original sin is, which is propagated to all Adams posterity. p. 256
A right sight of Originall corruption is a humbling sight. p. 257
How profitably to look upon the evils of others. ibid.
Few are truly perswaded of the evil of their nature p. 258
Sin brings death into the world with it, and the extent of that death. p. 259, 260
SERMON XXV 1 Tim. 1. 15. Of the way of Mans delivery.
THe Doctrine of salvation by Jesus Christ, most sweet to a soul made sensible of its mercy. p. 261
Our help comes from that airth out of which we could not have expected it. p 262
Our sin and Gods justice, made salvation impossible to man. ibid.
Christ satisfies justice for us, and conquers our corruptions also. p. 263
How acceptable would the news of a Savior be to us, if we knew our misery without him. p. 264
The great thing which keeps men from reaping any real advantage by the Gospel, is this, that men do not either see the necessity and excellency of these things, or, That they do not believe the reality of them. p. 265