Twenty Sermons, Index
A TABLE TO THE SERMONS.
A
ACceptation and Affiance two acts of Faith 95
Active Obedience, See Obedience
Aggravations of sin, 37
A temporary Believer desires Christ only in Affliction. 119, 120
Assurance no part of justifying faith, 97. It is attainable, 150. Why so many Christians want it, 141
B.
BAptism, what it obliges to, 23. It hath not its full effect till the day of our death, ibid.
To believe is a hard matter, 22, 96
To believe is our duty, 88
Five words (or Scripture-ways) that God uses to perswade sinners to Believe in Christ, viz. General Proclamation, 86. Special invitations, 87. Entreaties, 87. Commands, 88. Threatnings, 89
To Believe is to come to Christ, 111
It is exprest by Hungring and Thirsting, 113
A Believer's case like the Beggars, 114
A true Believer distinguished from a Temporary, (1.) by the ground of his desires, 119. (2.) by his desiring Grace as well as Mercy, 122. (3.) by his Love to God. 122
A Believer's privilege. 150
C.
GOd Calls sinners to Christ by five words, 86
Christ's equality with God, 68. It renders his Humiliation the greater and more meritorious, 68
Christ's Humiliation; the extent, degrees and particulars of it, 69, 72. Part of his Humiliation to be God's Servant, 74. He was a Servant on earth in respect of men, 70. Vsed and valued at the rate of a bondman, 71
Christ's sufferings the more meritorious because voluntary, 74
Christ's Active Obedience in the course of his life, 74. his Humiliation and sufferings from his Conception to his death described, 75, &c.
Christ's death described in the Accursedness of it, 78. in the shame of it, 78. in the painfulness of it, 78
Christ suffered not the pains of Hell, proved, 80. yet he suffered in his Soul immediately from God, 80
Whether Christ takes away all the sins of the world, 83
Christ's being offered for us, no comfort unless he be offered to us, 66
That Christ died sufficiently for all, is an improper speech, 66
To receive Christ what, 84. Christ offered freely, 83, 86. He that hath a will to receive Christ hath a warrant to receive him, 86
Christ the proper and immediate Object of justifying Faith, 93. Christ loved and valued above all by true believers, 96. Christ and the Cross go together in this life. 96
Christ very compassionaee, 111
Christ is our peace, 149
To be a Christian indeed is no easie ma… ter, 96
Civil Righteousness, See Morality. Men deceived by Comparing themselves with others, 20. and with themselves, 20
The Conditions of Faith and Obedience required hinder not the freedom of Gospel Grace, 80, 92
Confession of sin necessary, and why, 114
Carnal Confidence as to our spiritual estate dangerous, the vain grounds of it discovered, 19
Conscience one of the Tormentors in Hell, 62
Peace of Conscience, See Peace,
Conviction necessary to Conversion, 17, 33
Conviction a work of Gods Spirit. 109
Two hindrances of Conversion, 2
A limited time for it. 4
Crucifying a Cursed, Shameful, Painful death, 77. The manner of it, 79
The Curse follows sin, 40
The Curses attending an unregenerate man in this life, 48, &c. The Curses on his Soul, 51 The Curses at his death, 53
Custom in sin hardens the heart, 12
D.
DAy of grace limited, 45, 15. The folly and danger of neglecting it, 13
Death the wages of sin, 45. The comprehensiveness of the word Death, 48
Death terrible, 45. The terribleness of Bodily Death set forth in three particulars, 53, &c. What the first and second Death is, 48
The Death of Christ described, 78, &c.
Death-bed Repentance, See Repentance.
Deferring Repentance dangerous, 7.
The reasons of Carnal mens Deferring R…pentance, 9, &c. The vanity of them, ibid.
Desires after Christ may be stronger in T…mporaries, than in true believers, 119, 120
The Devil takes possession of those whom God leaves, 43, 44
The Reason of Christians Doubting, 141
E
WHat use to make of the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation, 15
Encouragements for sinners to come to Christ, 86
Examination of a mans self. See Self-Examination.
F.
FAith why required to the receiving of Christ, since he is a free gift, 84
Faith consists not in a mans being perswaded that God is his God, and that his sins are pardoned, 86, 91. Its proper and immediate Object is not that forgiveness of sins, but Christ, 93
Faith must have a ground for it out of the word, 91. What Faith justifies 118, &c. Faith justifies not as a vertue, but in respect of its object, 93. Faith justifies not as a Habit, but as an act, 132. The Acts of Faith, 94. By what sins the Acts of Faith are hindred, 92. How those obstructions are removed, ibid.
Faith an instrument to receive Justification, not to procure it, 135, 140
Why Faith chosen for an instrument of justification, rather than any oth…r grace, 141. A weak Faith justifies as much as a strong, 140. yet a strong Faith is to be laboured for, and why, 140
How Faith alone justifies, 140
Faith may be certainly known. There may be Faith where there is no feeling, 90, 96, 113 128.
Faith strongest when sense least, 147
Encouragements to Faith. 86
Carnal Fear its sinfulness and danger, 56, 57
Men apt to Flatter themselves as to their spiritual estate, 18
Five false glasses that cause this self-Flattery, 18, &c.
Forgiveness of sins not a distinct thing from Imputation of Righteousness, 85, &c. Forgiveness is properly of sins past only, 125. It is one continued act, 131. and therefore may be prayed for by a justified person. ibid.
Forgiveness frees from guilt and punishment, 133
God forsakes none till they forsake him, 44
True believers forsake all for Christ, 96, 97
Free grace in bringing sinners to Christ, 84
No Free will to good▪ 86
G.
TO be given up to our selves a more fearful thing than to be given up to Satan, 44, 52
The Gospel not seasonable, nor savoury, till the Law hath been preached, 33. How the Gospel differs from the Law, 36
The fulness and freedom of the Grace of the Gospel not hindred by the conditions of Faith and Obedience, 84, 85
Guilt of sin taken away in Justification, 133, 134
H.
HArdness of heart a hindrance to Conversion, 2, 3
Hell for whom provided, 56
Hell described, 157, &c. That Christ suffered not the pains of Hell proved, 80
Christians rejoyce in Hope, 151
The Humiliation of Christ, v. Christ.
I.
IMputation of Righteousness. See Righteousness.
To be given up to Insensibleness a woful thing. 52, 53
Joy in the sense of God's love surpasseth all worldly joy, 98. It is attainable, ibid. The reason why many believers are strangers to it, 98. Some Joy may be in a Temporary, 121. How to try true Joy, 151. Means to get it. 151, 152
Justification, what it signifies, 123. How the Fathers used the Word, 123. Justification one simple act of God, 124
How we are said to be justified by Faith, and how by Christ's blood, 93, 134
In what sense we are Justified by Faith according to Paul, and in what sense by Works according to James, 124
Impossible to be justified but by imputed Righteousness, 125, 129, 130. In the instant of Justification, no sins are remitted but those that are past, 130. A twofold Justification, 127
Why a justified person may and must pray for the remission of sins past, 131
Justification frees from the punishment and guilt too, 133, 134
Justification confounded by the Papists with sanctification, 125. The difference between them, 135, 137
No Justification before Faith, 142
How we are Justified by Faith alone, 141
Judgment in Scripture sometime taken for Righteousness inherent, 139
How men are deceived in Judging of of their spiritual estate, 18
K.
KNowledge one act of Faith, 95
L.
THe use of the Law, 33, 65, 112 It is necessary to be preached before the Gospel, 33, 112
Men are under the Law till they come to Christ, 35. how fearful a thing it is to be under the Law, 35, 36. the difference between the Law, and the Gospel in three particulars, 36
Love of God twofold, 91. No temporary believer loves God, 123
To be given up to our own Lusts a more fearful thing, than to be given up to Satan, 43, 44
M
WAnt of Meditation one cause most believers have so little joy in God, 98
Mistakes in judging our spiritual estates. See Judging.
Morality too much trusted to, 21. It's insufficient to bring men to heaven, ibid.
N.
NAtural reason not to be trusted to, 21. Too short to convince of sin throughly, 22
Mans condition by Nature described, 25. The Natural man dead in sin, 29. His best works cannot please God, and why, 29.30
The Curses attending a Natural man in this world. 49, &:c.
Two blows that God gives a Natural mans soul in this life, the one sensible, 51. the other insensible, 52. The Curses attending him at Death, 53, &:c.
O.
CHrists active Obedience mixed with his passive, 73
Wherein his active Obedience consisted, 74, &c. Wherein his passive, 75
Partial Obedience a false glass to judge our estates by. 21
To design only our Old age for God is dishonourable to him, 9, 10
Old age most unfit for Repentance, 11, 12
Men apt to have too good Opinion of themselves, 17. The causes of it, 1…, &c.
Men deceived in judging of their estates by the good Opinions of others, 19
P.
PArtial Obedience see Obedience. Passive Obedience see Obedience.
Peace a fruit of Faith, 143, 147. Why many Christians want the sense of it, 143, 144, 147
The differences between a true and a false Peace, 148
The Causes of a Carnal Peace, 147, 148
Christ is our Peace, 149
Spirit of Prayer what, 115, 116
1. The Importunity and efficacy of it, 116
Why a person already justified may and must Pray for the forgiveness of sins past, 130, 131
R.
NAtural Reason see Natural.
To Receive Christ what, 85
What Reformation may be in a natural man, 120, 121
Repentance prevents ruine, 3
Repentance not in our own power but in Gods gift, 6. The sinfulness of deferring it, 5
Death-bed Repentance, the hindrances of it, 13. Not to be trusted to, 14. Hard to prove it sound, 14
Superficial Repentance is vain. 24
Repentance in what respects necessary to justification, 132
Remission of sin. See Forgiveness.
Resting, or Relying upon God, a proper Act of Faith, 96
Righteousness two fold, 123, 129
Imputative Righteousness what it is, 125, 129. Impossible to be justified without it, and why, 129, 130
S
Sanctification a distinct thing from Justification, 127
Satan. See Devil.
A difficult thing to be Saved, 22.
Sealing a distinct thing from Faith, 137.
The Causes of Security, 149.
Self-Examination, necessary to Conversion, 17. a mark of a sound believer, 128.
Self flattery: See flattery.
Self-Love, how it deceives men in judging their estates, 18.
Sin continued in, hastens Gods judgements, 2.3, Sin compared to a weight, 11. to Cords, 12, Sin gets strength by continuance. 12.
The Sinfulness of Sin set forth in 6. considerations, 37.38. &c.
The dreadful fruits and consequence of Sin. It pollutes the Soul, 41. It makes men loathsom to God, 42 It brings the Devil into the heart, 43. It calls for wages, 45.
The greatness of Sin, should be no bar against believing in Christ, 85. No Sin overtops the value of Christs blood, ibid.
Encouragements for Sinners to come to Christ, 85.
Sin not discovered throughly but by the spirit, 109 Sin may be cast away, and yet no true Conversion, 121
Sin is only a Privation and no positive being. 124
Sins not pardoned before they be committed, 115. The guilt and punishment of Sin taken away in Justification, 133
Spirit of Bondage what, 109
Spirit of Prayer see Prayer.
T.
A Temporary Faith how far it may go, 117, &c. How to know it from true faith, 120
Temporary Believers desire Christ only in affliction, 120. They do but only tast of Christ, 121. They desire mercy but not grace, 122. They do nothing out of love to God, 122
The sinfulness of thoughts, 42
The end of Gods Threatnings. 3
U.
UNregenerate Men See Natural.
Our unworthiness should not keep us from coming to Christ. 84
W.
THe Will wrought by God, as well as the deed, 112. The Will more than the Deed, 112. How God takes the Will for the deed, 113
He that hath a Will to receive Christ, hath a warrant to receive him, 86
God alone enclines the Will to receive Christ, ibid.
A woful thing to be suffered by God to have our own Wills in this world, 66
Our Wills must be crossed here, or for ever hereafter. ibid.
The Willingness of Christs sufferings rendred them the more meritorious, 74
The Word presented to our faith under a double respect, viz. (1) as a true Word, 94. (2) as a good Word, 95
Works spiritually good cannot be performed by an unregenerate man, and why, 29, 30
In what sense we are said by James to be justified by Works, 124
Wrath a Consequence of sin, 40
Y.
YOuth the fittest time to Repent and break off sin in. 9, 10, 13,