The Imperfection of the Creature, Title page – Errata
THE IMPERFECTION OF THE CREATURE, AND THE EXCELLENCY of the DIVINE COMMANDMENT; ILLUSTRATED In Nine SERMONS on. Psal. CXIX. 96.
BY JOHN BARNARD, A.M.
Pastor of a Church in Marblehead.
This I pray, that your Love may abound yet more and more, in Knowledge, and in all Judgment, that ye may approve Things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere, and without Offence, 'till the Day of CHRIST.
Phil. I. 9, 10.
BOSTON, NEW-ENGLAND,
Printed and Sold by ROGERS and FOWLE in Queen-street, and by D. GOOKIN in Marlborough-Street.
MDCCXLVII.
The CONTENTS.
The Text. Ps. 119. 96. 1
Doct. 1. THE Perfection of the Creature is limited, and finite 4
1. 'Tis limited in its Nature and Measure 5
1. View it abstractedly and by itself id.
No Creature possessed of all Excellencies 6
Nor any in the highest Degree 7
GOD only absolutely perfect 8
A finite Mind may comprehend them id.
2. View it in it's Relation, to Man 9
Two Rules to try it's Perfection 10
1. The Creature can't perfect our Nature id.
Our Perfection lyes in moral Rectitude id.
No Creature can cure our Disorder 12
Not by the Knowledge of it id.
Not by the Enjoyment of it 16
Worldly Possessions have powerful Temptations 18
Not by the best Improvement of it 20
Unsanctifyed Nature improves all for self 21
To rectify the Soul is a supernatural Work 22
2. The Creature can't compleat our Happiness 25
No Happiness without Rectitude 26
Our Happiness lieth not in ourselves id.
1. The Creature is not a proportionable Good 28
Objects of Sense are not suited to Spirits 30
Happiness founded in Likeness 31
The Creature is not proportionable to our Wants id.
Can't free the Soul from Subjection to Sense 32
Nor from Guilt 33
Nor from Condemnation id.
Nor furnish the Soul with a proper Mansion 34
The Creature is not proportionable to our Carvings 35
GOD only satisfactory Good 36
The Creature is not proportionable in Duration id.
The Soul is immortal 37.
2. The Creature is not truely and fully enjoyed 38
Our present Possession dependant 39
We are only Stewards 40
No Happiness without Union id.
GOD can't make happy without Enjoyment 41
II. Creature Perfection finite in Duration id.
The World come to an End of it's present Form 42
We can't continue in this World 43
Use 1. What Reason have we to mourn our Apostacy 45
Sin has turned a Paradise into a Wilderness 46
Sin has striped us of our Possession 47
2. Should not be chiefly concerned about this World 50
But have our Eye upon our main Interest 52
It levels us with Brutes to mind only this World 53
3. We ought not to trust in the Creature 55
Can't support us under outward Troubles id.
Can't quiet the Conscience 56
Will not avail in the Day of Death 57
Will be insignificant at Day of Judgment 58
Will afford no Relief under divine Wrath 60
Use 2. This reproves such as seek Happiness in the Creature 61
As the Covetous Worldling id.
And the unrighteous Person 63
This reproves such as abuse the Creature 66
As such as nourish their Pride 67
And indulge their Intemperance 68
Use 3. Behave wisely respecting the Creature 70
Don't raise your Expectation too high 71
Be moderate in your Regards to the World 72
Be not impatient under Losses id.
Retrieve the Creature from its Imperfection 73
Get it sanctify'd by the Word and Prayer id.
Improve it to the best Purposes 74
Doct. II. The Commandment of GOD is exceeding broad 78
By the Commandment understand the whole Divine Revelation id.
1. 'Tis exceeding broad if we consider its Rise 79
'Tis a Revelation from GOD id.
Its Characters evidence its Divinity 81
The clear Testimony of the Author of our Religion 82
The Revelation handed down uncorrupt 83
All Creatures originate from the Will of GOD 84
The Commandment from the divine Nature 85
Moral Good founded in the Divine Nature 87
What GOD willeth is therefore morally good id.
The eternal Law of Nature is the Law of GOD 88
2. 'Tis exceeding broad in its Nature id.
Adapted to the Lawgiver 89
Suited to the Capacity of the Subject id.
Requireth nothing but what is reasonable 90
Provideth Strength to perform Duty 92
Requireth the whole of our Duty 93
As it respects our Creator id.
What we are to believe concerning GOD 94
What the Homage we owe to GOD 97
Our Duty to be performed in a spiritual Manner 98
Our Duty exceedeth our Performance 99
Requireth our whole Duty to Man 100
3. The exceeding Breadth is seen in the Extent of its Object 101
Every individual Person 102
All of Man, Body and Soul 104
Obligatory upon Conscience id.
Extends to Angels 106.
4. Exceeding broad in the End and Design of it 109
1. The End is to make us truly wise 110
Worldly Wisdom gained by it id.
Designeth to make us spiritually wise 111
Affords the Knowledge of the best Things 113
Impresses our Minds with them 114
2. It's Design is to make it really Good 116
The Commandment begetteth Faith id.
Faith the Root of Goodness 117
No Absurdity in believing Doctrines that contain Mysteries 118
The Commandment revealeth CHRIST 119
The Commandment converteth the Soul 121
Not only the Body but the Soul suffers by the Fall 122
The Commandment convinceth of Sin and Misery 123
Recovereth from Sin and Misery 125
'Tis the Spirit maketh it effectual 126
The Commandment maketh us holy 127
The Command enjoins Holiness 128
Setts holy Examples before us id.
Produces Holiness in us 129
3. Its Design is to make us compleatly happy 133
Affords Comfort and Joy in this World 134
Yieldeth support under Afflictions 136
Directeth not to bring them upon us id.
Shews where to fetch Comfort under them 137
Promises adapted to us 138
Gives Comfort under Soul Trouble 139
Joy and Peace the Effect of keeping them 140
The Comfort of the Holy Ghost 143
The Commandment leads to compleat Happiness in the World to come 144
The Commandment informs us of Happiness 145
Sheweth us how it is procured for us 146
Directeth us the Way to it id.
Qualifies us for it id.
Confirms it to us 147
And this Happiness is every Way suitable to us id.
To our Nature id.
To our Condition 148
'Tis a Happiness full and sufficient 149
And shall never have an End 150
5. Exceeding broad in it's Duration 152
Committed to writing 153
Those Writings wonderfully preserved 154
The things contained in the Bible durable 155
The Effects on the Heart permanent 157
The Precepts everlasting 158
The Subject, but not the Command changed 159
Use 1. Of Instruction.
1. See the Goodness of GOD in giving his Commandment 161
Natural Light would not shew us our Duty and Interest 163
Reason may see the equity of what is revealed but not discover it 164
The learned Heathen beholden to Revelation 165
No Light of Nature could discover a Saviour 166
God requireth only a reasonable Service id.
Goodness to recover us from our Apostacy 167
Strange that Men of Sense should forsake Revelation to adhere to Reason 168
Our Light clearer than that of the Jews 169
2. See our indispensable Obligations to keep the Commandments of GOD 170
Ought to believe its Doctrines 171
Our Reason a Judge of the Evidence but not the Truth of a Revelation 172
Mysteries in Religion to be believed 173
Obliged to obey Divine Precepts 175
The Commandment most Excellent therefore to be obeyed 176
Its Design infers Obedience 178
As it Respects Societies id.
As it respecteth ourselves 179
Obedience due to every Commandment 181
Tho' we cannot see the Reason of it 182
GOD not Arbitrary in his Commands 183
GOD knoweth what is consistent with himself 184
His Will, not the Fitness of things, our Rule 185
We must not be partial in our Obedience 187
We must be constant in our Obedience 189
3. Hence Religion our truest Wisdom 192
The Obedient Soul does his Duty 193
Does nothing in his Obedience to be ashamed of 194
If he should at last be mistaken yet he has acted wisely 195
4. Hence 'tis a great Evil to slight the Commandment 197
To turn it into Jest and Ridicule 198
To form unscriptural Modes of Worship 201
To Neglect to read the Word 202
To Neglect publick Worship 203
5. See how Short we come in our best 204
No Man sinless 205
We fail in many Duties 206
'Tis hard to preserve ourselves in Dangers 209
The least Defect a Sin 210
We can't yield perfect Obedience in this Life 211
Wondrous Mercy to accept our services 212
No Justification by the Law but by CHRIST 213
6. Hence the Office of the Gospel Ministry is very honourable 219
But very difficult 223
7. Hence see the misery of the Disobedient 227
They carry about with them great part of their Misery 229
And will be miserable for ever 232
That Misery exquisitely pungent 233
And everlasting 234
8. Hence we should not content ourselves with the bare Letter of the Commandment 235
But search out the spiritual Meaning and submit our Wills and Consciences to it 236
Use 2. of Exhortation
To pay a …e Regard to the divine Commandment 237
Perfect Conformity to the Will of GOD the Work and Happiness of Heaven 238
Our … to Obedience very great 239
Our Crimes aggravated in our Disobedience 240
Treat, therefore, the Commandment with an honest Heart 241
Highly prize the Commandment 242
Diligently study the Commandment 243
Bring yourselves and action to the Commandment 245
Live upon the divine Commandment 246
The Author's Absence from the Press has occasioned some Errors which need correcting, as well as some Neglects in pointing which may be born with.
ERRATA.
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In the Margin.
P. 5. r. Gen. i. P. 7. r. 14. P. 13. r. ii. Tim. P. 16. r. Eccl. ii. P. 17. r. Jam. ii. P. 37. l. 2, f. 42. r. 46. P. 58. r. Job. xiv. P. 70. r. Cor. vi. P. 100. l. 2. r. 1 Thos. iv. P. 112. f. 7. r. 8. P. 129. l. 2. r. Job. xvii. P. 142. r. Gal. vi. 4. P. 147. r. 1. Job. P. 148. l. r. f. 17. r. 27. P. 157. l. 1. f. 14. r. 24. p. 213. r. Rom. iii. 20.