OUTLINE XXI.

And Esau said unto his father, Hast thou but one blessing, my father? Bless me, even me also, O my father! And Esau lifted up his voice, and wept.— Gen. xxvii. 38.

INTRODUCTION.-Our Lord wants us to learn of the unjust steward; Solomon, of the ant. Profane Esau.-Esau sold his birthright, and the blessing annexed. He wept, prayed, and carried another blessing. A pattern, not as he was sensual, wedded to the daughters of Heth, angry, a murderer; but as he prayed, wept, obtained.

I. God our heavenly Father hath not one but many blessings. We are to seek them carefully with tears, and we shall obtain them.

1. The blessing of awakening.-St. Paul.-Careless. 2. That of calling.-Worldling.-Zaccheus.

3. Repentance.-Harlot.

4. Pardon of sin.-Hezekiah.-Parable.

5. Healing of backsliders.—David, Peter.

6. Righteousness.-One that suits all, the best robe. 7. Spirit. One that can baptize all.

8. Kingdom. One set up in all.

9. New heart.-And victory over all.

10. Kingdom of heaven in glory." Come, ye blessed." II. How are we to seek those blessings?

1. Early.-Esau.-Foolish virgins.

2. Carefully, earnestly, with tears, lifting up the voice. 3. Pleading our relation,-by creation, redemption, "My Father;" and,

4. With importunity and expostulation,-" Hast thou but one blessing? bless me, even me.”

5. Refusing to go without application.-" Me, me!" desiring spiritual blessings above all.

III. Examples.-Jacob, Jesus.

IV. Motives to make you seek the blessing.

1. If you get it not, the curse remains yours.-The

curse of the law;

the book of God.

the curse of Christ. All the curses in No dew of heaven.

(1.) Negatively. No kiss of peace.-No bread.-No wine. No dominion over sin, &c., breaking its yoke.No living by the sword of the Spirit.

(2.) Positively. You will feed on dust with the serpent. You will be the servant and slave of sin and Satan. -You will inherit his fearful curse, "Depart!"

2. You are made for ever, if God bless you. (1.) All things will work for your good.

(2.) You will be sustained with corn and wine.

(3.) You will have dominion over all your enemies in

the end.-Jacob and Esau.

(4.) You will have the blessing of Christ, the gracious and glorious kingdom.-None shall reverse it.-Cursers ashamed.

APPLICATION.-Careless souls.-Shall Esau weep, &c., for the loss of a temporal blessing? Shall some mourn for loss of friends, money, reputation, health? O, how should you for the loss of paradise, of God, of a kingdom! The curse hunts you. You lose the blessing, by roving, hunting pleasure! O, lift up your voice!

Seeking souls.-Thousands of blessings purchased, by thousands of Jesus's prayers, tears, blood; secured by thousands of promises, by oath.-Hebrews vi. 13. Christ hath got them all first; but it is for you.

Blessed souls.-Bless in your turn.-Sell not your blessing, as profane Esau, covetous Judas, worldly Demas.Use your blessing; be a blessing to all.

Claiming them, not by birthright; for we are born in sin.-Not by purchase of works; for we have sold all for a lust, for nothing! But claim them, by promise, through the blood and righteousness of Christ.

OUTLINE XXII.

Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.-1 Tim. iv. 1—3.

INTRODUCTION.1. "The Spirit speaks expressly!" Where? Dan. vii. 25; and xi. 36; 2 Thess. ii. 4.

2. In the latter times. From Christ's first to second coming.

3. Some shall "depart from the faith" apostolic.

4. "Giving heed to seducing spirits,"-popes and priests, jesuits and friars, seducing from the faith.-Rom. xvi. 17. 5. "Doctrines of devils,"-popish doctrines. "Forbidding to marry and to use meats."

6. "Conscience seared with a hot iron."

What is the apostolic faith? and how have papists departed from it, and given place to doctrines of devils?

I. By maintaining that the holy scripture is not a sufficient rule of faith.

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"To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah viii. 20. "But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed." Gal. i. 8.—“ And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” 2 Tım. iii. 15-17. "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things,

God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book." Rev. xxii. 18.

II. The apostolic faith is—one God.

"Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve." Matt. iv. 10.

Whereas the papists worship, (1.) The host. (2.) Mary. (3.) Angels. Col. ii. 18; Rev. xxii. 8, 9. (4.) Saints. III. Christ is the only Saviour, Mediator, and Advocate. Matt. i. 21; Isaiah xlv. "For there is one God, and one Mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Tim. ii. 5.-" If any man sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John ii. 1.

No merit but in Christ.

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Unprofitable servants." Luke xvii. 10.-Works, grace. Rom. xi. 6.-Indulgences, penances, works of supererogation.

No purgatory but in his blood and Spirit.

"The blood of Christ cleanseth." 1 John i. 7."Blessed are the dead,-robes washed in the Lamb's blood." Rev. i. 5.

No propitiatory sacrifice, but that of the cross.

That of the mass an abomination. Heb. i. 3.

"He hath appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself." Heb. ix. 26.-"By his own blood entered in once, having obtained eternal redemption."-Without shedding of blood, no remission.

IV. Holy Ghost.

This proposition heretical ;-nothing good, "no certain knowledge of salvation," though the Spirit bear witness, can be done without the grace of Christ, or Holy Ghost. -Bull Unigenitus.

V. The first commandment mangled; the second cut off, and openly broken; and the tenth violated. "Cursed who say that concupiscence is sin." Coun. Trent, 5th Session.

VI. Prayer to God.

Perverted, or ridiculously addressed to saints. Prayer made to angels, saints, and Mary.

Elijah asks Elisha, "Ask what I shall do for thee before

I am taken." 2 Kings ii. 9.—Abraham ignorant of us. Isaiah lxiii. 16.

God the searcher of hearts.

Prayer in Latin.-1 Cor. xiv. 14.

Prayer by beads and strings.

Prayer for the dead.

VII. Two sacraments spoiled or vilified.

1. Transubstantiation.-Door, rock, corner-stone. 2. Adoration of the host.

3. Sacrifice of Christ's body.

4. Withholding the cup from the community.

5. Baptism of bells.-Marriage a sacrament; forbidden. Pope Liberius subscribed Arianism. John XXII. denied the immateriality of the soul. Council of Arimini was Arian. Helena, A. D. 320. Monks, Anthony.

Married popes: Boniface I., Felix III., Gelasius.

:

Bishops Hilary, Gregory, Nyssa, Nazianzen; the fathers down to Basil.

Gregory, mass, virgin, saints, A.D. 600.

First true pope, Boniface III., A.d. 605.

Universal bishop, Phocas, Mauritius; Boniface IV Pantheon.

Wafer, priests, masses, A. D. 700.

Images worshipped, A. D. 790.-"If any one doubt whether they are to be worshipped, let him be accursed.” Second Council of Nice.-"Let him not see Christ's face that will not adore his image." Council of Constantinople. Council of Trent confirmed them.

"We kiss, salute, prostrate before them."

Saints canonized, Adrian, A.D. 880.

Bells baptized, John XIV., A. D. 965.

Beads, Peter the hermit, A.D. 1090.

Transubstantiation, article of faith, Innocent III., Coun.

cil Lateran, A.D. 1215.

Honorius III. worships Gregory IX. bell.

Cup withheld, A.d. 1250.

Corpus Christi, Urban IV., A.D. 1260.

Berengarius, Valdo, John Huss, Jerome of Prague.