present into a far more criminal and guilty condition, 367. sixthly, we shall not only render ourselves more guilty for the present, but expose ourselves, if we die in our sin, to a Containing some short directions for the more profitable reading the preceding discourse, 375. and also directions for the good conduct and regular exercise of our closet religion in all the different states of the Christian life, together with forms of private devotion fitted to each state, 377. the first are for the state of entrance into the Christian life, 378. the second for the state of actual engagement in it, 387. the Human actions of three sorts, 425. Necessary and sinful actions are either such as are good or evil in themselves, which are those we call moral actions, or such as are com- manded and forbid by positive law, ibid. The nature of moral good explained, 430. That there is such a thing as moral good in human actions proved in five propositions, 432— 443. The various ways by which God hath discovered to us what is morally good, in six particulars, 444-461. Actions morally good are the principal parts of religion, 462. This demonstrated by six arguments from scripture, 463–475. Of the nature of religion in general, and of natural reli- gion, what it is, 489-493. and of revealed religion, 493. A definition of natural and revealed religion, considered as they are now in conjunction, 495. From the nature of religion thus defined, the principles of all religious obliga- tions are deduced, 497. which are reduced to five heads, ibid. CHAP. III. Of the necessity of believing the existence of God, in order to our being truly religious, 498. Atheism resolved into the corruption of men's wills and imaginations, 499. The particular causes of it reduced to nine heads, and of the folly and unreasonableness of them, 501-535. Of the great folly and madness of atheism in itself, 535. This shewn at large in six particulars, 536–562. VOL. I. OF THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. CHAP. I. Concerning the ultimate end of the Christian life. In order to our understanding what is the nature, use, and excellency of any means, it is necessary we should have a true and genuine notion of those peculiar ends which they drive at: for the nature of them, as they are means, consists in being serviceable to some end; but to what they are particularly serviceable must be collected from the nature of those particular ends whereunto they are directed. And therefore, till we know what those particular ends are, it is impossible we should know whether they are means or no; or, which is the same thing, whether they are serviceable to any end or purpose. It being, therefore, the design of this work to explain the nature of the Christian life, it will be necessary (for the clearing of our way) to give some account of the blessed end for which it is intended; which will very much contribute to our right understanding of the great usefulness and subserviency of each part of it thereunto. Therefore, I. I shall endeavour to shew what is the peculiar end of the Christian life. II. Wherein the true nature of this end consists. I. As for the end of the Christian life, we are assured from scripture, that it is no other but heaven itself, that state of endless bliss and happiness, which God hath prepared in the world above for the reception of all those, who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality. That this is the end of the Christian life is evident from hence, because it is every where proposed, by our Saviour and his apostles, as the chief good of a Christian, and the supreme motive to all Christian virtue. For so St. John, that bosom-favourite of our Saviour, assures us, that this is the promise which Christ hath promised us, even eternal life, 1 John ii. 25. And if we look into the Gospel of St. John, who hath more largely recorded our Saviour's sermons and discourses than any other evangelist, we shall find eternal life still proposed by him, as the supereminent promise, to encourage and persuade men to the profession and practice of Christianity. For so, John iv. 36, it is proposed by our Saviour, as that which is the harvest of a Christian, to which, like the husbandman's ploughing and sowing, all our care and endeavour is to be directed; He that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto eternal life. Consonantly whereunto St. Paul tells us, that he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting, Gal. vi. 8. And this, as our Saviour tells us, is the great reward which he gives to all those that hear and follow him, John x. 27, 28; and this is the great argument which he every where insists on, that he that believeth hath life everlasting, that whosoever heareth his word hath life everlasting, and that his commandment is life everlasting. And Rom. vi. 22, everlasting life |