Page,

4. Consider what the Saviour suffered to deliver us

from sin,

112

5. The blessed reward of uprightness,

113

6. The woful effects of indulging sin,

114

MEANS requisite for preserving us from our special sins,

1. Be inquisitive to understand what it is,

120

2. Watch diligently against it,

121

3. Form serious resolutions against yielding to sin, 126

4. On falling into this sin seek by speedy and deep re-

pentance to recover the favour of God,

128

5. Pray fervently and constantly for renewing grace, 129

6. Exercise faith in the Redeemer,

131

III. THE GREAT DUTY OF RESIGNATION.

Matth. 26. 39. And he went a little farther, and fell on his face,

and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup

pass from me : nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.

The Preface. 137-Explanation of the duty,

142

ARGUMENTS to convince us of this duty of resignation,

1. God's supreme right over us,

149

2. His righteousness in all his ways,

153

3. His uncontroulable power,

155

4. His paternal love in sending afflictions,

156

It is proved from,

(1.) His gracious design in sending them,

157

(2.) His effectual support under them,

161

(3.) The happy issue out of them,

162

5. His infinite wisdom orders all things for the best, 163

MOTIVES to persuade us to this duty of resignation.

1. The example of Christ in his sufferings,

170

2. The examples of the suffering saints in all ages, 173

3. All creatures obey the will of their Creator,

175

4. It is our most glorious perfection, to have our wills

united to the divine will,

ibid.

5. It is our felicity quietly to resign our wills to the

will of God,

179

DIRECTIONS how to perform this duty of resignation.

1. Faith in the divine providence and promises will

compose the soul,

181

2. Let God be the supreme object of our affections, 1 188

3. Let us moderate our valuation of things below, 191

4. A prudent forecast of future evils will arm

patience to sustain them,

192

5. Serious reflections upon our guilt and desert will

suppress impatience,

us with

Page.
IV. THE DANGER OF PROSPERITY.

Prov. 1. 32. The prosperity of fools shall destroy them.

The Preface,

207

FIRST, PROOFS that prosperity is destructive to sinners, 213

1. It is the continual incentive of the vicious affections, 215

2. Occasionally it incenses the irascible passions, 217

3. It inclines sinners to an impious neglect of God, 218

4. It exposes dangerously to the tempting power of satan, 222

5. It affords advantages to men to corrupt others, 226

6. It usually renders the means of grace ineffectual,

228

7. It renders men averse to suffering for the sake of Christ, 241

8. It tempts men to delay repentance,

248

SECONDLY, The FOLLY of prosperous sinners, It is

1. Voluntary, 252—2. Culpable,

253

3. Ignominious, 254–4. Most woful,

256

THIRDLY, The MISERY of

prosperous

sinners is,

1. Just, 257—2. Certain, 258–3. Aggravated, 262

INFERENCES from the doctrine.

1. Prosperity is no certain sign of God's special favour, 264

2. The prosperity of the wicked is consistent with

God's hatred,

ibid.

3. The prosperity of the wicked, so far from being a

sign of God's love, often proceeds from his deepest

displeasure,

265

4. We should look upon prosperous sinners with pity, 266

5. We are instructed to judge rightly of afflictions, 267

6. We should improve prosperity to our eternal advantage, 271

RULES how to manage prosperity for our everlasting good.

1. Amidst prosperity let us preserve a humble sense of

our meanness, frailty and unworthiness,

272

2. Cultivate a meek temper and deportment,

274

3. Render solemn and affectionate thanksgiving to

God for his mercies,

275

4. Be vigilant to avoid the sins incident to prosperity, 277

5. Use worldly blessings with moderation,

278

6. Seek after the favour of God and communion with him, 279

7. Employ riches and power for the glory of God and

the good of others,

282

8. Resolve firmly to part with all possessions and dig-

nities at the call of duty,

284

9. Pray earnestly and constantly for divine grace, 295

V. SPIRITUAL PERFECTION UNFOLDED AND EN-

FORCED.

2 Cor. 7. 1. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved,

let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spi-

rit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

The Preface,

289
Page.

CHAP.

I.

The coherence and doctrine of the text. The duty of

christians to cleanse themselves from all pollutions. A

principle of holiness and supplies of the Spirit requisite.

EVILS TO BE AVOIDED. (1.) Uncleanness. The diffi-

culty of purifying from it. Means for purifying, 295

II. (2.) Anger. Directions to prevent its prevalence. Mo-

tives to extinguish it.-(3.) Coretousness. How it dis-

covers itself. Causes why it is difficult to cure. Means

by which it may be mortified,

307

III. (4.) Pride. Its various kinds and degrees. The diffi-

culty of subduing it. Antidotes against it,

324

IV. (5) Infidelity. Its unreasonableness. (6.) Hypocrisy.

Cured by a sense of God's omniscience. (7.) Envy.

These defilements prove the necessity of regeneration, 340

The nature of perfection considered. The essential

perfection of grace consists in sincerity. Comparative

perfection of the saints in this life. Absolute perfec-

tion only attained in heaven,

348

VI. PARTICULAR GRACES CONSIDERED. (1.) Faith. The

nature, the objects, and the motives of doctrinal faith.

On the belief of supernatural truths. On the supposed

innocence of error,

363

VII. The efficacy of faith. The practical influence of faith

in the providence of God,

381

VIII. (2.) Love. The most eminent of the graces. Love

to God arising from his love to us. Love to our neigh-

bour. The forgiveness of injuries results from it,

396

IX. (3.) Hope. Its suitableness to our present state. How

it differs from presumption. (4.) The fear of God.
Its influence on the christian character,

492

X. The promise that God will be our Father a powerful

inducement to strive after the perfection of holiness.

Rules whereby we may discern whether we are pro-

ceeding to perfection,

437

XI. Rules continued. Exhortation to follow after holiness

early, zealously, with alacrity, and perseverance. An-

swers to objections. MOTIVEs to excite us to be in-

tent upon this great work,

456

XII. MEANS that are effectual for attaining to eminent ho-

liness. Unfeigned faith in Christ. Prayer. Hearing

and reading the word of God and meditation. The

sacrament of the Lord's supper. The observance of

the sabbath. The serious examination of our state

and conduct,

484

XIII. Means continued. Continual watchfulness. Due

regard to relative duties. Unabating progress in the

way to heaven,

513

SERMONS

ON THE

FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

Psal. cxxx. 4.

But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared.

1

THE Psalmist, in the first and second verses, addresses God with earnest desires for his saving mercies : “ Out of the depths have I cried to thee, O Lord: Lord hear my voice: let thine ear be attentive to my supplication.” He humbly deprecates the severe inquiry of divine justice ; ver. 3. “ If thou, Lord, shouldst mark iniquities : O Lord, who shall stand?" If God should with an exact eye observe our sins, and call us to an account, who can stand in judgment? who can endure that fiery trial? The best saints, though never so innocent and unblamable in the sight of men, though never so vigilant and watchfut over their hearts and ways, are not exempted from the spots of human frailty, which according to the rigour of the law, would expose them to a condemning sentence. He relieves and supports himself under this fearful apprehension with the hopes of mercy: “ but there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayst be feared." It is in thy power and thy will, to pardon repenting and returning sinners, “ that thou mayest be feared.” The fear of God in scripture signifies the humble holy reverence of him,

as our heavenly Father and Sovereign, that makes us cautious lest we should offend him, and careful to please him. For this reason the fear of God is comprehensive of all religion, of “ the whole duty of man,” to which it is introductive, and is a principal ingredient in it. The clemency and compassionate mercy of God is the cause of an ingenuous filial fear, mixed with love and affiance in the breasts of men. Other attributes, his holiness that framed the law, justice that ordained the punishment of sin, power that inflicts it, render his majesty terrible, and cause a flight from him as an enemy. If all must perish for their sins, no prayers or praises will ascend to heaven, all religious worship will cease for ever : but his tender mercy ready to receive humble suppliants, and restore them to his favour, renders him amiable and admired, and draws us near to him.

There are two propositions to be considered in the verse :
I. That forgiveness belongs to God.

11. That the forgiving mercy of God is a powerful motive of adoration and obedience. I propound to discourse of the first, and to touch upon the second in the application.

In managing the point with light and order, it is requisite to consider; Ist. What is contained in forgiveness. 2dly. The arguments that demonstrate that forgiveness belongs to God.

1. What is contained in forgiveness. This necessarily supposes sin, and sin a law that is violated by it: the law implies a sovereign Lawgiver, to whose declared will subjection is due, and who will exact an account in judgment of men's obedience or disobedience to his law, and dispense rewards and punishments accordingly. God by the clearest titles “is our king, our lawgiver and judge:" for he is our maker and preserver, and consequently has a full propriety in us, and absolute authority over us : and by his sovereign and singular perfections is qualified to govern us. A derived being is necessarily in a state of dependance and subjection. All the ranks of creatures in the world are ordered by their Maker; his “ kingdom rules over all.” Those in the lowest degree of being are ordered by power. Sensitive ereatures are determined by the impulses of nature to their actions; for having no light to distinguish between moral good and evil, they have no choice, and are incapable of receiving a law. Intelligent creatures, endowed with judicious and free faculties, an understanding to discern between moral good and evil, and