PAGE.

DOCTRINE.

DOCTRINE.

accomplishment of all divine threaten-

ings, and the infliction of the severest

judgments, which no man can abide or

avoid

11. The certain determination of divine

vengeance on the enemies of the gos-

pel, is a motive unto holiness, a sup-

portment under sufferings in them that

believe

12. The highest aggravation for the great-

est sins, is when men, out of a contrary

principle of superstition and error, do

set themselves maliciously to oppose

the doctrine and truth of the gospel,

with respect unto themselves and

others

13. There is a time when God will make

demonstrations of his wrath and dis-

pleasure against all such adversaries of

the gospel, as shall be pledges of his

eternal indignation

14. The dread and terror of God's final

judgments against the enemies of the

gospel, is in itself inconceivable, and

only shadowed out by things of the

greatest dread and terror in the

world

VERSES 28, 29.

1. It is the contempt of God and his au-

thority in his law, that is the gall and

poison of sin

2. When the God of mercies will have

men show no mercy, as in the tempo-

ral punishment, he can and will, upon

repentance, show mercy as to eternal

punishment

3. Though there may be sometimes an

appearance of great severity in God's

judgments against sinners, yet when

the nature of their sins, and the aggra-

vation of them, shall be discovered,

they will be manifest to have been

righteous and within due measure

4. We ought to take heed of every neg-

lect of the person of Christ, or of his

authority, lest we enter into some de-

gree or other of the guilt of this great

offence

309

ib.

ib.

ib.

. 310

311

312

314

ib.

315

5. The sins of men can really reach nei-

ther the person nor authority of Christ ib.

6. Every thing that takes off from a high

and glorious esteem of the blood of

Christ, as the blood of the covenant, is

a dangerous entrance into apostasy

7. However men may esteem of any of

the mediatory actings of Christ, yet are

they in themselves glorious and excel-

lent

8. There are no such cursed pernicious

enemies unto religion as apostates

9. The inevitable certainty of the eternal

punishment of gospel despisers, depends

on the essential holiness and righteous-

ness of God, as the ruler and judge of

all

316

317

319

10. It is a righteous thing with God thus

to deal with men

PAGE.

319

17. It is our duty to justify and bear wit-

ness unto God in the righteousness of

his judgments against gospel despisers ib.

VERSES 30, 31.

1. There can be no right judgment made

of the nature and demerit of sin, with-

out a due consideration of the nature

and holiness of God, against whom it

is committed

2. Nothing will state our thoughts aright,

concerning the guilt and demerit of

sin, but a deep consideration of the in-

finite greatness, holiness, righteousness,

and power of God against whom it is

committed

320

ib.

3. Under apprehensions of great severities

of divine judgments, the consideration

of God, the author of them, will both

relieve our faith, and quiet our hearts 321

4. A due consideration of the nature of

God, his office, that he is the Judge of

all, especially of his people, and that

inclosure he hath made of vengeance

unto himself, under an irrevocable

purpose for its execution, gives indubi-

table assurance of the certain unavoid-

able destruction of all wilful apostates 323

5. Although those who are the people of

God do stand in many relations unto

him, that are full of refreshinent and

comfort, yet it is their duty constantly

to remember that he is the holy and

righteous Judge, even towards his own

people

6. The knowledge of God in some good

measure, both what he is in himself,

ib.

4. Spiritual light, in its first communica-

tion, puts the soul on the diligent ex-

ercise of all graces

ib.

5. It is suited unto the wisdom and good-

ness of God, to suffer persons on their

first conversion, to fall into manifold

trials and temptations

6. All temporary sufferings, in all their

aggravating circumstances, in their

most dreadful preparation, dress, and

appearance, are but light things in

comparison of the gospel and the pro-

mises thereof

7. There is not any thing in the whole

nature of temporary sufferings, or any

circumstance of them, that we can

claim an exemption from, after we

have undertaken the profession of

the gospel·

8. It is reserved unto the sovereign plea-

sure of God, to measure out unto all

professors of the gospel their especial

lot and portion as unto trials and suf-

ib.

333

ib.

PALE.

DOCTRINE.

ferings, so as that none ought to com-

plain, none to envy one another

9. Of what sort or kind the sufferings of

any that God employs in the ministry

of the gospel shall be, is in his sove-

reign disposal alone

335

336

10. Faith, giving an experience of the ex-

cellency of the love of God in Christ,

and the grace received thereby, 'with

its incomparable preference above all

outward perishing things, will give

joy and satisfaction in the loss of all

our substance, upon the account of an

interest in these better things

339

11. It is the glory of the gospel, that it

will on a just account, from a sense of

and interest in it, give satisfaction and

joy unto the souls of men, in the

worst of sufferings for it

12. It is our duty to take care that we be

not surprised with outward sufferings,

when we are in the dark as unto our

interest in these things

13. Internal evidences of the beginnings

of glory in grace, a sense of God's

love, and assured pledges of our adop-

tion, will give insuperable joy to the

minds of men under the greatest out-

ward sufferings

14. It is our interest in this world, as

well as with respect unto eternity, to

preserve our evidences for heaven

clear and unstained

340

ib.

ib.

ib.

4. Believers ought to sustain themselves

in their sufferings with the promise of

future glory

5. The future blessedness is given unto us

by the promise, and is therefore free

and undeserved

346

ib.

:

ib.

6. This divine disposition of things gives

a necessity unto the continual exercise

of faith, prayer, and patience about

the coming of Christ

7. Although we may not know the espe-

cial dispensations and moments of time

that are passing over us, yet all be-

lievers may know the state in general

of the church under which they are,

and what coming of Christ they are to

look for and expect.

8. Faith in any church satisfies the souls

of men with what is the good and de-

liverance of that state; although a man

do know and is persuaded that person-

ally he shall not see it himself, nor

enjoy it

9. Under despondencies as to peculiar

appearances or comings of Christ, it is

the duty of believers to fix and exer-

cise their faith on his illustrious ap-

pearance at the last day

10. Every particular coming of Christ,

in a way suited unto the present deliv-

erance of the church, is an infallible

pledge of his coming at the last unto

judgment

11. Every promised coming of Christ is

certain, and shall not be delayed be-

yond its appointed season, when no

difficulties shall be able to stand

before it

12. There are especial qualifications of

grace required unto steadfastness in

profession, in times of persecution and

long continued trials

348

350

ib.

ib.

ib.

351

ib.

ib.

ib.

ib.

.

ib.

352

353

ib.

354

366

367

ib.

2. They who have a good testimony from

God shall never want reproaches from

the world

3. It is faith alone which, from the begin-

ning of the world, (or from the giving

of the first promise,) was the means

and way of obtaining acceptance with

God

4. The faith of true believers, from the

beginning of the world, was fixed on

things future, hoped for, and invisible ib.

5. That faith whereby men please God,

acts itself in a fixed contemplation on

things future and invisible, from whence

it derives encouragement and strength

to endure and abide firm in profession,

against all opposition and persecutions ib.

6. However men may be despised, villi-

fied, and reproached in the world, yet,

if they have faith, if they are true be-

lievers, they are accepted with God,

and he will give them a good report

VERSE 3.

1. They who firmly assent unto divine

revelation, do understand the creation

of the world, as to its truth, its season,

its cause, its manner, and end

2. Faith puts forth its power in our

minds in a due manner, when it gives

us clear and distinct apprehensions of

the things we do believe

3. As God's first work was perfect, so all

his works shall be perfect.

4. The aids of reason, with the due con-

sideration of the nature, use, and end

of all things, ought to be admitted of

to confirm our minds in the persuasion

of the original creation of all things

ib.

369

ib.

370

372

374

ib.

1. Every circumstance in suffering shall

add to the glory of the sufferer.

2. We are to serve God with the best

that we have, the best that is in our

power, with the best of our spiritual

abilities

3. God gives no consequential approba-

tion of any duties of believers, but

where the principle of a living faith

goes previously in their performance 375

4. Our persons must be first justified, be-

fore our works of obedience can be

accepted with God

.

5. They whom God approves must ex-

pect that the world will disapprove

them, and ruin them if it can

377

.378

6. Where there is a difference within, in

the hearts of men, on the account of

1. Whatever be the outward different

events of faith in believers in this

world, they are all alike accepted with

God, approved by him, and shall all

equally enjoy the eternal inheritance 383

2. God can and doth put a great diffe-

rence, as unto outward things, between

such as are equally accepted before

him

3. There is no such acceptable service

unto God, none that he hath set such

signal pledges of his favour upon, as

zealously to contend against the world

in giving witness to his ways, his wor-

ship, and his kingdom, or the rule of

Christ over all

ib.

384

4. It is a part of our testimony, to declare

and witness that vengeance is prepared

for ungodly persecutors, and all sorts

of impenitent sinners, however they

are and may be provoked thereby . ib..

5. The principal part of this.testimony

consists in our own personal obedience,

or visible walking with God in holy

obedience, according to the tenor of

the covenant

6. As it is an effect of the wisdom of God

to dispose the works of his providence,

and the accomplishment of his promi-

ses, according to an ordinary established

rule declared in his word, which is the

only guide of faith; so sometimes it

pleases him to give extraordinary in-

stances in each kind, both in a way of

judgment, and in a way of grace and

favour

DOCTRINE.

upon any thing, it is in vain for men

to attempt it

PAGE.

2. It is of the highest importance to ex-

amine well into the sincerity of our

faith, whether it be of the true kind or

not.

3. God himself in his self-sufficiency, and

his all-sufficiency, meet to act towards

poor sinners in a way of bounty, is

the first motive or encouragement unto,

and the last object of faith

4. They who seek God only according to

the light of nature, do but feel after

him in the dark, and they shall never

find him as a rewarder

5. They who seek him according to the

law of works, and by the best of their

obedience thereunto, shall never find

him as a rewarder, nor attain that

which they seek after

6. It is the most proper act of faith to

come and cleave to God as a rewarder

in the way of grace and bounty, as

proposing himself for our reward

7. That faith is vain which doth not put

men on a diligent inquiry after God

8. The whole issue of our finding of God

when we seek him, depends on the

way and rule which we take and use

in our so doing

VERSE 7.

1. It is a high commendation to faith to

believe things on the word of God,

that in themselves, and all second

causes, are invisible, and seem impos-

sible

2. No obstacle can stand in the way of

faith, when it fixeth itself on the al-

mighty power of God, and his infinite

veracity

3. It is a great encouragement and

strengthening unto faith, when the

things which it believes as promised

or threatened, are suitable unto the

properties of the divine nature, his

righteousness, holiness, goodness, and

the like

4. The destruction of the world, when it

was filled with wickedness and vio-

lence, is a pledge of the certain accom

plishment of all divine threatenings

against ungodly sinners, and enemies

of the church, though the time of it

may be yet far distant, and the means

of it may not be evident

5. A reverential fear of God, as threaten-

ing vengeance unto impenitent sinners,

is a fruit of saving faith, and accept-

able unto God

6 It is one thing to fear God as threaten-

ing, with a holy reverence; another,

to be afraid of the evil threatened,

merely as it is penal and destructive

7. Faith produceth various effects in the

minds of believers, according to the

388

ib.

392

393

ib.

394

ib.

ib.

397

ib.

ib.

ib.

398

ih.

tion of the faith of Noah

10. In the destruction of the old world,

we have an eminent figure of the state

of impenitent sinners, and of God's

dealing with them in all ages

11. The visible professing church shall

never fall into such an apostasy, nor

be so totally destroyed, but that God

will preserve a remnant for a seed to

future generations

12. Those whom God calleth unto, fitteth

for, and employeth in any work, are

therein συνεργο Θεου, co-workers with

God'

13. Let those that are employed in the

declaration of God's promises and

threatenings, take heed unto themselves

to answer the will of him by whom

they are employed, whose work it is

wherein they are engaged

14. It ought to be a motive unto dili-

gence in exemplary obedience, that

therein we bear testimony for God

against the impenitent world, which

he will judge and punish

15. All right unto spiritual privileges and

mercies is by gratuitous adoption

16. The righteousness of faith is the best

inheritance, for thereby we become

heirs of God, and joint-heirs with

Christ

1. It becomes the infinite greatness, and

all satisfactory goodness of God, at

the very first revelation of himself unto

any of his creatures, to require of them

a renunciation of all other things, and

of their interest in them, in compli-

ance with his commands

2. In the call of Abraham, we see the

power of sovereign grace in calling

men to God, and the mighty efficacy

of faith complying therewith

3. It is the call of God alone that makes

a distinction amongst mankind, as un-

to faith and obedience, with all the

effects of them.

399

ib.

400

401

ib.

ib.

402

. ib.

406

ib.

407

ib.

ib.

408