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
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
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,
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-
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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