BRANCHES OF THE CHRISTIAN TEMPER. . IN RELATION TO GOD; OR GODLINESS. 2 Pet. i. 6. -And to patience, godliness. 1 Pet. i. 8. Whom, having not seen, ye love : in whom, , though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable, and Whom, having not seen, ye love, &c. In whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye IN RELATION TO THE HOLY SPIRIT. EPH. v. 18. -Be filled with the Spirit. THE SPIRIT OF BONDAGE, AND THE SPIRIT Rom. viii. 15. For ye have not received the Spirit of bond. age again to fear, but ye have received the Spirit of adop- tion, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 2 Per, i. 5. And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your COL. ii. 12. -Humbleness of mind. Psal. li. 10. Create in me a clean heart, O God. LUKE xxi. 34. Take heed to yourselves, least at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares. 310 Phil. iv. 11. I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, HEB. X. 36. For ye have need of patience, that after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. 338 LOVING OUR NEIGHBOUR AS OURSELVES. Matt. xxii. 39. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. DOING UNTO OTHERS AS WE WOULD BE Matt. vii. 12. Therefore all things, whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so to them : for this is the law and the prophets. Rom. xii. 18. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, . Col. iii. 12, Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and VERACITY, OR TRUTH BETWEEN MAN AND MAN. Eph. iv. 25. Wherefore, putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour : for we are members one of another. 427 CHARITABLE JUDGING, IN OPPOSITION TO GENERAL QUALIFICATIONS OF THE CHRISTIAN 1 Cor. v. 8. But with the unleavened bread of sincerity i Cor. xv. 58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stead- fast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. 474 2 CHRON. xxxiv, 27. Because thine heart was tender. 488 Matt. x. 16. Behold I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves ; be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as Το THE CONGREGATION WHICH USUALLY ATTENDS UPON MY MINISTRY. THE following Discourses, which have been the employment of several months in the pulpit, are now made public, with an eye principally to the service of you fami. lies; whose best interests your Minister hath the strongest obligations to consult, not only from special relation, but in gratitude for the long experience he has had of your candour and affection, which hath never been interrupted in the course of so many years. The subject of these sermons is of the greatest and most general importance, the spirit of Christianity; to which all the doctrines of our religion are designed to form us, and without which the external practice of our duty is in God's account no better than a dead carcase. For Christianity is neither a mere speculative science, intended only for the information or entertainment of the mind; nor yet a flat system of precepts, without substantial and vital principles to support them : But it proposes many divine truths and doctrines to our faith, on purpose to influence and engage in the most forcible manner to a correspondent practice. And where it meets with a proper entertainment, it is neither so inward a thing, as to be altogether invisible ; nor yet such a mere outside, 'as leaves the heart and the life at variance, or recommends a man to his fellow-creatures, while he is utterly unacceptable to the heart-searching God: But the kingdom of God is first set up within us, and subjects the thoughts, the will, and affections to the obedience of Christ; and so produces out of the abundance of the heart the natural and visible fruits of Christian practice. A gospel-ministry is intended to represent faith and practice in connection. And there are two ways of prosecuting that design : When any doctrine of the gospel is the argument, to bring it down to practice by shewing the reasonable influence which it ought to have upon one or another virtue : Or when the dispositions and duties of a Christian are more directly insisted upon, to recommend them from Christian motives. The Discourses, now offered to your perusal, are drawn up with the latter view: Wherein I have endeavoured to select those characters and ingredients of the Christian temper, which I apprehend to be of principal weight, and of the most frequent and extensive use in the course of our obedience. In the review, they are cast into that method and order which I thought most natural, and likely to be of the greatest service. The contents of the volume will shew |