are weak, be not distressed on those accounts. For real grace is much superior to the best abilities, and most brilliant parts. Therefore rejoice that the Lord hath shown you a more excellent way. Who hath despised the day of small things? The profane world, and proud professors may; but God will not. Those who love the Saviour, to whom his person, blood, and obedience, are precious, and his ways pleasant, and whose desire is to walk humbly with God in the paths of purity; though they frequently stumble, and are often discouraged, yea though they fall, They shall not be utterly cast down; Psal. xxxvii. 24, but shall hold on in their way, and grow stronger and stronger; Job xvii. 9. For the strength and guide of Israel hath said, The wayfaring men, though fools, shall not err. They shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away; Isaiah xxxv. 8, 10. Those who are not able to plead on God's behalf, but love to think upon his name, are precious in his sight. And, they shall be mine, saith the Lord, in that day when I make up my jewels; Mal. iii. 16, 17. Therefore fear not worm Jacob. 6. The strong believer, however enriched with gifts and grace, is thereby led to various humbling, and profitable considerations. However great his natural abilities are, he is as much under a perpetual necessity to look to, and rely upon the Lord, Grace may be lan for gracious influences, as those of the weakest capacity; for a person may possess strong mental powers and be morally weak. guid and low, where natural strong. Whilst the christian is the gifts are lively and subject of sin, and a propensity to evil is felt, he will see the necessity of perpetual watchfulness, repentance, and prayer, and often cry with holy Paul, O wretched man that I am! For though he is not under the sole dominion of sin, yet he feels and laments a criminal backwardness to good, and a proneness to evil. So that when he would do good, evil is present with him. He being the subject of two opposite dispositions, therefore he cannot do the things that he would. His resolutions are feeble, and his comforts fluctuate, because his affections are unstable, being sanctified but in part. Some times they mount to heaven and seem fixed on things above, but anon they drop down to earth and sense; and then he complains, and prays as David did, saying, My soul cleaveth to the dust, quicken thou me. He feels and is assured, that without Christ he can do nothing; yet that inability of which he is sensible, he does not consider, as an excuse for the neglect of duty, or commission of sin. He does not bless himself that he has got a bad heart, where he may safely deposit his iniquities, and thereby keep his conscience calm. But the sin of his heart is the sorrow of his soul, and his perpetual plague. It is the object of his hatred, and the subject of his secret and unfeigned lamentation: because the good man is taught to consider moral defects, as inexcusable faults. He longs for heaven, because it is a place of purity where he shall be free from sin, as well as from sorrow. While in the body he considers himself neither where, nor as, he would be; therefore his desire is to depart and be with Christ which is far better. And as he which testifieth these things, saith, Surely I come quickly: his heart replies, AMEN, EVEN SO COME, LORD JESUS. THE END. Whittingham and Rowland, Printers, Goswell Street, London. INDEX. STUMBLING BLOCKS REMOVED RESPECTING DOCTRINES. I. Artful Objections to Christ's Divinity........ 2. Perversion of Terms used on this Head. 9 14 1. Necessary hatred to Sin not inconsistent with sovereign love 2. The Objects of God's natural Love may through Sin become 23 30 32 3. Good Men not equally the Objects of God's natural Love .. 35 (1) The damnation of such that kept not their first estate, where- 36 ib. (2.) Need of watchfulness against Sin (1.) Election not influential on the appointment of any to de- 39 50 (2.) Nor injurious to those not included in it................................................... 51 V. Relation to God. By Adoption and Regeneration.. VI. Difficulties obviated respecting the Atonement. 2. Man justly obnoxious to punishment.. .. 74 ... 4. Yet Equity seems to forbid the punishment of the Innocent.. 77 6. No Creature has power over his own life.. ........................................... 78 The Necessity of the Atonement proved by five Arguments Answer to the Objection from this Consideration, That Deity The Efficacy of Christ's Atonement not dependant on mere arbi- 86 EXPERIENCE. Mistakes rectified. I. As to a Sinner's Warrant to apply to Christ...... 94 2.) That none can repent till they know that Christ died for Page 97 (3.) That Faith is inseparably connected with knowledge of per- 102 Any poor Sinner welcome, (103), to apply Nature of Faith... 105 115 .......... 119 IV. Sense of internal Depravity.......... ... 125 V. Hindrances from wrong Views of Doctrines........... (1.) Doctrine of Imputation... (2.) Efficacious Grace.. (3.) Doctrine of Election 128 129 131 133 (2.) Good men liable to mistake Providence.... (3.) Designed for our trial.. (4.) Occasion of perplexity through mistaking Promises (5.) Failure of Promises supposed to be particularly applied PRACTICE. 1. Evil conduct of Professors (censorious)..... 2. Loose Professors................................. 3. The Cross and Persecution.. 4. False Assertion that we are in no sense under the Law.... 6. Stumbling Blocks owing to the Consideration of divine Re- (1.) The Law not altered in consequence of the Fall... (2) The Death of Christ procured no such Alteration........ ib. 145 ... ib, 195 ib. (4.) Not a sufficient answer to say we had Ability in Adam (5.) Best answered by distinguishing between Natural and Moral Ability Natural and Moral Inability and Ability defined... I. Natural Impotence not criminal [i.] Such weakness not condemned in Scripture [] If the fault lay here, the less understanding or natural 197 [iii.] New faculties not created in Regeneration...................................... ib. II. Moral Inability criminal always.. 4. Consistency of scriptural Exhortations.. 5. Encouragement to seeking souls 6. The strong believer is taught Humility......... |