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IV. The connection between the believer's character and duty; or

between receiving Chrift, and walking in him, opened,
The connection viewed with the context,
How the parts of the text ftand connected,
The order of the connection confidered,

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92

96

ibid.

Why there must be a receiving before a walking in
Christ,

97

Why there fhould be a walking in him after the reception

of him,

*

101

106

V. The application of the subject, in a variety of uses,
Ufe. For information, to inftruct us in fome precious truths, 107
Use 2. For reproof, to convict us of fome errors, both doctrinal
and practical,

117

Six doctrinal errors refuted,

117,125

Ten practical errors reproved,

125,-128

Ufe 3. For examination, to try our faith and obedience,

129

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How faith is wrought by the Spirit,

How it was acted when Chrift was received,

Gospel-obedience, as a walking in Christ, tried,

By the fcripture qualities of it,

By the gospel provision for it,

Ufe 4. For exhortation, to excite and direct us both to receive

and walk in Chrift,

(1.) Unbelievers exhorted to receive Christ,
1. Who may be denominated unbelievers,
Twelve figns of unbelief,

2. Six motives to perfuade to receive Christ,
Eight confiderations to engage thereto,
An eight-fold generation who reject him,
Eight bleffings received along with Chrift,

Four evil things received by the rejecters of him,

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155

itid.

156

ibid. 161

164

168

171

175

178

ibid.

188

191

196

3. Directions offered exciting to receive Christ,
The fad ftate these are in without him,

The right use of the means of faith to be ftudied,
The obftructions of faith to be removed,

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4. Ten objections removed against receiving Christ,
(2.) Believers exhorted to walk in Christ,

Eight confiderations offered for clearing this walk,
Ten properties and qualities of this way,

21I

224

225

237

Motives and perfuafives to walk in Christ,

Ten concomitants fhewing the excellency of this walk,
The effes of the walk, pointing out the neceffity of it,
Arguments exciting to a Chriftian walk,

258

ibid.

264

ibid.

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Let every action in life be a stepping in this way,
Improve the means that tend to advance it,

281

285

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The Main Queftion of the Gofpel Catechifm, WHAT THINK YE OF CHRIST?

MAT. xxii. 42. What think ye of Chrift?

288

After an introduction to the words, the connection traced, the occafion of propounding the queftion afcertained, the words themfelves divided, explained, their emphafis pointed out, and the fcope of them fummed up in a doctrinal propofition, the following general heads of method are illuftrated, viz.

I. Some general remarks premised for clearing the doctrine,

II. The import of the queftion pointed out,

1. Objectively, with respect to Christ, in twelve

particulars,

2: Actively, with respect to the act of thinking,

3. Formally, refpecting the quality of the act,

295 301

} 301,-314, 384

384

324

4. Subjectively, refpecting the perfons to whom the question is put, 329 III. The reafons of the doctrine afligned, why this is the leading queftion

in the Chriftian Catechifm,

IV. The application of the point, in a variety of uses,

Ufe 1. For information, in four useful inferences,

2. For conviction and reproof,

Who think little of Christ,

Six caufes why the world think little of him,

3. For trial and examination,

Ten qualities of right thoughts of Christ,
Twenty pofitive evidences of them,

4. For lamentation, over Chrift-defpifers,
5. For exhortation, to think much of Chrift,
6. For advice, highly to efteem and commend him,

336

344

ibid.

351

352

353

359

ibid.

366

379

380

382

DEUT. vii. 22. And the Lord thy God will put out thefe

nations before thee, by little and little.

Having divided and explained the words, viewed them in their spiritual
ineaning, and wrapt them up in a doctrinal obfervation, the following
general topics are illuftrated, viz.

I. Who are the true Ifrael of God, enquired into,

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The context being viewed, the connection traced, the words analized
and explained, and wrapt up in a general propofition, the following
general topics are difcourfed, viz.

***OE OXKOK JOXKOF JOX KO

******************

*****

SERMON XXXIV.

GOSPEL-PRINCIPLE, the Foundation of GOSPELPRACTICE; or, The great Duty of Receiving CHRIST, and Walking in him, opened *.

COLOS. ii. 6.

As ye have received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in bim.

You have here fuch an ordinary text, that perhaps there are few prefent but have heard fermons preached upon it; and yet it is fuch an extraordinary text, that we can never hear enough upon it, nor ever reach to the bottom. There is more in it than ever yet we faw or felt. It contains a fum of heart and life religion, and of all that concerns either faith or manners; a GOSPEL-PRINCIPLE, which is believing in Christ; and a GOSPEL-PRACTICE, a walking in him: As ye bave received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in him.

The apoftle here, in this epiftle, gives a good copy to all the minifters of Chrift to follow in their preaching and teaching, 1. To inform the judgments of people, and lay a good foundation in the knowledge of Christ.

*This fubject was entered upon on a thanksgiving-day, after the celebration of the facrament of the Lord's fupper at Kinglaffie; and afterwards finished in a series of difcourfes, in his own church in Dunfermline, in the year 1724. A 4

2. To

2. To excite their affections after Chrift, and to rouze and awaken them to a walk and converfation fuitable to their knowledge and faith; knowing that there can be no fure building erected in a gospel-walk, unless there be a fure foundation laid in a gofpel-principle. That the believing Coloffians were well informed and inftructed, the apoftle obferves, to the cominendation and praife of free grace; and he exhorts them to perfevere in the doctrine wherein they were taught by Epaphras, a faithful minister of Christ, chap. i. 7.: However, there were falfe teachers that had crept in among them who were ready to beguile them with enticing words, chap. ii. 4. and that had actually feduced and carried away the Galatians from their true faith which they formerly profeffed, Gal. i. 6, 7.'; vet he would have the Coloffians to fland faft in their faith, and in that doctrine which had been truly and honeftly delivered to them. The apoftle commends the Coloffians for their ftedfaftnefs, as you fee in the verfes preceding our text; and yet he exhorts them more and more to this duty, as you fee from the verfe following the text; which may let us in to something of the intent of the text itfelf; intimating, that the doctrine, of Chrift had been brought to them, and they had believed it, and received it, and Chrift in it, and that though this was well, yet it was not all; they were therefore, thro' grace, to perfevere in that doctrine, to walk forward in the knowledge of Chrift, and his gofpel, and in the prac tice of what they knew.

The verfe that goes before the text fets before us two things, that denote the good conftitution and temperament of a right church, fuch as the church of the Coloffians was. 1. The firt is its order; "O but it makes a beautiful church when all things in it are ordered according to the pattern feen in the mount, with refpect to the doctrine, worship, difcipline, and government! When the doctrine is found and lively; the worfhip, pure and fpiritual; difcipline, powerful and impartial; and the government, beautiful and regular: but it is a very unpleafant appearance in a church, when confufion, with refpect to all thefe, doth take place. 2. The fecond was fledfaftnefs in the faith. The apostle rejoiced to behold, in the church

of

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