IV. The connection between the believer's character and duty; or between receiving Chrift, and walking in him, opened," 92 96 ibich Why there must be a receiving before a walking in 97 Why there fhould be a walking in him after the reception of him, V. The application of the subject, in a variety of ufes, 106 Ufe 1. For information, to inftruct us in fome precious truths, 107 Six doctrinal errors refuted, 117 117, 125 Ten practical errors reproved, 125,-128 Ufe 3. For examination, to try our faith and obedience, 129 Faith, as it receives Chrift, tried, ibid. 130 134 140 141 148 How faith is wrought by the Spirit, How it was acted when Chrift was received, Gofpel-obedience, as a walking in Chrift, tried, By the feripture qualities of it, By the gospel provifion for it, Ufe 4. For exhortation, to excite and direct us both to receive Four evil things received by the rejecters of him, The right ufe of the means of faith to be studied, The art of pleading for grace to receive Christ, 4. Ten objections removed against receiving Christ, Eight confiderations offered for clearing this walk, 206 ibid. 21 I 224 225 237 Motives and perfuafives to walk in Chrift, Ten concomitants fhewing the excellency of this walk, 258 ibid. The effects of the walk, pointing out the neceffity of it, 264 ibid. Let every action in life be a stepping in this way, 281 285 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 emphasis pointed out, and the scope 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 refpect to Chrift, 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 affigned, 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 Chrift, Six caufe's why the world think little of him, 3. For trial and examination, Ten qualities of right thoughts of Christ, 4. For lamentation, over Chrift-defpifers, 336 344 ibid. 351 352 353 359 ibid. 366 379 380 382 SERMON LII,-LIII. The Gradual Conqueft or, Heaven won by little and little, 385 DEUT. vii. 22. And the Lord thy God will put out these 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, wiz. I. Who are the true Ifrael of God, enquired into, 387 11. The heavenly Canaan, which they are brought to the poffeffion III. What nations of enemies oppofe them in their way to the heavenly Zion, enumerated, 393 IV. The mighty Conqueror, The Lord their God, defcribed, 400 V. The manner of the conqueft, by little and little, confidered, 407 VI. The reafons of this gradual conqueft, affigned, 428 VII. The application of the whole in feveral ufes, 436 Ufe 1. For dehortation and caution, ibid. 439 3. For examination and trial, 4. For exhortation, addressed to two forts of perfons, The Female Preacher; or, the Woman of Samaria's Sermon to the Men of the City, &c. 462 JOHN iv. 29. Come, fee a man that told me all things that ever I did! Is not this the Chrift? 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. I. What is to be understood by Christ manifefting himself to a person, 469 II. What are thefe fin-difcovering and foul-debafing effects of Chrift manifefting himself, 476 III. What are these Chrift-exalting commendations wherein fuch difcoveries of Chrift vent themselves, 479 IV. The reafons why faving difcoveries of Chrift have fuch a felf-debafing and Chrift-exalting influence, 487 V. The application of the whole in fundry uses, $499 SOXXO SO**OK JO**OF JOXXO **** ********* *********** 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 bave received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in him. 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 Chrift; and a GOSPEL-PRACTICE, a walking in him: As ye bave received Chrift Jefus the Lord, fo walk ye in him. The apostle 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 conversation 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 commendation and praife of free grace; and he exhorts them to perfevere in the doctrine wherein they were taught by Epaphras, a faithful minifter 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.; yet he would have the Coloffians to ftand 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 verses 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 fomething of the intent of the text itself; 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 respect 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 fiedfaftnefs in the faith. The apoftle rejoiced to behold, in the church of |