sinfulness, and still in the dark about the way in
which a Being of unspotted purity and inflexible
justice, can find out a right channel of conveyance
for the dispensation of his mercy-how he can
be just, while the justifier of the ungodly. It is
the cross of Christ that resolves all these painful
ambiguities. It is this which dissipates all these
apprehensions. It is this which maintains, in sanc-
tity unviolated, the whole aspect and character of
the Godhead; while there beameth forth from it
the kindest expression of welcome even on the
chief of sinners. Let that expression be but seen
and understood, and then will that be to us a
natter of experience which we have tried, and
tried so feebly, to set forth as a matter of de-
monstration. Our bonds will be loosed. A
thing of hopeless drudgery, will be turned into a
thing of heart-felt delight. The breath of a new
spirit will animate our doings; and we will per-
sonally, and by actual feeling, ascertain the differ-
ence that there is between the service of a Lawgiver
pursuing us with exactions that we cannot reach,
and the service of a Friend, who has already charmed
us both into confidence and gratitude, and is cheer-
ing us on, through the manifold infirmities of our
nature, to the resemblance of himself in all that is
kind, and upright, and heavenly, and holy. It is
only, we repeat it, through the knowledge of Christ
and of him crucified, that we can effect this tran-
sition from the one style of obedience to the other
style of obedience. It is only thus that we be-
come dead unto the law, and alive unto God. It
is only thus that we can serve him with all the
energies of an emancipated heart, now set at large
from that despondency and deadness which formerly
congealed it. "I will run the way of thy com-
mandments," says the Psalmist, "when thou hast
enlarged my heart." Make room in it for the doc-
trine of the cross, and this will enlarge it. And,
therefore, to sinners do we declare, that Christ is set
forth as a propitiation, and all who believe in him
shall have the benefit; and to believers do we declare,
that God hath called them not to uncleanness, but
to holiness; that, naming the name of Christ, their
distinct business is to depart from all iniquity, and
to do the commandments, not because they can pur-
chase admission to heaven by the doing of them,
but because heaven is purchased for them already :
and to be educated for heaven, they must learn to
do what is right-not that they can earn a title upon
God, but because God has been graciously pleased to
confer this title upon them; and now it is their
part to do what is well-pleasing in his sight—walk-
ing worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing being
fruitful in every good work-and giving thanks
unto the Father, who hath made them meet to be
partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light.
Of beginning the Day with God.
I. How to awake with God, by pious Meditation and
Thanksgiving,
II. By renewed Faith and Repentance, Self-examinaton and
III. Directions concerning Prayer, &c.
IV. Signs of Worldly-mindedness in holy Duties, and Ke-
medies against it, .
Directions for Walking with God in the Progress of the
II. Special Duties of Superiors and Inferiors,
III. Of Bodily Refreshment and Recreations,
(1.) Rules concerning Eating and Drinking,
(2.) Rules concerning Recreations,
1. The Nature of, and Reasons for, religious Fasts,
II. Special Directions concerning them,
(3.) Of Humiliation and Self-judging for Sin,
(4.) Directions for obtaining Pardon of Sin, and Power
(1.) The Divine Institution of the Lord's Day,
(2.) Directions for the Religious Observance of it,
(3.) The Nature and Design of Baptism and the Lord's
I. Rules concerning Solitude,
II. Of Reading the Word of God, and other good Books,
CHAPTER VIII.
Of keeping Company.
I. Rules concerning Company in general,
II. Cautions and Directions as to evil Company,
III. Directions with respect to good Company, or Chris-
tian Fellowship,
The Christian's Duty in Prosperity.
I. Rules for our religious Conduct in Prosperity,
(1.) In shunning those Sins to which we are most prone -
(2.) In attending to those Duties which Prosperity espe-
cially calleth for,
II. Professed Praise and Thanksgiving to God,
(1.) and (2.) How and for what, Praise and Thanksgiving
(3.) The Evil of Unthankfulness,
(4.) Motives to the Duty of Thankfulness,
(5.) Impediments to Thankfulness,
(6.) Helps to Thankfulness,
(7.) Signs to know when God giveth good things in Love, 183
III. Real Proofs of Gratitude, by using it to his Glory,
Directions for Walking with God in Adversity.
(1.) Rules concerning light Crosses,
(2.) Directions how to bear all Afflictions well,
1st, Remedies against sinful Anger,
2d, The Cure of Worldly Grief,
(6.) Of bearing Afflictions thankfully and fruitfully,
(3.) The Nature of Christian Patience,
(5.) Means to gain Christian Patience,
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