whom we are naturally disposed to scorn and hate, is selected as the most unequivocal proof of our love to Christ; nor can this ever be separated from other instances of humble obedience, in the habitual tenour of our conduct.

It may easily be conceived what discoveries will be made," when the books shall be opened," in respect of the different descriptions of unbelievers; which will suffice to "stop every mouth," to bring in "the whole world guilty before God," and to illustrate the divine justice in the condemnation of all those, who shall then "go away into everlasting "punishment." Every one, who seriously reflects on his own conduct, during the entire course of his past life; and compares his thoughts, words, and works with the holy commandments of God, will gradually more and more find his own heart condemn him: and if this be the case with the most moral of the human race, where will the blasphemer, the profligate, the fraudulent, the oppressor, and the murderer appear? Whatever may now be objected to, or whatever excused, the discovery of the divine glory of the holy and perfect law, of man's obligations, and of the whole behaviour of every individual, towards God and man, will then leave the most specious unbelievers speechless, and and make them feel the justice of their own condemnation.

But what words can express the consequence of

his difinitive sentence? Or who does not see that the language of Scripture is selected to mark out the most tremendous effects of almighty indignation? "These shall go away into everlasting" (or eternal) "punishment." But how can this be, if the persons thus condemned do not exist for ever in a state of punishment? Or what proof have we of the eternity of happiness intended for the righteous, if the same word in the same verse in one place do not mean eternal?-We need not enlarge.-If the ideas" of a never dying worm, an inextinguish"able fire, ""the blackness of darkness for ever," and "the company of the devil and his angels," do not warn men to "flee from the wrath to come,” none else can for these only fail, because they are not believed.

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On the other hand, "a kingdom that cannot be "moved," an incorruptible, undefiled, and unfading inheritance,' "" an exceeding and eternal weight of glory," "pleasures at God's right hand "for evermore," are expressions so energetick, that did we truly believe and attend to them, we could not but be influenced by them in all our conduct. Here then we pause-" Beloved, now "are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet

appear, what we shall be; but we know, that "when Jesus shall appear, we shall be like him, for "we shall see him as he is;"" and the countless ages of eternity will only serve to enhance our unutterable joys. With what words then can we

'John iii. 2.

more properly close this Essay, and the present compendious publication, than those of the apostle,

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Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for "such things, be diligent, that ye may be found "of him in peace, without spot, and blameless?"

1 2 Pet. iii. 14.

THE END.

INDEX.

Bigotry, love to truth falsely so
called, 34. 52. 158; how the
charge should be obviated, 306.
Bigots, prone to calumny, 99.
Boasting, how excluded, 258. 264.
Books, mischief done by bad ones,
95. 490; dispersing good ones,
489, 494; the advantage of good
ones written by distinguished lay
men, 490; those opened at the day
of judgment, 550-553.
"Born again." See Regeneration.

C

Calamities, publick, how viewed by
the believer, 384.

Candour, false, 52; true, 428. 436.
Carnal mind, enmity against God
and his law, 340.

Character, of such as have received

the scriptures, contrasted with that
of such as have rejected them, 9,
10; of mankind agrees with that
drawn in scripture, 21, 22; of
God, scriptural, 51, &c ; carefully to
be distinguished from that of Idols,
52-57; most glorious and lovely,
330; of Christ absolutely perfect,
25, 26; of Christians, 391, &c.
Charity, perfectly consistent with con-
sidering men's state as dangerous,
113, 114. 158.
Charms, unlawful, 76.

Children, duties of, to Parents, 88,
89, 454-457; should be corrected
while young, 458, 459; should
not preach to their parents, 456,

Christian, life of, 351, &e; see be-
lievers, and warfare.
Church, distinction between militant
and triumphant, 350.
Circumcision, 320; door of admission
into the ancient church, 521.
Communion, with God, the believer's
privilege, 384-386.

Conflict, christian, its nature, 354, &c.
Contentment, required by the moral
law, 97, 102; tendency of evan-
gelical principles to promote it,
401, 402. 411-418.
Conversion, from one sect or opinion
to another, not regeneration, 269,
270; the change intended by,
271, 272. 319-321.
Conviction, of sin, arises from scrip-
tural views of the moral law, 87,
103, 332-335.
Correction, of children, generally ne-
cessary, 459; directions concern-
ing, 459, 460.

Covetousness, idolatry of it, 76. 493;
contrary to the spiritual law of
God, 96, 97. 100-102; counter-
acted by evangelical principles,
412-418. 491, 492.
Courteousness, 435, 436. 476.
Cross, of Christ, lessons inculcated
by it, 215, 216. 412, 413; vic-
tories obtained by him on it, 218,

219.

Crucifixion, to the world, 412, 413.

417.

Ꭰ

Darkness, kingdom of, 359-362.
Death, its different aspects on the
righteous and the wicked, 116-
117; the friend of believers,
389; immediately followed by a
state of happiness or misery, 540
-544.

owing to the neglect of the scrip-
tural doctrine concerning the work
of the Holy Spirit, 316, 317. 322,
323.

457.
Christ, evidence of his Resurrection,
15-17; his deity, proofs of, 123,
&c; importance of that doctrine,
151, &c; his fitness for the office
of Mediator, 184-189; the atone-
ment of his death, 195, &c; his
exaltation, 218, &c; his high priest-Declension of vital religion, greatly
hood; 220-223; his intercession,
225-229; his mediatorial king-
dom, 174. 229-234; his Prophe-
tical office, 234, 235; cannot be
received in one office and rejected
in another, 235-237; the righ-
teousness of believers by imputa-
tion, 252, 253; their joy; 167,
168; their life and strength, 138.
364, 365. 387, 388; his love, 187
-190. 223, 224. 428, 429. 532;
precious to believers, 322, 323;
their love toward him, 161-165.
275, 276. 404, 405; his coming to
judgment, 545, &c.

Deity, of Christ, stated, 123; proofi

of, 124, &c. 310; the doctrine
essential to christianity, 151, &c;
objections considered, 172–175.
Depravity, of human nature, 107—
110. 356-359; not from educa-
tion, 109.

Devotedness, required to Christ, a
proof of his Deity, 166, 167.
Dishonesty, various instances of, 96,
97.470.