A Preliminary Difcourle то CATECHISING COL. I. 23. If ye continue in the Faith, grounded and fettled NTENDING the next Lord's Day to enter upon the Work of Catechifing, it will not be amifs to give you this Preliminary Difcourfe as preparative to it; fhewing you how needful it is for Chriftians to be well inftructed in the Grounds of Religion: If ye continue in the Faith grounded and fettled--- Two Propofitions. Firft, It is the Duty of Chriftians to be fet- DocT. I. That it is the Duty of Chriftians to be fettled in the Doctrine of Faith: It is the Apostle's Prayer, 1 Pet. 5. 10. The God of all Grace ftablish, strengthen, fettle you. That they might not be Meteors in the Air, but fixed ftars. The Apostle Jude fpeaks of wandring Stars, Vere 13, They are called wandring Stars, becaufe, as Ariftotle faith, they do faltare, leap up and down, and wander into feveral Parts of the Heaven; and being but dry Exhalations, not made of that pure celeftial Matter as the fixed Stars are, they often fall [VOL. I.] to the Earth. Now fuch as are not fettled in Religion will at one Time or other prove wandring Stars, they will lofe their former Strictnefs, and wander from one Opinion to another. Such as are unfettled are of the Tribe of Reuben, Unftable as Water, Gen. 49. 4. like a Ship without Ballaft, overturned with every Wind of Doctrine. Beza writes of one Belfectius, whofe Religion changed as the Moon. The Arians had Annuam Fidem, every Year a new Faith. Thefe are not Pillars in the Temple of God, but Reeds faken every Way. The Apoftle calls them damnable Herefies, 2 Pet. 2. 1. A Man may go to Hell as well for Herefy as Adultery. To be unfettled in Religion, argues Want of Judgment: If their Heads were not giddy, they would not reel fo faft from one Opinion to another. It argues Lightnefs: Feathers will be blown every way; fo will feathery Chriftians: Triticum non rapit ventus, inanes pale jactantur, Cypr. Therefore fuch are compared to Children, Eph. 4. 14. That we be no more Children toffed to and fro. Children are fickle, fometimes of one mind, fometimes of another; nothing pleases A them them long: So unfettled Chriftians are childish; thole Truths they embrace at one Time, they reject at another; fometimes they like the Proteftant Religion, and foon after they have a good Mind to turn Papifts. Now that you may labour to be fettled, (as Ignatius) in the Faith, in unfettled Times of fettled Judg ments. 1. It is the great End of the Word preached, to bring us to a Settlement in Religion: Eph. 4. 11, 13. And he gave fome Evangelifts, and fome Paftors and Teachers, for the edifying of the Body of CHRIST, that we henceforth be no more Children. The Word is called an Ham mer, Fer. 23. 29. Every Blow of the Hammer is to faften the Nails of the Building; the Preachers Words are but to faften you the more to Chrift; they weaken themfelves, to strengthen and fettle you. This is the grand Defign of Preaching, not only for the enlightning, but for the establishing of Souls; not only to guide them into the right Way, but to keep them in it. Now, if you be not fettled, you do not anfwer God's End in giving you the Miniftry. 2. To be fettled in Religion, is both a Chrifian's Excellency and Honour: "Tis his Excellency; when the Milk is fettled, it turns to Cream; now he will be fomething zealous for the Truth, walk in close Communion with God. And his Honour, Prov. 16. 31. The hoary Head is a Crown of Glory, if it be found in the Way of Righteousness. "Tis one of the beft Sights, to fee an old Difciple; to fee filver Hairs adorned with golden Virtues. 3. Such as are not fettled in the Faith, can never fuffer for it: Scepticks in Religion will hardly ever prove Martyrs; they that are not fettled do hang in equilibrio, in Sufpenfe; when they think of the Joys of Heaven, then they will efpoufe the Gofpel; but when they think of Perfecution, then they defert it. Unfettled Chriftians do not confult what is beft, but what is fafeft: "The Apoftate (faith Tertullian,) "feems to put God and Satan in Balance, and "having weighed both their Services, prefers the Devil's Service, and proclaims him to be "the beft Master: And in this Senfe may be "faid to put Chrift to open Shame, Heb. 6. They will never fuffer for the Truth, but be as a Soldier that leaves his Colours, and runs over to the Enemy's Side; he will fight on the Devil's Side for Pay.. 66. 6.. 4. Not to be fettled in the Faith, is highly provoking to God: To espouse the Truth, and then to fall away, brings an ill Report upon the Gofpel, which will not go unpunished = Pfal. 78. 57, 59. They turned back, and dealt unfaithfully: When God heard this, he was wroth, and greatly abhorred Ifrael. The Apoftate drops as a Wind-fall into the Devil's Mouth.. 5. If ye are not fettled in Religon, you will never grow: We are commanded to grow up into the Head Chrift, Eph. 4. 14. But if we are unfettled, no growing: Planta que fape transfertur, non coalefcit; The Plant which is continually removing never thrives.. He can no more grow in Godlinefs, 'which is unfettled, than a Bone can grow in the Body that is out of Joint. 6. What great Need there is to be fettled, because there are fo many Things to unfettle us, and make us fall away gradually from the Truth. Seducers are abroad, whofe Work is to draw away People from the Principles of Religion, 1 John 2. 26. Thefe Things have I written unto you concerning them that feduce you. Seducers are the Devil's Factors; they are of all others the greatest Fellons, that would rob you of the Truth: Seducers have filver Tongues, a fair Tongue can put off bad Wares; they have a Slight to deceive, Eph. 4. 14. The Greek Word there is taken from thofe that can. cog a Dye, and caft it for the best Advantage: So Seducers are Impoftors, they can cog a Dye; they can fo diffemble and fophifticate the Truth, that they can deceive others. Now the Stile by which Seducers ufe to deceive, is, 1. By Wisdom of Words, Rom. 16. 18. By good Words and fair Speeches they deceive the Hearts of the Simple. They have fine elegant Phrafes, flattering Language, whereby they work on the weaker Sort; as being chrifted with Christ, and the Light within them. 2. Another Slight, is a Pretence of extraordinary Piety, that fo People may admire them, and fuck in their Doctrine. They feem to be Men of Zeal and Sanctity, and to be divinely infpired: They Pretend Revelations, as Munfter, Michael Servetus, and other of the Anabaptifts in Germany; tho' they were tainted with Pride, Luft and Avarice.. 3. A third Slight or Cheat Seducers have, is' a labouring to vilify and nullify found Ortho dox Teachers; they would eclipfe those that bring the Truth, like unto the black Vapours that darken the Light of Heaven: They would defame others, that themfelves may be more admired. Thus the falfe Teachers cried down Paul, that they might be received, Gal. 4. 17. The fourth Slight or Cheat of Seducers, is by Preaching Doctrine of Liberty: As the Antinomian preacheth, that Men are freed from the Moral Law, the Rule as well as the Curfe. He preacheth, that Chrift hath done all for them, and they need to do nothing. So he makes the Doctrine of free Grace a Key to open the Door to all Licentioufnefs. 5. Another Thing to unfettle Chriftians, is Perfecutors, 2 Tim. 3. 12. The Gofpel is a Rofe cannot be plucked without Prickles. The Legacy Chrift hath bequeathed, is the CROSS: While there is a Devil and a wicked Man in the World, never expect a Charter of Exemption from Trouble; and how many fall away in an Hour of Perfecution? Rev. 12. 3, 4. There appeared a great red Dragon, having feven Heads and ten Horns; and his Tail drew the third Part of the Stars of Heaven: The red Dragon, the Heathenifh Empire; and his Tail, viz. his Power and Subuilty, drew away Stars, viz. eminent Profeffors, that feemed to thine as Stars in the Firmament of the Church. Therefore we fee what need there is to be fettled in the Truth, for fear the Tail of the Dragon caft us to the Earth. 6. To be unfettled in Good, is the Sin of the Devils, Jude 6. They are called Morning Stars, Job. 38. 7. but falling Stars; they were holy, but mutable. As the Veffel is overturned with the Sail, fo their Sails being fwelled with Pride, were overturned, 1 Tim. 3. 6. By Unfettlednefs, who doft thou imitate but lapfed Angels? The Devil was the firft Apoftate. So much for the first Propofition, That it is a great Duty of Chriftians to be fettled: The Sons of Sion fhould be like Mount Sion, which cannot be removed. Second, The Second Propofition is, That the Way of Chriftians to be fettled, is to be well grounded: If ye continue grounded and Jettled. The Greek Word for grounded, a Metaphor, it alludes to a Building that hath the Foundation well laid; fo Chriftians fhould be grounded in the effential Points of Religon, and have their Foundation well laid. Here let me fpeak to two Things: 1. That we fhould be grounded in the Knowledge of Fundamentals. 2. That this grounding is the beft Way to fettling. (1.) That we should be grounded in the Knowledge of Fundamentals: The Apoftle fpeaks of the first Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 5. 12. In all Arts and Sciences, Logick, Phyfick, Mathematicks, there are fome Precognita, fome Rules and Principles that muft neceffarily be known to the Practice of thofe Arts. So in Divinity, there must be the firft Principles laid down: The Knowledge of the Grounds and Principles of Religion is exceeding ufeful, 1. Elfe we cannot ferve God aright; we can never worship God acceptably, unless we worship him regularly: And how can we do that, if we are ignorant of the Rules and Elements of Religion? We are bid to give God a reafonable Service, Rom. 12. 1. If we un derftand not the Grounds of Religion, how can it be a reasonable Service? 2. Knowledge of the Grounds of Religion much enricheth the Mind: It is a Lamp to our Feet, it directs us in the whole Courfe of Chriftianity, as the Eye directs the Body. Knowledge of Fundamentals is the golden Key that opens the chief Mysteries of Religion; it gives us a whole Syftem and Body of Divinity exactly drawn in all it's Lineaments and lively Colours; it helps us to understand many of those difficult Things, which do occur in the Reading of the Word; it helps to unty many Scripture Knots. 3. Armour of Proof; it doth furnish us with Weapons to fight against the Adversaries of the Truth. 4. It is the holy Seed of which Grace is formed: 'Tis femen fidei, the feed of Faith, Pfa'. 9. 10. 'Tis radix amoris, the Root of Love, Eph. 3. 17. Being rcoted and grounded in Love. The Knowledge of Principles conduceth to the making of a compleat Chriftian. (2.) That this grounding is the best Way to fettling: Grounded and fettled. A Tree, that it may be well fettled, must be well rooted; fo, if you be well fettled in Religion, you must be rooted in the Principles of it. He, in Plutarch, fet up a dead Man, and he would not ftand. O faith he, There must be fomething within: So, that we may ftand in fhaking A 2 Times, then fettled. USE Usz I. See the Reafon why fo many People are unfettled, ready to embrace every novel Opinion, and drefs themfelves in as many Religions as they do Fashions; it is because they are ungrounded. See how the Apoftle joins thefe two together, Unlearned and unstable, 2 Pet. 3. 16. Such as are unlearned in the main Points of Divinity, will be unstable. As the Body cannot be strong that hath the Sinews, fhrunk ; fo neither can that Chriftian be strong in Religion, who wants the Grounds of Knowledge, which are the Sinews to strengthen and Times, there must be a Principle of Know- Heads and Articles in Religion have not been ledge within; firft grounded, and then fettled. explained in a Catechiftical Way; CatechifThat the Ship may be kept from overturning, ing is the laying the Foundation, Heb. 6. 7. it muft have it's Ánchor faftned; Knowledge to preach, and not to catechife, is to build of Principles, is to the Soul as the Anchor to without a Foundation. This Way of Catethe Ship, that holds it fteddy in the Midft of chifing is not Novel, it is Apoftolical; the all the rolling Waves of Error, or the violent Primitive Church had their Forms of CateWinds of Perfecution. First grounded, and chifm: So much those Phrases imply, a Forme of found Words, 2 Tim. 1. 13. and, the first Principles of the Oracles of God, Heb. 6. 1. And fince the Church had their Catechumenoi, as Grotius and Erafmus obferve; many of the antient Fathers have written for it, Fulgentius, Austin, Theodoret, Lactantius, and others. God hath given great Succefs to it. By this laying down of Grounds of Religion catechiftically, Chriftians have been clearly inftructed and wondroufly built up in the Chriftian Faith, infomuch that Julian the Apoftate, feeing the great Succefs of Catechifing, did put down all Schools and Places of Publick Literature, and inftructing of Youth. "Tis my Defign therefore (with the Bleffing of God) to begin this Work of Catechifing, the next Sabbath-Day; and I intend every other Sabbath in the Afternoon, to make it my whole Work to lay down the Grounds and Fundamentals of Religion in a catechiftical Way. If I am hindred in this Work by Men, or taken away by Death; I hope God will raise up fome other Labourer in the Vineyard among you, that may perfect this Work which I am now beginning. ftablish him. Usz II. See then what great Neceffity there is of laying down all the main Grounds of Religion in a Way of Catechife, that the weakest Judgment may be inftructed in the Knowledge of the Truth, and ftrengthned in the Love of it; Catechifing is the best Expedient for the grounding and fettling of People. I fear, one Reafon why there hath been no more Good done by Preaching, hath been because the chief Man's Man's Chief End to Glorify GO D. W QUESTION I. HAT is the chief End of Man? HERE are two Ends of Life fpecified, 1. The glorifying of God. 2. The enjoying of God. Firft, I begin with the Firft, The glorifying of God, 1 Pet. 4. 11. That God in all Things may be glorified; the Glory of God is a Silverthread which muft run through all our Actions: 1 Cor. 10. 31. Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatfoever ye do, do all to the Glory of God. Every Thing works to fome End in Things natural and artificial; now Man being a rational Creature, muft propofe fome End to himself, and that is, that he may lift up God in the World; and better lofe his Life, than lofe the End of his Living: So then, the great Truth afferted is this, That the End of every Man's living, is to glorify God; this is the yearly Rent is paid to the Crown of Heaven. Glorifying of God hath refpect to all the Perfons in the Trinity; it refpects God the Father, who gave us our Life; it refpects God the Son, who loft his Life for us; it refpects God the holy Ghoft, who produceth a new When we fpeak of God's Glory, the Queftion will be moved, What are we to understand by God's Glory? Refp. There is a twofold Glory: 1. The Glory that God hath in himfelf; his intrinfical Glory. Glory is effential to the Godhead, as Light is to the Sun: He is called the God of Glory, Acts 7. 2. Glory is the Sparkling of the Diety; Glory is fo co-natural to the Godhead, that God cannot be God without it. The Creature's Honour is not effential to his Being; a King is a Man without his regal Ornaments, when his Crown and royal Robe are taken away: But God's Glory is fuch an effential Part of his Being, that he cannot be God without it; God's very Life lies in his Glory. His Glory can receive no Addition, because it is Infinite; this Glory is that which God is moft tender of, and which he will not part with, Ifa. 48. 8. My Glory I will not give to another. God will give temporal Bleffings to his Children, fuch as Wildem, Riches, Honour; he will give them fpiritual Bleffings, he will give them Grace, he will give them his Love, he will give them Feaven; but his ef fential Glory he will not give to another. King Pharaoh parted with a Ring off his Finger to Jofeph, and a gold Chain, but he would |