THE MOST IMPORTANT TRUTHS, &c. Doctrines or Truths to be believed. 1. You are to believe that there is a God infinitely great and glorious (a); that he is a Spirit, who fills heaven and earth (b); that he created you (c); that he preserves you (d); that he provides for you daily (e); that he sees you every where, though you cannot see him (ƒ); that he remembers all your behaviour (g); and that he is holy and just as well as good (h). 2. You are to believe in Jesus Christ (i); that he is the Son of God (k); that by a generation, which none can declare, he is the only begotten Son of God: "Who shall declare his generation ?" Isa. liii. 8; and that by an union, which can neither be explained nor conceived, he was one with the Father, "the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person." Heb. 1. 3. that he came TEXTS. 1. (a) The heavens declare the glory of God: and the firmament showeth his handy-work: Psal. xix. 1. Thou, even thou, art Lord alone; thou hast made heaven, the heaven of heavens, with all their host; the earth, and all things that are therein; the seas, and all that is therein; and thou preservest them all, and the host of heaven worshippeth thee: Nehem. ix. 6—(b) God is a spirit: John, iv. 24. Can any hide himself in secret places, that I shall not see him? saith the Lord: do I not fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord: Jer. xxiii. 24.(c) The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul: Gen. ii. 7.-(d) Thou preservest man and beast: Psal. xxxvi 6.— (e) Give us this day our daily bread: Matt. vi. 11-(f) Whither shall I go from thy Spirit, or whither shall I flee from thy presence? Psal. cxxxix. 7. God dwelleth in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath seen, or can see: 1 Tim. vi. 16.—(g) A book of remembrance was written before the Lord, for them that feared him, and thought upon his name: Mal. iii. 16.—(h) Just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art hely: Rev. xv. 3, 4. 2. (i) This is his commandment, that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ: 1John, iii. 23.—(k) Simon Peter answered and down from heaven (1); that he was made in the likeness of man (m); that he was a teacher sent from God (n); that he lived a life of perfect holiness (o); that he suffered death on the cross, that he might make an atonement for sin, and reconcile sinners to God (p); that Christ now lives in heaven, pleading for penitent sinners (q); that all our hope of salvation must be placed in him (r) ;—and that he is the Author of salvation to all who obey him (s). 3. You are to believe in the Holy Spirit (t); you are not to grieve him by any sin (u); you are to believe that you may be made holy and fit for heaven by his influences on your heart, if you sincerely seek them (w); that you may not be deceived, consider well the fruits of the Spirit, which are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. Gal. v. 22, 23. See Ephes, v. 9, TEXTS. said, thou art Christ the Son of the living God: Matt. xvi. 16—(?) I came down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me: John, vi. 38.—(m) See Phil. ii. 7.-(n) Thou art a teacher come from God: John, iii. 2.—(0) He did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth: 1 Pet. ii. 22.-(p) We were reconciled to God by the death of his Son: Rom. v. 10. He gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity: Titus, ii. 14.-(q) Seeing that we have a great High Priest, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession: for we have not an High Priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities: Heb. iv. 14, 15. He is able also to save them to the uttermost, who come to God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them: Heb. vii. 25.—(r) In hope of eternal life, which God, who cannot lie, promised: Titus, i. 2.-(s) He became the author of eternal salvation, unto all them that obey him: Heb. v. 9. 3. (t) I will pray the Father, and he will give you another comforter, that he may abide with you for ever: even the Spirit of truth: John, xiv. 16, 17. Your heavenly Father shall give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him: Luke, xi. 13.-(u) Grieve not the holy Spirit of God: Ephes. iv. 30.-(x) Such were some of you; but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God: 1 Cor. vi. 11. As many as are led by the Spirit of God, are the sons of God. Rom. viii. 14. 4. You are to believe, that you are an immortal creature, and must be happy or miserable for ever (x); that you are a sinful creature, exposed to the righteous judgment of God for your sins (y); that you must repent, be converted, and become sincerely holy, or you will die in your sins (2). 5. You are to believe, that God will accept all sincere penitents (a); will love you, if you obey him (b); and that he will be angry with you, if you disobey him (c). 6. You are to believe, that there is another state and world after this; that the soul of man does not die with the body (d); that God will raise you at last (e); that there is a day of judgment (ƒ); that the good shall go into heaven, a place of happiness, and the wicked shall go into hell, a place of misery (g). TEXTS. 4. (x) Then shall the dust return to the earth, as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God, who gave it: Eccles. xii. 7.-(y) Know thou, that God will bring thee to judgment? Eccles. xi. 19.-Every mouth shall be stopped, and all the world become guilty before God: Rom. iii. 9.— (z) Repent ye, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord : Acts, iii. 19. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: Heb. xii. 14. 5. (a) Christ came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance: Luke, v. 32.-(6) I love them, saith God, that love me: Prov. viii. 17. If a man love me, he will keep my commandments, and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him: John, xiv. 23. Obey my voice, and do according to all which I command you: so shall ye be angry with my people, and I will be your God: Jer. xi. 4.—(c) God is the wicked every day : Psal. vii. 11. 6. (d) This mortal must put on immortality: 1 Cor. xv. 53.-(e) The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised: 1 Cor. xv. 52-(ƒ) We must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every one may receive the things done in the body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad: 2 Cor. v. 10.—(g) The wicked shall go away into everlasting punishment; but the righteous into life eternal: Matt. xxv. 46. Precepts or Things to be practised. 1. Duties to God.-You are to worship God in spirit and in truth (h). You are daily to pray to him in secret for what you want (i). You are to praise God, and give him thanks for his mercies (k); such as your health, food, raiment, and friends; especially the Bible, and divine ordinances. You are to love him (1); to fear him (m): to obey him (n); to trust in him (0); to be patient and submissive to his will (p). 2. Duties to Christ.-You are to exercise faith in him (9), as the Saviour of the world, the great Mediator (r), “The King of kings, and Lord of lords, Rev. xvii. 14. to whom all power is given in heaven, and in earth," Matt. xxviii. 18. You are to reverence him (s), to trust in him (†), and rejoice in him as your atoning sacrifice (u), to obey TEXTS. 1 (h) God is a spirit; and they that worship him, must worship him in spirit and in truth: John, iv. 24.—(i) When thou prayest, enter into thy closet; and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly: Matt. vi. 6.—(k) Praising and giving thanks to the Lord, because he is good, for his mercy endureth for ever: Ezra, iii. 11.—(1) Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind: Matt. xxii. 37.-(m) Thou shalt fear the Lord thy God: Deut. vi. 13.—The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: Prov. ix. 10.—(n) Thou shalt diligently hearken to the Lord thy God, and do that which is right in his sight, and keep all his statutes: Exod. xv. 26-Christ will be revealed from heaven to take vengeance on them who obey not the Gospel: 2 Thess. i. 8.—(6) Trust in the Lord with all thine heart in all thy ways acknowledge him: Prov. iii. 5.-(p) Thy will be done : Matt. vi. 10.—In patience possess ye your souls: Luke, xxi. 10. 2. (q) I live by the faith of the Son of God: Gal. ii. 20.-(r) There is one God, and one Mediator between God and man: 1 Tim. ii. 5. God sent his Son to bless us: Acts, iii. 26.—(s) The love of Christ constraineth us: 2 Cor. v. 14.—(t) Blessed are they that put their trust in him : Ps. ii. 12,-() We joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom him (w), and to imitate his example (x), "The same mind shall be in you which was in Jesus Christ." 3. Duties to men.-You are to speak truth always (a); to be diligent in your proper business (b); doing justice (c), and showing mercy (d); to be honest (e); friendly and kind to all (f); you are to obey your rulers (g), parents (h), masters (i), and other superiours, in all their lawful commands. : TEXTS. we have now received the atonement: Rom. v. 11.-(w) He is the Author of eternal salvation to all them that obey him: Heb. v. 9.-(x) He left us an example that we should follow his steps: 1 Pet. ii. 21. This example of Christ should be imitated, especially in the following particulars his early piety: Luke, ii. 46.-His obedience to his parents : Luke, ii. 51-His unwearied zeal to do good: Acts, x. 38-His humility and lowliness of mind: Matt. xi. 29.—His contentment in a low condition: Luke, ix. 58. and his eminent self-denial.--He submitted to the mean occupation of a carpenter, to provide for himself, and the family to which he was related: Mark, vi. 8.——His serious and frequent performance of the duty of private prayer: Mark, i. 35. Luke, vi. 12. and of thanksgiving: Matt. xi. 25. John, xi. 14.-His patience under sufferings and reproaches, 1 Pet. ii. 23. and his readiness to forgive injuries : Luke, xxiii. 34 --His laying to heart the sins, as well as the sufferings of others: Mark, iii. 5.-His zeal for the publick worship of God, and attendance on it: John, ii, 17.-His cheerful submission to his heavenly Father's will: Matt. xxvi. 39.-His love and practice of holiness, and obedience both in heart and life: Luke, iv. 34. 3. (a) Putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: Ephes. iv. 25.--(6) Let him labour, working with his own hands: 1 Cor. iv. 12.--Working with his own hands the thing that is good: Ephes. iv. 28.--Six days shall ye labour: Exod. xx. 9.--(c) Render to all their due: Rom. xiii. 7.—(d) Shew mercy with cheerfulness: Rom. xii. 8.— (e) Ye should do that which is honest: 2 Cor. xiii. 7.—(ƒ) Be kind one to another, tender-hearted: Ephes. iv. 32.—(g) Honour the king: 1 Pet. ii 17.-Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: Heb xiii. 17.—(h) Honour thy father and thy mother: Exod. xx. 12.-Ye shall fear, every man, his mother and his father: Lev. xix. 3. My son, hear the instructions of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: Prov. i. 8 —Solomon rose up to meet his mother, and bowed himself to her, and set her on his right hand. 1 Kings, ii. 19.— Jesus was subject to his parents: Luke, ii. 5.-(1) Servants obey in all things your masters: Eph. vi. 5. |