THE

CHRISTIAN INSTITUTES;

OR, THE

SINCERE WORD OF GOD.

CHAP. I.

ン

Shewing what RELIGION is, and how the KNOWLEDGE of it is to be obtained.

UNDER the Name

of Religion is comprehended

all that Worship and Service, which

is due

from Men to God: Whatever we ought or are bound to do in Obedience to him: Whatever he will reward

us for doing, or punish us for not doing.

• In order, therefore, to worship and ferve God as > we ought to do; we must, first, Believe that he is, That he hath given us Laws and Commandments to keep; That he is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him, and of fuch as do according to all that he hath cominanded them: And, That he taketh Vengeance on them that obey him not.

And for the better understanding the Nature and Extent of our Duty in all Refpects, together with the Grounds and Reasons of our Obligation, it behoves us, in the next Place, to inform ourselves, as truly and particularly as we can, who the Lord is whom we are to serve; what Attributes and Perfections belong to him, and what Works he hath wrought : As ulfo what Manner of Beings we ourselves are, whe are commanded to forve him; what Capacities and Inclinations we have; what State and Condition we are in; and in what Relation we fland to God.

After which it will be neceffary for us to inquire, how and in what Manner God is to be worshipped, and what those Laws and Ordinances are which he hath commanded us to obferve.

• And then for our greater Encouragement to ferve God, in all fuch Things as we shall find to be enjoined us, and to persevere in our Obedience to him; it is requisite for us to know what Happiness God hath prepared for them that love and obey him, and what Misery he hath provided for fuch as tranfgrefs his Commandments: How great, bow certain, and of what Continuance both the Joy and the Terror of the Lord are.

4

a Heb. 11. 6. Exod. 24. 12.

1 Kings 9.4.

2 Theff. 1. 8.

John 13:34.

ohn 9. 36. Joshua 24. 15.1 1 Cor. 2. 9. 2
ch. 8. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 11.

Exod. 16. 28. b Exod. 5. 2.

Chron. 24. 20.

The

The NECESSITY of Searching the
SCRIPTURES.

These are the Things which every Man is conterned to be well instructed in, and the truest and Shortest Way of attaining fuch Knowledge as this, is by Searching the Scriptures.

• For they are they which testify of God; which shew us what is good, and what the Lord doth require of us, which set before us the Way of Life, and the Way of Death; and which teach us what we must do to be saved from the Wrath to come, and to inherit eternal Life.

f The Way of Man is not now in himself; it is not in Man that walketh to direct his Steps, Though we can by Nature do many Things contained in the Law of God; and though we can in many Cafes, even of ourselves, judge what is right, our Confcience bearing Witness to what is good or evil, either by excufing, or elfe accusing us ac cordingly, yet we are not a fufficient Law unto ourselves. Notwithstanding, therefore, the Law written in our Hearts, we shall never come to the full Knowledge of that good, and acceptable, and perfect Will of God, which is to direct us in this Life, but by bis Word, which he hath in due Times manifested to us; from whence we may be fully instructed in all Things which belong unto our Peace and Salvation, even the Salvation of our Souls.

And if any Man fin, (as in many Things we offend all) there is no other Way of being affured that we thall not all likewife perish, but from the Scriptures; which acquaint us that we have an Advocate with the Father; and give us an Account in what Manner and upon what Terms God is pleased to reconcile us to himself.

All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Instruction in Righteousness; that fuch as defire to serve God truly may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good Works.

Whatfoever Things were written aforetime by holy Men of God, who fpake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost, were written for our Learning, that we, through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures, might have Hope.

Unto the Jews first were committed the Oracles of God; for God spake with them from Heaven, and gave them right Judgments and true Laws, good Statutes and Commandments, by the Hand of Mofes his Servant, who thewed them the Way wherein they were to walk, and the Work that they were to do.

1 And the fame God, who at sundry Times and : in divers Manners spake in Times paft unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in these last Days spoken unto us by his Son; and that which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by then that heard him.

This is the glorious Gospel of the Blessed God, which is not after Man, neither was it received of Man, neither was any Man taught it but by the Revelation of Christ; who taught the Way of God truly, and enabled his Apostles and Miniflers to declare unto us all the Counsel of God.

■ And that we might know the Certainty of those Things wherein they were instructed, to whom the Gospel was first preached, there is fet forth, in order to us, a Declaration of those Things which were most surely believed among them, even as they were delivered by those which from the beginning were Eye-witnesses and Minifters of the Word, and had perfect Understanding of all Things; who kept back nothing that was profitable unto us.

• We ought therefore to receive with Meekness and all Readiness of Mind the ingrafted Word, which is able to fave our Souls; believing all Things which are written in the Law and the Prophets; and more especially holding fast that Forin of found Words, and that Faith which was once delivered unto the Saints in the Writings of the New Testament.

P Ard that we may not err concerning the Faith, Let us take Care that we do not think of Men above that which is written; that we are not curious about the Times and Seafons, which we have no Need to know, that we avoid foolish and unlearned Queftions, profane and vain Babblings, and Oppo

m1 Tim. 1. 11. Gal. 1. 11, 12. Luke 20. Acts 20. 27. n Luke 1. 4, 1.

1.12.

Acts 20. 20. 2 Tim. 1. 13. 2 Theff. 5. 1.

• James 1. 21. Acts 17. 11.

Jude 3.
2 Tim. 2. 23.

21. 1 Tim. Luke 1. 1, 2, 3. Acts 24. 14. 1 Cor. 4. 6.

Pr Tim. 6. zr.

B 3

fitic