iv to comfort, establish, and edify experienced Christians in the truth-and to promote practical piety and godliness. JEDEDIAH CHAPMAN, Extract from a review of Dr. BELLAMY'S “ True Religion Der lineated," in the London Evangelical Magazine. “ The value of Dr. BELLAMY's writings is already well known to the religious world: but we are obliged to the Rev. AnPREW FULLER for his history and recommendation of this work: which, we hope, will introduce it to those persons who are yet. unacquainted with it. The Author's leading object is, to discriminate between the Law and the Gospel : and to define and illustrate the duties which they respectively require. We hope that the circulation of this volume will be as extensive as its contents are interesting and important; and that STUDENTS of DIVINITY especially, will avail themselves of the information, which it contains." Page 9 SI ALL COUNTERFEITS-IN TWO DISCOURSES. True religion consists in a conformity to the law, and compliance with the The law requires us to love God with all our hearts, and our neighbour as Love to God implies right apprehensions of him, and a sense of his amia- 59 So value his honour and interest, as to be devoted to him, 61 So delight in him, as to live upon him as the portion of our souls. 63 Love to God takes its rise, originally from a sense of his infinite glory and amiableness. 65 His infinite glory results from all his perfections. 67 All his perfections are manifested in his works. 69 And in his word. 92 A sense of his glory is imparted to the soul by tiie immediate influence of the Holy Spirit. 95 The infinite glory and amiableness of God lays us under such an obligation to love God, as is binding, antecedently to any selfish consideration. 97 Infinitely, 99 Eternally, 107 And unchangeably. 108 And from hence all our other obligations to love and worship him as God, originally derive their binding nature. 127 A short view of our additional obligations to love God. 131 How they influence a true Saint. 135 True love distinguished from all counterfeits. 139 The law requires us to love God with all our hearts. 143 Making no allowances because of our disinclination. 144 But since it requires no more than all the heart, it is just and equal. 147 It being upon a level with our natural capacities. 148 And our inability to perfect holiness arises only from our badness, 149 Which badness we are voluntary in. 153 There is no reason why the law should be abated. 158 We are wholly to blame for not perfectly conforming to it. 159 Even the heathen are without excuse. 163 Much more inexcusable are those who enjoy the benefit of divine revelation. 170 God is under no natural obligations to graut supernatural advantages to any of the children of men, 176 And may therefore act sovereignly in doing so. ib. Love to our neighbour implies esteem, 179 Benevolence, 181 And delight. 182 And is in its own nature right and fit. 183 And enjoined by the authority of God. 184 And recommended by the example of God, in the exercises of his infinite goodness towards the children of men. 185 And ought to be regulated agreeably to a true self-love. 186 And is always attended with true love to God. 187 It is a thing different from natural compassion. 188 From good humour. ib. From natural affection. 189 From party-spirited love. 190 From any love whatsoever, that arises merely from self-love. ib. Page And from the love which onthusiasts and heretics have to one another. 191 -Love to God and our neighbour is a radical conformity to the whole law, 192 And lays the foundation for all true obedience, And is that whereby true religion is distinguished from all counterfeits. 193 Which all arise from self-love, -From the whole, we may learn, what that image of God was, in which That we are born destitute thereof, And naturally have a temper contrary thereto. Which temper has the entire government of us. So that all we do, while unregenerate, is sin. And therefore our best doings cannot entitle us to any promise of special Conversion consists in our recovery from this sinful temper, to the moral image of God, by the influences of the Holy Spirit. And because we are naturally inclined to resist his influences with all our Therefore they must be such as we cannot resist, or we shall never be re- Which effectual grace is dispensed according to God's sovereign good plea- sure, and flows from his self-moving goodness. And it is natural to suppose, that he who in such wise begins this work, will 942 That they must expect spiritual conflicts from remaining corruption. 244 Yet assuranee may be obtained. These consequences are undeniable, if the premises, touching the nature of But if the law is abated and altered, the whole scheme is undermined. 255 And so is the whole gospel-revelation as much. Or, if the law means something else than what is supposed. But if the idea, which the Pelagians and Arminians have of God and the law, is right, sin can deserve no punishment, in this world or the next. 262 Nor can the scriptures then be the word of God. The cause we have to be humble, and thankful, and live entirely devoted to Various questions occasionally considered in the first discourse. 57 58 Are all things right, or wrong, merely because God wills them so to be? 80 Or merely because they do or do not tend to make us happy? How was it consistent with God's goodness to permit sin? Does perfect obedience deserve any thanks at the hands of God? In what sense are our good works rewardable ? Is sin an infinite evil ? and does it deserve an infinite punishment ? Can future obedience make the least amends for past sins ? Will the sinfulness and misery of the damned be forever increasing? What influence have false notions of the law on men's religion ? What do Antinomians make their rule of duty ? Are the threatenings of the law in force ? Can a man, nierely from self-love, love God more than himself? Page What is it that brings awakened sinners to take all the blame to themselves, Do true believers feel themselves wholly to blame for not being perfectly holy? 160 Does God's withholding the sanctifying influences of his Holy Spirit lessen Why does the scripture, in some places, speak of the external advantages of ing influences of the Holy Spirit were withheld from them? Are the unregenerate entirely under the government of it? Wherein does the sinfulness of it consist? Why do not mankind see the sinfulness of it? Do all actual sins proceed from it? Why are sinners so averse to the true knowledge of God, and so blind to his 213 What is the nature of restraining grace? How came our nature to be corrupted? What good does it do for sinners to use the means of grace ? 225, 423 240, 254 How is the doctrine of perseverance consistent with all the cautions given to believers, to take heed lest they fall ? Is it a sin for believers ever to doubt of their good estate? What is the most fundamental difference between the Arminians and Cal- In what sense are wicked men ignorant of their own hearts? - Why does a sight of the strictness of the law discourage hypocrites, and kill Are believers ever as blind and dead, and as much without all spiritual See also pages 228, 245, 272, 440, 448 299 SECOND DISCOURSE. Of the Trinity, and of the character each person sustains in the affair of our God does in the gospel consider us as in a perishing condition, Because of our original apostacy in Adam. Who was constituted our public head, Which constitution was well suited to the general good of mankind, 306 And God had power or right to make it. And because we are apostate creatures, And averse to a reconciliation. 28 such the gospel considers us. -God was not moved to provide a Saviour for us, under any notion that 320 322 225 Or from any expectation that we should, of our own free accord, so much as But entirely from his own self-moving goodness, free and sovereign grace. 330 -The necessity of satisfaction for sin argued from the perfections of God, 339 The necessity of the law's being obeyed. 358 ib. He was Alt to be a Mediator between God and man. - And what he has done is perfectly suited, in its own nature, to answer all the -God may now, through Christ, consistently with his own honour, save And use what means he pleases for the recovery of obstinate sinners. A view of the methods of divine grace with mankind, from the beginning of -A genuine compliance with the gospel. Which lays a foundation for a supernatural belief of the gospel. Regeneration, faith, repentance, and conversion, connected together. Spiritual light and true faith always in proportion. Humility and true faith always in proportion. What encourages the sinner to believe in CHRIST. Faith in Christ emboldens the humbled sinner to return to God, and trust in The various actings of faith distinguished. Faith and holiness always in proportion. True faith, habitual, growing, and persevering. The faith of the legal and of the evangelical hypocrite described. 442-4 -The everlasting life promised to believers, implies the everlasting love and favour of God, and the everlasting indwelling of the Holy Spirit as a Of the seal and witness of the Spirit. - Of the marvellous change made by true conversion. How faith iliterests us in Christ, and entitles us to life. The Gospel-way of salvation perfectly adapted to make men holy. 460-61 Various questions occasionally considered in the second discourse. 301 304, 320, 458 313 220, 314 333 336 369 377 378 124, 378 355--57 Why is original sin no oftener spoken of in scripture ? 359 36% 390 ib. 391 449 A Treatise on the Divinity of Christ. The Millennium. An Election Sermon, preached at Hartford, May 13, 1762. 463 495 517 |
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