it is not eternal; you are at present under his patience; yet, while
you are unconverted, you are also under his anger (Ps. vii. 11), “God
is angry with the wicked every day.” You know not how soon his anger
may turn his patience aside, and step before it. It may be his sword
is drawn out of his scabbard, his arrows may be settled in his bow; and
perhaps there is but a little time before you may feel the edge of the
one or the point of the other: and then there will be no more time for
patience in God to us, or petition from us to him. If we repent here
he will pardon us. If we defer repentance, and die without it, he will
have no longer mercy to pardon, nor patience to bear. What is there in
our power but the present? the future time we cannot command, the past
time we cannot recall; squander not then the present away. The time
will come when “time shall be no more,” and then long‑suffering shall
be no more. Will you neglect the time, wherein patience acts, and
vainly hope for a time beyond the resolves of patience? Will you spend
that in vain, which goodness hath allotted you for other purposes? What
an estimate will you make of a little forbearance to respite death,
when you are gasping under the stroke of its arrows! How much would you
value some few days of those many years you now trifle away! Can any
think God will be always at an expense with them in vain, that he will
have such riches trampled under their feet, and so many editions of
his patience be made waste paper? Do you know how few sands are yet to
run in your glass? Are you sure that He that waits to‑day, will wait
as well to‑morrow? How can you tell, but that God that is slow to anger
to‑day, may be swift to it the next? Jerusalem had but a day of peace,
and the most careless sinner hath no more. When their day was done,
they were destroyed by famine, pestilence, or sword, or led into a
doleful {b523} captivity. Did God make our lives so uncertain, and
the duration of his forbearance unknown to us, that we should live
in a lazy neglect of his glory, and our own happiness? If you should
have more patience in regard of your lives, do you know whether you
shall have the effectual offers of grace? As your lives depend upon his
will, so your conversion depends solely upon his grace. There have been
many examples of those miserable wretches, that have been left to a
reprobate sense, after they have a long time abused Divine forbearance.
Though he waits, yet he “binds up sin.” (Hos. xiii. 12), “The sin of
Ephraim is bound up,” as bonds are bound up by a creditor till a fit
opportunity: when God comes to put the bond in suit, it will be too
late to wish for that patience we have so scornfully despised. Consider
therefore the end of patience. The patience of God considered in itself,
without that which it tends to, affords very little comfort; it is but
a step to pardoning mercy, and it may be without it, and often is. Many
have been reprieved that were never forgiven; hell is full of those
that had patience as well as we, but not one that accepted pardoning
grace went within the gates of it. Patience leaves men, when their sins
have ripened them for hell; but pardoning grace never leaves men till
it hath conducted them to heaven. His patience speaks him placable,
but doth not assure us that he is actually appeased. Men may hope
that a long‑suffering tends to a pardon, but cannot be assured of
a pardon, but by something else above mere long‑suffering. Rest not
then upon bare patience, but consider the end of it; it is not that
any should sin more freely, but repent more meltingly; it is not to
spirit rebellion, but give a merciful stop to it. Why should any be so
ambitious of their ruin, as to constrain God to ruin them against the
inclinations of his sweet disposition?
4. The fourth exhortation is, Let us imitate God’s patience in
our own to others. He is unlike God that is hurried, with an unruly
impetus, to punish others for wronging him. The consideration of Divine
patience should make us square ourselves according to that pattern. God
hath exercised a long‑suffering from the fall of Adam to this minute
on innumerable subjects, and shall we be transported with desire of
revenge upon a single injury? If God were not “slow to wrath,” a sinful
world had been long ago torn up from the foundation. And if revenge
should be exercised by all men against their enemies, what man should
have been alive, since there is not a man without an enemy? If every
man were like Saul, breathing out threatenings, the world would not
only be an aceldema, but a desert. How distant are they from the nature
of God, who are in a flame upon every slight provocation from a sense
of some feeble and imaginary honor, that must bloody their sword for
a trifle, and write their revenge in wounds and death! When God hath
his glory every day bespattered, yet he keeps his sword in his sheath;
what a woe would it be to the world, if he drew it upon every affront!
This is to be like brutes, dogs, or tigers, that snarl, bite, and
devour, upon every slight occasion: but to be patient is to be divine,
and to show ourselves acquainted with the disposition of God. “Be you
therefore perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect” (Matt. v. 48):
{b524} _i. e._ Be you perfect and good; for he had been exhorting
them to bless them that cursed them, and to do good to them that hated
them, and that from the example God had set them, in causing his sun to
rise upon the evil as well as the good. “Be you therefore perfect.” To
conclude: as patience is God’s perfection, so it is the accomplishment
of the soul: and as his “slowness to anger” argues the greatness of his
power over himself, so an unwillingness to revenge is a sign of a power
over ourselves which is more noble than to be a monarch over others.
{b525} INDEX.
A.
_Acquaintance_ with God.
Men are unwilling to have any, i. 158.
See _Communion_.
_Actions._
A greater proof of principles than words, i. 92.
All are known by God, i. 424.
_Activity._
Required in spiritual worship, i. 227, 228
_Adam._
The greatness of his sin, ii. 269, 429.
See _Man_, and _Fall of Man_.
_Additions._
In matters of religion an invasion of God’s sovereignty,
ii. 432, 433.
See _Worship_, and _Ceremonies_.
_Admiration._
Ought to be exercised in spiritual worship, i. 233.
_Affections_, human.
In what sense ascribed to God, i. 340‒343.
_Afflictions_, sharp.
Make Atheists fear there is a God, i. 81.
Make us impatient (see _Impatience_).
We should be patient under them (see _Patience_).
Many call on God only under them, i. 151.
Fill us with distraction in the worship of God, i. 258.
The presence of God a comfort in them, i. 399;
and his knowledge, i. 488.
The wisdom of God apparent in them, i. 547‒550.
The wisdom of God a comfort in them, i. 593;
and his power, ii. 98, 99;
and his sovereignty, ii. 451.
Do not impeach his goodness, ii. 243, 244.
The goodness of God seen in them, ii. 309‒311.
His goodness a comfort in them, ii. 342.
Acts of God’s sovereignty, ii. 373‒376;
the consideration of which would make us entertain them
as we ought, ii. 456.
_Age._
Many neglect the serving of God till old, i. 113.
_Air._
How useful a creature, i. 54.
_Almighty._
How often God is so called in Scripture, ii. 10.
How often in Job, ii. 36.
_Angels._
Good, what benefit they have by Christ, i. 536, ii. 263, 264.
Not instruments in the creation of man, ii. 41.
Evil, not redeemed, ii. 263, 264.
_Angels._
Not governors of the world, ii. 328, 329.
Subject to God, ii. 381, 382.
_Apostasy._
Men apostatize from God when his will crosses theirs, i. 135.
In times of persecution, i. 149, 150.
By reason of practical atheism, i. 167.
_Apostles_, the first preachers of the gospel.
Mean and worthless men, ii. 69‒71.
Spirited by Divine power for spreading of it, ii. 72‒74.
The wisdom of God seen in using such instruments, i. 578, 579.
_Applauding_ ourselves.
See _Pride_.
_Atheism._
Opens a door to all manner of wickedness, i. 24.
Some spice of it in all men, i. 25‒27.
The greatest folly, i. 24‒77.
Common in our days, i. 26, 79, 80.
Strikes at the foundation of all religion, i. 26.
We should establish ourselves against it, _ib._
It is against the light of natural reason, i. 2.
Against the universal consent of all nations, i. 29, 30.
But few, if any, professed it in former ages, i. 32‒34, 80.
Would root up the foundations of all government, i. 77.
Introduce all evil into the world, i. 78.
Pernicious to the atheist himself, i. 79.
The cause of public judgments, i. 80.
Men’s lusts the cause of it, i. 82.
Promoted by the devil most since the destruction of
idolatry, i. 84.
Uncomfortable, i. 85.
Directions against it, i. 87.
All sin founded in a secret atheism, i. 93.
_Atheism_, practical.
Natural to man, i. 89.
Natural since the fall, i. 90.
To all men, _ib._
Proved by arguments, i. 99‒161.
We ought to be humbled for it, both in ourselves and
others, i. 167.
How great a sin it is, i. 169‒171.
Misery will attend it, i. 171, 172.
We should watch against it, _ib._
Directions against it, i. 172, 173.
_Atheist._
Can never prove there is no God, i. 81.
All the creatures fight against him, _ib._
In afflictions, suspects and fears there is a God, i. 82.
How much pains he takes to blot out the notion, _ib._
Suppose it were an even lay that there were no God, yet he
is very imprudent, i. 83.
Uses not means to inform himself, _ib._
{b526}_Atoms._
The world not made by a casual concourse of them, i. 50.
_Attributes_ of God.
Bear a comfortable respect to believers, i. 513.
_Authority._
How distinguished from power, ii. 364.
B.
_Best_ we have.
Ought to be given to God, i. 242‒244.
_Blessings._
Spiritual, God only the author of, ii. 357.
Temporal, God uses a sovereignty in bestowing them,
ii. 412, 413.
See _Riches_.
_Body_ of man.
How curiously wrought, i. 63‒67, 523.
Every human one hath different features, i. 66.
God hath none (see _Spirit_).
We must worship God with our bodies, i. 219‒222;
yet not with our bodies only.
See _Soul_, and _Worship_.
_Bodily_ shape.
We must not conceive of God under a, i. 197, 198.
_Bodily_ members.
Ascribed to him (see _Members_.)
_Brain._
How curious a workmanship, i. 65.
C.
_Calf_, golden.
The Israelites worshipped the true God under, i. 195.
_Callings._
God fits and inclines men to several, i. 531, 532; i. 598.
Appoints every man’s calling, ii. 421.
_Cause_, a first.
Of all things, i. 50, 51;
which doth necessarily exist, and is infinitely
perfect, i. 51.
_Censure._
God not to be censured in his counsels, actions, or
revelations, i. 295.
Or in his ways, i. 605, 606.
_Censuring_ the hearts of others.
Is an injury to God’s omniscience, i. 478.
Men, is a contempt of God’s sovereignty, ii. 441.
_Ceremonial Law._
Abolished to promote spiritual worship, i. 213.
Called flesh, _ib._
Not a fit means to bring the heart into a spiritual frame,
i. 214.
Rather hindered than furthered spiritual worship, i. 215, 216.
God never testified himself well‑pleased with it, nor intended
it should always last, i. 216‒218.
The abrogation of it doth not argue any change in God, i. 346.
The holiness of God appears in it, ii. 131, 132.
_Ceremonies._
Men are prone to bring their own into God’s worship,
i. 133, 134.
See _Worship_, and _Additions_, &c.
_Chance._
The world not made nor governed by it, i. 59.
_Charity._
Men have bad ends in it, i. 153.
We should exercise it, ii. 353, 354.
The consideration of God’s sovereignty would promote it,
ii. 456.
_Cheerful_, in God’s worship.
We should be, i. 235.
_Christ._
His Godhead proved from his eternity, i. 291‒293.
From his omnipresence, i. 392, 393.
From his immutability, i. 346‒348.
From his knowledge of God, all creatures, the hearts of men,
and his prescience of their inclinations, i. 465‒469.
From his omnipotence, manifest in creation, preservation and
resurrection, ii. 80‒86.
From his holiness, ii. 190.
From his wisdom, i. 558.
_Christ._
Is God man, ii. 62.
Spiritual worship offered to God through him, i. 241, 242.
The imperfectness of our services should make us prize his
mediation, i. 261.
The only fit Person in the Trinity to assume our nature,
i. 558‒560.
Fitted to be our Mediator and Saviour by his two natures,
i. 563‒565.
Should be imitated in his holiness, and often viewed by us
to that end, ii. 200‒207.
The greatest gift, ii. 266‒269.
Appointed by the Father to be our Redeemer, ii. 424‒426.
_Christian_ religion.
Its excellency, i. 167.
Of Divine extraction, i. 580.
Most opposed in the world, i. 111.
See _Gospel_.
_Church._
God’s eternity a comfort to her in all her distresses and
threatenings of her enemies, i. 299, 300.
Under God’s special providence, i. 406.
His infinite knowledge a comfort in all subtile contrivances
of men against her, i. 483, 484.
Troublers of her peace by corrupt doctrines no better than
devils, i. 498.
God’s wisdom a comfort to her in her greatest dangers, i. 594.
Hath shown his power in her deliverance in all ages, i. 277,
ii. 55;
and in the destruction of her enemies, ii. 56‒59.
Ought to take comfort in his power in her lowest estate,
ii. 101.
Should not fear her enemies (see _Fear_).
His goodness a comfort in dangers, ii. 344.
How great is God’s love to her, ii. 449‒515.
His sovereignty a comfort to her, ii. 452, 453.
He will comfort her in her fears, and destroy her enemies,
ii. 472, 473.
God exercises patience towards her, ii. 504, 505;
for her sake to the wicked also, ii. 506.
Why her enemies are not immediately destroyed, ii. 513.
_Commands_ of God.
See _Laws_.
_Comfort._
The holiness of God to be relied on for, ii. 190, 191.
_Comfort_ us.
Creatures cannot, if God be angry, ii. 448.
_Comforts._
God gives great, in or after temptations, ii. 311‒313.
_Communion_ with God.
Man naturally no desire of, i. 161.
The advantage of, i. 172.
Can only be in our spirits, i. 202.
We should desire it, i. 308.
Cannot be between God and sinners, ii. 183.
Holiness only fits us for it, ii. 204, 205.
_Conceptions._
We cannot have adequate ones of God, i. 196, 197.
We ought to labor after as high ones as we can, _ib._
They must {b527} not be of him in a corporeal shape,
i. 197, 198.
There will be in them a similitude of some corporeal thing
in our fancy, i. 198, 199.
We ought to refine and spiritualize them, i. 200.
_Conceptions_, right.
Of him, a great help to spiritual worship, i. 272, 273.
_Concurrence_ of God.
To all the actions of his creatures, ii. 156, 157.
_Concurring_ to sinful actions.
No blemish to God’s holiness, ii. 157‒163.
_Conditions_, various.
Of men, a fruit of Divine wisdom, i. 531, 532.
_Conditions_ of the covenant.
See _Covenant_, _Faith_, and _Repentance_.
_Confession_ of sin.
Men may have bad ends in it, i. 153.
Partial ones a practical denial of God’s omniscience,
i. 480, 481.
_Conscience._
Proves a Deity, i. 69‒73.
Fears and stings of it in all men upon the commission
of sin, i. 70‒72;
though never so secret, i. 71, 72.
Cannot be totally shaken off, i. 72.
Comforts a man in well‑doing, i. 72, 73.
Necessary for the good of the world, i. 73.
Terrified ones wish there were no God, i. 97.
Men naturally displeased with it, when it contradicts the
desires of self, i. 123.
Obey carnal self against the light of it, i. 140, 141.
Accusations of it evidence God’s knowledge of all things,
i. 463.
God, and he only, can speak peace to it when troubled,
ii. 79, 386.
His laws only reach it, ii. 390, 391, 432, 433.
_Constancy_ in that which is good.
We should labor after, and why, i. 360, 361.
_Content_ the soul.
Nothing but an infinite good can, i. 73, 74.
See _Satisfaction_, and _Soul_.
_Contingents_ all foreknown by God.
See _Knowledge of God_.
_Contradictions._
Cannot be made true by God, ii. 26‒30;
yet this doth not overthrow God’s omnipotence, _ib._
It is an abuse of God’s power to endeavor to justify them
by it, ii. 95.
_Contrary._
Qualities linked together in the creatures, i. 52, 53, 524.
_Conversion._
Carnal self‑love a great hindrance to it, i. 137.
There may be a conversion from sin which is not good, i. 150.
Men are enemies to it, i. 160, 161.
The necessity of it, i. 163, 164.
God only can be the Author of it, i. 165, 166, ii. 396.
The wisdom of God appears in it, in the subjects, seasons,
and manner of it, i. 544‒547;
and his power, ii. 72‒78;
and his holiness, ii. 139;
and his goodness, ii. 306, 307;
and his sovereignty, ii. 396‒404.
He could convert all, ii. 399.
Not bound to convert any, ii. 401, 402.
The various means and occasions of it, ii. 421.
_Convictions_, genuine.
Would be promoted by right and strong apprehensions of
God’s holiness, ii. 191.
_Corruptions._
The knowledge of God a comfort under fears of them lurking
in the heart, i. 489, 490.
The power of God a comfort when they are strong and stirring,
ii. 99.
In God’s people shall be subdued, ii. 450, 451;
the remainders of them God orders for their good, i. 538, 544.
_Covenant_ of God.
With his people eternal, i. 297, 298;
and unchangeable, i. 354.
_Covenant_, God in.
An eternal good to his people, i. 297.
_Covenant_ of grace.
Conditions of, evidence the wisdom of God, i. 571.
Suited to man’s lapsed state, and God’s glory, _ib._
Opposite to that which was the cause of the fall, i. 572.
Suited to the common sentiments and customs of the world
and consciences of men, i. 572, 573.
Only likely to attain the end, i. 573.
Evidence God’s holiness, ii. 138.
The wisdom of God made over to believers in it, i. 593, 594;
and power, ii. 98;
and holiness, ii. 190, 191.
A promise of life implied in the covenant of works,
ii. 253, 254;
why not expressed, ii. 527.
The goodness of God manifest in making a covenant of grace
after man had broken the first, ii. 274, 275.
In the nature and tenor of it, ii. 275‒277.
In the choice gift of himself made over in it, ii. 277, 278.
In its confirmation, ii. 278, 279.
Its conditions easy, reasonable, necessary, ii. 279‒284.
It promises a more excellent reward than the life in paradise,
ii. 291‒293.
_Covetousness._
See _Riches_, and _World_.
_Creation._
The wisdom of God appears in it, i. 518‒525;
and should be meditated upon, i. 525;
motives to it, ii. 5‒9;
his power, ii. 35‒44;
his holiness, ii. 126, 127;
his goodness, ii. 244‒258.
Goodness the end and motive of it, ii. 228, 229.
Ascribed to Christ, ii. 81‒85.
The foundation of God’s dominion, ii. 368‒370.
_Creatures._
Evidence the being of God, i. 28, 42‒64;
in their production, i. 43‒51;
in their harmony, i. 52‒60;
in pursuing their several ends, i. 60‒62;
in their preservation, i. 62, 63.
Were not, and cannot be, from eternity, i. 45, 46, 292.
None of them can make themselves, i. 47‒49;
or the world, i. 49, 50.
Subservient to one another, i. 53, 378.
Regular, uniform, and constant in it, i. 56, 57.
Are various, i. 58, 519, 520.
Have several natures, i. 60.
All fight against the atheist, i. 82.
God ought to be studied in them, i. 86.
All manifest something of God’s perfections, _ib._
Setting them up as our end (see _End_).
Must not be worshipped (see _Idolatry_).
Used by man to a contrary end than God appointed, i. 148.
All are changeable, i. 355.
Therefore an immutable God to be preferred {b528} before
them, i. 358.
Are nothing to God, i. 395.
Are all known by God, i. 422, 423.
Shall be restored to their primitive end, i. 313, ii. 293.
Their beautiful order and situation, i. 520, 521.
Are fitted for their several ends, i. 522‒524.
None of them can be omnipresent, i. 378;
or omnipotent, ii. 18;
or infinitely perfect, ii. 24.
God could have made more than he hath, ii. 21, 22.
Made them all more perfect than they are, ii. 23, 24.
Yet all are made in the best manner, ii. 24, 25.
The power that is in them demonstrates a greater to be
in God, ii. 31.
Ordered by God as he pleases, ii. 57.
The meanest of them can destroy us by God’s order,
ii. 107, 448.
Making different ranks of them, doth not impeach God’s
goodness, ii. 232‒235.
Cursed for the sin of man, ii. 250, 293.
What benefit they have by the redemption of man, ii. 293, 294.
Cannot comfort us if God be angry, ii. 448.
All subject to God, ii. 381‒387.
All obey God, ii. 465, 466.
_Curiosity_ in inquiries about God’s counsels and actions.
A great folly, i. 295.
It is an injuring God’s knowledge, i. 475‒477.
It is a contempt of Divine wisdom, i. 590.
Should not be employed about what God hath not revealed,
i. 603, 604.
The consideration of God’s sovereignty would check it, ii. 457.
D.
_Day._
How necessary, i. 523.
_Death_ of Christ.
Its value is from his Divine Nature, i. 564.
Vindicated the honor of the law, both as to precept and
penalty, i. 566.
Overturned the Devil’s empire, i. 568.
He suffered to rescue us by it, ii. 268.
By the command of the Father, ii. 425, 426.
_Debauched_ persons.
Wish there were no God, i. 97.
_Decrees_ of God.
No succession in them, i. 285.
Unchangeable, i. 582, 583, ii. 451, 452.
See _Immutability_.
_Defilement._
God not capable of it from any corporeal thing, i. 201,
390, 392.
_Delight._
Holy duties should be performed with, i. 234‒236.
All delight in worship doth not prove it to be spiritual,
i. 235.
We should examine ourselves after worship, what delight we
had in it, i. 252.
_Deliverances._
Chiefly to be ascribed to God, i. 406.
The wisdom of God seen in them, i. 550‒552.
_Desires_, of man.
Naturally after an infinite good, i. 73, 74;
which evidences the being of a God, i. 74.
Men naturally have no desire of remembrance of God, converse
with him, thorough return to him, or imitation of him,
i. 159‒161.
_Devil._
Man naturally under his dominion, i. 118, 119.
God’s restraining him, how great a mercy (see _Restraint_).
Shall be totally subdued by God, i. 498.
Outwitted by God, i. 568.
His first sin, what it was, ii. 427‒429.
See _Angel_.
_Direction._
Men neglect to ask it of God (see _Trusting in ourselves_).
Should seek it of him, i. 585.
Not to do it, how sinful, i. 589, 590.
Should not presume to give it to him, i. 591.
_Disappointments._
Make many cast off their obedience to God, i. 115, 116.
God disappoints the devices of men, ii. 418‒420.
_Dispensations._
Of God with his own law, ii. 391‒393.
_Distance_ from God.
Naturally affected by men, i. 158, 159.
How great it is, ii. 180.
_Distractions_ in the service of God.
How natural, i. 114, 256.
Will be so while we have natural corruption within,
i. 256, 257;
while we are in the Devil’s precinct, i. 257.
Most frequent in time of affliction, i. 258.
May be improved to make us more spiritual, i. 258‒261;
when we are humbled for them in worship, i. 258, 259;
and for the baseness of our natures, the cause of them,
i. 259.
Make us prize duties of worship the more, _ib._
Fill us with admirations of the graciousness of God, i. 260.
Prize the meditation of Christ, i. 261.
They should not discourage us, if we resist them, _ib._;
and if we narrowly watch against them, i. 262.
Should be speedily cast out, i. 274.
Thoughts of God’s presence a remedy against them, i. 404.
_Distresses._
See _Afflictions_.
_Distrust_ of God.
A contempt of God’s wisdom, i. 593;
and his power, ii. 93;
and of his goodness, ii. 319, 320.
Too great fear of man arises from it, ii. 94.
See _Trusting in God_, and _in ourselves_.
_Divinity._
Of Christ (see _Christ_).
Of the Holy Ghost (see _Holy Ghost_).
_Doctrines._
That are self‑pleasing desired by men, i. 139.
See _Truths_.
_Dominion_ of God.
Distinguished from his power, ii. 364.
All his other attributes fit him for it, ii. 364, 365.
Acknowledged by all, _ib._
Inseparable from the notion of God, ii. 365, 366.
We cannot suppose God a creator without it, ii. 366.
Cannot be renounced by God himself, _ib._;
nor communicated to any creature, ii. 366, 367.
Its foundation, ii. 367‒372.
It is independent, ii. 372, 373;
absolute, ii. 373‒377;
yet not tyrannical, ii. 377, 378;
managed with wisdom, righteousness, and goodness,
ii. 378‒380.
It is eternal, ii. 386, 387.
It is manifested as he is a lawgiver, ii. 387‒394;
as a proprietor, ii. 394‒413;
as a governor, ii. 413‒422;
as a redeemer, ii. 422‒426.
The contempt of it, how great, ii. 426, 427.
{b529} All sin is a contempt of it, ii. 427, 428.
The first thing the devil aimed against, ii. 428, 429;
and Adam, ii. 429.
Invaded by the usurpations of men, ii. 430, 431.
Wherein it is contemned as he is a lawgiver, ii. 431‒435;
as a proprietor, ii. 435, 436;
as a governor, ii. 436‒441.
It is terrible to the wicked, ii. 446‒448.
Comfortable to the righteous, ii. 449‒453.
Should be often meditated upon by us, ii. 453, 454.
The advantages of so doing, ii. 454‒457.
It should teach us humility, ii. 458.
Calls for our praise and thanks, ii. 459, 460.
Should make us promote his honor, ii. 461, 462.
Calls for fear, prayer, and obedience, ii. 462, 463.
Affords motives to obedience, ii. 463‒466;
and shows the manner of it, ii. 466‒469.
Calls for patience, ii. 469.
Affords motives to it, ii. 469‒471.
Shows us the true nature of it, ii. 471.
_Duties_ of religion.
Performed often merely for self‑interest, i. 150‒154.
Men unwieldy to them, i. 151.
Perform them only in affliction, i. 151, 152.
See _Service of God_, and _Worship_.
_Dwelling_ in heaven, and in the ark.
How to be understood of God, i. 385, 386.
E.
_Ear_ of man.
How curious an organ, i. 65.
_Earth._
How useful, i. 54, 55.
The wisdom of God seen in it, i. 522.
_Earthly_ things.
See _World_.
_Ejaculations._
How useful, i. 272.
_Elect._
God knows all their persons, i. 485, 486.
_Election._
Evidenced by holiness, ii. 205.
The sovereignty of God appears in it, ii. 394‒396.
Not grounded on merit in the creature, ii. 396.
Nor on foresight of faith and good works, ii. 396‒399.
_Elements._
Though contrary, yet linked together, i. 52, 53.
_End._
All creatures conspire to one common end, i. 53‒60;
pursue their several ends, though they know them not,
i. 60‒62.
Men have corrupt ends in religious duties, i. 132, 150‒154;
for evil ends, i. 105, 106;
desire the knowledge of God’s law, for by ends, i. 104.
Man naturally would make himself his own end, i. 135‒141;
how sinful this is, i. 141, 142;
would make anything his end rather than God, i. 142‒144;
a creature, or a lust, i. 144‒146;
how sinful this is, _ib._;
would make himself the end of all creatures, i. 147, 149;
how sinful this is, i. 149;
would make himself the end of God, i. 148‒154;
how sinful this is, i. 154, 155;
cannot make God his end, till converted, i. 163, 164.
Spiritual ones required in spiritual worship, i. 239‒241;
many have other ends in it, _ib._
God orders the hearts of all men to his own, ii. 54.
God hath one, and man another in sin, i. 161, 162.
We should make God our end, ii. 206.
God makes himself his own end, how to be understood,
ii. 228‒230.
His being the end of all things is one foundation of his
dominion, ii. 370, 371.
Not using God’s gifts for the end for which he gave them,
how great a sin, ii. 435, 436.
_Enemies._
Of the church (see _Church_).
We should be kind to our worst enemies, ii. 354, 355.
_Enjoyment_ of God.
In heaven always fresh and glorious, i. 298, 299.
We should endeavor after it here, ii. 344‒346.