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CHAP. XI.

Concerning REWARDS and PUNISHMENTS,

Page 306

Rewards to the Righteous,

Punishments to the Wicked,

The Righteous and Wicked compared,

The CONCLUSION,

308

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THE

CHRISTIAN INSTITUTES;

OR, THE

SINCERE WORD OF GOD.

CHAP. I.

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

UNDER

NDER 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 inult, firft, 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 commanded them: And, That he taketh Vengeance on them that obey him not.

And for the better underflanding the Nature and Extent of our Duty in all Refpects, together with the Grounds and Reafons 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 ferve; 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 ferve him; what Capacities and Inclinations we have; what State and Condition we are in; and in what Relation we ftand to God.

After which it will be neceffary for us to inquire, how and in what Manner God is to be worshipped, and what thofe 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 sis, and to perfevere in our Obedience to him; it is requifite for us to know what Happiness God hath prepared for them that love and obey him, and what Mifery he hath provided for fuch as tranfgrefs his Commandments: How great, how certain, and of what Continuance both the Joy and the Terror of The Lord are.

Exod. 16. 28.

a Heb. 11. 6. Exod. 24.12. John 13. 34. 1 Kings 9.4. 2 Theff. 1. 8. b Exod. 5. 2. John 9. 36. Johuà 24. ́15. Cor. z.g. 2 Chron. 24. 20. eh. 8. 10. 2 Cor. 5. 11.

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The

The NECESSITY of Searching the
SCRIPTURES.

Thefe are the Things which every Man is conterned to be well inftructed in; and the true and Shortest Way of attaining fuch Knowledge as this, is, by Searching the Scriptures.

For they are they which teftify of God; which fhew us what is good, and what the Lord doth require of us; which fet 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 con tained 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 else accufing us ac cordingly, yet we are not a fufficient Law unto ourfelves. 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 his Word, which he hath in due Times manifelted to us; from whence we may be fully inftructed in all Things which belong unto our Peace and Salvation, even the Salvation of our Souls.

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And if any Man fin, (as in many Things we offend all) there is no other Way of being affured that we fhall not all likewife perith, 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 pleafed to reconcile us to himself.

All Scripture is given by Infpiration of God, and is profitable for Doctrine, for Reproof, for Correction, for Inftruction in Righteoufnefs; that fuch as defire to ferve 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 Ghoft, were written for our Learning, that we, through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures, might have Hope.

Unto the Jews firft were committed the Oracles of God; for God fpake 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 đỏ.

And the fame God, who at fundry Times and in divers Manners fpake in Times paft unto the Fathers by the Prophets, hath in thefe laft Days fpoken unto us by his Son; and that which at the firft began to be fpoken by the Lord, was confirmed unto us by them that heard him.

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Rom. 15. 4Exod. 18. 20.

James 3. 2. Luke 13. 3. 1 John 2. 1.
Tim. 3.16, 17.
i Rom. 15. 4. ... 2 Pet.
Neh. 9. 13, 14.

k Rom. 3. 2.
1 Heb. 1. 1. 2. Heb. 2. 3.

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