And another thing that I would entreat the zealous friends of this glorious work of God to avoid, is managing the controversy with opposers with too much heat, and appearance of an angry zeal; and particularly insisting very much in public prayer and preaching, on the persecution of opposers. If their persecution were ten times so great as it is, methinks it would not be best to say so much about it. If it becomes Christians to be like lambs, not apt to complain and cry when they are hurt; it becomes them to be dumb and not to open their mouth, after the example of our dear Redeemer; and not to be like swine that are apt to scream aloud when they are touched. We should not be ready presently to think and speak of fire from heaven, when the Samaritans oppose us, and will not receive us into their villages. God's zealous ministers would do well to think of the direction the apostle Paul gave to a zealous minister, 2 Tim. ii. 24-26. "And the servant of the Lord must not strive, but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, in meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance, to the acknowledging of the truth; and that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will."
I would humbly recommend to those that love the Lord Jesus Christ, and would advance his kingdom, a good attendance to that excellent rule of prudence which Christ has left us, Matth. ix. 16, 17. "No man putteth a piece of new cloth into an old garment; for that which is put in to fill it up, taketh from the garment, and the rent is made worse. Neither do men put new wine into old bottles; else the bottles break and the wine runneth out, and the bottles perish. But they put new wine into new bottles, and both are preserved." I am afraid that the wine is now running out in some part of this land, for want of attending to this rule. For though I believe we have confined ourselves too much to a certain stated method and form in the management of our religious affairs; which has had a tendency to cause all our religion to degenerate into mere formality; yet whatever has the appearance of a great innovation-that tends much to shock and surprise people's minds, and to set them a talking and disputing-tends greatly to hinder the progress of the power of religion. It raises the opposition of some, diverts the minds of others, and perplexes many with doubts and scruples. It causes people to swerve from their great business, and turn aside to vain jangling. Therefore that which is very much beside the common practice, unless it be a thing in its own nature of considerable importance, had better be avoided. Herein we shall follow the example of one who had the greatest success in propagating the power of religion. 1 Cor. ix. 20-23. "Unto
the Jews, I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; to them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak. I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you."
END OF THE EIGHTH VOLUME.
NOTE-The Roman Numerals refer to the Volume, and the Figures to the Page.
Aben-Ezra, his notion of original sin, i.
Abraham, the calling of, subservient to redemption, v. 42-covenant renewed to, 44.
Action, moral, remarks on, i. 326-con- trasted with passion, 330. Adam, a federal head, ii. 213-how a vital part of a systematic whole, 332. Affections, private and public, an illus- tration of, ii. 72-their nature, and importance in religion, iv. 7—true reli- gion in great part consists in the, 13- what are no certain signs of gracious, 37-what are distinguishing signs of holy, 97-the first objective grounds of gracious, iv. 140, 151-arise from spi- ritual illumination, 162-ministers aiming at the, vi. 83.
Agency, Arminian notion of moral, in- consistent with motive, i. 306—incon- sistent with itself, 323-divine and human, remarks on, 324.
Agent, a moral, what, i. 154-those fa- culties which constitute an accountable, ii. 331.
Ahitophel, not suspected by David, viii. 592.
Ainsworth, his quotations from Jewish Rabbi, on original sin, ii. 382. Alexander, the Great, consequences of his death, v. 117.
Ames, Dr. on the peace of a wicked man, iv. 82-on an evidence of true humi- lity, 254-his remark on secret reli- gion, 266.
Anabaptists, the German, their corrupt opinions, v. 219. Antichrist, conjectures about the fall of,
ii. 508, 521-remarks on the rise of, v. 206-prophecies concerning, fulfilled, 233-when utterly overthrown, 244. Apocrypha, quotations from the, on hu. Iman depravity, ii, 382.
Apostacy, a great, before the final judg- ment, v. 255.
Arianism, its revival, v. 220. Arians, their heresy, v. 204. Aristotle, a remarkable passage from, concerning God, viii. 194.
Arminianism, its first appearance in Ame- rica, iii. 13.
Arminians, wherein they agree with the stoics and Mr. Hobbes, i. 355-their origin, v. 220.
Ascension, Christ's, remarks on, v. 177. Assembly, of divines, Dr. Taylor's re- marks on the, answered, ii. 330. Athanasius, a remarkable passage from, against the Arians, viii. 292. Atheism, martyrs to, viii. 185. Augustine, St. his notion of what is essen- tial to the nature of sin, i. 271-his thoughts on humility, iv. 209, 210.
Babel, God's disappointing the building of, conducive to the work of redemp- tion, v. 39.
Babylon, mystical, remarks on, ii. 519,
529-its destruction, v. 111, 236—how to be effected, 239-wherein it will consist, 244.
Baptism, spiritual, what, ii. 325-who may claim, vii. 143-qualifications for, 168, 299.
Baptist, John, in what his ministry con- sisted, v. 147.
Beauty, a secondary kind of, ii. 25. Belsham, Rev. T. remarks on his notion of divine agency, i. 317-of a virtuous character, ii. 17.
Bernard, a saying of, on Christian pro- ficiency, iv. 217.
Beza, his remark on the word "poyswis i. 381.
Blame, and praise, things worthy of, i 333.
Blanc, Lewis Le, his remark on divine prescience, i. 240.
Blindness, man's natural, in religion, ii.
Brainerd, his life and diary, iii. 81-the occasion of his expulsion from college, 98-the deep exercises of his mind, 99, 208, 285-his first exercise in preaching, 115-his examination as a missionary, 127, 128-his mission to Kaunameck, 140-remarks on his christian spirit, 155-his ordination, 183-Mr. Pemberton's testimony of him, 184-bis mission to Crosweek- sung, 185, 225-at the Forks of Dela- ware, 230-at Connecticut Farms, 239 -at Elizabeth Town, 258, 261- Charlestown, 265-his last illness, 289-his thoughts on the essence of saving faith, 296-on the nature of true religion, 297-his concern for the prosperity of Zion, 298-for improving time, 299-his frame of mind at the close of life, 303, &c.-his death and funeral, 311.
Brainerd, his journal, at Crosweeksung, iii. 319, 350, 364, 384-at the Forks of Delaware, 323, 350, 382-general re- marks on his first Journal, 355-on both Journals, 415-on his memoirs, 533-his letter to Mr. Pemberton, con- taining a short account of bis mission among the Indians, 471-a collection of his letters, 487-his detached papers, 503-his views calvinistic, 557-fune- ral sermon for, viii. 50-extract from his diary, 72, 76, 77. Burgess, Anthony, on the tempter's in- fluence by the imagination, iv. 184 on the sectaries at the reformation, viii. 557.
Burnet, Bp. his notion of providential support, ii. 354.
Burr, President, some account of, i. 84. Burr, Mrs. Esther, a brief account of, i. 98.
Burr, Colonel, remarks on, i. 99.
Calvin, a remark of, on the office of the Holy Spirit, iv. 174-his thoughts of humility, 209 on a self-righteous Pharisee, 216.
Capacity, natural, essential to moral obli- gation, i. 279
Captivity, the Babylonish, its principal circumstances and effects, v. 103. Catalogues, several, of canonical books, viii. 183.
Causality, negative, remarks on, viii. 360 -an essential principle of moral sci- ence, 364.
Cause, of virtue and vice, remarks on the, 1.313-transient and permanent, ii. 164.
Causes, different kinds of, i. 163. Cautions, christian, iv. 379. Censure, when erroneous, vi. 159. Censures, not to be indulged, viii. 589, Certainty, metaphysical, i. 141. Charity, christian, the duty of, v. 397 -the objects of, 401-an exhorta- tion to, 404-objections to, answered, 415.
Children, religious meetings of, vi. 102. Chinese, their singular treatment of their gods, viii. 186.
Choice, the objects and the acts of, not to be confounded, i. 183.
Chubb, Mr. his scheme of liberty examin- ed, i. 205-its foundation, 323-his notion of action, 326.
Christ, the acts of his will necessarily holy, i. 258-yet a moral agent, 266— his frequent appearance in a human form, v. 68-the great subject of the whole Bible, 130-the greatness of his person and work, 132-his incarnation, needful, 134—suitableness of its time, 135 its remarkable circumstances, 137-and concomitants, 138-the laws which he obeyed, 143-his public mi- nistry, 147, 148-the virtues he exer cised, 150-bis humiliation and suffer- ings, 153-his resurrection, 176-his ascension, 177-his pre-eminence in all things, 274-exalted, 433-glorious above all evils, 439-the excellency of, vi. 399-a conjunction of excellencies in, 401-how in the acts of, 409-the apostles' apprehensions of his second coming, viii. 154-his deity, 262-his spiritual coming, 579.
Christian, Observer, see Observer. Christians, their spirit, that of suffering, v. 235.
Church, its remarkable redemption from Egypt, v. 53--Jewish, when in its highest glory, 88-its gradual declen. sion, 89-great peace and prosperity of the, 198, 250-its happiness, 280- members of the christian, how united, vii. 85.
Cicero, his definition of virtue, ii. 14—a
remarkable passage from, concerning God, viii. 187, 194. Circumcision, of the heart, what it means, ii. 318.
Clark, Dr. Samuel, on the connection be- tween the will and the understanding, i. 202-remarks on his views, ibid.—his notion of divine prescience, 240-bis observations on the divine freedom, 358-his opinion respecting the origin of evil, 399-held a greater mystery than the doctrine of the Trinity, viii.
Coincidences, remarkable between Presi- dent Edwards and his son, i. 108.
Coleman, Dr. a narrative of conversions addressed to him, iii. 9. Communion, qualifications for full, vii. 11. Concert, for prayer, an historical account of it, ii. 440.
Conscience, natural, wherein it consists, ii. 48.
Constantine, not included in the descrip- tion of the beast, ii. 513-a great revo- lution in the church by, v. 197. Contingence, the Arminian notion of, i. 181-of volitions, arguments against the, 235.
Controversy, how to be managed, viii. 593. Conversation, a medium of moral govern- ment, viii. 214.
Conversion, what it means, ii. 317-man- ner of, various, iii. 23-a remarkable instance of, under Mr. Stoddard's mi- nistry, 44-under Mr. Edwards's minis- try, in Abigail Hutchinson, 53-in Phebe Bartlet, 60.
Cooper, his preface to Distinguishing Marks, viii. 533.
Covenant, Adam's, remarks on, ii. 334- internal and external, vii. 41. Coventry, N. England, a remarkable revi- val at, iii. 18.
Council, the first ecclesiastical, v. 182-at Northampton, vii. 355.
Creature, a new, what, ii. 324.
David, his anointing, what intimated by it, v. 72-the wonderful preservation of his life, 74-his being inspired to shew forth Christ, 76-his advance- ment to the throne of Israel, how sub- servient to the work of redemption, 78 --the covenant of grace renewed with, 79-by him God first gave his people possession of the whole promised land, 80.
Days, the latter, what, v. 169. Deacons, appointment of, v. 181. Death, how not a benefit, ii. 184-the kind of, threatened, 206, 213-how the wages of sin, 270.
Decrees, absolute, not inconsistent with human liberty, i. 239-not applicable to moral evil, 241-divine, remarks on the, 250, viii. 351. Defect, remarks on, i. 249, Demonstration, morality capable of, viii. 364.
Demonstrations, a priori, and a poste- riori, remarks on, i. 167. Dependence, remarks on, i. 249-God glo- rified in man's, vi, 435—our great and universal, 444.
Depravity, its powerful influence, ii. 169. Design, decretive and rectoral, i. 421. Desire, whether the same with will, i. 129.
Destruction, wicked men useful only in their, vi. 535.
Devils, experience of, viii. 96. Diary, extracts from Edwards's, i. 16. Difference, on two objects without, i. 367. Dishonesty, the sin of, v. 458-excuses for,
exposed, 467-a warning against, 470. Dispensation, abolishing the Jewish, sub- servient to the work of redemption, v. 178.
Dispensations, several gracious, viii. 533. Divinity, what intended by, v. 377-why Christians should grow in the know- ledge of, 381. Doctrines, Gospel, fully revealed, v. 180. Doddridge, Dr. extracts from, i. 381-a letter of, respecting his students, vi. 191.
Dwight, Dr. his poetic lines on Edwards,
Education, the importance of, viii. 186. Edwards, President, his character by Hopkins, i. 7-his birth and parentage, 9-his college studies, 11-his appoint- ment to a tutorship in Yale college, 12-his resolutions, ibid.-his conver- sion, 26-his remarks on God's Sove- reignty, 29-his manner of retirement, 35, 38-his complaints of himself, 39- his settlement at Northampton, and general deportment, 41-his choice of intimate friends, 47-his management of his children, 46-his character as a preacher, 49-a rigid calvinist, 54- his dismission from Northampton, 55 -observations on his dismission, 66- his mission to the Indians, 75-his be- ing chosen President, 77-his letter on the occasion, 78-his inoculation, 83 -his publications, 85-his character as a writer, 86-his method of keeping a common-place book, 88-remarks on his manuscripts, 89-a sketch of his character, ii. 81.
Edwards, Jonathan, of Cambridge, i. 7. Edwards, Mrs. Sarah, a sketch of her life and character, i, 93. Edwards, Jonathan, jun. D. D. a sketch of his life and character, i. 103—his self-dedication, 105- -circumstances preceding his death, 108-his charac- ter as a writer and preacher, 110-ca- talogue of his writings, 112. Edwards, Jonathan Waiter, esq. some account of, i. 108.
Election, the decree of, remarks on, viii. 380.
Elsner, his remark on the word "payWolf,
End, God's chief, i. 443-subordinate and ultimate distinguished, 448-of wis- dom, power, &c. 458-how God makes himself his, 461, 481-ultimate,
« PreviousContinue » |