by Thomas Boston
in ePub, .mobi & .pdf formats
An Illustration of the Doctrines of Christian Religion Comprehending a Complete Body of Divinity. (1721 pages)
1 COR. 10:31.—Whether therefore ye eat or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.
PSALM 73:25, 26.—Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire besides thee. My flesh and my heart faileth: but God is the strength of my heart, and my portion for ever.
KNOWLEDGE is a necessary foundation of faith and holiness; and where ignorance reigns in the mind, there is confusion in the heart and life. We have the word of truth in our hands, and many methodical systems of divine truths, amongst which the Shorter Catechism, composed by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminster, in pursuance of the solemn league and covenant, as a part of the then intended uniformity between the three nations, is deservedly reckoned the chief. This I shall endeavour to explain with all possible brevity and perspecuity, that ye may have a view of those divine truths, with the reasons of them. And this I have thought it the more necessary to do, in order that your minds may be established in the truth, as our time is like to be a time of trial, wherein ye may be exposed to many snares, and so be in danger of apostasy.
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Table of Contents
OF MAN'S CHIEF END AND HAPPINESS
THE DIVINE AUTHORITY OF THE SCRIPTURES
THE UTILITY OF THE SCRIPTURES AS A RULE
THE SCOPE OF THE SCRIPTURES
THE SCRIPTURES THE BOOK OF THE LORD, AND THE DILIGENT STUDY AND SEARCH THEREOF RECOMMENDED
OF GOD AND HIS PERFECTIONS
OF THE UNITY OF GOD
OF THE HOLY TRINITY
OF THE DECREES OF GOD
OF THE WORK OF CREATION
OF THE CREATION OF MAN
OF THE PROVIDENCE OF GOD
THE WISE OBSERVATION OF PROVIDENCES, ILLUSTRATED AND ENFORCED
OF THE COVENANT OF WORKS
OF THE FALL OF OUR FIRST PARENTS
OF SIN IN GENERAL
OF THE FIRST SIN IN PARTICULAR
OF OUR FALL IN ADAM
OF THE SINFULNESS OF MAN'S NATURAL STATE
OF THE MISERIES OF MAN'S NATURAL STATE
OF ELECTION TO EVERLASTING LIFE
OF THE COVENANT OF GRACE
OF CHRIST THE ONLY REDEEMER OF GOD'S ELECT
OF CHRIST'S INCARNATION
OF CHRIST'S OFFICES IN GENERAL
OF CHRIST'S PROPHETICAL OFFICE
OF CHRIST'S PRIESTLY OFFICE
OF CHRIST'S INTERCESSION
OF CHRIST'S KINGLY OFFICE
OF CHRIST'S HUMILIATION
OF CHRIST'S EXALTATION
OF THE APPLICATION OF REDEMPTION
OF UNION WITH CHRIST
OF EFFECTUAL CALLING
OF THE BENEFITS OF EFFECTUAL CALLING
OF JUSTIFICATION
OF ADOPTION
THE DIVINE CALL TO LEAVE THE DEVIL'S FAMILY EXPLAINED AND URGED
OF SANCTIFICATION
UNION WITH CHRIST THE ONLY WAY TO SANCTIFICATION
OF THE BENEFITS FLOWING FROM JUSTIFICATION, ADOPTION, AND SANCTIFICATION
OF THE BENEFITS WHICH BELIEVERS RECEIVE AT DEATH
OF THE BENEFITS AT THE RESURRECTION
OF THE DUTY WHICH GOD REQUIRETH OF MAN
THE MORAL LAW, THE RULE OF MAN'S OBEDIENCE
THE MORAL LAW SUMMARILY COMPREHENDED IN THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
LOVE TO GOD AND OUR NEIGHBOUR, THE SUM OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
THE PREFACE TO THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
OF THE FIRST COMMANDMENT
OF THE SECOND COMMANDMENT
OF THE THIRD COMMANDMENT
OF THE FOURTH COMMANDMENT
OF THE FIFTH COMMANDMENT
THE DUTY OF RULING ELDERS AND PEOPLE
OF THE SIXTH COMMANDMENT
OF THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT
OF THE EIGHTH COMMANDMENT
OF THE NINTH COMMANDMENT
OF THE TENTH COMMANDMENT
OF MAN'S INABILITY TO KEEP THE LAW PERFECTLY
OF SIN IN ITS AGGRAVATIONS
OF THE DESERT OF SIN
OF THE MEANS OF SALVATION IN GENERAL
OF FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST
OF REPENTANCE UNTO LIFE
OF CHRIST'S ORDINANCES IN GENERAL
HOW THE WORD IS MADE EFFECTUAL TO SALVATION
HOW THE WORD IS TO BE READ AND HEARD
THE DUTY OF ATTENDING ON ORDINANCES
A CAVEAT AGAINST RECEIVING THE GOSPEL IN VAIN
THE DANGER OF NOT COMPLYING WITH THE GOSPEL-CALL
HOW THE SACRAMENTS BECOME EFFECTUAL MEANS OF SALVATION
THE NATURE OF THE SACRAMENTS
THE NUMBER OF THE SACRAMENTS, AND THE NATURE OF BAPTISM
THE NATURE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
OF THE WORTHY RECEIVING OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
THE NECESSITY OF SELF-EXAMINATION
THE DANGER OF UNWORTHY COMMUNICATING
THE NATURE OF PRAYER
A DISCOURSE ON SECRET PRAYER
OF THE RULE OF DIRECTION IN PRAYER
THE PREFACE OF THE LORD'S PRAYER
THE FIRST PETITION
THE SECOND PETITION
THE THIRD PETITION
THE FOURTH PETITION
THE FIFTH PETITION
THE SIXTH PETITION
THE CONCLUSION OF THE LORD'S PRAYER
A DISCOURSE ON THE EXPERIMENTAL KNOWLEDGE OF CHRIST
OF THE RIGHT IMPROVEMENT OF A TIME OF SICKNESS AND MORTALITY
TWO FORMS OF PERSONAL COVENANTING BY THE AUTHOR