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into the covenant the deliberate act of their own free will-The astonishing display of the divine power and majesty made to them after they had declared their determination to serve the Lord-Sublime description of the giving of the law-Solemnity with which it was accompanied The first principle of all religion confirmed-Unity of the Godhead declaredWorship of God established-His name to be reverenced-A seventh part of time to be devoted to the remembrance of the great CreatorBeneficial consequences of the institution of the Sabbath..

45

LETTER IV.

A knowledge of the Old Testament of great importance towards forming distinct views of the Christian dispensation-The truths communicated by revelation illustrative of those which had been acknowledged by reason-Weakness of human reason shewn in the universal prevalence of idolatry-Nature of the laws delivered to the Jews by Moses-Nature of the rewards and punishments announced-Difficulty of extirpating idolatrous worship-Power

of

of example and of fashion over the opinions and conduct-The apostacy not universal..70

LETTER V.

The general scope and design of Scriptural history-In what respect distinguished from other history-Of the prophecies-Of the character of the prophets Individuality of their style and manner-Their general harmony and agreement-Unity of design manifest in the progress of revelation-Exact fulfilment of the prophetic denunciations against the Jews→ The judgments denounced by Moses on the disobedient, temporal and national-those of the Gospel individual and eternal..

86

LETTER VI.

Different circumstances attending the promulgation of the Mosaic law and the Gospel--In what a true and salutary belief in the Christian system consists-Faith shewn to be a prin

ciple of action-Knowledge of the divine nature and government afforded by the GospelOf the superior motives which it supplies for the strict performance of duty-Of the obligations which it imposes on believers--to superior virtue-Means afforded for its attainment-Piety favourable to benevolence...105

LETTER VII.

The pure morality of the Gospel conformable to the sentiments of the most enlightened philosophers of antiquity-Superiority of our Saviour's precepts-Of the light thrown by the Gospel upon the Divine government-The Christian system promotive of human happiness-Favourable to the benevolent affections -The doctrine of brotherly love, and mutual forgiveness-Difficulty of forgiveness examined -Faith shewn to be essential for enabling the mind to obtain a complete control over the selfish and vindictive passions-Partial efforts of obedience shewn to be alike ineffectual under the Mosaic as under the Christian dispensation....

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LETTER

LETTER VIII.

Of the promise of divine assistance-The assurance we have of the fulfilment of the promise -Delusions of visionaries, no argument against a promise specifically declared-Means of obtaining the divine assistance-Proper use to be made of all the events of life-Salutary tendency of innocent enjoyments-Resignation to the divine will-Benevolence-Essential distinction between the law of Moses and that of Christ-The power of the latter in meliorating the dispositions of the heart-Of the special means of grace-Prayer-Its influence--Its tendency to inspire universal goodwill-The Lord's prayer Examination of each of its parts-The spirit of devotion..

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LETTER IX.

Examination of the special means of grace continued-Of baptism-Its first institutionAfter our Saviour's death, attended with visible

displays

displays of divine grace, in the sensible influence of the Holy Spirit-This shewn to be exactly conformable to the former evidences given to the prophets of the truth of the promises-Moral effects of baptism-The influence which it ought to have upon the character-Of the Lord's Supper-A memorial of our Saviour's death-A pledge of immortality -The dispositions which it requires and cherishes-Changes the objects of hope from this world to the next-Blesses the soul with an assurance of forgiveness-Reflections on the happy tendency of this divine ordinance..186

LETTER X.

Some situations in life more favourable than others to the cultivation of the Christian virtues-Illustration-Pursuit of happiness-Directed by our Saviour to the proper objectThe distinctions of this world declared by him to be unfavourable to the attainment of immortal glory-Their tendency to cherish the affections which the Gospel teaches us to subdue Of the rich man's question concerning eternal

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