BEING AN ARRANGEMENT, IN THE WORDS OF THE APOSTLE, OF THE COMPLETE SCHEME OF CHRISTIAN FAITH AND PRACTICE CONTAINED IN THE SEVERAL EPISTLES OF ST. PAUL. BY THE REV. HENRY LATHAM, M.A. VICAR OF SELMESTON AND ALCISTON, SUSSEX. Ορθοτομοῦντα τὸν λόγον τῆς ἀληθείας.—2 ΤIM. ii. 155 LONDON: PRINTED FOR J. G. & F. RIVINGTON, ST. PAUL'S CHURCH YARD, AND WATERLOO PLACE, PALL MALL. 1837. боб. ILLUME GENERAL SYNOPSIS OF THE CONTENTS. The mystery of God's eternal purpose to call all men to salvation through Jesus Christ, was made known to St. Paul by imme- diate revelation, and the publication of it committed to him The means by which man will be accounted righteous, and attain eternal life, is Faith: an unhesitating confidence in the truth of those unseen things which the word of God declares to him: the same kind of faith by which the patriarchs and holy men of old found acceptance with God. p. 7. Ch. II. p. 153 Its first object is the existence and moral government of one God; a persuasion which is the groundwork of all religion. Its next object is the manifestation of God to us in the eternal Our faith in the incarnate Son consists also in a persuasion that He rose again from the dead: from whence we infer the cer tainty of our own resurrection; concerning the manner of which much was revealed to St. Paul. p. 17..... Ch. V. p. 179 And that He afterwards ascended to the right hand of the Father, .... where He reigns in glory, the supreme Head of the universal Church; and in the appointed time He will come again from thence to judge the world: when having triumphed over Death, man's last remaining enemy, He will deliver up His mediatorial kingdom to the Father. p. 20. Ch. VI. p. 187 The next object of our faith is the Holy Spirit. The believer's knowledge of the free grace and love of God in Jesus Christ should produce in him an entire change of heart and conduct. But God alone can work in him the wish to be brought into this state; or bring him into it. And therefore Christ since His ascension has been made the author of our sanctification, as well as of our redemption, by sending to us the Holy Spirit, to quicken us to all righteousness, and thus assure us of our adoption as the sons of God. All spiritual endowments are His gifts. He was the inspirer of the scriptures, the teacher of the secret things of God to the apostles, and is our guide in the understanding of them. He strengthens our infirmities, and suggests and advocates our prayers. And, in order to be made free from the curse of sin and death, we must endeavour to walk in all things according to His guidance, in reliance on His promised aid. p. 24. Ch. VII. p. 195 Our first great duty is to God: the dedication of ourselves both in soul and body to His glory. Idolatry is incompatible with God's service and He is as much provoked to jealousy by the spiritual idolatry of devoting ourselves to any sin or any earthly object more than to Himself. Praise, thanksgiving, and prayer are to be offered to Him: but these are to be addressed to Him, and every act we do with reference to God is to be done, only in the name of Jesus Christ. p. 30. Ch. VIII. p. 206 The various relative duties of civil magistrate and subject; husband and wife; children and parents; master and servant; spiritual pastor and flock. The qualifications and duties of a bishop, and a deacon. The Christian minister's duties in preaching, in reproof, and in example. St. Paul's own ministerial character and conduct. p. 33. ...... Ch. IX. p. 212 : ....... |