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45 chapters
DISCOURSES
DISCOURSES
on some of the Important and Interesting TRUTHS, DUTIES, and INSTITUTIONS of the GOSPEL, and the general Excellency of the Christian Religion; Calculated for the People of God of every Communion, particularly for the benefit of PIOUS FAMILIES, and the Instruction of all, in the things which concern their salvation. By NATHAN PERKINS , A. M. Pastor of a Church of Christ in Hartford. HARTFORD: printed by hudson & goodwin. MDCCXCV. ...
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DEDICATION.
DEDICATION.
To the people of my Pastoral Charge—The following discourses are most affectionately dedicated. I account it a happiness to contribute to your establishment in the truth—to unfold to you the great principles, duties, and Institutions of the Christian Religion—to defend them against such as may rise up and deny them—and to lead you and your children in the right way of the Lord. I can bear you witness, that when these discourses were delivered, you afforded an uncommon attention. You have been ve
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DISCOURSE I.
DISCOURSE I.
That man has no principle within himself, by whatever name it may be called, which is adequate to all the purposes of his salvation, or a sufficient guide in matters of faith and practice. Ephes. ii. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world....
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DISCOURSE III.
DISCOURSE III.
The ways in which the holy scriptures are perverted by unlearned and unstable men. 2. Peter, iii. 16, 17. As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness....
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DISCOURSE IV.
DISCOURSE IV.
Stated prayer a duty binding on all men. Acts, ii. 21. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved....
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DISCOURSE V.
DISCOURSE V.
The duty of public worship, and its beneficial tendency. Mat. iv. 10. Then saith Jesus, get thee hence Satan, for it is written thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve....
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DISCOURSE VIII.
DISCOURSE VIII.
The Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper, not a human invention, but a divine institution. Mat. xxvi. 26, to the 31. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and break it, and gave it to the disciples, and said take, eat, this is my body.—And he took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sin. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vin
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DISCOURSE IX.
DISCOURSE IX.
Baptism by water not a piece of superstition, but appointed by Jesus Christ. Mat. xxviii. And this part of the 19 verse.— Baptising them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost....
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DISCOURSE X.
DISCOURSE X.
The subject continued and finished....
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DISCOURSE XI.
DISCOURSE XI.
It is the will of the author of Christianity that, in the New Testament dispensation, there should be particular Gospel Churches. 1. Thessalonians, i. 1. Paul and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ; grace be unto you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ....
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DISCOURSE XII.
DISCOURSE XII.
The right way to understand the inspired writings. Luke, xxiv. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures....
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DISCOURSE XIII.
DISCOURSE XIII.
The Gospel to be supported by those who enjoy it. Gal. vi. 6. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teachest in all good things....
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DISCOURSE XIV.
DISCOURSE XIV.
The Apostles, infallible guides in Religion, being commissioned, and immediately qualified, and inspired by the Redeemer. 2. Thessalonians, ii. 15. Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the tradition which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our Epistle....
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DISCOURSE XV.
DISCOURSE XV.
The first day of the week proved to be holy time, and set apart by Christ, to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world. Acts, xx. 7. And upon the first day of the week when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight....
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DISCOURSE XVI.
DISCOURSE XVI.
The subject continued and concluded....
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DISCOURSE XVII.
DISCOURSE XVII.
The parable of the Tares. Mat. xiii. 24–31. Another Parable put he forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed Tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the Tares also. So the servants of the householder, came, and said unto him, Sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, from whence then hath it Tares? And he said
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DISCOURSE XVIII.
DISCOURSE XVIII.
No immediate inspiration or miraculous teachings of the divine spirit, since the canon of scripture was closed or since the apostolic age. 1. Cor. xiii. 8. Charity never faileth; but whether there be prophecies they shall fail, whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge it shall vanish away....
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DISCOURSE XIX.
DISCOURSE XIX.
Sinless perfection unattainable in this life. 1. John, i. 8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us....
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DISCOURSE XX.
DISCOURSE XX.
The Apostle’s caution to all Christians— be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines , or the danger of instability, and pernicious tendency of error. Hebrews, xiii. 9. Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines....
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DISCOURSE XXI.
DISCOURSE XXI.
The general excellency of the Christian Religion. 1. Cor. xii. 31. But covet earnestly the best gifts: yet shew I unto you, a more excellent way....
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DISCOURSE I.
DISCOURSE I.
That man has no principle within himself, by whatever name it may be called, which is adequate to all the purposes of his Salvation, or a sufficient guide in matters of faith and practice. EPHESIANS ii. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. These words describe the state of the Ephesian Christians, who, before the glorious Gospel was preached among, and
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DISCOURSE II.
DISCOURSE II.
That man has no principle within himself, by whatever name it may be called, which is adequate to all the purposes of his salvation, or a sufficient guide in matters of faith and practice. EPHESIANS ii. 12. That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the Commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the Covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world. The true character and state of mankind before savingly interested in the gospel are not generally acknowledged, o
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DISCOURSE III.
DISCOURSE III.
The ways in which the holy Scriptures are perverted by unlearned and unstable men. 2 PETER, iii. 16. 17. As also in all his Epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction. Ye therefore, beloved seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness. The holy scr
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DISCOURSE IV.
DISCOURSE IV.
Stated prayer a duty binding on all men. ACTS ii. 21. And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. These words are a quotation from the prophet Joel. And the whole quotation is the text, from which St. Peter preached that powerful Sermon, which was the mean of converting three thousand hearers.—He very pertinently applies the passage from that prophet to the remarkable day and time, in which he speaks; being the day of Pentecost, when the Apostle
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DISCOURSE V.
DISCOURSE V.
The duty of public worship, and its beneficial tendency. MATTHEW iv. 10. Then saith Jesus, get thee hence Satan, for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. It is becoming fashionable not only to disesteem, but to speak lightly of the worship of the supreme Being, the fountain of all existence and blessedness. It is to be deeply regretted, that, by many his name is profaned, his sabbaths disregarded, his ordinances neglected, and all worship of him habit
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DISCOURSE VI.
DISCOURSE VI.
The duty of public worship, and its beneficial tendency. MATTHEW iv. 10. Then saith Jesus, get thee hence Satan, for it is written Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. As the stated public worship of the supreme being is the great support of Virtue and Religion in the world, and the means of strengthening and increasing them in particular souls, my design was, with the divine assistance, to give you, in as short a compass as may be, a general view of the subject, a
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DISCOURSE VII.
DISCOURSE VII.
The duty of public worship, and its beneficial tendency. MATTHEW iv. 10. Then saith Jesus, get thee hence Satan, for it is written; Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Among all the visible Creatures, it is man’s peculiar excellency, that he is capable of considering and worshipping his Maker and was made for that purpose. Your attention is again called therefore to the duty and beneficial tendency of public worship.—We have already largely argued the duty of it f
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DISCOURSE VIII.
DISCOURSE VIII.
The Ordinance of the Lord’s Supper not a human invention, but a divine Institution. MATTHEW xxvi. 26–31. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said take, eat, this is my body.—And he took the Cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, drink ye all of it. For this is my blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sin. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, unt
32 minute read
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DISCOURSE IX.
DISCOURSE IX.
Baptism by water not a piece of Superstition, but appointed by Jesus Christ. MATTHEW xxviii.—and this part of the 19 verse. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Every true friend of Christ and his Religion mourns over every departure from the duties he enjoined, the doctrines which he taught, and the Ordinances which he appointed. The more sincere and cordial his friendship, the more dear to him, will be the duties, the doctrines and the institutions o
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DISCOURSE X.
DISCOURSE X.
Baptism by water not a piece of Superstition, but appointed by Jesus Christ. MATTHEW xxviii.—and this part of the 19 verse. Baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Ghost. I proceed, in this discourse, to lay before the audience a plain account, from scripture, of the Sacrament of Baptism as an ordinance to be observed, in Christ’s Church, or the Gospel-kingdom, to the end of the world. This, it will be acknowledged, is a very important and interesting subject. F
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DISCOURSE XI.
DISCOURSE XI.
It is the will of the Author of Christianity that, in the New-Testament dispensation, there should be particular Gospel-Churches. 1. THESSALONIANS i. 1. Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the Church of the Thessalonians, which is in God the Father, and in the Lord Jesus Christ: grace be unto you, and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ. Thessalonica was the Metropolis of that part of antient Greece, now Turkey in Europe, called Macedonia. It was built by Philip of Macedon,
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DISCOURSE XII.
DISCOURSE XII.
The right way to understand the inspired writings. LUKE xxiv. 45. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures. The design of the scriptures is to make us wise unto salvation. They contain all that is requisite as a rule of life or standard of faith. They instruct us what to believe concerning our Maker, our Redeemer, and a future State. They place before us all that is necessary to be believed, and to be done, in order to be accepted of God, and entitled to life
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DISCOURSE XIII.
DISCOURSE XIII.
The Gospel to be supported by those who enjoy it. GALATIANS vi. 6. Let him that is taught in the word, communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things. The system of doctrines, duties, and ordinances revealed in scripture is exceedingly plain, level to every capacity, and easy to be comprehended. That it is so, is one of its most engaging recommendations. Were it unintelligible, or wrapped up in obscurity and mysticism, this of itself would be a valid plea for rejecting it as an imposture
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DISCOURSE XIV.
DISCOURSE XIV.
The Apostles, infallible guides in Religion, being commissioned and immediately qualified and inspired by the Redeemer. 2 THESSALONIANS ii. 15. Therefore brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our Epistle. The word traditions, here, means those orders, truths, doctrines, or ordinances which the Apostles, under the guidance and special direction of the holy Ghost, delivered to the Churches planted and formed by them. Tradition is what is trans
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DISCOURSE XV.
DISCOURSE XV.
The first day of the week proved to be holy time, and set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world. ACTS xx. 7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. — There is no part of the Christian Religion, but has had, in one age and another, its enemies. There is no duty of it, however plain or important, but first or last, objections have b
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DISCOURSE XVI.
DISCOURSE XVI.
The first day of the week proved to be holy time, and set apart by Christ to be a weekly Sabbath to the end of the world. ACTS xx. 7. And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow, and continued his speech until midnight. I do not know that I can introduce this discourse, more pertinently, than in the words of a pious writer.—“Let any man,” saith he, “show me in the law of the Sabbath, either weakness o
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DISCOURSE XVII.
DISCOURSE XVII.
The Parable of the Tares. MATTHEW xiii. 24–31. Another Parable put he forth unto them, saying, the kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field, but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up and brought forth fruit, then appeared the Tares also. So the Servants of the householder, came and said unto him, sir, didst thou not sow good seed in thy field, from whence then hath it Tares? And he sai
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DISCOURSE XIX.
DISCOURSE XIX.
Sinless perfection unattainable in this Life. 1 JOHN i. 8. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. The great foundation-principles of the Christian Religion are so plain in themselves, that it would be natural to conclude, that none who admit its reality, could be found who should be able either to controvert or deny them. For the principles of Christian doctrine, which are really necessary to salvation, are not only few in number, but most clearly reveal
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DISCOURSE XXII.
DISCOURSE XXII.
The general excellency of the Christian Religion. 1 CORINTHIANS xii. 31. But covet earnestly the best gifts; yet show I unto you a more excellent way. The more excellent way here spoken of, is that of Charity, by which we are not to understand a liberal and bountiful disposition, or mere almsgiving, or a favourable opinion of the good or safe state of others, which is the general acceptation of the word in common discourse, and in some writers, but the great principle of love to God and man, whi
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DISCOURSE XXIII.
DISCOURSE XXIII.
The general excellency of the Christian Religion. I CORINTHIANS xii. 31. But covet earnestly the best gifts; yet show I unto you a more excellent way. What was proposed from these words, was to consider at some length, not merely the excellence of Charity or holy benevolent affection, which is the meaning of the word Charity in the holy scriptures, but the general excellence of the Christian Religion. Two discourses have already been devoted to the illustration of this, which of all others is on
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