1. GOD whom we ought to ferve, 1 Chron.

xxviii. 9.

1. His Effence, Exod. ii. 14.

2. His Properties, Exod. xxxiv. 6.
3. His Works.

1. Creation.

2. Providence.

2. Chrift, by whom alone we can serve him, John xvii. 3. 1 Cor. ii 2.

3. The Scriptures, Mat. xxii. 29.

4. Our Duty contained in them, the whole Moral Law.

The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper.

II. How may we attain true Knowledge? In order thereunto,

1. Be fenfible of your own ignorance, and by confequence careful not to conceit your felves to be wife, and knowing People, Prov. xxvi. 12. 1 Cor. iii. 18.

2. Avoid carnal Pleafures and fenfual Delights, Eph. iv. 18.

3. Devote your felves to Holiness and a Pious Life, Pfal. cxix. 99, 100. John xiv. 21. Pfal. xxv. 14.

4. Belowly and humble in your own Eyes, not only in respect of Knowledge, but also of Grace and Virtue, Rom xii. 3. otherwise you will not be qualifyed for it, I Pet. v. 5. Being by thele means qualityed for true Chriftian Knowledge, ufe the means appointed. 1. Pray for it, Jam. i. 5. Pfal. cxix. 18. 1 Kings iii. 9, 12.

2. Read and hear the Word of GOD, 2 Tim. iii. 16, 17.

To which may be added, Catechifing and Mc

ditation.

3. Practice what you know, and that is the way to know niore, John xiii. 17.

III Why should you labour after so much Knowledge?

1. Without Knowledge yeare like brute Beufts, Pfal. xxxii. 9. yea worfe, Ifa. i. 2, 3. 2. Ignorance is the caufe of Error and Herefie, Mat. xxii. 29.

3. It is the cause of fin too, 1 Cor. ii. 8. Pf. cxix. 33, 34.

4 And of Destruction, Hof. iv. 6.

5. Without Knowledge you can do no good Work, Rom. x. 2, 3.

6. Nor ever get to Heav'n, Luke xi. 52. Hence fee the Neceffity of Catechifing. Teach your Children at home, and fend them hither.

2 PET.

2 PET. i. 6.

And to knowledge temperance.

IW Hat is Temperance?

1. GOD hath made feveral Objects plealing

to Man's Senfes.

2. The Affections of the Soul are apt to follow the Senfes of the Body.

3. Hence fenfual Pleasures are apt to draw us

into Vice.

4. It is our great Duty and Intereft to moderate our Affections to fenfual Plea

fures.

5. Herein confifteth the true Nature of Temperance, not in deftroying the Affections.

More particularly it confifteth,

1. In keeping our Affections fubject to Reafon and Religion, and fo denying them what is unlawful, Tit. ii. 12.

2. In abstaining efpecially from fuch Lufts, as by our Calling, Condition or Conftitution, we are moft fubject to, 1 Per. iv. 2, 3, 4.

3. In abstaining from the inward Defires, as well as the outward Acts of Intemperance, Col. iii. 5. Rom. viii. 13. Mat. v.

28.

4. In not being too much lift up with the Increase, nor caft down with the Lofs of fenfual Pleasures, 1 Cor. vii. 29, 30, 31. 2 Cor. vi. 10.

II. How may we attain this Vertue? 1. Confider that all Intemperance leaves a Sting, a Curfe behind it, Prov. xxiii. 29, 30. Ifa. v. 11.

2. Confider that it makes a Man unfit for his particular, much more for his general Calling, Hof. iv. 11. Luke xxi. 34. and fo is an Inlet to all manner of Villany and Wickedness.

To Adultery, Fornication, Theft, Mur-
der, Perjury, and what not?

3. Hence look not at fenfual Pleasures as they
come, but as they go, Rom. vi. 21.
4. Refuse and fupprefs the firft Motions to
Intemperance, Fam. i. 14, 15. And
keep not Company with those who are
addicted to it, I Cor. v. 11.

5. Confider often the great Work you have
to do, and how neceffary Tempe-
rance is, in order to the effecting of it,
I Cor. ix, 24, 25, 27.

6. Employ your Affections upon their proper Objects, and you will foon defpife all Brutish Pleasures.

2 PET.

2 PET. 1. 6.

And to temperance patience.

Hat is Patience?

1. W Hat is

1. GOD orders the World, and difpofeth of every thing in it, Mat. x. 29, 30.

2. As he gives Comforts, fo it is he too that gives Troubles, Ifa. xlv. 7. Job. i. 2. and ii. 10.

3. As we are to moderate our Affections to the Pleasures, fo we are to moderate them to Troubles too. The first is Temperance, and the other Patience.

So as

1. Not to faint under any Trouble,Heb. xii.
5. Prov. xxiv. 10. Heb. x. 35, 36.
2. Not to murmur or repine against GOD,
1 Cor. x. 10. Rom. ix. 20.

3. Nor retain any Malice or revengeful
Thoughts against his Inftruments,

1 Pet. ii. 20. and iii. 9. Mat. v. 44. 4. But to be always ready to bear any Trouble, A&ts xxi. 13.

5. That we rejoyce and be thankful for whatsoever we here meet with, Heb. x. 34. A&ts v. 41. Mat. v. II, 12. Job i.22. Fam. V. II.

II. What Reason have we to be patient under all our Trouble?

Because,

1. They are no more than what GOD may justly lay upon us, we having juftly de