The Righteous Mans Plea to True Happiness, Title page – Outline
THE RIGHTEOVS MANS PLEA TO TRVE HAPPINESSE IN Ten Sermons, on PSAL. 4. ver. 6.
Preached by John Stoughton Doctor in Divinity, ſometimes Fellow of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge, late Preacher of Aldermanbury, London.
Pſal. 73.25.
Whom have I in heaven but thee, and there is none upon earth that I deſire beſides thee.
Printed at London by Tho. Cotes, for Iohn Bellamie, H. Overton, A. Crooke, I. Rothwell, I. Crooke, R. Sergier, D. Freere, and R. Smith. 1640.
A Methodicall Analyſis of the Principall things contained in theſe Sermons on Pſalme 4.6. as they were left written by the AVTHOVR.
Doctrine. ALl men do univerſally and naturally deſire that good which will make them happy.
Explication.
1. Propoſition.
1 What Happineſſe.
1 Definition it is
1 Propounded
1 That excellent eſtate
Of reaſonable nature
3 Wherein it poſſeſſeth and enjoyes
4 That good which it is capable of, and can reaſonably deſire with ſatisfaction and ſecurity.
2 Explained
1 Objective good.
1 Generall
1 State of a
2 Reaſonable Nature.
3 Excellent.
2 Particular.
1 Convenient.
2 Excellent.
3 Sufficient.
4 Permanent.
2 Formall.
1 Poſſeſſion.
2 Agnition.
3 Eſtimation.
4 Fruition.
1 Delight.
2 Content.
3 Security.
2 Diſtribution from the
1 Subject.
1 God.
2 Reaſonable creature.
1 Angels,
2 Men requires.
1 Fruition of good
1 Internall right frame of
1 Soule
2 Body
1 Plenitude of underſtanding
2 Rectitude of will.
2 Externall.
1 Inſtrumentall. foreign.
2 Principall. foreign.
2 Operation. foreign.
2 Kindes and degrees.
1 Deficient.
2 Sufficient.
3 Perficient.
2 How all men deſire it.
1 Morally
1 Ignorantly.
2 Inconſtantly.
2 Naturally.
1 Vniverſally.
1 Conſideration of Happineſſe.
1 Generall.
2 Particular.
2 Interpretation of Appetite.
1 Elicit.
2 Innate.
3 Condition of men.
1 Wiſe.
2 Weake.
2 Neceſſarily.
2 Probation.
1 foreign.
1 Scripture.
2 Experience of
1 Good.
2 Bad.
2 foreign. Reaſon.
1 Conſtitution in written.
2 Not blotted out by corruption.
3 Left for ſtocke to graffe. Renovation.
2 Application.
1 Inſtruction.
1 Congruity of beginning with this
1 Philoſophy.
2 Mechanicie.
2 Excellency of Divinity. Above
1 Meetes our deſires.
2 Helpes our defects:
3 Mercy of God towards,
1 Church.
1 VsUs.
4 Miſery of Man.
1 Knowes not.
2 Seekes not.
3 Likes not.
5 Poſſibility and way of cure.
1 Invincibly.
2 Inviolately.
2 Exhortation to
1 Preachers.
2 People.
1 Obſerve Inclination.
2 Acquire Direction.
3 Fixe Reſolution.
4 Force Execution.
2. Doctrine, That not the Quinteſſence of any, nor the confluence of all created things can make a man happy.
1 Explication.
1 Propoſition.
1 Subject.
1 Created good. Nor
1 Quinteſſence of beſt
1 Accompliſhments
1 Intrinſecall of the
1 Mind. Vertues
1 Intellectuall.
2 Morall.
2 Body.
2 Extrinſecall of
Fortune.
2 Additaments.
1 Intrinſecall of
1 Honour.
2 Pleaſures.
2 Extrinſecall of
1 Riches.
2 Friends.
2 Confluence of
1 Many
2 All.
2 Without God they
1 What God may make Acceſſion.
2 Without God.
1 May breed imagination of happineſſe.
2 Cannot give poſſeſſion of
1 Principall, Royall.
2 Reall.
2 Predicate cannot give happines either
1 Supernaturall. Naturall.
2 Perfect. True.
2 Probation.
1 foreign. Mat. 5.
1 Scripture.
1 De.
34.12.
73.18.
44.15.
2 Hoſ. 2.21.
3 Ier. 9 23.
4 Tim. 6.17.
2 Experience.
1 Extraordinary. Eccles.
2 Ordinary.
3 Reaſon.
2 foreign. Nature of
1 Happineſſe wherein muſt be
1 Perfection.
2 Satisfaction.
2 Created things. 1 Each. 2 All good in them.
1 Defective ſhort
2 Diminutive narrow. No
1 Perfection.
2 Satisfaction.
3 Derivative ſhallow, without God not
Had.
Held.
Happy
3 Man requires good
1 Long immortall.
2 Large univerſall.
3 Deepe ſpirituall.
2 Application.
1 Inſtruction to
1 Correct our Iudgements concerning happineſſe of
1 Others.
2 Our ſelves.
2 Convince errour of
1 Worldly Philoſophers.
2 Godly Profeſſors.
2 Reprehenſion of
1 Practices of the
1 Worldly.
2 Godly.
2 Pretences: there
1 Should be vaſt difference.
2 May be cleare evidence, if we conſider
1 Expenſe of
1 Times, Paines.
2 Thoughts, Cares.
2 Neglect of
1 God.
2 Neighbour.
3 Soule.
3 Exhortation.
1 Duty. Learne to
1 Abate for world.
1 Action.
2 Affection.
3 Apprehenſion. Opinion.
2 Tranſlate to better things,
1 God.
2 Heaven.
3 Holineſſe.
3 Moderate.
1 Griefe of
1 Want.
2 Loſſe.
2 Envy.
3 Delight of Fruition.
4 Deſire of poſſeſſion, be ready to
1 Communicate.
2 Abdicate.
2 Motives. Conſider
1 Vanity of the world
1 Immortall.
2 Mortall.
2 Condition of man
3 Excellency of Duty.
3. Doctrine. God and his favour, the light of his countenance ſhining on us, is that excellent good, which can alone, without the helpe of any creatures without any created thing, make a man truely and perfectly happy.
1 Explication.
1 Propoſition
1 subject
1 Materiall
1 God, according to his
1 Eſſence.
2 Perſon.
2 His favour
1 Generall.
2 Speciall.
2 Formall
1 Poſſeſſion by
1 Vocation.
2 Covenant.
2 Fruition.
1 Direct through
1 Donatives.
2 Duties.
2 Reflexive.
2 Predicate in
1 Generall. Good. Excellent.
2 Speciall. According to the
1 Thing, beatificall good, in life
1 Preſent, truely reall.
2 Future, perfectly royall.
2 Manner, Singular.
1 Without the helpe of the creature
1 Abſent.
2 Adverſant.
2 Himſelfe alone, Sufficiently. Efficiently.
2 Probation.
1 foreign.
1 Scripture.
1 Teſtimonies
1 Numb. 16.23.
2 Epiſtles.
3 Pſalmes.
27.4.
36.7.
65.4.
144.25.
2 Examples
1 Sam. 30.6.
2 Heb. 3.17.
2 Experience of the Faithfull.
1 Singular.
2 Particular.
2 foreign. Nature of
1 Happineſſe, requiring
1 Perfection.
2 Satisfaction.
2 Man which requires it, 1 Long. 2 Large. 3 Deep.
3 God in
1 Generall, All-ſufficient by way of
1 Cauſality.
2 Eminency.
3 Negation.
2 Speciall.
1 Perfection.
1 Power.
2 Wiſdome.
3 Goodwill.
2 Proportion.
3 Conjunction which is moſt
1 Intimate.
2 Indiſſoluble.
2 Application.
1 Inſtruction of the ignorant.
1 Godly
1 Felicity.
2 Dignity.
2 Wicked.
1 Miſery.
2 Indignity.
2 Reprehenſion of the madneſſe of the
1 Wicked, who neither
1 Seeke, God.
2 Care for, God.
3 Eſteeme of God.
2 Godly, who
1 Know it.
2 Profeſſe to believe it.
3 Neglect it.
3 Exhortation to the weake.
1 Know.
2 Believe.
3 Ponder.
4 Meditate.
5 Make God the ſtrength of it.
1 Seeke
1 Preſume not upon
1 Fortune.
2 Church.
3 Knowledge.
4 Common Grace.
2 Make ſure of it.
2 Retaine
1 Acknowledge his favour.
2 Seeke his face.
1 Eſchew evill.
2 Doe good.
3 Eſteeme God, ſo muſt
1 Rich.
2 Poore.
3 All.
2 Motives.
Poſſeſſion of God brings
1 The greateſt joy.
1 A more noble joy.
2 A more cordiall joy.
3 A more permanent joy.
2 The ſweeteſt peace.
4 Doct. Sound knowledge and beliefe, joyned with ſoveraigne feare and love, and both theſe crowned with ſyncere repentance and obedience, according to the line and light of the true religion, is the only way to bring a man to true happineſſe.
Explication. 1 Propoſition. 1 Subject.
1 Particular.
1 Sound knowledge and beliefe.
1 Act with Object.
1 Knowledge, in
1 Generall.
2 Speciall, of
1 God, in his
1 Excellent Nature; ſhining in his
1 Attributes.
2 Workes.
2 Revealed Will. Covenant, which he
1 Commands, in the
1 Law. Obedience.
1 Holineſſe.
2 Righteouſneſſe.
2 Goſpell.
1 Faith.
2 Repentance.
2 Commends by
1 Menaces.
2 Promiſes.
2 Divine things.
2 Faith. Aſſent
1 To Gods truth.
2 On Gods Word.
2 Manner. Sound, for
1 Matter. Extenſion. Sufficient of Neceſſaries,
1 Reſpectively.
2 Abſolutely.
2 Manner.
1 Subſtantiall. Penetrative.
2 Effectuall Operative.
2 Soveraigne feare and love.
1 Act.
1 Feare.
2 Love.
2 Manner.
1 Sonne-like.
2 Soveraigne.
3 Sincere Obedience, repentance.
1 Act.
1 Repentance.
1 Morall, Legall.
2 Evangelicall.
2 Obedience.
2 Manner, ſincere.
1 Characters.
1 Riſe.
2 Rule.
3 Race.
2 Cognizances.
1 Vniverſality. Currant. Adequate to the
1 Act, eſchewing all evill, doing all good.
2 Rule, Decalogue, firſt, ſecond Table.
3 State in generall. Particular Calling.
2 Perpetuity, conſtant.
2 Generall. All theſe
1 Are required both
1 Abſolutely.
2 Comparatively.
1 Knowledge and Faith.
2 Feare and Love.
3 Repentance and Obedience.
2 Muſt be regulated by the light and line of the true Religion.
1 None but that can teach theſe.
2 Theſe are all that that teacheth.
2 Theſe are the way to all happineſſe.
1 What way.
1 Sufficient.
1 Effectually.
2 OnelyOnly.
2 Neceſſary.
2 To what happineſſe.
1 True.
1 Inchoate.
2 Conſummate.
2 All.
2 Probation.
1 foreign.
1 Scripture.
1 Knowledge, Faith, Joh. 17.3.
2 Feare, Love, Prov. ….7. Rom. 8.
3 Repentance, Obedience, Pſal. 15.
1 Diſtinctly.
2 Conjunctly.
1 Knowledge and faith, Ioh. 13.17.
2 Knowledge and feare, Prov. 9.10.
3 Feare and obedience, Deut. 3.29.
4 Knowledge, love, obedience, 1 Chron. 28.9.
2 Conſcience.
2 foreign.
1 Happineſſe in Gods Favour.
2 Gods favour by theſe.
2 Application.
1 Confutation.
2 Conviction.
3 Examination.
4 Reprehenſion.
5 Exhortation. 1 Particular. Get 1 Knowledge.
1 What for the
1 Object, divine.
2 Act.
1 Apprehenſion.
2 Aſſent.
3 Degree.
1 Extenſively.
2 Intenſively.
3 Proportionally.
2 How.
1 Preparatives.
1 Humility.
2 Ingenuity.
1 Freedome from
1 Partiality.
2 Prejudice.
2 Full
1 Eſtimation.
2 Affection.
2 Perfectives.
1 Conſcience.
2 Diligence to allow time.
1 Imploy parts.
2 Improve meanes.
1 Publike.
2 Private.
3 Prudence.
3 Wherefore Conſider the
1 Thing, which is a
1 Speciall ornament.
2 Initiall Lineament.
3 Perpetuall Regiment.
4 Effectuall Inſtrument.
2 Times of
1 Goſpell.
2 Reforamation.
2 Get feare, love.
1 What, for the
1 Object, placed on God.
2 Act, tempered together.
3 Degree, Soveraigne.
2 How, in
1 Generall, by taking
1 Heed to chaſe away other
1 Feare.
2 Love.
2 Care to chafe in theſe.
2 Particular, by
1 Conſtant Application.
2 Vigilant Caution.
3 Frequent Excitation.
4 Pregnant Meditation of
1 Vanity of world.
2 Excellency of God.
3 Nobility of Man.
1 Immortall ſoule.
2 Mortall body.
3 Wherefore theſe,
1 Beſt fruit of knowledge.
2 Next root of obedience.
3 Only grace of either, without which neither
1 Knowledge ſaving.
2 Obedience pleaſing.
3 Get repentance, obedience.
1 What, for the
1 Act, in all parts,
1 Thought.
2 Word.
3 Deed.
2 Manner, ſincere.
1 Intrinſecally, in the true
1 Riſe, from
1 Knowledge, Faith.
2 Feare, Love.
2 Rule.
3 Race.
2 Extrinſecally.
1 Vniverſall, in
1
2 Negative, Affirmative.
3 Thought, Word, Deed.
2 Perpetuall.
2 How, in
1 Particular, by
1 Increaſing forme,
2 Excerciſing theſe.
1 Knowledge.
2 Faith.
3 Feare.
4 Love.
2 Generall.
1 Serious conſideration, whereto take
1 Heed of
1 Carnall
1 Reaſonings.
2 Feare.
3 Sloth.
2 Worldly diſtractions.
2 Hint of
1 Outward occaſions.
2 Inward motions.
2 Strong reſolution.
3 Speedy execution.
3 Wherefore, theſe are the
1 Scope of Both.
2 Seale of Truth.
3 Scale of all our
1 Owne conſolation.
2 Neighbours edification.
3 Gods glorification.
2 Generall. Seeke
1 All theſe.
1 How, in the due
1 Order.
2 Temper.
3 Manner.
2 Wherefore.
1 Each of them in conjunction
1 Beautifies.
2 Fortifies.
3 Beatifies.
2 Neither of them in ſeparation can
1 Subſiſt in ſincerity.
2 Support in anxiety.
3 Suffice in felicity.
2 True Religion.
1 Magnifie.
2 Certifie.
3 Satisfie.
3 Happineſſe, in theſe.
1 What, happineſſe, which is
1 Deſirable, attaineable.
2 Miſerable in world.
3 Incomparable in God.
4 Indubitable in this way.
2 Why.
1 Neceſſity of thing.
2 Mortality of man.
3 Mutability of times.
4 Excellency of gaine.
5 Oppurtunity of grace.