The Christian Armory, Table of contents
A LARGE TABLE, CONtaining the chiefe points, heads, and particulars, that are handled and applied in both the Bookes of this CHRISTIAN ARMORIE.
The first Booke.
CHAP. I.
THe originall of mans sinne and miserie.
What sinne is.
Who is the subiect of it.
What be the kinds of it.
What is originall sinne.
The titles and names of it.
The parts, causes, and vses of it.
Why the corruption of it remaineth in Gods children.
What was Adams fall.
What was the obiect of it.
Why the eating of an Apple was so grieuously punished.
The instrumentall and formall cause of his fall.
How God did forsake our first parents.
Why did God permit their fall.
How it can stand with Gods iustice, that all Adams posterity should smart for his sinne.
How can Adams personall sinne be imputed to his posterity.
How can parents deriue corruption vntounto their children.
The parents doe not beget the soules of their children, how can they then infuse corruption into them.
What vse are we to make hereof.
What is actuall sinne.
The o…iginall of it.
The inward and outward causes of it.
The difference betweene originall and actuall sinne.
CHAP. II.
What followeth sinne.
Whether afflictions and temporall euils be (properly) cur…es and satisfactions to Gods iustice.
How are they qualified to the beleeuers.
The sinnes of Gods el…ct are forgiuen, and why are not the chastisements with a…l remoud.
The vse of the point.
CHAP. III.
What the crosse is.
Why no …eruant of God is freed from it.
What is to bee thought of them that feele no crosse.
The vse of the point.
Whether that the crosse be good or not.
For what ends God doth crosse and afflict his c…ildren.
Wh… doe not the same ends, effects, and euents appeare in the wicked.
Arguments to mooue vsus to patience vnderunder the crosse.
Comfortable conclusions and meditations against the crosse.
What duties are to bee performed towards the afflicted.
CHAP. IIII. How the Crosse is to bee diuided and distinguished.
What comforts are there against warre.
Comfo…ts and holy counsaile for them that are foiled in battaile.
What duties are to be performed in time of war
Comforts against ciuill warre.
What duties are then to be performed.
CHAP. V.
Whether that the plague be infectious or not.
Whether a Christian may lawfully flee i… the time of the plague.
Certain obiections answered.
The duty of them that flee.
The duties of them that abide at home.
Why God somtimes, doth by the pestilence cut downe and destroy so many thousands.
Heauenly meditations against the plague.
The duties that the visited persons are to performe towards God, themselues and their neighbours.
CHAP. VI.
Meditations against death and famine.
What are the outward causes of it.
What vse is to be made hereof.
For what speciall sinnes it is sent.
Duties to be practised.
CHAP. VII
Comforts against wrong and oppression.
The duties of the oppressed.
Manifold meditations and comforts against pouerty and want.
The vse of pouerty.
Comforts and directions for them that feare pouerty, by reason of a great charge of children.
Comforts against meannesse and basenesse of birth and parentage.
For what ends doth God expose his children to so many losses
Comforts against the spoile and losse of worldly goods.
Duties then to be performed.
CHAP. VIII.
Comforts and directions for them that are cosened and defrauded.
Duties then to be performed.
CHAP. VIV.
What sicknesse is.
Who is the author of it.
The end why it is inflicted.
The procuring cause of it.
Spirituall comforts against it.
Duties to be performed.
Comforts against sharpnesse and violence of sicknesse.
How a Christian must then behaue himselfe.
Comforts against the long cōtinuance of sicknes.
Comforts for them that cannot sleepe.
Comforts for the sicke that cannot goe out of doores.
Comforts for them that are in their sicknes, falled and forsaken of their friends and kinsfolke.
Duties then to be performed.
Consolations against the concurrence of many euils,
Comforts against paines in childbearing.
Comforts against old age.
How an old man must behaue himselfe.
CHAP. X. Of Death.
What death is.
The procuring cause of it.
The imposer of it.
What it is in it owne nature.
What it is to Gods children.
Why regenerate men die.
Why are not the bodies of Gods Saints departed, glorified together with their soules.
Why the bodies of Henoch and Elias died not, but were rapt vp into heauen.
Why infants die.
Whether that sudden death be a curse.
The vse of the point.
Whether it be lawfull to pray against sudden death or not.
Comforts against violent death by the enemies sword.
CHAP. XI. Of the supposed euils that death bringeth.
Comforts against the vntimely death of worthy men in authoritie.
What vse we are to make of their vntimely deth▪
Comforts against the death of friends, and benefactors.
CHAP. XII. Comforts against the death of kinsfolke.
Comforts for him that hath parted with a good wife.
Comforts for a wife that hath lost a good husband.
Comforts for parents that hauehave parted with vertuous Children.
The vse that is to be made thereof.
Comforts for poore Orphanes, that want father and mother.
Their duties.
Comforts against the death of brethrē & sisters.
The vse of the point.
Comforts for a married man that dieth without Children.
CHAP. XIII. Of the priuatiue benefits of Death.
What be the euills that death freeth Gods children from.
What vse is to be made hereof.
Wheth…r it bee lawfull for any man to kill himselfe that hee may bee eased of his present paine.
Whether that death is to be feared.
In what respects death is to be feared.
In what respects it is not to be feared.
How we are to be defended against the fear of it.
What are …he positiue ben…fits of death▪
Whether that a man (in this mortality) can hauehave a tast of eternall life.
What considerations and practises are necessary her… unto.
How he must ground these meditations in his hart.
Why do regenerate men die.
Whether that death may be desired.
In what respects.
Whether it be lawfull to desi…e life.
What is required that a man may die well.
Whether that preparation against death bee necessary.
Wherein it doth consist.
What are the meditations.
What duties must the sicke man performe towards God.
Why so.
What duties must he perfo…me▪ to his neighbour.
What duties must he perfo…me▪ to his owne familie.
What duties is he to pe…form towards himselfe.
What will follow vponupon the performance of these duties.
VVhat is a right disposition in death.
VVhether that it be necessary.
The parts of it.
VVhat it is to die in faith.
What is the benefit hereof.
How is faith to be expressed.
What is it to die in obedience.
How is this duty to be performed.
What it is to surrender our soules into Gods hands.
Comforts against death.
What vse is to be made hereof.
CHAP. XIIII. Of Personall and particular euils.
Comforts against impotency and deformity of body.
Comforts against lamenesse, blindnesse, deafenesse, dumbnesse.
CHAP. XV. Of outward particular euils, or crosses.
Comforts against euill husbands.
Comforts against euill wiues.
Comforts against euill children.
Comforts against euill and vnfaithfull Seruants.
Comforts against euill Lords and Masters.
CHAP. XVI. Of priuate euils that are from without vsus.
Comforts against shrewd mothers in lawe.
Comforts for them that receiue foiles and repulses in lawfull suites.
Counsaile and comfort for such as are either vndone or much decayed by …uretiship.
Comforts for them whose good seruice is neither respected, no… rewarded.
Comforts against barrennes in wiues.
Comforts against false imprisonment.
Comforts for them that are oppressed in their lawfull suite.
CHAP. XVII. Of extraordinary euils to which the bodies of men are subiect.
What is witchcraft.
Whether that Gods children can be bewitched.
The vse of the point.
Why doth God suffer his children to bee thus tormented.
What vse is to be made of the point.
Why doth Satan seeke rather to annoy Gods children then the reprobate.
The spirituall remedies against witchcraft.
What possession is.
Whether that there be any in these daies.
Whether there can yet be any possession, seeing that the miraculous gift of expelling them, is ceased.
Whether the Demoniaks in Christ his time, were possessed by the diuell, or only obsessed or tormented from without.
Whether that any of Gods children were, are, or can be possessed by Satan.
Generall comforts and directions against possession.
The duties of the possessed.
What duties are the friends and those that attend vponupon the possessed, to performe.
The second booke.
CHAP. I. Of anguish of mind and distresse of Conscience.
VVHat distresse of mind is.
Why of all crosses and troubles it is the greatest.
Why doth God sometimes try and exercise his children by so great afflictions.
Comforts against the long continuāce of them.
From what cau…es distresse of mind ariseth.
VVhat comfortable m…ditations are necessary for the regaining the losse of Gods gratious fauour once sweetly felt.
The vse of the point.
Comforts for those that are troubled in conscience for some notable sinne committed.
Comforts against the long continuance of inward and outward troubles.
What melancholy is.
How it causeth distresse of conscience.
How it differeth from trouble of conscience.
Comfort against sadnes and heauinesse of mind.
Comforts against fearefull dreames.
Practises to preuent it.
Comforts and remedies for him that is weary of this life by reason of troubles and discontentments.
What desperation is.
How it is (ordinarily) caused.
Meditations and remedies against it.
The vse of the doctrine.
Comforts against the fear of the last iudgement.
The vse of it.
Comforts against the feare of Hell.
CHAP. II. Of doubtings.
Why God doth suffer his children, to bee persecuted with doubtings.
Whether that they can be thus distressed.
Why it is proper to them, to be this way tempted and afflicted.
The meanes to suppresse doubtings.
What practises are good for this purpose. Comforts & resolutions, for them that doubt of their adoption, by reason of the number & greatnesse of their sinnes.
What be the meanes to remoue these doubtings.
Resolution for him that doubteth, whether that Christ be his Sauiour in particular, or not.
Whether that hypocrites and prophane persons can, or do, euer soundly apply Gods generall promises.
Whether a weake and a doubting faith, be a true faith, or not.
Comforts for them that are to encounter with most dangerous temptations, in discharging their particular callings.
Whether that the diuersitie of interpretation of Scriptures, bee any sufficient argument to prooue that they are not Gods word.
How canne the preaching and reading of them, make some worse if that they bee Gods word.
Why God suffereth the faith of his Saints to labour of so many doubts.
CHAP. III. Of imperfections in prayer and sanctification.
The duties that a Christian is to performe when hee perceiueth many imperfections in his prayers.
The vse of them.
Whether that dulnesse and drowsines in prayer can stand with true sanctification.
The vse that is to be made hereof.
Whether euill and vaine thoughts in prayer can consist with true sanctification.
What course a christian must take for his helpe heerin.
Comforts for them whose prayers God delayeth
Whether that a regenerate man may bee negligent and remisse in the duties of thāksgiuing.
Remedies for a mans recouery herein.
What practises are necessary.
CHAP. IIII. Of often falling into, and continuance of a man, in one and the same sinne.
Whether that a regenerate man can fall eftsoons into one and the same sinne.
The vse of the point.
Whether a true sanctified man can possibly he long in one and the same sinne.
The vse of it.
CHAP. V. Of small profiting by the word and Sacraments.
Whether little profiting by the ministery of the word and Sacraments, be no profiting at al.
The vse of the question.
Comforts and directions for him that is dull in conceiuing and vnderstanding Gods word.
Directions & comforts for Gods child that is troubled with a weake memorie.
What meanes are good to cure hardnes of hart.
Counsaile and directions for them that complaine that they feele no present encrease of faith and comfort by the Lords supper.
How a man is to prepare himselfe before hee heare the word of God, or receiue the Sacraments.
What wee must iudge of them that hauing a great desire to obey, faile in the act of obedience.
Whether Gods children be at any time assaulted with blasphemous thoughts.
How blasphemous thoughts arising from within vsus, are to be reformed, or remoued.
How wee must arme our selues against blasphemous thoughts obiected from without vsus.
CHAP. VI. Of scandales and offences.
VVhat a scandall is?
Why God permitteth it.
What are the kinds of it.
What is a scandall giuen.
Of how many kinds it is.
The vse that is to be made of scandals giuen.
How a Christian shall or must preserue himselfe against the scandall and contagion of false doctrine.
What duties he is to practise herein.
How a Christian may stay and comfort himselfe in a generall apostasie from the Gospell of Christ.
What duties he is to practise at such a time.
Comforts against the scandal of false excommunication.
Comforts against the scandall of innocency oppressed.
Why God doth so seuerely handle holy and innocent men.
The vse of the point.
Comforts and directions for weake Christians, that are offended at the loose life, and vile practises of some professo…s.
What practises are then necessary.
Comforts against the apostasie of eminent and famous persons.
How we may preuent it in our selues.
Whether popish Martyrs be true martyrs.
We may preserue our selues from this scandall.
How a man is to arme and comfort himselfe against factions, schismes, and diuisions preuailing in the Church.
How we must behaue our selues at such a time.
Consolations against euill & vnquiet neighbors.
Consolations against false and fained friends.
Comforts for Princes that are troubled with euill and disobedient subiects.
Comforts for subiects wronged and oppressed.
Comforts and directions against the scandall of euill, idle, and offensiue Ministers.
Comforts and directions against a generall corruption in manners.
CHAP. VII
What is an offence taken.
What are the causes of it.
Comforts against the offence that wicked men take against vsus.
How shall Gods children comfort themselues when wicked men are offended at their lawfull vse of things indifferent.
Comforts against afflictions of good men.
CHAP. VIII.
How shall Gods children reforme themselues, or resolue their minds, that are scandalized at the long raigne and prosperity of tyrants and persecutors.
Reasons to remoue Gods children from conceiuing offence at the long impunity of euill doers.
Why God doth not alike punish in this world, all euill doers, but spareth many.
Why doth God in the execution of publike iudgments, as of warre, pestilence, famine, include the good with the wicked.
CHAP. IX. Touching Persecution.
What persecution is.
Whether that persecutours in any generation, doe, or can, roote out the Church.
For what ends God doth suffer his Church and children to be so persecuted.
Who are Gods instruments herein.
Why doth God vse the ministerie of wicked men in the chastising of his children.
Why wicked men do so persecute the godly.
Whether that in persecution, Gods children may not lawfully vse all good meanes to preserue themselues.
Whether that Gods children be gainers by persecution.
Reasons to mooue vsus to constancie.
What practices are necessary for this purpose.
What duties are wee to performe towards the persecuted.
CHAP. X.
The kinds of persecution.
Comforts against contempt.
How wee must behaue our selues when wee are contemned.
What enuie is.
How a Christian must, or should arme himselfe against it.
What vse are we to make hereof.
Comforts against hatred and malice.
Whether that wee may lawfullie hate them that hate vsus.
How are we to behaue our selues, when wee are maligned and hated.
Comforts against slander.
How the belied and slandered, should behaue themselues.
Comforts against whipping.
Comforts against the violent taking away of our goods, by the publike enemie.
What duties must wee then performe, when we are thus violently handled.
Comforts against exile and banishment.
How must wee behaue our selues, when wee are banished out of our country.
Comforts against slauerie and bondage.
What vse are we to make hereof.
Consolations against nakednesse.
Why God suffereth so many of his children, to be deuoured by the sword.
Comforts against this violent kind of death.
What vse is to be made hereof.
Comforts against the want of Christian buriall.
What vse is to be made hereof.
Speciall considerations and consolations, against all kind of persecutions.
What duties we must then performe.
CHAP. XI.
The generall vse, and application, or the breue and epitome, of the whole treatise.
FINIS.
End of the text · Thomas Draxe, The Christian Armory (1611)