The Mystery of Self-Deceiving, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS of this booke.
I. THe Preface, wherein the text Ier. 17. is opened. pag. 1.
II. Doctrine of the hearts deceitfulnesse: where
1. the kindes of this deceitfulnesse.
2. the illustrations.
The kinds are two. 1. That whereby wee deceiue others onelyonly. And it 2.
1. Dissimulation,
1. Of euill
1. To be done or in doing. p. 12.
2. From being done. p. 17
3. Already done. p. 20.
2. Of good. p. 25.
2. Simulation. pag. 28.
2. Selfe-deceit. 2.
1. In the minde and affections.
2. In the affections alone.
The former is foure-fold.
1: In iudging of our
Persons
Actions
Of our Persons.
1. That wee are not so bad as we are. pag. 38. and that in regard of time
Present. p. 39.
Past. p. 42.
To come. p. 43.
2. That we hauehave that good and that happinesse which wee hauehave not at all, wherefoure deceits.
1. Rich worldling. p. 51.
2. Ciuill Iusticiary. p. 58.
3. Loose Libertines. p. 60.
4. Temporary beleeuers, whose Decei… are 3.
1. Touching his faith, both the
parts of it.
Knowledge. p. 69.
Application. p. 70.
Signes, his ioyes and feelings. p. 77.
2. Repentance.
Inward
Sorrow. p. 89.
Desire. p. 96.
Outward.
verball
Confession. p. 101.
Prayer. p. 104.
Reall. Reformation. p. 107.
3. Obedience
Actiue. p. 108.
Passiue. p. 117.
3. That the good we hauehave is greater then it is. p. 122.
Of our actions. Where twofold Iudgement.
1. Of Direction. 2.
1. For the rules for our actions. p. 125.
2. For the actions themselues. p. 126.
2. Censure of
Actions.
good
euill
Good
1. Condemning of them. p. 130.
2. Ouerprizing them. p. 130.
Euill
1. Iustifying of them. p. 130.
2. Excusing them, p. 132. by
1. Corruption of nature. p. 134.
2. Examples of the godly. p. 135.
3. Ignorance. p. 136.
4. Translation vponupon others, at
1. The flesh. p. 139.
2. The times. p. 144.
3. Our callings. p. 147.
4. Condition of life. p. 148.
5. Outward occasions. p. 150.
6. The Diuell. p. 151.
7. Constellations. p. 152.
8. God. p. 152.
6. Our brethren, p. 153. their
1. Importunitie of perswasion. pa. 154.
2. Commandement or example. p. 155.
3. Prouocations. p. 157.
4. Discouragements. p. 159.
5 Custome. p▪ 162.
6 Subtill distinctions. p. 164.
II: In perswading
1 To the commission of euill where 14. deceits.
1 The painting of sinne with vertues colours. p. 169.
2 By crauing to bring vsus to much. p. 175.
3 Tickling our hearts with the meere pleasure of sin. p. 187.
4 Presuming vponupon Gods merciemercy. p. 189.
5 Pleading the necessitie of liuing. p. 190.
6 A pretence we will do it onelyonly for triall sake. p. 192.
7 A presuming vponupon that good we hauehave. p. 193.
8 An hope to make a mends afterward. p. 197.
9 A pretence of some good to ensue. p. 200.
10 An vrging of our purpose stil to continue godly. 203.
11 By hauing humane lawes on our sides. p. 205.
12 Our moderation in sinning. p. 206.
13 Wresting the Scripture to be for vsus. p. 207.
14 Eluding the Scripture against vsus. p. 211.
2. To the omission of good: where seuen deceits.
1 The blacking of vertue with the soot of sinne. p. 213.
2 From a little to bring vsus to nothing. p. 214.
3. To seuer the pleasure of godlinesse from the trouble. pag. 216.
4. Remembrance of that already done. p. 230.
5. Comparing our selues with our inferiourss p. 232.
6. Pretence of auoiding euill. p. 232.
7. Inuention of false reasons: which are p. 233.
1 From not doing euill. p. 236.
2 From a purpose to doe it heereafter p. 237.
3 From extraordinary occasions. p. 231.
4 From Gods predestination. p. 233.
5 From the difficulty of godlinesse. p. 234.
III. In promising
1 To our selues.
1 Pleasure in sinne. p. 236.
2 Enioyment of outward things. p. 339.
3 Happines in enioyment. p. 240.
4 Freedome from iudgement, and hope of heauen in sinne. p. 242.
5 Setled continuance in prosperitie. p. 244
6 Successe vponupon insufficient grounds.
2 To God, dueties in
1 Particular
1 Simplie. p. 245.
2 Ʋpon condition. p. 247.
2 Generall, of Repentance. p. 248.
IIII. In practising; heere deceit in twelue points.
1 The vncertaintie & ficklenesse of the hart in good. p. 256.
2 The slipperinesse in the very act of performance of good. p. 259.
3 Secret foisting in of corruption into good actions. p. 260.
4 Leaping from one extreame to another. p. 265.
5 Sliding from the meane to an extreame. p. 269.
6 Incroaching in the vse of things lawfull. p. 271.
7 To iustle out a greater good by a lesse. p. 274.
8 To grow secure after successe in good. p. 275.
9 The fleshes peruerse incitation of the spirit. p. 276.
10 Trechery in temptation. p. 277.
11 By minding of future good to neglect present. p. 278.
12 Perking of the handmaid aboue the mistresse. p. 278.
2. In the affections alone
1 In generall
1 In their variablenesse. p. 280.
2 In corrupting the vnderstanding. p. 281.
2 In speciall.
1 LoueLove. p. 284.
2 Anger. p. 286.
3 Ioy. p. 290.
4 Sorrow. p. 291.
5 Desire. p. 294.
6 Confidence. p. 298.
The illustrations of the hearts deceitfulnesse.
1 By the greatnesse of it. p. 299.
2 By the cause, the wickednesse of the heart. p. 301.
3 By the vnsearchablenesse of it. p. 311.
where two things
1 Meanes of discouerie.
2 Markes for triall of our hearts.
Meanes are seauen.
1 Reuelation of the worde. p. 316.
2 Affliction. p. 316.
3 Prosperitie. p. 320.
4 Inaequalitie of carriage. p. 325.
5 Remooueall of our cheefest helps in godlinesse. p. 327.
6 Fitnesse of occasions to prouoke corruption. p. 329.
7 Our affections. p. 330.
Markes to try the sincerity of the heart, are 5.
1 Humility, p. 332.
2 The good and honest heart. p. 335.
3 The plaine and open heart. p. 340.
4 Greatest seuerity against our owne sinnes. p. 341.
5 Reioycing, and grieuing, for the graces and sinnes of others, as well as our owne. p. 343.
III. The generall vse of the whole doctrine of the hearts deceitfulnesse.
1 For watchfulnesse. p. 345.
2 For binding our selues by couenant to the Lord. p. 349.
3 For wisedome to apprehend all good opportunities. p. 352.
4 For strait examination of our hearts. p. 355.
5 For exhortation to sincerity, where
1. Motiues vntounto sinceritie. 11. p. 357.
2. Meanes 4. p. 380.
IIII. The answer which is made Ier. 17. 10. to an obiection arising from the doctrine of the hearts deceitfulnesse: where is handled.
1 Gods knowledge of our hearts. p. 386.
2 Gods rewarding of our works, the end of the former knowledg. p. 386.
The end of the Contents.
IEREM. 17. 9. 10.
The heart is deceitfull aboue all things, and euill, who can know it? I the Lord search the heart and try the reines, that I may giuegive to eueryevery one according to his waies according to the fruit of his workes.