A Posing Question Put by the Wise Man — Benjamin Baxter

A Posing Question Put by the Wise Man · Benjamin Baxter

THE CONTENTS.

The Text, Eccleſ. 6. 12. The firſt part of the Verſe,

CHAP. I.

SOlomons Deſign in the whole Book Diſcovered.

Mans Felicity conſists not in Riches.

Proved by

Some Arguments; Chap. 5.

4. more Arguments, Chap. 6.

The words, a Questionary Propoſal.

Doct. No man infallibly knoweth what is good, (and ſo on the contrary) What is evil for a man in this life.

The Doctrine Explicated,

1. Of what Good to be understood,

Five Distinctions of good.

2. Of what Men,

Of All

Good.

Bad.

The difference ſhewed, between a Godly mans, and another mans knowledg, of what is Good or Evil, for a man in this life, in 4. Particulars.

A Godly mans Ignorance, ſhewed in 2. Particulars.

CHAP. II.

Confirmation of the Doctrine, by

Scripture.

Reaſon.

The Reaſon of 2. ſorts.

1. Some reſpecting God.

2. Some reſpecting Man.

1. Reſpecting God.

God hath hid this knowledg from man.

Why God hath hid it, ſhewed in 9. Particulars.

CHAP. III.

2. Reſpecting Man, (viz.)

Man's Inability to know it.

This is ſhewed in 7. Particulars.

1. Man's Ignorance of mens Spirits and Diſpoſitions.

2. Not knowing how they will manage their Condition.

3. Not knowing, to what Evils and Dangers, their Condition may expoſe them.

4. Not knowing, what Snares Satan may lay in a Condition.

5. Not knowing, what the Wheel is, within the Wheel.

6. The ſudden Change of Conditions.

7. Want of the Right Art, of making a Judgment of Conditions. Most judg of them

By

Opinion.

Senſe.

Affection.

CHAP. IV.

Queſtions Reſolved.

1. Queſtion, Whether it be lawfull to Pray against Afflictions, ſince a man knoweth not, but they may be good for him.

Anſwered

1. Generally, in 4. Things.

2. Particularly in 2 Things.

It is lawful to Pray for the

Keeping them off.

Taking them off.

1. For keeping them off. But we must Pray for that

Not Abſolutely.

But Conditionally.

A double praying against Afflictions,

viz.

The things themſelves.

The Evil of the things.

2. For the taking them off; ſhewed in 4. Particulars.

CHAP. V.

2. Queſtion, Whether it be lawful to pray for the things of this life? Since we know not but they may be for evil to us.

Anſwered

1. Generally.

2. Particularly.

1. In General, ſhewed it is lawful in 6. things.

2. Particularly, Not to pray for them

Abſolutely.

Vltimately.

God's Glory chiefly to be eyed, in praying for outward things.

How a man may know, he eyes the Glory of God in praying for outward things; ſhewed in 4. Particulars.

3. Queſtion, Whether man's Ignorance, of what is good or evil for him in this life, doth warrant him to adventure upon buſineſſes, hand over head,

Without

Conſideration.

Circumſpection.

Anſwered in 6. Particulars.

CHAP. VI.

Application.

1. Information. Of three ſorts of Perſons, mistaken about Conditions.

1. Some about a Proſperous Condition, Thinking it good for them.

Four Grounds of their mistake.

Their Grounds Examined.

The fallaciouſneſs of them diſcover'd in divers particulars

CHAP. VII.

2. Some mistaken about an Afflicted Condition.

Five ſorts of things about which they are Miſtaken.

The Grounds of thoſe mistakes Examined.

Several Queries put to ſuch, who ſo mistake.

3. Some mistaken, in thinking it is good for them, becauſe they are Afflicted.

The Ground of that mistake

Diſcovered.

Examined.

CHAP. VIII.

2. Information. That we ſhould be content to receive Evil, as well as Good, at the Hand of God.

Seaven Reaſons for it.

The great Question Reſolved, (viz.) Whether the knowledg, of what is Good or Evil for a man in this life, be ſo hidden from man, that no man can attain to it.

Anſwered; and Directions given:

The Directions of 2. ſorts

1. General.

2. Particular.

1. General. Something is to be

Known.

Done.

1. What is to be Known.

1. Who is the Framer of Conditions.

2. What is the right way of judging of Conditions.

That ſhewed in 6. Particulars.

3. What it is makes a Condition good for a man in this life.

1. An Interest in the Covenant.

2. The Enjoyment of God in a Condition.

3. Suitableneſs of Spirit to a Condition.

4. Peace within.

5. Doing the work of our Condition.

6. Living above our Condition.

A twofold living above it,

1. Sinful.

2. Holy living above its

Comforts.

Croſſes.

7. Watchfulneſs againſt the Temptations of a Condition.

CHAP. IX.

8. Spirituallizing a Condition.

9. An holy Indifferency of Spirit, in reſpect of Conditions.

Five Reaſons for that Indifferency.

10. Right Behaviour in a Condition.

Nothing of God's muſt diſpleaſe us.

Nothing of ours must diſpleaſe God.

11. Enjoyment of our ſelves in a Condition.

12. Adorning our Condition.

Thus for what is to be known, by thoſe that will make a Judgment of Conditions.

2 What is to be Done.

1. Inquire by Prayer, What is the Mind and Meaning of God in a Condition.

Two things to be inquired after

1. God's End

2. Our Duty

in it.

2. Searching our ſelves, What we are in a Condition.

3. Taking a right view of Conditions.

How to take a right view of conditions.

1. View them by Scripture-Light.

How the Scripture helpeth us, in Viewing of Conditions. Shewed in 6. Particulars.

CHAP. X.

2. In Viewing a Condition, take a right standing: Particular Directions about that.

Queſt. How a man may know, Whether a Proſperous Condition be good for him?

Anſwered,

1. If Temporal, hinder not Spiritual Proſperity.

2. Vſing the things of that Condition, with right conſiderations.

(viz.) Of their

Changeableneſs.

Dangerouſneſs.

Vſefulneſs.

Inferiority.

Emptineſs.

Our own Mortality.

Our Accompt.

3. Not forgetting the Afflictions of Joſeph.

CHAP. XI.

Queſt. How a man may know, Whether an Afflicted Condition be Good for him.

1. He must make a Judgment of himſelf.

Two Questions to be put to our ſelves in that Condition.

1. What we do in it.

2. What we make of it.

1. What a man is to do in that Condition?

1. To find out, What an Affliction comes in Order to.

2. To ſet in with the Affliction, and to further it in the work, for which it is ſent.

3. To eye our Paſſions and Affections, more than our Afflictions.

4. To eye our Sins, more than our Sufferings.

Five things to move us to it.

5. To keep our Hearts open Heaven-ward.

6. To keep the Ear open to Counſel.

7. Framing the Heart, to a Pious Submiſſion to God.

8. Laying the Affliction to heart.

A two-fold laying Affliction to heart.

1. Carnal, ſinful, hurtful.

2. Spiritual, holy, helpful.

9. Patient Waiting

On God.

For God.

10. Making all out of God, that we need in that Condition.

CHAP. XII.

2. What do you make of an Afflicted Condition:

Affliction is, 1. God's Furnace, to

Melt.

Refine.

2. God's School.

In a School, there is a

Book.

Rod.

Affliction is God's Rod, to beat ſomewhat

Into us.

Out of us.

Five Queries, concerning what Instructions, Afflictions have Sealed.

3. Affliction is God's Plough.

The work of the Plough, ſhewed in 3. Particulars.

4. Afflictions are God's Phyſick.

What kind of Phyſick, ſhewed in 3. Particulars.

CHAP. XIII.

Queſt. What Counſel and Direction to be given, concerning the Chooſing or Refuſing Conditions.

Directions

General.

Particular.

1. General.

1. Be not your own Chooſers.

Man's unfitneſs to be his own Chooſer of his Condition.

Queſt. How a man may know he is not his own chooſer.

Anſwered in 8. Particulars.

Queſt. Whether Lawful, to wiſh things had fallen out otherwiſe than they did.

Anſwered in ſeveral Particulars.

2. Particular Directions.

1. Seek not great things, but only what is Convenient.

The Good of deſiring what only is Convenient.

1. It freeth us from Temptations.

2. It is the most Eaſy, in reſpect of a burthen of

Cares.

Duties.

3. It is Safest for us.

4. Most Commodious for us as Christians, whoſe life is compared to a

Race.

Warfar.

Pilgrimage.

CHAP. XIV.

Queſt. What is to be Accompted

Competent.

Convenient.

Anſwered in 4. things.

2. Direction, Seek thoſe things that are good, without Controverſy and Diſpute.

Queſt. What thoſe things are?

Anſw. 1. In General. Godlineſs, which is good and profitable

For all Perſons.

For all Things.

At all Times.

For both Worlds.

2. In Particular. This is Good without Diſpute.

1. To Eye more the Enjoyment of God, than Enjoyments from God.

2. To Rejoyee more in the God of our Mercies, then in the Mercies of our God.

3. To ſerve God chearfully, however He ſerve us.

4. To keep God, what ever we loſe for keeping Him.

5. To remember God and his Glory, in all our wayes.

6. To Conſecrate all we have, to His ſervice.

7. To give the things of another life the Preheminence. Wherein giving them the Preheminence, ſhewed in 5. Particulars.

8. What ever a mans condition be in this life, to fetch comfort from the conſideration, of what his condition hereafter ſhall be.

9. What ever his Portion be, to make God his Portion.

Reaſons, Why we ſhould make God our Portion.

10. To have Sin Pardoned. Set out in 2. Particulars.

11. To lay up Treaſure, where things are

Purest.

Surest.

12. To ſeek after Distinguiſhing Favours.

13. To keep Peace Within, however things are without.

14 To keep our ſelves in a continual preparation for Death.

This is ſhewed in 5. Particulars.

READER,

THere is lately Printed a Learned, Pious, and Practical Commentary upon the whole Goſpel of St. Mark; wherein the Text is Logically Analyſed; The meaning of the Holy Spirit, clearly and ſoundly Opened; Doctrins naturally Raiſed; All ſeeming differences between this and the other Evangeliſts Reconciled; And many important Caſes of Conſcience Reſolved, By Mr. George Petter. Publiſhed at the deſire of above 200. Learned Divines, Signified under their Hands.

Alſo, An Expoſition of the whole Epiſtle to the Hebrews, wherein the Text is cleared, Theopolitica improved, The Socinian Comment Examined, By Mr. George Lawſon, Rector of More, in the County of Salop.

Alſo, The Running of the Chriſtian Race with Patience, By Mr. John Brinſley.

All to be ſold, by George Sawbridge, at the Signe of the Bible on Ludgate-Hill.