The Mischiefs of Self-Ignorance, Table of contents
The Contents.
THE Text opened, p. 1
Self-knowledge what; and of how many ſorts, p. 4
How far it is ſhame to be Ignorant of our ſelves, p. 7
The Miſchiefs of Self-ignorance, 1. It cheriſheth Atheiſm, p. 11
…. Cauſeth Ignorance of the Life to come, p. 15
…. And of the Evil of ſin, p. 17
…. It keepeth the ſoul from true Humiliation, p. 18
…. It makes Chriſt undervalued, p. 19
…. It makes a Holy Converſation vilified, p. 20
…. It makes men cheated by the world, p. 22
…. It cauſeth Pride, p. 24
9. It makes men run into Temptations, p. 2…
10. It makes Temptations prevalent, p. 2…
11. It makes men quarrell with Gods … and Miniſters, p. …
12. It deſtroyeth Charity, p. 3…
13. It is the cauſe of Church-diviſion… p. 3…
14. It makes men troublers of the State, p. 3…
15. It cauſeth Errors, p. 4…
16. It makes men unjuſt, p. 4…
17. It makes men unthankfull, ibid
18. It is an enemy to true peace and joy p. 4…
19. It makes men repine at Gods providen… p. …
20. It makes men loſe their Time, and ne…lect preparation for death, p. 4…
Uſe.
Self-ignorance detected and reproved, p. 4…
Diſcovered by ſome Effects: 1. By mens … humbledneſs, p. 5…
2. By the abounding of Hypocriſie, p. 6…
3. By the love of flattery, and impatience… plain reproof, p. 6…
4. By mens partiality, p. 6…
5. When every man would be a Rule to other… p. 7…
6. By the great change that approaching death, or other awaking Providences make, p. 75
…. By mens quarrelling with others in their ſufferings, and overlooking the great cauſe in themſelves, p. 82
The diſcovery proſecuted, p. 87
Motives.
…. If you know not your ſelves, you cannot Repent, p. 93
…. Nor be duely ſenſible of your miſery, ibid.
…. Nor indeed be Chriſtians, p. 97
…. You will not know what to do with your ſelves, p. 108
…. You will not know how to apply the Word, p. 116
…. Nor how to Confeſs or Pray, p. 118
…. Nor how to give thanks, p. 125
…. Nor how to receive the Lords Supper, p. 129
…. All your ſtudies will be irrational, prepoſterous and impertinent, p. 130
…0. You will be much unuſefull to others, p. 140
…1. You cannot well proceed to know extrinſick things, p. 143
12. How many and neceſſary things have yo… to know about your ſelves, p. 148
Exhortation, p. 15…
Caution againſt exceſſive ſtudying of ou… ſelves, p. 15…
Who need this Caution, p. 15…
Information: Why the ſincere can diſcourſ… ſo fully and ſavourily about Heart-affairs▪ p. 16…
And why they are ſo full in prayer, and other… ſo empty, p. 17…
The Excuſes of the prayerleſs anſwered p. 17…
Why the upright are ſo prone to ſelf-accuſin… p. 1…
Motives to the Ungodly.
1. If you know not your ſelves, you kn… not whether you muſt dwell in Heaven … Hell, p. 1…
2. All ſhall ſhortly know themſelve… p. 1…
How uſefull a Companion Conſcience is converſe with, p. 19…
3. Its Satans chief deſign to keep you … ignorant, p. 20…
Yet ſome can go on in known miſe… p. 2…
A threefold Deſpair, p. 218
In what caſes the ſincere may go in ſin againſt knowledge, p. 220
But ordinarily ſelf-knowledge would do much p. 122
Information: Why faithfull Miniſters ſearch ſo deep, and ſpeak ſo hardly of unrenewed ſouls, p. 235
Queſtions to the unſanctified, p. 257
What Chriſtianity is, and who ſincere in the Covenant, p. 267
Who certainly unregenerate, p. 266
Exhortation to the Regenerate.
To know 1. Their Sin, 2. Their Graces. 1. For want of Self-knowledge: 1. You confeſs not ſin as you ought to God or man, p. 276
…. You pray not againſt it, or for grace as you ought, p. 277
…. You are negligent in your watch, p. 281
Seek not help, ibid.
Lie in unobſerved ſins, ibid.
In General, When ſin is moſt unobſerved, p. 289
Particularly; 1. The Self-ignorant little think while they are Orthodox, what errors they may fall into, p. 292
Or in adverſity, what ſins proſperity may draw forth, p. 294
3. Or how ſoon the Reſolutions of affliction may decay, and come to nothing, p. 298
4. Or when the heart is warm and heavenly, how quickly it may cool and fall to earth, p. 303
(True Marks of Grace, p. 304)
5. And in proſperity they little think what ſins Adverſity may detect or occaſion, p. 316.
6. Or what Pride may appear in thoſe th… are humble, p. 319.
7, Some of the greateſt ſins of Chriſtians … little obſerved and lamented: As 1, … remnants of Infidelity, p. 32…
2. The great imperfection of Love to God, p. 323
3. And want of Love to one another, p. 324
8. The inſinuations of ſelfiſhneſs in all that w… do, p. 32…
9. The eruption of paſſions that ſeemed mor…tified, p. 34…
10. Affections mixed with carnality, which ſeemed purely ſpiritual. p. 33…
Caution againſt overmuch ſuſpicion or ac…cuſation of our ſelves, p. 33…
2. Sin ſurpriſeth more dangerouſly: 3. An… the Remedy is neglected, through ſelf-ignorance, p. 337
2. What Hinders Believers from knowing their Graces. 1. The ſenſe of the Contraries, p. 338
2. The ſmalneſs of Grace. p. 341
3. Not judging by ſure Marks: the Eſſentials of Holineſs: what they are, p. 343
What Marks uncertain, p. 345
What ſin conſiſtent with true grace, p. 347
4. Overlooking what we have, by looking at what we ought to be, p 349
5. Judging upon diſadvantage: 1. Surprizing our ſelves unpreparedly. 2. Judging in paſſion, of Fear or Grief. 3. When helps are abſent. 4. When our Bodies are melancholy, or otherwiſe unfit, p. 350
6. Refuſing the former Judgement of our ſincerity, if we have not a continued ſight of grace, p. 353
7. The variety and confuſion of the ſouls operations, ibid.
Motives to labour to know our Sanctification.
1. It is a moſt excellent ſort of knowledge, p. 354.
2. It is a moſt delightfull felicitating knowledge, p. 355
3. It might ſweeten every place and ſtate, p. 357
4. It would much help our Belief of Scripture, p. 357
5. And our Truſting on God in all ſtraits, p. 359
6. And our chearfull progreſs in Religion, p. 361
7. It may keep you from the terrors of the doubting, p. 362
8 And ſweeten all your other mercies, p. 363
9. And debilitate temptations to ſenſua… pleaſures, p. 36…
10. And ſweeten all the ſervice of God, p. 36…
11. And kindle Love to God, p. 372
12. Its neceſſary to a life of Thankfulneſs, p. 377
13. You will not elſe live to the Glory of the Goſpel, p. 383
14. It will make all ſufferings eaſie, p. 385
As 1. Scornes, p. 38…
2. Oppoſition, 3. Slanders, p. 38…
4. Impriſonment and baniſhment, p. 39…
5. Perſonal and family croſſes, p 39…
6. Death, p. 39…
The Hinderances of Self-acquaintance …
1. External, 1. Miniſters unskilfulneſs and unfaithfulneſs, p. 402
Direct. 1. Live under a skilfull faithfull Paſtor, p. 411
In what caſes to uſe their perſonal helps, p. 418
Objections againſt Miniſters perſonal helps, anſwered, p. 419
Queſt. How far a doubting perſon may reſt in the judgement of a Miniſter about the ſtate of his ſoul, p. 429
The Direction applyed to both ſorts, p. 435
Hind. 2. Proſperity and flattery.
Direct. 2. Deſire not much Proſperity, and deteſt flatterers. p. 457
Hind. 3. Converſing only with bad men, p. 461
Direct. 3. Converſe with Heavenly Exemplary Chriſtians. p. 466
2. Internal Hinderances; 1. Pride, p. 470
Direct. 1. Come to Chriſt as little Children. p, 473
Hind. 2. An unreaſonable love of preſent eaſe, p. 475
Direct. 2, Look to the time to come, and be not too tender of preſent trouble, p. 477
Hind. 3. Self-love blindeth, p. 481
Direct. 3. Bring your minds to a juſt impartiality, p. 483
Hind. 4. Nst obſerving the heart in tryal, but taking it only at the beſt, p. 488
Caution: When and how to judge our ſelves. p. 490
Direct. 4. Judge of your Habitual ſtate by your actions, p· 494