Inquiry for a Suitable Return for Continued Life In and After Time of Plague, Table of contents
The CONTENTS.
THe Preface or Introduction, p. 1, 2, 3.
DIRECTION I. Containing two parts, viz. Since you live after this Plague, Be not worſe, but Better. p. 4.
I. The firſt part of this Direction containeth ſeven Queſtions, p. 5.
Queſtion I.
Whether wicked men wax worſe and worſe? p. 6.
Six things premiſed for Explication, p. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
Proved by Scripture Inſtances, p. 12, to 17.
Proved by Arguments, p. 18, to 24.
Queſtion II.
What are the ſeveral ſteps or gradations, whereby ſin grows from a low ebbe to its higheſt actings? Or, Ten Rounds in the ſinners Ladder to Hell, p. 24, to 35.
Where, ſeven things about Gods hardening wicked mens hearts, p. 32, 33.
Queſtion III.
Under what Diſpenſations wicked men wax worſe and worſe? p. 35.
Viz. 1. Ʋnder Gods Providences, in Proſperity▪ p. 36, 37, in Adverſi…y 38. in Deliverances, 39, 40, 41, 42, to 46▪ 2 Ʋnder Ordinances, Word, Sacrament, p. 47, 48.
Queſtion IV.
Why God is pleaſed to remove Judgements, though many men are worſe than they were before? p. 48, to 52.
Queſtion V.
What are the aggravations of this great Impiety, to be worſe, after Gods ſoreſt Judgments, than they were before? Anſwered in Ten particulars, p. 52, to 59
Queſtion VI.
What are ſigns of a man waxing worſe and worſe? Anſwered in 14 particulars, p. 59, to 68
Where ſix reſtraints of ſin, which keeping from ſin do not prove truth of Grace, yet ſin againſt, do prove height of ſin, p. 63, 64, 65
Queſtion VII.
What Conſiderations may be uſeful to ſtop the ſtream of ſuch mens wickedneſſe that are waxing worſe and worſe? p. 68, 69, 70
Seven Queſtions to ſuch ſinners, p. 71, 72, 73, 74
Six Directions to ſuch ſinners, p. 75, 76
Eight Corollaries from this firſt part of this Direction, p. 77, 78
II. The ſecond part of the firſt Direction, Since you live, be better after this Judgement than you were before, directed eſpecially to the godly, p. 79
Where, Ten Leſſons to be learned by thoſe in the City, that (by reaſon of the Plague) hath been a great Houſe of Mourning, p. 80 to 89
Ten Aggravations of Gods Peoples ſin, if they be worſe in their ſpiritual condition after this Plague, than they were before, p. 90, 91, 92
Seven Poſitions, p. 93, &c.
Seventeen Arguments to Gods People to be better, p. 97▪ 101
DIRECTION II.
Since you live after this Plague, pay your Vows, and live up to your holy Purpoſes and Reſolutions, which you made in time of danger, and fears of death, p. 102—115
Where, Seven Reaſons for care to keep your Reſolutions, holy Purpoſes and Vows, p. 108
Twenty Helps to perform your Reſolutions, holy Purpoſes and Vows, 115
Fourteen Aggravations if you come ſhort of your Reſolutions▪ holy Purpoſes and Vows, p. 116, &c.
Where, Eleven ſigns of a Beloved ſin, p. ibid.
DIRECTION III.
Since you live, and are free from, or cured of your bodily ſickneſs, look after the cure of ſoul-ſickneſs; take heed that you lye not under ſpiritual Judgments, when temporal Judgment is removed, p. 142
1 Sin is the ſouls ſickneſs, in 6 particulars, p. 143, 144
2 Spiritual Judgments are worſe than temporal, in ſeven particulars, p. 145—149
3 How a man may know whether he be healed of Soul-ſickneſs, in ſix particulars, p. 149—152
4 How a ſoul-ſick ſinner ſhould do for healing, in 8 particulars, p. 153
The excellency of Chriſt our Soul-Phyſician, in 5 particulars, p. 154, &c.
5 What thoſe muſt do whom Chriſt hath healed of ſoul-ſickneſs, to improve this Cure to the glory of God, in 4 particulars, p. 158, &c.
DIRECTION IV.
Since you live after this Plague, be eminently exemplary in the capacity God hath ſet you, p. 161
An humble Exhortation to Magiſtrates, whom God hath preſerved, p. 162, 163, 164
Subjects Duties to Magiſtrates in 6 particulars, p. 165, 166
Miniſters Duties whom God hath ſpared in this Plague, in 4 particulars, p. 167— 175
Peoples Duties whom God hath continued to their Miniſters, p. 176
Governours of Families Duties, whom God hath ſpared in this Plague, in reſpect of Family Worſhip, p. 177
Where is ſhewed
1 Why, in 8 particulars, p. 179, to 182
2 Wherein, in 5 particulars, p. 183 189
3 How, in 4 particulars, p. 190, 191
Duties of Husbands and Wives whom God hath continued together after this Plague, viz. Mutual Love, p. 192, 193
Where is ſhewed
What manner of Love it muſt be, p. 194 195
Why they ſhould thus love, p. 196 197
Wherein they ſhould manifeſt it, p. 198, 199
Duties of Parents whom God hath continued to Children, in 5 particulars, p. 200— 206
Duties of Children, whom God hath continued to Parents, What, in 7 particulars: Why, in 6 particulars, p. 206— 209
Duties of Maſters and Servants,
In 5 particulars, p. 210
In 11 particulars, p. 211— 216
DIRECTION V.
Since you live by Gods ſecret way of preſervation,
Watch againſt ſecret ſins, p. 217
Perform ſecret Duties, p. 217
Minde ſecret things in publick Duties, p. 217
Where, Fourteen Arguments againſt ſecret ſins, p. 219— 231
Nine masked ſins detected p. 221, 222
Ten Preſervatives againſt ſecret ſins, p. 232, &c.
Four ſecret Duties, p. 235, 236
Six ſecret good things in Publique Duties, p. 237, 238
Six ſecret ſins in Publique Duties, p. 239, 240
DIRECTION VI.
Since you live after this Plague, be dead to the World, p. 241
Viz. To the Profits of the World, p. 242, 243
To the Honours of the World, ibid.
To the Pleaſures of the World, p. 245
To the Wiſdom of the World, p. 246
How a man may know, whether he be dead to the World, p. 247, 248, 249
DIRECTION VII.
Since you live, be dead to ſin, and be buried with Chriſt, p. 250
Believers are buried in 3 reſpects, p. 251
Two differences in burial of our Friends, and of our Sins, p. 252
Five things included in the Burial of ſin, p. 253, 254
Four things for Comfort to thoſe who are buried with Chriſt, p. 255.
DIRECTION VIII.
Since you live after this Plague, walk in newneſſe of life, p. 256
What newneſſe of life doth not conſiſt in, in 6 particulars, p. 257
What i… doth conſiſt in, in Ten particulars, p. 258
The Excellencies of a New Life, in 10 particulars, p. 261
The Hinderances of walking in Newneſs of Life, in ſix particulars, p. 264
DIRECTION IX.
Since you live after this Plague keep upon your heart a conſtant ſenſe of Gods diſtinguiſhing Providence in preſerving of you, p. 265
Six Helps ſo to doe, p. 267
DIRECTION X.
Since you live, and many of your Relations dead, love God ſo much the more by how much you have fewer Objects of your Love than you had before, p. 270
DIRECTION XI.
Since you live after this Plague, remember what Conſcience did condemn you for, in time of fear of death, and avoid it; what it did commend you for, and do it, 271
DIRECTION XII.
Since you live, after ſuch danger of death, truſt God for the future, 273
What this truſt is? 274
Eight Arguments to truſt in God, 275, 276, 277
Six ſpecial times for truſting in God, 278
DIRECTION XIII.
Since you live after this Plague, give thanks to God for your preſervation, 279
Three wayes how we muſt praiſe God for continued Life, 280
Twelve Motives to praiſe God for continued Life, 282, &c.
Six Helps to praiſe God for Continued Life, 288, &c.
DIRECTIONS how to live after a waſting PLAGUE.
QUESTION: How ſhould thoſe that have been preſerved by God from the Grave in this time of Plague, live in ſome meaſure Anſwerably to ſo great a Mercy?
THis is a Caſe of general concernment, to thoſe many thouſands whom God hath kept alive in a time of Plague, which hath ſwept ſo many thouſands into their Graves, whoſe bodies are now rotting in the duſt, and whoſe ſouls are entred into an unchangeable condition of happineſs or miſery, whoſe life is ended, whoſe time is paſt and gone, who are now receiving their wages or reward, according to what their ſtate was found to be when the Plague removed them from time into eternity, from this World into that, which now they muſt be in for ever, without alteration or redemption. What Family is there in this great City, or what perſon is there in all thoſe families, that are not concerned to enquire what ſignal and more than ordinary return they ſhould make to God for ſuch ſignal and more than ordinary preſervation from the gates of death: who have walked upon the very borders of the Grave, and are yet alive, who have been nearer the brink of Eternity, and in more danger of being cut down than at other times, and yet are ſpared; and are numbred amongſt the living, and not reckoned nor made free amongſt the dead.
It is the unqueſtionable and ſtanding duty of all living to live to God, but there is a ſuper-added Obligation upon all thoſe whom God hath marked out for Life, when the ſlaughtering Angel was going from Pariſh to Pariſh, from houſe to houſe, to cut down thoſe whom God had commiſſioned him to remove from hence. Oh! ſhould you not conſider with your ſelf, what it is that God expecteth at mine hands? How would he have me for to live? and what would God have me to doe? What is the ſpecial work he hath reſerved me for? Hath God layd the Corpſes of thouſands in the Church-yards, and yet given me a little reſpit to act for my precious ſoul, and for his glory? hath he reprieved me for a while, and am I not a living, walking Monument of his diſtinguiſhing Mercy, and unwearied Patience towards me? When others are dead, I live; when others muſt pray no more, hear no more, God giveth me time as yet to do both, and all other duties in order to my eternal peace. Thus ſhould you reaſon your ſelf into your duty, and to a diligent Inquiry, What you ſhould doe to live in ſome meaſure anſwerably to ſo great a Mercy.
But Reader, wilt thou firſt reſolve in the fear and preſence of that God that hath redeemed thy life from death, to make a conſcientious uſe of any helps and directions ſo to doe? wilt thou indeed engage thy heart (before thou readeſt any further) to uſe thy utmoſt diligence in practiſing and obeying what ſhall be from the Word of God diſcovered to thee to be thy duty? yea, in the Name of God I charge thee that thou doe it, as ever thou wouldeſt appear before the Barr of God with comfort, and give a good account of this his patience and Providence towards thee, and of theſe Lines which now thou readeſt, that neither the one nor the other riſe up in Judgement againſt thee, as an aggravation of thy ſin, nor for the greater condemnation of thy ſoul. What doſt thou ſay? wilt thou promiſe, and accordingly obey, or wilt thou not? If not, better thou hadſt dyed in time of Plague, and fallen with others into the ſame common grave, than to out-live the Plague, and not out-live thy ſin, to live longer to adde unto thy ſin, and in the day of Gods patience towards thee, to be heaping up wrath againſt the day of wrath, and the revelation of the righteous Judgement of God: but if thou wilt, I ſhall by Gods aſſiſtance proceed to reſolve this Important Caſe, in laying down theſe following Directions: which will alſo be of uſe to anſwer another Query, viz. How you may know whether God hath lengthened out your life in Mercy or in Judgement. If you live according to theſe following Rules, God hath ſpared you in mercy, if you live contrary to them, and dye ſo at laſt, I fear your eſcaping this Judgement will at laſt prove a Judgement to you. The firſt of theſe Directions will be more general, the reſt ſhall be more particular.