A Word to Sinners and a Word to Saints, Table of contents – Part 1
THE CONTENTS.
THE Exposition of the first verse.
Page 1.
The Observation thence raised, The greatest of sinners are oftentimes received to mercy.
3.
The Exposition of the second verse.
4.
The Observation thence raised, True faith may be exceeding weak.
ibid.
The Exposition of the third verse, wherein Christ declareth to Nicodemus the Necessity of Regeneration
7.
The Observations thence raised,
1. Christ is ready to entertain those that in truth, and uprightness seek unto him, though their weakness and infirmities be many.
8.
2. Regeneration is necessary to Salvation.
15.
For the Explication of which point, is shewed,
1. The Nature of Regeneration, what it is.
16.
2. The Parts of Regeneration.
19.
1. Mortification.
ib.
2. Vivification.
20.
3. The causes which concurr to the work of Regeneration, which are four.
21.
1. The Efficient. 2. The Material. 3. The Formal. 4. The Final.
22.
The Reasons proving Regeneration necessary to Salvation.
23.
Vse of Exhortation, 1. To the Vnregenerate. 2. To the Regenerate.
28.
1. To the Vnregenerate, that they earnestly desire and industriously labour after a saving change in the use of all means God hath sanctified thereunto.
ib.
Quickning Motives thereunto, drawn
1. From the Excellency of Regeneration.
29.
2. From the Vtility of Regeneration.
30.
3. From the Necessity of Regeneration.
31.
The Means to be performed for the better attaining thereunto, brought to two heads,
1. The Embracing some truths.
2. The Practising some duties.
The Truths to be Embraced are these,
1. That every man in his state of unregeneracy is in a miserable estate, and dreadfull condition.
33.
2. That there is hope of mercy for the greatest sinners.
ib.
The miseries of the Unregenerate in this life.
34.
1. They are Servants to their Lusts.
ib.
2. They are slaves to the Devil.
35.
3. They are under the curse of God which continually hangeth over their heads.
36.
4. They are under the guilt of all their sins.
37.
5. They are lyable to all sorts of Iudgements, viz. Temporal, Spiritual, and Eternal.
38.
The miserable condition of the Vnregenerate at their deaths, in several particulars.
39.
The dreadful estate of the Vnregenerate after their deaths in several particulars.
47.
Of the particular Iudgement that immediately followeth after death.
48.
Of the General Iudgement at the end of the World.
49.
The Person who shall be the Iudge.
51.
The Manner of Christs coming to Iudgement, which will be, As in great Glory and Majesty,
53.
So in great terrour to the wicked and impenitent.
54.
The Order of Christs proceeding in Iudgement.
56.
The dolefull condition of the Vngenerate after the Day of Iudgement, which in general, is most cursed.
72.
That Cursed estate is manifest,
1. By privation of all felicity.
ib.
2. By subjection to all misery.
73.
Which misery is set out,
I. By sundry resemblances, as
1. Darkness, yea, outer Darkness.
76.
2. Torment, which is the extremity of pain.
77.
3. Fire, which is the fiercest kind of torment that is, and most intollerable.
78.
4. A Worm, which setteth out the sting, or torment of an evil Conscience, which shall lye eternally gnawing, and griping the hearts of the damned.
80.
II. By the place where the Damned abide, which is Hell.
81.
III. By the Perpetuity and Eternity of their torment there, which is the very Hell of Hells, that which most of all breaks the hearts of the damned.
82.
II. Another truth to be embraced in order to the work of Regeneration is, That there is hope of mercy for the greatest Sinners.
88.
Which appeareth from a due consideration,
1. Of Gods Power to save the worst of Sinners.
90.
2. Of Gods willingness to save them.
91.
3. Of the all-sufficiency of Christs Sacrifice.
103.
4. Of Christs readiness to embrace all Sinners who will come unto him, and receive him upon the terms of the Gospel.
105.
The Duties to be practised in order to Regeneration.
110.
Several Objections of carnal, and unregenerate men, against the use of the formentioned Means, answered.
132.
The second branch of the use of Exhortation unto the Regenerate, which consisteth of divers heads,
1. To admire and adore Gods special mercy and goodness in the work of Regeneration.
146.
2. To be thank full unto God for the same, with Arguments thereunto.
156.
3. To walk worthy of that dignity, by living singular and exemplary lives.
158.
The singular duties incumbent upon the Regenerate,
1. To make Conscience of their precious time, and to improve it to the best advantage.
162.
2. To embrace every opportunity of doing, and receiving good.
164.
3. To be carefull of the manner of performing good duties.
167.
4. To walk circumspectly and exactly, which consisteth,
1. In walking by rule.
173
2. In having respect to the inward and spiritual part of the Law, as well as to the outward and external.
ib.
3. In a careful avoiding all occasions of evil, and temptations thereunto.
174.
4. In abstaining from appearances of evil, as well as from apparent and direct evil.
175.
5. In a moderate use of lawfull things.
177.
5. To beware of Covetousness, and overloving the World, as being the root of all evil.
180.
6. To live by faith.
186.
7. To be spiritually minded by a frequent contemplation of Spiritual and Heavenly things.
193.
8. To labour in the use of all good Means for the mortification of the whole body of sin, with all its affections and lusts, especially those which are most praedominant.
John 3.1, 2, 3.
1. There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Iews.
2. The same came to Iesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
3. Iesus answered, and said unto him, Verily, Verily I say unto thee, except a man be born again, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.