Meditations the Parable of the Prodigal Son, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS.
CHAP. I. SHeweth the Nature and Ʋse of Parables; the Occasion of this following Parable; the different and further import hereof, above that of the two former; and its division into three general parts. p. 1.
CHAP. II. Giveth the general Doctrine of the whole Parable; illustrating God's gracious Reception of returning Sinners, in several particulars. 9
CHAP. III. Giveth the Reasons of the Doctrine in the foregoing Chapter, and the Demonstrations of its unquestionable Truth. 23
CHAP. IV. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine in two uses. 33
CHAP. V. Proceedeth to the two general Doctrines resulting from the first part of the Parable; particularly shewing the natural and lusting desire that is in man to forsake God; and the Reasons hereof. 42
CHAP. VI. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine in several Ʋses. 59
CHAP. VII. Wherein follows the second general Doctrine resulting from the first part of the Parable; shewing both the sinful and miserable consequences of mens forsaking of God. The gross mistake of most men herein; and the means to be used for prevention. 70
CHAP. VIII. Sheweth, That God gives to every man a Portion to be improved: together with the Reasons for his so doing; from that particular Clause of the 12th Verse, And he divided unto them his Living. 85
CHAP. IX. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine; in shewing how much it concerns every man to improve his Portion from God; and in giving Directions for the doing of it. 95
CHAP. X. Representeth how quickly man forsakes God, when God leaves him to himself; with the Reasons whence it comes to pass; and the Ʋses we are to make hereof; from the first Clause of the 13th Verse, And not many days after, &c. 104
CHAP. XI. Sheweth the worldliness of man's heart by nature; from the next Clause of the 13th Verse, The younger Son gathered all together. 113
CHAP. XII. Sheweth how inclinable man is by nature to go farther and farther from God; from the following Clause of the same Verse, And took his journey into a far Countrey. 117
CHAP. XIII. Representeth, how natural men are driven further from God by all the good he doth for them; whence it is thus; and what Ʋses are to be made hereof; from the same Clause. 125
CHAP. XIV. Sheweth, how unserviceable every man, in his natural estate, is to God; from the last Clause of the 13th Verse, And there wasted his Substance with riotous living. 133
CHAP. XV. Sheweth, That a natural man is an unprofitable Creature to himself. The several Ʋses that are to be made hereof: And how the sins of self-will and self-seeking, the great Causes hereof, may be known; from the same Clause. 139
CHAP. XVI. Sheweth, That when men forsake God, he gives them up to the height of sinning; from the same Clause. 150
CHAP. XVII. In which is shewed, That great pain and sorrow do always follow the pleasures of sin; with Meditations hereupon by way of Ʋse; from the 14th Verse, And when he had spent all, there arose a mighty famine in that Land, and he began to be in want. 154
CHAP. XVIII. Manifesteth, That whenever men set their hearts upon the things of this world, God makes them all empty and unsatisfactory to them: The several ways God takes to bring this to pass; and what use we are to make hereof; from the same 14th Verse. 167
CHAP. XIX. Sheweth, That troubles of Conscience are God's preparative to a sinner's Conversion; and the Reasons hereof. How God sometimes varies his method; and to what end. What degree of sorrow requisite; with the Application of the whole; from the last Clause of the 14th Verse, And he began to be in want. 177
CHAP. XX. Representeth, How much it is in the nature of man, when convicted of sin, to have recourse to any thing, though never so vain, for ease, rather than unto God. Several Reasons or Causes from whence this comes to pass. The Application informing us, That Conviction is but a partial Conversion; and of what nature are all false Refuges: with divers considerations moving us to beware of them; from the first Clause of the 15th Verse, And he went and joyned himself to a Citizen of that Countrey. 187
CHAP. XXI. Sets forth the power that Satan hath over men in their natural estate. Together with a threefold Ʋse to be made hereof; from the same Clause of the 15 Verse. 204
CHAP. XXII. Sheweth, what care natural men take in making provision for the lusts of the flesh; with the Application; from the last Clause of the 15 Verse, And he sent him into his fields to feed Swine. 214
CHAP. XXIII. In which is shewed, That the things of this world, which natural mens hearts, for the satisfaction of their lusts, would feed upon, are, in the judgment of our Saviour Christ, no better than Swines meat. In what respect they are so, exemplified in two particulars; from the first part of the 16th Verse, And he would fain have filled his belly with the Husks which the Swine did eat. 221
CHAP. XXIV. Maketh Application of the foregoing Doctrine, in four Ʋses. 230
CHAP. XXV. Sheweth, The Property of Natural men, in chusing to sit down with any base things in the world for ease, rather than they will go to God for it; from the same Clause of the 16th Verse. 235
CHAP. XXVI. In which is observed, That when God hath a purpose to convert a Sinner, he suffers nothing to yield relief and comfort but himself: with the Reasons wherefore he doth thus; and the Ʋse we are to make hereof; from the latter Clause of the 16th Verse, And no man gave unto him. 240
CHAP. XXVII. Sheweth, That the lowest step of a Sinner's misery is, to see himself remediless by any carnal means whatsoever: Together with the Application hereof; from the whole sixteenth Verse. 249