The Believers Duty Towards the Spirit, Table of contents
The TABLE.
COherence and parts of the Text, pag. 1, 2.
Q. How is the Spirit ſaid to be grieved? p. 3.
A. 1. Properly, if by Spirit we underſtand the renewed part of man, p. 3, 4. 2. But if the Spirit of God, becauſe that is done againſt him which would grieve him, were he capable of grief, p. 4. 3. When we make the Spirit ſo to carry it towards us, as perſons do towards thoſe that have grieved them, p. 5.
Q. 2. Why are we ſaid rather to grieve the Spirit then Father and Son? p. 6.
A. Becauſe ſin is moſt oppoſite to his appropriate work, p. 6, 7
Q. 3. What ſins do grieve the Spirit? Ibid.
A. Generally, wilfull deliberate ſins. Specially, 1. Luſts of Uncleanneſs, p. 8, 9, 10. 2. Sins of Anger, Malice, &c. p. 11. 12, 13. 3. Sleighting of the Divinely Inſpired Writings, and preferring Humane Writings, p. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. 4. Robbing the Spirit of his glory, and taking his praiſe unto our ſelves. p. 17, 18, 19, 20. 5. Fathering on him the ugly brats of the ev…l ſpirit, p. 21, 22. 6. Aſcribing to the Devil the works of the Spirit, p. 22, 23.
Inferences; 1. The Spirit is a Perſon, p. 23. 2. Hath a tender care of Believers, ibid. 3. Not to be blaſphemed. p. 24. 4. They wretched who take pleaſure in ſin, which grieves the Spirit, p. 24.
Motives not to grieve the Spirit.
1. He is a Divine Perſon, the onelyonly Divine Perſon againſt whom a ſin is irremiſſible, p. 25, 26, 27.
2. He hath little deſerved to be grieved, p. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31.
3. They who onelyonly are in a capacity to grieve him, have leaſt reaſon ſo to do, p. 32, 33.
4. Dreadfull are the effects of grieving the Spirit of God. 1. Hence enſue foul and diſhonourable luſts, p 34. 2. Ordinances become unprofitable, p. 35. 3. The heart is filled with ſad diſtreſſing doubts, p 37.
The Spirit is pleaſed if 1. We grieve when he is grieved. p. 38. 2. Bring forth the fruits of the Spirit, p. 38, 39. 3. Pray to him and for him, p. 39, 40. 4. Honour his gifts in others, eſpecially thoſe for Miniſtry; no time to be expected in which no Miniſtry, p. 40 41. 42.
What meant by the Day of Redemption.
1. Not the day of Baptiſm, p. 43.
2. Some day after this life; for till then, 1. Redemption from the power of ſin is not perfect, p. 43, 44. 2. Forgiveneſs of ſin not perfect, p. 44. 3. Redemption of the body ſcarce begun. p. 45.
Godly ſhould groan for this day, p. 45, 46.
Wicked ſhould kiſs the Redeemer, p. 47.
Nature and ends of Sealing, p. 47, 48.
By the Spirits ſealing is meant not his regenerating, but aſſuring work, p. 48, 49.
Aſſurance poſſible; proved by four Arguments, p. 50, to 56.
Why Papiſts deny Aſſurance, p. 57, 58, 59.
Differences betwixt Aſſurance and Preſumption, p. 60.
Aſſurance breeds not ſloth, p. 61, 62, 63.
Faith conſiſts not in Aſſurance, p. 64. to 69.
Q. Whether all Believers ſometime or other have Aſſurance? p. 69.
A. In four Propoſitions. I. Some have Aſſurance juſt before death, who had it not before. p. 69. to 72. II. Some that had it before, want it then: 1. To quicken others to preparation, p. 72. 2. To harden worldlings, p. 73. 3. To puniſh falling from firſt love, p. 73, 74. 4. Through the nature of ſome diſeaſes. 5. Through the malice of Satan. III. 'Tis rarely ſeen that any underſtanding Chriſtian runs out his whole courſe without ſome Aſſurance, p. 75. IV. Yet is it not impoſſible it ſhould be ſo, ibid.
This no ground for idleneſs; for 1. Men argue not ſo in temporals. p. 76. 2. 'Tis a ſin to want Aſſurance, p. 77. 3. None can be a child of God, who doth not deſire to attain the full Aſſurance of hope. p. 77, 78, 79.
Q. How is Aſſurance wrought?
A. 1. In a very myſterious way, p. 79, 80, 81. 2. In the ſame way that bondage is wrought in unconverted ſinners, i. e. diſcurſively, p. 82. 83, 84.
Immediate teſtimony explained, and cautioned by its aſſertors, p 85, 86.
What to be thought of it, p. 87, 88.
Diſcurſive way the moſt ordinary and ſafe, p. 89. to 92.
Antinomians who deny the uſe of Marks confuted, p. 93, 94.
Stupidity of ſinners reproved, p. 94 95, 96.
All that fear God perſwaded to make uſe of this way of examination. Some Marks viſible, if not others, p. 96.
If none viſible, then Examination no duty, p. 97.
Q. Why does God ſuffer his children to want Aſſurance? p. 98.
A. Aſſurance is two-fold, high, and moderate; high too ſtrong for our weak veſſels long to hold, p. 99, 100.
Good reaſon why God lets Believers for a ſeaſon want even moderate Aſſurance, 1. To keep them from relapſes, p. 100, 101. 2. To keep them humble, p. 102, 103. 3. To make them more earneſt in Prayer, p. 104. 4. To try and exerciſe their graces, p. 105. 5. To make them more value Aſſurance when they have it, p 106. 6. To make them more able to comfort others, p. 107. 7. To make them more long after Heaven, p. 108. 8. To encourage good and confound wicked, p. 108, 109. 9. To manifeſt his own power and patience, p. 109, 110, 111.
Therefore we ought not when God withdraws to charge him fooliſhly, p. 111, 112.
Q. How do Believers meritoriouſly procure the want of Aſſurance?
A. 1. Through the ſmalneſs of their graces. Converſion more diſcernable at the firſt Plantation of the Goſpel then now. Some Objections anſwered, p. 113. to 116. 2. Becauſe they ſeek it not with diligence enough: the caſe of poor Chriſtians conſidered, p. 117, 118, 119. 3. Becauſe of their ignorance and errours about the Terms and Conditions of the Covenant of Grace; about knowing the time of Converſion; about the way of working of Aſſurance, and the nature of Aſſurance, p. 120. to 123. 4. Becauſe they keep the Devils counſel, and bury their doubts in their own boſomes, p. 123, 124, 125. 5. Becauſe they joyn themſelves to unmeet company. Five ſorts of people unmeet to be aſſociated with by perſons troubled in ſpirit, p. 125, 126, 127. 6. Becauſe they perverſly cavil and diſpute againſt that which ſhould comfort them, p. 127. to 130. 7. Becauſe they give way to groundleſs ſcruples in reference to the uſe of Gods Ordinances, and their own callings, p. 130, 131, 132. 8. Becauſe they do not heartily enough oppoſe ſome unmortified luſts, p. 133, 134.
Q. By what motives may we quicken our ſelves to look after Aſſurance.
A. 1. OnelyOnly the Aſſured Chriſtian can deſire or adventure to die in coole blood, p. 135, 136, 137 2. OnelyOnly the Aſſured Chriſtian can deſpiſe the World, and cheerfully indure the loſs of Goods, p. 137. to 140. 3. Aſſurance ſtrengthens againſt reproaches of wicked men, p. 141, 142. 4. Aſſurance begets boldneſs in Prayer, p. 142, 143, 144. 5. Aſſurance ſweetens the reading the Word and receiving the Sacraments, p. 144, 145. 6. It inlarges in Praiſe and Thankſgiving, p. 146, 147. 7. It furthers Repentance in both its parts and acts, p. 147, 148, 149. 8. It deadens to all needleſs diſputes and controverſies, and fortifies againſt dangerous errors, p. 150, 151, 152.
Two objections againſt the ſpeedy ſeeking of Aſſurance anſwered, p. 153, 154, 155.
Q. What means are to be uſed for getting Aſſurance? three things premiſed.
1. The Queſtion muſt be intended of true Aſſurance, not of Preſumption, p. 156. 2. No need that any new Rules ſhould be preſcribed for the getting of it, p. 157. 3. When all Directions are given, no Aſſurance can be had without ſelf-examination, p. 158.
Directions. I. A man muſt bring himſelf to be content without Aſſurance till God ſee meet for him. Over-haſty and overeager deſire of Aſſurance dangerous and ſinful, p. 158.
II. If we would have Aſſurance, we muſt be thankful for the mercies we enjoy before Aſſurance comes, p. 162, 163, 164.
III. He that would have Aſſurance, muſt believe till he feel he believes, p. 164, to 167.
IV. God muſt be waited on in the uſe of all Duties and Ordinances. 1. Prayer, 2. Reading and hearing the Word, 3. Religions conference, 4. Receiving the Sacrament, 5. Singing Pſalmes, 167, to 171.
V. Every Sin muſt be caſt out, and Univerſal obedience yielded, p. 173.
Q. What acts of Obedience moſt likely to yield Aſſurance?
A. 1. Acts of Charity, p. 174, 175, 176. 2. Acts of Fraternal Correption, p. 176. 3. Acts of Mortification, p. 176. 4 Peace making, p. 177 5 Loving of Enemies, p. 177.
VI. Give no way to unneceſſary Scruples, p. 178.
Three Rules to prevent them. 1. I muſt not call my ſelf an Hypocrite for that which Scripture no where doth make a character of Hypocriſie, p. 179. 2. Nor for that which would make all others Hypocrites as well as my ſelf, p. 180. 3. Nor for that which I have formerly anſwered, p. 180.
A Four-fold ſinfulneſs in diſquieting our ſelves with childiſh irrational fears, 181, 182.
Obj. If I ſhould truſt to a falſe evidence I were undone.
Anſw. p. 182.
Obj. There's undiſcerned as well as diſcerned Hypocriſie.
Anſw. p. 183.
Q. How may he who hath Aſſurance do to keep it?
Uſefulneſs of the queſtion, p. 183.
Directions. I. Let him well underſtand, 1. On what terms he takes God: 2. On what terms God takes him, p. 184.
II. Let him thankfully and admitingly acknowledg the goodneſs of God in beſtowing Aſſurance, p. 187, 188.
III. Let him keep himſelf from returning to former ſins, p. 189, 190.
IV. Let him keep his vows, p. 190, 191, 192.
V. Let him bring forth ſuch fruit as before Aſſurance lie neither did, nor could bring forth, p. 192. &c.
Q. How may Aſſurance when it is loſt be regained?
A. 1. He muſt bring himſelf to a due and juſt ſenſe of his Condition, p. 195. avoiding two extreams: 1. A ſlighting of it, 2. Having a too deep ſenſe of this condition, p. 196.
2. He muſt examine how and which way he loſt his comforts, p. 198.
3. He muſt juſtifie God until it return, p. 200.
4 He muſt offer unto God what terms of agreement He pleaſeth, p. 201.
5. He muſt be ſure to pray earneſtly, p. 204.
Obj. But God doth not vouchſafe to receive a Prayer for me, p. 206.
A. It is our duty to pray alway, and not to faint.
Q. What it is from which we may argue with God, p. 210.
A. 1. From all the names by which He hath called himſelf in Scripture (ſuitable to our condition) p. 210. 2. From the very extremity of our condition, p. 212. 3. From his former gracious dealings, p. 213. 4 From our own readineſs to forgive others, p. 215. 5. From the compaſſion and prayers of others for us, p. 215. 6. From the ill uſe like to be made of our deſertions by others, good or bad, p. 216. Diſcouraged or Hardned, p. 217.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Hickman, The Believers Duty Towards the Spirit (1665)