A Gospel Glass, Table of contents
A Brief ACCOUNT OF What may be expected in the following TREATISE, By a Friend to the Authour and Reader.
PRofeſſour, In this neceſſary and ſeaſonable Goſpel-Glaſs, there are many ſad, but uſeful Sights for thee.
Firſt, Wouldſt thou know what may be ſeen? I'le tell thee; Herein the Miſcarri… ges of Profeſſours (and therefore of thine own ſelf) are enumerated and aggravated. The Sins enumerated are either againſt the Law and Goſpel joyntly, or againſt the Goſpel and Law ſeverally.
Profeſſours Sins againſt the Law and Goſpel joyntly, are hinted in the firſt Chapter, which ſhews their Regardleſsneſs of their own and others Souls.
Their Sins againſt the Goſpel more peculiarly, are ſpoken to in the ſeven next Chapters. The 2d. ſhews their Want of ſaving Conviction and Compunction: the 3d. their Want of Deſpair in Self: the 4th. their Miſcarriages about Soul-troubles, the four following Chapters, their Miſcarriages about believing in Chriſt: the 5th. their Ignorance of Christ, ſerving their turns of Chriſt, making baſe Capitulations with him: the 6th. their Delayes to cloſe with Christ: the 7th. their Taking Chriſt partially, without conjugal Affections, and without conſidering the Cost they may be at: the 8th. their Shuffling together falſe Signes of cloſing with Christ.
Their Sins againſt the Law more peculiarly, are either againſt the First or Second Table. Their Sins againſt the Firſt Table (under the Head of Ʋngodlineſs) are diſcovered in the Eleven following Chapters. The 9th. ſhews their Ignorance and Errours: the 10th. their Want of Love to God: the 11th. their Evil Surmiſes of God: the 12th. their Ʋnthankfulneſs: the 13th. their Neglect of Prayer, eſpecially of Secret, both Ejaculatory and Cloſet-Prayer: the 14th. their Miſcarriages about their Prayers: the 15th. their Slighting the written Word of God, eſpecially in not reading and meditating on it as they ought: the 16th. their Miſcarriages about the Promiſes: the 17th. their Abuſe of Providence: the 18th. their Hypocriſy: the 19th. their Sabbath-Sins.
Their Sins againſt the Second Table, are either Perſonal or Relative.
Their Perſonal Sins are evinced in the four next Chapters. The 20th. ſhews their Miſcarriages about Self-tryal: the 21ſt. their Pride: the 22d. their Gluttony: the 23d. their Idleneſs.
Their Relative Sins are ſpoken to in the Fourteen following Chapters. The 24th. ſhews their Ʋnmercifulneſs: the 25th. their Ʋnrighteouſneſs, or Ʋnfaithfulneſs in Trading: the 26th. their Covetouſneſs: the 27th. their Envy: the 28th. their Sins as Superiours: the 29th. as Husbands or Wives: the 30th. as Parents or Children: the 31ſt. as Maſters or Servants: the 32d. their Miſcarriages towards Miniſters, before their ſilencing: the 33d. Since their ſilencing: the 34th. their Miſcarriages towards Sinners.
The Aggravations of their Miſcarriages, that are here enumerated, thou haſt in the two next Chapters. The 37th. ſhews their Diſ-ingenuity and Scandalouſneſs: the 38th. their Sinning against Knowledge, and impenitently, notwithſtanding all means to bring them unto Repentance.
Secondly, Wouldſt thou know, and that experimentally, How uſeful ſuch Sights may be unto thy Soul? Read diligently the two laſt Chapters. The 39th. ſhews, What Ʋſe thou ſhouldſt make of this Glaſs: and the 40th. What Reaſon there is thou ſhouldſt make ſuch Ʋſe thereof.
And now, Conſciencious Reader, (ſo I ſtile thee, becauſe I hope thou reſolveſt ſo to be) having given thee this brief Account of what thou mayeſt expect in the following excellent Treatiſe, I cannot but aſſure thee, that if thou bringeſt hither with thee a ſerious and teachable Spirit, deſirous to have thy Soul ſearched to the quick, and the ſores thereof launced, and throughly cured, thou wilt not loſe thy coſt and pains: The cloſeneſs and pythineſs of the Compilement, will not only pleaſe; but the Materials, ſo full of Spiritual vigour, and Scriptural-experience, will wonderfully advantage thy Soul, and give thee cauſe, all the dayes of thy life, yea to eternity, to bleſs God, for putting it into the heart of the Reverend Authour (after he hath ſacrificed his ſpirits and ſtrength, in a publick way of ſervice to God, and his Church, with more than ordinary activity and ſelf-denial) under many bodily weakneſſes, yea under a ſentence of death, thus to employ his Pen, when he cannot his Tongue, for the good of thy Soul. Every particular Chapter, will, if God add his bleſſing, prove a compleat Soul-ſaving Treatiſe. I ſhall add no more, to perſwade thee to Come and ſee, but this; that nothing but unwillingneſs to ſee what is here to be ſeen, and unperſwadableneſs to make ſuch improvement of ſuch Sights, can make thy Caſe deſperate. Be ſure only, Before, In, and After, thy ſerious peruſal of theſe Chapters, of ſo much worth, that thou beg earneſtly of God, that he would be pleaſed, with ſome of his Sons Eye-ſalve, to open thine eyes, that thou mayeſt ſee; and by his Spirit move ſo upon thy ſpirit, that thine eye may ſuitably affect thine heart, with what ſo much tends to the promoting of thine eternal welfare.