The Principles of Christian Practice, Table of contents
THE CONTENTS OF THIS BOOKE.
The Institution of a Christian man in twelve heads of Doctrine.
1 THe doctrine of selfe-deniall, out of Mat. 16. 24. Wherein is shewed, who are Christs Disciples. pag. 6
What things selfe-denyall comprehends, pag. 15
The difficultie of this dutie. 18
The necessitie of denying ourselves. 21
Mischiefes of not beginning in this dutie. 25
Helps to further us therein. 29
Motives to deny our selves. 35
Notes of one that denies himselfe. 39
2. The doctrine of takin up the Crosse, out of the same verse.
Where is shewed, What the Crosse is. 46
Why called the Crosse. 47
What it is to take it up. 48
Why take it up daily. 52
That every Christian hath his Crosse. ibid
That we must both beare & take up the crosse. 61
Meanes to be willing so to doe. 70
3. The doctrine of following Christ, Ow of the same verse.
Where is shewed, In what we must follow Christ. 75
Instances of Christs pietie and charitie. 77
D…e fr the brethren, as Christ did. 85
How Christ can and must be followed. 87
Motives to follow him. 9…
Danger of not following him. 93
Safetie of following him. 96
4. The doctrine of life temporall and eternall. Verse 25. Whosoever will save his life, &c.
Where is shewed, How a life is saved and lost. 101
Who lose their lives for Christs sake. 104
Who may not flie in persecution, & who may. 107
Christians must take their lives in their hands for Christ. 115
Objections answered. 121
Practices and Meditations preparing for Martyrdome. 126
5. The worlds worthlesnesse in respect of a soule. Verse 26. What shall it profit a man, &c.
Where is shewed, What the world and winning of it is. 139
That wee must preach well for matter and manner. 142
That in weightie matters wee must use speciall vehemencie. 147
That we are naturally addicted to the world. 149
Where is treated of covetousnesse. 151
There is danger by earthly gaine to lose the soule. 154
How this commeth to passe. 155
Damnable to seeke the world out of order or measure. 161
How to avoid the danger of earthly gaine. 166
That many lose their soules for the world: and who they be. 169
Signes of Christ undervalued for the world. 171
Speeches of the world how to be limited. 173
Lawfull callings abused, & callings unlawfull. 176
How wealth casts men back in the way of salvation. 178
No cleare gaine, nor thriving in an evill way. 180
Further thy salvation by wealth: motives: and how. 182
What friends are to bee made by unrighteous Mammon. 184
Riches unprofitable, how, & in what respects. 190
That the soule is a most pretious thing. 198
Evils that hurt it, to be avoided. 202
A great worke to save soules. 205
No helpe for a soule once lost. 210
The estate of a lost soule, what. 211
What makes a lost soule irrecoverable. 214
All unable to recover a lost soule, how and why. 217
What goes to the ransome of a soule. 219
Uses of that doctrine. 221
6. The last judgement. Verse 27. For the Sonne of man shall come, &c.
Wherein is shewed, how Christ is called the sonne of man. 228
Christ content with meane …les. 235. so should we too. 237
Christ comes from heaven, whither, when. 241
The time unknowne, for sixe reasons. 248
Opinions about it. 249
Meet Christ comming to judgement: how. 256
Of Christs glory in that day: of person: office. 258
Preparation and execution, glorious. 264
Divers sorts of evidences. 266
Waite and wish for the appearance of this glory. 278
Prepare for it, and how. 280
Angels number, relation, office, comming with Christ. 287
The end of Christs comming. 314
Good works not meritorious as evill are: why. 321
Why workes are the rule of judgment. 322
Whether the Law or Gospell bee the rule of judging. 324
The last judgement glorious and righteous. 327
Live well and fare well in judgement. 331
Be patient in all confusion and injustice. 334
Be sincere in matter of religion. 335
Watch and judge thy selfe before-hand. 336
How to know what will become of us in the day of judgement. 338
7. The Kingdome of grace. verse 28… Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, &c.
Wherein is shewed, Christs comming in his Kingdome, what. 342. 343.
Opinions. 346
Christs Kingdome, and how it comes. 348
Kingdome of God generall and speciall. …
How the Kingdome of Christ comes. 350
Of the accomplishment hereof. 351
Christs Kingdome enlarged in the Gospell. 352
Evidences of Christs Kingdome enla…ged. ibid.
Of the times when the Gospels were written. 358
Preaching and obeying the word advances Christs Kingdome. 360
Christ like to Kings, and superiour to them. 361
Eminence of Christ above other Kings. 362
Enemies of the word, enemies of Christ. 365
Rejoyce in the thriving of the Gospell. 368
Helpe Christ into his Throne. 379
How Christs Kingdome is erected and maintained within us. 372
Defend Christs right and be loyall. 374
Motives to be loyall to Christ. 376
8. The Christian Race. 1 Cor. 9. 24. So run that you may obtaine.
Where …s shewed, The similitude, and reason of it 350
That every Christian must run. 354
Our life in five respects is a race. 355
Reasons why we must run this race. 357
Even our whole life, and not at the end only. 359
Who conceit not aright of Christian profession. 361
Motives to run as we ought. 362
Direct ons thereunto, and preparation. 364
Hinderances to be removed. 365
Helpes in running the Christian race. 367
Conditions of running aright five. 369
The right marke we must run at. 370
The right way in which we must run. 371
The right foot wherewith we must run. 373
The right motion, humble, cheerefull, constant. 374
The right end of running twofold. 379
The reward of running, no merit. 382
How to runne and obtaine. 384
Looke not backe. 386
Respect the way, and not by-matters. 387
Renew strength continually, and how. 390
Encouragements thus to run. 393
Excellency and eternity of this goale. 39…
9 The divine Teacher and Scholler. Psal. 119. 33. Teach me O Lord, the way, &c.
Where is she…ed, The Prophets holy prayer and vow. 399
What the Statutes are, and why Statutes. 400
Why called the Statutes of God. 402
Their eminency above other Statutes. 404
The metaphor of a way, and singularity. 406
God teacheth foure things, above all teaching of man. 411
A good heart still desires to be taught. 414
That all true knowledge is from God. 416
What this knowledge hath above natures reach 418
In the meanes repaire unto God. 421
Ministers must pray for themselves & their people. 423
That sound knowledge is ever humble, and why 424
Defect of knowledge, whence. 425
Knowledge of good men and others, how it differs. 431
Good men are ever d…strous of more holy knowledge. 435
What fearefull effects ignorance hath. 436
Benefits of knowledge within & without us. 439
Motives to get heavenly knowledge. 44…
How unseemly ignorance is. 444
Knowledge delightfull to mans understanding 446
Excellent properties of Gods way. 448
Reproofe of them that desire not knowledge. 451
Excuses refuted. 455
Hinderances of saving knowledge. 461
Disposition to it, wherein it stands. 464. meanes. 467
Of vowes, what are lawfull. 469
L…d of sound knowledge is obedience. reas. 477
Notes of one carefull to keepe his way. 484
10. Epicurisme discribed and disgraced. Exod. 32. 6. The people sate downe to eate, &c.
Wherein is shewed, that Idolatrie is ever attended with sloth and luxurie. 489
People secure in sin, are nearest to mischiefe. 496
Rules for eating and drinking. 500
Meditations in eating and drinking. 504
Sports and recreations are lawfull, and how. 507
In sports is much sin. 509
C…oyee to be made of sports, 510 use limited 512
Our selves how to be ordered in them. 513
What may not be lost in play. 517
11. Abuse of the creatures unlawfull. An Appendix to the former. 1 Cor. 15. 32. Let us eate and drinke, &c.
Wherein is taxed, the abuse of the creatures. 522
Heathens and Epicures abuse them 4 waies. 525
Rules of right using naturall comforts. 529
Times seasonable for sports. 533
Right ends of our liberties. 537
12. The Physitian of soules. Luke 5. 31. The whole need not the Physitian, &c.
Wherein are sundry generall notes. 541
Christ takes our causes on himselfe. 543. and 544
None is whole, unlesse in conceit: and how … ariseth. 545, 546, 547
The miserie of them that are conceitedly whole 548
Discoverie of diseases in the soule: foure signe… 549, 550, 551
Sin is a most dangerous sicknesse: five resemblances. 552, 553, 554
Christ is a most excellent Physitian: in five respects. 561, 562, 563
Come to him for cure: and how this may be. 565
Great comfort to afflicted soules. 571. to 576
The author, matter, and vertue of this heavenly Confection. 577. to 579
The Physick precious and powerfull: in five respects. 580, 581
See our owne misery, and admire Christs cure: five particulars. 582. to 588
Love we our Physitian: and …ow. 589, 590. 591
How the physick is applied: to whom: and when 592. to 600
Notes to know we are cured: foure. 600. to 606
And foure means to preserve health in the soule. 606. to ult.
FINIS.