The Beginning of the Doctrine of Christ, Table of contents
The chiefeſt things contained in the firſt BOOKE.
CHAP. I.
THE Contents of all the ſix Treatiſes, briefly ſet downe, pag. 1. to the 11
The perſons whom thoſe Treatiſes concerne, pag. 11. 12
Incouragement to the ſtudy of thoſe things, p. 13. to 18
Generall directions by way of preparation, p. 18. to 22
CHAP. II.
THe rules that ſhew diſtinctly what men muſt doe about their ſins. p. 22 to 59
Motiues to perſwade to the care of theſe rules. pag. 23. 24
Three rules of preparation. pag. 24. 25. 26
Foure things deliuer vsus from all ſinnes paſt. p. 27
About the gathering of the Catalogue of ſins. p. 27. to 35
About the confeſsion of our ſinnes. p. 35. to 38
About ſorrow for our ſinnes, and how it may bee attained. p. 38. to 43
About the application of the promiſes, and how it may be done. p. 43. 44. 45. to 51
The ſpeciall promiſes made to ſuch as hauehave confeſſed and ſorrowed for their ſinnes. p. 46. 47. 48
How men may know, whether their confeſsion and ſorrow for their ſinnes bee right or no. p. 52. 53. 54
Three ſorts of men may profite by theſe Directions. p. 55
Other vſes of the Catalogue of ſinnes. p. 56
The miſery of ſuch as will not be aduiſed to take a ſound courſe about their ſinnes. p. 57
CHAP. III.
THE ſinnes againſt the whole Law; where, of originall ſinne, ignorance, procraſtination, vaine-glory, ſecurity, hypocriſie, ſelfe-louelove, inconſtancy, &c. p. 59. to 67
CHAP. IIII.
THE diuiſion of the ſinnes againſt the firſt Table, and the ſorts of ſinnes againſt Gods Nature.
Seuen monſtrous offences. pa. 68. 69
Of naturall Atheiſme, pag. 70. 71. and Epicuriſme. p. 72
Of the defects of grace, and the miſ-placing of our affections. p. 7…. 7…
How many wayes men ſinne againſt the mercy of God, pag. 74. 75. and the feare of God, pag. 78. 79. and the trust in God. pag. 80
CHAP. V.
HOw many wayes men offend against the meanes of Gods worſhip.
How many wayes men offend.
By not worſhipping. p. 83. 84
By will-worſhipping. p. 85. 86
By Idol worſhipping. p. 87. 88
CHAP. VI.
HOw many wayes men ſin againſt the manner of Gods worſhip.
Offences that may bee committed in the manner of doing any part of Gods ſeruice. pag. 91
Sinnes in hearing. p. 92
Sinnes in prayer. p. 93
Sins about the Sacraments. p. 94
Sinnes about an oath. p. 95
CHAP. VII.
SInnes about the time of Gods worſhip.
The ſecret offences against the Sabbath. p. 96
The open breaches of the Sabbath. p. 97
CHAP. VIII.
THE diuiſions of the ſins againſt the ſecond Table.
The ſins
Of wiues and huſbands. p. 101
Of children and parents. p. 102. 103
Of ſeruants and Maſters. p. 105 106
Of Subiects and Magiſtrates. p. 107
Of Hearers and their Miniſters. p. 108
CHAP. IX.
SInnes againſt the perſons of men;
1. By omiſsion. p. 100
2. By commiſsion; where
The ſinnes internall. pa. 111. to 116
The ſinnes externall:
In geſture. p. 116
In words. p. 117. 118
In works. p. 119. 120. 121
How we ſinne againſt the bodies of men. p. 122
How againſt the ſoules of men. p. 123. to 128
CHAP. X.
THE ſinnes againſt chaſtity.
In the groſſe acts. p. 129. 130
In the thoughts and affections, and ſenſes and geſtures, and words. p. 131
The occaſions of vncleaneneſſe. p. 132. 133. 134
CHAP. XI.
SInnes againſt the eſtates of men:
Internall. p. 136
Externall:
Of omiſsion. p. 137. 138
Of commiſsion, where the ſeuerall wayes of ſtealing. pag. 139. 140. with the aggrauations, to p. 145
CHAP. XII.
SInnes againſt the good names of men.
By omiſsion. p. 146
By commiſsion:
Internally. p. 147
Externally. pa. 148: to 153
CHAP. XIII.
OF the ſinnes without conſent. p. 154
CHAP. XIIII.
HOw many wayes men offend againſt the Goſpell.
Sinnes againſt Chriſt. pag. 156. 157
Sinnes against repentance. pag. 158. 159
Sinnes againſt faith. page 160
Sinnes againſt the Spirit of grace. pag. 161
THE PREFACE to the Reader, containing the ſcope of all the ſixe Treatiſes, and certaine Generall things, which by way of Introduction belong vntounto them all.
FOR thy ſake (Chriſtian Reader) I hauehave bin willing to prepare for the Preſſe ſixe little Treatiſes, which may informe thee of ſixe things of the greateſt cōſequence, that I know can concerne thee in this life; & though I hauehave reaſon to abaſe my ſelfe in the acknowledgement of mine owne frailty, and inſufficiency for theſe things, yet thou haſt cauſe to awaken to the conſideration of the matter, which ſo neerly concerneth thee, vſing the helpe of this labour, till God afford thee better helpes from more able inſtruments. The matter in all of them is ſo neceſſary, that I know not which of them thou mayſt ſafely neglect.
1. The firſt thing which any man, diſpoſing himſelfThe Contents of this Treatiſe. for the kingdome of God, will, and ought to enquire after, is, What hee ſhould doe to be ridde of thoſe many ſins he hath been, and is guilty of: rid (I ſay) from the guilt & danger of them, and from the power and dominion of them. For the ſatisfaction of thy Conſcience in this moſt needefull queſtion, I hauehave in this firſt Treatiſe gathered for thee, out of the whole Bible, a Catalogue of thoſe ſinnes, which in our repentance God wil hauehave with ſpeciall notice to be confeſſed and auoided: and theſe ſinnes I hauehave ſet downe, as neere as I could, in the expreſſe words of the Text, that thou mighteſt ſee the Lord himſelf deſcribing thy offences, and ſo mighteſt hauehave no excuſe or doubt to imagine, that it was but the iudgement of ſome men, that made ſuch things to be thought to be ſinnes. By this courſe of ſurueying the whole Scriptures, I hauehave both found out diuers particular offences plainly prooued to be ſo, which I could not obſerue to be mentioned in any expoſition of the commandements which I had, and alſo diuers things proued cleerely to be ſinnes, which were onelyonly barely affirmed to be ſo in other writers. I hauehave likewiſe plainly ſhewed thee by expreſse Scriptures, what courſe thou maiſt diſtinctly take to bee ridde of thy ſins, a courſe that cannot faile thee, being grounded on the moſt euident directions, which God himſelfe hath preſcribed vntounto thee, if thy owne ſlothfulneſſe and procraſtination, or wilfull peruerſeneſſe hinder thee not; and I doubt not, but by experience thou wilt confeſſe, the courſe is comfortable and eaſie, conſidering the great benefit and reſt thou maiſt bring to thy Conſcience thereby.
2. The ſecond thing aThe Contents of the ſecōd booke. man would deſire to be ſatisfied in, (that hath beene entred into the practice of Repentance) is, How he might come to bee infallibly aſsured, concerning Gods fauour, and his owne ſaluation; and for anſwere hereunto, I hauehave in the ſecond Treatiſe gathered out of the Scriptures, ſignes of Gods owne making, by which men may try their eſtate, and theſe ſuch, as both deſcribe wicked men, not yet in Chriſt, and ſuch, as deſcribe godly men, that ſhall certainely bee ſaued: and withall, I hauehave now added directions, how by the help of thoſe ſignes men may fettle their aſſurance, and how ſuch, as yet want thoſe ſignes, may attaine them.
3. The third thing eueryeveryThe Contents of the third booke. Chriſtian ought to ſeek ſatisfaction in, is this, How a man, that hath attain'd vntounto the aſsurance of ſaluation, when hee dyes, may comfort and eſtabliſh his hart againſt all the miſeries and diſtreſses, which may, and will befall him in this life before his death; and to this end I hauehave gathered out of the whole Scriptures thoſe admirable conſolations, which may be aboundantly ſufficient to vphold him with much ioy in the worſt eſtate can befall him; and this is done in the Treatiſe which I call the Promiſes.
4. The fourth queſtion aThe Contents of the fourth booke. carefull Chriſtiā, that hath thus found out the gaine of godlineſſe, would aske, is this, What hee ſhould do in the whole courſe of his life to glorifie God, who hath thus loued him, and giuen his Sonne to dye for him, and purchaſed ſuch a glorious Inheritance for him; and for anſwere heereunto, I hauehave likewiſe out of the Scripture garhered the rules of Life, which will ſhew him diſtinctly, how hee ſhould carry himſelfe both towards God, and towards men in all parts of his life; how he ſhould behaue himſelfe at home and abroad, in company, and out of company, &c. and all this ſhewed him by the expreſſe words of the Scriptures.
5. In the fift place, If a man aske himſelfe what yet hee wants that is neceſſary for his ſtate, hee may, and ought to bethink himſelfe of this queſtion; What are theſe neceſsary trueths, which God hath abſolutely tied him to know and belieue, without which hee cannot be ſaued, and which are fundamentally needfull for him. To this end I hauehave collected a fift Treatiſe, the principles of which are an extract out of all the Doctrine of religion, of ſuch truths in eueryevery part of religion, as a man is bound of neceſſity to know; and this I hauehave not onelyonly proued by Scripture, but ſhewed what vſes hee may put ſuch knowledge to, all the daies of his life.
6. The ſixt & laſt thing which ought to bee enquired after, is, how a man thus fitted to liue the life of God, may alſo bee cured of the feare of death; and to this end I hauehave publiſhed that Tretiſe of the Cure of the feare of Death: which ſhewes plaine and comfortable wayes, how any Chriſtian may deliuer his heart from thoſe feares.
I ſuppoſe that no manWhom theſe treatiſes concerne. that readeth this, will conceiue, that any of theſe are needleſſe. And as I would aduiſe ſuch Chriſtians as abound with ability and leiſure, to furniſh themſelues with the labours of ſuch worthy Diuines, as hauehave written of any of theſe ſubiects: ſo vntounto ſuch Chriſtians as hauehave not that ability or leyſure, I commend theſe Treatiſes, both for their breuity, & the diſtinct digeſting of the things hee would ſeeke after; there beeing nothing of mine in theſe, but the labour of diſpoſing them, the maine ſubſtance of them beeing Gods owne Word, and things deuiſed and inuented by God himſelfe. I may lawfully commend the care and ſtudy of theſe things vntounto thee, and that with ſo much authority from the Lord, as to tell thee, that thou maiſt not ſafely bee negligent in any of theſe, if thou conſider the worth of them, or thy owne need.
If thou ſay, that heere isIn couragements to the ſtudy of theſe things. preſcribed a hard task, and ſo many things are to bee done, as may make any man afraid to meddle with directions of ſuch variety, and number:
I anſwer; that in any of theſe Treatiſes the way is not made harder then is required, or in the doctrine of the Church manifeſted, but rather things are made more plaine, and ſo more eaſie. Beſides, thou knoweſt already, that the way to heauen is a narrow, and ſtraight way, and few finde it. But eſpecially thou ſhouldſt wey with thy ſelfe the great encouragements and motiues to abide the hardſhip & difficulties of any godly and neceſſary courſe. Though the way to Canaan (with the Iſraelites) were through a ſolitary wilderneſſe, yet it ſhould comfort thee, that it is but a way of three daies, as they ſaid, beeing about to get out of Egypt. God will keep thee at worke but a little time, and therefore thou ſhouldeſt not thinke much of thy paines. And further think of it, that this is a courſe of wonderfull comfort and ſafety: when a Chriſtian followes the euident directions of Gods word in theſe moſt weighty things, he walkes ſafely: Hee is in the good way, the way of life, the way of peace; he is ſure to ſee the ſaluation of God: to follow theſe directions ſoundly, is to keep our ſoules: all Gods waies will bee mercy and truth to vsus: God will cauſe vsus to heare his louing kindneſse in the morning; our way will be full of refreſhing: Gods waies are waies of pleaſure, and if any man ſet himſelfe exactly to take notice of Gods will in theſe things, and will bee at the paines to ſtore his heart diſtinctly in ſuch ſolid Trueths: It is certaine, the Lord will recompence his way vponupon him, God will not caſt away the exact man, till hee fill his mouth with laùghter, as it is ſaid, Iob. 8. 19. 20. Sure it is, that in the ſtudy of theſe things lyeth the way of eternity, and though thou thinke the way to bee hard and narrow, yet this may ſomewhat eaſe thee; it is a plain way. For the ſimple may profit by it, as is auouched to be true of al the courſes, which God by his Word ſo expreſly required, Pſalm 119. Iſaiah 35. 8. & 42. 16. Pro. 8. and beſides thou haſt many helps; the Word of God will not onelyonly ſhew thee what to do, but it will beget in thee a ſecret power to doe it, God will teach thee to profit, and the Spirit of God will helpe thy infirmities; and God will ſend his Angels to guide thee in thy way: Chriſt will be the Way and the Life to thee, & thou haſt good company: for this is the olde way, the way of all Gods ſeruants in the ſubſtance of the courſe.
Only before thou ſet vponuponGenerall directions by way of preparation. any of theſe directions, let me giuegive this general aduice to looke to theſe few things.
1. Firſt, thou muſt giuegive ouer, and forſake vngodly company; for elſe it is in vaine to meddle with any religious courſe, as theſe places will ſhew thee, Pſal. 1. 1. 2. Prou. 4. 14. 15. and 9. 6. and 23. 19. 20. and 29. 27 Pſal. 26. 2. Cor. 6.
2. Thou muſt get thee into the way of good men, prouide for thy ſelfe, if it be poſſible, the fellowſhip and ſociety of godly perſons, Prou. 2. 20. Iſaiah. 19. 23. 24. 25. For their fellowſhip will take away the tediouſneſſe of the way, and much preſerue thee againſt giuing ouer, and their examples will be as patternes for thee, and by acquaintance with them, thou wilt bee brought into acquaintance with God himſelfe, Iſaiah 19. 23. 24. 2. Cor. 6. 16. 17. 18. Prou. 20. 20.
3. Thou muſt remember to pray vntounto God by all meanes to direct thee, and ſhew thee thy way in all theſe things, thou muſt beg a way of God, and beſeech him to remooue from thee all lying and deceitfull waies, Ezech. 8. 21. Pſ. 119. 29. Ier. 10. 23.
4. Thou muſt, when thou commeſt to Gods directions, lift vp thy ſoule, and not giuegive way to thy owne carnal reaſon, and the ſluggiſhnes of thy owne nature, or the deceitfulnes of thy own heart: but let the Lord ſee thou art willing to doe any thing thou canſt, Pſ. 143. 8. Bring a mind deſirous to obey in all things. By anyNote. meanes take heed, thou be not like thoſe complained of, Iſa. 58. 2. that hauehave a great mind to know Gods waies, and to read all ſorts of directions, as if they ſought righteouſneſſe in a ſpeciall manner of care, and yet doe not follow any of the courſes they ſo much deſire to know, and ſeem to commend & like. If euer thou wouldeſt hauehave thy ſoule to dwell at eaſe, chooſe out for thy ſelfe thoſe waies which GOD doth teach thee, Pſalm. 25. 12. 13. Let the Lord know, that if he will be pleaſed to teach thee a ſure way, thou wilt walke in his paths; & to that end, beforehand beſeech him to vnite thy heart to his feare, Pſal. 86. 11. Thou ſhouldſt bee of Dauids mind to ſay, O that my wayes were directed to keepe Gods ſtatutes, and then thou wōuldeſt reſolue to keepe them, Pſalm. 119. 58.