A Chain of Principles, List of aphorisms and exercitations
A Collection of the ſeveral Aphoriſmes and Exercitations contained in the enſuing TREATISE.
APHORISME. I. Pag. 1. MAns bleſſedneſs conſiſteth not in a confluence of wordly accommodations, which are all vanity of vanities; but in the fruition of God in Chriſt, who onelyonly is the ſtrength of our hearts, and our portion for ever.
EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 2. Pſal. 144. end opened. Bleſſedneſs what. Solomons ſcope in Eccleſiaſtes. Why he ſtiles himſelf Coheleth. His teſtimony concerning the creatures. Their threefold tranſcendent vanity. Intellectual accompliſhments brought under the ſame cenſure, by reaſon of the folly, enmity, anxiety, and inſufficiencie that attend them. An apoſtrophie to the world.
EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 20. A gloſs upon Pſalm 36. 8. God in Chriſt a ſoul-ſatisfying object. The circular motion of humane ſouls, and their onelyonly reſt. A threefold fulneſs of God and Chriſt oppoſite to the threefold vanity of the creatures.
EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 29. Two concluſions from Pſalm 73. 25, 26. The Pſalmiſts caſe stated. The frequent complication of corporal and spiritual troubles. How God strengtheneth his peoples hearts againſt their bodily diſtempers; how under diſcouragements of spirit. The ſecret ſupports of ſaving grace. What kinde of portion God is to the Saints. A congratulation of their happineſs herein.
EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 43. The firſt inference grounded upon Iſaiah 55. 1, 2. by way of invitation, backed with three encouragements to accept it, viz. The fulneſs of that ſoul-ſatisfaction which God giveth, the univerſality of its tender, and the freeneſs of its communication. The ſecond by way of expoſtulation, and that both with worldlings and Saints. A concluſion by way of ſoliloquy.
APHORISME. II. Pag. 61. We are conducted, to the fruition of God in Chriſt by Chriſtian Religion, contained in the divine oracles of holy Scripture.
EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 61. The ſafe conduct of Saints, ſignified by the pillar in Exodus, performed by the counſel of God himſelf, the abridgement whereof we have in the doctrine of Chriſtian Religion. How that tends to bleſſedneſs.
EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 72. The inſufficiencie of other Religions for bringing men to the enjoyment of God inferred from their inability to diſcover his true worſhip. John 4. 24. opened. God to be worſhipped in and through Chriſt a leſſon not taught in natures ſchool. Faults in Ariſtotles Ethicks.
EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 84. Oracles of God vocal, or written. Books of Scripture ſo called in five respects, viz. In regard of their declaring and foretelling, their being conſulted, prized and preſerved.
EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 95. How Scripture-Oracles far excel thoſe of the heathen in point of perspicuity, of piety, of veracity, of duration, and of Authority. The divine authority of Scripture aſſerted by arguments. An inference from the whole Aphoriſme.
APHORISME III. Pag. 111. Scripture-Oracles, ſuppoſing it ſufficiently clear by the light of Nature, that there is a God, make a further diſcovery of what he is in his Eſſence, Subſiſtence and Attributes.
EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 111. 1 Corinth. 15. 34. expounded. Opinioniſts compared to ſleepers and drunkards. Three obſervations from the end of the verſe. What knowledge of God is unattainable in this life. What may be had. The knowledge we have concerning God diſtinguiſhed into Natural, Literal, and Spiritual.
EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 120. That there is a God, the prime dictate of natural light; deducible from mans looking backward to the creation, forward to the rewards and puniſhments dispenſed after death, upward to the Angels above us, downwards to inferiour beings, within our ſelves to the compoſition of our bodies, and dictates of our conſciences, about us to the various occurrences in the world.
EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 129. Reaſons three ways of diſcovering God fall ſhort of manifeſting what he is. The expreſsion in Exod. 3. 14. moſt comprehenſive. A brief expoſition thereof. Satans impudence. Nature and art both unable to diſcover the Trinity. What Scripture revealeth about it. Baſils memento. Julians impiety. Socinians branded. The three Perſons compared to thoſe three wells in Geneſ. 26.
EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 143. Divine Attributes calling for tranſcendent reſpect. They are ſet down in the Scripture ſo, as to curb our curioſity, to help our infirmity, to prevent our miſapprehenſions, and to raiſe our eſteem of God. Spiritual knowledge ſuperadding to literal clearneſs of light, ſweetneſs of taſte, ſenſe of intereſt, and ſincerity of obedience.
APHORISME IV. Pag. 155. Goodneſs and Greatneſs are Attributes ſo comprehenſive, as to include a multitude of divine perfections.
EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 155. God deſcribed from goodneſs and greatneſs both without and within the Church. A lively pourtraiture of his goodneſs in the ſeveral branches thereof. Exod. 34. 6, 7. Bowels of mercy implying inwardneſs and tenderneſs. Our bowels of love to God, of compaſsion to brethren. Mercy not to be refuſed by unbelief, nor abuſed by preſumption.
EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 169. Grace what. From it ſpring Election, Redemption, Vocation, Sanctification, & Salvation. A Caveat not to receive it in vain. It purgeth and cheereth. Gloſſes upon Tit. 2. 11, 12. and 2 Theſſ. 2. 26, 27. The exaltation of free grace exhorted to. Longſuffering not exerciſed towards evil Angels, but towards men of all ſorts. It leadeth to repentance; is valued by God, and muſt not be ſleighted by us. A dreadfull example of goodneſs deſpiſed.
EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 181. The bounty of God declared by his benefits, viz. giving his Son to free us from hell, his Spirit to fit us for heaven, his Angels to guard us on earth, large proviſions in the way, and full ſatisfaction at our journeys end. John 3. 16. James 1. 5. and Pſal. 24. 1. Gloſſed. Iſai. 25. 6. Alluded to. Inferences from divine Bounty, beneficence to Saints; not dealing niggardly with God, exemplified in David, Paul, and Luther. Truth in God is without all mixture of the contrary. It appears in his making good of promiſes, and threatnings; teaching us what to perform and what to expect.
EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 201. Keeping mercy for thouſands explained. Men exhorted to truſt God with their poſterity. Luthers laſt Will and Testament. Iniquity tranſgreſsion and ſin what. Six Scripture expreſsions ſetting out the pardon thereof. Gods goodneſs therein. Faith and repentance the way to it. Pardon in the Court of Heaven, and of Conſcience. The equity and neceſsity of forgiving one another. We are to forgive as God for Chriſts ſake forgiveth us, viz. heartily, ſpeedily, frequently, throughly. A twofold remembrance of injuries, in cautelam & in vindictam.
EXERCITATION 5. Pag. 223. The latter clauſes of Exod. 34. 7. ſo tranſlated and expounded as to contain an eight branch of divine goodneſs, viz. Clemency in correcting. Equity in viſiting iniquities of the fathers upon the children. Clemency in ſtopping at the third and fourth generation. A leſſon for magiſtrates. A ſpeech of our Queen Elizabeth. Gods proclamation in Exodus 34. Improved by Moſes in Numbers 14.
EXERCITATION 6. Pag. 234. Job. 11. 7, 8, 9. expounded of divine Greatneſs. Three reaſons of that Expoſition, with the reſolution of a queſtion about it. The height of Gods univerſal, unaccountable, omnipotent Sovereignty proved and improved.
EXERCITATION 7. Pag. 253. The depth of Divine Omniſcience ſeen in diſcerning the deep things of man, yea of Satan, yea of God. Our Neſcience diſcovered and acknowledged. The longitude of Gods perfection ſtated. Eternity proper to him. Not aſſumed by, or aſcribed to men without blasphemy.
EXERCITATION 8. Pag. 263. Divine Immenſity ſhadowed out by the breadth of the Sea. Divine Omnipreſence cleared and vindicated. The propoſal hereof as an antidote againſt ſinning in ſecret. Five practical Corollaries from the greatneſs of God in general.
APHORISME. V. Pag. 277. The Goodneſs and Greatneſs of God are both abundantly manifeſted by his decrees of Election and Preterition, together with his works of Creation and Providence.
EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 277. How predeſtination cometh to be treated of here. Election deſcribed from the Nature, Antiquity, Objects, Products and Cauſe of it. Rom. 11. 33. 2 Tim. 1. 9. with Tit. 1. 2. Epheſ. 1. 4. with Matth. 25. 34. opened. Of Acts ſuppoſing their objects. Of acception of perſons, what it is; and that Predeſtination doth not import it. Acts 13. 48. Expounded and vindicated. Whether one Elect may become a reprobate? The negative maintained, and 1 Cor 9. 24, 25, 26. cleared. Epheſ. 5. and 11. enlightned. Concerning the good pleaſure of Gods will and the counſel thereof.
EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 310. Preterition deſcribed. The term defended. Epheſ. 1. 4. compared with Revel. 17. 8. Epheſ. 1. 9. and Rom. 9. 13. expounded. God not bound to any creature, except by promiſe. The parable in Matth. 20. urged. The three conſequents of negative reprobation. Dr Davenants Animadverſions againſt Mr Hoards book recommended. The goodneſs of God manifeſted in Election, as in a moſt free, peculiar, ancient, leading, and ſtanding favour.
EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 327. An Introduction to Romans 9. Moſt part of that chapter expounded, together with ſundry paſſages in chapter 10, and 11. for proof of theſe two concluſions. 1. That Paul in Rom. 9. doth upon occaſion propound and proſecute the doctrine of Predeſtination. 2. That he derives the Decree of preterition from the Sovereign greatneſs of God. A Conſectary ſhewing how uſefull the ſaid doctrine is to ſober mindes.
EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 359. Creation what. Pythagoras and Triſmegiſt. Hebr. 6. 3. opened. Scripture-Philoſophy. Ex nihilo nihil fit, how true. Creature what. Gods goodneſs in works of creation, particularly in the framing of Adam. The conſultation upon which, pattern after which, parts of which he framed. Two hiſtories, one of a Prieſt, the other of a Monk. The original of body and ſoul improved.
EXERCITATION 5. Pag. 381. The ſame and other attributes of God declared from his providential diſpenſations, the interchangeableneſs whereof largely diſcourſed of and applied from Eccleſiaſtes 7. 14. A gloſs upon Iſaiah chap. 10. 11. Chearfulneſs a duty in ſix reſpects; Croſſes how to be conſidered.
APHORISME VI. Pag. 400. Providence extends it ſelf, not onelyonly to all created beings and to all humane affairs, eſpecially thoſe that concern the Church: but even to the ſins of Angels and men.
EXERCITATION 1. Pag. 400. Introduction concerning the contents of this Aphoriſme. Providence over all created beings. Preſervation of men to be aſcribed to God himſelf, not to good men, yea not to good Angels, in whom heartſearching and patience wanting. Providence reaching to humane affairs: Oeconomical, Civil, Military, Moral and Eccleſiaſtical. Anaſtaſius his deſign frustrate. Rome and our nation inſtanced in. J. G. caſtigated.
EXERCITATION 2. Pag. 415. Deuteron. 11. 12. opened. Gods care over the Church proved from the proviſion he makes for inferiour creatures. From Iſraels conduct. From the experiments and acknowledgements of Saints in all ages. Experiments of the virgin Mary, Rochellers, Muſculus, acknowledgements of Jacob, David, Pſalmiſt, Auſtin and Urſin. From Gods cauſing things and acts of all ſorts to cooperate unto the good of the Saints. Iſaiah 27. 2, 3. explained. The Church preſerved from, in, and by dangers.
EXERCITATION 3. Pag. 438. Hard-heartedneſs made up of unteachableneſs in the underſtanding, untractableneſs in the will, unfaithfulneſs in the memory, unſenſibleneſs in the conſcience, and unmoveableneſs in the affections. Metaphors to expreſs it from the parts of mans body, ſtones and mettals, A ſoft heart. Miſchief, ſearedneſs and virulency attendants of hardneſs. Gods concurring thereunto by way of privation, negation, permiſsion, preſentation. Tradition to Satan. Delivering up to luſts and infliction.
EXERCITATION 4. Pag. 463. Objections againſt, and Corollaries from the foregoing propoſitions. The least things provided for. Luthers admonition to Melancthon. Maximilians addreſs. Plinies unbelief. The Pſalmiſts ſtumble at the proſperity of the wicked. His recovery by conſidering it was not full, was not to be final. The ſuperintendency of Providence over military and civil affairs in particular. The Churches afflictions. Promiſes cautioned. Duty of caſting care upon God. He no authour of ſin. The atteſtation of this State, and of this writer.