Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls, Table of contents
A TABLE. Shewing the Principal things in this Treatiſe.
SECT. I. THe Text is ſpoken unto.
1 In its context where is ſet forth.
1 The occaſion the Pſalme. page 1, 2, 3
2 The diviſion of the Pſalme. page 1, 2, 3
2 In its ſelf, and here is
1 The explication of the words. p. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8
2 The deviſion of them into parts. p. 9
3 The Doctrines deduced from them. p. 10
3 In its firſt and principall doctrine, which is
1 Propoſed. p. 11
2 Proved. p. 12
3 Amplified.
1 Shewing the nature of ſpirituall dejections. p. 13, 14
2 Shewing the workings which are
1 Fears and doubts as p. 15
1 Whether God ever wrought upon the ſoul. p. 16
2 Whether grace be true. p. 17
3 Whether Cal, Conviction, Comfort be of the ſpirit. p. 18
4 Whether actings be from love or light. ibid.
5 Whether the heart be ſincere p. 19
6 Whether it ſhall conquer corruption. p. 20
7 Whither the ſoule have cloſed with Chriſt ſavingly. p. 21
8 Whether the ſoul ſhal perſevere or fall off from Chriſt. ib.
9 Whither or no the ſoule ever prayed as it ought, or God ever heard it. p. 22
10 Whether the ſoule heard the word, as it ought. p. 23
11 Whether the ſoule have a right unto, or ever cloſed with the promiſes. p. 24
12 Whether abſtinence from ſin have been upon religious, or moral principles. p. 25
13 Whether one hath not ſinned againſt the Holy Ghoſt. ibid.
14 Whether the ſoul ſhall not fall from grace. p. 26
2 Griefes and Sorrowes p. 27
3 Shewing the cauſes of dejection, as
1 Remainders of corruption. p. 28
2 Falls into ſin. p. 29
3 Ignorance of the Covenant of grace ibid.
4 Spiritual indiſpoſition to dutys. p. 31
5 Want of former incomes. p. 32
6 Inſultation of Satan & enemys. p. 33
7 Corporall affliction, as ſickneſſe, &c. p. 34
8 Sence of divine wrath, p. 35
4 Applyed.
1 To informe us of our imperfect ſtate (as to reſt and peace) while we are here, p. 36
2 To be thankefull in caſe of freedome from theſe dejections. p. 37
3 To prepare for dejections. p. 38
1 By remembring there is ſuch a ſtate, and we are lyable to it. ibid.
2 By acquaintance with the Covenant of grace, in its freeneſſe, fullneſſe, and firmneſſe. p. 39
3 By treaſuring up experience. ib.
SECT. II.
I. HEre is Satisfaction held forth unto the particular feares and doubts of dejected ſoules. viz.
1 To ſouls fearing that God never wrought upon them. p 42 to p. 48
2 To ſoules fearing their grace is not true. p, 48 to 52
3 To ſoules questioning whether their calling, conviction, and comfort be of the holy ghoſt. p. 50 to 64
4 To ſoules doubting whether their holy actings be from light or love. p. 64 to 70
5 To ſoules fearing their hypocriſie. p. 70 to 76
6 To ſoules doubting they ſhall never conquer corruption. p. 76 to 82
7 To ſoules fearing they never ſavingly cloſed with Chriſt. p. 82 to 91
8 To ſoules fearing their fall from Christ & doubting they ſhall deny him, p. 91, 92, 93
9 To ſoules queſtioning whether ever they prayed as they ought, or whether ever God heard, p. 93. to 105
10 To ſoules dejected about their hearing of the Word, p. 105. to 111
11 To ſoules queſtioning their intereſt in, and their cloſing with the Promiſes, p. 111. to 115
12 To ſoules troubled about abſtinence from ſinne, p. 115. to 120
13 To ſoules fearing their ſin againſt the Holy Ghost, p. 120. to 125
14 To ſoules fearing their fall from grace, and not beleeving their perſeverance, p. 125. to 132
II. Here is held forth particular cure for the particular cauſes of ſoule-dejection, and the eight generall grounds of ſoules being caſt down are ſtated, and ſpoken to; as,
1 Satisfaction is given to ſoules caſt down by reaſon of the remainders of corruption.
2 Satisfaction is given to ſouls caſt down by relapſes into ſin.
3 Satisfaction is tendred to ſoules dejected about the Covenant of Grace.
4 Satisfaction is held forth to ſoules caſt down, by reaſon of indiſpoſition to duties.
5 Satisfaction for ſoules dejected for want of former incomes.
6 Satisfaection to ſoules troubled by reaſon of Satans, and enemies inſultation.
7 Satisfaction to ſoules caſt down by reaſon of ſickneſſe, and feare of death.
8 Satisfaction to ſoules dejected, under the ſence of Divine wrath.
Theſe are ſpoken unto in the Pages between 132. & 133
SECT. III. ANother Doctrine raiſed from the Text, which is,
1 Delivered in its generall body, p. 133
2 Devided into two branches, viz.
1 That Chriſtians dejected ſhould not give way to dejection, p. 133
2 That they ſhould argue the caſe with their owne ſoules.
3 Purſued and followed in
I. Branch, under three heads, viz.
1 A premiſe that dejected ſoules are apt to give way unto dejections, ſhewing ſix grounds of it, p. 133 to 138
2 Aproofe of the first branch.
1 From Scripture.
2 From Reaſon which,
1 There is no reaſon to give way, p. 139, 140
2 There is much reaſon against it.
1 Becauſe tis a paſſion, p. 141
2 Becauſe tis perillons.
1 In its ſelfe, ib.
2 By reaſon of Satan. p. 142
3 Ʋnto the ſoule.
1 Taking away our strength to work. p. 143
2 Taking away our ſtomacke to eate. p. 144
3 An application.
1 To chide ſuch as give way to dejection, as,
1 Who conceale their trouble, p. 145
2 Who look not after comfort, p. 146
3 Who diſpute againſt comfort, p. 147
4 Who avoyd company, p. 148
5 Who caſt of duty, p. 149
2 Two cautions, againſt giving way, by,
1 Anſwering the objection of ſorrow for ſin, and ſhewing when that is too much, p. 149. to 151
2 Adviſing how to ſtop ſorrow that it goe not too farre. p. 153
II. Branch is,
1 Propounded p. 154, 155
2 Proved. p. 154, 155
3 Amplified, ſhewing
1 Wherein the expoſtulation of the ſoule with its ſelfe conſiſts; as,
1 In a ſolemne ſummoning of the ſoule to give an account of its dejection, p. 156
2 In a ſerious conſideration of what the ſoul ſaith for its dejection, p. 157
3 In an endeavour what the ſoule can to ſatisfie its ſelfe, ib.
2 Why this ſoule expoſtulation ſhould be, as,
1 Becauſe the ſoule hath a faculty thus to expoſtulate, p. 158
2 Becauſe hereby the ſoule often ſees its caſt down cauſleſſe, p. 159
3 Becauſe hereby ſorrow is ſtopped, ib.
4 Becauſe this will plead ſome excuſe for dejection p. 160
5 Becauſe hereby the ſoule is fitted for a cure. p. 161
4 Applyed.
1 To reprove thoſe that argue not the caſe with themſelves, p. 161
2 To direct ſoules how to argue by giving the ſoule.
1 Some rules, p. 161. to 165
2 Some queſtions, p. 165. to 166
3 Some informations, p. 166. to. 169
SECT. IV. THE Doctrine of waiting in dejections, is
1 Raiſed and proved from the text, p. 169. 170
2 Explicated by ſhewing what is waiting upon God in dejection, is in four particulars, p. 171, to 174
3 Confirmed by ſix grounds, p 175, to 177
4 Applyed for
1 Humiliation, p. 178, 179, 180
2 Caution, p. 181, 182
3 Exhortation, in this uſe ſome caſes of conſcience are ſatisfied, as
1 The caſe of being contented to want Chriſt reſolved.
1 That it muſt be p. 184
2 How it may be p. 185
2 The caſe of anſwering to, or dealing with Satan in the time of our dejection. p. 186, 187, 188
5 Concluded.
1 By granting that though the ſoul muſt be content to wait, yet it may pray, but ſhewing how p. 189
2 By granting though the ſoule ſhould be content to wait, yet it may indeavor to be cured, but ſhewing alſo how. p. 190
SECT. V. THe Doctrine of beleeving in the deepeſt dejections is,
1 Raiſed out of the words. p. 193
2 Opened in ſhewing
1 When the ſoule is deepeſt dejected, p. 194, 195, 196
2 That then its duty and glory is to beleeve, p. 198
3 Confirmed from the example of David, &c. p. 199
4 Amplified.
1 By ſhewing what it is to beleeve in dejections. Set forth.
1 In a generall deſcription. p. 200
2 In particular points to bee beleeved then, as 1 Gods Power, 2 Poſſibility of the ſouls cure, 3 inclinableneſſe in God to do is. p. 201, 202
3 In ſix ſpeciall things to be beleeved by the ſoul when it is in loweſt, p. 203, 206
2 By ſhewing three Reaſons for all this p. 207, 208
5 Amplified.
1 For information, that times of dejection ought to be times of beleiving, yea that they are the proper ſeaſon of faith, here are three reaſons given why in a ſpecial maner Chriſt looks for faith now. p. 210 to 214
2 For perſwaſion of the ſoule to act its faith when its caſt downe loweſt, and here
1 The duty is opend p. 214
2 Motives are binted to stir up, as,
1 That now faith is bleſſed. p. 215
2 That now faith glorifies God p. 216
3 That now beleeving ingages God, p. 217
4 That now beleeving raiſeth. p. 218
3 Meanes to help are propounded, as,
1 Cautions, in which the ſoule is adviſed to take heed, and beware,
1 Of concluding any thing by ſence, p, 219
2 Of conſidering ſelfe. ib.
3 Of beleeving Satan although backed with ones own conſcience. p. 220
4 Of concluding any thing upon the preſent viſible rejection of Chriſt. p. 221
2 Conſiderations, as,
1 There is no ground why the ſoul ſhould not beleeve. for, p. 222
1 There is no command to the contrary p. 223
2 The death of dejection is not, &c. ib.
3 The ſouls defilement is not, p. 224
4 Former unbeleif, or preſent, doubtings are not. p. 225
2 The promiſes are made to the loweſt eſtate, as is inſtanced. p. 225, 226
3 The ſoule ſhall not need to fear its preſumption to beleeve, which being the laſt object that is put in againſt beleeving tis anſwered and cleared. p. 227, 228, 229
FINIS.
End of the text · John Durant, Comfort and Counsel for Dejected Souls (1651)