5. It is just with God to reserve the dregs of his wrath for them,
who reserve the dregs of their days for him, from . 211
6. The sooner you are good on earth, the greater will be your
reward in heaven, from ..... 211-214
7. The Lord is very much affected and taken with your seeking
of him, and following after him in the spring and morning
of your youth, from ... . . 214-215
8. It will prevent many sad and black temptations, from . 215-216
9. Consider the worth and excellency of souls, from . . 216-217 10. God will at last bring young men to a reckoning, from . 217-220
Quest. Whether in the great dag of account, the sins of saints shall be brought into the judgment of discussion and discovery, or no ? The negative proved bg divers arguments, from .... 220-224
Directions to such as ivould be good betimes, as would know and love, seek and serve the Lord in the primrose of their days ; as,
1. Take heed of putting the day of death afar off, from . 224-226
2. If you would be good betimes, take heed of leaning to your
own understanding, from ..... 226-227
3. If you would be good betimes, take heed of flatterers and
fkttery, from ...... 227-230
4. If you would seek the Lord in the spring and morning of your
days, then take heed of engaged affections to the things of
the world, from ...... 230-231
5. If you would be good betimes, then you must take heed be-
times of carnal reason, &c, from .... 232
6. Take heed of comparing yourselves with those that are worse
than yourselves, from ..... 233-284
Secondly, As those six things must be declined, so several other things must be practised, if you would be good betimes ; as,
1. If you would be good betimes, then you must labour to be acquainted with four things betimes, as,
[1.] You must labour to acquaint yourselves with the Scripture
betimes, from ...... 235-238
You must acquaint yourselves with yourselves betimes, from 238-240
If you would be good betimes, then you must acquaint your- selves with Jesus Christ betimes, from . . . 240 Now tbere are six things which you should be thoroughly
acquainted with concerning Jesus Christ. As,
If you would be good betimes, then you must know that there is every thing in Christ, that may encourage you to seek him, and serve him, from . . . 240-241
If you would be good betimes, then you must know be- times, that Jesus Christ is mighty to save, from . 241-242
Then you must know betimes, that there is a marvellous readiness and willingness in Christ to embrace and enter- tain returning sinners, &c, from . . . 242-243
If you would be good betimes, then you must know betimes that Jesus Christ is designed, sealed, and appointed by the Father to the office of a mediator, from . . 243-244
If you would be good betimes, then you must know betimes that there is no way to salvation but by Jesus Christ, from ....... 244-245
If you would be good betimes, then you must know betimes that the heart of Jesus Christ is as much set upon sin- ners, now he is in heaven, as ever it was when he was on earth, from ...... 245-246
If you would be good betimes, then,
You must acquaint yourselves with those that are good be- times, from ..... . 246-248
If you would be good betimes, then you must shun the oc- casion of sin betimes, from .... 248-250
If you would be good betimes, then you must remember the
eye of God betimes, from .... 250-251
If you would be good betimes, then you must hearken to
the voice of conscience betimes, from . . . 251-252
If you would be good betimes, then you must know wherein
true happiness lies betimes, from . . . 252-253
Lastly, If you would be good betimes, then you must break your covenant with sin betimes. Now to work you to that, you must always look upon sin under these six notions :
You must look upon sin under the notion of an enemy, from 253-254
Under the notion of bonds, &c, from . . . 254-255
Under the notion of fire ; six resemblances between sin and
fire, from ...... 255-258
Under the notion of a thief, &c, from . . . 258-259
Under the notion of a burden, &c, from . . . 259-260
Under the notion of a tyrant, &c, from . . . 260-261
1 Obj. It may be time enough hereafter to seek and serve the
Lord, dc. This objection answered four ways, from . . . 261-262
2 Obj. If 1 should seek and serve the Lord in the spring and
morning of my days, I should lose the love and favour of such and such friends and relations. Four answers to this objection, &c, from . . . 262 264
3 Ob j. I shall meet with many reproaches.
Eight answers to this objection, from . . . 264-269
4 Obj. Most men give liberty to themselves, and walk in ways more
'pleasing to t lie flesh. This objection answered five ways, from . . . 269 273
5 Obj. The last I shall mention is, That God is a God of mercy ;
in hi in are bowels of mercy, yea, a sea, an ocean of mercy; he delights in mercy, dc. Five answers to this objection, from . . . 273-275
Chapter IX. Lastly, The Old Man's Doubts resolved, in eight several Answers, from 275-278
Appendix. Title-page of 1st Edition, . 279
Epistle Dedicatory of ditto, ..... 280-284
The Mute Christian under the Smarting Rod, . .• 285
Epistle Dedicatory, ...... 287-293
A Table shewing the Principal Things in this Treatise : —
The words opened and the doctrine raised, viz., That it is the great duty and concernment of gracious souls to be mute and silent under the greatest afflictions, the saddest providences, and sharpest trials they meet with in this world, from . 294-295
For the opening of this point, first, there is a sevenfold
silence, ...... 295-298
2. What doth a prudent, a gracious, a holy silence include,
shewed in eight things, .... 298-306
3. What a prudent, a holy silence under affliction doth not
exclude, shewed in eight things, . . . 306-312
4. Eight reasons why Christians must be mute and silent
under their greatest afllictions, &c, . . . 312-319
/ .sc. This truth looks sourly upon five sorts of persons, . 320-323
Six considerations to prevent men from using sinful shifts and
courses to deliver themselves out of their afliictions, &c, 323-326
Twelve considerations to prevail with Christians to be mute and silent under the sharpest afflictions that they meet with in this world, &c, .... 326-334
The heinous and dangerous nature of murmuring, discovered
in twelve particulars, ..... 334-341
Obj. 1. Did I but know that my afflictions were in love, I would be quiet, I would hold my peace, &c, answered eight ways, ...... 341-346
Obj. 2. The Lord hath smitten me in my nearest and dearest comforts and contentments, and how then can I hold my peace ? Answered twelve ways, . . . 346-o-Vl
Obj. 3. Oh ! but my afflictions, my troubles, have been long
upon me, and how can I hold my peace ? Answered ten
ways, ....... 354-359
Obj. 4. I would be mute and silent under my afflictions, but they daily multiply and increase upon me, &c, how then can I be silent ? Answered eight ways, . . 359-361