The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 2 – Chapter 3
CHAP. II.
Shewing what rules hee must obserue, that would be deliuered from his sinne.
HItherto in generall. The first thing then to be done The course to be rid of sinne.by that Christian that would settle himselfe in a sound course, to lay as it were the foundation of his saluation, is to practise those rules that may deliuer him from the horrible danger and distresse he is in, in respect of al the power of all the sinnes he hath hitherto committed.
If he consider of the dreadfull curses which he is liable vntounto in Motiues.respect of all his sinnes, he ought not to thinke it much to vndergoe the hardest taske can bee enioyned, to make himselfe capable of the grace of God, and pardon for so many offences. And therefore with so much the more willingnesse and vnchangeablenesse of resolution, should hee with much desire set vponupon these rules now to bee giuen, seeing they are but few in number, and such as he may performe, by the grace of God, with much ease and comfort. And the more may he encourage his owne heart, because when he hath done, he may clearely see he hath done distinctly that which God required of him, and that, with which he is satisfied through Christ. But before hee set vponupon th… practice of these rules, he must in iudgement bee throughly resolued of three things.
First, that Iesus Christ hath 3 Things he must be resolued of in his iudgement.made a full and sufficient satisfaction for the sinnes of all men: As he became a sacrifice for sinne, he payed a price in his blood, sufficient 1to redeeme vsus, Eph. 1. 6. He is the Lambe of God, that taketh away the sinnes of the world, Ioh. 1. 29. 1 Pet. 1. 18, 19. Ephes. 1. 10.
Secondly, that God is well pleased 2with this satisfaction made by Christ for our sins, which he declared by that voyce from heauen, Mat. 3 and 17. &c. Yea, hee hath set Christ forth in the view of all men, as the propitiation for their sinnes, Rom. 3. 25. and hath sent vsus the word of reconciliation, and beseecheth vsus by the word, to be reconciled. 2 Cor. 5. 19, 20.
Thirdly, that thou mayest attaine vntounto this redemption by 3Christ, if thou wilt practise those things which are required of thee: and this thou mayest bee assured of, both because Christ is said to take away the sinnes of the world, and because God offers this reconciliation in the Gospel to eueryevery creature, and exempts none; and because the Apostle saith, If any man sinne, hee may hauehave an Aduocate with the Father, euen Iesus Christ the righteous; and besides, thou feelest the Spirit of God knocking at the doore of thy heart, and would come in, Iohn 1. 29. Marke 16. 15. 1. Iohn 2. 1.
When thou hast thus prepared If we do 4 things wee are r…d of the danger of all sins past.thy selfe by these three resolutions, then if thou doe these foure things following, thou mayest be sure to bee clearely rid of all danger that can any way befall thee for thy sinnes past, though they were neuer so many or great.
The first rule concernes the 1 Make a Catalogue of thy sins.examination of thy selfe, and it is this: thou must take thee a Catalogue of all the sins thou canst discerne by thy selfe, and be sure thou doe this seriously and effectually; and for this purpose retire thy selfe into some secret place, and set thy selfe in Gods presence; and then call to minde all the sinnes thou canst remember by thy selfe particularly, write them downe as they come to thy mind; aske thy selfe this question: What hauehave I done all the dayes of my life, which if I were now to dye, would feare me if they were not forgiuen? Take the answer to this question, as thy sins come to thy mind, till thou canst remember no more, so as thou couldst in the sincerity of thy heart say, that thou dealest plainly before the Lord, and doest not hide any fault; and out of the liking thou hast of any sinne, doest not forbeare to set it downe.
Trouble not thy head with the thoughts of any other thing, till this be done: and thou needest not care for order or phrase in setting it downe, but doe it in such words as thou hast to vtter it in, and be sure to spare none of thy speciall knowne sinnes, but let the Lord see, that thou art as willing to indite thy selfe for them in his presence, as thou art willing hee should forgiue them. When thou hast in this manner taken a particular notice of thy sinnes, then looke vponupon the Catalogue following, and examine thy selfe distinctly by it. For this Catalogue will be like a Looking glasse from all parts of Gods Law, to shew thee thy offences. And so thou mayest obserue what faults thou couldst not find or remember by thy priuate examination; and withall see in what phrase or order to digest thy sins. Let not thy thoughts trouble thee, but chearefully endure this tryall of thy selfe; and take heed thou do it not cursorily, but take time enough, and so thou maiest, if thou wilt onelyonly take one of the Chapters, or two of them, as they lie in the Catalogue, and no more in a day, till thou come to the end of the Catalogue: neither needst thou to trouble thy selfe about such sinnes as thou doest not clearely see that thou art guilty of, but take onelyonly such as thou art most sure thou hast offended in. It is enough in the practise of Repentance, to take particular notice of knowne and apparent euils: a generall acknowledgement will serue for the rest. If thou thinke thy sinnes bee innumerable, and so cannot be gathered How our sins are innumerable.into a Catalogue, vnderstand, that the acts of sinne are innumerable, but not the kindes of sinne. There is no sinne, but it is condemned in the Scripture: and if there were as many sinnes as there bee liues in the Scripture, yet they might bee numbred; and therefore that speech of Dauid, that his sins were innumerable, must be vnderstood of the acts of sinne; for he might in one sinne be guiltie of innumerable acts: as if it were a sinne in thought, it might be committed oftner then can be by vsus numbred. But in repentance, it is enough to humble our selues for the seuerall kindes of sinnes wee hauehave beene guiltie of, which will not bee so many, but they may be easily numbred. The seuerall acts of the same sin serue but as a generall aggrauation of the offence. OnelyOnly in this examination look to two things: The one, that thou beseech God by prayer, to shew thee the sins Look to a things.are most displeasing vntounto him. The other is, that thou take heed thou leaue not out any speciall knowne sins; because else those sinnes so spared, may buffet thee a long time after thou hast finished this course: and besides, they may get head and preuaile against thee in practice, if by this course they bee not brought vnderunder.
Now that thou oughtest thus The proofseriously to examine and call to minde thy sinnes, and that this is one of the things God requireth of thee to bee distinctly done, these places of Scripture do euidently proue, and withall shew, that God doth take euen this beginning of thy repentance well, Lament. 3. 40. Psal. 4. 4. Ezec. 16. 43, 61. & 20. 43. & 36. 31. Ier. 8. 6. 1 Cor. 11. 28. Gal. 7. 3, 4. Iob 11. 13. While thou art doing this, thou shalt do well to doe no other exercise of Religion at that time, but onelyonly to attend this.
The second thing that God requireth of thee distinctly to be 2 Secondly, thou must confesse thy sinnes particularly in the best words thou canst.done, is the confession of those sins thus gathered into the Catalogue; and for the performance of this dutie, set sometime apart, and present thy selfe before the Lord: and if thy memory will not carrie all the particulars of thy offences, take with thee the written Note.enditement, and as Hezechiah did with his letter, spread thy Catalogue before the Lord, and then take vntounto thee words in the best manner thou canst, to iudge thy selfe for those offences. Let the Lord know, that it is thy hearts desire to pleade guiltie to each of those sins, and in speciall, vrge against thy selfe those sinnes wherein thou hast more especially offended. Be not ouer-carefull for words; the Lord requireth thee but to doe it in the best words thou canst; onelyonly let thy words bee the true voice of thy heart, and thou maiest bee sure the Lord vnderstandeth the meaning of thy heart. Let no obiection driue thee off from the practice hereof, but doe it so, as thine owne conscience may witnesse with thee, that thou hast done it in the best manner thou canst. Now that it is a dutie necessarily required, these Scriptures The proofes.plainly shew, Hos. 14. 2, 3, 4. Pro. 28. 13. Leuit. 16. 21. & 26. 40, 51. Iob 33. 27, 28. Psal. 32. 5. Ier. 3. 12, 13. Mat. 3. 6. Act. 19 18. Dan. 9. Neh. 9. 2. Rom. 10. 10 1 Cor. 11. 1. Ioh. 1. 8, 9. This is the second dutie.
The third thing thou must labour for distinctly, is to conceiue 3. Thirdly thou must seek godly sorrow & not giuegive outr, till thou feele thy heart melt within thee.true mourning and sorrow for these sinnes thus confessed. This is that sacrifice is so well pleasing to God, and this is eueryevery where in Scripture expresly required, and the promises fastened (diuers of them) vponupon this condition, as these places manifestly sh…w, Mat. 5. 4. Iam. 4. 9. Ioel. 2. 12, 13. Zach. 12. 12. Isai. 1. 16. Psal. 31. 9, 10. Isai. 61. 1, 2, 3. Ier. 50. 4. Ier. 31. 18, 19. Now that thou How it may bee attained.mayest attaine vntounto softnesse of heart, I aduise thee to take this course: Resolue with thy selfe to set some time apart, at least once eueryevery day for this businesse; and when thou doest stand before the Lord with thy former mournefull inditement, & while thou striuest to iudge thy selfe, and to keepe an assise vponupon thy owne soule, begge of God to giuegive thee that soft heart he promised, Ezech. 36. 26. begge it (I say) of God, but let thy prayers bee without limitation for the time. If the Lord heare th…e not the first time, yet pray for it the next time againe, and so the third day, and so still, till the Lord doe heare thee, and make thee feele thy heart to melt, and (if it may bee) teares to trickle downe thy ch…kes before the Lord; yea, put on this resolution, that thou wilt neuer stand before the Lord for any request while this course lasts, but thou wilt remember this Petition, to beseech him to giuegive thee secret sorrow and sensible for thy sinnes. It may bee, the Lord will heare thee at the first, or in the beginning, while thou art preparing thy selfe to speake vntounto him, or while thou callest vponupon him at the first or second time; but yet if he doe not, persist thou, thy sute is iust; and importunity will ouercome the Lord: and this very desire to sorrow being resolute, is a degree of true godly sorrow. But yet that thou maiest be sure of it, giuegive not ouer, till the Lord heare the letter of thy desire, if it may be. And withall striue against the perplexities of an vnquiet heart; feare not, but that time of the day which thou setst apart for religious duties, bee as earnest as thou canst, and when that is done, goe chearfully about the works of thy calling. Hang not downe thy h…ad like a bulrush, as if thou must do nothing else but sigh and bemoane thy selfe, and shew a troubled mind in all things: Euen the freer and readier thy mind is, the more fit thy heart will be for this or other holy employments.
And further know, that the vse of this Catalogue is not for euer, nor do I require this speciall mourning all the dayes of thy life, but in this case of first repentance, by which the body of sinne may be remoued. Therefor… thou oughtest so long to vse the Catalogue of thy confessions of sins, till thou feele in some measure this sorrow and melting of heart, which when thou hast attained, eith…r sooner or later, then addresse thy selfe to the fourth rule.
The fourth r…le concernes the 4. Fourthl…, thou must th… lay h…ld vponupon the promises distinctly.… of the Promises, especi…lly the Promises of two sorts. First, s…ch as shew that God hath giuen Iesus Christ to make satisfaction for the sinnes of men: and … Sorts of promises.then in speciall, such promises as shew, that through the merit of Christ, hee that hath thus confessed and felt sorrow for his sin, shall be receiued to fauour. Now How this may bee done.for this purpose, thou must get thee a distinct Catalogue of promises made to such as confesse their sinnes with sorrow and mourning, and in them thou shalt see most plainly vntounto how much riches and treasure thi… entrance vntounto godlin…sse hat… brought thee. For the conditio… of the Promises being alread… formed in thee by this grace … God, thou maist safely assure th… soule of so much fauour fro… God in particular, as is expres… contained in those promises. Mar… it, thou as y…t dar'st not claim… all the prerogatin…s or goo… things contained in any Promis… in Scriptur…,) et thou maist safely lay vp as treasure, so muc… Note.as the Promises that concern… confession and godly sorrow d… assure and estate vp…n thee, an… so thou shalt finde t…at th…u has… … in C…rist already for … and rich fauours, and maist sh… Gods expresse Word to warra… thy claime; as for example, Go… 1. A taste of the … hap…e of s…ch as hauehave … …arte.hath assur…d thee;
First, that thou shalt not bee damned, thou maist rest vponupon it, th…se be plaine Scriptures, 1 Cor. 11. 31, 32. Iob 13. 18, 19.
Secondly, that God will hauehave mercy vponupon thee, and louelove thee 2.freely, and take away his anger from thee, Prou. 28. 13. Ioel 2. 12, 13. Hos. 14. 3, 4. Ierem. 31. 18, 19, 20.
Thirdly, that all thy sinnes are forgiuen thee, 1 Ioh 1. 7, 9. Zach. 3.12. 10. and so forward to the 2. verse of the 13. Chapter.
Fourthly, that God is at peace, and reconciled, and that thou 4.hast a free right vntounto his word, and shalt finde his presence in his word, Isaiah. 57. 15, 16, 17, 18.
Fiftly, that God will now 5.henceforth heale the nature of thy sinfulnesse, Hos. 14. 3, 4.
I do but instance in these few particulars; but I could wish thee to make thee a full Catalogue, and write out the words verbatim, and learne them without booke, or at least study them soundly to vnderstand them. And for thy ease I hauehave set downe the chiefe places of Scriptur… as they lye in order.
Leuit. 26. 41, 42, 44.
2 Kings 22. 19, 20.
Iob 33. 27, 28.
Psal. 32. 5. and 51. 17.
Prou. 28. 13.
Isaiah 57. 15, 16, 17, 18. and 61. 1, 2, 3.
Ierem. 31. 18, 19, 20.
Zach. 12. 10. and so forward to the second verse of Chap. 13.
Hos. 14. 3, 4, 5, 6.
Math. 5. 6.
1 Cor. 11. 31, …2.
Iam. 4. 9, 10.
Now when thou hast written How th…se promises are to bee vsus…d.o…t th…se Promises, and dost vnderstand the meaning of th…m, then carrie them into Gods presence, as thou diddest the Catalogue of sinnes, and now beseech God, for Iesus Christs sake, to incline thy heart to beleeue these promises of Grace; and to this end pray vntounto God from time to time, till the Lord bee pleased to let thee feele life in the Promises, or a cleare perswasion; and withall, beseech GOD by the Spirit of Promise from heauen, to seale vp thy interest herein; and if thou feele the ioyes of the holy Ghost fall vponupon thee in any of these promises, O happy man that euer thou wast borne to such a rich estate. I say the same of this sensible life in the promises, that I did before of godly sorrow: It may bee, the Lord will heare thee at the first; if not, persist thou to begge this grace till thou obtainest it. Thou seest, forgiuenesse of all thy sins, which thou hast conf…ssed is promised thee, vrge the Lord with most humble depr…cation to h…are thee for the pardon and forgiuenesse of them, f…r the mediation sake of Iesus Christ and his merits, that sits at his right hand, to make request for poore sinners that seeke mercy. Now when thou hast felt the Promises to bee any of them spirit and life to thee, then hast thou done this most glorious exercise, and thou hast cause to praise God all the dayes of thy life, and what thou shouldest afterwards doe, the Treatises following wil shew thee; but for thy more cleare satisfaction, I will answer a question.
Quest. Thou wilt say, I could take comfort in this course, hauing done these things, but that I doubt whether my consession or sorrow bee right, or no. For I finde, that wicked men in Scripture hauehave confessed their sinnes, and mourned too.
Answ. Thou maist euidently try thy confession and sorrow, How wee may know whether our confession bee tigh…by these signes of difference.
First, wicked men hauehave confessed their sinnes, and sorrowed, but both were compelled, whereas 1.thine is voluntarily, and so a fre… will-offering.
Secondly, Cain and Iudas conf…ssed sin, but it was not all sorts 2.of sinne, but onelyonly the capitall crimes knowne by them, by which they had shamed and vndone themselues.
Thirdly, the sorrowes of wicked 3.men were more for the punishment, then for the sinne; nor did they sorrow for all sorts of sinnes, but for the sinnes before described.
Fourthly, their confession and 4.sorrowes were not ioyned with an vnfained desire to forsake sinne; whereas this is an infallible signe of true repentance, when a man can as heartily desire that he might neuer commit sinne, as heartily (I Note this well.say) desire it, as he would that God should neuer impute it. When a man can say before the Lord, that there is no sinne, but hee …doth as vnfainedly desire God to giuegive him strength to leaue it and forsake it, as hee doth desire that God should forgiue him' and not plague him for it: I say this is such a signe, as was neuer found in a wicked man in any age of the world.
Fifthly, the confession and sorrowes of the wicked were not 5.ioyned with any perswasion of Gods goodnesse, or any constant desire to finde mercy with God in Iesus Christ.
Thus hauehave I shewe… thee the directions, which concerne this first and most weighty businesse that can concerne thee.
There are three sorts of men whom this direction concernes. This direction concern…s three sort… of menFirst, such as neuer repented. Secondly, such as though they hauehave repented, yet hauehave not the comfort and assurance of their repentance, who by following these directions, may make all out of doubt. Thirdly, such as after calling fall into gr…sse sin…: These hauehave n…ed to recouer themselues by the helpe of these directions. The Catalogue following may Other vsus…s of the Catalogue.serue for other vses, besides this of a mans practice in his repentance at his first conuersion, or after apostacie: For
1. As in a small Map, a man may here see the sorts of sinne, and so may get knowledge quickly, what euill to auoyde, which hitherto he hath not taken n…tice of.
2. It may serue before the Communion, for such as would make a generall suruey of their sin…es, in discharge of that examination which the Apostle mention…th, 1 Cor. 11. For howsoeuer this large Catalogue be not of necessitie requisite to that examination, yet vntounto such as hauehave leasure and fitness…, it is profitable for their more abundant satisfaction.T…e misery of such as will not b… … to … a … th…ir ….
To conclude, if any man that reades these pres…nts, and is guiltie to himselfe, that hee hath hitherto taken no sound course about his sinnes, and yet will not bee perswaded to practise these directions: l…t him consider, that so long as his sinnes be vnr…pented on his part, and vnremitted on Godspart, the pollution of all the sins he euer committed, still cl…aues vntounto him; so as he may iustly with the L…per cry, Vncleane, vncl…ane: y…a all his sinnes are written, as it were with a pen of iron in Gods booke of remembrance, and that hee is a meere strang…r from all Gods promises; …nd liues without God, and without Christ in the world, and that all he doth, euen his best workes, are abo…inable to God, and that seas of wrath hang ouer his head, and vnspeakable woe will bee to him in the appearing of Iesus Christ, if he preuent it not by sound and speedie repentance.
CHAP. III.
The diuision of Sinnes, and the Catalogue of sinnes against the whole Law.
ALl the sinnes mentioned and condemned in the Bible, may be cast into foure ranks. For they are,
Either sinnes against the whole 1.Law, that is, such as may be committed against any of the Commandements.
Or sins against the first Table 2.of the Law.
Or sins against the second Table 3.of the Law.
Or sinnes against the Gospell.4.
The first sort of sinnes, are sins against the whole Law, and thus The first s…rt of sin. Originall sinne.hee sinneth that is conceiued in sinne, Psal. 51. 5.
That allowes not the good he doth, Rom. 7. 15.
That doth the euill hee hates, verse 15. 19.
That hath not goodnesse dwelling in him, ver. 18.
That doth not the good hee would, ver. 19.
That hath euill present when he would doe good, ver. 21.
That hath a law in his members, rebelling against the law of his minde, ver. 23.
That hath not knowledge to Ignorance.do good, Ier. 4. 22. Hosea 4. 6. Isaiah 1. 3.
This is aggrauated,
1. If thou refuse knowledge, and wilt not vnderstand, Iob. 21. 14. Psal. 36. 4.
2. If thou walke not in the light, whilst thou hast the light, Iohn 12. 36.
3. If thou hate him that instructeth thee, Amos 5. 10.
4. If thou detaine the truth for the louelove thou bearest to wickednesse, Rom. 1. 18.
5. That will not vnderstand, though the foundations of the earth be moued, Psal. 82. 5.
That hath present occasion to Procrastination.doe good, and yet puts it off, though but till the morrow, Pro. 3. 28.
That seeketh his owne glory, Vainglory.Prou. 25. 27.
That boasteth of a false gift, Prou. 25. 14.
That praiseth himselfe, Prou. 27. 2.
That is pure in his owne eyes, being not washed from his filthinesse, Prou. 30. 12.
That causeth others to goe astray, especially the righteous, Prou. 28. 10.
That cals euill good, or good euill; or puts light for darknesse, or darkenesse for light; or that puts bitter for sweete, or sweete for bitter, Isaiah. 5. 20.
That changeth the ordinances, or addeth to Gods Word, or diminisheth ought from it, Isa. 24. 5. Deut. 4. 2. Prou. 30. 6.
That protects or defends others in sinne, Ier. 44. 15.
That sits still, and is at rest ill Security.sinne, Zach. 1. 11. And considers not that God remembers his wickednesse, Hosea 7. 2. and is without feare of Gods iudgements, Prou. 28. 14. 1 Thess. 5. 3.
That receiueth not correction, Incorrigiblenesse.but proudly hardeneth his heart, and is wilfull in euill, Ier. 5. 23. Ezech. 7. 10. Heb. 3. 15, 16.
That feares reproach for welldoing, Carnall feares.Isaiah 51. 7. or feares the displeasure of God for breaking mans traditions, Math. 15. 2, 9. or in things indifferent, makes conscience of sinne, where there is no sinne, Rom. 14.
That doth his worke to bee Hypocris…eseene of men, Math. 6. and 23.
That hath the forme of godlinesse, but denyeth the power of it, 2 Tim. 3. 5.
That is a louer of himselfe, 2. Selfe-louelove.Tim. 3. 2.
That is neither hote nor cold, Reu. 3. 15.Luke. warmnesse
That doth not good with a Vnchearefulnesse.ioyfull heart, Deut. 28. 47.
That esteemes the way of the multitude, Exod. 23. 2.
That is not circumspect, but Inconsideration.foolish and rash, and rusheth vponupon things without knowledge or counsell, or consideration of opportunities, circumstances, meanes or end, Ephes. 5. 15. Prou. 15. 22. Ier. 8. 6.
That is childish or vnconstant, Inconstancy.Ephes. 4. 14. as he is,
1. That is carried about with eueryevery winde of doctrine.
2. That hath a diuided heart, Hos. 10. 2.
3. That is mutable in his affection to godlinesse, Gal. 4.
4. That falleth away from the truth, or goeth backe, Ier. 15. 6. Hos. 6. 4. Isai. 1. 4.
Hitherto of the sinnes against the whole Law.