The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
The tryall of a Christian by the signes of true humiliation.
THe first way then, by which a Christian may trie himselfe, is to examine himselfe about his humiliation for sinne, whether it bee right or no. For vnderunder this head is comprehended the explication of the doctrine of pouerty of spirit, and godly sorrow, and so in generall of repentance for sinnes.
Now the true Christian in this …6. Signes of true humiliation.matter of humiliation, shewes himselfe to hauehave attained that, which no reprobate could euer attaine, and that in diuers particulars, as,
First, Hee hath a true sight and 1. Hee sees his sinnes.sence of his signes. Hee discernes his sinfulnesse of life both past and present, and is affected and payned vnderunder the burthen of his daily wants and corruptions, and sees his miserie in respect of his sinnes, Ier. 3. 12. Mathew 11. 28. Mathew 5. 4.
Secondly, He trembles at Gods 2. He feares Gods displeasure.Word, and feares his displeasure while it yet hangs in the threatnings, Esay 66. 1, 2.
Thirdly, He renounceth his owne 3. He trusts not vponupon the merits of his own workes.merits, and disclaimeth all opinion of true happines in himselfe, or in any thing vnderunder the Sunne; as being fully perswaded that he cannot be saued by any worke of his own, or be happy inenioying any worldly things; and therefore is fully resolued to seeke for the chiefe good in Gods fauour in Iesus Christ onelyonly.
Fourthly, He mournes heartily 4. Hemoursand secretly for his sinnes; and so he doth,
1 For all sorts of sinnes: for For all sorts of sins.secret sinnes as well as knowne sinnes; for lesser sinnes as well as greater; for the present euils of his nature and life, as well as sins past: yea, for the sinnes he hath loued, or hauehave beene gainfull and pleasing to him. Yea, he grieues for the euill that cleaues to his best workes, as well as for euill workes, Esay 6. 5. Rom. 7. Esay 1. 16. Matth. 5. 4.
2 For sinne as it is sinne, and For sin as it is sinne.not as it doth or might bring him shame, or punishment in this life, or in Hell.
3 He is as much troubled for his As much as for crosses.sinnes, as hee was wont, or now should be for crosses in his estate. Hee mournes as heartily for the sorrowes that fell vponupon Gods Sonne for his sinne, as if hee had lost his owne and onelyonly Sonne, Zach. 12. 10, 11. or at least this he striueth for, and iudgeth himselfe, if worldly afflictions doe trouble him more then his sins. Psalme 38. 5.
Fiftly, hee is truely grieued and 5. And for the sinnes of others.vexed in soule for the abominations that are done by others, to the dishonour of God, or slander of true religion, or the ruine of the soules of men. Thus Lot, 2 Pet. 2. 7. and Dauid, Psal. 119. 136. and the mourners marked for Gods owne people, Ezech. 9. 4.
Sixtly, he is heartily affected, 6. And for spirituall iudgemēts.and troubled, and grieued for spir…tuall iudgements, that reach vntounto the soules of men, as well as wicked men are wont to bee troubled for temp…rall crosses; and so he is greiued and perplexed for hardnesse of heart; (when he cannot mourne as hee would,) and for the famine of the word, or for the absence of God, or for the blasphemie of the wicked, or the like, Psalme 42. verses 2. 3. and Psal. 137. Nehemiah 1. 3, 4. Esay 63. 17.
Seuenthly, he is most stirred 7. And is moued.vp to abase himselfe, and mourne for his sinnes, when hee feeles God to bee most mercifull. The goodnesse of God doth make him feare God, and hate his sinnes, rather then his iustice, Hos. 3. 5.
Eightly, his griefes are such as 8 And …ee is eased onelyonly by spirituall meanes.can be asswaged onelyonly by spirituall meanes. It is not sport or merrie company that easeth him: his comfort is onelyonly from the Lord in some of his ordinances. As it was the Lord that wounded him with the sight of his sinnes, so to the Lord onelyonly he goeth to bee healed of his wounds, Hos. 6. 1. 2. Psal. 119. 23, 24, 50.
Ninthly, in his griefs hee is inquisitiue: he will aske the way, & 9 And is carefull to learne how to be saued.desire to know how hee may bee saued. Hee cannot smother and put off his doubts in so great a businesse. He dares not now any longer be ignorant of the way to heauen. He is not carelesse, as he was wont to bee; but is seriously bent to get directions from the word of God about his reconciliation, sanctification, and saluation, &c. Ier. 50. 4, 5. Acts 2. 37.
Tenthly, he is fearefull of being deceiued, and therefore is not 10 And is fearefull of being deceiued.slightly satisfied. He will not rest vponupon a common hope, nor is hee carried with probabilities; nor doth it content him that other men hauehave a good opinion of him; nor is hee pleased that hee hath mended some faults or begun to repent: but repenting he repents stil, that is, he takes a sound course to bee sure his repentance be effectually performed, Ieremie 31. 16.
Eleuenthly, he is vehemently 11 And earnestly desires to lead an holy life.carried with the desires of the sound reformation of his life. His sorrow is not water but washing; nor is it eueryevery washing, but such as maketh cleane. Worldly sorrow may hauehave much water, but it maketh nothing cleane; whereas godly sorrow alwaies tendeth to reformation & sound amendment.
Twelfthly, in all his sorrowes 12 And trusts vponupon Gods mercy in his griefe.he is suppored by a secret trust in the merciemercy and acceptation of God: so as no miserie can beate him from the consideration and inward affiance and hope in the merciemercy of God. In the very disquietnesse of his heart, the desire of his soule to the Lord, and before his presence; though it be neuer so much cast downe, yet hee waits vponupon God for the helpe of his countenance, and in some measure condemnes the vnbeleefe of his owne heart, and trusts in the name of God, and his neuer sailing compassions, Psalme 38. 9. and 42. 5, 11. Lam. 3. 21. Zepha. 3. 12.
13. He is wonderfully inflamed 13 And is in louelove with God if he heare his praierswith louelove to God, if he at any time let him know that he heareth his prayers. In the midst of his most desperate sorrowes his heart is eased, if he speed well in prayer, Psalme 116. 1, 6.
14. Hee daily keepes an assise 14 And daily iudgeth himselfe for his sinne.vponupon his owne soule: hee iudgeth himselfe for his sinnes before God, arresting, accusing, and condemning his sinnes. Hee confesseth his sinnes particularly to God, without hiding any sinne, that is, without forbearing to pray against any sinne hee knowes by himself, out of any desire he hath still to continue in it; and by this signe he may be sure he hath the Spirit of God, and that his sinnes are forgiuen him, Esay 4. 4. Psal. 32. 5. 1 Iohn 1. 7, 9. 1 Cor. 11. 32.
15 His requests are daily powred 15 And prayers in the holy Ghost.out vntounto God. Hee cryes vntounto God with affection and confidence, though it be with much weakenesse and many defects, as the little child doth vntounto the father, and thereby hee discouers the Spirit of adaption in him, Rom. 8. 15. Zacha. 12. 10. Ephesians 3. 12.
16 Hee is vnfainedly desirous 16 Desiring to be rid of all sinne.to be rid of all sinnes; as well as one. There is no sin he knowes by himselfe, but he doth desire as heartily that he might neuer commit it: as Note this.he doth that God should neuer impute it. This is a neuer failing signe, a fundamentall one, 2 Tim. 2. 19.
17. Hee is content to receiue euill at the hand of God, as well as 17 And is willing to suffer affliction.good, without murmuring, or letting go his integrity; as beeing sensible of his owne deserts, and desirous to approue himselfe to God, without respect of reward. This proued that Iob was an holy and vpright man, Iob 1. 1. and 2 3, 10.
18. Hee dislikes sinne in all, euen 18 He dislikes sinne in all.in those that are neere and deare vntounto him in other respects, 1 King. 25. 12, 13, 14.
19. Hee is innocent from the 19 Sinne reignes not in him.great transgressions, and keepes himselfe from his owne iniquity. He is not subiect to the damnation of sinne. Sin doth not reigne in him, Psal. 19. 13. 2. Sam. 22. 24.
20 He finds a desire to be rid 20 Hee humbles himselfe for sin euen in his prosperitieof sinne, and to humble himselfe for it in prosperitie as well as aduersitie. He leaues sinne, before sinne would leaue him. He forsakes it then, when hee could commit it without apparent danger, Iob 8. 5, 6.
22 Or if he be in aduersity, his heart is vpright, without lying 21 And in aduersitie his heart is vpright.or dissimulation. Hee so seeketh the pardon of his sinnes then, and so promiseth amendment, as that he is also carefull to practise it when he is deliuered. He is not like the Israelites mentioned, Psal. 78. 36. 37.
22. Hee makes a supernaturall 2… He accou…ts of spirituall things as thy best things.valuation of spirituall things, accounting them as pearles of the best price, not too deare bought, if he purchased them with all the worldly things he hath; and contrariwise, accounting himselfe exceeding poore if hee want them, or the means of them, Mat. 13. 45, 46. Ps. 42. & 63. 1, 3.
23. Hee hath lost his wonted 23. He doth not fauour the things of the slesh and the world.taste in earthly things; his heart is not transported with the admiration of them, or the inordinate desire after worldly things. He loues not the world and this life as he was wont to doe. Though he vse the world, yet he easily confesseth himselfe to be a stranger and pilgrim here. He giues ouer the vnnecessary pleasures and profits of this life, Heb. 11. 13. 1 Ioh. 2. 14, 15. Rom. 8. 5. He is wearie of the world, and willing to forgo societie with the men of this world, the workers of iniquitie, Psal. 6. 8, 9. and 36. 12. and 26. 1, 2, 3, 4.
24. If the Lord be silent, and 24. He is much grieued if God hide himselfe.answer not his desires, but hides his face; his spirit faileth, and he is as one that goeth downe into the pit: it troubles him as a sore crosse; and so contrariwise, Psal. 26. 1. and 88. 13, 14, 15. and 143. 7. Iohn 16, 23, 28.
25. If hee hath beene a man subiect to boisterous, violent, and 25. Of a Lyon hee becomes a Lambe.hurtfull affections, he is now become tame: Of a Lyon hee is become a Lambe, and a little child may lead him, Esay. 11. 6.
24. Hee hath a spirit without 26. His spirit is without guile.guile, Psalme 32. 2. Hee is more desirous to be good, then to bee thought to be so; and more seeks the power of godlinesse, then the shew of it, Iob 1. 1. Prou. 20. 6, 7. His praise is of God, and not of men, Rom. 2. 29.
And thus much of the triall of his humiliation. The signes of his faith follow.