The Marrow of the Oracles of God, Chapter 30
CHAP. XXX.
Rules that concerne our selues: and so first in our generall calling.
HItherto of the rules of order in respect of God, or our neighbours. Now follow the rules that concerne our selues. And these are of two sorts. For they are either such as order vsus at all times, or such as order vsus in the times of affliction.
The first sort concerne either …ur generall, or priuate calling.
The rules that concerne our How we must carry our selues in our …enerall calling. 1 In matters of faith.generall calling, as in this place they are to bee considered of, concerne either, 1. our Faith, 2 or …ur repentance, 3. or our hope.
1. The rules that concerne our Faith (supposing the Christian to be informed in the things contained in the former Treatises) are onelyonly these two.
First, thou must be expert in the Catalogue of Promises, that concerne infirmities, mentioned in the third Treatise. For those will preserue thy faith in Gods fauour, against the daily experience of frailtie and infirmitie in thy selfe. For thou maist by them see, that thou hast no reason to doubt of the continuance of Gods louelove to thee, onelyonly because of thy many weaknesses. For in those promises, he hath and doth declare, how graciously he is inclined to his seruants, and passeth by their frailtie, and ac cepteth their desires and endeauours, &c. This rule will proue a maine support of the contentment of thy life: and therefore let not Satan make thee either despise, or neglect it.
Secondly, thou shalt doe well to establish thy iudgement particularly in the doctrine of the Principles, expressed in the fifth Treatise; and by sound learning of them settle thy self, so as thou be no more carried about with the wind of any contrary doctrine. It should be the labour and care of all good Christians to keepe the patterne of wholesome words, 2. Tim. 1. 13.2 About thy repentance.
Concerning thy repentance, as now it is to bee vrged vponupon thee after thy assurance, one rule is of singular vse, and that concernes the Catalogue of present sinnes. By the directions in the first Treatise, I suppose thou hast deliuered thy selfe from the body of sinnes, so as the most of those euils mentioned in the first and great Catalogue, are shaken off, neuer to bee committed againe, and so thou hast no more to do about them, but giuegive God thanks for thy deliuerance from them through Iesus Christ. Now because after thy first repentance there will remaine some corruptions, which as yet are not rooted out; thy course for thy whole life, for these remainders of sin, would be this: Make thee a Catalogue of thy present sins, euen of such euils as thou findest thy selfe yet daily prone vntounto. Examine thy selfe seriously to this end: it may be thou wilt finde 6. or 8. or 10. or more, or fewer euils, which yet hang vponupon thy nature and life. Thy course for the vse of this catalogue may be this: I suppose thou art instructed so farre, as to know the profit of daily calling vponupon God: Now whereas in prayer thou dost, or oughtest to make confession of thy sins, in stead of a more generall confession, vse still thy Catalogue, that is, labour eueryevery day to iudge thy selfe distinctly for those sins that doe presently annoy thee: Hold on this course constantly, till thou hast gotten power against al, or any of them, & as thou findest vertue against any of them, so alter thy Catalogue, giuing thankes for the sinnes thou gettest head against, and putting them out of thy Catalogue. The paines is little, it is once done for a long time, and thy memory will easily carry thy speciall present faults. Besides, this distinct daily remembrance of thy present sinnes, will make thee more watchfull against those sins; and thou maiest once a yeere, or once a quarter, or before eueryevery communion, examine thy selfe anew, and mend thy Catalogue, by putting in any corruption which thou discouerest then, or at any time, to arise anew in thee, and putting out such euils as by prayer thou hast gotten victory against. Thus maiest thou see the state of thy soule distinctly all the dayes of thy life, discerning when thou goest forward or backward. Besides, this course of daily iudging thy selfe, keepes thee out of the danger of any wrath of God.
Concerning thy hope, there 3 About thy hope.are foure things for thee to do.
First, pray constantly and earnestly, for the knowledge of the great glory is prouided for thee. Thou must forme the admiration of heauen in thee, by prayer: for naturally it is not in vsus, Ephes. 1. 18, &c.
Secondly, thou must vse all diligence to perfect thy assurance of heauen, when thou diest, Heb. 6. 12. 1. Pet. 1. 13.
Thirdly, thou must striue to accustome thy thoughts to the daily contemplation of heauen, that thy conuersation may be in heauen, Phil. 3. 20.
Fourthly, thou must striue to direct thy heart, and enable thy selfe to the expectation of the comming of Iesus Christ; thou must labour for that skill distinctly, to be able to waite for the comming of Iesus Christ, and to shew that thou louest his appearing, 1. Thes. 1. 10, and 2. Thes 3. 5. Gal. 5. 5. 2. Tim. 4. 8.