The Spiritual Touchstone, Chapter 3
CHAP. III.
The triall 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 be right or no. For vnderunder this head is comprehended the explication of the doctrine of pouertie of ſpirit, and godly ſorrow, and ſo in generall of repentance for ſinnes.
Now the true Chriſtian in this matter of humiliation ſhews himſelfe to hauehave attained26. Signes of true humiliation. that, which no reprobate could euer attaine: and that in diuers particulars, as,
Firſt, he hath a true 1. He ſees his ſinnes.ſight and ſence of his ſins. He diſcernes his ſinfulneſſe of life both paſt and preſent, and is affected and pained vnderunder the burthen of his daily wants and corruptions, and ſees his miſerie in reſpect of his ſinnes. Ierem. 3. 12. Math. 11. 29. Math. 5. 4.
Secondly, he trembles 2. He feares Gods diſpleaſure.at Gods word, and feares his diſpleaſure, while it yet hangs in the threatnings. Eſa. 66. 1. 2.
Thirdly, he renounceth 3. He truſts not vponupon the merit of his own workes.his owne merits, and diſclaimeth all opinion of true happineſſe in himſelfe, or in any thing vnderunder the Sunne; as being fully perſwaded, that he cannot be ſaued by any works of his owne, or be happie in enioying any worldly things; and therefore is fully reſolued to ſeeke for the chiefe good in Gods fauour in Ieſus Chriſt onelyonly.
Fourthly, he mournes 4. He mournes.heartily and ſecretly for his ſins; and ſo he doth,
1. For all ſorts of ſins: For all ſorts of ſinne.for 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 ſinnes paſt: yea for the ſins he hath loued, or hauehave bene gainfull and pleaſing to him. Yea he grieues for the euill that cleaues to his beſt workes, as well as for euill workes, Eſa. 6. 5. Rom. 7. Eſa. 1. 16. Math. 5. 6.
2. For ſinne as it is ſin, For ſinne as it is ſin.and not as it doth or might bring him ſhame, or puniſhments in this life, or in hell.
3. He is as much troubled As much as for croſſes.for his ſinnes, as he was wont, or now ſhold be for croſſes in his eſtate. He mournes as heartily for the ſorrowes that fell vponupon Gods Sonne for his ſinne, as if he had loſt his owne and onelyonly ſonne, Zachar. 12. 10, 11. or at leaſt this he ſtriueth for, and iudgeth himſelfe, if worldly afflictions do trouble him more then his ſins. Pſal. 38. 5.
Fiftly, he is truly grieued 5. And for the ſins of others.and vexed in ſoule for the abhominations that are done by others, to the diſhonor of God, or ſlander of true religion, or the ruine of the ſoules of men. Thus Lot, 2. Pet. 2. 6. and Dauid, Pſalm. 119. 136. and the mourners marked for Gods owne people. Ezech. 9. 4.
Sixtly, he is heartily6. And for ſpirituall iudgments. affected, and troubled, and grieued for ſpirituall iudgements, that reach vntounto the ſoules of men, as well as wicked men are wont to be troubled for temporall croſſes; & ſo he is grieued and perplexed for hardneſſe of heart, (when he cannot mourne as he would,) and for the famine of the word, or for the abſence of God, or for the blaſphemies of the wicked, or the like. Pſal. 42. 2. 3. & 137. Nehem. 1. 3. 4. Eſay 63. 17.
Seuenthly, he is moſt 7. And is moued thereunto by Gods merciemercy.ſtirred vp to abaſe himſelfe and mourne for his ſinnes, when he feeles God to be 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 8. And he is eaſed onelyonly by ſpirituall meanes.are ſuch as can be aſſwaged onelyonly by ſpirituall meanes. It is not ſport or merrie companie 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 be goeth to be healed of his wounds, Hoſ. 6. 1. 2. Pſal. 119. 23. 24. 50.
Ninthly, in his griefe he is inquiſitiue: he will9. And is carefull to learne how to be ſaued aske the way, and deſires to know how he may be ſaued. He 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 be, but is ſeriouſly bent to get directions from the word of God about his reconciliation, ſanctification, & ſaluation, &c. Ierem. 50. 4. 5. Acts 2. 37.
Tenthly, he is fearfull10. And is fearfull of being deceiued. of being deceiued, and therefore is not ſlightly ſatisfied. He will not reſt vponupon a common hope, nor is he caried with probabilities; nor doth it content him that other men hauehave a good opinion of him; nor is he pleaſed that he hath mended ſome faults, or begun to repent: but repenting he repents ſtill, that is, he takes a ſound courſe to be ſure his repentance be effectually performed, Ierem. 31. 19.
Eleuenthly, he is vehemently11. And earneſtly deſires to leade 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 alwayes tendeth to reformation and ſound amendment.
Twelfthly, in all his ſorowes he is ſupported12. And truſts vponupon Gods merciemercy in his griefe. 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 hart, the deſire of his ſoule is to the Lord, and before his preſence; though he be neuer ſo much caſt downe, yet he 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 failing compaſſions, Pſalm. 38. 9. & 42. 5. 11. Lam. 3. 21. Zepha. 3. 12.
13. He is wonderfully13. And is in louelove with God if he heare his prayers. inflamed with 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. 3.
14. He daily keepes 14. And daily iudgeth himſelf for his ſin.an aſſiſe vponupon his owne ſoule: he iudgeth himſelfe for his ſins before God, arreſting, accuſing, and condemning his ſinnes. He confeſſeth his ſinnes particularly to God, without hiding any ſin, that is, without forbearing to pray againſt any ſin he knowes by himſelfe, out of any deſire he hath ſtil to continue in it; and by this ſigne he may be ſure he hath the Spirit of God, and that his ſins are forgiuen him. Eſay 4. 4. Pſal. 35. 5. 1. Ioh. 1. 7. 1. Cor. 11. 32.
15. His requeſts are 15. And prayes in the holy Ghoſt.daily powred vntounto God. He cries vntounto God with affection & confidence, though it be with much weakneſſe and many defects, as the little child doth vntounto the father, and thereby he diſcouers the Spirit of adoption in him. Rom. 8. 15. Zach. 12. 10. Epheſ. 3. 12.
16. He is vnfainedly 16. Deſiring to be rid of all ſinne.deſirous to be rid of all ſins, as well as one. There is no ſin he knowes by himſelf, but he doth deſire as heartily that he might neuer commit it, as he doth that Note this.God ſhould neuer impute it. This is a neuer failing ſigne, a fundamentall one. 2. Tim. 2. 19.
17. He is content to17. And is willing to ſuffer affliction. receiue euill at the hand of God, as well as good, without murmuring, or letting go his integritie; as being ſenſible of his owne deſerts, and deſirous to approue himſelf to God, without reſpect of reward. This proued that Iob was an holy and vpright man, Iob 1. 1. & 2. 3. 10.
18. He diſlikes ſinne 18. He diſlikes ſinne in all.in all, euen in thoſe that are neare and deare vntounto him in other reſpects, 1. King. 15. 12. 13. 14.
19. He is innocent frō 19. Sinne reignes not in him.the great tranſgreſſion, and keepes himſelfe from his owne iniquitie. He is not ſubiect to the dominion of ſinne. Sinne doth not reigne in him, Pſal. 19. 13. 2. Sam. 22. 24.
20. He finds a deſire20. He hū bles himſelfe for ſin euen in his proſperitie. to be rid of ſinne, and to humble himſelfe for it in proſperitie as well as aduerſitie. He leaues ſin before ſin would leaue him. He forſakes it then, when he could commit it without apparent danger, Iob 8. 5. 6.
21. Or if he be in aduerſitie,21. And in aduerſitie his heart is vpright. his heart is vpright, without lying or diſſimulation. He ſo ſeeketh the pardon of his ſinnes then, and ſo promiſeth amendment, as that he is alſo as carefull to practiſe it when he is deliuered. He is not like the Iſraelites mentioned Pſal. 78. 36. 37.
22. He makes a ſupernaturall 22. He accounts of ſpirituall things as the 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, accoū ting himſelfe exceeding poore if he want them, or the meanes of them, Math. 13. 45. 46. Pſal. 42. & 63. 1. 3.
23. He hath loſt his 23. He doth not ſauour the things of the fleſh and the world.wonted taſte in earthly things: his heart is not tranſported with the admiration of them, or the inordinate deſires after worldly things. He loues not the world & this life as he was wont to do. Though hee vſe the world, yet he eaſily confeſſeth himſelfe to be a ſtranger and pilgrime here. He giues ouer the vnneceſſary pleaſures & profits of this life, Heb. 11. 13. 1. Ioh. 2. 14. 15. Rom. 8. 6. He is wearie of the world, and willing to forgo ſocietie with the men of this world, the workers of iniquitie, Pſalm. 6. 8. 9. and 39. 12. and 26. 1, 2, 3, 4.
24. If the Lord be ſilent, 24. He is much grieued if God hide himſelfe.and 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. Ioh. 16. 23. 28.
25. If he hath bene25. Of a liō he becoms a lambe. a man ſubiect to boiſterous, violent, and hurtful affections, he is now become tame: of a Lion he is become a lambe, & a litle child may leade him, Eſay 11. 9.
26. He hath a ſpirit 26. His ſpirit is without guile.without guile, Pſal. 32. 2. He is more deſirous to be good, then to be thought to be ſo; and more ſeekes 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. 26.
And thus much of the triall of his humiliation. The ſignes of his faith follow.