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 1 to redeeme vs , 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 2 with 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 vs the word of reconciliation , and beseecheth vs by the word , to be reconciled . 2 Cor. 5. 19 , 20.

Thirdly , that thou mayest attaine vnto this redemption by 3 Christ , 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 euery creature , and exempts none ; and because the Apostle saith , If any man sinne , hee may haue 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 haue 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 vpon 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 onely 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 onely 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 vs numbred . But in repentance , it is enough to humble our selues for the seuerall kindes of sinnes wee haue 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 . Onely 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 vnto 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 vnder .

Now that thou oughtest thus The proof seriously 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 onely 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 vnto 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 ; onely 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 giue 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 euery where in Scripture expresly required , and the promises fastened ( diuers of them ) vpon 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 vnto softnesse of heart , I aduise thee to take this course : Resolue with thy selfe to set some time apart , at least once euery 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 vpon thy owne soule , begge of God to giue 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 giue 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 vnto him , or while thou callest vpon 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 , giue 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 vpon 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 vnto how much riches and treasure thi●… entrance vnto 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 haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ●…arte . hath assur●…d thee ;

First , that thou shalt not bee damned , thou maist rest vpon it , th●…se be plaine Scriptures , 1 Cor. 11. 31 , 32. Iob 13. 18 , 19.

Secondly , that God will haue mercy vpon thee , and loue 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 vnto 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 haue set downe the chiefe places of Scriptur●… as they lye in order .