intercession to the Father for them This makes them To call vpon God in Christ a signe of our vnion with him in all their necessities and wants to repaire to their heauenly Father with much ioy confidence and comfort powring out their soules vnto him in the name of Christ nay they neuer finde more comfort in any estate good or bad then when they inioy his presence in the heauenly exercise of Prayer Dares any then call himselfe a Christian and professe himselfe to haue put on Christ as well as any that dares not come into his presence that cannot open his mouth nor yet his heart to him in prayer neither confessing and bewailing his wants nor begging any supply thereof from him I knowe it should bee high presumption in any to dare to looke God in the face out of Christ vnlesse they haue not onely a commandement but a gracious promise in his name and for his sake to bee heard in their requests If there be any such presumptuous one hee may iustly feare that whiles he lifts vp his hands and his face to heauen God powre vpon him Psal 11.6 and raine downe snares fire and brimstone and an horrible tempest as the iust portion of his cup. Yet on the other hand for any hauing both precept and promise from God in Christ 〈◊〉 name to come immediately into his presence and to receiue what he askes for any I say not to come not to aske not to pray is an argument of an vnbeleeuing impenitent and senselesse heart and the true character of an Atheist and of one who is without God and without Christ in that he calls not vpon the Lord. Psal 14.4 Yet many such there are that especially of and by themselues neuer powre foorth a prayer to God nor willingly with others Par. 3. §. 9. and yet these men forsooth are as good Christians as any in their owne conceits and will bee saued by Christ as soone as the best oh strange hypocrisie and delusion 2. Secondly hereby also may a Christian take a scantling of himselfe namely by his conceit of and affection to Death and to Iudgement It being appointed vnto men euen to the godly once to die Heb. 9.27 after which commeth the Iudgement by both these as Christ drawes neere vnto vs so doe we vnto him So that if once we haue put him we by these put him more on and draw neerer vnto him Section 9. 1. Death whether it be in the Lord or for the Lord 1. By Death Rom. 8 38.39 as it seperates not from Christ nor from the loue of God wihch is in Christ Iesus our Lord so it brings a man neerer vnto Christ euen to be with Christ which is farre better and more to be desired then to be still in the body if wee respect our owne good Christ indeed now is in vs and we in him Phil. ◠23 Gal. 2.20 but as yet we are not so properly with him in which regard it is said that whilest we are at home in the body 2 Cor. 5.1.2 4. 6.7.8 wee are absent from the Lord but by death we are absent from the body and present with the Lord we so are present with his humanity whiles here we are by faith wee are espoused to him but by death we beginne to be taken into house home with him for euer where we shall inioy his more immediate presence and company for here wee walke by faith not by sight This makes Death so desirable to such as here haue truly put on Christ for saith Paul we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle where dissolued wee haue a building of God an house not made with hand eternall in the heauen for in this we groan earnestly desiring to be cloathed vpon withour house which is from Heauen for we that are in this Tabernacle do groane being burthened not for that we would be vncloathed but clothed vpon that mortalitie might be swallowed vp of life This affection is also in Gods Children generally who though Death be an enemie in it selfe and may affright them as men desiring their natuall good and preseruation yet whiles by faith they seeing beyond it Not to feare death an argument of our vnion with Christ looke to their eternall good they feare it not but much desire it as a man doth bitter and loathsome Physicke not for it selfe but in hope of health and according to Gods will willingly imbrace it whē it comes There may be some strife awhile betweene nature and grace as there is in them also betweene grace and corruption betweene the flesh the spirit Gal. 5.17 which haue contrary desires but the desires of the greater good of our soules by death preuailes against the desires of the lesser good of our bodies by inioying this temporall life As therefore we are bid examine our selues 2 Cor. 13.5 whether we be in the faith and proue our selues whether Iesus Christ is in vs or we be reprobates so may we doe it as well by this tryall as any for if Christ be in vs here and we in the faith of Christ then assuredly we cannot but desire and according to Gods will to be with him and further and more to enioy his more immediate presence which cannot be enioyed but by death at the least wee cannot when our time is come or that God calls vs to seale his truth by our death which wee professed in our life bee vnwilling or refractary thereunto which if for any long time we be or if that the loue of the world and of our temporall life preuaile with vs to make vs vnwilling to die whether in our profession or for it we haue then too iust cause to suspect our selues that as yet we neuer truly put on Christ nor were by faith vnited and espoused to him for if wee were wee could not be vnwilling to depart hence seeing he now is absent in body and to goe to him and to bee with him in those Mansion places which he hath prepared for vs in heauen which euen Louers and espoused couples in like case of absence the one from the other doe so much on earth desire Therfore to be vnwilling to die and to be with Christ argues that that party hath no hope to see Christ in his Kingdome or to raigne with him that he hath so little desire to goe to him whereas hee that hath once seene Christ here with the eies of faith and by it hath put him on will with good old Simeon wish and say Luk. 2.29.30 Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes haue seene thy saluation It argues moreouer that such a partie Par. 3. §. 10 and haue this straight vnion with him which wee make shew of or that we dwell in him he in vs we wil further declare this by our loue to him and to his comming for so are true
Christian denying himselfe makes himselfe a foole in the account of the world and in the acknowledgement of his owne folly carnal wisdome that he may be wise his wisdome is to know and feare God according to his word he followes the directions therof and armes himselfe with that armour it prescribes whereas the worldly wise care not for Gods word which they reiect both in iudgement and practise and then what wisedome is in them They proue wise only to deceiue themselues Ier. 8.9 whiles they trust to their owne wisdome 1 Cor. 3.19 it deceiues them and as God taketh the wise in their owne craftinesse so doth the deuill take them notwithstanding their wilinesse Section 44. Hauing considered the Christian mans strength by the spirit 2 Gods spirit strengthens the true Christian against the inticements of sinne in withstanding and resisting Satan the Authour of euill Par. 3. §. 44. wee are now to take further notice of it as it hath to deale with euill it selfe which is first the euill of sinne Sinne and vice is of a bewitching nature it kils whiles it fawnes vpon vs and flatters vs and by the allurements and inticements of it vnsound and vnarmed Christians are drawn aside and mastered It hath conquered the strongest Which though strong that hath not been strengthened with this spirit of might Was not great Alexander otherwise inuincible ouercome of wine wrath 1 Esdras 3.18.21.22 4.26 How exceeding strong is wine It causeth all men to erre that drinke it It makes the coward draw his sword It makes men speak all things by talents yea how much more strong are women and the loue of them Many strong men otherwise haue runne out of their wits for women and become seruants for their sakes c. Sampson the strong by his lust became a prey to Dalilah The like preuailing power hath all sinne ouer the sonnes of men who are drawen away of their owne lust and concupiscence Iam. 1.14.15 and are entised then when lust hath conceiued it bringeth forth sinne and sin when it is finished bringeth forth death This is that strong King which raigneth in the mortall bodies of natural men and hath them at like commaund as the Centurion had his seruants to one saying Go and he goeth to another come he commeth to a third doe this and he doth it so mens speciall corruptions haue that command ouer them through the inticements of pleasure profit pride and the like that at the first motion they come they goe they run they ride they lye they sweare they fawne they flatter in a word they sticke at nothing but yeeld themselues and their members seruants to vncleannesse and to all sin which is vncleannesse How weak are their hearts whiles thus they doe and how doe they plainely thus shew themselues to want the Spirit of Christ which is a spirit of strēgth Where then any sinne raignes and is not at least resisted there is no Spirit of Christ though there bee the Name and Profession of Christ But the true Christian It inables him to resist and keepe vnder clothed with the Lyons skin of the tribe of Iudah shewes himselfe a true and valiant Hercules to cut and strike off the Hydra-heads of sin sprout they neuer so fast and at length to kill the body of sinne so that howsoeuer it bee euer molesting him or alluring him yet hee withstands it resists repels and at length ouercomes it He so keeps his heart as one that is watchfull and carefull would keepe a tree which he is set to watch lest the birds build their nests in it though hee cannot wholly hinder them from fluttering about it and sometimes lighting on the branches yet he can and doth by diligence keep them from nestling in it so though the best Christian cannot wholly driue sin from him Par. 3. §. 45. nor bee free from the allurements and inticements of it but that sometimes it will whiles hee is negligent rest vpon him and find place and some footing yea hinder him and creepe into his best actions sacrifices yet as when the foules came downe vpon the carkeises of Abrahams sacrifice hee droue them away Gen. 15.11 and offered his sacrifice so doth the other resist and withstand sin and corruption that it neither rests nor nestles in his heart nor yet hinders the acceptation of his spirituall sacrifices of Prayer Praise Almes c. Now this sinne is either that part of Originall sinne which we call naturall corruption and the flesh or it is actuall and more outward sinne Section 45. The flesh is that corruption of nature which is in euery part and power of soule body 1 How he deales with the flesh with inbred corruption consisting in a depriuation of the image of God and of that rectitude righteousnesse which was in vs at our first creation in Adam and in a deprauation of those powers wherby the whole soule is both forward and proue vnto all euill onely and continually and froward backward in regard of all goodnesse in which regards the soule is laid open vnto sin in act and to Satan which as an home-bred traytor is ready to take part with him to let him into the soule and to giue him the full possession of it And this effect it hath in the vnregenerate and hypocrite As for the true Christian though this corruption of his nature be couered with the righteousnesse of Christ with which he stands clothed yet it is not taken away for being God hauing left it in our nature as for other ends so doubtlesse for this one to exercise his graces and the power of the Spirit in vs euen as he left many nations vndriuen out of the land of promise that by them he might not only proue Jsrael but also teach them warre These remnants of sin Iudg. 2.22 3.1.2 as those nations left doe euer either molest Gods seruants or allure and intice them to actuall sinne as the other were euer either making warre against Israel or inticing them to their Idolatries and being so neer vs euen within vs they proue most treacherous and dangerous enemies euen as if a citie being besieged by forrain forces should harbour within it selfe a company of traytors who should either hinder assaults to bee giuen vpon the enemies or bee ready to open the gates and betray the city into the enemies hands Now wheras the vnsound Christian being either secure fearing no danger from the flesh or weake and giuing it its will is foyled thereby and giuen ouer vnto sin and into the hands of Satan by sin the sound Christian deales other wise with it hee knowing what aduantage Satan seekes from his flesh as also the treachery of the flesh watcheth ouer it and not only preuenteth the treacheries of it so that it cannot doe the euill it would but proceeds against it as a traytor and by the strength of grace
the beeing of sinne but of himselfe and of all parts both of body and soule Iob. 31.1 with his eies hee makes a couenant as did Iob not sinfully to behold vanitie his feete he refraines from euery euill way with Dauid Psa 119.101 and so in all other parts of body and soule not walking as formerly and as the Gentiles doe in vanity of mind in darknesse of vnderstanding Ephes 4.17.18.19 in blindnesse of heart in sencelessenesse of sinne in lasciuiousnesse of affection in workes of vncleannes 26.28.29 but as the Apostle dehorts hee puts off sinne in heart and affection in hand in tongue This being the propertie of a sincere Christian Par. 3. §. 61 all things are contrary in the vnsound Professor of Religion Not so the Hypocrite Mar. 6.17.20 2 King 10.16.28 31 who with Herod Iehue Iudas c. may doe much and forbeare many euills yet retaine some one sinne in heart affection which shall witnesse his vnsoundnesse as the first did his whore the second his Idolatrous Calues Mat 26.22 and the third his bagge couetousnesse though for other euills vnreprouable of man and of his fellow Apostles So many may seeme to put off Ignorance and Errour in the vnderstanding by being turned from errour to truth but not euill and sinfulnes in their wills and affections as those Papists who turne loose vnreformed Protestants those Protestants who comming to knowledge yet liue in profannes and contrarywise many others seeme deuout in their affections zealous in their actiōs forwardnesse but without knowledge as the blinded Papist and without discretion as the vngrounded Protestant Section 61. As thus the godly wholly puts off the old man 2 The true Christian puts on Christ so also hee puts on whole Christ and all his graces wholly on all parts of body and soule First for Christ as his duty is Rom. 13.14 so he puts on the Lord Iesus Christ and that in all his Offices 1 Whole Christ as Prophet Priest and King for Christ is all these and hee that is a true Christian puts him on whole without deuiding him either in his Person Natures or Offices or in any other respect wherin he is wholly to bee considered Christ in himselfe wholly considered and as the obiect of our faith and imitation is like vnto his owne seamelesse coate which he wore on which when hee dyed lots were cast whose it should wholly be for it was not to bee deuided so Christ himselfe must not be deuided but possessed and inioyed wholly of euery one to whose lot by the mercy of God it falls to put him on And so it is with sound Christians who put on whole Christ According to both his natures and the whole of each First according to both his Natures and the whole of each nature by acknowledging him to be both God and Man God of the substance of his Father begotten before the world and man of the substance of his Mother borne in the world perfect God and perfect man of a reasonable soule and humane flesh subsisting and that although hee bee God and man yet hee is not two but one Christ One not by conuersion of the Godhead into flesh but by taking of the manhood into God One altogether not by confusion of substance but by vnitie of Person This is the faith of a true Christian whereas heretickes in the Church vnder the name of Christ deny Christ in as much as they diuide him and so shew themselues to be at best but halfe Christians euen so farre as they doe not confesse him in and according to both natures The Arrians diuide Christ as also the Iewes Turks by denying his Godhead the Manichees by impugning his humanitie So do not the Arrians Manichees Papists and what doe Papists in effect else whilest they will haue Christ in body really present in the Sacrament in euery consecrated host whereof there are millions at the same time and so an humane body Who diuide firsts Christs one body into many by their Transubstantiation quite contrary to the nature of it to be infinite at least at the same time in many places and at once to be both visible and invisible visible when it sate at the table invisible in the bread which is so repugnant to the nature of a true body such as Christ did assume and still retaines as that the God-head it selfe at the same time cannot bee both visible and invisible finite and infinite What is this in them as also in the Lutheran who not onely in the Sacrament but before and after teacheth and holdeth an Vbiquitie of the bodie of Christ but to deny that Christ Iesus is come in the flesh 1 Ioh. 4.3 and so to demonstrate themselues to bee no sound Christians but to be led by the spirit of Antichrist I must needs professe I cannot see but the Papists thus plainly shewes himselfe to bee no Christian neither the Lutheran so far In like manner others diuide the humane nature of Christ some denying him to haue a true humane body saying Putatiue he died only to our thinking others to haue a true humane soule saying that though hee had a true body yet the diuinitie of Christ was his soule as thought Apollinaris 2 The cupp from the bread in the Sacrament And doe not Papists in the Sacrament for all their distinction of Concomitancy saying where Christs body is there it is not without his blood doe not they I say diuide Christ whilest they denie the Cup to the Laitie and propound him in the Sacrament to their faith not as hee dyed his blood shed out of his veines but as hee liued or now liues in heauen Seeing therefore Christ profits vs not but as he dyed for vs wee hauing redemption through his blood Colos 1.14 Heb. 9.22 Colos 1.20 euen the forgiuenes of sinnes for without blood no remission and seeing our peace with God is made onely through the blood of his Crosse can we cal them Christians whose faith whether out of the Sacrament or in it seeing the same Christ and the same benefits of Christ are sealed in the Sacrament which in the word are promised looks not to Christ crucified How proportionably are they giuen ouer to teach and acknowledge an vnbloody sacrifice whilst yet they hold the reall presence of Christs body They may bee as good Christians as are Papists who beleeue in a Christ who neuer dyed and in a false Christ as many in former times did who neuer shed his blood vnlesse it were for his owne sinne and blasphemy in so making himselfe Par. 3. §. 62 Section 62. Secondly true Christians put on Christ 2 According to all his Offices as Christ as one who of God was annointed for them and is still their Prophet Priest and King 1 Confessing him in them all and one of these as well as
to himselfe that so hee might conforme his mysticall body his Church to his owne blessed soule and body in all holinesse in that measure hee hath thought fit only it is necessary for vs to see the beggery wee are borne in hauing not a rag of sauing goodnes to hang vpon vs to couer our shame that so wee might be forced to get into Christ out of the rich wardrope of his obedience be furnished with such Robes as might not only couer our nakednes but likewise adorne vs and set vs out to the liking of our Sauiour that hee may take pleasure in our beautie and might be armour likewise vnto vs to stand out against all inward outward oppositions Him God hath made the publike treasury of the Church in him all fulnesse dwels that out of it wee might receiue grace answerable to the grace in him resembling him Iohn 1.16 not as an Image doth a man in the outward lineaments only but as a sonne doth his father in nature and disposition Esai 9.6 he is the Father of eternitie to whom we must be like in holinesse as we desire to bee like him in happinesse and can wee more desire to bee like any then him by whom we looke to be saued We see men studie the dispositions of those they hope to rise by and carnall men cast themselues into the mould of the times fashioning their opinions language demeanor to the liking of those they hope to be aduanced by but a Christian is of a higher and more noble breed and knowes the worlds fashion to bee the basest fashion crosse to the liking of the Father Iohn 2.15 he knoweth that hee is predestinate to bee like to Christ vnto whose image now we are conformed and not to the image of the first Adam Rom. 8.29 Hee knoweth that whatsoeuer good is in vs is first in Christ Iohn 17.19 who therfore sanctified himselfe that we might be holy and therefore he indeauoreth neerer vnion and communion with him and laboureth to put him on First in Iustification that so being cloathed with garments of our older brother wee may finde grace in our Fathers sight and stand vpright before God in him who is made of his Father righteousnesse vnto vs 1 Cor. 1.30 And wee take him as offred of the Father to vs by the hand of a particular faith for Christ profiteth not as considered in the broad cloath if wee may so speake but as suted fitted to vs by the applying hand of Faith And because whosoeuer is in Christ is a new creature therefore he aymeth in the second place to put Christ on in Spirit conuersation to bee like minded vnto him in meekenes and humilitie as who can be proud when hee beleeueth God was abased for him and to put on the same bowels of loue and mercy to count it his meat and drinke to doe Gods will as hee did going about doing all the good hee could and oft considers with himselfe what affections and intentions his Sauiour would haue vpon such and such occasions what hee would doe if hee were on the earth and what hee did in the dayes of his flesh and vnto this patterne he fashioneth his cariage this accompanieth the former for none are cloathed with his Righteousnesse but are likewise cloathed with his Spirit Therefore our aduersaries wittingly slaunder vs when they inforce vpon vs such conceits as if we seuered the imputed righteousnesse of Christ from the inward work of sanctification and made a iustified man like the deuill appearing as an Angel of light and like a Blackamore couered with a white linnen garment No not so wee know that as Christ saueth his Church so hee purgeth it that hee may present it to himself a glorious Church And as he performed the Law for vs Ephes 5.20 so will he performe it in vs. By looking with the eie of faith on his wonderful loue to vs discouered in the Gospel we are trāsformed frō glory to glory frō one degree of grace to another 2 Cor. 4.18 It is impossible that that soule that euer felt peace ioy by the satisfactiō obedience of Christ for vs but with cōceiuing Christ thus louing and grcious in his heart hee should haue the Impression of these graces that are in our blessed Sauiour In what heart soeuer he is conceiued in he fashioneth it alwaies like to himselfe Indeed those loose professors that are led with the spirit of the world haue little of Christianitie in them but Baptisme suppose a Sacramentall putting on of Christ with a powerlesse profession which they may take vp and lay aside at their pleasure as they do their garmēts to bee ynough but the true learning of Christ is a deeper matter then so there must bee an indeauour to put off our whole selues haue nothing in vs of our own but what we thinke desire speake or doe should euer sauour of the spirit of Christ which who wanteth is none of his by the which whosoeuer is indued with vertue from aboue it will raise his soule aboue it selfe and make it firme impregnable against all temptations either on the right hand or the left carry it strongly through all duties A meer humane spirit can neither doe or suffer any thing but hee that is clothed with a more excellent spirit then his owne is more then a man and in Christ can doe all things that are required in the couenant of grace Phil. 4.13 How should this sharpen our desires of being more and more filled with the fulnesse of Christ especially considering we must all lay aside these garments of our bodies in the dust and appeare shortly before him and then he will owne none for his but such as beare his Image A fearefull thing it will be to bee found in his case that is not found in Christ that hath nothing of Christ in him for the pure eyes of God cannot look on him but as an obiect of his wrath and fewell of his vengeance which wil borne to hel As we desire to hold vp our heads with ioy and not to lye open and naked exposed to all the stormes of his displeasure wee must labour to put on whole Christ and weare him close to our soules Euery day we gather new staines therfore euery day wee must wash our garments in his blood and appeare before God clothed with him that hee may looke on vs with a forbearing eye Iohn 3.29 Those friendes of the Bride therefore deserue well of her that lay before her her owne nakednes and the vnsearchable riches of Christ that shee may bee drawne out of her selfe to an admiration of the excellencie of Christ and shine in his beames Reuel 12. and trample whatsoeuer is glorious in the world vnder her feet seeing nothing ere long will bee glorious but Christ and his Spouse Hitherto tendeth this Treatise of this godly Minister whom for his
women professing Christ to bee without the life of Religion without faith and without the spirit receiued by faith by which spirit our vnion is made with Christ and without Loue by which as members of the same body if we remaine vnited to Christ our head we should bee knit and conioyned together one with another where wee see such things can we say that such men haue put on Christ or haue any true vnion with him Oh therfore that men without partialitie and flattering of thems elues a most dangerous and pestilent euill to the soule would but throughly trie themselues and their pretended vnion with Christ by these foure aforesaid notes that so they might truely come to the knowledge of themselues Par. 3. §. 13 whether they had indeed put on Christ to their Iustification which was the first poynt for the triall of Christianity from our putting on of Christ Section 13. We are now in the second place to trie whether we be indeed true Christians or no 2 Trialls from our putting on of Christ to our Sanctification by our putting on of Christ to Sanctification whereunto the two last notes of purpose so briefly named may seeme to lead the way Luk. 24.49 Isa 51.9 â—â—d 59.17 We haue heard formerly in the explication of this phrase of putting on that to put on Christ implies both an inward clothing by the Spirit and power of Christ as also an outward expressing of this power in our liues and conuersations Therfore this sprit of Sanctification in the hauing and shewing forth the gifts of it will bee a notable triall whether wee haue put on Christ and whether wee hold the foresaid vnion with him or no For hereby saith Saint Iohn we know that wee dwell in him and hee in vs 1 Ioh. 3.24 4.13 because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit or by the spirit which hee hath giuen vs and Jf any man haue not the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.9 hee is none of his Now The Spirit of Sanctification knowne where the Spirit of God is there it will giue witnesse of it selfe and manifest it selfe by the motions and stirrings of it and also by the properties thereof 1. It is no idle spirit 1 By the motions stirrings of it but actiue and operatiue where it is it cannot it will not be hid being like fire which though it be couered yet will at length burst forth into a flame where it is the fruites of it as Loue Temperance c. ther it wil make vs that we shal nether be barren Gal. 5.22.23 2 Pet. 1.8 nor vnfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ Let once the spirit of God come vpon or cloath Gideon Iudg. 6.34 and it will make him take courage to himselfe blow the Trumpet and vndertake with God to become a deliuerer to Israel Let once Gods spirit cloath or come vpon the Prophet Zachariah 2 Chro. 24.20 and hee will boldly do his message and speake vnto the People in the name of the Lord Why transgresse yee the Commandements of the Lord that yee cannot prosper because yee haue forsaken the Lord he hath also forsaken you Thus boldly will hee both reproue sinne and threaten punishment to Prince and people though it cost him his life as it did And if Ieremy being discouraged with the reproaches of the people shall through his weaknes in feare say I will not make mention of him nor speake any more in his name He hauing a word and message from God shall find it together with the spirit in his heart to be as a burning fire shut up in his bones Ier. 20.9 to make him weary with forbearing so that hee cannot stay Thus generally are all true Christians affected Gods Spirit is no idle Spirtt they are not idle but sedulous and diligent in the workes of their Callings both generall as they are Christians abounding with and expressing the fruites of the spirit as Loue Ioy Temperance Meeknesse Patience c. in their holy Conuersation and particular as members of the common wealth or Societies in which they liue not exempting themselues from some honest calling or other being of all men the faithfullest seruants of God truest Subiects to their Soueraigne and most profitable to the Common wealth in the places where they liue Let such thinke of this as generally professing the name of Christ yet as Christians liue vnfruitfully neuer shewing forth when occasion serues any good fruites of the spirit as meekenesse patience temperance loue ioy but rather the contrary and as Subiects liue without a calling vnprofitably not working with their hands burthensome and chargable to others not eating their owne bread that is such as they purchase with the sweat of their browes Par. 3. §. 9. Thus to liue idly and vnfruitfully is both dishonourable to Christianity and farre from true profession It may bee a good memento also to many others and cause sufficient for them to question their owne estates and whether indeed they haue the spirit of Christ or bee Christs as yet they would seeme to bee who in the waightiest Callings of all other as of the Ministrie as also Magistracie themselues liue idly not doing the worke whereunto they are called and for which they receiue wages Art thou theÌ„ idle in Gods worke dost thou neglect customarily to doe what God requires of thee What kind of Christian then art thou a meere liueles body without a soule or a Christian without the spirit of Christ which cannot be Obiections answered Yea but thou wilt say I am not idle I doe that which proues profitable to the Common wealth Par. 3. §. 13. I minister Iustice though I preach not I giue aduise and rule direct others though I teach not ordinarily c. Or it may bee a man may say I thanke God I am free from idlenesse I take paines in my Calling and labour hard therin so indeed we may say of many they set themselues to doe that which is commanded they Preach they doe good workes they giue Almes they heare they reade and pray and the like But here I must tell the first sort that Gods spirit sets and sends euery man to his owne proper worke which where it is it will not suffer a man to neglect vpon any pretence whatsoeuer And of the second sort I aske What it is that moues and stirres them vp to duty Is it indeed Gods spirit in them then they do all in obedience to Gods will in meere loue of God and of their duty which they would doe if there were neither Heauen nor Hell to constraine them they doe all to Gods Glory and not their owne But it will concerne them to examin theÌ„selues wel whether they be not stirred vp and led by outward motiues whether they doe not their duty as led thereunto by the examples of others by the feare of man and humane Lawes by the
THE CHRISTIANS APPARELLING BY CHRIST Where is shewed in three parts 1. The Happinesse Honour and comfortable estate of all true Christians with the wretched estate of all others 2. The Duetie it selfe with particular Directions 3. The Triall and Examination of our selues by distinctiue Notes By R. I. B. D. Rom. 13.14 Put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ LONDON Printed by A. M. and I. N. for Iohn Browne and are to bee sold at the Signe of the Crane in Pauls Churchyard 1625. were when they sinned we the children of Adam are stripped and made naked of the Righteousnesse and Innocency of our creation and cloathed onely with the shame of our owne nakednesse and sin Actuall and Personall as well as Originall and in regard thereof lyable and subiect to be clothed eternally with shame and confusion of face Our chiefe or only Care should therefore be to get this reproach and shame done away this nakednesse couered and our selues clothed and fenced against the wrath and vengeance of the Almightie Lord God vnder whose displeasure wee all remaine whilest wee continue in this estate of Nature And as this should bee our chiefe Care so our onely Comfort and heauâ—â— vpon earth will bee 〈◊〉 know finde our selues by a wise iudging and trying of our selues to bee in this happie honourable and ioyfull estate Now blessed be God who hath not debarred vs of this hope otherwise in and of our selues both helpelesse and hopelesse but hath giuen vs both his Sonne with his Righteousnesse to be a couering to our nakednesse and a couert and shelter against his wrath and also his Word and Gospell whereby wee might not onely bee made effectually partakers of these his benefits but also bee certified and assured of so much Yet such is the Sloth and Negligence Ignorance and Inabilitie Selfe-loue and Selfe-pride which raigneth in most men that being dis-affected to this most necessarie labour of gaining Christ they either through Sloth will not or through Ignorance and Inabilitie cannot vndertake it Besides such is their Selfe-loue Pride and ouer-weening conceits of themselues that they readily and vsually mistake their owne estate and conceiue better of it then they haue cause resting onely eyther in a bare profession of Christianitie and in the name of Christians as doe the profane sort or in a meere formall and liuelesse practise of Christian duties without any power of godlinesse imprinted in their hearts or expressed in their liues as doe the ordinary sort of Christians who if to their outward conformities seeming holinesse they can by plausible and faire carriage winne the approbation and applause of the most then are they the onely Christians and all others that labour indeed to bee what they would seeme to be hypocrites and dissemblers Now Right Worshipfull for my part as I from my very soule hate in my selfe all hypocrisie especially that which is against Conscience and in my Iudgement and somewhat also in my affections and indeauours preferre with Saint Paul the gayning of Christ and my being found in his righteousnesse as in a garment before all worldly pompe pride pelfe pleasure and preferment So is it and so hath it been my chiefe care in my Ministerie to preach Christ soundly to my hearers and to plant in their hearts the true and sauing knowledge of him and that in all Sinceritie To which end I haue now lately besides other Arguments in hand dispatched this insuing Discourse concerning The Christians Apparelling by Christ wherein I haue indeauoured first by Motiues after the Explication and true meaning of the words to excite and stirre vp the Slothfull to put on Christ Secondly by laying downe Meanes to direct and with Gods grace the better to informe and inable the ignorant and weake Christian so to doe Thirdly and chiefely by Markes because all is nothing without sinceritie to assure and certifie the godly Christian of his happy estate in Christ by which trialls he may better bee assured that his paines and labour in so weightie a businesse is not bestowed in vaine as also the hypocrisie of the vnsound may bee discouered These my paines I doubt not but with Gods blessing they by the eye may adde to the profit of those who originally were partakers of them by the eare so they may bee vsefull also to others which is the end why I make them so publike Now Sir that I prefixe your Name heerevnto you must giue mee leaue heereby to testifie and publish to the whole world first what respect and thankefulnesse I owe you principally on the behalfe of the Church of of God and Gospell of Christ for that good will and fauour you beare and shew therevnto as also and especially to God for his good Prouidence in calling you in these needfull times to sit at the sterne of this our Ship and litle Commonweale The poore shal also blesse God for you who stirred vp your heart to care for them and so wisely and bountifully with the Assistance and Allowance of your Right Worthie and VVorshipfull Brethren to dispose of great part of that Treasure wherewith for many other godly and necessarie vses God hath blessed your Treasury What interest you haue in mee particularly and what and how many are the Ingagements wherein I stand bound vnto you in respect of priuate fauours and courtesies I chuse rather thus generally onely to intimate and acknowledge then particularly to relate to the world Herein as also in your worthy deseruings in regard of the publike both Church and Commonwealth I know you wil be better pleased with my silence then with any larger mention of them as desiring rather to be then to be knowne to be worthy The Lord blesse this insuing Treatise to your vse and to the vse of his Church Amen From my house in Newcastle vpon Tine May 5. 1624. Your Worships in the bonds as of blood so of all loue respect and duetie Robert Ienison To the Christian READER THe glory of the vnderstanding Creature is communion with his Maker and likenesse vnto him this Adam when hee came newe out of Gods hands had and inioyed vntill by his fall hee and we Rom. 3.23 in him were depriued of the glory of God wherupon it is said they knew themselues naked Gen. 3.7 naked indeed not only in body but in soule stript of that blessed Image wherby they represented their Creator especially in holines wherupon God if he had not regarded his owne mercy more then their desert might haue turned them and their posterity naked into hell But our gracious God intending the glory of his mercy aboue all other attributes and willing to bee knowne in his Church by that name of grace mercy goodnes c. aboue all other names sent his Son clothed with our nature that wee might againe bee partakers of the diuine nature God became one with vs that wee might be made one with him and hath enriched our nature with all grace by marrying it