The Christians Apparelling, Title page – Dedication
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 onelyonly 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, vnderunder whoſe diſpleaſure wee all remaine, whileſt wee continue in this eſtate of Nature.
And as this ſhould bee our chiefe Care, ſo our onelyonly Comfort; and heau… vponupon 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 vsus of this hope (otherwiſe in and of our ſelues both helpeleſſe and hopeleſſe) but hath giuen vsus 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 onelyonly 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-louelove 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-louelove & Pride, and ouer-weening conceits of themſelues, that they readily and vſually miſtake their owne eſtate, and conceiue better of it then they hauehave cauſe; reſting onelyonly 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 onelyonly 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 hauehave now lately (beſides other Arguments in hand) diſpatched this inſuing Diſcourſe concerning The Chriſtians Apparelling by Christ: wherein I hauehave 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 giuegive 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 hauehave in mee particularly, and what, and how many are the Ingagements wherein I ſtand bound vntounto you, in reſpect of priuate fauours and courteſies, I chuſe rather thus generally, onelyonly 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 vponupon Tine, May 5. 1624. Your Worſhips in the bonds, as of blood, ſo of all louelove, respect, and duetie. Robert Ieniſon.