The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 68
Sectian. 68.
The third head and ground of Ttriall then is from the effects of this putting on Chriſt,3 Trials of our putting on Chriſt from the effects therof. which indeede are proper to it; and theſe are generally true happineſſe, particularly, as hath beene ſhewed. 1. True Honour and Glory. 2. True content, Ioy and Comfort. For (ſuch is the eſtate of eueryevery true Chriſtian; an eſtate of Happineſſe, Which are three Happines Honour Ioy.Honour and Ioy; and ſo doe all true and good Chriſtians eſteeme and account of it; whereas all others ſhew themſelues not to bee indeede what they would ſeeme to be, by their contrary iudgements and conceits of that eſtate.
1 True Chriſtians place their happineſſe onelyonly in Chriſt. Which they ſhew.Firſt, (as the only happineſſe of the Saints on earth conſiſts in true righteouſneſſe, wherby their ſinnes are not imputed any longer to them, but pardoned, (ſeeing Chriſt on the Croſſe cloathed himſelfe therewith) and whereby his righteouſnes is imputed to them, they being cloathed therewith, (as in the firſt Motiue long ſince is ſhewed:) ſo) they make it manifeſt they hauehave truly put on Chriſt, in as much as they place their only happineſſe in Chriſt, and in the pardon of their ſinnes, which benefit they hauehave from their putting on of Chriſt.1 By profeſſing ſo much. That they place their happineſſe herein is plaine. Firſt, they plainely profeſſe ſo much: as Dauid, a King, and wanting nothing of this life which might make him happy, (being eſtabliſhed in his Kingdome in ſafety, where he inioyed much Peace and plenty) yet euen he, placeth his happineſſe, in nothing of this life, but only in this benefit, in the pardon of his ſinne, hauing them couered; ſaying,Pſa. 32, 1.2 Rom. 4.6.7. bleſſed is the man whoſe tranſgreſsion is forgiuen, whoſe ſinne is couered. But the temporall happineſſe of his Sonne Salomon is vnmatchable, in reſpect of the concurrence of all earthly bleſſings whatſoeuer, of the beſt whereof he could ſay, as of Joy, and Pleaſure, in this manner; I ſaid of laughter, Eccleſ. 2.2.it is mad; and of mirth, what doth it? and if wiſedome and knowledg be any better, (as doubtleſſe they are incomparably) heare his verdit of them too:& 1.18. In much wiſedome is much griefe, and he that increaſeth knowledge, increaſeth ſorrow. Nay his verdit of altogether, put wealth, honour, long life, peaceable gouernment, & all elſe into the ballance, and they, in his, and in true account are lighter then vanitie, for ſaith he, vanitie of vanities, and. 2.26.all is vanitie, (not only vaine but vanitie) not only ſo but vexation alſo of spirit, not only vnable to make a man truly happy, but helping to make him, vnhappy and miſerable? for what greater miſery on earth, then vexation of spirit, Quae dum quaeruntur fatigant, dum accquiruntur infatuant, dum amittuntur excruciant. Ioh: Pic Mirand.& a tormented ſoule, vntounto which the beſt things on earth both in their getting, keeping, and looſing, doe make a man (without the benefit aforeſaid) ſubiect, eſpecially in regard of that ſting of conſcience which follows the vniuſt getting, vnſanctified inioying, the vnmeaſurable minding of them, with the neglect & loſing of better things. Wherein then placeth hee happines? namely in the fearing of God, and keeping his commandements: Eccleſ. 12.13for thus, (theſe preſuppoſing the former benefit) a man findes peace of conſcience, and aſſurance of the fauour of God in the pardon of his ſinne: for it is ſuch a feare as is not ſeparate from faith and confidence in God, and ſuch a keeping of the Commandements as is according to the Goſpell (the chiefe commandement whereof is, that we beleeue in the name of Chriſt) not according to the ſtrictnes and rigour of the law.1 Ioh. 3.23. Thus Paul accounts all things (the beſt things and priuiledges alſo of this life) but loſſe,- yea but dung, that, ſaith he, I may win Chriſt, and bee found in him (as a man is found in his clothes) not hauing mine owne righteouſnes, which is of the law, Phil. 3.8.9.but that which is through the faith of Chriſt, the righteouſnes which is of God by faith.
Secondly, 2 By ſorrowing moſt, in the want of aſſurance of Gods fauour in Chriſt.they ſhew ſo much by the contrary, whileſt they ſorrow moſt of all in the want of ſuch aſſurance, and account ſin, vnpardoned, the heauieſt burden on earth, and themſelues in that onelyonly regard vnhappy and miſerable. Thus Dauid, hauing ſhewed his happines by hauing his ſin pardoned & couered, ſhewes alſo what cauſe he had ſo to doe, ſaying in the next words,Pſa. 32.1.2.3.4.5. When I kept ſilence, my bones waxed olde, through my roaring all the day long; for day and night thy hand was heauy vponupon mee, &c. Then I acknowledged my ſinne vntounto thee, &c. and thou forgaueſt the iniquitie of my ſinne. Loe at once both his miſery, & his happineſſe. So Paul, finding but the remainder of ſin, by the motions of it in himſelfe, cries out as if hee were ſlaine, or beſet with deadly enemies;Rom. 7.24. O wretched man that I am, who ſhall deliuer me from the body of this death?
3 By their Deſires.Thirdly, they ſhew where they place their happineſſe by their deſires: for as all good things are deſireable becauſe they are good, ſo that which is the chiefe good of all is chiefly deſireable, and deſired by thoſe that truely know it. Now the godly deſiring this benefit aboue al, Gods fauoure and the pardon of their ſinnes, ſhew that therin they place their chiefe happineſſe. And therefore the ſame Dauid in the aforeſaid place, in the very next words, ſhewes what the property and the affection of a godly man is, ſaying, For this (that is, the pardon and couering of ſin) ſhall eueryevery one that is godly pray vntounto thee. As if for this, Pſalm. 32.6.& for this only eueryevery godly mā ſhold chiefly pray, wherby he, in Chriſt, might be aſſured of Gods fauour: for thus the ſame godly Dauid doth difference himſelfe from worldlings, & ſuch as ſeeke their happineſſe in the things of this life, in this manner ſpeaking; There bee many that ſay, Pſalme 4.6.who will ſhew vsus any good? Lord, lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus.
Fourthly, 4 By their thākefulnes which is cheifely for Pardon.this they ſhew (not only by indeauours anſwerable to theſe their deſires, but) by their thankefulnes and reioycing in this fauour, & in the pardō of their ſins before and aboue all things elſe whatſoeuer: as we ſee in the example of the ſame holy Dauid, who ſtirring vp his ſoule, his whole ſoule to bleſſe God, and not to forget all his benefits, Pſ. 103.1.2.3begins with this as chiefe of all, thus; who forgiueth all thine iniquities, &c.
Now the want of ſuch high eſtimation of this benefit before all things els; the want of ſorrow in the want of it; the want of deſire and Godly indeauour after it; the want of true thankefulneſſe for ſuch mercies offered in the Goſpell, teſtified by ſuch vnfruitfulneſſe as appeares in the liues of moſt men, the bare want of ſuch things, is a moſt cleare euidence, that moſt men remaine vncloathed by Chriſt in their ſinnes and nakednes, as alſo without the fauour of God in Chriſt, as might particularly and largly be ſhewed, if I haſted not to an end.
But their exceſſe in theſe, concerning the things of this world, is a proofe ſufficient of a want and defect in the ſame, concerning this maine benefit of Inioying Chriſt and of being cloathed with his righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe,Hypocrites ſhew themſelues, to be ſo by not placing their happineſſe in Chriſt. and ſo concequently that they onelyonly beare the name of Chriſtians, but (ſo remaining, ſo liuing and ſo d… ing) ſhall neuer attaine to the happineſſe of Chriſtians, either heere, or heereafter.Which they ſhew. for wherein doe moſt men place their happines and felicity? is it not rather in any thing then in Chriſt, truely learned by faith apprehended and put on, in the practiſe of our liues imitated? is it not more oftentimes in gold then in God,1 By their account of him. in the fauour of men eſpecially great ones, then in the fauour of God in Chriſt? doe men vſually call and account themſelues bleſſed, when their ſinne is pardoned, and iniquity couered by the couering and Imputation of the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, as did Dauid, or not rather, when with Dauid, they only attaine to honor, wealth ſetlednes in their eſtate, and the, like, all which yet, in compariſon of happineſſe? Doe not moſt men bleſſe themſelues, and account themſelues the onelyonly happy men on earth, when they attaine to ſuch things, though in a very ſlender meaſure,Accounting better of baſer things. in compariſon, which Salomon could truely call not onelyonly vanity but vexation of ſpirit; and ſo, in the very truth (without the other) part of a mans infelicity and wretchedneſſe on earth, ſo that ſuch happy (vnhappy) men, ſuch rich men are bid to weepe and howle for their miſeries &c. Iam. 5.1. &cDoe not moſt men, quite contrary to Saint Paul account Chriſt and his graces, which they ſhould put on, but loſſe, droſſe, yea dung, in compariſon of earthly traſh, wordly gaine, or their owne formall and conceited righteouſneſſe.Iſa. 55.1.23. Mat. 22.1.2 &c. Doe they not, when they are called and invited by Chriſt, to leaue, not ſimply the things of this life their farmes, their oxen, their marchandiſe, their wiues &c. but the excesſiue and immoderate louelove of theſe things, and to come vntounto him that they may inioy him ſelf & gods fauour in him, do they not I ſay, make light of him, & prefer theſe other things before him? doe they not leaue him for others to inioy, in effect ſaying, as the Iewes to the late blind man, be thou, or thou art his diſciples; Ioh. 9.28.we are Moſes deſciples (though therein they ſpake falſly;) and do they not account theſe others, who truely receiue and put on Chriſt, euen in that regard, accurſed? as the ſame Phariſes, ſaying, doe any of the rulers beleeue on him? Ioh. 7.48.49but this people, who konw not the law are curſed.
Againe; what one of many with Dauid and Paul, 2 By their want of ſorrow in their want of himroares and cries out, accounting himſelfe wretched in that (I ſay not, ſome relicks of ſinne is yet in him, but) his ſinne is vnpardoned, and he hath no comfortable aſſurance of Gods fauour? Nay, doe they not cry out, they are vndone, when they vndergoe ſome of the other, he made no part of his great loſſe in their eſtate, when the burthen of pouerty lies vponupon them, when they hauehave incurred the diſpleaſure and enmity of great ones? though all the while they hauehave loſt (at leaſt not regained) their ſoules hauehave the burthen of their ſinnes (vnfelt, vnſorrowed for) lying vponupon them, and are in the disfauour, and vnderunder the diſpleaſure of the Almighty? doe theſe men place their happineſſe in (their putting on) Chriſt? ah poore ſoules, how doe they deceiue themſelues.
3 By their greater deſires after earthly things.Moreouer, what deſires doe they moſt expreſſe? is not this the voice of moſt men (really vttered and expreſſed in their indeauours and practiſes) who will ſhew vsus any good? not, as Dauid, lift thou vp the light of thy countenance vponupon vsus; doe not men plainely ſhew this when their cheife deſires, aimes, diligence and time is ſpent, in ſeeking and hunting after liuings, whether ſpirituall, benifices, Biſhopricks &c. or temporall, by begging, buying, and catching at offices and other preferment? &c. Yet the ſame men, in regard of ſpirituall things, and of Chriſt, are poore, blind, naked, and miſerable.
The like they ſhew by their thankful taking any good done to their bodies and outward eſtate,4 By their vnthankfulnes and reiection of mercy. whiles, by open Prophāes or contempt they reiect gods mercies in Chriſt offered in the Goſpell, euen like many beggars who repairs to the Church doores in hope to receiue a pēny, by the cōmers out, or diſpoſers of monies for the poore which with many thankes & bleſſings they receiue; whereas they are ready rather to curſe thoſe that vrge them to come in and ioyne with others in praying and heareing, ſo ſenceleſſe are they of the benefit of preaching, whereby Chriſt offers to couer their nakednes and to enrich their ſoules.
Oh then! how doe men deceiue themſelues, when, ſhewing ſuch deſires after, and purſuing with ſuch earneſtneſſe the things of this life, ſeeking or finding ſo much content in them, they are but, at beſt, indifferently affected towards heauenly things, if not wholly averſe from them, pouring out either none, or very cold and formall prayers for the pardon of their ſinnes, and taking no paines, or very Perfunctory paines in ſearching out their ſinnes, killing and mortifying them or in any other indeauour by which they might put on Chriſt.
5 By their immoderat minding the world.This immoderate minding of the world, whereby men ſo ſeeke to cloath their backes with rich apparrell, their houſes with rich hangings,Pſal. 64.13. their fields with corne and cattle,And by making proviſion for the fleſh. ſheepe and oxen, themſelues with honour &c. is too euident a ſigne, that they hauehave not as yet put on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, neither hauehave any great deſire or purpoſe ſo to doe; whiles on the contrary they make prouiſion for the fleſh, (for their bodies) yet not ſimply, for that is needfull; but ſo as that they may fulfill the luſts thereof, Rom. 13.14eſpecially by immoderate minding and glutting themſelues with earthly contents. Thus to do is made by the Apoſtle contrary and oppoſite to the putting on of Chriſt, ſo that ſuch as ordinarily vſe that libertie which God hath giuen them, in eating, drinking, marrying, prouiding neceſſaries, &c. as an occaſion to the fleſh, doe thereby plainely ſhew themſelues not to hauehave put on Chriſt, and therefore falſely to glory in the name of Chriſtian; that name with out Chriſt, truly, by faith and imitation of him, put on, will not ſaue, but rather condemne vsus.
Do thou then, whoſoeuer, hence try and examine thy ſelfe where, and in what thou placeſt thy happineſſe, whether in Chriſt, truely and ſoundly, yet ſoberly, put on more then in any thing elſe, and as thou findeſt, either leaue off, or goe on.
Secondly, the next effect of this Section. 69 cloathing by Chriſt and of being cloathed with him,2 The ſecond effect of putting on Chriſt is Honour. is honour, beauty and glory, euen in this life. For the eſtate of a true Chriſtian is (whatſoeuer the blind world accounts of it) an honourable and glorious eſtate;True Chriſtians place their honour onelyonly in Chriſt. and as it is ſo in it ſelfe, euen ſo doe they account it, glorying more, that they by Chriſt are made true Chriſtians,Ier. 9.23.24. and that they vnderſtand and know God in Chriſt, that he is the Lord, who to them, in Chriſt, exerciſeth louing kindneſſe, &c. then in wiſdome, might, riches &c. as God himſelfe exhorteth. And hereby doe they ſhew themſelues to bee Chriſtians more then in name only, becauſe they glory in being Chriſtians,Not in earthly honours not in ſeeming, or in being called Chriſtians, as doe hypocrites.
This was the commendation of Moſes his faith, that by faith when he was come to yeares he, refuſed to bee called the ſonne of Pharaohs Daughter, chuſing rather to ſuffer affliction with the people of God — eſteeming the reproach of Chriſt greater (Honour and) Riches, Heb. 11.24.25.26.then the (Honours and) Treaſures of Aegppt. This his faith made him in deed a Chriſtian, though not in name: for, as he with the faithfull of old dranke of the ſame ſpirituall drinke (with vsus) and of that Rocke which (in a figure) was Chriſt:1 Cor. 10.4.9. (as the euill and wicked euen then are ſaid to hauehave tempted Chriſt,) ſo here it is ſaid that Moſes refuſing other honour, highly eſteemed the reproach of Chriſt.
The like high eſtimation of Chriſt,Pſal. 19.46 euen Kings hauehave had and ſhewed, as of old Dauid, who profeſſeth he will ſpeake of Gods teſtimonies euen before Kings, and will not bee aſhamed; and Chriſtian Kings and Emperours, as Conſtantine, and Theodoſius, Auguſt de civit. dei lib …. cap. 26.which laſt as Saint Auſtine reports of him, reioyced more that he was a member of the true Orthodoxe Church (which was not infected with the hereſie of Arrius, who denyed Chriſts diuinitie) then that he was an Emporour on earth.