The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 72
Par. 3. §. 72
1 Bound Chriſtians are truely vnited to Chriſt. 1 By Faith.And 1. for their vniō with Chriſt, which this clothing implies, they come to it, on their part only by Faith in Chriſt, and on Gods part, by his Spirit, effectually cōmunicated vntounto them, in the vſe of the word, vntounto which they carefully and with conſcience doe attend; by which, when once they hauehave put him on & are truly vnited vntounto him, they alſo are further knit and vnited vntounto him,2 By LoueLove. in and by the bond of LoueLove, louing him euen becauſe he (as their experience to their comfort telleth them) hath loued them firſt, clothing himſelfe with their ſinne, ſhame, and ſuffering on the Croſſe; yea, for himſelfe & his own goodnes & not in any, by baſe, or carnall reſpect.
They ſeeke their vnion with him, firſt, their Vine, by being by faith graffed into him as branches: Secondly their Head, by being made his members and one body with him by the Spirit: Thirdly, their ſpirituall meat, by receiuing him ſpiritually in the Word, and ſacramentally in the Euchariſt by Faith: for ſo himſelfe ſaith, hee that (thus ſpiritually) eateth my fleſh, Iohn 6.56.and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in mee and J in him; but how?Epheſ. 3.17. Chriſt dwelleth in our hearts by faith. Fourthly, their Husband, by being married to him in faithfulnes, or by Faith, which, as the marriage Ring, firſt knits them together, after which, or with which, goes that other band of LoueLove, which daily more and more increaſeth, as in married couples.Others in ſeeming only. Now I know Hypocrites, and ſuch generally as liue in the Church of Chriſt, profeſſe an Vnion with Chriſt, whiles they entertaine his doctrine, and beare his Name. Yea,As firſt the Papiſts. but what is it in them which makes this Vnion? Is it as it ſhould be, (and alſo is in the faithfull) firſt Faith, and then LoueLove? no: the Papiſt, in this Vnion and worke of Iuſtyfication,Par. 3. §. 71 wil hauehave LoueLove, if not before, yet not behind Faith, as the forme of it, or as a concauſe of our Iuſtyfication, and not as an effect of Faith, inſeperable from it, as the truth is, and as wee teach. Whereunto they bring, alledge, & abuſe that place; in Ieſus Chriſt, Galat. 5.6 Explained and vindicated from miſinterpretation.neither circumciſion auaileth any thing, nor vncircumciſion, but Faith which worketh by LoueLove: ſo it doth, but not in the worke of Iuſtification, but in the exerciſes of Chriſtianity; though we admit not of Iewiſh Ceremonies, to keepe vsus doing (againſt which the Apoſtle there diſputes) yet we want not LoueLove, (as the inſeperable effect of that faith which we vrge as the only meanes of our Iuſtification) which will neuer ſuffer a Chriſtian to be idle: which place, to like purpoſe almoſt, the mad Familiſt abuſeth;2 The Familiſt. for iumbling it vp with a like place, H.N. thus ſpeakes: There auaileth before God neither circumciſion nor vncircumciſion, but only a new Creature in Chriſt Ieſus wrought through the LoueLove. This new creature,Gal. 6.15. H. N. in an epiſtle to two daughters of Warwicke refuted by H. A. (in his language Chriſt himſelfe) wrought and formed in vsus, in the LoueLove (for hee makes Chriſt to be the Louely Being in vsus) this new Creature, auaileth before God for righteouſneſſe, and ſafe,— making from our ſins, as he elſewhere ſpeaketh. Thus, what belongs indeede to Sanctification, as the fruit and effect of our Faith, and all Scriptures tending that way, hee takes and puts in place of our Iuſtification, as cauſes thereof, making this our new birth and the fruits of faith to be the very cauſe of our happineſſe, righreouſneſſe it ſelfe; yea and Chriſt himſelfe: theſe are Chriſtians with a witneſſe, making themſelues, by their doctrine elſewhere, very Chriſt, and ſo one with Chriſt and God, (vntounto which they abuſe our Sauiours words in his prayer) that they will be Godded with God, Ioh. 17.21.and made pertaker of the very eſſence and nature of God.Par. 3. §. 72
3 The worldling.The Worldling alſo, he will bee one with Chriſt, and will be ready to ſight with him that ſhall ſay otherwiſe. But how is he one with him? Is it by Faith and the Spirit? nothing leſſe: his gold is his God, and his faith, truſt, and confidence is in vncertaine riches:1 Tim. 6.17 Iude. 19. hee is worldly and ſenſuall, not hauing the spirit. He truſts God no farther then hee hath from him theſe pawnes and pledges of his preſence. Yet this man wil louelove God, and ſo ſhew himſelfe One with him. And will he ſo indeed? may it not be truly ſaid of many a mans louelove, as the Deuill falſely ſaid of Iobs feare of God,Iob. 1.9. doth Iob feare God for naught? So, doe theſe men louelove God for naught? What ties them to Chriſt and to Chriſtianitie, and to the profeſsion of it? Is it indeed their couenant made with him in Baptiſme (by which they would be taken to put him on?) Is it indeed true and ſincere louelove to God in Chriſt, or to Chriſt himſelfe, his Truth and Goſpell? not this neither.Whom temporall reſpects 'ties to Chriſt & to his goſpel. Chriſt profeſſed, brings with him often Peace and plenty; and many good things and bleſsings of this life the wicked and Hypocrites inioy here for company of the godly, amongſt whom they liue; let there be a diuorce once betweene theſe and Chriſt, or the true Chriſtian profeſsiō (as it often falleth out & muſt, that the godly may bettied and made known, and hypocrites diſcouered) and then it will appeare by what coards they were knitte and tied to Chriſt and his truth: doubtleſſe not by the ſpirit & true faith (for if by theſe they had bin of the number of ſound Chriſtians, 1 Ioh. 2.19.they would no doubt hauehave continued with vsus) but only in Worldly and Temporall reſpects, for peace, wealth, ſafetie and protection; for when theſe ceaſe, or are but feared and threatned to be taken away,Par. 3. §. 71 how many goe out and depart from Chriſt and his truth, that they might bee made manifeſt that they were not all of vsus, ſaith Saint Iohn. This wee hauehave lately ſeene in the falling away of ſo many to Popery, vponupon I know not, what feares or hopes.
Hence a trial of our ſelues.Let each of vsus try our ſelues hereby for the preſent; aske thine owne ſoule then, what is it that ties thee to Chriſt and Chriſtian profeſsion? Is it indeed faith to God, and louelove to Chriſt? or is it not only or chiefely, becauſe ſimply thou waſt borne in this (or that) Religion, becauſe thy Parents are of the ſame Religion, or the King and Prince, and that thy Religion is countenanced by good Lawes, and accompanied with peace, plenty, ſafety and protection? for theſe doubtleſſe, or the like to theſe, are the only coards that tie many to Chriſt. Men making choice of their wiues are ſometimes more eſpecially and chiefely led by vertue and godlineſſe, ſometimes by wealth, ſometimes by beauty; and where all theſe concurre in one woman, or where with vertue there is either wealth or beauty, there doubtleſſe vertue and godlineſſe will bee pretended by many to lead, and to be the binder of that parties affection to his beloued: yet it may eaſily be judged, vponupon due examination, by himſelfe and others, that not vertue (though it were pretended) but either wealth or beauty was the Adamant to draw and knit the affection: for where vertue, (though in an eminencie it may be) is ſingle in any, ther ſhe may alſo remaine ſingle, (for very many;) & where the concurrence of theſe hath bin at the firſt matching, if once wealth faile, or beauty decay, vertue and religion will ſcarſe keepe and hold peace and louelove in ſuch couples, as daily experience doth confirme: euen ſuch deceitfulnes is there in our choyſe and louelove of Religion.Par. 3. §. 72
2 The godly vſe onelyonly lawfull and good meanes to couer thier ſin.Secondly, for the couering of vnrighteouſneſſe and ſinne, the godly and true Chriſtian, knowes no oother way, nor vſeth no other meanes then ſuch as will helpe to make him partaker of the only righteouſneſſe of Chriſt, by which his vnrighteouſneſſe may bee couered in the ſight of God, ſo that God will not behold in him ſinne to puniſh it euerlaſtingly:And to get it pardoned. and therefore both for his Iuſtification at the firſt, and after for the comfortable feeling of pardon and the mercies of God, when by new ſinnes he hath offended God, he betakes himſelfe to a hearty confeſsion and contrition, and true ſorrrow of ſoule, vtterly condemning himſelfe, renouncing his beſt workes, and vnfainedly crauing pradon in the name of Chriſt his Aduocate, deſiring to be found in his onelyonly righteouſneſſe, and therby reconciled to God againe, and fenced from his wrath.1 Ioh. 2.1 as Dauid. Pſa. 32.1-5. and 5….1 & 143.1.2. & Dan. Chap. 9.7-16.17. But what doe hypocrites? Firſt, the Popiſh ſort both in their doctrine and practiſe, go about this worke of remiſsion, by other meanes then euer God ordained. As
Firſt, by the mumbling ouer their Beades, Not ſo hypocrites, as 1 The Papiſtin the ſet number of prayers, by ſaying ouer ſo many Aue-Maries, and ſo many Pater-Noſters, euen as did the Hereticks, from thence called Euchetae.
Secondly, by holy Graines and Croſſes hallowed by the Pope, and ſent and diſperſed abroad into the Countries, ſo that the ſaluting of theſe hath a promiſe of a pardon, if not of ſinne, yet of the puniſhment of it in Purgatory for one hundred yeares, if not of a plenary Indulgence.
Thirdly, the vſe of Holy-Water, the partaking of the Popes bleſſing, the Ceremonie of Vnction or annoynting, at the houre of death.
Fourthly, the ſhriuing of ones ſelfe to a Popiſh ſhaueling, and the pretended and vſurped Power of Popiſh Abſolution (as they vſe it) at the houre of death.
Fiftly, their Popiſh Maſſe, as if in it were made that moſt ſpeciall application of Chriſts merits.
Sixtly, the bare and ſimple vſe of the Sacraments receiued without Faith, as if remiſsion were tyed only to the worke wrought. (Though we deny not that in the right vſe of Baptiſme, Act. 2.38 & 22.16.remiſsion is both offered and conferred; yet we ſay, Baptiſme doth it not by any power of it owne, but of the word and promiſe by Faith apprehended:Acts. 2.37. and the Lords Supper preſuppoſeth remiſsion, confers it not, where it was not before, but confirmes it where it is.)
Seauenthly, and laſtly, they to this purpoſe inſiſt much vponupon workes of ſatisfaction partly in this life, by vowed pilgrimages, and viſiting the Tombe and Reliques of this or that Saint, by whipping of themſelues, and hard vſage of the body, by building of Temples &c. Partly after by ſuffering the paines of their (ſuppoſed) Purgatory, where they muſt ſatisfie for ſuch veniall ſinnes (ſo they ſpeake) as in which they die.Againſt humane ſatiſfactions. Thus meanely doe they conceiue of the offence of Gods Mageſtie: But how infinitely ſhort come theſe workes of penance and ſatisfaction from appeazing the wrath of God, or from diſcharging our debt to God? How infinite is our debt? namely ſet out by ten thouſand Talents; not to bee paid and diſcharged though we, and all wee hauehave were ſold and valued. The only way is Prayer, and intreaty of pardon on our parts, and on Gods, it is his only compaſsion that pardons vsus; as Chriſt himſelfe ſhewed in the Parable.Mat. 18.24 25. To ſeeke to other meanes, what is it but with Adam, to goe about to couer our ſpirituall nakedneſſe with leaues? to waſh off mire with mire, to quēch a great fire by heaping on more wood, in a word, to couer one ſinne with another, yea with many. Or if they wil pretēd, as they do, that theſe ſatisfactiōs exclude not Chriſts ſatisfaction which is for mortall ſinnes; beſides the lie in it (for if Chriſt be not a full Sauiour and only Sauiour, he is no Sauiour) what is it at the beſt but to make a mixture of the merits of man, and humane ſatisfactions with Chriſt, and ſo, inſtead of being clothed with the ſeameleſſe and vndiuided coat of Chriſts righteouſneſſe, to put on a garmēt of Linſey-Wolſey, which in the Letter was contrary to the Law, and in the miſtery and meaning, is contrary to the Goſpell? What vile Hypocrites then are Papiſts, and how vnworthy the name of Chriſtians?2 Many amongſt our ſelues. Secondly, amongſt our ſelues (as well as Papiſts) how many runne contrary courſes, and take the wrong way to couer their ſinnes?
1. Some thinke if they can doe the workes of ſinne in the darke,1 Such as ſin ſecretly ſo that no man takes notice of them, then are their ſinnes couered ſufficiently, though to God and their owne conſciences they lye open and naked: this is ſottiſhneſſe. What will it profit, that men ſee not our wickednes, when God ſeeth it, who will iudge vsus for it: whereas to vncouer our nakedneſſe, and vncaſe our ſelues to God, is the only way to hauehave ſinne couered. What madneſſe were it in a wounded man to conceale the wound from the Chirurgion; the only way to hauehave the diſeaſe couered, is (by ſhewing it to the Phyſitian) to get it cured. Yet this being done, a man is not alwaies bound to reueale his ſinne to man, excepting in caſe of Gods glory. When it will be for Gods glory as in Achans caſe,Ioſh. 7. man muſt alſo know it: whens mans knowing of it will bee to Gods diſhonour, wee may and muſt intreat God to couer it, both with himſelfe and with man.
2 Such as neuer think (or queſtion themſelues) of ſin paſt.2. Some thinke their ſinne ſufficiently couered when, hauing ſinned, they neuer thinke more of their ſinne, neuer examine their conſciences, neuer remember or call it to minde, neuer further diſquiet themſelues with the thought of it; yea when it offers it ſelfe to their view or memory, they by all meanes they can, goe about to drowne all thought of it: they will not accuſe themſelues, or ſuffer their outward peace to be interrupted, or themſelues diſquieted therewith. This is ſearedneſſe, ſuch as ſilence the voice of their owne conſciences, and ſleepe ſecurely in ſinne, will, when it is too late, hauehave it awaken, and like a madde dogge (which lay at the doore) riſe and fly in their faces, and at the day of Iudgement manifeſt it ſelfe to their greater condemnation.
3. Others not able wholly to hide their ſinne from man,3 Such as would excuſe their ſinne with ſhifts. yet by excuſes and ſhifts, goe about to extenuate and leſſen it, and ſo far to couer it, both from God and man, whiles (if they cannot wholly iuſtyfie their actions, yet) they would excuſe their worſt actiōs, ether by the corruption of nature, or by examples of others, Ignorance, See al theſe at large handled by that worthy inſtrument of God Dan. Dyke in his book of the Deceitfulnes of mans hart. Chap. 12.13. &c.Tranſlation of the fault vponupon others, as the fleſh, the times, their callings, condition of life, outward occaſions, the Deuill, Conſtellations, God, their brethren, and that from the importunity of their perſuaſions, commandement or example, prouocations, diſcouragements, &c. and this is ſillineſſe. What more childiſh? whereas if wee would put off ſin indeed, or hauehave it couered, we muſt agrauate it, from all circumſtances againſt our ſelues, in our confeſsion and humiliation. This is truly Chriſtian, and the trueſt Chriſtians practiſe it moſt. From all theſe try thy ſelfe; whether thou ſeekeſt to couer thy ſinne by Chriſt only, or by theſe meanes.