The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 1 – Section 2
Section. 1.
IN all theſe, looke to Sinceritie, for there are many counterfeit Chriſtians, who outwardly and ſeemingly performe many of the forenamed particulars, and ſo ſeeme to put on Chriſt,Par. 3. §. 1 and yet indeede remaine plaine hipocrites: they glory in things outward, as in outward Baptiſme and profeſsion in their outward hearing, praying, repenting, and in a ſhew of faith; and content themſelues with the worke done, and with outward performances, and ſhewes of holineſſe, in their tongues, words, geſtures and outward conuerſation; whereas all theſe profit nothing without Chriſt, who is the very ſubſtance, ſoule and life of all Religion, without whom all Sacraments are but ſhadowes, and all profeſsion in Gods ſight, no better then prophaneſſe. I may then conclude the queſtion Who is a Chriſtian indeed, and who is truly BaptiZed, who not: Rom. 2.28.29.in the words of the Apoſtle, only for Jew and circumciſion, vſing the words, Chriſtian and Baptiſme. He is not a Chriſtian who is one outwardly, neither is that Baptiſme which is outward in the fleſh; But he is a Chriſtian which is one inwardly and Baptiſme is that of the heart, in the ſpirit and not in the letter, whoſe praiſe is not of men, but of God. In which regard it may be ſaid off, and to moſt Chriſtians, as was ſaid by Stephen, off and to the Iewes in regard of circumciſion: Oh vncircumciſed in heart and eares, &c. So, Act. 7.51.Oh vnbaptized in heart and eares: ſuch ſelfe-deceit there is our conceited putting on of Chriſt. The Prophet Dauid therfore, where he ſpeakes of this argumēt, ſeemes purpoſly to exclude all ſuch as through deceit and hipocriſie, promiſe to themſelues this happineſſe of hauing their ſinnes couered, when only they can couer them from the eies of men; for hauing pronounced him bleſſed, Pſal. 32.1.2.— whoſe ſin is couered, and vntounto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquitie, he preſently addes (declaring whom he means) and in whoſe ſpirit there is no guile.
Aboue all things then, we are to take heede of hypocriſie; for howſoeuer thereby, wee ſeeke applauſe from men who ſee our outſide, and vpper garments of profeſsion; yet in very deede, wee thereby loſe fauour and applauſe both with God & men; in which regard hypocriſie is worſe then oll other ſins, by which we gaine fauour, honour, pleaſure and wealth, at leaſt with men, though we loſe better things with God: for, by ſeeming religious, wee get the hatred of wicked men & of the world (ſuch is the malignity of vngodly men againſt very the ſhadow of goodneſſe) and by not being what we ſeeme, we purchaſe the diſpleaſure of God, and of all good men, and ſo loſe both our paines here (for it is great paine to bee wicked, eſpecially for a man by hypocriſie, to force himſelfe any long time, to bee religious) and our hopes of an euerlaſting rewards hereafter.
Section. 2.
It neerely then concernes vsus all to try and ſift our ſelues,Par. 3. §. 2. whether we be ſincere Chriſtians indeed,Trialls of Chriſtianitie. and whether indeede and in truth we hauehave put in Chriſt or no.
Now this we may doe by conſidering. 1. The nature. 2.1. From the Nature of our putting on of Chriſt Properties. 3. Effects. 4. Meanes, of our putting on Chriſt.
The Nature thereof conſiſts 1. In a putting off of ſinne, and the Old man. 2. In a putting on of the New man, and of Chriſt. And 3. In both theſe together.
Where Chriſt is put on,And firſt by our putting off of ſinne. there ſinne is put off; firſt, in regard of the guilt of it, by the remiſsion of it; Secondly, in regard of the Dominion of it, by Mortification.
They then that are Chriſts,And that firſt in regard of the guilt of it, by remiſsion. hauehave this benefit by him, and by his death, their ſinnes are pardoned, their peace is made with God, and there is no condemnation to them; yet many there are, who being baptized with Simon the Sorcerer,Acts 8.23. and euen therefore becauſe they are baptized and make profeſſion, imagine themſelues to be in good eſtate, and to be Chriſtians good enough, to enioy Gods fauour, and to be ſure of ſaluation: yet are theſe very men, with Simon, in the gall of bitterneſſe, and in the bond of iniquity, and ſtand in need to repent, and to pray, that the thoughts of their hearts may bee forgiuen them.
Signes of ſin pardoned.How then may it bee knowne, whether our ſinnes bee pardoned or no? I anſwer, 1. If we hauehave truly confeſſed, repented, ſorrowed,1 Confesſion and repentance. and forſaken ſinne, in our iudgments diſſallowing it, in our willes and affections, abominating and hating it, and in our liues, endeauouring and labouring againſt it. Thus wee may bee aſſured by our faith of the pardon of it: for if we confeſſe our ſinnes, 1 Ioh. 1.9he is faithfull and iuſt to forgiue vsus our ſins. And, who ſo confeſſeth and forſaketh them, ſhall hauehave mercy. Say once with Dauids heart,Pro. 28.13. I hauehave ſinned; againſt thee, thee only hauehave I ſinned, and done this euill in thy ſight; 2 Sam. 12.13. Pſal. 51.4. and 17.& thou ſhalt heare to thy comfort, the Lord alſo hath put away thy ſinne; and ſhalt be able with him to ſay, A broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despiſe. But aſſuredly on the contrary, he that couereth or hideth his ſinne, ſhall not prosper. He that can apply particularly firſt the threatnings and curſe of the law, and ſee himſelfe, as much, if not more, then any, in woefull and wretched eſtate: ſecondly, the promiſe of pardon in the Goſpel, and vponupon both theſe come to comfort and ioy in his ſoule, and not otherwiſe; this man may ſubſcribe to Saint Paul, and ſay with him,1 Tim. 1.15. This is a faithfull and true ſaying, that Chriſt Ieſus came into the world to ſaue ſinners, of whom I am chiefe; a chiefe ſinner, and ſuch an one as Chriſt ſaues. Where then there is no true repentance, (I ſpeake of men of diſcretion and yeares) there is no pardon, let them flatter and deceiue themſelues as they liſt.
2 peace of conſcience.2. Where ſinne is pardoned, there the conſcience is pacified, and a man finds himſelfe armed againſt the very wrath of God. For being once juſtified by faith, Rom. 5.1.we hauehave peace with God, through our Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Where then a man can comfort himſelfe in Chriſt, when ſinne and the Law would terrifie him, by preſenting Chriſt betweene the Iuſtice of God and his ſinne, and accordingly reioyce and thanke God, that hee through Ieſus Chriſt, Rom. 7.24.25.hath deliuered him from the body of that death, through ſin, which he found in himſelfe; there to his comfort hee may conclude, that there is no condemnation to them, and Rom. 8.1. Which may be knowne by three ſignes.that (thus) are in Chriſt Ieſus.
Further Signes of this ioy and peace of conſcience, are firſt when wee, hauing fallen into ſome ſinne or other, can giuegive our ſelues no reſt, neither find any peace or content in any worldly thing whatſoeuer, till wee, (and that with all ſpeed) returne againe vntounto God, make our humble and earneſt confeſsion, craue pardon,Pſal. 32.3.4.5. ſeeke and find our former peace againe, finding no reſt whiles we keep ſilence, and confeſſe not, and crie with Dauid, Make mee (againe) to heare joy and gladneſſe, Pſal. 51.8. and 12.— reſtore vntounto me the joy of thy ſaluation. 2. When we can reioyce inwardly, & more ſoundly in the fauour and louelove of God, then in all earthly things whatſoeuer, with Dauid; And when 3. with the ſame Dauid, Pſal. 4.6.7.we can reioyce & comfort our ſelues in God, in the midſt of trouble & aduerſity when all earthly friends and comforts faile vsus, eſpecially when wee are called to ſuffer for Chriſt. Thus Paul, Wee being juſtified by faith, hauehave peace with God, 1 Sam. 30.3 4. &c.yea, not onelyonly ſo, but wee glory in tribulations alſo, knowing that tribulation worketh patience, Rom. 5.1-3.&c. Thus it is with ſuch as hauehave truely put on Chriſt, and hauehave their ſinnes pardoned and couered, excepting only in caſe of ſpirituall deſertion. But, there is no peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked: Iſa. 57.21.they can finde no ſuch ſweetneſſe and comfort in Chriſt, they hauehave a hell within them, and their conſciences in the midſt of their iollities, citing and ſummoning them to iudgement, and to hell: carnall comforts take vp their hearts; which when they faile, all their ioy is darkened; if they ſinne, (as almoſt they doe nothing elſe) they by repentance ſeeke not peace with God, which they neuer had, &c. All theſe are euident arguments, there is no inward peace to them, no pardon of ſinne, no Chriſt put on: and yet many ſuch wil be, and are in their owne iudgements (oh blindneſſe) Chriſtians as good as any.
3 LoueLove.3. Where ſinne is pardoned, there is in that heart wrought an vnfained and true louelove, both towards God and man: 1 Of God.1. We can neuer truly louelove God, till we find and feele in our ſelues the effects of his louelove in vsus, whereby he hath loued vsus in Chriſt, reconciling vsus vntounto himſelfe, 2 Cor. 5.19by not imputing our trespaſſes vntounto vsus; for herein is louelove, 1 Ioh. 4.10. —8.19.not that wee loued God, but that hee loued vsus, and ſent his Sonne to be the propitiation for our ſinnes, — and, we louelove him, becauſe he loued vsus firſt: not but that wee alſo afterwards louelove him, euen for himſelfe. By this argument our Sauiour would proue, that the woman which annoynted him with ſweet oyntment, had her ſinnes forgiuen her, becauſe ſhe loued much, and teſtified her louelove by ſuch outward ſignes; where hee alſo proportions our louelove to the multitude & greatnes of our ſinnes;Luk. 7.47. Her ſinnes which were forgiuen her; were many, for ſhee loued much; but to whom little is forgiuen, the ſame loueth little; and by like proportion, to whom nothing is forgiuen, the ſame loueth nothing. As then where ſin is found to be pardoned, and Gods louelove to vsus is ſo teſtified, there cannot but be louelove in vsus: ſo where this louelove of God is not, (and it is not where it doth not ſhew it ſelfe by obedience to Gods Commandements) there is no euidence of the pardon of any ſinne.Ioſh. 14.15. Let ſuch Chriſtians thinke of this, who louelove that and thoſe whom God hates, whoſe vnfruitfulneſſe and continuall diſobedience, plainly ſhewes that they truely louelove not God; its a manifeſt argument, they neuer yet taſted of Gods louelove in Chriſt, and that they hauehave not their ſinnes couered by him.
… 12.-20.2. Where God loues vsus in Chriſt, we ought alſo to louelove one another, which if we doe, God dwelleth in vsus, ſo that if any man ſay, I louelove God and hate his brother, hee is a lyar, &c. Now hee is ſaid to hate his brother,2 Of man, in forgiuing others. that loues him not; and he loues not his brother, that hauing offended him, ſeekes not to be reconciled to him; and being offended by him, ſhewes not himſelfe willing to forgiue him. When Gods Children doe offend either God or man, they can hauehave no Peace till by confeſsion, they ſeeke to be reconciled with them, they dare not offer their ſacrifice of Prayer and good workes to God, till they firſt be at peace, or ſeeke peace with their offended Brother; they know that otherwiſe they ſhall not be accepted of God themſelues. Moreouer, Mat. 5.23.24.when wrong is done them, (if it bee a perſonall wrong) there they euer ſhew themſelues ready to forgiue, eſpecially where the offender repenteth him, as knowing they elſe can expect no forgiueneſſe at Gods hands.Mat. 6 12.14.15. Luk. 17.4. They hauehave learned the Apoſtles rule, to put on as the Elect of God, holy and beloved (of God) bowels of mercies, Coloſſ. 3.12 13.kindneſſe, humbleneſſe of mind, meekneſſ, long ſuffering, to forbeare one another, and to forgiue one another, when any man hath a quarrel againſt them, euen as Chriſt forgaue them, ſo alſo doe they. To forgiue others then, is made, not a cauſe (becauſe of that inequalitie of mens debts to vsus, and of ours to God. Firſt, in number, our debt to God being as 10000. their debt to vsus, but as 100.Mat. 18.24.25. &c. Secondly, in waight, ours being Talents, theirs Pence.) but only a ſigne, by which wee may conclude that our ſinnes are pardoned with God; thus. Firſt, ſeeing we find that we therefore forgiue others, becauſe wee feele that God for Chriſt his ſake hath forgiuen vsus. Secondly, by reaſoning from the leſſe to the more, if wee wretches, in whom is but a ſparke and drop of goodneſſe, can truly and from the heart forgiue ſuch as offend vsus, vponupon their repentance, how will not God forgiue vsus if we repent; nay, how hath he not already forgiuen vsus vponupon our repentance, ſeeing hee, that requires and approues of this mercy in vsus men, is himſelfe a boundleſſe and bottomleſſe Sea of merciemercy and grace; and he hath ſaid, Bleſſed are the mercifull, for they ſhall obtaine mercy. And,Mat. 5.7. If yee forgiue men their treſpaſſes, your heauenly Father will alſo forgiue you: as contrarywiſe, if yee forgiue not men their treſpaſſes, Mat. 6.14.15.neither will your Father forgiue your treſpaſſes, So elſewhere, We know that wee hauehave paſſed from death to life, 1 Ioh. 3.14becauſe we louelove the brethren; he that loueth not his brother, abideth in death. How then will they approue themſelues to be what they profeſſe, Chriſtians indeed, whoſe pride is ſuch, they cannot ſeeke peace with men where themſelues hauehave broken it, they will not acknowledge their offences one to another, and yet they will impudently thruſt with the formoſt into Gods Temple; & moreouer, being offended, they ſhew themſelues implacable and no wiſe inclining to ſhew mercy, neither forgetting iniuries, whiles by Sword, or by ſome kind of retaliation, they will auenge themſelues, nor yet from the heart forgiuing them,Par. 3. §. 3. but that they will beare hatred and malice there ſtill, and accept of no ſubmiſsion. Let ſuch conſider how that vncharitable perſon was dealt withall, who, being forgiuen a greater debt of God, (though conditionally) yet was mercileſſe to his fellow ſeruant.Mat. 18.28.29.—33, 34. Can ſuch ſay, they hauehave put on Chriſt?