The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 13 – Section 14
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. …d 59.17.We hauehave 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 hauehave 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 vsus, 1 Ioh. 3.24. & 4.13.becauſe he hath giuen vsus of his Spirit; or, by the ſpirit which hee hath giuen vsus: and, Jf any man hauehave 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 giuegive 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 LoueLove, Temperance, &c.) ther it wil make vsus 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 vponupon, 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 vponupon the Prophet Zachariah, 2 Chro. 24.20.and hee will boldly do his meſſage, and ſpeake vntounto the People in the name of the Lord, Why tranſgreſſe yee the Commandements of the Lord, that yee cannot prosper? becauſe yee hauehave 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 LoueLove, 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, louelove, 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 hauehave 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 thē 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 giuegive 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 giuegive Almes, they heare, they reade and pray, and the like.
But here I muſt tell the firſt ſort, that Gods ſpirit ſets and ſends eueryevery man to his owne proper worke, which, where it is, it will not ſuffer a man to neglect vponupon 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 louelove 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 thēſelues 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 feare of wrath, and eternall Iudgment, with reſpect to themſelues and to their owne praiſe more then Gods, to their owne profit in a ſeruile and baſe manner, vponupon an opinion of merit, and binding God to them euen for the worke done, neuer looking to the manner of doing it, and vponupon ſuch ſiniſter reſpects and motiues: let no man father ſuch workes vponupon the ſpirit of God.
But now ſeeing eueryevery one will be ready to ſay he is moued inwardly, and by Gods ſanctifying ſpirit, it will be needfull to ſhew how a man may iudge of the Spirit, and know whether, and when he is moued thereby. Where wee muſt know that there are or may be three things in a man which may moue and lead him in his actions. Firſt, Nature intire, which ſeeking the preſeruation of it ſelfe, moues principally vponupon that ground and motiue. Secondly, corruption of Nature through ſinne, which blindly ſeeking its owne good, ſets a man on worke vponupon the reſpects of ſinfull pleaſures, profits and preferments of the world, through ſelfe-louelove, and ſelfe-reſpect, meaſuring all good and happineſſe by ſuch things. Thirdly, Grace, and Gods ſanctifying Spirit in the regenerate, which ſtirrs him vp vponupon the reſpects of Gods glory and will, to doe his duty out of louelove, conſcience, and in obedience to God.
Now, all theſe three being truly in Gods Children, and grace ſeemingly only, with the other two,Par. 3. §. 14 in hypocrites; its a point of good conſideration and conſequence to be able to put a difference amongſt theſe, and ſo to be able to iudge whether a man bee indeede cloathed and indued with the ſanctifying Spirit of Chriſt, and hauehave thereby put him on to true Sanctification, or whether nature or corruption doe not lead him.
Section. 14.
Now we may iudge hereof eſpecially by the properties of Gods Spirit,2 By the properties of it, which are foure. foure whereof only I meane to ſtand vponupon; It being called in Scripture, 1. a holy Spirit. 2. a righteous Spirit. 3. a free Spirit. 4. a ſtrong Spirit, or Sprit of might; and all theſe either in regard of the motions and effects of it, or of the manner of working.
If then a man would know whether this ſanctifying ſpirit of God doe moue him or no, let him try this; firſt, by the holineſſe of his thoughts, deſires, aymes and actions.
Gods Spirt is a holy Spirit; Par. 3. §. 15.and therefore holy Dauid, 1 Gods ſpirit is a holy Spirit. Pſal. 51.11hauing through his negligence ſuffered himſelfe to be foyled, prayes the Lord not to take his holy Spirit from him: which if God ſhould hauehave done, hee knew that ſinne ſhould hauehave had the vpper hand of him.
Now the hollineſſe of this Spirit ſhewes it ſelfe in theſe two things eſpecially. Firſt, And where it is, it is knowne by the holines of it.in oppoſing of ſinne and corruption. Secondly, in working & increaſing the contrary graces and vertues in vsus.