The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 19 – Section 20
Section 19.
The ſecond thing then wherein the holineſſe of the ſpirit conſiſts,2 Gods ſpirit ſhewes it ſelfe an holy Spirit, in begeting good motions. is not onelyonly in oppoſing ſinfull motions, but in begetting holy and good motions, thoughts and inclinations according with the will of God, whereby it works and increaſeth in vsus the contrary graces and vertues. The grace of Gods Spirit in vsus, where it reigneth, doth not onelyonly withſtand and repreſſe ſinfull & rebellious affections, but it orders the ſoule aright,And by renewing vsus. and conformes the whole ſoule to the will of God; euen as in a well ordered Commonwealth or Kingdome, there is not only reſiſtance made againſt rebels, & a ſuppreſſion of them, but a right and willing obedience performed to lawfull authoritie, a louelove of Religion and Iuſtice, and dutie performed by eueryevery man according to his place one to another: euen ſo is it in the regiment of the ſoule in a regenerate man; where the law of grace in him, and the Spirit, is not onelyonly oppoſite to ſinne and rebellious affections, which would ouerthrow, or at leaſt trouble and diſturbe that gouernment, but is as a new fountaine and welſpring of goodnes in him, fruitfull in all goodneſſe, though it had no enemies to moleſt it. Heereby then may wee alſo iudge of our ſelues, whether we hauehave put on Chriſt or no, by the ſpirit of Sanctification, if wee not onelyonly reſiſt and repell ſin, not ſuffering it to raigne in vsus, but alſo hauehave our willes and affections renued to a liking of goodnes, and of the contrary graces to thoſe ſinnes which we would ſubdue. For naturall conſcience may reſtraine ſinne in vsus, and keepe it from breaking out; yea, and hate it vponupon the forenamed grounds and reſpects to puniſhment, diſgrace, ſhame of the world, yet neuer in that manner ſo ſubdue ſin in vsus, as to beget contrary graces. As for example; a couetous, and ſo a paſſionate and angry man, ſo an vncleane perſon, may keepe vnderunder his ſinne from breaking into act outwardly; an angry and malicious man may, euen vponupon ſome prouocation ſo keep in his anger, and conceale his malice for the preſent, that he ſhall ſhew nothing but louelove and faire cariage; euen as we ſee it in Eſau his behauiour towards his brother Iacob, who ouercame that malice which he inwardly conceiued againſt him for the birthright, and doubtleſſe, not without a great conflict in himſelfe, repreſſed it vponupon carnall reſpects and conſiderations. A man would in this caſe in charity hauehave bin ready to hauehave commended his patience and religion, and to hauehave conceiued Eſau had reſted well content in Gods diſpoſall of the birthright from him; euen as wee now in like charity, not knowing mens hearts, commend and conceiue well of their ciuill & harmleſſe cariage, and abſtinence from euil, wherunto perhaps often they are tempted and prouoked; yea but in the meane time, where is their louelove & affection to the contrary vertues, of true liberality, patience, chaſtity, temperāce &c. Eſau repreſſed the euill of hatred in him for the preſent, but where was the contrary grace of true and ſound louelove of his brother? and ſo we may aske in the other and like particulars. But this holy ſpirit where it is begets the contrary graces in good meaſure, and makes vsus who were proud, truly humble, and not only vponupon by reſpects to ſuppreſſe Pride, but inwardly and ſincerely to louelove humilitie, euen for it ſelfe; ſo it makes vsus of angry, meeke; of malicious, louing; of vncleane, chaſt; of couetous, liberall; of profane, truly religious; not vponupon ſiniſter grounds and motiues, to repreſſe and ſuppreſſe theſe euils, which both naturall conſcience in vsus, and men without vsus would condemne, if they were manifeſt, but vponupon a good liking and true affections to the contrary graces, to louelove, deſire, and earneſtly to endeauour, inwardly to hauehave, and outwardly to ſhew forth the contrary vertues. Hence then are we to try our ſelues; for if wee bee Chriſts, then this ſpirit of Chriſt will teach vsus to hauehave a great pleaſure to giuegive to the poore, and needy Saints, as euer formerly wee had, either to take from the poore by oppreſsion, or to meete with a good bargaine for our owne advantage; it would teach vsus to be humble for our pride, and to account our ſelues the meaneſt of all, who formerly took our ſelues as good as any. It would make vsus patiently beare wrongs, who before either reuenged them, or forcedly diſſembled them —; and ſo in other like things: ſo that if
Par. 3. §. 20
perties of it, ſinceare, vpright, and free from all doubling and duplicitie,And makes a man vpright and ſinceare. ſingle and ſound; for ſo is the wiſedome which is from aboue deſcribed from the properties and effects of it, to bee firſt pure or chaſt—and laſt without hypocriſie.
foreign Iam. 3.17.By this are we to try whether wee hauehave truly put on Chriſt or no; for doubtleſſe where Chriſts ſpirit doth cloath any, it purgeth the heart from the leauen of hypocriſie; ſo that where this right ſpirit is not, that is, ſinceritie and ſingleneſſe of heart, but inſtead thereof hypocriſie and deceit, there, not Chriſts ſpirit, which is a ſpirit of truth, but a lying ſpirit guides and rules men. Now how to iudge of Sinceritie, as alſo of Hypocriſie both of the more groſſe and more ſecret, both that whereby we deceiue others, and that whereby we our ſelues are deceiued;Not yet publiſhed. 1623. I hauehave ſhewed already at larg, by the ſpeciall notes of both in a Treatiſe on Jam. 3.17.Par. 3. §. 21