The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 57
Par. 3. §. 57.
Therefore to proceede: Hauing propounded formerly to giuegive ſome trialls of Chriſtianity, & that in the firſt place, from the nature of our putting on Chriſt, which wee made to conſiſt, 1. In a putting off the Old man. 2. In putting on the new man, to Iuſtification and Sanctification.3 The third things in the nature of this duty is that it conſiſts both in the putting of the old man and putting on the new man. 3. In both theſe together; and now hauing diſpatched, the two former of theſe; it remaineth we proceed to the third and laſt.
So then, ſeeing the nature of putting on Chriſt is ſuch that of neceſsity it requires a putting off and laying aſide of ſinne and of the old Adam, thou, that wouldeſt approue thy ſelfe to bee a good Chriſtian indeed, muſt put this queſtion to thy ſelfe: do I ſo? doe I firſt or withall put off ſinne, as well as profeſſe my ſelfe a Chriſtian? do I as well die to ſin and to the world, as I would be taken to liue to God & to Chriſt? and do I as well liue holily, as I would be taken to hate & to avoyd profaneſſe? Aſſuredly,Both which true Chriſtian doe. true Chriſtians doe both theſe alike; in whom there is both an Auerſion from euill and ſinne, and that in iudgement, will and affections; and a conuertion or turning to God and goodneſſe in all theſe; according to the rule, depart from euill and do good, and ceaſe to doe euill, Pſal. 34.14. Iſa. 1.16.17.learne to doe well, &c. ſo that they are as Affirmatiuely good, as Negatiuely not euill, and contrarywiſe: ſuch an one was Iob, who was ſaid to be perfect and vppright, (not legally but euangelically, which is that which wee are ſeeking, and trying) in as much as hee was one that feared God and eſchewed euill: Iob. 1.1. Ezek. 18.5.6.7.8.9.euen ſuch as God elſewhere deſcribes the Iuſt man to bee, namely one that hath not eaten vponupon the mountaines, — that hath not defiled his neighbours wife. hath not oppreſſed any; but hath reſtored the pledge— hath giuen his bread to the hungry— hath walked in my Satutes, and hath kept my Iudgements to deale truly; hee is Iuſt, hee ſhall ſurely liue, ſaith the Lord.
The character of ſuch as truly put on Chriſt, and are in Chriſt is, that they walke not after the fleſh, Rom. 8.1.but after the ſpirit; and therefore both theſe in Scripture go inſeperably together, to caſt off the workes of darkeneſſe, and to put on the armour of light, and 13.12.13.14.—not to walke in ryoting and drunkenneſſe, &c. but to put on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt ſo, to put off the old man with his deeds, Coloſ. 3.8.9 10-12. and Epheſ. 4.22.23.24.and to put on the new man &c. to put off all theſe, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemie, filthy communication, & to put on, as the elect of God, (namely as an euidence of our election) bowels of mercies, kindnes, humbleneſſe of minde, meeknes, long-ſuffering. Good Chriſtians know ſo much, and therefore dare not but put on Chriſt, as well dying as riſing, and as well riſing as dying; he ſo being the obiect of their faith, is ſo by faith put on; and accordingly the effect of both, of one as well as of the other, is found in them. The effect of his death is the godly mans dying to ſinne, knowing this, ſaith Paul, Rom. 6.6.that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of ſin might be deſtoryed, that hence forth we ſhould not ſerue ſinne. The effect of his reſurrection, and the power of his reſurrection (in vsus) as it is called, is our newneſſe of life:Philip. 3.10. Rom. 6.4.5. For we are buried with him by baptiſme into death, that like as Chriſt was raiſed vp from the dead by the glory of the Father, euen ſo we ſhould walke in newneſſe of life; for if wee hauehave beene planted together in the likeneſſe of his death, we ſhall be alſo in the likeneſſe of his reſurrection. And both theſe effects are in a competent manner in the true Chriſtian who hath put on Chriſt.Par. 3. §. 58.