The Christians Apparelling, Part 3 · Section 58
Section. 58.
But with hypocrites it is otherwiſe;Vnſound Chriſtians. ſhewe their vnſoundnes. and where we find theſe two effects diſioyned and ſeuered one from the other (conſtantly) in our ſelues or others, there is too manifeſt an argument of hypocriſie. But thus we ſhall find it to be with many: in whom, though neither of the two forenamed effects, be in truth, as being not conioyned, yet) that which ſeemes to be, is ſingle without the other, and ſo proues it ſelfe to bee counterfeit, and not ſound.
1 By putting of ſin but not putting on Chriſt. Which is ſhewed 1 in the Popiſh ſort.For 1. ſome ſeeme to put off ſinne, but they put not on Chriſt, no not there where they ſeeme to put on ſomething. 2. Some ſeeme to put on Chriſt, but put not off their ſinne. In the firſt ranke, are firſt generally the Popiſh ſort, who profeſſe a mortification of the fleſh, by whipping of themſelues ſomtimes, and by Faſtings, and abſtaining from fleſh on diuers dayes, and that in a religious manner and reſpect (accounting fiſh holier, as not being deſtroyed in the Deluge) in a ſhew of humilitie, Coloſ. 2.20 21.22.23.and neglecting of the body, in will-worſhip, according to the doctrines of men, whoſe ordinances are, touch not, taſte not, handle not; and yet (not to ſpeak of the looſeneſſe of their liues generally) the ſame, at the ſame time, by dainties prouoke the fleſh, turning faſting from fleſh to feaſting with fiſh, which of the two are the greater dainties, as might eaſily be ſhewed; whereas indeed, the trueſt way to mortifie the fleſh, is either by true faſting and abſtaining from all meat and drinke ſometimes,1 Cor. 9.25.27. to humble at once both ſoule and body, and ſo to keepe it vnderunder, and to bring it into ſubjection; or otherwiſe by a conſtant moderation of our diet, and temperance in all things; or to do with diligence the duties of our calling generall and particular. More particularly, thoſe of the Popiſh ſort (are in this ranke) who mew themſelues vp in Cloyſters, as men mortified to the world, and yet liue in all idlenes, laſciuiouſnes, wantonnes, (to ſay no more) and other works of darkneſſe, which are made by the Apoſtle, to bee farre from putting on Chriſt, as we hauehave heard; and ſay, there were no ſuch euils done, yet what good is done by them? they ſeeme to ſhake off the world, but where is Chriſt put on? I may truely ſay it, as one hath done before mee, a meere contemplatiue Monke,Gal. 5.13. in ſhunning ſome occaſions of euill, flieth in a manner all occaſions of doing good, and of being a ſeruant to all by louelove, and the duties of it.
2 in our ſelues. 1 Generally, in ciuill Chriſtians.Of the ſame ranke there are many of our ſelues (not yet excluding the other,) who 1. generally are ſuch as content themſelues to liue ciuilly and plauſibly in the world, as putting off (and yet not alwaies in heart and affection) the groſſer euils of the time, being no known ſwearers, drunkards, adulterers, profane perſons, yet ſhew foorth no power of godlineſſe in their liues & godly conuerſations, and in the exerciſe of the cōtrary graces and vertues, of ſanctifying Gods name by word & deede, of Sobriety, Chaſtity, and generally Holineſſe; nay, in ſtead thereof ſuch plauſible men in their very ſoules often, hate the true, zealous and ſtrict practiſe of Pietie in their brethren, ſo that ſinceritie hath no greater nor more bitter enemies, then ſuch ciuill Saints, who in their owne, and in the worlds account are right honeſt, nay the only, honeſt men: all the reſt are but preciſe fooles to them, &c. whereas ſuch forbearance of groſſer euils may bee an effect, and is vſually of Gods (not ſauing and ſanctifying but) generall and reſtrayning grace, wherby they, out of the reſpects of feare, ſhame of the world, reuerence to ſome in Authority, or for other their own priuate ends, abſtaine from ſuch euills, euen as Eſau forbare a long time to reuenge himſelfe of his brother Iacob, comforting himſelfe in the hope of his Fathers death; but where was his true brotherly louelove ſhewed to his brother all the while?2 Chron. 24.2.17. &c ſo, King Iehoaſh was a Saint all the daies of Iehoiada the Prieſt, but after his death, he forſooke the Lord and killed his ſonne, who spake to him in the name of the Lord: which was an argument of his former vnſoundneſſe for all his ſeeming forwardneſſe: & euen ſuch are many in theſe dayes, &c. Some, againe, more particularly, 2 Particularly in vnſound penitents.when they hauehave done amiſſe and falne into groſſer euils, ſeem to repent & to be ſorry, yea, with the Iewes of old, to faſt and afflict the body, Iſa. 58.3.5.6 7.to bow down the head as a bulruſh, and to spread ſackcloath and aſhes vnderunder them, (or perhaps againſt Lent, vponupon their heads) yet all the while, euen then, neglect all duties of of true Religion and Charitie, as they are there charged. This ſorrow of theirs is not accompanied with reformation of life, with more care, feare, deſire, zeale, & therefore is vnſound. Thus men by returning to thoſe ſinnes which by words and other ſignes & ſhewes of griefe they would ſeeme to bee ſorry for, they doe but deceiue themſelues, & mocke God (which yet will come home by thēſelues, for God will not be mocked,) euen as we would account him to mocke vsus, who ſaith he is ſorry he hath done vsus wrong, and yet continues ſo to doe ſtill. Euen ſo, that ſorrow and turning from ſin which doth not reforme a man is but a deformed ſorrow, a ſorry one, a foundation without a building, an Ahabs humiliation,1 Kings 21.27. with 22.8-26.27 who by putting on ſackcloath would ſeeme to put off, and be ſorry for, his bloody ſinne againſt Naboth; yet without any true reformation of himſelfe, he fell to as bad a crueltie againſt the Prophet of God Michaiah: Euen as Iudas alſo, who was grieued for murthering Chriſt, yet no change inſued, ſeeing hee fell to murther himſelfe. Thus generally not to louelove goodneſſe is to hate it, not to louelove our brother,Leuit. 19.17 and to expreſſe it, if neede bee by louing admonition, is to hate him, and ſo to hate a mans owne ſoule; not to doe good, is, in Gods account,Marke 3.4. to doe euill, not to ſaue life (when we may) to deſtroy, not to be light, is ſo farre, to be darkenes; for if darkeneſſe bee remoued, light cannot but follow, the corruption of one thing is the generation of another: ſo if I put off, and put away the workes of darkeneſſe and of death, I cannot but alſo put on the workes and armour of light and life: which laſt if I doe not, I doe not the former; and after this tenour ſhall the ſentence runne at the laſt day of Iudgement, when the ſecret hypocriſie of all hearts ſhall be diſcouered, and when it ſhall appeare, what men indeede were formerly, not what they appeared; depart from me yee curſed, Mat. 25.41.42.43.for J was an hungred and ye gaue me no meat,— a ſtranger and yee tooke me not in. &c. So that as they ſerue God here with Negatiues, no oppreſſor of the poore, no perſecutor of the Saints, no adulterer, no murtherer, &c. and therefore good enough; ſo God will then ſerue and anſwer thē by Negatiues, telling them, not what euils they hauehave cō mitted, but what good they hauehave omitted, no charitie, no feeding, no cloathing, no viſiting of Chriſt in his members on earth, and therefore, no Kingdome with him in Heauen.
We ſee then it is not enough to put off ſinne, but we muſt alſo put on Chriſt and his righteouſneſſe, and holineſſe. Where wee may further note the hypocriſie of many, who will put off,Some againe though they put of, & put on, yet they put not …n Chriſt. yea and put on to, yet we cannot ſay they put on Chriſt; for they put off rather one ſinne for another, though they would pretend the contrary: they go from one extreame to another, make the frog leape, skip ouer the meane, or by it, and ſo in effect, in their repentance and conuerſion, giuegive but the half-turne, if ſo much. Thus many turne from being profane Atheiſts, to be deuout & forward Papiſts, yet cannot bee ſaid to put on Chriſt, ſeeing Popery it ſelfe is plaine Antichriſtianiſme. So, from hauing the Popiſh religion in eſtimatiō, to a contēning of the Goſpell, which yet outwardly they will profeſſe; they being formerly Papiſts, hauehave left off praying in an vnknown language, but, being Proteſtants, they pray not at all; they hauehave left ſuperſtition, and are falne to profaneneſſe; they hauehave put off Antichriſt, but hauehave not yet put on Chriſt. So others, as one well noteth, perhaps hauehave left their negligent comming to Church, but hauehave changed it into a diſſolute and ſleepy carriage in the Church: ſome now reade the Bible, & other good books,Par. 3. §. 59 which they did not before, but doe therefore deſpiſe preaching, and reade, whether at home or in the church, when they ſhould attend & heare. So, in a word, many leaue their former profaneneſſe, and groſſer ſinnes of drunkennes, whoredom, Sabbath breaking, &c. but reſt in ciuill carriage, and formall performance of duty, without ſhewing forth the power of Chriſt and his grace in their liues, as hath bin ſaid. And theſe are they that ſeeme (and but ſeeme) to put off ſinne, yet they put not on Chriſt.