The Christians Apparelling, To the reader
To the Chriſtian READER.
THe glory of the vnderſtanding Creature, is communion with his Maker, and likeneſſe vntounto him; this Adam, when hee came newe out of Gods hands, had, and inioyed, vntill by his fall hee, and we,Rom. 3.23. in him were depriued of the glory of God; wherupon it is ſaid, they knew themſelues naked; Gen. 3.7.naked indeed, not only in body, but in ſoule, ſtript of that bleſſed Image, wherby they repreſented their Creator, eſpecially in holines; wherupon God if he had not regarded his owne mercy more then their deſert, might hauehave turned them and their poſterity naked into hell. But our gracious God, intending the glory of his mercy aboue all other attributes, and willing to bee knowne in his Church by that name of grace mercy, goodnes, &c. aboue all other names, ſent his Son clothed with our nature, that wee might againe bee partakers of the diuine nature. God became one with vsus, that wee might be made one with him, and hath enriched our nature with all grace, by marrying it to himſelfe, that ſo hee might conforme his myſticall body (his Church) to his owne bleſſed ſoule and body in all holineſſe, in that meaſure hee hath thought fit: only it is neceſſary for vsus to ſee the beggery wee are borne in, hauing not a rag of ſauing goodnes to hang vponupon vsus to couer our ſhame, that ſo wee might be forced to get into Chriſt, & out of the rich wardrope of his obedience, be furniſhed with ſuch Robes, as might not only couer our nakednes, but likewiſe adorne vsus and ſet vsus out to the liking of our Sauiour, that hee may take pleaſure in our beautie, and might be armour likewiſe vntounto vsus to ſtand out againſt all inward & outward oppoſitions: Him God hath made the publike treaſury of the Church, in him all fulneſſe dwels, that out of it wee might receiue grace anſwerable to the grace in him; reſembling him,Iohn 1.16. not as an Image doth a man in the outward lineaments only, but as a ſonne doth his father in nature and diſpoſition:Eſai. 9.6. he is the Father of eternitie, to whom we muſt be like in holineſſe, as we deſire to bee like him in happineſſe, and can wee more deſire to bee like any, then him by whom we looke to be ſaued? We ſee men ſtudie the diſpoſitions of thoſe they hope to riſe by, and carnall men caſt themſelues into the mould of the times, faſhioning their opinions, language & demeanor to the liking of thoſe they hope to be aduanced by: but a Chriſtian is of a higher and more noble breed, and knowes the worlds faſhion to bee the baſeſt faſhion, & croſſe to the liking of the Father;Iohn 2.15. he knoweth that hee is predeſtinate to bee like to Chriſt, vntounto whoſe image now we are conformed, and not to the image of the firſt Adam. Rom. 8.29.Hee knoweth that whatſoeuer good is in vsus, is firſt in Chriſt,Iohn 17.19 who therfore ſanctified himſelfe, that we might be holy; and therefore he indeauoreth neerer vnion and communion with him, and laboureth to put him on Firſt, in Iuſtification, that ſo being cloathed with garments of our older brother, wee, may finde grace in our Fathers ſight, and ſtand vpright before God in him, who is made of his Father righteouſneſſe vntounto vsus, 1 Cor. 1.30. And wee take him as offred of the Father to vsus by the hand of a particular faith; for Chriſt profiteth not, as conſidered in the broad cloath (if wee may ſo ſpeake) but as ſuted & fitted to vsus by the applying hand of Faith. And becauſe whoſoeuer is in Chriſt, is a new creature; therefore he aymeth in the ſecond place, to put Chriſt on in Spirit & conuerſation, to bee like minded vntounto him in meekenes and humilitie, (as who can be proud, when hee beleeueth God was abaſed for him?) and to put on the ſame bowels of louelove and mercy, to count it his meat and drinke to doe Gods will, as hee did, going about doing all the good hee could, and oft conſiders with himſelfe what affections and intentions his Sauiour would hauehave vponupon ſuch and ſuch occaſions, what hee would doe if hee were on the earth, and what hee did in the dayes of his fleſh, and vntounto this patterne he faſhioneth his cariage: this accompanieth the former; for none are cloathed with his Righteouſneſſe, but are likewiſe cloathed with his Spirit. Therefore our aduerſaries wittingly ſlaunder vsus, when they inforce vponupon vsus ſuch conceits, as if we ſeuered the imputed righteouſneſſe of Chriſt from the inward work of ſanctification, and made a iuſtified man, like the deuill, appearing as an Angel of light; and like a Blackamore couered with a white linnen garment. No, not ſo, wee know that as Chriſt ſaueth his Church, ſo hee purgeth it, that hee may preſent it to himſelf a glorious Church. And as he performed the Law for vsus;Epheſ. 5.20 ſo will he performe it in vsus. By looking with the eie of faith on his wonderful louelove to vsus, diſcouered in the Goſpel, we are trāsformed frō glory to glory, frō one degree of grace to another.2 Cor. 4.18. It is impoſsible that that ſoule that euer felt peace & ioy, by the ſatiſfactiō & obedience of Chriſt for vsus, but with cōceiuing Chriſt thus louing and grcious in his heart, hee ſhould hauehave the Impreſſion of theſe graces that are in our bleſſed Sauiour. In what heart ſoeuer he is conceiued in, he faſhioneth it alwaies like to himſelfe. Indeed thoſe looſe profeſſors that are led with the ſpirit of the world, & hauehave little of Chriſtianitie in them but Baptiſme, ſuppoſe a Sacramentall putting on of Chriſt (with a powerleſſe profeſſion, which they may take vp, and lay aſide at their pleaſure as they do their garmēts) to bee ynough: but the true learning of Chriſt is a deeper matter then ſo, there muſt bee an indeauour to put off our whole ſelues, & hauehave nothing in vsus of our own, but what we thinke, deſire, ſpeake, or doe, ſhould euer ſauour of the ſpirit of Chriſt; which who wanteth is none of his, & by the which whoſoeuer is indued with vertue from aboue, it will raiſe his ſoule aboue it ſelfe, and make it firme & impregnable againſt all temptations, either on the right hand or the left, & carry it ſtrongly through all duties. A meer humane ſpirit can neither doe or ſuffer any thing: but hee that is clothed with a more excellent ſpirit then his owne, is more then a man, and in Chriſt can doe all things that are required in the couenant of grace.Phil. 4.13. How ſhould this ſharpen our deſires of being more and more filled with the fulneſſe of Chriſt? eſpecially, conſidering we muſt all lay aſide theſe garments of our bodies in the duſt, and appeare ſhortly before him; and then he will owne none for his, but ſuch as beare his Image: A fearefull thing it will be to bee found in his caſe that is not found in Chriſt; that hath nothing of Chriſt in him: for the pure eyes of God cannot look on him, but as an obiect of his wrath, and fewell of his vengeance, which wil borne to hel.
As we deſire to hold vp our heads with ioy, and not to lye open and naked, expoſed to all the ſtormes of his diſpleaſure, wee muſt labour to put on whole Chriſt, and weare him cloſe to our ſoules. EueryEvery day we gather new ſtaines, & therfore eueryevery day wee muſt waſh our garments in his blood, and appeare before God clothed with him, that hee may looke on vsus with a forbearing eye.Iohn 3.29. Thoſe friendes of the Bride therefore deſerue well of her, that lay before her her owne nakednes, and the vnſearchable riches of Chriſt, that ſhee may bee drawne out of her ſelfe, to an admiration of the excellencie of Chriſt, and ſhine in his beames,Reuel. 12. and trample whatſoeuer is glorious in the world vnderunder her feet, ſeeing nothing ere long will bee glorious but Chriſt and his Spouſe.
Hitherto tendeth this Treatiſe of this godly Miniſter, whom for his ſoundneſſe in Iudgement, faithfulneſſe in friendſhip, painefulneſſe in his calling, & integritie of his life, I hauehave much eſteemed euer ſince our firſt acquaintance in the Vniuerſitie: I can therefore (Chriſtian Reader) with the more confidence commend it to thy reading, and both thee, and it to Gods bleſſing.
Richard Sibbs.
THE CHRISTIANS APPARELLING by CHRIST.
GALAT. 3.27.
For all ye that are baptized into Chriſt, hauehave put on Chriſt.