Sermons in One Volume, Sermon 5
THE VVEDDING GARMENT.
Rom. 13. 14.
Put ye on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
I HaueHave choſe a Text which is the ſumme of the Bible. For all Scripture runneth vponupon Chriſt lyke the Title of a booke, becauſe hee is Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of mans ſaluation:Reue. 1. 8. therefore he is figured in the Law, foretold in the Prophets, and fulfilled in the Goſpel. Some places point to his Diuinitie, ſome to his humanitie, ſome to his Kingdom, ſome to his Prieſthood, ſome to his Prophecie, ſome to his Conception, ſome to his Birth, ſome to his life, ſome to his miracles, ſome to his Paſſion, ſome to his Reſurrection, ſome to his Aſcention, ſome to his Glorification; all poynt to the Sauiour, lyke Iohn Baptiſt,Ioh. 1. 29. when hee ſaide, This is the Lambe of God, which taketh away the ſinnes of the worlde. Therefore learne Chriſt, and learne all. Now to teach vsus how we ſhuld heare, and how we ſhould louelove, and how we ſhould feare, and how we ſhould beleeue, and how we ſhould follow Chriſt, that wee may knowe when wee hauehave learned him: the Apoſtle ſaith, Put ye on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: as though this word did containe all our duties vntounto Chriſt, to put him on: (which ſeemes to bee the leuell of this phraſe, if you marke how it commeth in) for before Paule ſayth, Caſt away the workes of darkneſſe, Verſe 12.and put on the armour of light: then hee nameth the workes of darknes which we ſhould caſt off, that is,Verſe 13. gluttonie, drunkenneſſe, ſtrife, enuie, chambering, wantonneſſe; after hee nameth the armour of light,Verſe 14. which we ſhould put on, and calleth it by the name of the giuer, The Lord Ieſus Chriſt. In ſtead of gluttonie, and drunkenneſſe, and ſtrife, and chambering, and wantonneſſe, and other patches of the Diuell, wherewith man cloatheth himſelfe as with a Garment; the Apoſtle giueth him an other Garment,Pſa. 109. 18 which hee calleth Ieſus Chriſt: hee doth not oppoſe vertue to vice, as one would thinke when he had ſayd, Caſt off gluttonie, he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Put on ſobrietie: when hee had ſaid, Caſt off wantonneſſe, he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Put on continencie: when he ſaid, Caſt off enuie, he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Put on louelove: But in ſtead of all vertues, he commendeth the example of Chriſt for euerie vertue, and oppoſeth it to euerie vice: as if he ſhould ſay, He which thinketh onelyonly to follow Chriſt, needeth not bee led by the hand frō vertue to vertue, but his example will teach him what he ſhall follow, and what he ſhall flie, better than all precepts in the world. Therfore this is the beſt thought in euerie action for a man to thinke, what Chriſt would do, which was made not onelyonly redemption and ſaluation to ſaue vsus,1. Cor. 1. 30 … wiſdome and example to guide vsus. Therfore hee ſaith,Mat. 11. 20 Learne of mee, and followe mee: as though we ſhould thinke before we ſpeake whether hee would ſpeake ſo,Mar. 10. 21 and conſider before we do, whether he would do ſo; and doe all by his example as the Scholler writeth by his coppie: or elſe we do not learne of him, but of our ſelues; and then we go awrie, like a childe which ſcribleth without a rule. If thou reſolueſt to ſpeake and doe no otherwiſe than Chriſt would ſpeake and doe himſelf, thou ſhalt be ſure to do al things wel, becauſe thou followeſt a ſtraight patterne: therefore ſtudie what this meaneth, To put on Chriſt. It is a ſtrange ſpeech, & a ſtrange Garment. They which cannot tell (like Nicodemus) what Chriſt meaneth when he ſayeth,Iohn 3. 4. that we muſt be borne againe, cannot tell what Paul meaneth when he ſayth, Put on Chriſt: as if one man ſhould put on another, I thinke manie here may go to the Apoſtle, as the Apoſtles went to Chriſt, and aske of him, Maiſter, expound to vsus, what is the parable?
This phraſe is read in none but Paul, which hath written moſt of iuſtification by Chriſt: and therefore he vſeth all fit phraſes,Gal. 3. 27. to expreſſe how we ſhould applie Chriſt vntounto vsus; and in no tearmes hee hath ſhewed it more liuely than in this phraſe, Put on Chriſt: for it ſignifieth that Chriſt dooth couer vsus like a Garment, and defend vsus alſo ſafely like an armour.…om. 4. 7. Hee hideth our vnrighteouſneſſe with his righteouſneſſe, he couereth our diſobedience with his obedience, hee ſhadoweth our death with his death, that the wrath of God can not finde vsus, iudgement can not ſpie vsus, the curſe can not ſee vsus,Gen. 37. 29. for the Garment which couereth and hideth vsus. But, as Iacob got the bleſſing in the name and apparell of Eſau his elder brother: ſo in the name and apparell of Chriſt our elder brother, we receiue the bleſſing, and are receiued into fauour like Chriſt him ſelfe. For God ſayth not, This is my beloued Sonne, which pleaſeth me,Mat. 3. 17. but, In whom I am pleaſed; meaning, that not onelyonly Chriſt pleaſeth God,1. Cor. 11. 3. but we pleaſe God in Chriſt; for Chriſt is our head.
Therefore, as one looking in the face of a man, dooth like him ſtraight if hee like his face:Epheſ. 5. 23. ſo, God beholding vsus in the face of Chriſt, doth louelove vsus ſtraight, becauſe the face dooth pleaſe him. But Chriſt is not our head vnleſſe we be his members, Chriſt is not our garment vnleſſe we put him on: as Chriſt did put on our Garment when he cloathed himſelf with our fleſh; and tooke our infirmities and bore our curſe: ſo wee muſt put on his Garment, that is, his righteouſneſſe, his merites,Reu. 3. 4. and his death, which is as ſtrange a veſture to vsus, as our fleſh was to him, and much a doo wee hauehave to put it on, and when it is on, there is great cunning to weare it cleanly and comely from ſoyling and renting, that ſuch a precious Garment bee not taken from vsus againe.Mat. 22. 11
Therefore many ſeeme to weare this Garment which ſhall be thruſt from the banket,Mat. 7. 23. becauſe they weare it not: as thoſe which will ſay, when the Lord ſhall come to iudgement, We hauehave ſeene thee in our ſtreetes,Luk. 13. 26. we hauehave heard thee in our Sinagogues, we hauehave prophecied, we hauehave caſt out Diuels, we hauehave wrought miracles by thy name: as though if anie had put him on, or borne his markes, they were the men which were marked like his ſeruants: therfore who but they ſhall enter into Heauen?Luke. 13. 27 Yet Chriſt ſaith, I know you not: there is their reward, I know you not: as if he ſhould anſwere, You weare not my liuerie, you beare not my cogniſance for all your ſhewes, therefore depart from me: ſo he put them off, becauſe they had not put him on: for though they had ſeene his perſon, and heard of his vertues, yet they had no faith to apply his mercies, his merits, his death and his righteouſneſſe vntounto them, without which no man can put on Chriſt nor weare him. Faith is the hand which putteth him on, Faith taketh firſt his righteouſneſſe and couereth her vnrighteouſnes, then ſhe taketh his obedience and couereth her diſobedience, then ſhe taketh his patience, and couereth her impatiencie, then ſhe taketh his temperancie, & couereth her intemperancie, then ſhe taketh his continencie, and couereth her incontinencie, then ſhe taketh his coſtancie, and couereth her inconſtancie, then ſhe taketh his faith, and couereth her diffidence: then ſhe taketh his humilitie, and couereth her pride: then ſhee taketh his louelove, and couereth her rancour: and ſo taketh one robe after another, and tricketh her ſelfe, vntill ſhe hauehave put on Ieſus Chriſt, that is, vntill ſhe appeare in the ſight of God, like Ieſus Chriſt, clothed with his merites and graces: that God hath no power to bee angrie with her, becauſe ſhee commeth ſo like his ſonne. This is to put on Ieſus Chriſt, as you ſhall ſee more liuely, when you hauehave taken a view of the Garment, for we are to ſpeake of Chriſt the Garment, and of our putting it on. There be many faſhions of apparell, but they are too light, or too heauie, or too ſad, or too courſe, or too ſtale, and all weare out. At laſt the Apoſtle found a faſhion that ſurpaſſeth them all: it is neuer out of faſhion, meete for all ſeaſons, fit for all perſons, & ſuch a profitable weed, that the more it is worn, the freſher it is. What faſhion hauehave you ſeene comparable to this?2. Sa. 10. 4. It is not like the clothes of Dauids Ambaſſadours, which couered their vpper parts; nor like Sauls armour,1. Sa. 17. 29 which tired Dauid when hee ſhould fight with it:2. Kin. 14. 2. nor like the counterfait of Ieroboams wife, which diſguiſed her ſelfe to go vnknowen: nor like the olde ragges of the Gibeonites,Ioſhu. 9. 4. 5 which deceiued Ioſua: nor like the paultrie ſute of Micah,Iud. 17. 10. which hee gaue once a yeare to his Leuite:Mat. 11. 8. nor like the gluttons flaunt which ietted in purple eueryevery day: nor like the light clothes which Chriſt ſayd are in kings Courts, and make them lighter that weare them. But it is like the garment of the high Prieſt,Exod. 28. 21 which had all the names of the Tribes of Iſraell written vponupon his breaſt: ſo all the names of the faithfull are written in the breaſt of Chriſt,Mal. 3. 16. and regiſtred in the book of his merites:2. Kings 2. 8 it is like Elias mantle, which diuided the waters: So he diuideth our ſinnes and puniſhments, that they which are clothed with Chriſt, are armed both againſt ſinne and death.Deut. 26. 5. It is like the garments of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, which did not weare; fortie yeares together they wandered in the deſert, and yet ſaith Moſes, their ſhooes were not worne, but their aparell was as when they came out of Egypt: So the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt doth laſt for euer, and his mercies are neuer worne out.Heſt. 6. 11. As Mardocheus ſhined in the kings roabes before the people: ſo and more glorious are the faithfull in the roabes of Chriſt before God.Mat. 17. 2. When Chriſt was transfigured vponupon the mount, Mathew ſaith that his face ſhined like the Sun, & his clothes were as white as the light:Pſal. 136. 1 So when we are transfigured into the image of Chriſt, wee ſhall ſhine before other men like lights, and therefore Chriſts diſciples are called Lights, becauſe they were clothed with light,Mat. 5. 14. and ſhined to the world.Mat. 6. 29. Salomō was not ſo glorious in all his royaltie, nor the Lillies which are brauer than Salomon, as he which is clothed with Chriſt, becauſe the apparel vponupon him is better than al the world about him. Therfore if Dauid ſaid,2. Sa. 1. 14. Weepe ye daughters of Iſrael, for Saul which clothed you in purple: I may ſay, reioyce ye daughters of Iſrael, for Chriſt which hath clothed you with righteouſnes, as it were with a veſture, before you come to yt banket.
This is the Wedding Garment,Mat. 22. 12. without which no man can feaſt with the Lord. This Garment is called an Armour, Epheſ. 6. 11.becauſe it defendeth vsus from all the aſſaults of the diuell, the fleſh, the world, the heate of perſecution, and the cold of defection. This Garment is called Light,Rom. 13. 2. becauſe it is the beautie & glorie of them which weare it. This Garment is called a Kingdome, becauſe none but Kings do weare it,Mat. 6. 3. that is, they are inthroned in the kingdome of Chriſt, & made kings ouer the world, the fleſh, and Satan: which weare this Garment like the haire of Sampſon, which while he wore he was like a king,Iud. 16. 6. and all his enemies had no power to hurt him.
This Garment Paul hath ſent vntounto you, to go before the king of heauen and earth, a holy Garment, a royal Garment, an immaculate garment, an euerlaſting garment: a garment whereof euerie hem is peace of conſcience, euerie pleate is ioy in the holy Ghoſt, euerie ſtitch is the remiſſion of ſome ſinne, and ſaueth him which weareth it. If ſhee which touched the hemme of Chriſts garment was healed, he which weareth the Garment, nay, he which weareth Chriſt him ſelfe, ſhall not he be healed of all his ſores, though he were wounded from head to foote? You need not cloath him now which ſaith,Mat. 25. 43 When I was naked ye did not cloath me, Mat. 21. 8.nor caſt your garments in the way,Gen. 9. 23. as they did,Luke 10. 34 when he came to Ieruſalem, but take his Garments, and ſuffer your ſelues to be clothed, as Noah did, to couer your nakedneſſe.This Samaritane doth not ſignifie Chriſt, but yet may be reſembled to Chriſt. As the good Samaritane put him vponupon his owne beaſt which was ſpoiled with theeues, and bound vp his ſores, when hee was wounded: So Chriſt Ieſus mounteth the faithfull vponupon his righteouſneſſe, and healeth their ſinnes, as though he ſhould couer them with his garments, whom the world,Gen. 3. 1. the fleſh, and the diuell hauehave robbed of their garments, that is, the righteouſneſſe which they had in Paradiſe before the ſerpent came: ſo if we put on Chriſt, we are clothed with his obedience, wherby our wickednes is couered: we are clothed with his merits, wherby our ſins are forgiuen: we are clothed with his ſpirit, whereby our hearts are mollified and ſanctified, and renued, til we reſemble Chriſt himſelfe. This is the Apoſtles meaning, to put on Chriſt, as it is vnfolded in Col. 3. 12. Where he brings forth all the robes of Chriſt,Verſ… 10. and ſorts them, & ſaith, put on merciemercy, put on meeknes, put on humilitie, put on patience, put on louelove, all which before he called the new man. So that to put on Chriſt, is to put on the new man with all his vertues, vntill wee be renued to the Image of Chriſt, which is like a new man amongſt men. They which labour to be righteous, and yet beleeue that Chriſts righteouſnes ſhal ſaue them, hauehave put on Chriſt as Paule would hauehave them. We are not taught to put on Angels, nor Saints, nor the virgin Mary, nor Paul himſelfe, to couer our ſinnes with their righteouſnes, as the Papiſts do: but we are commanded to put on Chriſt, and couer our ſinnes with his righteouſnes. The bodie hath manie Garments, but the ſoule hath one Garment. EueryEvery clout will couer our ſores, but the fineſt ſilke wil not couer our ſinnes. Therfore when we ſeeme braue to others, we ſeeme foule to God, becauſe his eie is vponupon our ſins, which lie naked whē al the reſt is couered, vntil we put on Chriſt, & then we hear yt voice,Mat. 9. …. Thy ſins are couered, & thē we hauehave that bleſſing,Pſal. 32. 1. Bleſſed is the man whoſe ſin is couered: ſo we are clothed & bleſſed together. Yet this garment is out of requeſt, too rough for ſome, too graue for others, too baſe for others. And therefore in ſtead of putting on Chriſt,Luk. 11. 37. they put him off, in ſtead of welcomming him,Mat. 8. 34. they diſcharge him, like the Gadarens, that they may keepe their ſwine, that is their beaſtly pleaſures, which he wold caſt into the ſea.Ma. 27. Theſe are like the fooliſh ſouldiers which ſhould hauehave made Chriſt their Garment, and they caſt lots vponupon his Garments, and diuided them, and ſo ſpoiled them. So do the Papiſts deale with this Garment, they ſay it is not fit for them, and therfore they breake it, and mangle it, and peece it with ragges of their owne inuentions: they ſay it is too light, and not able to beare off the ſtormes of death and heate of hell, and therefore chooſe rather to make themſelues garments of their merites, and their maſſes, and their penance, and their pardons, and their pilgrimages: like Adam and Eue,Gen. 3. 7. 31 which made themſelues coates of fig leaues, which God deſtroyed againe, to ſhewe that when men hauehave patched all their leaues of maſſes, of pardons, of pilgrimages, & ſatisfactions together, yet they will not couer their nakedneſſe, nor keepe off the heate of Gods wrath, but are like the curtall skirtes of Dauids Ambaſſadors,2. Sa. 29. 4. which hidde not their ſhame. Therefore when wee may goe in our maſters attyre, ſhall we ſcrubbe like beggers patched in our ragges?Iob. 9. 31. Mine owne garments defile mee, ſaith Iob: Our owne Garmentes, our owne righteouſnes defileth vsus, for what garment, what righteouſnes hauehave we of our owne,Eſa. 64. 6. but that which is like a menſtruous cloth, which had more neede to be waſhed it ſelf, thā to wipe that which is foule? Therfore Chriſt muſt make vsus Garments, or elſe when our backes flaunt it like Courtiers, our ſoules ſhall ſtrip like beggers. And the diuels will ſport themſelues like Cham,Gen. 9. 22. to ſee our nakedneſſe.
Firſt, the Father made vsus Garmentes in Paradiſe,Gen 3. 21. now the Sonne makes vsus Garments in the Wilderneſſe, nay, the Sonne is made our Garment, as Paul ſaith, Chriſt is made vntounto vsus righteouſneſſe: 1. Cor. 1. 30.that is, Chriſts righteouſneſſe muſt be our Garment, or elſe we ſhall be aſhamed when our righteouſneſſe doeth not reach to couer our nakedneſſe, but ſtill ſome part will peepe bare vntill he caſt his righteouſneſſe vponupon it,1. Sa. 17. 42. and then all is couered. As Dauid needed no other armour againſt the Giant than a ſling: ſo we need no other Garment againſt ſinne than Chriſt. There wanteth nothing but this, to put it on.
Now let vsus ſee how to put this Garment on. Many fumble about it, like childrē which had neede of one to put on their cloathes. Some put on Chriſt like a precious head tire, which all day is worne, beautified with iewels, and beſet with gemmes, to make the face ſeeme more amiable: but at night, that riches is layd aſide, and the head muffled with ſome regardleſſe tyre. Thus do our curious women put on Chriſt, who when they heare the meſſengers of grace offering this Garment, and preparing to make the bodie fit to bee garniſhed with ſo glorious a veſture, as Paul did the Romanes, firſt waſhing away drunkennes and gluttony, then chambring and wantonnes, then ſtrife and enuie, and ſo ſinne after ſinne, they ſeeme like the ſtonie grounde to receiue it with ioy, and thinke to beautifie their head with this precious ornament: but when hee tels them there is no communion between Chriſt & Belial, that if this Garment be put on, all other vanities muſt be put off; they then turne their day into darkneſſe, and reiect Chriſt, that woulde bee an eternall crowne of beautie to their heades, and wrap their temples in the vncomely rags and refuſe of euerie Nations pride: and in theſe toyes they cauſe their ſeruants to ſpend manie howers on euerie day in the weeke, but eſpeciallie on the Sabboth day to decke their bodies, as if they were but little children, which had neede of one to put on their cloathes. Some put on Chriſt as a cloake, which hangeth vponupon their ſhoulders, & couereth them: when they goe abroad to bee ſeene of men, they can caſt on the cloake of holineſſe, and ſeeme for a while as holie as the beſt; but ſo ſoone as they come home, the cloake goeth off, & the man is as hee was, whoſe vizard was better than his face. Thus Hypocrites put on Chriſt, as many retaine vntounto Noble men, not to doe them anie ſeruice, but to hauehave theyr countenance. Many put on Chriſt like a hat which goeth off to euerie one which meetes them: ſo euerie temptation which meetes them, makes them forget what they heard, what they promiſed, what they reſolued, and change their way, as though they had not repented at all. So the common people (lyke your ſelues) put on Chriſt, they are zealous ſo long as they are in the Church, and beate their breaſts,Luk 18. 11. and caſt vp their eyes like the Publican, when they heare a ſentence which mooues them, as though they would do no more againſt that ſaying while they liue: but the next buſineſſe putteth all out of mind, till they come to the Church againe. Some put on Chriſt as a gloue, which couereth but the hand; ſo they put on the face of Chriſt, or the tongue of Chriſt: but their hands worke, and their feete walke, as they did before: So manie profeſſours of Religion put on Chriſt, which call but for diſcipline and reformation, that they might get a name of zeale and ſinceritie, to couer ſome fault, which they would not be ſuſpected of. Thus eueryevery man would couer himſelfe with Chriſt, but they hauehave not the skill, or they hauehave not the will to put him on. What will you do then? Though the Garment bee neuer ſo good, yet it is not good to them that do not weare it: for what profite hauehave we of the Garments which we doe not weare? they neither keepe vsus from heate, nor colde. Therefore Paul doth not bring you a Garment to laye by you for the moaths, but he bids you put it on. Here is the cunning now in putting it on. If Paule had taught vsus this, then you would hearken vntounto him. Well, you ſhall heare what Paul ſaith to the putting it on.
Firſt (ſaith Paul) you muſt caſt away the workes of darkneſſe,Verſe 12. and then put on the armour of light: firſt you muſt put off, and then put on. As the Eagles feathers will not lye with anie others feathers, but conſume them which lye with them: ſo the Wedding Garment will not bee worne with filthie Garments,1. Sam. 5. 8. but ſcornes like the Arke that Dagon ſhould ſtand by it. If any man may not weare womens apparell for lightnes; may he weare the diuels apparell, and cloath himſelfe with pride, with couetouſnes, with enuie, with hypocriſie, with vncleanneſſe, and when hee is like the diuell,Matt. 2. 21 ſit at Gods table? No man (ſaith Chriſt) patcheth a new peece to an olde Garment, and wilt thou patch an olde peece to a new Garment? God forbad the people to weare linſey wolſey,Leu. 19. 15. becauſe it was a ſigne of inconſtancie: but this is incōſtancie it ſelf.
He doth not put on Chriſt, but putteth off Chriſt and putteth on Belial,Ioh. 19. 23. which faſhions himſelfe to God,…eu. 3. 15. and the Worlde too. As Chriſtes coate was without ſeame, ſo they muſt bee without ſtayne that weare it. For when a man putteth on faire clothes, hee maketh himſelfe faire too, and auoydeth euerie foule thing, leſt it ſhould fowle his cloathes: ſo muſt he which putteth on Chriſt; for the fineſt Garment is ſooneſt ſtained. Therefore when thou haſt put on this Garment, thou muſt waſh thy ſelfe, and picke thy way, and chooſe thy workes, and handle nothing that is foule for marring thy cloathes, that is, thou muſt not thinke as thou diddeſt, nor ſpeake as thou diddeſt, nor liue as thou diddeſt, but remember that thou haſt chaunged thy maſter,Iude 3. & ſerue him with whom thou art bound. For if God and the diuell coulde not agree vponupon Moſes bodie, for one to hauehave one part, and the other another part, but God would hauehave all: much leſſe will God agree that the diuell ſhould hauehave part of the ſoule, which would not yeeld him part of the bodie. Thus hauehave you heard what you muſt put off: now heare how Chriſt muſt be put on. As the Angell taught Iohn to reade the Booke,Reuel. 10. 9. when he bad him eate it: ſo we muſt put on Chriſt, as if wee did eate him, not as the Papiſts doe in their Maſſe, but as the meate is turned into the ſubſtance of the bodie, & goeth through euerie part of man: ſo Chriſt and his Word ſhould goe from part of part, from eare to heart, from heart to mouth, from mouth to hand, til we be of one nature with them, that they bee the verie ſubſtance of our thoughts, and ſpeeches, and actions, as the meate is of our bodie. This is to eate Chriſt and his Word,Ephe. 3. 30. or elſe we do not eate them, but chew them, & when our taſte is ſatiſfied, ſpue them out againe. Thus we muſt put on Chriſt: for the Worde ſignifieth ſo to put him on: as if thou wouldeſt put him in, that he may be one with thee, and thou with him, as it were in a bodie together. As hee hath put on all our infirmities, ſo we muſt put on all his graces, not halfe on, but all on, and claſpe him to vsus, and gird him about vsus, and weare him, euen as we weare our skinne, which is alway about vsus. Then there ſhall be no neede of Wyres, nor curles, nor perriwigs: the husbands ſhall not be forced to racke their rents, nor inhaunce their fines, nor ſell their lands, to decke their wiues;2. Kin. 2. 13. but as the poore mantle of Eliah ſeemed better to Eliſha than all the roabes of Salomon: ſo the Wedding Garment ſhall ſeeme better than all the flaunts of vanitie; & put eueryevery faſhion out of faſhion, which is not modeſt and comely like it ſelfe. If you will know farther how to put on Chriſt, you ſhall ſee how your Text will Catechize you in his three names, Lord, Ieſus, Chriſt. The Apoſtle ſeemeth to ſpell out the way vntounto vsus, how we ſhould weare this Garment: Firſt we muſt put him on as Lord; then we muſt put him on as Ieſus; laſtly, we muſt put him on as Chriſt. Thou muſt put him on as Lord, that is, thy ruler to command thee, thy tutor to gouerne thee, and thy maſter to direct thee: thou muſt be no mans ſeruant but his, take no mans part againſt him,Acts. 4. 19. but ſay with the Apoſtle, Whether is it meete to obey God, Ioſua hath the like name, but not from God, nor to that end.or you? Thou muſt put him on as Ieſus, that is, thy Sauiour in whom thou truſteſt, thy protector on whom thou dependeſt, thy redeemer in whom thou beleeueſt: thou muſt not look for thy ſaluatiō from Angel, nor Saint, nor anie thing beſide him. For the name of Ieſus ſignifieth a Sauiour, and is giuen to none but him; and he is not onelyonly called the Sauiour, but the Saluation,Luk. 1. 69. in the Song of Simeon; to ſhew that he is the onelyonly Sauiour; for there may be many Sauiours,Iudg. 3. 9. but there can be but one ſaluation: as there may be many tortures, and yet but one death. Therefore, when hee is called the Saluation, it implieth that there is no Sauiour beſide him.Luk. 3. 35. Thou muſt put him on as Chriſt, that is,Act. 3. 22. a King to rule, a Prophet to teach, a Prieſt to praie and ſacrifice,Heb. 8. 3. and pacifie the wrath of God for thee.Mat. 1. 16. For this name Chriſt doth ſignifie that hee was annoynted a King, a Prieſt,Heb. 1. 8. and a Prophet for man: a King to rule him, a Prieſt to offer ſacrifice for him, a Prophet to teach him. So that hee putteth on Chriſt as Lord, which worſhippeth none but him, hee putteth on Chriſt as Ieſus, which beleeueth in none but him;Gal. 3. 17. and he putteth on Chriſt as Chriſt, which worſhippeth none but him, beleeueth in none but him, and heareth none but him.
You put on Chriſt firſt, when you are baptized: then you were ſealed and conſecrated to his ſeruice: ſo ſoone as you came into the world, you vowed to renounce the world and follow God. How many hauehave put on Chriſt thus, and ſince hauehave put him off againe? which hauehave broken the firſt promiſe that euer they made,Rom. 6. 3. and were neuer faithfull to God ſince. You put on Chriſt againe,Eph. 4. 22. when you are called and ſanctified; that is, when you caſt off the olde man, which is corrupt with the luſts of the fleſh, the pride of life, and the cares of this worlde; and put on the newe man, which is regenerate in righteouſneſſe & holineſſe, to the Image of Chriſt, or likeneſſe of Adam in his innocencie:Rom. 12. 2. for to put on the new man, is to become a newe man, as if thou were borne againe, and conceiued of the holie Ghoſt. Of this Iob ſpeaketh when he ſayth,Iob. 29. 14. I put on Iuſtice, 1. Cor. 10. 16and it couered mee. You put on Chriſt againe, when you receiue his holy Sacrament, and are partakers of his bodie and blood, that is, the merites of his obedience and paſſion by Faith, which heareth him as if ſhe did ſee him, and ſeeth him as if ſhe did feele him▪ and feeleth him as if ſhe did taſte him, and taſteth him as if ſhe did digeſt him, then Chriſt is become yours, and dwelleth in you, and feedeth you with his grace to eternal life, as the bread and wine ſuſtaineth the life preſent. Laſtly, when you hauehave put on Chriſt in theſe three ſortes,Phil. 3. 21. which is your Garment for this world;1. Cor. 15. 49▪ after you ſhall put on Chriſt in heauen, and be cloathed with his glorie, and that ſhall be your laſt veſture, which ſhall neuer weare out.
Thus hauehave you heard what is ment by putting on Chriſt: firſt to cloath our ſelues with righteouſnes and holines like Chriſt; & then becauſe our own righteouſnes is too ſhort to couer our armes, and legges, and thighes of ſinne, but ſtill ſome bare place will peere out and ſhame vsus in the ſight of God, therefore we muſt borrow Chriſtes Garments,Gen. 27. 15. as Iacob did his brothers; and couer our ſelues with his righteouſnes, that is, beleeue that his righteouſnes ſhal ſupply our vnrighteouſnes, & his ſufferings ſhal ſtand for our ſufferings, becauſe he came to fulfill the lawe, and beare the curſe, and ſatisfie his Father for vsus, that all which beleeue in him might not die,Iohn 3. 16. but hauehave life euerlaſting.
Now I hauehave ſhewed you this goodly Garment, you muſt go to another to helpe you to put it on; and none can put this Garment vponupon you, but he which is the Garment, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore to him let vsus pray.
FINIS