The Poor Mans Tears Opened, Book 4
THE WEDDING GARMENT.
Rom. 13. 14. Put ye on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
I HaueHave choſen a Text whiche is the ſum of the Bible. For all ſcripture runneth vppon Chriſt like the title of a booke,Reuel. 8. becauſe Chriſt is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end of mans ſaluation, therefore hee is figured in the law foretolde in the Prophetes, and fulfilled in the Goſpell. Some places point to his diuinitie, ſome to his humanitie, ſome to his kingdome, ſome to hys prieſthoode, ſome to his prophecie, ſome to his conception, ſome to hys byrth, 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 point vntounto the Sauioure like Iohn Baptiſt,Iohn 1. 29, when he ſaid, This is the lamb of God which taketh away ths ſinnes of the world. Therefore learne Chriſt, and learne all.
Now to teache vsus how we ſhould heare, and how we ſhould louelove, and how we ſhould feare, and howe wee ſhould beleeue, and how we ſhould followe Chriſt, that wee may knowe when we hauehave learned him. The Apoſtle ſaith, Put yee 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 mark how it commeth in) for before Paul ſayth Caſt away the workes of darkneſſe, and put on the armour of light. Verſe 12.Then he nameth the workes of darkeneſſe,Verſe. 13. which wee ſhould caſt off: viz. gluttonie, drunkenneſſe,Verſe 14. ſtrife, enuie, chambering, wantonneſſe, after he nameth the armour of light, which wee ſhould put on, and calleth it by the name of the giuer, The Lord Ieſus Chriſt. In ſteed of gluttonie,Pſal. 109. 88 and drunkenneſſe, and ſtrife, and enuie, and chambering, and wantonneſſe, and other patches of the deuill, wherwith man clothed himſelfe as with a Garment. The Apoſtle giueth him another garment, which hee calleth Ieſus Chriſt: hee doth not oppoſe vertue to vice, as one would thinke when he had ſayd, Caſt off gluttonie, hee ſhoulde hauehave ſaide, Put on ſobrietie: when hee had ſaide, Caſt of wantonneſſe, hee ſhoulde hauehave ſaid, Put on continencie. When he had ſaid, Caſt of enuie he ſhould hauehave ſaid, Put on louelove: but in ſtead of all vertues, hee commendeth the example of Chriſt for euerie vertue, and oppoſeth it to euerie vice, as if hee ſhould ſay, Hee which thinketh onelyonly to followe Chriſt, needeth not bee ledde by the hand from vertue to vertue, but hys example will teache him what hee ſhall follovve, and what hee ſhall flee, better then all preceptes in the world.
Therefore this is the beſt thought in euerie action for a man to thinke, What Chriſt would doe, which was made not onelyonly redemption and ſaluation to ſaue vsus, but wiſedome and example to guide vsus. Therefore hee ſaith:1. Cor. 1. 30. Learne of mee, and followe mee, as though we ſhould thinke before we ſpeake,Mat. 11. 29. whether hee would ſpeake ſo,Marke 10. 21 and conſider before we do, whether he would do ſo, and do all by his example, as the ſcholler writeth by his copie, or els we do not learne of him, but of our ſelues, and then vvee go awry, like a child vvhichwhich ſcribleth with out a rule. If thou reſolueſt to ſpeake, and doe no othervviſe then Chriſt vvould ſpeake and do himſelfe, thou ſhalt bee ſure to doe all thinges well, becauſe thou follovveſt a ſtraight patterne. Therefore ſtudy what this meaneth.Iohn 3. 4. To put on Chriſt. It is a ſtraunge ſpeeche, and a ſtrange Garment, they vvhichwhich cannot tell like Nichodemus vvhat Chriſt meaneth, vvhen he ſaith, that we muſt be born againe, cannot tell vvhat Paule meaneth vvhen hee ſaith, Put on Chriſt: as if one man ſhould put on another. I thinke manie heere may goe to the Apoſtle, as the Apoſtle went vntounto Chriſt,Luke 1. 9. and aske.Gal 3. 27. What is the parable? This phraſe is read in none but Paule, which hath written moſt of iuſtification by Chriſt: and therefore hee vſeth all phraſes to expreſſe hovve vvee ſhould applye Chriſt vntounto vsus, and in no tearms he hath ſhewed it more liuely then in this phraſe, Put on Chriſt. For it ſignifieth that Chriſt dooth couer vsus like a Garment,Rom. 4. 7. and defende vsus like an Armoure. Hee hideth our vnrighteouſneſſe with his righteouſneſſe, hee couereth our diſobedience with his obedience, he ſhadoweth our death vvith his death, that the vvrath of God cannot find vsus, iudgement cannot ſpie vsus, the curſſe cannot ſee vsus, for the garment which couereth and hideth vsus.Gen. 27. 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, vvee receiue the bleſſing, and are receiued into fauour like Chriſt himſelfe. For God ſaith not: This is my beloued ſonne vvhichwhich pleaſeth mee,Math. 3. 17. But in whome I am well pleaſed: meaning, that not onelyonly Chriſt pleaſeth GOD, but wee pleaſe God in Chriſt:1. Cor. 11. 3. For Chriſt is our head. Epheſ. 5. 23.Therefore, as one looking in the face of a man, doth like him ſtraight if hee like his face: ſo God beholding vsus in the face of Chriſt, doth louelove vsus ſtraight, becauſe the face dooth pleaſe hym: But Chriſt is not our heade, vnleſſe we be his members, Chriſt is not our Garment vnleſſe wee put him on: as Chriſt did put on our garment, when hee cloathed himſelfe with our fleſh, and tooke our infirmities, and bore our curſſe: ſo we muſt put on his garment, that is, his righteouſneſſe, his merites and his death, vvhichwhich is as ſtraunge a veſture to vsus, as our fleſhe was to him,Reuel. 3. 4. and much adoe we hauehave to put it on,Mat. 22. 11. and when it is on,Mat. 7. 23. there is great cunning to weare it cleanelie and comelie from ſoyling and renting, that ſuch a precious Garment be not taken from vsus againe. Therefore, manie ſeeme to weare this Garment vvhichwhich ſhall be thruſt from the banquet, becauſe they weare it not: as thoſe which wil ſay when the Lord ſhall come to iudgement,Luke 13. 26. Wee hauehave ſeene thee in our ſtreetes, wee hauehave heard thee in our Synagogs, we hauehave propheſied, wee hauehave caſt out deuils, wee hauehave wrought miracles by thy name: as though if any had put him on, or borne his marks, they were the men which were marked like his ſeruaunts, therefore who but they ſhall enter into Heauen? Yet Chriſt ſaith, I know you not, there is their revvarde, I know you not: as if he ſhould anſwer, you weare not my Liuerie,Luke 13. 27. you beare not my Cogniſance for all your ſhewes, therefore, depart from mee: So hee put them off, becauſe they had not put him on: For though they had ſeene his perſon, and hearde of his vertues, yet they had not faith to applie his mercies, his merites, his death, and his righteouſneſſe vntounto them, without which no man can put on Chriſt nor weare him. Faith is the hande which putteth him on. Faith taketh firſt his righteouſnes, & couereth her vnrighteouſnes, then ſhee taketh his obedience, & couereth her diſobedience, then ſhe taketh his patience, & couereth her impatiency, then ſhe taketh his temperance, & couereth hir intemperancie, then ſhee taketh his continency, and couereth her incontinencie, then ſhe taketh his conſtancie, and couereth her inconſtancie: then ſhee taketh his ſaith, and couereth her diffidence: then ſhee taketh his humilitie, & couereth her pride: then ſhee taketh his louelove, and couereth her rancour. And ſo taketh one roabe after another, aud tricketh her ſelfe vntill ſhee hauehave put on Ieſus Chriſt: that is, vntill ſhee appeare in the ſight of God, like Ieſus Chriſte, cloathed with his merits and graces: that God hath no power to be angry with her, becauſe ſhee commeth ſo like his Son. This is to put on Ieſus Chriſt, as you ſhall ſee more liuelie, vvhen you hauehave taken a vievv of the garment, for we are to ſpeak of chriſt the Garment, and of our putting it on. There be many faſhions of apparell, but they are too light, or too heauy, or to ſad, or too courſe, or to 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, fitte for all perſons, and ſuch a profitable weede, that the more it is worne, the freſher it is. what faſhion hauehave you ſeene comparable to this?2. Sam. 10. 4. It is not like the clothes of Dauids Ambaſſadours, which couered their vpper parts,1. Sa. 17. 29. but not their lower partes:2. king. 14. 2. not like Saules armour, which tried Dauid when he ſhoulde fight with it. Nor like the counterfait of Ieroboams wife,Iohn 9. 45. which diſguiſed her ſelfe to goe vnknowne: nor like to the old rags of the Gibeonites, whiche deceiued Ioſua, nor like the paultrie ſuite of Michah, which he gaue once a yeare to his Leuite, nor like the gluttons flaunt,Iud. 17. 10. which ietted in purple eueryevery daie; nor like the light clothes whiche Chriſt ſaide are in kinges Courtes,Math. 11. 8. and make them lighter that weare them.Luke 16. 19. But it is like the Garmēt of the high Prieſt,Exod. 28. 21. which had all the names of the Tribes of Iſraell, written vponupon his breſt: ſo all the names of the faithfull are written in the breaſt of Chriſt, and regiſtred in the booke of his merites:Mal. 3. 16. it is like Elias Mantell which deuided the waters:2. king. 2. 8. So hee deuideth our ſinnes and puniſhmentes, that they whiche are clothed with Chriſt,Deut. 26. 5. are armed both againſt ſinne and death. It is like the Garments of the Iſraelites in the wilderneſſe, which did not weare: fortie yeeres together, they wandered in the deſart, and yet ſaith Moyſes, their ſhooes were not worne, but their apparell was as when they came out of Egypt: So the righteouſneſſe of Chriſt doth laſt for euer,Math. 17. 2. and hys mercies are neuer worne out.Heſt. 6. 11. As Mardocheus ſhined in the kings robes before the people: So and more glorious are the faithfull in the robes of Chriſt before God. When Chriſt was transfigured vppon the Mount. Mat. ſaith, that his face ſhined like the ſunne, and 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 menne lyke lights: and therefore Chriſtes Diſciles are ca…lled Lightes, Math. 5. 14.becauſe they were clothed with light, and ſhined to the world.
Salomon was not ſo glorious in all his royaltie,Mat. 6. 29. nor the Lillies whiche are brauer then Salomon, as he which is clothed with Chriſt, becauſe the apparell vppon him is better then all the worlde about him. Therefore if Dauid ſaide,1. Sam. 1. 14. Weepe yee daughters of Iſraell for Saule which clothed ye in purple: I may ſay, reioyce ye daughters of Iſraell, for Chriſt which hath clothed you with righteouſneſſe, as it were with a veſture, before you come to the banquet.
This is the wedding Garment without whiche no manne can feaſt with the Lord.Math. 12. 12 This Garment is called an Armour, becauſe it defendeth vsus from all the aſſaultes of the deuill the fleſh,Epheſ. 9. 1. the world, the heat of perſecution, & the cold of defection. This Garment is called Light, Rom. 1.becauſe it is the beautie and glory of them which weare it.Matth. 6. This Garment is called a kingdom, becauſe none but kinges do weare it, that is, they are inthroned in the kingdom of chriſt, & made kings ouer the world, the fleſh and Sathan: whiche weare this Garment,Iud 16. 6. like the hair of Sampſon which while he wore he was like a king, and all his ennemies had no power to hurt him.
This Garment Paule hath ſent vntounto you, to go before the king of heauen and earth, a holy Garment, a roiall garment,Rom. 5. 1. an immaculate garment, an euerlaſting garment:Rom. 14. 17 a garment whereof eueryevery hem is peace of conſcience,Math. 9. 20. eueryevery pleat is ioy in the holy ghoſt, euerie ſtitch is the remiſſion of ſome ſin, and ſaueth him which weareth it. If he which touched the hem of Chriſtes garment was healed, hee which weareth the garment, nay hee which weareth Chriſt himſelfe, ſhall not hee bee healed of all his ſores, though he wer wounded from head to foot? You neede not cloath him now which ſaith.Math. 25. 43 VVhen I was naked ye did not cloath me, Math. 21. 8nor caſt your Garments in his way,Gen. 9. 23. as they did, when hee came to Ieruſalem,Luke 10. 34. but take hys Garmentes, and ſuffer your ſelues to be clothed,This Samaritan; doth not ſignifie Chriſt, but yet may be reſembled to Chriſt. as Noah did, to couer your nakedneſſe. As the good Samaritane put him vppon 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, & healeth their ſins, as though he ſhould couer them with his Garments,Gen. 3. 1. whom the world, the fleſh, & the deuill hauehave robbed of their Garmentes, that is, the righteouſneſſe whiche they had in Paradice before the ſerpent came: ſo if wee put on Chriſt, we are clothed with his obedience, whereby our wickedneſſe is couered: we are clothed with his merits wherby our ſinnes are forgiuen: we are clothed with his death: wherby our puniſhment is releaſed, we are clothed with his ſpirit, whereby our hearts are mollified and ſanctifikd, & renued till we reſemble Chriſt himſelfe. This is the Apoſtles meaning, to put on Chriſt, as it is vnfolded in Col. 3. 12.Col 3. 12. Where he bringes forth all the robes of Chriſt, & ſortes them, & ſaith, put on merciemercy, put on meeknes, put on humility,verſe 20. put on patience, put on louelove, all which before hee called (the newe man) ſo that to put on Chriſt, is to put on the new man with all his vertues, vntil wee be renued to the Image of Chriſt, which is like a new man amongſt men. They which labor to be righteous, and yet beleue that Chriſts righteouſneſſe ſhall ſaue them, hauehave put on Chriſt as Paule would hauehave them. We are not taught to put on Angels, nor ſaintes, nor the Virgin Mary, nor Paul himſelf, to couer our ſins with their righteouſnes, as the Papiſts do, but we are cōmanded to put on Chriſt, and couer our ſins with his righteouſneſſe. The body hath many Garmēts, but the ſoule hath one garment. Euerie clout will couer our ſores, but the fineſt ſilke will not couer our ſinnes. Therefore when we ſeeme braue to others, wee ſeeme foule to God, becauſe his eie is vponupon our ſinnes, which lie naked, when all the reſt is couered, vntil we put on Chriſt, & then wee heare that voice, Thy ſinnes are couered. And then wee hauehave that bleſſing:Math. 9. 2. Bleſſed is the man, whoſe ſinne is couered. So wee are cloathed and bleſſed togither.Pſal. 32. 1. Yet this garment is out of requeſt, too rough for ſome, too graue for others, too baſe for others. And therefore in ſteade of putting on Chriſt, they put him off, in ſtead of welcomming him,Luke. 1. 37. they diſcharge him, like the Gad…rens,Math. 8. 34. that they may keepe their Swine,Matth. 27. 135. that is, their beaſtly pleaſures whiche hee would caſt into the Sea. Theſe are like the fooliſh ſouldiours which ſhould hauehave made chriſt their garment, and they caſt lots vponupon hys garments, and deuided them, and ſo ſpoiled them. So do the papiſts deale with this garment, they ſay it is not fit for them, & therefore they breake it and mangle it, and peece it with rags of their owne inuentions: they ſay it is too light, & notable to beare off the ſtormes of death, and heate of hell, and therefore choſe rather to make themſelues garmentes of their merites, and their Maſſes, and their penance, and their pardons, and their pilgrimages:Gen. 3. 7. and 31. like Adam & Eue, which made themſelues coates of figleaues, which God deſtroyed again, to ſhew that when men hauehave patched al their leaues of maſſes, of pardōs, of pilgrimages, and ſatisfactions together, yet they will not couer their nakedneſſe, nor keep of the heate of gods wrath, but are like the curtall skirts of Dauids Ambaſſadours,2. Sam. 10 4 which hid not their ſhame. Therfore when we may goe in our maiſters attire, ſhall wee ſcrubbe like beggars patched in our rags? Mine owne garmentes defile me,Iob. 9. 31. ſaith Iob: Our owne Garments, our owne righteouſneſſe defileth vsus, for what garmēt, what righteouſnes hauehave we of our owne, but that which like a menſtruous cloath,Eſay 64. 6. which had more need to be waſhed it ſelfe, then to wipe that which is foule. Therefore Chriſt muſt make vsus Garments or elſe when our backes flaunt it like courtiers, our ſoules ſhall ſtrippe like beggers.Gen. 9. 20. And the Deuils will ſpore themſelues like Cham, to ſee our nakedneſſe.
Firſt the Father made vsus Garmēts in Paradiſe,Gen. 3. 21. now the ſonne makes vsus Garmentes in the wilderneſſe, naie, the Sonne is made our Garment, as Paule ſaith, Chriſt vsus made vntounto vsus righteouſneſſe: 1. Cor. 1. 30.that is, Chriſtes righteouſneſſe, muſt bee our Garment, or els wee ſhall bee aſhamed when our righteouſneſſe doth not reache to couer our nakedneſſe, but ſtill ſome part will peepe bare vntill hee caſt his righteouſneſſe vppon it, and then all is couered.1. Sam. 17. 40. As Dauid needed no other armor againſt the Gyant, then a Sling: ſo we neede no other garment againſt ſin then Chriſt. There wanteth nothing but this, to put it on.
Nowe let vsus ſee howe to put this Garment on. Many fumble about it, like children which had need of one to put on their clothes. Some put on Chriſt as a cloake, whiche hangeth vponupon their ſhoulders, and couereth them when they go abroad to bee ſeene of men: they can caſt on the cloake of holineſſe, and ſeeme for a while as holy as the beſt, but ſo ſoon as they come home, the cloke goeth of, and the man is as he was, whoſe vizard was better then his face. Thus Hypocrites put on chriſt, as manie retaine vntounto noble men, not to doe them anie ſeruice, but to hauehave their countenaunce. Many put on chriſt like a hat, which goeth off to euerie one whiche meetes them: ſo euerie temptatiō which meets them, makes them forget what they heard, what they promiſed, what they reſolued, and change their waie, as though they had not repented at all. So the common people like your ſelues put on Chriſt, they are zealous, ſo long as they are in the Church, and beare their breſtes, and caſt vp their eyes, like the Publican, when they heare a ſentence whiche mooues them,Luke 18. 11. as though they woulde doe no more againſt that ſaying while they liue. But the next buſineſſe putteth all out of mind, till they come to the church again. Some put on chriſt as a gloue, which couereth but the hand, ſo they put on the face of Chriſt, or the tong of Chriſt, but their hands worke, and their feete walke, as they did before: So manie profeſſors of Religion put on Chriſt, whiche call but for diſcipline & reformation, that they might get a name of zeale and ſinceritie, to couer ſome fault, which they would not be ſuſpected of. Thus euerie man woulde couer himſelfe with Chriſt, but they hauehave not the skill, or they hauehave not the will to put him on. What will you doe then? Though the garment be neuer ſo good, yet it is not good to them that doe not weare it. For what profite hauehave we of the garmēts which we do not weare? they neither keepe vsus from heate nor colde. Therefore Paule doth not bring you a garment to laie by you for the mothes, but hee biddes you put it on. Heere is the cunning nowe in putting it on. If Paule had taught vsus this, then you would hearken vntounto him. Well, you ſhall heare what Paule ſaith to the putting of it on. Firſt (ſaith Paule) you muſt caſt away the workes of darkeneſſe, 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 lie with anie other feathers, but conſume them, which lie with them: So the Wedding Garment will not weare with filthy garmentes, but ſcornes like the Arke, that Dagon ſhould ſtand by it. If any man may not weare womens apparell for lightneſſe,1 Sam. 5. 8 may he weare the deuils apparell, and cloth himſelfe with pride,Deut. 22. 5. with couetouſneſſe, with enuy, with hypocriſie, with vncleanneſſe, and when hee is like the deuil ſit at Gods table?Math. 2. 21. No man (ſaith chriſt, patcheth a newe peece to an old Garment, and wilt thou patch an old peece to a new Garment: God forbad the people to weare linſey wolſey,Leui. 19. 19. becauſe it was a ſigne of inconſtancie, but this is inconſtancie it ſelfe. He doth not put on chriſt, but putteth off chriſt,Iob. 19. 23. and putteth on Beliall,Reu. 3. 15. whiche faſhions himſelfe to God, and the world too. As Chriſts coate was without ſeame, ſo they muſt be without ſtaine that weare it. For when a man putteth on faire clothes, hee maketh himſelfe fayre too, and auoideth eueryevery foule thing, leaſt it ſhoulde foule his clothes: So muſt he which putteth on Chriſt: for the fineſt garment is ſooneſt ſtained. Therefore when thou haſt put on this Garment, thou muſt waſhe thy ſelfe, and picke thy way, and chooſe thy workes, and handle nothing that is foule for marring thy clothes, that is, thou muſt not thinke as thou diddeſt, nor ſpeake as thou diddeſt, nor liue as thou diddeſt, but remember that thou haſt changed thy Maiſter, and ſerue him with whom thou art bound.Iude 9. For if God and the diuell could not agree vponupon Moſes body, for one to hauehave one part, and the other another part, but God would hauehave all: Much leſſe wil God agree that the deuill ſhoulde hauehave part of the ſoule, which woulde not yeelde him part of the bodie. Thus hauehave you heard what you muſt put off: now heare how Chriſt muſt be put on.Reue. 10. 9. As the Angel taught Iohn to read the booke when he bad hym eate it: ſo we muſt put on Chriſt, as if we did eate him, not as the papiſts do in their Maſſe, but as the meate is turned into the ſubſtance of the bodie, and goeth through euerie part of man: So Chriſt and his word ſhould goe from part to part, from eare to heart, from hart to mouth, frō mouth to hand, till we be of one nature with thē, that they be the verie ſubſtance of our thoughtes and ſpeeches, and actions, as the meate is of our bodie. This is, to eat Chriſt and his worde, or els we do not eate them, but chew them, and when our taſte is ſatisfied, ſpue them out againe.Epheſ. 3. 30. Thus we muſt put on Chriſt, for the word 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 he hath put on all our infirmities, ſo we muſt put on all his graces, not halfe on, but al on, and claſpe him to vsus, and girde hym about vsus; and weare him euen as we weare our skinne, which is alway about vsus. Then there ſhall be no need of wyers, nor curls, nor perriwigges, the husbandes ſhall not be forced to racke their rents, nor inhaunce their fines, nor ſell their landes, to decke their wiues.2. King. 2. But as the poore mantle of Eliah ſeemed better to Eliſha then all the robes of Salomon, ſo the wedding garment ſhall ſeeme better then all the flantes of vanitie, and put euerie faſhion out of faſhion, whiche is not modeſt and comely like it ſelf. If you will know farther how to put on Chriſt, you ſhall ſee hovve your text vvil catechiſe you in his three names. Lord, Ieſus, Chriſt. The Apoſtle ſeemeth to ſpell out the way vntounto vsus, hovv vve ſhould weare this garment. Firſt, vvee muſt put him on as Lord, then vvee 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 commaund thee, and thy Tutor to gouerne thee, thy maiſter to direct thee, thou muſt bee no mans ſeruant but his, take no mans part againſt him,Act. 4. 19. but ſay with the Apoſtle, VVhether is it meete to obey God or you? Thou muſt put him on as Ieſus,Ioſua hath the like name but not from God, nor to that end. that is, thy ſauiour, in whome thou truſteſt, thy protector on whom thou depēdeſt, thy redeemer in whō thou beleeueſt. Thou muſt not looke for thy ſaluation from Angell, nor Saint, nor any thing beſide him. For the name of Ieſus ſignifieth a Sauiour,Luke 1. 69. and is giuen to none but him, and he is not onelyonly called the Sauiour,Iud. 3. 9. but the ſaluation, in the ſong of Simeon, to ſhew that he is the onelyonly Sauiour, for there bee manie Sauiours, but there can be but one ſaluation: as there may be many tortures, & yet but one death. Therfore when he is called the ſaluation, it implieth that there is no Sauiour beſide hym. Thou muſt put him on as Chriſt,Luke 3. 33. that is,Act. 3. 22. a king to rule, a Prophet to teach,Heb. 8. 3. a Prieſt to pray and ſacrifice and pacifie the wrath of GOD for thee.Mat. 1. 16. For this name Chriſt doth ſignifie that hee was annointed a king,Heb. 1. 8. a Prieſt and a Prophet: for man, a king to rule him, a Prieſt to offer ſacrifice for him, a Prophet to teache him, ſo that he putteth on Chriſt as Lord, whiche worſhippeth none but him, ſo that hee putteth on Chriſt as Lord, which worſhippeth none but him.Gal. 3. 17. Hee putteth on Chriſt as Ieſus, whiche beleeueth in none but him, and hee 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 baptiſed. then you were ſealed and conſecrated to his ſeruice, ſo ſoone as you came into the worlde, you vowed to renounce the worlde and followe God: how many hauehave put on chriſt thus, and ſince hauehave put him off againe, whiche hauehave broken the firſt promiſe that euer they made, and were neuer faithfull to God ſince. You put on Chriſt againe,Rom. 6. 3. when you are called and ſanctifieed, that is, when you caſt off the olde man, whiche is corrupt with the luſtes of the fleſhe,Epheſ. 4. 22. the pride of life, and the cares of this worlde, and put on the new man, which is regenerat in righteouſneſſe and holineſſe to the image of Chriſt, or likeneſſe of Adam in his innocencie, for to put on the new man, is to become a newe man, as if thou were borne againe, and conceiued of the holy Ghoſt. Of this Iob ſpeaketh when he ſaith,Rom. 12. 2. I put on Iuſtice and it couered me▪ Iob. 29. 14.you put on Chriſt againe,1. Cor. 10. 16 when you receiue this holie Sacrament, and are partakers of hys body and bloud, that is, the merites of his obedience & 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 taſt him, and taſteth him, as if ſhe did digeſt him, then chriſt is become yours and dwelleth in you, & feedeth you with his grace to eternall life, as the bread and wine ſuſtaineth the lyfe preſent.
Laſtly,Phil. 3. 21. whē you hauehave put on Chriſt in theſe three ſortes,1. Cor. 15, 49. whiche is your Garment for this worlde, after you ſhall put on Chriſt in heauen, and be clothed with his glorie, and that ſhal be your laſt veſture, whiche ſhall neuer weare out.
Thus hauehave you heard what is meant by putting on Chriſt, firſt to cloathe our ſelues with righteouſnes and holineſſe like Chriſt, and then becauſe our owne righteouſneſſe 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 & couer our ſelues with his righteouſneſſe, that is, beleeue that his righteouſneſſe ſhall ſupply our vnrighteouſneſſe, and hys ſufferinges ſhall 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, but hauehave life euerlaſting.Ioh. 3. 16.
Nowe I hauehave ſhewed you this goodly Garment, you muſt goe to another to help you to put it on, and none can put this Garment vppon you, but he which is the Garment, the Lord Ieſus Chriſt. Therefore to him, let vsus praie.
FINIS.
End of the text · Henry Smith, The Poor Mans Tears Opened (1592)