Exposition of Romans 13-16, Exposition of Romans · Chapter 1 · Verse 14
VERSE 14. But put yee on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt, and make not prouiſion for the fleſh, to fulfill the luſts thereof.
IN theſe words is the Affirmatiue part of the Expoſition of Honeſt walking.
To walke honeſtly, is to put on the Lord Ieſus Chriſt: VnderUnder which phraſe is emphatically comprehended, ſobrietie, temperance, chaſtitie, continencie, peace, louelove, and whatſoeuer vertue is requiſite to a Chriſtian conuerſation.
Neither doth hee follow his former manner of ſpeaking, ſaying, Not in rioting, &c. but in putting on the Lord Ieſus; but deliuereth this part in the manner of an Exhortation, for more force.
In this we hauehave two parts: Firſt, the dutie exhorted vntounto, in the firſt part of the verſe: Secondly, an Amplification in the laſt.
But put yee on the Lord Ieſus Christ.
In theſe words is the Dutie; wherein are conſiderable, The Act, Put on; the Obiect, The Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
The Lord Ieſus Chriſt: Theſe titles deſcribing the ſecond Perſon in the moſt ſacred Trinitie, who was annointed to be our Sauiour, redeeming vsus by his blood, and therefore of right, our Lord and Maſter; are expounded in the Catechiſme, and therefore I paſſe them ouer here.
Put yee on. This phraſe is figuratiue, wherein Chriſt is compared to a Veſture, and our obedience to the putting of it on.
Chriſt is our Veſture two wayes, as our Satisfaction, and as our Sanctification, as the Cauſe of our Saluation, and as the patterne of our life.
Wee put him on, as our ſatisfaction, when we beleeue, of which principally is that Scripture, Gal. 3.27.As many as hauehave beene baptiſed into Chriſt, hauehave put on Chriſt.
As our Sanctification, when we follow his example, reſemble him, and are conformable to his holy life: and this is chiefly meant here, though the other not excluded. As it was meate and drinke to him to doe his Fathers will, Iohn 4.34.ſo ought it to be to vsus.
This phraſe is frequent in Paul, and he is much delighted with it; commending LoueLove and other vertues, vnderunder ſuch manner of ſpeaking vntounto vsus; as Coloſſ. 3.12. & ſeq.
For the graces of Gods Spirit, will beautifie vsus more, and ſet vsus forth, then Iewels, chaines of gold, or any rich garments: As all Samſons ſtrength was in his haire, ſo our ſtrength is in Faith, but our beautie is in holineſſe and in vertue.
Put on Chriſt, ſo put on the new man, Epheſ. 4.24. a kinde of ſpeaking taken from a rite or ceremony antiently, euen in Saint Pauls time vſed in Baptiſme; Beza ſchol. in ca. 3. ep. ad Gal. v. 27.as M. Beza acknowledgeth, when perſons baptized by dipping, or putting their bodies vnderunder the water, did either put on new garments, or their owne, quaſi nouis, as new, as he ſpeaketh.
But all Antiquitie witneſſeth that ſuch garments were white: ſo doe theſe verſes ſignifie.
Candidus egreditur niueis exercitus vndis,
Atque vetus vitium purgat in amne nouo:Lact. in carm. paſchal.
Fulgentes animas veſtis quo que candida ſignat,
Et grege de mueo gaudia paſtor habet.
And theſe.
Inde parens ſacro ducit de fonte ſacerdos,
Infantes niueos corpore, Paulinus.corde, habitu.
And Saint Ambroſe ſpeaketh of it as of a Ceremony generally receiued and vſed in his time, which was about ſome 370. yeares after Chriſt: and therefore M. Zanchy might wel ſay of the white veſture, Amb. tom. 4. lib. de ijs qui initiantur myſterijs cap. 7. Zanchius in explic. ep. ad Eph. ca. 5.Credo fuiſſe in illa vetuſtiſſima Ecclefia vſitatam, I beleeue that it was ordinarily vſed in that moſt antient Church, meaning the time next after the Apoſtles.
The manner was this: ſo ſoone as any was baptized, hee receiued of the hands of the Prieſt a white veſtment: where ſuch Ceremony is yet vſed, the Prieſt ſaith thus at the deliuery of the white garment: Accipe veſtem candidam, ſanctam, immaculatam, quam proferas ſine macula ante tribunal domini noſtri Ieſu Chriſti, &c. Receiue this white, holy, immaculate, veſtment, which thou mayſt bring forth without ſpot, at the iudgement ſeat of our Lord Ieſus Chriſt.
This garment hee was to weare a whole weeke, at the end whereof hee came and rendered it to the Prieſt: and in antient time baptiſme was adminiſtred but at two times in the yeare, vnleſſe there were neceſſitie; namely at Eaſter, and at Whitſontide; and therefore was the weeke after Eaſter called Dominica in albis, as wee yet call the feaſt of Penticoſt from this ceremony, Whitſontide, as I take it.
This was the antient order, ſo in offenſiue was a white garment, euen at the Sacrament of Baptiſme, being there a ſignificant Ceremony: and it ſignified notably three things.
1 Liberty, that the parties ſo indued were ſet free from ſinne and Satan by Ieſus Chriſt: as the Romanes when they manumitted their bondmen, among other tokens thereof, Tertull. de reſurrectione carnis.they put them on a white garment: of which Tertullian makes mention.
2 I…y, for the grace and victory by the holy Sacrament: for of both is white a token: of Ioy, where the Scripture ſaith, Eccles. 9 8.Let all thy garments be white: of Victory, ſo ſaith Chriſt to the Angell of the Church of Sardis, He that ouercometh, Reuel. 3.5.the ſame ſhall be clothed in white raiment.
3 Innocency and purity of life, that they which were baptized ſhould liue candidè, fairly, not defiling themſelues with ſinne, but hating the very garment ſpotted with the fleſh.
To put on Chriſt then, is abundantly to expreſſe him, following in all things the holy rules and patterne which hee hath left in his word. Conſtancy alſo may be here implyed, for we are to put him on as our garments, which we tie faſt and button to vsus.
Doctrine, in the words of Saint Chryſoſtome; Doctr. Qui Chriſtum induit, omnem ſimul in vniuerſum virtutem habet: He that hath put on Chriſt hath together all vertue: or, To walke honeſtly is to put on Chriſt; that is, to follow his example, 1. Iohn 2.6. He that, ſaith he, abideth in him, that is, Chriſt, ought himſelfe alſo to walke euen as hee walked. So when Saint Paul dehorts the Epheſians from their Heatheniſh conuerſation, hee ſaith, But yee hauehave not ſo learned Chriſt, in ſenſe the ſame with our Put on, in this place.
Chriſt is all good things to vsus: He is our King, Prieſt, Obſ. 1 and Prophet; our Aduocate, our Lord, our friend, our brother, our husband, our way, our life, our meate, our apparell, as here.
Chriſt an abſolute example; no man may bee ſo vntounto vsus: Obſ. 2 not Paul himſelfe, for we are to be followers of him, 1 Cor. 11.1.onelyonly as he is of Chriſt.
Here we are taught how to vſe Chriſt, Vſe 1 ſo as wee may be the better for him. If a man hauehave money and vſe it not, or a workeman tooles, or a ſcholler bookes, and know not how to vſe them, what profit are they? If thou wouldeſt vſe Chriſt aright, put him on. It is not enough to beare him preach, for ſo did many of the Scribes and Phariſies: nor to be in his company, for ſo was Iudas: nor to eate at his table, for ſo did the man that had not put him on as his wedding garment, Mat. 22.11.12.13.and was throwne for it into vtter darknes.
He muſt be put on as our Iuſtification, and Sanctification, as was ſaid before.
He hath ſet vsus in the way, and hath gone before vsus in it, and as I may ſay, chalked it out for vsus, ſhewing vsus by his owne example how we ſhould walke.
Many can be content to put him on as their Ieſus, but not as their Lord, like naughty ſeruants letting their Maſter walk all alone: they will not follow him in humilitie, patience, ſobrietie, &c. But we are in vaine called Chriſtians, if we doe not imitate Chriſt, who therefore called himſelfe The way, vt conuerſatio Magiſtri forma eſſet diſcipuli; Leo Mag. Ser. 5. in Natiuit. Dom. in ipſo fine. Aug. Voluſiano Epiſt. 3.that the conuerſation of the Maſter might be the faſhion of the diſciple, ſaid Leo. Ʋenit hominibus in magiſterium & adiutorium: Chriſt came to men to helpe and reſcue them as a Redeemer, and to teach them obedience as a Maſter, ſaid Auguſtine.
He that walketh in drunkenneſſe, chambering, wantonneſſe, &c. hath put on the Diuell, and not Chriſt; for hee nor did, nor taught ſo. No maruell if the Heathens committed whoredomes, robberies, drunkenneſſe, &c. for ſuch things are reported of their gods whom they worſhipped: For which cauſe ſaid Menippus in Lucian, I approued and followed ſuch things, for I thought the gods would neuer hauehave done ſuch things, if they had not iudged them to bee good.
But in as much as the God whom we ſerue, is of pure eyes, and cannot behold iniquity; and the Maſter whom wee follow, foreign.is an vnſpotted Lambe, in whoſe mouth is no guile, who is holy, harmleſſe and vndefiled; wee muſt needs be damned if we walke contrary vntounto him.
Here are two ſorts of men to be reproued. Ʋſe 2 Firſt, they which put him not on at all; of whom in the former Vſe.
Secondly, they which put him on, but ſo ſlouenly, as I may ſay, and vnhanſomly, that they hauehave no benefit by him.
Of theſe, ſome put him on as a cloake or looſe garment, which they may caſt off at their pleaſure: theſe are holy day Chriſtians, who at good times, or when they goe abroad into ſome company will walke ſoberly; but at other times, and in other companies, are of another ſtraine. But Chriſt muſt be a cloſe well-girt garment to vsus, neuer to be put off, by day or by night.
Some put him on their heads, and no farther, hauing knowledge, but being altogether without the power of godlineſſe.
Some put him on their tongues alſo, they will talke well, but their hands and feet and foule and naked.
Some are clad halfe way, as the meſſengers of Dauid to Hanun; in ſome things they are carefull, but in other they take liberty. But we muſt be cloathed with Chriſt from top to toe, that no part of our owne filthy ragges may be ſeene, nor our nakedneſſe; but that whatſoeuer is heard or ſeene in vsus, may be of Chriſt. As a man is contained in his garments, Aquinas in loc.and ſeene in their colour, ſo in him who imitates Chriſt, muſt nothing be ſeene but the workes of Chriſt.
Chriſt is a neat hanſome ſtraite garment, it is not eaſie to put him on. He that hath a bunch of pride, drunkenneſſe, can neuer get him ouer: all ſuch things muſt be pared off, before it will fit vsus.
In other garments, if they be too ſhort, or too ſtrait, they may be pieced or eeked out, or if too wide or long, they may be cut leſſe or ſhorter, till they be fit to our bodies: but our Garment we ſpeake of, may not be patcht nor curtailed, nor fitted to vsus, but we muſt be fitted to that.
The Taylor fits our garments to our bodies, but we muſt be fitted to this garment. Chriſts will may not ſubmit to ours, but ours to Chriſt.
Labour to put on Chriſt. Ʋſe 3 It is horrible to ſee what monſtrous attires for faſhion, and vnreaſonable for charge, men and women daily inuent and weare beyond their abilitie and rancke, and contrary to their ſexe: but the beſt and ſeemlieſt garment which is Chriſt, is not regarded or put on.
Men and women ſeeke for rich cloathing for their body, but eſteeme not the nakedneſſe of their ſoules.
The reaſon of this ſtrange negligence is this; EueryEvery one would be eſteemed and taken forth: they cannot for their vertue and honeſty; and therefore they thinke to carry it away with their ſine cloathes: theſe are they which lay their whole ſubſtance on their backes: theſe are they which beſtow ſo much time in trimming and truſſing, and cutting and poudering, &c. that betweene the combe and the glaſſe, as they ſay, they can neuer finde leaſure to ſerue God. Theſe are they, who had rather the Common-wealth ſhould bee out of order then their perriwigs and diſordered apparell.
Apelles his prentice, not doing his part in the face of Helen whom hee was to draw; all to be dawbed her apparell with gold and gariſh colours: Notat Clemens Alex. 3. paeda. ca. 10.to whom Apelles, O adoleſcens cum non poſſes pingere pulchram, pinxiſti diuitem; O young man, ſeeing thou couldſt not paint her beautifull, thou haſt painted her rich. So many, their liues be not faire, therefore their clothes are rich.
It is our folly to eſteem of men more for a gold ring, Iames 2.2.as Saint Iames ſpeaketh, then for vertue: which hath cauſed this madneſſe in many, more to ſeeke gay and coſtly garments, then to put on Chriſt.Mat. 6.25.
Our Sauiour ſayd, that the body is more then the rayment: but I verely thinke that there are ſome ſo beſotted, who if a rich ſuit of apparell, and vertue, nay Chriſt himſelfe were ſet to ſale; would rather giuegive a hundred pounds for the gay cloathes, then a hundred pence for Chriſt.
Let vsus not eſteeme of men but for their vertues, and let vsus ſeeke to put on Chriſt rather then outward apparell.
In the morning when thou dreſſeſt thy ſelfe, examine whether thou hauehave put on Chriſt.
Thou art aſhamed of a foule garment; and art thou not aſhamed of drunkennes, whoredome, &c.
If thy garments need mending, doth not thy life much more?
Thou art aſhamed of the nakedneſſe of thy body, and therefore thou putteſt on apparell. Oh conſider if the vildeneſſe of thy heart, and thy wicked thoughts and deſires were known, or it may bee, if that which thou didſt this laſt night were knowne; what great cauſe ſhouldſt thou hauehave to bee aſhamed? God knowes it; put on therefore the Lord Ieſus Christ by faith and repentance, that thy ſpirituall nakednes may be couered from the ſight of God and men.
Haſt thou put on Chriſt? weare him honeſtly and carefully: Vſe 4 if thou putteſt on thy bodie a new garment, thou keepeſt it from the duſt and ſpots: ſo hauing put on Chriſt in thy baptiſme, ſuffer not that white garment to be ſpotted: otherwiſe, how wilt thou be able to bring it forth at the laſt day.
Muritta a Deacon, baptized one Elpidophorus, who afterward perſecuted Muritta and others: but the Deacon brought out his white garment, and held it vp and ſhooke it againſt him, ſaying, Theſe linnen garments Elpidophorus ſhal accuſe thee at the comming of the Iudge of all, which I hauehave kept by me as a witneſſe of thy Apoſtaſie, &c.
HaueHave a care then that thou ſtaine not thy profeſſion, and diſhonour his name after which thou art called. If thou haſt put on Chriſt, wallow not with that pretious garment in the mire of thy former ſinnes.