This Garment Paul hath sent unto you, to go before the king of heaven and earth, a holy Garment, a royal Garment, an immaculate garment, an everlasting garment: a garment ⟨p. 332⟩whereof every hem is peace of conscience, every pleat is joy in the holy Ghost, every stitch is the remission of some sin, and saveth him which weareth it. If she which touched the hem of Christs garment was healed, he which weareth the Garment, nay, he which weareth Christ him self, shall not he be healed of all his sores, though he were wounded from head to foot? You need not clothe him now which saith,1 When I was naked ye did not clothe me, 2nor cast your garments in the way,3 as they did,4 when he came to Jerusalem, but take his Garments, and suffer your selves to be clothed, as Noah did, to cover your nakedness.5 As the good Samaritan put him upon his own beast which was spoiled with thieves, and bound up his sores, when he was wounded: So Christ Jesus mounteth the faithful upon his righteousness, and healeth their sins, as though he should cover them with his garments, whom the world,6 the flesh, and the devil have robbed of their garments, that is, the righteousness which they had in Paradise before the serpent came: so if we put on Christ, we are clothed with his obedience, whereby our wickedness is covered: we are clothed with his merits, whereby our sins are forgiven: we are clothed with his spirit, whereby our hearts are ⟨p. 333⟩mollified and sanctified, and renewed, till we resemble Christ himself. This is the Apostles meaning, to put on Christ, as it is unfolded in Col. 3. 12. Where he brings forth all the robes of Christ,7 and sorts them, & saith, put on mercy, put on meekness, put on humility, put on patience, put on love, all which before he called the new man. So that to put on Christ, is to put on the new man with all his virtues, until we be renewed to the Image of Christ, which is like a new man amongst men. They which labour to be righteous, and yet believe that Christs righteousness shall save them, have put on Christ as Paul would have them. We are not taught to put on Angels, nor Saints, nor the virgin Mary, nor Paul himself, to cover our sins with their righteousness, as the Papists do: but we are commanded to put on Christ, and cover our sins with his righteousness. The body hath many Garments, but the soul hath one Garment.
This Garment Paul hath sent vnto you, to go before the king of heauen and earth, a holy Garment, a royal Garment, an immaculate garment, an euerlasting garment: a garment ⟨p. 332⟩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,1 When I was naked ye did not cloath me, 2nor cast your garments in the way,3 as they did,4 when he came to Ierusalem, but take his Garments, and suffer your selues to be clothed, as Noah did, to couer your nakednesse.5 As the good Samaritane put him vpon his owne beast which was spoiled with theeues, and bound vp his sores, when hee was wounded: So Christ Iesus mounteth the faithfull vpon his righteousnesse, and healeth their sinnes, as though he should couer them with his garments, whom the world,6 the flesh, and the diuell haue 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 ⟨p. 333⟩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,7 and sorts them, & saith, put on mercie, put on meeknes, put on humilitie, put on patience, put on loue, 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, haue put on Christ as Paule would haue 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.
- 1Mat. 25. 43
- 2Mat. 21. 8.
- 3Gen. 9. 23.
- 4Luke 10. 34
- 5This Samaritan doth not signify Christ, but yet may be resembled to Christ.This Samaritane doth not signifie Christ, but yet may be resembled to Christ.
- 6Gen. 3. 1.
- 7Vers• 10.
