He doth not put on Christ, but putteth off Christ and putteth on Belial,1 which fashions himself to God,2 and the World too. As Christs coat was without seam, so they must be without stain that wear it. For when a man putteth on fair clothes, he maketh himself fair too, and avoideth every foul thing, lest it should foul 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 wash thy self, and pick thy way, and choose thy works, and handle nothing that is foul for marring thy clothes, that is, thou must not think as thou diddest, nor speak as thou diddest, nor live as thou diddest, but remember that thou hast changed thy master,3 & serve him with whom thou art bound. For if God and the devil could not agree ⟨p. 340⟩upon Moses body, for one to have one part, and the other another part, but God would have all: much less will God agree that the devil should have part of the soul, which would not yield him part of the body. Thus have you heard what you must put off: now hear how Christ must be put on. As the Angel taught John to read the Book,4 when he bad him eat it: so we must put on Christ, as if we did eat him, not as the Papists do in their Mass, but as the meat is turned into the substance of the body, & goeth through every part of man: so Christ and his Word should go from part of part, from ear to heart, from heart to mouth, from mouth to hand, till we be of one nature with them, that they be the very substance of our thoughts, and speeches, and actions, as the meat is of our body. This is to eat Christ and his Word,5 or else we do not eat them, but chew them, & when our taste is satisfied, spue them out again. 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 body together. As he hath put on all our infirmities, so we must put on all his graces, not half on, but all on, and clasp him to us, and gird him about us, and wear him, even as we ⟨p. 341⟩wear our skin, which is alway about us. Then there shall be no need of Wires, nor curls, nor periwigs: the husbands shall not be forced to rack their rents, nor enhance their fines, nor sell their lands, to deck their wives;6
He doth not put on Christ, but putteth off Christ and putteth on Belial,1 which fashions himselfe to God,2 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,3 & serue him with whom thou art bound. For if God and the diuell coulde not agree ⟨p. 340⟩vpon Moses bodie, for one to haue one part, and the other another part, but God would haue all: much lesse will God agree that the diuell should haue part of the soule, which would not yeeld him part of the bodie. Thus haue you heard what you must put off: now heare how Christ must be put on. As the Angell taught Iohn to reade the Booke,4 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,5 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 vs, and gird him about vs, and weare him, euen as we ⟨p. 341⟩weare our skinne, which is alway about vs. 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;
- 1Joh. 19. 23.Ioh. 19. 23.
- 2•eu. 3. 15.
- 3Jude 3.Iude 3.
- 4Revel. 10. 9.Reuel. 10. 9.
- 5Ephe. 3. 30.
- 62. Kin. 2. 13.
