The white robe, or, The undefiled Christian clothed in a white garment held forth…The white robe, or, The undefiled Christian clothed in a vvhite garment held forth…

And as he hath caused us to walk in the white of honour in the world, so he doth sometimes cause us to walk in reproach with the world: they who defile their garments, loose their honour with men, and they loose their ⟨p. 6⟩joy they should have hereafter. 2 Mal 9. ver. You have departed from my law, therefore will I make you contemptible in the eyes of all men It is a design of the spirit of wickedness to draw men to sin, that they may upbraid them, that I conceive is the sense of the Apostle in the 6. of Galatians 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they might glory in your flesh, saith he; oh there are some of this wicked spirit, that would draw men to such and such wickedness, not that they joy in their returning; but that they might glory in their flesh, when as they who stand fast, do even force a good testimony from their enemies: So it was the unhappy chance of Cranmer, the Pope did persuade him to subscribe, and did he get any honour by it? No truly, they did upbraid him, and reproach him, and so he had dyed in a raving condition, had not the Lord been merciful to him. I remember a speech of St. Austin, about drinking of Healths: Oh, say they, 'tis upon the Kings Birth-day, and we cannot avoid it, if we deny it, say they, we shall be reproached and scorned of all men. He gives them many answers to it; but one as I remember was this, God will so work, that if you wont comply with them, they in their hearts will honour you: and whereas if you did comply with them, they would dishonour you, and say you were base spirited. That is one thing of this point, that keeping close to Jesus Christ will get you this Reward; you shall walk with him in the white of honour: they shall walk in the white of honour with his people, and it may be with the world too.

And as he hath caused us to walk in the white of honor in the world, so he doth sometimes cause us to walk in reproach with the world: they who defile their garments, loose their honor with men, and they loose their ⟨p. 6⟩joy they should have hereafter. 2 Mal 9. ver. You have departed from my law, therefore will I make you contemptible in the eyes of all men It is a design of the spirit of wickedness to draw men to sin, that they may upbraid them, that I conceive is the sense of the Apostle in the 6. of Galatians 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law, but desire to have you circumcised, that they might glory in your flesh, saith he; oh there are some of this wicked spirit, that would draw men to such and such wickedness, not that they joy in their returning; but that they might glory in their flesh, when as they who stand fast, do even force a good testimony from their enemies: So it was the unhappy chance of Cranmer, the Pope did perswade him to subscribe, and did he get any honor by it? No truly, they did upbraid him, and reproach him, and so he had dyed in a raving condition, had not the Lord been merciful to him. I remember a speech of St. Austin, about drinking of Healths: Oh, say they, 'tis upon the Kings Birth-day, and we cannot avoid it, if we deny it, say they, we shall be reproached and scorned of all men. He gives them many answers to it; but one as I remember was this, God will so work, that if you wont comply with them, they in their hearts will honor you: and whereas if you did comply with them, they would dishonor you, and say you were base spirited. That is one thing of this point, that keeping close to Jesus Christ will get you this Reward; you shall walk with him in the white of honor: they shall walk in the white of honor with his people, and it may be with the world too.