so God beholding us in the face of Christ, doth love us straight, because the face doth please him: But Christ is not our head, unless we be his members, Christ is not our Garment unless we put him on: as Christ did put on our garment, when he clothed himself with our flesh, ⟨p. 100⟩and took our infirmities, and bore our curse: so we must put on his garment, that is, his righteousness, his merits and his death, which is as strange a vesture to us, as our flesh was to him,1 and much ado we have to put it on,2 and when it is on,3 there is great cunning to wear it cleanly and comely from soiling and renting, that such a precious Garment be not taken from us again. Therefore, many seem to wear this Garment which shall be thrust from the banquet, because they wear it not: as those which will say when the Lord shall come to judgement,4 We have seen thee in our streets, we have heard thee in our Synagogues, we have prophesied, we have cast out devils, we have 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 servants, therefore who but they shall enter into Heaven? Yet Christ saith, I know you not, there ⟨p. 101⟩is their reward, I know you not: as if he should answer, you wear not my Livery,5 you bear not my Cognisance for all your shows, therefore, depart from me: So he put them off, because they had not put him on: For though they had seen his person, and heard of his virtues, yet they had not faith to apply his mercies, his merits, his death, and his righteousness unto them, without which no man can put on Christ nor wear him. Faith is the hand which putteth him on. Faith taketh first his righteousness, & covereth her unrighteousness, then she taketh his obedience, & covereth her disobedience, then she taketh his patience, & covereth her impatience, then she taketh his temperance, & covereth her intemperance, then she taketh his continency, and covereth her incontinence, then she taketh his constancy, and covereth her inconstancy: then she taketh his saith, and covereth ⟨p. 102⟩her diffidence: then she taketh his humility, & covereth her pride: then she taketh his love, and covereth her rancour. And so taketh one robe after another, and tricketh her self until she have put on Jesus Christ:
so God beholding vs in the face of Christ, doth loue vs 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, ⟨p. 100⟩and tooke our infirmities, and bore our cursse: so we must put on his garment, that is, his righteousnesse, his merites and his death, vvhich is as straunge a vesture to vs, as our fleshe was to him,1 and much adoe we haue to put it on,2 and when it is on,3 there is great cunning to weare it cleanelie and comelie from soyling and renting, that such a precious Garment be not taken from vs againe. Therefore, manie seeme to weare this Garment vvhich shall be thrust from the banquet, because they weare it not: as those which wil say when the Lord shall come to iudgement,4 Wee haue seene thee in our streetes, wee haue heard thee in our Synagogs, we haue prophesied, wee haue cast out deuils, wee haue 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 ⟨p. 101⟩is their revvarde, I know you not: as if he should answer, you weare not my Liuerie,5 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 vnto 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 ⟨p. 102⟩
- 1Revel. 3. 4.Reuel. 3. 4.
- 2Mat. 22. 11.
- 3Mat. 7. 23.
- 4Luke 13. 26.
- 5Luke 13. 27.
