Preached Auguit 17. 1662.. 35 toalter the colour of this white, how much dirt foever theyput upon it : this white will be white ftill, they cannot turn it to be black ; they cannot take away this peace, this joy from us ; they cannot (trip us of this habit, they may pull off your fine garments, but you cannot bePcript of this white. Your joy (hall no man take fromyou, 2 Cor. 6. 20. As forrowful,yet alwayes rejoycing ; as poor,yet making many rich as having nothingyet freelypoll-ling all things. The world may put us into a fad eftate as to the world, yet we are not out of our white garments, alwayes rejoycing,Hab.3.13. Although the Fig-tree {hall not bloffom, neither {hall fruit be in the Vines,the labour of the Olive (hall fail, and the fields (hall yield no meat, and the flock [hall be cut off from the fold, and there (hall be no herd in the flails, this cannot take away the white garments, no, faith the Prophet, yet Iwill rejoyce in the Lord, andjoy in the Godof myfalvati- an :' Tis a conquering joy, turnsall forrow into joy, and blacknds to white, therefore keep clean. Thirdly, confider this : this white of peace and joy , as 'cis a joy unconquerable, fo 'tis that will be with us molt when we molt need it, when worldly joys are fartheft from us, then this joy will be near to us ; that is a marvellous comfort, to have comfort in its feafon. The Martyrs whohave kept themfelves white,have had this white, and walk in this white ; but when they have molt need of it, and come aually to faffering, then they have had molt of it. This is a bleffed thin. t' ! this the Martyrs of Jens Chrift hath given witnefs of ; although hey have had peace and joy in their conlcien ces at other times, yet never fo muchas in the hour of temptation. When they have been caft into theCoal-houfe, they have had white garments ; when they have been cal} intoprifons and dungeons how have they rejoyced ? 'Tis Paid of Paul and Silas, they were men that kept their garments undefiled, and they had a great deal of peace and joy when they were put in the. and Dungeons, then they lung at midnight : what an enlargement ofheart had they at that time ? So in the Stories of ancient and latter Times, how have they re- joyced, and gone triumphing to the Gibbet ? for then Chrift gives molt of this white it hath been the ufe of Perfecutors to put fil- thy garments upon the Martyrs, drawing Pi&ures of Devils upon them ; and as their malice hath 'filen to the height (that in time of Sufferings) tomake them look like Devils, then the love of Chrift bath rifen to the height, and they have been full of peace and joy at that time ; thereforebe encouraged to walk with Chrift in this white. This white is an Angelical Habit, 'cis an unconquerable Ha- V 2
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