Book II. CHRIST A GARMENT FOR SAN'CTIFICATION. 375 METAPHOR. IX. Garments are of a comfor– table and refrefhing Nature, and of excellent Ufe to them who put them on. X. Garments anfwer not their End in making, neither are they of ufe till pm on. XI. Some Sorts of Garments -were Significations of Grief and Sorrow. Mordecai put on Sack– cloth, fo in Joet i. '3· XII. Garments were alfo ufed to teO:ify Joy; as appears in the Cafe of the Prodigal: Bring forth the befl Robes and put on, and put a Ring Oil his FZ11ger, Luke xv. 22. PARALLEL. IX. This fpiritual Garment is' of a mofi excel– lent; fweet, comforting and refrefhing ~a!ity, the Virtue whereof is not, cannot be felt nor ap– prehended by Unbelievers. X. Men put not Chrifi to that ufe for which he came into the World, till they put him on for SanCtification and Holinefs, neither willl1e be other– wife of faving Benefit unto them ; He that believ– eth not,jhall not fee Life; Without Holinejs no Man jhallfeeGod, 'I'it. ii. 14. John iii. 36. Heb. xii. '4· XI. Such as have put on this Garment, do abundantly demonfirate their great Sorrow and Grief for Sin ; Godly Sorrow· worketh Repentance, 2 Cor. vii. 10. · Ye jhall be Jorrowful, John xvi. 20. All fuch as put on Chrill: for SanCtification, are cloathed with Humility, 1 Pet. v. 5· . XII. Such who are cloathed with the Robes of Righteoufnefs, have on them the beautiful Gar– ments of Salvation, Ifa.lxi. 10, \1. which figni– fies, that they above all, have caufc to i·ejoice; hence, faith the Apofile, As forrowful, yet a/way rejoicing, 2 Cor. vi. 1 o. Rejoice in the Lord at– <vay, and again, I Jay, rejoice, Phi!. iv. 4· 1 'I'he.f!. v. 16. M ETAPHOR. I. MATERIAL Garments are made by Man. II. Other Garments confiO: of Matter, and are of fuch or fuch ex– ternal Shape, according to the P arty from whom they are made. II!. Other Garments may be bought with Money, and thofe likely who have moO: of it, have the belt Robes. D I S P A R I T , Y. I. THIS Garment of Holinefs is wrought by the Spirit of God. II. This Garment eonfifis of Grace, Divine Virtues, and fpirirual ~Jalifications. I!I. This Garment may be had without Money or Price; it i!;._true, ChriO: fpeaks of buying, &c. white Raiment, that buying, is free receiving : The Prophet explains his l:'hrafe, Ifa. lv. 1. No Man hath any Thing of worth or value to give for it; the Gift of God cannot be purchafed with Money, the Poor in Spirit are better cloathed than the Rich. IV. Material Garments render a Man or Woman amiable only in the Sight of Man, &c. V. Other Garments are the worfe for wearing, by long and often ufing they will decay. VI. Other Garments at cer– tain Times are to be put off, or may be changed ; as light or thin Garments for Summer, and more fubfiamial for Winter, &c. VII. A Man may part with, or difpofe of other Garments at his pleafure as he thinks lit, to his Friends, or to fuch as want Cloaths. IV. This Garment renders a Man or Woman lovely in the Sight of God. 'I'he Ornament of a meek and quiet Spirit is in the Sight of God ofgreat Price, t. Pet. iii. 4· . V. This Garment the more and longer it is ufed, the better and more excellent it is: Ufe makes perfeCt in Godlinefs as well as in other Cafes, Heb. v. 14. 2 Cor. vii. 1. VI. This Garment, (viz.) the Robe ofRighte– onfnefs, is never to be changed n<>r put off Day nor Night, Winter nor Summer; we ought to be good and virtuous in Sicknefs and Health at all Times, in Profperity and Adverfity; It is good always to be zealoujly a.lfec7ed in agood 'I'bing, Gal. i''· 18. VII. This Garment, ChriO: and Holinefs, as a Man cannot difpofe of it unto other~, fo he ought not. No Man hath fo much Grace as no furnifh his Friend with it; the wife Virgins had no Oil to give to the Foolijh, Matt. xxv. 9· What thou hajl already, hold fafl till I come, R ev. ii. 25. I N F E R E N C E S.
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