Ver. 3. Fifth Chap. 2d. Ep. to the C O R i N T H. 27 leaves are a beautiful vefture to the Apples, as Cloaths are to the Body, CC/.-3.72. Put an therefore as the Elell of God, Holy and Beloved, bowels of mercies,kindnefs, humblenefi of mind, meekne fs, long fuffering, &c. Munimentum, Armour, Rom. 13. 12. The night is far the day is at hand, let us therefore.cafl off the works of darkne fs, andlet wput on the .firmour of light. Chrift doth aray us, non ad ponrpam, fed ad pugnam, not to "let us off with a vain Phew, but to furnith and fecure us for the Spiritual warfare. Well then, the words agree. There are fome peculiar difficulties in the 4th verfe. But we thall handle them in their own place. Do &. That none can groan and long for Heaven, but thole who are not found naked, but Mother! with a Gofpel Righteoufnefs. The Apostle limiteth ft, to them. In this ¡Mint I (hall handle three things. t. What is a Gofpel Righteoufnefs. , z. That this carryeth the notion of a Garment to cover our nakednefs and fhame. 3. Why none but they can groan and earneflly defire to be Clothed upon with the Houfe which isfrom Heaven. ' r. What is a Gofpel Righteoufnefs. 'Tis Chrifts reconciling and renewinggrace, with tìew obedience refulting from both; Or, Juftification,San&ihcation, and New Obedience. r. Jufliftcation is requifrte to Eternal Life: Therefore called fufliftcation unto Life, Rom. ç. 18. Tit. 3. 7. Being Juftifyed by his grace, we are madeHeirs according to the hope of Eternal Life ; and this isalfo reprefented by Cloathing. The taking away of fin is the taking away our filthy Garments, or the covering ofour nakednefs : And the apply, ingthe RighteoufnefsofChrift, 'cis as the invefting of us with change of Raiment, Zech. 3.4. Take awaythefilthy Garments fromhim, and unto him he faid, I have caufed thine ini- quity to patsfrom thee, and I will clothe thee with change of Raiment: Chrift taketh away our fin by pardon, and withal adorneth the firmer with his Righteoufnefs, and with holinefs in the fight of God. There is no getting the Bleffing but in the Garment of .our Elder Brother. idly. Sanlliftcation is requifrte in order to Glory. For without holinejr no man /hall fee God, Heb. ra. 14. And this is the Ornament wherein the inward man of the Heart is decked, and adorned; that it may be comely in the fight of God, r Pet. 3. 4. As we cover the nakednefs of our Bodies from the fight of men, fo we mull cover the nakednefs ofour Souls in the fight ofGod. Now though it be hidden from man, yet it is not hid- den fromthe Lord : We moil fee that he find us not in our nakednefs, neither deftitute of grace,nor of the Righteoufnefs ofChrift. Well then, it is not enough to look after the Righteoufnefs of Jufttfication, but of San&ification. The one is founded on the Blood of Chrift ; the other is wrought in us by the Spirit of Chrift, r Cor. 6. i r. And the ap- plication ofChrifts Blood and the gift of the Spirit, are infeparably conjoined, both in the difpenfation ofGod,and the deliire of a poor,anxious Soul, i Yoh. i. g. The one doth away the guilt of fm as it rendreth us obnoxious to Gods juft wrath ; and the other the filthinefs and power offin, as it tainteth our faculties and aEtions, and réndreth us un- acceptable and unferviceable to God. Chrift came to reftore us to the favour of God, and to reftore his Image in our Hearts, that the plainer might be as broad as the fore. If Chrift fhould free us only from the guilt of Sin, he would perform but half our cares, he would provide for out. impunity, but not for ourholinefs, and ferviceablertefs to God. Our mifery lay in our finfulnefs as well as our liablenefs towrath. Therefore Chrift came to change our natures, as well as to reconcile our perfons to God. 3dly. New Obedience or Sanhliftcation,aeled as well as infufed,is apart oftbofe Garments of Sale scion wherewith we are Clothed. For the Gofpel faith, r:Yoh. 3. 7. He that doth Righteoufnefs, is Righteous ;That is, declareth that he is Righteous in Chrins Righteoufnefs, and San&ifiedby his Spirit. And that this Godly and Righteous Life is neceffary to the expe&ation ofGlory and Bleffednefs, appeareth by that, 2 Pet, 3. r r. What manner of perforas ought we to be in all Holy cdfrverfätion and Godlinefs. LetConfcience fpeak when it refledeth upon this, how meet it is that we lhould Glorifie God in the duties of holi- nefs, if we would be glorified with him, and that we mould. Glorifie him in all the points of obedience, and not in one only. For he faith -, -in all Holy Converfation and Godlinefs, in the outward carriage, and fetter pro&ice, in Common affairs, and dutiesofimmediate worfhip, in Adderlity, Profperity ; grace exercifed, and difcovered in the lives of Gods people, is a part oftheft Garments wherewith ournakednefs is cover- ed, Pfeil. i32.9. Let thy PriefPs be Clothed with Righteoufnefs. xi DI idly.
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