28 SERMONS upon the Serm. V zdly. This carryeth the notion of a Garment to cover our nakednefs and shame, X. Sin and Thame came in together, and *here is f"io man born Clothed, but ftark- naked, and hath nothing wherewith tocover his Ibame before God. Adams nakednefs was an Emblem of it, Gen. 3. 11. Iwas afraid becaufe Iwas naked, and I hid my felf : We muff not only look to theoutward nakednefs, but the inward : Adam was naked before, and knew that he was fo. But till they had finned they were not ashamed, Gen. z. z5. our Bodies were Gods own handy work, and Apparel in Innocency was but as a Cloud to the Sun. Therefore while our firft parents were apparelled with the Robe of Innocency they felt no ¡flame; all things were honeft,and comely,andGlorious enough without a covering, both in the fight of God, and themfelves, no caufe of shame, either before God or betwixt themfelves : But when divefted and firipped of this Spiritual apparel, then Adan Was ashamed, hid himfelffrom God, and till they. be Cloathed, neither he, nor his Pofterity can come into his prefence with any comfort : Another Emblem.of this we have in Aaron's ftripping the Ifraelites of their Jewels and Ornaments, Exact 3z. z 5. When Mofes faw that the people were naked, for Aaron had made them naked, to their shame, among their enemies. It is not meant barely of Aarons firipping them of their Jewels and Ornaments, that was but a type Of their nakednefs and deformity, which was uncovered before God ; what, fhould Moses kill the Ifralites, becaufe Aaron had taken away their Jewels ? And whatgreat matter of difgrace was it among the enemies ; That the Sons and Daughters oflfrael should want ear -rings ? But the meaning is, Aaron had cast them out of Godspro- te &ion, who was offended and provoked by their fin ? Another fuitable expreflion is, Rofea z, 3. I will jet thee naked, as in the day wherein thou waft born. 'Tis not meant that God would take away their apparel, but deprive them of his Spiritual favours, leave them as he found them at their firft birth, and then how miferable were they ? Well then, in its felf'tis shameful, and maketh us odious and abominable to God : To flye from him, to than his prefence, as Adam when he finned found himfelf naked, and ran away from God to the Bushes, Gen. 3.7. So all naturally lye before God, as deformed finners, have naked and loathfome Souls ; though the Body should be clad with gorgeous Robes. idly. We being naked, our great buftnefs is to get a Garment wherewith to cover our nakednefs, that our shame may not appear, Rev. z. 17, 18. Thou art poor and blind, and miferable, and naked : ICounfel thee to buy of me white Raiment, that thou mayef1 be Cloth- ed. Our bufinefs is to be traffiquing with Chrift about Garments of Salvation, how to get our fins covered with fuch a covering as will hide therit from the fight of God : This is our bufinefs if we would not have God dreadful, but amiable. Adam when he found himfeff naked was looking out for a covering : But he could find out nothing but a few fig leaves,till the Lordmade him Coats of Skins ( possibly of thofe beafts which were offered in facrifice) for the news ofthe feed of the woman, or the first tydings of the Mejiah, who fhould come to redeem the world, was then imediately made known to him, and Sacrificeappointed to signify and prefigure it. idly. There are no Garments of Salvation to be had but from Chilli alone ; no way elfe found out to cover our nakednefs. Therefore we arefaid to put on Chrift, Gal. 3. 2.7. & Rom. 13. t 1. Put on the Lord 3efsee. So that then we are not found naked, but Cloth- ed with Chrift, who alone can cover our loathfome nakednefs, and render us acceptable to God. As Hefter had Garments out of the Kings Ward-robe ; fo the Church hath grant- ed unto her by the Kings gift and allowance, fine Linnen, which is the Righteoufnefs of the Saints, Rev. 19.8. Whatever the Inftruments be, yet Chrift faith, Iwill give thee change of Raiment, tech. z. 4. Alas our own Righteoufnefs is as filthy rags, and will never cover our nakednefs ; our heft Robes need to be waffled in the Lambs Blood, or thereis no ap- pearing before God with any comfort and confidence. idly. Why none but they can groan, andAfire earneflly to be Cloathed upon, with the Houfe which is from Heaven. r . None but they are in a flate,or have a right to enjoy it, the change of an earthly eftate into an Heavenly one, requireth firft as a necessary foregoing Condition, that we should be in this world Clothed with Chrifts Righteoufnefs, and regenerated, and fan &ified by his Spirit, and Glorifie God by new obedience : For Corruption cannot inherit incorrup- tion, and none but new Creatures Mall inherit the new ,j erufalem : And good works are the way to the Crown, &c: -- Well then, none but they are got ready, and fo are in a Condition defiroufly to expert this Glory. The Soul being Confcious to its felf of having this true qualification doth more comfortably expe&, and desire, and groan for immor- tality : 'Tis but a fmall part of loft mankind who shatl injoy this Bleffednefs, for the flock to whom the Father will give the Kingdom is but a little flock : And thefe are fuch as are
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