502 The Gofpel of the Priejl's Roly Garments. tire, feekitof Chrift, R e v .3 .18. itispromifed— R ev . 3.4, 5. your Faith fhould rejoyce and triumph in it. S e e 'Ifa . 6 1. 10. 2. A G ifd ie, Exod. 28. verf. 39. and than Jhalt make the G irdle o f N eedlew o rk, Exod. 39*verf. 29. and a Girdle o f fine twined Linntn, and blue, and purple, and fcarlet o f N eedlework, as the Lord commanded Mofes: So Chrift, as the great High Prieft, appeareth, R ev. 1, 13. G irt about the Paps with a Golden G irdle r And Believers have a fpiritual Girdle, Epbef. 6 . 14. having your Loins g irt about with Truth. This legal fhadow the Popilh Priefts retain, and call it a Canonical G irdle. The Girdleimpom three things. (1.) Truth. (2.) Strength. ■ (3.) Rea- dinefs for A&ion. All, both in Chrift and Chriftians. 1. Truth, E p b e f 6. 14. Truth fliould fit clofe to the Heart, like a Girdle about the Body: So Chrift, Ifa . 1 1 . 5. Rigbteoufnefs /Ball be the G irdle 6 f bis Loins, and Faithfulnefs the G irdle o f his Reins. Many Pro- feflors when the Truth comes to be perfecuted, they do not gird it clofe to them, but their Girdle hangs loofe; about them, they are not valian t fo r Truth upon the E arth, Jer. 9. 3. 2. Strength, Ifa. 22. 2 1. I w ill clothe him with thy Role, and firengtben him with tby G irdle, Prov. j t . 17. She girdetb her Loins with Strength. Therefore I f a .'5 . 27. their G irdle {hall not be loofed •, that is, God will ftrengthen them to be the Executioners of his Wrath upon a finfui People: None /ba ll be weary or /tumble among!} them; none /hall Jlumber nor fleep, neither /hall the G irdle o f their Loins be loofed. It fignifieth therefore the ftrength of Chrift, and of Believers through him. They are weak In themfelves, but ftrong in Chrift, being girded with his Strength. 3. Readinefs fo r aftion, and expedition, and perfeverance therein. For they ufing long Garments, when they went about any Bufinefs they were wont to gird them up under their Girdle. Hence it is faid of E lija h , 1 Kings 18. ult. and the hand o f the Lord was ^ Elijah, and be girded up his Loins and ran before Ahab, &c- and therefore the Angel faith to Peter, g ird tby fe lf, and bind on thy Sandals, Acts 1 1.8 . and follow me. And the Matter faith to his Servant in the Parable, Luke 17. 8. g ird tty fe lf and fe rv e m e : Chrift is always in procinSu, girt about with his Golden Girdle, as ready for the Work of his Office, to ferve his Father, and to defend and mediate for his Church and People. And fo fhould the Saints, Luke 12 . 35. let your Loins be gird ed about, and your Lamps be lighted -, that is, as Servants ready to ferve and wait upon their Matter, as it follows, ver. 3 6. and y e your /fiv es like unto Men that wait fo r their Lord, be in a ready pofture— 1 Pet. 1 . 13. wherefore g ird up the Loins o f your M in d , be fib e r and hope to the end. As Chrift was, fo Mtnifteff
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