and according to mine integrity that is in me He appeals to the Lord the Lord shall judge his people judge me O Lord according to my righteousness Thus he appeals to God himself he had so much confidence and his heart gave him that he kept himself from those iniquities So Job walkt in white though his friends blackt him exceedingly yet he walkt in white in his conscience Job 16. verse 19. Behold my witness is in heaven and my record is on high I have not onely a witness in my conscience but my witness is above He walkt in white notwithstanding all his afflictions from God and his friends Hezekiab walkt in this white when Death lookt him in the face Lord thou knowest I have walkt upright with thee I need not stay in the proof of the thing let me make some Use and Improvement of it Use Is this blessed Reward to those who keep their garments white to walk in the white of peace and joy then here we see the happiness of all those who are true to Christ and his ways 119 Psalm verse 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way who walk in the Law of the Lord. 'T is just in the language of the Text they indeed shall walk in white it is a great part of our blessedness to have peace of conscience and inward joy Oh how much better is it then the peace and joy of this world and the comforts of this world 15. Proverbs 13. verse A merry heart or another Translation saith A good Conscience and indeed a merry heart and a good Conscience do but one explain the other a merry heart or a good conscience is a continual feast Here is no surfetting in this feast but a continual musick continual joy and comfort oh how blessed are they who are undefiled in the way That which Christ said of the Lilie Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these so may I say of the Lilie-white soul that keeps himself white in the world who keeps himself white in matter of practice and worship Solomon in all his glory was not arayed like one of these Lilie-white ones Oh the rivers of Consolations that flowes to them that keep themselves out of the puddles of this world If you keep your selves from the puddles of the world from the dung of the world ye shall have rivers of joy flowing into your souls I may say to all such as Solomon saith in the 11. of the Ecclesiastes and the 9. verse Go thy way it is a familiar speaking to them Go thy way blessed soul eat thy bread with joy though the world feed thee with the bread of adversity and though the world give thee nothing but the water of affliction yet let thy garments be always white though the world clothe thee in mourning and cause thee to prophesie in sackcloth with the Witnesses yet be of good comfort O Lilie-white soul for God now accepteth thy works now drink thy wine with a merry heart thy labor thy ambitious labor is that whether present or absent thou mayest be accepted of him thou hast the fruits of thy labor the Lord accepts thy works therefore rejoyce in it Here is the happiness of those who keep themselves clean from a defiled and a defiling world 2. This Point gives us an account why the servants of Christ stand so strictly upon their terms with the world even while some call it peevishness others ignorance others wilful stubbornness What is the reason The reason is because they understand in some measure and have had experience in some measure what it is to walk in some measure with Christ in white and it hath left such a rellish upon their souls that they would not loose it for all the dainty Morsels of this world they had rather indeed walk with Christ in white than walk with the world in scarlet therefore they must stand upon their terms Proverbs 10. verse 32. The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable The Lips are instruments of Speech not faculties of Knowledge Ay but there is a great deal of commerce and converse between the Speech and the Understanding and a righteous man will speak nothing with his lips but what he understands therefore he is said to understand The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable To whom The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable to God for they are acquainted with his Rule and God hath shewed them his Covenant he hath shewed them the pattern of his House and the way of his Worship now because they are pretty well skilled and know what is acceptable to God therefore they will run any hazard undergo any affliction rather than do any thing that will not please God or be hurtful to their own consciences they are afraid of loosing their peace and comfort and joy with God therefore they will not let go the ways of God as Job saith Job 27. verse 6. I hold fast my integrity and my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live as if he had said You my friends have reproached me and I must bear it but I am resolved my heart shall not reproach me so long as I live The Heart or Conscience is a busie faculty and hath many offices it records what we do and comes as a witness the conscience is judge of what we do and accordingly reproves what we do amiss therefore saith Job I le take care of this I am more afraid of the report of conscience then of any man whatsoever therefore I will not do any thing that may cause my conscience to reproach me as long as I live This is upon the heart of Gods people they are resolved let men reproach and rail against them as much as they will their hearts shall not reproach them 3. In the third place let it be a word of Caution and Admonition to all at this day to take heed of defiling their garments If you defile your garments Christ will pronounce another sentence he will pronounce a sentence against you he hath threatenings for those who defile their garments In the place of rewards for those who keep them clean they who defile their garments shall walk in garments of black in the black of dishonor as Job saith I walk all day mourning without the Sun the Sun of Righteousness shall not shine upon them oh what bitter and sower things have many tasted for defiling their garments when for favor of men or to please men they have stained their own garments What sad bitter things hath been upon them how hath conscience risen up against them oh take heed of the After-claps of conscience I may say take heed of the Thunder-claps of conscience for they will come upon you one time or other if you defile your garments As they who to please men defile their garments often fall into their displeasure whose favor they sought so oftentimes such fall into displeasure with themselves or
THE White Robe OR The Undefiled Christian clothed in a VVhite Garment Held forth in a Farewel Sermon PREACHED BY Mr. JOSEPH CARYL At Magnus August the 17. 1662. Printed Anno Domini 1662. TO THE READER Courteous Reader MY design in putting this Sermon in print in this plain style without the consent of the Author is not to foment our own Discontents or renew our own Griefs but for this end onely that the Words of a dying Minister or the last Words of a good Shepherd departing from his Flock may not be like the morning dew upon the grass but like the good seed that takes root and brings forth abundance of fruit You have here the white Garment that honorable Robe and Angelical Habit put upon all those who keep their garments undefiled And truly I believe this Reverend Author who hath been so long a Master in the School of Christ hath gotten so much experience that he knows how to keep his own Garment undefiled therefore we may the more safer follow his counsel that if we walk not in the white of honor and joy and comfort here we may walk in the white of Glory hereafter A SERMON PREACHED BY Mr. JOSEPH CARYL August the 17. 1662. at Magnus Upon Revel 3. verse 4. the latter part of that Verse And they shall walk with me in white for they are worthy IN the former part of this Verse you heard the Commendation of those few Names in Sardis It was this They had not defiled their garments In this latter part you have their Incouragement in their Reward They shall walk with me in white In which Incouragement I told you we might consider two things or take it in two parts First That they should walk with Christ Secondly They should walk in white I have spoken to the former of these they shall walk with Christ and that the Scripture holds forth under a twofold notion First As matter of duty It is a duty to walk with Christ Secondly It is a matter of promise They that keep their garments undefiled and live in high favour with Christ they shall walk with Christ we favour those walk with us Walking with Christ notes to us three things I. That we have peace with him II. That we have intimacy with him III. That his being so much above us we should have this favor from him And hence I noted the great priviledge of the people of God that they shall walk with Christ I. It notes the great satisfaction on of the Saints to walk with Christ they shall be filled with his company II. How safe it is and what safety there is to walk with Christ he hath a wing to spread over them III. What opportunities such have as walk with Christ IV. What liberty such have as walk with Christ V. Such as walk with Christ may be sure he will communicate his secrets to them he will show them what they have to do II. We shewed you the great goodness of Jesus Christ that he should take such creatures to walk with him such defiled creatures III. Then let us take heed of keeping our garments undefiled lest Jesus Christ cast us out of his company and we can no longer walk with Christ any more Oh take heed of walking blameless in the ways of Christ These things were spoken from the first Point Now I come to the walking with Christ in white In opening the Text I told you white might be considered two ways 1. As it respects our state and so that by way of Justification and thus they shall walk with Christ but this is not the walking in white the Text meanes 2. Here is a further walking in white and that is matter of reward to the people of God 1. To walk with Christ in white it is matter of honor white garments are matter of honor Princes great Kings walk in white garments so the saints of God shall walk in white Christ will honor them and give them honor among men because they have kept their garments undefiled They shall walk in white like great Princes and honored persons A good name is better then precious ointment they that are good indeed they shall have a good name they shall walk in white To keep the conscience clean is to keep the credit clean and they who are careful not to blot their conversations Christ will take care of their reputations that they be not blotted that they walk with me in honor 'T was worthily spoken in the 11. of the Hebrews They kept their garments undefiled and it was by the power of faith and they obtained a good report by faith keeping themselves from the pollutions of the world they kept themselves a good report This honor and good report which we get by keeping our garments undefiled is sure Abraham had an honorable title Abraham My Friend And a man after my own heart 43 Isaiah verse 4. Since thou wast precious in my sight thou wast honorable and not onely so that the people of God are honorable in his eyes but they also sometimes walk in white in the eyes of the men of the world he can give his people room in the opinions of men he moves their hearts to think well of them and he opens their mouths to speak well of them though indeed the honor which they who keep their garments undefiled have in this world it is most usually from good men from godly men and indeed honor of them is most honorable It is not much too us what others say or think of us what the wicked world judge of us yet I say God can and doth sometimes raise a testimony of honor for his people amongst carnal men of the world Joseph would not defile his garments he walked in white among men true he was cast into prison what of that he was respected by the Keeper of the prison and afterward he walked in white In the whole Egyptian Court Daniel was one that walked in white with common men of the world first with the Prince of Enuchs he had tender favor with him he told him he would not disobey God to please men yet he did not rail against him and call him a stubborn fellow because he would not bow to Baal and afterwards Daniel was as great a man as any in all that province he walked in white God hath created Testimonies of honor for his people from some men of the world yea they many times put white garments upon them So it was with Christ in the 27. of Matthew and the 4. verse common men put a good report upon Christ a white garment Truely saith the Centurion this was the Son of God Truely this was a righteous man saith he when he saw how he carried himself at his death he gave him a good report thus it doth come to pass God doth sometimes keep up their honor in the world who will not defile their garments nor touch the Sacrifice of Baal and it follows
so with them that the Lord shall clear up their credit and reputation and they shall walk in white in honor before the men of the world 6 of Revelations and the 11. verse where the Souls under the Altar are spoken of who were miserably used in this World white Robes were given them to every one of them that is their evidences were cleered This may teach us the readiest way to the white robe to the robe of honor it is to keep us from being defiled with sinful practices certainly they who please God he can make the world to honor them if God approve us he can make the world approve us too yet we must not think to have all men speak well of us yet this we may say if we keep our garments undefiled we shall walk in white in the eyes of men if God see our garments in the dirt and spotted with the filth of the world it will spoil the honor we should have in the world as it was said of Arius when his garments were defiled they called him Satanarius that is to say devillish thus it may be for the Lord hath a time to take our good name from us to cause our light of honor to be taken from us And as he hath caused us to walk in the white of honor in the world so he doth sometimes cause us to walk in reproach with the world they who defile their garments loose their honor with men and they loose their joy they should have hereafter 2 Mal 9. ver You have departed from my law therefore will I make you contemptible in the eyes of all men It is a design of the spirit of wickedness to draw men to sin that they may upbraid them that I conceive is the sense of the Apostle in the 6. of Galatians 13. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law but desire to have you circumcised that they might glory in your flesh saith he oh there are some of this wicked spirit that would draw men to such and such wickedness not that they joy in their returning but that they might glory in their flesh when as they who stand fast do even force a good testimony from their enemies So it was the unhappy chance of Cranmer the Pope did perswade him to subscribe and did he get any honor by it No truly they did upbraid him and reproach him and so he had dyed in a raving condition had not the Lord been merciful to him I remember a speech of St. Austin about drinking of Healths Oh say they 't is upon the Kings Birth-day and we cannot avoid it if we deny it say they we shall be reproached and scorned of all men He gives them many answers to it but one as I remember was this God will so work that if you wont comply with them they in their hearts will honor you and whereas if you did comply with them they would dishonor you and say you were base spirited That is one thing of this point that keeping close to Jesus Christ will get you this Reward you shall walk with him in the white of honor they shall walk in the white of honor with his people and it may be with the world too 2. They shall walk in white in the white of peace and joy and inward comfort I shewed you in the opening of the Text how the Scripture calls that walking in white then the point is this What ever becomes of the other white of honor in the world they shall be sure of this that abundance of peace and joy and comfort shall possess their souls that keep their garments white they shall walk in the inward white of joy and peace with Jesus Christ and this is a blessed reward Indeed now this joy this white of joy arises in the soul three ways 1. From the testimony of their own consciences Oh they who have a good testimony from their own consciences walk in white 2 Corin 1 chap. verse 12. We have this for our rejoycing the testimony of our consciences that in all simplicity and godly sincerity we have our conversation in heaven that is walking in white this is our rejoycing our conscience speaks well of us and kindly to us and who is able to express the sweetness of this thing None can know what this is but they that have it as it is said of the New Name written upon the white stone 2 Revelations 17. 'T is a thing beyond expression what the joy and peace of a good conscience is Now this I say that our white garments and our walking in white ariseth from the testimony of our consciences 2. As from the testimony of our consciences so from that testimony which is greater than our consciences the Spirit the shedding abroad of Divine Love thus it is with those that do not defile their garments but endure any thing rather than defile their garments Romans 5. third fourth and fifth verses And not onely so but we glory in Tribulations knowing tribulations worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed and whence was all this because of the Holy Ghost which was given to us this causeth joy unspeakable The Spirit it self beareth witness with our spirits that we are the children of God This witness doth cause wonderful joy much more than the witness of our own consciences 3 This joy doth arise from that well-grounded Hope which that soul hath that keeps himself clean hope of enjoying Heaven at last hope of future glory is our present joy 5. Romans 2. verse By whom also we have aress by faith into his grace even we stand and rejoyce in hope of the glory of God Now they who keep their garments white have good ground of hope of the love of God therefore this must needs cause them to walk comfortably as they who have this hope puriâ—…e themselves so they who purifie themselves have good ground of their hope and therein great cause to rejoyce 1 Pet. 1 5 6. who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last times wherein ye greatly rejoyce though now for a season if need be ye are in heaviness through many temptations We walk in white in hope we have of that Inheritance now lay these three things together If they who keep their garments undefiled have the testimony of their own consciences and the testimony of the Spirit shedding the Love of God in their hearts and a well-grounded hope of future glory how can it be but these must walk in white with Iesus Christ that is in comfort and joy of the Spirit and of their own spirits Thus David walked he had abundance of joy upon his conscience of his own integrity and of keeping his heart and hands clean from those iniquities his enemies charged him with Psalm verse 3. The Lord shall judge his people Judge me O Lord according to my righteousness