be waited for till the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven but even now those that with the heart believe in him They are made by faith the righteousness of God in Christ Christ is made of God to them righteousness their sins are forgiven them for his name sake he loveth them and washeth them therefrom in his own Blood and they are made accepted in the beloved And he in the body of his flesh through death doth and will present them holy unblameable and unrebukeable in his sight they continuing in the faith grounded and setled and not being moved from the hope of the Gospel Col. 1. 22 23. Oh infinite Grace of God in Christ to sinners Oh blessed and everlasting righteousness How might this move his Angels and Churches to buy this White raiment this blessed covering here commended to us and set before us Isa 61. 10. And the fruits of this righteousness believed do cover the shame of our nakedness from men Hence that Behold I come as a Thief blessed is he that watcheth and keepeth his Garments lest he walk naked and they see his shame Rev. 16. 15. 2. This White raiment is that also wherewith we may be clothed that is to say covered from the Rain and Storm of Gods wrath and from the evil of all adversities and afflictions This is one use of raiment as to cover our nakedness so also to be a covering from the Storms and Cold that otherwise would annoy and hurt us so it is here Jesus Christ who of God is made to the believers righteousness and who is become White raiment doth hide and secure them from the evil of all judgments wrath and afflictions c. So when the Psalmist had been saying Thou hast covered all the sins of thy people he addeth Thou hast taken away all thy wrath Psal 85. 2 3. Riches profit not in a day of wrath but righteousness delivereth from death The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness Prov. 10. 2. 11. 4-6-8 The Branch of the Lord and the fruit of the Earth is a place of refuge and a Covert from Storm and from Rain Isa 4. 2-5 This man is an hiding place from the wind and a Covert from the Storm a shadow from the heat when the blast of the terrible ones is as a Storm against the Wall and shall appear gloriously so to be when he shall reign in righteousness Isa 25. 1-4 32. 1 2. Being justified by Faith we have by faith Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ even deliverance from his wrath and from the fears and terrours thereof Rom. 5. 2. 15. 13. Oh blessed priviledge the wrath of God abideth not on him who with the heart believeth unto righteousness so as to harm or hurt him but this White raiment covereth and clotheth him so that when Gods judgments are poured forth and they occasion trembling to the outward man Yet he can by Faith and in Spirit rejoyce in the Lord and joy in the God of his Salvation Habak 3. 16-18 And whatever fatherly chastisements God be ordering to such an one yet it is in love and faithfulness and to a gracious end even for his profit that he may be made more a partaker of his holiness Heb. 12. 6-11 And such also shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from the fear of all evil Prov. 1. 33. Psal 91. So as when in the World they have tribulation yet in Christ who hath overcome the World they shall have peace Joh. 16. 33. Philip. 4. 7. On this account Salvation and Righteousness may be so often put together as Psal 98. 2. Isa 45. 8. 46. 13. 51. 5-8 56. 1. 62. 1 c. Yea and Salvation and righteousness are put one for another as whereas in 2 Chron. 6. 41. It is thus voted and desired Let thy Priests be clothed with Salvation it is thus rendred Psal 132. 8 9. Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness And again in answer to that Prayer and desire it is said I will cloth her Priests with Salvation Ver. 16. I say on this account Righteousness and Salvation may be so oft put together and one put for another to signifie that this Raiment will save and secure us as from our sins so from all storms tempests rain judgments afflictions c. I mean from the evil of them now and hereafter fully and gloriously from them all Upon the wicked God shall rain snares fire and brimstane and an horrible tempest this the portion of their Cup but it shall not be the portion of them that are clothed with this Raiment of righteousness For the righteous Lord loveth righteousness Psal 11. 6 7. This is armour on the right hand and on the left to defend them from evil that put it on 2 Cor. 6. 7. And such are instructed and strengthened not to fear the reproch of men nor be afraid of their revilings because they shall perish But this righteousness shall be for ever and this Salvation from generation to generation And the work of this righteousess â—â—all be peace and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever Isa â—1 6 7 8. 32 17. Yea and this White raiment is not only proper and effectual to save and secure from Storms and Cold but also to warm and make not lukewarm ones to make them fervent in Spirit in seeking and serving the Lord and to cause them forgetting the things that are behind and reaching forth to the things that are before to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus Christ Philip. 3. 6-9 14 15. 3. With this White raiment also his Angels and Churches may be clothed that is to say Adorned So Garments are used amongst men for Ornament and it is fully true of this White raiment it is an excellent Ornament and it doth greatly adorn and beautify those that put it on those Garments are wonderfully beautiful in themselves and give an Ornament of Grace to the head of those that buy them Prov. 1. 9. 4. 9. Isa 52. 1. This is that which doth beautify them in the eyes of God so as they are accepted of him and delighted in by him So the Church acknowledgeth That the Lord God had covered her with righteousness as a Bridegroom deâ—â—â—eth himself with Ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her self with her Jewels Isa 61. 10. As intimating this is an excellent Ornament and Jewel So the Prophet saith The Lord himself shall be to them that come to Christ as the rest and foundation a Diadem of beauty and as a comely Ornament and adorning attire Isa 28. 5-12-16 Jer. 2. 31 32. This is that which maketh his Church all glorious within Psal 45. 13. This inward adorning is in the sight of God of great price 1 Pet. 3. 3. Yea this is a Kingly and Priestly Ornament and therefore it is called a Robe 't
not like other men or like to what they themselves sometimes were and not onely justifie themselves herewith before men but indeavour so to do before God also they not only weary men but God also with clearing themselves and pleading for themselves and take it ill at his hands and are even angry that he doth not approve them and hear their Prayers and grant their requests So when the Lord sent the Prophet to reprove his people he acquainteth and telleth them they were not Cold and that they had this to plead for themselves and excuse themselves withall that they might still hold fast deceit and refuse to return and because hereby they were blunt and unapt to receive correction and to turn at reproof therefore the Prophet is charged to put to the more strength Cry aloud saith the Lord for their ears are heavy and they are very dull of hearing spare not lift up thy voice like a Trumpet that they may be afraid and run together Amos 3. 6. And shew my people their transgression and the house of Jacob their sins Yet though they are so greatly polluted they are not quite cold but are lukewarm for they seek me daily and delight to know my ways as a nation that did righteousness and forsook not the ordinance of their God they ask of me the ordinances of justice they take delight in approching to God Wherefore have we fasted say they and thou seest not Wherefore have we afflicted our souls and thou takest no knowledge When as notwithstanding all this professed waiting upon God and frequent approaching to him they were not hot they did not part with the things reproved but their hands were defiled with blood and their fingers with iniquity their iniquities separated between them and God and their sins hid his face from them that he would not hear And yet they thought they were warm enough and looked that God should accept them and approve them But saith the Lord their webs shall not become garments neither shall they cover themselves with their works Isa 58. 1. 3. 59. 1. 6. They were ready to cry they had built an house for Gods name and the place of his rest and had kept his ordinance and walked mournfully before him and thought this would have excused them and obtained God's favour for them though they were loaden with iniquity and were serving their idols Isa 66. 1. 2. But when they are quite cold they have not such things to say for themselves but sooner fall under reproof As the Ninevites that had not God's name called upon them nor his word and ordinances amongst them sooner humbled themselves before God then the Jews who had the Scriptures read amongst them every Sabbath-day and fasted and prayed c. Because they thought eternal life belonged to them and that they were already in a good and happy condition Matt. 12. 41. And as our Saviour saith to the Pharisees Publicans and Harlots enter into the kingdom of God before you For John saith he came unto you in the way of righteousness and ye believed him not but the Publicans and the Harlots believed him Matt. 21. 32 33. Oh how hard is it for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God! Now then by how much the more they are the more hardly admonished and more difficultly recovered then those that are cold by so much the more is their temper more sad for they sport themselves with their own deceivings 3. The Lukewarm ones are worse then those that are cold because by their seeming to be religious and to do their former works they cause the name of God and his doctrine to be evil spoken of and so do more injury to others sutable to what the Apostle saith Behold thou art called a Jew and so we may say a Christian and restest in the law and makest thy boast of God as if he were thy God thy Father and thou hadst an interest in him and knowest his will and approvest the things that are more excellent and art confident that thou thy self art a guide of the blind a light of them which sit in darkness an instructor of the foolish a teacher of babes which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thyself thou that makest thy boast of the law through breaking of the law dishonourest thou God For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you through such lukewarm ones who seem to be religious and yet hold fast a lye in their right hand and so their religion is vain Rom. 2. 17 24. When persons are grown quite cold and come not into the assemblies of God's peculiar people there is not then such occasion given to the adversary to speak reprochfully of the worthy name of Christ and his doctrine as when men frequent those assemblies and frequently tread his courts and appear to do their former works when those that profess to believe the Gospel of Christ and are frequently amongst them that make profession of it and hold it forth to others when such I say hold fast deceit and refuse to return when such walk on in darkness fulfilling the desires of the flesh or of the mind the mouths of others by occasion of them is opened against Christ and his Gospel as if he were a Minister of sin and it a doctrine of licentiousness Others among whom they live will be ready to say these are the men that pretend to have learned the truth as it is in Jesus and to have imbraced the doctrine of Christ more sincerely then others They say they believe Christ died for all and gave himself a ransome for all and they hear and pray and read and usually go amongst such as assemble themselves often and professedly to wait upon God and to edify themselves but yet you may see they are as much polluted as others their heart goeth as much after its covetousnes as the hearts of any other and they are as proud and censorious and highly conceited of themselves and as uncharitable and unmerciful as others surely this doctrine teacheth them to live as they list and assureth them they shall have peace though they walk after the imagination of their own hearts This is a doctrine of looseness and licentiousness it is certainly an heresy or otherwise it would have some other manner of effiâ—â—cy on these men that make a trade of hearing it and being amongst those that profess it Oh how by occasion oâ— such is the doctrine according to godliness evil spoken of and repâ—â—ched as if it were a doctrine of profaneness How is God's name hereby polluted Hence the Lord as one highly displeased and provoked thus speaketh to his people in former times who did not servently and sincerely seek and serve him As for you O house of Israel thus saith the Lord God go ye serve ye every one his own idols and hereafter also if
Chron. 28. 9. Of a truth God is no respecter of persons he is not tied to any man's person but Christ is the Amen to him are the promises made and in him they are confirmed and sure to all the seed who are begotten and born of the spirit and led by the spirit for as many as are led by the spirit of God they are the Sons of God in him all the promises of God are yea and Amen and if we be Christ's then are we Abraham's seed and heirs according to promise But if a man that hath been ingraffed into him abide not in him he is cast forth as a branch and withereth and men gather them and they are cast into the fire and burned Joh. 15. 1 6. In abiding in him is safety and security none can pluck them out of his hand or mouth that hear his voice and follow him as he is drawing them and working in them both to will and to do of his good pleasure But beware of him saith God and obey his voice provoke him not for he will not pardon your transgressions for my name is in him he will not forgive if we sin against him and serve other Gods and continue so to do but will spue such at last out of his mouth though he be long-suffering and plenteous in mercy and goodness He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith to the Churches For he can do the same to any particular person that hath an ear if he grow lukewarm and remiss which he can do and threatneth to do to such a Church Oh that every one of us may consider that our standing is by faith that so we may not be high minded but fear The Apostles had a good usefulness of considering the terrour of the Lord to quicken them to diligence in seeking and serving the Lord And the Apostle Paul including himself with the Holy Brethren saith if we sin wilfully after the knowledge of the truth received there remaineth no more Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation which shall devour the adversaries Oh consider this ye that forget God! Exod. 23. 20 24. Rev. 3. 16 22. Rom. 11. 20. 2 Cor. 5. 8 11. 1 Cor 9. 27. Heb. 10. 26 29. Ver. 17. Because thou sayst I am rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing and knowest not that thou art wretched and miserable or piteous and poor and blind and naked This Verse containeth in it either 1. An evidence and demonstration that they were Lukewarm and is a declaration of the cause and reason of their Lukewarmness their high thoughts and conceits of themselves made them so And so there was more hope of a fool of such as were Cold then of them Prov. 26. 12. When men are highly conceited of themselves and think that they are already rich this will make them grow indifferent and remiss and slothful and though they come daily and sit before God as his people and seem to take delight in approching to him and remain in the assemblies of his people yet it will make them do what they do out of Custom and for fashion-sake or in service to some Idol and it will cause them to be like a door that turneth upon his hinges it will keep them at a stand and though they go backward and forward like such a door yet they will at last be but where they were at first they will not grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ it will hinder them from being hot from such a prizing of Christ as to hate all for his sake that they may win him and be found in him Prov. 26. 12 16. The full Soul loatheth the Honey-combe and that causeth a man also to wander from his place as a Bird from her nest Prov. 27. 7 8. Thus it was with Israel of old when they were low and mean and little in their own eyes and in the day of their espousals oh then what fervency and heat of Spirit and demeanour was found with them they followed the Lord out of the Land of Egypt and through the Wilderness through a Land of deserts and pits through a Land of drought and so the shadow of death through a Land that no man passed through and where no man dwelt but when they conceited themselves to be rich and said they were Lords free persons now no longer in bondage as when they were in Egypt they were now brought out of the house of Servants a type of the state of the world and were become owners grown rich and increased with goods now they were become possessors and had need of nothing then their former fervency was gone they would come no more to him but forsook him when he led them by the way and forgot him days without number and trimmed their way to seek love elsewhere and yet wiped their mouths and said they were innocent and therefore surely his anger should turn away from them and still flattered him with their lips and called him My father and the guide of my youth Jer. 2. 7 31 35. Oh! blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled Mat. 5. 6. But the full and rich he sendeth empty away Luke 1. 53. The Apostle Paul confesseth and acknowledgeth that he had not yet attained neither was already perfect and therefore forgetting the things behind and reaching forth to the things before he pressed toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Jesus christ he run as for his life and did strive as for an incorruptible Crown he was fervent in Spirit and laboured and indeavored that whether present or absent he might be accepted of the Lord and he instructeth the believers who were perfect upright-hearted to be like-minded with him to reckon themselves to be imperfect as to attainment That so they also might run with patience the race set before them Phil. 3. 12 16. 1 Cor. 9. 24 26. Whereas on the other hand when men begin to take notice of themselves and to think more highly of themselves then is meet and of their knowledge and attainments this cutteth off the feet and maketh persons to be Lukewarm and when a price is put into their hand for getting wisdom they have no heart thereto this high thought of themselves maketh them sit loose from Christ and lightly to esteem the Rock of their Salvavation and though it blow up men like a Bladder yet it doth not build them up according to that we all know we have knowledge every one is too ready and forward to take notice of that knowledge even the knowing and taking notice of our knowledge puffeth up maketh men appear high and full but it is but with wind but it edifieth not as Charity doth which is not puffed up And when men are so puffed up by their fleshly mind it taketh them off
overcome and this was so great a death as that we had perished in it for ever had we died it according to the first Sentence 2 Cor. 1. 10. He had the Devil who had the power of death and his Instruments to grapple with and overcome Satan thrust sore at him that he might fall Psal 118. 13. He had the Law as it was against us to satisfie and indure the curse of and so to blot out that hand-writing that was contrary to us And Heaven and Earth shall pass away but not one jot or title of the Law till all be fulfilled Mat. 5. 18. Here he was proved to purpose in his love power and patience and herein he did abide the fire and made it evident and apparent that God laid help upon one that was mighty and he gave a wonderful proof of his patience and submission For in â—aiting he waited for the Lord until he inclined his ear and heard him and brought him out of the horrible pit and miry clay Psal 89. 19. 40. 1 2. Here was a trial of his strength and here it appeared to be very strong for though all these compassed him about like Bees yet they were extinct as the fire of Thornes for in the name of his God he hath destroyed them He hath made purgation of our sin Heb. 1. 3. He hath abolished our death 2 Tim. 1. 10. He hath 〈◊〉 death destroyed him that had the power of death that in the Devil Heb. 2. 14. He hath led Captivity Captive spoiled Principalities and Powers and made a shew of them openly triumphing over them in himself Psal 68. â—3 Col. 2. 15. He hath overcome the World John 16. 33. He hath broken down the middle wall of partition that was between God and Mankind having abolished in his flesh the enemity the Law of Commandments in Ordinances Ephes 2. 14 15. Col. 2. 14. His own right hand and his Holy Arm hath gotten him the Victory Psal 98. 1. He hath delivered us in himself from the hand of all our Enemies that we might serve God without fear of them Luke 1. 74. And he is gone up with a shout the Lord with the sound of a Trumpet Sing Praises to our God sing Praises Sing Praises to our King sing Praises Psal 47. 5 6. and 68. 18. Yea to add no more to this he was tried and proved in the fire in that all he indured was of no real personal advantage to himself He could not be added to by it but it was wholly for the sakes and good of others This excellent one who is charity did not seek his own things 1 Cor. 13. 5. Oh! this was Grace indeed free love no fore-worthiness of ours did move him to undertake this difficult work no future advantage to himself did strengthen and incourage him to enter into and abide in this fire to the last but it was the good and commodity of others of us unworthy ones of us unable ones to make any retribution for such an admirable kindness He that was rich for our sakes became poor that through his poverty not he but we might be inriched 2 Cor. 8 9. The chastisement of our peace was upon him and by his stripes we are healed Isa 53. 3-6 The Messiah was cut off but not for himself Dan. 9. 26. He was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. Christ once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God 1 Pet. 3. 18. He did not look on his own things but the things of others Philip. 2. 5-8 He got no real addition of Glory or happiness to himself by all his indurings and therefore when he had finished the work which the father gave him to do induring the Cross and suffering the curse he then prayeth and now O Father glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory I had with thee before the World was John 17. 4 5. He did through sufferings enter into his own Glory which was his before but now he entred into it in our Nature and for us That the World through him might be saved Luke 24. 25 26. And God raised him from the dead and gave him Glory that our Faith and Hope might be in God and that so we might not perish but might have everlasting life 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. John 3. 14-17 Oh! in all this was love love without comparison love beyond comprehension Let us look upon it that we may be ashamed of our love or rather bewail our want of love and not proclaim our goodness and say We are rich and increased with goods and have need of nothing Is this the manner of man thus to express love Surely we have let slip the view of and departed from the consideration of his love while we are doting upon and boasting of and lifting up our selves by and glor 〈…〉 ing in our love Oh! consider also how he hath been tried that we may not complain of or faint under our trials But that we may run with patience the race set before us look we unto Jesus who for the joy set before him indured the Cross despising the shame c. And consider diligently the excellency of this Gold and how it hath been tried that we may be zealous and buy it whatever it cost us 3. His being tried in the fire doth signifie that he was herein and herethrough purifi'd and refin'd and came forth as Gold out of the fire full of lustre splendor and glory Job 23. 10. Indeed he never had any pollution of his own or any mixture of sin cleaving to him he was the Holy one of God he knew no sin in partaking of our Nature for he was made partaker of it by a wonderful work of new Creation so as that he and he only partook not of the filth or pollution of our sin he did indeed partake of our sorrows sufferings afflictions He was in all points tempted like unto us yet without sin Heb. 4. 15. He had no sin of his own to answer for he did no sin neither was guile found in his mouth 1 Pet. 2. 22. But yet he had our sins laid upon him and was by imputation spotted as it were with our spots and deformed with our afflictions and wrinkles Though he knew no sin yet God made him to be sin for us and imputed the trespasses of the world unto him the guilt of our natural and necessary sin and sinfulness even the guilt of the disobedience of the first man Adam in which we all sinned and from whence we are necessarily polluted and defiled and of all the unavoidable branches thereof this was imputed to and laid upon and accepted by him as his to answer for and he his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2. 24. All we like sheep have gone astray we have turned every one to his own way and the Lord laid on him the
at the door and knockt yet they turned a deaf ear to him Hereby they became naked destitute of their clothing and liable and lying open to his wrath so as he threatned to spue them out of his mouth as a shameful thing Rev. 3. 17-20 When once such forsake the Lord how naked polluted and shameful become they from the sole of the foot even unto the head there is no soundness in them but sin and shame wounds and bruises and putrifying sores and it must needs be so when they forsake the Lord the fountain of living waters and robe of righteousness Isa 1. 2-4-6 Jer. 13. 25-27 And all this therefore might be of usefulness to us and to God's people generally who have wandered from mountain to hill and forgotten their resting place to return to him from whom we have revolted with whom is forgiveness of our sins and healing of our backslidings and to buy of him this White raiment that we may be clothed and that the shame of our nakedness appear not considering also as is further signified to us in the end here proposed to move and induce us to buy That 2. We cannot cloth our selves nor cover the shame of our nakedness with any garments of our own making and preparing Nor can we be clothed so as the shame of our nakedness appear not with any other raiment then that which is to be bought of the Amen the faithful and true witness c. Our outward bodily garments will not cover our shame from the eyes of him with whom we have to do unto whom all things are naked though they may cover that of the outward Man from men nor from them who have the eyes of their understandings opened in and by the knowledge of Christ but still our vileness and sinfulness will appear notwithstanding them The most rich costly and neat aray yea all the glory and splendour of the World will not cover our filth and uncomeliness our sin and misery but on the contrary the shame of our nakedness doth more appear oftentimes through and by means of this outward clothing and there it may be seen and read how we glory and pride our selves in that which was the fruit of our sin And therefore insobriety in apparel is signified to be so far from covering our sinful shamefulness as that it self is shameful and rendreth us more so As where the Apostle exhorteth the believing Women to adorn themselves in modest apparel with shamefastness and sobriety not with broidered hair or gold or pearls or costly aray 1 Tim. 2. 9. As intimating that insobriety in this outward clothing is immodest and shameful Yea this doth greatly provoke God to wrath especially when his judgments are in the earth and God is calling to weeping and to mourning See how on this account God threatneth to deal with the daughters of Zion Women it seemeth being through their weakness most insident to this vanity and evil and most frequently polluted herewith Moreover the Lord saith Because the daughters of Zion are haughty and walk with stretched forth necks and wanton eyes walking and mincing as they go and making a tinkling with their feet Therefore the Lord will smite with a scab the crown of the head of the daughters of Zion and will make naked their secret parts In that day the Lord will take away the bravery of their tinkling ornaments about their feet and their cauls or net-works and their round tires like the Moon the chains and the bracclets and the mufflers the bonnets and the ornaments of the legs and the head bands and the tablets and the ear-rings the rings and nose jewels the changeable suits of apparel and the mamles and the wimples and the crisping pins the glasses and the fine linen and the hoods and the vailes And it shall come to pass that instead of sweet smell there shall be stink and in stead of a girdle a rent and in stead of well set hair baldness c. Isa 3. 16-26 And yet though this will not cover our shameful nakedness but is it self shameful The believers stand in need of being admonished of insobriety in this outward and bodily aray And therefore the Holy Ghost hath given such like warnings by his servants that they should not fashion themselves according to their former lusts in their ignorance 1 Pet. 1. 13 14. And that the believing women should have a chast conversation and not adorne themselves with that outward of plaiting the hair or wearing of gold or putting on of apparel 1 Pet. 3. 1-4 For even believers themselves as men and Sons of Adam are apt to exceed in this outward clothing and to glory herein as if this would hide their shame and beautify them And from their too high esteem hereof they are ready to have the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ the Lord of glory with respect of persons to respect them who have a gold ring and goodly apparel and mean time to despise such as have vile raiment on them Jam. 2. 1-6 And are therefore admonished not to love the pride of life in which is included pride of Apparel and not to be conformed to this world in the customs and fashions thereof but transformed by the renewing of their mind 1 Joh. 2. 15 16. Rom. 12. 1 2. With this outward aray and with the glory and splendour of this world is MYSTERY BABYLON clothed and would here by insinuate that she is the true Church of Christ and this is its outward ornament and hereby she deceiveth many This woman is arayed in purple and scarlet colour and decked with gold and precious stones And with this outwardly glorious woman the Kings of the earth have committed fornication and the inhabiters of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication for indeed this is the attire of an Harlot But herewith she thinketh to cover the shame of her nakedness and her daughter harlots imitate this Mother of abominations But this is not the raiment that his Angels and Churches are to be clothed and covered with that is to be bought of him who is the Wonderful Counsellour Rev. 17. 1-5 18. 3-7-9-17 Psal 45. 13 14. Nor will our wisdom or any excuses or coverings thereby made cover the shame of our nakedness from the eyes of him before whom all things are naked and opened We think many times this way to hide and conceal our sinfulness and vileness as Adam did at first He covered his transgression by hiding his iniquity in his bosome Job 31. 33. So we would hide and cover our shame or some part of it by shameful coverings and this many ways As Sometimes by keeping silence and not confessing our sin and sinfulness when reproved Psal 32. 3 4. Prov. 28. 13. Sometimes men hide their sin and shame under their tongues when though they say they have sinned and are sinners because this is generally acknowledged and therefore it is no shame so to confess yet