cover and conceal whatever is defective and unseemly in himself, and to invest him with a beauty and a glory which do not naturally belong to him. They are described as "fine linen, clean and white;" and if we wish to know by what process they have been made white, we are told, that it is in consequence of their having been "washed in the blood of the Lamb." In other words, then, in plain language, divested of figure, "the white linen is the righteousness of the saints;" that righteousness, which is imputed to them by faith, through the sacrifice and obedience unto death of the Son of God, and in which they stand complete, accepted, and justified; and that righteousness, which is wrought in them by the Spirit of His grace; and which, manifesting itself in all those fruits of holiness, that a renewed and sanctified nature, though still imperfect, in some measure produces, constitutes, at once, the evidence of their present justified state, and their meetness

and maturity for future glory. These are the Christian's garments: to put on these is to "put on Christ;" and clothed in these, he is ready for the marriagesupper of the Lamb.

These garments, then, he is here admonished to "keep ;" a phrase, which signifies not only the retaining possession of them, but also the preserving them pure and undefiled. Let not the Christian lose his garments; let him not suffer himself to be deprived of them: and let him keep them clean and white, unspotted by the world or by the flesh. Here let us again divest the language of figure, and see the plain and literal meaning of the admonition. It bids the Christian to beware of being corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. To this end, let him hold fast the Head, and not be moved away from the hope of the Gospel, even the hope of righteousness by faith in Jesus Christ. Let him not depart from that one foundation, which God

hath laid in Zion: let him add nothing to it: let him take nothing from it: let him see that he is built exclusively upon it. Let him live by faith, daily coming to the blood of sprinkling for pardon and peace; that so his conscience being purged from dead works, he may serve the true God, without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of his life. Let him, also, be careful to maintain good works. Let him be dead to sin, and crucified to the world. Let him deny himself; and through the Spirit mortify the deeds of the body. Let him walk in love, as a dear child, in all the commandments and ordinances of God, blameless. Let him exhibit in the whole of his conversation and conduct the salutary and sanctifying influence of Christian principles; and cause his " light so to shine before men, that they may see his good works, and glorify his Father which is in heaven." Thus let him keep his garments. And for what reason? Lest

he

"walk naked, and they see his shame." The consequences of not complying with this injunction will be, that he will lose his defence and his ornament, his evidences and his peace. He will expose himself and his religion to reproach and shame. He will bring dishonour on the principles which he professes to hold; will give occasion to the enemies of Christianity to rejoice and blaspheme; and by convicting himself of hypocrisy, unbelief, and apostacy, will incur the divine wrath, and may expect condign and exemplary punishment. For this reason, let the Christian keep his garments; and to this end, let him "watch." The force and propriety of this direction shall be next considered.

139

CHAP. XXI.

THE SAME SUBJECT CONTINUED.

THE very circumstance of Christ's giving a special admonition at this season to his servants, and of watchfulness being a prominent part of it, indicates, of itself, that there will be more than ordinary difficulty in discharging the duty to which the admonition refers. It has been already observed, that the admonition is introduced immediately after the mention of the three unclean spirits having come out of the mouth of the dragon, of the beast, and of the false prophet; a circumstance which seems to intimate, that the obstacles which these emissaries of evil will oppose to the progress and profession of pure Christianity will greatly enhance