not be our Plea for Heaven. The honour of that is referved to the righteousness which Chrift hath wrought for us: But it is our evidence, 2 Tim. 4. 7, 8, I have fought a good fight, I have finifhed my course, I have kept the faith. Henceforth is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousness. And when we are under the apprehenfions of death, next unto the Righteousness of Chrift; this will be of greatest use unto us, when all things elfe fail us, Ifa.38.3,Remember,O Lord,how I have walked before thee in truth,and with a perfect heart-

4. A few words of the laft part. Some Directions in reference to the well-clothing of our felves with, and well using of this garment, Confider:

1. The defires of our Souls fhould be working still after this clothing. There is a bleffing promised to them that hunger, and thirst after Righteousness, Matth. 5.6.

(1.) Thefe defires ought to be unlimited. Our defires fhould be ftinted as to what is neceffary and comely for the clothing of our Bodies, but not so, after this clothing for our Souls, we should be filled with the fruits of righteousness, as the phrase is, Phil. 1. 11. This is the most genuine property of this principle, To defire (as we are still under the command) to grow, i Pet.2.1,2,--That ye may grow thereby.

(2.) These defires ought to be ruling de

fires. Whatever in the World the Soul defires with greatest earneftnefs, our defires after this Righteousness must rule it. If defires after any thing else be prejudicial to these defires, they ought to be mortified, as irregular defires. Yea a gracious heart will blefs God, if he cross them in it, as heartily as ever David did, 1 Sam. 25. 32, 33, Bleed be the Lord----which hath sent thee this day to meet me: And blessed be thy ad vice, and blessed be thou, which haft kept me this day from coming to shed blood---Still maintaining that refolution, that we ought not, we cannot, we dare not do any thing against this Righteousness; but for it, 2 Cor.13. 8.

(3) These defires ought to be constant, and not as fome (as we fay) when they are in a good mood; but as David faith, Pfal. 119.20, My Soul breaketh for the longing that it hath unto thy judgments, at all times. The righteousness of many is but like the morning dew, Hof. 6. 4.

2. This garment fhould be put on, and worn every day; otherwife, the moths will eat it; the corruption that is in the heart, will spoil the beauty, comeliness, and usefulnefs of it. Therefore, though it was a va nity in that rich Man to cloth himself in Purple and fine Linnen every day; yet it is our duty, that our Souls be clothed every day, with the best garments we have, Luk.

1. 75. That we should ferve God, In holiness and righteousness, all the days of our life: And then, every day to our dying day; that fo they may be beft at laft: For this garment is like the garments of the Children of Ifrael in the Wilderness, which were never the worse for wearing; no more is this: For to him that useth well that which he hath, more shall be given, Matth. 25.29.

3. If at any time there be any rent made in this garment, it must be immediately stitcht up, and mended, elfe the rent will be made worfe. Thus understand me. If there be any rent made in our humility by pride; in our meekness by our paffionate Distempers; the like may be faid of every piece of this garment, of every particular grace; this must be made up, by humbling our felves before God; applying our felves to Chrift both for pardon, and more fupplies from his fullness. So David, when his faith failed in the exercife, as he confeffeth, Pfal 73. 2, My feet were almoft gone,my steps had well-nigh flipt. He had loft his standing by faith, and judged by fenfe, ver.2. For this, (immediately upon the difcovery) he humbles himself, ver. 21.22, Thus my heart was grievedfo foolish was I-And this made up the rent, and then his heart was carried out, as ftrongly after God, as ever, verf. 25. 26, Whom have I in Heaven but thee, &c.

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4. By way of encouragement, To get all we can, and to preferve all we get, and to make the best use of it, every day, confider,

(1.) Though this garment be not fuch a covering, as that garment of righteousness, which Chrift hath wrought for us, for that covers from the guilt of fin, yet this is a covering garment too.

(1.) From that dif-refpect, which meannefs of Birth, or breeding, which deformity of Body, or a poor, and low condition in the World, may, and often doth, expofe a Man unto, especially with those that value Men by the outfide. See what a covering this is, Prov. 12. 26, The righteous is more excellent then his neighbour. Heb. 11. 38, Of whom the World was not worthy; though they were worth little, or nothing in the World.

(2.) Though this garment covers not the guilt of fin before God, yet it covers the nakedness caused by fin, before Men. Sin makes a Man naked to his fhame, in the eyes of Men: as Exod. 32.25, And when Moles faw the people that they were naked (for Aaron had made them naked unto their fhame, before their Enemies.) As whatever deformity there is in a Man's Body is feen by those that see him naked. This garment when it is worn, as it ought to be every

day,

day, covers this nakednefs. As Humility covers the nakedness of Pride; Meeknefs, the nakedness of rafh, and unadvised Anger, ftirred up, either without caufe, or when there is caufe, without measure. Sobriety, the nakedness of Intemperance; A free, and liberal difpofition, the nakedness of Earthly ly-mindedness, and Covetoufnefs. Self-de nial the nakednefs, of Self feeking, &c. Rev. 116.15, Bleed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, left he walk naked, and Men fee his fhame.

(3.) In fome fenfe, it covers the nakedneis caused by fin, from the eyes of God; fo far, that though he hates the fin, and often corre&s feverely for it, yet when he fees this garment, he is not extreme to mark against fuch, Pfal. 130. 3, The most righteous Soul fins in many things. Yet, If any Man fin, we have an advocate with the Father, even Fefus Chrift the Righteous, 1 Joh. 2. 1. It is this righteous Soul, clothed with the garment of this Righteoufnefs wrought in us, over which Chrift will caft the Garment of that Righteoufnefs, which he hath wrought for the Soul, Pfal. 32. 2, Blessed is the Man, to whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity. But, who is this Man? The next words tell us, In whofe fpirit there is no guile. i. e. That hath this righteousness, which Chrift works in the Soul. Therefore as we defire, that our Q Souls