Christ making himself and all that be hath over, to the good of his Church and People. [ 1203]
WE read in our Chronicles,* 1.1 that Edward ••irnamed Ironside, (in whom Eng∣land was lost) and Knute, the first Danish King, after many encounters, and equall fights, at length embraced a present agreement, which was made, by parting England betwixt them two, and confirmed by Oath and Sacrament, putting on each others apparell and arms, as a ceremony, to expresse the attone∣ment of their minds, as if they had made transaction of their persons, each to other;* 1.2 Knute became Edmund, and Edmund, Knute. Even such a change (as it may be said) is of apparell, betwixt Christ and his Church, Christ and every true repentant sinner; he taketh upon him their sins, and putteth upon them his righte∣ousnesse: He changeth their rags into robes, their stained clouts into cleaner clo∣thing: He arraies them with the righteousnesse of the Saints; that two-fold righ∣teousnesse, imputed and imparted; that of Iustification, and the other of Sanctifica∣tion; that is an under-coat, this is an upper; that clean and pure, this white and bright;* 1.3 and both from himself, who is made unto them, not onely Wisdom, but Righteousnesse,* 1.4 Sanctification, and Redemption. Yet further; He puts upon his Church, his own comelinesse, decks his Spouse with his own Jewells, as Isaac did Rebecca; cloaths her with needle-work, and makes her more glorious than Hester ever was, in all her beauty and bravery; rejoyceth over her, as the Bridegroom over his Bride;* 1.5 yea, is ravish'd in his love to her, with one of her eyes lifted up to him in prayer and meditation, with one chain of her neck, that very chain of his own graces in her.