If indeed it depended upon ourselves, “miserable and poor and naked” as we are, to provide a suitable covering; if the sinner were required to produce, from his own store, the raiment of holiness and righteousness, and thus make himself acceptable to his Saviour and his God; then would he have much reason to urge for his unworthiness and deficiency: for he has no means of making any such provision; he has not “wherewith he shall come before the Lord:” his heart is corrupt; his character is unholy; and he has no power to change them. But the provision does not depend upon ourselves; what the Lord commands us to be clothed with, He has mercifully prepared: He gives His Holy Spirit, to change the heart and reform the character; to enable us to “put off the old man with the deceitful lusts, and to put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.” This spiritual clothing the Lord offers to all His followers; and woe be to those, who refuse or slight it: for this is a contempt of His divine mercy; a defiance of His authority and command: the expectation of His favour, on such terms, is adding insult to presumption. If we do make a profession of belonging to Him, let us not thus foolishly cast away our hope; let us not deceive ourselves by imagining, that we can possibly maintain a title to the privileges and blessings of the gospel, whilst we are living in the neglect of those ordinances and laws, which the Lord has graciously appointed as the means of our acceptance with Him. They who neglect the means, will assuredly lose the end; will be numbered among the despisers of their Saviour’s mercy.
And in order to keep alive in our minds that deep concern, which so momentous a subject demands, frequently let us be meditating upon that awful hour, when the King shall come in to visit and inspect His guests: His eye shall be upon every one, and every one’s eye upon Him; imagine yourself then in the guest-chamber without a wedding garment; ready and desirous to sink into the earth; but there will be nothing to cover your guilt and shame: though you have entered in with the other guests, and taken your station at the feast, you will be called out from among them, and everlastingly separated from the goodly company. A garment you would then, no doubt, most willingly accept; but it will be too late; it should have been accepted when offered; the season of grace will be past; the time for judgment will be come.