d holiness which we make ours come from another, who
bestows them on us. 'The new man' is not a mere ideal, but has a
historical and a present existence. The ideal has lived and lives, is a
human person, even Jesus Christ the express image of the Father, who is
the beginning of the new creation, who of God is made unto us wisdom and
righteousness. That fair vision of a humanity detached from all
consequences of sin, renewed in perfect beauty, stainless and Godlike,
is no unsubstantial dream, but a simple fact. He ever liveth. His word
to us is, 'I counsel thee to buy of me--white raiment.' And a full
parallel to the words of our text, which bid us 'put on the new man,
created after God in righteousness and holiness,' is found in the other
words of the same Apostle--'Let us cast off the works of darkness, and
let us put on the armour of light. Put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ.'

In accordance with this--

III. It is further to be noticed that this new creation has to be put on
and appropriated by us.

The same idea which, as I have already remarked, is conveyed by the
image of a new creation, is reiterated in this metaphor of putting on
the new nature, as if it were a garment. Our task is not to weave it,
but to wear it. It is made and ready.

And that process of assumption or putting on has two parts. We are
clothed upon with Christ in a double way, or rather in a double sense.
We are 'found in Him not having our own righteousness,' but invested
with His for our pardon and acceptance. We are clothed with His
righteousness for our purifying and sanctifying.

Both are the conditions of our being like God. Both are the gifts of
God. The one, however, is an act; the other a process. Both are
received. The one is received on condition of simple faith; the other is
received by the medium of faithful effort. Both are included in the wide
conception of salvation, but the law for the one is 'Not by works of
righteousness which we have done, but by His mercy He saved us'; and the
law for the other is--'Work out your own salvation with fear and
trembling.' Both come from Christ, but for the one we have the
invitation, 'Buy of Me white raiment that thou mayest be clothed'; and
for the other we have the command, 'Put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and
make not provision for the flesh.' There is the assumption of His
righteousness which makes a man a Christian, and has for its condition
simple faith. There is the assumption of His rig