The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law, Treatise · Part 14

The Excellency of the Gospel Above the Law · Treatise · Part 14

p. 358Into the same Image.

The patterne to which wee are changed, is the image of Christ. It is a rule, and a true rule, the first in every kinde is the measure of all the rest, it is the Idea, the patterne, and platforme of all the rest; now Christ is the first, for hee is the first borne, the first fruites, the first beloved, therefore he is the patterne of all the rest, and the measure of all other, the nearer we come to Christ the better p. 359we are, for that that is the measure of a thing, the nearer it answereth to that the better: Now Christ is the best, and our nature in Christ is joyned to the God-head in one person, therefore we are changed to the likenesse of Christ, the second Adam, for as before we are changed we are corrupted, and depraved according to the likenesse of the first Adam after his fall, and as before his fall, if he had not fallen we had beene borne according to his likenesse that is good and righteous, so now being fallen, as soone as by faith wee are planted, and grafted into the second Adam p. 360we are changed into his likenesse: Christ as it were it Gods master-peece, that is, the excellentest worke and devise, and frame of heaven that ever was, to set up such a Mediator, to reconcile justice and mercy, in bringing God and man into one person, now Christ being Gods Master-peece the best and: most excellent frame of all, he is fit to be the patterne of all excellency whatsoever, therefore hee is the Image, the Idea, the patterne, and platforme of all our sanctification.

Christ the second Adam is the Image into which we are changed,All good in Christ opposite to the ill in Adam. p. 361we are not changed to the Image of the first Adam by grace, but to the Image of the second Adam: There is from him a derivation of all good, opposite to all the ill wee drew from the first Adam, wee drew from the first Adam the displeasure of God; by the second, we obtaine the favour of God by his death, and satisfafaction; with the wrath of God, we drew corruption from the first Adam, in the second wee have grace, from the first Adam wee have death, and all the miseries that attend death, and follow it. In the second Ada… we have life and all happinesse, till p. 362it end in glory; In a word, whatsoever ill we have in the first Adam, it is repaired abundantly in the second, when we are changed into his Image, therefore, when you read of the Image of God in the New Testament, it must be understood, of the Image of God in Iesus Christ, the second Adam.

Now this Image confists in knowledge, in holinesse and righteousnesse, if we compare Col, 3. with Ephes. 4. this was perfect in Christ, who was the Image of his Father, and wee must bee like Christ, the second Adam in sanctification.

Now the grounds why p. 363wee must bee conformable to the Image of the second Adam, and not to the first, are these;

Because the second Adam is farre excelling the first Adam, and as I said, we must be conformed to the best Image, as wee have borne the Image of the first, so we must beare the Image of the second, as it is in 1 Cor. 15.

And then the Image of God in the second Adam, is more durable: for all excellencies, and grace is more firmely set on Christ then ever they were upon Adam, it is set upon him with such a character and stampe, as shall never bee altred, when God set his p. 364Image on the first Adam, it was raced, and decayed, and lost by the malice of the devill, because it was not set on so firmly, Adam being a man, and a good man, yet hee was a man changeable; But Christ is God man, in one nature, God hath set such a stamp of grace on the humane nature, being eternally united to the God-head, that shall never be altred, therefore we are renewed according to the Image of God, as it is stamped on Christ, not as it was stamped on the first Adam.

And that is the reason,Why the … of Gods children is un…lt…rable. why the state of Gods children is unalterable, why, being once gracious p. 365they are so for ever, if God set the stampe of the Spirit of Christ on them, it is firme, as it is upon Christ, it never alters in Christ, nor in those that are members of Christ, the alteration is in growth from better to better: Gods children sometimes a little deface that image by sinne, security, and the like, but as a peece of coyne that is a little defaced, yet it hath the old stampe still, and is acknowledged for good coyne, so a Christian in all desertions, in the worst state, he hath the stampe still, though it be darkened by his carelessenesse, yet after it receives a fresh p. 366stampe, it is an everlasting stampe, when once wee are Gods coyne, wee are never reprobate silver, and all is, because we are renewed according to the Image of Christ, and grace is firmely set in our nature in Christ, so sure that all the devils in hell cannot race it out, and hee is the quickening Spirit, and therefore able to transforme us to his likenesse, better then the first Adam was, therefore the Image of God is the likenesse of the second Adam, and wee are changed into that.

Now the reasons why the second Adam changeth us into his owne Image are many;Why Christ changeth us into his Image.

p. 367First, because hee is a 1powerfull head that changeth all his members,He is a powerfull head and husband. a powerful roote that changeth all his branches into his owne nature, a powerful husband that changeth his owne Spouse, I say, he is a quickning Spirit, a publicke person, and the roote of all beleevers as the first Adam, was of us all, as wee are naturall men.

Againe, it is meete that 2brethren should bee all a alike,We are predestinate to his likenesse. therefore, as it is in Romanes 8. Wee are predestinate to bee conformed to Christ, hee is the first among many brethren, the chiefe brethren must bee all alike, therefore p. 368wee being predestinate to salvation, it was fit we should be predestinate to be conformable to our elder brother, that brethren might bee of one nature and disposition, it is fit that the husband and wife should be of one disposition, Christ is the husband, and wee are the Spouse, therfore by grace he alters, and cleanseth, and purgeth his Spouse, as it is, Ephe. 5. He loved his Spouse, and gave himselfe for it, that he might purge it, and make it a glorious Spouse. It is meete the wife should be the glory of the husband, as S. Paul saith, that is, that she should reflect the excellencies of p. 369her husband; therefore that the Church might be the glory of Christ, and reflect the excellencies of Christ, she is changed to bee like Christ more and more daily, there is a kind of congruity that brethren should be like, and that the Spouse and the Husband should be alike, therefore God hath ordained that we should be like him in a threefold degree, in suffering, in grace, and in glory, whosoever will bee like him in glory, must be like him in grace, first Gods election, and ordaining must have its issue, that is, the representation of the likenesse of Christ in our natures.

p. 370Againe, the end of 3Christs comming was to destroy the workes of the devill,Christs end is to destroy sathans work in us. to deface all Sathans workes, especially his worke in us, the image of Sathan in our dispositions, for every man by nature, carries the image of the devill on him, till the Image of Christ be stamped on, and the image of Sathan raced out: for in man there is naturally an opposition to the truth, a hatred of God, and of good things, now Christ comming to dissolve the workes of the devill, puts out this image, and sets his owne stampe and Image upon the Soule, therefore unlesse Christ change us p. 371to his owne Image, hee should misse of the end of his comming, these, and many such reasons there are to prove, that wee are restored, according to the Image of Christ Iesus, and why Christ will change us to his owne likenesse, to adde one more;

The end of Christ is, that 4wee should enter into a sweete communion with him,We could have no communion with Christ else. therefore he will set such a stampe upon us, as he may delight in us, and bee friends, now if hee should not change our natures, what correspondence could there be betweene Christ and us, now when he hath altred, and changed us, he lookes on p. 372us as carrying his stampe and image.

Vse. 1 If this be so, that we are changed into the image of the second Adam, lesus Christ;

Then I beseech you,To stu…dy Christ. let us labour every day more and more to study Christ, that so by beholding Christ, wee may be transformed into his likenesse; for the looking upon Christ is a transforming sight, therfore let us looke into his disposition, as it is set forth in the Gospell, and to his carriage, and looke to his priviledges that so wee may receive grace for grace, grace sutable to his grace, disposition sutable to his disposition, p. 373conversation sutable to his conversation, and priviledge, and prerogative sutable to his pre rogative, that wee may bee like him every way.

What was his disposition, and carriage? it were too large to unfold it to you as it is in the Gospell, but because we must be changed into the Image of Christ, it is good to looke to that picture, that wee may resemble that Image as much as may be, you see in the Gospell how he carryed himselfe

To

his Friends.

Enemies.

the Devill.

Himselfe.

p. 374You see how full of love he was, what drew him from heaven to earth? and so to his crosse, and to his grave, but love to mankinde, you see how full of goodnesse he was, he went about doing all the good he could, how much good doth that speech savour of that Paul speakes of him, It is a more blessed thing to give than to receive, see how full of zeale he was, he whipped the buyers and sellers out of the Temple, he was full of goodnesse, it was his meate and drinke to doe good, it was as naturall to him as for a fountaine to streame out.Christs carriage.

And as I sayd for his p. 375carriage toward his friends 1to those that were good,Toward his friends. how sweete and indulgent was he, where there was any beginnings of goodnesse 1he did incourage it,To weake Christians. he never sent any backe againe, but those that went backe againe of their owne head, as the young man, Christ sent him not backe, he was so full of sweetenesse to weake Christians, nay he discovered himselfe most to the weakest, hee was never more familiar with any than with the woman of Samaria that was an adultresse, and Mary that had beene a sinner, how sweetely did hee appeare to her first? how sweete p. 376was he to sinners when they repented, how ready to forgive and pardon? see it in Peter, hee never cast him in the teeth with his Apostacy, he never upbrayded him with it, he never so much as tells him of it, onelyonly he lookes upon him, and afterward Lovest thou me, &c. hee would not quench the 2smoaking flaxe, nor breake the bruised reede, To those that had but seeming graceso gentle and sweete a Saviour have we, hee was sweete to those that were good in the lowest degree of goodnesse, nay where there was but a representation of goodnesse, as in the young man, he kissed, and imbraced him, p. 377when he came and sayd, What good thing shall I do… to inherit eternall life, hee imbraced him, and made much of him; and so to the Pharisee, Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God, he laboured to pull him further, he was of a winning, gaining disposition, those that were good he loved them, and carried himselfe so to all as much as might be, shall we not labour to be of his disposition? not to set people further off, but to be of a gayning, winning nature.

See how obedient hee 3was to his father,To his Father. Not my Will but thine be done, both in active, and passive p. 378obedience in all things he looked to his fathers will, being …ubordinate to him, wheresoever there is subordination there ought to be obedience; now there is a subordination to God as our Father in Christ, therefore wee should labour to be obedient even to death as Christ was, our happinesse stands in subordination, the happinesse of the inferiour is in subjection to the superiour that may doe him good, therefore we must be obedient to God as Christ was, wee see hee prayed whole nights.

2For his owne particular how holy,To himselfe. and heavenly p. 379was he, he takes occasion of vines, of stones, of water, of sheepe, and all things to be heavenly minded, to rayse his soule upon all occasions, and when hee rose from the dead, and conversed with his disciples what was his talke? he discoursed all of matters, of the kingdome of heaven, so his whole disposition was heavenly, and holy in himselfe; and patient in wrongs done to him, he did not returne injury for injury, you see how meeke he was; I give you but a touch of every particular, you may by proportion apply the rest, he was in his owne particular holy, p. 380and heavenly, and full of purity, and holinesse, and heavenlinesse.

3What was he to his enemies? did he call for fire from heaven,To his enemies. when they wronged him, was he all on a heate? when his poore Disciples being more flesh than Spirit, would have fire from heaven; You know not what spirit you are of, saith he, he shed teares for those that shed his blood, Oh lerusalem, Ierusalem, &c. that afterward crucified him, and upon the crosse you see there to his very enemies, Father forgive them, they know not what they doe, so then if we will be like to Christ, consider p. 381how he carryed himselfe to God in devotion, and obedience, and how in himselfe hee was full of purity and holinesse, unspotted every way, how to his friends, to all that had any goodnesse in them, and how to his enemies, he prayed for his very enemies.

And for the Devill 4himselfe,To the Devill. deale with him as Christ did, that is, have no termes with him, although he come to us in our nearest friends, hee came to Christ in Peter, Sathan avoyd, saith he, if the devill come to us in our wives, in our children, in our friends, avoyd Sathan, Sathan comes to us sometime p. 382in our friends, to give corrupt judgement to maintaine false causes, to doe this or that that may cracke our conscience, discerne the devill in our best friends, for sometime they may be the trunkes of the devill, the devill may conveigh his Spirit through Peter, let us immitate Christ, discerne betweene our friends love, and the subtilty of the devill in them, and be able to give them an avant, avoyd Sathan: wee see Christ when hee encountred Sathan, he fights not with Sathans weapons, and when he was to deale with his instruments, but with the Word of God, p. 383he gives not reproach for reproach, nor sophistrie for sophistrie, but It is written, shewing that we must encounter Sathan with Gods armorie, with weapons out of the booke of God.

And then when Sathan would confesse him, and make much of him, Oh thou art the Sonne of God, he would have nothing to doe with him, so those that are manifestly led with the Spirit of Sathan, and would presse kindnesses on us, have nothing to doe with them so farre: as we say of the devill, he is not alway a lyer, but he alway cozeneth, so take those that are lead by the p. 384Spirit of the devill, that are Iesuited Papists, they lye not in all, but there is cozening in all, for all is but snaring kindnesse and gifts that will hurt more, all offers from Sathan, and those that are led with the Spirit of Sathan, wee ought to suspect, as Christ we see when Sathan offered him a kindnesse, hee saw he was to bee tooke heed of, therefore saith he away, you and your kindnesse; so have nothing to doe with devillish men, those are best at ease, and prosper most that have least to doe with them, those that see they are alway deceivers though they be not alway lyers, p. 385those that are nearest hostility prosper best, thus you see a taste of Christs carriage to his friends, to his enemies, to Sathan: and for hypocrites hee speakes Woe to them,To Hypocrites. he hated them above all the proud Pharisees. I might spend much time in going over particulars in the Gospell, to see what expressions there are of Iesus Christ.

Vse 2 I beseech you make this use of it, when in the Gospell you reade of any expression,How to reade the life of Christ in the Gospell. of his love and gentlenesse, of his obedience and humility, in washing his Disciples feete; and Learne of me for I am meeke, &c. and Come unto p. 386me all ye that are weary, and heavie laden, then thinke this is the expression of my blessed Saviour, the socond Adam, to whose Image I must bee conformed, and transformed, and changed, and therefore when you are moved and tempted to sinne, from your owne corruption, or from Sathan, reason thus with your selves, would our blessed Saviour if he were upon earth doe thus, would hee speake thus, would he not doe thus if he were here now, would he not be ready to doe this good turne? surely he would, and I must bee changed into his Image and likenesse, therefore p. 387let me consider what my blessed Saviour would doe in the like case, surely our blessed Saviour would not staine, and defile his body, he would not make his tongue an instrument of untruth to deceive others, he would not bee covetous and injurious: Art thou a Christian or no? If thou be a Christian thou hast the anoynting of Iesus Christ, that annoynting that was poured on him as the head, it runnes downe to thee as a member, as Arons oyntment ranne downe to his skirts, if thou be the skirt of Christ, the meanest Christian, thou hast the same grace if thou be a p. 388Christian, and therefore thou must expresse Christ, that as thou art partaker of his name, so thou must be partaker of his anoynting if thou be a Christian why doest thou thus? doth this suite with thy profession? dost thou carry the Image of Sathan, and dost thou thinke to bee a Christian, except it be in tytle and profession onelyonly? No, there is no Christian, but if he be a true Christian, he is changed into the likenesse of Christ, into his Image, therefore it is a good thought upon all occasions, every day to thinke what would my blessed Saviour say, if he were p. 389here? and what did he in the like case, when he was upon earth? I must be led by the Spirit of Christ, or else I am none of his, therefore let us shame our selves when we are moved by our corruptions, and temptations to doe any thing contrary to this blessed Image.

And consider the more we grow into the likenesse of Christ,The more we are like Christ the more beloved of God. the more wee grow in the love of God, who delights in us as hee doth in his owne Sonne, This is my beloved Sonne, in whom I am well pleased; now the more like we are to Christ, the more hee is pleased with us.

And the more we shall p. 390grow in love one to another,And of one another. for the liker pictures are to the first patterne,Simil. the liker they are one to another, so the liker wee grow to Christ, the liker we are one to another, and the more like, the more love.

Who keepes Christ a live in the world,Who keepe Christ alive in the world. but a company of Christians that carry his resemblance, as wee say of a childe that is like his father, this man cannot dye as long as his sonne is alive, because he resembleth his father, so as long as Christians are in the world that have the Spirit of Christ, Christ cannot dye, he lives in them, and p. 391Christ is alive no otherwise in the world, than in the hearts of gracious 'Christians, that carry the picture and resemblance of Christ in them.

But how are we changed into the likenesse of Christ?How we come to be like Christ. how come wee to be like him?

When once we beleeve in Christ, we are graft into the similitude of his death, and into the likenesse of his resurrection; it is a point somewhat misticall, yet it is stood upon in the Scriptures, in Rom. 6. especially at large.

How come we to dye to sinne, by vertue of Christs death? and to live to righteousnesse by the p. 392fellowship of Christs resurrection? it is sayd we are transformed into the likenesse of Christ, the phrases of Scripture shew it, but to stand upon these phrases a little.

Beloved as it was in Christs owne person,How we are dead and risen with Christ. when Christ dyed, whole Christ dyed, and was crucified, but yet the death it selfe, the crucifying was terminate, in the humane nature, the humane nature dyed, and not the Godhead, yet by reason of the union, whole Christ dyed, and was Crucified, the Lord of glory was crucified, as the Scripture speaks, and as it was in Christ naturall, so it is in Christ p. 393misticall, whole Christ misticall was crucified, whole Christ misticall is risen againe, notwithstanding the crucifying was terminate in Christ the head, not in the members as his death was terminate in his humane nature it ended, and was confined in that, so this crucifying belonged to the head, and the head rose, yet whole Christ, all beleevers as soone as they are one with Christ, by reason of the misticall union, they are dead and crucified in Christ their head, and risen and sit in heavenly places, in Christ their head, so then a true beleever, when he is made one p. 394with Christ, he reasons thus, my corruption of nature, this pride of heart that naturally I have, this enmity of goodnesse, this is crucified, for I am one with Christ, when he dyed I in my head did dye, and this pride and covetousnesse, and worldlinesse, this base and filthy carnall disposition, was crucified in Christ my head, I in my head was crucified, and I in my head now am risen, and sit in heaven, therefore now I am in some sort glorious, therefore I minde things above in my head, and therefore because of the necessary conformity of the members to the p. 395head, therefore I must more and more dye to sinne, be crucified to sinne, and rise by the Spirit of Christ, and ascend with him, the more I know, and consider, and meditate of this, the more I am transformed into the likenesse of his death and resurrection; but to goe a little further.

Quest. What things in Christs death did especially discover themselves to us, (when we once beleeve) to our comfort?

Ans. Three things.

In regard of us,Three things comfortable to us in Christs death. wonderfull love that he dyed for for us.

In regard of sinne, wonderfull hatred that p. 396hee would dye for sinne.

And wonderfull holinesse and love of grace, he shewed his hatred of sinne, that hee would shed his heart blood for it, and wanting the glory of God as it were, by feeling the wrath of God for a time, even in hatred to sinne.

There were these two affections pregnant in Christ upon the crosse, wondrous love for us to dye for us, and wondrous hatred of sinne to purge it, for which he dyed, and wondrous holinesse from whence hatred of sinne came;Whence hatred of sinne proceedes. whence doth hatred of sinne come but from wonderfull purity, p. 397and holiness, that cannot indure sinne. Thus when the soule considers it is one with Christ, it hath the same affections that Christ had, Christ in love to us dyed, can I apprehend that love of Christ when hee dyed, and was crucified, and tormented for my sinne, but out of love, I must hate sinne againe? And when I consider how Christ stood affected to sinne upon the crosse, when hee dyed to purge it, and to satisfie for i…, c…n I have other affections, being one with him, then hee had upon the crosse? I cannot, so whether I consider his love to me, or the hatred he bore p. 398to sinne, considering my selfe one with him, by a mysticall union, I shall have the same affection of love to him, and bee like him every way, to love what hee loves, and to hate what hee hates.

I cannot but hate sinne, and hating sinne, I must act his part anew, that is, as he dyed for sinne, so I dye to sinne, as hee was crucified for it, so it is crucified in me, as he was peirced, so hee gives corruption a stabbe in me, as hee was buryed, so my corruption is buryed, and as he dyed once never to dye againe, so I follow my sinnes to the grave, to death, and p. 399consumption of old Adam, that hee never riseth againe, so I say, the consideration of my union with Christ, that I in Christ did dye, and was crucified, because my head dyed, and was crucified. And then it puts that affection into mee that was in Christ, and makes me act Christs part, to dye to sin daily more and more, these, & the like thoughts are stirred up in a christian, which Saint Paul aimes at, in Rom. 6. and other places.

So by the vertue of his resurrection, I am conformable more and more, to the graces in him, for as the power of Gods Spirit p. 400raised him up, when hee was at the lowest, when he had beene three dayes in the grave, so the Spirit in every Christian, ray seth them up at the lowest to comfort, to a further degree of grace, more and more, nay, when they are fallen into any sinne, or any affliction for sinne, the same power that raised Christ when hee was in the grave; for our sinnes in the lowest humiliation that could bee, it raiseth them from their sinnes daily, that they gather strength from their sinnes, the power that raised Christ at the lowest, raiseth a Christian at the lowest in sinne, and in affliction p. 401for sinne, for when he is tripped, and undermined by his corruptions, God by that power that raised Christ at the lowest, recovers and strengthens him, and makes him afresh revenge himselfe upon his sinne, and when hee is at the lowest, in the grave, the same power will raise him like Christ every way, so you see how we are changed to the liknesse of Christ.

How shall wee know then whether we have the Image of Christ stamped upon us,How to know if we be changed to Christs Image. or no?

If wee be changed into the likenesse of Christ, we shall be changed in our understandings, to judge of p. 402things as he did, his ayme was to please his father in all things, if we have the same ends, and the same opinion, and esteeme of things, he judged matters of grace, and of the kingdome of God above all other, for the soule is more worth then the whole world, see the judgement that he passed upon things: Seeke ye first the Kingdome of God, and all other things shall be cast upon you. We must bee changed in our judgement, if we will have his Image upon us. Wee must bee like him in our will, in our choyce, in the cleaving, and purpose, and resolution of our will, wee must have the bent of our p. 403soule, as his was, our soules must be edged, and pointed as his was, wholly for heaven, and the Kingdome of God: And so for our affections there must bee a change in them, in our love, and joy, and delight, we must love, and joy, and delight, in whatsoever he did.

Now the way to stirre us up to this, is to see what Image wee naturally carry, and to see our selves in the glasse of the Law, if a man consider thus, if Christs Image be not upon me, I carry the image of the devill, this would make him labour to get another Image upon him: For beloved at the day of p. 404judgement, Christ will not owne us, if he see not his Image upon us, Caesar will owne Caesars coyne, if hee see his image upon it. Whose image and superscription is this? Give unto Caesar, that which is Caesars. If Christ see his stampe on us, he will owne us at the day of judgment, or else not. Naturally we are all opposite to Christ, naturally wee are full of pride and mallice, of the spirit of the world, and the devill, get out this by all meanes, or else Christ will not owne us at the day of judgement, hee will not looke upon us, he cannot abide to see us, if we have not his image, wee must p. 405beare the image of the second Adam, as wee did the image of the first.

Againe, the law of God that was written in Adams heart, it is expressed, and coppyed out, there see our selves, there see all the curses, there see our selves guilty of the breach of every commandement, if wee understand the law spiritually, that desire of women, and revengefull thoughts, are murther, and adultery, understand the law spiritually, and see our selves in that glasse, see our selves utterly condemned, this will make us flye to the glasse of the Gospell, that we may be changed into the Image of Christ.

p. 406There is another image that we more desire to be changed into,Most desire to be changed into the likenesse of the world. we are transformed into the likenesse of the world, cast into the mould of the times, we labour to have those opinions that the times have, and those wayes of getting, and rising to preferment that the world hath, and to have that carriage and disposition every way that the world hath, and so frame to the spirit of the world in al things, that so wee may not be observed by others, and crossed in our pleasures, and preferments, and profits, wel, this desire to be transformed into the likenesse of the world, to have the spirit p. 407of the world, what will it come to in the end? The world shall bee condemned, if wee will bee condemned with the world, let us labour to bee transformed into the opinion of the world, and to goe with the streame, and the errours of the time, if we desire to be damned. The world must bee condemned, it is the kingdome of Sathan wherein hee rules, therefore, there is no image or likenesse for us to be transformed into, if we will bee saved, and have comfort, but the Image of Christ, and can wee have a better likenesse to be transformed into, then the image of him, by p. 408whom wee hope to be saved? then to be like him from whom wee hope for so great a matter as Salvation is.

2Againe, that wee may be changed into the likenesse of Christ,Meditate on Christ. let us fix our meditations upon him, and we shall find a change we know not how, insensible, as those that stand in the Sunne, for other purposes, they find themselves lightned, and heate, so let us set our selves about holy meditations, and we shall finde a secret insensible change, our soules will be altered and changed, wee know not how, there is a vertue goes with holy meditation, a p. 409changing, transforming vertue, and indeed we can think of nothing in Christ, but it wil alter and change us to the likenesse of it selfe, because we have all from Christ, can wee thinke of his humility, and not be humble? can wee thinke, was God humble, and shall base wo…es be proud, shall I bee fierce, when my Saviour was meeke, can a proud fierce heart, apprehend a sweete meeke Saviour? No; the heart must bee sutable to the thing apprehended, it is impossible that a heart that is not meeke, and sweetened, and brought low, should apprehend a loving, and humble Saviour, p. 410there must be a sutablenesse betweene the heart and Christ: As hee was borne of a humble Virgin, so he is borne and conceived in a humble heart, Christ is borne, and conceived, and lives, and growes in every Christian, and in a humble, and lowl… heart, made like him by his Spirit, that is the wombe. The heart that is sutable, that is the heart that hee is formed in.

3Againe, to be changed into this image,The sight of remainder of sin. when we are once in the state of grace, let us looke to the remainder of our corruptions, the best of us shall see, that that will make p. 411us looke after Christ, look to our world limindednes, to our passions, to our rebellions, to our darkenesse and deadnesse of spirit, and then goe to Christ; Lord thou hast appointed Christ, to be a head, to be a full vessell, that of his grace, wee might have grace for grace, hee was annoynted with the oyle of gladnesse above his fellowes, but for his fellows, I am earthly minded, hee is heavenly, I am full of rebellions, of lusts, all is at peace in him, the Image of God is perfect in him, and hee is a head to infuse grace, a head of influence as well as of eminence, he is not onelyonly above me, but p. 412he hath all grace for me, therefore goe to Christ, I need thy heavenly mindednesse, and some portion of thy meekenesse, of thy spirituall strength, I am weake, and darke, and dead, shine on me, thou haste fulnesse for mee, so goe to Christ, and draw upon every occasion, vertue, and life, from Christ our head, this is to know what is meant by being transformed to Christ our head.

There are two conformities beloved exceeding comfortable to us, and wee must meditate on both.

First, Christs conformity to us, he was transfigured p. 413into our likenesse, he became man in love to us, not onelyonly man, but in the forme of a servant, base man, he tooke mans nature, and mans base condition, Phil. 2, here is the ground of our comfort, that Christ tooke our forme, hee transfigured himselfe to our basenesse, and shall not we labour to be transformed, to be like him, that out of love stooped so low to bee like us? let us but thinke of this beloved, our blessed Saviour tooke our nature on him, pure and holy by his Spirit, he followed sinne to death, he was conceived, and lived, and dyed without sinne, to satisfie p. 414for sinne, and now by his Spirit, hee cleanseth out sinne, he pursued, and chased out sinne from his conception, in all the passages of his life, so we should be like him, drive away sin, get the Spirit, that our nature in us, may be as it was in him, holy, and pure, and spirituall, shall he be conformed to us, and shall not we conforme to him, many such reasons, and considerations there bee, to moove us to be changed into the Image of Christ.

Christ in this worke of changing is all in all,Christ all in all in changing us. for first of al by Christs death and satisfaction to divine 1justice,The gift of the Spirit. we have the Spirit of God that doth all,For Christ. for p. 415the Spirit is the gift of Gods love, next to Christ, the greatest: Now Christ having reconciled God, God being reconciled gives the Spirit, our sinnes being forgiven, the fruite of Gods love is the Spirit, so wee have the Spirit by the merit of Christ.

Againe, we have it from 2Christ,From Christ. as a head derived unto us, we have the Spirit for Christ, and from Christ, Christ receives the Spirit first, and then he sendsit into our hearts, so for Christs sake, and from Christ as a head, we have the Spirit.

Againe, from Christ we 3have the patterne of all grace whatsoever,The patterne of all grace from Christ. to p. 416which wee are changed, the patterne of all grace is from Christ, he begins to us in every grace.

4Againe, in the fourth place,The reasons of this c…ange from Christ the reasons inducing are all from Christ: for we are not only changed by power, but by reason, there is the greatest reasons in the world to be a christian, and to come out of the state of nature, when our understanding is enlightned to see the horrible state of nature, with the angry face of God with it, and then to have our eyes opened at the same time to see the glorious, and gracious face of God in Iesus Christ, here is the greatest wisedome p. 417in the world to come out of that cursed state to a better: now the reasons of this change are fetched from Christ, that by knowing Christ, we know by reflection the cursed state out of him, and to see the glorious benefits by Christs redemption, & glorification, these set before the eye of the soule, and then the heart wrought upon by these reasons; if Christ gave himselfe for me, shall not I give my selfe to Christ, Paul hath his heavenly Logicke, Christ dyed for us, that we might live to him, so we have the merit of the Spirit from Christ, the derivation of the Spirit p. 418from Christ as a head and the patterne of grace from Christ, and the inducing reasons all from Christ, in this changing to his Image.

Againe in that Christ is the Image to which wee are changed,To see all that is good and comfortable in Christ, first let us learne if we would see any thing excellent, and comfortable in our selves, see it in Christ first, there is nothing comfortable in man but it is in Christ first, as the first Image, the first receiver of all, Christ Iesus himselfe, if wee would see the love of God see the love of God in Christ our head first, in him that is Gods beloved, if we would see the p. 419gifts that God hath blessed us with spirituall blessings, but it is in Christ, we have it from our head first, if we would see Gods favour, This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am well pleased, I am well pleased in him, and in all his, that are one misticall body with him, if we would see comfortably our ill done away, our sinnes removed, see it in Christ abased, in Christ crucified, and made a curse, see them all wiped away in the crosse of Christ: If we would see glory upon the removall of our sinnes, see it in Christ first, he is first risen, and therefore wee shall rise, he is ascended p. 420and sits in heavenly places, therefore we ascend and sit in heavenly places with him, all that we have or looke to have comfortable in us, see it in the first patterne, and platforme in Christ, the reason is cleare in Rom. 8. We are elected, and predestinate, to be conformed to the Image of his Sonne, we are predestinate to bee conformed to Christ in all things, to be loved as hee is, to bee gracious as he is, to rise to be glorious, to be freed, and justified afterward from all our sins, as he our surety was, wee are ordained to be conformable to him every way. In a word the flesh of p. 421Christ it was holy, it was a suffering flesh, and then a glorious flesh, now it is glorious, so our nature must be like this Image, it must be sanctified flesh, by the same Spirit that sanctified the masse that hee was made of in the wombe, it must be suffering flesh, in conformity to him, for the flesh that he tooke was suffering flesh, and he had a Kingdome of patience before he had a Kingdome of glory, so we must goe through a Kingdome of patience to the Kingdome of glory & then upon conformity in holinesse with Christ, comes our conformity in glory, when wee p. 422are content to be conformed to Christ in our suffering flesh, then wee shall be conformed to Christ in our glorious flesh, for our flesh must be used as his was, it must be holy and patient, and suffering, and then it shall be glorious, so in all things we must looke to Christ first, hee must have the preheminence.

Beloved of all contemplations under heaven, there is no contemplation so sweete and powerfull, as to see God in Christ, and to see Christ first abased for us, and our selves abased in Christ, and crucified in Christ, and acquitted in Christ, and then p. 423rayse our thoughts a little higher, see our selves made by little and little glorious in Christ, see our selves in him rising, and ascending, and sitting at the right hand of God, in heavenly places, see our selves by a Spirit of faith, in heaven already with Christ, what a glorious sight and contemplation is this? If wee first looke upon our selves what we are, we are as branches cut off from the tree, as a river cut off from the spring that dyes presently, what is in us but we have it by derivation from Christ, who is the first, the spring of all grace, the summe of all the beames p. 424that shine upon us, we are as branches cut off, therefore now to see Christ, and our selves in Christ, this transformes us to bee like his Image, it is the sweetest contemplation that can be.

We see this change is wrought by beholding,This change wrought by beholding. the beholding the glory of God in the Gospell, it is a powerfull beholding, for saith he, we are changed by beholding, to the Image of Christ; sight workes upon the imaginations in bruite creatures, as Labans sheepe, when they saw the party coloured roddes it wrought upon their imaginations, and they had lambes sutable: will sight p. 425worke upon imagination, and imagination worke a reall change in nature? and shall not the glorious sight of Gods mercy, and love in Christ, worke a change, in our soule, is not the eye of faith more strong to alter and change than imagination naturall? certainely the eye of faith apprehending Gods love, and mercy in Christ, it hath a power to change, the Gospell it selfe together with the Spirit, hath a power to change, wee partake by it of the divine nature.

This glasse of the Gospell hath an excellencie and an eminencie above all other glasses,The excellencie of the glasse of the Gospell. it is a p. 426glasse that changeth us, when wee see our selves and our corruptions in the glasse of the law, there we see our selves dead, the law findes us dead, and leaves us dead, it cannot give us any life, but when we looke into the Gospell and see the glory of God, the mercy of God, the gracious promises of the Gospell, wee are changed into the likenesse of Christ whom wee see in the Gospell: it is an excellent glasse, therefore that hath a transforming power to make beautifull, such a glasse would be much prized in this proud world, such a glasse is the Gospell.

p. 427Therefore let us b… in love with this glasse above all other glasses whatsoever, nothing can change us but the Gospel, the Gospell hath a changing power, as you have it Isay 11. there the Lyon shall feede with the Lambe, &c. For the whole earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord: the knowledge of Christ lesus is a changing knowledge, that changeth a man even from an untractable fierce creature, to be tractable, sweete, and familiar, so that the knowledge of God in Iesus Christ, you see it is a transforming knowledge, and changeth us into the Image p. 428of Christ to the likenesse of Christ.

Especially upon this ground,VponUpon what ground we are changed by beholding. that when wee looke upon Christ, and God in Christ, we see our selves there, in the love of Christ, and in the love of God, and thereupon wee are moved to be changed to Christ, not by seeing Christ alone, or by seeing God in Christ alone, but by seeing Gods love in Christ to us, and Christs love to us, for the Spirit of faith which is given together with the Gospell, it sees Christ giving himselfe for me, and sees God the Fathers love in me in Christ, and giving me to Christ, when the Spirit of p. 429faith with this appropriation seeth God mine in Christ, and seeth Christ mine, and sees my selfe in the love of God, and in the love of Christ, hereupon the soule is stirred up from a holy desire, to bee like Christ Iesus, that loved me so much, and to be conformable to God all I can: For if the person be great and glorious, and our friend too, there is a naturall desire to be like such to imitate them, and expresse them all we can. Now when wee see our selves in the love of God and Christ, out of the nature of the thing it selfe, it will stirre us up to be like so sweete, and gracious, p. 430and loving a Saviour.

There are three sights that hath a wondrous efficasie,Three efficatious sights. and they goe together.

God sees us in Christ, and therefore loves us, as we are in Christ.

Christ sees us in the love of his father, and therefore loves us as hee sees us in his fathers love.

Wee see our selves in Christ, and see the love of God to us in Christ, these three sights are the foundation of all comfort, God gives us to Christ, and sees us as given to him, in his election, Christ sees us as given of the Father, as you have it Iohn 17. And loves us as wee are loved of the p. 431Father, and then sees us as his owne members, and wee by a Spirit of Faith see Christ, and see our selves in Christ, and given to Christ by the Father, hereupon comes a desire of imitation and expression of Iesus Christ, when we see our selves in Christ God lookes upon us in Christ, and we looke upon our selves in Christ, and when we looke upon the mercy of God in Christ, it kindleth love, and love kindleth love, as fire kindleth fire: Fire hath that quality, that it turnes all to it selfe. Now the meditation of the glorious love of God in Christ it workes love, and love is p. 432an affection of changing, love transformes as fire doth, the love of God warmes us, and wee are fit for all impressions, as things that are warme, Iron is a dull and heavy thing, yet when it is warmed it is bright, and plyable, and hath as much as may be, of the nature of fire imprinted upon it, so our dead, and dull, and unflexible, and unyeelding soules become mallyable, and flexible by the love of Christ shining upon them, his love transformes them, and kindles them, so here is the way, how the glory of Gods love in Christ transformes us, because the discovery of the p. 433bowels of mercy in God towards us, kindles love to him, and that being kindled it workes likenesse, for love to greatnesse transformes us, it workes a desire to be like those that are great, where there is dependance, there is a desire to be like, even among men, much more considering that God so loves our nature in Christ, and that our nature is so full of grace in Christ as it is, the love of God in Christ, that hath done so much for us, it breedes a desire to be like Christ in our disposition, all wee can.

By looking to the glory of God in Christ, wee see p. 434Christ, as our husband, and that breedes a disposition in us, to have the affections of a Spouse, wee see Christ as our head, and that breedes a disposition in us, to be members like him.

Quest. How shall wee know then that wee see God in Christ, and the glory of God in the Gospell comfortably?

Answ. Hath this sight a transforming power in thee, to the Image of Christ?How to knoW if we see the glory of God as we ought. to make thee like him; if it have not a transforming power, it is a barren empty contemplation, that hath no efficacy or comfort at all, so farre as the sight of Gods love in Christ, p. 435breedes conformity to Christ, so farre it is graciour and comfortable, see therefore whether thou art transformed to the Image of Christ, if there be not a change, there is no beholding of Christ to speake off, no man ever sees the mercy of God in Christ by the eye of faith, but he is changed.

For beloved, as there must be a change, so it is in this order, from beholding the mercy of God in Christ, for can you imagine that any soule can see it selfe in the glasse of Gods love in Iesus Christ, that it should see in the Gospell Christ, and in him, God reconciled unto p. 436him in particular, but that soule out of the apprehension of Gods love in Christ, will love God againe, and be altered and changed? It is impossible such a sight therefore, whereby we see our selves in this glasse, as when we looke in a glasse and see our owne Image, we see our owne selves in Christ, and the love of God, such a sight altereth and changeth alway, it works love, and love is the worker of imitaiton:Love workes imitation. for what doth make one labour to expresse another, in their disposition, carriage, and conversation? Oh it is love, as children imitate their Parents, love is full p. 437of invention, and of this kinde of invention, that it studdies to please the person loved, as much as it can every way, hereupon we come to be desirous to be like Christ, because we see the glory of Gods mercy shining in Christ.

The adversaries of the grace of God, they fall foule upon us, because we preach justification by the free mercy, and love of God in Christ; Oh say they, this is to dead the spirits of men, that they have no care of good workes.

Beloved, can there bee any greater insentive, and motive in the world, to sanctification, to expresse p. 438Christ, and to studdy Christ, then to consider what favour and mercy wee have in Christ? how we are justified, and freed by him, by the glorious mercy of God in Christ? there cannot be a greater, therfore we see here, they depend one upon another, by seeing in the glasse of the Gospell, the glory of God, we are transformed from glory to glory: An excellent glasse the Gospell is, by seeing Gods love in it, wee are changed: The Law is a glasse too, but such a glasse as Saint Iames speakes of, that when a man lookes into it, and sees his duty, he goes away, and forgets p. 439all, the Law discovers our sinne and misery. Indeed it is a true glasse, if wee looke there, wee shall see the true picture of old Adam, and of corruption, but it is such a glasse as workes nothing upon us, but when this glasse is held out by the Ministers of the word, whose office it is to hold the glasse to people, when they see the love of God in Christ, this is a changing transforming glasse, to make them that were deformed, and disfigured before, that bore upon them the image of Sathan before, now to be transformed to be like Christ, by whom they must bee saved. Is there any studdy p. 440in the world, therefore more excellent then that of the Gospell, and of the mercy of God in Christ, that transformes & changes men from one degree of grace to another, as it followes in the Text.

Therefore, those that finde themselves to be the old men still that have lived in corrupt courses, and doe so still, let them not thinke to have any benefit by the Gospell, they deceive themselves, they never knew God: for hee that saith he hath communion with God, and walkes in darkenesse, hee is a lyer, Saint Iohn gives him the lye, for God is light, how can a man see himselfe in p. 441the love of God, and remaine in a darke state opposite to love, will it not alter a man? It will not suffer him to live in sinnes against conscience, let no man that doth so, thinke he hath benefit by Christ, that knowledge is but a notionall knowledge, a speculation, a swimming knowledge, it is not a spirituall knowledge, because wheresoever the knowledge of God in Christ is to purpose, there is a change, and conversion of the whole man, there is a new judgement, and new affections, the bent and byas of them is another way then they were before, there is a p. 442change which is called a turning in the Scripture, those things that were before them before, are now behind them, and those things that were behind them,Repentance a turning. are now before them, whereas they turned their backe upon God and good things, now they turne their faces, they looke God-ward, and Heaven-ward, and to a better condition; for this change is nothing else but a conversion: therefore a man may say as hee said, I am not I, those that have seene Christ, it makes them differ from themselves, this sight workes a change.

If there were not a p. 443change it would make God forsworne,If there were not a change, God would be forsworne. as it is Luke 1. in Zacharies song, He hath sworne that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, wee should serve him without feare in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our lives: If any man therefore say he is delivered from his enemies, that he thinkes hee shall not be damned and goe to hell; and yet doth not live in holinesse and righteousnesse, he makes Gods oath frustrate, for Gods oath joynes both together, He hath sworne that being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, we should serve him without feare, without slavish p. 444feare, but with a feare of reverence, in holinesse and righteousnesse, all the dayes of our life: Whosoever therefore are in a state of deliverance, have grace granted them whereby they may serve God in holinesse, and righteousnesse all the dayes of their life, they are changed into the same Image.