Ver. 29. the Stb Chapter to the ROMANS. quoque genere etc menfiara i regula Ctetererum, in our glory and bleffednefs he is our forerunner, Reh. 6. 20. having a&ually taken poffeflion of that felicity and glory which he fpake of to his followers; fo that Chrifts honour is refereed; and believers are corn. forted, whileft they follow their Head And Leader in every fiate and condition: Dots. That the eleli are in time diflinguifhed from others, by being conformed to the image of Chrifl. I. Wherein this conformity to Chrift conffeth. 2. Why this is the diflinilion between the cleft or called according to pupófe, and others. t. Wherein this conformity to Chrifl confifleth ? I anfwer, In Three things. r. In fat rings and opinions. In our paffage to a better eftate. As by the boúnty of God, we raft fomewhat of the world to fweeten our pilgrimage; fo alto fomewhat of the evil of the world, to make us hatter] our journey; and herein we are 'made con- formable to Chrift, who was a man of forrows, Ifa. 53. . This mutt be expeâed by us for John 15. 20. The fervant is not greater than the Lord ; if they have perfecuted me, they mill perfecute you alp. Art thou poor ? none of us is fo poor as Chrift was.Haft thou ma- ny enemies? he had more, and was purfued with greater malignity. It muff be patiently induced by us, I Pet. 2. 21, Becaufe Chriji alfo fufféred for us, leaving vs an example that we fhould follow hio fieps : we that look for his glory, molt bear his crofs. Now hé calleth us to no harder lot than he himfelf endured, or to go, in any part ofrobgh t 'r that he bath not trod before us furely they that fancy to themfelves an eafie life, ree from all kind of fufferings and moleltations, mutt feek another leader, 2 Tim. 2. 11, r 2. If ye be dead with him, ye fhall a f live with him; if we fufer with him, we Pali a fo.reigis with him. We muff be like him, whom we have chofen for our head and chief Met-- ty Efate; what do we with Chriftianity, if we refait to be like Chrilt ? we muff b: ho. Iy, as he was,]toly, and afìli&ed as he was afflicted,' 2 Cor. 4. 10. Always bearing about in our body the dying Of the Lord Nu. When name dieth, and interefts die and Ian- guifh 5 when we are (corned, and reproached, defpightfully ufed for righteoufnefs fakes we carry up and down with us the lively refemblance of the fufferings of Chrilt, and fo we begin to look like Chriftians 5 and however this feemeth to be troùblefome and diftaftful to thofe who are blinded with the delufions of the &lb, yet a believer fhcculd' count it his glory, honour, and happinefs, as Paul reckoneth it,amon his gain and great advantages he had by Chrift, Phil. 3. 1o. That 1may know the fellowfRsip of hisfufferings, and be made conformable to his death, and count all things bist lofs and dung in comparifon of it. The bitter croft Ihould be made lovely to us, becaufe hereby we are made more like our Lord and Matter; if our fufferings go on to death, we have the fame iffue that Chrilthad, and muff indure it on the fame comforts, Heb. 12. 2. Looking to fefoi the author andfnifher of our faith; who for the joy fet before him,'indared the croft, and defpi. fed the fhame 5 and is fit down at the right hand of God. Death its felf is a paffage tolife, therefore is Chrilt called the firflbegotten from the dead, Revel. i. g. Well then; Af$i= &ions come not by the will of man, nor the bare permilfion of God,but his fpecial De- cree ; we are predeflinated to be conformed to the image of hio Son. 2. In righteoufnefi and holinefs. God hath appointed his chofen ones, to be bite his own Son in holinefs ; thisthe Scripture doth every where witnefs, Phil. 2. 5. Let tie fame mind be in you that was in Jefes. And Mattb. 11, 29. Learn of me, for lam meek and lowly. John x3. 15. I have given you an example, that you fhould do do 1 have done. Col. 3. 13. Forgiving one another, as Chrifi forgave you; and in many other places. Ma- ny reafons there are for it, . why this part of the conformity lhould be more regarded. i. This is the end of conformity to him in our opinions, lf lieb. s 2. to. that we may be par- takers of his holinefs; that we may live a life of patience, and holinefs, and contempt of the world; for otherwife God would not afi &, but for our profit; he doth not grieve his children willingly, but as there is need and caufe. 2. Thit is the way to conformity to him in glory. We that look for immaculate fel'ici'ty in the other world, mull be like him for eximious fan&ity in this world, 2 Cot.3.18, We are changed into his image and likenefs, from glory to glory 5 'tis begun here, and perfect ed there; eternal glory is little elk but holinefi perfected ; and fpiritnal life iffuettr into the heavenly, as the Rivers lofe themfelves in the Ocean; therefore we fhall never Pa be
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