Vera 29. the 8th Cbaptér to the R O MAN S. 3áE. make td like God, the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld hisglory as the glory of the only begotten Son of God, John I. 14. So by this means was this like nefs deduced, and the image of God reftored to loft man, and man reftored to Gods fa= your, and made capable of happinéfs 3 therefore all the heirs of promife are predefti= nated to be conformed to the image of his Son, or to God appearing in their nature. 2. Besaufethey are all called aft&Chrifis name , Chriflians from Chrift :. now all that are called after Chrifts name, thould be framed after his image, otherwife they will be called Chríftians to the difgrace of Chrift 5 the Apoftles never transferred their names to their difciples. They were of feveral factions, that Paid, one, I am of Paul; another, I am of Apollo,. ; another, I am ofCephas; and I of Chrifi, t Cor. i. z3. No, we are all of Chrift, and called Chriftians, becaufe we partake of his purity and holinefs 5 furely then we ought to tranfcribe Chrifts life, and live as if another Jefus Chrifl were come into the world, Let every one that nameth the name of Chrill, depart from iniquity, 2 Tim. 2, 19. He that nameth the name of Chrift, that calleth himfelf by Chrifts name, or under taketh the profeffion of the faith of Chrift, muff depart from iniquity as Chrift did. 3. Becaufe all that are elec7ed by God, and redeemed by Chrifl, are faled by the fpirit; and what is the feat of the fpirit, but conformity to the. image of Chrift ? 'tisaoften fpokeu olio Scripture, Eph. s. t 5. re arc Paled by the Holy Spirit of promif,. and Eph. 4. 30. and grieve not the Holy Spirit, whereby ye are Pealed to the clay of Redemption, 2 Cora I. 22. Who bath Paled us, and given us the earnefi of the Spirit? What is it but the image of Chrift, impreffed upon the foul by his Spirit ? A real prints on the wax, that which is engraven upon its fdf.. Princes (tamp their own image on their Coin; fo doth the Holy Ghoft form Chrill in us, or imprint the image of God upon our fouls; now they that are th ss fealed, have Gods mark, and are his peculiar treafure, and the firlt fruits of his creatures; chufen out from others, to be: a people to ferve, pleafe, glorifie, and injoy God ; fo that if a man be to examine, and judge his own eftate, this. is that which he is to look after, whether he be conformed to the image of Chrift, yea, or no 2 Cor. 13. 5. Examine your felves whether you be in the faith; prove your felves ; know ye not your own fëlves, that 'Jefus Chrill is in yon, except ye be reprobates? That is it your obfètvati- on and fearch mutt fist upon, whether Jefus Chrifl be in you, or no. z. Chrift may be in you objec7ively, as he is apprehended and imbraced by faith and love 3 the object is in the faculty; things we often think of, and love, are in our minds and hearts; that is not ir, or not all you feek after. 2. Again, Chrill is in you effeîlively, as a principle of a new and heavenly life by his spirit, Gat. 2. 20. Chrifl liveth in me. That indeed is more. 3. Chrift is in you reprefentatively, or by way of conformity, Gal. 4, 19., Till Chrill be formed in you. Whether his nature and graces be there, whether you do refemble him in nature and life this is that you Peek after, as the fruit of the former. 4: Becaufe Chrifl was an example ; this hash great force. I take it for granted that his a great advantage not only to have a rule,but apattern and example; becaufe man is fo prone to imitate, an example in our nature maketh it the more operative; therefore Chrift came to be an example of Holinefs, and Patience, and Happinefs,to us. a. By this example our pattern is the more compleat. There are Come graces wherein we cannot be faid to refemble God, as in humility, patience, obedience; there things imply inferiorityand fuble&ion ; and God is inferiout to none; but there are other graces, as Knowledg, Wifdom, Jullice, Mercy, Purity, wherein we refemble God, but in the other we have pattern from Chrift, Humility, Matth. s 1. 29, Obedience, Heb. 5.8. Pa. tience, r Pet. t. 21. Thefe are hard duties, go againll the bent and hair ; but when the Son of God will fubmit to them, and give us the example, (hall we refufe to live in that manner, and by chore laws the Son of God chore to live by.? Betides, 'tis the morelike- ly he will pity and help us, becaufe he krtoweth what 'tis to obey in thefe cafes. 2. This example fberoeth, that an holy life is poffible to thofe who are renewed by Grace. Chrift hath humbled himfelf, and obeyed God in our nature, and fo had the interefts of flefh and blood ao gratifie as well as others ; therefore all thefe things may be done, by thofe that have not diverted. themfelves of flefh and blood ; to affure us the more of this, Chrift chore a life that might minifter infiru&ión to all men; rich and poor, bond and ftee,mayimitate him;perfons retired and folitary,and thcfe that live abroad in the world; learned and unlearned ; had he lived delicioufly,and conquered Kingdoms, and acted as a free Monarch and Potentate, the poor might have been difheartned 9 but the meaneft may
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