Fifthly, To shut up all, if you, through the Spirit, be daily mor- tifying the deeds of the body, then the death of Christ is effectually applied by the Spirit unto your souls, and your interest in him is unquestionable : For they that are Christ's have crucified the flesh, with the affections and lusts ; and they that have so crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts are Christ's.
Blessed be God for a crucified Christ.
SERM. XXIX. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 39?
Of the Imitation of Christ in holiness of Life, and the necessity of it in Believers.
He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself' also to walk; even as
J. HE express and principal design of the apostle, in this chapter, is to propound marks and signs, both negative and positive, for the trial and examination of men's claims to Christ ; amongst which (not to spend time about the coherence) my text is a principal one ; a trial of men's interest in Christ, by their imitation of Christ. It is supposed by some expositors, that the apostle, in laying down this mark, had a special design to overthrow the wicked doctrine of the Carpocratians, who taught (as Epiphanius relates it) that men might have as much communion with God in sin as in duty. In full op- position to which the apostle lays down this proposition, wherein he asserts the necessity of a Christ-like conversation in all that claim union with him, or interest with him. The words resolve themselves into two parts, viz.
1. A claim to Christ supposed.
2. The only way to have our claim warranted.
First, We have here a claim to Christ supposed ; " if any man " say he abideth in him.'" Abiding in Christ is an expression de- noting proper and real interest in Christ, and communion with him; for it is put in opposition to those temporary, light, and transient effects of the gospel, which are called a morning dew, or an early cloud ; such a receiving of Christ as that, Mat. xiii. 21. which is but a present flash, sudden and vanishing ; abiding in Christ notes a solid, durable, and effectual work of the Spirit, thoroughly and everlastingly joining the soul to Christ. Now, if any man, whoso- ever he be (for this indefinite is equivalent to an universal term) let him never think his claim to be good and valid, except he take this course to adjust it.
(2.) Secondly, The only way to have this claim warranted, and that must be by so walking' even as he walked ; which words carry in them the necessity of our imitation of Christ. But it is not to be understood indefinitely and universally of all the works or actions of Christ, some of which were extraordinary and miraculous; some purely mediatory, and not imitable by us : In these paths no Christian can follow Christ ; nor may so much as attempt to walk as he walked. But the words point at the ordinary and imitable
398 THE METHOD OF GKACE. SERM. XXIX.
ways and works of Christ ; therein it must be the care of all to follow him, that profess and claim interest in him ; they must so walk as he walked, this [so] is a very bearing word in this place ; the emphasis of the text seems to lie in it ; however, certain it is that this so walking, doth not imply an equality with Christ in ho- liness and obedience ; for as he was filled with the Spirit without measure, and anointed with that oil of gladness above his fellows ; so the purity, holiness, and obedience of his life are never to be matched, or equalized by any of the saints. But this so walking-, only notes a sincere intention, design, and endeavour to imitate and follow him in all the paths of holiness and obedience, accord- ing to the different measures of grace received. The life of Christ is the believers copy, and though the believer cannot draw one line or letter exact as his copy is, yet his eye is still upon it, he is looking unto Jesus, Heb. xii. % and labouring to draw all the lines of his life, as agreeably as he is able, unto Christ his pat- tern.
Hence the observation is,
Doct. Tliat every man is bound to the imitation of Christ, under penalty of forfeiting his claim to Christ.
The saints imitation of Christ is solemnly enjoined by many great and express commands of the gospel ; so you find it, 1 Pet. i. 15. " But as he that hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all man- " ner of conversation :" So Eph. v. 1, 2. " Be ye therefore follow- " ers of God as dear children, and walk in love, as Christ also hath " loved us." " Christians (saith * Bernard) receive this name from *c Christ ; and it is very meet that as they inherit his name, so thev " should also imitate his holiness.'" Now to state the method of this discourse, it will be needful to discuss and open three things in the doctrinal part.
1. What the saints imitation of Christ supposes and comprizes.
2. In what particulars they are especially bound to imitate Christ.
8. Why no claim to Christ is valid without this imitation of him.
And then apply the whole in divers uses.
(1.) First, What the saints imitation of Christ supposeth and compriseth. Now there are divers great and weighty truths sup- posed and implied in this imitation of Christ, or walking as he walked, viz.
* Christiani a Christo novien accepemnt, et opera pretium est, ut sicu! sunt htrredes no- minis, ita sint hnitaiores sanctitatis. Bern. sent. lib. p. 43G,
SERM. XXIX. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 399
First, It supposes, that no Christian is, or may pretend to be a rule to himself, to act according to the dictates of his own will and pleasure ; for as no man hath wisdom enough to direct and govern himself, so if his own will were made the rule of his own actions, it would be the highest invasion of the divine prerogative that could be imagined : " I know, O Lord, (saith Jeremiah) that the " way of man is not in himself, it is not in him that walketh to " direct his own steps, Jer. x. 23. We may as well pretend to be our own makers as our own guides. It is a pretty observation of Aquinas, that if the workman's hand were the rule cf his work, it were impossible he should ever err in working : And if the will of man were the only law and guide of his way, we might then say no man would sin in his walking. The apostle, indeed, saith of the Heathens, Rom. ii. 14. " That they are a law to themselves ;" but it is not his meaning, that their will is their law, but the law of God engraven upon their hearts ; the light and dictates of their own consciences did oblige and bind them as a law.