Secondly, This imitation of Christ implies, that as no man is, or may pretend to be his own guide, so no mere man, how wise or holy soever he be, may pretend to be a rule to other men ; but Christ is the rule of every man's way and walking. It is true in- deed, the apostle saith, " We should be followers of them, who " through faith and patience, inherit the promises," Heb. vi. 12. And again, James v. 10. " Take, my brethren, the prophets, " who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of " suffering affliction, and of patience.*'' But you must always re- member, that there is a two-fold rule ;
1. Regula regulans, the rule ruling.
2. Regula regulaia, the rule ruled.
The wisest and holiest among men, may pretend no higher than a ruled rule. The great apostle, though filled with as great a measure of the Spirit of wisdom and holiness, as ever was possessed by any mere man, yet goes no higher than this, 1 Cor. xi. 1. " Be ye followers of me, as I also am of Christ." The best of men are but men at best ; they have their errors and defects, which they freely acknowledge ; and where they differ from Christ, it is our duty to differ from them. We may not pin our faith to any man's sleeve, for we know not where he will carry it. It was the commendation which Paul gave of the Thessalonians, 1 Thes. i. 6. " And you became followers of us and of the Lord." The noble Bereans were also commended for searching the scriptures, and ex- amining the apostles' doctrine by it ; and it was a good reply of the father to a clamorous disputant, crying, Hear me, hear me ; " * I
* Xcc ego te, nee tu met sed ambo avAiamns C/uistum. Aug.
400 THL METHOD OF GRACE. SEItM. XXIX.
M will neither hear thee, nor do thou hear me ; but let us both. " hear Christ."
Thirdly. The imitation of Christ implies the necessity of sancti- fication in all his followers ; forasmuch as it is impossible there should be a practical conformity in point of obedience, where there is not a conformity in spirit and in principle ; all external confor- mity to Christ's practice, depends upon an internal conformity to Christ in the principle and Spirit of holiness. It is very plain, from Ezek. xi. 19, 20. that a new heart must be given us, and a new spirit put into us, before we can walk in God's statutes ; we must first live in the Spirit, before we can walk in the Spirit, Gal. v. 85.
Fourthly. The imitation of Christ plainly holds forth this, that the Christian religion is a very precise and strict religion ; no way countenancing licentiousness, or indulging men in their lusts : it al- lows no man to walk loosely and inordinately, but rejects ever}- mans claim to Christ, who studies and labours not to tread exactly in the footsteps of his holy and heavenly example. Profaneness and licentiousness, therefore, can find no shelter or protection under the wing of the gospel ; this is the universal rule laid upon all the professors of the Christian religion, " Let every one that u nameth the name of Christ, depart from iniquity," 2 Tim. ii. 19. i. e. let him either put on the life of Christ, or put off the name of Christ : let him shew the hand of a Christian, in works of holi- ness and obedience, or else the tongue and language of a Christian must crain no belief or credit.
Fifthly. The imitation of Christ necessarily implies the defective- ness and imperfection of the best of men in this life ; for if the life of Christ be our pattern, the best and holiest of men must confess they come short in every thing of the rule of their duty. Our pattern is still above us, the best of men are ashamed when they compare their lives with the life of Christ : It is true, a vain heart may swell with pride, when a man compares himself with other men : thus measuring ourselves by ourselves, and comparing our- selves among ourselves, we shew our folly and nourish our pride ; but if any man will compare his own life with Christ's, he will find abundant cause at every time and in every thing to be humbled. Paul was a great proficient in holiness and obedience, he had been long striving to come up to the top of holiness, yet when he looks up and sees the life of Christ, and rule oi" duty, so far above him, he reckons himself still but at the foot of the hill. Phil. hi. 12. •• Not as though I had already attained, either were already per- " feci, but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which u also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.'1 q. d. Alas ! I am not come up to my duty, I am a great way behind ; but I am following
SERM. XXIX. THE METHOD OF GRACE. 401
after, if at last I may attain it : Perfection is in my expectation and hope, at last, not in my attainment here.
Sixthly, The imitation of Christ, as our general rule or pattern, necessarily implies the transcending holiness of the Lord Jesus ; his holiness is greater than the holiness of all creatures "For only " that which is first and best in every kind, is the rule and mea- " sure of all the rest *." It is the height of saints' ambition to be made conformable to Christ, Phil. iii. 10. Christ hath a double perfection, a perfection of being, and a perfection of working. Mis life was a perfect rule, no blot or error could be found therein ; for he was "holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners :" And such an high-priest becomes us, as the apostle speaks, Heb. vii. 26. The conformity of professors to Christ's example, is the test and measure of all their graces ; the nearer any man comes to this pat- tern, the nearer he approaches towards perfection.
Seventhly, The Christian's imitation of Christ, under penalty of losing his claim to Christ, necessarily implies sanctification and obedience to be the evidences of our justification and interest in Christ : Assurance is unattainable without obedience ; we can never be comfortable Christians except we be strict and regular Christians. Gal. vi. 16. "As many as walk according to this rule, peace be " unto them, and mercy ; and upon the Israel of God.11 A loose and careless conversation can never be productive of true peace and consolation, 2 Cor. i. 12. " This is our rejoicing, the testimony " of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not " with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our " conversation in the world.11 Let men talk what they will of the immediate sealings and comforts of the Spirit, without any regard to holiness, or respect to obedience ; sure I am, whatever delusion they meet with in that way, true peace, and consolation is only to be expected and found here : " The fruit of righteousness shall " be peace, and the effect of righteousness quietness, and assurance " for ever.11 We have it not for our holiness, but we always have it in the way of holiness. And so much of the first particular, namely, what the imitation of Christ implies and comprizes in it.