1. Observe, Christ's care to make us every way like himself, as far as our capacity will bear ; like, but not equal. The reiteration showeth his care, ' Let them be as we are ;' and ' The glory which thou hast given me, I have given them.'
VeR. 22.] SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. 55
What resemblance is there between us and Christ ?
1. Between us and Christ as the eternal Son of God.
2. Between us and Christ as mediator.
First, Between us and Christ as the eternal Son of God. Christ is the essential image of the Father, therefore called ' the image of the invisible God,' Col. i. 15, and the character or ' express image of his person,' Heb. i. 3 ; and we are God's image by reflection. If there be two or three suns appear, one or two are but a reflection. There are some strictures in us. Christ is one with the Father, and we with him ; a poor christian, though never so mean, is one with Christ. Christ is called ' God's fellow,' Zech. xiii. 7, and every saint is Christ's fellow : Ps. xlv. 7, ' God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.' The Father loveth him because he is the express image of his person, and the Father delights in the saints because they are the image of Christ : ' The Father himself loveth you,' John xvi. 28. A man that loveth another, he loveth head and members with the same love. Christ is the Son of God, so are we ; it was his eternal right and privilege ; our title cometh by him : John xx. 17, ' I ascend unto my Father, and your Father.' First, he is Christ's father, and then ours; his by nature, ours by adoption, otherwise we could not have it.
2. But this likewise chiefly respects the glory that was given to Christ as mediator. As God communicateth himself to Christ as mediator, so doth Christ communicate himself to his members. Christ, as man, was begotten by the Holy Ghost ; and the same Spirit begetteth us to the life of faith. The new nature is formed in us by the Spirit, as Christ was formed in the virgin's womb : Gal. iv. 19, ' My little children, of whom I travail in birth again, until Christ be formed in you.' All his moral excellences are bestowed on the saints : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' We all beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.' If a picture be well taken, it makes us know him whom it represents ; we see the lineaments of his face as if he were present ; so doth a christian express and show forth the virtues of Christ : 1 Peter ii. 9, ' Ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light.' There is an answerable impression to his mediatory actions, and a spiritual conformity to them : Rom. vi. 4, ' Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life;' Phil. iii. 10, ' That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death ; ' Eph. ii. 6, ' And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus ;' a dying in his death, a living in his life, an ascending in his ascension ; dying to sin, rising to newness of life ; our ascension is by thoughts, hopes, and resolutions. We resemble him in his afflictions, it is a part of our conformity : 2 Cor. iv. 10, ' Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Christ inifjht be made manifest in our mortal flesh.' An afflicted innocence
56 SERMONS UPON JOHN XVII. [SeR. XXXVIIl.
and meek patience is a resemblance of Christ. And as in this life we resemble Christ in his actions and passions, so that a christian is as it were a spiritual Christ, so in the life to come we resemble him in glory. Christ, after he died, rose again, and so do we ; the same Spirit raiseth us that raised Christ. He ascended into heaven accom- panied with angels ; so are we carried by the angels into Abraham's bosom. In heaven he liveth blessedly and gloriously, so do we ; Christ hath a kingdom, so have we : Luke xii. 32, ' Fear not, little flock ; it is your Father's pleasure to give you the kingdom.' At the last day his human nature will be brought forth with a majesty and glory suit- able to the dignity of his person : ' So shall he be admired in his saints,' 2 Thes. i. 10. Then the mystery of his person shall be disclosed ; so shall the mystery of our life : Col. iii. 3, 4, ' For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.' Christ judgeth the world ; so do the saints : 1 Cor. vi. 2, ' Know ye not that the saints shall judge the world ? ' Mat. xix. 28, ' Ye which have followed me, in the regeneration, when the Son of man shall sit in the throne of his glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.' ' The second time Christ shall appear without sin unto salvation,' Heb. ix. 28. So we shall be then disburdened of all the fruits and effects of sin, ' which shall be blotted out when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord,' Acts iii. 19. We are like him in his offices, kings, priests, and prophets, but in a spiritual manner, to rule our lusts, to minister in holy things, and to instruct our hearts. Thus you see there is a conformity in grace and glory.