Doct. That the elect are in time distinguished from others by being conformed to the image of Christ.
1. Wherein this conformity to Christ consisteth.
2. Why this is the distinction between the elect, or called according to purpose, and others.
First, Wherein this conformity to Christ consisteth. I answer, In three things.
1. In sufferings and afflictions, in our passage to a better estate. As by the bounty of God we taste somewhat of the world to sweeten our pilgrimage, so also somewhat of the evil of the world to make us hasten our journey ; and herein we are made conformable to Christ, who was a man of sorrows, Isa. liii. 3. This must be expected by us ; for John xv. 20, ' The servant is not greater than the lord ; if they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also.' Art thou poor ? none of us is so poor as Christ was. Hast thou many enemies ? he had more, and was pursued with greater malignity. It must be patiently endured by us : 1 Peter ii. 21, ' Because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps ;' we that look for his glory must bear his cross. Now he calleth us to no harder lot than he himself endured, or to go in any part of rough way that he hath not trod before us. Surely they that fancy to themselves an easy life, free from all kind of sufferings and molestations, must seek another leader: 2 Tim. ii. 11, 12, ' If ye be dead with him, ye shall also live with him ; if we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him ; ' we must be like him whom we have chosen for our head and chief in every state. What do we with Christianity if we refuse to be like Christ ? we must be holy as he was holy, and afflicted as he was afflicted : 2 Cor. iv. 10, ' Always bearing about in our body the dying of the Lord Jesus.' When name dieth, and interests die and languish; when we are scorned and reproached, despitefuUy used for righteous- ness' sake, we carry ujj and down with us the lively resemblance of the sufferings of Christ, and so we begin to look like christians ; and however this scemeth to be troublesome and distasteful to those who are blinded with the delusions of the flesh, yet a believer should count it his glory, honour, and happiness, as Paul reckoneth it among his gain and great advantages he had by Christ : Phil. iii. 10, ' That I may know the fellowship of his sufferings, and be made conformable to his death, and count all things but loss and dung in comparison of it.' The bitter cross should be made lovely to us, because hereby we are made more like our Lord and Master. If our sufferings go on to death, we have the same issue that Christ had, and must endure it on the same comforts : Heb. xii. 2, ' Looking to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith ; who, for the joy set before him, endured the
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cross, and despised the shame, and is set down at the right hand of God.' Death itself is a passage to life, therefore is Christ called ' the first- begotten fi-om the dead,' Rev. i. 5. Well then, afflictions come not by the will of man, nor the bare permission of God, but his special decree ; we are ' predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Son.'
2. In righteousness and holiness. God hath appointed his chosen ones to be like his own Son in holiness ; this the scripture doth every- where witness : Phil. ii. 5, ' Let the same mind be in you that was in Jesus ; ' and Mat. xi. 29, ' Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly ; ' John xiii. 15, ' I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done;' Col. iii. 13, 'Forgiving one another, as Christ forgave you ;' and in many other places. Many reasons there are for it, why this part of the conformity should be most regarded.
[1.] This is the end of conformity to him in our afilictions : Heb. xii. 10, ' That we maybe partakers of his holiness ;' that we may live a life of patience and holiness and contempt of the world, for otherwise God would not afflict but for our profit ; he doth not grieve his chil- dren willingly, but as there is need and cause.
[2.] This is the way to conformity to him in glory. We that look for immaculate felicity in the other world must be like him for eximi- ous sanctity in this world : 2 Cor. iii. 18, ' We are changed into his image and likeness, from glory to glory ; ' it is begun here and per- fected there. Eternal glory is little else but holiness perfected, and spuitual life issueth into the heavenly as the rivers lose themselves in the ocean ; therefore we shall never be like him in glory unless we be like him in grace first ; this is the pledge of our beatitude.