But how are we changed into the likeness of Christ ? How come we to be like him ? ;
When once we believe in Christ, we are graft into the similitude of his death, and into the likeness of his resurrection. It is a point somewhat mystical, yet it is stood upon in the Scriptures, in Kom. vi. especially, at large.
How come we to die to sin by virtue of Christ's death ? and to live to righteousness by the fellowship of Christ's resurrection ? It is said we are transformed into the likeness of Christ. The phrases of Scripture shew it. But to stand upon these phrases a little.
Beloved, as it was in Christ's own person when Christ died, whole
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Christ died and was crucified, but yet the death itself, the crucifying was terminate in the human nature : the human nature died and not the God- head ; yet by reason of the union, whole Christ died and was crucified : the ' Lord of glory' was crucified, as the Scripture speaks. And as it was in Christ natural, so it is in Christ mystical, whole Christ mystical was crucified, whole Christ mystical is risen again, notwithstanding the cruci- fying was terminate in Christ the head, not in the members. As his death was terminate in his human nature, it ended and was confined in that ; so this crucifying belonged to the head, and the head rose ; yet whole Christ, all believers as soon as they are one with Christ, by reason of the mystical union, they are dead and crucified in Christ their head, and risen and sit in heavenly places, in Christ their head. So then a true believer, when he is made one with Christ, he reasons thus. My corruption of nature, this pride of heart that naturally I have, this enmity of goodness, this is cruci- fied ; for I am one with Christ. When he died, I and my head did die, and this pride and covetousness and worldliness, this base and filthy carnal disposition, was crucified in Christ my head. I in my head was crucified, and I in my head now am risen and sit in heaven. Therefore now I am in some sort glorious. Therefore I mind things above in my head. And therefore because of the necessarj^ conformity of the members to the head, I must more and more die to sin, be crucified to sin, and rise by the Spirit of Christ and ascend with him. The more I know, and consider, and meditate of this, the more I am transformed into the likeness of his death and resurrection. But to go a little further.
Quest. What things in Christ's death did especially discover themselves to us, when we once beheve, to our comfort ?
A71S. Three things.
In regard of lis, wonderful love, that he died for us.
In regard of sin, wonderful hatred, that he would die for sin.
And xvonderful Jwliiicss and lore of grace. He shewed his hatred of sin, that he would shed his heart-blood for it ; and wanting the glory of God, as it were, by feeling the wrath of God for a time, even in hatred to sin.
There were these two aftections pregnant in Christ upon the cross, won- drous love for us to die for us, and wondrous hatred of sin to purge it, for which he died ; and wondrous holiness, from whence hatred of sin came. Whence doth hatred of sin come, but from wonderful purity and holiness, that cannot endure sin ? Thus, when the soul considers it is one with Christ, it hath the same aflections that Christ had. Christ in love to us died. Can I apprehend that love of Christ when he died and was crucified and tormented for my sin, but out of love I must hate sin again ? And when I consider how Christ stood afi'ected to sin upon the cross, when he died to purge it, and to satisfy for it, can I have other afli'eetions,; being one with him, than he had upon the cross ? I cannot. So, whether I consider his love to me, or the hatred he bore to sin, considering myself one with him by a mystical union, I shall have the same afl'ection of love to him, and be like him every way, to love what he loves, and to hate what he hates.
I cannot but hate sin ; and, hating sin, I must act his part anew, that is, as he died for sin, so I die to sin ; as he was crucified for it, so it is crucified in me ; as he was pierced, so he gives corruption a stab in me ; as he was buried, so my corruption is buried ; and as he died once, never to die again, so I follow my sins to the grave, to death, and consumption of old Adam, that he never riseth again. So I say, the consideration of my union with
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Christ, that I in Clirist did die and was crucified, bccanso my head died and was crucified. And then it puts that afi'cction into me that was in Christ, and makes me act Christ's part, to die to sin daily more and more. These and the hke thoughts are stirred up in a Christian, which St Paul aims at in Rom. vi. and other places.