Use 2. Again, that we may be changed into the likeness of Christ, let us fix our meditations vpon him, and we shall find a change we know not how, insensible. As those that stand in the sun for other purposes, they find themselves lightened and heat [ed]; so let us set ourselves about holy meditations, and we shall find a secret, insensible change ; our souls will be altered and changed we know not how. There is a virtue goes with holy meditation, a changing, transforming virtue ; and indeed we can think of nothing in Christ "but it will alter and change us to the likeness of itself, because we have all from Christ. Can we think of his humility and not be humble? Can we think, was God humble, and shall base worms be proud? Shall I be fierce when my Saviour was meek ? Can a proud, fierce heart apprehend a sweet, meek Saviour ? No. The heart must be suitable to the thing apprehended. It is impossible that a heart that is not meek, and sweetened, and brought low, should apprehend a loving and humble Saviour. There must be a suitableness between the heart and Christ. As he was born of a humble virgin, so he is born and conceived in a humble heart. Christ is born and conceived, and lives and grows in every Christian ; and in a humble and lowly heart, made like him by his Spirit : that is the womb. The heart that is suitable, that is the heart that he is formed in.
Use 3. Again, to be changed into this image, when we are once in the state of grace, let us look to the remainder of our corrujjtions. The best of us shall see that that will make us look after Christ. Look to our worldly- mindedness, to our passions, to our rebellions, to our darkness and dead- ness of spirit, and then go to Christ. Lord, thou hast appointed Christ to be a head, to be a full vessel, that of his grace we might have grace for grace. He was ' anointed with the oil of gladness above his fellows,' Ps. xlv. 7, but for his fellows. I am earthly-minded, he is heavenly. I am full of rebellions, of lusts ; all is at peace in him. The image of God is perfect in him, and he is a head to infuse grace, a head of influence as well as of eminence. He is not only above me, but he hath all grace for me.
2G8 EXCELLENCY OF THE GOSPEL
Therefore, go to Christ. I need thy bcavcnly-mindeclncss, and some portion of thy meokness, of tby spiritual strength. I am weak, and dark, and dead, shine on me. Thou hast fulness for me. So go to Christ, and draw upon every occasion virtue and life from Christ our head. This is to know what is meant by being transformed to Christ our head.
There are two conformities, beloved, exceeding comfortable to us, and we must meditate on both.
I'irst, C/irisrs confonnihj to vs. He was transfigured into our likeness. He became man in love to us; not only man, but in the form of a servant, base man. He took man's nature, and man's base condition, Phil. ii. 8. Here is the ground of our comfort, that Christ took our form, he trans- figured himself to our baseness; and shall not we labour to be transformed, to be like him, that out of love stooped so low to be like us ? Let us but think of this, beloved ! Our blessed Saviour took our nature on him pure and holy by his Spirit. Ho followed sin to death. He was conceived, and lived, and died without sin, to satisfy for sin ; and now by his Spirit he cleanseth out sin. He pursued and chased out sin from his conception in all the passages of his life ; so we should be like him. Drive away sin, get the Spii'it, that our nature in us may be as it was in him : holy, and pure, and spiritual. Shall he be conformed to us, and shall not we be con- form to him ? Many such reasons and considerations there be to move us to be changed into the image of Christ.
Christ, in this work of changing, is all in all; for (1.) first of all, by Christ's death and satisfaction to divine justice, ive have the Spirit of God that doth all; for the Spirit is the gift of God's love, next to Christ, the greatest. Now Christ laaving reconciled God, God being reconciled, gives the Spirit. Our sins being forgiven, the fruit of God's love is the Spirit. So we have the Spirit by the merit of Christ.
(2.) Again, we have it from Christ, as a head, derived* unto us. We have the Spirit for Christ and from Christ. Christ receives the Spirit first, and then he sends it into our hearts. So for Christ's sake, and from Christ as a head, we have the Spirit.
(8.) Again, from Christ ?cc ]tave the pottrrn of all r/race whatsoever, to which we are changed. The pattern of all grace is from Christ. He begins to us in every grace.
(4.) Again, in the fourth place, the reasons inditciurj are all from Christ. For we are not only changed by power, but by reason. There is the greatest reasons in the world to be a Christian, and to come out of the state of nature. When our understanding is enlightened to see the horrible state of nature, with the angry face of God with it, and then to have our eyes opened at the same time to see the glorious and gracious face of God in Jesus Christ, here is the greatest wisdom in the world to come out of that cursed state to a better. Now, the reasons of this change are fetched from Christ, that by knowing Christ we know by reflection the cursed state out of him, and to see the glorious benefits by Christ's redemp- tion and glorification. These set before the eye of the soul, and then the heart wrought upon these by reasons. If Christ gave himself for me, shall not I give myself to Christ ? Paul hath his heavenly logic, ' Christ died for us, that w^e might live to him,' 2 Tim. ii. 11. So we have the merit of the Spirit from Chiist, the derivation of the Spirit from Christ as a head, and the pattern of grace from Christ, and the inducing reasons all from Christ, in this changing to his image.