512 THE POSITIVE WOllK OF THE SPIRIT [bOOK IV.
Sjoirit of tlie Lord." That which is proposed unto us is, the " glory of God," or the " glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ," chap, iv. 6 ; that is, God gloriously manifesting himself in the person of Christ. This are we said to "behold with open face." The' veil of types and shadows being taken off and removed, faith doth now clearly and distinctly view and consider Jesus Christ as he is represented unto us in the glass of the gospel; that is, the evidences of the presence of God in him and with him, in his work, jDurity, and holiness. And the effect hereof is, that we are, through the opera- tion of the Spirit of God, " changed into the same image," or made holy, and. therein like unto him,
2dly. There \?, peculiar force and efficacy, by the way of 'motive, in the example of Christ, to incline us unto the imitation of him, that is not to be found in any other example, on any occasion whatever; because, (Is^.) Whatever is proposed unto us, in what he was or what he did, as our pattern and example, he was it, and did it, not for his own sake, but out of free and mere love unto us. That pure nature of his, which we ought to be labouring after a conformity unto, 1 John iii. 8, and which he will at length bring us unto, Phil. iii. 21, he took it upon him, by an infinite condescension, merely out of love unto us, Heb. ii. 14, 15; Phil. ii. 5-8. And all the actings of grace in him, all the duties of obedience which he performed, all that glorious compliance with the will of God in his sufferings which he manifested, proceed all from his love unto us, John xvii. 19; Gal. ii. 20. These things being in themselves truly honourable and ex- cellent, yea, being only so, the holiness and obedience which God requireth of us consisting in them, and being by the appointment of God proposed unto our imitation in the example of Jesus Christ, how must it needs influence and prevail on gracious souls to endeavour a conformity unto him therein, to be as he was, to do as he did, seeing he was what he was, and did what he did, merely out of love unto us, and for no other end ! And, (2dli/.) Every thing which we are to imitate in Christ is other ways also beneficial unto us ; for we are, in its place and way, even saved thereby. By his obedience we are made righteous, Rom. v. 19. There is no grace nor duty of Christ which he did perform, but we have the advantage and benefit of it. And this increaseth the efficacy of his example ; for who would not strive to obtain those things in himself, of whose being in Christ he hath so great advantage?
In this regard also, therefore, is the Lord Christ made sanctifica- tion unto us, and is the cause of evangelical holiness in us; and certainly we are, the most of us, much to blame that we do not more abound in the use of this means unto the end mentioned. Did we abide more constantly in the beholding or contemplation of the per-
CHAP. VI.] IN THE SANCTIFICATION OF BELIEVERS. 513
son of Christ, of the glory and beauty of his hohness, as the pattern and great example proposed unto us, we should be more transformed into his image and likeness. But it is so fallen out that many who are called Christians delight to be talking of, and do much admire, the virtuous sayings and actions of the heathen, and are ready to make them the object of their imitation, whilst they have no thoughts of the grace that was in our Lord Jesus Christ, nor do en- deavour after conformity thereunto ; and the reason is, because the virtue which they seek after and desire is of the same kind with that which was in the heathen, and not that grace and holiness which was in Christ Jesus. And thence also it is that some, who, not out of love unto it, but to decry other important mysteries of the gospel thereby, do place all Christianity in the imitation of Christ, do yet indeed in their practice despise those qualities and duties wherein he principally manifested the glory of his grace. His meek- ness, patience, self-denial, quietness in bearing reproaches, contempt of the world, zeal for the glory of God, compassion to the souls of men, condescension to the weaknesses of all, they regard not. But there is no greater evidence that whatever we seem to have of any thing that is good in us is no part of evangelical holiness, than that it doth not render us conformable to Christ.
And we should always consider how we ought to act faith on Christ with respect unto this end. Let none be guilty practically of what some are falsely charged withal as to doctrine; — let none divide in the work of faith, and exercise themselves but in the one half of it. To believe in Christ for redemption, for justification, for sauctifi cation, is but one half of the duty of faith; — it respects Christ only as he died and suffered for us, as he made atonement for our sins, peace with God, and reconciliation for us, as his righteousness is imputed unto us unto justification. LTnto these ends, indeed, is he firstly and principally proposed unto us in the gospel, and with respect unto them are we exhorted to receive him and to believe in him; but this is not all that is required of us. Christ in the gospel is pro- posed unto us as our pattern and example of holiness; and as it is a cursed imagination that this was the whole end of his life and death, — namely, to exemplify and confirm the doctrine of holiness which he taught, — so to neglect his so being our example, in consider- ing him by faith to that end, and labouring after conformity to him, is evil and pernicious. Wherefore let us be much in the contem- plation of what he was, what he did, how in all instances of duties and trials he canied himself, until an image or idea of his perfect holiness is implanted in our minds, and we are made like unto him thereby.