proper to Christ onely Morales actiones quibus legi morali satiisfecit hae nostram vitam mores ad dilectionem Det proximi excitabunt Some are morall these last are onely imitable you may take all thus some actions there are of Christ which he did as God some as Mediator some as man The last are binding to us to follow every action of Christs is for our instruction some way or other and carefull ought we to be to make use of it as we should that so none of Christs doings do not passe by us un-observ'd and taken notice of but that we rightly ponder them Omnis Christi actio nostra est instructio sed diversimode c. that what is to be admired and wondred at we may admire and wonder what invites to praise let them have it and what is to be imitated let them be set before us and strive to imitate and though we cannot act to perfection yet let us act with affection and though we cannot do as we should yet let us desire to do it and though the bodies pace be slow yet may your souls be nimble Paul though he could not take hold on yet did he reach out to those things that were before And be sure to send love to Christ and let that tell him that all of soul and body is following after And that whatsoever your doings are yet your desires are right for they are to please him and glad would you be to be comprehended in that saying of the Apostle As he is so are we in this world Blame none for desiring this to be like Christ He that is like Christ is very excellent and the more this likenesse is perfected the nearer is the soul to glory 'T is an excellent discovery of a vertuous soul to see it continue good let the times places and people be never so bad and so doubtlesse it manifests a heavenly excellency within when a soul that lives in this wicked ungodly world appears in life and conversation heavenly shines out in a dark world though not with so clear a light as Christ yet is his light shining out like Christ A handsome imitation from some is as pleasing as great action from others Lord thou art not strict to mark what is done amisse look not on our actings which are imperfect but Lord consider what our desires are how we desire to conform to thee and help Lord with thy spirit As thou art a loving God let us be loving christians as thou art a glorious Husband let us be a glorious Spouse as thou art a soul-pittying-Saviour let us be soul-obedient Saints As thou art a fountaine a Sea let us be streams at least drops and though we are not of such worth as thou O Christ Quantum unusquisque est inâ—oculis Dei tantum est c. yet let us be true coine and as pounds and pence may have one stamp and the least though not of so great a value as the best yet of some value Mark us sweet Jesus for thine though the mark be never so small that so what the Pharisees messengers answered thee concerning the Image and superscription upon the Tribute-money saying it is Caesars so Lord let the Image and stamp upon our souls be Christs That so our life our love our actions may be such as Christs Christ and us may have one way one will one affection one mind our bent and purposes the same with Jesus Christ Now the work goes on now is the mirth now thriving when all agree in one when all the Souldiers do like the Captaine all the servants like the master all the followers like the leader all the members as the head directs and that there are no divisions commands answere with obedience examples sutable to the pattern learners like the teacher Saints like the Saviour As he is so are we c. Doct. Obs True Saints are such that are very like Jesus Christ There is some speciall singular thing in Saints that is not in men of the world there is a singular vertue in a Jewell that is not in another stone which makes it esteemed there is a peculiar choice excelling in Saints that makes them so extold there is somewhat in them that others have not seen nor known 1 Cor. 2.10 which is manifest to them by the spirit they are begotten of God and so come to be like Christ as children of one father are like one another A holy Christ the Son of God and holy Saints children of God Heb. 2.11 all of one for which cause Christ is not ashamed to call Saints brethren and from this brotherhood it is that Christ and christians are good friends that there is so much union peace and affinity that they can speak together confer together dwell together feed together lodge together and live together the God of Christ the God of Saints the Father of Christ the Father of Saints 't is the words of Christ the soul-delighting words of the Elder brother to the Younger sent by Mary as a message of comfort to the Disciples Ad perturbatos Discipulos accurre Io. 20.17 Go to my brethren and say unto them I ascend unto my Father and your Father and to my God and your God Here 's a cordial the Disciples were troubled at their Masters being crucified and 't is likely were very much grieved Christ forgets them not but sends them news of his Resurrection and of his Ascending into glory and that they should ascend likewise for his Father would not entertain him alone but them also The inheritance of glory belongs to Saints as well as Christ all Gods children shall partake in this kingdom Rom. 8.17 The spirit it self beareth witnesse with our spirit that we are the children of God Donorum patris caelestis sunt participes And if children then heirs heirs of God and joynt-heirs with Christ Christ had bled freely for them and his message is sweet to them willing his should know what glory is provided for them 1 Joh. 3.2 Phil. 3.21 Rev. 3 21 and therefore tels them they should be like him their vile bodies made like his glorious body and sit with him in his Throne those that are like him in grace shall be like him in glory they that are partakers with him in bearing the crosse shall be partakers with him in wearing the crown Christ is fashioning his daily for himself and when he hath brought his work to that perfection here that they come unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ and to perfect man Eph. 4.13 he will remove them to glory for the church is heavens nursery and as Christ sees fit he draws out those precious plants that are like himself and sets them with himself Small pieces of gold are look'd to and kept safe if like Christ you are well enough souls 't is no matter who you are unlike if
see men advanced to worldly honours that they enjoy such honours and dignities or if they see people beautifull or gorgeously apparel'd they cannot it may be say they have so faire a face or rich cloaths c. Saints think they are rich enough honourable enough that they are very faire and gallant if like Jesus Christ In respect of many worldly injoyments that the sons of men possessed 't is probable the sons of Zion could not say they were like them yet this was their comfort that they had the witnesse of the spirit Rom. 8.16 that they could say they were like God they were holy souls like the holy God union with God brought forth likenes to God 1 John 4.15 16 Deus charitas est quid pretiosius Et qui manet in charitate in Deo manet quid securius Et Deus in eo quid jucundius Haec gloria christianorum magna est a blessed God dwelling in them makes them blessed souls Exceeding blessed and ever happy are they that from in-dwellings of Father Son and Spirit in them can say God is holy Christ is holy the Spirit holy and we as Saints delight to be holy and so to be like Father Son and Spirit The Apostle speaks largely in his own and Saints commendation in uttering a few words saying As he is so are we in this world He had spoken much of God and of the Son of God 1 Joh 4.16 and of Gods dwelling in Saints and of Saints being born of God 1 Joh. 4.7 and knowing God and having laboured with his Divine and Heavenly Rhetorick he endeavoured to give God the honour due unto him and he would not let slip an opportunity of magnifying the grace of God in Saints 1 Joh. 3.1 1 Joh. 5.12 and how much they were dignified by enjoying God and as to extol their greatnesse and goodnesse in the world so to chear up themselves that had received such kindness of God and that they might with boldnesse stand up pleading their own dignity and blessedness 1 Pet. 4.14 against all the reproaches disgraces and scorns of the world he holds out God and then himself and Saints As he is so are we in this world We shall look upon the Text as it hath relation mainly to God as making out himself to us in Jesus Christ Loquitur hic de conformitate in puritate innocentia vitae Hem. 1 Pet. 1.15 2 Cor. 5.21 Luk. 6.36 and to Saints through grace enjoying God within and by that enjoyment striving to be like God in holinesse righteousnesse mercy love patience longsuffering goodnesse gentlenesse c. And although 't is impossible for Christians to be such as God for purity and perfection Haec conformitas nostri cum Deo in imitatione conaâ—u omni puritate perfectione posita est Rom. 8.29 yet through the Spirits help may they imitate God and for the manner of living holily strive to be conformable to the Lord So that as God is a God of love Christians are Christians of love that love that is in a Christian to God it is but a son it is but a fruit of the love that is in God to a Christian 't is but the springing forth of somewhat of God himself planted within in the soul Eccles 1.7 't is but a stream running back to that Sea from whence it came returning God his due like for like love for love a Saint knows love deserves love Gods love is love 1 Jo. 4.19 In this way of love he acts freely 1 Pet. 5.2 and so is like God it is as ordinary for a Christian to love as to live for what maintains his being as a Saint produceth love to the ornament of his being As it rejoyceth in having the life of a Saint Gal. 2.20 Act. 4.20 Psal 40.8 so it is pleased in doing the work of a Saint laying out it self in what is pleasing to the Lord Joh. 7.18 God cannot but act what is good and what tends to his own glory take a Saint as having God living in it 1 Joh. 3.18 19. and from that living of God in it acting it doth what is good and also tends to the glory of God 1 Cor. 15.58 It knows 't is not lost labour to be doing for God and that it is not in vaine There is infinite good in God and there is some good in a Saint Infinitnesse in God enables God for infinite worke God is able to do like himself beyond what a soul can think or conceive A soul that enjoyes somewhat that this all-good-God gives out in his love through Christ 1 Cor. 15.10 is in his actings according to what he receives and as that receiving springs and sprouts out Omnia gratiae divinae tribuit A spark of fire will do what a spark can do and a drop of water what a drop may indeed it cannot do so much as the Sea or Element of fire can do 'T is a Christians joy that of Christs heavenly fulnesse it receives some grace Joh. 3.34 Christ hath what he hath without measure a Christian in measure a Christian is glad that it finds Christ saying 1 Cor. 15.48 As is the heavenly such are they that are heavenly and that by the spirits work 't is fashioned to be like Christ now 't is in the world and so chang'd into the same Image from glory to glory 2 Cor. 3.18 And though it live in a wicked world amongst wicked men yet it is not like them but it is like him that is heavenly it is not conformable to those it lives withall without in the body but to him that lives within in his soul Dearly beloved what are you what can you now say for your selves can you say you are like Christ have you a life like Christ have you a conversation like Christ are you cloath'd like Christ Col. 3.12 have you put on as the Elect of God holy and beloved bowels of mercies kindnesse humblenesse of mind meeknesse long suffering forbearing one another and forgiving one another if any man have a quarrel against any Christus non tantum nobis est donum verum etiam exemplum Miraculosae actiones Christi mentem nostram de veritate doctrinae ipsius confirmabunt Peculiares actiones quae sunt ipsius officii propriae hae ut expiatoriae peccati nostri fuerunt ita salutis fiduciam in nobis alent confirmabunt even as Christ forgave you so also do yee The actions of Christ should be instructions of christians yet consider rightly of Christs actions some were miraculous as fasting forty daies raising the dead c. these are not to be immitated because they cannot yet these may help to strengthen our faith and confirme us concerning the truth of the Doctrine of Christ Some are peculiar actions belonging to his office as to redeem or make intercession c. these also are
seed of God where he casts his grace there will be growth and fruit sutable wheat brings forth wheat and barly brings forth barly every seed a body like it self so doth Christ There are no more holy heavenly spirituall children then they that have the Father of Heaven theirs An everlasting father begets everlasting children a holy father holy children Saints 2. By this they are blessed they that are begotten of blessed Christ are blesse soules a happy man may have children and yet they may not be happy a good man may have bad children but t is not so with Christ all Christs children are Good all his offspring according to the spirit happy If he beget Paul he shall have occasion enough to magnifie his birth laying aside the first birth he bosts not of that it is the second rejoyeth his heart al blessed priviledges came by the second the first compared with the second are but as dung and drosse 3. By this they are precious a precious Christ begetting causeth precious soules begotten The Kings daughter is glorious Ps 45.13 all glorious every limbe glorious within and without glorious Eph. 5.27 as of Christ without spot or wrinckle Col. 1.22 Quatenus consideratur in Christo non solum sine macula est sed infinito decoro exornata c. or any thing like it holy unblamable and unreproveable the heart pure upright sanctified throughout the hands cleane the life faultlesse without defilement walking in all gods waies blameless These expressions as they have relation to Christians are to be understood of the righteousnes of Christians as they are considered under the Covenant of grace and of the Gospel not of legal perfection but of an Evangelical innocencie and uprightnesse not as they are in themselves but as in Christ the precious Christ is full of Love peace goodnes so are Saints his children children endewed with love peace goodness Water taken out of a fountain rellisheth like that in the fountain fruit is sutable to the tree 'T is so with Saints they are streames of a good fountain they are fruit of a precious tree Fruit of life growing on the tree of life living streames begun and nourished by a living fountain A loving Christ brings forth loving children Christ the Prince of peace sons and daughters of peace Christ that is all good conceives to his goodness 6. They that are born of Christ affect what is good what is heavenly The birth of Creatures is maintain'd with such food as he that begat it is A mans birth with mans food drought will starve it Earthly things nourisheth not a heavenly birth the world is a stepmother that will starve it they are the brests of Christs Consolations that as it desires must nourish it 'T is bread of life and water of life and food of life that it must have Wisdoms food feasts feed and banquet wisdomes children Every Morsel Saints eat that nourisheth them must have somewhat of Christ he is living food for living souls I am saith Christ that bread of life He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my bloud Iohn 6. dwelleth in me and I in him He that eateth and drinketh him shall live for ever Souls consider what food you feed on Creatures nature appears much in the nourishing they desire and eat A beast is pleased if it may have beasts food A man if mans food so hear The first Adams children are contented with the worlds food give them worldly things they are pleased if the world will give them plenty from her Cupboard they look not after any other But the second Adams children are not thus pleased they must have somewhat from heaven they will blesse God for loaves but they will not be quiet with them if they have not somewhat else they have souls also to care for these must be satisfied or all is not well with them Hungry souls are restless Christ shall not be unsought unto till they are fild I need not bid you examine your selves what diet pleaseth you you are pleased as you are If worldly with worldly things if heavenly with heavenly things I could tell what preaching would please you all but I forbear I am sure no preaching pleaseth Saints but the preaching of Christ God in mercy give all you that have been born but once one birth more a second birth then will you long for the food that nourisheth you to everlasting life Reas True Saints are very like Christ for Christ is known by them the virtues graces sweetness wholesomness c. that is in Saints and which they hold out in their conversation sets out in some sort Christ A gracious man hath much of Christ whatsoever truly names him gracious is Christ Books bear their names from what is in them And houses and lands usually from those that possesse them We may guesse what the fountain is by tasting of the stream what the book is by the title If such and so much of the delicateness of Christ be in earthen vessels what is in glory it self if poor man be of so much worth that hath but one smal drop of this Ocean in him what is the Sea it self worth A man may conceive a Rocke of Pearle to be of a great value when a smal dust is so much worth True Saints though they have but little of Christ yet may it lead you to this that if Christ in a creature be so eminent and his graces make them lovely doubtless he as in himself is exceeding eminent and lovely Saints at most are but as it were the picture or image now if the Image be admired much more the person that is represented An Image may be like the substance so a Saint like Christ Christ is known other waies yet in some measure this way by Saints Vse Christians you desire now to know who are truly godly 't is an age of deceit all is not gold that glisters there are false wares false men and there are false christians there are some that have a name 2 Ep. Ioh. 6. Multi sunt in mundo impostores Matth. 24.24.25.26 they live but are dead there are many deceivers in the world the world is full of soul-cheats hardly any place free The time is fully come Christ prophesied of there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shall shew great signs and wonders in so much that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. Behold I have told you before Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the desert go not forth Behold he is in the secret-chambers believe it not Such Impostours are deceitfull Matth. 24.5 and shall deceive many beware you They shall use the name of Christ as their colour or pretence and such are likely unlesse there be great heed taken to deceive Sea-men are spoiled by Pyrats that hang out their own colours Prov. 7.14 that harlot was winning that pretended honesty Souls know Gods