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themselves deceived in the other, if they imagine it belongs to them.

They who are the sons of God, and have the hope of inheriting with Christ, do really become like Him, are even heirs in some degree now; and that blessed expectation they have, is to be fully like him. 1 John iii. 3. When He appears, we shall be like Him, saith the Apostle. And in the meanwhile, they are endeavouring to be so, and somewhat attaining it; as he adds, Every one that hath this hope, purifieth himself, as He is pure. He is the only begotten Son, and we are so restored in him to the dignity of sons, that withal we are really changed into his likeness. He is the Image of the Father that is renewed upon us.

It is the substance of religion, to be like him whom we worship*. Man's end and perfection is, likeness to God. But Oh, the distance, the unlikeness, yea, the contrariety, that is fallen upon our nature! The carnal mind is enmity to God: the soul is, as it were, become flesh, and so most unsuitable to the Father of Spirits; it is become like the beast that perishes. Now, to repair and raise us, this was the course taken: we could not rise up to God, He came down to us, yea, into us, to raise and draw us up again to Him. He became like us, that we might become like Him. God first put on man, that man might put on God. Putting on the Lord Jesus, we put on man; but that man is God, and so, in putting on man, we put on God. Thus, putting on Christ, we put on all grace: we do this, not only by studying him as our copy and example, but by real participation of his Spirit; and that, so as that daily the likeness is growing, while we are carried by that Spirit to study his example, and enabled in some measure to conform to it; so that these two grow together, growing in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. He is the armour of light before spoken of: all our ornament and

* Summa religionis imitari quem colis.

safety is in him. Some pictures of great persons you have seen, with arms and robes on at once: thus we, when clothed with Christ, have our arms and robes both on at once, yea, both in one, for He is both. So, this is the great study of a Christian, to eye and read Christ much, and, by looking on him, to become more and more like him, making the impression deeper by each day's meditation and beholding of him. His Spirit in us, and that love his Spirit works, make the work easy, as sympathies do. And still the more the change is wrought, it becomes still the more easy to work it. This is excellently described by this Apostle, 2 Cor. iii. 18.

Now we see our business: Oh that we had hearts to it! It is high, it is sweet, to be growing more and more Christ-like every day. What is the purchase or conquest of kingdoms to this? Oh, what are we doing, who mind not this more? Even they whose proper work it is, how remiss are they in it, and what small progress do they make! Are we less for the world and ourselves, and more for God, this year than the former ?-more meek and gentle, abler to bear wrongs, and to do good for them, more holy and spiritual in our thoughts and ways, more abundant and fervent in prayer? I know there will be times of deadness, and winter seasons, even in the souls of living Christians; but it is not always so, it will come about yet; so that, take the whole course of a Christian together, he is advancing, putting on still more of Christ, and living more in Him. There is a closer union betwixt the soul and this its spiritual clothing, than betwixt the body and its garments: that doth import a transformation into Christ, put on as a new life, or a new self. The Christian by faith doth this: he puts off himself, old carnal self, and instead thereof, puts on Jesus Christ, and thenceforward hath no more regard of that old self, than of old cast clothes, but is all for Christ, joys in nothing else.

This is a mystery

which cannot be understood but by by partaking of it. My brethren, learn to have these

occurrent with you on all occasions.

thoughts frequent and

Think, when about any

thing, How would Christ behave himself in this? Even so, let me endeavour.

You will possibly say, They that speak thus, and advise thus, do not do thus. Oh, that that were not too true! Yet there be some that be sincere in it, and although it be but little that is attained, yet, the very aim is excellent, and somewhat there is that is done by it. It is better to have such thoughts and desires, than altogether to give it up; and the very desire, being serious and sincere, does so much change the habitude and usage of the soul and life, that it is not to be despised.

Now follows, And make no provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof. And it will follow necessarily. We hear much to little purpose. Oh, to have the heart touched by the Spirit with such a word as is here! It would untie it from all these things. These are the words, the very reading of which wrought so with Augustine, that, of a licentious young man, he turned a holy faithful servant of Jesus Christ. While you were without Christ, you had no higher nor other business to do, than to attend and serve the flesh; but once having put Him on, you are other men, and other manners do become you. Alia atas alios mores postulat.

This forbids not eating, and drinking, and clothing, and providing for these, nor decency and comeliness in them. The putting on of Christ does not bar the sober use of them: yea, the moderate providing for the necessities of the flesh, while thou art tied to dwell in it, that may be done in such a way as shall be a part of thy obedience and service to God. But to lay in provisions for the lusts of it, is to victual and furnish His enemy and thine own; for the lusts of the flesh do strive against God's Spirit, and war against thy soul. Gal. v. 17. 1 Pet. ii. 11.

This was the quarrel betwixt God and His own people in the wilderness. Bread for their necessities, He gave them, but they required meat for their lusts, (which should rather have been starved to death than fed,) and many of them fell in

the quarrel. He gave them their desire, but gave them a plague with it, and they died with the meat between their teeth. Many who seem to follow God, and to have put on Christ, yet, continuing in league with their lusts, and providing for them, they are permitted a while so to do, and are not withheld from their desire, and seem to prosper in the business; but, though not so sudden and sensible as that of the Israelites, there is no less certain a curse joined with all they purchase and provide for that unhallowed use. It is certainly the posture and employment of most of us, even who are called Christians, to be purveyors for the flesh, even for the lusts of it; (ad supervacuum sudare;) these lusts comprehending all sensual, and all worldly, fleshly, self-pleasing projects. Even some things that seem a little more decent and refined, come under this account. What are men commonly doing, but projecting and labouring, beyond necessity, for fuller and finer provision for back and belly, and to feed their pride, and raise themselves and theirs somewhat above the condition of others about them? And where men's interests meet in the teeth, and cross each other, there arise heartburnings and debates, and an evil eye, one against another, even on a fancied prejudice, where there is nothing but crossing a humour. So, the grand idol is their own will, that must be provided for and served in all things, that takes them up early and late, how they may be at ease, and pleased, and esteemed, and honoured. This is the making provision for the flesh and its lusts, and from this are all they called who have put on Christ; not to a hard, mean, unpleasant life, instead of that other, but to a far more high and more truly pleasant life, that disgraces all those their former pursuits which they thought so gay while they knew no better. There is a transcendent sweetness in Christ, that puts the flesh out of credit. Put on Christ, thy robe royal, and make no provision for the flesh; surely thou wilt not then go and turmoil in the kitchen. A soul clothed with Christ, stooping to any sinful delight, or an ardent pursuit of any thing earthly, though

lawful, doth wonderfully degrade itself. Methinks it is as a king's son in his princely apparel, playing the scullion, sitting down to turn the spits. A soul living in Christ indeed, hath no vacancy for the superfluous, luxurious demands of flesh, yea, supplies the very necessities of it with a kind of regret. A necessitatibus meis libera me, Domine, said one: Deliver me, Lord, from my necessities.

Oh, raise up your spirits, you that pretend to any thing in Christ; delight in him, and let his love satisfy you at all times. What need you go a begging elsewhere? All you would add, makes you the poorer, abates so much of your enjoyment of him; and what can compensate that? Put on the Lord Jesus, and then view yourselves, and see if you be fit to be slaves to flesh and earth.

These two, Put on the Lord Jesus, and Make no provision, are directly the representation of the Church, Apoc. xii. A woman clothed with the sun, and having the moon under her feet, needed borrow no beauty from it, or any thing under it. She left the scarlet, and the purple, and the gold, to the harlot after spoken of, for her dressing.

The service of the flesh is a work the Christian cannot fold to, till he forgets what clothes he has on. This is all, my brethren. Oh that we could be once persuaded to put on Christ, and then resolve and remember to do nothing unbeseeming that attire!

SERMON XX.

PSAL. cvii. 43.

Whoso is wise, and will observe these things, even they shall understand the the loving-kindness of the LORD.

Most men live a brutal sensitive life, live not so much as the life of reason; but far fewer the Divine life of faith, which is

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