how is it that thou hast not a pillow where to rest thyself! He hangs on the cross all naked, few kings do so: he hath no crown for his head, but one of thorns; he hath no delicates, but gall and vinegar; he is leaving the world, and he hath no other legacies to give his friends but spiritual things, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I unto you," John 14:27. He had so contemned the world, that he had not a legacy in all the world to give, "not as the world giveth, give I unto you."

7. His obedience was constant; he became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross, Phil. 2:8.-" He sought not his own will, but the will of him that sent him," John 5:30. There was a command, that the Father had on Christ from all eternity, "O my Son, my only begotten Son, thou must go down, and leave heaven, and empty thyself, and die the death, even the death of the cross, and go and bring the fallen sons of Adam out of hell.” Mankind, like a precious ring of glory, fell off the finger of Almighty God, and was broken all in pieces; and thereupon was the command of God, That his Son must stoop down though it pain his back, he must lift up again the broken jewel; he must restore it, and mend it, and set it as a seal on the heart of God: all which the Lord Je sus did in time, he was obedient till death, and obedient to death, even to the death of the cross. "Son thou must die, said God, Why, Father, I will do it," said Christ; and accordingly he freely made his soul an offering for sin.

Now, in all these graces we must conform to Christ. "Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly," Matth. 11:29.-" And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us," Eph. 5:2. It is as if Christ had said, Mark the steps where I have trod, and follow me in humility, in patience, in love, in mercy, in meekness, in contempt of the world, in obedience unto death; in these and the like graces you must conform to Christ.

2. We must conform to Christ in his sufferings, if he calls us to them; this was the apostle's prayer, "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings," Phil. 3:10. It was his desire, that he might experimentally know what exceeding joy and comfort it was to suffer for Christ and with Christ. Concerning this the other apostle speaks also, "Christ suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps," 1 Pet. 2:21. But the text that seems so pertinent and yet so difficult, is that of Paul, "I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church," Col. 1:24. One would wonder how Paul should fill up that which is behind of the sufferings of Christ; were Christ's sufferings imperfect? And must Paul add to them? No, surely, "For by one offering Christ hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified," Heb. 10:14. I shall not insist on many commentaries, I suppose this is the genuine sense and meaning of the Spirit. "Now rejoice I in my sufferings for you, whereby I fulfil the measure of those tribulations which remain yet to be endured of Christ in his mystical body, which I do for the body's sake, not to satisfy for it, but to confirm it, or strengthen it by my example in the gospel of Christ." The sufferings of Christ are either personal or general, his personal sufferings were those he endured in his own body as Mediator, which once for ever he finished; his general sufferings are those which he endures in his mystical body, which is the church, as he is a member with the rest; and those are the sufferings Paul speaks of, and which Paul fills up.

But wherein is the conformity betwixt our sufferings and the sufferings of Christ? I answer, 1. Negatively. 2. Positively.

1. Negatively, our sufferings have no conformity with Christ in these two things; 1. Not in the office of Christ's sufferings, for his were meri. torious and satisfactory, ours only ministerial and for edification. 2. Not in the weight and measure of Christ's sufferings, for his were bitter, heavy, and woful, such as would have pressed any other creature as low as hell, and have swallowed him up for ever; but ours are but in comparison light and tolerable; "There hath no temptation taken you, but such as is common to man, for God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above what you are able," 1 Cor. 10:13.

2. Positively, our sufferings must have conformity with Christ. 1. In the cause of them, Christ's sufferings were instrumentally from Satan and wicked men: we must look to suffer by the enemies of Christ, if we have any share in Christ, the enemy continues still, "I will put enmity betwixt thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed," Gen. 3:15. This was primarily meant between the devil and Christ, but if we conform to Christ, we must expect the very same condition. 2. In the manner of undergoing them, we must suffer with a proportion of that humility and patience, and love, and meekness, and obedience, which Christ shew ed in his very sufferings. 3. In respect of the issue of them, we must look upon Christ's issue, and expect it to be ours; "ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and so enter into glory?" Luke 24:26.--And "if so be that we suffer with Christ, we shall be glorified together with Christ," Rom. 8:17.-" If we suffer with him, we shall also reign with him," ," 2 Tim. 2:12

By reason of this conformity, we have that communion and association with Christ in all these particulars: as, 1. We have Christ's strength to bear sufferings. 2. His victories to overcome sufferings. 3. His intercession to preserve us from falling away in sufferings. 4. His compas

sion to moderate and proportion our sufferings to the measure of strength which he hath given us. 5. His spirit to draw in the same yoke with us, and to hold us under all sufferings that we sink not. 6. His grace to be more glorious by our sufferings, as a torch when it is shaken shines the brighter. 7. His crown to reward our sufferings, when we shall have tasted our measure of them, "For our light affliction which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory."

O my soul! study this conformity, and be content with thy portion; yea, comfort thyself in this condition of sufferings; must we not drink of our Saviour's cup? What, not of our Master's own cup? We read of Godfrey of Bouillon, that he would not be crowned in Jerusalem with a crown of gold, where Christ was crowned with a crown of thorns, because he would not have such a great disproportion between him and Christ. And we read of Origen, that when Alexander Severus, the emperor sent for him to Rome, that he might take his choice, whether he would ride thither on a mule or in a chariot, that he refused them both, saying, "He was less than his Master Christ, of whom he never read that he rode but once." O the sufferings Christ endured! He was called a wine bibber, a Samaritan, a devil; he was pursued, entrapped, snared, slain: and surely they that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution, 2 Tim. 3:12. Never wonder that thou art hated of men, or persecuted of men; why, I tell thee, if Christ himself was now amongst us, in the form and fashion of a servant, in that very condition that sometimes he was, and should con

vince men of their wickedness, as searchingly as sometimes he did, I verily think he would be the most hated man in the world. It is plain enough what carnal men would do, by those very doings of the carnal Jews.

3. We must conform to Christ in his death, carrying in us a resemblance and representation of his death. But what death is this? I answer in a word, "A death unto sin (so the apostle) in that he died, he died unto sin; likewise reckon ye yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin," Rom. 6:10,11. There is a likeness betwixt Christ's death and our death in this respect, "We are planted together in the likeness of his death," Rom. 6:5. True mortification carries a similitude, a likeness, a resemblance of the death of Christ. As for instance. 4

*1. Christ's death was a voluntary death, "I lay down my life, that I may take it again: no man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again," John 10: 17,18. Not all men on earth, nor all the devils in hell could have enfor ced Christ's death, if he had not pleased: his death was a voluntary death, a spontaneous act, so is our mortification: "Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power," Psal. 110:3. many may leave their sins against their wills, but this is not true mortification, it bears not in it the likeness of Christ's death, for he died willingly: it may be thou hast a clamorous conscience, which continually dogs thee, and therefore thou leavest thy sin: thus Judas came in with his thirty pieces of silver, and cast them down in the temple at the high priest's feet, Matth. 27:5. but no thanks to Judas, for they were too hot for him to hold, or it may be there is some penalty of the law, or some temporal judgment that hangs over thy head, like Damocles' sword; and therefore thou leavest thy sin: thus Ahab, for a time, acts the part of a penitent; but no thanks to Ahab, for the prophet had rung him such a peal for his sin, as made both his ears tingle, “In the place where dogs licked the blood of Naboth, shall dogs lick thy blood, even thine," 1 Kings 21:19. Or it may be, there is in thee a fear of hell; in thy apprehension death is come, and is ready to carry thee before the dreadful tribunal of a terrible God; and therefore thou leavest thy sin: thus seamen, in a stress, part with their goods, not because they are out of love with them, but because they love their lives better; they see plainly, that either they must part with them, or perish with them. Now, in these cases, thy leaving of sin bears no similitude with the death of Christ, for his death was voluntary, and a true mortification is a voluntary action.

Quest. But may there not be some reluctancy in this work betwixt the flesh and the spirit? And if so, is it then voluntary? I answer,

Ans. Yes: such a reluctancy we find in the human nature of Christ concerning the cup, that it might "pass from him," Matth. 27:39. and yet his death was a voluntary death. An action is said to be voluntary or involuntary, according to the superior faculties of the soul, and not according to the inferior: if the reasonable part be consenting, the action may be called voluntary, though there be some reluctancy in the sensitive appetite. Thus in the Christian, in whom there is nature and grace, flesh and spirit, an unregenerate, and a regenerate part; if the superior and better part be willing (I mean advisedly and deliberately willing, with full consent of the inward man) though perhaps there may be some reluctancy in the flesh in the unregenerate part, yet this is said to be a true voluntary act, "so

See Mr Brindley at large, mystical implantation.

then with the mind, I myself serve the law of God, but with my flesh the law of sin," Rom. 7:25.-" I delight in the law of God after the inward man; but I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind," verse 22,23. Paul was dead to sin, according to the inward man, the regenerate part, though he found a reluctancy in his outward mem. bers; and therefore, his death to sin carried with it the resemblance of the death of Christ; it was a voluntary death.

2. Christ's death was a violent death: he died not naturally, but vio lently; "He was put to death in the flesh," 1 Pet. 3:18. "He was brought as a lamb to the slaughter," Isa. 53:7. So is our mortification, it is vol. untary in respect of us, but violent in respect of sin; and herein is the life (as I may say) of this death: ob! when a man lays violent hands on his sins; when he cuts them off, being yet in their flower, and strength, and power, and vigor; when he pulls up those weeds before they wither in themselves, this is true mortification: many have felt their sins, who never mortified them; so the aged adulterer hath left his lust, because his body is dead: and hence it is, "That late repentance in an aged sinner is seldom found true! alas! he dies not to sin, but his sin dies to him; I will not say but God may call at the eleventh hour, though it be very seldom, but in that case, you had need to be jealous over yourselves with a godly jealousy; what, do you find some sins within you to be dead that were sometimes alive? O be inquisitive, impannel a jury, call a coroner's inquest upon your own souls, inquire how they came by their deaths, whe ther they died a violent or natural death: search what wounds they have received, and whether they were deadly wounds, yea, or no; inquire what weapon it was that slew them, whether the sword of the Spirit, that twoedged sword the word of God; what purposes, what resolutions have been taken up and levelled against them? What prayers and tears have been spent upon them? If you find not these signs, you may give in your ver dict, that they died not a violent, but a natural death. And here is a good caveat for others, "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them," Eccl. 12:1. Oh! take heed of repriev ing your lusts! let them not live till to-morrow; now bring them forth in the sight and presence of God; arraign, condemn, crucify, mortify them whilst they may yet live. Surely this is true mortification, when the body of sin dieth, as Christ died, a violent death.

3. Christ's death was a lingering death; he hung divers hours upon the cross, "From the sixth hour to the ninth hour," (saith Matthew,) Matth. 27:45. i. e. from our twelve to three, before he gave up the ghost; so is our mortification a lingering death; sin is not put to death all at once, but languisheth by little and little. This is looked upon as one main difference betwixt justification and sanctification: the former is a perfect work, admitting of no degrees, but so is not the latter? though a believer is freed perfectly from the guilt of sin, yet not from the power of it; sin dwelleth in us, though it hath not altogether a dominion over us, "It is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me," Rom. 7:17. like a rebellious tenant it keeps possession in despite of the owner, till the house be pulled down over his head. True indeed, the body of sin in a regenerate soul hath received its death wound, and in that respect it may be said to be dead, but it is not quite dead, still is stirreth and moveth, dying but by degrees; what the apostle saith of the renewing of the new man, we may say of the old man, "The inward man is renewed day by day," 2 Cor. 4:16, and the old man is destroyed day by day; or as Paul said of himself, in respect of

his afflictions, we may say of a Christian in respect of his sins, "I die daily," 1 Cor. 15:31. There is not the most sanctified soul upon earth, but it hath some remainders of corruption left in it, which God, in his wise providence permits, for the trying, exercising, and humbling of our souls, and for the making his own rich grace, in renewing and multiplying pardons, so much the more glorious.

And here is a ground of consolation to a drooping and dejected soul; such a one cries out, "Alas! I feel the stirring and vigorous actings of sin, and I am afraid my sin is not mortified, as Rebekah said when she felt the children struggling within her, " If it be so why am I thus?" Gen. 25:22. So if sin be mortified, (saith the soul) "Why am I thus?"— Trembling soul! let not this discourage: Jesus Christ was not dead so soon as he was fastened to the cross; but hast thou taken the same course with the body of sin, that the Jews did with the body of Christ? Hast thou arraigned it, accused it, and condemned it, and fastened it to the cross? Hast thou arraigned it at the bar of God's judgment, accused it by way of humble and hearty confession, condemning it in passing the sentence of eternal condemnation upon thyself for it, and fastened it to the cross, in beginning the execution of it, in setting upon the mortification of it with a serious and unfeigned resolution to use all means for its mortifying and killing? Why then be not disheartened, it may be thou feelest it stirring and strugglingwithin thee, and so will a crucified man do, and yet in the eye of the law, and in the account of all men that see him, he is a dead man; surely so is the body of sin when it is thus crucified, though it still move and stir, yet upon a gospel account, and in God's estimation, it is no better, than dead, and it shall certainly die, it shall decay and languish, and die more and more. Is not the promise express; "He that hath begun the good work he will perfect it to the day of Jesus Christ," Phil. 1:6. Of this Paul was confident in behalf of his Philippians; and of this, let all true believers, rest confident in respect of themselves. Thus far we see wherein we must conform to Christ, viz. In his graces, in his sufferings, and in his death.

For the second query, What is the cause of this conformity? I answer, The death of Christ is the cause of this conformity, and that a fourfold

cause:

1. It is a meritorious cause; Christ's death was of so great a price, that it deserved at God's hands our conformity to Christ. "Christ loved the church, and gave himself for it, that by his death he might sanctify it, and cleanse it;-And present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and without blemish," Eph. 5:25,26,27.

2. It is an exemplary cause, "He suffered for us, leaving us an example that we should follow his steps," 1 Pet. 2:21. he died for us, leaving us an example that we should die to sin, as he died for sin: we may observe in many particulars (besides those I have named) a proportion, analogy, and likeness betwixt Christ's death and ours; Christ died as a servant, to note that sin should not rule or reign over us: Christ died as a curse, to note that we should look upon sin as a cursed thing; Christ was fast nailed on the cross, to note that we should put sin out of ease, yea, crucify the whole body of sin; Christ died not presently, yet there he hung till he died, to note that we should never give over subduing sin, while it hath any life or working in us.

3. It is an efficient cause, it works this conformity by a secret virtue Issuing from it. Thus Christians are said to be "ingraffed with Christ