For the second; why we must conform? upon what Motives? I answer, 1. Because Christ hath done and suffered very much to that end and purpose? Sometimes I have wondered why Christ would do so much, and suffer so much as the Evangelists in their histories relate. This I believe, that Jesus was perfect God, and perfect man; and that every action of his life, and but one hour of his Passion and death might have been satisfactory, and enough for the expiation and reconcilement of ten thousand worlds; but now I am answered, that all those instances of holiness, and all those kinds of virtues, and all those degrees of passion, and all that effusion of his blood, was partly on this account, that he might become an example to us, that he might shine to all the ages and generations of the world, and so be a guiding star, and a pillar of fire to them in their journey towards heaven: O my soul, how doth this call on thee to conform to Christ? What? that a smaller expense should be enough to thy justification, and yet that the whole Magazine should not procure thy sanctification? that at a lesser sum of obedience God might have pardoned thy sin, and yet at a greater sum thou wilt not so much as imitate his holiness? In a dark night, if an Ignis Fatuus go before thee, thou art so amazed with that little flame, that thou art apt to follow it, and lose thy self; and wilt thou not follow the glories of the Sun of Righteousness, who by so many instances calls upon thee, and who will guide thee into safety, and secure thee against all imaginable dangers? God forbid! If it had not been for thy imitation, I cannot think that Christ would have lived on earth so many years, to have done so many gracious and meritorious works. O think of this!
For the second; why we must conform? upon what Motives? I answer, 1. Because Christ hath done and suffered very much to that end and purpose? Sometimes I have wondred why Christ would do so much, and suffer so much as the Evangelists in their histories relate. This I believe, that Jesus was perfect God, and perfect man; and that every action of his life, and but one hour of his Passion and death might have been satisfactory, and enough for the expiation and reconcilement of ten thousand worlds; but now I am answered, that all those instances of holiness, and all those kinds of virtues, and all those degrees of passion, and all that effusion of his blood, was partly on this account, that he might become an example to us, that he might shine to all the ages and generations of the world, and so be a guiding star, and a pillar of fire to them in their journey towards heaven: O my soul, how doth this call on thee to conform to Christ? What? that a smaller expence should be enough to thy justification, and yet that the whole Magazine should not procure thy sanctification? that at a lesser sum of obedience God might have pardoned thy sin, and yet at a greater sum thou wilt not so much as imitate his holiness? In a dark night, if an Ignis Fatuus go before thee, thou art so amuzed with that little flame, that thou art apt to follow it, and lose thy self; and wilt thou not follow the glories of the Sun of Righteousness, who by so many instances calls upon thee, and who will guide thee into safety, and secure thee against all imaginable dangers? God forbid! If it had not been for thy imitation, I cannot think that Christ would have lived on earth so many years, to have done so many gracious and meritorious works. O think of this!
