Conformity to Christ

Conformity to Christ
26. Christ took upon Him our nature, and in that nature suffered hunger and was subject to all infirmities; therefore when we are put to difficulties in our callings, to troubles for a good conscience, or to any hardship in the world, we must labor for contentment, because we are only with hardness made conformable unto Christ; we suffer, then reign with Him (Romans 8:17).
27. A child of God is the greatest freeman and the best servant, even as Christ was the best Servant, yet none so free; and the greater portion any man has of His Spirit the freer disposition he has to serve everyone in love.
28. We ought daily to imitate Christ in our places, to be good to all as the Apostle says, "Always abounding in the work of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 15:58). Let us labor to have large hearts that we may do it seasonably and abundantly and unweariedly. The love of Christ will give to us the same impression that was in Him.
29. Our happiness consists in due subordination and conformity to Christ, and therefore let us labor to carry ourselves as He did to His Father, to His friends, to His enemies. In the days of His flesh He prayed whole nights to His Father. How holy and heavenly-minded was He, that took occasion from vines, stones and sheep to be heavenly-minded, and when He rose from the dead His talk was only of things concerning the kingdom of God, in His converse to His friends. He would not quench the smoking flax, nor break the bruised reed; He did not cast Peter in the teeth with his denial, He was of a winning and gaining disposition to all; for His conduct to His enemies, He did not call for fire from heaven to destroy them but shed many tears for them that shed His blood. "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!" (Matthew 23:37), and upon the cross, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). So that if we will be minded like unto Christ, consider how He carried Himself to His Father, to His friends, to His enemies, yea to the devil himself. When He comes to us in wife, children; friends, etc. we must do as Christ did, say to Satan, "Get thee hence," and when we deal with those that have the spirit of the devil in them, we must not render reproach, but answer them, "It is written."
30. A wife when she marries a husband gives up her will to him; so does every Christian when he is married to Christ; he gives up his will and all that he has to Him, and says, "Lord, I have nothing, but if Thou callest for it, Thou shalt have it again."
31. Consider Christ upon the cross as a public person, that when He was crucified, and when He died, He died for your sins, and this knowledge of Christ will be a crucifying knowledge. This will stir up your heart to use your corruptions as your sins used Christ; as He hated your sin, so it will work the same disposition in you, to hate this body of death, and to use it as it used Christ. As we see this clearly, it will conform us to Christ.
32. With our contemplation let us join this kind of reasoning; God so hated pride that He became humbled to the death of the cross to redeem us from it, and shall we be proud? When we are stirred up to revenge, consider that Christ prayed for His enemies; when we are tempted to disobedience, think God in our nature was obedient unto death; and shall we stand upon terms? And when we grow hard-hearted, consider Christ became Man that He might show bowels of mercy; let us reason thus when we are tempted to any sin, and it will be a means to transform us into the likeness of Christ.
33. When we see God blasphemed or the like, let us think how would Christ stand affected if He were here; when He was here upon earth, how zealous He was against profaneness; and shall we be cold? When He saw the multitude wander as sheep without a shepherd His bowels yearned; and shall we see so many poor souls live in darkness and our bowels not yearn over them?
34. We must look upon Christ not only for healing, but as a perfect pattern to imitate; for wherefore else did He live so long upon the earth, but to show us an example. And let us remember that we shall be accountable for those good examples which we have from others. There is not an example of a humble, holy and industrious life, but shall be laid to our charge; for God purposely lets them shine in our eyes that we might take example by them.