What Is The Imitation of Christ? Conformity to His Image

To be freed from all sin, is the first general part of an endeavor for conformity unto Christ. And although we cannot perfectly attain hereunto in this life, as we have "not already attained, nor are already perfect," yet he who groans not in himself after it — who does not loathe everything that is of the remainder of sin in him and himself for it — who does not labor after its absolute and universal extirpation — has no sincere design of conformity to Christ, nor can so have.