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great life to all good refolutions and endeavours, to SERM. fee all that which GoD requires of us performed by one in our nature, by a man like ourselves. Our SAVIOUR indeed had many advantages above us, being GoD as well as man, and his humanity being supported by the divine nature to which it was united, being clear from all the ill effects of original fin, and from all kind of vicious and inordinate inclination: but then it is a great encouragement to us, to confider that GoD doth not require at our hands a perfect and unfinning obedience, as the condition of our falvation and happinefs; but only fuch an obedience to his laws, as is Gincere, and continually afpiring after greater perfection, which is very poffible to us by the grace of CHRIST, even in this imperfect ftate; that GoD confiders our weakness, and how much we ftand in need of his grace and assistance, and hath assured us that it shall not be wanting to us, if we heartily and earneftly beg it of him; and that strength which we may have for asking, is as good as if it were our If CHRIST were the Son of GOD; fo are we in a lower degree, by grace and adoption and

own.

if we be the fons of GOD, the SPIRIT of "GOD dwells in us," to quicken and raise us to newness of life. And he that hath left us fuch an example, on purpose that we might follow it, will not furely leave us deftitute of power to enable us to do fo. It is a good argument to us, that he will enable us to do that in fome degree in our own perfons, which he himself did for our example in our

nature.

An example more fuitable to our weakness might feem to have had more encouragement in it but we are to confider that the San of GOD affumed

SERM. our nature, as compaffed with infirmities, and liable CLXXXIX. to be tempted in all things as we are, only with"out fin;" fo that his example could not poffibly have come nearer to us than it does, without great difadvantage to us, without wanting that perfection which is neceffary to a complete and abfolute pattern. In fhort, the SPIRIT of CHRIST dwells in us, and the fame SPIRIT which kept and preserved him from all fin, is equally able to mortify fin in us, and to enable us to do the will of GOD in fuch manner as he will accept our justification.

IV. It is an univerfal pattern. As the doctrine of our SAVIOUR, fo his example was of an univerfal nature and defign, calculated for all times and places, and as much as was poffible, abstracted from the circumftances of a particular condition, that it might be the more equally fuited to all callings and conditions, and capacities of men, and fitted for general direction and imitation in all forts of goodness and virtue, either in the general principle, or in the particular inftances of them. And for this reafon he would not engage himfelf in any particular calling, or way of life, that his pattern might more equally and indifferently regard all mankind.

He was really a great perfon, the greateft that ever was in birth and dignity, being the only SON of GOD, the maker and heir of all things: and yet he submitted to the lowest condition, to all the degrees of poverty and meanness, of contempt and fufferings, to teach men of high degree to be humble and ferviceable to the good of others; and men of low degree to be contented and chearful in the meanest condition, and the hardest circumftances that

the

the providence of GOD fhall fee good to place SER M.

them in.

He had the deepest and most comprehensive knowledge; "in him," as the apoftle expreffeth it, "werehid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge:" and yet he made no vain fhow and oftentation of it, he did not puzzle his hearers with abftrufe fpeculations and fublime myfteries, but in a way of plain and familiar inftruction declared to his hearers those things which were most useful and neceffary for them to know. He confuted the doctors, and confounded the wisdom of the wife, those who were conceited of their own knowledge and skill in divine things; but was always ready to condefcend to the weakness and ignorance of the meanest capacity: giving herein an example to the wife and learned, not to make a show of their knowledge, but to make the best use of it; not to lift up themselves above others, but to condefcend and stoop to them for good.

He fometimes retired from converfation and company, that he might be alone, and at leifure to attend upon GoD, and meditate on divine and heavenly things, without interruption and diftraction; but moft frequently be converfed with others, and mingled himfelf with all forts of perfons, that he might give all the advantage, and do all the good he could to all men. Nay, he did not decline the converfation of the worst of men, and it was really true which was objected to him, that "he was a friend "of publicans and finners," being fincerely defirous to do them the greatest kindness in the world, to reform their manners, and reclaim them to a better courfe; fo that he was a pattern both of the contemplative and active life, and fhews us how to mix VOL. X.

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SER M. these to the greatest advantage; and by his own exCLXX XIX. ample teacheth us that we cannot ferve GOD better

than by doing good to men; and that he is as well pleased, when we lay out ourselves for the benefit of others spiritual and temporal, as if we employed all our thoughts and meditations wholly upon himself and divine things; that a perpetual retirement from the world, and fhunning the converfation of men, is not the most religious life, but living among men and doing good to them.

More particularly, the life of our bleffed SAVIOUR is a pattern to us,

1. Of the greatest and most fubftantial virtues. 2. Of the moft rare and unusual.

3. Of the most useful and beneficial.

4. Of the moft hard and difficult: and,

5. Of fuch virtues as are most needful; and for the practice of which, there is the greatest and most frequent occafion in humane life.

1. It is a pattern of the greatest and most fubftantial virtues.

Of a fervent piety and devotion toward GOD. We read, that he often retired to pray, and fome: times spent whole nights in it: his mind was continually upon GOD, as appears by his frequent ejaculations upon all occafions, by his communication and difcourfe, which was always either inftructive of men in divine truths, or perfuafive to a holy practice; from worldly objects and occurrences, he would take occafion to raise some spiritual meditation, and to speak of heavenly things.

And then his ready and chearful obedience to the will of GoD in all things: " in the volume of the "book it is written of me, I come to do thy will, "O my

I.

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"O my God." He speaks of it with pleasure, and SERM. "he delighted to do it," he declined the will of CLXXXIX. GOD in no inftance, how difficult and displeasing foever to flesh and blood.

The perfect purity and innocency of his life: he "was a lamb without spot or blemish," 1 Pet. i. 19. "He did no fin." Chap. ii. 21. "Leaving us herein "an example," that though we cannot keep equal pace with him, yet "we fhould follow his fteps." "He was holy, harmless, undefiled, feparate from finners," Heb. vii. 27.

And then his univerfal charity, taking all opportunities to do all the good, temporal and spiritual, that he could to all men, of which his whole life is one great and continued inftance: thefe are all great and fubftantial virtues.

I have indeed faid nothing of juftice, both because there was little occafion for it, he having nothing to do in those matters wherein juftice is concerned. He had no estate of his own, and he meddled not with thofe of other mens and likewife because his life was all goodness, which is a virtue of a higher pitch than justice: he that was fo good to all, we need not doubt of his juftice, if there had been occafion for it.

2. He was a pattern of the most rare and unusual virtues.

Such was his fincerity; "guile was not found in "his mouth," 1 Pet. ii. 22. His converfation was free and open, without difguife and concealment ; and therefore when the high-priest asked him of his difciples, and of his doctrine, John xviii. 19. he wonder'd at the question: "why afkeft thou me? "afk them that heard me. I fpake openly to the world,

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