of the precepts of God, and of the example which he gives us, but that, indeed, in a very flender manner. Of the nature of man the emperor Marc. Antonine, fpeaks thus, lib. 8. §. 11. "wherein confifts a happy life? In doing thofe things which human nature requires." They are for ever talking of right reafon, and of the examples of illuftrious men, fee Seneca, Epift. 6. 11. 25.

LXXXI. Epictetus fpeaks things more fublime concerning the precepts of God than could well have been expected from a Heathen. He protests, Arrian. lib. 3. c. 24, towards the end, that he would live and die before God; "As thou haft required, fays he, that as free as thy fervant, as knowing what thou commandeft and what thou forbiddeft." And a little after, "Do not I wholly tend towards God and his precepts: and commands?" And lib. 4. c. 7, "I am fet at liberty by God, I know his commandments." And in the fame book, c. 3. "I am fet free, and am the friend of God, that I may willingingly obey him." And a little after: "Wherefore I cannot tranfgrefs any of his commands." And to conclude; "These are edicts, I must be the interpreter of, muft obey them, before the precepts of Maffurius and Caffius."

LXXXII. Sometimes alfo they have spoken of the imitation of God, and of conformity to him. Seneca de benefic. lib. 7. c. 31. "Let us imitate the Gods." Marc. Antonin. lib. 5. §. 27. "We must live with the Gods:" and lib. 2. §. 5. " live a divine life." Clemens Storm. lib. 2. p. 403. "Plato the philofopher defining happiness, fays, it is an affimilation to God, as far as may be." See above, chap. 5. fect. 2.

LXXXIII. These things are fpoken in a lofty ftrain; nevertheless, as they had not the knowledge of any other laws of God but what nature fuggefts, and are infcribed on the confcience, which prefcribe the duties of holinefs only in general and in a very confufed and imperfect manner; and as they knew not the true God in this perfections, nor ever beheld him in his fanctuary; what they had for the rule of their virtues was very defective.

LXXXIV. But Chriftian holiness has a far more excellent rule to go by, whether we confider its precepts or examples. Its precepts are taken from the moft perfect law of God; not only that of which the rubbish, and as it were, the faint resemblance or fhadows like a paffing image, ftill remain in the confcience of a natural man; but also that which with fo much magnificence of heavenly glory, God formerly publifhed before the full affembly of his people, wrote with his own finger on tables of stone,

enlarged

enlarged with the plainest expositions of the Prophets and infpired penmen, and which, by the fecret efficacy of his Spirit, he writes on the hearts of the elect: which is the most exact expreffion not only of his most holy will, but also of his nature and perfections, fo far as they are imitable by man; nor does it only regulate and order the external actions and converfation, but also reaches to man's most inward parts, directs the inmost receffes of the heart, and roots out the fibres of vice, even to the very first motions of rifing concupifcence; which in fine, raises marr to a perfection worthy of God.

LXXXV. This is that law, which God gave in charge to Ifrael, Pf. cxlvii. 19; " by which he made them great and glorious," Ifa. xlii. 21; fo that, in an astonishing manner, they excelled other nations, Deut. iv. 6, 7. in which are

syarua the most ample inftructions [great things written], Hof. viii. 12. the excellency of which, and not their excellency alone, but also their most exact perfection, the Pfalmift has nobly set forth, Pf. xix. 8, &c. and indeed, fo great was the perfection, that he could find no end to it, as he found in other perfections, Pfal, cxvi. 96. And certainly the more a man is engaged with an attentive mind, in the profound meditation of this law, the more distinctly he will understand that he is far from forming in his mind a perfect notion of that holiness prescribed by it. The Lord Jefus has faid all in a few words, and comprised the whole fummary of the law, calling out to his dif ciples (but who can understand the full force of those words?) "Be ye perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect," Mat. v.48.

LXXXVI. Besides thofe moft holy laws, the believer has illuftrious examples of virtues for his imitation; and those not of one kind or order. And the first that here occur are the SAINTS THAT ARE IN THE EARTH," and the excellent, in whom is all his delight," Pfal. xvi. 3. we have no occasion to present you with a Socrates, a Zeno, a Cato, or a Lælius, whom Seneca recommends for this purpose. We have men actuated by the most noble and generous Spirit of God, Patriarchs, Prophets, Apoftles, and the like heroes of both fexes, whom God himself honoured with familiarity, with encomiums and commendations; whofe manner of life he took care to have exactly defcribed in the most facred volumes of our religion, and whofe number is fo great that Paul calls them a cloud of witnefes, by whofe example we may be animated to run with conftancy, the race of piety, Heb xii. 1. These are proposed to us for our imitation, 1 Cor. iv. 16. and xi. 2. Phil. iii. 17. Jac. iv. 10. Heb. xiii. 7.

LXXXVII.

LXXXVII. However as the most excellent faints on earth have had their blemishes prudence is neceffary in this cafe, that we may propofe, for our imitation, only those actions of theirs, which are the moft confonant to the standard of the divine law; where they have departed from the rule, let us be admonished by their mistake, and learn to walk uprightly. For this end Nehemiah wifely proposes the example of Solomon *, Neh. xiii. 26. And it is of fingular use to us, that the backflidings of the holy men of God are recorded in holy writ. Spots appear no where more difagreeable, than when feen in a moft beautiful face, or on the cleanest garment. And it is expedient to have a perfect knowledge of the filthiness of fin. We alfo learn from them to think humbly of ourselves, to depend on the grace of God, to keep a ftricter eye upon our felves, leaft perhaps we fall into the fame or more grievous fins, Gal. vi. 1.

LXXXVIII. But our Lord would not have us without perfect examples, and therefore he raifes the meditations of his people to the inhabitants of heaven, the choirs of angels, and fpirits of juft men made perfect, whofe conversation he recommends even in our daily prayer, as it is in heaven. These being filled with the cleareft light, and flaming with the pureft love, and continually beholding the face of God, and being altogether conforming to him, inceffantly fhew forth the praises of their Creator, and execute his commands with incredible alacrity. Ifa. vi. 2, 3. Pf. ciii. 20. Rev. iv. 8, 9, 10, 11. The facred writings teftify all this concerning them. And faith not only believes, but fees all this; for, being endowed with the quickeft fight, it penetrates within the veil of the heavenly fanctuary, and, as if mixed with the confort of the heavenly inhabitants, views thofe exercises of the most confummate holiness, with the love of which the believing foul cannot fail to be inflamed.

LXXXIX. But yet, as it is very defirable to have likewise an example of perfect holinefs upon earth; fo God has not fuffered us to be without one; for he fent his own Son from heaven, who hath left us the brightest pattern of every virtue, without exception, that we should follow his steps, 1 Pet. ii. 21. It was a part of Chrift's prophetical office, to teach not only by words, but by the example of his life, that both in his words and actions he might fay, learn of me, Mat. xi. 29. The imi

* Did not Solomon king of Ifrael fin by these things? Yet, among many nations, was there no king like him, who was beloved of his God, and God made him king over all Ifraei; nevertheless even him did optlandish women caufe to fin.

VOL. II.

tation of him is often recommended by the Apoftles, 1 Cor. I Theff. i. 6. 1 John ii. 6.

xỉ. I.

XC. It has been very well obferved by a learned person, that we are to distinguish between imitation, whereby we are laid to be unta, imitators of Chrift, 1 Cor. xi. I.; and between following, by which we are commanded to follow Chrift; between follow me, Mat. xvi. 24. and follow after me, Mat. x. 38. For, the former denotes a conformity to an example: the latter, the attendance of fervants, going after their masters: which words are generally confounded by writers in their own language, though they ought by no means to be fo.

XCI. As we have already often inculcated, that Christ is not to be confidered in a threefold respect, as man, as Mediator, and as God: fo we are to enquire in what relation or respect he is given us as an example. And first, we are not to doubt, that as he reprefented, in his human nature, the image of God, in which the first man was created, and poffeffed and practised all the virtues due by a rational creature, without any defect i in fo far as he is, in the most perfect manner, propofed to our imitation. Certainly this world was hitherto destitute of such a pattern ever since the fatal apoftacy of our first parėnts, viz. to have a man, who being untainted with vice, holy, harmless, undefiled, might, as a living and breathing law, converfe among his brethren: fuch a one, God hath exhibited to us in Christ. It is a pleasure to him who loves holiness, to behold a moft exact delineation of it in the written law of God. 'But' what is that delineation but only a picture? It is indeed, exact, and painted in natural colours; but then it is a picture only, without flesh and blood, without life and motion. How much greater therefore, the pleasure to behold the fame holiness which is pourtrayed in the law, living as it were, and animated in Chrift?

XCII. What was peculiar and proper to his mediatorial office, as the honour of his mediation, whereby we are reconciled to God, and that eminent dignity, by which he has the peculiar honour of being prophet, prieft and king; in fum whatever belongs to that more excellent name, which was beftowed on Chrift above his fellows; all this we are neither to imitate nor follow the example of those who pretend to be imitators; "there is one mediator between God and men, the man Chrift Jefus. 1 Tim. ii. 5.

XCIII. Nevertheless, believers, after the example of Christ, and from a participation of his unction, have the honour of being prophets, priefts, and kings, Joel ii. 28. 1 Pet. ii. 5.

Rev.

Rev. i. 6. And confequently, it is incumbent upon them, to conform to the example of Chrift, in the fpritual discharge of thofe offices. In which, however, there is fo great a difference, that befides partaking of the name, and fome fmall analogy, scarce any coincidence can be obferved. The prophetical, facerdotal, and regal offices of Christ are of a far different nature from ours.

XCIV. But those virtues which Chrift difcovered in the dif charge of his offices, are by all means, propofed for our imitation; as the demonftration he gave of his humility, faithfulness, love, patience, zeal, and conftancy in the whole discharge of his offices; as also his not intruding into them without a call, Heb. v. 4, 5. his faithfulness to him who had appointed him, Heb. iii. 2. his not feeking his own advantage or profit, Phil. ii. 4, 5. his not finking under the reproaches and contradiction of finners, Heb. xii. 2, 3. his zeal for God's houfe that had eaten him up, John ii. 17. his not feeking his own but the glory of his Father in all things, John viii. 49, 50. and a great deal more to the fame purpose.

XCV. In fine, even as God, he, together with the Father and Holy Spirit, is a pattern to us of the pureft holiness, Levit. xi. 44. and xix. 2. Mat. v. 48. Eph. v. I. 1 Pet. i. 15, 16. The holiness of God is fo great an ornament of his other perfections, that without it all the reft would be unworthy of God. Hence he is faid to be glorious in holiness, Exod xv. 11. and we are particularly commanded to celebrate the memorial, or give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness, Pf. xxx. 4. and lxxix. 12. after the example of the feraphim, who having repeated the threefold praise of the divine holiness, added, the whole earth is full of his glory, Ifa. vi. 3. God invites his people to imitate this holiness, he has fet it before them in his word for their contemplation; that while they admire its beauty, they may be inflamed with the love of it, and gradually tranf formed to that image.

XCVI. In the third place, we proposed to speak of the END of Christian virtues or graces; which must needs be of all others the most excellent. The true believer does not there apply himself to the practice of holinefs, to gain praife and reputation with men, which was the crime of the Heathen and the Pharifees, of whom our Lord teftifies, Mat. vi. 5. That they have their reward. He does not aim only at his own advantage, either in this or in the life to come, from a mercenary felf-love, which all those do, who, endeavouring to establish their own righteousness, profess that all motives to piety are destroyed, if the merits of good works are exploded. He does not only pur

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