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his doctrine, he might be a pattern to us in his life. The advantage of example to recommend instruction is univerfally allowed. The example of a teacher is not only the fureft argument of his fincerity, it is also the best illuftration of his doctrine. Thereby he represents the virtues that he teaches, not in semblance or in picture, but in substance and in actual life. And while he points out the path of duty, he gives us encouragement to walk therein. But the best examples among the fons of men are imperfect. Among all human teachers of moral truth the life is not uniformly correct and faultlefs as the precept. The light, which they exhibit fo clear in the doctrine, has some portion of shade in the practice. Even the Prophets and righteous men, whom our Lord himself commends, were not fo exempt from the common frailty of our nature, as to be entirely pure from errors and infirmities in their lives. And therefore, when we take them for models of conduct, it behoves us to copy them with fome degree of caution and reserve.—It is the peculiar character of our holy Teacher, that his life on earth was entirely free from every moral fhade, that he was a perfect model of every moral excellence. Though fubject to our infirmitiess, and in all points

tempted

tempted like as we are, yet he was continually pure from all taint of fin. And in every active and in every paffive virtue he has left us an example, that we fhould follow his steps, who did no fin, and who fulfilled all righteousness.

Indeed, there are many parts of his life on earth, which as they belong to his divine and mediatorial character, are not for men to imitate; for inftance, when he performed miracles, and when he forgave fins. Yet the moral, which is displayed in these several acts of authority, is not beyond the reach of human cultivation. If we are not able to follow him in performing miracles, yet we may take for our pattern in the ordinary course of nature that example of benevolence to the body, which he performed by the immediate hand of God. According as we have received of the gifts of providence, we may communicate to others by feeding the hungry, by comforting the fick, by folacing the maladies, and by foftening the afflictions of human life. If we must not prefume to follow him in remitting fins, yet we may take for our pattern in the ordinary course of grace that example of benevolence to the foul, which he performed by an immediate autho

rity

rity from heaven. According to our station or influence in fociety, we may take opportunities to admonish, to exhort, and to reprove, fo as to convince the finner of his errors, to move him to repentance, and to reconcile him to God.

The fame eminence of character precludes him from being an immediate object of human imitation in fome points of difcipline, which form an effential exercife in the fpiritual life of his followers. As being an object of faith himself, he could not be a pattern of faith to others. As being without fin, he could not be a pattern of repentance. Yet in these several points his preeminence of character contains an energy of inftruction, fuperior in fome manner to direct example. If we do not actually fee him a pattern of faith, yet while we contemplate him in every relation that he bears to man, as a Prophet, as a Priest, and as a King, we fee him a living and perfuading Guide in every point, which is neceffary to our pardon and juftification with God. If we do not fee him a pattern of repentance, yet while we contemplate him as bearing our griefs and carrying our forrows, as wounded for our tranfgreffions and bruised for our iniquities, we see him

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a living

a living and perfuading Precept to mourn for our own tranfgreffions and to forrow for our own iniquities.

But in every branch of holiness, whether in difpofition or practice, we may without exception immediately look unto Jefus, the Author and Finisher of our faith, who has exemplified in his life, whatever he has inculcated in his doctrine. While he taught us by his precept, he equally taught us in his own personal deportment, to deny ungodlinefs and worldly lufts, and to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. In humility of spirit, in meekness of temper, and in purity of heart, in compaffion and forbearance, in mercy and charity to men, in piety and refignation, in trust and patience towards God, we may take him for a sure and unquestionable Guide. When therefore we receive him as a Teacher come from God, it concerns us, not only to attend his precepts and obferve his laws, but to ftudy his life, and to contemplate his character, that on fo complete a model we may regulate our

own.

Indeed after all we do, we fhall fall infinitely fhort of that unblemished, of that perfect character, whom we profess to imitate. For in this imperfect state of our na

ture

ture we fhall be neither free from fin, nor fhall we be able to make any great advance in righteousness. But provided we fincerely obey him, and faithfully follow him with all our heart and might, in the word that he has left, and in the example that he has given, we have every encouragement to hope, notwithstanding all our errors and deficiencies, through his merits and by his aid to have an intereft in the glad tidings that he came to impart, and finally to have an entrance into the everlasting Kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Christ.

II. In concurrence with this act of mercy to the spiritual state of men was the attention, that he paid to their temporal benefit and welfare. While he was thus beneficially employed in preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, he omitted no opportunities of bealing all manner of fickness and all manner of difeafe among the people. Though the latter of these gracious works was in fubfervience to the former, yet was it of important use in these two respects, as it gave an evidence of his miffion, and was an illuftration of his character.

Whenever God is pleafed to manifest himself to men, he is pleafed at the same time to give fome token or evidence that the

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