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precept; but the difficulty is to find an example fit for imitation. Mere human models are all, more or less, imperfect; and though it is undeniable, that very great benefit may be derived from them, if we are careful to point out, and warn men against their faults, and by assembling together many different characters of great worth, to provide that the deficiencies of each may be supplied by others; yet still there must always be a certain degree of danger in copying even the best men. The faults and the virtues of each individual are in general so intimately blended, and, as it were, fit together so readily, that it is not easy to avoid the one, while aiming at the other. The faults of one whom we regard as a great and good man, become endeared and ennobled in our eyes by a union with so much virtue; we are apt to take such a favourable view of them, as leads us to excuse them in ourselves, if not even to admire and copy them. "Decipit exemplar vitiis imitabile," is accordingly no less trite a maxim than that which recommends the study of approved models.

It was probably for this reason that the Stoics

held forth as a pattern their ideal Wise-man. For the Sapiens-the Wise-man, or perfectly good and happy character, whom these philosophers delineated-was not one whom they themselves pretended to have ever actually existed. This circumstance, by the way, (though such is undoubtedly the fact,) has been overlooked by many; who have thence charged them with arrogant pretensions to perfect virtue, which it does not appear they ever made. Their object seems to have been, to avoid, on the one hand, the comparative flatness and tediousness of abstract descriptions, and, on the other hand, the errors to be dreaded from the imperfection of human models. And they certainly judged rightly in thinking, that however inevitable it may be that men should have defects, the pattern which is proposed to them should have none; for, far as they will still fall short of perfection, they will thus approach much nearer to it than if they had copied a defective model.

This method, however, of leading men to morality, though perhaps the best that in their situation they could have devised, laboured

under a very important defect: I speak not of the blemishes in the ideal Wise-man they described; though the character which they meant for a perfect one, was, according to the more correct principles now established, very far from perfect; still it is conceivable that it might have been so; let us then suppose it completely unexceptionable; still it is ideal; it wants the power of inspiring that interest and sympathy, that affectionate reverence,that emulation, which a really existing person can alone inspire; and being represented to us only by general descriptions, it takes even less hold of the mind than the fictitious hero of a drama, who is represented as performing distinct individual actions; though we know that both are alike creatures of the imagination; which have therefore but a very faint effect in exciting us to imitation. An ideal model, in short, is but one short step removed from abstract moral precept: real human examples, on the contrary, are unsafe, through their imperfection. Both may do some service, but both leave much to be desired.

But if, while some of the ancient moralists

were employed in recounting the actions, and holding forth the examples, of really existing illustrious men, to stimulate the emulation of their hearers, and while others were pointing out, in the grave and lofty descriptions of the philosopher, or the vivid representations of the poet, an ideal exemplar of perfect excellence ;— a man exhibited, such as men should be, not such as they are, what would these sages,

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say, have thought, had they been assured on sufficient authority that such a Man had actually appeared on earth; not, having his virtues tarnished with defects, like the heroes of their histories: not, a phantom of imagination, like the Persons of their theatre, or the Wise-man of their schools; but a real, living, sublime, and faultless model of godlike virtue? Surely they would have acknowledged, with one voice, that such a character, and such a one only, was exactly suited to their wishes, and to the wants of their hearers if they were at all sincere in their professions, they would have hailed with rapture the announcement of his existence; but would have wondered, at the same time, and doubted, how human nature could ever have attained

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this pitch of excellence. We might have answered them, Human nature by itself is indeed far too weak for the task; but in Christ the Divine nature was united to it; in Him "dwelt all the fulness of the Godhead bodily:" the Deity was ever present in an especial manner to direct and support his human soul; and thus presented to his creatures a perfect pattern, which, through the promised aid of the Spirit of Christ, they may copy: that by imitating the divine excellence, as far as it is possible for a creature to do so, we may become, as Christ himself expresses it, "like unto our Father which is in heaven," and be thus fitted for enjoying a more near approach to his presence in a better state: that we also may be more completely than in this life, "sons of God, brethren, and joint-heirs of Christ," and partakers of his glory. "Beloved," says the Apostle John, "now are we the sons of God; and it doth not yet appear what we shall be; but we know that when He shall appear, we shall be like unto Him; for we shall see Him as He is." Behold here, then, (we might exclaim) a truly godlike man, far surpassing your histo

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