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From some of the reasons assigned to shew the fitness of our Lord's behaviour in these particulars, we may partly learn with what wisdom it was ordered that his birth and appearance should be humble : since acknowledged splendour of descent, and a display of worldly grandeur, would have suited the secular notions of the Jews about their Messiah, and would naturally have stirred up a people to sedition who were remarkable for their impatience of a foreign yoke, from the very prejudice which worldly magnificence in Jesus's appearance would have confirmed.

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END OF THE FIRST PART.

PART II.

OBSERVATIONS

ON THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR

LORD'S MORAL CHARACTER.

PROPTER AMOREM,

QUOD TE IMITARI AVEO.

LUCK.

PART II.

OBSERVATIONS

ON THE EXCELLENCE OF OUR

LORD'S MORAL CHARACTER.

CHAPTER I.

SECTION I.

OF OUR LORD'S PIETY.

HAVING shewn what was the subject matter of our Lord's teaching, in what manner he delivered his instructions, what proofs he gave of his divine mission, and how he circumstanced those proofs; I go on to shew that he was not like the Jewish teachers, who a said and did not, but exhibited a perfect pattern of perfect instructions.

b

In recounting our Lord's virtues, we shall natur. ally give the chief place to his piety. The first words attributed to him in the gospels contain a When he was twelve years of pious sentiment. age, he accompanied his parents to the passover ; remained behind them in Jerusalem, penetrated with the love of God's worship and of religious wisdom;

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