Spiritual Per f e Pion. his Obedience, to in(1ru& and oblige us to conform to his Pattern, the certain and conftant Rule of our Duty. We may not fecurely follow the bell Saints, who fometimes through Ignorance and Infirmity, deviatefrom the narrow way ; but our Saviour is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. What he Paid after his washing the Difciples Feet, (an Aaion wherein there was fuch an admirable mixture of Humility and Love, that 'tis not poffible to conceive which excell'd ; for they were both in the higheft Perfe- tion,) I have given you an Example that what I have done to you, fo do you, is applicable to all the kinds of Vertues and Graces exhibited in his PraEfice. He inftruEtsus to do by his Doings, and to fuller by his Sufferings. He fuffered for i Pet Q 2. trs , leaving an Example , that we may follow his fleps. He levels the way , and makes it like a Carpet, by goingbe- fore us. Thofe Duties which are very harfh to fenfible Nature, he inftruas us in, by his Preaching, and by his Paffion. How can we decline them, when per- form'd by him , in whom the glorious Deity was perfonally united to the ten- der Humanity ? His Life was a conti- nual Le&ure of Mortification. 'Tis the Obfervation of the Natural Hiftorian that the tender providence of Nature is Aa 4 adm 3-59
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