220 '""-.A/1 Chap. 18. ~ 'lhe Harmony of the 'Divine Attributes cHAP. xvm. Examples bave a JPecial Efficacy above Precepts to form 111 to Holinefs. The Exsmple of Cbrift is moff proper to tbat end, being abjofutely perfect, and accommodate to our prefent State. Some Vertues are neceffary to our Condition as Creatures, or to our Condition in tbe World, of wbicb tbe Deity is uncapable ; and thefe eminently appear in the Life of Chrift. Tbey are Humility, Obedience, and Luve in fujfering for us. HiJ Life contains all our Duties, or Motiver to perform tbem. Jefus Chrift purchafed the Spirit of Holinefs by his Suf{erings, an,! confers it Jince his Exaltation. The fanClifying Spirit u the Concomitant of Evangelical Mercy, the S1epernatural D eclaration of the Law on Mount Sinai, and the natural difcovery of the Divine Goodnefs in the Work.! of Creatioll aud Providence, were not accompa• 11ied with the renewing Efficacy of the Spirit. The lower Operations of the Spirit were only in the Heat/mu. The l'hilofophical Change differs frMJ the Spiritual and Divine, Socrates and Seneca conjidered. Our Saviour prefenu the ftrongeft Inducements to perfwade us to be Holy. They are proper to work, upon Fear, Hope and Love. The greatnefs of thofe Objects, and their Trmh, are clearly manifeft in the Gofpel. · T HE fecond Means by which our Redeemer refl:ores us to Holinefs, is by exhibiting a compleat Patern of it in his Life upon Earth. For the difcovery how infl.uential thi~ is upon us, we m.urt confi~er, That of all the .mort noble Works, the prinC>pal Caufe IS an exact Patern m the mmd of the Agent whtch he endeavours to imitate; and Examples are of the fame nature. He th<!t defires to excel in Painting or Sculpture, muft view the mort accompli!bt Pieces of thofe Arts. Thus in Morality, the confider:v tion of Eminent Actions performed by others, is of admirable efficacy to raife us to Perfection. That Examples have a peculiar Power above the naked Precept, to difpofe us to the Practice of Holinefs, appears by confidering : 1 . That they moll: clearly exprefs to us the Nature of our Duties in their Subjects and fen fi ble Effects. General Precepts from abfl:ract Idea's of Vertue, but in Examples 'l{ertues are made viGble in all their Circumftances. 2. Precepts inftruct us what things are our Dtlty, but Examples ·~~res us that they are ,po!Iible. They re[emble a clear Stream wherein we may not only dtfcover our Spots, but wa!b them off. When we fee Men likeou·rrelves, who are united to frail Flefb, and to in the fame condition·with us. to command their Paflions, to overc~me the moft glori· ou; ~n~x~:~r~~~~n~J~mf~~~~ito~~d \~fv~r; i~~~~~~~ee: i~r~~ru~P;~i;~{t~~~areThe Roma1u . (ey:ontumacia (e) kepr in their Hou[es the Pifrures of their Progenitors, to heighten their Spirits, and ~~~&(,~/':~- provoke them to follow the Pr~fidents ~et ~efore them. We are toucht in .anorher mantmplo. Nam ner by the vifible Praaice of Samts, whtch reproaches our defefrs, and obltges us to the ~:.rt::?m~G. f:~eo~~~~~~r~~a~o:~·~s ~b ti:,~~:~~~~'l!~i ab~~l~~f1· pe~:a: :~~E::c~~~~~~~r;~ ~~:ior!;;~!:· our p,refent State. :~~;;.~~;:: ![;;~. 1. 'Tis abfolutely perfeCt. There is nq Example of a meer Man, that is to be fo11ow1JJ(::rvultn~ned withom limitatioh. Be ye f oUower.s of me, tU I am of Chrifl, faith the great Aportle. :a,0fr~':~~:n Nay, if the Excel lencies of all good Men were united into one, yet 1we might not fecJ(m r.1ticne curely follow him in all things: for his remaining Defetl"s might be fo difguifed by the ~:c:;~: J:P~· Vermes to which they are joyned, that \"e fuould err in our imit:uion. But the Life of Chrift was as the purefl: Gold, without any allay of bafer Metal. His Converfation was a living Law. He did no Sin, mitber wa.s any Guile .fomtd in l~i.s lvl o11th. He wa.s holj•, ~:;;~J:;i;h~~~~~&~~"~/;;;c~~;;~~l;·isHl~i:;s ~LY~:~r~~~~~d t~~s ~~~%. o~r;,~: ftianity, the pmeft Inftitution in the World, is only a conformity . to his Pater~~iv[,Pa~
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