in Contriving Man's Redemption. · u.niverfal Command of the Gofpel, that comprifes all our Duties, is, to walk._" Chrift ~ waif<sd. Chap. ,g, 2. His Example is moCt accommodate to our prefent State. There muCt be fome pro-~ portion between the Model, and Copy that is to be drawn by it. Now the Divine Nature is the Supreme R.ule of Moral Perfections. We are commanded to be Holy, as God is Holy. But fuch is the obfcurity of our Minds, and the weaknefs of our Natures, that the Patern was too high and glorious to be expreft by us. We had not Strength to af. cend to Him, but he had Goodnefs to defcend to us: And in this prefeot Ctate to fet before us a Patern more fitted to our Capacity. Although Light is the proper Object of Sight, nt the radiancy and immenfe Light of the Sun in the Meridi an is invifible to our fight; we more ea lily difcover the reflection of it in fome opacous Body: So the Divine Attributes are fweetoed in the Son ofGod incarnate, and being united with the Graces proper for the Humane Nature, are more perceptible to our Minds, and more imitable by us. This was one great del!gn of his coming into the World , to fet before us in doing and fuffering, not a meer SpeC'cacle for our wonder, but a Copy to be tranfcribed in our Hearts and Lives. He therefore chofe fuch a tenour of Life as every one might imitate. His Supreme Vertue expreft it felf in fuch a temper.ate courfe of AC'cions, that ::u1hJ::;;;F,c~~ido~~ ~~~~~~~~~e~~v~r~l:~: g;ui~i{onL~~~~~i:f;at~~~~ li¥t:ffi~i~tfe~ of Predenination is to conform us to th~ Image of the Son, who Wtt.I for this end mttde the jirjl born among many Brethren. He a!fumed the Humane Nature, that we might partake of the Divine, not only by his Merit, but Example. This will appear more fully by confidering, There are fome Vertues neceiTary to our condition as Creatures, or with refpecr to our Ctate of Trial here below, which the Deity is not capable of; and thofe moCt eminently appear in [he Life of Chrift. I will infiance in three, which are the Elements of Chrillian PerfeC'cion. His Humility in defpifing all th<;. Honour of the World, His Obedience in Sacrificing his Will iotirely to God's, and his Charity in procuring the Salvation of Men by his Sufferings: and in all thefe He denied to his Humane Nature the priviledge due to it by its union with the E• ternalWord. 1. Humility in 1\riCl:nefs bath no place in God: He requires the Tribute of Glory from all his Creatures. And the Son of God had a right to Divine Honour upon his fir!\ Appearance here below. Yet he was born in a Staqle, and made fubjecr to our common Imperfeaions. Although he was ordained to convert the World by his Doctrine and Miracles, yet for the tenth part of his time he lived concealed and fil ent, being fubjeC'c to his Mother and reputed Father, ( Marfz 6. 3·) in the fervile Work of a Carpenter. And after his folemn inve!\iture into his Office by a Voice from Heaven, yet he was defpifed and contemned. He refufed to be a King, . and 1\oop'd fo low as to wafh his Difciples foet, John •3· All this he did to infl:ruct us to be nzeek._ and lowly, (Mat. 11. 29.) to correct our Pride, the mol\ intimate and radicated Corruption of Nature. For as thofe Difeafes are mol\ incurable, which draw nourilbment from that food which is taken for the fupport of Life; fo Pride that turns vertuous AC'cions which are the matter of praife into its Nourilbment, is mort ' difficultly overcome. But the Example of the Son of God, in whom there is an union of all Divine and Humane Perfections de- ~~;;~y~imfelf to the form of a Servant, is fufficient, if duly conl!dered, to make us'walk 2: Obedience is a Vertue that becomes an Inferiour, either a Serv;1nt, or Subje/J:, who ~:e JUCtly ~nder the power of others, and mu!\ be complying with their Will: So _that b~t vh;'J ~:~~~tt~~ 0~u~0~f ;!,"d~:~~ t~0~~ f~~~i~~~ ~~h~:~~io~~mi~~~v 0;h:'~~:0~f G_od became Man, _and was univerfally obedient to the Law of his Father. And his Obedtence had all the mgredients that might commend it to our imitation. The :value of Obedience arifes upon three accounts : tha'~ i;~em~~~n~'[,f~~.'he Perfon that obeys ; it is more meritorious in an honourablo • 2 · Fr~m the difficulty of the Command; it being no great ViC'cory over the Appetite f~a:~b::tence, 11bi de.ligifllr q11od debetur, where the in fiance is agreeable to ~ ~ur .~f3· F_rom the entirenefs of the Will in obeying. For to perform a commanded ACtion aga~~{\ ourconfent, is only to be fubject in the meaner part of Man, the Body, anp to refi!\ m the fuperiour which is the Mind. Now in all thefe refpeC'cs the Obediep~e , of Chrif1:
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