3 yo Chap. z 3. An expofttion upon the Booko fJ OB. Vert: xi . We preit vel ample in sll tbirgs that are imitable by man. I have fo much ac- hat e.3144 quainted my felfe with God, and have been fo familiar with him Mil ad extra, that 1 have as it were coppiedout his way in my life and convey fa Chi ,rj ' fation. Thus he f eaksofGodas leading the way and goingbe- elenen!ie, ju P g g o fihieveriiatk, foreus ; and (faith he) Ihave not fatisfied my felfto follow him. Pined. at large, or in the fame common path, but I have Íet my feete in his very ft :ps, or I have followed him ftep by ftep. Hence note. That agodly man dab example himfelfe by God. He followeth the wayof God in his workes, as well as in his word, 9r heobeyed' Goddoing as well as command;ng. Many ofthe workes of God are infinitely beyond our imitstion,yer he works fo in other things that he bath defcended toour imitation. And though we cannot followGod inany thing as ro ,nequali- ty, yet we may follow him in many things as to the fimilitede of his workings ; we ''ay go the fame way that he goeth, and take the famefteps that he. bath taken,though we cannot take them in that pet f ttion, nor goe with fuck exadnes as he bath gone be- fore us. A childe may write the fame letters ,the fame wordsand lines, weh hem tt acurate penman or artift in writing ha:h pre- fcribed him for acopie, and fo the child may be laid to hold the f.eps ofhis Matter, letter for letter, word for word, line for line, though there be a wide difference difcerneable between their wr rings, To followGod is our duty, Çodlineffe ie J,dlikeneffe,or,an imitation ofGods 4ndpratíicaíl C'hriflianity re nothing elfe but our imitation, ofChrrft, and that not eneiy in doing but in fuffering (a Pet. z. Z I.) For even hereuntoare we called ; becaufe Chrifp alfofoff'eredfor uo, leaving us an example that we fbbould follow bis flops Chritt is not only a principle of hohoeffe in us, or our fpi- rituall Iife,but he is alto a pattern ofholineffe according towhich we ought to live. And the fame Apottle reprefents the holineffe of God, both as a rule and as a motive ofthat holineffe which . fhould beaded by us (r 6):.1í 15, t6.) ifs be that hat' called you is h:ly,fo beye holy inall manner ofcomerfati,in, - becaufo it is written ( Lev: xi. 14.) Bo ye h,1y for I am holy. Tobe holy as God is in all manner ofconverfation, is ftedfaftly to hold the fieps ofGod. And when (as Chritt exhorts, Math. 5. 55.) We are merciful!a6 ourfather which ia'in heaven to merciful'. When as die Se/w e creFi?Y.
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