Of trie PERSON Of CHRIST. I15 caufegrace was poured into his lips, unto whom nothing is fo defirable, as to have the fame mind, the fame heart, the fame fpirit that was in Chrift jefus, he is prepared to prefs after conformityunto him. And unto filch a foul the reprefentation of all thefe excellencies in the perfon of Chrift, is the great incentive, motive and guide, in and unto all internal obedi- ence unto God. That wherein we are labour for this conformity may be reduced unto two heads. r.) An oppofition unto all fin, in the root, principle and moil ferret fprings of it, or original cleanings unto .our nature. He did no fin, neither was there any guile found in his mouth. He was bolt', barmelefs, unde- filed, feparate from finners. He was the lambofGod withoutfpot or blemifli ; like unto us, yet without fin. Not the leaft tincture of findid ever make an approach unto his holy nature. He was abfolutely free from every drop of that forces which bath invaded us in our depraved condition. Wherefore to be freed from all fin, is the firft general part of an endea- -vour for conformity unto Chrift. And although we cannot perfectly at- tain hereunto in this life, as we have not already attained, nor are alrea- dy perfeiá, yet he who groaneth not in himfelf after it who doth not loath every thing that is of the remainder of fin in him, and himfelf for it, who Both not labour after its abfolute and univerfal extirpation, hatat no fincere defign of conformity unto Chrift, nor can fo have. He who endeavours to be like him, mud purify himfelf, even as he is pure. Thoughts ofthepurity of Chrift, inhis abfolute freedom fromthe lead tin- dure of fin, will not fuller a believer to benegligent at any time, .for the endeavouring the utter ruine of that which makes him unlike unto him. And it is a blefted advantage unto faith in the work of mortifica- tionof fin, that we have fuch a pattern continually beforeus. a.) The due improvement of and continual growth in every grace, is the other general part of this duty. In the exercife of his own all-ful- nefs of grace, both in moral duties of obedience, and the efpecial duties ofhis office, did the glory of Chrift on the earth confift. Wherefore to abound in the exercife of every grace, to grow in the root, and thrive in the fruit ofthem, is to be confirmed unto the image ofthe Son ofGod. The following the example of Chrift in all duties towards God and men, in his whole converfation on the earth, is the fecand part of the inftance now givenconcerning the ufe ofthe perfon of Chrift in religion. The field is large which here lies before us, and filled with numberlefs Hefted inflances : I cannot here enter into it; and the midakes that have been in a pretence unto it, requires that it fhould be handled diftindly and at large by it felt, which if God will, may be done in due time.' One or two general inflances'wherein he was mod eminently our exam- ple, 'hall clofe this his difcourfe. (i.) His meeknefs, lowlinefsof mind, condefcenfionunto all forts of per- funs ; his love and kindnefs unto mankind, his readinefs to do good unto all, with patience and forbearance, arecontinuallyfet before us in his example. I place them all under one head, as proceeding all from the fame fpring of divine goodnefs and having effects of the fame nature. With refped unto them, it is required that the fame mind be -in us that was in aryl yn efus, Phil. ii. 3. and that we walk in love, as healfo lovedus, Ephef. v. 2: theft things was he the great reprefentativeof the divine goodnefs unto us. In the ailing of thefe graces on all occafions did he declare and mani- felt the nature of God from whom hecame. And this was one end of his exhibition in the flefh. Sin had filled the worldwith a reprefentation of
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