170 The Duty of imitating the Primitive Teachers, Vol. I. Firfl, Shew why amongst all the Examples of Good Men, we fhould more efpecially propofe to our Imitation, the Primitive Teachers, and Patterns of our Religion. Secondly, Wherein we should imitate them. The Apoftle expreffeth it in one Word, in their Faith ; wbofe Faith follow. Thirdly, The Ehcourageinent to this, from the Confiderationof the happy State theyare in, and the glorious Reward they are made Partakers of; Considering the endof their Converfation. Fitji, I (hall endeavour to 'hew, why among all the Examples of Good Men; we fhould more efpecially propofe to our Imitation, the Primitive Teachers and Patterns of our Religion, I mean, the holy Apoftles of our Lord and Saviour, whofe Faith, we fhould endeavour to follow, and to Imitate the holinefs and virtue of their Converfation. For Theft' certainly come neareft to that moft Perfel , and Excellent Pattern of all Goodnefs, our Wed Saviour, and are the faireft Tranfcripts of that unblemifhed Original. Hence it is that St. Paul fo frequently exhorts Chriftians to Imitatehis Example, and the Examples of the other Apoflles; it being reafonable to prefume, that They came neareft to the Pattern of our Lord. I Cor. 11. 1. Beyefollowers ofme, even as I alfo am of Chrifl Phil. 3. 17. Bre- thren, be followers together of me, andmark them which walk fo, as ye 'have no for an Enfample. For our Converfation is in Heaven. And this is reafonable, that thefirst in every kind fhould be the Rule andPat- tern of the reff, and of all that follow after; becaufe it is likely to be moft per- fed. In procefs of Time, the belt Inftitutions are apt to decline, and by infenfi- bledegrees to fwerve, and depart from the Perfe&ion of their firft ftate ; and therefore it is a good Rule, to preferve things from corruption and degeneracy, often to look back to the firft Inftitution, and by that to correlt thofe Imperfeti- ons and Errors, which will almoft unavoidably creep in with Time. If we would preferve that Purity of Faith and Manners, which our Religion requires, we should have frequent recourfe to the Primitive Teachersand Patterns of Chriftianity, and endeavour to bring our Belief and Lives to as near a Con- formity with theirs, as is pofble. Who fo likely to deliver the Faith and Do. Chineof Christ pure, and uncorrupted, as the Primitive Teachers of it, who re- ceived it from our Lord himfelf ; and were, by an extraordinary affiftance of the Holy Spirit, fecured from Error and Miítake in the deliveryof it ? And who fo likely to bring their Lives and Converfatjons to an exalt Conformity with this holy Doltrine, as they, who were fo thoroughly Inftrulted in it by the best Mailer, and 'hewn the Practice of itin the molt perfelt Example of all Holiness and Virtue ? Great Reafon there is therefore, why all Chriftians should follow their Faith, and make their Converfation More efpecially the Patterns of their Lives. The want of a due regard to thefe Fountains of Chriftian Doltrine, and the fir/t and bell Patterns of Chriftian Pradice, hath been the great Caufe of that foul degeneracyof the Romifh Church, both in the Doltrine and Pradice of Chri- anity. They do not follow the Faith of the Apoflles, the firft Fathers and Teachers of Chrrianity ; but ofthe Fathers ofthe Council ofLateran, and Trent, Thus have they forfaken the Fountain of living waters, the Holy Scriptures, and have been to tbemfelves broken Cifterns, that will hold no water; the Doltrines and Traditions of Men. Nay, theyhave ftopt up this Fountain of living waters from the People, and forbid them to come to it; and forced them to drink of thofe impure and pudled Streams, which they let out to them ; and inftead of the Lives of the holy Apostles, and thofe eminent Graces and Virtues which shined forth in them, they reprefent to them the Patterns of newSaints; force of which neither they nor their Fathers knew, and indeed never were in being ; as St. 41- manach, and St. Synoris, and several others; many of them fo far from being Saints, that they may be reckoned among the woe of Men ; ( for instance, our Countryman Thomas.a Becket, who for Pride and Rebellion may almost vyewith Lucifer himfelf; and yet this ill Man, and worft of Subjelts, was Canonized to that height, as for Two hundred Years together, to engrofs the Worship of thefe Western
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