berm. LXXVII. of 'tbe Divine Perfections. nor partake of any other Excellency in that tranfcendent degree, in which the Divine Nature is poffeft of it. 3. But there is no manner of inconvenience in having a Pattern propoundedto us of fo great Perfe&ion, as is above our reach to attain to ; and there may be great Advantages in it. The way to excel). in any kind is, optima qutque exem- pla ad imitandumproponere, to propofe the higheft and moft perfe& Examples to our imitation. No Man can write after too perfe& and good a Copy, and though he can never reach thePerfe&ion of it, yet he is like to learn more, than by one lefs perfe&. He that aims at the Heavens, which yet he is fure to come fhort. of, is like to(hoot higher than he that aims at a mark within his reach. Befides that the excellency of the Pattern, as it leaves room for continual im- provement, fo it kindles Ambition, and makes Men ftrain and contend to the utmoft to do better : And though he can never hope to equal the Example be fore him, yet he will endeavour to come as near it as he can. So that a perfe& Pattern is no hindrance, but an advantage rather to our improvement in any kind. 4. If any thing can be fuppofed to be our Duty, which isabfolutely beyond our Power, a Precept of this nature, may with as much reafon be fuppofed tobe fo, as any thing that can be inítanc'd in : Becaufe in fuch a cafe, if we do our belt, and be continually preffing forward towards the Mark, though we can ne- ver reach it, yet we do very commendably, and whatever the Law may require to try and raife our Obedience, yet in all equitable Interpretation, fuch a Will and Endeavour will be acceptable with God for the Deed. For if the Perfe&ion of the Law do really exceed our Ability, and be beyond the poffibility of out Performance, the affurance we have of God's Goodnefs will fufficiently fecure us from any danger and prejudice upon that account. And we may reafonably prefume, that to do all we can towards the fulfilling of this Precept, will be as acceptable to God, and as beneficial to our felves, as ifour Power had been great- er, and we had perfe&1y fulfill'd it. If our Heavenly Father, to try the readi- nefs and chearfulnefs of our Obedience, bid us do that which he knows we can- not do, though we can do fomething towards it, we may be fore that he will be very well pleafed when he fees, that in obedience to him we have done all that we could. And we may in this cafe réafon as our Saviour does ; If we that are evil would deal that with our Children, how much more (hall our Heavenly Father? The Goodnefs of God lignifies very little, if it does not lignifie this, that in any infiance of real and unqueflionable Goodnefs, God is much better than any Fa- ther upon Earth. However at the wort}, that wherein we fall fhort of the Perfelfian of theLaw; may be fupplyed on our part, by an humble acknowledgment of our own Weak- nefs and Imperfe&ion, and on God's part by Mercy and Forgivenefs, for the fake of the perfe& obedience of our Bleffed Redeemer. This is the leaft benefit we can expeâ in this cafe from the Grace, and Mercy, and Equity ofthe Gofpel. g. And lajily, which will fully clear this matter, this Precept doth not oblige us to come up to a perfe& equality with the Pattern propounded to us, but only imports a vigorous imitation of it ; that we be perpetually afçending and climb- ing up higher, full advancing from one degree of Goodnefs to another, and con- tinually afpiring aftera nearer refemblance to God : And this certainly is poffible to us, to endeavour tobe as like God as we can, in thisweak and imperfect flare, Whereas any Equality with God, even in the communicable Attributes of his Goodnefs, and Mercy, and Patience, is not only itimpoflible to us in this ftate of Sin and Imperfe&ion, but above the condition of a Creature, evenof the Spirits of jail Men made Perfelï, and of the higheft Angels in Glory : for their Perfe&ion is not abfolute, but in comparifon with our prefent ftate. And I think there is no great reafon to doubt, but that the Bleffed Spirits above, who continually be- hold the Face of their Father, are frill writing after this Copy, which is here propounded to us ; and endeavouring to be' perfeîl, as, their Father which is ist Heaven is perfeti ; Rill afpiring after a nearer and more perfe&.refemblance of God, lvhofe Goodnefs and Mercy is fo far beyond, and before that of anyCruett E e e e turr 577 1
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