2zl S E R M O N CXXXV® The Life ofJefus Chrift conísder'd, as our Example. I PET. II. 2r. -- Leaving ws an Example, that ye fhouldfollow his Steps. HE Apoftle here propounds to Chriftians the Example of our Saviour, as an Argument to perfwade them to One particular:Grace,and Virtue, namely, Patience under Sufferings unjuftly laid upon us, V. 19, 20, a1. For this is Thankworthy, if a Man for Confcience toward God endure Grief, fuffering 'wrongfully. For what Glory is it, ifwhen ye bebufeted for your Faults, yefhall tale it Patiently ? But ifwhen ye do well, andPuffer for it, ye take it patiently ; that is ac- ceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called : Becaufe Chriji tlfófuffered for ass, leaving us an Example, that yefhould follow kris Steps. But though the Example of our Saviour be here 'propounded to us 'upon a particular Occafion, and with a more efpecial Regard to the particular Virtue of Patience under unjuft Sufferings; which did fo eminently appear in our Bleffed Saviour, the molt meek and patient Endurer that ever was, of the greateft and, moft wrongful Sufferings yet the Apoftle does not limit this great Pattern of all Righteoufnefs to the tingle Virtue of Patience, but propounds it to us, as. an Example of univerfai Holinefs änd Goodnefs ; for fo he extends it in the next Words, Leaving as an Example, that ye fhouldfollow hi:r Steps; who did no Sin, neither was Guile found in his Mouth. In this Latitude and Extent I {hall difcourfe of it it this Time, and that un- der there following Heads: I. That his Life is a molt abfolute and 'perfe& Pattern. lI. That it is a very ealie and familiar Example. III. Very encouraging to the Imitation of it. IV. An univerfal Pattern fitted for the Imitation of äl1 Sorts of Perföns, of what Rank or Condition foever. V. In the Natureof it, very powerful to engage and oblige Men to theImi- tation of it. I. The Life of our Bleffed Saviour is a moft abfolute and perfe& Pattern of Holinefs and Goodnefs, compleat and entire in all its Parts, and perfe& to the utmoft Degree, in the following whereof there is no.Danger of being tïifgui- ded, no Fear of Mifcarriage : Whereas all other Examples of mortal Men are failable and uncertain Guides, which if we follow too clofely, will fome time or other miflead us. In the Lives of the belt Men recorded in Scripture, we may difcern fome Spot and Blemifh, fome Error and Overfight, fame, Fall or Slip; fo that the Lives of the holieft Men are no fore Rule, no perfe& Mea- fure of our Duty, and are therefore to be imitated with great Wifdom and Warinefs, left if we follow all their A&ions indifferently and implicitly, in Confidence they are good, becaufe they are theirs, we may fall into great Er- rors and Failings; and therefore in following the Lives and Examples of the belt Men, we mutt have an Eye to the Rule, and by that judge of the Ex- ample which we propofe to imitate; otherwife we may eally be feduced by the Authority of a great Example. But the Example of our Lord is a living Law and Rule, his Precepts and his Pattern are of equal Perfe &ion, and the Imitation of his Life and A&ions is the very fame Thing with Obedience to his Laws. For the Life of our Blef fed Saviour here on Earth, is the Life of God in the Nature and Likenefs of Man; he was God as well as Man, and the Divine Nature is certainly the - tPat n er The _rift Sermon oh thisTeni.
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