Serm. CXXXV. confldcr'cl, as our Example. 2 z; Humility, in I{indnefs and Charity, inContentedneCs in a low and mean Con- dition, and a calm Compofure of Mind under all Accidents and Events, in Pati- ence under the greatef: Reproaches and Sufferings, and a perfe&Submion Co the Will.of God inall hisDifpenfttions, howbulb and unpleafant foever. Now there is nothing in all this, but what lies open to every Man's Under- ftanding, and is eafy to our Pra&ice and Imitation, requiring nothing but an hone(( Mind, and due Care and Diligence to do what we may eafily know, to follow our Guide in a plain Way, and in all the A&ions of our Lives, to tread in thofe Steps in which the Son of God, and the belt Man that ever was, bath gone before us. III. The Life of our Bleffed Saviour is likewife an encouragingExample. It cannot but give great Life to all good Refolutions and Endeavours, to fee all that which God requires of us performed by one in our Nature, by a Man like our felves. Our Saviour indeed had many-Advantages above us, being God as well as Man; and his Humanity being fupported by the Divine Nature to which it was united, being clear from all the ill Effe &sof Original Sin, and from all kind of vicious and inordinate Inclinations : But then it is agreat Encouragement to us, to confider that God doth not require at our Hands a perfe& and unarming Obedience, as the Conditionof our Salvationand Happinefs; but only fuch an Obedience to his Laws, as is fincere and continually afpiring after greater Per fedìion, which is very poffìble to us by the Grace of Chrift, even in this imper- feet State; that God confiders ourWeaknefs, and how much we nand inNeedof his Grace and Affittante, and bath allured us that it (hail not be wanting tous, if we heartily and earneftly beg it of . him ; and that Strength which we may have for asking, is as good as if it were our own. If Chrift were the Son of God; fo are we in á lower Degree, by Grace and Adoption; and ifwebe the Sons of God, the Spirit of God dwells in ne, to quicken and raife us to Newnefs of Life. And he that bath left us fach an Example, on purpofe that we might follow it, will not furely leave us deftitute of Power to enable us to do fo. It is a good Argument to us, that be will enableus to do that in force Degree in our ownPerlons, which he himfelf did for our Example in our Nature. An Example more fuitable to our Weaknefs might feem to have had more of Encouragement in it: but we are to confider, that the Son of God alfumed our Nature, as compafs'd with Infirmities, and liable to be tempted in all Things as zn are, onlywithout Sin; fo that his Example could not poflibly have come nearer to us than it does, without great Difadvantage to us, without wanting that Per- feétion which is neceffary to a compleat and abColute Pattern. In fhort, the Spi- rit ofChrift dwells in us, and the fame Spirit which kept and preferved him from all Sin, is equally able to mortifySin in us, and to enable us to do the Will of God in fuch Manner as he will accept to our juftification. IV. It is an univerfal Pattern. As the Do&rine of our Saviour, fo his Exam- ple was of an univerfal Nature and Defign, calculated for all Times and Places, and as much as was poffible, abhra&ed from the Circumfrances of a particular Condition, that it .might be the more equally failed to all Callings, and Condi- tions, and Capacities of Men, and fitted for general Dire&ion and Imitation in all Sorts of Goodnefs and Virtue, either in the general Principle, or in the par- ticular Inftances of them. And for this Reafon he would not engage himfelf in any particular Calling, or Way of Life, that his Pattern might more equally and indifferently regard ál1 Mankind,. He was really a great Perfon, the greateft that ever was in Birth and Dignity, being the only Son of God, the Maker and the Heir of all Things : And yet he fubmitted to the lowett Condition, to all the Degrees of Poverty and Meannefs, of Contempt and Sufferings, to teach Men of high Degree to be humble and fer- viceable to the Good of others; and Men of low Degree tobe contented and chearful in the nteaneft Condition, and the hardeft Circumftances that the Provi- dence of God (hall fee good to place them in. He had the deepen and molt comprehenfive Knowledge; In him, as the Apo - file exprefieth it, were hid all the Treafures ofWifdone and Knowledge : And yet he made
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