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And as he was thus diligent in the more fecret and private Exercises of Devotion, by himself and with his Apoftles; fo he was no less affiduous in the Exercises of public Worship. It was his conftant Practice to frequent the Synagogues on the SabbathDays; and there he joined with the public Affemblies in Prayer and Praise, and in hearing or reading the holy Scriptures, and giving Exhortations from them; which were the ufual stated Parts of the Synagogue Service: He himself gave an excellent Example of a right and profitable Obfervation of the Sabbeth, though he juftly guarded against the fuperftitious Excefs to which the Pharifees had carried it. We find him alfo frequently at the Temple on their folemn Festivals; and, as he was made under the Law, fo no Doubt he was careful and exact in obferving the Rites and Ordinances prefcribed in the Law, nor could his bittereft Enemies ever charge him with neg lecting or tranfgreffing them, though they took Notice, that he and his Difciples tranfgreffed the Traditions of the Elders. Matt. xv. 2. Luke xi. 38. He came to John to be baptifed of him, and when John faid to him, with Aftonishment, I have Need to be baptifed of thee, and comeft thou to me? He gave this Reafon for it, Thus it becomX 4

eth

eth me to fulfil all Righteoufnefs. Matt. iii, 14, 15. What was faid, in a more imperfect Senfe, of Zachariah and Elifabeth might be justly applied to him, with the greatest Propriety, and in it's utmost Extent, that he was righteous before God, and walked in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless.

Thus have we confidered our Saviour's Character, with Relation to his Temper and Conduct towards God, his heavenly Father. It appeareth that his whole Life was a Life of Devotedness to God; the Serving and Glorifying him was the principal End he had in View, and the Business to which he applied himself, with an unwearied Ardour, Zeal, and Diligence. He yielded a perfect Obedience to all the Divine Commands, and an intire Refignation to the Will of God in all Things, even in the moft difficult Inftances. And he was alfo affiduous in immediate Acts of Devotion, and the Exercises of religious Worship, both public and private. Thus hath he left us a perfect Example, with Refpect to the Duties we owe to God. Nor was he lefs exemplary in Charity and Benevolence towards Mankind; which is what I propose to fhew in the farther Profecution of this Subject.

On

On the Example of Chrift.

DISCOURSE XVII.

EPHESIANS v. 2.

And walk in Love, as Christ also bath loved us.

T

HE principal Ingredients in a good and excellent Character are Piety towards God, and Charity and Benevolence towards Mankind; and of both these our Lord Jesus Christ hath exhibited to us a moft perfect Example. The latter is what we are now to confider. St. Paul, when he here exhorteth Chriftians to walk in Love, very properly urgeth the Example of Chrift, as what should have a great Influence to engage them to it: Walk in

Love,

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Love, as Chrift alfo hath loved us. gave many fignal Proofs of bis difinterested Benevolence and Loving-Kindness towards Mankind through the Course of his facred Life, but especially in the laft concluding Scene of it, when he gave himself for us (as the Apoftle here addeth) an Offering and a Sacrifice to God of a fweet-smelling Savour: And accordingly, when our Saviour layeth it as his fpecial Commandment upon his Difciples, that they should love one another, he propofeth his own Love to them, as furnishing both the most engaging Motive to mutual Love, and the moft amiable and perfect Pattern of it: This is my Commandment (faith he) that ye love one another, as I have loved you. John

XV. 12.

The Inftances and Proofs of Chrift's Benevolence and Love to Mankind are fo many and various, that it is not eafy to make a diftinct Enumeration of them.

His benevolent Difpofition appeared in the admirable Precepts of Love that dropped from his Lips: When he fummed up the whole Law, it was in Love, in Love to God, and Love to our Neighbour; and by our Neighbour he hath taught us to understand, not merely those of the fame City, Nation, or Religion with ourselves, but all Mankind, fo as to be ready to do them Good, as far

as

as we have Ability and Opportunity. Not only hath he forbidden the Rendering Evil for Evil, but he hath commanded us to render Good for Evil, to love our Enemies, to bless them that curfe us, and to pray for them that defpitefully ufe us and perfecute us; which is carrying Benevolence to the nobleft Height. And his own Temper and Practice was every Way anfwerable to the Excellency of his Doctrine: He was the living unfpotted Image of the fupreme Goodness and Benevolence. Not only was he far from injuring or wronging any Man, or doing the leaft Act of Injustice or Violence; but he went about doing Good, as St. Peter speaks, Acts x. 38. His Life was one conftant Series of the most beneficent Acts of Goodness to the Bodies and to the Souls of Men. The Defign of his Coming was, as he himself representeth it, to feek and to fave that which was loft, Luke xix. 10. He came to preach the Gofpel to the Poor, to heal the Broken-hearted, to preach Deliverance to the Captives, and Recovering of Sight to the Blind, to fet at Liberty them that are bruifed. Luke iv. 18. He condescended to converse with the Pooreft, the Meaneft, and even with those that were called Publicans and Sinners, that he might have an Opportunity of inftructing them, and bringing them to a fincere Repentance :

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