First, He was truly, and fincerely holy, without fiction, or fimulation; and this appeared in the greatest trial of the truth of holiness, that ever was made in this world. John xiv. 30. "The prince of this world cometh, and hath nothing in me:" When he was agitated, and (haken, with the greatest temptations, no dregs appeared; he was like pure fountain-water, in a cryftal glafs. The hypocrite makes thew of more holiness than he hath, but there was more holiness in Chrift, than ever appeared to the view of men. We may fay, of the way of Chrift, what the philofopher faith of the milky way in the heavens; that thofe faint ftreams of light, which we fee there, are nothing elfe but the reflection of innumerable ftars which thine there, though they are invifible to us. There was much inward beauty in him, and fo there ought to be in all his followers; our holinefs, like Chrift's, must be fincere, and real, Eph. iv. 24. fhining with inward beauty towards God, rather than towards

men.

Secondly, Chrift was uniformly holy, at one time, as well as another; in one place, and company, as well as another: He was ftill like himself, an holy Chrift; one and the fame tenor of holiness ran throughout his whole life, from firft to laft: So muft it be with all his people, holy in all manner of converfation. Chriftians, look to your copy, and be fure to imitate Chrift, in this; write fair, after your copy; let there not be here a word, and there a blot; one part of your life heavenly, and pure, and another earthly, and dreggy; or (as one expreffes it) now an heavenly rapture, and by and by a fleshly frolic.

Thirdly, Chrift was exemplarily holy; a pattern of holiness to all that came nigh him, and converfed with him: O imitate Chrift in this. It was the commendation of the Theffalonians, that they were enfamples to all that believed in Macedonia "and Achaia; and that in every place their faith to God-ward was spread abroad,” 1 Thef. i. 7, 8. Let no man go out of your company, without conviction, or edification; fo exemplary were the primitive Chriftians, Phil. iii. 17.

Fourthly, Chrift was strictly, and precifely holy: "Which " of you convinceth me of fin?" The most envious, and obferving eyes of his greateft enemies, could not pick a hole, or

The Galaxy is a very great multitude of stars of the smallest fize, whofe fmallnefs hinders their being perceived by us diftinctly like the other stars, and their beams are mutually intermingled and confounded. Conimb. de Meteor. cap. 2.

SERM. XXIX. find a flaw in any of his words, or actions: It is our duty to imitate Chrift in this. Phil. ii. 15. "That ye may be blameless, "and harmless, the fons, of God, without rebuke, in the midst of "a crooked, and perverfe nation, among whom ye fhine" (or, as the word may be rendered, imperatively, Qaisos as Qwsnpes, "among whom fhine ye) as lights in the world." Thus it beéomes the followers of Chrift to walk circumspectly, or precifely; "for fo is the will of God that with well-doing ye may put "to filence the ignorance of foolish men, 1 Pet. ii. 15.

:

Fifthly, Chrift was prefervingly holy, holy to the last breath; as he began, fo he finished his whole life in a conftant course of holiness in this alfo he is our great pattern. It becomes not any of his people to begin in the Spirit, and end in the flesh; but on the contrary, their laft works fhould be more than their firft: "Let him that is holy, be holy ftill," Rev. xxii. 11.

Sixthly, In a word, the delight of Chrift was only in holy things, and holy perfons; they were his chofen companions; even fo it becometh his people to have all their delights in the faints, and in the excellent of the earth, Pfal. xvi. 3. Thus, Chriftians, be ye followers of Chrift in his holinefs; God hath decreed this conformity to Chrift in all that shall be faved, Rom. viii. 29. he banifheth all unholy ones from his gracious prefence for ever, 1 Cor. vi. 9. Heb. xii. 14. The defign of Christ in dying for you was to make you pure and holy, Eph. v. 25, 26. O then, ftudy holinefs, eye your pattern, and as dear children, be ye followers of your most holy Lord Jefus Chrift.

Pattern 2. The obedience of Chrift to his Father's will, is a pattern for the imitation of all Chriftians: it is faid of Chrift, Heb. v. 8. that he "learned obedience by the things which he

fuffered;" a text which labours under fome difficulties: Chrift learned obedience, and yet was not ignorant before of what he learned afterward; he was perfect in knowledge, and yet the apostle fpeaks of him as a proficient in the school of wildom. But we must confider there are two ways of learning, viz. by

1. The comprehension of the mind.

2. By the experience of the fenfe.

Chrift, as God, was perfect in knowledge; nothing could be added to him: but when he became man, then he came to underftand, or learn by fufferings, as the apoftle here speaks; which though it added nothing to his knowledge, yet it was a new method and way of knowing. Now the obedience of Chrift is our pattern, whereumo we are obliged (as ever we will war

Fant our claim of intereft in him) to conform ourselves, in the following properties of it.

First, Chrift's obedience was free and voluntary, not forced or compulsory; it was fo from the very first undertaking of the work of our redemption, Prov. viii. 30, 31. "Then was I by ❝ him as one brought up with him, And I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; rejoicing in the habitable part "of his earth; and my delights were with the Sons of men." And when the fulness of time was come for executing that bleffed defign, which had been in prospect from all eternity, how chearfully did the will of Chrift echo to his Father's call, Pfal. xl. 7." Then faid I, lo I come, in the volume of thy book it is "written of me." I delight to do thy will, O my God, yea, "thy law is within my heart." Nor was this a flourish before he came into the field, and faw the enemy; for he laid down his life with the greatest chearfulness and fpontaneity that could be, John x. 17, 18. "Therefore doth my Father love me, becaufe

I lay down my life, that I might take it again; no man taketh "it from me, but I lay it down of myfelf:" and indeed the voluntarinefs of Chrift, in his obedience unto death, gave his death the nature, and formality of a facrifice; for fo all facrifice, ought to be offered, Lev. i. 3. and fo Chrift's facrifice was offer ed unto God, Eph. v. 2. It was as grateful a work to Chrift to die for us, as it was to Mofes his mother to take him to nurse from the hand of Pharaoh's daughter. O Chriflians tread in the fteps of Chrift's example; do nothing grudgingly for God, let not his commands be grievous, 1 John v. 3. If you do any thing for God willingly, you have a reward; if otherwife, a difpenfa tion daly is committed to you, I Cor. ix. 7. Obedince in Chrift was an abasement to him, but in you a very great honour and advancement; you have reafon therefore to obey with chearfulnefs.

Secondly, The obedience of Chrift was univerfal and compleat, he was obedient to all the will of God, making no demur to the hardest fervice impofed by the will of God upon him, Phil. ii. 8. "He became obedient unto death, even the death of "the cross;" and though it is true, the humanity of Chrift recoiled, and staggered, when that bitter cup of the wrath of God was given him to drink; yet how foon was that innocent averfation overcome in him, by a perfect submission? "Neverthe "lefs not my will, but thine be done," Mat. xxvi, 39. Chriftians here is your pattern: happy art thou, reader, if thou canft fay, when God calls thee to fuffering, and felf-denying

Such was Paul's obe

work, I am filled with the will of God. dience, Acts xxi. 13. "I am ready not only to be bound, but to "die at Jerufalem for the name of the Lord Jesus."

"I

Thirdly, The obedience of Chrift was fincere and pure, without any bafe or by-end, purely aiming at the glory of God, John xvii. 4." I have glorified thee on earth, I have finished "the work thou gaveft me to do." He fought not honour of men. This was the great defire of his foul, John xii. 28. "Father glorify thy name:" and truly the choiceft part of your obedience confifts in the purity of your ends, and in this Christ is propounded as your pattern, Phil. ii. 3, 4, 5.

Fourthly, The ftreams of Chrift's obedience flowed from the fpring and fountain of ardent love to God, John xiv. 31. "But "that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the "Father gave me commandment, even fo I do :" Thus let all your obedience to God turn upon the hinge of love; for “love is the fulfilling of the law," Rom. xiii. 10. Not as if no other duty but love were required in the law; but because no act of obedience is acceptable to God, but that which is performed in love.

Fifthly, In a word, The obedience of Chrift was conftant, he was obedient unto the death, he was not weary of his work to the laft. Such a patient continuance in well-doing is one part of your conformity to Chrift, Rom. ii. 7. it is laid upon you by his own exprefs command, and a command backed with the most encouraging promife, Rev. ii. 10. Be thou faithful unto the death, and I will give thee the crown of life."

Pattern 3. The felf-denial of Chrift is the pattern of believers, and their conformity unto it is their indifpenfible duty, Phil. ii. 4, 5, 6. 2 Cor. viii. 9. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jefus Chrift, that though he was rich, yet for our fakes he became "poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich."" Jefus Chrift, for the glory of God, and the love he bare to the elect, denied himself all the delights and pleasures of this world Mat. xx. 28. "The fon of man came not to be ministred unto, but to "minifter, and to give his life a ranfon. for many;" he was all his life-time in the world," a man of forrows and acquainted "with grief," Ifa. liii. 5. more unprovided of comfortable accommodations, than the birds of the air, or beafts of the earth, Luke ix. 58. "The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head” *. Yet this was the least part of Chrift's self-denial: What did i * Vulpibus in faltu rupes excifa latebras Præbet, et aereis avibus dat filva quietem:

he not deny when he left the bofom of his Father, with the ineffable delights and pleafures he there enjoyed from eternity, and inftead thereof to drink the cup, the bitter cup of his Father's wrath, for our fakes? O Chriftians, look to your pattern, and imitate your felf-denying Saviour. There is a threefold felf you are to deny for Christ.

First, Deny your natural felf for him, Luke xiv. 26. Hate your own life, in competition with his glory, as well as your na tural lufts, Titus ii. 12.

Secondly, Deny your civil felf for Chrift; whether they be gifts of the mind, Phil. iii. 8. or your deareft relations in the world, Luke xiv. 26.

Thirdly, Deny your moral and religious felf, for Christ, your own righteoufnets, Phil. iii. 1o. Deny fiaful felf abfolutely, Col. iii. 4, 5. Deny natural felf conditionally, i. e. be ready to for fake its interefts at the call of God. Deny your religious felf, even your own graces, comparatively, not in the notion of duties, but in the notion of righteoufnefs: and to encourage you in this difficult work, confider,

First, What great things Chrift denied for you, and what fmall matters you have to deny for him.

Secondly, How readily he denied all for your fakes, making no objections against the difficultest commands.

Thirdly, How uncapable you are to put any obligation upon Christ, to deny himself in the least for you, and what strong obligations Chrift hath put you under, to deny yourselves in your greatest interefts upon earth for him.

Fourthly, Remember that your felf-denial is a condition confented to, and fubfcribed by yourfelves, if ever you received Chrift aright.

Fifthly, In a word, Confider how much your felf-denial for Christ, makes for your advantage in both worlds, Luke, xviii, 29. O therefore look not every man upon his own things, but upon the things that are of Chrift; let not that be justly charged upon you, which was charged upon them, Phil, ii. 21." All feek "their own, not the things which are Chrift's.

Pattern 4. The activity and diligence of Chrift in finishing

Aft hominis Nato nullis fuccedere teftis

Eft licitum.---.

The craggy rock to foxes holes affords,

Heinf. in loc.

The pleafant woods a refting-place to binds;
For Chrift no fixed habitation's found,

But what was borrow'd, or the naked ground.