SERMON IV.

I PET. ii. 21.

LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT WE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS.

IT

T is one of the great advantages of the christian religion, that it is enforced upon us, not only by the precepts, but by the example of its bleffed Author. This is an advantage peculiar to christianity: the Jewish religion could not boast it: Mofes was a great leader, and a great lawgiver; but his example did not defcend, like that of Jefus, into common life. It is true, indeed, that our Saviour's example is a mark, we can at beft only aim at; yet ftill there is fomething encouraging in feeing the rules, that are to guide our lives, illuftrated by the actions of a life: they seem to come nearer our attainment: at leaft they fhew us, how amiably

they

they fit upon a human being; and in how refpectable a light even a mortal man might appear, if he could get the better of his bad paffions and appetites, his follies and prejudices, and govern his actions more by the example of his bleffed Saviour.-The example of Chrift, therefore, I propofe as the fubject of the following difcourfe; and fhall, first, point it out to you as a perfect pattern; and, fecondly, fhew you how far we may follow it.

The example of any human being might often miflead us. Where fhall we find, among the children of men, the pattern of a life, not only unblemished by weakneffes, but untainted by fin? It is true, many parts of an amiable character may undoubtedly be worthy of our imitation; but still, without care, even thefe very virtues may mislead us. If, as is often the cafe, through our admiration of a few fhining parts in a character, we are led through prejudice to admire the whole, we may eafily be deceived: we may imitate weakneffes, prejudices, humours, and follies; we may adopt many wrong fentiments, from which no human being is free: nothing is more common than this fort of imitation and deception. A man, for inftance, is kind

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kind and friendly; and his kindnefs and friendlinefs are worthy of our imitation: but perhaps he may fit loofe to the ties of religion; he may be lax in his practice, or uncharitable in his party-diftin&tions. Now, if through our admiration of the amiable parts of his character, we imitate thofe which are faulty, (and, by giving his faults fome gentle name, this may eafily happen through friendship,) we are mifled, you fee, even by virtue itfelf. In following the examples, therefore, of our fellow-creatures, even the beft of them, it requires caution. Diftinctions must be made: we muft feparate the good from the bad; and we muft neceffarily have another rule to go by, than the fallible example we follow; that is, we must have a rule, by which the example itself must be judged.—But the example of Chrift is as much a pattern, as his precepts are a rule. Here we cannot err. We have only to imitate as clofely as poffible; and the more clofely we imitate, the better. It was the obfervation of an old philofopher in the heathen world, that if virtue could appear to mankind in a vifible fhape, clothed in all that majefty and sweetnefs which naturally belong to it, the heavenly form would captivate the eyes of men,

and

and inspire them with the love of goodness. This heavenly appearance is really in a manner placed before us chriftians. In the example of our bleffed Saviour, virtue is placed before us in a visible shape: we not only hear it dictating, in the form of rules and instructions; but we fee it acting before us, in all the offices of life.Nor can we pretend to fay, that we have, in the example of our bleffed Saviour, such a pattern as we cannot follow. It is true, we cannot come up to it, nor imitate it in every part; but it is in general plain to our capacities. Had the example of our Saviour been the example of a perfon in an elevated ftation of life-had our Lord fhewn us how kings ought to reign, or magiftrates to govern, or generals to command, it would have been a noble leffon, no doubt, for kings, and magiftrates and generals; but it could have been imitated only by few. Or, had our Lord given us the example of auftere manners of a life devoted entirely to religious offices, the neceffary bufinefs of the world would not have permitted us to imitate it. But it is an example of a different kind which our bleffed Lord has fet before us: it is the example of meekness, gentleness, contentment, kindness, affection,

affection, heavenly-mindedness, humility; a life spent in being of fervice to others; of piety and devotion; and of mild fubmiffion, and refignation, in all cafes, to the will of God. This example, as far as the divine nature of our Saviour was concerned, was certainly unneceffary; but he chofe to give us the example in the human nature, as fuited to the imitation of mankind. High and low, rich and poor, this countryman and that countryman, people of all profeffions, of all ages, and of all diftinctions, find here an example fuited to their imitationthe example of a holy, good man, which people of all profeffions ought to follow.

If there are any, to whom Chrift's example is more peculiarly adapted, it is thofe in low circumftances. He often tells us, he was the preacher of the gofpel which was meant for the poor. And his example has the fame tendency. He does not set the example of spending a fortune in a noble and magnificent manner-of doing great and generous things; but of fuch virtues as may be practifed in the humbleft life. None of you can have lefs of the world's goods than your Saviour had; but he was content to bear all the evils of the lowest station, that he

might