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dom and Goodness towards Mankind: But this will be of fmall Avail to us, if we do not make it our conftant Care and Endeavour to imitate it in our own Temper and Practice. Our Saviour, in the Words which I have chosen for the Subject of this Difcourse, expreffly declareth to his Disciples, I have given you an Example, that ye fhould do as I have done unto you. And, though this (as was before obferved) hath a special Reference to a particular Instance, yet it equally holds with Regard to the Whole of his facred Life and Practice here on Earth. Hence we find him elsewhere faying to his Disciples, Take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in Heart; and ye shall find Reft unto your Souls. Matt. xi. 29. This Learning of him certainly includes not only our attending to his Inftructions, but our imitating his Example: And this also may be justly regarded as one Thing comprehended in that Following of Chrift which he himself infifteth upon as an effential Condition of our Discipleship: If any Man will come after me, i. e. will approve himself my fincere Disciple, and have an Interest in my Benefits; let him deny himself and take up his Crofs, and follow me. Mark viii. 34. We are told, that whom God did foreknow be alfo did predeftinate to be conformed to the

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Image of his Son; which includes their being conformed to him in Grace and Holiness here, as well as in his Glory hereafter. Rom. viii. 29. Nothing can be more plain and express to fhew the Obligations we are under to imitate Chrift's Example, than those remarkable Words of the Apostle John, 1 John ii. 6. He that faith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked. To profefs to abide in Chrift, to be united to him by Faith and Love, and to have an Intereft in his Benefits, and yet take no Care to imitate the excellent Pattern he hath fet before us, is a manifest Contradiction and Inconfiftency. St. Peter obferves, that Chrift bath suffered for us, leaving us an Example, that we Should follow his Steps, 1 Pet. ii. 21, intimating that this was one great Thing he had in View in the Sufferings he endured for our Sakes, that he might leave an Example for us to imitate. Let this Mind be in you (faith the Apostle Paul) which was afo in Chrift Jefus. Phil. ii. 5. And he elsewhere expreffeth himself thus, Be ye Followers, (or, as the Word might literally be rendered, be ye Imitators) of me, even as I also am of Chrift. 1 Cor. xi. 1. He propofeth himself as an Example for their Imitation, but not abfolutely, but inasmuch as he was a Follower of Chrift: Where it

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is plainly fuppofed that we are all under indifpenfable Obligations to follow or imitate Jesus Christ. And indeed the Expreffions that fo frequently occur in the New Teftament, whereby all fincere Chriftians are reprefented as being in Chrift, abiding in him, having Chrift formed in them, putting on the Lord Jefus Chrift, having him to live and dwell in them, purifying themfelves as he is pure; thefe feveral Ways of Expreffion, with others to the fame Purpose, are plainly defigned to fhew, how nearly it concerneth us, and how much it is expected from us, to do all we can that we may be formed to a Chrift-like Frame and Temper, and to imitate him in his holy and excellent Conduct.

And now our Way is prepared by these general Obfervations for entering upon a more particular and diftinct Confideration of our Saviour's Character and Example; which is what I propofe to do in some following Difcourfes.

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The Father hath not left me alone; for I always do thofe Things that pleafe him. Compared with JOHN xvii. 4. I have glorified thee on Earth; I have finished. the Work which thou hast given me to do.

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N my laft Difcourfe fome general Confiderations were offered concerning the Excellency and Usefulness of Chrift's Example: Let us now proceed to take a more diftinct View of it.

The noblest Part of our Duty, and that which lieth at the Foundation of all the U 4

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