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reft, is true Piety towards God, which includes right Difpofitions and Affections of Mind towards him, an intire Devotedness to his Glory, an unreserved Submiffion to his Authority and Refignation to his Will, and the Rendering him a pure religious Worship, according to his own Appointment: And therefore, in a perfect Example defigned for the Imitation of Mankind, this must have the firft and principal Place. This is therefore what we fhall firft confider in our Saviour's Character. And all that is neceffary to be obferved here may come under the following Heads.

Firft, His whole Life was a Life of abfolute Devotednefs to God; the Pleafing and Honouring him was the great End he had continually in View, and his proper Work and Bufinefs here on Earth, to which he applied himself with an unwearied Ardour, Zeal, and Diligence:

Secondly, He yielded the most perfect Obedience to all the Divine Commands.

Thirdly, He exercised, on all Occafions, an intire Refignation to the Father's Will, and that in the most difficult Inftances.

Fourthly, He was diligent in immediate Acts of Devotion, and in the Exercifes of religious Worship, both public and private.

He

He might therefore, with the greatest Truth and Juftice, declare, fpeaking of God, his heavenly Father, I always do thofe Things that pleafe him: And again, in his folemn, Addrefs to him at the Conclufion of his facred Life, I have glorified thee on Earth; I have finished the Work which thou haft given me to do.

First, His whole Life was a Life of abfolute Devotedness to God; the Pleafing and · Honouring him was the great End he had in View, and his proper Work and Business here on Earth, to which he applied himfelf with an unwearied Ardour, Zeal, and Diligence. He declareth concerning himfelf, I am come down from Heaven, not to do mine own Will, but the Will of him that fent me. John vi. 38. So early was his Soul, poffeffed with a Senfe of this, that, when he was but twelve Years old, he gave it as a Reason to his Parents, for his fitting in the Midst of the Jewish Doctors in the Temple, hearing them, and asking them Questions, Wift ye not that I must be about my Father's Bufinefs? Luke ii. 49. And, when he entered upon the public Discharge of his Miniftry, which was the Time the Divine Wisdom fixed upon for bringing him into open View, how affiduous he was in Purfuance of the great Work committed to him appeared from his whole Conduct.

When

1

When his Disciples prefed him to take Food, he took Occafion to declare, My Meat is to do the Will of him that fent me, and to finish his Work. John iv. 34. No Words could more fignificantly exprefs bis Diligence in fulfilling his heavenly Father's Will, and the Delight he took in it. He went about all the Cities and Villages, teaching in their Synagogues, and preaching the Gospel of the Kingdom, and healing every Sickness, and every Dif eafe among the People. See Matt. iv. 21. and ix. 35. Mark vi. 6. Luke iv. 43. and .xiii. 22. St. John tells us, that, befides what is recorded in the Evangelifts, there were alfo many other Things which Jefus did, the which (faith he) if they should be written every one, I fuppofe that even the World itself could not contain the Books that Should be written. John xxi. 25. He makes Ufe of this hyperbolical Manner of Expreffion, the more fignificantly to fhew, that it is but a Small Part of Chrift's remarkable Words and Works that is committed to Writing. And this muft needs give a wonderful Idea of his unwearied Diligence, that he was never idle, but always employed in faying or doing fomething for the Glory of God, and for the Good of Mankind. No Difficulties difcouraged him; he went on in the great Work that was given him to do with an unfainting Conftancy,

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ftancy, notwithstanding the Contradictions and Reproaches he met with, the Ingredulity and Blafphemy of the Pharifees, the Hardness of Heart and Obflinacy of many of the People, and the Dangers to which he was frequently expofed. An earnest Concern and Zeal for the Honour of God, and the Interests of pure and undefiled Religion, and the Caufe of Truth and Righteousness in the World, wholly poffeffed his Soul, and engaged all his Thoughts and Cares; fo that it was with great Justness that his Disciples applied to him that Paffage of the Pfalmift, The Zeal of thine Houfe bath eaten me up. John ii. 17. His Thoughts, Affections, and Views all tended towards God, and centered there. It was not a Regard to any worldly Interefts and Attachments, nor the being united to him by the neareft Ties of Blood and Kindred, but the doing the Will of God, that recommended any Perfons to his fpecial Affection and Efteem; for the Love of God was the ruling Principle in his Soul: Whosoever (faith he) fhall do the Will of my Father which is in Heaven, the fame is my Brother, and Sifter, and Mother. Matt. xii. 50. The fame excellent Spirit breathe's in that remarkable Declaration, Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much

Fruit ;

Fruit; fo fhall ye be my Difciples. John xv. 8. Glory to God in the Highest was the firft Note in the Angelic Song, at his Coming into the World. Luke ii. 14. And this was the principal Thing he had in View, in the Whole of his moft holy and useful Life. His Body and Soul were wholly confecrated to God, a living unpolluted Temple of the Deity; and his habitual governing Intention was to pleafe and glorify his heavenly Father, to fhew forth his Perfections in all their lovely Harmony, and to retrieve and advance the Divine Honour which had fuch a Shadow caft over it by the Apostacy and Corruption of Mankind. Of him it might be faid, in a more eminent Senfe than of any other, that he continually walked with God. To him that Paffage might be most properly applied which was fpoken in the Person of the Meffiah, I have fet the Lord always before me. Pfalm xvi. 8. He had his Mind conftantly fixed upon God, and did every Thing as for his Glory: Father, glorify thy Name was his Language in the near Profpect of his bitter Paffion, to which he submitted upon this Confideration, that it was the Father's Will, and would be for his Glory: And, finally, as hath been already obferved, he could justly appeal to him, a little before he left our World, I have glorified thee on the

Earth;