was the remoteft in the World from all bafe Arts of Guile and Deceit, yet with wonderful Prudence he frequently eluded the artful Defigns of his Enemies. Of this we have remarkable Inftances in the admirable Anfwers he gave to the Questions they propofed to him, with a Defign to infnare him: He anfwered fo as, without faying any Thing contrary to the Truth, intirely to avoid the Snares laid for him, and to confound them in their own Subtlety. His paying the Tribute-Money, Matt. xvii. 24-27, was an Inftance not only of his Humility, but of his great Prudence: After fhewing that he was fenfible he was under no Obligation to pay it, yet he chose to do it, that he might not offend them ; for this is the Reafon he himself exprefly affigneth for it, though he was obliged to work a Miracle to provide the Money. He knew the proper Time and Seafon in every Cafe for Speaking and Acting: So cautious was he of giving the least Handle to his Enemies to accufe him of a Defign to erect a Kingdom in Oppofition to Cæfar, that he refused the Request one made to him to Speak to his Brother, that he should divide the Inheritance with him, Jaying, Man, who made me a Judge or a Divider over you? Luke xii. 13, 14. It was ufual with him, after performing fome of his greatest

Miracles,

1

Miracles, and which drew the Multitude in Throngs after him, to withdraw from public Concourse, and to retire into some more private Place for a While, that there might be no Pretence for charging him with affecting too great Popularity, or with a Design of raifing Tumults and Commotions: It was with the fame View that he did not, before the Multitude, openly and expreffly declare that he was the Chrift, which, confidering their Notions of Things, might have occafioned Infurrections against the Government; nor did he fuffer bis Difciples openly to preach and publish it till after his Death and Refurrection, when there was no longer any fuch Danger, and it plainly appeared that the Kingdom he came to establish, and the Salvation of which he was the Author, was not of a temporal and worldly, but of a Spiritual Nature. These, and other Things that might be mentioned as, Inftances of kis great Prudence, were pretty largely infifted upon, when we confidered the Excellency of our Saviour, as a Teacher.

And now, upon reviewing the feveral Parts of Chrift's Character that have been mentioned, how lovely and admirable doth it appear! His whole Temper and Practice exhibiteth an uniform harmonious Scheme of moral Goodnefs and Excellence, in

Nothing

Nothing deficient, every Way complete and confiftent with itself, and fuch as became the Son of God, when he appeared in human Flesh.

I fhall conclude with fome fuitable Reflexions.

First, One Reflexion that naturally arifeth from what hath been offered upon this Subject is this, that the perfect Goodness of our Saviour's Character deriveth no small Credit to the Doctrines which he taught, and formeth a very ftrong Prefumption in Favour of the Truth of his Pretenfions, even abstracting from the Miracles he wrought, and the many extraordinary Atteftations given to him from Heaven: For it can hardly be fuppofed, that fo holy and excellent a Perfon could be capable of carrying on a deliberate Imposture in the Name of God. But when we take every Thing together, the Purity and Excellency of his Doctrine, and the perfect Holiness of his Life, and the many fignal and unparalleled Atteftations that concurred to confirm and establish his Divine Miffion: All this forms an Evidence fo ftrong and convincing, that Nothing can reasonably be defired more. But I fhall not infift farther upon this at prefent, having taken fome Notice of it before.

Secondly,

Secondly, The proper Ufe that we should all make of our Saviour's. Example is to endeavour to copy after fo illuftrious a Pattern, and to refemble him more and more in his excellent Temper and Conduct, in all thofe amiable Virtues that were fo beautifully exemplified in him, in the Days of his Flesh.

In entering upon this Subject it was obferved, that one principal Design, for which God fent his Son to take upon him our Nature, was that he might exhibit a perfect Pattern of universal Goodness and Purity for our Imitation: And accordingly it was fhewn, that all Chriftians are under the moft indifpenfable Obligations to imitate Chrift's Example. Several exprefs Teftimonies of Scripture were produced to this Purpofe, which I need not now repeat: And indeed there are few that will in Words pretend to deny this. It is what we are evidently bound to by our Chriftian Covenant and Vow: If we neglect to imitate Jefus Chrift, the very Name of Chrifiian will reproach us; for what is a Chriftian, but a Follower of Chrift?

But, that we may be the more effectually engaged and animated to imitate the Example of our Lord Jefus Chrift, and to

walk

walk as he walked, it may be useful frequently to confider the following Things.

First, The Perfection, vast Extent, and univerfal Usefulness of his Example. His Life and Practice was abfolutely pure and holy, without the leaft Stain or Defect; perfect as his own admirable Precepts, and as the Laws he hath given to Mankind. His Example is of fo great an Extent as to be capable of furnishing excellent Directions to us in every Part of our Duty, as relating to God, our Neighbours, and ourselves: It is applicable to Perfons of every Rank and Station, and in all Conditions and Circumftances of Life: For though there were feveral Stations and Relations which Christ did not actually take upon him, nor was it proper he fhould; yet still there is something in his Example which may be of great Ufe for directing and engaging us to behave properly in those Stations and Relations. He chofe indeed to appear in a mean and low Condition, because this would render his Example of more general Ufe, and more level to the Bulk of Mankind; yet, confidering the Dignity of his Perfon, there is a great Deal in his Example to direct thofe in the most exalted Stations to a proper Temper and Conduct, and to engage them to look upon it as their Duty and Glory to employ their

Power