Imatges de pàgina
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crucified by his enemies, in order "to finish transgression, make an end of sin, make reconciliation for iniquity, and bring in everlasting righteousness." So entirely did he fulfil the purposes of the divine economy by his incarnation and death, that he said on the cross, "it is finished." Like him, let us give all diligence to make our calling and election sure; let us be constantly establishing more firmly our religious principles; let us be daily improving our moral character; let us abound more and more in such dispositions as become saints; that when he who is our life shall appear, we may be like him, and be admitted to his presence where we shall behold his glory.— That we may attain this blessed state, let us consider,

III. The obligations which lie upon us to follow the example of Christ.

When our Lord Jesus Christ, who was in the form of God, and thought it no robbery to be equal with God, condescended to dwell on earth that he might set us an example of perfect virtue; is it not our duty to imitate it to the utmost of our power? Does the child endeavour to resemble the graces of its parents, and admire in their character every thing lovely or of good report; and shall we not much more imitate the conduct of our divine Master, who was altogether lovely? Do we treasure up his precepts in our heart? let us also set before us his example to regulate our lives; for therein shall we find reduced to practice every virtue which can adorn human nature; every good habit which is requisite to form the character to rectitude. In the life of Christ, we discover the proper manner in which we ought to behave, in all the several relations in which we can be placed. If we act as he did in youth and manhood; if we imitate him in his piety to God, and benevolence to men; in his kindness to his friends, and forgiveness to his enemies; in his sobriety and humility; condescension and peaceableness; zeal and diligence in working out our salvation; we shall then im bibe the true spirit of our holy religion, and "be no longer hearers of the word, but doers of it, and thus shall we be blessed in our deed."

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Consider, moreover, that the character of Christ is such, as the whole dispensation of Christianity is intended to work in us, by all its injunctions and precepts. Do we not think that if we were holy, harmless, and undefiled like him, we would indeed be true saints, created after the image of God? Now, what were the distinguishing features of our Saviour's character?-were they not chiefly of the amiable and gentle kind? No harshness nor severity of manner; no bigotry nor moroseness of sentiment; no superciliousness nor haughtiness of carriage, had any place in the composition of his mind: but a solemn reverence and love of God, with the most unbounded generosity and affection for men, and the most complete command of all the irrascible and uneasy passions, are the most conspicuous traits in the behaviour of Jesus of Nazareth. How unlike him are many of those who call themselves his disciples? They make their religion to consist in quibbles about the interpretation of certain speculative points; and in censuring with asperity all those who differ from them in their preconceived opinions. But if they examine the doctrines of our Lord, they will find that he inculcated practical truths, which were designed to have an influence on the temper and conduct: and reckoned such minute distinctions as the mint, and anise, and cummin of minor importance; while he enjoined obedience to the weightier matters of the law,-justice, and mercy, and fidelity. He did not dispute about words to no profit, but recommended the substantial duties of life; such as meekness, purity, peaceableness, forgiveness of injuries, love of enemies, compassion for the afflicted, and charity to the poor. He recommended piety without ostentation, heavenly mindedness and disengagement from the world, self-examination and progress in holiness, and perseverance to the end in the practice of well-doing.

And he exemplified, in his own behaviour, these virtues which he prescribed to his followers. And shall we think ourselves his real disciples, if we neglect to imitate him in these moral perfections? Shall we suppose that anxiety about understanding aright the terms of our salvation, and the efficacy of faith or grace in rendering true Chris

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tians partakers of his redemption, will exempt us from our obligation to walk as he also walked? No: it is only those who imitate the virtues of our Saviour's life, that shall be entitled to share in the benefits of his death: for "it is not every one who saith Lord, Lord, that shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who doeth the will of our Father who is in heaven." Wherefore, "let

those who have believed in Christ, be careful to maintain good works," without which their faith shall profit them nothing.

Consider, as another obligation to imitate the example of Christ, that unless we do so, we cannot be his disciples. For what is it to be a disciple of any religious teacher, but to adopt the mode of life which he hath prescribed ? Accordingly, every sect, which adhered to a leader either in ancient or modern times, has endeavoured to follow the peculiar line of conduct which their master pursued. The Heathens had their different sages, whose manners they studied to cultivate; the Jews had Moses, whose maxims they laboured to imbibe; the Mahometans have their prophet, whose precepts they reverence and observe; and even the idolatrous nations have some favourite deity, whom they are anxious to please by a suitable behaviour. Shall then Christians alone disgrace their profession, by refusing to walk even as the author and finisher of their faith also walked? Nay, let us adorn the doctrine of Christ our Saviour, by lives and conversations becoming his gospel. If he was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners; so let us be holy in the whole tenour of our life and actions. If we do not resemble him in those features which marked his temper and conduct, we surely do not deserve the name of his disciples. If he was devout, while we are ungodly; if he was meek, modest, and forgiving, while we are proud, wrathful, and vindictive; if he was pure, sober, and temperate, while we are unclean, luxurious, and immoderate; if he was tender-hearted, compassionate, and beneficent, while we are hard-hearted, unfeeling, and selfish; if he was contented, cheerful, and heavenly-minded, while we are peevish, querulous, and covetous; how can we lay claim to the character of his disci

ples? Surely we must be persuaded, that the same mind must be in us as was also in Christ Jesus, if we would walk worthy of the vocation wherewith we are called.

Let us not deceive ourselves with a false notion which some entertain, that Christ' came into the world for the purpose merely of satisfying the justice of God for our sins, by his active and passive obedience; and that if we have faith in his merits, God will impute his righteousness to us though we have none of our own, which will be suf ficient to recommend us to the divine favour. No: though Christ's righteousness is the sole medium of our justification; yet personal holiness is no less requisite to promote our sanctification; and let us always remember, that our Saviour came into the world, not only to reconcile us to God by his blood, but also to set us an example that we should follow his steps.-Accordingly, another obligation to this duty arises from the commands which our Lord and his apostles have delivered to imitate his example. Thus he says to his disciples, "take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; I have given you an example that ye should do to one another, as I have done unto you. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you." His inspired apostles repeat the same lessons to their Christian converts, when they require them" to look to Jesus, the author and finisher of their faith; and to walk even as he also walked." If, then, we have any regard to the express injunctions of Christ himself, and of those whom he commissioned to teach us our duty: let us follow the pattern of holiness and virtue which he hath set before us to imitate; so shall we be his disciples.

Finally, if we would be at last admitted to behold his glory, let us now endeavour to render ourselves like him, that we may see him as he is. We know assuredly, that into the heavenly mansions where he now resides, none but the holy shall ever enter; and that "the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God." Indeed, it is impossible that the profane and irreligious, the immoral and impure, the spiteful and malignant, could ever enjoy the society of angels and saints who are made perfect, and of the Lamb who is without spot and blemish. For what

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fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness; and what concord hath Christ with Belial? If then we would be partakers of the heavenly inheritance, let us endeavour, through the grace of God assisting us, to qualify ourselves for it; let him who hath this hope in him, purify himself even as Christ is pure."

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For this purpose, let us read and study the history of our Saviour's life, as it is recorded in the scriptures; let us take it as the model of our own; let us imitate him in all those moral perfections which he hath exhibited in his conduct; and then when we have acquired some degree of conformity to it in our temper and conduct, we may expect that after death "we shall sit down with him on his throne, even as he also overcame, and is set down with his Father on his throne."

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