JOHN viii. 29.

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

N my laft Difcourfe fome general Con

Ind fiderations were offered concerning the

Excellency and Usefulness of Chrift's Example: Let us now proceed to take a more diftinct View of it.

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

rest,

reft, is true Piety towards God, which includes right Difpofitions and Affections of Mind towards him, an intire Devotedness to his Glory, an unreferved 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 first 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 Business 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 please 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 baft given me to do.

Firft, 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 Bufinefs [ 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 Midft of the Jewish Doctors in the Temple, hearing them, and asking them Questions, Wift ye not that I must be about my Father's Business? Luke ii. 49. And, when he entered upon the public Discharge of his Ministry, 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

When his Disciples pressed 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 his 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 Con

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ftancy,

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