into his own divine Perfon, fo as to be- . come really and truly Man; as fo, he did whatsoever Man is bound to do, both as to God himself, and likewife as to Men. And being abfolutely perfect in all the Faculties of his Soul, and Members of his Body, he infinitely furpaffed all other Men both in divine Graces, and moral Virtues, fo that as he never committed any one Sin, fo neither did he ever neglect any one Duty, which as Man he was bound to perform either to God or Men, but still obferved every punctilio and Circumftance of the Moral Law; by which means he hath left us a complete Pattern of true and univerfal Holinefs, and hath enjoined us all to follow it.

HOPING therefore that all who profefs themselves to be the Friends and Difciples of Jefus Chrift, defire to manifeft themfelves to be fo, by following both his Precepts and Example, I fhall give the Reader a fhort Narrative of his Life and Actions, wherein we may all fee what true Piety is, and what real Chriftianity requires of us; and may not content our felves, as many do, with being Profeffors, and adhering to Parties or Factions amongst us, but strive to be thorow Chriftians, and to carry our felves as fuch, by walking as Chrift himfelf walked; which

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that we may at least know how to do, looking upon Chrift as a mere Man, I fhall fhew how he did, and by Consequence how we ought to carry our felves both to God and Man, and what Graces and Vertues he exercised all along for our Example and Imitation.

Now for our more clear, and methodical proceeding, in a matter of fuch Confequence as this is, I fhall begin with his Behaviour towards Men, from his Childhood to his Death.

FIRST therefore, when he was a Child of twelve Years of Age, it is particularly recorded of him, that he was fubject or obedient to his Parents, his real Mother and reputed Father, Luc. ii. 51. It is true, he knew at that time that God himself was his Father, for, faid he, wift ye not that I must be about my Father's Bufinefs, ver. 49. And knowing God to be his Father, he could not but know likewife that he was infinitely above his Mother; yea, that the could never have born him, had not he himself first made and fupported her. Yet howfoever, though as God he was Father to her, yet as Man fhe was Mother to him; and therefore he honoured and obeyed both her and him to whom he was efpoufed. Neither did he only refpect his Mother whilft he was here, but he took Care of R

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her too when he was going hence. Yea, all the Pains that he fuffered upon the Crofs could not make him forget his Duty to her that bore him; but feeing her ftanding by the Crofs, as himself hung on it, he committed her to the Care of his beloved Disciple, who took her to his own home, Joh. xix. 27. Now as our Saviour did, fo are we bound to carry our felves to our .earthly Parents, whatsoever their Temper or Condition be in this World. Though God hath blessed fome of us perhaps with greater Estates than ever he bleffed them, yet we must not think our felves above them, nor be at all the lefs refpectful to them. Chrift, we fee, was infinitely above his Mother, yet as fhe was his Mother, he was both fubject and respectful to her. He was not afhamed to own her as she stood by the Crofs, but in the view and hearing of all there prefent, gave his Difciple a Charge to take Care of her; leaving us an Example, that fuch amongft us as have Parents, provide for them if they need it, as well as for our Children, both while we live and when we come to die.

AND as he was to his natural, fo was he too to his civil Parents, the Magiftrates under which he lived, fubmiffive and faithful; for though as he was God he was infinitely above them in Heaven, yet as he

was Man he was below them on Earth having committed all Civil Power into their hands, without referving any at all: for himself. So that though they received their Commiffion from him, yet now himfelf could not act without receiving a Commiffion from them. And therefore having no Commiffion from them to do it, he would not entrench fo much upon their: Privilege and Power, as to determine the Controverfy betwixt the two Brethren contending about their Inheritance; Man faith he, who made me a judge or a divider over you? Luc. xii. 14. And to fhew his Submiffion to the Civil Magiftrate, as highly as poffibly he could, rather than offend them, he wrought a Miracle to pay the Tax which they had charged upon him, Matth. xvii. 27. And when the Officers were sent to take him, though he had more than twelve Legions of Angels at his Service to have fought for him if he had pleafed, yet he would not employ them, nor fuffer his own Difciples to make any Refiftance, Matth. xxvi. 52, 53. And though fome of late Days, who called themfelves Chriftians, have acted quite contrary to our bleffed Saviour in this Particular, I hope better things of my Readers, even that they will behave themselves more like to Chrift, who though he was the fupreme R 2

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Governor of the World, yet would not refift, but fubmitted to the Civil Power, which himself had entrusted Men withal.

MOREOVER, although whilst he was. here he was really not only the best but greteft Man upon Earth, yet he carryed himfelf to others with that Meeknefs, Humility, and Refpect, as if he had been the leaft; as he never admired any Man for his Riches, fo neither did he despise any Man for his Poverty; the poor Man and rich were all alike to him. He was as lowly and respectful to the loweft as he was to the highest that he converfed with. He affected no Titles of Honour, nor gaped after popular Air, but fubmitted himfelf to the meaneft Services that he could for the Good of others, even to the washing his own Difciples Feet, and all to teach us that we can never think too lowly of our felves, nor do any thing that is beneath us; propounding. himself as our Example, efpecially in this Particular, Learn of me, faith he, for I am meek and lowly in heart, Matth. xi. 29.

His Humility alfo was the more remarkable, in that his Bounty and Goodness to others was fo great, for he went about, doing good, Acts x. 38. Wherefoever you read he was, you ftill read of fome good Work or other which he did there. Whatfoever Company he converfed with, they