to know fuch or fuch things, I do not fin by being ignorant of them, for I tranfgrefs no Law. Now though all Men are bound by the Law of God to know him, and their Duty to him, yet Infants, so long as Infants, are not, neither can be obnoxious or fubject to that Law, they being in a natural incapacity, yea impoffibility to perform it, but as they become by degrees capable of knowing any thing, they are obliged questionlefs to know him first, from whom they receive their knowledge.

AND thus it was that our bleffed Saviour perfectly fulfilled the Law of God, in that although he might, ftill continue." ignorant of many things; yet how foever he all along knew all that he was bound to know, and as he grew by degrees more and more capable of knowing any thing, fo did he increafe ftill more in true Wisdom, or in the knowledge of God; fo that by that time he was twelve years old, he was able to difpute with the great Doctors and learned Rabbies amongst the Jews; and after that as he grew in Stature, fo did he grow m Wisdom too, and in favour both with God and Man.

AND verily, although we did not follow our bleffed Saviour in this particular when we were Children, we ought how foever to endeavour it now we are Men and Women,

even to grow in Wifdom, and every day add fomething to our fpiritual ftature, fo as to let never a day pafs over our heads, without being better acquainted with God's goodness to us, or our Duty to him. And by this example of our Saviour's growing in Wisdom when a Child, we should alfo learn to bring up our Children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord, and not ftrive fo much to make them rich, as to ufe all means to make them wife and good, that they may do as their Saviour did, even grow in wifdom and in ftature, and in the favour bóth of God and Man.

AND as our Saviour grew in wifdom when a Child, fo did he use and manifeft it when he came to be a Man, by devoting himself wholly unto the fervide of the living God, and to the exercife of all true Grace and Virtue, wherein his bleffed Soul was fo much taken up, that he had neither time nor heart to mind those toys and trifles which filly Mortals upon Earth are fo much apt to dote on. It is true all the World was his, but he had given it all away to others, not referving for himself fo much as an House to put his head in, Mat. viii. 20. And what Money he had hoarded up, you may gather from his working a Miracle to pay his Tribute or Poll Money, which came not to much above a Shilling. Indeed he

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'came into the World and went out again, without ever taking any notice of any Pleafures, Honours or Riches in it, as if there had been no fuch thing here, as really there was not, nor ever will be; all the Pomp and Glory of this deceitful World having no other Being or Exiftence, but only in our distempered Fancies and Imaginations, and therefore our Saviour, whofe Fancy was found, and his Imagination untainted, looked upon all the World and the Glory of it as not worthy to be looked upon, feeing nothing in it wherefore it should be defired. And therefore inftead of spending his time in the childish purfuit of Clouds and Shadows, he made the Service of God not only his Bufinefs, but his Recreation too, his Food as well as Work. It is my meat, faith he, to do the will of him that fent me, and to finish his work, Joh. iv. 34. This was all the Riches, Honours and Pleafures which he fought for in the World, even to do the will of him that fent him hither, and to finish the Work which he came about, and fo he did before he went away; Father, I bave glorified thee on the earth, I have finished the work which thou fenteft me to do Joh. xvii. 4. If therefore we would be Chrift's Difciples, fo as to follow him, we fee what we muft do, and how we muft

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behave and carry our felves whilst we are here below; we muft not fpend our time, nor throw away our precious and fhort lived Days upon the trifles and impertinencies of this tranfient World, as if we came hither for nothing else but to rake and fcrape up a little duft and dirt together, or to wallow our felves like Swine in the mire of carnal Pleafures and Delights. No we may affure our felves we have greater things to do, and far more noble Defigns to carry on whilst we continue in this vale of Tears, even to work out our Salvation with fear and trembling, and to make our calling and election fure, to ferve God here, fo as to enjoy him for ever. This is the work we came about, and which we must not only do, but do it too with pleasure and delight, and never leave until we have accomplish'd it; we must make it our only pleasure to please God, account it our only Honour to honour him, and esteem his love and favour to be the only wealth and riches that we can enjoy; we muft think our felves no farther happy, than we find our felves to be truly holy, and therefore devote our Lives wholly to him, in whom we live. This is to live as Chrift lived, and by confequence as Chriftians ought to do.

I might here inftance in feveral other Acts of Piety and Devotion, which our Sa

viour was not only eminent for, but continually exercised himself in, as his humble and perfect Submiflion and Refignation of his own will to God's, his moft ardent Love unto him, and zeal for him, as alfo his firm and ftedfaft Truft and Confidence on him; fo that nothing could ever difquiet or difcompofe his Mind, but ftill his Heart was fixed, trufting in the Lord. In all which, it is both our Duty and Interest to follow him, our Happiness as well as Holinefs confifting in our dependence upon God, and Inclinations to him.

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BUT we fhould do well to obferve withal, that our Saviour performed external as well as inward Worship and Devotion unto God; particularly we often find him praifing God and praying unto him, and that with his Eyes lift up to Heaven in a most humble and reverential Pofture, John xvii. i. Luke xxii. 4. Matth. 26. 39. yea when he was to chufe and ordain fome of his Difciples to the Work of the Miniftry, and to fucceed him after his departure, under the name of Apostles, he spent the Night before in Prayer to God, Luke vi. 12. I confess the words there used & r weaodon & Je, will scarce admit of that Interpretation or Expofition, fignifying rather in a ftrict fenfe, that he went into a place appointed for Prayer, which was usually called

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