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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91897	Christ the perfect pattern, of a Christian's practice, being the substance of severall sermons, about the Imitation of Christ. / Preached by the reverend and faithfull minister of Jesus Christ, Mr. Ralph Robinson, late minister of Mary Wolnoth London. Published by Sim. Ash, Wil. Taylor, Sam. Clarke.	Robinson, Ralph, 1614-1655.	1658 (1658)	Wing R1709; Thomason E1818_1; ESTC R209810	135,574	295

out-strip his example A Christian should be Alter Christus 2. Wherein we must imitate Christ This is not unnecessary because there are some actions of Christ which are not imitable There are three kind of actions which Christ did 1. Some things he did quà Deus his works of Divinity and Omnipotency As his miraculous works of forgiving sins raising the dead casting out Devils and curing Diseases by his word walking upon the Sea c. 'T is the pride of the Papists to imitate Christ in these things as their Quadragesimal Fasts c. These are for our admiration not for our imitation 2. Some things he did quà Mediator his works of office As his Dying to reconcile God and man offering up himself a Sacrifice for sin This is not for our imitation only the mo●al of these is for us That as Christ did carefully the works of his Calling so should we of our particular Calling 3. Some things he did as he was made man under the Law And tehse were of two sorts Some in obedience to the Ceremonial Law as he was the Son of Abraham according to the flesh As his submitting to Circumcision keeping the Jewish Feasts of Tabernacles Pentecost c. these we are not bound unto Others in obedience to the moral Law those moral actions of Christ the works of piety of charity which he did his vertues as they are called 1 Pet. 2. 9. his humility meekness c. And therefore 't is observed in Matth. 11. 29. Learn of me saith Christ what not to cast out Devils raise the dead c. but learn meekness lowliness c. These are the things which we are tyed toimitate Christ in The Reasons why these are 1. Those Relations between Christ and a Christian call for it viz. 1. Master and Servant this is a Relation of Imitation Matth. 10. 24 25. 't is there spoken in regard of suffering 't is as forcible in regard of doing Our Saviour urgeth us in a particular case upon this very ground Ioh. 13. 13 14. Other Masters cannot require imitation from their Servants in every thing because they mislead but Christ may 2. That of Captain and Souldiers that 's a Relation of Imitation Abimelech to his Souldiers Iudg. 9. 49. Christ is our General and Captain Heb. 2. 10. Iosh 5. 14. 3. That of Father and Children Children should imitate their Parents not in every thing many Parents would lead their Children to Hell should they follow them The Apostle argues upon this ground this duty Eph. 5. 1. 2. 'T is one end of Christs Incarnation There are in reference to man two principal ends of Christs Incarnation for in reference to God his main end was Eph. 1. 6. One was to reconcile God and man by his obedience and suffering and so to bring in everlasting righteousnes The other was that he might set us an example for our Imitation 1 Pet. 2. 21. that there might be found a perfect Pattern of grace and holiness in our natures Now unless we imitate his example we shall as much as lyeth in us frustrate one end of his incarnation 3. 'T is the highest pitch of spiritual perfection 'T is the duty of every Christian to grow up to as great a height as he can in grace and holiness Christians are as Trees which from a small graff grow up to a great stature vid. Mat. 5. ult 'T is a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of simi●itude not of equality Now the very top of this perfection stands in this that we be like Christ There is a threefold likeness of Christ A likeness of nature so we are all like him A likeness of glory that is reserved for Heaven of which the Apostle 1 Ioh. 3. 2. A likeness of Grace which consists in the renewing of the mind and in walking after this holy Pattern This is the very Apex of that poor imperfect perfection which we can reach to here Greg. Nyssen defines Christianity to be Imitationem Divinae Naturae Qui plus habet Christi plus habet Christianitatis so doth the Apostle also Phil. 3. 10. 4. There is no other perfect Pattern to walk by while we are in this World All men either give us a bad example or else an imperfect example There are two things which make a perfect pattern First That it have exactness of every thing which should be required Secondly That it have no blemish or redundancy of any thing which should not be Now there is no such Pattern besides Christs example The Scripture indeed calls upon us to follow the example of the Saints the Apostle propounds his own example Phil. 3. 17. but there are these limitations 1. We must not imitate them in all things because they had graces in imperfection and because they had obliquities and deformities as well as graces That which is said of Books is as true as men in every thing else Etiam in optimis Authoribus quaedam vitia Moses was not without his murmuring David had his Adultery Peter his denyal These are recorded to be as Shelfs of caution not Copies of Imitation we must follow these only in their reflections and sparks of piety 2. We must not follow the example of any one of them alone because there was in no one of them a compleat Pattern of all grace God scattered his graces among the Saints one was more eminent in one grace a second in another c. Moses for meekness Job for patience Paul for contentment c. This God did to preserve the Communion of Saints as the Apostle speaks in another case 1 Cor. 12. 8. but now we may follow Christs example without any of these limitations for there is in him 1. A full concurrence of all graces compleatly Cont. 5. 10 11. ad finem Col. 1. 19. 2. There is no obliquity in him No spot Cant. 5. 16. The Saints are like the Moon the best of them have a dark side as well as a bright who is she that looketh as the Moon Cant. 6. 10. Christ is as the Sun which is all light without the least spot 5. The Saints are the Image of Christ therefore they ought to walk as he walked As the shadow followeth the substance Christians are as it were the shadow of Christ And the goodness of all the actions and works which we perform doth not stand in the substance of the work but in relation and conformity to the Rule and Example by which they are done Information 1. That 't is the duty of every 1. Use Christian to know and to be acquainted with the life of Christ he that is ignorant of what Christ did cannot possibly walk as he walked What a sad condition are they in who having but one Copy to write after are altogether without the knowledge thereof 2. What a great blessing it is that God hath given unto us the Gospel and with what care and diligence should we bend our selves to the study of it for Christs Example is

to be found only there In the volume of the Book it is written of me There are but three places where Christ is In Heaven corporally In the hearts of his people by his Spirit In the Gospel by his Example The Gospel is the Table wherein the lively picture of Christ is it reads us a Lecture of the life and death of Christ Here are vestigia Christi you may see the prints of his feet here here is the golden Sampler it s a rich Treasure the Gospel vid. Col. 3. 16. not to sojourn with us but to dwell c. What strange Families that want Bibles or having them read them not what strange work would Children make had they no Sampler 3. This is justification for a strict and circumspect life Many are ready to quarrel with the Servants of God for their preciseness because they will not run into the same excess of riot 1 Pet. 4. 4. Profaneness is not so much quarrel'd as Piety Gods Servants dare not swear dare not omit prayer c. wicked men reproach them for it but God commands it Eph. 5. 15. and Christs example calls for it Christ never sware never spake idle word c. He that reproaches them for their holiness reproacheth Christ As the Apostle saith in another case Jam. 4. 11. so 't is in this he speaks evill of Christ and judgeth Christ 4. It shewes us that many who live in the visible Church are far from true Christianity because they have so little of Christ upon them Swearers Blasphemers c. yea formall Professors c. Our Saviour argues well with such men shewes them their Pedigree by their works Joh. 6. 39. They claim Abraham for their Father because of their outward priviledges Circumcision c. yea v. 41. They claim God to be their Father our Saviour v. 44. tells them whose they are or if Christs Example must be the Standard of true Christianity we may complain Quam pauci c. Many hate his Example many only talk of it many follow it in one kind only few take up his whole Example c. Exhortation That we would be more careful Use 2. for time to come to do our duty A Christian should be alter Christus When you miscarry or are tempted to it say then Did Christ thus I might use many more viz. 1. 'T is the will of God 2. 'T is the end of your Calling 3. It will credit Religion 4. It will vex the spirit of Satan As sin grieves Gods Spirit so holiness grieves Satan 5. Christ will direct you if you desire to walk as he did he will shew his actions to him that would be like him 6. Christ will protect you when you act by his example 7. Christ will give you comfort in such Actions Matth. 11. 29. you shall find rest 8. Christ will be sure to walk with you if you take up his Copy 9. Else you shall have no benefit by his sufferings none have benefit by his Ransom but such as imitate his Example 1 Pet. 2. 21. A serious motive This shall suffice for the urging of this Doctrine in general I shall further press this necessary Subject by giving you a more large Table of Christs Actions severally which I shall gather out of the Gospel from other Texts and then I shall urge them upon your practise severally by this Text. And I shall begin with that grace which was very eminent in Christ viz. the grace of humility and lowliness of mind out of that Text Matth. 11. 29. And I shall urge it upon you in the words of this Text. He that saith he abides in Christ ought so to walk as he walked So much for this Text which is only a Preamble or Preface to those which follow Septemb. 10th 1648. Mary Wolnoth Matth. 11. 29. Lowly in heart 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THere are in this Chapter several passages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 recorded for our instruction viz. 1. A Message sent by John Baptist now in prison to our Saviour wherein we have 1 The occasion of it viz. the report brought to him of the great works of Christ particularly that miracle of restoring the Widdowes Son Vers 2. of Naim from death to life so Luke sets it down Luk. 7. 18. 2 The Messengers sent two of Johns Disciples Vers 2. 3 The Message it self Art thou he that should come c. This Message he sent not for his own sake as though he were ignorant Vers 3. or doubtful but for the sake of his Disciples who it should seem were doubtful of Johns Testimony 4 The Answer returned which hath two branches 1. A Narrative of his works the blind receive Vers 4. 5 6. their sight c. 2. A positive Answer which is propounded by way of admonition blessed is he c. 2 The Testimony which is given by our Vers 7. ad 16. Saviour to John Baptist and his Ministery to the multitudes which were with him ver 7. ad 16. 3 A sad complaint of the obstinate carriage of the Jews both in the rejecting of John Baptist Vers 16. ad 20. and Christ vers 16. ad 20. Neither the retiredness and austerity of John nor the sociableness and affability of Christ did prevail with them but both of them were quarrel'd v. 18. 19. 4 A sharp reproof of Chorazim Bethsaida Vers 20. ad 25. and Capernaum Cities of Galilee for their impenitency unbelief and intractableness vers 20. ad 25. 5 The Argument used by our Saviour to Vers 25. ad 28. comfort himself and others against this obstinacy and incredulity of the Jews in rejecting him and his Doctrine viz. from the determination of God in giving effectual grace to some and denying it to others I thank thee O Father c. 6 A general Exhortation unto all wearied Vers 28. ad finem and penitent sinners v. 28. ad finem wherein we have 1. The matter of the Exhortation viz. 1. To come to Christ and submit to his yoak 2. To follow his Example 2. The Arguments urging both these which are three 1. From the nature of Christ meek and lowly 2. From the benefit and advantage find rest c. 3. From the Nature of Christ's Government my yoak is easie my burden is light That part of the Verse which I have read is a description or commendation which our Saviour gives of himself and for orders sake they have two parts 1. The excellent quality 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2. The Subject of it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lowly the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 properly signifies one that is neere the ground quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ab 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pavimentum solum as the Latine word Humilis doth ab Humo Quum de homine dicitur à corpore ejus ad animum translatum est It s opposed sometimes to rich Jam. 1. 9 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 usually its ●pposed unto