SERMON XIX".

IMITATION OF GOOD EXAMPLE.

JAMES V. 10.

Take, my brethren, the prophets who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.

THE two great means of forming our own character are precept and example; and of these two, by far the more interesting and more efficacious is example. It is not meant to disparage moral doctrine, or to separate it from imitation 1; God has joined them together in the economy both of nature and of grace, and far be the presumption and the folly of putting them asunder. But examples have obviously their peculiar advantages. Whilst they illustrate precept, and point out its practicability, they carry with them moreover an animating, and insensibly constrain

a Preached before the University of Oxford on St. Barnabas' day, 1822.

ing influence, much greater than what belongs to bare instruction. It is scarcely possible for a human being not to assume the manners and practices, and, in some degree, the principles, of those with whom he is conversant. His mind, no less than his body, is susceptible of contagion, and happily for him, in the case of his mind, health is infectious, as well as sickness.

Hence it becomes an object of so much importance to secure to ourselves valuable society; and by means of the records of past ages, to cultivate an acquaintance not merely with living, but with departed excellence; and to associate with the wise and good of other times and countries, as well as of our own. From them we may seize, not the bare letter, but the living spirit, of our duty; and by frequent intercourse with such companions, may gradually find our own minds strung to the same tone, filled with the same desires, and raised above the allurements and obstacles which surround us, to a love and participation of their virtues.

It may be thought, indeed, that to the Christian there is one, and one only, model, after which he should form himself; that our blessed Lord, in gracious condescension to our nature, having "left us an example that we should follow his steps," all other patterns are hereby superseded. But, upon the same principle, it might also be contended, that the Bible is the only book,

on religious and moral subjects, to which our attention should be directed. The example of Christ is alone perfect, as the book of God is alone unerring; and it is "by looking unto Him, who is the author and finisher of our faith," that we shall be best enabled to " run with patience" and rectitude "the race that is set before us." But to assist us in this great object of imitating our blessed Lord, we are exhorted in Scripture to emulate those patterns of sincere, though infinitely inferior, excellence, with which we are furnished in the examples of his servants. "Be ye followers of me," the apostle writes to his Corinthian converts," even as I am also of Christ;" or as he more forcibly expresses it, in an earlier part of the same Epistle, "I beseech you, be ye followers of me." Similar exhortations occur in other parts of the sacred voluine, inciting the Christian to follow those, who have already through faith and patience inherited the promises," and to "take for an example the prophets," whom God had honoured with the commission of his word, and the patriarchs also of less favoured times.

In addition then to the all-perfect and unapproachable pattern of the Son of God, the examples of such as have been distinguished by obedience to the divine will, though short of perfection, and not unmixed with faults, are to be made our study for the purpose of imitation.

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And we may deem it one among the many advantages, with which the world is privileged in its advancing years, that we possess, in the past history of mankind, a rich collection of models, by means of which it is doubtless intended, that the art of living holily, should be facilitated, and, upon the whole, improved. There are many, indeed, of these models, upon which we cannot hope to improve: there have been many among the servants of God so peculiarly favoured, that to attain to their excellence is nearly hopeless; to surpass it, we might almost add, impossible. But although unable to overtake them, we may at least follow their footsteps; and we shall proceed on our way with the greater certainty and zeal, from having such precursors at once to guide and to animate our course.

So great being the importance, and so extensive the field, of example, it is material to enquire upon what principle the imitation of it is to be conducted. In doing this, it should seem to be our first care, to guard against any evil incident to this method of forming our character, that we may place it upon a safe footing, before we proceed to consider how its advantages may be most wisely secured, and most effectually extended.

For it is not to be dissembled, that in the imitation of example, there is some difficulty, and even danger; that not only is great judgment