He tells them, this was no new Doctrin, but such as they had from the be∣ginning, for in the time of innocencie Adam was made after the Image of God, and Christ is the Image of God, Col. 1.15. After he fell, the first Sermon that he had was, That the Seed of the Woman should break the Serpents head, Gen. 3.15. and this Promise was renewed to Abraham, Gen. 22.18.
In after times, when the Lord led Israel out of Egypt, he sent the Angel of the Covenant to go before them, Exod. 23.20, 21. Deut. 18.18. from the beginning it was thus dispenced, to walk after the Lord, and whatever Pattern they had from God, it was from Christ, the second Person in the Trinity; so Joh. 1.18. Levit. 19.17. and he charged them to be holy as he was, that is the same with this of St. John here, to walk as Christ hath walked, Heb. 13.8. the same before and under the Law, to day in the time of the Gospel, and the same for ever, 1 Corinth. 10.1. to 5. Acts 15.10, 11. they held to be saved by faith, and by faith lived all the Saints of old, Hebr. 11. Hebr. 12.1, 2, 3.
Ʋse 1 To justifie the antiquity of Christian Religion, there is nothing in Christian Religion but we have it either from Commandment, or Promise, or Pattern of Christ, the death of Christ that was shadowed in the Sacrifices in the Old Law, and promised in Paradice, and when Christ would convince them, he doth it from hence, Luke 24.26, 27. all our fore-fathers believed, and dyed in the same Religion that we do.
Ʋse 2 If the imitation of Christ be of so great antiquity, then it convinces them that blame Christian Religion of new-fanglednesse▪ why there is no Chri∣stian that walks as Christ did, but he walks as Abel, and Noah, and Abraham did, therefore it is not a novelty, but from the Ancient of days, even from the beginning.
Ʋse 3 It may encourage every Christian to walk as Christ did, when they consider all the Patriarks, and Prophets, and Apostles since the world began, have gone before them in the same steps, and in the same faith; if we cannot shew an higher ground, and longer antiquity for our Doctrin, than the Papists for a∣ny Popish tradition, we will renounce it, but we take up no other Religion but that which came from the Ancient of days, and was from the first institution. The care that any Christian takes to prepare himself for the receiving of the Sacrament hath been of old, the Apostle reproved the want thereof in his time, 1 Cor. 11. and they set the Lamb aside three days before the Passeover, to pre∣pare themselves, Exod. 12.3.14. so that this kinde of preparation hath been of old, 2 Chron. 35.5. therefore let every one of us examine our failings, humble our selves, entreat for pa••don and cleansing, for strength of grace to walk as Christ walked.