Casuistical morning-exercises the fourth volume /

2. Think not that Christ in all his actions is to be imitated. There are Royalties belonging to our Lord Jesus which none must invade. He alone is Judg and Lawgiver in Zion: and that worship is vain which is taught by the Precepts of Men. Christ is all in all, he fills all in all, Eph. 1.23. When the Fathers of the last Lateran Council, told Leo the Tenth, That all Power was given to him in Heaven and Earth: As it was blasphemous flattery in them to give; so it was blasphemous pride and right Antichristian arrogancy in Him to accept the honour. When our Lord was upon Earth; there were several acts of Power which he exerted, as, giving sight to the blind, raising the dead, and such like; which Christians now must not think of doing.¹ I grant that the power of working Miracles was communicated to the Apostles and others; but it was Res unius aetatis, a thing that lasted little longer than One age. These Miracles were necessary when the Gospel was first to be planted in the world; but now they are ceased: and if there were but a general exactness and exemplariness, in Christians lives and practises; this might be majus omni miraculo, a great deal more than Miracles towards the Gospels Propagation.

1. 1Elegit Apostolos humiliter natos, inhonoratos, illiterat••; ut quicquid Magnum essent & facerent; Ipse in eis esset & faceret. Aug. de C. D. l. 18. c. 49.

3. Think not that your obedience can be meritorious, as was the obedience of our Lord and Saviour. The Apostle tells us; that by the obedience of One, i. e. the second Adam; many are made righteous; and to this obedience is owing, that abundance of grace which believers receive; the gift of righteousness; and also reigning in life eternal, Rom. 5.17.19