XIII. The short of the matter is this, the spirit and temper of Christ is the _strict measure_ of the Spirit and temper of all Christians. It is not in this or that particular temper of Christ, that we are to follow his example; but we are to aspire after his whole spirit, to be in all things as he was, and think it as dangerous to depart from his Spirit and temper in one instance as in another. For besides that there is the same authority in all that our Saviour did, which obliges us to conform to his whole example. Can any one tell why we should have more value for this world than our Saviour had? What is there in our _state_ and _circumstances_, that can make it proper for us to have more affection for the things of this life than our Saviour had? Is the world any more our _happiness_, than it was his happiness? Are riches, and honours, and pleasures, any more our _proper good_, than they were his? Are we any more born for this life than our Saviour was? Are we in less danger of being _corrupted_ by its enjoyments than he was? Are we more at leisure to take up _our rest_, and spend our time in worldly satisfactions than he was? Have we a work upon our hands that we can _more easily finish_, than he could finish his? That requires of us less _mortification_ and _self-denial_, less _devotion_ and _watching_, than our Saviour’s required of him? Now as nothing of this can be said; as this world is as little our happiness, and more our danger than it was his; as we have a work to finish that requires _all our strength_, it is plain there was no reason for his disregard of the world, but what is the same reason for us to disregard it in the same manner. XIV. Take another instance of our blessed Saviour’s Spirit, _I came down from heaven_ (says he) _not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me_¹. ¹ John vi. 38.