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    640 Mr. Wright, on the Personof Christ

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    Mr, Wright^ Reply To C€ An Old Disciple ...

    same ideate the word " sinless . " By sin , I understand , a deviation ffom what is known to be the will of God , or by due attention might be perceived to be his will . From such deviation I believe Jesus to have been free : under this view I speak of him as being sinless . I cannot see how it should be necessary for -the

    parents , brethren and neighbours of Jesus to be wholly _undefiled , in order to his being sinless , sin being a voluntary act of dis _~ obedience , and I expect it will not be denied that it is possible for a person to grow up more pure and virtuous than his relations and acquaintance . Seeing man is so imitative , and so much influenced by example , it seems perfectly agreeable to

    divine wisdom and goodness to set before us , as our pattern , a man possessed of all the moral perfection attainable in a state of mortality . That Jesus was simply a man , and that he was holy , harmless , and undefiled , are facts plainly stated in the New Testament . That he attained his eminent virtues , and preserved himself pure , in the same way as his disciples are called to

    attain every virtue and excellency of character _^ is evident from their being called to imitate him , and follow in his steps . Whatever powers of mind Jesus possessed , his trials and duties were proportioned to his powers : consequently if it could be proved that he naturally possessed superior mental strength to others , this would make no difference as to the suitableness of his

    example ; for mere ability is not virtue , and God requires of every individual according to the ability and opportunity he affords of knowing and doing his will . I do not think it capable of proof mind that Christ was than any otherman . resisted pleased the way of mind temptation , I he no doubt every God , to be for open _, whichresults from right _> endowednaturally His moral strength and always did those attained gradually : graduallyto us motives with greater pov \ attain the same and of he ers bywhich thingswhich and conceive strength do not habits

    pretendto tracephilosophically Jesus , or the inward of circumstances , by which his character tempt this would discover ignorance and tempt this would discover ignorance and folly ; my turn is simply tp establish what I esteem clear and important facts , that he was purely a man , and a most suitable and a perfect _Sample to men . I do contend , that cc one of the enlightened ant ] virtuous worshippers of Essex-street Cbapel , or the Gravel-pit Meeting [ would ] be a _suitably exemplar to a South-sea Islander , " 5 " the operations and associations outward of the mind of ! combinations formed : to atwas

    the latter had ail opportunity of being tau g ht the Christian _docs _trincs and _precepts which the former understand _^ and believes . The gospel teaches us the doctrines and motives which Jesus believed and felt , at the same time that it exhibits his example for our imitation .

    640 Mr. Wright, On The Personof Christ

    640 Mr . Wright , on the Personof Christ

• Citation
  • Monthly Repository (1806-1838) and Unitarian Chronicle (1832-1833), Dec. 2, 1807, page 640, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/mruc/issues/mrp_02121807/page/20/