the absolute Pattern of what he taught As His Doctrine was the most Sublime Instruction that was ever given to Mortal Men so it was most highly requisite that His own most Blessed Example should fully answer it in all Exactness and Perfection Mat. 3.15 or in His own words to John the Baptist It became Him above all to fullfill all Righteousness Joh. 3.46 And thus we find him appealing to His own Innocency Which of you convinces me of sin This alone one would think without his other mighty Deeds had been enough to assert the Truth of His Doctrine His whole Life and Death being as it were but one intire and uninterrupted Miracle This made Him in His Discourses appear as one having Authority and not as the Scribes Thus both the Old and New Testament represent Christ as sent to be a most singular Example to the World Hence Isaiah foretelling the Peaceable State of his Kingdom How the most Furious and Outragious Tempers should be quieted and composed by his gentle Precepts and mild Conversation thus expresses it by way of Parable The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb c. 11.6 and the Leopard shall lie down with the Kid and the Lion with the Calf and a little Child shall lead them Men of all Humours and Conditions shall be reconciled to one another and their Captain or Leader shall be Himself as Harmless and Innocent as a sucking Child Again the same Prophet tells us c. 53.3 He was to be a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief He was to be oppressed and afflicted to be brought as in the words of my Text like a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb so was he not to open His Mouth He was not to cry nor life up his Voice in the street He was not to break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoking Flax That is c. â—3 2 3. not to discourage the broken and contrite heart nor neglect any one that had the least spark of goodness left in him And all this he perfectly made good from the very Manger to the Cross Nay He did not despise the Virgins Womb. How highly reasonable and weighty then must St. Pauls command be Let the same mind be in you that was also in Christ Jesus He spake his mind Phil. 2.5 yes and exactly perform'd it too Tho He thought it no Robbery to be equal with God yet he made himself of no Reputation V. 6 7 8. He humbled himself and became obedient to Death even the shameful Death of the Cross What art thou then O sinful Worm that shall think thy self too great for any Condescension Hereunto says St. Peter are we called 1 Ep. 2.21 because Christ also suffered leaving us an Example that we also should follow his steps And to instance in no more let those words of our Blessed Saviour suffice If any one will come after me let him deny himself and take up his Cross daily Luc. 9.23 and follow me Do you think this daily Cross signifies only Persecution Affliction or Tribulation No it is as St. Hierome explains it Every Temptation likewise from the World the Devil or our own deceitful Heart Whatever is uneasy to a sanctify'd Mind and the taking it up is here declared to be our Mastering of it by self-denial after Christs own Blessed Example To some weak and willful sinners indeed such as are too much given up to their Lusts and Enslaved to their Passions this may seem a hard saying Custom I confess is another Nature and therefore must allow those words of the Prophet to be the very Truth its self Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the Leopard his Spots Jer. 13.23 then may ye also learn to do good that are accustomed to do evil But this is spoken of Men perfectly Dead in Trespasses and Sins Men utterly given over to a Reprobate mind whose hearts are by continual practice so hardned As to Drink in Iniquity like water with all manner of greediness and delight For if there be any Serious Remorse of Conscience remaining at any time the Flax is still smoaking there is some little hopes of Life yet left A Sense of Sin and desire of Amendment are two previous Dispositions here always necessary to be supposed What then remains to do the Work but a constant and most earnest Endeavour with the Divine Assistance which our Merciful Father never witholds in such a Case We see in ordinary Cases of Human Life what mighty hard Tasks in a little time are overcome by only diligence and a serious application but here we have the vast advantage besides of Gods most Holy Spirit to direct guide strengthen and support us We know all Habits are acquired by often repeated Acts and by several Degrees and those that are bad as well as those that are good meet with an uneasiness and reluctancy at the beginning For I appeal to the Heart of any Man whether at the first breach of his Innocency at his first committing of any willful sin He has not had a Dispute with Himself before it was done and whether after his Heart did not smite him and make him unquiet tho afterwards perhaps by often falling into the same Vice by little and little his Conscience fell asleep and He then went on without any further Reflection at all On the other side whether in avoiding some occasion of sin or resisting some Temptation He has not met with the like Controversy and when he had overcome whether the Thoughts of his Escape have not fill'd his Heart with Joy and Gladness Now besides his sensual Appetite and Reason the outward and the Inward Man which wage this War there are with reverence be it spoken those Two Auxiliaries the Instigations of the Devil on the one side and the gracious Motions of the Holy Ghost on the other to carry it on And sure no Man will so far dishonour God as to say the Power of the Devil is in it self so great as that of His. If it seem so to any one it is because he makes it so by his own willful Apostacy For the Holy Spirit is always willing Behold says He I stand at the Door and Knock Rev. 3.20 if any Man hear i. e. obey my Voice and Open the Door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me Who can doubt of Gods help being always ready or once question his Sincerity and Truth when he reads those most convincing words As I live saith the Lord God I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked Ezek. 23.11 but that he should turn from his way and live Turn ye turn ye from your Evil ways for why will you Die Surely we ought to think the bare Word of God might have been enough but for our Encouragement he hath bound it with an Oath and because He could swear by no Greater He Swore by his
themselves Nay Love that themselves should be thought much better than they are For even the wickedest Men give that Praise and Attestation to Virtue that tho amongst their lewd Companions Perhaps they may Glory in their Villanies and make themselves seem far more wicked than they are yet amongst sober Men they all desire to pass under a more favourable Character They love to appear under something of the outward form and shew of Godliness tho they are perfect strangers to the Power thereof This gives them a false Sense and Reputation they are highly ashamed their Faults should be in the least exposed to the Eye of the world but are nothing concerned how much dishonour they cast upon Almighty God in committing them To trespass against his Eternal Truth or out-dare his all-searching Spirit by telling and perhaps swearing to a Lye is too too common a practice amongst them but for one to tell them they Lye is so unpardonable an Affront in their Esteem so high a Provocation that nothing but the Life or Blood of the Party that said it can make satisfaction for it O Blessed Jesus How far are these Men estranged from thy Divine Love How far do they make thy Holy and Glorious Name to stink and become a Reproach amongst the Heathen and unbelieving parts of the world Never then let us count these most foul Spots of our Sacred Profession Points of Honour more Never let him that calls Himself a Christian any longer glory in this his Eternal Shame I confess indeed I find it in some Great Masters of Morals allow'd in Youth to be a little fond of External Honour Simplic in Epict. c. 48. and Popular Applause Because it may raise their Virgin Thoughts and Innocent Affections to the Enterprize of truly Noble Things and give a Spur to their Industry and put them with delight upon Labours and Tasks which otherwise might be rather a punishment and torment to them to undergo But withal they tell us That afterwards to make this a Principle of their Actions will inevitably prove their Ruin and Destruction For besides all those dreadful Consequences which I just now mentioned it makes all Virtue meerly accidental and conditional they will neither value nor practice it as it is Good but only as it is Popular It begets such an absolute Dotage and Frenzy in their minds as tho they despise and slight nothing more than the Persons and Conversations of the Vulgar yet they are so ridiculously besotted as to Court and wholly depend upon their senseless Esteem and rest more satisfy'd in the vain Opinion of the World than in the comfort of a Good Conscience and the Joynt Testimony of that All knowing God who will certainly one day Judge the Secret Thoughts of all Mankind This Swelling indeed and Tumour of the Soul sticks very close unto us 't is for the most part the last Rag of our corrupt Nature that we put off and the last peice of all this Earthly Lumber we bear about us that we part withal Since then it is the bitter Root of so many and so great Evils and takes such deep hold in those infirm and easy Minds which cherish it how chearfully ought we to entertain how highly ought we to prize that Evangelical Humility and Meekness which we have prescrib'd as a Sovereign Remedy against this pernicious Distemper of the Mind and so gloriously recommended Which is the II. Second Observable in my Text to our practice by the Example as well as Precept of our Blessed Lord and Saviour who when He was reviled reviled not again when He suffered He threatned not but was led as a Lamb to the slaughter 1 Pet. 2. c. 23. and as a Sheep before her shearers is dumb so opened he not his mouth Our merciful Father by sending Christ the Grand Exemplar to us most wisely considered and most graciously condescended to our present condition For whether it be from our Original Nature or from our Hereditary Corruption of it I shall not now determine We see the Generality of the world led by Example as much if not more than by Precept To do as another doth was ever counted a great Encouragement as well as no small Justification For Precept is but as a fair Picture whereas Example is the very Life Without this the other would pass for an Airy Speculation or meer Romance Then Men are believed to be serious and in good earnest when what they teach others they first practice themselves By their own well-doing Ep. 1.2 15. as St. Peter saith they utterly put to silence the Ignorance of Foolish Men. Or being like St. Paul's Bishop Tit. 1.7 9. themselves perfectly blameless they may be able to convince their most Insolent Gainsayers Segniusirritant animes demissa per Aures What we only hear we usually little mind and as easily forget but what we see does commonly make a greater impression upon us Now this is the very difference betwixt Precept and Example Quam quae sunt oculis comissa sidelibus Hor. and as the Evidence of both these Senses commit as it were a Violence upon our Imagination so the Influence of both these together lays as great a Force upon our Will and Understanding The Scribes and Pharisees sat in Moses Seat and without doubt taught many Excellent Notions and wholsom Lessons for our Saviour commanded his own Disciples as well as the Multitude Mat. 33.1 2 3. to observe whatever they commanded But this was it that quite shak'd off all their Authority They said but did not They might perhaps press the very Weighty Matters of the Law but they themselves would not touch them with one of their Fingers How infinitely beyond them was our Grand Exemplar 'T is truly said of Him John 7.46 He spake as never Man spake and 't is as certain also He Liv'd as never Man Liv'd And this was most absolutely necessary for Him to do He came into the World to reform both Jew and Gentile to destroy all Hypocrisie and meer Shews of Religion to purge out all unclean and corrupt Affections to teach us the pure Worship of God in Spirit and in Truth to instruct us how to mortify all our Passions and Lusts how to deny our selves in all unlawful things and become perfectly dead unto all the Suggestions of the Flesh the World and the Devil to sanctify us throughout and keep us not only from all appearance but also from all secret thoughts of Evil to beget in our Hearts the true Fears of that dreadful Judge of Heaven and Earth before whom we shall one day stand to answer for whatever we have thought or spake or done amiss and next to that to kindle in our Minds a Spirit of Humility and Meekness Peace and Love and to direct and keep us in all Holy and Heavenly Conversation towards one another Certainly a Lawgiver so Divine and Extraordinary as this was oblig'd to make His own Life
Eternal and Everlasting Life What doth this then come short of a plain demonstration That in wrestling with all deliberate sins it is not only possible but wonderful easy for us thro Jesus Christ to be more than Conquerors And if we consider Matters right the very same Methods and Powers will prove every whit as effectual even in mastering of those sins that seem to overtake and seise us at unawares and appear most directly opposite to that peaceable quiet and meek Disposition we have been discoursing on I mean Trouble Vexation Anger or the like For no Man can deny but that there may be perfect habits of Holiness as well as of Impiety That a Man may be as absolutely dead unto Sin as dead unto Righteousness and that from low beginnings Men leisurely rise up to both these heights Now there are very few Men Subject to these hasty and violent passions but upon calm thoughts will be grieved and much displeased at themselves and perhaps tell you that they would give all the World that it was otherwise with them This I look upon as a very fair and laudable Foundation of this great work I would then ask them if ever they exercised themselves by often putting all those Calamitous Cases which are most likely to move their particular passions in them for by such frequent Meditations they by degrees arm and prepare themselves against all events In time they will have a Defence and Guard for every blow that Fortune can offer If the Crosses of the world disturb thee or thou art shaken at every Loss remember then O Man remember it often all that thou hast in this world Wife or Children or Lands or Goods Health Strength Honours or Preferments or the like They are all but lent thee and are to be surrendred again upon demand That devout and daily Petition Thy Will be done O God on Earth as it is in Heaven together with these good thoughts constantly and seriously laid to heart and repeated by the Blessing of God will at length teach thee such patience and humble resignation as e-even in Jobs condition thou wouldst chearfully say c. 1.21 The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away Blessed be the Name of the Lord. Or something like this Lord I am not worthy the least of those mercies which thou hast left me Be not then vexed O my Soul Psal 43.5 and be not thou disquieted within me Still trust in God for I will yet thank him who is the help of my Countenance and my God And there is the same Methodical cure for anger and wrath which from their heats and extravagant effects have got themselves the Name of Passion by way of Superiority or Singularity Certainly such a serious Course of Spiritual Exercise as I just now mentioned would strangely soften and much unbend the spring of any Mans fury if not quite unwind and let it down I would therefore humbly advise an angry Man to make experiment first in small occasions For if he could not bear a slight offence a great one must needs quite overset him There is no hopes he should put up Injurious words much less blows if he cannot pass by a frivolous jest If as a Philosopher somewhere observes he rages when his idle Servant le ts fall a Trencher or a Glass what would he do if by sad mischance he should set fire to his House or kill his only Child But I shall leave Phylosophy for behold a greater Master than even Socrates himself is here The Meditation of whose Example and Divine behaviour under all those things which seem most grievous to Flesh and Blood and are counted the cheifest if not the only grounds of Provocation will prove the most effectual means to beget in us the same most quiet and heavenly mind How easily are Men exasperated with reproach and slander And ill words we commonly say Cut deeper than Blows Yet he that was Innocence it self thought it no shame to pass them by They call'd him a Man Gluttonous and a Wine-bibber A Friend of Publicans and Sinners All he return'd was only that meek saying Wisdom is justify'd of all her Children VVisdom may be scofft at Mat. 11.19 contemn'd and abus'd by the vain or ignorant world but this is her comfort she is justify'd and esteem'd and honoured by those that understand her They call'd him a Samaritane a Schismatick or Heretick They said He had a Devil and was Mad. Nay that all his mighty works were done by Belzebub himself Yet when he was thus shamefully and blasphemously revil'd He reviled not again but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously 1 Pet. 2.23 He that shall frequently ponder all these things in his Heart and endeavour to imitate them will never value opprobrious Language or any envious Report for if it be false he will bless God for the satisfaction and comfort he finds in his own Innocency If it hath any thing of Truth in it he will bless God for that too because the Reporter thereby proves his Monitor instead of his Enemy The Venom which is spit at him he converts to balm and precious Oyntment that will serve to correct and heal his infirmity and I dare say he will be so far from counting it impossible as he will soon find himself fully able to return the like soft and gentle Answers to the most piercing and most grievous words whatever nay he will find it easier at any time and I should think many times much wiser If like a Sheep before the Shearers he be dumb and say nothing at all 2. The next thing that is commonly esteemed matter of Provocation and Resentment is in general churlish and evil usage And here our Lord and Master hath trodden this rugged Path and hath made it also plain and very easy for those that will tread in his steps When the Satuaritans refus'd to entertain Him it seems to have been about the Eating time of the day when Men usually say the Peevish Humour is most stirring Two of his Disciples were presently for commanding Fire from Heaven to consume them But he rebuked them and said Ye know not wnat manner of Spirit you are of Luk. 9.54 55 56. The Son of Man is not come to destroy Mens Lives but to save them When his Countrymen despised and rejected Him He only return'd that Great Truth A Prophet is not without Honour save in his own Country and in his own House Mat. 13.51 When the Jews took up stones to stone him He said unto them Many good works have I shew'd you from my Father for which of those works do you stone me John 10.31 To the ungrateful and treacherous Judas Friend wherefore art thou come Betrayest thou the Son of Man with a Kiss Mat. 26.50 Luke 22.48 To the Officer that smote him If I have spoken Evil bear Witness of the Evil but if well why smitest thou me John 18.23 When the Multitude