and silenced his Adversaries by questioning with them how Christ could be both the son and the Lord of David v. 45. So he silenced the Sadducees in their own way for if they from the relation between the Woman and her seven Husbands argued against a future state much more reasonable was it to prove a future state from the Relation that God owned between himself and good men even after their death viz. that he is the God of Abraham c. for that relation is real and effectual and therefore requires the existence of the Subjects that they live to God in a capacity of his love and favour For he is not the God of the dead but of the living Mat. 22.31 c. 'T were endless to observe all the instances of that wisdom and prudence wherewith Jesus refuted errours and vindicated truth not shewing himself afraid of his Adversaries and yet prudently avoiding them After which Example he hath willed us to be wise as Serpents though innocent as Doves Not to be ashamed of him and his words in an evil and adulterous generation and yet not to cast Pearl before Swine nor holy things to Dogs nor imprudently to provoke the untreatable and unreasonable Fourthly The Holy Jesus in all his Sect. 4 Discourse shewed such zeal and fervour as manifested that he was in great earnest and executing a trust that he had received of God. In him was fulfill'd that prophetical passage the zeal of thine house hath even eaten me up Joh. 2.17 he used diligence in teaching and sharpness in reproof when the case required it Ye Hypocrites Ye generation of Vipers How can ye escape the damnation of Hell So he rebukes the self-conceited wicked Pharisees Matth. 23.33 Get thee behind me Satan thou art an offence to me for thou savourest not the things that be of God was the earnest reproof he gave to Peter who opposed his own fancies and prejudices to the wisdom and truth of God Matth. 16.23 He loved to do the work of God and refus'd not to travail for the Conversion of a poor Woman and she a Samaritan neglecting his meat at a time when he was both hungry and weary for this was his meat to do the will of him that sent him and to finish his work Joh. 4.34 Sect. 5 Yet in the last place This his zeal was tempered with a mighty pity and compassion to the infirmities needs and prejudices of men He was tender of their Souls and pitiful to their Weaknesses His Bowels were moved in him and he had compassion on the multitude when he saw that they were scattered abroad as Sheep having no Shepherd and fainted for lack of instruction Mat. 9.36 He did bear with the weakness and prejudices of his Disciples though he was grieved for and complain'd of the dullness of their understanding and hardness of their heart He repeated his Instructions expounded his Parables heard and Answered their Questions and endured their Infirmities He wept over the infidelity and obstinacy of the Jews with passionate wishes that they would have known the things of their peace in the day of their Visitation He foretold their destruction with sadness and all the expressions of pity and compassion From all which we learn not only to receive the Christian Doctrine with forwardness and readiness of Mind as that wherein the glory of God and the interests of our Souls are nearly concern'd but also to profess it steadily as those that are fully perswaded both of the truth and the high importance of it being very zealous and in earnest in teaching and defending it using all wisdom and prudence to gain or silence the Enemies thereof to defeat their designs and avoid their snares fearless of whatever may betide us in the regular and necessary confession of the truth and with meekness tenderness and long-suffering endeavouring to conquer the contrary errours and prejudices of Men. This is the instruction we reap from the preaching of Jesus we are thence admirably inlightened in the true Principles of pure and undefiled Religion and instructed how we ought to hold profess inculcate and defend them CHAP. III. The Life of Christ consider'd as our Pattern and Example THE Son of God came into the World to restore Religion and plant Holiness in it not only by the instruction of his Doctrine but by the lustre of a great Example He hath not only guided us with his Mouth but led us also by the hand as we must abide in his words so we must tread in his steps Therefore he dwelt among us that he might give the World what it never had before a perfect and unerring Example of Life and therefore his Life is upon record by the care of the Holy Ghost that we might have the instruction and the incouragement of it and be obliged and perswaded to make it the pattern of ours In order to which we shall first make an extract out of the holy Evangelists of the Life of Jesus as an admirable pattern of all Vertue and then consider the instruction and the obligation of it Sect. 1 In the Life of Christ we have a perfect and unerring Example of Vertue without any allay or mixture so fitted to all conditions of Men that in every case they may draw instruction and encouragement from thence More particularly First Christ hath left us in his Life an Example of Piety of a conversation led much with God testifying a right knowledge an affectionate sense a superlative love of God by all proper expressions and genuine fruits thereof His Life was visibly devoted to the service of God his fixed resolution and his profess'd business was to do his will. I came into the World saith the holy Jesus not to do my own will but the will of him that sent me Joh. 5.30 Most ready he was to fulfil all Righteousness and execute every command of his Heavenly Father Matth. 3.15 this he accounted fit and becoming 't was more necessary in his esteem and pleasant in his sense of it than his necessary food Joh. 4.32 34. I have meat to eat that ye know not of for my meat is to do the will of him that sent me and to finish his work Nor did his resolution flag when tryed to the utmost for he refused not to drink the Cup which his Father gave him Matth. 26.39 he prays that God's will may be done with full consent and without any reluctance of his own and he bowed his head upon the Cross in humble submission to the Execution of the Divine Will. He left us an Example too of constant and fervent devotion testified by a reverence for and adherence to the holy Scriptures that contain'd the mind of God by a diligent frequenting the publick Assemblies for the worship of God both in the Temple and the Synagogues by having recourse to God upon every fit occasion and praising him and giving him thanks in all things by extraordinary Prayers and Fasting and
the glory of the Gentâ—â—… and whom the Seas and Wind and ll things obey'd he having all Power in Heaven and Earth What can we possess of comparable value to all this or what can we contrive or bring to pass comparable to the undertaking of Christ and the great design of his Doctrine and Miracles of his Life and Death But we have much more reason to be humble for whereas the great indowments of Jesus were not blemish'd with any fault of his we have nothing but folly and shame to call our own Repentance is our best Wisdom and that is a conviction of Sin and Folly and yet we are unsteady in our Repentance and frequently depart from our better purposes and have reason to blush and be humbled for so doing Besides it was the Wisdom and Perfection of Jesus that kept him from being cheated or imposing on himself Pride is all errour and delusion but humility is truth 'T was humility that made all his other excellencies illustrious and render'd him at once highly beloved of God and Men. And from his Example we learn that he that humbleth himself shall be exalted for we see Jesus for his humility exalted to the right hand of God and Crown'd with glory and honour Lastly As for particular relative Sect. 6 Virtues Christ indeed did not enter into all Relations but his Example was sufficiently compleat without it He intended us a pattern in special of the most eminent Virtues and most difficult to our frail and corrupt natures of substantial and zealous Piety universal and fervent Charity generous contempt of the World invincible Fortitude and gentle and self-denying Meekness and Humility and he that follows him thus far will need no farther instruction but may easily become his own guide He in whom Christ is thus formed will certainly adorn every relation and excel in it 'T will be natural and easy for him to conceive what the holy and charitable the meek and lowly Jesus would have done in such circumstances if he had entred into them and then he hath his pattern to go and do likewise Nor yet are we without the Example of Jesus for our direction in several instances of this sort His subjection to his Parents is upon record and his tender care of his Mother even in his last extremities making provision for her on the Cross by recommending her to the care of his beloved Disciple Joh. 19.27 His quiet subjection to Governours when unjustly prosecuted by them His pious care for the instruction of his Family and training them up in Religion and Piety But as I said before he that hath received the Spirit of Christ will not fail to express it in every condition and he that acts by the measures of Piety and Charity Purity and Humility shall discharge himself of the duty of every relation and be a true Follower of Jesus in it This therefore may suffice for an extract of the Life of Christ as a perfect unparallel'd pattern of all Holiness Virtue and Goodness that which follows is That we apply the Light of this Illustrious Example for our instruction in the absolute necessity genuine nature due extent and admirable excellency of true Holiness and the Christian Life CHAP. IV. The particular instruction we reap from the Life of Christ THE Life of Jesus consider'd as Sect. 1 our Example doth fully inform and perswade us First Of the absolute necessity of holiness in order to the Vision of God and that the undertaking of Christ for us will no farther avail us than as we are made partakers of his Spirit and do copy out the Excellencies of his Life 'T was a design worthy of the Son of God to plant and restore Holiness in the World by his Doctrine and Example by his Life and Death by all that he said and did to minister instruction and help thereunto and to bind it upon us with such sacred Obligations and fast ties as are not easily to be broken It is true that Holiness in general that Piety Justice Charity Sobriety in particular do attract us with their native Beauty and proper lustre we can't but discern the necessity of these Virtues to the perfection of our nature to the attainment of Peace and Happiness to the good and welfare of Society and to the rendring us capable of injoying God. But because the voice of reason is too faint and low and its representations too languid and feeble to be much regarded in the croud and noise of impetuous Lusts and Passions and authority example and custom false notions and prejudices and levity of mind oppose themselves strongly to the dictates of Conscience and endeavour to hide the shame and abate the folly and absurdity of Vice Behold therefore God hath spoken from Heaven to awaken our drowsy Faculties and sent his Son to shew us the only way thither We may now be infinitely certain that there is no entring into the glory of God by any other path than that which Jesus walk'd in that we can become the Children of his love no other way than by being conformed to the Image of his dear Son that we are not capable in this life of any greater good than to have Christ formed in us for this was God's ultimate design in giving his Son to us that we through him might be made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.3 What a veneration for Religion and love of Holiness should this consideration beget in us that it is the best thing we are capable of the sum of all God's merciful and kind intentions towards us that best of Gifts which the charitable Jesus by his Incarnation Life Death Resurrection Ascension by all that he hath done or shall do for us to the end of time doth aim to bestow upon us to indow us withal What a foolish and wretched judgment do we then make if in opposition to the Wisdom and goodness of God we prefer Lust and Folly and sensual delights What divine Light and Grace do we resist and despise if we still abide in darkness continue in sin And how foolish false and insignificant are all our pretences to be Christians whilst we are led by another spirit than that of Christ and follow any Example sooner than his For this is to reflect upon the Wisdom of God and to despise his Grace to reject his counsel for our Salvation and to judge our selves unworthy of Eternal Life Secondly From the Life of Christ Sect. 2 consider'd as our Copy and pattern we are infallibly informed wherein pure and undefiled Religion doth consist or what are the things undoubtedly pleasing unto God. The Life of Christ was designed to be a perfect and unerring Example such as the World needed but never had before nor should receive again There can therefore be no heights nor degrees of perfect goodness which his Life was a stranger to But from his practice we learn what are the things most agreeable to the mind of God
in every condition of Life so far as it may administer to our Eternal Salvation and that we be upon our guard to do nothing that is unbecoming the dignity we are advanced unto by the grace of God and the expectations we have from him That therefore all our contrasts with the evils of this World may be as unpassionate as is possible and we our selves as calm unmov'd and generous as becometh the Heirs of a better We see that all the Afflictions of Jesus did not lessen him with God nor good Men no more can ours if we bear them as he did Nay he shone brightest in suffering by the Evidence he gave of a great Mind in a narrow Fortune and an afflicted State. So that we are invited to wish for his Portion and to be in his stead rather than to pity him or dread his condition We see too that though his sufferings were incomparably great the divine strength and consolations were sufficient for him and the same God has promised not to lay upon us more than he will inable us to bear and we shall be ashamed to sigh under our pettit burdens if we consider how holily and composedly Jesus bore those vast and heavy loads There is also no provocation to anger fear or impatience which Jesus hath not conquer'd and thereby made it easy for us to do so after him For how can we complain of any portion that is far less bitter than that of the Son of God was How shall we complain of God if he chastens us gently for our sins and for our profit that we may be partakers of his holiness when he so grievously bruised his own Son for our iniquities who himself was innocent and pure Or how can we think much of any ill treatment from Men after that which Jesus met withal Never any person deserved so well from the World never any suffered so barbarously from it But nothing can harm that doth not provoke us and we see from the Example of Christ and a multitude of his eminent followers of all conditions that it is both possible and glorious to surmount all the afflictions of this life to expect the changes and tempestuous Calamities of it without anxious fear and to bear them without murmuring and despair Fifthly In the Life of Jesus we Sect. 5 have an unparallel'd Example of wonderful humility and lowliness of mind and he hath bidden us learn of him to be meek and lowly Matth. 11.29 the Apostate Angels became such by aspiring to be higher but the Son of God emptied and humbled himself to the form of a Servant to the portion of Sinners to the Death of the Cross he made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 He was not ashamed of the meanness of that state he had descended into nor did he seek to appear other or greater than he was He sought not his own glory but the honour of him that sent him Joh. 8.50 c. When the people admired his Works he took care that God might have the praise of them professing that he had received all from the Father who was greater than he that he could do nothing of himself but as the Father gave him commandment and power In his whole Life there is not the least passage that savours of vain-glory He conceal'd his Works of Fame and Wonder as much as might be and laid restraints on the publishers of them He would not permit his Disciples to publish his glorious Transfiguration till after his Resurrection And when to fulfil a Prophecy he rode in triumph to Jerusalem he was still a humble King riding upon the foal of an Ass and going then to humble himself to the shameful death of the Cross Joh. 12.15 He disputed not the will of God whatever pains or condescentions were implied in doing or suffering it He came not to be ministred unto but to minister and he yielded himself with courteous condescention to all sorts of Men. He disdain'd not the poorest or the vilest nor stood upon punctilio's of state or distance for he had taken upon him to be the Servant of God and a dispenser of his grace to Men. He stoop'd therefore so low as to wash his Disciples Feet the meanest office of a Servant and he did this to give us an Example that we should learn humility of him Joh. 13.15 And as he was sweet and lowly towards all and entirely submitted to the will of God so he could bear to be ill thought of and evil intreated indured meekly the contempt and obloquy that he most unjustly met withal He did not aggravate the affront by suffering pride and self-conceit to mix with his resentment of it but mildly expostulated with those that affronted him in such sort as might convince and melt them If I by Beelzebub cast out Devils by whom do your Children cast them out Matth. 12.27 so he refutes the most blasphemous imputation of the Pharisees who ascribed his Divine Works to a Confederacy with Hell. He mildly censured persons that were in a fault if there were hopes to bring them to Repentance and cast a covering over their shame Go and sin no more And he that is without sin let him cast the first stone Joh. 8.7 11. Thus was he at once free from any high conceit of his own Excellencies and from being a proud and censorious Remarker of the defects and faults of others gentle towards all Men lowly in his own esteem of himself and a humble Servant of the will of God. Now from this Example we learn that true humility consists not in Satyrical Declamations against our selves which are often rather the effects and instruments of spiritual Pride but to be humble is to have a high veneration of God and a profound submission to him it is to estimate and consider our selves as absolutely depending on his free goodness it is to ascribe all that is good wholly unto God the Author of every perfect gift and to call nothing our own but our Folly and Sins to be content to be disparaged and meanly thought of and to be willing to give to others that praise that is their due It is to be free from ostentation and vain-glory to be courteous and condescending to love to be conceal'd to be modest and treatable content with a low station and submitting to rule and government to be moderate in our designs and calm in our pursuits patient of disappointment and candid towards the faults and infirmities of our Neighbours And all this because we are self-diffident and depend upon God and acknowledge him to be all and our selves but Vanity and nothing And what temptation can we have to Pride when Jesus was such a Pattern of Humility Never was there such Knowledge Wisdom and Power in any Man nor was there ever any so full of the spirit of God and yet he was meek and lowly Who was the Heir of all things the desire of all Nations the Consolat on of Israel
and most effectually recommending us to his love And from him we learn that the Essence of true Religion consists in spiritual holiness that the most perfect Life is a life of Charity and well doing that to lay out our lives and to be ready to lay them down for the glory of God and the good of Men this is the top and consummation of Religion When the inspired Writers of the Life of Jesus propound him to our imitation they do not shew him in a Cloyster ranting at the World and disdaining the Society of those that live in it as unclean or less holy we hear nothing of ecsttasies and raptures and passive unions with God in the fund of the Soul of whippings and rolling himself upon thorns and nails and other severe Penances of Miracles done in a private Cell meerly for his own reputation and to shew how dear he was to God upon the account of his austere and retired Life After this sort the Saints of the Roman Church are propounded as patterns of the most Heroick Deeds and perfect living But if this be perfection and the height of that Religion which Christ design'd to incourage the holy Evangelists have quite mistaken the account of his Life which was as they report it an exact transcript of his Doctrine teaching us to seek perfection by being like God in wisdom and goodness In a word to practise all Virtue as we have opportunity and above all others to excel in Charity to have our intentions and affections pure and holy and to value our selves altogether upon the interests of another Life but very little upon any advantage of this herein consists the true spirit and height and perfection of Religion as it was taught and exemplified in the Life of Christ It doth not then consist in a blind submission of our judgments to unintelligible Mysteries in a zealous adhering to a party or in any particular Mode of worship much less in the pompous splendour of external rites in beautifying and enriching Altars Shrines and Images in distinguishing days and meats in vows of obedience in voluntary or imposed Penances in devout gestures or any thing of that sort in all which unprofitable exercises a man may be extreamly busy and zealous and yet not transcribe any part of the Life of Jesus And a Man may on the contrary walk as Christ walked and yet have little or nothing to do with the forementioned matters He accepted indeed the oblation and the penitential affectionate address of Mary Magdalen when she anointed his Feet Mat. 26.10 c. he vindicated the Woman and her deed and taught us not rashly to censure the devout persons striving sensibly to express their inward fervent Resentments but at the same time he grants that Charity to the Poor is the most acceptable and indespensible Offering and in ordinary the better Test of Religion As for himself he went about doing good and taught us by his Example that the Kingdom of God is not Meats and Drinks or any thing else but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy-Ghost a pure a charitable humble and godly Mind and Life without which nothing else can avail us and with which in Sincerity and good Degree nothing else can be wanting to render us accepted of God and happy in his Favour In short if Religion were whatsome men make of it the life of Christ is very far from being an excellent Draught and Copy of it and on the other hand if the life of Christ be a true guide in Religion then it will be found at last to be quite another thing than too many foolishly and wretchedly take up withal Thirdly From the Life of Christ Sect. 3 we learn that his Disciples ought to excel and not to rest in the lowest attainments We do not else imitate his Life which was a Copy of the most worthy and excellent performances of virtue and goodness in its greatest height and brightest lustre He hath required that our Righteousness exceed the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees even such of them who not only pretended but did indeed live according to the strictness of their Sect Matth. 5.20 And he will take an account of us what we have done more than others and what approaches we have made toward the Heavenly Pattern the perfection of God Matth. 5.47 48. If you love them that love you what do you more than others Do not even Publicans so Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect To abstain from scandalous Crimes is but the first Element of Christian Life if we had learn'd of Christ Ephes 4.17 c. Galat. 3.27 Galat. 4.19 Phil. 2.5 1 Joh. 2.6 we must not only put of the old conversation stinking with corrupt manners but we must become new Men and bear the Image of God in Righteousness and true Holiness To be Christians is to put on Christ to have him formed in us to have the same mind in us that was in Jesus to be led by his spirit and to walk as he walked And that certainly implies more than the forsaking of Idols and the grosser debaucheries of those that knew not God it signifies too that Christians should be as conspicuously and eminently good as those miserable Pagans were notoriously and infamously wicked That we be rich in good works fill'd with the fruits of righteousness which are to the praise of the grace of God in Christ Jesus Phil. 1.11 That we shine as lights before Men and become the Salt of the Earth such Examples of all that is good as may restrain direct provoke and influence others season their Manners and preserve them from stinking Christ who hath set us so admirable a Copy will expect of us a proportionable imitation and he that walks in the flats of Virtue upon the Borders of Vice that indulgeth himself in the utmost of what he judges may be innocent doth not walk as Christ walked who busied himself in the best things chose what was most severe towards himself but most for God's honour and towards others most kind and charitable He that barely studies to be free from those sins that are clamorous in his Conscience doth not answer the design of the Gospel which hath a farther aim to render its Votaries more perfect partakers of the divine nature and Heavenly minded CHAP. V. The Obligation and Assistance of the Example of Jesus HAving seen what instruction the Life of Christ contains how it demonstrates to us the absolute necessity of Holiness the true nature and greatest instances thereof Let us now consider what obligations to Holiness and what incouragement and assistance therein is derived to us from this great Exemplar and admirable Pattern of the Life of Jesus For Sect. 1 First What else could be the design of God in thus giving his Son not only to be a Sacrifice for sin but also an Example to us of holy living What but to oblige us