SERM. wifeft and greatest minds, I mean in point of reputa cxc. tion:" he made himself of no reputation," fays

"St. Paul, Phil. ii. 7. Exuтòv éxévwσs," he emptied "himfelf." To fubmit to contempt, is to empty one's felf indeed: reputation being one of the laft things a generous mind will be content to forego, and that which some have held in equal dearness and esteem with life itself; yet in this our LORD denied himself, and that he might do good to mankind, was contented to be esteemed one of the worft of men; and without any kind of cause and defert to undergo all manner of obloquy and reproach, to be ac counted a magician and impoftor, "a friend and "companion of publicans and finners," a feducer of people, a feditious perfon, and more worthy of the moft cruel and fhameful death than the greatest ma. lefactor. Thus was the Son of GOD contented to be fet below the worst of men, to be abafed and vilified, that he might be a perfect pattern to us of this difficult virtue of felf-denial, even in those things which are held in the greatest esteem among the best of men.

And furely in no cafe is example more neceffary than in this, to animate and encourage us in the difcharge of fo difficult a duty, fo contrary to the bent and inclination of our nature. A bare precept of felf-denial in thefe things, and a peremptory command to facrifice our own wills, our eafe, our pleasure and reputation, yea and life itself to the glory of GOD, and the good of men, would have founded very harth and fevere, had not the practice of all this been exemplified in a pattern of fo much advantage: one who in all thefe refpects denied himself much inore than is poffible for us to do, who might have

infifted

CXC.

infifted upon a greater right, who abafed himself, SER M. and stoop'd from a greater height and dignity, who did not submit to a condition of poverty and meanness when it was unavoidable, but chofe it; who fubmitted to fuffering, though he never deserved it, and who met with all the contempt and reproach imaginable, whilst he truly deferved the greatest esteem and reputation. Here is an example that hath all the argument, and all the encouragement that can be to the imitation of it. Was he, who had so regular a will and inclination, contented to have it crucified and thwarted? did he, who had an unquestionable right to all the riches and enjoyments of the world, renounce them all, and embrace poverty? did he, to whofe deep wisdom and judgment all mankind ought to fubmit, condefcend to the weakness of others, and "not please himself?" did he, who never did the least thing in his whole life that might juftly ftain or blemish his reputation, patiently bear all forts of contumely and reproach? and fhall we think much to deny ourselves in any of these? fuch an example is of greater force and authority than any precept or law. Well might our LORD, thus going before us, command us to follow him, faying, "if any man will be my difciple, let him deny him"felf, and take up his crofs and follow me." If he thus denied himself, well may we, who have much lefs to deny, and much more reason and cause to do it; for, as he argues, "the difciple is not greater than "his master, nor the fervant than his lord." He did it voluntarily and of choice; it is our duty: he did it for our fakes; we do it for our own: we did not deferve it of him; but he hath merited it of us.

66

"If

Our

cxc.

SERM. Our LORD did not, like the pharifees, give strict precepts to others, which they themselves did not fol low. They faid, and did not, laid heavy burdens 66 upon others, and grievous to be born, when they

"themselves would not touch them with one of their

fingers:" nor like the philofophers, who spake fine and glorious things of goodness and virtue, but did much like other men; gave strict rules to others, but lived loosely themselves; and therefore it is no wonder that their difcourfes had fo little effect upon the lives and manners of men, and were fo unavailable to the reformation of the world. Precepts of great strictness and severity, are like to be obeyed very flowly and faintly, unless they be sweetned and made eafy by the familiar practice of those that give them. In a way that is rugged and difficult, full of trouble and danger, it is not enough to bid men go on; but he that bids them, muft go before them, and take them by the hand, and give them an example to follow his steps; without this, rules and precepts are very dry things, and give but faint and cold encouragement. Cæfar's example prevailed much more upon his foldiers, than his word of command. No man ever difcours'd better of magnanimity and greatnefs of mind, in great dangers and calamities, than Tully does; and yet when it came to the trial, no man ever behaved himself more faintly, and fhewed greater dejection of mind than he did; fo that it is hard to fay, whether his difcourfes are more apt to raife, or his example to damp a man's fpirit. Seneca writes with wonderful wit and smartness, with great fineness and force of argument, about the contempt of the world and wealth; but then to confider how he flowed in wealth himself, and how intent he was

to

CXC.

to heap up riches beyond measure, would make a SERM. man more apt to despise him, than the world. So neceffary is it that precepts, especially of great difficulty, fhould be back'd and enforc'd by example, and that severe rules fhould be mollified, and made eafy by the practice of those who prefcribe them. And this our LORD took particular care to do in thofe precepts of his, which feem to offer the greatest violence to the common bent and inclination of humane nature.

And fo he did likewife in thofe virtues which are fo difficult upon the account of temptation from without, as well as of inclination from within. Not to infift upon his firm refiftance of all the temptations to ambition, which made not the leaft impreffion upon him; the offer of " the kingdoms of the "world, and the glory of them," had no influence upon him. He was fometimes in great favour with the people, and mightily applauded by them, for " speak"ing as never man fpake," and doing fuch things, as no man ever did: but he was as little moved by their applause, as he was dejected by their reproaches. When the people would have made him king, to qualify him the better, as they thought, to be the MESSIAS, he would not take fo much notice of the offer, as to refuse it, but filently withdrew himself, that they knew not where to find him.

But that which I fhall particularly take notice of under this head, is his great meeknefs, which is a very difficult virtue; if we confider the peevishness and infirmity of humane nature, and the frequent temptations to paffion and anger, which occur in humane life, and thefe very fudden and furprifing; so that there is nothing wherein wife men do oftner VOL. X. betray

L

SERM. betray their own weaknefs, than in the matter of cxc. fudden anger. Mofes, the greatest of all the pro

phets that had been, and who it feems was naturally of a meek temper, having this teftimony given him the SPIRIT of God, that he was the meekeft "man upon earth;" yet he mifcarried in this matter, and not being able to bear the continual perverfenefs of that people, loft his temper, and fell into an irregular paffion. But our bleffed LORD, whofe temper was perpetually affaulted with the highest provocations in all kinds, ftill maintained the evennefs and meekness of his fpirit.

The dulness and flownefs of his difciples, to underftand and believe what he had fo plainly taught, and fo often inculcated upon them, was a great trial of patience; which yet provoked him no farther, than to a juft rebuke of their fault. The hardest words he ever gave them, were, "O unwife and "flow of heart to believe! how long fhall I fuffer

you?" and when he was in the height of his forrow and trouble, and his difciples were fo unconcerned for him, as to fall afleep, in the fame breath that the reproves their drowfinefs, he makes an excufe for it: "can ye not watch with me one " hour? the fpirit indeed is willing: but the flesh " is weak." This carriage from his friends and followers, when he ftood in moft need of their comfort and affiftance, and "his foul was exceeding forrow«ful, even to the death," was a great temptation to anger, efpecially falling upon a fore and afflicted mind; and yet it was fo far from provoking his anger, that it rather moved his pity toward them.

His fharp reproofs of the Scribes and Pharisees, were but a neceffary feverity, and a juft expreffion