lay in a manger, converfed with mechanicks; fafted much, retired often: and when he feafted, it was with barley loaves and fish, dressed doubtless in an easy and homely manner. He was folitary in his life, in his death ignominious: The foxes had holes, the birds of the air had nefts, but the Son of Man had not a place whereon to lay his head.' He that made all things as God, had nothing as Man. Which hath this bleffed inftruction in it, that the meaneft and pooreft fhould not be dejected, nor yet the richeft and highest be exalted. In fine, having taught this doctrine, and lived as he spoke, he died to confirm it; and offered up himself a propitiation for the fins of the whole world,' when no other facrifice could be found, that could atone for man with God: who, rifing above the power of death and the grave, hath led captivity captive, and is become the First-born from the dead, and Lord of the living; and his Living people praise him, who is worthy for ever. §. II. JOHN the Baptift, who was the fore-runner of Chrift's appearance in the flesh, did by his own abstinence fufficiently declare what fort of person it was he came to prepare and befpeak people to receive. For, though fanctified in his mother's womb, and declared by Chrift to be the greatest of all prophets, yet his clothing was but a coarse garment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle, and his food only locufts and wild honey: a life very natural, and of great fimplicity. This was all the pomp and retinue, which the greatest ambaffador that ever came to the world was attended with, about the best of meffages, to wit, Repent, for the king⚫dom of God is at hand.' And, There is One coming after me, whofe fhoes-latchet I am not worthy 'to unloose, who shall baptize you with fire, and with the Holy Ghoft; and is the Lamb of God that taketh away the fin of the world. Did the fore-runner of the coming of God (for Emmanuel is God with men) appear without the ftate, grandeur, and luxury of the d Mark i. 7, 8. world? world? and fhall those who pretend to receive the meffage, and that for glad-tidings too, and confefs the Emmanuel, Chrift Jefus, to be the Lord, live in the vanity and excefs of the world, and care more for their fine clothes, delicate dishes, rich furniture, ftately attendance, and pleasant diverfion, than for the holy cross of Chrift, and the bleffed narrow way that leadeth to falvation? Be ashamed and repent! §. III. PETER, ANDREW, PHILIP, and the rest of the holy apoftles, were by calling, as well as doctrine, not a luxurious people; for they were made up of poor fishermen and mechanicks for Chrift called not his difciples out of higher ranks of men; nor had they ability, any more than will, to use the exceffes herein reproved. You may conceive what their lives were, by what their Master's doctrine was; for they were the true scholars of his heavenly difcipline. Peter thus fpeaks, and exhorteth the Chriftians of his time, Let not your adorning be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and the wearing of gold, and of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even ⚫ the ornament of a meek and quiet fpirit, which is in the fight of God of great price; for after this manner in the old time, the holy women, who also trusted in God, adorned themselves. Wherefore gird up the • loins of your minds, be fober, and hope to the end, as obedient children; not fashioning yourselves according to your former lufts, in your ignorance, but < as he which hath called you is holy, fo be you holy in all manner of converfation; and giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godlinefs; and to godlinefs, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity: for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you fhall be neither barren nor unfruitful: for fo an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift: "not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrary-wife, bleffing; knowing that you are thereunto called, that ye fhould inherit a bleffing: for ' even hereunto were ye called, before Chrift alfo fuffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps, who did no fin, neither was guile ⚫ found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, he ⚫ reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, < but committed himself to him that judgeth righteoufly. §. IV. PAUL, who was also an apostle, though, as he faith, born out of due time:' a man of great knowledge and learning, but I count it,' faith he, all lofs for the excellency of the knowledge of Chrift 'Jefus my Lord, for whom I have fuffered the lofs of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Chrift. Brethren be followers of me, and mark them which walk fo, as ye have us for an example: for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are the ene<mies of the cross of Chrift, whofe end is destruction; ⚫ for their god is their belly, they glory in their fhame, ⚫ and they mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence we look alfo for our • Saviour, the Lord Jefus Chrift. In like manner also, • I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, ⚫ with fhamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or coftly array; but with good works, as becometh women profeffing godlinefs. Be followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Chrift alfo hath loved us: but fornication, and all uncleannefs, and covetousness, let it not be once named amongst you, as becometh ⚫ faints; neither filthinefs, nor foolish talking, nor jefting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks: for this ye know, that no whoremonger, I Pet. iii. 3, 4. 1 Pet. i. 13, 14, 15: 2 Pet. i. iii. 9. 9, 10. ch. ii. 21, 22, 23. Phil. iii. 8. .5, 12. 1Pet. 8 1 Tim. ii. unclean "unclean perfon, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath an inheritance in the kingdom of Chrift and of God. See then that you walk circumfpectly, not as fools, but as wife, redeeming the time, because the ¿ days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwife, but un❝derstanding what the will of the Lord is; and be not drunk with wine, wherein is excefs, but be filled with the Spirit, fpeaking to yourselves in hymns and fpiritual fongs, finging, and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always; and I say again, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men, for the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out: and, having food and raiment, let us be therewith content; for godlinefs with contentment is great gain: but they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a fnare, and into many foolish and hurtful lufts, which drown men in perdition and deftruction: for the love of money is the root of all evil; which whilft fome coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many forrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things, • and follow after righteousness, godlinefs, faith, love, patience, meeknefs. Fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art alfo called, and haft profeffed a good profeffion before • many witneffes. I give thee charge in the fight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Chrift Jefus, who before Pontius Pilate witneffed a good confeffion, that thou keep this commandment without fpot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our • Lord Jefus Chrift. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in ftore for themfelves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. O Timothy, I 3 keep keep that which is committed to thy truft, avoiding ⚫ profane and vain babblings, and oppofitions of science, falfly fo called, which fome profeffing, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee, Amen "." This was the bleffed doctrine these messengers of eternal life declared; and, which is more, they lived as they fpoke. You find an account of their reception in the world, and the way of their living, in his first epistle to the Corinthians; For I think,' faith he, that God hath fet forth us (the apoftles) laft, as it were men appointed to death; for we are made a fpectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for < Chrift's fake; we are weak, we are defpifed: even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and have no certain dwelling-place; and labour, working with our hands: being reviled, we bless; being perfecuted, we fuffer it; being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, and are as the off-fcouring of all things unto this day i.' This was the entertainment those faithful followers of Jefus received at the hands of an ungrateful world: but he who tells us of this, alfo tells us it is no unufual thing; For,' faith he, fuch as will live godly in Chrift Jefus, muft fuffer perfecution.' Befides, he knew it had been the portion of the righteous in preceding ages, as in his excellent account of the faith, trials, and victory of the holy ancients, in his epiftle to the Hebrews, he does largely exprefs, where he tells us, how great a fojourner Abraham was, even in the land of promise, a stranger in his own country, (for God had given it unto him and his pofterity) Dwelling,' faith he, in tents with Ifaac and Jacob. And why not better fettled? Was it for want of understanding, or ability, or materials? No, he gives a better reason; For,' faith he, Abraham looked for a city which ⚫ had foundations, whofe builder and maker is God.' And fpeaking of Mofes, he tells us, That by faith, : when he was come to years of difcretion, he refused Cor. xi. |