'The Great Duty t{ Rejignation. 279 of the fuffering Graces, is fo difficult to our frail and tender Nature; he afcended the Crofs, and inftruCls us by fuffering, to fuffer with his AffeCliorts, leaving us Ius Example, , as the bell LeClure of our Dury; His Suffenngs concern us not only m pmnt of Metit, but Conformity. We can never enjoy the Benefit of his Paflion, without following his Patern. His Example is the Rule of the highell PerfeClion, and we are under the greatcft Obligation to imitate and honour him who is our Sovereign and Saviout, to whom we owe our Redemption from everlailing Mifery, and rite Inheritance of Gloty. 'Tis the Apo!lle's advice to the affii.Cled, to confider him that endured foch contradiflion of }in- Hob. "· j . 11ers againft himfelf, that ye be not wearied, and faint in your minds. This deduction is with greater force ro make us humble and panent ; If we confider, Fitll; The infinite Dignity of his Perfon. He was the Eternal andOnly Son of God, and defcended from the Throne of his Majefty, divelled himfelf of his Robes of infuppottable Light, that concealed and manifelled his Glory to the Angels, and was obedient Pf•l. .a,. to the Death of the Crofs. What are the higheftand bell of Men ro him? Wete it not exrreamly unbecoming and undutiful for a Subject to refufe Obedience to a jull Law, if the King chat made the Law lhould voluntarily obferve it, and referve no other advantage ro himfelf, but the Honour of enaCling it ? Our Saviour did not lland upon the Dignity and Libetty of his Petfon, being e9.ual with God, and our King, bur entirely co~~~;:dl~~ *he L~~':ar~~1s~~~~ hl's" ~~~~~;s~f 1~1!~0~v~te incomparable as to their value, fo in dteir degrees. He endured the equal Extremities of Infamy and Torment, that are fo contrary to the Inclinations of Mankmd. He was crowned with a cruel Diadem of Thorns, fcourged, fpit upon, derided, cmcified : Infenfible Nature, as if car,able of Underftanding and AffeClion, was difordered in its whole Frame at his Death. Ja;, ~eM~i[f,;,P;[:~iE~~~nq~~~lf"!i~~J~~Ps;.~~b~~s?~!feJ~eo~~~k~~~:~et.;~~~ afunder. And the Sufferings of his Soul from the incenfed Jufl:ice of God were inconceivably great. What is the worll we fuffer, eidter inunediately from God, or inllcumentally from Men to his bitter Paflion ? Our Sufferings are but fuperficial Shadows of Mifery, compared to his deep Sorrows. Thirdly; His Sufferings were moll undeferved: For he was die Holy One of God, his Conception without the leaft taint of Sin, his Life of ftticteft Purity, and compleat Obedience eo the Divine Law. We may read the Procefs of our Sins, and underll:and their Guilt in his Paffion. He was made fin for us, ( a Sacrifice to atone the Divine ~r~a1~fcl~~fdj;~I k::·~~:: l;iari~~ ~ta:~~~~f.'~~~.~fr~l~~: ~:;~n~~i:'fi,;;i~ Lamb of his poor Neighbpur, and fparing his own numerous Flock ; and when the Prophet unveiled the Parable, and furprized him with that piercing Reproach, Thou art the :~~ 1e!~~e~:~~n~~%tf~ ~~~~~';u~ ~~~l~et~:~\~~::~n~~~ ~! ~~n~:~err;:d~~~~io:na~ gainft the Murderers of our Saviour, the Apoftate Apo!lle, the Malicious Priefts, the Unrighteous Judge, die Bloody Soldiers : But Confcience (as a true Nathan ) may charge us to have been in that wicke9- Confpiracy againft dte Lord of Glory, for our Sins condemned and crucified him. And as our Sins were the impul1ive Caufe of his Sufferings, fo our Good is the Effect of them. He fuffered die Death of the Crofs, that his Blood might be our Ranfom his Igrominy the Purchafe of our Glory, his Torments the Merit of our Bleifednefs' his Death the Seed of Immottal Life to us ; but we futfer the juft PuniJhment of ou; own Sins. Fourdily; His willing Obedience, Divine Patience, and invincible Conftancy in futfering for us. In his diftrefs, the whole Army of Heaven were in readinefs for his Protection and Re(cue, upon the leaft fignification of his Will : If I pr,yed to my father, he would fend me twel'Ue Legions of Angels. Nay, he had the Springs and Keys of the Divine Powec in his hands, and could by a Word have deftroyed his Enemies · but he free!J gll'Ue himfelf for us; and without refiftence, without complaint took up hi; Crofs. Now our_ Saviour, who had the Fulnefs of the Spirit, communicates to us the firfi: Fruits ~~ln~~:dt and Love, Humility and Patience, Peace and Joy, to fupport us under Fifrhly; _Confider dte excellem Reward of his Sufferings. He was .abafed below Men, and IS advanced above all the Angelica! Orders, and is the Eternal .Argument of ~h.etr Prrufes: Never were Sufferings fo grievous, never was Ilfue fo glorious. For the Hcb. •a. a. JOJ that was fet before him, he endured the crofs, deJPifed the foame, and is fet down at the Pp right
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