The-Preface. the land of the living ; for the tranfgreffion of his people was he flricken ---- It pleafed the Lord tobruife him he him to grief J Ifa. 53. What was his whole life, but the ex- er4ife of Love and felf-denyal ? I-fe denyed hinifelf in Love to hif Father obeying him to the death , and plealing him in all things. He denyed-himfelf in Love to mankind, in bearing our tranfgreffions, and redeemingus from the curie, by being made a curie tor us, Gal. 3.13. Hemade himfelfof no reputation, and took upon him the formof a fervant, and was made in the likenefs of men, and being found in fathion as a man, he hum- bled himfelf and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Crofs] phil. 2. 6,7, 8. And this he did to teach us by his-example, to deny our felves , to [be like minded, having the fame lcve, beingofone accord, ofone mind, that nothing be done through firife or vain-glory, but in lowlinefs of mind that each efteem others better then themfelves ; Looking not every manafter his own matters, but; every man alfo after tile things of others ; and thus the fame mind Iliould be in us that was in Chrill jefusl Phil. 2. 3, 4;5. He denyed himfelf alfo in obedient fubmifflon to Governours. He was fubje,..Fi to jofeph and Mary, Luk. 2.. 5!. Hepaid tribute to Cxfar, and wrought a Miraclefor money rather then itlhouldbe unpaid, Matth. 17. 24, 25,26. He difowned a perfonal worldly Kingdom, Joh. 18. 36. when the people would have made him a King, he avoided it, Joh. 6. 15. as being not a Receiver, but a giver of Kingdoms : He would not Jo muchas once play- thepart of a fudge or der of inheritances, teaching men that they muff be jufbly made fuck, before they do the work,of Magifirates, Luk,. 't2. J4. And his Spirit in his Apofiles teacheth fas the .fame doertrine, Rom. 3. T pet.. 13 .14 15 16 17., Eph. 6. I, 5. And they fecomded his example by their own, that we might be followers of them as they were of Chin* f I. What elfe was the life of holy Paul and the reft of the Apoftles, but a conflant exercife of Love and Self-de- Ilya'? Labouring aad travelling night and day, enduring the 1244 ufage from the world , and undergoing indignities and manifold feifferings from unthankful men,that they mightpleafe hc Lord, and edi fie and fave the fouls of men and living in pcverij that they might help the world to the everlafting riches, 42 IL
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