116 c.ADeelaratzon of j the Glorious M r STER Y of the devil and his nature, in mutual hatred, ftrife, variance, envy, wrath, pride, fiercenefs and rage againft one another, all which are of the old murderer. The initances of a cured, of a contrary frame were obfcure and weak in the heft of the faints of old. But in our Lord Jefus, the light of the glory of God herein firft (hone upon the world. In the exer- cife of thefe graces which he moll abounded in, becaufe the fins, weak- neffes and infirmities ofmen gave continual occafion thereunto, did he re- prefent the divine nature, as love, as infinitely good, benign, merciful and patient, as delighting in the exercife of thefe its holy properties. In them was the Lord Chrift our example in an efpecial manner. And they do in vain pretend to be his difciples, to be followers of him, who endea- vour not to order the whole courfe of their lives in conformity unto him in thefe things. One chriftian who is meek, humble, kind, patient and ufeful unto all, that condefcends to the ignorance, weakneffes and infir- mities ofothers, that palfeth by provocations, injuries, contempt, With pa- tience, and with filence, unlefs where the glory and truth of God call for a jolt vindication; that pitieth all forts of men in their failings and mif- carriages, who is free from jealoufies and evil furmizes, that loveth what is good in all men, and all men even wherein they are not good, nor do good, doth more exprefs the virtues and excellenciesof Chrift, than thou- bands can do with the mot magnificent works of piety or charity where . this frame is wanting in them. For men to pretend to follow the exam- ple of aryl, and in the mean time to be proud, wrathful, envious bitter- ly zealous, calling for fire from heaven to deftroy men, or fetching it themfelves from hell, is to cry, bail unto him, and to crucify him a frelh unto their power. (2.) Self -denial, readinefs for the crofs, with patience in fufferings, are the fecund fort of things which he calls all his difciples to follow his ex- ample in. It is the fundamental law ofhis gofpel, that ifany one will be ltia difcjple, be mull deny bimfelf, take up bis crofs and follow biin. Thefe things in him, as they are all of them fummarily reprefented, Phil. ii. g. 6, y, 8. by reafon of the glory of his perfon, and the nature ofhis fuffer- ings, are quite of another, kind than that we are called unto. But his grace in diem all is our only pattern, in what is required ofus. Chrift bath fufferedfor, us, leaving 114 an example, that we fhould follow his fleps, who when he was reviled reviled not again, when be Mend, be threatned not, t Per. ii. 21, 22, 23. Hence we are called to look unto Jefus, the author andfinifher of our.faith, who for the joy that was fet before bim, endured the croft, and defpifed thefbame. For weare toconfider him, who enduredfach contradiflion offinners in bimfelf, that we faint not, Heb xii. 2, 3. Blellèd be God for this example; for the glory of the condefcenfion, patience, faith and endurance ofJefus Chrift in the extre- mity of all forts of fufferings. Tisis bath been the pole fiar of the church in all its florins the guide, the confort, fupportment and en- couragement.of all thofe holy fouls, who in their feveral generations, have in ;various degrees undergone perfecution fór rigbteoufnefr fake, and yet continuetlt fo to be unto them who are in the fame condition. And I muff fay, as I have done on fome other occafions in the handling of this fubjeft, that a difcourfe on this one inflance of the ufe of Chrift in reli- . gion, from the cófideration of the perfon who fuffered and fet us this ex- ample, of the principle from whence, and the end for which he did it; of the variety ofevils of all forts, he had to conflift withal, of his invincible patinence under them all, and immoveablenefs of love and companion un- to mankind, even his perfecutórs, the dolorous afhiltive circau fiances of his
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