22 I.. 'The Lite of féfur G,hrii Vol. II. made no vain Show and Of}entation of it; he .did not puzzle his Hearers with abftrufe Speculations and fublime Myfteries, but in a Way of plain and familiar Inftruftion, declared to his Hearers thofe Things which were molt ufeful and ne- ceffàry for them to know. He confuted the Do&ors, and confounded theWif- dom of the Wife, thofe who were conceited of their own Knowledge and Skill in Divine Things ; but was always ready to-condefcend to the Weaknefs and Ignorance of the meaneft Capacity , giving herein an Example to theWife and Learned, not to make a Show of their Knowledge, but tomake thebelt Lifeof it; not to lift up themfelves above others, but to condefcend and ftoop to them for their Good. He fometimes retired from Converfation and Company, that he might be alone and at.Leirure to attend upon God, and meditate on Divine and Heavenly Things, without Interruption and Diftra&ion ; but moft frequently he con - verfs'd with others, and mingled himfelf with all Sorts of Perfons, that he might give all the Advantage, and do all the Good he could to all Men. , Nay, he did not decline the Converfation of the worft of Men, and it was really true which was obje&ed to him, that he was a Friendof Publicans and Sinners, being fincerely defirous to do them the greateft Kindnefs in the World, to reform their Manners, and reclaim them to a better Courfe 5 fothat he was a Pattern both of the Con- templative and A&ive Life, and {hews us how to mix there to the greaten Ad- vantages and by his own Example teacheth us, that we cannot ferve God better than by doing Good to Meng and that he is as well pleafed, when we lay out our felves for the Benefit of others Spiritual and Temporal, as if we employed all our Thoughts and Meditations wholly upon himfelf andDivineThings ; that a perpetual Retirement from the World, and shunning the Converfation of Men, is not the won Religious Life, but living amongMen, and doing Good to them. More particularly, the Lifeof our Bleffed Saviour is a Pattern to us : r. Of the greaten and moft fubnantial Virtues. 2. Of the moft rare and unufual. 3. Of the moft ufeful and beneficial. 4. Of the moft, hard and difficult: And, g. Of fuch Virtues as are moft needful , and for the Praftice of which, there is the greateft and moll frequent Occafion in Humane Life. a. It is a Pattern of the greateft, andmoft fubnantial.Virtues. Of a fervent Piety and Devotion towardGod. We read, that he often retired to pray, and fametimes fpent whole Nights in it : His Mind was continually upon God, as appears by his frequent Ejaculations upon all Occafïons, by his Commu- nication and Difcourfe, which was always either inftru&ive of Men in Divine Truths,, or perfwafive to aHolyPraftice ; from worldlyObjeCts and Occurrences, he would take Occafion to raife fome Spiritual Meditation, and to (peak of Hea- venlyThings. And then his ready and chearful Obedience to the Will of God inall Things: In the Volume of the Book it is written ofme, I come to do thy Will, O my God. He fpeaks of it with Pleafure, and he delighted to do it ; he declined the Will of God in no {nuance, how difficultand difpleafingfoever to Flefh and Blood. The perfe& Purity and Innocency of his Life: He was a Lamb without Spot and Blemifh, t Pet. I. 19. He did no Sin, Chap. 2. 21. Leaving as herein an Example, that rho' we cannot keep equal Pace with hint,, yet we fliould follow his Steps; He was holy, harmlef, undefiled, feparatefrom Sinners, Heb. 7. 27. And then his univerfal Charity, taking all Opportunities to do all the Good, temporal and fpiritnal, that hecould to all Men, of which his wholeLife is one great and continued Innance, There are all great and fubnantial Virtues. I have indeed raid nothing of Junice, both becaufe there was littleOccafion foi it, he having nothing to do in thofe Matters wherein Juflice is concerned. He had no Eftate of his own, and he meddled not with thofe of other Mens : and likewife becaufe his Life was all Goodnefs, which is a Virtue' of a higher Pitch than Junice ; he that was fo good to all, we need not doubt of his Ju- nice,.if there had been Occafion for it. 2. He
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=