The .Life oflefitt Chrijt Vol. II: Friend but our Lord died not for his Friends, but for hisEnemies, that he might make them his Friends, by gaining them to the Obedience of his Laws : re are my Friends, ifye do whatfoever I command you. The fame Pattern the Apoftles of our Lord propound to us, Ephef. 5. 2. Walk inLove, as Chrift alfo hath loved us, andgiven himfelf for us. t John 3. i 6. Hereby perceive we the Love of God, becaufe he laid down his Life for us ; and we alfo ought to lay down our Lives for the Brethren. Here is aPattern of the higheft and molt unufual Kind of Love propofed to our Imitation ; not that every Man, byVertue of this Example, is to lay down his' Life for another, becaufe that is not practicable; for then by the fame Reafon that I am obliged to lay downmy Life for another, he would be asmuch obliged to lay down his Life for me ; and fo by my dying for him, I fhould hinder him of doing a Duty to which he was equally obliged, and take it out of his Hands: But the Meaningof this Precept is, that as Chrift died for a common Good, fo we Ought to bear that common Affe&ion to Mankind, and efpecially toour Brethren, Who are endeared to us bya nearer Relation, as in Imitation of the Example he bath given us, to be ready byour fingle Life, if there be Occafion, to redeem the Lives of manyofour Brethren, and to expofe our felves to fave them. This I conceive is all that can reafonably be colleted from our Obligation to imitate our Lord's Example. 3. TheLife ofourBleffed Saviour is likewife a Pattern of fuch Virtues, as are tnoft ufeful and beneficial to others. In his Readinefs to doGood to all Perlons in all Kinds; by inftru&ing their Ignorance, and fupplying their Wants, Spiritual and Temporal; by refolving their Doubts, and comforting them in their Sorrows; by healing their Difeafes and Infirmities, which he indeed did in extraordinary and miraculousWays, becaufe he was deftitute of ordinary Means; and we are to do it by ordinary Means, and fuck as are in our Power, whichwhen they are, there is no need of Miracles. And then in his reeking Occafions and Opportunities for it, not con- tent with thole that offer'd themfelves, but enquiring after them and in his unwearied Diligence in this Work; for he went about doing Good, fpent whole Days fromMorning to Night, for the. Service and Benefit of others ; negle&ed himfelf, and the ordinary Refrefbments ofNature, out of his great Zeal to work the Workofhim thatfent him, to bringGlory toGod, and Good toMen. And in the Delighthe took in this Employment, it washis Meat and Drinktobe doingof it; he efteemed it his Happinefs, yea a greater Felicity to confer Bene- fits upon others, than any Man finds in receiving the greateft Benefit from others ; for that it feems wasa noted Sayingof his, a kind of Motto with him, as St. Paul teftifies, Ails 2ò.3g. It is more bled to give, than to receive. And in all this, he perfifted in defpite of the greateftDifcouragements from the Ingratitude andMa- lice of Men, who maligned him for his Kindnefs, and put an ill Conftru&ion upon his moo Charitable A&ions, and were ready to floue him for his good Works : But this did not difcourage him, and take him off; fo he might do Good, he was contented to hear and fuffer Ill. And then in his Condefcention to others, and Confiderationof their Weak- tiers, and complying with them in lawful and indifferent Things, for their Edi- fication, and to gain them in greater Matters : This St. Paul tells us was our Lord'sTemper, and he urgeth Chriflians with the Exampleof it, Roes. rg. r, 2, 3. We then that are flrong, ought to bear the Infirmities of the Weak, and not to pleafe our felves. Let every one of rss pleafe his Neighbour for his Good to Edification : For even Chrift pleafed not himfelf. Where we have Liberty and can yield, we ought to abate of our own Humour, for the Good and Edificationof others and not peevifhly and ftifly to infili upon leffer Things, to the Hinderance of a greater Good ; for even Chrifl pleafed not himfelf. He who had all Authority tocommand, and Right to be obeyed, and who could not err in any Thing; yet he conde- fcended to the Weaknefs and Infirmities ofothers, and in all indifferent Things, did not confült his own Inclination, but their Intereft andEdification. And
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTcyMjk=