5erm.CXXXVI. The LifeoHfirClrco.r/iaer'czt, cezc. 229 Right and Tide : Í3ut he voluntarily embraced it, Being rich, for our _bake he be- Camepoor, that he might wean us from the Love of there Things, andbe an effee`ival Example to us of the Contempt of worldly Wealth and GreatneCs. And he denied himfelf likewile in one of the deare(l and tendere(t Things in the World, to the wifefi and greater Minds, I mean in Point of Reputation' He made himfelf of no Reputation, Pays St. Paul, Phil. 2. 7. pa>7o szó-., T He emptiei himfelf. To fubmit to Contempt, is to empty one's felf indeed : Reputation be- ingone of the lafl Things a generous Mind would be content to forego, and that which fome have held in equal Dearnefs and Efieemwith Life it fell; yet in this our Lord denied himfelf, and that he might do Good to Mankind, was con- tented to be efteemed one of the worn of Men; and without any kind of Caufe and Defert, to undergo all manner of Obloquy and Reproach, to be accounted a Magician, an Impoftor, a Friend and Companion of Publicans and Sinners ; a Se- ducer of the People, a Seditious Perlon, and more worthy of the molt cruel and (hameful Death than the greateft Malefafìor. Thus was theSon of God contented to be fet below the worft of Men, tobe abated and vilified, that he might he a perfelt Pattern to us of this difficult Virtue of Self-denial, even in thole Things which are held in greateft Efteem among the belt of Men. And furely in noCafe is Example more neceffary than in this, to animate and encourage us in the Difcharge of fo difficult a Duty, fo contrary to the Bent and Inclinationof our Nature. A bare Precept of Self-denial in thefe Things, and a peremptory Command to Sacrifice our own Wills, our Eafe, our Pleafure and Reputation, yea and Life it fell to the Glory of God, and the Good of Men, would have founded very harlh and revere, had not the Praftice of all this been exemplified in a Pattern of fo much Advantage : One who in all thefe Refpeas denied himfelf much more than is poffble for us to do,who might have infifted upon a greater Right, who abafed himfelf and ftoop'd from a greater Height and Dignity, who did not fubmit to a Condition of Poverty and Meannefs when it was unavoidable, but chofe it; who fubmitted to Suffering tho' he never de- ferved it, and who met with all the Contempt and Reproach imaginable, evhilft he truly deferved the greatell: Elleem and Reputation. Here is an Example that bath all the Argument, and all the Encouragement that can be to the imitation. of it. Was he, who had fo regular a Will and Inclination; contented to have it crucified and thwarted ? Did he, who had an unqueftionableRight to all the Riches and Enjoyments of theWorld, renounce them all, and embrace Poverty? Did he, to whofe deep Wifdom and Judgment all Mankind ought to fubniit, condefcend to the VVeaknefs of others, and not pleafe himfelf? Did he, who never did the leali Thing in his whole Life that might juttly (fain or blemifh his Re- putation, patiently bear all Sorts of Contumely and Reproach ? And (hall we think much to deny our felves in any of thefe ? Such an Example is of greater. Force and Authority than any Precept or Law. W'eIl might our Lord, thus going before us, command us to follow him, flying, If any Man will be My Difciple, let him deny himfelf, and take up his Croft, and follow rile. If he thus denied himfelf, well may we who have much lets to deny, and much moreRea- fon and Caufe to do it ; for as he argues, The Difeiple is not greater than his Ma- fier, nor the Servant than his Lord. He did it Voluntarily and of Choice; it is our Duty: He did it for our fakes; we do it for our own : We did not deferve it of him ; but he bath merited it of us. Our Lord did not, like the Pharifes, give (rill Precepts to others, which they themfelves did not follow. They fàid, and did not; laid heavy Burdens Upon others, and grievous to be born, when they therfeelves Would not touch them with one of their Fingers: Nor like the Philofophers, who fpake fine and glorious Things of Goodnefs and Virtue, but did, much like other Men, gave lriec Rules to others, but lived loofely themfelves ; and therefore it is noWonder that theirDifcourfes had fo little Effe& upon the Lives and Manners of Men, and were Co unavail- able to the Reformation of the World. Precepts of great Stri&nelsand Severi= ty, are like to be obeyed very (lowly and faintly, unlefs they be fweetned and made eafie by the familiar Prardice cf !hole that give them. In a Way that is rugged
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