Serm.CI_;XIII. the troubles ofLife, much fhort of the due punifhment of our faults? The penitent Thief upon the Crofs urged the equity and force of this argument to patience to his fellow Cri- minal, that they who had been guilty of fuch great Crimes, and were jufily con- demned for them, ought tó be patient under their Sufferings. We indeed, fagshe, arejuflly condemned ; for wereceive the due rewardof our deeds: but this manbath done nothing amifs. 7. And laflly, If we confider the tranfcendent Excellency and Dignity of the Perfon. who underwent fo great fuffetings with fo much meeknefs, and patience, and with fo even and undifturbed á mind, this will calm and allay our paftions, and mitigate the troubles which befal us pitiful and inconfiderable Creatures, in comparifon of this Prince of Glory, and Heir of everlafling Bfs. When we confider the meeknefs of this excellent Perfon, the eternal Son of God, and with what fubmiffion and ferenity of mind he demeaned himfelf under fo great and continual provocations from his own creatures and beneficiaries, thofe whom he had made, and whom he came to fave; fhall we think much to bear the indig- nities and affronts ofour fellow-creatures ? When we behold how contented this great Perfon was in the meaneft condition, how he welcomed all events, and was fo perfeftly refigned to the will of his heavenly Father, that 'whatever pleafed God, pleafedhim; fhall we murmur at.any Condition which the Providence of God allots to us, and repine at any event whatfuever ? Shall we refent injuries and affronts and calumnies fo heinoufly as to beoutof all temper and patience, when we confider with what meeknefs of temper, and how little emotion ofmind the Son ofGod bore all thefe? how hegave his back ,to thefmiters, and bis cheeks to them that plucked of the hair, and witheldnot his face from fhame andfpitting; how he was led as a lamb to the (laughter, and asa fbeep before the (hearers is dumb, fo he opened not bis mouth; being reviled he revi- lednot againa, when he fuffered, he tbreatned not. To conclude, Can we entertain thoughts of revenge towards the inftruments of our fufferitigs, when we have fuch a pattern of forgiving before us, who poured out his blood for the expiation of the guilt of them that fhed it, and fpent his laft breath in a molt fervent and charitable Prayer for his betrayers and murde- rers? Thus we dhould propofe to our felves the Pattern of our Lord's Spirit and Demeanour under Sufferings, in whom Meeknefs and Submiflion and Patience had their perfehi work; that the fame mind may be in us, that was in Chrifl Jefus, and that as we have him for an Example, we may follow bis fleps. The laft Confiderationof Comfortand Support under Trouble, which the Chri- ftian Religion gives us, remains yet to be fpoken to, namely, That we are allured of a molt compaffionate and prevalent and perpetual Patron and Advocate and In- terceffor with God for us. But this together with theApplication of this whole Difcourfe, I (hall refer to the next opportunity. Hhh SER- 417
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