290 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LORD alfo be remembered, that if the generality of the nation had not continued in their unbelief, the apoflles, who preached the refurredfion, would not have fuffered thefe perfecutions which in every countrywere raifed againfl them, chiefly by the Jews ; and confequently one of the ftrongefl ar- guments for the truth of their teflimony would have been wanting : whereas, by their having been perfecuted to death for their preaching the refurredtion of their great Mailer, they fully demonflrated how fincerely they believed the great faa which they preached in continual jeopardy of their lives, notwithflanding the virulent malice and refllefs perfecution of their enemies. We have thus endeavoured to anfwer, in the plaineft and molt fatisfaaory man- ner, the principal objedfion made by the Deifls againil the truth ofour bleflèd Savi- our's refurredtíon ; and (hall conclude this chapter with a few refledtions on the life ofthe bleffed JESUS; . a life the greateft and belt that was ever led by man, orwas ever the fubjedt of any hiftory frnce theuniverfe was called from it's original chaos, by the powerful word of the Almighty, which fpake it into being. As the human charadter of the bleffed JESUS refults from the accounts given of him by the evangelifts (for they have not ,formally drawn it up) fo it is entirely dif- ferent from that of all other men whatfo- ever ; for whereas they have felfifh paffions deeply rooted in their breafts, and are in- fluenced by them in almoft every thing they do, Jesus was fo entirely free from them, that the molt fevere fcrutiny cannot furnifh one tingle adiion in the whole courfe ofhis life wherein he confulted his own intereft only: no, he was influenced by very differentmotives ; the prefent hap - pinefs and eternal welfare of fanners regu- lated his condudf : and while others fol- lowed their refpedlive occupations, JESUS bad no other bufinefs than that of promo- ting the happinefs of the fons of men : nor did he wait till he was folicited to extend his benevolent hand to the difireffed ; he went about doing good, and always ac- counted it more bleffed to give than to receive; refembling God rather than man, in every adt ofhis life. Perfons of the moll exalted faculties are apt to be elated with fuccefs and ap- plaufe, or dejedled by cenfure and difap- pointments : but the bleffed Jesus was never elevated by the one, nor depreffed by the other; he was never more coura- geous than when he met with the greateft oppofition and cruel treatment, nor more humble than when the fops of men wor- fhipped at his feet. He came into the world infpired with the grandeft purpofe that ever was formed, that of faving from eternal perdition, not a fingle nation, but the whole world ; and in the execution of it, went through the longeft and heavieft train of labours that ever was fuftained, with a cdnflancy and refolution, onwhich no difadvantageous impreffion could be made by any accident whatever: calumny, threatnings, bad fuccefs, with many other evils.conflantly attending him, ferved only to quicken his endeavours in this glorious enterprife, which he unweariedly purfued, even till he finifhed it by his death on the crofs. Mankind are prone to retaliate injuries received, and feem to take a fátisfadfion in complaining of the cruelties of thofe who opprefs them ; whereas, the whole of CHRIST'S labours breathed nothing but meeknefs, patience, and forgivenefs, even to his bitterefl enemies, and in themidfl of the moll excruciating torments. The words Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do, uttered by him when his enemies were nailing him to the crofs, fitly exprefs the temper which he maintained through the whole courfe of his life, even when af- faulted by the heavieft provocations. The truth is, he never fignified, on any occa- fion, the leafi refentment by fpeech or action, nor indeed any emotion of mind whatever, except fuch as flowed from pity and charity ; confequently fuch only as expreffed
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