348 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE of our BLESSED LORD injured both God and man : though ho- noured with the higheft grace and favour, taken up to an immediate converfe. with God in heaven, yet he never [hewed the leali loftinefs over his brethren; he was in- trulled with the greaten power and autho- rity in the church, but never affected to govern the faith of men ; he only endea- voured to be an helper oftheir joy. How fludioufly did he decline all the honours and commendations that were heaped upon him : when force in the church of Corinth magnified him, and, under the patronage of his name, began to fet up for a party, he feverely rebuked them, told them that it was CHRIST', not he that was crucified for them; that they had not been baptized into his name, nor did he remember to have baptized above three or four of them, and was heartily glad he had no oftener performed the ceremony, left a foundation might have been laid, from that circum- fiance, for charging him with Judaizing. St. Paul's temperance and fobriety were remarkable ; for he often abridged himfelf of the conveniency of lawful and necenàry 'accommodations: his hungerings andthirn- ings were frequent ; by which means he reduced the extravagancy of the fenfual appetites, to a perfe& fubjeétion of the law of reafon. Hence he eafily got above the world, with all it's charms and frowns, and his mind was continually converfant in heaven, where his thoughts were fixed, and whither his delires always afcended. What he taught toothers, he praaifed him- felf; his converfation was in heaven, and his delires were to depart, and tobe with CHRIST. This world neither arrefted his affefiion nor difturbed his fears: he was neither pleafed with it's applaufes, nor ter- rified with it's threatenings : he fludied not to pleafe men, nor valued thecenfures they palled upon him : he was not greedy of a great mate, titles ofhonour, or rich pre- fents from men ; food and raiment was his bill of fare, and more than this he never cared for ; accounting, that the lets -hewas clogged with thefe hings the lighter he 2 fhould pats to heaven, efpecially as he was travelling through a world over-run with troubles and perfecutions. And hence it is very probable, that he always led a fingle life, though föme of the ancients rank him amongn thofe aponles who werd married. No lefs examplary were his kindnefs and charity ; for he had a compaffionate ten- dernefs for the poor, and a quick fenfe of the wants of others. To what church fo- ever he came, it was always one ofhis firft cares to make provifion for the poor, and to ftir up the bounty of the rich and wealthy ; nay, he himfelf worked often with his own hands, not only to maintain himfelf, butalfo to help and relieve them : but his charity to the fouls of men was in- finitely greater, fearing no dangers, refuting no labours, going through good and evil report, that he might gain men over to the knowledge. of the truth, bring them out of the crooked paths ofvice and idolatry, and place them in the ftràight way that leaded' to life eternal :. nay, fo infatiable was his thirft for the goodöf fouls, that he affirms that he would fooner himfelf be accurfed from CHRIST, than that his countrymen fhould mifcarry. And as he was infinitely folicitous to gain them over to the religion ofthe Son of God, fo he was equally care- ful to keep them from being feduced from it ; ready to fufpea every thing that might corrupt their minds from the fimplicity that is in CHRIST : I amjealous over you, fays he to the church of Corinth, with a godly jealoufy: an affeftion of all others the molt aaive and vigilant, and which infpires men with the moll paffionate care and con- cern for the good of thofe for whom they have the higher degree of love and kind- nefs. Nor was his charity to men greater than his zeal for God, labouring with all his might to promote the honour of his malter. How remarkably zealous was he while he continued a member of the Jewi[h religion, of the tradition of the fathers ! Howearner to vindicate and affect the divinity of the Mofaic
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