man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the Crofs. He contented not himself to have forfaken the Glories of Heaven, and affumed the meant Condition of a Man; but to carry his Condefcenfion to the utmost pitch, he placed himfelf in the lowest Rank of Men; bore the greatest Afflictions incident to Mankind; underwent Poverty, Nakedness and Contempt, and at laft fubmitted to a violent Death, even the ignominious and painful Death of the Crofs. If he had thought an external fhew of Greatness any ways conducive to promote the great Ends, for which he came into the World, or had intended to procure to himfelf those Pleasures, which Men fo greedily feek after; he might have engroffed to himfelf all the Riches of the World, and in Royal Magnificence exceeded even the Carnal Expectations of the Jews. Heaven and Earth were intirely at his Devotion, and whole Legions of Angels ready to minister to him. But he waved all these Advantages, fpent his private Years in a Laborious and Mechanick Life, and when he entred on his publick Office, increased both his Labour and his Poverty. He willingly wanted all the Conveniencies of Life, and even the common Benefits of Nature. For as himself tells, The Foxes have holes, and the Birds of the Air have nests, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his head.

Thus he gave us a most perfect Pattern of Self-denial, generous Contempt of the World,

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and Renounciation of all carnal Pleasures. And fhall we imagine our felves not in the least concerned in all this? Himfelf hath prevented any fuch Miftakes, by telling us, That if any one will come after him, (or be his Difciple) He must deny himself, and take up his Crofs and follow him. (Matth. xvi. 24.) And if your Lord and Mafter have washed your feet, ye ought alfo to wash one anothers feet, John xiii. 14.) And furely most reasonably. If the Son of God vouchfafed to undergo all the Calamities incident to Mankind; fhall we prefume to expect an undisturbed courfe of outward Happinefs, and murmur at any Afflictions which befall us? If he forfook the Glories of Heaven to redeem us; fhall not we willingly quit all the Vanities of the Earth to obey him? If he thought it not incongruous to the Majesty of his Divine Nature, to perform fuch ftupendious Acts of Humility; fhall the greatest of Men think it unfuitable to their Dignity to be humbled with their God, and gentle with their Fellow Creatures? Surely if the Divine Precepts cannot engage us to Humility; the Divine Example fhould fhame us to it.

Laftly, in Relation to our Duty to other Men, his Juftice, Meeknefs and Charity, which are the great Branches of it, were most Exemplary. His Juftice was fo undeniable, in paying to every Man fear to whom fear was due, honour to whom honour, in injuring no Man, nor juftly offending any one; that

even Pilate, whofe Intereft it then was, that he fhould be found guilty, after a ftrict Examination, and violent Accufation of his numerous and potent Enemies, was by the clearness of his Innocence forced thrice to declare, That he could find no fault in him, (Luke xxiii. 14, 22.) Confirming alfo his own Sentence with the concurrent Opinion of Herod, a jealous and fufpicious Tyrant, to whom he had been fent, but was fully cleared by him. (Ver. 15.) So far was the Holy Jefus from difturbing the publick Quiet, violating the Rights of the Civil Magistrate, invading the Property of his Neighbours, or doing any thing in oppofition to those common Rights, which are upheld by the execution of Civil Laws, that neither his imbittered Enemies, nor his corrupt Judges, could find any Refemblance of fuch Actions.

None ever urged a more steadfast Loyalty to the Supreme Powers; nor demonftrated a more ready Obedience to the Commands of his Prince in all lawful things, in the whole Conduct of his Life. He not only enjoyned his Disciples to render unto Cafar, the things which are Cafars, but himself exactly per-formed it, in fubmitting to his Deputies, in paying to him Tribute, even with the Expence of a Miracle, and in ftudiously declining all the Acclamations of his admiring Followers, which proceeded from the Expectation of a Temporal Kingdom to be founded by him. And in this, both the Au F 3

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thor and Doctrine of Christianity are eminently diftinguifhed from all falfe Religions, which fubject the common Laws of Juftice to the Intereft of Religion, and permit them to be freely violated for the Propagation of it. Whereas Chriftianity hath fecured the Rights of Princes, wherefoever it hath obtained, and added new Bonds of Obligation to the natural Ties of Juftice. Such at least was the Spirit of Christianity in the primitive Times; when the cruel Perfecutions, and Tyrannical Oppreffion of Three Hundred Years, could not provoke its Followers to Refistance. And fuch is the Spirit of it at this Day, wherefoever the Doctrine of it remains pure and uncorrupted.

But to demonftrate and magnifie the Juftice of our Saviour, a Vertue common even to moral Heathens, and which would be the Duty of Mankind, in order to preserve Society, although there was no Religion in the World, might be thought injurious to the eminent Perfection of his Holiness; did not the Experience of latter Ages, and chiefly of our own Times evidence, that not only the Precepts, but also the Example of our Lord was necellary to recommend this Duty to his Followers. And yet alas, both are infufficient through the Obftinacy of Men. No one Duty is more frequently or more fecurely violated by Chriftians, than that of common Juftice. It was the Character, which Pliny returned to the Emperour Trajan, of the Chris

ftians,

ftians, when required to give him an Account of their Opinions and Converfation, That they were innocent and honeft People, who often meeting to celebrate the publick Worship of God, bound themselves by the most folemn and facred Oaths, not to commit any Acts of Injustice, Rapine and Violence, to abstain from Theft, Oppreffion and Fraud; to be faithful to their Trust, and not circumvent their Neighbours. If that Learned Heathen were now alive, I fear he would not be able to difcover Chriftianity by this Note and Character; and would hardly be perfwaded, that modern Christians were Profeffours of the fame Religion. But it is neither my Business nor Defign to arraign the fcandalous Injuftice of Chriftians in thefe Times. I will only add, That this will increase our Condemnation, that herein we have not only violated the Rules of a moft juft Religion, but alfo departed from the Example of a most just Saviour.

The Meeknefs and mild Difpofition of our Lord, his Patience under Sufferings, and readinefs to forgive the greateft Injuries, were no less Exemplary. His Meekness and Patience were foretold by the Prophets, He shall not strive nor cry, neither shall any man hear his voice in the streets, (Efai. xlii.) Tell ye the daughter of Sion; Behold, thy King cometh unto thee meek, and fitting upon an Afs, (Ifa. lxii.) He was oppreffed, he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a Lamb to the flaughter; and as sheep before her fbearers is dumb, F 4