VI.

on fome of the Outward Forms and Ap-SERM. pearances of Godliness, is a Stranger to the Inward Life and Power of it. That is on to be attained by his fixing his Eye on the Example, and following the Steps of a Suffering Crucified Saviour. And therefore, I fhall, as I pro pofed in the next place,

II. Confider how the Sufferings of Christ afford us a plain Argument; why We also should expect Our Share of Sufferings, and withall; a Powerful Motive to fupport us ⚫ under them. And it is well they afford us both thefe; for the one; without the other, would be an Uncomfortable Confideration.

The Apostle, we fee, propofes the Example of Chrift on the Suffering Side of it; as if that were the Chief View we were to take of it, that the great End and Design of his being made an Example to us. The moft difficult Part of our Duty is to fuffer well; and thereVOL. I.

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fore

SERM: fore we stood most in need of a Perfec VI. Pattern in this respect, to direct and encourage us; and what we wanted most, Christ, who came to make good. 'l our Defects, and to heal all our Infirmities, took moft Care to fupply us with: And therefore from his Birth throughout his Life, to his Death, this is the Character, under which he appears to us. His Suf ferings indeed were finished on the Cross; but they began, when he first entered on his State of Humiliation; when, emptying himself of all his Glory, he took upon him to deliver Man, and, in order to it, did not abhor the Virgin's Womb.

Under this View if we confider him, and withall confider, that 'tis our Duty; and our Happiness to resemble him; What Hopes can we have to escape the Sufferings of this Life? Nay what Reafon totally to decline them? How can we poffibly, without Suffering, be like Him, who himself did nothing but fuffer?

The finite Dignity of his Person (for he was the Son of God, and God the Son) hindered him not, from tak

ing our Nature upon him, with all its SERM. meanest Circumftances, and with all its VI. most afflicting Accidents: And Who is the then among the Sons of Men, fo diftinguished from the reft by his Greatnefs, or Præeminence, as that it should misbecome him to learn this great Lef fon of Humility? Who, that should be afhamed to practise it?

He was of unblemished Purity, of perfect Sanctity and Innocence; and therefore the Calamities he underwent were no ways neceffary, either for the Tryal or Improvement of his Vertue; and yet he chofe to undergo them: How then fhould the very Best of us, (who ought, God knows, to be much Better, and yet, without fuch Tryals, are in danger of growing much Worse, than we are) expect or even defire to be free from them?

Certainly we judge not aright of our Spiritual Wants and Neceffities, of our Carnal Infirmities and Failures, if we wish to live always in perfe& Ease, and think it a Mark of God's Favour, when nothing happens to deject, or disturb us: Nay's

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SERM. Nay, but then is the Time, when we I. have most Reason to suspect ourselves:

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29.

There is a Wo, we know, denounced on Luke vi. Christians, when all Me shall speak well of them; for fo did they not of Christ Rom.viii. himself; and we are predeftinate to be conformed to his Image; and therefore, as far as we deviate from that Original, fo far we fall fhort of Perfection and HappiHeb. xii. ness. If we endure Chastning, God dealeth with us as Sons; even as he dealt with him, of whom he faid: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleafed.

7.

Mat. iii.

17.

I.

1 Pet. iv. Forafmuch then as Chrift hath suffered for Us in the Flesh, let us arm Ourselves with the fame Mind with a Refolution to imitate him in perfe&t Submiffion and Refignation of himself to the Divine Will and Pleasure, in his Contempt of all the Enjoyments of Sense, of all the Vanities of this World, its Allurements and Terrors; in his Practice of Religious Severities, in his Love of Religious Retirement; in his making it his Meat and his Drink, his only Study and Joh. ix.4. Delight, to work the Work of him that

jent

fent him; in his choosing, for that End, SERM. (when that End could not otherwife be VI. attained) Want before Abundance Shame before Honour, Pain before Pleafure, Death before Life; and in his preferring always a laborious uninterrupted Practice of Vertue, to a Life of Reft, and Ease, and Indolence. Let the same Mind, in all these respects, be in Us; which was in Chrift Jefus, who suffered for us, leaving us an Example, that we Should follow his Steps. The Task indeed is hard to Flesh and Blood, the Difficulties that lie in our Way are exceeding great, and would be altogether infuperable, had not He, who fet us an Example, fo far above the Level and Pitch of human Nature, Enabled, as well as Commanded us to follow it.

But, Thanks be to God, That is our Cafe: Chrift, by the Merit of those very Sufferings, which he proposes to our Imitation, has purchased for us all fuch Extraordinary Aids and Affistances, as are requifite to support us under them. by what he underwent, for our Sakes;