their children ? yea, do not they and their children groan under the doleful effects of it to this day ? If God undertakes, (as he ^always doth) the cause of his abused, meek, and peaceable people, he will be sure to avenge it seven-fold more than they could. His little finger will be heavier than their loins. You will get nothing bv that.
Inf. 3. Lastly, Let us all imitate our pattern Christ, and labour for meek fir giving spirits. I shall only propose two inducements to it : the honour of Christ, and your own peace : two dear things indeed to a Christian. His glory is more than your life, and all that you enjoy in this world. O do not expose it to the scorn and derision of his enemies. Let them not say, How is Christ a lamb, when his followers are lions ? how is the church a dove, that smites and scratches like a bird of prey ? Consult also the quiet of your own spirits. What is life worth, without the comfort of life ? what comfort can you have in all that you do possess in the world, as long as you have not the possession of your own souls ? If your spirits be full of tumult and revenge, the spirit of Christ will grow a stranger to you : that dove delights in clean and quiet breasts. O then imitate Christ in this excellency also !
The second excellent Word of Christ upon the Cross,
John xix. 27. Then saith he to his disciple, Behold thy mother.
Tf E now pass to the consideration of the second memorable and instructive word of our Lord Jesus Christ upon the cross, con- tained in this scripture. Wherein he hath left us an excellent pattern for the discharge of our relative duties. It may be well said, the gospel makes the best husbands and wives, the best parents and children, the best masters and servants in the world ; seeing it furnishes them with the most excellent precepts, and proposes the best patterns. Here we have the pattern of Jesus Christ presented to all gracious children for their imitation, teaching them how to acquit themselves towards their parents, according to the laws of nature and grace. Christ was not only subject and obedient to his parents whilst he lived, but manifested his tender care even whilst he hanged in the torments of death upon the cross. " Then saith " he to the disciple, Behold thy mother.11
SEItM. XXXI. THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. 883
The words contain an affectionate recommendation of his distressed mother to the care of a dear disciple, a bosom friend ; wherein let us consider the design, manner, and season of this re- commendation.
First, The design and end of it, which, doubtless, was to ma- nifest his tender respect and care for his mother, who was now in a most distressed comfortless state. For now was Simeon's pro- phecy, Luke ii. 35. fulfilled, in the trouble and anguish that filled her soul, yea, a sword also shall pierce through thine own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. Her soul was pierced for him, both as she was his mother, and as she was a mystical member of him, her head, her Lord : and therefore he commends her to the beloved disciple that lay in his bosom, say- ing, " Behold thy mother," i. e. let her be to thee as thine own mother. Let thy love to me be now manifested in thy tender care for her.
Secondly, The manner of his recommending her, is both affec- tionate and mutual. It was very affectionate and moving, Behold thy mother, q. d. John, I am now dying, leaving all human society and relations, and entering into a new state, where neither the duties of natural relations are exercised, nor the pleasures and com- forts of them enjoyed. It is a state of dominion over angels and men, not of subjection and obedience ; this I now leave to thee. L^pon thee do I devolve both the honour and duty of being in my stead and room to her, as to all dear and tender care over her.
John, " Behold thy mother ;" and as it is affectionate, so it is mutual, ver. 26. And to his mother he said, " Woman, behold " thy son ;" not mother, but woman, intimating not only the change of state and conditions with him, but also the request he was making for her to the disciple with whom she was to live, as a mother with a son.
And all this he designs as a pattern to others.
Thirdly, The season or time when his care for his mother so eminently manifested itself, was when his departure was at hand, and he could no longer be a comfort to her, by his bodily pre- sence ; yea, his love and care then manifested themselves, when he was full of anguish to the very brim, both in his soul and body ; yet all this makes him not in the least unmindful of so deal* a rela- tion. Hence the doctrinal note is,
Doct. That Chrisfs tender care of his mother, even in the time of his greatest distress ; is an excellent pattern for all gracious children to the end of the "world.
384? THE FOUNTAIN OF LIFE. SERM. XXXT.
" There are three great foundations *, or bonds of relations, on " which all family government depends." Husbands and wives, parents and children, masters and servants. The Lord hath plant- ed in the souls of men, affections suitable to these relations, and to his people he hath given grace to regulate those affections, appoint- ed duties to exercise those graces, and seasons to discharge those duties. So that, as in the motion of a wheel every spoke takes its turn, and bears its stress ; in like manner, in the whole round of a Christian's conversation, every affection, grace, and duty, at one season or other, comes to be exercised.
But yet grace hath not so far prevailed in the sanctification of any man's affections, but that there will be excesses or defects in the exercise of them towards our relations ; yea, and in this the most eminent saints have been eminently defective. But the pat- tern I set before you this day, is a perfect pattern. As the church finds him the best of husbands, so to his parents he was the best of sons ; " and being the best, and most perfect, is therefore the " rule and measure of all others -f\" Christ knew how those cor- ruptions we draw from our parents are returned in their bitter fruits upon them again, to the wounding of their very hearts ; and therefore it pleased him to commend obedience and love to parents, in his own example to us.
It was anciently a proverb among the heathen, in sola Sparta, expedit senescere. It is good to be an old man, or woman, only in Sparta. The ground of it was the strict laws that were among the Spartans, to punish the rebellions and disobedience of children to their aged parents. And shall it not be good to be an old father and mother in England, where the gospel of Christ is preached, and such an argument as this now set before you urged ; an argu- ment which the Heathen world was never acquainted with ? Shall perents here be forced to complain with the eagle in the fable, that they are smitten to the heart, by an arrow winged with their own feathers ? Or, as a tree cleft in pieces by the wedges that were made of its own body ? God forbid.