1 Pet. iii. 1. What the Heathens said of moral virtue, (which they called verticordia, turn-heart) that if it were but visible to mortal eyes, all men would be enamoured with it, will be much more true of religion when you shall represent the beauty of it in your conversation.
Pattern 7. The humility and lowliness of Christ is propounded by himself as a pattern for his people's imitation. Mat. xi. 29. " Learn of me, for I am meek and lowly." He could abase and empty himself of all his glory, Phil. ii. 5, 6, 7. He could stoop to the meanest office, even to Mash the disciples feet. We read but of one triumph in all the life of Christ upon earth, when he rode to Jerusalem, the peo- ple strewing branches in the way, and the very children in the streets of Jerusalem, crying, " Hosanna to the son of David, Ho- " sanna in the highest ;" and yet with what lowliness and humility was it performed by Christ, Matth. xxi. 5. " Behold thy King " cometh unto thee meek and lowly." The humility of Christ appeared in every thing he spake or did. Humility discovered itself in his language, Psal. xxii. 6. " I am a worm, and no man."' In his actions, not refusing the meanest office, John iii. 14. In his condescensions to the worst of men, upon which ground they call- ed him " a friend to publicans and sinners," Matth. xi. 19. But especially, and above all, in stooping down from all his glory to a state of the deepest contempt, for the glory of God and our salva- tion. Christians ! here is your pattern ; look to your meek and humble Saviour, and tread in his steps ; be you *' clothed with
* Ecce qvi jactant se rcdemptns a tyrannide Satmicr, qui predicant se moriuos esse nvuv." d<j, mhtiominus vineuntar cupidilatibus suis. Cyprian.
412 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SEItM. XXIX,
u humility," 1 Pet. v. 5. Whoever are ambitious to be the world's great ones, let it be enough for you to be Christ's little ones. Con- vince the world, that since you knew God and yourselves, your pride hath been dying from that day. Shew your humility in your habits, 1 Pet. iii. 3. 1 Tim. ii. 9, 10. In your company, not con- temning the meanest and poorest that fear the Lord, Psal. xv. 4. Rom. xil 16. In your language; that dialect befits your lips, Eph. iii. 8. Less than the least qf all saints ; but especially in the low value and humble thoughts you have of yourselves, 1 Tim i. 15. And to press this, I beseech you to consider,
First, From how vile a root pride springs. Ignorance of God, and of yourselves, gives rise and being to this sin : They that know God will be humble, Isa. vi. 5. And they that know themselves cannot be proud, Rom. vii. 9.
Secondly, Consider the mischievous effects it produces; it es- trangeth the soul from God, Psal. cxxxviii. 6. It provokes God to lay you low, Job xl. 11, 12. It goes before destruction and a dreadful fall, Pro v. x. 18.
Thirdly, As it is a great sin, so it is a bad sign, Hab. ii. 4. " Behold his heart which is lifted up, is not upright in him."
Fourthly, How unsuitable it is to the sense you have, and the complaints you make of your own corruptions and spiritual wants ; and above all, how contrary it is to your pattern and example : Did Christ speak, act, or think as you do ! O, learn humility from Jesus Christ, it will make you precious in the eyes of God, Isa. lvii. 15.
Pattern 8. The contentation of Christ in a low and mean con- dition in the world, is an excellent pattern for his people's imita- tion. His lot in this world fell upon a condition of deepest poverty and contempt : Yet how well was he satisfied and contented with it ! hear him expressing himself about it, Psal. xvi. 6. " The lines " are fallen unto me in pleasant places : yea, I have a goodly heri- " tage." The contentation of his heart, with a suffering condition, evidenced itself in his silence under the greatest sufferings, Isa. liii. 7. " He was oppressed, and he was afflicted ; yet he opened not " his mouth : He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a " sheep before the shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth." O that in this also the poorest Christians would imitate their Saviour, and learn to manage an afflicted condition with a contented spirit : Let there be no murmurs, complaints, or foolish charges of God heard from you, whatever straits or troubles he brings you into : For,
First, The meanest and most afflicted Christian is owner of many rich, invaluable mercies, Eph. i. 3. 1 Cor. iii. 33. Is sin par-
SERM. XXX. THE METHOD OF GEACE. 41 S
cloned and God reconciled? then never open your mouths any more, Ezek. xvi. 63.
Secondly, You have many precious promises that God will not forsake you in your straits, Heb. xiii. 5. Isa. xli. 17. And your whole life hath been a life of experiences of the faithfulness of God in his promises. Which of you cannot say with the church, Lam. iii. 23. " His mercies are new every morning, and great is his " faithfulness."
Thirdly, How useful and beneficial are all your afflictions to you ! they purge your sins, prevent your temptations, wean you from the world, and turn to your salvation : and how unreasonable then must your discontentedness at them be ?
Fourthly, The time of your relief and full deliverance from all your troubles is at hand ; the time is but short that you shall have any concernment about these things, 1 Cor. vii. 26. If the candle of your earthly comfort be blown out, yet remember it is but a little while to the break of day, and then there will be no need of can- dles. Besides,
Fifthly, Your lot falls by divine direction upon you, and as bad as it is, it is much easier and sweeter than the condition of Christ in this world was : Yet he was contented, and why not you ? O that we could learn contentment from Christ in every condition. And thus I have laid before you some excellent patterns in the life of Christ for your imitation.
He that saith he abidethin him, ought himself also so to zvalk, even
A HESE words have been resolved into their parts, and their sense opened in the former sermon : The observation was this :
That every man is bound to the imitation of Christ, under penalty of forfeiting his claim to Christ.
In prosecution of this point, we have already shewn what the imitation of Christ imports, and what the miitable excellencies in the life of Christ are : It now remains that I shew you in the next place, why all that profess Christ are bound to imitate his example, and then apply the whole. Now the necessity of this imitation of Christ will convincingly appear divers ways.
First, From the established order of salvation, which is fixed
414 THE METHOD OF GRACE. SERM. XXX.