VeR. 21.] SERMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. 493
in grace, and in favour with God and men ; it was a high point of wisdom in Christ so to carry all things that he might gain upon all that he conversed with,
[9,] In the holiness and purity of his life. Though he lived in the midst of enemies that hated him, and were watchful and malicious to spy out all occasions against him, yet saith he, John viii. 46, ' Which of you convinceth me of sin ? ' The devils themselves acknowledge his holiness: Mark i. 24, 'I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of Grod.' The apostle telleth us, Heb. iv. 15, ' He was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin;' and 1 John iii. 5, ' In him is no sin;' and 1 Peter li. 22, ' Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth.' He took upon him our natural, but not our sinful infirmities. Christ took the nature without the sin of the nature ; the sun of right- eousness was like the beams of the sun, that shines all over a sinful world without being tainted with its pollution : Heb. vii. 26, ' Such an high priest became us, who was holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.' Christ suffered the torments of hell, at least equivalent! y, to free us from hell ; yet he would not, nor could, commit the least sin, though it had been to free all men that ever had been in the world. Now, ' as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation,' 1 Peter i. 15. Imitate Christ in his holiness, which was a part of his glory, and will be of yours : Mat. v. 8, ' Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.' Here we should be walking pictures of Christ, that others may see the face of Christ in us. Tread in his steps. Live so holily, that if the bible should be lost, it may be found again in our holy lives.
[10.] In his wonderful patience and meekness. Never any suffered so much, and never any suffered so patiently. How much wrong do others do, but will suffer none ! and how much wrong did Christ suffer, but did none ! 1 Peter ii. 23, ' Who when he was reviled, reviled not again ; when he suffered he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously ; ' 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 ; ' and Isa. 1. 6, ' I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair : I hid not my face from shame and spitting.' Job, though a pattern of patience, yet in the extremity of his afflictions fell into impatience, and cursed the day of his birth ; but there was no iniquity in Christ, no guile found in his mouth, not one impatient word fell from him ; he was made up all of patience. Now in this should the saints imitate Christ : Rom, xii. 12, ' Be patient in tribulation.' The example of Christ's meekness should be the great allay to us when we are transported with the gusts of passion. What an unconformity is there between Christ and us, when there are such mists raised in the soul that the light of reason cannot be seen ! Men dj-unk with passion, how unconformable are they to the meekness of our Saviour ! Christ rendered sweet language for bitter, blessings for curses. Did Christ do so ? so should christians.
[11.] In love to his enemies. Take that eminent example of Christ, who died for enemies : Eom. v. 10, ' When we were enemies, we were re- conciled to God by the death of his Son.' As for those enemies which
494 SEKMONS UPON MARK X. 17-27. [SeR. VII
were tlie instruments of his death, which shed his blood, yet when he was u]jon the cross, he breathed forth his soul in prayer for them : Luke xxiii. 34, ' Father, forgive them, for they kcow not what they do/ He would give his enemies the morning-market of the gospel. He gave his disciples charge to go abroad into the world, ' that repent- ance and remission of sins should be preached in his name, among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem,' Luke xxiv. 47 ; there where his blood was shed, there would he have the virtue and comfort of it preached. And the apostle presseth this same duty upon us from this example of Christ: Col. iii. 13, ' Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another ; if any man have a quarrel against any, even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.' We are of touchy, spiteful, revengeful spirits, and cannot pass by the least wrong, and think it a disgrace so to do; we think a man is a dolt, and hath no mettle in him, if he be not presently heated into a distemper ; but Solomon says, Pro v. xix. 11, ' The discretion of a man defers his anger, and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.' This was the temper of Christ, to exercise love and tender affection to his enemies. Now, if we imitate Christ in these hings, then are we christians and disciples indeed.