Page images
PDF
EPUB

1

Neceffity of imitating Chrift in the particular Posture he used, as of imitating him in the general, that is to fay, obferving the common Table Pofture ufed in our Country.

But further; If the general received Pofture at Meals be the only allowable Pofture of receiving the Sacrament (as muft be concluded from this Doctrine, if any Thing can be concluded from it) then what will become of them that receive the Sacrament ftanding (as many do) that is no more the common Pofture at Meals than kneeling is. It is fitting that hath univerfally prevailed in our Country; and therefore to receive the Sacrament ftanding, or in any other Pofture but fitting, muft, according to this Doctrine, be irregular which yet, I hope, none of them will affirm. But, laftly, to conclude; Pray let this be confider'd: Why fhould the Custom of any Country be fufficient to make standing or fitting to come in the Place of lying or leaning at the Sacrament, and yet the publick Law of a Nation fhall not be able to do as much for kneeling? Shall not a Law made by publick Authority, and confirmed by long Ufage of the Church, have the fame Force to establish kneeling in the Place of fitting, (there being no more Unlawfulness in the one Pofture than in the other) as a Custom brought in by little and

little,

little, and without any publick Authority, had to bring in fitting in the Place of leaning?

But I am fenfible I tire you with being fo long upon this Head. All the Apology I have to make, is, that I thought it would ferve fome Purpose to make this Matter as plain as was poffible.

I have now done with my Cafes of Confcience concerning the Extent of our Obligation to follow Chrift's Example, which, you fee, I have refolved in fix Propofitions.

The next Thing I am to do, is to propofe fome of thofe Virtues which our Saviour was moft eminent for, and which are of the greatest Ufe in human Life, and ferioufly to recommend them to your Imitation.

I pray God give a Bleffing to what has been faid.

Now to God, &c.

SER

SERMON

III.

Chrift's Piety, and Diligence, and
Charity.

I PET. ii. 21.

Leaving us an Example, that we should follow his Steps.

HAVE made two Sermons upon this Text. In the first of them, I laid before you in general the great Obligation that lies upon us to follow our Lord's Example. In the fecond, I endeavoured to fhew the Extent of this Obligation; how far, and in what Inftances Chrift's Life was an Example to us; in what Cafes we are obliged to the Imitation of it, and in what Cafes not. I now come to the third Thing I proposed upon this Text, and which indeed is the principal Thing I intended when I first pitched upon it; and

that

333

that is, to give a more particular Account of our Saviour's Life, as it was defigned for an Example to us; and to draw fome fort of Picture of him, as to those Virtues and Qualities which he was most eminent and remarkable for, and in which he chiefly propofed himself to our Imitation, and moft carnestly to recommend them to your Practice.

And indeed very great Benefits and Advantages shall we reap to ourselves by serioufly employing our Thoughts and Meditations upon this Subject. Oh! what a mighty Check would the frequent Confideration of our Saviour's holy and immaculate Life give to the Temptations of Vice and Luft, with which we are daily affaulted; and how powerful a Spur and Incitement would it be to us, vigorously to purfue all manner of Virtue and Holinefs! We fhould think no Attainments too big for our Courage and Endeavour, fo long as we had but the Holy Jefus before our Eyes. To confider what Victories he obtain'd against Sin and the World, and the Kingdom of Darkness, would infpire us with Refolutions worthy of those that pretend to be the Followers of fo great a Master: Nay, we fhould not only receive Encouragement, but alfo very confiderable Affiftances and Directions for the Conduct of ourfelves in this Chriftian Warfare, from a

due

[ocr errors]

due Confideration of this Example of Christ. If we were thoroughly inftructed in the Spirit and Temper of our Saviour, it would be hard to impofe upon us with any falfe Notions of Religion, or new-fangled Modes of Worship. We should be able to give every Duty its juft Value, and not be apt, as it too frequently happens, to lay a greater Strefs upon fome Things than God has laid upon them, and to make others more inconfiderable than they really are in God's Account. In a Word, we should not want a very good and useful Rule to fteer our felves by in all Cafes and Circumstances that we happen to be engaged in, where the exprefs Laws of God feem either to be short, or too obfcure. Let us all therefore be diligent and frequent in reading the Gospels of the New Teftament, wherein the Hiftory of our Saviour's Life is recorded. And let us from hence thoroughly acquaint our felves with the Manner of his Converfation, and obferve what a Person he was; what kind of Genius and Difpofition he had; what were the great Ends and Defigns he purfued in all his Actions; what Duties of Religion he was most zealous in; how in fuch and fuch Occurrences he behaved himself: And when we have fo done, let us, in these Things, feriously propose him to our Imitation; fo fhall we not fail of the aforefaid Benefits.

Now,

« PreviousContinue »