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SERMON IV.

Chrift's Humility, and Meekness, and acknowledging God in his Actions.

I PET. ii. 21.

Leaving us an Example, that ye fhould fol low his Steps.

HE laft Time I gave an Ac count of fome of those particular Virtues and Qualities that our Saviour was moft eminent and remarkable for, and in which he chiefly propofed himself as an Example to us; and here the first Thing I inftanced in, was his exemplary Devotion, both publick and private; the second was his Diligence in the Discharge of the Duties of his Calling; and the third was his fervent Love and Charity to Mankind. I now proceed to fome others.

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The fourth great Inftance, wherein we are efpecially to propofe our Saviour to our Imitation, is his wonderful Humility. In this Quality, and that other of Meeknefs, (which never fails to accompany it, and of which I fhall speak more by and by) He himself doth particularly recommend himself as a Pattern to us in that memorable Paffage in the 11th of St. Matthew, laft Verfe, Come unto me (faith he) all ye that are weary and heavy laden, and I will refresh you; take my Yoke upon you, and learn of me, for I am meek and lowly in Heart, and ye shall find Reft for your Souls.

And certainly a greater Example of Humility and Lowlinefs there never was, tho' he knew that both upon the Account of the Excellency of his Perfon, and the Dignity of his Office, he was the greatest of the Sons of Men, yet he made fuch Condefcenfions as never Man did.

Was it not an aftonishing Condefcenfion for the greatest Prince in the World, to make his firft Entrance upon Earth in no nobler a Guife and Appearance, than as the Son of a poor Maid efpoufed to a Carpenter, and to take up his firft Lodging in no better a Place than a Manger? Was there ever fo great an Expreffion of Lowlinefs of Mind, as that he, who could command all the World, fhould become a Bb 3 Servant

Servant to all the World? And yet thus did our bleffed Saviour all the Time he lived. He that was the Sovereign of Men and Angels, yet took upon him the Form of a Servant. He, of whom God himself had said, Let all the Angels of God worship him; and of whom it is faid, that, de facto, the Angels of God came and miniftred unto him, yet faith of himfelf, that He came not to be miniftred into, but to minifter. And this Saying he made good in all the Periods of his Life; for while he was under the Tuition of his poor Parents, he faithfully ferved them, being, as St. Luke tells us, fubject unto them. So fubject indeed, that if we may believe Juftin Martyr, he fubmitted himself to follow his Father's Trade and Occupation; and of this truly we have fome Intimation in the 6th of St. Mark. For whereas in other Places he is, by way of Reproach, called the Carpenter's Son, in that Place he is called the Carpenter; from whence one may probably gather, that, during his Minority, he profeffed the fame Art that his reputed Father Jofeph did.

After he came to his own Difpofal, and to a more publick Employment, he ftill made good the Character of a Servant; he had nothing of outward Pomp or Greatness in his Circumftances, that might attract Mens Eyes, and recommend him to the

Efteem

Efteem of the World. On the contrary, the Way of Living that he chofe, was mean and poor, his Attendants a Company of Fishermen, his Income and Revenue what Providence fent him, and the Charity of others bestowed upon him, living from Hand to Mouth, and waiting upon God for his daily Bread. It is true, the Beams of his Divinity fhone fometimes fo brightly through this Cloud of his outward Circumftances, in the mighty Works that he did, that the People were ftruck with Admiration of him, and thought him worthy of a Throne and Empire, and would have invefted him therewith. St. John tells us, that once they would by Force have made him a King. But our humble Saviour would not fo quit his innocent Poverty and Privacy, but withdrew himself from them, leaving them to guefs at what he afterward declared to Pilate, that his Kingdom was not of this World.

But the Meannefs of his Appearance, and his Contempt of worldly Greatness, were not the only Inftances of his Humility indeed if they had, he had not been fo recommendable to us upon that Account; for tho' he might prefer a Cottage before a Throne, yet in that Cottage he might be imperious enough among his own Domefticks. But fo far was he from that, that after he had feveral Times rebuked

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his own Family for their Contentions about Precedence, and their Difputes who should be greateft, telling them often, that he that was the leaft and humbleft among them, should be the greatest in his Efteem, he at last, in his own Perfon, gives them fuch a furprizing Example of Humility and Condefcenfion, as, if it was confider'd, would for ever put an End to all their ambitious Thoughts and Pursuits. He wafhed the Feet of his Difciples one by one, and told them withal, that the Reafon he did it for, was, that they might do fo likewife one to another. Te call me (faith he) John xiii. 13, 14, 15. Mafter, and Lord: and ye fay well; for fo I am. If I then your Lord and Mafter have washed your Feet, ye alfo ought to wash one another's Feet: For I have given you an Example, that ye fhould do as I have done unto you. O how ought the Confideration of thefe Things to take down that High Spirit, as we call it, that reigns in too many of us, to abate that Tumour of Pride, and Ambition, and Vainglory, which is too apt, God knows, to blow up our Minds! Oh, what a Rebuke hath our Saviour here given to all that we call Great, and Brave, and Rich, and Magnificent in the World! How little valuable in the Eyes of God hath he, by this his Example, made it appear to be; and how ridiculous hath he rendered thofe lofty

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