Christ his Lord,' esteem all such things (all worldly privileges and benefits) as loss and as dung, as things detrimental and despicable; wisely did the holy Apostles forsake all things, (all their dearest relations, all their sweetest enjoyments, all their secular occupations,) to follow such a Lord. (Behold,' saith St. Peter, we have let go all things, and have followed thee.') Most just and reasonable are those sentences pronounced against those vainly proud, or perversely contumacious people, who are ashamed to obey him, or do reject his government; Whosoever shall be ashamed of me, or of my words, him shall the Son of man be ashamed of, when he comes in the glory of himself, and of his Father, and the holy angels.' Them who proudly disdain to serve him here, will he with just and sad disdain reject hereafter from his face and favor; yea with dreadful vengeance will he punish their perverseness; Those mine enemies,' will he say, that would not have me reign over them, bring them hither, and slay them before me.'

9. St. Paul also maketh use of this consideration, to press on superiors their duties toward their inferiors; their duties of equity, meekness, kindness, mercy, pity, and all humanity; 'Masters,' saith he, yield unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven' and, Ye masters,' saith he again, do the same things to them, (perform the like good offices, show the same goodwill to your servants,) forbearing menaces; knowing that your Master also is in heaven, and there is no respect of persons with him.' Thus in Leviticus God commandeth his people not 'to rule over their servants with rigor,' assigning this reason, For they are my servants,' &c. And we know how our Saviour, as he doth commend and bless those wise and honest servants, who, being appointed over his household, (that is, being placed in any superior rank or charge,) do behave themselves justly and kindly to their fellow-servants, dispensing to them their food in due season;' so on those who injuriously or rudely do beat or abuse their fellow-servants; who are harsh, rigorous, or unmerciful in exactions of debt, or in any other dealings toward them, he denounceth severe chastisement. A servant of the Lord (that is, one employed by Christ in office or charge) must not fight, but must be gentle

any

unto all,' saith St. Paul; such indeed should be the humility and goodness of Christians one toward another, that the greatest of them should stoop to the meanest offices and expressions of good-will to their brethren; He,' saith our Lord, that will be great among you, let him be your minister; and he that will be first of you, let him be your servant.'

10. The consideration indeed of Christ being our Lord, is in general an inducement to charity, to all sorts of charity. We must,' saith St. Paul, walk worthy of our calling, with all lowliness of mind, and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of spirit in the bond of peace;' because we are members of the same body, whereof Christ is the head, and fellow-servants of the same Lord. It is an endearing and obliging relation; it becometh us and concerneth us, being so of one family, to be courteous and gentle, kind and helpful one to another; to maintain peace, quiet, and love one with another; it is a just duty and respect to our common Master, who loveth order and peace, who hateth confusion and dissension in his house; who is himself full of charity toward every one of his, and therefore hath enjoined it as the especial duty, hath declared it to be the most distinctive character of his servants and followers; Hereby,' saith he, shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.'

11. Particularly this consideration doth oblige us to exercise that piece of charity and of justice which consists in forbearing rash and harsh censure; which practice is not only very uncharitable and unjust toward our brethren, but it also a wrongful and arrogant encroachment on our Lord himself, unto whom only the right of decision in such cases doth appertain; unto whose infallible and impartial judgment both they and we are obnoxious; Who art thou,' saith St. Paul, judgest another's servant?' (or domestic; ¿XXórpiov oikérny :)‘to his own master he standeth or falleth :' and, Why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother?' and, We shall all be presented before the judgmentseat of Christ:'There is,' saith St. James, one Lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy; who art thou that judgest another?' It is, we see, an invading our Lord's right and au

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thority, without most evident and reasonable cause, to censure or condemn our fellow-servants.

12. The consideration of this point our Saviour doth also improve, as an engagement to imitate himself in the practice of all virtue and piety; especially in the practice of charity, humility, and patience. It is proper for a servant to follow and attend on his master in all places and in all performances; to compose himself in behavior to the manners and example, to conform himself to the garb and condition of his Lord: is it not absurd and unseemly that the servant should be more stately, or more delicate than his master; that he should slight those whom his master vouchsafes to respect; that he should refuse to undertake those employments, should scorn to undergo those hardships, which his master doth willingly condescend unto? To such purpose our Saviour discourseth; impressing by this argument on his disciples the duties of humility, charity, and patience, by him exemplified for that very end; Ye call me,' saith he, Master, and Lord; and ye say well, for so I am if I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet; for I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.' And having directed his disciples to the patient enduring of reproaches, affronts, and injuries put on them, he enforces his precept by subjoining, The disciple is not above his master, nor the servant above his lord' it is enough for the disciple to be as his master, and the servant as his lord;' that is, the servant in all reason ought to be very well content, if he find such usage as his lord hath willingly and patiently undergone. And he thus again impresses these duties on them; He that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve:' for whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? but I am among you as he that serveth.' Yea, St. John raiseth this consideration so high, that he saith thus; Because he laid down his life for us, we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.'

13. Finally, for our satisfaction and encouragement, we may consider that the service of Christ is rather indeed a great freedom than a service; it is a reducement into a most desi

rable estate, wherein we fully enjoy that wherein liberty is defined to consist, éovoiav avronрayias, power of doing whatever (as reasonable and wise men) we please ourselves to do; wherein all things are lawful to us, excepting only such things as are unprofitable to us, or hurtful. What Aristotle made the character of a just prince, (whose government doth nowise prejudice true liberty,) that he doth not in his government chiefly aim at his own profit, but his subjects' good, is perfectly true of our Lord: he is indeed capable to receive no private benefit to himself, beside satisfaction in our welfare; all his laws and commands, all his administrations and proceedings, are purely directed to our advantage. Even the statutes which God gave to Israel by Moses are said to have been commanded for their good,' not for any good that could accrue to God from their observance: much more are the laws of Christ purely such; conducing to the health, the safety, the peace, the comfort, the joy, the happiness both of our bodies and souls; of the present temporal life here, and of our immortal state hereafter; His religion is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.' Well therefore might St. James call the law of Christ a perfect law of liberty;' well might our Saviour say, 'If the Son set you free, then are ye free indeed.' What the Stoics vaunted of themselves, the Christian modestly and truly may say, that he is the only free man; it is this philosophy only, to which those words of Seneca may truly be applied; You must serve philosophy, that you may attain true liberty:* for, if to be above the reach of all considerable evil or mischief; if to be safe from all enemies, and secure from all impressions of fortune; if to have no reason much to fear, or much to grieve for any thing; if not to desire things base, or things immoderate; if to have an especial command over one's self, is (as those philosophers define it) properly liberty; then is he most free that serves our Lord. If to be rescued from the servitude of disorderly passions and base vices is the greatest freedom, then the good Christian chiefly doth enjoy it. A good man,' saith St. Austin,† although he serve, is free

Sen. Ep. 8. et 88.

+ Aug. de Civ. Dei, iv. 112.

a bad man, although he reign, is a slave; not of one man, but, which is more grievous, of so many lords, as of vices.' Such indeed is the benignity of our Lord, that he treats his faithful servants rather as friends than as servants; Ye are,' saith he, my friends, if ye do whatever I command you; I call you no more servants.' Yea he bears to them the affection of a brother, and affords them the honor to be so styled; 'Go,' saith he, after his resurrection, to Mary Magdalene,' to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; to my God, and to your God:' and, "Idere TOraπǹv άyárny, 'See ye what love the Father hath given us, that we should be called the sons of God.'

Full of so many practical uses is this excellent point; the which I leave to be farther deduced by your meditation.

Now, The God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit, and soul, and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ;' to whom be glory and praise for ever. Amen.