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SERM. concurrence of our will; our works not being our works, XXXVI. if they do not iffue from our will; and our will not being our will, if it be not free: to compel it were to destroy it, together with all the worth of our virtue and obedience: wherefore the Almighty doth fuffer himself to be withstood, and beareth repulfes from us; nor commonly doth he mafter our will otherwise, than by its own fpontaneous converfion and fubmiffion to him b: if ever we be conquered, as we shall share in the benefit, and wear a crown; fo we must join in the combat, and partake of the victory, by fubduing ourselves: we must take the yoke upon us; for God is only ferved by volunteers; he fummoneth us by his word, he attracteth us by his grace, but we must freely come unto him.

Our will indeed, of all things, is moft our own; the only gift, the most proper facrifice we have to offer; which therefore God doth chiefly defire, doth most highly prize, doth most kindly accept from us. Seeing then our duty chiefly moveth on this hinge, the free fubmiffion and refignation of our will to the will of God; it is this practice, which our Lord (who came to guide us in the way to happiness, not only as a teacher by his word and excellent doctrine, but as a leader, by his actions and perfect example) did especially set before us, as in the conftant tenor of his life, fo particularly in that great exigency which occafioned these words, wherein, renouncing and deprecating his own will, he did exprefs an entire fubmiffion to God's will, a hearty complacence therein, and a ferious defire that it might take place.

For the fuller understanding of which cafe, we may confider, that our Lord, as partaker of our nature, and in all things (bating fin) like unto us, had a natural human will, attended with fenfes, appetites, and affections, apt from objects incident to receive congruous impreffions of pleasure and pain; so that whatever is innocently grateful and pleasant to us, that he relished with delight, and

ὁ Ἐπεὶ τᾶτο καὶ αὐτὰ διαβάλλει τὰ ἀγαθὰ εἰ μὴ τοιαύτη αὐτῶν ἔτιν ἡ φύσις, ὡς * ἑκόντας προσδραμεῖν, καὶ χάριν ἔχειν πολλήν. Chryf. in 1 Cor. Orat. 2.

thence did incline to embrace; whatever is diftafteful and SERM. XXXVI. afflictive to us, that he refented with grief, and thence was moved to eschew: to this probably he was liable in a degree beyond our ordinary rate; for that in him nature was most perfect, his complexion very delicate, his temper exquifitely found and fine; for fo we find, that by how much any man's conftitution is more found, by fo much he hath a fmarter guft of what is agreeable or offenfive to nature: if perhaps fometimes infirmity of body, or diftemper of foul (a favage ferity, a stupid dulness, a fondness of conceit, or stiffness of humour, fupported by wild opinions, or vain hopes) may keep men from being thus affected by fenfible objects; yet in him pure nature did work vigorously, with a clear apprehenfion and lively fense, according to the defign of our Maker, when into our conftitution he did implant those paffive faculties, difpofing objects to affect them fo and fo, for our need and advantage; if this be deemed weakness, it is a weakness connected with our nature, which he therewith did take, and with which, as the Apostle faith, he was encompassed. 'ExaSuch a will our Lord had, and it was requifite that he fhould rivesay. · ται ἀσθένειαν, have it, that he thence might be qualified to discharge Heb. v. 2. the principal inftances of obedience, for procuring God's favour to us, and for fetting an exact pattern before us; for God impofing on him duties to perform, and difpenfing accidents to endure, very cross to that natural will, in his compliance and acquiefcence thereto, his obedience was thoroughly tried; his virtue did fhine moft brightly; therefore, as the Apostle faith, he was in all points tempted; Heb. iv. 15, thence, as to meritorious capacity and exemplary influ- ii. 10, 18. ence, he was perfected through fuffering.

τὸς περίκει.

Hence was the whole courfe of his life and converfation among men fo defigned, fo modelled, as to be one continual exercise of thwarting that human will, and clofing with the divine pleafure: it was predicted of him, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God; and of himself he af- Heb. x. 7. firmed, I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, John vi. 38. but the will of him that fent me: whereas therefore fuch v.30.iv.34. a practice is little seen in achieving easy matters, or in ad

Pfal. xl. 7.

SERM. mitting pleasant occurrences; it was ordered for him, XXXVI. that he should encounter the roughest difficulties, and be engaged in circumftances moft harth to natural apprehenfion and appetite; so that if we trace the footsteps of his life from the fordid manger to the bloody crofs, we can hardly mark any thing to have befallen him apt to satisfy the will of nature. Nature liketh refpect, and loatheth contempt; therefore was he born of mean parentage, and in a most homely condition; therefore did he live in no garb, did affume no office, did exercise no power, did meddle in no affairs, which procure to men confideration and regard; therefore an impoftor, a blasphemer, a forcerer, a loose companion, a feditious incendiary, were the titles of honour and the elogies of praise conferred on him; therefore was he expofed to the lafh of every flanderous, every fcurrilous, every petulant and ungoverned tongue.

Nature doth affect the good opinion and good-will of men, especially when due in grateful return for great courtesy and beneficence; nor doth any thing more grate thereon, than abuse of kindness: therefore could he (the John vii. 7. world's great Friend and Benefactor) fay, the world hateth me; therefore were thofe, whom he with fo much charity and bounty had inftructed, had fed, had cured of diseases, (both corporal and spiritual,) so ready to clamour, and commit outrage upon him; therefore could he thus exJohn x. 32. poftulate, Many good works have I fhewed you from my Father; for which of thofe works do ye ftone me? Therefore did his kindred flight him, therefore did his difciples John xiii. abandon him, therefore did the grand traitor iffue from his own bofom; therefore did that whole nation, which he chiefly fought and laboured to fave, confpire to perfecute him, with most rancorous fpite and cruel misusage.

18.

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Nature loveth plentiful accommodations, and abhorreth

to be pinched with any want: therefore was extreme penury appointed to him; he had no revenue, no estate, no Matt. iii. certain livelihood, not fo much as a houfe where to lay his 20. xvii. 25. head, or a piece of money to discharge the tax for it; he Luke viii.3. owed his ordinary support to alms, or voluntary benefi

xxi. 19.

cence; he was to feek his food from a fig tree on the way; SERM. and fometimes was beholden for it to the courtefy of XXXVI. Publicans; di' ¡μãs éntúxevce, he was, faith St. Paul, a 2 Cor. viii. beggar for us.

9.

Matt.iv.23.

Phil. ii. 7.

Nature delighteth in ease, in quiet, in liberty: therefore did he spend his days in continual labour, in restless travel, in endless vagrancy, going about and doing good; John iv. 6. ever haftening thither, whither the needs of men did call, .. or their benefit invite; therefore did he take on him the Aas x. 38. form of a fervant, and was among his own followers as Luke xxi. one that miniftereth; therefore he pleafed not himself, but 27. fuited his demeanour to the ftate and circumftances of things, complied with the manners and fashions, comported with the humours and infirmities of men.

Mark vi. 6.

Nature coveteth good fuccefs to its defigns and undertakings, hardly brooking to be disappointed and defeated in them: therefore was he put to water dry fticks and to wash Negroes, that is, to instruct a most dull and stupid, to reform a most perverse and stubborn generation; therefore his ardent defires, his folicitous cares, his painful endeavours for the good of men did obtain fo little fruit, had indeed a contrary effect, rather aggravating their fins than removing them, rather hardening than turning their hearts, rather plunging them deeper into perdition, than refcuing them from it; therefore so much in vain did he, in numberlefs miraculous works, display his power and goodness, eonvincing few, converting fewer by them; therefore, although he taught with most power- Luke iv.22, ful authority, with most charming gracefulness, with most convincing evidence, yet, Who, could he say, hath believed Joh. xii. 38. our report? Though he most earnestly did invite and allure men to him, offering the richest boons that heaven. itself could dispense, yet, Ye will not, was he forced to Joh. v. 40. say, come unto me, that ye may be faved: although, with affiduous fervency of affection, he ftrove to reclaim them from courses tending to their ruin, yet how he prospered, fad experience declareth, and we may learn from that doleful complaint, How often would I have gathered thy Luke xiin children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her 34. xix. 42.

32.

ExoαTE, your will did not

SERM. wings, but ye would not! x concur, your will did not fubmit.

XXXVI.

35.

31.

23.xviii.12.

17.

In fine, natural will feeketh pleasure, and fhunneth pain but what pleasure did he tafte? what inclination,

what appetite, what sense did he gratify? How did he Mark i. 13, feast, or revel? How, but in tedious fastings, in frequent Luke v. 16. hungers, by paffing whole nights in prayer and retireJoh. iv. 6, ment for devotion upon the cold mountains? What Luke vi. 12. fports had he, what recreation did he take, but feeling Matt. xiv. inceffant gripes of compaffion, and wearifome roving in queft of the loft fheep? In what converfation could he divert himself, but among those, whose doltish incapacity and forward humour did wring from his patience those Matt. xvii. words, How long shall I be with you? how long shall I fuffer you? What mufic did he hear? What but the rattlings of clamorous obloquy, and furious accufations against him? To be desperately maligned, to be infolently mocked; to be styled a king, and treated as a slave; to be spit on, to be buffetted, to be fcourged, to be drenched with gall, to be crowned with thorns, to be mailed to a crofs; thefe were the delights which our Lord enjoyed, these the sweet comforts of his life and the notable profperities of his fortune: fuch a portion was allotted to him, the which he did accept from God's hand with all patient fubmiffion, with perfect contentednefs, with exceeding alacrity, never repining at it, never complaining of it, never flinching from it, or fainting under it; but proceeding on in the performance of all his duty and prosecution of his great defigns with undaunted courage, with unwearied industry, with undisturbed tran quillity and fatisfaction of mind.

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Had indeed his condition and fortune been otherwife framed; had he come into the world qualified with a noble extraction; had he lived in a fplendid equipage; had he enjoyed à plentiful estate and a fair reputation ; had he been favoured and careffed by men; had he found a current of profperous fuccefs; had safety, ease, and pleasure waited on him; where had been the pious refignation of his will, where the precious merit of his

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