CHAPTER I.

_Of the life of_ Christ.

1. AS the Christian religion is not an invention of men, but the work of God, it received its full perfection at the beginning of it. For who can imagine, the apostles were ignorant of any truth necessary or useful to salvation? Or that any thing has been since found out touching the conduct of life, more wise and excellent than what Jesus Christ taught them? It is among the first Christians therefore, that we must look for a pattern of the most perfect life, and by consequence of the most happy, which can be upon earth.

2. Let us begin with the life of Christ himself, the model and source of all perfection. In his very childhood he sets us an example, by his teachableness and obedience to his parents. Of the rest of his youth we only know, that he lived in the little town of _Nazareth _, passing for the son of a carpenter and working as one himself. In such obscurity he, who came to be the light of the world, chose to pass the greatest part of his life. Thirty years he lived a private life, and only three or four in public, to shew us, that a private life is best for the generality of men: and that there is only a small number who ought to act in public, so far as the order of God, and the love of their neighbour require it.

3. Before he began his great work, he prepared himself for it, by fasting and prayer. And having afterwards been tempted of the devil, to shew, he is able to succour when we are tempted, he went forth to seek and to save that which was lost. He shewed that he came from God by his miracles. And even these gave him matter of many virtues; of simplicity, humility, patience. He wrought them without any pride or ostentation; he seldom stayed till he was asked to do them; and then, only to exercise, or to make known the faith of those that asked him. He gives the glory of all to his Father. “I can of myself, says he, (that is, as man) do nothing. My Father who abideth in me, he it is that doth the works.”

4. What patience was it, to bear that incredible multitude, which continually followed him, who prest to touch him, who threw themselves upon him, and were often ready to overwhelm him? If he went into a house, all the city gathered together at the door, and gave him no time, so much as to eat. So that he could no longer come into the towns, unless in secret; but was forced to stay abroad in the deserts: and even thither the people followed him in great multitudes, as appears by the five thousand, whom he fed there. Hence it was, that he retired to the mountains to pray, that he employed the nights therein, and that he slept when he could, and as he could; as in the ship, during the storm.

5. His life was now more laborious, than when he worked with his hands. Indeed he had not time to work in; insomuch that he suffered women to minister unto him of their goods, and even kept some money by him. Of this he made _Judas_ the keeper. So much did Jesus esteem money! He gave alms of the little he had, and sometimes he had none at all. Indeed he lived all along in great poverty. He had not where to lay his head. At his death, he had no goods, but his cloaths. He came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister. He made his journeys on foot, and continued walking even till the heat of the day. For it was at noon that he sat down, weary as he was, on the well, where he met the woman of _Samaria_. And tho’ he was the Lord of nature, we find not that he wrought any miracle for his own convenience, or to spare his own pains. The angels ministered unto him only once, to shew what was his due, had he pleased to use it.

6. All his carriage was simple, easy, natural, lively. He looked them in the face, with whom he spake: as the rich young man. It is often said, “He stretched forth his hand unto them;” often, that he made use of such other particular gestures, as were suitable to the occasion. Sometimes his very looks exprest pity, or grief, or indignation: at other times, tenderness; as when he took up the children in his arms, and laid his hands upon them.

7. With all this plainness and simplicity of behaviour, he preserved a wonderful dignity. He was always serious. We find him twice in tears: but it is not said, that he ever laughed. He asked nothing of any man, following his own maxim, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” All men sought him out and ran unto him. He conversed with all, without any meanness of behaviour, and yet with the utmost condescension; being easy of access to all; yea to Publicans and Sinners. He condescended to eat, and to lodge with them, yea to let a woman that was a sinner touch him, and perfume his feet; a delicacy that seemed quite opposite to his poor and mortified life.

8. As he came into the world to instruct mankind, he taught continually both in public and private: insomuch that men admired the power by which he spoke, and the gracious words that came out of his mouth. His discourse was simple and clear, without any ornament, but lively and natural figures. Sometimes, he speaks by actions, as when he bids _John_’s disciples, “Go tell unto _John_ what ye have seen and heard.” And generally, his words are few. He lays down great principles without troubling himself to draw consequences, or to prove them. Indeed they carry in themselves the light of truth, which only wilful blindness can resist. When he does use proofs, they are those of sensible reasonings and familiar comparisons. His miracles were the strongest proofs, and best suited to all understandings. These were equally apprehended by the learned, as _Nicodemus_, and the unlearned, as the man born blind. He often joins thereto the authorities of the law and the prophets, shewing that his doctrine came from the same wisdom, and that the Old Testament and the New were built on the same divine foundation.

9. That his disciples might have the full benefit of his example, he lived with them in common, as one family. They followed him wherever he went; they eat and lodged with him; they had opportunity of studying him continually. He spared no pains to instruct them. What they understood not in his public discourses, he explained to them in private; treating them as his friends, and telling them all things, as they were able to bear them. He bore with the utmost patience, their dulness, their ignorance, their vanity, and all their faults, and laboured without ceasing to correct them.

*10. But he had other disciples beside the _twelve_: for all who believed and were baptized were called his disciples. St. _Paul_ mentions above 500 of them, who together saw him after his resurrection. So that the church even then consisted of _two_ parts: the people, simply called _The disciples_ or _The brethren_, and those whom Christ had set apart for ministring in public: such were first, _The apostles_, and then the _seventy_, whom he chose, and sent _two_ and _two_ before his face.

*11. The different degrees of love wherewith our Lord loved different persons are worthy a serious reflection. He hath taught us, that every man is our neighbour, whom we are to love as ourselves: and he accordingly loved all the world: yea, he gave his life for all. Yet he loved his disciples in a particular manner, and above the rest of them, his apostles; above the rest of the apostles, St. _Peter_ and the sons of _Zebedee_; and above all, St. _John_. Thus by his own example hath he authorized us to regard some persons with a particular affection, and shewn, that peculiar friendship is not inconsistent with universal charity.

12. But in his sufferings chiefly hath “He left us an example, that we should tread in his steps.” Being like us in all things, except sin, he felt all the inconveniences of life; hunger, thirst and weariness and pain: and the state he was in, the night before his passion in the garden, plainly shews, that he was sensible like us, of grief and fear and sadness. Add to these his sense of the hardness of men’s hearts, and the contradiction of sinners. But he suffered all, and particularly in his passion, with an invincible constancy. He who with a word could have confounded his accusers and judges together, opened not his mouth. He stood unmoved as a rock in the midst of all insults, reproaches, outrages. On the very cross he possest his soul in patience. Even there retaining composure of mind, he prays for his murderers; he accepts the faith of the penitent thief; he provides for his mother’s comfort; he finishes the accomplishment of the prophecies; he commends his spirit to God.