his righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you. Take, therefore, no thought for to-morrow, for to-morrow shall take thought for the things of itself; sufficient is the day for the evil thereof." Oh! how plain, how sweet, how full, yet how brief, are his blessed sentences! they thereby shew from whence they came, and that Divinity itself spoke them. What are laboured, what are forced and scattered in the best of other writers, and not all neither, are here comprized after a natural, easy, and conspicuous manner. He sets nature above art, and trust above care. This is he that himself came poor into the world, and so lived in it: he lay in a manger; conversed with mechanics; fasted much, retired often: and when he feasted, it was with barley loaves and fish, dressed doubtless in an easy and homely manner. He was solitary in his life, in his death ignominious: "The foxes had holes, the birds of the air had nests, but the Son of Man had not a place whereon to lay his head." He that made all things as God, had nothing as Man. Which hath this blessed instruction in it, that the meanest and poorest should not be dejected, nor yet the richest and highest be exalted. In fine, having taught this doctrine, and lived as he spoke, he died to confirm it; and offered up himself a propitiation for the "sins of the whole world," when no other sacrifice could be found that could atone for man with God who, rising above the power of death and the grave, hath led captivity captive, and is become the First-boru from the dead, and Lord of the living; and his living people praise him, who is worthy for ever.

Sect. 2. JOHN the Baptist, who was the fore-runner of Christ's appearance in the flesh, did by his own abstinence sufficiently declare what sort of person it was he came to prepare and bespeak people to receive. For, though sanctified in his mother's womb, and declared by Christ to be the greatest of all prophets, yet his clothing was but a coarse garment of camel's hair, and a leathern

< Matt. vi.

girdle, and his food only locusts and wild honey: a life very natural, and of great simplicity. This was all the pomp and retinue which the greatest ambassador that ever came to the world was attended with, about the best of messages, to wit, "Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand." And "There is One coming after me, whose shoes-latchet I am not worthy to unloose, who shall baptize you with fire,, and with the Holy Ghost; and is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world." Did the fore-runner of the coming of God, for Emmanuel is God with men, appear without the state, grandeur, and luxury of the world?, and shall those who pretend to receive the message, and that for glad tidings too, and confess the Emmanuel, Christ Jesus, to be the Lord, live in the vanity and excess of the world, and care more for their fine clothes, delicate dishes, rich furniture, stately attendance, and pleasant diversion, than for the holy cross of Christ, and the blessed narrow way that leadeth to salvation? Be ashamed and repent!

Sect. 3. PETER, ANDREW, PHILIP, and the rest of the holy apostles, were by calling, as well as doctrine, not a luxurious people; for they were made up of poor fishermen and mechanics: for Christ called not his disciples out of higher ranks of men; nor had they ability, any more than will, to use the excesses herein reproved. You may conceive what their lives were, by what their Master's doctrine was; for they were the true scholars of his heavenly discipline. Peter thus speaks, and exhorteth the Christians of his time, "Let not your adorning be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and the wearing of gold, and of putting on of apparel; but let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price; for after this manner in the old time, the holy women, who also trusted in God, adorned them

& Mark i. 7, 8.

selves. Wherefore gird up the loins of your minds, be sober, and hope to the end, as obedient children ; not fashioning yourselves according to your former lusts, in your ignorance, but as he which hath called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation; and giving all diligence, add to your faith, virtue; to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, temperance; and to temperance, patience; and to patience, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, charity for if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that you shall be neither barren nor unfruitful for so an entrance shall be administered unto you abundantly, into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing; but contrary-wise, blessing: knowing that you are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing: for even hereunto were ye called, before Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that we should follow his steps, who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth; who, when he was reviled, he reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not, but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously."

с

Sect. 4. PAUL, who was also an apostle, though, as he saith, "born out of due time :" a man of great knowledge and learning, but "I count it," saith he," all loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung that I may win Christ. Brethren, be followers of me, and mark them which walk so, as ye have us for an example: for many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction; for their god is their belly, they glory in their shame, and they mind earthly things. For our conversation is in heaven; from whence we

1 Pet. iii. 3, 4. 1 Pet. i. 13, 14, 15. 2 Pet. i. 5, 12. 1 Pet. iii. 9. ch. ii. 21, 22, 23.

look also for our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ., In like manner also, I will that women adorn themselves in modest apparel, with shamefacedness and sobriety; not with broidered hair, or gold, or pearls, or costly array; but with good works, as becometh women professing godliness. Be followers of God, as dear children; and walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us but fornication and all uncleanness, and covetousness, let it not be once named amongst you, as becometh saints; neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient; but rather giving of thanks for this ye know, that no whoremonger, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath an inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. See then that you walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is; and be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess, but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to yourselves in hymns and spiritual songs, singing, and making melody in your hearts to the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord always; and I say again, Rejoice. Let your moderation be known to all men, for the Lord is at hand. Be careful for nothing; for we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out and having food and raiment, let us be therewith content; for godliness with contentment is great gain but they that will be rich, fall into temptation, and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in perdition and destruction : for the love of money is the root of all evil; which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows. But thou, O man of God, flee these things, and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, and lay hold on eternal life, whereunto thou art also called, and hast professed a good profession before many witnesses.

give thee charge in the sight of God, who quickeneth all things, and before Christ Jesus who before Pontius Pilate witnessed a good confession, that thou keep this commandment without spot, unrebukeable, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high-minded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy; that they do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to distribute, willing to communicate, laying up in store for themselves a good foundation against the time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal life. O Timothy, keep that which is committed to thy trust, avoiding profane and vain babblings, and oppositions of science, falsely so called, which some professing, have erred concerning the faith. Grace be with thee, Amen." This was

the blessed doctrine these messengers of eternal life declared; and, which is more, they lived as they spoke. You find an account of their reception in the world, and the way of their living in his first epistle to the Corinthians; For I think," saith he, that God hath set forth us (the apostles) last, as it were men appointed to death; for we are made a spectacle to the world, to angels, and to men. We are fools for Christ's sake; we are weak, we are despised; even unto this present hour we both hunger and thirst, and have no certain dwellingplace; and labour, working with our hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it; being defamed, we entreat. We are made as the filth of the world, and are as the off-scouring of all things unto this day." This was the entertainment those faithful followers of Jesus received at the hands of an ungrateful world: but he who tells us of this, also tells us it is no unusual thing; "For," saith he, "such as will live godly in Christ Jesus, must suffer persecution." sides, he knew it had been the portion of the righteous in preceding ages, as in his excellent account of the faith, trials, and victory of the holy ancients, in his epis

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