All Christians are Required to Imitate the Life and Example of Jesus Christ.
THERE is no falseness of our hearts that leads us into greater errors than imagining that we shall some time or other be better than we are, or need be now; for perfection has no dependance upon external circumstances, it wants no times nor opportunities; but is then in its highest state, when we are making the best use of that condition in which we are placed. The poor widow did not stay till she was rich before she contributed to the treasury; she readily brought her mite, and little as it was, it got her the reward and commendation of great charity. We must therefore all of us imitate the wisdom of the poor widow, and exercise every virtue in the same manner that she exercised her charity. We must stay for no time nor opportunities, wait for no change of life, nor fancied abilities, but remember that every time is a time for piety and perfection. Every thing but piety has its hinderness; but piety, the more it is hindered, the higher it is raised. Let us therefore not vainly say that if we had lived in our Saviour's days we would have followed him, or that if we could work miracles we would devote ourselves to his glory. For to follow Christ as far as we can in our present state, and to do all that we are able for his glory, is as acceptable to him as if we were working miracles in his name. The greatness that we are to aim at is not the greatness of our Saviour's particular actions; but it is the greatness of his Spirit and temper that we are to act by in all parts of our life. Now every state of life, whether public or private, whether bond or free, whether high or low, is capable of being conducted and governed by the same spirit and temper, and consequently every state of life may carry us to the same degree of likeness to Christ. So that though we can in no respect come up to the actions, yet we must in every respect act by the Spirit and temper of Christ. Learn of me, saith our blessed Lord, for I am meek and lowly in heart. He doth not say, Be ye in the state and condition that I am in, for that was impossible; yet though ever so different in state and condition, he calls upon us to be like him in meekness and lowliness of heart and spirit, and makes it necessary for us to go through our particular state with that spirit and temper, which was the spirit and temper of his whole life. So far then as we can learn the heart and Spirit of our Saviour, so far as we can discover the wisdom, purity and heavenliness of his designs; so far we have learned what spirit and temper we ought to be of, and must no more think ourselves at liberty to act by any other spirit, than we are at liberty to choose another Saviour. In all our actions and ways of life we must appeal to this rule, we must reckon ourselves no farther living like Christians, than as we live like Christ; and be assured that so far as we depart from the Spirit of Christ, so far we depart from that state to which he has called us. For the blessed Jesus has called us to live as he did, to walk in the same spirit that he walked, that we may be in the same happiness with him when this life is at an end. And indeed who can think that any thing but the same life can lead to the same state. When our blessed Saviour was upon the cross, he thus prayed for his enemies: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. Luke xxiii, 34. Now all christians readily acknowledge that this temper of Christ is to be the exact rule of our temper on a like occasion, that we are not to fall short of it, but must be perfectly like Christ in this charity to our murderers. But then perhaps they do not enough consider that for the same reason, every other temper of Christ is as much the exact rule of all christians, as his temper towards his murderers. For are we to be thus disposed towards our persecutors and murderers, because Christ was so disposed towards his? And is it not as good an argument, that we are to be so and so disposed towards the world, and all worldly enjoyments, because Christ was so disposed towards them? He was as right in one case as the other, and no more erred in his temper towards worldly things, than in his temper towards his enemies. Should we not fail to be good christians, if we fall short of that forgiving spirit which the blessed Jesus showed upon the cross? And shall we not equally fail to be good christians, if we fall short of that humble and meek spirit which he showed in all his life? Can any one tell why the temper of Christ towards his enemies should be more the exact measure of our temper than any other spirit that he showed upon any other occasion? Think, reader, if thou canst find a reason why thou mayest not as well forgive thy enemies less than Christ forgave his, as to love the world more than he loved it? If thou canst tell why it is not as dangerous to be wanting in the humility, meekness and other tempers of Christ, as to be wanting in his charity towards his enemies? We must therefore either own that we may be good christians without the forgiving spirit which Christ then exercised, or we must own that we are not good christians whenever we depart from the Spirit of Christ in any other instances. For the Spirit of Christ consisted as much in meekness, humility, devotion and renunciation of the world, as in the forgiveness of his enemies: they therefore who are contrary to Christ in any of these tempers, are no more like to Christ than they who are contrary to him in this forgiving spirit. If you were to see a christian dying without this temper towards those that destroyed him, you would be frightened at it; you would think that man in a dreadful state, who died without that temper in which Christ died. But then remember, that he judges as rightly, who thinks it equally dreadful to live in any other spirit that is not the spirit of Christ. If thou art not living in that meekness and lowliness of heart, in that disregard of the world, that love of God, that self-denial and devotion, in which our Saviour lived, thou art as unlike to him as he that dies without that temper in which he died. The short of the matter is this, the spirit and temper of Christ is the strict measure of the spirit and temper of all christians. It is not in this or that particular temper of Christ that we are to follow his example; but we are to aspire after his whole Spirit, to be in all things as he was, and think it as dangerous to depart from this Spirit and temper in one instance as in another. For besides, that there is the same authority in all that our Saviour did, which obliges us to conform to his whole example, can any one tell why we should have more value for this world than our Saviour had? What is there in our state and circumstances that can make it proper for us to have more affection for the things of this life than our Saviour had? Is the world any more our happiness than it was his happiness? Are riches, and honors, and pleasures, any more our proper good than they were his? Are we any more born for this life than our Saviour was? Are we in less danger of being corrupted by its enjoyments than he was? Are we more at leisure to take up our rest and spend our time in worldly satisfactions than he was? Have we a work upon our hands that we can more easily finish than he could finish his? That requires of us less mortification and self-denial, less devotion and watching, than our Saviour's required of him? Now as nothing of this can be said, so nothing can be42said in our excuse, if we follow not our Saviour's temper in this respect. As this world is as little our happiness and more our danger than it was his, as we have a work to finish that requires all our strength, that is as contrary to the world as our Saviour's was, it is plain there was no reason or necessity of his disregard of the world, but what is the same reason and necessity for us to disregard it in the same manner. Again, take another instance of our blessed Saviour's spirit: I came down from heaven (saith he) not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. John vi, 38. And again, My meat and my drink is to do the will of him that sent me. Now can any christian show why he may think otherwise of himself than our Saviour here thought? Or that he need be less devoted to the glory of God than he was? What is there in our nature and condition to make any difference of this kind? Do we not stand in the same relation to God that our Saviour did? Have not we the same nature that he had? Are we too great to be made happy in the same way that he was? Or can anything else be the happiness of our nature but that which was the happiness of his? Was he a sufferer, a loser? Did he leave the true happiness of human life, by devoting himself to the will of God? Or can this be our case, though it was not his? Can we be losers by looking to God alone, and devoting ourselves to his glory? Was it not the greatness and happiness of our Saviour that he lived to God alone? And is there any other happiness or greatness for us, but by making that the end and aim of our life, which is made the end and aim of his life? For we may as well seek out for another God as for another happiness, or another way to it than that in which Christ has gone before us. He did not mistake the nature of man, or the nature of the world; he did not overlook any real felicity, or pass by any solid good; he only made the best use of human life, and made it the cause of all the happiness and glory that can arise from it. To find a reason, therefore, why we should live otherwise than he lived; why we should less seek the glory of God than he sought it, is to find out a reason why we should less promote our own greatness and glory. For our state and condition in this life lays us under all the obligations that our Saviour was under, to live as he did: his life is as much our right way as it was his; and his spirit and temper are as necessary for our condition as they were for his. For this world, and all the things of the world signify as little to us as they did to him: we are no more in our true state till we are got out of this world than he was; and we have no other way to arrive at true happiness and greatness, but by devoting ourselves to God, as our blessed Saviour did. We must therefore make it the great business and aim of our lives to be like Christ; and this not in a loose or general way, but with great nicety and exactness, always looking to his Spirit, to his ends and designs, to his tempers, to his ways and conversation in the world, as the exact model and rule of our lives. Again, Learn of me, (saith our blessed Saviour,) for I am meek and lowly of heart. Now this passage is to be considered, not as a piece of good advice, that would be of use to us, but as a positive command, requiring a necessary duty. And if we are commanded to learn of Christ meekness and lowliness, then we are commanded in the same positive manner to learn his meekness and lowliness. For if we might take up with a meekness and lowliness of heart that was not his, then it would not be necessary to learn them of him. Since therefore we are commanded to learn them of him, it is plain that it is his meekness and lowliness that we are commanded to learn; that is, we are to be meek and lowly, not in any loose or general sense of the words, not according to the opinions and practices of men, but in such truth and reality as Christ was meek and lowly. It ought also to be observed, that there must be something very extraordinary in these dispositions of the heart from the manner in which we are taught them. It is only in this place that our Saviour says expressly, Learn of me; and when he says, Learn of me, he does not say, For I am just and equitable, or kind, or holy; but I am meek and lowly of heart; as if he would teach us that these are the tempers which most of all distinguish his Spirit, and which he most of all requires his followers to learn of him. For, consider, does Christ, when he describes himself, chose to do it by these tempers? When he calls upon us to learn of him, does he only mention these tempers? And is not this a sufficient proof that these are tempers which the followers of Christ are most of all obliged to learn; and that we are most unlike to Christ when we are wanting in them? Now, as our great Lord and Master has made these characters the distinguishing characters of his Spirit, it is plain that they are to be the distinguishing characters of our spirit; for we are only so far his, as we are like him. Consider also, Was he more lowly than he need have been? Did he practise any degrees of humility that were unnecessary? This can no more be said than he can be charged with folly. But can there be any instances of lowliness which became him, that are not necessary for us? Does our state and condition excuse us from any kind of humility that was necessary for him? Are we higher in our nature, more raised in our condition, or more in the favor of God than he was? Are there dignities, honors and ornaments of life which we may delight in, though he might not? We must own these absurdities, or else acknowledge that we are to breathe the same lowly spirit, and with the same meekness, and practise the same humble behaviour that he did. So that the matter comes plainly to this conclusion; either that Christ was more humble and lowly than his nature and condition required, or we are under the same necessity of as great humility, till we can prove that we are in a higher state than he was. Now, as it is plainly the meekness and lowliness of Christ that we are to practise, why should we think that we have attained unto it, unless we show forth these tempers in such instances as our Saviour showed them? For can we suppose that we are meek and lowly as he was, if we live in such ways of life, and seek after such enjoyments as his meekness and lowliness would not allow him to follow? Did he mistake the proper instances of lowliness? If not, it must be our great mistake not to follow his steps. Did his lowliness of heart make him disregard the distinction of this life? avoid the honors, pleasures and vanities of greatness? And can we think that we are living by the same lowly spirit, while we are seeking after all the dignities and ornaments, both of our persons and conditions? What may we not think if we can think after this manner? Or, let us speak home to this point, either our Saviour was wise, judicious, and governed by a divine spirit in these tempers, or he was not: to say that he was not is horrid blasphemy; and to say that he was, is saying that we are neither wise nor judicious, nor governed by a divine spirit, unless we show the same tempers. Perhaps you will say, that though you are to be lowly in heart like Christ, yet you need not disregard the ornaments, dignities and honors of life; and that you can be as truly meek and lowly in the figure and show of life, as in any other state. Answer me therefore this one question, Was our Saviour's lowliness, which showed itself in an utter disregard of all pomp and figure of life, a false lowliness that mistook its proper objects, and showed itself in things not necessary? Did he abstain from the dignities and splendor, and deny himself enjoyments which he might with the same lowliness of heart, have taken pleasure in? Answer but this question plainly, and then you will plainly determine this point. If you justify our Saviour as being truly and wisely humble, you condemn yourself if you think of any other humility than such as he practiced. Consider further, that if you were to hear a person reasoning after this manner in any other instance; if he should pretend to be of an inward temper contrary to the outward course of his life, you would think him very absurd. If a man that lived in an outward course of duels and quarrels should say that in his heart he forgave all injuries, and allowed of no resentments; if another, whose common life was full of bitterness, and wrath, and evil-speaking, should pretend that in his heart he loved his neighbor as himself; we should reckon them among those that were more than a little touched in their heads. Now to pretend to any temper contrary to our outward actions, is the same absurdity in one case as in another. And for a man to say that he is lowly in heart while he is seeking the ornaments, dignities and show of life, is the same absurdity as for a man to say he is of a meek and forgiving spirit, while he is seeking and revenging quarrels. For to disregard and avoid the pomp and figure and vain ornaments of worldly greatness, is as essential to lowliness of mind as the avoiding of duels and quarrels is essential to meekness and charity. As therefore there is but one way of being charitable as our Saviour was, and that by such outward acts towards our enemies as he showed, so is there but one way of being lowly in heart as he was, and that by living in such a disregard of all vain and worldly distinctions as he lived. Let us not therefore deceive ourselves; let us not fancy that we are truly humble, though living in all the pride and splendor of life. Christ is our pattern and example; he was content to be one person; he did not pretend to impossibilities; to reconcile the pride of life with the lowliness of religion; but renounced the one that he might be a true example of the other. He had a power of working miracles; but to reconcile a humble and lowly heart with the vain ornaments of our persons, the dignities of state and equipage, was a miracle he did not pretend to do. It is only for great masters in the science of virtue, to have this mighty power; we can be humble it seems at less expense than our Saviour was, without supporting ourselves in it by a way of life suitable to it; we can have lowliness in our hearts, with paint and patches upon our faces; we can deck and adorn our persons in the spirit of humility; make all the show that we can in the pride and figure of the world, with christian lowliness in some little corner of our hearts. But suppose now that all this was possible, and that we could preserve an humble and lowly temper in a way of life contrary to it, is it any advantage to a man to be one thing in heart, and another thing in his way of life? Is it any excuse to say that a man is kind and tender in his heart though his life hath a course of contrary actions? Is it not a greater reproach to him that he lives a churlish life with tenderness in his heart? Is he not that servant that shall be beaten with many stripes for sinning against his heart and conscience? Now it is the same thing in the case before us. Are you humble and lowly in your heart? Is it not therefore a greater sin in you not to practice humility and lowliness in your life? If you live contrary to conscience, are you not in a state of greater guilt? Are not lowly actions, a humble state of life, as much the proper exercise of humility, as a charitable life and actions are the proper exercise of charity? If therefore a man be excused for not living a charitable life, because of a supposed charity in his heart; then may you think it excusable to forbear a lowliness of life and actions, because of a pretended humility in your mind. Consider further: Is anything so agreeable to a proud person as to shine and make a figure in the pride of life? Is such a person content with being high in heart and mind? Is he not uneasy till he can add a way of life suitable to it? Till his person, his state, and figure in life appear in a degree of pride suitable to the pride of his heart? Nay can anything be a greater pain to a proud man than to be forced to live in a humble and lowly state of life? Now, if this be true of pride, must not the contrary be as true of humility? Must not humility in an equal degree dispose us to ways that are contrary to the pride of life, and suitable and proper to humility? Must it not be the same absurdity to suppose a man content with humility of heart, without adding a life suitable to it, as to suppose a man content with a secret pride of heart, without seeking such a state of life as is according to it? Nay, is it not the same absurdity to suppose a humble man seeking all the state of a life of pride, as to suppose a proud man desiring only meanness and obscurity, and unable to relish any appearance of pride?43These absurdities are equally manifest, and plain in one case as in the other. So that what way soever we examine this matter, it appears that a humility of mind, that is not a humility of person, of life and action, is but a mere pretense, and as contrary to common sense as it is contrary to the doctrine and example of our Saviour. I shall now leave this subject to the reader's own meditation, with this one further observation. We see the height of our calling; that we are called to follow the example of our Lord and Master; and to go through this world with his spirit and temper. Now nothing is so likely a means to fill us with his spirit and temper as to be frequent in reading the gospels, which contain the history of his life and conversation in the world. We are apt to think we have sufficiently read a book, when we have so read it as to know what it contains: this reading may be sufficient as to many books; but as to the gospels, we are not to think that we have ever read them enough, because we have often read and heard what they contain. There is as much difference between reading and reading, as there is between praying and praying. And as no one prays well but he that is daily and constant in prayer, so no one can read the Scriptures to sufficient advantage, but he that is daily and constant in the reading of them. By thus conversing with our blessed Lord; looking into his actions and manner of life; hearing his divine sayings; his heavenly instructions; his accounts of the terrors of the damned; his descriptions of the glory of the righteous, we should find our hearts formed and disposed to hunger and thirst after righteousness. Happy they who saw the Son of God upon earth converting sinners. And next happy are we who have his discourses, doctrines, actions and miracles, which then converted Jews and Heathens into saints and martyrs, still preserved to fill us with the same heavenly light, and lead us to the same state of glory.—Law.