HIS CHARITY TO MEN.

In the second place, I should speak of his love and charity towards all men. But he who would express it, must transcribe the history of the gospel, and comment upon it: for scarce any thing is recorded to have been done or spoken by him, which was not designed for the good and advantage of some one or other. All his miraculous works were instances of his goodness, as well as his power; and they benefited those on whom they were wrought, as well as amazed the beholders. His charity was not confined to his kindred or relations: nor was all his kindness swallowed up, in the endearments of that peculiar friendship, which he felt towards the beloved disciple; every one was his friend, who obeyed his holy commands; and "whosoever did the will of his Father," the same was as "his brother, and sister, and mother."

Never was any person unwelcome to him, who came with an honest intention; nor did he deny any request, which tended to the good of those that asked it. So that, what was spoken of that Roman emperor, whom, for his goodness, they called the darling of mankind *, was really performed by him. Never did any depart from him with a heavy countenance, except that rich youth †, who was sorry to hear, that the kingdom of heaven was valued at a rate so costly, and that he could not save his soul and his money too. And, certainly, it troubled our

Delicia humani generis.

+ Mark, x.

Saviour, to see, that, when a price was in his hand to get wisdom, yet he had no heart to it. The ingenuousness that appeared in his first address, had already procured some kindness for him; for it is said, “And Jesus beholding him, loved him." But must he, for his sake, cut out a new way to heaven, and alter the nature of things, which make it impossible that a covetous man can be happy?

And what shall I speak of his meekness, who could encounter the monstrous ingratitude and dissimulation of his betrayer, in no harsher terms than "Judas, betrayest thou the Son of man with a kiss?" What further evidence could we desire, of his fervent and unbounded charity, than, that he willingly laid down his life even for his most bitter enemies; and, mingling his prayers with his blood, besought the Father, that his death might not be laid to their charge, but might become the means of eternal life, to those very persons who procured it?

HIS PURITY.

The third branch of the divine life is purity; which, as I said, consists in a neglect of worldly enjoyments and accommodations, and in a resolute endurance of all such troubles, as we meet with in doing our duty. Now, surely, if ever any person was wholly dead to all the pleasures of the natural life, it was the blessed Jesus; who seldom tasted them when they came in his way, but never stepped out of his road to seek them. Though he supplied the want of wine with a miracle, yet he

would not work one for the relief of his own hunger in the wilderness: so gracious and divine was the temper of his soul, in allowing to others such lawful gratifications, as himself thought good to abstain from; and supplying, not only their more extreme and pressing necessities, but even their smaller and less considerable wants. We, many times, hear of our Saviour's sighs, and groans, and tears; but never, that he laughed, and but once, that he rejoiced in spirit; so that, through his whole life, he exactly answered that character given of him by the prophet of old: he was

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a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief." Nor were the troubles and disaccommodations of his life, other than matter of choice. For never did any one appear on the stage of the world, with greater advantage to have raised himself to the highest secular felicity. He who could bring together such a prodigious number of fishes into his disciples' net, and, at another time, receive that tribute from a fish, which he was to pay to the temple, might easily have made himself the richest person in the world. Nay, without any money, he could have maintained an army powerful enough to have jostled Cæsar out of his throne; having, oftener than once, fed several thousands with a few loaves and small fishes. But, to show how small esteem he had for all the enjoyments in the world, he chose to live in so poor and mean a condition, that "though the foxes had holes, and the birds of the air had nests, yet he who was lord and heir of all things, had not whereon to lay his head.” He did not frequent the courts of princes, nor

affect the acquaintance and converse of great ones; but, being reputed the son of a carpenter, he had fishermen, and such other poor people, for his companions, and lived in such a manner, as suited the meanness of that condition.

HIS HUMILITY.

And thus I am brought unawares to speak of his humility; the last branch of the divine life, wherein he was a most eminent pattern to us, that we might "learn of him, to be meek and lowly in heart." I shall not now speak of that infinite condescension of the eternal Son of God, in taking our nature upon him; but only reflect on our Saviour's lowly and humble deportment, while he was in the world. He had none of those sins and imperfections, which may justly humble the best of men; but he was so entirely swallowed up, with a deep sense of the infinite perfections of God, that he appeared as nothing in his own eyes, I mean, so far as he was a creature. He considered those eminent perfections which shone in his blessed soul, as not his own, but the gifts of God; and, therefore, assumed nothing to himself for them, but, with the profoundest humility, renounced all pretences to them. Hence, he refused that ordinary compellation of good master, when addressed to his human nature, by one, who, it seems, was ignorant of his divinity: "Why callest thou me good? there is none good, but God only: as if he had said, The goodness of any creature (and such only, thou takest me to be), is not worthy to

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be named or taken notice of; it is God alone, who is originally and essentially good.' He never made use of his miraculous power, for vanity or ostentation. He would not gratify the curiosity of the Jews, with a sign from heaven, with some prodigious appearance in the air: nor would he follow the advice of his countrymen and kindred, who would have had all his great works performed in the eyes of the world, for the purpose of gaining him the greater fame. But, when his charity had prompted him to the relief of the miserable, his humility made him, many times, enjoin the concealment of the miracles; and when the glory of God, and the design for which he came into the world, required the publication of his mighty works, he ascribed the honour of all to his Father, telling them, "that of himself he was able to do nothing."

I cannot insist on all the instances of humility, in his deportment towards men: his withdrawing himself, when they would have made him a king; his subjection, not only to his blessed mother, but to her husband, during his younger years; and his submission to all the indignities which his rude and malicious enemies affixed upon him. The history of his holy life, recorded by those who conversed with him, is full of such passages as these. And, indeed, the serious and attentive study of it, is the best way to get right measures of humility, and all the other parts of religion, which I have been attempting to describe.

But now, that I may lessen your trouble in reading a long letter, by making some pauses in it,