The Principles of Christian Practice, Tract · Point of doctrine 3
[And follow me.]
This is the third duty of every one that meanes to bee Christs The third duty and note of a disciple.Disciple; namely, the holy imitation of Christ: where are to bee considered,
1. The matter wherein wee must follow him.Three things in it.
2. The manner of following him.
3. The reasons why.
In two things we must follow
Christ:
His holy doctrine.
His holy example.
1. His doctrine was as the I. Follow Christ in his holy doctrine:sun-shining from heaven, by direction where of hee leades us in pathes of righteousnes. It is the Starre that leads wise men after Christ. It is the pillar of the cloud and fire, to guide the Israel of God by day and night in all their journies. If this pillar move not, wee must not move. Christ must be before us in every thing; in necessary things by precept, in indifferent by rule, speciall or generall.
2. Follow him in his holy life: And life. 1 Joh. 2. 6.walking as he walked, and making his life an example and copy to imitate, so far as hee propounded himselfe a rule of imitation: because some kindes of actions of Christ were not imitable; as,
First, those that he did as God; namely, his miraculous workes; In what we may not, or cannot follow him.these are not exemplary: for, 1. they are impossible to any creature, but God alone: 2. by these he was separated as the Sonne of 1.God from all the sonnes of men; for hee effected them all by his owne power, as no Saints did: 3. we have no commandement to follow him in these.
Secondly, some workes he did 2.as Mediatour between God and us: as suffering for the sinnes of the Elect, satisfying Gods justice, justifying the sinner in the sight of God. And these are too high workes for men or Angels. And if Papists will needes merit salvation, or satisfie Gods justice, they must needs be Mediatours, meriting persons, even gods as well as men.
But the things wherein wee must follow Christ, are such as whereof himselfe said, I have given Joh. 13. 15.you example, that as I have done, ye may do also: as,
1. In expression of his piety to God.
2. Of his charity to men.
His piety shined forth as the Five expressions of his piety to be followed.brightnesse of the Sunne many wayes; we will instance in five.
1. In that he never sought his owne praise and glory, but the 1.glory and praise of God that sent him, John 7. 18. and 17. 4. Father, I have glorified thee in earth. So every Christian must doe all things, even the least, for the glory of God, 1 Cor. 16. 31. not hunting after praise of men, nor enduring that the glory of GOD should bee turned into shame by sinfull men.
2. In that hee contemned his 2.owne will for his Fathers, to drinke even the dregges of the bitter cup of death: Not my will, but thy will bee done, Mat. 26. 39. He would lose his life, before he would lose his obedience. In no temptation would hee start aside frō his Fathers wil. Oh how happily might we passe our dayes, if wee would give up our wils to Gods, according to our daily prayer, that there might bee but one will between God and us, Thy will be done!
3. In daily and frequent prayer to his Father: early in the 3.morning, late at night, long time together, sometime whole nights, Marke 1. 35. and Luke 5. 16. Hee kept himselfe apart in the wildernesse, and prayed. Nothing he undertook without prayer: at the calling of his Disciples, at the entrance into his passion, and upon the crosse, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit, &c. Here should every Christian tread in Moses ad bella non vadit, sed orat, et tum vincit Israel, &c. Hier. in Levit. 1 Tim. 4. 4. 5.his steps, upon every occasion sending up prayers, before any businesse of the calling, generall or speciall, and sanctifying every thing by the Word and Prayer. Christ could not pollute any thing, and yet did thus: A good motive to thee for performing this duty.
4. In fervent zeale to his Fathers house, which even consumed 4. John 2. 17.him. Hee was daily in the Temple, reading, praying, preaching, conferring▪ confirming, reforming. If hee withdrew from his Parents who had lost him, there you might finde him. Herein should Christians imitate his piety, in a burning zeale to Gods glory. How zealous was Phinehas for God! How was Pauls spirit troubled within him! Acts 17. 16. foreign, the word signifies he was almost besides himselfe, to see the Idolatry of the Athenians.
Alas, where is our zeale? wee are generally key-cold, as Gallio Act. 18. 14. 15. Unumquemque Christianum zelus dom us Dei come. dat, v. c. vides fratrem cunere ad theatrum: prohibe, mone, contristare, si zelus domus Dei comeditte▪ &c. Aug in Joh. trac. 10was, in Gods causes. Christ his zeale was inflamed for the reformation of his Fathers house; but much of our zeale is against zeale and reformation. And such was his zeale, that whatsoever hee saw, it affected him deeply, either with griefe, if evill; or joy, if well done; or pity and compassion in the misery of others. Wherever hee was, he was welldoing: in the City and publike places hee was teaching and instructing; in solitary & desolate places hee was praying, meditating, preparing himselfe, or enduring temptation: in porches and high-wayes he was curing, healing, helping: He went about doing good, Acts 10. 38. Our zeale also to Gods glory should move us to watch, and take all occasions of doing good, of promoting Gods glory, furthering mans good, and fitting our owne reckoning.
5. In his faith and confidence: His whole life was an obedience 5.of faith; his death likewise an obedience of faith. In that dreadfull desertion of his Father, that we had deserved, he cryed, My God, my God: hee could trust in his Father, killing him. Herein a rare patterne of imitation, in all deeps by faith to give the Lord the honour of salvation, and leane upon his love and promise. Thus of the piety of our Lord.
His charity and love of man shined likewise many wayes.Foure expressions of his chatity.
1. In his humility, meeknesse, patience, and gentlenesse beyond all example. For first, being in the forme of God, and equall to his 1.Father, yet he came to serve, and not to be served. So lowly, that he disdained not to wash his Disciples feet, even Judasses, John 13. and hee will have every one look on this glasse: If I have washed your feet, you must wash one anothers feet, that is, stoup to the lowest services one of another: and, Learne of me: for I am lowly and meeke, Mat. 11. 29. and Phil. 2. 5. Let the same minde be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus. But alas! we strive to go one before another in pride, and taking honour, because the minde of Christ is not in us. Secondly, so patient was hee, that when hee could have revenged his enemies, who came to apprehend him, hee strucke them all to the John 18. 6.ground with a word, but let them rise againe. Hee hurt none of them, but cured Malchus his eare whom Peter had hurt. Hee delivered himselfe into their hands. He blessed them that cursed him, and prayed on the crosse for his tormentors. All to teach Christians, to moderate their anger, to suffer wrong, to offer none, to return good for evill, blessing for cursing, as being heires of blessing, 1 Pet. 3. 18.
2. In his beneficence & goodnes 2.to every one: Hee healed all diseases, dispossessed Divels, raised the dead, gave to his enemies food to eate, health to their bodies, salvation to their soules. So must every Christian do good to all, especially to the houshold of faith, Gal. 6. 10. yea, doe good to enemies and ill deserving, thus either winning them, or heaping coales on their heads.
3. In that hee was an admirable 3.patterne of civill righteousnes, in word and deed. Never was guile found in his lips or hands; no nor ever in the thoughts or desires of his heart did hee detaine any mans right, but gave every man his due, and taught others so to do: To his Parents obedience: to the Magistrate subjection: to Caesar hee payd tribute for himselfe and his. Hee never impaired the estate or good name of any man. Thus must Christians give to every one Rom. 13. 7.his owne, in word and deed, honour to whom honour, tribute to whom tribute pertaineth; and dispensing to every one all offices of justice and love: Labouring to live, though not without sin, yet without just blame; out of the testimony of a good conscience able to challenge the Adversary, which of you can accuse mee, though I can easily accuse my selfe? but whose Oxe or Asse have 1 Sam. 12. 3I taken, that I may recompence him?
4. In that hee never transgressed 4.the rule of love, but left a transcendent patterne of it, in laying down his life for his enemies. Never was there such a copy. And this for our imitation, who must walke in love as hee loved us, Ephes. 5. 2. and 1 John 3. 16. If he layd downe his life for us, we ought also one for another.
Quest. Doth Christs example bind us to dye for our brethren?
Answ. Yes: not onelyonly that Scripture proveth it, but the example Paulus procharitate Christi nol…it habere Cl…istum. Hieron.of Moses, Exod. 32. 32. and Paul, Rom. 9. 3. and chapt. 16. 4. Priscilla and Aquila laid downe their neckes for Pauls life.
The reason is this: The member of the naturall body will save a fellow-member with the losse of it selfe; as the hand will save the head, though it bee stricken off for it. So in the mysticall body, the Church.
The rules these: 1. Christians must ayme at such sincerity in love, as to bee willing to give their lives, 1. for God, 2. for his image, and stand in a readinesse to undergoe any danger for GOD and his image sake: for, love seekes not her owne. 2. Wee must intend the salvation of our brethren 1 Cor. 13. 5before our owne lives; for their soules are better than our lives: so did Christ, and so did the Apostle Paul, 2 Cor. 12. 15. I would most gladly bee bestowed for your soules. 3. Not rashly, and foreign.without calling; for, Christ died not for us, till he was called to it. Which when we have, we must part with our lives, even for their bodies, much more for their soules.
Thus of the matter, wherein we must follow Christ.
Next of the manner of following II.him.
Object. How can wee follow Christ, seeing he is in heaven, and we on earth?
Answ. Not having his bodily How Christ can & must be followed.presence on earth, wee cannot make any pilgrimage to follow him with the feet of our body: but,
1. Wee must follow him in 1. By faith, a threefold act of it.faith; move after him with the feet of faith: which to do, know that faith hath a threefold worke in this businesse.
First, it causeth us to know & acknowledge our Captaine, and 1.the way wherein hee is gone before us: for it tels the Christian, that he being now set into Christ, and become a member of him; If hee now live, hee must live unto him: If he dye, he must dye unto him; he is not his owne, but at his Lords command wholly, and must follow him close in the meanes of his presence, especially in searching the Scriptures, which testifie of him, John 5. 39. as also in listening to the inward teaching and guidance of the Spirit; & taking the benefit of his own experience by the change and fiuits in himselfe, since hee had Christ afore him.
Secondly, faith will hold us in our way, and keep our leader in 2.sight. It will not bee led by the opinions of men, or customes of the world, but by the commandement and will of the Captain. It will not looke a squint to approve it selfe to Christ and the world too; but it knits the heart undivided to Christ alone, as an only perfect Saviour and Pattern. Yea, because he now liveth, and moveth, & hath beeing in Christ, he can no more be without him, than a member without the head, and, as a member followes him through fire and water, perils and torments, most earnestly and cheerfully.
Thirdly, faith causeth a man, 3.whensoever he is slipt out of his way, to return back by a new act of repentance: as when Christ looked backe upon Peter, & excited his faith, he wept bitterly: &, saith the Church, Cant. 3. 3. Saw ye not him whom my soule loveth? And thus faith is crowned with perseverance. This of the first way to follow Christ.
2. We must follow him in love 2. By love. 2 Cor. 5. 14. Gal. 5. 6.& ardent affection, by which faith alwaies worketh. No other thing must constraine us, but love: as a wife out of love follows her dear husband. And this wil be stronger than death: nothing can separate us, neither height, nor depth, nor sword, nor death, nor a sea of the waters of affliction can drown it. Yea, zeale & fervency of spirit is required to exclude hypocrisie & lukewarmnes: for dissemblers and halters can never follow Christ in the rugged waies wherin he goeth before us.
3. Wee must follow him sincerely; 3. In sincerity. What it doth in this thing.for love of himselfe, not for selfe-love: for selfe-deniall must goe before the imitation of Christ. This will make us follow him into Jerusalem, and out of 1.Jerusalem, unto the Consistory, unto the Crosse; as well when they cry, Crucifie him, as when they cry, Hosanna. And not as many, who follow the times, and not Christ.
It will make us follow him for right ends: not for loaves or 2.perishing bread, as the Jewes: not for curiosity, as Herod, to see a miracle: nor as Peter, to gaze and get newes in the high Priests hall; but as the Disciples, John 6. 68. Master, thou hast the words of eternall life, and whither shall we goe?
It will make us follow him wholly, not lamely, as on one legge, 3.as such who profess his doctrine, but deny his life, live carnally, covetously, uncharitably; all this religion is naught and vaine, and opens the mouth of Adversaries, to say from the loose lives of Professors, that our religion is an enemy to good works.
Where did Christ teach thee, that professest to follow him, to sweare, to lye, to deceive, to profane the Sabbath, to raise slander, to revenge, to spend thy time in gaming, idlenesse, or the like? where learnest thou this of Christ?
4. We must follow him constantly, 4. With constancy.without wavering or desisting, not for a brunt or a start, not as the young man that came hastily, but departed heavily: He loves no lookers back. Know that Christ is best at last: and, though thou mayest bee sometimes weary, yet Christ will refresh thee, and lead thee to rest.
This is the manner of following him.
Now let us see the reasons or III. Motives thus to follow Christ.motives thereunto.
1. One is the equity of the precept: We are sheep, he is the great Shepheard of the flock, and 1.all the sheep must follow this Shepheard, John 10. 27. The hundred forty and foure thousand follow the Lambe wheresoever hee goeth, Rev. 14. 6. that is, the multitude of the faithfull follow Christ their Captaine, and obey him in all things. Besides, we are Christiani nomen ille frustra sortitur, qui Christum minimè imitatur. Quid enim tibi prodest vocari quod non es, & nomen usurpare alienum? &c. Aug de vita Christiana.Christians, our very name perswades us how equall it is to follow him, else deny our name if we deny this duty. Againe, the equity appeares, because here is nothing required or requested of us, but our Master hath done it before us, and commended it to us by his owne example: Our Joshua saith to us his souldiers, What you see mee doe, that doe you; and shall a common souldier recoile or start back from that he seeth his Captaine doe before him? If we see our Generall deny himselfe, take up his crosse, obey his Father, love his brethren, is it not equall that wee doe the like? shall Christians live like Jewes, Heathens, Worldlings?
2. Great is the danger of not 2. Danger of not following Christ as a guide. 1.following Christ our guide:
First, if we look at our selves. Wee would faine be leaders and devisers, which Christ knew wel enough: and, as we easily stray of our selves, so wee are easily misled, either by our owne lusts, or by other perillous guides: Sometimes one; as the people, who in simplicity followed Absalom, not knowing whereabout hee went, 2 Sam. 1…. 11. thus sometime we follow some wicked counseller, as a drove follow the Butcher in stead of the Shepheard. And sometimes many: how easily follow we a multitude unto evill? and therefore have great need of this precept of Christ, both for prevention and direction.
Secondly, if wee looke at the 2. Justice of God against such.justice of God, who gives over men to follow dangerous guides, when they refuse Christ by his Word and Spirit to lead them: See it in a number of instances.
How many are given up, as the Heathens were, to their own harts lusts, Rom. 1. 26. that it were better they were given up to the Divell to buffer, or any tyrant to torment, than delivered to fall by their owne hand; and all because they will not have Christ to lead them, nor will follow him! Nay, seeing the Divell ruleth in lusts, to be given up unto lusts, is, to be left into the hands of the Divell, the Prince of the ayre, to bee ruled at his will: And how just is it, that a sheep that will not follow the Shepheard, should follow the Butcher?
How many others who will not follow Christ in the Word, are given up to follow the world, and the course of the world? Some follow their covetousnesse, as Jer. 8. 10. every one from the greatest to the least: tormenting themselves and the world in it; give no rest to it or themselves, allow neither GOD nor themselves any rest on the Sabbath, &c. Others walke after the course of the world, Ephes. 2. 2. and fashion themselves unto it, contrary to Rom. 12. 2. as appeares in many, who have sold themselves over to voluptuousnes, delicacy, pride in apparrel, tiring out all the tires and fashions of all countries. Others spend their time in idlenesse, or gaming, or sports, and other calling have they none. But all the world knowes, Christs life was humble, painfull, sober, heavenly, holy, fruitfull, and cleane contrary to these who receive onelyonly a name of Christ, but follow the world, a sworne enemy to Christ.
Numbers are given up to follow evill company, & evill counsell, because they despise Christs counsell. Hee that refuseth the counsell of wisedome, it is just that folly should lead him: See Prov. 1. 30. 31. Some follow idle fellowes (Prov. 12. 11.) because they are destitute of understanding. Some, drunken company, to whom the woe is directed, Isa. 5. 11. Some, whorish company, as the Prodigall, who rejecting good counsell, spent himselfe, and came home by weeping-crosse.
Thus dangerously are men given over to perillous guides, who will not have Christ to guide them. And this is the second motive.
3. Argue from the safety of 3. Great safety in following Christ. 1.following Christ our guide: for,
First, he propounds us no crooked patterne nor false rule to follow; but himselfe a perfect and expresse idea and patterne of all grace and vertue, and an unfailing patterne, unening, inflexible.
Object. But must wee not imitate the Saints?
Answ. Yes, so farre as they follow Christ, 1 Cor. 11. 1. an Apostle himselfe must be followed no further.
Secondly, he leads us not into 2.crooked or by-pathes, but into the pathes of righteousnesse, Psal. 23. 3. pointing us out our way by his holy doctrine, guiding us in it by the example of his holy life, comforting us in our wearinesse, supplying us in this way with bread of life, opening to us in this way the fountain of living waters; revives us with new strength, guides us out of by-paths, and so carries us in the strict, but strait way to the happy end of our journey.
Thirdly, hee leades us not in 3.darke and desolate waies, but himselfe, being the light of the world, (John 12. 35.) while wee follow him, wee cannot walke in darknes, & having light to discover the dangers in the way, wee walk safely. How safe was Israel under the pillar in the wildernes? so safe are we under the conduct of this pillar. How safe were they from enemies under the guidance of Joshua, leading them to Canaan? but a greater than Joshua is here: Josh. 1. 5. A man shall not bee able to withstand thee all thy dayes: nor man, nor Divell shal make us fall short of the heavenly Canaan. Follow Christ, thou followest the Angel, as Lot out of Sodome. Follow this Joshua, and thou followest him to Canaan, to thy country, to bee ever where hee is, who is both the guide and the end of the way.
Lastly, consider, if Christ had 4.only given us a precept, wee were bound to obey; but adding Si praecipientem sequi non potes, sequere antecedentem. Sublata est hoc modo omnis excusatio, &c. Lact. l. 4. c. 24.his example, we shall be answerable for neglect of his holy example, as for his holy doctrine. We never want good example, in the midst of many bad examples, of Rulers, Preachers, and private men: Christ hath said, Follow mee. And, thou hast not done thy duty, to see him go before thee in holy example, but in following him; nor to admire a good example as many do, but imitate none.