their Fellow-creatures; as not only barbarous, but ungenerous: for all the good Ufes of Subordination might be as well, and much better, fecured by gentler Means.

But Superiors too frequently confider those beneath them, as worthy of no Attention; and their moft ferious Concerns in Life, as Things to be played with, and facrificed to every Caprice. Now this is one of the most pernicious Kinds of Pride. Let any one think ever so much too highly of himself; fo long as he keeps it to himself, or only gives out a few flighter Intimations of it, though he is very blameable, yet he is tolerably harmless. But there are many, who crush their Inferiors under their Feet, without minding them: though perhaps, from Principle, such as it is, they would behave to one of their Equals in a quite different Manner. But fo far all Men are equal, that the meanest Wretch on Earth. hath the fame Right to live unmolested and free from Infult, as the greatest Monarch. And the Elevation of one above others, far from authorizing him to trample upon them, strictly binds him, to fhow Humanity, and afford Protection, to all thofe, whom Providence,

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dence, by putting them under his Power, hath intitled to his Patronage.

This then is the Conduct, which Humility requires of Superiors. And to preserve it fteadily, they should call to Mind every Day, that the World was not made for Them alone, to gratify their Vanity or Love of Pleasure, to indulge their Humours, or pursue their Advantages, whatever becomes of the reft: but with Intent that each of them should contribute faithfully in his Station, as well as others in theirs, to the common Benefit of the Whole, For God hath created all Men of the fame Nature and the fame Blood; and united them by strong inward Ties of Sympathy and mutual Tenderness, which it is both impious and unnatural to break or loofen. If I have withheld, faith Job, the Poor from his Defire, or have caufed the Eyes of the Widow to fail; if I did defpife the Caufe of my Man-Servant or my MaidServant, when they contended with me: what then shall I do, when God rifeth up; and when be vifiteth, what shall I anfwer him? Did not He, that made me, make him? and did not One fashion us in the Womb? We, that are fo fond of exalting ourselves above those of our Job xxxi. 13-16.

own

own Species, who are equal to us in most Things; preferable, it may be, in many; and beneath us only in accidental Circumstances; do we confider, before how awful a Superior we ftand all the time? One that accepteth not the Perfon of Princes, nor regardeth the Rich more than the Poor: for they are all the Work of his Hands. But, happily for the Universe, his infinite Greatness is infeparably joined with infinite Mercy and Bounty: which blessed Union is the very Ground of the Worship that we pay him, of the Honour and Love, that fills our Hearts at the Thought of him. And what is it then, that deferves Love and Honour amongst Men? Surely to imitate this adorable Goodness of Him, who is high above all Nations, and his Glory above the Heavens: who yet humbleth himself to behold the Things, that are in Heaven and Earth. For though the Lord be high, yet hath he Refpect unto the Lowly but as for the Proud, he beholdeth them afar off.

Let us therefore delight in fhewing ourselves, by all fit Proofs of condefcending Benevolence, the true Children of our heavenly Father, and the true Difciples of our gracious Redeemer ;

i Job xxxiv. 19. * Pf. cxiii. 4. 6. 1 Pf. cxxxviii. 6.

who hath made us all Members of one, that is, his own, Body: and whofe Rule it is, Whofoever will be great among you, let him be your Minifter; and whofoever will be chief among you, let him be your Servant: even as the Son of Man came, not to be ministered unto, but to minifter, and to give his Life a Ranfom for many". The fame Leffon, of not difdaining the very meanest Offices of Kindness, one to another, when Occafion requires them, he taught his Apostles, and through them all his Followers, in a Manner fo unspeakably engaging, just before his Death, as one of the farewell Demonftrations of his tender Affection to them; (for fo the Evangelift puts it;) conveying his Meaning the more expreffively, as the Eastern Custom was, by an outward Action, peculiarly fitted to exemplify it that I fhall read you almost the whole Paffage, as the best Conclufion, that can be made to a Difcourfe on the present Subject.

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jefus knew, that his Hour was come, that he fhould depart out of this World unto the Father: having loved his own, which were in the World, be loved them unto the End. And Supper being

Matth. xx. 26, 27, 28.

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ended,

ended, he laid afide his Garments, and took a Towel and girded himself. After that, he poureth Water into a Bafon, and began to wash the Difciples Feet, and to wipe them with the Towel, wherewith he was girded. And after he bad taken his Garments, and was fat down again, he faid unto them, Know ye, what I have done unto you? Ye call me Mafter and Lord, and ye fay well: for fo I am. If I then, your Lord and Mafter, have washed your Feet, Ye ought alfo to wash one another's Feet: for I have given you an Example, that ye should do, as I have done unto you. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, the Servant is not greater than his Lord: neither He that is fent, greater than He that fent him. If ye know thefe Things, happy are ye, if ye do them".

n

John xiii. 117.

SER