1718. and Divifions, and cure Breaches; but the antient' History of Perfecution, and the modern Practice of it, fully convince us, that it hath always tended to make the Hot hotter, the Divifions greater, and the Breach wider, and fo the Contention to grow endless; which nothing will end, but a calm and quiet Temper of Mind, the Mind being cooled by the gentle Influences of the Holy Spirit of Chrift, the immaculate Lamb; who came not to deftroy, nor devour, but to feek and to fave that which was loft, and gone aftray, that he might bring them home to his Fold of Reft, in his Father's Kingdom.

Verfe 11. Bleed are ye when Men fhall revile you and perfecute you, and fhall fay all Manner of Evil against you falfly for my Sake.

Verse 12. Rejoice and be exceeding glad: For great is your Reward in Heaven; for fo perfecuted they the Prophets, which were before you.

There is a Perfecution as before hinted, by Calumny, and Reproach, orReviling, by Evil Speaking, and Falfities, which, for the most Part, it is better patiently and quietly to fuffer, for Chrift's Sake; and if we were abused, to appeal to him, for many times Words beget Words, till at laft it comes to Prejudice, and breaks the Unity and Peace of Brethren and Families; fo that in a general Way, one had better fuffer the Calumnies and Reproaches of evil Men, with a tender Concern for God's Glory, refting in the Bleffing of Chrift; and that thou wilt moft furely feel, if thou can appeal to him on this wife, Lord, thou knows I fuffer this Wrong for thy Sake. In fuch Sufferings there is an inward Joy, a Spiritual Rejoicing; and the Heart of the Perfecuted is abundantly more glad, through the Bleffing and Goodnefs of Chrift, than the Perfecutor's, whofe Confcience accufeth him in Secret. And as to perfonal Perfecution, it is no more than the Prophets, and our Lord, did fuffer before s. And with that Confideration Chrift comforts his

fuffering

fuffering Seed: And those who suffer with him, and his 1718. Seed, thefe have the Promife of reigning with him; and himself hath promifed them a Reward, no less than the 2 Tim. 2. Kingdom of Heaven.

Verfe 13. Ye are the Salt of the Earth: But if the Salt have loft its Savour, wherewith fhall it be falted? It is thenceforth good for nothing but to be caft out, and to be troden under Foot of Men.

12

Here Chrift fheweth that his Followers muft feafon the Earth, by living a favoury Life, and by walking according to his Doctrine, whofe Doctrine is wonderfully fet forth in this excellent Sermon ; and if we live up to thofe holy Rules, we fhall then be ferviceable in our Generation, and our Lives will teach the People as well as our Words, and fometimes better too, by how much Example is better than Precept; and indeed Chriftians ought to be careful in both; in Life to live holily, and in Words to be fparing, obferving to Let your Words be few, and favoury, and feafon'd Eccl. s. 2. Eph. 4 29. with Grace, that they may adminifter Grace to the Col.4 Hearers: Thus fhould we feafon the World, and 6. falt it with the Salt of the Covenant; but if we lofe this Savour of Grace, and take a Liberty which Chrift and his Truth do not allow of, of fpeaking at random Things which are not convenient, nor edifying, but altogether unfavoury; then, according to our Master, which is in Heaven, we are good for nothing, but to be caft out (i. e. out of the Church) and then we fhall be trampled upon by Men, as in Truth we deferve: Not that our Bodies are to be kill'd, or deftroy'd; for the Door of the Church is always open to receive true Penitents. But for this End and good Cor. it. Purpose we are chaftened of the Lord, that the Soul 32. And those may be faved in the Day of the Lord.

who know godly Sorrow for their Sins, and turning from the Evil of their Ways, by Amendment of Life, thofe Chrift forgives, and advifeth his Church to do the fame, faying, If he repent forgive him; which

G 2

Luke 17.

Repentance 3.

1718. Repentance, is beft manifefted by a new Life, and holy and blameless Converfation; for Words, without Works, are good for nothing, but to be troden under Foot of Men.

Dan. 12.

3.

27. and

Verfe 14. Te are the Light of the World: A City that is fet on a Hill cannot be bid.

True and faithful Chriftians are indeed as Stars in God's Firmament, which are of excellent Ufe to Pecple in the Night Season, and more especially when they are not clouded, and in a particular Manner to thofe who travel on the Seas, for when they have not seen the Sun for a Seafon, then they are good Guides to the Sea-faring Man; and likewife in the Wilderness, on the Land; and this World is like a Wilderness, and like the troubled Sea, to fome poor Souls; and then good Men, and good Women, are ferviceable, to reprove and instruct in Righteoufnefs: Such (fays Daniel the Prophet) ball fine as the Brightness of the Firmament, and as the Stars, for ever and ever. And these are like a City fet upon a Hill, which cannot be bid.

Verse 15. Neither do Men light a Candle and put it under a Bufhel, but on a Candleflick, and it giveth Light to all that are in the House,

Mortal Men, when divinely enlight'ned by the Grace and Spirit of Chrift, ought to exert themfelves to their Mafter's Glory, and excite others, and ftir them up to their Duty; and to endeavour, as much as in them lies, to promote the Kingdom and Intereft of their dear Lord; for Men are God's Candles, as the Scripture Prov. 20. faith, The Spirit of Man, is the Candle of the Lord; and this Candle is often lighted by Chrift, who lighteth every Man that cometh into the World, John i. 9. and is the true Light of the Great Father of Lights. The great and good End of Chrift's lighting Man's Spirit, and illuminating him with Divine Light, is, that he may fhine out to others, in a good Converfation, and a holy Life, which is both ferviceable to others, and himself alfo; and anfwers the End of him

24 20:

Job, as

17.

who

who enlight'ned him by the Fire of his Word, or with a 1718. Coal from his holy Altar; being thus lighted, and walking in it (as the Nations of them that are faved, Rev. 21. Shall walk in the Light of the Lamb.) Here all the 23, 24Houfe, or Society, is truly lighted by fuch Lights; and those who have received greater Gifts, or Degrees of Divine Light, from Chrift, than fome others, and may have a larger Share of natural or acquired Parts, ought not to bide it (as our Lord phrafes it) under a Bulbel, but put it (in its proper Place, or) on a Candleftick; and as the Candle is of little Ufe when 'tis put out, therefore we ought to be very careful to keep to Watchfulness and Prayer, that it be kept lighted in Time of Darknefs; for the Candle of the Wicked is often put out.

Verle 16. Let your Light fo fine before Men, that they may fee your good Works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven.

Since there is a bright and fhining Nature and QuaAity in the holy Lives of Chrift's Servants, and in the Conversation of his faithful Followers, therefore it hould and ought to be manifeft, and to appear before Men; our Lamp fhould be burning, and our Light hining; and we fhould take Care to get and keep holy Oil in our Veffels, that therewith our Lamps may Mar. 25. be fupplied, otherwife Folly inftead of Wisdom will. appear in our Converfations, which will be a Hindrance (when our great Bridegroom cometh) to our Entrance into Life, or God's Kingdom, and greatly hindreth our Mafter's Glory, which by all Means we are to endeavour the Furtherance of; and Men generally take more Notice of our evil Works, and, where an evil Eye is open, will fooner fee them, than our good Ones; fo that we had need to be very careful, and keep a holy Watch in our Converfations, that our Light may fo fhine, as that our Father which is in Heaven may be glorified, in our bringing forth much good Fruit.? G. 3.

: Verse

1718. Verfe 17. Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or Prophets: I am not come to deftroy, but to fulfil.

Gal. 3. 14, 25.

Verse 18. For verily I fay unto you, till Heaven and Earth pass, one fot, or one Tittle hall in no wife pass from the Law, till all be fulfilled.

The Excellency of the Difpenfation of the glorious Gospel of Jefus Chrift is really wonderful! having no Manner of Tendency toward deftroying the Law of God given by Mofes for Chrift's Doctrine comes up through it, fulfils it, and goes beyond it, in Perfection, and in the Beauty of Holiness, and in the Life and Power of pure Religion.

1 The Law, faith the Apostle, is a SchoolmaЛler, to bring us to Chrift; and no Man can come truly to Chrift, nor be in him, or be a new Creature, without coming through the Law, and keeping the Commandments: But thefe Commandments are to be diftinguished from the fuperftitious Traditions, and ceremonious Customs, of the Jews. The Scribes and Pharifees (who though they fat in Mofes's Seat) did not do as Mofes did; but crucified him whom Mofes prophefied of faying, The Lord your God fhall raise up a ProDest. 18. phet from among your Brethren, like unto me, unto bim fhall ye bearken. Chrift and his Difciples teach the Law, though not the Traditions of the Jews; who were very careful of their fmall Tithes, of their own Intereft, though but of, or in fmall Things, nelecting the weighty Matters of the Law, which is in no wife to be paffed by, but to be fufilled while Heaven and Earth endure.

15.

Now the Law and Commandments which our Lord fpoke of, are generally understood to be those Ten Commandments recorded in the 20th Chapter of Exodus, with other abfolute Commands written by Mofes (diftinguished from the Jews Traditions) and fuch as were general to Mankind: For Chrift is the general Saviour, both of the Jew, and also of the Gentile, who believe in and obey him: And that thofe Command

ments