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MATTHEW V. I, 2.

ND Jeeing the Multitudes, he went up into a Mountain: And when he was fet, his Difciples came unto him, and he opened his Mouth, and taught them, faying, &c.

Our Lord feeing the Multitudes, for the advancing his Father's Glory, his own Kingdom, and the Good of Souls, went up into the Mountain, and fat in the Power of the Father; and when fo fet down, his Difciples came unto him: Which fhews the Neceffity of coming to Chrift, to hear his Word, and that Chriftians ought to affemble themselves before him, that he may fpeak to them either immediately; or if he pleases to enlarge the Heart of any of his Ministers to declare his Word; and as his Difciples then perfonally came unto him, fo now we ought to come to Mat, 18. him in Spirit; and then, when but two or three are fo come to him, he is as really prefent fpiritually, as he was perfonally in the Mount. And as this Meeting in the Mount was powerful and glorious, fo will all those be, in Measure, where Jefus is really prefent in Spirit. And be opened bis Mouth, and taught them. Thus when true Believers meet before Chrift, he teaches them, and opens the Myfteries of the Kingdom of God, and

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Speaks

fpeaks truly to the State of the People, even now 1718. fpiritually, as he did then vocally; and his Word is with Power and great Glory. Oh! may all his Servants and Minifters, who are fenfible of his divine Call, minifter according to their feveral Gifts and Capacities, in his Power, and by his holy and divine Authority: This must reform the World, and change the Hearts of poor Mortals, and forward the Work of Reformation, which (with godly Sorrow it may be truly faid) goes but too flowly on in this World. Chrift be

ing thus fet in the Power of the Father, opened his Mouth, and let fall a Shower of Bleffings on those whose Hearts were prepared to receive them; for his great Love and tender Compaffion is generally manifefted to poor Souls, when they with Love and Zeal to him, and for the Honour of his great Name, meet and affemble before him. He begins and fays,

Verse 3. Bleffed are the poor in Spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

It is a fafe and bleffed State to be truly and fpiritually poor, and to be rightly fenfible of it before the Most High; for then we are nothing, nor have any Thing, but from the Lord, and without him Man fees himself undone, his Soul moft ftarve, he must go naked, if the Almighty do not feed him, and clothe him; and when he or the fees themselves poor and wretched, miferable, blind and naked, without Chrift, notwithstanding all the fine Things they may enjoy in this World, which is of a fading Nature; Oh! then how the Soul cries, how it begs for Mercy and Grace; a dry Form of Words will not fatisfy it then; but it begs with Tears, Lord, help me, or I perifh! Save me, or I am undone for ever! Here the Soul humbly approaches the Throne of Grace by Prayer; and if an Anfwer is not quickly received (for fuch a Soul is apt to think the Time long) it waits patiently with that Servant of God, who faid, Though he lay me, yet will I trust in him: For 17ob 13 know there is no Help for me but from thee, Oh! 15.

my

1718. my God, and my Saviour! faith the truly poor Soul, the Food which must keep Life in me, is thy Word; and the Raiment which I want, is thy Righteousness, as thou wrought it for me, and works it on me alfo. The Lord looks with a compaffionate Eye on fuch Souls, and doth not ufe to turn them away empty; but as they abide in the Patience waiting for his Appearance in Hope, he affures them of the Kingdom; and a great Turn and Change is witneffed; for the Bleffing of Chrift makes them rich, which adds no Prop. 10. Sorrow with it; for the greatest Sorrow was, and is, for want of it; now their Treafure and Heart is in Heaven, and heavenly Things are their chiefest Delight; now they are clothed with Chrift's Righteoufnefs, he hath put it upon them, and they fhew it in the Sight of Men, a thorough Change being wrought both within and without alfo; The Holy Spirit bearing Witness with their Spirits, that they are the Children of God; and Chrift fays, Theirs is the Kingdom of Hea

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Rom. 8. 16.

Rom. 3.

23.

Sovu 16. v. 8, 9, 10,

ven.

Verfe 4. Bleed are they that mourn: For they shall be comforted.

The Mourning here fpoken of, is that of a godly Sort, which may fometimes appear outwardly: 1ft, For the Soul may mourn for its own Sins and Iniquities: 2dly, For want of a Saviour; and, 3dly, For the Iniquities of others. For, first, all have finned, and come fhort of the Glory of God; and fince we have all finned, we have all Need to mourn before the Lord, and bow ourselves before the Moft High; and when he fees that we are humbled before him, he then will comfort us: Chrift will fend the Comforter, the Spirit of Truth in his Name, who will come unto us; and when he is come, we may plainly know and understand it is he, by what he doth, according to Christ's own Rule, which is infallible and certain; fays he, When be is come, he will reprove (or convince) the World of Sin, of Righteousness, and Judgment: Of Sin,

because

Tim. 4.

because they believe not on me; of Righteounefs, because I 1 71 8. go to my Father, and ye fee me no more; and of Judg-~ ment, because the Prince of this World is judged. Thus according to Chrift, that which fhews us our Sin, and convinces us of it, is the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter; that, after we have mourned for our Sins, which he convinces us of, then he comforts us with inward Comfort and Confolation. 2dly, This Comforter alfo convinceth us of our formal Righteoufnefs, when it is only formal, without the Power of Chrift; and then the Soul mourns after the Life and Power of Godliness, which indeed is great Gain, with true Contentment; 8, and S. and hath the Promife of the Things of this Life, and 6. that alfo which is to come. And fo here we are comforted by the Spirit in the Promife, in which we have Faith to believe in Chrift, and that he will verily do as he hath promifed. 3dly. It alfo convinceth us of Judgment, when we judge with wrong Judgment; and .when we mourn for our Mistake, he makes us fenfible of this righteous Judgment, which judges the Prince of this World, who is judged by Chrift; and then instead of Mourning, we are ready to fing with the Saints of old, Salvation, and Glory, and Honour, and Power, unto the Lord our God, for true and righteous are bis Judgments, for he bath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the Earth with her Fornication, and bath revenged the Blood of bis Servants at her Hand.

Rev. 19.

1, 2.

Secondly, The Soul being truly in Love with Chrift, and he being abfent from the Soul in fome Senfe; or if he feems to ftay a great While from it,, although to try and prove the Soul; this makes us mourn greatly like the Spoufe in the Canticles, who fets forth the Beauty Cant. 5. and excellent Parts, and Comelinefs, of her Beloved, 6. and all her Sorrow is, he had withdrawn himself : And well may a Soul be forrowful, when Chrift fpiritually withdraws himfeif: The Children of the Bridechamber mourn in the Bridegroom's Abfence, but rejoice in is kis Prefence, fays Chrift; who is the very Perfection

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1718. of Beauty and Holiness. But the Soul abiding in his Love, and feeking of him, and waiting for him, in his own due Time he will certainly come to that Soul; for he is the Truth who faid, Blessed are they that mourn, for they fall be comforted.

Re. 11.

3dly, Again pious Souls cannot but mourn for the Heb. 6 6. Sins and Abominations of the Times, which is a great Exercife to them, and affects them with Sorrow and Mourning; but they are comforted with blessed Promifes, which the Holy Ghost at Times and Seasons, immediately applies to their Souls, as recorded in the Holy Scripture; and let it be remembred, that all our good Times and Seafons are in the Hand of the Lord. It is recorded in the Holy Scripture, that God would have his People spoken comfortably to; Ifa. xl. 1. And that he would give them Beauty for Afbes, the Oyl of Joy for Mourning, and the Garment of Praife for the Spirit of Heaviness; that they might be called Trees of Righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that he might be glorified. Ifa. Ixi. 3.

Rom. 11. 20.

James 4.

6.

Verfe 5. Bleed are the Meek: For they hall inherit the Earth.

Be not bigh-minded, faith one of his Servants; and another faith, God refifteth the Proud, but giveth Grace to the Humble; again, The Meek will be teach his Pfal. 25 Way, and the Meek will be guide in Judgment; as the Holy Scripture witneffeth. So that well faid our Holy Saviour, that the Meek should be bleffed; Grace is given to them, and God is their Teacher, and their Guide in Judgment; a most bleffed Gift, Teacher and Guide: A great Bleffing indeed, to receive Grace from Almighty God, to be taught his Ways by him, and to have the Holy One to be our Guide in Judgment. And he who has all Power in Heaven, and in Earth, committed into his Hand, fays as above, That the Meck ball inherit the Earth: They have the righteft and trueft Enjoyment of all the Things of this Life; whereas the Proud and Scornful are a Burthen

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