Bleffed are thofe who are of a meek and quiet Spirit; for thereby they will be in favour with the Magiftrate, nor fhall they be oblig'd to fly their Country, as those who are of a turbulent and favage Temper.

Do not judg thofe miferable who are in want of the very Neceffaries of Life, either by reafon of the Barrenness of the Land they till, or because the Fruits of their Farms have been destroy'd by unfeasonable Storms or Tempefts, or because they have been plunder'd by their Enemies: nor ought you to look upon thefe. Accidents as fo many Arguments of the Divine Difpleafure, which is the common Opinion of the Jews; for if thefe men are zealously bent upon the pursuit of Piety and a holy Life, their Souls fhall be fatisfied with eternal Felicity in the Life to

come.

They who heap up Riches without measure, and in all things confult their own Welfare, are not to be look'd upon as happy: They are much rather fo, who taking pity on the Misfortunes of others, fuccour 'em according to their Ability; for God will take pity on them after this Life's ended, and reward 'em with all manner of Happinefs, while the former thall be feverely punith'd for their Avarice and Inhumanity.

Happy are those who have their Minds purg'd from evil Inclinations, who prefer fuch a Purity of Mind before the ceremonial cleanfing of the Body: for God will not only favourably receive them in his Temple, but reward them hereafter with his Divine Prefence in the celeftial Seats of Blifs.

Bleffed alfo will they be who labour earnestly for Peace, who make it a great bufinefs of their Lives to reconcile men of oppofite Opinions and Practices, who are of a quite contrary Temper to the Pharifees, that factious feditious Race of Men, who quarrel upon the flighteft occafion, and are always ready to put themselves at the head of a Party; who for this very reafon are admir'd by the Multitude, and

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look'd upon by them as the Favourites of Heaven. Whereas the Lovers of Peacedo in that very thing manifest themselves to be the Sons of God, who is peculiarly fil'd, The God of Peace.

Do not imagine they are bleffed, who, because they take care to give no Offence to the Government, like the Sadduces, enjoy an uncontroul'd Profperity in this World, but at the fame time purfue Virtue and Truth no farther than as they conduce to the attaining these terreftrial Advantages. They are with much more reafon to be accounted bleffed, who at prefent fuffer for their adherence to Truth and Virtue; for these shall become Members of the Kingdom of Heaven, from which thofe others will be excluded.

Look upon your Condition as bleffed, when for the ftedfat adherence to my Doctrine, and conftant obedience to my Commands, Men fhall hate you, and expel you their Affemblies, as unfit to fit among them, and fhall purfue you with contumelious Reproaches and Defamations... When you fhall be thus evilly intreated by the Jews, you ought to be fo far from grieving at it, that you will have the greateft reafon to be fill'd with Joy and Gladness, fince you will receive the greater Rewards from God in Heaven. This was the Lot of the Prophets formerly, whofe Condition no one will fay was miferable, fince it was attended with the Divine Favour.

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On the contrary, miferable are the Rich, who vaunt themselves upon that ac count, and who impart none of their Wealth to the relief of the indigent: Thefe bless themselves upon the account of their Riches, and have nothing further to expect from God.

Miferable are thofe that abound in all manner of Delicacies, and beftow nothing out of their Abundance to the relief of the Neceflities of the Poor: hereafter they fhall fuffer what will be as intolerable as the greatest Hunger. Unhappy are those who because of their uninterrupted Profperity give themfelves to perpetual Feafting and Jollity: The time will come when their Mirth fhall be turn'd into continual Grief and Anguish. Envy not the Condition of those who have the greatest Reputation among the Jews: The Ancestors of thefe very Jews in like manner applauded the falfe Prophets, while the true Mcffengers of God fuffer'd under their Obloquy and Defamation.

O all ye that embrace my Doctrine, you are like thofe falt Afhes which are imploy'd in the manuring of Land, which, if they once lofe their Saltnefs, are for ever after ufelefs, and thrown out into the High-way, and trodden under foot. Thus ought you in your Words and Actions to incite Mankind to the purfuit of Virtue, in which if you should fail, there is no one upon Earth, neither in Judea, nor any other Country, that can reclaim you: So that if you prove wanting in your Duty, like thofe infipid Afhes, you will become for ever an unprofitable Burden on the Earth.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is fet on. a hill, cannot be hid.

15 Neither do men light a, candle, and put it under a bufhel; but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

16 Let your light fo fhine before men, that they may fee your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

17 Think not that I am come to deftroy the law or the prophets: I am not come. to deftroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I fay unto: you, Till heaven and earth. pafs, one jot or one tittle thall in no wife pafs from the law, till all be fulfilled.

19 Whofoever therefore fhall break one of these leaft

You are like to a Light illuftrating the whole Globe of the Earth; where fore it behoves you to take care that your Doctrine be not obfcur'd with the leaft Cloud of Vice or Error. 'Twill be impoffible for you not to be taken notice of, and you will refemble a City feated upon an Eminence, and confpicuous afar off. And this indeed you ought to be acquainted with, fince it is for this very purpose that you have been call'd by God. As men light a lamp to be of ufe to all the Family, not to obfcure the Light of it by covering it with a Bufhel, and fo frustrating the very end it was defign'd for: So thine out by the Light of your Doctrine, and a holy Life, that men obferving your Words and Actions to be conformable to your Profeflion, may praife your heavenly Father, and give thanks to him for fending fuch men into the World to difpel the Darknefs it was involv'd in.

Do not imagine,becaufe I lay fome things repugnant to the common Notions of the Fems, that I am come with defign to teach men they are now no longer under any obligation to the Laws of Mojes and the Prophets: On the contrary, I am fent by God to acquaint them more fully with their Duty. While Heaven and Earth laft, not the leaft tittle of the moral Injunctions deliver'd by Mofes and the Prophets fhall be cancel'd. And whoever teaches that any the leaft Divine Precept uf Morality, because it feems to him of all importance, may be omitted, and by.

teach men fo, he shall be called the leaft in the kingdom of heaven: but whofoever shall do and teach them, the fame shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

20 For I fay unto you,That. except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the fcribes and Pharifees,ye fhall in no cafe enter into the kingdom of heaven.

2.1 Ye have heard that it was faid by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and whofoever fhall kill, fhall be in danger of the judgment.

22 But I fay unto you, That whofoever is angry with his brother without a caufe, fhall be in danger of the judgment: and whofoever shall say to his brother, Raca, all be in danger of the council: but whofoever

by his own example encourages others to the neglect of it, fhall be as lightly regarded by God in the account he will take of the Inhabitants of his heavenly Kingdom. Contrarily, whoever fhall by his Doctrine and Example recommend a diligent Obfervation of all thofe Virtues that have been enjoyn'd by God upon any occafion, fall be accounted great in the Kingdom of Heaven. For I admonish you (fo far am I from expecting lefs Sanctity from you) that unless your Holiness exceed that of the very Pharifees and Doctors of the Law, who are reputed the moft holy Perfons among the fews, you will forfeit the Rewards that fhall be diftributed in the Kingdom of Heaven.

You know that when the Law was given to your Ancestors, Murder was made a capital Crime by God himself; but I am further to inform you, that not only that and the like enormous Crimes fhall be punifli'd in the Life to come, but the fmaller alfo, and fuch as are fcarce reputed Faults by the Jews. Whofoever fhall indulge his Anger, and behave himself paffionately without caufe, shall fuffer fuch Punishment as may be compar'd to that capital one inflicted by the leffer Councils; but he that fhall habituate himself to fcoff at and jeer his Neighbour, fhall hereafter be fentenc'd to as fevere Punishment as thofe who are condemn'd by the greater Council for the greatest Crimes: But he who above all fhall out. ragioully

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