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mean persons, which the Lord of Glory made his calling and work in the world.

Repent, for the kingdom of Heaven is at hand. -This was said before the sermon of his forerunner, not only the same sense, but the very same words: he that needed to borrow from none, but gives all to all, yet disdains not to preach this over after John Baptist. There is certainly a pride and vanity in the minds of men, in that extreme affecting still either to speak or hear new things. Oh! were you called together often, and this said as from God, Repent ye for the kingdom, and found obedience; now one heart yielding, and then another, though it might seem poor to vain heads, yet oh! what excellent preaching were it. God's voice more regarded and owned, would make that sweet which we often despise.

Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.Oh! sweet invitation the offer of a pardon to a repenting sinner, but how much more of a kingdom. He might say, Repent, for the prison of Hell is at hand, if ye do not; but rather this way draws, by the happiness and glory attending our return.

Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand. -And at hand to you, if ye repent.-To be yours, grace and all the rich promises of it, and within a while, full glory; and no more ado, it is at hand, let go your hold of the one, and streight catch hold of the other, it is at hand. But who believes this; if we do what madness is it not to accept. The chapter hath, First, Our Saviour's preparation to his public calling. Secondly, His begun administration of it in all the three parts, preaching of the gospel, calling disciples, and working miracles.

Ver. 18.-And Jesus, &c.] Here the calling of two pair of brethren, both of the same calling, fishers, to a higher calling of the same name, fishers still, but of men, that the excellency and dignity of it. Not now to follow the resemblance there is much art in

this divine fishing of human souls, both in casting the net in public preaching, and angling in private

converse.

They followed immediately.] This was as Elias. touch to Elisha, What have I done to thee? Did our hearts once hear his voice, net would not entangle us, nor cables bind us; no friends, nor parents, nor business would hold us; we would break from all, yea if it might be otherwise, would run from all to follow him.

And Jesus went about, &c.] Here his divine power and goodness shining forth in the miraculous cure of all diseases: but these bodily cures were but preludes of the main work; but signs hung out to shew where the physician of souls dwelt. And whatsoever be thy spiritual maladies, though never so many and so desperate, yet come, never any came to him and went away uncured.

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CHAP. V.

THERS may grow stale, but this sermon never so often read over is always new. Oh! how full of divine doctrine. How plain and yet how high and excellent, delighting the soul as a bright day. Clear light all along. We need not strain for the clearness of it upon that word, he opened his mouth; for every word here spoken, speaks for itself, carries, as light does, its own evidence. He begins with that great point that all are concerned in, and all naturally someway desirous to know; the doctrine of blessedness in short aphorisms, and the rest of his discourse follows out the same argument, directing the way to happiness in those graces, purity, meekness, mercy, &c. For although all grace is radically one, and he that hath one hath all, yet they are thus specified, 1st. For the weakness of our apprehen

sions, that take not full views so easily, they are spelled out to us, but it is only so, that taking them the easier severally, as letters of one word, we may set them together again, as all being one blessedness. 2ndly. Though every true Christian hath all graces, yet all are not alike eminent in all. We may confidently say, that there is none that equally excels in every grace, but in several persons, several particular graces do most act and evidence themselves; shoot up above the rest; yea in one and the same person, one grace will, at several times, be more evident and sensible than another, 3dly. They thus parcelled out to us, that we may apply ourselves the more particularly sometimes to the study of one, sometimes to the study of another, the neglect whereof is a great cause of our great deficiency in them all, We hear them and like them may be, think these are good, but we do not set to the attainment of them; applaud, and leave them there; approve all, and neglect all. If at any time, we have any desires after them, they are general and confused, We grasp at all and catch nothing.

This I would recommend, to be mose particular in our purposes, sometimes to set to some one, not secluding nor turning away the rest, for that cannot be, but yet more particularly plying that one, were it humility, poverty of spirit, meekness, or any other; and for sometime make that one our main task, were it for some weeks or months together, and examine every day's practice in that particularly. But as unsettled students among many books, we rove and reel, and make offers at every grace, and still lay behind, and make no considerable purchase nor progression in any. Now for blessedness, what is the common voice, at least, of men's minds and practices, though they speak it not out? Blessed be the rich, the honourable, the well landed or well befriended, and they that can grow great enough in the world. But if we believe this teacher, it is not these, no such matter. But if in things spiritual

and inward, then men would imagine readily of those things which sound highest, that have some grandeur, and somewhat heroic in them, in great knowledge of faculty, and zeal for high services, or in raptures, and extacies, and singular divine experiences; but here nothing of these neither, but the meanest, most despised things; yea those that some of them seem to sound as miserable and sad; The poor in spirit-they that mourn the meek, &c. Oh! sweet lowly graces, poverty of spirit, meekness, that grow low, of dark hue, as the violets, but of a fragrant smell, as one says, chief in garlands; these prime in the garlands of a Christian. Oh! study these; seek to have them growing within you. Suffering remarkable martyrdom may seem to have some lustre in it, but how take you it, to be reviled, and scoffed, and hated, and taunted, by Christians in name, because thou desirest to be one indeed?

Each of these beatitudes, for all the low sound at first, ends high, and makes good the title, Blessed are the poor in spirit; ay, they the only rich heirs to a kingdom, and such a kingdom, theirs is the kingdom of God. Lofty vain minds truly base. By poverty in spirit, is meant, I conceive, not only a sense of spiritual want (though commonly so taken) but is more comprehensive, a lowly frame of heart, not swelled either with desires, or delight, or conceit, of any worldly advantage, or self-excellency, either outward or inward. Thus may a man be, amidst very many such advantages and riches, poor, and that is his blessing; yet here is connoted, I conceive, the condition of outward poverty as more suiting, and usually more connext with temper of spirit. In St. Luke it is Blessed are the poor, opposed to the rich. And he that is poor in spirit, if outwardly poor, is truly rich in the midst of poverty. So they that mourn shall be comforted, and the meek inherit the earth, not that this is their all, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven also. But this word from the Psalm, carries a fit promise, that

meekness seeming to be that which makes a man a prey to every one, and easily wronged and thrust out by all, yet shall be provided and protected, and shall enjoy so much even of this earth as is fit for him, with more quiet and sweetness, than the proud and boisterous, that are ever, almost, in contentions. The pure in heart.-Abridging themselves of sights and enjoyments that the world seeks after. Sensual delights; the lusts of the flesh; the lusts of the eyes, and the pride of life: shall have a better sight, and purer joy suiting them; sweetest communion with God here, and ere long full visionso in the rest clear.

The last blessed in persecution, and to rejoice in it. -Look off from your sufferings, and each way you will find matter of encouragement and joy. Look back to the prophets that were before, and look forward to the reward in heaven that is before you. The firm belief of that kingdom, that glory above, that vision, what will it not make easy to forego, or undergo, to do, or suffer It is the want of that belief, that keeps the low things of this earth so high in our esteem.

Verse 13, 14.-Ye the salt of the earth-ye the light of the world, &c.-This next point particularly concerns the disciples, and after them, the ministers of Christ. In these resemblances lie their dignity and duty, and the former used for urging the latter; and that the best view of it. Let men look as much as they can upon the excellency of this their high calling, so it raise their spirits to high endeavours of suiting it. What a simple thing to feed self-conceit by this. Alas! poor man, he is light indeed in another sense, that grows vain upon it, that he is called light, and does not rather tremble that he is so unlike it in this. Salt-What were all table provisions without this? Light-What were the world without this? He communicates his own name to them, The light of the world. All the children of God, children of light, but his mes