are full of grace, they drop as the honeycomb. Blessings and promises are our encouragements to obedience.

3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Observe here, 1. It is not said, blessed are the poor in estate, but blessed are the poor in spirit: 'tis not a poverty of purse and possession, but a poverty of spirit, that entitles us to the blessing. 2. "Tis not said, blessed are the spiritually poor, but, blessed are the poor in spirit: he that is destitute of the grace and spirit of Christ,|| that has no sense of his spiritual wants, he is spiritually poor, but he is not poor in spirit. Farther, 3. "Tis not said, blessed

are the poor-spirited, but, the poor in spirit. Such as act below and beneath themselves as men and as christians, these are poorspirited men; but these are not poor in spirit. 4. "Tis not said, blessed are they that make themselves poor, by leaving their estates and callings, and turning beggars, as some do among the Papists; but, blessed are they whom the gospel makes poor, by giving them a sight of their spiritual wants and necessities, and directing them to Christ, that they may be made rich. In sum, not those that are poor in estate, or those whom the world has made poor in possession, but those whom the gospel has made poor in spirit, that is, the truly humble, lowly spirits, have a right and title to the kingdom of heaven. Now humility is called poverty of spirit, because it is the effect and fruit of God's Spirit.

4 Blessed are they that mourn:

for they shall be comforted.

Observe here, 1. That mourning for sin is a gospel-duty: the law allows no place for repentance, though we seek it carefully with tears. Observe, 2. The time and season for this duty. Blessed are they

that now mourn. Sorrow for sin is physic

on earth, but 'tis food in hell. Repentance is here a grace, but there a punishment. 3. As mourning goes before comfort, so comfort shall follow after mourning. Our godly sorrow for our own and others' sins shall end in everlasting joy and comfort.

5 Blessed are the meek: for they

shall inherit the earth.

Observe here, 1. The grace and duty recommended, meekness. 2. The wages and reward belonging to that grace and duty, the inheritance of the earth. Meekness either respects God, or our neighbour. As it respects God, so it implies flexibleness to his commanding will, and submissiveness to his providential pleasure. As it respects

our neighbour, it consists in forgiving injuries, bearing reproaches, and recompensing good for evil. The reward and blessing ensured to this grace and duty is, the inheritance of the earth, where heaven is not excluded, but included; yet the earth is mentioned, to show that men should be no losers by their meekness, as to their outward estates; for Almighty God will make good to them whatever they lose for peace sake.

O happy temper of mind, that at once secures heaven and earth to boot! Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth in this life, and heaven in the next.

6 Blessed are they which do hun. ger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

Observe, 1. The character of the persons whom Christ pronounces blessed; such as hunger and thirst after righteousness. 2. Wherein their blessedness doth consist: They shall be filled. By righteousness we are to understand, 1. A righteousness of justifi cation; the righteousness of the Mediator imputed to us, by which we stand righteous in God's sight, being freed from condemnation. 2. A righteousness of sanctification, wrought in us by the Holy Spirit, enabling us to act righteously. By the former, there is a relative change in our condition; by the latter, a real change in our constitution. 1. Learn, That all and only such as do spiritually hunger and thirst after Christ and his righteousness, are in a happy and blessed condition. 2. That to hunger and thirst after holiness is to apprehend the worth of it, to be sensible of the want of it, to be desirous of it, and restless in endeavours after it, as men usually do that are pinched with hunger. Dr. Hammond's Prac. Catech.

7 Blessed are the merciful: for

they shall obtain mercy.

Here our blessed Redeemer recommends to us a compassionate regard towards the miseries of others, and that both in soul and body, name and estate; to be forward to pity and pardon, to relieve and help, to give and forgive. And as an encouragement, he adds, that as we deal with others,

God will deal with us; our charity towards men shall be crowned with mercy from God, and that in abundance too; for our rivulet of charity we shall partake of an ocean of mercy: Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Learn, That the merciful man is a blessed man, and therefore blessed because he shall obtain mercy, when he most wants it, and most desires it. Mercy, not wages.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

Note here, 1. The duty required and called for, purity of heart and life; the first expressed, the other included; for a clean heart will be accompanied with a clean life. Where there is a principle of grace within, there will be the acting of grace without. Note, 2. The incentive to this duty; the pure in heart, and holy in life, shall see and enjoy God; the infinitely pure and perfectly holy God. They shall see him spiritually and mediately in this life, gloriously and immediately in the life

to come.

9 Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of God.

Observe, 1. The connection between peace and purity: purity of heart and peaceableness of life accompany one another. There is no inward purity where there is not an endeavour after outward peace. 2. The duty exhorted to, namely, to love peace, and to labour after peace; to love it ourselves, and promote it amongst others; to be not only peaceable, but peacemakers. Note, 4. The title of honour that is here put upon such as are of this peaceable and peace-making temper: they shall be called the children of God; that is, they shall be reputed and esteemed God's chil- || dren, for their likeness to him who is the God of peace. And they shall be dignified and honoured with the privileges of God's children; namely, grace here, and glory hereafter.

10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

gone for righteousness' sake. 4. That it is the will and command of Christ, that those which suffer for him, and for righteous ness' sake, should not only be meek and patient, but joyous and cheerful; Rejoice, and be exceeding glad. 5. That such a patient and cheerful suffering of persecution for Christ in this life, shall certainly be rewarded with the glory and blessedness of the life that is to come. Great is your reward, &c.

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

Our Saviour compares christians in general, and his ministers in particular, unto salt, for a double reason, First, Because it is the nature of salt to preserve things from corruption and putrefaction, and to render them savoury and pleasant. Thus are the ministers of the gospel to labour and endeavour, by the purity of their doctrine, to sweeten putrefying sinners, that they may become savoury unto God and man; and may be kept from being flyblown with errors and false doctrine. Secondly, Because salt has a piercing power in it, which subdues the whole lump, and turns it into its own nature: such a piercing power is there in the ministry of the word, that it subdues the whole man to the obedience of itself. As if Christ had said, "Ye are to be preachers and patterns to the world; ye are appointed by your pure doctrine, and good conversation, to purge the world from that corruption in which it lies; but if you lose either soundness of doctrine, or the savour of a good conversation, you will be wholly useless, as to these great ends, and must expect to be cast off by me, as unsavoury salt is cast to the dunghill."

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in

heaven.

Note here, 1. That all the disciples and followers of Christ, live they never so holily and inoffensively in the world, yet must they expect suffering and persecution 2. That the keenest and sharpest edge of persecution is usually turned against the ministers of Christ, and falls heaviest on the prophets of God. 3. That such suf-2. ferings and persecutions as will afford a man solid comfort, and entitle him to real blessedness, must be endured and under

Observe here, 1. Our Saviour's doctrine. The inference which he draws from it, by way of application. The doctrine delivered is this, That christians in general, and the ministers of the gospel in particu

lar, are the light of the world. But how? | tion of the moral law be dissolved. Learn, Not originally, but derivatively; not effi- 1. That the law of God is an eternal and ciently, but instrumentally. Christ himself unchangeable rule of life and manners, and is the light of the world by way of original; is to stand in force as long as the world his ministers are lights by way of deriva- stands, and the frame of heaven and earth tion and participation from him. Farther, endures. Learn, 2. That Christianity is Christ teaches them the end why he com- not contrary to the laws by which mankind municated light unto them, namely, to en- had formerly been obliged. Christ comlighten, direct, and quicken others; even mands nothing that the natural or moral as the sun in the firmament, and a candle law had forbidden, and forbids nothing that in the house, diffuses and disperses its light they had commanded, but has perfected the to all that are within the reach of it; so law, and set it higher than any of the most should all Christians, and particularly studied doctors did think themselves forChrist's ministers, by the light of life and merly obliged by it. To suppose that Christ doctrine, direct people in their way to- has added to the moral precepts of the first wards heaven. Observe, 2. The inference table, is to suppose that he has added to which our Saviour draws from the fore- perfection; for that required the Jew to going doctrine, ye are the light of the world; love God with all his heart, soul, and therefore let your light so shine before men. strength; which is the same that Christ Where note, 1. That our good works must requireth of us Christians here. Nor has shine, but not blaze; all vain-glory and Christ added to the duties of the second ostentation must be avoided in the good table, since that requires us to love our works we do. 2. Although we must abound neighbour as ourselves, which St. Paul in good works, that men may see them, yet tells us, Rom. xiii. 9. is the fulfilling of the not to be seen of men. 3. That the glorify-law. ing of God, and doing good to mankind, must be the great end we propound in all the good works which we perform.

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. Our Saviour here informs his followers, That he had no design to abrogate any part of the moral law, or to loose mankind from the least measure of their duty, either towards God or man, but that he came to fulfil it. 1. By yielding a personal obedience to it. 2. By giving a fuller and stricter interpretation of it than the Pharisees were wont to give; for they taught that the law did only reach the outward man, and restrain outward actions. As if Christ had said, "Though I preach a more special doctrine than is contained even in the letter of the moral law, yet think not that I came to destroy or dissolve the obligation of that law, for I came to fulfil the types and predictions of the prophets, and to give you the full sense and spiritual import of the moral law."

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.

Another reason is here given by our Saviour why he had no intention to abrogate or abolish the law; and that is drawn from the duration and perpetuity, the unchangeableness and immutability, of the law: sooner shall heaven and earth be abolished than the authority and obligaVOL. I.-4

19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

To evidence yet farther that the moral law is a perfect rule of life, our Saviour tells his disciples, that if any of them did, either by their doctrine or practice, make void any one of the least of God's commands, either by allowing themselves in the omission of any known duty, or in the commission of any known sin, they should never enter into the kingdom of God.

Learn, That such a professor of Christianity as allows himself in the least voluntary transgression, either of omission his example to do the like, is certainly in or commission, and encourages others by

a state of damnation.

20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Observe here, 1. A glorious prize or reward set before the Christian as attainable, namely, The kingdom of heaven. Observe, 2. The means required in order to our obtaining this prize, and laying hold of this reward; we must be holy and righteous C

2. By disgraceful and reviling words. Thence learn, That every evil motion of our hearts consented to against our neighbour, all unjust anger towards him, all terms of contempt put upon him, are forbidden by the law of God, no less than the gross act of murder itself. Learn, 2. That wrath and anger without just cause hath its degrees; and accordingly to the degrees of the sin will the degrees of punishment be proportioned in the next world. Learn, 3. That self-murder is here forbidden, and in no case lawful, man having no more power over his own life than over another's: though life be never so miserable and painful, yet must we wait God's time for our dismission and release.

persons; heaven is the reward of righteous- || actual taking away of life, a person may ness, a reward conferred only upon right- violate that command; 1. By rash anger. eous persons. Observe, 3. Here is the special qualification of that righteousness expressed which will entitle us to heaven and salvation: it must be a righteousness which exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, and that these three ways: 1. In its principle and motive; love to God, and obedience to his command; not the applause and commendation of men. 2. In its aim and end. The Pharisees made themselves, their own credit and esteem, their worldly gain and interest, their ultimate end; and not God's glory their supreme aim. 3. In the manner of performance; the Pharisees' duty wanted that purity and spirituality which the law of God required. They had respect only to the outward action, without any regard to the inward intention, and to that purity of heart which God required. Quest. In what things are we to exceed the scribes and Pharisees? Answ. In sincerity, or by being that within which we seem to be with

out. In simplicity, or having holy ends in our religious actions. In humility, or having low and humble thoughts of ourselves and our best performances. In charity, or having compassion on all distressed perIn universality of obedience to all commands. Learn, That holiness of heart, and righteousness of life, which God's law requires of us, is absolutely and indispensably necessary to salvation.

sons.

21 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill: and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment. 22 But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell-fire.

Here our blessed Saviour begins to expound the spiritual sense and meaning of the law, and to vindicate it from the corrupt glosses of the Pharisees; where observe, Christ doth not deliver a new law, but expounds the old; doth not enjoin new duties, but enforces the old ones. The law of God was always perfect, requiring the sons of men to love God with all their hearts, and their neighbour as themselves. In this exposition of the law, Christ begins with the sixth commandment, Thou shalt not kill where he shows, that besides the

23 Therefore, if thou bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that thy brother hath ought against thee, 24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift. 25 Agree with thine adversary quickly, whiles thou art in the way with him; lest at any time the adversary deliver thee to the judge, and the judge deliver thee to the officer, and thou be cast into prison. 26 Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing.

For preventing the sin of rash anger, which in our Saviour's account is a degree of murder, he exhorts all his disciples and followers to brotherly agreement, and to seek mutual reconciliation with each other. Agree with thine adversary, that is, thy offended or offending brother; agree with him, as becomes a man; quickly, as becomes a Christian; implying, that it is a necessary duty for every Christian to seek reconciliation sincerely and speedily with such as have offended him, or have been offended by him. Observe, 2. The argument or motive with which Christ enforces his exhortation to brotherly reconciliation, drawn from the peril and danger of the neglect; and this is two-fold: The first respects our present duties and services, when we wait upon God at his altar, and attend upon him in holy offices. None of our performances will find acceptance with God, if there be found malice and hatred, anger and ill-will, against our brother. Learn, that no sacrifice we can offer will