of the Gentiles:

16 The people which sat in darkness saw great

k la. 42. 6, 7. Luke 2. 32.

(John 2.) discoursed with Nicodemus, (John 3.) with the woman of Samaria, (John 4.) and then returned into Galilee, and preached there. But Matthew, having had his residence in Galilee, begins his story of Christ's public ministry with his preaching there, which here we have an account of. Observe, I. The time; when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, then he went into Galilee, v. 12. Note, The cry of the saints' sufferings comes up into the ears of the Lord Jesus. If John be cast into prison, Jesus hears it, takes cognizance of it, and steers his course accordingly; he remembers the bonds and afflictions that abide his people. Observe, 1. Christ did not go into the country, till he heard of John's imprisonment; for he must have time given him to prepare the way of the Lord, before the Lord himself appear. Providence wisely ordered it, that John should be eclipsed before Christ shone forth; otherwise the minds of people would have been distracted between the two; one would have said, I am of John, and another, I am of Jesus. John must be Christ's harbinger, but not his rival. The moon and stars are lost when the sun rises. John had done his work by the baptism of repentance, and then he is laid aside. The witnesses were slain when they had finished their testimony, and not before, Rev. 11. 7. 2. He did go into the country as soon as he heard of John's imprisonment; not only to provide for his own safety, knowing that the Pharisees in Judea were as much enemies to him as Herod was to John, but to supply the want of John Baptist, and to build upon the good foundation he had laid. Note, God will not leave himself without witness, nor his church without guides; when he removes one useful instrument, he can raise up another, for he has the residue of the Spirit, and he will do it, if he has work to do. Moses my servant is dead, John is cast into prison; now therefore, Joshua, arise; Jesus, arise.

II. The place where he preached; in Galilee, a remote part of the country, that lay furthest from Jerusalem, and was there looked upon with contempt, as rude and boorish. The inhabitants of that country were reckoned stout men, fit for soldiers, but not polite men, or fit for scholars. Thither Christ went, there he set up the standard of his Gospel; and in this, as in other things, he humbled himself. Observe,

1. The particular city he chose for his residence; not Nazareth, where he had been bred up; no, he left Nazareth; particular notice is taken of that, v. 13. And with good reason did he leave Nazareth; for the men of that city thrust him out from among them, Luke 4. 29. He made them his first, and a very fair offer of his service, but they rejected him and his doctrine, and were filled with indignation at him and it; and therefore he left Nazareth, and shook off the dust of his feet for a testimony against those there who would not have him to teach them. Nazareth was the first place that refused Christ, and was therefore refused by him. Note, It is just with God, to take the Gospel and the means of grace from those that slight them, and thrust them away. Christ will not stay long where he is not welcome. Unhappy Nazareth! If thou hadst known in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace, how well had it been for thee! But now they are hid from thine eyes. But he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which was a city of Galilee, but many miles distant from Nazareth, a great city and of much resort. It is said here to be on the seacoast, not the great sea, but the sea of Tiberias, an inland water, called also the lake of Gennesaret. Close by the falling of Jordan into this sea stood Capernaum, in the tribe of Naphtali, but bordering upon Zebulun; hither Christ came, and here he dwelt. Some think that his father Joseph had a habitation here, others that he took a house or lodgings at least; and some think it more than probable, that he dwelt in the house of Simon Peter; however, here he fixed, not constantly, for he went about doing good; but this was for some time his head-quarters: what little rest he had, was here; here he had a place, though not a place of his own, to lay his head on. And at Capernaum, it should seem, he was welcome, and met with better entertainment than he had at Nazareth. Note, If some reject Christ, yet others will receive him, and bid him welcome. Capernaum is glad of Nazareth's leavings. If Christ's own countrymen be not gathered, yet he will be glorious. "And thou, Capernaum, hast now a day of it; thou art now lifted up to heaven; be wise for thyself, and know the time of thy visitation."

2. The prophecy that was fulfilled in this, v. 14-16. It is quoted, Is. 9. 1, 2, but with some variation. The prophet in that place is foretelling a greater darkness of affliction to befall the contemners of Immanuel, than befell the countries there mentioned, either in their first captivity under Benhadad, which was but light, (1 Kings 15. 20,) or in their second captivity under the Assyrian, which was much heavier, 2 Kings 15. 29. The punishment of the Jewish nation for rejecting the Gospel, should be sorer than either, (see Is. 8. 21, 22,) for those captivated places had some reviving in their bondage, and saw a great light again, ch. 9. 2. This is Isaiah's sense; but the scripture has many fulfillings; and the Evangelist here takes only the latter clause, which speaks of the refurn of the light of liberty and prosperity to those countries that had been in the darkness of captivity, and applies it to the appearing of the Gospel among them.

17 From that time Jesus began to preach,' and

/ Mark 1. 4.

The places are spoken of, v. 15: The land of Zebulun is rightly said to be by the seacoast, for Zebulun was a haven of ships, and rejoiced in her going out, Gen. 49. 13. Deut. 33. 18. Of Naphtali it had been said, that he should give goodly words, (Gen. 49. 21,) and should be satisfied with favour, (Deut. 33. 23,) for from him began the Gospel: goodly words indeed, and such as bring to a soul God's satisfying favour. The country beyond Jordan is mentioned likewise, for there we sometimes find Christ preaching, and Galilee of the Gentiles, the upper Galilee to which the Gentiles resorted for traffic, and where they were mingled with the Jews; which intimates a kindness in reserve for the poor Gentiles. When Christ came to Capernaum, the Gospel came to all those places round about; such diffusive influence did the Sun of righteousness cast.

Now, concerning the inhabitants of these places, observe, (1.) The posture they were in before the Gospel came among them; (v. 16,) they were in darkness. Note, Those that are without Christ, are in the dark, nay, they are darkness itself; as the darkness that was upon the face of the deep. Nay, they were in the region and shadow of death; which denotes not only great darkness, as the grave is a land of darkness, but great danger. A man that is desperately sick, and not likely to recover, is in the valley of the shadow of death, though not quite dead; so the poor people were in the borders of damnation, though not yet damned, dead in law. And, which is worst of all, they were sitting in this condition. Sitting is a continuing posture; where we sit, we mean to stay; they were in the dark, and likely to be so, despairing to find the way out. And it is a contented posture; they were in the dark, and they loved darkness, they chose it rather than light; they were willingly ignorant. Their condition was sad; it is still the condition of many great and mighty nations, which are to be thought of, and prayed for, with pity. But their condition is more sad, who sit in darkness in the midst of Gospel-light. He that is in the dark because it is night, may be sure that the sun will shortly arise; but he that is in the dark because he is blind, will not so soon have his eyes opened. We have the light, but what will that avail us, if we be not light in the Lord? (2.) The privilege they enjoyed, when Christ and his Gospel came among them; it was as great a reviving as ever light was to a benighted traveller. Note, When the Gospel comes, light comes; when it comes to any place, when it comes to any soul, it makes day there, John 3. 19. Luke 1, 78, 79. Light is discovering, it is directing; so is the Gospel.

It is a great light; denoting the clearness and evidence of Gospel-revelations; not like the light of a candle, but the light of the sun when he goes forth in his strength. Great in comparison with the light of the law, the shadows of which were now done away. It is a great light, for it discovers great things and of vast consequence; it will last long, and spread far. And it is a growing light, intimated in that word, It is sprung up. It was but spring of day with them; now the day dawned, which afterward shone more and more. Gospel-kingdom, like a grain of mustard-seed, or the morninglight, was small in its beginnings, gradual in its growth, but great in its perfection.

The

Observe, The light sprang up to them; they did not go to seek it, but were prevented with the blessings of this goodness. It came upon them ere they were aware, at the time appointed, by the disposal of him who commandeth the morning, and causes the day-spring to know its place, that it may take hold of the ends of the earth, Job 38. 12, 13.

The text he preached upon is mentioned, v. 17. From that time, that is, from the time of his coming into Galilee, into the land of Zebulun and Naphtali, from that time, he began to preach. He had been preaching, before this, in Judea, and had made and baptized many disciples, (John 4. 1 ;) but his preaching was not so public and constant as now it began to be. The work of the ministry is so great and awful, that it is fit to be entered upon by steps and gradual advances.

The subject which Christ dwelt upon now in his preaching, (and it was indeed the sum and substance of all his preaching,) was the very same that John had preached upon; (ch. 3. 2,) Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; for the Gospel is the same for substance under various dispensations; the commands the same, and the reasons to enforce them the same; an angel from heaven dares not preach any other Gospel, (Gal. 1. 8,) and will preach this, for it is the everlasting Gospel. Fear God, and, by repentance, give honour to him, Rev. 14. 6, 7. Christ put a great respect upon John's ministry, when he preached to the same purport that he had preached before him. By this he showed that John was his messenger and ambassador; for when he brought the errand himself, it was the same that he had sent by him. Thus did God confirm the word of his messengers, Is. 44. 26. The Son came on the same errand that the servants came on, (ch. 21. 37,) to seek fruit, fruits meet for repentance. Christ had lain in the bosom of the Father, and could have preached sublime notions of divine and heavenly things, that should have alarmed and amused the learned world, but he pitches upon this old, plain

to say, Repent: 'for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.

18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon "called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.

19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you "fishers of men.

I c. 3. 2. 10. 7. m John 1.42. n Luke 5. 10. 1 Cor. 9. 20-22. 2 Cor. 12. 16.

text, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. [1.] This he preached first upon; he began with this. Ministers must not be ambitious of broaching new opinions, framing new schemes, or coining new expressions, but must content themselves with plain, practical things, with the word that is nigh us, even in our mouth, and in our heart. We need not go up to heaven, nor down to the deep, for matter or language in our preaching. As John prepared Christ's way, so Christ prepared his own, and made way for the further discoveries he designed, with the doctrine of repentance. If any man will do this part of his will, he shall know more of his doctrine, John 7. 17. [2.] This he preached often upon; wherever he went, this was his subject, and neither he nor his followers ever reckoned it worn threadbare, as those would have done that have itching ears, and are fond of novelty and variety more than that which is truly edifying. Note, That which has been preached and heard before, may yet very profitably be preached and heard again; but then it should be preached and heard better, and with new affections; what Paul had said before, he said again, weeping, Phil. 3. 1, 18. [3.] This he preached as Gospel; "Repent, review your ways, and return to yourselves." Note, The doctrine of repentance is right Gospel-doctrine. Not only the austere Baptist, who was looked upon as a melancholy, morose man, but the sweet and gracious Jesus, whose lips dropped as a honeycomb, preached repentance; for it is an unspeakable privilege that room is left for repentance. [4.] The reason is still the same; The kingdom of heaven is at hand; for it was not reckoned to be fully come, till the pouring out of the Spirit after Christ's ascension. John had preached the kingdom of heaven at hand above a year before this; but now that it was so much nearer, the argument was so much the stronger; now is the salvation nearer, Rom. 13. 11. We should be so much the more quickened to our duty, as we see the day approaching, Heb. 10, 25.

V. 18-22. When Christ began to preach, he began to gather disciples, who should now be the hearers, and hereafter the preachers of his doctrine, who should now be witnesses of his miracles, and hereafter concerning them. Now, in these verses, we have an account of the first disciples that he called into fellowship with himself.

And this was an instance, 1. Of effectual calling to Christ. In all his preaching he gave a common call to all the country, but in this he gave a special and particular call to those that were given him by the Father. Let us see and admire the power of Christ's grace, own his word to be the rod of his strength, and wait upon him for those powerful influences which are necessary to the efficacy of the Gospel-call-those distinguishing influences. All the country was called, but those were called out, were redeemed from among men. Christ was so manifested to them, as he was not manifested unto the world. 2. It was an instance of ordination, and appointment to the work of the ministry, When Christ, as a Teacher, set up his great school, one of his first works was to appoint ushers, or under-masters, to be employed in the work of instruction. Now he began to give gifts unto men, to put the treasure into earthen vessels. It was an early instance of his care for his church.

Now we may observe here,

I. Where they were called-by the sea of Galilee, where Jesus was walking, Capernaum being situated near that sea. Concerning this sea of Tiberias, the Jews have a saying, That of all the seven seas that God made, he made choice of none but this sea of Gennesaret; which is very applicable to Christ's choice of it, to honour it, as he often did, with his presence and miracles. Here, on the banks of the sea, Christ was walking for contemplation, as Isaac in the field; hither he went to call disciples: not to Herod's court, (for few mighty or noble are called,) not to Jerusalem, among the chief priests and the elders, but to the sea of Galilee; surely Christ sees not as man sees. Not but that the same power which effectually called Peter and Andrew, would have wrought upon Annas and Caiaphas, for with God nothing is impossible; but, as in other things, so in his converse and attendance, he would humble himself, and show that God has chosen the poor of this world. Galilee was a remote part of the nation, the inhabitants were less cultivated and refined, their very language was broad and uncouth to the curious, their speech bewrayed them. They who were picked up at the sea of Galilee, had not the advantages and improvements, no, not of the more polished Galileans; yet thither Christ went, to call his apostles that were to be the prime ministers of state in his kingdom, for he chooses the foolish things of the world, to confound the wise. II. Who they were. We have an account of the call of two pair of brothers in these verses-Peter and Andrew, James and John; the two former, and probably the two latter also, had had acquaintance with Christ before, (John 1. 40, 41,) but

20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.

21 And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets: and he called them.

22 And they immediately left the ship and their father, and followed him.

o Mark 10. 28-31. p Mark 1. 19, 20.

were not till now called into a close and constant attendance upon him. Note, Christ brings poor souls by degrees into fellowship with himself. They had been disciples of John, and so were the better disposed to follow Christ. Note, Those who have submitted to the discipline of repentance, shall be welcome to the joys of faith. We may observe concerning them, 1. That they were brothers. Note, It is a blessed thing, when they who are kinsmen according to the flesh, (as the apostle speaks, Rom. 9. 3,) are brought together into a spiritual alliance to Jesus Christ. It is the honour and comfort of a house, when those that are of the same family, are of God's family. 2. That they were fishers. Being fishers, (1.) They were poor men: if they had had estates, or any considerable stock in trade, they would not have made it their trade, however they might have made it their recreation. Note, Christ does not despise the poor, and therefore we must not; the poor are evangelized, and the Fountain of honour sometimes gives more abundant honour to that part which most lacked. (2.) They were unlearned men, not bred up to books or literature as Moses was, who was conversant with all the learning of the Egyptians. Note, Christ sometimes chooses to endow those with the gifts of grace who have least to show of the gifts of nature. Yet this will not justify the bold intrusion of ignorant and unqualified men into the work of the ministry; extraordinary gifts of knowledge and utterance are not now to be expected, but requisite abilities must be obtained in an ordinary way, and without a competent measure of these, none are to be admitted to that service. (3.) They were men of business, who had been bred up to labour. Note, Diligence in an honest calling is pleasing to Christ, and no hinderance to a holy life. Moses was called from keeping sheep, and David from following the ewes, to eminent employments. Idle people lie more open to the temptations of Satan than to the calls of God. (4.) They were men that were accustomed to hardships and hazards; the fisher's trade, more than any other, is laborious and perilous; fishermen must be often wet and cold; they must watch, and wait, and toil, and be often in peril by waters. Note, Those who have learned to bear hardships, and to run hazards, are best prepared for the fellowship and discipleship of Jesus Christ. Good soldiers of Christ must endure hardness.

III. What they were doing. Peter and Andrew were then using their nets, they were fishing; and James and John were mending their nets, which was an instance of their industry and good husbandry. They did not go to their father for money to buy new nets, but took pains to mend their old ones. It is commendable to make what we have go as far, and last as long, as may be. James and John were with their father Zebedee, ready to assist him, and make his business easy to him. Note, It is a happy and hopeful presage, to see children careful of their parents, and dutiful to them. Observe, 1. They were all employed, all very busy, and none idle. Note, When Christ comes, it is good to be found doing. "Am I in Christ ?" is a very needful question for us to ask ourselves; and, next to that, "Am I in my calling?" 2. They were differently employed; two of them were fishing, and two of them mending their nets. Note, Ministers should be always employed, either in teaching or studying; they may always find themselves something to do, if it be not their own fault; and mending their nets is, in its season, as necessary work as fishing.

IV. What the call was; (v. 19,) Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men. They had followed Christ before, as ordinary disciples, (John 1. 37,), but so they might follow Christ, and follow their calling too; therefore they were called to a more close and constant attendance, and must leave their calling. Note, Even they who have been called to follow Christ, have need to be called to follow on, and to follow nearer, especially when they are designed for the work of the ministry. Ob

serve,

1. What Christ intended them for; I will make you fishers of men, this alludes to their former calling. Let them not be proud of the new honour designed them, they are still but fishers; let them not be afraid of the new work cut out for them, for they have been used to fishing, and fishers they are still. It was usual with Christ to speak of spiritual and heavenly things under such allusions, and in such expressions, as took rise from common things that offered themselves to his view. David was called from feeding sheep to feed God's Israel; and when he is a king, is a shepherd. Note, (1.) Ministers are fishers of men, not to destroy them, but to save them, by bringing them into another element. They must fish, not for wrath, wealth, honour, and preferment, to gain them to themselves, but for souls, to gain them to Christ. They watch for your souls, (Heb. 13. 17,) and seek not yours, but you, 2 Cor. 12. 14, 16. (2.) It is Jesus Christ that makes them so; I will make you fishers of men. It is he that qualifies men for this work, calls

CHAPTER V.

This chapter, and the two that follow it, are a sermon; a famous sermon; the sermon upon the mount. It is the longest and fullest continued discourse of our Saviour that we have upon record in all the Gospels. It is a practical discourse; there is not much of the credenda of Christianity in it-the things to be believed, but it is wholly taken up with the agenda-the things to be dine; these Christ began with in his preaching; for if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God. The circumstances of the sermon being accounted for, (v. 1, 2,) the sermon itself follows, the scope of which is, not to fill our heads with notions, but to gaide and regulate our practice. 1. He proposes blessedness as the end, and gives us the character of those who are entitled to blessedness, (very different from the sentiments of a vain world,) in eight beatitudes, which may justly be called paradoxes, v. 3-12. II. He prescribes duty as the way, and gives us standing rules of that duty. He directs his disciples, 1. To under. stand what they are-the salt of the earth, and the lights of the world, v. 13-17. 2. To understand what they have to do-they are to be governed by the moral law. Here is, (1.) A general ratification of the law, and a recommendation of it

a Is. 54. 13.

miracle of them proved his doctrine a faithful saying, and convinced men's judgments; the mercy of them proved it worthy of all acceptation, and wrought upon their affections. They were not only great works, but good works, that he showed them from his Father, (John 10. 32;) and this goodness was intended to lead men to repentance, (Rom. 2. 4,) as also to show that kindness, and beneficence, and doing good to all, to the utmost of our power and opportunity, are essential branches of that holy religion which Christ came into the world to establish.

(3.) The mystery of them. Christ, by curing bodily diseases, intended to show that his great errand into the world was to cure spiritual maladies. He is the Sun of Righteousness, that arises with this healing under his wings. As the Converter of sinners, he is the Physician of souls, and has taught us to call him so, ch. 9. 12, 13. Sin is the sickness, discase, and torment of the soul; Christ came to take away sin, and so to heal these. And the particular stories of the cures Christ wrought, may not only be applied spiritually, by way of allusion and illustration, but, I believe, are very much intended to reveal to us spiritual things, and to set before us the way and method of Christ's dealing with souls, in their conversion and sanctification; and those cures are recorded, that were most significant and instructive this way; and they are therefore so to be explained and improved, to the honour and praise of that glorious Redeemer, who forgiveth all our iniquities, and so healeth all our diseases.

to us.

NOTES TO CHAPTER V.

V. 1, 2. We have here a general account of this sermon. I. The Preacher was our Lord Jesus, the Prince of preachers, the great Prophet of his church, who came into the world, to be the Light of the world. The prophets and John had done virtuously in preaching, but Christ excelled them all. He is the eternal Wisdom that lay in the bosom of the Father, before all worlds, and perfectly knew his will, (John 1. 18;) and he is the eternal Word, by whom he has in these last days spoken The many miraculous cures wrought by Christ in Galilee, which we read of in the close of the foregoing chapter, were intended to make way for this sermon, and to dispose people to receive instructions from one in whom there appeared so much of a divine power and goodness; and, probably, this sermon was the summary, or rehearsal, of what he had preached up and down in the synagogues of Galilee. His text was, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. This is a sermon on the former part of that text, showing what it is to repent; it is to reform, both in judgment and practice; and he here tells us wherein, in answer to that question, (Mal. 3. 7,) Wherein shall we return? He afterward preached upon the latter part of the text, when, in divers parables, he showed what the kingdom of heaven is like, ch. 13.

II. The place was a mountain in Galilee. As in other things, so in this, our Lord Jesus was but ill accommodated; he had no convenient place to preach in, any more than to lay his head on. While the Scribes and Pharisees had Moses' chair to sit in, with all possible ease, honour, and state, and there corrupted the law; our Lord Jesus, the great Teacher of truth, is driven out to the desert, and finds no better a pulpit than a mountain can afford; and not one of the holy mountains neither, not one of the mountains of Zion, but a common mountain; by which Christ would intimate that there is no such distinguishing holiness of places now, under the Gospel, as there was under the law; but that it is the will of God that men should pray and preach every where, any where, provided it be decent and convenient. Christ preached this sermon, which was an exposition of the law, upon a mountain, because upon a mountain the law was given; and this was also a solemn promulgation of the Christian law. But observe the difference: when the law was given, the Lord came down upon the mountain; now the Lord went up: then, he spake in thunder and lightning; now, in a still small voice: then the people were ordered to keep their distance; now they are invited to draw near a blessed change! If God's grace and goodness are (as certainly they are) his glory, then the glory of the Gospel is the glory that excels, for grace and truth came by Jesus Christ, 2 Cor. 3. 7. Heb. 12. 18. &c. It was foretold of Zebulun and Issachar, two of the tribes of Galilee, (Deut. 33. 19,) that they shall call the people to the mountain; to this mountain we are called, to learn to offer the sacrifices of righteousness. Now was this the mountain of the Lord, where he taught us his ways, Is. 2. 2, 3. Mic. 4. 1, 2.

III. The auditors were his disciples, who came unto him;

to us, as our rule, v. 17-20. (2.) A particular rectification of divers mistakes or, rather, a reformation of divers wilful, gross corruptions, which the Scribes and Pharisees had introduced in their exposition of the law; and an authentic explication of divers branches which most needed to be explained and vindicated, v. 20. Particularly, here is an explication, [1] Of the sixth coinmandment, which forbids murder, v. 21-26. [2.] Of the seventh commandment, against adultery, v. 27-32. [3] Of the third commandment, v. 33-36. [4] Of the law of reta liation, v. 38-42. [5.] Of the law of brotherly love, v. 13-48. And the scope of the whole is, to show that the law is spiritual.

AND while was set, his disciples

ND seeing the multitudes, he went up into a

came unto him:

2 And he opened his mouth, and "taught them, saying,

b Luke 6. 20, &c.

came at his call, as appears by comparing Mark 3. 13, Luke 6. 13. To them he directed his speech, because they followed him for love and learning, while others attended him only for cures. He taught them, because they were willing to be taught; (the meek will he teach his way;) because they would understand what he taught, which to others was foolishness; and because they were to teach others; and it was therefore requisite that they should have a clear and distinct knowledge of these things themselves. The duties prescribed in this sermon were to be conscientiously performed by all those that would enter into that kingdom of heaven which they were sent to set up, with hope to have the benefit of it. But though this discourse was directed to the disciples, it was in the hearing of the multitude; for it is said, (ch. 7. 28,) The people were astonished. No bounds were set about this mountain, to keep the people off, as were about mount Sinai, (Ex. 19. 12;) for, through Christ, we have access to God, not only to speak to him, but to hear from him. Nay, he had an eye to the multitude, in preaching this sermon. When the fame of his miracles had brought a vast crowd together, he took the opportunity of so great a confluence of people, to instruct them. Note, It is an encouragement to a faithful minister to cast the net of the Gospel where there are a great many fishes, in hope that some will be caught. The sight of a multitude puts life into a preacher, which yet must arise from a desire of their profit, not his own praise.

IV. The solemnity of his sermon is intimated in that word, when he was set. Christ preached many times occasionally, and by interlocutory discourses; but this was a set sermon, καθίσαντος αὐτοῦ, when he had placed himself so as to be best heard. He sat down as a Judge or Lawgiver. It intimates with what sedateness and composure of mind the things of God should be spoken and heard. He sat, that the scriptures might be fulfilled, (Mal. 3. 3,) He shall sit as a refiner, to purge away the dross, the corrupt doctrines of the sons of Levi. He sat as in the throne, judging right, (Ps. 9. 4 ;) for the word he spake shall judge us. That phrase, He opened his mouth, is only a Hebrew periphrasis of speaking, as Job 3. 1. Yet some think it intimates the solemnity of this discourse; the congregation being large, he raised his voice, and spake louder than usual. He had spoken long by his servants the prophets, and opened their mouths, (Ez. 3. 27.-24. 27.-33. 22;) but now he opened his own, and spake with freedom, as one having authority. One of the ancients has this remark upon it; Christ taught much without opening his mouth, that is, by his holy and exemplary life; nay, he taught, when, being led as a lamb to the slaughter, he opened not his mouth; but now he opened his mouth, and taught, that the scriptures might be fulfilled, Prov. 8. 1, 2, 6. Doth not Wisdom cry-cry on the top of high places? And the opening of her lips shall be right things. He taught them, according to the promise, (Is. 54. 13,) Au thy children shall be taught of the Lord; for this purpose he had the tongue of the learned, (Is. 50. 4,) and the Spirit of the Lord, Is. 61. I. He taught them, what was the evil they should abhor, and what the good they should abide and abound in; for Christianity is not a matter of speculation, but is designed to regulate the temper of our minds and the tenor of our conversations; Gospel-time is a time of reformation, (Heb. 9. 10;) and by the Gospel we must be reformed, must be made good, must be made better. The truth, as it is in Jesus, is the truth which is according to godliness, Tit. 1. 1.

V. 3-12. Christ begins his sermon with blessings, for he came into the world to bless us, (Acts 3. 26,) as the great High Priest of our profession; as the blessed Melchizedec; as He in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed, Gen. 12. 3. He came not only to purchase blessings for us, but to pour out and pronounce blessings on us; and here he does it as one having authority, as one that can command the blessing, even life for evermore, and that is the blessing here again and again promised to the good; his pronouncing of them happy makes them so; for those whom he blesses, are blessed indeed. The Old Testament ended with a curse, (Mal. 4. 6,) the Gospe. begins with a blessing; for hereunto are we called, that we should inherit the blessing. Each of the blessings Christ here pronounces has a double intention: 1. To show who they are that are to be accounted truly happy, and what their characters are. 2. What that is-wherein true happiness consists in the promises made to persons of certain characters, the performance of which will make them happy. Now,

1. This is designed to rectify the ruinous mistakes of a blind and carnal world. Blessedness is the thing which men pretend to pursue; Who will make us to see good? Ps. 4. 6.