ences, and to keep up a good Understanding both with our Rulers and Fellow-Subjects. As to the Peace of the Neighbourhood, we can do still a great deal more, by discountenancing all factious, Tale-bearing, and malicious Perfons, and by promoting Love and good Neighbourhood, both by our Discourse and Example. As to the Peace of Families, there is nothing more neceffary, than that we all study to curb our Paffions, and, whether we govern, or obey, that we do it with a Spirit of Meeknefs. And, laftly, in order to all thefe, we are to endeavour after an inward Tranquility of Mind, and the keeping of a good Confcience, which is always attended with Chearfulnefs and Peace. Now the God of Love and Peace be with us all in Chrift Jefus. To whom, &c.

VOL. I.

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SER

SERMON XV.

MAT. V. 10.

Bleffed are they which are perfecuted for Righteouf nefs fake: For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Ver. 11. Blessed are ye when Men fhall revile you, and perfecute you, and fall fay all manner of Evil against you falfly for my fake.

Ver. 12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: For great is your Reward in Heaven: For fo perfecuted they the Prophets which were before you.

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The First Sermon on this Text.

N thefe Words our Saviour pronounces his laft Beatitude to those who are duly paffive or patient when they are perfecuted for Righ

teousness fake; affuring us, that this is the Character of the Members of his Kingdom. He infifts, likewise, on the Application of this Beatitude to his then Difciples, foretelling that Perfecution for his fake fhould be their Lot, directing them in it, and comforting them under it, from the Example of the Prophets which went before them.

This Beatitude was most proper to come last, and to crown all the reft, being indeed the most difficult and the most perfect of all, and what was abfolutely neceffary towards the Prefervation

of all the reft: It would have been in vain to have taught them the other Chriftian Virtues contained in the other Beatitudes, if he had not taught them likewife how to preferve them, by adhering to the Profeffion and Practice of what they had learned, notwithstanding the ill Ufage they were to meet with from the World on account of it.

In this, likewife, as much as in any of the former, our Saviour meets with one of the most rooted Prejudices, and bad Difpofitions, as to the Meffiah and his Kingdom; for the Jews dreamt of no other than of a fighting, conquering, and triumphing Meffiah, and had not the leaft Notion of the Crofs, or of his Difciples and Followers fuffering with him, or for him: And therefore it was highly neceffary to teach them this Doctrine, that they might not be furprized, and fall off, when they fhould come to be affaulted with Sufferings for Christ and their Duty..

But as this was one of the hardest Leffons our Saviour had to teach his Difciples, and as they were the most unprepared for it, it is very obfervable how he fugars this bitter Pill, which was to convey fo wholfome, but fo unpleasant a Medicine, delivering it attended with fuch particular great Promises, and recommended with fuch Encomiums, as might pre-engage their Efteem and Affection for this Virtue, as giving them a Rank amongst the moft honourable Company upon Earth, that of the Prophets, and entitling them to the highest Place in the Favour of God, and the Kingdom of Heaven.

In the Words we may obferve these three Heads of Difcourfe, which I intend particularly to confider, as they lie in Order.

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I. A

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I. A Bleffing pronounced in general to all that are perfecuted for Righteoufnefs fake, for that theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. Blefjed are they which are perfecuted for Righteousness fake: For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

II. A plain Infinuation and Prediction that the State of Perfecution for Chrift's fake fhould be the Lot of these his Difciples and Followers. Bleffed are ye when Men fhall revile you, and perfecute you, and fhall fay all manner of Evil against you falfy for my fake.

III. Our Saviour's Directions to a patient and chearful Deportment in fuch perfecuted Circumftances, and the great Comforts he suggests under them. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: For great is your Reward in Heaven: For fo perfecuted they the Prophets which were before you.

I. We have here a Bleffing pronounced in general to all that are perfecuted for Righteoufnefs fake; Blefjed are they which are perfecuted for Righteoufnefs fake: For theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. In which Words there are three Things proper to be confider'd.

i. What is the Meaning of the Virtue here defcribed, the being perfecuted for Righteousness fake. 2. What is the Meaning of the Reward annexed, that theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven.

3. What Relation this Virtue has to this Reward, viz. How Perfecution for Righteousness fake both qualifies us for, and entitles us to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Let us confider what is the Meaning of the Virtue here described, the being perfecuted for

Righteousness fake. And this I fhall again comprehend in these three.

1. The Honesty of the Caufe, for Righteousness Jake; that is, for doing of their Duty.

2. Their Firmness and Refoluteness in this good. Way, that Perfecution doth not terrify them from it.

3. Their Patience, that being the only Weapon they make ufe of, and not Refiflance, to entitle them to this Perfection and Reward of Martyrdom.

First, If we would know what belongs to the Virtue here recommended, I mean the Virtue of Martyrdom, we must be fure that we fuffer for a good Caufe, and the Teftimony of a good Confeience; that is what our Saviour means by Righteousness fake.. Our Suffering must be for doing our Duty. No Body fancies that fuffering for notorious Crimes falls under this Denomination; yet it happens, fometimes, that, in cafe of an erroneous deluded Confcience, many real Crimes are committed, as our Saviour foretold that the Time would come, when, by killing his Difciples, Men fhould believe they did God Service. No doubt St. Paul, when, acted by a falfe Zeal, he violently perfecuted the Chriftians, thought he did right to stop a growing Herefy, and to maintain the Honour of the Law of Mofes, and of that particular Sect of the Pharifees among whom he was bred; tho' when he came afterwards to be better inftructed he himself gave this his falfe Zeal no better Names than thofe of Blafphemy, Injuriousness, and Perfecution. And if those forty Men, and upwards, mentioned Acts xxiii. 12. who bound themfelves with a Curfe that they would

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