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I have not tied up myself to thofe Things that are effential to the Duty, but have taken the Liberty to put in fuch Actions as are the ufual Adjuncts and Concomitants of it, that ye may underftand and learn it the better. Time will not allow our confidering of the Reward annexed, nor the Relation of the one to the other; which I must therefore refer to another Opportunity.

I pray God to blefs what we have heard, and to give us a right Understanding in all Things, through Jefus Chrift our bleffed Mediator and Redeemer. To whom, &c.

SERMON

SERMON XVI.

MAT. V. 10.

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

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

The Second Sermon on this Text.

N a former Difcourfe on these Words, there were three Things I proposed to be confidered from them.

1. The Virtue here recommended, the being perfecuted for Righteousness fake.

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2. The Reward annexed, the Kingdom of Hea

3. The Relation between this Virtue and this Reward; or how Perfecution for Righteousness fake both qualifies us for, and entitles us to the Kingdom of Heaven.

Having at that time confider'd the first of thefe, the Virtue here recommended, I proceed now to the other two, the Reward annexed, and the Relation the Virtue has to the Reward.

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The Reward annexed is, the Kingdom of Heaven; by which Expreffion is commonly meant, in the New Teftament, the Gospel State, or the Kingdom of the Meffiah, with all the Privileges of Grace and Glory annex'd. And I fee not why this common Acceptation will not fuit well in this Place. And it fignifies, that they who patiently fuffer in a good Caufe, and for the Teftimony of a good Confcience, are xal', in a moft eminent manner the genuine Difciples of Chrift, and fhall be admitted to an high Degree of Glory. By this Expreffion, theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, there are these three Truths intimated: 1. That Perfecution will be the Lot of the Difciples of the Meffiab. 2. That in this perfecuted State the Graces of the Gospel shall appear in them very eminently confpicuous. 3. That they fhall be advanc'd to an high Degree of Glory in Heaven.

I. It is intimated, that Perfecution will be the Lot of the Difciples of the Meffiah: For by faying that the Kingdom of Heaven, or the Kingdom of the Meffiah, is theirs, this must needs imply fo much. There wants nothing to make out this, except to obferve, that it is all one Thing in the Gofpels, to fay the Kingdom of Heaven, and the Kingdom of Chrift, or the Meffiab, and the Kingdom of God. These Phrases, I fay, are us'd promifcuoufly, and one of the firft Leffons we are taught by this Expreffion in the Text is, that the Gospel State will not be, as they fancied, a State of worldly Profperity, but a State of Perfecution; and that they who patiently and chearfully undergo it have a good Title, and are well quali fied for the heavenly Felicity.

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2. It is intimated, that under this State of the Crofs all Gospel Graces fhall appear very eminent and confpicuous, which follows upon the entitling fuch Perfons to an eminent Station both in the Kingdom of Grace and Glory.

3. It is intimated, that proportionably to their Degree of patient Suffering, fo fhall be the Degree of Glory to which they fhall be advanc'd; for it is faid, with a peculiar Emphafis, that theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, q. d. They of all Men have a peculiar Right and Title to it. But because these Things are more plainly exprefs'd in the following Parts of our Saviour's Application of this Beatitude, whereas they are contain❜d here. more by Implication, I fhall delay the Confideration of them till we come to that Application. In the mean Time, I go on to

The Third Thing I obferv'd in the Words, namely, the Relation this Virtue has to this Reward. And this, I think, will require the fhewing these two Things.

I. That patient Suffering for Righteousness fake is a true Character and proper Qualification of a genuine Difciple of Chrift's here on Earth.

II. That it entitles and qualifies him for everlafting Glory and Happiness in Heaven.

I. That patient Suffering for Righteousness fake is a true Character and proper Qualification of a genuine Disciple of Chrift here on Earth. And here now, that I may fhew how near this Spirit of Suffering approaches to the very Heart of the Chriftian Religion, I fhall firft inftance in fome Virtues appertaining to it, or rather concurring"

in the Compofition of it, on account of which, it deferves the highest Regard; then I shall confider what bleffed Confequences it is attended with.

I begin with the Virtues concurring in the Compofition of it; of which,

1. The first I fhall name, is Faith unfeigned, of which this patient refolute Suffering is a good Evidence. Faith being a Belief of, and Regard to the Promises of God, especially fuch of them as have not their Accomplishment in this Life, is that Grace and Virtue which doth chiefly fortify Chrift's Martyrs in all their Sufferings. It is this fteady looking at the Joy fet before us, and at Jefus, who has thofe Rewards in his Hands, that enables us to endure the Crofs, and defpife thé Shame. We find it all along afcribed to Faith, in that long Catalogue of Confeffors and Martyrs which we have Heb. xi. that Afflictions, with the People of God, were preferr'd to the Pleafures of Sin, and that the ancient Martyrs had Trials of cruel Mockings and Scourgings, of Bonds and Imprisonment; that they were ftoned, were fawn afunder, were tempted, were flain with the Sword; that they wandred about in Sheep-skins and Goatskins, being deftitute, afflicted, tormented; all is afcribed to Faith. It was their having an Eye to the Recompence of Reward, which is the Act of Faith, that enabled them to undergo fuch great Sufferings for Righteoufnefs fake.

2. A fecond great Chriftian Virtue, which enters into the Description of Martyrdom, and all the leffer Sufferings for Righteousness fake, is Patience, which quickly breaks us of that Softness and Effeminacy which is fo great an Enemy to

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Virtue,

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