8. We are far from this Poverty in Spirit, if we look upon our Wealth and Riches with too much Complacency and Delight, especially if we place our Truft or Confidence in them, like the rich Man in the Gofpel (p), who delighted himself, and trusted in his full Barns, and not in God.

9. It is a Sign that we are far from this Poverty in Spirit, when, upon any great Loss, or even Poverty itfelf coming upon us, we are fretful, peevish, and discontented; for if the World had not too deep Root in our Hearts, we could easily part with it at God's Pleafure: We could fay, with holy Job, (q) The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away; bleffed be the Name of the Lord: Or, with St. Paul, I have learned in whatsoever State am, therewith to be content; I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: Every where, and in all Things, I am inftructed both to be full, and to be hungry; both to abound, and to fuffer Need, Phil. iv. II, 12.

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10. It is a Sign we are Strangers to this Poverty in Spirit, if we fet no Bounds to our worldly Purchases, but go on, if we are ever fo rich, fcraping, and gathering, and heaping up, in infinitum. Whereas it is certainly the Duty of rich Men to know when they have enough, and to put a Stop to their worldly Acquifitions, and to be liberal in good Works with the Overplus. This I take to be St. Paul's Meaning, 1 Tim. vi. 18. where he gives a particular Charge to the Rich in this World, to do Good, to be rich in good Works, ready to diftribute, willing to communicate, laying up in Store for themfelves a good Foundation against the (2) Job i. 21.

(P) Luke xii. 19.

Time

Time to come, that they may lay hold on eternal Life.

11. Laftly, It is a Sign that we are great Strangers to this Poverty in Spirit, if we are not ready to part with our worldly Eftates, rather than betray our (r) Religion and Confcience, by keeping them on finful Terms. It was often the Lot of the primitive Chriftians, that they were obliged either to lofe all, or abandon their Chriftian Profeffion; and if ever it fhould be our Lot, as it fometimes is in this World, that we must either quit a Place of Profit, or comply with finful Terms in keeping it, either lofe our Eftate, or change our Religion, and quit a good Conscience; if we are truly difengaged from the World, we shall count nothing dear to us, fo that we may win Chrift: But fhall take up our Cross, and chearfully follow him, not only to Poverty, but to Bonds and Imprisonment, and to Death it felf. (s) Looking unto Jefus, the Author and Finifher of our Faith, who for the Joy that was fet before him, endured the Crofs, and defpifed the Shame, and is now fet down on the Right Hand of the Throne of God.

Ye may think, perhaps, fome of these are hard Leffons, and not well fuited to our degenerate Times of Chriftianity; I can't help that: It is true, they would be very hard, if we were thus to part with the World, without having fome better Thing in Exchange. But the Promife in my Text, of the Kingdom of Heaven, is more than fufficient to make up our Lofs of the World. God give us Grace to believe this Promife, and in the mean Time to live as Heirs of this heavenly Kingdom;

Kingdom; of which, as we are admitted Members by Profeffion, fo God grant that in due Time we may be likewife Partakers of the Glory and eternal Felicities of it, through the Mediation of our Bleffed Lord and Saviour Jefus Chrift. To whom, &c.

SERMON

SERMON V.

MAT. V. 4.

Blessed are they that mourn: For they shall be

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comforted.

OR finding out the Meaning of this Beatitude, which founds harsh to Flesh and Blood, it will be neceffary to re

member the general Obfervation I made from the Occafion, Scope, and Purport of this Sermon on the Mount; namely, that our Lord is here undeceiving the People and his Difciples, as to the wrong Notions they had of the Meffiah's Kingdom, and correcting the bad Difpofitions and Preparations of their Minds for it: All which wrong Notions and Difpofitions flowed from this оnе πрштоr Feudos, or fundamental Error, that they expected the Kingdom of the Meffiah would be a great worldly Kingdom, flowing in Wealth, Honour, and carnal Pleafure; that it would gratify their Lufts and Paffions to the utmost, and give them an abfolute Victory and Conqueft over all their own and their Country's Enemies. In this Sermon our Saviour advances such Maxims as are the most directly contrary to these their erroneous Opinions, and the best levelled utterly to extirpate and root out of his Hearers Minds thefe bad Difpofitions of Heart, and Practices of Life,

which did fo incapacitate them for his fpiritual Kingdom and Service. We learned from the last Beatitude, how he pronounced a Bleffing on them who had their Hearts and Minds difengaged from the Wealth and Grandeur of the World; he comes now to undeceive them as to another of their Expectations from the fame Kingdom of the Meffiah, in the worldly Notion they had of it, namely, as to all forts of carnal Mirth and high living; for, no doubt, as they expected a great deal of Wealth and Honour, they expected likewife all manner of Gratifications of their Luxury, ftately Houfes, Furniture, and Equipage, plentiful Tables, Mirth, Mufick, and Drinking; they propofed to themfelves a Life of the greateft Jollity, Profuseness, and Merriment, and hated the Thoughts of Serioufnefs and Penitence. This is the evil Difpofition of their Minds our Saviour feems to me to level at in this Beatitude; Bleffed are they that mourn; for they shall be comforted; q.d. Ye are much mistaken if ye think the Kingdom of the Meffiah will flow in carnal Mirth and Luxury, or that the Members of it shall know nothing of Trouble; for both their outward Circumstances shall be full of Croffes, enough to curb all that wanton Mirth and Pleafure ye expect; and the Senfe of their own and the World's Sins, and the Fear of God's Judgments, shall make fuch an Impreffion upon their Spirits, that they fhall feriously mourn, as becomes true Penitents. But let not this discourage you; for tho' they fhould be depriv'd of thefe fenfual Pleasures, there is another much more valuable Sort, which fhall be plentifully beftowed upon them, namely, the inward Com

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forts,