him have any good opinion of it and therefore if the Father be carnal and wicked he will hate his Son for being so holy and precise and keeping such a stir about Religion or if the Father be good and the Son nought the Son will be either secretly or openly angry with his Father for having so strait-laced a Conscience Hence arise quarrels and dissensions which are not the natural Effects of the Gospel but of Men's vitious humours which hate to be controll'd by the Gospel and hither must be referr'd the Persecutions that befell the Primitive believers when they would not offer incense to the Heathen Gods whereupon they were imprison'd harrass'd persecuted with Fire and Sword The Son rose against his Father if he were a Christian and the Daughter did her best to throw the believing Mother into the Fire and the nearest Relations became mortal Enemies one to another not that Christianity made the Christians hate their Heathen Relations but it made the Heathen Relations hate their Christian Kindred 2. This Christ speaks with relation to those Carnal and Hypocritical Professours of his Religion who in After-ages pusht on by Pride and by the Devil under a pretence of Zeal for his Honour and Glory would kill butcher burn massacre thousands of their Brethren who retain'd the Substantials of Christianity only differ'd from them in things which Carnality and Pomp and Superstition and Ambition to regulate the Church by the Court of Princes should add to the ancient Faith deliver'd unto the Saints and of this we have seen very sad instances But still these are only accidental Effects of Men's Pride and Passions not the natural Products of the Design and Tendency of the Gospel so that notwithstanding all these quarrels and dissensions ill Men raise about the Gospel Christ is still the Prince of Peace and the Peaceable and such as are of a peace-making Temper are upon that account his Brethren for he is not asham'd to call them Brethren Heb. II. 11. and therefore the Children of God As to the Life to come These Peace-makers shall be and shall be treated like darling Children of God This St. John assures us of 1 John III. 2. Beloved now are we the Sons of God and it doth not yet appear what we shall be but we know that when he shall appear we shall be like him Like him How Like him in Eternal Glory and Honour and Splendour They were like Christ in their peace-making Temper here and they shall be like him in a glorious Immortality Their Father which is in Heaven will let Men and Angels sees that they are his Children that they are so not in Name only but in Deed. He will give the unbelieving World a visible Demonstration that they are so in the last Day in the great Day of Account he will place them at Christ's Right-hand and the Men that would not believe and repent shall behold how dear they are to him for the great Redeemer shall carry them up into his Father's Kingdom If Sons then Heirs Heirs of God and joint Heirs with Christ saith the Apostle Rom. VIII 17. Christ as Man and Mediatour became Heir of his Father's Royalty and Power so shall they in the right of adopted Children As Christ ascended into Heaven so shall they as Christ was exalted so shall they as Christ was enthroned so shall they as Christ was advanced from a low Estate to the highest Dignity so shall they as Christ lives for ever so shall they as Christ cannot be hurt by the second Death no more shall they as Christ had power given him over the Nations over Hell and Devils so shall they reign over all their Enemies as Christ shall judge the World and the Apostate Angels so shall they being Fellow-sons Fellow-heirs they all share in his Authority and Grandeur It 's true all this must be believed for it is not seen yet but who can forbear to believe it when we have the Word of the living God for it In a word They shall be Possessours of Heaven and Earth for not only their Father but their Elder Brother is so Crowns and Diadems are preparing for them Crowns which fade not away Crowns which the Moth cannot corrupt nor Thieves break through and steal Crowns made of Beams of Eternal Light Crowns which not only adorn their Heads but fill their Faces with incomparable Beauty Crowns such as Angels wear Crowns which cannot be viewed cannot be thought of without Eternal Admiration Inferences I. It is easie to guess what Tempers and Actions are contrary and directly opposite to the admirable Qualification recommended and commanded in the Text. Peace being either publick or private and the publick either Political or Ecclesiastical either of Church or State whoever they be that wilfully pusht on by Pride or Passion or some worldly carnal Design without a just lawfull or warrantable Cause disorder or disturb that Peace cannot be true Disciples of Christ because they have an Aversion from that peaceable peace-keeping and peace-making Temper which Christ with all the pathetick Adjurations imaginable hath enjoin'd his Followers I shall not here reflect on secular Estates and Princes who either begin or maintain an unjust Warr either to enrich themselves by the Spoils of their Neighbours or to advance their own Glory or to enlarge their Empire and Dominion for the very Light of Nature confutes these Practices and he that is but a Novice in Religion may see nothing is more contrary to the Design of the Gospel However I cannot but spend some Considerations on the sad Divisions and Quarrels that are among those who call themselves Christians upon the Account of Religion I wonder not to see Mahometans and Jews scandaliz'd at these Divisions the Jews especially when they read such lofty Promises of the Peace and Unity of the Church that was to be under the Messiah as Isa. II. 4. They shall heat their Spears into Plough-shares and their Swords into Pruning-hooks Nation shall not lift up Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more and Isa. XI 6. The Wolf shall dwell with the Lamb and the Leopard lie down with the Kid and the Calf and the young Lion and the Fatling together and a little Child shall lead them Though these Prophecies have been in a great measure fulfill'd not only in the Apostles times when the Jews and Gentiles who were mortal Enemies before united into one Church under their common Head Christ Jesus but afterward when the Empire became Christian and the Heathen Powers who had most violently persecuted the Christians submitted to the Gospel and embraced those whom they had burnt before and though these Prophecies may moreover be said to be exactly fulfilled partly with respect to the Design and Tendency of the Christian Religion the design and intent of Christ's Laws being to make Men peaceable and partly with respect to the signal Change that 's actually wrought upon those who are truly not only in
righteousness sake when God calls him to it and flinches and shrinks and like the Children of Ephraim turns back in the day of battle is so far from conquering that he falls basely loses ground cowardly kisses the Temptation and is enthralled by the worst of Enemies and therefore must necessarily fall a Prey to that Enemy by whom he suffers himself to be conquered and judge you whether such a Man can be blessed And now that I am talking of the Kingdom of Heaven I speak of the very blessedness which attends those that are persecuted for righteousness sake and consequentâ—y this calls me to explain the third and last Point III. How the Kingdom of Heaven shall be theirs This reward you see is the same with what was promised to poverty of Spirit or deep Humility v. 3. Blessed are the poor in Spirit for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven And the reason why Christ promises the same recompence to the persecuted for righteousness sake he doth to the humble is because there is a very great affinity betwixt humility and suffering for righteousness sake Suffering for righteousness sake is the deepest Act of Humiliation especially if that suffering be accompanied with death Humility can go no lower a Man in suffering and dying for righteousness sake pulls down all his lofty thoughts makes all stoop to the Cross of Christ submits his Faith to the Gospel and for things invisible denies himself in all the visible comforts of this life and that 's Humility in its Glory Therefore the reward is express'd in the same language but then as suffering for righteousness sake is the deepest Act of Humiliation so we must suppose that the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs in a peculiar manner and how that is the following particulars will declare And here to keep to the rule I have so often mention'd in the preceding Beatitudes that these rewards respect both this present and the next life 1. The Kingdom of Heaven is theirs on this side Heaven because even here they feel Heaven in their Souls and the Kingdom of Heaven is within them There is hardly any History of Martyrs and Confessours hardly any Martyrology but gives an account of the wonderfull joy that poor persecuted Christians have felt in the heighth of their Persecutions and what is this but a Kingdom of Heaven here on Earth what is it but a Heaven in their Souls The three young Men Dan. III. sang in a fiery Furnace St. Paul and Silas in a Dungeon lifted up their Voices in Hallelujah's The Apostles when beaten and whipt and scourged departed from the Council rejoycing because they were counted worthy to suffer shame for the Name of Christ and St. Paul 2 Cor. VII 4. I am filled with comfort yea I exceedingly rejoice in all our Tribulation But not to mention any more passages of this nature out of ancient Histories our own Book of Martyrs shall serve to furnish us with instances I mean of the Protestant Martyrs that suffer'd in Queen Marys Days One Rogers coming to the Stake where he was to be burned fetcht a great leap for joy One Dr. Taylour approaching the Fire in which he was to be sacrificed danced and skipt to the Wonder and Admiration of the Sheriff I thank God for this Prison said one Bradford more than for the richest Parlour more than for any pleasure I ever found for here I find God my sweet God always After I came into this Prison said one Glover in a Letter to his Wife and had repos'd my self there awhile I wept for joy and gladness my belly full and said to my self Lord what am I that I should be counted worthy to be numbred among those that suffer for the Gospel's sake I am now in the Coal-house said one Philpott as dark and ugly a Prison as any is about London but I have six other faithfull Companions who merrily rouz upon the Straw and in our darkness do cheerfully sing Hymns and Praises to God I was never merrier in Cbrist than I am now in Prison said one Tims One Pierson with a cheerfull Countenance embraced the Stake at which he was to be burnt and kissing it said Now welcome my sweet Wife for this day thou and I shall be married together O how my heart leaps and skips for joy said another One Bainham when his Arms and Legs were half consumed by the Fire cry'd out in the Midst of the Flames Behold ye Papists ye are much for Miracles Here you may see a Miracle for in this Fire I feel no more pain than if I lay on a Bed of Down it is to me as a Bed of Roses Abundance more I could name to this purpose and what was all this but a Kingdom of Heaven in their Souls 2. In the next World the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs in a peculiar manner too because of the high degree of Glory they arrive to in the next life This hath been the belief of the Church in all Ages that for the Martyrs the higher and loftier Mansions of Heaven are reserv'd the ruines of this truth are preserv'd among Mahometans and Heathens The Mahometans fancy that those who die in the War against Christians are Martyrs and they assign them a higher place in Paradise and Geographers tell us of a People in the West Indies who believing the Immortality of the Soul fancy that those who die in defence of their Country are advanced after death to a very high degree of felicity These are nothing but reliques and remains of the Chriâ—â—ian Doctrine which Tradition hath left among them that those who are persecuted for righteousness sake are and shall be made partakers of higher degrees of Glory It 's certain their Bodies shall rise before the Bodies of other Men for so we read Revel XX. 4 5. And I saw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus and for the word of God and which had not worshipped the beast neither his image neither had received his mark in their foreheads or in their hands and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand Years But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand Years were ended This is the first Resurrection And in the Kingdom of Heaven they will out-shine other Saints in brightness and splendour All those that by patient continuance in well-doing seek for Glory Honour and Immortality shall inherit Eternal life but those who have been persecuted for righteousness sake their sufferings work for them a far more exceeding Eternal weight of Glory 2 Cor. IV. 17. a reward enough to make a Man fond of dying in love with suffering enamour'd with a Prison and desirous of Chains and Fetters for righteousness sake Wonder at this Blessing O my Soul For Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Inferences I. As one place of Scripture gives light to another so by this we are upon we may judge of
effect of God's spirit the Holy Ghost breathes upon the Soul and plants it there The Spirit of God disposes and inclines the Soul to these humble Sentiments scatters the strong holds of iniquity and the vain imaginations that exalt themselves against the Obedience of Christ Jesus throws down the high Conceits the man did formerly harbour in his mind and suggests to the Soul arguments to baffle and resist the Reasons of Flesh and Blood and of the World for where a Person endeavours to bring his Heart to an humble Temper the Devil is present with his Baits What will you be a Fool will you be laught at by your Neighbours what put up such affronts which no Flesh is able to endure what shew your self tame under such an Aspersion what will Men say of you But the Spirit of God teaches the Soul how to answer all such Objections with the Example and Command of Christ and the hope of the Grace and Glory of God And therefore this Humility is justly call'd Poverty in Spirit II. How the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs and upon what Account it belongs to them By the Kingdom of Heaven in Scripture particularly in the New Testament is meant sometime the Kingdom of Grace sometime the Kingdom of Glory The Kingdom of Grace is that sweet and gentle Government which Christ Jesus the Son of God the Head of his Church and the King of Saints doth by his Spirit exercise over his Disciples Followers and such as have given themselves up to his Conduct by which Spirit he teaches enlightens guides assists strengthens and comfort and preserves them makes them willing and obedient and communicate strength and life and power to them more or less according to the improvement of the Stock committed to their Trust. This is the Kingdom of Grace and in this Sense the Expression is used Matth. III. 2. Matth. XIII 44. and in other places The Kingdom of Glory is the future reward and recompence God intends and designs for those who have resolutely taken Christ's Yoak upon them even that Glory Honour and Immortality St. Paul speaks of Rom. II. 7. consisting in seeing God face to face and triumphing over Hell and Devils and enjoying him in whose Presence there is fulness of joy for ever This is the Kingdom of Glory and in this Sense we find the Phrases used Matth. VII 21. Matth. XIII 43. Matth. XIX 23. In both Senses the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the Poor in Spirit or to the Humble I. The Kingdom of Grace and this you cannot doubt of if you reflect upon the signal Favours God on this side Heaven confers on the Soul that 's truly humble To the humble he gives Grace saith St. Peter 1 Pet. V. 5. Nay more Grace as St. James notes Ch. IV. 6. according as this Humility takes deeper root or runs out into larger Branches The humble Man is dispos'd to receive the warmer and stronger influences of God's goodness and mercy The Soul that purifies and cleanses her self from all high and losty thoughts or rejoyces in her meanness and low Estate and being nothing renders her self apt and fit for the Almighty's abode in her and invites him to take possession of her and from God's dwelling there a Man may date a thousand Blessings To such a Person the Father of Lights communicates wonderfull Treasures to such there arises a light in darkness and into such low and humble Valleys the richest Showers and the clearest Rivers flow O that you were all sensible of this Truth O that you did but feel this Christian Humility working in your Souls You would find what Wisdom what spiritual Wisdom God would infuse into your Souls even that Wisdom which is from above first pure then peaceable gentle and easie to be entreated without partiality without hypocrisie full of good works James III. 17. I thank thee O Father that thou hast reveal'd these things unto Babes saith our Saviour Matth. XI 25. These Babes are the humble the poor in Spirit To these God reveals the heighth and breadth and depth and length of the love of God such may promise themselves the larger Portions of God's Spirit such Persons are most likely to grow in Grace to advance in Goodness to a rise to perfection and to be satisfied with the Corn of Heaven with Angel's Food Such a Soul is fitted for Universal Obedience the severest Laws of the Gospel go down with her and she embraces the Yoak with Joy Who can express the Comforts the Peace the Satisfaction that the humble feel It must needs be so for it 's the lowly in heart that are promised Rest for their Souls Matth. XI 29. Such get strength against their Corruptions Temptations Lusts and sinfull Inclinations such make a mighty progress in Goodness and get Courage in the greatest fiery Trials For this I might appeal to the Examples of the Saints of Old but I need not go so high I will appeal to the Experience of some pious Christians among us who feel what David said of himself O God mine heart is not haughty nor mine eyes losty surely I have behaved and quieted my self as a Child that 's wean'd of his mother Ps. CXXXI 1 2. Let such among you tell me when they have been in a very humble frame when they have had a lively sense of God's greatness and goodness and holiness and a very deep Sense of their own vileness have not you seen more of God than ever have not your Souls been satisfied as with marrow and fatness have not you been ready to go through Fire and Water for God have not you baffled and scorn'd the strongest assaults of the Devil and torn the snares and grins that were laid for you with as great ease as Sampson did his Bonds Have not your hearts been ready to leap within you and your joys like mighty Rivers been ready to overflow your Souls This is the Kingdom of Grace and this belongs to the humble But II. The Kingdom of Glory is theirs too their 's by purchase theirs by possession taken already in their Names theirs by promise theirs by way of earnest 1. Theirs by purchase and therefore call'd the purchased Possession Eph. I. 19. Purchas'd by whom Even by Christ Jesus the great Shepherd of the Sheep who laid down his life for them and thereby obtain'd an everlasting inheritance for them None could purchase it but he for whoever undertook the Work must be not only a Man innocent spotless and without sin and die but of that Divine excellency too as to be able to give his Death an infinite value the vertue whereof might extend it self to all Ages and to all sorts of Persons too This none could do but he that was the Son of God and the Son of David too He did it and wonderfull was the Enterprise nothing was ever attempted like it He died and purchas'd this Kingdom of Glory for the humble his purchase makes it theirs He was both able to