15 Matthew and Thomas, James the fon of Alpheus, and Simon called Zelotes,

16 And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which allo was the traitor.

17 And he came down with them,

and ftood in the plain, and the company of his difciples, and a great multitude of people out of all Judea and Jerufalem, and from the fea-coaft of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

18 And they that

were vexed with unclean fpirits and they were healed.

19 And the whole multitude fought to touch him for there went vertue out of him, and healed them all.

20 And he lifted up his eyes on his difciples, and faid, Bleffed be ye poor for yours is the kingdom of God.

6. Bartholomew.

7. Matthew.
8. Thomas.

[phæus.

9. Another James, the Son of Al10. Simon Zelotes, or the Canaanite. 11. Jude, Brother of James. 12. Judas Iscariot, the Betrayer.

17. Having chofen thefe Twelve Apostles, Jefus came down from the Hill; and flood with them, and with the rest of his Difciples, in the Plain. And there flocked together about them a vaft Multitude of People, out of Jerufalem and all Judæa, and from the Sea-coaft of Tyre and Sidon; fome to hear Jefus preach, and more to have their Diseases cured.

18. Particularly, many that were poffeffed and tormented by Evil Spirits, were brought to him from all Parts; and he healed them instantly.

19. And all the People crowded about him, and ftrove to touch him. For fo extraordinary was the Efficacy of his Divine Power, that whofoever touched but fo much as the Skirt of his Coat, was prefently freed from whatfoever Difeafe he had.

20. Jefus therefore being preffed with the great Multitude of People, retired from them again to the Top of the Hill. And his Difciples, and as many others, as defired to hear his Doctrine, followed him: And he fat

*Grotius fuppofes that the rides ver. 17, was not a Valley, but a Plain upon the Hill. But there is no neceffity to fuppofe That róxidos, to be the place where Jefus delivered the following Sermon. The Conjecture Here used, seems more agreeable to Matt. v. 1.

down

6.

down, and directing himself to his
Difciples, faid; Blessed are ye that are
Poor, Meek, Modest and Humble;
who fet not your Hearts upon the
Riches and Pleafures of this prefent
World, but prefer Righteousness before
Wealth and Honour, and can cheer-
fully part with all temporal Enjoyments
for the fake of true Religion, and the
Service of God.

21. Bleffed are ye, who contentedly fuffer Hardships in this prefent Life, Mat. v. *and are follicitous for nothing fo much, as to be truly virtuous and religious your felves, and to perfuade others to become fo too: Whofe Portion upon Earth, is not vain Mirth and Voluptuoufnefs; but to lament feriously the Sins and Follies; and to endure patiently, upon the Account of Religion, the Afflictions and Troubles of this mortal State. Bleffed, I fay, are ye: For the time will come, when the prefent Scene of Things fhall be changed; when your pious Defires fhall be fully fatisfied, and all your Sorrows fhall be turned into Joy.

22.

and

Bleffed are ye, when Men shall
hate and perfecute you for your con-
ftant and unfhaken Profeffion of the
Truth: Yea, doubly blefed fhall ye
be, when Men fhalf curfe you,
caft you out of all their Societies; when
they fhall revile and reproach you;
when they fhall defame and flander
you, and do all manner of Injuries to
you unjustly, for your profeffing of my
true Religion, and living answerably to
the Precepts thereof.

23. Rejoyce therefore, when these
things come upon you; Yea, triumph,
and be exceeding glad; because very
great shall be your Reward in Hea-

ven; For thus likewife did wicked
Men in former Ages perfecute the Pro-
phets and Holy Men of God: After
whofe Example, if ye fuffer unjustly
and patiently here upon Earth, ye fhall
also partake of their extraordinary Re-
ward in Heaven.

24. But Wo unto thofe, who* have * See received their Portion of good Things Chap. xvi, in this Life; Who live in Delicacy ver. 19, and Voluptuoufnefs; and placing their &. Happiness in the Enjoyments of the prefent World, reft contented without making preparation for that which is to

come.

25. Wo unto those who live in Pleafure and Jollity here, and never think of what is to come hereafter: For their prefent Plenty and Mirth, wherein they now efteem themselves fo very happy, will miferably deceive them, when, by the momentary Pleasure of Sin, they fhall find themselves betrayed into eternal Misery.

26. Wo unto thofe, who by propagating fuch Doctrines as encourage or indulge Men in Sin, gain to themselves the Applaufe and Flattery of the Generality of Men: For thus in old Time, falfe Prophets and. Deceivers, who accommodated their Doctrines to the Lufts and Paffions of Men, were more courted, and better received, than the true Prophets of God.

27. And now, ye that defire to receive my Doctrine, and to obey my Inftructions in Sincerity and Truth, attend to what I fay, and remember it. If ye will be my Difciples indeed, and live as become the true Children of God; raise your Virtue above the common Practife of Men, and extend your Charity univerfally, in Imitation

I

of

of the Divine Goodness. Love, not
only your Friends, but even your Ene-
mies alfo; and return Good to those
who perfecute and revile you.

28. Exprefs your Good-will to all
Mankind, by praying for, and wishing
well even to them that curse and speak
ill of you; and
pray even for fuch as
most unjustly and maliciously injure you,
that God would grant them Repentance
and Pardon.

29. So far be it from you to return
Evil for Evil, that on the contrary,
if a Man abuses you by Violence, or
wrongs you by Extortion, and you
cannot be relieved by juft and Chrif
tian Authority, according to the
Rules, and in the Bounds of Peace
and Charity; Chufe to let him injure
you ftill, and rather yield even more
to him, than endeavour to right your
felf in the Heat of private Revenge, or
enter into the Spirit of Contention with
him.

can.

30. Let it be the main Endeavour of your Life, to do good to all Men, at all times, and by all the just Ways you To him that begs any thing of you, give freely; and to him, whofe Wants oblige him to borrow, be always ready to lend, and never rigorous to exact it of him again.

31. In all things be fure to obferve the fame Rules of Equity and Charity, and to do all the fame good Offices to others, that you in the like Cafes could in Reafon expect they should do for

you.

3233. And do not think it ver. 27. ftrange, that I have * commanded you to love, and to do good, not only to your Friends, but even to your Enemies alfo. For if ye love

32 For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for finners also love thofe that love them.

33 And if
ye do

good to them which
do good to you, what
thank have ye for
finners alfo do even
the fame.

34 And if ye lend

to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for finners alfo lend to finners to receive as much again.

35 But love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing a gain and your reward fhall be great, and ye fhall be the children of the higheft: for he is kind unto the unthankful, and to the evil.

36 Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father alfo is merci

ful.

VOL. II.

only those who love you; what ex-
traordinary matter is that? And if ye
do Good only to thofe, who do Good
to you; what great Reward does this
deferve? This is no
more than what
is generally done, even by Heathens,
and Sinners, and the very meanest of
•Men.

34. Again: if ye lend, not to the Poor and Needy, but to thofe only from whom ye expect a Return of equal Value; what extraordinary Excellency is this? This is no more than what is commonly practifed by the most covetous and worldly Men, for temporal Advantages.

35. Ye therefore on the contrary, if ye will be my true Difciples, muft do all Offices of Kindness; not to thofe only, from whom ye expect a temporal Recompenfe; but to thofe alfo, who never will return you any Kindness, as being Enemies and Perfecutors; and to thofe moft especially who never can make. you any Recompenfe, as being Poor and Needy. And by this means, the lefs hope of Reward you have from Men, the greater and more certain will be your Title to the Favour of God, whofe Example you will imitate by fuch an extensive Charity.

36. For God beftows the Benefit of his Sun and Rain upon all Men promifcuoufly, both Good and Bad: And. ye, in imitation of this Divine Goodnefs, ought to extend your Charity univerfally to all Mankind; that, being by fuch an excellent Difpofition of Mind made Partakers of the Divine Nature here, ye may be entitled to a greater Proportion of his eternal Happines hereafter.

E

37. Further