to attend to heavenly things, and at all times to give them the preference to the frail and fleeting trifles of this present world. "Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth," said the heavenly teacher, "where moth and rust doth corrupt and were thieves break through and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, were neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." The shortness and uncertainty of our abode in this present state, with the many disasters which may happen to us, and take away our worldly possessions, should exicte us not to put our trust or confidence in any thing which belongs to this world; it is greater wisdom to contemplate on heavenly things, to consider their superior excellency, and the extent of their duration, with such a fixt and unremitting attention, as may work in the soul an habitual desire after them, and prepare us in the prevailing temper of our minds, for the enjoyment of them.

Our Lord was the more earnest in recommending this heavenly mindedness to his hearers, because it was a doctrine which they had not been used to hear from their former teachers. The Jewish doctors were, in general, strangers to the blessedness and glory of an happy eternity. The rewards promised to the keepers of the law, were chiefly of a temporal nature; & as it was the gospel of CHRIST, which brought "life and immortality to light," the doctrine of eternal happiness was the peculiar province of our Redeemer; and that they might not suppose that the heavenly mindedness which he recommended, was consistent with a covetous and anxious de. sire after worldly riches, our Lord informs them that these things are di rectly contrary to each other. No man," says he, "can serve two masters; for either he will love the one and hate the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other: ye cannot serve God and mammon!”

Our Lord proceeded to enforce the heavenly doctrine by ascertaining the universality of the providence of God, and his paternal care over the least and meanest of his creatures. "Behold," says he," the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your beavenly Father feedeth them. Are not ye much better than they? If the providence of God extends to the meanest and most insignificant of his creatures, and his wisdom hath so conducted his wide creation, that there is abundant provision made for the fowls of the air, and beast of the field, shall his creature man, whom he hath placed at the head of his lower creation, and made the object of his peculiar care, be over anxious and careful, or gloomy and discontented for fear he should not be able to procure food and raiment? How unworthy is this of his superior reason, and how dishonourable to his great Maker, and most bountiful Benefactor: Thus the divine Teacher led the most ignorant and illiterate of his hearers to entertain great and sublime ideas of God and his providence; and gave them a more elevated and extensive view of the nature of his government then had been taught in the schools of the philosophers: for though they believed that there was a God, and that he made and governed the world, they had but very dark and confused notions of his particular providence, as it relates to the state of every individual in his creation. This our great Redeemer gave them to understand, was fixed by the universal Governor, with more exactness and precision than was generally imagined, and less in the power of individuals to alter by their utmost anxity and care. "Which of you," says he, "by taking thought, can add one cubit unto his sta

ture ?"

The illustrious Preacher then proceeds from the animal, to the vegetable part of the creation, and infers the absurdity of anxions and vexatious cares concerning raiment. Can it be supposed that the great Being, who spreads fresh verdure over the fields, and adorns them with those flowers which shine brighter than the golden embroidery which glitters on the purple robes of kings, will not provide raiment for his own people? Will he

thus clothe the inanimate & neglect the noblest part of his creation? "Consider," said the exalted Redeemer, "the lilies of the field, how they grow, they toil not, neither do they spin; and yet I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to-day is, and to-morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?" Let these considerations excite you, he adds, to be easy and quiet, patient and resigned to the allotments of Providence. "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness." Make it your first great concern to pursue the interest of your immortal souls, and rest not till you have obtained a rational and scriptural satisfaction that your eternal interest is safe; and, when this great blessing is obtained, be not anxious or vexatiously careful concerning the things of time and sense, but rest assured that "all these things, so far as necessary to your supreme good, "shall be added untó you.

The exalted Redeemer, now drawing towards the conclusion of his discourse, proceeded to forbid all rash and uncharitable judgment, either with regard to the general characters or particular actions of men. This is an evil of the most attrocious kind; innocence and virtue often suffer, and, however sorry the slanderer may be for the wrong done, the injury cannot be repaired. No character is more hurtful to society and no person more hateful to God and man than the slanderer; and our Lord intimates that Soth God and man will resent the injury done to his creatures. "Judge not," said he, "that ye be not judged." If you judge charitably, said the kind and compassionate, the meek and benevolent Saviour of mankind; if you make allowances for the frailty of human nature, and are ready to pity and pardon those who have offended you, both your heavenly Father, and your fellow mortals will deal with you in the same manner. But if you are always ready to hear, and eager to spread slanderous reports; if you put the harshest construction on every action: if you are pleased to hear of another's misconduct, or misfortunes, and never touched with the feeling of your brother's infirmities; if you take all opportunites to înjure him in the opinion of mankind, or pursue him with inexorable and implacable resentment; if you are a stranger to mercy or forgiveness, no mercy, or forgiveness will you find, either from offended Omnipotence, or injured and insulted man. "For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged; and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again."

In order to prevent mankind from passing rash and censorious judgment, our great Redeemer advises them to look unto themselves; and if they would carefully advert to their own errors and failings, they would find less time, as well as less desire, to censure the rest of mankind. It frequently happens that those persons who are most ready to censure and con demn their fellow creatures, and most eager to search out, and expose the failings of others, are not the most blameless themselves: but frequently more culpable than the persons whom they are so ready to accuse. It is therefore with the highest reason that our great Redeemer exorted his hearers to look unto themselves, and carefully mend their own faults, which would be of greater service to them than endeavoring to expose and scandalize those who are better than they." And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, and considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye or how wilt thou say to thy brother, let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and behold, a beam is in thine own eye. Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

Such are the several branches of moral righteousness inculcated by the Son of God; but some are so perverse in their dispositions, and so obstinately attached to their evil practices and errors, that it is impossible to reclaim them; and therefore our Saviour advises his followers not to attempt it: "Give not" says he, "that which is holy unto the dogs; neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they tread them under their feet, and turn again and rend you." Lastly, that it might not be supposed that the moral precepts of Christianity were above the attainment of mankind, our Lord proceeded to inform his hearers, how gracious, and full of compassion, their heavenly father was, and how ready to hear and assist all who called upon him; and in consequence advised them humbly to intreat his assistance, and at the same time that they exerted their utmost endeavors to do his will, and be found in the way of his commandments "Ask," says he, and it shall be given; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: for every one that asketh, receiveth; and he that seeketh, findeth; and to him that knocketh, it shall be opened." Our Lord appeals to their own feelings towards their children, as an encouragement to be earnest in their petitions to their heavenly father: "If ye being evil," said he, "know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much. more shall your father, which is in heaven, give good things to them that ask him ?". But, that they might not depend on the divine assistance without the diligent exertion of their utmost endeavours, our Lord immediately adds, "Enter ye in at the straight gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat; because straight is the gate, and narrow is the way which leadeth to life, and few there be that find it."

The illustrious preacher, before he concluded his discourse, proceeded to warn his hearers of false prophets and teachers, who would come with faic pretences; but as their lives and conversations were not answerable to their profession, nor honourable to the cause they espoused, they were to be despised and disregarded: “Ye shall know them by their fruits," said the divine teacher; "do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles ?Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit, but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." It is not the pretences to extraordinary piety and goodness; it is not the most flaming zeal, or the most ardent devotion, that will compensate for a disregard to the divine commands, or a departure from the unvariable rules of righteousness and goodness. "It is not every one that saith, Lord, Lord," said the exalted Saviour of mankind, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my father which is in heaven." And then he sums up the whole, with a beautiful and striking simile, intended to demonstrate the absolute necessity of such a regard to the words of CHRIST influenced the mind and determined the conduct in an universal and persisting obedience: " Therefore," said he, "whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock; and the rains descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shail be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, and it fell and great was the fall of it." Thus ended our Lord's excellent and admirable sermon. The multitudes stood around him with the utmost attention and surprise. The plain tokens of divinity which attended his discourse, joined with his all-commanding eloquence, attracted every eye, and affected every heart: but what surprised them the more

was, the difference of his doctrine from what they before had heard; "for he taught them as one having authority, and not as the Scribes."

CHRIST having finished his. Sermon on the mount, repairs to Caperna um, and on his way there is met by a leprous person, whom he cleanses : On his entering the city, he is accosted by a Roman Centurian, whose - servant was ill of the palsy, whom he heals: He afterwards repairs to the Synagogue on the Sabbath day, where he dispossesseth a devil :, He cures Peter's wife's mother of a fever, and many other diseased persons: He travels through Galilee; and directs the Disciples to take a great draught of fishes. mes

THE exalted Saviour of sinners, having finished his sermon, came down from the mountain, attended by a great concourse of people, who had listened to his discourse, with the mixt emotions of wonder and joy. They surrounded the divine person of our Redeemer, with the most respectful regard, and soon an incident arose which gave them fresh cause of wonder and praise. As he was on his way to Capernaum, he was met by a leprous person, who, doubtless, having heard of his wonderful works, and the condescending goodness with which he relieved the afflicted and diseased, threw himself with the utmost humility at his feet, and cried, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean."

The species of leprosy common amongst the eastern nations, and the Jews, was very nauseus and infectious, as well as extremely hard to be cured. Our Lord was not deterred by this, from approaching an object so loathsome; but, full of pity, he condescended so far as to touch him, with this reply, "I will be thou clean." The dire infection immediately fled before the touch of the Son of God; who charged the person, thus instantaneously healed, not to publish the matter abroad, but go directly and shew himself to the priest, offering at the same time, the oblations which the law in such cases required.

魚湯

The blessed JESUS then proceeded to Capernaum, but, as he entered the city, he was accosted by a Roman centurion, who with the care and tenderness of an indulgent master, informed him of the dreadful condition of his servant, who was afflicted with a paralytic disorder, and grievously tormented with pain. The compassionate Redeemer of mankind, listened to his complaint with pitying attention, and replied to his address, that he would come and heal him. The centurion thought this goodness too much to be expected by one who was not of the Israelitish nation, and, therefore, told our Lord, that he was not worthy so illustrious a person should come under his roof; and he, very probably, having heard of the noble, man's son, who, while he lay sick at Capernaum, was healed by Jesus, when he was so far off as Cana, desired our Lord only to speak the word, and he doubted not but his servant would be healed; for he believed, that diseases and devils were as much under the command of our Redeemer, as his soldiers are subject to the will, and obeyed the word of their com mander. Our Lord was well pleased with the centurion's faith, and commended it in the highest terms; "I have not found," said he, “so great faith, no not in Israel."

The believing stranger, having applied the most exalted ideas of the divine power and goodness to JESUS CHRIST, who appeared to be no more than a man, our Lord took occasion, from the open confession of his faith, to declare the gracious design of his Almighty Father towards the Gentile world, and gave the surrounding multitude to understand, that the divine goodness was not confined to the seed of Abraham nor to the land of Israel: “And I say unto you," said he, "that many shall come from the east, and the west, and shall sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.". And having a clear view of the obstinacy impenitence, and final unbelief of the Jewish nation, he added, "But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall he weeping and gnashing of teeth." Having thus spoken to the listening throng, our Lord directed his discourse to the centurion, and said, "Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee ;" and immediately the servant was healed.

On the next sabbath day, Jesus went to the Jewish synagogue at Capernaum, and instructed the people with such energy and power, and at the same time, with such remarkable plainness and simplicity, that the con-" gregation heard him with the greatest pleasure and surprise and to increase their admiration, there was a person in the assembly, that was possessed by an unclean and wicked spirit, who cried out in the most dreadful manner: "Let us alone, what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? Art thou come to destroy us? I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God." But the blessed Jesus, who wanted no such testimomy commanded him to keep silence, and immediately come out of the man; this command, the wicked spirit durst not disobey, and directly complied, leaving the disordered person, to the astonishment of the whole congregation.

It is constantly alledged, by those who are enemies to our religion, and delight to cavil with the conduct of our Redeemer, and depreciate his mighty deeds, that the persons, who are said in the gospels to be possessed by devils, were only affected by some strange and unaccountable disorders; and because sepulchres were esteemed polluted places, the melancholy persons who frequented them, were said to be possessed with the devil.And the adversaries of our religion, are fond of inquiring, why there should be any more dæmons in Judea, than in any other country.

To these objections it may, with great certainty be replied, that these dæmoniacs were not persons affected only with some uncommon and dreadful disease; for the evangelists have taken care to be very particular on that head and being possessed with the devil, is carefully distinguished from any other affliction and complaint: St. Matthew tells us, that, They brought unto Christ, all sick people, that were taken with divers diseases, and those that were possessed with devils, and those that were lunatic; and he healed them," chap. iv. ver. 24. And again, chap. x. ver. 1. "He gave to the apostles power against evil spirits to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sicknesses and diseases." And we are informed by St. Mark, chap. i. 31"That they healed many that were sick of divers diseases, and cast out devils." There is in these passages a plain distinction between those who were sick of various diseases, and those who were possessed with devils; and this being distinctly noticed by the evangelists, it cannot be supposed, that there were not plain, evident marks of distinction, which made the cure so manifest, that there was no danger of being deceived.