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23 - Upon our Lord’s Sermon on the Mount, Discourse III - Sermons on Several Occasions · Sacred Texts Archive

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Upon our Lord's Sermon on the Mount Discourse three. Blessed are the pure in
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heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they
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shall be called the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for
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righteousness sake, For theirs is the kingdom of Heaven. Blessed are ye.
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When men shall revile you and persecute you, and shall say all manner of
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evil against you falsely for my sake, rejoice and be exceeding glad, For
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great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the prophets which were
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before you. Matthew Chapter five, verses eight to twelve. How excellent things
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are spoken of the love of our neighbor. It is the fulfilling of the
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law, the end of the commandment. Without this, all we have,
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all we do, all we suffer, is of no value in the sight
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of God. But it is that love of our neighbor which springs from the
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love of God, otherwise itself is nothing worth. It behooves us therefore,
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to examine well upon what foundation our love of our neighbor stands, whether it
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is really built upon the love of God, whether we do love Him because
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He first loved us. Whether we are pure in heart, for this is
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the foundation which shall never be moved. Blessed are the pure in heart,
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for they shall see God. The pure in heart are they whose hearts God
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hath purified, even as He is pure. Who are purified through faith in
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the blood of Jesus from every unholy affection, who being cleansed from all filthiness
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of flesh and spirit, perfect holiness in the loving fear of God. They
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are, through the power of His grace, purified from pride, by the
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deepest poverty of spirit, from anger, from every other unkind or turbulent passion,
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by meekness and gentleness, from every desire, but to please and enjoy
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God, to know and love Him more and more by that hunger and thirst
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after righteousness, which now engrosses their whole soul, so that now they love
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the Lord their God with all their heart, and with all their soul and
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mind and strength. But how little has this purity of heart been regarded by
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the false teachers of all ages. They have taught men barely to abstain from
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such outward impurities as God hath forbidden by name. But they did not strike
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at the heart, and by not guarding against they in effect continence inward corruptions.
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A remarkable instance of this, our Lord has given us in the following
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words. Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time,
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thou shalt not commit adultery Matthew, chapter five, verse twenty seven. And
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in explaining this, those blind leaders of the blind only insist on men substaining
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from thee outward act. But I say unto you, whosoever looketh on unwoman
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to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart Matthew,
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chapter five, verse twenty eight. For God requireth truth in the inward parts.
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He searcheth the heart and trieth the reins. And if thou incline unto
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iniquity with thy heart, the Lord will not hear thee. And God admits
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no excuse for retaining anything which is an occasion of impurity. Therefore, if
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thy right eye offend THEE, pluck it out and cast it from THEE.
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For it is profitable for THEE that one of thy members should perish, and
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not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew, chapter five,
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verse twenty nine. If persons as dear to THEE as thy right eye,
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be an occasion of thy thus offending God a means of exciting unholy desire
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in thy soul. Delay not forcibly separate from them. And if thy right
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hand offend THEE, cut it off and cast it from THEE. For it
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is profitable for THEE that one of thy members should perish, and not that
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thy whole body should be cast into hell. Matthew Chapter five, verse thirty.
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If any who seem as necessary to THEE as thy right hand be an
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occasion of sin, of impure desire, even though it were never to go
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beyond the heart, never to break out in word or action, constrain thyself
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to an entire and final parting. Cut them off at a stroke, give
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them up to God. Any loss, whether of pleasure or substance, or
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friends, is preferable to the loss of thy soul. Two steps only it
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may not be improper to take before such an absolute and final separation. First,
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try whether the unclean spirit may not be driven out by fasting in prayer.
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And be carefully abstaining from every action and word and look which thou hast
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found to be a occasion of evil Secondly, if thou art not by this
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means delivered, ask a counsel of him that watcheth over thy soul, or
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at least of some who have experienced in the ways of God, touching the
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time and manner of that separation. But confer not with flesh and blood.
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Lest thou be given up to a strong delusion to believe a lie. Nor
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may marriage itself wholly and honorable, as it is be used as a pretense
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for giving a loose to our desires. Indeed, it hath been said,
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whosoever will put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement,
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and then all is well, though he alleged no cause but that he
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did not like her or liked another better. But I say unto you that
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whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the case of fornication, that
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is adultery. The word pornia, signifying unchastity in general, either in the
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married or unmarried state, causeth her to commit adultery if she marry again.
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And whosoever shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. Matthew,
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Chapter five, verse thirty one and thirty two. All polygamy is clearly forbidden
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in these words, wherein our Lord expressly declares that for any woman who has
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a husband alive to marry again is adultery. By parity of reason, it
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is adultery for any man to marry again so long as he has a wife
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alive. Yea, although they were divorced, unless that divorce had been for
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the cause of adultery. In that only case, there is no scripture which
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forbids to marry again. Such is the purity of heart which God requires and
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works in those who believe on the son of His Love. And blessed are
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they who are thus pure in heart, for they shall see God. He
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will manifest himself onto them, not only as he doth not unto the world,
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but as he doth not always to his own children. He will bless
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them with the clearest communications of his spirit, the most intimate fellowship with the
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Father and with the Sun. He will cause his presence to go continually before
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them, and the light of his countenance to shine upon them. It is
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the ceaseless prayer of their heart. I beseech THEE show me thy glory,
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And they have the petition they ask of him. They now see him by
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faith the veil of the flesh, being made as it were, transparent,
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even in these his lowest works, and all that surrounds them. In all
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that God has created and made, they see Him in the height above,
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and in the death beneath. They see him feeling all in all. The
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pure in heart see all things full of God. They see him in the
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firmament of heaven, in the moon, walking in brightness in the sun,
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when he rejoiceth as a giant to run his course. They see him making
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the clouds his chariots, and walking upon the wings of the wind. They
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see him preparing rain for the earth, and blessing thee increase of it,
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giving grass for the cattle, and green herb for the use of man.
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They see the creator of all, wisely governing all and upholding all things by
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the word of His power. O Lord, our Governor, how excellent is
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thy name in all the world, in all his providences, relating to themselves,
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to their souls or bodies. The pure in heart do more particularly see
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God. They see His hand ever over them for good, giving them all
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things in weight and measure, numbering the hairs of their head, making a
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hedge around about them, and all that they have, and disposing all the
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circumstances of their life according to the depth both of His wisdom and mercy.
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But in a more especial manner they see God in his ordinances, whether they
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appear in the great congregation to pay him the honor due unto his name and
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worship him in the beauty of polyness, or enter into their closets and there
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pour out their souls before their Father, which is in secret, whether they
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search the oracles of God, or hear the ambassadors of Christ proclaiming glad tidings
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of salvation, or by eating of that bread and drinking of that cup,
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show forth his death till he come in the clouds of heaven. In all
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these his appointed ways, they find such a near approach as cannot be expressed.
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They see Him, as it were, face to face, and talk
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with him as a man talking with his friend, a fit preparation for those
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mansions above wherein they shall see Him as he is. But how far were
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they from seeing God, who, having heard that it had been said by
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them of old time, thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto
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the Lord thine oaths. Matthew chapter five, verse thirty three. Interpret it
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it. Thus, thou shalt not forswear thyself, when thou swearest by the
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Lord Jehovah. Thou shalt perform unto the Lord these thine oaths. But as
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to other oaths, he regardeth them not. So the Pharisees taught they not
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only allowed all manner of swearing in common conversation, but accounted even for swearing
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a little thing. So they had not sworn by the peculiar name of God.
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But our Lord here absolutely forbids all common swearing, as well as all
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false swearing, and shows the heeneousness of both, by the same awful consideration.
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That every creature is God's, and He is everywhere present in all and
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over all. I say unto you, swear not at all, neither by
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Heaven, for it is God's throne Matthew, Chapter five, verse thirty four.
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And therefore this is the same as to swear by him who sitteth upon
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the circle of the heavens, nor by the earth, for it is his
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footstool Matthew, chapter five, verse thirty five. And he is as intimately
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present in Earth as heaven. Neither by Jerusalem, for it is the city
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of the Great King, and God is well known in her palaces. Neither
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shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white
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or black Matthew, Chapter five, verse thirty six. Because even this,
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it is plain, is not thine, but God's the sole disposer of all
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in heaven and earth. But let your communication Matthew Chapter five, verse thirty
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seven, your conversation, your discourse with each other, be yea yea,
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nay nay, a bare serious affirming or denying. For whatsoever is more than
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these cometh of evil? To poneru Eston is of the evil. One proceedeth
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from the devil, and is a mark of his children that our Lord does
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not here forbid The swearing in judgment and truth when we are required so to
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do by a magistrate. May appear one from the occasion of this part of
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his discourse the abuse he was here reproving, which was false swearing and common
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swearing, the swearing before a magistrate being quite out of the question. Two
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from the very words wherein he forms the general conclusion, Let your communication or
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discourse be yea yea nay nay. Three from his own example for he answered
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himself upon oath when required by a magistrate. When the high priest said,
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unto him, I adjured thee by the Living God, that thou tell us
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whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus immediately answered in
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the affirmative, thou hast said that is the truth. Nevertheless, or rather
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moreover, I say unto you. Hereafter ye shall see the son of Man
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sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.
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Matthew chapter twenty six, verse sixty three and verse sixty four four.
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From the example of God, even the Father, who willing the more abundantly
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to show onto the years of promise the immutability of his consul, confirmed it
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by an oath. Hebrews chapter six, verse seventeen five. From the example
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of Saint Paul, who we think had the spirit of God and well understood
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the mind of his master. God is my witness. Saith he to the
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Romans, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers Romans
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chapter one, verse nine, to the Corinthians. I call God to record
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upon my soul that to spare you I came, not as yet unto corinth
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Second Corinthians, chapter one, verse twenty three. And to the Philippians,
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God is my record, how greatly long after you in the bowels of Jesus
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Christ Philippians, chapter one, verse eight. Hence it undeniably appears that if
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the Apostle knew the meaning of his Lord's words, they do not forbid swearing
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on weighty occasions, even to one another, how much less before a magistrate.
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And lastly, from that assertion of the Great Apostle concerning solemn swearing in
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general, which it is impossible he could have mentioned without any touch of blame
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if his Lord had totally forbidden it, Men verily swear by the Greater,
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by one greater than themselves, and an oath for confirmation is to them the
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end of all strife. Hebrews, chapter six, verse sixteen. But the
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great lesson which our blessed Lord inculcates here, and which he illustrates by this
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example, is that God is in all things, and that we are to
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see the Creator in the glass of every creature, that we should use and
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look upon nothing as separate from God, which is indeed a kind of practical
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atheism, but with a true magnificence of thought, survey heaven and earth and
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all that is therein, as contained by God in the hollow of his hand,
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who by his intimate presence holds them all in being, who pervades and
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actuates the whole created frame, and is in a true sense the soul of
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the universe. Thus far our Lord has been more directly employed in teaching the
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religion of the heart. He has shown what Christians are to be. He
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proceeds to show what they are to do. Also, how inward holiness is
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to exert itself in our outward conversation. Blessed Saith, He are the peacemakers,
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for they shall be called the children of God, the peacemakers. The
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word in the original is hoi erna poia. It is well known that Erne
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in the Sacred Writings, implies all manner of good, every blessing that relates
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either to the soul or the body, to time or eternity. Accordingly,
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when Saint Paul, in the titles of his epistles, wishes grace and peace
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to the Romans or the Corinthians, it is as if he had said,
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as a fruit of the free, undeserved love and favored of God, may
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you enjoy all blessings spiritual and temporal, all the good things which God hath
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prepared for them that love Him. Hence may easily learn in how wide a
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sense the term peacemakers is to be understood. In its literal meaning, it
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implies those lovers of God and man who utterly detest and abhor all strife,
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and debate all variance and contention, and accordingly labour with all their might,
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either to prevent this fire of hell from being kindled, or when it is
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kindled, from breaking out, or when it is broke out, from spreading
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any further. They endeavor to calm the stormy spirits of men, to quiet
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their turbulent passions, to soften the minds of contending parties, and if possible,
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reconcile them to each other. They use all innocent arts and employ all
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their strength, all the talents which God has given them, as well,
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to preserve peace where it is, as to restore it where it is not.
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It is the joy of their heart to promote, to confirm, to
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increase mutual good will among men, but more especially among the children of God,
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however distinguished by things of smaller importance, that as they have all one
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Lord, one faith, as they are all called in one hope of their
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calling, so they may all walk worthy of the vocation. Wherewith they are
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called with all lowliness and meekness, with long suffering, forbearing one another in
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love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace.
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But in the full extent of the word. A peacemaker is one that,
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as he hath opportunity, doth good unto all men. One that,
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being filled with the love of God and of all mankind, cannot confine the
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expressions of it to his own family or friends, or acquaintance, or party,
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or to those of his own opinions, no, nor those who are
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partakers of like precious faith. But steps over all these narrow bounds, that
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he may do good to every man, that he may, some way or
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other manifest his love to neighbors and strangers, friends and enemies. He doth
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good to them all, as he hath opportunity, that is, on every
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possible occasion, redeeming the time in order thereto, buying up every opportunity,
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improving every hour, losing no moment wherein he may profit another. He does
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good, not of one particular kind, but good in general in every possible
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way, employing herein all his talents of every kind, all his powers and
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faculties of body and soul, all his fortune, his interest, his reputation,
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desiring only that when his Lord cometh he may say well done, good
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and faithful servant. He doth good to the uttermost of his power, even
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to the bodies of all men. He rejoices to deal his bread to the
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hungry, and to cover the naked with a garment. Is any a stranger,
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he takes him in and relieves him according to his necessities. Are any
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sick or in prison, he visits them and administers such help as they stand
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most in need of. And all this he does not as unto man,
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but remembering him that hath said, inasmuch as ye have done it onto one
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of the least of these, my brethren, you have done it unto me.
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How much more does he rejoice if he can do any good to the
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soul of any man. This power indeed belongeth unto God. It is he
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only that changes the heart, without which every other change is lighter than vanity.
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Nevertheless, it pleases him who worketh all in all to help man chiefly
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by man, to convey his own power and blessing and love through one man
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to another. Therefore, although it be certain that the help which is done
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upon earth, God doth it himself, Yet has no man need on this
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account to stand idle in his vineyard. This peacemaker cannot. He is ever
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laboring therein, and as an instrument in God's hand, preparing the ground for
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his master's use, or sowing the seed of the kingdom, or watering what
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is already sown. If haply God may give the increase according to the measure
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of grace which he has received. He uses all diligence, either to reprove
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the gross sinner, to reclaim those who run on headlong in the broad way
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of destruction, or to give light to them that sit in darkness and are
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ready to perish for lack of knowledge, or to support the weak, to
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lift up the hands that hang down in the feeble knees, or to bring
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back and heal that which was lame and turned out of the way. Nor
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is he less zealous to confirm those who are already striving to enter in at
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the straight gate, to strengthen those that stand, that they may run with
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patience the race which is set before them, to build up in their most
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holy faith, those that know in whom they have believed, to exhort them
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to stir up the gift of God which is in them, that daily growing
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in grace an entrance may be ministered onto them abundantly into the everlasting Kingdom of
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our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Blessed are they who are thus continually
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employed in the work of faith, in the labor of love. For they
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shall be called, that is, shall be a common Hebraism, the children
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of God. God shall continue onto them the spirit of adoption, Yea,
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shall pour it more abundantly into their hearts. He shall bless them with all
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the blessings of His children. He shall acknowledge them as sons before angels and
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men, And if sons, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs
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with Christ. One would imagine such a person as has been above described,
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so full of genuine humility, so unaffectedly serious, so mild and gentle,
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so free from all selfish designs, so devoted to God, and such an
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active lover of men, should be the darling of mankind. But our Lord
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was better acquainted with human nature in its present state. He therefore closes the
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character of this man of God with showing him the treatment he is to expect
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in the world. World blessed, saith, he are they which are persecuted
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for righteousness sake? For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. In order to
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understand this, truly, let us first inquire who are they that are persecuted?
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And this we may easily learn from Saint Paul as of old, he
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that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the spirit.
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Even so it is now Galicians chapter four, verse twenty nine. Yea,
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saith, the apostle and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer
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persecution. Two Timothy chapter three, verse twelve. The same we are taught
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by Saint John Marvel not my brethren. If the world hate you, we
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know that we have passed from death onto life because we love the brethren.
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First John chapter three, verses thirteen to fourteen, as if he had said
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the brethren, the Christians cannot be loved but by them who have passed from
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death onto lafe, and most expressionally, by our Lord. If the world
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hate you, you know that it hated me before it hated you. If
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you were of the world, the world would love its own. But because
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you are not of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the
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word that I said unto you, the servant is not greater than his Lord.
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If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. John chapter
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fifteen, verse eighteen. By all these scriptures, it manifestly appears who they
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are that are persecuted, namely the righteous, he that is born of the
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Spirit, all that will live godly in Christ Jesus. They that are passed
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from death unto life, those who are not of the world, All those
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who are meek and lowly in heart, that mourn for God, that hunger
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after His likeness, all that love God and their neighbor. And therefore,
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as they have opportunity, do good unto all men. If it be secondly
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inquired why they are persecuted, the answer is equally plain and obvious. It
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is for righteousness sake, because they are righteous, because they are born after
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the Spirit, because they will live godly in Christ Jesus, because they are
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not of the world. Whatever may be pretended, this is the real cause.
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By their infirmities more or less. Still, if it were not for
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this, they would be born with and the world would love its own.
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They are persecuted because they are poor in spirit, that is say the world,
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poor spirited, mean, dastardly souls, good for nothing, not fit
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to live in the world, because they mourn. They are such dull,
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heavy, lumpish creatures, enough to seek anyone's spirits that seize them. They
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are mere deathheads. They kill innocent mirth and spoil company wherever they come,
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because they are meek, tame, passive fools, just fit to be trampled
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upon, because they hunger and thirst after righteousness, a parcel of hot brained
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enthusiasts, gaping after they know not what, not content with rational religion,
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but running mad after raptures and inward feelings. Because they are merciful lovers of
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all, lovers of the evil, and unthankful, encouraging all manner of wickedness,
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nay tempting people to do mischief by impunity, and men who it is
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to be feared, have their own religions still to seek, very loose in
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their principles, because they are pure in heart, uncharitable creatures that damn all
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the world, but those that are of their own sort, blasphemous wretches that
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pretend to make God a liar, to live without sin above all, because
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they are peacemakers, because they take all opportunities of doing good to all men.
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This is the grand reason why they have been persecuted in all ages,
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and will be till the restitution of all things. If they would but keep
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their religion to themselves, it would be tolerable. But it is is this
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spreading their errors, disinfecting so many others, which is not to be endured.
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They do so much mischief in the world that they ought to be tolerated
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no longer. It is true the men do some things well enough, they
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relieve some of the poor, but this too is only done to gain the
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more to their party, and so in effect, to do the more mischief.
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Thus the men of the world sincerely think and speak. And the more
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the Kingdom of God prevails, the more the peacemakers are enabled to propagate lowliness,
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meekness, and all other divine tempers, the more mischief is done in
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their account. Consequently, the more they are enraged against the authors of this,
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and the more vehemently will they persecute them. Let us thirdly inquire who
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are they that persecute them? Saint Paul answers he that is born after the
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flesh, everyone who is not born of the spirit, or at least desirous
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so to be, all that do not at least labor to live godly in
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Christ Jesus, All that are not passed from death unto life, and consequently
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cannot love the brethren the world. That is, according to our Saviour's account,
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they who know not Him that sent me, They who know not God,
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even the loving, pardoning God by the teaching of his own spirit.
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The reason is plain. The spirit which is in the world is directly opposite
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to the spirit which is of God. It must, therefore needs be that
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those who are of the world will be opposite to those who are of God.
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There is the utmost contrariety between them and all their opinions, their desires,
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designs, and tempers. And hitherto the leopard and the kid cannot lie
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down in peace together. The proud, because he is proud, cannot but
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persecute the lowly, the light and airy, those that mourn, And so
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in every other kind. The unlikeness of disposition. Were there no other being
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a perpetual ground of enmity. Therefore, were it only on this account,
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all the servants of the devil will persecute the children of God. Should it
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be inquired, fourthly, how they will persecute them, it may be answered
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in general, just in that manner and measure which the wise disposure of all
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sees will be most for His glory, will tend most to his children's growth
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in grace and the enlargement of his own kingdom. There is no one branch
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of God's government of the world which is more to be admired than this.
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His ear is never heavy to the threatenings of the persecutor or the cry of
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the persecuted. His eye is ever open, and his hands stretched out to
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direct the minutest circumstance. When the storm shall begin, how high it shall
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rise, which way it shall point its course, when and how it shall
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end, are all determined by his unerring wisdom. The ungodly are only a
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sword of his an instrument which he uses as it pleaseth him, and which
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itself, when the gracious ends of His providence are answered, is cast into
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the fire. At some rare times, as when Christianity was planted first and
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while it was taking root in the earth, as also when the pure doctrine
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of Christ began to be planted again in our nation, God permitted the storm
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to rise high, and his children were called to resist onto blood. There
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was a peculiar reason why He suffered this with regard to the apostles, that
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their evidence might be the more unexceptionable. But from the annals of the Church
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we learned another and a far different reason why He suffered the heavy persecutions which
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rose in the second and third centuries, namely because the mystery of iniquity did
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so strongly work because of the monstrous corruptions which even then reigned in the church.
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These God chastised and at the same time strove to heal by those severe
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but necessary visitations. Perhaps the same observation may be made with regard to the
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grand persecution in our own land. God had dealt very graciously with our nation.
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He had poured out various blos blessings upon us. He had given us
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peace abroad and at home, and a king wise and good beyond his years.
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And above all, he had caused the pure light of his gospel to
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arise and shine amongst us. But what return did he find He looked for
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righteousness, but behold a cry, a cry of oppression and wrong, of
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ambition, and injustice, of malice, and fraud and coveteousness. Yea,
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the cry of those who even then expired in the flames, entered into the
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ears of the Lord of the Saboa. It was then God arose to maintain
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his own cause against those that held the truth in unrighteousness. Then he sold
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them into the hands of their persecutors by a judgment mixed with mercy and affliction
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to punish, and yet a medicine to heal the grievous backslidings of his people.
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But it is seldom God suffers the storm to rise so high as torture
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or death, or bonds or imprisonment. Whereas his children are frequently called to
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endure those lighter kinds of persecution, they frequently suffer the estrangement of kinsfolk,
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the loss of the friends that were as their own soul. They find the
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truth of their Lord's word concerning the event, though not the design of his
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coming. Suppose, ye that I am come to give peace on earth,
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I tell you nay, but rather division Luke Chapter twelve, verse fifty one,
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and hence will naturally follow loss of business or employment, and consequently of
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substance. But all these circumstances, likewise are under the wise direction of God,
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who allots to everyone what is most expedient for him. But the persecution
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which attends all the children of God is that our Lord describes in the following
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words, Blessed are ye. When men shall rebel you and persecute you,
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shall persecute by reviling you, and say all manner of evil against you falsely.
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For my sake, this cannot fail. It is the very badge of
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our discipleship. It is one of the seals of our calling. It is
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a sheer portion entailed on all all the children of God. If we have
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it not, we are bastards and not sons. Straight through evil report,
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as well as good report, lies the only way to the kingdom. The
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meek, serious, humble, zealous lovers of God and man are of good
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report among their brethren, but of evil report with the world, who count
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and treat them as the filth and off scouring of all things. Indeed,
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some have supposed that before the fullness of the gentiles shall come in the scandal
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of the cross will cease, that God will cause Christians to be esteemed in
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love even by those who are as yet in their sins. Yea, and
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sure it is that even now He at some times suspends the contempt as well
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as the fierceness of men. He makes a man's enemies to be at peace
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with him for a season, and gives him favor with his bitterest persecutors.
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But setting aside this exact case, the scandal of the cross has not yet
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ceased. But a man may say, still, if I please men,
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I am not the servant of Christ. Let no man therefore regard that pleasing
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suggestion, pleasing doubtless to flesh and blood. That bad men only pretend to
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hate and despise them that are good, but do indeed love and esteem them
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in their hearts. Not so they may employ them sometimes, but it is
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for their own prophet. They may put confidence in them, for they know
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their ways are not like other men's. But still they love them, not
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unless so far as the spirit of God may be striving with them. Our
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Saviour's words are express. If ye were of the world, the world would
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love its own. But because you are not of the world, therefore the
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world hateth you yea setting aside what exceptions may be made by the preventing grace
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or the peculiar providence of God. It hateth them as cordially and sincerely,
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as ever it did their master. It remains only to inquire how are the
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children of God to behave with regard to persecution? And first they ought not
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knowingly or designedly to bring it upon themselves. This is contrary both to the
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example and advice of our Lord and all his apostles, who teach us not
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only not to seek, but to avoid it as far as we can without
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injuring our conscience, without giving up any part of that righteousness which we are
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to prefer before life itself. So our Lord expressly, when they persecute you
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in this city, flee ye into another, Which is indeed, when it
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can be taken the most unexceptionable way of avoiding persecution. Yet think not that
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you can always avoid it, either by this or any other means. If
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ever that idle imagination steals into your heart, put it to flight by that
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earnest caution, Remember the words that I set unto you. The servant is
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not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also
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persecute you. Be ye wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But will
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this screen you from persecution. Not unless you have more wisdom than your master,
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or more innocence than the lamb of God. Neither desire to avoid it,
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to escape it wholy, for if you do, you are none of
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his. If you escape the persecution, you escape the blessing, the blessing
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of those who are persecuted for righteousness sake. If you are not persecuted for
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righteousness sake, you cannot enter into the Kingdom of heaven. If we suffer
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with him, we shall also reign with him. But if we deny him,
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he will also deny us. Nay, rather rejoice and be exceeding glad
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when men persecute you for his sake. When they persecute you by reviling you,
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and by saying all manner of evil against you falsely, which they will
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not fail to mix with every kind of persecution, they must blacken you to
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excuse themselves, for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you. Those
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who are most imminently holy in heart and life. Yea, in all the
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righteous which ever have been from the beginning of the world. Rejoice, because
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by His mark also ye know unto whom ye belong, And because great is
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your reward in heaven, the reward purchased by the blood of the Covenant,
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and freely bestowed in proportion to your sufferings, as well as to your holiness
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of heart and life. Be exceeding glad, knowing that these light afflictions,
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which are but for a moment, work out for you a far more exceeding
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and eternal weight of glory. Meantime, let no persecution turn you out of
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the way of lowliness and meekness of love and beneficence. You have heard,
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indeed that it hath been said an eye for an eye, in a tooth
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for a tooth Matthew, Chapter five, verse thirty eight. And your miserable
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teachers have hence allowed you to avenge yourselves to return evil for evil. But
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I say unto you that ye resist not evil, not thus not by returning
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it in kind. But rather then do this, whosoever smiteth THEE on thy
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right cheek, turn to him the other also. And if any man will
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sue THEE at the law and take away thy coat, let him have thy
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cloak also, And whosoever shall compel THEE to go a mile, go with
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him twain so invincible. Let thy meekness be, and be thy love suitable
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thereto give to him that asketh THEE, and from him that would borrow of
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THEE, turn not thou away. Only give not a way that which is
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another man's, that which is not thine own. Therefore, one take care
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to owe no man anything, For what thou owest is not thy own,
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but another man's. Two provide for those of thine own household. This also
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God hath required of THEE, and what is necessary to sustain them in life
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and godliness is also not thine own. Then three, give or lend all
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that remains from day to day or from year to year, only first,
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seeing thou canst not give or lend to all. Remember the household of faith,
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the meekness and love we are to feel, the kindness we are to
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show to them which persecute us. For righteousness sake, Our blessed Lord describes
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further in the following verses, Oh that they were graven upon our hearts.
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Ye have heard that it hath been said, thou shalt love thy neighbor,
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and hate thy enemy. Matthew Chapter five, verse forty three. God indeed
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had said only the former part, thou shalt love thy name. The children
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of the devil had added the latter, and hate thy enemy. But I
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say unto you one, love your enemies. See that you bear a tender
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goodwill to those who are most bitter of spirit against you, who wish you
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all manner of evil. Two Bless them that curse you. Are there any
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whose bitterness of spirit breaks forth in bitter words who are continually cursing and reproaching
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you when you are present, and saying all evil against you when absent so
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much the Rather do you bless in conversing with them, Use all mildness and
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softness of language. Reprove them by repeating a better lesson before them, by
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showing them how they ought to have spoken, And in speaking of them,
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say all the good you can without violating the rules of truth and justice.
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Three Do good to them that hate you. Let your actions show that you
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are as real in love as they in hatred. Return good for evil.
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Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good. Four. If
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you can do nothing more, at least pray for them that, despitefully use
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you and persecute you, you can never be disabled from doing this, nor
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can all their malice or violence hinder you. Pour out your souls to God,
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not only for those who did this once but now repent. This is
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a little thing. If thy brother, seven times a day turn and say,
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unto THEE, I repent Looke chapter seventeen, verse four. That is,
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if after ever so many relapses, he give THEE reason to believe that
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he is really and truly changed, then thou shalt forgive him so as to
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trust him to put him in thy bosom, as if he had never sinned
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against THEE at all. But pray for wrestle with God. For those that
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do not repent that now, despitefully use THEE and persecute THEE, thus far
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forgive them, not until seven times only, but until seventy times seven.
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Matthew chapter eighteen, verse twenty two. Whether they repent or know yea,
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though they appear farther and farther from it, Yet show them this instance of
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kindness, that ye may be the children, that ye may approve yourselves the
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genuine children of your father, which is in Heaven, who shows his goodness
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by giving such blessings as they are capable of, even to his stubbornness,
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enemies who maketh his son to rise on the evil and on the good,
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and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love
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them which love you, what reward have ye? Do not even the publicans
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the same Matthew Chapter five, vers. Forty six, who pretend to know
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religion, whom ye yourselves acknowledge to be without God in the world. And
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if ye salute show kindness in word or deed to your brethren, your friends,
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sir kinsfolk, only what do ye more than others than those who have
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no religion at all? Do not even the publican soul? Matthew Chapter five,
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verse forty seven. Nay, but follow ye a better pattern than them,
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in patience, in long suffering, in mercy, in beneficence of every
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kind, to all, even to your bitterest persecutors. Be Ye Christians,
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perfect in kind, though not in degree, even as your Father, which
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is in Heaven is perfect Matthew, Chapter five, verse forty eight. Behold
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Christianity in its native form, as delivered by its great author. This is
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the genuine religion of Jesus Christ, such he presents it to him whose eyes
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are opened, see a picture of God, so far as he is imitable
42:55
by man, a picture drawn by God's own hand. Behold, ye,
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despisers, and wonder and perish, or rather wonder and adore, rather cry
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out? Is this the religion of Jesus of Nazareth, the religion which I
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persecuted? Let me no more be found even to fight against God? Lord?
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What wouldst thou have me to do? What beauty appears in the whole,
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How just a symmetry, what exact proportion in every part? How desirable
43:29
is the happiness here described? How venerable, how lovely the holiness? This
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is the spirit of religion, the quintessence of it. These are indeed the
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fundamentals of Christianity. Oh, that we may not be hearers of it only
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like a man beholding his own face in a glass, who goeth his way
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and straightway, forgetteth what manner of man he was? Nay, But let
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us steadily look into this perfect law of liberty, and can continue therein.
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Let us not rest until every line thereof is transcribed into our own hearts.
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Let us watch and pray, and believe, and love and strive for the
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mastery till every part of it shall appear in our soul, graven there by
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the finger of God, till we are holy, as he which hath called
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us is holy, perfect, as our Father, which is in Heaven,
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is perfect. End of Section twenty three.