Vol. I. not a Plant of our Heavenly Father's planting; and a Chriftian may easily perceive, that it is lodged in his inward Parts, by the lowly and humble Thoughts he cherishes within. It was from what he felt within, that the Martyr faid, Lord, I am Hell, Thou art Heaven; and another, I am the most hypocritical Wretch, not worthy that the Earth fhould bear me; and a third, I am the unfittest Man for fo high an Honour, as fuffering for Christ, that ever was appointed to it, and a fourth writing to his Friend, that was going to be burnt at the Stake for the Gofpel of Chrift; O that my Life, and a thousand fuch Wretched Lives, might go for yours! Why doth be fuffer me, and fuch other Caterpillars to live, who can do nothing but confume the Alms of the Church, and take you away a mighty Workman, and Labourer in his Vineyard. The inward Humility fanctified thefe Expreffions; and whatever Indifcretion might be in fuch Speeches, the humble Senfe of their own Vilenefs within made them rational and elegant.

2. Poverty in Spirit; because this Humility is an Effect of God's Spirit, the Holy Ghost breaths upon the Soul, and plants it there. The Spirit of God difpofes and inclines the Soul to thefe humble Sentiments, fcatters the ftrong Holds of Iniquity, and the vain Imaginations, that exalt themselves against the Obedience of Chrift Jefus; throws down the high Conceits the Man did formerly harbour in his Mind, and fuggefts to the Soul Arguments to baffle and refift the Reafons of Flesh and Blood, and of the World, for where a Perfon endeavours to bring his Heart to an

humble

humble Temper, the Devil is present with his Baits; What? will you be a Fool? will you be laught at by your Neighbours? What? put up fuch Affronts, which no Flesh is able to endure? What? fhew your felf tame under fuch an Afperfion? What will Men say of you? But the Spirit of God teaches the Soul, how to anfwer all fuch Objections with the Example and Command of Chrift, and the Hope of the Grace and Glory of God. And therefore this Humility is justly called, Poverty in Spirit.

II. How the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs, and upon what Account it belongs to them?

By the Kingdom of Heaven, in Scripture, particularly in the New Teftament, is meant, fometime the Kingdom of Grace, fometime the Kingdom of Glory. The Kingdom of Grace is that fweet and gentle Government which Chrift Jefus the Son of God, the Head of his Church, and the King of Saints, doth by his Spirit exercise over his Difciples, Followers, and fuch as have given themselves up to his Conduct; by which Spirit he teaches, enlightens, guides, afflifts, ftrengthens, and comforts and preferves them, makes them willing and obedient, and communicates Strength and Life, and Power to them more or less, according to the Improvement of the Stock committed to their Truft. This is the Kingdom of Grace, and in this Senfe the Expreffion is used, Matth. III. 2. Matth. XIII. 44. and in other Places. The Kingdom of Glory is the e future Reward and Recompence, God in

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tends and defigns for those, who have refolutely taken Chrift's Yoak upon them, even that Glory, Honour, and Immortality St. Paul fpeaks of, Rom. II. 7. confifting in feeing God face to face, and triumphing over Hell and Devils, and enjoying him in whofe Prefence there is Fulnefs of Joy for ever. This is the Kingdom of Glory,and in this Senfe we find the Phrafes ufed, Matth. VII, 12, Matth. XIII, 43, Matth, XIX. 23.

In both Senfes, the Kingdom of Heaven belongs to the Poor in Spirit, or to the Humble.

I. The Kingdom of Grace, and this you cannot doubt of, if you reflect upon the fignal Favours, God on this fide Heaven confers on the Soul that's truly humble. To the humble he gives Grace, faith St. Peter, 1 Pet. V. 5. Nay, more Grace, as St. James notes, Ch. IV. 6. according as this Humility takes deeper root, or. runs out into larger Branches.The humble Man is difpos'd to receive the warmer and stronger Influences of God's Goodnefs and Mercy. The Soul that purifies and cleanfes her felf from all high and lofty Thoughts, or rejoices in her Meannefs and low Eftate; and being nothing, renders her felf apt and fit for the Almighty Abode in her, and invites him to take Poffeffion of her; and from God's dwelling there, a Man may date a thoufand Blef. fings. To fuch a Perfon the Father of Lights. communicates wonderful 'Treafures; to fuch there arifes a Light in Darkness, and into fuch low and humble Valleys, the richest Showers,

and

and the clearest Rivers flow: O that you were all fenfible of this Truth! O that you did but feel this Chriftian Humility working in your Souls? You would find what Wifdom God would infufe into your Souls, even that Wif dom which is from above; first pure, then peate able, gentle, and eafie to be entreated, without partiality, without hypocrify, full of good Works, James III. 17. I thank thee, O Father, that thou haft reveal'd thefe things into Babes, faith our Saviour, Matth. XI. 25. Thefe Babes are the humble, the poor in Spirit: To these God reveals the Heighth, and Breadth, and Depth, and Length of the Love of God; fuch may promise themselves the larger Portions of God's Spirit, fuch Perfons are most likely to grow in Grace, to advance in Goodness, to arife to Perfection, and to be fatisfied with the Corn of Heaven, with Angel's Food. Such a Soul is fitted for Univerfal Obedience; the feverest Laws of the Gofpel go down with her, and the Embraces the Yoak with Joy., Who can exprefs the Comforts, the Peace, the Satisfaction that the humble feel! It must needs be fo, for it's the lowly in Heart that are promifed Relt for their Souls, Matth. XI. 29. Such get Strength against their Corruptions, Temptations, Lufts, and finful Inclinations; fuch make a mighty Progrefs in Goodnefs, and get Courage in the greatest fiery Trials.

For this, I might appeal to the Examples of the Saints of Old, but I need not go fo high; I will appeal to the Experience of fome pious Chriftians anong us, who feel what Da

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Vol. I. vid faid of himfclf; O God mine Heart is not haughty, nor mine Eyes lofty; furely, I have behaved and quieted my felf as a Child that's wean'd of bis Mother, Pf. CXXXI. 1, 2. Let fuch among you tell me, when they have been in a very humble Frame,when they have had a lively Senfe of God's Greatnefs, and Goodnefs, and Holiness, and a very deep Senfe of their Vilenefs, have not you feen more of God than ever? Have not your Souls been fatisfied as with Marrow and Fatnefs? Have not you been ready to go through Fire and Water for God? Have not you baffled and fcorn'd the strongest Affaults of the Devil, and torn the Snares and Gins that were laid for you, with as great Eafe as Sampfon did his Bonds? Have not your Hearts been ready to leap within you, and your Joys, like mighty Rivers been ready to overflow your Souls? This is the Kingdom of Grace, and this belongs to the humble. But,

II. The Kingdom of Glory is theirs too; theirs by Purchase, theirs by Poffeffion, taken already in their Names, theirs by Promise, theirs by way of earneft.

Pur

1. Theirs by Purchase, and therefore call'd the purchafed Poffeffion, Ephef. I. 19. chas'd, by whom? Even by Christ Jefus, the great Shepherd of the Sheep, who laid down his Life for them, and thereby obtain'd an everlasting Inheritance for them. None could purchase it but he; for whoever undertook the Work, must be not only a Man innocent, spotlefs, and without Sin, and die, but of that Divine Excellency too, as to be able to give

his