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are fenfible that they want this teft. Moreover, the reproach that falls on us, for Chrift's fake, is the reproach of Christ himself: it falls on the mem bers for the fake of the head. And

Great is the reward of righteous perfons, fuffering wrongfully for righteousness fake; for God is their portion, glory their crown, and heaven itself their home, and their reward of inheritance.

For fo perfecuted they the prophets that were befort you. They fuffered reproach and perfecution who fhewed before of the coming of the Just One; and they share the fame who embrace him that is come. The Saviour, therefore, fets the reward against perfecution, to counterbalance it; that light afflictions, which are but for a moment, may appear as nothing, when compared to an eternal weight of glory.

Ye are the falt of the earth. Salt is emblematical

of special grace. "Have falt in yourselves, and

"have peace one with another." Mark ix. 50. And to fhew that the grace of God is needful in every branch of God's fervice and worship, God fays, With all thine offerings thou shalt offer falt. Lev. ii. 13. Grace is needful in chriftian converfation, or no grace can be communicated by it. "Let your speech be feasoned with falt." Col. iv. 6. Salt is a penetrable article: and so is grace; it will penetrate into a hard heart, a stubborn will, and foon ftop a raging putrefaction, and heal a loath.

oathfome difeafe. Ye are the falt of the earth. "All flesh hath corrupted it's way; but I have fea"foned you." The Spirit, and grace of God, are in you, and you are to feafon others.

But if the falt bath loft it's favour, wherewith fhall it be falted? But if your ministry, company, and conversation, hath loft all it's favour with gracelefs profeffors, or earthly-minded men, fo that they relish not the things that be of God, how fhall the earth be falted? What elfe can preserve them from becoming a ftink, in the noftrils of God? Nothing. And fo it appeared when the Romish army laid them in heaps, as dung upon the earth; the falt was all gathered out, and the ftink of their camps and their carcafes foon went up.

It is thenceforth good for nothing. It is good for nothing in the judgment of hardened and impenitent finners; it profits them nothing; but is a favour of death unto death: they mock at it, and their bands are made ftrong; it leaves them without a cloak for their fin; in their esteem it is good for ! nothing but to be caft out; they caft the apoftles out of the fynagogue, and broke the pleafing bonds of the Everlasting Covenant afunder, and caft their cords from them, and fo judged themselves unworthy of eternal life. And at laft the falt

Was trodden under foot of men. They trampled on the blood of the Everlasting Covenant, on the ministry of Divine Grace, and on the Church of the

living God; and therefore the Saviour trampled them in his fury, and left them without help, to tread, by themfelves, the wine-prefs of the wrath of Almighty God.

Ye are the light of the world. Ye are Mount Zion, the perfection of beauty, out of which God will fhine. "In you hath he fet a tabernacle for "his Sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of "his chamber, and rejoiceth as a ftrong man to run "a race." The Spirit of Illumination is in you; and it will ever fhine through you, and make you burning and fhining lights; "yea, a flaming fire:" and from you the light fhall fhine from east to west, and nothing fhall le hid from the beat thereof.

A city that is fet on an hill cannot be bid. It's fmoke, lights, lamps, towers, and walls, are feen at a great distance. "And upon Mount Zion, and "on all her affemblies, fhall be a fmoke by day, and the burning of a flaming fire by night. I "am your wall of falvation, your high tower, and "your fortress and I will make you as a tower "and a fortrefs; yea, as an iron pillar, and a brazen "wall." And the Lamp of Salvation, in the hand of your faith, fhall enlighten thousands into the ways of Zion, who fhall fee her glory, privileges, and beautiful fituation; and both “ ftrangers and "foreigners fhall become fellow-citizens of it."

Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bufhel, but on a candlestick. I have not enlightened

you

you into the knowledge of your own hearts, and into the mysteries of my kingdom, that you fhould be hid in obfcurity; or conceal that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding, that I have given you.' No: I fhall fhortly raife up many churches; and, as fo many candlesticks, I fhall place you as fɔ many candles on them, that you may give light unto all that are of my houshold,

Let your light fo fhine before men. All that I have said to you, in fecret, proclaim upon the housetop. I have made manifeft the counsels of your heart; and by your miniftry the thoughts of many hearts shall be revealed: they shall see, as in a glass, their loft eftate, their fins in their true colours, their need of a despised Saviour; and they fhall fee him as the only way to the Father. It is the Spirit that speaketh in you; and I, who am your everlasting light, your God, and your glory, will fhine in you, and fhine out by you. "Let your light so shine

"before men❞—

That they may fee your good works. The office of a Bishop, or a Paftor, is a good work. Magnify your office, and make full proof of your miniftry. Evangelizing fouls by my unctuous Spirit, is a good work on them; and communicating grace to their hearts, is a good work in them. Freely ye have received-freely give. Heal the fick, and caft out devils; which are good deeds done to impotent folks. Converted fouls fhall be the fruit of your ministry. "I have

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"I have chofen you, and ordained you, that you "fhould go and bring forth fruit; and your fruit "fhall remain." It fhall remain to the world's end: "For when the Son of Man cometh, he fhall "find faith on the earth." The Pharifees say, and do not; but you must do, and not fay. "Let them "SEE your good works." Sound not your own trumpet, as the hypocrites do: a good workman will have trumpeters enough.

And glorify your Father which is in heaven. By proclaiming his eternal and matchlefs love in the gift of his Son; by making known his fecret purpofes, grace, and good-will to men; by celebrating his high praises, and by provoking others to love him, and to do the fame; by afcribing all falvation to him; by faith in him, love to him, and by thanking him, bleffing him, worshipping him, praising him, and adoring him; and by a life, walk, and conversation, that is honourable to him, and well becoming you as the children of fuch a benign Parent.

Hitherto the Saviour has been speaking to his difciples and faithful followers; which appears evident by the many bleffings that he pronounced on them, whofe bleffings never fly at random. Nor can it be fuppofed that he would call Scribes, Pharifees, and hypocrites, the light of the world, and the falt of the earth; for fuch are rather the fcum and the dregs of it. All that has been faid is ap

plicable

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