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Every one that is acquainted with the Gospels muft obferve that our blessed Lord frequently maketh Use of short and pithy Sentences, or comprehenfive Maxims; which he did, both becaufe this was a Way of teaching in Ufe among the Eastern Nations, and because it anfwered his Defign of conveying much Wisdom and Inftruction in a few Words, which may easily be remembered, and are apt to ftrike ftrongly upon the Mind. I fhall take Notice of fome Inftances of this Kind out of many that might be produced.

What can give us greater Notions of Religion, and of the Worship we owe to the fupreme Being, than that admirable Maxim of our Saviour, God is a Spirit ; and they that worShip him must worship him in Spirit and in Truth. John iv. 24. He could not more fignificantly express the true Nature of his Kingdom as difcovering itself, not so much by outward worldly Pomp and Show, as by it's Empire over the Heart, and it's Influence and Efficacy on the Consciences of Men, than by that brief and compre henfive Saying, The Kingdom of God is within you. Luke xvii. 21. What excellent Sentiments are comprized in those Words, They that be whole need not a Phyfician, but they that are fick. But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have

Mercy

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Mercy, and not Sacrifice: For I am not come to call the Righteous, but Sinners to Repentance! Matt. ix. 12, 13. Can any Thing be better fitted to preserve us from the Prevalency of a worldly Temper, and an inordinate Love of earthly Riches, than thofe weighty Maxims, Take Heed and beware of Covetousness; for Man's Life, i. e. the Happiness of Life, confifleth not in the Abundance of the Things which he possesseth. Luke xii. 15. And again, No Man can ferve two Mafters; for either be will hate the one, and love the other; or elfe be will bold to the one, and defpife the other. re cannot ferve God and Mammon. Matt. vi.

24.

How full of excellent Sense and useful Inftruction is that beautiful Paffage, Seek ye first the Kingdom of God, and his Righteoufnefs; and all thefe Things, i. e. the good Things of this Life, as far as they are really needful, fhall be added unto you! And what follows is alfo admirably comprehenfive, Take no Thought for the Morrow (viz. in a Way of anxious tormenting Sollicitude, for about this is he fpeaking) for the Morrow fhall take Thought for the Things of itself; fufficient unto the Day is the Evil thereof. Matt. vi. 33, 34. What

can be more effectual to engage us to a diligent and faithful Improvement of our Talents, than that Maxim, Unto every one

that

that bath (i. e. fheweth that he hath it by improving it) shall be given, and he shall bave Abundance; but from him that bath not (i. e. ufeth not what he hath, and therefore is as if he had it not) fhall be. taken away even that which he bath. Matt. XXV. 29. Thofe Words are full of profound Wisdom, and lead us into a noble Train of Thought: If any Man will do bis Will, i. e. the Will of God, he shall know of the Doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. John vii. 17. Where it is fignified, that the virtuous and obedient Mind is in the properest Difpofition for finding out facred religious Truth; and that to do the Will of God, as far as we know it, is the most effectual Way we can take for obtaining farther Light from God, and the best Security against dangerous and deftructive Errors. How wifely fitted to direct us in the right Practice of Religion, free from all Extremes, is that Rule which he lays down, Matt. xxiii. 23. Thefe, i. e. what he calls the weightier Matters of the Law, Judgment, Mercy, and Faith, ought ye to have done, viz. in the first and principal Place; and not leave the others, viz. the ceremonious Precepts and Injunctions, undone !

Many other admirable Sentences might be produced which occur in our Saviour's Difcourfes;

Discourses; fuch as thefe, Except a Man be born again, he cannot fee the Kingdom of God. John iii. 3. What is a Man profited, if he fhall gain the whole World, and lofe his own Soul; or what shall be give in Exchange for his Soul? Matt. xvi. 26. Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after Righteousness; for they fhall be filled. Matt. v. 6. Bleed are the Pure in Heart; for they fhall fee God. Matt. v. 8. If ye know thefe Things, happy are ye if ye do them. John xiii. 17. He that hath my Commandments, and keepeth them, be it is that loveth me. John xiv. 21. Not every one that faith unto me, Lord, Lord, fhall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he that doeth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven. Matt. vii. 21. Whofoever exalteth himself fhall be abafed, and be that bumbleth himself fhall be exalted, Luke xiv. II. It is more bleffed to give than to receive. Acts xx. 35. Herein is my Father glorified that ye bear much Fruit; fo fhall ye be my Difciples. John xv. 8. Render unto Cæfar the Things which are Cæfar's, and unto God the Things that are God's. Matt. xxii. 21. Thefe and other Maxims of our Saviour, which any Man that reads the Gospel with Attention will eafily obferve, are full of profound Wifdom and useful Inftruction, and tend to convey the jufteft and nobleft Sentiments of

Religion.

Religion. The more they are confidered, the more will the Beauty and Excellency of them appear; and they are all delivered with an admirable and comprehenfive Brevity.

It must be acknowledged indeed, and it hath been frequently objected, that some of our Saviour's Maxims or Sentences feem to have an Obscurity in them, and are expreffed in a Way that appeareth to be difficult and hyperbolical. But befides that it hath been fhewn by thofe that are converfant in the Jewish Writings, that many Forms of Expreffion, that may feem harsh and unusual to us, were not fo to the Jews, to whom they were at first delivered; our bleffed Lord feems in his great Wisdom to have chofen to exprefs himself on some Occafions in a strong hyperbolical Manner, that he might impress his Inftructions with greater Force, and might more effectually engage the Attention of his Hearers. Thus e. g. when he declareth to his Difciples, I fay unto you it is easier for a Camel, or a Cable-rope, as fome render it, to go through the Eye of a Needle, than for a rich Man, i. e. as he explaineth it, one that trusteth in Riches, to enter into the Kingdom of God. Mark x. 24, 25. He feems purposely to have chofen this Manner of Expreffion, as being apt to ftrike the Mind more strongly,

and

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