" evil to come-they fhall enter into peace." Ifai. lvii. I, 2. Thefe difciples were chofen in Christ, and given to him; God had blessed them in him, and fent him to blefs them, and he was now about it. As they had obtained mercy, to make them merciful, he bleffed the merciful, and promifed that they fhould obtain more mercy-which they would want to help them in every time of "need:" As Paul fays, "Having obtained mercy, "I continue to this day." A merciful man is merciful to the fouls of men-which he fhews in praying for them, warning them, holding forth the word of life clearly and unadulterated to them, and declaring faithfully the whole counsel of God; "which is fowing to ourselves in righteousness,

and reaping in mercy." Such a fubject of divine mercy feels for troubled fouls, fympathizes with them, fuccours them, and bears a part of their burdens, gives them wholesome advice and counsel, and anoints them with fresh oil in the name of the Lord-whereas a graceless finner, an empty profes for, or a legal preacher, is nothing but a barren wilderness, or a physician of no value.

God's fovereign mercy is the fure mercies of David, which God gave to Jefus the fon of David, that he might communicate the fame to the whole houshold of David, which is his own churchand when this mercy is bestowed on men, it makes them merciful men. This mercy appears in God's

reveal

revealing his Son in us, and uniting us to him: "But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love where"with he loved us, even when we were dead in fin, hath quickened us together with Chrift." It appears in the gift of the Spirit: "Of his own mercy he faved us, by the wafhing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghoft." Such fouls having obtained mercy, they faint not, either in preaching mercy, or in fhewing mercy, either to the bodies or fouls of men, though they meet with much oppofition in it, and cruel treatment for it. "Bleffed are the merciful, for they shall obtain

mercy;" not only to help them in every time of need, while in a militant ftate, but fuch shall find mercy of the Lord in that great day. 2 Tim. i. 18.

Blessed are the pure in heart. This purity of heart is, not the external varnish of a Pharifee, nor the bcafted perfection of an hypocrite, nor the empty dream of the carnally fecure; for though they are pure, yet it is only in their own eyes, not being washed from their filthiness, Prov. xxx. 12. Nor is it the double portion of fanctity that those claim, "Who fay, Stand by thy felf, come not near to

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me, for I am holier than thou." These pious fouls are a smoke in God's nofe, and a fire that burneth all the day, Ifa. lxv. 5. Nor does it confift in the final deftruction or entire removal of the inbeing of fin-" For who can fay, I have made my heart "clean,

B 3

"clean, I am pure from my fin?" Prov. xx. 9. Nor is it to be found in those who by a little decent carriage, and conformity to the letter of the Law, aim at purity. "For they that fantify themselves, "and they that purify themselves, fhall both be "confumed together," Ifai. lxvi. 17. This purity of heart ftands in having the heart fprinkled from an evil confcience, and that by the blood of Sprinkling, which speaks pardon, peace, and reconciliation, which are better things than that of Abel, Such an one, and only fuch, " can ferve God with a pure "confcience," 2 Tim. i. 3. It is the faith of God's Elect that first applies the atonement, and ever after has recourfe to that fountain in every time of need, not only to wash the feet, but also the hands and the head, from all the imperfections, failings, infirmities, fhort-comings, &c. &c. that cleave to our best performances, " for in

many things we offend all." Thus God purifies our bearts by faith, Acts, xv. 9. Men who are destitute of this faith, and who never received this atonement, are as deftitute of internal purity as the prince of devils. "Unto the pure all things are 66 pure, but unto them that are defiled and unbe

lieving is nothing pure, but even their mind and "confcience is defiled," Titus, i. 15. The man whofe fins are forgiven him, and whose conscience is purged from guilt and dead works, who is re newed by the Spirit, who is a believer in Jefus,

and

and holds faft the truth of the Gofpel as it is in Chrift, is the man that holds the mystery of Faith in a pure confcience, 1 Tim. iii. 9. These are the "people to whom the Lord turns a pure language," (Zech. iii. 9.) and fuch "bring to the Lord a pure offering," Mal. i. 11.

Purity of heart ftands in foundness, integrity, conftancy, and fincerity; being purged by the Spirit, and in the furnace, from the drofs and tin of felf-righteousness, felf-fufficiency, deceit, guile, craftiness, hypocrify, and diffimulation. "I will "purify them as filver is purified, and try them as "gold is tried; I will take away all their drofs and «tin, and make a Man more precious than the

golden wedge of Ophir." Such a foul hates deceit, and loves fincerity; and " he that loveth pure"ness of heart, and hath grace in his lips, the "King shall be his friend," Prov. xxii. 11. And fo it seems; for thus faith the King,-Blessed are the pure in beart

"He that caused the

For they fhall fee God. "light to fhine out of darkness, hath fhined into our "hearts, to give us the light of the knowledge of "the glory of God in the face of Jefus Chrift." This is no less than feeing him who is invifible; it is feeing him in his own rays, by faith, who is invifible to mortal fight. But the text means that fuch fouls. shall not be separated or banished from God and his prefence; but they fhall fee him with acceptance,

B 4

ance, and with approbation, as their dear and everlafting Father. "In that day, I shall shew you "plainly of the Father; you fhall fee his face with

out a cloud, and hear his voice without a pro"verb." The text means an eternal abiding with him," in whofe favour is life, in whofe prefence "is fulness of joy, and at whofe right-hand are plea"fures for evermore." It means further, a perfect deliverance from the remains of the old vail, the napkin, and the weeds that are at prefent wrapped about our heart and head, which too often blindfold and hoodwink us; and, when we creep out of the dark regions, we go blinking and nodding like an owl in the fun, being not able to bear the light: "For we know but in part, and prophefy in part; we look through a glass darkly;" but in that day the glass will give way to the face; we shall not wrap our face in a mantle, nor will God dwell in thick darkness: the vail will be rent from the top to the bottom; and "then fhall the "righteous fhine forth as the fun in the glory of "their Father's kingdom, for ever and ever; we "fhall then fee as we are feen,

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and know as we are

"known." The winding-fheet and the napkin fhall both be left in the tomb; and mortality, with all her rags and tatters, be and Immortality be all in all. in heart, for they fhall fee God.

Bleffed are the peace-makers.

fwallowed up of life, Blessed are the pure

Peace-makers must

have