4thly, As to thefe filthy Dreamers, pray be careful, 1713what you dream in your Pulpits to the People; for, fome of you will not allow of the immediate Operation of the Holy Ghoft; wherefore beware of filthy Dreams, and old Wives Fables.

5thly, We defpife not those who are dignified in Truth,and rule well in the Church (not with Rigour and Perfecution) and we account them worthy of double Honour; but Perfecuters are not fo much as worthy of fingle Honour, and we fhould be but Hypocrites to give it them.

6thly, And what celeftial Rain, or holy divine Water, is there in those cloudy dark Preachers, who preach Damnation to the greatest Part of the World? Let them look to it, and repent in Time.

7thly, Raging Waves, foaming out their Shame.

Anf. If Perfecution is not the Fruits of Rage and Shame, I do not know what is. Pray courteous Reader judge.

8thly, Wandering Stars, to whom is referved the Blackness of Darkness for ever.

Now because many caft this Text in our Teeth, I fhall write a little to it, thus; This must be intended, to those who wander from the Holy Spirit, Gift, and Grace of God, in themfelves, by and from which every true Minister of Chrift ought to exercife his Gift, and not to speak when, where, and what he pleases : Oh happy World! if all profeffing to be Chriftian Minifters did not wander from this Gift into the Inventions and Traditions of Men. And further, this cannot be taken in an outward Senfe, because Chrift himself and his Apostles travelled much, and faid, Take us for Examples, follow us, as we have followed Chrift. And all that know any thing of Letters, know that the Word Apoftle fignifies a Meflenger, which neceffarily implies a Traveller; and divers of thefe bleffed Ones had no certain Dwelling-place. Our dear Lord him felf had not whereon to lay his Head, as himfelf fays;

F 2

and

1713. and those who confcientiously travel to turn People from Darkness to Light, and from the Power of Satan to the Power of God, and are inftrumental to turn many to Righteoufnefs, notwithstanding all Men can do to blacken them, yet the holy Text fays, Dan. viii. 2, 3. They fhall fhine as the Brightness of the Firmament, and as the Stars, for ever and ever. Amen.

T. C.

Som

18.

Some OBSERVATIONS on

CHRIS

T's

SERMON on the Mount.

If ye love me, keep my Commandments, JOHN xiv. 15.
Ye are my Friends if ye do whatfoever I command you,
JOHN XV. 14.

The PREFACE to the READER.

Mat: V.

HRIST being the great Author of the Chriftian Religion, I bave thought to make fome Obfervations on his Sermon which he preached on the Mount, which might be acceptable to fome of his Followers; efpecially fuch vi. vii. who defire to fulfill his boly Will, and not to rest fatisfied in a Form and Shew only of his Religion.

And alfo confidering that it is the greatest Collection of bis Words left us in the New Testament by the Evangelifts in any one Place, I was in Hopes that fome Obfervations thereon might tend to promote the Reading of it in the Holy Scriptures.

But the greatest End I had in this Undertaking was, That the Profeffors of the Name of Holy JESUS might live and walk in bis Truth, and in the Doctrine which be bas there laid down for his Followers to practice; and that

Isa. 5.

PREFACE.

doing, they might have Peace to their So uls kere Reft in the Kingdom of Glory for ever.

It is by fome accounted and look'd upon in Youth to be a commendable and worthy Practice to write down Sermons, and to copy and read them over: And, I believe, it will be generally acknowledged, that there was never any Sermon preached in the World, that can be compared with this of "Chrift, which he preached in the Mount, and is recorded by the Evangelift Matthew, in his 5th, 6th, and 7th Chapters; which if our young and rifing Generation would often read, and fomtimes write it down (if Time would admit) but be fure to take Care to practise it; this would be truly noble in them; and which if they find they want inward Strength to perform, then that they would feek it in Secret at the Hand of the Almighty JEHOVAH, in whom is everlasting Strength; and it is recorded in Holy Scripture, That he gives liberally, and ubraideth not. He will not upbraid thee because thou art but a Child, or tender in Years: Oh, therefore, feek him betimes! for it is written, They who feek him early, they fhall find him.

The Chriftian Religion being run into many Divifions and Sub-divifions, this Holy Sermon, if Chriftians would walk according to it, might and would help to heal their Differences, and to foften them in their Sentiments one of another. And it is to be believed and hoped, that all Parties will confefs, that the Doctrine in this Sermon is good, and ought to be promoted amongst all who profess the worthy Name of the Lord Jefus ; and whoever walks contrary to this Rule must needs be in the Wrong.

The general End of Preachers is, or should be, to have their Doctrine taken Notice of, and put in Practice; and this being Counsel from the Wonderful, Counfellor, the Might God (and Saviour) the Everlafting Father, and Prince of Peace, we should take more than ordinary Notice of it.

Confidering alfo, that he not only spake his Doctrine, but lived in it; and not only lived in, but died in it, and

for it, and us alfo. Wherefore we are deeply engaged to 18. bear him with an obedient Heart and Ear. This (Says Ma the Voice from the most Excellent Glory) is my beloved 17 Son, hear ye him. And Mofes the Man of God, fays, That he that will not hear him, fhall be destroyed from 19. amongst the People: viz. from an Inheritance with the Acts 3. Saints, in the Kingdom of God and his Christ.

I bave carfully tranfcribed the Sermon verbatim, and made fome Obfervations on it afterward, Ithink on every Verfe a little, as I found Openness to it on my Mind; and 'tis recommended to the ferious Perufal and Confideration of all thofe who tenderly and unfeignedly love our Lord Jefus Chrift in Sincerity.

Deut:

23.