not that he had any Fondness to the Number it felf. THEN laftly, as to the Order of the Beatitudes, Dr. Hammond in his Practical Catechifm, Pag. 114. remarks two Things. First, That the Grace first named is a general Principal Grace, and the Foundation of the reft, as he there fhews in particular. Secondly, That there is an interchangeable Mixture of thefe Graces one towards God, and another towards Man, fo interweay'd, that the first respects God, the next Man, the next God again, till you come to the last which re fpects God again. To verifie which Remark, he begins his Computation not from Humility, which is a general Fundamental Grace, but from Mourn ing, which is the firft particular one, and refpe&ting God. So that the Firft and the Laft both refpect God, who is the true Alpha and Omega, the First and the Laft, and thofe between divide be tween our Neighbour and God. To teach us, that to God belongs the Chief, the First and the Laft of our Love, and that our Neighbour is to be regarded after and in Subordination to God. To this I further add, that there is alfo a gradual and defcending Connexion between all the Beati tudes, the latter ftill depending upon the former, as well as all the reft upon the firft. For from Humility 'tis an eafie defcent to Mourning. When a Man takes a juft Survey of his own Nothingness and Unworthinefs by contemplating himfelf as a Creature and a Sinner, 'twill he fo natural for him to mourn and be forrowful, that the N 4 . the Danger is of being overwhelm'd with too much Sorrow. Then from Mourning 'tis easie to advance to Meeknefs, it being one of the chief Properties of Sorrow to foften and melt down the Spirit, which when meekly difpofed, will alfo be in a fair Difpofition to Hungring and Thirsting after Righteoufnels. The Wrath of Man worketh not the Righteoufness of God, fays the Apostle, that is, is no way a Friend to the promoting of Righteoufnefs; whence on the contrary we may gather, that Meeknefs is a Friend to Righte oufnefs; As it must needs be, fince a calm and fedate Soul is molt fit for attending to the Beauty of Holiness, and for admitting the Spirit of Holinefs, which as the Jews fay, will not rest upon a turbulent Mind. And when once the Soul is wrought up to a quick and lively relish of what is Good and Righteous, 'tis then an eafie Step to Mercifulness, it being a very Juft and Righteous thing to fhew Mercy. Which alfo leads a Man to Purity of Heart, as that without which even Mercy it felf will not find Mercy. From whence the very next step is to Peaceableness, to which nothing more conduces than a Pure Heart, free from those Lufts and Senfual Affections which are the Seeds of Strife and Contention. And when a Man has attain'd to a peaceable Temper, then he is fit for the greatest thing in the World, to be a Martyr, and will readily fuffer Perfecution rather than occafion any Disturbance either in the Church or State, and with the generous Prophet be content to be thrown overboard to appeafe pease the Tempeft. So admirably well contriv'd and full of Order was our Saviour's Discourse, as it became him who was the Wisdom of God, as well as the Light of Men, and in whom were hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge, Colof. 2. 3. ALL now that further remains, is that by a ftrict Conformity to thefe excellent Measures of Chriftian Perfection we endeavour to bring our felves within the Number of these Bleffed Perfons, whom our Saviour pronounces Happy here, and to whom he will fay in a more Emphatical Accent, Come ye Blessed, hereafter. THE EN D. |