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SERMON II.

MAT V. I.

And feeing the Multitudes, he went up into a Mountain; and when he was fet, his Difciples came unto him.

Ver. 2. And he opened his Mouth, and taught them, faying.

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The Second Sermon on this Text.

Na former Difcourfe on thefe Words, there were two Things I proposed to inquire into from them, both very proper to be confi

dered in a Preface to this excellent Sermon on the Mount. The firft was concerning the Scope, Defign, and Occafion of the Sermon ; which I obferved was, to undeceive the People and our Saviour's Difciples, as to the carnal Notions they had of the Kingdom of the Meffiah, and the wrong Difpofitions of Mind they were infected with, occafioned by these carnal Notions. And this I have already confidered from these first Words of the Preface, And feeing (that is, looking upon, or confidering) the Multitudes.

I proceed now to the fecond Inquiry, namely, who are the proper Auditors to whom this Sermon is addreffed; both from the first Words, And Jeeing the Multitudes, and more especially from thefe laft Words of the Preface, His Difciples

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came unto him, and he opened his Mouth and taught them. This is a Question of fome Difficulty, and of no fmall Importance; for upon the right Determination of it will depend the Sense and Meaning of the feveral Parts of the enfuing Sermon: And therefore I hope the Reader will pardon my unusual Length in fettling of this Point, as being the Foundation of all the following Discourses.

There are two Sorts of Auditors here mentioned, the Multitudes, and the Difciples. I fhall enquire particularly into both.

First, That our Saviour defigned in this Sermon to teach the Multitudes, and that his going up into the Mountain was in order to it, that he might be the better feen and heard by them, and more at Leifure to teach them in a retired Place, and not as fome have fancied, that he might withdraw his Difciples from the Crowd, and give them their Leffon and Inftructions apart; I am convinced from feveral Things I obferve from the Text it felf. For, 1. The exprefs Defign and Occafion of the Sermon was to undeceive both the Multitudes and our Saviour's Difciples, as to the carnal Expectations they had from the Messiah's Kingdom, and to work in them quite contrary Difpofitions of Mind to those which they brought along with them, when they began firft to follow him, as I have fhewed in the foregoing Difcourfe. 2. There is nothing in this Sermon that he needed to make a Secret of, but, on the contrary, it is all of it very proper to inform the People, if they intended to follow him, with what Difpofitions of Mind they were to enter into his School; how instead of a Life of Licentioufnefs, Rapine, and unjuft Conqueft, directly contrary to the Precepts

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[SERM. cepts of the Moral Law, he expected they should live better Lives than any of the ftricteft Sects among the Jews, and carry their Obedience of the Moral Law to a greater Pitch, if they intended to have any Share in the Kingdom of the Meffiab: The Confideration, I fay, how proper and pertinent this Doctrine was, even for the Multitudes, if there were nothing else, would induce me to believe our Saviour had an Eye to them in it all. And I am fo much the more of this Opinion, because I observe it was his usual Custom, when he faw any about to follow him poffeffed with worldly Hopes and Expectations, and averfe from Sufferings, prefently to undeceive them, and to tell them how few worldly Encouragements, and how much of the Crofs, and what Occafions for Self-denial they were to have in his Service. Thus when a certain Scribe offered himfelf to be one of his Retinue, (a) and told him he would follow him whitherfoever he went; our Saviour knowing what be aimed at, told him what a poor Life he must expect in his Service. The Foxes have Holes, fays he, and the Birds of the Air have Nefts, but the Son of Man hath not where to lay his Head. And when his Difciples fhewed a mighty Averfion to his Sufferings, upon his firft acquainting them therewith, and particularly Peter took upon him to rebuke him on that Account, Mark viii. 34. he not only feverely reprimanded Peter, but thought fit to undeceive all Mankind, who expected a Life of Eafe in his Service; for it is faid upon that Occafion, that calling the People unto him, with his Difciples alfo, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, (a) Mat. viii. 19.

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and take up his Crofs and follow me. But we have ftill clearer Proof of this Matter: For, 3. We have a Hint in the Clofe of the Sermon here, which clearly discovers not only that the People were Hearers of it all the while, but that our Saviour defigned to teach them the Things which are here delivered. For it is faid, Chap. vii. 28. that when Jefus had ended thefe Sayings, the People were aftonished at his Doctrine; for he taught them, as one having Authority, and not as the Scribes. And Chap. viii. 1. (b) that as he came down from the Mountain great Multitudes followed him; not as we render it, when he was come down: And therefore they must have been with him on the Mount where the Sermon was preached._ 4. Tho' there wants no further Proof of this Truth, it will caft great Light upon the Matter to obferve what St. Luke fays in his Account of a Sermon like this; whether it be the very fame, or another to the fame Purpose preached at fome other Time, Interpreters are divided in their Opinions : But either Way it will afford us a good Argument that the People are proper Auditors of this Sermon. For if it be the fame, by what St. Luke fays, which I fhall quote prefently, the Question will be foon decided, that the People made a Part of the Auditory: And if it be not the fame, yet by a Parity of Reafon it will follow, if the People were defigned by our Saviour to be the Hearers of that Sermon in the fixth Chapter of St. Luke, which contains the very fame Doctrine with this; there is no Inconvenience in making them the Au

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(1) Καταβάντι 5 αυτῷ ἀπὸ τὸ ὄρος ηκολέθησαν αυτῷ ὄχλοι TOλ. Defcendentem autem eum è monte, fecuta eft turba multa. Beza in Loc. & Ar. Mont.

Auditors of this Sermon too, feeing the Words will fo fairly bear it. Now St. Luke takes exprefs Care, both in the Beginning, and in the End of the Sermon, which he gives us an Account of, to let us know, that not only our Saviour's Difciples, but the People, were Auditors of it all the while. For before he enters upon that Sermon, he acquaints us very particularly who were the Hearers; (c) Telling us, that Jefus came down with the Twelve, and food in the Plain, and the Company of bis Difciples, and a great Multitude of People out of all Judea and Jerufalem, and from the Sea-Coaft of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their Difeafes. Then after an Account of his healing them, follows the Sermon, beginning thus, Luke vi. 20. And be lifted up his Eyes on his Difciples, and faid, Bleffed be ye Poor, for yours is the Kingdom of God, &c. Then after he has given an Account of the Sermon in the fixth Chapter, it follows immediately, in the Beginning of the (d) feventh Chapter, that be ended all his Sayings in the Audience of the People. Seeing then both St. Matthew and St. Luke, who have given us the Account of this Sermon (or thefe Sermons) in which the Beatitudes are treated, thought it neceffary, both in the Beginning, and in the Clofe of their Accounts, to mention the People as a Part of the Auditory; I must conclude, that either they were defigned to be taught directly, or that the Leffons which were given to the Difciples in their Audience, were likewife defigned for their Ufe. And I am the more confirmed in this, from the Application which our Saviour makes in the End of both thefe Ac(d) Luke vii. I

(c) Luke vi. 17.

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