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the Confideration of fuch a noble Reward, and the full Perfuafion we have of the Goodnefs of the Commandments themselves, fhould animate and inspire us with a great Degree of Courage and Refolution in the Ways of Holiness and Virtue. So much for the Description of the First Qualification required here by our Saviour, in Order to a Man's being adjudged Great in the Kingdom of Heaven, namely, that he be a Perfon of good Life, a Doer of the Commandments.

2. Before I proceed to the Second, which is the Teaching Men fo, I fhall, as I propofed, confider the Order in which our Saviour places these Qualifications, affigning the first Place to good Life, and the next to good Teaching. This Order I take to be very natural, and neceffary on diverse Accounts; for, 1. how fhould a Man teach others to keep God's Commandments, when he does not keep them himself? You'll fay he may have the Theory, tho' he has not attained to the Practice. It may be fo perhaps in other Sciences; but in this the Theory and the Practice go most commonly together, and it is a great Queftion whether the one can be rightly had without the other. It is not eafy to apprehend how a wicked Man fhould come by the Knowledge of theMind and Will of God, except we will distinguish between a fuperficial fpeculative Knowledge, and a right Senfe of Divine Truths. The first a Man may attain by Human Learning; but the fecond is not imparted, but to them who receive the Truth in the Love of it. And as a wicked Man cannot have a right Senfe, and Apprehenfion, and Taste of divine Things, his Palate being vitiated, it is not easy to be imagined how he can communicate the fame to others; for the Streams

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can rife no higher than the Fountain; he that has but a cold Senfe of divine Things himself, will not be able to make a lively Impreffion upon others. But, 2. Suppofe the Theory and Practice in Divine Things feparate; with what' Face or Confidence can an ill Man urge Duty upon others, when he is not only confcious to himself of the Neglect of it, but those others per haps whom he would teach are privy to the fame? It is a Thing not only difgraceful to the Teacher, but very obftructive to the Scholar, when the Teacher is guilty of the fame Faults, which he would amend in his Difciples. Is there any Thing will fooner harden Men in their Sins, than this Obfervation? for the moft natural Conclufion from it, is, either that the Teacher believes none of thefe Things himself; or if he does, that he knows of fome eafier Way to Heaven than what he fhews others. It is neceffary therefore on many Accounts that our Saviour's Method be obferved, that is, that Keeping the Commandments go first, before the Teaching them. Which being now confidered, together with the Order in which it ftands here in the Text, let us go on in the next Place to the Second Part of the Quali fication here described.

II. Namely, the Teaching good Chriftian Morality to others. Next to good Life in our felves, this is what our Saviour esteems moft, the Teaching the fame to others. I need not offer any Reafons for this; the Thing fpeaks it felf; for if Holiness be what God delights in most, then the further it is fpread, and the more Hands are at Work to propagate it, it is fo much the better. Chrift is fo defirous of carrying on this great Work, F 2

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SERM: that he has inftituted an Order of Men for this very Purpose, to carry on the Practice of Religion among Mankind; and has made them very ample Promifes of a large Share of Honour and Happinefs in the future State, if they are faithful in the Discharge of this Truft. We are told in the Prophecy of Daniel, Dan. xii. 3. That they who turn many to Righteoufnefs, fhall fhine as the Stars for ever and ever. And the eminent State of the Apoftles, thofe extraordinary Labourers in this Harvest, our Saviour defcribes by their Sitting on twelve Thrones, judging the Twelve Tribes of Ifrael,

Matt. xix. 28.

But tho' thefe Words of Doing and Teaching God's Precepts may perhaps have a principal Regard to the minifterial Function, whofe particular Business it is to teach Men their Duty both by their Example and their Doctrine; it is not to be restrained to them only; for all Men, in their feveral Stations, are admitted to a Share in this Honour. Particularly Parents are often called upon to train up their Children in the Fear and Nurture of the Lord: And it is given as the Character of good Masters of Families, that they will lay their Commands upon, and ufe their Authority with their Children and Servants, to keep the Way of the Lord. Hear what God himself fays of the Care of Abraham in this Respect, by which he entailed a Bleffing both on himself and his Pofterity, Gen. xviii. 19. I know him, faith God, that he will command his Children and his Houfhold after him, and they shall keep the Way of the Lord, to do Judgment and fuftice, that the Lord may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. Rulers and Magiftrates too are enjoined to Rule in the Fear of God, and they are every where commended

commended for employing their Authority to promote both Godliness and Honefty. In fhort, St James fets it forth as the Duty of every Man, and that in a very meritorious Manner, to convert his Brother from the evil of his Ways, Jam. v. 19. Brethren, if any of you do err from the Truth, and one convert him, let him know, that he who converteth a Sinner from the Error of his Way, fhall fave a Soul from Death, and fhall hide a Multitude of Sins. So that this Way of being adjudged Great in the Kingdom of Heaven, is not confined to one Rank of Men; but all Men, if they are not wanting to themselves, may be admitted to a Share of it, if they will employ their Talents in obferving the Commandments of God themfelves, and in Teaching the fame to others, by their Precepts, Counfels, Admonitions, Example, Intereft, Encouragements, or Authority.

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II. So much for the Virtue of the Promoters of Chriftian Morals here defcribed, The Doing and Teaching the Commandments of God; I come next to their Reward defcribed in these Words, The fame fhall be called great in the Kingdom of Heaven. The Straitnefs of Time will oblige me to be very fhort upon this. As there is a prodigious Difference in the feveral Degrees of Virtue among profeffed Chriftians, all which go undiftinguished in this World; ye are to know that there is a new State to come, when our Bleffed Saviour will feparate the precious from the vile; and not only fo, but will diftinguish them most exactly according to the feveral Degrees of Virtue and Goodness; according to which most righteous Judgment, fome fhall receive both more honourable Compellations, and be affigned higher Degrees

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of Glory than others. But none of thefe Honours or Felicities fhall be decided after an Arbitrary Manner; for tho' in this Day of Grace God beftows his Grace often out of Favour, and not by any certain Rules known to us; it will not be fo in the Proceedings of that Great Day, where every Man fhall receive according to what he hath done in the Body, whether it be Good or Evil. The Rules of Juftice tempered with Mercy, will be then exactly obferved; and that not only in affigning all Men to Happiness or Mifery, according as they have, or have not complied with the Terms of the Gofpel; but likewife in appointing them their feveral Stations and Degrees in each. Hence it is that we hear of many Manfons in God's House; and here in my Text, of fome that fhall be called Great in the Kingdom of Heaven. And tho' by the Kingdom of Heaven here, as in the former Part of the Verfe, I believe we are to understand the Christian Church, that is, the whole Body of Christian Profeffors, yet it will, as to this Part of Retribution of Happiness, be all one as if it were meant directly of Heaven; for they who fhall be by our Saviour in the Great Day of Accounts Called, or Denominated, or Adjudged Great in the Christian Church, fhall likewise be treated accordingly, that is, fhall be affigned a proportionable Great Reward in Heaven.

I need not fay any Thing to caft Light on the Equity of this Proceeding, there being nothing more juft, than that they who make Conscience of living according to the Direction of God's Precepts themselves, and likewife are zealous and diligent in bringing others to the fame good State, should be highly esteemed of in the Sight of God,

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