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litefully use you, and persecute you.) Thus we are bt to render evil for evil, but to overcome the evil with that which is good. Sweet was our Lord's example to is in this, when he said, Father, forgive them, for key know not what they do." If spiteful persecutors nd really know what they do, when they persecute the irst, their damnation must needs be very great; but if e do good for evil, as Christ hath taught, then are we e children of our heavenly Father, "Who maketh his an to rise on the evil, and on the good, and sendeth in on the just, and on the unjust."

"For if ye love them who love you, what reward ve ye? do not even the publicans the same?" Verse 46. "And if ye salute your brethren only, what do you ore than others? do not even the publicans so ?" Verse 7.

Our virtue is much more shining in loving those who > not love us, than in loving those who do; and it is atural for us to love them who love us, and we should

ungrateful if we did not; but the reward is greater, we love them who do not love us, which must be anifested in deeds, as well as words: for saying and bing sometimes are two things, which made the apose say, "Our love must not be with word, and with ngue only, but in deed and in truth." Also publicans nen by the Jews ranked with sinners, when they said, e eateth with publicans and sinners), they do so. i. e. ove those who love them.

And as to friendly and hearty salutations, that may e necessary or needful, we should not only manifest hem to our brethren, but as occasion requires to all, it eing a shining virtue in christians to be kind to straners, and to shew forth a generous and loving temper nd deportment to such as may not be of us; though hot by a flattering, modish, or complimental way, yet hearty and respectful, according to the plainness of Christ, and the simplicity of his gospel, without respect of persons, respect being generally, or too generally, hown to high, more than to them of low degree. As ve are not to refuse our friendly salutations to the great,

or the rich, so we are not to neglect the poor, for the publicans do so.

"Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." Verse 48.

Christ would have us to be perfect in the practice of his doctrine, and to live up to it in perfect obedience, according to the best of our judgements and understandings, and not to do his work by halves, but honestly and perfectly, according to the measure of grace receiv ed, some have received twice, some thrice so much as some others, as the parable of talents plainly showeth: so that what discoveries or manifestations of grace, light, or truth, we have received, we ought to walk up to them perfectly; "Even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect." As the Almighty is perfect in his love, justice, mercy, grace, and truth, unto poor mortals, in Christ Jesus, his only begotten, and in all his works; so ought we to be perfect in our known duty: as it is written, "Ye shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy." So, must we be according to our degree of grace received.

It is supposed that no body will imagine that any mortal can come up in degree with the Almighty, but according to our measure, gift, and degree of grace received, we are to be holy and perfect, as God, our heavenly Father, and Christ, our dear Lord, are so in ful

ness.

"Take heed that ye do not your alims before men, to be seen of them, otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven." Chap. vi. verse 1.

"Therefore when thou dost thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do, in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men: verily I say unto you, they have their reward." Verse 2.

"But when thou dost alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doth :" Verse 3.

"That thine alms may be in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret, himself shall reward thee openly." Verse 4.

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The christian religion, in its purity, according to the doctrine of the founder of it, is a compassionate religion, and full of pity, as well as piety. It is a holy composition of charity, and goodness. The apostle thus describes it: "The pure religion, and that which is undefiled before God and the Father, is this, to visit the fatherless, and widows, in their affliction; and to keep himself unspotted from the world." This is pure religion, and this is the christian religion: happy are those who walk up to it, and live according to the precepts of him who dictated them; then the widows and the fatherless would not be neglected: the poor would be very generously taken care of, and our garments kept clean, and all done as secretly as may be. For when we proclaim our alms-deeds, and charity, we lose our reward from our heavenly Father. Also when alms is given it ought to be done in the spirit of love and meekness, and so received; else the receiver loses a second benefit, and the giver his heavenly reward. To give to the poor is to lend to him that made us, and we shall have good and greater measure returned us again. If we hope to have the gates of Christ's kingdom opened to us at last, our hearts must also be opened to the poor and needy, when in distress: remembering the words of Christ, where he says to some who were waiting for, and wanting an entrance into the kingdom, saying, "Lord, Lord, open unto us;" he tells them, "I was hungry, and ye gave me no meat; I was naked and ye clothed me not. I was sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not." They answered, "Lord, when saw we thee hungry, naked, sick, or in prison, and did not feed thee, clothe thee, and visit thee?" He answers, "In as much as ye did it not to one of these which believe in my name, ye did it not to me." He sympathiseth with his poorest and meanest members, whatever others do, and takes that done to them, as done to himself, whether it be good or bad. We should be good to all, but especially to Christ's members, or the household of the faithful keepers of his commandments: and alms-deeds have the probation of goodness from the universal testimony of

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all men, in a general way. Our alms being thus distributed according to our ability, and the necessities of the object, without ostentation, and in secret, our munificent Father, who sees in secret, will openly reward us.

How many rich men are there in the world, who have made great and costly entertainments for their rich friends, neighbours, and relations (and if their substance be so great, that it is not felt by them, they had the more need to remember the poor); when they never so much as spare the tithe of it to them, though the poor have ten times the need of it, and though Christ says, "When thou makest a feast, invite not thy rich friends, for they will invite thee again; but call the poor, the lame, and the blind," &c.

"And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men; verily I say unto you, they have their reward." Verse 5.

"But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Verse 6.

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking." Verse 7.

"Be not ye therefore like unto them; for your Fa ther knoweth what things ye have need of before you ask him." Verse 8.

Prayer is absolutely necessary for the being and wellbeing of an inward reformed christian; an outside for mal christian may use the form, though unreformed; but it availeth little without reformation. And private prayer, according to Christ's rule, is effectual and rewardable, agreeable to his doctrine. He also speaks against hypocrisy, and loving to be seen of men, with a command not to be like unto them. "But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet." When we feel, and are sensible of a divine call, this must of course be the right and best time (for Christ has not set us a dis

hct hour), then we are to enter into the closet of an amble heart or mind, or some secret place in private. this is Christ's order for particular persons in a general ay; but is not intended to prevent such who are rightly oncerned to pray in the public assemblies, or gathering the church; for we have Christ for our example, who rayed openly and publicly with his disciples.

"But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the athens do; for they think to be heard for their much eaking." Formal repetitions of prayer, repeated day day, when they are not according (but contrary) to the ates of those to whom they are read or repeated, must eds be vain, and people may vainly make use of the ord's own form in that case (though it is the best in the orld), and to think to be heard for their much speakg, is to run into the error of the heathen. "Be not

(says Christ) therefore like unto them; for your Faer knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask m." Prayer is a gift from God, and from Christ, and we wait on God in Christ's name and power, he will ve us that gift, when he sees we stand in need of it, it will be for our edification. For he has promised to our out the spirit of prayer, and of supplication, upon is people. And our great apostle said, "If he prayed, e would pray with the spirit." In another place he y's, "We know not what we should pray for, as we ught; but the spirit itself maketh intercession for us, ith groanings that cannot be uttered." Likewise the ame apostle says, "The spirit also helpeth our infirnities." Those had not found out the way of reading rayers unto the people in common, neither of making f them; though it will be acknowledged that it had as uch of the mind of Christ, as any of our modern rayer makers or sayers; and since there is no form like hat of Christ's, it is here set down, that people might ake diligent care to learn it, and to teach it to their hildren. But if they learn it rightly, they must also earn to live in it: that is, live according to it; othervise they will mock, instead of serving him, who made

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