XII.

the Prophet Isaiah describes, ch. lxvi. 2. TO SE RM. This man will I look, faith the Lord; even to Him that is Poor; to him that is of a contrite Spirit, and trembleth at my Word. This is the Temper of those whom St James calls the Poor of this World, Rich in Faith, and Heirs of the Kingdom: The Temper, of which St Paul declares, that Godliness with Contentment is great Gain; and which our Saviour defcribes in his character of the Church of Smyrna, Rev. ii. 9. I know thy works, and tribulation, and poverty; but thou art Rich: Rich in Virtue, Rich in Good Works, Rich towards God. According to This account of the virtue of being poor in Spirit; an Eminent Inftance thereof was the Practife of Mofes, when he refused to be called the Son of Pharaoh's daughter, choofing rather to fuffer affliction with the people of God, than to injoy the pleasures of Sin for a Seafon. And the contrary Spirit, is That which our Saviour fpeaks of, Luke xii. 21. So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich towards God.

AND

SER M.

AND now, having at large explained XII. (which was the First thing proposed,) the ~ Meaning of this Phrafe, being Poor in Spirit; It remains in the

II. Second place, that I proceed to draw fome Obfervations, from the confideration of the Nature of the Virtue here fpoken of, and of the Reward here declared to be annext to it: Bleed are the Poor in Spirit, for Theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven. And

Ift. FROM what has been faid, it ap pears, that perfons of All ranks, and conditions whatsoever, are equally concerned, in the Admonition included in the declaration here made by our Lord. Poor and Rich, the Meanest and the Greatest, are equally Capable of being, and equally obliged to be, Poor in Spirit. A perfon of the largest and most plentiful Poffeffions; if he has obtained them by lawful, and bonourable Methods; if they make him not infolent, and oppreffive to his Neighbours, if he uses them with Sobriety, Moderation and Temperance; if he be willing to relieve the Neceffities of thofe that want, and be rich in good Works as

2

well

well as in Poffeffions; if, being Rich in SER M. this world, he be not high-minded, nor XII. trufts in uncertain Riches, but in the Living God, who giveth us richly all things to injoy; if he does good, and is ready to communicate, laying up in flore for himfelf a good Foundation against the time to come, that he may lay hold on eternal Life; In a word, if he prefers the Commandments of God, before the Increase of his Worldly Intereft; and is willing upon any occafion, to run the hazard of lofing what he poffeffes, rather than depart from the Ways of Truth and Virtue: This man, though he poffeffed the Wealth of the Indies, and exceeded even Solomon in all his Grandeur; yet ftill he would be included in the defcription given by our Saviour in the Text, and would be intitled to the Blefjedness of being Poor in Spirit. On the other fide, One who is literally poor; if he be unthankful, and complaining against God; if his Poverty be brought upon himself, by Debauchery or Idienefs; if he be vitious as far his Circumftances inable him, and would

SER M. ftick at no unrighteous Practifes to advance XII. his Fortune: Such an one, though he be in

the Lowest Poverty of Eftate, yet can in no wife come under the denomination of being Poor in Spirit. 'Tis evident therefore, that these words of our Lord in the Text, do not relate to men's external Circumftances or Condition in the World, but to the Temper or Difpofition of their Minds; and confequently that the Advice included in This Beatitude or Declaration of Blefedness, equally concerns perfons of All Ranks and Eftates whatsoever. The Poor, by Contentedness, Patience, Refignation to the Will of God, and by the Exercife of fuch Other virtues as are more peculiarly proper to a mean and low eftate; and the Rich, by preferring at all times the Commands of God, before either the Increase or the Prefervation of their Wealth; are (as I faid) equally Capable of being, and equally obliged to be, Poor in Spirit. Nevertheless, though the Virtue here recommended, is undoubtedly the Common Duty of Both; yet fince the Poor are in This particular under Fewer Temptations, and can withdraw

their

their Affections from fuch an Adherence S ER M.

to the World as is the chief Impediment XII.
of a Chriftian life, with much lefs diffi- w
culty than the Rich can do; and fince,
upon This account, our Lord and his A-
poftles do very frequently pronounce ab-
folutely and in general, Wo to the Rich,
and Blefednefs to the Poor, in fuch large
and unlimited expreffions, as may eafily
be mistaken unless interpreted according
to the Analogy of the more diftinct man-
ners of speaking ufed in Other places:
Therefore

zdly, I obferve, that there is contained
in the Text, a particular Ground of
・Comfort and Support, to those who are
Poor and Deftitute, and under Mean Cir-
cumftances in the World; and particular
matter of Caution, to thofe who abound
in Riches and Power and the Good things
of this prefent Life. The Duty here re-.
commended by our Lord, of being Poor
in Spirit, is (as I have already obferved)
equally obligatory to perfons of All ranks
and conditions whatsoever; and the Pro-
mife annexed, is to All, in whatever fta-
tion they be in the World, who fhall at-