too, both in the Beginning and End of the Sermon, Care is taken to mention the People and the Difciples as Hearers; fo in the tenth Chapter of this Gofpel, where we have the first apoftolical Commiffion, the fame Care is taken, both at the Beginning and End, and in divers other Parts of that Difcourfe, to limit it to the Twelve: For at the first Verse he tells us how Chrift called unto him his twelve Difciples; at the second Verfe he calls them the twelve Apostles; then follow all their Names; then at the fifth Verfe, thefe Twelve Jefus fent forth, and commanded them, faying; then when that Difcourfe was ended, Chap. x. it follows immediately, Chap. xi. 1. that Jefus made an End of commanding his twelve Difciples: It is very obfervable, I fay, how the Evangelift alters his Stile, and how carefully he diftinguishes between his Description of Difciples at large, or common Chriftians, and the twelve chofen Dif ciples, called Apoftles. And in like manner St. Luke, Chap. ix. 1. defcribing the apoftolick Commiffion, begins thus; Then he called his twelve Difciples together, &c.

(2.) I obferve that there is no Variation of the Addrefs throughout the whole Sermon, but it is the fame Auditory to which it is all directed; nay, there is not fo much as a Look or Gefture taken Notice of, as there is in fome other Parts of the Gospels, when our Saviour means to reach other Perfons than thofe to whom he immediately directs his Difcourfe. To give one Inftance of what I mean by this Obfervation, St. Mark relates the History of our Saviour's rebuking Peter for contradicting him so rafhly when he foretold his Paffion, and of his correcting that Spirit of his,

[SERM. which was fo averfe to the Crofs. And there is in that Hiftory one Circumftance of our Saviour's Looks taken Notice of, which is very inftructive. We have it Mark viii. 33. When he had turned about, fays he, and looked on his Difciples, be rebuked Peter, faying, Get thee behind me, Satan; for thou favoureft not the Things that be of God, but the Things that be of Men. This Look on the other Difciples implies, that tho' Peter had the Forwardness to come out with this his Averfion to the Cross, the rest of our Saviour's Difciples, tho' filent, were of the fame Opinion; and therefore St. Mark records this, Look on the Difciples, as joined with this Rebuke of Peter. Now if there were any the leaft Intimation, in all this Sermon, that our Saviour had so much as by his Looks or Gestures directed any Part of it to the Twelve, exclufive of others, I fhould readily confent to interpret fuch Part as relating to the apoftolick or paftoral Function, or both. But while neither the Letter of the Words, nor the Ceremony of the Looks and Actions, favour any fuch Conjecture, nor the Matter of the Difcourfe neceffarily requires it; I muft think it much fafer and better, and more agreeable to our Lord's Intention, as well as to the exact Rules of Speaking and Reasoning, to interpret thefe general Precepts as meant of, and to all Chriftians; than to restrain any of them to Paftors and Apoftles: Or if any Thing is to be gathered from our Saviour's Looks, it is, that the Doctrine of this Sermon belongs to all Men; for what we render here, Seeing the Multitudes; might be as well rendered, Looking upon the Multitudes. For fo we tranflate

...the

the fame Word in that forecited Place, (i) Mark

viii. 33.

(3.) The last Thing I fhall obferve from the Stile of the Sermon is, that from all the Comparifons and Antithefes used in it, it appears the Sermon was defigned to teach Chriftians their Duty in general, as they are diftinguished from Heathens, Hypocrites, Scribes and Pharifees; but not Paftors their particular Duty, as diftinct from that of Laicks and common People. For the Comparifons and Antithefes run thus: (k) Except your Righteoufnefs fhall exceed the Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharifees. (1) When thou doft thine Alms, do not found a Trumpet before thee as the Hypocrites do. And when thou prayeft thou shall not be as the Hypocrites (m). And when ye fast be not as the Hypocrites (n). Use not vain Repetitions, as the Heathen do (o). After all thefe Things do the Gentiles feek, &c.(p). So that all along Chriftianity is fet in Oppofition to Judaifm, Heathenifm, Pharifaifm and Hypocrify; but in the whole Sermon there is not any Comparison or Antithefis between Apostles or Paftors, and private Chriftians.

This great Truth being thus fo firmly eftablished, there are a few Corollaries I fhall juft name as refulting from it, which I shall rather hint, than infift upon, having already been too long in clearing and afferting this much-neglected Point of the Auditors of this Sermon on the Mount.

1. Then, Let this direct us in our Interpretation of the whole Sermon, and it will fave us from divers Errors Interpreters have run upon, both in their Commentaries and Controverfies. There are feveral Things the Church of Rome appropriates to the Clergy, or to the Monaftick Orders; and several Things Enthusiasts mistake, by extending them to the Magistrate's Office; all which Errors might be avoided, by remembering what has been now fo fully proved, that the Perfons properly inftructed in this Sermon are private Chriftians; and that neither the Magiftrate's, nor Paftor's Office, nor any other particular Relation of Men, is here touched or described.

2. From this Doctrine it will follow, that there is no Duty here enjoined which the private Chriftian may creep out of; there is no fuch Gap to be opened, as if there were any Part of this Sermon not binding upon all private Chriftians, as fuch.

3. From hence we may obferve the great Perfection of the Chriftian Morals, far beyond what ever the World was taught before; and I am fure very far beyond what is practifed by Chriftians at this Day. Let this be well confidered, and let our Lives be new-modelled by this excellent Scheme; and then it will appear what a beautiful Thing Christianity is, and how neceffary it is that we be exhorted, that our Converfation be fuch as becomes the Gospel.

4. If any Thing is to be inferred with Relaticn to the twelve chofen Difciples, who (if this be the fame Sermon with that in St. Luke) were before the Sermon feparated from the reft, and af

fumed

fumed into Chrift's Family, there to be fitted for the Office of Apostleship, to which they were afterwards called out: If any Thing, I fay, is to be inferred with Relation to them, I think it is this, that it is neceffary that Men be firft inftructed to be good Chriftians, before they be sent out upon the Office of the Miniftry.

5. There is one Thing I will venture to infer further, from what I have faid of this Sermon, compared with that in St. Luke; namely, that tho' I will not be pofitive in deciding whether they be one and the fame Sermon once preached, that being no way needful to my Hypothefis, which either Way ftands upon very firm Foundations: Yet thus much I will readily grant, that there is fuch an apparent Affinity between them, that I fhall not venture to interpret any Doctrines in the one, in a Senfe diverfe or different from the other, (as I find a learned Interpreter (9), to whom I have been very much beholden in many Things, thinks we may do ;) but shall think my felf obliged to illuftrate the one by the other, and to reconcile them as carefully as we would the Words of any honeft Author speaking at feveral Times on the fame Subject.

With thefe Poftulata, which I think are very clear, I fhall now fet about the Explication, first of the Beatitudes, and then, if God fpare me Life and Health, of the reft of the Sermon on the Mount: For which let us humbly implore his Aid and Affiftance. May he bless what we have heard; and to him, Father, Son, and Holy Ghoft, be all Praife.

(2) Dr. Whitby.

VOL. I.

H

ΑΝ