are called "The Poor," the BLESSED JESUS tells us, that his Gospel was more immediately preached.

During his pilgrimage upon earth, fuch was the pride and arrogance of the Jewish Rabbies and doctors of the law, that they looked down upon the illiterate vulgar with a fovereign contempt. They were too mercenary, to inftruct them without a reward; and too vain, to affociate with them, whilft they were poor and uninftructed. Their lectures and expofitions, fuch as they were, they reserved for their rich and honourable pupils, whose wealth might fatisfy their avarice, whilst a connexion with their fplendid and powerful families would gratify their ambition. Their hatred of the Poor feems to have been of the most malicious kind: for though they took no pains to inftruct them in their duty, they were careful enough "to bind

"a preacher of the Gofpel to the To the Poor the Gospel is

"Poor.

preached."

The original word, which we render Gofpel, fignifies good news or glad tidings; fo that the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST means, the glad tidings published to mankind by this Illuftrious Perfonage. To thofe, who have been brought, by the kind difpenfations of Divine Grace, to a proper fenfe and conviction of their fallen ftate, this Gospel must be glad tidings indeed! From the original apostasy of our first progenitor, we inherit a distempered ruined nature: our whole frame hath loft its primitive health, and strength, and beauty. The Gofpel of JESUS CHRIST informs us of a Medicine of Sovereign Virtue, by which this disease may be effectually removed, and the ruins of man completely repaired. JESUS CHRIST him

felf

Our BLESSED LORD, indeed, honoured the State of Poverty with peculiar marks of his regard. From the history of his birth it appears, that he came into the world in the moft needy and indigent circumstances. His Virgin Mother, and reputed father, though defcended from the royal line of David, had nothing left of the affluence and fplendor of their family. When he commenced his public miniftry, the companions and disciples he made choice of, were a fet of poor illiterate fishermen. From feveral circumstances related in the gospel history, we find, that under the protection of Providence, he was supported by the contributions of his friends and followers. Himself gives us a lively but affecting picture of his own poverty: "The foxes have holes, "and the birds of the air have nefts; "but the Son of Man hath not where "to lay his head."

Doubtless,

Doubtless, it best suited the grand defign of Infinite Wisdom, in the scheme of man's redemption, that the SON OF GOD fhould make his appearance in this indigent state. This defign was to restore fallen men to their primitive state of innocence and glory; and in order to this, they were to be called from an earthly, to a heavenly life; from a worldly kingdom, to a kingdom that is not of this world. Their earthly nature was to be mortified and fubdued ; an heavenly nature was to be given them, and they were to be "created "anew after the Image of GOD in

righteousness and true holinefs." Now a state of poverty, a ftate in which we are destitute of this world's goods, feems to be most favourable to this bleffed change. For though an humble mind does not always dwell beneath an humble roof; though the poor do not always embrace a preached gospel; yet our BLESSED LORD, who was intimately acquainted

quainted with human nature, well knew, that the more a man poffeffeth of the good things of this life, the more his affections are engaged to it, and of course, that the want of these must have a natural tendency to difengage them. To the Poor, therefore, in a more particular manner, he preached his Gofpel, as he had reafon to conclude, from their fituation and circumstances, they would be better difpofed to receive it. And to the Poor let his Gospel still be preached! for without this they must be doubly miferable. The rich and the great have their confolation, or something that ferves them for confolation, in this world; "they, in their life-time, "receive good things:" but the Poor, who receive evil things, if they are without thofe real confolations which the Gofpel alone can administer, must be poor indeed! If, whilst outward troubles and misfortunes diftrefs them, they should be deftitute of internal peace and joy; if their want of temporal comforts should

be