"Shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven." By the kingdom of heaven, here, is meant the church, or church state. And who is this least person in the church? Not the most humble soul, who is like a little child; for he is neither a breaker of the commandments, nor a teacher of men so. The least person here, in Christ's sense of the words, is not a hypocritical professor, but a hypocritical false teacher: and he is least esteemed by Christ; a man of the least value in the church, and one of the least and last in God's account. This is the man: he is an impostor, a hypocrite, and a sinner; and, as he teaches men so, he must be a teacher, and a wicked teacher too. And he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; and so he is to them to whom God discovers him, and that have light to see through him.

The Saviour, in his application, clearly shews, that his disciples are the brethren that are hated without a cause; and who are called empty fellows, fools, and reprobates. And counsels them how to behave under such reproach. Whosoever shall smite thee on the one cheek, turn to him the other. If he sue thee at the law for thy coat, give him thy cloak also. If he compel thee to go a mile, go twain. If he ask, give; if he will borrow, lend to him. If he is your enemy, love him; if he curse you, do you bless him; if he hate you, do good to him; if he persecute you, and use you despitefully, pray for him; that ye may be the

VOL. XI.

children of your Father which is in heaven. By children, here, is not meant reprobates, for Christ never calls them children of his heavenly Father: nor does he allow them to call themselves so, but calls them children of the devil. This application shews plain enough, that it is the children of God that are hated, persecuted, and slandered; and that it is pharisees, hypocrites, and false teachers, that break the commandments, and teach men so; and such are, and shall be, called the least in the militant church, or kingdom of heaven; and sure I am that such are the furthest, of all men, from the triumphant church, or kingdom of glory. We go on;

،، But whosoever shall do [these commandments] and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." We will inquire,

1. What the Saviour says about the great things of the law.

2. What by doing these things.

3. What by teaching them. And,

4. In what sense such a teacher may be said to be great.

First, What the Saviour says about the great things of the law. We will follow his advice; we will swallow the camel first, and strain at the gnat afterward. The Lord Jesus begins: "Wo unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; for ye pay tithe of mint, and anise, and cummin; and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith : these ought ye to have

done, and not to leave the other undone. Ye blind guides, which strain at a gnat, and swallow a camel." According to this text, the natural inference to be drawn is this, that every preacher who is destitute of judgment, mercy, and faith, is a carnal scribe, a self-righteous pharisee, an hypocrite, and a blind guide; and his preaching is nothing but fly-catching, or, as Christ says, it is straining at gnats: for the Lord does not say, that he catches the gnat. In Luke, xi. 42, it is thus worded: "But wo unto you Pharisees, for ye tithe mint, rue, and all manner of herbs; and pass over judgment, and the love of God. These ought ye to have done." According to our dear Lord's preaching, judgment, mercy, faith, and the love of God, are the great things of the law, which all good preachers must do. These things ought ye to have done. And these things are to be preached to others, by them that are great in the kingdom. "Whosoever shall do, and teach them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven." Here we see, as in a glass, who is great in the kingdom, and who is the hypocrite and blind guide. Now we will take notice,

1. Of judgment.

2. Of mercy.

3. Of faith.

4. Of the love of God. For, if we are destitute of these things, our profession, or preaching, is nothing but a noise.

He that has no judgment, is an ignorant man,

that knows not God: and He that made him will have no mercy on him; and he that created him will shew him no favour.

He that hath not mercy, is in a carnal, hardened state. God hath mercy on whom he will, and whom he will he hardeneth.

He that hath not faith, is condemned already, and cannot please God. The righteousness of the law is not fulfilled in him, nor one precept kept by him; "For whatsoever is not of faith is

sin."

And he that hath not the love of God, or charity, in his heart, is nothing but sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. I come to the first head.

First, What is judgment? Why, in the first place, it signifies the righteous sentence of the law executed on the Saviour, who stood as man's surety; by which justice got satisfaction, and the law got judgment done. "He was taken from prison, and from judgment." This was done, that a throne of grace might be erected, without any injury to law or justice. "Justice and judgment are the habitation of thy throne; mercy and truth before thy face.

shall go

Secondly, Judgment sometimes signifies God's arraigning an elect sinner at the bar of the law, and appearing, according to the sinner's views, in a judicial way against him: He is convinced of all, he is judged of all; and thus are the thoughts of his heart made manifest; and so falling down

on his face, he will report that God is in you of a truth, 1 Cor. xiv. 25. Which trial ends in a fatherly chastisement, and in the justification of the soul: "But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world."

Thirdly, It signifies the law of faith, or the gospel; which, to the believer, is the Saviour's judgment of him, of every body's state, and of every thing in doubt about his state; which the elect sinner receives, in which he believes, to which he yields his obedience, by which he is ruled, by which he lives, by which he walks and worships, and by which he rules all his actions. "Hearken unto me, my people, and give ear to me, O my nation; for a law shall proceed from me, and I will make my judgment to rest for a light of the people."

Fourthly, It signifies the inward and righteous sentence of a person who knows the scriptures, and the power of God; who judges not according to appearance, but judges righteous judgment. For the want of which the Saviour rebuked the Jews: "Yea, and why even of your own selves judge ye not what is right?"

Fifthly, It signifies the knowledge that a saint. has of God, of his word and ways, and of his own worship, faith and practice; for the want of which the ignorant are complained of: "There is no judgment in their goings."

Sixthly, It signifies shewing the sentence of