for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek; for they shall in- 5 smitten by any earthly ills, would idea of Christian meekness. For receive comfort unspeakable from what is called meekness is thought that religion which clears up the by most persons to signify poormysteries of Providence, shows that spiritedness, servility, than which a Father's eye watches over all, nothing can be farther from the senand a Father's hand conducts "the timent of Jesus. The meek are the beautiful vicissitude." Jesus repre- mild, the amiable, the conciliating. sents himself as coming "to bind up The meek respect themselves too the broken-hearted, to comfort all much to be proud, arrogant, and that mourn, to give unto them beau- quarrelsome, and others too much ty for ashes, the oil of joy for to be either servile, or haughty. mourning, the garment of praise for Jesus was meek, Mat. xi. 29, but the spirit of heaviness." He invites he vindicated his rights, John xviii. all that are weary and heavy laden 23. Paul was meek, patient in the to come unto him, and he will give reception of the grossest insults them rest. His exhortation to his and injuries, but he was not taine sorrowing disciples was, to "be of and abject; he rebuked those who good cheer." Religion opens foun- did him wrong. Acts xvi. 37. tains of never failing consolation, xxiii. 3. Meekness is a nice baland reaches the deepest sorrows of ance of qualities which in most the mind. This beatitude, without men run into extremes, either too doubt, was spoken with reference high or too low; either into sensito the temper of his audience, as tiveness and anger, or into timidity well as uttered to express an everand meanness. It is one of the lasting law of spiritual being. They miracles of Christ's character, that were looking for mirth and revelry. it combined within itself, in loving The gay and the light-hearted harmony and unbroken wholeness, would be the most welcome sub- those traits which have been deemjects to the new kingdom, in their ed contrary, discordant, and almost judgment. The great Teacher opposite: energy and gentleness; holds up the dispensation to come, high intrepidity and lowliness of in a reversed view, as affording mind; the Lion and the Lamb. comfort to the unhappy and afflict--They shall inherit the earth. Or, ed. "Not in pride, and plenty, and mirth; but in a lowly, sorrowing mind, amidst persecution, and tears, and blood, he saw the elements, the springs of human blessedness. Study those wonderful words of his, and see how true it is, in the very nature of things, that they only are blessed whom he pronounced so." Mat. xi. 28-30. John xvi. 20, 22. James v. 11. "He that lacks time to mourn lacks time to mend. Eternity mourns that." 5. The meek. We have no word in our language to express the true the land. The Jews in early times looked upon the land of Canaan as the sum of all blessings. To inherit it was one of their dearest hopes, one of the promised favors of God. The patriarchs dwelt gladly upon the prospect. Gen. xv. 7, 8. Ex. xxxii. 13. The whole nation looked wistfully towards it. The expectation cheered them through the sea, the wilderness, and amidst their enemies. It was a sentiment next in depth and dear ness to their subsequent longing after the Messiah. From this state of mind grew up a proverbial ex 6 herit the earth. Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after pression, which Jesus employs: To inherit the earth, or, to possess the land. It means, as its derivation shows, to obtain the greatest blessings, to acquire the highest good. The expression is elsewhere found, coupled with moral traits. Ps. xxxvii. 9, 11. Is. lx. 21. The hearers of Jesus were familiar, therefore, with his phraseology. How crushing to their eager hopes, to hear the quality of meekness thus extolled to the skies! Not the revengeful, the military chieftain, the ambitious leader; not those whose thoughts were on fire with the grandeur of power, the exultation of victory and vengeance; not these are blessed, not these shall attain to the greatest felicity. The meek, by the very qualities which others despise, are the happy ones. They are free from the evils, sorrows, and losses, which plague the malicious and passionate. They have peace. They inherit the earth, they obtain a universal empire over the hearts of mankind. They win the world, which the warrior's sword never yet has conquered. They are meet for the inheritance of heaven. This is the everlasting principle of moral existence. It is mournful to see, in history and in private life, how often it has been violated by those who have aspired to do "some great thing," and "grasped their ruin in their bliss." 6. Hunger and thirst after righteousness. In the Bible, as in all literature, what is spiritual is of ten illustrated by what is animal. Strong desires are called hunger and thirst. Truth is called bread, meat, drink. Righteousness means moral goodness, virtue, holiness. No wants are so frequent and imperious as those of food and drink. They come continually, and are never long satisfied; denied a few hours, they create unspeakable distress. What words, then, in the range of language, could more fitly and emphatically express the constant longings which the good feel for more goodness, the unquenchable desires of man's spiritual nature!-They shall be filled. "Here again, observe what a strict and grand truth or fact is enunciated in these words. It is only those who make goodness their supreme object of desire, who are ever filled, satisfied, happy, and at peace. Any other object we may hunger after and obtain, but we are not filled. This is the constitution of our nature." Under this beatitude, as well as the others, it may be observed, that what Jesus says has the most keen and pointed reference to the existing opinions and feelings of his auditors. It was no common-place truism. It was no cold abstraction. His declaration bore directly upon the views of his hearers, though it embodied also a principle true universally. He preached to their inmost experience, and they felt it, and were "astonished at his doctrine." They hungered and thirsted after national renown, individual pleasures, honors, and riches. They wanted a Messiah who might aid them in gratifying their unrighteous wishes. Their desires revolved about self as a centre. Jesus sought by his startling paradox to turn the current of their thoughts in another direction. Happy, says this profound Teacher, are those who are visited by the most earnest longings and aspirations after moral excellence; not the worldly-minded, who are hankering after political advancement, and outward treasures, and the mad joys of conquest. "A true desire to know and do the will righteousness; for they shall be filled. Blessed are the merciful; for 7 they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they 8 of God will secure its own end." 7. Blessed are the merciful; for they shall obtain mercy. The merciful are the compassionate, forgiving, those who feel for others' wants and woes, and seek to relieve them. They stand in contrast with the hard-hearted, cruel, revengeful, and pitiless. Our Saviour here reverses a favorite desire of the Jews around him. They panted to take vengeance on their enemies, their Roman oppressors. They nursed a stern and cruel hatred in their breasts. The fury with which it broke out and burned, forty years after, is evidence how thoroughly it had taken possession of them. Knowing their vindictive temper, Jesus, instead of still farther inflaming it, as they expected and desired, goes directly counter to it, and puts the benediction on the opposite quality of mercy. He else where advances the same thought. Mat. v. 45. vi. 12, 14, 15. xviii. 23-35. The merciful will have mercy from both God and man. From God, for if we show kindness and forgiveness, we prove that we are deserving of the same ourselves. By forgiveness we imitate him, and assimilate ourselves to his character. A merciful temper has in itself an earnest of God's favor. We please him by our suppression of cruel and resentful feelings. He is ready, when he sees such charitable and merciful dispositions reigning in our characters, to do to us as we do to others. 2 Sam. xxii. 26, 27. Ps. xviii. 25, 26. From men also, the merciful obtain mercy. Prov. xi. 17. Ordinarily, a person, who cherishes gentle and forgiving feelings towards mankind, will in the time of need be most likely to be recom 8. Blessed are the pure in heart; for they shall see God. Purity of heart is insisted on in contradistinction to the outward and ceremonial purity enjoined by the Scribes and Pharisees, while within they were full of all manner of moral uncleanness. The pure are the innocent, the spotless, the holy, the undefiled. Their spirits have not contracted the blots and stains of sin, or else they have had them washed white again in the living waters that "flow fast by the oracle of God."-See God. A figure of sense to describe a spiritual state. To see God is to understand his character, realize his providence, and to have a close walk with him. By purity and faith, we may live as seeing him who is invisible. The expression perhaps has some allusion to the Jewish rites, as the ceremonially pure alone were admitted to the worship and presence of God in his temple. Ps. xxiv. 3, 4. In the east, likewise, where monarchs seldom appear to their subjects, to see them was accounted the highest of honors and privileges, and equivalent to enjoying their friendship. Prov. xxii. 29. To see God is to enjoy his favor. Said Origen: "God has no body, and therefore is invisible; but men of contemplation can discern him with the heart and understanding. 9 shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers; for they shall be called 10 the children of God. Blessed are they which are persecuted for 11 righteousness' sake; for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed But a defiled heart cannot see God; but he must be pure who wishes to enjoy a proper view of a pure being." Heb. xii. 14. As the clear mirror reflects distinctly the objects placed before it, so does the pure heart reflect the image of God. 9. The peacemakers. That is, those who are pacific in themselves, and promoters of peace around them. I sound no preparation of war, Jesus virtually said; I summon you to no fields of carnage; on the contrary, my beatitude is for the lovers and maintainers of peace and concord.-They shall be called the children of God. The word called is used, by an idiom of the Hebrew tongue, for the verb to be. The sense would be expressed in English thus:-They will be the children of God. Those who resemble God in his character, and are beloved and approved by him, are called, in Scripture phraseology, his sons, his children. Jesus was the Son of God in the strongest degree, because he possessed in full those excellencies which secured his favor. Men, who use their influence to allay contentions and promote peace, peace in families, in neighborhoods, in nations, over the globe, and every man may do something, many may do much, liken themselves to the divine character. They vindicate their sonship to the God of Peace. They are the favored ones of Heaven. How full of honor, privilege, and joy, is such a relationship! 1 Cor. xiv. 33. Rom. xv. 33. xvi. 20. 2 Cor. xiii. 11. Phil. iv. 9. Heb. xiii. 20. 10. Blessed are they which are persecuted, &c. Those that are un justly despised, calumniated, imprisoned, tortured, killed. Persecution may consist of other injuries than those upon liberty, property, and life. Reputation may be attacked, odium excited, feelings lacerated, sincerity and goodness brought into groundless suspicion. The tongue and the pen can inflict deeper wounds than the sword. "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." 2 Tim. iii. 12. In the imperfect, misjudging, prejudiced communities of the freest lands, a man cannot act up to his sense of duty, in morals and belief, "dare singly to be just," "conferring not with flesh and blood," without falling upon evil tongues. The Apostle told the plain, but sad truth. We ought not, of course, to court persecution. But if its lighter or heavier blows fall upon us, for righteousness' sake, on account of our love and practice of moral goodness, on account of our religious independence, and devotion to duty, then happy are we. Happier we are, unspeakably, than the persecutor; happier than those who repress honest convictions because they are unpopular, and who seek to please men, rather than God.-Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "Here also is a sentiment in direct opposition to the prejudices of the Jews. It must have been no slight mystery to them, how the kingdom of heaven was to belong to the persecuted, the despised, and the oppressed. In that kingdom they fondly hoped all their natural evils would cease, that there would be ease, and plenty, and health, and profound peace, and joy. And yet this Teacher, upon are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you, falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be 12 whom all eyes are fixed, to whom all are listening, pronounces the humble, the lowly, and the persecuted, the true and happy possessors of the heavenly kingdom. To us what truth is now unfolded in the language of Jesus! They who have suffered in the cause of truth and goodness, what a glorious dominion is theirs! How they reign in the hearts of a grateful posterity! And as believers in the doctrine of immortality, we discern them living in a higher state, and reigning in the affections of myriads of intelligences. 11. When men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you. Better, every kind of evil against you. The thought of the last verse is here expanded yet farther. The third person is changed to the second, bringing the idea more directly home to his disciples. Revilings were heaped upon Jesus. He was called a Samaritan, a term of bitter reproach, and was said to be in league with Beelzebub, the prince of devils. He was accused of being insane, and the pains of crucifixion were sharpened by the scoffs of the bystanders. But he reviled not again. His disciples had to bear the derision of their enemies, the vulgar abuse of the crowd, or the lofty scorn of the philosophers and princes of their day. But their prayer was, "let not this sin be laid to their charge." How much nobler and happier these victims of the world's ridicule and hate, than the objects of popular adulation! They were persecuted, prosecuted, as the force of the word suggests. They were accused in courts, and thousands, like the Saviour, were illegally and unjustly condemned to death. The tongue of slander was also busy against the early Christians. They were loaded with charges the most groundless. All manner of evil was falsely reported against them. Their holy doctrines were grossly misrepresented. Their innocent ceremonies were tortured into crimes. Their benevolent efforts were turned into treason to the state, and blasphemy to the gods.-Falsely. There is point in this word. For, if the allegations brought against them had been well grounded, they would have been far from being blessed. 1 Pe.... ter iii. 13-18. iv. 14-16.-For my sake, i. e. in the cause of the Christian religion. There was no argument more powerful, to convince the world of the truth and value of the Gospel in early times, than the meek and patient endurance of their wrongs by the first Christians. This won the hearts of their most inhuman persecutors. And cases are stated, where the executioner, moved by their noble bearing, suddenly embraced the truth, and perished himself by the very instrument with which he was about to inflict death upon them. 12. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad, &c. The Jews looked for joys in a temporal, triumphant reign of their deliverer; Jesus, in overturning their hopes, would not overturn their happiness, but informs them that they would derive the highest degree of pleasure from the labors and sufferings consequent upon their adhesion to him. Their reward would not be like the uncertain favors of princes, but spiritual, secure, and everlasting, laid up in heaven. It would be a reward, not |