or happy, the Latin for which is beatus. The qualities here pronounced blessed are directly the reverse of those which the Jews of that time, and the world generally, have so esteemed. Common opinion says, Blessed the rich. Jesus says, Blessed the poor. Common opinion says, Blessed the joyous, the elevated, the quick-spirited, the popular, the worldly-wise, the ambitious. Jesus says, Blessed the mourning, the meek, the spiritually aspiring, the merciful, the pure, the persecuted, the peace-makers. What a signal testimony to the divine origin of Christianity is presented in the fact, that its author flattered none of the prejudices or desires most current, but struck out a new path, taught a pure and lofty theology and philosophy, with great distinctness, which the wise men of old had only felt after, and caught a glimpse of, not fully found! He shows in these profound axioms, that religion promotes present and eternal felicity. "In the first place," says Dewey, our Saviour addressed a company of men, his disciples and others, who looked for their Messiah as a temporal king, who expected that he would deliver them from the Roman yoke, conquer the surrounding nations, and reinstate the Jews in all and more than all the possessions and splendors of the ancient monarchy. In the next place, he addressed a company who were accustomed to all those evasions of the moral law, which had been brought in by tradition, and which were daily multiplied by Jewish doctors and scribes. Let these things be borne in mind, and we shall see how far from being abstract, how pertinent, indeed, and pointed, is every word he utters." The poor in spirit, i. e. according to Norton, those whose poverty is

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of the spirit; who feel that they are poor inwardly; who are conscious of their moral and spiritual destitution. Blessed are such, whether of much or little estate, (though the poor in goods were more likely, indeed, to feel their spiritual wants; ) for they are prominent candidates for the kingdom of heaven. They are much happier than the spiritually self-satisfied, self-sufficient, Rev. iii. 17; who thank God that they are not as other men are, and who boast of a lineage from Abraham, and think that of course they abound in spiritual riches. For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Their state of mind entitles them to the kingdom of heaven. They will be its possessors, rather than those who feel rich in spirit, who are puffed up with their religious attainments. It will be observed throughout the beatitudes, that there is a tacit comparison instituted between the poor in spirit, the merciful, pure, &c., and the opposite characters, the proud, the cruel, the sensual, &c. Another point worthy of notice is, the correspondence of the rewards with the characters described. The merciful obtain mercy in return. The hungry are filled. The poor in spirit are heirs of the whole rich kingdom; the Gospel is theirs.

4. They that mourn; for they shall be comforted. It has been a question with interpreters, whether Jesus means those who mourn under a sense of their sins, or under the experience of afflictions. Both perhaps are included. Those who mourned under a sense of their spiritual destitution and unworthiness, who had that "godly sorrow which worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of," would be rendered happy indeed under the Gospel, which tenderly cherishes every

penitent emotion, and reveals a Father of mercy who is ready to forgive to the uttermost all that come unto him. Those who suffered in the cause of Christianity would be comforted under their trials by the great and entrancing promises it held out to them of eternal blessedness. Those who lost their goods, or friends, or were smitten by any earthly ills, would receive comfort unspeakable from that religion which clears up the mysteries of Providence, shows that a Father's eye watches over all, and a Father's hand conducts "the beautiful vicissitude." Jesus represents himself as coming "to bind up the brokenhearted, to comfort all that mourn, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness." He invites all that are weary and heavy laden to come unto him, and he will give them rest. His exhortation to his sorrowing disciples was, to "be of good cheer." Religion opens fountains of never failing consolation, and reaches the deepest sorrows of the mind. This beatitude, without doubt, was spoken with reference to the temper of his audience, as well as uttered to express an everlasting law of spiritual being. They were looking for mirth and revelry. The gay and the light-hearted would be the most welcome subjects to the new kingdom, in their judgment. The great Teacher holds up the dispensation to come, in a reversed view, as affording comfort to the unhappy and afflicted. "Not in pride, and plenty, and mirth; but in a lowly, sorrowing mind, amidst persecution, and tears, and blood, he saw the clements, 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." Matt. 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 idea of Christian meekness. For what is called meekness is thought by most persons to signify poorspiritedness, servility, than which nothing can be farther from the sentiment of Jesus. The meek are the mild, the amiable, the conciliating. The meek respect themselves too much to be proud, arrogant, and quarrelsome, and others too much to be either servile, or haughty. Jesus was meek, Matt. xi. 29, but he vindicated his rights, John xviii. 23. Paul was meek, patient in the reception of the grossest insults and injuries, but he was not tame and abject; he rebuked those who did him wrong.

Acts xvi. 37, xxiii. 3. Meekness is a nice balance of qualities which in most men run into extremes, either too high or too low; either into sensitiveness and anger, or into timidity and meanness. It is one of the miracles of Christ's character, that it combined within itself, in loving harmony and unbroken wholeness, those traits which have been deemed contrary, discordant, and almost opposite: energy and gentleness; high intrepidity and lowliness of mind; the Lion and the Lamb. They shall inherit the earth. Or, 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

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 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 elsewhere advances the same thought. Matt. 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. Or

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. 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.

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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 excellences 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 unjustly 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.

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"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