Happy are the penitent, the meek, and the righteous. theirs is the king- those humble souls that, deeply conscious of dom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they 209 SECT. Mat. their ignorance and guilt, can quietly resign to xxxvii You admire the gay and jovial part of man- 4 that mourn; for they kind, and please yourselves with the hopes of shall be comforted. joy and festivity: but I say unto you, Happy are the men of a more serious temper, and especially they that now mourn under a penitent sense of their sins; for they shall ere long be comforted with the discoveries of God's forgiving love, and be cheered with the reviving rays of his everlasting favour. 5 Blessed are the inherit the earth. You imagine that military courage and mar- 5 meek; for they shall tial exploits are to introduce the kingdom now to be erected, and to raise men to distinguished stations in it but I rather say, Happy are the men who are meek and gentle under injuries and provocations, and are cautious in offering but patient in bearing them; for they shall weather many a storm which would bear down the rugged and obstinate, and at length (as the Psalmist expresses it, Psal. xxxvii. 11) "shall inherit the earth, and delight themselves in the abundance of peace," which can only have its seat in such gentle bosoms. 6 Blessed are they Happy are they that, instead of desiring insa- 6 which do hunger and tiably the possessions of others, and endeavourthirst after right- ing to obtain them by violence or deceit, eagerly hunger and thirst after righteousness, and make comprehended in that humility which is here expressed by poverty of spirit; which is a temper that indeed is absolutely necessary in order to our being cordially reconciled to the gospel method of salvation. They that mourn under a penitent sense of their sins.] It seems proper to restrain it within these limits, since there is a sorrow of the world which ends in death, 2 Cor. vii. 10; and though mourning for the the calamities of life be often allowable and commendable, yet it is so natural an affection, and sometimes in its degree so sinful, that one can hardly suppose our Lord here pronounced a blessing upon it in such general terms. 8 That hunger and thirst after righteousness.] The very pious and judicious writer I mentioned above, in note a, has taken a great deal of pains to prove that these words are chiefly designed to recommend a love of justice towards our fellow creatures; and is for rendering xopla Inolas, they shall be fed to the full, while 210 xxxvii Happy are the merciful and the pure in heart. SECT: it the delightful business of life to improve in eousness; for they 7 8 righteousness they seek (compare Prov. xxi. 21,) 7 Blessed are the Far from training you up to delight in scenes of desolation and slaughter, I rather declare, merciful; for they Happy are the merciful and compassionate, that shall obtain mercy. feel the sorrows of others as their own, and with tender sympathy hasten to relieve them; for they shall obtain that mercy from God which the best and happiest of mankind need, and on which they continually and entirely depend. 8 Blessed are the Indulge not a thought of those licentious gratifications which are often mingled with pure in heart; for they shall see God. victory and are accounted as the pleasures of the great: happy are the men that not only abstain from these gross enormities, but are concerned that they may be pure in heart too,h avoiding every irregular desire and mortifying every unruly passion: this resolute selfdenial shall be the source of nobler and more lasting pleasure; for they shall see God; and thus purified and refined shall enjoy him in his ordinances now, and dwell with him for ever in heaven. those who are violent and rapacious as h Happy are the pure in heart.] Mr. Blair supposes this may refer to the expectation they had of possessing themselves of beautiful captives in those wars by which they fancied that the Messiah's kingdom would be raised and established. The large seraglios of eastern princes and great men which, by a very mistaken taste, were regarded as matters of state and grandeur, gave too much countenance to such a wild and extravagant notion: but as the hint is at most but obliquely intimated, I thought it convenient to touch upon it only in a very transient and general manner. i For they shall see God.] Elsner has illustrated this text by she wing, that the Pagans thought a good man might see their deities in some circumstances, when to the wicked they were invisible. (Elsn. Observ. Vol. I. p. 22, 23.) But this, in their theology, might be intended to subserve some fraudulent views from which the nature of Christianity is most abhorrent. The remark, however, may in some degree shew how natural the thought is in the words before us. Happy are the persecuted for righteousness sake. 211 9 Blessed are the I come not, as you may fondly suppose, to SECT. peacemakers; for lead you forward to the field of battle, or to teach xxxvii they shall be called the children of God. you to propagate religion by the sword; but, on Mat. the contrary, I declare unto you, Happy are the v. 9 peacemakers, who not only avoid contention, but labour to extinguish it wherever it prevails; for though mistaken men may ascribe such a gentle disposition to cowardice and meanness of spirit, they shall have the honour to be called the children of the God of peace, and be owned by him in that dear relation, as they resemble him in the benevolence of their characters. 10 Blessed are they Instead of these pomps and pleasures, these 10 which are persecut- victories and triumphs (in expectation of which ed for righteousness sake; for theirs you may now be crowding around me,) my folis the kingdom of lowers must prepare themselves for the severity heaven. cute you, and shall of suffering: but happy are they that are perse- 11 Blessed are ye, And, on these principles, happy are ye, my 11 when men shall re- sincere disciples and faithful friends, when men vile you and perse- shall injuriously reproach you, and persecute you, say all manner of evil and shall falsely say every thing that is evil and against you falsely, scandalous of you for my sake, and because of for my sake. Be not discour- 12 12 Rejoice, and your professed relation to me. be exceeding glad; aged under all this load of infamy and oppresfor great is your re- sion; but rather rejoice, and triumphantly exult ward in heaven for because your reward in heaven [will be] proporso persecuted they tionably great and distinguished: for this has in all ages been the portion and the proof of the most eminent saints; and you particularly know from the sacred records, that it was thus they persecuted the prophets of their own nation,m The children of the God of peace.] So signification of the word agarnsatdı, see God is often called, Rom. xvi. 20; 2 Cor. note f on Luke i. 14. p. 33. xiii. 11; Phil. iv. 9; and Heb. xiii. 20. (Compare Ecclus. iv. 10.) To be called God's children, signifies to be really so, and to have a right to that name conferred upon us by a Divine adoption; see 1 John iii. 1; and John i. 12. 1 Triumphantly exult. ] Of the, emphatical m Thus they persecuted the prophets of their own nation.] This is abundantly evident from the known histories of Moses, Samuel, David, Elijah, Elisha, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, &c. See 2 Chron. xxxvi. 15, 16; Mat. xxiii. 29-35; Acts vih 51, 52, and Heb. xi. 36, 37. 212 Christ's disciples are the salt of the earth and light of the world. xxxvii SECT. who were long before you the ambassadors from the prophets which God to them; and as you nows hare in the trib- were before you. ulation of those holy men, you shall ere long Mat. V. 12 share in their glory. 13 14 13 Ye are the salt savour, where with cast out, and to be Let it be, in the mean time, your care to imitate their piety and zeal, as remembering of the earth; but if that you, my disciples, are to be, as it were, the the salt have lost its salt of the earth, the means of preventing or shall it be salted? It curing the growth of that corruption which is thenceforth good prevails in it, and of seasoning men's minds for nothing but to be with wisdom and grace: but it would be most trodden under foot unhappy for yourselves, as well as for them, if of men. you should be destitute of those blessed principles; for if the salt be grown insipid," with what can it possibly be seasoned? It is no farther of any avail or significancy at all; but, as an useless thing, is left to be thrown out of doors and to be trampled on by men as the common dirt of the streets: thus worthless and contemptible will you, my disciples, be, even in the most eminent stations, if character for real and vital religion. you lose your And therefore, that this may not be the case 14 Ye are the light with you, consider the distinguished circum- of the world. A city stances in which you are placed: you are, like that is set on an hill the sun, to be the light of the world; and how cannot be hid. conspicuous and bright should you appear under that character! Even a city that, like yonder town, is situated on a mountain, cannot be hid, but will attract men's eyes from a considerable 15 distance. Neither do men light so much as a 15 Neither do men n If the salt be grown insipid.] Clerc sinks the meaning of this noble passage very low, when he supposes our Lord only intends to compare his disciples to salt on a mountain.] Mr. Maundrel tells us • A city that, like yonder town, is situated ashes used in manuring the ground, (see that there is a city called Saphet, supposed Luke xiv. 34, 35.) That passage, in which to be the ancient Bethulia, which, standLivy calls Greece Sal Gentium, the salt of ing on a high hill, might easily be seen all the nations, on account of those intel- from the mountain on which Christ made lectual improvements they learned from this discourse; and probably supposes he thence, might easily have suggested a might point to that here, as afterwards he much nobler sense, which the paraphrase did to the birds and the lilies: Mat. vi. 26 expresses. The word pan has a pecu- -28. (Maundr. Travels, p. 115.) Many liar beauty and strength here, and might writers have justly observed, that our Lord, literally be rendered, if it be infatuated, or like Socrates, takes his similies from the grown foolish, alluding to the common figure most obvious things, familiarly known to in which sense and spirit are expressed by his hearers, and often before their eyes, salt; but I thought the metaphor too strong even while he was speaking; a thought to be literally retained in the version, and most largely illustrated by Sir Isaac Newtherefore contented myself with a distant ton on the Prophecies, p. 148, 149. insipid. Compare Job vi. 6, and Col. iv. 6. Mr. Le imitation, as we call a flat lifeless discourse Reflections on the beatitudes pronounced by Christ. stick, and it giveth are in the house. 213 Mat. light a candle, and common lamp, and put it under a bushel, and SECT. put it under a bush- conceal it there; but they rather set it on a el; but on a candle- stand, and it giveth light to all that are in the light unto all that house. How much less will it become you, V. 15 whom I have compared to the sun, to hide or to suppress your rays? On the contrary, let 16 16 Let your light it be your care that your light may so shine beso shine before men, that they may see fore men, that they may continually see your your good works, good works in every circumstance and relation and glorify your Father which is in of life, and may thereby be engaged to glorify your Father who is in heaven; not only praising him for sending such a religion into the world, but also themselves embracing your faith, and imitating your holy example. heaven. IMPROVEMENT. WHAT abundant reason have we to bless God that this large Verse and edifying discourse of our blessed Redeemer is thus particu- 1, 2 larly recorded by the sacred historian. Let every one that hath ears to hear attend to it; for surely never man spake as our Lord here doth. Let us fix our souls in a posture of humble attention, that we may receive the law from his mouth. He opened it with blessings, repeated and most important 3.12 blessings. But on whom are they pronounced? and whom are we taught to think the happiest of mankind? The meek and the humble, the penitent and the merciful, the peaceful and the pure, those that hunger and thirst after righteousness, those that labour, but faint not, under persecution! Blessed Jesus! how different are thy maxims from those of the children of this world! They call the proud happy, and admire the gay, the rich, the powerful, and the victorious. But let a vain world take its gaudy trifles, and dress up the foolish creatures that pursue them. May our souls share in that happiness which the Son of God came to recommend and to procure! May we obtain mercy of the Lord; may we be owned as his children; may we see his face; and may we inherit his kingdom! With these enjoyments, and these hopes, we will cheerfully welcome the lowest or the most painful circumstances. Let us awaken and stir up our souls to the cultivation of those amiable virtues which are here recommended to our pursuit; this humility and meekness, this penitent sense of sin, this ardent desire after righteousness, this compassion and purity, this ? How much less will it become you, beautiful passage Mr. Pierce has well whom I have compared to the sun, c.] shewn in his fourth Dissertation. That this is the sense and spirit of this VOL. I. 2 c |