THE
OR,
LECTURES ON THE BEATITUDES.
BY
REV. GEORGE C. CRUM.
EDITED BY
REV. D. W. CLARK, D. D.
0(incinnati:
PUBLISHED BY L. SWORMSTEDT & A. POE,
FOR THE METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, AT THE WESTERN BOOK CONCERN,
CORNER OF MAIN AND EIGHTH STREETS.
R. P. THOMPSON, PRINTER.
1854.




Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1854,
BY SWO()RMSTEDT & POE,
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the
District of Ohio.




TO
ift ftatrablt ail NtlffWt fa tfl,
THESE
LECTURES ARE INSCRIBED,
&S A
SLIGHT TOKEN
OF
PROFOUND RESPECT AND FILIAL AFFECTION,
BY THE AUTHOR.








BY the courtesy of the author, Rev. George C. Crum, I have read,
in manuscript, " The Mount of Blessing; or, Lectures on the Beatitudes," and take pleasure in expressing my decided approval of the
work. The topics chosen are of vital importance in the formation of
Christian character; the style is admirably adapted to the subject;
the principles laid down are evangelical, and a spirit of heavenly
sweetness is diffused throughout the whole. To all who seek "the
path of life," as marked out by Him who is " the light of the world,"
these beautiful and instructive Lectures are cheerfully recommended
by
T. A. MORris.
Cincinnati, April, 1854.
5
1*








PREFACE.
DEAR FRIEND, —Permit me to detain you a moment. The Lectures you are about to read are upon
one of the most beautiful and interesting portions
of Divine truth. The Beatitudes have ever been
admired. They show us so much of the Savior's
heart; they so graphically pencil the characters he
loves; they unseal such a full and sweet fountain of
comfort, that a pious mind can not fail to realize
both pleasure and profit in meditating upon them.
So peculiarly are they constructed, if I may thus
speak, that they adapt themselves, in some degree,
to every kind of temperament, to every stage of
Christian experience, and every circumstance of
human life. They delineate character, they prompt
us to an effort of imitation, and pronounce a blessing upon every humble and sincere endeavor.
Standing, as we seem to, around the Mount, under
the uplifted hands of Jesus, while blessings, like
the river of life, pour from his opening lips, our
weakness should change to strength, our despair to
joyful hope, and our tottering footsteps to a firm
and rapid movement along the highway of holiness.
7




8                PREFACE.
To expound and apply the truth as taught in
this portion of our Lord's Sermon on the Mount, is
the object of these Lectures. How far I have succeeded others must determine. They came up in
the ordinary course of pulpit preparation, and were
designed especially for those over whom I was set
in the ministry of the word. They are the result of
thought and prayer, and were written out at intervals and amidst deep personal affliction. The
critical will find Inany imperfections; but friends, to
whose judgment I would bow in other respects,
have advised their publication; and hence their appearance in the present form. I send them forth to
do good. Should they lead one soul to the Savior,
or shed one ray of light upon a desponding heart,
or in any degree advance the cause of my Redeemer, I have my reward.
GEO. C. OCRaM.
Cincinnati, April, 1854.




CONTENTS.
LECTURE I.
TmH GREAT TEACEiR-.......................................Page 13
LECTURE II.
F'IRST BEATITUDE.-.-........................................ 37
LECTURE III.
SECOND BEATITUDE —-........-.-.-.61
LECTURE IV.
TiIRD BEATITUDE —--..... -...... -....-........................85
LECTURE V.
FOURTH BEATITUDE *.1.0.9~..... -................109
LECTURE VI.
FIFTH BEATITUDE.    * -. - 133
LECTURE VII.
SIXTH BEATITUDE. —....   -...............................159
LECTURE VIII.
SEVENTH BEATITUDE..... - --—............185
LECTURE IX.
EJGHTH BEATITUDE....... -......... -....  -*-* --    -—.211
9








LECTURE I.








T1e Fo nnt   of            ftss in4.
THE GREAT TEACHER.
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he
was set, his disciples came unto him. And he opened his mouth, and
taught them." MATTHEW V, 1, 2.
THE Son of God had now entered the world.
Prophecy had indicated, long before his advent, that
he would be a prophet as well as a priest and king.
"Thus Moses said unto the fathers, A  prophet
shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your
brethren, like unto me." In succeeding ages, other
inspired seers had described him as a Teacher, a
Wise Counselor, and the Messenger of the Covenant-forms of expression applicable to him only in
the character of a teacher. The beautiful images
of a star and a sun point him out as the source of
intelligence, and show their propriety in those
divine instructions which fell from his lips while he
sojourned on the earth. A striking fulfillment of
these ancient predictions is seen on the first Sabbath
of his ministry. Being at Nazareth, "he entered
into a synagogue, as his custom was, and opening
the book of the prophet Esaias, read: The Spirit
of the Lord is upon me, because the Lord hath
anointed me to preach the Gospel to the poor; he hath
sent me to heal the broken-hearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the
2                13




14       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
blind, to set at liberty them that are bound; and then
closing the book, said to the astonished multitude,
This day is this Scripture fulfilled in your ears."
The time having arrived when he should assume
the functions of his ministry, he was baptized in the
river Jordan, by which rite he was solemnly initiated into those high offices which he was to fulfill
as the Redeemer and Savior of the world.
Pursuing the history of St. Matthew, the next
event following his baptism is the temptation.
During forty days he permitted, and endured the
assaults of Satan. And though his temptations
were conducted with consummate art and skill,
yet he was foiled in every onset, and the Savior
was completely victorious. The views which this
scene gives of the Redeemer's character, are in the
highest degree instructive and salutary; while the
issue of the conflict and the means of victory, furnish his disciples with weapons and encouragement
under every assault of the prince of darkness.
Emerging from the wilderness, he came to Nazareth. Here his stay was brief. Thence he came
and dwelt at Capernaum, a city on the north-west
coast of the Sea of Tiberias. From this time the
public ministry of Jesus began. Walking by the
Sea of Galilee, "the shores of which," says Josephus, " are beautiful as Paradise," he saw and called
his first disciples. Accompanied by them, he began his visits through Galilee, "teaching in theii
synagogues, and healing all manner of sickness and
disease among the people." His preaching and
miracles excited universal attention.  His fame
spread through all Syria, and vast numbers of peo



THE GREAT TEACHER.              15
pie "followed him  from  Galilee, from  Decapolis,
from Jerusalem, and from beyond Jordan."
"And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a
mountain." From an eminence he could more conveniently address the vast numbers who sought to
hear and see him. A mountain is still shown,
north-west of the ancient site of Capernaum, which
tradition affirms to be the place where this sermon
was delivered, and which is hence called the
"Mount of Beatitudes."  "And when he was set,
his disciples came unto him." Sitting was the
common attitude of Jewish teachers. "And he
opened his mouth, and taught them." This is a
mode of expression indicating the commencement
of a solemn and lengthened discourse. Perhaps
no where in the history of our blessed Savior have
we a more interesting view of his character, as the
great prophet of his Church, than in the scene now
before us. The mountain, the preacher, the rapt
multitude —every thing impresses; and then his discourse-every word comes sanctioned by Divine
authority, and falls like a beam of light from the
throne of God.
It would seem almost needless to remark, that religion was the subject of his teaching. He had
come into the world to save men-to save them from
ignorance, from guilt, and from the fearful penalties
of sin in a future world. And all his teachings
were designed to promote this benevolent result.
Entering upon his public ministry, he began, at
once, to declare the tidings of life and immortality.
HIe preached salvation, and proclaimed the love of
God to a perishing world. He announced the doc



16       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
trines of religion, explained their nature, and enforced their necessity by the most awful sanctions.
Religion had been obscured by the false glosses
of men. In the hands of its professed teachers, it
had sunk to a heartless observance of mere ceremony. The form was there, but the power had fled.
It was a corpse decked in diamonds. To remove
these false glosses, to restore to religion even more
than primitive purity and power, and enthrone it in
the heart, a living and sanctifying principle, was the
great end and aim of the Savior. And never for a
moment did he turn aside from this object. All his
teachings centered here. Every remark, however
casual or remote, in the beginning, at once took the
direction, and finally rested upon the great question
of our eternal interests. 0 how must that Savior
have borne us upon his heart! how must he have
loved us, when he could never speak, even, without
revealing something of that deep interest which he
felt in our welfare! Let us adore and love, with an
ardent and supreme affection, that heavenly Teacher,
whose character we are now to contemplate. And
may a portion of that Spirit which rested on him
without measure, fall on us, that we may "speak in
demonstration of the Spirit and with power," upon
this exalted theme! Your attention will be directed
to a single leading thought-his characteristics as a
teacher-and we can only speak of the more prominent.
I. HE IS A DIVINE TEACHER.
He was commissioned by the Father, and in the fullness of time sent forth to make known the will of God,
and the wondrous plan of redemption. Upon the




THE GREAT TEACHER.               17
divinity of his mission the Savior spoke often and
fully. " I am come," says he, " in my Father's name.
The living Father hath sent me. I came down from
heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him
that sent me. My meat is to do the will of him
that sent me, and to finish his work." He was an
embassador from heaven. Iis credentials bore the
signature of the Almighty, under whose high authority he acted.  But he is to be distinguished
from all others in this capacity. Moses was a
teacher; the prophets were teachers-they were
divinely sent and divinely accredited; but they
were not divine. He alone who "is in the bosom
of the Father, full of grace and truth," could claim
this distinction. He was the Son of God, and by
this relationship could claim equality with the
Father. "I and my Father are one. If ye had
known me,'" said he to his disciples, "ye should
have known my Father also; and from henceforth
ye know him and have seen him." Could any man,
or angel, utter such words? and do they not teach
his supreme and absolute divinity?  "In himn," says
an inspired apostle, "dwelt all the fullness of the
Godhead bodily." And though he was the apostle
of our profession, acting in the subordinate relation
of a messenger to man, he was not the less equal
with God; "being the brightness of the Father's
glory, and the express image of his person."
The testimony of the Father still further confirms
these views: "There is another that beareth witness of me: and I know that the witness which he
witnesseth of me is true. The Father that sent lme,
he beareth witness of mle."  And that testimony
2*




18       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
was given in a manner fitted to impress us with the
divinity of our Savior as the great prophet and
teacher of righteousness. The first instance was
at his baptism. As he was now about to enter upon
his public ministry, it would seem important that
some acknowledgment of his divine character and
mission should be made. Testimony from heaven
would give the greatest weight to his claims. Accordingly, when he ascended from the waters of
Jordan, "the heavens were opened, and the Spirit
of God, descending like a dove, lighted upon him;
and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
Another was on the Mount of Transfiguration.
" The object of this event," says Mr. Watson, "was
probably the inauguration of Christ as the supreme
Lawgiver and teacher of his Church."  The scene
was appropriate. Having ascended a mountain, attended by three of his disciples, "he was transfigured before them; and his face did shine as the
sun, and his raiment was white as the light: and
behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias
talking with them. Then answered Peter, and said
unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here." So
you would have thought, and said, had you been
there. "Let us make three tabernacles; one for
thee, one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet
spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This
is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased:
hear ye him." That voice attested not only his
divinity, but his prophetic office likewise, and
claimed for him supreme attention and implicit




THE GREAT TEACHER.             19
faith. The same voice speaks from Mount Tabor,
which was heard amid the rolling clouds of smoke
and flame at Sinai, and above the trumpet's waxing
blast. "Hear ye him;" not Moses only, but that
greater prophet of whom Moses spoke; not Elijah,
or the prophets only, but him to whom they all gave
witness. Hear ye him; at all times, on all occasions, on all subjects. Thus, in view of his divine
character, are we required to take him for our only
teacher-to sit at his feet, and learn of him the lessons of saving truth.
II. AUTHORITY WAS ANOTHER LEADING TRAIT IN HIS
CHARACTER AS A TEACHER.
There was a seeming right to command, a weight
and force of appeal that compelled his hearers to
say, "Never man spake like this man."  Nor was
that authority merely seeming; it was not affected to
gain attention-it was real-it was the voice of God.
When, therefore, he taught on the Sabbath days, in
Capernaum, we read, "they were astonished at his
doctrine, for his word was with power."
His was the authority of infinite wisdom. "In
him were hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." He was the wisdom of God. Even his
enemies, when they tauntingly said, "Is not this
the carpenter's son?" were compelled to say, also,
"Whence hath this man this wisdom and these
mighty works " That wisdom was displayed in all
his discourses. When he taught, the truths of religion appeared in a new aspect. When he spoke
of God, it was in language that showed his perfect
knowledge of the divine nature and perfections. " No
man," said he," knoweth the Father, but the Son;"




20       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
and when he utters that sublime sentence, "God is
a Spirit," we feel that the declaration is true. It
was more than the combined wisdom of the world
had ever said. He was acquainted with the entire
condition of man. No one ever dissected the human
heart as he did. His omniscient eye penetrated its
most secret chambers, and showed us where to find
the source of all those evils that have filled the
world with crime and woe. " Fronm within out of
the heart of man proceed evil thoughts, adulteries,
fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy,
pride, foolishness." The experience of all ages has
confirmed this wisdom. He was perfectly acquainted
with the thoughts of men. He was never deceived
by appearances-never made a false estimate of
character. When many around him professed to
receive his words and believe in him, he was not
misled by their pretensions, because "he knew all
men, and needed not that any should testify of man;
for he knew what was in man."
Whatever might be the art or sagacity of his enemies, however wisely or secretly they might lay their
schemes, he at once saw through their dissembling,
and detected their wickedness. Take one instance of
many: The Pharisees had counseled together how
they might entangle him in conversation. Having
arranged their plan, " they sent their disciples, saying,
Master, we know that thou art true, and teachest the
way of God in truth; neither carest thou for any
man: for thou regardest not the person of men."
This was a hypocritical compliment, not believed by
them, but artfully said to conceal their designs.




THE GREAT TEACHER.              21
"Tell us," said they, "is it lawful to give tribute to
Cesar, or not " But at once he perceived their
object, and said, " Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites a
Show me the tribute money." And they brought
him a penny. Then said he, "Whose image and
superscription is this " They replied, "'Cesar's."
Then said he, " Render unto Cesar the things which
are Cesar's, and unto God the things that are God's."
Thus were they foiled in their aim. His reply was
so wise-it so clearly exposed their wickedness, that
they went their way, utterly confounded and covered
with shame.
His was the authority of infinite rectitude and
purity. Even among men, with all their imperfections, personal rectitude gives authority to discourse.
Thus the precepts of the virtuous have energy and
force, while those of the vicious are empty and powerless. They fall short of the heart, because they
lack the impulsive force of a holy life. The holiness of the Savior was perfect; it had neither mixture nor spot. In the language of St. Paul, "He
was holy, harmless, and undefiled, separate and
apart from sinners."  No improper passion or desire
dwelt in his bosom. He was unstained by crime
and unspotted from the world. "He did no sin,
neither was there guile in his mouth." When upon
earth, and surrounded by perverse and censorious
men, ever watchful as they were, they could find no
fault in him. In all the majesty of conscious rectitude he could appeal to their own decision: "' Which
of you convinceth me of sin 2"
His, too, was the authority of almighty power,
exhibiting itself " in signs, and wonders, and mighty




22       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
deeds," for the confirmation of his word. "The
works that I do," said Jesus, " they bear witness of
me."  And what were these works?   Let us take his
own enumeration of them. "Go and tell John,"
said he, "'the things which ye do see and hear. The
blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers
are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised up,
and the poor have the Gospel preached to them."
Were such a teacher to address you, proclaiming
himself the resurrection and the life, and then at
once call from the grave a man that had been dead
four days, who could question his power-who would
not bow to his authority. Such a teacher we have
in the person of Jesus Christ. The wide universe
was under his control; every department of nature
yielded to his sway; the winds and waves, every
form of disease, angels in heaven, and men on earth
confessed his authority; while the very demons of
hell cried out for fear before him, and fled howling
from his presence. The Jewish mind, dark and
obdurate as it was, saw and felt the force of these
proofs. " We know," said one of their wisest counselors, " that thou art a teacher come from God, for
no man can do the works which thou doest except
God be with him." Then, if infinite wisdom, infinite purity, and almighty power, exerting themselves for the alleviation of human sorrow, can confer authority, it is pre-eminently his, for he claimed
and possessed them all. While contemplating his
perfections, I feel that he has a right to speak, and
bowing at his feet, I exclaim, "Speak, Lord, for thy
servant heareth."




THE GREAT TEACHER.              23
III. A THIRD CHARACTERISTIC OF HIS TEACHING WAS
SIMPLICITY.
And in this there is a marked distinction between
him and all other teachers. The heathen oracles
taught; but they spoke in dark and mysterious
words, and were far more likely to deceive than
instruct. The Gentile philosophers drew around
them disciples and taught, but they dealt in such
subtile discourse and metaphysical reasoning, as to
be little less obscure than the oracles of the groves
and mountains. The rabbis among the Jews had
their disciples and taught, but their glosses and
fables so far dimmed the light of truth, that both
they and their disciples alike remained in darkness.
How striking was the contrast when the Savior
taught! He not only revealed the truth, but explained it in such a sweet and familiar way as to
leave the most ignorant without excuse. Those sublime and precious truths, so necessary for the world
to know, were stripped of all obscurity and brought
down to the most humble capacity. Even a child
might know them and be made wise unto salvation.
The attention of men, so difficult to arrest and hold,
was at once secured by the most striking metaphors
and beautiful parables, while by the same means
the light of truth was carried into minds hitherto
locked up in ignorance and sin. He had come into
the world to teach men the way to heaven, and he
stooped to every grade of mind, and every grade of
condition, for the accomplishment of this benevolent
end. He taught the humble fisherman by the seaside. In the field he instructs the husbandman how
to sow, and how to cultivate the fruit of life eternal.




24       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING
On the highway he finds the neglected beggar, and
teaches him how to gain and keep the true riches.
At the well, where he rested, faint and weary, he
shows a despised Samaritan the way of salvation,
and opens in her heart "a well of water springing
up into everlasting life."
It would, perhaps, be impossible to bring forward
a more striking example of simplicity, than is found
in the sermon on the Mount. This is certainly one
of the most lofty and sublime exhibitions of divine
truth ever presented to the human mind; and yet
such is its plainness that the most ordinary capacity
can appreciate its beauty and feel its force. Look,
for instance, at the manner in which he inculcates
the doctrine of Divine providence, and the duty of
confidence in its provisions: "Behold the fowls of
the air: they sow not, neither do they reap, nor
gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth
them."  How beautiful is this! When oppressed
with desponding thoughts, we are to look at the
birds. We see them flit on joyous wing; they
sing in the groves, they meet the early dawn with
songs, they pour their notes upon the evening
gale, unanxious about the morrow.  God feeds
them. Will he not then supply your wants?
Another illustration he takes from the lilies of the
field: "See how they grow: they toil not, they spin
not." Yet night and day they expand in beauty,
spreading their blossoms to the sun and loading the
air with perfume-" even Solomon was not arrayed
in such glory!" Yet this beautiful flower will soon
fade and be cut down. "And now," says Jesus, " if
God thus clothes the lily, a frail flower, soon to




THE GREAT TEACHER.              25
perish, will he be unmindful of his children? Will
he not much more clothe you?"
Look next at the manner in which he teaches
prayer: "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and
ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto
you. What man is there of you, whom if his son
ask bread, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a
fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then being
evil know how to give good gifts unto your children,
how much more shall your Father which is in
heaven give good things to them  that ask him?"
No one but the Son of God could teach such a lesson
as this, at once so sublime and simple. A child can
appreciate this illustration, and feel the sweet encouragement to pray. Henceforth the most dark
and doubtful mind may look to heaven, with the
glad assurance that God is far more ready to hear
and answer the humble suppliant, than the most
affectionate of earthly parents.
Looking into other discourses of our blessed Lord,
we find every-where the same beautiful simplicity.
"The common people heard him gladly." The
illiterate multitude, so long despised by the proud
scribe and Pharisee, hung upon his lips, charmed
by his touching illustrations and the winning sweetness of his manner. The ignorant were no longer to
perish for lack of knowledge, for infinite wisdom
itself had come to be their instructor.
The teachings of Christ have, therefore, a universal fitness. They are adapted to all ages, all classes,
all characters. They were designed for universal
benefit, and ere he left the world he made ample
arrangements for their diffusion among all nations.
3




26       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
The adaptation is complete, both to the wise and the
unwise, the philosopher and the fool. And the
blended grandeur and simplicity of his discourses,
while they astonish the one, equally charm and
delight the other. And still, the judgment and the
sentiment of all who sit at his feet is, "N lever man
spake like this man."
IV. HE WAS AFFECTIONATE AND TENDER.
Something more is requisite in a teacher than
authority and talent.  Authority may awe, and
great abilities may astonish; but neither of them
soften and win the heart, unless tempered with gentleness and love. The Jewish doctors were proud
and austere; there was nothing about them to attract and attach disciples; they repulsed rather than
invited the ignorant and humble. How striking
was the contrast when Jesus appeared! His heart
was full of love. It was love that moved him to
stoop from the throne of the universe and enter our
dark world. It was love that impelled him onward
in a career of unexampled benevolence, beset with
suffering, persecution, and death; and all in our
behalf. "Ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, who, though he was rich, yet for our sakes
became poor, that we, through his poverty, might be
rich." Yes, it was infinite love; nothing less could
suggest the idea of such condescension, or propose
such a sublime result. And that love shone brighter
than the sun in all that he uttered, and in all that
he did, while he dwelt in our world. None ever
had such a heart as Jesus. It was appropriately
the home of love, or, more properly, it was the inexhaustible fountain from whence all love pro



THIE GREAT TEACHER.              27
ceeds. It bore him through the sorrows of the garden and the cross; and now that he has returned to
his native heaven, he is still the same. Though on
yonder throne of glory,
"His heart is made of tenderness,
His bowels melt with love."
His subjects of discourse indicate the feelings of
his heart. Man is a moral being, and bound to an
immortal destiny. He is also a fallen being; an
original taint affects his nature. "The whole head
is sick, the whole heart is faint." IHis life is one of
rebellion against God, made up of daily transgressions. He is an alien from the family of God, cut
off from its privileges, and the heir of future and
endless wrath. But may he be pardoned? may he
regain what he has lost? may he ever return to the
pure and peaceful family of God?  If so, how? How
intensely interesting are these questions! their very
utterance sends a thrill to the inmost soul! A
teacher who would devote his life to these questions,
who would resolve our doubts, and strike out the
path of return, might well be regarded as the friend
of man; and if he should close his labor of love
by dying, that we might live forever, the proof of
his affection would be complete.
This is precisely what the Savior has done; forever blessed be his name! He came to the world
with a message of mercy, and his entire life was
consecrated to the one work of making known the
way of salvation. For what purpose he came —how
great was our guilt and danger-how God loved
us-how we might escape the wrath to come-how
we might be pardoned and purified-how we might




28       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
regain more than Paradise, these were his only
themes of discourse. For this every occasion was
improved and every moment occupied. Immortal
souls were perishing, and moments were too precious
to be wasted. Passing from the temple on one
occasion, " the disciples saw a blind man; and they
said, Master, who did sin, this mlan, or his parents,
that he was born blind 2" It was probably Sabbath
evening; the sun was sinking in the western sky,
and the shades of night about to appear. Turning
to them, he uttered these impressive words, "I must
work the works of him that sent me while it is day:
the night cometh when no man can work;" and
then, by an exertion of infinite power, restored the
blind to sight. This was the diligence of love,
exerting its energies every moment in bearing away
the sins and sorrows of mankind.
Look at his manner of teaching. " Learn of me,"
said he, " for I am meek and lowly in heart." This
is intended to express the gentleness and kindness
of his manner toward those who place themselves
under his instructions. As if he had said, "You
need not fear, I will deal tenderly with you, and bear
with all your infirmities; you may be sinful, but I
came to save sinners; you may be ignorant, but I
will not cast out any that come to me.'The bruised
reed will I not break, and the smoking flax will I
not quench."' In all this, how beautifully does his
love appear! Were it otherwise, conscious of his
many defects, the sinner would fear to approach
him, and shrink with trembling from his presence;
but, with a heart full of love, and a face beaming
with kindness, he says, "Come." And when, in




THE GREAT TEACHER.               29
obedience to his invitation, we sit down at his feet,
he graciously condescends to our ignorance. Are
we slow to learn? he does not chide, but repeats
his lessons, giving line upon line, and precept upon
precept. When we fail, he does not frown us from
his presence, but gently prompts us to try again;
and thus he advances as we can bear it, till the
bright rays of truth light up the whole mind, and
the soul quickens into a new and heavenly life.
Observe his invitations and offers. "Come," said
he, " unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden,
and I will give you rest." If more than this is
wanting, take his declaration in the synagogue of
Nazareth: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because lie hath anointed me to preach the Gospel
to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and
recovering of sight to the blind; to set at liberty
them that are bound."  Draw near now, and lay
open your complaints. Are you poor? the "poor
have the Gospel preached unto them;" and if you
will receive the message, it will enrich and bless
you forever.  Are you broken-hearted? "he is
nigh unto them that are of a broken heart, and
saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Are you
enslaved? he comes proclaiming deliverance to the
captives; and not this alone, but he shall open the
doors of your prison house, break off your fetters,
and "set at liberty them that are bound." V What
offers are these! How full of grace and love! They
should relieve every difficulty, suppress every fear,
and banish doubt forever from the mind.
And look, too, at his grief under the perversity
8 *.




80        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
and opposition of men. Standing in the midst of a
world of dying sinners, his gracious announcement
was, "I am come, that ye might have life, and that
ye might have it more abundantly." And when
they rejected his merciful offers, he exclaimed, in
pity and sorrow, " Ye will not come unto me, that ye
i,ight have life."
One of the most touching scenes, illustrative of
these generous feelings, occurred near the period of
his sufferings. He was about to enter Jerusalem.
As he approached it he passed over the Mount of
Olives. From that mountain there was a full view
of the city. The view of the splendid capital, the
knowledge of its crimes, its guilt, and the storm of
vengeance that was about to burst upon it, filled his
bosom with unutterable pity; "and he wept over it,
saying, If thou hadst known, even thou in this thy
day, the things which belong unto thy peace; but
now they are hid from thine eyes." What a lesson
for ministers I
"Did Christ o'er sinners weep;
And shall our cheeks be dry?"
No, we too should weep. The love of Christ is as
deep now as then; the soul is as precious, the danger of sinners as imminent. Pity becomes the servant of a weeping Savior. If compelled to utter
the sentence of death, like Jesus on Olivet, let us
bathe it with our tears.
V. FINALLY, IT WAS CHARACTERISTIC OF HIM AS A
TEACHER, THAT ALL HIS INSTRUCTIONS WERE EMBODIED
IN HIS OWN BLESSED EXAMPLE.
Nothing is more important in a religious teacher
than this. We may have wisdom, eloquence, and




THE GREAT TEACHER.             31
authority; but example is the great teacher. Hence,
our Savior embodied his doctrines in his life. From
him we not only have the sublimest lessons, but we
see them exemplified-invested with a body, living
and moving before the world. Let us select a few
instances.
He taught the duty of humility; and his life was
the pattern. Though he was Lord of the universe,
and "equal with God, yet he made himself of no
reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant."  He served men, even his enemies, the poorest and the vilest of mankind. He condescended
to the lowest offices-washing his disciples' feet. He
was not emulous of distinction, but rejected the
praise of men, and cast aside the honors of the
world; and, finally, descending to a point beyond
which humility itself could not go, "he became
obedient unto death, even the death of the cross."
He taught meekness; and he excelled all men in
this grace. Under the greatest provocations, when
reproached and vilified, when classed with the lowest and vilest of men, he was tranquil and selfpossessed. No breath of calumny or storm of persecution could agitate his placid heart. He never
displayed unholy passion, or evinced a spirit of resentment. "When he was reviled, he reviled not
again." He wept over his enemies, and, when suffering all that their malice could inflict, prayed that
the men who nailed him to the tree might be forgiven.
He taught obedience to God; and his life was in
harmony with the Divine will. "My meat," said
he, "is to do the will of him that sent me, and to
finish his work." Every desire, and purpose, and




32        THE MIOUNT OF BLESSING.
thought, was in beautiful and perfect agreement with
the spotless mind of God.
He inculcated a pure and fervent devotion; and
it distinguished his life.  He held constant communion with God, and in the sacred exercise of
prayer spent even whole nights. Whether we see
him in the synagogue or in the temple, on the
Mount with his disciples or at the grave of Lazarus,
his friend, in the garden or on the cross, he is still a
man of prayer. Prayer was the element in which
he lived and died.
He taught the doctrine of Christian benevolence;
and his life exemplified it. Love drew him from
the skies, and is the true principle upon which to
account for the wonders of his life and death. He
gave himself a ransom for sinful men, and by this,
together with a life of unexampled benevolence,
brought before the world a display and a manner
of love that passeth understanding. " Herein is
love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us."
Here, then, is both our teacher and our pattern.
But 0, Jesus of Nazareth, what a character is
thine! "'Thou art fairer than the children of men:
grace is poured into thy lips; therefore, thou art
blessed forever." How precious are thy words, how
perfect is thine example, my teacher, my pattern!
As such I receive thee, to hear thy words and imitate
thy life.
CONCLUSION.
I shall close these considerations with a single
inference: If Christ 8s a divine teacher, we should
hear him. Hark! " A voice from the most excellent glory" proclaims, "This is my beloved Son: hear




THE GREAT TEACHER.              33
ye him." A divine command makes it our duty;
and "to-day, if ye will hear his voice, harden not
your hearts." Hear him in his word. Search the
Scriptures; they are able to make you wise unto
salvation.  Hear him  in his house; he speaks
through his embassadors, who "beseech you in
Christ's stead to be reconciled to God."
Do I address one who refuses to listen to the voice
of this heavenly Teacher? Your condition is most
alarming. It is one of sin and guilt; nay, more, if
more is possible-it is one of danger-danger of
death eternal-a danger you can never escape if you
continue in sin. The soul that sinneth shall die.
"Except ye repent," says the Son of God, "ye shall
all likewise perish." There is hope for you, but that
hope rests upon your repentance. If you will come
to him, if you will hear his voice, you shall find
salvation; but if not, then you must perish; no arm
in the universe can save you. "See, then, that ye
refuse not him that speaketh; for if they escaped
not who refused him that spake on earth, much more
shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that
speaketh from heaven."
Perhaps I speak to one who is saying, "Jesus,
thou Son of David, have mercy upon le!" Rise, he
calleth thee. "Come unto me all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest."
Ah! that is the same sweet voice that was heard
among the hills and vales of Judea, eighteen hundred years ago; it is still a voice of love. " Blessed
are the people that know the joyful sound." Come,
then, and bow at his feet. He will not frown thee
thence, for he casteth out none that come to him.




34       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
Believe his word. Trust his grace. Cast thyself
upon his mercy. Then thou shalt find that'"his
words are spirit and life." He will take away thy
load of guilt; he will heal thy wounded soul, and
pour such heavenly light upon thee, that thy heart
shall bound for joy, and thy tongue shall sing for
gladness.
Do I address any of his disciples? Yes. Like
Matthew you were pursuing the world, but Jesus
said to you, " Follow me;" and you arose and followed him. "Verily, I say unto you, there is no
man that hath left houses, or brethren, or sisters, or
father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands for
my sake and the Gospel's, but shall receive an
hundred-fold, now in this time, and in the world to
come eternal life."  Cleave to him.  Your true
position is at his feet, drinking in his precious words.
"You know the truth, and the truth hath made you
free." Let none seduce you from his cause. He
has now gone to his throne. Take up your cross and
follow him to heaven. Some, deceived by Satan, and
insnared by the world, have turned aside. " Will
ye also go away? Lord, to whom should we go but
to thee?  Thou hast the words of eternal life."




LECTURE II.








FIRST BEATITUDE.               87
FIRST BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven."
MATTHEIW V, 3.
" THE Old Testament," says one of the old divines,
"closes with a curse, but the New opens with a
blessing."  Christ, therefore, begins his sermon on
the Mount with blessings; as if he intended, at this
early period of his ministry, to intimate the merciful
design of his mission: that "he came into the world
not to condemn the world, but that the world through
him might be saved;" and that, opening his mission
in this way, he meant to go on, adding blessing to
blessing, till the subjects of his grace should be completely and eternally happy.
These eight beatitudes may be regarded as so
many moral portraits; and nothing could more certainly arrest the mind and fix the attention of men,
than the characters thus represented, and the blessings pronounced upon them. }Heretofore men had
looked upon them in a far different light. When
had the poor in spirit, or the mourner, or the meek,
been pronounced happy?  Nlever. They had been
universally regarded as mean and despicable. " There
was not," says Mr. Wesley, " in the whole Roman
language, with all the improvements of the Augustan
age, so much as a name for humility; nor was one
found in all the copious language of Greece, till it
was made by the great apostle."  This. then, was a
4




38        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
new doctrine, contrary to the most cherished views
of the human heart, calculated, perhaps, to rouse
prejudice and opposition-certainly to fill the mind
with wonder. The multitudes that heard him were
astonished at his doctrine.
Perhaps one leading design of the Savior in these
beatitudes, was to rectify our views upon the subject
of happiness. Happiness is what all men everywhere pursue; and " who will show us any good?" is
a universal inquiry. Man can not desire misery-he
must desire happiness. A law of his nature compels it. The desire was implanted by an all-wise
Creator, and for the most benevolent ends. But in
what does it consist, and where shall it be found?
Alas! in regard to nothing has a blind and erring
world made so many mistakes! Some pursue it in
courts and palaces, others in literary distinction,
Some, again, in the acquisition of wealth, and others
in sensual pleasure. But in all these and a thousand
other cases happiness is a flying phantom, that
eludes the pursuit and mocks the hopes of men.
"The deep saith, It is not in me; and the sea saith,
It is not with me: it can not be gotten for gold,
neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof."
The objects usually sought by men, as wealth, honor,
and influence, can not confer happiness; they have
no adaptation to this end, and all who lhave sought
it in them, have, sooner or later, realized the bitterness of disappointment. Millions are thus insnared
and cheated. Happiness, like a bright vision, floats
far away before them. Eager in the pursuit,' they
take no note of time,'' but traverse the whole path
of life, and finally drop into the grave ruined and




FIRST BEATITUDE.               39
wretched forever. 0, might we learn wisdom from
their folly!
And now, would we learn what happiness is, and
where it is to be found, we must take our first lessons of Jesus; we must learn of him, for he alone
can show us the way of life. Let us, then, with MIary
sit down at his feet. This itself will be the first step
in the path of bliss —a path growing brighter in its
progress till it terminates in the perfect bliss of the
kingdom of God. His first lesson is, "Blessed are
the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven." Let us now
I. INSTITUTE THIS VERY PLAIN QUESTION: WHO ARE
THE POOR IN SPIRIT?
This inquiry is both important and necessary. To
gain the promised boon we must be such. The investigation is, therefore, most essential. To prevent
mistake, I remark, in the first place, they are not the
poor in worldly estates-the destitute, in opposition
to those who possess the plenty of wealth. The poor
are not always virtuous and happy. Often life is
imbittered to them by the stings of remorse, as well
as by the distresses of poverty. Many of them, after
a life of toil and want, enter upon the future world
with only the prospect of endless sorrow.
They are not the patient and contented poor.
Many seem content with poverty who can lay no
claim to religion. They are satisfied with their condition from the mere love of indolence. Our Savior
is not here teaching the value of contentment, but
laying the foundation of a holy life-a structure of
such magnitude as to require a firmer support than
mere contentment with our lot. And besides, true




40        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
contentment is a fruit of religion, not its foundation.
Nor is it the love of poverty. This may exist
where true poverty of spirit is unknown. It may
spring from mere caprice, disgust with the world, or
mistaken views of duty. JMen have sometimes renounced the world, have clothed themselves in sackcloth, and in caves and deserts have endured all the
wants and woes of poverty; consoling themselves,
meanwhile, that they were the heirs of the promised
kingdom of God; but it is not upon such the
Savior looks when he confers this blessing. No;
these are mistaken views, false principles of action,
which always stunt the growth of piety and contract
the sphere of Christian usefulness. To all such I
would say, go out into the world. Let your light
shine before men-do good. The wide field of Christian effort is before you-toil there; and then, indeed, will you inherit the full blessedness both of
the present and future kingdom of God.
Nor are the spiritually poor intended. This is not
only an unfortunate but a sinful estate. It is to be
destitute of grace and goodness, " without God and
without hope in the world." These are the subjects
of present guilt and fuiture wrath. The promised
bliss of the kingdom of God pertains not to them.
By the poor in spirit the Savior means the truly
humble. In this way they are often distinguished.
"Thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth
eternity, My name is holy; I dwell in the high and
holy place, with him also that is of an humble and a
contrite heart. To this man will I look, even to him
that is poor and of a contrite heart, and that tremn



FIRST BEATITUDE.                41
Dleth at miiy word."  Wllen the disciples of Jesus
strove for pre-eminence-and disputed for the chief
place in his kingdom, he taught them by a symbol
the most beautiful and impressive, that humility
was the grand prerequisite to the honors he had to
bestow. "Calling a little child, he set him in the
midst and said, Except ye be converted and become
as little children, ye can not enter the kingdom of
heaven." HIere, then, the poor, the contrite of heart,
and the humble are all the same, and their appropriate emblem is the unaffected humility of a little
child.
While we are enabled by these views to determine
the character the Savior intends, we perceive, also,
the importance of hlumility, and the relation it bears
to the entire Christian character. It is the startingpoint in the religion of a sinner-it associates itself
with every duty-it is present in all his joys-it distinguishes his profession of Christ before the world —
it abounds in all the deportment of life, till finally it
becomes the habit of the soul, and he is "clothed
with humility."
1. Poverty of 8s1irit 8tand8s is direct op)osition, to
the native pride of the htuman heart.
Pride was an ingredient in the first transgression,
and has since become a characteristic sin of man.
It reigns in every bosom, and spreads through every
department of society.  Self-praise and self-sufficiency, personal adornment, envy, desire of applause,
impatience, and rebellion against God are among
the ordinary developments of this hateful spirit.
Seated in the soul and wrapped in the robes of its
own importance, it never speaks but in terms of self4*




42       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
applause. "I am  rich and increased in goods;"
" I sit a queen, and shall see no sorrow," is its deceptive and lying strain. Alas, to what a mortitying reverse shall the proud of heart be subjectedstripped of their shining robes, thrust down to perdition, and covered with "everlasting shame and
contempt!"
Pride is a kind of parent sin, and prolific of evil.
It stands related to almost every form of wickedness
that blots the character of individual and social life.
Hence springs impenitence and contempt of divine
mercy. " The wicked through the pride of his countenance will not seek after God."  Why should he?
He has no realizing sense of his guilt and sin, or his
need of mercy. These are the men of whom  the
Psalmist says, "Pride compasseth them as a chain,
violence covereth them  as a garment; therefore,
they set their mouth against the heavens, and their
tongue walketh through the earth."  Is it wonderful
that God abhors this daring arrogance, and that he
will strike it down fiom its airy hights-down to
the lowest hell?
Poverty of spirit is the reverse of this. As pride
exalts the soul, humility abases it. As pride inspires it with ideas of its own importance, humility
disperses such false conceits, and uncovers its utter
poverty and helplessness. Here religion begins in
deep self-abasement before God. It can begin no
where else. As long as pride exalts the soul, filling
it with opinions of its own worth and consequence,
religion can not enter; the soul remains in the "gall
of bitterness and in the bond of iniquity."
Pride counteracts every spiritual and saving in



FIRST BEATITUDE.                43
fluence. Just views of God, of Christ, of our condition and relations, are impossible while it rules the
heart. All views upon these subjects are distorted,
because seen through a false medium and from a
false position.  Under these circumstances we can
not appreciate the character of Christ as a Savior;
we do not feel our sinfulness; we do not feel the
necessity of an interest in the Redeemer's blood;
nor can we till willing to know the plague of our
hearts, and take our true position in the estimation
of God and man.
2. A sense of utter destitution forms an obvious
trait in the character of the poor in spirit.
As temporal poverty implies the want of what is
necessary for the body, so spiritual poverty implies
the want of what is necessary for the soul. No
poverty is so deplorable as that which sin has introduced. It has robbed us of every good, and despoiled the heart of its richest treasures. The conviction of this is not easily fixed in the soul; and
hence, many, like a fallen Church of old, are saying,
"I am rich and increased in goods, and have need
of nothing."  Sad and ruinous mistake! Alas, how
blinding is the influence of sin!  How  strange a
delusion to judge the most abject poverty affluence;
and to fancy the very pangs of distress tokens of
prosperity! Such mistakes men are making every
day. Every sinner is acting under this delusion,
and, therefore, refuses to humble himself before
God, and spurns friom  him  the offers of divine
mercy. But the poor in spirit are acquainted with
their condition. The Spirit of God has convinced
them  of sin, and  they now  see that they are




44       THE MOUJNT OF BLESSING.
" wretched, and poor, and blind, and naked." Like
the ruined prodigal they have come to themselves.
The delusion is at an end, and they awake to find
themselves far from home, in a degrading bondage,
and in utter destitution.
Thus enlightened, they perceive that they are destitute of all good. Not more keenly do the homeless poor, bereft of every earthly comfort, feel their
misery, than those whose hearts have been led to
realize their lost condition by sin. It was under
such humiliating views as these that Paul exclaimed,
"I know that in me, that is, in my flesh, dwelleth no
good thing." Spiritual good, the original wealth of
man, has been utterly wasted and spent in sin.
Like Naomi, they went into a land of strangers full,
but they have returned empty. Even the nakedness
of Egypt, when stripped by utter famine, can not
fitly represent their impoverished state. Of themselves they have no good thing; no strength or wisdom; no goodness of heart or life. The self-righteousness in which they trusted has vanished like an
unreal vision, and left them without a plea and
without a hope. Instead of the good heart of which
they boasted, they see it as wholly sinful and wholly
corrupt.  Instead of the faultless life, so long regarded with complacency, they now behold naught
but "filthy rags," the affecting proofs of their alienation from God. Boasting ends, and, covered with
shame and confusion of face, they sink down in the
very dust before God. I have been led to take these
views from that impressive statement of St. Paul's,
in the second chapter of Ephesians. To fix our
attention and lead us to humility, he says, " Where.




FIRST BEATITUDE.               45
fore, remember that at that time ye were without
Christ, being aliens from  the commonwealth of
Israel, and strangers fromn the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world."
Such is the state of man by nature; a state so humiliating, that the bare remembrance of it should
banish pride and self-confidence forever from, the
heart. It is the vivid impression of this that produces poverty of spirit, and sinks the soul in deep
abasement before God.
3. Poverty of spirit implies, not only the absence
of good, but the presence of evil.
There is the evil of sin. The poor in spirit have
a felt experience of this. A beggar upon his pallet
of straw, amid the darkness of night, may fancy
himself in a palace surrounded with all the splendor of wealth. But when the sun arises and shines
upon him, the dream dissolves, and all the evils
of poverty stare him in the face. So, when the
Spirit shines upon the dark heart, its true character
and state are seen. He is now "convinced of sin,
of righteousness, and of judgment to come." The
follies of childhood, the misdeeds of youth, and the
iniquities of riper years are seen. The sins of his
heart, and lips, and hands, are seen-his sins at
home and abroad; in company and alone; in business and pleasure, are seen. His vanity and pride,
his impatience and rebellion, his broken vows and
stifled convictions, his abuse of God's mercy and
rejection of his dear Son-these, too, he sees, so
many and so great they can not be numbered.
Who can tell how oft he has sinned? We can
reckon our pulses as they beat; we can number the




46        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
moments as they fly; but who can compute the number of his iniquities?
And furthermore, in the language of Mr. Wesley,
"his guilt is now before his face; he knows the punishment he has incurred, were it only on account of
the corruption of his nature; how much more on account of his evil desires and thoughts, of his simple
words and actions! He can not doubt for a moment, but the least of these deserves the damnation
of hell,'the worm that dieth not, and the fire that
shall never be quenched.' Above all, the guilt of
not believing on the only-begotten Son of God lies
heavy upon him. He that believeth not is condemned
already, and the wrath of God abideth on him."
4. Another distinguishing trai't itn the character
before zus, is tis sense of helplessness.
Conscious of his exceeding sinfulness, and his exposure to future wrath, he feels that he can do noth
ing to extricate himself from the perils of his condition. Of himself he has no hope and no plea,
and utterly despairing, he exclaims: "Who shall
deliver me firom  this body of death?"  Nor are
these views erroneous-the result of excited fears or
a disordered fancy; they are the effects of divine
illumination, and harmonize with the real condition
of man. For a man to begin religion upon the supposition of his own ability or worthiness, is to build
without a foundation, or, at best, to build upon a
deceitful quicksand, which will finally sink and ingulf him in hopeless ruin. It is to start for heaven
upon a falsehood, which, however plausible it may
now seem, will, sooner or later, display its true char.
acter, and end in the bitterness of disappointment.




FIRST BEATITUDE.               47
We can render no satisfaction for past sins. The
law of God demands perfect obedience. We have
failed to render it, and are therefore accursed.
Now, how shall we escape the awful penalty of the
violated law?  " Will the Lord be pleased with
thousands of burnt-offerings, or with thousands of
rivers of oil? Shall I give my first-born for my
transgressions, the first of my body for the sin of my
soul?" No; these can never take away sin. Will
repentance avail?  No; repentance is the acknowledgment of guilt, and the desert of punishment;
not a reason for pardon.  Will future obedience
avail? This may meet future claims, but can never
cancel past obligations, or form a reason why past
offenses should be forgiven.  We are left, then,
under the full weight and burden of the curse-a
curse that must pursue and burn against us forever.
And not only are we without merit, but without
strength. A  moral weakness has come upon us,
which cuts off every prospect of deliverance, and
shuts us up to all the horrors of a sinful and ruined
condition. Such views are fitted still further to
humble the awakened sinner, to convince him of his
unworthiness, to strip him of all self-dependence, and
lead him to trust in the merits of the Son of God.
Such is precisely the experience of the poor in spirit.
Humiliation, self-distrust, and self-loathing are the
marks that distinguish this character-marks that
attract the notice of angels, and call forth the compassion of Jesus. Yes, he feels his sin and guilt,
his want and helplessness. And this feeling is no
slight and superficial thing, but one of terrible reality and depth. His heart is overwhelmed with a




48        THI; MOUNT OF oBLESSING.
sense of utter desolation and inevitable ruin. He
sinks in the dust, and, like the terror-stricken jailer,
exclaims, "What must I do to be saved?"  Now he
prays. And nothing is more befitting his condition
than prayer; for prayer is the cry of conscious want
and misery. Look at the starving beggar; when he
asks you for bread, his soul is in his words. You
refuse, but this does not silence him. He asks
again and again, till his prayer has touched your
heart. Why? Because he is perishing. He must
have bread or die. So prays the poor in spirit. It
is the prayer of earnestness and feeling, inspired
and sustained by the Holy Spirit; and, though
seeming delays may distress, they neither silence
his prayer nor abate his earnestness. He feels himself perishing, and, heedless of derision and scorn,
lies pleading in the dust, as when a man doomed to
death pleadeth for his life.
5. T7he poor in s8pirit are distinguished by their
entire dependence upon Christ.
Poverty is always dependent, and lives upon the
benefactions of others. The nature of the case as
well as the beautiful promise of the Savior, given to
the humble, requires of them an implicit trust in
the Redeemer of the world. This is the great condition of receiving the kingdom of God; and every
thing in their previous experience is preparatory to
this. The dethronement of pride; the humiliation
of the heart; the felt absence of good and presence
of evil, with the sense of helpless misery, that afflicts
them, all precede and prepare the way for that act
of humble trust in Christ which secures to the soul
an interest in the riches of redeeming mercy.




FIRST BEATITUDE.               49
As an object of trust the atonement forms the
only sure ground of hope to a perishing sinner.
"Other foundation can no man lay." Christ, and
Christ alone; the Lamb slain for sinners; his availing blood; his infinite merit; his all-sufficient righteousness-these constitute the only foundation; and
a safe one —one that shall abide the changes of human opinion-the revolutions of time and the shock
of dissolving worlds. Thank God, amid this evershifting scene, "here is firm footing, here is solid
rock," "and he that believeth upon Him shall not be
ashamed."  Upon Him the truly humble depend.
Though in himself nothing-all weakness, all poverty, yet he beholds in the adorable Redeemer an
infinite wealth and fullness; not like a concealed
spring, or fountain shut up, but like a wide, expan.
sive ocean, free and open for all. In himself no being in the universe is poorer, but reposing in Christ,
no being in the universe is richer. He has all things
in Christ. "A man in one of the eastern cities had
failed for a large amount. His credit was gone; his
family in poverty, and himself involved in heavy
liabilities. He surrendered his whole estate, and
stood worse than penniless before the world. He
had a brother, however, in the city, who possessed
vast wealth. From him he received a power of attorney to transact business in his name. On his
authority, and through the influence of his name,
he at once commenced business as an efficient and
prosperous merchant..'In myself,' said this man to
a friend,'I have no credit; no man will trust me
with a single bale of goods; yet I am really worth
all my brother is worth. I sometimes offer to pur5




50        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
chase of an individual on my own credit. IIe will
not trust me a farthing. I tell him I wish to purchase on my brother's account. I can then buy
every article in his store."' And thus, whatever
may be their poverty, the humble have infinite
treasures in Jesus Christ.  Faith makes them theirs.
Their prayer for help is heard. God bows down his
ear and listens to their requests. HIe opens the
stores of grace, and bids them ask what they will.
The response is:
" A guilty, weak, and helpless worm,
Into thine arms I fall;
Be thou my strength and righteousnessMy Jesus and my all."
And here we may begin to perceive the blessedness of this character. As intense glooms precede
the breaking day, so the humility, the increasing
sense of want and helplessness of the poor in spirit,
indicate approaching relief and the light and joy
of a full deliverance.  "Blessed," says Jesus, " are
the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of
heaven." Let us then turn from the characters
themselves, to reflect,
II. ON THE DIGNITIES AND PRIVILEGES TO WHICH
THEY ARE RAISED.
Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. There is here
a point of difference in relation to the kingdoms of
this world and the kingdom of Christ which we
should not overlook. If we seek the heirs of the
former, we go to the palaces of the noble and the
courts of kings. They are distinguished by their
lofty bearing, and by the splendor of their equipage-by a ribbon or star denoting elevated rank.
Would we find the heirs of the latter, we must




FIRST BEATITUDE.              51
descend into the vale of humility, where the Son
of God once dwelt, and where dwell the lowly and
the contrite of heart. These are they who shall
wear crowns of life, and sit on thrones in heaven,
and participate in the royal triumphs of the Son
of God.
The phrases, "kingdom of heaven," and "kingdom of God," are often used in the New Testament.
Their meaning is the same. They comprehend two
leading ideas: Grace here, and glory hereafter; the
enjoyment of spiritual religion in the present life,
and the everlasting fruition of God in the life to
come. To the first of these our Savior alludes when
he says. "Behold, the kingdom  of God is within
you;" and to the second, when he declares, "that
many shall come from the east and from the west,
and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and
Jacob in the kingdom of heaven."
I. The kingdom of heaven, as a present and
gracious estate, is theirs.
It is set up in their hearts. God himself sits
enthroned in the affections, and subduing every adverse principle, and bringing into captivity every
thought to the obedience of Christ, reigns supreme,
the adored Lord and Lawgiver of the soul.
The precise nature of this kingdom is beautifully
described by St. Paul: "It is not meat and drink,
but righteous peace and joy in the Holy Ghost."
This is a most important statement, and shows us
that religion consists, not in empty forms, but in a
right state of heart, in spiritual and holy affections.
This, however, is not a righteousness derived from
the law, the result of obedience to its precepts.




52       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
This is impossible; "for all have sinned." It is the
"righteousness of faith," or, "faith counted to us for
righteousness;" so that we are accepted of God, not
because we have never sinned, but because we have
believed in Jesus. "Not to him that worketh, but
to him that believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness."  This
kingdom, then, is "righteousness;" the justification of the soul before God; the knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins; a consciousness
of pardon; " a divine persuasion wrought in the
soul that Christ hath loved me and given himself
for me." He "who has fled for refuge to the hope
set before him," knows this. He has the joyful evidence in his own bosom, that "his sins are blotted
out, and his iniquities carried away into a land
of forgetfulness."  "What," says Mr. Wesley, "is
righteousness, but the life of God in the soul; the
image of God stamped upon the heart, now renewed
after the likeness of him that created it?  What is
it but the love of God, because he first loved us, and
the love of all mankind for his sake?"
Another element in his kingdom  is "peace;"
peace with God; a sweet serenity of mind, arising
from reconciliation with God. Enmity is now
changed to love, and variance to friendship. The
sweet light of peace irradiates the soul and reigns
within, even while storms and tempests rage without. " The peace of God which passeth understanding, now keeps the heart and mind through Christ
Jesus." The conscience, too, is pacified, and the
mind is tranquil as a summer sea. They have peace
with men. This is ever the result of receiving the




FIRST BEATITUDE.              63
kingdom of God. It puts an end to strife and bitterness, and produces concord and love. Whenever
the heart is brought under the influence of this
kingdom, enmity expires and universal love to man
prevails.  "Charity, that suffereth long and is
kind, that beareth all things and endureth all
things," is now put on as the apparel of the soul and
the "bond of perfectness."
"And joy in the Holy Ghost." Religion has to
do with the feelings as well as the intellect. When
this heavenly kingdom is set up in the heart it is
happy. However it may have been bowed down
before, it now swells with inexpressible joy. The sun
of glory has now risen upon the poor in spirit, and
they rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
A most touching and beautiful illustration of this is
found in Taylor's Life of Cowper. For a long time
that gifted poet was oppressed with a dreadful melancholy, which was finally hightened to despair.
Here he was found and delivered by the Friend of
sinners. Speaking of his conversion, and the effects
it produced upon him, he says: "Unless the arms
of the Almighty had been under me, I should have
been overwhelmed with gratitude and joy. My
eyes filled with tears, and my voice choked with
transport. I could only look up to heaven with
silent awe, filled with love and wonder. How glad
was I now to spend every moment in prayer and
thanksgiving! I lost no opportunity of repairing to
a throne of grace; but flew to it with an earnestness
irresistible, and never to be satisfied."  "Blessed
are the poor in spirit!"  Were there no higher
honors, and no kingdom yet to be revealed, this is




54       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
enough to insure their bliss. God of my fathers,
number me with them. Be mine their humility
and their blessedness; for he whom thou blessest is
blessed indeed.
2. Theirs, too, is the kingdom of heaven, as a
future and glorious inhe~ritance.
There is such an inheritance. Beyond this stormy
scene there is a pure and happy world. It is distinguished in the Bible as " the kingdom of Godthe everlasting kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ,
an inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, and that
fadeth not away." The throne of God and the
Lamb are there. It is a kingdom of holiness and
love; and happiness, like a broad and smiling sky,
overspreads and surrounds all the inhabitants of
that blessed world. Many are there; among them
I see the holy Enoch; Moses, the man of God, and
the long line of prophets gathered home before the
coming of Christ, are there. John the Baptist is
there. There are the apostles and precious early
Christians. The reformers of the dark age are there.
The pious of the last generation, and the first-fruits
of the present day-all are there, each one walking in white, for they are worthy. This is the kingdom bestowed upon the poor in spirit, so bestowed
that it is now theirs.
It is theirs by virtue of their relation to God.
Having been brought into the kingdom of grace,
they are now the children of God. We have seen
the grandeur of their estate; let us look at the solidity of their title. It is displayed by St. Paul. His
argument is short, but firm: "If children, then
heirs"-no conclusion can be more just —"heirs




FIRST BEATITUDE.                55
of God and joint-heirs with Christ." And as they
are now one with Christ, they shall share in his everlasting kingdom.
It is theirs by promise. Let the mind dwell on
one promise of the Savior: " Let not your heart be
troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In
my Father's house are many mansions; if it were not
so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place
for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I
will come again and receive you to myself; that
where I am there ye may be also." This is enough.
It is theirs by anticipation and foretaste.  "'They
look for a city which hath foundations, whose
builder and maker is God."  And how blessed is
this hope! It enlightens in darkness; it strengthens
in weakness; it supports in trial; it comforts in sorrow. Meanwhile, they enjoy the foretastes of that
kingdom. As the subjects of grace, they have the
beginning of glory. These kingdoms are one, differing only in maturity and perfection. This below
leads to that above, and he who has entered the one
has a joyful earnest of the other. "I am," says St.
Peter, "a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed." This was not only his experience, but in
the case of every believer that glory admits of a
present participation. Each can sing,
"0  what a blessed hope is ours!
While here on earth we stay,
We more than taste the heavenly powers,
And antedate that day."
Such is the import of this beautiful promise, and
such the present bliss and future honors of the poor
in spirit. The full possession will soon be given.




56       THE'MOUNT OF BLESSING.
And as we see them there arrayed in the white
garments of heaven, having crowns on their heads,
and palms in their hands, we involuntarily exclaim,
"Blessed are the poor in spirit,. for their8 is the
kingdonz of heaven!"
CONCLUSION.
The one great truth we are to learn from this subject is, The real value of humility. Comparatively
few estimate it according to its real value. Many
treat it with contempt, and pour derision upon the
lowly and humble of mind. This is the world's judgment. But what is God's? It is this: "Every one
that humbleth himself shall be exalted." He places
it foremost in the list of virtues, and will set it highest
upon the thrones of heaven. He has declared that
he will "resist the proud," and thrust them down to
hell, but that he will exalt the poor in spirit to his
presence, where they shall outshine the angels and
be like the Son of God.
I see then what I ought most of all to desire and
seek; not wealth, not worldly distinction, but humility. This, by God's help, shall be my aim.
This shall be my perfection, to possess the mind
which was also in Christ Jesus my Lord. I will regard every thing an evil that hinders this attainment, and every thing a good that secures its possession. It shall be my wealth in poverty, my joy
in sorrow, and its promised rewards shall cheer me
in all trials, and sustain me in all sufferings.
0, wouldst thou enjoy the kingdom  of God?
Humble thyself under his mighty hand. O man,
thou art a sinner, poor and blind, and miserable and
naked! Thou hast no hope, no plea-utterly con



FIRST BEATITUDE.               57
demned and utterly helpless. Feel this and bow
down thy head in the dust. Let thy prayer, like the
afflicted woman, be, " Lord, help me!" Or, like the
storm-tossed disciples, "Lord, save or I perish."
Look to the mighty Savior, and cast thy soul on him.
"None but Jesus, none but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good?'
And his promises, 0 hear them, and believe.
"For he shall deliver the needy when he crieth; the
poor also, and him that hath no helper. And thus
saith the high and lofty One, The heaven is my
throne, and the earth is my footstool; but to this
man will I look, that is poor and of a contrite heart,
and that trembleth at my word." 0, rely upon that
Savior, and upon these promises, and the kingdom
of God is yours in its present joys, and in its everlasting triumphs.








LECT'URE III.








SECOND B:ATITUDE.               61
SECOND BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are they that mourn, for they shall be comforted." NATIHEW V, 4.
THIS is one of the most interesting of the beatitudes. It is a declaration full of tenderness and
love, finding its way at once to the heart, and reviving hope where it had almost expired amid the
glooms of despair. This is especially true when the
soul is passing through the sorrows of penitence.
Perhaps at no other time do doubts and fears weigh
so heavily upon the heart. At no time is there such
a depressing sense of helplessness. At no time is
there such an anxious desire for relief; and, certainly, at no time are words of comfort so welcome
to the bosom. Awakened to a sense of guilt, conscious of unpardoned sin and impending wrath, no
wonder that alarm and terror overwhelms the soul.
And when, too, at this period the light of the
Spirit reveals the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the
amazing goodness of God, and the extent and penalty of his law, no wonder if he should be driven
to the very brink of despair. There was a time
when he was easy and mirthful, but now a prisoner
stretched upon the rack might pity him. The
hand of God is on him, conviction like envenomed
arrows pierces his heart; and a " wounded spirit who
can bear?" How often have we heard such a one
6




62       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
say, overborne with the burden of sin and the
temptations of Satan, "Such a sinner as I am can
not be pardoned; others may find comfort, but for
me there is none. I have sinned so long and so
greatly, my sins can never be blotted out; my guilt
can never be washed away!"
Now, it is just at this point where the Savior
meets us in his most gracious attitude. He had
come from heaven upon an errand of encouragement, and with a heart full of compassion for the
humble and the penitent. He knew the doubts and
fears that beset the path of repentance, and like a
merciful Savior as he is, sought to infuse strength,
courage, and hope into the despairing sinner. How
precious is his promise, how assuring are his words
when he says, "Blessed are they that mourn, for
they shall be comforted!" Wh6 would not wish to
pass through the valley of mourning, with all its
darkness and fear, to feel himself the inheritor of a
promise so divine? Let us now,
I. SPECIFY MORE PARTICULARLY THE CHARACTERS TO
WHOM THESE WORDS ARE APPLICABLE, " BLESSED ARE
THEY THAT MOURN.")
The Savior does not here intend all that mourn.
Go out into the world, visit the abodes of men,
every-where you find mourners; but, alas! not those
whom he pronounces blessed. There are millions
around us whose spirits are broken, and whose
hearts bleed with sorrow. But theirs is the sorrow of the world, and to the world, as void of
comfort as it is of God, they must turn for solace.
Some are mourning from disappointed ambition;
others from the stings of misfortune-the loss of




SECOND BEATITUDE.                63
property and the death of friends overwhelm them
with sorrow. Others are detected in crime; their
conduct is brought to light and exposed to the
gaze of men, and they weep from fear of disgrace
and ruin. All these pine in grief from mere
worldly considerations. They have no proper views
of sin; they do not feel themselves guilty, or look
to God for pardon. Their sorrow arises from the
world, and it terminates there. "It worketh death."
Its present effects are gloom and distress; sometimes horrible despair. The spirit is wounded and
the heart bleeds with grief, till finally the sufferer
drops into the grave, or by self-destruction is hurried into the presence of a sin-avenging God. It is
not to these the Savior speaks. They have no desire
for the comfort he bestows. Could they call back
their friends from the grave, or regain their reputation, or recall their wasted fortunes, it would be
enough. They wish no higher comfort than the
smiles of prosperity, and the applause of admiring
friends. Alas! ye infatuated men, you will never
know comfort. Your only doom is sorrow. Did you
mourn for sin, your anguish would soon be turned to
joy, and your bitter grief soon be followed by " the
consolations of God."
These words are applicable to two classes of characters:
1. The penitent sinner.
He it is whom the Savior regards with the deepest compassion and love. "To this man will I
look that is of a contrite heart, and that trembleth
at my word." The true penitent mourns over sinhis sin-the fact, and the burden of which he has




e4        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
now a most painful consciousness. For years, per.
haps, he was asleep in sin, dead in sin. He had no
felt sense of his transgressions. Their guilt and
enormity never excited his fears, or prompted a
prayer for mercy. Hte still wandered from  God,
"walking according to the course of this world, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, a
child of wrath even as others." Privileges came
and passed away, and left him still a sinner. Means
and mercies plied him from week to week; but he
abused them and grew harder. Thus he advanced
in the way of sin. At length'"he came to himself."  The vail was torn from his heart.  He was
convinced of sin, and saw himself a guilty rebel in
the sight of God. And now he begins to assume
a character upon which heaven always looks with
pity. He begins to mourn for sin. This discovery,
however, is not the mere result of self-investigation;
it is made by the Spirit of God. It is the effect of
his light shining upon the soul, without which there
is no true conviction for sin. And by conviction, I
do not mean a bare knowledge of the fact that we
have sinned; but such a knowledge as burdens
and distresses the sinner. Such a conviction as the
former may pass over the soul and scarcely ruffle its
surface, while the latter will stir its very depths, and
make it roll and dash like the ocean in a storm.
For this end the Spirit was sent into the world; and
when he reproves-when he flashes the light of truth
upon the conscience, then, and only then does the
sinner awake to the fact that he is a fallen spirit
and in danger of hell.
Every thing in relation to himself now passes




SECOND BEATITUDE.              65
through a great and rapid change. His own character-he had doted upon that, he had flattered himself
upon the goodness of his heart, but he now sees the
one sadly defective, and the other deceitful above all
things, and desperately wicked. The number of his
sins-the few admitted errors of his life now multiply to thousands, and in their sum are more than
the hairs of his head. Their greatness-they have
a greatness of guilt as well as of number, and while
he contemplates them, they swell in dreadful enormity, and rise like mountains to the skies.
He now mourns over his sins as exposing him to
hell. Alarm is an element of penitential sorrow.
"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;"
the fear of his displeasure, "revealed firom heaven
against all unrighteousness and ungodliness of men."
The Bible utters no truth more frequently or impressively, than the danger of sinners. It declares
that they are " condemned already; that the wrath of
God abideth on them; and that they shall be punished
with an everlasting destruction." The fool and the
hardened infidel mock at these declarations, and affect to despise them as childish fancies. Yet they
themselves often shrink from the future with an instinctive dread " of judgment and fiery indignation." And well they may; for how dreadful is their
doom, and how certainly will they perish, and "that
without remedy!"
It is a sense of this danger that alarms the
awakened sinner. He finds himself standing upon
the very brink of woe. Justice rolls his thunders
around his head, and threatens him with everlasting
death. 0, there is guilt upon his conscience, and he
6*




66        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
feels it as he would a crushing weight upon his
body. O there is a deep and dreadful hell, and he
fears its consuming fires! 0, there is an insulted
and displeased God, and he trembles lest he should
cast him from his hand into the depths of endless
perdition!
He mourns over his sins as committed against
God.  This is what St. Paul distinguishes as
" godly sorrow, that worketh repentance unto salvao
tion." This sorrow is exercised toward God in view
of sin, and arises from a perception of the evil of
sin as committed against a being of infinite goodness and purity. God is such a being. His goodness shines throughout the universe. From the firmament above, from all the valleys, and mountains,
and groves of earth, voices speak and sing the goodness of the Lord.  And in the wondrous plan
of salvation, "he makes all his goodness to pass
before us." His holiness is displayed in his word
and law; in the nature of angels and the creation
of man; in the sufferings of his Son, and in the office of the Holy Spirit.~ All these proclaim  the
infinite purity of God.:' -Now, it is against this
Being that sin is committed, and it is this that
makes it so great an evil, and stamps the sinner
with the most atrocious guilt. Such views of the
Divine character result from the light and power
of the Spirit; and when entertained, they touch the
most secret springs of sensibility, and unlock the
very fountains of feeling.
The source of grief at this particular stage of penitential experience, is not mainly that sin will lead
to pain. that it will overwhelm the soul with ever



SECOND BEATITUDE.               67
lasting ruin, but that it is committed against the
Majesty of heaven, infinitely good, just, and holy.
The penitent feels now that it was not only against
law and authority that he raised his puny arm, but
against goodness and mercy. It was love that he
spurned; it was the tenderness of a father that he
trampled upon. Such thoughts are like barbed arrows sticking fast, and as often as they return,
wound the heart still deeper, and make it bleed
afresh. Such were the feelings of David when he
said, "Against thee only have I sinned and done
this evil in thy sight." Enormous was the sin as
committed against man, but all that enormity was
lost in the greater guilt of being committed against
infinite goodness and purity. This is the true light
in which to view sin. As long as you regard it
merely as an offense against man, your views will
be imperfect, and it will seem  but a trifling evil.
But when, in the light of the Spirit, you see it an
offense against God, then will it swell and blacken
in all its malignity, and you will feel that " it is an
evil and a bitter thing to sin against God."
This mourning derives much of its bitterness from
the views which the penitent has of the sufferings of
Christ. "They shall look upon me," says Christ
by the prophet, "whom they have pierced, and they
shall mourn for him as one mourneth for his only
son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one for his
first-born." These allusions indicate the deepest
sorrow. How inexpressible is the anguish of a man
when he mourns for an only son, or is in bitterness
for his first-born! Yet these are the terms employed
by the Spirit to intimate something of that intense




68       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
anguish which wrings the heart of a repentant sinner. But why such deepening sorrow? Ah! "'he
looks upon him whom he has pierced."  He beholds
the Savior upon the cross, bleeding and in agony
What placed him there? My sins. Yes, these
nailed him to the tree. My guilt sent the iron into
his soul, and transfixed him to the cross. Hence
springs the deepest sorrow of the mourning penitent.
Looking thus on the Lord Jesus, they learn to feel
and weep for sin, as they alone can who have looked
upon him whom they have pierced. He who has not
thus beheld that pierced and mangled form, who has
no sense of the part he bore in that bloody tragedy,
has no real grief for sin. A truly-broken heart he
never felt. Do I now address such a one? 0, how
hard and cold is thy heart —hard as the rock, and
cold as the ice of winter! And never will it break
or melt till you look on the dying Jesus-never till
you can say, He is bleeding for me; I pierced him;
it is the burden of my sins that weighs down his
fainting head.
His mourning is connected with confession for sin.
Such grief is always ingenuous. He makes no attempt at concealment; he does not palliate or excuse
himself; he frankly confesses and bewails his sins
before God. This is always characteristic of the
true penitent. Though ashamed and confounded at
the number and greatness of his sins, he spreads
them before the all-seeing eye of Jehovah. Before
God and man he acknowledges his guilt. In private
especially-the secluded grove, or silent chamber, he
humbles himself before the Searcher of hearts, and
fervently pleads for mercy. He has no reservations,




SECOND BEATITUDE.               69
but calmly unbosoms the painful conviction that he
is utterly sinful in heart and life. He is not anxious
to conceal the signs of distress. If his heart heaves
with anguish, and his eyes overflow with tears, and
his lips quiver with emotion, he does not assume an
indifferent air; but, with sobs and tears, and often
in a voice that all may hear, he confesses, with the
prodigal, " Father, I have sinned against heaven,
and in thy sight," or, with the publican, lifts the
beseeching cry, " God be merciful to me a sinner."
True mourning for sin is fruitful. It leads to
reformation; it is not mere regret, which, "like
the morning cloud and early dew, passes away;"
on the contrary, it produces visible and striking
changes. A man who sees and mourns for sin as
he ought will reform his life. He will cast from
him, with loathing and disgust, even his best beloved sins; he will "break off his sins by righteousness, and his iniquities by turning to God."
Such a man forsakes the company of the wicked,
and the ways of evil men-he flies their approach as
he would the plague or pestilence. Sin and sinful
pleasures have lost their wonted charms and gorgeous robes, and now stand before him in their true
character.
St. Paul traces these effects in the mlost graphic
manner: "For behold this self-same thing, that ye
sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it
wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves,
yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what
vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge!"
And these views harmonize with other parts of God's
word. The abandonment of sin is universally and




70       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
imperatively enjoined. " Cease to do evil, learn to
do well; wash you, make you clean; put away the
evil of your doings from before mine eyes;" "Let the
wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man
his thoughts;" "Now, saith the Lord, turn ye even
unto me with all your heart, and with fasting, and
with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your
heart, and not your garments, and turn unto the
Lord your God;" "Turn every man from his evil way,
that I may repent me of the evil which I purpose to
do unto them, because of the evil of their doings."
Such is the language in which God urges upon men
the abandonment of evil. And such a course invariably accompanies a genuine mourning for sin.
A most touching illustration of this character is
given by St. Luke. The case was that of a womanprobably a woman of Capernaum or Nain. Her
name is not given, but she was a repenting sinner,
who, "when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the
Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster-box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping,
and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe
them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet,
and anointed them with the ointment."  Mark her
position; overwhelmed with a sense of her unworthiness, she takes her station behind him, and at his
feet. And what is her errand there?  Perhaps to
anoint his head, as the custom was, but diffidence
restrains her. Her heart is melting under gracious
influences; all she can do is to weep. Her tears
flow like rain, so many and so fast, as to wash the
Savior's feet. What a scene was this! Methinks
an angel could not behold it without wishing to




SECOND BEATITUDE.             71
participate in its emotions. Weep, thou afflicted
one, for thy sins thou shouldst weep; but thy tears
shall yet be wiped away, and peace and joy shall
balm thy wounded heart.
Some will, perhaps, say these were the tears of
weakness and folly. Whence, then, the tears of the
proud, imperious AManasseh-of the courageous and
manly Peter? No; these are not the evidences of
either weakness or folly, but of a humble and contrite heart. They are the outpourings of a heart
mourning for sin, when it drinks the wormwood and
gall of repentance. Thus must thou mourn for sin,
or forever bear its guilt and punishment. Seest
thou no cause for mourning? Look backward upon
thy life-look forward to eternity. Look up to
heaven, and down to hell. Seest thou yet no cause
for mourning? Then think of the love of God and
the compassions of Jesus. Go to Gethsemane, where
he wept and prayed; go to Calvary, where he hung
bleeding upon the cross. Think of his love and
sorrow. Ah! think, till thy proud and stubborn
heart shall break and bleed at the remembrance of
sin.
2. These words are also applicable to the Christian.
They, too, mourn-not that religion is melancholy,
or that it induces a sad and gloomy frame; no, it
is peace and joy. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all who walk therein are happy. Yet there
is a mourning eminently religious, and befitting
Christian character-" as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing."
They often mourn under the adverse and afflictive




72       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
scenes of life. From the common lot of mortals
religion gives no exemption. This world to the
Christian is a stormy ocean, where tempests beat
and billows roll. Disappointments, reverses, and
trials, beset the toilsome way of life, and every fleeting day leaves behind a deeper conviction that man
is born to trouble. The wants of poverty —personal
affliction-bereavement of friends-the breaking up
of the sweet and cherished endearments of conjugal
and parental love; these sometimes roll over the
heart like a wild deluge, sweeping away our dearest
joys and brightest hopes.  Like others, at such
times the Christian mourns-with this difference, he
is resigned and patient.
Besides the ordinary ills of life, there are those
peculiar to the Christian. " Many are the afflictions
of the righteous." "'Through much tribulation he
must enter the kingdom of heaven;" and he is sometimes "in heaviness through manifold temptations."
Here he often mourns, for religion does not deaden
the sensibilities or harden the heart. It rather gives
a tender heart, perhaps that we may feel and weep,
and seek that " better land" where all tears shall be
wiped away.
They mourn in view of their imperfections and
infirmities. He who sees none of these in himself,
has the strongest evidence that he is alike ignorant of
his own heart and of the operations of grace. No
enlightened Christian, however holy he may be, can
feel otherwise than that he is an unprofitable servant; and, conscious of unnumbered faults, he will
often " write bitter things against himself."  " When
I reflect upon my sins," says the pious Baxter, " I




SECOND BEATITUDE.              73
find it much easier to believe that God will forgive
me than I can forgive myself."
Renewing grace accomplishes much for the Christian. It delivers him from the guilt and dominion
of sin. Under its almighty energies he becomes a
"new creature;" "old things pass away and all
things become new;" "he walks in newness of
life," and advances toward perfection. Every power
of the soul has felt the touches of transforming grace,
and goes outward and upward to heaven and God.
Thus a good work is begun; but there are many
deficiencies; nor can he ever reflect upon them
without mourning and humiliation. When he looks
within, how much ingratitude does he see! What
dullness and deadness! How little of love and zeal,
of faith and power!
Follow the Christian to his place of retirement;
see his tears, and mark the strugglings of his spirit.
Hear his confessions: "0, my God, how oft have I
wandered from thee-how many means have I neglected or misimproved-how many injuries have I
done to others by my example and influence —how
vain and worldly have I been —how prayerless
and unwatchful!'Pardon the iniquity of thy servant, and perfect that which concerneth me, 0
Lord."'  What Christian is not familiar with such
scenes?
He mourns, over the impenitence and wickedness
of sinners. We can not even think of a Christian
without thinking of one who is deeply affected with
the guilt and woes of our fallen race. How unlike
the Son of God would he be, who wept over the
guilt and doom of Jerusalem! How unlike David,
7




"74      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
who said., "Rivers of water run down mine eyes,
because they keep not thy law!"
Perhaps he is a minister; then he "goes forth
weeping and sows in tears." How does he mourn
over fruitless sermons and careless hearers! They
seem to grow harder under his warnings, and blindly
persist in sin. Such a minister was Paul: "I have
told you often, and now tell you, even weeping, that
they are the enemies of the cross of Christ." Such
a minister was Jeremiah: "If ye will not hear," said
he to the impenitent around him, "my soul shall
weep in secret places for your pride; and mine eye
shall weep sore, and run down with tears, because
the Lord's flock is carried away captive."
Perhaps he is a relative. And can he " see the
destruction of his kindred" without emotion?  He
is a father; around him rise his offspring. They are
lovely and interesting, the objects of fond affection
and unremitting toil; but they are fallen and sinful.
They early show the tokens of depravity, the sad
proofs of alienation from God. Unrenewed, they
must perish. Can a pious father look upon them
and not mourn-not ardently desire their salvation?
No; they are the children of many prayers and
tears; they are the objects of a solicitude that can
never rest till they are brought within the fold of
Christ. He is a husband, and mourns over the pride,
vanity, and worldliness of a beloved wife. Or perhaps it is a pious wife, who mourns the impenitence
of him on whose arm she leans. He to whom she
looks for counsel and example, refuses to hear the
word of life and turn from the ways of sin, and
who, but for her prayers and tears, would long




SECOND BEATITUDE.               75
since have been "cut down as a cumberer of the
ground."
But a Christian's sympathies reach beyond the
circle of kindred and friends. A world is in ruins;
millions are perishing around him; even while he
surveys the appalling scene of a world lying in wickedness, thousands are hurried "from a life of sin to
a state of punishment, and shriek to find themselves
forever lost." As long as religion is love to God
and man, a Christian must weep over such a world,
where God is dishonored, the Savior despised, and
immortal souls are lost. But this is a hallowed
sorrow-it makes us like the Son of God, whose
approbation and promise already encourage and
cheer both the penitent and the believing heart.
Let us now trace
II. THE APPLICATION OF THIS PROMISE TO THESE TWO
CLASSES OF MOURNERS.
" Blessed are they, for they shall be comforted."
1. Let us note its avp1plcation to the case of the
penitent sinner.
In what sense are they blessed? Is not this a
state of wretchedness, a condition of deep distress?
Yes, they indeed drink the cup of wormwood, and
the keen arrows of conviction transfix their hearts.
Yet theirs is a gracious estate, and they are, therefore, blessed. It has been said, by some, "that the
mourning of a penitent is but another form of rebellion, and springs from the enmity of the carnal
mind." This doctrine is as false as it is pernicious,
and dishonors the Savior as much as it discourages
the penitent. Did he mourn because he was required to forsake his sins and "submit to God?"




76       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
because he was required to repent and believe in
Christ? Then, indeed, would it be sinful. But he
mourns because he has sinned, because he has insulted God and slighted the Savior; and it is right
he should mourn, and repent in dust and ashes.
And to encourage him therein the Savior regards
him in pity, and assures him of approaching comfort. Penitential grief is an effect of grace, not of
conflict with God; it is the result of divine illumination, and, if the heart yield to them, uniformly succeeds the visitations of the Spirit, when he " reproves
of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment to'come."
They shall be comforted.
God will graciously pardon the sins over which
they now weep; "for he is nigh unto them  that
are of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a
contrite spirit."  It is upon believing penitents
that he looks with special regard. He will remove
their burden, he will justify them through the blood
of Christ, " blotting out their iniquities as a thick
cloud from before him." Mark the assurances of
his word: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and
the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return unto the Lord, and he will have mercy upon
him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon;" "I, even I, am  he that blotteth out thy
transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins;" "Come," says Jesus, "unto me
all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give
you rest." Such, 0 thou broken-hearted one, are the
promises of thy God and Savior. Now, take an instance of their fulfillment: "I waited patiently for
the Lord," says the royal penitent, "and he inclined




SECOND BEATITUDE.                77
unto me and heard my cry; he brought me up, also,
out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set
my feet upon a rock; and he hath put a new song
in my mouth, even praises unto our God."  Look
up, then, in humble trust. Despair thou shouldst of
thyself, but of infinite mercy never. Guilty and
condemned thou art; but the tribunal of justice is
changed into a throne of mercy. The Judge who
sits there is the Savior of sinners, the very Savior
who once hung bleeding upon the cross.
"Look up, thy broken heart prepare,
And God shall set the captive free."
They shall be comforted by the gift of the Holy
Spirit. Of this he assures us in the language of
promise: "  He will give the Holy Spirit to them that
ask him."  And he is a comforter: this is both his
name and office. IHis peculiar work is to dispel the
clouds of unbelief-to apply the blood of atonement-to shed abroad the love of God in the heart,
and witness to the fact and the extent of his work.
As a Spirit of light he irradiates our darkness; as a
Spirit of peace he calms the troubled bosom; and as
a Spirit of adoption, with "sweet, persuasive voice,"
" He answers to the blood,
And tells me I am born of God."
Now the spirit of bondage vanishes, the crushing
sense of guilt passes away, and the believing mourner,
looking to heaven through his tears, says, with emotions no words can express,' O Lord, I will praise
thee; for though thou wast angry with me, thine
anger is turned away, and now thou comfortest me."
And now, are any of you seeking this comfort —seeking it with a contrite heart?  Then stretch forth the
7*




78        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
hand of faith and take it to your heart; it is rich and
full, ay, more, it is free; it is offered, not because
you are deserving of it, but for Christ's sake alone.
Dost thou thus receive it? Then thy faith hath saved
thee; go in peace.
2. Equally applicable is thispromise to mourning
CAristians.
They, too, shall be comforted. Whatever may be
the source of their grief or the weight of their affliction, the day of relief approaches, and its first beams
already begin to kindle and glow amid the yielding
darkness. Let us now make this a matter of personal interest.
Dost thou mourn under the adverse and afflictive
scenes of life? And hast thou in faith and patience
submitted thyself to the overruling providence of
God? Then there is comfort for thee. The final
result shall be far richer with joy, than the present
is frought with sorrow. " All these things shall
work together for good to them that love God."
Thy reverses, thy poverty, thy bereavements shall
eventuate well. A boundless, endless good shall
evolve from  seeming evil.  Heavenly creations,
bright with smiles, and glowing with immortal
beauty, shall spring from the disorders of the present state. Then thou shalt bow and adore, or soar
and sing, "Alleluia, for the Lord God omnipotent
reigneth."
Art thou in heaviness through manifest trials and
oppositions? Allow me simply to address you in
the language of the Bible: " O thou afflicted, tossed
with tempests and not comforted! behold, I will lay
thy stones with fair colors, and lay thy foundations




SECOND BEATITUDE.              79
with sapphires. In righteousness shalt thou be established; thou shalt be far from oppression, for
thou shalt not fear; and from terror, for it shall not
come near thee." And mark the language of St.
Paul: "The Lord shall deliver me from every evil
work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom, to whom be glory forever and ever."
Dost thou mourn over thine imperfections and infirmities? So thou shouldst; so we are taught to
pray and feel, before we commemorate the dying
love of Christ. "We acknowledge and bewail our
manifold sins and wickedness, which we have committed against thy divine Majesty." Though thou
hast many imperfections both of heart and life, yet
"'cast not away thy confidence."  "Hold that fast
which thou hast;" comfort awaits thee.  Hope,
then, hope largely. Expect increasing measures of
grace and spiritual power; for he who uttered these
words upon the Mount of Blessing, intends to lead
thee up to the highest elevations of Christian experience, where thou shalt rejoice in the full salvation of God. " Who hath despised the day of small
things?" The spiritually proud and vainglorious
may; but Jesus, blessings on his name! never will.
"The bruised reed will he not break, and the smoking flax will he not quench." No, he will fan the
feeble spark, and brace and strengthen the tender
reed, till the one shall glow with living flame, and
the other " flourish like a cedar in Lebanon."  It is
thus he will lead you on to perfection, if, while you
mourn your remaining corruptions, you "lay aside
every weight and the sin which doth so easily beset
you." "' For the Lord shall bruise Satan under your




80        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
feet shortly. For this purpose was the Son of God
manifested, that he might destroy the works of the
devil. His name is Jesus; for he shall save his
people from  their sins."  And now, in faith and
hope, anticipate that period when thou shalt "'walk
in the comforts of the IHoly Ghost," and the God of
all comfort himself " shall fill and rule thy heart."
Or dost thou sigh and cry for the abominations of
the land-for the sins of men, and for a perishing
world? thou shalt be comforted. When, under discouragement and opposition, we prosecute an ilmportant enterprise, nothing tends more to strengthen
and cheer the heart, than the assurance of final success. It relieves the present gloom and abates the
force of present difficulties, to feel that whatever
may happen we shall ultimately triumph over all
opposition. Such is the position of the Christian.
He weeps and labors, but his tears are preserved in
the bottle of God, and his toils are written among
the most precious records of heaven. All his mourning, all he has done and suffered in behalf of the
Church and a sin-cursed world, shall ultimately be
produced before assembled worlds, as the bright
evidences of love to the Savior, and of his right to
share the thrones and crowns of heaven. Thou
weepest over the desolations of Zion! Look at the
future. "Thine eyes shall see Jerusalem  a quiet
habitation, a tabernacle that shall not be taken
down; not one of the stakes thereof shall ever be
removed, neither shall any of the cords thereof be
broken." Who, even while he bewails the sins of
men, can read without a thrill of holy comfort the
sublime strains of Isaiah: "Thy watchmen shall lift




SECOND BEATITUDE.                   81
up the voice; with the voice together shall they
sing: for they shall see eye to eye when the Lord
shall bring again Zion. Break forth into joy, sing
together, ye waste places of Jerusalem; for the
Lord hath comforted his people, he hath redeemed
Jerusalem. The Lord hath made bare his holy arm
in the eyes of all nations; and all the ends of the
earth shall see the salvation of our God." Weep
thou mayest over the spreading sin and misery of the
world, but not with a dark; distrustful heart. Look
and wonder, and adore, as the bright scroll of
prophecy unrolls before thine eyes; there I see "the
forces of the Gentiles and the multitude of the isles
converted to God;" I see "the house of the Lord
established upon the tops of the mountains, and all
nations flowing unto it." The desolations of the
Church are rebuilt; "upon her walls is inscribed
salvation, and upon her gates praise;" while from
within a voice proclaims, "Thy sun shall no more
go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself:
for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the
days of thy mourning shall be ended."
"Come, ye disconsolate, where'er you languish;
Come, at the mercy-seat fervently kneel;
Here bring your wounded hearts, here tell your anguish;
Earth has no sorrow that heaven can not heal."








LECTURE IV.








THIRD BEATITUDE.                85
THIRD BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." MATTHEW
V, 5.
IN two things especially Christianity exhibits its
superior excellence-the sublimity of its doctrines,
and the purity of its precepts; and had it no other
marks of a heavenly origin, these would be sufficient
to authenticate its claims and establish its truth as
a revelation from God. In regard to its precepts,
their purity is abundantly manifest from what they
require of man. They have, first, a general character; they spread over the whole field of human duty,
and lay their commanding force upon the entire life
and deportment of man. They are, also, particular
and special; they are adapted to every circumstance
and department in human life; and are especially
directed to the tempers and dispositions of the
heart. The design is apparent; it was to form a
character, at once so new and lovely, as to impress
and convince every succeeding age of the truth and
divinity of the Christian religion.
In this character the mild and retiring virtues
chiefly prevail. The sterner virtues are indeed present; but among those that shine with a holier luster
we may see gentleness, patience, and meekness. It
is upon these religion sets the highest value, enjoins
by the most commanding authority, and encourages
8




86        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
by the most delightful promises. Such views, however, are very different from those entertained by
the world. Meekness, for example, has no place in
its code of honor or its list of virtues. It is usually
regarded as a proof of weakness, and the sure indication of a little mind; while the spirit that can revenge an insult and crush an enemy, is the subject
of applause, and gives its possessor the character of
a hero; and yet, whatever may be the judgment of
the world, the meek have the especial regards of the
Savior. The manner in which he brings this character before us in the text, is ample proof of this:
"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the
earth."
But what is meekness? In ordinary language, it
signifies softness of temper; forbearance under injuries and provocations. In an evangelical sense, it
signifies humility, resignation, submission to the
Divine will, without murmuring or peevishness, and
stands opposed to pride, arrogance, and sullen obstinacy; as such, it is purely the result of regenerating grace. It is not to be confounded with constitutional gentleness and equanimity; this may exist
where the power of renewing grace is unknown.
The natural tempers of men vary much; some are
calm and quiet, others fiery and passionate; some
sit unmoved amid circumstances that enrage others
beyond control; some are tender and forgiving,
and others harsh and revengeful. As in the one
case there call be no claim to Christian meekness, it
may be equally so in the other. Each may exhibit
only the natural temper and inclination of the heart.
The meekness of which the Savior speaks, is




HII)D BEATITUDE.               87
founded in poverty of spirit; it is eminently a fruit
of the Spirit-the offspring of pure religion; it is a
distinguishing trait of the true Christian, who, having "' put off the old man, has put on the new man,
which is renewed after the image of God." And
now, from that heart, where pride once reigned and
passion poured its fiery torrents, the pure and gentle
stream of meekness flows, spreading cheerfulness
and verdure wherever it comes.  Abiding as a
principle in the renewed heart, its precious fruits are
displayed in all the circumstances, relations, duties,
and pursuits of life. We shall now,
I. IN THE FIRST PLACE, DELINEATE THE CHARACTER
OF THE MEEK.
And may He who was himself the great pattern
of meekness, divinely aid us in our attempt!
1. Thle Sreadiness and docility with which they
receive the doctrines of the Gospel, form a leading
characteristic of the meek.
They do not read or hear the word of God in the
spirit of criticism or censoriousness, but in the spirit
of candor, and with a sincere desire to know his will.
The proud and conceited approach the divine word
with very different feelings, inflated with the idea
of their own superior wisdom, and charmed with the
lights of science, falsely so called; they ridicule the
doctrines of the Gospel, and pronounce, with the
confidence of unerring wisdom, upon the sublime
mysteries and precepts of religion. Such vanity
renders them unfit to investigate its claims or appreciate its worth. To do either, they must descend
from the giddy hights of self-conceit; they must cast
away the pride of reason, and bow down before the




88        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
majesty of truth; then shall they realize that God
"will guide the meek in judgment, and the meek
will he teach his way."
There are those, too, who, from passion mixed with
pride, lift a bold and stubborn front of opposition to
the teachings of Christ. To be called a sinner —a
child of wrath-an heir of hell, wounds their feelings; it is a gross insult, and sets the soul in a blaze
of passion. Truth can never enter such a heart as
this. Passion has barred the entrance, and stands
defiant upon the threshold. If the Gospel ever enter
there it must be received with meekness. " Wherefore," says an inspired apostle, " lay apart all filthiness and superfluity of naughtiness." These comprehend that " wrath of man," to which he had just
alluded, "which worketh not the righteousness of
God."  Such a state of mind is unfavorable to the
reception of truth. "And receive with meekness
the ingrafted word, which is able to save your
souls." A subdued and tranquil spirit, open to
instruction, and wishing for light, is alone fitted to
see the beauty of religion, to appreciate its value
and understand its instructions.
"Meekness," says Matthew Henry, "breaks up
the fallow ground, and makes it fit to receive the
seed. It captivates the high thoughts, and lays the
soul like white paper under God's pen. Meekness
softens the wax, that it may receive the impression
of the seal, whether it be for doctrine or reproof, for
correction or instruction in righteousness. It opens
the ear to discipline, it silences objections, and
quells the risings of the carnal mind against the
word of God."




THIRD BEATITUDE.              89
It is in the manner thus indicated the meek receive the announcements of infinite wisdom. Deeply
penetrated with a sense of their own ignorance and
sin, they are willing to be taught. They listen to
the voice of God, and yield themselves to the
guidance of his Spirit. They believe its statements,
and welcome to their bosoms its bright and searching beams. That system of heavenly truth which
enlightens the understanding, sanctifies the heart,
and consoles the spirit, they now embrace with exceeding joy. Such a man goes to the Bible, not for
advice but law. He is willing to abide the verdict
of God. He does not dictate, he does not prescribe,
but he says, "I will hear what God the Lord will
speak."  And he kneels and prays, "Lord, I believe,' help thou mine unbelief."
2. The meek are resigned and submissive under
the dispensations of divaine Providence.
St. Paul is a fine example. "'I have learned,"
says he, "in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be
content."  We see it beautifully exemplified in the
conduct of David. A dark providence had overwhelmed him with affliction; he fled before Absalonm, his rebel son, who had conspired against his
kingdom and sought his life. A few chosen men,
with the priests and Levites bearing the holy ark,
followed him in his exile. Having passed the brook,
he turned to the priest, and with meek resignation
said, "Carry back the ark; if I find favor in the
eyes of the Lord, he will show me both it and his
habitation; but if he say I have no delight in thee,
behold here am I, let him do to me as seemeth good
unto him."
8*




90       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
The dispensations of divine Providence are often
mysterious and trying. "His way is in the sea and
his path in the great waters;" "'Clouds and darkness are round about him," and no human sagacity
can comprehend his ways or penetrate his " bright
designs."  How often, under such circumstances, do
men arraign the wisdom of God, and charge him
with ignorance and cruelty; or, if not sufficiently
bold for such daring impiety as this, they fret under
the corrections of his hand, and murmur at those
events which seem to thwart their purposes and
plans! From  one he takes away property, from
another health, from a third family or friends. He
deranges our plans, hedges up our way, and throws
dark shadows upon our course; and, as far as we
can see, without reason or necessity. This is the
precise point where
" Blind unbelief is sure to err."
The soul starts up in rebellion, and, if it does not
blaspheme, utters the language of complaint: "' All
these things are against me." The small voice that
speaks, "Be still, and know that I am God," is unheard or unheeded amid the tumult of excited feeling, or the strugglings of unhumbled pride.
The distinction is wide and deep between such a
rebel spirit and the calm submission of the meek.
Acknowledging the supremacy of God and his right
to rule the universe, they bow to his authority, and
resign themselves to his all-wise disposal. They are
not indifferent to reverses or insensible to suffering.
They feel, perhaps, more keenly than others, the
trials and sorrows of life, but they neither murmur
nor repine. Their spirit and temper is beautifully




THIRD BEATITUDE.               91
exemplified in the conduct of Job, who, when bereft
of his children, and stripped of every earthly possession, fell upon the ground and worshiped, saying,
"'The Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away:
blessed be the name of the Lord!"
A touching incident, and beautifully illustrative
of Christian meekness, is related by Capt. Carlton
in his memoirs. It occurred at the siege of Barcelona, in 1705. "An old and pious officer, having
his only son, a most promising boy, with him, sat
down in the tent to dine. While thus engaged, a
shot from one of the bastions took off the head of his
son. The father immediately rose up, first looking
down upon his headless and bleeding child, and
then lifting his eyes to heaven, while the tears ran
in streams down his cheeks, only said, Father, thy
will be done!"
Such is true Christian meekness. It never doubts
the wisdom of Providence, or foolishly charges his
administration. Whatever storms may disturb the
elements —whatever calamities may lower or burst
upon it, meekness calmly and sweetly sinks into
the will of God, and rests in security beneath the
shadow of his wings.
3. oThe meek are calm and patient under offenses
and provocations.
Perhaps no where does divine grace display itself
with more beauty and power than in this amiable
temper.  It properly denotes that state of mind
which can bear long when provoked and calumniated.
It, therefore, stands in direct opposition to irritability; to a hot and hasty spirit, venting itself in
angry thoughts and words. It is one of the gentle




92       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
offsprings of charity, a heaven-born principle, and,
like its celestial parent, is always benignant. " It
beareth all things, endureth all things, is not easily
provoked," but keeps the spirit calm and unruffled
amid persecution and ill-usage. "The effect of religion," says one, "is no where more striking and
apparent than in changing a temper, naturally
quick and excitable, to one that is calm, and gentle,
and subdued."  If any thing can indicate the presence and power of the Holy Spirit this does; and
both the presence and the power of that divine agent
are necessary in the formation of this temper. A
man is not meek simply because he endures-his
endurance may arise from other causes. With some
it may be indolence, with others insensibility, and
with a third class constitutional fortitude. Christian
meekness is ever a "fruit of the Spirit," and is exercised under insult and injury, in obedience to
God, and for the honor of his holy name.
Many persons are petulant and irritable; every
spark inflames them; they can bear nothing; hardly
a day passes in which some occurrence does not
wound their pride and insult their dignity; they
fancy that every man's hand is against them; and
yet the whole secret of their troubles lies in the fact
that they are "easily provoked." "It must needs
be that offenses come." So various are the characters and tempers of men, so conflicting often their
interests and pursuits, that they will inevitably arise.
How supremely miserable must they be who are
thus passionate! There is no more certain way to
imbitter life and poison every stream of happiness,
than to indulge an unkind and sour temper. Nothing




THIRD BEATITUDE.               93
contributes so much to alienate the affections of a
husband, a wife, a friend; and nothing will sooner
banish smiles and contentment from the family
circle or break it up in fragments.
On the contrary, how delightful is the influence of
the quiet virtues of patience and forbearance! They
are refreshing as the dews of heaven; they gladden
and cheer the circle of their influence like the gentle
rivulet that flows on day and night, clothing its
banks with verdure and flowers. What an adorning is the meek and quiet spirit to the husband, the
wife, the brother, the sister, the friend, the neighbor!
Such a one "is no brawler, but gentle, showing all
meekness to all men;" "he is slow to wrath, knowing that the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God." The salutary effects of this spirit
are seen especially in its power over the harsh and
oppressive. It subdues the passionate and calms
the stormy spirit, sometimes even melting it into
contrition and tears. " A soft answer turneth away
wrath." The history of the meek furnishes many
beautiful illustrations of this. "A  husband, in a
moment of passion, said to her whom, but a few
months before, he had promised to love and honor,'If you are not satisfied with my conduct, go, return
to your friends and your happiness!'' And will you
give me back that which I brought to you i' asked
the weeping wife.' Yes,' he replied,'all your wealth
shall go with you, I covet it not.''Alas!' she answered,'I thought not of wealth; I spoke of my
maiden affections-of my buoyant hope-of my devoted love; can you give these back to me?'No,'
said the subdued husband, now throwing himself at




94       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
her feet,'no, I can not restore these; but I will do
more-I will keep them unsullied and unstained; I
will cherish them through life!'"
Such, under insult and reproach, is the spirit of
meekness. He who by grace possesses it, esteems
it the glory of a man to pass by a transgression; he
is gentle and patient; " he is not overcome of evil,
but overcomes evil with good;" he has learned the
art of self-government, he can command himself.
Such a man is a victor and a hero, " above all Greek,
all Roman fame;" " for he that is slow to anger is
better than the mighty, and he that ruleth his spirit
than he that taketh a city."
4. Their readiness to forgive inj/uries as well as
to bear thenm patiently, is another characteristic of
the meek.
On this subject the maxims of the world and the
precepts of the Gospel are in direct variance. The
language of a distinguished philosopher fitly expresses the views of men in every age: " It is good
to avenge ourselves upon our enemies; for it is but
just to return the same measure that we have received." How different is the lesson which the
meek Son of God taught his disciples! On one
occasion Peter approached him with this question,
"Lord, how often shall my brother offend against
me and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus replied, I say not unto thee, till seven times, but till
seventy times seven." This precept is peculiar to
the religion of Christ; it is not found in Pagan
philosophy or in any other system of morals. The
prominence given it by our Savior is remarkable.
Every harsh and unforgiving temper-every thing




THIRD BEATITUDE.               95
like a feeling of resentment, however popular in the
world, is forbidden, as inconsistent with the spirit of
his religion. His coming into the world was the
result of infinite love, and his own example in the
exercise of pardon must be followed by his disciples,
or he will disown them before his Father and the
holy angels. Let us ponder for a moment the nature
and bearings of this sublime precept. 1. It does
not mean that we are to be insensible to injuries.
Religion is designed to control and regulate, not to
annihilate the constitutional principles of our being.
2. It does not mean that we are to approve the conduct of the injurious; for if it be wrong, we neither
can nor ought to approve it. 3. It does not mean
that we are to regard them with complacency; for if
their characters are bad, this would be wrong; and
if our hearts are right, it is impossible. It means, 1.
That under no circumstances are we to harbor malice against them. 2. We are to be ready to do
them good, to extend to them acts of kindness as we
have opportunity. 3. We are to stand ready to declare our forgiveness when they ask us. 4. We are
thereafter to treat them with affectionate kindness,
as if they had not offended us. Thus God acts toward us. " Forbearing one another, and forgiving
one another," says the apostle, " if any man have a
quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so
also do ye." " The force of this motive," says the
pious Bishop Wilson, "it is impossible fully to appreciate. Our faults are without number, our guilt
inexcusable, our misery helpless; and yet Christ
forgave us; and at what a price! —his incarnation,
his sacrifice, his blood, his bitter death upon the




96        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
cross." This godlike disposition does not flow from
meanness or cowardice, nor does it consist in a surrender of our rights; but it is the opposite of sudden anger —of malice-of long-harbored vengeance.
Christ insisted on his rights, when he said, "If I
have done evil, bear witness of the evil, but if well,
why smitest thou me?" Paul asserted his right
when he said, " They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into
prison; and now do they thrust us out privily?
nay, verily; but let them come themselves and fetch
us out."  And yet Christ was the model of meekness. With the highest degree of truth he could
say, I am meek and lowly. So of Paul; yet they
were not passionate; they did not harbor malice;
they were not unforgiving; they did not press their
rights through thick and thin, and trample down the
rights of others to secure their own. Readiness to
forgive injuries, then, must ever be regarded as characteristic of the meek. They cherish no hate and
indulge no feelings of resentment; they are mild
and gentle; conscious of their own unnumbered
offenses, they are ever ready to forgive the offenses
of others.
"How beautifully falls
From human lips that blessed word, forgive!"
Its exercise is true magnanimity, and more than
any thing beside ennobles and adorns the character
of man.
5. The meek are also distinguished by the affectionate kindness with which they treat an erring
brother.
"Brethren," says an apostle, "if a man be over



THIRD BEATITUDE.               97
taken in a fault, ye which are spiritual restore such
a one in the spirit of meekness." And, again, we
read,' In meekness instructing those that oppose
themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth." This
trait was exemplified in the conduct of St. Paul, in
the most lovely manner. Instead of a harsh and
commanding air, he says to the Thessalonians, "We
were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth
her children." How tender is the solicitude which
a mother feels for the infant reposing upon her
bosom! The instruction she imparts, the reproof and
correction she administers are all prompted by
ardent and glowing love. So Paul felt, and in this
spirit he sought to win men to Christ. But the
most lovely and striking illustration ever given to
the world was in the conduct of our blessed Savior;
it was characteristic of all he said and did in behalf
of erring men. True, he spoke with authority; he
pronounced the most awful threatenings; but they
were the utterances of mercy, and came from a heart
overflowing with love. To instruct and restore the
wandering sinner is the godlike work of Christians.
We are workers together with him; we are to work
like him; and as gentleness and love marked his
conduct toward even the worst of men, we are to be
governed by the same principles in our efforts to do
good.  Affectionate kindness will melt and win
when nothing else can. Hearts as hard as iron
have been fused under the persuasions of Christian
love, while the yielding conscience has been changed
to adamant by an overbearing, imperious manner.
Christian meekness is always kind and serene; it
9




98        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
selects a proper time and place; it reproves with
authority and truthfulness, but with all long-suffering, showing all meekness to all men. It is not
rude but gentle; it subdues by tenderness, and compels by the resistless eloquence of love. Its words
fitly spoken, "are like apples of gold in baskets* of
silver." They enter the heart "like goads, and are
as nails fastened by the Master of assemblies."
Such, then, are some of the more obvious traits of
the meek; and how amiable and lovely is this char.
acter! "They are followers of God;;" "They have
the mind which was in Christ." Angels glowing in
the beauty of holiness, and shining in the splendor
of heaven, do not more resemble the Son of God
than they. Do you admire this character? then
imitate it. The world may admire the brave and
fearless disputant, the brawling polemic, but "the
wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God."
Be it yours and mine, my brethren, to cultivate
1" that meek and quiet spirit, which in the sight of
God is of great price." This will crown us with the
favor of God, and constitute us fellow-heirs with the
meek in the wealth of a present and imperishable
estate. "Blessed are the meek, for they shall in7terit the earth."
II. LET US NOW INVESTIGATE THE NATURE OF THIS
PROMISE.
Some expositors have applied it exclusively to
the present world; others to the future and heavenly
inheritance. Its application, however, should embrace both the one and the other. This is certainly
a The learned say the original allows this rendering, and it is preferable
to the common version.




THIRD BEATITUDE.               99
more in harmony with the general sense of the Bible.
The encouragements of piety are indeed chiefly the
hope of spiritual blessings, yet they are sometimes
temporal also; for "godliness hath the promise of
the life that now is, as well as that which is to
come." The words are perhaps a quotation from the
thirty-seventh Psalm, and the connection there indicates that its application to temporal, as well as spiritual good, was the design of the inspired penman.
The phrase, "inherit the earth," relates not so
much to the largeness and wealth of their possessions,
as to the enjoyment of what Providence has given
them. It means to enjoy rather than to possess.'
This is the essential idea. Do vast estates produce
corresponding happiness? When men inherit largely
do they enjoy in the same proportion?  Never.
The rule is the reverse of this; enjoyment is the
exception. Few, however, believe this till they have
wasted life in experiments; yet all experience, as
well as the words of Christ, unite in declaring that
"C a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the
things which he possesseth." No. Many a man
without a fixed abode or certain daily bread, enjoys
more than he who rolls in all the plenty of wealth.
He alone really inherits the earth who enjoys it; and
that enjoyment, singular as it may seem, depends
upon conditions which the mere possession can
never supply. This inheritance, then, may exist
amid poverty, and be a richer portion than vast
domains or coffers filled with gold. This promise,
then, secures,
1. Temporal advantages.
In regard to the present life, they have an interest




100      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
in the benevolent provisions of Providence. "The
wise of the world," in the language of Mr. Wesley,
" had warned them that if they did not resent affronts,
if they would tamely suffer abuse, they could expect
no peace, no quiet possession, no enjoyment of any
thing. Most true, if there were no God in the
world, or if he did not concern himself in the affairs
of men; but when God ariseth to judgment, and to
help all the meek of the earth, how doth he laugh all
this heathen wisdom to scorn, and turn the fierceness
of man to his praise! He takes a peculiar care to
provide them with all things needful for life and
godliness; he secures to them the provisions he has
made, despite the force, fraud, or malice of men;
and what he secures he gives them richly to enjoy.
It is sweet to them; they are contented-pleased
with what they have. So that while their heart and
their joy is in heaven, they may be truly said to
inherit the earth."
We may derive an illustration of this promise
from a descriptive phrase of St. Paul, applied to
himself and others: "As having nothing and yet
possessing all things." This is peculiarly applicable
to the meek. In the knowledge of the Redeemer
and the friendship of God he possesses all things.
This comprehends all; he can want no more; this
satisfies the soul, and renders it supremely happy;
"for if God spared not his own Son, but delivered
him up for us all, how shall he not with him also
freely give us all things?" That portion of all things
which a wise and beneficent Father sees necessary,
is freely bestowed. He has such an interest in them
as to enjoy them; and he can say, as his eye sweeps




THIRD BEATITUDE.              101
over the spreading glories of creation, " My Father
made them all." They are his, in that he can contemplate them, and see in them the brilliant proofs
of a Father's infinite wisdom and goodness. As he
looks upon the hills and vales of earth, its placid
lakes and flowing streams, its fruitful farms and enchanting landscapes, he feels a pleasure unknown to
their proud and haughty owner. HIe claims them
as a child and heir of God-a claim of higher value
than title deeds convey.
They who can realize an interest in the wealth of
Him who made and owns the universe, can never be
called poor; "all things are theirs."  And in their
humble abodes, and with their scanty fare, they
have an enjoyment of the earth unknown in the
palaces and at the tables of the rich. The wicked
may flourish in the earth; they may inherit large
estates; they may measure their domains by leagues,
and count their treasures by millions; but all their
possessions are by sufferance; they are tenants at
will, and liable any moment to ejectment. " I have
seen," says the Psalmist, " the wicked in great
power, and spreading himself like a green bay-tree.
Yet he passed away, and, lo, he was not; yea, I
sought him, but he could not be found."  " For evildoers shall be cut off; but those that wait upon the
Lord, they shall inherit the earth." The meek possess by inheritance; they are the legatees of heaven;
all their blessings are the gift of a father's love.
As the children of God, no reverses can deprive
them of their enjoyments; they are held by a tenure
which no fraud can violate, no vicissitudes impair.
Furthermore, this promise secures exemption from
9*




102       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
many of the disquietudes of life. One of the most
prolific sources of trouble to men are their own
restless and unsanctified tempers.  Pride, impatience, and a hasty spirit, are enough to imbitter
life aside from other causes. They are like a thorn
in the flesh, or like burning coals in the bosom. ie
who possesses them can never be at rest; he is tormented with a thousand vexations, that exist only in
his own imagination. The pleasures of others render
him unhappy, even as the pleasant light of heaven
frets and pains the eye inflamed and sensitive by
disease. The meek escape these ever-recurring disquietudes. His gentleness prevents instead of causes
occasions of pain. Kindness disarms his enemies,
and binds his friends with a purer and stronger attachment.  His sweetness of temper neutralizes the
acid and gall with which he daily comes in contact,
and covers him as with a shield against the darts of
malice and the stings of slander. If he has erred, he
meekly confesses it; if he has suffered an injury,
meekness leads him to receive an acknowledgment
and forgive the offender. In this manner he passes
through the world; the gales of passion that agitate
the multitude are unfelt by him; the disappoiIltments and rebuffs that sting the petulant to madness
harm him not.
"He bears himself
So gently, that the lily on its stalk
Bends not so easily its dewy head."
Such a temper relieves life of half its burdens. Like
the healing wood of Moses, it sweetens the waters
of bitterness, and turns them to sources of refreshment along the weary deserts of life.




THIRD BEATITUDE.             103
In fine, when troubles arise, the meek are not
affected by them as others. I have seen the mighty
oak riven and prostrated by the tempest, while the
pliant reed, meekly bending to the blast, received
no injury. And thus have I seen the proud and
haughty overwhelmed by sorrow-crushed and broken down by earthly calamity; while the meek,
submissive Christian, borne up amid his trials, has
lived to smile and flourish when the storm had
passed away. The vicissitudes of life, whether for
good or evil, he receives as from the hand of God.
To his will he cheerfully resigns himself. His way
he commits to the Lord, trusting also in him, assured
that his righteousness shall be brought forth as the
light, and his judgment as the noonday. He rejoices in present safety. Troubles may arise, but
he stands on a rock, "joyful in tribulation; knowing
that tribulation worketh patience, and patience experience, and experience hope." Like the great
Luther, he can sit and sing amid the storm, " God
is our refuge and strength, a very present help in
trouble. Therefore will not we fear, though the
earth be removed, and though the mountains be
carried into the midst of the sea; though the waters
thereof roar and be troubled; though the mountains
shake with the swelling thereof."
2. This  pronzi8e looks beyond the present state, and
secures an everlastitng inheritance.
It was probably taken from that made to the
Israelites. The promise was that they and their
posterity should inherit the land of Canaan. In the
glowing language of the East, it was described as
"'a land of corn and wine, as flowing with milk and




104      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
honey, and as the glory of all lands." This land was
an eminent and beautiful type of the heavenly
Canaan, the "land which is afar off, where the king
shall be seen in his beauty," when the weary pilgrimage of life is over. "To the meek, therefore,"
says Mr. Watson, " the inheritance of heaven is here
promised, and none but the meek shall inherit it;
for without this most essential branch of holiness no
man shall see the Lord."
Beyond Jordan lies the rich inheritance —a pleasant and a goodly land, where "' the inhabitants never
say they are sick, and where the weary are at rest."
All evil is far away, and all that is good is there.
No change comes there, no sickness, no death, no
grief, no wasting remorse, no bitter memory, no
secret sting. No trumpet of war resounds through
its groves, no enemy lurks in the shelter of its
palmy trees, no scorching wind from the desert
withers its immortal flowers. Of this bright world
the meek are heirs; they have become such by
grace; but they are now in their minority, under
many restraints, and subject to a course of discipline,
the reasons of which are not always apparent. They
must bear the cross, exercise self-denial, and sometimes endure chastisement; but they are advancing
to maturity, and the period of investiture is at hand.
HIow imposing the final scene, when the meek shall
be exalted and crowned! " Before the Son of Man
shall be gathered all nations, and he shall say to
them upon his right hand, Come ye blessed of my
Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from
the foundation of the world." They approach; the
gates unfold, and they enter. Heaven glows with a




THIRD BEATITUDE.              105
brighter radiance and rings with sweeter songs; for
the ransomed of the Lord have gained their inheritance —" an inheritance, incorruptible, undefiled, and
that fadeth not away."
CONCLUSION.
I can not close these observations, without submitting a few directions in reference to the cultivation of Christian meekness.
First of all, begin right. As meekness is pre-eminently a fruit of the Spirit, it can only exist in a
regenerate heart. Begin, then, by seeking the renewing grace of God. Not till you are a new
creature in Christ Jesus may you hope to possess
this heavenly temper. The bramble does not bear
grapes, nor the thistle figs, nor does an evil and
unholy heart bring forth the fruit of meekness. Seek,
then, " the washing of regeneration and the renewing
of the Holy Ghost, which" alone can purify the
heart and fill it with divine affections. Pray, ever
pray, "Create in me a clean heart, 0 God, and
renew a right spirit within me."
Guard your tempers; these, like roots of bitterness, will spring up and trouble you.  Moving
as you do amid scenes of conflict and provocation, the least you can do is to watch. Be sober,
be vigilant; guard against the outbreaks of passion. You carry within you materials, which the
sparks of strife may kindle into consuming fires.
"Keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it
are the issues of life." Shut every gate, bar every
door, and close every avenue through which passion
has been wont to enter. As you regard your peace,




106      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
as you dread satanic malice, set a sleepless watch
over your heart.
Aspire to imitate the example of the Son of God.
All others have their spots and blemishes, but his
example is perfection itself In his meekness, resignation, and forgiving love, he is the exact model of
what we should become. "Learn of me," is his
beautiful command, "for I am meek and lowly."
Learn as the scholar from his copy; izitate him.
This, Christian, is your high calling, your elevated
privilege. Pause not till the meekness and gentleness of Christ pervades your heart, and invests your
character as with a robe and a diadem of glory.
To all this add prayer; ask of God this divine
adorning; seek the presence and power of restraining
grace. "When you are angry," says one, "answer
not till you have prayed,'Forgive us our trespasses
as we forgive them that trespass against us."' The
exercise of devotion will check resentment, hush the
storm of passion, and diffuse through the soul the
serenity of heaven itself. May you cultivate this
spirit; and may you realize, now and through all
your future being, the blessedness of its attainment!




LECTURE V.








FOURTH  BEATITUDE.              109
FOURTH BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for
they shall be filled." MATTHEW V, 6.
THERE is much in the sinful heart to hinder the
beginning and the progress of religion. It is ruled
by the spirit of darkness; it is full of enmity to
God-an enmity that never yields without a struggle, and can only be slain by the power of divine
grace. Particular evils offer resistance; among the
more prominent we may observe pride, impenitence,
and passion. These, from their very nature, must
ever oppose the entrance of light and life into the
soul. Pride will not acknowledge its wants, impenitence will not bewail its sins, nor passion submit
itself to God. While these enemies stand upon the
threshold of the heart, religion will not, can not
enter. Pride must sit down in the dust; impenitence must weep and mourn, for sin and passion
must sink in meekness at the feet of Christ. Then,
and only then, is the way open for the sublime work
of religion.
To effect this was one design of the Savior in the
preceding beatitudes. "Blessed," says he, " are the
poor in spirit; blessed are they that mourn; blessed
are the meek."  These several states of mind are in
the highest degree favorable to the progress and
perfection of religion. Beginning in the dust with
10




110       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
utter emptiness and poverty, he gradually advances
and ascends till every obstruction is removed, and
religion reigns and triumphs upon the throne of the
heart.
This beatitude is eminently encouraging. It was
evidently not intended to apply to any one blessing,
or any particular stage of Christian experience, but
to each and all without distinction. It would certainly be an error to limit its application in the least,
when every sincere seeker of the kingdom of God
so much needs its encouraging assurance. Every
seeker of religion, every penitent imploring pardon,
every believer desiring a growth in grace, and
panting for the full salvation of God, has a right to
claim  it as his own. Is he in earnest?  Does he
hunger and thirst?  If so, then he is welcome to the
fullness, and is entitled to claim all that it means,
both for the present and the future world. "Blessed,"
then, " are they which do hunger and thirst," not after
earthly good, but " after righteousness: for they shall
be filled." God himself shall supply their need,
and satisfy their desires with the fullness of redeeming grace. Let us now consider,
I. THE NATURE OF THAT RIGHTEOUSNESS OF WHICH
OUR SAVIOR SPEAKS.
Few words in the Bible are more various in their
import than the word righteousness; its meaning,
however, may be readily ascertained by keeping in
view its connections and applications.  It is sometimes applied to God, and then signifies not only his
justice, but the absolute and essential holiness of
his nature. Sometimes it is applied to the blessed
Redeemner in his personal and mediatorial character,




FOURTH BEATITUDE.              111
and then, again, we read of " the righteousness of
the law," which consists in uniform obedience to its
precepts as a perfect rule of life. In the text it has
a very different application. Mr. Watson, in his
note upon this passage, says, L Righteousness is to
be taken in the sense of holiness, which consists in
the entire renewal of the soul after the image of
God."  And Dr. Clarke says, that the word is to be
taken "for all the blessings of the new covenantall the graces of the Messiah's kingdom —a full
restoration to the image of God." Righteousness,
then, properly signifies inward religion —the whole
of that divine work in the soul which prepares it for
a habitation of God through the Spirit, and for the
future and final abodes of the glorified in heaven.
As an object of desire and pursuit it comprehends,
1. Pardon, or the forgiveness of our actual transgressions.
This is the righteousness of faith, and becomes ours
not by any transfer of the righteousness of Christ to
us-for moral character can not be transferred-nor
by its being infused into us, but by the pardon of
our sins through faith in Jesus Christ. Thus was
Abraham, the father of the faithful, constituted righteous. He believed God, and it was counted to him
for righteousness. " To him," says St. Paul, " that
worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the
ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness;
even as David describeth the blessedness of the
man unto whom God imputeth righteousness without
works, saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are
forgiven, and whose sins are covered; blessed is the
nan to whom the Lord will not impute sin."  The




112      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
deduction which the apostle makes from this fine
argument fixes the sense of the entire connection:
"Therefore, being justified by faith, we have peace
with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  The
pardon of sin, righteousness without works, and
justification by faith, imply the same thing-the
forgiveness of our sins. Our guilt is now canceled,
our iniquities are carried away into a land of forgetfulness, and we are henceforth treated as the
friends of God.
Now, to each and all of you is this righteousness
offered. God commands and invites you to seek it;
and he offers to bestow it upon you all if you will
cast yourselves upon the merits of his Son, and
"believing with a heart unto righteousness." The
world does not present an object of desire worthy of
comparison with this. To you, a fallen man, a ruined
sinner, and even now condemned to death, can there
be any thing of equal importance? How you may
escape the coming wrath, how your sins may be
blotted out, how you may find mercy with God, are
questions of vast and everlasting concern-questions that should awake infinite desires, and call
forth all your powers in pursuit.
2. It comprehends _personal regeneration.
By this I do not mean mere reformation of lifethe abandonment of overt wickedness. Men may
do this; they may go further-they may adopt such
principles and pursue such a line of conduct as shall
win the applause of all that know them, and yet remain under the full sway of that carnal mind which is
enmityto God. Outward reformation is not enough;
you must go beyond this if you would be righteous




FOURTH BiEATITUDE.             113
before God. The ancient Pharisees assumed even a
profession of religion; they were exact in all outward forms; they prayed long and often; they paid
tithes of all; and yet said the Savior to his disciples,
" Except your righteousness exceed the righteousness
of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case
enter into the kingdom  of heaven."  And so, we
may assume the badge of Christian discipleship, and
go far in the externals of religion, and yet remain in
the gall of bitterness and in the bonds of iniquity.
By regeneration I mean the production of spiritual life in him who was dead in trespasses and sins.
In the language of Mr. Watson, " It is that mighty
change in man, wrought by the IIoly Spirit, by
which the dominion which sin has over him in his
natural state, and which he deplores and struggles
against in his penitent state, is broken and abolished, so that, with full choice and the energy of right
affections, he serves God freely, and runs in the way
of his commandments." These views fully harmonize with the word of God. "You hath he quickened," says St. Paul, "who were dead in trespasses
and sins;" "If any man be in Christ he is a new
creature; old things have passed away; behold, all
things are become new;" "Whosoever," says St.
John, "is born of God doth not commit sin; for his
seed remaineth in him, and he can not sin, because
he is born of God." This change, then, is no superficial thing; it is no partial or temporary interruption in the character and tendencies of the moral
feelings; but a change of heart so thorough as to be
fitly represented by a new birth, or a new creation.
You will not infer fiomn these remarks that the
10*




114      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
change is either physical or mental. The body and
its members remain the same; the mind and its
faculties remain the same; but they have a new
character and new applications; they act from
new impulses, and are consecrated to services harmonizing with the claims of religion. As a moral
being, however, the transformation is complete. He
is a new creature-born from above; he is brought
from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan
to God; he is quickened from a life of sin to a life
of holiness; he now rejoices in conscious pardon
and acceptance with God; he is a child of God, and
receives the seal of sonship —the Spirit of adoption,
whereby he cries, Abba, Father.
3. It comprethends holiness.
Holiness is not to be confounded with either justification or regeneration. It includes these, but it
implies much more. Whatever this state may be,
it is comprehended in the word righteousness.
" Without holiness," says the great apostle, "no
man shall see the Lord."  The Psalmist says, "I
shall behold thy face in righteousness." And those
who stand in the presence of God are said to be
clad in robes of white, " which are the righteousness
of the saints."' What," says that eminent divine,
MIr. Wesley, "what is that holiness which is the
only qualification for glory?  In Christ Jesus," he
continues, "neither circumcision availeth any thing
nor uncircumcision, but faith which worketh by love.
It is the keeping the commands of God, particularly
these: Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart; and thy neighbor as thyself. In a word,
holiness is the having the mind that was in Christ,




FOURTH BEATITUDE.              115
and the walking as he walked." In some notes of
difference between himself and the I/Moravian brethren, he says, "Scripture holiness is the image of
God; the mind which was in Christ; the love of
God and man, lowliness, gentleness, temperance,
patience, chastity." In regard to these views, he
says, "Such has been my judgment for threescore
years, without any material alteration."  Holiness
does not seem to differ from regeneration, except in
degree. It has its beginning in this state, and all
its elements are found in this department of Christian experience. Regeneration is initial holiness;
to it belong the fruits of the Spirit-power over sin,
victory over the world, with every other quality and
affection that marks the higher state; only they are
immature. Their development and perfection constitute the holiness that qualifies for heaven.
In this state we enjoy a full restoration to the lost
image of God. I say lost, for it is now defaced and
broken. Sin has not only marred its beauty, but
destroyed its existence. The reproduction of that
image constitutes us holy. The lineaments appear
in the new-born soul; in holiness they are seen in
stronger relief, and shine with a heavenly luster.
We then, in the highest sense, " put on the new man,
which, after God, is renewed in righteousness and
true holiness;" "we are made partakers of the
divine nature." This, too, first obtains in our renewal; but its fuller experience belongs to the
department of Christian holiness. We then enter
into fellowship with the divine nature; we are
" one with Christ, even as he is one with the Father,"
and "his blood cleanseth us from  all sin."  We




116       TRE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
enjoy the love of God-a love made perfect, " casting out all fear that hath torment."  God is now
the object of a pure and supreme love. It does not,
however, exclude a proper regard for worldly interests or worldly pursuits; it is not inconsistent with
a glowing love for friends or home; but its sovereign
preference is given to God. It chooses him as its
best and highest good, and embraces him with all
the energy of a superior and sanctified affection.
"Whom  have I in heaven but thee! and there is
none upon earth that I desire beside thee." The soul
is now " an habitation of God through the Spirit;"
"For he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and
God in him." We enjoy perfect resignation to the
Divine will. I do not mean that we shall have no
will of our own, but we shall fully and cheerfully
resign our will to God, to do, to be, or to suffer
what he appoints. The Savior in the garden, when
he shrunk from the bitter cup, furnishes our example: " Not my will but thine be done, 0 heavenly Father!" In this happy frame of mind, we
"Leave to his sovereign sway
To choose and to command."
" We walk by faith and not by sight;" " We rejoice
evermore, pray without ceasing, and in every thing
give thanks." 0, blest experience! 0, divine estate! when shall we know all thy hights and depths
of love?  0, thou who hast said, " Be ye holy, for I
am holy,"
"Hallow thy great and glorious name,
And perfect holiness in me!"
And now, as an object of pursuit, how noble and
elevating is this righteousness!  How  trifling is




FOURTH BEATITUDE.              117
every earthly interest in comparison with this! To
be delivered from the grossness and impurity of
our nature —to be renewed after the image of Godto be raised to converse and companionship with
Christ-to participate in the raptures of divine love:
these are objects worthy of our immortal nature and
our eternal destiny.
II. LET US NOW CONSIDER THE FEELINGS WITH WHICH
WE ARE TO REGARD THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THE TEXT.
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst
after righteousness." This is a very familiar, but a
very expressive figure of speech. Hunger and thirst
are the strongest of our bodily appetites; no wants
are so keen, and none so imperatively demand
supply as these. They occur daily, and when longcontinued produce indescribable distress and suffering. These appetites are here intended to represent
strong and ardent desire; and no language could
more fully indicate the feelings with which we should
regard the blessings of salvation. As a man, hungry
and faint, traversing a lonely waste, under a burning
sun, longs for food, and pants for the cooling water
brook, so ardently are we to desire the righteousness
of God.
But this phrase describes a character. This, perhaps, was the specific intention; and the description
is so graphic, that we see at a glance both the character of the recipient and the terms of receiving.
Several things enter into this character.
1. A consciousness of want.
Hunger and thirst arise from this source alone,
and are felt in all their painfulness only by the famishing. All, therefore who feel the cravings of this




118      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
spiritual appetite realize their sad condition. They
see themselves sinful, polluted, and perishing; they
feel their need of Christ and the salvation he offers
them; and without this the promise of Christ would
be no promise-the blessing he pronounces no blessing; for they alone who feel their wants can value
them. What is a physician to them that are whole?
or a refuge to them that are safe?  Bread is a blessing to the hungry, and water a priceless boon to the
thirsty, but to others the offer of bread is a mockery,
and the cooling stream rolls uninvitingly by.
When Israel wandered in the desert, "hungry
and thirsty, their soul fainted within them."  But
their condition was less desperate than ours. Our
souls are in want-want which no created good can
supply. Sin is a fearful evil; our whole nature is
in ruins under its desolating power, and it is every
moment preparing for us a deeper and a darker
destruction, where the light of hope will never shine
and the hand of mercy never relieve; and whether
we feel it or not we need pardon! 0, how much/ we
need it! But sin pollutes; it has entered our hearts
and made them like the prophet's chamber of inagery-a " dark storehouse of every abomination."
Where sin enters it abides; so dreadful is its nature
that to become its victim for one moment is, if left
to ourselves, to remain its victim forever. Among
all the millions of our race, there is not one who can
say, "I have made my heart clean, I am pure from
my sin." We need, then, the renewing grace of
God; we need the cleansing blood of Christ, without which we are not only guilty, but absolutely lost
and undone forever. How many are there who have




FOURTH  BEATITUDE.                119
no realizing sense of their sad estate, and no desire
of relief!  They feel not their wants, and seem  to
love their very pollution and wretchedness; but
there are those, thank God! who realize their condition; they feel a burden upon their hearts, and cry
for deliverance; " they hunger and  thirst after
righteousness."
2. Intense desire.
This results from a discovery of their condition;
and the more distressing that condition is felt to be,
the more earnest will be the desire of relief  Take
the case of a penitent sinner.  How painful his convictions, how appalling his sense of danger!  No
pains of hunger or thirst can represent the agony of
his spirit, or his intense desire for the salvation of
God. With what abhorrence does lie now regard
his former pursuits! His affections had been set on
the world; he had chosen it as his supreme good;
but he now sees its emptiness, and sighs for a better
portion. How vain to him is all this wealth, this
splendor, this rank, for which the world around is
toiling! To know that his sins are pardoned, that he
is saved from the hell he fears, that he is now a
child of God-every thing beside dwindles into insignificance; and to hear others speak of pardon and
proclaim the raptures of divine love, only stimulates
his desires, and renders his hunger and thirst more
intense.
"I starve, he cries, nor can I bear
The famine in this land,
While servants of my father share
The bounties of his hand."
Take the believer, who has already tasted that the
Lord is good. Conscious of remaining corruptions,




120        THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
and enlightened by the Spirit to perceive the privileges yet before him, with what energy of desire
does he pant for the "clean heart and the pure
spirit!" To know the full salvation of God, to taste
all the sweetness of divine love, and enjoy a full
conformity to the will of God-these are objects that
engross all his wishes, and kindle his desires with an
ever-burning flame. " I have opened my mouth and
panted," says the Psalmist, " for I longed for thy
salvation;" "As the hart panteth after the water
brook, so panteth my soul after thee, 0 God!" 0, to
be made free from  sin-to be delivered from  this
bondage of corruption! When will the bright morning dawn that shall emancipate my captive soul?
How fitly do the glowing words of Charles Wesley
express this experience:
"I thirst for a life-giving God,
A God that on Calvary diedA fountain of water and blood,
That gushed from Immanuel's side I
I gasl for the streams of thy love,
The spirit of rapture unknown,
And then to redrink it above
Eternally fresh from thy throne."
Former experience adds to the fervency of his desires.
He has tasted that the Lord is gracious; he has felt
the comforts of pardoning mercy; and the relish of
enjoyment adds to the sense of want-he would
know  more of God.  His soul flies with infinite
desire from the streams to the fountain, and can only
be satisfied when it is filled with all the fullness of
God.
3. Unremitting effort.
Hunger and thirst prompt to exertion. Superhuman efforts have been put forth to satisfy their




FOURTH BEATITUDE.              121
cravings; and they who hunger and thirst after
righteousness, will exert themselves to secure the
object of their desire.
This desire does not end in fruitless wishes. It
makes a man look out for relief and exert himself to
be saved. Look into the Scriptures: "Strive," says
Jesus, " to enter into the strait gate, for many shall
seek to enter in and shall not be able;" " Give all
diligence to make your calling and election sure;"
"Work out your salvation with fear and trembling."
True, these efforts do not save us; of themselves
they are nothing; but God has connected them with
this result, and has promised to crown them with
his blessing. And yet how often do men say, I am
all weakness, I can do nothing; and with this they
sit down without an effort! Deceitful sophistry!
was it thus the prodigal regained his father's house
and blessing? and of all the redeemed sinners who
now live on earth, or sing and shine in heaven, was
there ever one thus saved? The desire of which I
speak stirs a man; it separates him from the world;
it makes him a man of self-denial and prayer; it
prompts to diligence in every means of grace. He
will now turn from his evil ways; he will mortify
his corruptions; he will resist temptation. With an
eagerness that nothing can repress he will fly to the
word of God, to the throne of grace, and to the
sanctuary of the Most High. " O!" he cries, " that
I knew where I might find him! I would come even
to his seat; I would order my cause before him; I
would fill my mouth with arguments."
Turn now to the Christian. How does this desire
affect him? Does it produce ease and indifference?
11




122       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
No. It fills him with spiritual ardor; it prompts
him forward in the way of holiness. He feels that
it is his privilege to enter into rest, to enjoy the love
of Christ, which passeth knowledge, and he seeks
for it as for hidden treasure. He labors to enter
into rest. As he values Christ above every thing else,
so he seeks him above every thing else; and nothing
grieves him more than the want of zeal and ardor in
the pursuit. lie seeks with various feelings; sometimes, like the Ethiopian convert, rejoicing; sometimes, like Joseph and Mary, sorrowing; sometimes,
like the woman who touched the hem of his garment, trembling; but whether happy or sad, in sickness or health, in joy or sorrow, he is inquiring for
the Savior, and will not rest till he finds a full
salvation. In his works he looks for him, in his
house he draws near to him, in prayer he thirsts for
his love. To him the word is precious, because it
exhibits his grace; and even afflictions are valuable,
because "they yield the peaceable fruits of righteousness." Thus, impelled by strong desire, does he
"press toward the mark for the prize of his high
calling of God in Christ Jesus."  "And, O, my
brethren, we desire that every one of you do show
the same diligence, to the full assurance of hope
unto the end; that ye be not slothful, but followers
of them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises."
4. Confiding faith.
And hence says Christ, "He that cometh to me
shall never hunger, and he that believeth on me
shall never thirst." The blessings of salvation are
offered only upon this condition. Faith, therefore,




FOURTH BEATITUDE.               123
must distinguish all who truly hunger and thirst
after righteousness. What we ask of God we must
ask in faith, "nothing wavering; for he that wavereth, is like a wave of the sea, driven with the wind
and tossed. Let not that man think that he shall
receive any thing of the Lord." And this faith is
not the mere belief of our perishing condition, or a
mere persuasion of our need of mercy; but a firm
belief that if we seek we shall find, if we ask it
shall be given unto us.
Evangelical faith not only believes but trusts. It
is confiding faith. He who possesses it takes the
atonement of Christ as his only plea, and the promises of Christ as his only assurance, and pleads them
before the mercy-seat. He rests in them, assured
and satisfied that they can not be disregarded, and
that his suit can not be in vain.
This faith, then, is not a mere notion, but a principle, and it always produces an application to the
Savior. Under its influence I feel all the woes of
my perishing condition. I see that he is the appointed, complete, and willing Savior; I see that
"in him all fullness dwells."  I fly to him; I fall at
his feet; I cry, "Lord save, or I perish;" "LLord,
if thou wilt thou canst make me clean.". He smiles
and bids me come. I throw myself into his open
arms; for now, like Paul, I see that "'he loved me
and gave himself for me." Let us now turn to consider,
III. THE INTERESTING PROMISE OF THE SAVIOR:
"Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after
righteousness: for they shall be filled."
How appropriate is this promise, and how pre.




124       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
cisely adapted to their condition! Gold and jewels
can not allay the pains of hunger or quench the
fires of thirst. They have no adaptation to these
appetites. And so, if you could transmute every
created atom into gold, and lay it at the feet of him
who truly feels his lost estate, he would turn from
it with disgust and loathing. The salvation of God
alone-can fill the emptiness of the heart and satisfy
the cravings of the immortal soul.
I. They shall be filled.
That is, they shall find what they seek. They
shall obtain what they so ardently pant for. Do
they desire the renewal of their hearts? It shall be
granted. Though now bowed down under a load of
guilt-though now perishing in a barren wastethough now fainting with desire to taste the sweets
of redeeming love, they shall yet realize the truth
of this precious promise. God, blessed be his name!
never inspired a wish or a prayer he did not intend
to gratify. He does not mock the wants of penitence by an unmeaning parade of promise; but
holds himself in readiness to grant all that abject
want can crave or suppliant misery demand. That
load of guilt shall be rolled away, and those longing
desires shall be fully gratified; for the very heavens
shall drop down manna, and "the skies shall pour
down righteousness." Or do they desire the full
salvation of God; "all the blessings of the new
covenant; all the graces of Messiah's kingdom 2"
These, too, shall be granted; for the promise comprehends all that can possibly enter into Christian
experience, from the first sigh of penitence till the
redeemed spirit takes its place among the glorified




FOURTH BEATITUDE.              125
in heaven. Having tasted the joys of pardon and
the comforts of adopting love, whatever else they
may hunger for, whatever of conformity to the Divine will, of the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit,
of the cleansing blood of Christ, of the perfect love
of God, why, "blessed are they, for they shall be
filled."  And then, after all this, God is "able to do
exceeding abundantly above all that they can ask
or think."
2. For tAis result God has made an infinite provision.
This provision is developed in the Gospel. Its
grand design was to prepare and spread out a "great
feast for all people," and then to circulate far and
wide the generous invitation, " Come, for all things
are now ready." Every demand of our nature has
been contemplated, and every necessity provided
for. Are we guilty? Here is pardon. Are we
dead in sins? Here is life. Are we defiled? Here
is an open, ever-flowing fountain to wash away our
sins. Here is light for our darkness, strength for
our weakness, renovation for the heart, and peace for
the conscience. However large your desires, however ardent your thirstings after righteousness, however inadequate all other supplies, here is " enough
for all, for, each, for evermore."  "My God shall
supply all your need;" "the blood of Christ cleanseth from all sin, and he is faithful and just to cleanse
you from all unrighteousness." Come, then, ye
weary and heavy laden; come ye that pant for the
clean heart and the pure spirit; come and "eat ye
that which is good, and let your soul delight itself
in fatness."
11*




126       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
3. This is a satisfying portion.
The idea is that of perfect satisfaction. Man has
hopes and wishes that nothing earthly can realize.
The world presents its wealth, its pleasures, its honors. They are sought and gained; but happiness,
like a brilliant phantom, eludes the grasp and is yet
far in the future. Nothing below the skies can fill
the immortal mind or confer lasting enjoyment. In
every disappointment men realize vexation, and in
every success vanity. And yet we have seen men
in the lowest walks of life, unlettered, poor, afflicted,
and even despised by the purse-proud worldling,
possess an elevation of soul and a perfection of bliss
to which the throned monarch is a stranger. Whence
is this?  Let us hear the Savior: "I am the bread
of life; he that cometh to me shall never hunger,
and he that believeth on mne shall never thirst.
Whosoever drinketh of this water that I shall give
him shall never thirst: but the water that I shall
give him, shall be in him a well of water springing
up unto everlasting life."  These assurances disclose
the true secret of happiness; and they who have
been refreshed at this fountain enjoy what they
never did before-satisfaction. Once they sought
earthly good, and realized only bitter disappointment. But having now tasted the sweets of heavenly love, they cry, "Lord, evermore give us this
bread." O what a contrast is there between them
and others! The mirthful and gay may boast of
their pleasures; but no pleasure, no delight can compare with that which flows from an experience of
the salvation of God. It is not, however, a satisfaction which destroys the spiritual appetite. It is con



FOURTH BEATITUDE.               127
tinued, even increased. But though continued it is
relieved, and though increased there is still an adequate supply. Still infinite provisions remain for
their indulgence and enjoyment. And 0 with what
fervent but rapturous desire do they exclaim,
"My earth thou waterest from on high,
But make it all a pool;
Spring up, 0 well, I ever cry;
Spring up within my soul!"
But though he hungers and thirsts, it is not in vain.
He knows where to go for blessings, and is never
disappointed in his applications. He has found in
God a permanent good, and, " fixed on that blissful
center," he rests with inexpressible pleasure and delight.  For the complete fulfillment of the promise
he looks to the paradise of God, where he shall
hunger no more, neither thirst any more; but where
the Lamb that is in the midst of the throne shall
feed them, and lead them to fountains of living
water, and God shall wipe all tears from their eyes.
In reviewing this subject we see
I. In, what our true interest consists.
And this is simply in the attainment of righteousness, the renewal of our hearts, and their conformity to the image and will of God. These
blessings harmonize with our spiritual nature; they
deliver us from the terrible evils of sin; they elevate
us to friendship and communion with the Redeemer,
and the everlasting fruition of God in heaven. We
are destined to an eternal state; and long after the
sun shall have burned out his fires, and the last star
shall have ceased to twinkle in the heavens, the soul
shall live in all the vigor of its immortality. Whatever promotes our holiness and happiness in that




128      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
world must be regarded as our chief good, and every thing else is of trifling importance. How wearisome and fruitless are the pursuits of the present
life! What is wealth, or fame, or human applause?
"Mere useless sounds, and empty as the bubbles of
the deep."  In the possession of them all men have
died in horrible remorse, and sunk to the perdition
of hell. 0 that you could feel the vanity of all
creature good!  0 that you could realize the supreme importance of religion! How many have I
seen cheated of their hopes and their salvation by
the neglect of religion! They awoke too late, and
perished the victims of their own folly. Will you
perversely fall into the same snare? With open
eyes will you rush upon the same terrible and hopeless ruin?  No, I beseech you, no. 0 thou immortal soul, believe me, but one thing is needful!
Choose that good part, and when heaven and earth
have passed away this shall remain to cheer and
bless you forever.
2. Wo see, too, with what earnestness and relish
you should seek your salvation.
If you have ever felt or can imagine the anguish
of hunger and thirst, you may form an idea of the
feelings with which you are to seek the salvation of
God. With the same keen sense of want; with the
same restless and craving appetite with which the
famishing cry for food, you are to seek the salvation
of your soul. The formal and the worldly will call
this enthusiasm and rant; but remember, religion is
more than formality, and your sinful condition and
the commands of Jehovah are awful realities. The
kingdom of God is not in word, but in power. You




FOURTH BEATITUDE.             129
are to hunger and thirst. Two things demand of
you all this fervor of desire and all this energy of
pursuit-the nature of the blessings and your own
necessities. They are the richest and the best that
God can bestow. No present of gold or silver; no
earthly crown or kingdom, however splendid, can
compare with them. They are durable riches and
righteousness, for which some, who have known them
best, have surrendered all of earth and joyfully laid
down their lives. And then vour necessities. You
are a fallen, sinful, ruined man. You stand upon
the very threshold of eternity. Over your head
hangs the doom of death, and at your feet yawns
the devouring jaws of hell. And is there no reason
here why you should long with infinite desire to be
saved from sin? 0 man, you are perishing-perishing forever! Will you, can you rest amid such
appalling dangers?
Talk not of heartless desires and feeble efforts
when your soul is sinking into hell. Infinite desires
and the mightiest efforts alone befit such a condition. Were all the powers of your immortal nature
transformed into desire, that desire would fall infinitely below the necessities of your case. I repeat,
you are perishing, 0 sinner, and all your soul should
awake to the pursuit of that salvation purchased for
you by the blood of Christ. 0 careless man, is your
soul safe? IHas its condition ever occupied your
thoughts or your anxieties?  You have asked a
thousand times, What shall I eat, and what shall I
drink?  But have you ever asked, What mnust I do
to be saved? If not, it needs no voice from heaven
to tell you that you are lost. Away with indiffer



130       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
ence. Be in earnest. Eternal interests are at stake,
and your soul is trembling on the very brink of
ruin.
3. And, finally, we see the encouragement of all
who seek the salvation of God.
No matter who, no matter where, whether rich or
poor, bond or free, wise or ignorant, in civilized or
savage lands, to each and to all who hunger and
thirst after righteousness, the promise is full and
sure-they shall be filled. Are you seeking the
knowledge of salvation?  Here is your encouragement; you can not seek in vain. " If any mall
thirst, let him come unto me and drink."  He who
uttered these words has also said, "I will give unto
him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of
life freely." Come, then, to him. Believe his promise and he will give thee "to eat of the fatness of
his house, and make thee to drink of the river of his
pleasure."
Or dost thou desire more? Wouldst thou go on to
perfection?  Dost thou hunger and thirst for a full
salvation?  Blessed art thou, for thou shalt be filled.
Be strong in faith. Stagger not at the promise
through unbelief. Is any thing too hard for the
Lord?  Believe the promise and expect its fulfillment. Wait in all the means of his appointment,
and when fainting with delay, let the language of the
Psalmist reassure thy sinking hopes: " I shall behold
thy face in righteousness; I shall be satisfled when I
wake in thy likeness."




LECTURE VI.








FIFTHt BEATITUDE.              133
FIFTH BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy." MATTIIEW
v, 7.
CHRISTIANITY is a system  which requires us to
consult the happiness of others, as well as our own.
In this it differs from all merely-human systems,
and exhibits one of its many proofs that it came
from God. Among others, they have this one mark
of their earthly origin-they pander to selfishness.
They are, therefore, always agreeable to the sinful
heart, and meet with favor when every thing else
may be rejected.
Under the sway of selfishness, a vice common to
all fallen beings, we look to our individual profit.
In the expressive language of St. Paul, "We live to
ourselves;;"' we seek to promote our own elevation
and happiness; or, if we glance beyond the narrow
circle of self, it is because our interests are interwoven with others', and can only be secured in connection with theirs. Selfishness is a deadly evil,
and beyond all others destructive of good. Winter
does not more certainly freeze the flowing streams,
than selfishness the kindly sympathies of the soul.
Death does not more certainly kill the body, than
does this hateful vice that divine charity which
" suffereth long and is kind." Like mildew it blights,
like a canker it corrodes. It has no heart to feel,
no eye to weep, no hand to help. These are alone
12




134       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
possessed by Mercy, but she dwells not in the selfish
heart; her element is not there; she has sought a
home in purer bosoms, or fled to her native skies.
Think of a world, if you can without a shudder,
where selfishness alone reigns-a world without a
brother or a friend; without one tender heart, or
one emotion of pity, or one hand stretched forth in
relief of suffering man; full of tigers in human
shape, roaming for prey and thirsting for blood.
Such a world would be hell, and such a hell would
this world be, without the light and influences of
Christianity.
The destruction of the selfish principle is one of
the great aims of the Christian religion. Its entire
structure is adapted to this end, and it is only
necessary to bring the heart under its divine sway,
in order to realize this blissful result. The spirit of
benevolence, so often and so fully brought to view
in the Gospel, stands in direct opposition to it; and
that particular mode of goodness, called mercy, is
every-where enjoined upon men as essential to their
perfection in virtue, and their final acceptance with
God. Sometimes it is enjoined by direct command;
sometimes it is encouraged by promise; then, again,
it is displayed in character, and moves before us as
an angel of light, while a Savior's voice pronounces,
"Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain
mercy."
Here we shall pause for a moment to inquire into
the nature of Christian mercy, or that principle which
actuates the merciful. The word is said to be of
classic origin, being derived from the Latin word
misericordia, and literally signifies pain of heart,




FIFTH BEATIT UDE.             135
produced by the sight of misery. It implies that benevolence, or tenderness of heart, which disposes a
person to overlook injuries, or to treat a person
better than he deserves; it induces long-suffering
and forgiveness; it tempers justice and softens the
rigor of punishment; it implies pity and compassion,
and prompts the heart to relieve distress and suffering. Mercy is a distinguishing attribute of God.
"The Lord is long-suffering, and of great mercy;
he is merciful and gracious."  And under no circumstances do we so much resemble him, as in the
exercise of this divine principle. Christian mercy,
which our Savior here so beautifully commends, is
a supernatural principle; God is its source, and
whether it exists in men or angels, it is derived fromn
him.  "The capacity,' says one, "every human
being possesses;" but a new heart is indispensable
to its growth and expansion; there alone it finds
congenial soil, and there alone it flourishes. The
effect of sin is always to harden the heart and blunt
its sensibilities; but in our renewal God " takes the
stony out of our heart and gives us a heart of flesh.'
It is now tender and sensitive; it is touched with
sympathy; it hears the cry of distress; it melts at
human woe. There may be in many hearts much
of generous and kindly feeling, but Christian mercy
only flows from a heart softened by the influences
of the Spirit. It is a fruit of the Spirit, and is one
of the bright offspring of that wisdom which cometh
down from above. Let us now,
I. TRACE THE PRACTICAL MANIFESTATIONS OF THIS
PRINCIPLE.
This will embody the quality and display the




136       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
character in its active form. I repeat, its practical
manifestations; for it is a vigorous and working
principle. It does not lie dormant or slumbering in
the heart, nor does it merely weep and sigh; but it
comes forth with a strong arm and ready hand in
deeds of kindness and mercy. " It deviseth liberal
things," and is fruitful in expedients of relief. There
is, indeed, much in the world that passes under the
name of pity and tenderness. We often hear it
said, I pity that man, I am sorry for his misfortunes; and the superficial observer commends such
a one as a kind-hearted and merciful man. But is
this Christian mercy? No more than the fitful
gleams of sunshine in winter are the warming, fertilizing beams of spring, which cheer the earth and
bring forth the flowers and fruits of summer. Christian mercy is indeed a sensitive principle, but its
chief profession is not in word but in deed. The
head deviseth plans of mercy; the tongue pleads the
cause of mercy, and the hands minister to the
objects of mercy.
1. Then this principle exhibits itself in kindness
to inferior animals.
God, in the plentitude of his goodness, has been
pleased to call into being innumerable orders,
lower in the scale of creation than man. These
are variously endowed with sense and motion, from
the almost inanimate shell-fish, up to that which,
in organic perfection, ranks next to man. These
are all his creatures; he gave them existence,
and has opened sources of enjoyment to them
agreeable to their nature. As they form a part
of his wide-spread family, his kind providence is




FIF'TH BEATITUDE.             137
over them to protect their lives, and satisfy their
wants. The Scriptures speak expressly upon this subject. "Doth God," says St. Paul, "care for oxen?"
And the fact that he is solicitous for their welfare, is
shown by framing an express law in their behalf:
" Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the
corn;" " Not a sparrow," says our blessed Lord, " fall.
eth to the ground without the notice of your heavenly
Father." The Psalmist, in celebrating the divine
mercy, says, " He giveth to the beast his food, and to
the young ravens which cry;" "' The eyes of all wait
upon thee, and thou givest them their meat in due
season. Thou openest thine hand and satisfiest the
desire of every living thing."' Such, then, are the
displays of Divine regard to the lower orders of
creation. Will not the merciful seek to imitate these
beautiful manifestations?
"'A  righteous man," says an inspired proverb,
" regardeth the life of his beast; but the tender
mercies of the wicked are cruel." A man who can
wantonly inflict pain and suffering upon a brute, or
even a worm, is an unfeeling monster, and a righteous God will not hold him guiltless. Man himself
has scarcely a keener sense of wrong and pain than
they. "The lioness robbed of her whelps, causes
the wilderness to ring with the story of her wrongs;
and the bird, whose little household has been stolen
by the cruel boy, saddens the grove with melodies
of deepest sorrow." But how deep, often, are the
sufferings which the poor dumb animal can not
tell, and against which it can offer no remonstrance! Though it utter no cry, its anguish is not
the less real.
1 2*




138       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
" The poor beetle that we tread. upon,
In corporal suffering, feels a pang as great
As when a giant dies."
But there is an eloquence in its silence, an eloquence
that pleads not in vain, in the ears of Him who regardeth the meanest of his works.
But has not God "given all things into our hand?
All sheep and oxen; yea, and the beasts of the
field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea "
He has, but not for purposes of cruelty, not even for
abuse. We have a right to use them in a way harmonizing with the Divine intention.  We may even
take their lives, when necessary, to sustain our own.
But he has never licensed the indiscriminate and
wholesale slaughter of beasts, birds, and fishes, that
every-where prevails, or granted permission to inflict needless pain, by cruel goads or cutting whips.
And the man who, in sport or passion, overtaxes
their strength, maims them by savage blows, or subjects them to unnecessary hardship, gives evidence
of a brutal nature and a wicked heart.'"The merciful man regardeth the life of his
beast." He views them as the creatures of God,
sharing with himself the attentions of a benignant
Providence; he uses them without abuse; lie provides for their wants, and by tender offices seeks to
mitigate their sufferings; and in doing this imitates
the benevolent Father of all, whose " tender mercies
are over all his works."
2. It diqsplays itself ina sympathy and aid toward
the afflicted and suffering of mankind.
All men suffer; it is the universal consequence of
sin; not an exception has been known in the history




FIFTH BEATITUDE.              139
of our world. " If a man live many days, and rejoice
in them all, yet let him remember the days of darkness, for they shall be many.-" The sufferings of men
arise from various causes; sometimes from poverty.
The poor have existed in all ages, and they "shall
never cease out of the land." Poverty is sometimes,
perhaps, a heritage from God, and arises out of his
all-wise appointment; but it is more frequently the
result of imprudence and wickedness. Multitudes
are poor in spite of the rich and ever-flowing bounties of Providence. Thrift and industry would secure the necessaries, if not the luxuries of life; but
idleness and sottish waste doomn them to poverty.
Many, like the prodigal, spend the earnings of a
parent's labor in sumptuous fare, in gay apparel,
and splendid entertainments, and finally sink into
obscurity and want.  Vice brings poverty, and none
sooner or more certainly than intemperance. Upon
the inebriate " want cometh as an armed man."
Vainly may he struggle against its encroachmentscome it will, and, like an unfeeling tyrant, turn him
out of his pleasant home, strip off his costly robes,
and send him forth upon the world, in rags and
wretchedness.
Abject poverty, from whatever cause, is a sore
evil. To feel the agonizing pains of hunger-to
shiver in scanty raiment before the wintery stormto dwell amid the gloom of a cheerless and squalid
home, unlit by a ray of comfort, is a sad inheritance,
and the only one possessed by thousands in the
world. Bodily affliction is a source of suffering.
Go forth into the world; walk the streets and lanes
of a populous city; enter the damp basement, or




140      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
the wind-rent garret: there upon a pallet of straw
lies the child of sorrow, languishing in pain. The
eye has lost its fire-the cheek its bloom-the limbs
their wonted strength. Earthly resources have long
since perished. Wasting under the hand of disease,
he gradually sinks under accumulating woes, till
death kindly puts a period to his sufferings. Many
suffer under sore bereavements —the wife, widowed
of her husband, pines in sadness and solitude; her
earthly support gone, her best and truest friend
carried to the grave, and she left to brave the storms
of life alone; the orphan bewailing, with bitter
tears, the loss of parents, and now cast upon an unfeeling world, with no mother's heart to sympathize,
and no father's hand to protect. In such a world, so
full of sad reverses; where sorrow, like a stormy sea,
rolls its mountain waves; where there are so many
broken and bleeding hearts, how ample is the field of
Christian benevolence! Here Mercy may unburden
her full heart, and dispense the bounties of her
liberal hand. Amid these scenes of human woe,
Christian mercy displays itself in heart-felt sympathy. "Rejoice with them that do rejoice; and
weep with them that weep," is one of the beautiful
precepts of religion. So feels the true Christian, as,
in imitation of Jesus, he goes " about doing good;"
but it is not only thus, or even by soothing words,
that he meets the various forms of suffering-" he
visits the widow and fatherless in their affliction,
drawing out his soul to the hungry, and satisfying
the poor with bread." A touching and beautiful
illustration of his benevolent career occurs in the
history of Job, a man not more remarkable for his




FIFTH BEATITUDE.              141
sufferings than for his tenderness of heart. Appealing to heaven for the rectitude of his conduct, he
says, "I delivered the poor that cried, the fatherless,
and him that had none to help him. The blessing
of him that was ready to perish came upon me;
and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. I
was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame.
I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I
knew not I searched out."  Such a man was John
Howard, the great philanthropist. The relief of
human suffering was his profession and employment;
for this he left the abodes of wealth and the pleasures of home; he traveled by sea and land; he
journeyed over the world; he entered the infected
hospital, the damp and filthy dungeon; he went
down to the lowest point of human degradation and
sorrow; and by labors in which he never wearied,
and to which he at last fell a victim, sought to
assuage the griefs and mitigate the woes of his
brother man. Well might such a man be called an
angel of mercy; for he seems to have descended
from a heavenly sphere-sent awhile below to bless
and brighten our sin-cursed world.
Such a disposition is essential to Christian character. And to fancy that heaven will regard a sanctimonious face, and long prayers, where there is a
pitiless and illiberal heart, is a deep and strong
delusion.' Whoso hath this world's good, and seeth
his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of
compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God
in him?"
3. It disiplays itse,8f in efforts to alleviate the spiritual miseries of our fellow-men.




142      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
This ranks among its noblest exercises. Temporal
and spiritual, miseries are very dissimilar things;
the one has to do with the body, the other with the
soul: that relates only to the present world, this to
both the present and the future. "There is a spirit
in man;" that spirit has fallen from its allegiance to
God, and has become sinful and corrupt. This is
the condition of the whole race; among all the
millions of mankind, there is not one exception.
Men of every clime and country, of every color and
condition, from the degraded Caffre to the accomplished European, are sinners. The whole world
lieth in wickedness; all have sinned and come short
of the glory of God. In this condition men are
perishing; the world is perishing, and sinking into
the gulf of' perdition. "Even while we are reflecting upon it," says the eloquent Reed, "many have
reached the limit of probation, and are precipitated
from a life of sin to a state of punishment, and
shriek to find themselves forever lost!" Such is our
world; a vast prison-house, full of guilty rebels,
where men by millions sin, and by millions perish i
0, who can think of it without deep emotionS If
we pity the suffering body, how should we feel when
we look upon a dying soud?  If the spirit of Paul
was stirred when he beheld a single city given to
idolatry, what feelings should possess us when we
see a world wandering from  God, and groaning
under the bondage of sin and Satan? Where is the
heart that can fully appreciate such a condition?
Where are the tears fit to be wept over such a
scene?
"Mercy to the soul," says one, "is the soul of




FIFTH  BEATITUDE.             1-13
mercy." The most illustrious display which our
world has ever witnessed, was in the life and conduct
of the Son of God. His was a heart of infinite
mercy; it lived and moved embodied in Jesus of
Nazareth. All that he did to alleviate our physical
sufferings, affords but a feeble type of what he did
to snatch the immortal soul from ruin.'What,"
said he, " shall it profit a man if he gain the whole
world and lose his own soul; or, what shall a man
give in exchange for his soul?" He alone could es,
timate its true value; he alone knew its awful perils.
And to save that priceless immortal spirit from endless torments, he humbled himself from the shining
thrones of heaven, to the condition of a poor, despised, and persecuted man, and finally poured out
his precious blood upon the cross, that he might
open a way of salvation from sin to holiness, and
from earth to heaven.
Now, when this divine principle actuates the
human heart, it aims at the same sublime result-the
salvation of the soul from sin and its terrible consequences in a future world. Like the blessed Jesus,
when he wept over the guilt and ruin of Jerusalem,
it sympathizes with the condition of sinners, and
bewails their impending doom; it beholds them exposed to hell, and longs to rescue them from its
everlasting flames.
Acting under the promptings of mercy, the Christian makes direct personal efforts for the salvation
of men. He instructs the ignorant; he exhorts the
erring; he warns the unruly. Having himself been
made a partaker of salvation, he seeks to bestow it
upon others. All that he says or does is under the




144      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
control of a peculiar temper; the Scriptures beautifully call it the " meekness of wisdom." Its power
you will see in the following incident: " When I
was yet young and thoughtless," says an eminent
minister, " a pious man addressed me about my
salvation. I was angry; my heart rose in bitterness against him; I reproached him; I talked, indeed, like a madman, while my conscience was
grinding me like a millstone. He bore it all with
meekness, perfectly unmoved. If he had only given
one retort, shown one angry feeling, it would have
relieved me. His Christian kindness was too much
for me; I went into the forest smarting from my
wounds; I fell under what he had said to me, and
went and asked his pardon." This was the meekness of wisdom. He seeks their salvation by prayer.
O, with what intense desire does he wrestle in supplication, for the outpouring of the Spirit and the
rescue of sinners from the wrath to come!-and fervent prayer availeth much. Efforts in conjunction
with others distinguish the merciful; he is one in
heart and feeling with every benevolent enterprise;
he does not stop to ask, Who originated the scheme?
Will it bring honor to me or my party? No, he
soars above such unworthy views. It is enough
that it will bless a guilty world, and he hastens to
give it his sympathy and co-operation.  Among
other schemes, the three following especially engage
his ardent and effective co-operation. 1. The Sab6ath
school cause.  No merely-human expedient stands
more intimately related to the work of man's salvation. The religious instruction of the young, the
proper training of the moral faculties, and the




FIFTH BEATITUDE.             145
formation of moral and virtuous habits, must ever
be regarded as promotive both of the purity and
happiness of the race. Nothing would go further
to redeem the world, in the next generation, from
the slavery of ignorance and vice, than the success
of its simple but sublime intentions. How many
young minds now in darkness would then kindle
into intelligence under the light of truth! How many
young hearts would learn to glow with the hopes
and the happiness of religion! How many millions
now doomed to a life of crime and an end of infamy, would then be rescued from the destroyer,
and raised to the dignity and companionship of
angels! 2. The Bible cause. A single purpose directs and animates the efforts of this association: that
purpose is to place the Bible in the hands of every
man, that he may read in his own tongue the wonderful works of God. Mercy in man, flowing out to
a sinful brother man, can impart no higher, holier
gift than this.'"It is more precious than rubies,
and all the things thou canst desire are not to be
compared to it." 3. The missionary cause. This he
regards as one of the first agencies in the salvation
of the world. As its object is to preach the Gospel
to every creature —a Gospel which contains the only
remedy for sin and sorrow; and as he himself is a
witness of its efficacy, it becomes his first desire to
convey to the world that word of life which invites
all to be saved, and in the reception of which he
beholds paradise restored, and this world of guilt
and woe changed into a heaven of purity and joy.
In such efforts as these we behold the brightest displays of Christian mercy.
13




146       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
4. This principle exhibits itself in the exercise of
lenity to the unfortunate, under pecuniary embarrassmnent.
This arises from various causes, and occasionally
befalls the best of men.  Providential afflictions,
convulsions in the commercial world, inattention or
want of capacity in business, are among the most
common causes of pecuniary trouble. How often
do men, under these circumstances, and with the
spirit of a " Shylock," pursue the unfortunate debtor!
Like a famished wolf, they track and hunt him
down, and then, without pity or remorse, strip him
of all his goods, and consign his helpless family to
beggary. Thus have I seen a professing Christian
treat a debtor, and that debtor a gray-haired man, a
man of misfortune and a Christian brother, and I
thought,
" What has the gray-haired prisoner done?
Has murder stained his hands with gore?
Not so; his crime's a fouler oneGod made the old man poor!
For this he shares a felon's cell,
The fittest earthly type of hell."
I said a professing Christian; but what a pnockery!
Is it possible that such a man can fancy himself a
Christian, when he has not the compassions of a
heathen? or imagine for a moment that any one
can be deceived by such bold and black hypocrisy
as this? Let every such merciless and vindictive
creditor remember, that " whoso stoppeth his ears at
the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but
will not be heard."
In a pecuniary sense, the exercise of mercy is
better than exacting oppression.  It will inspire




FIFTH BEATITUDE.              147
confidence, and stimulate to exertion, while a contrary course will only mortify and crush the spirit
already broken by misfortune, thus preventing the
very result it thought to secure. A Christian creditor will not pursue this course; he will exercise
mercy toward the unfortunate. Though the law
may favor him; though in sheer justice he might
strip his debtor of every farthing, yet he will not
take advantage of his necessities, or grind him down
by cruel exactions. He will wait; he will exercise
forbearance, and, by sympathy and kindness, will
seek to inspire hope, and excite to honest and persevering effort. I do not at all hesitate to say, that
such a course would do more to secure the payment
of debts, than legislative enactments, or the pains
and penalties of law. I do not say that we are to
submit to fraud, that we are not to seek and maintain our rights, or that we are quietly to yield to
the plunderings of men, who deal only in prornises
to pay; but I do say that we are to exercise mercy
to the unfortunate, and that, when compelled to
invoke the strong arm of law, and the entire advantage is ours, we are not to trample down the
rights of others to secure our own. Such was the
conduct of the merciless creditor in the parable of
the Savior. Though he himself had been forgiven
a debt of ten thousand talents, yet he took his
fellow servant by the throat, saying, c" Pay me that
thou owest." And his fellow-servant fell at his feet,
and besought him, saying, "Have patience with me
and I will pay thee all; yet he would not, but cast
him into prison till he should pay the debt." How
justly was his Lord wroth, who, in turn, "delivered




148       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that
was due!" Thus, we are taught, shall God treat the
harsh and cruel; "for he shall have judgment
without mercy, that hath showed no mercy."
5. iercy displays itself in acts of forbecarance
and charity toward our enemies.
Mercy, in this case, assumes much the character of
Christian meekness, of which I have already spoken.
But I wish here, especially, to direct your attention
to the exercise of this principle, when tempted to
resent affronts and revenge injuries. Under such
circumstances, a Christian will not give way to the
violence of passion, or hasten to take vengeance
upon an enemy. Though "pierced to the soul by
the venomed shaft of wrong," he will not harbor
even the thought of revenge. The beautiful example of the Savior has taught him a different lesson;
and he will, therefore, pity his foe, and leave it to a
higher power to redress his wrongs; and in doing
this, displays a magnanimity of soul unknown to the
malicious and revengeful.
Perhaps the most fiend-like passion that ever ruled
the heart is revenge. Certainly, men never so much
resemble demons as when under its influence. "It
is cruel as the grave-the coals thereof are coals of
fire." The crimes to which it has prompted men
make the very blood run chill-crimes that have
branded them with infamy through life, or brought
them to a felon's death upon the gallows. This is
the devil that rules the bosom of the slanderer, the
assassin, the duelist. Upon the crime of dueling
allow me to pause for a moment-a crime at once
the most absurd and atrocious of which men have




FIFTH BEATITUDE.              149
ever been guilty. Who, in the hour of calm reflection, can regard it in a different light? And yet
these men profess to be governed by a " high sense
of honor."  But where is the honor? It is here:
he has stood up, like a simpleton, to be shot at by
another of equal intelligence, or he has "killed his
man," and sent a soul, itself reeking with the blood
of murder, into the presence of God. And now he
is a man of honor! N-o, he is a murderer, whether
blood is spilt or not, and the blood of murder is on
his hands and heart. Nor are they less guilty who
"second" such cold-hearted and infernal butchery.
Men of honor! Never was there a more infamous
abuse of language. But the consequences"Revenge at first, though sweet,
Bitter erelong back on itself recoils."
These men, I know, seem to be calm and even
happy; but remorse, with vulture beak and tiger
claws, preys upon their hearts. The end of an
American duelist is thus narrated by an eminent
lawyer: "He was gay, and seemed to have forgotten the murder; but he never slept without a light
in his room, and in three years after the event sunk
into a drunkard's grave. But his death!-we were
present, and may we never witness such another!
The subject so long unmentioned was at last broken
by himself. With glaring eyes he exclaimed,'I
could not help it!' We tried to turn his thoughts to
another subject, but in vain.'I could not help it,
could I?' he exclaimed. Then he cried out wildly,'It will not do; I murdered him; I see him now. I
have seen him, as he lay dead upon the field, ever
since I slew him. My God! my God!' and with a
13*




150      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
shriek, such as I never heard a mortal utter, he
died."
In contrast with the ferocious spirit of revenge,
mark the sublime lessons of the Christian religion
in relation to the treatment of enemies: " Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place
unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I
will repay, saith the Lord." "L ove your enemies,"
says its divine author, "and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be
great.... Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father
also is merciful." Let us now
II. REFLECT UPON THE MANNER IN WiHICH GOD WILL
REWARD AND HONOR THIS CHARACTER: "Blessed are
the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."
The same sentiment is expressed often in the
Scriptures. " Whosoever," says Jesus, "shall give
a cup of cold water only unto one of these little
ones, in the name of a disciile, shall not lose
his reward." That is, when mercy is shown to
its proper objects, in obedience to the command
of God, and with the desire that he should be
honored, he will regard it as done to himself,
and will reward us accordingly. This harmonizes
both with the principles and proceedings of the
Divine government.  "With the merciful," says
the Psalmist, "thou wilt show thyself mercifufl,
and with the froward thou wilt show thyself fioward." "They shall obtain mercy." This is one of
God's most interesting promises. Mercy is our first
and greatest want; and no thought can be more
terrible than that God should deal with us in justice
unmixed with mercy. Our race would perish; the




FIFTH BEATITUDE.                151
best even would fall by a righteous judgment. But
we are here assured of mercy, if we extend it toward our fellow-men. God will then compassionate
our miseries, relieve our distresses, and forgive our
great and manifold sins. This promise comprehends,
among others, the following advantages:
1. The exercise of mercy makes us like the Father
of mercies.
God is indeed such; in nothing does he delight
more than its exercise. Man may dismiss compassion from his heart, but God never will.
" The greatest attribute of heaven is mercy,
And'tis the crown of justice and the glory,
Where it may crush with right, to save with pity."
To us guilty sinners God has shown infinite mercy.
The gift of his Son-his death upon the cross-his
willingness to pardon, and the mission of his Spirit,
sent to renew and sanctify our hearts, are all the
outflowings of free and unmerited mercy. Now, in
the exercise of mercy, we resemble him; and in
nothing else can we approach so near the perfection
and bliss of God himself.
2. This promise secures an interest in the merciful arrangements of Providence.
God is both a wise and benevolent sovereign,
presiding in high authority over the affairs of men.
And if so, will not the man of piety and mercy
receive tokens of favor, rather than the oppressive
and cruel? Will not the Father of mercies ever
approve that which resembles himself? Can any
conclusion be more just? But we are not left to
mere inference-we have certainty. "IHe that hath
pity upon the poor, lendeth to the Lord; and that




152      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
which he hath given will he pay him again." How
beautiful is this promise I God makes himself debtor
for every act of kindness to the poor! Who would
not advance upon such credit?  God will pay him;
he whose goodness and whose resources are alike
infinite, can never want the disposition or the means
to repay every such gift. Again says God, "If
there be among you a poor man of one of thy
brethren, thou shalt not harden thine heart, nor shut
thine hand from thy poor brother; but thou shalt
open thine hand wide unto him, and shalt surely
lend him sufficient for his need, in that which he
wanteth. For this thing the Lord thy God shalt
bless thee in all thy works, and in all that thou puttest
thy hand unto." How easily can almighty Goodness
accomplish this interesting promise! Permit me to
add one more of equal, if not superior beauty:
" Blessed is the man that considereth the poor: the
Lord will deliver him in time of trouble. The Lord
will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall
be blessed upon the earth. The Lord will strengthen
him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make
all his bed in his sickness." Now, take an illustration. A terrible famine overspread the land of
Israel. The prophet of God, faint and weary, craved
at the hand of a widow a morsel of bread. "'As
the Lord liveth," said she, "I have naught but a
handful of meal and a little oil in a cruse; and
behold I am gathering two sticks, that I may go in
and dress it for me and my son, that we may eat it
and die. And the prophet said, Fear not; go and
do as thou hast said; but make me a little cake
first, and after make for thee and thy son. And




FIFTH BEATITUDE.               153
she did so; and she and her house did eat many
days. And the barrel of meal wasted not, neither
did the cruse of oil fail."  " There is that scattereth
and yet increaseth. The liberal shall be made fat,
and he that watereth shall be watered again."
"The quality of mercy is not strained;
It droppeth as the dew from heaven
Upon the place beneath. It is twice blessed;
It blesseth him that gives and him that takes."
Though this promise may chiefly relate to the rewards which God will bestow, yet mercy often meets
a corresponding reward from men. Whatever may
be the circumstances or the mode of its exercise, it
usually finds the same measure meted in return.
Sympathy will be repaid by sympathy, kindness by
kindness, and forgiveness by forgiveness. "Give,"
says our Savior, " and it shall be given unto you;
good measure, pressed down, shaken together and
running over, shall men give into your bosom."
3. They are blessed with an interest in the aff ections and prayers of the objects of their compassion.
Whatever the profane may think, this is not a
blessing to be despised. It is often more to be
valued than princely gifts, or the highest earthly
good. There is not only a pleasure in doing good,
but the blessings of the poor thrill the heart with a
joy but little less than heaven. "The prayers of
the righteous avail much." Sometimes, indeed, they
secure to us what is far better than treasures of
gold and silver. Let me show you how it is. In
the western part of New York lived a pious, but
deeply-afflicted man. Continued afflictions soon reduced him to abject poverty. Under these circumstances he was found by a kind-hearted, but irre



154      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
ligious gentleman. He was a man of wealth, and
amply supplied the wants of this suffering family.
"What," said the poor man to his wife one day,' what return can we make our kind benefactor? I
know of nothing," he continued, "that we can do,
but to pray that God may give him the true riches."
For this he prayed without ceasing. Like Jacob, he
had power with God. A few weeks afterward his
friend, without any visible cause, publicly connected
himself with the Church, and found the salvation of
God. A revival of religion ensued, which resulted
in the conversion of many precious souls. "Blessed
are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy."
4. They shall obtain mercy in the day of the
Lord Jesus.
Solemn thought-" we must all appear before the
judgment-seat of Christ!"  There each must render his account to God. Before that dread tribunal
"the deeds done in the body " will be investigated,
and receive their just awards. How grand and
awful will be the scenes of that day! The voice of
the archangel and the trump of God —the descending Judge crowned with glory-the dead coming up
from the long sleep of death-the heavens wrapped
in flame-the elements melting with fervent heatthe earth and all that is therein, consumed by devouring fires: all these will invest that day with a
pomp and majesty that will fill the stoutest heart
with dismay. Who in that day will not feel the
need of mercy? Then to meet the approving smile
of God will itself be heaven. Amid these impressive scenes, transported with joy, and shining in the
likeness of Christ, stand the merciful. Him they




FIFTH BEATITUDE.             155
followed through the regeneration of life; they
copied his example; they trod in his footsteps, and
now they come to receive the rewards of infinite
and everlasting mercy. Hear the Judge: "Come, ye
blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared
for you from the foundation of the world; for I was an
hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and
ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me
in: naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye
visited me: in prison, and ye came unto me."
Amazed at such commendation, they ask, "Lord,
when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or
thirsty, and gave thee drink? when saw we thee a
stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed
thee? or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and
came unto thee? And the King shall answer, and
say unto them, Verily, I say unto you, Inasmuch as
ye have done unto one of the least of these my
brethren, ye have done it unto me. Enter ye into the
joy of your Lord." In this manner, and before an
assembled universe, will he acknowledge and reward
their deeds of mercy-crowning them forever with
the mercy of our lord Jesus Christ unto eternal
life. 0, thou most merciful and compassionate
Redeemer, make me like thyself-all meek-all gentle-all holy! 0,
"Teach me to feel another's woe,
To hide the fault I see;
That mercy I to others show
That mercy show to me!"








LECTURE VII.
14








SIXTH BEATITUDE.              159
SIXTH BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God." MATTHEW
v, 8.
WE have intimated, in a previous discourse, that
the subject of our Savior's teaching was religion;
not a new religion, but the old purified from the
admixture of human error, divested of the cumbrous forms of a darker dispensation, and completed
by additional revelations of doctrine and duty essential to salvation. Thus bestowed upon the world by
him, it was pure and perfect. Entering the heart, it
was to be an all-controlling and sanctifying principle,
and its effects were to be visible in the tempers and
deportment of all who bore his name. IIis religion
is pre-eminently one of life and power; it has all
the superiority that a vital and soul-purifying system can possibly possess over one of mere form and
ceremony. Between two such systems there must
be a wide and obvious distinction. "The one," says
a pious author, "is the name, the other is the thing;
the one is the body, the other is the soul; the former
shows us the Christian upon canvas, the latter presents him alive and in motion." And yet, religion
is not to be wholly divested of forms; for though
they may be nothing by themselves, yet they render
it more tangible, and even impressive, than it would
be in their absence.
With men there has ever been a disposition to




160      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
rest in forms-to substitute them for life and spirituality. The Jews are an instance of this. When
our Savior appeared, they had an imposing and
splendid ritual; it was of Divine origin, and a
speaking type of better things to come. But, dazzled with its pomp, they entirely overlooked its
meaning, and contented themselves with the mere
ceremony, the spiritual import of which was hidden
from their eyes. They fasted much; they prayed
long and often; they gave tithes of all; they avoided
all external defilement, often washing their hands,
and "holding, also, to the washing of pots, cups,
brazen vessels, and tables "-forgetting, meanwhile,
that the heart might be filled with every abomination and uncleanness. The consequence was, they
appeared righteous unto men, but within were full
of hypocrisy and iniquity. And are we not too
much like them-wedded to outward forms, but
strangers to the inward  grace-ever varnishing
the exterior, and loudly talking of purity, while, it
may be, covetousness and pride, and kindred evils
reign within? 0, my brethren, let us lay to heart
the pungent rebuke of Christ: "Woe unto you,
scribes and Pharisees! for ye are like unto whited
sepulchers, which, indeed, appear beautiful without,
but within are full of dead men's bones and of all
uncleanness."  Deliverance fiom the plague of our
hearts, is our first and highest duty.
"Blessed are the pure in heart." We are conducted at once, by this expression, to the nature and
seat of true religion. Its nature is purity; "for the
wisdom that cometh from above is first pure."  " The
wisdom of the world is earthly, sensual, and devilish;"




SIXTH BEATITUDE.               161
but true religion is heavenly, spiritual, and godlike.
It purifies man; it exalts him to the fellowship of
angels and the fruition of God. Its seat is the heart;
it, therefore, subdues the will, calms the conscience,
and sanctifies the affections; the kingdom of heaven
is set up within. God reigns in the heart, and fills
it with the purity and joy of his presence. Engrossing the chief points in the text, let us make
three inquiries: What is purity of heart? is its attainment possible? and what are its rewards?
I. THEN, WHAT IS PURITY OF HEART?
A very brief negative view of the subject may,
perhaps, contribute somewhat to more just conceptions of its nature and distinctive traits. First of
all, then, it is not absolute purity-this belongs to
the Divine nature alone; and it is as blasphemous
as it is false, for man or angel to claim what is preeminently an attribute of the uncreated and infinite
Jehovah. It does not exclude the possibility of
temptation. Our Savior was holy, harmless, and undefiled-he was without any taint of sin; yet he was
long and sorely tempted of Satan. And to whatever hights of holiness man may attain in the present life, he will suffer from the same crafty and
malignant foe. Nor is it a state that precludes the
possibility of falling. If Adam, in his primitive
purity and perfection, could sin and fall, so may we,
his degenerate and erring children. Both the possibility and dreadfulness of a lapse into sin, are
announced by the apostle, in the following impressive
language: "For if, after we have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of our
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, we are entangled
14*




162       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
therein and overcome, the latter end is worse than
the beginning."
"'The pure in heart," says that truly-eminent
divine, Mr. Wesley, "are they whose hearts God
hath purified even as he is pure; who are purified,
through faith in the blood of Jesus, from every
unholy affection; who, being cleansed from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, perfect holiness in the fear
of God." These views are eminently evangelical
and simple, and supply at once a beautiful definition
and a life-like portrait of the pure in heart. Purity
of heart, then, properly consists in a thorough inward
change and complete renovation of the heart. The
Psalmist prays, "Create in me a clean heart, O
God, and renew a right spirit within me." It is,
therefore, the product of a new creation-a creation
so real and entire, that old things pass away, and
all things become new.
1. It implies, in the first place, salvation from
sin-its guilt, its power, and especially its pollution.
None enjoy the latter who have not been-made partakers of the former. All such, therefore, have been
"freely justified by grace through the redemption
that is in Jesus;" they have been delivered from
the galling yoke and service of sin; " sin hath no
more dominion over them, for they are not under
the law, but under grace." But purity of heart essentially implies deliverance from  its pollution. Sin
not only burdens the heart with guilt-it defiles; it
renders the heart impure, and utterly unfits it for the
enjoyment of God and the society of the heavenly
world. The Scriptures, therefore, represent it by




SIXTH BEATITUDE.               163
every form and figure of speech expressive of impurity. They speak of it as wounds, bruises, and
putrefying sores; as leprosy and plague; as the rottenness and corruption of the grave. It defiles
every thing it touches; because of it, the whole creation groaneth, and the beautiful world around us
is doomed, like the house of the leper, to perish,
because of the defilement of its possessor. Some,
I know, plead for the goodness of their hearts, and
contend that human corruption is not from within,
but from without-the effect of vicious training and
example. Need I say, that this is in direct contradiction to the language of the Son of God?  "From
within," says he, "out of the heart of men, proceedeth evil thoughts, adulteries, murders, thefts,
covetousness? wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an
evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness; all these
evil things come from within and defile the man."
Now, as sin alone constitutes moral defilement, its
removal is essential to the purity of the heart; its
deep stains must be washed out, or we remain forever impure, and forever lost. How interesting,
then, to him who feels the plague of his heart, is
that heaven-devised system, which not only proposes
but provides for a full and complete deliverance
from the reign and inbeing of sin!
2. It implies the presence and growing perfection
of the fruits of the Spirit.
True religion does not end in negatives; it has a
positive character and positive graces. No man
clears his garden of weeds, but that he may set it
with useful plants, or adorn it with pleasant flowers.
God requires us to dispossess our corruptions; but it




164       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
is that the heart may receive new inhabitants. It is
not enough that it be emptied and swept-it must
be garnished with celestial furniture. We are, indeed, to be saved from our inbred and manifold
evils; but it is that heavenly virtues may rise up
and shine in their places. By a beautiful figure of
speech, the apostle calls them fruits of the Spirit;
"they are love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, patience, temperance." The heart having been purified from sin by
a Divine washing, it becomes " an habitation of God
through the Spirit;" even as God hath said, "I will
dwell in them and walk in them." As a Spirit of
light, purity, and fruitfulness, he occupies and pervades the soul, and these heavenly virtues become
the proper fruits and manifestations of his indwelling presence. Love, eldest born, leads the train,
and sheds over every faculty of the soul its sweet
and sanctifying power; the others follow by necessary sequence, to bless the heart, and beautify the
life with every thing that is lovely and of good report. These fruits first appear in our regeneration;
and at this period the work of our purification also
begins. Then we are born of the Spirit, and become
partakers of the Divine nature; and these Divine
affections begin to unfold themselves as the gracious
effects and certain proofs of a renewed nature.
Thenceforth they exist in growing perfection; advancing to higher degrees of maturity, till the soul
is filled with the "fruits of righteousness," and is
prepared " to stand in the presence of God, not having spot or wrinkle, or any such thing."  "Whatsoever things are true; whatsoever things are pure;




SIXTH BEATITUDE.               165
whatsoever things are excellent; if there be any
virtue, and if there be any praise," they must ever
be regarded as characteristic of the pure in heart,
and as entering essentially into the nature of this
condition.
3. Purity of heart imnplies corresponding sanctity
of life.
He that saith he abideth in him, ought himself,
also, so to walk, even as he walked; that is, he who
professes to be united to Christ, and to be pure of
heart, ought to live and act as he did; his life should
be a transcript of the Savior's, a constant outbeaming
of the purity that reigns within. A holy life essentially includes the following things. First. An
avoidance of every thing that would tend to sully or
defile the heart. In such a world as ours, so deeply
fallen, so rife with sin, a very sea of corruption,
there is constant danger of pollution. A thousand
sources exist around and in us: among the most
common are impure thoughts and desires, evil associates, unlawful business, and forbidden pleasures;
and he who would keep his spirit pure, must watch
and pray, and resist, in the strength of grace, their
fatal influence. I do not say that we must abandon
human society, and bury ourselves in caves and
cloisters, the more certainly to attain eminent degrees of purity. Monkish seclusion is not a means
of holiness; on the contrary, we are called to the
activities of life; we should mingle with its scenes.
Yet must we diligently watch and pray that we
enter not into temptation. Thus may we be in the
world, and yet not of the world, moving in our
several providential spheres, and yet keep our gar



166      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
ments pure from defilement. A holy life includes
the government of the tongue. Perhaps in no way
does the condition of the heart develop itself more
than through the medium of the tongue: " Out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh." Not
more certainly does the magnetic needle indicate
the position of the pole, than does the tongue the
moral state of the heart; and upon no subject does
the Bible speak with more energy and distinctness:
"If any man among you seem to be religious, and
bridleth not his tongue, this man's religion is vain."
Religion is designed to bring the entire man under
its purifying sway; no matter how elevated may be
our profession, a single unsubdued and reigning sin
will demonstrate its falsity. If any sin is indulged,
if the tongue is unsubdued, it will show that the
seat of the evil has not been reached, and that the
soul has not been brought under the reign of purity
and love. "The tongue," says an inspired apostle,
" is a fire, a world of iniquity; it defileth the whole
body." Such is the position and relation which it
occupies, that it stains and pollutes the whole moral
system. On the contrary, "if a man offend not in
word, the same is a perfect man." His chaste conversation indicates a pure heart. The world, even,
will repose confidence in the profession of such a
man; while no one can be deceived by the pretensions of the blasphemer, the man of obscene lips, or
the vain and irreverent trifler. In fine, a holy life
includes conformity to the Divine will as a rule of
conduct. Obedience is the essential fruit of a renewed nature. A pure heart alone can fully appreciate and delight in the law of God; its proper




SIXTH BEATITUDE.               167
language is, " O, how I love thy law; yea, thy law
is within my heart; I love thy commandments above
gold; thy testimonies have I taken as an heritage
forever: for they are the rejoicing of my heart."
This obedience is universal. It has respect to all the
will of God. What that will prohibits is abandoned;
what it enjoins is performed with pleasure-" I can
do all things through Christ which strengtheneth
me." It is affectionate-love reigns within; and,
therefore, it is not the service of a slave or a hireling, but of a loving, happy child.
" Tis love that maker our cheerful feet
In swift obedience move."
It is persevering. It continues in storm as well as
in sunshine, and is equally constant when driven of
fierce winds and adverse tides, as when sailing
upon a tranquil sea. Such are some of the peculiar
features of the life when under the promptings and
control of a pure heart. We are now prepared to
enter upon our second inquiry.
II. Is THIS STATE OF GRACE ATTAINABLE —MAY W
POSSESS PURE AND HOLY HEARTS?
No inquiry can be more important than this, and
I know of none that admits of a more satisfactory
solution. To this question, then, I answer distinctly
and without hesitation, Yes, it is attainable; it is
our privilege to be pure in heart. The evidence of
this I derive from several sources.
1. It is a condition of eternal life.
Christians of every name concur in this, and such
is the uniform doctrine of the Bible. "Who," says
the Psalmist, " shall ascend into the hill of the Lord,
and who shall stand in his holy place?"  The re



168      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
sponse is, "He that hath clean hands and a pure
heart." This language may be allusive, but the
great moral truth inculcated is obvious, and is reuttered in the most direct manner by the apostle,
when he says, " Without holiness no man shall see
the Lord." Now, can we for one moment think,
much less believe, that the rewards of heaven are
suspended upon terms impracticable and impossible?
Do such thoughts harmonize with the character and
perfections of God? Are they worthy of Him who
devoted his well-beloved Son to the death of the
cross; and who has assured us that it is his good
pleasure to save us all? Do they accord with the
provisions and free invitations of the Gospel of his
Son?  No. Of nothing am  I more certain than
that, if he requires purity of heart as the condition
of final blessedness, it is attainable. The simple
fact that it is a demand of infinite justice, truth,
and goodness, demonstrates this.
2. To secure this great blessing to us was one
object of the atonement.
Indeed, every thing connected with the sublime
mission and work of Christ looks to this, and is
intended to promote this. His name. "Thou shalt
call his name Jesus," said the holy angel, "for he
shall save his people from their sins;" not only their
guilt and penalty, but their defilement. In assuming this name, he intimates that he wishes us to
regard him chiefly in this character. He comes
into the world bearing a name, which proclaims
him the world's Savior; and now that he is gone to
his throne, he seems to say, "My name is Jesus yet,
I am a Savior still. Come, ye sinful and vile, ye




SIXTH BEATITUDE.              169
polluted and unholy, I am'able to save you even
unto the uttermost."'  His entrance into our world.
"I am come," said he, "that ye might have life."
An essential element of the life he offers is purity.
" For this purpose," says St. John, " was the Son of
God manifested, that he might destroy the works of
the devil." Sin, in all its various forms, is appropriately his work; he was the first sinner; and the
human heart, in its guilt, and enslavement, and pollution, exhibits the frightful ravages of his power.
But, thank God! there is one higher and mightier
than the prince of evil: Immanuel is his name; he
entered the world as a conqueror; he comes to
liberate the captive soul; nor shall he fail or be
discouraged till he shall have achieved the mighty
conquest, and irreparably overturned the kingdom
of sin and Satan. But especially his death. The
relation which this bears to our purity, is that of
cause and effect; and to provide for our purification
was the design of the sacrifice he offered upon the
cross. He came to put away sin by the sacrifice of
himself.. " For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood
is brought into the sanctuary by the high-priest for
sin, are burned without the camp. Wherefore Jesus,
that he might sanctify the people with hids own blood,
suffered without the gate." The apostles love to
linger upon this theme. In tracing out the design
of the atonement, their very words seem to glow
with hope and joy. "Christ also loved the Church,"
says St. Paul, " and gave himself for it, that he might
sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water
by the word; and that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle,
15




170      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
or any such thing, but that it should be holy, and
without blemish." And again, he says, " He gave
himself for us, that he might redeem us from all
iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people,
zealous of good works." The legal sacrifices, even,
availed for external defilement. How much more
shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal
Spirit, offered himself to God, purge your conscience
from dead works, to serve the living God! Such
evidence should silence every cavil, and banish every
doubt. The very heart should thrill with joy when
we think how fully all our depravity is provided for
in the atonement of the Son of God. 0, when I
see him stooping from infinite hights to the form and
condition of a servant; when I hear him called by
the name of Jesus; when I see him bleeding upon
the cross, and opening a fountain for uncleanness,
and sending forth his Spirit, and instituting ordinances, and all for one specific purpose, I will not,
I can not doubt that it is my privilege to be pure
and holy!
3. Look now at the promises in relation to this
subject.
"'The promises," says an old divine, "are a precious book, written by the finger of God, and every
leaf drops myrrh and honey. They are golden vessels, in which are treasured the brightest jewels God
has to bestow;" and one of the richest and the
brightest of these jewels is purity of heart. This he
has engaged, by covenant and promise, to bestow on
all his believing children. Opening the Old Testament, and entering a dispensation comparatively
imperfect, we find the following gracious overtures:




SIXTH BEATITUDE.               171
"I will turn my hand upon thee, and will purely
purge away thy dross. Though your sins be as
scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though
they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
And again: "I will sprinkle clean water upon you,
and ye shall be clean; from all your idols and from
all your filthiness will I cleanse you." True it is,
that this language is highly figurative, but the most
ordinary mind can scarcely misapprehend it. In
the New Testament we shall find still more clearlywritten promises. In the view of St. Paul, the Divine arrangement unfolded in the Gospel is a better
covenant than the old, and established upon better
promises. These better promises relate directly to
our deliverance from the power and defilement of
sin, and form the reason and the basis of his ardent
prayers and urgent exhortations in regard to its
attainment. The following passages will represent,
in some degree, the nature and extent of the stipulations of this better:-ovenant: "If we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one
with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son
cleanseth us from all sin. If we confess our sins, he
is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to
cleanse us from  all unrighteousness."  " Having,
therefore," says St. Paul, " these promises, dearly
beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness,
both of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in
the fear of God."
4. But let us take facts, and this will give additional strength to the argument.
Many have enjoyed it; many do now. Indeed,
all do, up to the measure of their faith in the blood




172       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
of Christ. In regard to the simple fact, there were
such in the days of the apostles. Hence says St.
Paul, in addressing some, "But now bein'g made
free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have
your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting
life." Of others he says, "Ye are washed, ye are
sanctified, ye are justified in the name of the Lord
Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God." And again,
speaking of the equality of privilege between Jew
and Gentile, an apostle says, "God hath put no
difference between us and them, purifying their
hearts by faith."  There are such now; but where
shall we find them-i.n what Church? By what
name are they distinguished? I answer, wherever
God's true people are found. They are not known
by party names or denominational peculiarities, not
even by a faultless creed or a sounding profession,
but by the purity of their conversation, and the
spotless sanctity of their lives.'" The tree is known
by its fruit." Wherever there is a humble, holy,
devoted life, there you find a pure heart, and only
there. As a pure fountain sends forth refreshing
and healthful streams, so does the renovated heart
uniformly exhibit holy tempers, and a holy life.
Such is the decision both of enlightened reason and
the word of God. I repeat, there are such now;
they walk with God, having the testimony that they
please him; they have put on the Lord Jesus,
being crucified with him, that the body of sin might
be destroyed. These, my brethren, are the living,
breathing epistles of Christ, written not with ink,
but with the Spirit of the living God; not in
tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.




SIXTH BEATITUDE.              173
Here I will pause for a moment to drop an inquiry
or two.
Do any of you pant for the clean heart and the
pure spirit?  One of the first things necessary is a
sense of your inbred sin; the deep corruption of
your heart. But I trust you already feel this, and
therefore sigh for deliverance. You have long
prayed, "Create in me a clean heart, O God, and
renew a right spirit within me." Your next, your
immedaiate duty is confidence in the blood of atonement, and simple reliance upon it. That blood can
make the foulest clean. So thorough is your pollution; so deep and desperate the defilement of sin,
that no ceremonial appliances will do. No,
"None but Jesus, none but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good."
In him tnere is a remedy, an all-cleansing fountain
opened in his most precious blood. Here the guiltiest and the vilest have found salvation, and here
each and all of you may wash your sins away. Go,
then, to him. He is a mighty Savior; able and
willing to save unto the uttermost. Turn to an
instance in the eighth chapter. When he had descended from the mount, there met him a wretched
and outcast leper. Bowing at the feet of the Savior
he said, "Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me
clean." At once the Savior stretched forth his hand,
saying, "I will."  What a thrill of joy run through
the heart of that man! And does he not say the
same to you? He does. But look at the result.
"Be thou clean," says Jesus, and immediately his
leprosy was cleansed. What a proof, both of his
ability and willingness to save! Go, then, to him.
15*




174       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
Cast thyself upon him in humble but fearless trust.
Claim his promises; claim a present salvation. He
will not, he can not, turn you away unrelieved.
"Thou dying Lamb! thy precious blood
Shall never lose its power,
Till all the ransomed Church of God
Are saved, to sin no mqre."
III. LET US NOW CONTEMPLATE THE REWARD OF THE
PURE IN HEART.
I need scarcely say, in the language of the text,
that such are blessed. Were I to pause here, you
could not go away with any other impression.  Such
must be happy. Their hearts purified from sin,
which always darkens and afflicts the soul, they
nmust be happy.  And no reverses of fortune, no assaults of earth or hell, can essentially mar their
peace. It is, however, in the grandeur of their
privilege  that we especially see their reward"Blessed are the pure in heart: for tkey shall see
God." No human mind, however gifted or farreaching in its powers of thought, can explore the
hidden wealth of this promise. We can only realize its meaning when we stand in the presence of
God and enjoy the glories of the beatific vision.
We may, nevertheless, without presumption, make
a few plain and practical observations.
"They shall see God."  There is a sense in which
all shall see him. "Behold, he cometh with clouds,
and every eye shall see him, and they also which
pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall
wail because of him." See him, not as a Friend and
Savior, but as a righteous Judge, coining to punish
the ungodly, and raise his people to immortal honors!
O what multitudes, when they behold that lovely




SIXTH BEATITUDE.              175
face beaming through the parted clouds, will call
for rocks and mountains to fall on them, and hide
them  from the face of Him  that sitteth upon the
throne!
But our Savior here speaks of it as a token of
favor, and as constituting an exalted reward. And
St. John, in one of his beautiful descriptions of
heavenly happiness, says they shall see his face, and
his name shall be in their foreheads. To see the
face of one, or to stand in his presence, were, among
the Jews, terms expressive of great favor. So here,
to see the face of God, means to be his friends and
favorites, and to dwell with him forever in the final
abodes of purity and joy.
Furthermore, the phrase, to see God, in the language of the critics, is a Hebraism for the enjoyment of God. Thus our Savior says, "Except a
man be born again he can not see the kingdom of
God;" that is, he can neither inherit nor enjoy the
present privileges or future bliss of the saints in
light. This had an impressive type in the Jewish
ceremonial. A person who was legally pure, was
permitted'to enter the sanctuary and worship as in
the presence of God; while the defiled and impure
were excluded from the sacred precincts, as unfit to
appear in the presence of unspotted purity and
holiness.
1. There is an interesting sense in which this reward is enjoyed at present.
The pure in heart see and enjoy God in the works
of his hands. The visible universe is full of God.
All its vast variety is the production of his skill,
the token of his benevolence, and the imperfect




176       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
image of his greatness. But amid these wondrous
scenes God is unknown and unfelt by the gross and
sensual mind. True, it may perceive the forms of
beauty and the traces of infinite wisdom, but it
neither feels nor rejoices in his presence.  Surrounded, indeed, with suns and systems, in all their
pomp and glory, thefool hath said in his heart there
is no God. It is otherwise with the man of purified
heart and mind. He walks no where but he meets
and communes with God. To him'"the heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament showeth
his handiwork."  When his eye measures yonder
heavens, or glides over the hills and valleys of this
beautiful world, his heart pulsates with rapture.
When the dew sparkles upon the grass, a kindred
tear drops from his eye. It is not the tear of sorrow, but of inward delight and joy, which no language can express. He meets the Father of spirits,
going forth to renew the face of the earth and fill
all hearts with food and gladness. He meets and
adores.
"These are thy glorious works, Parent of good,
Almighty! Thine this universal frame,
Thus wondrous fair; thyself how wondrous then!"
He enjoys God in the operations and comforts of
his grace. "He that loveth me," says Jesus, "shall
be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and
will manifest myself to him." That grace brought
him from darkness to light, translating him from
the kingdom of Satan unto'the kingdom of God's
dear Son. When dead in trespasses and sins it
quickened him, and raised him up to sit with Christ
in heavenly places. The love of God is shed abroad




SIXTH BEATITUDE.              177
in his heart, itself a source of ineffable delight. He
is exalted to heavenly fellowships, having come to
an innumerable company of angels, to the spirits of
just men made perfect, to God the judge of all, and
to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant. He enjoys the witness of the Spirit. It abides within his
heart a coforter, the seal of his sonship, and the
earnest of joys to come. He enjoys the Divine
presence-" I will never leave thee nor forsake thee."
This compensates for the loss of every earthly good,
the absence of every earthly friend. It disperses
every gloom, cheers in every sorrow, sustains in
every trial, and even sheds, upon the dark valley of
death, the holy light of triumphant joy. From
these sources arise a purity and a plenitude of bliss,
that nothing in the universe can excel but heaven.
2. BuJt this promise looks to the future world for
its highest fulJfilment.
It is there in God's immediate presence, and
where the light of his countenance shines in all its
effulgence, that this promise is to be realized in its
full meaning. All that is seen or known of him in
the present state, dwindles into nothing compared
with the grand disclosures of the heavenly world.
" To see God as he reveals himself to the spirits of
the just made perfect in heaven, has ever been the
crowning hope of good men, and formed their loftiest conceptions of future felicity." Amid the most
distressing calamities, the suffering patriarch looked
up and said, "Yet in my flesh shall I see God."  In
language glowing with immortal hope, the apostle
exclaims, "It doth not yet appear what we shall be;
but we know that when he shall appear we shall be




178      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
like him, for we shall 8ee him as he is."  One of the
elders of heaven, surveying the shining ranks of the
glorified, says, "These are they which came out of
great tribulation, and have washed their robes and
made them white in the blood of the Lamb. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve
him day and night in his temple. They stand in
his immediate presence, where they see the King in
his beauty, and behold his face in righteousness."
The beatific vision will open to the soul a source
of pure and transporting bliss. Even in this cold
and distant world there are seasons of heavenly
sunshine and ecstatic rapture. Sometimes, indeed,
the soul takes the wings of faith and love, and,
soaring away, seems to mingle in the company and
songs of the better land. But these are only the
streams; and
"If such the sweetness of the streams,
What must the fountain be?"
Infinitely superior. The joys of the soul, when its
communings with God are deepest and sweetest, are
to the joys above but the twilight of heaven, the
early dawn of a perfect day. Look at its descriptions: it is entering into the joy of our Lord; it is
being presented before the presence of his glory
with exceeding joy-" his presence, where there is
fullness of joy and pleasures for evermore." These
enjoyments will be perpetual. "Permanency adds
bliss to bliss." Every thing is mutable here. There,
every thing is permanent. Is it life? It is eternal.
Is it salvation? It is everlasting. Is it a crown?
It fadeth not away. They are increasing as well as
permanent. Progress is the great law of Christian



SIXTH BEATITUDE.              179
ity. Every thing pertaining to the Christian is progressive. His character, his knowledge, his happiness-all are in a state of advancement, and even
more in the future than in the present world. Freed
from this mortal clog, the mind will then operate
with a freedom and facility at present unknown" Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face
to face." The perfections of God, the wonders of
the universe, the sufferings of Christ, and the riches
of redeeming mercy will open boundless fields of
contemplation, where the soul shall expatiate with
constant and endless accessions of strength, illumination, and joy. 0 glorious prospect! When
shall the soul, freed from its prison-house of clay,
soar to its native heaven? The day of your redemption draweth nigh. See the ransomed spirit; it mingles and sings with angels. It has received the
crown of glory, the palm of conquest, and the robe
of white, washed in the blood of the Lamb. No
more pain, no more toil, no more sorrow;
"For sin, the source of mortal woe,
Can never enter there."
I shall close with a brief address to three characters.
1. The formalist. You have the name, but not
the life and power of religion. Can you imagine
that your condition is a safe one? Have you not
every reason to believe that it is one of alarming
danger?  God requires a spiritual religion-a pure
heart. He demands of you a life consecrated to his
service; a life of cheerful and unremitting obedidience to his will. Have you a heart thus renewed
and filled with the fruits of righteousness? Youl




180      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
have not. You regard such an experience as fanatical. But what is the testimony of St. Paul? " He
is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that
circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he
is a Jew which is one inwardly; and circumcision is
that of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter;
whose praise is not of men but of God." And what
is the testimony of our Lord? " Except a man be
born again he can not see the kingdom of God."
To rest in mere forms, is like a man laying down to
repose on the foam of the ocean, only to sink and
perish. Rest in the blood of Christ. Seek purity
of heart, without which you will forever be excluded
from the company and the happiness of heaven.
2. There is another class who feel the need and
are seeking the blessing of purity. Let no sense of
sin or helplessness dishearten you. Jesus died to
redeem you. He shed his blood to wash away your
sins. He waits to impart to you all its healing virtues. This should banish fear, and inspire living
hope and confidence, "He that believeth shall be
saved." Falling on your bended knees make this
your prayer, Lord help me, Lord deliver me-wash
me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me
from my sin. Simply trust the virtue of his blood,
and soon thou shalt hear more than an angel's voice,
saying, " Thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin
is purged."
3. Those who have realized this heavenly washing. Remember that you are not above the reach
of temptation or the danger of falling into sin.
You still need, and need every moment, the merit
of his death. Has that precious blood saved you?




SIXTH BEATITUDE.            181
Its continued application alone can keep you clean.
Walk in harmony with your profession. Be humble. Boast not of your attainments. Rejoice evermore, but rejoice with trembling. Be not highminded, but fear. Let your life speak. God and
man demand of you a consistent and holy life rather
than a sounding profession. Go forward; there are
rich fields of experience yet to explore, and delectable mountains yet to ascend. Go forward; the prize
of your high calling yet glitters in the distance. Go
forward, nor pause in your upward career till you
stand among the redeemed, an everlasting monument of the purifying blood of Christ.
16








LECTURE VIII.








SEVENTH  BEATITUDE.              185
SEVENTH BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the children of
God." MATTHEW V, 9.
THE existence of strife in the world is a direct and
palpable proof of the corruption of human nature.
This is its proper source; it can flow from no other.
It could not proceed from a holy nature, no more
than poisonous streams could issue from a healthful
fountain. It is a consequence of the fall, and accordingly displayed itself early in the history of the
race. Among the first statements in regard to the
condition of man, we read, " that the earth was filled
with violence." Succeeding history shows but little
abatement. In proportion as the human family
have multiplied and spread, variance and strife have
increased, till of the race it may be said, "they are
hateful and hating one another." Nor have the
evils been slight or transient that have poured from
this dreadful source. On the contrary, they have
rolled over the world like streams of burning lava,
destroying, in their course, the harmony and the
happiness of the world. The progress of mankind
has been marked, in every age, by envy, debate,
deceit; by malignity, spitefulness, and bloodshed.
The tender ties of kindred have been rudely severed.
The bands of society have been rent by contending
factions. The flames of war have been kindled,
16*




186      THE MOUNT OF fBLESSING.
and fire and sword have desolated the earth. Such
are the leading facts of human history.
Now, a religion suited to man must provide an
adequate remedy for these evils. It may, therefore,
be concluded that a religion from God would not
propose less than a complete revolution of the human heart —a revolution so thorough as to be
equivalent to a new creation; so far subduing the
carnal mind and renewing the spirit of man, that at
length every heart should vibrate in unison, and
peace and harmony return to bless the world. Such
a religion was that taught by the Son of God.
When the "herald angels" proclaimed his birth,
they sung in joyful strains, "Glory to God in the
highest, on earth peace and good will to men."
And how proper the anthem  "For the kingdom of
God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace,
and joy in the Holy Ghost." Accordingly, when it
enters the heart it melts it into tenderness; it subdues the will; it "purges out the old leaven of malice and wickedness;" it harmonizes the passions; it
purifies and warms the affections, and fills the soul
with peace and good will to men. Having thus
renewed, it sends him forth a peaceful spirit into a
warring world. His proper work now is to heal
discussions, reconcile contending factions, pour oil
upon the troubled sea of human passion, and banish
enmity and discord from the earth. Both his warrant and his comfort in the prosecution of this work
is to be found in the language of the Savior, " Blessed
are the peace-makers: for they shall be called the
children of God." Selecting one individual as the
representative of the entire class, let us,




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.             187
I. INVESTIGATE HIS PRINCIPLES.
Principles may be regarded as the sources of action, and as giving tone and complexion to character. Whether, therefore, we would estimate the
character of another, or form our own to goodness
and virtue, we must never lose sight of those great
elements which develop themselves in the character
and conduct of men. In a character so excellent
and beneficial as that to which our attention is here
directed, we may expect to find principles equally
remarkable for their peculiarity and excellence;
not such as are common to the multitude, but to the
few; indeed, to those alone whose hearts have been
brought under the influence of grace, and whose
lives harmonize with the will of God. Two great
principles will be found to actuate the peace-maker;
and every movement in his high career of benevolence may be referred to these as their proper spring
and fountain.
1.:The first is love to God.
This is not a native principle of the heart; it is
not brought into the world with us; it is purely of
divine origin —it is from God. It implies a state
of reconciliation and friendship with him, and lives
and glows only in a renewed heart. The Bible
speaks upon no subject more frequently, or with
more energy, than the natural enmity and alienation
of the heart. Though love, in our primitive state,
was the great reigning principle, its dethronement,
at present, is complete. This fact alone accounts
for the strong language of inspiration in regard to
our present condition, "The carnal mind is enmity
against God; for it is not subject to the law of God,




188       THE MIOUNT OF BLESSING.
neither indeed can be." We are, therefore, alienated, and enemies in our mind, by wicked works.
No act, no thought of man flows from love to God,
for it has no existence in his heart; enmity reigns
there, and of such depth and power as to place man
in direct conflict with his Maker. NTow, in the renewal of the heart by the Holy Spirit, this enmity
is slain, and we are reconciled to God; we have
peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ; and
now the love of God first springs up within the
heart. "We love him because he first loved us."
This principle now becomes a new source of feeling
and action, powerfully influential upon the heart
and life. It sweetens the temper, it calms the unquiet passions, it chastens the affections, and so
controls the life as to make it a speaking illustration
of the " beauty of holiness."
This principle binds the soul to God; it makes it
one with him. Under its influence it adopts his will
as its rule of action, and his glory as its high pursuit. It sympathizes with his purposes in the extermination of sin, and the diffusion of holiness and
happiness through the universe. It warms the soul
with generous impulses, it expands and elevates its
views, it inspires it with ardent desires to advance
the Divine glory, and secures to the purpose and
the effort, though unsuccessful, the approbation of
God and the assurance of reward. Without it the
soul has no stimulus, and no power. Like a bird
shorn of its wings, all its efforts to rise above mere
selfish aims are fruitless. The "Christian's Pattern," far above its reach, is unattained and unattainable. We only begin the imitation of Christ in




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.            189
his excellences of character, and in his benevolent
career, when we secure this principle of love to God
in our souls.
2. The second principle, distinguishing the peacemaker, is love to man.
Love to God, we are divinely taught, is the first
and the great command. The second in importance
and usefulness is love to our neighbhor. "On these
two," says the Savior, "hang all the law and the
prophets." They comprehend what Moses, in the
law, and the prophets have spoken; and to produce
the highest degree of happiness, to bind men together in sweet and lasting brotherhood, and then
unite all to God, nothing more is necessary than to
bring them under the control of these two great
principles. Love to man comprehends, among other
things, an ardent desire to do him good as we have
opportunity, in "body, mind, and estate;" not because he is my relative or friend, not because he
is of my creed or nation, but because he is man,
made in the image of God, and redeemed by the
blood of his Son. In its action it oversteps party
bounds and denominational distinctions; it claims
a sympathy in the well-being of every man; it embraces all in its "wide arms of love," and speaks a
language understood and felt by men in every clime:
"Peace on earth and good will to men." No one
can fail to perceive the relation which this principle
bears to the conduct of the peace-maker, and that
the character itself can have no existence in the
absence of this element. To this is to be traced as
its proper source every benevolent effort, every peace
measure, every enterprise that would terminate the




190      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
existence of strife, and restore the reign of peace
and innocence to the world.
"Love," says the apostle, "worketh no ill to his
neighbor." On the contrary, it seeks to do him
good; it prompts to justice, truth, and benevolence,
and holds in check those baser passions which engender strife, and flood the land with bitterness.
Were the law of love engraved on every heart; did
it control the conduct of men, what a change would
come over society! Falsehood and detraction would
cease; sly insinuation and ribald insult would be
unknown; and the gossip and the tattler, those firebrands of mischief, would hide themselves for very
shame. The bands of a holy brotherhood would
bind the nations; men would dwell together in
unity, and the social atmosphere would glow with
the brightness and blessedness of heaven. Such,
then, are the two great principles which distinguish
the peace-maker-love to God and love to man.
They form the basis of his character; they give impulse and direction to his efforts, and, in their reflex
influence, pour upon his heart pure and abiding
joys. Let us now,
II. OBSERVE HIS PRACTICE.
"Blessed are the peace-makers."  And here we
are to contemplate him in action, and see the living
embodiment of those principles which, when carried
out in our intercourse with men, constitute that
rare but God-like character denominated the peacemaker.
1. And first, let us regard him  in his several
fields of benevolent efort.
See him in the family. Families exist by Divine




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.              191
appointment, and are especially designed to be the
centers of purity and love. From these delightful
sources refining influences are to flow out, spreading
beyond the home circle to beautify and gladden the
face of society. Nothing on earth furnishes a fitter
type of heaven, than a family where peace presides
and love attunes every heart in unison; angels look
with delight upon it, and God himself delights to
dwell there.
And yet, how often are families the scenes of
rudeness and ill-humor, of wrangling and strife!
Those who dwell under the same roof, sit at the
same table, and are connected by the most tender
relationships, are often seen exchanging angry looks
and bitter words. The various and conflicting tempers of children often render it difficult to maintain
domestic peace; one is petulant, another proud, a
third envious, a fourth sullen. These are the true
elements of discord, and not unfrequently embroil
the family, and hang around it like a dark and
wrathful cloud.  Amid such a scene, the peacemaker is an angel of mercy. His influence there is
salutary as the dew of Hermon, and refreshing as
the odor of a rich perfume; and no one can so fully
exhibit this character of the Christian parent. In
the very nature of things he must be better acquainted with the members of the family than
others. He knows their qualities of mind and heart;
he has studied their moral constitution, and can
adapt himself to their peculiarities; he is to them
in God's stead; his voice is the voice of love, but
not less of authority, which, while it inspires reverence, wins by its gentleness and love.




192       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
Under his control the family moves in unity and
concord; the quarrels that distract other households
are arrested by his kindly interference, and the passions that prompt them held in check by the blended
influence of authority and love. The government
of such a parent is not maintained by harshness or
reserve, by the terror of the rod or the severity of
punishment, but by the mightier influence of a
wholesome, discipline and an example of correct
Christian deportment.
See him in the Church. Here, if any where upon
earth, we should expect to find peace. As the Church
professes a religion of peace, and stands before the
world the visible representative of the meek Son of
God, we should expect this spirit to pervade and
control all her movements. But, alas! it has not
been always so. Debates and divisions have sometimes destroyed the harmony of the " body of Christ,"
and rent in sunder the bonds of brotherly-love.
The school of Christ has been the school of disputation and cavil. Prating impertinence and unblushing forwardness have here struggled for pre-eminence, and rival factions, led on by spiritual demagogues, have turned it into an arena of conflict and
strife. So different are the tastes and habits of
men; so great the variety of intellect and feeling;
so various the modes of education and the character
of temperament, that there is constant danger of
collision and discord. The unsanctified affections
and tempers of men are always fruitful of evil, and,
existing as they often do in the professed followers
of Christ, frequently display themselves in disagreement and contention, a result as hostile to the spirit,




SEVENTH  BEATITUDE.              193
as it is disgraceful to the name of religion.  Here,
then, is a legitimate field for the labors of the peacemaker; and it is pleasing to contemplate him in his
God-like career. Having imbibed the spirit and
temper of the Gospel, he stands aloof from  the
scene of wrangling and variance; he has put off
anger, wrath, and malice, and has "put on charity,
which is the bond of perfectness;" he can not, therefore, participate in the work of discord; he counsels peace, and with unremitting zeal seeks to allay
the demon-spirit of strife, and reunite the broken
links of Christian fellowship and love. Such a man
in the Church, be he rich or poor, wise or ignorant,
is above all price. In him we see displayed the
excellency of the Gospel; he stands before the
world the bright embodiment of its beautiful spirit
and principles. 0, when shall this lovely character
be displayed in every disciple of Jesus?  When
shall the spirit of discord be banished from the
Church, and her sons and daughters dwell together
in unity?
"O let us take a softer mold,
Blended and gathered into Thee;
Under one Shepherd make one fold,
Where all is love and harmony."
See him in community. And here he moves with
the same gentleness and grace which distinguish
him in the family and in the Church; and here, too,
opens before him a wide field of pious and benevolent effort. It is not a rare occurrence, that neighborhoods and communities become scenes of contention and strife, disgraceful to humanity, and ending
in riot and bloodshed. Some persons are censorious;
they are perpetually finding fault; they see every
17




194       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
thing through the green glasses of prejudice, and
hence every object is discolored, if not distorted.
Every thing is wrong; every body is at fault; themselves form the only exception-they of course are
right. Such men utter no language but that of
complaint and crimination; they fret and scold;
they are a kind of social iceberg; the very atmosphere grows cold around them, and spreads a chill
throughout the circle of their influence. Reciprocal
irritation and blame succeed, till at length the family
or the entire community is embroiled. Some again
are contentious, and can only live amid the excitement of debate; they flourish best in a heated atmosphere, which, in morals as in nature, usually breeds
contagion and death. This is an evil spirit, overbearing and tyrannical; it will have its own way, or
else it will sacrifice friendship and the best interests
of mankind. How often is the harmony of society,
the unity of benevolent enterprise, plans of internal
improvement, and commercial prosperity broken up
by this hateful propensity!  "For as coals are to
burning coals, and wood to fire, so is a contentious
man to kindle strife." And the beginning of strife
in communities is like the letting out of waters;
little by little is the crevice enlarged and the channel widened, till the rushing waters sweep away the
embankments, and flood the land with destruction.
Others are slanderous —the meanest part of this
class are too cowardly to make an open attack;
they never make charges; they deal in doubts and
surmises. The very tones of their voice, and the
expression of their countenance, excites distrust and
awakens suspicion. You could meet an open, manly




SEVENTH  BEATITUDE.               195
attack; but how can you deny a mysterious look, or
refute a sinister glance? These are the very worst
of traducers. I had rather meet a bear robbed of
her whelps, than such a skulking hound.
"Who stabs my name, would stab my person too,
Did not the hangman's rope lie in the way."
Some are malicious and lustful.  "From whence,"
says the apostle, "come wars and fightings among
you?  Come they not hence, even of your lusts2"
The hate of a neighboring man, or neighboring
nation; the lust of fame, wealth, or territory, hag
more than once inflamed community, arrayed man
against man, nation against nation, and led to contest and bloodshed. These corrupt passions, what.
ever may be the scene or the extent of their influn
ence, are the deadly foes of peace and harmony.
Not only are their effects seen in street brawls, and
neighborhood quarrels, but war with all its evils
flows from this bitter source.  Of all the evil results
of man's passions, war is one of the most fearful in
its details, and the most hideous in its consequences.
Concealed, wreathed, garlanded, and glorified as it
may be, it has seldom the shadow of an excuse.
Whatever may be its "pomp or circumstance," it is
usually little less than a stupendous system of
robbery and murder. Aside from greater skill and
talent, how is it more honest or honorable than
crimes for which men are daily punished?
"One murder makes the assassin's odious name,
But millions damn the hero into fame."
To rob a house, or fire a dwelling, makes a villain;
but to plunder kingdoms, burn cities, and slaughter
nations, makes an illustrious conquerer. That en



196       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
rolls the name among felons, this sends it down to
fiuture ages as immortal. 0, did the spirit of true
religion sway the hearts of statesmen, and control
the diplomacy of nations, the bow would be broken
and the spear cut in sunder, and wars would cease
unto the ends of the earth. Such are some of the
sources of strife in our sin-cursed world, and they
serve to describe the appropriate sphere of the
peace-maker.  Here we mark his footsteps, and
trace the effects of those Divine principles which
prompt and regulate his movements in the world.
To whatever department of society lie may belong,
whether in private or public life, in the Church or
in the state, he "follows after the things which
make for peace, and things whereby one may edify
another."
2. Let us now consider the mode in which he accomwplishes this object.
And it is not by the surrender of principle or the
sacrifice of truth. Peace is purchased at too high a
price, when a good conscience is bartered for it.
He who, from fear or the love of quietude, gives up
his opinions, or sides with falsehood, has neither the
spirit of a man nor a Christian. Such a man can
never be trusted, for such a character can only be
compounded of falsehood and deceit. Compliances
like these are shameful and wicked, and mark the
man as a base hypocrite or a designing knave. He
who can accommodate himself to all opinions, to all
parties, to every side, and to each prejudice, may,
in the esteem of the world, be very politic, but he is
neither honest nor virtuous. Two leading objects
engross the attention of the peace-maker.




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.              197
The ftrst is, the preservation of peace where it
already exists. A conviction of its importance is
always necessary to its continuance. We never care
to retain what is of no value, while, on the other
hand, we are willing to make any sacrifice for the
preservation of what we highly esteem. Take the
family circle —how important is peace to its harmony
and comfort! " Where envying and strife is, there
is confusion and every evil work." From such a
scene gentleness and love are banished, and happiness flies to seek a more congenial home. The
peaceful virtues perish, and hatefill passions grow
in their places. Differences arise; from these grow
fierce disputes; these in turn ripen into bitter quarrels, till at last the circle is broken into fragments,
and scattered abroad as so many firebrands in society.
Equally important is it to communities and nations;
no prosperity can attend the movements of either
while disturbed by contention, or rent by discordant
factions. Above all, how important in a Church!
Here the loss of confidence, the want of brotherly-love,
and the spirit of dissension, can only be productive
of evil; they paralyze her energies, and hang like a
leaden weight on her wheels; instead of achieving
the conversion of sinners and the salvation of the
world, she drags on heavily, or is rent in pieces by
the hands of violence and strife. "The Spirit, like
a peaceful dove," flies from such a scene. God does
not smile upon a warring Church, and will not
crown her efforts with his blessing. "Pray," says
the Psalmist, "for the peace of Jerusalem; peace
be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy
palaces." The importance of peace is thus appar17*




198       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
ent, and an abiding conviction of this controls the
peace-maker.
Next he cultivates and exhibits in his life the
peaceful virtues. Regarding his character only in a
negative light, the resulting benefits are at once
seen and felt. He is not censorious or envious; he
is no wrangler, whose element is controversy and
stormy debate; he is not an evil-speaker, taking up
a reproach against his neighbor, and spreading it
abroad to his injury; he indulges no passion which
would lead to litigation and strife; he makes war
with sin, but not with men-with bad passions and
corrupt desires, but not with fellow-worms. The
firetful and contentious man is far more likely to
create than to suppress discord; while the exercise
of gentleness and charity tend directly to allay
bitterness and cool the fiery passion of the heart.
The peace-maker, therefore, cultivates the relations
of peace with all men. The Divine command renders this imperative-" If it be possible, as much as
lieth in you, live peaceably with all men."  If it be
possible!  The language implies that it may be
otherwise; the best of men have had their enemies,
and have felt "the venomed stings of slander."
For, " be thou as chaste as ice, as pure as snow,
thou shalt not escape calumny." Still we are to do
our utmost to preserve peace, and to appease the
malice of others; we are not to begin a quarrel, but
to seek peace and pursue it. Its maintenance, however, does not always depend on us. " Woe is me,"
says the Psalmist, " that I sojourn in Mesech, that I
dwell in the tents of Kedar! My soul hath long
dwelt with him that hateth peace: I am for peace;




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.              199
but when I speak they are for war."  We may be
beset by those who oppose and persecute; they may
hate religion, and slander and injure us. We are
not responsible for their assaults, but we are for our
conduct toward them. It may not be possible to
prevent their unkindness to us, but it is possible not
to quarrel with them, to seek peace, and evince a
Christian spirit. If all Christians would do this; if
they would never provoke to controversy; if they
would injure no man by slander or unfair dealing;
if they would compel none to prosecute them for
want of honesty in business; if they would cease to
irritate and prolong disputes, it would go far to
terminate the reign of strife and restore harmony
to the world.
Finally, in the preservation of peace, he refuses
to listen to detraction and slander. The gossip, the
tell-tale, and the defamer, are among the most dangerous members of society; they are incendiaries in
the social state, whose infernal trade is to kindle
and spread the flames of strife; they infest every
community, and prowl through every department of
life; they come by stealth into families, and excite
jealousy and heart-burnings; they creep serpentlike into the Church, and it becomes a Meribah, a
place of confusion and bitterness; they range through
society, fomenting animosities and sowing broadcast the seeds of evil. I know of no language that
can fully describe the utter meanness of backbiting
and tattling; their meanness can only be equaled
by their criminality. They stand in bold relief
among that class of revolting crimes, for which God
gave up the very heathen " to a reprobate mind,"




200       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
and for which they were accounted "worthy of
death."  "Such a man," says one of the old English
prelates, "is the devil's truckman, who goes to one
and buzzeth in his ear what such a one said of him,
and when he hath by this means got some angry
speeches from him, goes and reports them back to
the other; and so by his wicked breath blows up
the coals of strife between them; therefore, the
proverb tells us where no wood is the fire goeth
out; so, when there is no talebearer the strife
ceaseth."
But it should not be forgotten that the listener
shares in the guilt of him who contrives and him
who retails a slander. Some, indeed, have itching
ears for such reports; and though they do not make
or circulate the lie, yet they are ever ready to listen,
and thus to aid the scandal-monger in his unholy
traffic. And if one is as ready to listen as the other
is to tell, where is the difference in their guilt?
Did every Christian close his ear against such gossip, and with honest indignation drive these harpies
from him, it would much promote the public peace
and reform  this evil practice; "For as the north
wind driveth away rain, so doth an angry countenance a backbiting tongue."  "When both receive
their reward," says an eastern proverb, " the slanderer's tongue will be nailed to the listener's ear."
His second object is, the restoration of peace
where it has been interrupted or lost. And one
method by which he does this, is an effort to reconcile contending parties. In regard to himself, if
another is offended, he will cherish no improper
feelings toward him, but will seek to pacify his




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.              201
anger; so we are taught by our Savior. "If thou
bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest
that thy brother hath aught against thee, leave there
thy gift before the altar, and go thy way: first be
reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer
thy gift." That is, if you have wronged him, make
restitution; if you owe him a debt, pay it; if you
have injured his character, confess it and ask pardon. This is both noble and heroic. If he has injured you, seek, in a gentle manner, to convince
him of his wrong. There are few if any difficulties
that might not at once be adjusted, if Christians
would act in accordance with this sublime precept.
Such is the conduct of the peace-maker in regard to
others; he seeks to heal their divisions and reconcile them to each other. Inspired with love to God
and man, he can not behold, without deep concern,
the strifes and contentions of men-a concern which
prompts a kindly interference to check the violence
of passion, and reunite the alienated in friendship
and love. Noble and God-like work! When shall
this become the universal effort of man? Were
every Christian minister and layman, every judge
and lawyer, every politician and statesman to proceed upon this principle, how soon would family
jars, Church disputes, vexatious lawsuits, and even
national warfare, come to an end! Then men would
dwell together in unity, and exulting Peace wave
her olive branch over our disordered and unhappy
world. It is said of Peter the Great, that he frequently surprised the magistrates by his unexpected
presence in the cities of the empire. Having one
day arrived at Olonez, he went first to the regency




202      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
and inquired of the governor how many suits were
depending in the court of chancery   "' None, sire,"
replied the governor. "How happens that?"  "I
endeavor to prevent lawsuits and conciliate the parties; I act in such a manner that no traces of difference remain on the archives; if I am wrong, your indulgence will excuse me."  "I wish," replied the
Czar, " that all governors would act on your principles: go on; God and your sovereign are equally
satisfied."
Promotive of the same great end, he seeks to
bring men under the influences of the Gospel of
Christ. This alone can eradicate the vile passions
of the heart, and bless the world with peace. Religion is first pure, then peaceable. Its immediate
and uniform effect is to give peace to the heart, and
then to lead men to live in peace; it changes the
lion into the lamb: it buries the tomahawk and
scalping-knife, and unites men long separated by
enmity in the embrace of a warm and holy affection. " The fruit of righteousness," says the apostle,
"is sown in peace of them that make peace."  The
seeds of religion are not sown amid the brawling of
a mob, or the tumult and thunder of battle, but
amid peaceful scenes and with a peaceful spirit;
and when thus sown, produce in rich abundance a
harvest of peace. I repeat, religion is peace. In
the heart, in society, on earth, and in heaven it is all
peace. In its origin, and in all its results, it is productive only of order, goodness, and love. Happy
day when the religion of the Prince of peace shall
spread around the globe, and erect her throne in
every heart! The earth shall then be as paradise;




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.              203
wrangling and bitterness shall cease; "the shock,
the shout, the groan of war," shall be unknown, and
love and peace, as with a golden zone, bind all
nations and all hearts together. 0, with what ardent zeal and untiring effort should Christians labor
for this sublime result! Continually exhibit in your
life the pure and peaceful spirit of the Gospel; this
alone provides a remedy for the sins and sorrows of
our perishing and guilty race. Let us now consider
briefly,
III. THE HONORABLE DISTINCTION OF THE PEACEMAKERS.
"Blessed are they," says Jesus, "for they shall be
called the children of God."  I say honorable; and
can any honor equal theirs? What are all earthly
titles and preferments compared with this? "'Is it
a light thing," said David, when about to form an
alliance to royalty, "is it a light thing to be son-inlaw to the king?" And if not, what an honor is it
to be a child of God, and enter the family of the
King of kings! And this is no mere empty title;
names with God are realities. They are called the
children of God, because they are such; the name
they bear is at once significant of their relationship
and their nature. "They shall be called the children of God;" and in this they are distinguished
from all others. They are not the children of this
world, for they neither partake of its spirit nor
govern themselves by its maximls; they are not the
children of the wicked one, for they have renounced
his authority and forsaken his service; they are the
children of God. This distinction is founded upon
three circumstances.




204       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
1. They are regenerated and adopted into the
)ivine,family.
In our sinful estate we possess natures dissimilar
to the nature of God. Besides other traits of equal
malignity, we are " hateful and hating one another;"
and as the child must partake of the nature of the
father, so must we partake of the Divine nature ere
we can in truth be called his children. This change
in our nature is effected by the new birth; we are
then born of the Spirit, born of God; and as "'that
which is born of the flesh is flesh, so that which is
born of the Spirit is spirit."  We are now brought
into the family of God, "no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the saints, and of
the household of God." The Spirit of adoption is
received, the fruits of which now begin to develop
themselves as the proofs of our sonship, and the
essential elements of that noble character commended in this beatitude. Nothing less than this
can slay the evil passions of our nature, and prepare
the heart for the indwelling and supreme control of
love to God and man. The mind thus renewed,
finds its highest pleasure in doing good; a taste is
acquired for the pursuit and enjoyment of holiness,
and for the exercise of that charity which "doth
not behave itself unseemly, that is not easily provoked, and that thinketh no evil."
2. They resermble God their Father.
This resemblance is not, indeed, perfect, but it is
real; they bear his image. "The first man is of the
earth, earthy; the second man is the Lord from
heaven: as is the earthy, such are they also that are
earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.             205
that are heavenly; and as we have borne the image
of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the
heavenly." Survey the Divine perfections and character; what excellence, what amiability! God is
love; he is the author of peace, the very God of
peace. Goodness flows from him as from a fountain, and its streams bless and beautify the universe.
To the sinner he is merciful and gracious-slow to
anger and of great mercy. Upon the evil and unthankful he showers his blessings, and toward his
enemies he exercises long-suffering and unwearied
patience. And O, when we think of his reconciling
love, how he hath pursued us in our estrangement,
and followed us through all the windings and turnings of our sinful life, and sought to subdue our
enmity by the tender ministries of love, even by the
death of his Son, what a character does it unfold!
God sought our reconciliation; man did not seek it;
he did not desire it; it was the offended, not the
offending party that sought peace. This, more than
any thing else, shows us the Divine character, and
throws around it an infinite loveliness. God is preeminently the peace-maker, and after this model is
the true Christian conformed; he too is the author
of peace, and his bosom swells with pure and heavenly love; he is " peaceable, gentle, easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." Like him who sends
rain and sunbeams on the evil and the good, he is
merciful " after his power," doing good to all men;
he is patient and slow to wrath, tender-hearted and
forgiving. Clothed with meek humility, he goes
about doing good. From a heart of love he dis18




206       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
penses peace and joy; and from a character rich in
resemblance to all that is benevolent and holy,
emits a pure and steady light. In a word, he embodies in his life the'precept of the apostle, "Do all
things without murmurings and disputings: that ye
may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God,
iwithout rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the
world."
3. Their conduct.
The conduct becoming a child is obedience; and
such a course always calls forth the regards and
acknowledgments of the father. One of. the most
striking characteristics of the peace-maker, as a
child of God, is obedience. His course of life, compared with the law of God and the precepts of the
Gospel, furnishes the evidence. His principles of
action, his amiable disposition of heart, his lovely
traits of character, his benevolent and God-like actions, are all in beautiful harmony with their demands. He employs his time, his talents, his influence, in wise and zealous efforts to bless mankind,
and promote the glory of God. As a child, he
loves the service of God; here "labor is rest, and
pain is sweet." Amid self-denial and toil, reproach
and suffering, he can say, " MIy meat is to do the
will of Him that sent me, and to finish his work."
Children of God! What a distinction, what a privilege! "For if children, then heirs: heirs of God
and joint-heirs with Christ." How high their destiny,
how splendid their inheritance-a crown; a kingdom, "incorruptible, undefiled, and that fadeth not
away!"




SEVENTH BEATITUDE.             207
Permit me now to commend this character to your
study and imitation. Scipio, we are told in history,
declared that he was inflamed with a virtuous and
heroic spirit, by contemplating the statues of his
ancestors. But here is a character infinitely superior, not sculptured in breathless marble, or
molded after earthly patterns, but fashioned like
the Son of God, and inspired with his life and
spirit. It is hardly possible to think of the amiable
tempers of the peace-maker, without an ardent desire to possess them. What a revolution would
their presence make in your heart! "Instead of the
thorn, the fig-tree would come up, and instead of
the brier, should come up the myrtle-tree; you
should then go out with joy, and be led forth with
peace." The malignant demons of hate, malice,
and revenge, would then be driven from your heart,
and the bright angels of love, and peace, and gentleness, would descend to rest and abide in your
bosom. Then would God own you as his child;
his name would be written in your forehead, and his
image would shine in your holy and beneficent life.
"God," says Luther, "dwells not in Babylon, which
is confusion; but in Salem, which is peace. There
he has recorded his name; there he has fixed the
mercy-seat; there he himself delights to dwell."
Who can contemplate the mild benevolence of
Melancthon, the angelic meekness of Fletcher, the
conciliating gentleness of Summerfield, without a
glow of desire to be like them, and without perceiving how much such dispositions would contribute
to the peace and harmony of mankind?
In the formation of this character, meditation and




208       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
prayer are all-important. With what profound attention does the artist study his model! So must
you long and deeply ponder this character. Invoke
Divine assistance; pray for light and guidance;
pray that love to God and man may fill and control
your heart. The celebrated Boerhaave was remarkable for his humility, gentleness, and expansive
charity. A friend inquired how he had acquired
such a character? He replied, "I am  naturally
warm and irritable, but have been enabled by daily
meditation and prayer to subdue my heat of temper."
Pray for large measures of the Spirit. How sweet to
learn from such a teacher! How easy to cultivate
these tempers with his almighty aid! Unspeakably
benign and purifying is the agency of that divine
Sanctifier on our dark and sinful hearts. Behold
the restored demoniac-no longer mangling his own
flesh, or assaulting with rage and fury the unsuspecting traveler, but calmly sitting at the feet of
Jesus, his face radiant with joy, his heart swelling
with peace and love! Such shall you become under
God's transforming power. 0, begin this sublime
pursuit; let it be your high and constant aim to
attain the character of the peace-maker, who,
"While he lives,
Knows no bliss but that which virtue gives,
And when he dies, bequeaths a lofty name,
A light, a landmark on the cliffs of fame."




LECTURE IX.
18*








EIGHTH  BEATITUDE.                   211
EIGHTH BEATITUDE.
"Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye when men shall revile
you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against yoa
falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your
reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before
you." MATTHEW V, 10-12.
THE way to heaven is beset with difficulty and
danger. Self-denials are to be made, crosses are to
be taken up, and tribulations to be endured. These
are inevitable to a life of piety. "' If any man," says
Jesus, "will be my disciple, let him deny himself
and take up his cross daily, and follow me." The
path he trod was the path of sorrow. It led through
scenes of temptation, toil, and suffering; and he
who would follow the Savior must expect to pass
through the same or similar perils. It is enough
that the servant be as his Lord. This, to multitudes, is a source of deep discouragement. It is
often hard enough, with a clear sky and favoring
gales, to breast the tide of corrupt nature: how much
more when the sky is overspread with clouds, and
the tempest rages, and the billows roll! Then it is
that many become offended with religion, and fall
away, and hasten to leave a course charged with so
many difficulties. This liability to discouragement
we have all felt. It has been the experience of the
wisest and the best.  We have become clisleartened




212      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
in duty; we have shrunk from self-denial and the
cross; we have fainted in the day of opposition and
adversity. Like the pilgrims in their progress to
the heavenly city, we would fain exchange the rough
and narrow path for the green and easy by-ways on
either side. But it should never be forgotten, that
the path of duty is the path of safety; and that
they who forsake it for other ways shall be snared in
an evil net, and perish the victims of their own presumption.
On no subject has our Savior spoken more fully
or more tenderly than that to which we have just alluded. He foresaw our discouragements and sought
to remove them. To counteract despondency, and
inspire hope; to repress the alarms of fear, and
nerve the heart with faith and courage, he uttered
the most cheering promises. Despair itself should
kindle into hope, and feebleness rise with immortal
energy under his inspiring words.
As we have intimated, duty, sacrifice, and suffering are intimately connected with a profession of
religion. They have their respective discouragements, the force of which we daily feel; and it is
cheering, indeed, to look over those precious promises from which the pious in all ages have drawn
encouragement and strength. Look, for example, at
the duty of prayer. In this we often faint and grow
weary. But says the Savior, "Ask, and ye shall
receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall
be opened unto you." Who can doubt, when such
assurances are heard from the lips of Truth? Do
we shrink from the sacrifice religion demands? His
language is, " There is no man that hath left houses,




EIGHTH BEATITUDE.             213
or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife,
or children, or lands, for my sake and the Gospel's,
but shall receive an hundred-fold now in this time,
and in the world to come eternal life."  Are we
hated of men and persecuted for his sake? How
consolatory are his words, "Blessed 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 exceeding glad: for great is
your reward in heaven!"  These are the words
which, in other times, have inspired the timid with
more than mortal courage, and made them "struggle with the martyr for the stake, and bless heaven
for the flames."
" Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake." "To persecute," says a recent expositor, "means literally to pursue, to follow after,
as one does a flying enemy. Here it means to vex
or oppress one on account of his religion." Hence,
to injure another in his feelings, reputation, or property, or to endanger or take away his life for the
sake of his religious opinions or conduct, is persecution. The Savior predicted that such would be the
lot of all his disciples. "In the world," said he,
"ye shall have tribulation;" "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you. They shall
put you out of the synagogues; yea, the time
cometh, that whosoever killeth you, will think that
he doeth God service. And the brother shall deliver
up the brother to death, and the father the child:
and the children shall rise up against their parents
and cause them to be put to death." We may,
therefore, regard persecution as inevitable. In some




214       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
form or other it will befall the followers of Christ.
I invite your attention,
I. To THE VARIOUS FORMS OF PERSECUTION.
And we may regard them as three-fold.
1. Persecution by secret malignity and hate.
This is the lowest form of persecution; but it has,
nevertheless, a most decided character. Thus it
has existed ever since the human heart became depraved, and will never cease to exist till divine
grace completely renovates the human soul. The
carnal mind is enmity against God. It stands in
direct and unyielding conflict with his nature and
his laws. All, therefore, who bear his image and
partake of his nature, become the objects of dislike,
if not of hate. This enmity may be unseen, but it
is not the less real. No utterance of the lip, no
change of the countenance may indicate its presence; but it is there hidden far down in the depths
of the heart, a stern and stubborn principle, that can
not be subjected to the Divine will. Its manifestation, in the form of persecution, is frequently alluded
to by our blessed Lord: "Ye shall be hated of all
men for my name's sake. If the world hate you, ye
know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye
were of the world, the world would love its own;
but because ye are not of the world, therefore the
world hateth you." From this principle every overt
act of persecution has arisen, and its violent outbreaks are only prevented by the restraints which a
merciful Providence has interposed. Self-respect,
interest, the force of public sentiment, and legal provisions may all have their influence; but the primary
check arises from Him who holds the reins of uni



EIGHTH BEATITUDE.              215
versal government, and who says to the enemies of
Christ, as well as the mighty ocean waves, "Hithcrto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall
thy proud waves be staid."
Some may perhaps doubt whether they possess
such a spirit; but if they will honestly examine
their hearts, and the views and feelings they entertain upon this subject, they will perhaps see that I
have not gone too far in my statements; they will
find that very enmity of which I have spoken, like
a spreading leprosy, infecting every power of the
soul; they will discover a strong dislike to the
claims of God's law and the holiness he so urgently
denmands; they will find the same distaste to holiness in his people. They wish they were less strict
and less conscientious, more liberal in their views
and more conformed to the world in their actions.
They feel that if they were more devoted to pleasure
and plans of gain; if they would be companions at
the gay party, at the theater and the ball-room, they
would like them better. Their spirit and example
is a reproof and a rebuke; and though no impropriety of speech may betray their settled dislike,
yet they feel a fire in their bosoms, the flames of
which they find it sometimes difficult to repress.
Now, this is the spirit of persecution, the very same
dark and fiend-like spirit which, more than once,
has drenched the earth with righteous blood.
2. Persecutiouzs by open reproach and opposition.
The heart's inward hate finds an easy outlet
through the lips. Cruel words and bitter taunts are
its natural language, and often uttered by those who
despise the way of truth. The persecutions of our




216      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
Savior furnish an instance. Thus they said of him
that he was a Samaritan-a term of the highest reproach; that he was mad and had a devil. They
called him a wine-bibber; a friend and companion
of wicked men. And when that pure and holy being hung bleeding upon the cross, they bitterly reproached him, and, amid the agonies of death,
reviled and mocked him. Similar treatment he
predicted would befall his people in succeeding
ages. "If," said he, "they have called the master
of the house Beelzebub, much more will they call
them of his household. The disciple is not above
his master, nor the servant above his Lord."  And
to prepare them for these scenes of reproach he says,
"Blessed are ye when men shall revile you, and
shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for
my sake." The time was approaching when they
would need these encouragements. They were soon
to become the objects of derision and scorn. Ere.
long men would pursue them with bitter hate and
furious opposition, persecuting them even unto
strange cities. Amid the overwhelming scenes of
Pentecost, when, if ever, the enemies of Christ
should have been hushed to silence, they mocked
and ridiculed. Similar has been the conduct of
wicked men in every age, to stigmatize religion and
check its progress in the world. Under the reign of
Domitian, one of the early Roman emperors, the
most absurd and wicked tales were invented to blast
the reputation of Christians. They were accused of
meeting together for the grossest immorality-of
nurdering their children and feasting upon their
bodies. They were charged with sedition and




EIGHTH bEATITUDE.              217
rebellion; and as often. as any calamity befell the
empire, as earthquakes, pestilence, or famine, it was
attributed to their impiety. In modern times they
hlave been reviled as fools and fanatics. Ill names
and odious epithets have been heaped upon them.
The names of Huguenot, Puritan, Quaker, and
Methodist were first given in derision, and still perpetuate the memory of sufferings borne for the sake
of Christ.
Even at present the same means are employed to
prevent a profession of religion or compel its abandonment. Many thus suffer; and the trial is sometimes but little less severe than the infliction of bodily pain. Let a young man, for instance, launch
out into a gay and reckless life; let him figure amid
scenes of pleasure and dissipation, neglecting God,
despising the Savior, and scoffing at religion, and
he receives the smiles and applause of all his companions in folly. But let that same young man become thoughtful and serious; let him forsake his
former associates in vice, and connect himself with
the Church of Christ, and at once they begin to
deride him. One points the finger of scorn, another
brands him with an ill name, and the whole company make him the butt of jest and ridicule. Alas!
how many have surrendered their profession and
left the paths of virtue to escape the revilings of a
godless world!
Authority and power are sometimes exerted in
opposition to religion. Parents oppose their children, husbands their wives, and wives their husbands. Persecution from  those we venerate and
love; who have the highest earthly claim to our
19




218      THE _MIOUNT OF BLESSING.
obedience, but whose claims conflict with duty to
God, constitutes one of the severest forms of trial.
Do I address one thus situated? You ask, What
shall I do?  I answer, obey God. But I am a child,
and owe obedience to my parents. True, but we
must obey God rather than man. If need be, sacrifice all for Christ. Perhaps he may make you the
honored instrument in the conversion of your parents. A large and irreligious family resided a few
miles from the city of New York. The father and
mother were stern opposers of religion. It so happened that a little daughter of these parents became
connected with a Sunday school, and was soon
deeply interested in the instruction she received.
When the father heard of it he forbade her going
again; but the little girl, supposing he was not in
earnest, continued to go. At length the father,
mother, brothers, and sisters threatened to turn her
out of doors if she went again. When the next
Sunday morning caine the little girl dressed herself
as usual, except putting on her bonnet. When the
hour for Sunday school arrived she went to her
father, and, taking him by the hand, said, "Father,
I love you, but I love JesuLs bettee'; so now I bid you
farewell."  She then took leave of her mother,
brothers, and sisters in the same way, and left them
for the school. Her conduct touched a tender chord
in the father's hard heart. He said nothing, but
silently followed her to the school, went in and at
once became interested. The next Sunday he persuaded his wife to accompany him; she, too, was
won. Soon the whole family entered the school and
then the Church, of which they became active and




IGT TH   BEATi''TUDE.         21.9
devoted members. Little did this angel child imagine that God would make her the happy means of
leading that family to the Savior of the world.
Husbands sometimes oppose and persecute their
wives. That tender, trustful, and devoted woman
would secure her salvation. For this she is annoyed
and even persecuted with cruel threats by him who
bears the holy name of husband. The following
incident, related by Dr. Baird, will illustrate this
conduct: "A few years since a lady, the wife of a
wealthy citizen, became deeply interested in her salvation. Her husband, who was an infidel, violently
opposed her.  At length she became a decided
Christian. He then told her if she went to the
chapel again he would take her life. Knowing well
his character, and believing he would execute his
threat, she called upon her minister to ask his advice.'I know not,' said he,'what to say, but we
will pray to God for wisdom.' They kneeled and
prayed. She arose from her knees, and, without
saying a word, returned home. The next Sabbath
she was found in the chapel, worshiping as if for the
last time. At the close of the service she returned,
and, entering the house, met her husband.'Have
you been to the chapel?' said he.'Yes.''Did I
not tell you that I would kill you if you went again?
How dare you to go?' She meekly replied,'I must
obey God rather than man.' He hesitated. Perceiving this she said,'Why do you intend to kill
me? Have I been a worse wife to you, a worse
mother to your children, since I became a Christian?''No,' said he, letting the weapqn fall fronm his hand;'no, and I promise never to oppose you again. Will




220       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
you pray for me?' They bowed in prayer together,
and that husband became a decided and humble
follower of the Lamb."
3. Persecution by the infliction of pains and penalties.
Living, as we do, under a form of government
where the rights of conscience are both admitted
and respected, we can scarcely realize that Christians have been called to suffer in this manner. We
sit under our own vine and fig tree; none dare to
molest or make us afraid. The glorious eagle of
American independence spreads his protecting wings
over our religious as well as our civil liberties,
thanks to a benignant Providence. And long may
they be preserved from the vandal hands of bigotry
and the burning hate of priest-ridden fanaticism!
But there have been times when men, for their religion, "had the trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover, of bonds and imprisonments:
they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were
tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered in
sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute, afflicted,
tormented." The murderous crusades against the
primitive Christians and the Waldenses; the atrocious massacres of England, Ireland, and France;
and the dungeons, the racks and fires of the Inquisition, are melancholy demonstration of this. Persecution in this form has arisen principally from
three sources-the Jews, Pagan and Papal Rome.
The Jews stand as the first enemies of Christianity, and the first persecutors of Christians. The
Son of God himself fell a victim to their malice.
After his death almost every form of cruelty which




EIGHTH BEATITUDE.              221
their mad zeal could invent was inflicted upon the
apostles and the infant Church. Extermination was
their watchword. St. Stephen was the first who
suffered for the testimony of Jesus, and stands before us crowned with the honor of leading the van
of that glorious band of Christian martyrs which
soon followed.  Within the brief period comprehended in the Acts of the Apostles, thousands perished by violence, and thousands more suffered by
"the spoiling of their goods," by imprisonment, by
scourging and banishment. Filled with rage against
the followers of Him they had crucified, they
breathed out threatenings and slaughter against all
who dared to assume the name of the hated Nazarene. The effect of this was to scatter the disciples
abroad. But wherever they went they preached
Jesus. The Gospel was thus rapidly diffused, and
converts multiplied. They spread over the Roman
empire, and were found even in the household of
Caesar. The purity of their lives and their unyielding opposition to the idolatries of heathenism,
aroused the spirit of persecution, and Pagan Rome
raised her iron arm to crush the followers of Jesus.
History records ten general persecutions under the
Roman emperors. The reigns of Nero, Domitian,
Trajan, Decius, Dioclesian, and others during the
first four centuries, were distinguished for their
fierce opposition and barbaric cruelty to the saints
of God. Some were scourged to death, and others
were slain by the sword or thrown into the sea.
Some were covered with the skins of wild beasts,
and torn in pieces by furious dogs. Others were
wrapped in combustible garments and fastened on
19*




222      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
crosses, and at night set on fire to illuminate the
cities where they suffered. During the reign of the
monster Dioclesian, seventeen thousand, it is said,
were slain in one month. In a single province of
the empire one hundred and fifty-four thousand
Christians perished by violence, besides seven hundred thousand who suffered banishment and other
cruel inflictions. Among those who received the
crown of martyrdom, during this bloody period, we
find the illustrious names of Ignatius, Bishop of
Antioch, and Polycarp, Bishop of Smyrna. Ignatius,
having boldly defended the faith before the Emperor
Adrian, was thrown into prison and tormented in
the most shocking manner. After being scourged,
he was compelled to hold coals of fire in his hands,
and papers dipped in oil were put to his sides and
set on fire. His flesh was then torn with red-hot
pincers, and at last he was dispatched by wild
beasts. Polycarp, being arrested, was brought before the proconsul, and condemned to be burnt in
the market-place. Having been bound to the stake,
he was besought to abjure Christ. The venerable
saint replied, " Eighty and six years have I served
Jesus, and he never did me harm; why then should
I renounce him.?" The fagots were then lighted,
and his body consumed to ashes.
But cruel as the persecutions of the heathen were,
they have been outdone by those bearing the hallowed name of Christian. Papal Rome stands before the world with the enviable distinction of having
reduced persecution to a science and a profession,
and in the arts of refined cruelty and savage barbarity outrivaling all her predecessors. In tracing




EIGHTH BEATITUDE.              223
the history of the persecutions of the Church of
Rome, how easy is it to identify this power with the
woman of the Apocalypse, "clothed in purple and
scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious
stones; drunk with the blood of the saints, and with
the blood of the martyrs of Jesus!"  "How appli.
cable this is to the Papacy," says a recent writer,
" let the blood shed in the valleys of Piedmont; the
blood shed in the low countries by the Duke of Alva;
the blood shed on St. Bartholomew's day; and the
blood shed in the Inquisition testify."
Taking for our stand-point the era of the reformation under Martin Luther, a scene of cruelty and
suffering spreads out before the eye unparalleled in
the annals of the world. The Reformation was distinguished by its love for the Bible, and its opposition to the errors and ambition of Romanism. It
was scarcely born ere the Pope and his clergy marshaled their forces for its destruction. Anathematized and excommunicated, the friends of true religion were pursued and hunted like beasts of prey;
and for nearly half a century parts of Germany,
Bohemia, Poland, and Hungary, were drenched with
Protestant blood. The Inquisition erected by the
popes, especially for the detection and punishment
of heretics, was at this period set to work with
greater efficiency; and under the triple sway of
ignorance, superstition, and bigotry, it became one
of the most frightful engines of persecution ever employed against the saints of God. The horrid scenes
enacted within its gloomy dungeons, where, without
distinction of age or sex, Christians were flayed
alive, roasted in brazen pans, and broken on wheels




224      THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
and racks, stun the imagination and shock every
feeling of humanity. The best blood of Italy,
Spain, and Portugal has been shed to glut the appetite of this infamous tribunal.
In the British isles Protestant blood has flowed
like water. Thousands of whom the world was not
worthy, having witnessed a good profession, laid
down their lives "for the word of God and for the
testimony of Jesus."  The reign of Queen Mary
forms a gloomy epoch in history. Her weak mind,
her bigotry, superstition, and cruelty, made her a
fit instrument of priestly intolerance; and faithfully
did they employ her in wearing out the saints of
God. Among the vast numbers who suffered unto
death, the names of Hooper, Taylor, Latimer, Ridley, and Cranmer, Archbishop of Canterbury, shine
illustriously upon the pages of English martyrology.
"But no country," in the language of history,
" has produced more martyrs than France." In this
beautiful land the demon of persecution has literally
rioted in the blood of the saints. The Waldenses
were among the first victims of intolerant law and
Popish cruelty. They were a pious and holy people, chiefly inhabiting the valleys of Piedmont.
Their refusal to receive the errors of Romanism
drew upon them all the fury of the Church. No
language can describe their sufferings, or picture
the atrocious cruelties inflicted upon them. The
sad story of their wrongs, for Christ's sake, might
well be doubted, were it not the utterance of impartial and authentic history. Early in the sixteenth
century we find a large body of evangelical Christians in France. They are known in history as the




EIGHTH BEATITUDE.             225
Huguenots. The sufferings of these people have
scarcely a parallel in the history of religion. In
the massacre of Bartholomew alone, seventy thousand were butchered in cold blood. This wholesale
Imurder, enough to damn a nation, was headed by a
fiend in woman's shape-Catharine de Medicis,
the mother of Charles the Ninth, and a bigoted
Papist. Upon the revocation of the edict of Nantz,
by Louis XIV, one of the most infamous of modern
princes, a terrific storm burst upon the French Protestants. Thousands were murdered in various ways,
the prisons were filled to suffocation, and fifty thousand were driven into banishment. Here we must
pause. But who can hear even this brief recital
without dropping a tear over the sufferings of the
saints, and the madness and depravity of their enemies? It has been computed, from authentic data,
that more than fifty millions of Protestants have
fallen victims to Papal bigotry and superstition.
How long, 0 Lord, holy and true, dost thou not
judge and avenge thy saints on them that dwell on
the earth! But the plans of Providence are hastening to maturity, and the day of vengeance is at
hand. Let us now briefly advert
II. To THE REASON OF THEIR PERSECUTIONS 5- For
righteousness' sake."
Because they are righteous-because they are
the friends of God and the disciples of Jesus. St.
Paul expresses the same thing in different language:
"Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus,
shall suffer persecution." It is important to guard
this point; for it is only when we suffer for righteousness' sake, or for Christ's sake, that we may




226       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
apply the consolations of this passage to our hearts.
In the language of St. IPeter, a man may suffer as a
murderer, or as a thief, or as an evil-doer, or as a
busy-body in other men's matters. Now, thus to
suffer is not persecution, but simple justice. "A
man may embrace some absurd opinion and call it
religion; he may adopt a ludicrous style of dress,
from the mere love of singularity, and call it conscience; or he may be boorish in his manners and
rude in his deportment, outraging all the laws of
social life, and call this deadness to the world; and
for these he may be ridiculed and laughed at; but let
him not infer, therefore, that he is a Christian, and
that he is to be enrolled among the martyrs." It is
only when he suffers for doing right, for an honest
effort to obey God, that he is entitled to blessings of
the persecuted.
The righteous are distinguished by their adherence
to the truth as it is in Jesus-not the teachings of
men or the traditions of the Church, but the simple
truth of the Gospel. This they have chosen as their
heritage forever, and for this they are willing to sacrifice every thing. It was "for the word of God
and for the testimony of Jesus," that the ancient
worthies laid down their lives. Rather than surrender
the BIBLE, millions of Protestants have cheerfully
poured out their hearts' blood.  They are distinguished by the spirituality of their experience. Salvation by faith, a felt and living reality in the heart,
forms its chief element. From this flows love to God,
deadness to the world, heavenly-mindedness, and joy
in the Holy Ghost. This experience sustained the
"confessors" with almighty energy in their fight of




EIGHTH BEATITUDE.              227
afflictions, when they resisted unto blood striving
against sin. They are distinguished by their practical godliness. In them we see displayed the humility of the poor in spirit, the gentleness of the
meek, the kindness of the merciful, and the benevolence of the peace-maker. Their life is the emnbodiment of the Divine law. They walk even as
Christ walked, reflecting, in brilliant light, the holy
life and example of the Son of God. Like him,
"when reviled they reviled not again, when persecuted they threatened not; but, suffering according
to the will of God, they commit the keeping of their
souls to him as unto a faithful Creator."  But can
these characters be the objects of reproach and
scorn, of bitter hate and shameful indignity? Why,
what evil have they done? Are they not pure, and
holy, and harmless? And yet the appalling fact is
before us, that the wisest and the best of our race
have thus suffered. The devoted and self-sacrificing
Paul, the amiable and Christ-like John, and even
the immaculate Son of God were reviled and cruelly
entreated. Two reasons may be assigned for this:
1. One arises out of the depravity of the human
heart.
The consequence of this is opposition to God.
And further, this depraved heart is controlled by
the prince of evil —the enemy of all righteousness.
"He works in the children of disobedience," producing hardness of heart, blindness of mnind, and a
still stronger hostility of will to God. Between
those who serve God and those who serve him not,
there is a wide and palpable difference. The one is
of the spirit, the other of the flesh. And as "he




228       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
that was born of the flesh persecuted him that was
born of the Spirit," even so it is at present. The
first walks according to godliness, the latter "according to the course of this world;" and thus walking, says the apostle, "they think it strange that ye
run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you."  The Savior, assigning the reason
of persecution, says, "If ye were of the world, the
world would love its own; but because ye are not
of the world, therefore the world hateth you."  "The
reason," says Mr. Wesley, "is plain.  The spirit
which is in the world is directly hostile to the spirit
which is of God. It must, therefore, be, that those
who are of the world will stand opposed to them
who are of God. There is the utmost contrariety
between them in all their opinions, desires, and tempers, and hitherto the leopard and the kid can not
lie down in peace together." Between good and evil
there is no affinity, and can be no agreement. Evil,
through its proper agents, has ever sought to crush
and exterminate the good. Abel, slain by his brother's hand, was but a sad prelude to the fearful contest-slain because his own works were righteous
and his brother's evil.
2. A second reason arises out of the Divine perrission.
I use the word permission here in the lowest possible sense. God is not only a sovereign, but the
friend and father of his people, and without his permission no enemy can hurt or destroy them. He
who laid the foundations of the earth, and shut in
the sea with bars and doors, hath set bounds to their
malice and fixed a limit over which they can not




EIGHTH BEATITUDE.              229
pass. But why, you ask, does God permit these
sufferings to befall his people?  Without an attempt
to fathom his designs, or assign all the reasons of
his conduct, may they not, under the Divine blessing, promote the highest interests of the Christian,
and eminently conduce to the perfection of his character a The Scriptures warrant this view. Thus
they are sometimes intended to test the faith of
Christians. St. Peter refers to this when he says,
"If need be ye are in heaviness through manifold
temptations: that the trial of your faith, being
much more precious than of gold that perisheth,
though it be tried with fire, might be found unto
praise, and honor, and glory at the appearing of
Jesus Christ." This is necessary. There is much
in the world that passes for religion, which has only
to be tested in order to discover its true character.
Like spurious coin, it bears the external mark of
genuineness; but when the test is applied it is found
to be counterfeit and worthless. Persecutions and
trials have a salutary effect upon Christian graces.
Summer suns ripen and mellow the fruit, and sufferings sanctified hasten spiritual maturity. They furnish occasions for their exercise, and the aliment
proper to their growth and healthfulness. Under
such circumstances he can show his love to God.
He can exhibit the -sublime achievement of overcoming evil with good. He can love his enemies
and pray for those that despitefully use and persecute him. Patience, meekness, and love, those superior traits of Christian character, can here display
themselves as no where else in the ordinary scenes
of human life. "The Christian," says one, "is like
20




230       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
those flowers that best effuse their odors when
bruised.  He is like the firmament, and it is the
darkness of affliction that makes his starry graces
shine forth." They minister to greater purity of
life and greater devotedness to God. "'No chastening," says the apostle, "for the present seemeth to
be joyous but grievous: nevertheless, afterward it
yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto
them which are exercised thereby." St. Paul speaks
of this as a universal truth, and it is so. There is no
Christian that is not benefited by his trials. When
the storm has passed away, and, sometimes, while it
rages, he is able to say, it was good for me to be afflicted; and when he has reached the final hour,
and comes to lay his head upon the pillow of death,
he can look back and see the effects of these trials.
They have strengthened his graces; they have shed
their hallowing influence over his heart, and scattered their golden fruit all along the path of his
earthly pilgrimage. Let us now observe,
III. THE SPIRIT IN WHICH THESE PERSECUTIONS ARE
TO BE RECEIVED.
And it is the spirit of holy joy.  "Rejoice," says
the Savior,'and be exceeding glad;" and this is
the feeling every-where recommended as proper to
them who suffer for Christ's sake. "My brethren,"
says St. James, "count it all joy when ye fall into
divers temptations."  " If ye suffer for righteousness'
sake," in the language of St. Peter, "h appy are ye;
and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled." Though persecutions may seem formidable,
and even terrific, yet let no apprehension of danger
trouble you.  If a true Christian, you have no




EIGHTH BEATITUDE.             231
reason to fear. God is your protector, and he is
able to roll back every mountain wave, to vanquish
every foe, and crown you with present and eternal
triumph. And "if any man," says the same apostle, "suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed;
but let him glorify God on this behalf."  But is this
possible? Can men take joyfully the reproaches of
the wicked, the spoiling of their goods, or a cruel
death by martyrdom? They can. When, on one
occasion, the apostles were arraigned before the
council and sorely beaten, they were sent away,
charged to preach no more in the name of Jesus.
But how did they feel under their sufferings?
Why, they departed from  the council rejoicing
"that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for
Christ." See two of these apostles in the dungeons
of Philippi. Though suffering every indignity,
though lacerated and bleeding, yet the midnight
hour is vocal, and those gloomy walls resound with
their prayers to God, and hymns of grateful joy.
A religion that can thus raise and support the heart
under trial must be divine. "Rejoice and be exceeding glad!" Two reasons are assigned for this:
1. These sufferings identify them with the worthies of every age.
"For so persecuted they the prophets which were
before you." The Savior intimates, in another place,
that righteous blood had been shed in every age,
from Abel down to Zechariah, who was slain between the porch and the altar. To these saints of
olden time St. Paul alludes when he says, "Some
had the trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea,
moreover, of bonds and imprisonments. They were




232       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
stoned, they were sawn asunder, they were slain with
the sword." To these millions have since been added-the apostles, and martyrs, and the early reformers. What a brilliant company! —like an unbroken
line of light, stretching from the first age of the
world down to our own times! With these noble
men, of whom the world was not worthy, every suffering Christian becomes identified. He takes rank
with them in the cause of the Redeemer-the cause
in which they toiled and triumphed. They bear the
marks of Christ-noble scars, received in the glorious conflict of truth and right. "From henceforth,"
says the veteran Paul, "let no man trouble me, for I
bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus."  It
can scarcely be doubted but that he here refers to
the marks of stripes and sufferings received in the
service of Christ. He had often been scourged.
He bore the wales on his person then. They were
sacred scars, connecting him with the worthies of
other times and with the cause of Christ, in which
he suffered. It is said that Lafayette, when struck
in the foot by a musket-ball at Germantown, exclaimed, "I prize this wound as among the most
valued of my honors." And why? Because he
then took rank with the patriots of every age and
nation. That wound identified him forever with the
sacred cause of human liberty. So of every Christian. If it has not been his privilege to suffer like
Paul, yet he should bear some mark; something that
may stand as an evidence of his love to Christ.
This will introduce him to the noble company of the
saints, and invest him with an honor that no ducal
crown or kingly diadem can confer.




EIGHTH  BEATITUDE.                 233
2. They are entitled to a glorious recomrpense
above.
"For great is your reward in heaven."  Among
all the crowns of heaven, the martyr's crown is the
brightest."
"Who are these arrayed in white,
Brighter than the noonday sun?
Foremost of the sons of light;
Nearest the eternal throne?
These are they that bore the cross;
Nobly for their Master stood;
Sufferers in his righteous cause;
Followers of their Savior God."
Their faithful testimony  and  their sufferings for
Christ will exalt them to the loftiest seats of heavenly bliss. Having come out of great tribulation
they stand near the throne, clad in robes of white,
bearing the symbol of victory in their hands, and
the symbol of regal honor on their heads. They
toil no more, they suffer no more, they weep no
more. Under the inspiration of this promise many
of the early Christians soutght to become martyrs.
They literally rejoiced and leaped for joy at the
prospect of death for the sake of Jesus, "knowing
that these light afflictions, which are but for a moment, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal
weight of glory." "Beloved,"' says St. Paul, himself a martyr, "think it not strange concerning the
fiery trial which is sent to try you, as though some
strange thing happened unto you; but rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that
when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad
also with exceeding joy.'"  When the celebrated
Jerome of Prague was bound to the stake, and the
executioner was about to kindle the fire behind him,
20*




234       THE MOUNT OF BLESSING.
he said, "Bring thy torch hither, and do thine office
before my face: had I feared death I might have
avoided it." As the fagots began to blaze, he cornmenced singing in a loud voice, and continued to
rejoice till suffocated in the flames. When that
apostolic man, George Wishart, was brought to the
stake, he exclaimed, "For the true Gospel I suffer
this day with a glad heart. Behold and consider
my countenance-ye shall not see me change color —
I fear not this fire. My faith is such that I know
surely that my soul shall drink new wine with my
Savior this night in his kingdom."  His body was
then consumed to ashes, but his soul, wafted on
wings of fire, soared to its appointed throne above.
CONCLUSION.
1i. Are any of you called to suffer for Christ's
sake? Do friends reproach and oppose you? Think
it not strange; but rejoice that you are counted
worthy to suffer in a cause so glorious. It is a hallowed cause; it is the cause of your Redeemer, in
which millions have toiled, and suffered, and bled.
Evince a Christian spirit. Be patient and forgiving.
"Avenge not yourselves, neither give place unto
wrath. Commit the keeping of your souls to God
in well-doing as unto a faithful Creator."  The day
of your redemption draws nigh. See the crown; it
gleams and flashes with immortal glory. Hold that
fast which thou hast, though earth and hell should
beset thy pathway; "for I reckon that the sufferings
of the present time are not worthy to be compared
with the glory that shall be revealed in us."
2. Let me utter a note of warning to the persecutor. How dishonorable and impious is your oppo



EIGHTH BEATITUDE.             235
sition to the cause of God! But are there such
now? There are. All who would in any way deter
others from a profession of religion are persecutors.
True, the more violent forms of persecution are at
present unknown. But Christians still hear their
names vilified, their opinions abused, and their Redeemer blasphemed; and often are their feelings
rudely torn by the cutting sarcasm and the bitter
sneer. In these and a variety of ways they are still
subjected to shame for the sake of Christ, and they
should expect it. But let the persecutor remember
that the eye of God is on him, and that the prayers
and tears, it may be, of a wife or child, cry to heaven
with a martyr's pleading. Let him remember that
their Redeemer is mighty, and that he will show
himself strong to avenge the innocent and punish
the oppressor. Ay, let him remember that his opposition must end in ruin-bitter and eternal ruin.
Awful and sudden judgments have sometimes swept
persecutors away in the midst of their days, the
very fires of hell breaking forth before their time, to
torment and devour them.  O beware! beware!
Cease, I beseech you, to fight against God! Ground
your weapons; repent of thy wickedness; seek
pardon of God; embrace the Gospel, and walk with
us in the way to heaven. Take up your cross and
follow Christ. We can not secure you from privation or promise you exemption from suffering; but
we will promise that you shall share in the songs,
and crowns, and thrones of them who have overcome "by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word
of their testimony."