2

will your Father forgive your trespasses." VI. Our Lord in the next beatitude speaks not just of purity of word or deed, but of purity of heart; for "out of the heart proceed evil thoughts." Therefore "keep thy heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life." As is the fountain, so the stream that flows from it. "Out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh." "Neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit." In certain countries in ancient times the person of the Sovereign was sacred, and he was seldom seen by his subjects. So that, in Eastern phrase, to see the King was to be admitted into his favour and society. This will illustrate the latter clause of this beatitude. The impure cannot meet His eye "to whom all hearts be open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid." He "is of purer eyes than to behold iniquity." VII. In Hebrew phrase to be "called " is to be. This is the blessing of those who "follow the things that make for peace," that to them too shall be addressed that welcome at the last, "Come, ye blessed children of my Father." But what shall be said of the quarrelmongers, of those who foment disputes, those who are so apt to give and to take offence? VIII. Of the last beatitude, twice repeated, it will be enough to say that it is not intended that we should court persecution; neither is the fact of being persecuted a proof of blessedness. It is when we do good and suffer for it--not for own sake, but for our Saviour's sake-that we are pronounced blessed. A man may be absurdly or dangerously scrupulous. He may have brought upon himself what he suffers. "It is not the suffering but the cause that makes the martyr."3 But "let them that suffer according to the will of God, commit the keeping of their souls unto Him in well doing as unto a faithful Creator;" encouraged by that "great cloud of witnesses" wherewith we are compassed about.*

1 Ps. xxiv. 4, 5; li. 10. Something

more than a ceremonial cleanness,

22 Sam. xiv. 24, 32.

3 Aug. cited in Alford.

4 Heb. xii. 1.

XCIX.

THE WOES.

St. Luke vi. 24-26.

But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

As the Lord pronounced a blessing upon "the poor in spirit," so here' He denounces 2 woe upon those "who mind earthly things." The virtue is not in being poor, but in being humble. So the sin is not in being rich, but in being selfish. The Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus is the most perfect commentary upon these warning words. "Thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things." If riches are not our consolation, if we are not wrapped up in them, but if we employ them as God's stewards and almoners, for His glory and the benefit of others, then shall we be exempted from this woe. Such are not the characters our Lord here has in view. So too with those that are "full," so full of the things of this world that they have no thought of the next, no spiritual cravings or desires, no hunger and thirst after righteousness, like the rich fool, the foolish rich man in the Parable. Full of business, full of pleasure, there is no room in their hearts for higher things. Hunger is their portion. The things with which they fain would fill themselves are but as husks which swine do eat. It is a void that cannot be filled. Those again who can never take a serious view of life, to whom the sorrows of others are nothing, who have no true sorrow for themselves, who drown care in wine,3 who think only how they can pass the time, they are in a woful case. Mirthful men they may be con

On the apparent variations in the two reports of the Sermon on the Mount, see Bp. Wordsworth on St. Luke vi. 17.

2 The woes are not curses. It is no more than a warning and compassionate Alas!

3 Is. v. 11, 12.

sidered, but "the end of that mirth is heaviness." Not that Christ's religion prohibits cheerfulness, only carelessness. The last woe or warning is against the love of popularity. This is the greatest snare of all. Popularity is too often taken for a test of truth, whereas mobs and majorities are as likely as not in the wrong. The very fact of an idea being popular should make us suspect, or at least examine it. A famous statesman of old, whenever he was much applauded by the unthinking multitude, used to pause and ask his friends to tell him what he had said amiss.1 All cannot be right; therefore when all speak well of us, it is certain that there must be something wrong in us. It does not prove that we are wrong because we are condemned; neither does the fact of being commended prove us right. False prophets arise, and often have a larger following among the unthinking multitude than the true. Our Lord refers to those of old who said to the Prophets, "Speak unto us smooth things, prophesy deceits."2 This was the sad history of their fathers. "The Prophets prophesy falsely . . . and my people love to have it so. And what will ye do in the end thereof?"

C.

THE SALT OF THE EARTH. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD.

St. Matthew v. 13-15.

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

Our Lord here compares Christians, and especially Christian 2 1 Ki. xxii. 7, 8, 13, 14, 18, 27, 28.

1 Grotius relates it of Phocion.

M

2

ministers, to salt. They keep the world from corrupting. The world little knows what it owes to the good men whom it treats with contempt. But for them its lease would not be long. It would soon perish in its own corruption. But sad it is when the salt itself becomes savourless. Who or what shall salt the salt? Having failed of its proper purpose, it is thenceforth literally good for nothing. There are no baser uses even to which it may return. Salt was used with the sacrifices of old,3 but any that had lost its savour was cast upon the ground. Again the Lord compares His servants, and notably the ministers of His Word and Sacraments, to light. They illuminate the world, which but for their light would remain in darkness, the darkness of ignorance and unbelief. Christ indeed is the true and original "Light of the world," and we derive our lesser lights from Him. He is the bright fire and fountain of light, at which we kindle our little candles or torches. Cities in the East were often, for purposes of security, situated on hills. There may have been a city so placed near at hand. At all events our Lord's hearers would be familiar with the fact, and readily understand the figure. He reminds them that they cannot be hid. Many eyes are upon them. To this end indeed are they lighted, even as men light a lamp or candle, not to be hidden under a vessel, but to be set upon its stand. Then only does it fulfil the purpose intended. Otherwise it may as well not be lighted at all. A Christian who is what he ought to be gives at least the light of his example to all. His influence diffuses itself silently like the light, extending often to the utmost confines of the Church of Christ.

1 Grotius notes that Livy, in like manner, speaks of Greece as the salt of nations.

2 Dean Alford has shown that this

is not impersonal, as Luther has rendered it.

3 Lev. ii. 13; St. Mark ix. 49.

4 St. John i. 9; viii. 12.

CI.

THE LIGHT OF GOOD WORKS.

St. Matthew v. 16.

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

The Candlestick among the Ancients was often a very large and lofty utensil, as those relics of them which have come down to our day, and which we may see preserved in different museums, abundantly attest. They were often made to hold many lamps or candles, like the coronas in our Churches, or the candelabra in the houses of the great. The Jews too had at this time in their Temple the famous great candlestick with its seven lamps, still seen figured on the triumphal arch of Titus at Rome. All which may help to illustrate our Lord's words in this sentence which has been adopted into the Offertory of the Church, wherein He bids us so let our light shine before men. And if we bear in mind the end and object of so doing, that they may be stirred up to follow a good example and to glorify God, there will be no danger of ostentation. Our Lord here does not mean that we are to thrust our candle into another's face; for this would be not to light, only to scorch, him. It would not attract, but repel ; disgust, not edify. And this people are in danger of doing when they give unseasonable advice, or when their lives do not correspond to their Christian calling. But Light shines by its own brightness, and soon makes itself felt by the benefit it brings. So with a consistent Christian life; without much talk or noise, or the din of a loud profession, it is seen of all men, it is made manifest, it cannot be hid. What a beautiful figure is this of Light! and bright idea it sets before our minds! Light is a silent and a noiseless thing. Beautiful in itself, it beautifies all it shines upon. We not only admire, but enjoy it. It expends itself for others' sake; a holy and unselfish thing. There

1 Ex. xxv. 31-40.

What a radiant