strive to keep a heart and conscience void of offence, and to serve God witli the spirit and the inner man. Blessed are all such ! The heart is the man. " Man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart." (1 Sam, xvi. 7.) He that is most spiritual-minded will have most communion with God.
The Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are peace- makers. He means those who use all their influence to promote peace and charity on earth, in private and in public, at home and abroad. He means those who strive to make all men love one another, by teaching that Gospel which says, ^^ love is the fulfilling of the law." Blessed are all such ! They are doing the very work which the Son of God began, when he came to earth the first time, and which He will finish when He returns the second time.
Lastly, the Lord Jesus calls those blessed, who are per- secutedfoT righteousness sake. He means those who are laughed at, mocked, despised, and ill-used, because they endeavor to live as true Christians. Blessed are all such ! They drink of the same cup which their Master drank. They are now confessing Him before men, and He will confess them before His Father and the angels at the last day. " Great is their reward."
Such are the, eight foundation-stones, which the Lord lays down at the beginning of the sermon on the mount. Eight great testing truths are j)laced before us. May we mark well each one of them, and learn wisdom !
Let us learn how entirely contrary are the principles of Christ to the principles of the world. It is vain to deny it. They are almost diametrically opposed. The very