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characters which the Lord Jesus praises, the world de- spises. The very pride, and thoughtlessness, and high tempers, and worldliuess, and selfishness, and formality, and unlovingness, which abound everywhere, the Lord Jesus condemns.
Let us learn how unhappily different is the teaching of Christ from the practice of many professing Christians. Where shall we find men and women among those who go to churches and chapels, who are striving to live up to the pattern we have read of to-day ? Alas ! there is much reason to fear, that many baptized persons are utterly ignorant of what the New Testament contains.
Above all let us learn how holy and spiritual-minded all believers should be. They should never aim at any standard lower than that of the sermon on the mount. Christianity is eminently a practical religion. Sound doctrine is its root and foundation, but holy living should always be its fruit. And if we would know what holy living is, let us often bethink ourselves who they are that Jesus calls " blessed."