are reporting one and tHe same discourse, and that St. Luke is giving us, in an abridged form, what St. Matthew reports at length. There seems no sufGlcient ground for this conclusion. The occasions on which the two dis- courses were deKvered, were entirely different. Our Lord's repetition of the same great lesson, in almost the same words, on two different occasions, is nothing extra- ordinary. It is unreasonable to suppose that none of His mighty teachings were ever delivered more than once. In the present case, the repetition is very signifi- cant. It shows us the great and deep importance of Hie lessons which the two discourses contain.
Let us first notice in these verses, who are those tohom the Lord Jesm pronounces blessed. The list is a remarkable and startling one. It singles out those who are "poor," and those who "himger," — ^those who "weep,'* and those who are "hated" by man. These are the persons to whom the great Head of the Church says, " Blessed are ye ! "
We must take good heed that we do not misunder- stand our Lord's meaning, when we read these expres- sions. We must not for a moment suppose that the mere fact of being poor, and hungry, and sorrowful, and hated by man, will entitle any one to lay claim to an inter- est in Christ's blessing. The poverty here spoken of, is a poverty accompanied by grace. The want is a want Qntailed by faithful adherence to Jesus. The afflictions are the afflictions of the Qospel. The persecution is persecution for the Son of Man's sake. Such want, and poverty, and affliction, and persecution, were the inevita- ble consequences of faith in Christ, at the beginning of Christianity. Thousands had to give up everji;hing in