to declare who are truly blessed™. O that we would take eternity into our estimate of present things ! O that we would cease from circulating our fatal errors, and acquiesce in the unerring declarations of God ! We can easily see, that a man who should drink a palatable but poisonous draught, would be no object of envy. Let us be persuaded then that momentary delights can never constitute us blessed. He alone is happy, who is happy for eternity.
2. The humble followers of Jesus —
[Let not your hearts envy the prosperity of sinners". Remember that you are the only blessed people upon earth. Your very griefs and sorrows are grounds of self-congratulation. The time is shortly coming, when men's apparent states will be reversed. Then will be fulfilled that glorious prophecy of Isaiah0 — Be content then to " fill up the measure of Christ's sufferings," and take for your comfort that delightful promise p — ]
m Comment on the text according to the world's views ; " Woe to you poor, &c. : but no woes to you that are rich, &c. ; ye are blessed : " Who would endure such a comment ?
n Ps. xxxvii. 1, 2. ° Isai. lxv. 13, 14. p Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6.
Luke vi. 39. And he spake a parable unto them; Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch ?
IGNORANCE is, in itself, more excusable than vice ; but in some cases its effects are equally per- niciousa. This is manifestly true in the concerns of the soul : a person, ignorant of the way of salvation, must fall short of heaven ; and if he undertake to direct others, will ruin all who follow him. To im- press this truth on our minds, our Lord repeatedly uttered this parable b —
I. The scope of the parable —
The Pharisees, through their professed sanctity, gained extensive influence, and were implicitly
a A person may ruin himself no less by imprudence than by de- bauchery ; and a General may bring as great calamities on his army through unskilfulness, as if he had betrayed them into the hands of their enemies.
b Matt. xv. 14.