villages. The cold looks, the misrepresentations, the nicknames, the taunts, some- times the ill-treatment of relations, fellow-servants, schoolfellows, fellow-workmen, are hard to bear, Holiness ia not everywhere popular. The worldly feel it as a rebuke to themselves; they resent it; they sometimes persecute. And these modem forms of persecution are greater in extent, for they sometimes spread over a long perioil, and affect all the circumstances of life, and perhaps in some cases canse no less suffering than the acuter outbreaks in the old days of cruelty. "Blessed are they that are persecuted for righteousness' sake," and because they belong to Christ; "for my sake," the Lord says in ver. 11. Such should rejoice. It is a high privilege to be counted worthy to suffer shame for his Name: great is their reward in heaven. (2) The reason. "Theirs is the kingdom of heaven." The Beatitutlea begin with the kingdom; they end with the kingdom; they contain the law of the kingdom, they describe the character of its citizens. The children of the Beatitudes are the children of the king- dom. Only the poor in spirit can enter into it, and its highest places are reserved for those who have patiently suffered for Christ's sake, who have drunk of the cup that he drank of, and have been baptized with the baptism wherewith he was baptized. II. THE DIG!<ITY OF THE CHILDREN OF THE KINGDOM. 1. They are the salt of thtJ earth. They have salt in themselves. The salt is the grace of God (comp. Mark ix. 50 and Col. iv. 6); but those who have that salt in themselves are, in God's great condescension, called the salt of the earth. Salt preserves from corruption. The grace of God preserves his saints. They preserve the earth in which they live. They check the progress of corruption. Their purifying influence spreads more or less through the mass, which would otherwise fester and decay. Their prayers avert the sore jndgments of God; ten righteous men might have saved the wicked Sodom. They must take heed not to lose the heavenly salt themselves; without it their usefulness is gone, 'l'he profession of religion without the power of the Spirit is dead and worth- less. If that is lost, nothing else can supply its place. Forms, words, outward show, cannot fill the place of the Spirit. A Church without the Spirit, a Christian without the Sr,irit, is like the Church of Sa.rdis : "Thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.' 2. They are the light of the world. (1) '!'he Lord Christ is the Light of the world. They who abide in him, the true Light, are themselves light. Hie light, burn- ing within them, shines forth in their looks, their words, their actions, e.nd illuminates the world around. Each true Christian is e. centre of light, as he walks in the light and reflects its brightness. (2) '!'he possession of that light makes them conspicuous, like a city set on a hill; they cannot be hid. "The fierce light that beats upon the throne" beats in a measure on all Christians, especially upon those who are set in the chief places of the Church. They are seen and known of all men. Their conduct is watched, narrowly scrutinized; their character in some sense is public property. Therefore (3) they must not hide the light. Their sloth, and, still more, their selfish- ness and worldliness, bring discredit on the gospel and check its progress. They must let their light shine before men, not making a display of their religion, their alms, and their prayers, not priding themselves, not vaunting the presence of the heavenly light, but allowing it to shine, as shine it will, if not hidden. "Far as a little candle sheds its beams, so shines a good deed in a naughty world." The candle of the Lord shines in a Christian's life; it sheds its soft nnd holy radiance all around. Men see its beauty o.nd brightness. It draws others into the circle of its light and warmth. But (4) they must be careful not to seek their own glory. They may, they must sometimes, let men see their good works, but it must not be for the sake of human praise. The Christian's desire is to draw others, by the brightness of his example, to the trne Light which gives him light. He deBires that other men should glorify, not himself (he knows his sin and unworthiness), but his Father which is in heaven. He is strong who seeks only the glory of the Lord. His light will shine before men; not with the fitful gleams that are of the earth, but with the calm, steady, holy light which comes from heaven. Men will feel ite warmth; they will recognize its truth, its reality. It shines with no uncertain, wavering glimmer. It will lead them to the Lord. Unreality betrays itself by word, look, tone. Rea.I holiness makes itself felt; it is a power in the world. And herein is its depth, its strength : it seeks only the glory of the Lord, and that with steadfast, unwavering perseverance. LESSONS 1. Blessedness is exceeding precious, deeper than all joys; it may be 176 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MAT'l'HEW. [cH. v 1-48,
ours. 2. The blessed life is very lovely; all admire, few on!:, imitate. 3. Live the Christ-like life ; so shall you share the Christian blessedness. 4. Quench not the Spirit; stir up the gift of God ; so shall the holy light shine far and wide, and men will glorify the Lord.