1. The poor in spirit are happy. These bring their minds to their
condition, when it is a low condition. They are humble and lowly in
their own eyes. They see their want, bewail their guilt, and thirst
after a Redeemer. The kingdom of grace is of such; the kingdom of glory
is for them.
2. Those that mourn are happy. That godly sorrow which
worketh true repentance, watchfulness, a humble mind, and continual
dependence for acceptance on the mercy of God in Christ Jesus, with
constant seeking the Holy Spirit, to cleanse away the remaining evil,
seems here to be intended. Heaven is the joy of our Lord; a mountain of
joy, to which our way is through a vale of tears. Such mourners shall be
comforted by their God.
3. The meek are happy. The meek are those who
quietly submit to God; who can bear insult; are silent, or return a soft
answer; who, in their patience, keep possession of their own souls,
when they can scarcely keep possession of anything else. These meek ones
are happy, even in this world. Meekness promotes wealth, comfort, and
safety, even in this world.
4. Those who hunger and thirst after
righteousness are happy. Righteousness is here put for all spiritual
blessings. These are purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ,
confirmed by the faithfulness of God. Our desires of spiritual blessings
must be earnest. Though all desires for grace are not grace, yet such a
desire as this, is a desire of God's own raising, and he will not
forsake the work of his own hands.
5. The merciful are happy. We must
not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must do all we can
to help those who are in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of
others, and help them; pity those who are in sin, and seek to snatch
them as brands out of the burning.
6. The pure in heart are happy; for
they shall see God. Here holiness and happiness are fully described and
put together. The heart must be purified by faith, and kept for God.
Create in me such a clean heart, O God. None but the pure are capable of
seeing God, nor would heaven be happiness to the impure. As God cannot
endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot look upon his purity.
7. The peace-makers are happy. They love, and desire, and delight in
peace; and study to be quiet. They keep the peace that it be not broken,
and recover it when it is broken. If the peace-makers are blessed, woe
to the peace-breakers!
8. Those who are persecuted for righteousness'
sake are happy. This saying is peculiar to Christianity; and it is more
largely insisted upon than any of the rest. Yet there is nothing in our
sufferings that can merit of God; but God will provide that those who
lose for him, though life itself, shall not lose by him in the end.
Blessed Jesus! how different are thy maxims from those of men of this
world! They call the proud happy, and admire the gay, the rich, the
powerful, and the victorious. May we find mercy from the Lord; may we be
owned as his children, and inherit his kingdom. With these enjoyments
and hopes, we may cheerfully welcome low or painful circumstances.
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