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rily I say unto you, Except ye be con-
verted, and become as little children,
shall not enter into the kingdom of
ye
heaven. Whosoever therefore shall
humble himself as this little child, the
same is greatest in the kingdom of
heaven, xviii. 2-4. I have heard of
thee by the hearing of the ear: but
now mine eye seeth thee. Wherefore
I abhor myself, and repent in dust and
ashes, Job xlii. 5, 6. The LORD is nigh
unto them that are of a broken heart;
and saveth such as be of a contrite
spirit, Ps. xxxiv. 18. But I am poor
and needy; yet the LORD thinketh upon
me, Ps. xl. 17. The sacrifices of God
are a broken spirit: a broken and a
contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not
despise, li. 17. But am poor, and
sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God,
set me up on high, lxix. 29. But I am
poor and needy; make haste unto me,
O God: thou art my help and my de-
liverer; O LORD, make no tarrying,
lxx. 5. Bow down thine ear, O LORD,
hear me, for I am poor and needy,
Ixxvi. 1. Better it is to be of an hum-
ble spirit with the lowly, than to divide
the spoil with the proud, Prov. xvi.
19. Honour shall uphold the humble
in spirit, xxix. 23. Thus saith the
High and lofty One that inhabiteth
eternity, whose name is Holy : I dwell
in the high and holy place, with him
also that is of a contrite and humble
spirit; to revive the spirit of the hum-
ble, and to revive the heart of the con-
trite ones, Isa. lvii. 15. The Spirit of
the Lord GOD is upon me; because the
LORD hath anointed me to preach good
tidings unto the meek, lxi. 1. To this
man will I look, even to him that is poor
and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth
at my word, lxvi. 2. He hath shewed
thee, O man, what is good, and what
doth the LORD require of thee, but to
do justly, and to love mercy, and to
walk humbly with thy God? Mic. vi.
8. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he hath anointed me to preach
the gospel to the poor, Luke iv. 18.
And he lifted up his eyes on his disci-
ples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for
yours is the kingdom of God, vi.
20. He that humbleth himself shall
be exalted, xviii. 14. Humble your-
selves in the sight of the Lord, and he
shall lift you up, James iv. 10.

See parallels on clause 2. verse 2. chap. iii.

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VER. 4.

Μακάριοι οἱ πενθοῦντες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ παρα κληθήσονται.

Blessed are they a that mourn: they shall be comforted.

b

: for

a Hide not thy face from thy servant; for I am in trouble: hear me speedily, Ps. Ixix. 17. I am poor, and sorrowful: let thy salvation, O God, set me up on high, 29. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow, Then called I upon the name of the LORD, Cxvi. 3, 4. But they that escape of them shall escape, and shall be on the mountains like doves of the valleys, all of them mourning, every one for his iniquity, Ezek. vii. 16. And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn. In that day shall there be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the valley of Megiddon. And the land shall mourn, every family apart, Zech. xii. 10-12.

b They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him, Ps. cxxvi. 5, 6. And in that day thou shalt say, O LORD, I will praise thee: though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortedst me, Isa. xii. 1. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off all faces, xxv. 8. For the people shall dwell in Zion at Jerusalem: thou shalt weep no more: he will be very gracious unto thee at the voice of thy cry; when he shall hear it, he will answer thee, xxx. 19. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away, xxxv. 10. also li. 11. I did mourn as a dove: mine eyes fail with looking upward : O LORD, I am oppressed; undertake

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for me.

MATT. V. 4, 5.

What shall I say? he hath both spoken unto me, and himself hath done it I shall go softly all my years in the bitterness of my soul. O LORD, by these things men live, and in all these things is the life of my spirit: so wilt thou recover me, and make me to live. Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.-The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day, xxxviii. 14-19. For I will not contend for ever, neither will be always wroth for the spirit should fail before me, and the souls which I have made. For the iniquity of his covetousness was I wroth, and smote him: I hid me, and was wroth, and he went on frowardly in the way of his heart. I have seen his ways, and will heal him: I will lead him also, and restore comforts unto him and to his mourners. I create the fruit of the lips; Peace, peace to him that is far off, and to him that is near, saith the LORD; and I will heal him, lvii. 16-19. To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness, Ixi. 2,3. Thus saith the LORD; Refrain thy voice from weeping, and thine eyes from tears: for thy work shall be rewarded, saith the LORD, Jer. xxxi. 16. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh, Luke vi. 21. And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, and stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.-Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace, vii. 37, 38. 48-50. But Abraham said, Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented, xvi. 25. Verily, verily, I say unto you,

A. D. 31. that ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you, John xvi. 20. 22. Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble by the comfort, wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ, 2 Cor. i. 3-5. Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death, vii. 9, 10. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, Rev. vii. 17. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away, xxi. 4.

VER. 5.

Μακάριοι οἱ πραεῖς, ὅτι αὐτοὶ κληρονομήσουσι τὴν γῆν.

Blessed are a the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.

Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls, Matt. xi. 29. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass, xxi. 5. Now the man Moses was very meek, above all the men which were upon the face of the earth, Numb. xii. 3. The meek shall eat and be satisfied: they shall praise the LORD that seek him: your heart shall live for ever, Ps. xxii. 26. The meek will he guide in judgment: and the meek will he teach his way, xxv. 9. The LORD lifteth up the meek: he casteth the wicked down to the ground, cxlvii. 6. The LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will

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MATT. v. 5, 6.

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| God, lxxxiv. 2. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled, Luke vi. 21. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger, 25. Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed, John vi. 27.

b

beautify the meek with salvation, cxlix. 4. The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel, Isa. xxix. 19. The Spirit of the LORD God is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek, lxi. 1. Seek ye the LORD, all ye meek of the earth, which have wrought his judg My soul shall be satisfied as with ment; seek righteousness, seek meek-marrow and fatness; and my mouth ness: it may be ye shall be hid in the shall praise thee with joyful lips, Ps. day of the LORD's anger, Zeph. ii. 3. lxiii. 5. Blessed is the man whom thou But the fruit of the Spirit is love, choosest, and causest to approach unto joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, thee, that he may dwell in thy courts: goodness, faith, meekness, tempe- we shall be satisfied with the goodrance against such there is no law, ness of thy house, even of thy holy Gal. v. 22, 23. temple, lxv. 4. And in this mountain shall the LORD of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines of the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined. And he will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people, and the vail that is spread over all nations. He will swal

b What man is he that feareth the LORD? him shall he teach in the way that he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease; and his seed shall inherit the earth, Ps. xxv. 12, 13. Evil doers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. The meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight them-low up death in victory; and the selves in the abundance of peace, Lord GoD will wipe away tears from vii. 9. 11. The righteous shall in- off all faces; and the rebuke of his herit the land, and dwell therein for people shall he take away from off ever, 29. Thy people also shall be all the earth: for the LORD hath When the all righteous: they shall inherit the spoken it, Is. xxv. 6—8. land for ever, the branch of my plant-poor and needy seek water, and there ing, the work of my hands, that I may is none, and their tongue faileth for be glorified, Isa. Lx. 21. The promise, thirst, I the LORD will hear them, I that he should be the heir of the the God of Israel will not forsake That thou mayest say world, was not to Abraham, or to his them, xli. 17. seed, through the law, but through the to the prisoners, Go forth; to them righteousness of faith, Rom. iv. 13. that are in darkness, Shew yourselves. They shall feed in the ways, and their pastures shall be in all high places. They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by the springs of wa ter shall he guide them, xlix. 9, 10. Ho, every one that thirsteth, com › ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without moThereney and without price, lv. 1. fore, thus saith the Lord GOD, Behold, my servants shall eat, but ye shall be hungry: behold, my servants shall drink, but ye shall be thirsty: behold, my servants shall rejoice, but Whoye shall be ashamed, lxv. 13. soever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but

VER. 6.

Μακάριοι οἱ πεινῶντες καὶ διψῶντες τὴν δικαιοσύνην, ὅτι αὐτοὶ χορτασθήσονται.

Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.

aAs the hart panteth after the waterbrooks, so panteth my soul after thee, O God. My soul thirsteth for God, for the living God: when shall I come and appear before God? Ps. xlii. 1, 2. O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is, lxiii. 1. My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living

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the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life, John iv. 14. And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst, vi. 35. In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water, vii. 37, 38. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat, Rev. vii. 16.

VER. 7.

Μακάριοι οἱ ἐλεήμονες, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ἐλεηθή.

σονται.

Blessed are the merciful: a for they shall obtain mercy.

a For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses, Matt. vi. 14, 15. With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright, 2 Sam. xxii. 26. also Ps. xviii. 25. Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble. The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive; and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies. The LORD will strengthen him upon the bed of languishing: thou wilt make all his bed in his sickness, xli. 1-3. He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again, Prov. xix. 17. If thou draw out thy soul to the hungry, and satisfy the afflicted soul; then shall thy light rise in obscurity, and thy darkness be as the noon day; and the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not, Isa. Iviii. 10, 11. And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if

:

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ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses, Mark xi. 25, 26. Love ye your enemies, and do good, and lend, hoping for nothing again; and your reward shall be great, and ye shall be the children of the Highest: for he is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful, Luke vi. 35, 36.

God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love, which ye have shewed towards his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister, Heb. vi. 10. For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment, James ii. 13.

VER. 8.

Μακάριοι οἱ καθαροὶ τῇ καρδίᾳ, ὅτι αὐτοὶ τὸν Θεὸν ὄψονται.

Blessed are the a pure in heart: for they shall see God.

b

a Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also, Matt. xxiii. 26. I know also, my God, that thou triest the heart, and hast pleasure in uprightness, 1 Chron. xxix. 17. If thou wert pure and upright; surely now he would awake for thee, Job viii. 6. With the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure, Ps. xviii. 26. Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully, xxiv. 3, 4.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow, li. 6, 7. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me, ver. 10. Truly God is good to Israel, even to such as are of a clean heart, lxxiii. 1. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD: but the words of the pure are pleasant words, Prov. xv. 26. He that loveth pureness of heart, for the grace of his lips the king shall be his friend, xx. 11. Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean; from all your filthiness, and

of

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heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water, x. 22. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double-minded, Jam. iv. 8. Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently, 1 Pet. i. 22. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure, 1 John iii. 3.

b And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold; and not another; though my reins be consumed within me, Job xix. 26, 27. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face, 1 Cor. xiii. 12. We are confident, I say, and will

from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Ezek. Xxxvi. 25-27. Shall I count them pure with the wicked balances, and with the bag of deceitful weights? Mic. vi. 11. Purifying their hearts by faith, Acts xv. 9. Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God, 2 Cor. vii. 1. According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love, Ephes. i. 4. Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; that he might sanctifying rather to be absent from the body, and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himself a glorious Church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish, v. 25—27. And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; that ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God, Phil. i. 9-11. And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it. 1 Thess. v. 23, 24. Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled, Tit. i. 15. Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us all from iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works, ii. 14. How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? Heb. ix. 14.

and to be present with the Lord, 2 Cor. v. 8. Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord, 1 Thess. iv. 17. Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord, Heb. xii. 14. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is, 1 John iii. 2. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them into living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. vii. 15--17. The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads, xxii. 3, 4.

VER. 9.

Μακάριοι οἱ εἰρηνοποιοί, ὅτι αὐτοὶ ὑιοὶ Let us draw near with a true | Θεοῦ κληθήσονται.

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