Christ's Great Sermon.

Matthew v. vi. vii. Luke vi. 20-49.

E whose pulpit was, on one occasion, the deck of Simon's craft, finds another on a hill side. God once spake from Sinai amid thunder and lightning, and all Israel quaked. Jesus now speaks from a hill side to a "great multitude that followed from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, and from beyond Jordan," in words of gentleness and truth, and love and hope, in the still air and under the sweet sunshine; and "the people were astonished at his doctrine; for He taught them as one having authority, and not as the scribes." From Sinai

was thundered the stern interdict, "Thou shalt not." From the Mount Jesus introduced character through the portal of a benediction, and set it in the bosom of reward. Duty was no longer impressed in stern words, which made even Moses quake, and the people beg they might not hear them any more, but in the heart of blessings to be reaped in fulfilling it, and in the hope of rewards to be enjoyed when duty is done and character is ripe. The one was meant to drive men to Christ, the other is the teachers' call, and the place's consecration.

Each benediction introduces its successor. The "poor in spirit," that is, those who are conscious of an inner destitution, and need. what'no earthly wealth can satisfy, naturally creates a sorrow over so great a loss-so deep inner poverty-that subdues and induces

that "meekness," a submissiveness to what God provides-that renunciation of self and that willingness to have, which again awakens in the soul a hunger and thirst which no husks or water from Jacob's well can satisfy, which requires and finds a righteousness that covers all wants, and justifies from all things from which they cannot be justified by the law of Moses.

Thus justified by a righteousness upon us, we obtain from the Holy Ghost a righteousness in us, or a pure heart renewed and regenerated and alive to God. This leads to peace. Justified by faith we have peace with God through Jesus Christ our Lord, and the purest in heart are the greatest peace-makers on earth. Were the privileged possessors of the character made up by all these indwelling graces in heaven, they would meet with no opposition or interruption. But they are still here, in the midst of a world at enmity to God, and therefore they meet with persecution and reproach.

The cynic, the satirist, and the sensualist scorn them and hate and reproach them, because rebuked by the impressive spectacle of a people that breathe the holy air and reflect the blessed sunshine of heaven. But a benediction falls on all who are thus persecuted for righteousness' sake. They are called to "rejoice and be exceeding glad." They are thereby clothed with the livery of Christ. They evince their relation to ancient prophets who experienced the same severe treatment; they have, like them, a reward before them as well as a blessing on them. Christians, it is added, are necessarily missionaries; if not the radiant lights that illuminate the world, they are the silent and unobtrusive salt that keeps the earth from corruption. We are blessed of God that we may be blessings. We receive the unction of the saint that we fulfil the duties of the servant. Freely we receive, let us freely give. How searching and humbling is the morality taught by the Son of God! A thought, a feeling, a desire unseen by our nearest relative, is seen of God as sin. It is the thoughts of man's heart that translate themselves into

actions.

"As a man thinketh so is he." No outside morality laid on is beautiful before God. But a pure, loving, and beneficent desire rises to heaven more fragrant than incense. It is the pure fountain that sends forth pure waters. It is the good tree that bears good fruit. It should, therefore, be our prayer, "Create in us clean hearts, and renew right spirits within us."

How exalted is the love that Christ enjoins in this beautiful discourse! "Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you."

We need no other evidences of the origin of Christianity than this sublime morality, so different in its speech, so expansive in its sympathies, so heavenly in its spirit.

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven." Some Christiansnot, I think, of enlightened consciences, but of what are called scrupulous consciences, that is, who have feverish conscienceshave said, “Then we ought not to lay up anything at all; we ought not even to ensure our lives." Some excellent ministers have said it is positively sinful to ensure one's life. I do not think so I think it is right to labour for the bread that perisheth; and if, after having given what your heart shows to be right to the claims of beneficence and religion, there be a surplus, what are you to do with it? throw it at the bottom of the sea? or give it where you do not see it right to give it? Insure your life; for this seems to me true social Christianity it is letting the burden that would crush one be distributed over twenty; it is making a thousand bear the burden that, if concentrated upon one, would have overwhelmed him. therefore, I say it is the duty of every young person, and every newly married person, if he can, to insure his life. There are opportunities of doing so now that ought not to be neglected. Perhaps some cannot afford it; it is very sad, yet let them be still

And,

steadfast, and still hope on; and a day may come when they can, and if not, God, who feeds the ravens, will feed them. But you must not have your heart in the insurance office; this would be trusting it, not God : insure, and think no more of it.

The whole prescription at the close of this beautiful chapterthe ideas of which it would take days to exhaust-is to guard against over-anxiety, not against proper and just provision; for if that expression, "Take no thought for the morrow," were to be interpreted according to our translation, it would be absurd. We must take thought; there is not a master of a house of business who has not to take thought before he can pay what is just, and complete all his engagements and arrangements daily. We must think, and the man who does not think will soon have to taste the bitter consequences of it. The word used does not mean "take no thought,” but "carking and vexing anxiety." To take thought of a thing is a Christian duty, but to indulge in carking, irritating anxiety about it, is sin. Many persons are not satisfied with meeting to-day's duties in to-day's strength, but they cast their net into the unsounded future of to-morrow; they draw it in-shore, and in it, they find, are all venomous reptiles that sting their hearts with a thousand anxieties. Now, what is the use of tacking to-day's troubles to to-morrow's troubles, when you have only to-day's strength! God has not promised strength for two days at once, but for each day as it dawns "Sufficient for the day is the trouble" (for that is the translation) "thereof." And besides, thinking painfully of to-morrow to-day, does not lighten the burdens of to-morrow when to-morrow dawns. Let us, therefore, do the duties of to-day, and draw from the Fountain of strength, to-morrow, strength for to-morrow, and we shall find that, by thus seeking first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, to-day's and to-morrow's things shall be added unto us, for He has promised it.

The great lesson impressed by the Redeemer in his illustration

drawn from two houses-one built on the sand and the other on the rock-is very plain. No greatness of height, or beauty of architecture, or strength in material, will secure safety, stability, or permanence to a house built on the loose, shifting, and yielding sand. The higher the builder builds, the greater will be the future ruin. But a house raised on the solid rock-the unyielding granitecannot settle down in ruin. The foundation lasts while the earth lasts.

Our hopes for eternity are of everlasting interest. It is of vital importance that they should be well founded. A ruined house may be rebuilt, but a lost soul can never be recovered. "Therefore," He says, "whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock." No one doubts who that rock is. "I lay in Zion a foundation stone." "Other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid, Christ Jesus." "Ye are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ being the chief corner and foundation stone." Built on that stone, as our support, and then plumbed, if I use the proper expression, by that stone as our directory, we rise until grace is lost in glory. But, on the other hand, those who do not build upon that stone, those who do not dig deep enough to find it, but who build upon the dust, the soil, or the sand, which first presents itself, are like the men who build their house upon the sand; the rains wash away the sand, the floods more and more undermine it; and at last the whole house comes down, and in proportion to the height and weight of the superstructure will be the crash that necessarily follows. He is speaking here of Christians built on Christ. Remember that it is not doctrines that are built on Christ; it is living Christians that are built on Him. "Ye, as living stones, are built a spiritual house, and grow up a holy priesthood."

Then those who heard Him were struck with his teaching.