of it idly, or unprofitably. Here is no allowance for letting our thoughts run upon worldly concerns,-for needlessly going abroad, or for pastimes,—no, nor for spending the sabbath merely in a sauntering, dozing, thoughtless way. Though our bodies are at rest upon that day, our souls must be fully employed with God. Remember, therefore, to keep holy the sabbath-day. And if you would find out your sin, ask yourselves if you ever kept one such sabbathday in your whole lives.

SECTION XX.

Chap. vi. ver. 12-26.

12. And it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all night in prayer to God.

Before he chose his twelve apostles, we may be assured he prayed for a blessing on his disciples, and on their labours, and upon all succeeding labourers. His prayer reaches to the end of the world: you and I may have the benefit of it, if we please.

13. And when it was day, he called unto him his disciples : and of them he chose twelve, whom also he named apostles:

14. Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew,

15. Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphæus, and Simon called Zelotes,

16. And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which also was the traitor.

These names are in the book of life, except that of Judas: if one out of the twelve first disciples of Jesus proved a traitor to his Lord, let us fear for ourselves, lest we come short of the glory of God.-Edit.

17. And he came down with them, and stood in the plain, and the company of his disciples, and a great multitude of people out

of all Judæa and Jerusalem, and from the sea-coast of Tyre and Sidon, which came to hear him, and to be healed of their diseases;

The end of our reading and hearing is, that we may come to Christ to be healed by him. If we do not come to Christ for this end, all is lost labour with us. The healing virtue is not in the word.

18. And they that were vexed with unclean spirits: and they were healed.

Have we no spiritual malady which needs healing? Have we no work for Christ? Have we no unclean spirits, no pride, no anger, no malice, no envy? So long as any of these tempers prevail in us, we are in a worse case than they were.

19. And the whole multitude sought to touch him: for there went virtue out of him, and healed them all.

The virtue of Christ is not lost. If he was present here, we should all be anxious to touch him for the healing of our bodies. But we do not feel for our souls, although they are sick of a deadly distemper, and he is at hand to help us.

20. And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.

Ye, my disciples, who have left all to follow me. With respect to others, the contented poor, knowing their lot to be God's choice for them, and that they themselves are unworthy of a better, they are humble in their poverty.

21. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. They are blessed who hunger for what they oughtChrist and his salvation. The meaning of all this is spiritual; for all that hunger after the goods of the world, are not filled; on the other hand, they remain unsatisfied.

21. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh.

He that goeth forth to God in the exercises of repentance and contrition for sin, shall return to the company of the

children of God with joy. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 2ndly, Blessed are they that mourn for sin; and therefore set themselves against it. "They shall laugh," for joy of their redemption by Christ. In this world, for the most part; but most certainly, hereafter.

22. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake,

23. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy; for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Calumny, hatred, and persecution, must be looked for, patiently endured, and rejoiced in, by the true followers of Christ, as the mark of their adoption. The world is always the same, and always at deadly war with the servants of God.

24. But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Woe unto them that are rich without God: who either are rich, or would be so, and desire no better portion. Their doom is, that they shall have no better: and with respect to the most, not even that. Both rich and poor may be blessed in God's way. He looks with complacency upon an humble, contrite heart, wherever he finds it, and on nothing else, in rich or poor.

25. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger.

Those who are full of the world, and themselves, and feel no want of Christ, shall hunger, without being satisfied.

25. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and

weep.

Those who go on, now, fearless and unconcerned, shall mourn and weep for ever.

26. Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Let all such know, that some way or other, they are not true to Christ, in acting or speaking up for him.

SECTION XXI.

Chap. vi. ver. 27-39.

ON LOVING ENEMIES.

27. But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you.

28. Bless them that curse you, and pray for them which despitefully use you.

When a Christian does this from the heart, it is heaven in the heart! But it will cost many a prayer. Alas! we do not, we cannot, till we are born again of the Holy Spirit. Then we can bear this hard saying.

29. And unto him that smiteth thee on the one cheek, offer also the other; and him that taketh away thy cloke, forbid not to take thy coat also.

When a Christian is smitten on the one cheek, let him rather turn the other, than smite again, or entertain any thoughts of revenge. Suffer one injury after another, for the sake of peace. Let a Christian part with his patience, and then see what he has got by keeping his coat, and cloke. Those who are fools, in obedience to the commands of God, are not common.

30. Give to every man that asketh of thee; and of him that taketh away thy goods ask them not again.

" ask

Give to him who asketh thee, what he wants, and what thou hast to give. "And of him that taketh away thy goods," not by fraud, or force, but by borrowing, them not again," to his hurt. For then, thy heart was not in thy kindness. Think of Christ, before you sue. take notice, that the words come home likewise to the bor

But,

rower.

If one man must lend cheerfully, another must be as ready to repay.

31. And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise.

Bear, and forbear. Give, and forgive.

32. For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them.

33. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.

34. And if ye lend to them of whom ye hope to receive, what thank have ye? for sinners also lend to sinners, to receive as much again.

We think it enough to be as good as our neighbours: and we may be so, and yet not be Christians.

35. But 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.

In cases, where nothing is to be hoped for, lend: and let not this hinder us from doing good to our poor neighbour, when it is in our power. The heart says, No, these are hard sayings; the world cannot bear them. We shall hear what Christ says farther, at the close of the chapter. 36. Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful.

Not forbearing to do good, because men are unworthy. Upon this ground, we could neither do good to others, nor receive any ourselves from the hand of God. We may observe, upon the whole, what a strange difference there is between God's thoughts and ours. If we were left to ourselves, we should contradict Christ in everything that is here said. We are his new creatures, when we can think and say as he does.

37. Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: We must never judge ill of any one, when there is the