then, the promise remains yet to be fulfilled, and he still continues "an heir of the world," and will so continue until "the resurrection of the just," when, with others, he will be put into actual possession of the promised inheritance. Nothing can be more clear and certain, I conceive, than that our Saviour refers to this great truth in His promise to the "meek." In short, to overlook it, would be to take away from His words the very point which they are more especially designed emphatically to teach.

But yet, suppose for the sake of argument we waive this point, let us see how much better the case will be.

That meekness is calculated to secure to the possessors of it many of the benefits which Scott and others have described, none would wish to deny, but rather rejoice to acknowledge. But yet how stands the case with regard to the meek, and their actual condition upon earth? In the first place, the great majority of them are poor, and if not actually poor, yet in a humble condition, and they always have been so. "Ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise

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1 Compare the following passages :-Heb. xi. 8-10; and ver. 13-16.

F

men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called." (1 Cor. i. 26.) "Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?" (James ii. 5.) In the next place, numbers of them at various periods in the world's history have been exposed to the most cruel molestations, and had to endure the most bitter persecutions, insomuch that their lives have been in constant danger, and their minds in continual disquietude and alarm. What an account is the following! "Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, waxed valiant in fight, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again: and others were tortured, not accepting deli-· verance; that they might obtain a better resurrection: and others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings; yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment : they were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheep-skins and goat-skins; being destitute,

afflicted, tormented; (of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth."

(Heb.

xi. 33-38.) And how often since their day have others, like them in character, been partakers in their afflictions! What took place under Nero, and Domitian, and others of the Roman emperors? What in Spain and its Inquisition? What in Italy, and France, and England, during the sixteenth century? What in Piedmont in the seventeenth? When the ruthless foe

"roll'd

Mother with infant down the rocks"?

"The meek" (say our commentators), however poor in the world, have more actual comfort than any other persons, as if the whole of it were their inheritance." Conceive this spoken in the ears of those "meek to whose painful trials we have just referred, and who does not feel that they would regard it as little better than a cruel mockery of their sufferings? "Why," they would assuredly exclaim, "if in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most miserable"! (1 Cor. xv. 19.) "All the day long have we been plagued, and chastened every morning. (Ps. lxxiii. 14.)

And yet, most certain it is, that the promise of the Saviour must be made to ALL "the meek," not to some favoured few only whose comparatively comfortable condition upon earth scarcely needs the support which (according to the view we are combating) it is intended to convey; but to all of every age and every clime, who bearing the impress of His own meek image are, and have been, molested by the world, even as He their Lord and Master was, and who therefore do indeed need the support and comfort which this "great and precious promise" of His is intended to give

them.

This second notion, therefore, as to the meaning of our Lord's words must, like the first, be abandoned. It does not meet the requirements of the case, but falls vastly short of them. So defective, indeed, is it, that no small measure of ingenuity and tact are needed on the part of the writers who maintain it to make out a case in its favour. There are so many difficulties in their way', so many obstacles to be overcome, and so little agreement between the promise on the one hand, and their interpretation of it on the other, that

1 The remarks of Hammond on this passage (Matt. v. 5) afford a striking illustration of this.

unless great care be exercised by them in their statement of the case, it is much more likely to offend the minds of their readers than convince and satisfy them, so calculated is it to strip the Saviour's words of all their value, and to leave scarce.a wreck of truth behind.

But now, on the other hand, apply to the interpretation of this promise of the Redeemer to the

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meek," the view or theory now maintained, viz. that this earth, in its true, literal character, will be the locality of his people's eternal inheritance - or rather view the promise in this light, as in reality affirming this — and what a mighty change takes place in its value! According to the former views of it, it seemed to contain so little that was real and tangible, that its value or import was scarcely appreciable,—unless, indeed, we assumed that "earth” meant "heaven," which, as we saw, we had no warrant to do. It could not be applied with any effect in a way of encouragement or comfort, for it failed most when most needed-it brought nothing to those who needed most. Thousands in a suffering condition could draw no comfort from it. It did not apply to their case; or if applied, seemed a mockery