CHAPTER II.

THE BEATITUDES (continued).

LESSED are the meek; for they shall inherit the earth."

This, too, has often been greatly mistaken. One of the favourite devices of the enemy is to offer a spurious semblance of a virtue for a real one. It is very common to denominate a soft, yielding temper as "meek; and this has led to a prevalent impression, especially with young people, that "meekness is a quality quite inconsistent with strength, dignity, or firmness of character.

But look at the Bible pictures of those whom God designates as meek. There was no want of boldness or dignity in Moses when he stood before Pharaoh, or rebuked the murmuring Israelites. Our Blessed Lord Himself, the "meek and lowly in heart," showed as much of lofty courage as of patient submission.

True Christian meekness has nothing in

common with that weakly, compliant timidity, which will yield anything and everything “for the sake of peace," as such persons express it; which generally means, for the sake of being left quiet and unmolested themselves. This, as we observed before, is nothing but a subtle form of selfishness, to which gentle, sweet-tempered persons are not unfrequently prone, because their natural amiability veils the fault from themselves and others.

But the truly meek Christian will be firm and resolute in upholding truth and right principle, and defending others when needed, while ready to sacrifice personal comfort, pleasures, or credit; willing to take the lowest place, "in honour preferring one another."

Such meekness has not only the heavenly but the earthly blessing. It is the only beatitude which has an earthly promise.

But what is "inheriting the earth"? Not always what are called "good things" here below. The meek may happen to have very few of what the world calls "good things," very little of earthly prosperity, but they reap their own recompense even on earth. Not only by the love they win-though this they do most surely gain-but there is a happiness, a peace, in the very act of living for others and

not for self, which only those who do so live can realize.

"Earthly happiness," it has been well remarked, "is a thing of which it may be said, 'Seek, and ye shall not find.'" Riches, fame, pleasure, power may fall to the lot of the grasping and selfish; but happiness is a delicate flower that will perish in their grasp.

"She inherited the earth in the fulness of the promise, though she never left her bed or changed her posture," was the description once given of an unselfish and patient Christian sufferer; and in this sense the meek will never fail to realize the blessing.

"Blessed are they who do hunger and thirst after righteousness; for they shall be filled."

Here is a blessing on the first evidence we can often lay hold on for ourselves, that divine grace is working in our hearts.

"I cannot dare to say that any other beatitude applies to me," said an anxious Christian once, "but I know that I do hunger and thirst after righteousness."

But it is not all, even of true Christians, who truly "hunger and thirst" after this heavenly It is one thing to long for the joys and comforts of the believer-the peace, and

manna.

the hope, and the support-and another to desire righteousness-not only Christ's righteousness as our plea and standing before God, but the holiness of life to which all Christ's disciples are " called."

Jesus is the Saviour of His people from their sins in both senses, not only from the guilt and the penalty of sin, but from its power in the heart, from that spiritual sickness of which the bodily sicknesses healed by Him when on earth were types. Are we all honestly and truly desirous-longing for real holiness of life and heart? Do we never make truces with our sins, excusing them to ourselves and others as infirmities we cannot altogether help; or trying to bring down, perhaps, half unconsciously, God's requirements to meet our low standard?

If we can detect these tendencies in our own hearts, we may well humble ourselves that we hunger and thirst so little after that holiness which is in the sight of God of such great price! If we could only know what a stumbling-block our falls are to those seeking for the truth; how often those who do trust in the Lord are, as the Psalmist says, "ashamed,”* because of the failures of their brethren; how

* Psalm lxix. 6, "Let not them that wait on Thee.... be ashamed for my sake."

often our Master is wounded in the house of His friends, and His work crippled, and His cause hindered, and the ungodly made to triumph, by the inconsistency of Christian professors, we should seek far more earnestly for a true "hunger and thirst for righteousness."

But what comfort is here for those who, though conscious of many falls and much weakness, are yet mourning over their shortcomings, and longing, honestly and truly, to grow in grace! They may be but trembling, fainting pilgrims, advancing slowly and often stumbling; but if there is a true desire for this heavenly gift, we may be sure He will be "very gracious at the voice of their cry."

And the answer will come. They shall be filled. The desire is of God, and He never awakens a longing He does not intend amply to satisfy.

"Thou visitest the earth, when Thou hast made it to desire rain" (Psalm lxv., margin). "Whosoever will, let him take of the water of life freely" (Rev. xxii. 17).

And all such shall have their desire granted. Not fully or completely while on earth; but they will have the cheering sense that the Lord has undertaken their cure, and that He who has "begun" the "good work" in them will finish