prejudices, the wrongheadedness, the intractability of those with whom he has to deal." The former of these characters is and ever has been the favourite of the world; and though it is too stern to conciliate affection, yet it has an appearance of dignity in it which too commonly commands respect. The latter is, as our Lord describes it, humble, meek, lowly, devout, merciful, pure, peaceable, patient, and unresisting. The world calls it mean-spirited, tame, and abject; yet notwithstanding all this, with the divine Author of our religion this is the favourite character; this is the constant topic of his commendation; this is the subject that runs through all the beatitudes. To this he assigns, under all its various forms, peculiar blessings. To those who possess it, he promises that they shall inherit the earth; that they shall obtain mercy; that theirs shall be the kingdom of heaven; that they shall see God, and shall be called the children of God. The The recommendation of this character recurs frequently in different shapes throughout the whole of the Sermon on the Mount, and a great part of that discourse is nothing more than a comment on the text of the beatitudes. On these, and a few other passages which have any thing particularly novel and important in them, I shall offer some observations. But before I quit this noble and consolatory exordium of our Lord's discourse, I shall request your attention to one particular part of it, which seems to require a little explanation. The part I allude to is this: " Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth." The blessing here promised to the meek, seems at first sight somewhat singular, and not very appropriate to the virtue recommended. That the meek of all others should be destined to inherit the earth, is what one should not naturally have expected. If we may judge from what passes in the world, world, it is those of a quite opposite character, the bold, the forward, the active, the enterprising, the rapacious, the ambitious, that are best calculated to secure to themselves that inheritance. And, undoubtedly, if by inheriting the earth is meant acquiring the wealth, the grandeur, the power, the property of the earth, these are the persons who generally seize on a large proportion of those good things, and leave the meek and the gentle far behind them in this unequal contest for such advantages. But it was far other things than these our Lord had in view. inheriting the earth, he meant inheriting those things which are, without question, the greatest blessings upon earth, calmness and composure of spirit, tranquillity, cheerfulness, peace and comfort of mind. Now these, I apprehend, are the peculiar portion and recompense of the meek. Unassuming, gentle, and humble in their deportment, they give no offence, they create no enemies, they provoke no hostilities, and thus escape all that large proportion By proportion of human misery which arises from dissensions and disputes. If differences do unexpectedly start up, by patience, mildness, and prudence, they disarm their adversaries, they soften resentment, they court reconciliation, and seldom fail of restoring harmony and peace. Having a very humble opinion of themselves, they see others succeed without uneasiness, without envy having no ambition, no spirit of competition, they feel no pain from disappointment, no mortification from defeat. By bending under the storms that assail them, they greatly mitigate their violence, and see them pass over their heads almost without feeling their force. Content and satisfied with their lot, they pass quietly and silently through the crowds that surround them; and encounter much fewer difficulties and calamities in their progress through life than more active and enterprising men. This even tenour of life may indeed be called by men of the world, flat, dull, and insipid. But the meek are excluded from no no rational pleasure, no legitimate delight; and as they are more exempt from anxiety and pain than other men, their sum total of happiness is greater, and they may, in the best sense of the word, be fairly said to inherit the earth. I shall now proceed to notice such other passages of this admirable discourse, as appear to me to deserve peculiar attention and consideration. The first of these is that which begins with the 21st verse; "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, that whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, shall be in danger of the judgment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council; but whosoever shall say, thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire." And again in the same manner at the 27th verse; "Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto |