necessity; they disturb our quiet; they occasion us trouble: we are disposed to pass by on the other side. And in some this harshness will grow to despising them and blaming them, and so increasing their misery. But the merciful man sees his brother in necessity, and is touched with feelings of sympathy and compassion for him, and with inward desires to relieve and comfort. All his own comforts lead him to pity others. His loaded table leads him to think of their scanty board, his warm clothing of their nakedness, his fireside of their few embers; his blessedness in scriptural knowledge, of their darkness and ignorance; his joy in Christ, of their sorrow without Christ. And in this state of mind the liberal deviseth liberal things. He remembers that he is but the steward of all he has, and that the Lord, full of mercy and love, would have all his goods not hoarded up, but distributed for the good of others; having given many charges to his stewards to be liberal. He which soweth sparingly shall reap also sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully. God loveth a cheerful giver.

The same merciful spirit is seen in its actings towards those who have offended and injured us, not only bearing patiently with them as in the case of meekness, but freely forgiving them. What if they have abused my kindness, are unthankful and unworthy, shall I, who owe all my hopes to sovereign grace and goodness, refuse to manifest grace to the evil and unthankful? let at least the time of grace be yet prolonged to them, as God prolongs it to me.

Nor will the fear of injuring ourselves stop the current of mercy. Jesus, though he was rich, for our sakes became poor, and mercy will submit to many of

the inconveniences of the miserable in order to raise them out of their misery. Those thus merciful shall indeed obtain mercy. They feel they need it, because they are still sinful. That they have obtained mercy already is seen in the very fact of their being merciful. God also deals mercifully and graciously with them in all that yet concerns them in this life; all shall work together for good, and they may say in the full confidence of faith, surely mercy and goodness shall follow me all the days of my life.

But the chief need sinners have of mercy is in the day of judgment-a day yet to come. Thus the apostle, speaking of the labours of mercy and love of Onesiphorus, joins together prayers for mercy for him in the present life and in the day of Christ. The Lord give mercy to the house of Onesiphorus-the Lord grant unto him that he may find mercy of the Lord in that day. And you may observe (Matt. xxv. 34-40.) that all the righteous reward of the saints proceeds on the grounds of these works of mercy in this life, done under the animating motive of redeeming love.

Meditation.

What hope can I have from God which is not founded on and drawn from his mercies in Christ Jesus to my soul! Oh, then, how intolerable would be hardness and severity of judgment and harshness of conduct from me towards others. Compassion was the unfailing character of the good Shepherd who laid down his life for the sheep; let me gaze upon his pity and love, till I find his spirit imparting to me the same melting pity and tenderness towards the sinful and miserable.

7. THE PURE IN HEART.

The sixth grace mentioned by our Lord is purity in heart. The mercifulness of the Christian is not like the alms of the hypocrite, a cloak for wickedness or self-righteousness, but goes on to inward purity. This purity is also a higher stage of grace, as pointing out the discrimination and holy motive of his mercy. The heart does not mean here merely the affections, but includes and embraces the mind and conscience, the thoughts and will, as well as the affections. The means of this inward purity is the cleansing blood of Jesus the Son of God: that alone is efficacious to purify us. As under the law of Moses the blood of bulls and goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctified to the purifying of the flesh; so much more under the gospel, the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God, shall purge the conscience from dead works to serve the living God. This blood discovers to me all the fearful guilt and danger of my sins, and yet, in the full atonement made, allows me not only without danger, but as the very way of safety, freely to confess every sin, assuring me that the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth from all sin.

On this true view of my sinfulness, and acknowledgment of it, all controversy ceases between me and God. I want no more subterfuge, excuse, and self-justification. I view things as they are really; in his sight my eye is single, my heart is single. I am a sinner indebted to sovereign mercy for every hope. I receive the atonement, and return to God, and delight in him, under that cheering promise and assurance, I have

blotted out as a thick cloud thy transgressions, and as a cloud thy sins; return unto me, for I have redeemed thee. Thus the sinner's heart is purified by faith. Acts xv. 9.

Now the true principle of all acceptable service, even love, is implanted. We love him because he first loved us. The believer really loves God, and delights in him, and hence hates sin as the worst enemy of God and man. Sin is loathsome and abominable in his sight. Now God's glory is aimed at as the great end of life. Purity and holiness are one thing, entire dedication to God. God is holy, as he is, if we may say so, consecrated and set apart to maintain those holy perfections and attributes which form his excellence and glory. And the believer has a oneness with God; in being set apart to his glory and the good of others, he works as God works: desiring, as grace prevails, nothing inconsistent with, or not according to, the will of his heavenly Father.

In attaining this end, the Christian is guided and governed by the word of God, and aims in godly simplicity and sincerity to fulfil his profession. We are not however to imagine that he is perfectly pure. He purifieth himself. It is a daily work to come to be washed afresh in the blood of the Lamb; to be purified afresh by new communications of the Holy Ghost according to the gracious promises so fully laid before us (Ezek. xxxvi. 25—27); and, after all, in the midst of his purity, there is the most humbling conviction of sinfulness as set before us, v. 31. Then shall ye remember your evil ways, and your doings that were not good, and shall loathe yourselves in your own sight, for your iniquities, and for your abominations.

To those thus pure in heart there is the promise, they shall see God. This is sweetly realised in this life. If the eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. When there is purity of heart, there is real delight in God. Such find God in his house, and at his table, and in secret, when others find him not. They see him in every providence, and in all the works of creation. They see him in their sorrows and in their joys. In short, they can say from the heart, Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. But this spiritual sight of God's glory now is far short of that full vision of his glory here promised. The apostle Paul thus distinguishes it. Now we see through a glass darkly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. To see God as he is; to be in that heavenly Jerusalem in which is the throne of God and the Lamb, where his servants shall serve him, and they shall see his face, and his name shall be in their foreheads-this is the full blessing here promised.

Prayer for purity in heart.

O most Holy God, infinite in purity, in whose sight the heavens are not clean, how can a wretched sinner like myself hope to dwell for ever with Thee! Blessed be thy name for the fountain opened for sin and uncleanness. There do I now come to wash my polluted robes in the cleansing blood of Jesus. As his death has atoned for all my guilt, so may it fill me with hatred of sin and love to thee. And O, so cleanse the thoughts of my heart by the inspiration of thy Holy Spirit, that I may perfectly love thee, and ever worthily magnify thy holy name through Jesus Christ our Lord.