SECTION I.-BLESSEDNESS ATTACHED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS, VER. 11, 12. Established order of the kingdom of heaven-Qualification for blessedness-The reward of the righteous, SECTION II.-BLESSEDNESS ATTACHED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS ONLY, VER. Necessity of righteousness in order to blessedness-Moral necessity of it-Judicial necessity-Necessity of it that we may serve the great ends of our being-Necessity of it as a consequent-Enjoined-The righteous not without SECTION III.-DETAILED EXPOSITION. The righteous blessed when and though persecuted for righteousness' sake, v. 11, 12, The office of the righteous as the salt of the earth and the light of the world-Consequent necessity of righteous- The law not to be destroyed but fulfilled-Consequent neces- SECTION I.-RIGHTEOUSNESS DISCRIMINATED AS REGARDS ABSTIN- ENCE FROM WHAT IS FORBIdden.-V. 21-48. The import of the law vindicated-A right state of the heart SECTION II.-RIGHTEOUSNESS DISCRIMINATED AS REGARDS THE PERFORMANCE OF POSITIVE DUTY-REFERENCE TO GOD. Abstinence from forbidden acts-Freedom from evil affec- tions and desires-Love-The performance of command- ed acts-Motives-Due regard to God-Undue regard to man-Illustrative cases-Alms-deeds-Prayer-Fast. SECTION III.-RIGHTEOUSNESS DISCRIMINATED AS REGARDS THE PERFORMANCE OF POSITIVE DUTY-REFERENCE TO OUR HEAVENLY INTERESTS.-VI. 19-21. Influence of motives-Supreme regard to things in heaven 68 70 888 91 98 106 115 Page and supreme regard to things on earth-Legitimate re- gard to earthly things-The laying up of our treasure in SECTION IV.-RIGHTEOUSNESS DISCRIMINATED AS REGARDS THE PERFORMANCE OF POSITIVE DUTY-DIVIDED REGARDS IM- Divided regards would plunge into darkness-Cannot be realised-Proper procedure with respect to earthly things-Motives and encouragements to adopt it, SECTION V.-DETAILED EXPOSITION. Performance of positive duty-From a supreme regard to God-Alms-deeds-(Received text vindicated), v. 1-4, Prayer-In prayer we should deal exclusively with God- Manner of dealing with him-The Lord's Prayer-Im- Due regard to our eternal interests, v. 19-21, Divided regards-Singleness of eye, v. 22. 23, Serving two masters-Undue solicitude for earthly things forbidden-Trust in God to be exercised SECTION I.-RESUMED DISCRIMINATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AS RE- GARDS ABSTINENCE FROM WHAT IS FORBIDDEN.-VII. 1-6. Corruptions and violations of the law of love-The unlov- ing and unbrotherly, particularly under the form of cen- sorious judging, promoted by Pharisaical externalism, and probably otherwise-What constitutes such judging -The consequence of it to those who practise it-Be- holding the mote that is in a brother's eye-The unrea- SECTION II.-RESUMED DISCRIMINATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AS RE- GARDS THE PERFORMANCE OF POSITIVE DUTY-REFERENCE Prayer enjoined-Variously related to righteousness-What Page 242 249 SECTION III.-RESUMED DISCRIMINATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS AS REGARDS THE PERFORMANCE OF POSITIVE DUTY-REFER- ENCE TO OUR HEAVENLY INTERESTS.-VII. 13-20. The command to seek resumed, and the proper issue of seek- SECTION IV.-DETAILED EXPOSITION. Censorious judging forbidden, but also the neglect of discri- SECTION I.-BLESSEDNESS ATTACHED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS.-VII. 21. SECTION II.-BLESSEDNESS ATTACHED TO RIGHTEOUSNESS ONLY.- Admission into heaven not awarded to the acknowledgment of Christ by mere profession, to outward connection with SECTION I.-RESUMED DELINEATION OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. INTRODUCTION. SECTION I.-OCCASION AND SCOPE OF THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT. 1. WE should conclude a priori, and the conclusion is fully borne out by investigation, that the materials of the sermon on the mount, which originated, not in the questioning either of serious disciples or of captious opponents, but in our Lord's own estimate of the occasion, were selected in adaptation to the spiritual condition and tendencies, as brought into view at the time, of those to whom it was addressed. It is, therefore, of evident and no inconsiderable importance, as serving to guide and facilitate exposition, and will be interesting on general grounds, that we ascertain, as far as may be practicable, the particular aspect or peculiarity of their spiritual condition and tendencies, that was at the time brought into view, and that imparted its distinctive character to the case with which it was our Lord's immediate object to deal. 2. Fallen man is ever prone to reduce religion to a mere external thing,- -a lifeless routine of forms and observances. From the constitution of his nature, and the relative position which he occupies, he must necessarily have a religion. He cannot assume or even affect an attitude of independence and self-sufficiency. At the same time, he is incapable of spiritual worship and averse from it; and hence, if his reli A gion be not wholly without a ritual, in performing its services he will "stand without," neither entering nor desiring to enter into the most holy place in which the divine presence is manifested. 3. This tendency to rest in what is merely outward in religion is probably strengthened by the experience of other departments of human activity. In dealing with the objects and interests of time, outward performance alone is absolutely necessary. We use the proper means, and bring the proper causes into operation, and, ordinarily, irrespectively of the state of our spirits at the time, the desired result follows. From this experience of the efficacy of the outward application of means, the expectation naturally arises, or, arising otherwise, receives countenance and confirmation, that the outward application of means will be equally effectual within the sphere of religion. 4. As regards the Jews, the fact that the ceremonial observances of the economy under which they were placed, however formal, and though merely outward, and not at all animated with the spirit which it was their proper office to embody, secured, at least, exemption from the ceremonial evils to which the neglect of them would expose, exerted a still more powerful influence in the same direction. Those observances were a part of their religion; and, finding that some religious observances, though only outward, were not unavailing, they adopted in their blindness, and under the influence of their aversion from the spiritual, perhaps unconsciously, the pernicious belief that all religious observances are mere outward forms and bodily exercise,-a belief which impressed upon their whole worship a character of hypocrisy. -(Matt. xxiii. 23-27; vi. 2, 5, 16.) 5. And, as they excluded the spiritual from the means, they excluded it also from the end. Whatever expectation they had of the blessings of a future state, their really influential expectation was, that, in connection with their peculiar |