Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“The Evangelist has set out above, as it were, a brief title of Christ's teaching; now he sets out the teaching itself, and its effect, namely the wonder of the crowds. Now it must be considered that, according to Augustine, in this sermon of the Lord the whole perfection of our life is contained. And he proves this by what the Lord adds as the end to which it leads, namely a certain promise. Now that which man desires most is beatitude. Hence the Lord here does three things. First he sets forth the reward which follows for those who receive this teaching; second he lays down the precepts, where he says, "Do not think that I have come to destroy the law," etc.; third he teaches how one can arrive at keeping them, where he says, "Ask and you shall receive." Concerning the first he does two things, because of this teaching some are only observers, others are ministers. First, therefore, he describes the beatitude of those who observe; second, of those who minister, where he says, "Blessed are you when they curse you." Now it must be noted that several things are set down here concerning the beatitudes; but no one could ever speak of the Lord's words so subtly as to attain fully to the Lord's intent. Yet it must be known that in these words the whole full beatitude is included: for all men desire beatitude, but they differ in judging about what beatitude is; and therefore some desire this, others that. Now we find a fourfold opinion about beatitude. For some believe that it consists only in exterior things, namely in an abundance of these temporal goods; Psalm 143:15: "They have called the people blessed who have these things." Others hold that perfect beatitude consists in this, that man satisfy his own will; hence we say: blessed is he who lives as he wishes. Ecclesiastes 3:12: "And I knew that there was nothing better than to rejoice," etc. Others say that perfect beatitude consists in the virtues of the active life. Others, that it consists in the virtues of the contemplative life, namely of divine and intelligible things, as Aristotle held. Now all these opinions are false, though not in the same way. Hence the Lord rejects them all. The opinion of those who said that it consists in an abundance of exterior things he rejects: hence he says "blessed are the poor," as if to say, not blessed are the wealthy. The opinion of those who placed beatitude in the satisfaction of appetite he rejects when he says "blessed are the merciful." But it must be known that there is a threefold appetite in man: the irascible, which desires vengeance on enemies, and this he rejects when he says "blessed are the meek." The concupiscible, whose good is to enjoy and take delight: this he rejects when he says "blessed are they that mourn." And that of the will, which is twofold, according as it seeks two things. First, that the will be bound by no higher law; second, that it be able to restrain others as subjects: hence it desires to rule, and not to be ruled. Now the Lord shows the contrary as to both. And as to the first he says "blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice." As to the second he says "blessed are the merciful." Therefore both those who place beatitude in exterior abundance, and those who place it in the satisfaction of appetite, err. But those who place beatitude in the acts of the active life, namely the moral acts, err less, because that is a way to beatitude. Hence the Lord does not reject it as evil, but shows it to be ordered to beatitude: for such acts are either ordered to oneself, as temperance and the like, and their end is cleanness of heart, because they make one conquer the passions; or they are ordered to another, and thus their end is peace and the like: for the work of justice is peace. And therefore these virtues are ways to beatitude, and not beatitude itself; and this is "blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." He does not say "they see," because that would be beatitude itself. And again, "blessed are the peacemakers," not because they are peaceable, but because they tend toward something further, namely that "they shall be called the children of God." Now the opinion of those who say that beatitude consists in the contemplation of divine things the Lord rejects only as to time, because otherwise it is true, since ultimate happiness consists in the vision of the best intelligible object, namely God: hence he says "they shall see." And it must be noted that, according to the Philosopher, in order for contemplative acts to make one blessed, two things are required: one substantially, namely that it be an act concerning the highest intelligible object, which is God; the other formally, namely love and delight, for delight perfects happiness as beauty perfects youth. And therefore the Lord sets down two things: "they shall see God" and "they shall be called children of God": for this latter pertains to the union of love; 1 John 3:1: "See what manner of charity the Father has given us, that we should be called and should be the children of God." Likewise it must be noted that in these beatitudes some things are set down as merits, and some as rewards, and this in each one. "Blessed are the poor in spirit": behold the merit; "for theirs is the kingdom of heaven": behold the reward, and so in the others. And it must also be noted, something concerning merit in general, and something concerning reward in general. Concerning merit it must be known that the Philosopher distinguishes a twofold kind of virtue: one common, which perfects man in a human manner; the other special, which he calls heroic, which perfects above the human manner. For when a strong man fears where fear is to be had, this is virtue; but if he did not fear at all, it would be a vice. But if, trusting in God's help, he feared in nothing, this virtue would be above the human manner, and such virtues are called divine. These acts, therefore, are perfect, and virtue too, according to the Philosopher, is a perfect operation. Therefore these merits are either acts of the gifts, or acts of the virtues insofar as they are perfected by the gifts. Likewise note that the acts of the virtues are those which the law commands; but the merits of beatitude are acts of the virtues; and therefore all things which are commanded and are contained below are referred to these beatitudes. Hence just as Moses first set forth precepts, and afterward said many things which were all referred back to the precepts set forth, so Christ in his teaching first put forward these beatitudes, to which all other things are reduced. Concerning the first point it must be noted that God is the reward of those who serve him; Lamentations 3:24: "The Lord is my portion, said my soul, therefore will I wait for him"; Psalm 15:5: "The Lord is the portion of my inheritance and of my cup"; Genesis 15:7: "I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldees, to give you this land, and that you might possess it." And as Augustine says in Book II of the Confessions, the soul, when it withdraws from you, seeks good things outside of you. Now men seek diverse things; but whatever can be found in any life whatsoever, the Lord has promised all of it in God. For some place the highest good in an abundance of riches, through which they can arrive at the greatest dignities; the Lord promises a kingdom which embraces both; but he says that this kingdom is arrived at by the way of poverty, not of riches. Hence, "blessed are the poor." Others arrive at these honors through wars; but the Lord says, "blessed are the meek," etc. Others seek consolations through pleasures; the Lord says, "blessed are they that mourn." Some are unwilling to be subject; the Lord says, "blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice." Some wish to avoid evil by oppressing their subjects; the Lord says, "blessed are the merciful," etc. Some place the vision of God in the contemplation of truth in this present life; the Lord promises it in the homeland; hence "blessed are the clean of heart," etc. And it must be noted that these rewards which the Lord touches on here can be had in two ways, namely perfectly and consummately, and thus only in the homeland; and by way of a beginning and imperfectly, and thus in this present life. Hence the saints have a certain beginning of that beatitude. And because in this life those things cannot be unfolded as they will be in the homeland, Augustine therefore expounds them according as they are in this present life: "blessed, therefore, are the poor in spirit" — not only in hope, but also in reality. Luke 17:21: "The kingdom of God is within you." Having laid down these things, then, let us come to the letter of the text. In these beatitudes the Evangelist does two things. First the beatitudes themselves are set down; second, the manifestation of the beatitudes, where he says, "Blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven," for this is declarative of all the beatitudes. Now virtue does three things: it removes from evil, it works and makes one work good, and it disposes to the best. First, therefore, he determines concerning the first, where he says "blessed are the poor"; concerning the second, where he says "blessed are they that hunger"; concerning the third, where he says "blessed are the clean of heart," he determines. Now virtue removes from three evils: from covetousness, from cruelty or restlessness, and from harmful pleasure. The first is noted where he says "blessed are the poor"; the second where he says "blessed are the merciful"; the third where he says "blessed are they that mourn." He says, therefore, "blessed are the poor," which is read in two ways. First thus: "blessed are the poor," that is, the humble, who esteem themselves poor: for those are truly humble who esteem themselves poor, not only in exterior things, but also in interior things; Psalm 39:18: "But I am a beggar and poor," against that saying of Apocalypse 3:17: "You say, I am rich, and made wealthy, and have need of nothing; and you know not that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked," etc. And then what he says, "in spirit," can be read in three ways. For "spirit" is sometimes called man's pride; Isaiah 2:22: "Cease from the man, whose spirit is in his nostrils, because he is reputed high"; Isaiah 25:4: "The spirit of the strong is like a whirlwind beating against a wall." And pride is called "spirit" because just as wineskins are inflated by breath, so men are inflated by pride; Colossians 2:18: "puffed up by the sense of his flesh." Therefore, "blessed are the poor," namely those who have little of the spirit of pride. Or "spirit" is taken for man's will. For some are humble out of necessity, and these are not blessed, but those who aspire to humility are. Third, it is taken for the Holy Spirit; hence "blessed are the poor in spirit," those who are humble through the Holy Spirit. And these two readings return, as it were, to the same thing. And he says "poor in spirit" because humility gives the Holy Spirit; Isaiah 66:2: "To whom shall I have respect, but to him that is poor and little, and of a contrite spirit, and that trembles at my words?" To these poor is promised the kingdom, in which supreme excellence is understood. And although this is bestowed in return for any virtue whatsoever, it is nevertheless given especially to humility, because "everyone who humbles himself shall be exalted," below, chapter 23:12. And Proverbs 29:23: "Glory shall uphold the humble in spirit." Or otherwise, according to Jerome: "poor in spirit," to the letter, in the renunciation of temporal things. And he says "in spirit," because some are poor out of necessity, but to them beatitude is not owed, but to those who are poor by will. And these latter are spoken of in two ways: for even if some have riches, yet they do not have them in their heart; Psalm 61:11: "If riches abound, set not your heart upon them." Others neither have them nor desire them, and this is more secure, because the mind is drawn away from spiritual things by riches; and these are properly called poor in spirit, because acts of the gifts, which are above the human manner, belong to the blessed man; and that a man should cast off all riches, so as not even to desire them in any way, this is above the human manner. To these is promised the kingdom of heaven, in which is noted not only the height of honor, but the abundance of riches; James 2:5: "Has not God chosen the poor in this world, rich in faith?" And note that Moses first promised riches; Deuteronomy 28:1: "The Lord your God will make you higher than all the nations that are upon the earth"; and below: "Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed in the field." And therefore, that the Lord might distinguish the old law from the new, he first places beatitude in the contempt of temporal riches. Likewise, according to Augustine, note that this beatitude pertains to the gift of fear, because fear, especially filial fear, makes one have reverence toward God, and from this man holds riches in contempt. Isaiah sets down the beatitudes in descending order; Isaiah 11:1-3: "There shall come forth a rod out of the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise up out of his root, and the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: the spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the spirit of counsel and of fortitude, the spirit of knowledge and of godliness, and he shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord." Christ, conversely, ascends from the gift of fear, that is, from poverty, because Isaiah foretold the coming of Christ to the earth, whereas Christ drew things upward from the earth. "Blessed are the meek." This is the second beatitude; but lest anyone say that poverty alone suffices for beatitude, he shows that it does not suffice: rather, meekness is also required, which tempers anger, just as temperance tempers concupiscence; for he is meek who is not even provoked. Now this can happen through virtue, namely that you not become angry except for a just cause; but if even when you have a just cause you are not provoked, this is above the human manner; and therefore he says "blessed are the meek." For strife arises on account of an abundance of exterior things; and therefore there would never be disturbance, if man did not desire riches; and therefore those who are not meek are not poor in spirit. And for this reason he immediately adds "blessed are the meek." And note that this consists in two things. First, that a man not become angry; second, that if he does become angry, he temper his anger. Thus says Ambrose: "It belongs to the prudent man to temper the movement of anger, nor is it called a lesser virtue to be angry with moderation than not to be angry at all; and I judge the latter to be lighter, the former stronger," etc. Chrysostom says: "Among many eternal promises he places one earthly one." Hence, to the letter, the meek possess this earth. For many strive at law in order to acquire possessions, but frequently lose life and everything; but frequently the meek have everything; Psalm 36:11: "The meek shall inherit the land." But it is better expounded as referring to the future. And then it can be expounded in many ways. Hilary thus: "they shall possess the earth," that is, the glorified body of Christ, because they will be conformed in their own body to that brightness; Isaiah 33:17: "They shall see the king in his beauty; their eyes shall behold the land afar off"; Philippians 3:21: "He will reform the body of our lowness, made like to the body of his glory." Or otherwise: this earth is now the earth of the dead, because it is subject to corruption, but it will be freed from corruption according to the Apostle, Romans 8:21. Therefore this earth, when it will be made bright and freed from the servitude of corruption, will be called the land of the living. Or by "earth" is understood the empyrean heaven, in which the blessed are: and it is called earth, because as earth stands to heaven, so that heaven stands to the heaven of the holy Trinity. Or, "they shall possess the earth," that is, their own glorified body. Augustine expounds it metaphorically, and says that by this is to be understood a certain solidity of the saints in the knowledge of the first truth; Psalm 26:13: "I believe to see the good things of the Lord in the land of the living." This second beatitude is adapted to the gift of piety, because those properly become angry who are not content with the divine ordination. "Blessed are they that mourn," etc. Two beatitudes have been set down, by which we are drawn away from the evil of covetousness and of cruelty; here a third is set down, by which we are drawn away from the evil of harmful or noxious pleasure: and this is "blessed are they that mourn." In the Old Testament earthly things were promised, and earthly gladness; Jeremiah 31:12: "They shall flow together to the good things of the Lord, for the corn, and the wine, and the oil," etc.; and afterward: "Then shall the virgin rejoice in the dance, the young men and the old together." But by contrast the Lord places beatitude in mourning. Now it must be noted that not every kind of weeping can be called mourning, but that by which one weeps for a dead person dear to oneself: for the Lord speaks here by way of excess. Just as above, "blessed are the poor," so here he makes mention of the greatest mourning; for just as those who weep for the dead receive no consolation, so the Lord wishes our life to be in mourning; Jeremiah 6:26: "Make yourself a mourning as for an only son, a bitter lamentation," etc. And this mourning can be expounded in three ways. First, for sins not only one's own but also those of others: for if we mourn carnally for the dead, much more should we mourn spiritually; 1 Kings 16:1: "How long will you mourn for Saul?" etc. Jeremiah 9:1: "Who will give water to my head, and a fountain of tears to my eyes? And I will weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people." Now this beatitude is quite fittingly placed after the one before. For someone might say: it suffices not to do evil; and this is true from the beginning, before sin; but after sin has been committed, it does not suffice unless you make satisfaction. Second, it can be taken of mourning for the sojourn of the present misery; Psalm 119:5: "Woe is me, that my sojourning is prolonged." This is the "watering from above and from below" of which Joshua 15:19 speaks: "weep for your sins, and for the sojourning in the heavenly homeland." Third, according to Augustine, for the mourning which men have for the joys of the world, which they leave behind in coming to Christ: for some men die to the world, and the world dies to them; Galatians 6:14: "By whom the world is crucified to me, and I to the world." Now just as we mourn over the dead, so they mourn: because it cannot be that, in giving something up, they do not feel some sorrow. Now to this threefold mourning a threefold consolation corresponds: for to mourning for sins is given the remission of sins, which David sought, saying, Psalm 50:14: "Restore to me the joy of your salvation." To the delay of the heavenly homeland, and to the sojourn of the present misery, corresponds the consolation of eternal life, of which Jeremiah 31:13: "I will turn their mourning into joy, and will comfort them, and make them joyful after their sorrow"; and Isaiah 66:13: "In Jerusalem you shall be comforted." Third, to mourning corresponds the consolation of divine love: for when someone grieves over the loss of a beloved thing, he receives consolation if he acquires another thing more beloved. Hence men are consoled when, in place of temporal things, they receive spiritual and eternal ones, which is to receive the Holy Spirit; wherefore he is called the Paraclete, John 15:26. For through the Holy Spirit, who is divine love, men will rejoice; John 16:20: "Your sorrow shall be turned into joy." And it must be noted that this beatitude is appropriated to the gift of knowledge, because those mourn who recognize the miseries of others; hence of certain people who do not have this knowledge it is said, Wisdom 14:22: "Living in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace"; conversely, Ecclesiastes 1:18: "He who adds knowledge, adds also labor." And it must be noted that these rewards are so ordered that each successive one adds something over the first. For first he said "blessed are the poor, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"; afterward, "for they shall possess the land": for it is more to possess than merely to have. Likewise, afterward, "for they shall be comforted": for it is more to be comforted than to possess, for some possess these things but do not delight in them. Following upon the beatitudes which pertain to the removal of evil, here is set down the beatitude which pertains to the working of good. Now our good is twofold, namely of justice and of mercy. And therefore he sets down two things. As to the first he says, "blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice." Justice is taken in three ways, according to Chrysostom and the Philosopher. Sometimes it is taken for every virtue: and every virtue is called legal justice, which prescribes concerning the acts of the virtues. Hence insofar as man obeys the law, he fulfills the work of all the virtues. In another way it is taken as it is a special virtue, one of the four cardinal virtues, which is opposed to avarice, or injustice, and concerns buying, selling, and hiring. What is said here, then, "who hunger after justice," can be understood generally or specially. If it is understood of justice in general, this is said for two reasons. The first is Jerome's, who says that it does not suffice for a man to perform the work of justice, unless he perform it with desire; Psalm 53:8: "I will freely sacrifice to you," etc. And elsewhere, Psalm 41:3: "My soul has thirsted after God, the living fountain," etc. Amos 8:11: "I will send a famine into that land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst of water, but of hearing the word of God." Therefore there is hunger when someone works with desire. The other reason: justice is twofold, perfect and imperfect. Perfect justice we cannot have in this world, "for if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us," 1 John 1:8. And Isaiah 64:6: "All our righteousnesses are as a filthy rag." But this we shall have in heaven; Isaiah 60:21: "Your people shall be all just, they shall inherit the land forever." But we can have the desire for justice here; and therefore he says, "blessed are they that hunger and thirst after justice," etc. And this is like what Pythagoras did. For in the time of Pythagoras those who pursued learning were called sophi, that is, wise men; but Pythagoras did not wish to be called sophos, that is, wise, but philosophus, that is, a lover of wisdom: so the Lord wishes that his own be, and be called, lovers of justice. But if it is understood of special justice, which is that man render to each what is his own, it is fittingly said, "blessed are they that hunger," etc.; because hunger and thirst are properly characteristic of the avaricious, since those who desire to possess the goods of others unjustly are never satisfied; hence this hunger of which the Lord speaks is opposed to that, namely to the hunger of the avaricious. And the Lord wishes that we so pant after this justice that we may never, as it were, be satisfied in this life, just as the avaricious man is never satisfied. "Blessed, therefore, are they that hunger and thirst after justice, for they shall be filled." A fitting reward is set down, "they shall be filled," first in the eternal vision, for they shall see God through his essence; Psalm 16:15: "I shall be satisfied when your glory shall appear": for there nothing will remain to be desired; Psalm 102:5: "Who satisfies your desire with good things"; Proverbs 10:24: "The desire of the just shall be granted." Second, in the present life. And this is twofold. One is in spiritual goods, that is, in the fulfilling of God's commandments; John 4:34: "My meat is to do the will of him who sent me, that I may perfect his work": and Augustine expounds it in this way. In another way it is taken of the satisfaction of temporal things. Unjust men are never satisfied, but men who have their limit in justice itself do not go beyond it; Proverbs 13:25: "The just eats and fills his soul." This beatitude, according to Augustine, is reduced to the gift of fortitude, because that a man work justly pertains to fortitude. Likewise it adds something to the reward set down above, because to be filled is to have one's desire wholly fulfilled. Likewise note that first he says "blessed are they that mourn": for when a man is sick, he does not desire to eat, but he begins to desire it when he is beginning to be healed; and so it is in spiritual things, that when men are in sin, they do not feel spiritual hunger, but when they abandon their sins, then they feel it; and therefore he immediately adds "blessed are the merciful": because justice without mercy is cruelty, and mercy without justice is the mother of dissolution. And therefore it is fitting that the two be joined together, according to Proverbs 3:3: "Let mercy and truth not leave you," etc. Psalm 84:11: "Mercy and truth have met each other," etc. "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy." To be merciful is to have a heart made wretched by the wretchedness of others: now we have mercy over the wretchedness of others when we reckon it, as it were, as our own. Now over our own we grieve, and we strive to drive it away. Therefore you are truly merciful when you strive to drive away the wretchedness of others. Now there is a twofold wretchedness of one's neighbor. The first is in these temporal things, and toward this we ought to have a wretched heart; 1 John 3:17: "He who has the substance of this world, and shall see his brother in need, and shall shut up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?" The second is that by which a man is made wretched through sin: for just as beatitude is in the works of the virtues, so wretchedness properly is in vices; Proverbs 14:34: "Sin makes nations miserable." And therefore when we admonish those who are falling to return, we are merciful; below, 9:36: "And Jesus, seeing the crowds, was moved with mercy." These, therefore, the merciful, are blessed. And why? "For they shall obtain mercy." And it must be known that the gifts of God always exceed our merits; Ecclesiasticus 35:13: "For the Lord is one who repays, and he will repay you sevenfold." Therefore the mercy which the Lord will bestow upon us is much greater than that which we bestow upon our neighbor. This mercy is begun in this life in two ways. First, because sins are forgiven; Psalm 102:3: "Who forgives all your iniquities." Second, because he removes temporal defects, so that he makes his sun to rise; yet it will be perfected in the future, when all wretchedness, both of fault and of punishment, will be removed; Psalm 35:6: "O Lord, your mercy is in heaven." And this is "for they shall obtain mercy." This beatitude is reduced to the gift of counsel, because it is a singular counsel that amid the dangers of this world we should obtain mercy; 1 Timothy 4:8: "Godliness is profitable for all things"; Daniel 4:24: "Let my counsel be acceptable to the king." Thus, then, the acts of the virtues have been set down, by which we are removed from evil and by which we work good. Now are set down the acts by which we are disposed to the best; hence, "blessed are the clean of heart," etc. This beatitude consists in two things: in the vision of God and in the love of neighbor; hence he first sets down the beatitude which pertains to the vision of God, and second the beatitude which pertains to the love of neighbor, where he says "blessed are the peacemakers," etc. He says, therefore, "blessed are the clean of heart, for they shall see God." Here first there is a literal question. For we have it that God cannot be seen: 1 John 4:12: "No man has seen God at any time." And lest anyone should say that, although no one sees him in the present, he will see him in the future, the Apostle removes this, 1 Timothy 6:16: "He inhabits light inaccessible, whom no man has seen, nor can see." But it must be known that on this point there are diverse opinions. For some have held that God is never seen through his essence, but only in some refulgence of his brightness; but the Gloss rejects this, on the text of Exodus 33:20, "Man shall not see me, and live," for two reasons. First, because this is repugnant to the authority of sacred Scripture, 1 John 3:2: "We shall see him as he is." Likewise 1 Corinthians 13:12: "We see now through a glass in a dark manner, but then face to face." Likewise it is repugnant to reason, because the beatitude of man is the ultimate good of man, in which his desire is set at rest. Now it is a natural desire that a man, seeing effects, should inquire concerning the cause: hence too the wonder of the philosophers was the origin of philosophy, because seeing effects they marveled, and sought the cause. This desire, therefore, will not be set at rest, until it arrives at the first cause, which is God, namely at the divine essence itself. He will therefore be seen through his essence. Others have erred even more in holding the contrary: for they said that we shall see the essence of God not only with the eye of the mind, but also with that of the body, and that Christ sees the divine essence with a bodily eye. But this is not fitting: which is clear, first, from the authority set down here, because he would not have said "blessed are the clean of heart," but "blessed are they that have clean and pure eyes." Therefore he gives us to understand that God is seen only by the heart, that is, by the intellect: for "heart" is taken here in the same way as in Ephesians 1:18, "the eyes of your heart being enlightened." Second, because a bodily sense can attain only to its own object; and if it be said that then it will have a greater power, it must be said that then it would not be bodily vision, because the bodily eye sees nothing but colors, and the essence only accidentally, according to Augustine, City of God, last book, chapter 19. Just as when I see a living thing, we can say that I see life, insofar as I see certain signs by which its life is indicated to me; so it will be in the divine vision, because there will be so great a refulgence in the new heaven, and the new earth, and in glorified bodies, that through these we shall be said to see God as it were with bodily eyes. "Blessed, therefore, are the clean of heart," etc. He resolves the text, "no man has seen God at any time," in three ways. First, because not by a comprehensive vision; second, not with bodily eyes; third, not in this life: for if it was granted to anyone to see God in this life, this was because he was totally taken out of himself and raised above the bodily senses. And therefore it is said "blessed are the clean of heart": because just as the eye which sees color must be clear, so must the mind which sees God; Wisdom 1:1: "Seek him in simplicity of heart, for he is found by those who do not tempt him; and he appears to those who have faith in him": for by faith the heart is purified; Acts 15:9: "Purifying their hearts by faith." And because vision will succeed to faith, therefore it is said, "for they shall see God." "Blessed are the clean of heart," namely those who have a general cleanness from alien thoughts, through which their heart is a holy temple of God, in which they see God to be contemplated: for "temple" seems to be named from "contemplating." But specially, "blessed are the clean of heart," that is, those who have cleanness of the flesh: for nothing so impedes spiritual contemplation as uncleanness of the flesh. "Follow peace, and holiness, without which no man shall see God," Hebrews 12:14. And therefore some say that the moral virtues are of profit for the contemplative life, and especially chastity. And according to this, "blessed are the clean of heart" can be understood of the vision proper to this present life: for the saints who have a heart filled with justice see more excellently than others who see through bodily effects; for the nearer effects are, the more God is known through them. Hence the saints, who have justice, charity, and effects of this kind, which are most similar to God, know more than others; Psalm 33:9: "Taste, and see that the Lord is sweet." "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called the children of God." Here is set down the seventh beatitude; and, as has been said, the virtues that dispose to the best dispose to two things, namely to the vision of God and to love. And just as cleanness of heart disposes to the vision of God, so peace disposes to the love of God, by which we are named and are the children of God; and thus it also disposes to the love of neighbor, because, as is said in 1 John 4:20, "he who does not love his brother whom he sees, how can he love God whom he does not see?" And it must be noted that here two rewards of beatitude are set down, namely "blessed are the peacemakers," and "blessed are they that suffer persecution for justice's sake." And all the preceding beatitudes are reduced to these two, and are the effects of all the preceding ones. For what is achieved through poverty of spirit, through mourning, through meekness, except that one should have a clean heart? What through justice and mercy, except that we should have peace? Isaiah 32:17: "The fruit of justice is peace, and the cultivation of justice, quietness and security forever." "Blessed, therefore, are the peacemakers." But it must be seen what peace is, and how we can arrive at it. Peace is the tranquility of order. Now order is the disposition which gives to equal and unequal things their proper places. Therefore peace consists in this, that all things hold their proper places. Hence the mind of man ought, first, to be subject to God. Second, the lower movements and powers, which are common to us and to brute animals, ought to be subject to man: for by reason man rules over the animals; Genesis 1:26: "Let us make man to our image and likeness, and let him have dominion over the fishes of the sea, and the fowls of the air, and the beasts, and the whole earth, and every creeping creature that moves upon the earth." Third, that man have peace toward others, for thus he will be wholly ordered. Now this ordering can exist only in holy men; Psalm 118:165: "Much peace have they that love your name"; Isaiah 48:22: "There is no peace to the wicked": for they cannot have interior peace; Wisdom 14:22: "Living in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace." Such peace the world cannot give; John 14:27: "Not as the world gives do I give to you." Likewise, all this alone does not suffice, but they ought to make peace among those who are at discord; Proverbs 12:20: "Joy follows them that take counsels of peace." Yet it must be known that this peace is begun here, but is not perfected, because no one can have all his brutish movements wholly subject to reason; Romans 7:23: "I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and captivating me in the law of sin which is in my members." Hence it will be true in eternal life; Psalm 4:9: "In peace, in the very same, I will sleep, and I will rest"; Philippians 4:7: "The peace of God surpasses all understanding." "For they shall be called the children of God," for a threefold reason. The first is, because they have the office of the son of God: for the Son is said to have come into the world for this, that he might gather together the scattered; Ephesians 2:14: "For he is our peace"; Colossians 1:20: "Making peace through the blood of his cross, both as to the things on earth and the things in heaven." Second, because through peace, together with charity, one arrives at the eternal kingdom, in which all are called children of God; Wisdom 5:5: "Behold how they are numbered among the children of God, and their lot is among the saints." Ephesians 4:3: "Careful to keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace." Third, because through this man is made like to God, because where there is peace, there is no resistance; but no one can resist God; Job 9:4: "Who has resisted him, and had peace?" And it must be noted that these beatitudes each add something over the one before: for it is more to obtain mercy than to be filled, because to be filled is to be filled with what is proportioned to oneself, but mercy overflows abundantly. Likewise, not all who receive mercy are admitted by the king to see the king. Likewise, it is more to be a son of the king than to see the king. And yet it must be known that by all these one single reward is designated. But why did the Lord wish to signify that by so many things? It must be said that all the things which are divided in lower things are gathered together in higher things. And because in human affairs these are found dispersed, and we are led by the hand through sensible things, therefore the Lord signified that one eternal reward through many things. Now this seventh beatitude is adapted to the gift of wisdom, for wisdom makes one a child of God. Likewise it must be noted that in the seventh beatitude peace is set down, just as on the seventh day there is rest, Genesis 2:2. Following upon this the eighth beatitude is set down, which designates the perfection of all the preceding ones: for then is a man perfect in all of them, when he abandons none of them on account of tribulations; Ecclesiasticus 27:6: "The furnace tries the potter's vessels, and the trial of tribulation just men." "Blessed, therefore, are they that suffer persecution," etc. But someone, perhaps, hearing "blessed are the peacemakers," will say that these are not blessed on account of persecution, because persecution disturbs peace, or takes it away entirely; but certainly not interior peace, only exterior; Psalm 118:165: "Much peace have they that love your law," etc. Now persecution itself does not make one blessed, but its cause: hence he says "for justice's sake"; 1 Peter 3:14: "If you suffer anything for justice's sake, blessed are you." Chrysostom: he does not say "by the pagans and for the faith," but "for justice's sake."”

“Christ begins his sermon with blessings, for he came into the world to bless us (Act 3:26), as the great High Priest of our profession; as the blessed Melchizedec; as He in whom all the families of the earth should be blessed, Gen 12:3. He came not only to purchase blessings for us, but to pour out and pronounce blessings on us; and here he does it as one having authority, as one that can command the blessing, even life for evermore, and that is the blessing here again and again promised to the good; his pronouncing them happy makes them so; for those whom he blesses, are blessed indeed. The Old Testament ended with a curse (Mal 4:6), the gospel begins with a blessing; for hereunto are we called, that we should inherit the blessing. Each of the blessings Christ here pronounces has a double intention: 1. To show who they are that are to be accounted truly happy, and what their characters are. 2. What that is wherein true happiness consists, in the promises made to persons of certain characters, the performance of which will make them happy. Now, 1. This is designed to rectify the ruinous mistakes of a blind and carnal world. Blessedness is the thing which men pretend to pursue; Who will make us to see good? Psa 4:6. But most mistake the end, and form a wrong notion of happiness; and then no wonder that they miss the way; they choose their own delusions, and court a shadow. The general opinion is, Blessed are they that are rich, and great, and honourable in the world; they spend their days in mirth, and their years in pleasure; they eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and carry all before them with a high hand, and have every sheaf bowing to their sheaf; happy the people that is in such a case; and their designs, aims, and purposes are accordingly; they bless the covetous (Psa 10:3); they will be rich. Now our Lord Jesus comes to correct this fundamental error, to advance a new hypothesis, and to give us quite another notion of blessedness and blessed people, which, however paradoxical it may appear to those who are prejudiced, yet is in itself, and appears to be to all who are savingly enlightened, a rule and doctrine of eternal truth and certainty, by which we must shortly be judged. If this, therefore, be the beginning of Christ's doctrine, the beginning of a Christian's practice must be to take his measures of happiness from those maxims, and to direct his pursuits accordingly. 2. It is designed to remove the discouragements of the weak and poor who receive the gospel, by assuring them that his gospel did not make those only happy that were eminent in gifts, graces, comforts, and usefulness; but that even the least in the kingdom of heaven, whose heart was upright with God, was happy in the honours and privileges of that kingdom. 3. It is designed to invite souls to Christ, and to make way for his law into their hearts. Christ's pronouncing these blessings, not at the end of his sermon, to dismiss the people, but at the beginning of it, to prepare them for what he had further to say to them, may remind us of mount Gerizim and mount Ebal, on which the blessings and cursings of the law were read, Deu 27:12, etc. There the curses are expressed, and the blessings only implied; here the blessings are expressed, and the curses implied: in both, life and death are set before us; but the law appeared more as a ministration of death, to deter us from sin; the gospel as a dispensation of life, to allure us to Christ, in whom alone all good is to be had. And those who had seen the gracious cures wrought by his hand (Mat 4:23, Mat 4:24), and now heard the gracious words proceeding out of his mouth, would say that he was all of a piece, made up of love and sweetness. 4. It is designed to settle and sum up the articles of agreement between God and man. The scope of the divine revelation is to let us know what God expects from us, and what we may then expect from him; and no where is this more fully set forth in a few words than here, nor with a more exact reference to each other; and this is that gospel which we are required to believe; for what is faith but a conformity to these characters, and a dependence upon these promises? The way to happiness is here opened, and made a highway (Isa 35:8); and this coming from the mouth of Jesus Christ, it is intimated that from him, and by him, we are to receive both the seed and the fruit, both the grace required, and the glory promised. Nothing passes between God and fallen man, but through his hand. Some of the wiser heathen had notions of blessedness different from the rest of mankind, and looking toward this of our Saviour. Seneca, undertaking to describe a blessed man, makes it out, that it is only an honest, good man that is to be so called: De Vit Beat. cap. 4. Cui nullum bonum malumque sit, nisi bonus malusque animus - Quem nec extollant fortuita, nec frangant - Cui vera voluptas erit voluptatum comtemplio - Cui unum bonum honestas, unum malum turpitudo. - In whose estimation nothing is good or evil, but a good or evil heart - Whom no occurrences elate or deject - Whose true pleasure consists in a contempt of pleasure - To whom the only good is virtue, and the only evil vice. Our Saviour here gives us eight characters of blessed people; which represent to us the principal graces of a Christian. On each of them a present blessing is pronounced; Blessed are they; and to each a future blessing is promised, which is variously expressed, so as to suit the nature of the grace or duty recommended. Do we ask then who are happy? It is answered, I. The poor in spirit are happy, Mat 5:3. There is a poor-spiritedness that is so far from making men blessed that it is a sin and a snare - cowardice and base fear, and a willing subjection to the lusts of men. But this poverty of spirit is a gracious disposition of soul, by which we are emptied of self, in order to our being filled with Jesus Christ. To be poor in spirit is, 1. To be contentedly poor, willing to be emptied of worldly wealth, if God orders that to be our lot; to bring our mind to our condition, when it is a low condition. Many are poor in the world, but high in spirit, poor and proud, murmuring and complaining, and blaming their lot, but we must accommodate ourselves to our poverty, must know how to be abased, Phi 4:12. Acknowledging the wisdom of God in appointing us to poverty, we must be easy in it, patiently bear the inconveniences of it, be thankful for what we have, and make the best of that which is. It is to sit loose to all worldly wealth, and not set our hearts upon it, but cheerfully to bear losses and disappointments which may befall us in the most prosperous state. It is not, in pride or pretence, to make ourselves poor, by throwing away what God has given us, especially as those in the church of Rome, who vow poverty, and yet engross the wealth of the nations; but if we be rich in the world we must be poor in spirit, that is, we must condescend to the poor and sympathize with them, as being touched with the feeling of their infirmities; we must expect and prepare for poverty; must not inordinately fear or shun it, but must bid it welcome, especially when it comes upon us for keeping a good conscience, Heb 10:34. Job was poor in spirit, when he blessed God in taking away, as well as giving. 2. It is to be humble and lowly in our own eyes. To be poor in spirit, is to think meanly of ourselves, of what we are, and have, and do; the poor are often taken in the Old Testament for the humble and self-denying, as opposed to those that are at ease, and the proud; it is to be as little children in our opinion of ourselves, weak, foolish, and insignificant, Mat 18:4; Mat 19:14. Laodicea was poor in spirituals, wretchedly and miserably poor, and yet rich in spirit, so well increased with goods, as to have need of nothing, Rev 3:17. On the other hand, Paul was rich in spirituals, excelling most in gifts and graces, and yet poor in spirit, the least of the apostles, less than the least of all saints, and nothing in his own account. It is to look with a holy contempt upon ourselves, to value others and undervalue ourselves in comparison of them. It is to be willing to make ourselves cheap, and mean, and little, to do good; to become all things to all men. It is to acknowledge that God is great, and we are mean; that he is holy and we are sinful; that he is all and we are nothing, less than nothing, worse than nothing; and to humble ourselves before him, and under his mighty hand. 3. It is to come off from all confidence in our own righteousness and strength, that we may depend only upon the merit of Christ for our justification, and the spirit and grace of Christ for our sanctification. That broken and contrite spirit with which the publican cried for mercy to a poor sinner, is that poverty of spirit. We must call ourselves poor, because always in want of God's grace, always begging at God's door, always hanging on in his house. Now, (1.) This poverty in spirit is put first among the Christian graces. The philosophers did not reckon humility among their moral virtues, but Christ puts it first. Self-denial is the first lesson to be learned in his school, and poverty of spirit entitled to the first beatitude. The foundation of all other graces is laid in humility. Those who would build high must begin low; and it is an excellent preparative for the entrance of gospel-grace into the soul; it fits the soil to receive the seed. Those who are weary and heavy laden, are the poor in spirit, and they shall find rest with Christ. (2.) They are blessed. Now they are so, in this world. God looks graciously upon them. They are his little ones, and have their angels. To them he gives more grace; they live the most comfortable lives, and are easy to themselves and all about them, and nothing comes amiss to them; while high spirits are always uneasy. (3.) Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of grace is composed of such; they only are fit to be members of Christ's church, which is called the congregation of the poor (Psa 74:19); the kingdom of glory is prepared for them. Those who thus humble themselves, and comply with God when he humbles them, shall be thus exalted. The great, high spirits go away with the glory of the kingdoms of the earth; but the humble, mild, and yielding souls obtain the glory of the kingdom of heaven. We are ready to think concerning those who are rich, and do good with their riches, that, no doubt, theirs is the kingdom of heaven; for they can thus lay up in store a good security for the time to come; but what shall the poor do, who have not wherewithal to do good? Why, the same happiness is promised to those who are contentedly poor, as to those who are usefully rich. If I am not able to spend cheerfully for his sake, if I can but want cheerfully for his sake, even that shall be recompensed. And do not we serve a good master then? II. They that mourn are happy (Mat 5:4); Blessed are they that mourn. This is another strange blessing, and fitly follows the former. The poor are accustomed to mourn, the graciously poor mourn graciously. We are apt to think, Blessed are the merry; but Christ, who was himself a great mourner, says, Blessed are the mourners. There is a sinful mourning, which is an enemy to blessedness - the sorrow of the world; despairing melancholy upon a spiritual account, and disconsolate grief upon a temporal account. There is a natural mourning, which may prove a friend to blessedness, by the grace of God working with it, and sanctifying the afflictions to us, for which we mourn. But there is a gracious mourning, which qualifies for blessedness, an habitual seriousness, the mind mortified to mirth, and an actual sorrow. 1. A penitential mourning for our own sins; this is godly sorrow, a sorrow according to God; sorrow for sin, with an eye to Christ, Zac 12:10. Those are God's mourners, who live a life of repentance, who lament the corruption of their nature, and their many actual transgressions, and God's withdrawings from them; and who, out of regard to God's honour, mourn also for the sins of others, and sigh and cry for their abominations, Eze 9:4. 2. A sympathizing mourning for the afflictions of others; the mourning of those who weep with them that weep, are sorrowful for the solemn assemblies, for the desolations of Zion (Zep 3:18; Psa 137:1), especially who look with compassion on perishing souls, and weep over them, as Christ over Jerusalem. Now these gracious mourners, (1.) Are blessed. As in vain and sinful laughter the heart is sorrowful, so in gracious mourning the heart has a serious joy, a secret satisfaction, which a stranger does not intermeddle with. They are blessed, for they are like the Lord Jesus, who was a man of sorrows, and of whom we never read that he laughed, but often that he wept. The are armed against the many temptations that attend vain mirth, and are prepared for the comforts of a sealed pardon and a settled peace. (2.) They shall be comforted. Though perhaps they are not immediately comforted, yet plentiful provision is made for their comfort; light is sown for them; and in heaven, it is certain, they shall be comforted, as Lazarus, Luk 16:25. Note, The happiness of heaven consists in being perfectly and eternally comforted, and in the wiping away of all tears from their eyes. It is the joy of our Lord; a fulness of joy and pleasures for evermore; which will be doubly sweet to those who have been prepared for them by this godly sorrow. Heaven will be a heaven indeed to those who go mourning thither; it will be a harvest of joy, the return of a seed-time of tears (Psa 126:5, Psa 126:6); a mountain of joy, to which our way lies through a vale of tears. See Isa 66:10. III. The meek are happy (Mat 5:5); Blessed are the meek. The meek are those who quietly submit themselves to God, to his word and to his rod, who follow his directions, and comply with his designs, and are gentle towards all men (Tit 3:2); who can bear provocation without being inflamed by it; are either silent, or return a soft answer; and who can show their displeasure when there is occasion for it, without being transported into any indecencies; who can be cool when others are hot; and in their patience keep possession of their own souls, when they can scarcely keep possession of any thing else. They are the meek, who are rarely and hardly provoked, but quickly and easily pacified; and who would rather forgive twenty injuries than revenge one, having the rule of their own spirits. These meek ones are here represented as happy, even in this world. 1. They are blessed, for they are like the blessed Jesus, in that wherein particularly they are to learn of him, Mat 11:29. They are like the blessed God himself, who is Lord of his anger, and in whom fury is not. They are blessed, for they have the most comfortable, undisturbed enjoyment of themselves, their friends, their God; they are fit for any relation, and condition, any company; fit to live, and fit to die. 2. They shall inherit the earth; it is quoted from Psa 37:11, and it is almost the only express temporal promise in all the New Testament. Not that they shall always have much of the earth, much less that they shall be put off with that only; but this branch of godliness has, in a special manner, the promise of life that now is. Meekness, however ridiculed and run down, has a real tendency to promote our health, wealth, comfort, and safety, even in this world. The meek and quiet are observed to live the most easy lives, compared with the froward and turbulent. Or, They shall inherit the land (so it may be read), the land of Canaan, a type of heaven. So that all the blessedness of heaven above, and all the blessings of earth beneath, are the portion of the meek. IV. They that hunger and thirst after righteousness are happy, Mat 5:6. Some understand this as a further instance of our outward poverty, and a low condition in this world, which not only exposes men to injury and wrong, but makes it in vain for them to seek to have justice done to them; they hunger and thirst after it, but such is the power on the side of their oppressors, that they cannot have it; they desire only that which is just and equal, but it is denied them by those that neither fear God nor regard men. This is a melancholy case! Yet, blessed are they, if they suffer these hardships for and with a good conscience; let them hope in God, who will see justice done, right take place, and will deliver the poor from their oppressors, Psa 103:6. Those who contentedly bear oppression, and quietly refer themselves to God to plead their cause, shall in due time be satisfied, abundantly satisfied, in the wisdom and kindness which shall be manifested in his appearances for them. But it is certainly to be understood spiritually, of such a desire as, being terminated on such an object, is gracious, and the work of God's grace in the soul, and qualifies for the gifts of the divine favour. 1. Righteousness is here put for all spiritual blessings. See Psa 24:5; Mat 6:33. They are purchased for us by the righteousness of Christ; conveyed and secured by the imputation of that righteousness to us; and confirmed by the faithfulness of God. To have Christ made of God to us righteousness, and to be made the righteousness of God in him; to have the whole man renewed in righteousness, so as to become a new man, and to bear the image of God; to have an interest in Christ and the promises - this is righteousness. 2. These we must hunger and thirst after. We must truly and really desire them, as one who is hungry and thirsty desires meat and drink, who cannot be satisfied with any thing but meat and drink, and will be satisfied with them, though other things be wanting. Our desires of spiritual blessings must be earnest and importunate; "Give me these, or else I die; every thing else is dross and chaff, unsatisfying; give me these, and I have enough, though I had nothing else." Hunger and thirst are appetites that return frequently, and call for fresh satisfactions; so these holy desires rest not in any thing attained, but are carried out toward renewed pardons, and daily fresh supplies of grace. The quickened soul calls for constant meals of righteousness, grace to do the work of every day in its day, as duly as the living body calls for food. Those who hunger and thirst will labour for supplies; so we must not only desire spiritual blessings, but take pains for them in the use of the appointed means. Dr. Hammond, in his practical Catechism, distinguishes between hunger and thirst. Hunger is a desire of food to sustain, such as sanctifying righteousness. Thirst is the desire of drink to refresh, such as justifying righteousness, and the sense of our pardon. Those who hunger and thirst after spiritual blessings, are blessed in those desires, and shall be filled with those blessings. (1.) They are blessed in those desires. Though all desires of grace are not grace (feigned, faint desires are not), yet such a desire as this is; it is an evidence of something good, and an earnest of something better. It is a desire of God's own raising, and he will not forsake the work of his own hands. Something or other the soul will be hungering and thirsting after; therefore they are blessed who fasten upon the right object, which is satisfying, and not deceiving; and do not pant after the dust of the earth, Amo 2:7; Isa 55:2. (2.) They shall be filled with those blessings. God will give them what they desire to complete their satisfaction. It is God only who can fill a soul, whose grace and favour are adequate to its just desires; and he will fill those with grace for grace, who, in a sense of their own emptiness, have recourse to his fulness. He fills the hungry (Luk 1:53), satiates them, Jer 31:25. The happiness of heaven will certainly fill the soul; their righteousness shall be complete, the favour of God and his image, both in their full perfection. V. The merciful are happy, Mat 5:7. This, like the rest, is a paradox; for the merciful are not taken to be the wisest, nor are likely to be the richest; yet Christ pronounces them blessed. Those are the merciful, who are piously and charitably inclined to pity, help, and succour persons in misery. A man may be truly merciful, who has not wherewithal to be bountiful or liberal; and then God accepts the willing mind. We must not only bear our own afflictions patiently, but we must, by Christian sympathy, partake of the afflictions of our brethren; pity must be shown (Job 6:14), and bowels of mercy put on (Col 3:12); and, being put on, they must put forth themselves in contributing all we can for the assistance of those who are any way in misery. We must have compassion on the souls of others, and help them; pity the ignorant, and instruct them; the careless, and warn them; those who are in a state of sin, and snatch them as brands out of the burning. We must have compassion on those who are melancholy and in sorrow, and comfort them (Job 16:5); on those whom we have advantage against, and not be rigorous and severe with them; on those who are in want, and supply them; which if we refuse to do, whatever we pretend, we shut up the bowels of our compassion, Jam 2:15, Jam 2:16; Jo1 3:17. Draw out they soul by dealing thy bread to the hungry, Isa 58:7, Isa 58:10. Nay, a good man is merciful to his beast. Now as to the merciful. 1. They are blessed; so it was said in the Old Testament; Blessed is he that considers the poor, Psa 41:1. Herein they resemble God, whose goodness is his glory; in being merciful as he is merciful, we are, in our measure, perfect as he is perfect. It is an evidence of love to God; it will be a satisfaction to ourselves, to be any way instrumental for the benefit of others. One of the purest and most refined delights in this world, is that of doing good. In this word, Blessed are the merciful, is included that saying of Christ, which otherwise we find not in the gospels, It is more blessed to give than to receive, Act 20:35. 2. They shall obtain mercy; mercy with men, when they need it; he that watereth, shall be watered also himself (we know not how soon we may stand in need of kindness, and therefore should be kind); but especially mercy with God, for with the merciful he will show himself merciful, Psa 18:25. The most merciful and charitable cannot pretend to merit, but must fly to mercy. The merciful shall find with God sparing mercy (Mat 6:14), supplying mercy (Pro 19:17), sustaining mercy (Psa 41:2), mercy in that day (Ti2 1:18); may, they shall inherit the kingdom prepared for them (Mat 25:34, Mat 25:35); whereas they shall have judgment without mercy (which can be nothing short of hell-fire) who have shown no mercy. VI. The pure in heart are happy (Mat 5:8); Blessed are the poor in heart, for they shall see God. This is the most comprehensive of all the beatitudes; here holiness and happiness are fully described and put together. 1. Here is the most comprehensive character of the blessed: they are pure in heart. Note, True religion consists in heart-purity. Those who are inwardly pure, show themselves to be under the power of pure and undefiled religion. True Christianity lies in the heart, in the purity of heart; the washing of that from wickedness, Jer 4:14. We must lift up to God, not only clean hands, but a pure heart, Psa 24:4, Psa 24:5; Ti1 1:5. The heart must be pure, in opposition to mixture - an honest heart that aims well; and pure, in opposition to pollution and defilement; as wine unmixed, as water unmuddied. The heart must be kept pure from fleshly lusts, all unchaste thoughts and desires; and from worldly lusts; covetousness is called filthy lucre; from all filthiness of flesh and spirit, all that which come out of the heart, and defiles the man. The heart must be purified by faith, and entire for God; must be presented and preserved a chaste virgin to Christ. Create in me such a clean heart, O God! 2. Here is the most comprehensive comfort of the blessed; They shall see God. Note, (1.) It is the perfection of the soul's happiness to see God; seeing him, as we may by faith in our present state, is a heaven upon earth; and seeing him as we shall in the future state, in the heaven of heaven. To see him as he is, face to face, and no longer through a glass darkly; to see him as ours, and to see him and enjoy him; to see him and be like him, and be satisfied with that likeness (Psa 17:15); and to see him for ever, and never lose the sight of him; this is heaven's happiness. (2.) The happiness of seeing God is promised to those, and those only, who are pure in heart. None but the pure are capable of seeing God, nor would it be a felicity to the impure. What pleasure could an unsanctified soul take in the vision of a holy God? As he cannot endure to look upon their iniquity, so they cannot endure to look upon his purity; nor shall any unclean thing enter into the new Jerusalem; but all that are pure in heart, all that are truly sanctified, have desires wrought in them, which nothing but the sight of God will sanctify; and divine grace will not leave those desires unsatisfied. VII. The peace-makers are happy, Mat 5:9. The wisdom that is from above is first pure, and then peaceable; the blessed ones are pure toward God, and peaceable toward men; for with reference to both, conscience must be kept void of offence. The peace-makers are those who have, 1. A peaceable disposition: as, to make a lie, is to be given and addicted to lying, so, to make peace, is to have a strong and hearty affection to peace. I am for peace, Psa 120:7. It is to love, and desire, and delight in peace; to be put in it as in our element, and to study to be quiet. 2. A peaceable conversation; industriously, as far as we can, to preserve the peace that it be not broken, and to recover it when it is broken; to hearken to proposals of peace ourselves, and to be ready to make them to others; where distance is among brethren and neighbours, to do all we can to accommodate it, and to be repairers of the breaches. The making of peace is sometimes a thankless office, and it is the lot of him who parts a fray, to have blows on both sides; yet it is a good office, and we must be forward to it. Some think that this is intended especially as a lesson for ministers, who should do all they can to reconcile those who are at variance, and to promote Christian love among those under their charge. Now, (1.) Such persons are blessed; for they have the satisfaction of enjoying themselves, by keeping the peace, and of being truly serviceable to others, by disposing them to peace. They are working together with Christ, who came into the world to slay all enmities, and to proclaim peace on earth. (2.) They shall be called the children of God; it will be an evidence to themselves that they are so; God will own them as such, and herein they will resemble him. He is the God of peace; the Son of God is the Prince of peace; the Spirit of adoption is a Spirit of peace. Since God has declared himself reconcilable to us all, he will not own those for his children who are implacable in their enmity to one another; for if the peacemakers are blessed, woe to the peace-breakers! Now by this it appears, that Christ never intended to have his religion propagated by fire and sword, or penal laws, or to acknowledge bigotry, or intemperate zeal, as the mark of his disciples. The children of this world love to fish in troubled waters, but the children of God are the peace-makers, the quiet in the land. VIII. Those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, are happy. This is the greatest paradox of all, and peculiar to Christianity; and therefore it is put last, and more largely insisted upon than any of the rest, Mat 5:10-12. This beatitude, like Pharaoh's dream, is doubled, because hardly credited, and yet the thing is certain; and in the latter part there is change of the person, "Blessed are ye - ye my disciples, and immediate followers. This is that which you, who excel in virtue, are more immediately concerned in; for you must reckon upon hardships and troubles more than other men." Observe here, 1. The case of suffering saints described; and it is a hard case, and a very piteous one. (1.) They are persecuted, hunted, pursued, run down, as noxious beasts are, that are sought for to be destroyed; as if a Christian did caput gerere lupinum - bear a wolf's head, as an outlaw is said to do - any one that finds him may slay him; they are abandoned as the offscouring of all things; fined, imprisoned, banished, stripped of their estates, excluded from all places of profit and trust, scourged, racked, tortured, always delivered to death, and accounted as sheep for the slaughter. This has been the effect of the enmity of the serpent's seed against the holy seed, ever since the time of righteous Abel. It was so in Old Testament times, as we find, Heb 11:35, etc. Christ has told us that it would much more be so with the Christian church, and we are not to think it strange, Jo1 3:13. He has left us an example. (2.) The are reviled, and have all manner of evil said against them falsely. Nicknames, and names of reproach, are fastened upon them, upon particular persons, and upon the generation of the righteous in the gross, to render them odious; sometimes to make them formidable, that they may be powerfully assailed; things are laid to their charge that they knew not, Psa 35:11; Jer 20:18; Act 17:6, Act 17:7. Those who have had no power in their hands to do them any other mischief, could yet do this; and those who have had power to persecute, had found it necessary to do this too, to justify themselves in their barbarous usage of them; they could not have baited them, if they had not dressed them in bear-skins; nor have given them the worst of treatment, if they had not first represented them as the worst of men. They will revile you, and persecute you. Note, Reviling the saints is persecuting them, and will be found so shortly, when hard speeches must be accounted for (Jde 1:15), and cruel mockings, Heb 11:36. They will say all manner of evil of you falsely; sometimes before the seat of judgment, as witnesses; sometimes in the seat of the scornful, with hypocritical mockers at feasts; they are the song of the drunkards; sometimes to face their faces, as Shimei cursed David; sometimes behind their backs, as the enemies of Jeremiah did. Note, There is no evil so black and horrid, which, at one time or other, has not been said, falsely, of Christ's disciples and followers. (3.) All this is for righteousness' sake (Mat 5:10); for my sake, Mat 5:11. If for righteousness' sake, then for Christ's sake, for he is nearly interested in the work of righteousness. Enemies to righteousness are enemies to Christ. This precludes those from the blessedness who suffer justly, and are evil spoken of truly for their real crimes; let such be ashamed and confounded, it is part of their punishment; it is not the suffering, but the cause, that makes the martyr. Those suffer for righteousness' sake, who suffer because they will not sin against their consciences, and who suffer for doing that which is good. Whatever pretence persecutors have, it is the power of godliness that they have an enmity to; it is really Christ and his righteousness that are maligned, hated, and persecuted; For thy sake I have borne reproach, Psa 69:9; Rom 8:36. 2. The comforts of suffering saints laid down. (1.) They are blessed; for they now, in their life-time, receive their evil things (Luk 16:25), and receive them upon a good account. They are blessed; for it is an honour to them (Act 5:41); it is an opportunity of glorifying Christ, of doing good, and of experiencing special comforts and visits of grace and tokens of his presence, Co2 1:5; Dan 3:25; Rom 8:29. (2.) They shall be recompensed; Theirs is the kingdom of heaven. They have at present a sure title to it, and sweet foretastes of it; and shall ere long be in possession of it. Though there be nothing in those sufferings than can, in strictness, merit of God (for the sins of the best deserve the worst), yet this is here promised as a reward (Mat 5:12); Great is your reward in heaven: so great, as far to transcend the service. It is in heaven, future, and out of sight; but well secured, out of the reach of chance, fraud, and violence. Note, God will provide that those who lose for him, though it be life itself, shall not lose by him in the end. Heaven, at last, will be an abundant recompence for all the difficulties we meet with in our way. This is that which has borne up the suffering sai”

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,.... Not the poor in purse, or who are so with respect to things temporal: for though God has chosen and called many, who are in such a condition of life, yet not all; the kingdom of heaven cannot be said to belong to them all, or only; but such as are poor in a spiritual sense. All mankind are spiritually poor; they have nothing to eat that is fit and proper; nor any clothes to wear, but rags; nor are they able to purchase either; they have no money to buy with; they are in debt, owe ten thousand talents, and have nothing to pay; and in such a condition, that they are not able to help themselves. The greater part of mankind are insensible of this their condition; but think themselves rich, and increased with goods: there are some who are sensible of it, who see their poverty and want, freely acknowledge it, bewail it, and mourn over it; are humbled for it, and are broken under a sense of it; entertain low and mean thoughts of themselves; seek after the true riches, both of grace and glory; and frankly acknowledge, that all they have, or hope to have, is owing to the free grace of God. Now these are the persons intended in this place; who are not only "poor", but are poor "in spirit"; in their own spirits, in their own sense, apprehension, and judgment: and may even be called "beggars", as the word may be rendered; for being sensible of their poverty, they place themselves at the door of mercy, and knock there; their language is, "God be merciful"; their posture is standing, watching, and waiting, at wisdom's gates, and at the posts of her door; they are importunate, will have no denial, yet receive the least favour with thankfulness. Now these are pronounced "blessed", for this reason, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven; not only the Gospel, and the ministration of it, which belongs to them. "The poor have the Gospel preached": it not only reaches their ears, but their hearts; it enters into them, is applied unto them, they receive and embrace it with the utmost joy and gladness; but eternal glory, this is prepared for them, and given to them; they are born heirs of it, have a right unto it, are making meet for it, and shall enjoy it.”

“The poor in spirit; [1] which, according to the common exposition, signifies the humble of mind and heart. Yet some understand it of such as are truly in poverty and want, and who bear their indigent condition with patience and resignation. (Witham) — That is, the humble; and they whose spirit is not set upon riches. (Challoner) — It is not without reason that the beatitudes are disposed of in this order. Each preceding one prepares the way for what immediately follows, furnishing us in particular with spiritual arms of such graces as are necessary for obtaining the virtue of the subsequent beatitude. Thus the poor in spirit, i.e. the truly humble, will mourn for their transgressions, and whoever is filled with sorrow and confusion for his own sins, cannot but be just, and behave to others with meekness and clemency; when possessed of these virtues, he then becomes pure and clean of heart. Peace of conscience reigns in this assemblage of virtues, and cannot be expelled the soul by any tribulations, persecutions, or injustices of men. (St. Chrysostom, hom. xv.) What is this poverty of spirit, but humility and contrition? This virtue of humility is placed in the first place, because it is the parent of every other virtue, as pride is the mother of every vice. Pride deprived our first parents of their original innocence, and nothing but humility can restore us to our former purity. We may pray and fast, we may be possessed of mercy, chastity, or any virtues, if humility do not accompany them, they will be like the virtue of the Pharisee, without foundation, without fruit. (Hom. xv.)”

“Blessed--Of the two words which our translators render "blessed," the one here used points more to what is inward, and so might be rendered "happy," in a lofty sense; while the other denotes rather what comes to us from without (as Mat 25:34). But the distinction is not always clearly carried out. One Hebrew word expresses both. On these precious Beatitudes, observe that though eight in number, there are here but seven distinct features of character. The eighth one--the "persecuted for righteousness' sake"--denotes merely the possessors of the seven preceding features, on account of which it is that they are persecuted (Ti2 3:12). Accordingly, instead of any distinct promise to this class, we have merely a repetition of the first promise. This has been noticed by several critics, who by the sevenfold character thus set forth have rightly observed that a complete character is meant to be depicted, and by the sevenfold blessedness attached to it, a perfect blessedness is intended. Observe, again, that the language in which these Beatitudes are couched is purposely fetched from the Old Testament, to show that the new kingdom is but the old in a new form; while the characters described are but the varied forms of that spirituality which was the essence of real religion all along, but had well-nigh disappeared under corrupt teaching. Further, the things here promised, far from being mere arbitrary rewards, will be found in each case to grow out of the characters to which they are attached, and in their completed form are but the appropriate coronation of them. Once more, as "the kingdom of heaven," which is the first and the last thing here promised, has two stages--a present and a future, an initial and a consummate stage--so the fulfilment of each of these promises has two stages--a present and a future, a partial and a perfect stage. Blessed are the poor in spirit--All familiar with Old Testament phraseology know how frequently God's true people are styled "the poor" (the "oppressed," "afflicted," "miserable") or "the needy"--or both together (as in Psa 40:17; Isa 41:17). The explanation of this lies in the fact that it is generally "the poor of this world" who are "rich in faith" (Jam 2:5; compare Co2 6:10; Rev 2:9); while it is often "the ungodly" who "prosper in the world" (Psa 73:12). Accordingly, in Luk 6:20-21, it seems to be this class--the literally "poor" and "hungry"--that are specially addressed. But since God's people are in so many places styled "the poor" and "the needy," with no evident reference to their temporal circumstances (as in Psa 68:10; Psa 69:29-33; Psa 132:15; Isa 61:1; Isa 66:2), it is plainly a frame of mind which those terms are meant to express. Accordingly, our translators sometimes render such words "the humble" (Psa 10:12, Psa 10:17), "the meek" (Psa 22:26), "the lowly" (Pro 3:34), as having no reference to outward circumstances. But here the explanatory words, "in spirit," fix the sense to "those who in their deepest consciousness realize their entire need" (compare the Greek of Luk 10:21; Joh 11:33; Joh 13:21; Act 20:22; Rom 12:11; Co1 5:3; Phi 3:3). This self-emptying conviction, that "before God we are void of everything," lies at the foundation of all spiritual excellence, according to the teaching of Scripture. Without it we are inaccessible to the riches of Christ; with it we are in the fitting state for receiving all spiritual supplies (Rev 3:17-18; Mat 9:12-13). for theirs is the kingdom of heaven--(See on Mat 3:2). The poor in spirit not only shall have--they already have--the kingdom. The very sense of their poverty is begun riches. While others "walk in a vain show"--"in a shadow," "an image"--in an unreal world, taking a false view of themselves and all around them--the poor in spirit are rich in the knowledge of their real case. Having courage to look this in the face, and own it guilelessly, they feel strong in the assurance that "unto the upright there ariseth light in the darkness" (Psa 112:4); and soon it breaks forth as the morning. God wants nothing from us as the price of His saving gifts; we have but to feel our universal destitution, and cast ourselves upon His compassion (Job 33:27-28; Jo1 1:9). So the poor in spirit are enriched with the fulness of Christ, which is the kingdom in substance; and when He shall say to them from His great white throne, "Come, ye blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you," He will invite them merely to the full enjoyment of an already possessed inheritance.”