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SERMON X.

MATTHEW V. 5.

Bleffed are the Meek: for they fhall inherit the Earth.

HAVING treated on the Beatitude of the Poor in fpirit, I proceed in the order which I proposed to take, to difcourfe on that of the Meek. Thefe two difpofitions are fo closely related, that they are oft affociated in holy Scripture; and indeed in fome instances they are put indifferently the one for the other. Thus the prophetic clause of Isaiah, "To publish good tidings to the Meek," is rendered by the Evangelift, " To preach the Gospel to the Poor ".' But as fome diftinction of character feems defigned in this place, it may be proper to regard it through the prefent difcourfe. Now as I have understood the Poor in fpirit in relation to God and with a reference to the things of heaven, fo I would understand the Meek in relation to

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men and with a reference to the things of earth; an acceptation, which derives fome countenance from their respective Beatitudes: To the Poor in fpirit is affigned the Kingdom of Heaven, and to the Meek the Inheritance of the Earth.

It cannot escape our obfervation, that the recompence here propofed of a temporal inheritance has a fingular aspect in the series of Beatitudes, fince to every other character the blessedness affigned is, not indeed entirely, but in the principal and final aim, of a spiritual nature and in the life to come. Perhaps the fingularity of this exception may be removed, if we attend to that peculiar structure of language in which this feries is given. It is agreeable to the fententious ftyle of Hebrew Poetry, which our Lord appears to have adopted on this occafion, to distribute into separate, yet parallel clauses two parts of a propofition, which are to be underftood in union. On this principle we may accept the two first of these Sentences, as if they were thus disposed: "Bleffed are the Poor in fpirit, and the Meek: for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven, and they fhall inherit the Earth" They, who cultivate thefe two kindred difpofitions, fhall be bleft both in temporal and in spiritual things; they

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have the promise both of this life and of that which is to come.

I propose this remark for the confideration of those who are ftudious of the holy Scriptures. But as this acceptation is probably new, and may therefore be liable to the imputation of being more fanciful than folid, I do not prefume to ground the argument of this discourse upon it. Nor indeed is it neceffary to have recourse to any novel and unapproved interpretation; fince the fentence before us will admit of a plain and clear conftruction as a diftinct and independent text. In this point of view I fhall now difcourfe upon it; though it may not be without its use to keep in our remembrance the near relation which it bears to the preceding Beatitude of the Poor in spirit. And I trust, that on a close examination of the bleffednefs affigned it will. be found to harmonize fufficiently with the reft.

Understanding therefore the Meek with a relation to men and a reference to the things of earth, I conceive them to be such as are uniformly mild and placid, forbearing and forgiving in their communion with their fellow-creatures, fuch as cultivate an equal mind in the extremes and viciffitudes of life, being content and fatisfied in every station, being

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being moderate in profperity and patient in adverfity.

This quality was not overlooked by the Heathen Philofophers; but it was very feebly cultivated in the general practice of the Heathen world. It was too much the manner of men, uncorrected by divine inftruction and unenlightened with celeftial truth, to be turbulent and violent in afferting their own cause and infringing the rights and properties of others, to give way to pride and arrogance in the heights of profperity, to impatience and difcontent under troubles and afflictions. Even the wifeft and the best of Heathen Sages, who has written a code of moral law making fome approach to the Christian institutes, was fingularly deficient in that equanimity, which he commended in theory, being too much elated with a profperous tide of fame and fortune, and still more extravagantly dejected, when he came to experience an unforeseen reverse.

The quality of Meekness was much better taught under the dispensation of the Law. It was also frequently commended and proposed for cultivation in the Pfalms and in the Prophets. But like its fifter virtue Humility it obtained but a feeble hold upon the practice of the Jews. And though exempli

fied in fome of their fuperior men, especially their Lawgiver himself, who " was very meek above all men upon the face of the earth',' yet in later times it feems to have been difmiffed, if not from the doctrine, however from the practical cultivation of those, who profeffed to be their Teachers and their Guides.

It remained for our Lord, a fuperior Teacher of righteoufnefs, to give this quality its proper influence on the heart and practice of mankind. He has made it a primary difpofition of all who would be truly his difciples, and he has attached a blessing to those that are invefted with this moral grace: Bleffed are the Meek: for they fhall inherit the

Earth.

The virtue thus propofed to the cultivation of his followers is firft exemplified in the tenor of his own character and converfation. The mildnefs of his manner in executing his divine miffion is thus represented by the Prophet of the Gospel; "He fhall not cry aloud nor lift up his voice in the ftreets. A bruifed reed he fhall not break, and the dimly burning flax he shall not quench c." All which was remarkably ful

b Numb. xii. 3.

c Ifa. xlii. 2, 3. Mat. xii. 19, 20. filled

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