and despises, God honoured on the cross, and took unto Himself, and
blessed, and consecrated for ever. And now, blessed are the poor, if
they are poor in heart, as well as purse; for Jesus was poor, and
theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are the hungry, if they
hunger for righteousness as well as food; for Jesus hungered, and
they shall be filled. Blessed are those who mourn, if they mourn not
only for their afflictions, but for their sins, and for the sins they
see around them; for on this day, Jesus mourned for our sins; on this
day He was made sin for us, who knew no sin; and they shall be
comforted. Blessed are those who are ashamed of themselves, and hate
themselves, and humble themselves before God this day; for on this
day Jesus humbled Himself for us; and they shall be exalted. Blessed
are the forsaken and the despised.--Did not all men forsake Jesus
this day, in His hour of need? and why not thee, too, thou poor
deserted one? Shall the disciple be above his Master? No; everyone
that is perfect, must be like his master. The deeper, the bitterer
your loneliness, the more are you like Him, who cried upon the cross,
"My God, my God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?" He knows what that
grief, too, is like. He feels for thee, at least. Though all
forsake thee, He is with thee still; and if He be with thee, what
matter who has left thee for a while? Ay, blessed are those that
weep now, for they shall laugh. It is those whom the Lord loveth
that He chasteneth. And because He loves the poor, He brings them
low. All things are blessed now, but sin; for all things, excepting
sin, are redeemed by the life and death of the Son of God. Blessed
are wisdom and courage, joy, and health, and beauty, love and
marriage, childhood and manhood, corn and wine, fruits and flowers,
for Christ redeemed them by His life. And blessed, too, are tears
and shame, blessed are weakness and ugliness, blessed are agony and
sickness, blessed the sad remembrance of our sins, and a broken