the desire of ages-第61节

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ea；　from　Decapolis；　from　Idumea；　away　to　the　south　of　Judea；　and　from　Tyre　and　Sidon；　the　Phoenician　cities　on　the　shore　of　the　Mediterranean。　〃When　they　had　heard　what　great　things　He　did；〃　they　〃came　to　hear　Him；　and　to　be　healed　of　their　diseases：　。　。　。　there　went　virtue　out　of　Him；　and　healed　them　all。〃　Mark　3：8；　Luke　6：17…19。

The　narrow　beach　did　not　afford　even　standing　room　within　reach　of　His　voice　for　all　who　desired　to　hear　Him；　and　Jesus　led　the　way　back　to　the　mountainside。　Reaching　a　level　space　that　offered　a　pleasant　gathering　place　for　the　vast　assembly；　He　seated　Himself　on　the　grass；　and　the　disciples　and　the　multitude　followed　His　example。

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The　disciples'　place　was　always　next　to　Jesus。　The　people　constantly　pressed　upon　Him；　yet　the　disciples　understood　that　they　were　not　to　be　crowded　away　from　His　presence。　They　sat　close　beside　Him；　that　they　might　not　lose　a　word　of　His　instruction。　They　were　attentive　listeners；　eager　to　understand　the　truths　they　were　to　make　known　to　all　lands　and　all　ages。

With　a　feeling　that　something　more　than　usual　might　be　expected；　they　now　pressed　about　their　Master。　They　believed　that　the　kingdom　was　soon　to　be　established；　and　from　the　events　of　the　morning　they　gathered　assurance　that　some　announcement　concerning　it　was　about　to　be　made。　A　feeling　of　expectancy　pervaded　the　multitude　also；　and　eager　faces　gave　evidence　of　the　deep　interest。　As　the　people　sat　upon　the　green　hillside；　awaiting　the　words　of　the　divine　Teacher；　their　hearts　were　filled　with　thoughts　of　future　glory。　There　were　scribes　and　Pharisees　who　looked　forward　to　the　day　when　they　should　have　dominion　over　the　hated　Romans；　and　possess　the　riches　and　splendor　of　the　world's　great　empire。　The　poor　peasants　and　fishermen　hoped　to　hear　the　assurance　that　their　wretched　hovels；　the　scanty　food；　the　life　of　toil；　and　fear　of　want　were　to　be　exchanged　for　mansions　of　plenty　and　days　of　ease。　In　place　of　the　one　coarse　garment　which　was　their　covering　by　day；　and　their　blanket　at　night；　they　hoped　that　Christ　would　give　them　the　rich　and　costly　robes　of　their　conquerors。　All　hearts　thrilled　with　the　proud　hope　that　Israel　was　soon　to　be　honored　before　the　nations　as　the　chosen　of　the　Lord；　and　Jerusalem　exalted　as　the　head　of　a　universal　kingdom。

Christ　disappointed　the　hope　of　worldly　greatness。　In　the　Sermon　on　the　Mount　He　sought　to　undo　the　work　that　had　been　wrought　by　false　education；　and　to　give　His　hearers　a　right　conception　of　His　kingdom　and　of　His　own　character。　Yet　He　did　not　make　a　direct　attack　on　the　errors　of　the　people。　He　saw　the　misery　of　the　world　on　account　of　sin；　yet　He　did　not　present　before　them　a　vivid　delineation　of　their　wretchedness。　He　taught　them　of　something　infinitely　better　than　they　had　known。　Without　combating　their　ideas　of　the　kingdom　of　God；　He　told　them　the　conditions　of　entrance　therein；　leaving　them　to　draw　their　own　conclusions　as　to　its　nature。　The　truths　He　taught　are　no　less　important　to　us　than　to　the　multitude　that　followed　Him。　We　no　less　than　they　need　to　learn　the　foundation　principles　of　the　kingdom　of　God。

Christ's　first　words　to　the　people　on　the　mount　were　words　of　blessing。　Happy　are　they；　He　said；　who　recognize　their　spiritual　poverty；　and

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feel　their　need　of　redemption。　The　gospel　is　to　be　preached　to　the　poor。　Not　to　the　spiritually　proud；　those　who　claim　to　be　rich　and　in　need　of　nothing；　is　it　revealed；　but　to　those　who　are　humble　and　contrite。　One　fountain　only　has　been　opened　for　sin；　a　fountain　for　the　poor　in　spirit。

The　proud　heart　strives　to　earn　salvation；　but　both　our　title　to　heaven　and　our　fitness　for　it　are　found　in　the　righteousness　of　Christ。　The　Lord　can　do　nothing　toward　the　recovery　of　man　until；　convinced　of　his　own　weakness；　and　stripped　of　all　self…sufficiency；　he　yields　himself　to　the　control　of　God。　Then　he　can　receive　the　gift　that　God　is　waiting　to　bestow。　From　the　soul　that　feels　his　need；　nothing　is　withheld。　He　has　unrestricted　access　to　Him　in　whom　all　fullness　dwells。　〃For　thus　saith　the　high　and　lofty　One　that　inhabiteth　eternity；　whose　name　is　Holy；　I　dwell　in　the　high　and　holy　place；　with　him　also　that　is　of　a　contrite　and　humble　spirit；　to　revive　the　spirit　of　the　humble；　and　to　revive　the　heart　of　the　contrite　ones。〃　Isa。　57：15。

〃Blessed　are　they　that　mourn：　for　they　shall　be　comforted。〃　By　these　words　Christ　does　not　teach　that　mourning　in　itself　has　power　to　remove　the　guilt　of　sin。　He　gives　no　sanction　to　pretense　or　to　voluntary　humility。　The　mourning　of　which　He　speaks　does　not　consist　in　melancholy　and　lamentation。　While　we　sorrow　on　account　of　sin；　we　are　to　rejoice　in　the　precious　privilege　of　being　children　of　God。

We　often　sorrow　because　our　evil　deeds　bring　unpleasant　consequences　to　ourselves；　but　this　is　not　repentance。　Real　sorrow　for　sin　is　the　result　of　the　working　of　the　Holy　Spirit。　The　Spirit　reveals　the　ingratitude　of　the　heart　that　has　slighted　and　grieved　the　Saviour；　and　brings　us　in　contrition　to　the　foot　of　the　cross。　By　every　sin　Jesus　is　wounded　afresh；　and　as　we　look　upon　Him　whom　we　have　pierced；　we　mourn　for　the　sins　that　have　brought　anguish　upon　Him。　Such　mourning　will　lead　to　the　renunciation　of　sin。

The　worldling　may　pronounce　this　sorrow　a　weakness；　but　it　is　the　strength　which　binds　the　penitent　to　the　Infinite　One　with　links　that　cannot　be　broken。　It　shows　that　the　angels　of　God　are　bringing　back　to　the　soul　the　graces　that　were　lost　through　hardness　of　heart　and　transgression。　The　tears　of　the　penitent　are　only　the　raindrops　that　precede　the　sunshine　of　holiness。　This　sorrow　heralds　a　joy　which　will　be　a　living　fountain　in　the　soul。　〃Only　acknowledge　thine　iniquity；　that　thou　hast　transgressed　against　the　Lord　thy　God；〃　〃and　I　will　not　cause　Mine　anger　to　fall　upon　you：　for　I　am　merciful；　saith　the　Lord。〃　Jer。　3：13；　12。　〃Unto　them　that　mourn　in　Zion；〃　He　has　appointed　to　give

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〃beauty　for　ashes；　the　oil　of　joy　for　mourning；　the　garment　of　praise　for　the　spirit　of　heaviness。〃　Isa。　61：3。

And　for　those　also　who　mourn　in　trial　and　sorrow　there　is　comfort。　The　bitterness　of　grief　and　humiliation　is　better　than　the　indulgences　of　sin。　Through　affliction　God　reveals　to　us　the　plague　spots　in　our　characters；　that　by　His　grace　we　may　overcome　our　faults。　Unknown　chapters　in　regard　to　ourselves　are　opened　to　us；　and　the　test　comes；　whether　we　will　accept　the　reproof　and　the　counsel　of　God。　When　brought　into　trial；　we　are　not　to　fret　and　complain。　We　should　not　rebel；　or　worry　ourselves　out　of　the　hand　of　Christ。　We　are　to　humble　the　soul　before　God。　The　ways　of　the　Lord　are　obscure　to　him　who　desires　to　see　things　in　a　light　pleasing　to　himself。　They　appear　dark　and　joyless　to　our　human　nature。　But　God's　ways　are　ways　of　mercy　and　the　end　is　salvation。　Elijah　knew　not　what　he　was　doing　when　in　the　desert　he　said　that　he　had　had　enough　of　life；　and　prayed　that　he　might　die。　The　Lord　in　His　mercy　did　not　take　him　at　his　word。　There　was　yet　a　great　work　for　Elijah　to　do；　and　when　his　work　was　done；　he　was　not　to　perish　in　discouragement　and　solitude　in　the　wilderness。　Not　for　him　the　descent　into　the　dust　of　death；　but　the　ascent　in　glory；　with　the　convoy　of　celestial　chariots；　to　the　throne　on　high。

God's　word　for　the　sorrowing　is；　〃I　have　seen　his　ways；　and　will　heal　him：　I　will　lead　him　also；　and　restore　comforts　unto　him　and　to　his　mourners。〃　〃I　will　turn　their　mourning　into　joy；　and　will　comfort　them；　and　make　them　rejoice　from　their　sorrow。〃　Isa。　57：18；　Jer。　31：13。

〃Blessed　are　the　meek。〃　The　difficulties　we　have　to　encounter　may　be　very　much　lessened　by　that　meekness　which　hides　itself　in　Christ。　If　we　possess　the　humility　of　our　Master；　we　shall　rise　above　the　slights；　the　rebuffs；　the　annoyances；　to　which　we　are　daily　exposed；　and　they　will　cease　to　cast　a　gloom　over　the　spirit。　The　highest　evidence　of　nobility　in　a　Christian　is　self…control。　He　who　under　abuse　or　cruelty　fails　to　maintain　a　calm　and　trustful　spirit　robs　God　of　His　right　to　reveal　in　him　His　own　perfection　of　character。　Lowliness　of　heart　is　the　strength　that　gives　victory　to　the　followers　of　Christ；　it　is　the　token　of　their　connection　with　the　courts　above。

〃Though　the　Lord　be　high；　yet　hath　He　respect　unto　the　lowly。〃　Ps。　138：6。　Those　who　reveal　the　meek　and　lowly　spirit　of　Christ　are　tenderly　regarded　by　God。　They　may　be　looked　upon　with　scorn　by　the　world；　but　they　are　of　great　value　in　His　sight。　Not　only　the　wise；　the　great；　the　beneficent；　will　gain　a　passport　to　the　heavenly　courts；　not　only

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the　busy　worker；　full　of　zeal　and　restless　activity。　No；　the　poor　in　spirit；　who　crave　the　presence　of　an　abiding　Christ；　the　humble　in　heart；　whose　highest　ambition　is　to　do　God's　will；these　will　gain　an　abundant　entrance。　They　will　be　among　that　number　who　have　washed　their　robes　and　made　them　white　in　the　blood　of　the　Lamb。　〃Therefore　are　they　before　the　throne　of　God；　and　serve　Him　day　and　night　in　His　temple：　and　He　that　sitteth　on　the　throne　shall　dwell　among　them。〃　Rev。　7：15。

〃Blessed　are　they　which　do　hunger　and　t