the restraints of timidity and false shame, she rapturously and loudly exclaimed, from the midst of the crowd, "Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou has sucked!" And who of the disciples that heard her, would not feel disposed to echo back the sound? or, what heart that has been touched by the Saviour's grace, does not still respond to the sentiment? At the same time, it is probably as necessary for us, as it was for his immediate auditors, to attend to his subjoined explanatory corrective," Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it." Let us consider, therefore, first, the woman's exclamation; and, secondly, the amendment our Lord made on it.

I. Let us consider the woman's exclamation: "Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the paps which thou hast sucked."

It is not to be overlooked, that, while this exclamation speaks directly of the blessedness of our Lord's mother, it does, though in an indirect, yet in a very strong manner, imply the blessedness of our Lord himself, the idea being that from him a blessedness was reflected on his mother. In this implied reference to the grace and glory of the Redeemer, as rendering him worthy of the highest honour and praise, there is nothing but what is altogether commendable and deserving of imitation. Well might the woman thus praise the Saviour; and well might the multitude, at another time, exclaim, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" The time is assuredly coming, when, experiencing the happiness of his reign, all nations shall pronounce their loudest blessings on his name. Happy, meanwhile, every one of us who can heartily take up the sublime strain, "Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power, and riches, and wisdom, and strength, and honour, and glory, and blessing."

It is obvious, however, as already hinted, that the exclamation was directly and chiefly intended to proclaim the blessedness of our Lord's mother. Neither is it, in this sense, to be condemned. Jesus himself does not deny, and we ought not to question its truth.

The happiness of parents is very much involved in the conduct and history of their children. The relation is most intimate and most tender. Their offspring are so closely entwined round their heart, as to occasion them, either most acute anguish, or most exquisite pleasure. How deeply

parents are often grieved by the calamities, or the misconduct of their children, is exemplified in Jacob's grief for his supposed loss of Joseph, and in David's lamentation over the awful wickedness and actual destruction of Absalom. Both parents feel deeply on such occasions; but the maternal bosom is usually torn with peculiar pangs. In reference to the distress of mothers, on account of the impending calamities of their offspring in the siege of Jerusalem, our Lord said to the women who were bewailing and lamenting him as he was led forth to be crucified, "Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck." On the other hand, how great the pleasure which accrues to parents from their children's virtues and successes! By these their parental cares are more than requited, and the smile of complacency is diffused over the face of their most advanced age. Truly and well does Solomon teach and exhort, “A wise son maketh a glad father; but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother."- "Hearken," therefore, "unto thy father that begat thee; and despise not thy mother when she is old." It would be well (we may observe in passing) if this wise ordination of the Author of humanity were properly considered and improved by those whose parents are yet alive. Who would not, at least in principle, and who should not in fact, shudder at the idea of wilfully planting a thorn in the breast of those to whom, under God, he owes his being, and of bringing down their grey hairs with sorrow to the grave? Who would not desire to make glad those with whom his own welfare constitutes the fondest earthly wish? Who does not feel that it is a great addition to his own enjoyment of any success, that they also are to be cheered by it? When Epaminonidas, the Theban general, gained the great triumph over the Spartans at Leuctra, he said, "My joy consists chiefly in knowing that my father and mother will hear of my victory."

Such is the general principle on which the zealous and affectionate woman founded the exclamation under review; and it is a principle which recommends itself too readily to the feelings of the human breast to require any further illustration. But, if it is thus a general truth that parents are happy in the happiness of their children, how great mus have been the happiness of such a woman as the Virgi

Mary, in having such a son as Jesus Christ! Vast indeed were the blessedness and the honour which were hers. Never was woman so highly honoured, as she was in being selected from among the millions of her sex to be the mother of the greatest and best Being this world ever beheld-the mother of him who is styled the Consolation of Israel, the Desire of all nations, the only begotten and beloved Son of God. In this she was blessed, truly blessed, and divinely pronounced blessed; and she foresaw that she was in all ages to be called blessed.* When the angel Gabriel appeared to her, he said, "Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.". "Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called, The Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." In like manner, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, who had honoured her with a visit, "Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost, and she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come unto me?" On this, Mary herself thus took up her rejoicing strain, "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."

And, as Mary was blessed in bringing forth such a son at first, so she was blessed in his future character and exploits. She was blessed in his dutiful conduct as a son: for "he went down to Nazareth, and was subject" unto his parents. She was blessed in the progressive improvement of his human nature, for, "Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man." She was blessed in the whole tenor of his holy life, as he was perfectly free from all taint of sin, and exhibited a pattern of every grace. She was blessed in hearing many of his delightful discourses, as she frequently attended his ministrations, and formed one of many hearers who "bore him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth." She was blessed in seeing many of the wonderful works which * Luke i. 28, 42, 48.

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he performed; for on many other occasions of this kind it might have been said, as it was said on that at Cana in Galilee, that "the mother of Jesus was there." She was blessed in the knowledge of the great work which, in every part of his eventful history, he was successfully employed in prosecuting the work of promoting the glory of God, in connexion with the redemption and eternal happiness of sinful and perishing men. She was blessed in his glorious resurrection and ascension, when he rose a conqueror over death and hell, and when he was taken up into heaven, and sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high, to wait till all his enemies be made his footstool. There she still continues to be blessed in contemplating his blessedness, and in hearing the blessings which are multiplied on his name. It is no great stretch of imagination to suppose that by some of the glorified, who may meet her in heaven, where the Redeemer is beheld enthroned with the Father, she may be occasionally addressed in some such language as this, "Hail, Mary, thou art highly favoured. The prosperity of every son gives joy to his mother's heart; but what mother's son was ever exalted so high as thine? Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb!"

Having thus considered the woman's exclamation, let us consider,

II. Our Lord's amendment on it: "Yea, rather blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.”

We have already noticed that, in this, our Lord does not contradict what the pious woman had said. He only modifies and explains it, and makes an addition to it. He allows that there was much truth in it, when properly understood; but he directs his hearers to something still more important, and to a blessedness still more complete. Now, his amendment on the woman's words teaches us,

1. That the happiness of Mary herself consisted rather in her being a believer in Christ, than in her being the mother of Christ. Great as was her happiness in being his mother, it was by no means unmixed with circumstances of a painful nature. It was indeed a high honour to be the mother of that child who was called "Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, and The Prince of Peace:" but, though the stateliest palace, and every possible attendance, would have been too mean for such an event, she was necessitated to bring forth her son in a stable, and

to cradle him in a manger. Nor could her alarm and fatigue have been slight, when, soon after his birth, she was compelled to flee with him into Egypt, because "Herod sought the young child to destroy him." His devotion to his heavenly "Father's business" occasioned her great uneasiness, when, at twelve years of age, Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and when she and Joseph "sought him sorrowing." Nor can there be a doubt that she was often much distressed by the various hardships and indignities of his subsequent life. But all the other sorrows which arose from her relation to him, were greatly surpassed by those which flowed to her from his last sufferings and death. When we consider what the death of crucifixion was-how it was every thing that was ignominious, painful, lingering, and accursed; it is truly affecting to think that the mother of Jesus stood by his cross while he was suffering,* and that, too, so near, that he not only saw her, but spoke to her. The scene must have been inexpressively agonizing, and like a dagger to her heart. It was in allusion chiefly to this, that Simeon said of Jesus to Mary, in the temple,† "Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel: and for a sign which shall be spoken against: yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also." Instead, then, of being calculated to fill her with unmixed joy, the history of her Son included several events so painful, that nothing but a principle of faith founded on some idea of the blessed consequences which they were to subserve, could have supported her mind under them.

It is true, as we have already seen, that there were many circumstances in her Son's history which were, in themselves, very delightful; but it is certain that whatever of real honour and pleasure she derived from these, was dependent on her faith. This must be apparent, when it is considered that if she had been an unbelieving and unholy woman, her intimate relation to Jesus, and her many opportunities of intercourse with him, which might have been turned so much to her advantage, instead of contributing to her blessedness, would have added greatly to her guilt, and disgrace, and ruin. By ministering, however, to her faith and holiness, they ministered also to her true happiness. But, however great her happiness thus unquestionably was, she enjoyed much greater advantages, and was, of course, much more blessed, as the Redeemer's disciple, than as his mother. Our Lord teaches this in the words under consideration. * John xix. 25. + Luke ii. 34.