Nor ought it to escape observation, that in what Elisabeth said to her respecting her blessedness, another part of which has been already quoted, a prominent place is assigned to Mary's faith.*"Blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord." The obvious truth is, that Mary could have derived no spiritual advantage whatever from Christ, in consequence of being his mother, but that the most precious spiritual blessings flowed to her from him, in consequence of that faith of which the tenor of her words and actions furnished most satisfactory evidence. She was thus united to him by a much more important tie than the tie of nature; for this alone it was that constituted her saving connexion with him. We are here further taught, in the 2d place, That all true believers, as such, are more blessed than Christ's mother, as such.

In his annunciation of this truth, our Lord introduces a description of believers, or true Christians, to which we must shortly advert:-they "hear the word of God, and keep it." "The word of God," in its most extensive sense, includes the whole of revelation; but here, as in other places of the New Testament especially, it seems to signify the gospel, or that part of revelation which most directly unfolds the way of salvation. Thus it is said that multitudes "pressed upon" Christ," to hear the word of God." Now, it is no small advantage to have the opportunity of hearing the word of God, even with the outward ear: and yet, it cannot be said that all who thus hear it are truly "blessed," for there are many who thus hear it, but who pay no attention to it, or reject it. "They seeing, see not; and hearing, they hear not; neither do they understand. For their heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hearts, and should be converted." The hearers, then, who are blessed, must be those who hear attentively, believingly, and obediently. Thus, Jesus says, "He that is of God, heareth God's words."-"My sheep hear my voice, and follow me." They "hear the word, and receive it, and bring forth fruit." Such were the Thessalonians, who, "when they received the word of God which they heard, received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh in them that believe." But Christians are here also said to "keep" the word of God. * Luke i. 45. + Luke v. 1.

They are not inconstant. They are "the good ground" hearers, who, "in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience." They keep it, both in their faith, as the ground of their hope, and in their practice, as the rule of their life. They "hold the beginning of their confidence stedfast unto the end." They keep God's commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. And this is his commandment, that they should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave them commandment.”

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Persons of this character are here declared to be more blessed than even the Virgin Mary was, merely as the mother of our Lord. Was she honoured in her maternal relation to him?-they are all connected with him by a still closer relation, even by that union in consequence of which he and they are said to be one. Thus, in his intercessory prayer for his disciples, he said, "Neither pray I for these alone; but for them also who shall believe on me through their word; that they all may be one; as thou Father art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us. And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one.' Had she much pleasant intercourse with him as his mother?-their communion with him is still more delightful, for their "fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ," who "dwells in their hearts by faith." This communion, too, is not like the communion which consisted in being related to him, or knowing him, after the flesh, for that was withdrawn, when it became expedient that he should go away, and when he left his affectionate mother and all his sorrowing disciples behind him: but, as this is a spiritual, so it is an abiding communion, in respect of which he is with his people always, and never leaves them, nor forsakes them. In short, they are blessed with all those spiritual and saving blessings to which Mary, merely as the mother of Jesus, could never have attained. They are blessed with light, pardon, sanctification, comfort, and every present privilege; and all these as sure pledges of the everlasting blessedness of heaven. Their present happiness in the knowledge, belief, and obedience of the gospel, is thus described by the Psalmist: "Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O Lord, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy

righteousness shall they be exalted." And their blessedness in respect of future stability, and final and complete salvation, is thus described by our Lord: "Whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, who built his house upon a rock; and the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not, for it was founded upon a rock." "Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.""Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city." Thus, all believers, as such, are more blessed than the mother, and it may be added, than any of the relations, of Christ, as 66 according to the flesh." Those of his relations, indeed, who heard and kept his word, were highly blessed and honoured: their consanguinity, however, gave them no preference as to divine acceptance and salvation; for, as to every thing of that nature, all who were equally faithful and obedient, were regarded by him with equal affection. All this is beautifully and impressively taught in the following passage:* "While he yet talked to the people, behold, his mother and his brethren stood without, desiring to speak with him. Then one said unto him, Behold, thy mother and thy brethren stand without, desiring to speak with thee. But he answered and said unto him that told him, Who is my mother? and who are my brethren? And he stretched forth his hand towards his disciples, and said, Behold my mother and my brethren! For whosoever shall do the will of my Father who is in heaven, the same is my brother, and sister, and mother."

There is still another idea included in this amendment of our Lord's; for, in its most extended meaning, it states a comparison, not only between the advantage of true religion, and that of having been the mother of Jesus, but also between the advantage of true religion, and all other advantages whatever. We are here taught, then,

Lastly, That those who are believers, are more blessed on that account, than on any other.

If, my friends, you really know, and believe, and obey the gospel, then, however blessed you may be in other points of view, we hesitate not to say, "Yea, rather blessed are ye, because ye hear the word of God, and keep it." We pronounce you far more blessed on this account, than you are,

*Matt. xii. 46.

or can be, on account of any worldly advantages. Are you rich? or, at least, in easy circumstances?-then it is true that you may be, in some degree, happy in freedom from anxiety about your temporal wants, and in the moderate enjoyment of earthly good: but what are such possessions, in comparison of your spiritual treasures, the unsearchable riches of Christ? "All things are yours; whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours; for ye are Christ's, and Christ is God's." Other possessions are uncertain and temporary, for they may leave you soon, and, at all events, you must be taken away from them: but yours are the better, the "durable riches;" yours is the "inheritance incorruptible, undefiled, that fadeth not away." Will you, then, "set your eyes upon that which is not? for, riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle towards heaven." Rather say, "The law of thy mouth is better unto me than thousands of gold and silver:" and be studious more and more to lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven. Are you learned in human knowledge?-so far well, for therein you may find much rational enjoyment. But rather blessed are you because you are taught of God in the wisdom which is from above, and instructed to know the Holy Scriptures, which have proved sufficient to make you wise unto salvation, through faith which is in Christ Jesus. Continue, therefore, to cultivate this wisdom as your most delightful and most profitable study. Happy is the man that findeth Wisdom." On earth, "her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace:" and in heaven, those who are thus "wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and as the stars for ever and ever.' Are you in possession of the esteem and love of the wise and good?-you have cause to rejoice, for, "a good name is rather to be chosen than riches, and loving favour than silver and gold." But much more are you blessed in being honoured and beloved by the living God, who says to every child of his own, "Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee." Seek, then, above all things, "the honour that cometh from God only." Are you possessed of some power in the world?-this may be useful. But it is of much more importance to you that you have power to "rule over your own spirit," that you have obtained a victory over sin, nay, that, as princes, you have power with God, and have prevailed." Rejoice, then, in

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this ennobling power; "be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might," and shall be more than conquerors through him that loved you. Are you blessed in the enjoyment of that liberty and all those immunities which are the birthright of every native of this happy land, on whose soil, when the slave plants his foot, he from that moment becomes free?-how little would that freedom avail you, if you had not recovered yourselves out of the snare of the devil, and were still of those who are taken captive by him at his will! But you are emancipated from sin, from Satan, and from a spirit of legality, and bondage, and terror; and you are blessed in all the immunities of the citizens of Zion. "Stand fast, therefore, in the liberty wherewith Christ has made you free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage:" for thus, "being made free from sin, and having become the servants of God, ye shall have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." Are you in bodily health? the blessing is great. But it is a still higher cause of congratulation that you have been directed to the Physician of souls, by whom, when your spiritual cure is completed, you shall be brought to that healthful country, where the inhabitant shall never say, "I am sick; because the people that dwell therein are forgiven their iniquity." You rejoice, and it is right that you should rejoice, in the blessing of temporal life: for "truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun;" "skin upon skin"-one part of his property after another, “nay, all that a man hath, will he give for his life." You cannot live here, however, always. Temporal life, at best, is but a vapour; and when it is spent in a state of alienation from God, it is a prelude to the second death. But you are quickened into spiritual life, which will ripen into life that never ends. This divine life, then, you should most fondly cherish: and you should often be saying to its Author, "Because thy loving-kindness is better than life, my lips shall praise thee." But we may go farther than this, and say, that those who hear the word of God and keep it, are blessed, even though destitute of any worldly advantages, rather than if, in a state of irreligion, they were possessed of them all. Nay, be lievers are not only blessed in their faith more than in any other blessing; but they are highly blessed notwithstanding of all worldly troubles. There is here what may well cheer their minds in opposition to every disadvantage. They may be poor, despised, and distressed; but their principles enable