Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/380

 and the  unspotted  mirror  of  God's  majesty,  and  the  image of  His  goodness."  (Wisdom,  ii.  26.)  He  frequently reproved  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  because  their  conduct was  so  opposite  to  his  own.  "Wo  to  you,  Scribes and Pharisees,  hypocrites,  because  you  make  clean  the outside of  the  cup  and  of  the  dish,  but  within  you  are full of  extortion  and  uncleanness."  (Matt,  xxiii.  25.)  Let your  conduct  be  modelled  after  that  of  Christ,  and  avoid the  example  of  these  hypocritical  Jews.

III. " They  shall  see  God." Such is  the  reward  of  the clean of  heart. O what  a  happiness  will  it  be  to  see  God! Labor, therefore,  to  obtain  this  purity  of  heart. The greater it  is,  the  more  perfect  will  be  your  vision  of  God, and your  essential  happiness. Even in  this  life  the knowledge of  God,  and  of  Divine  things  increases  in  proportion to  the  purity  of  our  hearts. On the  contrary, "Wisdom will  not  enter  into  a  malicious  soul,  nor  dwell in  a  body  that  is  subject  to  sin,"  (Wis.  i.  4),  and  "  the holy  spirit  of  discipline  will  flee  from  the  deceitful."

I. "  Blessed  are  the  peace-makers." (Matt. v.  8.)  The character of  a  Christian  requires,  that  he  make,  in  the first place,  domestic  peace,  that  is,  that  he  subject  the flesh to  the  spirit,  and  the  sensual  appetite  to  reason. He is  bound  to  keep  peace  also  with  others,  to  give  no one  occasion  for  complaining  against  him,  and  to  excite no angry  thoughts  in  others. He is  obliged,  besides,  to do  what  he  can  to  reconcile  those  who  are  at  variance with one  another. But the  most  perfect  act  of  this  virtue is  to  reconcile  sinners  to  their  offended  Creator.