  There is no plant in the spiritual garden of the Church of England which at the present moment needs more diligent watering and tending than the practical, devotional study of Holy Scripture. The extent to which spiritual sloth, or reaction against Protestant individualism, or the excuse of critical difficulties is allowed to minister to the neglect of this most necessary practice, is greatly to be deplored. It is surprising in how few parts of the Bible critical difficulties, be they what they may, need be any bar to its practical use. The present exposition is, Itrust, based upon a careful study of the original text, but it is, as presented, intended simply to assist ordinary people to meditate on the Sermon on the Mount in the Revised Version, and to apply its teaching to their own lives. If it proves useful, Ihope, as occasion offers, to follow it up My original intention was to publish some lectures given in Westminster Abbey on the Sermon on the Mount in Lent and Easter, 1895. But the attempt to correct for the press a report of those lectures was practically abandoned, and the exposition as now printed is a new one. It is intended to suggest thoughts rather than to develop them, and to minister to practical reflection rather than to intellectual study; and Ihave ventured, in view of this latter aim, to omit almost all references and discussions such as involve footnotes. I owe as much gratitude as usual to the Rev.Richard Rackham, my brother in the Community of the Resurrection, for help in the correction of proofs. C. G. RADLEY, |
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