they had found Him whom they sought. Thus, let us resolutely seek the Lord Jesus, till we have found him. He is pointed out to us, not by a star, but by " the more sure word of the Gospel." True enough, we may inquire after him of many who might well be expected to give us all needful information; and, after all, find them even more ignorant than ourselves. Our very solicitude about him may even provoke their enmity ; but we must go on without weariness, and without fear ; and still prosecute our inquiries after him, till we can say, " I have found Him whom my soul loveth."
Lastly, having found Jesus, let us present to him all that we are, and all that we have. Let our body, soul, and spirit be consecrated to him. Let us confess him as " King of kings, and Lord of lords ;" let us devote to him our silver and our gold : and let us glorify him with our body and our spirit, which are his. This is our reasonable service : and if we be backward to render it unto him, surely these heathen converts will rise up in judgment against us: for, if they so honoured him, when they saw him only as a babe, wrapt in swaddling-clothes, much more should we, who view him seated on his throne of glory.]
Matt. ii. 10. And when they saw the star, they rejoiced with
exceeding great joy.
IN SO concise a history as that of our blessed Lord, the events of whose life and death were so numerous, that, if circumstantially related, they would occupy too many volumes to be read by the world at large, it must of necessity be found, that there is much omitted which we should have been glad to know. But the Scriptures were not written to gratify a vain curiosity : the inspired writers had a far higher object in view : they were content to record so much only as was necessary for our instruction, and to give us such brief hints as would set before our eyes one continuous and comprehensive whole. In the account of the wise men, who came from the East to worship the new-born Jesus, there is much left to mere conjecture. We know not who they were, nor whence Ihey came, except that it was to the eastward of Judaea ; nor how long it was after the birth of Christ ; whether a few