the preacher does not feel the saving power of the words which, by the grace of God, bring life to the listener. 'l'he deepest, the most accurate knowledge of the letter ot Scripture is a very poor thing compared with that inner knowledge of the heart, which may be granted to the ignorant as well as to the learned; which lead~ learned 11nd ignorant alike to him who is the only Saviour of the world, the Lord Jesus Christ. He was to be found in Bethlehem, in seclusion and poverty. Jerusalem was grand and rich; Bethlehem was small and poor. The priests showed the way, but went not; the Gentile Magians believed. The King was not to be found in Jerusalem, in it11 palaces, in its glorious temple. '£hey sought him in simple faith in the little Beth- lehem, and there they found the Governor, who should be the Shepherd of the Israel -of God. III. THEm JOUR1u:v 'l'O BETHLEHEM. 1. '!'hey belie1Jed the Sr:riptures. They had not known the Scriptures; they were Gentiles. Now they heard them, and they doubted not. They had expected to find the King at Jerusalem; the Scriptures bade them seek him at Bethlehem; they at once obeyed. There is a lesson for us here. \Ve should search the Scriptures, not, as many seem to do, to find our own opinions there, eut in the humble, teachable spirit of the true disciple, who desires only to learn the truth of God, and, when he has learned it, strives with all his heart to do the wiil of God. 2. The reward of their faith. The star appeared again; it went before them ; it stood over where the young Child was. God will not leave us to grope our way in the darkness, when we are seeking him in faith. The kindly light of his gracious love will lead us through the encircling gloom. We may be far from home, like the Magians; but if, like them, we do not seek to choose our own path, but submit to be guided by his Word, the light will lead us on till, like them, we see a more than angel- face, the loving face of the most holy Saviour. Earnest search is the condition of the heavenly guidance; the heavenly guidance is the reward of earnest search. They rejoiced to see the star; they recognized it as the star which had first raised their hopes when they saw it in the East. It came nearer now; its guidance was more distinct, more certain; it stood over where the young Child was. The leading of God's Holy Spirit, the intimations of his will, become clearer and more definite as the faithful Christian draws nearer to the end of his journey; the more readily they are obeyed, the plainer they become. 'fhe sons of God are led by his Spirit, led ever nearer to Christ. The fruit of the Spirit is joy; they rejoice with eiceeding great joy who feel the workings of that good Spirit within them; they recognize his gentle whispers as the voice of God calling them to his great salvation. That joy is of all joys the holiest and the best, the most abiding; it is joy unspeakable and full of glory; it is the foretaste of the joy of heaven. 3. '!'heir tliankful,ness. They saw the young Child with Mary his mother. It was not a.s they had, perhaps, expected; there were no outward signs of royalty, no pomp, no guards, no courtiers; only a manger, or now, perhaps, some poor cottage; vary different from the stately palace where they had left the proud, wicked Herod. But their faith was not shaken by these mean surroundings; they recognized the little Child as the King Messiah; they pa.id him the worship which they had come to render; they fell down and worshipped him-him, we mark, not the virgin-mother. Worship was the end, the object, of their long journey. It is the end of ours; the heavenly worship before the throne is the high hope that brightens the Christian life. They made their offerings to the infant Christ. True worship involves offerings; they will give of their means who first have given their hearts; they freely give who have freely received; they who have found Christ count all ee.rthly wealth as dross in comparison with the heavenly riches. They offered costly gifts-gifts of mystic meaning. 'l'he frankincense was significnnt; it was offered to God in the services of the temple; offered to the holy Babe, it confessed his Divinity. Gold is offered to a king; the star had announced the approaching birth of the King of the Jews; the Magians recognized the infant Jesus as the promised King. Myrrh was used in preparing bodies for the grave. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes (John xix. 39), and la.id therein the sacred body of the Lord. It may be that the gift of myrrh prefigured the blessed death which was to close the earthly life of the holy Ba.be. 4. Their departure. They were warned of God. Perhaps they bad consulted him, as the Greek word seems to imply. They could not trust Herod; the contrast between his dark character and the beautiful simplicity of the holy family THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHE"N. [cu. n. 1-23.
at Bethlehem struck them, and awakened their suspicions. They feared the designt of Herod. They sought counsel of God; he provided for the safety of the holy Child : he warned them ; they departed to their own country. We know no more of them cert.ainly; we cannot doubt that they were saints of God. Their pilgrimage was not in vain; they carried back the lessons they had learned, and died at the last in the- faith of him whom they had worshipped. We may be sure of this-sure that he who- bad begun the good work within their hearts would complete it. Their character is strikingly beautiful; simple faith, undoubting obedience, deep loving reverence, love that showed itself in costly offerings,-these were the graces that shone forth in the· first Gentiles to whom the Saviour of the world was manifested. LESSONS. 1. Some read the Bible like Herod and the priests; they know all about Christ, they know not himself. Such knowledge saveth not. 2. Come to Christ yourselves, like the Wise Men; seek him, and you shall find; God guideth those who seek. 3. They travelled far; you must persevere. They gave costly gifts; you musl; offer freely of your substance for the work of God.