The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 62

were accustomed, in the course or the stare, to inquire for and investigate, as they thought, the course of human events. It was an ancient opinion, and one very widely spread, that great events on earth were portended often by corresponding appearances in the heavens, Thie need not be called a merely heathen fiction. It has been so, incontestably, at times and on occasions most solemn. Was it not so, above all, at the Crucifixion? and again on occasion of the destruction of Jerusalem? And if we were to ask whether it were altogether likely that as such things have nevertheless very often been turned to the purposes of superstition, God would have used a star by which to guide these men, and have so seemed to encourage an unreal science, however real at times the fact might be, we may venture to reply that it is very conceivable, very possible. Because what God looks at is not knowledge, but honesty. What he abhors is not human ignorance, but human dishonesty. '!'here is to-day plenty of honest superstition in Chaldea, Persia., Arabia, India, China; while, alas I it is perhaps equally true that the pure eye of God surveys a far larger total of dishonest superstition of the worst character in every country of enlightened Europe, in every county of noonday England. God's Spirit may often condescend to graft the sweetest, kindest of hia light on very blear-eyed intellectual vision, so that the moral vision be to its possibilities single. .And as true, at all events, as whatever else in this wonderful narration, is this-that from afar to Jerusalem, and from Jerusalem to "over where the young Child was," a star was the divinely given guide to the pilgrims. The Spirit that gave the impulse to good hearts used the method that very imperfect minds would follow and be able to appreciate while they followed it. Nor did the kind, the faithful Spirit desert "the work which he had begun." IV, THE EARNESTNESS AND SINCERITY OF THE EARNEST AND SINCERE WILL OFTEN IN AN UNPREMEDITATED AND WONDERFUL WAY, CUTTING ACROSS THE PATHS AND VERY mGH WAYS OF THE WORLD, SERVE TO STARTLE THAT WORJ,D AND INSPmE IN IT THE DEEPEST ALARM. It was certainly so now (vers. 3--8). The simple journey and simple inquiries of these" men of love," whose steps were worship, lips peace, and hands adoring gifts, excite unparalleled co=otion in the heart of the chiefest man of Jerusalem, and throughout the whole city. This is partly the very nature of truth. of whatever sort. It carries about with it a holy subtlety. And it is partly the gift of God's providence. And it is partly just one chosen method, in and or itself, of God'3 carrying on his work and reaching his ends, not by the power of might, but by that of goodness and simplicity. This excitement and commotion show at fewest siz results here. First, in the fear wrought in King Herod and many others in Jerusalem. Secondly, in the ensuing summoning of the council Thirdly, in the necessity entailed of searching the Scriptures. Fourthly, in the king's consulting of those Eastern pilgrims and forwarding them on their journey. Fifthly, in his committing himself to be beholden to them for what he considered vital information. And, sizthly, in clenching all by a profession of lying hypocrisy, the firstborn of his heart's stricken cowardice, when Herod lets out of his lips the words, "that I also may come nnd worship him." The one inquiry of the Wise Men was lik,) a siz-edged blade, or a siz-bladed knife, for the work it did. V. THE FINEST QUALITY OF FAITH, 'I1IB MOST PERSISTENT HOPE, AND E:SERGY THE MOST ACTIVE AND ENTRUSUSTI0, HA VE Bl'IEl( FOUND TO COME OF THE KEENEST LONGING. lt is astounding to observe the testimony which history bears to the amount of force of mind and force of achievement and triumph of every degree that follow strong long- ing, keenness of desire, impassioned wish. When these are, therefore, noble in sort and spiritual in their ends, earth has no grander heroisms to admire. So Jacob won the morning victory after the night-long wrestling against all the grandeur of the Ma11, who would not tell his name, but who showed his own prerogative when" be blessed" Jacob (Gen. xx.xii. 24---30). So the Syro-pbcenicinn woman won the victory in argument and in fact against the condescending, the merciful Jesus himself. And what have we here? Amid men's even superstitious inquirings of the heavens, upon such as do so inquire with honesty, with good motive, with intense anxiety, and for want of better opportunities of knowledge, a star of veritable meaning and calm brilliance may rise. It is in God's sight a better thing to see men inquiring in some mistaken manner than not at all. These were men longing, inquiring, and, at great pains nnd outlay, seeking for the true King of men, the one Saviour of the world, The notion which they hnJ. IUTTIIEW, J:  50 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [en. n. 1-23.