to Ohriet·will ho.ve, no more work, but tha.t ongbt to dovelop. I am. Observe the ·Ohl"iat will give them o.t once such reet e.nd claim. It is aimed greater than tha.t of refreshment of soul that they mny be fit for ver. 27. Meek. Primarily, a.s rego.rds God work, ehould Ood have any in store for them. (eh. v. 5, note). Receiving in my degree Ver. 29.-:--Vers. 29, 30 have so much in whatever yoke my Father puts on me. And common with both the le.ngnage and the lowly in heart. Aa regards men. Observe thought of Eodlus. Ii. 26, 27, tho.t probably that meel, und lowly correspond, though the this passage wiia 'in our Lord's mind. It is orcler is reversed, to." He humbled himself noteworthy that moat of the other signs of aud become obedient" (Phil. ii. 8, where e.cquo.intanoe with Eccleaiasticus are found l-ra,relv<ouev ia.vr&v does not refer to the in the Epistle of St. James (cf. Ederaheirn, in I11camation (l,dvo,uev ia.C1Tov), but to his the 'Speaker's Commentary' ou Ecclcsias- reli>tion to others in this world). In hearl ticus, p. 22). Take my yoke upon you. For (eh. v. 8, note), " Lowly in heart " very there is work to be done, therefore enter on nearly corresponds to "he that is of a. lowly it. The yoke is the service that Chriet spirit." Bnch a person as Clirist's ex- gives us to do, and therefore implies more perience shows (Phil. ii. 9) '' shall obtain than hia teaching. Thie, however, ia so honour" (Prov. xxix. 23). And ye shall important o. part of his se.rvice, both in itself find rest 11I1to your aonle. In this learning and as being the mea'.na of knowing what and service. The words are ta.ken from J er. he wishes done, that Christ speo.ks of it ea vi. 16 (not the LXX.; cf. also Ecclus. vi. 28), though almost identical witli his yoke. (On where they form the promise given to those the figure of tile: yoke,comparo o. not<! by that ask for the old paths and wo.lk in the Professor Ryle and Mr. James, in 'Psalms good way of the Divine commandments. ·of Solomon,' vii. 8; suggesting that our Lord But these roads were now more clearly was contrasting his ·yoke with the yoke of made known in Christ. Observe the full minute legal observance· lnid upon the force of. the two expressions, 1 will gire you people, by tb~. scribes o.nd Pharisees. For ,-est (ver. 28), a.nd Ye shall ji>&d rest. The a detailed description of the yoke and plough tired oomers are o.t once refreshed by Christ; uae<l. now in . Palestine, see an article by these aocept his service and teaching, and in Dr. Poat in the Quo.;rterly Statement of the performing it find further rest. The first Palestine Ex_ploraticin for 1891, p.112.) And rest may be termed the peace of justifica- learn of me.·· The figure of the oxen po.ases tion; the second, that of sanctification. Both into that of 'the 'scholars. The "of" is are obtained through Christ o.lone, yet they slightly a.mbiguous, o.nd may refer to Christ are not to be confused, much less identified, as the Example from which they may dra.w with one a.nother. the lesson for themselves (r,h·, xxiv. 32), or Ver. 30.-For. The faot of my giving .as the Teacher who will himself instruct work will not prevent this rest, but the con- them (Col. i. 7).. The second meaning is trary. My yoke is easy (xP710'TOs); ,uave, more suitable here. (For the thought, oomp. Latin; "softe" (Wiokl.i.ffe); "sweete" John viii. 31.) l!'or. The reason why they (Rheims), And so are God's judgments should learn from him and no other tea.char. (Ps. oxix. 30, ' Psalms of Solomon,' YiiL 38). He a.lone ,ras what he claimed to teach, Contrast Ecclus. xxviii. 19, 20. And my therefore he nlone could ten.eh it properly, burden is light, For "hie comma.ndments and therefore from him alone oould they are not grievous" (1 John v. 3). "Omnia lenrn that type of choro.cter. which they levia aunt co.ritati" (Augustine, in Meyer).
HOMILETICS. Vera. 1-6.-The message of John. I. His QUESTION. 1, Its cause. He had heard the works of Christ. He was in prison, in the gloomy fortress of llfachairus. He had been there six months at least, perhaps much longer. But he was not kept wholly without knowt.idge of the outer world; his disciples were allowed access to him; they related to him the mighty works of the grent Prophet of Galilee. Nothing could interest J olm I more. dell,Ply. • The works were the works of the Christ, the Messiah; 1uoh as were •attributecl. to him by the prophets. They would naturally fill thtt thoughts of the Baptiet, and form the great subject of conversation between him and his disciples. 2. Its meaning. " Art thou he that should come, or are we to look for another?" What could the Baptist mean ? He had witnessed the descent of the Holy Spirit upon our Lord; he had borne witness that he was the Son of God, the heavenly Bridegroom; he had pointed him out to his own disciples as tho Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world: how could he have any doubt about hla_ 452 T.IIE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. [cu. x1. 1---36.