city on a.n;ither oo088ion Christ had need and cbe.titisement, impenetrable to Jong- the same words (Luke xiii. 84, 85) ; he re- suffering love, ungrateful for meroies, the peats them now a.e he takes hie final fa.re. Jews repulsed all efforts for their amend- well He speaks with Divine tenderness, ment, and blindly pursued the course of yet with poignant sorrow, knowing that this ruin. It wa.e always in their power to turn lest appeal will be in vain. It he.a been if they willed, but they wilfully resisted remarked that, whereas St. Matthew else- gmce, and must suffer aooordingly (oomp. where names the oe.pital oity, the theooratio lee.. xxx. 15). centre. Hieroeolyma., which is the Greek Ver. 88.-Yonr house. The temple or equivalent, he here calla it Hiero1IB&lem, Jerusalem, no longer God's habitation. which is Hebrew, es though, while record- This betokens not only Christ's solemn ing the words used by Jeans, he desired to departure from the se.ored precinote, but the reproduce the actual eonnd of the Saviour's withdrawal of God's Spirit from the Jewish a.lfeoting address. Xillest ... stonest. Such Church e.nd nation. Unto yon. Hencefor- is thy wont, thy evil praotice. So Christ ward ye shall have it e.ll to yourselves; my says elaewhere, " It cannot be that e. prophet Father and I forsake it; we give it up perish out of Jerusalem" (Luke xiii 83). e.ltogether to you. Deoole.te. 'l'he word is "Stonest" was particularly appropriate after omitted by some few nncie.ls, but retained by the referenoe to Zachariah (2 Chron. uiv. C-:, C, D, etc., most cursives, the Vulge.te, etc. 20). Bent unto thee. The received Greek ia, The proteotiug wing is withdrawn, the -.t vnw it or her (rpbs abr,fv), thongheome Divine presence removed, e.nd the house is manuscripts and the Vnlga.te give "thee." indeed deserted (lp11/'os); (oomp. Ps. lix. But the c!Je.nge of persons is not uncommon. 25; Jer. xii. 7). Alford quotes Luke l 45; xiii 34; Rev. Ver. 89.-Ye shall not see me henoeforth. :i::viii 24. How often ! Some would oon.fine Obrist explains thedennncia.tionjust given. Christ's allusion to his own mis&ion in ill a few de.ye he will be separated from Juwea, and the efforts ma.de by him to win them by dee.th e.nd burial ; and, though he d.isoiplee; but it surely applies to all the appeared to oerta.in chosen witneeees after doings and visitations of God towards Israel his resurrection, he was seen no more by the during the whole conree of their history, people (Acts x. U); their house we.a de- which showed hie gracious desire that ell serted. Some take the word " see " in the should be saved, if they only he.d willed with sense oflmow, recognize; but it seems rather him. He hereby a.sserts himself as one with weak to ea.y, "Ye shall not know me till ye the God of the Old Testament. Christ's acknowledge me as Messiah," a.a the know- ministry in Jemsa.lem and Jtrlma is men- ing and e.cknow!edging are pre.ctiea.lly iioned by St. John. 811.thered . . . winga. identical or simultaneous. Till ye shall say, :A. tender similitude, which ii found in the Blessed is he that oometh in the name of the Old Testament and in classic &nthora. It Lord ! The words wh; .A had greeted his implies love, care, and protection. Thm trinmphe.l entry e. few days before (eh. :ui the psalmist prays, "Hide me under the 9). The cla.nee, "till ye shall se.y," does not shadow of thy wings;" "ill the shadow of shut the door of hope for ever ; it looks thy wings will I take refuge, until these forward to a happier prospect. The time ca.lamities be ovcrpo.st " (Pa. xvii 8: lvii 1) : intended is that when Israel shall repent comp. Dent. x:xxii. 11 ; lee.. u:xi. 5, etc. of its rejection of the Messiah. e.nd in So Euripides, • Hero. Fur.,' 72- bitter contrition look on him whom it pierced, owning and receiving Jesus with " '.}:'lie childre11 whom I cherif.h 'nea.th my gle.d "Rosa.nm.ha I" Then she.U they behold wings, thf him coming in power and glory, e.nd shall ;,As a. bird cowering o'ez her you nl regain their old position as beloved of God brood." (see Hos. iii. 4, 5 ; Zech. xiL 10). Then The metaphor is pecnlie.rly e.:ppropriate at "all Israel shall be saved" (Rom. xL 26). ·the time, when, e.s Lange puts it, the Roman Tht18 this terrible che.pter, so dark e.nd eagles were !Jovering nea.r, and there was no menacing, closes with a glow of hope e.nd hope of safety but under the Lord's wings. a. promise, indefinite but oerta.in, of flua.l 6.nd 7e would not. U 1upoved b,r ·warnin~ re~tore,tiou,
HOMILETICS. Vere. l-12.-71ul scribe, and P,'i.ariaeea. I. THEIR CHABACTEB, 1. TMlr position, "They sit in Moses' seat." The scribes were the recognized teachers of the Law. The Pharisees exercised the greatest Influence in th~. council and amon~ the nation at large. Moses sat to judge the people (Exod. XVlll, 13); now the scnbes taught and on. :um.1-39.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 4-05