Ver. 34:.-Self-knowkdge and Divine knowkdge. Jesus knew Peter better than he knew ~imself.. Any observant ml\D would have told wherein lay peril for suoh an impulsive, hastily outspoken, warm-hearted man. Our Lord divinely" knew what was in man," and foresaw the coming danger. We are all keen enough at estimating the character _of others, but we cannot do it with any certainty, because we can only make our experience of ourselves our standard of judgrucnt. And oftentimes those who are most ready to judge others are the least efficient in appraising themselves, and so their standard is incomplete and unworthy. Divine knowledge is perfect. So the true• hearted can say, "Search me, 0 God, and know my heart; try me, and know my ways." l. SELF-KNOWLEDGE CAN ~"EVER BE GOT AT IMPULSIVELY. Impulse can only 8Xpress a passing mood or feeling; and that may have its explan!l.tion in temporary circumstances and excitements. A man acting or speaking on -impulse may act or speak in strict harmony with his real self. He may; but it is equn.lly true that he may act or speak otherwise than be wonld if he could quietly resolve. Impulse is good, but it is perilous. Distinguish from the power of quick judgment and decisiou. lmpnlses tell the howr ; they seldom tell the real man. II. SELF--K~OWLEDGE CALLS FOB CAREFUL THOUGHT. We find great differences in characters. Some are ea,y to read, they belong to recognized classes. Some are very difficult to read ; we must watch them a long time; their individuality is more marked than their classification. And men find similar variety in themselves. Some may read themselves easily. St. Peter might, if he had tried. Some never feel quite sure that they know themsel'l"es. III. SELF-KNOWLEDGE IS ALWAYS SU11JECT TO DIVINE 0OBBECTIONS. The apostle thought he knew himself when he made his stout assertion. But he came into Divine correction. This is often given us by the discipline of disappointment and failure; and often by the providence which offers us work for whieh we could not have thought that we were fitted. IV. Drvnra OOBRECTIONS SHOULD LEAD TO A BE-BEADING OF OUBBELVES IN THE J.'EW LIGHT. If we fail to do this, we shall have to go on with St. Peter, and learn to know ourselves through a bitter experience.-R. T. Ver. 36.-7"'th.s learnt in Gethsemane. A little garden on the side of the Mount of Olives is now shown to travellers as the garden of Gethsemane. It is enclosed with a wall A few olive trees remain, possibly the descendants of those that covered Jesus with their shade. This spot is, however, too close to the city, and too near a main road, to have provided our Lord with the seclusion that he sought. Dr. Thomson telli! of gardens a little further off, less than a mile from the city, and says that he found one, in a sheltered vale, suiting exactly our Lord's pnrpose, only a few hundred yards north-east of the exhibited site. 'l'hree things are impressed on us by the ecene in Gethsemane. L WE GAIN ID&il OONCEB1'"ING 0UB LonD's HUII.ANITY, It was Divine-humanity, so we may expect to find some nnusual elements. But it was veritable humanity, so we may expect to find more likeness to us than diversity from us. Brotherliness of feeling and experience is seen: 1. In the restlessness of Christ's spirit. We know what it is to be restless when we have forebodings of coming calamity, 2. In our Lord's desire to be alone, and yet longing to have some one to be present and sympa- thize with him. 3. In our Lord's resista.uce of anticipated physical sufferings. 4. In his gentle way of dealing- with disciples who were weak rat~er than ~ilful, and the_re- fore failed to watch. Gethsemane helps us to feel "he was in all points tempted like as we are." IL WE GAIN IDEAS OONCEB~"ING THE CAUBB OF OUB LonD'B SUFFERINGS. N0 doubt he felt, as no one ever felt before, (1) the separation between God and man; and (2) the hatefulnes11 of sin. And he estimated, as no one else ever has, the awful curse and penalty which wilful sin has brought upon humanity. The woe he had so soon to p&8I! through seemed to reveal the penalty to him. This made the b0;den of deliverance so heavy-made it involve so much. H all crowded on his m.ind and l.i.eart, and forced the earnest cry and prayer. !IT. WE GA.IN IDEAS OONCEBNING OUR LORD'S WILLINGNJ!:88 TO 8t7FFEB. The soul- OIi, XXVI, 1-76.] THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. MATTHEW. 577
offering-the will-offering for sin-was made in Gethsemane, Gorl required the full sacrifice of a completed, tested obedienoe. Calvary completed the testing. Christ was 11 perfect offering. He freely, willingly, gave himseU nnto God.-R. T.