there must bo a long, laborious r,roccss, by which the ju<lgment and the conscience of mankind would be convinced. There would be fatal folly in an endeavour to force an issue. 'l'here would bo Divine wis<lom in "beginning at the beginning," in gradually working onwards, in toiling upwards amid fatigues and sorrows until the height was reached. Such are the victories before us now-triumphs over ignorance, over vice, over unbelief, over superstition, over indifference, over indecision, over spiritual lan!!llor. We should like to bo working faster, to be winning the battle at a greater pace. Then cometh the evil one, and he says, "Leave these slow processes; mix a little error with the truth you preach; be more careful to produce an effect than to deliver the Divine message; sacrifice purity to power; introduce into the methods of the kingdom or Christ the principles and the weapons of the kingdom of the world; hasten to the goal and snatch the crown of success, instead of working BO hard and waiting so long." II. THE FIRM REFUSAL. Christ declined to adopt the suggestion; he said that to do so would be" tempting the Lord his God." It would be expecting God to work a miracle in order to gratify his nnholy eagerness. We must not try to precipitate the cause of righteousness by an unholy impatience, which is a practical distrust of God's Word. To expect God to bless means which he has not sanctioned, to own and honour methods which are not in accord with the principles he has revealed,-this is to lose his favour and to draw down his condemnation; it is to invite discomfiture. "He that believeth shall not make haste." Our wisdom as well as onr duty, as "workmen together with God," is to (1) adopt God-given methods; (2) ask for the Divine help and inspiration; (3) confidently await the Divine blessing in God's own chosen time and way.-C. Ver. 18.-The poor and the gospel. A most significant fact that the first work of the Messiah should be his " preaching the gospel to the poor.'' What is the significance of it? I. BY THE POOR DIVINE TRUTH IS MOST NEEDED. Their life on earth is the hardest; it is often one of unremitting toil; often one of severe privation, almost destitute of comfort and enjoyment; often one of serious and hard oppression, in which the strong will of another robs of all liberty of action. The past is sad, the present gloomy, the future dark. There are no pleasures in recollection, and there is no relief in hope. How precious, how necessary, to these are the joys which earth cannot give and cannot steal-the treasures which enrich the heart, the hopes which reach beyond the grave! IL BY THE POOR DIVINE TRUTH IS MOST APPRECIATED. "How hardly do they that have riches enter the kingdom of heaven ! " Their time is occupied, their minds are filled, with pursuits and pleasures which are on an earthly pla.ne,and things higher and worthier are hidden from view. 'fhe poor, though they have indeed their own tempta- tions and their own errors and failings, are yet more likely to see the Divine band beckoning to them, and to hear the heavenly voice calling them to wisdom and service and eternal joy. And, as a fact, they do. The co=on people still hear Christ gladly, while the wealthy and the strong and the famous are sitting at the feet of "the W9rl<l," to learn its wisdom and to seek its favour. III. To THE POOR DIVINE TRUTH IS CLEARLY AND MARKEDLY OFFERED. It was, in fact, a very great thing to say, "To the poor the gospel is preached." It was one of the " watermarks " of Christianity that our Master made his appeal, not, as philosophy and theology had done before him, and as science in our day is doing, to human learning and influence, but to the unlettered and the lowly, to the multitude and the millions among men, to the common human heart. Other systems had tried to reach the lower levels by affecting the heights of society first. The gospel of Jesus Christ "moves upward from below.'' It teaches, cleanses, raises the people; and so it purifies and exalts the nation. This is the Divine method, and must be ours. It is for the Church of ('hrist to follow its Divine Master, to see that the signs of truth are about its handi- work, and amongst them this leading sign, that" to the poor the gospel is preached." If this feature should be absent, it will be time for the Church to be considering where it stands-how near to or remote from its Master.-C.
Ver.18.-Healing the broken-hearted, We have a supreme want, but we have • Divine remedy, 102 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO BT. LUKE. [on. rv. 1-44.