bystanders, and of the dumb man, to the Source of every good and perfect gift, namely to God.

Ver. 36. And He charged them that they should tell no man. It is not easy to understand our Lord's reason for so often desiring the people to say nothing respecting His miracles. He may have wished, for some wise pur'pose, to choose His own times and occasions for making His power known. He seems to have been anxious to avoid worldly glory, and not to make men curious to see His miracles. Knowing as He well did the nature of man, He was aware that a restless anxiety on the part of His countrymen to see signs from heaven was not favourable to the growth of a patient faith in His word and doctrine. He seemed to act on the belief that true faith cometh rather by hearing (Rom. x. 17) than by seeing: "Blessed," He said, are they that have not seen, and yet have believed" (St. John xx. 29).

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Ver. 37. He hath done all things well. Such was the 'candid confession of the people; and, as the Scribes, Pharisees, and others of high rank among the Jews, did all they could to lessen Christ's credit, and lead the lower orders of the Jews to reject Him, it proves that the miracle was real, done openly, with the full knowledge of the bystanders. The public manner in which Christ's miracles were done at once puts them apart from the so-called miracles of impostors like Mahomet or Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism, each of whom, since Christ's stay on the earth, has been said to have had a like power to that which Christ had. These impostors have always taken care not to attempt to do their miracles openly.

Questions. From what coasts did Jesus depart? What is meant in this passage by the word "coasts"? [Notes."] What does it mean in a subsequent part of this same passage? For what was Tyre, formerly famous? ["Notes."] Which of the prophets in particular foretold its destruction? ["Notes."] Has his prediction been fulfilled? What is the present name of Sidon? ["Notes."] It is a trading town of the Levant; what is meant by the Levant? [The eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea; the nearest part to the Holy Land.] Through what coasts did Jesus pass on His way to the Sea of Galilee? What does the word "Decapolis" mean? ["Notes."]

Ver. 32. Whom did the people bring to Jesus? What is said respecting the man's speech? What does the Greek word mean which is here translated "impediment"? ["Notes."] What words in ver. 35 seem to imply that the man had previously been acquainted with language? ["Notes."] What did the people wish Jesus to do to the man?

Ver. 35. What did Jesus do? Then what outward signs did Jesus make use of? Were the prophets of old accustomed to use signs in conveying the gifts of healing? Mention a prophet who did so. ["Notes."] Has Christ commanded His Church to use signs when spiritual gifts are to be granted to Christians? What are the outward signs in Baptism? And what in the Lord's Supper? Did the apostles use an outward sign in Confirmation? [Yes.] What is that sign? [The laying on of hands.] Where in Holy Scripture do you find an account of Confirmation being administered by the laying on of hands? [Acts viii. 14-17.] Had the people on whom St. Peter and St. John laid their hands been previously baptized? [Yes; see Acts viii. 16.] What is the outward sign in Ordination? [The laying on of hands.] Refer to a text of Scripture for an instance of such Ordination. [Acts xiii.. 1-3.] On whom did St. Paul lay his hands? [Timothy; 2 Tim. i. 6.] We read that Jesus spit, and touched" the man's " tongue;" have these signs ever been used in the Christian Church? ["Notes."] What word did Jesus use in performing the miracle? What does Ephphatha

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mean?

Ver. 35. What happened after Jesus had said Ephphatha? On looking back to ver. 34, you will see that Jesus, before performing the miracle, looked up to heaven; did He do so to ask power from God? [No.] What reason have you for saying "No"? ["Notes" on ver. 34.] Then why did He look up to heaven? ["Notes" on ver. 34.]

Ver. 36. What charge did Jesus deliver to the people? Refer to other texts which prove that Jesus was accustomed to deliver such charges to those who had seen signs of His power. [St. Matt. xvii. 9, viii. 4.] For what reasons may Jesus have wished that the people who saw His miracles should not spread His fame abroad? ["Notes."]

Ver. 37. What did the people say when they had seen the miracle? What did their confession prove with respect to the miracle? [That it was real, and done openly.] Does the public manner in which Christ wrought His miracles distinguish them from those to which other persons have laid claim? ["Notes."]

Application.-Was the man on whom the miracle was wrought subject to bodily affliction? State what that affliction was. [Ver. 32.] And you see that Jesus delivered him from it: does that fact teach you any lesson respecting Christ's interest in men's comfort and happiness? What does it teach you concerning Christ's interest in us? [That He deeply feels for men who are in bodily affliction.] This man was subject to bodily affliction, and Christ delivered him from it is Christ equally ready now to deliver men from diseases of the soul? What is the disease of men's souls called? [Sin.] Christ delivers men from that disease, but does He not require us to do something towards our cure? What? [To obey His good counsels, to avoid temptation, and to strive against sin and the Devil.] shown that Christ is willing to do good to men; does to-day's Gospel teach you that He is also able to do so? And, since He is both able and willing to do you good in soul and body, ought you to ask Him to do so? And when He sends you good (as He does every day), how ought you to feel towards Him? [Thankful.]

You have

THIRTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY.

St. Luke x. 23-37.

23 And he turned him unto his disciples, and said privately, Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye

see:

24 For I tell you, that many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.

25 And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?

26 He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou?

27 And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all tby strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. 28 And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live.

said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour?

30 And Jesus answering said, A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead.

31 And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side,

32 And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side.

33 But a certain Samaritan, as he Journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him,

34 And went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care

29 But he, willing to justify himself, of him,

35 And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee.

36 Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves?

37 And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise.

Notes.-The Gospel for to-day contains the striking and instructive parable of The Good Samaritan. It is a portion of Holy Writ which shows us how much we are indebted to casual questions put to our Lord by His hearers for some of the most sublime lessons of conduct which it is possible for mankind to receive. Thus, out of the lawyer's question, "What shall I do to obtain eternal life?" has sprung an illustration of the golden rule of Love, which the most unlearned person cannot fail to understand.

Ver. 23. Blessed are the eyes which see the things that ye see. The things which Christ's disciples saw were the miracles which their Master had done in proof of His Divine nature.

Ver. 24. Many prophets and kings have desired to see those things which ye see. Moses, Elijah, Elisha, Isaiah, Daniel, and other prophets, and David and Solomon among the kings, died without having seen Christ's miracles, much as they desired to witness them. Abraham, it is true, is said to have seen Christ's day (St. John viii. 56); but not with his bodily eyes. The prophets beheld Christ's day afar off; but saw not the full brightness of the Christian dispensation. They were removed from it at a distance, as was Moses, who, from Pisgah, surveyed that fruitful land (Canaan), which he was not permitted to enter, and who could only foresee by faith the settlement of the Israelites in it.

Ver. 25. A certain lawyer stood, up and tempted Him. This lawyer, or Scribe, tempted or made trial of Christ, to hear what answer Christ would give to his question. We can scarcely suppose he wished to entangle Christ in His words, in order to accuse Him before the chief priests, for the question He put was very plain and straightforward; and Christ answered in an earnest

manner, and does not once accuse him of trying to lead Him into an unguarded expression for which punishment might be decreed.

Ver. 26. What is written in the law? Christ did not answer the lawyer's question, but referred him to the place where he might find the answer for himself. There was wisdom in this; for man is ever prone to forget the teaching which lies plainly before his eyes, and to ask for what is far off and new. There are many Christians who will not be guided by the teaching already vouchsafed to them in the New Testament, and in the Church, but who are ever looking for something which is grander in their opinion-something they think not quite so simple. To them, as to Naaman, it would have been more pleasing and flattering to be told "to do some great thing." The law to which Christ referred the man who questioned Him was that contained in the Ten Commandments.

Ver. 27. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God, &c. The lawyer rightly answered, that, in the Ten Commandments, he was taught (1) his Duty to his God, and (2) his Duty to his Neighbour, or fellow-man. He knew his duty; but the question is, did he do it? On this point ver. 29 throws some light. It says, "But he, willing to justify himself, said, Who is my neighbour?"" He is very anxious to say something in his own favour: in fact, to find an easy way of evading one of his duties—a loophole through which he may escape; for, no doubt, his conscience accuses him of neglecting things which he ought to have done. He therefore asks, "Who is my neighbour?" Jesus does not reply to this question in a direct manner, but delivers the parable of The Good Samaritan.

Ver. 30. Went down from Jerusalem to Jericho. Jerusalem is situated on high ground, and from whichever side it is approached there is an ascent to it, and therefore a journey from it to any part of Palestine is really a going "down;" especially a journey to Jericho, which stood in a plain that was upwards of 3000 feet lower than the high ground on which Jerusalem was built (see p. 70, Quinqua