He now offers us our spiritual food. He has long been manifested to us; He now waits to be manifested in us. We who know Him now

by faith, must prove that we know Him, by living as ever in His sight. Every instruction, every support we can desire for our Christian course, has been plentifully supplied us. The rules and guidance of our Church, if we would but heartily follow them, have marked out for us distinctly enough the road in which the wayfarers, though fools, shall not err. And we may find strength enough to keep in it, if we will but seek it for ourselves and such of us as are parents for their children, in listening to God's word read or explained, in joining as often as we can in the prayers of the Church and in the devout receiving of the Holy Sacrament.

We go wrong not because we have no star to guide us, but because we will not take proper heed to the guidance that we have. We may fancy ourselves as safe as the Jews did; we may close our ears against any who would warn us that we are still offenders each in our own particular fault. But we are so vain of our own powers, so fully satisfied that we know all that is necessary, and are trying to perform it; when it is quite evident to all our neighbours

that we are deceiving ourselves; so obstinate are we in refusing to seek Christ with our whole heart even while, it may be, we are professing to shew others where He is to be found, that there seems but a poor chance of our really being amongst those who are to do Him service. That service must ever be, what it was to the castern wise men, a service of trouble and of cost: it becomes us, then, to see whether ours is such, for fear it be rather such an idle and self-pleasing religion as caused the rejection of the ancient people of God.

2. Now what trouble do we put ourselves to, to come and worship Him whom we confess to be king? What instance can we point out where we have undergone any personal danger, any fatigue, or brought upon us any evil report in our devotion to Christ? Is it really so, that we have done all that we can think of for Christ, and yet find ourselves able to take our ease, to spread the feast, and lap ourselves in idle security? If we really felt the necessity of doing something more for Him than we have hitherto done; if we were, as we say we are, persuaded that we must make a sacrifice to Him of our souls and bodies and all our possessions; we should soon find out duties we might engage in

for His sake which we now leave unattempted. Being constrained by the love of Christ, we should not have long to seek for a way in which to shew it. But because we live as honestly, as devoutly, as much or rather as little like saints, as others do, we are satisfied; and when any give up the comforts of their home, or bring on themselves willingly any unusual labour for their Lord, then like the Jews we are too apt to think ourselves much wiser than they, and well will it be for us if we see our error in time, follow the wise men to Christ, and so do not at length find ourselves cast away.

3. But, as has been already said, Christ's service is not only laborious, it is also costly. It is true that what is costly for one is of but little value to another, that what is much for the poor is nothing for the rich, and on the other hand, that which is required from the rich is quite out of the reach of the poor. But it is not so much the value of the gift itself that Christ regards as its value to us. Whatever we reckon most precious, that He not only demands, but demands to be given Him cheerfully. An infant such as our Lord was when the Magi came to Him, would get little store by gold, and frankincense, and myrrh, but they offered these, be

cause they were the most valuable products of their land. These presents have been explained as symbolical both as to Christ who received them, and as to the wise men who gave them. On His side gold, it is said, shewed Him to be a king, incense was given to Him as to God, and myrrh, the chief ingredient among the spices used for embalming, shewed Him also to be mortal

man.

While on the side of those who brought them, gold is said to have represented that charity which never fades or tarnishes, incense, those prayers that should ever be ascending up to the throne of God, and myrrh the bitter tears of penitence. But without insisting on any such interpretation, it is quite clear that we must all spare something of the best we can produce to honour Him. Bright is our light, safe our way: but selfish is our worship and poor are our gifts.

The wise men left their homes to seek a king of whom they knew nothing, we will not even in our homes think of Him whom from our youth we have been taught to regard. They crossed deserts, and mountains, and rivers, to kneel before Him; we will scarce cross a street to join in His worship. They offered gold, we will not offer even our love; they presented incense, we will scarce present a prayer; they spread before Him

myrrh, we have not shed a single tear of sorrow for our negligence. Let this no longer continue, let us begin with penitence, continue with prayer, and try to make ourselves perfect with love. So only shall we be able to take our place among the people of God, so only can the prophecy be fulfilled in us, "All kings shall fall down before Him, all nations shall do Him service."

"Arise, shine," says the prophet Isaiah, speaking of this day, "for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee. . . And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising." Our light has arisen upon us, and Christ manifests Himself to our hearts. Should we not be drawn to the brightness of His rising? should we not be led to worship Him and give Him of our best? We have, the most of us, no gold, or frankincense, or myrrh to offer Him: but we have what He likes as well. Instead of gold, a royal gift, we may give Him love, pure and free from all earthly mixture, as if purified seven times in the fire. When have heard of Him here; when you have known how He loved you, so as not only to die for but you, also to give Himself to be your spiritual food in holy Communion, will you not worship Him with this offering? shall we not, as the sight of Him

you