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waste? for this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor; and they murmured against her. When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, Let her alone: why trouble ye the woman? for she hath wrought a good work upon me. For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always. She hath done what she could: for in that she hath kept this ointment, and poured it on my body, she did it to anoint me aforehand to my burying. Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

Much people of the Jews therefore knew that he was there and they came not for Jesus' sake only, but that they might see Lazarus also, whom he had raised from the dead. But the chief priests consulted that they might put Lazarus also to death; because that by reason of him many of the Jews went away, and believed on Jesus.

We see how happily Mary improved by sitting at the feet of Jesus, and what evidence she gave of her having chosen the better part. (Compare Luke x. 39, 42.) Like her, let us

with humble thankfulness bestow our very best on him, who has given us that and every thing else. She gladly poured out her choicest ointment on him, whose name is to every true believer far more fragrant than ointment poured forth. (Cant. i. 3.) How does her generous love shame those who grudge every expense in the cause of Christ!

When we are relieving the pious poor, we are, as it were, anointing the feet of Jesus: we are indeed performing a service far more acceptable than any thing of this kind could in itself be. Let us remember that we have the poor always with us; and that they are permitted to continue among us that we may do them good whenever we please. Far be it from us to imagine that what we so spend is waste. Let all who would not share in the guilt and punishment of Judas abhor the vile hypocrisy of making a pretended concern for the poor: a cloak for an opportunity of enriching themselves with their spoils; than which nothing can be more infamous, or can have a directer tendency to mingle the consuming curse of a righteous and almighty God with all that a man possesses.

The Pharisees conspired to kill Lazarus. What a mixture was this of cruelty and folly! What was his crime? or what could their hope be? From what death could not Christ have delivered him? or from what tomb could he not again have recalled him? Yet something like this is the madness of all who hate and persecute others for being the trophies of the Redeemer's victory and grace.

But let not his servants fear; their Redeemer is strong, the Lord of hosts is his name. (Jer. 1. 34.) His work is perfect; and the day and hour is approaching in which his triumph over all his enemies shall be so complete, that his friends shall be for ever secure, not only from being destroyed, but from being alarmed by them.

SECTION LXVI.

JOHN XII. 12-19. MATT. XXI. 1-9. MARK XI. 1-10. LUKE XIX. 29-40.

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna; blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

And it came to pass on the next day, when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, Jesus sendeth forth two of his disciples, saying unto them, Go your way into the village over against you; and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her, whereon yet never man sat: loose them, and bring them hither unto me. And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? Thus shall ye say unto him, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them hither.

And the disciples that were sent went their way, and did as Jesus commanded them, and found the colt, even as he had said unto them, tied by the door without, in a place where two ways met: and they loose him. And as they were loosing the colt, the

owners thereof that stood there said unto them, Why loose ye the colt? And they said unto them, even as Jesus had commanded, The Lord hath need of him; and they let them go. And they brought the ass and the colt to Jesus, and they cast their garments upon the colt; and they set Jesus thereon, and he sat upon him. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, as it is written, Tell ye the daughter of Zion, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass. These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.

And as he went, a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen. And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! blessed is he, a king, thât cometh in the name of the Lord: blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest!

The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record. For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle. The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you, that if these should

hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry

out.

Let us behold this meek triumph of the great Redeemer with pleasure! He entered the capital of his kingdom riding upon an ass; a circumstance in which he made, though by no means a ridiculous, yet to be sure a very humble figure: yea, he appeared exactly as the prophet described him, upon a colt, the foal of an ass; not yet grown up to its best form, nor adorned with any sumptuous or elegant furniture, but only covered with the mantles of his poor attendants, and perhaps with nothing better than a cord for a bridle, which might have tied the foal at the door.

Let us imagine that we saw the Son of God and the King of Israel, thus proceeding towards Jerusalem, and the people meeting him, and surrounding him with their acclamations: Hosannah! Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord! Do not our hearts spring at the sound? Do we not, as it were in spirit, go forth with them, and join in their sublime, though simple song? Thus let us welcome him into our hearts! Let us echo it back! Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord, with Divine authority, and Divine blessings in his hand! And blessed be the kingdom he hath erected! May perpetual prosperity attend it! May the north give up a swarm of subjects to it; and may not the south keep back her swarthy sons! May nations be born at once, and thousands together made willing in the day of his power! Surely if these are not our affectionate wishes, the warm and zealous sentiments of our very hearts, it may almost be expected that the very stones should cry out, to accuse and condemn our ungrateful stupidity.

Unhappy Pharisees, who looked on these triumphs with envy and rage, and grieved that the world was gone after him! Yet less unhappy had they not renewed their attempts against him, those fatal attempts which ended in their ruin! But who, that had seen the procession, and heard the shouts of the transported multitude, could have imagined or believed, that before the end of the week they should have turned their voices against him, and instead of Hosannah, should have cried out, Crucify him? Yet so it was, and Christ knew it would be so. Such is the uncertainty of popular applause! Who would then purchase it at the expense of his conscience, or even of his ease?

These transports were raised by the hopes of a temporal kingdom; and when those hopes were disappointed, these transports were turned into rage. Oh that there may be none, under all the engagements of a Christian, and even

of a ministerial profession, who proclaim Christ with great appearances of zeal, only that they may exalt themselves; and wish prosperity to his kingdom, only as it may promote their own intesest in a world from which it was the great design of his death to redeem his servants.

SECTION LXVII.

MATT. XXI. 10, 11, 14, 17. MARK XI. 11.
LUKE XIX. 41-44.

AND when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes. For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee: and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.

And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? and the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. And Jesus went into the temple and looked round about upon all things; and the blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them. And when the chief priests and Scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David! they were sore displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

And when now the eventide was come, he went out of the city into Bethany with the twelve: and he lodged there.

The Scribes and Pharisees envied Christ; but the children surround him with their Hosannahs; and he graciously accepts

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