the remainder on his feet, wiping them, like the humble penitent mentioned before, with her hair. Jesus, knowing his disciples were making unkind remarks upon this act of the devoted Mary, asked them why they vexed her in that way, and desired them not to disturb her by such observations; for she had done a good work to him: the poor were always among them, and they could never be without an opportunity of doing them good if they were disposed to it; but his personal presence they would only have for a short time. His death was so near that it might be said she had preserved the ointment till the time of his interment: she had done what she could to honour that solemnity; and, as he would have none of the obsequies always attending the burial of the eminent of the earth, she had come beforehand to embalm his body. This was an action proceeding from such grateful affection, and of so much importance as reminding a careless world of what was due to him as amongst the last offices from the living, that it was his will it should be told, wherever his gospel would be preached throughout the entire earth, in every age, for a memorial of her exalted piety.

CHAPTER XIII.

FROM THE PUBLIC ENTRY OF MESSIAH INTO JERUSALEM TILL
HIS PARTING ADDRESSES.

Rides on a young ass.

Matt. xxi. 1-9;

Mark xi. 1-10;

Luke xix. 29

40; John xii. 12-19.

On the next day, he and his disciples were near Jerusalem-for they had come to the confines of Bethany and Bethphage, at the foot of the Mount of Olives. Having resolved upon a public entry into the Holy City, he sent two of his disciples to a neighbouring village, desiring them to unloose a young foal, which never had been used for riding; they would find it standing tied to a door beside an ass, which was also tied, and to bring it to him. If any would object to their taking the animal, he desired them to say the Lord had need of him, and the possessor would willingly give them both up to be used by him to whom they truly belonged: "For every beast of the forest is mine, and the cattle upon a thousand hills" (Ps. l. 10). The disciples did not hesitate to obey commands which from any other would have been impossible to execute. They found all the circumstances exactly as their omniscient

Master had told them. Bringing the ass and the colt to Jesus, over them, as they had no saddles, they threw their loose robes, and placed him upon the colt, which had not been broken in nor seated before. A great number of the people spread their mantles in the way, forming a kind of carpet, that he might ride on them. Others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the way, as was the usual custom to express the public joy on the arrival of any illustrious prince. Now all this was done to attest the truth of the ancient prediction of Zech. ix. 9, never forgotten by Immanuel. How encouraging to the daughter of Zion, and calculated to take away every fear, when her King came in his gentleness to save -sitting upon a young ass. When he was now close by the city, at the base of the Mount of Olives, many people who were come from Galilee and other parts, when they heard how he was coming into Jerusalem, desirous to join the throng in testifying their reverence for him, "took branches of palm-trees" (which were commonly carried before those who rode in public triumph), and went forth to meet him, and cried, "Hosanna! Blessed be the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord." One hymn of praise now burst forth and filled the air, from all who had received his instructions. Some of the Pharisees, who had thrown themselves into the crowd, called on him to reprove his disciples for lauding him-a sound so offensive to their ears. He said, if they had no impulse to praise, the most insensible objects in nature would be constrained to utter it.

Being now so near Jerusalem that it rose

Weeps over

Jerusalem, and in all its beauty and magnificence before him,

approves the

children's praise.-Matt.

tears flowed fast over his heavenly features, xxi. 10-16; lamenting the obstinacy and wilful ignorance Luke xix. 41-48. of its inhabitants-contemplating the happy

Mark xi. 11;

reverse of their present prospects, if they had availed themselves of all the opportunities they had of being acquainted with the things that would have given them everlasting comfort. But their day of grace was past, and these blessings would never again be within reach of their acceptance. He continued to address the city, and minutely described the siege by which it was encompassed about forty years afterwards. The page of profane history testifies to its accuracy, and the foreknowledge of him who meekly sat upon the ass's colt. Its overwhelming calamities were all because they disregarded the time when they were visited with instruction, pardon, promises, warnings, invitations to receive eternal life. Alighting from the colt, he went into the temple, and, looking at what was going on, he began to drive out the buyers and sellers, as he had done three years before, overturning the money-changers' tables, and the seats of them that sold doves, repeating as he did so an appropriate text of Scripture (Isa. lvi. 7), and declaring they had utterly perverted the temple from the use for which it was erected. blind and the lame came to him there; and he, as ever, performed his works of mercy upon them. Children's voices now resounded in the sacred structure, crying out in youthful music, and saying, "Hosanna to the Son of

The

David!" The chief priests and scribes, beholding the wonderful works he did for the persons who came to him, and the children adoring him, disapproved of it exceedingly, and appealed to himself, if he permitted the children to sing in his honour as the Son of David. He approved their hymn by showing they were acting in accordance with Scripture, which he repeated, and which was written for this occasion. He was occupied all the intervening days till the Passover in teaching in the temple. The chief priests, scribes, and the other leading persons in the nation, meanwhile, were concerting measures to have him slain.

The effects of his death.

Matt. xxi. 17;

Some persons of Greek extraction, and still John xii. 20-36; using the Greek language, but having beMark xi. 11. come worshippers of the God of Israel, came from a great distance to be at the Passover; having heard of the extraordinary character and works of Jesus, in the most respectful manner they asked permission of one of the apostles to see him. As Jesus beheld them approaching, he contemplated it as an earnest of the flowing in of all the Gentiles to him, and said, "The hour is come, that the Son of man must be glorified;" for as the grain of wheat dies in the earth, and afterwards, from the principle of life within it, shoots forth a stalk bearing a great many, which, if it had not been sown, would have remained a single one-so would it be with his fall, when his kingdom would appear to be gone; but from his death it would revive as the corn, and extend over the world. Such great difficulties must be expected by his faithful

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