project in the midst of that vast multitude, transported with admiration and joy. Wherefore, whilst awaiting a more favorable occasion, (a) “some of the Pharisees from amongst the multitude said to him," in a tone where contempt mingled with vexation: "Master, rebuke thy disciples." He alone, in point of fact, had the power to do so; but this was the moment wherein he wished to be glorified; and when the Creator wishes that his creatures should render testimony to his greatness, no created power is able to stifle their voice, as Jesus informed them in this short and energetic answer: "I say to you, that if they shall hold their peace, the stones will cry out (14)."

CHAPTER LIL

CHRIST WEEPS OVER JERUSALEM. THE ACCURSED FIG-TREE.-SELLERS DRIVEN OUT OF THE TEMPLE.-FAITH OMNIPOTENT. THE GRAIN OF WHEAT.-JESUS IS TROUBLED.-A VOICE FROM HEAVEN.

In the midst of the acclamations of his disciples, and the maledictions of his envious foes, more flattering still than the felicitations of his friends, if Jesus at first felt a sensible joy, it soon gave way to sadness. The conqueror blended his sighs with the public acclamations, and bedewed with his tears the branches which they had strewed beneath his feet. (b) "When he drew near, seeing the city, he wept over it." The cause of this was well worthy of such a heart as his. Jerusalem must perish, and perish on account of its crimes, which it was now going to consummate by the most atrocious of all deeds. After having stained itself with the blood of its Messiah, the queen of cities was henceforward to be no more than a heap of ashes, soaked with the blood of its citizens. The foul deed was (a) St. Luke, xix, 39, 40. (b) St. Luke, xix. 41-44.

(14) They held their peace five days after, when at the time of his passion and death they abandoned him, and fled. But the stones then spoke out, and, by splitting asunder, they published, in their own language, the divinity of the Saviour.

about to be perpetrated in a few days, the chastisement was only de ferred for some years; both one and the other were as vividly present to the Saviour as if he had them actually before his eyes. What an object for a Saviour God! And with how deep sorrow did he then address to this unfortunate city these sad and pathetic words: "If thou also hadst known, and that in this thy day, the things that are to thy peace! but now they are hidden from thy eyes; for the days shall come upon thee, and thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee (1), and compass thee round, and straiten thee on every side, and beat thee flat to the ground, and thy children who are in thee, and they shall not leave in thee a stone upon a stone, because thou hast not known the time of thy visitation."

After this prophecy, which would have been no more than a menace, if, after the example of Ninive, Jerusalem had tried to prevent the result, Jesus found himself at the term of his journey. (a) "When he was come into Jerusalem, the whole city was moved, saying: Who is this? And the people said: This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth, of Galilee. He went into the temple, and having viewed all things round about," as a master, who, returning to his house, examines whether all is in order, "when now the eventide was come," and that this was not the hour to correct the abuses which were committed therein, he postponed it until the following day, and "went out to Bethania with the twelve" apostles.

There is every reason for believing that he passed the night there in prayer and fasting; for (b) "the next day, in the morning, when they came out from Bethania, he was hungry, and seeing afar off a fig-tree having leaves, he came, if perhaps he might find any thing

(a) St. Matthew, xxi. 10-11; St.
Mark, xi. 11.

(b) St. Matthew, xxi. 18; St.
Mark, xi. 12-18.

(1) These days came thirty-eight years after the prediction. Those who have read in Josephus the history of the capture of Jerusalem, will recognize in this prophecy that line of circumvallation which Titus caused to be drawn around its walls in order to blockade it that wall which he erected three days after, by his whole army hemming it in so closely that nothing could any longer either enter or go out from the city; so that it was consequently reduced to that horrible famine which caused mothers to eat their own children; lastly came the destruction of the city, and the universal massacre of its inhabitants.

on it (2); and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves only, for it was not the season of figs. And Jesus saith to it: May no man hereafter eat fruit of thee (3) any more, forever; and his disciples heard it. And they came to Jerusalem. When Jesus was entered into the temple, he began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple (4), and overthrew the tables of the money changers, and the chairs of them that sold doves. And he suffered not that any man should carry a vessel through the temple; and he taught, saying to them: Is it not written: My house shall be called the house of prayer to all nations? But you have made it a den of thieves." He made use of this term on account of the frauds which were perpetrated in the course of their traffic. Which, when the chief priests and the scribes," those who authorized this abuse, because they shared in the profits, "had heard, they sought how they might destroy him," without exposing themselves; "for they feared him, because the whole multitude was in admiration at his doctrine." (a) In the mean time "there came to him the blind, and the lame,

(a) St. Matthew, xxi. 14-16.

(2) He knew that there was nothing on it; but in the distance he did not see this with the eyes of his body, and it was for the purpose of so seeing it that he drew near, thus conforming himself to our way of acting.

(3) This malediction fell upon the synagogue, the whole of whose religion consisted in ceremonies and words, figured by the leaves, whereas it was sterile in fruits, which are the works of justice and of charity. This was not the season for fruit, and it is not by the display of leaves that the fig-tree represents the synagogue, but only by its barrenness. Those who content themselves with honoring God with their lips, but whose hearts are far from him, who love-that is to say, who have charity of the tongue, and ds, but who have it not by works and in reality-such persons should entertain no doubt that this malediction regards them. The reader may remember what we have said in page 318 of this Part, that what is stated in Scripture with reference to a whole nation is applicable to an individual, as also that what is stated of an individual is sometimes applicable to a whole nation.

(4) See Part I., chap. vi., page 52, and the notes appended thereto. We have here, moreover, the prohibition against carrying vessels through the temple; an abuse too ordinary in such of our churches as have several entrances. It is surprising that this should be tolerated after Jesus Christ has so expressly forbidden it. Were a person to carry nothing through, it would still be an act of irreverence to use the churches like a public road, unless he passed through with an air of composure, in a sedate and decorous manner, pausing to adore, and, if he has time, to pray. What otherwise is a scandal, becomes thus an act of religion, which honors God and edifies men.

in the temple; and he healed them. And the chief priests and scribes seeing the wonderful things which he did, and the children crying in the temple, Hosanna to the Son of David, were moved with indignation, and said to him: Hearest thou what these say? Jesus said to them: Yea, have you never read, out of the mouths of infants and of sucklings thou hast perfected praise?"

It is very commonly believed that children at the breast miraculously mingled their voices here, and that they articulated the same words. But, even independently of the miracle, the Saviour's answer was sufficiently justified by itself. It approved of what was good, without laying himself open to the malice of those who sought to ensnare him. For could they impute to him'as a crime that he did not impose silence upon those to whom God gave the gift of speech?

(a)" When evening was come, Jesus leaving them, went forth out of the city into Bethania, and remained there. When they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots; the disciples seeing it, wondered, saying: How is it presently withered away? Peter, remembering, said to him: Rabbi, behold the fig-tree, which thou didst curse, is withered away (5)." Jesus did not then think it expedient to explain this mystery. He contented himself with recalling to their minds the instruction which he had already given to them on faith and on prayer. He "said to them: Amen, I say to you, if you shall have faith, and stagger not (6), not only this of the fig-tree shall you do, but also if you shall say to this mountain, Take up and cast thyself into the sea, and shall not stagger in his heart, but believeth that whatsoever he saith shall be done, it shall be done unto him. Therefore I say unto you, all things whatsoever you ask when you pray, believe that you shall receive (7),

(a) St. Mark, xi. 19-26; St. Matthew, xxi. 20-22.

(5) I have seen the wicked highly exalted, and lifted up like the cedars of Lebanus. And I passed by, and lo, he was not.-(Ps. xxxvi. 35, 36.) Thus we see the fortunate sinner pass in a moment from the midst of glory and of pleasures into the shades and horror of death. Those who reflect upon the judgments of the Lord say, then, like Saint Peter: Behold the fig-tree, which thou didst curse, is withered away.

(6) See note 5, page 239, Part I., chap. xxxi.

(7) See note 27, page 136, Part I., chap. xvii.; also pages 302 and 303, Part II., and note 1, page 350, Part II.

and they shall come unto you; and when you shall stand to pray, forgive, if you have aught against any man, that your Father (8) also, who is in heaven, may forgive you your sins. But if you will not forgive, neither will your Father that is in heaven forgive you your sins."

(a) "Jesus was teaching daily in the temple. And the chief priests, and the scribes, and the rulers of the people sought to destroy him; and they found not what to do to him: for all the people were very attentive to hear him. Now, there were certain Gentiles among them, who came up to adore on the festival-day. These came to Philip, who was of Bethsaida, of Galilee, and desired him, aying: Sir, we would see Jesus." This canton of Galilee bordered on the Gentile district, which gave rise to the notion that these were acquaintances of Philip, and that it was on this account they addressed themselves to him: Philip cometh, and telleth Andrew," who was from the same city. Jesus had already declared that "he was sent only to the sheep of the house of Israel, who were lost."'Again, Andrew and Philip," not daring to present Gentiles to him, without previously ascertaining whether he chose to receive them, went and "told Jesus." We have every reason to believe that he was willing to admit them into his presence, although the Scripture does not formally say so; because this small number of Gentiles constituted in his sight, as it were, the first fruits of Gentilism, which was soon to be followed by a rich harvest. Hence, transported with holy joy, he replied to the two disciples, and to all those within hearing: "The hour is come that the Son of man should be glorified."

This hour was that of his death, which was only a few days distant. That death was to attract all the people of the earth to the knowledge and love of him, as he himself soon after stated. But it must then have appeared a thing incredible, that death, wherein all human glory is eclipsed, should be to him the source of such wondrous glory. He, therefore, most impressively repeats this truth,

(a) St. Luke, xix. 47, 48; St. John, xii. 20-24.

(8) See note 26, page 134, Part I.