degree of worldly good they shall possess, let them, without anxiety, leave it to Providence to determine.

2. Let us all remember that the way to the highest honours in the kingdom of heaven is not to exalt ourselves over our brethren, by thinking highly of our own merit, or to beg of God to bestow these honours upon . us, while we neglect the qualifications which he requires; but to excel in real virtue, to be more ready than others to serve our brethren by acts of beneficence and mercy; by accepting of the humblest stations and meanest offices; by drinking of the bitterest cup which Providence can put into our hands, in order to accomplish this important purpose. This is the road to true greatness in the kingdom of heaven, and we are never further from it, than when we are ambitious, and fond of power, averse to do good, if it require any debasement of ourselves, and unable to bear sufferings in the cause of truth, which is the foundation of human happiness. If these maxims of Christ were remembered, what a happy change would it produce in the church of Christ! We should then see Christians contending with each other, not who should be first in worldly power, but who should sacrifice most for the welfare. of the human race. What important benefits would

not this have rendered to mankind: what animosities and contentions, what war and bloodshed would it not have prevented! Few are the evils which Providence brings upon mankind, in comparison with those which men bring upon each other by the want of Christian charity, by a proud and selfish spirit. Every man seeks his own good, without regard to his neighbour's, or even in direct opposition to it. Christians strive not to be the servants but the lords of all. Let us cultivate a more disinterested and generous temper, more worthy of those who have received from God the invaluable blessings of the gospel, more becoming the disciples of him, who, being in the form of God by his miraculous gifts, took upon himself the form of a servant, and being found in fashion as a man, became obedient to death, even the death of the cross, for us men and for our salvation.

S. Happy do we esteem those men who had their sight restored to them, and who recovered thereby that faculty by which we behold the light of the sun, and become acquainted with all the glories of creation: but happier still are those whose understandings Christ has opened, by the knowledge of divine truth, and whose minds he has thereby purified from corrupt affections. Let us earnestly pray for this blessing, and never rest satisfied until we have obtained it.

1.

Matthew xxi. 1----18.

And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of olives, then sent Jesus two disciples;

The mount of olives was so called from the fruit which grew there. These places were at the distance of about two miles from Jerusalem, on the eastern side of the city.

2. Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and strait-way ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto

me.

It was the colt only that was wanted; yet Jesus ordered the ass likewise to be brought, in order to increase the pomp of the ensuing procession. This animal was commonly used for riding in Judæa, not only by ordinary persons, but by those of the first rank, and even by princes. Accordingly, we find that Solomon rode upon a mule at the solemnity of his coronation, 1 Kings, i. 33. The country did not afford many horses.

3. And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord, "the master, hath need of them; and strait-way he will send them,

Jesus was known to the person to whom the asses belonged, who would therefore be very ready to lend them to him, as soon as he knew that he had occasion for them.

4. All this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5. Tell ye the daughters of Zion, Behold thy king cometh unto thee meek, and sitting upon an ass, and, 66 even," a colt, the foal of an ass.

The former part of this quotation is taken from the prophet Isaiah, lxii. 11. and the remainder from the prophet Zechariah, ix. 9. both which places were supposed by the Jews to be prophecies of the Messiah.--The daughter of Zion signifies the city of Jerusalem, so called, because mount Zion was one of the hills upon which it was built.

6. And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them.

They went to the place he had mentioned to them, and found the ass and the colt in the situation he had described: this must convince them that Jesus acted on this occasion under the impulse of divine direction, and confirm their faith in his divine mission.

7. And brought the ass and the colt, and put on them their clothes.

Some manuscripts have it, on him, i. e. the colt: for Jesus only rode one of them: or perhaps they might put their clothes on both, and leave it to him to choose on which he would ride.

And they set him thereon.

That is, upon the clothes with which they had covered the colt, in place of the usual furniture. The dress of the Jews, consisting of a loose robe, was not ill adapted for this purpose; so that the ridicule which a late writer has endeavoured to throw upon the evangelist, as if he had made our Saviour to ride upon two asses at the same time, is totally without foundation.

8. And a very great multitude, rather, "the greater part of the multitude," spread their garments in the way, " in the road;" others cut down branches from the trees, and strewed them in the road.

That is, on each side of the road, leaving him a clear passage in the middle. In this manner it is usual in the east for the inhabitants to express their joy, when they go forth to meet great personages; and a custom nearly resembling it likewise prevails in these western parts of the globe, that of strewing the road with flowers. Jesus, in suffering these honours to be conferred upon him by the multitude, appears to depart in some degree from that simplicity of manners which he had hitherto maintained; yet, in this temporary elevation, we may still observe his humility: for he does not enter Jerusalem upon a triumphal chariot, or a horse richly caparisoned, as was the usual practice with princes in the neighbouring countries; but upon an ass, as the princes and judges used to ride, in the best days of the Jewish government: Judges v. 10. and with no other covering, than what the clothes of the multitude afforded.

See Griesbach in loc. 2nd Edition.

9. And the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David!

The word Hosanna is composed of two Hebrew words, which signify, Save I beseech thee, or, Save now; but which, being used as a common acclamation, were contracted into one word. It is taken from Ps.

cxviii. 25. The multitude, by applying it to Jesus, under the title of the son of David, express their good wishes for his prosperity and success, as the Messiah: for it was generally understood by the Jews that the Messiah was to be a descendent of David.

Blessed is he, rather, "blessed be he," that cometh in the name of the Lord.

This expression, like the preceding, is taken from Ps. cxviii. By applying it to Christ they express their joy in the character which he sustained, as a divine messenger, sent to instruct the people: for, to come in the name of the Lord, is to come by his appointment, and with his authority.

Hosanna in the highest.

By the highest we are to understand the highest places, or the heavens, where God is supposed to reside. The meaning will then be, "Thou who art in the highest heavens, save him, I beseech thee!

Jesus, who strictly charged his disciples to tell no man that he was the Christ, permitted this language to be held by the multitude, because his ministry was almost ended. The time was near, when he was to be publicly acknowledged by all in that character.

10. And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?

The crowd which attended him, and the acclamations of the multitude, brought together a great part.