5. And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?

6. And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.

This presents a lively picture of the way in which "known unto the Lord are all his works," and the heart of every man is open to his view. He foresaw that the owner of this colt would straightway send him, when he knew that the Lord had need of him. So he perceives in every case, what hearts are opposed, and what are conformable to his will. He directed his disciples to the spot where the colt was tied, which was needed for this occasion. So he discovers the dispositions and the talents which are suited to his purpose, and calls them to his service. May he never behold, in any of us, a heart estranged from the duty which we owe him, or unworthy of his grace!

7. And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.

8. And many spread their garments in the way: ana others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.

9. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:

10. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.

The rulers and the conquerors of this world come among the people with such processions and

"Let the kingdom be happily begun and flourish, which God is to erect, according to his promise made to our father David. Prosperity be to the Messiah, from him who dwelleth in the highest"-Whitby.

And it

triumphal honours as are here described. pleased Jesus to give this last testimony that he was a king, though his "kingdom was not of this world;" and that he was a conqueror, though he came "not to destroy men's lives, but to save them." He entered the capital city of his own people; he entered Jerusalem with this train. “He came unto his own: but his own received him not." He accomplished the prophecy which had said, 'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem, behold, thy King cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of

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Very different would be his next coming. "Behold the Lord cometh with ten thousand of his saints, to execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of their ungodly deeds." Because they "knew not the time of their visitation." They should not see him henceforth, until that season when all should unite in acknowledging, what was now put in the mouths of a few, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

11. And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.

12. And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry :

13. And seeing a fig-tree afar off having leaves, he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when

he came to it, he found nothing but leaves: for the time of figs was not yet.*

14. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it.

15. And they come to Jerusalem: and Jesus went into the temple, and began to cast out them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves;

16. And would not suffer that any man should carry any vessel through the temple.

17. And he taught, saying unto them, Is it not written, My house shall be called of all nations the house of prayer ?3 but ye have made it a den of thieves.

18. And the scribes and the chief priests heard it, and sought how they might destroy him: for they feared him, because all the people was astonished at his doctrine.

19. And when even was come, he went out of the city.

Had their hearts been under the influence of grace, the justice of his words would have sunk deep into them. But what fails to melt, hardens. The scribes and chief priests, when they heard his reproof, instead of studying how they might best render the house of God what God designed it for, the house of prayer,-sought how they might destroy

him.

The circumstances here related, sufficiently illustrate the emblem of the fig-tree, and the justice of its condemnation. The temple of Jerusalem was

4 The time of gathering figs. If this season had been over, the finding no fruit would not have proved the barrenness of the tree; it might have been gathered. He found nothing but leaves, and this was a proof that the tree was barren, for the time of figs was not yet; they had not been gathered. See Bloomfield, Recensio Critica.

5 See Isaiah lvi. 7.

the great depository of the worship of God; of the true God. In Jewry was God known; in Salem was his tabernacle." And here the pretence of the worship of God was kept up. Here was a show of leaves, but no fruit; here was the pretence, but not the reality of prayer.

And nothing could be more injurious to the Divine honour. Suppose a Gentile who had learnt from the Jewish Scriptures the being and unity of God; who "had joined himself to the Lord, to serve him, and to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servant;" 6 suppose him to have visited Jerusalem, for the purpose of fulfilling the duties of his faith like the chamberlain of the Ethiopian Candace, who, with the Scripture in his hand, had come up to Jerusalem to worship." (Acts viii. 27.) What a disappointment to his feelings, and what a contrast to his expectations, would be the sight of this temple, in which the sacrifices which were to be offered on the altar, had been made a pretext for buying and selling; for placing there the tables of the money-changers, and the seats of them that sold doves. How disgusting and how injurious to his rising faith it would prove, to find that the business of profit and loss was pursued, and the tumult of worldly transactions continued even there, where most particularly the thoughts ought to be carried beyond this world, and lifted above it!

We cannot then wonder that the zeal of our Lord was excited; that he saw it a fit opportunity to express vehement indignation against all who showed such a proof of the prevalence of this present world

See Isaiah lxvi. 6.

And all,

in their hearts beyond the love of God. we see, were so struck with the justice of his feelings, as to offer no opposition to him.

The scribes

and chief priests, however, when they found the people astonished at his doctrine, sought how they might destroy him. His reproofs, instead of awakening them to repentance, roused them to more vehement enmity against Him, who, had they listened to him, would have softened their hearts, and restored them to the favour of that God in whom they "made their boast," but whose temple they had so shamefully profaned.

Such is too often the course of the corrupt heart. The event will manifest the truth of what is written, "He that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy."

ד

LECTURE CI.

POWER OF FAITH.-A FORGIVING SPIRIT ENJOINED. THE SCRIBES AND ELDERS

SELF

CONVICTED.

MARK XI. 20-33.

(Matt. xxi. 20-27.)

20. And in the morning, as they passed by, they saw the fig-tree dried up from the roots.

21. And Peter calling to remembrance saith unto him, Master, behold, the fig-tree which thou cursedst is withered

away.

7 Prov. xxix. 1.