The Jews were accustomed to carry boughs in their hands, with shouts of Hosanna, at the feast of tabernacles, which was a time of great rejoicing with them, more so than any other season of the year. It was therefore, in demonstration of great joy, that they made use of this language. And truly He was worthy to whom this praise and salvation were ascribed. The multitude hailed Him as the Son of David, but He was David's Lord, as well as David's Son. All power in heaven and earth belonged to Him. The heavenly hosts are therefore represented as praising Him for His great salvation. The beloved disciple, when exiled in Patmos he saw the visions of God, says, I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands, and cried with a loud voice, Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.24 If we are interested by faith in the blessings of His great salvation, we shall be willing to join our tribute of praise and thanksgiving; and by every possible means, and especially by our obedience to His holy commands, shall manifest our submission to His authority. None will be admitted to praise Him in heaven, who have not praised

23 Matthew xxviii. 18.

24 Revelation vii. 9.

Him on earth, as the Saviour of their souls. The mansions of heaven, however many, are reserved for those only, who are the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus,25 who, believing in His Name, have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace, wherein He hath abounded toward them. All there will sing, Salvation to our God, which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb. No discordant note will be heard there. Let us then learn to sing these Hosannas now, with grace in our hearts, to the Lord, that we may be prepared to sing them for ever in heaven.

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But, further, the multitudes hailed the Lord Jesus, by saying, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. Here they acknowledged Him to be invested with Divine power. And this our Saviour had manifested during the whole course of His public ministry. The miracles which He wrought, afforded the fullest proof of this. To these He continually appealed in evidence of the fact. When John the Baptist sent messengers to Jesus, to ask Him, Art Thou He that should come, or look we for another? it is observed by the Evangelist St. Luke, In the same hour He cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits, and unto many that were blind He gave sight. Then Jesus an

25 Gal. iii. 26. 26 Eph. i. 7, 8. 27 Rev. vii. 9. 28 Colos. iii. 16.

swering, said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached.29 Here He adduced the miracles which He had wrought, as proofs that He was indeed the long expected Messiah; or as the multitude exclaimed, when He fed five thousand of them in the wilderness, on five barley loaves and two small fishes, This is of a truth that Prophet that should come into the world.30 And at another time, when the Jews took up stones to stone Him, because He had said, I and My Father are one; He answered them, If I do not the works of my Father, believe Me not; but if I do, though ye believe not Me, believe the works; that ye may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him.31 Thus He came in the name of the Lord. The power of the Most High was manifested in Him. His miracles attested His Divine power. And while these Hosannas were resounding in the temple, He displayed His character; for, as the Evangelist observes in the verse following that which closes the Gospel for this day, The blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. Well might they sing Hosanna in the highest to Him whose wondrous works proclaimed Him to be God

29 Luke vii. 20-22. 30 John vi. 14. 31 John x. 30, 31, 37, 38.

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manifest in the flesh, David's Son and David's Lord; Emmanuel, God with us: Let us take up the song of praise, and bless His holy name for the great salvation which He hath wrought.

It has been before observed, that our Lord Jesus Christ will be hailed at the time of His second coming in the same manner as the multitudes hailed Him in the text; that then it will be said to Him, Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord. The Collect for this day leads us to connect together His first and His second coming. And the season on which we now enter seems to be designed more particularly to lead us to look forward to His second coming, when the purposes for which He appeared in great humility will meet their accomplishment. Then He will appear in power and great glory, making the clouds His chariot, and flying upon the wings of the wind; with a great multitude of the heavenly host chaunting His praises, and ready to execute His commands. Let us ask ourselves, How shall we appear before Him in that great and awful day? He will then come for the salvation of His people, who have hailed His first advent with affection and gratitude. Is this our case? Have we received the meek and lowly Jesus as our Saviour? for pardon through His blood?

Do we hope

Do we rely

321 Timothy iii. 16.

83 Luke xx. 44.

34 Matthew i. 23.

upon the merit of His righteousness for our justification before God, and our acceptance at the throne of grace? Do we earnestly seek the influences of His Holy Spirit to raise our hearts to things above, and to sanctify us in soul and body? Do we love the Lord Jesus Christ for His wonderful condescension in taking our nature upon Himself, in order to obey and to suffer, to bleed and to die for us men, and for our salvation? Do we praise Him for His goodness and mercy in remembering us in our low estate; and coming to visit us in great humility, that He might bring salvation unto His people, by the remission of their sins ?35 Have we given up our hearts to His service, and our lives to obedience to His holy will and commandments? If the first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ has, by His grace, produced these effects upon us, we may look forward with hope and joy to His second coming. For He shall come to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired in all them that believe in that day.36

But oh! what a day of terror and dismay, of dread and confusion will it be to His enemies, who would not have Him to reign over them. For then the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire, taking vengeance on them that know not God, and

35 Luke i. 77.

36 2 Thessalonians i. 10.