more. It is also the rule of justice, that those who have their gifts as if they had them not, who have them to no purpose, should be deprived of them. Those that endeavour to increase the grace they have, God will increase it: those that neglect it, and suffer it to decline, can only expect that God should do so too.' This needful warning Christ gave to his disciples, that, using all diligence, they might improve the faculties, and gifts, and means of usefulness conferred upon them, "as those who must give account."

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"But O terrible voice of most just judgment," which at the last shall condemn the wicked and impenitent-those enemies of Christ, who would not have him to reign over them. He summoned, but they refused to hear; he offered, but they refused to receive: and the doom reserved for them, is expressed in terms at which the stoutest heart may tremble.

27. But those mine enemies, which would not that I should reign over them, bring hither. and slay them before

me.

4 M. Henry in loco.

5 Commination Service.

LECTURE LXXIII.

JESUS ENTERS JERUSALEM IN TRIUMPH WITH THE ACCLAMATIONS OF THE PEOPLE.

LUKE Xix. 28-40.

(Matt. xxi. 1-16. Matt. xi. 1-10. John xii. 12, 13.)

28. And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.

29. And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,

30. Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.

31. And if any man ask you, Why do you loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.

32. And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.

33. And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?

34. And they said, the Lord hath need of him.

It would be happy, could we constantly bear in mind that we hold our possessions on this tenure, to be resigned when the Lord hath need of them. This would sanctify their use. But as his Spirit prepared the minds of the owners of the colt, that they

C C

might willingly yield it to the Lord's service: so the same Spirit can alone enable us to say with a humble and willing resignation, "the Lord gave, and the Lord hath taken away: blessed be the name of the Lord."

35. And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon. 36. And as they went, they spread their clothes in the way.

37. And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen:

38. Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.

On this single occasion Jesus meets with that reception which he ought to have experienced everywhere. The multitude exult in his approach, and he is welcomed by their acclamations: nay, such expressions are put into their mouths, as are suitable to his character, and the purposes of his coming. The whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and to praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen. These mighty works were the outward proofs which testified him to be the Son of God: and their rejoicing is, that he who came with these mighty works, these credentials of supreme power, had appeared not in anger, but in mercy: not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and

He

glory in the highest. Jesus was that king. came in the name of the Lord to fulfil the gracious purpose announced from the beginning: to "bruise the serpent's head:" to bless "the nations of the earth."

And truly so he did. as he found them.

Look at the state of things Look at Judea as he found it. Those who professed to be teachers, "shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: they neither went in themselves, neither suffered they them that would enter to go in."1 We have many examples of their character in the gospels: but no instance appears of tenderness on their part towards the miserable, or of compassion towards the sinful. They show no sympathy with the afflicted: they find pretexts for repelling and distressing them. The words of Ezekiel were verified; (xxxiv. 4;) "The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them." Jesus came to this deserted flock as a faithful shepherd: he " gathered the lambs in his bosom, and gently led them that were with young:" he showed to the weary their way, and eased the heavy laden of their burthens. They had good reason to exclaim, Blessed is the King that cometh in the name of the Lord.

And we have no less reason to repeat the hymn. To all who receive him as their King, he gives 1 Matt. xxiii. 13.

the same cause for triumph and rejoicing. He relieves them from a state of ignorance, or of doubt, or of thoughtlessness; of unavailing fear, or of presumptuous confidence; and places them on safe and firm ground. He acquaints them with their Creator, and shows to whom there is peace in heaven : he acquaints them with themselves, their own hopes and prospects: if they commit their souls to him, they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation."

"

Thus the King who came in the name of the Lord, has brought blessings to those who belong to his train, and are enrolled as his subjects. Whatever there is of peace and comfort in this world, it is enjoyed by them, and them alone. Whoever knows the heart, knows that its principal distresses and its principal joys come from within. The pains even and privations of life are comparatively trifling, when the heart is at peace with itself and at peace with God. All the worst calamities of our earthly condition proceed from what Jesus came to heal and allay; they proceed from irregular desires, from restless passions, from unrestrained appetites, from immoderate attachment to earthly things: while these remain, there can be no permanent happiness in any condition: and when these are under the control of divine grace, no condition is altogether miserable. "For this was the Son of God manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil:" and those are the works which ruin the peace and comfort of mankind: the works of malice, cruelty, envy, hatred, variance, dishonesty, sensuality, pride, covetous