last that shall be first." Consecrate yourselves to him. Do it with a promptness, with a confidence in him, with an entireness, which shall testify for you in the day of his appearing. Simon Peter appeals to us, with the true motive, and the great reward: — 66 THAT, WHEN HIS GLORY SHALL BE REVEALED, YE MAY BE GLAD ALSO, WITH EXCEEDING JOY."

SERMON VI.

THE CHILDREN IN THE TEMPLE.

MATTHEW XXI. 15.

HOSANNA TO THE SON OF DAVID.

THE obligations of children to the Saviour of the world are peculiar, and deeply interesting. We should expect to find some demonstration from them to their infinite Friend, among the testimonials of love and worship given to him during his earthly life.

Their hosanna, in the temple, is a part of a most interesting passage in the Saviour's history, which we must attentively consider, to understand the children's worship.

One of the most affecting things connected with the Saviour's sufferings and death, is, the zeal with which he hastened to suffer, at the time appointed. "And they were in the way going up to Jerusalem; and Jesus went before them, and they were amazed." The disciples knew that this was his last journey to Jerusalem, where he was to be crucified; and yet

there was an earnestness in his manner, at which, as the evangelist says, the companions of his journey 'were amazed.' He passed on at some distance before them, leaving them behind, in his apparent zeal to reach the city. Supernatural impressions seemed to be upon him, making his whole appearance somewhat strange and marvellous, whereupon he repeated the information already given: "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and the Son of man shall be delivered unto the chief priests and scribes, and they shall condemn him to death, and shall deliver him to the Gentiles, and they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him; and the third day he shall rise again." In full knowledge of all this, he hasted to the place of sacrifice, fulfilling his own words respecting the yielding up of his life: "No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself; I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again." Thus we see him "pouring out his soul unto death, and making intercession for the transgressors."

Arriving at Bethphage, which was a village whose site has perished, but near Bethany, and between two and three miles from Jerusalem, he paused before he entered the great city. He was never to leave the place again till he left it for heaven, except as he retired at night to Bethany, to sleep.

He prepared for his entrance into Jerusalem in a

remarkable manner. Instead of passing into the city as usual, like a worn and weary traveller, undistinguished from the multitude, and unnoticed, he proposes to make a sort of triumphal entry. It was the only instance of the kind, in his history, in which he departed from the plain and ordinary methods of common life; but, now, he will manifest himself, not as a man of sorrows, but as King of Zion. When the time had come for him to suffer and die, you remember that he said, "Now is the Son of man glorified"; therefore, when he entered the city to die, he entered it as a king. It is plain that Christ regarded his death as the grand event of his coming into the world. It was not, principally, to be a teacher, nor an example; he is the Lamb of God'; he came to make a sacrifice" of his body, once for all," "to give his life a ransom for many.' When the time to do this arrives, he begins to assume the character of a king; and it was only when he came to die, that he assumed to be a king. Death was his coronation. The reed for a sceptre, the purple robe, the bowing of the knee before him, Pilate's inscription on the cross, This is the King of the Jews,' were all truly significant of his kingly character, though his enemies meant them for mockery. In passing to the altar of sacrifice, Jesus goes triumphantly as king.

Now, we will look at this King as he passes by.

He is to "

We know that he is "the Prince of the kings of the earth." He is to "reign till all enemies are put under his feet." He is to have upon his head "many crowns." He is to see the whole earth at his feet, and the hosts of heaven. Jerusalem, as the metropolis of the church of God, and representing the seat of his spiritual government, is now to be entered by him in his royal capacity; but, strange to say, he enters there to reach his kingdom and ascend his throne by suffering and dying on a cross, between two thieves.

He directed two of his disciples to bring him a young ass, with her colt; and that colt, whereon never man sat, was chosen by him to ride upon into Jerusalem.

They who think that there was something low or mean in this, are wholly mistaken. The general use of the horse was prohibited to the Jews, because it excited a reliance upon outward means of defence in war, to the neglect of immediate help from God. The ass was not held in such contempt as in countries where the horse is common. Deborah thus addresses the governors of Israel, as those that ride upon white asses.' David rode upon a mule, and directed that Solomon should do the same at his coronation.

So that all which was remarkable in what Christ did on this occasion was, that He, who is Lord of