thee one stone upon another that shall not be cast down; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation." Her king had come unto her, just and having salvation; but she refused it: visiting her with the utmost tenderness, but she would not be won by it. He came to die for her children, but they would not be saved from their sins. Hence those tears which the Saviour shed over that beautiful and infatuated city! Hence the grief with which He approaches her gates, when all around rejoiced!

So extraordinary a procession, as it entered within the walls of Jerusalem, caused the whole city to be moved. As if an earthquake had shaken them suddenly from their homes, the people rushed out to learn the meaning of the shouts they heard. The universal question, as they approached the procession, was, "Who is this?" Oh! that they should have needed, after all, to have made such an enquiry! How plainly would their own Scriptures have told them! Do you not think that even Moses would have answered that question'?

E. Yes, Mamma, he did tell them that He was "the seed of the woman which was to bruise the serpent's head;" and "the prophet" to whom they must all hearken, and the "I am that I am."

M. And Jacob, what would he have said?

E. That He was "the Shiloh of the tribe of Judah;" and then, Mamma, David would have told them again and again that He was "the King of Glory."

M. And Isaiah would have called Him "Immanuel, Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Jeremiah would

1 See Bishop Hall's Contemplations.

have spoken of Him, as "the Righteous Branch," and "the Lord our Righteousness." Daniel, as "the Messiah, the Prince who was to be cut off, but not for Himself." John the Baptist had but lately declared Him to be "the Lamb of God:" and the God of all the prophets had said of Him, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Yea, even the devils themselves had been forced to say, "I know thee, who thou art, the Holy One of God." The multitudes too, that now attend Him, are ready with their answer also, replying to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, "This is Jesus, the Prophet of Galilee." But, well meaning as they were, how greatly did they undervalue their Master then! A prophet, indeed, He was; but infinitely more than an ordinary prophet.

Oh! that the inquiry which the Jews made, had not been one of mere idle curiosity, or prejudice, or alarm. Had it been made in good earnest, they would soon have known, to their everlasting salvation, who it was that now entered their gates.

E. Where did our Saviour go when He first entered Jerusalem?

M. At once to the temple, surrounded still by the wondering multitude. Their interest had seemed to be at the highest pitch already; but here it was excited still more, by our Lord's curing many blind and lame people, who were brought before Him, and who had probably placed themselves at the gates of the temple, to ask alms of the people who crowded to the feast. It is the custom of kings in their processions to scatter gifts among the people. Miracles were the bounties shed among them by Jesus.

Whilst our Lord was performing these miracles the

people seem to have ceased from their Hosannahs, and to have looked on in silent admiration of His goodness and power. But the little children had now caught the strain, and continued it in the temple, without regard to what was going on.

E. I suppose they did not so well understand the miracles, and were not so much afraid of offending the Pharisees?

M. I dare say not, and therefore they raised the song again to Jesus in the courts of the Lord's house. But the enemies of our Lord were sore displeased. The praises of Christ, though sung by infant voices, made no music in their ears. On the contrary, they were impatient to put a stop to them; and they expressed their surprise to Jesus, that He should permit the little children thus to cry in the temple. But Hosannahs from infant lips are not unacceptable to our Lord. He replied, "Have ye never read, Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ?"

He received infant praises in the temple, as the Son of David; He receives them still in heaven, as the Son of God. What is wanting in their meaning He makes up by His gracious condescension, and so gives to their praises, in themselves so weak, strength to ascend where the self-complacent prayers or praises of the Pharisees would never reach. Indeed the more child-like our praises are in one sense, the more pleasing will they always be above: the more becoming will they be to the relation in which we stand to God. Compared with the Almighty, my child, the highest angel or archangel is but a lisping infant; incapable of at all worthily uttering the praises of the

Son of God. What encouragement then have children to approach their Saviour! What pains does He seem to have taken when on earth to show them that He did not despise them! What marked kindness did He bestow on them! What honour did He place on the state of childoood by becoming a child Himself! He might have entered our world at a more advanced period of life: but no, He would be born into it a helpless infant; He would grow up day by day, and go step by step through the whole period of childhood, that He might feel for little children, that He might know their sorrows, pity their weaknesses, and encourage them by His blessed example to be holy and good.

"What though, around His throne of fire,

The everlasting chant

Be wafted from the seraph quire,

In glory jubilant;

Was He not once a little child

Taught by degrees to pray;
By father dear, and mother mild
Instructed day by day?

And loved He not of heaven to talk
With children in His sight;

To meet them in His daily walk,

And to His arms invite ?"

Oh, what do not children owe to such a Saviour! The Hosannahs of the multitude ended in those of the children, as if to teach us, that that is the most perfect praise on earth, most free from stain of previous guilt, most unmixed with worldly thoughts and cares, which is offered by infants. These children thought not of earthly kingdoms and worldly glory, as the people did their Hosannahs were simply to the Son of David. Happy the children who, like them, are

:

found early in the courts of the Lord! whose voices are early tuned to the praises of their Saviour and their King! whose hearts are early open to the love of His gracious name!

See John xii. 9—19. Matt. xxi. 1—11; 14—16.
Mark xi. 1--11. Luke xix. 29-44.

FORTY-SIXTH SUNDAY EVENING.

FARTHER PARTICULARS OF THE PASSION WEEK.

M. Do you recollect, Edward, the subject of our conversation last Sunday Evening?

E. Yes, Mamma: do you think I could forget all the interesting things you told me about our Lord's public entry into Jerusalem? But, Mamma, I have been wondering what the other nations thought of all this. Did they know any thing of our Saviour at this time, or was He known only to the Jews?

M. We read repeatedly that the name of our blessed Lord was known beyond the limits of Judea, in all the regions round about, and now we are told of some Greeks or Gentile converts who wished to see our Saviour. They had come up, it seems, to worship the Lord God of Israel in that place which He had graciously provided on purpose for such worshippers, in one of the outward courts of the temple; and hearing so much of Jesus on everyside, they felt a great desire, we can easily imagine, to see Him for themselves.