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man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, and shall sit on the throne of his glory." And we are clearly told to whom it shall be given: the character is clearly described of those to whom "the King shall say, Come ye blessed of my Father, receive the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." 6

Happy indeed are they who can discern that character in their own hearts and lives: in their hearts, for they "have believed in the only begotten Son of God;" and in their lives, for they have fashioned them according to his will.

LECTURE LXXXVI.

HUMILITY ENJOINED. TWO BLIND MEN HEALED.

MATT. XX. 24-34.

24. And when the ten heard it, they were moved with indignation against the two brethren.

When the other ten apostles heard that two of their brethren had desired, or that their mother had desired for them, a place above the rest, it excited in their hearts those feelings which are too natural to us, the feelings of jealousy and ill-will. An unfair advantage, they thought, had been taken of them. And they must not be severely blamed. It

• Ch. xxv. 34.

is one of the last triumphs which the grace of God gains over the heart, that we should be able ❝ to prefer others in honour." And even those who have attained that rare qualification might feel indignant, if others who had been taking sweet counsel with them, and walking with them in the house of God as friends, should privately seek a distinction to which they themselves had an equal claim.

The request gave occasion, in the first instance, of declaring a great truth. The feelings which grew out of it now lead to another important lesson.

25. But Jesus called them unto him, and said, Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise authority upon them.

26. But it shall not be so among you, but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; 27. And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

28. Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for

many.

The whole current of this world's thoughts is turned by the gospel of Christ. Men naturally desire honour and distinction. The princes of the gentiles exercise dominion, and love authority. They know nothing beyond this world, and therefore must seek whatever of good it presents to them. But it shall not be so among you. This is not This is not your world, says the Lord, not the world for which ye live. Your ambition must be to strive who can best serve others rather than himself. And if this is not the way to be exalted here, it is the way to everlasting

honour. Even as "God hath highly exalted Him, and given him a name which is above every name, who, being in the form of God, yet made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant:" who came, not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

1

29. And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him.

30. And, behold, two blind men sitting by the way side, when they heard that Jesus passed by, cried out, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

31. And the multitude rebuked them, because they should hold their peace: but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David.

32. And Jesus stood still, and called them, and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you?

33. They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened.

34. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him.

They followed him on account of the benefit which they had received. We must follow him, for the sake of the greater blessings which he promises hereafter, to those who are his faithful people here. But that we may so follow him, so perceive the value of a heavenly recompense as to forego what here is pleasant and alluring, our eyes need to be enlightened, as much as the eyes of these two blind men of Jericho. What blindness is manifest, in the ordinary desires, and tastes, and pursuits of men! If it be blindness to walk on the edge of a precipice, without knowing what is below:-if it be blindness to

1 Phil. ii. 7-9.

pass through the world, whilst "there is but a step between us and death," without looking earnestly and stedfastly towards eternity:-if it be blindness to grasp at what may injure us, and neglect that which is our highest good:-if it be blindness to seize on every occasion of temporary pleasure or worldly profit, and to reject the things which belong to our everlasting peace:-if it be blindness to proceed in a contrary direction from the place which we desire to reach then it is blindness to linger on the "broad road which leadeth to destruction," and neglect "the narrow gate which leadeth unto life."

Yet the Lord has said, Few there be that find" that gate. Why, but because they are few whose eyes have received sight? And why are few enlightened? Because, like the Pharisees, they say, "we see," and know not that in themselves they are "miserable, and poor, and blind." Natural blindness is severely felt, as appeared in the case of these two poor men: but the blindness of the soul is too often the deadness of the soul, and there is neither the wish nor the prayer which they so importunately urged, when Jesus stood still, and called them and said, What will ye that I shall do unto you? They say unto him, Lord, that our eyes may be opened

He who had compassion on the bodily infirmities of those who called upon him, and restored their sight, will still more surely have compassion on the dark and wandering mind, that "the eyes of our understanding being enlightened, we may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the 2 See Ch. vii. 13, 14. 3 See John ix. 41.

4. Rev. iii. 1.

glory of his inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of his power towards those that believe." 5 All that is needful, is to ask, that we

may receive, to seek, that we may find."

LECTURE LXXXVII.

TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO JERUSALEM.
THE TEMPLE CLEARED.

MATT. xxi. 1-13.

1. And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,

2. Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose them, and bring them unto me.

3. And if any man say ought unto thee, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.

4. All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,

5. Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy king cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.

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Eph. iii. 18, 19.

6 Ch. vii. 7.

'Bethphage, a village on the hill adjoining Jerusalem, called the mount of Olives, from the trees with which it abounded.

Zech. ix. 9. The exact words of the prophet are, "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Sion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem : behold, thy king cometh unto thee; he is just, and having salva

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