The Sunday next before Easter.

THE WARNING OF PALM SUNDAY.

S. JOHN xii. 16.

These things understood not His Disciples at the first: but when JESUS was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him.

THE "things" here spoken of are the events of the first Palm Sunday. Our SAVIOUR was approaching Jerusalem for the last time. He sent two of His Disciples into a village over against Him, and directed them to unloose and conduct to Him an ass and a colt which they should find on their entering in; telling them moreover what they should reply "if any man said aught unto them."

All happened exactly as CHRIST had foretold. The colt was brought, and the garments of the Disciples being cast upon both creatures, our SAVIOUR approached the Capital seated on the colt, which had never before known a rider. A multitude had assembled, attracted by the report that He who had raised Lazarus from the

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dead was approaching Jerusalem. A sudden impulse seized these people. They spread their garments in the way before Him, as if for some earthly Conqueror: "others cut down branches from the trees and strawed them in the way; while not a few with palms came forth to meet Him. He was now at the descent of the Mount of Olives; and the whole multitude,-" they that went before and they that followed,"broke into exulting cries of "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed be the King of Israck that cometh in the Name of the LORD. Blessed be the Kingdom of our Father David that cometh in the Name of the LORD. Peace in Heaven and glory in the Highest!"... Thus, like some Royal Conqueror, did our SAVIOUR approach Jerusalem. But, (adds S. John,)-" these things understood not His Disciples at the first: but when JESUS was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of Him, and that they had done these things unto Him.'

The scene must have been one of great wonder and beauty. The contrast between the splendid salutations of the populace, and the lowliness of the pageant: between the sublime aspect of the chief Personage, and the humbleness of the creature which carried Him: between the wild

joy of the populace, and the absence apparently of any sufficient cause for their rapture:-all this must have made it a spectacle of great wonder. As for its beauty,-such a scene of delight and animation; a company, fired with such unearthly loyalty towards a central figure of such surpassing majesty and goodness;-cannot but have made a beautiful sight. And the hour was evening, and the Holy City was full in view, and the time was early Spring. The hearts of that vast multitude seemed to share in the universal quickening of the season; and in that sudden recognition of the SAVIOUR, it was as if the Daughter of Zion herself were awaking unto life. Children were doubtless among the foremost and the most conspicuous. Their little hearts are found to have been incapable of subsiding into sudden repose. S. Matthew relates how they carried into the Temple the cries which had rent the air on the mountain's side.

It is no part of my present purpose to remark how short-lived was the rapture of the fickle multitude: still less to speculate on the mysterious concurrence of influences which led them to burst forth into triumphant cries. They could have given no account of the circumstance, doubtless. The rapture of the populace was in

fact supernatural. All Creation felt it. The dumb things of Earth were penetrated through and through with what was taking place. tell you," (said their Creator,) "that if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.". .. Passing from this, I

prefer to invite your attention to S. John's unmistakable hint, his declaration rather, that there was a great mystery in all that was being transacted that while all seemed ordinary,

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(the coming of the ass and her colt, the SAVIOUR'S request to have them brought, the remonstrance of the bystanders, the cries and the mirth, the spreading of garments and the waving of palms ;) deep meanings underlaid it all.

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Here was the great King at last coming to the Holy City, having overcome the Enemy of His people, and wrought a great Salvation for them the crowning act of His actual Sacrifice being alone wanting to enable Him to exclaim, "It is finished." He is received therefore with garments spread in the way, and with waving boughs of palm. Then further, He is about to impose His easy yoke and light burthen on the Gentiles, untamed as yet and unbroken," whereon never man sat." Accordingly, He sends His Apostles to bring to

Him the Gentile Church,-and anticipates the remonstrances of the powers of this World, ("What do ye, loosing the colt ?") as well as gives a commission and direction how the remonstrance shall be met. ... But He will have the parent Jewish Church come also, (symbolized as it was by the elder animal;) and He will draw nigh to the Heavenly Jerusalem with both:-"and the multitudes that went before" His Advent, and the multitudes "that followed," the Church of all ages, past and to come, shall break forth with rapture in the words of the 118th Psalm. Yes, and as the very language of the Angels on the night of His Nativity is used, ("Glory to GOD in the Highest!")-so is a ceremonial introduced which belongs to the Feast of Tabernacles, (the Feast, namely, of the Incarnation); in token that "Behold, the Tabernacle of God is with men ;" and in the Holy City, New Jerusalem, "He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people: and God Himself shall be their GOD."

"These things understood not His Disciples at the first:" but it may well be that when JESUS was glorified, they "remembered" not only how it was written of Him in the book of the prophet Zechariah, "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter