nature, and the awful tendency of sin, to infatuate the mind, as well as to harden the heart.

We are now, my dear children, entering on the relation of one of the most solemn transactions that ever took place in our world; yet to us, if we make a proper use of it, the most important and glorious.

The next day after the supper at Bethany, Jesus, intending no longer to avoid the fury of the Jews, resolved to make his public entry into Jerusalem, and, for that purpose, left Bethany, it being the first day of the week, in the morning, taking his disciples and others with him. When they were come to Bethphage, upon mount Olivet, somewhat less than a mile from Jerusalem, he sent two of his disciples unto a village over against them, telling them, that there they should find an ass tied, and a colt with her, and that they should loose them, and bring them to him..

George. What would the owners say to this?

Aunt. Very probably the disciples might put the same question to our Lord; for, he said, If any man say ought unto you; say, the Lord hath need of them, and he will send them; thus shewing he had power over the hearts of men. The disciples obeyed, and found them as Jesus had said: and they brought the ass and colt, and threw their upper garments on them instead of saddles.

George. Which did our Lord ride on ?

Aunt. The colt; thus fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah, chap. ix. 9, Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold,, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding on an ass, and upon

a colt the foal of an ass. When our Lord's intention of entering Jerusalem was known, the people who came to the feast, having heard of the resurrection of Lazarus, and being excited by an extraordinary impulse, came running out of the city in crowds to meet Jesus; some strewing branches of trees, and others spreading their garments in the way where he was to pass; hereby giving him those honours which were used in the triumphs of kings and emperors. And the multitude cried out, Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed' is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Lucy. Pray, aunt, what is the meaning of the word Hosanna ?

Aunt. The signification of it is, Save, I pray. When he was come to Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? And the multitude said, This is Jesus, the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee. Our Lord, to shew that his kingdom was spiritual, immediately repaired to the temple, where he exerted his authority in driving out the buyers and sellers, as he had done two years before. The blind and the lame came to him in the temple, and he healed them.

When the priests, and scribes saw the wonderful things which he did, and the children who had followed him into the temple, crying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were much displeased, and said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? implying that it was unworthy of our Lord to receive praise from children but Jesus answered, by referring them to the scripture, Psalm viii. 2, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise.

Maria. I am amazed they did not seize on our Lord, having before given orders to apprehend him.

Aunt. They sought opportunities to do it, but were afraid of the people, who heard him with attention and veneration. Jesus now declared that the hour was approaching in which he should be glorified. While he was contemplating the sufferings he was to endure previous to his glorification, his soul was overwhelmed with distress, and he said, Father, save me from this hour: then, as it were, recollecting himself, he said, But for this cause came I unto this hour; Father, glorify thy name. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.

George. What did the people think of this?

Aunt. Some thought it was thunder; others, that an angel spake to him: but Jesus told them, That this voice came for their sakes. After giving them farther information, and hinting what death he should die, he returned to Bethany with his apostles, and lodged there that night.

On the next day, being what we call MONDAY, our Lord went again to Jerusalem, and taught publicly in the temple, returning in the evening to Bethany. On TUESDAY morning, our Lord again repaired to Jerusalem, and taught in the temple. Having concluded his discourse; as he sat in view of the Treasury, he observed the rich men casting in their gifts: and there was a poor woman, who cast in two mites, which make a farthing.

Maria. So small a sum could not be of much use. Aunt. Hear in what estimation our Lord held this VOL. II.

E

gift. He remarked that this poor woman had put in more than they all; for they of their abundance had cast into the offering of God; but she had given her all, by which she manifested her goodwill: and a small sum, with a willing mind, is more acceptable to God than the largest donation without it. Our Lord, in his way to Bethany, stopping on mount Olivet, in full view of the temple and city, foretold the destruction of both, and the signs that should precede that awful event.

We have no particular account of the transactions of the day following, or WEDNESDAY; probably it was spent wholly at Bethany, and that our Lord did not repair to the city as usual. But the Sanhedrim met at the palace of Caiaphas, the high priest, to consult together how they might secretly take Jesus, to put him to death; some thinking it would not be safe at this great solemnity, lest it should cause a sedition among the people, who had so lately shewed him such great honour: but an end was soon put to all their difficulties, by the appearance of Judas, who offered, for a sum of money, to deliver Jesus into their hands. They immediately bargained with him for thirty pieces of silver, amounting to no more than three pounds fifteen shillings in our money, the usual price for slaves at that time.

George. If I had been wicked enough to have acted as Judas did, I think I should have had more pride than to have sold my master for the price of a slave.

Aunt. The sum given for our Lord exactly accomplished the prophecy in Zech. xi. 12. So they

weighed for my price thirty pieces of silver. Judas was to seek an opportunity, in the absence of the people, to deliver up his Master. But we will not proceed any farther to-day.

DIALOGUE XI.

Aunt. WE are now, my dear children, arrived at the last passover in our Saviour's time, which is supposed to be the fourth during his public ministry, and the most renowned that was ever solemnized, in which the only true paschal lamb was slain and offered up.

On THURSDAY morning, the apostles inquired of our Lord, where he would eat the passover, and where the lamb should be made ready: upon which, Jesus sent Peter and John to Jerusalem, to prepare all things according to the law; telling them, that when they entered the city, they should meet a man bearing a pitcher of water, by following of whom they should find a spacious guest-chamber, ready prepared by the master of the house. The two disciples found every thing as our Lord had said: and they made ready the passover. In the evening Jesus sat down with his twelve apostles, telling them, that with earnestness he had desired to eat that passover with them before he suffered. He then informed them, that one of them should betray him; which made them exceedingly sorrnwful; and they each said, Lord, Is it I? Jesus answered, It