ticularly the chief priests and elders. But this miracle, as well as all the rest he had wrought in confirmation of his mission, was too evident to be denied; and, therefore, they pretended that his whole intention was to establish a new religion, which would both endanger their church and nation. "Then gathered the chief priests and the Pharisees a council, and said, What do we? for this man doeth many miracles. If we let him thus alone, all men will believe on him; and the Roman shall come, and take away both our place and nation." John xi. 47, 48.

The common people, astonished at his miracles. will, if we do not take care to prevent it, certainly set him up for the Messiah; and the Romans, under the pretence of a rebellion, will deprive us both of our liberty and religion. Accordingly, they came to a resolution to put him to death. This resolution was not, however, unanimous; for Nicodemus, Joseph of Arimathea, and other disciples of our Saviour, then members of the council, urged the injustice of what they proposed to do, from the consideration of his miracles and innocence. But Caiaphas, the high priest, from a principle of human policy, told them, that the nature of government often required certain acts of injustice, in order to procure the safety of the state. "Ye know nothing at all, nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not." John xi. 49, 50.

The council having thus determined to put Jesus to death, deliberated, for the future, only upon the

best methods of effecting it; and, in all probability, agreed to issue a proclamation, promising a reward to any person who would deliver him into their hands. For this reason, our blessed Saviour did not now go up to Jerusalem, though he was within two miles of it; but went to Ephraim, a city on the borders of the wilderness, where he abode with his disciples, being unwilling to go far into the country, because the passover, at which he was to suffer, was now at hand.

While in retirement, the blessed Jesus foretold the ruin of the Jewish state; after which, he continued to preach his divine mission over the adjacent countries, healing the sick as he went along, and rebuking sin.

At length he returned to Jerusalem, into which he made a public entry, accompanied by a multitude of many thousands. This drew upon him the malice of the Pharisees; but this had no effect upon his conduct; he continued to preach daily in the temple and elsewhere to the multitude who thronged to hear him.

CHAPTER XXIV.

Our Saviour commends even the smallest Act, because it proceeded from a truly benevolent Motive. Predicts the demolition of the magnificent Temple of Jerusalem, and delivers several instructive Parables.

JESUS, some time after repaired, with his disciples, into the court room of the temple, called the treasury, from several chests being fixed to the pillars of the portico surrounding the court, for receiving the offerings of those who came to worship in the temple. While he continued in this court, he "beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much. And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which makes a farthing. And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, that this poor widow hath cast more in than all they which have cast into the treasury For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living." Mark xii. 41, &c.

Though the offering given by this poor widow was in itself very small, yet, in proportion to the goods of life she enjoyed, it was remarkably large; for it was all she had, even all her living. In order, therefore, to encourage charity, and show that it is

the disposition of the mind, not the magnificence of the offering, that attaches the regard to the Almighty, the Son of God applauded this poor widow, as having given more in proportion than any of the rich. Their offerings, though great in respect to hers, were but a small part of their estates; whereas her offering was her whole stock. And from this passage of the gospel we should learn, that the poor, who in appearance are denied the means of doing charitable offices, are encouraged to do all they can. For how small soever the gift may be, the Almighty, who beholds the heart, values it, not according to what it is in itself, but according to the disposition with which it is given.

On the other hand, we should learn from hence, that it is not enough for the rich that they exceed the poor in the gift of charity; they should bestow in proportion to their income; and they would do well to remember, that a little given, where a little only is left, appears a much nobler offering in the sight of the Almighty, and discovers a more benevolent and humane temper of mind, than sums much larger bestowed out of a plentiful abundance.

The disciples now remembered that their Master, at the conclusion of his pathetic lamentation over Jerusalem, had declared that the temple should not any more be favored with his presence, till they should say, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."

A declaration of this kind could not fail of greatly surprising his disciples; and, therefore, as he was departing from that sacred structure, they desired

him to observe the beauty of the building; insinuating, that they thought it strange he should intimate an intention of leaving it desolate; that so glorious a fabric, celebrated in every corner of the earth, was not to be deserted rashly; and that they should think themselves supremely happy, when he, as the Messiah, and the descendant of David, should take possession of it, and erect his throne in the midst of Jerusalem. And, as they went out of the temple, one of his disciples said unto him, "Master, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!"

The eastern wall of the temple, which fronted the Mount of Olives, whether the disciples, with their Master, were then retiring, was built from the bottom of the valley to a prodigious height, with stones of an incredible bulk, firmly compacted together, and therefore made a very grand appearance at a distance. The eastern wall is supposed to have been the only remains of Solomon's temple, and had escaped when the Chaldeans burnt it. But this building, however strong and costly it appeared, our Saviour told them should be totally destroyed. "Seest thou," said he, "these great buildings? there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down." Mark xiii. 2.

That noble edifice, raised with much labor, and at a vast expense, shall be razed to the very foundation. The disciples, therefore, when they heard their Master affirm, that not so much as one of these enormous stones, which had withstood the fury of Nebuchadnezzer's army, and survived the destruc