habitants than it had ever been. Amidst groves of Palm-trees, and gardens of balsams, well watered by a beautiful fountain ;* it lay at the foot of a high barren mountain, which seems to hang over the place where the city stood: † a line of low hills joins the plain of Jericho to the mountainous range that stretches far away to the north-east. Beautiful the scene must have been, as Jesus and his disciples entered this eastern city, gay with the holiday crowd, thronging from every quarter. They did not abide there, for it is written : LUKE xix. 1. “Jesus entered and passed through Jericho." The curiosity and the hopes of men were raised to the highest pitch. Many hoped that He would prove to be the Messiah King. His fame had rung from one end of the land to the other. He had not appeared at the last Passover; and at the Feast of Tabernacles, there had been much murmuring concerning him, as they sought for him, saying, Where is He? Much commotion had then followed his appearance in the temple. He had performed many miracles, He had spoken as never man spake, He had boldly declared himself to be the Sent of God,§"the Light of the world," || the son of God,¶ and to sum up all, the great "I Am," existing not only before Abraham, but from the beginning.** The chief priests had been filled with fury, had sought to take his life, but found that they had no power over him. The very officers they had sent to take him remained to hear him ; tt one of their own class, Nicodemus, a chief ruler, and a Pharisee, had spoken in their council in his favour, when they had stirred * No doubt the same the waters of which were healed by Elisha. (2 Kings ii. 21.) They are now remarkably sweet and good. Josephus. † The bold, barren mountain Quarantina, now Kurmantal, rises behind the place where ancient Jericho must have stood, and the fountain is near its base. -Josephus; Robinson. Ibib. viii. 42. + Ibid. vii. 50-52. MATTHEW XX. 29, 30. MARK X. 46. LUKE XVIII. 36, 37. 299 up the people to stone him; still it was the same, they were held back by some unseen power, they could do nothing against him," going through the midst of them, He had passed by." Seeing these things were so, we might well expect that the appearance of Jesus with his disciples in the midst of Jericho, on his way to Jerusalem to keep the Passover, would draw the crowd from every other thought. They followed him as in a procession. We find it written : Verse 29. "And as they departed from Jericho, a great multitude followed him." In every land, and in every age, the eager crowd has always been ready, for a time, to follow men who have been in any way remarkable. It is nothing new for the people to do honor to kings and conquerors; but we find in history none like the Holy Jesus, who, unmoved by their shouts, with but one end in view, calmly passed on his way, goodness and mercy marking each step He took, Verse 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.” St. Mark more particularly mentions one of them, who, probably was well-known as Mark x. 46. “Blind Bartimæus, who sat by the highway side begging." St. Luke adds that, "Hearing the multitude pass by, he And they told him, that Jesus of And he cried, saying, Jesus, thou LUKE Xviii. 36, 37. MATTHEW Xx. 31. "And the multitude rebuked them, (both the blind men,) because they should hold their peace : but they cried the more, saying, Have mercy on us, O Lord, thou Son of David!" They might never have another opportunity. They would not be silenced, and they were right; "Jesus stood still." Amidst the uproar of the multitude, that cry for mercy reached his ear. Verses 32-34. "And 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. So Jesus had compassion on them, and touched their eyes : and immediately their eyes received sight, and they followed him." It is clear that both were called, and both were healed; but St. Mark and St. Luke more particularly describe the cure of blind Bartimæus, probably because he was a character wellknown at that time to all who dwelt in Jericho, or passed through it on their way to Jerusalem. St. Mark writes thus, MARK X. 49, 50. "And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they called the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus." It is clear that he felt certain, that he would have his prayer granted by him whom he had saluted as the Messiah, giving him the title under which the Jews expected him to come, "the Son of David." He cast aside the garment which, sitting by the way-side begging, he had used as a covering from the heat, from the cold, and from the dust. He was poor, and could ill afford to lose it; but intent on one thing only-the recovering of his sight, he cared no longer for it; perhaps he even feared it might hinder the quickness of his movements,-so casting it from him he came to Jesus. Verses 51-52. "And Jesus answering (his'cry for mercy) said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way: thy faith hath made thee whole. And immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way." His faith hath made him whole, by bringing him to Jesus, from whom only he could receive a cure. There is much in the story of this miracle, that teaches and comforts those who feel their need of the Saviour's help. All by nature are blind to the things belonging to their eternal state; they do not feel their need of having their eyes opened to see them. It is a great mercy, when they are roused out of this state of carelessness. Then they feel that they are blind, and as it were sit by the way-side begging; but none can do them any good, till they hear of Christ. Then hope springs up within, and nothing can hinder them. The crowd, the bustle of the world is nothing to them. They must have help from Jesus, for He is the promised Saviour, and there is none other. They cry to him for mercy, and He hears them. He calls them to him, and they are "of good comfort." They cast away the garments of sadness, and whatever would hinder them. Joyfully they receive from him the power to see all that He has done for them. They see that it is the will of God, that they should be saved by his Son, and glorifying God, "they follow Jesus in the way." In vain would they bid me retire ; In vain would they silence my prayer; 'Tis eye-sight, 'tis life I require ; I seek to be snatched from despair. In this valley of sorrow and strife, It shall mix in the business of life, And soften the struggles of death. CUNNINGHAM. LVII. LUKE XIX. 1-10. "And Jesus passed through Jericho, and went on his way. all the people, when they saw the miracle He had done, gave praise to God." LUKE xix. 2, 3. "And, behold, there was a man named Zaccheus, which was the chief among the publicans, and he was rich. And he sought to see Jesus who he was; and could not for the press, because he was little of stature.” This man had heard of Jesus, but had never seen him. And now that He was passing through the very place wherein He dwelt, it would be hard indeed if he could not see him for so slight a cause as that he was short of stature! There was no way but one. He must get out of the crowd. Verse 4. "And he ran before, and climbed up into a sycamore-tree to see him; for he was to pass that way." He gave up the struggle with the crowd. It was impossible for him, low of stature as he was, to see Jesus over the shoulders of taller men ; but nothing is impossible to the determined mind. So he hastened on, and knowing which way the Saviour was to take, he placed himself where nothing could prevent his view. He climbed into a tree, and with beating heart waited the coming multitude. He must have known, that as the chief of the hated Publicans he was odious to them all; therefore, |