Sunday next before Easter.

THE EVENTS OF THE SUNDAY.

"THEN Jesus six days before the passover John xii. 1. came to Bethany, where Lazarus was which

had been dead, whom he raised from the dead."

66

3-9.

And being in Bethany, in the house Mark xiv. of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.

And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?

For it might have been sold for more

B

than three hundred pence, and have been

given to the poor.

against her.

And they murmured

And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? She hath wrought a good work on me.

For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.

She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.

Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."

See also Matt. xxvi. 6-13.

Luke xix. 28.

John xi. 55-xii. 11.

LECTURE I.

THE WARNING GIVEN AT BETHANY.

MARK XIV. 7.

"Ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always."

THESE words form in themselves an apt introduction to the closing scenes of our Lord's ministry; they were doubtless intended to forewarn the disciples of His approaching death. We find a yet clearer intimation of it in the following verse:

"She is come aforehand to anoint My body to the burying." And it is probably from its immediate connexion with our

Saviour's betrayal and crucifixion, that St. Matthew and St. Mark introduce the Supper at Bethany amongst the events of the Thursday; for it would seem to have been on the preceding Sunday that it actually occurred. St. John expressly tells us, that the time at which Jesus came to Bethany was "six days before the passover.”

It is the latter reason that has led me to choose these words as an introduction to the present course of lectures. For my design in them is to consider, day by day, the several events of the last week of our Lord's ministry. Of course the narrative of the crucifixion itself, which every morning the Gospels bring before us in the Church Service, must shed its colouring upon them all. But, as far as is possible, I would limit our attention on the Monday to what happened on the Monday; on the Tuesday, to what happened on the Tuesday, and so with the rest. Neither even thus shall we be able to dwell upon

every incident; we must be content for the most part to follow the brief narrative of St. Mark, and select some one event, as giving a distinct warning on each successive day. It is a subject far less awful than the more direct contemplation of the Passion of Christ; and yet move where we will at this period, we keep continually treading on the borders of that holy ground, and so must advance with a most cautious and reverent step. On Monday, the triumphal entry into Jerusalem; on Tuesday, the purifying of the temple; on Wednesday, the withered fig-tree; on Thursday, the treachery of Judas; on Friday, the haltings of Pilate, and afterwards the sorrows and anxieties of the faithful followers of Christ-every word, and every incident-bear deeply stamped upon them the image of the cross, though very few will reflect the brightness of the Easter sun. They speak to us again and again, of blessings, warnings, and privileges; but it is for the most part of privileges neglected,