we might forget that He was man. If we saw His seasons of poverty and weakness only, we might forget that He was God. But we are intended to see in Jesus divine strength and human weakness united in one per- son. We cannot explain the mystery ; but we may take comfort in the thought, " this is our Saviour, this is our Christ — one able to sympathize, because He is man, but one Almighty to save, because He is God."
Finally, let us see in the simple fact, that our Lord rode on a borrowed ass, one more proof that poverty is in itself no sin. The causes which occasion much of the poverty there is around us, are undoubtedly very sinful. Drunkenness, extravagance, profligacy, dis- honesty, idleness, which produce so much of the des- titution in the world, are unquestionably wrong in the sight of God. But to be born a poor man, and to inherit nothing from our parents — to work with our own hands for our bread, and to have no land of our own— all this is not sinful at all. The honest poor man is as honor- able in the sight of God as the richest king. The Lord Jesus Christ Himself was poor. Silver and gold He had none. He had often nowhere to lay His head. Though He was rich, yet for our sakes He became poor. To be like Him in circumstances, cannot be in itself wrong. Let us do our duty in that state of life to which God has called us, and if He thinks fit to keep us poor let us not be ashamed. The Saviour of sinners cares for us as well as for others. The Saviour of sinners knows what it is to be poor.
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