[Ye serve the best of masters, and have the most honour- able of all employments. Doubtless ye see but too much reason to lament your unprofitableness. But God is not ex- treme to mark what is omitted or done amiss. If ye really make it " your meat to do his will," be of good cheer ; the evening, when your labours will end, is fast approaching : then shall you be called into the presence of your Lord and Master; nor shall the least or most unw'orthy of you all be overlooked by him. Be not weary then of well-doing, for you shall all reap in due season''. To every one of you shall those delight- ful words be addressed ^ — ]
^ Gal. vi. 9. "^ Matt. xxv. 21.
Matt. xxi. 16. Have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise ?
THE wisdom of our Lord was very conspicuous in the answers he returned to cavillers. He was thoroughly conversant with every part of the sacred writings; and to them he appealed on every occasion. In his conflicts with Satan, he invariably had recourse to them'': and when assaulted by men, he fought with no weapon which was not brought from that divine arsenal *": and every passage which he adduced was as an arrow from a well-directed bow. This is well exemplified in the words before us.
Our Lord had just driven the traders and money- changers out of the temple ; and had healed multi- tudes of persons, who flocked around him for a cure. The children that were present, being struck with wonder both at his authority and benevolence, sur- rounded him with acclamations and hosannahs, and welcomed him as the Messiah promised to their nation. The chief priests and scribes, on the con- trary, were filled with indignation ; and remonstrated with our Lord, for suffering them to express such sentiments in his hearing: " H«arest thou what these
^ Matt. iv. 4, 7, 10.
^ Compare Matt. xxvi. 51 — 54. with John v. 39.