Page:SermonsFromTheLatins.djvu/439

 hath need  of  them,  and  forthwith  he  will  let  them go." The  prophet  Zacharias  had  foretold  the  coming of  the  future  King,  the  Messias,  in  these  words : "  Tell  ye  the  daughter  of  Sion,  Behold  thy  King cometh to  thee,  meek  and  sitting  upon  an  ass  and a colt,  the  foal  of  her  that  is  used  to  the  yoke." These  words  were  well  known,  and  very  dear  to  the hearts  of  all  who  looked  for  the  redemption  of  Israel, and  their  exact  fulfilment  in  the  entry  of  Christ  and His  followers  into  Jerusalem  accounts  in  no  small measure  for  the  remarkable  outburst  of  popular enthusiasm  with  which  He  was  greeted.  Here  then we  have  as  proofs  of  His  divinity,  first,  His  wonderful insight  into  the  future,  amounting  to  omniscience; second,  His  entire  conformity  to  the  Messianic  prophecies, even  in  the  minutest  details;  and  third,  His  practical assertion  of  absolute  dominion  over  all  things. An  unbeliever  would  probably  attempt  to  explain away  the  force  of  the  argument  by  asserting  that the  ready  acquiescence  of  the  man  in  placing  his guest-chamber  at  the  disposal  of  the  Saviour  was  but the exercise  of  ordinary  hospitality,  but  nowhere  in history  do  we  find  that  the  law  of  kindness  to strangers  was  wont  to  be  carried  to  such  extremes. Neither is  the  Socialist's  explanation  to  be  admitted, viz., that  each  incident  is  but  an  assertion  on  the  part of Our  Lord  that  each  of  us  has  a  right  in  the  time  of need  to  help  himself  to  the  belongings  of  his  more fortunate neighbor. Christ came  not  to  destroy  but to fulfil  the  law,  and  the  seventh  point  of  the  law  is, "Thou shalt  not  steal." He said,  indeed,  "The