640 GOSPEL ACCORDING TO CHAP. XIX.
lowestworks withthe greatestzealand affection,knowing
thatwhateverisdone withGod beforeoureyesisnotslight,
but meet forthekingdom ofheaven.
TITUS.They who had tiedthe assarestruckdumb,be
causeofthe greatnessofHis mightypower,and areunable
toresistthewordsoftheSaviour; for" theLord" isa name
ofmajesty,and asa King was He abouttocome inthesight
ofallthepeople.
Aug.de AUG. Nor mattersitthatMatthew speaksof an assandUMi v' itsfoal,whilethe otherssay nothingof the ass; forwhen
cap.66. bothmay be conceived,thereisno varianceeventhoughone
relateone thing,and anotheranother,much lesswhereone
relatesone thing,anotherboth.
nonocc. GLOSS.The discipleswaitedupon Christnotonlyinbring
ing the coltof another,but alsowiththeirown garments,
some ofwhichtheyplacedupon theass,otherstheystrewed
intheway. BEDE. Accordingto the otherEvangelists,not
the disciplesonly,but verymany alsoout of the crowds
scatteredtheirgarmentsintheway.
AMBROSE. Mystically,our Lord came to Mount Olivet,
thatHe mightplantnew olivetreeson theheightsofvirtue.
And perhapsthemountainitselfisChrist,forwho elsecould
bearsuchfruitofolivesaboundinginthefulnessoftheSpirit?
BEDE. Rightlyare thetowns describedasplacedon Mount
Olivet,thatis,on theLord Himself,who rekindlestheunction
ofspiritualgraceswiththelightofknowledgeand piety.
ORIGEK. Bethany isinterpreted,the houseof obedience,
but Bethphagethe houseofcheekbones,beinga placebe
longingtothepriests,forcheekbonesin thesacrificeswere
therightofthe priests,asitiscommanded in thelaw. To
thatplacethen where obedienceis,and where the priesU
havethepossession,our SavioursendsHis disciplestoloose
the ass'scolt.AMBROSE. For theywere in thevillage,and
the coltwas tiedwith itsmother,nor couldit be loosed
exceptby the command of the Lord. The apostle'shand
loosesit. Such was the act,suchthe life,suchthe grace-
Be such,thatthou mayestbe ableto loosethosethatare
bound. In theassindeedMatthew representedthemother
of error,but in the coltLuke has describedthe general
characterof the Gentilepeople.And rightly,whereonyet