did it of their own choice--as freely, and as
voluntarily, as they ever did anything in their lives. They did it
because they hated him, and wished to get him out of their way. So
they nailed him to the cross in their malice and their rage. This was
the very thing God had determined should be done, that he might save
and bless the world. He allowed Satan, and the Jews, to do just what
their wicked hearts prompted them to do; and then he overruled it for
good. And, in this way, as David says, he "makes the wrath of man to
praise him, and the remainder of it he restrains." And thus we see
how evil men, and evil spirits, are God's servants _unwillingly_.

But then, there is another class of persons who serve God
_willingly_. This takes in all those who know and love him. He speaks
of them, in this parable as "_his own_ servants." When they find out
what he has done for them, the thought of it fills their hearts with
love; and then they desire to serve him, and do all he tells them to
do, in order to show their love to him. And this is what Jesus means
when he says--"Take my yoke upon you; for my yoke is easy, and my
burden is light," When we really love a person, anything that we can
do for that person is easy and pleasant to us. And so it is the great
love for Jesus, that his people have, which makes his yoke easy, and
his burden light to them.

"How to Become a Willing Servant to Jesus." A little boy came to his
grandmother one day, and asked her how he could become a Christian.
She answered very simply, "Ask Jesus to give you a new heart, _and
believe he does it when you ask him_."

"Is that all?" said the little fellow joyfully; "oh! that is easy
enough." So he went to his room, and kneeling beside his bed, asked
Jesus to give him a new heart. He believed that the dear Saviour,
who loves little children, did hear and answer his prayer. And he
left his room with a happy heart, for he felt sure that he was now
one of Christ's own loving children, and willing servants. And this
is the way in which we must take the yoke of Jesus upon us, and
become his willing servants. And then in everything that we do we can
be serving him. As St. Paul says--"whether we eat or drink, or
whatsoever we do, we can do all to the glory of God."

A good man once said "that if God should send two angels down from
heaven, and should tell one of them to sit on a throne and rule a
kingdom, and the other to sweep the streets of a city, the lat