allow to no man no not to the Messiah But who is this that we abhor who is this our Aversion who is this that defrauds our Expectations that grows daily greater and makes out his Pretences in spight of our Opposition That Christ was to be the Son of David to descend of the Seed and Linage of the ancient Kings of Judah that God out of the old Stock or Root of Jesse which now through length of time seem'd decay'd and doted seare and dead would cause to grow up a branch of Righteousness to execute Judgment and Justice in the Land was a truth asserted from all antiquitie And not only Esay and Jeremy who in expresse terms speak it but as Saint Peter says all the Prophets bare witnesse to it And the later Doctors in our Saviours daies universally allow'd the Tradition as is seen by the answer of the Pharisees to the question our Lord asked them concerning himself What say you of Christ whose Son is he And they said the Son of David But then that Christ was this Son of David this Branch so long foretold and expected though his Extraction and Genealogy his words and works his life and death did quadrat and close with all the Accounts Predictions and Tipical Representations of the Messiah in the Law and the several Lines drawn from the mouths of so many Prophets of different ages exactly concenter'd in his Person yet none but the dispassionate and disinterressed would confesse and acknowledge the Multitude here and the People again elsewhere or some more particularly inspir'd as the two blind Men mentionâ—d Matt. 9. 27. poor Bartimeus and the like who comparing the Miracles wrought by Christ with the Prophecies that went of him confidently made out this truth Jesus thou Son of David have mercy on us And here we cannot enough admire the bounty of God to his faithfull Servants that do his will and seek him with their whole heart whom he does not only blesse and prosper while they are alive but makes their Names and Memories illustrious by a renown'd Posterity long after they are dead As he did not suffer Davids Soul to see corruption even in the grave where all things perish so neither did he suffer his Glory to see corruption after so many ages when commonly all things are lost in oblivion but reviv'd it by causing Christ to Spring from his Loines Christ indeed had an other higher and nobler Generation an Eternal such as no man can declare as the Prophet Esay sayes Who can declare his Generation This his Prime Generation was not from the Will of Man but from the Power of the Spirit he took Flesh of the Virgin but not by Propagation but by Adumbration and the Will of God And therefore in respect of any humane Parentage on the Fathers side he was liken'd to Melchisedec who is introduc'd in Scripture without Parent without descent without Genealogy for so it became him that was to be the Preacher of Purity to the World that his very Generation should be also Pure Yet I say so much was God pleased with the Heroical Vertue of David so much was he a Man after his own heart that he ordained that that great Person the Second Person in the Trinity should be reckon'd to him as his Issue that he that was indeed his Lord as our Saviour also alledges as a strange Event should notwithstanding become his Son he will'd that the Son of his own Spirit should be esteemed the Son of his servant So true is that which God spake to Eli of old and so exemplary a doctrine to all posterity Honorantes me honorabo those that honour me I will honour Ye see what is done to him whom God honoureth the very Saviour of the World counts it a piece of Nobility and Gentry as I may so speak to derive his Pedigree from David The second Particular I observed was The purpose of Christs coming to shew himself the King of Israel Thrice a year for three years together as the custome was for all Israel Christ had gon up to Jerusalem the chief City of the Jewes and yet did never make any Overture never shewed any Semblance as if he had been King of the Jewes before this last time of his entry Nay hitherto he used all means to conceal his Title and Pretence rather than to declare it When they would have made him a King he conveighed himself invisibly out of the presse and did a Miracle to avoid an Advancement How comes he therefore now voluntarily to assume what before he so sollicitously refused How comes he to do a Miracle that he might appear a King when he formerly did a Miracle not to appear one Affects to have a Mounture whereon to ride charms the owners Spirit that should surrender it hearing the Lord had need of it inspires the Multitude to proclaim what he forbad his Disciples to whisper takes the whole state of it upon him affirms it to Pilate when he asks him concerning it Affirms it I say though in a Ceremonious way of affirmation usual among the Jewes Art thou the King of the Jewes Thou saist it says he Which was as much as if he had answered I am indeed that which thou sayst Only he makes here the Question it self go for the Answer and the Demander asking the truth in honour to him he makes the affirming of it as it were also to proceed from his mouth As in the case of a negative Answer the more Civill among us choose rather to returne an Excuse for their dissenting than a flat No or Denial to the thing that was inquir'd I say it was very strange that Christ should thus voluntarily assume that Dignity which he had so obstinately refused but it was much stranger yet that he should assume it at the season he did at the Eve to his Passion when he began to see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Crosse standing at the door in expectance of him Is this a time says the Prophet to his servant Gehazi to take money and to buy Vineyards when the Lords anger was upon the land and the enemy daily expected So was this a time to lay claime to a Kingdom when a mans Hour of Death approacht To put on the Royall Ensignes when he was to suffer as a Criminal as if he would present himself to the Executioner after the manner the Sacrifices of old were brought to the Priests with Garlands and gilded Horns as Salvian says Ornatur ad poenam coronatur ad supplicium he was invested in royal Robes to be Crucified he was made a King to suffer Death This Hour in the Worlds judgment so Incongruous to accept a Crown was yet the Season that he made choice of and he refused all Advancement till he was upon the point to be lifted-up on the Crosse. But as God says in the Prophet My thoughts are not your thoughts neither are your waies my waies So we may say of Christs Times and
themselves are unknown They therefore who have so much doted on the Fift Monarchy and out of Scripture misinterpreted will bring down Christ again from Heaven to Reign a thousand years on a Temporal Throne upon Earth they seek for that in Future Ages which is already eminently perform'd in their sight and fulfill'd in Story and it may be said to them of the Temporal Kingdom of Christ what he said once of his Spiritual That it comes not with Observation No not with the Observation of any thing that 's Future but rather is discern'd to be now Currant and Instant upon us both by the Observation of what is past and what we daily see And however the Prophecies may seem to intimate some Secular Way of Christs executing his Temporal Kingdom and that the Jews and others think they degrade the Messiah if they make him not an Earthly Prince yet no Grandure of an Earthly Prince can reach to the Majesty of the Messiah as 't is spoken of in Scripture or fulfil those very Predictions they stand so much upon after so Glorious a Manner as Christ has fulfilled them Who undoubtedly did a more Wonderful and Illustrious thing in that he Reign'd ore the World after his Decease than if he had done it in the Dayes of his Flesh I say he did a more Wonderful and Illustrious thing in first Dying and after that Rising again and subduing and ruling the Nations of the Earth and being adored ever after as God than if for a few years only he had Domineer'd like a Caesar or a Xerxes and then Ingloriously have confessd his Mortality expired and given place to another And this is the High Prerogative of Christ which Saint Peter Act. 5. 30. so powerfully urges to convert his Unbelieving Crucifiers The God of our fathers sayes he raised up Jesus whom ye slew and hanged on a tree Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour And Christ being such a Prince or King as we have described Let us see in the next place the State and Majesty with which he came to claim his Kingdom Which is in the third Particular I observ'd The Manner Pomp or Equipage of his Coming If we read the Triumphs of the Ancient Romans nothing can be imagin'd more Magnificent more Stupendious They being the Works of a rack't Invention and an immense Charge the Labour of many moneths and the Business of several dayes the Sun sometimes making his Course thrice about the World before the several parts of the well digested Pomp could be pass'd through the City The People were to behold Models of the Towns and Fortresses they had conquer'd the Habits Weapons and other Warlike Harness and Engines of the Enemy the vast heaps of their Treasure rich Vessels Pieces of curious Art wild Beasts if any such were found among them their Princes with their Wives and Children led in chains in a word whatever could heighten the Popular Joy by Wonder Pity or Contempt was presented a Spectacle to them After these followed their own Victorious Army Crown'd with Laurell jovial singing and licentious the Consecrated Herd for Sacrifice with all the Trappings of a Pompous and Superstitious Religion In the last place the Happy Conquerour himself mounted high on an Ivory Chariot imboss'd with gold and drawn with Horses of a Matchless beauty sought out in remote Provinces and as Authors speak led at their bridles by White and Silken Querries Niveos ad fraena Quirites Now if to this Majestick Pomp we shall oppose that of our Saviours entering into Jerusalem as 't is describ'd in the Mornings Gospel it will shew like a Mock-Triumph or Triumph in Burlesque Which was a thing resolv'd on and perform'd the same hour countenanc'd and conducted only by a Company of poor Fishermen his Disciples and a tumultuary Rabble of the Meaner Sort for rich Tapestry and Pieces of Needle-work to adorn the Passage of the Triumph the Coats of these poor people and some Extempory Branches snatcht from Palm-trees there at hand serv'd to strew the Way instead of a Gorgeous Charret the humble Conquerour came riding on a Asse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as St. Chrysostom terms it the most abject and despicable of all the Beasts of Burden But yet notwithstanding the Poverty and Meanness of those Circumstances if we shall look into this Triumph of our Lord as well as look upon it consider it with the sharper Eyes of the Spirit as well as glance on it with the mistie Eyes of the Body we shall find that with great reason it was usher'd in verse 5. with an Admonition of Special Observation and Regard to be had to it Tell the daughter of Sion Behold thy King cometh unto thee meek and sitting upon an asse and a colt the fole of an asse and that it excell'd in Glory the Triumphs of all the Princes of the World For though there was seen in it no Humane Invention or Cost yet it was Order'd and Contriv'd by the Wisdom of the Eternal God though 't was resolv'd on and perform'd in an Hour 't was prophecy'd of many Hundred Years before though no heaps of Gold or Antick-plate were carried in it for ostentation yet the Vertues and Miracles of the Conquerour his holy Life and Doctrine were born in a manner before him to the greater Admiration of the Beholders though no Models of demolisht Cities or Kings led in fetters afforded a Spectacle of admiration and compassion yet the Kingdomes of Hell and the Grave were there shew'd dispoil'd and ransackt and Lucifer the Prince of Darkness himself led in Everlasting Chains And then the Joy of this Triumph was not the Mourning of many Nations and People beside but a Cause of Universal Jubilee to the whole World or yet to last only for a few days but to continue even when the Sun and the Moon shall no longer be The Triumphs of Princes and Great Captains are to boast their Glory and Magnificence but Christs Entrance into Jerusalem was not to shew a Triumph of the Vain things of this World but a Triumph over them not to Magnifie the Opinion of Riches but to bring them into Contempt And this and the like Passages of his Life are not so much to be look'd upon in the Story and Fact as in the Design and Purpose as Saint Chrysostom sayes of them they are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Rule of Christian Philosophy At his Birth when he was Worship't by some Kings and fear'd by others he was content to be found in a Manger and in the dayes that he fed thousands with his Miracles he chose often times himself to suffer Hunger And this to teach the Great Ones of the World to practise Self-denyal in their highest Affluence and Abundance to teach the Honourable to be Humble and the Mighty to be Meek to use their Power not for Pride and Ostentation but for the Benefit of their Inferiors to teach them to despise their
our Houses when they were in disorder and we have nothing Worthy to Entertain him And his Application of it is this Quicquid nonvis inveniri in domo tua quantum potes labora ut non inveniat Deus in anima tua What ye would not that Men should surprise in your Houses be much more careful that God when he comes surprise not in your Souls Let him not find a Sordedness there no nor yet an Emptiness let not his Reception be more Beggarly than that which he found in the Inn or more Unhandsome and Uncleanly than that in the Stable A Soul immers'd in Lust and Sensuality is fouler than the Stalls of Brute Beasts and a Heart void of Vertue and the Graces of the Spirit is yet poorer than his Cradle of a Manger The Religious Monks of old were wont when they heard these words read And Christ was born in Bethlehem Juda to fall flat on their Faces on the ground in adoration and astonishment at the great Mystery of the Incarnation and Gods Wonderful Condescension therein to Mankind But in these dayes we hear this Gospel read like an Unconcerning Story without astonishment without adoration without thanks without the least Reflection and the Feast of the Nativity comes and goes like the Day of a Lord Maiors entering on his Office it serves to compute our Years and to digest the Events of our Annals but few consider the Benefits of the Holy Season or the Duties belonging to it few put away their Sins and adorn their Minds with the Graces of the Gospel few are Regenerate or New-born at the Birth of Christ. Men prepare for a time of Excess and Debauch forecast to have Richer Apparel and Choicer Provisions Money to play c. and some will borrow or rob but they will have to supply these things And thus while the Flesh keeps Holy-day the Soul still drudges in the Work of sin while our Houses are trimmed and our Posts bound with Laurel in token of Triumph and Deliverance we continue Our Selves in the Slavery of Vice and the Thraldom of the Devil And the Sun of Righteousness rises and sets upon us as the Sun in the Firmament on Rocks and Buildings to parch and harden us not as on Hearbs and Trees to make us productive of Fruit. 'T is the saddest Prognostick of a Nation to be miserable when neither the Benefits nor Judgments of God work upon the hearts of the People but whether it be a Victory or a Loss a Plague or a Deliverance a Season of Temporal Blessings or a Season of Spiritual they receive all these Various Changes of Gods Favour and Displeasure with one Fix't and Unmov'd Affection to their Sins And though like the Deriders of Gods Judgments which Saint Peter speaks of in his second Epist. and third Chapt. they blasphemously cry not aloud Where is the Promise of the Lords Coming c. yet silently and secretly in their very holding fast of their Iniquities they try what will be the Issue of his Threats and Denunciations against sin and they Experiment as I may say their Destruction though they Invoke it not That this day may be the Advent to us not only of Spiritual Blessings but also of Temporal the drawing neer of Peace or Victory as well as of Redemption of the saving of our Nation as well as of the Salvation of our Soules let us make a fit Reception in our Hearts for the Lord of Righteousnesse who now approaches And God who at this Season bestowed on us his Son How shall he not as the Apostle says with him also freely give us all things We have heard Christ's Kingdom is Spiritual and his Throne Planted in the Hearts of Men and I may say his Nativity is now also Spiritual and his Cradle ought likewise to be planted in the Hearts of men that he is then only truly Born into the world when we become Regenerate and seen again in the Flesh when we shew forth the Works of Righteousnesse How little he regards the meer Outward Magnificence of his Feasts we may Collect from the Pomp which he affected when he was really born in Bethlehem Judah and when he made his present Triumphant Entrance into Jerusalem a Stable serv'd him for the one and a Despicable Asse for the other He that had an Angell to foretell his Conception and a whole Host of them to congratulate his Nativity had he so pleas'd he could have fix't his Cradle in Herods Bed-Chamber and have forc't the Proud Tyrant to have fled into Egypt in his stead Again he could have Excell'd Paulus Aemylius and all the Cesars in the Splendor of his Triumph But his Birth was the Birth of Meeknesse of Innocence and of Mercy and when he enter'd in Triumph Humility rode in State The Offices of the Church for this day best instruct us how to welcome our Lords Coming What in the Collect we pray let us set our selves to practice To cast away the Workes of Darknesse now in this Mortal Life in which Christ came to visit us in great Humility What the People here do in my Text let us transcribe and imitate use their Acclamations and also their Ingeminations Hosanna to the Son of David and again Hosanna Reiterating and repeating these Ave's and Good Wishes to Christ in our Soules a second third and fourth time Tautology is the Language of Joy a Hearty Affection is not satisfi'd with uttering Kind Words of Welcome unlesse it may utter the same often And as Princes accept of Acclamations from their Subjects as well as Panegyrihs continu'd and redoubl'd Shouts of Joy as well as Set-Orations nay esteem these Simple Expressions of a Loyal Heart before more Studied and Artificial Complements So God prefers many times the Eruptions and Ejaculations of a Faithfull Soul before a longer Prayer the lifting-up only of the Spirit before a Formal Psalme Holinesse and Righteousnesse make the Esclat or Splendor in Christ's Feasts when Mens Hearts are full of Grace then his Houses are hang'd and his Tables prest with rich Provisions 't was not the Curious and Busy Hous-wifry of Martha but the Pensive and Abstracted Faith of Mary that made the Entertainment at Bethany and if we will Treat our Lord acceptably it must not be from the Shambles or the Mercers with the Cooks or the Taylors skill but with the Sacrifices of Obedience and the Adornings of the Holy Spirit Our Feasts upon Earth must resemble these they typifie in Heaven where Righteousnesse is the Robe and the Contemplating and Glorifying of God the Cheer and the Rejoycing Glory be to God on high the Father Son and Holy Ghost from all Angels and all Men and all Creatures now and to all Eternity Amen FINIS â—â— PAge 1. line ult adde a. P. 5. l. 15. for private retir'd read private and retir'd P. 10. l. 22. for that should Surrender read that he should Surrender P. 19. l. 19. dele in P. 21. l. 18. for those read these P. 34. l. 18. for these read those