truly said to be juratus, not only to swear, but to be sworn, and that not in vulgar or legal English only, but in pure refined Latin, as in that of Prudentius:

Tentavit Geticos nuper delere tyrannos,

Italiam patrio veniens juratus ab Istro.

According to the custom of refined Latin, it would perhaps be a solecism to say a man that dies of poison were 853 venenatus, albeit venenatus be a proper Latin word, not obsolete, whilst it denotes arrows or bullets; but in our English we speak as properly when we say a man was poisoned, as when we say a poisoned bullet, a poisoned shaft. And so, no question, according to the true intent of the prophet Zechariah, our Saviour was as properly said to be, that is, saved, or salvificated, whilst the multitude cried Hosanna, or wished all health unto him, as we are said to be owlónevoi, or saved by him. And if Montanus had as fully expressed

נוֹשָׁע as he doth the word נוֹשָׁע הוא this whole phrase

salvatus, little could have been added to it by way

comment.

of

6. But to take the full importance of the whole phrase, or matter signified, according to the sublimity of the prophetical dialect or expression, that, I take it, is thus However the promised King of Zion was to come unto her so lowly in person, so poorly attired, so meanly furnished of strength or visible pomp, as might cause her inhabitants rather to deride than respect him, yet even in this plight or garb he should be entertained with general applause, with louder acclamations than had been used at the coronation of David or of his successors. The ancient form of such solemn acclamations had been, Vivat rex, &c., “Let the king live" but to our Saviour the multitude cry, Hosanna,

hosanna, to the Son of David. And this peculiar kind of salutation or acclamation is punctually foretold by the prophet, and grammatically expressed by the Hebrew. For Hosanna, whether we take it as precatory or congratulatory, is an active which doth as exactly fit the passive vi, as Ego saluto te doth Tu es salutatus a me, “I salute you," and, "You are saluted of me." If Arias Montanus had said salvatus ille for salvatus ipse, the translation had been a more full expression of the majestic original phrase. The full expression or prophetical importance of the whole phrase (if I mistake not the emphasis of the Hebrew pronoun, especially when it comes in the rear or after the substantive to which it refers) will amount to this height, and higher, Ecce Rex tuus venit, Rex ille justus, &c. et pro justis celebrandus. And I know not whether Castellio's version of this place do not imply as much, Ecce Rex tuus venit, qui est justus et victoriosus. It had been an ancient tradition or common prenotion amongst this people before the prophet Zechariah was born, that their King or Christ should be the Son of David, and David's Lord; a Priest after the order of Melchisedec, who was king of Salem by office, and by title king of righteousness, or the righteous king. Now the prophet forewarns this people, that the glorious King, whom Melchisedec did by office and title foreshadow, should come to Zion and Jerusalem, not attended with horses and chariots, but as became the righteous and pacifical King, (for so much his other title " imports,) riding on an ass, and the foal of an ass, and have both his titles proclaimed, though not by express words, yet by hieroglyphic or sacred heraldry. His lowliness, which is the only ground of pacifical disposition, was lively i Vide Hebraicum contextum, Prov. xix. 21. JACKSON, VOL. VIII.

D

represented by the manner of his approach, riding upon the foal of an ass, which in an instant had learned gentle conditions from his lowliness and peaceable temper who first did sit upon him. His righteousness was really proclaimed by the congratulations and presents of the people: Much people (saith St.John) that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, (as yet not 854 hearing whether he came on foot or horseback,) and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord, John xii. 12, 13, &c. And St. Mark telleth us, Many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches of the trees, and strawed them in the way. And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest. Mark xi. 8-10. Matt. xxi. 8, 9. Now the palm tree was, as well in profane as in sacred heraldry, as true an emblem or hieroglyphic of righteousness or justice, as the sword is of authority and power. Hence, saith the psalmist, Justus ut palma florebit, “The just shall flourish like a palm tree." Why rather like this tree than any other? than like the oak or cedar? Pierius (to my remembrance) giveth us the ground or reason of this sacred allusion; and it is this:

k Quod vero ponderibus resistat et in adversum incurvetur, facere idem judices debent, atque reluctabundi seductores pellacesque omnes detrectare, neque mulieribus, neque violentiæ cedere. Pierius in initio sui lib. 50. de Hierog. Et inquit Aristot.:

Si super arboris ejus lignum magnum quantumlibet pondus imponas, palma minime deorsum cedit, nec infra flectitur, sed adversus pondus resurgit et sursum nititur in adversum fornicata.

For that the palm tree, the more it is wronged or pressed down, the less it is diverted from its natural course, but groweth higher and spreadeth the more: and was for this reason a fit emblem of this righteous and victorious King, whose incomparable exaltation did grow from his unparalleled humiliation and depression.

Of the Meaning or Importance of Hosanna to the Son of

David.

1. THE diversity of interpretations of many principal passages in scripture is for the most part as great as the multiplicity or variety of importances or significations of some one single word in some large sentences and passages. The best is, that this word Hosanna hath but two importances which can breed any matter of difference between interpreters of scripture, or any variety of interpretations. Yet discord between interpreters usually arises without any difference, only from variety of significations in words more than compatible, yea most consonant between themselves, as some there be who would have this word Hosanna to be merely precatory or optative; as much as, The Lord send help or salvation; others would have it to be merely (or especially) congratulatory; whereas both opinions agree very well, though their several authors or abettors have censured each other. That Hosanna, in the intention of the multitude, which carried or spread branches of palms or olives in the way, should (at least in the direct sense) be merely congratulatory, is probably alleged from the whole phrase or structure of speech: for they did not cry, as the blind man in the way did, Υἱὲ Δαβίδ, ἐλέησόν με,

O Son of David, have mercy upon me1, or save me; but Ὡσαννὰ τῷ Υἱῷ Δαβὶδ ἐν ὑψίστοις, Hosanna to the Son of David in the highest. Both clauses import matter only of congratulation. Caninius first, and after him Beza, amongst others, have out of their rabbinical 855 learning well observed, that the branches of palms, of olives, or other trees, which this people used in their solemn feast of tabernacles, or the like, in which they used the comprecations of the cxviiith psalm, came by custom and concurrence of time to be called Hosanna; by such a manner or trope of speech, as the English and French do call the buds or flowers of hawthorn May. According to this importance or signification of the word Hosanna, the meaning of the multitude or disciples was, that they did bear these boughs and use these congratulations in honour of the Son of David, now coming unto them in triumph.,

2. Some go a great way further, and would persuade us that the people or multitude being sorry that they had so slighted our Saviour's presence or invitations in the last feast of tabernacles, John vii, to which this solemnity of carrying branches was (at the least) originally proper, did seek to redeem their former neglect, and regain the opportunity of tendering their allegiance unto him, not as he was the Son of David only, but as the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt into the land of Canaan, and redeemed them from Babylonish captivity, to honour him with solemn feasts and other services in Jerusalem. But that the multitude (either all, or most, or any) should have a more distinct explicit apprehension of his Deity, or of the great mystery of salvation which he was now to accomplish, than his disciples and fol1 Mark x. 48.