THis Text is but one word; But as out of one Adam did discend a world of men, so out of this one word doth issue forth a world of matter. Hosanna, it was the Iewes acclamation, the joy of the peo­ple at the coming of Christ to Jerusalem; for it was told them, that he would come, but not in stare, but in meeknesse: Rejoyce greatly, oh daughter of Zion; shout O daughter of Ie­rusalem; Behold, thy King commeth unto thee, he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an Asse, and upon a Colt, the foale of an Asse, Zacha­ry 9. 9.

[Page 2] But though he humbled himselfe, yet he woul [...] be honoured of them; for Christ is a great King, and expected to be entertained of them as a King, which should they have denied him, the very stones should have given it to him; I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the very stones would cry out. Luke 19. 40.

In the two Greeke words, there is but one Let­ter between that which signifieth a stone, and that which signifieth people: And I say unto you, that God is able even of stones to raise up people, Luk. 3. 8. If the people will not Cry Hosanna, God can make the stones to cry Hosanna to Jesus Christ.

Yet though the Disciples and the people, did not cry Hosanna to Christ, yet should he not loose one jot of his honour; and though the Pharisees and Scribes should have cryed with them Hosanna, yet had there been nothing at all added to his ho­nour; one could not encrease, nor the other decrease one jot of his honour.

Yet our blessed Saviour liked the one, and re­proved the other; not that he needed it, but Christ expected it, because it was his due, and the people spread their garments, and took Palmes in their hands, and cryed Hosanna. This is recorded by all the foure Evangelists, save onely one, to shew that it is a matter of moment; Mathew hath it, Mat. 21. 9. Mark 9. 11. and S. Iohn as it is here in the Text. Though Mathew writ in Hebrew, Marke in Latin, and Iohn in Greeke; yet all use the same word Ho­sanna, as some say; because in this they would not alter the Jewes language, it being the very word they used.

[Page 3] Others are of opinion that the matter that is in­cluded in this word could not be fully exprest in any other language, and therefore they would not translate it, because they would not loose the force of the word.

But this we may be sure of, that certainly they did not do it with any intent to make the world ignorant of the meaning of it; if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speak­eth a Barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a Barba­rian unto me. 1. Cor. 14. 11.

When Ptolemeus Philadelphus had found an He­brew Bible in his Library, he spake to this effect▪ What shall it profit me, quoth he, to have a Bible, and cannot understand what is in it? So he sent for Schollers that came unto him, and translated it in­to his own language.

This word Hosanna, here, is either supplitory, to beseech for benefit to be received: or gratulato­ry, thanks for benefits received alreadie.

They who hold it supplitory, look upon the word in the Etymologie of it; and they who hold it gra­tulatory, they look upon the meaning of the word; but we will have respect to both.

1. For the perfect signification of the word Ho­sanna, according to the Etymologie of it▪ and thus some compare it with the Psalmist: Save thou; and thus it is a plain prayer: as it is Psal. 118. And then we must understand; 1. who is prayed for. 2. What is prayed for. Thus some understand it, to be a prayer to God for Christ: others, to be a prayer to Christ for the people: and that thus.

[Page 4] 1. O God save the Son of David.

2. O save thou us thou Son of David.

In the first is set down Christs weaknesse, as he is man. In the second is set forth his power as he is God.

In the first as he is man: in the second as he is the Saviour of men: both which he was on earth, and both which he is now in heaven. Then mutable, but immutable now.

If this acclamation did flow from the people naturally of their own accord, it was then for Christ, whom they esteemed but man: yet they prayed for him as their King, as we ought all to do, especially for them that are in authority, as it is, 1. Tim. 2. 2.

He that was the first King, and one of the worst too, was to be prayed for: much more, a good King, and for such in Authoritie as fear God.

But I think it was not they themselves, but ra­ther the Spirit of God in them that cried Hosanna: who knew Christ to be their King by the same Spirit, and then Hosanna is a prayer to Christ the Son of David, for the people of Israel, to save them, for besides him there is no Saviour, Isa. 43. 11. An horse is a vain thing for safety, neither shall he deliver any by his great strength, Psal. 33. 17. And as vain a thing is man to save a man, a mightie man is not delivered by an hoast, or by much strength, a Prince cannot save a man. Therefore put not your trust in Princes, but in the Lord.

If the Lord sease upon you, nothing can take you out of his hands: but who ever seaseth on you, [Page 5] if God will save you, then are you safe from all dan­ger, you shall not perish.

And this is our comfort, that as Christ is God able to save us: so is he man also, touched with the sence of our infirmities; he is no hireling, but the good Shepherd that will deliver his lambs, from all Bears, and Lions. As David did deliver his fa­thers sheep out of the paw of the Lion, and the Bear; so will Christ also deliver his sheep, though the Lions and the Bears be readie to devoure them.

Christ is our head, and we are his members; now the head is the head of life, and motion, &c. to the body, and so is Christ the fountain of all the true health of the soul, to him we ought to cry Hosan­na, O Lord save us.

Neither are we onely to cry Hosanna to Christ as King alone, and so to defend us against our ene­mies, the world, the flesh, and the devill: but as Priest also, to reconcile us to the Lord. Let us a­bandon all our own power, and all that we can do, and relie on the sacrifice of our Priest and Recon­ciler, Jesus Christ. Neither are we onely to cry Hosanna to him as King, and as Priest alone, but as our Prophet also, to instruct us through this vale of misery, till we arrive at our eternall blisse with him in heaven.

2. In the next place we must look upon the word in the signification congratulatory; Thanks is so necessary, that such is the condition of men, that to be unthankfull, is to be unworthy of the societie of men: an unthankfull man is such an one from whom no good can be expected.

[Page 6] Jesus Christ hath done exceedingly for us, and we are infinitely bound to be thankfull to him. Look upon man, in his fall, and he is worse then any creature, like the beasts that perish, therefore worse then beasts: not so good, onely made like them, not quite so good.

Angels are glorious spirits placed in the presence of God himself, when they fell, our Saviour never looked after them; but he took our nature upon him, to save us: he took not upon him the nature of Angels, but the seed of Abraham. He that was God took upon him the form of a servant, and became man, this work he undertook for us, and this work he performed. Therefore it behoved the people to cry Hosanna: And here it is to be observed, that the people that went before, and they that follow­ed after, both cried Hosanna. So ought those people under the Law before Christ, and we also under the Gospel after Christ, all ought to cry Hosanna, like the two faces of the Cherubims, that looked both wayes on the Mercy seat, both they before, and we after ought all to turn our faces upon Christ; cry­ing Hosanna to the Son of David.