The great Change of things began to draw near, when the Lord of Nature thought fit as a Saviour and Deliverer to make his publick Entry into Jerusalem with more than the Power and Joy, but none of the Ostentation and Pomp of a Triumph; he came Humble, Meek, and Lowly:  with an unfelt new Ecstasy, Multitudes strewed his Way with Garments and Olive-Branches, Crying with loud Gladness and Acclamation, Hosannah to the Son of David, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord!  At this great Kings Accession to his Throne, Men were not Ennobled, but Sav’d; Crimes were not Remitted, but Sins Forgiven; he did not bestow Medals, Honours, Favours, but Health, Joy, Sight, Speech.  The first Object the Blind ever saw, was the Author of Sight; while the Lame Ran before, and the Dumb repeated the Hosannah.  Thus attended, he Entered into his own House, the sacred Temple, and by his Divine Authority expell’d Traders and Worldlings that profaned it; and thus did he, for a time, use a great and despotic Power, to let Unbelievers understand, that twas not Want of, but Superiority to all Worldly Dominion, that made him not exert it.  But is this then the Saviour? is this the Deliverer?  Shall this Obscure Nazarene command Israel, and sit on the Throne of David? [7] Their proud and disdainful Hearts, which were petrified [8] with the Love and Pride of this World, were impregnable to the Reception of so mean a Benefactor, and were now enough exasperated with Benefits to conspire his Death.  Our Lord was sensible of their Design, and prepared his Disciples for it, by recounting to em now more distinctly what should befal him; but Peter with an ungrounded Resolution, and in a Flush of Temper, made a sanguine Protestation, that tho all Men were offended in him, yet would not he be offended.  It was a great Article of our Saviours Business in the World, to bring us to a Sense of our Inability, without Gods Assistance, to do any thing great or good; he therefore told Peter, who thought so well of his Courage and Fidelity, that they would both fail him, and even he should deny him Thrice that very Night.

But what Heart can conceive, what Tongue utter the Sequel?  Who is that yonder buffeted, mock’d, and spurn’d?  Whom do they drag like a Felon?  Whither do they carry my Lord, my King, my Saviour, and my God?  And will he die to Expiate those very Injuries?  See where they have nailed the Lord and Giver of Life!  How his Wounds blacken, his Body writhes, and Heart heaves with Pity and with Agony!  Oh Almighty Sufferer, look down, look down from thy triumphant Infamy:  Lo he inclines his Head to his sacred Bosom!  Hark, he Groans! see, he Expires!  The Earth trembles, the Temple rends, the Rocks burst, the Dead Arise:  Which are the Quick?  Which are the Dead?  Sure Nature, all Nature is departing with her Creator.

T.

[Footnote 1:  Good Friday.]

[Footnote 2:  From the words In plain and apt parable to the end, this paper is a reprint of the close of the second chapter of Steele’s Christian Hero, with the variations cited in the next six notes.  The C. H. is quoted from the text appended to the first reprint of the Tatler, in 1711.]