188 The NEW and COMPLETE LIFE Of OUT BLESSED LORD years; namely, till about the middle of Solomon's reign. And while David fwayed the fceptre of Ifrael, when the kingdom was carried to it's utmoft height, he him- felf rode on a mule, and provided no better equipage for his fon, on the day of his coronation : Caufe Solomon myfon, faid David, to ride upon mine own mule, and bring him down to Gihon : and let Zadok theprig and Nathan the prophet anoint him there king over Ifrael, 1 Kings i. 33, 34. And when that pious prince looked back, and contemplated this Rate of things, he might well fay, Some trf in chariots, and force in horfes; but we will remember the nameof the Lord our God, Pfal. xx. 7. But things quickly changed their afpeét in the reign of Solomon : he married the daughter of the king ofEgypt, and opened a commerce between that country and his own ; by which means he foon acquired an immenfe number of horfes and chariots; and all his fucceffors, when they had it in their power, followed his example. But what did the kingdom gain by this change? They were before a rich and flourifhing people ; but after breaking this law of the Mof High, their wealth and power gra- dually declined, till at lait, their habita- tions were laid wane, their temple and cities burnt with fire, and they themfelves carried captive into a frange land. Perhaps it may be afked, wherein the guilt of having a country full of horfes confined? There is certainly no moral crime in purchafing and keeping thefe crea- tures ; but the kings of Ifrael were exalted to the throne, on condition that they fhould renounce the affiftance of chariots and horfes, and.depend upon. God for fuccefs in the day ofbattle. Thus having confidered this law, and the confequences that refulted from the breach of it, let us now, look back to the prophecy relating to theMeffiah : Rejoice greatly, 0 daughter of Sion; fhout, O daughter of Jerufalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is jug, and having favveetion;' lowly,, and riding upon an afs, and upon a colt the foal of an afs. And I will cut of the chariotfrom Ephraim, and the horfefrom Jerufalem, Zech. ix. 9, 1o. The defcendants of Jacob were to be fáved by fuch a king : and what fort of ,a king could be expeaed ? Is it poflìblé to imagine that, God would fend a king to fave them who fhould be like the kings which had undone them? Is it riot snore reafonable to think, that he would refera- ble thofe who had been deliverers of their country ? Kings who feared God, and therefore feared no enemy ; who, though mounted on affes, and colts the foals of affes, were able to put to flight the thouf- ands and ten thoufands of chariots and horfes that came againf them. The king, foretold by the prophet, was alto to be juR, meek, and lowly; but how could hehave dèferved that chara&ter, had he appeared in the pride and pomp of war, furrounded with horfes and chariots, in direel oppofition to the law of God? Or, as he was to bring falvation to the people, could he make ufe of thofe means which God never had profpered, and which he declared he never would ? By this it appears, that it was effential to the charaéler of a king of Ifrael, who was to be juft and lowly, and to bring fai= vation with him, that he fhould come riding on an afs, and a colt the foal of an afs ; but if any doubt can'yet remain, let the prophet himfelf explain it, who im- mediately after the defcription of the pro- mifed king, adds, and I will cut of the chariotfrom Ephraim, and the horfe from 3'erufalem : plainly intimating, that the charaCer given of the Meffiah, that he fhould ride on an afs, was in oppofition to the pride of their warlike kings, who had ruined themfelves and their people, by their great ftrength in chariots and horfes. We have thus undeniably (hewn the intention of the prophet, when he foretold, that the Meffiah fhould ride on an afs ; and from hence it appears, that the enemies of revelation have not the leaf reafon for turning this tranfaCion into ridicule. Was it
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