The History of his riding on an Ass to _Jerusalem_. I have given some Offence on this Point already in my _Moderator_, and ought to excuse or justify my self, by calling the Fathers to Account for laughing at the Letter of that Story. It was an untoward saying of St. _Jerome_, that I there cited, and suffered a Prosecution for: But it is a worse Intimation of St. _John_ of _Jerusalem_, who, if there was any literal Truth in the Peoples pulling off their Garments, and Branches of Trees, and strewing them in the Way of _Jesus_, will needs have it not respectfully but mischievously done, to make the Colt stumble, and so dismount his Rider. And according to him it may be questioned, whether the _Hosannahs_ of the People were of any more Respect to _Jesus_, than the _Huzzahs_ of a _Mob_ would be to the Bishop of _L----n_, if to shew his Meekness and Lowlyness, he should ride upon an Ass, in his _Pontificalibus_ through this City. But I have here a momentous Controversy to decide about the Beast _Jesus_ rode on. St. _Matthew_ seems to say, he rode upon both _Ass_ and _Colt_ together. St. _Mark_ and St. _Luke_ say, he rode upon the _Colt, on which Man never before sat_. The Bishop of _Lichfield_ says, he rode upon the _Ass_ (on which Man had before sat) and the _Colt_ ambled after. St. _Cyril_ and St. _Chrysostom_ say, he rode upon the _Colt_, and the _She-Ass_ trotted after. St. _John_ the _Evangelist_ says he rode upon a _Mule_, or an [Greek: onarion] Ass-like Creature of the neuter Gender. The _Jewish Cabalists_ say, their _Messiah_ was to ride on a great huge _Ass_, big enough to carry him and all true Israelites, and that the Ministers of _Antichrist_ would then hang an _A-ss_. So do the great Doctors of the World differ! To whom I shall decree the Prize of Orthodoxy, I shan't foretell; but am inclined to favour the Opinion of the _Cabalists_. However, I shall be very grave as well as learned on this Head: And if I can, I will, to oblige Dr. _Sherlock_, hook in a Digression about _Shilo_'s _binding his Fole to the Vine, and his Asses Colt to the choice Vine_: The Accomplishment of which _literal_ Prophecy seems to have been drop'd in the Providence of God, or the _Dean_ of _Chichester_[143] had never stopt at it. I will endeavour to look it up, in some Corner of History, if it be but to merit the Praises of the _Master_ of the _Temple_.