Them in the destroying of their City and Sanctuary Then they were to suffer those Direfull Calamities which were foretold so long since even by Moses himself †The Iews do acknowledge the fulfilling of this Prophecy was to be at the Destruction of their City by Titus See Menass ben Israel de term vitae III. 3. Deut. XXVIII 49 57. The best Office our Saviour could do them at present was to let them know what they were to expect that they might not be surprized when these things should come to pass and especially the Women of that City whose Condition was most Pityable of all others Therefore he turned himself to them and said Yee Daughters of Jerusalem Weep not for Mee but weep for your selves and for your Children For behold the Days are coming in which they shall say Blessed are the Barren and the Wombs that never bare and the Paps that never gave Suck No doubt he reflected on the 56 and 57th verses of that Prophecy which speak of the tender and delicate Woman's eating her own young Children for hunger secretly in the Siege Which thing Iosephus tells us was most remarkably fulfilled in that Siege at which he was present Ios. de Bell. Iud. VII 8. And there also in Chapter 17. he tells of above two thousand men among whom were two of the most bloody Zealots of all the Iewish Nation that had hid themselves in the Bottom of severall Jakes to escape the Hands of the Romans These no doubt were intended in those Words of the Prophet's foretelling of those that should Cry to the Mountains and to the Hills to fall on them and cover them from the Dreadfull Judgements of God He bid them think by what they now saw if God spared not the Green Fruitfull Trees in the Day of his Wrath what the End must be of the Dry that are good for nothing but the Fire St. Luke also takes notice of other Company that our Saviour had who as to outward things were in the same Condition with himself Namely the two Malefactors that were led with him to be put to Death vers 32. according to that Prophecy Esai LIII 12. When they were come to the Place called Calvary vers 33. in Hebrew Golgotha that is the Place of a Scull there St. Luke leaves his Reader to the two former Gospels Matt. XXVII 33. Mar. XV. 22. And there the First thing our blessed Lord was to suffer being that which David foretold would happen to the Messias for he could not say this of himself they pierced my Hands and my Feet Psalm XXII 16. this was fulfilled in their Nailing of our Saviour's Hands and Feet to the Cross on which he was to suffer That was the Roman way of fastening all them that were to be Crucified But it caused such horrible Pain while it was doing and much more after it was done that for the Supporting of them that were to suffer it there was given them before hand a Draught of that which was called the Cup of the Condemned that was onely Uinegar and Gall which was thought good enough for the vilest sort of Criminals And to them a great Favor it was either to hasten their Death and so to put them the sooner out of their Pain or to Stupify them so that they should be almost insensible of it This Cup was offer'd to our blessed Saviour by the four Soldiers that were his Executioners Ioh. XIX 23. as he doubtless expected it would being foretold in one of the Psalms of his Passion Ps. LXIX 21. They gave me Gall for my Relief †See Gusset Comm. Ling. Ebraic voce 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ease my sufferings David could not say this of Himself but Prophetically of the Messias And therefore our blessed Saviour knowingthat thus it must be onely shewed his Obedience in Tasting it But that being done he would not Drink because he would not use Art to avoid or to abate any thing of the suffering which God had laid upon him for our Sins St. Mark as others have observed in his Gospel hath both abridged that of St. Matthew and hath added such things as He or St. Peter judged to be of great Moment And such undoubtedly is that which he has in his Account of our Saviour's suffering Mar. XV. 23. and they gave him to drink Wine mingled with Myrrhe but he received it not Myrrhed Wine was accounted a rich and delicate Drink among the Romans * Plin. Nat. Hist. XIV 13. and yet a large Draught of that †Galen de Simpl. Medic. facult V. 19. would hasten Death or would stupify as well as that of Uinegar and Gall. Therefore it might very well be that when our Saviour had refused the former Cup those Friends of his that minister'd to him of their Substance might prevail with the Soldiers to offer him this Draught which they had provided for that purpose But as our blessed Lord though he Tasted of that Cup with Gall in it for the fulfilling of a Prophecy yet refused to Drink it for the Reasons before mention'd So having the same Reasons not to Drink of this Draught but not the same Reason to Tast of it therefore he Received it not he would not take it into his Mouth By this Time it was the Third Hour Mar. XV. 25. that is it was Nine of Clock in the Morning And now the four Soldiers that were our blessed Lords Executioners having done their Preparatory Business they Nailed him to the Cross and so Crucified the Lord of Life The mean while other Soldiers did the like to the two Malefactors whom they Crucified with him One on the Right hand and the other on the Left Luke XXIII 33. The Lord Iesus they placed in the midst Ioh. XIX 18. And so as it is observed Mar. XV. 28 The Scripture was fulfilled which saith And he was numbered with the Transgressors Esai LIII 12. The four Soldiers had no sooner finished their Work but they were presently dividing the Spoil They parted his Garments among them Matt. XXVII 35. all but his Seamless Coat which they reserved to cast Lots for it afterward This they did under the Eyes of the blessed Iesus who was then hanging on the Cross. And even there amidst all his sufferings he Prayed for them that were the Authors and Instruments of his Misery as many of them as were capable of receiving Benefit by his Prayers He said Father forgive them for they know not what they do Luke XXIII 34. And as his Prayers seem'd to be more Particularly intended for the Soldiers so the Blessing of them came down first and that visibly on the Centurion and those that were with him while they were yet on the Place as it follows Matt. XXVII 54. Mar. XV. 39. Luke XXIII 47. It was the Roman manner when any one was Crucified to set up his Accusation written in a Table Nailing it up over his Head Now it being charged by the
And that he might be sure of in this case to Curse the people of God But here again God interposed and let him k v. 19 20. know He had given his word to bless Israel and it was not for man to reverse it Balaam made his own Reflections upon this and plainly l v. 23. told Balak here was nothing to be done He saw plainly that m v. 21. God had not beheld iniquity in Iacob nor perverseness in Israel It is plain he had not hitherto in this new Race of people Therefore it was in vain for Balaam to think of reaching them with Enchantments c. as he might other Nations But yet after all this upon the great Importunity of Balak he attempted once more to curse Israel in another view of their Camp But when he n XXIV 1. saw it pleased the Lord to bless Israel there also then he went on no farther to seek for Enchantments but looking intently upon Israel he received an Inspiration from God When this came upon him o v. 5. first he broke out in praises of Israel Then oo v. 8. he fell to magnify the things that God had done for them and what he had yet to do Then turning to Israel he concluded all with these words p v. 9. blessed is he that blesseth thee and cursed is he that curseth thee This was more than Balak had patience to hear Who therefore interrupted him and in plain Terms bade him a v. 11. Fly thou to thy place To which Balaam answered b v. 14. behold I go to my people but first I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days And thereupon he gave him that most noble c v. 15 25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prophecy concerning the Messias and the Fates of divers Nations even in the Messiah's time which Moses has recorded in his History 116. After this we are d v. 25 told that Balaam rose up and went He therefore took the Devil's way and returned to his place If we are to understand by these words that he went back into his own Country then it is certain that he made little stay there for we e Num. XXXI 8. find that he was kill'd in Midian within one or two months after this His business there was f v. 16. to put the * The Midianites lived at this time in several Tracts of Arabia Petraea particularly Of the MIDIANITES they that are here spoken of lived in those parts which lay Eastward of the Countries of Moab and Ammon having onely a ledge of Mountains between them and Arabia Felix and only the Desert between them and Mesopotamia By this Situation of their Country they had a great advantage for Merchandize And they diligently applied themselves to it as it appears from a Gen. XXXVII 28. Ancient times They trafficked not onely b v. 25. near home but also in far distant Countries This sort of business requiring the use of Beasts for Carriage and especially of Camels which Nature seems to have made on purpose for those dry Countries they provided themselves with these most particularly We find in the next Ages after this they c Iud. VI. 6. had Camels without number cc VII 12. as the sand by the Sea side for multitude By their Merchandize they got very great Riches which Iosephus d Ios. Ant. IV. 7. saith they made appear by their living so delicately and splendidly It appear'd against their Will afterward by the abundance of e Num. XXXI 16. Plate and Jewels that were found among their Spoils These Riches at present enabled them to be at that charge that Moab having only Corn and Cattel could not so well bear They could reward Balaam according to his own Heart's desire as well for his Advice for the Destruction of Israel as for the Journeys that he made on that Occasion They could set forth their Women more to advantage for the carrying on of that accursed design to cause Israel to fall into that sin in the f Ib. matter of Peor We find on that account a daughter of one of their five Kings was g XXV 8 15. kill'd in the fact of Whoredome with a Prince of the Simeonites No doubt there were many more of the Midianites women and probably of their King's daughters engaged in it as well as she For they not onely joyned with the Moabites women but led them into this design We see it is wholely imputed to the Midianites that all was carried on by their cunning h Num. XXV 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 intrigues It was indeed hh XXXI 16. through the Counsel of Balaam But that was chiefly if not only owing to the Midianites as it is shewn in this Digression That the Midianites were the chief Authors of it appears by God's distinguishing them from the others in their punishment For God expressly commanded Moses saying i XXV 17. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 use Hostility against the Midianites for they have acted Hostilely against you And again after Moses had settled things among his own People God gave him a second Command for the execution of the former He said to him k XXXI 2. Avenge the Children of Israel of the Midianites afterwards shalt thou be gathered to thy People It was as Moses l ver 3. called it the Avenging of the Lord against Midian It was so especially against their Women for that m v. 16. these had caused the Children of Israel through the Counsel of Balaam to commit trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor The Israelites in execution of this Sentence first slew the five Kings of the Midianites and all other Males both old and young Of the Females at first they took all for slaves together with the spoils of the slain But afterwards by Moses Command they killed all those Women that had known Man by lying with him for the Reason above-mentioned And so they made an utter Desolation of that Rich and Populous Countrey This dealing of his with the Midianites was very different from that which he used toward the Moabites and Ammonites who did onely follow the Midianites into this Sin For though even for that they were not to pass without punishment yet God did not therefore destroy them as he did the other But he set a Mark upon them and all their Posterity He made it a standing Law to his People that n v. 9 10 11. no Soul of either of those Nations should be admitted into the Congregation of the Lord 'till the tenth Generation Deut. XXIII 3. Midianites into the only sure way for the destroying of Israel that was by tempting them into sin against God the way g n. 112. before-mentioned It seems at his hasty parting from Balak this was not yet come into his head But the Devil from whom it certainly came help'd
Ps. XCV 10. forty years he was grieved with that Generation It was a continual Massa and Meriba as the Psalmist p v. 8. calls it Ps. XCV 8. for which q v. 11. God swore in his wrath that they should not enter into his rest v. 11. 110. Now they that were under that Sentence being all dead and The new raâ—… under no Temptation to Murmuring gone there remain'd none of any considerable Age but only Moses himself together with Ioshua and Caleb for whom there was a particular Exception Besides these three there was not a man left of that a Num. XIV 30. Nation that was full sixty years old And of them that were now grown up the far greater part knew of nothing to murmur at living as well at this time as ever they did since they remember'd Especially after they had conquered Sihon and Og the two warlike Kings of the Amorites who had been all their time a Terror to the neighbouring Nations Og affected to make himself so for being descended from the old Giants and having a body of their size he would have it seen what he was by his b Deut. III. 11. Gigantick Accoutrements But Sihon made himself so by his wars with all the Nations about him whom having subdued he not only took the Spoils of their Countries but what part of their Countries he pleased to add to his Dominions Thus he took c Iosh. XIII 25. half their Land from the Ammonites and made them glad to live quietly with the rest From the d Num. XXI 26. Moabites he took all the plains of Moab together with the City of Heshbon which he made the Seat of his Kingdom As for the e Losh XIII 25. Midianites he had them so much at his will that they let him chuse whom he would of their Nation to be Kings over them 111. These Amorites we now speak of were the chief part of one Especially having Conquered the Amorites of the seven Canaanitish Nations whom having now f Gen. XV. 16. filled up the measure of their iniquities God had justly determined to destroy And he chose his own People Israel to execute that Judgment upon them It was by his Command that they killed g Deut. II. 34. III. 6. men women and children in both these Kingdoms which when the rest of the Canaanites heard of it put them in such a Horror as made it impossible for God's people to mingle with any of those Idolatrous Nations But they that made that slaughter were well paid for their pains They h II. 35. III 7. got all the Riches to themselves that those Amorites had been gathering for so many Ages besides what they had so lately taken from those other Nations All this the People of Israel had done in little more than two Months after their passing over Zered And then they came to encamp in those i Num. XXII 1. Plains of Moab which they had newly won from King Sihon There they were in full k v. 2. sight of the land of Canaan having nothing between them and it but the river Iordan So that now they were so far from having any Occasion to Murmur that they had the highest reason to thank God for those wonderfull Successes he had given them and to trust in him for much greater things that he had promised to their Forefathers and particularly his Promise to bring them into possession of that good Land which they saw now before them 112. This made it necessary for the Devil to find out some other Therefore new the Devil was for tempting them to Whoredom and Idolatry way for the tempting of that people into a National Sin Of all other Sins if the Devil were to chuse he could find none more for his Turn than the Sin of Idolatry that Sin in God's people being an Absolute breach of their Covenant with him For the drawing of Them into this horrible Sin the Devil could think of no likelier way than by bringing a 1 Kin. XI 1. strange women to keep Company with them such as would be sure to b v. 4 5. turn away their hearts after other Gods This was no hard Matter for him to do they being generally young men and living in the midst of so many Idolatrous Nations But that which made it easy was this that all those Nations at this time had such dreadfull Apprehensions of the danger they were in from the people of Israel that though they lived friendly among them yet they passionately wish'd their Destruction and would be at any price to bring them to it 113. Those of Moab and Ammon had no Reason for any such fear All the Neighbouring Nations wished their Destruction God having warned his people c Deut II 9 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not to do any Act of Hostility to them But that was more than they knew They judged by what they saw before their Eyes They saw a d Num. XXII 3 4 11. Numerous people come into their Country They had seen how King Sihon whom these Nations had found so much stronger than themselves was as nothing in the hands of this people They had quite destroy'd him and his Kingdom in very few weeks The Midianites d whose d d Iosh. XIII 25. Kings had been King Sihon's Vassals on that very account had more reason to be afraid than either of the other Nations They had therefore sent some of their e Num. XXII 4 5. principal men to advise with Balak King of Moab what was to be done for securing themselves against that potent numerous people The only way they could think of was by engaging a Divine power on their side such a power as should be superior to that by which Israel was said to have done all those wonderfull things f Ios. II 9 c. 114. But for the obtaining of this they must find out one that They hired the Prophet Balaam to assist had such a power at his Call They pitched upon one that was generally believed to have this that was * Balaam was a a Num. XXIII 7. Syrian of b XXII 5. Pethor which was near the river Euphrates in c Deut. XXIII 4. Of BALAAM Mesopotamia Tera the Father of Abraham dyed in that Country After which his Son Abraham being called by God went from thence into Canaan but his Son Nahor continued there Both Isaac and Iacob married into Nahor's Family and the latter of them lived twenty years in that Country The knowledge of the true God did not wear out there presently though it was much defaced with Idolatry Even Balaam d Num. XXIV 4 16. called him sometimes by the Name of Elshaddai as the Patriarchs usually did but oftener by the name of dd Num. XXII 8 1â—… 19. XXIII 3. 8. 12 15. 16. XXIV 6 13. Iehovah and once e Num. XXII 18. Iehova my God
to his Brethren at Nazareth Luk. IV. 16. But they were so angry with him on the forementioned account that they coldly received him and at last were ready to have kill'd him Luk. IV. 28. Thereupon he went and setled himself at Capernaum Luk. IV. 31. which is therefore called his own City Matt. IX 1. From thence he went over all Galilee preaching and working Miracles Mar. I. 39. all the rest of that year Wherein May 23 began Daniel's 482 year Aug. 19th began the 17th of Tiberius and Dec. 25. began Christ's 34. 31 34 17 482 Christ returned from his Progress back to Capernaum Matt. IX 1. Mar. II. 1. and there being at the Custome house by the Sea side Matt. IX 9. Mar. II. 13 14. he called Matthew the Publican to be his Disciple Matt. IX 9. Mar. II. 14. Soon after this Iesus passing through the Corn fields his Disciples pluckt the ears of Corn did eat rubbing them in their hands Matt. XII 1. Mar. II. 23. Luk. VI. 1. This was on the Sabbath day which made the Pharisees yet more angry with him and Luke saith it was on the second-first Sabbath which was a great Aggravation Probably the 1st Sabbath of the year was in Tisri at or near the Feast of the beginning of the year and as that Feast was appointed to be kept in memory of the Creation so this Sabbah might be observ'd in memory of the day in which God rested from his Work But there was a 2d beginning of the year appointed in Nisan being the month of their deliverance out of Aegypt and this might well be the Sabbath in Passeover week which they observ'd in memory of that Deliverance For then was their Harvest of which the 1st Sheaf was to be offered to God on the morrow after the Sabbath Lev. XXIII 11. which is now our Easterday All agree that the Disciples plucking the ears of Corn was much about the time of the 3d Passeover After which our Saviour healed another cripple on the Sabbath day at which things together the Pharisees were filled with madness Luk. VI. 11. and took Counsell how to destroy him Matt. XII 14. But it seems they durst not attempt it at present for now there came multitudes of People from all parts of Palestine to hear him Mar. III. 7 8. This made it necessary for him to Ordain others into the Ministry Therefore having first prayed all night the next day he called and chose his XII Disciples Luk. VI 13. whom he ordained that they should be with him and that he might send them forth to preach Mar. III. 14. tho he did not send them from him till a good while after this But first taking them with him throughout all Galilee he preached there in every City and Village Luk. VIII 1. At Naâ—…m he raised a Widdows Son that was carrying forth to his burial Luk. VII 14 15. About the same time some of Iohn Baptist's disciples coming to him whom Iohn had sent out of his prison to our Saviour to satisfy them that he was the Christ our blessed Saviour gave them this among other Proofs of it that here they saw the dead raised Luc. VII 22. Soon after this he also raised the onely daughter of Iairus that was one of the Rulers of the Synagogue Mar. V. 22 42. Luk. VIII 41 55. After this he went on preaching and healing throughout the country But he was no where so ill received as at his owne town of Nazareth where they despised him for what they saw of the meaness of his Family Matt. XIII 55. Mar. VI. 3. So that no good being to be done there he left them and went on preaching and healing through out all the Citys and Villages of that country Matt. IX 35. Mar. VI. 6. In this 31 year of the Vulgar Aera May 18th began Daniel's 483d year Aug. 19. began the 18th of Tiberius and Dec. 25th began Christ's 35th year of his age It was toward the end of this year or the beginning of the next that Herod put Iohn Baptist to death Matt. XIV 10 11. Mar. VI. 27. of which see also Ios. Ant. XVIII 7. About the same time our blessed Lord having given the XII full Instructions sent them forth to preach the Gospel and to prove it with Miracles Matt. X. 1. Mar. VI. 7 13. Luk. IX 1 6. Accordingly they went through the Towns preaching and healing every where Luk. IX 6. b. 32 35 18 483 In the beginning of this year there was a great fame of the preaching of Christ's XII Apostles and of the Wonders they did in his Name Whereupon the People took up a fancy that Iohn was risen again and that this was HE. Luk. IX 7. Herod's heart also misgave him that it was true Mar. VI. 14 16. It happened about the same time that Iohn's Disciples came and told our Saviour of his Death and how they had buried him Matt. XIV 12. The XII also returned and brought an Account of what they had done in their Mission Mar. VI. 30. Luk. IX 10. Our Saviour understanding that Herod had a mind to see him Luk. IX 9. thought best to go out of his way He took the XII with him into a desert place belonging to the City called Bethsaida Luk. IX 10. Thither a great multitude followed him on the account of his Miracles Iohn VI. 2. And he taught them there Mar. VI. 34. Luk. IX 11. The people staying too late to get back to the places where they might have provisions Christ was pleased to feed them there with such as he had being onely five loaves and two small fishes With these he fed 5000 men besides women and children Matt. XIV 21. and yet after they had eaten and were filled the fragments that remained filled twelve baskets Matt. XIV 20. Mar. VI. 43. Luk. IX 17. Ioh. VI. 13. In this last place it is said that at this time the Passeover was nigh Ioh. VI. 4. by which it appears that Christ was not at this Passeover but that still he continued in Galilee For after this Miracle when the people would have made him King by force to avoid this having first shipt away his Disciples he withdrew himself into a Mountain to pray and from thence the night being stormy he followed them walking on the Sea and coming up into the Ship he went ashore in the land of Genesareth Matt. XIV 34. Mar. VI. 53. Thence he went through that whole region round about Mar. VI. 55. from thence to the parts about Tyre and Sidon Mar. VII 24 and thence back through Decapolis to the Sea of Galilee v. 31. There in the desert he fed 4000 men besides women and children with seven Loaves and a few little fishes whereof after they had eaten and were filled the fragments that remained were seven baskets full Matt. XV. 34 38 and Mar. VIII 1 9. It was soon after this as appears by our Saviours words to his Disciples Matt. XVI 9 10. that he had the
Question was whether it were lawfull to give Tribute to Caesar or not Not a word of his Answer should be lost and therefore it ought to be read in the Text. Matt. XXII 18. 21 Mar. XII 15 16. Luk. XX. 23. 25. It was a just and full Answer to their Question yet such as they could not take hold of either way which struck them all with Admiration So that they gave him over and returned to those that sent them The same Day came to him the Sadducees Matt. XXII who might probably hope to magnify themselves by bafling him that had been too hard for the Pharisees for they were among a multitude of People Vers. 33. And therefore they brought him such a Question as they thought was not to be Answered It was concerning a Woman who according to their Law had been marryed to seven Brethren one after another all of them dying without Children The Sadducees for their parts believ'd no Resurrection And perhaps they had posed the other Iews that did by asking them whose Wife she should be of the seven when they all came together at the Resurrection They put this Question to our Saviour Matt. XXII 23 32. Mar. XII 18 27. Luk. XX. 27 38. In his Answer he shewd them their Ignorance of the Scriptures and proved the truth of that Article of the Resurrection so that the multitude were astonished at his Doctrine Matt. XXII 33. This advancing the Peoples esteem of our Saviour was that which the Pharisees could not endure And therefore though they had left him yet to try him once more they set one of their Lawyers to attacque him with a Question in his own Profession Matt. XXII 35. He askt him which was the great Commandment of the Law To this learned man our blessed Lord gave such an Answer as himself could not but approve And after that no man for the present neither Pharisee nor other durst ask him any Questions Matt. XXII 46. But when the Pharisees had done with him then he began with Them and askt them such a Question as they could not Answer consistently with their Doctrine So they had not a word to say more neither durst any man from that day forth ask him any more Questions Matt. XXII 46. It does not seem likely that St. Matthew would have used these last words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if our Saviour had not given the Pharisees sufficient opportunity after that Day to have asked him more Questions if they would especially that day being now near expired For this and other reasons that follow it may be presumed that our Saviour bestowed another Day after this in teaching in the Temple according to his dayly practice mention'd Luke XIX 47. and XXI 37. And even this day after the Pharisees had done with him still the common People heard him gladly Mar. XII 37. till toward night when as St. Luke there tells us XXI 37. he went out and abode in the Mount of Olives It was at Bethany where he had lodged every night since Palm Sunday Eve and no doubt there he lodged also this Tuesday night which begun the thirteenth of Nisan The next day which was Wednesday the first of April Our blessed Lord having done with the Pharisees applied himself wholely to the People who as St. Luke says XXI 38. came early in the morning to him in the Temple to hear him Of what he said this day in teaching the People Mar. XII 38. there is nothing recorded in Scripture but onely the Warnings that he gave them of that dangerous Sect of the Pharisees which he foresaw would harden them to their utter destruction He had formerly said as much to the Pharisees themselves Luk. XI 39 52 telling them plainly how they had spoil'd the Religion of the Iewish Church with their Oral Tradition and denouncing Woes against them for their Hypocrisy particularly in adorning the Sepulchres of the dead Prophets and killing the living ones whom God sent to reprove them for their Sins Some of the same things he said of them now to his Disciples in the audience of all the People Luk. XX. 46 47. Mar. XII 38 39 40. But he added a great deal more which St. Matthew has given us at large XXIII 13 36. At last out of a deep sense of the approaching ruine which that harden'd People were now bringing on themselves he repeated there in the City and Temple that form of Lamentation that he had made for them formerly at his coming thither Luk. XIII 34 35. O Ierusalem Ierusalem c. Matt. XXIII 37 39. The effect of what he said was to let that People know he had done with them and was now leaving THEIR HOUSE to them DESOLATE that is leaving the City and Temple to that utter Destruction which Daniel had so long since foretold would come upon them when the MESSIAS was CUT OFF Dan. IX 26. By this Act they were now about to fill up the measure of their Sins after which they were no more to expect that he should send them a National Call till they should be ready at their Conversion to give Him that National wellcome foretold in Psal. CXVIII 25 26. The Words of which they sing allwayes in their great Hallel at every Passeover and the fulfilling whereof was typified in those public acclamations given him at his last Entrance into their City Matt. XXI 9. above mention'd Having given this sad Farwell to the City and Temple he sate a little while to see the People throw their Money into the Treasury where the rich threw in much but the poor Widow's two mites he valued above all Mar. XII 41. 44. Luk. XXI 1 4. After this he went out and departed from the Temple Matt. XXIV 1. to go to his retirement in Bethany Luk. XXI 37. But in his way thither one of his Disciples Mar. XIII 1. speaking of those vast buildings of the Temple and the goodly stones and gifts which they saw in them our blessed Lord told them the time was now coming when of all they now saw there should not be left one stone upon another Matt. XXIV 2. Mar. XIII 2. Luke XXI 6. Then it seems he dismissed all his other Disciples but Peter and Iames and Iohn and Andrew for these four stay'd and talk'd privately with Him Mar. XIII 3. He was now sitting on the Mount of Olives Matt. XXIV 3. Mar. XIII 3. in full view of the Temple And it appears they were thinking on what he had said at his leaving it They desir'd him to tell them when that Destruction should be and with this they joyn'd two other Questions that it seems run much in their minds viz. what the Signs would be of his coming and of the end of the World His answer to these three Questions takes up near the whole Chapters Matt. XXIV Mar. XIII and Luk. XXI His answer to the first Question is in Matt. XXIV 4 28. Mar. XIII 5 23. Luk. XXI 8 29. He told them