Mourners Si cognovisses if thou hadst known or ô si cognovisse would to God thou hadst knowen the things that belong to thy peace methinks I heare him lamenting over Hierusalem as David over his friend Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 I am distressed for thee my brother Ionathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me or as the same David lamented over Absalom oh Absolom my Son would God I had died for thee c. O Hierusalem Herusalem would God I had died for thee as afterwards you know he did dye for her and in her and by her when he came neare he beheld the City and wept over it saying c. Secondly we have here the malady or cause of Hierusalems death blindnes security If thou hadst knowen even thou in this thy day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that belong to thy peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now they are did from thine Eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou knewest not the time of thy visitation Thirdly we have here the kind or manner of Death 't is a strong death a terrible death by the Sword which David so earnestly prayed against Let me fall into the hands of God for his mercies are great but let me not fall into the hands of men whose tender mercies are cruell For the dayes shall come wherein thine Enemies shall cast a trench about thee and lay thee even with the ground A love principium we are to begin with Christ the Mourner in my Text when he came neare he beheld the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he wept It was not without a cause that Christ was stiled by the Prophet Vir Dolorum Es 53.3 A man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe survey his whole pilgrimage from the Cratch to the Crosse from the Womb to the Tombe and you shall find it like Ezechiels rowle written upon within and without lamentation and mourning and woe in the dayes of his flesh he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and Teares Heb. 5.7 At Lazarus his grave he groaned in the Spirit and wept Ioh. 11.35 Here when he came neare he beheld the City and wept All his joy was inward Luc. 10.21 At that time Iesus rejoyced in Spirit and said I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth c. Some inward joy he rejoyced in the spirit in the love and complacency of his Father I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth I am sure he had little matter of outward joy of re joycing in the world many times he complaines of the hatred of the world if the world hate you ye know it hated me before it hated you Ioh. 14.18 How did the unthankfull world slight and neglect him The Foxes have holes and the Fowles of the Ayre have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head how was he scorned and derided in the world Is not this the Carpenters son Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth few acknowledged him to be the Messias the Lord of glory the Prince of life the Saviour of the world the King of the Iewes the Son of God the brightnes of his Fathers glory the expresse image of his person as he was indeed how was he slandered and scandalized by his malignant adversaries none of them could convince him of the least sin yet they traduce him up and down as if he were as St. Paul sometimes confessed of himself Peccatorum maximus the chiefest of sinners a gluttonous person a Wine-hibber a friend a companion of Publicans and sinners a Sabbath-breaker a Blasphemer a deceiver of the people a conjurer casting out Devils through Belzebub a Traytor forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar and what not and surely had he not been more then a man such usage was able not only to set open the floudgates of his Eyes but even to break his heart woe is me my Mother saith the Prophet Jeremy that thou hast born me I have neither lent upon usury nor borrowed upon usury yet all the people curse me Jer. 15.10 They cannot justly tax me with any unjust action and yet are continually reviling me yet here is not all neither to the persecution of the Tongue they ad the persecution of the hand no sooner were tidings of his birth spread in Herods Court but presently he seeks to destroy him and with him a number of young innocents that knew not their right hand from their left there began the weeping Mat. 2.18 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet Jeremy saving In Ramah was there a voyce heard Lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her children because they were not as soon as he began to preach the Scribes and Pharises consult how they may destroy him one time they were going to throw him headlong from the top of a high hill Luke 4.29 As the Devill sometime would have had him throwen himselfe down rom the Pinacle of the Temple another time they had like to have stoned him Joh. 10.31 Many good works have I shewen you from my Father for which of these do ye stone me another time they sent their Disciples to intangle him in his Talk Mat. 22 â—6 Another time their Officers to apprehend him Joh. 7.32 And at last they find Iudas to betray him and sent a multitude with swords and slaves to take him as a Thiefe or a Malefactour who hurry him from the Garden to the high Priests Pallace from thence to Pilate from Pilat to Herod from Herod after a deale of scornfull usage back again to Pilat where they maliciously arraigne him falsely accuse him unjustly condemn him buffet him scourge him make long furrowes upon his back besmeare that face of which the Psalmist Thou art fayrer then the children of men with their filthy spittle environ his sacred Head with a Crown of Thornes lead him foorth to be crucified load him with his Crosse fasten him to the Crosse peirce his Hands and his Feet insult over him in his sufferings Fixuris clavorum addentes tela â—nâ—â—â—rum saith Leo to the piercing of the Nayles adding the rankling arrowes of their venemous tongues Ah thou that destroy'st the Temple and buildest it again in three dayes save thy selfe If he be the King of Israel let him come down from the Crosse c. Behold now see if ever sorrow were like unto this sorrow the women could not forbeare weeping who had only a compassionate fellow feeling of it I. u. 23 27. No marvaile if Christ himselfe wept that felt it Well if Christ be a Mourner then woe to them that are at ease in Sion that spend their days in mirth and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ and the Tabret and the Harp go not out of their Feasts Christ did not so Christians have no warrant to expect it the members must be in some measure conformaâ—le to their head Ioh. 16.20 Our blessed Saviour tels his Diciples you shall weep and
more circumspectly for the time to come to walke worthy of those great mercies which we injoy to bring foorth fruits meet for repentance no doubt he will accept of us still and receive us into favour againe what else is the meaning of those Parables 〈◊〉 Luc. 15. Of the Woman rejoycing with her Neighbours when shee had found her lost Groate of the Shepheards hugging this stray Sheep and bringing it home with joy of the Father welcomming and embracing his prodigall Sonne upon his submission but to intimate unto us the will â—gnesse of Almighty GOD to be reconciled unto sinners upon their true Repentance the Father doth not question with his Sonne Vbi fuislâ—â— â—ubâ— suâ—t â—â—e tulistiâ— saith Chrysologus where haâ—e you been What is become of all that portion you carried hence how is it that you are returned thus poore thus naked but he cals for the best Robe and Shooes for his Feete and a Ring for his finger c. Quis iâ—lâ— Pâ—tâ—r saith Tertullian sweetly who is this Father that so lovingly entertaines his penitent Sonne who is this Father 〈◊〉 scilicet God is this Father we are these Prodigals let his enterteinment incourage us to returne to acknowledge our own vilenesse Father we have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and are no more worthy to be called thy Children and he will receive us graciously a broken and a contrite heart he can not he will not despise â—iâ—riâ— noâ— potestâ—â—â— silivâ— istarum lâ—chrymarum â—percatâ— said Saint Ambrose to Monica bewayling her Sonne Austin be of good cheere Woman it cannot be that the Sonne for whom thou dayly sheddest so many Teares should perish so I dare say to every Soule that bedewes it selfe with the Teares of true Repentance Fieri non poiâ—st ut aâ—â— â—â—a istarum laâ—â—rymarum pereat it cannot be that the Soule for which so many Teares are shed should perish it is a groundlesse expostulation that is taken up by them Malac 3. â—4 What profit is it that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hostes I answer very great profit for these Teares il they proceede fâ—om a truly broken and contrite heart they will prove like Sauls Sword or lonathans Bow they will never returne empty not one of these Cristalline Pearles fal's to the ground God puts them all into his Bottell Psalme 56.8 See how it fared with good Hezechiah Esay 38.1 The Prophet is sort to acquaint him that the time of his dissolution is at hand Set thy House in order for thou shalt dye and believe it Death is a grimme Surjeant that will not easily be staved off however the good man betakes himselfe to his Prayers and mingles some â—eares with his Prayers and see what this produceth Verse 5. Thus saith the Lord I have heard thy Prayers I have seen thy Teares I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares and I will deliver thee and this City out of the hand of the King of Assyria I need not tell you that are Parents how far the Teares of your children will plead and prevaile with you though you be much offended and what saith the Psalmist Psal 103.13 Like as a Father pittieth his own children so is the Lord mercifull to his children when his anger is kindled against them their Teares will soon quench it again look in the 31. of Ieremy Verse 18. There you shall finde a breach between God and Ephraim Ephraim is stubburn God is angry at it and begins to correct him Ephraim feeling it smart fals a weeping he repents and smites upon his thigh Verse 19. And God presently takes notice of it I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe and what followes at the 20. Verse Is Ephraim my deare Sonne Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord I can be no longer angry with him saith God now I see him weep my bowels doe even yearne towards him I will surely have mercy upon him c. It puts me in mind of that story of Esau Genesis 27. He brings in his venison and comes very confidently to his Father for a blessing before his Death the dimme old man amazed and perceiving at last how he was deluded for Jacob had cunningly supplanted him you know the story he tells him that he was come too late Thy brother came with subtilty and hath taken away thy blessing Verse 35. With that he falles a begging and complayning and is very importunate Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me blesse me even me also O my Father Isaac tels him I have given all his brethren to him for servants I have given him Corn and Wine to sustayne him what can I doe for thee my Sonne Hast thou but one blessing my Father saith Esau blesse me even me also and Esau lift up his voyce and wept Verse 38. And those Teares fetched a blessing presently his Father answered Thy dwelling shall be the fatnesse of the Earth and the dew of Heaven from above and thou shalt serve thy Brother and it shall come to passe that in processe of time thou shalt breake his yoke from off thy necke c. Teares are lowde Oratours with an Earthly Father much more with our Heavenly Father because hee is infinitely more pittifull then any Earthly Father If you beeing evill know how to give good gifts to your children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more shall your Heavenly Father Matthew 7.11 If you that have but a Rivulet of mercy bee so moved with Teares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more will your Heavenly Father who hath a boundlesse bottomlesse Ocean of mercie Wee may bee the more confident that the Teares which we shed upon Earth are regarded in Heaven because as the Apostle speakes wee have a mercifull high Priest there Hebrewes 4.15 For wee have not a high Priest that cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like unto us sinne onely excepted Christ tooke not on him our nature onely a reasonable Soule and humane flesh but also condescended to take on him the infirmities of our nature the infirmities of the body as to be hungry to be thirsty to sleepe to be weary and the infirmities of the minde as to be angry to be sad to weepe c. Christ hath beene experimentall in all these hee hath tasted of every one of these Cups and therefore knowes how to pitty and to succour those that labour under any of these infirmities are wee sorrowfull so hath CHRIST beene a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe doe wee weepe so did Christ hee beheld the City and wept over it and though hee doe not weepe for our Hierusalem yet hee is sensible of our weeping and makes intercession for us at the right Hand of his Father and therefore heere is a great deale of comfort to those that mourne in Sion and a great deale of incouragement to those that have not yet beene Mourners if they shall now at length see the errour of their wayes and beginne to weepe for the abominations of Hierusalem Let us therefore all of us awake betimes out of our sinnes before that vengeance awake and the judgement which yet sleepeth seeke the Lord while hee may bee found whilest with the Father of the Prodigall hee is ready to meete us and to embrace us let us turne to him with all our hearts with fasting and with weeping and with mourning there is â—oy in the presence of the Angels over one sinner what joy will there bee over a whole Nation that repenteth Luc. 15.10 while God holdes his peace these things hast thou â—oue and I held my peace Psalme 50.21 Let us speake â—nd sue unto him for mercy and say spare us good Lord â—pare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud and bee not angry with us for ever And let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar and say be favourable O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Joel 2.17 Wherefore should they say among the Heathen where is now their God FINIS Errata PAge 1. lin 15. for assad reade assaied p. 3. l. 2. for estalish reade establish p. 8. l. 2. for of death read of her death p. 9. l. 2. for ale read able p. 9. l. 25. for finde read feede p. 12. l. 43. for Daysar read daystar p. 13. 12. for did not knew his people read did not know his people p. 14. 20. for it read them p. 20. l. 33. for Domini read Domine p. 21. l. 31. which in his own mouth deleatur in l. 33. for these read the p. 27. l. 9. for Irelan read Ireland p. 28. l. 26. for have read hath p. 34. for this read his
Prophets with the sword and I only am left and they seek my life to take it away I have been very jealous for the Lord of Hosts indeed we would count him an unnaturall Son that should stand by see and heare his Father abused and dishonoured and though he could not hinder it should not at least expresse himselfe to be grieved and troubled at it and surely we have just cause to suspect our selves to be bastards and not Sons if we can stand by when our Heavenly Father is dishonoured in word or deed and not so much as shed a teare for the same we are not of that Spirit that the Children of God were wont to be of Moses when he came down from the mount and saw the abomination of the Israelites that they had changed the glory of God into the similitude of a Calfe that cateth Hay he was so daunted at the sight that dismall sight that for the present he was like a man in an Ecstasy he forgot what he was doing he let the Tables that were written upon by the finger of God to fall out of his hands and be broken and so brake those Lawes in his zeale which the people had broken in rebellion Exod. 3â— 19 Phinehas his zeale was so hot that he could not hold his hands but runs upon the offenders Zimri and Cozbi and runs them thorough with his savelin Num. 25.8 Hezechias rents his cloths heating the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh reviling the living God and David cries out my zeale hath even consumed me because mine Enemies have forgotten thy words and here the Son of David weeps for the sins of Hierusalem And no marvayle for it being the earnest desire of Gods children the constant aime of all their actions to doe all to the glory of God and to let theit light shine before men that others seeing their good works may glorify their Father which is in Heaven Let their light shine in like manner to the glory of God Let the people prayse thee O God let all the people prayse thee now to be crost in their earnest desire to see men in stead of doing all to the glory of God to do all to the dishonour of God to sell themselves to work wickednes in his sight must needs be a great heart-breaking or occasion of mourning Secondly we have cause to mourn for the abominations of Hierusalem the sins of other men in regard of themselves in compassion to their soules to see how desperatly they run themselves upon the Rock of Gods judgments how wilfully they embrace their own destruction how swinishly they wallow in the mire of sin how willing they are to be led by the Enemy of their salvation the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience making it their dayly trade their continuall exercise to adde sin unto sin and to heap up wrath against the day of wrath and Hirc illae lachrymae and who can behold all this with dry Eyes if we should see a man like Baals Priesâ—s cutting himselfe with lancers and knives till the bloud followed I suppose there is none of us but would be mooved with such a spectacle as this beloved this is the sinners case he dayly wounds and mangles himselfe with his sins every sin makes a deep gash in the soule spare then some of those Teares which thou usest to shed for the death of the body and shed them for the death of the soule for the sins of other men for these without repentance lead to everlasting death and destruction in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone where the Worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched And thirdly we have cause to mourn for the abominations of Hierusalem the sins of other men in regard of our selves and those dangers which by other mens sins hang over our own heads Woe is me saith the Psalmist that I am constrayned to dwell with Mesech and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar Psal 120.4 There is a twofold woe hanges over the head of Gods children by reason of sinners that live among them a woe of infection and a woe of Malediction or a woe of punishment first I say a woe of infection Can a man touch pitch and not be defiled Can a man live among sinners like Ezechid in the midst of Scorpions and not be poysoned not be infected by them can Joseph live in Pharaohs Court and not learne to sweare by the life of Pharaoh it is a hard matter to live blamelesse and without rebuke and to shine as lights in the middest of a perverse and crooked generation though the Apostle require it Phil. 2.15 And therefore it is no small commendations that Christ gives the Bishop of Pergamos Rev. 2.13 That he held fast his name and did not deny his faith though he lived where the Synagogue of Satan was we are all of an apish nature apt to imitate the manners and conditions of those with whom we converse Like Labans sheep Ger. 30.39 Ready to bring forth white or spotted according to the patterns of innocency or corruption we see before our Eyes with the holy thou shalt be holy and with the froward thou shalt learn frowardnesse Psal 18.26 I have heard of those who knowing themselves to be certainly infected with the plague that they have gone out into the Streets and so not only poysoned the Ayre to the great danger of passers by but even breathed upon as many as they could come neare that so they might bee sure to infect them for certaine it is so with those that are infected with the plague of sin their bad example that is like the poysoning of the ayre very dangerous but their lewd entising counsell their insinuating temptations come let us lay waite for bloud wee shall fill our houses with spoile cast â—n thy Lot among us Pro. 1.11 that is like the breathing of an infected person upon another almost inevitable One woe is past a woe of infection there is a second woe hangs over the head of Gods children by reason of the wicked that live among them a woe of malediction or a woe of punishment and that twofold one for the wicked another from the wicked First there is a punishment hangs over them for the wicked fugiamus ne si balneum propter Cerinthum ruerit nos quoque damni simus participes said Saint Iohn the Evangelist let us make haste away least the Bath fall for Cerinthus sins and wee partake of Cerinthus punishment come out of her my people that ye bee not partakers of her sins that yee receive not of her plagues Rev. 18.4 all Israel smarts for Achans offence and many times a fruitfull land is made barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein Ps 107.34 T is true God sometimes spares the place for the tens sake unwilling to weed out the tares least he pluck up the wheat also and yet sometimes sin growes to such a ripenesse that it
causeth God to sweepe away the inhabitants of a land with the besome of destruction as he threatens by the Prophet witnesse those three great judgements the famine the pestilence and the sword when they come they spare none Secondly there is a punishment hangs over them from the wicked for who knowes not that the wicked are professed enemies to the children of God this serpentine brood beares a mortall enmity to the seed of the woman Christ and his members though they cannot breake their head they will if it be possible bruise their heele prove like the Canaanites to the Israelites scourges in their sides and thornes in their eyes alwayes deriding traducing opposing oppressing them making their lives bitter unto them sheepe can looke for no better entertainment among Wolves and therefore Gods children living among the wicked may justly take up the complaint of the Psalmist our Soule is among Lions where t' is as great a miracle that they should not be worried as that Daniel was not torne in peeces in the Lions denne You see there is cause enough to weepe over Hierusalem to mourne for the sins of other men and yet this mourning may be much increased both from the condition of him tha mourneth as also from the condition of him for whose sins we mourne First from the condition of him that mourneth from that relation which the mourner hath unto him for whose sins he mourneth and heere I may instance in two sorts of mourners naturall parents mourning for their children spirituall parents ministers mourning for their flocks To begin with naturall parents thinke with your selves and perhaps I speake to some that know and feele it what a greefe it must needs bee to parents Godly religious parents to see their children take lewd courses to walke in the counsell of the ungodly and sit in the seat of the scornefull to set at nought their wholesome instructions and fatherly admonitions a wise Sonne maketh a glad Father saith Solomon but a foolish Son is a heavinesse to his Mother Pro. 10.1 such a heavinesse was Esau to his mother Rebeccah in matching into that cursed stock of the Hittites as you may read Gen. 27.46 I am weary of my life because of the daughters of Heth if Iacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth such as are the daughters of the land what good will my life doe me and Saint Augustine reports of his mother Monica that as often as her children did sin against God so often she did as it were â—â—vell in birth of them again euery evill report she heard did as it were cause a new throw nay I thinke the paines of child-birth are not so tedious to the mother as those after-paines that are caused by the lewd conversation of their ungracious Children for those paines though they be sharp they are soone over and there is some comfort in the midst of them that a childe is comming into the world but when good Eunice shall doe her best indeavour to traine up her children in the way wherein they should walke acquainting them with the holy Scripture which are able to make them wise unto salvation and yet at last shall find all her labour lost her hopes frustrated her children carryed away with lewd and vicious company into all manner of loose conversation as rioting and drunkennesse chambering and wantonnesse this must needs bring her gray haires with sorrow to the grave From naturall parents mourning for their children passe wee to spirituall parents mourning for their flocks thinke with your selves what a greife it is to faithfull Pastâ—rs to see no better successe of all their labours so much planting and so much watering and yet little or no increase but they are forced to complaine with the Prophet Domini quis credidit Lord who hath beleeved our report Es 53.1 but especially when wee consider how heary all our preaching and all our exhortations will one day lye upon you for want of your obedience thâ—t our word which was intonded to be a savour of life unto life will prove to some of you the bitter savour of death unto death that it will bee more tolerable for Sadom and Gomurha at the day of judgement then for many among you because ye have despised our doctrine that wee shall bee forced to stand out and accuse you at that day as Christ told the Jewes 10.5.45 Thinke not that I will accuse you to my Father there is one that accuseth you even Moses in whom you trust that Moses in whom you trust who indeed was wont to stand in the gap to mediate and intercede for you at that day hee shall be your chiefest enemy Moses shall aceâ—se you because you would not beleeve nâ—â— obey his writings vers 47. now thinke with your selves what a greefe this must needs bee to the Ministers of God to consider with themselves that they who have desired nothing more then the salvation of those that are committed to their charge must at the last day be forced to appeare and rise against many of them for their condemnation to throw the first stone at them Secondly this mourning may be increased also from the condition of him for whose sins wee mourne some men doe a great deale more hurt by their sins then others and therefore their sins are the more to be lamented and here likewise I may instance in two sorts of people First those that are eminent in place aloft in the eye of the world advanced to places of eminency and dignity in Church or Common-wealth actiones superiorum sunt libri inferiorum the actions of superiors are many times the bookes that inferiours learne by and therefore when they are evill they are twice evill evill in themselves and evill for example as they are bad patternes and presidents for inferiours to imitate if King Iereboam turne away his eare from hearing the law you shall you shall soone find a miserable Kingdome for his example will make all Israel to sin and therefore his sins are much to be lamented It is therefore a mournfull spectacle to see a Magistrate that is sent for the terrour of evill doere to beare the Sword in vaine either to live in notorious sins himselfe or to allow and winke at the sins of others this was Gods complaint against Israel Es 1.23 Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeves they that should reforme sin in others they are rebellious themselves they that should judge the Fatherlesse and plead for the widow they are companions of theeves so they may have a bribe for conniving they never regard to deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the spoyler It is also a mournfull spectacle to see a minister upon whose garments under the Law was engraven in letters of gold Holinesse unto the Lord to defile this garment by living in those sins which in his owne mouth condemnes out of the word of God to see those that sit in Moses seat doe
such things as these people may not imitate Matth. 23.3 to build with one hand and pull downe with the other to lead by his good doctrine and mislead by his wicked conversation to have Christ in his mouth and Satan in his heart this is likewise a sad mournefull spectacle Lastly those that are eminent though not in place yet in the esteeme and opinion of the Church I meane professors of religion their sins are more scandalous and therefore more to be lamented then the sins of other men if David a pillar of the Church step awry the enemies of the Lord will soone have their mouths open to blaspheme upon that advantage 2. Sam. 12.14 To see therefore a professour not to live according to his profession not to walke worthy of that new name that Christ hath given him not to walke as becometh the Gospell to over-reach or circumvent his neighbour in bargaining or selling or to undermine his brothers good reputatâ—on by becomming the devills agent to scatter false and slanderous reports or to live in malice or adultery or to hugge any other delightfull darling lust in his bosome this is also a sad mournefull spectacle Well if Christ have taught us to mourne for the back-slidings of Hierusalem what shall we say to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that rejoycing in evill which is in the world what shall we thinke of those active instruments of Satan that take such paines to propagate sin in others those inticers Pro. 1.11 Come let us lay waite for bloud cast in thy lot amongst us let us all have one purse wee shall fill our houses with spoyle and enrich our selves with precious substance c. thus the Prophet brings in a crew of Idolaters animating and incouraging one another in their designes Esay 41.6 They helped every one his neighbour and said one to another be of good courage so the Carpenter incouraged the Goldsmith he that smootheth with the Hammer him that smote the Anvile saying it is ready for the sodering and so Es 56 12. hee brings in a company of drunkards daring one another to sit close at it come say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as to day and much more aboundant and what shall we thinke of Solomons fooles that make a sport of sinne never more merry then when they heare of the disorderly carriages the drunkennesse the swearing the wantonnesse of their brethren sure as the Apostle speakes Eph. 4.20 non sic didicistis Christum you have not so learned Christ he mournes for Hierusalem hee beheld the Citty and wept over it saying If thou c. And beleeve it there was never more cause of mourning in this kind then in our dayes a fountaine of teares would not suffice to bewaile all the abominations that are committed in the midst of our Hierusalem if our Lord and Saviour were now upon earth he would never goe with dry eyes for beside that Luke-warmnesse that is amongst us that a great many are neither hot nor cold what sinne was ever committed by any that is not committed by many in this land and in this City how hath pride jetted in one street drunkennesse reeled in another street oppression marched like Iehu in another street adultery with all her wanton positures minced in another street wee have justified Sodome in all her abominations Sodom which along while agoe was turned into ashes and made an ensample to all that should afterwards live ungodly hath not done as wee have done we have exceeded Sodom if not in the commission of greater sins yet in committing the same sins with greater impudency and greater obstinacy in regard of that glorious light which shines amongst us and did not shine among them and yet which is the misery there is scarce a Lot to be found whose righteous soule is greived for all these abominations though only such mourners bee marked in the forehead to be preserved in the destruction of Hierusalem Ezech. 9. though only such mourners be the followers and Disciples of Christ for hee beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst knowne even thou in this thy day c. And so I come to the other cause of Christ his mourning Jerusalems misery for the dayes shall come that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and keepe thee in on every side and lay thee even with the ground 't was likely we should heare of a storme Hierusalem was so secure so opprest with the spirit of drowsinesse she did not know the things that belonged to her peace they were hid from her eyes when men shall cry peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travell upon a woman that is with childe 1. Thess 5.3 the men before the deluge were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage when the floud came and swept them all away the men of Laish were extreame carelesse and secure when the Danites came upon them and slew them with the edge of the Sword Elies Sons set their Fathers counsell at nought they would not see the vilenesse and danger of their sins when the Lord had a purpose to slay them and Lots admonitions sounded as idle tales in the eares of his Sons in Law when the next morning Sodom and Gomorrha were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven when the Prophets who are called Seers and watchmen shall discerne a cloud a tempest arising and shall according to their duty give the people warning to fly from the wrath to come to prevent and divert it by repentance and reformation if the people now shall slight the Prophets words as idle tales say with Saint Peters mockers Vbi promissio adventus where is the promise of his comming or with those Deut. 29.19 we shall have peace though we adde drunkennesse to thirst though we goe on in our sensuall courses though wee seek it yet againe as t is Pro. 23.35 surely that people must needs bee in as bad case as the ground that Saint Paul speakes of Heb. 6.8 that drinketh in the raine and bringeth forth nothing but briars and thornes nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned and this was Hierusalems case here Hierusalem had many warnings both from the Prophets and from the Lord of the Prophets many gracious tenders of mercy were made to her many severe threatnings were discharged against her woe unto thee O Hierusalem wilt thou not bee made cleane when will it once be Ierem. 13.27 but she is either so blind or so obstinate or both that she doth not or will not know the things that belong to her peace here in my Text Christ himselfe woos her if thou hadst knowne even thou in this thy day c. and that with teares in his eyes he beheld the City and wept over it but all in vaine Christ did but cast an eye back upon Peter and that recalled him Luc. 22.61 the Lord turned