vs take heede that our Halcion-dayes doe not deceiue vs neither let vs thinke that we are priuiledged aboue others Rom. 11.21 For if God spared not the naturall branches when they did not repent will he spare vs that were wilde Oliues The Iewes in the time of Ieremiah who dwelled in Ierusalem liued in great securitie as we doe neither regarding Gods mercies nor fearing his iudgements therefore the Lord sent Ieremiah with this message vnto them Behold I begin to plague the Citie where my name is called vpon Ier. 25.29 and should you goe free yee shall not goe quite for I will call for a sword vpon all the inhabitants of the earth Euen so this example of Ierusalem yea and all the examples before mentioned doe preach vnto vs to turne vnto God not flattering our selues that we are better then they nay I feare that our sinnes are growne so great that we haue iustified Ierusalem yea Sodome and Gomorrha in their sinnes and therefore I say from the mouth of Christ vnto you except ye repent ye shall likewise perish Luke 13. Now out of this generall let vs obserue these particulars First that it is Gods great mercy without mans desert to admonish and warne sinners of their future punishments if they refuse his grace offered he hath mercie on whom he will When God then doth warne a Nation a Countrie a People or Citie he declareth his great mercie That he would not the death of a Sinner but rather that he should turne and liue This mercie of God should leade vs to repentance it should breake our stonie hearts and soften the hardnesse of them when God spreadeth out his hands vnto vs and offereth to gather vs together as a Henne doth her Chickens that wee perish not with the wicked Secondly all the Admonitions in the Scriptures are written for vs to warne vs to preuent the wrath of God and to escape the punishments of the wicked Therefore when either we reade or heare how God destroyed a Nation a People a Country yea or some particular person â—o despising his grace and reiecting his admonition let vs presently apply it vnto our selues in this manner I reade or I heare how Ierusalem and other Cities were destroyed for refusing the grace of God offered vnto them I heare how such men were seuerely punished when they would not be warned If I doe not make vse of this the same punishment will fall vpon me therefore I will pray vnto God to grant me his grace that I may take these warnings and speedily turne to God that the fall of others may be my rising Thirdly these Admonitions will leaue vs without excuse For what can we plead for our selues when so many examples and admonitions haue beene remembred vnto vs He that is once warned is halfe armed therefore there remaineth no excuse for vs if we despise these admonitions but a fearefull expectation of the iust iudgement of God Lastly these Examples and Admonitions in the Scriptures will be so many witnesses against vs and will rise vp in iudgement to condemne vs It shall be easier for Ierusalem Tire and Sidon and for Sodome and Gamorha in the day of Iudgement then for vs. God Almightie giue vs grace to make a good vse of these things Now I come to the words in particuler as they lie in order And when he was come neere vnto the Citie OVr Lord Iesus accompanied with his Disciples and much people reioycing with great triumph approacheth to Ierusalem And when he was come neere vnto the Citie he beheld it and wept for it He commeth to Ierusalem to an ingratefull and a rebellious Citie from which he had iust cause to depart for she neither would receiue his Doctrine nor beleeue his miracles His Doctrine she challenged not to be of God his miracles she ascribed to Sathan Math. 12. to Belzabub the chiefe of the Diuels his person she contemned is not this the Carpenters Sonne art thou not a Samaritan Math. 13. Yet our Lord Iesus passing by all these indignities commeth vnto her and leaueth nothing vnattempted to saue her as he himselfe by his owne words testified O Ierusalem Math. 23.37 Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thee together as a Henne doth hir Chickens and thou wouldest not Behold here the loue of our Lord Iesus to an vnfaithfull and a rebellious people This example of Christ doth teach all his Ministers yea and all Christians to open their bowels of mercie euen towards the obstinate not rashly to forsake them and depart from them and to giue them ouer but rather to labour to winne them vnto Christ and to omit no time to spare no labour to effect it and to bring it to passe So did Noah labour with the old world Lot with the Sodomites Moses with Pharaoh and the Aegyptians Samuel with Saul the Prophets with the Israelites Paul with the Iewes But it may be obiected that it is in vaine and but labour lost to cast pearles before Swine Math. 6. and to giue that which is holy vnto Dogges I answer we ought not so to thinke by and by of such as are obstinate and ingratefull of such as are froward and stubborne for God can suddenly change them Paul was a Persecutor a Blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 and an oppressour but God tooke mercie vpon him Mathew and Zacheus were Publicans and Sinners when our Lord Iesus called them Therefore let vs doe our diligence and commit the successe vnto God If they continue in their disobedience they are without excuse and their condemnation is the more iust He that refuseth light is worthy to continue in darkenesse he that reiecteth grace deserueth to abide the sensure of Iustice If we with our admonitions and exhortations reclaime and winne them we saue so many soules from death Iames 5.19.20 and couer a multitude of sinnes and wee our selues shall in the day of the resurrection shine as the Starres in the firmament Dan. 12.3 He beheld the Citie AS our Sauiour Christ approached neere vnto Ierusalem so he beheld it he looked vpon it and reuoluing in his minde her blockishnesse and ingratitude neither seeing nor acknowledging Gods mercies nor yet fearing his iudgements he burst forth into weeping Now we may consider his kindnesse and loue towards Ierusalem that he looketh on her that he beheld her from whom he had iust cause to turne away his eyes yet he beholdeth her he doth not auert his face from her as men turne their eyes from their enemies Luk. 10.33 But he is that good Samaritan who seeing the wounded man is moued with great commiseration and compassion towards him pittying his distressed case and indeauouring to relieue it The vse This example is our instruction teaching vs to behold obstinate sinners to looke vpon them pittying their miserable estate which they themselues see not When therefore
wee behold the common Swearer breaking forth into outragious oathes When we see some prophane the holy Sabaoth of the Lord When we looke vpon the common Drunkard or vpon any other notorious sinner committing sinne with a high hand and acting it with greedinesse making no conscience of sinning let vs be moued with compassion towards them that know not what they doe they little thinke of the iudgements that hang ouer their heads if they repent not Now as the beholding of a man in some sharpe fit of sicknesse or the looking vpon some grieuous sore or festered wound extreamely payning the patient doth draw compassion from vs euen so should wee be moued to pittie the miserable estate of grieuous sinners who are sicke and wounded with sinne and yet doe not feele it And if we should and ought to be moued with compassion towards the obstinate for their great miseries that shall befall them how much more ought we to pittie the godly in their distresses crosses and afflictions Dilige iure bonos miseresce malis Boetius whereof we are many times eye-witnesses Here then the Stoikes and all that are without naturall affection are to be reproued Colos 3.12 Rom. 12.15 They that are Gods elect haue put vpon them the bowels of mercy they weepe with them that weepe they remember them that are in bonds Heb. 13.3 Pro. 12.10 as if they were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if they were afflicted in the body But the wicked haue cruell hearts they giue themselues to case and pleasure as Amos teacheth Amos 6.6 and remember not the affliction of Ioseph And wept AS our Lord Iesus approached vnto Ierusalem so he beheld the Citie and beholding it he wept for it We reade that Christ wept thrise First when he raised vp Lazarus for when he came to the place where they had laid him Saint Iohn saith And he wept Ioh. 11.35 Secondly he wept ouer Ierusalem as here we reade Thirdly in his Passion as the Apostle saith which in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp Prayers and Supplications with strong cryings and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Christs loue and was also heard in that which he feared Heb. 5.7 The teares of Christ expresse the affection of his loue as doth a Father weeping ouer his disobedient and dissolute sonne for the miserie that he fore-seeth will come vpon him for his inordinate life He delighteth in mercie rather then in iudgement He delighteth not simply no not in the destruction of the wicked he would haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Ezek. 18.32 The vse He desireth not the death of a sinner If then Christ weepe for the misery and destruction of the wicked much more will his eares be open vnto the sighes and groanes to the Prayers and Supplications of his poore members who turne vnto him with true contrition and sorrow of heart and call vpon him with a liuely faith This should be remembred of vs that it may comfort and incourage vs to approach vnto the throne of his grace in time of necessitie that we may receiue mercy and finde grace Againe if the teares of Christ doe not moisten and mollifie our dry and hard hearts if they doe not moue vs and draw vs vnto Repentance he in the end will punish our obstinacie and hardnesse of heart and though we cry then hee will not regard our weeping because we despised his teares Let vs in the feare of God meditate on this godly motion that it may leade vs vnto true and speedy Repentance Doest thou not know that this loue of Christ should leade thee to repentance The teares of Christ also expresse vnto vs the dolour and griefe of Christ Christs dolor For being sent of his Father to gather the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and seeing their obstinacie and stubbornenesse despising his word reproaching his miracles and reiecting his grace he could not refraine from weeping he burst forth into teares This was the cause why he being touched with compassion shewed his loue and his griefe weeping for the imminent destruction of Ierusalem For when he considered that Ierusalem was ordained of God to be the holy seate in the which the couenant of euerlasting saluation should abide the sanctuary from whence saluation should come to the whole world it could not be but that he must needes greatly lament the destruction thereof when also he saw the people to perish miserably by their owne ingratitude and malice which was adopted to the hope of eternall life it is no maruell if he could not refraine from teares Now this affection in Christ was not counterfeit it was not fained farre be it from vs to admit any such thought but it was true Heb. 4.15 for we haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but he was in all things tempted in like sort as we yet without sinne wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren for he tooke the seede of Abraham that he might be mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that he suffered and was tempted Heb. 2.17.18 he is able to succour them that are tempted This affection then of true sorrow in Christ for Ierusalem is a notable testimony and a sure proofe of his humanitie and manhood and is sufficient to conuince and confute Marcion and other Heretiques denying that he was a true and naturall man And in this sorrow of our Lord Iesus Christ expressed by his weeping for Ierusalem we haue a true patterne of naturall affections weeping for Ierusalem a stubborne Citie a disobedient Citie an vnfaithfull Citie O should not this moue vs O should not this draw vs to compunction O should not this pull vp the sluces and floodgates of our eies giue them free passage to gush out with teares Our Lord Iesus wept and can our eyes be dry to heare it Quis talia fandoi temperet à lacrimis Virgill the Heathen Poet describing the lamentable destruction of Troy that was sacked by the Graecians after ten yeares Seege saith who speaking of these things can refraine from teares So say I who is it that readeth or heareth how our Lord Iesus wept and can passe away with dry eyes Now these teares of Christ did intimate that the sinnes of Ierusalem were greater and the calamities and punishments imminent and hanging ouer her head were more grieuous then Ierusalem did thinke or vnderstand for it is a great matter that good men speake with teares The sequell did verifie this in the destruction of Ierusalem Our Lord Iesus weepeth for the sinnes of Ierusalem and for the punishments and calamities that should come vpon her The vse 2 Pet. 2.7.8
more openly at one time then he doth at another Sometimes he seemeth to forsake his Church as if the truth were altogether extinguished as he did when the Pope raigned in all places almost through Christendome But now he hath giuen vnto vs his Gospel he doth reach his hand of mercy vnto vs. This then is a mercifull calling vnto the which except we obay there remaineth no excuse for vs hereafter God doth now then call vs by his Gospell and he hath called vs many yeares Now is our time now is the day of Saluation O three times happy we if we know it if we lay hold on it before it is past before it slip away The day when it is past cannot be called againe when the day of mercy is past then commeth the day of iudgement which cannot be auoided I beseech ye therefore brethren by the mercies of God in the bowels of Iesus Christ that ye would diligently consider these things that ye would know this acceptable time this day of Saluation that it be not iustly said vnto you Oh that ye had knowne at the least in this your day the things that belong vnto your peace Our Fathers and Forefathers neuer had so great mercy shewed vnto them as we haue they had not the Gospell so plentifully and sincerely preached vnto them as we haue therefore except we repent and be conuerted we shall be the more seuerely punished The fault is increased by circumstance of the time and the punishment of the fault is greater or lesse by degrees Therefore the neerer God commeth vnto vs and doth offer vnto vs the light of his Gospell if we neglect it or despise it there remaineth no excuse for God will say I haue called and ye refused Pro. 1. Iere. 22.21 Zacha. 7.13 I offered grace vnto you and you would not embrace it therefore ye shall cry and I will not heare you To day therefore whiles it is to day heare his voyce and harden not your hearts lest yee prouoke Gods wrath and draw great punishments vpon you Moreouer we heare learne the great mercy of God receiuing men euen at the last vnto repentance For God is long suffering Psal 103. patient and slow vnto wrath he waiteth for vs long and expecteth our conuersion euery day and receiueth vs to mercy though it be late or we repent Oh the great mercy and vnspeakable clemencie of God toward sinners He receiued the theefe on the crosse to mercy at the last houre he receiued the Prodigall childe to mercy though it were long ere he returned This is a Doctrine consolatory if it be taken aright but alas there are too many that abuse it Psal 50. The wicked because God holdeth his peace and is long suffering in waiting for their conuersion they thinke God to be like vnto themselues and incourage themselues to mischiefe and take liberty to sinne Rom. 2.4 Knowest thou not saith Saint Paul that the patience and long suffering of God doth leade thee vnto repentance 5. but thou after the hardnesse of thy heart that cannot repent heapest vnto thy selfe wrath against the day of wrath and of the declaration of the iust iudgement of God who will reward euery man according to his workes Let vs not then abuse the patience of God neither let vs presume of his mercy for as he is mercifull so he is iust This point is to be pressed against those that crie God is mercifull God is mercifull and say that it sufficeth if in the last houre they can say Lord haue mercy vpon me But this is an vngodly presumption for hath God promised to any that time to presume of it nay many times such presumption doth prouoke Gods wrath against such sinners that he taketh them suddenly away that they cannot vtter one word Therefore that good father said well of the two theeues which were hanged with Christ one was saued that no man should despaire and the other condemned that no man should presume This example is but one therefore let vs not presume and it is generally held that Qualis vita finis ita as men liue so commonly they die And it is said Paenitentia sera raro est vera Late repentance is seldome true repentance But another Father saith thus Hoc prorsus affirmo hoc audio dicere nunquam malo mori potest qui bene vixit This I altogether affirme this I dare bouldly say he neuer can die ill that hath liued well Let the mercy of God then this day leade vs to repentance that we may serue him from henceforth in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life Amen Those things which belong vnto thy peace OVr Lord Iesus wished that Ierusalem knew those things that did concerne her peace The word Peace among the Hebrewes doth designe all the parts of felicitie Neither doth he say simply that Ierusalem knew not her peace but the things that did belong vnto her peace Because many times men know their happinesse but being blinded with malice they knew not the way nor the meanes vnto it As for example All men confesse that it is mans happinesse to be ioyned with God and yet reiect and contemne the Gospell which is the meanes to obtaine it Our Lord Iesus and his Apostles preached the Gospell vnto Ierusalem but she despised it therefore she did not know the things which concerned her peace Here then we learne that the word of God and the Gospell of Christ where it is preached doth bring with it true peace true happinesse and doth offer it vnto men It procureth outward peace and inward peace In a word the Gospell of Christ doth make a Citie a Policie a Kingdome and Region to flourish and maketh a People happy Therefore happy are they which beleeue that the word of God doth containe in it those things which belong vnto their peace that is vnto perfect and eternall felicitie And that this doctrine may appeare to be most true if we a little examine the writings of the Prophets and the Apostles we shall see plainely that no kingdome nor policy can flourish that no King no Potentate nor People can be wise nor blessed in their gouernment which haue not the word of God to direct and guide them It hath beene the iudgement and opinion almost of all wise men in the world that Kings and Kingdomes of the world were most happy if the King of the Countrie were wise if he had many aged graue wise and faithfull Counsellours if his Captaines were valerous couragious expert and fortunate in warre If he abounded in wealth if his kingdome were euery-where well fortified Lastly if his People and Subiects were peaceable and agreed together I confesse that all these things are rightly truely and wisely spoken yet the chiefe and most excellent of all is not mentioned without the which no true felicitie is obtained and being gotten cannot be safely preserued and kept on the otherside where this alone is
Christ the Sonne of God the like we reade that God the Father doth declare to be in himselfe in many places of the Scriptures As when he complained against the Israelites for their stubbornenesse and ingratitude he saith thus Psal 81.13.14 Oh that my people had harkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my wayes I would soone haue humbled their enemies and turned my hand against their aduersaries 15. The haters of God should haue beene subiect vnto him and their time should haue endured for euer 16. And God would haue fed them with the fat of wheate and with honey out of the rocke would I haue satisfied thee Againe Isa 48.18 Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Deu. 32.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might goe well with them Deut. 5.29 and with their children for euer By these Scriptures it is euident that mans perdition is of himselfe and in himselfe and not of God Hos 13 9. Eze. 33.11 Pro. 1.29 Thy perdition O Israel is of thy selfe but thy helpe is in me I liue saith the Lord I would not the death of a sinner I haue called saith wisedome and ye haue refused Math. 23.37 Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem saith our Lord Iesus how often would I haue gathered thee together as a henne doth her chickens and thou wouldest not 1 Tim. 2.4 God would haue all men to be saued 1 Tim. 2.4 and to come to the knowledge of the truth Here then those wicked and prophane men are to be reproued who ascribe their damnation to God when it is in themselues For God cals and they stop their eares like the deafe Adder and will not heare God offers grace and they refuse it God warnes them of their miseries to come if they doe not repent but they will not beleeue and turne to God but harden their hearts as Pharaoh did till destruction come vpon them Thou THis word Thou is emphaticall for euery word in the Scriptures hath his weight and euery sillable his sence Oh that thou thou Ierusalem whom God hath chosen to be his sanctuary to be his dwelling place to put his name there with whom hee hath made a couenant vpon whom hee hath bestowed so many benefits whom he hath hedged about and defended against all enemies Oh that thou which in priuiledges and prerogatiues excellest all the Cities in the world hadst knowne the things that belong vnto thy peace Other Cities haue knowne their peace and the time of their visitation in mercie as Niniuie who repented at the preaching of Ionah Oh that thou wert in the number of them The vse Here the Ministers and Preachers of Gods word are taught to apply their admonitions to the whole Nation yea to particular Cities yea to particular Townes yea to particular persons when they wilfully and obstinately reiect the grace and mercy of God then they may iustly complaine against them and fitly vse this manner of speaking Oh that thou hadst knowne the things that concerne thy peace Oh that thou Adulterer Oh that thou Drunkard Oh that thou Blasphemer Oh that thou prophaner of Gods Sabboath Oh that thou Vsurer thou Oppressour wouldest feare the iudgements that will light vpon thee if thou knowest not the things that belong vnto thy peace and dost not by true repentance turne vnto God whiles he doth speake vnto thee and warne thee Hadst knowne OVr Lord Iesus wisheth that Ierusalem had knowne the things that belong vnto her peace Whence we learne that knowledge is an excellent thing wee should all labour for to attaine vnto it For to know God and Iesus Christ to know the mysteries of saluation to know the things that belong vnto our peace to know the time of our visitation in mercie this is mans Summum bonum his happinesse Ioh. 17.3 his glory This is life eternall to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches Ier. 9.24 but let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me to be the Lord for I desire mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6.6 and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings saith the Lord. Oh that thou hadst knowne saith our Lord Iesus to Ierusalem And may not we say to England yea to London yea may not euery Minister and Preacher of the word say to his perticular place where hee is resiant Oh that thou hadst knowne the things wherein thy peace consisteth At the least in this thy day IN these words is an Amplification taken from the time As if our Lord Iesus should say hitherto thou hast beene obstinate and stubborne thou hast killed my Prophets which I sent vnto thee thou hast often hitherto reiected me Oh that now in this thy day which my Father hath appointed to call thee by me thou wouldest be wise and know thy time The speech of our Sauiour Christ containeth an exclamation proceeding from his heart and vttered with so great affections of dolour that he could not perfectly declare it but breaketh it off euen as when a man is in great heauinesse and sorrow intending to vtter his griefe he is inforced to breake it off abruptly In this speech our Lord Iesus admonisheth that the day was come which God in his eternall counsell had appointed for the saluation of Ierusalem and was promised by the Prophets which opportunitie if she did not lay hold on the gate of saluation should be shut against her for euer This kinde of speech is frequent in the Scriptures Isa 49.8 2 Cor. 6.2 Isa 8.6 Now the acceptable time now is the day of saluation Againe Seeke the Lord whiles he may be found call vpon him whiles he is neere And that considering the season Rom. 13.11 that it is now time that we should arise from sleepe for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued 12. The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the workes of darkenesse and put vpon vs the armour of light The vse Here then we learne that when God giueth men a day wherein God doth call them it is not to be neglected not to be let slip Now God calleth men two waies First by his iudgements secondly by his mercies And the word day is so taken both for the iudgement of God and also for the mercy of God In the first kinde God doth call by afflictions by warre by famine Aut terrendo minis aut cordeudo flagellis aut blandiendo beneficijs Flugo in Cant. 1. by pestilence and sicknesse by captiuitie for when God doth chastise and punish vs he calleth vs to repentance In the second kinde God doth call vs by mercy and clemencie and he calleth vs