great unthankfulnes and disobedience in the midst of so many binding mercies and you may justly wonder that Hierusalem was not long before this time made a heap of stones read over the Prophets and you shall find complaints in this kind without number doe ye thus requite the Lord Oh foolish people and unwise The faithfull City is become a harlot she was full of judgment righteousnesse lodged in her but now murderers Heare O Heavens and give eare O Earth I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me when I fed them to the fall then they assembled themselves by troupes in the harlots houses how shall I pardon thee for this As I live saith the Lord Sodom and her daughters have not done as thou hast done thou and thy daughters thou wast corrupted more then they in all thy wayes Ezech. 16.47 And when Christ came among them in person how did they entertaine him St. Iohn will tell you he came to his own but his own received him not Ioh. 1.11 Nolumus hunc regnare we will not have this man to raigne over us we have no King but Caesar nay not this man but Barabbas they preferre a publique notorious malefactour before him himself also will tell you Mat. 13.37 O Hierusalem Ierusalem howoften would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen doth her chickens under her wings but ye would not thus all the day long he stretched out his hand but it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a gainesaying people veluj noluistis how often would I but ye would not And yet how unwilling was God to unsheath his sword to powre out the full Vials of his fierce anger upon this rebellious Nation though their sins were so provoking that he knew not well how to pardon them How shall I pardon thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no gods and shall I allow this shall I give my glory to another how shall I pardon thee for this yet so infinite on the other side was his mercy that he was unwilling to punish them Why will ye dye Oye house of Israel As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner run thorough the streets of Hierusalem and seek for a man that executeth judgment that I may pardon iâ— and most pathetically in the 11. of Hos ver 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah and set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together see what a conflict there seemes to be in God between his mercy and his justice how shall I pardon thee for this and yet how shall I give thee up how shall I make thee as Admah c. faine would I spare thee but thy sins cry to Heaven for vengeance thou art incorrigible in thy wayes and therefore thy sin is unpardonable I am forced to give sentence against thee though it be with teares in my eyes when he came neare be beheld the City and wept over it c. Christ might have insulted over Herusalem when he foresaw the cup of trembling that she was to drink of as wisdom threatens her contemners Pro. 1.24 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded therfore I will laugh at your calamity and mock when your feare commeth when your feare commeth as desolation and your destruction as a whirle-wind when distresse ang ish commeth upoÌ„ you so seeing Herusalem would not take warning by all former invitations admonitions judgments mercies Christ might justly have laughed at her calamity when he saw her feare comming as desolation and her destruction as a whirl-wind but our blessed Saviour came not to destroy mens lives but to save them and therefore when he came neare he beheld the City and wept over it In the words we have Christ melting into teares for hardhearted Hierusalem Nihil miserius misero non misâ—rante seipsum there is not a more sad lamentable spectacle in the world then to see a man or a City or a Nation like Simon Magus in the gall of bitternesse in the depth of misery in regard of a wilfull persisting in heynous and crying sins yet themselves insensible of their own misery sleeping securely in their sins with Balaam driving o still in their wonted course of sinning and never take notice of the Sword that is drawen against them hugging and embracing sporting and delighting themselves with those Delilahs those lusts and corruptions which will prove their bane and destruction Quis talta fando temperâ—t a â—lachrymis who can behold all this with dry-Eyes The Poet hath a conceit that Heaven it selfe weeps for such Creatures Dic rogo cur toties descendit ab aethere nimbus Grandoque de coeso sic fine fine ruit What may be the reason why there fals such store of Rayne one shower after another Mortales quoniam nolum sua crimina flere Calum pro nobis solvitur in lachrymas Because hard hearted sinners will not bewayle their own faults H aven it selfe is dissolved into teares for them it is so in my Text Heaven it selfe or the heire of Heaven sals a weeping for Hierusalem and is not here a strange alteration when Hierusalem sometime the joy of the whole Earth Ps 48.2 shall not only make the Earth sad but even darken the Heavens cause him that was anoynted with the oyle of gladnes above his Fellowes to melt into teares And when he came neate he beheld the City and wept over it c. The parts are two the mourner and the causes of his mourning the Mourner is Christ and that in the middest of his jollity too as I may so speake as he was riding in state in triumph towards Hierusalem To shew that even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull that there is no worldly happinesse without a mixture of discontent when he came neare he beheld the City and wept over it The causes of his mourning are two two heavy spectacles for eaâ—h Eye one and either of them able to command a fountain of teares as the Propher speakes the one seen namely malum culpe the evill of sin If thou hadst knowen even thou in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes thou knewest not the time of thy visitation the other foreseen namely malum poenae the evill of punishment For the dayes shal come that thy Enemies shall cast a trench abour thee and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee c. Or if you please we have heer Hierusalems funerall where we have first the chiefe Mourner Christ he beâ—eld the City and wept over it saying if thou hadst knowen even thou in this thy day a broken speech a passionate expression the right Dialect of
this City are trampled upon with durty feet vilified pointed at loaden with infamous nick-names as Baals Priests Popiâ—h teachers Limbes of Antichrist wofull to relate and I wonder how any man that beareâ— but the name of a Ch istian dares vent such unsavoury invective speeches against their Teachers and that it may be for dissenting from them only in the use of a harmelesse significant Ceremony You know what happened to â—eroboam for stretching out his hand against the Prophet though he were a King 1. Reg. 13.4 And you remember the severity of Gods Anger against the young children for mocking the Prophet Elishah goe up thou bald head goe up thou bald-head 't is recorded that 42 of them were presently torn inâ—â—â—icâ—s 2. Reg. 2.24 Doth God punish foolish wanton children for such a fault think not that those of riper yeares shall escape this was the Bane of Hierusaleâ— once before 2 Chron. 36.16 They mocked the Messengers of the Lord and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arâ— se against his people till there was no remedy ther fore he brought upon them the King of the Câ—â—dees who slew their young men with the Sword here 't was their bane again 't was one of those sins that armed the Romans against them and I pray God it doe not help to bane this City Lord lay not this sin to our charge Another of Hierusalems latter sins was their irreverent prophanations of Gods Temple they put no difference between that sâ—cred place set apart for the worship and service of God My House shall be called the House of Prayer and other ordinary places they carried burdens therough it they bought and sold in the outward Court of it till Christ forbad them Take these things hence 〈◊〉 make not my Fathers House a House of merchandize Beloved I must be plain with you we are too much guilty of this sin also there is a vile irreverent esteem of Gods House in the hearts of too many amongst us and out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh words which I am almost ashamed and afrayed to repeate that the Church is no better then an Ale-House or a Tavern nay then a Bawdyhouse I heard it spoken prophane wretches the Iewes came not neaâ—e these and yet Christ switched them out with a whip of small cords Huic aliud mercediâ— erit I feare these will be beaten with many stripes heavy strokes there is a golden meane if we could light on it between idolizing of a Temple and vilifying of it between doing reverence to it and irreverent prophaning of it We have warnings enow to look to our feet when we come to the House of the Lord you know what a breach was made upon Vzzah for a small miscarriage as is may be conceived about the Arke and how many thousands of the Bethshemites were cut off for prying irreverently into the Arke I am sure Christ never exprest more anger then in that passage about his Fathers House and I doe believe 't was one of the sins that brought this judgment upon Hierusalem for you shall read in the verse after mâ— Text. Ver. 45. That as soon as he had uttered this complaint If thou hadst I known even thou in this thy day c. He presently went into the Temple and cast out them that sold therein and them that bought saying it is written my House shall be called the house of Prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves and Lord lay not this sin to our charge A third sin of Hierusalem in her declining are was the Sects and divisions that were among them we read of Pharisees and Sadduces and some other Sects that they were rent and divided into what a tumult and an outcry there was between the Pharises and the Sadduces Acts 23. The Captaine was affraid least Paul should have been â—orne 2. peices by them they were so violent And beloved are not we conscious to our selves of this sin also fractions and divisions it is a question not easily answered whether there be more Sects or wards in London and what tumults have been occasioned by these Sects and sidings not only in the sâ—â—eeâ—s but even in the House of God what shoutings and clamours to the dishonour of God and the disturbance of the Congregation Lord lay not this sin to our charge Oh that we would take out that golden Lesson of the Apostle To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that we would give credit to that undeniable sailing of our Savious A Kingdom or a City or a House divided against it selfe cannot stand there was a time when Hierusalem was at unity within it selfe Psal 122.9 And then she was not ashamed to speak with her Enemies in the gate but now being at cryâ—â—l jarres and dissensions among themselves they become a prey to the Romans neither could their private differences be composed till the Enemy took away both their lives and their livings and made Hierusalem â—â—celdanaâ— a field of blood Enquo discoâ—dia cives pâ—rduxit â—nisâ—â—os And God grant this sin of Hierusalem doe not bring Hierusalems punishment upon us that our private dissensions doe not incourage and give opportunity to the common Enemy to cast a trench about us you see Hierusalems sins are come over into England and therefore it 's too too probable that her punishment may follow For the dayes shall come that thy Enemies shall cast a trench about thee and lay thee even with the ground c. But that my Sun may not sit in a cloud I shall ad one word more that though it be possible nay though it be probable the premisses considered that the Sword may come yet it is not necessary there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared Noâ—â—â—â—e amâ—â—vâ—â—â— sed â—â—iteatiam God is infinitely more delighted in the conversion then in the confusion of a sinner why will ye dye O house off Israel turn ye turne ye from your evill way break off your sins by repentance and live he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy Proverbs 28.13 Confession and conversion or humiliation seconded with reformation hath sometimes reversed the sentence that hath gone out against a Nation as in the case of Niniveh yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed Niniveh in the meane time repents of the evill she hath committed and God repents also of the evill he hath intended had Hierusalem done so too had Hierusalem known the things that belonged to her peace Ilia nunc staront Priamique urbs alta manâ—ret for ought we know it might have stood until this day Niniveh had but forty dayes Hierusalem had forty yeares respit to repent in and to make her peace So I say now if we shall even we in this our day labour to make our peace and attonement with God whom we have offended by discerning and lamenting all our former transgressions by resolving and indeavouring to walke
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