so long as the Sun and Moon endureth Thus I have done with the substance of this Complaint come we now to the circumstances the Aggravations of this Evil. Which as I shewed you are two the Persons and Time Begin with the former If thou hadst known even thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si vel tu nosses Si cognovisses tu Not If thou hadst even known as the former Translation renders it putting the Emphasis upon the word Known but if even thou hadst known with reference to the Persons or Place Even thou Thou also say some thou Ierusalem as well as others as well as this poor troop of my Apostles and Disciples or as divers other lesser Cities and Villages have done or as this company now doth which acknowledgeth me to be what I am crying Hosanna or as some other places heretofore have done some of which have been so happy as timely to take notice of what belonged to their peace So did that great City Nineveh at the preaching of Ionah they repented John 3. 5. whose example elsewhere we finde propounded by our Saviour to the Jews Mat. 12. 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment against this generation and shall condemn it because they repented at the preaching of Ionah And the like had some other places and persons done And O that Ierusalem had also done the like If thou also hadst known Thou as well as others Or Secondly Thou rather then others So Calvin and divers other Expositors here conceive of it As if our Saviour did here compare Ierusalem with other Cities of Iudea Yea with all other Cities of the whole world All which Ierusalem excelled in respect of many priviledges This was the City of David the Emperial City yea the City of the great King the City of God a City beloved of God above all other places upon the earth Coeleste in terris Sacrarium as Calvin saith of it a heavenly Sanctuary upon earth where God had betrusted his Oracles his Ordinances where he had manifested his presence after a special manner dwelling between the Cherubins according to that of the Psalmist Psal. 132. 13 14. For the Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell Such was Ierusalem Heavens favorite Earths Non-such a City paramount preferred and advanced above all other Cities and places upon earth in respect of spiritual priviledges And this our Saviour here taketh up as an Aggravation both of his Sorrow and her Sin Of his Sorrow Even thou As for other places other Cities suppose Chorazin Bethsaida Capernaum the Gadarenes or Samaria or the like for any of these to perish and miscarry as they did this were no other but a sad thing deserving to be lamented over But that Ierusalem should do so this went nearer our Saviours heart then any other Even as Brutus his stab did to Caesars which made him cry out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tu Brute what thou my son thou Brutus Even so did Ierusalems obstinacy and ingratitude here to our Saviour And thereupon he crieth out after the same manner 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Even thou Like as it is with a natural parent he cannot but be offended with the miscarriage of any of his children but that his darling the son of his delights whom he hath set his love upon and shewen most affection to that he should miscarry this goeth near him So was it with Iacob when he apprehended some sad disaster to have befallen his son Ioseph his dear son the son of his age to whom he had expressed more affection then the rest of his Brethren as appeared by his party coloured garment this went near his heart insomuch that he refused to be comforted resolving to go down to the grave to him mourning as we have the story Gen. 37. 3. 35. And so was David affected with his Absolon He being his darling whom he had tendered and cockered when he understood what a fatal end he by his Rebellion had brought himself unto this makes David break forth into that passionate Lamentation O Absolon my son my son c. 2 Sam. 19. 4. Thus did Ierusalems carriage and miscarriage her sin and punishment which our Saviour saw and foresaw affect him more then if it had been any other place O if even thou hadst known This was an Aggravation of his Sorrow 2. And so secondly of their Sin This also our Saviour may well be conceived to insinuate in this passionate expression If Even thou Thou which hast enjoyed such means so many mercies that hast been lifted up to heaven preferred before al places in the world in respect of spiritual favours and Gospel priviledges that thou shouldest be thus stupid thus blinde as not to see not to regard the things which belonged to thy peace and happiness this renders thee of all others most miserable and maketh thy ingratitude most superlative So he here chargeth this upon them as a heinous aggravation of their Sin calling for an answerable Iudgment And so indeed it is as Calvin maketh the observation the more means the greater mercies a people enjoy the greater is their sin and the greater shall their punishment be in case they do not walk answerably to them and in some measure worthy of them Mark it this is the Observation which this passage naturally yieldeth Means and Mercies not regarded not improved not answered are dreadful aggravations both of Sin and Judgment For this express and full is that obvious Text Mat. 11. 20. where our Saviour breaketh forth into a like Exprobration against those Cities which he had honoured with his presence and doctrine as here he doth against Ierusalem Then saith the Text began he to upbraid the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done because they repented not verse 20. In the verses foregoing he had taxed the general morosity and frowardness of that people upon whom no means could work neither Iohns austerity nor his own Comitie this he doth vers 16 17 18 19. But now he cometh more specially to deal with those particular places where he had been most conversant taxing them as being most faulty of all the rest Their sin was greater and so should their punishment be So it followeth vers 21. Woe unto thee Chorazin woe unto thee Bethsaida for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon they would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes Chorazin and Bethsaida two Cities upon the Lake of Gennezareth where Christ conversed much taught often wrought many miracles yet they repented not they were not thereby wrought upon to imbrace the Gospel What followeth you have it in the next verse v. 22. I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment then for you At the day of general
Judgment there shall be appointed unto men different measures of punishment Now at that day our Saviour giveth them to take notice that it would go worse with them who had rejected the Gospel then with those that never heard of it though they lived more profanely then themselves did and the like he chargeth against Capernaum in the verses following And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven lifted up above other places in this temporal condition i◠regard of wealth c. shalt be brought down to hell depressed and brought to the lowest degree of poverty aad misery So Grotius not amiss expounds both these expressions looking upon them as Proverbial phrases the one signifying the highest pitch of outward felicity which is called a lifting up to heaven the other the lowest degree of misery which is called a casting down to hell This the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Babylon Isai. 14. describeth the change of her condition in the like langvage How art thou fallen from heaven O Lucifer verse 12. Thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into heaven I will exalt my self above the stars of God verse 13. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell verse 15. And so Hanna in her song speaking of Gods various dispensations and dealings with the sons of men she saith that he bringeth down to the grave Sheol saith the Original ad infernum to Hell and lifteth up 1 Sam. 2. 6. In a like sense saith our Saviour here of Capernaum though she was lift up to heaven flourishing with all kind of outward prosperitie being a great Port Town not unlike unto this where we now are famous for fishing and other merchandize yet she should be brought down to hell brought to extremity of misery Which accordingly afterwards came to pass in the days of the Emperour Vespasian who over-ran the whole Countrey of Galilee spoiling that place amongst others And what was the cause of this so sad a change why her not answering the means afforded her so it there followeth verse 24. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom it would have remained unto this day In all likelihood they would have been converted thereby from their wicked wayes and so have escaped that judgment But I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for the land of Sodom in the day of Iudgment then for thee verse 24. Sodome a place of monstrous and most flagitious wickedness infamously famous for those three things Pride fulness of Bread and abundance of Idleness Ezek. 16. 49. besides many other horrid abominations which were therein it being a sink of uncleanness insomuch that God made it a spectacle of vengeance to all posterity destroying it with fire and brimstone from heaven Yet Capernaums portion of judgment at that day should be greater then hers And why so Inasmuch as she enjoyed those meanes which Sodom did not True there was a righteous Lot in Sodom whose Example might have had some influence upon them But in Capernaum was Christ himself preaching unto them and confirming his doctrine by miracles And this it was which aggravated Capernaums sin and so heightned her judgment Thus the more light the more means a people sin against the greater is their sin This is that our Saviour saith of the Iews John 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin that is comparatively their sin had been nothing in comparison of what now it is Express to this purpose are those two known Texts of the Apostle to the Hebrews the former Heb. 2. 2 3. where comparing the times of the Law with those of the Gospel If saith he the word spoken by Angels the Law given upon mount Sina by the ministry of Angels as it is commonly expounded or any other message sent by the Angels as some conceive it was steadfast was of such force and authority that none who violated it escaped unpunished and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him that is the doctrine of salvation the Gospel which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of Salvation Acts 13. 26. being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the way of Salvation Acts 16. 17. bringing so great salvation as no other way can even eternal salvation which was preached and published first by Christ himself then by his Apostles This doctrine being of such consequence and so clearly held forth it maketh the sin of those who shall not hearken to it to be more heinous then of those under the Law for which they must expect an answerable judgment Consonant hereunto is that other place Heb. 10. 28 29. He that despised Moses his Law died without mercy the crime being Capital and so declared by the Law it was not in the power whether of King or Senate to pardon it Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall be thought worthy who hath trodden under foot the son of God c. and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace Thus sins against the Gospel are greater and more heinous then those against the Law The more light the more grace a man sinneth against the greater is his sin and the greater shall his punishment be R And it must needes be so as Calvin giveth the reason of it inasmuch as here is an addition of one sin which is greater then any of the rest viz. Sacrilega caelestis gratiae profanatiò a Sacrilegious profaning and abusing of the grace of God Of all Sins none more heinous none so heinous as this This is the Attribute which God is most tender of his Grace To have that sleighted disregarded trampsed under foote by a contemptuous disrespect this is a heinous addition to all former sins and offences As suppose a Malefactour standing guiltie of some capital crime and adjudged to dye should so far sleight the grace and favour of his Prince as to reject his pardon being tendred to him casting it away and trampling it under his feete so not accepting the benefit of it who but would looke upon this as a high aggravation of his former offenses and adjudging him most worthy to die and perish in that his wilfull contempt and refusall of mercy Thus standeth the case All the sonnes of men standing guilty before God by reason of Adams sin and their own and so obnoxious unto eternall death it hath pleased God out of his abundant grace and mercy to grant a pardon to all those who repenting of their sinns shall beleive on the name of his Son This pardon he holdeth forth in the preaching of the Gospel Now for any to sleight this Gospel and the offer of grace and mercie in it how can this be looked upon but as the highest contempt and greatest ingratitude against the
Majestie of God and as a dreadful addition to all other offences so calling for a proportionable weight of Iudgment That it is so it cannot I presume it will not be denyed Bring we it home to our selves by way of Application Let that be directed onely two waies by way of Conviction by way of Exhortation 1. By way of Conviction Reflect we upon our selves we of this Nation we of this place in Ierusalâ—ms glass beholding our own face beholding our ingratitude our sin what mercies what favours whether temporal or spiritual was Ierusalem blessed with which England hath not been Was Ierusalem lift up to heaven in respect of Spiritual priviledges hath not England been so were the Oracles of God committed unto them and have they not been so to us was Christ clearly held forth unto them hath he not beene so unto us in the preaching of the Gospel even evidently set forth and crucified before our eyes as Paul tels his Galathians he was to them Gal. 3 was Ierusalems light greater and clearer then that which shone upon other Cities and hath not Englands light I may speake it without flatterie out shined the light of any other Nation in the world was God pleased to send a continued succession of Prophets and Apostles unto them and hath he not done the like to us in this Nation sent a succession of able and faithfull ministers to declare and make known his mind and will to us Thus hath England been exalted above other Nations in regard of special priviledges To which also adde temporall favours which how many how great what nation under heaven might compare with England upon that account what peace what plenty of all things what tranquillity and prosperity did England for many yeares together enjoy to the wonder if not envie of most other nations Thus was England for a long time the favourite and darling of heaven as Ierusalem But now what returne hath she made of these mercies these favours Is not that too like Ierusalems Have we not generally beene an ungratful and rebellious people as they were A people that have not known the things which belong to our peace Temporal and Eternall A people which have not given that intertainment to Christ and his Gospell that he expected and other nations probably would have done A people that have rather cast off the yoake of Christ not induring his goverment any Goverment that lookes like his And for our temporal mercies our peace our plenty have we not been even surfeited with them have we not waxed wanton by their Abusing our peace to the making of us secure setled upon our â—ees abusing our plenty as evill stomacks turne good meats into ill humours turning it into pride Luxurie riot and Excess Thus hath this nation under these long continued mercies been like unto a peice of ground which being overmanured grown too lustie runs wilde bringing forth a crop of weedes Thus hath this abundance of mercies amongst us through the abuse of them brought forth abundance of sinnes Neyther are we to this day hettered by all those sharpe rods those severe corrections wherewith of late yeares God hath corrected us but Israel like we even revolt more and more as it were hating to be reformed Such is the requitals such is the returne which England I speake as to the greatest part therein hath made unto her God And what an Aggravation of her sin is this That any nation should thus deal with their God to walk stubbornly and rebelliously against him it is inexcusable but that a people so favoured so honoured of God as England hath been should do this this is a thing which God cannot but take more heynously at our hands then at others So the Lord maketh his complaint concerning Israel Isaiah 1. 2 3. I have nourished and brought up children and they have rebelled against me The oxe knoweth his owner c. But Israel doth not know my people doth not consider And may not he take up the like complaint against England God hath nourished and tendred us as children yet we have rebelled against him England hath not known England hath not considered Now this he cannot but take worse at our hands then at the hands of any other nation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And thou O England that thou shouldest do this that thou shouldest make such a return to thy God for all his mercies and favours This is an heinous aggravation of Englands sin And aggravating the sinne what can we expect but that it should also aggravate thy Iudgment So it did Ierusalems here Her sin being uppon this account greater then the sin of any other place so was her Judgment as the verses following set it forth No one place that the hand of God fell so heavy upon as it did upon Ierusalem And have not we of this nation just cause to fear the like that in as much as our sins have exceeded the sins of other nations our judgments should exceed also And what is said of the Nation in general let it be applied to this place in special Upon which it cannot be denied but God hath bestowed many singular mercies both Spiritual and Temporal Among other preserving us in the midst of this late fiery furnace which hath burnt so hot in most parts of the nation to this day continuing our peace and liberty not suffering the sword though shakeÌ„ over us to break in upoÌ„ us in an hostile way as it hath don upon maÌ„y other Cities Townes Now shal we stil persist and go on in our sinful provocations in sleighting of Ordinances profaning Sabbaths abusing creatures c. what can we expect but that as our sinnes upon this account shall be greater then the sins of other places who have not enjoyed the like mercies so should our judgments be For the preventing of which suffer a word of Exhortation All of us be we excited to indeavour an answerable return to the mercies and favours bestowed upon us Publick mercies Private mercies Spiritual Temporal Take notice of all and study to answer all Looking upon these differencing and distinguishing mercies as so many obligations and Engagements upon us binding us to duty above others let it be our care to walk answerably In as much as God hath been pleased to exalt and prefer us above and before others let it be our endeavour to go before others in all grateful aâ—d exemplarie obedience That so these blessings which through the mercy and goodnesse of our God we have and do yet in so great a measure injoy may not be what otherwise they will as so many testimonies against us affording matter of a just Exprobration Which is a sad thing when God cometh to upbraid a people with his favours Mark it That is Ierusalems case the Text to whom our Saviour here speaketh as both Calvin and Beza taking it from Budaeus conceive of it
she might have seen what belonged to her peace but that day being now spent Now these things are hid from her eies 2. And as Nationall so Personall dayes The times and seasons allotted unto particular persons for their accepting the offers of grace and mercie held forth unto them these also are limited So is not onely the Common and Generall day The time of this life beyond which the tenders of mercie do not extend Now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 6. 2. speaking as he is conceived of the time of this life This is the day of grace If this day be gone mercy is gone As for those who have here abused the patience and long sufferance of God not considering that it should have led them to repentance so fleighting the offers of Mercie let them look for nothing but Justice hereafter That rich Glutton who would not out of his abundance spare poor Lazarus a crum of bread being in hell may call and crie for a drop of water to cool his tongue with and yet go without it The Sacrifices of Grace and Mercie are onely so long as this day of grace lasteth during this life If this be gone then as the tree falleth towards heaven or hell so it lieth Death closing up the eies of impenitent sinners then are the things which belong to their peace their happinesse for ever hid from them But also Particular daies particular times and seasons and that during this life Certainly such times and seasons there are As there are appointed times for all other occasions To every thing there is a season and a time to every pupose under heaven saith the Preacher Eccl. 3. 1. So it is to things Natural however to us they may be Casual and in themselvs Contingent or it may be Voluntarie left to the will of man yet they are all determined as for other circumstances so for the time and that by God who doth by his Providence order and limit them for their begining duration ending And surely so it is in things supernatural he who hath thus bounded and limited all other things upon earth hath not left his own gracious dispensations sine die at an uncertaintie but hee hath also set down with himself a day a time for them beyond which they shall not extend so as if that be expired there is no more room for mercie The truth of this we may see in those Rebellious murmurers amongst the Israelites A long time God striveth with them Fortie years long was I grieved with this generation as the Psalmist hath it Psal. 95. 10. All that time they tempted God and proved him and saw his works as the Apostle goeth on Heb. 3. 9. So long experience they had of the gracious presence of God in the midst amongst them manifesting his power and mercie in delivering protecting of them and providing for them yet they tempted and proved him not believing what he had said unto them nor yet so considering what he had done for them as to trust in him and rest upon his Providence Thus did they err in their hearts not knowing the waies of their God as it there followeth ver 10. Now herewith the Lord was as well he might be grieved offended provoked yet bearing with them but so hee would not ever do Having born it soâ—tie years then he will bear it no longer So I sware in my wrath they shall not enter into my rest ver 11. They should never come into the earthly Canaan the land which he had promised unto Abraham as a resting place for his Posteritie Which sentence was accordingly executed upon those murmurers whose carkases fell in the wildernesse as it followeth ver 17. None of them who came out of Egypt from twentie years old and upward entering into Canaan save onely Caleb and Ioshua as you have it foretold Numb 14. 29 30. So was it with them as to the Earthly Canaan and so shall it be with all obstinate and obdurate sinners as to the Heavenly Canaan that eternal rest whereof the earthly Cannaan was a Type However God may strive with them for a time and it may be a long time yet there is a time when he will stâ—ive no more but will passe a peremptorie sentence upon them that they shall never enter into his rest so shutâ—ing the door of mercie against them Which he doth and that as I said often in this life We know how it was with Esau that profane Esau so stigmatized and branded by the Apostle Heb. 12. 16. for his so far undervaluing of that high privilege of his primogeniture his Birthright to which was annexed the Covenant as to sell it for a morsel of meat or a mess of Pottage when afterwards he came to make suit for it he was rejected So you have it in the verse following ver 17. For yee know saith the Apostle how that afterwards when he would have inherited the blessing he was rejected for he found no place for repentance though he sought it carefully with tears Thus however before he sleightly esteemed that privilege yet being better advised upon second thoughts he seeketh it that earnestly but all in vain For he found no place for repentance viz. in his Father Isaac who had conferred that blessing upon his other Son Iacob he could not with all his tears move him to repent of what he had done so as to recall his grant and confer the blessing upon him Herein was he a Type of profane obstinate sinners who sleight and despise the grace of God when it is offered and tendered unto them Afterwards it may be when God cometh to open their eies to awaken their consciences and to convince them of what they have done and to discover to them the miserie of that state wherein they are then they seek and crie for mercie and yet go without it the Decree then as it were falling in travel and begining to bring forth as the Prophet speaketh Zeph. 2. 2. the door of mercie is shut against them R. Which God doth as I sayd in his most just and righteous judgment thereby vindicating the contempt of his grace and mercy which is an attribute that God is tender of and will not indure to have â—rampled upon So as where that will not take place Iustice shall Hence is it that God shuts the door of mercie against those that have rejected iâ— when it was offered to them refusing to hear them who have refused to hear him So wisdom sets it forth in that Text which I willingly repeat Prov. 1. 24. Because I have called and ye have refused c. Therefore I will also laugh at your Calamitie I will mock when your fear cometh When your fear cometh as desolation and your destruction cometh as a whirlewinde c. Then shall they call upon me but I will not answer they shall seek me early but shall not
presence with his Church Christ performeth the like offices to his Church that the Sun doth to the earth Inlightning it All light coming from Jesus Christ. Natural light of reason Reason Supernatural light of Grace Of Glory Inlivening Comforting Making fruitful Purifying Christ as the Sun to his Enemies how Branch 2. The face of Christ as the Sun shining Christ upon earth like the Sun under a cloud In his death Eclipsed In his Resurrection breaking forth Herein the members conformable to their head Partaking of the same glory for kind though not degree Branch 3. The face of Christ as the Sun shining in his strength The glory of Christ transcendent Etiam justi fulgebunt sicut sol in regno patris Christi verò corpus fulget ut Sol in vigore suo quo excellentia capitis prae membris significatur Pareus ad Text. His efficacious operations Dissipating and dispelling fogs and mists of Heresies and Errors Melting frozen and congealed hearts Warning and heating them with joy love zeal Drying up sinful corruption Applic. Seek we the face of Jesus Christ. Quest. How seek it Answ. That we may see it The Beatifical vision upon earth Quest. How Christ is to be seen upon earth Answ. 1. Neg. Not by way of vision Answ. 2. Affirm In the Glass of the Gospel In his Ordinances Answ. 2. Seek the face of Christ that we may feel it The operations of Christ to be felt in the soul. Illumination Light received is to be reflected how Vivification No life from Christ without union with him Spiritual life as begun so maintained and increased by Jesus Christ. Consolation True comfort not to be found in the creatures Nor in a mans self All true comfort to be sought from Christ Fructification Purification Christ to be felt as the Sun in his strength Dispelling mists of ignorance infidelity Thawing and melting of the heart Warming and heating it The appearing of Christ not to be feared by those who have felt these his powerful operations Which to others will be terrible Christs second coming to believers a joyful day Errata to the three Sacred Emblems The text upon what occasion takâ— up Declaration Novem. 21. 1655. Division Parts three Part 1. The occasion of this lamentation The eye lets in affection to the heart What Christ looked upon in Jerusalem that so affected him The City it seâ—f magnificent for structure The number of people devoted to destruction Magis tamen subversionem planxit animarum quam ruinas parietum Carthus â—d lot The qualitie of the people Gods people Qâ—um populum qui in spem vita aeâ—ernae adâ—pius 〈◊〉 suae ingratiâ—udine maâ—iâ—ia misere perire videret nihil mirum si lachrymâ—s non tenuit Cal. â—d loc Ierusalem the 〈◊〉 the head city upon which the whole Nation had a dependance Ierusalem the City of the great King the city of God Quum expenderet illam divinitus electam esse sacram sedem in quae resideret salutis aeternae foedus Sanctuarium unde prodiret salus salas toti mundo fieri non potuit quam ejus interitum graviter doleret Cal. ad loc Part 2. The expression of Christs compassion by weeping Lachrymae sunt legati doloris Cyprianus lib. Ep. 7. Weeping a passion not unsutable to Christ. Mutarunt homines temerarii delicati quibus flere Christo indignis videbatur Grotius at Text. Gorranus ad Text. alli Alii septies Chriâ—â—um flevisse aâ—â—erunt Gerhard Harm ad loc Why Christ lamenteth what he could have remedied To shew the truth of his humanity Carne humanacircundatus vere humanos induit affectus Cal. ad loc To testifie his affection to the Iews Hoc fletu testatus est fraterne se diligere eos in quorum gratiam fuerat homo factus Calvin ad Text. Viscera misericordiae suae per fletum osstendit Theophil ad loc Why did he not then help and save them Christ here in acteth as man Obs. Christians to be tenderly affected towards the Churches of God The Churches misery to be mourned over Christians to mourn for those who do not mourn for themselves Reas. Christians members of the same body Appli The present times to be mourned over In regard of the state of the Church abroad The presen state of England a matter of just lamentation Englands condition looked upon three waies What it hath been What it is Set forth in the late Declaration Iamaika Four particulars justly to be mourned over Tares of division Abominable blasphemies Dreadful apostacy The hindrance of settlement and reformation What like to be Part 3. The cause of Christs weeping Pathetica est ratio ideoque abrupta Calvin ad loc Passionate expressions often abrupt The defect here how supplied Obser. Christs affection to an unworthy people the Iews God not taking pleasure in the death of sinners How God willeth the death of the wicked Appli Gods grace not to be turned into wantonnesse Gods goodnesse leading to repentance Christ still retaining the same affection towards poor sinners The matter of this lamentation where the evil lamented Aggravations of it The evil lamented Expli Three things What here meant by peace viz. All kind of happinesse What were the things which belonged to their peace viz. Christ and his Gospel How they are said not to know these things viz. in not owning of Christ. To know God and Christ what Christ acknowledged by a small party By whom it was A party inconsiderable both for quality and number Obser. Not to receive Christ and his Gospel a most deplorable thing This is that which belongeth unto the peace of a people The rejecting of the Gospel the undoing of a people Applic. A just cause of mourning over this nation the sleight entertainment given to the Gospel Calling for deep lamentation Vse 2. What to be done for the preventing of judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est utinam Grotius ad loc The Aggravations of this complaint Aggravation 1. The Persons Thou as well as others Diodate Annot ad loc Thou rather then others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vel tu urbs illa suprâ— omnes terrae urbes Dco dilecta urbs David urbs Regia urbs sacris dicata Grotius ad loc Ierusalem a Non-such in respect of spiritual priviledges An Aggravation Of Christs sorrows Of her sin Obser. Means and mercies not answered great aggravations of sin and judgment Ad astra tolli Sublimi feriens sydera vertice The more light the greater sin R. Grace abused a high contempt Applic. Vse 1. Application to the nation in generall Jerusalem and England pararelled In respect of spirituall priviledges Temporall favours Unanswerable returnes A great Aggravation of Englands sin Threatning a proportionable judgment Application to the Town of Yarmouth in special Vse 2. Exhortation To indeavour an answerable return to mercies A sad thing for God to upbraid a people with his favours A thing which he is not ready to do Yet being provoked by ingratitude he will do
of the mouth of Jesus Christ his word it hath a double yea a contrary operation being both a killing and a qâ—ickning word Both these doth the Lord in a literal sense The Lord killeth and maketh alive saith Hannah in her song 1 Sam. 2. 6. And both these doth the Lord Jesus in a Spiritual sense and that by his word So the Apostle setteth forth the two-fold property of it 2 Cor. 3. 6. The letter killeth but the Spirit giveth life The letter The letter of the Law which is litera occidens a killing letter in as much as it requireth part from man which in his now corrupted estate he is no wayes able to perform and so is a sword at his heart giving him a deadly wound Whence it is that is called in the verses following 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministerie or Ministration of death vers 7. and in the 9 th verse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Ministration of condemnation Because it layeth men under the sentence of eternal condemnation Such is the Ministery of the Law But now the Spirit and the Ministery thereof in the preaching of the Gospel that giveth life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it quickneth maketh alive First putting a new life into a dead soul raising it up from the death of sin to the life of holinesse to the life of grace here and glory hereafter Whence it is called by the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word of life Phil. 2. 16. And then reviving and chearing it with the sweet promises thereof Thy word hath quickned me saith David Psal. 119. 50. Thus hath the Word like a two edged sword a double and contrary operation upon the soul. And so it hath to prosecute this point yet a a little further both upon different subjects and upon the same First In different subjects or persons it hath a different opperation So it hath upon beleevers and unbeleevers Elect ones and Reprobates Working upon both but in different yea contrary waies This the same Apostle setteth forth most clearly in the chapter there foregoing 2 Cor. 2. 15 16 For we saith he speaking of himself and other Gospel Ministers are unto God a sweet savour of Christ in them that are saved and in them that perish Their service in preaching of the word is acceptable unto God through Christ though it do not produce the same effect in those that hear them but have a contrary work according as it needeth with different subjects So it followeth To the one we are a savour of death unto death and to the other the savour of life unto life Such contrary smels and savours there are in nature as Grotius notes upon it some poysonous and deadly as of those Lakes Avernus and Asphalties others again so recreating and refreshing that being put to the nose they will revive the spirits of a fainting person And of such a contrary operation is the sword in the preaching of it Meeting with persons of different dispositions it is to the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the one a sweet savour a savour of life So is it to Gods Elect to whom believing it it is made the power of God to their salvation as the same Apostle elsewhere saith of it Rom. 1. 16. A savour of life unto life quickening them up as I said before to the life of grace here and glory hereafter But on the other hand to unbelivers it becometh a savour of death unto death A deadly savour Not that the Gospel is so of it self being in its own nature as I said even now the word of life but accidentally it becometh so to them through their rejecting of it Now it is to them not onely an occasion but a cause of their just and greater condemnation Even as it is with the Proclamation of a Prince which he maketh to his rebellious subjects wherein he maketh offer not onely of pardon but of grace and favour to those that will lay down their armes and forthwith come in shewing themselves loyal and obedient but on the other hand threatneth extremity of punishment to those that shall yet stand out This Proclamation with the same breath breatheth both life and death Life to those which will hearken to it which is the proper end and intent of proclaiming it but death to those that oppose themselves against it Even so it is with the Evangelicall Proclamation the Doctrine of the Gospel it preacheth life and death after the same manner Life to penitent believers who readily accept the offers of grace and mercy there tendered Death to obstinate and rebellious sinners who reject them Thus is Iesus Christ who is the proper subject of the Gospel according to Simeons Prophesie at his Birth Luk. 2. 34. Behold saith he this childe is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel Even as the same Star as our new Annotators glosseth upon it is at the same time both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both morning Star and evening Star To some the morning Star bringing the light and day to them To others the evening Star bringing darknesse and night Thus is the Lord Iesus that Star of Jacob being held forth in the Gospell to some those that believe on him he is what he calls himsel Rev. 22. 16. The bright morning Star bringing to them the light and day of Grace here and Glorie hereafter But to others such as reject him will not receive him as their Saviour and Lord as the evening Star bringing to them a night of everlasting darknesse Such is the different and contrary operation of the word upon different persons 2. And in the second place such is the operation of it in and upon the same Persons A different nay a contrary operation So it hath in and upon Gods Elect upon all true believers of whom it may be said not onely that they were dead and are alive This my sonne was dead and is alive again saith the Father of his Prodigall sonne being returned home Luke 15. 24. And you hath he quickned who were dead in trespasses and sins saith Paul of his believing Ephesians Eph. 2. 1. But also that they are dead and alive both at the same time So that the Apostle tels his Romanes Rom. 6. 11. Likewise reckon ye your selves to be dead indeed unto sin but alive unto God And both these they are the effects of the word Which first killeth them which it may be said to do two wayes First by showing them their naturall state which is a state of death Such effect it had in and upon the Apostle as he sets it forth Rom. 7. 9. I was alive without the Law once but when the â—ommandment came sin revived I died Whil'st he was a Pharisee he thought well and highly of himself that he was in a happy condition he apprehended himself to be in perfect health as
are l 16 r over his Church p 3. l 5. r far surpassing l. 19. r In the third place p 4 l 25. r. far exceeding l last r. Interpreter p 5 l. 28 r as it is conceived p 6 l 8 r may seem p 7. l last r Bagnalim p. 8 l 1 r Baal-Perazim l. last r false 10 suns pmarg r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 13. l. 27. r all which l 29 r Thus is p. 14 l 16 marg del reason l 27. r Thus Jesus p. 16. l. 8. r the light of glory p 18. l 24 r Isai 61 p 19 l 2 r putteth p. 26 l 17. for answer r consume p. 27. l 2 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 29. l 5 for bottome r bosome p. 30 l 26. r giveth p 37 l 9 r too dilutely expounds p 44 l 6 r salutation TEARS FOR IERVSALEM OR The compassionate Lamentation of a tender hearted Saviour over a rebellious and obdurate people A subject entered upon on the late day of solemn Humiliation December 6. 1655. afterwards prosecuted and now published as useful at all times but very seasonable for the present By Iohn Brinsley Minister of the Gospel at Great Yarmouth Daughters of Ierusalem weep not for me but weep for your selves and for your children Luke 23. 28. LONDON Printed by I. L. for Tho. Newberry 1656. To the Mourners in Sion Such as being truely sensible of are cordially affected with the present sad and calamitous condition of the Church of God in the Island of Great Britain Much esteeemed in the Lord. THe last year I sent forth a Groan a Groan for Israel I now here second it with Tears Tears for Ierusalem And whether there be cause for both these I appeal to you whom God hath in any measure made sensible of the present state of the land of your Nativity and specially of the Church therein When Nehemiah heard that sad report concerning Ierusalem that the remnant which were left therein were in great affliction and reproach and that the Wall thereof was broken down c. It came to passe saith he when I heard these words that I sate down and wept and mourned Neh. 1. 4. And is not this the Condition of the poor Church of God among us in this Nation at this day Is not the Wall thereof broken down All Church-Government levelled By reason whereof all kind of dangerous and damnable Errours and Heresies and enormious practises with unbrotherly and unchristian divisions have broke in upon us to the rendring of us a scorn and derision to the Nations round about Thus doth Englands sore run in this night of her Affliction and ceaseth not her calamity every day increasing And yet which is no small addition to her misery how few are there who so lay it to heart as to seek out for cure and remedy Nay how many who refuse it being offered not induring to hear of any such thing as Church-Government Insomuch as the servants of God some and many of them may take up the like complaint concerning this Nation that Babylons friends once did concerning her Ier. 51. 9. We would have healed her but shee is not healed Nay that which is far worse shee refuseth so to be So deplorable and almost desperate is her condition now become Now in this case what shall Sions friends do What desert and forsake her This indeed is the resolve of Babylons friends there Let us forsake her say they and let us goe every man into his own Countrey for her Iudgment reacheth unto heaven and is lifted up unto the skies They will give her over and every one shifteth for himselfe But far be such thoughts from all the servants of God in this Nation How ever it must be acknowledged they have cause enough to feare the event having so many sad symptomes before their eyes yet not knowing but that there may be hope in Israel concerning this thing let them not in the day of her adversity forsake their Mother in whose womb they were conceived and whose breasts have given them suck But let them with faith and patience yet looke out look up for from thence must come Englands cure being importunate with the God of Israel that he who hath in his just judgment for our unfruitfulnesse broken down the hedge of his Church amongst us so as the Boar out of the wood doth waste it and the wild beast of the field doth devour it would in his free grace and mercy return and look down from heaven and visit this vine and the vineyard which his own right hand hath planted Which that all may be excited to do is the design of this small Treatise To which end if it may be in any degree serviceable to any I have that I aimed at In the hopes whereof I rest Great Yarmouth Feb. 2. 1655. Your Brother and Companion in the Kingdome and Patience of Iesus Christ John Brinsley TEARS FOR IERVSALEM OR The compassionate Lamentation of a tender hearted Saviour over a rebellious and obdurate people Luk. 19. 41 42. And when he was come near he beheld the City and wept over it 42. Saying If thou hadst known even thou at the least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace But now they are hid from thine eyes THis portion of Scripture I now take up not that I look upon it as Prophetical to England So indeed it was to Hierusalem to which it is was spoken I wish it may not be so to this Nation But as concerning it both useful and seasonable for the present times and as proper to the present occasion as any I can meet with finding it put into my hands by that Declaration which hath upon this day called us together where we are directed to make this one chief part of our arrand at the throne of grace to beg it of God that he would give his people in this nation to know the things which belong unto their peace which is the very thing which our blessed Saviour here wisheth to Hierusalem and that with tears in his eyes And when he was come near he beheld the City c. In the words we have a short History reported onely by this one Evangelist setting forth unto us the Passionate lamentation of our blessed Saviour over Hierusalem wherein the occasion of it the expression of it the ground or cause of it We may take notice of three things First the occasion of that lamentation his approaching and beholding of the City And when he was come near and beheld the City Secondly the expression of it by tears He wept over it Thirdly The ground or cause of it the sad state of the City in regard of a two-fold evil the one of sin the other of punishment of sin the stupidity and blindnesse of the inhabitants of that City in not laying hold upon the offers and tenders of grace and mercy held forth to them If thou hadst known c.
by every of us Not to the end that we should abuse this mercy turn this grace into wantonnesse as Saint Iude saith of some in his time did Iude 4. taking occasion thereby to go on and continue in sin What shall we say then Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound God forbid saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 1. Shall we therefore go on to provoke this God because he is so compassionate towards us so loath that we should perish what were this but to abuse this his lenitie and goodnesse to our own just condemnation But on the other hand let this goodnesse of God lead us unto repentance This is the right use of it as we may learn from the same Apostle Rom. 2. 4. Be we hereby provoked to break off the course of our waies provoking sins and to come in unto this God by serious and unfeigned repentance This use will an ingennous child make of the indulgent affection of a tender hearted parent When he seeth the bowels of his father or mother yearning towards him bewailing his destructive courses if there be any spark of ingenuity left this cannot but work upon his heart and make him think of betaking himself to a new course which may be pleasing and contenful to so affectionate a parent Behold thus is our heavenly Father and thus is our blessed Saviour affected towards poor sinners And therefore let it have the like work upon every of us to provoke us to break off those sinfull wayes and courses which are so offensive to those pure eyes and come in unto our God by serious and unseigned Repentance So doing now doubt not but we shall have comfortable experience of his grace and mercy What was the Lord Iesus so affected towards a stubborn and rebellious people that he so earnestly wisheth their good and so passionately bewaileth their calamity and will he not shew the like affection to poor penitent sinners such as by coming unto him seek for mercy from him Surely the Lord Iesus hath carried his bowels to heaven with him still retaining the same affection tovvards poor sinners that here he had upon earth Hovv ever he be not capable of expressing it in the like vvay He can hence forth weep no more All tears being wiped from his eyes as they shall be from the eyes of all his Saints vvhen they shall be translated to that blessed and glorious condition Yet still he retaineth the same affection towards poor sinners He that wept over Ierusalem here wishing that it had been othervvise vvith them then it vvas and vvas like to be he doth earnestly desire that those tears and that blood vvhich he here shed in the dayes of his flesh may be made effectual for the vvashing avvay the sins of poor sinners Which also they shall be to all those who turning away from them come unto him receiving him as their Saviour and Lord. But I shall not any longer dwell upon this which I take up from the general consideration of the words or from the manner of speaking Come we now to the matter taking a nearer and more particular veivve of this Lamentation Wherein we shall take notice of two things the Evil of sin it self which our Saviour here bewaileth and secondly the Aggravations of that evil The evil bewailed is their stupidity their not knowing of what belonged to their peace The aggravations of that evil are two the one taken from the persons the other from the time The persons who were thus stupid Ierusalem If thou even thou The time the day of their visitation At least in this thy day These are the severals we have now to deal with Begin with the first The evil lamented their not knowing the things which belonged to their peace Here by way of explication three things are to be unfolded 1. What is here ment by peace 2. What were those things which belonged to Ierusalems peace 3. How it is said that they did not know those things Q. For the first by Peace here understand we prosperity felicity So the word was familiarly used among the Hebrews In as much as Peace is a comprehensive blessing they set forth all blessings under this Thus in their ordinary salutations they were wont to wish Peace Peace be unto thee and peace be unto thy house and peace be unto all that thou hast It is the salutation which David sends to Nabal 1 Sam. 25. 6. And thus our Saviour sending forth his Apostles he puts this word into their mouthes directing them to salute the families where they came after that manner with an apprecation of peace Into whatsoever house ye enter ye shall first say Peace be to this hous Luk. 10. 5. i.e. all kind of happinesse And so look we upon the word here in the text By peace understanding here all kind of felicitie Omnes foelicitatis partes as Calvin hath it all the parts and kinds of happinesse Happinesse both present and future temporal and eternal Q. 2. But what were the things which belonged unto this their peace A. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why in one word Christ himself and the doctrine of salvation by and through him Christ and his Gospel These were the things which conduced to their peace to the making of them a happy people and that both here and hereafter Other things there were which in a Political and civil way might have tended to the outward peace the temporal prosperity of that place But none like this none like Christ who is the Prince of peace Isai. 9. 6. And our peace Ephes. 2. 14. In him is the salvation of a people bound up This it is which maketh a people truly happy The knowledge of Iesus Christ. And this knowledge the inhabitants of Ierusalem were destitute of They neither did nor would know this their Peace-maker Moses they knew he being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day Act. 15. 21. But Christ they knew not Q. 3. But what did not they know him had they not heard of him Nay had they not both heard and seen him heard his Doctrine seen his Miracles A. True but they did not receive him He came unto his own and his own recived him not Joh. 1. 11. He came unto his own to Israel his own peculiar people to the land of Canaan his own Countrey he being of the seed of Abraham to Ierusalem his own City he being the Son of David but they received him not they would not own him they would not acknowledge him to be their Messias they would neither believe on him nor submit unto him This it is truly to know God and Iesus Christ to know them in an affectionate way Not barely to know and believe that there is a God and a Christ no nor yet to know that Jesus is that Christ. This knowledge the Devils had and have I know thee who thou art even that holy one of God saith
Thes. 5. 5. Ye are the children of the day living in Gospel times As also that other prophetical Text Heb. 4. 7. To day if ye will hear his voice saith David speaking of the time of the Gospel as it is there expounded 3. Sometimes it denotes any special opportunity apt and proper season for any transaction So that forenamed Text may be understood Iohn 9. 4. I must work whilest it is day that is whilest I have opportunity And so that other To day if ye will hear his voice whilest the time and season of grace lasteth whilest salvation is offered 4. And lastly by Day sometimes we are to understand a set time determined and appointed by God for some special purpose In this sense we find the word frequently used by the Prophets And in these two last senses understand we the word here in the Text. Ierusalems Day was the time destinated and foreappointed by God and foretold by the Prophets wherein the light of the Gospel should shine forth unto her and that more clearly then ever heretofore and the offer of grace and mercy should be held forth unto her after a special manner Of this day this time the Prophets make frequent mention As the Prophet Isai. Chap. 60. 1. Arise shine or be enlightned for thy light is come and the glory of the Lord is risen upon thee So Zachary 9. 9. Rejoyce greatly O daughter of Sion for thy King cometh unto thee Both which had their accomplishment in the coming of Christ in the flesh and particularly in his coming to Ierusalem at this time in this manner presenting himself to it as a King So he himself applies the latter of these Texts Matth. 21. 4 5. And hereupon is this here called Ierusalems day the day that had been so often foretold the time wherein God did offer grace and mercy to her after a more special manner then ever he had done heretofore Before he had often made offers of that kind unto her as to the whole Nation of the Jews by sending his Prophets to her But now he doeth it by his Son So our Saviour sets it forth in that known parable of the Vineyard Matth. 21. 33 c. A certain man planted a vineyard This vineyard was the Church of the Iews Isaiah 5. 1. whom God took to be a peculiar people to himself performing like offices thereunto that the Husbandman would do to his vineyard Being thus planted he let it forth to husbandmen and went himself into a far Countrey God seemed to leave that Church wholly to the care of the Priests In process of time he sends his servants to the husbandmen that they might receive the fruits thereof verse 34. God sends his Prophets to this Church whom by the Parable goeth on they beat and slew vers 35. So they did the former Prophets many of them Againe he sent other servants moe then the first and they did unto them likewise verse 36. Before the Captivity he sent more Prophets to them then formerly who found no better entertainment then the former But last of all he sent unto them his son verse 37. God the Father sends his Son Christ into the world with a special messuage unto the Jews to require from them the fruits of all that grace and favour which had been shewen to them And this was Ierusalems day The time of special grace and mercy offered unto them after a special manner and that by Christ himself wherein she had a special opportunity tendered unto her if she had but had the wisdome to accept it to lay hold of it and make use of it accordingly Even the time of her visitation as the 44th verse after the Text explains it But hinc illae lachrymae this was a matter of just lamentation The day was come and even now spent but Hierusalem had not an eye to see it a heart to make use of it And this it is which our Saviour here bewailes in them and exprobrates to them pities them for and upbraids them with O if thou even thou hadst known at least in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace At least There is yet a further Emphasis in that Interjection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et quidèm in hâc die tuâ saith the vulgar even in this thy day Hoc saltem tuo die saith Beza whom our Translations follow At least in this thy day That is though thou hast along time stood it out refusing and rejecting many offers of grace yet O that at the length thou wer 't wise◠Or If at least If after that thou hast slain so many Prophets so many servants of mine which have been sent unto thee with conditions of peace yet thou wouldest receive me their Master hearkning to the message which I bring Or at least If after all the unkinde and ungrateful repulses which my self hath hitherto met with by thy obstinate rejecting of my Person and Doctrine yet if now at the length in this my last Expedition the last journey that ever I shall make unto thee the last time of asking now at the day of grace and salvation as to thee is expiring If now at last thou mightest yet know c. Thus our Saviour here maketh use of this circumstance as a further aggravation both of his sorrow and their sin their stupidity and obstinacy that in this day of grace wherein God was pleased to make such a gracious offer of mercy to them they should yet stand it out to the last so neglecting and letting slip the present opportunity as they had done many other by the imbracing whereof they might yet have been happy So sad a thing it is for a people not to take notice of the seasons of grace and mercy vouchsafed unto them for their spiritual and temporal felicity and welfare so as to make a wise use and improvement of them This our Saviour here so sadly lamenteth in Ierusalem And this we shall finde the Lord elsewhere sadly complaining of in this people the people of the Jews As Ieremy 8. 7. Yea the storke in the heavens knoweth her appointed times and the turtle and the crane and the swallow observes the time of their coming but my people know not the judgments of the Lord. Those poor creatures with many other meerly by a natural instinct they observe the times and seasons of the year and so order their going and coming accordingly but that people knew not the judgment of the Lord they tooke no notice of the seasons of mercy and judgment they saw not the judgements of God hovering over their heads that so they might use timely means for the diverting of them And this the Lord there chargeth upon them as gross stupidity And the like regardlesness of seasons and opportunities and the workings and dispensations of Providence he elsewhere complains of against them for by the same Prophet Ier. 5. 4. Surely these are poor they are foolish for they
life and of Gods grace is but a day This your day A Day is of no long continuance specially a winters day A few houres the Sun is above the Horizon but then it setteth and leaveth a sable darknesse upon the face of the earth Such is the life of man a day and that to make the best of it a winters day stormy and short Brethren the time is short saith the Apostle speaking of the time of mans life upon earth 1 Cor 7. 29. How short who knoweth oftimes doth the Sunn go down upon man before it be well up Oh therefore now up and be doing The day is a time for Action the night for rest Man goeth forth unto his work and to his labour untill the evening Psal. 104 23. And so is the day of this life This is the time for the working out of our salvation And therefore now set upon this work I must work the works of him that sent me whil'st it is day saith our Saviour in that Iohn 9. 4. the night cometh when no man can work The night of death There is no worke nor device nor knowledge nor wisedome in the grave whither thou goest saith the Preacher Eccles. 9. 10. And therefore as he there maketh the use of it whatsoever thy hand findeth to do do it with thy might Thus do we the work of the particular calling much more of the generall the working out of our salvation the making of our Calling and Election sure This do we and that in this our day To day if you will hear his voice harden not your hearts whil'st the day of life and the day of grace lasteth Behold now is the accepted time now is the day of salvation saith the Apostle to his Corinthians 2 Cor. 6. 2. And therefore as he there presseth it upon them ver 1. Let not us receive the grace of God in vain This do they who injoy the outward meanes of salvation but are not bettered by them like the earth which receiveth the seed which is cast into it by the hand of the Husbandman and drinketh in the former and latter rain and yet remains barren Let not us so receive the grace of God tendred and held forth unto us in the preaching of the Gospel But let it into our hearts that taking root there it may bring forth Gospel-fruits in our lives And this do we now Now whil'st it is called to day Remembering that the time of grace and of our life is but a day 2. And secondly remember that this is our day In this thy day This was Ierusalems day the Iews day wherein grace and mercie was offered unto them The next was the Gentiles day or the next was Gods day wherein he would visit them after another manner in judgment not in mercy And therefore saith our Saviour here Oh if at least in this thy day And hear we him speaking the like to every of us this day Oh that you in this your day The time of this life is our day A day that hath no morrow And the time of grace is our day Shall we let slip this day then expect we God's day even that diem ultionem the day of vengeance Such days our Saviour foretelleth were coming upon the Iewes Luke 21. 22. These be the dayes of vengeance speaking of the time of Ierusalems destruction wherein the Lord would severely revenge all those indignities offered to his Son And such dayes of vengeance God hath for all obstinate sinners It may be in this life If not yet at that last day which wil be a day of blacknesse and darknesse a day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God Now knowing the terrour of that day Oh! that all of us would be perswaded now in this our day to look out to take notice of what belongs to our peace and comfort at that day This is our day a time allotted us by God for this purpose to husband for the good of our souls And 3ly this is but one day As for the Labouring-man he hath many dayes allowed him to do his work in And so if he have lost one he may yet recover it get it up again at another time But as for us we have but one day If that day be past there is no recovery Soles occidere redire possunt The Sunn setteth and riseth again upon the earth But if the Sunn of our life and the Sun of God's graee be once set upon us never look that it should rise upon us again O! therefore in the fear of God be wee all of us awakened and stirred up that we may not sleep nor trifle away this our day either in doing of nothing or that which is worse Remember that upon this our day depends our Eternitie And therefore now whil'st it is called to day all of us look out to what belongs to our eternall peace Behold at this day the Lord Iesus is riding in triumph in the midst of his Ordinances as here he did to Ierusalem in the midst of his Apostles and Disciples O that there were such a heart in every of us that wee might now Lift up set open those everlasting doors the doors of our souls that this King of Glorie might enter in that the Lord Iesus might come and take a full possession of all our hartes so as to rule thereby his Word Spirit Then quà m faelices beati how blessed and happie shall wee be Such use make wee of this Generall day this day of Grace Wherein there are also particular days particular times and seasons in which Christ cometh unto men as here he did to Ierusalem offering himselfe to them after a more speciall manner This is that which he tells the Laodicean Angel Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knock So he doth at the doors of mens Consciences where he knocketh both by Outward means by his Word by mercies Chastisements every of which is a knock at this door and by inward motions of his Spirit Now is it so that Jesus Christ thus knocketh at any of our hearts at this or at any other time let us forthwith open unto him That is the meaning of every such knock It is the voice of my beloved that knocketh saith the Spouse saying open unto me Cant. 5. 2. And this doe we receiving him into our hearts by Faith that he may dwel theare as a Saviour a Lord. And this do wee forthwith Not knowing but this may be the last knock as this was the last time that ever our Saviour knocked at Ierusalem's gates which if it be and shall be sleighted then what remaines but a just retaliation even that which we meet with Luke 13 25. That the doore being shut wee should stand without and knock receiving no other Answer but that which is there returned I know yee not whence ye are Or that which wee finde in the close of the Text that ihe
not the knowledge of thy Law This do too many even among our selves though with their tongues they dare not yet with their hearts and in their lives they speak as much plainly manifesting to the world by their words and actions what the thoughts of their hearts are viz. That they do not desire to have any acquaintance with God or his Word to know his minde and will that they may do it And thus are the things which belong unto their everlasting peace hid from their eies O most sad and deplorable condition what hope can there be of such an one Upon this account our Saviour here looketh upon Ierusalems estate as most forlorn and desperate She neither had nor would see what belonged to her peace So as through her wilful ignorance this was hid from her eies And therefore let her now make account of what followeth The daies shall come upon thee when thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee c. And even such is the condition of all wilful and obstinate sinners who shut out the light of Gods truth out of their hearts will not give way to the admonitions directions convictions of the Word and Spirit so as to be wrought upon by them to be changed and reformed in their hearts and lives let them make account that the like daies shall come upon them daies of blacknesse and darknesse daies of judgment and vengeance it may be temporal which they have just cause to fear continually hanging over their heads however eternal And O that now the terrour of the Lord might fall and take hold upon every one of you whose condition this is that being awakened you may be also perswaded to open your eies to set open the doors and windows of your souls to let in the Sun of righteousnesse to let in that heavenly light which shineth forth unto you that so the things which belong unto your peace your eternal peace and happinesse they may be no longer hid from your eies which if they still be through your obstinacie and wilfulnesse for other cause you can assign none then take heed lest that God whose patience you have abused and whose grace you have rejected do in his most righteous judgment seal up your eies passing an irrevocable sentence upon you that seeing you will not see therefore you shall not see but that these things be now from henceforth for ever hid from your eies And so I am fallen upon the second Particular the second ground and cause of this blindnesse in Ierusalem The things belonging to her peace were hid from her eies as through her own wilful obstinacie so also through Gods righteous judgment And thus they were hid not onely for the present but also for the future 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But now they are hid from thine eies That is from henceforth so as now thou shalt not see them and that through the righteous judgment of God hiding them from thee Thus it is Daies of Grace have their dates Mark it This is the Observation which this passage naturally yieldeth us Daies of Grace have their dates Times and seasons wherein the Grace and Mercie of GOD is offered and tendered to the Sons of men for their acceptance they are limited they have their terms and boundaries beyond which they shall not extend Hence is it that they are called by the name of Daies If thou hadst known in this thy day Now a Day is a determined time However there are Winter-daies and Summer-daies some shorter others longer yet each is limited and measured by the motion of the Sun And so are the Seasons of Grace which God vouchsafeth unto the Sons of men upon earth though some are longer then others yet all limited all determined by God What the Prophet Habakukâ—aith â—aith of Prophetical Vision Hab. 2. 3. The Vision is for an appointed time the same may be said of these gracious dispensations the offers and tenders of grace and mercie they are for an appointed time Daies of Grace have their dates their limits So have both National and Personal daies 1. National daies wherein God offers mercie to communities of men these are limited So it was we know with the old world concerning which we may hear God declaring his purpose Gen. 6. 3. My spirit shall not ever strive with man for that he also is flesh yet his dates shall be an hundred and twentie years A long time God had striven with the men of that generation He had so done and that both outwardly and inwardly Outwardly as by his Works so by his Word which was preached to them by Noah whom Saint Peter calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Preacher or publisher of Righteousnesse of the righteous judgments of God in case they should not repent to which in the name of God he perswaded them By him it was that Christ went and preached to the spirits in prison as the same Apostle hath it 1 Pet. 3. 19. This he did by the Ministerie of Noah or some others who were inspired by him In and by them he preached to the men of that generation who were then alive but at this time when Peter wrote that Epistle dead and their spirits their souls many of them in the prison of Hell And besides this Outward striving by his Word he did also strive with them Inwardly by the inward motions and operations of his Spirit pressing and urging their consciences to Reformation and Repentance Thus he had striven with them and that long but he will not ever so do My Spirit shall not ever strive with Man And thereupon hee limits them a time for their Repentance The daies of Man shall be an hundred and twentie years Not that the time of man's life should not afterwards exceed that number of years for we finde diverse after the Flood living much longer but so long should their day of grace and mercie last So long a time out of his gracious indulgence God would yet allow to that generation to bethink themselvs to reform their hearts and lives in which if once past and not improved for the end to which it was allotted them then they must look for no more mercie but a deluge of vengeance should sweep them off from the face of the earth To this I might subjoin that of Nineveh which had her fortie daies and no more allowed unto her for the same end Fortie daies and Nineveh shall be destroied Ion. 3. 4. viz. except within that time they repented which condition God reserved to himself Thus there is a time appointed and determined by God which though he do not declare to others yet he hath set down with himself how long hee will strive with a Nation a people how long he will wait for their Repentance which time being past then the date of mercie is out So it was with Ierusalem here she had had her Day a day of grace and that a long day wherein
find me ver 28. 29. A just retaliation and requital that whilest men shall let Iesus Christ stand at the doores of their hartes and knock as he tells the Church of Laodicea that he did Rev. 3. 20 and yet not let him in that he should shut the door against them so as though they knock yet they shall finde no audience no enterance Obj. 1. But is not this directly contrary to the promise which our Saviour maketh Mat. 7. 7 8 Where incouraging his Disciples to Pray he bids them Aske and it shall be given you seek and you shall finde knock and it shall be opended unto you For every one that asketh receiveth and to him that knocketh it shall be opened A. 1. For Answer to this Take we notice 1 Who they are to whom our Saviour here speaketh viz. to his Disciples such as had received him and believed on him Now such indeed have the promise of audience and acceptance at all times Being favorites of heaven they have alwaies free enterance to the Throne of grace so as they may come thither at all times with confidence and boldness as the Appostle exhorts them to do Heb. 4. last This being a privilege purchased for them by the blood of Christ as the same Apostle sheweth Heb. 10. 19. But not so others Not so rebellious and obstinate sinners What have they to do to take the name of God into their mouthes by invocating of him seeing they are such as hate to be reformed What have they to do to presse upon the throne of grace who are despisers of it and enemies to it A. But Secondly this Promise must be looked upon not as Absolute but as Conditional admitting of many restrictions and limitations Among other of time They who would seek God so as he may be found they must seek him timely whilest he may be found So the Prophet Isaiah directs the Iewes Seek ye the Lord whilest he may be found Isai. 55. 6. with which agrees that of the Psalmist Psalm 32. 6. For this shall every one pray unto thee in a time when thou maiest be found Tempore inveniendi in a time of Finding Clearly intimating that there may be a time wherein God though he be sought yet will not be found This is that he tells the Iews Isai. 1. 15. When ye spread forth your hands I will hide mine eyes from you and when ye make many prayers I will not hear Not hear them when they pray no nor yet hear others praying for them So the Lord telleth his Prophet Ieremiah upon that account willing him to surcease his intercession on their behalfe Therefore pray not for this people neither lift up crie nor praier for them neither make intercession to me for I will not hear thee Jer. 7. 16. And elsewhere he tells the Prophet Ezekiel concerning that Land Though these three men Noah Daniel and Iob were in it they should deliver but their own souls Ezek. 14. 14 20. So irrevocable is the sentence which God somtimes passeth upon obstinate and rebellious sinners such as have despised his grace and mercie that all means used for the procuring and gaining his favour towards them shall be ineffectual and to no purpose Replic True it may be said so long as they continue in their sins they can expect no other but repenting and forsaking them there is mercie to be found So it there followeth in that of Isaiah 55. 7. Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts and let him return unto the Lord and he will have mercie upon him and to oâ—r God for he will abundantly pardon And the Lord giveth all sinners to know so much by his prophet Ezekiel Chap. 18. 21. 33. 14. which Texâ—s for substance though not in expresse tearms speak what the former of them was cited for in our late publick Lyturgie that At what time soever a sinner repenteth him of his sin God will put away all his iniquities out of his rememberance A. True plentie of such promises wee meet withall assuring mercie to repenting sinners but where is that promise that assures unto them Repentance when they will Qui promisit poenitenti veniam non promisit peccanti poenitentiam He that hath promised pardon to the sinner whensoever he repenteth hath not promised to give him grace to repent whensoever he will Saint Paul speaking of the Repentance of men ill affected to the truthes and Ministers of Christ he puts in a Peradventure about it 2 Tim. 2. 25. If God peradventure will give them repentance This is God's gift and being so it dependeth not upon Man's will but His Will And elsewhere hee tells us of an heart that cannot repent So our former Translation not amisse renders that Text Rom. 2. 5. where the Apostle speaking of and to such as despise the riches of Gods goodnesse not knowing that it should lead them to repentance he saith that After their hardnesse and impenitent heart they treasure to themselvs wrath against the day of wrath c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Cor resipiscere nesciens as Beza translateth it A heart that knoweth not how to repent knoweth not how to go about this work And elsewhere we read of some upon whom this doom is passed That it is impossible for them to be renued again unto repentance Heb. 6. 6. Such is the case of desperate and malicious Apostates whom God in his just judgment giveth up unto impenitent hearts that they cannot at least shall not repent Thus doth God in his just and righteous judgment as I said somtimes with-hold his grace from those that have sleighted and rejected it when it was offered Thenceforth hiding from their eies the things that belong unto their peace That he doth this and why he doth it you have seen Q. But how doth he do it A. Here I shall not dare to attempt to follow God too close in tracing of those paths of his which Saint Paul calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 viae impervestigabiles Rom. 11. 33. How unsearchable are his judgments and his waies past finding out â—y the former Iudgments as Grotius distinguisheth them understanding the Decrees of God by the latter the waies and means which he useth in the executing and bringing those decrees into act Both are to humane understanding inscrutable and untraceable fitter to bee admired and adored then curiously pried into Yet where God is pleased to hold forth a light unto us wee may safely follow him though it bee a far off And so shall I at the present in opening this great mysterie to you shewing you onely what is revealed and so may safely be asserted concerning it God hideth from the eies of men the things belonging to their peace 1. By taking away the light withdrawing and with-holding the meanes of grace from them This is one thing which the Lord threatneth against this unfruitfull Vineyard
it Be thankful for and walk worthy of publick mercies Private mercies Second Aggravation from the time The word Day explained Ierusalems Day what the time of special grace At least what it here importeth Obs. Not to take notice of the seasons of grace a sad thing Especially when more cleaâ—ly held forth Applic. Use 1. A just Exprobation to many Use 2. All exhorted to know what belongeth to their happiness in their day Temporall happiness of the Nation What belongeth thereunto Seek peace it self Civil peace Eclesiastical peace Embrace the Gospel of Peace Use 3. Spiritual and Eternal Peace to bee sought above all and that whilest the Day of Grace lasteth Motives The time of mans life and Ggds grace but a day Our Day But one day Particular days in the general day Jerusalemâ— doom Vide Gerhardi Harmon ad loc Judgment hidden from Jerusalemseies Things belonging to Jerusalems happinesse hid from her eies And that both for the present and future The grouÌ„d thereof double Their own wilfulness Obs. Wilful ignorance asad and sinfull thing R. Being a contempt against God To close the eyes against Gospel-light ahigh contempt Applica Too many among our selves guilty hereof A thing to be lamented by others Much more by themselves 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rugiit proprie Leonum Bux torf Instruction and reproof not to be slighted The desperate contion of obstinate sinners An alarum to such The second cause of Jerusalems blindness Gods righteous judgment Obs. Days of grace have their dates Nationall days Personall days The generall day the time of this life Particular days The door of mercy sometimes shut in this life R. The contempt of grace hereby vindicated Obj. I. The promise of opening to them that knock cleared Answ. 1. This promise made to believers Answ. 2. God must be sought in due time Replic Repentance at all times findes mercie Answ. Repentance not promised to men at all times Quest. Answ. 1. How God hideth from men the things belonging to their peace Answ. 1. By with-drawing the light Means of grace with-drawn from Jerusalem With-holding the Spirit Blinding the eye and hardning the heart Sending false teachers Strong delusions Applic. Application to the Nation in general Her sad prognosticks paralelled with Jerusalems Not seeing what belonged to peace in his day Disaffection to the persons and Calling of Ministers a sad prognostick Gods withdrawing the lâ—ght by putting out the Candles Many places destitute of true Gospel Ministers The Spirit with drawen from the means The eyes of many blinded Judgments not profited by What to be done for this Nation Mourn over it Take away the Action by feeling a National Reformation God not willing to cast off a people in Covenant Application in particular Vse 1. Terrour to obstinate and obdurate sinners Whether Gods decrees be so absolute as not to be reversed Gods dealing not alike with all Sometimes he is said to Repent But not alwaies whereupon mans repentance God will alwaies repent Repentance not in mans power Vse 2 Take heed of receiving the grace of God in vaine by hardning the heart against it Offers of grace to be presently accepted Nâ—mo laâ— Diivos habut faventes Crastini m ut possit sibi polliâ—â—â— senec Some called at the eleventh hour Such as had not been called before The day of grace and life how said to be of equal extent how not The doubtful supposal of a despairing sinner answered and satisfied Gods revealed will the onely Rule to walk by The motions of the Spirit to be intertained Where Christ is received the day of grace is not past Vse Blesse God for his differencing mercy Faith an assurance of Vision