Chariot The first is made in the forme of a Chariot wherein we haue Christ riding to Hierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as he drew neere 2. Watch-tower The second is made in the forme of a Watch-tower wherein we haue Christ viewing Hierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he beheld the Citie 3. Solitary Closet The third is made in the forme of a Solitarie closet hung round with mourning wherein we haue Christ lamenting for Hierusalem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he wept ouer it Or to Natures twins Further they may bee compared to Natures twinnes Twinnes being borne together Natures twins because they produce each other his weeping is produced by his beholding his beholding is produced by his comming For had he not drawne neere he neither could haue beheld nor wept as man but drawing neere he doth both For his comming begets a beholding and his beholding their miserable fashion inforceth abundant teares of compassion to distill from his heauenly eies therefore as Pilate said in another case Iohn 19.5 Ecce homo behold the man so I in this place vse the same words Ecce homo behold the man A man nay more then a man For for an Obiect at this time behold the true naturall deare and eternall Sonne of God Iesus Christ himselfe in the nature of man and behold him in his three-fold Tabernacle First behold him in his Appropinquation Secondly behold him in his deepe Contemplation Thirdly behold him in his great Compassion which three may inforce attention with your eares Meditation in your hearts It hath beene an ancient saying or the saying of the Ancients that there are three things which will moue attention to wit the Author if he be famous the matter if it be of consequence the manner if it bee compendious all which three doe meet and concurre in this my Text. For the first the Author of these words is more famous than all men being as he is indeed the very Sonne of God secondly for the matter it is of great yea exceeding great consequence for it sets out to vs the feruent loue the Lord beares to miserable men thirdly for the manner it is very compendious for in ten words the fountaine of Mercy is described in mourning for the losse of preseruation and the gulfe of misery is vnfolded by way of Implication Therefore as Iesus said to the Iewes concerning Iohn Math. 11.7 What went yee out into the wildernesse to see A reed shaken with the wind As if he had said Surely you would neuer haue taken such paines or aduentured your selues into such a desart but in hope to haue seene some strange sight great wonder or rare matter So I say to you What came you hither to see or rather to heare why haue you left your owne houses to present your selues in this publique place of meeting but onely in hope to heare some rare thing new matter or strange newes Then lend me your attention if any thing be worthy your hearing then this is for here you haue Christ Iesus the Sonne of God making his last iourney to Hierusalem his first progresse and his first progresse his last Visitation not substituting others but performing it himselfe whilest he was able in his owne person and the entrance into this his Visitation is with great sorrow For when hee drew neere he beheld the Citie and wept Now let vs proceed according as our Text is branched out vnto vs in our diuision and in the handling thereof let mee intreat you not to runne before me in your quicke conceits nor to wrong your selues in your earnest expectations for if you looke for strange things from these words or contentable matter from this Text you may bee deceiued as Iacob was who whilest he dreamt of beautifull Rachel Gal. 1.10 found nothing but a bleare eied Leah If I study to please man I am not the seruant of Christ Censure mee not for what I say yet if you doe I weigh it not for as I desire not to bee applauded by men I lesse deeme to be iudged of men yet to purge the minde from secret censures and the heart from misconceiuing thoughts let mee request you to goe faire and easily along with me till we arriue at our hoped hauen I meane the end of our discourse at this time then if any thing bee so happy as to fill the soule with comfort ascribe the honor to God who hath inabled me If any thing bee so vnhappy as to distaste the spirituall pardon mee and thinke my time of preparation but small to prouide my selfe fitting with such short warning for so iudicious an Auditory Thus then as God shall assist me time and strength permit me and your Christian patience suffer me I doe begin and first of his Appropinquation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And as he drew neere In the first part or Tabernacle Christs Appropinquation where 1. Absentia 2. Praesentia 3. Diligentia This first Tabernacle hath three roomes or the first body that proceeds from our root hath three branches Absentia Praesentia Diligentia Absence is implied presence is desired diligence described First his Appropinquation implies his absence for how can it be said he drew neere the Citie vnlesse he were first absent from the Citie but he was at this time absent from the Citie therefore it is said he drew neere vnto the Citie from which implication wee note That the greatest gloriousest 1. Doctrine and famousest place in the world may be destitute of the presence of Christ All this was Hierusalem yet Christ is absent from it First it was great in regard of the largenesse of the situation and popularitie of people secondly it was glorious in regard of the sumptuous buildings and great riches thirdly it was famous in regard of the ancient monuments and many victories which the Lord blessed them withall aboue any other Nation yet was not Christ present with them I need not instance for example ancient Rome beautifull Paris famous Constantinople with the residue of the great Cities in the world because I will iudge of none yet this I am sure of how that the greatest places may be destitute of Christs presence for the presence of Christ is not tied to any place for the greatnesse of it but for the goodnesse of it he cannot partake with Iniquitie neither shall the euill doer enioy his presence For as light and darknesse life and death fire and water cannot agree together no more can the presence of Christ with a wicked generation Obiect God is omni-present in all places at all times with all persons therefore no place nor person can be destitute of the presence of Christ Resp It is true the Lord filleth heauen and earth and the Propheticall Dauid doth acknowledge as much Ier. 1.23 24. Psal 139.7 how that a man can flie into no place where the Lord is not present But for the cleering of the point we must
Inheritance for euer Psal 30.5 103.9 His wrath endures but a moment but in his fauour is euerlasting life Heauinesse may endure for a night but ioy commeth in the morning The Clouds of our sinnes shall not alwaies shadow the loue of our Sauiour but as the Sunne at length shall breake forth to our endlesse comfort These Iewes though they were stubborne and rebellious hardning their hearts increasing their hatred against Christ yet will hee not quite leaue and forsake them but once more resolues to draw neere vnto them and herein hath he expressed his wonderfull loue by which hee would faine ouercome our ingratitude in that he refuses not to draw neere to miserable sinners Men willingly draw not neere for good to 1. Strangers 2. Poore and miserable 3. Professed enemies There bee three sorts of men in the world which we would bee loth to draw neere vnto for good the first are strangers the second are poore and miserable the third are professed enemies As for strangers we would not come neere vnto them for poore and miserable we scorne to come neere vnto them for professed enemies Iewes all these notwithstanding Christ drawes neere to them we dare not come neere vnto them All these were the Iewes to Iesus yet hee drawes neere vnto them First they were strangers and that in Grace and Goodnesse yet Christ will come vnto them Secondly they were poore and miserable and that in regard of their sinnes yet Christ could not be kept from them Thirdly they were professed nay protested enemies for surely in their hearts they had vowed to kill him else would they not haue spread so many nets to take him yet hee striues to saue them in drawing neere vnto them Hath he dealt thus alone with them To the Gentiles to vs and our Land though like in condition to the Iewes though for a while he hid his face vtterly refusing all other people or was his affection so set vpon the Iewes that the Gentiles could not taste the sweetnesse of his loue Oh no! For as he dealt with them so likewise with vs and our land I must confesse how once hee hid his face from vs shewing himselfe so sterne and wrathfull as though he neuer would be intreated by vs. For in Queene Maries daies the bloudy banner of persecution was displaied and the fearefull drum of terrible threatning Fire and Fagot was strucke vp the shrill Trumpet of mournefull lamentation was heard in euery corner Rachel weeping for her children Matth. 2.18 and would not bee comforted The pale grim Sergeant Death was met in euery street who neither spared nor pittied young nor old man nor woman rich nor poore infant nor suckling but arrested all that would be godly yet soone had that night an end and the louing countenance of the Lord our God like vnto the morning Sunne did most comfortably arise vpon our land in the beginning of Queene Elizabeths reigne of famous memory and euer since hee hath drawne neerer and neerer vnto this present day In so much as I may truly say and I hope say nothing but the truth that he is now approched so neere in the Chariot of his loue and mercy as he neuer was neerer to any Nation from the beginning to this day For he is now arriued at the palace of our soules he is alreadie come to the gates of our affections Reuel 3.20 and now stands knocking at the doore of our hearts with the hammer of his sacred word and so Lord Iesus continue still till thou hast got a full possession of our bodies and soules The seuerall waies that God drawes neere a Nation are many for he comes not to his people alwaies after one sort though still to one end he is like a skilfull Musician that sings new songs with diuersitie of Moddes and variety of Notes God drawes â—eeâ— a Nation by 1. His Word Sacraments yet all to one end namely for the good of his owne people The first way that he drawes neere to any Nation is most commonly by his Word and Sacraments for he is that Son of man which walketh in the midst of the seuen golden Candlesticks Reu. 1.13 Ap. 22.16 and Ap. 1.16 that is in the midst of his seuen Churches He is that bright morning star that holds the seuen starres in his right hand who although they shine yet receiue they their light from him his Word is himselfe and he is his Word therefore where his Word is truly preached his Sacraments constantly administred both carefully receiued and conscionably practised there is Christ present 2. For his mercies Secondly he drawes neere in bestowing great mercies as when he giues vs gracious Princes zealous Magistrates painfull Ministers religious people a flourishing commonwealth al which we haue had do enioy the Lord continue theÌ„ for euer amongst vs. 3. By afflictions Thirdly he drawes neere when he sends afflictions either inward or outward vpon body or minde for affliction is the rod which hee euer holds in his hand to correct his children withall needs therefore must he come very neere when he laies this rod vpon the bodies of his people 4. By deliuerances Fourthly he drawes neere when he deliuers from any imminent danger as when he saues vs from fire water sword wilde beasts or strong enemies thus he drew neere the three children Dan. 3.17 when he saued them from the fire Exod. 14. vlt. the Israelites when he saued them froÌ„ the water Daniel when he kept him from the lions Dauid when he hid him from Saul Esay 43.1 2 5. this the Lord confesseth by the mouth of his holy Prophet saying When thou passest thorow the waters I will be with thee and thorow the flouds that they doe not ouerflow thee when thou walkest thorow the very fire thou shalt not be burnt neither shall the flame kindle vpon thee From whence wee plainly see that the Lord drawes neere his Church when he deliuers them from great dangers Fifthly the Lord drawes neere by signes and tokens either in the aire or in the earth or in the water 5. By extraordinary signes in the elements and creatures Mark 13.29 6 By the motions of his Spirit For when ye see these things come to passe saith Christ then know that the sonne of man is at hand Sixthly the Lord drawes neere by the motions of his holy Spirit as when he inflames a land city family or priuate person with godly desires with heauenly Meditations with comforts consolations in their soules If the iron rise of it selfe we may be sure the Load-stone is not far off so if our minds which are more heauier than lead be eleuated and lifted vp towards heauen our hearts which by nature delighteth in nothing but euil doe now begin to thirst after godlinesse we may be sure Christ is not far from vs. Seuenthly and lastly 7. By death the Lord
any fruit but true fruit Vers 5. for there was wilde Grapes good store yet they could not content the Lord nor with-hold him from destroying this his vineyard In the Booke of the Canticles the Lord is said to goe downe into the garden of Nuts Cant. 6.11 to see the fruits of the Valley and to see whether the Vine flourished and the Pomegranats budded For most certaine it is that where the Lord hath bestowed many blessings he expects much fruit and benefit This Christ also told these Iewes in many parables which are to bee seene to this day shall be in his Church to the end of the world As first in the parable of a certaine housholder which planted a vineyard Mat. 21.33 34. and built all things necessary thereunto then let it out to husbandmen and went himselfe into a farre Country but when the time of fruit drew neere he sent his seruants to the husband-men that they might receiue the fruits of it Secondly by the parable of the talents Matth. 25.14 15 16 c. for from him that had fiue talents the owner expected ten from him that had two foure and from him that had one two but from all some according to the measure they had receiued and if any failed as one did he was sure to be punished most seuerely for it Luke 13.6 Thirdly by the parable of the Fig-tree which was planted by a certaine man who afterward came and sought for fruit and that not any fruit but doubtlesse such fruit as for qualitie and quantitie might be answerable to the labour and cost that he had bestowed vpon it And no maruell for nature teacheth this to expect much where they bestow much The Vsurer lookes for ten from the hundred and a hundred from the thousand if not more not alike from both but where is the greatest summe there hee expects the greatest vse The Merchant lookes for gaine from ventring a little but for more if he venter much The Husbandman plowes and sowes his ground afterward expects a fruitfull haruest The Gardiner dungs and prunes his trees that thereby they may be the fruitfuller and with plentie requite his paines In a word euery one in their seuerall labours lookes that their cost and paines should bring forth profit and that answerable for little something for much plentie but for all benefit This the Lord speakes by the mouth of his holy Apostle 1. Cor. 9.7 saying Who planteth a Vineyard and eateth not of the fruit thereof Or who feedeth a flocke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke This he propounds as a question to the Corinths by the mouth of his Apostle Who doth these and these things spending their money time and strength of body but in hope to reape profit and to taste of the sweetnesse of their labour q.d. Shew me but an example of one man that is so void of iudgement and destitute of vnderstanding that can be contented to trauell and take paines wearying his body spending his time wasting his substance yet to looke for no gaine in the end then will I be willing to depart with the losse but if you cannot shew me one man so ignorant or foolish thinke then it is no crueltie in me to expect not onely my owne but my owne with aduantage Matth. 25.27 The earth was not created for it selfe nor any other vnreasonable creature for his owne vse but all for the good and benefit of man the Sunne to light him the Clouds to distill her dew vpon him the Fire to warme him the Water to wash him the Fish of the Sea the Fowles of the Aire and the Beasts of the field to nourish and refresh him and all other creatures to be seruiceable vnto him And was he created for no vse but like the Hogge to deuoure all the Maste and neuer to looke to the tree from whence it came Surely no for as all things was created for the vse and seruice of man so man was created for the vse and seruice of God not to liue as we list like masterlesse curres that haue no owner but to vse our talent to our masters profit and to spend our time and strength to honour and glorifie our God Neither is it the end of our creation alone but also of our election For yee haue not chosen me saith Christ Ioh. 15.16 but I haue chosen you and ordained you that you should goe and bring forth fruit and that your fruit should remaine for euery branch in me that beareth not fruit Vers 2. he taketh away Neither is it the end of our creation and election alone but also of Gods glory for our light must so shine before men that they may see our good works and glorifie our Father which is in heauen This then serues in the first place as a rod to scourge two sorts of men and women withall first those that receiue much and returne nothing secondly those that receiue much but returning nothing worthy of what they haue receiued First we haue a world of people that receiue Gods blessings both temporall and spirituall yet returne nothing at all and they are either such as know not God or such as know God but forget both him and his gifts First they are such as know not God and they are all those that ascribe whatsoeuer they doe enioy to sate and fortune For many a man if he be preserued from theeues in his iourney and brought safe to his habitation againe or if he be restored from a dangerous sicknesse to his former health presently ascribes it vnto destiny concluding with himselfe thus It was my fortune to escape at this time from the hands of Robbers or from my cruell sicknesse which brought me wonderfull low for had it not beene my fortune it had beene impossible to haue escap't those dangers that I was in or by good fortune such a man died and left me all his goods or I got so much by such a venter beyond Seas Thus we returne all to fate and fortune but nothing to the Lord who hath bestowed all and lookes for all and the reason is because we know him not or at the leastwise know him not to be such a God as is the giuer of all things Psal 14.1 for the foole hath said in his heart there is no God Secondly they are such as forget God and in forgetting him forget that euer they receiued any thing from him therefore cannot returne any thing vnto him If a man haue a friend which bestowes a great gift he is thankfull so long as he remembers both gift and giuer but if he forget either it is impossible hee should returne any thing worthy of what he hath receiued Iudas had great fauour shewed him when the Lord passed by many and chose him to be an Apostle but this he soone forgot which made him turne Traitor to his Lord. So these men though they cannot but acknowledge
pray with Saint Augustine Domine da quod iubes August iube quod vis id est Lord giue vs abilitie to returne vnto thee and then command vs to returne or inable vs to doe what thou commandest then command what thou wilt Secondly if Christ weepe for our sinnes Seeing Christ weeps for ours wee should weepe for our owne we are taught to weepe for our owne Wee must not be like stockes and stones that haue no sense nor feeling of our owne miserie neither must wee be like men dead since wee make a shew of life for if Christ weepe for vs wee haue much more cause to weepe for our selues It may be the worldling thinkes hee need not weepe because Christ wept not for himselfe but for vs For saith the carelesse Carnalist If his bloud be sufficient for my soule without mine why not his teares for my sinnes without mine Thus to a desolute liuer the teares of Christ are like Mercuries still-pipe Mercuries still-pipe which plaied Argus his hundred eies asleepe at once But let me tell thee O thou traytour to thy owne soule though Christs bloud be sufficient without thine yet not his teares without thine For when he shed his bloud it was to redeeme thee from sinne but when he sheds his teares Our sins cost Christ both teares bloud therefore we must at least shed teares for them it is in seeing thee runne so fast to sinne therefore as it cost him both bloud and teares to come to thee so it must cost thee at the least many a shower of teares before thou canst come to him Hee sailed thorow the Sea of bloud to saue thy soule thou must saile thorow the Sea of teares to win his fauour If thou refuse to lanch forth into the Sea of Contrition in this world thou shalt be drowned in the Ocean of perdition in the world to come therefore to purge thy heart to free thy soule to winne Christs fauour be not backward to weepe but power forth teares with Dauid Psal 6. Ion. 3.6 Gen. 17. Esay 38.14 Iob 3.24 1 Sam. 1. Ioâ—l 2.13 Matth. 26.75 Luke 7.38 Act. 2.37 16 30. apparell thy selfe in sackcloth with Niniuy humble thy selfe to the ground with Abraham mourne like a Doue with Ezechia rore out thy griefe with Iob powre forth thy soule with Hanna rent thy heart with the penitent lament thy sinnes with Peter let sorrow bee thy feast with Mary and cry out with the Iewes and Iaylor Men and brethren what shall we doe to be saued It may be thou thinkes thou doest sorrow but delude not thy soule for euery groane and sigh and crying Lord haue mercy vpon me is no true sorrow but grant it be yet where are the teares Christ did not sigh Christ did not stay in sighing groning praying but also shed both teares bloud groane and pray for thee then resting himselfe contented as if he had done sufficient but as a man neuer satisfied in affection was not contented till he had shed teares from his eies nay bloud from his heart for the sinnes of thy body and soule therefore if thou thus truly sorrow Teares griefes chiefe testimonie shew mee thy teares for teares are griefes chiefe testimonies the sorrow of the minde will soone bewray it selfe by the countenance of the man Seneca Neither pleasure nor profit nor any thing in the world should hinder teares if thou canst not weepe then thou hast most reason to weepe for there is no greater cause of sorrow ministred then where teares are abolished Doth the worlds pleasure or profit stop or hinder thee from penitentiall teares Then call to minde Salomon and Christ Eccle. 1.2 Salomon who enioyed many things yet said of all things in this world Vanitas vanitatum omnia vanitas Vanity of vanity all is but vanity Christ who enioyed no thing of this worlds good yet said Matth. 16.26 What shal it profit a man to win the whole world and lose his owne soule Let not therefore the world nor any thing in the world withdraw thee from weeping for sinne but rather lament the more for the more thou weepest here the more thou shalt reioyce hereafter Peter wheÌ„ he came to Christ leapt into a Sea of waters but when he went from Christ leapt into a Sea of teares our sins deserue as much for a whole ocean of teares will hardly rince our soules Dauid though a man after Gods own heart yet complaineth that he was like a Pellican in the wildernesse whose nature is euer to haue teares trickling downe her bill For teares were his meat day and night Psal 6.6 yea he washed his bed and watred his couch nay made it to swim with the teares of his complaint Iosiah though he were a powerfull Prince ouer a great people yet his heart melted like wax and his eies weept bitterly 2 King 22.19 when he heard the words of the Law Looke vpon Iob that was the Mirror of patience yet vpon the dunghil he sits weeping night day crying out most pittiously My sighings come before I eat Ioh 3.24 and my rorings are powred out like water Looke vpon holy Ieremy you shall finde his eies casting forth riuers of teares Lam. 3.48 Looke vpon Iona Iona. 2.2 you shall finde him weeping at the bottome of the sea and in the belly of hell Looke vpon Mary Magdalen you shall finde her weeping Luke 7.38 and that in such excessiue manner that shee is able with teares to bathe the feet of Christ In a word view but any one of the Children of God and tell me whether you finde them backward in weeping for sinne None come to heauen with dry eies at least not hauing a sorrow for not weeping Reu. 21.4 yea or no Can we finde none that euer came to heauen with dry eies and shall wee thinke to come to heauen with a merry countenance Surely no for Christ is said in the Reuelation to wipe away all teares from his childrens eies But how can he wipe them away from those that neuer either did or sorrowed that they could not shed any Awake therefore O thou sinner weepe and howle for the sinnes thou hast committed against God against man and against thine owne soules conscience lest judgement ouertake thee and there be none to helpe thee Psal 50.22 but away thou must to the graue before thou hast repented Once there was a certaine King that neuer was seene to laugh or smile In all places amongst all persons at all times hee was very pensiue and sad His Queene being much grieued thereat came to his Brother requesting him to aske of the King what was the cause of his continuall sadnesse No sooner had this Noble man fulfilled this Princesse desire but the King his Brother replied I will tell thee next day so he departed for that time When the King perceiued he was gone he went presently and caused