such abūdance as he caused his bed to swim Psal 6.6 and watered his couch with his teares In both which places though there be an Hyperbolicall excesse of speech for it is not possible for men to fill buckets with teares Cura dolorque animi lacrymaeque alimenta fuere Ouid meta li. 10. nor to cause themselues to swimme in their beds yet it signifieth that there was an exceeding great measure of griefe Againe he saith that his teares were his meate Psal 42.3 Luk. 7.38 Ioel. 2.12 day and night And Mary as before was noted shed such plenty of teares as shee washed our Sauiours feete with them Let vs then I beseech you Weepe for your selues and for your children Luk. 23.28 A good saying of a prophane mouth Ille dolet verè qui sine teste dolet Martialis lib 1. Epigra 34. turne vnto the Lord with fasting and with weeping and with mourning both for the sinnes of others and for our owne sinnes O that I could obtaine thus much of you or rather of God for you that you would weepe for your sinnes though not at this time and in this place yet when you are at home and by your selues when ye consider of this ye haue heard this day that so God may regard your teares put them into his bottle and auert the iudgements which our sinnes haue iustly deserued We haue heard how our Lord Iesus wept ouer Ierusalem now let vs consider what Ierusalem did Ierusalem was secure she reioyced she was merry she feared no danger therefore her destruction came suddenly vpon her and she could not auoide it This was the state of the first age they ate they dranke they bought they sould they married and were giuen in marriage and sodainely the floud came and swept them all away This was the state of Pharaoh and his Hoast This was the state of the Sodomites they feared no danger and suddenly were consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen This was the state of Babilon Isa 47.7 who said I shall be a Lady for euer therefore she gaue her selfe to pleasure and dwelt carelesse she said I am and none else I shall not sit as a widow neither shall know the losse of children 8. But what said the Lord now heare 9. these two things shall come to thee suddenly in one day the losse of children and widowhood they shall come vpon thee in their perfection for the multitude of thy diuinations and for the great abundance of thy Inchanters Saint Iohn likewise Reuel 18.7.8 Luk. 12.19.20 in the Reuelation prophesied in like manner of her This was the state of the rich man in the Gospell who promised to himselfe many dayes Of the rich Glutton Luk. 18. and yet the same night his soule was fetcht away This was the errour of Dauid who said in his prosperity he should neuer be remoued but he retracted it finding the contrary Now here we haue a true discription of the world and of the times wherein we liue we haue inioyed such a long peace as neither our Fathers nor our forefathers euer knew we haue had so long prosperitie we haue had so great plenty of all things but aboue all these we haue had the Gospell and word of God so plentifully and so sincerely preached among vs as scarce hath beene seene in any age heretofore Now these Halcion daies this long peace this great prosperitie makes men secure they thinke this will euer hold they feare no alteration they thinke they stand immoueable this was the state of former times and they smarted for their securitie and vaine confidence let vs then take heede and be wise Omnium rerum est vicissitudo let vs remember the change of all things is sudden if God enter into iudgement with vs if he hide his face from vs we shall be changed and our prosperitie may be turned into aduersity our ioy into mourning Mat. 24.37.38 Our Lord Iesus foretould the securitie of the world before his comming that it should be as it was in the time of Noah And Saint Paul saith When they shall say peace Thes 5.13 and safetie then shall suddow destruction come vpon them as the trauaile vpon a woman and they shall not escape Let vs not then flatter our selues with these goodly daies but let vs feare an alteration let vs like good Seruants be alwaies ready with our accompt in our hands and like wise Virgins with oyle in our Lampes that no sudden change may ouertake vs nor any aduersitie dismay vs but that we may say in any aduerse hap that may befall vs as Iob said that is come vpon me that I was affraid of Amen Saying O if thou hadst knowne at the least in this thy day those things which belong vnto thy peace IN these words our Sauiour Christ doth complaine and vpbraide the blindenesse of Ierusalem His words are passionate therefore abrupt for we know in whom earnest affections meete being surprised with griefe they cannot vtter their whole minde but breake off abruptly Christ then doth not onely complaine and pitty the destruction of Ierusalem but doth also vpbraide this ingratefull people their great wickednesse in reiecting saluation offered and drawing wittingly the heauie iudgement of God vpon them For it is very like that this thought did disquiet the minde of our Lord Iesus Behold O daughter Sion and Ierusalem I come vnto thee thy King and thy Sauiour as the Prophet promised thee but poore and humble therefore thou despisest me from whose hand thou mightest receiue righteousnesse euerlasting life I would thou hadst knowne those things which belong vnto thy peace and wert not blinde in thine owne euill and in this thy day wherein so many and such admirable things doe call thee to the knowledge of these things For now thou hast mee preaching vnto thee the kingdome of heauen the day of saluation and visitation is risen vpon thee which thou oughtest to know by my doctrine and miracles wrought before thy eyes in the middest of thee But O thrise and foure times vnhappy these things are hid from thee thou doest maliciously blinde thy selfe that thou mightest not see them therefore thou doest rage and art mad against me and seekest my bloud whom with an earnest affection thou shouldest receiue and embrace as thy Sauiour By this then it appeareth that our Lord Iesus complaineth against the blindnesse stubbornenesse and ingratitude of Ierusalem that by no admonitions no benefits nay not with teares she would not be mollified nor warned to auoide her future calamities Simile For euen as a good Father labouring to draw a stubborne and disobedient Sonne to grace and goodnesse by all good meanes but doth not preuaile hath the greater cause to complaine euen so our Lord Iesus had great cause to complaine against Ierusalem not considering the grace that was offered vnto her And this affection of so great mercy which we see was in
wee behold the common Swearer breaking forth into outragious oathes When we see some prophane the holy Sabaoth of the Lord When we looke vpon the common Drunkard or vpon any other notorious sinner committing sinne with a high hand and acting it with greedinesse making no conscience of sinning let vs be moued with compassion towards them that know not what they doe they little thinke of the iudgements that hang ouer their heads if they repent not Now as the beholding of a man in some sharpe fit of sicknesse or the looking vpon some grieuous sore or festered wound extreamely payning the patient doth draw compassion from vs euen so should wee be moued to pittie the miserable estate of grieuous sinners who are sicke and wounded with sinne and yet doe not feele it And if we should and ought to be moued with compassion towards the obstinate for their great miseries that shall befall them how much more ought we to pittie the godly in their distresses crosses and afflictions Dilige iure bonos miseresce malis Boetius whereof we are many times eye-witnesses Here then the Stoikes and all that are without naturall affection are to be reproued Colos 3.12 Rom. 12.15 They that are Gods elect haue put vpon them the bowels of mercy they weepe with them that weepe they remember them that are in bonds Heb. 13.3 Pro. 12.10 as if they were bound with them and them that are in affliction as if they were afflicted in the body But the wicked haue cruell hearts they giue themselues to case and pleasure as Amos teacheth Amos 6.6 and remember not the affliction of Ioseph And wept AS our Lord Iesus approached vnto Ierusalem so he beheld the Citie and beholding it he wept for it We reade that Christ wept thrise First when he raised vp Lazarus for when he came to the place where they had laid him Saint Iohn saith And he wept Ioh. 11.35 Secondly he wept ouer Ierusalem as here we reade Thirdly in his Passion as the Apostle saith which in the dayes of his flesh did offer vp Prayers and Supplications with strong cryings and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Christs loue and was also heard in that which he feared Heb. 5.7 The teares of Christ expresse the affection of his loue as doth a Father weeping ouer his disobedient and dissolute sonne for the miserie that he fore-seeth will come vpon him for his inordinate life He delighteth in mercie rather then in iudgement He delighteth not simply no not in the destruction of the wicked he would haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of his truth 1 Tim. 2.4 Ezek. 18.32 The vse He desireth not the death of a sinner If then Christ weepe for the misery and destruction of the wicked much more will his eares be open vnto the sighes and groanes to the Prayers and Supplications of his poore members who turne vnto him with true contrition and sorrow of heart and call vpon him with a liuely faith This should be remembred of vs that it may comfort and incourage vs to approach vnto the throne of his grace in time of necessitie that we may receiue mercy and finde grace Againe if the teares of Christ doe not moisten and mollifie our dry and hard hearts if they doe not moue vs and draw vs vnto Repentance he in the end will punish our obstinacie and hardnesse of heart and though we cry then hee will not regard our weeping because we despised his teares Let vs in the feare of God meditate on this godly motion that it may leade vs vnto true and speedy Repentance Doest thou not know that this loue of Christ should leade thee to repentance The teares of Christ also expresse vnto vs the dolour and griefe of Christ Christs dolor For being sent of his Father to gather the lost sheepe of the house of Israel and seeing their obstinacie and stubbornenesse despising his word reproaching his miracles and reiecting his grace he could not refraine from weeping he burst forth into teares This was the cause why he being touched with compassion shewed his loue and his griefe weeping for the imminent destruction of Ierusalem For when he considered that Ierusalem was ordained of God to be the holy seate in the which the couenant of euerlasting saluation should abide the sanctuary from whence saluation should come to the whole world it could not be but that he must needes greatly lament the destruction thereof when also he saw the people to perish miserably by their owne ingratitude and malice which was adopted to the hope of eternall life it is no maruell if he could not refraine from teares Now this affection in Christ was not counterfeit it was not fained farre be it from vs to admit any such thought but it was true Heb. 4.15 for we haue not an high Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities but he was in all things tempted in like sort as we yet without sinne wherefore in all things it became him to be made like vnto his brethren for he tooke the seede of Abraham that he might be mercifull and a faithfull high Priest in things concerning God that he might make reconciliation for the sinnes of the people for in that he suffered and was tempted Heb. 2.17.18 he is able to succour them that are tempted This affection then of true sorrow in Christ for Ierusalem is a notable testimony and a sure proofe of his humanitie and manhood and is sufficient to conuince and confute Marcion and other Heretiques denying that he was a true and naturall man And in this sorrow of our Lord Iesus Christ expressed by his weeping for Ierusalem we haue a true patterne of naturall affections weeping for Ierusalem a stubborne Citie a disobedient Citie an vnfaithfull Citie O should not this moue vs O should not this draw vs to compunction O should not this pull vp the sluces and floodgates of our eies giue them free passage to gush out with teares Our Lord Iesus wept and can our eyes be dry to heare it Quis talia fandoi temperet à lacrimis Virgill the Heathen Poet describing the lamentable destruction of Troy that was sacked by the Graecians after ten yeares Seege saith who speaking of these things can refraine from teares So say I who is it that readeth or heareth how our Lord Iesus wept and can passe away with dry eyes Now these teares of Christ did intimate that the sinnes of Ierusalem were greater and the calamities and punishments imminent and hanging ouer her head were more grieuous then Ierusalem did thinke or vnderstand for it is a great matter that good men speake with teares The sequell did verifie this in the destruction of Ierusalem Our Lord Iesus weepeth for the sinnes of Ierusalem and for the punishments and calamities that should come vpon her The vse 2 Pet. 2.7.8
This example teacheth vs to weepe for the sinnes of others Righteous Lot had his soule vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked Sodomites Isa 24.16 Isaiah crieth out My leanenesse my leanenesse woe is me the transgressours haue offended yea the transgressours haue grieuously offended He did so grieue at the transgressions of the people that he became exceeding leane withall as the doubling of the word importeth The Prophet Ieremie likewise is full of passion in this behalfe Ier. 4.19 sometimes he crieth out as if he were in great perplexitie My belly my belly I am pained euen at the very heart my heart is troubled within me I cannot be still Sometimes he wisheth that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that he might weepe day and night for the sinnes of the people and he told them that his soule should weepe in secret for their Pride Ier. 9.1 and his eyes should weepe and drop downe teares How did Samuel weepe for the sinnes of Saul Ier. 13.17 1 Sam. 16.2 Psal 119.139 And Dauid saith that his eyes did gush out with riuers of water because men kept not the Law of God How did Saint Paul weepe for them that did walke inordinately among the Philippians Phil. 3.18 Ezra 10.1 How did Ezra and other good men weepe for the sinnes of the people in his time If then these good men beholding the sinnes of the people of their times and considering the calamities and punishments that would fall vpon them did weepe abundantly How can we passe by our brethren sinning with an high hand and committing sinne with greedinesse and not weepe for their sinnes Before I begin to relate vnto you the sinnes of this age and of our Land I cannot but tremble How doe men and women young and old rich and poore generally take the holy name of God in vaine how commonly is Gods holy Sabaoth prophaned how many murthers in this land haue beene committed and the murtherers haue escaped how is adulterie and fornication committed and is not punished how is theft boulstered how doth drunkennesse raigne in this land and is made but a sport and pastime Are not these sinnes like the sinnes of the first age Haue not the sinnes of our Land exceeded the sinnes of the Sodomites and shall we not now weepe for the sinnes of the people of this land yes let vs not onely weepe but let vs houle and cry for them Ioel. 2.17 as Ioel exhorted the people of his time Now if this be required of vs for other mens sinnes much more should we sorrow and weepe for our owne sinnes our sinnes should be our greatest sorrow nothing in the world should come so neere our hearts as they and therefore the Lord saith that when men are once brought to a true sight of their sinnes they shall mourne for them Zacha. 12.10 euen as one that mourneth for his onely sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne As nothing more woundeth the heart of a tender Father then to loose his onely Sonne the image of his name and the hope of his house so nothing should pierce the heart of a man so deepely as the consideration of his sinnes Many weepe in the world but not for their sinnes but for worldly respects such abuse their teares as Chrysostome vpon the Colossians doth at large declare Many weepe because they cannot haue that which they vniustly desire 1 King 21.4 So mourned Achab for Naboths Vineyard Some weepe because they cannot be reuenged on their enemies so did Esau weepe because he could not hurt his brother Iacob Many weepe because their Parents die not that they might be their heires and enioy their goods Many weepe because they cannot be rich nor haue the world at wil as some haue But how few among vs doe weepe for our sins Psal 6.6 Psal 102.10 Math. 26. Dauid euery night washed his bed and watered his couch with his teares Peter when he had denied his Maister went out and wept bitterly Mary shed such plenty of teares Luk. 7.38 as she washed our Sauiour Christs feete with them And haue not we thinke you as great cause to weepe for our owne sinnes yes verily and if we would but enter into our owne consciences and call our sinnes to remembrance and iudge our selues euery one of vs humbly bowing the knees of our heart should thus say vnto the Lord O my God how haue I bestowed all those Talents of gold which thou hast giuen me how haue I requited thee for all thy kindnesse towards me what hath my whole life beene else but a continuall warring against thee O Lord Iesus what hath my life beene else but a daily renewing of all thy bloudy torments and of all thy passions Ah vile wretch that I am how often haue I betrayed thee and sould thee for a little worldly pleasure or for a little luker and gaine How often haue I bound thine hands and euen most despitefully spitefully spit in thy face by refusing those gifts which thou wouldest haue giuen thee how often haue I quenched the good motions of thy spirit put into me For this should I weepe day and night In fontem frontem atque in flumina â—umina vertam Lachrimae nobis deerunt ante quam causae dolendi Senec. de breui vitae It is no small measure of sorrow that is sufficient in respect of the greatnesse of our sinnes For if we had an hundreth eyes and should weepe them all out and if we had a thousand hearts and they should all breake asunder with remorse and sorrow for our sinnes it were too little and we should sooner want teares then matter of mourning If we thinke that we should be such vile wretches as by our sins to crucifie Christ so often and to put him to so many deaths who hath beene to vs so kinde a Lord and so louing a Sauiour For we must not thinke that a little sorrow or a few teares will serue the turne but we must haue great measure of griefe looke how grieuously we haue sinned so grieuously should we bewaile our sinnes A deepe wound must haue a large plaister and our repentance must not be lesse then our fault It is true it is no matter of merit for a man to weepe more or lesse we may say in this case 1 Cor. 8.8 as the Apostle saith of meates it is not our teares that makes vs acceptable to God but yet much sorrow and much weeping in a token of great repentance and on the other side where there is a little sorrow and a little weeping there is but a little repentance Peter when he had denied his Maister went out and wept bitterly The people of Israel 1 Sam. 7.27 that lamented after the Lord for their sin are said to haue poured out buckets of teares as it were vnto the Lord and Dauid saith that he wept in
Christ the Sonne of God the like we reade that God the Father doth declare to be in himselfe in many places of the Scriptures As when he complained against the Israelites for their stubbornenesse and ingratitude he saith thus Psal 81.13.14 Oh that my people had harkned vnto me and Israel had walked in my wayes I would soone haue humbled their enemies and turned my hand against their aduersaries 15. The haters of God should haue beene subiect vnto him and their time should haue endured for euer 16. And God would haue fed them with the fat of wheate and with honey out of the rocke would I haue satisfied thee Againe Isa 48.18 Oh that they were wise then they would vnderstand this they would consider their latter end Deu. 32.29 Oh that there were such an heart in them to feare me and to keepe all my commandements alway that it might goe well with them Deut. 5.29 and with their children for euer By these Scriptures it is euident that mans perdition is of himselfe and in himselfe and not of God Hos 13 9. Eze. 33.11 Pro. 1.29 Thy perdition O Israel is of thy selfe but thy helpe is in me I liue saith the Lord I would not the death of a sinner I haue called saith wisedome and ye haue refused Math. 23.37 Oh Ierusalem Ierusalem saith our Lord Iesus how often would I haue gathered thee together as a henne doth her chickens and thou wouldest not 1 Tim. 2.4 God would haue all men to be saued 1 Tim. 2.4 and to come to the knowledge of the truth Here then those wicked and prophane men are to be reproued who ascribe their damnation to God when it is in themselues For God cals and they stop their eares like the deafe Adder and will not heare God offers grace and they refuse it God warnes them of their miseries to come if they doe not repent but they will not beleeue and turne to God but harden their hearts as Pharaoh did till destruction come vpon them Thou THis word Thou is emphaticall for euery word in the Scriptures hath his weight and euery sillable his sence Oh that thou thou Ierusalem whom God hath chosen to be his sanctuary to be his dwelling place to put his name there with whom hee hath made a couenant vpon whom hee hath bestowed so many benefits whom he hath hedged about and defended against all enemies Oh that thou which in priuiledges and prerogatiues excellest all the Cities in the world hadst knowne the things that belong vnto thy peace Other Cities haue knowne their peace and the time of their visitation in mercie as Niniuie who repented at the preaching of Ionah Oh that thou wert in the number of them The vse Here the Ministers and Preachers of Gods word are taught to apply their admonitions to the whole Nation yea to particular Cities yea to particular Townes yea to particular persons when they wilfully and obstinately reiect the grace and mercy of God then they may iustly complaine against them and fitly vse this manner of speaking Oh that thou hadst knowne the things that concerne thy peace Oh that thou Adulterer Oh that thou Drunkard Oh that thou Blasphemer Oh that thou prophaner of Gods Sabboath Oh that thou Vsurer thou Oppressour wouldest feare the iudgements that will light vpon thee if thou knowest not the things that belong vnto thy peace and dost not by true repentance turne vnto God whiles he doth speake vnto thee and warne thee Hadst knowne OVr Lord Iesus wisheth that Ierusalem had knowne the things that belong vnto her peace Whence we learne that knowledge is an excellent thing wee should all labour for to attaine vnto it For to know God and Iesus Christ to know the mysteries of saluation to know the things that belong vnto our peace to know the time of our visitation in mercie this is mans Summum bonum his happinesse Ioh. 17.3 his glory This is life eternall to know thee and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches Ier. 9.24 but let him that glorieth glory in this that he knoweth me to be the Lord for I desire mercy and not sacrifice Hos 6.6 and the knowledge of God more then burnt offerings saith the Lord. Oh that thou hadst knowne saith our Lord Iesus to Ierusalem And may not we say to England yea to London yea may not euery Minister and Preacher of the word say to his perticular place where hee is resiant Oh that thou hadst knowne the things wherein thy peace consisteth At the least in this thy day IN these words is an Amplification taken from the time As if our Lord Iesus should say hitherto thou hast beene obstinate and stubborne thou hast killed my Prophets which I sent vnto thee thou hast often hitherto reiected me Oh that now in this thy day which my Father hath appointed to call thee by me thou wouldest be wise and know thy time The speech of our Sauiour Christ containeth an exclamation proceeding from his heart and vttered with so great affections of dolour that he could not perfectly declare it but breaketh it off euen as when a man is in great heauinesse and sorrow intending to vtter his griefe he is inforced to breake it off abruptly In this speech our Lord Iesus admonisheth that the day was come which God in his eternall counsell had appointed for the saluation of Ierusalem and was promised by the Prophets which opportunitie if she did not lay hold on the gate of saluation should be shut against her for euer This kinde of speech is frequent in the Scriptures Isa 49.8 2 Cor. 6.2 Isa 8.6 Now the acceptable time now is the day of saluation Againe Seeke the Lord whiles he may be found call vpon him whiles he is neere And that considering the season Rom. 13.11 that it is now time that we should arise from sleepe for now is our saluation neerer then when we beleeued 12. The night is past and the day is at hand let vs therefore cast away the workes of darkenesse and put vpon vs the armour of light The vse Here then we learne that when God giueth men a day wherein God doth call them it is not to be neglected not to be let slip Now God calleth men two waies First by his iudgements secondly by his mercies And the word day is so taken both for the iudgement of God and also for the mercy of God In the first kinde God doth call by afflictions by warre by famine Aut terrendo minis aut cordeudo flagellis aut blandiendo beneficijs Flugo in Cant. 1. by pestilence and sicknesse by captiuitie for when God doth chastise and punish vs he calleth vs to repentance In the second kinde God doth call vs by mercy and clemencie and he calleth vs