was his first Bride and yet now a commun Harlot for Idol-lovers the Citie which was the Seat of his Glorious presence but now a den of thieves and robbers The Citie which had been the Glorie of al Nations but was now next dore to ruine Hence observe That the prevision or contemplation of imminent danger occurring to a place or people nearly related to us doth much affect a serious compassionate heart Al Relations cal for Affections And there is no Affection more proper for Relates under present or impendent miserie than compassion That mother must needs have the heart of a Tiger who seeing her child boiling in a Caldron of lead hath no emotion of bowels for it Christ here whiles he beheld the Citie with the eyes of his bodie did at the same time with the eye of his omniscience behold al the sins and future miseries of Jerusalem al her contemt of his Evangelic offers Love and Grace al her covenant-breaking and Apostasies from him al her bloody and mischievous designes against his Person Crown and Dignitie with al the curses plagues and shours of Divine wrath which would ere long pour down as a Deluge on her This could not but melt his heart into tears and draw from him the doleful Lamentation which follows To see a deluge of sin exhaled or drawen up into clouds of Divine wrath ready to burst asunder and fal down in shours of vengeance on a professing Citie or people nearly allied to us cannot but dissolve an affectionate gracious heart into shours of tears and christian Lamentations That must needs be an heart desperately obdurate and hard that is not affected and moved at such a sight But more of this in what ensueth CHAP. IV. Church-sins the moral Causes of Church-Ruines and therefore the chief mater of our lamentation WE now come to the Lamentation it self expressed in those termes And wept over it Which we may forme into this Proposition or Doctrine That nothing was mater of greater Lamentation unto Christ and ought to be such unto us than to behold the Ruines of a professing Citie or Church which has been long the Seat of Gods gracious Presence and Worship This Proposition which takes in the spirit and mind of the whole verse I intend with the Lords assistance to insist somewhat more largely on And for the explication hereof three Questions occur as fit to be examined by us 1. Touching the Object or mater of this Lamentation What Christ here doth and what we ought to lament 2. As to the Act what Christs weeping here implies 3. As to the motives of this Lamentation What it was that moved Christ to lament over the Ruines of this professing Citie or Church of Jerusalem 1. Q. What Christ here doth and what we ought to lament in the ruines of a professing Citie or Church which hath been long the Seat of Gods gracious Presence and Worship For the Resolution of this Question we may consider the Ruines of a professing Citie or Church 1. In their Causes 2. In the Effects of those Causes 1. As for the Causes of these Ruines they are either Moral and Meritorious or 2. Physical and Productive 1. The moral or meritorious cause of Jerusalems as also of al other Church-ruins is Sin Sin is the fuel of Divine wrath eternal vengeance flameth out of guilt Physical or natural evil is but the consequent of Moral the evil of Passion or Suffering is but the effect of the evil of Action or Doing Yea Sin is in it self the worst evil He that departes from God executes on himself his last doom The soul that loseth God loseth its way Life and self and the further it departeth from God the more it is envelopped and entangled in eternal chains of darknesse and miserie No sin is so pleasing in the committing as it is bitter in the issue There is an inseparable connexion betwixt sin and punishment and nothing can dissolve it but the bloud of Christ Every sin carries Hel in its womb Lust is a pregnant mother with child of Death and torments Thus Gen. 4. 7. And if thou doest not wel sin lieth at the dore Sin 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by which some Hebrew Doctors understand the punishment of sin So Gen. 19. 15. as elsewhere Sin is used for punishment by reason of that individual connexion that is between them Hence the Greek Atee which they feigned to be a woman cast out of Heaven pernicious and hurtful to al. Oh! what an enemie is sin Lieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coucheth a word usually given to Brutes but applied sometimes to men Job 11. 19. and here to Sin which as a hurtful beast lieth in wait ready to devour What a slie Foxe is sin Hence it followeth At the dore i. e. 1. near at hand for to lie at the dore is to be near at hand so Deut. 29. 30. the curses are said to lie or couch on the Sinner Or 2. at the dore may implie such a a certain place in which it may be easily excited just like a chained Mastive that lies at the dore and albeit he seems to sleep yet suddenly starts up and sets upon such as are about to enter in thus Sin or the punishment of sin lieth at the dore That Sin is in it self the worst evil is evident because 1. it was the First evil and so the mesure of al evil for the first in every kind is the mesure of al in that kind Again 2. As sin was the first evil so also the first moral cause of al other evils Now a bad cause is worse than its effects as a good cause is more noble and perfect than its effects It was Sin that opened the dore and let in al other evils into the world and therefore it must needs be the worst evil 3. Sin contains in it al the malignitie venime poison stings curses and plagues of evil al the degrees of evil lie wrapt up in sin 4. The worst part of hel lies in sin a sinlesse Hel would be comparatively an easy Hel to a rectified Soul our blessed Lord suffered a sinlesse Hel and yet was at the same time infinitely happy as to his essential Beatitude By which it is most evident that sin is in it self the worst evil and Hel. Hence it naturally follows That the first great Object or Mater of our blessed Lords Lamentation was Jerusalem's sins which were her worst evil and the main cause of al her other evils Thus the Prophets and People of God of old in al their Lamentations over Church-ruines they had a particular eye on their Church-sins as the procuring cause thereof So Jeremie in his Lamentations layeth the greatest accent on their sins which were the meritorious cause of al their sufferings Thus Lament 1. 5. For the multitude of her transgressions her children are gone into captivitie before the enemie Oh! here lies the sting of al Israels sufferings that the multitude of
prologue and preamble to the last jugement and therefore we find them both promiscuously inserted in this Chapter The same is mentioned Mat. 24. 37 38. Our blessed Lord considering how stupid and secure Jerusalem was notwithstanding the near approche of her ruine it made his heart dissolve into a passion of tears This was Jerusalems sin of old and that which had a great influence on her first captivitie So Isai 42. 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. Where he shews how blind and deaf they were both Priests and People and then concludes ver 25. Therefore he hath poured upon him the furie of his anger and the strength of battle and it hath set him on fire round about yet he knew not and it burned him yet he laid it not to heart What a strange prodigious securitie is here Divine wrath flames about his ears like an old house and yet he knew it not yea it burned him lying asleep on the bed of carnal securitie and yet he laid it not to heart Oh! what a dead sleep is this how inevitably doth ruine follow such dead sleeps That this was a main cause of Jerusalems first Captivitie is evident from Jeremies Lamentation over it Lam. 1. 9. Her filthinesse is in her skirts she remembreth not her last end she was grown wilfully blind and sottishly secure notwithstanding al Gods Divine Admonitions and threats she dreamt of nothing but peace and prosperitie Her approching ruine was not laid to heart And what follows Therefore she came down wonderfully There is a great elegance in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with wonders i. e wonderfully as if he had said she came down with the admiration of many who cannot find out the reason of her being thus cast down We have here a Substantive which being added to a Verb is and that not without an emphase put for an Adverb Oh! what a wonder was it that Jerusalem should thus descend into captivitie But yet he that considers what filthinesse was in her skirts and how extremely secure she was may not wonder at it Thus Jerentie puts in this her securitie as a main ingredient of his Lamentation over fallen Jerusalem Yea this sin of carnal securitie is that which our blessed Lord foretels would happen to virgin-churches in these last evangelic times Mat. 25. 5. While the bridegroom tarried they al slumbered and slept not only the foolish but also the wise virgins are said to sleep which argues that carnal securitie is the great universal sin of Virgin-churches in these evangelic last times And surely 't is not so much the forces of forrain professed enemies as the venime and malignitie of this domestic sin that brings desolation to Virgin-churches The sleeping Devil doth more mischief in the Church of Christ than the roaring Devil To sleep in Satans lap is much worse than to rore in Egypts or Babylons furnace While Jerusalem sleeps her jugement sleepeth not her carnal securitie determines in dreadful awakenings How easily doth she fal into the Romans hands yea into the fire of Divine wrath while she is asleep in her sin Did not Jael a poor silly woman pierce thorow great Sisera's head when he was asleep And may not in like manner smal tentations bring ruine to the most flourishing Churches when asleep on the bed of carnal securitie This therefore is great mater of Lamentation 5. Another Church-sin that exposed Jerusalem to Church-ruine was her self-fulnesse and carnal confidence She was ful of her self her own Contrivements Sufficiences and Dependences wherefore no wonder if she reject her Messias and al his offers of peace This Christ every where upbraids the unbelieving Jews with as the main spring of their ruine Luke 18. 9-14 Was not this also the great sin that brought old Jerusalem under the Babylonian captivitie Doth not the Prophet Isaias by a witty Sarcasme upbraid her with this sin as the cause of her ruine Isa 2. 10. Enter into the rock and hide thee in the dust for fear of the Lord c. The Prophet here by a Sarcasme doth aggravate the proud confidence of this people from the consideration of Gods inevitable jugements as if he had said Flie if thou canst the terrible aspect and severe hand of thy God but al thine attemts shal prove abortive al thy proud confidences are insignificant The like Jerem. 8. 14 15. Why do we sit stil assemble your selves and let us enter into the defenced Cities and let us be silent there Here you have the vain confidence of the Jews they thought to secure themselves against Divine wrath in their fenced Cities What follows For or rather But the Lord our God hath put us to silence and given us the waters of gal to drink because we have sinned This is an Ironic answer of the Prophet as a rebuke to their carnal confidence and oh what an Hel lies in it They boast of securing themselves and obtaining rest in their fenced Cities Yes saith the Prophet Ironicly you shal be secure and quiet but how not as you dream in your fenced Cities but in being made drunk with the Lords waters of Gal or rather poison whereby you shal be deprived of al counsel and exposed to violent Destruction this is the silence the Lord wil give you as the reward of your carnal confidence So Hos 12. 1. Ephraim feedeth on the wind and followeth the eastwind◠he daily increaseth lies and desolation The later is the effect of the former his Desolation is but the fruit of his lying confidences Ephraim by multiplying lies i. e. carnal confidence in the Assyrians and Egyptians doth but multiplie Desolation When ever any professing People or Church begin to be self-strong or confident in an arme of flesh they are the next dore to some great danger What ever we make the bottome of our confidence that we make our God and our jelous God wil never bear it that we place an Idol in his room if he intend mercie to us he wil break al such Images of jelousie which would otherwise break us 6. Another great sin which promoted Jerusalem's ruine was her Earthly-mindednesse She preferred her clay-Gods and temporal Interest before her Messias and the great concernes of eternitie State-peace was more regarded by her than peace with God Cesar's crown was more adored by her than Christ's and therefore deservedly did she perish by Cesar's hand How justly did our Soverain Lord suffer Jerusalem to fal by Cesar's sword when as she prefer'd Cesar before her Lord She forsooth would have no King but Cesar Was it not just then with God to suffer her to perish by no hand but Cesars whom she preferred before her Messias This was also the temper of the Gadarenes a companie of Apostate Jews who prefer'd their swine before their Messias and his spiritual offers of peace Luke 8. 37. And is not this mater of sad lamentation to see Professors prefer back and bellie externe
her transgressions drew them on her This was that which most deeply wounded and pierced the heart of this holy man So v. 8. Jerusalem hath grievously sinned therefore she is removed as an unclean loathsome thing al that honored her despise her because they have seen her nakednes i. e her lewdnes and abominations yea she sigheth and turneth backward v. 9. Her filthines is in her skirts c. The like v. 14 18. and Chap. 2. 14. Thus our blessed Lord here in his Lamentation the first thing he has in his eye and that which did most deeply pierce and wound his heart was Jerusalems sin He saw her to be a cage of al unclean birds a sink of al manner of abominations which would unavoidably involve her in ruine this makes his heart to bleed and his eyes to gush forth with salt tears over her And this is the genuine Character of a true Christian heart to mourne more for the Evil of doing than for the evil of suffering and for the latter only as the fruit and effect of the former A Cain or Judas can lament and groan under the strokes of the rod but a Peter or a Christian mournes under the offense that procured those strokes without dout an hard-hearted Jew could not but lament to see Jerusalem sacked and the Temple in flames about his ears ay but 't was the Christian only that mourned kindly for the sins of Jerusalem which were the fuel of those prodigious flames of Divine wrath To lament over the Ruines of a renowned Citie or Church is facile because natural to an ingenuous affectionate spirit but to bleed over and bewail those sins which were the cause of those Ruines none can in any mesure of evangelic sinceritie performe but Christ and such as are animated and influenced by his Spirit But we procede to particulars to explicate what those Church-Sins are which exposed Jerusalem and so by a paritie of reason wil expose any other professing Citie or People to Church-ruines and therefore ought to be mater of Lamentation CHAP. V. A particular enumeration of Jerusalems Sins which were the moral causes of her Ruine and so a chief mater of our Lords Lamentation 1. THe first great Church-sin which our blessed Lord here laments as the moral cause of Jerusalem's Church-ruine is her Vnbelief or Rejection of the things that did belong unto her peace This indeed is a prodigious Church-wasting Sin that which ever cost Israel very dear even from her infant-state Israel had signal tokens of Christs conduct care and providence in the Wildernes yet what passions of discontent what disingenuous murmurs what fits of Unbelief doth she ever and anon on the least approche of danger fal into How doth her spirit sink and despond under the least difficultie This is evident from Num. 13. 30 33. and 14. 1 14 c. For which al that generation save Caleb and Josua who were of another spirit perished in the Wildernes Thus also before their Babylonian Captivitie the great Sin the Israelites were guiltie of and that which opened the dore to al their following Miserie was their Vnbelief or contemt of Gods word So Isa â—â— 8. Now go write it before them in a Table and note it in a Book that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever v. 9. That this is a Rebellious people ying Children that wil not hear the Law of the Lord. Now wherein lay this their Rebellion Why chiefly in their Unbelief or despising of Gods word as v. 12. Because ye despise this word and trust in oppression c. Here lies their main sin and what follows v. 13. Therefore this iniquitie shal be as a breach ready to fal swelling out in an high wal whose breaking cometh suddenly at an instant i. e. exceding exceding suddenly for these two Synonymous Adverbs joined together are very emphatic and argue that this their ruine should be extreme sudden as also great Great Unbelief brings great and swift ruine to the most glorious Churches if Repentance follow not When Christ comes with Offers and Acts of Grace towards his Church then for her to despise his word turne her back on al his gracious offers Yea trample on them this exposeth the most flourishing Churches to sudden and inevitable Destruction This God threatens Israel withal in her first Church-constitution Lev. 26. 14 15 16 c. this also we find threatned and executed on her in her last Church-destruction Mat. 23. 37 38. This therefore is the first and as we may phrase it the original sin of Jerusalem which our blessed Lord here bewails as the womb of al her miserie Oh! what a world of miserie hath Unbelief brought on many flourishing Churches When a professing people reject the Gospel of Christ is it not just with Christ to reject them What a Hel of plagues both spiritual and temporal doth a despised Gospel bring on Professors how oft doth Christ cut off his own covenant-people from promissed and expected mercies for their unbelief what sore jugements doth unbelief expose men unto Whence sprang that deluge of confusion and Barbarisme which drowned the Easterne Churches but from their contemt of the Gospel Yea had not the floud of Antichristianisme which has so long overwhelmed these Westerne Churches its rise from this envenimed spring of Unbelief this is evident from 2 Thes 2. 10. Because they received not the love of the truth c. And 't was a prophetic persuasion of a great divine That God would shortly take away peace from the whole World for despising the peace of the Gospel This Conclusion we no way dout but to make good That al the great plagues and jugements of God upon the professing World or Churches have been for the contemt of his Word by unbelief For albeit other sins have had their share yet this of Unbelief has been the main spring of al Church-ruines But this wil be the subject of our following discourse 2. Another prodigious Church-wasting sin which Jerusalem was notoriously guilty of is groundlesse Presumtions and self-flatterie Self-flatterie wherever it is predominant brings self-ruine A mere forme of godlines without the power is a grosse delusion which carries millions of souls to destruction in a golden dream A fond presumtion of being a true Church or member of Christ is the greatest delusion This was ever the great sin of Jerusalem in her declining state and that which exposed her to great ruines calamities Thus before the Babylonian Captivitie Jer. 7. 4. Trust ye not in lying words saying the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are these As if Jerusalem had said Alas why doest thou threaten us with Captivitie and ruine Have we not the Temple of God amongst us And are we not upon this account his federate people his darlings and chosen ones Is not the Shekinah or presence of the Divine Majestie seated amongst
Christ's Tears FOR JERUSALEMS UNBELIEF AND RUINE NOW Humbly recommended to England's Consideration in this her day of Tryal and Danger By 〈◊〉 Reverend and Learned Divine Mr. THEOPHILUS GALE LONDON Printed for M. Widdowes at the Green Dragon in St. Pauls Church-Yard 1679. Preface IT is the Supreme Wisdome Interest and Perfection of Man who is an intelligent Being to understand adhere unto his last End and whatever means conduce thereto This is stiled Luke 19. 42. To know the things that belong unto our peace And the supreme end of our Great Lord in espousing Human Nature was to acquaint Sinners with the things that belong to their peace and bring them into an immediate Capacitie for the Fruition of them Is it not then the highest piece of Folie and Madnesse for rational Creatures to shut their Eyes and Hearts against that which is their supreme Happinesse Is there so much Beautie in the Deformitie of Sin So much Pleasure in the Chains and Fetters of Satan So much Libertie in the Vassalage and Bondage of Lusts So much Content in the embraces of an heart-distracting World So much peace and ease in the stings and troubles of a tormented Conscience So much life in the death of Sin and Hel torments as to make a rational soul amorous of and in love with them If not how comes it to passe that men mind not more the things that belong unto their peace Was it ever known that any but mad men would take delight to see their own heart-bloud gush out Would any but blind fools spurne at food the most delicious satisfying food when offered to their famished souls May we not count such bewitched Sots who plot and contrive by al means possible to ruine themselves And yet Lo is not this the Case of al such who wil not know and embrace the things that belong unto their peace when offered to them Alas What a world of such mad and blind fools are there Yea how many great Professors yea how many Churches fal under this black brand of Folie and Madnesse Was not this Jerusalem's sin and folie for which she has paid so dear for 1600 years And has Jerusalem been alone in this sin Has not England also dranke very deep of this venimous intoxicating Cup And what may we expect but Jerusalem's prodigious Ruines unlesse we al make haste to know and embrace the things that belong unto our peace before they are hid from our eyes The designe therefore of this ensuing Discourse is to awaken and provoke secure Unbelievers and slumbering Professors deeply to consider and chearfully to embrace Evangelic offers of Life and Grace before it be too late And our First Book is wholly spent in the explication of our Lords doleful Lamentation Luke 19 41. over Jerusalems Sins and Ruines Wherein we have endeavored to explicate What were Jerusalem's Church-wasting Sins and Ruines which our Lord here laments in order to a Conviction of and Lamentation over our own Sins and approching Ruines if not prevented by a timous Repentance and closing with the things of our peace And because Jerusalem's main Sin was Infidelitie this therefore is the chief subject of what follows Book 2. Wherein we have endeavored to explicate the black and prodigious Nature of Vnbelief in the several parts thereof and that in opposition to Faith whereof it is a Privation Wherein we have also opened the Nature and main essential Ingredients of Faith which indeed comprehends the chief vitals of Christianitie and therefore requires our most diligent Attention and curious Inquisition The next great and commun Head to be explicated is the Causes of Infidelitie which wil open to us what a great Mysterie of Iniquitie lies at the Root of Unbelief Hence we are to procede to its Aggravations which wil discover to us the monstrous Magnitude of this sin And thence follows the severe Punishment and Vengeance which the righteous God inflicteth for this Sin of Infidelitie These things wil if Providence favor and assist our desires be the subject of several Discourses Only that I might not at present wholly frustrate the Readers expectations I have in the Corollaries and Uses of the Second Book given some Hints and Intimations of the chief Particulars which I intend to discourse of under the following Heads As for the Forme of the Discourse I thinke I may with Sinceritie say I have endeavored to suit it to my Mater I would hate sinful Affectation of Words or Things merely to please itching curious spirits as much as Hel. Yet if any words occur that may give lustre and efficace to the Truths discoursed of I cannot thinke myself obliged to reject them because not so vulgar as other words lesse proper are Only if thou meet with any word beyond thy capacitie to apprehend remember that the following word usually explains the same A TABLE OF CONTENTS BOOK I. Christ's Lamentation over Jerusalem CHAP. I. An Explication of Luke 19. 41. Pag. 1 THe Contexture of the words Pag. 2. And when he was come near 3. He beheld the Citie 4 5. And wept over it 6 7 8. Chap. 2. The most solemne Profession without Sinceritie wil not satisfie Christ 9 13. Chap. 3. Previous and General Observations 13. Chap. 4. Church-sins bring Church-ruines 17. Evil of doing brings the evil of suffering 18. Sin in itself the worst evil 19. Chap. 5. A numeration of Jerusalem 's sins 22. 1. Vnbelief a Church-ruinating Sin Ibid. 2. Carnal Presumtion 24. 3. Spiritual Pride 27. 4. Carnal Securitie 29-31 5. Carnal Confidence 32. 6. Earthly-mindednes Pag. 33. 7. Vnfruitfulnesse 34. 8. Persecution of the Prophets 35. 9. Want of Reformation 36. 10. Impenitence 37. 11. Apostasie 38. Chap. 6. Divine wrath the effective Cause of Jerusalem 's Ruines 40. The effects of Divine wrath on Jerusalem 43. 1. Temporal jugements Ibid. 2. Spiritual jugements 45 46. Chap. 7. 1. The Qualities of Christs tears 47. 1. They are Divine Ibid. 2. Rational 3. Free 4. Sincere 48 49. 5. Spiritual 6. Generous 7. Humble 49-51 8. Pathetic 9. Sympathetic 52 53. 10. Seasonable 11. Public 54. 2. The efficaces of Christ's Tears 55. 1. Prophetic 2. Instructive 3. Exhortative ib. 4. Threatning 5. Intercessorie 56. 6. Influential 7. Exemplary 57 58. Chap. 8. The Motives of Christs Tears 59. 1. As a Father 2. As an Husband ibid. 60. 3. As her Lord. 4. As a Minister 61 62. 5. Christs natural relation to Jerusalem 64. Chap. 9. Doctrinal Corollaries ibid. 1. Christs Affections relative ibid. 2. Christs Affections most pure 65. 3. Christs real Wil to save sinners ibid. 4. The Aggravations of such as refuse Christ 67 5. Mans Ruine from himself 68. Use 1. Advice to studie Englands Sins 69. Use 2. Mourne over Englands Sins and Miseries 71. Use 3. Caution against Church-sins Pag. 74. BOOK II. Wherein the Nature of Infidelitie consists Chap. 1. The Explication of Luke 19. 42. 76. Chap. 2. Eighteen general Observations drawn from Luke 19. 42. 86-98 Chap. 3. What
the things of our peace are which men disbelieve 99. 1. Vnbelief as to the Scriptures in general 100. 2. Vnbelief as to the Gospel 104. 1. As to maters of Grace 105. 1. The Realitie of Evangelic offers 106. 2. The freedome of the Covenant 107. 3. The Vniversalitie of its offers 108. 4. The Riches of Grace in the Covenant 109. 5. The Immutabilitie of the Covenant 111. 2. Vnbelief as to maters of Providence 112-115 3. Vnbelief as to future Glorie ibid. The formal object of Vnbelief 117. Chap. 4. Vnbelief as opposed to the Assent of Faith 119. 1. Rejection of Divine Truths 120. 2. Non-Attention to sacred Notions ibid. 3. Implicite Assent is Vnbelief 121. 4. When Assent is not supernatural 123. 5. When Assent is only superficial 125. 6. When Assent is not real 126. 7. When Assent is not Spiritual 128. 8. A general confused Assent 129. 9. A suspense douting Assent 130-133 10. An inevident obscure Assent 133. 11. A legal Assent 134. 12. A forced Assent 135. 13. A fluctuating Assent 138. 14. An undervaluing Assent 140. 15. A barren Assent 141. Chap. 5. The real Objects of Infidelitie 142. Infidelitie strikes at 1. God himself 143. 2. His Divine Attributes Soveraintie c. 144. 3. Divine Providences 4. Ordinances ib. Vnbelief rejects Christ 145. Vnbelief rejects Heaven 146. The Acts of Vnbelief 1. Rejection of Christ 147. 1. By open opposition of him 148. 2. By Dislikes of him 149. 3. By heart-Cavils against him 150. 4. By not approving the reports of Christ 151. 5. By Delays as to a closure with him 153. Chap. 6. The Wils defective reception of Christ 156. 1. As to the Object 1. in receiving a false Christ 158. 1. A compound Christ Ibid. 2. A Divided Christ 160. 2. The true Christ under false respects 163. 1. In regard of Motives Ibid. 2. In regard of Christs Grandeur 164. 3. When Christ is not received as offered 165. 2. The Defects of the subject 1. When the Wil is rotten 166. 2. When the Wil is languid and faint 167. 3. When the Wil is only terrified 169. Ch. 7. 3. Vnbelief as opposed to Adherence 174. 4. Diffidence and Distrust Pag. 178. 5. Dissatisfaction of heart 182. 6. The Disobedience of Vnbelief 185. 7. Non-application of Christs Grace 189. 8. Putting far off Christs coming 190. Chap. 8. Doctrinal Corollaries Cor. 1. Almost-Believers may procede very far and yet remain Infidels 195. 1. How far as to Assent 196. 2. How far as to Consent 197. Cor. 2. There is a boundlesse difference betwixt Saving Faith and Commun As to 199. 1. Knowlege 200. 2. Self-denial 201. 3. A legal and evangelic spirit 202. 4. The Bent of the wil towards Christ 204. 5. Purifying the heart from Sin 206. 6. Transformation of the heart into the Image of Christ 207. 7. The use of means 208. 8. The Foundation 209. 9. The End and Rule Ibid. 10. Gods Faithfulnesse ibid. Cor. 3. No middle 'twixt Faith Vnbelief ib. Cor. 4. Saving Faith most rare but Commun faith most cheap 211. Cor. 5. Believers have much Unbeief 214. Cor. 6. Unbelief is the greatest Sin 217. Cor. 7. This justifies God in his greatest severitie against Unbelievers 221. Chap. 9. Practic Vses Vse 1. Studie the Mysterie of Infidelitie 224. Studie the Causes of Infidelitie 227. 1. Spiritual darknesse 2. Carnal reason 228. 3. Carnal Securitie 4. Self-love ibid. 5. Spiritual Pride 6. Short-spiritednesse 229. 7. Beloved lusts Ibid. Use 2. Of Lamentation and Humiliation for the prevalence of Infidelitie 230. Motives to humble our selves for Vnbelief 232. Use 3. Of Examination whether our Faith be saving or only commun also how far we fal under Infidelitie 233. Heart-examens by way of Soliloquie 236. Use 4. Of Exhortation to deal with Infidelite as our worst enemie 238. Use 5. Pursue after Faith as the most excellent and useful Grace 245. The excellent effects of Faith 246. The opposite Qualities of Faith and Vnbelief 249 Scriptures Explicated Chap. Ver. Page Genesis 4. 7. 19. Deuteronomie 10. 20. 174. 32. 34 45. 38. 2 Samuel 23. 5. 111. 2 Chronicles 28. 22. 37. Job 1. 20. 185. Psalmes 37. 1 7. 187. 37. 5. 179. 63. 8. 175. 78. 34. 171. 78. 37. 178. 119. 11. 139. 119. 16. 138. Esaias 2. 10. 32. 30. 13. 22. 42. â—â— 30. Jeremie 3. 10. 169. 7. 4. 25. 8. 14 15. 32. 31. 32. 61. Lamentations 1. 9. 30. 1. 15. 41. 2. 1. 42. 2. 14. 26. 4. 16. 42. Hosea 4. 16. 161. 11. 7. 178. Matthew 6. 30 31 32. 113. 11. 6. 149. 19. 20 21 22. 159. Luke 7. 29 30. 152. 11. 41. 182. 12. 22-29 114. 12. 29. 132 14. 26 33. 185. Luke 19. 6. 171. 19. 41. 3 c. 19. 42. 76 c. 19. 44. 44. 20. 5. 151. 24. 45. 124. John 1. 11. 61 161. 3. 36. 286. 5. 38. 139. 5. 39. 129. 7. 28. 141. 10. 24. 132. 12. 12 13. 10. Acts. 2. 41. 135. 17. 11. 137. Romans 2. 17-20 126. 4. 19 20 21. 131. 5. 20. 110. 10. 15 16. 106. 1 Corinthians 2. 14. 128. Galatians 4. 9 21. 184. Ephesians 1. 13 14. 191. Philippians 3. 3. 183. 1 Thessalonians 2. 13. 117. Hebrews 3. 12 14. 175 176. 4. 2. 135. 11. 1. 116. 12. 38 39. 177. James 2. 26. 142. 2 Peter 1. 9. 139. ERRATA PAge 11. l. 5. read pretensions P. 12. running title r. without P. 23. l. 2. for ying r. lying P. 37. l. 28. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 62. l. 1. after his own put a Colon. P. 78. l. 7. r. particle P. 85. l. 21. for thenc r. thence P. 111. l. 21. r. whereon P. 144. l. 18. after under adde the. P. 178. l. 18. for me r. him P. 179. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 191. l. 7. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 16. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 192. l. 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 P. 193. l. 1. for has leaning read hastening BOOK I. A general account of Christ's Lamentation over Jerusalem Luke 19. 41. And when he was come near he beheld the citie and wept over it CHAP. I. An Explication of the Text Luke 19. 41. AS Israels Temporal Benedictions were Symbolic Images or Types of Spiritual blessings promissed to the believing seed of Abraham so her Temporal Jugements were also Symbols or Typic Shadows of Spirtual Jugements threatned to and inflicted on Evangelic Unbelievers And to confirme this 't is worth our observation that most if not al of those expressions in Scripture whereby the place of eternal punishment is represented relate and allude to some places or stories remarquable for Gods exemplary vengeance executed on sinners under the old Testament Yea the last Destruction of Jerusalem by Titus here foretold and lamented by our Lord is by a learned Author stiled a Map of Hel. The 〈…〉 our ensuing Discourse touching the Nature Aggravations and Punishment of Vnbelief And I no way dout but that it wil appear in the sequel to be a
us Are not al the Promisses appendant to this Temple May we imagine that the holy and faithful God wil quit the place of his Residence and glorious rest May we not then groundedly assure our selves that our faithful Lord wil conserve and maintain his own Temple and People that worship him therein Thus they trusted in lying words saying The Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord c. Some refer the last word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These to the works of the Jews relating to the externe worship of God and so they render the Temple in the Genitive Case These are the works of the Temple of Jehovah As if they had said What doest thou reprehend O Prophet in our works or Why doest thou cal in question the most constant promisses of God We are so greatly confirmed concerning al these things which thou allegest against us as of nothing more For are not these our works of Jehovah's Temple commanded by his Law As for the Promisses are they not appendant to this Temple And thence are they not as firme and constant towards us as the Temple is firme This Temple is Gods resting place for ever Psal 132. 14. Wherefore we are most confident that the faithful God wil for his own Temple sake conserve our Countrie and we his worshipers Which ever way we take the words it comes much to one and clearly discovers to us the fond presumtions and foolish self-flatteries of this people grounded on their commun Church-privileges And therefore this holy Prophet puts this their groundlesse presumtion as a main ingredient into his Lamentations over the Ruines of Jerusalem So Lament 2. 14. Thy prophets have seen vain and foolish things for thee and they have not discovered thine iniquitie to turne away thy captivitie but have seen for thee false burdens and causes of banishment Jerusalem's false prophets soothed her up in groundlesse presumtions of peace and quietude which proved the cause of her captivitie That which we read causes of Banishment is in the original 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expulsions or banishments i. e they have proposed to thee such glavering Doctrines and presumtuous persuasions of good times as have been the cause of thy ruine and banishment where the effect being put for the efficient cause or action it gives us the true rise of their Captivitie namely those fond presumtions and false persuasions of peace which their false prophets had infused into their hearts This the Prophet sadly laments And was it not thus also in our blessed Lords days Is not this one chief ingredient of his Lamentation over Jerusalem that she did not know in that her day the things which did belong unto her peace What doth that import Surely in part thus much she flattered herself into a fools paradise of being Abrahams seed and thence under the Messias's Wing and this her self-flatterie was the greatest obstacle and bar to her closing with him the true Savior and alone foundation of her peace Thus much also our Lord declares John 8. 39 44. where he endeavors to beat them out of their fond presumtion and groundlesse persuasion of being Abrahams seed whereas indeed they were as he tels them v. 44. Children of the Devil and near to ruine And certainly this is mater of sad lamentation to see persons or churches lift up to Heaven in their own presumtuous conceits and yet dropping down to Hel in realitie such violent presumtions if not cured by medicinal Grace bring inevitable ruine to the most flourishing Churches So Rev. 3. 17 18. Because thou saiest I am rich c. 3. Another Church-sin which was a great moral cause of Jerusalems ruine is spiritual Pride This indeed is a proper Church-sin arising out of Church-privileges or other spiritual excellences vouchsafed by Christ Thus it was with Jerusalem in the days of old which God promiseth to cure Zeph. 3. 11. I wil take away out of the midst of thee them that rejoice in thy pride and thou shalt no more be haughtie because of my holy mountain It seems there were a people who did much pride themselves and grew very haughtie by reason of the holy Mountain which was a visible Symbol or token of Gods presence ay but God promiseth in evangelic days to cure this tumor and Tympanie As it is with single persons so with whole Churches there are some sins of infirmitie which God connives at and wil passe over upon a general Repentance but this sin of spiritual pride is of such a deep tincture malignitie and antipathie against God as that if it be not timely repented of and turned from 't wil prove the Gangrene and bane of the most flourishing Churches There is no sin so opposite to our receiving Grace from Christ as spiritual pride Oh! What a burden is this to Christ that they who are nothing have nothing can do nothing of themselves should be proud of what they have received from him As they who are most abased in themselves are most exalted by God and nearest to him so they who most exalt themselves are most abased by and estranged from God Luke 18. 14. For every one that exalteth himself shal be abased and he that humbleth himself shal be exalted Pride it is the cancer of parts the moth of privileges the rust of comforts the poison of duties the sting of crosses the reproche of Professors None so much favored and enriched with grace and comfort by Christ as humble souls and Churches but he resisteth the proud Jam. 4. 6. and Psal 138. 6. God knoweth the proud afar off i. e God knows him as an enemie and loves not to come near him God has an old grudge against spiritual pride as one of his most ancient inveterate enemies borne in Heaven in the bosome of Angels and therefore resists it most Wel therefore might our Lord weep over this sin as a cause of Jerusalems ruine 4. Another Sin which morally hastened Jerusalems ruine was her carnal Securitie This seems evidently comprised in Christs following Bil of Indictment v. 42. If thou hadst known i. e considered Our gracious Lord makes loud and solemne Proclamations of peace but Jerusalem was fast asleep Again he threatens vengeance and wrath but she has no ears to hear At last flames of divine wrath break forth upon her but al this while she awakes not ' til scorched and burned to ashes So that the great sin Christ bewails is her securitie Ah! what a cursed sin is securitie This desperate securitie of Jerusalem our Lord also foretels Luke 17. 26 30. And as it was in the days of Noah so shal it be also in the days of the son of man they did eat drink c. Here Christ foretels what wretched securitie should seize on carnal professors at the coming of the Son of man whereby we may understand not only his final coming to jugement but also his coming to judge Jerusalem which was but a
Aptitude and Facultie to preach glad tidings of Salvation unto Jerusalem Yea the Jews just before this Lamentation Luke 19. 38. recognise him as Mediator and supreme Minister of the Covenant This toucheth him to the quick to consider that he who was their alone Mediator and had with so much Fidelitie and Affection preached the everlasting Gospel to Jerusalem yea was by some of them solemnely avouched to be their Crowned King should yet be rejected by them together with al the great things that did belong to their peace Christ tels us that it was his meat and drink to performe his office as Mediator namely to gather in the lost sheep of Israel Therefore when he considers their contumacious obstinacie and rejection of him Oh! how doth this wound his heart What a doleful contemplation was this unto him Thus as he was Jerusalems supreme Minister he doth by virtue of his office deplore its wilful impenitence and approching Ruine Alas what an heart-bleeding consideration is it to a faithful Gospel-Minister after al his indefatigable and unwearied labors with his stock to see them persist in open defiance against God to the ruine of their souls And may we imagine that our tender-hearted Lord who was Jerusalem's chief Bishop or Minister and had preached so long with so much affection to her should not be deeply afflicted at the consideration of her wilful unbelief and ensuing miserie Surely the consideration of this his Office and Relation added much weight to his Lamentation Would it not grieve a tender-hearted Physician to see his Patient to spil his Physic which alone can cure him and so run into desperate courses which wil unavoidably bring death to him Just so it was here Christ was the good Samaritan Jerusalem's most affectionate Physician and therefore it could not but prick him to the heart to see her wilfully rejecting al the good things that belonged to her peace and health to run her self into inevitable ruine 5. Christs natural Relation to Jerusalem as he was a borne Jew and so her elder brother added many ingredients to this his sad Lamentation Our blessed Lord was borne of a Judaic Mother he had a Judaic heart loged within him Judaic bloud running in his veins Judaic bowels and compassions and therefore no wonder that he weeps over his impenitent brethren who were on the brink of ruine But so much may suffice for the Motives which induced our Lord thus to weep over Jerusalem CHAP. IX Doctrinal Corollaries and practic uses drawn from this Christ's Lamentation over Jerusalem HAving gone thorow the explication of the Proposition we come now to the Improvement thereof and that first by Doctrinal Inferences 1. Doth Christ weep over the Sins and Ruines of impenitent Jerusalem Hence then Infer That Christs Affections are Relative his sorrow stands in relation to the sinners miserie as also his joy to the sinners good Al Christs Affections whiles on earth were very generous and public he discovered little or nothing of private Interest and Passion Al his Affections Actions and Passions were relative Yea the whole of Christ as Mediator is Relative He espoused human Nature not for himself but for sinners He lived not for himself but for his people He died not for himself but for sinners Thus here he wept not for himself but for Jerusalem 2. This also discovers to us The Heroic and pure strain or temperament of Christs Affections Doth he indeed shed tears over Jerusalem who is now meditating how she may shed his bloud Has he so much pitie and bleeding compassion for her who hath so little pitie and compassion for herselfe Oh! what incomparable generous Affections are here What an unparalled sweet humor is there loged in the heart of this great Emmanuel Who could ever have imagined that human Nature had been capable of such pure and desinteressed Affections had we not so real an experiment thereof in this Soverain Messias 3. Hence likewise we may collect How really and chearfully willing Christ is to save sinners Certainly he that makes such bitter Lamentation over the foreseen Ruines of Jerusalem must needs have a very cordial and unfeigned wil and desire of her salvation This we find expressed to the life Mat. 23. 37. O Jerusalem Jerusalem How oft would I have gathered thy children together even as an hen gathers her chickens under her wings and ye would not What a pathetic expostulation is here which carries in it notices of vehement Affections Oh! how willing is Christ to give unto sinners the things that belong unto their peace Yea is he not more willing to to bestow great things than smal Doth not his willingnesse to give infinitely excede the sinners willingnesse to receive Is not Christ more glad to receive poor and weary souls than they are to come unto him May sinners come too soon to Christ or before they are welcome Has Christ set any bars or rails about his Throne of Grace May not whoever wil come and drink freely and deeply of this living fountain Is not every thing about Christ mighty drawing alluring and inviting How drawing and encouraging is his Gospel What alluring and inviting Arguments are there in his bloud and passion Has not Christ removed al groundlesse cavils and objections which foolish sinners are apt to make against coming to him for life Doth not Jerusalem first break with him before he breaks with her And when that unhappy breach is made doth not his weeping over her sufficiently argue how fain he would be reconciled to her how much 't would please him to see her but cast half an eye towards him how much his heart would leap within him to behold her in the Prodigals posture returning towards him Did Christ ever cease to make tenders of Grace to her ' til she ceased to accept or desire the tenders of his Grace Yea is not Christs forwardnesse to give beyond the Sinners forwardnesse to receive Did Christ ever refuse to give til sinners refused to aske what they wanted Oh! how oft doth Christs kindnesse overcome the Sinners unkindnesse Did he not frequently expresse great love and pitie when he had the greatest cause to expresse severe wrath Oh! what infinite pleasure and satisfaction doth Christ take in his gracious effusions and communications to sinners Doth he not thinke himself sufficiently paid for what Grace he hath given forth if he may but obtain the souls desires after more How industrious is he in seeking sinners when they have lost themselves Oh! what a sad consideration is it that Christ should be so boundlesse and large in his offers and we so narrow in our receivings 4. Christs weeping over Jerusalem instructs us further What a dreadful sin it is to reject Christ and al other concernes of our peace Christs gracious invitations unto long waitings for and at last tears over Jerusalem do greatly aggravate her impenitence and unbelief towards him For the lower Christ condescends
to sinners the nearer he comes to them and the more importunate he is in the offers of his Grace the greater is their sin in rejecting such gracious and sweet offers What doth Christ come unto his own his own children spouse subjects brethren and friends and wil not his own receive him Doth he so freely open his gracious heart to sinners and wil they shut their hearts against him Is he so forward to give and shal we be so backward to receive Doth Christ offer such great things to sinners and shal they prefer such poor toys before them Yea is Christ in himself so incomparably excellent and wil sinners yet so much disdain him and so proudly shift themselves of him Can there be a more hainous sin than this to meet Christs bowels and pitie with kicks and contemt Oh! studie the weight of this sin 5. This Lamentation of Christ over impenitent Jerusalem teacheth us also That mans Ruine is from himself If after al Christs gracious Invitations al his unwearied forbearances al his bitter and salt tears Jerusalem wil stil persist in her rebellious contemt of his gracious offers how inexcusable is her sin and inevitable her ruine What wil prevail upon her if Christs Tears and Intreaties wil not prevail What can save her if her Redemers Grace and Mercie save her not What is it that keeps Evangelic sinners from being saved is it any defect in the Object or its Revelation is it mere simple Ignorance or Impotence in the subject No but it is wilful blindnesse and impotence they shut their eyes and wil not see they bolt their hearts and wil not open to Christ who knocks at the dore of the soul by many gracious Invitations of his Gospel and Spirit And do not such deservedly perish who electively embrace their own ruine and wilfully reject the things that belong to their peace Mat. 23. 37 Surely this wilful Impotence or rather impotent wilfulnesse evidently demonstrates That impenitent sinners frame their own Hel. 6. Hence also infer That the greater privileges and marques of favor Christ doth confer on any People or Church the more sorely doth he resent any unkindnesse from such The resentment of a smal unkindnesse from such as have been obliged by special favors is more afflictive than greater unkindnesses from others For Jerusalem who lay under so many and essential obligations to reject Christ and al his gracious tenders of mercie Oh! how much doth this break his heart What swords and spears to pierce thorow his soul is this For Jesurun when she is made fat with Divine mercies to kick against those bowels whence her mercies flowed how much doth this wound and grieve the heart of Christ 7. Lasty Hence also we may collect That Christ's tears are the best Exemplar or Patterne of ours He that wil mourne in a Christian manner needs no better Idea or exemple than this Christs Lamentation Al Christs Affections Actions and Passions so far as they are imitable by us deserve a great Remarque But nothing cals for a more exact imitation from us than this Christs Lamentation Every branch thereof deserves great Consideration Admiration and Imitation 1. We procede now to some more practic Application of our Proposition and that first by way of Admonition and Advice That we al studie wel and consider deeply Jerusalems Church-wasting sins how far they may be found amongst us Was Jerusalem guiltie of rejecting Christ and the things that did belong unto her peace And have not we been in an high mesure guiltie of the same Doth not this sin lie involved in Londons Ashes and Ruines as wel as in Jerusalems Did Jerusalem fondly flatter herself and ungroundedly presume of peace when Christ threatned nothing but Wars and Desolations And has not this also been Englands Sin Do not men crie Peace Peace when God speaks nothing but Wrath Was Jerusalem puffed up with Spiritual pride and Carnal confidence in her Church-privileges and the tokens of Gods presence And have not English Professors been notoriously guiltie of the same sins Did Jerusalem sleep securely under al Christs Divine Comminations Menaces or Threats of approching Judgements And has not England also slept securely under al Divine premonitions of coming judgements Had earthly-mindednesse a great place in Jerusalems black Catalogue of Church-desolating sins And have not English Professors been dreadfully guiltie of this sin also Have not Back and Belly Trade Pompe and Pleasures been the great Diana's which have captivated the hearts of too many Professors Was Jerusalem infructuous and barren under al gracious Appointments Vouchsafements and Influences And has not this also been Englands great sin Did Jerusalem persecute Gods Prophets and Apostles And may we exemt England from the guilt of this sin Was the want of Reformation Jerusalems Church-depopulating Sin And is England free from this Sin Lastly was Jerusalem guiltie of Impenitence want of Humiliation and open Apostasie And let al judge whether England has not been fouly guilty of the same sins O that English Professors would spend some time studie and pains in completing this parallel between Jerusalem and England in point of Church-wasting sins thereby to break their hearts and make them bleed forth bitter Lamentations over Englands sins and approching miseries if she repent not Hence also we are furnisht with mater of Exhortation to English Professors That they would by al means possible endeavor both in themselves and others an exact imitation of this our Lords Lamentation over Jerusalem Did our gracious Lord who was himself void of the least spot weep so bitterly over Jerusalems sins Oh then how much should We poor sinful We weep over Englands sin whereunto we have contributed so great a share Doth our blessed Lord who was free from al sin so much lament the sins of others wherein he had no share O! What an high degree of impenitence is it then for us not to lament over our own sins or National sins wherein we have had our share If we mourn not over National or Church-sins do we not hereby make our selves partakers in them and so by consequence in those judgements that follow Oh! What a sad contemplation is it to think how many great Professors make themselves guilty of National or other-mens sins by not lamenting over them How much Blasphemie Atheisme Profanesse Idolatrie Sensualitie Securitie Contemt of the Gospel and other National sins are by the Righteous God charged on the account of many great yea some good Professors because they never mourned over these National sins And may not these Professors expect to be involved in National jugements who thus by their defect of humiliation involve themselves in National sins Yea may not the great want of Mourning and Humiliation for other mens sins give too many great Professors cause to suspect that they never truely mourned or were humbled for their own sins For he that mournes for his own sins as he ought mourns chiefly for the
7. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 would to God we had remained But I rather incline to the jugemeut of Calvin Beza and others who make this Oration of Christ to be Elliptic or defective and so refer the Partible 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If to the Subjunctive Mood 1. Because the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is rarely if ever found used in the New-Testament for Vtinam would to God 2. Because it is here premitted as introductive to a pathetic exclamation drawn from most intimate Bowels and such a torrent of melted Affections as seem to shut Christs mouth and interrupt his words And indeed experience testifieth that such in whose bowels are loged burning vehement Affections are not able to expresse their minds but by abrupt and broken words And that which confirmes this reason is that we find here in Christs expressions two mixed affections 1. A great mesure of commiseration and pitie as to Jerusalems approching miserie And 2. a great degree of Indignation by reason of her prodigious Ingratitude Contumacie and Unbelief which were the cause of al her miserie Thus a learned Author observes That this Oration of Christ is defective as of one who partly commiserates Jerusalems approching Destruction and partly upbraids her unheard-of perfidie and contumacie Thus it seems evident that the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If here notes Christs speech to be very defective abrupt and pathetic But yet there remains a difficultie how this pathetic Interruption or defect in Christs Oration is to be filled up concerning which we shal speak in the Explication of that clause even thou It follows Thou hadst known i. e. Believed embraced For it is a general rule among the Hebrews That words of sense implie Affection Faith is oft in Scripture expressed under the notion of knowlege because Assent is the first essential Ingredient of faith whence follows Consent and albeit the former may sometimes be found without the later as in historic faith yet the later is never found without the former There can be no Consent without Assent although there may be sometimes Assent without Consent as in the Devils Yea may we not affirme which we dout not but to demonstrate in its place that al true Divine Spiritual deep prevalent efficacious Assent to the things that belong unto our peace is ever attended with a sincere Consent to the same For albeit Divine saving Assent and Consent may differ as to their formal Acts and Objects yet are they not the same in regard of their effective principles ends and effects Is not the Wil under the Tuition of the Understanding Can it move regularly towards any object without the conduct of the mind Yea have not the Mind and Wil mutual reciprocal Influences each on other And lastly What if we should assert that the Mind which is the seat of Assent and the Wil wherein the consent of faith is seated are not essentially different Faculties but one and the same soul receiving different Denominations according to its different Acts and Objects This is no Novel opinion neither do we want reason or sacred Authoritie to confirme the same as we may prove hereafter This gives us the reason why our blessed Lord expresseth Faith by Knowlege and Jerusalems unbelief by not knowing the things that belong unto her peace But we are also to remember that it is not simple Ignorance that Jerusalem is charged with but a perverse stupid voluntarie affected Ignorance which is so far from excusing as that it aggravates the sin of those who are guiltie of it Even thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Vulgar Latin and Erasmus render the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Et And supposing it to be Copulative as if our blessed Lord should deplore and lament that Jerusalem did not receive the Gospel as other Cities had done Thus some wil have the defect of this Elliptic discourse filled up by a tacite indication of some other persons or Cities who knew the things that did belong to their peace whose exemple our blessed Lord would fain have Jerusalem to follow in knowing the things that did belong to her peace These persons some wil have to be the commun people which immediately before make such solemne Acclamations of joy and sung Hosanna's to Christ v. 38. Others understand thereby other Cities of Judea which had received the Gospel Others understand it indefinitely of al such Cities as had at any time repented and turned to God As if our Lord should have said Other Cities as Ninive c. have acknowleged their sins and understood the things that belonged to their peace Would to God thou also hadst known the things that belong to thy peace Thus some But we are not necessitated to introduce any persons for the filling up this defective Oration For the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place is not Copulative but put for vel even in this sense If even thou which art the Metropolis of Judea the chief seat of the divine Shekinah or Habitation and adorned with such singular privileges beyond al places in the world If I say thou hadst known c. Thus that which Christ here laments is not that Jerusalem had not known the things that did belong unto her peace as other Cities had done but this is the great thing he bewails that Jerusalem which lay under such deep and essential Obligations to receive her Messias even she should so unworthily reject him So that the simple and natural sense seems to be this If even thou whom it so nearly concernes hadst known c. At least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Repetition of the Conjunction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not uselesse but carries with it a singular Elegance and Emphase for the first 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and refers to the Citie thē last to her day which follows as if he had said If thou Jerusalem hadst known even thou whom it so greatly concernes to know these things at least in this thy day in which I thy promissed Messias am come unto thee Thus the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is to be understood as before for vel even or saltem at least which is evident from the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 annext thereto Whence it follows In this thy day There is a great Pathos and Emphase in this notion This thy day whereby we must understand according to the Hebraic Idiome that space of time or the last period of that time which our Lord had so graciously vouchsafed to Jerusalem for her Repentance Every word is very significant and weightie 1. The word Day has much in it as if he had said The day of Grace yet shines on thee Thy Sun is not as yet set but the night wil follow Joh. 9. 4 This is termed the Time of thy Visitation v. 44. 2. The Epithet thy is also very emphatic Thy Day i. e That day which thy Lord has in
efficace of faith Do not many pretend to a kindnesse for Christ who yet secretly hate him in their hearts How few yea very few among the croud of professed Believers live under the vital power of Faith May we not without breach of Charitie judge those to be under the power of Unbelief who were never truly sensible of the power of it Is not Infidelitie as it has been shown the greatest sin and therefore ought to have the greatest sense What is the main and first worke of the Spirit of Bondage but to convince the unbelieving world of their unbelief as John 16. 9 And can men be convinced of it unlesse they studie and observe the nature and workings of it Why is it that the most of men do account Infidelitie so smal a sin but because they never inquired into its black ugly Nature and Aggravations How comes it to passe that many take part with their Unbelief but because they are not sensible what a mischievous pernicious thing it is Alas Did men studie and believe what an hainous sin Infidelitie is how would they abominate and loath it What speed would they make to be rid of it Yea why is it that Believers themselves are so much under the prevalence of Unbelief but because they have not that sense of its indwelling and prevalence which they ought to have Did Believers meditate much of and mourne under the evils of an unbelieving heart surely they would not be so much troubled with it as they are Oh! What a rare thing is it for Believers to have a quick sense of Unbelief What better argument and marque can we have of a sound Believer than a daily sense of and humiliation for Unbelief Yea is it not a good signe of much growth in Faith and other Graces to be inwardly acquainted with and troubled for the remains of Infidelitie dwelling in us Do not the best and most improved Christians usually complain most of this sin Oh! What an invisible slie and subtile sin is Infidelitie How long doth it lie lurking in the soul before it be observed Doth it not like some cunning Politicians animate and encourage every sin yet concele itself in al its actings Doth it not then greatly concerne al both Believers and Unbelievers to studie wel the Nature Causes and maligne Influences of Unbelief Oh! how much of Infidelitie might we find in every sin were we but wel-skilled in the nature and workings of it But alas what Mysteries and Riddles are Unbelievers to themselves How unacquainted are they with the spiritual cunning and subtile turnings and windings of their unbelieving hearts Is it not then the great concerne of al to be greatly intent on the studie of and inquisition into the Nature Operations and Effects of Unbelief But above althings we should much contemplate and inquire into the Causes of Infidelitie Is not he the wisest Philosopher who contemplates and understands best the causes of things And do not men account him the most able Physician who gives the best conjecture at the Causes of a Disease So in like manner may we not repute him among the most understanding Believers who is best skilled in discerning the Causes of Unbelief Surely althings are best known in and by their Causes O then if thou wilt understand the black nature of Infidelitie studie and inquire narrowly into its Causes Inquire into that Soverain venimous black darknesse which dwels in Conscience and makes al the good things of thy peace to disappear Oh! What a Veil doth this thick spiritual darknesse draw on al the excellences of Christ How doth it stain al the Beautie and Glorie of Evangelic offers made to the unbelieving Soul Oh! what an efficacious influence hath the darknesse of Conscience on the darknesse of Infidelitie Studie also how much carnal reason doth promote Infidelitie What more contrary to Faith than carnal reason When men endeavor to mesure the Promisses or Providences the Words or Workes of God by carnal wisdome what black jealousies and suspicions of Gods love care and faithfulnesse procede thence How is the Unbelievers heart filled with black ugly prejudices against Christ and al the offers of his Grace The lesse of carnal reason there is mixed with Faith the more pure it is Again observe how much carnal Securitie doth foment and promote thine unbelief Is not a secure Conscience ever an unbelieving Conscience When men consider not the things that belong to their peace how can they understand or believe them What made the old World so much disbelieve the approching Deluge of Gods wrath but their wretched securitie It s true Unbelief is oft the cause of carnal securitie but is it not also as oft the effect of it Is not the Securitie of the wise and foolish Virgms made a cause of their Infidelitie Matthew 25. 5 Is not faith maintained by an inward tender feeling sense and Unbelief by the want of such a sense Further take notice how much self-love doth feed and nourish thine Unbelief What self-dependence and self-seeking it workes in thee How soft-natured and faint-hearted as to Dutie but stout-hearted and resolute against Christ and al his gracious invitations it makes thee Oh! Studie how much self-love fortifies thy heart against al the good things of thy peace but exposeth and layes it open to al the tentations of Sin and Satan Consider also how much Spiritual Pride contributes to thine Infidelitie Oh! how craftie and cunning is the pride of Infidelitie and how much are the Unbelievers bands strengthened hereby Meditate also on thy short-spiritednesse and its venimous influence on thine unbelief How contracted and narrow is the Unbelievers heart And how much is his unbelief promoted hereby A confined short straitned spirit is alwaies pusillanimous feeble and unbelieving as Exod. 6. 9. Lastly Examine if there be not some base darling lust lurking at the bottome of thy wil which secretly feeds and fortifies thine unbelief Oh! what large provision doth any beloved lust make for Infidelitie How much is its Throne maintained by it What stout arguments do darling lusts urge against Christ and al his gracious offers These with some other are the principal causes and most bitter roots of Infidelitie the observation and discoverie of which wil be of great use for the subduing of this sin But the more ful Inquisition into the Causes of Infidelitie wil be the entire Subject of the second part of our Discourse touching Unbelief 2. Another practic Improvement we may make of this Doctrine is by way of sad Lamentation and Humiliation for the prevalence of Infidelitie in the world even among Professors Is the Idea or visage of Unbelief so black and ugly Are its Influences so venimous and contagious How then comes it to passe that this knowing world is enamored and fallen in love with it Could any sober mind imagine that a thing so deformed and pernicious should seem so amiable and
desirable in the eyes of men Was it ever known that the Leper was amorous of his Scabs or the Begger in love with his Rags or the Prisoner with his Fetters or the wounded Person with his bleeding Wounds How then comes it to passe that the Christian world is so much amorous of and delighted in Infidelitie which is the worst leprosie povertie deformitie and miserie that the Soul partakes of Yea how comes it to passe that Believers themselves have such reliques and remains of Unbelief in them and that in such days as these are wherein Evangelic Light Love and Grace so much abound Hath not our blessed Lord taken al the courses and means that may be to cure men of their Infidelitie As to the encouragements and motives to believe doth he not shew himself as kind as kind may be Has he not given al manner of warrants yea commands for men to believe Doth not the Covenant of Grace give as good law-right as may be for al that wil to come and embrace the good things that belong to their peace Are not the offers of the Covenant general free abundant and most affectionate Is not Christ more willing to save than sinners are to be saved As to means what can God do more than he has in saying Here is my Son my Spirit my Gospel and al the good things of My peace take al and welcome And are not the termes on which al these good things are offered most easie to any that is but really willing to be happy Yea are not the means vouchsafed by God to cure our Infidelitie in these lightsome days much greater than in former days whence then is it that men continue in their Infidelitie and that with so much delight Has Christ condescended so low in the offers of his Grace and do sinners still persist in their rejecting or not improving such rich and gracious offers Oh! What mater of sad contemplation and Lamentation is here How ought every eye to weep apart and every heart to bleed apart for personal domestic Ecclesiastic and National Infidelitie Alas how true too true is that prediction of our Omniscient Lord touching these last days Luke 18. 8. Neverthelesse when the Son of Man cometh shal he find faith on the earth Who knows how near this coming of the Son of Man may be May we not conjecture that some great coming of the Son of Man cannot be far off because faith is so much departed from the earth Was there ever since the coming of our Lord in the flesh more light and yet more Atheisme in the world Is not the disbelief of the main Articles of our faith the only faith and belief that is to be found among some Are not al the great fundamentals and vitals of faith struck at by some who would count it an high affront to be judged Unbelievers Yea to come nearer home have we not cause to fear that many who passe for shining Believers wil one day appear to be rotten-hearted Unbelievers Yea to leave others to their supreme Judge have we not al cause to lay our hands on our hearts and condemne our selves of much Infidelitie If thou art not sensible of much Unbelief indwelling in thee is it not a sad Symtome that thou hast nothing or at best but very little of true Faith in thy heart May we not safely say That he never truely mourned for any sin who never mourned for Infidelitie which is at the end of every Sin Oh! what lamentable ruines has Unbelief brought on many flourishing Churches And may we expect to be exemted from the like strokes of Divine justice unlesse we lament and mourn over our Unbelief which deserves the same Take these Motives to provoke thine heart to a deep Lamentation and Humiliation for thine own and other mens unbelief 1 Unbelief is as has been said the greatest Sin and therefore ought to worke in us the greatest sense and humiliation 2 If thine heart be not deeply humbled for thine Unbelief thou wilt soon be overcome by it 3 The more thy soul is melted under the sense of Unbelief the more evangelic and spiritual it is What better marque is there of a spiritual yea of a believing heart than a deep sense of and humiliation for Unbelief It is a great proof of our Faith yea of an eminence in Faith to mourne greatly under Unbelief 4 A little unbelief in Believers is much worse than much unbelief in others because Believers have greater Obligations Encouragements Assistances and Means to believe 5 Not to be humbled for the Unbelief of others whether Churches or State is to partake with them in their sin and so to expose our selves to their approching jugements at least temporal 3. This lays a deep and essential obligation on al to examine accurately how far they fal under the Guilt and Power of Infidelitie If the Nature of Unbelief be such as hath been described then surely it concernes al to examine how far it prevails in them Doth not the great Ressemblance that there is between saving Faith and commun oblige al to trie of what stampe and make their faith is Alas how much commun Assent is there which passeth for saving What a great verisimilitude or likenesse is there between the notional Assent of Unbelievers and real Assent of true Believers Do not many knowing Professors seem to receive the Word of God as the Word of God who yet indeed receive it only as the word of men Have not many contemplative Professors sublime and raised Apprehensions of spiritual Mysteries and yet al the while their assent to them is but carnal and natural Do not some seem deeply convinced of and confirmed in evangelic reports who yet yield but a legal staggering assent thereto Doth not the vigor and strength of many mens assent arise from some transient worke of the Spirit of Bondage rather than from a deep apprehension and valuation of Evangelic objects which they assent unto Again how easy is it for men to be mistasten in their Consent to the good things of their peace Do not many seem very forward in electing of Christ who yet retain secret reserves for some beloved Idol Are not too many from the force of legal convictions compelled to close with Christ who yet secretly hate him at heart How many adhere to Christ in Profession and yet adhere to the world or lust in Affection Are there not many who seem to recumb and lean on Christ for life but yet really recumb and lean upon self Oh! what a world of convinced sinners take up with a spurious or commun faith instead of saving How dreadfully do millions of Unbelievers delude themselves with a sick dream and shadow of commun faith Alas what an easie mater is it for Professors in these knowing times to mistake commun faith for saving to deceive themselves and and others with a forme or picture of faith and yet to remain under the real power of Unbelief
conspectâ— removentur Gerhard g 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ignorantia inexcusabili quia lucemoblaram i mo ingestam fastidiose respuis Grot. Doct. 1. Doct. 2. Doct. 3. Doct. 4. Doct. 5. Psal 9. 10. Doct. 6. Even thou h Si vel tu quae singulari privilegio in toto orbe praecellis si tu inquam quae eoeleste es in rerris sacrarium cognosceres Calv. Doct. 7 Doct. 8. Doct. 9. Doct. 10. Doct. 11. Doct. 12. Doct. 13. Doct. 14. Doct. 15. Doct. 16. Doct. 17. Doct. 18. Doct. The Nature of Unbelief What the things that belong to our peace are The first part of Unbelief in respect Joh. 5. 39. Disbeliefe of the Gospel or Covenant of Grace The Covenant of Grace contains 1. Maters of Grace Unbelief questions the Realitie of the offers of Grace Rom. 10. 10 16. Unbelief questions the freedom of the Covenant Unbelief strikes at the Universalitie of the Covenants offers Unbelief limits the Riches of Grace Rom. 5. 20 Unbelief questions the certainty of the Covenant 2 Sam. 23. 5. Unbelief as to Providence Mat. 6. 30 31 32. f 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hebraeis etiam vocantur hi qui cùm in praesens habeant satis futuri inâ—er â—itudinecruciantur Grot. Luke 12. 22-29 Aristotle Pliny Aelian Unbelief as to future Glorie Heb. 11. 1. The formal Object of Unbelief 1 Thess 2. 13. The several gradations of Dissent from the sacred Notions of our peace 1. Rejection of Divine truths 2. Not to attend to sacred Notions 3. Not to yield an explicite assent to Divine Truths 4. Not to give a supernatural Assent Luk. 24. 45 5. Not to give a deep Assent 6. Not to yield a real Assent Rom. 2. 17 18 19 20. k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Oecum 7. Not to give a spiritual Assent 1 Cor. 2. 14. 8. A general confused Assent Joh. 5. 39. Metaphor A canum sagacitate sumta c. Strigel 9. To suspend our Assent Rom. 4. 19. ver 20. ver 21. Joh. 10. 24 l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est quod 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luc. 12. 29 Suspensum tenere Grot. Luk. 12. 29 m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Graecis non eum modò declarat qui positus est in sublimi sed eriam eum cujus animus velut 10. An inevident obscure Assent n Veritates fidei sunt evidenter credibâ—les Aquin 2 Pet 1 9. 11. A legal Assent Heb. 4. 2. 12. Forced Assent Act. 2. 41. Act. 17. 11 Psal 119. 16. 13. Not to retain the things of our peace n Jo. 5. 38. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Johanni est insigi Grot. Psal 119. 11. Luk. 11. 28 14. Low estime Joh. 7. 28. 15. A barren Assent Jam. 2. 26. Psal 119. 11. 1. The simple Objects of Unbelief Unbelief refuseth 1. God 1. His Being 2. His Attributes Wisdome Faithfulnes Soveraintie Mercie Justice Omnipotence 3. Providence Ordinances 2. Unbelief rejects Christ 3. Unbelief refuseth Heaven The Acts of Unbelief 1. Rejection of Christ This Rejection of Christ Implies 1. Open opposition Dislikes of Christ Mat. 11. 6. b 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 significat propriè tigillum in instrumentis quibus capiuntur Lupi aut Vulpes aut Mures Hesychius expressè inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Commentarius Aristophanis inquit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sunt curva ligna in decipulis Strigel in Rom. 11. 9. Heart cavils against offers of Grace Luk. 20. 5. 4. Not approving the reports of Christ Luk. 7. 29. o 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rectè vertitur rejicere id enim optimè opponitur v. 30. 5. Delays as to a thorow closure with Christ Luk. 9. 59. The Wils defective Reeption of Christ The Defects of Unbelief as to its object in receiving 1. A false Christ 1. A compound Christ Christ compounded wirh the world Mat. 19. 20 21 22. Supra modum tristis Est enim composita dictio ex Adverbio intendendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod semper per Paroxytonum est Et significat admodum excellenter valde nimis Schmidius in Mat. 26. 38. Christ compounded with lust Christ compounded with spiritual Idols 2. A divided Christ p 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i e. ut Dominum Grot. Joh. 1. 11. q Lâ—râ— impatiens The Deâ—ects of Unbelief as to the respects under which Christ is received 1. As to Motives 2. As to the Grandeur of Christ 3. When Christ is not received as offered The Defects of Unbelief as to the subject of its Reception 1. A rotten deceitful Heart 2. A languid faint Wil. Jer. 3. 10. A terrified forced Wil. Psa 68. 34. Luk. 19. 6. 3. The Wils Defects as to adherence unto Christ r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deut. 10. 20. 〈…〉 Psal 63. 8. Heb 3. 12. Heb. 3. 14. Heb. 10. 38 39. Hos 7. 11. Psal 78. 37 4 Diffidence and Distrust Psal 37. 5. Cant. 8. 5. Luk 11. 41. 5. Dissatisfaction Phil. 3 3. Gal. 4. 9. t Vocula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 non rem eandem sed similem respicit Idem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Glass Gram. Sacr. u 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e qui ultrò perindè appetitis velle aliquando pro cupidè optare Glass Gram. Sacr. Luk. 14. 26 33. x 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est minus amare Grot. 6. The Disobedience of Unbelief Job 1. 20. Joh. 3. 36. w Qui inabsequiens est filio Grot. Psal 37. 1. ver 7. 7. Nonapplication of the Grace of Christ 8. Putting far off Christs second coming Ephes 1. 13 14. Corollaries Corol. 1. Almost-believers may procede far and yet continue Infidels 1 As to Assent 2. As to Consent Corol. 2. The difference betwixt saving faith and commun 1. As to knowlege 2. As to selfdenial 3. As to a legal and evangelic spirit 4. As to turning the Bent of the Wil to Christ 5. As to purifying from sin 6. As to transformation into the image of Christ and conformation to his life and Laws 7. As to the use of means 8. As to the foundation 9. As to end and rule 10. As to Gods faithfulnes Corol. 3. No middle twixt faith and unbelief Corol. 4. 4. Saving faith rare but commun faith cheap Corol. 5. Believers have much of Unbelief in them Corol. 6. Infidelitie the greatest sin Corol. 7. God justified in his severe procedure against Vnbelievers Vse 1. Of Advice to studie the Nature and Influence of Infidelitie Studie the Causes of Infidelitie 1 Spiritual darknesse 2. Carnal Reason 3. Carnal Securitie 4. Self-love 5. Spiritual Pride 6. Short-spiritednes Lastly Beloved lusts Vse 2. Of lamentation and humiliation for the prevalence of Infidelitie Vse 3. Of examination whether thy faith be saving or only commun Heart examens by way of Soliloquie Vse 4. Of Exhortation to deal with Infidelitie as our worst enemie Vse 5. To pursue after Faith as the most excellent powerful Grace Faiths efficace The effects of Faith 1. Self-denial 2. The elevation of reason 3. The fortifying of the Wil and Affections 4. Union with Christ 5. Sanctification 6. Adherence to Christ 7. Peace and Communion with God in Christ 8. The exercise of Grace 8. Al Spiritual goods The opposition betwixt faith and Unbelief