The punishment first generally declared But now they are hid from thine eyes Then more particularly explained in the verses following These are the severals some of which I have now to deal with Begin with the first The occasion of this lamentation And when he was come near he beheld the City So he did and that Oculis tam animi quam corporis with the eye both of his body and mind With the eye of his body he beheld the place And beholding it wept over it Thus is the eye of the body oftimes as a window to let in affection and passion into the soul. Love and hatred joy and grief they often enter at this door Among other in this way is pity and compassion often let into the heart The good Samaritane he saw the man that was fallen among theeves And when he saw him saith the text he had compassion on him Luk. 10. 33. And thus our Saviour here saw the City of Hierusalem and when he saw it he was thus affected with it Seeing it as with his bodily eye so with the eye of his mind considering the state and condition of it Q. But what was it that he there saw or looked upon that did so affect and move him A. Why first with his bodily eye he took notice of the place the City it self where he beheld as goodly a prospect as the earth could afford A magnificent City beautiful for scituation Beautiful for scituation the joy of thâ— whole earth is mount Sion Psal. 48. 2. Beautiful for edifices and structures which were rich and stately Among which the Temple rebuilt by King Herod was the most sumptuous and magnificent pile that then the world was owner of So as had there been nothing else this alone had been enough to move compassion to think that so goodly a City as that should within a short time be ruined such stately edifices laid level with the grouâ—d This is conceived to have affected the Disciples of Christ as the story sets it forth Matth. 24. 1. His Disciples came saith the text to shew him the buildings of the Temple This they did as by way of admiration being much taken with the rich magnificence of the structure so also out of pity and commiseration in as much as their master had but a little before given them a hint of the destruction thereof cap. 23. 38. Behold your house is left unto you desolate intimating that both the City and Temple should be destroyed Hereupon they now shewed him the buildings thereof as pittying that sad fate that so stately a fabrick should be ruined This moved them And I will not say but it might also at the present affect their master when he had this goodly prospect in his eye to think what afterwards he speaks verse 44. that the enemy should lay that City and Temple even with the ground not leaving one stone upon another This possibly might move some compassion in him But this was but the least grain in the ballance There were divers other considerations besides this of greater importance which our Saviour might then have in his thoughts As viz. In the second place the number of people in that City which was great and populous All these generally he looked upon as destinated to ruin and destruction either by sword or famine or pestilence Gods three stringed whip or by exile or else miserable slavery And this questionlesse could not but much affect him So it did in another case as the Evangelist reports the story once and again Matth. 9. 36. When he saw the multitude he was moved with compassion in them because they fainted and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepheard And again â—ap 15. vers 32. he tells his Disciples I have compassion on the multitude because they continue with me now three dayes and have nothing to eat Thus did he pity the condition of the people having compassion both on their souls and bodies the one because they wanted instruction the other because they wanted refreshment How much more then might this stir the like affection in him when looking upon this populous City he considered how many were like to perish in that desolation which hung over the head of it As it is reported of that great Commander Xerxes that from a hill beholding his numerous Armies consisting of some hundreds of thousands of able fighting men and considering how that with in a short time 40. or 50. years not a man of them should be left alive he could not refrain from weeping And even alike consideration might here draw tears from the eyes of our blessed Saviour Which also himself gives a hint of in that 44. verse after the Text where speaking how the City should be laid level with the ground he adds and thy children within thee meaning that they also should perish the very little ones being as the Psalmist saith of the Babylonians Psal. 137. dashed against the stones Thirdly To this in the third place add the quality of the people which as they were numerous so also they were a select a choice people Gods people A people whom God had chosen out of all the nations in the world whom he had adopted and taken into Covenant with himself To whom belongeth the adoption and the Covenant saith that Apostle reckoning up the priviledges of the people Rom. 9. 4. Now that they through their own ingratitude and obstinacy in refusing the offer and means of grace held forth to them should perish so miserably This as Calvin noteth upon it could not but exceedingly affect him who came into the world to seek and save them This thought exceedingly affected the blessed Apostle as he tells his Romanes Rom. 9. 1. 2. I say the truth in Christ I lie not c. That I have great heavinesse and continual sorrow in my heart viz. for his countreymen the Jews to think of their obstinacy and consequently their rejection So it followeth For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen according to the flesh So was Paul affected with the miscarriage of that people that he could even have wished the greatest of evils to himself so as he might have prevented it in them And the like thought no question could not but exceedingly affect our blessed Saviour to think that such a people the hope of the world the onely people in Covenant with God at that time that they should miscarry they should perish Fourthly To this add in the fourth place that that City as it was the Metropolis the head City of the Kingdome of Iudaea so the whole Kingdome was concerned in it and depended upon it Yea the whole Nation of the Jews As it went with that City so it was like to go with the whole body of that nation If that miscarried it could not but prove fatal to that whole kingdome and to all the people of God in
it who had all an adventure in that bottome nay were themselves imbarqued in it And so were like to swim or sink with it As it was with Babylon being the head City of the Persian Monarchy the peace of the whole Kingdome and all the subjects in it depended upon that And therefore the Prophet adviseth the Jewish captives to seek the peace of that City and to pray unto the Lord for it for in the peace thereof shall ye have peace Jer. 29. 7. Even thus was it with Ierusalem Yet again in the fifth place This City it was the City of the great King so called by the Psalmist 48. 2. The great King but what king why not onely the City of David as it is sometimes called Luk. 2. 4. 11. the Emperial City where David and his successours had sate upon the throne for many Generations almost five hundred years together before the Captivity of Babylon There are set thrones of judgement saith the Psalmist the throne of the house of David Psal. 122. 5. Not onely so but it was the City of the great King of the King of heaven the City of God So our Saviour meaneth it Matth. 5. 35. where forbidding to swear by Hierusalem he giveth this reason for it for it is the City of the great King i.e. of God So the Psalmist explains himself in the 8. verse of that psalme Psal. 48. As we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts in the City of God As also in the first verse God is greatly to be praised in the City of our God So was Hierusalem There God dwelt The Lord hath chosen Sion he hath desired it for his habitation This is my rest for ever here will I dwell Psal. 132. 13 14. This was the place the onely place upon earth where God manifested his presence in a fixed and constant way Here formerly was the Ark of the Covenant the pledge and token of Gods presence The glory of Israel and of the world and therefore called The glory Rom. 9. 4. Here was the Sanctuary where God dwelt betwixt the Cherubins and from whence the light of salvation went forth unto all the world This was urbs sacris dicata as Grotius saith of it a place dedicated to the worship and service of God a place which God had chosen to put his name there the place whither the tribes came up to worship Psal. 122. 4. where the Ordinances of God were set up in their glory majesty and held forth in a publick way So as this place miscarrying it could not but go ill with the Churches of God and with the Religion of God And this it was as Gualter and Calvin note it upon the Text which above all other things our blessed Saviour took to heart The other considerations might move him but this above all to think that that place which God had made choice of to put his name in where he had dwelt where his Temple the place of his publick worship was that that should be brought to such a miserable desolation as he by the eye of his divinitie saw to hang over the head of it this this it was that pierced his heart and stirred up his compassions in him drawing tears from his eies When he beheld the City he wept over it Wept over it There is the expression of his compassion Let me touch upon that also and I shall put the application of both these together He wept This Passion some look upon as unsutable to the person of Christ. And thereupon as both Beza and Grotius take notice of it from Epiphanus in divers of the ancient Copies this passage was left out But without any just cause To hear of Christs weeping is not such a rarity that any should boggle at it Four several times saith one Writing upon the Text we read hereof The first at his Nativity his Birth For this he citeth that Apochryphal Text Wisd. 7. 3. Where wisedome whereby he understandeth Christ who is so called Prov. 8. saith that she was Borne crying and weeping as all other do Thus Infants are commonly born crying whether weeping or no I will not say And thus that pretended Solomon is conceived to set forth the birth of Christ who was therein conformed to the rest of the sons of men But that being Apocryphal I leave it as I find it uncertain so as it may be believed or rejected without any prejudice to the faith The three other are clear The first at the raising up of Lazarus where we read Joh. 11. 53. And Iesus wept The second here in this his Procession to Hierusalem as he calleth it He wept over it The third and last in his Passion in the Garden concerning which the Author to the Hebrews tels us that he offered up prayers and supplications with strong cryings and tears Heb. 5. 7. Thus saith he did our blessed Saviour who was the fountain of life water the world with his tears which he compareth to the four Rivers which went out of Paradise to water the earth But letting that passe as more witty then weightie Weeping we see was no new or strange thing with our Saviour That ever he laughed that we read not that he wept we meet with it more then once Q. But it may be said Wherefore should our Saviour here weep over Hierusalem what ever calamities he saw impending hanging over the head of it he could have prevented them if he had pleased And why then doth he lament that which with a word he was able to have remedied A. To this it is answered First This he did to shew the truth of his humanity Taking upon him our nature he took upon him also all Passions and Affections common to that nature Being made like unto us in all things sin onely excepted as the Apostle hath it Heb. 4. 15. subjected to all our not sinful infirmities Thus he slept eat and drank which the nature of man requireth And thus we read that he was weary hungry thirsty and thus he wept All to shew himself truly man and that together with our nature he had also taken our Infirmities as the Evangelist Saint Mathew hath it Matth. 8. 17. But secondly Hereby he testified his affection towards those for whom he was made man and for whose sake he came into the world This he did first for the Jew I am not sent save onely to the Lost â—â—eepe of the house of Israel so he tells the woman of Canaan Matth. 15. 24. His arrand was first to the Iewes to seek and save them And hereby he expressed his indeared affection unto them This was the contrition which the Jewes made of his weeping over Lazarus his grave Behold how he loved him say they Ioh. 11. 36. And the same construction may we make of this his weeping over Hierusalem Hereby he shewed that tender affection which he bare unto them
presence with his Church Christ performeth the like offices to his Church that the Sun doth to the earth Inlightning it All light coming from Jesus Christ. Natural light of reason Reason Supernatural light of Grace Of Glory Inlivening Comforting Making fruitful Purifying Christ as the Sun to his Enemies how Branch 2. The face of Christ as the Sun shining Christ upon earth like the Sun under a cloud In his death Eclipsed In his Resurrection breaking forth Herein the members conformable to their head Partaking of the same glory for kind though not degree Branch 3. The face of Christ as the Sun shining in his strength The glory of Christ transcendent Etiam justi fulgebunt sicut sol in regno patris Christi verò corpus fulget ut Sol in vigore suo quo excellentia capitis prae membris significatur Pareus ad Text. His efficacious operations Dissipating and dispelling fogs and mists of Heresies and Errors Melting frozen and congealed hearts Warning and heating them with joy love zeal Drying up sinful corruption Applic. Seek we the face of Jesus Christ. Quest. How seek it Answ. That we may see it The Beatifical vision upon earth Quest. How Christ is to be seen upon earth Answ. 1. Neg. Not by way of vision Answ. 2. Affirm In the Glass of the Gospel In his Ordinances Answ. 2. Seek the face of Christ that we may feel it The operations of Christ to be felt in the soul. Illumination Light received is to be reflected how Vivification No life from Christ without union with him Spiritual life as begun so maintained and increased by Jesus Christ. Consolation True comfort not to be found in the creatures Nor in a mans self All true comfort to be sought from Christ Fructification Purification Christ to be felt as the Sun in his strength Dispelling mists of ignorance infidelity Thawing and melting of the heart Warming and heating it The appearing of Christ not to be feared by those who have felt these his powerful operations Which to others will be terrible Christs second coming to believers a joyful day Errata to the three Sacred Emblems The text upon what occasion takâ— up Declaration Novem. 21. 1655. Division Parts three Part 1. The occasion of this lamentation The eye lets in affection to the heart What Christ looked upon in Jerusalem that so affected him The City it seâ—f magnificent for structure The number of people devoted to destruction Magis tamen subversionem planxit animarum quam ruinas parietum Carthus â—d lot The qualitie of the people Gods people Qâ—um populum qui in spem vita aeâ—ernae adâ—pius 〈◊〉 suae ingratiâ—udine maâ—iâ—ia misere perire videret nihil mirum si lachrymâ—s non tenuit Cal. â—d loc Ierusalem the 〈◊〉 the head city upon which the whole Nation had a dependance Ierusalem the City of the great King the city of God Quum expenderet illam divinitus electam esse sacram sedem in quae resideret salutis aeternae foedus Sanctuarium unde prodiret salus salas toti mundo fieri non potuit quam ejus interitum graviter doleret Cal. ad loc Part 2. The expression of Christs compassion by weeping Lachrymae sunt legati doloris Cyprianus lib. Ep. 7. Weeping a passion not unsutable to Christ. Mutarunt homines temerarii delicati quibus flere Christo indignis videbatur Grotius at Text. Gorranus ad Text. alli Alii septies Chriâ—â—um flevisse aâ—â—erunt Gerhard Harm ad loc Why Christ lamenteth what he could have remedied To shew the truth of his humanity Carne humanacircundatus vere humanos induit affectus Cal. ad loc To testifie his affection to the Iews Hoc fletu testatus est fraterne se diligere eos in quorum gratiam fuerat homo factus Calvin ad Text. Viscera misericordiae suae per fletum osstendit Theophil ad loc Why did he not then help and save them Christ here in acteth as man Obs. Christians to be tenderly affected towards the Churches of God The Churches misery to be mourned over Christians to mourn for those who do not mourn for themselves Reas. Christians members of the same body Appli The present times to be mourned over In regard of the state of the Church abroad The presen state of England a matter of just lamentation Englands condition looked upon three waies What it hath been What it is Set forth in the late Declaration Iamaika Four particulars justly to be mourned over Tares of division Abominable blasphemies Dreadful apostacy The hindrance of settlement and reformation What like to be Part 3. The cause of Christs weeping Pathetica est ratio ideoque abrupta Calvin ad loc Passionate expressions often abrupt The defect here how supplied Obser. Christs affection to an unworthy people the Iews God not taking pleasure in the death of sinners How God willeth the death of the wicked Appli Gods grace not to be turned into wantonnesse Gods goodnesse leading to repentance Christ still retaining the same affection towards poor sinners The matter of this lamentation where the evil lamented Aggravations of it The evil lamented Expli Three things What here meant by peace viz. All kind of happinesse What were the things which belonged to their peace viz. Christ and his Gospel How they are said not to know these things viz. in not owning of Christ. To know God and Christ what Christ acknowledged by a small party By whom it was A party inconsiderable both for quality and number Obser. Not to receive Christ and his Gospel a most deplorable thing This is that which belongeth unto the peace of a people The rejecting of the Gospel the undoing of a people Applic. A just cause of mourning over this nation the sleight entertainment given to the Gospel Calling for deep lamentation Vse 2. What to be done for the preventing of judgment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hic est utinam Grotius ad loc The Aggravations of this complaint Aggravation 1. The Persons Thou as well as others Diodate Annot ad loc Thou rather then others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vel tu urbs illa suprâ— omnes terrae urbes Dco dilecta urbs David urbs Regia urbs sacris dicata Grotius ad loc Ierusalem a Non-such in respect of spiritual priviledges An Aggravation Of Christs sorrows Of her sin Obser. Means and mercies not answered great aggravations of sin and judgment Ad astra tolli Sublimi feriens sydera vertice The more light the greater sin R. Grace abused a high contempt Applic. Vse 1. Application to the nation in generall Jerusalem and England pararelled In respect of spirituall priviledges Temporall favours Unanswerable returnes A great Aggravation of Englands sin Threatning a proportionable judgment Application to the Town of Yarmouth in special Vse 2. Exhortation To indeavour an answerable return to mercies A sad thing for God to upbraid a people with his favours A thing which he is not ready to do Yet being provoked by ingratitude he will do