IERVSALEMS FALL Englands warning LVK. 15.41.42.43.44 Verse 41. And when he was come neere he beheld the Citie and wept for it 42. Saying O if thou hadst euen knowne at the least in this thy day those thing which belong vnto thy peace but now are they hid from thine eyes 43. I 〈◊〉 the dayes shall come vpon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and compasse thee round and keepe thee in or euery side 44. And shall make thee euen with the ground and thy Childe which are in thee and they shall not leaue in thee a 〈◊〉 vpon a stone because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation THis Chapter consisteth of foure parts the first containeth the calling of Zacheus the second includeth the Parable of the Noble man deliuering his monie to his Seruants to occupy till his returne the third comprehendeth the manner of Christs riding to Ierusalem Math. 21. accompanied with his Disciples and much people who laid their garments on the Asse Ioh. 12. on which our Lord Iesus did ride with great ioy and loud acclamations The fourth and last is the purging and clensing of the Temple of corruptions crept in and allowed by the Pharisies The third part I haue chosen to intreat of wherein the Euangelist Luke declareth the great ioy triumph and reioycing of the Disciples and people with their loud acclamations as they approached neere to Ierusalem in which action they were directed by the holy Ghost that the Prophesie of Zachariah might be fulfilled which was this Reioyce greatly O daughter Zion shout for ioy O Daughter Ierusalem behold thy King commeth vnto thee he is iust and saued himselfe poore and riding vpon an Asse and vpon a colt the soule of an Asse Zacha. 9.9 Yet our Lord Iesus approching neere vnto Ierusalem and beholding it and withall reuoluing in his minde the great mercies of God offered by the Prophets and now by him and considering how the hearts of the Iewes were obdurate and hardned and their eyes blinded that they could neither see the grace offered nor beleeue the promises made vnto them he burst forth into weeping wishing that they had knowne the things that concerned their pence but because they did not hee did Prophesie the vtter destruction of the Citie and of their policie which came to passe about some fortie yeeres after and remaineth vnto this day which is an admonition to vs and to all succeeding ages to beware and take heede that we doe not despise the grace of God lest we tast of his iudgements But I come to the words themselues which offer to our consideration two things 1. An Admonition to Ierusalem 2. A Prophesie of the destruction of Ierusalem The first part of my text containeth an Admonition to Ierusalem wherein our Lord Iesus warned her of her present estate to draw her to a diligent consideration of the great mercy of God shewed vnto her First in sending his Prophets Secondly in sending his Son to allure her vnto repentance that she might haue auoided the iudgements and plagues which were imminent and hung ouer her head and afterwards fell vpon her Wherein we may obserue the great mercie of God admonishing her of the danger that she should fall into if she did not preuent it by true and vnfained repentance God giues a Cauent before his Capias and doth warne before he doth wound And thus the Lord hath done from the beginning admonishing men either immediately or mediately before of the danger that auoiding it they might escape the punishment He admonished Adam before his fall immediately by himselfe shewing him the danger and punishment if he did eate of the Tree of knowledge of good and euill Gen. 2.17 in the middest of the Garden Thou shalt die the death He likewise warned Cain before he murdered Abell his Brother immediately by himselfe If thou doe well Gen. 4.7 shalt thou not be accepted if thou doest not well sinne lieth at the doore Likewise he forewarned Noah of the drowning of the world immediately by himselfe Gen. 6.8 who beleeued and escaped the mercilesse waters He admonished immediately Gen. 7.1 by meaneâ— the old world by Noah the eight Preacher of righteousnesse He admonished the Sodomiâ—ai by Lot 2 Pet. 2.5 the Aegyptians by Moses the Niniuites by Ionah Gen. 19. the Israelites by the Prophets often before they were led into captiuitie Ierusalem by the Prophets Math 23. and by our Lord Iesus as here Saint Paul saith Rom. 15.4 Whatsoeuer things are written before time are written for our learning Therefore all the admonitions comminations and examples of punishments is in the Scriptures are therefore recorded that in all times and ages they should be propounded and preached vnto men as testimonies of the iudgements of God against all impenitent sinners who stop their eares at the voice of God wincke with their eyes that they may not see the mercies of God and harden their hearts not beleeuing his threatnings Therefore our Lord Iesus denounceth a heauie woe against Chorazin Math. 11. Bethsaida and Capernaum telling them that it should be easier for Tire and Sidon and for Sodome then for them in the day of iudgement Saint Paul shewing how God slew three and twentie thousand of the Israelites for committing fornication declareth 1 Cor. 10.11 that all those things came vnto them for examples and were written to admonish vs vpon whom the ends of the world are come Psal 102.18 This shall be written for the Generation to come This Admonition then vnto Ierusalem and all other Admonitions in the Scriptures are recorded in the Scriptures to be Preached vnto all men to all Nations to all estates and conditions of men especially to those to whom the Gospell hath beene declared that it might be an example of the iust iudgement of God and an Admonition to Repentance lest they likewise despising the riches of Gods goodnesse patience and long-suffering according to their hardnesse and heart that cannot repent they heape vp wrath against the day of wrath Rom. 2. and iust iudgement of God This Admonition then concerneth vs and warneth vs in time to repent and to lay hold on the day of grace before the day of iudgement come The Gospell hath beene preached vnto vs many yeeres God hath bestowed many fauours and benefits vpon vs he hath giuen vs a long peace hee hath defended vs against our enemies that are more in number and stronger then we he hath made vs his vineyard and bedged vs round about that the wilde Bore of the forrest could not roote vs vp he hath done as much yea much more for vs then for Ierusalem he hath called vs to repentance by his seruants the Ministers and Preachers of the Gospell All the examples of Gods iudgements in the Scriptures haue beene red and pressed vnto vs yet we generally liue in securitie neither suspecting any change nor fearing any punishment But let
vs take heede that our Halcion-dayes doe not deceiue vs neither let vs thinke that we are priuiledged aboue others Rom. 11.21 For if God spared not the naturall branches when they did not repent will he spare vs that were wilde Oliues The Iewes in the time of Ieremiah who dwelled in Ierusalem liued in great securitie as we doe neither regarding Gods mercies nor fearing his iudgements therefore the Lord sent Ieremiah with this message vnto them Behold I begin to plague the Citie where my name is called vpon Ier. 25.29 and should you goe free yee shall not goe quite for I will call for a sword vpon all the inhabitants of the earth Euen so this example of Ierusalem yea and all the examples before mentioned doe preach vnto vs to turne vnto God not flattering our selues that we are better then they nay I feare that our sinnes are growne so great that we haue iustified Ierusalem yea Sodome and Gomorrha in their sinnes and therefore I say from the mouth of Christ vnto you except ye repent ye shall likewise perish Luke 13. Now out of this generall let vs obserue these particulars First that it is Gods great mercy without mans desert to admonish and warne sinners of their future punishments if they refuse his grace offered he hath mercie on whom he will When God then doth warne a Nation a Countrie a People or Citie he declareth his great mercie That he would not the death of a Sinner but rather that he should turne and liue This mercie of God should leade vs to repentance it should breake our stonie hearts and soften the hardnesse of them when God spreadeth out his hands vnto vs and offereth to gather vs together as a Henne doth her Chickens that wee perish not with the wicked Secondly all the Admonitions in the Scriptures are written for vs to warne vs to preuent the wrath of God and to escape the punishments of the wicked Therefore when either we reade or heare how God destroyed a Nation a People a Country yea or some particular person â—o despising his grace and reiecting his admonition let vs presently apply it vnto our selues in this manner I reade or I heare how Ierusalem and other Cities were destroyed for refusing the grace of God offered vnto them I heare how such men were seuerely punished when they would not be warned If I doe not make vse of this the same punishment will fall vpon me therefore I will pray vnto God to grant me his grace that I may take these warnings and speedily turne to God that the fall of others may be my rising Thirdly these Admonitions will leaue vs without excuse For what can we plead for our selues when so many examples and admonitions haue beene remembred vnto vs He that is once warned is halfe armed therefore there remaineth no excuse for vs if we despise these admonitions but a fearefull expectation of the iust iudgement of God Lastly these Examples and Admonitions in the Scriptures will be so many witnesses against vs and will rise vp in iudgement to condemne vs It shall be easier for Ierusalem Tire and Sidon and for Sodome and Gamorha in the day of Iudgement then for vs. God Almightie giue vs grace to make a good vse of these things Now I come to the words in particuler as they lie in order And when he was come neere vnto the Citie OVr Lord Iesus accompanied with his Disciples and much people reioycing with great triumph approacheth to Ierusalem And when he was come neere vnto the Citie he beheld it and wept for it He commeth to Ierusalem to an ingratefull and a rebellious Citie from which he had iust cause to depart for she neither would receiue his Doctrine nor beleeue his miracles His Doctrine she challenged not to be of God his miracles she ascribed to Sathan Math. 12. to Belzabub the chiefe of the Diuels his person she contemned is not this the Carpenters Sonne art thou not a Samaritan Math. 13. Yet our Lord Iesus passing by all these indignities commeth vnto her and leaueth nothing vnattempted to saue her as he himselfe by his owne words testified O Ierusalem Math. 23.37 Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them that are sent vnto thee how often would I haue gathered thee together as a Henne doth hir Chickens and thou wouldest not Behold here the loue of our Lord Iesus to an vnfaithfull and a rebellious people This example of Christ doth teach all his Ministers yea and all Christians to open their bowels of mercie euen towards the obstinate not rashly to forsake them and depart from them and to giue them ouer but rather to labour to winne them vnto Christ and to omit no time to spare no labour to effect it and to bring it to passe So did Noah labour with the old world Lot with the Sodomites Moses with Pharaoh and the Aegyptians Samuel with Saul the Prophets with the Israelites Paul with the Iewes But it may be obiected that it is in vaine and but labour lost to cast pearles before Swine Math. 6. and to giue that which is holy vnto Dogges I answer we ought not so to thinke by and by of such as are obstinate and ingratefull of such as are froward and stubborne for God can suddenly change them Paul was a Persecutor a Blasphemer 1 Tim. 1.13 and an oppressour but God tooke mercie vpon him Mathew and Zacheus were Publicans and Sinners when our Lord Iesus called them Therefore let vs doe our diligence and commit the successe vnto God If they continue in their disobedience they are without excuse and their condemnation is the more iust He that refuseth light is worthy to continue in darkenesse he that reiecteth grace deserueth to abide the sensure of Iustice If we with our admonitions and exhortations reclaime and winne them we saue so many soules from death Iames 5.19.20 and couer a multitude of sinnes and wee our selues shall in the day of the resurrection shine as the Starres in the firmament Dan. 12.3 He beheld the Citie AS our Sauiour Christ approached neere vnto Ierusalem so he beheld it he looked vpon it and reuoluing in his minde her blockishnesse and ingratitude neither seeing nor acknowledging Gods mercies nor yet fearing his iudgements he burst forth into weeping Now we may consider his kindnesse and loue towards Ierusalem that he looketh on her that he beheld her from whom he had iust cause to turne away his eyes yet he beholdeth her he doth not auert his face from her as men turne their eyes from their enemies Luk. 10.33 But he is that good Samaritan who seeing the wounded man is moued with great commiseration and compassion towards him pittying his distressed case and indeauouring to relieue it The vse This example is our instruction teaching vs to behold obstinate sinners to looke vpon them pittying their miserable estate which they themselues see not When therefore
This example teacheth vs to weepe for the sinnes of others Righteous Lot had his soule vexed with the vncleane conuersation of the wicked Sodomites Isa 24.16 Isaiah crieth out My leanenesse my leanenesse woe is me the transgressours haue offended yea the transgressours haue grieuously offended He did so grieue at the transgressions of the people that he became exceeding leane withall as the doubling of the word importeth The Prophet Ieremie likewise is full of passion in this behalfe Ier. 4.19 sometimes he crieth out as if he were in great perplexitie My belly my belly I am pained euen at the very heart my heart is troubled within me I cannot be still Sometimes he wisheth that his head were full of water and his eyes a fountaine of teares that he might weepe day and night for the sinnes of the people and he told them that his soule should weepe in secret for their Pride Ier. 9.1 and his eyes should weepe and drop downe teares How did Samuel weepe for the sinnes of Saul Ier. 13.17 1 Sam. 16.2 Psal 119.139 And Dauid saith that his eyes did gush out with riuers of water because men kept not the Law of God How did Saint Paul weepe for them that did walke inordinately among the Philippians Phil. 3.18 Ezra 10.1 How did Ezra and other good men weepe for the sinnes of the people in his time If then these good men beholding the sinnes of the people of their times and considering the calamities and punishments that would fall vpon them did weepe abundantly How can we passe by our brethren sinning with an high hand and committing sinne with greedinesse and not weepe for their sinnes Before I begin to relate vnto you the sinnes of this age and of our Land I cannot but tremble How doe men and women young and old rich and poore generally take the holy name of God in vaine how commonly is Gods holy Sabaoth prophaned how many murthers in this land haue beene committed and the murtherers haue escaped how is adulterie and fornication committed and is not punished how is theft boulstered how doth drunkennesse raigne in this land and is made but a sport and pastime Are not these sinnes like the sinnes of the first age Haue not the sinnes of our Land exceeded the sinnes of the Sodomites and shall we not now weepe for the sinnes of the people of this land yes let vs not onely weepe but let vs houle and cry for them Ioel. 2.17 as Ioel exhorted the people of his time Now if this be required of vs for other mens sinnes much more should we sorrow and weepe for our owne sinnes our sinnes should be our greatest sorrow nothing in the world should come so neere our hearts as they and therefore the Lord saith that when men are once brought to a true sight of their sinnes they shall mourne for them Zacha. 12.10 euen as one that mourneth for his onely sonne and be sorry as one is sorry for his first borne As nothing more woundeth the heart of a tender Father then to loose his onely Sonne the image of his name and the hope of his house so nothing should pierce the heart of a man so deepely as the consideration of his sinnes Many weepe in the world but not for their sinnes but for worldly respects such abuse their teares as Chrysostome vpon the Colossians doth at large declare Many weepe because they cannot haue that which they vniustly desire 1 King 21.4 So mourned Achab for Naboths Vineyard Some weepe because they cannot be reuenged on their enemies so did Esau weepe because he could not hurt his brother Iacob Many weepe because their Parents die not that they might be their heires and enioy their goods Many weepe because they cannot be rich nor haue the world at wil as some haue But how few among vs doe weepe for our sins Psal 6.6 Psal 102.10 Math. 26. Dauid euery night washed his bed and watered his couch with his teares Peter when he had denied his Maister went out and wept bitterly Mary shed such plenty of teares Luk. 7.38 as she washed our Sauiour Christs feete with them And haue not we thinke you as great cause to weepe for our owne sinnes yes verily and if we would but enter into our owne consciences and call our sinnes to remembrance and iudge our selues euery one of vs humbly bowing the knees of our heart should thus say vnto the Lord O my God how haue I bestowed all those Talents of gold which thou hast giuen me how haue I requited thee for all thy kindnesse towards me what hath my whole life beene else but a continuall warring against thee O Lord Iesus what hath my life beene else but a daily renewing of all thy bloudy torments and of all thy passions Ah vile wretch that I am how often haue I betrayed thee and sould thee for a little worldly pleasure or for a little luker and gaine How often haue I bound thine hands and euen most despitefully spitefully spit in thy face by refusing those gifts which thou wouldest haue giuen thee how often haue I quenched the good motions of thy spirit put into me For this should I weepe day and night In fontem frontem atque in flumina â—umina vertam Lachrimae nobis deerunt ante quam causae dolendi Senec. de breui vitae It is no small measure of sorrow that is sufficient in respect of the greatnesse of our sinnes For if we had an hundreth eyes and should weepe them all out and if we had a thousand hearts and they should all breake asunder with remorse and sorrow for our sinnes it were too little and we should sooner want teares then matter of mourning If we thinke that we should be such vile wretches as by our sins to crucifie Christ so often and to put him to so many deaths who hath beene to vs so kinde a Lord and so louing a Sauiour For we must not thinke that a little sorrow or a few teares will serue the turne but we must haue great measure of griefe looke how grieuously we haue sinned so grieuously should we bewaile our sinnes A deepe wound must haue a large plaister and our repentance must not be lesse then our fault It is true it is no matter of merit for a man to weepe more or lesse we may say in this case 1 Cor. 8.8 as the Apostle saith of meates it is not our teares that makes vs acceptable to God but yet much sorrow and much weeping in a token of great repentance and on the other side where there is a little sorrow and a little weeping there is but a little repentance Peter when he had denied his Maister went out and wept bitterly The people of Israel 1 Sam. 7.27 that lamented after the Lord for their sin are said to haue poured out buckets of teares as it were vnto the Lord and Dauid saith that he wept in
whatsoeuer from the East to the West whatsoeuer was vnder heauen was brought home vnto vs whereby our Land hath beene greatly inriched The peace of our Country is meruailous in so long and continuall troubles of our neighbour Countries round about vs and in so many consultations and deuises of the Church of Rome for the disturbance of our peace and the ruine of our Countrie Moreouer God did giue vnto her Maiestie such honour and renowne that she sat as a Iudge and an honourable Arbitratour in the causes and controuersies of the mightiest Monarches and Potentates of Europe and of all her Neighbours Now what was the cause of so great peace of so great treasure and of so great honour Verily the Word of God which her highnesse receiued embraced and promoted to the vttermost of her power Now after all these though the Papists deuised and plotted her death and many were suborned and hired by the Pope a man of sinne a maintainer of rebellion and murther wherein he sheweth of what spirit he is yet God brought her to the graue in peace by naturall death full of dayes And after her God hath giuen vnto vs a wise gracious and Religious King our King Iames whom God brought into the Land so peaceably to the astonishment of forraigne Nations and to the great admiration of vs all and he to the great comfort of all Christians loueth the Gospell and word of GOD maintaineth it to his vttermost power and commendeth the true worship of God to all his people And how hath God protected him both in Scotland and here in England against the wicked Papists who with bloudy and murthering hearts deuised such a diuellish and inhumane stratagem to ouerthrow him and his issue and to destroy the flourishing state of England so that if God had not beene on our side both his Maiestie his royall and hopefull progeny and all we that loue the Gospell had beene swallowed vp and made a prey to their teeth Happy therefore we if we know our happinesse blessed are we if we know the things that concerne our peace But now they are hid from thy eyes OVr Lord Iesus first sent his Prophets to Ierusalem at length he came in his owne person for Ierusalem killed and stoned his Prophets therefore he commeth and in the middest of Ierusalem Math. 23. among all the people he doth many miracles which the Prophets foretold should be wrought by the Messias when he came he preacheth the Gospell to them wherewith hee laboured to gather them together as a Henne doth her Chickens and wherein her happinesse consisted Math. 23. as we haue heard yet all these things were hidden from the eyes of Ierusalem as our Sauiour Iesus Christ here saith This is not spoken to extenuate or lessen the fault of Ierusalem but rather in reproach her wonderfull blockishnesse is noted that she did not see God present For how could Ierusalem be ignorant of Gods will which daily had the promises of saluation in her mouth and to whom the Law was often repeated Could the Iewes be ignorant of Christ who was many yeeres conuersant among them shewing forth his sauing power not onely in teaching but in working many wonderfull workes and miracles among them Therefore our Lord Iesus in these words doth note their blockishnes and wilfull blindnesse wherewith being hindred they could not see God offering himselfe vnto them nor yet obserue his mercy nor manifest arguments of his wrath Christ therefore here doth teach that the Citizens of Ierusalem were authors of their owne destruction as also healeth a scandall which rose from their voluntary and wilfull ignorance For without doubt many were detained and kept backe by the example of Ierusalem from embracing Christ and receiuing his Gospell which they saw were reiected of them who bare the chiefe estimation of doctrine and wisedome He therefore doth admonish that their incredulity and contumacy should not offend any who being wilfully blinded with their owne pride and blockishnesse did draw vpon themselues Gods wrath and their owne destruction Let vs now apply this vnto our selues and diligently consider whether it be not our case Our Lord Iesus by the preaching of his Gospell hath manifested vnto vs his loue hath reuealed vnto vs his kindnesse hath with his Gospell giuen vnto vs a long peace and innumerable blessings but men are so besotted with the vanities of the world and so blinded with the pleasures of this life that they winke with their eyes that they cannot see and stop their eares like the deafe Adder that they cannot heare the sweet voyce of Christ calling and alluring them For it cannot be but men maliciously blinde themselues seeing the grace of God that bringeth saluation to all men hath appeared teaching men to deny vngodlinesse and worldy lusts 〈◊〉 to liue soberly iustly and godly in this present world Tit. 2.11 Tit. 2.11 Therefore if men now are blinde Deu. 30.11 Rom. 10.6.7.8 if they be ignorant of so great fauours of God whereof we haue beene eye-witnesses and haue tasted of the good word of God there is no excuse to be pretended But we may say to them as Paul said to the Corinthians If 〈◊〉 Gospell be hid it is hid to them that are lost in whom the God of this world hath blinded the mindes that is of Infidels that the light of the glorious Gospell of Christ which is the Image of God should not shine vnto them 2 Cor. 4.3.4 This is a great iudgement wherewith God doth punish the wicked contemners of his word when the eyes of their minde are blinded that they see not God present not taste his mercies nor feare the punishments that are imminent and neere at hand The Scriptures teacheth vs that no ignorance is excusable for he that knoweth not his Maisters will Luk. 12.48 shall be beaten though with few stripes because ignorance is not of creation but of deprauation and corruption of nature But he that knoweth his Maisters will and doth it not shall be beaten with many stripes because he cannot excuse himselfe therefore wilfull ignorance voluntary blindnesse is inexcusable and shall be the more seuerely punished Here then that grose errour of the Papists is conuinced who affirme without wit or blushing that ignorance is the mother of deuotion Math. 22.29 but it may better be called the mother of errour and destruction because it leadeth men to perdition and eternall punishments for if eternall life consist in the knowledge of God and of Iesus Christ Ioh. 17.3 then eternall death abideth them which know not God nor his sonne Iesus Christ If the wise man ought not to glory in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength nor the rich man in his riches but should glory that he knoweth and vnderstandeth the Lord to exercise mercy righteousnesse and iudgement Ier. 9.23.24 Then whosoeuer is ignorant of God and his will and knowes not Christ the Sonne of God should lament and be sorry that these things are hid from his eyes