lament but the world shall rejoyce worldlings may let loose the reynes and seek for a Paradise a Heaven upon Earth in the pleasures of sin for a season t is their portion but Christs Disciples must expect Teares for meate and plenteousnes of Teares for drink Mine Eye mine Eye runs down with Rivers of water saith the Church Lam. 3.48 Mine Eye trickleth down and ceaseth not without any intermission David will tell you of watering his couch and making his bed to swimme with teares and that night after night Every night wash I my bed with the teares of my complaint Ps 6.6 You shall find St. Peter weeping bitterly and Mary Magdalen pumping out teares enough to wash her Saviours Feet beloved as Christ was so are we in this world 1 Joh. 4.17 that is pilgrims and strangers here we have no continuing City but we seek one to come I am a stranger with thee a so journer as all my Fathers were now the condition of a pilgrim is a weeping conditioÌ„ By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept when we remembred thee O Sion Psal 137.1 Every Dog will be barking at strangers and you know how imperiously the Sodomites insulted over â—â—ot because he was a stranger This fellow say they came in to so journe amongst us and he will needs be a judge over us Now though Christ our head met with stronger oppositions and greater afflictions in his pilgrimage then we are like to meet with for God is faithfull who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able yet we must look to drink of the same cup that he drank of though not so deep as he drank and to fill up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the after sufferings that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ Col. 1.24 Beside we have teares to shed that Christ was not capable of teares of repentance he was a Lamb without spot and without blemish there was no guile found in his mouth we are loaden with sins there is not a day passeth over our heads wherein we doe not contract unto our selves the guilt of many many sins What our Lord and Saviour speaks of the evill of punishment Mat. 6.34 is true also of the evill of sin su ficient for the day is the evill thereof every day brings sin enough with it to over cast it to make it a wet day a day of weeping for as the Father speaks seeing after we are baptized and washed from the guilt of originall sin we doe dayly fowle our selves a new by the commission of actuall sins we should also dayly re-baptize our selves in the bitter waters of Marah the teares of true Repentance what is wanting in innocency we should Prive to make up in penitency â—aâ—th quod possum p ango quod non possum as St. Bernard I doe what I am able and what cannot doe I am sorry for it but especially upon dayes of solemn humiliation dayes set apart for this very purpose for the bewailing both of our personall and of our nationall sins when God by his judgments threatned or inflicted cals to weeping and to mourning and to baldnes and to putting on of sack-cloth if then the voyce of the turtle be not heard in our Land if the Mourners doe not goe about the streets as the Preacher speaks if there be not a renting of the heart as well as a hanging down the head like a bulrush what shall I say surely we are in Hierusalems case neare to destruction we doe not know the day of our visitation we know not the things that belong to our peace So that Christ is seasonably brought in weeping to teach us what we must doe as at all times while we so journ here in this valley of teares so especially upon dayes of mourning and humiliation blessed are those that mourne saith Christ they shall be comforted Though they sow in teares they shall reape in joy heavines may endure for a night joy will come in the morning When the times of refreshing shall come all teares shall be wiped from their Eyes and they shall enter into the joy of their Master receive the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavines lay aside their black mourning weeds and attend the Lambe in white robes with palmes in their hands Rev. 7.9 And so much briefly of the Mourner in the next place we are to take notice of the causes of his mourning he beheld the City and wept over it His teares are teares of compassion teares of love Behold how he loved him said the Iewes when he wept at Lazarus his grave lo. 11.36 Behold how he loved this unthankefull City in that he shed not teares only as here but his precious bloud also afterwards for it Vâ—dens civitatâ—nt he beheld the City and wept over it We have a proverbe Vbi amor ibi oculus where we love there will our Eye be gazing where Christs love was we may see by his Eye too Vidit civitatem he beheld the City but what cause he had to love it or to six his Eye upon it we see not for what doth he behold there but matter of griefe and discontent he looked for judgment but behold oppression for righteousnes but behold a cry Hierusalem like Babylon is become a cage of uncleane Birds Deviarunt omnes they are all gone out of the way fallen off from the purity sincerity and religious integrity of their forefathers there was a time indeed when God behold no iniquity in â—acob nor saw perversenes in Israel Num 23.21 But now he beholds nothing else but iniquity but perversenes A sinfull Nation a people laden with iniquity a seed of evill doers a rebellious house a stiff necked people of uncircumcised Heart and Eares which causeth him to behold it with watery Eyes he beheld the â—ity and wept over it c. There is a twofold cause of Christs mourning here as I told you Hierusalems n and Hierusalems misery by reason of sin as they two are never long asunder we are to begin with her sin as the cause of her misery and the chiefe cause of Christs mourning he beheld the City and wept over it saying â—f thou hadst known even thou in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation If thou â—adst known even thou c. It is no single sin but a willfull senselesse secure obstinate sleeping in sin they will not be convinced of much lesse averted from their erroneous courses God hath sent his Prophets rising early an calling to them O doe not this abominable sin that I hate he hath commanded them to cry alowd against their crying sins their idolatry oppression swearing lying killing stealing neighing after their Neighbours wives like fed Horses and what was their answer As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord we will not
stick may be removed our Vineyard that have been fenced so many yeares by the providence and protection of the great Husbandman may have its hedge trâ—den down there is no Church priviledged from drinking of the cup of Gods Wrath. Where is the King of Hamâ—th and the King of Arpad and the King of Sepharuaim as he sayd what is become of those famous Eastern churches those golden Candlesticks Ephesus Smyrna Pergamos Thyatira c. Nay Hierusalem it selfe layd even with the ground and that many hundred yeares agoe and if God spared not the naturall branches we have no reason to be high minded but to fea rt what saith God to the Nations Jer. 25.29 Doe ye refuse to drink of my Cup behold I begin to bring evill upon the City that is called by my Name you must not think to goe unpunished we must not expect more favour then the Ieâ—res found admit we have Tamolum domius the Temple of the Lord the Symbol of Gods presence amongst us so had they we have many faithfull pastors and teachers according to Gods own heart they had Prophets and Apostles men extraordinarly inspired nay they had the Lord of the Prophets we have the Word of God had not they the voyces of the Prophets were heard among them every Sab at h day Acts 13.27 But we have Maunah in greater aboundance then they had more plenty of preaching our destruction may be the nearer for that for our sins will be the sooner ripe the hotter the Sun shines the sooner the tares will be ripe and ready for the sire but we have our monthly fastes and dayes of humiliation had not they Zach. 7.5 When ye fasted in the fifth moneth and in the seventh Moneth those 70 yeares did ye fast unto me all these proved vaine confidences to them they could not keep off the stroke from them and therefore notwithstanding all these it 's possible that our Church may suffer as they did Nay I must goe one step farther It is not only possible but it 's probuble too we have just cause to feare that the time may come and speedily to wherein our Enemies may cast aâ—tâ—â—nch about us and lay our Hierusalem even with the ground because the Leaven of the Iewes is unhappily fallen into the lump of the Gentiles and the abominations that were committed in Hierusalem are flowen over into England nay I feare our sins doe outvy theirs all things confidered as far as theirs outvied the sins of Sodom Ezech. 16. What sin was ever charged upon Hierusalent that may not be sampled in England there was halting between two opinions hath there not been the like heere 't was yrkesome to them to observe the Sabbath day strictly and religiously when will the new Moon be gone that we may sell corn and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate Am. 8.5 Tell me hath it not been so here the Prophet Micah complaines of them for the scant measure the wicked balances and the bag of deceitfull weights Mich. 6.10.11 Examin your shops hath it not been so here there were great corruptions both in the civill and Ecclesiasticall state their Princes were rebellious and companions of theeves that is their magistrates did too much countenance oppression and in justice and their Priests were many of them dumb dogs lying down and loving to slumber lazy watchmen that suffered the people to perish for want of warning Aarons Bels had lost their clappers beloved I appeale to you have there not been such faults in the Magistracy and Ministery of England in some of each 〈◊〉 their Land was greatly polluted with swearing and blaspheming because of swearing the land mourneth Jer. 23.10 And doth not our land and this City by name groan under this fin also what hideous Oathes and desperate imprecations are heard in our streets They were strong to drink strong drink and when they had sate till the Wine inflamed them then they assembled themselves by troupes in the Harlots Houses and how doe these beastly sins of rioting and drunkennesse of chambering wantonnes reign in this Kingdom and more especially in Hâ—â—â—â—â—â— this populons City in a word should a man be serious and with Solomon Pro. 7.6 look out at the casement of his window and observe the behaviour of people in the streets he might behold not only the young wanton with his Minion marching along to the Steâ—es but also the angry Ruffian justling for the wall tâ—e swinish drunkard stumbling and tumbling in the mire the hard-hearted Vsurer catching his neighbour by the throate and haling him to the prison the proud phantastick more gloriously arrayed then Solomon in all his royalty and heare such vaine bablings such proud boastings such clamorous raylings such cursed blasphemies as might make him not only to weep but also to wonder at the patience of God that he hath not long before this time made London like Hierusalem a heap of stones In the second Chapter of the Râ—â—â—aâ—iâ— Christ threatens the Asian Churches to remove their Candlesticks because he â—ad somewhat or a few things against them neverthelesse I have a few things against thee remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent or elseâ— will remove thy Candlestick out of his place and alas beloved 't is not a few things that God hath against us we have walked contrary to him in every thing what may wee feare I will but touch upon two or three of Hierusalems latter sins and leave you to judge whether we have not overtaken hereven in them One was her disrespect her cruelty to the Lords Prophets Math 23.37 O Hierusalem Hierusalem that killest the Prophets and stonest them that are font unto thee c. And Ver. 34. Behold 〈◊〉 send unto you Prophets and wise men and scribes and some of them ye shall kill and crucify and some of them you shall scourge in your Synagogues and persecute them from City to City That upon you may come all the righteous bloud shed upon the Earth from the bloud of Abel to the bloud of Zacharias the Son of Barachias whom yee slew between the Temple and the Altar they counted them their Enemies for telling them the truth they hated the light because their deeds were evill and believe it this is a provoking sin touch not mine annoynted and doe my Prophets no harme and as he that receives a Prophet in the name of a Prâ—phet shall receive a Prophets reward â—o he thaâ— contemnes and abuseth a Prophet one of Goâ—s messengers and Embassadors Christ tells him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha at the day of judgment 〈◊〉 then for that party or that City if it be a City Matth. 10.15 And yet beloved we cannot hide it England â—s in a high degree guilty of this sin the Prophets of the Lord the most zealous painfull learned Ministers have been too much slighted opposed derided and at this day the most solid juâ—iâ—ious Divines about
vouchsafed to this Nation you may finde them recorded by S Paul Rom 3.1 What advantage then hath the Jew or what profit is there of Circumcision Much every way cheifely because to them were committed the Oracles of God and more fully Rom. 9.4 whâ—re speaking of the Israelites his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh he describeth their priviledges in these words To whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the service of God and the promises whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever singular prerogatives First the adoption was theirs other Nations were strangers and forreiners they were as it were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the household of God others were counted dogs they only the children as appeares by our Saviours answer to the Syrâ—phenicâ—an woman It is not meete to take the childrens bread and cast it to Dogs Secondly the Covenants were theirs other Nations were without God in the world they were a people in covenant with God Gen. 17 7. God tels Abraham I will estaâ—lish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after the Ier 31.33 This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those dayes saith the Lord I will write my Law in their hearts and I will be their God and they shall be my people Thirdly the Law was theirs other Nations had nothing but the blind gâ—id of nature to direct them they had the Law written in Tables of stone he hath given his word unto Iacob his statutes and ordinances unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation neither have the heathen knowledge of his Lawes Psal 147.19 4. To them pertained the service of God other nations waÌ„ting the direction of Gods holy word became vaine in their imaginations and worshipped the creature more then the Creatour prostrated themselves to feined Deities as we read of Dagon the God of the Philistims and Milcom the abomination of the Amorites and Chemosh the abomination of Moab and Molech the abomination of the Amorites and Ashtoreth the goddesse of the Sidonians and Diana the great goddesse of the Ephesians indeed how could they call upon him of whom they had not heard who was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an unknown God to them but in Jury was God known his name was great in Israel at Salem was his tabernacle and his dwelling in Sion the Jewes were taught to direct their worship and service to the true God as Christ told the woman of Samaria Jo. 4.22 you worship ye know not what we know what we worship for salvation is of the Jewes T is true they were ever now and then starting aside like a broken bow they grieved him with their hill Altars and provoked him to displeasure with their images they had their golden Calves at Dan and at Bethel and the names of Baalim were too frequent in their mouthes They tooke unto them the Tabernacle of Molech and the Star of their god Remphan figures which they made to worship them yet in the most deploreable times God had his 7000 in â—srael that did not bow the knee to Baal he had his Church among them a remnant that did worship the true God after a true manner they had his word and they had his Sacraments and they had his prophets and they had his house Templum Domini the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord was their great confidence which other Nations could not boast of Fifthly the Fathers were theirs Abraham is our Father art thou greater then our Father Jacob who gave us the well c. Sixthly the promises made to the Fathers concerning the Messias were theirs they were interested in them though not solely yet principally let the children first be served saith Christ theâ— were the naturall branches and therefore the fatnesse of the Olive tree was first tendered to them you may remember how the Disciples commission ran Mat. 10.5 Go not into the way of the Gentiles and into any City of the Samaritans enter you not but gâ—e you rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel leâ— the children first be served nay the Messias himselfe was theirs of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came the word was made flesh and dwelt among them he spent his whole pilgrimage among them they heard his Sermons they saw his miracles S. Matthew reports of him Mat. 9 35. that he went about all their Cities and Villages teach ng in their Synagogues and preaching the Gospell of the Kingdom and healing every sicknes and every disease among the people Ob fortunatos nimâ—â—â—t hona si sâ—a wriâ—t Oh happy people had they beâ—n sensible of their happinesse as Christ told the Samaritan woman Jo. 4.10 Haddest thou but known who it is that saith to thee give me to drinke thou mightest have asked of him and he would have given thee living water so had they but known what a rich treasure they had among them they would not have desired him to depart out of their coasts as the Geâ—go ens did they would not have set at nought this corner-stone like foolish builders rather with the wise Merchant they would have parted with all for his sake they would have been ambitious to get a sight of him with Zacheus to touch the hem of his garment with the diseased woman to kisse his feet with Mary Magdalen they would have entertained him triumphantly with j yfull acclamations as they did in the verses before my Text Hosannah to the son of David blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord Hosannah in the highest Happy were the eyes that saw the things which they saw though most of them were so blinded that they saw not their happinesse it was part of S. Augustins ambitious wish he desired to have seen three things Rome in her beauty Paul in the pulpit Christ in the flesh as Abraham and divers other Prophets and righteous men desired to have seen this day of Christ Ioh. 8.56 And happy were the eares that heard the things which they heard the mysteries of saving knowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 those secrets and mysteries which were hidden from former ages and that immediatly from Christ himselfe Dulcius ex ipso fâ—nte what a blessed prerogative was it to heare the wisdome of the father so comfortably discoursing of the great work of our redemption methinkes they should have cried out in admiration with that Disciple Ioh. 14.22 how is it that thou wilt manifest thy selfe to us and not unto the world but my Text tels you they did not know the things that belonged to their peace they were not sensible of the free grace the rich mercy that was tendered to them nay doe but consider their
Mourners Si cognovisses if thou hadst known or ô si cognovisse would to God thou hadst knowen the things that belong to thy peace methinks I heare him lamenting over Hierusalem as David over his friend Jonathan 2 Sam. 1.26 I am distressed for thee my brother Ionathan very pleasant hast thou been unto me or as the same David lamented over Absalom oh Absolom my Son would God I had died for thee c. O Hierusalem Herusalem would God I had died for thee as afterwards you know he did dye for her and in her and by her when he came neare he beheld the City and wept over it saying c. Secondly we have here the malady or cause of Hierusalems death blindnes security If thou hadst knowen even thou in this thy day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things that belong to thy peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but now they are did from thine Eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou knewest not the time of thy visitation Thirdly we have here the kind or manner of Death 't is a strong death a terrible death by the Sword which David so earnestly prayed against Let me fall into the hands of God for his mercies are great but let me not fall into the hands of men whose tender mercies are cruell For the dayes shall come wherein thine Enemies shall cast a trench about thee and lay thee even with the ground A love principium we are to begin with Christ the Mourner in my Text when he came neare he beheld the City 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and he wept It was not without a cause that Christ was stiled by the Prophet Vir Dolorum Es 53.3 A man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe survey his whole pilgrimage from the Cratch to the Crosse from the Womb to the Tombe and you shall find it like Ezechiels rowle written upon within and without lamentation and mourning and woe in the dayes of his flesh he offered up Prayers and Supplications with strong crying and Teares Heb. 5.7 At Lazarus his grave he groaned in the Spirit and wept Ioh. 11.35 Here when he came neare he beheld the City and wept All his joy was inward Luc. 10.21 At that time Iesus rejoyced in Spirit and said I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth c. Some inward joy he rejoyced in the spirit in the love and complacency of his Father I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth I am sure he had little matter of outward joy of re joycing in the world many times he complaines of the hatred of the world if the world hate you ye know it hated me before it hated you Ioh. 14.18 How did the unthankfull world slight and neglect him The Foxes have holes and the Fowles of the Ayre have nests but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head how was he scorned and derided in the world Is not this the Carpenters son Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth few acknowledged him to be the Messias the Lord of glory the Prince of life the Saviour of the world the King of the Iewes the Son of God the brightnes of his Fathers glory the expresse image of his person as he was indeed how was he slandered and scandalized by his malignant adversaries none of them could convince him of the least sin yet they traduce him up and down as if he were as St. Paul sometimes confessed of himself Peccatorum maximus the chiefest of sinners a gluttonous person a Wine-hibber a friend a companion of Publicans and sinners a Sabbath-breaker a Blasphemer a deceiver of the people a conjurer casting out Devils through Belzebub a Traytor forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar and what not and surely had he not been more then a man such usage was able not only to set open the floudgates of his Eyes but even to break his heart woe is me my Mother saith the Prophet Jeremy that thou hast born me I have neither lent upon usury nor borrowed upon usury yet all the people curse me Jer. 15.10 They cannot justly tax me with any unjust action and yet are continually reviling me yet here is not all neither to the persecution of the Tongue they ad the persecution of the hand no sooner were tidings of his birth spread in Herods Court but presently he seeks to destroy him and with him a number of young innocents that knew not their right hand from their left there began the weeping Mat. 2.18 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet Jeremy saving In Ramah was there a voyce heard Lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her children because they were not as soon as he began to preach the Scribes and Pharises consult how they may destroy him one time they were going to throw him headlong from the top of a high hill Luke 4.29 As the Devill sometime would have had him throwen himselfe down rom the Pinacle of the Temple another time they had like to have stoned him Joh. 10.31 Many good works have I shewen you from my Father for which of these do ye stone me another time they sent their Disciples to intangle him in his Talk Mat. 22 â—6 Another time their Officers to apprehend him Joh. 7.32 And at last they find Iudas to betray him and sent a multitude with swords and slaves to take him as a Thiefe or a Malefactour who hurry him from the Garden to the high Priests Pallace from thence to Pilate from Pilat to Herod from Herod after a deale of scornfull usage back again to Pilat where they maliciously arraigne him falsely accuse him unjustly condemn him buffet him scourge him make long furrowes upon his back besmeare that face of which the Psalmist Thou art fayrer then the children of men with their filthy spittle environ his sacred Head with a Crown of Thornes lead him foorth to be crucified load him with his Crosse fasten him to the Crosse peirce his Hands and his Feet insult over him in his sufferings Fixuris clavorum addentes tela â—nâ—â—â—rum saith Leo to the piercing of the Nayles adding the rankling arrowes of their venemous tongues Ah thou that destroy'st the Temple and buildest it again in three dayes save thy selfe If he be the King of Israel let him come down from the Crosse c. Behold now see if ever sorrow were like unto this sorrow the women could not forbeare weeping who had only a compassionate fellow feeling of it I. u. 23 27. No marvaile if Christ himselfe wept that felt it Well if Christ be a Mourner then woe to them that are at ease in Sion that spend their days in mirth and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ and the Tabret and the Harp go not out of their Feasts Christ did not so Christians have no warrant to expect it the members must be in some measure conformaâ—le to their head Ioh. 16.20 Our blessed Saviour tels his Diciples you shall weep and
such things as these people may not imitate Matth. 23.3 to build with one hand and pull downe with the other to lead by his good doctrine and mislead by his wicked conversation to have Christ in his mouth and Satan in his heart this is likewise a sad mournefull spectacle Lastly those that are eminent though not in place yet in the esteeme and opinion of the Church I meane professors of religion their sins are more scandalous and therefore more to be lamented then the sins of other men if David a pillar of the Church step awry the enemies of the Lord will soone have their mouths open to blaspheme upon that advantage 2. Sam. 12.14 To see therefore a professour not to live according to his profession not to walke worthy of that new name that Christ hath given him not to walke as becometh the Gospell to over-reach or circumvent his neighbour in bargaining or selling or to undermine his brothers good reputatâ—on by becomming the devills agent to scatter false and slanderous reports or to live in malice or adultery or to hugge any other delightfull darling lust in his bosome this is also a sad mournefull spectacle Well if Christ have taught us to mourne for the back-slidings of Hierusalem what shall we say to that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that rejoycing in evill which is in the world what shall we thinke of those active instruments of Satan that take such paines to propagate sin in others those inticers Pro. 1.11 Come let us lay waite for bloud cast in thy lot amongst us let us all have one purse wee shall fill our houses with spoyle and enrich our selves with precious substance c. thus the Prophet brings in a crew of Idolaters animating and incouraging one another in their designes Esay 41.6 They helped every one his neighbour and said one to another be of good courage so the Carpenter incouraged the Goldsmith he that smootheth with the Hammer him that smote the Anvile saying it is ready for the sodering and so Es 56 12. hee brings in a company of drunkards daring one another to sit close at it come say they I will fetch wine and we will fill our selves with strong drinke and to morrow shall be as to day and much more aboundant and what shall we thinke of Solomons fooles that make a sport of sinne never more merry then when they heare of the disorderly carriages the drunkennesse the swearing the wantonnesse of their brethren sure as the Apostle speakes Eph. 4.20 non sic didicistis Christum you have not so learned Christ he mournes for Hierusalem hee beheld the Citty and wept over it saying If thou c. And beleeve it there was never more cause of mourning in this kind then in our dayes a fountaine of teares would not suffice to bewaile all the abominations that are committed in the midst of our Hierusalem if our Lord and Saviour were now upon earth he would never goe with dry eyes for beside that Luke-warmnesse that is amongst us that a great many are neither hot nor cold what sinne was ever committed by any that is not committed by many in this land and in this City how hath pride jetted in one street drunkennesse reeled in another street oppression marched like Iehu in another street adultery with all her wanton positures minced in another street wee have justified Sodome in all her abominations Sodom which along while agoe was turned into ashes and made an ensample to all that should afterwards live ungodly hath not done as wee have done we have exceeded Sodom if not in the commission of greater sins yet in committing the same sins with greater impudency and greater obstinacy in regard of that glorious light which shines amongst us and did not shine among them and yet which is the misery there is scarce a Lot to be found whose righteous soule is greived for all these abominations though only such mourners bee marked in the forehead to be preserved in the destruction of Hierusalem Ezech. 9. though only such mourners be the followers and Disciples of Christ for hee beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst knowne even thou in this thy day c. And so I come to the other cause of Christ his mourning Jerusalems misery for the dayes shall come that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and keepe thee in on every side and lay thee even with the ground 't was likely we should heare of a storme Hierusalem was so secure so opprest with the spirit of drowsinesse she did not know the things that belonged to her peace they were hid from her eyes when men shall cry peace and safety then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travell upon a woman that is with childe 1. Thess 5.3 the men before the deluge were eating and drinking marrying and giving in marriage when the floud came and swept them all away the men of Laish were extreame carelesse and secure when the Danites came upon them and slew them with the edge of the Sword Elies Sons set their Fathers counsell at nought they would not see the vilenesse and danger of their sins when the Lord had a purpose to slay them and Lots admonitions sounded as idle tales in the eares of his Sons in Law when the next morning Sodom and Gomorrha were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven when the Prophets who are called Seers and watchmen shall discerne a cloud a tempest arising and shall according to their duty give the people warning to fly from the wrath to come to prevent and divert it by repentance and reformation if the people now shall slight the Prophets words as idle tales say with Saint Peters mockers Vbi promissio adventus where is the promise of his comming or with those Deut. 29.19 we shall have peace though we adde drunkennesse to thirst though we goe on in our sensuall courses though wee seek it yet againe as t is Pro. 23.35 surely that people must needs bee in as bad case as the ground that Saint Paul speakes of Heb. 6.8 that drinketh in the raine and bringeth forth nothing but briars and thornes nigh unto cursing whose end is to be burned and this was Hierusalems case here Hierusalem had many warnings both from the Prophets and from the Lord of the Prophets many gracious tenders of mercy were made to her many severe threatnings were discharged against her woe unto thee O Hierusalem wilt thou not bee made cleane when will it once be Ierem. 13.27 but she is either so blind or so obstinate or both that she doth not or will not know the things that belong to her peace here in my Text Christ himselfe woos her if thou hadst knowne even thou in this thy day c. and that with teares in his eyes he beheld the City and wept over it but all in vaine Christ did but cast an eye back upon Peter and that recalled him Luc. 22.61 the Lord turned
and looked upon Peter and Peter remembred the words of the Lord and he went out and wept bitterly here he looked a long time upon Hierusalem he beheld the City and wept over it but Hierusalem is so setled upon her Lees. Zeph. 1.12 so grounded in security and hardnesse of heart that she cannot that she will not repent and therefore no marvell if her goods become a booty and her houses a desolation as it followes there at the 13. verse or as t is in the Text the dayes shall come that thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee and keepe thee in on every side c. Here you see the kind of her misery Hierusalem is exposed to the fury of her mercilesse enemies to the Sword the sharpest of Gods 3. Airewes shee hath not liberty to take her choyce as David had 2. Sam. 24.13 Wilt thou have 7. yeares famine come upon the land or wilt thou flee 3. moneths before thy enemies while they pursue thee or wilt thou that there be 3. dayes pestilence in the land but she is peremptorily designed to the Sword to be compassed about with armies that should batter downe her lofty Turrets her princely palaces lay them all even with the ground For the dayes shall come that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee c. It was a heavy sight to see Hierusalem blocked up in this manner so streightly and strongly beseiged that they were neither able to beat off their enemies nor could expect succour from their friends it had beene an uncomfortable fight to see some houses shut up in Hierusalem by the destroying Angell but to see Hierusalem it selfe shut up was both a strange and a sad spectacle where is the noble valour the heroick Spirit that was wont to be in this people time was when one of them could chase a thousand and two of them put ten thousand to slight when Israel lay downe like a Lion and couched like a great Lion and none durst rouze him up when other nations were glad to betake themselves to their fenced Cities because of them and there to fortifie their walles Barrocadoe their Gates against them as Hiericho and other Cities did or if they did venture to sally out against them one way they were forced to flee before them seven ways but what shall we say now when Israel turnes their backs before their enemies when they are forced to retreat into Hierusalem for shelter when the enemy pursues them to the very Gaâ—es intrench themselves round about the City and threaten to cut them all off eyther by the Sword or by the Famine which is sharper then a two edged Sword The dayes shall come that thine enemies c. It was strange that Hierusalem should be thus surrounded but more strange that it should bee taken that it should bee battered downe and laid even with the ground as it followes in the next words They shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee this wâ—s strange indeed whether wee consider the scituation of the City or the protectour of the City for the scituation of it t' was feared uppon such high craggy inaccessible rocks or mountaines that it was even by nature made almost impregnable the Iebusites that held it till Davids time thought it so strong of it selfe that the blind and the lame were able to defend it against David and all his men of valour 2 Sam. 5.6 And to this strength of nature was added an artificiall strength of Forts and Bulwarks Psal 48.12 Walke about Sion and goe round about her and tell the Towers thereof marke well her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that you may tell them that come after now to see these strong Bulwarks these stately Palaces laid even with the ground was a sight no lesse wonderfull then lamentable The Kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world would not have beleeved that the enemy should have entred into the Gates of Hierusalem Lam. 4.12 Againe consider the Protector of the City it 's true except the Lord keepes the City the watchman waketh but in vaine but Hierusalem was the City of the great King God was well knowne in her Palaces as a sure refuge hee had his Temple there for thy Temples sake at Hierusalem nay and Hierusalem had experience of his protection formerly when it was beseiged by the Forces of Senacherib an Army supposed invincible yet the Lord being their Protectour raised the seige as you may read Esay 37.35 I will defend this City for my owne sake and for my servant Davids sake And that night the Angell of the Lord went out and slew in the Camp of the Assyrians 185000. But where is the God of Hierusalem now as Elishah spake when he came to the bank of Jordan where is the Lord God of Eliiah now 2. Reg. 2.14 surely the Glory is departed from Israel Israel hath rejected the Lord and gone a whoring after strange Gods they have walked extreame contrary to him in all their wayes and therefore the Lord hath at length justly with-drawne himselfe from them and left them as a prey to their enemies Climbe upon her walles and destroy downe with her battlements for they are not the Lords Ier. 5.10 And now our blossed Saviour as if he saw the wall not of Hiericho but of Hierusalem tumbling downe the Souldiers on every side entring the City beating all downe before them dashing the young infants against the stones torturing the aged and honourable deflouring the modest Virgins and chaste Matrons ransaking their houses with fire and Sword laying Hierusalem even with the ground and her children within her hee falls a weeping he beheld the City and weptover it As indeed it was a lamentable sight the Lord in mercy grant wee never see such a Spectacle in our Hierusalem no doubt Abraham was affected with sorrow when he saw the smoake of Sodome ascend like the smoke of a furnace though Sodom was a nest of infidels children of Belial whose sins câ—ied up to heaven for vengeance Gen. 13 13. young and old from every quartet were gathered together about Lots doore crouding and striving who should hee the foremost in that unnaturall and prodigious sin it cannot appeare that there was a Family or a Soule after Lot was gone which were not all most notorious sinners and yet it was a sad spectacle to see Sodom said even with the ground so in the 18. chap. of the revelation vers 9 10. and so forward t is prophecyed that the Kings of the earth and the Merchants and the Ship-masters shall weepe bitterly for the destruction of Babylon when they they shall see the smoak of her burning alas alas that great City Babylon that mighty City for in one houre is her judgement come in one houre is so great riches come to nothing alas alas that great City well then might our blessed Saviour weepe for Hierusalem where there was yet a Remnant according to the
Election of grace which were like to be involved in the common calamity the righteous with the wicked Templum Domini the Temple of the Lord together with their seiled houses O God the Heathen are come into thine inheritance thy holy Temple have they defiled and made Hierusalem a heape of stones the dead bodyes of thy Saints have they given to bee meat unto the foules of the ayre and the flesh of thy Servants to the beasts of the land Ps 79.1.2 This made the Prophet Ieremy wish Oh that my head were waters and mine eyes a fountaine of teares that I might weepe night and day for the slaine of the daughter of my people Iâ—r 9.1 this made our Saviour here when he beheld the City to weepe over it saying if thou hadst knowne c. for the dayes shall come that thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee and lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee Beloved our Saviours example must be our direction all along he weepes for Hierusalem we must also weepe for the miseries and desolations of Hierusalem the Church and people of God abroad in the world and for the miseries that hang over our Hierusalem and threaten us with ruine unlesse God in mercy be pleased to open our eyes that wee may at last be able to know that is to take notice of the things that belong to our peace And first the miseries of the Church abroad call for our teares Hierusalems misery here was but a comming the dayes shall come Christ saw the cloud arising it was 40. yeares after before the storme fell and yet he could not forbeare weeping how can we look upon the ruines of Hierusalem and other famous Churches with look upon the ruines of Hierusalem and other famous Churches with dry eyes Thy Servants thinke upon her stones and it pittieth them to see her in the dust saith the Psalmist Ps 10â— 14 to see thornes come up in her palaces Nettles and Brambles in her fortresses that she is become an habitation of Dragons and a Court of Owles a most forlorne desolate place Es 34.13 the words which her enemies uttered in scorne Lam. 2.15 we should utter with teares is this the beauty of perfection the joy of the whole earth alas alas that great City And who can sufficiently bewaile the sad desolations of other Churches when we call to mind the inroades and incroachments that the wilde Bore of the Forrest the Turk hath made into Christendome and is daily threatning indevouring to swallow up more of it to devoure Iacob lay waste his dwelling place to root out the Church and people of God that the name of Israel may he no more in remembrance and when we consider how that Skarlet whore of Rome hath made her selfe drunk with the bloud of the Saints Rev. 17.6 Pitty the breaches of Bohemia the Palatinate Germany c. Whose f need Cities many of them are turned into â—â—inous heaps laid even with the ground and their fields watered with the bloud of Christians Their bloud have they shed like water on every side of Hâ—er sâ—em and there was no man to bury them Ps 79.3 Pitty the sad condit on of Irâ—an say with the Spouse Cant. 8.8 What shall we doe for our little Sister Lamentable are the scritches and complaints that have been heard out of that Kingdom by reason of the fury of the oppressour sparing neither Age nor Sex pillaging and firing and laying all even with the ground where ever they prevayle and is this nothing to you all ye that passe by have ye no fellow-feeling of their miseries can ye for all this stretch your selves upon your beds of ivory and eat the Lambs of the flock and the Calves out of the stall and drink your Wine in bowles and chaunte it to the sound of the Violl and never consider the afflictions of Joseph S. Paul commands us to weep with those that weep as N â—â—imiah did for the miseries of his Brethren at Hâ—erusalem when himselfe was in prosperity in the Court of Artaxerxes the Members of Christs mysticall Body should be like the members of a naturall body where if one Member suffer all the rest suffer with it 1 Cor. 12.26 Pitty then that bleedding Kingdom pitty and pray for them pitty and succour them first pitty and pray for them importune and wrastle with God in behalfe of that Kingdom by uncessant and earnest Prayer let teares run down like a River night and day give him no rest till the Vengeance of the Protestants bloud that is shed be openly shewed upon their barbarous and cruell Enemies Secondly pitty and succour them let your aboundance now be a supply for their want let England be to Ireland as a refuge from the storm as a shaddow from the heate untill this Tyranny be overpast there are a many poore distressed soules forced to forsake that Kingdom and to slee hither for reliefe and some that had faire estates till those Sabaeans feazed upon them it may be two bands with â—acob though they have brought nothing but a staffe over Jordan with them now if you will keep the fast aright that it may be an acceptable day unto the Lord you must observe the Lords own directions Es 58 7. Is not this the fast that the Lord hath chosen to deale thy bread to the hungry and that thou bring the poore that are cast out into thy house the poore that are cast out as many of them have been cast out of house and home and when thou seest the naked that thou cover them and for certain many of them have been stripped naked not so much as their clothes left to cover their nakednes or to defend them against the injuries of the weather fit objects of your pitty And while we remember Ireland and other Churches wasted with misery we may not forget our selves as our blessed Saviour ad monished the Women that bewayled him Luc. 23.28 Weep for your selves ye Daughters of Hieruâ—alâ—m and for your Children for the dayes are comming wherein they shall say blessedare the barren and the Wombes that nover bare and the paps that never gave suck Beloved for my own part I am not privy to the decrees of Heaven neither am I willing to presage ruin to this â—urch either by the Sword famin or Pestilence long may she slourish and continue to he the joy and prayse of the whole Earth evâ—n so long as the Sun and Moone indureth till Shiloh come to judgment Yet I must tell you first that it is possible that this Church of ours may be dischurched our Hierusalem be made a heap of stones England may not say as David sometime did foolishly Psal 30.6 I sayd in my prosperity I shall never be removed he was deceived thou didst turn thy face from me and I was troubled and so may we nor with the malignant Church Reva 8.7 I fit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow no our Candle
this City are trampled upon with durty feet vilified pointed at loaden with infamous nick-names as Baals Priests Popiâ—h teachers Limbes of Antichrist wofull to relate and I wonder how any man that beareâ— but the name of a Ch istian dares vent such unsavoury invective speeches against their Teachers and that it may be for dissenting from them only in the use of a harmelesse significant Ceremony You know what happened to â—eroboam for stretching out his hand against the Prophet though he were a King 1. Reg. 13.4 And you remember the severity of Gods Anger against the young children for mocking the Prophet Elishah goe up thou bald head goe up thou bald-head 't is recorded that 42 of them were presently torn inâ—â—â—icâ—s 2. Reg. 2.24 Doth God punish foolish wanton children for such a fault think not that those of riper yeares shall escape this was the Bane of Hierusaleâ— once before 2 Chron. 36.16 They mocked the Messengers of the Lord and misused his Prophets untill the wrath of the Lord arâ— se against his people till there was no remedy ther fore he brought upon them the King of the Câ—â—dees who slew their young men with the Sword here 't was their bane again 't was one of those sins that armed the Romans against them and I pray God it doe not help to bane this City Lord lay not this sin to our charge Another of Hierusalems latter sins was their irreverent prophanations of Gods Temple they put no difference between that sâ—cred place set apart for the worship and service of God My House shall be called the House of Prayer and other ordinary places they carried burdens therough it they bought and sold in the outward Court of it till Christ forbad them Take these things hence 〈◊〉 make not my Fathers House a House of merchandize Beloved I must be plain with you we are too much guilty of this sin also there is a vile irreverent esteem of Gods House in the hearts of too many amongst us and out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh words which I am almost ashamed and afrayed to repeate that the Church is no better then an Ale-House or a Tavern nay then a Bawdyhouse I heard it spoken prophane wretches the Iewes came not neaâ—e these and yet Christ switched them out with a whip of small cords Huic aliud mercediâ— erit I feare these will be beaten with many stripes heavy strokes there is a golden meane if we could light on it between idolizing of a Temple and vilifying of it between doing reverence to it and irreverent prophaning of it We have warnings enow to look to our feet when we come to the House of the Lord you know what a breach was made upon Vzzah for a small miscarriage as is may be conceived about the Arke and how many thousands of the Bethshemites were cut off for prying irreverently into the Arke I am sure Christ never exprest more anger then in that passage about his Fathers House and I doe believe 't was one of the sins that brought this judgment upon Hierusalem for you shall read in the verse after mâ— Text. Ver. 45. That as soon as he had uttered this complaint If thou hadst I known even thou in this thy day c. He presently went into the Temple and cast out them that sold therein and them that bought saying it is written my House shall be called the house of Prayer but ye have made it a den of thieves and Lord lay not this sin to our charge A third sin of Hierusalem in her declining are was the Sects and divisions that were among them we read of Pharisees and Sadduces and some other Sects that they were rent and divided into what a tumult and an outcry there was between the Pharises and the Sadduces Acts 23. The Captaine was affraid least Paul should have been â—orne 2. peices by them they were so violent And beloved are not we conscious to our selves of this sin also fractions and divisions it is a question not easily answered whether there be more Sects or wards in London and what tumults have been occasioned by these Sects and sidings not only in the sâ—â—eeâ—s but even in the House of God what shoutings and clamours to the dishonour of God and the disturbance of the Congregation Lord lay not this sin to our charge Oh that we would take out that golden Lesson of the Apostle To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace that we would give credit to that undeniable sailing of our Savious A Kingdom or a City or a House divided against it selfe cannot stand there was a time when Hierusalem was at unity within it selfe Psal 122.9 And then she was not ashamed to speak with her Enemies in the gate but now being at cryâ—â—l jarres and dissensions among themselves they become a prey to the Romans neither could their private differences be composed till the Enemy took away both their lives and their livings and made Hierusalem â—â—celdanaâ— a field of blood Enquo discoâ—dia cives pâ—rduxit â—nisâ—â—os And God grant this sin of Hierusalem doe not bring Hierusalems punishment upon us that our private dissensions doe not incourage and give opportunity to the common Enemy to cast a trench about us you see Hierusalems sins are come over into England and therefore it 's too too probable that her punishment may follow For the dayes shall come that thy Enemies shall cast a trench about thee and lay thee even with the ground c. But that my Sun may not sit in a cloud I shall ad one word more that though it be possible nay though it be probable the premisses considered that the Sword may come yet it is not necessary there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared Noâ—â—â—â—e amâ—â—vâ—â—â— sed â—â—iteatiam God is infinitely more delighted in the conversion then in the confusion of a sinner why will ye dye O house off Israel turn ye turne ye from your evill way break off your sins by repentance and live he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy Proverbs 28.13 Confession and conversion or humiliation seconded with reformation hath sometimes reversed the sentence that hath gone out against a Nation as in the case of Niniveh yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed Niniveh in the meane time repents of the evill she hath committed and God repents also of the evill he hath intended had Hierusalem done so too had Hierusalem known the things that belonged to her peace Ilia nunc staront Priamique urbs alta manâ—ret for ought we know it might have stood until this day Niniveh had but forty dayes Hierusalem had forty yeares respit to repent in and to make her peace So I say now if we shall even we in this our day labour to make our peace and attonement with God whom we have offended by discerning and lamenting all our former transgressions by resolving and indeavouring to walke