more circumspectly for the time to come to walke worthy of those great mercies which we injoy to bring foorth fruits meet for repentance no doubt he will accept of us still and receive us into favour againe what else is the meaning of those Parables 〈◊〉 Luc. 15. Of the Woman rejoycing with her Neighbours when shee had found her lost Groate of the Shepheards hugging this stray Sheep and bringing it home with joy of the Father welcomming and embracing his prodigall Sonne upon his submission but to intimate unto us the will â—gnesse of Almighty GOD to be reconciled unto sinners upon their true Repentance the Father doth not question with his Sonne Vbi fuislâ—â— â—ubâ— suâ—t â—â—e tulistiâ— saith Chrysologus where haâ—e you been What is become of all that portion you carried hence how is it that you are returned thus poore thus naked but he cals for the best Robe and Shooes for his Feete and a Ring for his finger c. Quis iâ—lâ— Pâ—tâ—r saith Tertullian sweetly who is this Father that so lovingly entertaines his penitent Sonne who is this Father 〈◊〉 scilicet God is this Father we are these Prodigals let his enterteinment incourage us to returne to acknowledge our own vilenesse Father we have sinned against Heaven and in thy sight and are no more worthy to be called thy Children and he will receive us graciously a broken and a contrite heart he can not he will not despise â—iâ—riâ— noâ— potestâ—â—â— silivâ— istarum lâ—chrymarum â—percatâ— said Saint Ambrose to Monica bewayling her Sonne Austin be of good cheere Woman it cannot be that the Sonne for whom thou dayly sheddest so many Teares should perish so I dare say to every Soule that bedewes it selfe with the Teares of true Repentance Fieri non poiâ—st ut aâ—â— â—â—a istarum laâ—â—rymarum pereat it cannot be that the Soule for which so many Teares are shed should perish it is a groundlesse expostulation that is taken up by them Malac 3. â—4 What profit is it that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hostes I answer very great profit for these Teares il they proceede fâ—om a truly broken and contrite heart they will prove like Sauls Sword or lonathans Bow they will never returne empty not one of these Cristalline Pearles fal's to the ground God puts them all into his Bottell Psalme 56.8 See how it fared with good Hezechiah Esay 38.1 The Prophet is sort to acquaint him that the time of his dissolution is at hand Set thy House in order for thou shalt dye and believe it Death is a grimme Surjeant that will not easily be staved off however the good man betakes himselfe to his Prayers and mingles some â—eares with his Prayers and see what this produceth Verse 5. Thus saith the Lord I have heard thy Prayers I have seen thy Teares I will adde unto thy dayes fifteene yeares and I will deliver thee and this City out of the hand of the King of Assyria I need not tell you that are Parents how far the Teares of your children will plead and prevaile with you though you be much offended and what saith the Psalmist Psal 103.13 Like as a Father pittieth his own children so is the Lord mercifull to his children when his anger is kindled against them their Teares will soon quench it again look in the 31. of Ieremy Verse 18. There you shall finde a breach between God and Ephraim Ephraim is stubburn God is angry at it and begins to correct him Ephraim feeling it smart fals a weeping he repents and smites upon his thigh Verse 19. And God presently takes notice of it I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe and what followes at the 20. Verse Is Ephraim my deare Sonne Is he a pleasant child for since I spake against him I doe earnestly remember him still therefore my bowels are troubled for him I will surely have mercy upon him saith the Lord I can be no longer angry with him saith God now I see him weep my bowels doe even yearne towards him I will surely have mercy upon him c. It puts me in mind of that story of Esau Genesis 27. He brings in his venison and comes very confidently to his Father for a blessing before his Death the dimme old man amazed and perceiving at last how he was deluded for Jacob had cunningly supplanted him you know the story he tells him that he was come too late Thy brother came with subtilty and hath taken away thy blessing Verse 35. With that he falles a begging and complayning and is very importunate Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me blesse me even me also O my Father Isaac tels him I have given all his brethren to him for servants I have given him Corn and Wine to sustayne him what can I doe for thee my Sonne Hast thou but one blessing my Father saith Esau blesse me even me also and Esau lift up his voyce and wept Verse 38. And those Teares fetched a blessing presently his Father answered Thy dwelling shall be the fatnesse of the Earth and the dew of Heaven from above and thou shalt serve thy Brother and it shall come to passe that in processe of time thou shalt breake his yoke from off thy necke c. Teares are lowde Oratours with an Earthly Father much more with our Heavenly Father because hee is infinitely more pittifull then any Earthly Father If you beeing evill know how to give good gifts to your children 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more shall your Heavenly Father Matthew 7.11 If you that have but a Rivulet of mercy bee so moved with Teares 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 how much more will your Heavenly Father who hath a boundlesse bottomlesse Ocean of mercie Wee may bee the more confident that the Teares which we shed upon Earth are regarded in Heaven because as the Apostle speakes wee have a mercifull high Priest there Hebrewes 4.15 For wee have not a high Priest that cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities but was in all points tempted like unto us sinne onely excepted Christ tooke not on him our nature onely a reasonable Soule and humane flesh but also condescended to take on him the infirmities of our nature the infirmities of the body as to be hungry to be thirsty to sleepe to be weary and the infirmities of the minde as to be angry to be sad to weepe c. Christ hath beene experimentall in all these hee hath tasted of every one of these Cups and therefore knowes how to pitty and to succour those that labour under any of these infirmities are wee sorrowfull so hath CHRIST beene a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe doe wee weepe so did Christ hee beheld the City and wept over it and though hee doe not weepe for our Hierusalem yet hee is sensible of our weeping and makes intercession for us at the right Hand of his Father and therefore heere is a great deale of comfort to those that mourne in Sion and a great deale of incouragement to those that have not yet beene Mourners if they shall now at length see the errour of their wayes and beginne to weepe for the abominations of Hierusalem Let us therefore all of us awake betimes out of our sinnes before that vengeance awake and the judgement which yet sleepeth seeke the Lord while hee may bee found whilest with the Father of the Prodigall hee is ready to meete us and to embrace us let us turne to him with all our hearts with fasting and with weeping and with mourning there is â—oy in the presence of the Angels over one sinner what joy will there bee over a whole Nation that repenteth Luc. 15.10 while God holdes his peace these things hast thou â—oue and I held my peace Psalme 50.21 Let us speake â—nd sue unto him for mercy and say spare us good Lord â—pare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy most precious bloud and bee not angry with us for ever And let the Priests the Ministers of the Lord weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar and say be favourable O Lord and give not thine heritage to reproach Joel 2.17 Wherefore should they say among the Heathen where is now their God FINIS Errata PAge 1. lin 15. for assad reade assaied p. 3. l. 2. for estalish reade establish p. 8. l. 2. for of death read of her death p. 9. l. 2. for ale read able p. 9. l. 25. for finde read feede p. 12. l. 43. for Daysar read daystar p. 13. 12. for did not knew his people read did not know his people p. 14. 20. for it read them p. 20. l. 33. for Domini read Domine p. 21. l. 31. which in his own mouth deleatur in l. 33. for these read the p. 27. l. 9. for Irelan read Ireland p. 28. l. 26. for have read hath p. 34. for this read his
HIERUSALEM BEDEWED WITH TEARES A Sermon preached at St. MARY WOOLNOTH London upon the Fast-day Martii 30. 1642. By John PIGOTT Curate of S. Sepulchers Vae mihi si non Evangelizavero 1 COR. 9.16 Rejoyce not over mee O mine enemy when I fall I shall rise when I sit in darkenesse the Lord shall be a light unto me Micah 7.8 LONDON Printed by E. Griffin and are to be sold by Iohn Wright in the old Bailey 1642. To my beloved Friends and Neighbours the Parishioners of S. Sepulchers London DEarely beloved and longed for Phil. 4. 1. Rom. 9.1 my joy and crown of rejoycing I speake the truth in Christ and lye not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 my conscience also bearing me witnesse that my hearty desire for you all is that you may be saved Ch. 10. 1. Acts 20.20 and that to this end I have both publikely and from house to house testified both to small and great to all sorts of people repentance towards God and faith towards our Lord Iesus Christ How weighty a burden hath layen upon my Shoulders and how long and with what cheerefulnesse I have borne it is not unknown to you neither doe I yet shrinke from it or sinke under it I have often said with S. Paul you are in my heart to live and to dye with you 2 Cor. 7.3 Though as the same Apostle in the same Epistle complaineth 2 Cor. 12.15 The more aboundantly I love you the lesse I be loved of some among you but I intend not to accuse my owne Nation neither is it equall that J should charge the petulant miscarriages of a few prejudicate Spirits upon a whole parish wherein I have found so much true hearted affection so many reall and royall expressions of love and wherein there are many J speake it with comfort and thankefulnesse that if it were possible would even pluck out their owne eyes to doe me good as S. Paul magnifieth the love of his Galatians 4.15 And now to testify unto the world that I am not insensible of so great love I have adventured to publish to dedicate unto you these indigested meditations provided for you but elsewhere delivered which though rude and unpolished I desire you to accept as a pledge of my thankfulnesse and an earnest of farther indevours if I may be permitted I weigh not any mans censure but rest satisfied in the sincerity of my own intentions it is not applause that I aime at I am no selfe-flatterer no man can have a meaner esteem of me or of my labours then I my selfe have Apostolorum minimus as S. Paul said I am the least of the Apostles nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lesse then the least Eph. 3.8 Yet am I not hereby discouraged from attempting to doe what good I can in that place and station which the great Shepheard and Bishop of our souls hath allotted to me and who knowes whether this Sermon read of many may not through the blessing of God rouze up some hard hearted sinner out of the sleepe of security cause him to bring a bucket of teares toward the quenching of Gods wrath and fiery indignation that is kindled against our Hierusalem this is my desire my hope wherein if I shal faile of my expectation I shall sit down and weep with my Saviour that after so much planting and so much watering with the dew of Gods heavenly word there followes so little watering with the teares of true repentance But I hope better things of you dearely beloved and things that accompany salvation the Lord in mercy open all our eyes that we may at length discern the miseries that hang over our heads by reason of our sins that we may weepe night and day for the manifold provocations wherewith we have provoked him to anger so prayeth Your faithfull servant in Christ zealous of your spirituall welfare JOHN PIGOTT LVC. 19.41 42 43 44. And when he was come neare he beheld the City and wept over it saying If thou hadst knowne even thou in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine eyes For the dayes shall come upon thee that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee and comp sse thee round and keepe thee in on every side And shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation BEfore I come to the particular handling of these words I shall crave leave briefly to premise something by way of introduction of the many engagements of this people unto God for mercies received and something also of their great unthankfulnesse to him for the same There was never any Nation upon Earth more blessed with the influences of Heaven then this nation of the Jewes you onely have I knowne of all the families of the Earth Am. 3 2. What Nation is there that hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is nigh unto us in all that we call upon him for Deut. 4.7 Did ever people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the midst of the fire as thou hast heard and live or hath God ever assad to take unto him a Nation out of the midst of another Nation by wonders and signes by a mighty hand and stretched out arme as he did for you in Egypt Deut. 4 33.34 God did as it were single out this people from all the Families of the Earth all the Nations under Heaven that he might make them the ob ects of his love that he might shew kindnesse to them as David dealt by Mephibosheth Thou Israel art my servant Iacob whom I have chosen Es 41.8 A chosen generation a peculiar people Et quid ampl us potuit and what could God doe more for his Vineyard that he did not doe wherein could he have made a fuller expression of his love then he did how did he bemoane them in their misery I have seen I have seen the affliction of my people and I have heard their groanings How did he wrastle with a stubburn hard hearted Tyrant for their enlargement one that slighted his messages contemned his judgements would not let his people goe till at length by maine â—trength he wrested them out of his hands when he overthrew both the Horse and his Rider in the midst of the Sea how did he provide a table for them in the Wildernesse and feast them with delicious fare Angels food Manna from Heaven how did he dampe the hearts and strike through the loynes of all their enemies how did he drive out and dispossesse seven great and mighty-Nations gave their land a land flowing with milke and hony to be an heritage to Israel his people goodly Cities that they builded not and Vineyards that they planted not and Houses full of all good things which they filled not Deut. 6.11 Will you see some more priviledges and favours
great unthankfulnes and disobedience in the midst of so many binding mercies and you may justly wonder that Hierusalem was not long before this time made a heap of stones read over the Prophets and you shall find complaints in this kind without number doe ye thus requite the Lord Oh foolish people and unwise The faithfull City is become a harlot she was full of judgment righteousnesse lodged in her but now murderers Heare O Heavens and give eare O Earth I have nourished and brought up children but they have rebelled against me when I fed them to the fall then they assembled themselves by troupes in the harlots houses how shall I pardon thee for this As I live saith the Lord Sodom and her daughters have not done as thou hast done thou and thy daughters thou wast corrupted more then they in all thy wayes Ezech. 16.47 And when Christ came among them in person how did they entertaine him St. Iohn will tell you he came to his own but his own received him not Ioh. 1.11 Nolumus hunc regnare we will not have this man to raigne over us we have no King but Caesar nay not this man but Barabbas they preferre a publique notorious malefactour before him himself also will tell you Mat. 13.37 O Hierusalem Ierusalem howoften would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen doth her chickens under her wings but ye would not thus all the day long he stretched out his hand but it was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to a gainesaying people veluj noluistis how often would I but ye would not And yet how unwilling was God to unsheath his sword to powre out the full Vials of his fierce anger upon this rebellious Nation though their sins were so provoking that he knew not well how to pardon them How shall I pardon thee for this thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no gods and shall I allow this shall I give my glory to another how shall I pardon thee for this yet so infinite on the other side was his mercy that he was unwilling to punish them Why will ye dye Oye house of Israel As I live saith the Lord I have no pleasure in the death of a sinner run thorough the streets of Hierusalem and seek for a man that executeth judgment that I may pardon iâ— and most pathetically in the 11. of Hos ver 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim how shall I deliver thee Israel how shall I make thee as Admah and set thee as Zeboim my heart is turned within me my repentings are kindled together see what a conflict there seemes to be in God between his mercy and his justice how shall I pardon thee for this and yet how shall I give thee up how shall I make thee as Admah c. faine would I spare thee but thy sins cry to Heaven for vengeance thou art incorrigible in thy wayes and therefore thy sin is unpardonable I am forced to give sentence against thee though it be with teares in my eyes when he came neare be beheld the City and wept over it c. Christ might have insulted over Herusalem when he foresaw the cup of trembling that she was to drink of as wisdom threatens her contemners Pro. 1.24 Because I have called and ye refused I have stretched out my hand and no man regarded therfore I will laugh at your calamity and mock when your feare commeth when your feare commeth as desolation and your destruction as a whirle-wind when distresse ang ish commeth upoÌ„ you so seeing Herusalem would not take warning by all former invitations admonitions judgments mercies Christ might justly have laughed at her calamity when he saw her feare comming as desolation and her destruction as a whirl-wind but our blessed Saviour came not to destroy mens lives but to save them and therefore when he came neare he beheld the City and wept over it In the words we have Christ melting into teares for hardhearted Hierusalem Nihil miserius misero non misâ—rante seipsum there is not a more sad lamentable spectacle in the world then to see a man or a City or a Nation like Simon Magus in the gall of bitternesse in the depth of misery in regard of a wilfull persisting in heynous and crying sins yet themselves insensible of their own misery sleeping securely in their sins with Balaam driving o still in their wonted course of sinning and never take notice of the Sword that is drawen against them hugging and embracing sporting and delighting themselves with those Delilahs those lusts and corruptions which will prove their bane and destruction Quis talta fando temperâ—t a â—lachrymis who can behold all this with dry-Eyes The Poet hath a conceit that Heaven it selfe weeps for such Creatures Dic rogo cur toties descendit ab aethere nimbus Grandoque de coeso sic fine fine ruit What may be the reason why there fals such store of Rayne one shower after another Mortales quoniam nolum sua crimina flere Calum pro nobis solvitur in lachrymas Because hard hearted sinners will not bewayle their own faults H aven it selfe is dissolved into teares for them it is so in my Text Heaven it selfe or the heire of Heaven sals a weeping for Hierusalem and is not here a strange alteration when Hierusalem sometime the joy of the whole Earth Ps 48.2 shall not only make the Earth sad but even darken the Heavens cause him that was anoynted with the oyle of gladnes above his Fellowes to melt into teares And when he came neate he beheld the City and wept over it c. The parts are two the mourner and the causes of his mourning the Mourner is Christ and that in the middest of his jollity too as I may so speake as he was riding in state in triumph towards Hierusalem To shew that even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull that there is no worldly happinesse without a mixture of discontent when he came neare he beheld the City and wept over it The causes of his mourning are two two heavy spectacles for eaâ—h Eye one and either of them able to command a fountain of teares as the Propher speakes the one seen namely malum culpe the evill of sin If thou hadst knowen even thou in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes thou knewest not the time of thy visitation the other foreseen namely malum poenae the evill of punishment For the dayes shal come that thy Enemies shall cast a trench abour thee and keep thee in on every side and shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee c. Or if you please we have heer Hierusalems funerall where we have first the chiefe Mourner Christ he beâ—eld the City and wept over it saying if thou hadst knowen even thou in this thy day a broken speech a passionate expression the right Dialect of
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