A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 6 · Sermon 70

A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture · Collection of sermons 6 · Sermon 70

p. 891THE LAST OFFER OF PEACE. A Sermon preached at a publike Faſt. THE LXX. SERMON.

LUK 19.41, 42.

41. And when he was come neere, he beheld the City, and wept over it,

42. Saying, If thou hadſt knowne, even thou, at leaſt in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace: but now they are hid from thine eyes.

WHen the Romans fought a pitched field, after the rankes of their prime Leaders and chiefe Souldiers (which they called Principes) had charged valiantly, if the enemy ſtill kept his ground, the Triarii (containing the whole ſhock of the army) put on, and upon their proweſſe and valour depended the fortune of the day and chance (if I may ſo ſpeake) of the bloudy die of war. Whereupon it grew to be a proverb,aaEraſ. chil. Res rediit ad Triarios, it now ſtands upon the Triarii: as if you would ſay, it is now put to the laſt plunge. And is it not ſo now, my Chriſtian brethren? We have taken to us the proper weapons of Chriſtians, faſting, prayers, and teares, to fight againſt the fearfull combinations of powerfull & vigilant enemies. The rank of our Principes, the King himſelf, the Princes, Nobles, and Peeres have already watered this field with their teares, and put on with all their force of zealous praiers: how far they have prevailed, God only knowes. Jam ad Triarios res rediit, now the whole ſhock of the army, and the maine battell is to advance, and upon the ſinceritie of the humiliation, and fervency of devotion, and ſtrength of our united praiers & ſighes this day, dependeth much the ſafety and life of our State, and in it of our Church, and in it of our true and incorrupt Religion.

p. 892Let no man goe about with Mercuries inchanted rod to cloſe the eyes of our Argus's; let no man ſow pillowes under the elbowes of our true Patriots, to make them ſleep in ſecurity, leſt deſtruction ſteale upon us at unawares. It is certaine our enemies ſleep not, and it is moſt certaine that our crying ſinnes have awaked Gods juſtice: it ſtandeth us therefore upon to watch and pray. Judgement is already begun at the houſe of God, the Angel hath poured out his viall of red wine upon the Churches of Bohemia, and their fields are thicke ſowne with the blood of Martyrs: the ſame Angel hath emptied another viall upon the Churches in the Palatinate, and the ſweet Rheniſh grape yeelds in a manner now no liquor but blood: a third viall runneth out at this houre upon the reformed Churches in France, and our ſinnes as it were holloe to him to ſtretch his hand over the narrow ſea, and caſt the dregges of it on us, who have beene long ſettled upon our lees: and undoubtedly this will bee our potion to drinke, if wee ſtretch not our hands to heaven, that God may command his Angel to ſtay his hand. If hee have already turned his viall, and wee ſee drops of bloud hanging in the ayre; yet the ſtrong wind of our prayers may blow them away and diſpell them, in ſuch ſort that they ſhall not fall upon us: a gale of our ſighes may cleare the skie. Moſes praiers manicled the hands of Almighty God, and ſhall not the united devotions of this whole Land either ſtay or turne his Angels hand? Away with all confidence in the arme of fleſh, away with all hope in man, away with all cloakes of ſinne, and vizzards of hypocriſie, there is no diſſembling with God, no fighting againſt him. Albeit our land bee compaſſed with the ſea as with a moat, and environed with ſhips furniſhed with ordnance, as with brazen and iron walls: though the moſt puiſſant Princes on earth ſhould ſend us innumerable troupes to ſuccour and aide us, yet we have no fence: for foreign we lye open to heaven, wee are naked to the arrowes of the Almighty, and no carnall weapons for ſuccours can ſtand us in any ſtead; onelyonly the helmet of ſalvation, and the buckler of faith, and the powder of a contrite heart, and the ſhot of pious ejaculations may doe us ſome good. It is our pride (Beloved) that hath throwne us downe, and it is humility which muſt raiſe us: our diviſions have weakened us, and it is union that can ſtrengthen us: our luxury hath imbezelled us, and now nothing but faſting and abſtinence can recover us: our ſinnes have made a breach, and nothing but repentance can make it up: our profane oathes, our ſinfull pleaſures, our carnall ſecurity and ſenſuality hath driven away the Spirit of grace and comfort from us, and nothing can wooe him to returne backe againe but our vowes of amendment, unfeigned teares and ſorrowfull ſighes. Let us therefore ply ſighes and bbCyp. ep. 1. Incumbamus igitur gemitibus aſſiduis, & deprecationibus crebris: haec enim ſunt arma coeleſtia, quae ſtare & perſeverare fortiter faciunt; haec ſunt munimenta ſpiritualia & tela divina, quae protegunt nos. Et ſerm. de lapſ. Oportet tranſigere vigiliis noctes, tempus omne lachrymoſis lamentationibus occupare ſtratos ſolo adhaerere cineri, in cilicio volutari & ſordibus.prayers: for theſe are the ſpirituall weapons we alone can truſt to, through the interceſſion of Chriſts bloud, which ſpeaketh better things for us than the bloud of Abel. Theſe weapons our Lord himſelfe made tryall of in my Text, and ſanctified them to our uſe, viz. paſſionate teares, and compaſſionate prayers.

When hee drew neere to Jeruſalem, and fore-ſaw in ſpirit that ſhee drew neere to her ruine, his eyes melted with teares (he beheld the City, and wept) and his heart breaketh out into ſighes (Oh that thou kneweſt.) Teares trickle p. 893not down in order, neither are ſighes fetched by method. Expect not therefore from mee any accurate diviſion, or methodicall handling of this paſſionate Text: only in the firſt place faſten the eye of your obſervation upon the eyes of our Saviour, and you ſhall diſcerne in them,

1. Beames of love, He beheld.

2. Teares of compaſſion, He wept over it.

In the next place bow the eares of your religious attention towards his mouth, and ye ſhall heare from him,

1. Sighes of deſire, Oh (or if) that thou kneweſt.

2. Plaints of ſorrow, But now they are hid from thine eyes.

I have pitched (as you ſee) upon accHom. Il. foreign. moiſt plat, or fenny ground; wherein that your devotion may walke more ſteadily, I have laid out for you five knolls or ſteps to reſt upon and pawſe.

1. Venit, He came.

2. Vidit, He beheld.

3. Flevit, He wept.

4. Ingemuit, He ſighed.

5. Oravit, He prayed.

1. Venit or appropinquavit, he drew neere. The end of our Saviours life here was the ſacrifice of his death: he was borne that he might die for us, and by one oblation of himſelfe on the croſſe, ſatisfie for the ſinnes of the whole world. Now all ſacrifices by the Law were to be offered at Jeruſalem; to Jeruſalem therefore hee comes up to finiſh the worke of our redemption: and he maketh the more haſte, becauſe Eaſter was neere at hand, when he was to eate the Paſchall Lambe with his Diſciples, and to be eaten of them in the myſterious rite of the Sacrament: to kill the paſſover in the type, but to be killed himſelfe in the truth. Oh, how farre hath our Saviour left us behind him in his love? He came with a ſwift foot to us, we returne with a ſlow foot to him: he made more haſte to give himſelfe, than we make to receive him. After hee received the commandement from his Father to lay downe his life for his ſheep, he rode more cheerfully into Jeruſalem, and was led more willingly to the altar of the croſſe, where hee loſt his life, than we repaire to his holy table, there to be partakers of the bread of eternall life. He came neere to the City, that he might view it: he viewed it, that hee might weep over it: hee wept over it, that hee might teſtifie a threefold truth,

1. Naturae, of his Nature,

2. Amoris, of his Love,

3. Doctrinae. of his Doctrine or propheſie.

1. Veritatem naturae, the truth of his humane nature. He muſt needs be a true man, who out of compaſſion ſheds teares, foreign, ſic fatur lachrymans. Cold ſtone or metall relenteth not, a phantaſme grieves not, a picture weepeth not: theſe teares then of our Saviour may ſerve as haile-ſhot to wound all ſuch Heretickes as imagined that Chriſt had but an imaginary body.

2. Veritatem amoris, the truth of his love. It is true love which reſolveth it ſelfe into teares upon the ſight or apprehenſion of anothers loſſe, griefe, or danger. When Jeſus wept at the grave of Lazarus, the Jewes p. 894ſaid, Behold how he ddJoh. 11.36.John 11:36loved him: and when the Diſciples and whole multitude ſaw Chriſt weepe as ſoone as he came in ſight of Jeruſalem, they could not but ſay within themſelves, Behold how he loveth this city.

3. Veritatem prophetiae, the truth of his prophecie concerning the deſtruction of Jeruſalem, and all the calamities that ſhortly after befell the Jewiſh nation: they muſt needs be true evils and judgements certainly to come upon the city, which the Sonne of God foretelleth with wet eyes.

Quum appropinquavit, foreign, when he came neere. If Chriſt in his humane body could have beene preſent in many places at once, as the Trent Fathers teach, and oureeBell. lib. 3. de ſacr. Euch. c. 3. & 4. Romaniſts ſet their faith upon the tenters to beleeve; he then might have ſpared many a weariſome journey, he needed not to have travelled as he did from country to country, and city to city: all the progreſſes which he made through Judea, and Galile, and Samaria, and the coaſts of Tyrus and Sidon, might have beene ſaved. For without ſtirring his foote, by this doctrine, he might have preſented himſelfe at the ſame time in Nazareth, and Bethlehem, and Corazin, Bethſaida, and Capernaum, and Nain, and Jeruſalem: as, if we may beleeveffAelian. de Var. hiſt. lib. 4. Pythagoras eodem die & horâ viſus eſt in Metapentio, & Crotona, & in Olympo femur aureum oſtendit. Aelian, Pythagoras at the ſame time was ſeene in divers cities, and there ſhewed his golden thigh (a fit miracle for aurea legenda, the golden legend) ſed quia non legimus non credimus, but becauſe we find no ſuch thing in Scripture we beleeve it not. We are ſo farre from finding it there that we find the direct contrary:ggMath. 28.6.Matt 28:6 He is not here, for he is riſen. If there be any force at all in this reaſon of the Angel, the humane body of Chriſt cannot be in more places at once: for could it be in more places at once, it might have beene in the grave and riſen out of it at the ſame time, which the Angels for ſuppoſeth to be impoſſible. Hector adeſt, ſecúmque deos in praelia ducit.

In this battell againſt the Trent faith we have men and Angels on our ſide; for as the Angel argueth here from the impoſſibility of the exiſtence of Chriſts body in more places at once, ſo do the ancient fathers.hhLib. 4. contr. Eutic. Chriſti corpus quando in terra fuit, non erat utique in coelo: & nunc quia eſt in coelo, non eſt utique in terra. Vigilius, Chriſts body, when it was upon earth, was not at the ſame time in heaven: and now becauſe … is in heaven, it is not therefore upon earth: and SaintiiAug. l. 20. cont. Fauſt. Manic. c. 11. Secundum praeſentiam ſpiritualē? nullo modo pati illa poſſit ſecundum praeſentiam corporalem? ſimul in ſole, & luna, & cruce eſſe non poſſit. Auſtine, When ye Manichees teach that Chriſt was at the ſame time in the Sun and in the Moone, & upon the Croſſe, what meane ye by preſence? his divine & ſpirituall? that is nothing to your purpoſe; for according to that hee could not ſuffer. Do you mean corporall? according to that he could not be together in more places, and conſequently not (as ye ſuppoſe) in the ſunne, and in the moone, and upon the croſſe at once. As the Poets faigne of Hercules, that in his cradle, with one graſpe of his hand hee killed two ſerpents: ſo by the handling of this one circumſtance (if the time, and this preſent occaſion would permit mee) I might kill two monſters of hereſies, the former of tranſubſtantiation, which you ſee lieth halfe dead before you; the latter of conſubſtantiation: the former holdeth a multi-preſence, and the latter an omnipreſence, or ubiquity of Chriſts body. The word appropinquavit, he came neere, reacheth a blow home to both theſe. For comming neere a place is a locall motion. Now every locall motion muſt have a terminus à quo, and a terminus ad quem; a place or point to bee left, and another to be got: which cannot be verified in a body, which in the ſame time is in utroque termino, in the terme from which, and the tearme to which it is to move: p. 895much leſſe can an infinite or omnipreſent body move locally: becauſe ſuch a body, according to their ſuppoſition, filleth all places, and conſequently cannot goe from one to another: i… …nnot loſe any place it had, or acquire any it had not. This comming heere then of our Saviour to Jeruſalem, proveth that the Lutherans and all ubiquitaries are as farre out of the way (in this point) as Papiſts: they that hold this errour, muſt blot out all Chriſts geſts recorded by the Evangeliſts, and reverſe all his progreſſes from Judea to Galile, and from Galile to Judea: from Jeruſalem to Nazareth, and from Nazareth to Jeruſalem: from land to ſea, and from ſea to land. Moreover, to entitle a creature to ubiquity is to deifie it, and to attribute this incommunicable property of the deitie to the humane nature of Chriſt, is to confound his two natures. Thus hereſies unnaturally engender, the later with the former, and Lutheraniſme begets Eutychianiſme: at which monſtrous error, though the Romaniſts are ſtartled; yet the hereſie of tranſubſtantiation which they foſter at this day is of the ſame caſt. Admit once that Chriſts body may be at the ſame time in heaven at the right hand of his Father, & on the Altar in the right hand of the Prieſt: why may it not be in milions of places? if it may be whereſoever maſſes are ſaid, why may it not alſo by divine power be where they are not ſaid? why not then every where? if it may ſtand with the unity of an individuall body to be in two diſtinct and diſtant places at once, it may as well be in two hundred places; and if in two hundred, in two thouſand; and if in two thouſand, every where. The nature of an individuall body, which is to be indiviſum in ſe, & diviſum â caeteris omnibus, is as well deſtroyed by putting it in two places at once, as in two millions. Wherefore, as wood cleavers drive out one wedge by another, and conjurers caſt out one ſpirit by another as bad; and as Plato tooke downe Diogenes, trampling upon his rich carpet,kkEraſ. Apoph. and ſaying, I tread Platoes pride under my feete: Calcas faſtum, ſed alio faſtu; thou treadeſt upon my pride (ſaith he) but out of as great or greater pride: ſo our adverſaries the Papiſts may be juſtly taxed for exterminating one errour, the errour of conſubſtantiation, by bringing in another as bad, the errour of tranſubſtantiation, which putteth accidents without ſubjects, quantity without dimenſions, bodies without place, and what not?llSueton in Calig. Utinam populus Romanus haberet unicam cervicem. Caligula wiſhed that all his enemies had but one necke, that hee might cut them all off at one blow: the three hereſies now mentioned have all but one necke, I will therefore ſmite off all their heads at once with the ſword of the Spirit. Chriſt was like unto us in all things, ſinne onelyonly excepted: if ſo, then was hee circumſcribed with quantity, and confined to one place at once: then not in many places, as the Papiſts teach; and much leſſe in all places, as the Eutychians and Lutherans beare us in hand he is.

But to leave the confutation of theſe hereſies, and draw neere unto our preſent occaſion. Chriſt never came to any place but hee left behinde him ſome print of his Majeſtie, or pledge of his love: he touched no where, but he wrought ſome miracle, or ſhewed ſome mercy. If the preſence of the Arke, which was but a type or ſhadow, brought a bleſſing to Obed Edome: how much more ſhall the preſence of the body, & the truth himſelf, make the place happie whereſoever he reſideth? Jeſus never commeth without ſalvation with him: and therefore when he entred into the houſe of Zaccheus, p. 896he laid, Hodie huic domui ſalus contigit, this day ſalvation mmLuk. 19.9.Luke 19:9is come to this houſe. The approach of the Sunne is the ſpring and joy of the yeare: even ſo the approach of Chriſt is the blo…oming of the trees, and opening the flowers of Paradiſe: it crowneth …oth the Church and Commonwealth with ſpirituall and temporall bleſſings, as it were garlands, one upon the other.

Yea, but how may his approach be obtained? who can intreat him to come neare us? what load-ſtone can draw his love to us? I anſwer, Our love, our faith, our hope, our devotion.

nnJames 4.8.Jas 4:8Draw neere unto God, and hee will draw neere unto you. Draw neere unto him by faith, accedit qui credit, faith layeth hold on him. Draw neere unto him by hope, hope relieth upon him: Draw neere unto him by love, love embraceth him, andooPſal. 73.28.Ps 73:28 adhereth to him: Draw neere unto ppEſa. 29.3.Isa 29:3him with your lippes by prayer, with yourqqEccleſ. 5.1.Eccl 5:1 eares by liſtening to his Word: draw neare with your whole body by preſenting your ſelves at his table, and worthily participating the holy Sacrament. Thus if ye draw neere to him, he will draw neere to you, and comming neere to you as he did to Jeruſalem, hee will fixe his eyes on you. And ſo I paſſe to the ſecond ſtep:

2. Vidit, he beheld it. There is comfort when the Phyſician commeth to viſit his patient: there is hope when an expert Chirurgeon vieweth a dangerous wound. David thought it enough to ſay, Looke rrPſal. 25.18.Ps 25:18upon mine affliction and miſerie: and,ſſPſal. 84.9.Ps 84:9 Looke upon the face of thine annointed: and, Lord lift ttPſal. 4.8.Ps 4:8thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. God never caſteth his eye upon any, but he ſettleth his affection upon him: and hee never ſettleth affection upon any without an intention of bleſſing them. As Chriſt cured mens bodies with a word, ſo their ſoules with a looke. Hee looked upon Peter, and preſently he repented: he looked upon Zaccheus, and preſently he was juſtified: hee looked upon Saint Matthew, and preſently hee was called: Why then was Jeruſalem no better for this gracious aſpect? becauſe ſhe ſhut her eyes againſt the true light. When Chriſt looked to her, ſhe turned away from him: when he wept for her, ſhe laught at him: when hee ſought to ſave her, ſhee plotted his death and deſtruction. Yet were not the beams of Chriſts eye caſt in vaine upon this City; for the ſpirituall Jeruſalem, as SaintuuOrig. in hunc locum. Origen telleth us, that is, the faithfull in Jeruſalem were the better for them: for they obſerved our Saviours eye, and kept his teares in a bottle, and laid up his words in their heart; and being fully perſwaded of the truth of his prediction concerning the deſtruction of the City and Temple, when forty years after Titus began to lay ſiege to it, they left it, and fled to Pella, and thereby eſcaped all thoſe miſeries and troubles which our Saviour could not foretell with drie eyes. The Philoſophers and Phyſicians are not yet agreed utrum viſio fiat extramittendo vel intromittendo, whether in the act of ſeeing the eye caſteth out beames upon the object, or receiveth ſpecies from it. The queſtion is eaſily reſolved here: for Chriſt both caſt out a beame of his affection out of his eye on the City, and received alſo the ſpecies or image of it into his eye: at once he looked upon her with a twofold eye,

1 The eye of ſenſe.

2 The eye of Propheſie.

p. 897To the eye of ſenſe Jeruſalem appeared moſt beautifull, glorious, and happy, environed with ſtrong walls, adorned with magnificent buildings, ſtored with people abounding in wealth, and furniſhed with all ſort of munition: but to the eye of propheſie ſhee appeared in another hiew, with her walls ſacked, her houſes burnt, her turrets demoliſhed, her young men ſlaine, her virgins defloured, her prieſts ſacrificed, her ſtreets piled with carkaſſes, and her channels running with gore bloud.

uuVir. Aenead. 2—Quis talia fando

Temperet à lachrymis?

This moſt lamentable ſpectacle, though a farre off, drew teares from our Saviours eyes. And ſo I paſſe to the third ſtep, which is the wetteſt of all:

3. Flevit ſuper eam. He wept over it. In the water of Chriſts teares we may ſee after a ſort the face both of his humane and divine nature. In that they were teares iſſuing from the troubled fountain of ſorrow in his heart, they prove him to be a true man: but in that they repreſented the weeping and mourning that ſhould enſue after his death in Jeruſalem, they demonſtrate him to be true God: forxxTertul. apol. argumentum divinitatis veritas divinationis, the certainty of divination is an argument of divinity. Neither were theſe teares onelyonly indices naturae, evidences of his nature, but pledges of his love, and (asyyOrig. in Mat. Omnes be…titudines quas in Evangelio locutus eſt, ſuo firmavit exemplo. Origen noteth) inſtances of his doctrine touching the bleſſedneſſe of mourners. Chriſt exemplified every point of his doctrine in himſelfe: he taught that the poore in ſpirit are bleſſed, and none ſo humble in heart as hee: hee taught that peace-makers were bleſſed, & who ſo great a peace-maker as he, who is our peace, and reconciled heaven and earth? hee taught, bleſſed are they that ſuffer for righteouſneſſe ſake, and none ever ſuffered ſo much as he: he taught, bleſſed are they that mourne, and he wept himſelfe, ſanctifying thereby tears, and aſſuring all godly mourners here, of comforts hereafter.zzGor. in Luc. c. 19. Chriſtus quater flevit, 1. in nativitate, Sap. 7. Primam vocem nobis ſimilem emiſit plorans. 2. In Lazari ſuſcitatione, Joh. 11. Lacrymatus eſt Jeſus. 3. in hac ſolenni proceſsione, flevit ſuper eam. 4. in paſsione, Heb. 5. Haec ſunt quatuor flumina quae de Paradiſo prodierunt, Gen. 2. ad totius mundi, 1. ablutionem. 2. refrigerationem. 3. foecundationem. 4. potationem.Luke 19John 11Heb 5Gen 2 Gorrhan obſerved that Chriſt ſhed teares foure times, firſt at his birth, next in the raiſing of Lazarus, a third time in his ſurveigh of Jeruſalem, and a fourth time on the croſſe: and theſe foure, ſaith he, are ſpiritually the foure rivers of Paradiſe, which ſerve 1. to purge: 2. to coole and refreſh: 3. to water and make fruitfull: 4. to quench the thirſt of the world of beleevers. Notwithſtanding I find in the Goſpel but two leaves onelyonly wet with our Saviours teares, Joh. 11. and here. It is likely he cried at his birth after the manner of other children; and it is certaine that hee offered up prayers upon the croſſe with ſtrong cries: yet we reade not of any teares ſhed by him but here on Mount Olivet, and at Lazarus his grave, and both teares were teares of compaſſion, and both alſo funerall teares. There he wept for the death of Lazarus, and here for the finall period, and, if I may ſo ſpeake, funerals of Jeruſalem, to be ſolemnized with deſolation, and exceeding great mourning, like that of Hadradrimmon in the valley of Megiddo, within a few yeeres after his paſſion. It was the manner of the Prophets, when they fore-told the calamities that were to fall upon any people or nation, to expreſſe them as well by ſignes as by words, to make a deeper impreſſion in their hearers. Ahiah **1 Kings 11.30.1 Kgs 11:30cut Jeroboams cloake, Jeremy breaketh hisaaJer. 19.10.Jer 19:10 bottle, Ezekiel bbEzek. 5.1.Ezek 5:1ſhaveth his beard, Agabus ccAct. 21.11.Acts 21:11bindeth himſelfe. In like manner, Chriſt propheſying the finall overthrow of the City and Temple, repreſenteth the great ſorrow, mourning and lamentation of the inhabitants of p. 898Jeruſalem by his owne teares. Theodoret yeeldeth another reaſon: Alii flent ex paſsione, Chriſtus ex compaſsione: Others weep (ſaith he) out of paſſion, Chriſt out of compaſsion: Ut oſtenderet qualia haberet erga ingrates viſcera; to ſhew what bowels hee had toward the ungratefull though they leaſt deſerve teares, who have no ſenſe at all of their owne miſery, yet they moſt of all need them. It grieveth mee (ſaith S.ddCypr. de lapſ. Plango quia te non plangis. Cyprian) that thou grieveſt not for thy ſelfe: mine eyes are wet becauſe thine are alwaies dry: I have little comfort, becauſe there is little or no hope of grace in thee. Ea fletus majoris cauſa eſt, cùm rideant qui flere debeant; wee have the greater cauſe to mourne, when they laugh who ought to weep. Jeruſalem was now in a fit of frenzy, ſhee laughed, and feaſted, and revelled, even now when ſhee was neere utter ruine and confuſion: and this more opened the ſalt ſprings in our Saviours eyes; hee ſhed teares the more abundantly by reaſon of the carnall ſecurity, obſtinacy, and ſenſleſſe ſtupidity of the Jewes his Countrimen, and eſpecially the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, who killed the Prophets, and ſtoned them who were ſent unto them to fore-warne them of Gods fearefull judgements hanging over their heads.

I told you before that this was a wet ſtep, and many here have ſlipt: For this objection offereth it ſelf to every mans conceit: Was not Chriſt God, and conſequently omnipotent? could not he have prevented their finall overthrow? could not hee have given thoſe Jewes beleeving and relenting hearts? could he not have converted them all miraculouſly by a viſion from heaven, as hee did St. Paul, who before that powerfull change wrought in him, was as much enraged againſt the profeſſours of the Goſpel as any of theſe? nay more? Did not Chriſt foreſee and decree the deſtruction of Jeruſalem? how then doth he bemoane it with teares? eeCalv. harm. in evang. Sicut è coelo deſcendit Chriſtus carne humanâ indutus, ut divinae ſalutis teſtis eſſet, & miniſter, vere humanos induit affectus; quatenus ſuſceptae functioni intererat, quatenus datus erat huic populo miniſter in ſalutem, pro officii ſui ratione illius exitium deploravit. Deus erat fateor, ſed quoties oportuit doctoris officio fungi, quievit, ac ſe quodammodo abſcondidit deitas.Calvin reacheth us a hand to helpe us off of this wet knoll: As (ſaith he) Chriſt deſcended from heaven clad with humane fleſh, that he might bee a witneſſe and miniſter of divine ſalvation, he truly put upon him alſo humane affections, ſo far as it was requiſite for the diſcharge of his function: therefore as being ſent as a miniſter for the ſalvation of that people, in the faithfull execution of his office hee forewarned them of their danger, and bewailed their overthrow, which could not but enſue upon their obſtinacy and impenitency. Hee was God I acknowledge, and moſt certainly fore-ſaw what would befall the City, according to his eternall decree; but whileſt hee performed the office of a teacher, the deity reſted as it were, and hid it ſelfe. That yee may take faſter hold upon this ſtay, which this learned Interpreter reacheth unto you, ye are to conſider Chriſt three manner of waies:

1. As God,

2. As man,

3. As Mediatour betweene God and man.

As God he moſt juſtly ſentenced that bloody City to utter ruine and deſolation; as man he could not but bee touched with griefe and ſorrow for thoſe heavie judgements which hung over the city and people, they taking no courſe at all to prevent or avert them; as Mediatour betwixt God and man, he might and ought ex officio, both bewaile what hee fore-told, and fore-tell what hee now bewailed: and that moſt ſeriouſly. For pro quibus p. 899nunc lachrymas, poſtea effudit ſanguinem; for hee ſhed his bloud for thoſe for whom he now ſhed teares: and it was their owne fault, that this death was not effectuall to them for their redemption and ſalvation. An all-ſufficient remedy was tendered unto them, but they would none of it; and even this alſo, as it aggravated their ſinne, and conſequently their puniſhment, ſo it increaſed their ſpirituall Phyſicians griefe, and drew more teares from his eyes: Utinam, Domine, ut verbum caro factum eſt, ſic cor meum carneum fiat; Oh that as the word was made fleſh, ſo my heart were made fleſhly and tender, to receive a deep impreſsion of my brethrens griefe. Such a heart was Jeremies, which evaporated into theſe ſighes,ffJer. 9.1.Jer 9:1 Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes fountaines of teares, that I might weep day and night for the ſlaine of the daughter of my people. Such was Saint Pauls, gg2 Cor 11.29.2 Cor 11:29Beſides thoſe things that are without, that which commeth upon mee daily, the care of all the Churches: who is weake, and I am not weake? who is offended, and I burne not? Of the ſame temper was Saint Cyprian, I hhCypr. ep. 16. Compatior & condoleo fratribus noſtris, qui lapſi & p…rſecutionis infeſtatione proſtrati, & partem noſtrorum viſcerum ſecum trahentes acrem dolorem ſuis vulneribus intulerunt. Et l. de lapſ. Cum plangentibus plango, cum deflentibus d…fleo, cum proſtratis f…atribus me quoque proſtravit affectus.ſympathize and condole with you for thoſe of our brethren, whom the cruelty of perſecution hath overthrowne, and laid upon their backs: the wounds which they have received no leſſe paine mee, than if part of my bowells had been plucked out of my body. And againe, I mourne with them that mourne, and weep with them that weep, and am caſt downe with them that are fallen. This ſympathy is a more noble worke of mercy and charity towards our afflicted brethren, than bounty it ſelfe: he that ſpendeth his affection upon his brother in his diſtreſſe, doth more than hee that reacheth unto him an almes: for the one giveth ſomewhat out of his purſe, the other out of his bowells: on the contrary, want of naturall affection is ranked with the worſt of all vices,iiRom. 1 31.Rom 1:31 foreign, being filled with all unrighteouſneſſe, wickedneſſe, covetouſneſſe, maliciouſneſſe, full of envie, murder, debate, back-biters, haters of God, diſobedient to parents, covenant breakers, without naturall affection, implacable, unmercifull. Doubtleſſe they are monſters in nature that want bowells: nothing more provoked God, inkkSalvian de Dei gubern. l. 6. Confundebatur vox morientium, & vox bacch…nti…m, & vix diſcerni poterat plebis ejulatus qui fiebat in bello, & ſonus populi qui clamabat in circo. Salvianus his judgement, to double his ſtroaks upon the French, when the Goths came in upon them, than that they had no ſenſe or feeling of their brethrens calamities. The voice of the dying could hardly be diſtinguiſhed from the clamours of thoſe that were drunk; at the ſame time when the people without the City cried out for feare of the enemy, the people within the City ſhouted at their ſports. It is not ſafe for any to feaſt, when God calleth to faſt; to ſing, when God calleth to ſigh; to brave it in gorgeous apparrell, when God calleth to ſackcloth. Whoſe heart quaketh not at that thunder-clap in the Prophet Eſay? llEſay 22.12, 13, 14.Isa 22:12Isa 22:13Isa 22:14And in that day did the Lord God of hoſts call to weeping, and mourning, and to baldneſſe, and to girding with ſackcloth. And behold joy and gladnes, ſlaying oxen, and killing ſheep, eating fleſh, and drinking wine. And it was revealed in my eares by the Lord of hoſts; ſurely this iniquity ſhall not bee purged from you till you die. The ſinne wherewith God charged the old world before it was over-flowne with a deluge of water, and Chriſt in the Goſpel chargeth the new, which ſhall be over-flowne with a deluge of fire, is the ſame wherewith hee here chargeth the Jewes, that they knew not, that is, tooke not notice of the time of their viſitation:mmLuk 17.26, 27, 28, 29, 30.Luke 17:26Luke 17:27Luke 17:28Luke 17:29Luke 17:30 As it was in the dayes of Noah: ſo ſhall it be alſo in the daies of the Son of man. They did eate, they p. 900dranke, they married wives, they were given in marriage, ntill the day that Noah entred into the Arke, and the floud came and deſtroyed them all. Likewiſe alſo as it was in the daies of Lot, they did eate, they dranke, they bought, they ſold, they planted, they builded; but the ſame day that Lot went out of Sodome, it rained fire and brimſtone from heaven, and deſtroyed them all: Even ſo ſhall it be in the day when the Sonne of man ſhall be revealed. The meaning is, they went on in the ordinary tract of their buſineſſe, as if there had been no judgement toward, as alſo did the inhabitants of Jeruſalem at this time, whom when Jeſus ſaw ſo neere the brink of deſtruction, and yet ſo careleſſe, he wept; foreign, when he conſidered what he was to ſuffer for that City, and what that City afterwards was to ſuffer becauſe of him, his griefe ran over the naturall bankes his eies.

The ſame organ is ordained for ſeeing and weeping, to teach us, that weeping ſhould not be without ſeeing, nor ſorrowing without underſtanding. The cauſe why we weep not for the deſolation of our Jeruſalem neere at hand (if this our preſent faſting and repenting in duſt and aſhes remove it not) is, becauſe wee ſee not the evills that hang over our heads: wee ſee them not, becauſe we put them farre from us, or hide them from our eies. The infant, while it lieth in the darke priſon of the mothers wombe, never quatcheth nor weepeth; but as ſoone as ever it commeth out of the womb into the light, it knits the browes, and wrings the eyes, and cries, & taketh on: even ſo the childe of God, whileſt he is yet kept in the darke of ignorance, in his unregenerate eſtate, never crieth to his Father, nor weepeth for his ſinne; but as ſoone as the light of grace ſhineth upon him, hee bewaileth his grievous miſery, and never thinketh that he hath filled his cup of teares full enough. The ſpouts will not runne currently, if we pump not deep. If then wee would have the ſpouts which nature hath placed in our heads run aboundantly with teares of repentance, we muſt pump deep, we muſt dive deep into the ſprings of godly ſorrow, which are the conſideration of our owne ſinnes, and the afflictions of Gods people. Were Jeſus now upon earth in his mortall body, and ſhould behold this Kingdome as he did the City of Jeruſalem, and take a ſurvay of all the evills we doe, and are like to ſuffer, could he (thinke you) refraine from teares? would he not ſecond his teares with groanes? And ſo I paſſe to the fourth ſtep:

4. Ingemuit, he ſighed, ſaying, If thou kneweſt, or, Oh that thou hadſt knowne. The Greekes in their Proverbe give it for a character of a good man, that he is much ſubject to ſighing, and free of his teares: nnEraſ. chil.foreign. I am ſure the beſt man that ever was, as hee wept more than once, ſo hee ſighed often. When he opened the eares of the deafe and dumbe, and when the Phariſees ſeeking of him a ſigne tempted him, heooMar. 7.34. Looking up to heaven, he ſighed, and ſaith unto him, Effata, be thou opened. Mar. 8.12.Mark 7:34Mark 8:12 ſighed deeply in his ſpirit: and when he raiſedppJohn 11.38. Jeſus therefore groaning in ſpirit commeth to the grave.John 11:38 Lazarus ſtinking in the grave; and againe in my Text. And this he doth not as God (for immunity from paſſion is a prerogative of the divine nature) but, as Calvin teacheth, quia miniſter huic populo in ſalutem datus, as a miniſter of ſalvation to this people. Here then I cannot but reflect upon mine owne calling, and preach to Preachers and all Miniſters of the Goſpel, that by the example of our Lord and Maſter, the p. 901high Prieſt and Biſhop of our ſoules, we take chiefly and in a ſpeciall manner to heart the calamities of Gods people, and ruine of his Church. The eyes of our Saviour here, as likewiſe ofqqEſay 22.4. I will weep bitterly: labour not to comfort mee, becauſe of the ſpoiling of the daughter of my people.Isa 22:4 Eſay, rrJerem. 4.8. & 9.1.Jer 4:8Jer 9:1Jeremy, andſſEzra 10.1.Ezra 10:1 Ezra, glazed with teares, are looking-glaſſes, wherein wee may ſee the duty enjoyned to us by the Prophet Joel, ttJoel 2.17.Joel 2:17Let the Prieſts, the Miniſters of God, weep between the porch and the altar. For in the ſpoiling of the country, and demoliſhing the Churches, and the houſes of Prophets and Prophets children, Gods honour ſuffereth, whereof we ought to be moſt jealous: the ſoules of men are in no leſſe danger than their bodies and eſtates, whereof we are to render an account; and as we are Gods mouth to the people, to declare his will to them, ſo we are their mouth to God, to preſent their ſupplications to him. All the meaſures of the Sanctuary were double to the common. As the meaſure of our knowledge is greater, ſo the meaſure of our g…iefe and ſorrow in the affliction of Gods people ought to be correſponding. The ſame proportion holds in ſorrow and joy. And therefore as in the common joy SaintuuCypr. ep. 1. Exprimi ſatis non poteſt quanta iſta exultatio fuit. & quant… laetitia cum de vobis proſpera & fortia comperiſſemus, ducem te illic conf…ſſionis frat…ib…s extitiſſe, ſed & confeſsionem ducis de conſenſione fratrum creviſſ…, &c. Et Ep. 5. In com…uni g…udio Eccleſiae Epiſcopi portio m…jor eſt, Eccleſiae enim gloria Praepoſiti gloria eſt. Cyprian allotteth the Biſhop a greater portion; ſo alſo in the common griefe our portion muſt needs bee the greateſt. Wee ſtand upon the watch-towers of Sion, and the people take notice of dangers from the fiering of our beacons: we are as the praecentores chori, to give them the tune: we are as Trumpeters in Gods army; and if the Trumpet bee cracked, or give an uncertaine ſound, how ſhall the ſouldiers prepare themſelves to fight the Lords battels? If we (like Epaminondas) ought to faſt, that the people may feaſt the more ſecurely: watch, that they may ſleep with more ſafety: weep, that they may rejoyce more freely; how much more ought we, being the Aſaphs in this ſad quire, accord with you in your groanes and cries, when we are ſtrucke with the ſame griefes and feares, when the enemy aimeth not ſo much at the Common-wealth as at the Church, and not ſo much at the body as at the ſoule of the Church, the Religion wee profeſſe, and our moſt holy faith? O ubi eſtis fontes lachrymarum! O where are you fountaines of tears! where are gales of ſuch ſighes! ſuch as love and devotion, and ſympathy breathes out in my Text, If thou kneweſt. And ſo I paſſe to the laſt ſtep:

5. Oravit, he prayed, ſaying, O that thou kneweſt, or, If thou kneweſt. In this prayer of our Saviour, our thoughts may find themſelves holy imployment, in ſeriouſly conſidering,

1. The manner or forme of ſpeech, which is

1. Figurative,

2. Abrupt,

3. Paſſionate.

2. The matter, which preſenteth to our ſpirituall view

1. The intimation of a deſire, O that, or, If.

2. The exprobration of Ignorance, Thou kneweſt.

3. The aggravation upon the perſon, Thou, even thou.

4. The deſignation of a time, In this thy day.

The ſentence riſeth by degrees, and Chriſt in every word groweth more and more upon Jeruſalem. It is ſinne and ſhame to be ignorant, moſt of all for Jeruſalem, and that in the day of her viſitation, eſpecially of thoſe things that belong to her peace. If other Cities might plead ignorance, yet p. 902not thou: if thou mightſt plead ignorance at another time, yet not in this thy day: if in this thy day thou mightſt plead ignorance of other things, yet not of thoſe things that belong to thy peace.

To begin with the forme and manner, which the more imperfect it is, the more perfectly it expreſſeth the paſſion, or rather compaſſion of the ſpeaker. As a cracked pipe or bell giveth a harſh or uncertaine ſound, ſo a broken heart for the moſt part uttereth broken ſpeeches, interrupted with ſighes. Conſtantine kiſſed the empty holes where Paphnutius eyes were plucked out; and we cannot but reverence the ſeeming emptineſſe and vacuity in Scripture ſentences, where the omiſſion of ſomething is more ſignificant than the ſupply (if the ſpeech had been filled up) would have been. Thoſe which have bin tranſported with paſſion, utter halfexxCalv. in harm. Scimus in quibus ardent vehementes affectus, non niſi dimidiatâ ex parte ſenſus ſuos effari. ſentences, and faulter in the midſt of a period, as the father in the Poet, who loſt his only ſonne, beginning to vent his griefe, and ſaying, Filius meus pollens ingenio, My ſonne of rare parts, my ſonne of great hope, there ſtops, and before he could ſay mortuus eſt, is dead, became himſelfe ſpeechleſſe. Chriſt was here ſeized on by a double paſſion,

1. Of Commiſeration,

2. Of Indignation.

Commiſeration out of the apprehenſion of the overthrow of Jeruſalem, the Queen of all Cities, and the Sanctuary of the whole earth.

Indignation at the obſtinacy, ingratitude and bloud-thirſty cruelty, and deſperate madneſſe of the preſent inhabitants, who wilfully refuſing the meanes of their ſalvation, runne headlong to their owne perdition. I have been the briefer in handling the forme, that I might enlarge my ſelfe in the matter.

Thou kneweſt. Ignorance of Gods judgements draweth them upon a ſtate: for the Lord hath a controverſie with the land (ſaithyyHoſ. 4.1.6.Hos 4:1Hos 4:6 Hoſea) becauſe there is no truth, nor mercy, nor knowledge of God in the land: My people periſh for lack of knowledge. The Schooles rightly diſtinguiſh of a double ignorance:

1. Facti, of the fact.

2. Juris, of the Law.

Ignorance of the fact in ſome caſe excuſeth, but not of the law, which all are bound to take notice of: for Lex datur vigilantibus, non dormientibus; The law is given to men that are awake, and may and ought to heare it, not to men when they are aſleep. The law, for the violation whereof the greateſt part are condemned, is written in the tables of their hearts, to exclude all plea of ignorance: and certainly of all the errours of Popery, one of the groſſeſt is their entitling ignorance the mother of devotion: for ſo farre is ignorance from being the mother of any vertue, that it is both

1. Peccatum,

2. Mater peccati,

3. Poena peccati.

It is ſinne, and the puniſhment of ſinne, and the parent of ſinne. Firſt it is ſinne; for God in the Law appointed azzLevit. 4.2. & 5.15.Lev 4:2Lev 5:15 ſacrifice for a treſpaſſe by ignorance: and the ſervant in the Goſpel, which knew not his Masters will, and therefore did it not, ſhall be beaten with fewer aaLuke 12.48.Luke 12:48ſtripes indeed than the other, who knew his Maſters will, and did it not, yet with ſome. Secondly, it is the parent p. 903of ſinne, viz. of many errours in matter of faith, which, are ſinnes: This bbPſal. 95.10.Ps 95:10people (ſaith God) hath erred in their heart, becauſe they have not knowne my waies. And Chriſt imputeth the groſſe errour of the Phariſees concerning the reſurrection to their ignorance of the Scriptures:ccMat. 22.29.Matt 22:29 Ye doe erre, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God. And it is alſo the puniſhment of ſinne, as we reade, Becauſe they did not like to retaine God in their ddRom. 1 21, 28.Rom 1:21Rom 1:28knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate ſenſe, and their fooliſh heart was darkened. Even this is a ſin of ignorance, not to know that ignorance is a ſin. I ſpeake not only of ignorantia pravae diſpoſitionis, of wilfull ignorance, but alſo of neſcience, which they call ſimple ignorance: why elſe doth the Prophet pray, Effunde aeſtum tuum in gentes quae te ignorant; Poure downe thine indignation upon the eePſal. 79.6.Ps 79:6nations that know thee not, and upon the people that call not upon thy Name? Why doth the Apoſtle threatenff2 Theſ. 1.82 Thess 1:8 flaming fire to all that know not God? I would S.ggDe gr…t. & lib arbitr. c. 3. Sed & ill… ignorantia quae non eſt eorum qui ſcire nolunt, ſed eorum qui tantum ſimpliciter neſciunt, neminem ſic excuſat ut ſempiterno igne non ardeat. Auſtines cenſure might upon good ground from Scripture be qualified, where he paſſeth the ſentence of damnation to eternall fire, even upon thoſe who never had knowledge of the means of ſalvation, and not only upon thoſe who might have known them if they would.

Yea, but we have all knowledge, our ignorance will not caſt us, the cleareſt beames of the Goſpel have for theſe many yeers ſhined in our climate; we ſhould be moſt unthankful to him that dwelleth in an unacceſsible light, if we ſhould not acknowledge as much. It is moſt true in theſe parts, as in the part of heaven over our heads, we ſee continually many goodly ſtarres, yea many conſtellations of ſtarres; but as about the South pole, ſo in divers remote parts of this Kingdome there is ſcarce any ſtarre to be diſcerned, or if any, but a blinking ſtarre of the ſixth magnitude. Yet to yeeld us a greater knowledge than other nations, I feare that this plea will rather hurt us than help us; if we could ſay truly we were blind, we ſhould not have ſo much to anſwer for: buthhJohn 9 41.John 9:41 now, becauſe we ſay we ſee, our ſinne remaineth, if we ſo perfectly know our Maſters will, and doe it ſo imperfectly, a few ſtripes will not ſerve our turne:iiDe gubern. Dei lib 4 Quanto minore periculo illi per Daemonia p…jerant, quàm nos per Chriſtum? Et nunquid tam criminoſa eſt Hunnorum impudi…itia, quam noſtra? nunquid tam rep chenſibilis Almanni ebrietas, quam Chriſti…ni? Doe ye thinke (ſaith Salvianus) that the heathen ſo much diſhonour God when they forſweare themſelves by their falſe gods, as you when you forſweare your ſelves by the true? Doe you thinke a Jew, or a Pagan, or a Papiſt by his profane or looſe life cauſeth the truth to be ſo evill ſpoken of, as we that have the word taught among us moſt purely, yet live impurely, who know better, yet doe worſe? As we preſume of our knowledge, ſo did Jeruſalem, which is by interpretation thekkRob. Steph. interpret nominum Heb. & Ch…ld. Viſio pacis, ſeu viſio perfecta. viſion of peace, much more; yet our Saviour upbraideth her with ignorance, ſaying,

Thou, even thou. Our Saviour ſtrikes twice upon the ſame ſtring, he rubbeth againe and againe upon the ſame ſore: Thou, even thou. Thou which carrieſt peace in thy name, thinkeſt not thou of thoſe things that belong to thy peace? Jeruſalem was once the light of the world, and yet behold ſhe is darkneſſe. From Moſes to the daies of John Baptiſt, and from the daies of John Baptiſt till this preſent ſhe was inſtructed by Seers ſent from God, and directed to the way of peace, yet ſhe ſeeth it not. Let thoſe who aſſume to themſelves moſt knowledge, take heed leſt they be like Pentheus, Sapientes in omnibus praeterquam in iis in quibus ſapientem eſſe convenit; wiſe in all things ſave thoſe where wiſedome might ſtead them.llEurip foreign. He is not to be accounted a wiſe man (ſaith the wiſellEurip foreign. Poet) who knoweth ſimply moſt things, but who p. 904knoweth things of moſt uſe. Is Jeruſalem ignorant of the maine point of all, of the comming of the Meſſias, notwithſtanding all the light ſhe might have taken from the Law of Moſes, & from the viſions of the Prophets, & from the doctrine and miracles of our Saviour? how groſſe then is that errour of all the reſt in the Romiſh Church, by which ſhee maintaineth and holdeth, that ſhe cannot erre? Was Jeruſalem ſeated upon ſo high a hill, ſo neer heaven, obſcured with the fumes ariſing from the bottomleſſe pit? and may not the City ſituated on ſeven hills have a thicke miſt caſt over her? What can ſhee plead for her immunity from errour in matter of faith more than Jeruſalem could? that faith was planted in her by S. Peter? the Chriſtian faith was planted in Jeruſalem by Chriſt himſelfe: that it was watered in her with the bloud of the Apoſtles? Jeruſalem was watered with the bloud of Chriſt himſelfe. If Rome can alledge any one promiſe made to her, Jeruſalem can many. But to leave Rome, and come with a Nathans application to our ſelves, mee thinks, I heare Chriſt ſaying to us and our Church: If thou, even thou, if thou which art the Queen of all the reformed Churches; if thou which haſt enjoyed the ſun-ſhine of the Goſpel without any eclipſe by perſecution for more than 60. yeers; if thou who haſt had line upon line, precept upon precept, admonition after admonition, & exhortation after exhortation; if thou whom God hath miraculouſly preſerved from imminent deſtruction by defeating the invincible Armado in eighty eight, & ſince diſcovering the matchleſſe powder plot; if thou, even thou, who ſitteſt quietly under thine own vine, when all thy neighbour vines are plucked up by the roots, or trampled under foot; if thou, even thou knoweſt not, or wilt not take notice of the things that belong to thy peace,

At leaſt in this thy day, that is, the day of thy viſitation, the day of grace, a day given thee for this end, to provide for thy peace, to call thy ſelfe to an account, to conſider how deeply thou haſt engaged Gods juſtice to poure down the vialls of his vengeance upon thee, for thy rebellion againſt his ordinances, thy corporall and ſpirituall fornication, thy reſiſting the ſpirit of grace, thy peremptory refuſing of the meanes of ſalvation, thy perſecuting the truth, even to the death, and imbruing thy hands in the bloud of Gods deareſt ſervants ſent to thee early and late for thy peace.

Jeruſalem had a day, and every City, every Nation, every Church, every congregation, every man hath a day of grace, if he have grace to take notice of it; hath an accepted time, if he accept of it: and he may find God, if he ſeek him in time. It was day at Jeruſalem in Chriſts time, at Epheſus in S. Johns time, at Corinth, Philippi, &c. in S. Pauls time, at Creet in Titus time, at Alexandria in S. Markes time, at Smyrna in Polycarps time, at Pergamus in Antipas time, at Antiochia in Evodius and Ignatius time, at Conſtantinople in S. Andrew and Chryſoſtomes time, at Hippo in Saint Auſtines time; now in moſt of theſe it is night, it is yet day with us: O let us worke out our nnPhil. 2.12.Phil 2:12ſalvation with feare and trembling, whileſt it isooHeb. 3.7, 13.Heb 3:7Heb 3:13 called to day; if the Sun of righteouſneſſe goe downe upon us, we muſt looke for nothing but perpetuall darkneſſe, and the ſhadow of death. Although Ninevehs day laſted forty daies, and Jeruſalems forty yeers, and the old worlds 120. yeers, and although God ſhould prolong our daies to many hundred yeeres, yet we ſhould find our day ſhort enough to finiſh our intricate accounts. That p. 905day in the language of the holy Ghoſt is called our day, wherein wee either doe our own will and pleaſure, or which God giveth us of ſpeciall grace to cleare our accounts, and make our peace with him; but that is called the Lords day, either which he challengeth to himſelfe for his ſpeciall ſervice, or which he hath appointed for all men to appeare before his Tribunall, to give an account of their own workes. A wicked man maketh Gods day his owne, by following his owne pleaſures, and doing his own will upon it, and living wholly to himſelfe, and not to God; but the godly maketh his owne daies Gods daies, by imploying them in Gods ſervice, and devoting them as farre as his neceſſary occaſion will permit wholly to him. Wherefore it is juſt with God to take away from the wicked part of his owne daies, by ſhortening his life upon earth, and to give to the godly part of his day, which is eternity in heaven.

I noted before a flaw and breach in the ſentence, as it were a bracke in a rich cloth of Tiſſu. If thou kneweſt in this thy day: what then? thou wouldſt weep, ſaith S.ppHomil. in Evang. Gregory: thou wouldeſt not neglect ſo great ſalvation, ſaithqqComment. in Eva…g. Euthyrtius: it would bee better with thee, ſaith Titus Boſtrenſis: thou wouldſt repent in ſackcloth and aſhes, ſaithrrBrug. in Evang. Brugenſis. But I will not preſume to adde a line to a draugh… from which ſuch a workman hath taken off his penſill, and for the print I ſhould make after the pattern in my Text, and now in the application lay it cloſe to your devout affections, I may ſpare my farther labour and your trouble: for it is made by authority, which hath commanded us to take notice of thoſe things that belong to our peace, viz. to walke humbly with our God by faſting and prayer: wherefore jungamus fletibus fletus, lachrymas lachrymis miſceamus; let us conſpire in our ſighes, let us accord in our groanes, let us mingle our teares, let us ſend up our joynt praiers as a vollie of ſhot to batter the walls of heaven: let all our hearts conſort with our tongues, and our ſoules with our bodies: what wee doe or ſuffer in our humiliation, let it be willingly, and not by conſtrant; & let our praiers and ſtrong cries in publike be ecchoed by the voice of our weeping in private: who knoweth whether God may not ſend us an iſſue out of our preſent troubles by meanes unexpected? who knoweth not whether he may not have calicem benedictionis, a cup of bleſſing in ſtore for thoſe his ſervants beyond the ſea, who have drank deep of the cup of trembling? Chriſt his bowells are not ſtreightened, but our ſins are enlarged, elſe it would be otherwiſe with them and with us. I have given you a generall preſcription, will ye yet have more particular recipe's? take then an electuary of foure ſimples:

The firſt I gather from our Saviours garden, Let your ſſLuke 12.35.Luke 12:35loines be girt, and your lamps in your hands. Let your loines be girt, that is, your luſts be curbed & reſtrained; and your lamps burning, that is, your devotions enflamed. Gird up your loines by mortification & diſcipline, and have your lamps burning, both the light of faith in your hearts, and of good workes in your hands.

The ſecond I gather from S. John Baptiſts garden,ttMatth. 3.8.Matt 3:8 Bring forth fruits meet for repentance, or worthy amendment of life: let your ſorrowes be**Cyp de lapſ. Quam grandia peccavimus, tam granditer defleamus. anſwerable to your ſinfull joyes, let the fruit of your repentance equall, if not exceed the forbidden fruit of your ſin; wherein ye have moſt diſpleaſed God, ſeek moſt to pleaſe him. Have ye offended him in your tongue by oathes? p. 906pleaſe him now by lauding and praiſing his dreadfull name, and reproving ſwearing in others. Have ye offended in your eies by beholding vanity and caſting laſcivious glances upon fading beauty enticing to folly? make a covenant from henceforth with your eies, that they caſt not a look upon the world, or the fleſh's baits, imploy them eſpecially from henceforth in reading holy Scriptures, and weeping for your ſins. Have ye offended in thought? ſanctifie now all your meditations unto him. Have ye offended in your ſports? let now your delight beuuPſal. 1.2.Ps 1:2 in the Law of God, let the Scriptures bee your **Aug. l. 11. confeſ. c. 2 Sint deliciae meae Scripturae tuae, nec fallar in iis, nec fallam ex iis.delicacies with S. Auſtine, meditate upon them day and night, make the Lords holy-day your delight, Eſay 58.15. and honour him thereon, not following your owne waies, nor finding your owne pleaſure, nor ſpeaking your owne words.

The third I gather from S. James his garden,xxJam. 4.10.Jas 4:10 Caſt down your ſelves before the Lord, and he will lift you up. The Lion contenteth himſelfe with caſting downe a man: if he couch under him, and make no reſiſtance, he offereth no more violence. Corpora magnanimo ſatis eſt proſtrâſſe Leoni.

It is moſt true, if we ſpeake of the Lion of the Tribe of Judah: for hee will not break a bruiſed reed, much leſſe grind to powder a contrite heart. If Ahabs outward humiliation (who notwithſtanding had ſold himſelfe to worke wickednes) in ſome degree appeaſed Gods wrath: how much will inward & outward humiliation of the redeemed of God prevaile with him to remove his heavie judgements from us, which he inflicteth on us, eſpecially to humble us? and if he find us humbled already, hee will doubtleſſe lay no more load upon us.

The laſt I gather from King Davids garden:yyPſal. 2.12.Ps 2:12 Kiſſe the Son. God hath a controverſie with us as he had with the Iſraelites in the daies of**H…ſea 4.1. Hoſea, and no man can plead for us, but ourzz1 Joh. 2.1.1 John 2:1 Advocate with the Father, Jeſus Chriſt the righteous. We have ſo far provoked the Almighty, ſome by profaneneſſe, ſome by ſuperſtition, ſome by indifferency in point of Religion, ſome by covetouſneſſe and extortion, ſome by fraud and falſhood, ſome by quarrelling and contention, ſome by ſwearing and blaſpheming, ſome by gluttony and drunkenneſſe, ſome by chambering and wantonneſſe, that he hath already taken hold of his glittering ſword, and who in heaven or in earth can or dare treat for our peace, but Chriſt our peace-maker, who hath ſigned a league of amity between God & all beleevers with his own bloud? Wherefore, as Themiſtocles, underſtanding that King Admetus was highly diſpleaſed with him, took up his young ſonne into his armes, and treated with the father holding that his darling in his boſome, and thereby appeaſed the Kings wrath; ſo let us come to the Father, with Chriſt in our armes: let us preſent our ſuites by him, He is our aaAmb. l. 2. de Iſaac. Ille oculus eſt per quem Deum videmus, ille dextera eſt per quam Deo offerimus, ille os noſtrum eſt per quod Patrem alloquimur.eye with which we ſee God, our hand by which we offer to him, he is our mouth by which we ſpeake to him. By this eye we look upon thee, O thou that dwelleſt in the heavens; by this hand we offer unto thee the incenſe of our zealous affections; by this mouth we ſend up our prayers with our ſighes unto thee.

O Lord turne thy face from our ſins, and looke on thy well beloved Son in thy boſome: conſider not our actions, but his paſſions: weigh not our tranſgreſſions, but his merits: regard not our ſinfull pleaſures, but his p. 907painfull torments: reſpect not our wicked life, but his moſt innocent death: heale us by his ſtripes, cure us by his wounds, free us by his bonds, eaſe us by his torments, comfort us by his agony, and revive us by his death. To whom, with the Father, &c.