Christs Love and Affection Towards Jerusalem, Chapter 12
Chap. 12.LUKE 19.42.
Oh if thou hadſt knowne, at leaſt in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, &c!
CHAP. 12.
It was a great fault in Ieruſalem, and a great part of her miſery, that ſhee did not know Chriſt.
1 THat Jeruſalem did not know the things that concerned her peace, may ſeeme ſomething ſtrange to him that conſiders that of David aPſal. 76.1., In Iury is God well knowne, and his name is great in Iſrael, &c. and yet it is nothing ſtrange, if it bee rightly conceived, either of whom it is ſpoken, or of what knowledge it is to bee underſtood: For, firſt of all, neither doth David there in the Pſalmes, nor Chriſt here in the Goſpell, ſpeake of all the Inhabitants of Ieruſalem; God might be well knowne amongſt ſome of them, though in ſome reſpect unknowne to the greateſt part: GOD was well knowne in Iſrael, yet not of all Iſrael, nor of the greateſt part, at leaſt with that knowledge which Chriſt here ſpeakes of; that is, with a lively and effectuall knowledge: for when Chriſt here ſpeakes of the whole body of Jeruſalem, as if ſhe had not knowne him; the denomination (as is uſuall in ſpeeches of that nature) is taken from the greater part: and the meaning is, that though there were ſome amongſt them that did receive and acknowledge him for their Saviour, yet they were but a few in compariſon of the reſt; like a few Grapes that are left after the Vintage is gathered: Generally and for the moſt part they would not receive and acknowledge him, yet ſome of them did, as the learned obſerve out of that in S. Iohn bTollet. comment in loc. Cū dicimus à Iudaico pop…receptum non fuiſſe non ſingulos de populo intelligas, (nam à multis ex ſuis receptus eſt) ſed majorem partem à quâ totus populus denominatur., Hee came unto his owne, and his owne received him not; but as many as received him, to them hee gave power to be the Sonnes of God cIohn 1.11, 12.: which plainly ſhewes, that many of his own did receive him, though generally, and for the moſt part they did refuſe him.
2 It is not every kinde of knowledge that Chriſt here ſpeakes of; for there is a two fold knowledgedAqu part. 1. q. 59. ar. 23. Cogni…io alia eſt ſpeculativa, alia affectiva, ſive imperativa. Vide Cajetan in loc. Item cognitio duplex, una quae eſt ſpeculativa tantū, ut cū alicui aliqua ſecreta divinorū revelantur, alia quae eſt effectiva producens amorem Dei. Aquin part. 1. q. 64. art. 1.2.2. q. 97. art. 2. q. 154. art. 5. q. 162. art. 3 Cognitio alia apprehenſionis, alia approbationis. Aquin 2.2 q. 188. art 5., to wit, a literall, and a notionall knowledge, ſwimming in the braine; and a lively and effectual knowledge that ſinkes downe into the heart. The former it is but a ſleeping habite, which may bee ſeparated and disjoyned from obedience; as in the evill ſervant, who knew his Maſters will, and did it not eLuke 12.47,; he had a barren, fruitleſſe, liveleſſe knowledge, but not ſuch a knowledge as had a prevailing influence into his life and converſation; the other, it is a knowledge well husbanded, and improved, which is not onelyonly apt, but alſo availeable, to beget in the ſoule deſires and endeavours, and ſome degree and meaſure ſutable unto it; that is, a lively, effectuall and ſaving knowledge, which is alwayes accompanied with the duties of obedience. For though the motion of the will do not neceſſarily follow the light of the underſtanding, nor the knowledge of that which is good, alwayes draw obedience after itfScot. ſent. l 3. d. 36. art. 2. dub. 1. & d. 33. q. 1. Gandavenſ. quodl. 1 q. 16, 17 Mai…o. ſent l. 2. diſt. 24. Eſtius ſent. l. 2. diſt. 22. pag. 236. Conſtat Angelum & primos homines, quando primum peccaverunt, nō ex ignorantia peccaſſe, neque enim poterat ignorantia ejus quod agendum eſſet, praecedere peccatū, ſic enim Angelus et homo miſer fuiſſet antequam malus, quod eſt contra primaevam inſtitutionem intellectualis creaturae., as appeares by the Angels which fell, even then when they had neither darkneſſe nor error in the underſtanding, as alſo of our firſt Parents, who had perfit knowledge when they fell from God; and experience ſhews it both in men regenerate, and unregenerate; both which may commit ſins againſt their knowledge. An unregenerate man hee may in many things know how to doe well, when he doth it not gIam. 4.17.: & ſo a regenerate man, he may fall into thoſe ſinnes which he knowes to be ſins, as David when hee fell into murderhAquin. 1.2. q. 6. art. 8. Ignorantia voluntaria ejus eſt, quod quis poteſt ſcire ac debet, &c. hoc igitur modo dicitur ignorantia, cum aliquis actu non conſiderat, quod confiderare poteſt ac debet. Medaea. Ovid. Metam. Video meliora proboque Deteriora ſequor. Aquin. 1.2. q. 58. art. 2. q. 76. art. 4. ad 1. q. 77. art 1. & 2. q. 78. art. 1. ad 1. q. 51. art. 3. q. 53. art. 2 Diſput. de verit. q. 24. art. 2. & 8. Sentent. l. 2. d. 39. q. 1. art. 1. ad 4. Durand. ſent. l. 4. d. 39. q. 1. Capre. ſent. l. 3. d. 36. Cajetan. & med. ad 1.2. q. 77. art. 2. 12 Sam. 11. and adulteryi2 Sam. 11.; yet when the knowledge of the Goſpell is well husbanded and improved, when he knows things as he ought to know them, this knowledge is never ſeparated from obedience, no more than ſaving faith is ſeparated from love and charity; according to that of the Pſalmiſt kPſal. 9.10., They that know thy name will truſt in thee: Agreeable whereunto is that of Chriſt to the woman of Samaria lJohn 4.10., If thou hadſt knowne thou wouldeſt have asked, &c. Now it may well bee, that ſome amongſt the inhabitants of Jeruſalem were ſo ignorant, through the neglect of the meanes, that they did not know, either the preſent mercy now offered unto them, or the future miſery that waited for them: others, though they had a generall knowledge of the things of the Goſpell, yet they wanted the actuall uſe and conſideration of it mAriſt. Ethic. ad Nicomach. l 3. c 1▪ foreign. Simil…ter l. 6. c. 15. l. 7. c. 2, & 3. Becan. Theol. Scholaſt. to. 1. de peccato ca. 4. Ignorantia alia opponitur ſcientiae ſpeculativae, &c. alia prudentiae, ſeu rectae electioni, quae reperitur in omni pecato; nam quicunque peccat, nec prudenter agit, nec rectè eligit.; they did not actually remember and apply what they knew, they did not mould their knowledge into obedience, nor reduce it into practice; and Chriſt interprets ſuch a knowledge as this to be no better thā plaine ignorance. He that hath no more but onelyonly the ſleeping habite of knowledge, is ſaid not to have it nMat. 13.12., becauſe it ſtands him in no more ſtead, nor doth he make any more uſe of it, than if hee had no knowledge at all. And thus it was with the City of Jeruſalem in regard of the generality, and for the moſt part, they had not that lively and effectuall knowledge, which is ever fruitfull in the workes of piety, though they might in a generall manner know much, according to the bare and naked letter of the truth.
2 It was the great fault of Jeruſalem, that ſhe did not know theſe thingsoEſt. ſent. l. 2. d. 22. pag. 229. Dicimus omnem & ſolam eam ignorantiam, peccatum eſſe, quâ quis ignorat, quod ſcire tenetur; quandocunque enim ſcientia in praecepto eſt conſequenter oppoſita ei ignorantia prohibita cenſetur, et non alias: ſicut enim omittere, quod quis tenetur facere, peccatum eſt omiſſionis, ita neſcire quod quis ſcire tenetur, peccatum eſt ignorantiae., this imputation lies more heavy againſt her, and leaves a deeper guilt upon her, than it would have done upon many others: for though it were to be wiſhed, that all had knowledge, and though the want of it be worthy of blame in any that might attaine unto it, yet above all in Ieruſalem, and that for theſe three reaſons:
1 Becauſe ſhee had more helps and meanes of knowledge; ſhe had the Oracles of God, which are the key of knowledge; and doe not onelyonly unlocke the doore, and inable a man to know, but alſo call upon him, and ſtirre him up to improve that knowledge which he hath, to thoſe ends and purpoſes for which it was given, and whereunto it ſerves.pPſal. 147.19. He hath ſhewed his ſtatutes to Iacob, and his judgements to Iſrael: he hath not dealt ſo with every Nation, neither have the heathen knowledge of his Name. And where ſhould God looke for knowledge, if not in Ieruſalem, and amongſt his owne people; who were entred into a Covenant with him, and profeſſed themſelves to have the knowledge of his will? hee muſt needs take it ill at their hands, that they who ſtood in ſuch neere relation to him, and were called by his name, ſhould have no more care to know and take notice of thoſe things that did ſo much concern his own glory and their everlaſting good.
2 Becauſe ſhee was more bound to know: God had bound her by his owne precept and commandement: ſhe had bound her ſelfe by entring into Covenant with God: the meanes of knowledge afforded unto her, did lay a tye and obligation upon her, to walk anſwerable unto them: but above all, thoſe peculiar mercies wherein the favour of God ſeemed as it were to empty it ſelfe towards the inhabitants of Jeruſalem, did lay the ſtrongeſt tye and obligation upon her, becauſe they were ſuch, as that no Nation under heaven enjoyed the like: God tooke ſpeciall notice of this people, when he paſſed by, and ſeemed to neglect all the reſt of the Nations beſides.qAmos 3 2. You onelyonly have I knowne of all the families of the earth rCalv. com. in lo. Deus beneficia ſua in medium profert, ut magis exaggeret crimen populi, quod referat Deo peſſimam mercedē, à quo tam liberaliter et benigne tractatꝰ fuerat, &c. Deum non agnoſcunt, ut ſe totos ei addicant, cui omnia debebant.: and therefore if they did not take ſpeciall notice of this undeſerved favour, and ſo accordingly make uſe of it, it would leave a fouler blot of ingratitude upon them, than is to be found in the very bruite beaſt, as the Lord himſelfe complaines,ſEſay 1.2. The Oxe knowes his owner, and the Aſſe his maſters crib, but Iſrael hath not knowne, my people have not underſtood. When a Saviour was ſent into the world, hee was firſt ſent to the loſt ſheepe of the houſe of Iſrael: and together with him the Goſpell of ſalvationtActs 13.46.. This people of Iſrael, they were the only Church of God in the time of the Old Teſtament, and in the New Teſtament the firſt offer or tendry of ſalvation was made unto them.uRom. 2.10. To every one that doth good ſhall be glory, and honor, and immortality, to the Iew firſt, and alſo to the Grecian. Hereupon it is, that the Apoſtle doth ſo highly extoll the priviledge of the JewesxRom. 3.1., they had received more from God than many others, and therefore were more indebted to him: for*Luke 12.48. to whom much is given, of him much ſhall be required.
3. Becauſe both knowledge & want of knowledge in her, was a matter of greater waight and importance, than it would have beene in many others: for firſt of all, If Ieruſalem had minded the things that concerned her peace, ſhee being the moſt eminent and publike place in the kingdome, her care and forwardneſſe this way, might have beene a ſpeciall meanes of procuring a publike bleſsing upon the whole land; all Judea might have fared the better for her ſake; as God would have ſpared the whole City of Sodome, if there had beene butyGen. 18.32. ten righteous perſons found there. And againe, ſhe being the Metropolitan and chiefe City, as it were the eye of the whole land; her example would be a leading example, and likely to prevail much in drawing followers after herzClaudian. Totꝰ cōponitur orbis Regis ad exemplum: nec ſic inflectereſenſus Humanos edicta valent, quā vita regentis. Bonart. com. in Eccl. c. 10. p. 152. Vt ex ſanitate capitis in mē bra eadem profluit, et ex ſole tanquam fonte, lux toti orbi cō municatur, ita virtꝰ ex principe, tanquam ex arce quadam in pop: deſcendit, &c. Vid. Nazian. orat. 1. apologet.. All inferiour places would be ready to patterne themſelves by Jeruſalem; her good example might have drawne all the reſt to be like unto her. If Ieruſalem the mother had acknowledged Chriſt, all her Daughters, in imitation of her, would in all likelihood have become followers of him; whereas now on the contrary, her careleſſe neglect of the things belonging to her peace, makes others as negligent in looking after them. And beſides, being a place of ſuch publike eminency, her ſinnes would have a ſpeciall hand in drawing downe publike judgements on the whole land; ſo that all Judea ſhould fare the worſe for her ſake; and therefore it is, that Chriſt ſets a ſpeciall Emphaſis upon Jeruſalem, ſaying, Oh if thou hadſt knowne the things that belong to thy peace!
3. It was a great part of Ieruſalems miſery, that ſhee did not know or take notice of theſe things, and that in three reſpects:
1. Becauſe it opened a gap to her future ſinne, and further puniſhment, ſhe refuſeth mercy when it is freely offered unto her, becauſe ſhe doth not know or take notice of the worth and value of that bleſsing aPecan. Theol. Schol to. 1. de pec. c. 4. Quādo quis ex profeſſo vult aliquid ignorare, ut poſtea liberiùs peccet, tū prima origo peccati non eſt ignorantia, ſed prava ignorandi voluntas., and by running daily upon the old ſcore, and adding ſtill more and more to the heape of her former ſinnes, ſhee treaſures up wrath unto her ſelfe againſt the day of wrath, becauſe in thoſe ſins, and in that ſoyle of iniquity, ſhe ſowes the ſeed of her future woe and miſery; like as it is with intemperate perſons, though for the preſent they neither ſee nor feele any hurt in their riotous and exceſſive courſes, yet in them is ſowne the ſeede of conſumptions, dropſies, and other noyſome diſeaſes, which will make their life wretched and miſerable afterward; or as it is with a prodigall ſpend-thrift, though hee ſee no hurt for the preſent, by taking up at Intereſt, and running on the ſcore in his Creditors books; yet in the end it will break his back, and bring him to nothing, becauſe though it doe ſupply his wants for the preſent, yet it laies a foundatiō of unavoidable miſery for time to come; even ſo it was with Ieruſalem, becauſe ſhee will not know or take notice either of the worth of mercy when it is freely offered, or of the danger of ſin and iniquity when it might be avoyded, but refuſeth the one, and runs into the other; ſhe did thereby adde more waight to the unſupportable burden of her future miſery.
2. Becauſe it lulls her aſleepe, in ſuch a deepe ſecurity, that ſhe hath no ſenſe or feeling of her owne eſtate and condition, when it is moſt lamentable; and that is the cauſe why ſhee gives her ſelfe thus to mirth and pleaſure, when her condition is ſuch, that it fetcheth teares from the eyes of Chriſt, becauſe ſhe would not take notice of her ſin, or thinke upon her danger; ſhe did not lay it to heart, nor was ſhe deepely affected with it; whereas if ſhee had knowne as much by her ſelfe, as Chriſt did, and rightly applyed that knowledge, it would have made a great change and alteration, both in her carriage and condition; that is, whereas now her mouth runs over with mirth and laughter, even then, when Chriſts eyes are full of teares at the very thought of her miſery, had ſhe knowne and conſidered as much as Chriſt did, ſhee would have wept and lamented as hee did; but now ſhee drownes her ſelfe in ſenſuall delight, becauſe ſhe knowes not the day of her viſitation bPint. com. in Iſa. ca. 16. ver. 2. Vt enim cervꝰ, foeminae cupiditate incenſus, accurrit ad abſconditum venatorem rugitū cervae fugientē; ductuſ que appetitu, dum exiſtimat ſe ad deſideratam cervā feſtinare, currit velociſſimè ad mortem ipſam, & ad venenatā venatoris ſagittam recipiēdā: ſic qui indomito appetitu ducuntur, quantò celerius ad res deſideratas contendunt, tantò pernicioſius ad mortem ipſam amplectendam accurrunt.. Like as it is with the ſheepe or the oxe that goe to the ſhambles skipping and leaping, as if they were going to the paſture, becauſe they know not whither they are going; even ſo it was with Jeruſalem here, ſhee buries her ſelfe in ſinfull pleaſures, even then when her eyes ſhould have beene filled with penitentiall tears, nay even then when teares of blood had beene too little to bewaile her miſery, and all becauſe ſhe knowes not whither ſhe is going. Her eſtate and condition is lamentable for the preſent; ſhe is paſſing on to a more lamentable end, there to be ſwallowed up in that bottomleſſe gulf, where there ſhall be nothing elſe but weeping, and wailing, and gnaſhing of teeth unto all eternity; and never thinks with her ſelf whither ſhe is going. cJohn 12.35.He that walketh in darkneſſe knoweth not whither he goeth dHeming. Com. in loc. Quē idmodum illi qui noctu in denſiſſimis tenebris ambulant, viam non tenent; atque ideo in praecipitia incidūt, et vitae pericula: ita qui eunt in tenebris ignorantiae, fe… ū tur in aeternae mortis praecipitia, unde eluctari non poſſunt, horrenda caligine obruti.. And this makes up the height of her miſery, that ruine and deſtruction is ſo neare at hand, even ready to fall upon her head, and ſhe knowes nothing of it; had ſhe ſeriouſly conſidered thoſe unknowne dangers which ſhe lay open unto, & ſteeped her thoughts in the meditation of that which Chriſt did, it could not but have fetched teares from her eyes. The reaſon why Chriſt hath no more companions in weeping for Ieruſalem, is, becauſe hee hath no more to ſhare with him in the ſight and ſurvay of her ſinne and miſery; if others had knowne all by Jeruſalem that Chriſt did, they could not but have pittyed her eſtate and condition; or if Ieruſalem her ſelfe had beene privy to it, in ſuch manner as ſhe ought, and might have beene, ſhee would ſurely have wept and ſhed teares: whereas now ſhe makes her ſelfe merry, and ſings care away, becauſe ſhe will not know, or take any notice how matters ſtand betweene God and her owne ſoule.
3. Becauſe it makes her abuſe the patience of God, miſ-ſpending and miſ-imploying that precious time that was given for better ends and purpoſes, becauſe ſhe doth not know or take notice of the price that is put into her hand, either for the obtaining of mercy, or the eſcaping of puniſhment; and the long abuſed patience of God, ever breaks forth into greater wrath, and brings more miſery with it afterwardseGreg. Moral l. 25. cap. 9. Qui… omnipotens Deus ad poenitentiam tempꝰ indulget, quod tamen humana malitia ad uſum ſuae iniquitatis incorquet: nimirū juſto Dei judicio augeri culpa permittitur, ut ad ferrē dū altiùs quando que cumuletur. If Jeruſalem had knowne the time of her viſitation, and the worth of thoſe bleſſings that were offered unto her by the comming of Chriſt, ſhee would not have valued them at ſo low a rate; nay ſhee would have purchaſed and procured them, had it beene with the deareſt drop of her owne blood; little did ſhee thinke what ſhee loſt by loſing Chriſt, and the priviledges and mercies that came along with him; for the Kingdome of heaven comes along with Chriſt, and goeth away with him: and therefore our bleſſed Saviour, to let the Jewes know what they loſt by loſing Chriſt and the Goſpell, hee tells them in plaine termes,fMat. 21.43. the Kingdome of heaven ſhall be taken away from you, &c. So that it is a bleſſing of infinite worth, beyond all price that can be ſet upon it, that Jeruſalem here paſſeth away, and deprives her ſelfe of, becauſe ſhe will not know or acknowledge that bleſſed opportunity gSanct. com. in Iſa. 1.3. Illuſtris cōparatio, qua ſtuporet vecordia hominum ita ſignificātur, ut nullo modo videātur exprimi poſſe ſignificantiùs: quando neque illud rependē … quod omnium animantium ſtolidiſſimi referre ſolent poſſeſſ… … ſuo., which now by the preſence of Chriſt was put into her hands, for the obtaining of it: and on the contrary, ſhe brings upon her ſelfe woe and miſery unſpeakable, beyond all expreſſion, becauſe ſhe will not know the time of Gods patience and forbearance: whereas if ſhee had knowne, and rightly conſidered of it, ſhe would not have trifled out that time as ſhe did, but rather have agreed with her adverſarie quickly, and have made her peace before the ſentence had been paſt, and the decree come forth againſt her.hMat. 24.43. If the good man of the houſe had knowne at what houre the thiefe would have come,Chap. 13. he would ſurely have watched, and not ſuffered his houſe to be digged through. If the traveller did know that he ſhould fall into the hands of robbers, hee would be wiſer than to put himſelfe upon ſuch apparent dangers. If the Mariner did know that in ſuch a voyage hee ſhould ſplit his veſſell, daſh upon a rocke, and ſuffer Shipwrack; hee would pull downe his ſayles, and turne his courſe, that ſo hee might eſcape the ſands, that otherwiſe would have ſwallowed him up: So if Jeruſalem had knowne the gall and wormwood, the venome and poyſon, the ugly taile of puniſhment that her ſinfull neglect drew after it; ſhe would not thus have refuſed Chriſt, nor forſaken her own mercy as ſhe did; but becauſe ſhe will not know and conſider this, therefore her miſery is great upon her.