Christs Love and Affection Towards Jerusalem, Chapter 13
CHAP. 13.
The uſe which is to be made of Ieruſalems eſtate and condition, and the inſtructions to be gathered from it.
Vſe 1 IF it was the great fault of Jeruſalem that ſhee did not know things that concerned her peace, then may this ſerve to reprove all thoſe that are guilty of this fault; and there are not a few ſuch, who when Chriſt comes unto them, they will not know him, or take notice of him; for though Chriſt doe not now come unto men,Chap. 13. as he came to Jeruſalem, in his owne perſon, yet ſtill he comes unto them, ſo and in ſuch manner, as that he is worthy of the beſt entertainment they can afford unto him; and therefore the more to blame are they that will not know or take notice of him.
1. He comes unto them in the miniſtery of the Word; and when men doe not judge that Word to be, as indeed it is, an infallible truth, and worthy of all acceptation; when they turne the deafe eare upon it, and will not receive the Meſſengers that bring thoſe glad tidings unto them; then they doe not know or take notice of himaMat. 10.40..
2. He comes unto them in the motions of his Spirit, knocking at the doore of their hearts bRevel. 3.20., inlightning, and informing their minds and underſtandings with the knowledge of their duty;*Micah. 6.8. Calling upon them for the performance of it, by thoſe ſecret intimations, which doe ſufficiently make knowne unto them, that it is their duty ſo to doe, the neglect whereof they can no wayes excuſe*Iſa. 30.21.; and when they will not open unto him, when they will not follow his counſell and direction, but grieve the Holy Spirit of God, and quench the good motions that are kindled in their breaſts, then they doe not know or take notice of him.
3 Hee comes unto them in the workes of his Providence, in mercies, in judgements, in bleſsings, in croſſes cExod. 24.25. Rev. 2.25.: and when men receive and enjoy theſe bleſſings, and doe not raiſe up their hearts with true and unfained thankfulneſſe to him that gave them; like the Swine, that devoures and eats up the fruit, but never lookes up to the tree from whence it fals; when they lie bleeding under the hand of judgment, and will not looke beyond the ſecond cauſes, to ſee God in it, like the Dogge that barkes, and bites, and ſnarles at the ſtone, but never lookes at the hand which threw it; then they doe not know or take notice of him.
4 Hee comes unto them in his poore members: when they are hungry, and want food; naked, and want cloathing; ſick, and in priſon, and want comfort and refreſhment; and when they ſhut up their bowels of compaſſion, and will not ſuccour and relieve their wants, nor bee helpfull to them in their diſtreſſe, then they doe not know or take notice of him:*Mat. 25.45. Verely I ſay unto you, in as much as yee did it not to one of theſe, yee did it not to me.
Vſe 2 If the want of knowledge did leave a deeper guilt upon Jeruſalem, than it would have done upon many others, then it followes plainly from hence, that the circumſtance of the perſon addes much to the quality of the offence dIuven. Satyr. 8. Omne animi vitium tantò conſpectius in ſe crimen habet, quantò major qui peccat habetur. Bernard. de conſid. ad …ugen. Nugae in ore ſaecularis ſunt nugae, in ore ſacerdotis blaſphemiae. Inter erit multum Davuſne loquatur, heruſve.; Thou that preacheſt another man ſhould not ſteale, doeſt thou ſteale? thou that ſayeſt, a man ſhould not commit adultery, doeſt thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorreſt Idols, doeſt thou commit ſacriledge eRom. 2.21.? As if hee ſhould ſay, it were too bad that any ſhould doe it, but much more that thou ſhouldeſt doe it. And therefore the more carefull ſhould every one be to ſtand upon the credit and reputation of his place and profeſſion, not doing any thing which ill beſeemeth his perſon or calling, but to anſwer that which the nature of his place promiſeth to others, and which both reaſon and religion may juſtly expect from him. Thus it was with Nehemiah, Shall ſuch a man as I flie? Who is hee, that being as I am, would goe into the Temple to live fNehem. 6.11.; and Chriſt himſelfe doth greatly upbraid Nicodemus with the want of thisgIohn 3.10., Art thou a Teacher in Iſrael, and knoweſt not theſe things? And it is a circumſtance of great waight, in regard of that relation that is betweene the perſon and the action. Now relation, as the Rhetoricians obſerve, though it have the leaſt being, yet it is of the greateſt force in the aggravation of thingshRelationes ſunt minimae entitatis, ſed maximae efficaciae.. That any who lives under the means of knowledge, ſhould remaine ignorant of the things of Chriſt, it is too bad; but that thou, who haſt injoyed the meanes, in a plentifull manner, ſo long, as that, in regard of the time, thou mighteſt have beene a teacher of others, as the Apoſtle ſpeakes of ſomeiHeb. 5.12., that Thou ſhouldeſt have need to bee taught againe the very firſt principles of the Word of God, this, it is much more worthy of blame. That any ſhould runne into thoſe diſorderly wayes and courſes, whereby not onelyonly his owne ſoule is wounded, but alſo Chriſt and the Goſpell diſhonoured, the hands of the wicked ſtrengthened, and the hearts of Gods owne people grieved and diſcouraged, it is a matter of lamentation, and juſt reproofe; but that thou ſhouldeſt doe it, whoſe actions are enough to command imitation from others, in regard of the intereſt and authority that thou haſt in themkJuſt. Lipſ. exempl. Polit. l. 2. c. 8. Vt in corporibus graviſſimus eſt moribus qui à capite diffunditur, ſic qui à principe, &c., ô that is much more worthy of blame; that thou who art a Father, ſhouldeſt eate ſowre Grapes, whereby thy Childrens teeth are ſet on edge; that thou, *Vitia privatorum morbi ſunt; in Magiſtratu poſitorū, peſtes. Cicero 3. de legib. non ſolum vitia concipiunt ipſi, ſed ea infundunt in civitatem; nec ſolum obſunt quod ipſi corrumpuntur, ſed quod corrumpunt, & plus exemplo, quam peccato nocent.who ſhouldeſt be a meanes to reduce others into a more peceable way, art the Ring-leader in a faction, and doeſt open a gappe unto a further breach; who can looke upon it, and not diſlike it? who can ſee it, and not bee ſorry for it? That any ſhould prove falſe or diſloyall to Chriſt, it is too much; he never deſerved any ſuch ill carriage, or undutifull reſpect from him; but that thou ſhouldeſt doe it, who haſt given up thy name to Chriſt, who art entred into a profeſſed Covenant with him, this, it is much more. That thou who art a profeſſed Diſciple of Chriſt, that thou ſhouldeſt betray him, like Iudas, ô this goes neare to his heart, and makes him greatly to complaine of itlPſal. 55.12.; It was not an open enemy that did mee this diſhonour, for then I could have borne it; but it was thou, O man, even thou my companion, my guide, and my familiar friend, with whom I had taken ſuch ſweet counſell, and gone ſo friendly together into the houſe of God.
When Caeſar was ſlaine in the Senate, it troubled him no doubt, to ſee others riſe up againſt him; but when he ſeeth Brutus his owne ſon come amongſt them, ô that ſtrikes him to the heart, & makes him cry out, foreign, &c mSueton. in Iulio Caeſare.? what? and thou my ſonne? have I not enemies enough to riſe up againſt mee, but that thou alſo ſhouldeſt adde to the number of them? Even ſo it was here with Chriſt; that others ſhould refuſe him, it was nothing in compariſon; but that Ieruſalem ſhould doe it, Ieruſalem whom hee had thus honoured with his preſence, and with the firſt offer and tendrie of ſalvation; Ieruſalem, to whom he was in more eſpeciall manner ſent; that ſhe ſhould refuſe him, that ſhee ſhould not acknowledge him; no, not then, when it it did ſo much concerne her owne happineſſe; this is that which makes him put ſuch an Emphaſis upon it; Oh, if thou hadſt knowne!
Vſe 3 3 It was a great part of Ieruſalems miſery, that ſhee was ſenſleſſe of her danger, and did not know it, but gave her ſelfe over to mirth and pleaſure, and drowned her ſelfe in ſenſuall delights, even then when the Decree was ready to come forth againſt her; then by this yee may ſee what to thinke of the eſtate and condition of many in the world, who are lulled aſleepe in ſecurity, and drown themſelves in ſenſuall and ſinfull pleaſures, when they have more cauſe to weepe and ſhed teares, if they did but know and rightly conſider, how matters ſtand betweene God and their owne ſoules: ſurely, if the miſery of Jeruſalem was great upon her, becauſe ſhe did not know this; how can he bee free from miſery, that know as little, perhaps, leſſe of it, than ſhee did? And yet if yee looke abroad into the world, and take a view of the lives and converſations of moſt men; what more common and ordinary, than for men to ſing and rejoyce, and goe on ſecurely, as if there were no feare of danger; even then, when their eſtate is moſt lamentable? As it was with the Church of Laodicea, ſhee thought her ſelfe rich, and increaſed in goods, lacking nothing; and knew not that ſhee was poore, blinde, wretched, and miſerable nRevel. 3.17.: even ſo it is with many, they bleſſe themſelves in their ſinfull courſes, becauſe they doe not know, nor rightly conſider, how wretched and miſerable they are.
If yee take a view of all Creatures in the world, ye ſhall finde none amongſt them all, but are more ſenſible of approaching danger, than ſinfull man: The Fowles of the Ayre, they know and foreſee the ſtorme and tempeſt, before it come; they propheſie and foretell it, give preſages of it, by providing a place of refuge and ſhelter for themſelves: The bruit Creatures that live on the earth, even the meaneſt of them, they can foreſee their danger, and flie away from it, the very Rats and Mice, when the houſe growes ruinous, they are ſenſible of their danger, and forſake their lodging, before it fall upon them; onelyonly ſinfull man, hee is ſo blinded and beſotted with the pleaſures of the world, that hee neither knowes, nor foreſees his miſery before it fals upon him.
When Noah and his Family entred into the ArkeoGen. 7.14., wee doe not read of any that brought Creatures unto him, but, as ſome thinkepSanct. Avitus. Alcim. lib. 4. de diluvio. Occultus brutis in ſenſibus ardet Terror, et expectans agitat formidine mē tem; Aſt homines quos ſors certi diſcriminis urget, Vicinà nec morte pavent. &c., ſuch a ſecret inſtinct was put into them, and ſuch a univerſall feare of the approaching danger did ſeize upon them, that all in their ſeverall kindes, they came by couples, and offered themſelves to be received into the Arke; and yet we doe not reade of any amongst the ſonnes of men, not any of that great number that periſhed in the Deluge of waters, that ever came to Noah to deſire a place of refuge and ſhelter there; the feare of the enſuing danger makes a deeper impreſsion upon the bruite creatures, than it doth upon men, who were expoſed to greater danger by it, and endued with reaſon and underſtanding to apprehend their danger; for they in their kinde, are ſenſible of their danger, and provident to ſhun it; but men goe on ſecurely, and will not know or take notice of it. The very untame creatures, that are by natue untractable, and uſe to runne at liberty in the wilde Forreſt, they ſeeme to lay aſide their naturall wildneſſe, offer themſelves contrary to their nature, to bee taken with the hand; and forſaking that boundleſſe liberty which they enjoyed before, are willing to bee ſhut up within the wals of the Ark, for the preventing of future danger: but men, more ſenſleſſe of their danger, than the Fowles of the Ayre, than the beaſts of the field, they will not know itqNeſcire eſt ignorantis; nolle autem ſcire eſt ſuperbiae. Aug. l. 3. de grat. & lib. arbit ca. 19 & 22. de nat. et grat. c. 17. de duab. animab. ca. 12 Bern. ep. 27. Iſidor. de ſum. bono. l. 2. c. 17. Greg. moral. l. 25. ca. 16., nor ſteepe their thoughts in the meditation of it, though they have Noah, a Preacher of righteouſneſſe, by his own example to goe before them, and daily to call upon them, and put them in minde of it, for an hundred and twenty yeares together.
When David came againſt that proud and uncircumciſed Philiſtim with a ſling and a ſtone, he takes it in high diſdaine, and great ſcorne, that he ſhould thinke him like a dogge, that was afraid of a ſtaffe or a ſtone r1 Sam. 17.43.: but, as Chryſoſtome *Homil. de Davide & Saule.well obſerves, he was worſe than a Dogge; for the Dog when hee ſeeth his Maſter take the whip, or cudgell into his hand, he knowes there is danger, and provides for himſelfe, either by running away, or caſting downe himſelfe, and crying out before his Maſter; uſing all meanes which the inſtinct of nature hath put into him, for the ſecuring himſelfe from danger: but this uncircumciſed Philiſtim, when hee ſeeth the ſtone taken out of the bagge, that was the inſtrument of his death, hee will not know, or take notice of his danger, till hee feele the dint and impreſſion of it upon his owne forehead.
Nay more, the very devils themſelves are more ſenſible of their owne miſery, than ſinfull men are: for when Chriſt met two poſſeſſed with devils,ſMat. 8.28. they cry out, ſaying, what have we to doe with thee? art thou come to torment us before the time? they doe not feele the waight of his power, they doe not heare ſo much as an ill word from him; yet the conſcience of their owne guiltineſſe, and the preſence of Chriſt, makes them cry out for feare, though for the preſent they enjoyed a liberty, and were let out from the bottomleſſe pit, for a time to make their abode and habitation amongſt men; yet in this time of reſpite, they cannot forget the puniſhment they are lyable unto, but are ſo ſenſible of it, that the very ſight of Chriſt revives the memory of it, and brings it freſh to their minde: but when Chriſt comes to Jeruſalem, though he cannot without teares thinke of her miſery, yet we heare not of any, that either cryes out of his owne guiltineſſe, or is ſenſible of the deſerved puniſhment of his diſobedience. They are ſo taken up with ſecular contentments for the preſent, that the thought of future danger is quite laid aſide, and hath no roome to lodge within them; and here is the miſery of it, that men in a matter that doth ſo nearely concerne them, ſhould not onelyonly come ſhort of the very bruit creatures, but even of the devils themſelves; for infernall impiety in thoſe wicked ſpirits, hath not ſo farre drowned them in ſecurity, but that they are ſenſible of their danger, and ready to preſage it upon the leaſt occaſiontBaſil. Seleu …. 23. Norunt ex his quae perp… tiuntur, ſe tormentis ob…xios. Ne que tantū apud eos m…tū potuit improb…as, ut illatae ob ſiagitia poenae oblivionem inducat.. The wickedneſſe of their nature cannot work them to a forgetfulneſſe of it; but ſinfull men, they are ſo deeply ſoaked in ſenſuall pleaſure, and ſo ſetled upon the lees and dregs of iniquity, that they will not ſee or be ſenſible of their own danger, though it be never ſo clearly ſet before them; and thereupon it is that they ſing and rejoyce, and drowne themſelves in mirth and delight, even then when their eſtate and condition is moſt miſerable: the truth whereof will yet further appeare, if ye doe but take notice of the time when it is eſpecially that they doe moſt ſecurely give themſelves up unto mirth and jollity, and that is uſually, and for the moſt part, upon theſe two occaſions: to wit, when God is ſilent, and ſeemes to winke at their ſinnes, and when the world ſmiles upon them, and poures into their lap all outward and ſecular contentments that their hearts can deſire. Firſt of all, men are moſt inclinable to drowne themſelves in ſinfull pleaſures, when God is ſilent, and ſeemes to winke at their ſins; when he ſuffers them to thrive and proſper in their ſinfull courſes, and ſeemes to ſay nothing to them:uEccleſ. 8.11. Becauſe ſentence is not executed ſpeedily againſt an evill work, therefore is the heart of the children of men fully ſet in them to doe evill. xPſal. 50.21.Theſe things haſt thou done, and I held my peace; therefore thou thoughteſt wickedly that I was even like unto thy ſelfe, &c. So it was with the old world, becauſe God was ſilent, and ſpared them a long while, they are ready to think that he will not come unto them in judgement at all; and thereupon give themſelves more freelyyMat. 24.48. to eate, and drinke, and be merry, as Chriſt himſelfe ſhewes: As in the dayes before the flood, they did eate and drinke, marry, and gave in marriage, untill the day that Noah entred into the Arke, and knew nothing till the flood came and ſwept them all away; ſo ſhall the comming of the Son of man be. Now the eſtate and condition of men is never more miſerable, than when the patience and mercy of God, which ſhould leade them to repentance, becomes an occaſion and incouragement unto them to goe on in their ſinfull courſes; becauſe it is either a fore-runner of more heavy judgements, to follow and inſue afterward, or elſe a ſigne that their diſeaſe is incurable: and therefore God leaves them as men that are in a deſperate and forlorne condition, and will not ſpend his rods in vaine upon them.
1. It is an uſuall fore-runner of more heavy judgments, becauſe the longer that God forbears men in their ſinfull courſes, the more heavy he ſtrikes when he comes: as the axe, the higher it is lifted up, and the longer it be before the blow be given, the more heavy it falls, and the deeper it cuts when it comes. If they were preſently ſmitten with temporall judgements, they might be much more happy than many times they are, becauſe when they doe not profit by the merciemercy and judgement of God, the hardneſſe of their heart, which cannot repent, heapeth up wrath unto themſelves againſt the day of wrath.
2. It is a ſigne oftentimes that their diſeaſe is incurable; and therefore God deales with them, as the Phyſitian doth with his ſick patient; while there is hope of recovery, he cutteth, and ſeareth, and launceth his body, gives him bitter pills and potions to worke out his diſeaſe; but when hee gives him over, and lets him have whatſoever he calls for, and goe whither ſoever his minde and affection carries him; that is a ſign he is paſt help, and that there is little hope of doing him good: even ſo when God croſſeth a man in his ſinfull courſes, and makes him feele the ſmart of his owne doings, there is ſome hope he may be reclaimed; but when hee keeps ſilence, and ſaith nothing to him, that is a ſigne there is little hope; and therefore God will not ſpend any more rods in vain upon him.zIſa. 1.5. Wherefore ſhould ye be ſmitten any more, for ye fall away more and more? It is a ſign of mercy in God, when he chaſtiſeth and correcteth his people for their ſinnes, becauſe by this temporall correction, he prevents the eternall ruine and deſtruction of their ſoules; according to that of the Apoſtle,a1 Cor. 11.32. When we are judged, we are chaſtened of the Lord, that we ſhould not be condemned with the world: but when hee ſuffers them to thrive and proſper in their ſinnes, and doth not viſit their iniquities and tranſgreſſions upon them; that is a ſigne of his ſore diſpleaſure againſt them. For when God would ſhew his greateſt ſeverity againſt the Iſraelites, he tells them, that heebHoſ. 4.14. will not viſit their daughters when they are harlots, nor their ſpouſes when they are whores. If God ſpeake to ſinfull men in his wrath, it may be ill enough with them; but if he keepe ſilence in his wrath, it is far worſe, becauſe that argues more wrath againſt them: even as it is with the water, which is there deepeſt, where it runs along with greateſt ſilence; and more ſhallow, where it makes the greater noyſe. When a potent enemy thunders out his wrath againſt a weake and naked City, it is ill enough with the inhabitants thereof; but when he diſſembles his wrath, onelyonly waiting a fit occaſion and opportunity to cruſh them in pieces, it makes their condition much worſe: even ſo it is with God; when he keeps ſilence in his wrath, that is a ſign that his thoughts are deeply ſteeped with unalterable purpoſes of their ruine and deſtruction.
2. Another time and occaſion when men drowne themſelves in ſinfull pleaſures, and melt themſelves more freely into mirth and jollity, is, when they ſwim in wealth and riches, when they enjoy honors and preferments, credit and reputation amongſt men; when the world applauds them, and claps them on the back, as the rich man in the Goſpel that propheſies of peace to his own ſoul, ſaying,cLuke 1….19. Soul, thou haſt much goods laid up for many yeares, live at eaſe, eate, and drink, and take thy paſtime: and yet, even then, there is more cauſe of weeping than rejoycing, if men did throughly know, and rightly conſider, either the vaniſhing nature of thoſe contentments, or the miſerable end that will enſue upon them. When Chriſt was entertained with the joyfull acclamations of the people, he was ſo little affected with it, that he did not rejoyce, but ſhed teares, becauſe he did throughly know how fickle and uncertain thoſe contentments were; hee knew that thoſe very men who now cried Hoſanna, Bleſſed is he that commeth in the name of the Lord, would within a few dayes cry as loud, Crucifie him, crucifie him: and what wiſe man can rejoyce or take contentment in that which hee knowes to bee of ſo ſhort continuance, and to end and determine in a condition ſo contrary and unlike unto it ſelfe? And ſo it is with all the earthly felicity of ſinfull men. Sweet meat, as ſaith the Proverbe, muſt have ſowre ſawce; ſinfull pleaſure ever ends in ſevere and ſore puniſhments: as Abraham told Dives, Sonne remember, thou in thy life time hadſt thy pleaſure, therefore art thou now tormented dLuke 16.25.. The Bee hath Honey and Waxe, things pleaſant and profitable, but withall a ſting in the taile; ſo ſinfull pleaſure hath honey to intice, and waxe to inflame; but withall, a deadly ſting in the tayle of it. And like as it is with the roſe, when the leaves are plucked off, there is nothing but pricks remaines behind; even ſo it is with the pleaſures of ſinne, when the leaves of profit and advantage are plucked away, they ever leave a ſting behinde them. The Wine goes downe pleaſantly, and ſheweth forth his colour in the cup; but in the end it will bite like a ſerpent, and hurt like a cockatrice. Stollen waters are ſweet, ſaith Solomon, and the bread of deceit pleaſant, but they know not that the dead are there, and that her gueſts are in the depth of hell. And therefore though wicked men ſet themſelves upon a merry pin, and ſing care away, when they ſwim in wealth and riches, and abound in other worldly contentments, yet have they little reaſon ſo to doe, if they did throughly know, and rightly conſider how matters ſtand betweene GOD and their owne ſoules, and how ſoone all thoſe ſecular contentments will determine, and come to a fearfull end: for even as we ſee in nature, the more heat there is in the Sunne, the more vapours are drawne up, and ſo accordingly the more abundance of raine falls afterward; even ſo the more bleſſings God beſtowes on wicked men, and the more they drowne themſelves in ſinfull pleaſures, the more heavy torments fall upon them afterward.cRev. 18.7. In as much as ſhe glorified her ſelfe, and lived in pleaſure, ſo much give you to her torment and ſorrow. So that they have little reaſon to melt themſelves into ſuch brutiſh ſenſuality, and to nouriſh their hearts, as in a day of ſlaughter, if they knew all that concernes them to know. When Haman was highly exalted in the Kings favour, and ſet above all the Princes in the Court, he promiſeth himſelfe much happineſſe in that royall favour, and much gloried in it; but he had little reaſon ſo to doe, if he had knowne and conſidered, that the very next day hee ſhould end his unhappy life upon that tree which hee had prepared and ſet up for Mordecai the Iew to be hanged upon fHeſt. 5.14.7.9. Dives he builds much upon his plenty and abundance, and promiſeth himſelfe no ſmall contentment in it; and ſo did the rich man in the Goſpell gLuke 12.19.: but had he not more cauſe to waile and weepe, if he had knowne and conſidered that fatall doome and ſentence, which ſo ſoone after ſounded in his eares, O foole, this night will they fetch away thy ſoule, and then whoſe ſhall all thoſe things be? SohActs 12.21. Herod, he was much tickled and taken with that flattering acclamation of the people, ſaying unto him, The voice of God and not of man; but hee had more cauſe to have melted himſelfe into a fountain of tears, if he had known how neare the deſtroying Angell had been unto him; and that in the next breath hee was to bee eaten up of wormes, and give up the ghoſt.