Two Treatises 3, Text (1 of 3)

Two Treatises 3 · Text (1 of 3)

p. 1TEARS FOR IERVSALEM; OR The compassionate Lamentation of a tender hearted Saviour over a rebellious and obdurate people.

Luk. 19. 41, 42.

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

42. Saying, If thou hadst known; even thou, at the least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes.

THis portion of Scripture I now take up,The text upon what occasion tak… up. not that I look upon it as Prophetical to England. So indeed it was to Hierusalem, to which it is, was spoken. I wish it may not be so to this Nation. p. 2But as concerning it both useful and seasonable for the present times, and as proper to the present occasion as any I can meet with, finding it put into my hands by that Declaration, which hath upon this day called us together, where we are directed to make this one chief part of our arrand at the throne of grace, to beg it of God that he would give his people in this nation to know the things which belong unto their peace, Declaration Novem. 21. 1655.which is the very thing which our blessed Saviour here wisheth to Hierusalem, and that with tears in his eyes. And when he was come near, he beheld the City, &c.

In the words we have a short History, reported onelyonly by this one Evangelist, Division.setting forth unto us the Passionate lamentation of our blessed Saviour over Hierusalem; wherein the occasion of it,Parts three. the expression of it, the ground or cause of it. We may take notice of three things.

First, the occasion of that lamentation; his approaching and beholding of the City [And when he was come near, and beheld the City.]

Secondly, the expression of it, by tears [He wept over it.]

Thirdly, The ground or cause of it; the sad state of the City in regard of a two-fold evil, the one of sin, the other of punishment: of sin, the stupidity and blindnesse of the inhabitants of that City in not laying hold upon the offers and tenders of grace and mercy held forth to them. [If thou hadst known, &c.] The punishment first generally p. 3declared [But now they are hid from thine eyes] Then more particularly explained in the verses following. These are the severals, some of which I have now to deal with. Begin with the first. The occasion of this lamentation.

And when he was come near,Part 1. The occasion of this lamentation. he beheld the City] So he did, and that Oculis tam animi quam corporis, with the eye both of his body and mind. With the eye of his body he beheld the place. And beholding it wept over it. Thus is the eye of the body oftimes as a window to let in affection and passion into the soul.The eye lets in affection to the heart. Love and hatred, joy and grief, they often enter at this door. Among other; in this way is pity and compassion often let into the heart. The good Samaritane, he saw the man that was fallen among theeves; And when he saw him (saith the text) he had compassion on him, Luk. 10. 33. And thus our Saviour here saw the City of Hierusalem, and when he saw it, he was thus affected with it. Seeing it, as with his bodily eye, so with the eye of his mind, considering the state and condition of it.

Q. But what was it that he there saw,What Christ looked upon in Jerusalem, that so affected him. or looked upon that did so affect, and move him.

A. Why, first with his bodily 1eye he took notice of the place, The City it se…f, magnificent for structure.the City it self; where he beheld as goodly a prospect as the earth could afford. A magnificent City, beautiful for scituation. p. 4Beautiful for scituation, the joy of th… whole earth, is mount Sion, Psal. 48. 2. Beautiful for edifices and structures, which were rich and stately. Among which the Temple rebuilt by King Herod was the most sumptuous and magnificent pile; that then the world was owner of. So as had there been nothing else, this alone had been enough to move compassion; to think that so goodly a City as that, should within a short time be ruined: such stately edifices laid level with the grou…d. This is conceived to have affected the Disciples of Christ, as the story sets it forth, Matth. 24. 1. His Disciples came (saith the text) to shew him the buildings of the Temple. This they did, as by way of admiration, being much taken with the rich magnificence of the structure, so also out of pity and commiseration, in as much as their master had but a little before given them a hint of the destruction thereof; cap. 23. 38. [Behold, your house is left unto you desolate] intimating that both the City and Temple should be destroyed. Hereupon they now shewed him the buildings thereof, as pittying that sad fate, that so stately a fabrick should be ruined. This moved them; And I will not say but it might also at the present affect their master, when he had this goodly prospect in his eye: to think what afterwards he speaks verse 44. that the enemy should lay that City and Temple even with the ground, not leaving one stone upon another. This possibly might move some compassion in him.

p. 5But this was but the least grain in the ballance: There were divers other considerations besides this of greater importance, which our Saviour might then have in his thoughts: As viz.

In the second place,The number of people devoted to destruction▪ the number of people in that City, which was great and populous. All these generally he looked upon as destinated to ruin and destruction either by sword or famine or pestilence (Gods three stringed whip,)Magis tamen subversionem planxit animarum quam ruinas parietum: Carthus …d lot. or by exile, or else miserable slavery. And this questionlesse, could not but much affect him. So it did in another case, as the Evangelist reports the story once and again, Matth. 9. 36. When he saw the multitude he was moved with compassion in them because they fainted, and were scattered abroad as sheep having no shepheard. And again, …ap. 15. vers. 32. he tells his Disciples: I have compassion on the multitude, because they continue with me now three dayes and have nothing to eat. Thus did he pity the condition of the people, having compassion both on their souls and bodies; the one because they wanted instruction, the other because they wanted refreshment. How much more then might this stir the like affection in him, when looking upon this populous City, he considered how many were like to perish in that desolation which hung over the head of it. As it is reported of that great Commander Xerxes, that from a hill beholding his numerous Armies consisting of some hundreds of thousands of able fighting men, and considering how that with in a short time, 40. or 50. p. 6years, not a man of them should be left alive, he could not refrain from weeping. And even alike consideration might here draw tears from the eyes of our blessed Saviour; Which also himself gives a hint of in that 44. verse after the Text, where speaking how the City should be laid level with the ground, he adds, and thy children within thee.] meaning that they also should perish, the very little ones being (as the Psalmist saith of the Babylonians, Psal. 137.) dashed against the stones.

Thirdly,The qualitie of the people: Gods people. To this (in the third place) add the quality of the people, which as they were numerous, so also they were a select, a choice people, Gods people. A people whom God had chosen out of all the nations in the world; whom he had adopted, and taken into Covenant with himself. To whom belongeth the adoption and the Covenant (saith that Apostle, reckoning up the priviledges of the people,) Rom. 9. 4. Now that they through their own ingratitude and obstinacy in refusing the offer and means of grace held forth to them, should perish so miserably.

This (as Calvin noteth upon it) could not but exceedingly affect him who came into the world to seek and save them.Q…um populum qui in spem vita ae…ernae ad…pius …, suae ingrati…udine & ma…i…ia misere perire videret, nihil mirum si lachrym…s non tenuit. Cal. …d. loc. This thought exceedingly affected the blessed Apostle, as he tells his Romanes, Rom. 9. 1. 2. I say the truth in Christ, I lie not, &c. That I have great heavinesse, and continual p. 7sorrow in my heart.] viz. for his countreymen the Jews; to think of their obstinacy, and consequently their rejection. So it followeth. For I could wish that my self were accursed from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh.] So was Paul affected with the miscarriage of that people, that he could even have wished the greatest of evils to himself, so as he might have prevented it in them. And the like thought (no question) could not but exceedingly affect our blessed Saviour, to think that such a people, the hope of the world, the onelyonly people in Covenant with God at that time, that they should miscarry, they should perish

Fourthly,Ierusalem the …, the head city upon which the whole Nation had a dependance. To this add (in the fourth place) that that City as it was the Metropolis, the head City of the Kingdome of Iudaea, so the whole Kingdome was concerned in it, and depended upon it. Yea, the whole Nation of the Jews. As it went with that City so it was like to go with the whole body of that nation. If that miscarried, it could not but prove fatal to that whole kingdome, and to all the people of God in it, who had all an adventure in that bottome, nay were themselves imbarqued in it. And so were like to swim or sink with it. As it was with Babylon, being the head City of the Persian Monarchy, the peace of the whole Kingdome and all the subjects in it depended upon that; And therefore the Prophet adviseth the Jewish captives, to seek the peace of that City, and to pray unto the Lord for it; for in the peace thereof shall p. 8ye have peace, Jer. 29. 7. Even thus was it with Ierusalem.

Yet again (in the fifth place;)Ierusalem the City of the great King, the city of God. This City it was the City of the great King, so called by the Psalmist, 48. 2. The great King; but what king? why not onelyonly the City of David (as it is sometimes called, Luk. 2. 4. 11.) the Emperial City, where David and his successours had sate upon the throne for many Generations, almost five hundred years together before the Captivity of Babylon. There are set thrones of judgement (saith the Psalmist) the throne of the house of David, Psal. 122. 5. Not onelyonly so, but it was the City of the great King, of the King of heaven, the City of God. So our Saviour meaneth it, Matth. 5. 35. where forbidding to swear by Hierusalem, he giveth this reason for it, for it is the City of the great King, i.e. of God. So the Psalmist explains himself in the 8. verse of that psalme, (Psal. 48.) As we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts, in the City of God. As also in the first verse, God is greatly to be praised in the City of our God. So was Hierusalem, There God dwelt. The Lord hath chosen Sion, he hath desired it for his habitation; This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, Psal. 132. 13, 14. This was the place, the onelyonly place upon earth, where God manifested his presence in a fixed and constant way. Here formerly was the Ark of the Covenant, the pledge and token of Gods presence; The glory of Israel, and of the world, and therefore called, The p. 9glory. Rom. 9. 4. Here was the Sanctuary, where God dwelt betwixt the Cherubins, and from whence the light of salvation went forth unto all the world. This was urbs sacris dicata (as Grotius saith of it) a place dedicated to the worship and service of God, a place which God had chosen to put his name there; the place whither the tribes came up to worship, Psal. 122. 4. where the Ordinances of God were set up in their glory, majesty, and held forth in a publick way. So as, this place miscarrying, it could not but go ill with the Churches of God, and with the Religion of God.

And this it was (as Gualter and Calvin note it upon the Text) which above all other things our blessed Saviour took to heart.Quum expenderet illam divinitus electam esse sacram sedem, in quae resideret salutis aeternae foedus; Sanctuarium unde prodiret salus salas toti mundo, fieri non potuit quam ejus interitum graviter▪ doleret▪ Cal. ad loc. The other considerations might move him, but this above all, to think that that place, which God had made choice of to put his name in, where he had dwelt, where his Temple,Part 2. the place of his publick worship was, that that should be brought to such a miserable desolation;The expression of Christs compassion, by weeping. as he by the eye of his divinitie saw to hang over the head of it;Lachrymae sunt legati doloris. Cyprianus lib. Ep. 7. this, this it was that pierced his heart, and stirred up his compassions in him, drawing tears from his eies. When he beheld the City, he wept over it.

Wept over it] There is the expression of his p. 10compassion. Let me touch upon that also,Weeping a passion not unsutable to Christ. Mutarunt homines temerarii & delicati, quibus flere Christo indignis videbatur Grotius at Text. and I shall put the application of both these together.

He wept] This Passion some look upon as unsutable to the person of Christ. And thereupon (as both Beza and Grotius take notice of it from Epiphanus) in divers of the ancient Copies this passage was left out.Gorranus ad Text. & alli. Alii septies Chri…um flevisse a…erunt: Gerhard Harm. ad loc. But without any just cause. To hear of Christs weeping, is not such a rarity, that any should boggle at it. Four several times (saith one Writing upon the Text) we read hereof. The first at his Nativity, his Birth. For this he citeth that Apochryphal Text, Wisd. 7. 3. Where wisedome (whereby he understandeth Christ, who is so called, Prov. 8.) saith, that she was Borne crying and weeping, as all other do. Thus Infants are commonly born, crying; whether weeping or no, I will not say. And thus that pretended Solomon is conceived to set forth the birth of Christ, who was therein conformed to the rest of the sons of men. But that (being Apocryphal) I leave it, as I find it, uncertain, so as it may be believed or rejected without any prejudice to the faith. The three other are clear. The first, at the raising up of Lazarus; where we read, Joh. 11. 53. And Iesus wept. The second here, in this his Procession to Hierusalem (as he calleth it) He wept over it,] The third and last in his Passion in the Garden, concerning p. 11which the Author to the Hebrews tels us, that he offered up prayers and supplications, with strong cryings and tears, Heb. 5. 7. Thus (saith he) did our blessed Saviour, who was the fountain of life, water the world with his tears, which he compareth to the four Rivers, which went out of Paradise to water the earth. But letting that passe, as more witty then weightie.

Weeping (we see) was no new or strange thing with our Saviour. That ever he laughed, that we read not; that he wept we meet with it more then once.

Q. But it may be said;Why Christ lamenteth what he could have remedied. Wherefore should our Saviour here weep over Hierusalem? what ever calamities he saw impending, hanging over the head of it, he could have prevented them, if he had pleased. And why then doth he lament that, which with a word he was able to have remedied?

A. To this it is answered:To shew the truth of his humanity. First, This he did, to shew the truth of his humanity: Carne humanacircundatus, vere humanos induit affectus, Cal. ad loc.Taking upon him our nature, he took upon him also all Passions and Affections common to that nature. Being made like unto us in all things, sin onelyonly excepted, (as the Apostle hath it, Heb. 4. 15.) subjected to all our not sinful infirmities. Thus he slept, eat, and drank, which the nature of man requireth. And thus we read that he was weary, hungry, thirsty; and thus he wept. All to shew himself truly man; p. 12and that, together with our nature, he had also taken our Infirmities (as the Evangelist Saint Mathew hath it, Matth. 8. 17.)

But secondly, Hereby he testified his affection towards those for whom he was made man,To testifie his affection to the Iews. and for whose sake he came into the world.Hoc fletu testatus est fraterne se diligere eos in quorum gratiam fuerat homo factus, Calvin ad Text. Viscera misericordiae suae per fletum osstendit. Theophil. ad loc. This he did first for the Jew; I am not sent save onelyonly to the Lost …eepe of the house of Israel (so he tells the woman of Canaan) Matth. 15. 24. His arrand was first to the Iewes, to seek and save them. And hereby he expressed his indeared affection unto them. This was the contrition which the Jewes made of his weeping over Lazarus his grave. Behold, how he loved him (say they) Ioh. 11. 36. And the same construction may we make of this his weeping over Hierusalem. Hereby he shewed that tender affection which he bare unto them, and the desire which he had of their welfare and happinesse.

Q. But if he loved them so,Why did he not then help and save them. why did he not help them? Why did he not divert those inpending evils? This had been a greater expression of love to them, to save them, then to weep over them.

A. True, as God he could have helped them.Christ here in acteth as man. He could have prevented all those evils and miseries. But we must here look upon him as acting the part of a Mediator. In the execution of which office the Divine nature often p. 13rested, and hid it, not putting forth that power which otherwise it could. Thus in his Passion the Godhead slept, while the Manhood suffered. And thus here, the Divine nature rested, while the humane acted. And he acting according to that nature, lamenteth the miseries of … people, which in respect of his absolute power, as God, he could have prevented. He could have done it, but he would not. And why? Because he came not to do his own will, but the will of him that sent him. As he came to preach his Word, not his own, My doctrine is not mine own, but his that sent me, Joh. 7. 16. So he came to do his work, his will, not his own. I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me, Joh. 5. 30. Now this was the will of the Father, that that ungrateful people refusing and rejecting his Son, and the offer of grace and mercy through him, should smart for that their ingratitude. And this he, as man, here lamenteth and bewaileth, weeping over them. [When he saw the City, he wept over it.]

And what shall we observe from hence that may be useful to our selves?Obs. Why here see,Christians to be tenderly affected towards the Churches of God. what affection there ought to be in all those that professe the name of Christ towards the Church and people of God. How they ought to be affected, deeply affected, with their miseries, their calamities. So was our blessed Saviour, as we see, with Hierusalems. Foreseeing that calamitie which hung over the head of it, the p. 14thought thereof melts his heart, and wrings tears from his eyes, He wept over it. foreign (saith the Original) which word coming from foreign (as the Etimologist tels us) which signifieth to break, it imports a breaking of the heart with sorrow, which dissolveth it self into tears. And like affection should there be in all Christians. It is that which Paul presseth upon …is Philippians. Let the same mind be in you, which also was in Christ Iesus, Phil. 2. 5. Now what mind was in him we see. He was affected not onelyonly with his own private condition, but with the condition of others. He not onelyonly wept when the bitter cup was coming towards himself, but he did the like when he saw it coming towards Hierusalem. And let there be the same mind in all the Lords people. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others; So the Apostle there presseth it in the verse foregoing, (vers. 4.) Thus should Christians look upon the condition of others, specially of the Church and people of God, with an affectionate eye: as rejoycing in their welfare, so condoling their misery and calamitie.The Churches misery to be mourned over. So should they look upon private persons, pitying them in their misery. Have pity upon me, have pity upon me, O ye my friends (saith Iob to his kindred) Job 19. 21. much more upon the Church. Not looking upon her calamity with delight, as a pleasing spectacle. So indeed the Edomites are said to have looked on the day of their brother, Obad. 12. When their brethren the p. 15Iews were carried into captivity, they rejoyed at it; but this was in them barbarous inhumanitie, for which the Lord there threatens to be, even with them, vers. 15. As thou hast done, it shall be done unto thee; But with pitiful and compassionate eyes and hearts, mourning over their miseries, whether present or imminent, felt or found.

Thus shall we find the Saints of God to have been affected. That of Jeremy is well known …ho wisheth his head waters, and his eyes a fountain of tears, that he … weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of his people, Jer. 9. 1. So great was his compassion towards the people of the Jews, that he thought he could never sufficiently bewail the miseries, which by his prophetical eye he saw ready to befall them. So was he affected therewith as if they had fallen upon himself. So he expresseth … in the chapter foregoing, (cap. 8. vers. 21.) For the hurt of the daughter of my people, am I hurt (I am broken, his heart was broken) I am black (like a mourner clad in sable, or I am in heavinesse) astonishment hath taken hold of me] Like affection, like compassion ought there to be in all Christians towards their brethren; they ought to sympathize with them; Weeping with them that weep, as the Apostle hath it, Rom. 12. 16.Christians to mourn for those who do not mourn for themselves.

Yea, weeping for them, whilest it may be they do not weep for themselves. This doth our Saviour here for Jerusalem. They thought their p. 16state and condition good and happy. Being not sensible of the evils which hung over their heads, they were not affected with them. I, but our Saviour who foresaw those judgements as God, he weepeth over them as man. Thus should Christians be affected with those judgements of God which they foresee ready to fall upon others; they ought to mourn for them. This will the Prophet Isay do for Moab, as himsel… most pathetically expresseth it. Isai. 15. 5. My heart shall cry for Mo…, cap. 16. 9. I will bewai… with the weeping of … the vine of Sibma; I wil… water thee with my tears O Heshbon. Again, vers… 11. My bowels shall sound like a harpe for Moab… i.e. with pity and compassion. And the lik… will the Prophet Ieremy do. Therefore will … homle for Moab, &c. Jer. 48. 31, 32. Now wer… the Prophets of God thus affected with the condition of Moab, who were strangers, nay enemies to God and his people. O how ough… Christians to be affected towards Ierusalem, towards the Church and people of God?

Great reason why they should mourn wit… them,Reas. Christians members of the same body. for them. In as much as they are member… of the same body. Now such a sympathy … know there is betwixt the members of the natural body. If one member suffer, all the members suffer with it, (as the Apostle observes) I Cor. 12. 26. And such a sympathy there ought to be betwixt the members of the Mistical Bodie.

Appli.That it should be so I presume it will readily p. 17be granted. But then,The present times to be mourned over. why is it not so? Let that be the first branch of the Application. How is it that there are no more mourners in this our Sion? Surely it is not for want of just cause of mourning, I presume that among those who are most in love with the present times, yet there are none that so doate upon them, but they will acknowledge there is yet somewhat among us, which deserveth both sighes and tears. So much that Instrument which hath this day called us together hath proclaimed to the world. And surely so we shall find it, if we seriously consider the state of things both abroad, and at home.

Look a broad, In regard of the state of the Church abroad.we may see or hear of that which deserveth to be laid to heart. The sad state of our poor persecuted brethren in Piemont; whose condition not long since hath been recommended to the needfull charity of this Nation. As also that hand of God which hath lyen so heavy upon our neighbours on the other side, where the destroying A…gel hath been, and yet is at work, doing sad executions. To which I might add the present state of our brethren in Scotland.

But we shall not need to go abroad:The presen state of England a matter of just lamentation. It was that which our Saviour said to the woman of Ierusalem, whom he saw out of a feminine temper, and some of them happily out of affection unto himself, lamenting him going to his Passion. Daughters of Ierusalem, weep not for me, but weep for your selves and your children, p. 18Luk. 23. 28. And truly the like may be said unto us at this day; weep not so much for others as for your selves. Such is the state of this nation that if rightly considered, it may be conceived to deserve a weeping over▪ which that you may be brought to do, let me desire you to approach and take a veivv of it. This it was that drew tears from your Saviours eyes, viz. his approaching and beholding of Ierusalem. When he was come near, he beheld the City, and wept over it That you may be like affected towards this your native countrey; let me give you a sight of it: Which I shall do in a three fold prospect,Englands condition looked upon three waies. desiring you to look upon it these three wayes; considering what it was, what it is, and what, unlesse God be pleased graciously to step in by a timous prevention it it is like to be.

First,What it hath been. What it was, how happie under that long continued peace, which for so many years together it enjoyed, to the admiration, if not envy of other Nations. But again how unhappy under the late Civill Commotions, which like a fire breaking forth in our own bowels, what sad devastations did it make, to the effusion of much precious bloud, which is yet so fresh, as that the memory of it cannot but deeply affect the hearts of all those who bear any true love to the land of their Nativity. Such it hath been.

Secondly, But what is it? What it is.Here I shall not go upon any private account, whether my own, or p. 19yours; which if I should, I might draw up a large Catalogue of sins and judgements, under which at the present this nation lyes, and groans, deserving to bewept over.Set forth in the late Declaration, But I have a publick one put into my hand. That Declaration which hath occasioned this our meeting, I find it taking notice of three or four particulars. Besides the late Rebukes, (those I suppose received on the other side of the world,Iamaika, where not a little English blood was shed, to the no small dishonour of the Nation, which hath not been acquainted with such repulses (The tares of Division, Abominable blasphemies, Dreadful appostacies, Four particulars justly to be mourned over,with the Impediments of Settlement and Reformation. These are held forth as the just occasions and grounds of this dayes Humiliation. And truly if rightly looked upon, as we see a reality in every of them, so we shall find that there is never a one of them but giveth the people of God to do over this Nation, what their blessed Saviour here did over Ierusalem to weep over it.

First,Tares of division, The tares of Division, which vvhilest the Husbandmen slept, the envious man hath sowen; and that so thick, as the whole field is over run with them, insomuch that they threaten to eat out the heart both of Church and State, Divisions of all sorts. Divisions both of Heads and Hearts, in jugdement and affection, in Church and State. So as it may novv be said of the people of England as once it vvas of Israel, Hosea …. 2. I Their he arts is divided. God haing p. 20taken away his spirit of unitie and concord from them he hath given them over to Seditions, Factions, Sects, & Schismes: And is not this a just cause of mourning? Such are divisions in the State▪ (In or for.) The divisions of Reuben there were great thoughts of heart, Judg. 5. 15. Much more in the Church. O what means that noise of Axes and Hammers in the Temple? In the building of it there were none of these heard, 1 King. 6. 7. Surely this is for the breaking down of the carved work thereof at once, Psal. 74. 6.

Secondly,Abominable blasphemies. Abominable blasphemies; And those not onelyonly the suddain eruptions of prophane and impious tongs, by cursing and swearing, for which the Prophet saith the land of Israel mourned, Jer. 23. 10. But deliberate blasphemies, studied and resolved blasphemies. Blasphemies against Iesus Christ, and against his holy Spirit, divesting both of their Divinity; denying the satisfaction of Christ; blasphemies against Scriptures, Ordinances, Ministery; even spitting in the face all religion. And is not this a just ground of mourning? The Iews of old never heard a blaspemous word, but their manner was to rend their garments, 2 King. 18. 37. 19. 1. Matth. 26. 65. Act. 14. 14.) O what cause have Christians then to rend their hearts at the hearing and seeing of such blaspemies, as daily fly abroad among us! The like whereunto are not to be found in Rome it self, though she be the mother of abominations, Revel. 17. 5. p. 21And hath the name of blasphemy written upon her forehead, Rev. 13. 1. 17. 3.

Thirdly,Dreadful apostacy. Dreàdful apostacy and backsliding among many, who being like stars fallen from heaven; fallen from their Principles into dangerous, destructive, desperate, damnable errours and heresies, have not onelyonly forsaken, but also persecute that truth, and that way, which themselves before made profession of and walked in.

Fourthly,The hindrance of settlement and reformation. And (in the last place) The hindrances of settlement and reformation in the Church. This the people of God in this Nation have desired, looked, longed for, earnestly wrestling with God and man for the obtaining of it. And they conceived to have had some return of their prayers in a hopeful beginning of it. But now, how are all those hopes dashed? Reformation being turned to Deformation: the wals of Ierusalem being broken down, and no Nehemiah as yet undertaking the rebuilding of them. And are not these just grounds of mourning? A sufficient cause why they who wish well to Ierusalem, to the Church of God in this Nation should with their Saviour here, weep over it? Such is the present state thereof.

Thirdly,What like to be. Beyond which if it be lawful for us to look, what can we see or expect, unlesse God in mercy step into us by vvay of a gracious prevention, but even Jerusalems fate, utter ruine and destruction? were there no other but p. 22the first of these, those many and sad Divisions which are on foot, daily increasing among us, what do they presage? If we know it not, let our Saviour tell it us, Mark 3. 24. If a Kingdom be divided against it self, that Kingdome cannot stand. And the naturalist will tell us …o lesse. Cor divisum mors est; If the heart be divided the body cannot live.

Now then having thus approached to and looked upon this Nation, what remains but that our eyes should move our hearts to pity and compassionate it, to mourn over it. Little else it is that private persons can do. And this let them do. Preces & Lachrymae, Prayers and tears are the Churches weapons, which every one both may, and ought to make use of. And this let us, as at other times, so this day do. All of us powring forth our souls before the Lord in an humble confession of our own sins, and the sins of the Nation which have justly deserved, what ever we either feel or fear begging it from him, that he would graciously return unto us, undertaking the Cure of this Sin-sick nation, healing our breaches; sanctifying and removing the judgements which lie upon us, diverting those which further threaten us: yet shewing us his salvation, in carrying on that great and blessed work of Reformation, in despite of all opposition from those accursed Balaamits, whether Romes emissaries, or others, who seek and endeavour to frustrate it, setting up the kingdome of his dear Son among us in a right way, so making p. 23us yet a people to praise his name.

Thus have I done with the two first of these particulars. The third is yet behind, which my eye is principally upon, which we have in the verse following.

VERSE XLII.

Saying, If thou hadst known; even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace.]

A Most Affectionate and Pathetical Exclamation; Part 3. The cause of Christs weeping. Pathetica est ratio, ideoque abrupta Calvin ad loc.and therefore abrupt and defective. Such oftimes are the speeches of men in Passion. Specially in the passion of grief and sorrow; wherein oftimes Vox faucibus haeret, the tongue cleaveth to the roof of the mouth, not able to expresse and utter what is in the breast. Sorrow is a compression of the heart; whereas joy doth dilate and open it: grief doth compresse,Passionate expressions often abrupt. congeal and straighten it, so as that which is within cannot readily get forth. Hence is it that the expressions hereof are abrupt and broken. And such is our Saviours here in the text. His heart being full of grief and sorrow for the sin and misery of this people, he expresseth p. 24himself in such an abrupt and broken way. If thou hadst, &c. so leaving it with an Aposiopesis, a Reticentia, keeping in what should have made the sentence entire and full.

This defect is variously supplied by Expositors:The defect here how supplied. By some thus. If thou hadst known, &c. Known so well as I, thou wouldst have wept as well as I. By others thus. If thou hadst known, &c. thou would not have done as thou hast done; thou wouldst not have gone on to die and perish in thy sins. By others thus. If thou hadst known, &c. thou wouldst have hearkened to my counsel, thou wouldst have been more studious of thy peace. By Beza and Piscator (with whom I choose to go along) thus. If thou hadst known, &c. Quam foelix esses & beata. How happie and blessed then mightst thou have been! But this he leaveth out beaking off bruptly; which he doth to intimate the greatnesse of his affection, to shevv hovv earnestly he both vvished their good, and bevvailed their misery. If thou (or O if thou as the former Translation hath it) hadst known; foreign.Obser.

Behold here then the affection of a tender hearted Saviour towards an obstinate and unworthy people. Christs affection to an unworthy people the Iews.The people of the Jews a rebellious people. A people that had deserved as ill at the hands of Iesus Christ, as ever people did, o… could have done. They had abused his messengers, his Ministers. They had killed his Prophets, and stoned those whom he sent unto them (as he p. 25chargeth it upon them, Matth. 22. 37.) And they intended to do no lesse to himself. They had already rejected him, and all the offers of grace and mercy which he had made unto them. So unvvorthy of all grace & favour vvere they. Yet see hovv he pitieth and compassionateth them; hovv earnestly he wisheth their welfare, hovv passionately he bevvails their misery. Oh if thou, &c.

Like affection shall vve find the Lord elsewhere expressing to this people, breaking forth sometimes into such affectionate exclamations, professing his earnest desire of their happinesse and welfare. So he doth, Deut. 5. 29. O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep my Commandements alwaies, that it might go well with them, and with their children for ever! And again, Deut. 32. 29. O that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end! How should one chase a thousand, &c. elsewhere we find him bewailing their obstinacy and misery, as Psal. 81. 13. O that my people had hearkened unto me, and Israel had walked in my statutes! I should soon have subdued their enemies, &c. And the like Isai. 48. 18. O that thou hadst hearkened to my Commandments! then had thy peace been as the river, &c. Thus doth the Lord as it were bewail the obstinacy, and lament the misery of that people, wishing it had been otherwise with them.God not taking pleasure in the death of sinners.

So far is he then from taking pleasure in the death and destruction of poor sinners. This do p. 26tyrants sometimes, they take pleasure in their bloody executions, feeding their eyes therewith, as with pleasing spectacles, But so doth not our God in the destruction of his creatures. To this purpose that of the Prophet Ezekiel speaketh fully, Ezek. 18. 31, 32. Where the Lord bewayling the perversnesse of the people of the Iews in running on headlong to their own destruction, he expostulateth the matter with them, vers. 31. Why will ye die O ye house of Israel! then he professeth that he was not delighted iu their destruction, or the destruction of any other, vers. 32. I have no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth] No, though wicked persons, and so most worthy to die, yet God taketh no pleasure in their death. So he elsewhere explains it, Ezek. 33. 11. As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.

Object. Why,How God willeth the death of the wicked. but doth not God will the death of the wicked?

Answ. True, he willeth it, but he taketh no pleasure in it. He willeth it as an act of Iustice, ordaining them to just condemnation for sin. But he is not delighted in their destruction, their misery. Even as a just, but merciful Judge, he pronounceth the sentence of death upon a guiltie malefactor, but it is with tears in his eyes. God is delighted in mercy, mercy pleaseth him, (as the Prophet hath it, Micah. 7. 18.) but so doth not the misery of his creature.

Let it be taken notice of by every of us.Appli. Not p. 27to the end that we should abuse this mercy,Gods grace not to be turned into wantonnesse. turn this grace into wantonnesse (as Saint Iude saith of some in his time did, Iude 4.) taking occasion thereby to go on and continue in sin. What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. (saith the Apostle) Rom. 6. 1. Shall we therefore go on to provoke this God because he is so compassionate towards us, so loath that we should perish; what were this but to abuse this his lenitie and goodnesse to our own just condemnation? But on the other hand, let this goodnesse of God lead us unto repentance. Gods goodnesse leading to repentance.This is the right use of it, (as we may learn from the same Apostle, Rom. 2. 4.) Be we hereby provoked to break off the course of our waies provoking sins, and to come in unto this God by serious and unfeigned repentance. This use will an ingennous child make of the indulgent affection of a tender hearted parent. When he seeth the bowels of his father or mother yearning towards him, bewailing his destructive courses, if there be any spark of ingenuity left, this cannot but work upon his heart, and make him think of betaking himself to a new course, which may be pleasing and contenful to so affectionate a parent. Behold thus is our heavenly Father, and thus is our blessed Saviour affected towards poor sinners. And therefore let it have the like work upon every of us, to provoke us to break off those sinfull wayes and courses, which are so offensive to those pure eyes; and come in unto our God by p. 28serious and unseigned Repentance.

So doing,Christ still retaining the same affection towards poor sinners. now doubt not but we shall have comfortable experience of his grace and mercy. What, was the Lord Iesus so affected towards a stubborn and rebellious people, that he so earnestly wisheth their good, and so passionately bewaileth their calamity, and will he not shew the like affection to poor penitent sinners? such as by coming unto him seek for mercy from him? Surely the Lord Iesus hath carried his bowels to heaven with him; still retaining the same affection tovvards poor sinners that here he had upon earth. Hovv ever he be not capable of expressing it in the like vvay: He can hence forth weep no more; All tears being wiped from his eyes, as they shall be from the eyes of all his Saints, vvhen they shall be translated to that blessed and glorious condition. Yet still he retaineth the same affection towards poor sinners. He that wept over Ierusalem here, wishing that it had been othervvise vvith them then it vvas, and vvas like to be, he doth earnestly desire that those tears, and that blood vvhichwhich he here shed in the dayes of his flesh, may be made effectual for the vvashing avvay the sins of poor sinners; Which also they shall be to all those, who turning away from them, come unto him, receiving him as their Saviour and Lord. But I shall not any longer dwell upon this; which I take up from the general consideration of the words, or from the manner of speaking.

p. 29Come we now to the matter; The matter of this lamentation; where the evil lamented, Aggravations of it.taking a nearer and more particular veivve of this Lamentation. Wherein we shall take notice of two things: the Evil of sin it self which our Saviour here bewaileth; and secondly the Aggravations of that evil. The evil bewailed is their stupidity, their not knowing of what belonged to their peace. The aggravations of that evil are two, the one taken from the persons, the other from the time. The persons who were thus stupid Ierusalem. [If thou, even thou] The time, the day of their visitation [At least in this thy day.] These are the severals, we have now to deal with.The evil lamented. Begin with the first. The evil lamented; their not knowing the things which belonged to their peace.]

Here,Expli. Three things. by way of explication three things are to be unfolded. 1. What is here ment by peace. 2. What were those things which belonged to Ierusalems peace. 3. How it is said that they did not know those things.

Q. For the first,What here meant by peace; viz. All kind of happinesse. by Peace here understand we prosperity, felicity. So the word was familiarly used among the Hebrews. In as much as Peace is a comprehensive blessing, they set forth all blessings under this. Thus in their ordinary salutations they were wont to wish Peace. Peace be unto thee, and peace be unto thy house, and peace be unto all that thou hast. It is the salutation which David sends to Nabal, 1 Sam. 25. 6. And thus our Saviour sending forth his Apostles, he puts this word into their mouthes, p. 30directing them to salute the families where they came after that manner, with an apprecation of peace. Into whatsoever house ye enter, ye shall first say, Peace be to this hous, Luk. 10. 5. i.e. all kind of happinesse. And so look we upon the word here in the text. By peace understanding here all kind of felicitie; Omnes foelicitatis partes (as Calvin hath it) all the parts, and kinds of happinesse. Happinesse both present and future; temporal and eternal.

Q. 2. But what were the things which belonged unto this their peace.What were the things which belonged to their peace; viz. Christ and his Gospel. A. foreign, why, in one word, Christ himself, and the doctrine of salvation by and through him Christ and his Gospel. These were the things which conduced to their peace, to the making of them a happy people, and that both here and hereafter. Other things there were, which in a Political and civil way might have tended to the outward peace, the temporal prosperity of that place. But none like this, none like Christ who is the Prince of peace, Isai. 9. 6. And our peace, Ephes. 2. 14. In him is the salvation of a people bound up. This it is which maketh a people truly happy: The knowledge of Iesus Christ.

And this knowledge the inhabitants of Ierusalem were destitute of. They neither did, nor would know this their Peace-maker. Moses they knew, he being read in their Synagogues every Sabbath day, Act. 15. 21. But Christ they knew not.

Q. 3. But what did not they know him? had p. 31they not heard of him?How they are said not to know these things, viz. in not owning of Christ. Nay had they not both heard and seen him? heard his Doctrine, seen his Miracles? A. True, but they did not receive him. He came unto his own, and his own recived him not, Joh. 1. 11. He came unto his own, to Israel his own peculiar people, to the land of Canaan his own Countrey, he being of the seed of Abraham, to Ierusalem his own City, he being the Son of David, but they received him not, they would not own him, they would not acknowledge him to be their Messias; they would neither believe on him, nor submit unto him. This it is truly to know God and Iesus Christ,To know God and Christ, what. to know them in an affectionate way. Not barely to know and believe that there is a God, and a Christ; no nor yet to know that Jesus is that Christ. This knowledge the Devils had and have. I know thee who thou art, even that holy one of God (saith that unclean spirit to our Saviour, Mark 1. 24. But to know them affectionately with a knowledge of approbation. So the word (knowing) in Scripture is frequently used. In this sense Saint Paul saith of himself, Rom. 7. 15. that the things which he did, he knew not. So the Original hath it, foreign, I know not, meaning (as our Translation giveth the sense of it) that he did not allow, or approve of them. In this sense God is said to know, or not to knovv men. If any man love God, the same is known of him, 1 Cor. 8. 3. that is approved of him. Verily I say unto you… ▪ I know yon not (saith the Bridgroome to p. 32the foolish virgins, refusing to own them, Mat. 25. 12.) And in this sense man is said to know God and Jesus Christ. This is life eternal, to know thee the onelyonly true God, and him whom thou hast sent Jesus Christ, Joh. 17. 3. O righteous Father the world hath not known thee, vers. 25. Novv in this sense the inhabitants of Jerusalem did not know Jesus Christ. A general knowledge they had concerning the Messia, that he should come. And many of them might know Jesus, but they did not know him to be the Messia, they did not acknowledge him to be the Christ.

Q. No (it may be said) did not they acknowledge him?Christ acknowledged by a small party. What meant then that Acclamation of the people who at this time brought him into Jerusalem in triumph, as Saint Matthew more fully reports the story, Mat. 21. 8. where he tels us how a very great multitude spread their garments in the way, &c. And they cryed, Saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest. Now did not they own, and acknowledge him. How is it then, that he here exprobrates them with their disowning, sleighting of him?

A. To this it is answered,By whom it was. True, Christ was thus acknowledged by some and many at this time. But by whom was it? Probably by some of the neighbouring villages not by the inhabitants of Jerusalem. So much seems to be intimated in the tenth verse, where it is said, p. 33when he came into Jerusalem, all the City was moved, saying, who is this? To whom the multitude which came along with him return answer, This is Jesus the Prophet, &c. But again, However some there were in Jerusalem, that did so acknowledge him; so did the Children in the Temple, A party inconsiderable both for quality and number.which sung the same song, Hosanna to the Son of David, vers. 15. yet who, or what were they? No considerable party whether for quality or number. For quality, they were such as were of no account, being of the vulgar and meaner sort; Not any of eminent place, whether in Church or State that appeared any more for him. Have any of the Rulers, or of the Pharisees believed on him? (say the chief Priests to their Officers, Joh. 7. 48.) At that time when those Queristers sung that Antheme in the Temple, it is said, that the chief Priests and Scribes were sore displeased, Matth. 21. 15. And it was no otherwise with the body of the people, who were generally led (as for the most part they are) by the example of their Rulers. They did not receive him and his Doctrine. And this it is which here he so passionately bewailes in them, that they had not done it, and so affectionately wisheth that they had done it.Obser. O if thou, &c.

Lo then, How deplorable a thing it is, for a people not to receive Christ and his Gospel being offered and tendered unto them. Not to receive Christ and his Gospel, a most deplorable thing.This is the observation I am now to prosecute. For a people not to receive Christ and his Gospel, not to p. 34give entertainment to the messengers of peace not to imbrace the offers of grace and mercy, being held forth unto them in the preaching of the Gospel, this is a most sad and deplorable thing. This is the thing which our Saviour here so passionately laments and bewails. And the same we find him doing again elsewhere, Mat. 23. 37. where he breaketh forth into the like pathetical exclamation. O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not.] O Jerusalem, Jerusalem! the word is doubled to intimate the strong affection of the speaker. How often would I have gathered thy children? meaning the people of the Jews, whose mother City was Jerusalem. This he had attempted by sending his messengers, his servants unto them, then coming himself, to admonish them, warn them, exhort them, so striving to bring them to faith and repentance, that so they might have been sheltred from the wrath of God, and secured from those imminent evils which hang over their heads. But they would not. They rejected the offers of grace made unto them. And this is the matter of our Saviours, lamentation, the thing which drew these tears from his eyes. And indeed there is nothing more to be lamented then this.

And will you have the Reason of it, take it from the Text.This is that which belongeth unto the peace of a people. This is the thing which belongeth unto their peace. Upon this it is that the woe p. 35or welfare, the felicity or misery of a people doth depend. This is their making or marring; the receiving or rejecting the Gospel of peace. This being entertained brings peace along with it. It was the commission and direction which our Saviour gave to his Apostles, when he sent them forth, Matth. 10. 12, 13. When ye enter into a house, salute it, and if the house be worthy (that is, such persons as are willing and ready to entertain you and your message) now let your peace come upon it. Now preach the Gospel of peace to them, and therewith wish all good and happinesse unto them: which also accordingly shall come and rest upon them. So Saint Luke expresseth it, Luk. 10. 6. If the sonne of peace be there, (meaning such persons as were readily disposed to receive the doctrine of peace; the Gospel) your peace shall rest upon it, foreign, God will bring upon that family all the good that you wish unto it; your apprecation of peace shall be as effectual as your preaching of it. Thus is it with a family, And thus is it with a City, and thus is it with a Nation. The receiving of the Gospel is the happinesse of it.

On the other hand,The rejecting of the Gospel the undoing of a people. the rejecting of the Gospel is the undoing of a people. So it there followeth, Matth. 10. 14. Whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear your words, when ye depart out of that house, or City, shake of the dust of your feet. This were the Apostles to do as a token of Gods shaking them off. Even as we read of p. 36Nehemiah shaking his lap, Nehem. 5. 13. Also I shook my lap, and said, So God shake out every man from his house, from his labour, that performeth not this promise, even thus be he shaken out and emptied. Thus were the Apostles to shake off the dust of their feet against those that rejected them: Or to shake their garments at them. So did Paul against the Jews, Act. 18. 5, 6. He preaching Christ unto them, when they opposed themselves and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, &c. Thereby intimating not onelyonly his deserting, but Gods rejecting of them. Of such sad consequence is it for a people not to give entertainment to the Gospel, and the messengers thereof. This layeth them under a curse; rendring them justly obnoxious to the vengeance of God. I shall not dwell any longer upon Confirmation, or Illustration. Bring we it home to our selves by way of Application.

Where (in the first place) see vve vvhat cause vve have to mourn and vveep over this Nation vvherein vve live,Applic. A just cause of mourning over this nation, the sleight entertainment given to the Gospel. vvherein Christ and his Gospel have found such sleight and slender entertainment as generally they have done, and yet do. A long time it is that the Gospel hath been held forth among us. Christ hath sent unto us his messengers, the Ministers of reconciliation, offering peace unto us upon Gospel tearms, upon our receiving him as our Saviour and Lord. But vvhat is the reception, vvhat is the entertainment that for the most part he hath p. 37met with? Is it any more then a formal reception, a formal profession of his name? This indeed hath generally obtained. The name of Christ is called upon us. But is not this all? What is there more to be found among the greatest part, but a naked profession without any power? How few are there that have received Christ into their hearts? Truth is, our acknowledgment of Christ hath been, and is generally more in Ceremony then in reality. Not unlike that of the Iews, many of which at his entrance here in to Ierusalem, were full of Ceremony and outward expressions; They spread their garments in the way, as a Carpet for him to ride upon. They cut down branches of trees, and strowed the way with them, as tokens of festivity and solemnity. And they cry Hosanna; saluting him by the name of a Saviour. But yet they were far from taking him to be their King. No; when he was propounded to them under that notion, as he was by Pilate, John 19. 14. the chief Priests make answer for the rest, we have no King but Caesar, vers. 15. And they who had even now cried out Hosanna, now change their note, crying out as loud Crucifige, Away with him, away with him, Crucifie him. And is it not so with the greatest part of this Nation? In a formal way they have acknowledged Christ for a Saviour, complementing him with some Ceremonial observances (such and no better have been the services which they have performed unto him, meer shadows without any substance) p. 38but as for taking him to be their King, how are the greatest part resolved with those Citizens in the Parable, Luke 19. 14. Nolumus regnare, we will not have this man to reign over us.

And O what a sad and deplorable thing is this!Calling for deep lamentation. what cause have we to sit down and weep over England upon this account? This was the thing which belonged to our peace. Had we thus received Christ and his Gospel, had we yielded up our selvs to be governed and regulated by his Laws, how happy a people might we then have been? Then might we have hoped that God would have subdued our enemies, and turned his hand against our adversaries: Then had our race been as a river, and our righteousness as the waves of the Sea (as the divine Psalmist and Prophet have it in the places forecited, Psal. 81. 13. Isaiah 48. 18.) Then had there been peace within our wals, and prosperity within our Palaces. But sleighting and rejecting him, not submitting to his Government; not to his outward Government (which the greatest part stand out against; having cast off those golden reines, they will not now endure any Government in the Church;) much less to his inward Government, to rule in their hearts; what evil have we cause to fear? Nay, what may we not fear?

In the fear of God let this be seriously laid to heart by every of us this day. We see how our blessed Saviour laid to heart this wretchlesness in Ierusalem. How he lamenteth over it, for it. O if thou hadst known the things which belong unto p. 39thy peace! And have not we just cause to take up the like Lamentation over this Nation! O England! if thou hadst known in this thy day the things which belong unto thy peace, O how happy, how blessed hadst thou been! But now, what God intends towards thee, who knoweth? Should he remove thy Candlestick, take away the Gospel from thee, (which is cause enough to fear;) should he bring the like evils upon thee, as our blessed Saviour here threatens against Ierusalem; should he make our Houses, Cities, Temples, desolate; should he bring utter desolation both upon Church and State; should he give a near and larger Commission to the Sword to eat fiesh and drink bloud, seconding it with those ordinary attendants (which through a wonderful providence we have hitherto been freed from;) Famine and Pestilence, so sweeping us as dung off from the face of the earth, yet must we acknowledg the Lord to be just and righteous.

In the humble acknowledgment whereof,Vse. 2. let all of us seriously set our selves for the diverting and preventing of these Judgments.What to be done for the preventing of judgment. foreign hic est utinam. Grotius ad loc. To which end be we admonished and exhorted, yet to hearken to this wish in the Text. So some here look upon the words in the Text, reading them Optatively, utinam nosses! O that, or would to God that thou hadst known! And O that England would yet hearken to this wish, so as to comply with it! Then which, what can be more desirable for it? What those things are you p. 40have heard; viz. to receive Christ and his Gospel; to give such entertainment to him and it as he requireth. Now let all of us, as we wish well to our own souls in particular, and to this Nation in general, seriously apply our selves hereunto. As yet through riches of grace the Gospel of peace is held forth unto us; As yet we enjoy the Ordinances of Christ, Word and Sacraments, with liberty and purity. O let us now make much of them, and make use of them: with holy care and conscience waiting and attending upon them; thereby making it manifest what esteem we have of them. Specially indeavouring to profit by them; to finde the power and life of them inwardly in our hearts in the changing and transforming them, and to express that power in the course of our lives and conversations by so walking as becometh the Gospel. So doing, now may we yet comfortably hope that he who doth here so compassionately mourn over a rebellious people rejecting him and his Gospel, will much more pitty spare a repenting people that is willing to hearken to his voice; So pitty us, as to turn away those threatned evils, continuing the Gospel of peace, with the peace of the Gospel to us and our posterities after us, so long as the Sun and Moon endureth.

Thus I have done with the substance of this Complaint,The Aggravations of this complaint. come we now to the circumstances; the Aggravations of this Evil.Aggravation, 1. Which (as I shewed you) are two, the Persons and Time. Begin with the former.

p. 41If thou hadst known,The Persons. even thou] foreign. Si vel tu nosses. Si cognovisses & tu. Not, If thou hadst even known] (as the former Translation renders it, putting the Emphasis upon the word, Known) but if even thou hadst known, with reference to the Persons, or Place.

Even thou] Thou also (say some) thou Ierusalem,Thou as well as others. as well as others; as well as this poor troop of my Apostles and Disciples;Diodate Annot. ad loc. or as divers other lesser Cities and Villages have done; or as this company now doth, which acknowledgeth me to be what I am, crying Hosanna; or as some other places heretofore have done; some of which have been so happy, as timely to take notice of what belonged to their peace. So did that great City Nineveh, at the preaching of Ionah they repented, John 3. 5. whose example elsewhere we finde propounded by our Saviour to the Jews, Mat. 12. 41. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment against this generation, and shall condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Ionah. And the like had some other places and persons done. And O that Ierusalem had also done the like! If thou also hadst known! Thou as well as others. Or,

Secondly,Thou, rather then others. Thou rather then others. So Calvin, and divers other Expositors here conceive of it. As if our Saviour did here compare Ierusalem with other Cities of Iudea; Yea with all other Cities of the whole world. All which Ierusalem excelled in respect of many p. 42priviledges!foreign] Vel tu urbs illa supr… omnes terrae urbes Dco dilecta, urbs David, urbs Regia, urbs sacris dicata. Grotius ad loc. This was the City of David, the Emperial City, yea the City of the great King, the City of God; a City beloved of God above all other places upon the earth; Coeleste in terris Sacrarium (as Calvin saith of it) a heavenly Sanctuary upon earth; Ierusalem a Non-such in respect of spiritual priviledges.where God had betrusted his Oracles, his Ordinances; where he had manifested his presence after a special manner, dwelling between the Cherubins, according to that of the Psalmist, Psal. 132. 13, 14. For the Lord hath chosen Sion, he hath desired it for his habitation. This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell. Such was Ierusalem, Heavens favorite, Earths Non-such; a City paramount, preferred and advanced above all other Cities and places upon earth in respect of spiritual priviledges. And this our Saviour here taketh up as an Aggravation both of his Sorrow and her Sin.An Aggravation.

1Of his Sorrow.Of Christs sorrows. Even thou.] As for other places, other Cities, suppose Chorazin, Bethsaida, Capernaum, the Gadarenes or Samaria, or the like, for any of these to perish and miscarry as they did, this were no other but a sad thing, deserving to be lamented over. But that Ierusalem should do so, this went nearer our Saviours heart then any other. Even as Brutus his stab did to Caesars, which made him cry out, foreign, & tu Brute; what, thou my son, thou Brutus? Even so did Ierusalems obstinacy and ingratitude here to our Saviour. p. 43And thereupon he crieth out after the same manner. foreign. Even thou.] Like as it is with a natural parent, he cannot but be offended with the miscarriage of any of his children, but that his darling, the son of his delights, whom he hath set his love upon and shewen most affection to, that he should miscarry, this goeth near him. So was it with Iacob, when he apprehended some sad disaster to have befallen his son Ioseph, his dear son, the son of his age, to whom he had expressed more affection then the rest of his Brethren, (as appeared by his party coloured garment) this went near his heart, insomuch that he refused to be comforted, resolving to go down to the grave to him mourning, (as we have the story Gen. 37. 3. 35.) And so was David affected with his Absolon; He being his darling, whom he had tendered and cockered, when he understood what a fatal end he by his Rebellion had brought himself unto, this makes David break forth into that passionate Lamentation. O Absolon my son, my son, &c. 2 Sam. 19. 4. Thus did Ierusalems carriage and miscarriage, her sin and punishment which our Saviour saw and foresaw; affect him more then if it had been any other place. O if even thou hadst known]. This was an Aggravation of his Sorrow.

2. And so (secondly) of their Sin. Of her sin.This also 2our Saviour may well be conceived to insinuate in this passionate expression. If Even thou.] Thou which hast enjoyed such means, so many p. 44mercies; that hast been lifted up to heaven, preferred before al places in the world in respect of spiritual favours and Gospel priviledges, that thou shouldest be thus stupid, thus blinde, as not to see, not to regard the things which belonged to thy peace and happiness, this renders thee of all others most miserable, and maketh thy ingratitude most superlative. So he here chargeth this upon them as a heinous aggravation of their Sin, calling for an answerable Iudgment.

And so indeed it is,Obser. (as Calvin maketh the observation) the more means,Means and mercies not answered, great aggravations of sin and judgment. the greater mercies a people enjoy, the greater is their sin, and the greater shall their punishment be, in case they do not walk answerably to them, and in some measure worthy of them. Mark it, this is the Observation which this passage naturally yieldeth; Means and Mercies, not regarded, not improved, not answered, are dreadful aggravations both of Sin and Judgment. For this, express and full is that obvious Text, Mat. 11. 20. where our Saviour breaketh forth into a like Exprobration against those Cities which he had honoured with his presence and doctrine, as here he doth against Ierusalem. Then (saith the Text) began he to upbraid the Cities wherein most of his mighty works were done, because they repented not] verse 20. In the verses foregoing he had taxed the general morosity and frowardness of that people, upon whom no means could work, neither Iohns austerity nor his own Comitie; p. 45this he doth vers. 16, 17, 18, 19. But now he cometh more specially to deal with those particular places, where he had been most conversant, taxing them as being most faulty of all the rest. Their sin was greater, and so should their punishment be. So it followeth, vers. 21. Woe unto thee Chorazin, woe unto thee Bethsaida, for if the mighty works which were done in you, had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloath and ashes,] Chorazin and Bethsaida, two Cities upon the Lake of Gennezareth, where Christ conversed much, taught often, wrought many miracles; yet they repented not, they were not thereby wrought upon to imbrace the Gospel. What followeth? you have it in the next verse, v. 22. I say unto you, it shall be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the day of judgment then for you.] At the day of general Judgment, there shall be appointed unto men different measures of punishment. Now at that day, our Saviour giveth them to take notice, that it would go worse with them, who had rejected the Gospel, then with those that never heard of it, though they lived more profanely then themselves did▪ and the like he chargeth against Capernaum in the verses following. And thou Capernaum which art exalted unto heaven (lifted up above other places in this temporal condition, i… regard of wealth &c.) shalt be brought down to hell] depressed, and brought to the lowest degree of poverty aad misery. So Grotius (not p. 46amiss) expounds both these expressions, looking upon them as Proverbial phrases; Ad astra tolli. Sublimi feriens sydera vertice.the one signifying the highest pitch of outward felicity, which is called a lifting up to heaven; the other the lowest degree of misery, which is called a casting down to hell. This the Prophet Isaiah speaking of Babylon, Isai. 14. describeth the change of her condition in the like langvage. How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer; verse 12. Thou hast said in thine heart I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my self above the stars of God, verse 13. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, verse 15. And so Hanna in her song, speaking of Gods various dispensations and dealings with the sons of men, she saith that he bringeth down to the grave (Sheol, (saith the Original) ad infernum, (to Hell) and lifteth up, 1 Sam. 2. 6. In a like sense saith our Saviour here of Capernaum; though she was lift up to heaven, flourishing with all kind of outward prosperitie, being a great Port Town, (not unlike unto this where we now are) famous for fishing, and other merchandize, yet she should be brought down to hell, brought to extremity of misery. Which accordingly afterwards came to pass in the days of the Emperour Vespasian, who over-ran the whole Countrey of Galilee, spoiling that place amongst others. And what was the cause of this so sad a change? why, her not answering the means afforded her; so it there followeth, verse 24. For if the mighty works which have been done in thee had been done in Sodom, it would have p. 47remained unto this day; (In all likelihood they would have been converted thereby from their wicked wayes, and so have escaped that judgment;) But I say unto you it shall be more tollerable for the land of Sodom in the day of Iudgment, then for thee, verse 24. Sodome, a place of monstrous and most flagitious wickedness, infamously famous for those three things, Pride, fulness of Bread, and abundance of Idleness, Ezek. 16. 49. besides many other horrid abominations which were therein, it being a sink of uncleanness, insomuch that God made it a spectacle of vengeance to all posterity, destroying it with fire and brimstone from heaven. Yet Capernaums portion of judgment at that day should be greater then hers. And why so? Inasmuch as she enjoyed those meanes which Sodom did not. True, there was a righteous Lot in Sodom, whose Example might have had some influence upon them; But in Capernaum was Christ himself preaching unto them, and confirming his doctrine by miracles. And this it was which aggravated Capernaums sin, and so heightned her judgment.

Thus the more light,The more light the greater sin. the more means a people sin against, the greater is their sin. This is that our Saviour saith of the Iews, John 15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin; that is, comparatively, their sin had been nothing in comparison of what now it is. Express to this purpose are those two known Texts of the Apostle to the Hebrews; p. 48the former Heb. 2. 2, 3. where comparing the times of the Law with those of the Gospel. If (saith he) the word spoken by Angels (the Law given upon mount Sina by the ministry of Angels, (as it is commonly expounded) or any other message sent by the Angels (as some conceive it) was steadfast (was of such force, and authority, that none who violated it escaped unpunished) and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him,] that is, the doctrine of salvation, the Gospel, which is foreign, the word of Salvation, Acts 13. 26. being foreign, the way of Salvation, Acts 16. 17. bringing so great salvation as no other way can, even eternal salvation; which was preached and published first by Christ himself, then by his Apostles. This doctrine being of such consequence, and so clearly held forth, it maketh the sin of those who shall not hearken to it to be more heinous then of those under the Law▪ for which they must expect an answerable judgment. Consonant hereunto is that other place, Heb. 10. 28, 29. He that despised Moses his Law died without mercy (the crime being Capital. and so declared by the Law, it was not in the power whether of King or Senate to pardon it;) Of how much sorer punishment suppose ye shall be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the son of God, &c. and hath done despite to the Spirit of Grace? Thus sins against the Gospel p. 49are greater and more heinous then those against the Law. The more light the more grace a man sinneth against, the greater is his sin, and the greater shall his punishment be.