Exposition of the Apostles Creed, Part · Sermon 39
The Churches affliction and lamentation.
Psalme 137.1.
By the waters of Babylon we sate down and wept, when we remembred thee O Zion.
AND if ever any people sate at the waters of Babylon, we are the men; and therefore if any have occasion to sit down and weep, we have just Reason to sit down and weep with them. Babylon is a City of Confusion, there God confounded the Languages. Babylon was a City of different Religions; for thence came the Oglio or Medly of the Samaritan Worship; Gen. 11.7.that I say nothing of the Captivity of Israel, 2 Kings 17.33.and hard bondage undergone there: And at these Babyolnish waters we have sate some years, God having confounded our Language, and by it our Unity and Religion. We that were wont to meet and pray with one heart, and one tongue, are now divided into more hearts, and more tongues, than were at Babel; and have we not cause then, to sit down and weep? Can you expect from us a song of Zion? If it be any, it must be a Threne borrowed out of the Lamentations of Jeremy, or that Song of Asaph, Psal. 79. or some such sad and heavy Ditty as David composed, when he was banished from the House of God; Psal. 84.such doleful and melancholy Tunes are fit, or none at all,Psal. 120. while we sit at the waters of Babylon.
Want is that which sets the true price on any thing; that which men enjoy in abundance, they nauseate; when what is removed or denied, provokes the appetite. Thus it fell out with these Israelites; they were at this time at Babylon, under the yoke of the Assyrian Tyrant, far from their own Countrey, banished from the Temple of God, deprived of all Exercises of Religion, scoffed and scorned by the pride and insultation of the Enemy, and now they begin to complain and pray; remember what they were, and what they are; what they enjoyed, and what they want; that at Jerusalem they could freely sing the songs of Zion, but that now at the Rivers of Babylon they must sit down and weep, and hang up their Harps.
The whole Ode is pathetical, and full of grief, set it is to the Tune of sorrow; the Cliffe is Grave and Dorique, the Musick is Chromatique, composed of two parts.
1. A Complaint.
2. A Prayer.
1. The Complaint is lamentable, aggravated, ver. 1.
1. From the place of their Captivity, Babylon.
2. From the continuance, They sate there.
3. From their expression of grief, They wept.
4. From the cause of it, The remembrance of Zion.
2. Yet farther, this their grief is amplified.
1. By the intensiveness of it; so great it was, that they omitted foreign, and laid aside their Harps and Musical Instruments, that might ease or mitigate it, ver. 2. For our Harps, we hanged them up.
2. But that which did more break their heart, was the Insultation, and bitter Sarcasms of the Babylonians, they then their proud Masters, these their Slaves and Captives, to whom in scorn they said, Sing us one of the Songs of Zion; Ver. 3.we have heard you boast much of these Songs of Zion, Come on now, let us hear a Hymne, a Benedicite, a Laudate.
To this Ironical desire of the proud insulting Babylonian, the Captive Jew returns a double answer.
1. Ab impossibili; This was a request that might not be granted, a thing that could not be done; the Land was strange, the People Aliens, the Song the Lords, destin'd to his Honour, his Service; and therefore how can we sing, &c? ver. 4. The Song is not for this time, this place, this people; we may not cast p…arls before Swine.Matth. 7.6.
2. By the manifest of their constant profession in Religion, and their hope of better times.
1. They were now in a low estate, and yet they would never change the first intent of these religious Hymns to please their irreligious ears; if such a forgetfulness seized upon them, then
Let my right hand forget her cunning, let me never be impowred to touch Harp more, ver. 5.
If Jerusalem were not fixed in their memory, then let their tongue cleave to the roof of their mouth.
2. But their hope was, that it would be better, and then in their mirth they would prefer Jerusalem, ver. 6. then they were ready to sing a Song of Zion.
The second part of the Ode.
The complaint is ended, and now follows an Imprecation against Edom and Babylon, both enemies to Gods people.
1. A petition there is to God against the Edomites, Remember O Lord the children of Edom; Deut. 2.4, 5.the Edomites were Neighbours to the Jews, Brethren, and commanded to be spared; but they forgot all humanity, and helped on the wrath, Zech. 1.15.when the anger of the Lord did smoke against Jerusalem; then they encouraged our enemies,Ver. 7. Down with it, Root and Branch, down with it, down with it, even to the ground; and therefore O Lord, remember the children of Edom, and reward them seven-fold into their bosome.
2. As for Babylon, they not only imprecate, but prophesie, O Babylon to be destroyed; which shortly fell out by Cyrus; and then bless, and bless again the Doer.
1. Blessed shall he be that retaliates, that rewards thee as thou hast served us, ver. 8.
2. Blessed and happy shall he be that takes thy children, and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.
foreign.
Thus have I strung and tuned this Prophets Harp, and you shall now hear what Lessons I can express unto you from the first verse; they may be profitable, but they cannot be pleasant; 'tis no season for such strains while we sit at the Rivers of Babylon; that was the place in which the Jews now were, with which I will begin.
1. At the Rivers of Babylon.
Babylon was the Royal City of the Assyrian Monarchy, seated in the armes of Tigris and Euphrates; The other ten Tribes were dispersed by Salmanassar in Halah and Haber, and in the Cities of the Medes. 2 King. 17.6. &. cap. 24.25.The Nobles and Craftsmen of the other two, were the men who were captiv'd by Nebuchadonezer, and placed, as I conceive, upon the banks of these Babylonian rivers, where they journied in a sad manner, and wore out their dayes in such Cabines as they could provide, hanging up their Harps upon the willows and other trees which grew on those banks.
This was the condition of Gods people at this time, being Captives, slaves, pilgrims in a strange Land, oppressed, afflicted, derided.
Now if you shall ask how this misery fell upon them, the answer is easie to any one who hath read the books of the Kings, Chronicles, Prophets. Isa. 1.4.Isaiah laments that they were a sinful Nation, a p…ople laden with iniquity, a seed of evil-doers, children that were corrupt…rs; they had forsaken the Lord, they had provoked the holy one of Israel to anger; they were alienated or separated. Their Countrey was his Vineyard, and he had planted them with the choicest Vine, and he look'd for Grapes, and it brought forth wild Grapes; and he presents us with many clusters, Covetousnesse, Drunkennesse, Lasciviousnesse,Isa. 5.2.8.9. &c. Impiety, Injustice, Contempt of Gods Word. And yet I have not named unto you the Idolatry of Mana…seh, and the innocent blood which he shed, assigned as another cause, 2 Kings 24.3, 4. What should I say, that in the dayes of the last Kings God sent his servant Jeremy unto them, but they abused,Jer. 32. imprisoned him, and would not hear! A stubborn, and rebellious people they were, uncircumc…sed in heart and eares, that alwayes resisted the holy Ghost; and is it any wonder then to see them sit at the rivers of Babylon? Act. 7.51.Daniel in the time of their captivity, confesseth thus much in his passionate prayer, O Lord, Dan. 9.5, 6.we have sinned, and have committed iniquity, and have done wickedly, and rebelled, even by departing from thy precepts, and from thy judgements. Neither have we hearken…d unto thy servants the Prophets which spake in thy Name to our Kings, our Princes, and our fathers, and to all the people of the Land.
That which we are to collect out of this, is, that a National sin hath at the heeles a National punishment: And that the sin of the Nation is then most great and ripe for the sickle, when the Prophets of God may not be heard, when abused, mocked, contemned, imprisoned, innocently slaine.
To what height the sin of this Land was arrived, I am not able to say; for I take no del…ght to rake in dunghils; should I do it, I must present you the ugly faces of Oppression, Sacriledge, Injustice, Impiety, Atheism, Perjury,Ezra 16.56. reeling and vomiting in the streets, and that our sister Sodom was not mentioned by us in the day of our pride. This is evident, that a wonderful and horrible thing was committed in the Land; the Prophets prophesied falsely, Jer. 5.30.and the Priests bore rule by their means, and the people loved to have it …o; If any P…ophets arose, who prophesied after their own hearts, who were bold to daub with untempered motter, and had skill to sow pillows under all armholes,Ezech. 13.2, 11, 18. he was a Prophet for this people. But for those who were truly sent unto them, they came as the people comes, and sate before them as Gods people, Ezech. 33.31.32and they heard their words, but they would not do them; for with their mouth they shewed much love, but their heart went after their covetousnesse. And lo, they were unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument; for they heard their words, but they did them not. At last the matter came to this,Isa. 30.10. that The command was to the Seers See net; and to the Prophets, prophesie not unto us right things, speak unto us smooth things, prophesie deceits, Jer. 11.21.or else prophesie not in the name of the Lord, that thou dye not by our hand. This is it which hath brought us to Babel, to confusion, to the waters of Babel, to those floods of trouble, from which we shall never be delivered till the Truth of God from those Prophets which he hath commission'd and sent, may be heard.
2 Thes. 2.I never cast my eyes upon that passage in Saint Paul, but my bowels yerne over my deceived and seduced brethren, the Catastrophe is so sad, that they all might be damned who believed not the Truth, Verse 12.but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse. And if you will know how this was effected, consult the former words; Satan the adversarie of all divine truth and mans salvation, shall raise up his minister and instrument, that same foreign, that lawlesse person Antichrist,Verse 9, 10. who by power and lyes, by fraud and injustice shall work so powerfully, that he shall draw many into false and erroneous opinions, and debauch them with all kinde of iniquity and impiety; the end is, that they may perish.
Yea, but why doth not God restraine this his power? why doth he not evacuate this his purpose? This is done out of a just revenge, of their incredulity, their vanity, their levity, and malicious contumacy, Because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved; and for this cause shall God send them strong delusion, that they should beleeve a lye. Because that such men,Verse 10, 11. who desire especially to be called the Church, shall fall wilfully from the Truth of the Gospel, which they had heard, and in which they were instructed, and shall worship their own imaginations and meere inventions of men; therefore shall God send upon them an erroneous delusion, and this delusion shall work so powerfully and effectually, that they shall beleeve false things for true, take vice for vertue, hypocrisie for piety, wicked emulation for zeale, rapine and sacriledge for piety; in a word, gain for godlinesse. This, this is an act of divine justice, that they should be strucken blind, who would not see the light; that they should give credit to lyes, who would not continue in the truth; that they should perish, who would not be saved.
These be the causes why the Church sometimes is brought to the waters of Babylon. Gods justice, the Divels malice, and mans vanity, desultory faith, and itching after novelties in Religion.
But shall not the Judge of all the world do right? Will God punish the righteous with the wicked? Gen. 18.25.Shall those, who did and would be glad to sing the songs of Zion, be brought to the floods of Babylon, with them who are guilty of the sin?
1. I answer, that many of those, who now sate at these waters, and repented, might yet have given too much passage to this water at the beginning; they might see it rising, and stopt it not, they might help to encrease it, and therefore it is but just they should also suffer by the flood.
2. In National punishments, such as are famine, the sword, pestilence, and removing the Candlestick,Revel. 2.5. Gen. 12.10. Gen. 14.12. Gen. 42. Exod. 5. Numb. 14.23. usual it is with God to bring the calamity on good and bad,; Abraham and Jacob sustaine famine with the Canaanites. Lot is carried away captive with the Sodomites. The good and bad Israelites carry burdens in Egypt. Caleb and Joshuah with the Rebels, wander in the Wildernesse for fourty years.
3. Farther yet a difference is to be put, both in the punishment, and those men who suffer the punishment. The punishments of good men, are …xercitia, & custodia virtutis. The affliction of Job was the exercise of his patience. The thorne in the flesh to Saint Paul, was the preservative of his humility; And to this end God suffers his dearest Saints to be afflicted. Again, the men which suffer, are either vessels of wrath, or vessels of merciemercy. To rhe first, not only the punishments, but the favours of God are destructive. But to the last, all things work together for their good. To these he speaks those comfortable words, For a small moment have I forsaken thee, Isa. 54, 7.8.but with g…eat mercies I will gather thee; in a little wrath I hid my face from thee, for a moment: but with everlasting kindnesse will I have merciemercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer. But as yet involved they were in the common calamity, and therefore they sate them down with their brethren and wept.
2. Sedentes.
They sate them down, as if they would pause upon their calamity, and seriously examine the causes of it, without which the tears will never fall kindly; such is the power of a stroke from Gods hand. When they were in their own Land at ease, full of corne, wine and oyle, at rest from their enemies round about them, no promises, no mercies could win them to obedience; no woes, no threats of the Prophets could work any amendment, or draw one penitent tear from them. They harned their heart as a rock, Jer. 5.8.and made their ore-head as a flint, and would not return. But being led away captive to Babylon, seated sub Dio, in the open aire, they begin to consider their deserts, and Gods justice, upon which they bemoan themselves, and set to the work in earnest.
To turn an eye back, and glance now and then (perhaps to passe away the time, and satisfie our curiosity) upon the works of Gods hands, I meane the examples of sin, wrath and misery, is not ro much purpose. The sole reading of these may bring knowledge; but it is the pausing and digesting of these which will make them beneficial. To benefit then hereafter by what we read or suffer, is vacare & videre, To take some time,Psal. 46 10. and meditate upon what God hath done in the earth. This is the chafing of the Pomander which may sweeten the aire about us, and may keep us from infection. This hath God done, and he may do it again; he did it to him, and he may do it to me. Such a sad thought may cause a man to withdraw till the dew arise from the limbeck of the heart, and distill by the eyes some drops of tears. Thus it was w…th these captive Jewes; they sate down before they wept; they laid to heart, where …hey were, and how they came thither, and then the tears fell in abundance, even by their own confession.
3. Etiam at{que} etiam flevimus.Junius.
God who hath made the eyes the Organ of sight, hath made them also the Conduit of teares. That so a flood from them mingled with Christs blood, might wash away the sinne that too often enters by them. The desire of the Apple entred by the eye, Achans sacriledge by the eye,Gen 3.6 Josh. 7 21. Mat 5.28. Ezek. 24.21. Jer. 9.21. wa…tonness by the eye; Idols were the desires of these mens eyes; so that D…ath may well be said to climb up by these windows; and out by these windows it may be said to be cast, when Floods of Penitent Teares expel it.
These teares are of two sorts; of Compunction, and Compassi…n; and what should hinder us to think that these Jews shed of both kinds, since they wept etiam at{que} etiam, again and again?
1. I cannot but think, that they were Prodigal of their teares of contrition, without which Gods anger could not be appeas'd, and his goodwi…l recover'd.
Their example is for our practice; that since we have not hearkned to the Prophets as Israel, that then we weep with Israel; and weep now especially; since as they then, so we now sit at the waters of Babylon. The same cause would produce the same effect; in this was theirs, in this must be our hope. Who can tell, if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, Jon. 3.9.that we perish not! In these showres of sorrow, the Servants of God have had good Hope, and good Successe. This thought wrought so far with Peter, Mat. 26.75. Luke 7.38.that he went out and wept bitterly; bitterly for a bitter sin. This made so deep an impression in Mary Magdalen, that she made a Laver of her teares, and washed her Saviours feet. This made the Prophet David to season all his provision with teares;Psa. 42.3. Psa 6 6. Psa. 126.5. he had teares for his meat, he had teares for his drink, he had teares in his bed, and he had teares in the field; for he sow'd in teares: Largo humectat flumine vultum.
And yet for all these teares, he cryes out Amplius Lava, wash me throughly, Psa. 51.2.yet and yet wash me. A Vessel that hath been tainted, will not be sweet with once washing; often scalded, and baked, and sunn'd it must be: And thus our Vessels being sowred with iniquity, must be washed and washed again, and scoured, and rubb'd etiam at{que} etiam, with this penitential Sope and Nitre.
And yet when all's done, these tears will not merit a pardon; they may be legati doloris, messengers sent before to Heaven to testifie our dolorous and griev'd souls, and so impetrare, speak and prevail with God to look toward us; but per modum solutionis, satisfie him they cannot, nor yet make amends for the least offence. And yet they speak a Language with which God is so well ac…uainted and pleased, that he hears, and enclines, and grants a Remission. The Lord, saith David, hath heard the voice of my weeping.Psa. 6.8.
But how can we hope that he should hear this voice, who want these powerful Oratours to speak for us? We sinne daily, but we scarce shed a tear for sinne in all our dayes: We pollute our selves, but take not this water to clense us; we wallow in our filth and shame, but wash not; were it not then that there is an indulgence for these teares, we were all in a heavy case. Be it then when men have done all they can, that teares w…ll not fall, it must not be forgotten, what God expects and looks for; It is that you do what you can; and thus much (with Gods assistance) you can do.
First, Mourn you can; Reason commands that; and this is the first part of the indulgence,Joh. 2.12. that you mourn yet, when you cannot weep; for this is foreign, that exchange which God will accept for teares. By this you rate what sinne deserves, though you have it not to lay down, that in your judgement sinne deserves more teares to be spent upon it, than ten sonnes; and you would spend them upon it, had reason the command over your eyes, your sense. And this intensive sorrow will be dolor appreciativus, a price that God will accept.
Farther yet, wish we can, wish with the Prophet, and so let us wish, Oh that my head were a well …f water, Jer. 9.1.and my eyes a Fountaine of teares, that we might do the work as it ought to be done: This we can.
And pray we can also, that he which turns the flint-stone into a springing w…ll, Psa. 114 8.would vouchsafe to our Hearts harder than a flint gratiam lachrymarum, some drops of this grace to that end.
And complaine we can, and bemoane our selves, that we have such stones in our hearts, Jer. 31.18.such Rocks in our breasts, that will yield no Water.
John 1.12. Luke 18.13.And sit down we can, and beat, and smite, and rend our Breasts, judge, condemn, execute, and be revenged upon our hearts for this hardness.
And lastly, one thing more we can do, viz. humbly beseech our Heavenly Father, that where the reckoning for our teares falls short, that he would accept of the strong cryes and bitter teares,Heb. 5.7. which in the daies of his flesh, his Blessed Son shed for us: If our grief for sinne be truly intensive, we will rise by these steps; Complaine we will, and mourn; mourn and pray, pray and wish, that our Hearts were softer; and if they will not melt and mollifie, smite and beat them, that some penitential water may if possible, flow from them, as from a Rock.
I would have all this understood of regenerate persons raised by grace, with which that they do co-operate, I am sure is consonant to Saint Pauls command, Work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling. Phil. 2.12.But what now if these teares arise out of a sense of Gods Hand upon us, that he hath brought us to sit at the waters of Babylon, will they be the worse? There are who condemn them, conceiving that they must flow out of pure love, and that the waters of Babylon should have no influence upon them. But this is a foul mistake; for as the pangs of Child-birth do necessarily precede the Birth of a son, so also in this spiritual birth, we never bring forth Masculine thoughts, except we first travel with many pains, and throbs, and throws of a tender conscience, to which Gods anger and the consequent judgements and affliction is a ready way to bring us. A dol…re parturivimus salutem, Isa. 26.18.Jon. 3. Isa. 38. Mat. 3. Jonah's Thunder brought Nineveh to Sackcloth; Isaiah's Morieris Hezeki…h to tears: The Baptists axe and fire the guilty people, the couzening Publicans, and rough hewen Soldiers, to come and ask with one voice, What shall we do?
For punishments, however they be not the intrinsecal principles and formal causes of our conversion, yet from without there are powerful and moving causes, that we return. They are as the Needle that makes way for the thread; as a bitter portion, that by accident procures Health; or as the sharp Knife of a Chyrurgeon, that doth let out the rank and corrupt blood, that so the vital Spirit within may comfort and recover the Patient. I condemn not then the teares of these poor Captives, though they were occasioned out of a sense of what they suffer'd, and why they suffer'd; a heavy bondage laid upon them by a just God for their sin.
2. But then again I must needs commend them, that they mourned and wept, not only for themselves, but for Zion also. In their contrition and compunction they might reflect upon themselves; but in their teares of Sympathy and Compassion they shewed their love to God and Religion. They forgate not Jerusalem, they remembred Zion.
Zion is a type of the Church, and the Church is the body of Christ, of which Body all Christians are members; and in the body shall one member suffer,1 Cor. 12.26. and another not suffer with it? The wrong that is done to the foot should affect the hand, and the hurt of the hand may affect the heart. And would to God the hurt had been only in the hand or foot; but the wound is yet deeper and more dangerous; even the very vital parts, the head and heart of this Mystical Body have received well nigh their deaths wound, and do you yet stand by with dry eyes?Lam. 1.12. Remember the complaint of Jerusalem in the midst of her affliction, See if there be any sor…ow like my s…rrow: and have you no regard all ye that passe by? It seems it was not the affliction that so much, troubled her, nor her enemies hands that lay heavie upon her, which caused these great searchings of heart; That which was so unkindly taken, was,Judg. 5.16. that she should be thus bitterly wounded in the house of her friends, and so little pity taken of her.
To weep with them that weep, is a duty which Saint Paul layes upon us,Rom. 12.15. and he imposeth no more than he himself performs. Who, saith he, is weak, 2 Cor. 11.29.and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? For as it is with strings, that joyne and accord in the same unison, if you strike the one, the other will shake and move: so also it should be with men, that meet in the same harmony of Faith and Religion; when one is smitten with the hand of trouble, the sound and motion should reach to the other, and make a kindly impression of grief and sorrow upon them. So it ought to be when any one single member of the body is distressed; what then ought our compassion to be, when the whole is in paine? Above all things, it is our duty to pray for the peace and prosperity of Jerusalem. Psal. 122.6.Though then our own particular state be never so good, yet it must be our grief to see the Church of God in trouble. Gods Saints and servants have been tender-hearted, and tenderly affected in the day of Jerusalem. How was the wife of Phinehaz grieved for the Arks captivity!1 Sam. 4.21, 22 Nehem. 2.3. How sad was the countenance of Nehemiah, even when he was full, and enjoyed what royal favour could cast upon him, when the City and place of his fathers Sepulchre lay waste, and the gates thereof were consumed with fire!Rom 9.1, 2. Paul had great sorrow and heavinesse of heart for his brethren; and Jeremy breaks upon his thought into a passion, Let my eyes run down tears day and night, Jer. 14.17.let them not cease; for the Virgin of my people is broken with a grievous breach, with a very grievous blow, &c. But why do I produce the tears of servants,Luk. 19.41. when I finde a river of this water in the eyes of our Lord himself upon the foresight of the ruine to fall upon Jerusalem and the Temple! When he saw the City, he wept over it.
These are all patterns for us to exemplifie, and were there in us such bowels, there would be such passion, and compassion. Joseph should not be afflicted, but we would pity him: The glory not depart from Israel, but we would name every child Icha…d: Amos. 6.6. 1 Sam. 4.22. Jer. 31.15.Rachel not weep for her children, but we would bear a part with her. So it should be; but how is it? We passe by and regard it not, we turn aside as if it were nothing to us; we drink wine in bowles, and remember it not. We eate, and drink, and buy and sell, pull down, and build as freely, as luxuriously, as sumptuously, as if Jerusalem stood in her former glory, and God were praised in Zion. I wish we had stay'd here; for all this might be imputed to inconsideration; what follows must be imputed to malicious wickednesse; for farther there be that go, and adde affliction to affiiction; that now when God is a little displeased, help forward the affliction, persecuting them whom God hath smitten; nay, which is yet worse, trample and insult upon Zions miserie, as if they had learned to speak no other language than that of Edom, Down with it, down with it.
I know not what to make of it, nor what to say to it. Surely this same foreign, is but a divelish quality. Were men living members of the Christian Body, it would be otherwise. That they sympathise not, that they are not compassionate, that they melt not, that they relent not, is an argument that they are joyned to the body as a wodden legge, or an eye of glasse, which never partake of grief or pain, because they partake not of life and blood. But they who help on the affliction, have learned it of Satan, who thought that Job was never low enough, till he was scraping his sores upon the dunghill.
The Lord hath afflicted his people, the Lord hath caused Zion to drink deep of his cup of mixed wine; passe not then any longer by without beholding; or if you cannot command your eyes to cast a pitiful look that way, yet passe by without reviling, smite not them whom God hath smitten. Be not Babylonians, call not to her sons in scorn, Sing us one of the songs of Zion. If there be in you the bowels of men, or charity of Christians, forbear these Sarcasmes, these contumelious reproaches. You shall answer for your want of pity and compassion, for your want of tears: What Apology can be made for bitternesse, for persecution, for your insultation over our misery, God only knows. Say what you can, This is to you. It concerns you that Jerusalem is in the dust, that the stones of Zion are pull'd one from another, that her sons are captives at the waters of Babylon, that—But I spare you. Were you as you ought to be, truely compassionate, you would sit down with these Jews and weep, etiam atque etiam, again and again; you would Pathetically cry out with the Prophet Jeremy, O that my head were full of water, Jer. 9.1.and mine eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people! So he for the Children, but the Jews here for the Mother.
4. We wept when we remembred thee O Zion.
Listen I pray. You may hear the deepest strings of the Prophets Harp, like the Bases of a Theorbo humming yet in your ear, O Zion. Heark again, and it may seem to your sense the double Aire of a Sackbut or Organ holding out, O Zion. Thus it sounds in my ears still. And me thinks, I behold all the pious Jews sitting round about those waters weeping, and groaning, and ecchoing back with a mournfull voice, O Zion. Let us then examine a little, what was in Zi…n more than in any other place.
Zion was first a Fort of the Jebusites; this King David took from them, and therein erected a strong hold; and Sol…mon after built the Temple. 2 Sam. 5.7. 2 Chron. 3.1.So that it was Sedes Regni & Sacrarij, the seat of the Kingdom and Sanctuary. Who then can blame their tears, when they thought of the ruine of their Kingdom and Religion! Their Laws with Zion were made void, their Government overthrown, their Temple consum'd with fire, their holy vessels prophan'd, the Ark of God was taken, their Priests slain with the sword, their Sacrifices ceased, their new Moons and Sabboths polluted, the Tables broken, the Records of God the Scriptures cancell'd. Cruelty, Sacriledge, Impiety, Oppression had spared nor fanis nor profanis: All that was in the Church, all that was without it, that could be dear and precious unto them, was made a prey to the great Assyrian Monarch.
Fair possessions, and much wealth they no question lost in this fatal overthrow of their City and Countrey. But we read not a word of complaint for these: that which fil'd their hearts with sorrow, and their eyes with tears, was the ruine of Zion. For this place as it was the foundation of their peace and welfare, so it was the burden of their lamentable threne.
Zion is a Type of the Catholick Church, of which every National is a member; and the ruine of this draws with it the tuine of any Common-wealth; though then that be deplored, yet let the ruine of this, of Zion, be lamen… ed with a fountain of tears, because with Zions fall, all the outward means of our salvation are removed from Gods people.
Pardon and remission of sin all men stand in need of.Levit. Chap. 1. Chap. 2. Chap. 3. To that end God ordained the propitiatory Sacrifices to be in Zion; Priests to offer these in Zion; Aaron and his sons to take their Censers and step in, and make an atonement in Zion, to blow the Trumpet, to sanctifie a fast, to call a solemn Assembly in Zion; Joel 2.17.in a word, to weep betwix… the Porch and the Altar, and say, Spare thy people, O Lord, and give not thy heritage to reproach. To the same end hath Christ now ordained the preaching of his Word, the Sacraments, the Keys, and Ministers to be Embassadours of peace. Now how shall we have this pardon made known, tendered to us and sealed, if Zion be brought to ruine!
Our necessities are great and urgent, and there is no way to have them supplyed but by petition. This poured forth in the Closet will do well: But yet this is not domus orationis, the house of Prayer.Luk. 19.46. Isa. 56.7. Psal. 122.4. 1 King. 8 30. 2 King. 19.14. The place which God hath chosen for all flesh to that purpose is the Temple; thither the Tribes went up, there they offered their prayers, there God promised to hear. It was in the house of the Lord that Hezekiah spread Senacheribs letter, and upon it he received a gracious answer. Prayer wants much of the force being single, which it will have being united; many hearts and votes being joyned, do as it were combine and conspire to pierce the Clouds, and offer a sacred violence to the throne of grace. And where can supplicants unite, where combine, how conspire to wrastle with God, if the walls of Zion be demolished and razed? Again, mens receipts are many, gifts bestowed upon the Church, upon the Nation, for which the Father of all good gifts expects his Tribute of thanks, and where shall the receivers meet to pay their due, if Zion lie in the dust?
In private no question these religious Jews did all this at Babylon; they meditated, they read, they pray'd, they praised God. But all this would not give them content; the songs of Zion they desired to sing in Zion, or else they thought that all would not succeed well with them. And this appears in this, that when after the Commission was extant to rebuild the Temple,Ezra 3.10, 11. they laid the foundation with so much joy and gladness. Thither, when the first Temple stood, they were wont to go up with a pipe, there they burnt Incense, Isa. 30.29. Deut. 15.there th…y kept their solemn Feasts, there they rejoyced before the Lord, so that till that day came again, resolved they were to sit down and weep. The memory of Zion was bitter unto them, because they could not serve God in Zion.
I desire your patience, that I may proceed one step farther. With a fained breath to say, Laus Deo, is but cold satisfaction; this rent is best paid, when men make his praise to be glorious. Psal. 148.1. Psal. 66.2.The glory of all things is, that, in which their highest perfection doth consist; and the glory of God the highest eminency, whereby he is above all things in power, in knowledge, in holinesse, in mercy, in justice, in eternal being. God is then glorified by us, when such his Excellency, and Eminency is with due admiration set forth with heart and tongue; Which is necessary, not in respect of God, for he knows what we can or will say,Deut. 13.11. and 17.13. before we speak; but in respect of men, that if it were an act of justice, as that upon Pharaoh in the red Sea, that others may hear and fear, and do no more so wickedly: if of mercy and deliverance, his children may with the more confidence rely upon him.
The Israelites (I mean while they were the Israel of God) were no mutes; they did dicere, & bene dicere, speak, and speak well of him, their talking was of his Truth, and his Salvation; and least their tongues should be any way defective,Psal. 71.24. they sang to. To which purpose they had their Mizmor, Tehilla…, and Schir, Col. 3.17.answerable to which three we have Psalms, and Hymns, and Spiritual Songs. And to make all sure, that it should be Gloria in altissimis, when they thought their voice could not reach high enough, nor the tongue not be loud enough, they brought into the Temple, Cornets, Trumpets, Harps, Psal. 150.ten string'd Instruments, loud Cymbals and Organs, that so foreign,Verse 6. every thing that hath breath, might praise the Lord. This is at the fourth verse of this Psalm called the Lords Songs. And the Babylonians it seems, having only heard of it, desired much to hear it. And little intreaty had serv'd their turns, had they been at Zion; but poor souls being in captivity they could not sing them with any comfort, therefore they hang'd up their Harps. But when once God should turn again the Captivity of Zion, then they vowed, that their right hand should not forget her cunning, Psal. 126.1.Jerusalem should be remembred in their mirth: No man need to intreat them to it.
—Ʋltro longa cur veste sacerdos
Argutis citharam digitis pulsaret eburnam!
It is our fate to have liv'd in an age of discords, Men having such inharmonious souls, that the melody of Zion sounds worse in their ears than the hoarse noats of the croaking Ravens. The musick of Harps, Viols, Organs, Voices, and lowder Instruments, used in the service of God; is as pleasing in their heavy ears, as the braying of an Arcadian beast. Beyond a plain Psalm (which some will not allow neither) to sing praise, is in their judgement a Popish, a Superstitious, an unlawful custom. And would not this bring a sad thought of the waters of Babylon? cause a man to sit down there and weep when he remembers thee O Zion! Thee O Zion, in which the Lords songs were wont to be sung with sweetest voices, and Instruments of David! Thee O Zion in which Te Deum laudamus, Maries Magnificat, & Zacharies Benedictus, and the Angels Glory to God on high, did make a strange impression on an humble, faithful, thanful, fervent heart, and sometimes fetch tears from the eye of a contrite spirit! And that there was no error in this, shall appear by these solid Reasons.
1. To scare us from this heavenly melody, with the formidable Mormo of Roman Superstition, and will-worship, as if we were yet children in Scripture, in Antiquity, in Reason, is an over confident attempt; Non obtusa adeo gestamus pectora. For what is there Popery, Superstition, Will-worship practised in heaven? There St. Chrysostome doubts not to affirm, that the Angels sing all the Hymns with us; that it is little better than fury to throw this piece of heaven out of the Church. Or grant, that in the Revelation (where there is so often mention made of this heavenly musick) the Church below on earth is to be understood, then the Argument is stronger. For then it will follow undeniably, that it may be done here. Be it Heaven or Earth, we find the four living Creatures, and the twenty four Elders falling down, Rev. 5.5.having Harps in their hands, &c. And they who had gotten the victory, with their Harps of God harping with their Harps, and singing the song of Moses, and of the Lamb, Rev. 14.2. and 15.3.
What were the Jews before Christ, Popish and Superstitious! and yet they had all variety of Instruments, and that in the Temple. 'Tis but in vain to tell us that this was a Legal Ceremony, since we read not a word of it in Moses. Brought it was in by David, by Asaph, by others.2 Chro. 29.25, 26. Say they were Prophets; yet what Prophet ever ordained aery thing in Gods service which was unlawfull? The truth is, it was Religious prudence from whence it had its rise; and the reasons which perswaded them to make use of it in Gods service, are as pregnant yet for the continuance.
1. The first was to express their joy. Is any man merry, saith St. James, Let him sing Psalms. In heaven there is nothing but rejoycing,Jac. 5.13. there is nothing but singing, and that the Instrument be not condemned, it was the Harp too. Since therefore we have our times of joy as they had,Rev. 14.2. we may have our song and Harp to express our joy as well as they had.
2. Again this was done to Edifie. Men I conceive are then most edified in Religious worship, when their affections are ordered as becomes pious and devout men. Now there is not any thing of more power than is a musical harmony, whether by Instrument or voice to bring a composed temper to a discomposed soul: to quicken a heavy spirit, to allay that which is too eager; to mollifie and soften a hard heart, to stay and settle a desperate: In a word, not any so forcible to draw forth tears of devotion, if the heart be such as can yield them. Six noats being curiously varied and carried from the ear to the spiritual faculties of the soul, are able to move and quiet, to raise and moderate all affections:
Dubartas.And with Divisions of a choice divise,
The hearers soul out by his ears entise.
And can there then be any art of more use in Divine Worship, in which the mind ought to be sometimes enclined to heaviness, sometimes raised to a spiritual extasie of joy, sometimes to a holy zeal and indignation, ever carried with such affections as is suitable to the present occasion! Men therefore may speak their pleasure, but let reason be heard, and then the songs of Zion will much edifie: If not the understanding, because, say they, these teach not, yet the affections very much, which are the prime wheeles in this work. And he that doubts it, let him remember Elisha's passion allayed by a Minstrel, 2 King. 3.15. 1 Sam. 16.16.and Sauls madnesse calmed by Davids Harp.
3. And yet I do not grant, nor dare not say that Musick doth not teach. For are there not good instructions in Psalms? not many profitable lessons in Anthyms? which yet by the sweetness of melody find the easier entrance, and the longer entertainment. Hear the judgement of the great Basil. When the holy Spirit saw that mankind is unto vertue hardly drawn,Basil in Psal. but is propense to what delights, it pleased the wisdom of the same Spirit to borrow from melody that pleasure, which being mingled with the heavenly Mysteries, might by the soft and smooth touch of the ear conveigh as it were by stealth the treasure of good things into the mind. To this purpose were those h…rmonious tunes of Psalmes devised for us, that they who are yet in knowledge but Babes, might when they think they sing, learn. Oh the wise conceptions of that heavenly teacher, which hath by his skill found out a way, that doing those things wherein we delight, we may also learn that wherein we may profit.
4. This the lesson that may be learned from the Ditty: Now from the sweet co…sent and agreement of these voices and Instruments, Christians may learn to agree better. One Viol or Harp out of tune, abates the symphony of the rest; and one jarring Christian mars the musick of the whole Church. Oh how melodious was the praise of God, when it came from men of one heart, and and one mind, as pleasing then, as is to us the Symphony of well tuned Instruments! and ever since these were laid aside, we never were in tune. It were then worth labour to call for them again, and hearken to one of the songs of Zion expressed on them; say it were the 133. Psalm, O quam bonum & quam jucundum, and by it to learn to come in tune again; thus the fuges and divisions would be sweetned; and as in musick the falling from a discord to a cord strangely ravisheth the ear: so all these disagreements in affections might perhaps knit and please best after many dislikes. This the God of Unity and Concord grant, who loves not any odious and continued discords in his service.
Upon these Reasons the Primitive Christians sang their praises to God. In Pontus and Bithynia, Pliny tells us, that all which could be laid to their charge was,Tertul. Apol. that Antilucanis coetibus, before day they met to prase, One Jesus with Hymns as God, secum invicem, quire-wise. In Nitria Philo and Palladius Philo Pallad.deliver, that they were accustomed in their Temples with Hymns and Psalms to honour the Divine Majesty, sometime exalting their voices together, and sometime one part answering the other, wherein twas thought they swerved not much from the pattern of Moses and Miriam. At Antio…h near the Apostles time Ignatius began it: Flavianus and Diodorus continued it. And among the Grecians Basil having brought it into his Church of Neocesarea, Basil. ad Neocaes.to avoid any thoughts of singularity and novelty, pleads for his warrant the practice of the Churches of Egypt, Lybia, Theb s, Palest…na, the Arabians, Phenicians, Syrians, Mesopotamians, amongst them the custom was such, to give power to one call'd foreign, the Chaunter you may name him, to begin the Anthymn, and then the whole Quire came in, foreign, and in variety and descant of singing Psalms they spent the night.
These were the songs of Zion which our Fathers used, and it is, and ought to be our grief, that they are not heard to this day. Licet irrideat, si quis vult, plus apud me valebit vara …ntio, quam vulgi opinio. Cicero ParadoxI will sit down and weep to be deprived of that harmony, with which the Angels and Sai…ts are delighted, which so many Christian Churches have received, so many ages kept on foot; that which entunes the affections; that which teacheth so many good lessons; fills the mind with comfort and heavenly delight; teacheth us to be of one heart, one mind, and makes the praise of God to be glorious; and which is more, so fitly accords with the Apostles Exhortation,Col. 3.16. Speak to your selves with Psalmes, and Hymnes, and spiritual Songs, making melody and singing to the Lord in your hearts, which should not be, me thinks, so lightly thrown aside. A grief it should be rather to think it should be so; and with these poor Jews mourn you ought, that we are forced to hang up our Harps.
The Conclusion.
It is a trouble to me to be kept, and to keep you so long at the waters of Babylon. I shall therefore only add a few words more, and so dismiss you. Wish I do that I could send you away as Elisha did Naaman, Go in peace. 2 King. 5.19.But this these Jews enjoyed not. This we enjoy not, nor this we are not like to enjoy. For what peace so long as—so long as we sit at these floods of confusion?2 King. 9.22. O Zion, how beautiful were thy walls, how glorious thy Palaces, when men were of one heart, and one mind! O Babylon, how bitter are thy waters, how violent thy streams, when there is nothing but noise and division!
At Salem is Gods tabernacle, and Salem is peace; provide that place for him, and he will say, here is my rest, here will I dwell, for I have a deligh… therein. Psal. 76.2. Psal. 132.14.What a grief then must it be to the people of God to be where God hath no delight to be! To be in Babel a name of confusion, to be at the Rivers of Babylon where the continual water deeps, and roaring of the streams sounded d scords. Had they put their Harps in tune, and begun to sing, the Catadupes and noise about them had marred the musick. Sit down with them we must, and resolve to weep till God bring us from those Rivers.
Neither is it a liberty granted to every dissenting judgement that will ever do this. He that will sing Zions songs, must have Zions peace, a p…ace well grounded, which will never be, where there is no Order; and Order there never was, nor never will be in Babel; That only must be be expected in Zion. The City in which this fort stood,Psal. 122.3. was builded as a City that is at unity in itself. The Temple to which they ascended was but one. The service there uniform. Their Harps were all in tune, and tuned one to another. To them they sang the same Psalms of David, of Asaph. Moses was obey'd, and Aaron was heard. Deformity and confusion was a child of Babel. And at the birth, all that loved Zion wept bitterly. Angeli pacis amarè flebant, Isa. 33.7.and ever since …ust occasion there hath been to sit and weep. To sit down and stay, and feed upon tears, because we have little else left us to feed on.
Jacob had two wives Leah and Rachel, which were sisters;Gen. 29.17. Leah was blear-eyed, but fruitful; Rachel fair, but barren; this bred the quarrel, neither was Jacob able to compose it. I will not be an Interpreter; But I can tell how this matter might be mended, if all animosities laid aside, the sisters would remember they were conceived in one womb, and sucked the same breasts, they must acknowledge it their duty to honour their Mother. It was the younger presuming on her beauty that grew contentious, and with what words she hath reviled her Mother, I forbear to speak, I wish or pray rathe… that God would give her repentance, and that with her elder sister she would shake hands, and joyn with her to sing the songs of Zion, and that that Exhortation of the Apostle might be heard:Ephes. 4.3. Study to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
By his Spirit it is, that Christ unites all the parts of his body together in one communion, how different soever they are in qualities, conditions, functions; how distant soever in places, yet knit they are, I say, together in one body by one and the same spirit. It is then required of us, that we labour to preserve this unity,Ephes. 4.1. the ready way to which is, that every one walk in that vocation to which he is called. In the body natural, the eye must not invade the office of the ear, 1 Cor. 12.15, 16, &c.the ear of the hand, the hand of the foot, the foot of the head: So it must be in this spiritual body; every part, eye, ear, hand, foot, and head, set in a higher, set in a lower place, must not invade anothers Office, but sweetly conspire to the harmony of the whole. Under Christ we are all as the universal Head, and his influence it is that makes us one body. Say now whether discord more becomes you, than apostacy nad rebellion the parts. What, hath Christ shed his blood, given his Spir…t to unite us, and can we not keep our selves together? A house divided cannot stand; and a body divided cannot live:Matth. 12.25. Instruments out of tune will make no good musick. Either then be at one, or you cannot continue; either continue one, or you cannot last long. Tune your Harps to those of Zion, or you will never sing in tune the songs of Zion.
St. Paul in the forecited place mentions a Bond, and that Bond is peace, foreign Necto. Ephes. 4.3.It knits together, without which the unity of the Spirit will not be preserved. And this word peace is a sweet pleasing syllable, whether you have it with God being justified by faith; or in your own bosoms, having beat down that Rebel your own will.Rom. 5.1. Both these are comfortable; but there is yet an Ecclesiastical peace, which is a sweet harmony of judgements, of Doctrines, of charitable actions, and to this you are called in this place, which if it may be attained, after we have sat so long at Babylon, it will be the welcomer.
And of this I have yet good hope; because I read that a Lamb stood upon Mount Sion, Rev. 14.1.and with him an hundred fourty and four thousand, among whom there was first heard a voice as of many waters, next the voice of a great thunder, and last a voice as of Harpers with their Harps. The voice of waters is confused, a hideous murmur, much like the Rivers of Babylon. The voice of thunder is fearful. The voice of Harpers pleasing and delightful. The confused voice of the Rivers of Babylon we have long heard. The voice of thunder also hath fill'd and almost deafed our ears. And when these disorderly roaring voices are past, I hope to drink in the pleasing melody of the Harpers with their Harps, every one chanting a song of Zion. I will not despair, but that of Nazianzens may fall out true,Naz. Ep. 1. that after the chattering of Swallows, those house-birds, the sweet and snow white Swans may sing again.
This is my hope, and see it be your prayer, and I will joyn with you in it. So may we learn those songs of Zion, which we shall hereafter sing in Zion. So tune our voices in this Church Militant, that we may sing in tune with the Church Triumphant for ever and ever, Amen