BEfore I come to the particular handling of these words, I shall crave leave briefly to premise something by way of intro­duction, of the many engagements of this people unto God for mercies received, and something also of their great un­thankfulnesse to him for the same.

There was never any Nation upon Earth more blessed with the influences of Heaven, then this nation of the Jewes, you onely have I knowne of all the families of the Earth. Am. 3 2. What Nation is there that hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is nigh unto us in all that we call upon him for, Deut. 4.7. Did ever people heare the voyce of God speaking out of the midst of the fire, as thou hast heard and live? or hath God ever assad to take [Page 2]unto him a Nation out of the midst of another Nation by won­ders, and signes, by a mighty hand and stretched out arme, as he did for you in Egypt, Deut. 4 33.34. God did as it were single out this people from all the Families of the Earth, all the Na­tions under Heaven, that he might make them the ob ects of his love. that he might shew kindnesse to them, as David dealt by Mephibosheth. Thou Israel art my servant, Iacob whom I have chosen, Es 41.8. A chosen generation a peculiar people, Et quid ampl us potuit? and what could God doe more for his Vineyard that he did not doe? wherein could he have made a fuller ex­pression of his love then he did? how did he bemoane them in their misery? I have seen, I have seen the affliction of my people, and I have heard their groanings. How did he wrastle with a stubburn hard hearted Tyrant for their enlargement? one that slighted his messages, contemned his judgements, would not let his people goe, till at length by maine [...]trength he wrested them out of his hands, when he overthrew both the Horse and his Rider in the midst of the Sea, how did he provide a table for them in the Wildernesse, and feast them with delicious fare, Angels food, Manna from Heaven? how did he dampe the hearts and strike through the loynes of all their enemies? how did he drive out and dispossesse seven great and mighty-Nations, & gave their land (a land flowing with milke and hony) to be an heritage to Israel his people? goodly Cities that they builded not, and Vine­yards that they planted not, and Houses full of all good things which they filled not, Deut. 6.11. Will you see some more privi­ledges and favours vouchsafed to this Nation? you may finde them recorded by S Paul Rom 3.1. What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of Circumcision? Much every way, cheifely because to them were committed the Oracles of God, and more fully Rom. 9.4. wh [...]re speaking of the Israelites his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh he describeth their priviledges in these words, To whom pertaineth the adop­tion and the glory and the covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the service of God and the promises, whose are the Fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever, singular prerogatives. First the adoption was theirs; other Nations were strangers and forreiners, they were as it were [...] of the household of God others were counted dogs, they only the children, as appeares by our Saviours answer to the Syr [...]phenic [...]an woman, It is not meete to take the childrens bread and cast it to Dogs: Secondly, the Covenants were theirs; other Nations were without God in the world, they [Page 3]were a people in covenant with God, Gen. 17 7. God tels Abra­ham, I will esta [...]lish my covenant between me and thee, and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee and to thy seed after the, Ier, 31.33. This shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: after those dayes saith the Lord, I will write my Law in their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Thirdly, the Law was theirs: other Nations had nothing but the blind g [...]id of nature to direct them, they had the Law written in Tables of stone; he hath given his word unto Iacob, his statutes and ordinances unto Israel, he hath not dealt so with any Nation, neither have the heathen knowledge of his Lawes. Psal. 147.19. 4. To them pertained the service of God, other nations wāting the direction of Gods holy word, became vaine in their imaginati­ons and worshipped the creature more then the Creatour, pro­strated themselves to feined Deities, as we read of Dagon the God of the Philistims, and Milcom the abomination of the Amorites, and Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and Molech the abo­mination of the Amorites, and Ashtoreth the goddesse of the Sidonians, and Diana the great goddesse of the Ephesians: indeed how could they call upon him of whom they had not heard, who was [...] an unknown God to them? but in Jury was God known, his name was great in Israel, at Salem was his tabernacle, and his dwelling in Sion, the Jewes were taught to direct their worship and service to the true God, as Christ told the woman of Samaria. Jo. 4.22. you worship, ye know not what, we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jewes, Tis true, they were ever now and then starting aside like a broken bow, they grieved him with their hill Altars, and provoked him to displeasure with their images, they had their golden Calves at Dan and at Bethel, and the names of Baalim were too frequent in their mouthes. They tooke unto them the Tabernacle of Molech and the Star of their god Remphan, figures which they made to worship them, yet in the most deploreable times God had his 7000 in [...]srael that did not bow the knee to Baal, he had his Church among them, a remnant that did worship the true God after a true manner; they had his word, and they had his Sacraments, and they had his pro­phets, and they had his house, Templum Domini, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord was their great confidence which other Nations could not boast of Fifthly, the Fathers were theirs, Abraham is our Father, art thou greater then our Father, Jacob, who gave us the well, &c. Sixthly, the promises made to the Fathers concerning the Messias were theirs, they were interested [Page 4]in them, though not solely, yet principally, let the children first be served saith Christ, the [...] were the naturall branches, and there­fore the fatnesse of the Olive tree was first tendered to them: you may remember how the Disciples commission ran. Mat. 10.5. Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any City of the Sama­ritans enter you not, but g [...]e you rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, le [...] the children first be served: nay the Messias himselfe was theirs, of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, the word was made flesh, and dwelt among them, he spent his whole pilgrimage among them, they heard his Sermons, they saw his miracles, S. Matthew reports of him, Mat. 9 35. that he went about all their Cities, and Villages, teach ng in their Synagogues, and preaching the Gospell of the Kingdom, and healing every sicknes and every disease among the people. Ob fortunatos nim [...]t hona si s [...]a wri [...]t, Oh happy people, had they be [...]n sensible of their happinesse, as Christ told the Samaritan woman. Jo. 4.10. Haddest thou but known who it is that saith to thee give me to drinke, thou mightest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water; so had they but known what a rich treasure they had among them, they would not have desired him to depart out of their coasts as the Ge [...]go ens did, they would not have set at nought this corner-stone, like foolish builders, rather with the wise Merchant they would have parted with all for his sake: they would have been ambitious to get a sight of him with Zacheus, to touch the hem of his garment with the diseased woman, to kisse his feet with Mary Magdalen, they would have entertained him triumphantly with j yfull acclamations as they did in the verses before my Text, Hosannah to the son of David, blessed be he that commeth in the name of the Lord, Hosannah in the highest.

Happy were the eyes that saw the things which they saw (though most of them were so blinded that they saw not their happinesse) it was part of S. Augustins ambitious wish, he desired to have seen three things; Rome in her beauty, Paul in the pulpit, & Christ in the flesh, as Abraham and divers other Prophets and righteous men desired to have seen this day of Christ. Ioh. 8.56. And happy were the eares that heard the things which they heard, the my­steries of saving knowledge [...] those secrets and mysteries which were hidden from former ages, and that immediatly from Christ himselfe, Dulcius ex ipso f [...]nte, what a blessed prerogative was it to heare the wisdome of the father so comfortably discoursing of the great work of our redempti­on! methinkes they should have cried out in admiration with that Disciple Ioh. 14.22. how is it that thou wilt manifest thy [Page 5]selfe to us, and not unto the world? but my Text tels you they did not know the things that belonged to their peace, they were not sensible of the free grace, the rich mercy that was tendered to them, nay doe but consider their great unthankfulnes and dis­obedience in the midst of so many binding mercies, and you may justly wonder that Hierusalem was not long before this time made a heap of stones: read over the Prophets and you shall find complaints in this kind without number, doe ye thus requite the Lord, Oh foolish people and unwise? The faithfull City is become a harlot, she was full of judgment, righteousnesse lodged in her, but now murderers, Heare O Heavens, and give eare O Earth, I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me: when I fed them to the fall then they assem­bled themselves by troupes in the harlots houses, how shall I pardon thee for this? As I live saith the Lord, Sodom and her daughters have not done as thou hast done, thou and thy daugh­ters, thou wast corrupted more then they in all thy wayes, Ezech. 16.47. And when Christ came among them in person, how did they entertaine him? St. Iohn will tell you, he came to his own, but his own received him not, Ioh. 1.11. Nolumus hunc regnare we will not have this man to raigne over us, we have no King but Caesar; nay, not this man but Barabbas, they preferre a publique no­torious malefactour before him: himself also will tell you Mat. 13.37. O Hierusalem, Ierusalem, howoften would I have gathered thy children together as a Hen doth her chickens under her wings, but ye would not? thus all the day long he stretched out his hand, but it was [...] to a gainesaying people, veluj, noluistis, how often would I, but ye would not?

And yet how unwilling was God to unsheath his sword, to powre out the full Vials of his fierce anger upon this rebellious Nation? though their sins were so provoking that he knew not well how to pardon them, How shall I pardon thee for this? thy children have forsaken me and sworn by them that are no gods, and shall I allow this? shall I give my glory to another? how shall I pardon thee for this? yet so infinite on the other side was his mercy, that he was unwilling to punish them; Why will ye dye Oye house of Israel? As I live saith the Lord, I have no plea­sure in the death of a sinner: run thorough the streets of Hierusa­lem, and seek for a man that executeth judgment, that I may par­don i [...]: and most pathetically in the 11. of Hos. ver. 8. How shall I give thee up Ephraim? how shall I deliver thee Israel? how shall I make thee as Admah, and set thee as Zeboim? my heart is turned within me, my repentings are kindled together: see what [Page 6]a conflict there seemes to be in God, between his mercy and his justice, how shall I pardon thee for this? and yet how shall I give thee up; how shall I make thee as Admah, &c. faine would I spare thee, but thy sins cry to Heaven for vengeance, thou art incorrigible in thy wayes, and therefore thy sin is unpardonable, I am forced to give sentence against thee, though it be with teares in my eyes: when he came neare, be beheld the City and wept over it, &c.

Christ might have insulted over Herusalem, when he foresaw the cup of trembling that she was to drink of, as wisdom threa­tens her contemners. Pro. 1.24. Because I have called and ye re­fused, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded; ther­fore I will laugh at your calamity, and mock when your feare commeth, when your feare commeth as desolation, and your destruction as a whirle-wind, when distresse & ang ish commeth upō you: so seeing Herusalem would not take warning by all for­mer invitations, admonitions, judgments, mercies, Christ might justly have laughed at her calamity, when he saw her feare com­ming as desolation, and her destruction as a whirl-wind: but our blessed Saviour came not to destroy mens lives, but to save them, and therefore when he came neare, he beheld the City and wept over it.

In the words we have Christ melting into teares for hardhear­ted Hierusalem, Nihil miserius misero non mis [...]rante seipsum, there is not a more sad lamentable spectacle in the world, then to see a man, or a City, or a Nation, like Simon Magus in the gall of bit­ternesse, in the depth of misery, in regard of a wilfull persisting in heynous and crying sins, yet themselves insensible of their own misery, sleeping securely in their sins with Balaam, driving o still in their wonted course of sinning, and never take notice of the Sword that is drawen against them, hugging and embracing, sporting and delighting themselves with those Delilahs, those lusts and corruptions which will prove their bane and destructi­on. Quis talta fando temper [...]t a [...]lachrymis? who can behold all this with dry-Eyes? The Poet hath a conceit that Heaven it selfe weeps for such Creatures.

What may be the reason, why there fals such store of Rayne, one shower after another?

[Page 7] Because hard hearted sinners will not bewayle their own faults, H aven it selfe is dissolved into teares for them: it is so in my Text, Heaven it selfe or the heire of Heaven sals a weep­ing for Hierusalem, and is not here a strange alteration, when Hierusalem sometime the joy of the whole Earth Ps 48.2. shall not only make the Earth sad, but even darken the Heavens, cause him that was anoynted with the oyle of gladnes above his Fel­lowes to melt into teares? And when he came neate, he beheld the City and wept over it, &c.

The parts are two, the mourner, and the causes of his mour­ning. the Mourner is Christ, and that in the middest of his jollity too (as I may so speake) as he was riding in state in triumph to­wards Hierusalem. To shew that even in laughter the heart is sorrowfull, that there is no worldly happinesse without a mix­ture of discontent: when he came neare he beheld the City and wept over it.

The causes of his mourning are two, two heavy spectacles, for ea [...]h Eye one, and either of them able to command a fountain of teares, as the Propher speakes; the one seen, namely, malum culpe the evill of sin. If thou hadst knowen, even thou in this thy day the things that belong to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine Eyes, thou knewest not the time of thy visitation, the other foreseen, namely malum poenae, the evill of punishment, For the dayes shal come that thy Enemies shall cast a trench abour thee, and keep thee in on every side, and shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee, &c. Or if you please, we have heer Hierusalems funerall, where we have first the chiefe Mourner Christ he be [...]eld the City and wept over it saying; if thou hadst knowen, even thou in this thy day! a broken speech, a passionate expression, the right Dialect of Mourners, Si cognovisses, if thou hadst known, or ô si cognovisse, would to God thou hadst knowen the things that belong to thy peace: methinks I heare him lamenting over Hierusalem, as David over his friend Jona­than, 2 Sam. 1.26. I am distressed for thee my brother Ionathan, very pleasant hast, thou been unto me, or as the same David la­mented over Absalom, oh Absolom my Son, would God I had died for thee, &c. O Hierusalem, Herusalem, would God I had died for thee, as afterwards (you know) he did dye for her and in her, and by her: when he came neare he beheld the City, and wept over it saying, &c. Secondly, we have here the malady or cause of Hierusalems death, blindnes, security, If thou hadst knowen even thou in this thy day [...] the things that belong to thy peace, [...], but now they are did from [Page 8]thine Eyes, [...] thou knewest not the time of thy visitation. Thirdly, we have here the kind or manner of Death, 'tis a strong death, a terrible death by the Sword, which David so earnestly prayed against; Let me fall into the hands of God, for his mer­cies are great, but let me not fall into the hands of men whose tender mercies are cruell; For the dayes shall come wherein thine Enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and lay thee even with the ground.

A love principium, we are to begin with Christ the Mourner in my Text: when he came neare he beheld the City, [...] and he wept. It was not without a cause that Christ was stiled by the Prophet Vir Dolorum, Es. 53.3. A man of sorrowes and acquain­ted with griefe: survey his whole pilgrimage from the Cratch to the Crosse, from the Womb to the Tombe, and you shall find it like Ezechiels rowle written upon within and without, la­mentation and mourning and woe; in the dayes of his flesh he offered up Prayers, and Supplications with strong crying and Teares, Heb. 5.7. At Lazarus his grave he groaned in the Spirit and wept. Ioh. 11.35. Here when he came neare he beheld the City and wept, All his joy was inward, Luc. 10.21. At that time Iesus rejoyced in Spirit, and said, I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven, and Earth &c. Some inward joy, he rejoyced in the spirit in the love and complacency of his Father, I thank thee Father Lord of Heaven and Earth; I am sure he had little matter of out­ward joy, of re joycing in the world: many times he complaines of the hatred of the world; if the world hate you, ye know it hated me before it hated you, Ioh. 14.18. How did the unthank­full world slight and neglect him? The Foxes have holes and the Fowles of the Ayre have nests, but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head: how was he scorned and derided in the world? Is not this the Carpenters son? Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? few acknowledged him to be the Mes­sias, the Lord of glory, the Prince of life, the Saviour of the world, the King of the Iewes, the Son of God, the brightnes of his Fa­thers glory, the expresse image of his person, as he was indeed: how was he slandered and scandalized by his malignant adver­saries? none of them could convince him of the least sin, yet they traduce him up and down, as if he were (as St. Paul sometimes confessed of himself.) Peccatorum maximus, the chiefest of sinners a gluttonous person, a Wine-hibber, a friend, a companion of Publicans and sinners, a Sabbath-breaker, a Blasphemer, a decei­ver of the people, a conjurer, casting out Devils through Belze­bub; a Traytor, forbidding to pay tribute to Caesar, and what [Page 9]not? and surely had he not been more then a man, such usage was able not only to set open the floudgates of his Eyes, but even to break his heart, woe is me my Mother (saith the Prophet Je­remy) that thou hast born me, I have neither lent upon usury nor borrowed upon usury, yet all the people curse me, Jer. 15.10. They cannot justly tax me with any unjust action, and yet are continually reviling me, yet here is not all neither, to the perse­cution of the Tongue they ad the persecution of the hand, no sooner were tidings of his birth spread in Herods Court, but pre­sently he seeks to destroy him, and with him a number of young innocents, that knew not their right hand from their left, there began the weeping, Mat. 2.18. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the Prophet Jeremy saving, In Ramah was there a voyce heard, Lamentation and weeping and great mourning Rachel weeping for her children because they were not: as soon as he began to preach, the Scribes and Pharises consult how they may destroy him, one time they were going to throw him headlong from the top of a high hill, Luke. 4.29. As the Devill sometime would have had him throwen himselfe down rom the Pinacle of the Temple, another time they had like to have sto­ned him, Joh. 10.31. Many good works have I shewen you from my Father, for which of these do ye stone me? another time they sent their Disciples to intangle him in his Talk, Mat. 22 [...]6. Ano­ther time their Officers to apprehend him Joh. 7.32 And at last they find Iudas to betray him, and sent a multitude with swords and slaves to take him as a Thiefe, or a Malefactour, who hurry him from the Garden to the high Priests Pallace, from thence to Pilate, from Pilat to Herod, from Herod, after a deale of scorn­full usage back again to Pilat, where they maliciously arraigne him, falsely accuse him, unjustly condemn him, buffet him, scourge him, make long furrowes upon his back, besmeare that face of which the Psalmist, Thou art fayrer then the children of men, with their filthy spittle, environ his sacred Head with a Crown of Thornes, lead him foorth to be crucified, load him with his Crosse, fasten him to the Crosse, peirce his Hands and his Feet, insult over him in his sufferings, Fixuris clavorum addentes tela [...]n [...]rum (saith Leo) to the piercing of the Nayles adding the rankling arrowes of their venemous tongues, Ah thou that de­stroy'st the Temple and buildest it again in three dayes, save thy selfe, If he be the King of Israel, let him come down from the Crosse &c. Behold now & see if ever sorrow were like unto this sorrow: the women could not forbeare weeping who had only a compassionate fellow feeling of it, I. u. 23, 27. No marvaile if Christ himselfe wept that felt it.

[Page 10] Well if Christ be a Mourner, then woe to them that are at ease in Sion, that spend their days in mirth, and rejoyce at the sound of the Organ, and the Tabret and the Harp go not out of their Feasts, Christ did not so, Christians have no warrant to ex­pect it, the members must be in some measure conforma [...]le to their head, Ioh. 16.20. Our blessed Saviour tels his Diciples, you shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoyce, worldlings may let loose the reynes, and seek for a Paradise, a Heaven up­on Earth, in the pleasures of sin for a season, tis their portion, but Christs Disciples must expect Teares for meate, and plenteousnes of Teares for drink; Mine Eye, mine Eye runs down with Rivers of water saith the Church. Lam. 3.48. Mine Eye trickleth down and ceaseth not, without any intermission. David will tell you of watering his couch, and making his bed to swimme with teares, and that night after night, Every night wash I my bed with the teares of my complaint, Ps. 6.6. You shall find St. Peter weep­ing bitterly, and Mary Magdalen pumping out teares enough to wash her Saviours Feet: beloved as Christ was, so are we in this world. 1 Joh. 4.17. that is, pilgrims and strangers, here we have no continuing City, but we seek one to come, I am a stranger with thee, & a so journer, as all my Fathers were; now the condition of a pilgrim is a weeping conditiō. By the waters of Babylon we sat down and wept: when we remembred thee O Sion. Psal. 137.1. Every Dog will be barking at strangers, and you know how im­periously the Sodomites insulted over, [...]ot because he was a stranger. This fellow (say they) came in to so journe amongst us, and he will needs be a judge over us. Now though Christ our head met with stronger oppositions, and greater afflictions in his pilgrimage, then we are like to meet with (for God is faithfull, who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able) yet we must look to drink of the same cup that he drank of, though not so deep as he drank, and to fill up [...] the after sufferings, that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ. Col. 1.24. Beside we have teares to shed that Christ was not capable of teares of repentance, he was a Lamb without spot and without blemish, there was no guile found in his mouth, we are loaden with sins, there is not a day passeth over our heads, wherein we doe not contract unto our selves the guilt of many, many sins. What our Lord and Saviour speaks of the evill of punishment. Mat. 6.34 is true also of the evill of sin, su ficient for the day is the evill thereof, every day brings sin enough with it, to over cast it, to make it a wet day, a day of weeping, for as the Father speaks, seeing after we are baptized, and washed from [Page 11]the guilt of originall sin, we doe dayly fowle our selves a new by the commission of actuall sins, we should also dayly re-baptize our selves in the bitter waters of Marah, the teares of true Repen­tance: what is wanting in innocency, we should Prive to make up in penitency, [...]a [...]th quod possum, & p ango quod non possum, (as St. Bernard) I doe what I am able, and what! cannot doe I am sor­ry for it, but especially upon dayes of solemn humiliation, dayes set apart for this very purpose, for the bewailing both of our personall and of our nationall sins, when God by his judgments threatned or inflicted cals to weeping and to mourning, and to baldnes and to putting on of sack-cloth, if then the voyce of the turtle be not heard in our Land, if the Mourners doe not goe about the streets, as the Preacher speaks, if there be not a renting of the heart, as well as a hanging down the head like a bulrush, what shall I say? surely we are in Hierusalems case, neare to destruction, we doe not know the day of our visitation: we know not the things that belong to our peace. So that Christ is seaso­nably brought in weeping, to teach us what we must doe, as at all times while we so journ here in this valley of teares, so espe­cially upon dayes of mourning and humiliation, blessed are those that mourne (saith Christ) they shall be comforted: Though they sow in teares, they shall reape in joy; heavines may endure for a night, joy will come in the morning; When the times of refreshing shall come, all teares shall be wiped from their Eyes, and they shall enter into the joy of their Master, receive the oyle of gladnesse for the spirit of heavines, lay aside their black mour­ning weeds, and attend the Lambe in white robes with palmes in their hands. Rev. 7.9. And so much briefly of the Mourner, in the next place we are to take notice of the causes of his mourn­ing; he beheld the City, and wept over it.

His teares are teares of compassion, teares of love; Behold how he loved him, said the Iewes, when he wept at Lazarus his grave. lo. 11.36. Behold how he loved this unthankefull City, in that he shed not teares only as here, but his precious bloud also afterwards for it, V [...]dens civitat [...]nt, he beheld the City and wept over it. We have a proverbe Vbi amor ibi oculus, where we love there will our Eye be gazing, where Christs love was we may see by his Eye too, Vidit civitatem he beheld the City, but what cause he had to love it, or to six his Eye upon it, we see not, for what doth he behold there? but matter of griefe and discontent? he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousnes, but behold a cry; Hierusalem like Babylon is become a cage of un­cleane Birds, Deviarunt omnes, they are all gone out of the way, [Page 12]fallen off from the purity, sincerity, and religious integrity of their forefathers: there was a time indeed when God behold no iniquity in [...]acob nor saw perversenes in Israel. Num 23.21. But now he beholds nothing else but iniquity, but perversenes; A sinfull Nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evill doers, a rebellious house, a stiff necked people, of uncircumcised Heart and Eares, which causeth him to behold it with watery Eyes, he beheld the [...]ity and wept over it, &c.

There is a twofold cause of Christs mourning here, as I told you, Hierusalems n, and Hierusalems misery by reason of sin, as they two are never long asunder: we are to begin with her sin as the cause of her misery, and the chiefe cause of Christs mourn­ing, he beheld the City and wept over it saying; [...]f thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace, but now they are hid from thine Eyes, because thou knew­est not the time of thy visitation.

If thou [...]adst known, even thou, &c. It is no single sin, but a willfull senselesse, secure, obstinate sleeping in sin: they will not be convinced of, much lesse averted from their erroneous cour­ses, God hath sent his Prophets rising early an calling to them, O doe not this abominable sin that I hate: he hath comman­ded them to cry alowd against their crying sins, their idolatry, oppression, swearing, lying, killing, stealing, neighing after their Neighbours wives like fed Horses, and what was their answer? As for the word that thou hast spoken to us in the Name of the Lord, we will not hearken to it, but we will doe what is plea­sing in our own Eyes, to burn incense to the Queen of Heaven. [...]er. 41.16. When his servants coul [...] not work upon them, he sent his Son (They will reverence my Son) but they cast him out of the Vineyard too; this is the Heyre, let us kill him, and the inheritance shall be ours. God sets open a Fountaine for the inhabitants of Hierusalem to wash in, for sin an for uncleanesse, they scorne this fountaine as Naaman did Jordan; Are not Ab­ana and Pharpar rivers of Damascus, better then all the waters of Israel? nay they say to Christ (who is this fountaine) as St. Peter did though with a far worse mind, thou shalt never wash my feet, Joh. 13.8. God sends his Son to seeke and save the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and these lost sheep, these Sons of perdition will not heare the Shepheards voyce, braine-sick Pa­tients, they run at the Physician that comes to cure them, they stumble at the Corner-stone, the rock of their salvation becomes a Rock of offence to them: and here is their condemnation, that light is come into the World, the day Sar from on high hath [Page 13]visited them, but they chuse darknes, rather then light, because their deeds are evill. Joh. 3.9. They are not sensible of the day of their Visitation, God hath given them a gracious visit indeed, hee hath sent his beloved Sonne amongst them: the promi­sed Shiloh, whom they had so long expected, and not they only, but also all the Families of the Earth, who expected a blessing from him, the desire of all Nations is come among them, Ecce rextius v [...]an t [...], Behold thy King commeth unto thee meek, and sitti g upon an Asses Col [...], as you may see in the verses before my Text, and it is w [...]ll the Oxe knew his owner (for he was born in a Stable and layd in a Manger) and the Asse here his Masters crib, for Israel did not knew his people did not consider, they reje ed him as the legion of Devils did, Quid nobis tecum? what have we to doe with thee? Mat. 8.29. Full often he would have gathered their Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chick­ens under her wings, but they would not, they knew not the things that belonged to their peace. Wherefore is there a price put into the hand of a foole (saith Solomon) seeing he hath no heart to it? here was an invalua [...]le price put into the hand of a foolish Nation, but they had no heart to it, the worth of it was hid from their Eyes, they were so besotted with the pleasures of sin, so purblind in discerning the things that concerned their peace, the welfare and salvation of their soules, that they had no list to close with those blessed opportunities which they injoyed, and was not this a sad spectacle? When he beheld the City, he wept over it saying; If thou hadst known, even thou in this thy day, &c.

Learn we then here by Christs example as to weep, so when to weep, where and for whom to bestow our teares for the back-sliding of Hi [...]rusalem, when we see iniquity in the holy place, the faithfull City become a Harlot, when we see precious oppor­tunities neglected, & pearle [...] trampled under foot by Swine that know not the worth of them, when we see men regardles of their soules, and the things that concern their peace, obstinatly to persist in their sins, without any remorse of conscience or feare o judgment; then it is high time to set open the floud-gates of our Eyes with David, Mine Eyes gush out with water because men keep not thy Law, or with our Saviour here, he beheld the City and wept over it saying, if thou hadst known, &c.

In the ninth Chap. of Ezech. Ver 4. We find a command to set a mark upon the forehead of all those that sigh, and cry out for all the abominations, that were committed in the middest of Hierusalem, and indeed what Christian mans heart can chuse [Page 14]but bleed within him, if he shall seriously lay to heart all the abominations that are committed before his Eyes, how was righteous Lots soule vexed with the uncleane conversation of the filthy Sodomites? 2 Pet. 2.7, 8. We read of S. Paul, that when he came into Athens, and saw the City wholy given to Idolatry, Commotus est Spiritus, that his Spirit was moved within him. Acts 17.16. To see the renowned City of Athens, so famous formerly for learning, now become so infamous for Idolatry, communi­cating that honour and service, which is due and proper to God alone, to dumb Idols: his spirit was moved within him, and so far moved, that though he were in a strange place, yet he could not contein himselfe, but cries aloud against those abominations; David cries out, it grieveth me, when I see the transgressors, be­cause they keep not thy Law. Psal. 119.158. And the Apostle speak­ing of those loose livers in the primitive Church, whose belly was their God, and gloried in their shame, saith thus of them, I tell you weeping, they are the Enemies of the Crosse of Christ. Phil. 3.18, 19. David could not behold the transgressors without grieving, It grieveth me when I see the transgressors, because they keep not thy Law, nor S. Paul speak of it without weeping, I tell you weeping, they are the Enemies of the Crosse of Christ: so ten­der hearted have Gods children ever been, so ready to mourn for others sins; as indeed there is a great deale of reason we should do so both in respect of God, who is therby dishonoured, in res­pect of the sinner, for whom in common humanity we cannot but weep, when we observe how greedily he runs to his own destruction, what hast he makes to that place where shal be ever­lasting weeping and wayling, and gnashing of teeth, & in respect of our selves who are indangered by other mens sins, their sin is infectious, I living among them may perhaps be drawn to cast in my lot to run with them to the same excesse of riot, to partake with them in their sins: their sin in offensive to God; if God shall unsheath his sword, and come to visit for their iniquities, I living among them may perhaps be partaker of their punishment, and therfore for my own sake, I have cause to mourne for the sins of other men, Tunc tua res agitur, paries cum proximus ardet, tis high time for thee to look about thee, when thy Neighbours House is on fire.

And first we cannot but mourn for the abominations of Hie­rusalem the sins of other men, in resp [...]ct of God, in zeale to his glory, to see him dayly dishonoured, his holy name blasphemed, his Sabbaths prophaned, his service neglected, al his commande­mants broken, and that by the sins of other men: this was it that [Page 15]made the Prophet Eliah complaine so mournfully. 1 Kings 19.10. I have been very zealous for the Lord of Hosts, for the children of Israel have forsaken thy Covenant, thrown down thine Al­tars, slain thy Prophets with the sword, and I only am left, and they seek my life to take it away. I have been very jealous for the Lord of Hosts; indeed we would count him an unnaturall Son, that should stand by: see and heare his Father abused and dishonoured, and (though he could not hinder it) should not at least expresse himselfe to be grieved and troubled at it, and surely we have just cause to suspect our selves to be bastards, and not Sons, if we can stand by when our Heavenly Father is dis­honoured in word or deed, and not so much as shed a teare for the same, we are not of that Spirit, that the Children of God were wont to be of, Moses when he came down from the mount, and saw the abomination of the Israelites that they had changed the glory of God into the similitude of a Calfe that cateth Hay, he was so daunted at the sight, that dismall sight, that for the present he was like a man in an Ecstasy, he forgot what he was doing, he let the Tables that were written upon by the finger of God, to fall out of his hands and be broken, and so brake those Lawes in his zeale, which the people had broken in rebellion. Exod. 3 [...].19. Phinehas his zeale was so hot, that he could not hold his hands, but runs upon the offenders Zimri and Cozbi, and runs them thorough with his savelin. Num. 25.8. Hezechias rents his cloths heating the blasphemous words of Rabshakeh reviling the living God, and David cries out, my zeale hath even consum­ed me, because mine Enemies have forgotten thy words, and here the Son of David weeps for the sins of Hierusalem: And no marvayle, for it being the earnest desire of Gods children, the constant aime of all their actions to doe all to the glory of God, and to let theit light shine before men, that others seeing their good works may glorify their Father which is in Heaven; Let their light shine in like manner, to the glory of God. Let the people prayse thee O God, let all the people prayse thee; now to be crost in their earnest desire, to see men in stead of doing all to the glory of God, to do all to the dishonour of God, to sell themselves to work wickednes in his sight, must needs be a great heart-breaking or occasion of mourning.

Secondly, we have cause to mourn for the abominations of Hierusalem the sins of other men in regard of themselves, in com­passion to their soules, to see how desperatly they run themselves upon the Rock of Gods judgments, how wilfully they embrace their own destruction, how swinishly they wallow in the mire [Page 16]of sin, how willing they are to be led by the Enemy of their sal­vation, the spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience, making it their dayly trade: their continuall exercise to adde sin unto sin, and to heap up wrath against the day of wrath, and Hirc illae lachrymae, and who can behold all this with dry Eyes? if we should see a man like Baals Pries [...]s, cutting himselfe with lan­cers and knives till the bloud followed: I suppose there is none of us but would be mooved with such a spectacle as this: beloved this is the sinners case: he dayly wounds and mangles himselfe with his sins, every sin makes a deep gash in the soule: spare then some of those Teares, which thou usest to shed for the death of the body, and shed them for the death of the soule, for the sins of other men; for these without repentance lead to everlasting death and destruction, in that lake that burneth with fire and brimstone, where the Worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.

And thirdly, we have cause to mourn for the abominations of Hierusalem, the sins of other men in regard of our selves and those dangers which by other mens sins hang over our own heads; Woe is me (saith the Psalmist) that I am constrayned to dwell with Mesech, and to have my habitation among the tents of Kedar. Psal. 120.4. There is a twofold woe hanges over the head of Gods children by reason of sinners that live among them, a woe of infection, and a woe of Malediction, or a woe of punish­ment: first I say a woe of infection, Can a man touch pitch and not be defiled? Can a man live among sinners like Ezechid in the midst of Scorpions, and not be poysoned, not be infected by them? can Joseph live in Pharaohs Court, and not learne to sweare by the life of Pharaoh? it is a hard matter to live blame­lesse, and without rebuke and to shine as lights in the middest of a perverse and crooked generation, though the Apostle require it, Phil. 2.15. And therefore it is no small commendations that Christ gives the Bishop of Pergamos, Rev. 2.13. That he held fast his name and did not deny his faith, though he lived where the Synagogue of Satan was; we are all of an apish nature, apt to imitate the manners and conditions of those with whom we converse, Like Labans sheep, Ger. 30.39. Ready to bring forth white or spotted according to the patterns of innocency, or cor­ruption we see before our Eyes, with the holy thou shalt be ho­ly, and with the froward thou shalt learn frowardnesse. Psal. 18.26. I have heard of those who knowing themselves to be cer­tainly infected with the plague, that they have gone out into the Streets, and so not only poysoned the Ayre to the great dan­ger [Page 17]of passers by, but even breathed upon as many as they could come neare that so they might bee sure to infect them: for certaine it is so with those that are infected with the plague of sin, their bad example, that is like the poysoning of the ayre, very dangerous; but their lewd entising counsell, their insinuating temptations, come let us lay waite for bloud, wee shall fill our houses with spoile, cast [...]n thy Lot among us Pro. 1.11. that is like the breathing of an infected person upon a­nother, almost inevitable.

One woe is past, a woe of infection, there is a second woe hangs over the head of Gods children by reason of the wicked that live among them, a woe of malediction or a woe of punishment, and that two­fold; one for the wicked, another from the wicked; First, there is a punishment hangs over them for the wicked, fugiamus ne si balneum propter Cerinthum ruerit, nos quoque damni simus participes, said Saint Iohn the Evangelist, let us make haste away least the Bath fall for Cerinthus sins, and wee partake of Cerinthus punishment, come out of her my people, that ye bee not partakers of her sins, that yee receive not of her plagues, Rev. 18.4. all Israel smarts for Achans offence, and many times a fruitfull land is made barren for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein: Ps. 107.34. Tis true, God sometimes spares the place for the tens sake, unwilling to weed out the tares, least he pluck up the wheat also, and yet sometimes sin growes to such a ripenesse, that it causeth God to sweepe away the inhabitants of a land with the besome of destruction, as he threatens by the Prophet; witnesse those three great judgements, the famine, the pestilence, and the sword, when they come they spare none. Secondly, there is a punishment hangs over them from the wicked, for who knowes not that the wic­ked are professed enemies to the children of God? this serpentine brood beares a mortall enmity to the seed of the woman. Christ and his members, though they cannot breake their head, they will (if it be possible) bruise their heele, prove like the Canaanites, to the Israe­lites, scourges in their sides, and thornes in their eyes, alwayes deri­ding, traducing, opposing, oppressing them, making their lives bitter unto them: sheepe can looke for no better entertainment among Wolves: and therefore Gods children, living among the wicked, may justly take up the complaint of the Psalmist, our Soule is among Lions where t'is as great a miracle, that they should not be worried, as that Daniel was not torne in peeces in the Lions denne.

You see there is cause enough to weepe over Hierusalem, to mourne for the sins of other men, and yet this mourning may be much increa­sed both from the condition of him tha: mourneth, as also from the condition of him, for whose sins we mourne. First, from the conditi­on of him that mourneth, from that relation, which the mourner hath unto him, for whose sins he mourneth: and heere I may instance in two sorts of mourners, naturall parents mourning for their children, [Page 20]spirituall parents ministers mourning for their flocks. To begin with naturall parents, thinke with your selves (and perhaps I speake to some that know and feele it) what a greefe it must needs bee to pa­rents, Godly religious parents, to see their children take lewd courses, to walke in the counsell of the ungodly, and sit in the seat of the scornefull, to set at nought their wholesome instructions and fatherly admonitions, a wise Sonne maketh a glad Father (saith Solomon) but a foolish Son is a heavinesse to his Mother. Pro. 10.1. such a heavinesse was Esau to his mother Rebeccah in matching into that cursed stock of the Hittites, as you may read, Gen. 27.46. I am weary of my life be­cause of the daughters of Heth, if Iacob take a wife of the daughters of Heth, such as are the daughters of the land, what good will my life doe me? and Saint Augustine reports of his mother Monica, that as often as her children did sin against God, so often she did as it were [...] ­vell in birth of them again, euery evill report she heard, did as it were cause a new throw, nay I thinke the paines of child-birth are not so tedious to the mother, as those after-paines that are caused by the lewd conversation of their ungracious Children, for those paines though they be sharp, they are soone over, and there is some comfort in the midst of them, that a childe is comming into the world; but when good Eunice shall doe her best indeavour to traine up her children in the way wherein they should walke, acquainting them with the holy Scripture, which are able to make them wise unto salvation, and yet at last shall find all her labour lost, her hopes frustrated, her children carryed away, with lewd and vicious company, into all manner of loose conversation, as rioting and drunkennesse, chambering and wan­tonnesse, this must needs bring her gray haires with sorrow to the grave. From naturall parents mourning for their children, passe wee to spirituall parents mourning for their flocks; thinke with your selves, what a greife it is to faithfull Past [...]rs to see no better successe of all their labours, so much planting, and so much watering, and yet little or no increase, but they are forced to complaine with the Pro­phet, Domini quis credidit? Lord who hath beleeved our report? Es. 53.1. but especially, when wee consider how heary all our prea­ching, and all our exhortations will one day lye upon you, for want of your obedience, th [...]t our word which was intonded to be a savour of life unto life, will prove to some of you the bitter savour of death un­to death, that it will bee more tolerable for Sadom and Gomurha at the day of judgement, then for many among you, because ye have despised our doctrine, that wee shall bee forced to stand out and accuse you at that day, as Christ told the Jewes 10.5.45. Thinke not that I will accuse you to my Father, there is one that accuseth you, even Moses in whom you trust, that Moses in whom you trust, who indeed was wont to stand in the gap to mediate and intercede for you, at that day hee shall be your chiefest enemy, Moses shall ace [...]se you, because you would [Page 21]not beleeve n [...] obey his writings vers. 47. now thinke with your selves what a greefe this must needs bee, to the Ministers of God, to consider with themselves, that they who have desired nothing more then the salvation of those that are committed to their charge, must at the last day be forced to appeare and rise against many of them for their condemnation, to throw the first stone at them.

Secondly this mourning may be increased also from the condition of him for whose sins wee mourne, some men doe a great deale more hurt by their sins then others, and therefore their sins are the more to be lamented, and here likewise I may instance in two sorts of people. First, those that are eminent in place, aloft in the eye of the world advanced to places of eminency and dignity in Church or Common­wealth, actiones superiorum sunt libri inferiorum the actions of superiors are many times the bookes that inferiours learne by, and therefore when they are evill, they are twice evill, evill in themselves, and evill for example, as they are bad patternes and presidents for inferiours to imitate: if King Iereboam turne away his eare from hearing the law, you shall you shall soone find a miserable Kingdome, for his example will make all Israel to sin, and therefore his sins are much to be lamen­ted. It is therefore a mournfull spectacle to see a Magistrate that is sent for the terrour of evill doere, to beare the Sword in vaine, either to live in notorious sins himselfe, or to allow and winke at the sins of others, this was Gods complaint against Israel Es. 1.23. Thy Princes are rebellious and companions of theeves, they that should re­forme sin in others, they are rebellious themselves, & they that should judge the Fatherlesse, and plead for the widow, they are companions of theeves, so they may have a bribe for conniving, they never regard to deliver the oppressed out of the hand of the spoyler, It is also a mourn­full spectacle to see a minister, upon whose garments under the Law, was engraven in letters of gold, Holinesse unto the Lord, to defile this garment by living in those sins which in his owne mouth condemnes out of the word of God, to see those that sit in Moses seat doe such things as these people may not imitate Matth. 23.3. to build with one hand and pull downe with the other; to lead by his good doctrine, and mislead by his wicked conversation; to have Christ in his mouth, and Satan in his heart; this is likewise a sad mournefull spectacle. Lastly, those that are eminent though not in place, yet in the esteeme and opinion of the Church, I meane professors of religion, their sins are more scandalous, and therefore more to be lamented then the sins of other men: if David a pillar of the Church step awry, the ene­mies of the Lord will soone have their mouths open to blaspheme up­on that advantage. 2. Sam. 12.14. To see therefore a professour, not to live according to his profession, not to walke worthy of that new name that Christ hath given him, not to walke as becometh the Gospell, to over-reach or circumvent his neighbour in bargaining [Page 22]or selling, or to undermine his brothers good reputat [...]on, by becom­ming the devills agent to scatter false and slanderous reports, or to live in malice or adultery, or to hugge any other delightfull darling lust in his bosome, this is also a sad mournefull spectacle.

Well, if Christ have taught us to mourne for the back-slidings of Hierusalem, what shall we say to that [...] that rejoycing in evill which is in the world? what shall we thinke of those active in­struments of Satan that take such paines to propagate sin in others? those inticers. Pro. 1.11. Come let us lay waite for bloud, cast in thy lot amongst us, let us all have one purse, wee shall fill our houses with spoyle, and enrich our selves with precious substance &c. thus the Prophet brings in a crew of Idolaters animating and incouraging one another in their designes, Esay 41.6. They helped every one his neighbour, and said one to another, be of good courage; so the Car­penter incouraged the Goldsmith, he that smootheth with the Ham­mer, him that smote the Anvile saying it is ready for the sodering, and so Es. 56▪ 12. hee brings in a company of drunkards daring one ano­ther to sit close at it, come say they, I will fetch wine, and we will fill our selves with strong drinke, and to morrow shall be as to day and much more aboundant, and what shall we thinke of Solomons fooles that make a sport of sinne? never more merry then when they heare of the disorderly carriages, the drunkennesse, the swearing, the wan­tonnesse of their brethren; sure (as the Apostle speakes, Eph. 4.20.) non sic didicistis Christum, you have not so learned Christ; he mournes for Hierusalem, hee beheld the Citty and wept over it saying, If thou &c.

And beleeve it, there was never more cause of mourning in this kind then in our dayes, a fountaine of teares would not suffice to be­waile all the abominations that are committed in the midst of our Hierusalem: if our Lord and Saviour were now upon earth, he would never goe with dry eyes: for beside that Luke-warmnesse that is a­mongst us, that a great many are neither hot nor cold, what sinne was ever committed by any that is not committed by many in this land, and in this City? how hath pride jetted in one street? drun­kennesse reeled in another street? oppression marched like Iehu in ano­ther street? adultery with all her wanton positures minced in another street? wee have justified Sodome in all her abominations; Sodom which along while agoe was turned into ashes, and made an ensam­ple to all that should afterwards live ungodly, hath not done as wee have done; we have exceeded Sodom if not in the commission of grea­ter sins, yet in committing the same sins with greater impudency and greater obstinacy, in regard of that glorious light which shines a­mongst us and did not shine among them, and yet (which is the mi­sery) there is scarce a Lot to be found, whose righteous soule is greived for all these abominations, though only such mourners bee marked in [Page 23]the forehead, to be preserved in the destruction of Hierusalem, Ezech. 9. though only such mourners be the followers: and Disciples of Christ, for hee beheld the City and wept over it saying, If thou hadst knowne, even thou in this thy day, &c.

And so I come to the other cause of Christ his mourning, Jerusa­lems misery, for the dayes shall come that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and keepe thee in on every side, and lay thee even with the ground, 'twas likely we should heare of a storme, Hierusa­lem was so secure, so opprest with the spirit of drowsinesse (she did not know the things that belonged to her peace, they were hid from her eyes) when men shall cry peace and safety, then sudden destruction shall come upon them as travell upon a woman that is with childe. 1. Thess. 5.3. the men before the deluge were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, when the floud came and swept them all away, the men of Laish were extreame carelesse and secure when the Danites came upon them and slew them with the edge of the Sword, Elies Sons set their Fathers counsell at nought, they would not see the vilenesse and danger of their sins, when the Lord had a pur­pose to slay them, and Lots admonitions sounded as idle tales in the eares of his Sons in Law, when the next morning Sodom and Gomorrha were destroyed with fire and brimstone from heaven, when the Pro­phets (who are called Seers and watchmen) shall discerne a cloud, a tempest arising, and shall according to their duty, give the people war­ning to fly from the wrath to come, to prevent and divert it by repen­tance and reformation, if the people now shall slight the Prophets words as idle tales, say with Saint Peters mockers, Vbi promissio adven­tus? where is the promise of his comming? or with those Deut. 29.19. we shall have peace though we adde drunkennesse to thirst, though we goe on in our sensuall courses, though wee seek it yet againe, as tis Pro. 23.35. surely that people must needs bee in as bad case as the ground that Saint Paul speakes of Heb. 6.8. that drinketh in the raine, and bringeth forth nothing but briars and thornes, nigh unto cursing, whose end is to be burned: and this was Hierusalems case here, Hierusalem, had many warnings both from the Prophets, and from the Lord of the Prophets, many gracious tenders of mercy were made to her, many severe threatnings were discharged against her, woe unto thee O Hierusalem wilt thou not bee made cleane? when will it once be? Ierem. 13.27. but she is either so blind or so obstinate, or both, that she doth not, or will not know the things that belong to her peace: here in my Text Christ himselfe woos her [if thou hadst knowne, even thou in this thy day &c.] and that with teares in his eyes, [he beheld the City and wept over it], but all in vaine; Christ did but cast an eye back upon Peter, and that recalled him, Luc. 22.61. [the Lord turned and looked upon Peter, and Peter remembred the words of the Lord, and he went out and wept bitterly] here he looked [Page 24]a long time upon Hierusalem [he beheld the City and wept over it] but Hierusalem is so setled upon her Lees. Zeph. 1.12. so grounded in security and hardnesse of heart, that she cannot, that she will not re­pent, and therefore no marvell if her goods become a booty, and her houses a desolation, as it followes there at the 13. verse, or as tis in the Text, the dayes shall come, that thy enemies shall cast a trench a­bout thee, and keepe thee in on every side, &c.

Here you see the kind of her misery, Hierusalem is exposed to the fury of her mercilesse enemies, to the Sword the sharpest of Gods 3. Airewes, shee hath not liberty to take her choyce as David had 2. Sam. 24.13. Wilt thou have 7. yeares famine come upon the land? or wilt thou flee 3. moneths before thy enemies while they pursue thee? or wilt thou that there be 3. dayes pestilence in the land? but she is peremptorily designed to the Sword, to be compassed about with armies, that should batter downe her lofty Turrets, her princely pa­laces, lay them all even with the ground; For the dayes shall come that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, &c.

It was a heavy sight to see Hierusalem blocked up in this manner, so streightly and strongly beseiged, that they were neither able to beat off their enemies, nor could expect succour from their friends: it had beene an uncomfortable fight to see some houses shut up in Hierusalem by the destroying Angell; but to see Hierusalem it selfe shut up, was both a strange and a sad spectacle: where is the noble valour, the he­roick Spirit, that was wont to be in this people? time was when one of them could chase a thousand, and two of them put ten thousand to slight, when Israel lay downe like a Lion, and couched like a great Lion, and none durst rouze him up, when other nations were glad to betake themselves to their fenced Cities because of them, and there to fortifie their walles, Barrocadoe their Gates against them, as Hie­richo and other Cities did, or if they did venture to sally out against them one way, they were forced to flee before them seven ways: but what shall we say now, when Israel turnes their backs before their enemies? when they are forced to retreat into Hierusalem for shelter, when the enemy pursues them to the very Ga [...]es, intrench themselves round a­bout the City, and threaten to cut them all off, eyther by the Sword, or by the Famine, which is sharper then a two edged Sword. The dayes shall come that thine enemies, &c.

It was strange that Hierusalem should be thus surrounded, but more strange that it should bee taken, that it should bee battered downe and laid even with the ground, as it followes in the next words, They shall lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee, this w [...]s strange indeed, whether wee consider the scituation of the City, or the protectour of the City; for the scituation of it, t'was feared up­pon such high, craggy, inaccessible rocks or mountaines, that it was even by nature made almost impregnable: the Iebusites that held it till [Page 25] Davids time, thought it so strong of it selfe, that the blind and the lame were able to defend it against David, and all his men of valour. 2 Sam. 5.6. And to this strength of nature, was added an artificiall strength of Forts and Bulwarks. Psal. 48.12. Walke about Sion and goe round about her, and tell the Towers thereof, marke well her Bul­warks, consider her Palaces, that you may tell them that come after: now to see these strong Bulwarks, these stately Palaces laid even with the ground, was a sight no lesse wonderfull then lamentable: The Kings of the earth and all the inhabitants of the world, would not have beleeved, that the enemy should have entred into the Gates of Hierusalem: Lam. 4.12. Againe consider the Protector of the Ci­ty: it's true, except the Lord keepes the City, the watchman waketh but in vaine, but Hierusalem was the City of the great King, God was well knowne in her Palaces as a sure refuge, hee had his Temple there, for thy Temples sake at Hierusalem, nay and Hierusalem had experience of his protection formerly, when it was beseiged by the Forces of Senacherib, an Army supposed invincible, yet the Lord be­ing their Protectour, raised the seige, as you may read. Esay 37.35. I will defend this City for my owne sake, and for my servant Davids sake, And that night the Angell of the Lord went out and slew in the Camp of the Assyrians 185000. But where is the God of Hierusa­lem now? as Elishah spake when he came to the bank of Jordan, where is the Lord God of Eliiah now? 2. Reg. 2.14. surely the Glo­ry is departed from Israel, Israel hath rejected the Lord, and gone a whoring after strange Gods, they have walked extreame contrary to him in all their wayes, and therefore the Lord hath at length justly with-drawne himselfe from them, and left them as a prey to their ene­mies, Climbe upon her walles and destroy, downe with her battle­ments, for they are not the Lords: Ier. 5.10. And now our blossed Saviour as if he saw the wall (not of Hiericho, but) of Hierusalem tumbling downe, the Souldiers on every side entring the City, beat­ing all downe before them, dashing the young infants against the stones, torturing the aged and honourable, deflouring the modest Vir­gins and chaste Matrons, ransaking their houses, with fire and Sword, laying Hierusalem even with the ground, and her children within her, hee falls a weeping, he beheld the City and weptover it.

As indeed it was a lamentable sight, the Lord in mercy grant wee never see such a Spectacle in our Hierusalem; no doubt, Abraham was affected with sorrow, when he saw the smoake of Sodome ascend like the smoke of a furnace, though Sodom was a nest of infidels, children of Belial, whose sins c [...]ied up to heaven for vengeance, Gen. 13: 13. young and old from every quartet were gathered together about Lots doore, crou­ding and striving who should hee the foremost in that unnaturall and prodigious sin, it cannot appeare that there was a Family or a Soule after Lot was gone, which were not all most notorious sinners, and yet [Page 29]it was a sad spectacle, to see Sodom said even with the ground, so in the 18. chap. of the revelation, vers. 9 10. and so forward, tis prophe­cyed that the Kings of the earth, and the Merchants, and the Ship­masters shall weepe bitterly for the destruction of Babylon, when they they shall see the smoak of her burning: alas, alas, that great City Ba­bylon, that mighty City, for in one houre is her judgement come, in one houre is so great riches come to nothing alas, alas that great Ci­ty! well then might our blessed Saviour weepe for Hierusalem, where there was yet a Remnant according to the Election of grace, which were like to be involved in the common calamity, the righteous with the wicked, & Templum Domini the Temple of the Lord together with their seiled houses: O God the Heathen are come into thine inheri­tance, thy holy Temple have they defiled, and made Hierusalem a heape of stones, the dead bodyes of thy Saints have they given to bee meat unto the foules of the ayre, and the flesh of thy Servants, to the beasts of the land, Ps. 79.1.2. This made the Prophet Ieremy wish, Oh that my head were waters, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe night and day for the slaine of the daughter of my peo­ple. I [...]r. 9.1. this made our Saviour here, when he beheld the City, to weepe over it saying, if thou hadst knowne &c. for the dayes shall come that thy enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and lay thee even with the ground and thy children within thee.

Beloved, our Saviours example must be our direction all along, he weepes for Hierusalem, we must also weepe for the miseries and deso­lations of Hierusalem, the Church and people of God abroad in the world, and for the miseries that hang over our Hierusalem, and threa­ten us with ruine, unlesse God in mercy be pleased to open our eyes, that wee may at last be able to know, (that is to take notice of) the things that belong to our peace. And first the miseries of the Church abroad call for our teares. Hierusalems misery here was but a comming [the dayes shall come] Christ saw the cloud arising, it was 40. yeares after before the storme fell, and yet he could not forbeare weeping; how can we look upon the ruines of Hierusalem, and other famous Churches with look upon the ruines of Hierusalem, and other famous Churches with dry eyes? Thy Servants thinke upon her stones, and it pittieth them to see her in the dust, saith the Psalmist. Ps. 10 [...].14. to see thornes come up in her palaces, Nettles and Brambles in her fortresses, that she is become an habitation of Dragons, and a Court of Owles, a most forlorne desolate place. Es. 34.13. the words which her enemies uttered in scorne, Lam. 2.15. we should utter with teares, is this the beauty of perfection? the joy of the whole earth? alas, alas that great City. And who can sufficiently bewaile the sad desolations of other Churches? when we call to mind the inroades, and incroachments that the wilde Bore of the Forrest, the Turk hath made into Christendome, and is daily threatning & indevouring to swallow up more of it, to de­voure Iacob, & lay waste his dwelling place, to root out the Church and [Page 27]people of God, that the name of Israel may he no more in re­membrance: and when we consider, how that Skarlet whore of Rome hath made her selfe drunk with the bloud of the Saints. Rev. 17.6. Pitty the breaches of Bohemia, the Palatinate, Ger­many, &c. Whose f need Cities (many of them) are turned into [...]inous heaps, laid even with the ground, and their fields wa­tered with the bloud of Christians. Their bloud have they shed like water on every side of H [...]er s [...]em, and there was no man to bury them. Ps. 79.3. Pitty the sad condit on of Ir [...]an, say with the Spouse, Cant. 8.8. What shall we doe for our little Sister? La­mentable are the scritches and complaints that have been heard out of that Kingdom, by reason of the fury of the oppressour; sparing neither Age nor Sex, pillaging and firing and laying all even with the ground, where ever they prevayle: and is this nothing to you all ye that passe by? have ye no fellow-feeling of their miseries? can ye for all this stretch your selves upon your beds of ivory, and eat the Lambs of the flock, and the Calves out of the stall, and drink your Wine in bowles, and chaunte it to the sound of the Violl? and never consider the afflictions of Joseph? S. Paul commands us to weep with those that weep, as N [...]imiah did for the miseries of his Brethren at H [...]erusalem, when himselfe was in prosperity in the Court of Ar­taxerxes: the Members of Christs mysticall Body, should be like the members of a naturall body: where if one Member suf­fer, all the rest suffer with it. 1 Cor. 12.26. Pitty then that bleed­ding Kingdom, pitty and pray for them, pitty and succour them: first pitty and pray for them, importune and wrastle with God in behalfe of that Kingdom by uncessant and earnest Prayer, let teares run down like a River night and day, give him no rest till the Vengeance of the Protestants bloud that is shed be open­ly shewed upon their barbarous and cruell Enemies. Secondly, pitty and succour them, let your aboundance now be a supply for their want, let England be to Ireland as a refuge from the storm, as a shaddow from the heate, untill this Tyranny be o­verpast; there are a many poore distressed soules forced to for­sake that Kingdom, and to slee hither for reliefe and some that had faire estates, till those Sabaeans feazed upon them: it may be two bands with [...]acob, though they have brought nothing but a staffe over Jordan with them, now if you will keep the fast aright, that it may be an acceptable day unto the Lord, you must observe the Lords own directions. Es 58 7. Is not this the fast that the Lord hath chosen: to deale thy bread to the hungry, [Page 29] [...] [Page 27] [...] [Page 28]and that thou bring the poore that are cast out into thy house the poore that are cast out; as many of them have been cast out of house and home,] and when thou seest the naked, that thou cover them, and for certain many of them have been stripped naked, not so much as their clothes left, to cover their nakednes, or to defend them against the injuries of the weather, fit objects of your pitty.

And while we remember Ireland and other Churches wasted with misery we may not forget our selves, as our blessed Savi­our ad monished the Women that bewayled him. Luc. 23.28. Weep for your selves ye Daughters of Hieru [...]al [...]m, and for your Children; for the dayes are comming wherein they shall say, blessedare the barren, and the Wombes that nover bare, and the paps that never gave suck. Beloved for my own part, I am not privy to the decrees of Heaven, neither am I willing to presage ruin to this [...]urch, either by the Sword, famin, or Pestilence: long may she slourish and continue to he the joy, and prayse of the whole Earth, ev [...]n so long as the Sun and Moone indureth, till Shiloh come to judgment. Yet I must tell you, first that it is possible, that this Church of ours may be dischurched, our Hierusalem be made a heap of stones, England may not say, as Da­vid sometime did foolishly, Psal. 30.6. I sayd in my prosperity I shall never be removed, he was deceived [thou didst turn thy face from me, and I was troubled] and so may we: nor with the malignant Church, Reva 8.7. I fit as a Queen and shall see no sorrow: no, our Candle stick may be removed, our Vineyard that have been fenced so many yeares by the providence, and protection of the great Husbandman may have its hedge tr [...]den down; there is no Church priviledged from drinking of the cup of Gods Wrath. Where is the King of Ham [...]th, and the King of Arpad and the King of Sepharuaim? as he sayd, what is become of those famous Eastern churches? those golden Candlesticks? Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, &c. Nay Hierusalem it selfe layd even with the ground, and that many hundred yeares agoe, and if God spared not the naturall branches, we have no reason to be high minded, but to feart: what saith God to the Na­tions? Jer. 25.29. Doe ye refuse to drink of my Cup, behold I begin to bring evill upon the City that is called by my Name▪ you must not think to goe unpunished; we must not expect more favour then the Ie [...]res found, admit we have Tamolum domius the Temple of the Lord, the Symbol of Gods presence amongst, us, so had they, we have many faithfull pastors and teachers ac­cording [Page 29]to Gods own heart, they had Prophets and Apostles, men extraordinarly inspired, nay they had the Lord of the Pro­phets, we have the Word of God, had not they? the voyces of the Prophets were heard among them every Sab ath day. Acts 13.27. But we have Maunah in greater aboundance then they had, more plenty of preaching, our destruction may be the nea­rer for that, for our sins will be the sooner ripe, the hotter the Sun shines the sooner the tares will be ripe, and ready for the sire, but we have our monthly fastes and dayes of humiliation, had not they? Zach. 7.5. When ye fasted in the fifth moneth, and in the seventh Moneth those 70 yeares, did ye fast unto me? all these proved vaine confidences to them, they could not keep off the stroke from them, and therefore notwithstanding all these, it's possible that our Church may suffer as they did.

Nay I must goe one step farther, It is not only possible, but it's probuble too, we have just cause to feare, that the time may come and speedily to, wherein our Enemies may cast a [...]t [...]nch about us, and lay our Hierusalem even with the ground because the Leaven of the Iewes is unhappily fallen into the lump of the Gentiles, and the abominations that were committed in Hierusalem, are flowen over into England, nay I feare our sins doe outvy theirs all things confidered, as far as theirs outvied the sins of Sodom. Ezech. 16. What sin was ever charged upon Hierusalent, that may not be sampled in England? there was halting be­tween two opinions, hath there not been the like heere? 'twas yrkesome to them to observe the Sabbath day strictly and religi­ously, when will the new Moon be gone that we may sell corn, and the Sabbath that we may set forth wheate. Am. 8.5. Tell me hath it not been so here? the Prophet Micah complaines of them for the scant measure, the wicked balances, and the bag of deceitfull weights, Mich. 6.10.11. Examin your shops, hath it not been so here? there were great corruptions both in the civill and Ecclesiasticall state: their Princes were rebellious and com­panions of theeves, that is, their magistrates did too much coun­tenance oppression and in justice, and their Priests were many of them dumb dogs, lying down and loving to slumber, lazy watch­men that suffered the people to perish for want of warning, Aarons Bels had lost their clappers; beloved I appeale to you, have there not been such faults in the Magistracy and Ministery of England, in some of each [...] their Land was greatly pol­luted with swearing and blaspheming, because of swearing the land mourneth. Jer. 23.10. And doth not our land, and this City [Page 30]by name groan under this fin also? what hideous Oathes, and desperate imprecations are heard in our streets; They were strong to drink strong drink, and when they had sate till the Wine inflamed them, then they assembled themselves by troupes in the Harlots Houses: and how doe these beastly sins, of rioting and drunkennesse, of chambering & wantonnes reign in this Kingdom, and more especially in H [...] this populons City? in a word, should a man be serious, and with Solomon Pro. 7.6. look out at the casement of his window, and observe the behaviour of people in the streets, he might behold not only the young wan­ton with his Minion marching along to the Ste [...]es. but also the angry Ruffian justling for the wall, t [...]e swinish drunkard stum­bling and tumbling in the mire, the hard-hearted Vsurer catch­ing his neighbour by the throate, and haling him to the prison, the proud phantastick more gloriously arrayed then Solomon in all his royalty, and heare such vaine bablings▪ such proud boastings, such clamorous raylings, such cursed blasphemies, as might make him not only to weep: but also to wonder at the patience of God, that he hath not long before this time made London like Hierusalem a heap of stones. In the second Chapter of the R [...]a [...]i [...] (Christ threatens the Asian Churches to remove their Candlesticks, because he [...]ad somewhat, or a few things against them, neverthelesse I have a few things against thee, remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, or else [...] will remove thy Candlestick out of his place, and alas, beloved 'tis not a few things that God hath against us, we have walked contrary to him in every thing, what may wee feare?

I will but touch upon two or three of Hierusalems latter sins, and leave you to judge whether we have not overtaken hereven in them. One was her disrespect, her cruelty to the Lords Pro­phets, Math 23.37 O Hierusalem, Hierusalem that killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are font unto thee, &c. And Ver. 34. Behold [...] send unto you Prophets and wise men and scribes, and some of them ye shall kill and crucify, and some of them you shall scourge in your Synagogues, and persecute them from City to City, That upon you may come all the righteous bloud shed upon the Earth, from the bloud of Abel, to the bloud of Zacha­rias the Son of Barachias, whom yee slew between the Temple, and the Altar; they counted them their Enemies for telling them the truth, they hated the light because their deeds were evill, and believe it, this is a provoking sin; touch not mine an­noynted [Page 31]and doe my Prophets no harme, and as he that receives a Prophet in the name of a Pr [...]phet, shall receive a Prophets reward, [...]o he tha [...] contemnes and abuseth a Prophet, one of Go [...]s messengers and Embassadors, Christ tells him [...]. it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha at the day of judgment, [...] then for that party, or that City, (if it be a City) Matth. 10.15. And yet beloved, we cannot hide it, England [...]s in a high degree guilty of this sin, the Prophets of the Lord, the most zealous, painfull, learned Ministers have been too much slighted▪ opposed, derided and at this day the most solid ju [...]i [...]ious Divines about this City are trampled upon with durty feet, vilified, pointed at, loaden with infamous nick-names, as Baals Priests, Popi [...]h teachers, Limbes of Antichrist, wofull to relate, and I wonder how any man, that beare [...] but the name of a Ch istian, dares vent such unsavoury, invective speeches against their Teachers▪ and that it may be for dissenting from them only in the use of a harmelesse, significant Ceremony. You know what happened to [...]eroboam for stretching out his hand against the Prophet though he were a King. 1. Reg. 13.4. And you remember the severity of Gods Anger. against the young children for mocking the Prophet Elishah, goe up thou bald head, goe up thou bald-head, 'tis recorded that 42 of them were presently torn in [...]ic [...]s. 2. Reg. 2.24. Doth. God pu­nish foolish wanton children for such a fault? think not that those of riper yeares shall escape; this was the Bane of Hieru­sale [...] once before, 2 Chron. 36.16. They mocked the Messen­gers of the Lord, and misused his Prophets, untill the wrath of the Lord ar [...] se against his people, till there was no remedy, ther fore he brought upon them the King of the C [...]dees, who slew their young men with the Sword; here 'twas their bane again, 'twas one of those sins that armed the Romans against them, and I pray God it doe not help to bane this City, Lord lay not this sin to our charge.

Another of Hierusalems latter sins was their irreverent pro­phanations of Gods Temple, they put no difference between that s [...]cred place, set apart for the worship and service of God; [My House shall be called the House of Prayer] and other ordinary places: they carried burdens therough it, they bought and sold in the outward Court of it, till Christ forbad them. Take these things hence [...] make not my Fathers House, a House of merchandize. Beloved I must be plain with you, we are too much guilty of this sin also, there is a vile irreverent esteem [Page 32]of Gods House in the hearts of too many amongst us, and out of the aboundance of the heart the mouth speaketh, words which I am almost ashamed, and afrayed to repeate: that the Church is no better then an Ale-House or a Tavern, nay then a Bawdyhouse, I heard it spoken; prophane wretches, the Iewes came not nea [...]e these, and yet Christ switched them out with a whip of small cords, Huic aliud mercedi [...] erit—I feare these will be beaten with many stripes, heavy strokes, there is a golden meane (if we could light on it) between idolizing of a Temple, and vilifying of it, between doing reverence to it, and irreve­rent prophaning of it; We have warnings enow to look to our feet when we come to the House of the Lord; you know what a breach was made upon Vzzah, for a small miscarriage (as is may be conceived) about the Arke, and how many thou­sands of the Bethshemites were cut off, for prying irreverent­ly into the Arke, I am sure Christ never exprest more anger then in that passage about his Fathers House, and I doe believe 'twas one of the sins that brought this judgment upon Hieru­salem▪ for you shall read in the verse after m [...] Text. Ver. 45. That as soon as he had uttered this complaint. If thou hadst I known even thou in this thy day, &c. He presently went into the Temple, and cast out them that sold therein, and them that bought, saying, it is, written my House shall be called the house of Prayer, but ye have made it a den of thieves, and Lord lay not this sin to our charge.

A third sin of Hierusalem in her declining are was the Sects and divisions that were among them, we read of Pharisees and Sadduces, and some other Sects that they were rent and divi­ded into, what a tumult and an outcry there was between the Pharises and the Sadduces? Acts 23. The Captaine was affraid least Paul should have been [...]orne 2. peices by them, they were so violent; And beloved, are not we conscious to our selves of this sin also? fractions and divisions? it is a question not easily answered, whether there be more Sects or wards in London, and what tumults have been occasioned by these Sects and si­dings? not only in the s [...]ee [...]s, but even in the House of God? what shoutings and clamours? to the dishonour of God, and the disturbance of the Congregation? Lord lay not this sin to our charge. Oh that we would take out that golden Lesson of the Apostle. To keep the unity of the spirit in the bond of peace, that we would give credit to that undeniable sailing of our Sa­vious, A Kingdom or a City, or a House divided against it selfe [Page 33]cannot stand; there was a time when Hierusalem was at unity within it selfe, Psal. 122.9. And then she was not ashamed to speak with her Enemies in the gate, but now being at cry [...]l jarres and dissensions among themselves, they become a prey to the Romans; neither could their private differences be com­posed, till the Enemy took away both their lives and their li­vings, and made Hierusalem [...]celdana [...] a field of blood. — Enquo disco [...]dia cives p [...]rduxit [...]nis [...]os. And God grant this sin of Hierusalem doe not bring Hierusalems punishment upon us, that our private dis­sensions doe not incourage and give opportunity to the com­mon Enemy to cast a trench about us, you see Hierusalems sins are come over into England, and therefore it's too too probable that her punishment may follow. For the dayes shall come that thy Enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and lay thee even with the ground, &c.

But that my Sun may not sit in a cloud, I shall ad one word more, that though it be possible, nay though it be probable (the premisses considered) that the Sword may come, yet it is not necessary, there is mercy with the Lord that he may be feared, No [...]e am [...]v [...], sed [...]iteatiam, God is infinitely more delighted in the conversion, then in the confusion of a sinner, why will ye dye O house off Israel? turn ye, turne ye from your evill way, break off your sins by repentance, and live: he that confesseth and forsaketh his sins shall have mercy. Proverbs 28.13. Con­fession and conversion; or humiliation seconded with refor­mation hath sometimes reversed the sentence that hath gone out against a Nation, as in the case of Niniveh, yet forty dayes and Niniveh shall be destroyed, Niniveh in the meane time repents of the evill she hath committed, and God repents also of the evill he hath intended: had Hierusalem done so too, had Hierusalem known the things that belonged to her peace, Ilia nunc staront, Priamique urbs alta man [...]ret, for ought we know it might have stood until this day: Niniveh had but forty dayes, Hieru­salem had forty yeares respit to repent in, and to make her peace: So I say now, if we shall, even we in this our day labour to make our peace, and attonement with God (whom we have of­fended) by discerning and lamenting all our former transgres­sions, by resolving and indeavouring to walke more circum­spectly for the time to come, to walke worthy of those great mercies which we injoy, to bring foorth fruits meet for re­pentance, no doubt, he will accept of us still, and receive us in­to favour againe; what else is the meaning of those Parables [...] [Page 34]Luc. 15. Of the Woman rejoycing with her Neighbours when shee had found her lost Groate, of the Shepheards hug­ging this stray Sheep, and bringing it home with joy, of the Father welcomming and embracing his prodigall Sonne upon his submission, but to intimate unto us the will [...]gnesse of Al­mighty GOD to be reconciled unto sinners, upon their true Repentance; the Father doth not question with his Sonne, Vbi fuisl [...]? [...]ub [...] su [...]t [...]e tulisti [...]? saith Chrysologus, where ha [...]e you been? What is become of all that portion you carried hence? how is it that you are returned thus poore, thus na­ked? but he cals for the best Robe, and Shooes for his Feete, and a Ring for his finger, &c. Quis i [...]l [...] P [...]t [...]r (saith Tertulli­an sweetly) who is this Father? that so lovingly entertaines his penitent Sonne? who is this Father? [...] scilicet, God is this Father, we are these Prodigals, let his enterteinment incourage us to returne; to acknowledge our own vilenesse [Fa­ther we have sinned against Heaven, and in thy sight, and are no more worthy to be called thy Children] and he will re­ceive us graciously, a broken and a contrite heart he can not, he will not despise; [...]i [...]ri [...] no [...] potest [...] siliv [...] istarum l [...]chry­marum [...]percat [...], said Saint Ambrose to Monica bewayling her Sonne Austin: be of good cheere Woman, it cannot be that the Sonne for whom thou dayly sheddest so many Teares should perish, so I dare say to every Soule that bedewes it selfe with the Teares of true Repentance: Fieri non poi [...]st ut a [...], [...]a istarum la [...]rymarum pereat, it cannot be that the Soule for which so many Teares are shed should perish; it is a ground­lesse expostulation that is taken up by them Malac, 3. [...]4. What profit is it that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of Hostes? I answer very great profit, for these Teares il they proceede f [...]om a truly broken and contrite heart, they will prove like Sauls Sword, or lonathans Bow, they will never returne empty, not one of these Cristalline Pearles fal's to the ground, God puts them all into his Bottell. Psalme 56.8. See how it fared with good Hezechiah. Esay 38.1 The Prophet is sort to acquaint him that the time of his dissoluti­on is at hand; Set thy House in order, for thou shalt dye, and (believe it) Death is a grimme Surjeant that will not easi­ly be staved off, however the good man betakes himselfe to his Prayers, and mingles some [...]eares with his Prayers, and see what this produceth Verse 5. Thus saith the Lord I have heard thy Prayers, I have seen thy Teares; I will adde unto [Page 35]thy dayes fifteene yeares, and I will deliver thee and this Ci­ty out of the hand of the King of Assyria. I need not tell you that are Parents, how far the Teares of your children will plead and prevaile with you, though you be much offended, and what saith the Psalmist? Psal. 103.13. Like as a Father pittieth his own children, so is the Lord mercifull to his chil­dren, when his anger is kindled against them their Teares will soon quench it again, look in the 31. of Ieremy Verse 18. There you shall finde a breach between God and Ephraim, Ephraim is stubburn, God is angry at it, and begins to correct him, Ephraim feeling it smart fals a weeping: he repents and smites upon his thigh Verse 19. And God presently takes notice of it. I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himselfe, and what followes at the 20. Verse? Is Ephraim my deare Sonne? Is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I doe earnestly remember him still, therefore my bowels are trou­bled for him, I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord, I can be no longer angry with him, saith God, now I see him weep, my bowels doe even yearne towards him, I will surely have mercy upon him, &c. It puts me in mind of that story of Esau. Genesis 27. He brings in his venison and comes very confidently to his Father for a blessing before his Death: the dimme old man amazed, and perceiving at last how he was deluded (for Jacob had cunningly supplanted him, you know the story) he tells him that he was come too late, Thy brother came with subtilty and hath taken away thy blessing. Verse 35. With that he falles a begging and complayning, and is very importunate; Hast thou not reserved a blessing for me? blesse me, even me also, O my Father: Isaac tels him, I have given all his brethren to him for servants, I have given him Corn and Wine to sustayne him, what can I doe for thee my Sonne? Hast thou but one blessing my Father? saith Esau, blesse me even me also; and Esau lift up his voyce and wept, Verse 38. And those Teares fetched a blessing presently: his Father answered, Thy dwelling shall be the fatnesse of the Earth, and the dew of Heaven from above, and thou shalt, serve thy Brother, and it shall come to passe, that in processe of time thou shalt breake his yoke from off thy necke, &c. Teares are lowde Oratours with an Earthly Father, much more with our Heavenly Father, because hee is infinitely more pittifull then any Earthly Father: If you beeing evill know how to give good gifts to your children, [...] [Page 36]how much more shall your Heavenly Father? Matthew 7.11. If you that have but a Rivulet of mercy bee so moved with Teares, [...] how much more will your Hea­venly Father? who hath a boundlesse, bottomlesse Ocean of mercie?

Wee may bee the more confident, that the Teares which we shed upon Earth are regarded in Heaven, because (as the Apostle speakes) wee have a mercifull high Priest there, Hebrewes 4.15. For wee have not a high Priest that cannot be touched with the feelings of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like unto us, sinne onely excepted; Christ tooke not on him our nature onely, a reasonable Soule and humane flesh, but also condescended to take on him the infirmities of our nature, the infirmities of the body, as to be hungry, to be thirsty, to sleepe, to be weary; and the infirmities of the minde, as to be angry, to be sad, to weepe, &c. Christ hath beene experimentall in all these, hee hath tasted of every one of these Cups, and therefore knowes how to pitty, and to succour those that labour under any of these infirmities: are wee sorrowfull? so hath CHRIST beene, a man of sorrowes and acquainted with griefe; doe wee weepe? so did Christ, hee beheld the City and wept over it, and though hee doe not weepe for our Hierusalem, yet hee is sensible of our weeping, and makes intercession for us at the right Hand of his Father; and therefore heere is a great deale of comfort to those that mourne in Sion, and a great deale of incouragement to those that have not yet beene Mourners, if they shall now at length see the errour of their wayes, and beginne to weepe for the abominations of Hierusalem.

Let us therefore all of us awake betimes out of our sinnes, before that vengeance awake, and the judgement which yet sleepeth; seeke the Lord while hee may bee found, whilest with the Father of the Prodigall hee is ready to meete us, and to embrace us, let us turne to him with all our hearts, with fasting and with weeping, and with mourning, there is [...]oy in the presence of the Angels over one sinner what joy will there bee over a whole Nation that repen­teth? Luc. 15.10. while God holdes his peace [these things hast thou [...]oue, and I held my peace, Psalme 50.21.] Let us speake [...]nd sue unto him for mercy, and say, spare us good Lord, [...]pare thy people whom thou hast redeemed with thy [Page 37]most precious bloud, and bee not angry with us for ever; And let the Priests, the Ministers of the Lord, weepe bet­weene the Porch and the Altar, and say, be favourable, O Lord, and give not thine heritage to reproach. Joel. 2.17. Wherefore should they say among the Heathen, where is now their God?