Chap- 3 .S'cct.3. U,oolitng unto 'jltftH). ------~~~-~~~----~-~~~~~ ;I~; Dnvid do~bled the name .Ab(olom, i, is fa,id, the K"'$ was '"",h rr.ovrd, and fo 'Sam. :8 3 [,e er •ed 0 my [on .Abfolom, wy j011, my fan .Aofvlom ; thudly heres tl:e monftrous 1: 1) e;"ith the Lord charges Jerufalem, 7hoa that kjllejtthe l'ropbers, and ftoneflthem mw:er n I . ll I . I c f 1 p 1 · r. which ~trefentwitotbrc;_ {eru{t!lemwas tle \.ery aug1ter~ 1oun.~ o tle rop.lcts,tnw much that very tcw ot the Prophets had been murthered elfewhere, and lo comparatively Chrift [peaks, it cannot be/ha; a Frophetperifh out of 7eruftlem. Founhly, Luke :3. '3· here's Chril\s willingnefs to fave Jerufalem, WIHch he dlfcovers. I. In lm fre- . quem applications to it, how often ? _q. d. not once, nor twice, nor thnce, but ma- ' and nuny a time have I come to jeruftlem, and fpoke to remfalem, and wooed f;n{atem, how oftm? 2· In the acting, exerciling, and purri~g forth of h_is will, how ofrenwould Jhave gathered thy chilt.ren together? The wdl of Chnll was fenous, though n;t abfolute ; I know his divine _will abfolurely conlidered could not h:ll'e been refifted; bur this was* not his abfolute will, but only a w1ll of dtvme cot.nplacency; and fo he • h . tvo;tld r.ot h. 1 ve the death of any, but that aN j!JM~-ilive; or he fpeaks here of his humane ,,;,,:r:/fol~~~ mini[\mol will ( f:ly fome) and norof !115 dtvme: many a Sermon bad he preached, 4fi,.,, dem– and tlllny an Exhortation had he dropped, and every Sermon, every Exhortation pro- "'"'•(1 iofa/i– daimcd his willingnefs, I wo11id, yea rhat I would, have gathered thy chddren together. bd"""Jl'Od•- 3. In r&mblance of his willingnels, Chrill: would have [;a~hered Jerufalomschildren, M r_:,~:,'J!:~"m thehm gathers her chrc/(frts under her tvmgs ; 1n the metap.:or Chnfl_s care IS admirably volunt"' ,.!:_ ditrlayed. 1, As the hen With he~ Wings cove::s the unfeathered cluckens. 2. As the d>tionaro, ,._ hen provides for then· food, nor eanng her felf ull they are filled. 3. As the hen de- velara, appr•- 1-ends her chickens from rhe ravenous birds, fo that to blood fhe will fight in their defence; ba.io?is, & fo luth Chrifts care been for Jerufaiern. N. bird (faith .Auftin) exprejfcth Juch tender ~mpltc• rom– lovetoher young ones M the hen doth; no fowls fo difcover rhemfelves to be mothers, as ~~~~~-~;aa. hens do; other birds we know to be mothers, when we fee themm thetr nell:s, bur Do ,,. !" John other way; only the hen dtfcovers her felf to be • mother, when her chtckens 'do not fo llow hei-- for rhen her fearhers fland up, her wmgs hang down, fhe clocketh mourn. fully, and goetl: feebly ; now in refpect of this lingular love, Chrifr compares himfelf roan hen; .As an hengarhershfr chick§ns, Jo would !have gathered 'ferufalem. 4- In that he adds fo dolefully, but ye would not; I would, but ye would not; q. d. in me no care fo great as to fave your fouls, in you no care fo little as your fouls falvation; I f\rove towards you in acts of love, and you flrove towards me in acts of ingratitUde; I would have done you good, but you would not receive it; I would, yea how often would I ? b11t ye wo11id not. · 2. Cbrifls reception of finners appears yet more in his practice. How welcome were all forrs of !inners unto him? He calts out none that acknowledged him for the Meffiah, he rurned none away that gave up their fouls to be faved by him in his own way. This hemanifell:s. 1. Parabolically. 2. Really. I. Parabolically, efp<eially in tbofe thtee Parables, of the !oil Groat, and of the loft Sheep, and of the loft Son; I fl1all inflance in this !aft, which may well 'ferve for all the relt.--When rhe l'rod~~al:va; yet afar off, hu Father Jaw him, and had rompajfion l k on him, andr.m, Andfeitonhu neck_, andkj!Jedhim. .Inthefe words obferve. 1- Hi& u •'i·' 0 ' Farher fees himbefore he fees bis Father; no fooner a !inner thinks of Heaven, but the Lord fpies him and takes norice of him. 2. The Lord fees bim whiles he was yet agreat way of[; he was but in the beginning of his way : his Father might have let him alone rill he had come quite home tO his houfe, and it had been a fingular mercy to have bid him welcome then; but he takes notice of him yet ~great way off: finners mayoe far off from God m the:r own apprehenlions, and yet rhe Lord even then draws near, whiles thus they apprehend. 3. His Father had pity or compajfion on him; the Lords bowels even yearn, and work, and fHr within him at the tight of his returning prodigals; when Ephratm had bem•aned himfeif, Thou haft chaflifed me, and I,...,. chaflifed, M 11 buUock,_ llnllcCI<jlomedtothe yoalz! whythencries God; lsEphraimmydear f.n? uhe apleafant )<r-J'-18,19• ehdd? for fince I fi?akJ. againft him , I do earneflly remember him flit!; therefore my ver. ,o. bowels'are tro11bled f?r htm, ! will Jurely have mercy upon him faith the Lord.--4. Hi& Father.r,m.: there~> much m this, As, 1. It hadbeen mercy though hisFatherhad fl?od flii i, t!ll h1s Son _had come. 2. What a mercy is this, that his Father will go, and g•vc b1s ~on the ~eeung? 3. Bur above all, oh what abundant merty call we this, that the l·ather wli_I n~t go,bur run? If he would needs meet his Son, might he not have walked towards lnm m~ feft !low pace? 0 no, if a linner will but come, orcreep toWa! ds C!mfl, mercy wtll not goa foot-pace, bun·un eo meet him; bowel> full of mercy
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