^ Letters of Thomas Erskine of Linlathen, i. 376. ' Stopford A Brooke, Sunshine and Shadow, 105
The Impenitent CiTYa
Literature.
Arnot (W.), The Anchor of the Soul, 326.
Black (H.), Edinburgh Sermons, 291.
Bright (W.), The Law of Faith, 141.
Clayton (J. W.), The Genius of God, 120.
Davies (D.), Talks with Men, Women and Children, v. 78.
Deshon (G.), Sermons for the Ecclesiastical Year, 315, 441.
Farrar (F. W.), The Silence and the Voices of God, 171.
Fraser (J.), Parochial and otlier Sermons^ 40.
Hull (E. L.), Sermons^ iii. 181.
Hunt (A. N.), Sermons for the Christian Year, \\. 82.
Hutton (W. H.), A Disciple^s Religion, 129.
Kuegele (F.), Country Sermons, New Ser., iv. 500.
Leach (C), Old Yet Ever New, 157.
Lorimer (G. C.), Jesus the World's Saviour, 196.
McKim (R. H.), The Gospel in the Christian Year, 223.
Neale (J. M.), Sermons Preached in a Religious House, ii. 357.
Percival (J.), Some Helps for School Life, 61.
Potter (H. C), Sermons of the City, 15.
Price (A. C), Fifty Sermons, vi. 73.
Ridgeway (C. J.), Social Life, 68.
Robertson (F. W.), Sermons, iv. 287.
Russell (A.), The Light that Lighteth Every Man, 82.
Skrine (J. H.), The Heart's Counsel, 55.
Trench (R. C), Westminster and other Sermons, 203.
Wilberforce (B.), Feeling after Him, 15.
"Williams (W. W.), Resources and Responsibilities, 250.
"Winterbothara (R.), Sermons, 466.
Christian World Pulpit, xiv. 251 (J. T. Stannard) ; xxix. 233 (H. W.
Beecher) ; xxxii. 291 (J. Greenhough) ; xxxvii. 339 (W. A. Blake) ;
Ixxiv. 185 (F. L. Donaldson) ; Ixxx. 57 (C. S. Macfarland). Churchman's Pulpit : Tenth Sunday after Trinity, xi. 245 (D. Moore) ;
247 (J. Vaughan). Homiletic Review, New Ser., xxxviii. 506 (G. C. Morgan); Iviii. 144
(G. C. Beach). Literary Churchman, xxiv. (1878) 134.
The Impenitent City.
And when he drew nigh, he saw the city and wept over it, saying, If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes.— Luke xix. 41, 42.
1. The Saviour's tears were a startling contrast to the scene of
rejoicing to which this incident is appended. It was in the midst
of the Triumphal Entry that this occurred, when all were exulting
and shouts of hallelujah thrilled the air. The simple pious hearts \/
of the disciples were glad at this evident acceptance of their
Master, and they anticipated a speedy capture of Jerusalem itself
for Christ, when His cause would lay hold of the whole nation
and great and glorious events would ensue. They hardly knew
what they expected; but, in any case, it was to be a mighty
triumph for Christ, and salvation for Israel. But as the joyful .
procession swept round the shoulder of the hill, and the fair city
gleamed into sight, a hush came over the exulting throng ; for the
Lord was weeping. He had no bright and futile illusions. A
wave of excitement like that which had transported the disciples
could not blind Him to the actual facts of the case. He knew
that He had lived, and would die, in vain, so far as that hard and
proud capital was concerned. He knew that He was rejected of
rulers and people; and that ears and hearts were deaf to His
message. As He looked at the beautiful city, it was not withv
pride but with anguish. He knew that city and nation were
doomed. They had had their day of visitation, and were still
having it — but the sands were fast running out. In compassionate ^
grief He yearned over them still, weeping for their blindness and
hardness of heart. What a pathetic scene is here recalled to our
imagination! The gay and careless city smiling in the sunlight,'
with eager crowds of busy men full of their interests and
pleasures, full of their great religious celebration about to be kept
— and the Saviour looking down on it all, weeping. They were
397
398 THE IMPENITENT CITY
throwing away their last chance, following false lights, and dreaming false hopes, seeking false sources of peace, stopping their ears against the voice of wisdom and of love. "If thou hadst known in this day, even thou, the things which belong unto peace ! but now they are hid from thine eyes."
2. Those who heard Him did not understand. Nevertheless \ He was right. He saw things as they were, not as they seemed. His was that prophet-power which is not so truly the vision of things future as of things present, a power which is less in- tellectual than moral, which in the sphere of the spiritual is the equivalent of the scientific faculty in the physical order — the power of discerning in human history the reign of law, that necessity by which effect follows upon cause, by which evil conduct must bring to pass evil fortune. He saw, and only He, how things really were with Jerusalem and its people, and there- fore He saw what must happen to Jerusalem. So to Him the glowing landscape and the city shining on it like a gem were the illusion, and His doom-picture was the reality ; the beauty and peace and glory were the mask ; the features behind it were pain, horror, desolation. Jesus was right, and all He wept over came to pass in fullest and most bitter measure.