been　confirmed　to　the　father　of　the　faithful。　Genesis　22：9；　16…18。　There　the
  flames　of　the　sacrifice　ascending　to　heaven　from　the　threshing　floor　of
  Ornan　had　turned
  19
  aside　the　sword　of　the　destroying　angel　（1　Chronicles　21）　fitting　symbol
  of　the　Saviour's　sacrifice　and　mediation　for　guilty　men。　Jerusalem　had　been
  honored　of　God　above　all　the　earth。　The　Lord　had　〃chosen　Zion；〃　He　had
  〃desired　it　for　His　habitation。〃　Psalm　132：13。　There；　for　ages；　holy
  prophets　had　uttered　their　messages　of　warning。　There　priests　had　waved
  their　censers；　and　the　cloud　of　incense；　with　the　prayers　of　the　worshipers；
  had　ascended　before　God。　There　daily　the　blood　of　slain　lambs　had　been
  offered；　pointing　forward　to　the　Lamb　of　God。　There　Jehovah　had　revealed　His
  presence　in　the　cloud　of　glory　above　the　mercy　seat。　There　rested　the　base
  of　that　mystic　ladder　connecting　earth　with　heaven　（Genesis　28：12；　John
  1：51）that　ladder　upon　which　angels　of　God　descended　and　ascended；　and
  which　opened　to　the　world　the　way　into　the　holiest　of　all。　Had　Israel　as　a
  nation　preserved　her　allegiance　to　Heaven；　Jerusalem　would　have　stood
  forever；　the　elect　of　God。　Jeremiah　17：21…25。　But　the　history　of　that
  favored　people　was　a　record　of　backsliding　and　rebellion。　They　had　resisted
  Heaven's　grace；　abused　their　privileges；　and　slighted　their　opportunities。
  Although　Israel　had　〃mocked　the　messengers　of　God；　and　despised　His　words；
  and　misused　His　prophets〃　（2　Chronicles　36：16）；　He　had　still　manifested
  Himself　to　them；　as　〃the　Lord　God；　merciful　and　gracious；　long…suffering；
  and　abundant　in　goodness　and　truth〃　（Exodus　34：6）；　notwithstanding　repeated
  rejections；　His　mercy　had　continued　its　pleadings。　With　more　than　a　father's
  pitying　love　for　the　son　of　his　care；　God　had　〃sent　to　them　by　His
  messengers；　rising　up　betimes；　and　sending；　because　He　had　compassion　on　His
  people；　and　on　His　dwelling　place。〃　2　Chronicles　36：15。　When　remonstrance；
  entreaty；　and　rebuke　had　failed；　He　sent　to　them　the　best　gift　of　heaven；
  nay；　He　poured　out　all　heaven　in　that　one　Gift。
  The　Son　of　God　Himself　was　sent　to　plead　with　the　impenitent　city。　It　was
  Christ　that　had　brought　Israel　as　a　goodly　vine　out　of　Egypt。　Psalm　80：8。
  His　own　hand　had　cast
  20
  out　the　heathen　before　it。　He　had　planted　it　〃in　a　very　fruitful　hill。〃　His
  guardian　care　had　hedged　it　about。　His　servants　had　been　sent　to　nurture　it。
  〃What　could　have　been　done　more　to　My　vineyard；〃　He　exclaims；　〃that　I　have
  not　done　in　it？〃　Isaiah　5：1…4。　Though　when　He　looked　that　it　should　bring
  forth　grapes；　it　brought　forth　wild　grapes；　yet　with　a　still　yearning　hope
  of　fruitfulness　He　came　in　person　to　His　vineyard；　if　haply　it　might　be
  saved　from　destruction。　He　digged　about　His　vine；　He　pruned　and　cherished
  it。　He　was　unwearied　in　His　efforts　to　save　this　vine　of　His　own　planting。
  For　three　years　the　Lord　of　light　and　glory　had　gone　in　and　out　among　His
  people。　He　〃went　about　doing　good；　and　healing　all　that　were　oppressed　of
  the　devil；〃　binding　up　the　brokenhearted；　setting　at　liberty　them　that　were
  bound；　restoring　sight　to　the　blind；　causing　the　lame　to　walk　and　the　deaf
  to　hear；　cleansing　the　lepers；　raising　the　dead；　and　preaching　the　gospel　to
  the　poor。　Acts　10：38；　Luke　4：18；　Matthew　11：5。　To　all　classes　alike　was
  addressed　the　gracious　call：　〃Come　unto　Me；　all　ye　that　labor　and　are
  heavy…laden；　and　I　will　give　you　rest。〃　Matthew　11：28。
  Though　rewarded　with　evil　for　good；　and　hatred　for　His　love　（Psalm　109：5）；
  He　had　steadfastly　pursued　His　mission　of　mercy。　Never　were　those　repelled
  that　sought　His　grace。　A　homeless　wanderer；　reproach　and　penury　His　daily
  lot；　He　lived　to　minister　to　the　needs　and　lighten　the　woes　of　men；　to　plead
  with　them　to　accept　the　gift　of　life。　The　waves　of　mercy；　beaten　back　by
  those　stubborn　hearts；　returned　in　a　stronger　tide　of　pitying；　inexpressible
  love。　But　Israel　had　turned　from　her　best　Friend　and　only　Helper。　The
  pleadings　of　His　love　had　been　despised；　His　counsels　spurned；　His　warnings
  ridiculed。
  The　hour　of　hope　and　pardon　was　fast　passing；　the　cup　of　God's　long…deferred
  wrath　was　almost　full。　The　cloud　that　had　been　gathering　through　ages　of
  apostasy　and　rebellion；　now　black　with　woe；　was　about　to　burst　upon　a　guilty
  people；
  21
  and　He　who　alone　could　save　them　from　their　impending　fate　had　been
  slighted；　abused；　rejected；　and　was　soon　to　be　crucified。　When　Christ　should
  hang　upon　the　cross　of　Calvary；　Israel's　day　as　a　nation　favored　and　blessed
  of　God　would　be　ended。　The　loss　of　even　one　soul　is　a　calamity　infinitely
  outweighing　the　gains　and　treasures　of　a　world；　but　as　Christ　looked　upon
  Jerusalem；　the　doom　of　a　whole　city；　a　whole　nation；　was　before　Himthat
  city；　that　nation；　which　had　once　been　the　chosen　of　God；　His　peculiar
  treasure。
  Prophets　had　wept　over　the　apostasy　of　Israel　and　the　terrible　desolations
  by　which　their　sins　were　visited。　Jeremiah　wished　that　his　eyes　were　a
  fountain　of　tears；　that　he　might　weep　day　and　night　for　the　slain　of　the
  daughter　of　his　people；　for　the　Lord's　flock　that　was　carried　away　captive。
  Jeremiah　9：1；　13：17。　What；　then；　was　the　grief　of　Him　whose　prophetic　glance
  took　in；　not　years；　but　ages！　He　beheld　the　destroying　angel　with　sword
  uplifted　against　the　city　which　had　so　long　been　Jehovah's　dwelling　place。
  From　the　ridge　of　Olivet；　the　very　spot　afterward　occupied　by　Titus　and　his
  army；　He　looked　across　the　valley　upon　the　sacred　courts　and　porticoes；　and
  with　tear…dimmed　eyes　He　saw；　in　awful　perspective；　the　walls　surrounded　by
  alien　hosts。　He　heard　the　tread　of　armies　marshaling　for　war。　He　heard　the
  voice　of　mothers　and　children　crying　for　bread　in　the　besieged　city。　He　saw
  her　holy　and　beautiful　house；　her　palaces　and　towers；　given　to　the　flames；
  and　where　once　they　stood；　only　a　heap　of　smoldering　ruins。
  Looking　down　the　ages；　He　saw　the　covenant　people　scattered　in　every　land；
  〃like　wrecks　on　a　desert　shore。〃　In　the　temporal　retribution　about　to　fall
  upon　her　children；　He　saw　but　the　first　draft　from　that　cup　of　wrath　which
  at　the　final　judgment　she　must　drain　to　its　dregs。　Divine　pity；　yearning
  love；　found　utterance　in　the　mournful　words：　〃O　Jerusalem；　Jerusalem；　thou
  that　killest　the　prophets；　and　stonest　them　which　are　sent　unto　thee；　how
  often　would　I
  22
  have　gathered　thy　children　together；　even　as　a　hen　gathereth　her　chickens
  under　her　wings；　and　ye　would　not！〃　O　that　thou；　a　nation　favored　above
  every　other；　hadst　known　the　time　of　thy　visitation；　and　the　things　that
  belong　unto　thy　peace！　I　have　stayed　the　angel　of　justice；　I　have　called
  thee　to　repentance；　but　in　vain。　It　is　not　merely　servants；　delegates；　and
  prophets；　whom　thou　hast　refused　and　rejected；　but　the　Holy　One　of　Israel；
  thy　Redeemer。　If　thou　art　destroyed；　thou　alone　art　responsible。　〃Ye　will
  not　come　to　Me；　that　ye　might　have　life。〃　Matthew　23：37；　John　5：40。
  Christ　saw　in　Jerusalem　a　symbol　of　the　world　hardened　in　unbelief　and
  rebellion；　and　hastening　on　to　meet　the　retributive　judgments　of　God。　The
  woes　of　a　fallen　race；　pressing　upon　His　soul；　forced　from　His　lips　that
  exceeding　bitter　cry。　He　saw　the　record　of　sin　traced　in　human　misery；
  tears；　and　blood；　His　heart　was　moved　with　infinite　pity　for　the　afflicted
  and　suffering　ones　of　earth；　He　yearned　to　relieve　them　all。　But　even　His
  hand　might　not　turn　back　the　tide　of　human　woe；　few　would　seek　their　only
  Source　of　help。　He　was　willing　to　pour　out　His　soul　unto　death；　to　bring
  salvation　within　their　reach；　but　few　would　come　to　Him　that　they　might　have
  life。
  The　Majesty　of　heaven　in　tears！　the　Son　of　the　infinite　God　troubled　in
  spirit；　bowed　down　with　anguish！　The　scene　filled　all　heaven　with　wonder。
  That　scene　reveals　to　us　the　exceeding　sinfulness　of　sin；　it　shows　how　hard
  a　task　it　is；　even　for　Infinite　Power；　to　save　the　guilty　from　the
  consequences　of　transgressing　the　law　of　God。　Jesus；　looking　down　to　the
  last　generation；　saw　the　world　involved　in　a　deception　similar　to　that　which
  caused　the　destruction　of　Jerusalem。　The　great　sin　of　the　Jews　was　their
  rejection　of　Christ；　the　great　sin　of　the　Christian　world　would　be　their
  rejection　of　the　law　of　God；　the　foundation　of　His　government　in　heaven　and
  earth。　The　precepts　of　Jehovah　would　be　despised　and　set　at　nought。　Millions
  in　bondage　to　sin；　slaves　of　Satan；　doomed　to　suffer　the　second　death；　would
  23
  refuse　to　listen　to　the　words　of　truth　in　their　day　of　visitation。　Terrible
  blindness！　strange　infatuation！
  Two　days　before　the　Passover；　when　Christ　had　for　the　last　time　departed
  from　the　temple；　after　denouncing　the　hypocrisy　of　the　Jewish　rulers；　He
  again　went　out　with　His　disciples　to　the　Mount　of　Olives　and　seated　Himself
  with　them　upon　the　grassy　slope　overlooking　the　city。　Once　more　He　gazed
  upon　its　walls；　its　towers；　and　its　palaces。　Once　more　He　beheld　the　temple
  in　its　dazzling　splendor；　a　diadem　of　beauty　crowning　the　sacred　mount。
  A　thousand　years　before；　the　psalmist　had　magnif