The Good Samaritan, Part 4
[Hieruſalem.]
Hieruſalem of old was called Salem, Gen. 14.18. Afterwards it was poſſeſſed of the Iebuſites, and named Iebus. Pet. Martyr. Pererius.Iudg 19.10. And ſo from Iebus and Salem (as ſome ſuppoſe) by the change of a few letters (for the better ſound) came Ieruſhalem. Others thinke the former part of the word comes from foreign, holy;Hierom Mat: 27.53. becauſe Ieruſalem is called the holy City.
But then there ſhould be a mixture of two ſeverall languages to make up the word: And therfore their opinion is moſt probable who derive it of ijreh, he will be ſeene, Midras in Pſ. 76Gen. 22. And Shalem, Peace: Thus put together it is Ieruſhalem, the viſion of Peace (for there peace and concord dwelt.)Viſio Pacis.
It conſiſted of two Cities; One was called foreign, the upper City, the other foreign, the lower towne: to this the Apoſtle alludes, Galat. 4.25. the one ſignifies the Church Militant, Pſalme 128.5. The other the Church Triumphant, Revel. 21. In the Allegory then.
Hieruſalem is a tipe of Heaven.
Doct. Thus it is in ſundry reſpects. Firſt, Hieruſalem was high ſtanding upon hills, and therfore called the navell of the Earth or the middle of the Land. Iudg. 9.37. Ezek. 38.12. And theſe that come from thence are ſaid to deſcend or come downe when they went to other parts (as this Samaritane is ſaid to do:) Beautifull for ſituation (ſaith the Pſalmiſt) Pſal. 48. And thus is Heaven: It is a lofty and high Mountaine, Iſay. 57.15. So high that we may wonder the eye is not wearied before it reacheth it: The faireſt Proſpect, in which all others end; one inch of which hath more beauty in it then the whole Globe of the Earth. And yet that we ſee is but as the outward curtaine of that glorious Tabernacle, wherein God himſelfe, and bleſſed Angels reſide; which is conceived to be as far above that we ſee, as that is this Earth.
2. Hieruſalem, as it was high ſo holy. Math. 4.5. Zach. 8.3. Dan 9.16. God having choſen it in a ſpeciall manner to put his name there. 2 Cor. 7.12. Thus Heaven, Iſay. 57.15. that is the Throne of God, there he ſits, that is his eternall habitation, into which no unholy thing can enter.
3. Hieruſalem, was a ſafe place, being compaſſed about with a threefold Wall; environed with many mountaines, having a ditch that compaſſed about the Citie digged out of ſtone, wherein an hundred and fifty thouſand men did ſtill continue and abide. And yet Heaven is a place of more ſecurity; there can no moth nor ruſt come to corrupt it; nor Theefe breake through to ſteale, Matthew 6.20. Iſaias 32.18.
4. Hieruſalem, (according to the notation of the word) was the viſion of Peace, there God made known himſelfe, by Ʋrim and Thummim; there and onelyonly there was the Temple, the Prieſt-hood, and Sacrifice. Peace was within thoſe Walls and Proſperity within thoſe Palaces: There it was, where ſilver was of no price, but accounted of as ſtones, and where Cedars were as Sycamore trees in the Vale for abundance: Thus is Heaven, there we ſhall ſee God face to face, and have a perfect viſion of him, Quoad capacitatem Creaturae, though not quoad plenitudinem ejus. Yea this Viſion ſhall be the Viſion of Peace; thence peace ſhall come Iſay. 32.18. A Tabernacle that ſhall not be taken downe, not one of the ſtakes therof ſhall ever be removed, neither ſhall any of the cords therof be broken. Iſay. 33.20.
5. H…eruſalem, was a City compact by reaſon of the bond of love and order amongſt the Citizens. Pſal. 122.3. So in Heaven; there ſhall we be all of one heart, and one minde: wee ſhall rejoyce in others glory as if it were our owne, and walke all by one rule, and that for ever.
6. Laſtly, Hieruſalem, was the glory of the Earth: and ſo is Heaven; take the Sunne out of the Firmament, what would the Earth be but as a confuſed Chaos to u…?
Vſe As Caleb and Ioſhua ſaid to the people concerning the Land of Canaan, Come let us goe up to poſſeſſe it, for it is a good Land and rich Country: So ſay I of Heaven: what good thing on earth, or above it that Heaven hath not?
Fulgentius ſeeing Theodorick King of Italy going in pompe to Rome (ſpake thus) how beautifull is the heavenly Hieruſalem, when earthly Rome ſo glittereth! So thinke thou, and ſpeake thou of Heaven, when thou lookeſt upon any earthly thing that doth delight thee; Remember ſtill Heaven excels.
David reſolves he will never forget Hieruſalem, but preferre it to his chiefeſt joy. Pſal. 137.6. So ſhould we vow, concerning the new Hieruſalem; with the Tribes, thither ſhould we go up in our ſerious meditations, and having once pitched upon that place of excellency come downe no more: Or if in caſe this fleſh we beare about with us force our diſcent (as doth our Text) yet how unquiet ſhould we be, till we are let looſe to immortality.