Twenty-One Sermons on Amos 1, Sermon 4
THE Fourth Lecture.
AMOS 1.2.
And hee ſaid, the Lord ſhall roare from Sion, and vtter his voice from Ieruſalem; and the dwelling places of the ſhepherds ſhall periſh, and the top of Carmel ſhall wither.
IN my laſt exerciſe I entreated of the Speaker. Now am I to entreat of the places from whence hee ſpeaketh; expreſſed in two names: Sion and Ieruſalem.
The Lord ſhall roare from Sion, and vtter his voice from Ieruſalem, &c.
Sion] I read in holy Scripture of two Sions. The one is Deut. 4.48. a hill of the Amorites, the ſame with Hermon. Moſes there calleth itaforeign. Sion, by the figurebIunius in Deut. 3.9. Syncope; the right name of it iscforeign. Sirion; and ſo recorded, Deut. 3.9. The otherdforeign. Sion, is the Sion in my Text; mount Sion in Iudah, vponupon the …op whereof was another mountaine,eDruſius obſeru. 14.21. Not. & Iunius in Pſal. 48.3. Moria, vponupon which ſtood the Temple of the Lord. Before it was called thef2 Sam. 5.7. Tower or Fort of Sion. It was a fortreſſe, a bulwarke, a ſtrong hold, and place of defence for the Iebuſites, the inhabitants of the land againſt their enemies. Againſt theſe Iebuſites King Dauid came with a warlike power, ſpeedily ſurpriſed their fort, built round about it; dwelt in it; and called it hisgThe City of Dauid. owne City, as appeareth, 2 Sam. 5.9.
This is the city of Dauid, ſo muchh2 Sam 5.7. 1 King 8.1. 1 Chron. 11.5. 2 Chron. 5.2. mentioned in the ſacred bookes of Samuel, the Kings, and Chronicles. To this his owne City mount Sion, Dauid accompanied with the Elders, and Captaines of Iſrael, i2 Sam. 6.15.brought the Arke of the Lord with ſhouting, with cornets, with trumpets, with cymbals, with viols, with harps; as is plaine by the ſtory, 1 Chron. cap. 15. and 16. Now began the holy exerciſes of religion duly to be obſerued in this city of Dauid: mount Sion was now the place of the Name of the Lord of boaſts.
Hitherto belongeth that ſame excellent deſcription, and commendation of mount Sion, Pſal. 48.1, 2, 3. Mount Sion lying northward from Ieruſalem, is faire in ſituation. It is the city of the great King; the city of God; Gods holy mountaine; the ioy of the whole earth. In the palaces thereof God is well knowne for a ſure refuge. In this city of Dauid, the holy mount Sion, the Lord of hoaſts, whom thek1 K…ng. 8.27. 2 Chron. 6.18. Heauens, and the Heauen of Heauens are not able to containe, is ſaid tolPſal. 74.2. dwell, Pſal. 9.11. not that hee is tied to any place; but becauſe there were the moſt manifeſt, and often teſtimonies of his reſidence; Thus is Sion taken literally.
It is alſo taken ſpiritually, by a Synecdoche, for the Church, Spouſe, and Kingdome of Chriſt, as Pſal. 2.6. where God is ſaid to hauehave annointed his King ouer Sion, the hill of his holineſſe. Sion there is not to be vnderſtood the terreſtriall Sion by Ieruſalem, but another Sion; elect, and ſpirituall; not of this world; holy Sion; ſo called for the grace of ſanctification powred out vponupon it, euen the holy Church of Chriſt: whereto doe appertaine the holy Patriarchs, the Prophets, the Apoſtles, the vniuerſall multitude of beleeuers throughout, not only Iſrael, but the whole world. Sion in this ſignification is obuious in holy Scripture. To which ſenſe by the daughters of Sion, in themPſal. 149.…. Pſalmes of Dauid, innCantic 3.11. Salomons ſong, in the prophecies ofoEſay 3 16, 17. Pſa…. 4.4. Eſay, andpIoel. 2.23. Ioel, you may vnderſtand the faithfull members of the Church of Chriſt.
There is yet one other ſignification of Sion. Its put for Heauen, as learned Druſius in his notes vponupon my text obſerueth. The like obſeruation is made by Theophylact, and Oecumenius commenting vponupon Heb. 12.22.
Now the Sion in my text, from whence the Lord is ſaid to roare, to ſpeake terribly, and dreadfully, is, either the Temple vponupon mount Sion by Ieruſalem: or the Church of Chriſt, wherof Sion is a type; Sion the holy one of Iſrael, whoſe walls are ſaluation, and gates praiſe: or the Heauen of Heauens, the moſt proper place of Gods reſidence.
Ieruſalem.] Of old this city was called Salem, as Gen. 14.18. when Melchiſedeck, King thereof, brought forth bread and wine to refreſh Abram, and his followers. Afterward it was poſſeſſed by the Iebuſites, and named Iebus, Iudg. 19.10. Peter Martyr in 2 Sam. 5.6. from both theſe names I…bus, and Salem, ſuppoſeth that by the change of a few letters, Ieruſalem hath had her name; and not from the mountaines called Solymi, as ſome doe coniecture, but erre: for that the mountaines Solymi were in Piſidia, not in Iudea. Many were the names of this city. Some of them Benedictus in his marginall note vponupon Ioſua, chap. 10. nameth in a diſtich,
Solyma, Luza, Bethel, Ieroſolyma, Iebus, Helia.
Vrbs ſacra, Ieruſalem dicitur, at que Salem.
In this diſtich 9. names of this one city are couched together; Solyma, Ieroſolyma, Ieruſalem, Iebus, Salem, Bethel, Helia, Luza, the holy City. Druſius obſeruat. ſacr. lib. 14. cap. 21. noteth that Ieruſalem did conſiſt of two parts: the one was called, foreign, the lower city; the other, foreign, the higher city. This higher city was Sion, or mount Sion, whereof you hauehave already heard, and was diuerſly tearmed, foreign, the city of Dauid, the fort, the fort of Sion, the tower of Sion.
But I come not to preach names vntounto you. Will you heare of the honour of this city? they that were aliue when Ieruſalem flouriſhed to hauehaveqPſal. 48.12. numbred her towers, to hauehave conſidered her wals, to hauehave marked her bulwarks, and to hauehave told their poſterity of it, might hauehave made a report ſcarcely to hauehave bin beleeued. This we know by Pſ. 48.4, 5. When the Kings of the earth were gathered together, and ſaw it; they maruelled, they were aſtonied, and ſuddenly driuen backe. Thus is Ieruſalem taken literally.
It is alſo taken ſpiritually for the Church; either militant here on earth, or Triumphant in heauen. For the Church Militant, Pſal. 128.5. Thou ſhalt ſee the wealth of Ieruſalem all thy life long. And for the Church Triumphant, Gal. 4.26. Ieruſalem, which is aboue, is free. The Catholique Church, Militant, and Triumphant, is called Ieruſalem; becauſe Ieruſalem was a type thereof.
Ieruſalem was a type of the Catholike Church in ſundry reſpects.
1. God did chooſe Ieruſalem, aboue all other places of the earth, torPſal. 132.13. Pſal. 135.21. dwell in. So the Catholike Church, the company of the predeſtinate, God hath choſen, to be a peculiar people vntounto himſelfe.
2. Ieruſalem is a Citie,ſPſal. 122.3. compact in it ſelfe, by reaſon of the bond of louelove, and order among the Citizens. So the faithfull, the members of the Catholike Church, are linked together by the bond of one Spirit.
3 Ieruſalem was the place of Gods ſanctuary, the place of his preſence, and worſhip, where the promiſe of the ſeed of the woman was preſerued till the comming of the Meſſias. Now the Catholike Church is in the roome thereof. In the Catholike Church we muſt ſeeke the preſence of God, and the word of life.
4 In Ieruſalem was thetPſal. 122.5. the throne of Dauid. So in the Catholike Church is the throne, and ſcepter of Chriſt; figured by the Kingdome of Dauid.
5 The commendation of Ieruſalem was the ſubiection, and obedience of her citizens. The Catholike Church hath her citizens too, Eph. 2.19. and they doe yeeld voluntary obedience and ſubiection to Chriſt their King.
6 In Ieruſalem the names of the citizens were inrolled in a regiſter. So the names of all the members of the Catholike Church are inrolled in the booke of life, Reuel. 20.15.
You ſee now what Ieruſalem is literally, and what ſpiritually. Literally, it is that much honoured City in Iude…, theuPſal. 46.4. City of God, euen the ſanctuary of the tabernacle of the moſt High. Spiritually it is the holy Church of Chriſt: either his Church Militant on earth, or his Church Triumphant in Heauen.
Now the Ieruſalem in my text, from whence the Lord is ſaid to vtter his voice, is either Ieruſalem in the literall, or Ieruſalem in the ſpirituall vnderſtanding: it is either Ieruſalem the mother City of Iudea; or Ieruſalem the Church of Chriſt, Militant vponupon earth; or Ieruſalem aboue, the moſt proper place of Gods reſidence. So that Ieruſalem here is the ſame with Sion, an Expoſition of Sion. The Lord ſhall roare from Sion, that is, in other words, The Lord ſhall vtter his voice from Ieruſalem.
Marke I beſeech you, (beloued in the Lord,) The Lord ſhall roare, not from Dan, and Bethel, where Ieroboams calues were worſhipped; but from Sion the mountaine of his holineſſe: and he ſhall vtter his voice, not from Samaria, drunken with Idolatry: but from Ieruſalem, thexZach. 8.3. city of truth, wherein the purity of Gods worſhip did gloriouſly ſhine. We may take from hence this leſſon: Sion and Ieruſalem are to be frequented, that thence hearing God ſpeake vntounto vsus, we may learne what his holy will is.
To ſpeake more plainly. This is the leſſon which I commend vntounto you: The place where God is ſerued, and the exerciſes of his religion are practiſed, muſt be carefully frequented.
That I may the more eaſily perſwade you to come vntounto, and to frequent this place, this houſe of God, his holy Church, and Temple, I bring you a guide. This guide is a King, and leads you the way, the bleſſed King Dauid. I beſeech you marke his affection, Pſal. 84.1. O Lord of hoſts, how amiable are thy tabernacles? My ſoule longeth, yea and fainteth for thy courts. Marke his louelove, Pſal. 26.8. O Lord I hauehave loued the habitation of thine houſe, and the place where thine honour dwelleth. Marke the earneſtneſſe of his zeale, Pſal. 42.1, 2. As the Hart brayeth for the riuers of water, ſo panteth my ſoule after thee O God. My ſoule thirſteth for God, euen for the liuing God; when ſhall I come, and appeare before the preſence of God? Let this holy King, King Dauid, be the patterne of your imitation.
Beloued, you muſt hauehave an earneſt louelove and deſire to ſerue God in the aſſembly of his Saints: you muſt much eſteeme of the publike exerciſe of religion. It is Gods effectuall inſtrument and mean to nouriſh, & beget you to the hope of a better life. In what caſe then are you, when you abſent your ſelues from this, and the like holy aſſemblies: when either you come hither careleſly, or elſe doe graceleſly contemne this place. Here is Sion, here is Ieruſalem; here God ſpeaketh to you in the language of Canaan: and here may you ſpeake to him againe with your owne mouthes.
It is eueryevery mans duty, the duty of eueryevery one that loues God, to come vntounto Gods houſe, his houſe of prayer. In this reſpect thus ſaith the Lord, Eſay 56.7. Mine houſe ſhall bee called the houſe of prayer for all people. For all people: there is no difference betweene theyGalat. 3.28. Iew and the Grecian, betweene the bond and the free, betweene the male and the female; for our Lord, who is Lord ouer all,zRom. 10.12. is rich vntounto all that call vponupon him; Mine houſe ſhall be called an houſe of prayer for all people.
To imprint this ſentence in your hearts, it is repeated vntounto you, Mat. 23.13. Where Ieſus Chriſt to the mony-changers, and doue-ſellers, whom hee found in the Temple, vſeth this ſpeech, It is written, mine houſe ſhall be called an houſe of prayer, but ye hauehave made it a den of theeues. Iunius his note vponupon the place is good: Qui domo Dei non vtitur ad orationis domum, is eò deuonit, vt ſpeluncam latronum efficiat eam: Whoſoeuer vſeth not the houſe of God for a houſe of prayer, he commeth thither to make it a den of theeues. Let vsus take heed (beloeed in the Lord) whenſoeuer we come vntounto the Church, the houſe of God, that we be not partakers of this ſharpe cenſure.
Eccleſiaſtes chap. 4.17. giueth a profitable caueat, Take heed to thy feet, when thou …ntereſt into the houſe of God: intima…ing thus much; that of duty we are to enter into the houſe of God. Though the Temple in Ieruſalem and all the worſhip in ceremonies, that was annexed to it, are taken away; yet is Salomons caueat good for vsus ſtill, Take heed to thy feet when thou entereſt into the houſe of God. For we alſo hauehave Gods houſe, where he is chiefly to be ſought, and worſhipped; euen in eueryevery place appointed by publike authority for publike aſſemblies.
Wherefore, I pray you, hath God giuen his Churcha1 Cor. 12.27. ſome Apoſtles, ſome Prophets, ſome Euangeliſts, ſome Paſtors, ſome Teachers? Is it not as we are taught, Epheſ. 4.12. for the gathering together of the Saints, for the worke of the miniſterie, and for the edifying of the Body of Chriſt? See you not here a forcible argument, and euident proofe, for this your publike meeting? There is, Matth. 18.20. a ſpeciall promiſe of a bleſſing to light vponupon you, as oft as you ſhall come to this place; and thereof the author of all truth aſſureth you: Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midſt of them. O weigh, and conſider this. If you louelove, and would hauehave the ſocietie, fellowſhip, and company of your ſweet Sauiour, Ieſus Chriſt, you muſt frequent this place, hither muſt you come. Know this; you cannot be right worſhippers of God in priuate, if you refuſe, or neglect to frequent this publike aſſembly, the Sion, the Ieruſalem, from whence God is pleaſed to ſpeake vntounto you.
Much then, very much to blame you, whoſoeuer doe for none, or for ſmall occaſions abſent your ſelues from this pl…ce, this houſe of God, at appointed times, where and when your publike prayers ſhould be as it were a publike renouncing of all ſects, and ſociety with idolatry, and prophaneſſe; an acknowledgement and confeſſion of the true God, and a publike ſanctification of Gods holy Name to the glory of God.
The time was, and I dare auouch it, Act. 21.5. when all the congregation of Tyre with their wiues and children, bringing S. Paul out of the towne to the ſea ſhore, kneeled downe with him and prayed. Shall we in theſe dayes finde this zeale among Chriſtians? I much doubt it; and am perſwaded, men will be aſhamed, in imitation of thoſe Tyrians, to kneele downe in an open place, to pray vntounto God publikely.
I will not rub this ſore; I know ſomewhat, and you know more than I, how backward many of you hauehave been, from doing God due ſeruice in this place. Shall I ſay, you hauehave diſhonoured him, ſome by irreuerence, ſome by much abſence, ſome by wilfull refuſall to bee made partakers of the bleſſed Communion of the body and bloud of our Lord and Sauiour, Ieſus Chriſt? I thinke, ſhould any one of you inuite your neighbour to ſup with you, but once, and he refuſe it, you would take ſome diſpleaſure at him: and ſhall God Almighty, the mighty creator of Heauen, of Earth, and of all you, that heare me this day, inuite you many times to come, and ſup at the table of his bleſſed Son, and you refuſe it? Beleeue it? he cannot take it well.
It is no indifferent or arbitrary thing, to come, or not to come to the Lords table. Come you muſt of duty; though of duty you are firſt to examine your ſelues. Whoſoeuer therefore wilfully refuſeth to come, he ſinneth very grieuouſly, as a learnedbButanus I…c. 48. Diuine well noteth.
1 Becauſe he contemneth not any humane, but a diuine edict, the expreſſe commandement of the Lord of life: Doe this in remembrance of me.
2 Becauſe he little eſteemeth the remembrance of Chriſt his death, by which we are redeemed.
3 Becauſe he neglecteth the communion of the body, and bloud of Chriſt.
4 Becauſe he ſheweth himſelfe to be none of the number of Chriſts diſciples.
I beſeech you (dearely beloued) lay vp theſe things in your hearts; let this day be the beginning of your reformation; reſolue from henceforth to performe your due obedience to God in this place; to powre forth your prayers before him, to heare his holy word, and to frequent the Lords table; where by faith in his death and paſſion, you may receiue many a gracious bleſſing: forgiueneſſe of your ſins, your reconciliation with God, the death of iniquity in you, and the aſſured pledge of eternall life.
I hauehave now by occaſion of Sion and Ieruſalem, the place, from whence God will ſpeake vntounto you, exhorted eueryevery one of you in particular to come to the Church. I pray you note this to be but a part of your duty. It is not enough for you to come your ſelues to the Church; you muſt ſollicite and exhort others to come likewiſe. Fathers muſt bring their children, Maſters muſt bring their Seruants. For old and young ſhould come.
My warrant for what I ſay, I take out of Ioel 2.15, 16. Call a ſolemne aſſembly, gather the people, ſanctifie the congregation, gather the elders, aſſemble the children, and thoſe that ſucke the breaſts. Marke I beſeech you. Children, and ſuch as ſucke the breaſts muſt be aſſembled. You muſt hauehave the ſpirit of reſolution, to ſay with Ioſhua, chap. 24.15. I, and my houſe will ſerue the Lord.
Your duty is yet further extended beyond your children, and ſeruants; to your neighbours, and alſo ſtrangers, if they come in your way. This we may learn out of the prophecies of Eſay, Micah, and Zachary. Firſt, Eſay 2.3. The faithfull ſhall ſay, Come, and let vsus goe vp to the mountaine of the Lord, to the houſe of the God of Iacob, and he will teach vsus his wayes, and wee will walke in his paths: for the law ſhall goe forth of Sion, and the word of the Lord from Ieruſalem. Againe, Micah. 4.2. You ſhall finde the very ſame exhortation made by the faithfull, and in the ſame words: Come, and let vsus goe vp to the mountaine of th… L…rd, to the houſe of the God of Iacob, &c. The Prophet Zacha…y, chap. 8.21. for ſumme, and ſubſtance ſpeaketh the ſame thing: They that dwell in one towne, ſhall goe vntounto another, ſaying, vp, let vsus goe, and pray before the Lord, and ſeeke th… Lord of hoſts, I will goe alſo.
Thus farre of the place from whence the Lord ſpeaketh, expreſſed by two names, Sion and Ieruſalem.