The holy citie, or, The new-Jerusalem wherein its goodly light walls, gates, angels, and the manner of their standing, are expounded : also, her length and breadth, together with the golden measuring-reed, explained, and the glory of all unfolded : as also, the numerousness of its inhabitants, and what the tree and water of life are, by which they are sustained / by John Bunyan ...

But before I begin with any of them, I must speak a word or two concerning John's qualification, whereby he was en∣abled to behold and take a view of this City; which qualification he relateth in these words following.

Vers. 10.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain, and shewed me that great City, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God.

The Angel being to shew this holy man this great and glorious Vision, he first (by qualifying of him) puts him in∣to

a suitable Capacity to behold and take the view thereof; He carried me away in the Spirit: When he saith, He carried me away in the Spirit, he means he was taken up into the Spirit, his Soul was greatly spiritualized: Whence take notice, That an ordinary frame of Spirit is not able to comprehend, nor yet to apprehend extraordinary things: Much of the Spi∣rit, deserveth much of Gods matters; but little of the Spirit, deserveth but lit∣tle of them: I could not speak to you as un∣to Spiritual, but as unto Carnal, even as un∣to Babes in Christ; I have fed you with Milk, and not with Meat; for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, nor yet are ye able, 1 Cor. 3. 1, 2.

And he carried me away in the Spirit, &c.

Thus it was with the Saints of old, when God had either special Work for them to do, or great things for them to see: Ezekiel, when he had the vision of this City in the old Law, in the Capti∣vity at Babylon, he must be first fore-fit∣ted with a competent measure of the Spi∣rit, Ezek. 40. 2. John also, when he had the whole matter of this Prophecie re∣vealed

unto him, he must be in the Spi¦rit; I was (saith he) in the Spirit on the Lords day, and heard behinde me a great Voice, as of a Trumpet, talking with me, &c. Rev. 1. 10, 11. Whence note again, That when God calls a man to this or that Work for him, he first fits him with a suitable Spirit: Ezekiel saith, when God bid him stand upon his Feet, That the Spirit entered into him, and set him up∣on his Feet, Ezek. 2. 1, 2.

And he carried me away, &c.

Mark, And he carried me [away] &c. As a man must have much of the Spirit that sees much of God, and his goodly matters; so he must be also carried AWAY with it; he must by it be taken off from things carnal and earthly, and taken up into the glory of things that are spiritual and heavenly: the Spirit loveth to do what it doth in private; that man to whom God intendeth to reveal great things, he takes him aside from the lum∣ber and cumber of this World, and car∣rieth him away in the solace and contem∣plation of the things of another World; And when they were alone, he expounded

all things to his Disciples; mark, And when they were ALONE; according to that of the Prophet, Whom shall he teach Wisdom, and whom shall he make to under∣stand Doctrine? they that are WEANED from the Milk, and DRAWN from the Brests, Isa. 28. 9. Whence observe also, He is the man that is like to know most of God, that is oftenest in † private with him: He that obeyeth, when God saith, Come up hither, he shall see the Bride, the Lambs Wife: For a man through desire having SEPARATED himself, seeketh and intermedleth with all Wisdom, Prov. 18. 1.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain.

Thus having shewed his frame, and inward disposition of Spirit; he now comes to tell us also of the Place or Stage on which he was set; to the end that now being fitted by illumination, he might not be hindered of his Vision by ought that might intercept: He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain. Thus did God of old also; for when he shewed to Moses the Patterns of the

heavenly things, he must ascend into the Mount Sinai; he must into the Mount also, when he hath the view of the holy Land, and of that goodly Mountain Leba∣non: Whence we may learn, That the things of God are far from man as he is natural; and also that there are very great things between us and the sight of them; none can see them but such as are carried away in the Spirit, and set on high.

—To a great and high Mountain.

This Mountain therefore signifieth the Lord Christ, on which the Soul must be placed, as on a mighty Hill, whereby he may be able (his Eyes being anointed with spiritual Eye-salve) to see over the tops of those mighty Corruptions, Tem∣ptations, and spiritual Enemies, that like high and mighty Towers are built by the wicked one, to keep the view of Gods things from the sight of our Souls: where∣fore Christ is called, The Mountain of the Lords House, or that on which the House of God is placed; he is also called, The Rock of Ages; and, The Rock that is higher than we: The Hill of God is an high Hill, as Bashan; an high Hill, as the Hill

of Bashan, Psal. 68. 15. This is the Hill from whence the Prophet Ezekiel had the Vision of this City: And upon this Rock (saith Christ) will I build my Church, and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail a∣gainst it, Ezek. 40. 2. Mat. 16. 18.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain, and shewed me that great City, the holy Jerusalem.

Having thus told us how, and with what he was qualified, he next makes relation of what he saw, which was, that great City, the holy Jerusalem.

Jerusalem in the Language of the Scri∣pture is to be acknowledged for the Church and Spouse of the Lord Jesus; and is to be considered either generally, or more particularly: Now as she is to be taken generally, so she is to be under∣stood as being † the whole Family in Hea∣ven and Earth; and as she is thus looked upon, so she is not considered with re∣spect to this or that state and condition of the Church here in the world, but sim∣ply, as she is the Church: therefore it is said, when at any time any are converted from Satan to God, That they are come to

Mount Sion, the City of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; to an innumerable Company of Angels; to the general Assem∣bly and Church of the first-born that are written in Heaven; to God the Judge of all, and to the Spirits of Just men made perfect; to Jesus, and to the Blood of sprinkling, Heb. 12. 22, 23, 24.

But again, As Jerusalem is thus gene∣rally to be understood, so also she is to be considered more particularly: 1. Ei∣ther as she relates to her first and purest state; or, 2. As she relates to her decli∣ned and captivated state; or, 3. With reference to her being recovered again from her apostatized and captivated con∣dition: Thus it was with Jerusalem in the Letter; which threefold state of this City shall be most exactly answered by our Gospel-Jerusalem, by out New-Testa∣ment-Church. Her first state was in the days of Christ and his Apostles, and an∣swered to Jerusalem in the days of Solo∣mon; her second state is in the days of Antichrist, and answereth to the carry∣ing away of the Jews from their City in∣to Babylon; and her third state is this in the Text, and answereth to their return from Captivity, and rebuilding their Ci∣ty

and Walls again: All which will be fully manifest in this Discourse follow∣ing.

Besides, That this holy City that here you read of, is the Church, the Gospel-Church, returning out of her long and Antichristian Captivity; consider,

First, She is here called a City, the very name that our Primitive † Church went under; which name she loseth all the while of her Apostatizing and Capti∣vity under Antichrist: for observe, I say, all the while she is under the scourge of the Dragon, Beast, and the Woman in Scarlet, &c. she goeth under the name of a Woman, a Woman in travel, a Woman fly∣ing before the Dragon, a Woman flying into the Wilderness, there to continue in an af∣flicted and tempted condition, and to be glad of Wilderness-Nourishment, until the time of her Enemies were come to an end, Rev. 12.

Now the reason why she lost the title of City, at her going into Captivity, is, Because then she lost her situation and strength; she followed others then Christ, wherefore he suffered her Enemies to scale her Walls, to break down her Bat∣tlements; he suffered, as you see here,

the great Red Dragon, and Beast with se∣ven Heads and ten Horns, to get into her Vineyard, who made most fearful work both with her and all her Friends: her Gates also was now either broken down, or shut up, so that none could according to her Laws and Statutes enter into her; her Charter also, even the Bible it self, was most grosly abused and corrupted, yea, sometimes burned and destroyed al∣most utterly: wherefore the Spirit of God doth take away from her the title of City, and leaveth her to be termed a wan∣dring Woman, as aforesaid: The Court that is without the Temple (saith the An∣gel) leave out, and measure it not, for it is given to the Gentiles; and the Holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months, Rev. 11. 2. The Holy City shall they tread under foot; that is, all the Ci∣ty-Constitutions, her Forts and Strength, her Laws and Priviledges for a long time shall be laid aside and slighted, shall be∣come a hissing, a taunt, and a by-word among the Nations. And truly thus it was in the Letter, in the destruction of Jerusalem by the King of Babylon and his wicked Instruments, by whose hands the City was broken up, the Walls pulled

down, the Gates burned, the Houses ri∣••••ed, the Virgins ravished, and the Chil∣dren laid dead in the top of every street, 2 Chron. 36. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21. Jer. 52. Lam. Chap. 1, 2, 3, 4. Now was Zion be∣come a plowed Field, and Jerusalem turned to heaps; a place of Briers and Thorns, and of wastness and desolation, Mic. 3. 12. Isa. 7. 23, 24.

Secondly, The phrase also that is joyn∣ed with this of City, doth much concern the point; she is here called, The new and holy City, which words are explained by these, As a Bride adorned and prepared for her Husband: the meaning is, That she is now got into her Form, Fashion, Order and Priviledges again; she is now ready, adorned, prepared, and put into her Primitive state: Mark, though she was in her state of affliction called a Wo∣man, yet she was not then either called a City, or a Woman ADORNED; but ra∣ther a Woman robbed & spoiled, rent and torn among the briers and thorns of the Wilderness, Isa. 5. 6. & 42. 22. & 32. 13, 14. Wherefore this City is nothing else but the Church returned out of Cap∣tivity from under the reign of Antichrist: As is yet further manifest, because,

Thirdly, We finde no City to answer that which was built after the Jews re∣turn from Captivity, but this: for this, and onely this is the City that you finde in this Prophecie, that is nominated as the Antitype of that Second of the Jews: wherefore John hath no relation of her while towards the doom of Antichrist, and no description of her in particular until Antichrist's utterly overthrown: as all may see that wisely read the 17th, 18th, 19th, & 20th Chapters of this Prophecie.

—And shewed me that great City.

The holy Ghost is pleased at this time to give the Church the name of a City, rather than any other name; rather than the name of Spouse, Woman, Temple, and the like: (though he giveth us her under the name of a Woman also, to help us to understand what he means) but I say, the name of a City is now the name in special, under which the Church must go, and that for special Reasons:

First, To shew us how great and nu∣merous a People will then be in the Church; the Church may be a Woman, a

Temple, a Spouse, when she is but few, but an handful, but two or three; but to be a City, and that in her glory, it be∣speaks great store of Members, Inhabi∣tants, and Citizens; especially when she goeth under the name of a GREAT City, as here she does: He shewed me that GREAT City.

Secondly, She goeth rather under the name of a City, than Temple or Spouse; to shew us also how plentifully the Na∣tions and Kingdoms of men shall at that day traffick with her, and in her, for her goodly Merchandize of Grace and Life: to shew us, I say, what wonderful custom the Church of God at this day shall have among all sorts of People, for her Hea∣venly Treasures. It is said of Tyrus and Babylon, That their Merchandize went into all the World, and men from all quarters under Heaven came to trade and to deal with them for their Wares: why thus it will be in the latter day with the Church of God, the Nations shall come from far; from Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tubal, Javan, and the Isles afar off; They shall come, saith God, out of all Nations upon Horses and Mules, and upon swift Beasts, to my holy Mountain Jerusalem:

And it shall come to pass, that from one new Moon to another, and from one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord, Isa. 66. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Alas, the Church at that day when she is a Woman onely, or a Temple either, may be without that Beauty, Treasure, Amiableness, and affecting Glory that she will be endowed with when she is a prosperous City: His marvelous kindness is seen in a strong City, Psal. 31. 21. In Cities, you know, are the Treasures, Beauty, and Glory of Kingdoms, and 'tis thither men go, that are desirous to so∣lace themselves therewith: Out of Zion, the perfection of Beauty, God hath shined.

Thirdly, It is called a City rather than a Woman, or Temple, to shew us how strong and securely it will keep its Inha∣bitants at that day; In that day shall this Song be sung, We have a strong City; Sal∣vation will God appoint for Walls and Bul∣warks: And verily if the Cities of the Gentiles, and the strength of their Bars and Gates, and Walls, did so shake th•• Hearts, yea, the very Faith of the Chil∣dren of God themselves, how secur•• and safe will the Inhabitants of this Cit•• be, even the Inhabitants of that City whic••

GOD Himself will build? &c.

But lastly and more especially, The Church is called here a City, chiefly to shew us that now she shall be undermost no longer: Babylon reigned, and so shall Jerusalem at this day; And thou, O Tower of the Flock, the strong hold of the Daugh∣ter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first Dominion, the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem, Mic. 4. 8. Now shall she, when she is built and compleat, have a compleat Conquest and Victory over all her Enemies; she shall reign over them; the Law shall go forth of her that rules them, and the Gover∣nours of all the World at that day shall be Jerusalem-Men: And the Captivity of this Host of the Children of Israel shall pos∣sess that of the Canaanites, even unto Zare∣phath; and the captivity of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad, shall possess the Cities of the South: And Saviours shall come out of Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau, and the Kingdom shall be the Lords, Ob. 20, 21. For the Law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem: And ••e shall judge among many People, and rebuke strong Nations afar off, and they shall beat their Swords into Plowshares, and their

Spears into Pruning-Hooks: Nation shall not lift up a Sword against Nation, neither shall they learn War any more, Mic. 4. 1, 2, 3. There brake he the Ships of Tarshish with an East winde: As we have heard, so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts, in the City of our God; God will establish it for ever, Psal. 48. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. For observe it, Christ hath not on∣ly obtained the Kingdom of Heaven for those that are his, when this World is ended, but hath also, as a Reward for his Sufferings, the whole World given into his hand; wherefore as all the Kings and Princes and Powers of this World have had their time to reign, and have Glory in this World in the Face of all; so Christ will have his time at this day to shew who is the onely Potentate and Lord of Lords, 1 Tim. 6. 15. At which day, he will not onely set up his Kingdom in the midst of their Kingdoms, as he doth now, but will set it up even upon the top of their Kingdoms; at which day there will not be a Nation in the World, but must bend to Jerusalem, or perish: For the Kingdom and Dominion, and greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven, shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most

High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all Dominions shall serve and obey him, Dan. 7. 27. And his Domi∣nion shall be from Sea to Sea, and from the River, to the ends of the Earth, Zech. 9. 10. O Holiness! how shall it shine in Kings and Nations, when God doth this!

He shewed me that great City, the holy Je∣rusalem, descending out of Heaven from God.

In these words we are to enquire into three things:

First, What he here should mean by Heaven.

Secondly, What it is for this City to descend out of it.

Thirdly, And why she is said to de∣scend out of it from God.

First, For the word Heaven, in Scri∣pture it is variously to be understood, but generally either materially or metapho∣rically: Now not materially here, but metaphorically; and so is generally, if not always, taken in this Book.

Now that it is not to be taken for the material Heavens where Christ in Per∣son is: Consider,

That the descending of this City, •• not the coming of glorified Saints with their Lord; because that even after the descending, yea, and building of this Ci∣ty, there shall be Sinners converted to God; but at the coming of the Lord Je∣sus from Heaven with his Saints, the door shall be shut; that is, the door of Grace, against all Unbelievers, Luk. 13. 25. Matth. 25. 10.

Therefore Heaven here is to be taken metaphorically, for the Church; which, as I said before, is frequently so taken in this Prophecie, as also in many others of the holy Scriptures, Rev. 11. 15. & 12. 1, 2, 3, 7, 8, 10, 13. & 13. 6. & 19. 1, 14. Jer. 51. 48. Matth. 25. 1. &c. And ob∣serve it, though the Church of Christ un∣der the tyranny of Antichrist, loseth the title of a standing City, yet in the worst of times she loseth not the title of Hea∣ven; She is Heaven when the great Red Dragon is in her, and Heaven when the third part of her Stars are cast unto the Earth; she is Heaven also when the Beast doth open his Throat against her, to blas∣pheme her God, his Tabernacle, and those that dwell in her.

Secondly, Now then to shew you what

are to understand by this, that she is said to DESCEND out of Heaven; for indeed to speak properly, Jerusalem is always in the Scriptures set in the highest ground, and men are said to descend, when they go down from her, but to ascend, or go up, when they are going thitherwards: but yet though this be true, there must al∣so be something significant in this word descending; wherefore when he saith, he saw this City to DESCEND out of Hea∣ven, he would have us understand,

1. That though the Church under Antichrist be never so low, yet out of her Loins shall they come that yet shall be a reigning City: Generation is a descend∣ing from the Loins of our Friends; he therefore speaks of the generation of the Church: Wherefore the meaning is, That out of the Church that is now in Captivity, there shall come a compleat City, so exact in all things, according to the Laws and Liberties, Priviledges and Riches of a City, that she shall lie level with the great Charter of Heaven. Thus it was in the Type, the City after the Captivity was builded, even by those that once were in Captivity, especially by their Seed and Off-spring; and thus it

shall be in our New - Testament New Jerusalem; They that shall be of thee, saith the Prophet, (that is, of the Church in affliction) they shall build the old waste pla∣ces; thou shalt raise up the Foundations of many Generations; and thou shalt be called, The Repairer of Breaches, and the Restorer of Paths to dwell in; and again, They that sometimes had Ashes for Gladness, and the Spirit of Heaviness instead of the Garment of Praise, They shall build the old Wastes, they shall raise up the former De∣solations, and they shall repair the waste Ci∣ties, the Desolations of many Generations; for your shame you shall have double, and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their Portion, &c. Isa. 58. 11, 12. & 61. 3, 4, 7. Thus therefore by descending, we may under∣stand that the Churches Generation shall be this Holy City, and shall build up themselves the Tower of the Flock.

2. When he saith, This holy City de∣scended out of Heaven, he would have us understand also what a Blessing and Hap∣piness this City at her rebuilding will be to the whole World: Never was kind and seasonable showers more profitable to the tender new-mown-Grass, than will this City at this day be, to the Inhabi∣tants

of the World; they will come as a Blessing from Heaven upon them: As the Prophet saith, The Remnant of Ja∣cob shall be in the midst of many People, as a dew from the Lord; as the showers upon the Grass, that tarrieth not for man, nor waiteth for the Sons of men; Mic. 5. 7. O the Grace, the Light and Glory, that will strike with spangling Beams from this City, as from a Sun, into the furthest parts of the World! Thus saith the Lord, As the new Wine is found in the Cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not, for a Blessing is in it: so will I do for my Servants sake, that I may not destroy them all: I will bring forth a Seed out of Jacob, and out of Judah an Inheritor of my holy Mountain; and my Elect shall inherit it, and my Servants shall dwell there: And Sharon (where the sweet Roses grew, Song. 2. 1.) shall be a fold for Flocks, and the Valley of Achor a place for the Herds to lie down in, for my People that have sought me, Isa. 65. 8, 9, 10. In that day Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria, even a Blessing in the midst of the Land, Isa. 19. 24. And it shall come to pass, that as you were a curse among the Heathen, O House of Judah, and House of Israel; so will I save you, and you shall be a Blessing:

fear not, but let your Hands be strong, Zec. 8. 13. As the dew of Hermon that descen∣ded upon the Mountains of Zion, for there the Lord commanded the Blessing, even life for evermore, Psal. 133. 3.

And now for the third particular, namely, What it is to descend out of Hea∣ven FROM GOD.

1. To descend out of Heaven (that is, out of the Church in Captivity) from God, is this; The Church is the place in which God doth beget all those that are the Children of him; wherefore in that they are said to descend out of Heaven FROM GOD, it is as as if he had said, The Children of the Church are Heaven-born, begotten of God, and brought forth in the Church of Christ: For Jerusalem which is above, is the Mo∣ther of us all: The Lord shall count when he writeth up the People, that this man was born there; Gal. 4. 26. Psal. 87. 5, 6.

2. When he saith he saw this Je∣rusalem come out of Heaven from God, he means, That those of the Church in Captivity that shall build this City, they shall be a People peculiarly fitted and qualified for this Work, of God. It was not all the Children of Israel that had their hand

i•• building Jerusalem after the Captivity of old; their Nobles put not their hands to the Work of the Lord; also there were ma∣ny of Judah that were sworn to Tobiah the ••rch Opposet of the building of the City, because of some Kindred and Relation that then was between them and him, Neh. 6. 17, 18, 19. and as it was then, so we do expect it will be now; some will be even at the beginning of this Work, in Babylon; at that time also some will be cowardly and fearful, yea, and even men hired to ••inder the Work, Nehem. 6. 10, 11, 12. Wherefore I say, those of the Church that ••t that day builded the City, they were men of a particular and peculiar Spirit, which also will so be at the building of New Jerusalem: They whose Light breaks forth as the Morning, they that are mighty for a Spirit of Prayer, they that take away the Yoke, and speaking Vanity, and that draw out their Soul to the Hungry; they that the Lord shall guide continually, that shall have fat Bones, and that shall be as a watered Garden, whose Waters fail not, &c. of THEM shall they be that build the old wastes, and that raise up the Foundations of many Generations, &c. It was thus in

all Ages, in every Work of God, SOME of his People, SOME of his Saints in special in all Ages, have been used to promote, and advance, and perfect the Work of their Generations.

3. This City descends or comes out of Heaven from God, that is, by his spe∣cial working and bringing to pass; 'twas God that gave them the Pattern, even when they were in Babylon; 'twas God that put it into their Hearts while there, to pray for deliverance; 'twas God that put it into the Hearts of the Kings of the Medes and Persians to give them Liber∣ty to return and build; and it was God that quailed the Hearts of those that by opposing did endeavour to hinder the bringing the Work to perfection; yea, it was God that did indeed bring the Work to perfection: wherefore she may well be said to descend out of Heaven from GOD; as he also saith himself by the Prophet, [I] will cause the Captivity of Ju∣dah, and the Captivity of Israel to return▪ and [I] will build them as at the first, Ezek▪ 4. 1, 2, 3, 4. Neh. 2. 8. & 3. 18. Ezr. 7. 27▪ Neh. 4. 15. & 6. 15, 16. Jer. 33. 7. & 32. 44. Ezek. 36. 33, 34, 35, 36. & 37. 11, 12, 13, 14. Amos 9. 11.

Lastly, When he saith he saw her de∣cend from God out of Heaven, he may refer to her Glory, which at her declining departed from h••••, and ascended to God; as the Sap returns into the Root at the Fall of the Le••••: which Glory doth a∣gain at her return descend, or come into the Church, and Branches of the same, as the Sap doth arise at the Spring of the Year; for indeed the Churches Beauty is from Heaven, and it either goeth up thither from her, or else comes from thence to her, according to the natures of both Fall and Spring, Cant. 2.

Thus you see what this HEAVEN is, and what it is for this City to DE∣SCEND out of it; also what it is for this City to descend out of it FROM GOD.

Vers. 11.

Having the Glory of God:

These last words do put the whole mat∣ter out of doubt, and do most clearly shew unto us, that the descending of this City is the perfect return of the Church out of Captivity: The Church, when she began at first to go into Captivity, her Glory began to depart from her; and

now she is returning again, she receiveth therewith her former Glory, having the Glory of God. Thus it was in the Type, when Jerusalem went into Captivity un∣der the King of Babylon (which was a fi∣gure of the Captivity of our New-Testa∣ment-Church under Antichrist) it is said that then the glory of God departed from them, and went by degrees, first out of the Temple to the Threshold of the House, and from thence with the Cherubims of Glo∣ry, for that time quite away from the City, Ezek. 10. 4, 18. & 11. 22, 23, &c.

Again, As the Glory of God depart∣ed from this City at her going into Cap∣tivity; so when▪ she returned again, she had also then returned to her the Glory of God; whereupon this very Prophet that saw the Glory of God go from her at her going into Captivity, did see it, the very same; and that according as it departed, so return at her deliverance▪ He brought me to the Gate, saith he, (that is, when by a Vision he saw all the Frame and Patterns of the City and Temple, in the state in which it was to be after the Captivity) he brought me to the Gate that looketh toward the East, and behold the Glo∣ry of the God of Israel came from the way

the East (the very same way that it went, when it departed from the City, Ezek. 11. 23.) his Voice was like the Voice of many Waters, and the Earth shined with his Glory; It was according to the appear∣ance of the Vision which I saw, even accor∣ding to the Vision that I saw when I came to destroy the City, and the Vision was like the Vision that I saw by the River Chebar; and I fell on my face, and the Glory of the Lord came into the House by the way of the Gate, whose prospect is towards the East: so the Spirit took me up, and brought▪ me in∣to the inner Court, and behold, the Glory of the Lord filled the House, Ezek. 43. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Thus you see it was in the Destruction and Restoration of the Jews Jerusalem, by which God doth plainly shew us how things will be in our Gospel-Church; she was to decline and lose her glory, she was to be trampled (as she was a City) for a long time under the feet of the un∣converted and wicked World: Again, She was after this to be builded, and to be put into her former Glory; at which time she was to have her Glory, her for∣mer Glory, even the Glory of God return∣ed to her again; He shewed me, saith John,

that great City the holy Jerusalem, descend∣ing out of Heaven from God, having 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Glory of God: As he saith by the Pro∣phet, I am Returned to Jerusalem with Mercies, and my House shall be built in it: and again, I am Returned to Zion, and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, Zech. 1. 16. & 8. 3.

Having the Glory of God:

There is the Grace of God, and the Glory of that Grace; there is the Power of God, and the Glory of that Power; and there is the Majesty of God, and the Glory of that Majesty, Ephes. 1. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 9. Isa. 2. 19.

'Tis true, God doth not leave his Peo∣ple in some sence, even in the worst of times, and in their most forlorn conditi∣on; as he sheweth by his being with them in their sad state in Egypt and Baby∣lon, and other of their states of calami∣ty: as he saith, Though I cast them far off among the Heathen, and although I have scattered them among the Countreys; yet will I be to them a little Sanctuary in the Countreys where they shall come, Ezek. 11 16. God is with his Church even i••

her greatest adversity, both to limit, bound, measure and appoint out to her her quantity and quality, her beginning and duration of distress and temptation: but yet I say the Glory of God, in the no∣tion of Ezekiel and John (when they speak of the Restoration of this City) that is not always upon his People, though always they are beloved, and counted for his peculiar Treasure. She may then have his Grace, but not at the same time the glory of his Grace; his Power, but not the glory of his Power; she may also have his Majesty, when not the glory thereof: God may be with his Church, even then when the Glory is de∣parted from Israel.

The difference that is between her ha∣ving his Grace, Power and Majesty, and the Glory of each, is manifest in these following particulars: Grace, Power, and Majesty, when they are in the Church in their own proper Acts, onely as we are considered Saints before God, so they are invisible, and that not onely al∣together to the World, but often to the very Children of God themselves; but ••ow when the glory of these do rest upon ••he Church, according to Ezekiel and

John, why then it will be visible and ap▪parant to all Beholders; When the Lord shall build up Zion, he shall APPEAR in his glory, Psal. 102. 16. as he saith also in another place, The Lord shall ARISE upon thee, and his glory shall be SEEN upon thee, Isa. 60. 1, 2.

Now then to speak a word or two in particular, to the Glory of God that at this day will be found to settle upon this City.

First therefore at her returning, she shall not onely have his Grace upon her, but the very Glory of his Grace shall be seen upon her; the glory of Pardoning Grace shall now shine in her own Soul; and Grace in the glory of it shall appear in all her doings: now shal both our inward and outward man be most famously adorned and beautified with Salvation; the golden Pipes that are on the Head of the golden Candlestick shall at this day convey with all freeness the golden Oyl thereout, into our golden Hearts and Lamps: Our Win•• shall be mixt with Gall no longer, we shall now drink the pure blood of the Grape the glory of pardoning and forgivin•• Mercy shall so shew it self at this day in this City, and shall so visibly abide the••

in the Eyes of all Spectators, that all shall be inflamed with it: For Zions sake I will not hold my peace, and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest, untill the Righteousness thereo•• go forth as brightness, and the Salva∣tion t••ereof as a Lamp that burneth: and the Gentiles shall see thy Righteousness, and all Kings thy Glory; and thou shalt be called by a new Name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name, Isa. 62. 1, 2. and again, The Lord shall make bare his holy Name in the eyes of all the Nations, and all the ends of the Earth shall see the Salvation of God, Isa. 52. 9, 10. Psal. 98. 2. At that day the Prophet tells us that there shall be HOLINESS upon the very Horses Bri∣dles; and that the Pots in the Lords House shall be like the Bowls before the Al∣tar; and every Pot in Jerusalem shall be Holiness unto the Lord, Zech. 14. 20, 21. The meaning of all these places is, That in the day that the Lord doth turn his Church and People into the frame and fashion of a City, and when he shall build them up to answer the first state of the Church, there will such Grace and plenty of Mercy be extended unto her, begetting such Faith and Holiness and Grace in her Soul, and all her Actions,

that she shall convince all that are about her, that she is the City, the beloved Ci∣ty, the City that the Lord hath chosen; for after that he had said before, He would re∣turn to Zion, and dwell in the midst of Je∣rusalem, he saith moreover, That Jeru∣salem shall be called, A City of Truth, and the Mountain of the Lord of Hosts, the ho∣ly Mountain: And all the People of the Earth shall see that thou art called by the Name of the Lord, and they shall be afraid of thee, Deut. 28. 10.

Secondly, As the Glory of the Grace of God will at his day be wonderful ma∣nifest in and over his City; so also at that day will be seen the Glory of his Power: O my People, saith God, that dwellest in Zion, be not afraid of the Assy∣rian; he shall smite thee with a Rod, and shall lift up his Staff against thee after the manner of Egypt (that is, shall persecute and afflict thee, as Pharaoh served thy Friends of old) but be not afraid: for yet a little while and the indignation shall cease, and mine anger in their destruction: and the Lord of Host shall stir up a scourge for him, according to the slaughter of Midian at the Rock Oreb: and as his Rod was upon the Sea, so shall he lift it up after the manner

of Egypt: the sum is, God will at the day of his rebuilding the New Jerusalem so visibly make bare his Arm, and be so exalted before all by his Power towards his People, that no People shall dare to oppose (or stand, if they do make the least attempt to hinder) the stability of this City, Isa. 10. 24, 25, 26, 27. I will surely (gather or) assemble, O Jacob, all of thee, saith God: I will surely gather the Remnant of Israel—as the Sheep of Boz∣rah, as the flocks in the midst of the fold; they shall make a noise by reason of the mul∣titude of men: The breaker up is come up before them, they have broken up (the An∣tichristian siege that hath been laid against them) they are gone thorow the gate, they are gone out of it, and their King shall pass before them, and the Lord in the head of them: Like as a Lion and a young Lion roaring on the prey, when a multitude of Shepherds are called forth against him, he will not be affraid of their Voice, nor a∣base himself for the noise of them; so shall the Lord come down to fight for Mount Zion and for the Hill thereof: The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man, and shall stir up Jealousie like a man of War; he shall cry, yea, roar; he shall prevail against his

Enemies; but not by Might, nor yet by Power, that is, the Power and Arm of Flesh, but by the power of the Word and Spirit of God, which will prevail, and must prevail, to quash and over-turn all opposition.

Thirdly, When God hath thus ap∣peared in the Glory of his Grace, and the Glory of his Power, to deliver his Chosen; then shall the implacable Ene∣mies of God shrink, and creep into holes like the Locusts and Frogs of the Hedges, at the appearance of the Glory of the Ma∣jesty of God: now the high ones, lofty ones, haughty ones, and the proud, shall see so evidently the hand of the Lord to∣wards his Servants, and his indignation towards his Enemies, that they shall go into the Rocks and Holes of the Earth, and into the tops of the ragged Rocks, for the fear of the Lord, and for the glory of his Majesty, when he shall arise to shake terri∣bly the Earth, Isa. 2.

Where the presence of the Lord doth so appear upon a People, that those that are Spectators perceive and understand it, it must needs work on those Specta∣tors one of these two things; either first a trembling and astonishment, and quail∣ing

of Heart, as it doth among the im∣placable Enemies; or else a buckling and bending of Heart, and submission to his People and Ways; as saith the Pro∣phet, The Sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending to thee, all they that de∣spised thee shall fall down at the soles of thy feet; they shall call thee, The City of the Lord, The Zion of the Holy One of Is∣rael: as Moses said to the Children of Israel, The Lord shall put the fear of you, and the dread of you upon all the Land that you shall tread upon, as he said unto you. Isa. 60. 14. Deut. 11. 25.

At this day the footsteps of the Lord will be so apparent and visible in all his actions and dispensations in and towards his People, this holy City, that all shall see, as I have said, how gratious, loving, kind and good the Lord is now towards his own Children: Such glory, I say, will be over them, and upon them, that they all will shine before the World; and such tender Bowels in GOD towards them, that no sooner can an Adversary peep, or lift up his Head against his Ser∣vants, but his hand will be in the Neck of them: so that in short time he will have brought his Church into that safety, and

her Neighbours into that fear and sub∣mission, that they shall not again so much as dare to hold up a hand against her, no not for a thousand Years. Thus saith the Lord, Behold, I will bring again the Cap∣tivity of Jacobs Tents, and have mercy upon his dwelling Places; and the City shall be builded upon her own heap, and the Pa∣lace shall remain after the manner thereof: and out of them shall proceed thanks-giving, and the Voice of them that make merry: and I will multiply them, and they shall not be few; and I will also glorifie them, and they shall not be small: Their Children also shall be as aforetime, and their Congregation shall be established before me; and I will punish all that oppress them, Jer. 30. 18, 19, 20.

Having the Glory of God: And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious, even like a Jasper Stone, clear as Crystal.

Having thus told us of her Glory, even of the Glory of God, how it at this day will rest upon this City; he now comes to touch a second thing, to wit, her Light, and that in which she descends, and by which, as with the Light of the Sun, she seeth before her, and behind

her, and on every side: This therefore is another Branch of her Beauty; She in her descending hath the Glory of God, and also the Light of a Stone most precious.

Ezekiel tells us, That in the Vision that he saw when he came to destroy the City, (which Vision was the very same that he saw again at the restoring of it) he saith, I say, that in this Vision among many other wonders, he saw a Fire infold∣ing it self, and Brightness about it; and that the Fire also was bright, and that out of it went forth Lightning; that the like∣ness of the Firmament upon the living Creatures, was the colour of the terri∣ble Crystal; that the Throne also, upon which was placed the likeness of a Man, was like, or as the appearance of a Sa∣phir-Stone: all which words, with the nature of their Light and Colour, the holy Ghost doth in the Vision of John comprize, and placeth within the Colour of the Jasper, and the Crystal-stone. And indeed, though the Vision of John and Ezekiel, touching the end of the matter be but one and the same, yet they do ve∣ry much vary and differ in terms and manner of Language: Ezekiel tells us, That the man that he saw come to mea∣sure

the City and Temple, had in his hand a Line of† Flax, which Line John calls a Golden Reed: Ezekiel tells us that the River came out of, or from under the Threshold of the House; but John saith it came out of the Throne of God, and of the Lamb: Ezekiel tells us that on either side of this River grew All Trees for food; John calls these ALL Trees, but ONE Tree, and tells us that it stood on both sides of this River: The like might also be shewed you in many other particulars, as here you see they differ as touching the terms of the Light and Brightness that appears upon this City at her rebuilding, which the holy Ghost re∣presents to John under the Light and Glory of the Jasper and Crystal Stone: for indeed, the end of Ezekiel's Vision was to shew us, That as when the Glory of God departed from the City, it signi∣fied that he would take away from them the Light of his Word, and their clear∣ness of Worship; suffering them to mourn for the loss of the one, and to grope for the want of the other: so at his return again, he would give them both their former Light of Truth, and also the clearness of Spirit to understand it;

which also John doth shew us shall last for ever.

—And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious—

This Stone it is to represent unto us the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose light and clearness this City comes out of Babylon: for, as he saith, she hath the Glory of God, that is, his visible hand of Grace, Power, and Majesty, to bring her forth; so she comes in the light of this precious Stone: which terms, I say, both the Prophet Isaiah, and the Apostle Peter, do apply to the Lord Jesus, and none else; the one calling him, A precious Corner-Stone, the other calling him, The chief Corner-Stone, elect and precious, Isa. 28. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. Now then, when he saith this City hath the light of this Stone to descend in, he means, That she comes in the shi∣ning Wisdom, Knowledge, Understand∣ing, and Influences of Christ, out of her afflicted and captivated State: and ob∣serve it, she is rather said to descend in the Light of this Stone, then in the Light of God (though both be true) because it is the Man Christ, the Stone which the

Builders rejected, in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge, of whose fulness we do all receive, and Grace for Grace: for it hath pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell, Col. 2. 3. John 1. 16. Col. 1. 19. see also Act. 2. 33. and Ephes. 4. 10, 11, 12, 13.

This sheweth us then these two things: first, That the time of the return of the Saints to build the ruinous City, is near, yea, very near, when the Light of the Lord Jesus begins to shine unto perfect day in her: God will not bring forth his People out of Babylon, especially those that are to be the chief in the building of this City, without their own Judgments: They shall see Eye to Eye, when the Lord shall bring again Zion: as he saith also in another place, The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun, and the light of the Sun sevenfold, as the light of se∣ven days, in the day that the Lord bindeth up the Breach of his People, and healeth the stroke of their Wound. Now the Eyes of them that see, shall not be dim; & the Ears of them that hear, shall hearken: The Heart also of the rash shall understand Knowledge, and the Tongue of the Stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly: The Lord shall be now ex∣alted,

and be very high, for he will fill Zi∣on with Judgement and Righteousness, and Wisdom and Knowledge shall be the stability of thy times: When Israel went out of Egypt, they wanted much of this; they went out blindfolded as it were, they went they knew not whither; wherefore they went not in the glory of that which this City descendeth in; as Moses said, The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive, nor Eyes to see, nor Ears to hear, unto this day, Deut. 29. 4. But these shall see every step they take; they shall be like the Beasts that had Eyes both before and behind; they shall see how far they are come out of Antichrist, and shall see also how far yet they have to go, to the compleat rebuilding and finishing of this City.

Secondly, This sheweth us how sweet and pleasant the way of this Church will be at this day before them: Light, Knowledge and Judgement in GOD's matters, doth not onely give men to see and behold all the things with which they are concerned, but the things them∣selves being good, they do also by this means convey very great sweetness and pleasantness into the Hearts of those that

have the knowledge of them: Every step, I say, that now they take, it shall be as it were in Honey and Butter: The ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with Songs, and everlasting Joy shall be upon their Heads; they shall obtain Joy and Gladness, and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away, Isa. 35. 10. as he saith, Again, I will build thee, and thou shalt be built; O Virgin of Israel, thou shalt again be adorned with Tabrets, and shalt go forth in the Dances of them that make merry.—For thus saith the Lord, Sing with glad∣ness for Jacob, and shout among the chief of the Nations; publish ye, praise ye, and say, O Lord save thy People, the Remnant of Israel: Behold, I will bring them from the North Country, and gather them from the coasts of the Earth, and with them the blind and the lame, the woman with Child, and her that travelleth with Child together; a very great company shall return thither, Jer. 31. 4, 7, 8.

By these words, the Blind and the Lame, the Woman with Child, and her that travel∣leth, he would have us understand thus much:

First, That the way of God shall by the illuminating Grace of Christ be

made so pleasant, so sweet, and so beau∣tiful in the Souls of all at that day, that even the blindest shall not stumble there∣••n, neither shall the Lame refuse it for ••ear of hurt; yea, the Blind, the Lame, ••he Woman with Child, and her that tra∣velleth, shall (though they be of all in most evil case to travel, and go the Jour∣ney, yet) at this day by reason of the glo∣rious light and sweetness that now will possess them, even forget their impedi∣ments, and dance, as after musical Ta∣••rets.

Secondly, This City upon the time of her rebuilding, shall have her blind men see, her halt and lame made strong, she also that is with Child, and her that tra∣velleth, shall joyntly see the City-work that at this day will be on foot, and put into form and order, yet before the end: Behold, at that time I will undo all that afflict thee, saith the Lord to this People, and I will save her that halteth, and gather her that was driven out, and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame; at that time I will bring you again, even in the time that I ga∣ther you: for I will make you a Name and a Praise, among all People of the Earth,

when I turn back your Captivity before your EYES, saith the Lord God, Zeph. 3. 19, 20.

And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious.

In that he saith, Her Light is like unto A STONE MOST PRECIOUS, he sheweth us how welcome, and with what eagerness of spirit this Light will at this day be imbraced by the Lords Peo∣ple: Truly the Light is good, saith Solo∣mon, and a pleasant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the Sun; and if so, then how beautiful, desirable, and precious will that Light be, that is not onely heaven∣ly, and from Christ, but that will be universal among all Saints, to shew them the same thing, and to direct them to and in the same Work: The want of this, hath to this day been one great rea∣son of that crossness of Judgement and Perswasion that hath been found among the Saints, and that hath caused that lingering and disputing about the glori∣ous state of the Church in the latter days: Some being for its excellency to consist chiefly in outward glory; and others

swerving on the other side, conclude she shall not have any of this; some concei∣ving that this City will not be built un∣til the Lord comes from Heaven in Per∣son; others again concluding that when he comes, then there shall be no longer tarrying here, but that all shall forthwith, even all the Godly, be taken up into Heaven; with divers other opinions in these matters: And thus many run to and fro, but yet, God be thanked, Knowledge does increase, though the Vision will be seal∣ed, even to the time of the end. But now, I say, at the time of the end, the Spirit shall be poured, down upon us from on high; now also they that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding; the City shall descend in the Light of a Stone most precious: the Sun will be risen upon the Earth, when Lot goeth from Sodom into Zoar, Gen. 19. 23.

Now there shall be an oneness of Judgment and Understanding in the Hearts of all Saints; they shall be now no more two, but one in the Lords hand: Alas, the Saints are yet but as an Army routed, and are apt sometimes through fear, and sometimes through forgetful∣ness, to mistake the word of their Cap∣tain General, the Son of God, and are

also too too prone to shoot and kill eve•• their very right-hand man; but at th•• day all such doing shall be laid aside, for the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall cover the Earth, as the Waters cover the Sea; which Knowledge shall then strike thorow the Heart and Liver of all swer∣ving and unsound Opinions in Christs matters; for then shall every one of the Christians call upon the Name of the Lord, and that with one pure Lip, or Lan∣guage, to serve him with one consent. 'Tis Darkness, and not Light, that keepeth Gods People from knowing one another both in their Faith and Language; and 'tis Darkness that makes them stand at so great a distance both in Judgement and Affections, as in these and other days they have done: But then, saith God, I will plant in the Wilderness (that is, in the Church that is now bewildered the Cedar, the Shittah Tree, the Myrtl•• Tree, and the Oyl Tree; I will set in the De∣sart the Fir-Tree, the Pine, and the Box-Tree together; that they may see and know consider and understand together, that the Hand of the Lord hath done this, and the Holy One of Israel hath created it: and again, The glory of Lebanon shall com••

unto thee, the Fir-Tree and the Pine-Tree, and the Box-Tree together, to beautifie the House of my Glory, and to make the place of my Feet glorious, Isa. 41. 19, 20. & 60. 13.

Never was fair weather after foul, nor warm weather after cold, nor a sweet and beautiful Spring after a heavy and niping and terrible Winter, so comfortable, sweet, desirable and welcome to the poor Birds and Beasts of the field, as this day will be to the Church of God: Darkness! it was the Plague of Egypt; It is an em∣pty, forlorn, desolate, solitary, and dis∣comforting state; wherefore Light, e∣ven the illuminating Grace of God, especially in the measure that it shall be communicated unto us at this day, it must needs be precious: In Light there is warmth and pleasure; it is by the Light of the Sun that the whole Universe appears unto us distinctly, and it is by the heat thereof that every thing groweth and flourisheth; all which will now be gloriously and spiritually answered in this Holy and New Jerusalem: O how clearly will all the Spiders, and Dragons, and Owls, and fowl Spirits of Antichrist at that day be discovered by the Light

hereof! Now also will all the prett•• Robins, and little Birds in the Lords Field, most sweetly send forth their plea∣sant Notes, and all the Flowers and Herbs of his Garden spring: Then will it be said to the Church by her Husband and Saviour, Arise, my Love, my fair One, and come away; for l••, the Winter is past, the Rain is over and gone, the Flowers appear in the Earth, and the time of the singing of Birds is come, and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land; the Fig-Tree putteth forth her green Figs, and the Vine with her tender Grapes give a good smell, Cant. 2. 10, 11, 12, 13. You know how pleasant this is, even to be fulfilled in the letter of it, not onely to Birds and Beasts, but men; especially it is pleasant to such men that have for seve∣ral years been held in the Chains of affli∣ction: it must needs therefore be most pleasant and desirable to the afflicted Church of Christ, who hath lain now in the Dungeon of Antichrist for above a thousand years: But Lord, how will this Lady, when she gets her liberty, and when she is returned to her own City, how will she then take pleasure in the warm & spangling Beams of thy shining

Grace! and solace her self with Thee in the Garden, among the Nuts and the Pom∣granates, among the Lilies and Flowers, and all the chief Spices, Cant. 7. 11, 12, 13.

Even like a Jasper Stone, clear as Cry∣stal.

These words are the Metaphor by which the Holy Ghost is pleased to illu∣strate the whole business. Indeed Simi∣litudes, if fitly spoke and applyed, do much set off, and out, any point, that ei∣ther in the Doctrines of Faith or Man∣ners, is handled in the Churches. Wherefore, because he would illustrate, as well as affirm, the Glory of this Jeru∣salem to the life; therefore he concludes his general Description of this City with these Comparisons: I saw, saith he, the holy City, the Lambs Wife: I saw her in her Spangles, and in all her Adorning, but verily she was most excellent; She was shining as the Jasper, and as pure and clear as Crystal. The Jasper it seems is a very beautiful and costly Stone, in as much, as that above all the precious Stones, is made use of by the Holy Ghost to shew us the Glory and shining Ver∣tues

of the Lord Jesus in this New Jeru∣salem: and yet, behold! the Jasper is too short and slender to do the business; there must another Stone be added, Even like a Jasper Stone, clear as Crystal. Yea, saith the Lord Jesus, Her Cheeks are like rows of Jewels, and so are the Joynts of her Things: even like the Jewels that are the work of the hands of a cunning Workman, Cant. 1. 9, 10. & 7. 1.

The Crystal is a Stone so clear and spotless, that even her greatest Adver∣saries in the midst of all their rage, are not able, justly, to charge her with the least mote or spot imaginable: where∣fore when he saith, that this City in her descending is even like the Jasper for light, and like the Crystal for clearness; he would have us further learn, that at the day of the descending of this Jerusalem, she shall be every way so accomplished with innocency, sincerity, and clearness in all her Actions, that none shall have from her, or her ways, any just occasion given unto them to slight, contemn, or oppose her. For

First, as she descends, she meddleth not with any mans matters but her own; She comes all along by the Kings high-way:

that is, alone by the Rules that her Lord hath prescribed for her in his Testament. The Governours of this World need not at all to fear a disturbance from her, or a diminishing of ought they have: She will not meddle with their Fields, nor Vine∣yards, neither will she drink of the water of their Wells: onely let her go by the Kings high-way, and she will not turn to the right hand or to the left, until she hath passed all their borders. It is a false report then that the Governours of the Nations have received against the City, this New Je∣rusalem, if they believe, that according to the Tale that is told them, she is and hath been of old a Rebellious City, and destructive to Kings, and a Diminisher of their Revenues. I say, these things are lying words, and forged even in the heart of Bishlam, Mithredath, Tabeel, and the rest of their Companions: For verily this City, in her descending, is clear from such things, even as clear as Crystal. She is not for meddling with any thing that is theirs, from a Thread, even to a Shooe-latchet. Her Glory is spiritual and heavenly, and she is satisfied with what is her own. 'Tis true, the Kings and Nations of this world shall (one

day) bring their Glory and Honour to this City; but yet not by outward force or compulsion: none shall constrain them but the love of Christ, and the beauty of this City. The Gentiles shall come to thy light, and Kings to the brightness of thy rising. The light and beauty of this City, that only shall engage their hearts, and overcome them. Indeed if any shall out of mistrust, or enmity against this Ci∣ty and her prosperity, bend themselves to disappoint the designs of the Eternal God concerning her Building and Glory, then they must take what followeth: Her God in the midst of her is Mighty, He will rest in his love, and rejoyce over her with sing∣ing, and will UNDO all that afflict her. Wherefore, Associate your selves, O ye People, and ye shall be broken to pieces; and give ear, all ye of far Countries: Gird your selves, and ye shall be broken to pieces; gird your selves, and ye shall be broken to pieces. Take counsel together, and it shall come to naught; speak the word, and it shall not stand: for God is with us, Isaiah 8. 9, 10.

What work did he make with Og the King of Bashan, and with Sihon King of the Amorites, for refusing to let his Peo∣ple

go peaceably by them, when they were going to their own Inheritance? God is harmless, gentle, and pitiful; but wo be to that people that shall oppose or gainsay him. He is gentle; yet a Ly∣on: He is loath to hurt; yet He will not be crossed: Fury is not in me, saith he; yet if you set the Bryers and Thorns against him, He will go thorow them, and burn them together. Jerusalem also, this beloved City, it will be beautiful and profitable to them that love her; but a Cup of Trembling, and a burdensome Stone to all that burden themselves with her: all that burthen themselves with it, shall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the earth be gathered together a∣gainst her, Zech. 12. 2, 3.

Again, She will be clear as Crystal in the Observation of all her turns and stops, in her journying from Egypt to Ca∣naan, from Babylon to this Jerusalem-state. She will, I say, observe both time and order, and will go onely as her God doth go before her; now one step in this Truth, and then another in that, accor∣ding to the dispensation of God, and the light of the day she lives in: As the Cloud goes, so will she; and when the

Cloud stays, so will she. She comes in perfect rank and file, terrible as an Army with Banners. No Balaam can inchant her; She comes out of the Wilderness like Pillars of Smoke, perfumed with Myrrhe and Frankensence, with all Spices of the Merchants, still leaning upon her Beloved. The return of Zion from under the Tyranny of her Afflictors, and her recovery to her Primitive Puri∣ty, is no head-strong brain-sick rash∣ness of her own, but the gracious and merciful hand and goodness of God unto her, therefrom to give her deliverance: For thus saith the Lord, That after seven∣ty years be accomplished at Babylon, (that is the time of the Raign of Antichrist, and his Tyranny over his Church) I will visit you, and perform my good word towards you, in causing you to return to this place. Therefore they shall come and sing in the heighth of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord, for (Spiritual) Wheat, and for Wine, and for Oyl, and for the Young of the Flock, and of the Herd; and their Soul shall be as a watered Garden, and they shall sorrow no more at all.

Vers. 12.

••nd had a Wall great and high, and had twelve Gates, and at the Gates twelve Angels, and Names written thereon, which are the Names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel.

These words do give us to understand that this holy City is now built, and in all her parts compleat; they give us al∣so to understand the manner of her strength, &c.

And had a Wall—

Having thus, I say, given us a descri∣ption of this City in general, he now descends to her Strength and Frame in particular; her Frame and Strength, I say, as she is a City compact together: as also of her Splendor and Beauty.

And observe it, that of all the particu∣lars that you read of, touching the fence, fashion, or frame of this City, and of all her glory, the first thing that he present∣eth to our view, is, her Safety and Secu∣rity; She had a Wall. A Wall, you know, is for the Safety, Security, De∣fence,

and Preservation of a Place, Ci∣ty, or Town; therefore it is much to the purpose that in the first place after this general description, he should fall upon a discovery of her Security and Fortifica∣tion: for what of all this Glory and Goodness, if there be no way to defend and preserve it in its high and glorious state? If a man had in his possession even Mountains of Pearl, and Golden Mines; yet if he had not wherewith to secure and preserve them to himself, from those that with all their might en∣deavour to get them from him, he might not onely quickly lose his Treasure, and become a Beggar, but also through the very fear of losing them, even lose the comfort of them while yet in his posses∣sion. To speak nothing of the Angels that fell, and of the glory that they then did lose, I may instance to you the state of Adam in his Excellencie; Adam you know, was once so rich and wealthy, that he had the Garden of Eden, the Pa∣radise of pleasure, yea, and also the whole World to boo••, for his inheritance; but mark, in all his Glory he was without a Wall; wherefore presently, even at the very first assault of the Adversary he was

not onely worsted as touching his Person and standing, but even stript of all his Treasure, his Paradise taken from him, and he in a manner left so poor, that forthwith he was glad of an Apron of Fig-Leaves to cover his nakedness, and to hide his shame from the face of the Sun: Wherefore, I say, John speaks to the purpose in saying she had a Wall; a Wall for Defence and Safety, for Secu∣rity and Preservation: Now then, she shall lie no longer like blasted Bones in an open field, or valley; that was her portion in the days of her affliction.

And had a Wall—

It is said of old Jerusalem, that she had a Wall and a Wall, two Walls for her De∣fence and Safety: which two, in my Judgement, did hold forth these two things; The one, their eternal preser∣vation and security from the wrath of God, through the benefits of Christ; and the other, that special protection and safeguard that the Church hath always had from and by the special Providence of her God, in the midst of her Enemies: Wherefore one of these is called by the

proper name of Salvation, which Salva∣tion I take in special to signifie our forti∣fication and safety from the wrath of God, and the Curse and Power of the Law and Sin: The other is called, A Wall of fire round about her; and allu∣deth to the Vision that the Prophet's ser∣vant was made to see for his comfort, when he was put in fear, by reason of the great company of the Enemies that were bending their force against the life of his Master.

But now in those days, though there was for the defence of the City those two Walls, yet they stood a little di∣stance each from other, and had a ditch between them; which was to signifie, that though then they had the Wall of Salva∣tion about them, with reference to their eternal state, yet the Wall of Gods Pro∣vidence and special Protection was not yet so nearly joyned thereto, but that they might for their foolishness have that broken down, and they suffered to fall into the ditch that was between them both; and so he saith by the Prophet, I will tell you what I will do to my Vineyard, (that is, to this City, for the wickedness thereof) I will take away the hedge thereof, and it

shall be eaten up; and will break down the Wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down, Isa. 5. 5, 6, 7. Which Hedge and Wall could not be that of Eternal Salvation, for that stood sure, though they should be scattered among the Nations, as Wheat is sifted in a Sieve; it must therefore be the Wall of her special Preservation in her outward Peace and Happiness, which Wall was often in those days broken down, and they made havock of, of all that dwelt about them.

But now touching the safety of New Jerusalem, the City of which I here dis∣course; she is seen in the Vision by John to have but one onely Wall; to signifie, That at this day the Wall of her Eternal Salvation, and of Gods special Provi∣dence, to protect and defend her, in her present, visible and Gospel-Glory, shall be so effectually joyned together, that now they shall be no more two, that is, at a distance, with a ditch between, but one sound and inclosing-Wall; to shew us, That now the state of this Jerusalem, even touching her outward Glory, Peace, and Tranquillity, will be so stable, invincible and lasting, that unless that part of the Wall which is Eternal

Salvation, can be brokendown, the Glo∣ry of this City shall never be vailed more: Wherefore the Prophet, when he speaks with reference to the happy state and condition of this City, he saith, Vio∣lence shall be heard no more within thy Land, nor wasting and destruction within thy Bor∣ders; but thou shalt call thy Walls, Salva∣tion, and thy Gates, Praise: as he saith also in another place, Thine Eye shall see Jerusalem a quiet Habitation, a Taberna∣cle that shall not be taken down, nor one of the Stakes thereof shall ever be removed, neither shall any of the Cords thereof be broken, Isa. 60. 18. & 33. 20. The Walls are now conjoyned, both joyned into one; the Father hath delivered up the great Red Dragon into the hand of Christ, who hath shut him up, and sealed him down, even down for a thousand years: Where∣fore from the Lord shall there be upon every dwelling Place of Mount Zion, and upon all her Assemblies, a Cloud and Smoak by Day, and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night; for upon all her Glory shall be a Defence: And in that day shall this Song be sung, We have a strong City, Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks, Isa. 4. 5. & 26. 1, 2. The same in effect

hath our Prophet John, saying, I saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband; and I heard a great Voice out of Heaven, saying, The Tabernaele of God is with men, and he shall dwell with them; and God himself shall be with them, and be their God; and God shall wipe away all tears from their Eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain, for the former things are passed away, Rev. 21. 2, 3, 4.

And had a Wall great and high—

These words, Great and High, are ad∣ded for illustration, to set out the mat∣ter to the height; and indeed the glory of a Wall lyeth in this, that it is great and high; the Walls of the Canaanites were terrible upon this account, and did even sink the Hearts of those that beheld them: wherefore this City shall be most certainly in safety, she hath a Wall about her, a great Wall; a Wall about her, an high Wall: It is great for compass, it incloseth every Saint; it is great for thickness, it is compacted of all the

Grace and Goodness of God, both ••••∣ritual and temporal: and for height, if you count from the utmost side to the ut∣most, then it is higher then Heaven, who can storm it? and for depth, it is lower then Hell, who can undermine it?

Great Mercies, high Mercies, great Preservation, and a high Arm to defend, shall continually at this day incamp this City: God himself will be a continual Life-Guard to this City; I will incamp, saith he, about mine House, because of the Army, because of him that passeth by, an•• because of him that returneth; and no Op∣pressor shall pass thorow them any more, for now have I seen with mine Eyes, Zech. 9. 8.

—And had twelve Gates—

Having thus shewed us her Wall, he now comes to her Gates; it had Gates, it had twelve Gates: By Gates in this place, we are to understand the way of Entrance; Gates, you know, are for coming in, and for going out; and do in this place signifie two things:

First, An Entrance into communion with the God and Saviour of this City.

Secondly, Entrance into communion

with the Inhabitants and Priviledges of this City; in both which the Gates do signifie Christ: for as no man can come to the knowledge and enjoyment of the God, and glorious Saviour, but by and thorow the Lord Christ; so no man can come into true and spiritual communion with these Inhabitants, but by him also: I AM THE WAY, saith he, the Truth, and the Life; and no man comes to the Fa∣ther but BY ME: and again, I am the DOOR, BY ME if any man ENTER, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and finde pasture, Joh. 10. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. & 14. 6.

—And had twelve Gates—

In that he saith, Twelve Gates, he allu∣deth to the City Jerusalem that was of old, which had just so many; and are on purpose put into the number of Twelve, ••o answer to the whole number of the Elect of God, which are comprehended within the number of the Twelve Tribes, whether they are natural Jews or Gen∣tiles; for as all the Godly Jews are the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh, though ••ot Godly because they are the Children

of the Flesh of Abraham; so all the Godly Gentiles are the Children of A∣braham after the Spirit, though not by that means made the Children of the Flesh of Abraham: they both meet then in the Spirit and Faith of the Gospel, as God saith to the Jews, When the Stran∣ger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the Passover (that is, become godly, and receive the Faith of Christ) let all his Males be circumcised, and then let them come near, and keep it, &c. For they that are of Faith, are the Children of faithful Abraham, who is called, The very Father of us all. Thus you see all the godly come under the Title of the Children of Abraham, and of the Jews; and so un∣der the denomination also of being Per∣sons belonging to the Tribes, the twelve Tribes, who answer to those twelve Gates▪ Wherefore the Psalmist minding this speaketh indifinitely of all the Godly under the name of The Tribes of Israel saying, Our Feet shall stand within the Gates, O Jerusalem: Jerusalem is builded a City that is compact together, whith•• the Tribes go up, the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel, to give tha•••• to the Name of the Lord; Psal. 122. 2, 3, ••

But again, Though I am certain that all the Gentiles that are at any time converted, are reckoned within the com∣pass of some of the Tribes of Israel, to which the Gates of this City may truly be said to answer: Yet the Gates are here in a special manner called by the name of twelve, to answer to the happy Return and Restoration of those poor distressed Crea∣tures the twelve Tribes of the Jews that are scattered abroad, & that are, and for a long time have been to our astonishment and their shame, as Vagabonds and Strag∣lers among the Nations, there to continue many days, without a King, without a Prince, and without a Sacrifice, and without an Ephod; that is, without the true God, the true Saviour, and the true Word and Ordinances; after which, saith the same Prophet, They shall even in the latter days, (that is, when this City is builded) return and seek the Lord their God, and David their King, and shall then fear the Lord and his Goodness, Hos. 3. 4, 5. This the A∣postle also affirmeth, when he telleth the believing Gentiles, That blindness in part ••s happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in; which Israel in this place cannot by any means be taken for

the Gentiles that are converted, for th•••• Israel must be rejected until the bulk of the elect Gentiles be converted; besides, he calleth this Israel by the name of Isra∣el, even while unconverted; but the con∣verted Gentiles, still Gentiles, even when converted: he calls this Israel the Natural Branches; but the Gentiles Wil•• Branches; and tells us further, Tha•• when they are converted, they shall be grafted into their own Olive Tree; but when the Gentiles are converted, they must be cut off of their own Stock and Tree: read Rom. 11. throughout. Where∣fore, I say, the Gates are called twelve, to answer these poor Creatures, who at this day shall be awakened, and enlight∣ned, and converted to the Faith of Jesus. These Gates in another place are called, A Way, and these Jews, The Kings of the East; and it is there said also, That at present this Way doth want preparing▪ which is as much as to say, This City wants setting up, and the Gates want setting in their proper places: Where∣fore saith John, The sixth Angel poured out his Vial upon the great River Euphra∣tes, that is, destroyed the strength and force of the Roman-Antichrist, (for the

River Euphrates was the fence of literal Babylon, the Type of our spiritual one) which force and fence, when it is de∣stroyed, or dried up, then the way of the Kings of the East will be prepared, or made ready for their Journey to this Je∣rusalem, Rev. 16. 12. Of this the Pro∣phets are full, crying, Cast ye up, cast ye up, prepare the way, take up the stumbling block out of the way of my People: and a∣gain, Go thorow, go thorow the Gates, pre∣pare ye the way of my People; cast ye up, cast ye up the high-way, gather out the stones, lift up a Standard for the People: Behold, the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the World, Say to the Daughter of Zion, Thy Salvation cometh; behold, his Reward is with him, and his Work before him: and they shall call them, The holy People, the Redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out; A City not forsaken, Isa. 62. 10, 11, 12. All which doth most especially relate to the Con∣version of the Jews in the latter day, who in great abundance shall, when all things are made ready, come flocking in to the Son of God, and finde favour, as in the days of old.

—And at the Gates twelve Angels—

By Angels, in this place we are to un∣derstand the Messengers and Ministers of the Lord Jesus, by whom the Mystery of Eternal Life and Felicity is held forth and discovered before the Sons of Men; and thus this word Angel is frequently taken in this Prophec••••, Rev. 1. 20. & 2. 1, 8, 12, 18. & 3. 1, 7. & 14. 6.

—And at the Gates twelve Angels—

In these words then, there are two things to be considered:

First, Why they should be called twelve. And

Secondly, Why they are said to stand at the twelve Gates of this New and Ho∣ly City.

For the first, They are called twelve, to signifie two things: 1. The Truth of their Doctrine: and 2. The suffici∣ency of their Doctrine and Ministry for the converting of the twelve Tribes to the Faith of Christ, and Priviledges of this City.

First, For the Truth of their Do∣ctrine:

For by twelve here, he would have us to understand that he hath his Eye upon the twelve Apostles, or upon the Doctrine of the twelve, the Aposto∣lical Doctrine: as if he should say, This City, the New Jerusalem, shall be eve∣ry way accomplish〈…〉〈…〉 with Beauty and Glory; she shall 〈◊〉〈◊〉 a Wall for her se∣curity, and twelve ••ates to answer the twelve Tribes; yea, and also at these Gates the twelve Apostles, in their own pure, primitive, and unspotted Doctrine. The Romish Beasts have corrupted this Doctrine by treading it down with their Feet, and have muddied this Water with their own dirt and filthiness; but at this day, this shall be recovered from under the Feet of these Beasts, and cleansed also from their di••t, an〈…〉〈…〉 again in the same Glory, S〈…〉〈…〉 and Purity, as in the Primitive ••••mes. It is said, that when Israel was passed out of Egypt, be∣yond the Sea, they presently came to Elim, where were twelve Wells of Water, &c. and that they ••ncamped by the Waters: which twelve Wells did figure forth the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles, out of which the Church at her return from Captivity, shall draw and drink, as out

of the Wells of Salvation. Now shall the Wells of our Father Abraham, which the Philistines have for a great while stopped; now, I say, shall they again be opened by our Isaac, his Son; and shall be also called af∣ter their own Names, Gen. 26. 18. This is generally held forth by the Prophets, That yet again the Church shall be fed upon the Mountains of Israel, and that they shall lie down in a good fold, and a fat pasture; yea, I will feed my Flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord God, Ezek. 34. 14, 15.

Secondly, As by these twelve, we are to understand the Truth and Purity of the Doctrine of the Twelve; so again by this word twelve, we are to understand the sufficiency of that Doctrine and Ministry to bring in the twelve Tribes to the Pri∣viledges of this City: Mark, for the twelve Tribes there are twelve Gates, for every Tribe a Gate; and at the twelve Gates, twelve Angels, at every Gate an Angel: O Judah, saith God, I have set an Harvest for thee, when he shall turn a∣gain the Captivity of his People; and so for the rest of the Tribes: Before Ephraim, and Benjamin, and Manasseh, he will stir up his strength to save them: I will hiss for

them, saith God, and gather them, for I have reedeemed them; and they shall in∣crease as they have increased: and I will sow them among the Nations, and they shall remember me in far Countreys, and they shall live with their Children, and shall re∣turn; and I will bring them again also out of the Land of Egypt, and gather them out of Assyria, and I will bring them into the Land of Gilead and Lebanon, and place shall not be found for them, Zech. 10. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10.

But to come to the second Question, that is, Why these twelve Angels are said to stand at the Gates? which may be for divers Reasons.

First, To shew us that the Doctrine of the Twelve, is the Doctrine that letteth in at these Gates, & that also that shutteth out: Whose sins ye remit, they are remit∣ted, saith Christ; and whose sins ye retain, they are retained: And hence it is that the true Ministers in their right admini∣stration, are called Porters; because as Porters stand at the Gate, and there open to, or shut upon those that make an at∣tempt to enter in; so the Ministers of Christ by the Doctrine of the Twelve, do both open to, and shut the Gates a∣gainst

the Persons that will be attempt∣ing to enter in at the Gates of this City.

Secondly, But again, They are said to stand at the Gates for the incouraging and perswading of the tempted and doubting Jews, who at the beginning of their return will be much afflicted under the sight and sence of their own wretch∣edness: Alas! were it not for some to stand at the Gates of this City for instru∣ction, and the incouragement of those that will, at that day in earnest be look∣ing after life, they might labour as in other things for very very Vanity; and might also be so grievously beat out of Heart and Spirit, that they might die in despair: But now to prevent this, for those that are in the way to Zion▪ with watry Eyes, and wetted Cheeks, here stands the Angels, continually sounding with their Golden-Gospel-Trumpets, Enter ye into his Gates with ••hanksgiving, and into his Courts with praise: be thank∣ful unto him, and bless his Name; for the Lord is good, and his Mercy 〈◊〉〈◊〉 everlasting, and his Truth indureth for ever, even to all Generations: as he saith again, And it shall come to pass in that day, that the great

Trumpet shall be blown, and they shall come which were ready to perish in the Land of Assyria, and the out-casts of the Land of Egypt, and shall worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Jerusalem.

—And at the Gates twelve Angels, and Names written thereon, which are the Names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel.

Thus it was in the Vision of the Pro∣phet, when he was taking a View of the Pattern of this City; And the Gates of the City, saith the Angel to him, shall be after the Names of the Tribes of Israel; which saying John doth here expound, saying, The Names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel, were writ or set upon them.

This being thus, it cleareth to you what I said but now, to wit, That the Gates are called twelve, to answer the twelve Tribes, for their Names are written thereon: This must therefore without all doubt be a very great incouragement to this despised People; I say great incou∣ragement, that notwithstanding all their Rebellion, Blasphemy, and contempt of

the glorious Gospel, their Names should yet be found recorded and ingraved upon the very Gates of New Jerusalem. Thus then shall the Jews be comforted in the latter days; and truly they will have but need hereof; for doubtless at their return, when they are throughly sensi∣ble of the Murder they have committed, not onely upon the Bodies of the Pro∣phets and Apostles, but of the Son of God himself: I say this must needs, to∣ther with the remembrance of the rest of their villanous actions, exceedingly af∣flict and distress their bleeding Souls: for the Children of Israel shall come, they and the Children of Judah together, going and weeping; they shall go and seek the Lord their God, and shall ask the way to Zion, with their Faces thitherward, Jer. 50. 4, 5. Mark, going and weeping; there will not be a step that these poor People will take in the day of their returning, but will be watered with the Tears of Repentance and Contrition, under the consideration of the wickedness that in the days of their Rebellion, they have committed against the Lord of Glory: as he saith al∣so by another Prophet, I will pour upon the House of David, and upon the Inhabitants

of Jerusalem, the Spirit of Grace and Sup∣plication, and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as a Man mourns for his onely Son; and they shall be in bitterness for him, as him that is in bitterness for his first-born: at that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem, as the mourning of Hadadrim∣mon in the Valley of Megiddon, and the Land shall mourn, Zech. 12. 10, 11, 12.

Wherefore, I say, they both have and also will have need of twelve Gates, and on them the Names of their twelve Tribes, with an Angel at each, to in∣courage them to enter this holy and goodly City; and to tell them that yet he counts them his Friends, in whose House he received the wounds in his Hands.

But again, As by the Names of the twelve Tribes written on the Gates, we may see what incouragement the Jews will have, at their Return, to enter in at them: so we may also understand that by the Names of the twelve Tribes here written, God would have us to perceive how all must be qualified, that from a∣mong the Gentiles at this day do enter in at these Gates; namely, Those, and

those onely, that be cut out of their own wild Olive-Tree, and transplanted a∣mong the Children of Israel, into their good Olive-Tree: Such as are Jews in∣wardly, the Israel of God according to the New Creature, they shall enter, (for the holy Gentiles also by vertue of their conversion, are stiled the Children of Abraham, Jews, the Chosen Genera∣tion, the Peculiar People, the Holy Nation; and so are spiritually, though not naturally by carnal generation, of the twelve Tribes, whose Names are writ∣ten upon the Gates of this City) And it shall come to pass, saith the Prophet, that in what Tribe the Stranger (that is, the Gentile) sojourneth, there shall ye give him his Inheritance, saith the Lord God, Ezek. 47. 22, 23. Thus the Jews and Gentiles shall meet together in the Spi∣rit of the Gospel, and so both become a righteous Nation; to both which▪ the Gates of this City shall stand continual∣ly open; at which also, they may with boldness demand, by the Faith of the Lord JESUS, their entrance, both for Communion with the God, Grace, and Priviledges of this City; according to that which is written, Open ye the Gates,

that the righteous Nation which keepeth the Truth may enter in, Isa. 26. 2.

Thus much of the Number of the Gates, and now to proceed to the Or∣der of them.

Vers. 13.

On the East three Gates, on the North three Gates, on South three Gates, and on the West three Gates.

I shall not speak any thing to the man∣ner of his repeating of the Quarters to∣wards which the Gates do look; why he should begin at the East, then to the North, afterwards crossing to the South, and last to the West; though I do verily think that the holy Ghost hath something to shew us, wherefore he doth thus set them forth: and possibly he may set them thus, and the West last, not onely because the West part of the World is that which always closeth the day, but to signifie that the West, when Jerusalem is rebuild∣ed, will be the last part of the World that will be converted, or the Gate that will be last, because longest occupied with the travels of the Passengers and wayfa∣ring-Men

in their Journy to this Jerusa∣lem. But I pass that.

From the order of their standing, I shall enquire into two things:

First, Why the Gates should look in this manner every way, both East, West, North, and South?

Secondly, Why there should be three, just three, on every side of this City; On the East three, on the North three, on the South three, and on the West three?

For the First, The Gates by looking every way, into all Quarters, may signi∣fie to us thus much, That God hath a People in every corner of the World: and also, That Grace is to be carried out at these Gates by the Angels in their Mi∣nistry, into every place, to gather them home to him: as it is said of the living Creatures, Whither the Head looked, they followed it, and turned not as they went; so whithersoever the Gates look, thither the Ministers go, and carry the Word, to gather together the Elect: He sent them two and two before his Face, into every City and Place whither he himself would come.

Again, The Gates by their thus look∣ing every way, do signifie to us, That from what Quarter or Part of the World

soever men come for Life, for those men there are the Gates of Life, even right before their doors: Come they from the East, why thither look the Gates; and so if they come from North, or West, or South: No Man needs at all to go about, to come at Life, and Peace, and Rest: Let him come directly from Sin to Grace, from Satan to Jesus Christ, and from this World to New Jerusalem. The twelve Brazen Oxen that Solomon made to bear the molten Sea, they stood just as these Gates stand, and signifie, as I said be∣fore, that the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles should be carried into all the World, to convert (as in the Primitive Times, so now at the building of New Jerusalem) and to bring in Gods Sheep to the Fold of his Church: Now I say, as the Word is carried every way, so the Gates, the open Gates, look also into all corners after them, to signifie that loving Reception that shall be given to every Soul that from any corner of the whole World shall unfainedly close in with Grace, through the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus therefore Men shall come from the East, and from the West, from the North, and from the South, and sit down in the

Kingdom of God, Luk. 13. 29. Psal. 107. 1, 2, 3.

On the East three Gates, on the North three Gates, on the South three Gates, and on the West three Gates.

Having thus shewed you in a word why they stand thus looking into every Corner or Quarter of the World; I now come to shew you why there must be just three looking in this manner every way.

First then, There may be three looking every way, to signifie that it is both by the consent of the Three Persons in the Trinity, that the Gospel should thus every way go forth to call men: and al∣so to shew you, that both the Father, Son and Spirit are willing to receive and em∣brace the Sinner from whatsoever part or corner of the Earth he cometh hither for Life and Safety: Come they from whence they will, the Father is willing to give them the Son, and so is the Son to give them Himself, and so is the Spi∣rit to give them its help against whatever may labour to hinder them while they are here, Joh. 3. 16. Rev. 21. 6. & 22. 17.

Secondly, In that three of the Gates

look every way, it may be also to shew us, that there is none can enter into this City, but by the three Offices of the Lord Jesus; Christ by his Priestly Office must wash away their Sins; and by his Pro∣phetical Office he must illuminate, teach, guide and refresh them; and by his Kingly Office rule over them, and go∣vern them with his Word, Heb. 7. 25. Joh. 13. 8. Act. 3. 22, 23, 24. Isa. 40. 10, 11. & 9. 6, 7. Psal. 76. 1, 2, 3. Psal. 110. 3.

Thirdly, Or by three Gates, may be signified the three states of the Saints in this Life; an entrance into Childhood, an entrance into a Manly state, and an entrance into the state of a Father in the Church.

Or lastly, The three Gates may sig∣nifie the threefold state we pass thorow from Nature to Glory: The state of Grace in this Life, the state of Felicity in Paradise, and our state in Glory after the Resurrection: Or thus, The state of Grace that possesseth Body and Soul in this Life, the state of Glory that posses∣eth the Soul at Death, and the state of Glory that both Body and Soul shall be possessed with at the coming of the Lord

and Saviour: This was figured forth by the order of the Stairs in the Temple at Jerusalem, which was first, second, and third, by which Men ascended from the lowest to the uppermost Room in the House of God; as he tells us, They went up with winding Stairs from the first into the second story, and from thence by them into the third, 1 King. 6. 8.

Thus much for the Wall and Gates of New Jerusalem.

Vers. 14.

And the Wall of the City had twelve Foun∣dations, and in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

In these words we have two things considerable:

1. That the City-Wall hath twelve Foundations.

2. That in these twelve, are the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

First, It hath twelve Foundations: This argueth invincible strength and support. That Wall that hath but one Foundation, how strongly doth it stand, if it be but

safely laid upon a Rock! even so strong∣••y, that neither Wind nor Weather in their greatest vehemency, are able to shake or stir it, to make it fall: but I say, how much more when a City hath Foundations, twelve Foundations, and those also laid by God himself; as it is said concerning the Worthies of old, They looked for a City that had Founda∣tions, whose Builder and Maker is God, Heb. 11. 13, 14.

And the Wall of the City had twelve Foun∣dations, and in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

The Wall, you know, I told you, is the Wall of Salvation, or the Safety of the Church by Jesus Christ; to which is ad∣joyned, as the effect of that, the special Providence and Protection of God: Now this Wall, saith the Holy Ghost, hath twelve Foundations, to wit, to bear it up for the continuation of the safety and se∣curity of those that are the Inhabitants of this City; a Foundation is that which beareth up all, and that upon which the stress of all must lie and abide: Now to speak properly, the Foundation of our

Happiness is but one, and that one none but the Lord Jesus; for other Foundation can no man lay, than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ, 1 Cor. 3. 11. So then, when he saith the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations, and that in them also are written the Names of the twelve Apo∣stles of the Lamb; he doth not mean that this Wall had twelve Christs for its support, but, That the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles is that Doctrine upon which both Christ, and Grace, and all Happiness standeth firm and sure for ever: and to signifie also, that neither Christ nor any of his Benefits can be profitable unto thee, unless thou receive him alone up∣on the terms that they do hold him forth and offer him to Sinners in their Word and Doctrine: If we, or an Angel from Heaven, preach unto you any other Gospel, saith Paul, than that which we have prea∣ched unto you, let him be accursed: As I said before, so I say now again, If any man preach any other Gospel unto you, than that ye have received, let him be accursed, Gal. 1. 8, 9.

And in them the Names of the twelve Apo∣stles of the Lamb.

And in them their Names:] This makes it manifest that by the Foundati∣ons of this Wall, we are to understand the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles of the Lord Christ, for their Names are to it, or found ingraved in the Foundations. Thus it was with the Doctrine which was the Foundation of the Jewish Church: the first Pattern being delivered by the man Moses; his Name was always so en∣tailed to that Doctrine, that at last it be∣came common, and that by Divine Al∣lowance, to call that Doctrine by the name of Moses himself: There is one that accuseth you, saith Christ, even Moses in whom you trust: and again, For Moses of old hath in every City them that preach him. John 5. 45. Act. 15. 21. The same liberty of speech doth the Holy Ghost here use in speaking of the Foundations of this Wall, which is the Doctrine of the Twelve. And in that he calleth the Doctrine by the Name of Foundations, and leaveth it onely with telling us the Names of the twelve Apostles are engra∣ven

in it; he expects that men should be wise that read him, and that they should be skilful in the Word of Righ∣teousness, if they come up clearly to the understanding of him.

And in them the Names of the twelve A∣postles of the Lamb.

Thus you see that the twelve Apostles, above all the Servants of Christ, are here owned to be the foundations of this Wall; and good reason, for they above all other are most clear and full in the Doctrine of Grace, and all Doctrines pertaining to Life and Holiness: In other Ages, saith Paul, it was not made known to the Sons of men, as it is now revealed to his holy Apo∣stles and Prophets by the Spirit, Ephes. 3. 5. Moses was not fit for this, for his was a more dark and vailed Administration; While Moses is read, the Vail is over the Heart, saith Paul: Neither was any of the Prophets fit for this, for they were all inferiour to Moses, and were as it were his Scholars: Nay, John the Baptist is here shut out; for the least in the King∣dom of Heaven is greater then he.

The Apostles above all other were the

men that were with the Lord Jesus all the time, from the Baptism of John, even un∣til the time he was taken up into Hea∣ven; they saw him, heard him, and dis∣coursed with him, and were Beholders of all the wondrous Works that he did; they did eat and drink with him after his Passion, and saw after he was risen, the print of the Nails and the Spear with which he was peirced, when he died for our Sins: And because they had seen, felt, and at such a rate experienced all things from the very first, both touching his Doctrine, Miracles, and Life; there∣fore he said unto them in chief, Ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the ut∣most parts of the Earth, Act. 1. 21. & 13. 31. & 10. 39. & 2. 31. 1 Joh. 1. 2, 3. Act. 1. 8.

Further, The Apostles were in that marvellous manner indued with the ho∣ly Ghost, that they out-stript all the Prophets that ever went before them; neither can I believe that in the best of times there should be any beyond them; yet if it should so fall out, that a Dis∣pensation should come, in which they should have, as to the pouring forth of the

Spirit, their Equals; yet it could not follow, that therefore the Gospel should be offered in other terms than they at first have offered it; especially besides what hath been said of them, if you con∣sider to them 'twas said, Whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth, shall be loosed in Hea∣ven; and whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven, Matth. 18. 18. they, as to their Doctrine, were infalli∣ble, 'twas impossible they should err; he that despised their Doctrine, despised God himself: Besides, they have given in commandment that all should write after their Coppy, and that we should judge both Men and Angels that did, or would do otherwise.

Timothy must have his Rule from Paul, and so must holy Titus: All which, if we consider it, the holy Ghost speaks to the purpose, in saying, That in the twelve Foundations are found the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb: they are called the chief, and such as have laid the Foundation, and others build there∣on: and that as no men have laid the Foundation but they, so none can lay even that Foundation otherwise then they afore have laid it, 1 Cor. 12. 28.

Ephes. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 3. 6, 10. Heb. 6. 1, 2, 3. 1 Cor. 3. 11.

—And in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

These words then, teach us two things worthy of our Christian Considera∣ration.

First, That God hath given to every man a certain and visible mark to aim at for his Salvation, or to build his Soul upon, namely, The Doctrine of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb: for in that he saith their Names are in the Foundations, it is better for us (all things considered) then if he had said, In them was the Name of God himself; that is, it is more easie to see (this way) through the mist of our Carnality what the Mystery of his Will should be, which is, that we receive Christ according to their Doctrine, Words, Writings, Epistles, Letters, &c. their Names, I say, being there, God counts it as the Broad Seal of Hea∣ven, which giveth Authority to all that Doctrine whereunto by themselves they are prefixed and subscribed; not where they are writ by others, but by themselves

I say, as the Token of every Epistle, and of their Doctrine for Truth; the which Paul insinuates, when he saith, that his hand is the Token of every Epistle: as he saith again, Am not I an Apostle? And again, Behold, I Paul have written unto you; I Paul, I an Apostle, I a wise Ma∣ster-Builder, I who am in my Doctrine one of the Foundations of the Wall of Salvation, I have written unto you. And, as I said before, there is a reason it should be thus; for as he who was the Foundation of the Jewish Church, even Moses, received the Pattern of all his Order from the Mouth of the Angel in Mount Sinai, so the twelve received their Doctrine of Faith and Manners, the Doctrine of the New Testament, from the Mouth of the Son of God him∣self, as from the Mouth of the Angel of the everlasting Covenant, on the Moun∣tain of Zion, Act. 7. 38. & 1. 3. Matth. 28. 19.

Secondly, In that he saith, The Names of the Twelve are in the Foundations, this shews us the reason of the continual standing of this Jerusalem; it is builded upon the Doctrine of the twelve Apo∣stles of the Lamb, and standeth there:

for observe, so long as he sees this holy City, he sees her standing upon these Foundations; but he saw the City till she was taken up, therefore she continu∣ed as being settled for ever upon them. Indeed the Primitive City, or first Chur∣ches, was built upon these Foundations, and had also so long as they there conti∣nued, sufficient supportation & upholding by that means; but then, as I have shew∣ed you, the Wall of her Salvation, and the Wall of Gods special Protection stood at a distance each from other, and were not so conjoyned as now they will be: wherefore they then, to answer the Type, did fall into the Ditch that was between, and through their Foolishness provoked God to remove the Wall of his outward Protection and Safeguard from them; whereupon the wild Beast, Antichrist, got into his Vineyard, making havock of all their Dainties: But mark, this City is not so, the Walls are now conjoyned, and for ever fastened upon the Foundati∣ons, therefore it abides for ever, and ascends higher and higher; yet not from the Foundations but by them into Hea∣ven: Behold, saith God, I have graven thee upon the Palms of my Hands, thy Walls are continually before me.

And in them the Names of the twelve A. postles of the Lamb.

This word twelve, must be warily un∣derstood, or else the weak will be ready to stumble and take offence; wherefore to prevent this, consider,

First, The Twelve must be them Twelve that were with the Lord Jesus from the Baptism of John, until the day in which our Lord was taken up, Act. 1. 22.

Secondly, These Twelve are not nei∣ther to be considered simply, as twelve Christians, or twelve Disciples; but as their Witness of the Lord Jesus (they being with him from first to last) was a Twelve-fold Witness of him in all his things; a twelve-fold seeing with their Eyes, a twelve-fold hearing with their Ears, a twelve-fold handling also with their Hands, and feeling of the Son of God: As one of them said, That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our Eyes, and our Hands have handled of the Word of Life; that which we have seen and heard, declare we unto you, that ye might have fellowship with us, &c. 1 John 1. 1, 2, 3. Now this being thus, it

followeth that the Doctrine of the other Apostles, as of Paul and Barnabas, was still but the Doctrine of the Twelve; their Doctrine, I say, and no other: Wherefore as Ephraim and Manasseh were dissolved into the twelve Tribes, so these two, with all other the Apostles of Christ, are dissolved into the Num∣ber of the Twelve, because their Do∣ctrine is onely the Doctrine of the twelve; for they center in their Do∣ctrine; their length and breadth, and depth and heighth being the Doctrine of the Twelve. So then the names of the Twelve being found in the Foundations of this Wall, it argueth that that Do∣ctrine is onely true, that is the Doctrine of the twelve Eye-Witnesses of the Lord Jesus: And again, That at the day of Antichrists fall, this Doctrine shall be in its former purity, and bear the sway, and for ever hold up the Wall of safety, for the Inhabitants of New Jerusalem: And indeed this▪ Doctrine, That the Do∣ctrine of the Twelve is that upon which Eternal Safety is built and stands, is so true, that it must not be varied from, up∣on pain of Eternal Damnation: Here centred Luke the Evangelist, here cen∣tred

Jude, here centred the Author to the Hebrews, yea, here centred Paul himself, with all the Old and New Testament▪ The Doctrine of the Twelve must be the Opener, Expounder and Limiter of all Doctrines; there also must all men cen∣ter and ground, and stay. A man may talk of, yea, enjoy much of the Spirit of God; but yet the Twelve will have the start of him; for they both had the Spi∣rit as he, and more then he: besides, they together with this, did feel, see, handle and receive Conviction, even by their very carnal Senses, which others did not; besides, their Names also are found in the Foundations of this saving Wall, as being there engraved by GOD himself; which putteth all out of doubt, and giveth us infallible ground that their Doctrine is onely true, and all mens false that do not keep within the bounds and limits of that, Luk. 1. 2. Jude 3. 17. Heb. 2. 3, 4. 1 Cor. 15. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9. & 9. 1. Gal. 1. 1, 2. Ephes. 3. 5. 1 Cor. 4. 9.

To conclude: Here is yet two things worthy of noting:

The first is, That by the Names of the twelve Apostles being in the Founda∣tions

of this Wall, and the Names of the twelve Tribes being upon the Gates of this City, it giveth us to consider, that at the time of the building of this City, the Jews and Gentiles shall be united toge∣ther, and become one Body: which very Consideration must needs be to the Jews a great incouragement to have in mind at their Conversion: for it plainly sig∣nifieth that our New-Testament-Prea∣chers shall carry in their Mouths, Salva∣tion to the Jews; by which means they shall be again reconciled, and made one with the Lord Jesus.

The second Consideration is, That at the day of New Jerusalem, there shall be no Doctrine accepted, nor no Preachers regarded, but the Doctrine, and the Prea∣chers of the Doctrine of the Twelve: for in that he saith, That in them are found the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb, he doth implicitely exclude all other, of whatever Tribe they pretend themselves: It shall not be then as now, a Popish Doctrine, a Quakers Doctrine, a Prelatical Doctrine, and the Presby∣ter, Independant, and Anabaptist, thus distinguished, and thus confounding and destroying: but the Doctrine shall be

one, and that one the Doctrine where you finde the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb: If any man teach other∣wise, and consenteth not to wholesome Words, even the Words of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Doctrine that is according to Godliness, he is proud, and knoweth no∣thing, 1 Tim. 6. 3, 4.

Thus you see the Doctrine of the Twelve is that which letteth Souls into this City; and that the same Doctrine is the Doctrine that keepeth up the Wall of their Salvation about them, when they are entred in within the Gates.

Vers. 15.

And he that talked with me had a Golden Reed to measure the City, and the Gates thereof, and the Wall thereof.

Now having passed the relation of the Wall, Gates, and Foundations, he comes to the Measuring-Line, to see how all things lie and agree with that.

Under the Law, I find that all things pertaining to the Worship of God were to be by Number, Rule and Measure, even to the very Tacks and Loops of the Cur∣tains

of the Tabernacle: Now the Rule or Line by which all things were then squared, it was the Laws, Statutes and Ordinances which was given to Moses by the Lord in the Mount Sinai; for thi∣ther he went to receive his Orders: and according to the Pattern there shewed him, so he committed all things, by wri∣ting, to them that were to be imployed in the workmanship of the holy things per∣taining to the rise and compleating of the Tabernacle, and all its Instruments. Exod. 10. 11. & 24. 1. & 25. 40. Deut. 30. 10. & 31. 24, 25, 26.

Now when this Rule was thus recei∣ved, then whosoever observed not to do it, he was to fall under the Penalty that by the same Law also was prescribed a∣gainst the Offenders and Transgressors, Num. 15. 30, 31.

I find also that when the Temple was builded in the days of Solomon, all things were then done according to the writing that David made, when the hand of God was upon him, when he made him under∣stand all the work of this Pattern, 2 Chron. 3. 1, 2, 3. & Chap. 4. 1 Chron. 19. 3, 4, 5, 6, 7. & 28. 19.

Thus again, When Josiah went about

to bring to pass the Reformation of the Church of the Jews, and their Instru∣ments of Worship, after their revolting; he goeth to the Law of God, and by that, understanding what was out of order, and how to put all things into order, he so did reduce them to their former man∣ner. The same way also went Ezra, and Nehemiah, at the rebuilding of the Temple and City after the Captivity, 2 Kings 22. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13. Ezra 7. 14. Ezra. 8. 3, 4. From all which I con∣clude, That the Reed, the Golden Reed that here you read of, it is nothing else but the pure and unspotted Word of God; by which, both the City, Gates and Wall of this Jerusalem is regulated: Which Word by the holy Prophet, is also compared to Gold, and is said to be above much fine Gold, Psal. 12. 6. and 19. 9, 10.

I find in the Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel, that the Angel that there is said to measure the City, which was a Type of our Jerusalem, he appeared with a line of Flax in his hand, to measure the pat∣tern withal; which very phrase doth shew us that his was but the Type, and an Old-Testament-business: but John

hath his in a New-Testament-stile, and that in the most excellent manner of Language, to signifie that his City, or the City that he hath the Vision of, is to be the end of all Types and Shadows, and the very perfection of them all: Where∣fore he tells us also, that the Line or Reed by which this City is builded, and squared, it is not now a Line of Flax, but a Reed of Gold, a Golden Reed; to sig∣nifie not a Word of the Law and Letter that had to do with Shadows, but the New Testament, and ministration of the Spirit, which hath to do with Substance, and the heavenly things themselves, Heb. 9. 23.

A Golden Reed to measure the City, &c.

I told you at the first, that this City was the Church of God that should be in the latter dayes; but yet not the Church disorderly, and confusedly scattered here and there, without all visible order and discipline, but the Church brought into exact Form and Order, lying every way level and square with the Rule, and Gol∣den Reed of the New▪Testament of Christ; wherefore he calleth it a City,

a City under Rule. Thus it was in the Type; for when Solomons Temple was to be builded, and the City in af∣ter-times, it was not enough that they had Stones and Timber, but every one of them must be such Stones, and such Timber, and must also come under the Rule and Square of the Workman; and so being fitted by Hewers, Sawes, Axes and Squares, they were fitly put into the building, 1 Kings 5. 17, 18. and 7. 9, 10, 11, 12. 1 Chron. 22. 2. By this then we may see, with what a ho∣ly, exact Line, Rule and Order this Church and City at this day, will be compact and builded; the Members must be all such as shall be made fit for the City of God, by the hewing words of the Prophets; they must joyn in Christi∣an-Communion also according to the Golden Reed of the New Testament, and ministration of the Spirit. Indeed all the time of the reign of Antichrist, the Church, as she was a holy Temple in the Lord, so she was measured with re∣ference to the truth of her Grace, and invisible condition: but as she is to be a City, so she then is to be troden down, and to lie without all Form and Order: but

when Antichrist is dead, she shall again come into mind, be considered, reared, builded by measure, and inhabited: and observe it, as the Rule of the Carpenter is of use in the building, from the first ap∣pearance of the laying of a Stone in or∣der, even till it be in every point and part compleat; so the Golden Reed, with which the Angel is here said to measure the City, &c. is to be of use from the first Foundation, even to the laying of the last Stone thereof: As was also fore-shewed by the man that is said to measure the pattern of this, in Ezeki∣el, Ezek. 40. to chapter 48.

And he measured the City.

That is, he measured the Church in her Constitution and Fellowship. Now, when God is said to measure, he is said to measure sometimes in Judgment, and sometimes in Mercy; sometimes to throw down, and sometimes to build up and establish: Sometimes, I say, he is said to measure in Judgment, with in∣tention to throw down and destroy: Thus he measured the City before she went into Captivity, and the ten Tribes

before they were carried away beyond Ba∣bylon, because they lay cross to his Word, and had perverted that which was right, &c. but when he is said to measure the City in this place, it is that she might be builded and set up: wherefore, as I said, the Line or Golden Reed that is now stretched forth to measure this City, it is to the end, that all things may be in right Form and Order, fitly joyned, and knit together, by that which every joynt sup∣plyeth, according to the effectual working of the measure of every part, making in∣crease of the Body, to the edifying of it self in love, Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19.

Again, By measuring the City, he would have us to understand, that all her Limits and Bounds were now appa∣rent, that all things, even the Church and all the World, was made to see their own Compass: for as God in the dayes when Temple-Worship (only) was on foot, would not lose a Form or Ordi∣nance of all the Forms and Ordinances of his Temple; so when City-work comes up, he will not lose an Inch of the Limits, and Bounds, and Compass of his City, she shall be full as large, and of as great a compass every way, as

is determined of her: as he saith by the Prophet, All the Land, saith he, shall be turned † into a Plain; that is, there shall be a smooth Face upon the whole Earth, all Snugs, and Hubs, and Hills, and Holes shall now be took away, even from Ge∣bato Rimmon, South of Jerusalem: and it (the City) shall be lifted up, and inhabi∣ted in her place, from Benjamins Gate, un∣to the place of the first Gate, unto the Cor∣ner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananiel, unto the Kings Wine-Presses. The four places here mentioned in this verse, they do seem to be the four Corners of the City of old; at which places the City bounds were set; and in which very Circle the Prophet tells us, but with Go∣spel Language, she shall be setled again, Zech. 14. 10.

And he measured the City, and the Gates thereof.

This was figured forth by the Vision in Ezekiel, for in it he saw the Angel go from Gate to Gate, and saw him take the exact and distinct measure of every one thereof; nay, not only of them in a general way, but of the Thresholds,

the Porch, the Posts, and the Faces of their Enterances; he measured also eve∣ry little Chamber that was above upon the Gates, with all the Spaces that were between, Ezek. 40 chapter.

Now by Gates, I told you, we are to understand the Son of God, as he is the Way to the Father, and to the Privi∣ledges of this City: Wherefore when he saith, He measured the Gates, it is as if he had said, he measured the En∣trance, Strength & goodly Countenance of Him, with the Mansions of Glory that are to be injoyed by every one that entereth in hereby; for the Porch, Posts, Face, Enterance and Chambers of the Gate in Ezekiel, they signifie the Ente∣rance, Strength, Shining Countenance, and resting places that every one shall find in the Lord Jesus that entereth in by him: and to measure all these, it is in substance but this, To set them forth, and out, in their full force, glory, largeness, beauty & profitableness, in the view of all: for I told you at the first, the Golden Reed is the Word of God: Now the City and the Gates thereof, are said to be measured by this Golden Reed; which I say, can be nothing else, but an open∣ing

of all the Excellencies of Christ, as ••e is the Gate of the Sheep, even by the ••ull Sway, Power, Majesty, and Clear∣ness of the Word. The Lord help us! Christ, as he is the Door to God, and to all Gospel-Priviledges, is now strangely handled, and so hath been of a long time among the Sons of men; some of them making him the very In-let to all the vile and abominable crew in the world, counting all that are pliant to their ungodly humours, the Saints of the most high, and Christ the Door and Gate through whom they have right to enter, and to whom belongs the Deli∣cates of the precious things of God, even those which he hath most choicely layed up, and reserveth for none but those that unfeignedly turn from iniqui∣ty, and walk with him in the newness of the Spirit. Others again do shut up the Gates against the Godly, labouring with might & main to hinder those that labour to enter, that fain would do it unfeignedly. Others again do labour all that in them lies to deface the Gates, to take away their Beauty: like him that took the Gold from off the Doors and Gates of the Temple, rendering Christ a low

and carnal business, &c. but at the mea∣suring-day, at the day when the Golden Reed shall be the alone Rule: then you shall see this City and her Gates disco∣vered in their own Glory, Holiness and Beauty: for though in our Affliction un∣der Antichrist, our Temple and Instru∣ments of Worship, with the City, Wall, Gates, and the like, have been much de∣faced, (even our Doctrine of Faith and Worship) and have been much trod and trampled under the foot of the uncir∣cumcised: Yet all shall be recovered and brought into Order again, by the Golden Reed of the Word of God: which thing was figured forth to us by that good man Ezra the Scribe, who at the resto∣ring of Jerusalem took review of all the things pertaining to the City, both tou∣ching its Breaches and Deformity, and also how to set all things in Order, and that by the Law of God which was in his Hand, even according to the Writing there∣of, Ezra 7. 14. & 8. 34. Neh. 8, 9. And whosoever doth but read the History of Ezra and Nehemiah throughout, they shall finde that by the Word of God they brought all things to pass; all the Ordi∣nances of the House and City of God,

into their right and holy Order: And indeed the measuring of the City and of the Gates thereof, which is Christ the Way, it can be nothing else but a bring∣ing of them by the right understanding and opening of the Word, into their pro∣per Places and Excellencies, both for Comers in, and Goers out, according to the Commandment, Ezek. 40. 4. & 43. 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12. for, to speak properly, Christ in his Love, Grace, Merits and Largeness of Heart, to let Souls into Communion with God and all Happi∣piness, is in all these things unsearcha∣ble, and passing knowledge, being filled with these things beyond thought, and without measure, Ephes. 3. 8. Col. 3. 9. Ephes. 3. 18. & 19. Joh. 3. 34.

And he measured the City, the Gates thereof, and the Wall thereof.

In that he saith, he measured the Wall also, it is to shew us that all things now are according to the Rule of the Word: The Inhabitants are according to the Word, the Entrance is according to the Word, yea, and so is the safety of it also, even a Fence to fence them from their Enemies; even a fence on every side,

that they may be at ease and rest, and be no more a tossing to and fro: O thou afflicted, and ••ossed with Tempest, saith he, and not comforted, (I will do many good things for thee) in righteousness shalt thou be established: thou shalt be far from Op∣pression, for thou shalt not fear; and from Terror, for it shall not come nigh unto thee, Isa. 54. 11, 14.

Touching the Wall, what it is, I have spoken already; therefore here I speak onely to the measure of it, which mea∣sure is onely the fulfilling all those Pro∣mises and Engagements of God, that are made to New Jerusalem, for her Safety and continual Defence; and that not onely in her own Eyes, but in the Eyes of all her Beholders: Then shall that Saying be with gladness in the Mouths of all the Inhabitants of this Jerusalem, We were bond-men, and yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, but hath exten∣ded Mercy unto us in the sight of the Kings of Persia, to give us a reviving, to set up the House of our God, to repair the de∣solations thereof, and to give us a Wall in Judah and in Jerusalem, Ezra 9. 9. Which Wall, I say, shall be so conspicuous to all the Adversaries of this holy and be∣loved

City, that the greatest of them shall not once dare to peep or mutter against her any more: God is known in her Palaces for a Refuge: for lo, the Kings were assembled, they passed by, they saw it, and so they marwelled; they were troubled, and hasted away; fear took hold upon them, and pain, as of a Woman in travel: As it is said of the building of the Wall after the Captivity; when the Enemies and all the Heathen saw it was finished, they were much cast down in their own Eyes. Psal. 48. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Neh. 6. 15, 16.

The regulating of this City by this Golden Reed, and the measuring the Gates and VVall by this VVord, when finished, will then cause all that have skill in singing the Lords Songs, and of lift∣ing up the Praises of God in this City, to gather themselves together to sing, and to praise, and to say, Bless ye the Name of the Lord, for his Mercies endure for ever: for then will they purifie the People (this City) with the Gates and Wall thereof, Neh. 12, 28, 29, 30.

VVherefore in the mean time, be∣tween this and the building of this City, let Jerusalem come into your mind, and walk about her, go ••e round about her (en∣quire

by the VVord what God hath said of her State, Strength, Safety, Ease, Peace, and blessed Tranquillity in the latter days) tell the Towers thereof, mark ye well her Bulwarks, consider her Palaces, that ye may tell it to the Generations follow∣ing, Psal. 48. 12, 13.

Vers. 16.

And the City lieth four square, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the City with the Reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length, and the breadth, and height of it are equal.

And the City lieth four square] These words do open unto you the matter yet more, to wit, That now both the City, Gates and VVall, were exactly in their Visibility according to the VVord, lying even every way with that Golden Reed: for by four square, you are to understand Perfection, or an answering the figures that of old did figure to us the compleat∣ness and perfection of the New-Testa∣ment-Order.

For if you search the Scriptures, you will finde that especially the great and principal Instruments of Gods Worship

in and under the Law, their Perfection was what here you read to be the Perfe∣ction of this City, even a four square. As for instance: The Brest-plate of Judgment, on which were engraved the Names of the Children of Israel, its exact point of Perfection was, to be a right four square. The ten Bases also, that were to be for Bearers to the Lavers in the Temple, they were to be four square: The Altar of Burnt-Offerings likewise, with the Al∣tar of Incense, their perfect Pattern was, that they should be four square: The in∣ward Court and outward Court, with the Posts of the Temple, and Tables on which they were to slay the Sacrifices, they were all four square. Yea, the City in the Type, in the Vision of Ezekiel, was seen to be of the same frame and fashion eve∣ry way, having just twelve Gates, and of each of the four sides three Gates. Exod. 28. 15, 16. & 39. 8, 9. 1 King. 7. 27, 28, 29, 30, 31. Exod. 27. 1. & 38. 1. Ezek. 43. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18. Exod. 37. 1. Ezek. 40. & 41. 21. & 40. 40, 41, 42. & 48. 30, 31, 32, 33, 34. Wherefore when he saith, The City lieth four square, it is as if he had said, She lieth even with the Pattern, or Golden-Reed of the

Word; even, I say, both in her Mem∣bers, Doctrine, VVorship, and Man∣ners: For the things afore-hinted unto you do hold forth all these Particulars.

—And the length is as large as the breadth.—

This explaineth the matter yet more fully and distinctly; for as to the things that I made mention of before, though they were to be made four-square, and that their Perfection lay exactly in that form; yet these Squares did not lie in their height and depth, but in their length and breadth, just as you read here of the Square of this City. As to instance: The Altars, though they were five Cu∣bits long, and five Cubits broad, yet but three high; so the Bases, they were a Cubit and an half broad, and a Cubit and an half long, yet but half a Cubit high; the Tables also on which they slew the Sacrifices, they were a Cubit and a half long, and a Cubit and a half broad, yet but one Cubit high. VVhich things being thus, you see the reason of his say∣ing the length is as large as the breadth.

Now by length and breadth here, we

may yet observe another Mystery held forth unto us; for by the breadth is held forth the perfection of the Rule, or Law to which all Christians ought to yeild their hearty Obedience: His Command∣ment is exceeding broad: The breadth of which, is signified, I say, by the breadth of those things that before you see to be the Instruments of the Worship of God: Now as by breadth, we are to understand the perfect latitude and compass of the Commandment; so by length, we are to understand the answerableness of the obedience of the Inhabitants of this City: for indeed the perfection of Chri∣stian Obedience lieth in an answerable∣ness to the Will of God; as it is said of the Father and Mother of John the Bap∣tist; they walked in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless; and of Anna, that she continued without ceasing in the service of God in the Temple, day and night: This is to be as long in our Obedience, as the Law is broad in commanding: the Law commands right Obedience, and the Christian giveth it; the Law commands continual Obedience, and the Christian giveth it; the Law commands univer∣sal Obedience, and the Christian giveth

it: He giveth it all these sorts of Obe∣dience, 1. By the Person of Christ, for he is his Righteousness; he giveth it all these, 2. With the consent of the mind: and 3. He giveth it all these Obediences in the love of the Spirit, which the Apo∣stle calleth the fulfilling of the Law, that is, an answering the breadth of its Com∣mand, by the length of Obedience: wherefore when he saith, The length is as large as the breadth, he would have us un∣derstand how perfect in Holiness these blessed Souls will be at this day: and in∣deed, this is it that is by God expected to be in this City at this day: As the Angel with his Measuring-Line said to Zechariah, I am going to measure Jerusa∣lem, and to see what is the breadth thereof, and what is the length thereof: To see whether their Doctrine be pure, and whether their Obedience be answerable.

—And he measured the City with the Reed, twelve thousand furlongs.—

These latter words do refer us to a di∣stinct measure from that which went be∣fore; the former measure pointing at the breadth of her Commandment, and the

length of her Obedience; but this at the Glory and Fulness of her Mansions and Portions: For after he had said, The City lieth four square, and that the length is as large as the breadth, (which is the full and compleat effect of that first measure) he comes over again with an other measu∣ring, saying, And he measured the City twelve thousand furlongs; as who should say, He measured the City, Gates, and Wall first, and sound them all exact, and according to the Golden Reed; and af∣ter he had so done, he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs.

He measured the City with the Reed That is, He measured out to the City, he measured for the City, for its Lot and Portion, twelve thousand Furlongs: Which very thing you find in the Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel: for after he had measured the City, the Vessels, with the Instruments of Worship; I say, when he had done this, he comes again with an afterwards, to measure the City her Por∣tions and Mansions, Ezek. 47. 1, &c.

Wherefore, I say, these words do re∣fer to her Portion that she is to enjoy of her God, as the former referreth to her Duty and Obedience.

Now that which maketh me conclude that this latter measure is a measure di∣stinct from the former, and that it rela∣teth neither to the exactness of Rule, nor the compleatness of Obedience, but on∣ly to the largeness of the Portions that God will allot for thy Sons and Daugh∣ters, thou City of God, it is,

First, Because this is the biggest mea∣sure: For I find, by considering the Scri∣pture, that as the Persons and Things pertaining to the Worship of God, were to go according to the Rule of this Gol∣den Reed; so also the Portions that pertained to the Persons worshiping, was to go by Rule and Measure also, (as here he saith he measured also the City, or to it, with the Reed, twelve thousand fur∣longs.) And hence it is that our Grace is called the measure of Grace, and that our Glory is called a weight of Glory.

Now I say, I find that our Portions do go always under the biggest measure; the Spoons, Cups, Flaggons, Snuffers, Basons, Candlesticks and Pans, which were the Instruments of Worship, were not so large as the Chambers in the Temple, and the compass of the holy Land, which were the † Mansions and Portions of the Church.

Secondly, I take the twelve thousand furlongs to signifie Portions, rather than Worship or Worshippers; because, as to the nature of it, it most exactly agrees with the Portions that are measured out to this City by the Angel before Ezekiel, which is a measuring forth so much Land for the Portion of the Prince, so much for the Portion of the Priest, and so much for the Portion of the twelve Tribes: Yea, the very phrase, twelve thousand furlongs, also implieth such a compass of Ground, by which we find the holy Land hath been measured.

Lastly, I take it to be thus also; be∣cause I find not in all this description of this holy City, that any place doth give us that ground to speak to her mea∣sure of Portion, as this: and it would seem strange to me, that the description of this City given by Ezekiel, should be more compleat then this that is given by our Prophet John: for Ezekiel doth most amply set forth her Portions, even di∣stinctly, for Prince, Priest, and the Tribes in particular. This therefore is to be understood of the Portions of the City, which John did see was measured out unto her, immediately after he saw

the breadth of her Rule, and the length of her Obedience: Onely consider that Ezekiel measureth by Reeds, not count∣ing by Furlongs; but John, though he measureth by Reeds, yet counteth by Furlongs.

But now, though the holy Ghost is thus pleased to speak of the Portions of the Saints in the New Jerusalem, as if he intended chiefly that their Portion should consist in outward Happiness, and in the enjoyment of such and such a Por∣tion, or compass of ground: Yet consi∣der that these are but metaphorical and borrowed Expressions, spoken to our Ca∣pacities, under which is indeed included the nature of our blessed and spiritual Food and Nourishment: You know it is usual for the holy Ghost in Scripture to call the Saints Sheep, Lambs, Heifers, Cows, Rams, Doves, Swallows, P••li∣cans, and the like; and also to call their Food, their spiritual and heavenly Food, Grass, Provender, Wheat, Wine, Oyl, Grapes, Apples, Figs, Nuts, and the like also; all which are but shadowish and figurative expressions, even as this of the measure of the twelve thousand furlongs: and observe it, that which

John saith here is twelve thousand fur∣longs, Ezekiel tells us, it lieth on this side and on that side of the bank of the Ri∣ver of the Water of Life: Now I think there is none so much void of under∣standing, as to think this Water of Life is any thing else but the precious Grace of God, in and thorow the Lord Jesus: Wherefore the ground or measure for Portions, it is nothing else but our spiri∣tual and heavenly Food, even spiritual Grace, and Gifts, and Comforts, that the holy Ones of this City shall most plentifully partake of, and enjoy: And so indeed the Prophet also saith, speak∣ing of the Portions of the holy Land for this City: The increase thereof, saith he, shall be for Food unto them that serve the City; and they that serve it shall serve it out of the twelve Tribes of Israel: Out of the twelve Tribes, that is, out of the twelve thousand Furlongs, which is the the Portion of the Tribes. This is ac∣cording to the Saying of the Prophet David, He maketh me to lie down in green Pastures, he leadeth me besides the still Wa∣ters: and again, For the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them, and shall lead them into living Fountains of Wa∣ter:

for their shame, they shall have double; and for confusion, they shall rejoyce in their Portion: Therefore in their Land they shall possess the double; Everlasting Joy shall be upon them, Psal. 23. 2. Rev. 7. 17. Isa. 61. 7.

Thus you see the measure of the City, Gates, and Wall, and the effect of that; and thus you see also the measure of the Portion for the City, with what it is: Wherefore it remaineth that we see what is to be the effect of that also.

And he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs, and the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal.

Before he told us, that the length was as large as the breadth; which I then told you, did signifie the nature of her Rule, and the measure of her Obedience: but now he adds, and saith, That both in length and breadth, & in height, she is equal: Wherefore in that he adds at last a squareness of height, to her squareness of length and breadth; and also in that he adds it not before he had told us of the measure of her Portions, he would

have us to understand, that as the Rule in which this City shall walk, shall be compleat; and as her Obedience to that Rule shall be compleat; so her enjoy∣ment of God and his Grace at that day shall be proportionable also: She is square in her Rule, square in her Obedi∣ence, and square in her Enjoyment of God, and his Goodness; the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal. Indeed the Scripture saith, That in keep∣ing his Commandments there is great Reward: and again, This man shall be blessed in his Deed: This sheweth unto us then, what glorious days these will be, to the House and City of God; even days in which Saints shall see the Mind of God clearly, have Hearts to do it compleatly, and have continually the answerable Enjoyment of God, and spi∣ritual Happiness: Now will his Paths drop Fatness, with a witness! and now will he meet him that rejoyceth and worketh Righteousness, those that remember him in his Ways: And the length, and the breadth, and the height of it, are equal. Where∣fore the Prophet in the Vision of the measures of the Portions, doth observe that there was a squareness in them, as

well as in their Ordinances and Obedi∣ence: and hence it is that he tells us that every little Chamber was one Reed broad, and one Reed long: and again, the Oblation, that is, the Portion for the Tribes, shall be five & twenty thousand: By five and twenty thousand ye shall of∣fer the holy Oblation, FOUR SQUARE, with the Portion of the City, Ezek. 40. 7. and 48. 20.

Again, In that he saith, The length, and the breadth, and the height of it, are equal; he sheweth us how fit this City at this day will be, even for the Kingdom of Heaven and Glory: for observe, That as the Rule, Obedience, and Comforts of God, do make this City a square Ci∣ty, both in height, and length, and breadth; so the Holiest of all, which was a † Type of Heaven, was of the same fashion also; It was twenty Cubits high, and twenty Cubits long, and twenty Cubits broad; the length, and the breadth, and the height of it were equal, 1 King. 6. 20. 2 Chron. 3. 8. Ezek. 41. 4.

Wherefore as now the Will of God will be done (according to the Petition) on Earth as it is in Heaven; so will this City be at this day fit to enter into

the Holiest Place; even as fit as one four square is to shut into another: Here is a four square City for a four square Heaven; And the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equal: Wherefore it is upon this account that this City at her appearing is said to be adorned and prepared, as a Bride is for her Husband; which we all know is the most perfect and compleatest Attire that is possible to be got: And therefore it is again, that at the coming of the Lord, those that go in with him to the Marriage, are said to be ready beforehand, Rev. 21. 2. Matth. 25. 10.

Vers. 17.

And he measured the Wall thereof, an hun∣dred and forty and four Cubits.

This measure of the Wall that here he maketh mention of, is also distinct from the former measure, where he is said to measure the City, Gates, and Wall; and it refers to such a Wall, or to such a part of the Wall in such a place: for I find that though the Wall of this City in ge∣neral is that which shall incompass the New Jerusalem round; yet this Wall is

in some place, and for some reason, of another manner and measure than the Wall is in general, as it compasseth round the City; which part of the Wall is called the broad Wall, the Wall upon which even half of the People might walk compleat at once, Neh. 3. 8. & 12. 38.

But to trace out the business in the Type, and so to come to its answer in the Anti-Type: I find that a little di∣stance from Jerusalem there was a place called Tophet, which place was counted prophane, unholy, or defiled; I find also that this unclean unholy place, was a fi∣gure of Hell it self: Now mark, I find by the Scripture, that against this Tophet, this unholy and prophane place, was the broad Wall of the City for the defence of the Sanctuary, erected, and reared up: He measured, saith the Prophet, by the four sides, and it had a Wall rouud about, five hundred Reeds long, and five hundred Reeds broad, TO MAKE A SEPARA∣TION BETVVEEN THE SANCTU∣ARY AND THE PROPHANE PLACE, Ezek. 42. 20. Which VVall could not be that Wall which compassed the City, because it was but five hun∣dred Reeds long: for take the measure

of this Wall in its largest measure, and it is (if you count a Reed for that which we count a Pole) but twelve Furlongs, which compass will scarce go round ma∣ny Market-Towns; especially, if toge∣ther with this, you consider the breadth of the Wall, whose breadth is as large as its length; wherefore now there is not room enough for a City so big as a Co∣tage to stand in the midst thereof: I speak this, to shew you that the Wall in this place is not the Wall that goeth round about the City, but the Wall that is placed just between the Sanctuary and Tophet, or Hell it self: Now though Ezekiel and John do differ touching their count about the thickness of this Wall, it is not so much to signifie the Walls are not one and the same, as to shew us that the one, to wit, Ezekiel's Wall, was to incompass a worldly Sanctuary, but John's to incompass a spiritual and hea∣venly; wherefore Ezekiel's must be of so many Reeds long to go round about the material Sanctuary, as a Type; but John comes more to the spirit of the mat∣ter, and sheweth us what the Sanctuary, Wall, and the like, should mean: for by Sanctuary we are to understand (even in

the Old Testament) a place of Safety and Security, which was a Type of Christ: Now in that Tophet did stand against the Sanctuary in the letter, it signifies that Hell it self is bent against all those that take shelter in Christ; but to no pur∣pose, for in the very face of Tophet, even between it and our place of sanctu∣ary, is fixed an invincible and impregna∣ble mighty Wall, to keep in safety those that have fled to Christ for shelter. Now, I say, in that John tells us this Wall is an hundred forty four Cubits, (and waves the manner of the measure of Eze∣kiel) it is to shew us that this Wall is for the safety of the hundred forty four thou∣sand that have taken sanctuary in Christ; that is, all the holy and truly gracious Souls that are with him on the Mount Zion, having his Fathers Name written in their Foreheads; both Numbers, I say, being twelve times twelve, implying a suf∣ficient safety for all that are sincerely and truly gratious.

And now to bring down the matter to our New Jerusalem-state: for though it be true in all Ages, that there is between those that have taken sanctuary in Christ, and the bottomless pit, an invincible and

mighty Wall of Grace and heavenly Power, and of the Merits of Christ, to save to the utmost all and every one that are thus fled to him for safety; yet there is some thing in it more then this, for those that come into the days and state of the New Jerusalem: For, I say, this Wall being it that makes a separation between the Sanctuary and the prophane place in general, and yet being spoken of as a thing extraordinary, and accom∣panying the state of this new City one∣ly; it implieth that at this day the Saints shall have that shelter by this Wall from all the force of Hell, and the damned Spirits that now from Tophet afflict them, that they never had before; and there∣fore you find at the begining of the thou∣sand Years, which (as I conceive) is the time of the building of this City, a mighty Angel is said to come down from Heaven, to lay hold of the Dragon, that old Serpent, called the Devil and Satan, and to bind him a thousand Years; which done, he casts him into the bottomless pit, and there shuts him up, to the end he should de∣ceive the Nations no more, the effect of w^ch, will be not onely a delivering of the Saints from outward persecution, but al∣so

from being any more assailed with ei∣ther wicked and erronious Doctrine, or fierce and fiery darts from the Prince of Darkness, which now many of them are so much anoyed and afflicted with: now the Church will be free from those hel∣lish suggestions to blaspheme, to despair, and the like, that her Members do yet most dreadfully and sadly meet with: for observe, this old Tempter is said to be tied up, or to be cast into the bottomless Pit, first, as he is a Dragon, under which name he goeth in this Book, in his perse∣cuting the Church, Rev. 12. Secondly, he is said to be shut up, as he goeth under the name of a Serpent, under which name he went when he fomented his devillish and damning seducing Doctrine to our first Parents; the which the Spirit ex∣presly seems to relate unto, and there∣fore calls him that OLD Serpent; that OLD Serpent that deceived us at the first, Gen. 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Thirdly, he is said to be shut up also, as he goeth under the name of the Devil and Satan, under which Name he goeth commonly in the New-Testament, when he provoketh and stirreth up our lusts, and when he la∣bours to drive us into all manner of un∣belief,

distrust, despair, and so conse∣quently into murmurings and blasphemy against God, Mat. 4. 1, 5, 8. Luk. 4. 2, 3, 5, 6. Act. 5. 1, 2, 3. Ephes. 6. 11. 2 Cor. 2, 7, 11. Wherefore, I say, that at the day that this Wall is set up in all its glo∣ry, and when it performs every part and piece of its office to the full, then shall Satan be bruised under our Feet indeed, and then shall Jerusalem be called, The joyous City, and her People, A Joy; for her former Sorrows shall be past and forgot.

If thou still objectest, But I have yet an evil heart, and therefore if I be not rid of that at that day (should I live till then) why though there should be no De∣vil to afflict me, I shall feel and meet with sorrow and trouble enough.

I answer thee: First, I dare not say that at this day thou shalt be in every sence without thy evil heart, in the midst of all this glory, tempted Soul: Yet I say thus much to thee;

First, Where there is no Devil to tempt, though the Saints will yet be im∣perfect, and come short of a glorified state; yet they by his absence will be delivered from many dreadful vexing and burning hellish Darts, that will other∣wise

confound and afflict the Soul like Arrows, whose heads are poisoned: Christians have a great deal of ease, when God doth (even at this day) with-hold the Devil for a season, (though yet they have their own lusts) over they have when the Devil and their own Lusts are suffered to meet and work together: yea, the Lord Jesus himself, who had no sin, yet in the Temptation was fearfully handled and afflicted with the Devil; though all the while, I say, he kept him at staves end, and did not suffer him in the least to anoy his Person; and there∣fore 'tis said that when he was in the Wil∣derness in the conflict, the Angels came to minister to him: at the time of his Ago∣ny also, in which Agony doubtless Satan had a very great hand to afflict him, you see his complaint, how that he was sore amazed, and exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, being so laden with heavi∣ness and sorrow, that he was scarce able to stand or wag under the burden of it. Satan even from himself, besides the workings of our own Lusts, doth do us wonderful injury, and hits our Souls with many a fiery Dart, that we think comes either from our selves, or from Heaven,

and God himself; but now by this Wall, this broad Wall, this sorrow will be cut off.

Secondly, Again, when Satan is thus tied up, we shall, together with this Mer∣cy, receive such a plentiful pouring forth of the Holy Ghost, that though there will remain in us still the remainders of our Corruptions; yet by the plentiful in∣dwellings of the holy Ghost, and the Joy and Peace and heavenly sweetness thereof, these things shall lie like lean, withered, blasted things: the reason of that power and that strength that our Lusts have to this day in our hearts, it is because we are so lean and thin and weak in the things of God: strong Grace makes Corruptions weak, and strikes them thorow, laying them at the point of death, always gasping for life: thus it was with Moses, he had such Grace in his Soul, and such Communion with God, that though he had yet a Body of Sin within him, it was a rare thing for him to see his wretchedness; that is, to see it pirt, lively, and powerful in him: in∣deed God saith, That upon the Land of his People shall come up Bryars and Thorns; yea, upon all the Houses of Joy in the joy∣ous

City, because the Palaces shall be forsa∣ken, the multitude of the City shall be left, the Forts and Towers shall be for Dens for ever, a Joy of wild Asses, a Pasture of Flocks; until the Spirit be poured on us from on high, and the Wilderness be a fruit∣ful Field, &c. And then the Lord shall de∣fend the Inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, and the House of David shall be as God, even as the Angel of the Lord before him: The Inhabitants shall not say, I am sick; the People that dwell therein, shall be forgiven their Iniquity.

And he measured the Wall thereof, an hun∣dred and forty and four Cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the Angel.

According to the measure of a Man] The Man Christ Jesus: For the measure of this City, or the Golden Reed with which this City is thus measured, it is His †, his Word and Law of the New-Testa∣ment: All Judgment is committed into the hand of the Son; and God hath given him authority to execute Judgment also, be∣cause he is the Son of man.

—According to the measure of a Man, that is, of the Angel.

This Angel is one of the Seven that had the seven last Plagues to execute up∣on the Man of Sin, and yet he saith, the measure is according to the measure of a man; the meaning is, That the City, the New Jerusalem, is to be builded accord∣ing to the VVord of Christ; but yet by his VVord as it is in the hand of his An∣gels, that is, his Messengers and Ser∣vants; of which Servants, the chief will be those that are his Instruments ••o pour forth the seven Vials full of 〈…〉〈…〉∣ven last Plagues upon the Antich〈…〉〈…〉n Harlot: For they, with their Plagues, will both destroy what standeth in impia∣cable opposition, and will subject the rest, and bring them into a correspondency with the Word and Will of God (as I have shewed) Whence note, That they of his Servants that God shall use to pour forth his last and most dreadful Plagues upon the Whore, they are they that God will use to shew us the Pattern of this holy City: Or thus, They that can tell how to plague the Whore, they

can tell how to measure this City: The righteous men, they shall judge them (that is the Antichristian Harlot, with her wicked and adulterous Daughters) after the manner of Adulteresses, and after the manner of Women that shed blood; because they are adultrous, and blood is in their hands, Ezek. 23. 45.

Thus much touching the frame of this City, its Wall, Gates, and Foundati∣ons, with the measure of each: And now it remains that I speak of the Glory of them.

Vers. 18.

And the building of the Wall of it was of Jasper; and the City was pure Gold, like unto clear Glass.

IN these words you have a discovery of the Glory both of the Wall and City it self; and that, as you see, under the notion of two choice Metaphors: the Wall is Jasper, the chief of Stones; and the City is Gold, the chief of Metals:

And the building of the Wall of it was of Jasper, and the City was pure Gold.

This Jasper is that Stone in the light of which this City is said to descend, as in the light of a Stone most precious: Now as there he saith she descended in the light of this Stone, so here he saith this Stone is the Wall thereof; And the building of the Wall of it was of Jasper.

This therefore confirmeth unto you what I said of the Wall before, to wit, That it was the Salvation of God through Christ: Wherefore learn this by the way, That this City shall not be at this day in her own keeping, but in the keep∣ing of Jesus Christ; He with his Bene∣fits doth compass her round, and by him alone she lieth down in safety: Wherefore it is from this Consideration that God doth say by the Mouth of the Prophet, I will give them within my House and within my Walls, a place and a name better then that of Sons and of Daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off, Isa. 56. 5.

And the [building] of the Wall, &c.

By this word building, we are to un∣derstand

both the Materials of the Wall, the manner of their placing, and the In∣struments that God will use for the set∣ting up thereof: Now to speak properly, this Wall being the Lord Jesus Christ Himself in his precious Merits, Benefits and Offices, the Builder hereof must needs be God Himself; for he it is that hath made this Christ for us a Safeguard and Defence, by making of him our Wisdom, Righteousness, Sanctification, and Redemption, by which he doth incompass us round on every side, and that at every moment, to deliver us from the Power and Destruction both of Sin, Death, the Devil, and Hell.

But again, The building here spoken of, is a building of this Wall after the de∣struction of Antichrist, and so long after Christ was sent, and made these things in his own Person, to his beloved and bles∣sed Church: Wherefore the building of this Wall that is here spoken of, it must be understood of the recovering again the purity of those Doctrines in which the Lord Jesus with all his Benefits is found and made ours, for our everlasting De∣fence and Safety: For we find that the King of Babylon, who was a Type of our

Antichrist, when he came up against Jeru∣salem, the Type of our Primitive Church, he brake down their City, destroyed their Walls, rifled their Houses, and killed their Children; whose steps, I say, our Antichrist follows to a hair, in tread∣ing down the Primitive Church, corrupt∣ing her Doctrines (which are her Safe∣guard and VVall) also robbing and spoil∣ing the Houses of God, and killing his Children with a thousand Calamities; turning all the heavenly Frame and Or∣der of Church-Government into an heap of Rubbish, and a confused Dunghil.

Wherefore the building again of this Wall is to be understood of the recover∣ing and setling and fastening the Do∣ctrines of Christ, as afore, in which Do∣ctrines he in all his Benefits is wrap∣ped, and held fast forever: I say, a re∣covering of them, and setting him up a∣gain in his primitive and pure Glory, of being our Priest, Prophet and King, in his Church, and a giving unto these Of∣fices their own proper length, breadth, height, and depth; letting them rule in all their Force, Glory, and Majesty, and Authority, for then will be golden Days, and not till then; then, I say, when the

several Offices of the Lord Jesus do rule in their own nature and largeness of Au∣thority both in the Church and in the VVorld.

Alas! This VVall is yet unbuilt, the Offices of the Lord Jesus do not yet shine in that purity, nor so stand in their pro∣per places, as they shall do at the coming in of New Jerusalem: the VVall lies yet but as an heap of Rubbish; the Offices of the Lord Christ are to this day by ma∣ny Preachers confounded, and removed to and fro, even like loose and rouling∣stones; these Offices also are by others attributed to Antichrist, and his Chil∣dren of Iniquity; but at this day the Nations shall know themseves to be but men, and the Doctrines of Christ shall be set again in their own places: Now shall every going into this City, and every going out thereof, stand where it ought; and now shall every Tower and Fortress on this VVall be placed as in the days of old; which Towers and Fortresses are the glorious Names and Attributes of the Father and Christ: for the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower, the Righteous flee into it, and are safe: and again, Thou hast been a shelter to me, and

a strong Tower from the Enemy: Where∣fore now, I say, shall the Name of God, as Lord of all, and Father of his Church, with the Names of the Son, as Head, Sa∣viour, and King of kings, be as the Bul∣warks to this City, to which shall be ad∣ded all the Promises, Consolations, En∣couragements, &c. in the blessed Book of God, out of which this City continu∣ally shall suck the Milk and Nourish∣ment of the unsearchable Grace of God to them; to all which shall be added ma∣ny new pieces of Timber in the Wall (for so it was in the Type at the rebuilding of the City) by which new pieces, I gather, that the special Providence of God, and his Protection, shall be at this day so fa∣stened in this Wall for the compleat de∣livering of this City both from Hell and Earth, that she shall stand in full force, safety, and peace, even till the Heavens and the Earth shall be no more. Now when this Wall is thus set up, even eve∣ry Truth and Office of Christ, in is own true natural force, about this City; and when God in his special and most indear∣ed affections shall engage himself even everlastingly to keep this City safe from all storms and tempests, and trouble and

sorrow; then shall these Citizens, as a sign of their Conquest both of Hell and the World, even set up their Banners on the several Towers of this Wall, and the Standards that belong to the Tribes thereof; then, I say, We shall rejoyce in thy Salvation, O Lord, and in thy Name will we set up our Banners: And then shall the Inhabitants of the World both wonder∣ing and tremblingly say, Who is this that looketh forth as the Morning, fair as the Sun, clear as the Moon, and terrible as an Army with Banners? O the Names of God, of Christ, of his Offices, and the power of his Grace and Promises! How will they shine! In what Glory will they appear! They will be even as a Wall of fire round about Jerusalem; and will not be, as now, in the mind and thought of the People, as the White of an Egg in the Mouth, without taste; but shall be and appear in their own Brightness, Sweetness, and Grace: For how great is his Goodness, and how great is his Beauty! Corn shall make the young Men chearful, & new Wine the Maids: In that day shalt thou say, O Lord, I will praise thee, though thou wast angry with me, thine anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me: Behold God

is my Salvation: I will trust, and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH is my Strength, and my Song, he also is become my Salvation. Isa. 12. 1, 2.

For the Workmen, I am sure God is the principal, as I said before; but yet he will do it by instruments, thorow the guidance of his Spirit. The building of the Wall of old, was of God; but so, as that he did it by the hand of Nehemiah, and his Companions. I do observe in the compleating of the City Jerusalem of old, that there was first Altar-work, then Temple-work, and after that the building the Wall, and compleating the City. Al∣tar-work, I say, was the first which was reared, and on which there was offered according to the Law, and holy custom, the Sacrifices and Offerings both morn∣ing and evening, as every day required; but the foundation of the Temple was not yet laid, Ezra 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. These Altar∣men were those also that afterward built the Temple; but yet by them was first of all repaired the Altar, to signifie that the first work that will be on foot at the be∣ginning of the return of the Christians from out of Antichristian Babylon, it will be to finde out Altar-work, that is, the

Priestly Office of Christ, and to offer 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Him, the Prayers and Supplications of the Church continually. Wherefore these Altar-men, or these men in their Altar-work, did figure-out for us our fa∣mous and holy Worthies, that before us have risen up in their place, and shook off those Reliques of Antichrist that in∣trenched upon the Priestly Office of our Lord and Saviour, even worthy Wickliff, Hus, Luther, Melancton, Calvin, and the blessed Martyrs in Q. Maries dayes, &c. with the rest of their companions: these in their day were stout & valiant Cham∣pions for God, according to their light, and did upon the Altar of God, which is Christ our Lord, offer up many strong cries, with groans and tears, as every day required, for the compleat recovering of the Church of God; the benefit of whose Offering we have felt and enjoyed to this day; but by this the Foundation of the Temple was not yet laid.

Now after these, arise another People, not another with respect to Christianity, but with respect to further light. These men, though they keep the continual Of∣ferings upon the Altar, as the other did, yet they are men also that are for Tem∣ple-work,

wherefore these begin to search out the Foundations of the Temple of God, that they may rear up the House, as well as build up the Altar: These be they that are for having the Church a se∣lect company of visible Believers, walking in the Faith and Holiness of the Gospel; which Believers are for separating from the unconverted and open prophane, and for building up one another an holy Temple in the Lord, through the Spirit. I say, a Temple, or House, or Church, separate and distinct from that confused heap of rubbish and carnal Gospelers, that every where like Locusts and Maggots craul up and down the Nations. These were fi∣gured forth by Zerubbabel, Joshua and all the people of the Land that are for work∣ing and labouring in this service of Tem∣ple-work. Hag. 1. 12. Hag. 2. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Again, As there is thus Altar-work, and Temple-work to be done by the Saints when they are coming out of spi∣ritual Sodom and Egypt: So at the end of these, there will be City-work on foot also. Which City-work will chiefly con∣sist in setting up the Wall and Gates for defence, and of building themselves

Houses or Mansions of rest and refresh∣ment, after all their hard usage under the tyranny of the Man of sin, that Son of Per∣dition; which City-work wil be then com∣pleated, when the Church of Christ hath obtained a compleat conquest and victo∣ry over the world, and hath got her ene∣mies, and them that hate her, to lye at her feet, and to lick the dust of the soals thereof. For, as I have told you already, Temple-work, yea, when that is com∣pleat in the work, yet there may be great havock made of the Church of Christ; at which time also, City-work may be trampled under the feet of the wicked and uncircumcised Gentiles; but when the City is builded, then Zion is become a strong hold, and about all her glory shall be a defence. Then she either draweth and allureth her adversaries to entreat her kindly, and to count it their honour to be under her protection (as did the Gibeonites) or else she breaks and b••uises, and subjects them to her by her Power and Authority. The daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift, and the rich among the People shall entreat thy favour, Psal. 45. 12. In the last dayes, saith the Prophet, it shall come to pass, that the Lords

House shall be established upon the tops of the Mountains, and shall be exalted above the Hills; and People shall flow unto it, and ma∣ny Nations shall come and say, Come, and let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord, and to the House of the God of Jacob, and and he will teach us of his wayes, and we will walk in his paths. For the Law shall go forth of Zion, and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem. And ye shall judge among the People, and rebuke strong Nations afar off; and they shall beat their Swords into ploughshares, and their Spears into pruning hooks; (that force and power that they used formerly to destroy the Church of God, now they shall use it to do her ser∣vice, even to break up the clods of the hearts of sinners, and to prune and dress the House of God and Vinyard of Jesus Christ) Nation shall not lift up a Sword against Nation, neither shall they learn war any more; (for the Word of the Kingdom of Peace shall bear sway) And thou, O Tower of the Flock, the strong hold of the daughter of Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first Dominion; the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem, Mich. 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. This is City∣work, and as to the Glory, Peace, and

Deliverance of the Church, it is the chiefest of all other, because it is not only most excellent for concourse and multitude, but, I say, for preservation and safety; and that not only to keep the Worshippers, if they keep their order, but to keep the Order and Worshippers both in order and continual safety, that they may be for ever in the purest order. But now, though at the compleating of this Wall, and the building its Towers, when they are finished, there will be great peace; yet all the time that these things are doing, before they be done, let the work-men look for opposition, taunts, underminers, and a thousand tricks for the hindrance of it; For the Street of the City shall be built, and the Wall, even in troublous times.

And the building of the Wall of it, was of Jasper.

Of Jasper only; For as by building is shewed unto us the manner of the work, so by Jasper is shewed unto us the matter it self, the matter therefore must be (Ja∣sper) Christ only, his Word, Offices, and glorious Brightness only; for indeed,

whatever the special Grace, Protection, and Providence of God will at this day be over this City, yet it shall be every whit of it according to Christ; that is, both of him, for him, and by him, as the Fruits and Effects of his Suffering, Bloodshed, and Merits: Therefore, saith God, I will divide him a Portion with the Great, and he shall divide the Spoyl with the Strong, because he hath poured out his Soul unto death, and was numbred among the Transgressors. O Holiness! How will it shine both in Kings and Nations, when God doth this!

And the City was pure Gold.

Having thus given us a discovery of the glory of the Wall, he now comes to shew us the glory of the City that is with∣in the Wall: The City (faith he) is Gold, it is pure Gold: This was figured out by the Golden Candlesticks belonging to the Tabernacle and Temple among the Jews, which Candlesticks did then pre∣sent unto us the worth and use of the Church of CHRIST; The seven Can∣dlesticks are the seven Churches, says the Lord Christ himself. Now the City here

spoken of, is the Church in her highe••▪ and greatest glory: Its state was also fi∣gured out by the Temple it self, whose Beams, Posts, Walls, Doors, and the like, were most famously covered over with Gold, 2 Chron. 3. 5, 6, 7. It was also (though but leanly) represented to us by the golden state of old Jerusalem in the days of Solomon the King, in which state Gold was so plentiful in the midst thereof, that Silver was nothing counted of among the Citizens there, in those days, but was as common as the Stones in the Street of the City, 2 Chron. 9. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 27.

And the City was pure Gold.

I find by the search of the Scriptures, that there is divers sorts of Gold in the World; there is the Gold of the Land of Havillah, the Gold of Parvaim, the Gold of Ophir, the Gold of Sheba, and the Gold of Uphaz, Gen. 2. 11. 2 Chron. 3. 6. Job 22. 24. Psal. 72. 15. Jer. 10. 9. Now seeing he saith the City is Gold, yet not distinguishing what Gold, or which, we may suppose in this place he means Gold of all these sorts: and indeed it is most

agreeable to this Text, thus to judge: for the Church at this day shall be made up of the twelve Tribes that are scattered abroad, and of the Gentile Nations both far and near; who as they now lie, are, for ought I can learn, at as great a di∣stance, and as remote from one another (not onely in knowledge and affections) but touching the places of their abode, as are the Golden Mines, out of which the Gold that I spake of before, is digged and fetch'd: Thus shall Gold, the Gol∣den Saints of God, at this day be gather∣ed out of the several Golden Mines of the World, and be brought to King So∣lomon the Son of David, our Lord Jesus, to Jerusalem, with which he will build him a Golden shining City, the Joy of all the World.

And the City was pure Gold.

Gold is the choice and chief of all Metals, both for worth, colour, and ver∣tue; wherefore when he saith, The City is Gold, you may conceive how rich and shining, and vertuous this City will be; the Riches of the whole World will be here, the Beauty of the whole World will

be here, and the Vertue of the whole World will be here; I mean spiritual Riches, Beauty, and Health; wherefore the rest of the World at this day will be but as a crushed bunch of Herbs in which is no Vertue; or like a Furnace full of Dross, out of which the Gold is taken; or like an old crazy and ruinous House, from which is departed all Health and Happiness; and indeed much like to this, is that saying of the Prophet, to wit, That at this day the whole circumfe∣rence of the World that is without the Walls and Priviledges of this City, it shall be but like an old ruinous House, in which dwells nothing but Cormorants, Bitterns, Owls, Ravens, Dragons, Satyrs, the Screech-Owl, the great Owl, the Vul∣ture, and the like most doleful Birds: All their Princes shall be nothing, saith the Pro∣phet, and when they call their Nobles to the Kingdom, none shall be there: In their very Pallaces shall be Thorns, and Nettles, and Brambles; for all among them that are Princes and Nobles indeed, will have pack'd up, and be gon for Jerusalem: So that the World, I say, will be left em∣pty, void, and stript both of Treasure, Beauty, and Health, at the day of Jeru∣salems

building again: But O how me∣lancholy a forlorn beautiless World will this be at this day! It will be onely the place of Dogs, Sorcere••s, Whoremongers and Murderers, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie; it will now be the ve∣ry Emblem of Hell, as the Church at this day will be the Emblem of Heaven: wherefore as the Church (as I shewed you before) will be most fit for her put∣ing on of Immortality and Incorruption; so the World will at this day be most fit to be swallowed up of the Lake and bot∣tomless Gulf. All things that are good, and worth any thing, shall at this day be found onely in the City of God: The Gold will be in Jerusalem.

Again, In that this City is here called by the name of Gold, it is to shew us how great pains, and travel, and charge the Lord Christ hath been at, to get so great a Treasure together: Gold is fetched from a far Countrey, and that with great pains, charge, and difficulty: The Gold wherewith King Solomon made his drinking Vessels, it cost a three years Journey to obtain it: so the Saints also, those Golden Vessels wherewith is made this Golden City, they cost Christ a

three days travel in the heart of the Earth, even sweatingly under the wrath of God, to obtain them, and thus to build this City with them.

Further; In that he saith this City is Gold, he would have us to consider what the state of the Church was, before she came into this happy condition, to wit, an afflicted tempted and tried condition. Gold, as it comes from the Mine, it com∣eth commixed with its Dust and Ore; wherefore the Goldsmith hath a burning Furnace, wherein he having put it, doth with the fire purge and take away the Dross and Dust from among the Metal it self; into which Furnace he puts it once, twice, thrice, and again, to the end it may at length be thorowly cleansed and purified from its Dross: Now all this befalleth the People of God; they are thrown into the burning fiery Furnace of Affliction and Temptation, and there they are tried, purged, and purified; as the Lord also saith by the Prophet, I will try them as Gold is tryed, and will refine them as Silver is refined; yea, I will melt them and try them; for how shall I do for the Daughter of my People? Isa. 31. 9. Jer. 9. 7. Zech. 13. 9.

Lastly, When he saith this City is Gold, he also thereby insinuates how invincible and unconquerable a Spirit the People of God are possessed with: Gold is a Me∣tal so invincible and unconquerable, that no fire can consume it; it may burn it indeed, and melt it; the Dross indeed doth consume, and give way to the pow∣er of the fire, but the Gold remains, and holds its ground; yea, it gets ground even of the Furnace and Fire it self; for the more it is burned and melted, the more it recovers its colour, and the more it shakes off its Dross and Dishonour: Just thus it is with the People of God, and hath been so even from the begin∣ning; The more they oppressed them, the more they grew, Exod. 1. 12. the truth of which will be proved with a witness when God comes to set up this City Je∣rusalem: his Church hath been now for many hundred years in the King of Baby∣lon's Furnace; all which time she hath most gloriously endured and withstood the heat; and at last, when the fire hath done its worst against her, Behold, there comes out a City of Gold: A Type of which, was the state of the three Chil∣dren, who though they were cast into

the Fire, bound, and in disgrace; yet came out in the Liberty and Grace of the Son of God, Dan. 3. 23, 24, 25, 26. Wherefore let her be bold to say, even before she comes out of the Fire, When I am tried, I shall come forth as Gold, Job 23. 10.

And the City was [pure] Gold.

These words, PURE Gold, clear up what I said already: Pure Gold, or Gold upon which the fire hath done its work. The Church in the fire of Persecution is like Esther in the perfuming Cham∣ber, but making fit for the presence of the King; which fire, when it hath done its work, then she comes into his pre∣sence in cloathing all of Gold: The Kings Daughter is all glorious within, her cloathing is of wrought Gold: and again, At thy right hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir, Psal. 45. 9, 13. Wherefore he means by pure Gold, Gold out of the Fire, Gold on which the fire of Persecu∣tion and Temptation hath done its full and compleat work.

And the City was pure Gold, like unto clear Glass.

By Glass, in this place, we are to un∣derstand the Word of God, as both James and Paul do testifie, Jam. 1. 23, 24, 25. 2 Cor. 3. 18. & 1 Cor. 13. 12. By clear glass then, we are to understand the Word in its own nature and purity, without the corruptions and traditions of men. Wherefore when he saith, this Golden City was like unto clear Glass: it is as if he had said, she is even with the Word and Law of her Goldsmith, in all her matters. The Word is a Golden Reed, this City a Golden City; and that, a Golden City, taken out of the furnace of affliction, and therefore like to the Gol∣den Reed. And the City was pure Gold, like unto clear Glass.

Vers. 19, 20.

And the Foundations of the Wall were gar∣nished with all manner of precious stones. The first Foundation was a Jasper, the se∣cond a Saphir, the third a Chalcedony, the fourth an Emerald, the fifth a Sardo∣nix, the sixth a Sardius, the seventh a

Chrysolite, the eighth Beryl, the ninth Topaz, the tenth Chrysoprasus, the ele∣venth a Jacinct, the twelfth an Ame∣thyst.

Thus having shewed us the Glory of the Wall, and of the City, he now comes to shew us the glory of the Foundations. The Foundations you know, I told you before, they are the twelve Apostles in their Doctrine, or the (primitive) Do∣ctrine of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb.

Now the great business in this place will be to shew you the garnishing of these Foundations, and also the mystery and order of the lying of the Founda∣tions, for their glory lyeth in both.

As for the garnishing of these Foun∣dations, it is, and will be at the day of New Jerusalem, twofold; and the first is with beautiful Gifts and Grace: Thus was the Apostles of old adorned, and thus shall their Doctrine again be garnished. I know that the Doctrine of the twelve hath been alwayes accompanied with goodly Gifts and Grace, from the first Churches quite down, that is, according to the measure of light they appeared in,

and according to the dispensations of God in the times of Antichrist. But yet the glory that this Doctrine had in these latter dayes, I mean since the Apostacy, it was nothing in comparison of the glo∣ry and splendor that will be in them in the day when this City is builded and compleat; Wherefore you find, that though all-along in Antichrist's reign, the Gospel of Grace hath shone, and given light to the Saints and People of God in all their travels and afflictions; yet the shining of it at that day was much opposed and eclipsed by the smoak of the bottomless-pit: as he saith, There arose a smoak out of the pit, as the smoak of a great furnace, and the Sun and the Air was darkened by reason of the smoak of the pit, Rev. 9. 2. In which dayes, I say, abun∣dance of the light, heat, and operation of the Gospel, was diminished and taken off, so that but little of the power or glory of it, hath been either felt, or seen from that time to this very day. This is that God spake of by the Prophet Amos, saying, I will cause the Sun to go down at noon, and will darken the Earth in the clear day; and I will turn your feasts into mourn∣ing, and all your songs into lamentation;

and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof as a bitter day. (All which he explaineth in the next words, for) Behold the dayes come, saith the Lord, that I will send a Famine in the Land, not a Famine of Bread, or of thirst for Water, but of hearing the Words of the Lord; and they shall wander from Sea to Sea, and from the North even to the East; they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord, and shall not find it. In those dayes Eli's sons were become Varlots. Indeed there was here and there a little child, like Samu∣el in his minority, that now and then would speak most goodly things. But the Word of the Lord was precious in those dayes, there was no open Vision. This is that which David in the Spirit of Pro∣phecy complaineth of, saying, They know not, neither will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the Foundations of the Earth are out of course. Thus in the days of the eclipsing of the glory of these Foundations: But now, behold, they re∣cover their light, and put on, as of old, their former glory, & are again garnished as in the former dayes. Now will all

the Doctrines of the Gospel spangle and sparkle; out of every Text will the Mi∣nisters of God make to issue exceedingly most precious and heavenly Fire; for these Stones are indeed the Stones of Fire, and in them is contained that which would set the whole World on a flame with love and delight in the things of God and another World, had but men the Spirit of Wisdom, and the Authority of God in their Ministry, as the Apostles and the primitive Christians had. Well, this Doctrine of the Twelve shall be again adorned with Gifts and Grace as in the days of old: by which it shall also be made to shine, and to cast forth its Golden Rayes before the Nations, to their Salvation. Behold, saith God, I will lay thy Stones with fair Colours, that is, thy Apostolical Doctrines shall again be garnished, as at the first; Truth shall appear in its old and mature colours, and (as such) shall be imbraced, and lived and delighted in, both by Jews and Gen∣tiles, as I have shewed.

But secondly, The Twelve Foundati∣ons that here you read of, they are the

† same with those twelve Stones that long before were set in the Brestplate of Judgment, in which were engraven the Names of the twelve Tribes of the chil∣dren of Israel, the names of which Tribes did comprehend the whole body of the house of their fathers, Exod. 28. 16, 17, 18, 20, 21, 29. Exod. 39. 14. Now then, seeing these Twelve are the same with those on the Breastplate of Judgement; and seeing also, that those on the Breast∣plate did comprehend the whole of the twelve Tribes: I conclude that for these Foundations to be garnished with all manner of precious Stones, it is as much as to say, they shall be garnished with abundance of Converts; Multitudes, and that of all sorts both of Jews and Gentiles, Moors, Tartars, Turks, and those in the utmost parts of the World, shall now be entangled with the Light and Truth, with the Glory and Goodness of the Do∣ctrine of the Twelve. And I the rather take it thus, 1. Because, as the Foun∣dations themselves are said to be precious Stones: so also the Saints in general, they go under the same names too. As Jere∣miah saith, The precious Stones of the San∣ctuary, are the precious Sons of Zion: As

Peter also saith, in alluding to the preci∣ous Stones of the Temple: The Saints, are lively, or living precious stones, built up a spiritual house, &c. and the founda∣tions of the Wall were garnished with all manner of precious stones; That is, the Doctrine of the Twelve was garnished with all manner of precious souls; that is, converted by it, by which they be∣come a glory and a garnishing to it.

2dly. I take it to be the conversion of the Precious Ones of God; because, that, thus to understand it, is most like the phrase of the Apostle Paul himself, say∣ing, What is our Hope, or Joy, or Crown of rejoycing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming? Ye are our Glory and Joy. Mark; in the text he saith, The Foundations were garnish∣ed with all manner of precious Stones, and here those precious Stones, Paul ac∣counts to be those that are converted by the Word: for, what is our hope, or joy, or crown? are not even ye that have been converted by us? Ye are our Joy, ye are our Crown, ye are our Glory; It is with you that we shall be crowned, adorned, and garnished in the presence of our Lord Jesus. Mark, John saith, They are

garnished, Paul saith, they are crowned. John saith, they are garnished w^th precious stones and Paul saith, they are crowned with the conversion of sinners. Thus therfore as God will lay these Stones with fair colours, so also he will lay these Foundations with Saphirs: that is, as he will beautifie the Doctrine of the Twelve with its former Glory, Sweetness and Authority: so he will crown and garnish it with the con∣version of many sinners. The Elect are the Jewels of God, and this is the day of his binding them up, even then when the Antichrist falls, and the Gospel breaks out in its primitive glory.

And the Foundations of the Wall were gar∣nished with all manner of precious stones.

In these words, there is yet two things considerable:

First, That all who go to the adorning of these Foundations, they must be preci∣ous Stones, not a common stone shall here be owned: And indeed what should Pebbles do among the Pearls and the Diamonds of New-Jerusalem; or the stones of blackness and emptiness, among the Saints of Light! I tel you, that those which God doth reckon the adorning∣stones,

they are all, and every one, pre∣cious stones; they must be all lively, glist∣ring, and curious stones, though stones of di∣vers colours. Antichrist counts any thing sufficient enough to garnish her Apostles with, even the empty stones of confusion, the sinners that have no more grace in their souls than there is sap in a post that hath been this twenty years without either sap or water: But God will not count such for the beauty of his Word, nor for the garnishing and beautifying of the Doctrine of the Twelve: they are gar∣nished with PRECIOUS STONES.

Secondly, As he saith the Foundati∣ons are garnished with precious stones on∣ly; so he saith it is with ALL MAN∣NER of Precious Stones: by which he would have us understand that all Saints have not the same degree either of pre∣cious grace, or gifts and vertue in them; there are some that excel, and differ from the rest, even as one Star differeth from another in glory. Some Saints, as they have both more grace, and also gifts than others; so too they are more laborious and painful in the work of God than their fellows, and therefore he saith, ALL MANNER of Precious Stones.

Vers. 20.

The first Foundation was a Jasper, the se∣cond a Saphir, the third a Chalcedony, the fourth an Emerald, the fifth Sardo∣nyx, the sixth Sardius, the seventh Chry∣solite, &c.

Thus having shewed you the garnish∣ing and beautifying of the twelve Foun∣dations, he now comes to discover the Foundations themselves, with reference to their order of placing and lying.

Touching which order, he saith the first and bottom Foundation is a Jasper.

I have hitherto said that this Jasper in both the two afore-mentioned places, both as to the Light of this City, and al∣so of the Wall, it was Jesus Christ; Christ illuminating, and Christ defend∣ing: But here the Jasper is said to be one of the twelve Foundations, even one of those Foundations in which are writ the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb, which one would think did put this Jasper now into another state, even to be a re∣presentation of one of the twelve Apo∣stles, and not of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ himself: To which I shall

yet say, That the Jasper here in the or∣der of the Foundations, is to be under∣stood of Christ, as well as in the other two places in this Discourse; I say it is yet to be understood of representing the Lord Jesus, though it also doth bear the name of one of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb: And in this very thing there is an infolding Mystery wrapped up, and inclosed.

For first, In that the Name of an Apo∣stle is writ in this Stone, and yet that this Jasper should represent Christ, it sheweth unto us the agreement that is between the Doctrine of the Apostles, and Christ himself, to wit, That they are one and the very same; and hence it is that the Apostle saith, We preach Christ cruci∣fied: Christ in all his Benefits is the ve∣ry Marrow, Life and Sum of all their Teaching; Other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Wherefore the Doctrine of the Apostles being Christ it self, no marvel though the Name of an Apostle be writ upon this Jasper; and again, no marvel though this Jasper go yet under that Name that re∣presents him.

Secondly, In that it is said the Names

of the Twelve are in these twelve Foun∣dations, and yet that the first of them should be the Jasper, Christ; It argueth also that whosoever receiveth the Do∣ctrine of the Twelve, they must needs with that receive the Lord Christ him∣self: Receive the Doctrine of the Go∣spel, as it is held forth by the Twelve in the Word, and thou canst not miss of the Lord Jesus Christ himself; he will be found in the bottom of their Doctrine: Ye are builded upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Christ Jesus him∣self being the chief Corner-stone, Ephes. 2. 19, 20.

Thirdly, In that he saith in these twelve Stones are the Names of the twelve Apostles, and yet that the first should be the Jasper, Christ; It argueth also that where-ever the Doctrine of the Twelve is preached, there is therewith the presence of Christ: the presence of his Spirit to teach and enlighten the ig∣norant and blind Hearts of the Uncon∣verted; the presence also of his Power, to overcome them, and to make them fall under the Glory and Truth of his heavenly Word: Lo, saith he, I am with you always, even to the end of the World:

And they went forth and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with signs following, Mat. 28. 19, 20. Mark 16. 20.

Fourthly, In that he saith the Names of the Twelve are in the Foundations, and yet that Christ should be one of the twelve himself; It sheweth to us the Union that is between Christ and his ho∣ly People: Mark, In the twelve Foun∣dations are placed all, even all manner of precious Stones: again, In the Twelve is placed the Jasper, Christ; by which we may see the nearness that is between Christ and his whole Body: I in them, and thou in me, saith Christ, that they may be made perfect in one, John 17. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Christ and his Saints make but one Temple, one Man; being but one Flesh, one Nature, &c.

Fifthly, In that this Jasper is said to be one of the Foundations, and that too the first and undermost; He sheweth farther, that Christ is the Foundation of them before God, that are the Founda∣tion of him before men: The Twelve do bear up Christ before the World, as the twelve brazen Oxen did hold up the Molten Sea in the Temple; and Christ

doth bear up the Twelve before his Fa∣ther, as the high Priests did carry the twelve Stones on their Brest-plate of Judgment, when they went to make an Atonement for the Sins of the People into the Holiest.

Sixthly, It sheweth us further, That though the Apostles shall be adorned with the Conversion of those that they shall win to the Lord Christ; yet they will never be able to stand under that Glory and Honour, unless they are sup∣ported and upheld by Christ, as their Foundation. Sirs, As Christ is the Strength of his People in their Work for him in this World, so he must be their Strength by which they must stand under the Reward they shall have for their la∣bour, when this World is ended: And hence it is, that the Prophet saith, They shall hang upon him all the Glory of his Fathers House, the Off-spring and the Issue; all Vessels of small quantity, from the Vessels of Cups, even to the Vessels of Flagons; and again, He shall build the Temple of the Lord, and he shall bear the Glory, Isa. 22. 24. Zech. 6. 13. He shall bear the Glory of our Salvation from Sin, Preservation in the midst of all Temptations, and of

our going to Glory; also he shall bear the Glory of our labour in the Gospel, of our Gifts and Abilities, of making our Labour and Work effectual to the sa∣ving of Sinners, that in all things he might have the preheminence, Col. 1. 18.

Seventhly, In that the Foundations are twelve, and Christ the undermost of them; It signifieth that all that are con∣verted by the Twelve, as they shall be for the garnishing of the Twelve, so also both the Twelve, with all that they are garnished with, shall be for garnishing of Christ; we shall stick like Pearls in the Crowns of the twelve Apostles, and they again with all their Glory shall stick in the Crown of Christ. And hence it is that you finde the four and twenty Elders, which four and twenty do (as I conceive) hold forth the Twelve both in the first and second Jerusalem; I say, hence it is that you finde them take their Crowns from off their Heads, and cast them down before the Throne of God, and of the Lamb, crying, Blessing, and Honour, and Glory, and Power be unto Him that sits upon the Throne, and to the Lamb, for ever and ever.

Lastly, One thing more of this goodly

Jasper, and then to the rest; which thing is this, That Jasper that here you find to be the first in the twelve Foundations, even that Jasper you find to be last of all among the Stones in the Brest-Plate of Judgment: from whence you may note, 1. That Christ as he is to be the † Author or first of our Faith, so also he is to be the Finisher or last of our Faith. 2. That as he is to be the Captain and Leader of his People, so he is to be the Rere-ward and Bringer-up of his People, he is to go before them to lead them the way; and to come behind them to bring them all up. 3. Again, for asmuch as he is said to be last before he is first; that is, last in Exo∣dus, and after that, first in the Revelations; it may be to shew us, that Christ was first to be least, lowest and last, and then to be Greatest, Highest, and First. He first humbled himself to the death, even to the shamefull death of the Cross; and then was by God his Father exalted and placed above every name: As he also himself doth witness, saying, Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to have entered into his Glory? Luke 24, 26.

The first Foundation was a Jasper, the se∣cond a Saphir, the third a Chalcedony, the fourth an Emerald, the fifth Sardo∣nyx, the sixth Sardius, the seventh Cry∣solite, the eighth Beryl, the ninth To∣paz, &c.

Touching the Jasper, you see what I have said. Now all I have to say to the rest of them, it is in general these three things.

First, In that the Foundations are all and every one of them Precious Stones, it signifieth that all the Doctrines of the New Jerusalem, will be only the pre∣cious Doctrine of the twelve Apostles; not common stuff, not raked out of the dunghils and muck-heaps of this world, and from among the toyes of Antichrist, but spiritual, heavenly and glorious. He that hath his Word shall then speak it faithfully, For what is the chaff to the Wheat, saith the Lord? Jer. 23. 32.

Secondly in that they are called after the names of Precious Stones, it signifieth also, that at that day none shall be used or put into the Ministry but those that have received spiritual and heavenly

Gifts from above. 'Tis not every bab∣ling fellow, not those that look for their abilities from the rudiments of the world, that then shall be of any value or ac∣count: He must be a costly Stone, a stone about which the Lord Jesus hath bestow∣ed the cost of his heavenly Abilities, even he whom the Lord Jesus shall appear unto for that very purpose, to make him a Minister: He shall be a Minister, and none else at that day. The other shall be ashamed every one of his vision; yea, and shall in those dayes be so contemptible, that their Father and their Mother shall reprove them, and count them liars; yea, and shall be ready to run them through, while they are prophesying in their rough garments to deceive.

Thirdly, In that these precious Stones are not all of one and the same nature, but every one of them several, and di∣verse one from another: It argueth that the Gifts of the Apostles, and so of the Ministers of the New Jerusalem, shall be† differing one from another in Glory and operation; yet mark, as in these

Stones, so in every one of them shall be perfect Glory, according to the nature of God's working by his Spirit; as the nature of the Jasper is perfect in his kind, and the nature of the Saphir is perfect in his. These Stones, some of them are of greater light and cleerness than others; and so some of the Apostles are cheifest. Some of these Stones, again, they are of a more fiery & burning colour than others, they being bright also, but of a more mild brightness. Therefore some of the Ministry are called the Sons of Thunder, when others are stiled by the name of the Sons of Consolation. The gifts are differ∣ing being diverse, their administrations are differing, and the operations of them also are differing, though all these things are from that one and the self same spirit, working in every one severally as he pleases, 2 Cor. 11. 5. Rom. 12. 6. Mark 3. 17. Act. 4. 36. 1 Cor. 12. 4, 5, 6. All these things will spangle in the New Je∣rusalem, and carry their full breadth and sway as in the dayes of old.

To conclude this, In that he here saith, That the Foundations of the Wall are these twelve Stones; he doth it to shew that now also the former ministra∣tion

that was in the Apostles days will 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the same, and in full force again: For their gifts of Knowledge, Judgment and Authority, they are such as have to this day lain buried, as it were, with the A∣postles themselves; but now they shall shew themselves again, even these Foun∣dation-stones, Stones that are great Stones, Stones of ten Cubits, and Stones of eight Cubits, 1 Kings 7. 10. Thus much of the glory of the Foundations.

Ver. 21.

And the twelve Gates are twelve Pearls, every several Gate was of one Pearl; and the Street of the City was pure Gold, as it were transparent Glass.

Having thus shewed us the glory of this City, Wall, and Foundations, he now comes to shew us the glory of the Gates, and of the Street of the City.

And the twelve Gates are twelve Pearls.—

The Gates, I told you before, they signify Christ, both as he is the way to communion with the God of this City, and with the Inhabitants thereof, that so

they may have a share in the Priviledges of the same. I told you also then, that though he tels us exactly of the measure both of City and Wall, yet he tells us nothing of the measure of these twelve Gates, and goings in thereat; and the reason is, because, Christ as he is the way to Grace, He is beyond all measure, both as to fulness and freeness, Ephes. 3. 8. And now again he puts us to the same plunge with the unsearchable riches of the Lord Christ; for who can count the worth of a Pearl as big as the Gates of a City? as indeed, when Christ himself doth speak of the Parable of the Pearl in the Field, he only telleth us that there is such a one, but never valueth the worth thereof, only he saith, a Pearl of great price, and so leaveth it, Mat. 13. 35, 36. Now when he saith that the Gates are Pearls, he thereby insinuates several things. As

First, To shew us how rich a Treasure Christ Jesus our Lord is, and will be to all those that by him shall enter in through the Gates into this City; Riches and Honour are with me, saith he, even durable Riches and Righteousness. My fruit (or the fruit of entering in by me)

it is better than Gold, and my revenues th•••• choice Silver. I lead in the way of Righ∣teousness, in the midst of the Paths of Judgment; That I may cause them that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures, Pro. 8. 18, 19, 20, 21. Ephes. 3. 8.

Christ is rich indeed, both in his Blood, Resurrection, Intercession, and all his Offices, together with his Relations, and all his Benefits; all which he be∣stoweth upon every one that receiveth him, and maketh them unspeakably wealthy.

Secondly, The Pearl, as it is rich, and so worth much, so again it is beau∣tiful and amiable, even to take the eyes of all beholders; it hath, I say, a very sweet and sparkling Light and Glory in it, enough to take the eye, and affect the heart of all those that look upon it: And thus is Christ to all that come to him, and by him to the Father, &c. My Be∣loved, saith she, is white and ruddy, the chiefest of ten thousand; his mouth is most sweet, he is altogether lovely.

The Mother of Harlots had some know∣ledge of the Beauty and Glory of this Stone, and knew that it had a very taking

and drawing Glory in it; and there∣fore she gets it for some time to adorn her self withal, She was decked with Gold and precious Stones, and Pearls, and was therefore called the well-favoured Harlot, by which means she hath drawn into her lewdness the Kings and Kingdoms of the world; who have in such sort been en∣tangled with her Beauty, and with her Fornication, that they have been adul∣terated from God and their own Salva∣tion: For indeed, she used this Pearl but for to get them to drink of her For∣nication, that they might drink, and spue, and fall and never rise more. But now when he saith, the Gates are Pearl, it is as if he had said, This Woman is stript of her beauty and delicate orna∣ments, the† Pearl is taken from her, and is set in his right place, even to be for the Gates of Jerusalem. Wherefore it is to be expected, that many should be taken with the way of entrance into this beloved City, in the day that she shall be set up, and appear in her heavenly beauty. The glory of that City must needs be great, whose Wall is Jasper, and Gates are Pearl.

And the twelve Gates are twelve Pearls.

Not Pearls and other Precious stones commixed, but Pearl, only: To signifie that Christ only can let in souls into this City, that they may partake of the good∣ness and priviledges thereof. 'Tis not he and Saints together, neither is it all the Saints and Angels in Heaven with∣out him, He alone hath the Key of Da∣vid; and that openeth, and no man shutteth; and that shutteth, and no man openeth. Rev. 22. 22. & 3. 7.

Secondly, As he saith, The several Gates are each of them Pearls: So he saith, that every several Gate was of One Pearl; of one entire Pear. By which he would have us understand also, that as none can enter in but by Christ, so none can enter in but by whole Christ. Christ must be helpful to thee every way, or he will be helpful to thee no way; thou must enter in by every whit of Christ, or thou shalt enter in by never a whit of him. Wherefore look not to have him thy Sa∣viour, if thou take him not for King and Prophet; nay thou shalt not have him in any one, if thou dost not take him in

every one of these. Wherefore the Pro∣phet saith, He shall build the Temple of the Lord (that is, by his Prophetical Of∣fice) and he shall sit and rule upon his Throne, and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne, and the counsel of peace shall be be∣tween them both, Zech. 6. 12, 13.

And the Street of the City was pure Gold, as it were transparent Glass.

In these words there are four things to be enquired into.

First, What this Street is?

Secondly, Why he saith not [Streets] but [Street] as of one?

Thirdly, Why this Street is called by the term of pure Gold?

Fourthly, And why it should look like transparent Glass?

For the First, A Street ordinarily is the place of common concourse, and the place of continual open salutation, and taking acquaintance one of another; and as touching this Street, we are also to understand it of the open and common place, or way of Gods Worship in which Saints salute each other, and acquaint

themselves together; also here the World are converted, Saints built up and edi∣fied, &c. Wisdom cryeth without, she utter∣eth her voice in the Streets, saith Solomon, she cryeth in the chief places of concourse, in the opening of the Gates: in the City she uttereth her words; that is, in the publick and righteous Ordinances of the Lord Jesus, which he hath ordained in his Church, for men to travel and trade in, for the good and wholsome merchandize of Heaven, as the men of this world do for the things thereof, in the Streets and Open places of their Cities and places of priviledge.

Thus it was in the figure when the City Jerusalem was builded after the Captivi∣ty (as ours shall be at, and after the over∣throw and downfal of Antichrist) for then it is said that the People, to hear the Law were gathered together in the Street, even in the Water-Street; there they heard the sence given, and there they were convinced of their wickedness: also there they received the knowledge of God's goodness to them, and there they received power to eate the fat and drink the sweet, to eat and drink and be merry, and to cast away sadness and fear,

Nehem. chap. 8. This by way of allegory is called the way for the wayfaring men, even the way of holiness, over which the unclean shall not in any wise pass: The way in which they learn to know God and themselves, and the way of newness of life, in which every one walks that entereth in by the Gates of New Jerusa∣lem. And it is most sutable to the mat∣ter that went before, To understand the Street to be the way of God, the way of Holiness and Newness of life: because as it is natural for the Stranger, so soon as ever he is entered the Gates of a Ci∣ty, to have his feet in the Streets of the City; so it is natural for the sinner, so soon as ever he is entered into the Church by Christ, to have his feet trea∣ding in the way and paths of Holiness. Wherefore it is usual in the holy Scrip∣ture to call the transformatian of the sin∣ner from Satan to God, a holy way, and also to admonish him that is so transfor∣med to walk in that way, saying, Walk in the Faith, Love, Spirit, and newness of Life, and walk in the Truth, Wayes, Statutes and Judgments of God.

He that entereth not by these Gates into the City, he cannot walk in newness

of life; but he that hath entered in by them, he cannot but walk in newness of life. The next thing then that a man passeth into, when he is entered in to the New Jerusalem, is to walk in the STREET thereof, the way of Holiness, even the way in which men learn to fear God, and to believe in, and love the Lord Jesus, &c.

Secondly, Now this Street or way of Holiness, it is on purpose called, not many, but one, to shew us the perfection of Light, Grace, Faith and spiritual Comfort that the Inhabitants of this Ci∣ty shall then enjoy. Daniel also calleth it ONE Street, to signifie the same thing: Wherefore from hence I gather that then all Saints shall walk (as before I have made appear) even in one Street, in one Way, and in one Light. It is Antichrist that hath brought in all those Crossings, By-Laws, and odd Nooks that to this day many an honest heart doth greatly lose it self in; but at this day they shall be other∣wise minded, that is, made all to savour one thing, and to walk one way, not bi∣ting and devouring each other as now. And indeed, there is all reason it should be thus, for the Street it self is but one:

There is but ONE God, ONE Lord Jesus, ONE Spirit, ONE Faith, ONE Baptism, even as we are also called in ONE hope of our Calling: Now therfore when Saints have the rubbish of Antichristian dark∣ness and trumpery removed; then they shall have, as they also had of old, but one Heart, one Soul, one Judgment, one Mind, and shall with one heart and mouth glorifie God. The which also shall be prayed for of all the Saints, even of all that have received the pure language, before these things come to pass. They shall call upon the Name of the Lord with ONE Lip, to serve him with ONE Con∣sent, Zeph. 3. 9. Oh! the heavenly, spi∣ritual harmony that will be in the City of God in those days, † when the Trum∣peters and Singers shall be as One, to make One Sound, then the House shall be filled with a Cloud.

Thirdly, When he saith, that the Street of the City was pure Gold; he al∣ludes to the Floor in Solomoms Temple, which was overlaid with Gold; he alludes to Solomons Chariot also, whose bottom was paved with Love, and overlaid with Gold. By the Floor of the Temple we are to understand the way of Holiness;

and by the Chariot of Solomon, the try∣umphant Glory of that way. Again, in that he saith this Street is Gold, he would have us to understand the worth and trea∣sure that is laid up in the ways of God, and of a truly gracious heart. First, for the worth and treasure that is laid up in the ways of God, They beget Light, they change the heart, they lead from Death, the Devil and Hell, to Life, God and the Kingdom of Heaven; in them God walks, and those that walk there also are sure to meet with him. O this way, It is the way which no Fowl knoweth, and which the Vultures eye hath not seen; it cannot be gotten for Gold, neither shall Silver be weighed for it; the Gold and the Crystal cannot equal it, and the exchange of it shall not be for Jewels of fine Gold. No mention shall be made of Coral, or of Pearls, for the price of Wisdom is above Rubies, Job. 28. 7, 15, 16, 17, 18, 28. All the ways of God they are pleasantness, and all his paths are Peace, and ought to be prefer∣red before our necessary food.

Again, As the Ways of God are thus rich, and so far above the Gold and Ru∣bies of the world; so also is that sancti∣fied and gracious heart, without which

no man can walk in this Golden Street. It is not every Clown with his clumping dirty shoes that is admitted into Kings Privy-Chambers, and private Palaces: Neither doth, or will God at the day of New Jerusalem suffer any to trace about this Golden Street, but such as have Gol∣den feet, and that beautified with goodly shoes. For, as for this Street, all that walk in it, they must be [golden men] with [golden hearts] and with Graces that are much more precious than Gold that perisheth.

Further; In that he saith, this Street is Gold, pure Gold; he giveth us to un∣derstand also, what great delight and pleasure the Lord's People will take in his Ways and Ordinances in that day: There will not then be that backwardness to do good, and to receive God, as there is in these more dry & empty days of the Gospel. As Gold is pleasing to the co∣vetous man and worldling, so shall the Ways of God be to the Saints and Godly at that day. Now we have strong Cor∣ruptions and weak Grace, but then we shall have strong Grace and weak, wi∣thered Corruptions. You that are spiri∣tual, you know what an high and good∣ly

lifting up of heart one small gale of the good Spirit of God will make in your souls, how it will make your lusts to languish, and your souls to love, and take pleasure in the Lord that saves you. You know, I say, what a flame of love, and bowels, and compassion, and self-denial, and endeared affection to God and all Saints, it will beget in the soul. O! it is good to be here, saith the gracious heart: Well, and so thou shalt be alwayes, if thou live to see New Jerusalem setled in her own place. Isa. 65. 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24.

And the Street of the City was pure Gold, as it were transparant Glass.

Mark, a Street of Gold like Glass, a Street of Gold, as it were transparant Glass. By Glass here, as also in the eighteenth verse, we are to understand the word, Jam. 1. 23, 24, 25. Wherefore when he saith, the Street, the Golden Street was like unto Glass; he means, that the walking and carriage of the Saints at this day shall be like unto, or according to the Word, the Life of the Saints answering the Life of the Word, and Rule of the Lord Christ.

Again, in that he doth add to Glass, the word Transparent, he would have us to understand thereby these two things.

First, That the walking and ways of Holiness of the Saints shall be more in the Power and Spirit of the Word than all along in the reign of Antichrist they have been. For transparent Glass, it is the most cleer and excellent Glass, and goeth as far beyond other sorts of Glass, as he that walks in the Spirit and Power of the Commandment, goes be∣yond him that only walks in the Letter and outward Word thereof. Alas, the Churches of Christ at their first assem∣bling, will be like the coming together of Ezekiels bones, cloathed much with flesh and sinews, but greatly void of spi∣rit and life, Ezek. 37. 7, 8. Wherefore the Spirit, Power, Holiness and Majesty that now will appear in the Church, it will greatly transcend and go beyond the Spirit, Power and Holiness that hath ac∣companied her in former days: Then shall the Sun be ashamed, and the Moon con∣founded, when the Lord shall reign in Mount Zion, &c. Then shall the Sun be ashamed, that is, then shall that little light and un∣derstanding of the Word that hath been

in the Church in the days when a third part of the glory of the Gospel was hid by the smoak of the Pit, be as it were laid aside, and be useless; every Saint shall be under the light of a Sun that shines seven-fold brighter, even as the light of seven days. We see it is so in some measure at this day; What Light, and with what clearness do the Saints in this day see the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, beyond what the holy and goodly Martyrs and Saints did in the days that were before us, Hus, Bilny, Ridly, Hooper, Cranmer, with their Brethren, if they were now in the world, would cry out & say, Our light and knowledge of the Word of the Testament of Christ, was much inferior to the Light that at this day is bro∣ken forth, and that will yet daily, in despite of Men and Devils, display its Rayes and Beams amongst the sons of men! When the Children of Israel were to depart the Land of Egypt, the Lord made known himself to them, otherwise than ever he made known himself † either to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob their fathers. The Book also, at the recovering the Church from under Antichrist is to be unlocked and unsealed gradually, first one Seal, and afterwards

another, and last of all the seventh, be∣fore which time the Book will never quite be opened, according to that of the Angel, Go thy way, Daniel, for the words are closed up, and sealed until the time of the end; in which time (which is the time of New Jerusalem) they shall be opened, and men shall consider it perfectly: Where∣fore,

Secondly, It must needs be that the Church return to her old and primitive love: for what is the cause of the want of love to Christ, and one another now, but our want of light in the Things, My∣steries and Priviledges of the glorious Gospel of the Son of God? Wherefore this being come, then Love will reign, and have her perfect work among the Godly. Love is the very quintescence of all the Graces of the Gospel, and is as transparent to them; the greatest of these is Charity; it is the fulfilling of the Law, the Bond of Perfectness, and the most excellent Way: Wherefore the holy Ghost doth mean by this word TRANS∣PARENT Glass, that the height of Light, and the height of Love will be found in this City; all their things shall be done without confused smoak and

darkness, and also without spiritual pri•••• and desire of vain glory: then shall they indeed do all their things in Charity, and in the feeling Bowels and Fellow¦ship of the Gospel: Then shall the Offer∣ings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former times, Mal. 3. 4.

Alas! Though now, through Grace, the Saints of God have attained to more Light and Knowledge in the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, than heretofore they had; yet their Light is far inferior to that which will be, when this City is builded: Our spiritual Union and Fel∣lowship in the very Bowels of the Grace and Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ al∣so is yet greatly defective. It is said that no man was able to enter into the Temple of God, until the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled: but when the se∣ven last Plagues are spent, and when all the Adversaries of the Church, which caused terror in the Land of the Living, shall be laid with the uncircumcised in the Pit, then look for Golden days, and not till then; then shall this Golden Street be finished; that is, then shall the Light, Faith, Love, and Holiness of

the Gospel be walked in and embraced, in a transparent and transcending way: He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take Root, Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the World with Fruit. Isa. 27. 6.

Vers. 22.

And I saw no Temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of it.

These words do, in my present Light, point at the end of the days of this Jeru∣salem here in this World; and in so do∣ing, they signifie to us, that when she is builded, she shall stand and continue in ••his her glorious state afore-mentioned, ••ven until that Glory be swallowed up of ••hat which doth excel.

That they do point at the end of her ••ay in this world, I do gather from these particulars:

First, Because they are the last words ••f the description of her Glory, (that is, ••ese and the words ensuing, which is ••t one and the same continued speech) ••d it is easie to conclude that John in ••is description of this City, doth from ••st to last, even from the first appearing

of her as she cometh out of Babylon, till she be perfect in Glory, give us the rela∣tion of it: first, I say, shewing us her de∣scending, then her building, and after∣ward the Glory of that building; at the end of which also he sheweth to us with what Glory he will crown this Glory, even by swallowing of her up with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory.

Secondly, Because in these words he doth absolutely cut off all and every whi〈…〉〈…〉 of her outward and external Glory; tha•• is, as to outward Ordinances, and Tem¦ple-Worship, which yet was to be most famous for a long time in this new and goodly City; which he verifies in the eleventh Chapter of this Prophecie•• (which Chapter is a summary collectin•• of the Church in her Fall and Rise un¦der Antichrist, which Church there in he•• Rise, is this City here in her Glory in th〈…〉〈…〉 World) he tells us there, I say, that whe•• the Kingdoms of this World were become th•• Kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Chris〈…〉〈…〉 that THEN THE TEMPLE OF GOD WAS OPENED IN HEAVEN; tha•• is, Temple-Worship under the Gosp〈…〉〈…〉 recovered into its former and Primitiv•• state and Purity, in which it was before

the coming in of the Man of Sin, Rev. 11. 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. compared with Rev. 15. 8. which Temple he here utterly shutteth out, saying, I saw no Temple therein; in the room of which he setteth the pre∣sence of the Lord Jesus, and God his Father, making them to stand and be in the room of Temple and Gospel-Wor∣ship, in that manner as it is used while we here live in the Flesh: For the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of it. 'Tis true, the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of this Church in her lowest condition, there∣fore much more when she is brought into the condition that she is in at her rebuil∣ding; but yet, neither in her low estate, nor yet in her highest, is it proper to say, that so long as she is in this World, God will be a Temple to her, in opposition to her Temple and Gospel-Worship, in outward and New-Testament-Administrations: Wherefore when he saith, He saw no Temple therein, and that from this rea∣son, Because the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of it; he must needs aim at a state to which the Church cannot attain until her Lord comes: For then will that which is perfect be come, and

that which is in part be done away.

Now that the [Temple] in this place excluded, can signifie nothing else but the outward orderly way of Gods Wor∣ship, which the Saints ought with Con∣science, in Faith, to be found in till their Lord comes: Consider,

First, That our New Testament doth use the word Temple, three general ways:

1. For the outward Order and Wor∣ship or Discipline of the Gospel.

2. For the Body of Christ, which is his Church, &c.

3. And lastly, For the Lord God Al∣mighty, and the Lamb, which here are said to be the Temple of this City.

Now then, when he saith, He saw NO Temple therein, he cannot exclude the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, for they are here said to be the Temple of it: Neither can he shut out the Church, which is the Body of Christ, for that is the City it self; yea, and the Church shall be Gods Temple, and God and Christ the Temple of the Church for ever and ever: He must therefore by this word [no Temple] exclude onely the outward Way of Gospel-Worship, in

which the Saints in the times of the New Testament, both meet and edifie each other; and also meet their God, and are blessed and refreshed by him.

Again, That this outward Gospel-Worship should be laid aside while the Church is in this World, before her Lord doth come to be enjoyed by her, as touch∣ing his Personal Presence; it looks too like Ranting Opinions, and contradiction to Scripture, for me to believe: 1 Cor. 11. 26. for when He comes, but not till then, shall these things be laid aside.

Besides, That which yet confirms me more fully in this Opinion, is, Because herein this New Jerusalem doth most ex∣actly answer the City and Temple, which was builded after the Captivity; which City and Temple being once built, it stood till Christ our Lord did visit them in his own Personal coming the first time; as the Prophets also said it should: The Lord whom ye seek, saith one, shall suddenly come to his Temple; even the Messenger of the Covenant, whom ye de∣light in, behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts: And again, I will shake all Nations, and the Desire of all Nations shall come; and I will fill this House with

glory, saith the Lord of Host: Wherefore the glory of this latter House shall be greater than that of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts: And I will give Peace in this place, saith the Lord of Hosts, Mal. 3. 1. Hag. 2. 6, 7, 8, 9.

Now observe, That from the time of the building of the second Temple, to the coming of Christ, the Worship of the Temple-Order was to be by all most devoutly and continually observed: but when the Lord Jesus was come, and had established his own more honourable and New-Testament-Dispensation, then all the former Temple-Worship fell to the ground, and became (with all the Instru∣ments of Worship that thereunto be∣longed) null and void; yea, and it was a derogation to his Gospel to offer to up∣hold that former way of Worship, after he had by his own Personal Presence and Spirit, brought in that other Dispensa∣tion. All which, I say, will be answer∣ed by our second and New-Testament New Jerusalem: For as the old Jerusa∣lem was builded after the Jews were come out of literal Babylon, so is our New Jerusalem builded after our coming out of the Antichristian Oppression of

spiritual Babylon: again, As that City did after she was builded, continue, and retain her Temple-Worship, until the Personal appearing of Christ the first time; so New Jerusalem shall retain and hold her outward New-Testament-Worship till He comes in Person the second time: After all which, as the second Temple was swallowed up of a more heavenly and spiritual Dispensation, by the Perso∣nal Presence of Christ; so shall also the New Jerusalem Temple-Worship be swallowed up by the glory of the appear∣ing of the Person of Christ the second time; as Paul saith, for he speaks in the Person of Christ, Till I come, give atten∣dance to reading, to exhortation, to Doctrine, &c. 1 Tim. 4. 13.

Thus then, when this holy City doth once again appear upon the stage, and in her own situation, and when she hath bin shewed in the Attire of a Queen before the face of all Nations, and their Kings; and when she hath by the Glory of the Light of her New-Testament-Temple, gathered, as with a Net, the number of Gods Elect; then she is taken in∣to her Husbands Privy-Chamber, where she and he alone shall be in that blessed

Fellowship and Communion that shall not again be once eclipsed, or in the least interrupted to Eternity.

Thus have I shewed you my present Light into this portion of the holy Scrip∣ture; if any can give me further, I hope I shall not refuse it: but as yet, methinks this should be the genuine sence of this place, and is the very track of John him∣self: For after he had seen the Wall for present Safety, the Foundations for Con∣tinuation, the Gates for Entrance, and the like; then he comes to tell us of the Glory of all, and of the Street it self at last; which indeed is the last and end of all the Order of God, and to continue till an end be put to it by Mortality's be∣ing swallowed up of Life: As is yet more fully shewed you in the next Verse of this description.

Vers. 23.

And the City had no need of the Sun, nor of the Moon to shine in it: for the Glo∣ry of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof.

And the City had no need of the Sun▪ That is, after Temple-Worship is over:

this Verse is added therefore for further clearing up and illustrating of that which he said before: there he tells us this Ci∣ty had no Temple, and here he tells us she needed neither the light of the Sun or Moon: there he said, The Lord God Al∣mighty, and the Lamb, is the Temple of it; and here he saith, They are the Light thereof: The substance of which, in the language of the Holy Ghost, is this, The reason why Temple-Worship is now gon and over, it is because there is now no need in this City of the Light of the Sun and the Moon; and the reason why she hath now no need of them, is, be∣cause the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are to it instead of both Temple and Light: For the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the Temple of it: For the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof: Whereby we may note, That though the Light in which she descended (being the purity of Tem∣ple-Worship) was glorious, yet this Ci∣ty shall, when she is once builded, so ad∣vance from Glory to Glory, that at the last she shall be more happy without the help of that Light, without which she had been for ever unbuilded, then she was

by it in the midst of the Fulness of it.

And the City had no need of the Sun, &c.

The word Sun is in Scripture taken di∣vers ways; sometimes for the true and natural Sun in the Firmament; some∣times again for Persecution, and the rage of the Enemy, &c. but I take Sun here not to be any of these, but for the good and pure Word of the Gospel of Christ, unfolded, opened, and explained by the Servants of Christ; which Sun is the same that before you find to be darkened by the Antichristian Fog and Mist, which was darkened, I say, even to a third part of it. This Sun, or Word of the Go∣spel, Paul saith it is shadowed forth even by that which shineth in the Firmament of Heaven, because as that by its light and shining, giveth to those that have Eyes, to see the Glory and Excellency of this World; so by the shining and light of the Gospel, is given the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ, and a view of the Excel∣lency of the things of the World to come. Now, I say, though while the Church is in this World, and on this side the state

of Glory, she cannot live and flourish without the shining of this Sun (but would be lifeless and lightless, and with∣out all heat and comfort (For it is the en∣trance of the Law that giveth light here, and that lightneth the Eyes, making wise the simple) yet at the day of the coming of her Lord in Person, she shall see far more clearly without the thus shining of this Sun, than ever she did or could see with and by it. And the City had no need of the Sun: For when by the light of it, the whole Body of the Elect have found out the way to this City, and when they have also by this light accomplished and fulfilled all their Work; yea, when the Lord himself is come, and doth immedi∣ately communicate far more glorious light to this City without it, than ever he did by it; What need is there then of the light of this Sun? for that is to be of use but for the time present, even until the whole of the Body of the Lord Jesus is come to the perfect measure, even to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: So then, when the Body of Christ is in every sence compleated in this life by the light of the Sunshine of his holy Gospel, what need of this Sun? And

hence it is that the Word of the Gospel is called, The Word of Reconciliation, the Word of Faith, and the Words of this Life. Wherefore, I say, it ceaseth when there is no more to be reconciled, and when Faith in all is perfected, and when this Life is put an end unto by the coming in of another: For when that which is per∣fect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away, 1 Cor. 13. 8, 9, 10.

The Ministers of the Gospel are of use so long as there is either Elect to be converted, or any converted Soul to be perfected by that measure of Perfection that God hath appointed on this side Glory; but when this Work is done, their Ministry ceaseth: Wherefore, though like the Widows Sons, they are busie to borrow Vessels for the Oyl so long as it is running, and emptying it self out of the great and principal Bar∣rel; yet when it ceaseth, as it will do when there is no more Vessels to be found, then let them sit down as they, and receive of the Fruits of their labour; for the Reward of their Work is then onely to be enjoyed by them.

And the City had no need of the Sun, nei∣ther of the Moon to shine in it.

This word Moon also, as well as that of the Sun, is to be taken divers ways in the Scriptures of Truth; sometimes for the natural one, sometimes for the World and Persecutors, &c. but Moon here, is to be taken for the Church of God, with reference to her Life, Conversation, Duties, and exemplary Behaviour, in which she is conversant on this side Glo∣ry; according to that of the Song, Who is this that looketh forth as the Morning, fair as the Sun, clear as the Moon, and ter∣rible as an Army with Banners? When he saith then, that at this day there shall be here no need of the shining light of the Moon, he means that this City at this day in the state she is in when she hath the Person of the Lamb in her, then she shall have no need of the growth of Chri∣stianity, for they shall be all perfect; nor no need of Mortification, for there shall be no Sin: they shall not need now, as in time past, to exhort and encourage one another to stick fast to the Promise, for they shall be swallowed up of Life

and open Vision: Here shall be no need either of Prayer, of Repentance, of Faith, or of good Works, as afore: And the City had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it.

Now, I say, the holy Ghost is pleased to bring in here the shining Vertues of the Church, under the notion of a shi∣ning Moon; because as the Church her self is compared to the Moon, so her Vertues are as naturally compared to a shining Light; as Christ saith, Let your light so shine; and again, Let your loins be girded, and your lights burning: for in∣deed, while we are here that Church and Congregation of the Lord doth most shine, and most send forth the gol∣den Rayes and pleasant Beams of Chri∣stianity; that is, most in the exercise of the afore-mentioned Vertues: take a∣way the Moon, and the night is doubt∣ful; or though the Moon be in the Fir∣mament, if she hath lost her light, the night is not thereby made more comfor∣table: And thus, I say, it is first, with the World, where here there is no Church to shine, or where there is a Church that doth not so shine that others may see and be lighted: for while the day of time

doth last, even the World it self hath need of the shining of the Church; but at this day, this time will be no longer, because the Day of Eternity will break, and by that means cause the World that now is, even the World of the Ungodly, to cease to have a being here any longer. Therefore now no need of the Moon, or of the light thereof, to shine before that which is not.

Secondly, Again, as the Church is in her light before men, as the Moon is in her light in the night to the world; so as I said before, this City which is called, also, Heaven, she, even she, shall have no need of these things; for she shall be taken up in open Vision, and shall be compleatly delivered from all imper∣fection; she shall not need now the light of her Children to provoke her, and to stir her up to this or the other act of ho∣liness, all shall be done, all shall be compleat, the Lord himself is come. Indeed while Christ is absent, as touch∣ing his Person, and while the work of God is not yet compleatly done in the Church, there will be need both of the light of Sun and Moon, but when the work is done, and he come, then these

things will be out of use. Thus The 〈…〉〈…〉 of the Just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto perfect day.

For the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

This is rendered as the reason, why at this day both the light of Sun and Moon are needless; it is, because the Glory of God did lighten it, and because the Lamb is the light thereof. Now the Glory of God must be understood in this place, not of that Glory that doth attend the Church in this world, for that Glory doth attend the Church upon the account of her Purity of Worship, of Temple-Worship, and doth either abide on her, or withdraw it self, according to her ex∣act observing the Rule, or declining from it, as I have shewed you in the begin∣ning of this discourse. But the Glory that here you read of, it is a Glory that supplieth this City without those Ordi∣nances, yea, therefore, those Ordinances (as the Temple and the light of the Sun and Moon) do cease because of the Glo∣ry of this Glory that now is come into this City: The City had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to shine in it

(mark) for the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light thereof.

Wherefore, I say, this Glory that now he speaks of, it is the Glory that shall possess this City at the end of her Glory in this world; wherefore, as saith the ho∣ly Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet, from this day forward, The Sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light, and thy God thy Glory, Isa. 60. 19.

For the Glory of God did lighten it, &c.

Thus it was at the finishing of the Ta∣bernacle in the Wilderness, and of the Temple at Jerusalem; both which were figures in their finishing, of the finishing of the state of the Church in this world: and it is said of them, that in the day when they in all things were accomplish∣ed, according to the fashion that was re∣vealed before concerning their Order and accomplishment, that then the Glo∣ry of God [so] appeared upon them, that neither Moses nor Aaron was able to enter in, or to stand therein, because of the Cloud, and of the Glory of the Lord that at that

time filled the House. Thus you see this City descends in one measure of Glory, and is consumate in another measure of Glory. The Glory of the Lord was up∣on the Mount Sinai while the pattern of the Tabernacle was giving: but it rested on the Tabernacle when the work there∣of was finished; to signify, I say, that the Glory of God will rest in his Ordi∣nances and in his Church by them, so long as Ordinances are in use: but when they are needless, then it will rest in the Church without them, and that more gloriously than ever it therein did rest by them.

For the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Mark; Though now there shall be no need of Temple, Sun or Moon: yet Christ the Lamb, or the Man who was offered in sacrifice for our Redemption, shall be of use and benefit; for, the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Wherefore, all, that we (who are the saved) shall enjoy of Glory and Sweetness in another world, though we shall not enjoy it from God through Christ, by and in the Ordinances, yet we

shall enjoy it through Christ the Lamb, without them; for the Lamb is the light of it. By this word [Lamb] he would have us understand, that when we are in Glory, the blood, death and bloody con∣quest that the man Christ did get over our infernal enemies, will be of eternal use to us; because that benefit of Christ shall not only for ever be the Foundati∣on of our eternal felicity, but the bur∣den of our Song of Glory, in all our rap∣tures among the Angels. It will be the Blood, the Blood, the redeeming Blood of the Lamb. Blessing, glory, honour and power be to him that sits upon the Throne, and to the LAMB for ever and ever. 'Tis he in whom will be found the seven Eyes, the seven Spirits of God, in whose light we shall see the heights and depths of those Springs and everlasting Fountains and Depths of Glory for ever; and indeed the conceit of the contrary is foolish. Is not Christ the Head, and we the Mem∣bers? and do not the Members receive their whole light, guidance and wisdom from it? Is not he also the price, the ground and bottom of our Happiness, both in this world and that which is to come? And is it possible it should be for∣gotten,

or that, by it, our Joy, Light and Heaven should not be made the sweeter to all eternity. Our soul is now bound up in him, as in a bundle of life; and when we come thither, he is still the Christ, our life; and it is by our being where he is that we shall behold his Glo∣ry, and our Glory, because he is glorifi∣ed; For the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. As he said, John 16. 22. Ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoyce, and your Joy no man taketh from you.

Thus much of this City, her descend∣ing, her fashion, her glory, and of her wading thorow glory, from glory to glory.

Vers. 24.

And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour to it.

After this long and pleasant Descrip∣tion of this Holy and New Jerusalem, the Holy Ghost now falleth upon a Relation

of the People that shall be the Inhabi∣tants of this City, and of their nume∣rousness and quality.

And the Nations, &c.

The Nations of the world, both of the Jews and Gentiles.

Every one knoweth what the Nations are, wherefore I need not stay upon the explication of that, for, it doth in gene∣ral include the multitude of the sinners of the world: Therefore when he saith, the Nations shall walk in the light of this City, it is as if he had said, that at this day, when she is here in her tranquility, the sinners and disobedient among the sons of men, shall by multitudes, and whole Kingdoms, come in and close with the Church and House of God. These Spiders shall take hold with their hands, and be in Kings Palaces, Prov. 30. 28.

And the Nations, &c.

For this word, the Nations, is a great word, and it comprehendeth much; mark, it doth not say a Nation, or some Nations, neither doth it say, few or

small Nations, but indefinitely, the Na∣tions, Many Nations, Strong Nations, All Nations, the Nations in general: only he ties them up with this limit, the Nations of them that are [saved:] which yet is not so much spoken to clip off the multitude that we suppose may then be converted, as to shew us their qualifications and happi∣ness: as he saith by the Prophet in ano∣ther place, Thy Children shall be all holy, or righteous, and great shall be the peace of thy Children. And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it. Surely the holy Ghost would never have spoken at such a rate as this, if he had not intended to shew us that at the day of the setting up of this Jerusalem, a great harvest of sinners shall be gathered by the Grace of the Gospel. But the truth is, the Scriptures go with open arms towards the latter end of the world, even as if they would grasp and compass about, al∣most all People then upon the face of the whole Earth, with the Grace and Mercy of God. The Earth, saith God, shall be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the Sea. As he saith, also, for the comfort of the Church in another place; Behold, I have graven

thee upon the palms of my hands; thy Walls are contiaually before me. Thy Children shall make haste; thy Destroyers and those that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, behold all these gather themselves together to come un∣to thee: as I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely cloath thee with them all as with an Ornament, and bind them on thee as a Bride doth. For thy waste and desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The Children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me, give place that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thy heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my Children, and am desolate, a captive and removing to and fro? Who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone, these! where have they been? Thus the multitudes of the Na∣tions shall at this day be converted to the Lord, and be made the Inhabitants of this Jerusalem; as he saith again, The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ. And again, The Kingdom and Dominion,

and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the Most High, whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom, and all Domini∣ons shall serve and obey him, Rev. 11. 15. Dan. 7. 26, 27.

And observe it, these Promises are to be fulfilled in the last days, at the time of the pouring forth of the last Vi∣al, which is the time of the sounding of the last of the seven Trumpets; for then this City shall be builded, and Luci∣fer fallen from Heaven; then the Priso∣ners shall be set at liberty, and the People be gathered together, and the Kingdoms, to serve the Lord. Rejoyce, O ye Nations with his People, for he will avenge the blood of his Servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful to his Land, and to his People. Alas it is now towards the end of the world, and therefore now all is going, if the Lord steps not in with the riches of his Grace. Wherefore now at last before all be turn∣ed into fire and ashes, behold the Lord casts the net among the multitude of Fish, and the aboundance of the Sea shall, without fail, be converted to Jerusalem. Though Satan and Antichrist have had

their day in the world, & by their outrage have made fearful havock of the souls of sinners from time to time, yet now at length God will strike in for a share with them, and his Son shall divide the spoyl with the Strong. Wherefore he now sets up this City, puts the Glory of Heaven upon her, provides a New Heaven and a New Earth for her situation; drives prophaness into the holes and dens of the Earth: giveth Righteousness authority to reign in the world; and takes off the vail from all faces, that none may here∣after be for ever beguiled by blindness and ignorance. Now shall they make merry with the things of God; now shall all eat the fat and drink the sweet: For in this Mountain shall the Lord make a feast of fat things to all People, a feast of Wine on the lees, of fat things full of mar∣row, of Wine on the lees well refined; Isa. 25. 6.

And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it.

They shall walk in the light of it] That is, in the Light that is in it while it is in its purity in this world, and in the Glo∣ry

of it when it is in its perfection and immortality in another. Whence note by the way, that in the midst of all this Glo∣ry, or while the glorious light of the Go∣spel shall thus shine in the world, yet even then there will be some also that will not see and rejoyce in the Glory hereof: But as for those, whoever they are, they are excluded from a share in the blessed and goodly Priviledges of this City: The Nations of them that are [SAVED] shall walk in the light of it.

And the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour to it.

By these words are great things held forth. He told us before that the Nati∣ons of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it; and here he tells us, that even their Kings also, the Kings of the Earth do bring their Honour and Glory to it. The people of the Nations they are but like to single-pence and half-pence, but their Kings like Gold Angels and Twen∣ty-shilling-pieces. Wherefore when he saith, that the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour unto it; It argu∣eth, that the Gospel and the Grace of

God, when it is displayed in its own na∣ture, and seen in its own complexion, even then they that have most of the Honour and Glory of the World will yet stoop their Top-gallant unto it: Because of thy Temple which is at Jerusalem, shall Kings bring Presents to thee. The Kings of Tarshish, & of the Isles, shall bring Presents to thee: The Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts, yea, all Kings shal fall down before him, and all Nations shall serve him. The Kings shall see and arise, and Princes shall worship because of the Lord, &c. The Kings shall come to thy light, and Princes to the brightness of thy rising. The Kings shall see thy righteousness, and all Kings thy Glo∣ry. Yea, that which hath not been told them shall they see, and that which they have not heard shall they consider. All the Kings of the Earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth; Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord; for great is the Glory of the Lord. Thus we see, that though in the first day of the Gospel, the poor, the halt, the lame and the blind are chief in the embracing of the tenders of Grace, yet in the latter day thereof, God will take hold of Kings.

And the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour to it.

To it] That is, to Jerusalem. Where∣fore this City must be built before they all of them will fall in love with her. Indeed, I do conceive, that some of them will lay their hand to help forward the work of this City, as did Hiram with Solomon, and Darius, Cyrus & Artaxerxes with Ezra and Nehemiah, at the bulid∣ing and repairing the City, in the letter, in the days of old; But yet, I say, the great conquest of the Kings will be by the beauty and glory of this City, when she is builded. Thou shalt arise, O Lord, and have mercy upon Zion, for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come: for thy Servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour the dust thereof: So the Heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord, and all Kings thy Glory. And indeed, before this City is set up, and established in her own place, most of the Kings and great ones of the Earth wil be found imployed and taken up in another work, than to fall in love with Mount Zion, and with the Hill thereof. They will be found in love with Mistris Babylon, the Mother of

Harlots, the Mistris of Witchcrafts, and Abominations of the Earth. They will, I say, be committing Fornication with her, and will be as the horns upon the heads of the Beast, to defend the riding Lady from the Gunshot that the Saints continually will be making at her by the force of the Word and Spirit of God. They will be shaking the sharp end of their weapons against the Son of God, continually labouring to keep him out of his Throne, and from having that rule in the Church, and in the World as becomes him who is the head of the body, and over all principality and power. These shall make war with the Lamb: but I say, it shall so come about, at the last, by the illuminating Grace of God, and by the faithful and patient en∣during of the Saints, together with the glory that every-where shall now be a∣biding on the Church and Congregation of Jesus, that they shal begin to receive a mans heart, and shall consider things that have not been told them: wherefore at last they shall withdraw themselves from the love of this Mistris, and shall leave her to scrape for her self in the world, and shall come with repentance

and rejoycing to Zion; nay, not onely so, but to avenge the Quarrel of God, and the Vengeance of his Temple; and to recompence her also for the delusion and inchantments wherewith she hath entangled them: They shall hate her, they shall make her desolate, and naked; they shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire, Rev. 17. 16. Now, Madam, what sayest thou! the Kings must come to Jerusalem. Jezebel, thy Chamber-companions will shortly, notwithstanding thy painted∣face, cast thee down headlong out at the windows. Yea, they shall tread thee in pieces by the feet of their prancing-Horses, and with the wheels of their jumping Chariots. They shall shut up all bowels of compassion towards thee, and shall roar upon thee like the Sea, and upon thy fat ones like the waves thereof. Yea, when they begin, they will also make an end, and will leave thee so har∣borless and comfortless, that now there will be found for thee no gladness at all, no not so much as one Piper to play thee one Fig. The delicates that thy soul lusted after, thou shalt find them no more at all. Babylon the glory of Kingdoms, and the beauty of the Caldees excellency, shall be as

when God overthew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall the Arabian pitch Tent there, nor Shepherds make their folds there, but wild Beasts of the Desart shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful Crea∣tures. And the † Satyrs shall dance there, and the wild Beasts of the Islands shall cry in their desolate places, and Dragons in their pleasant Palaces; and her time is near to come, and her dayes shall not be prolonged, Isa. 13. 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Thus wilt thou come down wonderfully. For in thee have they set light by father and mother; in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and widdow: in thee men carry tales to shed blood: in thee they eat upon the Mountains, and in thee they commit lewdness. God hath smitten his hands at thy dishonest gain, and all the blood which hath been in the midst of thee; God will be avenged of thee, but will not meet thee as a man. You have cast lots for my People, saith God; you have given a Boy for a Har∣lot, and a Girl for Wine, that you may drink: You have made havock of my young

Converts to satisfy your lusts; there∣fore, What have you to do with me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the Coasts of Palestina? will ye render me a recompence? and if ye recompence me swiftly and speedily, I will return your recompence upon your own head: I will throw it as dirt in your face again. And never talk of what thou wast once, for though thou wast full of wisdom and perfect in beauty, though thou hast been in Eden the Garden of God; yea, though every Precious Stone for some time was thy covering, and thou the very anointed Cherub that covereth, walking upon the Mountain of God, and in the midst of the Stones of fire; yet because (by rea∣son of the multitude of thy Merchan∣dize) thou hast sinned and art filled with violence, Therefore God will cast thee, as prophane, out of the Mountain of God, and wil destroy thee, O covering Cherub, from the midst of the Stones of fire; yea he will cast thee to the ground, and lay thee before Kings that they may behold thee: And all they that know thee among the People, shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be •• terrour, and never shalt thou be any more, Ezek. 28. 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19. And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou

do? Though thou cloathest thy self with crimson, though thou deckest thee with orna∣ments of Gold, though thou paintest thy face with painting; in vain shalt thou make thy self fair, thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life, Jer. 4. 30.

And the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and their honour to it.

Mark, They do not only forsake the crimson Harlot, neither do they con∣tent themselves with eating her flesh, and burning her with fire, but they come over, they come over to Jerusalem; they are conquered by the Grace of Christ, and Wisdom of the Son of God. They shall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them; for he is King of kings, and Lord of lords; and those that are with him, are Called, and Chosen, and Faithful. Now they shall all give † way to the Government of the King of kings, the Governor of the Jews, and shall with gladness delight to see him rule his Spouse with his own Law, Rules and Testament; they shall play the pranks of Jeroboam no longer, in making Calves to keep the People from going up to Jerusalem to

worship. Now they shall count him al∣so King of Nations, aswel as King of Saints; and he shall wear the Crowns, and they shall seek to him; Rev. 19. 12. and 15. 5. Jer, 10. 7. Isa. 52. 15. 2 Chron. 9. 23.

Vers. 25.

And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there.

This is the effect of what you read be∣fore; namely, of the coming in of the Kings and Great ones of the Earth to this Jerusalem: For when the Whore is made desolate, and naked, and burned with fire, and when the Kings also that loved her, and that maintained her, are come in, and have closed with the Glory and Beauty of this City, then what need is there to shut the Gates? Alas, all the injuries that the Kings and Great Ones of the Earth have done to the Church and Spouse of Christ in these days of the New Testament, it hath been through the Instigation and Witchcraft of this Mistris of Iniquity. The Horseman hath lift up both the bright Sword, and the glit∣tering Spear, against the Saints of God, by reason of the multitudes of the Whordoms of

the wel-favoured Harlot, the Mistris of Witchcrafts, who selleth Nations thorow her Whordoms, and families thorow her Witch∣crafts. Wherefore, I say, this Gentle∣woman being laid in her grave, and all her fat ones gone down to the sides of the pit; these Kings will change their mind, and fall in love with the true and chast Matron, and with Christ her Lord: Now when this is thus, this City must needs be safely inhabited as towns without walls, and as a place, neer to which there is neither Thief nor ravenous Beast.

Persecutors, while they remain in their spirit of outrage against the Church and People of God, they are frequently in the Scripture compared to the venemous Dragons, fierce Lions, and ravenous Wolves; all which at this day, shall be driven out of the World: that is, so out, as never to molest the Church again, or to cause a Gate of this City to be shut, through fear against them; as he saith by the Prophet, In the habitation of Dra∣gons where each lay, shall be grass, with ••eeds and rushes. In the habitation of Dra∣gons, that is, even in the places of Per∣secutors, where each lay, shall be food for the Flock of Christ. The Dragon is

a venemous beast, and poisoneth all where he lieth; he beats the Earth bare, and venoms it, that it will bear no grass: as do the Persecutors where they inhabit and lie. But behold, the dayes do come in which these Dragons shall be remo∣ved, and the ground where they lay, be made fruitful and flourish, so that even there shall be places for the flocks to lie down in; In the habitation of Dragons where each lay, shall be grass, with reeds and rushes. No Lion shall be there, nor any ravenous Beast shall be found thereon; but the Redeemed of the Lord shall walk there, and the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Songs, and everlasting Joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain Joy and Gladness, and Sor∣row and Sighing shall flee away: accord∣ing to that of Moses, The Lord will give peace in his Land, and his People shall lie down, and none shall make them afraid: For he will rid the evil Beasts out of the Land, and the Sword shall not go through it more. And my People shall dwell in a peaceable ha∣bitation, and in sure dwellings, and in quiet resting places.

And the Gates shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night there.

This word day, we may understand two ways; either for the day of bringing in to fill this City, or for the day of her perfection and fulness. Now if you take it with reference to the day in which her Converts are coming in (as indeed it ought) why then, the Gates shall not be shut at all. Thy Gates shall be open conti∣nually, they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring unto thee the forces of the Gentiles, and that their Kings may be brought.

But again, This day of Grace, and of conversion of sinners, it must be looked upon, either as the Church is in captivity and persecution, or as she is out: now as she is in Captivity, so her longest day is usually accompanied with a black and doubtful night of Temptation and Affliction; Wherefore this Day here being spoken of, it is the Day of Grace that she shall have even when she is absolutely delivered from the rage of the Beast, False Prophet and Whore. Wherefore he is not content to say, the

Gates shall not be shut at all by day, but adds withal, for there shall be no night there; as who should say, I know that commonly in the day of the Churches af∣fliction, she is accompanied with nights aswel as days, but it shall not be so here, Thy Sun shall go no more down, neither shall thy Moon withdraw it self; for the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended.

Wherefore, John considering this, doth quite exclude the night, saying, There shall be no night there. Indeed, after this New Jerusalem hath had her Golden day in this world, I say, just towards the ending thereof, she will yet once again be beset with raging Gog and Magog, which enemies will after the long safety and tranquility of this City, through the instigation of the Devil, come upon the breadth of the Earth, and encamp about this holy City. But behold, in the midst of of this intention to swallow her up, The Lord rains fire and brimstone from Heaven, and destroys them all: So that Gog, I say, though he may bring one only evening up∣on this Holy City, after her long peace and rest among the sons of men, yet he shall not bring one night upon her, nor

cause a Gate thereof to be shut for ever. The Sun shall now stand still in the midst of Heaven, and this night shall be thus pre∣vented by this marvellous Judgment of God; as another Prophet saith, At even∣ing-time it shall be light: that is, though her enemies will at last still make, thorow their enmity, one only attempt to swal∣low up all in everlasting oblivion: yet they themselves shall fall down dead upon the Mountains of Israel, and be a prey to this Jerusalem. Thus there will be only day accompanying the Inhabi∣tants of this City: For there shall be no night there.

Vers. 26.

And they shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations to it.

This, as I said before, is to shew us how heartily and how unfeignedly, both the Nations and their Kings shall now come over to New-Jerusalem. They come hand in hand, not the People with∣out their Prince, nor the Prince without his People; though it will and must be so in the times of Persecution: But now, together THEY shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations to it.

Again, I told you before, that the Jews shall at this day be converted to the Christian Faith, and shal have a great Name, & much of Heaven upon them in this City. For indeed they are the first∣born, the natural branches, and the like. Now when he saith, They shall bring the glory and honour of the Nations to it: I cannot think that by this should be un∣derstood only, or yet principally, the outward pomp and treasure of the world, but that rather by honour and glory we are here to understand the Heavenly Treasure and Glory that the Saints shall continually pour forth into one anothers bosoms in this City: in this City, I say, for at this day, as I have formerly shewed you, there will be found no Treasure any where but at Jerusalem; every Saint shall be here, every Grace shall be here, the precious Stones of the Sanctuar; ythe precious Sons of Sion shall not then, as now, lie scattered, some in the World, and some in Mistris Babylons lap; neither shall any thing, pertain∣ing to the Churches priviledges, be found in her at all for ever. There shall be heard no more at all in her any Harpers, Trumpeters, Pipers, or any o∣ther

heavenly Musick in her; neither shall there be any more the sound of a Milstone to grind us bread, nor the light of a Candle to guide us in the house, nor yet the Voice of the Bridegroom [Christ] nor of the Bride his Wife, to tempt or allure any that are seeking the Way of Life, to stay with her: all these things shall be brought to Jerusalem. Christians, you must under∣stand, that there is a time when all the Treasures of the Church are to be found in Babylon, as in the dayes of old; but at this day, when this City is built, not any of them shall be found there, but all shall be brought and delivered up to Je∣rusalem again, as was also foreshewn in the Type; and all places shall be void of the Treasure of Heaven, but Jerusalem.

Wherefore by the Glory and Honour of the Nations in this place, I under∣stand, That all the Treasures of the Church, and all the Graces that at this day lie scattered here and there, some in one place and some in another; they shall be found no where at that day but in this City, in the Church that walks ac∣cording to rule. Now the Reasons why I take this honour and glory to be meant of these things, are,

First, Because thus it was in the time of the building of Jerusalem after the Captivity; the Treasure of the Jews, which was become the Treasures of the Provinces of Babylon, was again restored and brought to Jerusalem, as you may see by the Scriptures now cited.

Secondly, Because I find indeed, that the milk and honey 〈…〉〈…〉 the Land of Canaan (which is in our Gospel-language the Gifts, Graces, and Treasures of the Church) it is called, The Glory of all Lands. Now, I say, seeing the milk and honey, which is the Comforts of the Church and her Treasure, is called, the Glory of all Lands: I take Glory and Honour in this place to signify the same thing also.

Thirdly, Because also I find, by com∣paring the Prophets, that the Christians Glory and Honour, lieth mostly, even principally in Heavenly and Spiritual things; as in Faith, Love, Experience of God, of Grace, of Christ, and Spiritual Life. I reade, that at the building of of this City, the Jews and Gentiles shall meet together, and that at that day they shal mutually be partakers of each others glory. The Gentiles shall milk out, and be

delighted in the abundance of the Glory of the Jews: and the Glory of the Gentiles shall be again extended unto the Jews, like a mighty flowing stream: But I say, that this Glory and Honour should consist in out∣ward things, or that the Glory that is meerly carnal, should be principally here intended, I confess it grates too near the ground for me to believe or rejoyce in. Alas, I find that those souls that have not now the tenth part of the Spirit and Life of heavenly things, that shall then be poured forth; I say, I find that these are trampling on the World, and disdain the thoughts of being taken with its Glo∣ry: Wherefore much less will it be e∣steemed in that day, when the Glory and Goodness of God shall in that manner break forth. Again, Can it be ima∣gined that the cheif of the Glory that the Gentiles should bring to the Jews af∣ter a sixteen hundred years warming in the bosome of Christ? I say is it imagi∣nable that the great Crop of all they have reaped, should consist in a little outward trumpery? or if it should, would it be a suitable medicine in the least to pre∣sent to the eyes of a broken and wound∣ed People, as the Jews will be at that

day? or if the Glory that the Gentiles at that day shall suck from the Jews were such as this, would it at all be as life from the dead to them in a Gospel sence? The Church of the Gentiles shall be a wall to the Jews at their return, but such a wall as will cheifly consist in spiritual and hea∣venly safeguard, & in outward because of that: I am a Wall, saith she, and my breasts are Towers, on which the Jews will build upon her a Palace of Silver. But must this Wall, I say, consist cheifly in outward Glory, in the Glory of earthly things? or must this Silver-Palace be of that nature either? no verily, but when God hath builded the City Jerusalem, and put his Church into such a state, that upon all her Glory shall be a defence of Heaven, then shall the Jews, by their coming into this City, build by their experience a Palace for spiritual and heavenly pleasure, to so∣lace and comfort their brethren withal. In a word then, by Glory and Honour in this place, we are cheifly to understand the spiritual and heavenly things of this City, which in the times of the reign of Antichrist have lain, some among the potsheards of the Earth, some again un∣der the stayrs, some under this abuse and

some under that; all which, shall be brought, by the souls that shal be conver∣ted, forthwith to this City the Church, where will be the Treasury of God, into which every one at that day shall throw in of their abundance; but as for the glory of the world, the Saints shall be above it; it shall be with them, as Silver and Wood was in the days of Solomon, even as little worth as the stones in the street in their account.

Vers. 27.

And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie, but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life.

I am not yet convinced that the high∣est Church-state that ever was, or ever will be in this World, could possibly be so all of them the Elect of God, but that there would get in among them some that had not saving Grace; the same al∣so I believe touching the state of this Jerusalem: But yet this I do believe a∣gain, that the right and Gospel-Pattern is, That none be admitted into Church-Communion,

but such who are visible Saints by Calling; the substance of which these words import, There shall not enter into it any thing that [defileth] or that [worketh] abomination, or that [maketh a lye;] which words do principally strike at a People that appear to be loose, wicked, or ungod∣ly; of which sort indeed, not one shall here at any time, no not in any wise, be admitted Entrance: for now shall all the Forms, and all the Ordinances, and all the forms of the Goings out of the Church of God, and the Comings in to it, be so exactly opened to these Peo∣ple, and they so punctual and distinct in the observation of them, that it will not be possible that a Canaanite should be here for ever again found any more: This is the Law of the House, upon the top of the Mountains, the whole limit thereof shall be holy; behold, this is the Law of the House.

And as there shall at this day be none admitted here, but such as are in truth vi∣sible Saints; so none must here continue but they that continue such: If any of those stones that are put in for building into the House of God, shall afterwards have the Plague found on them; then

the Priest shall command that such stones be taken away, and cast into the unclean place that is without the City. And observe it, that Congregation on Earth that admits onely of such Persons as are visible Saints by calling and Profession, (though possi∣bly some of them, as in the case of Judas and Demas, may be known to God to be non-elect, yet) that Church is holy round about the limits thereof: Provided also, that if at any time after that the Plague appears, they orderly proceed to deal with them, (as here things will be done to a tittle, and a hairs breadth.) Now the reason why the Church may be said to have some within her that are none Elect, and yet be counted holy still, it is, because the Church is to judge of Per∣sons by their Words and Lives; they know not the Heart absolutely: and therefore if in Word and Life a man be as he ought, he is to be accounted a visi∣ble Saint, and orderly ought to be recei∣ved of the Church as such: So that I say, as I said before, these words of bar∣••ing out Sinners out of the Church, they are not to be understood as if they inten∣ded that those should be debarred visi∣ble Communion, that in Word and Life

appeared visible Saints, that are so judg¦ed by the Rules of Christs Testament; but that such should be from it shut out, that appeared visible Sinners: Those that are Defilers, Workers of abomination, and Makers of Lies, none of these shall enter.

But those that are written in the Lambs Book of Life.

These words explain the matter: Those, and those onely, shall enter here, that are found written in the Lambs Book of Life. Now by Book of Life, we are to understand two things in the Scrip∣tures of Truth: First, Either the Book of Gods eternal Grace and Mercy tho∣row Christ, in which all the Elect are re∣corded for ever: Or, Secondly, That Book of Life in which the Lord Jesus hath all recorded that are visible Saints by calling; for, for both these there is a Book of Life. For the first of these, I judge these Scriptures do suit, Luk. 10. 20. 2 Tim. 2. 19. Phil. 4. 3. and for the se∣cond, these, with that in the Text, Exod. 32. 32, 33. Rev. 22. 19.

Now the Book of Life in this place

must not be so strictly taken as if it in∣cluded those onely that were elect of God to eternal Life, but must be under∣stood of that Book wherein is recorded the Rules and Bounds of visible Church-Communion; and so all those that tho∣row the Gifts and Operations of special or common Grace, do fall within the compass of those Rules and Bounds. Thus it was in the Type, at the return out of Captivity, none were to be ad∣mitted entrance into the Church, but those that could shew their Priviledges by Genealogy, and the Records of the Church; and to others it was said, That they had neither Portion, nor Lot, nor Me∣morial in Jerusalem.

Now that by Book of Life in this place we are to understand that Book that hath in it the Bounds and Liberties of this City, and so every one that falleth with∣in the compass of these Bounds and Pri∣viledges visibly, Consider,

First, They that are visible matter for visible Church-Communion, they shall be found within this City, and yet there shall not enter any, but those that are writ∣ten in the Lambs Book of Life.

Secondly, Now visible Church-Com∣munion

doth not absolutely call for one∣ly invisible Saints, neither can it: for if the Church was to joyn with none but those whom they knew to be the very Elect of God (as all invisible Saints are) then she must joyn with none at all; for it is not possible that any Church should be so infallible to judge in that manner of the Elect, as to discern them always, and altogether from the non-Elect, which cannot be an invisible Saint.

Thirdly, By Book of Life therefore, in this place, we are to understand, I say, that Book that hath written in it every visible Saint, whether they be Elect, or not; and so such a Book that is capable of receiving in a man at one time, and of blotting of him out again, as occasion doth require, at another: which thing is onely applicable to that Book that binds and looses on the account of a mans be∣ing a visible Saint, or a visible Apostate: which thing is onely applicable to the visible Rules of receiving or shutting out of visible Church-Communion; which Rules being the Rules of Christs New-Testament, it is proper to call it the Book of Life; and is about the mat∣ter

of going in or going out of this very City, so called: If any man shall take away from the words of the Book of this Prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and from the things that are written in this Book. O how happy is he who is not onely a visible, but also an invisible Saint! He, he shall not be blotted out of the Book of Gods eternal Grace and Mercy; when others are liable to lose a share not onely in Heaven, but to be for ever blotted out of the Book that ap∣proveth of visible Believers also.

Fourthly. But again, to explain the matter yet more: In the visible Church there is not onely Sons but Servants, that is, not onely those that are truly Elect, but such as have received a Gift for the perfecting the Church under Christ, in his Service here in this World: Now, I say, the Servant for the time present hath his place in the Church as well as the Son, though not the place of a Son, but of a Servant, even a place of Service, as of Preaching, Prophesying, admini∣string the Ordinances that are given to the Church, and the like; all which, a man that hath not Grace may do, and

that by the appointment of Christ; thus was Judas, Demas, Hymeneus, Phyletus, and others; who sometimes were the Servants of Christ in the Church, and did minister for him to them; yet them∣selves, notwithstanding, such as were all that time strangers and aliens to the life, and power and saving operations of the justifying and preserving Grace of the Gospel: as he saith also by the Pro∣phet Isaiah, Strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of aliens shall be your Plough men, and your Vine-dressers. For verily Christ will give to those that have not his saving-grace, yet great knowledge and understanding in the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God, and will also make them for profit and ad∣vantage in his Church, to feed their flocks, to plow up the fallow ground of their hearts, and to dress their tender Vines: Yet, I say, they themselves shall not be everlastingly saved, for they want his saving-grace. As Christ saith, The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the Son abideth for ever. As he saith again in another Prophet, If the Prince give a gift to any of his sons, the in∣heritance thereof shall be his sons; it shall

be their possession by inheritance: but if he give a gift of inheritance to one of his ser∣vants, then it shall be his to the year of Li∣berty; after it shall return to the Prince: but his inheritance shall be his sons for them. Some indeed have grace aswel as gifts; now they that are such, the profit of their gifts shall be rewarded by ver∣tue of their grace, but as for them that have only a gift, when the work of a gift is done, then they cease to be any longer of use in the Church, and therefore are forthwith shut out of the same, but the Son abideth for ever. Thus you see that as visible Church-communion doth not absolutely call for the Elect only, but admits, and that by the Book of Rules, all that are visible and open Saints by calling: so also the Lord Jesus himself doth and will use some in his Church as his Officers and Servants, that yet in a a strict sence are neither his Sons nor Members; Who yet are within the bounds of that Book of Life that here he speaks of, as is evident, because with Christ's allowance they are admitted in∣to commnnion with his Church, and by him also furnished with Gifts and Abi∣lities to profit and edifie withal. Now

observe, such a one is admitted, though but a Servant, yet not by the Church, be∣cause but such a one. The Church re∣ceiveth no man upon the account of gifts alone, but upon the account of the ap∣pearance of Grace; as of Gospel-Repen∣tance, of the Confession of Faith, and of a Conversation suitable to the same: All which a man that is not elect may have the notion of, yea, the † power though not the saving Power.

5. Further, this which I have said about the visible Church-Communion, and so consequently about the Book of Life, it must needs be a Gospel-Truth; yea, a thing for Truth in this New-Je∣rusalem: because, besides what hath been said, there will be found in this City, even at the coming of the Lord Jesus, (which coming of his will not be for some time after the building and setting of it up) I say, there will be then sound among them foolish Virgins, and such who have not the saving-grace of God in their souls: But yet, 1. these very souls shall be counted by the Church, yea, by Christ himself, for Virgins; that is, such as had not defiled their Profes∣sion. 2. And will be such Virgins as

have, and hold every one her Lamp, even as the Wise themselves. 3. Such Virgins as were, every one of them, gone forth from the pollutions of this evil-world. 4. And so such as continued visible Saints, even till the Bridegroom came, for then 'tis said in the margent, they cryed, Our Lamps are going out. These, I say, be those gifted people that will have place in the Church, and so place in the Book of Life here mention∣ed, which yet will (though they conti∣nue hid from the Church) be discovered in the day of the Lord to be such, as had only a gift, but not grace; and shall for their secret sins be cut off, and cast away, notwithstanding they were visible Saints all their dayes.

To conclude then; If the Scripture saith, that none that defileth, or that work∣eth abomination, or maketh a lie, shall en∣ter into this holy City, which yet is but the Church on Earth; with what face can Defilers think and say, they shall possess a part among the Church which is in Heaven. Again, If many that have received gifts from God, and that may be serviceable in his House, shall yet be put out of doors at the coming of the

Lord, What will they do that have been, and yet continue both giftless and grace∣less, as visibly as the light that shineth? and that instead of being the Plough∣men and Vine-dressers of the Church, prove Thieves, Robbers, Persecutors, and the like! yea, if many that are with∣in the bounds of that Book of Life that hath the Records and Rules of a rightly constituted visible Church, may yet pe∣rish, what will become of them that ne∣ver were so much as written therein! must they not perish rather! And who∣soever were not found written in the Book of Life, was cast into the Lake of Fire.

Notes

• John qualified for this Vision.
• When God calls to Work, he fits for Work.
• Mark 4. 34.
• †

  Luk. 2. 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33 34, 35, 36 37, 38.
• Exod. 19. 3.
• Deut. 32. 49.
• 2 Cor. 10. ••, 6.
• Jerusa∣lem con∣sidered in general.
• †

  Eph. 3. 15.
• Jerusa∣lem is to be consi∣dered more par∣ticularly.
• †

  Ephes. 3. 19.
• Rev. 13.
• Why the Church at this day is called by the name of a City, rather than a Woman, Temple, House, or the like.
• Ezek. 27 Rev. 18. 2, 3.
• Psa. 50. 2.
• Deut. 9. 1, 2. Num. 13. 28.
• Isa. 60. 12
• Ezr. 3. 1. Neh. 12. 1 Mat. 20. 17, 18. Luk. 19. 28. & 10. 30.
• Hebr. 7. 6, 13, 14.
• Isa. 45.
• Neh. 3. 5.
• Isa. 58. 8. to 14.
• Rev. 11.
• Joh. 14. 18.
• Dan. 3. 25.
• Isa. 27. 7, 8, 9.
• Rev. 2. 10
• Zech. 4. 2
• Zech. 8. 3
• Judg. 7.
• Mich. 2. 12, 13.
• Isa. 42. 13 14.
• Isa. 31. 4, 5.
• Zech. 12. 8.
• Zeph. 3. 8
• Joel 3. 16
• Zech. 4. 6
• Josh. 2. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13.
• Josh. 9. 22, 23, 24, 25.
• Rev. 20. 3.
• Ezek. 1. 4
• Ver. 13, 14
• Vers. 22.
• Vers. 26.
• †

  Ezek. 40. 3.
• Ezek. 47. 1.
• Ver. 12.
• The light of the Church shall be according to the pu∣rity of the Word.
• Isa. 52. 8. & 30. 26
• Isa. 32. 3, 4.
• Isa. 33. 5, 6.
• The Way out of Ba∣bylon a pleasant Way
• See Verse 2.
• Eccles. 7. 11.
• Welcome will be that Light that doth shew us the Way out of Ba∣bylon.
• Dan. 12. 4.
• Isa. 32. 15 Isa. 29. 24.
• Ezek 37. 19, 20, 21
• Isa. 11. 9. 13.
• Zeph. 3. 8.
• 2 Thess. 2.
• Rev. 18.
• 1, 2, 3, 4.
• Num. 20. 18, 19.
• Num. 21. 22.
• Ezra 4. 7
• See more of this here∣after. Isa. 60. 3.
• Zeph. 3. 17.
• Num. 21, 22, 23, 24 &c.
• Isa. 27. 4.
• Rev. 14. 4
• Exod. 40. 36, 37, 38
• Cant. 6. 9, 10. & 3. 6. & 8. 5.
• Jer. 29. 10.
• Jer. 31. 12
• Isa. 58. 11
• Of her Defence.
• Gen. 3.
• Ezek. 37. 1, 2.
• Jer. 39. •• & 52. 7.
• Isa. 26. 1. Act. 4. 12.
• Zech. 2. 5 2 King. 6. 17.
• The Rea∣son of two Walls.
• Isa. 22. 10 11, 12.
• Amos. 9. 9
• Two Walls made one.
• The rea∣son why they both are made one.
• Rev. 20. 1▪ 2, 3.
• The Wall is great and high▪ Deut. 1. 28.
• Heb. 7. 26▪ Job 11. 8▪ The height of the Wall.
• The Gates of the City. Jer. 17. 19, 20.
• What the Gates sig nifie.
• Twelve Gates. Neh. 3. 13▪ 28, 29, 31. & 12. 37▪ 39. Why Twelve Gates.
• Exod. 12. 48.
• Gal. 3. 7.
• Rom. 4. 16
• The twelve Gates do answer the twelve Tribes.
• Hos. 9. 17
• Isa. 57. 14
• The An∣gels, and what they are.
• Why the Angels are said to be Twelve.
• Ezek. 34. 17, 18.
• Exod. 15. 27.
• Isa. 12. 3.
• Hos. 6. 11
• Psal. 80. 2.
• Why the twelve Angels stand at the twelve Gates.
• Mat. 18. 18.
• Joh. 20. 23.
• Mark 13. 34.
• 2 Chron. 23. 19.
• Psal. 100. 4, 5.
• Isa. 27. 13
• Ezek. 48. 31.
• Zech. 13. 6.
• Gal. 3. 7.
• Rom. 2. 28.
• 1 Pet. 2. 9, 10.
• Why the Gates look eve∣ry Way.
• Ezek. 10. 11.
• Mat. 28. 19.
• Joh. 11. 12.
• Luk. 10. 1
• 1 Kin. 7. 23, 24, 25
• Why there is three Gates looking every Way.
• 1 Joh. 2. 12, 13, 14.
• The foun∣dations of the Wall.
• Mat. 7. 24, 25.
• It is the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles that holds up the Wall of New Jerusa∣lem.
• The Do∣ctrine of the XII, the purest of all other.
• 2 Cor. 3. 13, 14, 15.
• Num. 12. 6, 7.
• Mat. 11. 11.
• Luk. 24. 39, 40.
• The XII went be∣yond all others in their Ex∣perience.
• 1 Thess. 3. 8.
• Gal. 1. 8. The foun∣dation may not be alter∣ed.
• The Names of the XII, as the Broad Seal of Heaven.
• 2 Thess. 3. 17.
• Gal. 6. 11.
• 1 Cor. 9. 1
• Gal. 5. 2.
• 2 Cor. 11. 5.
• Gal. 6. 11.
• Ephes. 2.
• Isa. 49. 16
• How you are to un∣derstand the word Twelve.
• Rom. 11.
• Jam. 1. 1.
• 1 Pet. 1. 1.
• Act. 13. 16, 26.
• Rom. 1. 16
• Rom. 2. 10
• No Prea∣cher now allowed, but he that can preach the Do∣ctrine of the XII.
• A Golden Reed.
• This Gol∣den Reed is the Word of God.
• Ezek. 40. 3.
• Why the measu∣ring-Line of New Jerusa∣lem in special, is called a Golden Reed.
• The City measured
• Hos. 6. 5.
• Rev. 11. 1.
• Isa. 28. 17, 18.
• Amos 7: 7, 8, 9.
• †

  This is that which a little be∣fore is called the new Hea∣ven and a new Earth.
• The Gates measured
• Mat. 23. 14.
• 2 Chron. 29. 7.
• 2 Kings 18. 16
• The Wall measured
• Exod. 27. 1. & 38. 1
• 1 King. 7.
• Ezek 40. 42.
• Psal. 119 96.
• By breadth is to be under∣stood the perfecti∣on of the Word, and by length the com∣pleatness of the Saints obedience Luk. 1. 6. & 2. 37.
• 1 Cor. 1. 30
• Rom. 7. 16
• Rom. 13. 10.
• Zech. 2. 2
• A second measure.
• A portion measured out for the City.
• Rom. 12. 3.
• Eph. 4. 7. 2 Cor. 4. 17
• †

  See Josh. 15. to Chap. 19.
• Joh. 14. 1, 2, 3.
• Ezek. 45, 46, 47.
• Luk. 24. 13.
• Joh. 11. 18
• Joh. 20. 15, 16.
• Amos 4. 3
• Jer. 31. 18.
• Song 2. 5.
• Ezek. 34. 14.
• Zech. 10. 1 Isa 30. 24. Mic. 4. 4.
• Ezek. 47. 8, 9, &c.
• Ezek. 48. 18, 19.
• Psal. 19. 11
• Jam. 1. 25.
• Psal. 65. 11.
• Isa. 64. 5.
• †

  Heb. 9. 24.
• Mat. 6. 10
• A third measure.
• 2 Kin. 23. 10.
• Isa. 30. 33.
• A broad Wall a∣gainst To∣phet, to keep the Sanctua∣ry.
• Ezek. 11. 16.
• Heb. 6. 18
• Why this Wall is said to be 144 Cu∣bits.
• Rev 14. 1, 2, 3.
• Rev. 7.
• Heb. 7. 25 26.
• The profit of the broad Wall.
• Satan bound as Deceiver Persecu∣tor, and a Temptor to blasphe my and unbelief.
• Rev. 20. 1, 2, 3.
• Rom. 16. 20.
• Rev. 21. 4
• Object.
• Answ.
• The bene∣fit of ha∣ving Sa∣tan thus bound & tied up.
• Mark 1. 12, 13.
• Col. 2. 14, 15.
• Luk. 23. 44.
• Mark 14. 33, 34.
• Corrupti∣ons shall now also be greatly weakened
• Numb. 11 14, 15.
• Isa. 32. 13 14, 15.
• Zec. 12. 8.
• Isa. 33. 24
• †

  Joh. 12. 48.
• Joh. 5. 27
• Rev. 21. 9
• The Glo∣ry of the Wall.
• 1 Cor. 1. 30 Heb. 11. 10 Heb. 3. 4.
• The buil∣ding of the Wall.
• Psal. 74: 4, 5, 6, 7.
• Zec. 14. 9▪ Rev. 11. 15.
• Zech. 9. 7, 8.
• Ezek. 28. 2, 3.
• 2 Thes. 2. 4.
• The Names and At∣tributes of the Father and Son, the Tow∣ers of this Wall.
• Song 1. 10 1 Pet. 2. •• 1, 2.
• Neh. 2. 8.
• The Saints shall set up their Banners on these Towers. Psal. 20. 5.
• Song. 6. 10
• Altar∣work, Temple∣work, and City∣work.
• What Al∣tar-work is.
• Ezra 3. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• What is Temple∣work.
• Act. 19. 9 Rom. 1. 7 2 Cor. 6. 14, 15, 16. 1 Cor. 12 13.
• Act. 2. 40 Eph. 2.▪ 21, 22. 1 Cor. 5 11, 12, 13
• Isa. 65. 19 20, 21.
• Isa. 60. 14
• Rev. 11. 1, 2, 3.
• Isa. 4. 5.
• Josh. 9.
• Neh. 4. 1, 2, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11. & 6. v. 1 to 13.
• Dan. 9. ••5.
• Isa. 53. 12
• The Glo∣ry of the City.
• Exod. 25. 31. to 36
• Rev. 1. 2••
• Isa. 34. 10 to 17.
• Rev. 22. 15.
• Zech. 14. 14.
• Rev. 18.
• 2 Chron. 9 12.
• Luk. 22. 44.
• Mat. 12. 40.
• Esth. 2. 12
• The glory of the Founda∣tions.
• The Glo∣ry of the Founda∣tions twofold.
• The Gos∣pel dark∣ned by the smoak of Anti∣christ.
• Amos 9. 10, 11, 12.
• 1 Sam. 2. 12, 13, 14, 15.
• & 3. 1.
• Psal. 82. 5.
• Ezek. 28. 14, 16.
• Isa 54. •• 11.
• †

  If you compare the stones you will find them (some of them) to differ in name, but know it is usual for one stone to go under 2 names; and be∣sides, the Greek doth give many things other names than doth the He∣brew text.
• Converts the gar∣nishing of the foun∣dations.
• Lam. 4. 1, 2, 3.
• 1 Pet. 2. 5.
• 1 Chron. 29. 2.
• 1 Thess. 2. 19, 20.
• Isa. 54. 11.
• Malac. 3. 14, 15, 16, 17.
• Job 28. 3
• 1 Pet. 21 5.
• 1 Chron. 29. 2.
• Isa. 34. 11.
• 1 Cor. 14. 12.
• Prov. 31. 29.
• 1 Cor. 15 10. 41.
• The Ja∣sper does represent the Lord Christ up on seve∣ral ac∣counts.
• The first account.
• 1 Cor. 1. 23, 24.
• 1 Cor. 3. 11.
• The 2d. account.
• The third account.
• The 4th account.
• The fifth account.
• 1 Kin. 7. 25.
• Exod. 28. 29.
• The sixth account.
• The 7th account.
• Rev. 4. 9, 10, 11.
• Rev. 5. 11 12, 13, 14.
• The 8th account.
• Exod. 28. 20.
• †

  Heb. 12. 12.
• Heb. 2. 10. Isa. 52. 12 & 58. 8. Exod. 14. 19.
• Phil. 2. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11.
• Touching the rest of the Foun∣dations.
• Zech. 13. 3, 4, 5.
• †

  The dif∣fering na¦ture and operations of these stones, do hold forth the differences of ad∣ministrations and operations that was and will ever be a∣mong the true and holy Ministers of the Lord Jesus.
• The glory of the Gates.
• Christ a rich Christ to all that enter here
• Christ is beautifull to al that here do enter.
• Cant. 5. 10. 16.
• Rev. 18. 4 Ezek. 16 17.
• Nah. 3. 4.
• †

  Rev. 18. 12, 22, 23
• Pro. 8. 35 & 3. 35. 1 Cor. 2. 8 Joh. 17. 24.
• Christ on∣ly can let in souls to the pri¦viledges of his Church.
• As none can enter in but by Christ, so none can enter-in but by WHOLE CHRIST.
• Of the Glory of the street
• Prov. 1. 20, 21.
• What is meant by street.
• Pro. 8. 1, 23. and 9. 1, 2, 3. ••
• Neh. 8.
• The Gate.
• Psal. 86. 11. & 143. 8.
• Ezra 11. 20.
• Ezek. 37 24.
• Gal. 5. 25.
• Rom. 4. 12.
• Ephes. 5. 1, 2. 2 Joh. 4. Rom. 6. 4.
• Why this street is called not many, but one.
• Dan. 9. 25.
• Eph. 4. 5, 6.
• Act. 2. 24 & 32. 33.
• Philip. 1. 27.
• Rom. 15. 6.
• †

  2 Chro. 5. 13. 1 King. 6. 30. Cant. 3. 10. Why the Street is called Gold.
• Psal. 119. 130. & 119. 9. Prov. 2. Isa. 64. 5.
• Prov. 3. 17.
• Cant. 7. 1
• 1 Pet. 1. 7.
• Rev. 3. 18
• What is meant by Glass.
• The first Reason why tran∣sparant Glass.
• Isa. 24. 23.
• Rev. 8. 12. & 9. 2.
• †

  Exod. 6. 3.
• Rev. 5th and 6th chapters.
• Dan. 12 9 Jer. 30. 24. Jer. 23. 20.
• The se∣cond rea∣son why Transpa∣rent Glass
• 1 Cor. 13. 13.
• 1 Cor. 12. 31.
• Rom. 13. 10.
• 1 Cor. 16. 14.
• Col. 3. 14
• Rev. 15. 8
• Ezek. 32. 18, &c.
• The time when this City shal have no Temple.
• Zech. 11. 16.
• 1 Cor. 13. 10.
• What this ex∣cluded Temple signifies.
• Rev. 11. 1 2, 3.
• Josh. 10. 12.
• Mat. 13. 10.
• Rev. 8. 12 Rev. 9. 2.
• 2 Cor. 4. 3, 4.
• Psal. 19. 7 8. & 119. 130
• Ephes. 4. 10, 11, 12.
• 2 Cor. 5. 19.
• Rom. 10 8 Act. 5. 20
• 2 Kin 4. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.
• Josh. 10. 1 Rev. 12. 1. Psal. 121. 6.
• Song 6. 10
• 2 Cor. 5. 4
• Mat. 5. 16 Luk. 12. 35. Phil. 1. 15
• The Life of the Church compared to the Light of the Moon upon a double account.
• Prov. 4. 18.
• See the Expositi∣on of the 11 vers.
• Exod. 4. 33, 34. 1 King. 8. 9, 10, 11.
• Rev. 9. 5. & 5. 13. Zec. 3 9.
• Rev. 5. 6.
• 1 Sam. 25 29.
• Col. 3. 3, 4.
• Joh. 17. 24.
• Joh. 16. 22.
• Eph. 2. 1, 2, 3. 1 Cor. 6. 9, 10. Tit. 3. 3.
• How the Nations shall flock to New-Jerusalē.
• Isa. 52. 15 & 60. 22. & 2. 2.
• Isa. 60. 21
• Isa. 11. 9. Hab. 2. 14
• Isa. 49. 14 15, &c.
• Isa. 2. 1, 2. & 14. 4, 5, 6, &c. Psal. 102. 20, 21, 22 Rev. 11. 15. & 16. 17, &c.
• Deut. 32 43.
• Isa. 60. 5.
• Isa. 53. 12
• Isa. 66. 22 2 Pet. 3. 13. Isa. 25. 7.
• 1 King. 4. 20.
• Neh. 8. 10, 12.
• How the Kings of the Earth shal flock into New Jerusa∣lem.
• Psal. 68. 29. Isa. 49. 22, 23. Psal. 72. 10, 11, 12 Isa. 47. 6, 7. & 60. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. & 62. 2.
• Isa. 52. 15.
• Psal. 138. 4, 5.
• 2 Chron. 2. 11, 12, 13, 14, 15.
• Ezra. 1. 1, 2, 3, 4. & 6. 1, 2, 3 & 7. 21.
• Psal. 102 13, 14, 15
• Rev. 17. ••, 12, 13, 14. and 18. 3, 9.
• Rev. 17. 14.
• 2 King. 9. 30, 31, 32, 33. Jer. 50. 41, 42.
• Rev. 18. 12, 14, 22.
• †

  That is, the Hob∣goblins, or Devils
• Ezek. 22 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, &c.
• Isa. 47. 1, 2, 3.
• ••••el 3. 1, 2, 3, 4.
• †

  Ezra. 6. 7.
• Nah. 3. 3, 4.
• Isa. 2. 4. Jer. 33. 16.
• Zec. 2. 4. & 14. 11.
• Jer. 51. 34, 37.
• Isa. 35. 7.
• Isa. 35. 9, 10.
• Lev. 26. 6.
• Isa. 32. 18
• Isa. 60. 11
• Isa. 60. 20.
• Ezek. 28 & 29.
• Jos. 10.
• Zech. 14. 7.
• Rev. 18. 22, 23.
• 2. Chron. 36. 7.
• Ezr. 6. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. and 7. 13, 14, 15, 16.
• Ezek. 20 6, 25.
• Cant. 4. 11.
• Isa. 66. 10 11, 12, 13.
• Rom. 11. 13, 14, 15.
• Cant. 8. 8, 9, 10.
• Psal. 61. 13.
• Cant. 2. 14.
• Isa. 27. 13
• 1 Kin. 10. 21.
• 1 Cor. 1. 1 2 Cor. 1. 1, Eph. 1. 12. Phil. 1. 1.
• Ezek. 43. 10, 11.
• Joel 3. 17 Zech. 14. 21. Ezek. 43. 12. Ezek. 44. 6, 7, 8.
• Lev. 14. 40.
• Num. 19. 22. Ephes. 5. 11. Heb. 12 15 2 Thes. 3. 6, 14. 1 Cor. 5. 6 11, 12, 13
• Ezra 2. 62, 63. Nehem. 7. 64, 65. & 2. 20.
• Rev. 22. 18, 19.
• Rev. 3. 5.
• Ezek. 46. 16, 17.
• 1 Cor. 12. 7
• Eph. 4. 9, 10, 11, 12 1 Cor. 13 1, 2, 3, 4. Mat. 25. 14, 15, 16, 17, 18.
• Isa. 61. 5.
• Joh. 8. 35.
• Ezek. 46. 16, 17.
• †

  Heb. 6 4, 5.
• Matth. 25. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9.
• Rev. 20 16.