A commentary, or, An exposition with notes on the five first chapters of the Revelation of Jesvs Christ by Charles Phelpes.

Verse 12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: And I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Hea∣ven from my God: and (I will write upon him) my new name.]

In this verse are contained many promises, and encouragements, to encourage us to hold fast the Gospel of Christ, and to take to us the whole armour of God, that we may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having overcome all to stand. In which we have to mind and con∣sider,

1. The subject of these promises, or every one that shall certainly be made a partaker of that which is here propounded and promised: and that is [him that overcometh:] [see the notes before on ch. 2. v. 7. and ch. 3. v. 5.]

2. The promises themselves; whereto we shall speak in order: that is to say,

1. I will make him a Pillar in the Temple of my God,] A Pillar namely,

1. An eminent one; so the word signifies where it is said; when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be, or were counted Pillars, Gal. 2. 9. even such as were of reputation amongst the Churches and teachers, v. 2. so here: him that overcometh will I make a Pillar: he shall be preferred before, and be more eminent than others, even in that Temple also: for as one star differs from another in Glory, so al∣so will it be in the resurrection of the dead, 1 Cor. 15. 41, 42. He shall be preferred before little ones, of whom yet is the Kingdom of Hea∣ven: and before such as have not had any considerable trials, or op∣position; and so, no such occasion to fight: for our light affliction which is but for a moment, works for us a farmore exceeding and eternal weight of Glory: while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen, &c. 2 Cor. 4. 17, 18. he that overcometh shall be exalted above others, as the pillar is above the earth generally: and as now their sufferings for Christ do abound, so then also their consolations by Christ shall answerably abound, 2 Cor. 1. 4, 5, 7. Rev. 22. 12.

2. A pillar,] By which the King will stand, and with whom he will be present for ever: as it is said in our types: Behold, the King stood by the the pillar (in the Temple) as the manner was, 2 King. 11. 4,

14. 2 Chron. 23. 13. and Josiah stood by a pillar in the house of the Lord, 2 King, 23. 2, 3. So the Tabernacle of God shall be with them that overcome, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his peo∣ple; and God himself shall be with them, their God, Rev. 21. 2, 3, 7. Joh. 17. 24.

3. More directly, [a pillar,] is a strong one; though now he be never so weak, and have never so little strength, v. 8. he shall be a pil∣lar, a stable one, established, so as nothing shall prevail against him: As the Lord saith to Jeremy; Behold I have made thee this day a defenced city and an iron pillar, &c. and they shall not prevail against thee: for I am with thee, Jer. 1. 18, 19. indeed now in this day, he that abides in Christ sins not: he keeps himself, and the wicked one touches him not, 1 Joh. 3. 6. with ch. 5. 18. The gates of hell (neither the power nor policy thereof) shall not prevail against such an one, Mat. 16. 18. Joh. 10. 27, 29. But it is possible Men may not abide in Christ, and then Satan and his instruments may get their advantage against them, as hath been shewn before. But hereafter, they that overcome shall be like pillars gloriously: they shall be so established, that they shall not possibly depart, or be removed from Christ, or his Temple: they shall be like the pillars in our types, which were set in the porch of the Temple: whereof the name of the one was called Jachin, that is, he shall establish: and the name of the other Boaz, that is, in it is strength, 1 King. 7. 21. Then they that overcome, and keep Christ's works▪ to the end shall be stable for ever: God will establish, and in them shall be his strength, Ps. 87. 5. So as they shall go no more out, no not for e∣ver, as here it presently followeth.

4. A pillar,] on which Christ will write, as also followeth present∣ly after: so in former times, they did write some choice and excellent things of God's law, upon their postes, or pillars: as it is said, Thou shalt write these words upon the Posts of thine house, and on thy gates, Deut. 6. 4, 9. and the Church is now called the Pillar of truth, upon which the truth is so written, that it may be seen and read of all Men: they being manifestly declared to be the Epistle of Christ, ministred by the Apostles; written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in Tables of stone, but in the fleshly Tables of the heart, 1 Tim. 3. 15. with 2 Cor. 3. 2, 3. so they shall be pillars hereafter gloriously, as it is promised and covenanted by the Lord, saying: I will put my laws into their minds, and write them in or upon their hearts, Heb. 8. 10, 11. with Jer. 31. 33, 34. And saith Christ,

I will make him a pillar [in the Temple of my God,] my God he calls

him by way of Eminency and Excellency, to distinguish him from, and infinitely prefer him before all others, who are called Gods: The God of our Lord Jesus Christ is the Father of Glory, 1 Cor. 8. 5, 6. Eph. 1. 17. And [his God,] because he is immediately, originally, and eternally, and most compleatly and gloriously his, and ours tho∣row, and upon the account of him; as Christ saith, I ascend to my Fa∣ther, and your Father, and to my God, and your God, Joh. 20. 17. Now Christ will make such an one as overcomes, A Pillar [in the Te••ple of his God;] even in the Church of Christ in its glorious estate: The Church is now called the Temple, being built upon, and abiding in Christ, as it is said, ye are built upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-Stone: In whom all the building fitly framed together grows unto an Holy Temple in the Lord, Eph. 2. 20, 21. 1 Cor. 3. 16. for ye are the Temple of the living God, as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, &c. 2 Cor. 6. 16, 17. And this Church will be the Temple of Christs God here∣after, when he shall present it to himself a glorious Church, not ha∣ving spot, or wrinckle, or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish, Eph. 5. 25, 27. Which glorious Church or Temple, is called by the Prophet, Gods Holy Hill, or, The Hill of the Lord, Ps. 15. 1. and 24. 1, 3. with Allusion to the Temple of God, which was built on Mount Moriah, 2 Chron. 3. 1. In this glorious Temple he shall hereafter be a Pillar, not of, or in this World; for Christs Kingdom is not of this World, Joh. 18. 36. But when the Mountain of the Lords House shall be established or prepared, in the top of the Mountains, and shall be exalted above the Hills, and all Nations shall flow to it, Isay 3. 2, 3. Mica 4. 1, 3. This is therefore a powerful motive, and argument, to engage us to fight the good fight of Faith, and to resist unto Blood striving against Sin; for in so doing, we shall hereafter inherit Glory, when shame shall be the promotion of Fools and Cowards, Prov. 3. 35. with Rev. 21. 7, 8.

2. And he shall go no more out,] namely, out of this glorious Temple before spoken of, no not for ever, upon any Account whatever. And so,

1. They now go forth into the field of the World, to call, and bring Men into wisdoms house out of it: as it is said; she hath sent forth her maidens, Prov. 9. 1, 5. and the Master of the house—said to his Servant; go out quickly into the streets and lanes of the city: and again he said: Go out into the highways, and hedges, and compel them to come in, that, my house may be filled, Luke 14. 21, 23. Joh. 10. 9. and in their going out, they meet with much occasion of sor∣row

and mourning; As is signified in saying, They that sow in tears shall reap in joy: he that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoycing, &c. Ps. 126. 5, 6. Cant. 7. 11. when God opens a door of utterance, a great and effectual door, there are many adversaries, 1 Cor. 16. 9. much opposition they meet withall from them whose good they seek, and are oft times in great pain: there∣fore their winning Souls, and bringing them in to Christ is called travail∣ing, Gal. 4. 19. plowing, &c. Luke 9. 62. But when they have once overcome, when that work is over and finished, then they enter into peace, and rest in their beds, each one walking in his uprightness, and before him: then they rest from their labours, and their works follow with them, Isay 57. 2. Rev. 14. 13. then they enter into rest and cease from their own works, as God did from his, Heb. 4 10. they shall then gloriously be Priests to God, and shall ever dwell in his house, Rev. 20. 6. with Ps. 84. 4. and shall stand before him continually, and minister to him: they shall serve him day and night in his Temple: And he that sits on the Throne shall dwell among them, Rev. 7. 14, 15.

2. They shall go no more out;] namely, now they go out to fight with enemies: so this phrase of [going out,] is oft used upon that account: as, Go out and fight with them, Judg. 9. 38. They gathered themselves together to go out to battle against the Children of Israel: And again; shall I yet go out to battell against the Children of Benjamine, Judg. 20. 14, 28. see also 2 Sam. 5. 24. 1 Chron. 7. 11. and ch. 14. 15. But now on this account, they shall go no more out: For the meek shall then inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace, Ps. 37. 11. after they are dead their Enemies have no more then that they can do, Luke 12. 4. and when they are raised their enemies shall ever have po∣wer to harm them; they shall be destroyed, as to their harming or hurt∣ing them any more for ever, 1 Cor. 15. 26. In righteousness they shall then be established: they shall be far from oppression, for they shall not fear; and from terrour, for it shall not come near them, I say 54. 10, 14. Violence shall no more be heard in their Land, wasting, nor destruction within their Borders, But they shall call their Walls Salvation, and their Gates Praise, Isay 60. 18. Now is their time for fighting, Heb. 12. 4. Tit. 2. 11, 12. But there shall be then no Enemy to tempt, or terrifie them, to deceive or molest them, Isay 16. 5. and 35. 9, 10. The Eternal God their pre∣sent and perpetual refuge, shall then compleatly thrust out the enemy, and shall say, Destroy them: Israel shall then dwell in safety alone, &c. Deut. 3. 3. 26, 28, 29.

3. They now too oft go out, and wander from Christ and his peo∣ple;

wander out of the way of understanding, Prov. 21. 16. Depart out of Christ, or do not abide in him; for whosoever abideth in him sin∣neth not, doth not commit sin, 1 Joh. 3. 5, 6. too too oft they go astray, by walking after the carnal-mind in them, and wander from Moun∣tain to Hill, forgetting their resting place, Ps. 23. 3. and 119. 176. Jer. 50. 6. Ps. 116. 1, 7. Ezek 24. 12, 13. and too many of the Church of Christ do go out personally from, and leave his Fold, that were some∣times in it, 1 Joh. 2. 19. And as it is said of some of Christ's Di∣sciples, yea many of them, they went back, and walked no more with him, Joh. 6. 60, 66. But then there shall be no more going out, Ps. 144. 14. But they shall dwell in the House of the Lord for ever, Ps. 23. 6. Surely they shall not be moved for ever, Ps. 112. 3, 6. He shall then be a Pillar for ever.

3. And I will write upon him the name of my God.] In this respect he shall be a Pillar also, as is before said; A Pillar to write upon: And so we have to consider,

1. The person that will write, [I] to wit, Jesus Christ, he who is holy, he who is true, he will do it, who is the ready writer, Ps. 45. 1. This will be the time when he writes up the people, Ps. 87. 6. where he first saith: Of Zion it shall be said, this and that Man was born in her, and the highest himself shall establish her: she shall be a pillar, as here, the pillar Jachin; and shall go no more out: and then it follows, The Lord shall count, when he writes up the people, this Man was born there: then they shall be a pillar; and he will write upon her, and every one in Zion: compare, Ps. 87. 5, 6. and 1 King. 7. 21. with this place: he will then write, not by instruments, as now, 2 Cor. 3. 3, 4. But with his own finger, as Exod. 31. 18. namely, with his spirit: so that which is in one Evangelist, the Spirit of God, is in another, the finger of God: compare Mat. 12. 28. with Luke 11. 20. with this writer and matter, and not with our Inke, will Christ who is Faithful write, 2 Cor. 3. 2, 3.

2. The act here spoken of, I [will write:] by writing is signified to us, the perpetuating the name of God upon them: he will not only put it upon them by word, as the priests were to do; as it is said: They shall bless the Children of Israel, saying, The Lord bless thee and keep thee: and they shall put my name upon the Children of Israel, as Numb. 6. 23, 27. But he shall write it, that it may abide upon them for ever and ever, Isay 30. 8. So Job signifies, that writing was for perpetuating a thing, when he saith: Oh that my words were now written! Oh that they were printed in a Book! That they were graven with an iron Pen, and laid in the rock,

for ever! Job 19. 23, 24. [see notes on chap. 1. verse 11.]

3. The manner how, [upon him,] that is to say, he will make it very visible and evident: he will not only write it in their hearts and minds, though that he will also do doubtless, as Jer. 31. 33. Heb. 8. 10. But so upon them, as that it shall be read plainly and clearly of all. Indeed, so it is now in some first-fruits, and in part: But then it shall be done evidently, fully, and gloriously: he will write his Fathers name in their foreheads, Rev. 14. 1. and ch. 22. 4. Then will be the manifestation of the Sons of God, Rom. 8. 19, 21. They shall then be like Christ, for they shall see him as he is; and so shall shine forth as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father; Then shall ye return and dis∣cern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serves God, and him that serves him not, Mat. 13. 43. Mal. 3. 17, 18. 1 Joh. 3. 2.

4. What will he write? [the name of my God,] saith he, namely, it shall be then put gloriously upon them, after some such manner, as Ja∣cob's was upon Joseph's Children, as his and his Children, though un∣speakably more glorious, see Gen. 48. 16. with v. 5. Mal. 3. 17, 18. and so as it shall then plainly appear they are the Sons of God. Now they are indeed the Sons of God by Faith in Christ Jesus: But faith is the evidence of things not seen, and therefore it doth not now appear (no not to themselves fully) what they shall be, Gal. 3. 26. with Heb. 11. 1. 1 Joh. 3. 1, 2. But then it shall appear, and they shall be his Sons gloriously; as it is said by God himself, He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my Son, Rev. 21. 7. They that shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World, and the Resurrection from the dead, neither marry, nor are given in Marriage; neither can they dye any more, for they are equal to the Angels, and are the Sons of God, being the Children of the Resurrection, Luke 20. 35, 36. Rom. 1. 4. Yea he that is now feeble among them, at that day shall be as Da∣vid; And the House of David shall be as God, as the Angel of the Lord before them, Zech. 12. 8. Isay 62. 2, 3, 4.

And the name of the City of my God (which is) New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God.] This he will also write upon him that overcometh; so as it shall be both perpetual and visible, as is before said.

And the name of the City of my God, New Jerusalem:] which may signifie unto us, either a glorious place, or a glorious people.

1. A Glorious Place, of which Jerusalem in former times, the Old Jerusalem, was the type. That was a glorious place in former times,

the City of the great King, the City of our God, Ps. 48. 1, 2, 8. Mat. 4. 5. which God did chuse, 1 King. 8. 16, 44, 48. and where he dwelt, Ps. 135. 21. So this, saith Christ, is the City of my God, Heb. 12. 22. of which glorious things are spoken, Ps. 87. 3. This is that which he hath chosen, and in which he will dwell: as it is said, The Lord hath chosen Zion, he hath de∣sired it for his Habitation: This is my rest for ever, here will I dwell, for I have desired it, Ps. 132. 13, 15. Ezek. 48. 35. Old Jerusalem was, and was o••t called, the Holy City, Neh. 11. 1. Mat. 4. 5. with Luke 4. 9. So is this New Jerusalem, it is called the Holy Jerusalem, Rev. 21. 10. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither worketh abomination, or a lye, Rev. 21. 27. Ps. 101. 8. that former was a strong City; as appears by its being an year and an half besieged before it was taken, Jer. 52. 1, 6. But this is much stronger: In that day shall this Song be sung in the land of Judah; we have a strong City; Salvation will appoint Walls and Bulwarks, Isay 26. 1. and ch. 33. 20. That had a River, Ps. 46. 3. And so hath this, a far more glorious one; a pure River of Water of Life, clear as Crystal, Rev. 22. 1, 2. This was a City compact together, Ps. 122. 2, 3. so will this be, Ps. 1. 5. Yea this new one will be unspeakably, inconceivably more excellent and glorious than that old typical one; that was an earthly one, but this the Heavenly Jerusalem, Heb. 12. 22. that was forsaken and destroyed, but this will be a continuing City; a City which hath Foundations, Heb. 11. 10. and ch. 13. 14. But we may speak some∣what more to the excellency of this glorious place, New Jerusalem, afterwards.

2. As City may signifie Persons or the Inhabitants of a City: as it is said, They shall call thee the City of the Lord, the Zion of the holy one of Israel, Isay 60. 14. And they shall call them the Holy People, the redeemed of the Lord; and thou shalt be called, sought out, a City not forsaken, Isay 62. 12. And as the Lord saith to Jeremy, I have made thee a defen∣ced City, Jer. 1. 18. So here especially, and most directly and fully, we may understand the New Jerusalem to mean: And so the name of the New Jerusalem shall be put upon him that overcometh; of Jerusa∣lem which is above, which is free, Gal. 4. 29. Of the Heavenly Je∣rusalem, Heb. 12. 22. And so they shall be of the Beloved City, of the Inhabitants thereof; a glorious people, Isay 52. 1. So the Children of the Resurrection, of the first Resurrection, are called, the Belo∣ved City, as distinguished from the Nations in the four quarters of the Earth, and from the Camp of the Saints, to wit, Israel, and those of the Nations converted to the Lord, who are joyned unto them, Rev. 20. 8, 9. Then they shall be called, and be holy, all holy and

righteous, Isay 4. 3. The Lord reigning gloriously among them, Isay 24. 23. and rejoycing in them, Isay 65. 19. And then they shall be in a glorious state and condition; for the Tabernacle of God will be with them, and he will be with them, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, 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, &c. Rev. 21. 1, 4 and ch. 22. 3, 4. See and consider Rev. 21. 10, 21, 22, 26.

And of this City of Christ's God, New Jerusalem, it is farther said, [which cometh down out of Heaven from my God;] In which is intimated to us,

1. That this New Jerusalem is, and shall be in Heaven, all of them: there is the Mother, and there are and shall be the Children; yea as New Jerusalem may signifie a glorious place, or glorious Mansions; so they are in Heaven: as our Saviour saith, In my Fathers House are many Mansions:—I go to prepare a place for you, Joh. 14. 2, 3. 2 Cor. 5. 1, 4. And as it hath respect to persons, so it is and shall be above, as Gal. 4. 29. Above; not only born from above as now, Joh. 3. 3, 7. nor only have they, and shall have their conversation in Heaven, as Col. 3. 1, 2. Phil. 3. 20. but above in Heaven, in their Spirits: When they are absent from the Body, they shall be present with the Lord, 2 Cor. 5. 6, 8. When they are dissolved they shall be with Christ, which is far better than to be here, Phil. 1. 21, 23. The Spi∣rits of just Men made perfect, Heb. 12. 23. Isay 57. 1, 2. And when the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven, the dead shall be raised and the living changed, and all made incorruptible; and they shall be all caught up together in the Clouds, to meet the Lord in the Air, 1 Cor. 15. 43, 54. 1 Thes. 4. 16, 18. All this Generation of over∣••omers shall be above, before they shall come down.

2. This New Jerusalem shall come down from Christs God out of Heaven: He saith not, it is come down, but [cometh,] to denote the certainty thereof, and the continually nearer approach of it: As it is said of our Lord Jesus, He cometh, he cometh, to judge the Earth, Ps. 96. 13. and 98. 9. The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints, Jude 14. Behold he cometh with Clouds, Rev. 1. 7. that is, he shall cer∣tainly come; and that coming of his continually approacheth: So it may be said of this New Jerusalem; It cometh down out of Heaven, &c. And this is true,

1. Of that glorious place so called, for retaining these Blessed and Holy Inhabitants: So John saith, He carried me away in the Spirit to a

great high Mountain, and shewed me that great City the Holy Jerusalem, descending out of Heaven from God, Rev. 21. 2, 10. And though the Old Je∣rusalem may be built again by Men in its old place, for, and by the camp of the Saints, even Israel, and those that shall be joyned unto them, as it is said, Behold the days come, saith the Lord, that the City shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hanancel, unto the gate of the Corner; and the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the Hill Gareb, and shall compass about to Goath; and the whole Valley of the dead Bodies and of the Ashes, and all the Fields unto the Brook of Kidron, unto the Corner of the Horsegate towards the East, shall be holy unto the Lord, it shall not be plucked up, nor thrown down any more for ever. Which Prophesie was never yet fully accomplisht, Jer. 31. 27, 38, 40. with Neh. 3. 1. and ch 2. 11, 17. Zech. 14. 10. Isay 33. 20, 21. with Mat. 24. 1, 3. and Luke 21. 20. Zech. 12. 6. Yet, I conceive, the New Jerusalem, this Holy City, this Glorious Place, and these Heavenly Mansions, shall be prepared of God. For we know, saith the Apostle, that if our earthly house of this Taber∣nacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the Heavens: yea may some say, This building is eternal in the Heavens, and shall never come down. But their mistake will appear, if the next Verse be but read, and they pluck not one Scripture from another, as too many do: for it follows immediately, For in this we earnestly groan, desiring to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven, or out of Heaven: The very same Phrase there is used as here. Compare 2 Cor. 5. 1, 2. with Rev. 3. 12. So it is said of Abraham, By Faith—he dwelt in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise: for he looked for a City which hath Foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Compare Heb. 11. 9, 10. with Rev. 21. 13, 14, 19. and of those Pa∣triarchs it is said again, But now they desire (even now at this present day they desire) a better Country, that is, an Heavenly: Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city, Heb. 11. 16. with v. 13. and ch. 13. 14. of this the Lord speaks by the Prophet Isay, saying, For behold I create new heavens & a new earth: and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind: But not only will he do so, but he will also by his creative power make this new Je∣rusalem, which is therefore called here by Christ, the city of my God: and this will be the praise of the whole earth; and that in which they are especially called upon to rejoyce, as it there follows: [But be you glad for ever in that which I create; for behold I create Jerusalem, a rejoycing and her people a joy.] Jerusalem is there distinguished from her people, and ••ignifies that glorious place we have been speaking of, Isay. 65.

17, 18. This shall come down out of Heaven. [See Mr. Joh. Horne in his Discourse concerning the New Heavens and Earth, and New Jeru∣salem; Pag. 45, 47.]

And the glorious Inhabitants of this New Jerusalem, even those which are written in the Lambs Book of Life, Rev. 21. 27. shall come down out of Heaven: The Lord my God shall come, saith the Prophet, and all the Saints with thee, Zech. 14. 4, 5. Jude 14. 15. They shall meet the Lord himself in the Air, and come down with him, and so shall be ever with him, and shall reign with Christ on the Earth, 1 Thes, 4. 16, 17. See Rev. 5. 8, 10. Dan. 7. 27. They shall then inherit the Earth, Mat. 5. 5. with Ps. 37. 7, 11. Judge the World, 1 Cor. 6 1, 2, 3. Then the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom, and possess the Kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever, Dan. 7. 18. And here we may see the fondness and foolishness of that saying, and of those that use it in that sense. What? say they, shall the Saints come down out of Heaven again? Yes, Christ the head of the Church shall do so, and the Members also, as is here said, which cometh down out of Hea∣ven from my God, Rev. 21. 2, 10. God. shall send us Jesus Christ, whom the Heavens must receive till the times of the restitution of all things; and his Saints shall come and be with him, Acts 3. 19. 21. with Joh. 17. 24. And yet God himself shall be with them gloriously, for the name of this City shall be [The Lord is there,] Rev. 21. 3. with Ezek. 48. 35. 2 Pet. 3. 12, 13. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O City of God, Ps. 87. 1, 3. and 48. and 122. Then when he writes the name of the City of his God, New Jerusalem, upon him that over∣cometh; he will make them of the Synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lye: he will make them to come and worship before the Feet of every such an one, and to know that he hath loved them. [See notes before on verse 9.] And seeing we look for such excellent and glorious things; how greatly doth it behove us to be diligent, that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless! 2 Pet. 3. 12, 14. And to be of good courage, and play the men for this City of our God: as 2 Sam. 10. 12. fighting the good fight of Faith, with the Spiritual Weapons of God's Warfare, and lay∣ing hold on Eternal Life, 1 Tim. 6. 12.

And [I will write upon him my new name:] either that new name given to him, a name of perfect victory and conquest, Ps. 98. 1. or, as his name is King of Kings, Rev. 19. 16. so they shall be Kings of Kings of the Kings of the east, even of Israel, the natural Israel, Rev. 16. 12. [see notes on ch. 2. 27, 29] or, his name shall be put

upon the victors and conquerors, as the name of the Husband is upon the wife: and so, as his name shall be called the Lord our righteousness; so this is the name wherewith she, the Church, shall be called, the Lord our righteousness: compare Jer. 23. 6. with ch. 33. 16. Rev. 19. 7, 8. Or, as the Lord saith, thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the Lord shall name:—thou shalt no more be termed, forsaken; neither shall thy land any more be termed, desolate: But thou shalt be call∣ed Hepzi-bah, that is, my delight is in her: and thy land Beulah, that is, married: for the Lord delighteth in thee, and thy land shall be married, Isay 62. 2, 4. A name better then of Sons and Daughters, Isay. 56. 15, 16. all this will he write upon them that overcome who hath the writ∣ers inkhorn by his side spoken of, Ezek. 9. 2, 4, 11. and this honour shall all his Saints have, Hallelujah, Ps. 149. [see the notes before on ch. 2. v. 17.]