ΙΕΡΟ-ΜΕΤΡΟΠΟΛΙΣ OR The Holy the Great the Beloved NEW JERUSALEM a Shortly to come down from God out of Heaven b BEING The work of Gods own hands c whose form will be perfectly cubâ—cular in length breadth and height equal 12000 furlongs d having the glory of God or light as a stone most precious e prepared for the Lamb Wife or raised Saints f then to be made perfect in one g there to behold Christs glory in his Davidical Kingdome h of the thousand years reign with his Saints on Earth i from Antichrists last ruine to Satans last loosing k shortly then producing both the worlds destruction and his own perpetual torment with all the damned in Hell l From Scripture evidence abundantly made manifest both by clear Texts and necessary Consequence more especially comprised in 15 well approved reasons By William Sherwin Minister of the Gospel See a Rev. 21.10 20.9 b Rev. 21 2.10 c Heb. 11.10 d Rev. 21.16 e Rev. 21.11 f Rev. 19.7 8 9. compared with chap. 21.9.10 Heb. 11.16.40 g Jo. 17.21 22 23. h Jo. 17.24 Es 9.7 Rev. 1.32 33. i Eze. 48. last Rev 5.10 Rev. 20.4 k 1 Thes 2.8 2 Tim. 4.1 Rev. 19.11 to the end Rev. 20.2.7 l Rev. 20.8 9 10.15 c. Apoc. 3.21 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Esa 54 12 13. I will make thy Windows of Agats thy gates of Carbuncles and thy borders of pleasant stones See Rev. 21.18 19. Ver. 13. And all thy Children shall be taught of the Lord and great shall be the peace of thy Children So Rev. 22.1 2 3 4 5 6. LONDON Printed for Francis Smith and are to be sold at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Bar Scripture evidence for the New Jerusalem on Earth to come The Doctrine whereof is First proved Secondly Improved Proved First From the explaining and opening of the Text. Jer. 3. from ver 14. to v. 20. 2ly From many Prophesies and Descriptions thereof in the Old and New Testament with Answers to some Objections and 13. Reasons set down why it shall be on Earth c. 3ly From the Series and Order of things set down in Daniel and explained more fully in the book of Revelation given to the beloved Apostle John Secondly improved First for Redargution of the errours of several sorts of persons against these truths Secondly For Admonition to three sorts of men First To such as own these Divine Doctrines to be mindful to improve them 2ly To such as really indeavour to improve them to be often mindful of and much to be affected with the greatness of their mercies and the greatness of engagement to duty thereby if duly considered 3ly To such as own them not to beware of slghting so much Divine and sacred Scripture truth of so great weight and concernment both as to holiness and happiness as many such persons little think of or consisider and most of all to take heed of opposing of them Thirdly To exhort all men to make use of the light of their understanding abilities to search into those Scriptures that concern these things that they may not be found fighters against any such truth of God Christian Reader VVHen the ancienter misrepresentations about the time of the the rising of Antichrist and some later pervertings are remove â— from the Doctrine of Christs Kingdome upon earth in the thousand years Rev. 20. as we shewed in our Preface to the Irenion it will appear to be a Divine and Scriptual part of the glorious Gospel of Christ and to be nothing else but an explication of some Articles of the Christian faith according to holy Scripture namely how and when Christ will come from the right hand of the Father to judg the quick and the dead at his next appearance and his Kingdome 2 Tim 4.1 and in what order he will fulfill the blessed Resurrection of the Just Luk. 14.14 or that first Resurrection Rev. 20.5 in the said thousand years with all those great things to be accomplished according to Scripture from his said appearance to the little space wherein Satan shall be loosed afterwards as namely the final destruction of Antichrist the national and miraculous calling of the Jews the Restitution of all things the New Heavens and the New Earth the restoring the Dominion over the Creatures and their freedome from the bondage of Corruption into the glorious liberty of the Sons of God Rom. 8.21 And in the said first blessed Resurrection of the Just the fulfilling of the prrmises to Abraham Jsaac and Jacob of the Promised Land to them and their Seed for ever The sure mercies of David how Christ shall rule on his Throne to the end of the world Esa 9.7 2 Sam. 7.16 25 26.29 with many other excellent things belonging to that time which cannot from Scripture be warrantably applyed to any other time as we have shewed in a Treatise on Gen. 3.15 then that wherein he will so eminently break the Serpents head and this is that coming the second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 8.28 At the first he came to satisfie for sin and by reason of sin all the time from thence to his second coming his Servants have been liable to sufferings as members of his mystical body with him and for him after his example though not without Sin but then he will appear to Salvation to them to free them from such sufferings by destroying their Enemies and binding Satan and powerfully enabling his Servants to serve him Rev. 22.3 granting great and wonderful peace in the world to them in those times of refreshing from his own presence Acts 3.19 redeeming the bodies of the faithful from the prison and corruption of the Grave and after the thousand years will save the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City from the last attempt of Cog and Mag g upon Satans seducement and after Christs withdrawing in the time of that attempt he will descend as saith the Apostle with a shout and the voyce of an Arch-angel and with the Trump of God 1 Thes 4.17 though we know not whether he will be then out of the world in person or at least the raised Saints on earth shall not even at that time have the Vision of his glorious Person but to the Creatures discovery he will then descend at the last general Resurrection and Judgment when Heaven and Earth shall flee away before his face and no place be found for them as saith St. John Rev. 20.11 upon the fulfilling whereof he will perfect the Salvation of all his people by carying his whole mystical body with him into eternal blessedness in the highest Heavens no more to withdraw from them but that they shall ever thenceforth be with him the Lord 1 Thes 4.17 How then must he needs from his said second coming be glorified in his Saints and be then admired by all them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 and how ought the faith of the said things to chear and comfort their hearts against and under all
21. Moreover Abraham that looked for such a City having foundations is called by the Apostle the heir of the World Rom. 4.12 through the righteousness of Faith by which Faith saith the Apostle he received Isaac from the dead in a figure Heb. 11.19 and accordingly the Apostle seems to apply the divine efficacie of his faith in some resemblance to Gods raising up the dead and calling things that are not as though they were Rom. 4.7 and proceeds to illustrate the power of his faith that neither the deadness of his own body nor the deadness of Sarah's womb did hinder it in believing that he should have that promised Seed and so of the promised inheritance often sworn by God to Abraham Isaac and Jacob Abraham had not of it to set his foot on Acts 7. and that promise was looked for a farr of by him and others Heb. 11.13 and yet believed and embraced by them yea many others set down afterwards which obtained a good report by faith yet saith the Apostle obtained not the accomplishment of the promise v. 39 40. God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect to wit at the said Resurrection from the dead and in the said City which Abraham looked for which hath foundations v. 10. and that City prepared by God himself for the rest of the faithful v. 16. and v. 40 all which seem to point out the New Jerusalem state on earth at Christs second coming with many other great things to be accomplished in those times as we have shewed more particularly in a Tract on Gen. 3.15 and in our 4th Part Obser 31. and well may that condition be called an heavenly Countrey because it will be of an heavenly nature and in an excellent state and condition when there will be indeed an heaven upon earth when Christ will bind Satan and seal him up in the bottomless Pit that he shall not deceive the Nations for that space of a thousand years Rev. 20.3 7. and many wicked men be destroyed from the earth Rev. 11.18 and he will bring all his Saints asleep in him till then with him 1 Thes 4.14 and an innumerable company of Angels to attend upon him Psal 97 and all creatures shall bow the knee Phil. 2. to do him homage which are now in heaven or earth or under the earth whose name is above every name which seems excellently decyphered before us by his own spirit Rev. 5. after he had taken the book from the right hand of him that sat upon the Throne to loose the seals thereof the fulfilling of the contents of which will cause that wonderful praise by the 24 Elders and 4 Beasts or living Wights by Angels and all Creatures from v. 10. to the end and yet of that Countrey saith one it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Countrey where their Fathers dwelt as in many Prophesies and Promises it is stiled c. And the things concerning that State seem therefore to be so strongly and often asserted by the Spirit of God Rev. 19.9 and 21.5 and 22.6 to shew that though many would be backward to believe them yet they should be not certainly fulfilled in the world in due time 15ly It is said to be measured as we have elsewhere noted and likewise many other Prophesies and Promises are applicable from the Old Testament to that said New Jerusalem State as the Spirit of Christ in respect of those forenamed hath directed and which may more largely be observed in our Prodromus Pag. 18 19 20 21. in the letter of Nov. 3 1663. 3ly And so we come to the 3d. way of confirmation of the New Jerusalem to come on earth namely from the Series and Order of the time in Scripture assigned for the setting up thereof in the world to wit upon the destruction of the Beast at Christs 2d coming whom saith the Apostle Christ will destroy with the appearance of his coming 2 Thes 2.8 unto which he also adjoyns his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 at his appearance saith he and his Kingdom And to this purpose it is very observable that when God was about to destroy the Oâ—d Jerusalem for the greatness of the wickedness prevailing in it by the same Prophets whereby he denounced the destruction of the Old to the terrour of the wicked by the same also he foretold the setting up of the New for the comfort of the faithful wherein they in due time should have their shares as Es 29.19 Jer. 31.31 32 c. Ezek. 37. and these do not only speak of the deliverance of the Jews from Babylon after 70. years but of the great restauration of all Israel and Judah which they set forth with many peculiar Marks and Characters belonging to it as we observed from this Text Jer. 3.17 and from Es 60. and many other places But the Prophet Ezekiel in c. 37. of his Prophesie doth not only describe their deliverance to be wonderful like a raising of dry bones from the Grave and making them stand up in a great Army but also largely there also shews the uniting both Kingdoms of Israel and Judah into one under Christ the Great Messiah called there David of whose Seed he was according to the flesh and in whose Throne he is to sit so long as the Sun and Moon endure from the time of the raising up the Tabernacle of David that was fallen Acts 15 c. Yea this 37 of Ezekiel seems with the remainder of that book to the end to be as a comment or exposition of the main drift of divers of Daniels Visions respecting the latter times for as he by Visions as we said set forth how wonderfully God would raise and restore them c. 37. so in the two next chapters he largely by Prophesie fore-tells the stupendious destruction of their Potent Enemy Gog and his Multitudes with Magog which he specially declares twice shall be in the latter dayes c. 38. v. 8. and v. 16. with many expressions agreeing to their great Enemy the Turk and thereby God undertakes for the comfort of the faithful to remove him which is to be the great hinderer of their freedome And from thence in 9 chapters to the end he sets down his large Vision of the New Jerusalem and in the end declares the name thereof shall be Jehovah Shamma the Lord is there which is also by Scripture order to be set up when the Enemies are destroyed as Dan. 11.45 and Dan. 12.2 3 c. But Daniel in a more special way of Mercy from God to his faithful people from his time had for their more abundant consolation in divers Visions set down in order the times to pass over the Jews in their said Dispersions and the several Oppressors of them in order to be destroyed until their full deliverance come and this both more generally in 4 wicked Monarchies before the fift came that should destroy them c. 2. by
Christ amogst which the sitting on the Throne of David as man will be one 1 Iohn 4.2 3. And as for the raising of the dead Saints at the Resurrection of the Just as it is called Luke 14.14 or the blessed first Resurrection above a thousand years before the rest of the dead shall be raised Rev. 20.5 they being such as will be counted worthy of that world called the world to come Heb. 2.5 where those Children of the Resurrection as our Saviour speaketh Luke 20.35 36. shall be as the Angels in Heaven since at his appearance and coming into the world Christ will bring his Saints with him and such as sleep in Jesus with him 1 Thes 3. ult 4.14 Zac. 14.5 to the end that being raised from the dead he may reward them Rev. 11.11 22.12 or recompence them at the said Resurrection of the Just Luke 14. when they shall behold the glory of Christ which the Father hath given him as Mediator Iohn 17.24 when his Disciples shall sit upon twelve Thrones judgeing the twelve Tribes of Israel Luke 22.30 and his faithful servants according to the improvement of their Talents shall rule over so many Cities Luke 19.17.19 Psal 49.14 and shall have power over the Nations Rev. 2.26 Psal 45.6 their bodies being then redeemed from the prison and Corruption of the grave Rom. 8.23 and their former mortal bodies shall then be powerfully raised by the same spirit of him that raised up Christ from the dead Rom. 8.11 that so then such as suffer for Christ in the body may reign with Christ in his Mediators Kingdom in their bodies 2 Tim. 2.12 and those raised bodies when he shall appear being like him shall see him as he is 1 Iohn 3.2 when the Tabernacle of God shall be with men and he be with them in the new Ierusalem come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21.3.10 in that City whose name shall be Iehovah Shamma the Lord is there Ezek. 40. ult and which shall then be called the Throne of of the Lord as in the text that City prepared for the faithful fore-fathers yet so as without the faithful that died since Christs first to his second coming they shall not be made perfect Heb. 11.40 or perfect in one as our Saviour prayed Iohn 17.23 and declares his will in the presence of his Father and before his Disciples that such as were given him should then be with him to behold his glory which his Father had given him v. 24. who will then be that spiritual and mystical Bride the Lambs Wife Rev. 21.9 in the time of his thousand years reign Rev. 20.4 when as saith the Apostle Paul Christ must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15.25 even till he deliver up the Kingdom to God the Father having put down all rule and all authority and power that stood in his way as in the verse before the last enemy Death being destroyed v. 26. Many of these texts of holy Scripture our blessed Saviour by his book of Revelation hath given much evident light unto as whosoever carefully compares them and duly weighes them with humble and faithful seeking the guidance of his spirit may hopefully find till which time many of these and divers others were darkly delivered have not otherwise so clear and fit exposition given of them as that they will be fulfilled at that time of the restitution of all things when the times of refreshing shall come for his people from the presence of the Lord when God will send Jesus whom the Heavens must contain till then Acts 3.19 20 21. in which times the many great things are to be accomplished which we formerly set down on Gen. 3.15 and Christs explication of them will at last be most certainly found the best and the mean time let it be observed that the Doctrine of the Resurrection was a long time but darkly set down in Scripture and but by degrees were the mysteries thereof revealed 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Rom. 8.11 as we have else where observed and as Mr. Mede saith that the Prophets in the old Testament except Daniel spake darkly or promiscuously of the first and second coming of Christ so we may say of the whole Scriptures speaking of the first and second bodily Resurrections till Christ explained them and chiefly in Rom. 20. yet by the guidance of that many others fall in with it See more in the Appendix after the Irenicon page 97. to 109. for I have in a manner but touched upon these texts of Scripture because I study brevity and have spoken there more largely of the first bodily Resurrection and because the Scriptures carry with them so great evidence in their consent one with another and bearing witness in their order to the same truth which serious Christians may in their Meditations more inlarge and improve that being rightly from the word informed of these things and the like they may both frame their prayers make other improvements thereof accordingly to help forwards Gods work in the fulfilling of some of them having such sure and comfortable foundations from the Word to raise up their affection to such purpose and especially in those latter dayes when their fulfilling approacheth near as may be observed from the fulfilling of so many Prophesies already and for the accomplishing of those that remain tends in a special manner that prayer at the end of these Visions with an even so as if it had been said that these great things in the said thousand years of Christs reign may be fulfilled Rev. 22.20 Even so Come Lord Jesus And that happy estate of Christs Church in that time of his said reign upon earth seems to be the main drift and scope of the three first petitions of the Lords Prayer which will then have their greatest fulfilling on earth as they are now fulfilled in Heaven when Satan shall be bound and sealed up in the bottomless pit from deceiving the Nations for that thousand years Rev. 20. and wicked men destroyed that destroyed the earth Rev. 11.18 the blessed and holy Saints raised from the dead at the first resurrection Rev. 20. and the holy Angels be Christs attendants in Christs Kingdom as the Courtiers of their most glorious King Heb. 1.6 Psal 97. where also his terrible coming into the world then is decyphered eminently with the joy of his people thereupon and that which will make it an Heaven indeed will be the Tabernacle of God will then be with men c. and the Lamb will be the visible light of that City and the living waters of divine grace will flow so abundantly from the Throne of God and the Lamb c. with many other heavenly excellencies of that state Rev. 21. 22. but that this may yet further appear to be then on earth all other inferiour Creatures must then also do their homage to their heavenly King by bowing the knee or yeilding their subjection to him
their sufferings in the mean time and make them with joyfulness to serve him and praise him and willingly even to suffer for him when he calls them to it since he hath promised gratiously to be with them in the deepest waters of their afflictions and will not suffer them to be tempted above their measure in the mean time and will in the issue deliver Israel from all their afflictions and even recompence their measure of faithfulness and sufferings for him with a suitable degree of glory with him 2 Tim. 2.12 Rev. 20.4 in that blessed New Jerusalem state upon earth Esa 24.23 when the Lord of Hosts will reign in mount Sion and before his ancients gloriously as from Divine Authority in the ensuing parcel may be observed to the honour of the great King and the magnifying of Gods Divine wisdom and goodness and great consolation to faithful Souls c. A word or two I shall further add of the nature and use of my four parts lately published which to some Christians may prove advantagious First the drift of the Irenicon is chiefly to prove that the things respecting Christs Kingdom upon Earth were spoken of by all Gods holy Prophets since the world began as the Apostle Peter teacheth Acts 3.21 with divers other heads of arguments to the same purpose and an Appendex added to it concerning the blessed first Resurrection of the Just Yea and all likewise that have written in the new Testament have added some explications thereof as in that second book is manifest but chiefly the great Apostle Paul in alm st all his Epistles Heb. 16. 2.5.6 7 8 4 9 9.28.10.13.37 11.8 9 10.13.14.16.22.35.39 40. 12.22 23 28. but above all in that to the Hebrews as might be shew'd particularly in many Chapters thereof as being the people most especially concerned in things of that nature c. Unto which said Irenicon was afterwards added this Parallel or third part before intended as pag. 2d of the former book as a strong foundation of that truth both from Daniel and the Revelation of Jesus Christ which is only a Divine mystical Exposition as we have shewed therein of that part of Daniel that was sealed and shut up before till the time of the end or Gospel times as in some measure may be discerned by our short summary of Daniel As for the forerunner or first piece it co sists of divers things which were occasional and after placed together as apparently very useful for the whole work whereunto reference is afterward fitly made in the following parts And for the fourth part it contains many observations and other particulars very useful for the understanding of mystical Prophesies with the removal of prejudices from this Doctrine And as from my own exercise by Gods gracious assistance in drawing up those I am by his goodness inabled to speak groundedly and knowingly upon other subjects respecting these things from Divine warrant and especially from the help of that golden Key of Christs Divine Revelation left to his Church for that purpose to open that part of Daniels shut up Visions so may others also by Gods blessing by the help of those parts receive much advantage which may be observed in the considering both of the forementioned treatise on Gen. 3.15 of Christs breaking the Serpents head First Decreetively and Declaritively before he began his Mediators Office joyntly with the Father and with the Holy Ghost And secondly Executively in his Mediators offices ever since the fall of maâ— hitherto and will most eminently as the great King and only Potentate as the Apostle Paul stiles him then do it in the Millennium when as he also saith 1 Cor. 15.25 he must reign till he hath put all his Enemies under hâ—s feet And so concerning the ensuing subject of the New Jerusalem which are as examples to shew the usefulness of the forenamed books as containing foundations thereof wherein th re is often reference made to things contained in them which I wish all such as lâ—ve the glorious appearance of the great God and our Saviour Jesas Christ seriously to consider and the great things thereunto appertaining according to Scripture warrant And chiefly to look to that direction at the end of the Parallel pag 68. and well to peruse those summaries of the Revelation in the forerunner pag. 22 23. c. And in the Irenicon pag. 26 27 28. with the Abridgment of Daniel or the summary thereof hereunto annexed for such Abridgments help much in the discovery of the order of the Parallel to shew wherein the Revelation explains the Visions of Daniel which is a very strong evidence of the truth and gives great light to the understanding of these Divine Misteries from the hands of both those beloved Messengers of God the writers of them which should much commend these subjects to truly faithful Souls conveyed to them by such high Favourites of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords c. I shall only here add this further direction in the use of the said Books which I have often given already by word of mouth to divers knowing persons namely to read the two last books first and the References in them to the former And so commending thee Christian Reader to the guidance of the Spirit of tâ—uth to lead thee into all such comfortable and blessed truths of the Gospel as may make most for the glory of God and our Saviour Jesus Ch ist and thy own great rejoycing in the faith of such great things pertaining to his glorious Kingdome on earth to come for which end I am especially Thine in him William Sherwin Scripture evidenced for the New Jerusalem on Earth Jerem. 3.17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all Nations shall be gathered to it to the Name of the Lord to Jerusalem c. THat first on the negative part this Text is not to to be understood of any Jerusalem that hath been destroyed may be made evident from this portion of Scripture ver 14. to 20. whereunto and to the times whereof the things herein mentioned are no ways competible First not old Jerusalem call'd Sulem in Melchisedecks time Gen. 14. after held by the Jebusites in Joshuaes time and after subdued by David and beautified and fortified by Solomon the Type of the true Prince of Peace as that was also of the New Jerusalem that is to come of which this Prophet and others fore-told the Desolation to come by the King of Babylon neither was it of that after the 70 years Captivity afterwards repaired and adorned by Herod and as our Saviour denounced against it laid even with the ground by Titus and Vespatian about 40 years after his death for as that was less glorious in it self so it not only killed the Prophets and stoned those Servants of the Lord that were sent unto it from God but did not spare the Son himself when he came to gather her
Children as an Hen gathers her Chickens under her wings c. But that by the Jerusalem here to be called the Throne of the Lord is meant the New Jerusalem to come down from God out of Heaven Rev. 21. may these three ways be abundantly confirmed First from the due weighing of this Text and context Secondly from many Prophesies and Descriptions set down both in the Old and New Testament which comport with this Prophesie concerning the New Jerusalem of which the Old was but a type Thirdly from the series and order of the times of the New Jerusalem set forth in holy Scriptures which this portion of Scripture hath three times reference unto ver 16 17 18. In those days at that time c. which together with the context contain many characters and marks to know that time from all others and joyntly witness each to others and because the matter of the context doth so necessarily relate to the time of fulfilling in the New Jerusalem state we shall consider them here together first he saith in those days ver 16. after he had before ver 14 set down what state they should then be in namely of Children then beloved as the Apostle Paul speaks of those times Rom. 11. for their Fathers sake and as appears in this Chapter ver 19. though they had backslidden before yet then returning at Gods call Turn ye back sliding Children c. Secondly God there lays them down a reason respecting himself and an effectual motive in regard of them then for I am Married unto you and that for ever in Truth Righteousness and Judgment as the Prophet Hosea further explains it chap. 2.19 shewing how that people then should call him Ishi my Husband ver 16. this Marriage-state of that people then with God and Christ should bring about the business for this the Text is very punctual and evident in reference to such a state of his people the Jews and as he had made ancient promises of such mercy then to them Deut. 30. to 11. and Deut. 32. ver 36. to 44. so he here declares he was and would be mindful of them and promiseth to take them one of a City and two of a Family or as a Rabbin reads it two of a Countrey or Province and bring them to Sion Again he will do it when he promiseth to give them pastors after his own heart ver 13. to feed them with knowledg and understanding such as he foretold of then by Daniel chap. 12.3 that should be indeed wise to turn many to Righteousness of Justification which belong in special to that time as we may see afterward and as Es 62.6 her Watchmen shall never hold their peace c. till he make Jerusalem a praise in the truth where also much more of the like nature is observable And though they shall be multiplyed and increased then yet he shews ver 16. they shall speak no more of the Ark of the Covenant of the Lord for that was but symbolical and conditional so that while the Ark was with them the Lord might be absent from them as to his gracious presence as somtimes he was and therefore saith they should not think or speak any more of such old Typical constitutions as the Ark was he minds them not only of his real but personal being with them as their Messiah in whom saith the Apostle Col. 2.9 the fulness of the Godhead dwelleth bodily Shewing ver 17. that Jerusalem then should be his Throne saying at that time they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord and all Nations shall be gathered to it to the name of the Lord for h s name will then be great in the whole world namely when the Kingdoms of the world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ not only by right as they ever were but also his as they will be then by their immediate use and visible possession and that the Nations might know then whither to repair to the name of the Lord where his glory will then shine out eminently he names the place again saying to Jerusalem And this is further confirmed ver 18. by several other mercies belonging to the same time first the house of Judah shall walk with the house of Israel those two sticks shall then be united together into one Kingdome under one King to them both as Exe. 3.7 and they shall both come together then out of the Land of the North as this Prophet speaketh again of the same time chap. 16.15 23.8 and they shall have that Land then given as an Inheritance unto their Fathers as the days of Heaven upon Earth as is Emphatically expressed Deut 11.21 Again he declares how all this good shall be brought about ver 19. namely Israel by vertue of their Adoption shall then have the promised possession of the Nations and of the pleasant land and as Children abide for ever in their Fathers house for that Adoption will be unalterable for thou saith he shalt call me Father and shalt not turn away from me for then their hearts shall be Circumcised as he also promiseth Deut. 30. So that then as an Husband he will be married inseperably to that people ver 14. As a King he will set his Throne in the mid'st of them ver 17. as a Father he will give them the sure Adoption and therewith the large inheritance of the Hosts of the Nations and their own pleasant land ver 19. which is further illustrated from their ready answer to his call return you back-sliding Children and I will heal your back-slidings whereunto they make a willing and obedient Answer Behold we come unto thee for thou art the Lord thy God and then proceeds to make a meek and gracious acknowledgment of their own and their fore-Fathers sin and unworthiness and that Salvation is only in and from the Lord from v. 12 to the end of the Chapter So that then will be supplyed to them Wisdom and Grace Preservation and Blessing Eminency and Security from the Lord and Unity amongst themselves in the enjoyment of all good conferred upon them as is from this portion of Scripture very observable which if duly considered may evidently appear to be a large and strong evidence of the happiness of that ancient inheritance of God the seed of Jacob which they shall have in those times upon Earth in the New Jerusalem-state when it shall be the Throne of the Lord and his Dominion so large in the world that all Nations shall come thither to do him homage or as it is otherwise expressed Es 2.2 All Nations shall flow unto it yet not with deceitful Spirits as men do some time to great Conquerors or Monarches in the world or after their own evil heart as the Jews formerly but as manifesting themselves to be the Sons of God by the Spirit of Adoption So that by these many particulars from the context it may appear that the Jerusalem spoken of
in the Text is the New Jerusalem spoken of Rev. 21. upon the national call and conversion of Gods ancient people the Jews who shall then look upon him whom they have pierced and with true penitence turn unto him as Zac. 12.10 from which time they their Seed and their Seeds Seed shall continue the blessed of the Lord Es 61.9 66.22 when that Nation of the Jews shall be born in a day and the Iniquity of their Land shall be taken away in one day Es 66.8 Zac. 3.9 The second way of Confirmation is from the many Prophesies and Descriptions and Testimonies contained in the Old and New Testament respecting the New Jerusalem where first we may consider those eminent Texts Es 59.20 21. when the Redeemer shall come to Zion what a Covenant he then makes with her Children and how she shall shine when the glory of the Lord shall be risen upon her chap. 60. what access there will be to her and how strangers shall build her Walls and how Kings shall Minister to her and her gates be continually open to receive the Forces of the Gentiles c. ver 9 10.11 Rev. 21.24.26 and amongst many other high expressions she shall be called the City of the Lord the Zion of the holy one of Israel and much of these Prophesies and such as follow are applyed by Christ himself unto the said New Jerusalem Rev. 21 c. and therefore are so to be understood but to save transcribing more Prophesies under this head of proofs see many more then we have toucht upon here in our Prodromus in the letter of November 3. 1663. pag. 18 19 20 21. As for Scriptural descriptions of the New Jerusalem much is spoken by the Prophet Jeremiah and Esay and others as we have in part already shewed but especially it is largely described by Ezekiel in his nine last Chapters where he at last declares the name of the City to be Jehovah Shamma the Lord is there being probably in part the same that is described more gloriously by Christ Rev. 21. for the use of the Gentile Church as Ezekiel had set it forth for the Jews before see Observation third in our last part pag. 18 19. Again in the New Testament our Saviour stiles it the City of the great King Math. 5. and where the Tabernacle of God shall be with men Rev. 21. and Christ reign with his raised Saints a thousand years Rev. 20. and of which City the Lamb will be the visible light instead of Sun Moon or Candle and where his Saints shall behold his glory which his Father hath given him Jo. 17.24 It is that place which our Saviour told his Disciples he went to prepare for them Jo. 14.1 and that after his going from them he would come again and receive them unto himself that where then he will be they might be there also ver 3. even in his Kingdom assigned to him by his Father Dan. 7.13 14. at the time when Jerusalem as in the the Text shall be called the Throne of the Lord as by Gods assistance we shall further manifest at which time our Saviour also hath appointed a Kingdome to his Disciples Luc. 22.29 30. even as his Father had appointed unto him that they might not only eat and drink at his Table in his Kingdom but sit on Thrones judging the twelve Tribes of Israel which only can be in the New Jerusalem-state according to Scripture It is that City whose maker and builder God is said to be Heb. 11 10 the Jerusalem that was free when the other was in bondage with her Children Gal. 4. which is the Mother of all the faithful and which is to be above till the time of its coming down from God out of Heaven when Christ will bring all his Saints and such as sleep in him with him 1 Thes 3. ult 1 Thes 4.14 and therefore it is described by the Apostle to be the City prepared by God for the faithful fore-Fathers yet so as for all future believers likewise that they without us saith he might not be made perfect Heb. 11.40 or perfect in one as the Lambs Wife as the same Jerusalem is called Rev. 21.9 10. whose priviledges are there described to be exceeding great for there shall be no hunger pain crying and all tears shall be wiped away there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and the Lamb shall be in it and therefore all Joy Glory and Happiness suitable to that State as Chap. 21. 22. to ver 7. is largely and divinely though Mysteriously described all which Prerogatives of that â—appy condition are largely set forth both in Old and New Testament as the forementioned Quotations with many others may abundantly Evidence if they were particularly insisted upon for glorious things saith the holy Psalmist are spoken of thee thou City of God Psal 87. Which hath special reference unto those times when the Nations shall come unto her as Egypt Assirya c. as Esa 19. from verse 18. to the end When also the fresh Springs of Divine Grace will flow from thence c. As is also described in Ezekiels last Vision Object But the new Jerusalem Rev. 21. is said to come down from God out of Heaven and to be a City whose Maker and Builder God is said to be Heb. 11.10 which Abraham is said there to have looked for And is that City prepared for the faithful Fore-fathers as was said from vers 40. But that in the Old Testament foretold is to be Built by Men and Strangers shall build the Walls of it and Kings and Nations bring their Wealth and Glory to it c. Answ In answer whereunto we are to consider that according to Scripture the Jerusalem state at that time will consist of Saints in a twofold condition First of the Nation of the Jews with other Israelâ—tes converted and all other converted Nations that shall joyn themselves to them with their Kings all abiding in their Bodies and animal Lâ—fe as formerly Again it will consist of such Saints as Christ at his second coming brings with him as Zach. 14.5 1 Thes 3. last who shall have their Bodies raised in their order as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. Rom. 11.18 who will be another sort of Inhabitants in that New Jerusalem state though in a much more blessed and holy condition Rev. 20.6 In which respect the Scripture seems peculiarly to ascribe to God the making and building of that City as a Mansion fitted for the raised Saints and a place of glory for them then to behold Christs glory which then he will have in his Mediators Visible Kingdom upon Earth suitable to that estate which City shall have Foundations Heb. 11.10 But whether it shall be by these Foundations elevated on high above the Earth or otherwise and have Streets of Gold like to transparent Glass that the glory of it may be discerned in some measure by other Saints then in the world and
whose name is above every name for as those in heaven do it so shall those in earth and under the earth in their due time do it Phil. 2.9 10. and so in such a glorious condition will those new Heavens and new Earth then be that his Name will be sanctifyed his Kingdom will be come and his Will then be done on earth as it was before in heaven For Christ when he was upon earth taught not his Servants to pray all along to his coming for those things which shall never be and God hath not made so many promises and given forth so many prophesies of such things as never will be performed and fulfilled But then will be that great Sabbatisme of such holy refreshment from the presence of the Lord and rest which remains saith the Apostle for the people of God Heb. 4 9. when those promised mercies to the Fathers shall be fulfilled on earth that his people may serve him without fear of their enemies in holiness and righteousness before him all the dayes of their Life Luke 1.73 74. and as Rev. 22.3 now these promised mercies were to Abraham Isaac and Jacob not yet fulfilled but seen a far off Heb. 11.13 c. There are also sure mercies of David not yet fully accomplished 1 Sam. 7.15 16 c. that his House and his Kingdom should be estabâ—ished for ever before him and his Throne shall be established for ever which he there largely by Faith applyed and by grateful acknowledgement praised God for as if it had been performed and then Job and Esay will find the effect and fruit of their own Faith Job 14. Esa 46. and Daniel shall then obtain his promised Lot with all the holy Prophets and faithful servants of God in those times Oh how should our Faith be exercised in these things that with faithful Abraham we may rejoyce aforehand at the day of Christs visible Dominion as he did both at that and his Incarnation Heb. 11.13 c. And so we should proceed to a second Use of thankfulness for such great mercies now manifest to the Church of Christ from his Word and chiefly from him the faithful and true witness but because we have been somwhat large to that purpose upon a like occasion towards the end of a former Treatise on Gen. 3.15 we here wave that and only touch upon some hints of further improvement by way of admonition and exhortation and so leave them to be enlarged by Christians in their private meditations c. Vse 2. For admonition to two sorts of persons First to such as own these Doctrines of Christs Kingdom of visible power to come c. so much the more to be careful to make sure their interest first in Christs spiritual Kingdom of grace here in this present life and state of things before they look or hope for any part in his Kingd of visible power on earth at his coming or in Gods eternal Kingdom of glory ensuing upon it for grace and Gods spirit here is the earnest and evidence of all blessedness hereafter only Wise Virgins will be admitted into the Bride-chamber when the Bridegroom comes and such only will he receive to himself to make them inheritors of everlasting blessedness in the Kingdom of his Father for though all divine Scripture truth is written for our learning as the Apostle Paul teacheth yet all divine knowledge not being duly improved will aggravate the sin and misery of all formal professors thereof both in the whole of Christian religion or in any remarkable branch thereof much more if such knowledge be perverted contrarie to the holy just and good laws of Christs Kingdom of grace that teacheth his people to deny ungodly and worldly lusts and to live soberly righteously Godly in this present world Tit. 2.11 12. But for such as own these Doctrines are indeed faithful servants and subjects of their great Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to look upon all Doctrine respecting Christs Kingdom on earth as a great ingagement unto duty and thankfulness not only in word and outward profession but most especially to endeavour to manifest it in heart and conversation buth before himself and in the sight of men and that they may so labour the more to act thankfulness by walking so much the more Christianly and obediently to his Laws seeing by such Doctrine a greater engagement is laid upon them thereunto for as their expectations are greater than otherwise they could be from the evidence they have of their interest in Christs glorious Kingdom of power on earth to come by the redemption of their bodies and the union of them to their souls in that blessed condition appointed to the faithful in their order besides what others shall enjoy who then remain in their natural life that upon that account they study and labour to be more ready and forward to do such acceptable service for Christ as he assignes them unto though unpleasing to flesh and blood because it will be acceptable unto him and he requires it of them and it will be found no loss as some misapprehend but occasion of great rejoycing for those spirits of just men made perfect to be brought with Christ at his appearance and his Kingdom 2 Tim. 4.1 to attain to that desired Union with their bodies there to behold Christs glorie c. in that blessed condition above a thousand years sooner than the last resurrection as was manifest by that great exultation of the Representatives Rev. 5.10 as an addition to their spiritual joy and praise to the Lamb And say they we shall reign upon earth where they knew aforehand that they should personally enjoy in body and soul the blessed vision of Christ and all such happiness as is appointed for them in his visible Mediators Kingdom of power upon earth who will then be so admired of all his Saints as the Apostle Paul teacheth and glorifyed in them that believe 2 Thes 1.10 Vse 3. For Admonition to all real and faithful Christians that as yet own not these Doctrines of the Millennium which I confess till of late years I my self have often opposed as I shewed in the Irenicon to take heed and beware of slighting and over-looking so much divine truth as the fore-named and many other texts and portions of holy Scripture hold forth evidently concerning those things and to that end consider first some truths of that nature have been antiently received though the great Deceiver then stirred up some to cast unjust reproaches and false imputations upon the owners of them yea they have been owned both by antient Fathers and modern writers and the light and evidence of them is like to break forth more and more amongst faithful Christians as prejudices are removed and more Mysteries are accomplished and by Gods mercy greater discoveries made of what concerns his true Church and if diligent and impartial search were made of those Scriptures which concern these things but especially what Daniel