his People of old but here he will abide rest and dwell I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem and my House shall be built in it saith the Lord and again I will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem for ever wherefore John considering this he saith there shall be here no more any Cnrse but the Throne of God God will now when he returneth to Jerusalem bring his Seat with him to signify his sitting down in the midst his People to be their company-keeper for ever But the Throne of God shall be in it By this word Throne we are to understand yet further these particular things First How blessed a state this City will be in at all times for the answer of of prayer the Throne of God will be in the midst of them the Throne of Grace the Mercy-Seat they will be open now to all the Inhabitants of this City yea the fame thereof shall so spread that it shall be rumored among all Nations that in Jerusalem God will be found speedily that in Jerusalem the God of Heaven and eternal Mercy is found at all times by them that seek his face My House saith he shall be called a House of Prayer for all Nations Yea many People and strong Nations shall at that day come to seek the Lord at Jerusalem and to pray before the Lord. And at that day the very Fasts of the House of God shall be to the House of Judah Joy and gladness and cheerful Feasts therefore Love Truth and Peace Secondly The Throne of God being now established in this City what a government what rule what a life of holiness godliness what dread and majesty will now be in the hearts of all the Sons oâ— this City How to an hairs breadth wil he command and guide them with his eye at all times when they should either turn to to the right hand or to the left What Wisdom I say what Holiness what Grace and Life will be found in all their words and actions The Throne of God is among them from which there will come continual influence light and splendor into all their hearts Hear the Word of the Lord O ye Nations and declare it in the Isles afar off He that scattered Jacob will gather him and keep him as a Shepherd doth his Sheep for the Lord hath redeemed Jacob and ransomed him from the hand of him that is stronger than he Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion and shall flow together to the goodness of the Lord for 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 not sorrow any more at all Thirdly The Throne of God being in this City there is also thereby discovered what sway and commanding an Authority this City will have at this day as I have already shewed you over all the Earth The Lord shall roar out of Zion and shall utter his voice from Jerusalem and the Heavens and the Earth shall shake but the Lord shall be the Hope of his People and the Strength of the Children of Israel This was figured forth by the Throne of Solomon in the days when that City was in its prosperity which Throne to shew the majesty and commanding awe that then that City had over all both far and near it had for the bearers of the steps twelve Lions six on this side and six on that side of the Throne This City shall then be the Head and Chief but the Tail and Reproach no more Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God And his Servants shall serve him That is him only Indeed his Servants serve him always but yet withal they do too too often serve with the wills and lusts of men even in their Service and worshipping God that is they serve him in much Affliction Temptation Fear and Persecution but then they shall serve him without any of these Yea they shall take them Captives whose Captives they were and they shall rule over their Oppressors And it shall come to pass in that day O City that the Lord shall give thee REST from thy Sorrow and from the hard Bondage wherein thou wast made to serve and thou shalt serve the Lord thy God without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the days of thy life And they shall see his face This also argueth a very great dispensation of Grace and Mercy to this Jerusalem When God did deliver up his People into the hand of the King of Babylon he said it should be done in fury and in anger and that for their wickedness he would hide his face from his City Wherefore by the sight of his face here we are to understand that glorious visible appearance of God that then will be for this City and People in the face of all the world For by the Face of God we are to understand the discovery of his Severity Providences and wonderful Out-goings among the sons of men as also the glorions breaking forth of Grace Mercy and Forgiveness thorow Christ Jesus all which the People of God shall then most marvellously see and behold First They shall see his Severity and Judgments upon the Whore Secondly They shall see how God by his strange Judgments and works of Wonder hath brought this about Who shall not fear thee O Lord and glorify thy Name for thou only art holy for all Nations shall come and worship before theeâ— for thy Judgments are made manifest They that are delivered from the noise of Archers in the places of drawing water there shall they rehearse the righteous Acts of the Lord even the righteous Acts towards the Inhabitants of his Villages in Israel Thirdly And as for his Mercy they shall see that their Horn is exalted and that they are neer to him Praise ye the Lord. And his Name shall be in their foreheads And his Name That is his Fear and Image it shall appear in all their doings Sometimes he saith he will write his Fear and Law in their hearts and minds Which Fear and Law is all one with that which in this place he calleth his Name in their foreheads The forehead of a man is the place above all parts of the body that is most naked and plain to be beheld of all that pasâ— by wherefore when he saith their Fathers Name shall be in their foreheads it is as if he had said The Profession of my People shall now be open and the beauty of it apparent to all beholders I will make them saith God a Name and a Praise among all the People of the Earth when I turn back your Captivity before your eyes Every Face shall then shine with Oyl as well as every heart be replenished with Milk and Wine This was held forth by the Memorial that the Israelites were to
Gates shall not be shut at all Thy Gates shall be open continually 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 affliction 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 upon 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 prevented by this marvellous Judgment of God as another Prophet saith At evening-time it shall be light that is though her enemies will at last still make thorow their enmity one only attempt to swallow 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 Inhabitants 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 without 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 understood 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 pertaining 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 other 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 understand 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 Jerusalem 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 understand 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 according 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 comparing 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 outward things or that the Glory that is meerly carnal should be principally here intended I confess it
out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In that this Water of Life is said to proceed not only out of the Throne of God but also of the Lamb. It signifieth and holdeth forth unto us two speciall things First That the Throne of God is also made the Throne of the Lord Jesus Christ upon which he as a reward of his Sufferings and Victory over Sin Satan and all Evils is set down and upon which he sits and rules as Lord and Chief of all Worlds He is set down on the right hand of Power on the right hand of the Majesty on high as he saith To him that overcometh will I grant to sit down with me on my Throne even as I overcame and am set down with my Father upon his Throne This being thus it signifieth that this City shall have her enjoyments of Life Peace and Joy in the holy Ghost by vertue of the Kingship of the Lord Jesus Christ aswel as by the vertue of his Priestly and Prophetical Office The Church doth in our dayes know a little what Joy Peace and Life is to be enjoyed from Christ even through that dark and glimmering sight that she hath of the Offices of Christ in a mist but she feels not yet what Joy she shall have and what Peace she shall enjoy when her Lord in all his Offices is manifest before her and when he in the glory of them doth reign in the midst of this Jerusalem There are none of the Offices of the Lord Jesus yet upon the Throne in his Church on Earth though they be all upon the Throne in Heaven O! but the day is coming that they shall be all upon the Throne in the Church on Earth when they shal each of them in its full length breadth heighth and depth bear sway among his People and before all men Then shall the Moon be confounded and the Sun ashamed when the Lord of Hosts shalâ— reign in Mount-Zion and in Jerusalem and before his Antients gloriously Isa. 24 23. O that thou wouldest rend the Heavens that thou wouldest come down that the Mountains might flow down at thy presence O that the day were come that the smoak should go forth of the Temple of God that men might enter into it and there meet with God upon the Throne and with Jesus in him upon the Throne in all his Offices It will be thus thou Zion shortly and great shall be the Peace of thy Children The second thing observable is That as all Grace comes from out of the Throne of God so it also proceeds or comes out of the Throne of the Lamb that is No Grace comes to any but thorow the Victory and Conquest of the Lord Christ We are justified freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus and again We have Redemption thorow his Blood even the forgiveness of our Sins according to the riches of his Grace By which we may gather that when these things come to be in their own Purity among us that is when Grace runs clear without the dirt and mud of the Traditions of men commixed therewith then will all that hold up false and erronious Opinions be washed away for this River will not onely wash away the sins and filthiness of those that are truly gracious but it will also destroy the Heretick and erronious Person it will be to them at that day as the red Sea was to the Egyptians of old which Sea though it was a Wall on this hand and on that to the Children of Israel yet it destroyed the Egyptians that assayed to go thorow it as Israel did The reason also why we are at this day in such confusion in matters of Religion it is for want of the clear and pure streams of this River of Water of Life all which will be mended when there is but one River to water this City and that too the pure River of the Water of Life in all its streams as clear as Crystal then shall all drink-in all things into one Spirit and be watered with the same Dews of Heaven Thus much of the Water of Life that belongeth to this Jerusalem Vers. 2. And in the midst of the Street of it and on either side of the River was there the Tree of Life which bare twelve manner of Fruits and yeilded her Fruit every month and the Leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations This Tree of Life is the Lord Jesus Christ and that he is here called a Tree rather then by other of his Names it is to shew us how fruitful and exceeding advantagious he in all his Benefits will be to the Inhabitants of this City this is that Tree under whose Branches the Fowls of Heaven shall now most safely lodge and finde relief from the hot and fainting Beams of the persecuting Sun of this world as the Word doth there inform us Now before I come to speak to this Tree touching the manner of its Fruit and it s often bearing with the efficatiousness of its Leaves which here he saith doth heal the Nations I will take notice of one or two general things that lie before me from the standing of the Tree in the midst of the street of this City First then In that he saith this City hath a Tree of Life in it He alludes to the Garden of Eden the pleasant Paradise that God began the World withal whereby he signifieth that as the World began with a Paradise so also it shall end with a Paradise when Sin and Satan have done their worst This New Jerusalem shall be the wind-up of the world and in it shall stand the Tree of Life as well as there stood one in the goodly Garden which was the beginning thereof In which Paradise there shall be no Tree of Knowledge or the Law of Works to bear sway and to cause that the Sons of God shall be thrust out thence for their eating of its forbidden Fruits no the Tree of Life alone shall here bear sway and rule whose Fruit is only healthful and the Leaves thereof for Medicine Now this Tree of Life being in the midst of this City it signifieth that the Inhabitants of it shall be sweetly shadowed refreshed and defended with its coolness and also sweetly nourished and comforted with its dainties And hence it is that the Scriptures do hold him forth in his benefits to his Church under these very notions As the Apple-tree is among the Trees of the Wood so is my Beloved among the Sons I sate down under his shadow with great delight and his fruit was sweet to my taste Indeed the shadow of this Tree of Life as always it is refreshing to the tempted and weary so now it will be far more They that dwell under his shadow shall return they shall revive as the Corn and grow as the Vine and the scent thereof shall be as the Wine of Lebanon
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 Heavenly 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 't is thither men go that are desirous to solace 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 Inhabitants at that day In that day shall this Song be sung We have a strong City Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks And verily if the Cities of the Gentiles and the strength of their Bars and Gates and Walls did so shake thâ— Hearts yea the very Faith of the Children of God themselves how securâ— and safe will the Inhabitants of this Citâ— be even the Inhabitants of that City whicâ— 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 Daughter 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 Governours of all the World at that day shall be Jerusalem-Men And the Captivity of this Host of the Children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephath 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 â—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 only 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 Dominion 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 Jerusalem 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 descend out of it from God First For the word Heaven in Scripture it is variously to be understood but generally either materially or metaphorically 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 Person is Consider That the descending of this City â— not the coming of glorified Saints with their Lord because that even after the descending yea and building of this City there shall be Sinners converted to God but at the coming of the Lord Jesus 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 observe it though the Church of Christ under the tyranny of Antichrist loseth the title of a standing City yet in the worst of times she loseth not the title of Heaven 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 blaspheme 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
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 Apostles 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 upon 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 preached 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 Apostles of the Lamb. And in them their Names This makes it manifest that by the Foundations 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 entailed to that Doctrine that at last it became common and that by Divine Allowance 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 engraven in it he expects that men should be wise that read him and that they should be skilful in the Word of Righteousness if they come up clearly to the understanding of him And in them the Names of the twelve Apostles 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 Apostles 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 Kingdom 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 until the time he was taken up into Heaven they saw him heard him and discoursed 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 therefore he said unto them in chief Ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea and in Samaria and unto the utmost 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 holy 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 Dispensation 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 consider to them 't was said Whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Matth. 18. 18. they as to their Doctrine were infallible 't was 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 thereon 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 Consideraration 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 Heaven 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 Master-Builder I who am
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 enjoyment of God and his Grace at that day shall be proportionable also She is square in her Rule square in her Obedience 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 keeping 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 spiritual 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 Wherefore 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 Obedience 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 offer 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 City 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 hundred 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 general 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 distance 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 figure 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 SEPARATION BETVVEEN THE SANCTUARY AND THE PROPHANE PLACE Ezek. 42. 20. Which VVall could not be that Wall which compassed the City because it was but five hundred 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 many Market-Towns especially if together 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 Cotage 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 heavenly 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 matter 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 purpose for in the very face of Tophet even between it and our place of sanctuary is fixed an invincible and impregnable mighty Wall to keep in safety those that have fled to
Preachers confounded and removed to and fro even like loose and roulingstones these Offices also are by others attributed to Antichrist and his Children 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 Wherefore 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 Saviour and King of kings be as the Bulwarks to this City to which shall be added all the Promises Consolations Encouragements c. in the blessed Book of God out of which this City continually shall suck the Milk and Nourishment of the unsearchable Grace of God to them to all which shall be added many 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 fastened in this Wall for the compleat delivering 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 every Truth and Office of Christ in is own true natural force about this City and when God in his special and most indeared 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 wondering 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 Altar-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 morning 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 beginning 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 famous and holy Worthies that before us have risen up in their place and shook off those Reliques of Antichrist that intrenched 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 Champions 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 Offerings upon the Altar as the other did yet they are men also that are for Temple-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 select 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 figured forth by Zerubbabel Joshua and all the people of the Land that are for working and labouring in this service of Temple-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 spiritual Sodom and Egypt So at the end of these there will be City-work on foot also Which City-work will chiefly consist in setting up the Wall and Gates for defence and of building themselves Houses or Mansions of rest and refreshment after all their hard usage under the tyranny of the Man of sin that Son of Perdition which City-work wil be then compleated when the
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 't is 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 mentioned which yet will though they continue 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 worketh abomination or maketh a lie shall enter 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 graceless as visibly as the light that shineth and that instead of being the Ploughmen and Vine-dressers of the Church prove Thieves Robbers Persecutors and the like yea if many that are within the bounds of that Book of Life that hath the Records and Rules of a rightly constituted visible Church may yet perish what will become of them that never were so much as written therein must they not perish rather And whosoever were not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire Chap. 22. ver 1. And he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. HAving thus shewed us this City her Fashion Glory Inhabitants and the like he now comes to shew us her Provision and Maintenance wherewith she is kept in safety life peace and comfort c. And he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life This Water of Life is nothing else but the manifold Grace of God in Christ let forth to the Inhabitants of this Jerusalem wherewith she is watered and replenished as the Earth with rain from Heaven for the good of those that drink thereof For both the word Water and that of Life they are but metaphorical sayings under which is held forth some better and more excellent thing And indeed it is frequent with God in Scripture to speak of his Grace and Mercy under the notion of Waters of a Fountain a Sea and the like Zech. 13. 1 2. Mica 7. 18 19. Now it is called Water First Because no soul can be cleansed or effectually washed from its guilt and filth but by the Grace of God I washed thee with water yea I throughly washed away thy blood from thee and thou becamest mine Ezek. 16. 8 9. Secondly It is called Water because it also quencheth the spiritual thrist of them that by Faith do drink thereof I will give saith Christ to him that is athirst of the Fountain of the Water of Life freely And again He that drinketh of the Water that I shall give him shall never thirst Rev. 2. 16. John 4. 14. Further As it is called Water so it is called the Water OF LIFE and that upon a diverse account First Because it is that which recovereth the soul that drinketh thereof from the Death of Sin and the Curse of God to a principle of Life and heavenly Blessing And it shall come to pass that everyone that liveth that moveth whithersoever the waters shall come shall live Ezek. 47. 9. Secondly It is called the Water of Life because that from it comes all those heavenly and spiritual quicknings and revivings that like Aqua-vitae do fetch again and chear up the soul that was sinking and giving up the Ghost in this world There is a River the streams whereof make glad the City of God Psal. 46. 4. Thirdly It is called the Water of Life because it healeth the soul of all its spiritual infirmities and diseases wherewith by the reason of the remainders of sin the creature is most sadly anoyed and infected And there shall be a great multitude of Fish of men he means Mat. 4. 19. because the waters shall come thither for they the Fish shall be healed and every thing shall live whither the Waters come Ezek. 47. 9. Fourthly and lastly It is called the Water of Life because that whosoever doth effectually drink thereof shall die no more but the Water that Christ shall give him shal be in him a Well of water springing up in him to eternal life wherefore he calleth it in another place the Living Water because the quality and nature of it is to beget to encrease to maintain and preserve life John 4. 10 14. And he shewed me a pure River of Water of Life clear as Crystal c. Mark It is Water Water of Life pure Water of Life and clear as Crystal These words pure and clear and that as Crystal they are aded upon a double account First To shew you that it is Grace alone that saveth the sinner And secondly To shew you 〈…〉 this day the Doctrine of this Grace will be by it self alone without the commixture of that dirt and trash that for a long time even to this day hath been thrown into it First It sheweth us that it is Grace alone that saveth the sinner pure Grace Grace that admits of nothing of ours to be in the least a helper in the matter of our happiness we are justified freely by his Grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ. As he saith by the Prophet I will pour CLEAN water upon you and you shall be clean and from all your Idols will I cleanse you Not for your sakes do I this saith the Lord. Be ye ashamed and confounded for all your own evil ways O House of Israel Ezek. 36. 25 26 27 32 33. It is clean water indeed it is clear in the nature of it clear in the gift of it and clear in the working of it It washeth freely throughly and perfectly from all your Idols will I cleanse you Rev. 21. 6. Ezek. 16. 9. Ezek. 36. 25 26. Secondly This word pure and clear as Crystal It also sheweth us that at the day of New Jerusalem the Doctrine of Grace shall be cleansed from all those dirty and muddy inventions that Sin Satan and the Wisdom of this world hath thrown into this River and into its goodly Crystal Streams I say at this day they shall not come near it neither shall the rubish they have already cast into it any more be there for ever I will destroy all the Beasts thereof the beastly men he means from beside the great waters neither shall the foot