in the Mount For he made the Tabernacle Aaron's Garments and all other things as he was commanded There was a perfect Ceremonial Holiness in all And the Sacrifices were without blemish Now all things here being given forth under the Names of Mosaical Rites and Shadows this seems to intimate That true Holiness will be as perfect in this time as Ceremonial was in Moses his time Thus much concerning the General Considerations the more particular are these following Consid 1. All Ordinances will be Gods Ordinances and administred according to his Institution and Command and none of Mens Ordinances will be added to or joyned with them Chap. 43.7 The place of my Throne and of the Soles of my Feet shall the Children of Israel no more defile in setting their Threshold by my Threshold and their Posts by my Posts There is God's Door and Threshold by which Men are to enter into the Church and there are Doors and Thresholds made by Antichrist and he would not have any to enter but through his Doors and over his Thresholds But in this time of Reformation all these will be taken away and none shall remain but the Lords And then not onely Ordinances but the Forms and Fashions of them and all their Circumstances and manner of Administration will be of Divine appointment The Man of Sin hath taken upon him to form and fashion things which concern the Worship of God and to mend Divine Institutions and to make up what he judges to be wanting in them He will put a better form upon them than that in which the Word hath left them to us and adds many new things of his own inventing But observe what is said Chap. 43.11 Shew them the form of the House and the fashion thereof and all the forms thereof Shew them the Ordinances thereof and all the forms thereof The mentioning of Forms so oft is not a vain repetition 'T is to shew that all will be as it ought both for Substance and Circumstances And when it is said All the Ordinances and Forms thereof it may be meant of the forms of those Ordinances All in this Church will appear in a Scripture shape and form and the Lord will magnifie his Law and make it honourable and all Antichristian Laws and Ordinances shall be brought into contempt and shall have the Judgment of the Great Whore which is to be hated and utterly burnt with Fire Q. But will there be such Ordinances as now in that time viz. Preaching and Administration of Sacraments John saith Rev. 21.22 That there will not be need of the Sun or Moon no need of a Ministry for the Lord God and the Lamb will be the Temple thereof A. This is true as to the New Jerusalem but amongst the People of the Land and the saved Nations there will be Ordinances They shall have the Light of Scripture and a Ministry holding it forth Fishers stand upon the Bank of the River What are these but Fishers of Men and do hint a Ministry A Ministry must be till all the Saints be come up to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ which cannot be said of the People of the Land And we may not think that the great abounding of Light and Grace in that Glorious Day will render a Ministry useless and unprofitable For as 't will be a growing time with the People of the Land and the saved Nations so a Ministry will be a means of their growth 'T is observed that Christ who received the Spirit and not by measure did yet attend on John's Ministry which is gathered from John 1.26 27. Iohn Baptist saith There is one standing among you c. This was Christ who then stood among Iohn's Disciples He it is who coming after me is preferred before me After me in the Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not post but pone me behind me as a Follower of mine Matth. 16.24 If any will come after 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so as to be a Disciple and Follower of mine So this coming after is of a Disciple following his Master Thus did Christ he followed John and attended on his Ministry And how was the Ministry magnified by this when the Lord of Glory attended on it Christ was as Iohn's Master so Iohn's Disciple even as he was David's Lord yet David's Son Iohn might have said as when Christ came to be baptized of him I have need to be baptized of thee so I have need to be taught of thee and comest thou to me But this Christ did also because it became him to fulfill all righteousness And if it became him to do this how much more doth it become us to do it now and how much more will it become the people of the Land to do it when the Jews shall be called who shall then be in a growing state And if there shall be a Ministery in that time then also Baptism for Christs Commission was Go teach all nations baptizing them make Disciples and then baptize them If therefore the saved Nations shall be converted by teaching then they must be baptized This seems hinted chap. 40.38 At the entries by the posts of the gates they washed the burnt-offering And if there shall be Baptism then also the Lords Supper which the Tables on which the Sin-offering is to be slain may also hint of which more afterwards Q. Will not the personal coming of Christ put an end to Ordinances for the Apostle saith As often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup ye do shew forth the Lords death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 A. The Saints with Christ in the New Jerusalem will be above Ordinances but not the people of the Land Two things are necessary to carry a people above Ordinances 1. Christs receiving them to himself to be where he is John 14.3 I will come again to receive you to my self that where I am there ye may be also This is the coming which carries a people above Ordinances 2. Their being with Christ in glory and made like unto him Thus will it be with the Saints in the New Jerusalem but not with the people of the Land till changed and translated thither therefore they may sometimes have a sight of Christ yet will not hereby be carried above Ordinances which may be cleared by two Instances First Christ was transfigured on the Mount and was seen in that glory in which he shall appear at his second coming for Peter saith That he and James and John were then Eye-witnesses of his power and coming There were with Christ then Moses and Elias and Peter and James and John Moses and Elias saw his glory and appeared with him in glory and so they were above Ordinances Peter and James and John saw his glory but did not appear with him in glory neither was that sight to continue and therefore notwithstanding this they were to be under Ordinances And that they might not think themselves hereby
Translation of many out of the Nations into the Church who shall have Inheritances among the Tribes of Israel and also of many from among the Tribes in the Land into the New Jerusalem as also from among the saved Nations 1. Out of the Nations into the Church for this see Ezek. 47.22 The strangers that sojourn among you which shall beget children shall be as born in the countrey and they shall have inheritance among the Tribes of Israel So that in the Land there will be Propagation and the mention of Children may be to hint that the strangers and their children with them shall have Inheritance in Israel and be of the Church Which shews that there will be Conversion-work at that time which also as before was hinted appears from the Fishers standing by the River and by the healing of the Waters the mirey places not being healed by which may be meant the Nations not converted out of which Gog and Magog shall at last arise 2. From amongst the Tribes of Israel in the Land into the New Jerusalem for this see chap. 48.19 The increase of that over against the holy portion is to be for food for those that serve the city and they that serve the city shall serve it out of all the Tribes of Israel For the understanding of this place let it be considered what this City wants and hath need to be served with 1. It doth not want Food and Raiment for all in it will be as the Angels they need no Candle neither light of the Sun much less then Corn Wine and Oyl 2. This City wants nothing but more Citizens nothing but more Saints and these it will want till all the Elect shall be called and come up to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ Thus doth Heaven now want the Saints upon Earth and so will the New Ierusalem till all the Mansions there shall have those in them for whom they are prepared Compare this of serving the City with Luke 14.17 there is an Invitation to a Supper Come for all things are ready the Servants are sent to invite more verse 22. Yet there is room and the Lord said Compel them to come in that my house may be full Whence may be gathered that there is no want in this City but of more Guests and Citizens This City then is served more remotely by those that shall be Instruments in bringing in strangers among the Tribes of Israel and more nearly by fitting Saints for the New Ierusalem And here by the way let it be observed what a glorious Work that of the Ministery is it being now to serve Heaven with the Saints it needs and at last the New Ierusalem with the Citizens it will want The Ministers of Christ are like those Officers which provided Victual for King Solomon and for all that came to his Table 1 Kings 4.27 The Saints brought in shall be as Victual for Christ and all that come to his Table and with these the City is served Hence may be gathered thus much 1. When the New Ierusalem shall come down there will be Saints in two different states some in the City where Christs Throne shall be some without in the Land for they serve the City out of all the Tribes of Israel that is with Saints taken thence 2. Amongst the Tribes in the Land there will be a Ministery serving the City Q. Whether any Saints of the Tribes in the Land or saved Nations shall die in that time or whether they shall be changed and translated into the City A. Against the death of any Saint in that state and for their change it may be thus argued 1. It 's said Rev. 21.4 God shall wipe away all tears and there shall be no more death This is spoken of the People of God verse 3. No death to such as shall have the Lord for their God 2. Paul saith 1 Cor. 15.51 52. Behold I shew you a mystery we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed There will be at last a change instead of death and when the time of changing comes no Saints shall after that die and this change will begin at the Resurrection of the dead Saints The dead shall be raised and we shall be changed that is at and after this each Saint shall in the time appointed for it be changed Of this change Enoch and Elias were Types And 't is said further verse 54. Then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in victory O Death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction If after this destruction of the Grave Death shall happen to any Saints how shall it be swallowed up in victory God will then be the death of Death and the destruction of the Grave and therefore Death and the Grave shall not be the destruction of any of the Saints Bodies 1 Thes 4.16 17. The dead in Christ shall rise first then we which are alive shall be caught up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 afterwards that is all in their order some at some after the coming of Christ in the time of the one thousand years some at his coming even all then alive which before were called And at this time a new Generation of Saints will be brought forth and converted by means of the appearing of Christ For now will be a through conversion of all the Iews many of them not being effectually called till this time as after will appear And now also will the fulness of the Gentiles come in which will be the Nations of them which shall be saved Q How doth this agree with Isa 65.20 The child shall die an hundred years old but the sinner being an hundred years old shall be accursed the child being set in opposition to the sinner is one born of God and that is in the time of the new Heavens and the new Earth verse 17 A. Death is sometimes put for a Change in Scripture and why then may it not be so taken here Heb. 9.27 It 's appointed to men once to die But 1 Cor. 15.51 We shall not all die How shall these two places be reconciled Beza thus reconciles them In iis qui immutabuntur illa immutatio species mortis erit Change will be a kind of Death Heb. 11.13 These all died in faith but Enoch being one of them verse 5. did not die but was translated that he did not see death How shall this seeming contradiction be reconciled but as Ribera doth Nomine mortis translatio comprehenditur c. Under the name of Death a Translation is comprehended in that Enoch's Translation was a Death in relation to those that remained alive in the world because by it he ceased to be amongst them It 's said of him He was not which elsewhere signifies death as when Jacob said One is not that is dead in his thoughts Consid 8. The Name of this City shall be Iehovah Shammah The
and alienated from the life of God but then he believed that he should return to Judea the Land of the Living which is so called Ezek. 32.23 Judgments are threatned to the Jews Enemies because they caused terrour in the Land of the Living The Woman being in the Wilderness her hope and confidence is to see the goodness of the Lord in a Canaan And the dead Witnesses shall be in the Land of the living 3. The knowledge of these Truths will be matter of encouragement to the People of God to stand it out in an evil day When 't is known what Plagues are ready to come upon Babylon men will take the more heed that they partake not in her sins and that they be not found within the Confines of it If the great Truth of the first Resurrection were well improved what power would it have to keep men upright in apostatizing times Heb. 11.35 The Believers of old did not accept of deliverance that they might obtain a better Resurrection If the hope of a Resurrection at so great a distance was such a support how much more should it be so now being much nearer This expression of a better Resurrection in Hope did intimate that they might have had a present one then their Enemies that cast them down would have given them a Resurrection if they would have accepted it on their terms Even so the Beast that casts them down will give a Resurrection to the Witnesses of Christ if when risen they will fall down and worship him Now what will better encourage the Witnesses to endure to the end than the hope of a better Resurrection Two great Resurrections are spoken of in Scripture 1. That of the slain witnesses Rev. 11.11 After three days and a half the Spirit of Life from God entred into them and they stood upon their feet and after ascended to Heaven and their Enemies beheld them and that 's all they do they cannot kill them again If any in such time accept of a Resurrection from the Beast they must soon fall with him But let them keep the Commandments of God and the Testimony of Jesus Christ so shall they stand with the Lamb on Mount Sion 2. That of the dead Saints at the coming of Christ they shall live and reign with Christ Here are two things much for the comfort of Saints 1. The godly shall be raised and be with Christ long before the wicked shall be raised and they shall be the Sheep at Christ's right Hand and after the wicked shall be raised and be the Goats at Christ's left Hand The godly and wicked dye alike and Worms devour their bodies Eccl. 2.16 How dieth the wise Man As the Fool. How dyeth the godly Man As the wicked But though they dye alike yet they shall not arise alike but Saints first and they shall be long in glory and at last the wicked shall be raised to shame and everlasting contempt 2. The Saints when raised shall have glorious Bodies the Wicked shall have immortal Bodies capable of everlasting torments but not glorious Bodies For their vile Bodies shall be raised vile and remain vile for ever Their Bodies are vile whilst they live more vile when they dye and shall be most vile when raised again For as the Souls so the Bodies of the godly and wicked shall be in a contrary State If then the Saints shall have glorious Bodies in the Resurrection the wicked shall have vile Bodies and according to the degree of glory which the Saints Bodies shall have will be the degree of vileness in wicked Mens Bodies What encouragement is this to follow the Lamb withersoever he goes that so you may have assurance of living and reigning with Christ 7. The conclusion of all in some Counsels and Directions 1. Receive Christ now and when he comes he will receive you to himself Open to him and he will open to you Receive him for Life and to be your Lord and then you may say when Christ who is our life shall appear we shall also appear with him in Glory Live in him and live to him so may you hope to live and reign with him If to you to live be Christ then to dye will be great gain and to rise will be greater 2. Look for and love the appearing of Christ To them that look for him he shall appear and give a Crown of righteousness to them that love his appearing If you deny your selves and take up the Cross of righteousness and follow Christ then you shall have the Crown of righteousness 3. Have your Conversations in Heaven mind heavenly things and drive a trade in Heaven buy Gold white Rayment and Eye-salve of Christ Get the Powders of the heavenly Merchant wherewith the Spouse is perfumed Walk by a heavenly Rule imitate an heavenly Pattern and aim at an heavenly End and so look for a Saviour from Heaven 4. Be of the number of wise Virgins be Virgins pure incorrupt espoused to Christ Take him as the Chiefest of ten thousand and altogether lovely and be wise Virgins in getting Oyle for your Vessels Let there be true faith joining you to Christ that you may receive of his fulness grace for grace Rest not in a Form but see that there be the Power of Godliness Thus shall you go in with the Bridegroom to the Marriage 5. Have a righteousness exceeding the righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees For without this you cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Mat. 5.20 This must be First The righteousness of Faith which is the righteousness of God laid hold on by Faith This the Pharisees would not submit to but went about to establish their own righteousness You can't be righteous before God but in the righteousness of God even of Christ God-Man Secondly A righteousness in your works which must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees in these two respects 1. You must be Servants to righteousness Rom. 6.18 Being made free from sin ye became the Servants of righteousness The Pharisees made their reighteousness a Servant to them in that they sought their own praise thereby Let yours exceed theirs in being Servants of righteousness 2. You must love righteousness and be Servants to it out of love Baalam loved the wages of unrighteousness the Pharisees loved the ways of righteousness but Christ loved righteousness Heb. 1.9 and so do those that are Christ's and therein they exceed the Scribes and Pharisees And if you have this righteousness exceeding theirs consider what Promises are made to you Isa 33.24 Who among us shall dwell with devouring Fire Who among us shall dwell with everlasting Burnings He that walketh in righteousness and speaketh uprightness Interpreters look no farther than Hezekiahs time for a sense of this place as if this and what follows had its accomplishment when Jerusalem was besieged and Sennachrib's Army destroyed which may be part of the sense and somewhat that was typical But doubtless Isaiah looks to the last
of Light and Holiness which shall be due to that state and shall perform the Service which shall be required of them in that station And these Churches without shall have gate holiness court-holiness court-attainments and Outer Temple perfection communion and comforts and the others shall have Inner Temple holiness perfection and consolations The like may be said of the City there is the beloved City New Jerusalem Rev. 26.9 and there is the camp of the Saints like the camp of Israel when the Tribes marched and pitched in order about the Tabernacle and is set forth by the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is in the Septuagint to set forth the camp of Israel This camp will consist of called Iews and converted Gentiles even the Nations of them which shall be saved and shall walk in the light of the New Ierusalem for New Ierusalem light shall fill the breadth of the Land of Immanuel and every little chamber of the gates hath a window to let in New Ierusalem light into it This camp of the Saints will be urbs mobilis castrensis a moveable and Tent City and the New Ierusalem urbs fixa The former will answer the Church of Israel dwelling in Tents and the later the state of that Church when Ierusalem was the City chosen of God to place his Name in So then there will be at that time when the Iews shall be called Saints in two different states that is glorified and not glorified That there will be glorified ones shall be after proved and that there shall be some not glorified I shall prove by this Argument There will be marrying and begetting of children in that time which cannot be among the raised Saints for they marry not neither are given in marriage therefore there must be Saints in an inferiour state among whom this will be And that some Saints shall beget children then is evident from chap. 47.22 Ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance unto you and to the strangers that sojourn among you which shall beget children among you and they shall be to you as born in the land among the children of Israel This likewise is manifest from Isa 59.20 21. The redeemer shall come to Sion and unto them that turn from transgression in Iacob As for me this is my covenant with them saith the Lord my spirit which is upon thee and my words which I have put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth and for ever This Promise concerns the Iews when they shall be called for by this the Apostle proves their calling Rom. 11.26 Now after their calling they shall have Seed and Seeds Seed Isa 60.15 I will make thee the joy of many generations Isa 61.9 Their seed shall be known among the Gentiles and their of-spring among the people Isa 65.23 They shall not labour in vain nor bring forth for trouble for they are the seed of the blessed of the Lord and their of-spring with them The Promise is to them and their of-spring who shall all be sanctified ones and the blessed of the Lord. The curse of Adam shall not then rest upon any of the Saints children but they shall have the blessing of Abraham Prop. 6. This Temple and City this Church and Common-wealth which was constituted and framed according to an Heavenly pattern Moses did all according to the pattern in the Mount and Solomon built the Temple after the form which was shewn to David by the Spirit 1 Chron. 28.12 So Christ shall build this Temple according to the heavenly pattern All shall be done by line and measure and every part shall have its due proportion so that it will be a Spiritual House fitly framed growing into an holy Temple chap. 40.3 Ezekiel saw a man whose appearance was as Brass with a line of Flax and a measuring Reed This is Christ who shall do his Work exactly and according to rule Prop. 7. There were some things commanded to the Jews of old which are not mentioned in the description of this Temple and City and the not mentioning of them with other Jewish Rites and Ordinances here spoken of doth argue the Perfection which the Church here described shall have above what it had under Moses or any time since Now to shew this consider 1. There was a Candlestick for Light both in the Tabernacle and Temple much is spoken of it as Exod. 25.31 and in other places this was a Type of Gospel-Churches which are called Golden Candlesticks Rev. 1.20 and the two Witnesses are called two Candlesticks Rev. 11.4 A Candlestick is to hold forth light in a dark place And when Gospel-Churches are called Candlesticks it notes Churches which shall be in a time of darkness when a Candle is useful Thus in John's time there was much darkness upon the face of the earth John 1.5 The light shineth in darkness And the two prophesying Witnesses are Lights shining in Darkness Heathenish Mahometan and Antichristian darkness hath covered the greatest part of the World and the few Witnesses of Christ have been Candlesticks holding forth the true light in a dark time and place But in the description of this Temple and City we read nothing of a Candlestick or light of a Candle Whence may be concluded that the state of the Church here fore-told will be much more glorious in respect of Light and Knowledge than as yet it hath been Rev. 22.5 it 's said the New Jerusalem hath no need of a Candle And then even in the portions of the Tribes that will be made good Isa 30.26 The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun seven-fold That degree of Scripture-light which now shines in the World being compared with that which shall shine hereafter is but as the light of the Moon to the light of the Sun 't is but as the lesser Light ruling the Night but then it shall be as the greater Light ruling the Day And as now is a time of much darkness in the World so a great matter of comfort it is that we may say as the Apostle Rom. 13.12 The Night is far spent and the Day is at hand The Night in which Antichrist reigns and wild Beasts are abroad seeking their Prey is very far spent and the Day of the Son of Man is at hand And when this Day comes the Church shall be no longer a Candlestick but a glorious Light upon the top of a Mountain and all Heathenish Mahometan and Antichristian darkness shall pass away and the Earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the Waters cover the Sea There shall be abundance of light and knowledge Idols shall be abolished and there shall not be Athism in the World As there is not Atheism in Hell but Devils and damned Spirits know that there
carried above them there came a Voice out of the cloud Hear him After they had thus seen they were commanded to hear and we may well conceive that thus it will be in the New Jerusalem state some will be as Moses and Elias in the presence of Christ and like him in glory so the Saints in the New Ierusalem others will be as Peter Iames and Iohn who may sometimes see Christ and yet be under a command of hearing so the People of the Land Secondly Paul had a sight of Christ after he was received up into glory 1 Cor. 15.8 Last of all he was seen of me also And this sight of Christ was with his bodily eyes even as the other Apostles and five hundred Brethren had seen him But notwithstanding this sight Paul remained under Ordinances Consid 2. The Members of Churches shall have true holiness and righteousness Isa 60.21 Thy people shall be all righteous Chap. 43.7 The place of my throne shall the children of Israel no more defile No carcase shall be here none dead in sins shall be admitted into this spiritual house Eliashib was guilty of this evil thing in relation to the material Temple He prepared a chamber in the courts of the house of God for Tobiah which grieved Nehemiah and therefore he cast the housholdstuff of Tobiah out of the chamber Nehem. 13.7 8. But no Tobiah shall have a chamber prepared in the Courts of this House of God neither shall any of Antichrists Housholdstuff be found in this House to defile it Chap. 44.9 No stranger uncircumcised in heart or flesh shall enter into my Sanctuary All shall put off the body of the sins of the flesh and be circumcised to the Lord both in heart and flesh inwardly and outwardly they shall be holy in heart and life and in all manner of conversation There shall not be any who under a form shall deny the power of Godliness In the later perillous times it is so but in the last pure and peaceable times it shall not be so Rev. 22.3 His servants shall serve him him and not their Enemies him onely and him throughly All shall be an oblation to God and shall present their bodies a living sacrifice Chap. 45.15 16. One lamb out of the flock out of the fat pastures of Israel for a meat-offering Ordinances and means of Grace shall then be fat Pastures for the Saints to feed in The Church hath been in the Wilderness and nourished there Rev. 12.14 but at last it shall be brought out of the Wilderness into the fat Pastures of Israel and the Saints feeding in them shall be fat and flourishing whereby he that is feeble shall be as David and he that is as David shall be as the Angel of the Lord. And mark what follows All the people of the Land shall give this Oblation for the Prince or be this Oblation to the Prince in Israel And how shall this be Veâ—se 1â— It shall be the Princes part to give Burnt-offerings and Meat-offerings making good that Promise I will cause you to walk in my Statutes Now to set forth this more fully consider 1. All the Sacrifices shall be holy and without blemish Chap. 46.4 Lambs without blemish The Saints of that time shall be Lambs in innocency and Lambs without blemish Now there being much spoken in this Prophecy about Sacrifices and Offerings I shall take this occasion to unfold somewhat of the Mystery of them And in the first place shall take notice that mention is made of the Princes Offerings and of the Peoples Offerings The Prince is Christ and of his Offerings we read chap. 45.22 On the day of the Passeover shall the Prince prepare for himself and the People of the Land a Bullock for a Sin-offering and seven Bullocks and seven Rams for a Meat-offering the Sin-offering for the People of the Land the Meat-offering for himself and the People of the Land The Peoples Offerings are mentioned chap. 46.24 These are the places of them that boil where the Ministers of the House shall boil the Sacrifices of the People â—n the next place we may observe the several kinds of Sacrifices mentioned in this Prophecy being four the Sin-offering the Burnt-offering the Meat-offering and Peace-offering 1. The Sin-offering and this is Christ who maâ—â— his Soul an Offering for Sin Q. How shall Christ be offered when this Temple shall be built A. 1. There shall be a full discovery of the Mystery of Christ crucified of his being made Sin and fulfilling righteousness We may observe that where Christ crucified was preached and his death was shewn forth in the Lords Supper there he is said to be crucified Gal. 3.1 Before whose eyes Christ hath been evidently set forth crucified among you So that he was crucified at Galatia that is evidently set forth as crucified In like manner when this Temple shall be built Christ shall be slain that is evidently set forth as slain The price of his Bloud and his great love in laying down his Life will be fully manifested and the Doctrine of Justification by Free Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ will be fully cleared up and all Errors about it will vanish Christ was crucified at Ierusalem without the Gate and at Galatia now at the time here meant Christ will be crucified not as at Ierusalem but as at Galatia in being evidently set forth as crucified 2. Christ crucified shall be applied by Faith The Jews shall not establish their own righteousness then but shall submit to the righteousness of God and the Benefits of Christ crucified shall flow in abundantly upon them as in reconciling them to God so in purging them from dead works to serve the living God Chap. 45.20 The bloud must be upon the posts of the house the settle of the altar and on the posts of the gates so shall ye reconcile the house And this is to be done for every one that erreth and is simple The least sin can't be done away but by the Bloud of Christ and then all from the least to the greatest shall be done away Concerning this Sin-offering one thing more is to be observed against Popish Altars and the Mass Chap. 40.39 There are Tables to slay the Sin-offering upon we do not read of Tables for this use under the Law but onely of an Altar Christ will not be sacrificed and offered on an Altar as the Papists dream they do supposing the consecrated Bread and Wine to be the very Body and Bloud of Christ which their Priests pretend to offer up upon an Altar as an Expiatory Sacrifice But Christ shall be onely slain upon Tables that is evidently set forth as slain both in the Word preached and in the Lords Supper which as hath been before shewn will be then administred among the People of the Land and the whole Mystery of Christ crucified will be made so plain upon these Tables that he may run that shall read it 2. Burnt-offerings
in the New Jerusalem then he shall not be ignorant of the People of the Land but as the holy Angels know the Saints on Earth so shall the New Jerusalem glorified Saints know those not glorified Rev. 4.1 c. We have a Representation of this City as now in Heaven but chiefly as it shall be on Earth for 't is said I will shew thee things which shall be hereafter And what was shewn him A Throne set in Heaven and one that sat upon it like Jasper with a Rain-bow about his head To assure the Saints that there shall be no more any Deluge of trouble and adversity There are Four and twenty Seats and Four and twenty Elders which are glorified Saints in the Mansions prepared for them they have Crowns of Gold they Reign with Christ in the New Jerusalem And as Christ will have Work for them so they shall be fitted for it The four Beasts have the Face of a Man that is Wisdom and Understanding Of an Ox Strength for Work Of a Lion that is Courage And of a flying Eagle they shall make haste and not delay to do the Will and Work of God Then the Kingdom so long prayed for will come and the Will of God shall be done on Earth as it is in Heaven Consid 4. This City is to be taken two ways more strictly and more largely 1. More strictly as distinct from Suburbs and the portions of land without it having twelve Gates c. 2. More largely as comprehending all that belong to it and shall be under the Government of it and shall walk in the Light of it and partake in its Liberties and Priviledges Thus the Tribes and Strangers with them in their Lots and Portions shall belong to the New Jerusalem and be reckoned to be of it As the Great City Babylon more strictly taken is Rome which is said to Reign over the Kings of the Earth But as more largely taken it comprehends all the Nations that walk in the Darkness of it which wonder after and worship the Beast and are under his Power So the New Jerusalem more properly is that which cometh down from Heaven but comprehends also all that walk in the Light of it And as Babylon hath ten parts so New Jerusalem twelve parts even a Portion for each Tribe Consid 5. the Dominion of Christ the King in this Great City shall be extended over the whole World For as he shall Reign in the New Jerusalem and there have his Throne so he shall in that Day be King over all the Earth Zachar. 14.9 And all even Saints and not Saints shall be subject to him although in a different manner Chap. 46.16 The Prince is said to have Servants and Sons which two Names will take in all The Sons are such as shall be born of God and made after God and all besides will be comprehended under the Name of Servants who shall be under the Dominion of Christ and be made to submit to such Laws which Christ shall give for the Government of the unconverted Nations who from slavish fear at least and haply from some taste they will have of the benefit of his Government shall become Servants to him as King of Nations Jer. 7.10 he is so called There shall be a time in which all shall fear him either filially or slavishly The Sons out of an awful respect shall with Love and Delight serve Christ as King of Saints the Servants because they must shall submit to his Government See Psa 18.44 Psa 66.3 See the Hebrew For the farther Illustration of this let Zach. 14.16 be considered Every one left of the Nations who shall escape the destruction of that Day for all found in actual opposition against Christ in that Day will be cut off shall come up from year to year to worship the King the Lord of Hosts and shall keep the Feast of Tabernacles Here are large Expressions taking in all For all shall worship Christ either as Sons or as Servants and keep the Feast of Tabernacles And to know what is meant hereby we must consider on what ground the Jews kept this Feast Now we find first 1. That in this Feast the Israelites were to dwell in Booths and to rejoyce before the Lord who had brought them out of Aegypt Lev. 23.43 Now in answer to this the Nations shall acknowledge a great benefit in Christ's taking off the Antichristian and all other Tyrannical Yokes from them and by his reigning in Righteousness whereby every Man shall sit under his Vine and Fig-tree The Servants under their Vines and Fig-trees of outward Peace Plenty and Prosperity and the Sons under their better Vines which shall yield them abundance of Spiritual Blessings they shall abide in Christ the true Vine under whose shadow they shall sit with great delight 2. The Feast of Tabernacles was kept to acknowledge the Goodness of God in blessing them in all the Works of their Hands and in all their Increase Deut. 16.15 Thus the Lord shall wonderfully bless the Nations in the works of their Hands and give them great Increase which they shall acknowledge to be a benefit of his Government and thus they shall keep this Feast 3. In the Feast of Tabernacles the Law was to be read that they might observe to do all the works of it Deut. 31.11 Thus the Nations shall own all the Laws of Christ for their Government in Righteousness and shall submit to them All therefore shall keep this Feast but in different manner The Servants shall worship the King the Lord of Hosts but the Sons shall worship the Lord their God and David their King Hos 3.5 The Servants shall fear the Lord and his wrath and justice The Sons shall fear the Lord and his Goodness The Servants shall serve the Lord and the King The Sons their Lord and their King And here it may be farther observed That as all shall be subject to Christ so he will give Rewards to all though not in like manner but suitably to their Service The Servants shall have an outward and temporal Reward for external Subjection the Sons a Spiritual and Eternal Reward The Servants like Abraham's Children by the Concubines shall have Gifts for a time The Sons an Inheritance for ever The Servants shall have an Esau's Portion the Dew of Heaven and the Fatness of the Earth The Sons a Jacob's Portion the Lord or their God an exceeding great Reward The Servant shall have such a Reward of outward Peace Plenty and Prosperity as to be able to say as Esau I have enough The Son such a Reward as to be able to say as Jacob I have all This may be gathered from Chap. 46.16 17. If the Prince give a Gift to any of his Sons the Inheritance thereof shall be his Sons they shall have it as joynt Heirs with Christ and it shall not be taken from them But if he give a Gift to one of his Servants of his Inheritance then it shall
Babylon came into remembrance before God Thus we see it manifest that there are two Babylons mentioned in the Revelations Yet let it be considered that Babylon may be taken two ways 1. Locally for a particular place and Seat So Rome is Babylon and after its destruction some other place may be so 2. Politically for the Antichristian state or fourth Kingdom under Antichrist as having the Supreme Rule in it And thus as the two Beasts are but one Antichrist so the two Babylons are but one and the same Antichristian State and Kingdom An Empire may remain the same when the Seat is changed as when Constantine removed from Rome to Byzantium Q. But where will the second Babylon or Seat of this second Beast be A. This cannot be determined but it may be probably conceived that it shall be some where in the East For First this Beast will have great power and shall deceive many by his feigned Miracles and shall force obedience for he causeth all to receive his Mark. Secondly It is not likely that he shall have power to deceive and persecute among the Gentile Saints who had been so long under the power of the first Beast in this Antichristian part of the world For at the end of the one thousand two hundred and sixty days the Woman that is the Church of the Gentile Saints comes up out of the Wilderness and not to return again for the voice from Heaven is Come up hither They therefore are to be above and not beneath Thirdly we may conceive that this Beast will chiefly act his part among the Jews when they shall be brought to their own Land and will be an Antichrist or Man of Sin raging amongst them and raising Persecution and trouble to them And thus as the first Beast hath acted his part amongst the Gentile Saints so this second will against the Jews when they shall be called and called they must be For the River Euphrates is to be dried up to make way for the Kings of the East that is the Jews so called because the Kingdom shall be restored to them and that by the King of the East are meant the Iews may be proved from Isa 11.15 When the Lord shall shake his Hand over the River there shall be an High-way for the remnant of his People from Assyria And Zach. 10.10 11. I will bring them again from Egypt and Assyria and all the deeps of the River shall dry up Which doubtless is the same with the drying up the River Euphrates And the following words shew that we are to understand thereby The Pride of Assyria shall be brought down and the Scepter of Egypt shall depart Which signifies the wasting and destruction of the Turkish Empire and the bringing down the Pride of the Turk for he rules in Egypt and Assyria and by this means way shall be made for the Jews these Kings of the East to return to their own Land and then will this Beast be their persecuting Enemy and shall prevail much against them at last and cause such trouble to them as never was since there was a Nation by his feigned Miracles shall draw in the Kings of the Earth to his assistance as we see Rev. 16.13 And the place of their gathering will be Armageddon which being an Hebrew name gives ground to conclude that this gathering will be in Judea which also appears Ezek. 39.4 Gog and Magog the same with that great Army we read of Rev. 19. being headed by this Beast shall fall upon the Mountains of Israel This is also manifest from Joel 3.12 where it is said They shall come up to the Valley of Jehosaphat and the Command is Put in the Sickle for the Harvest of the Earth is ripe and here 't is that the Beast will be taken so that we may well conclude that he will be the great Enemy to the Jews And it being so we may conceive farther that this second Beast will be the little Horn The King of fierce Countenance the vile person spoken of by Daniel the Prophet 1. The little Horn. It 's manifest that the fourth Kingdom will be last of all under the power of this little Horn. Dan. 7.23 The fourth Beast is the fourth Kingdom the ten Horns are ten Kings and another shall rise after them In the Greek Translation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behind them and unawares and he shall speak great words against the Saints of the most high and shall wear out the Saints and think to change Times and Laws and they shall be given into his hands until a time times and the dividing of time Compare Dan. 12.6 7. How long shall it be to the end of these wonders The Answer is For a time times and an half and then the end shall be The end of the Beasts Reign and of the Jews trouble For then the Judgment shall sit and they shall take away his Dominion that is the Dominion of the little Horn to consume and destroy it for ever and then the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most high Now as for the first Beast he can't be this little Horn because he is to be destroyed long before the fourth Kingdom will end and no one of the ten Horns can be this little Horn for he riseth after them Therefore the second Beast must be this little Horn. And as the Gentile witnesses shall lye dead three days and an half and then shall rise and shortly after the first Beast shall be destroyed so the Jews great trouble will be in the last three years and half of their suffering time and then they shall be delivered and this second Beast will be taken and the fourth Kingdom destroyed for ever 2. The King of fierce Countenance Dan. 8.23 In the latter end of their Kingdom that is of the Grecians when the fourth Kingdom into which theirs was to run shall come near its end then a King of fierce Countenance shall stand up understanding dark sentences and his power shall be mighty but not by his own power He shall destroy the holy and the mighty People that is the Jews and through his policy shall cause craft to prosper in his hand And lastly he shall stand up against the Prince of Princes Now observe how well these things agree to this Beast He may be said to be a King of fierce Countenance Rev. 13.11 He spake as a Dragon He causeth all to receive a Mark and endeavours to slay all that will not worship the Beast's Image V. 16 17. He doth great wonders making fire to come down from Heaven in the sight of Men and he causeth craft to prosper in his hand for by his subtilty he perswades the Kings of the Earth and of the whole World to come in to his assistance which shews him to be very subtle and a King understanding dark sentences And he is also mighty but not by his own power
days here as well as in many other of his Prophecies even to the time when Jerusalem shall be a quiet Habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down v. 20. Q. What then shall we understand by this Fire A. It is such a Fire as the Righteous shall dwell with and not be hurt by and therfore not Hell-Fire so they shall not dwell with it Why should not the Fire which Peter speakes of be here meant That Fire to which the World that now is in Being is reserved called everlasting Burnings because as to the wicked which will be consumed by them they will be the beginnings of everlasting burnings For the ungodly ones who shall perish by them shall never be out of the Fire afterwards Now who shall dwell with those burnings who shall live when God doth this and when this dreadful Conflagration shall be who shall be like Moses on the Mount that burned and not be consumed The Answer is He that walketh righteously and speaketh uprightly And 't is farther promised Thine Eyes shall see the King in his beauty That is Hezekiah say Interpreters who as in the time of the Siege he did rend his cloaths and covered himself with Sackloth so when that great Deliverance was wrought he was seen in his beauty again but the Chaldee Paraphrase gives a better sense which in Latine is thus rendered Gloriam Majestatis regisâ— seculorum in decore suo videbunt oculi tui Thine Eyes shall see the King eternal as he is called 1 Tim. 1.17 in the glory of his Majesty Even that King spoken of v. 22. The Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver the Lord is our King And 't is farther promised They shall behold the Land that is very far off That is say some Senacheribs Siege shall be raised and then the Jews shall go abroad in the Land again But what reason was there to call any part of Judea the Land very far off from Jeurusalem Surely somewhat else seems hinted and why may we not think it to be meant of a Land very far off in respect of the time of its being For as we read of times afar off so there was a Land far off in regard of the time of its existence even the new Earth which is to be created in which Righteousness shall dwell and upon which the Saints shall reign with Christ This was in Isaiah's time The Land very far off but now very near which they that walk in Righteousness shall behold 6. Pray earnestly that this Kingdom may come God delights much in such Prayers We may see what a large Commission is given for praying for these things Isa 45.11 Ask me of things to come concerning my Sons I have spoken much of them and do you ask me of them Ask and you shall know much of them Ask and they shall come ask me of them and you shall have a share in them when they come And concerning the works of my hands command ye me 1. Command ye me God hath put himself under a Law by his gracious Promise Covenant and Oath He that Commands all yields to be Commanded by the Prayer of his People 2. Concerning the works of my hands command ye me Which may either look back to works already wrought or forward to works to be wrought First to works already wrought My Sons are the works of my hands created to good works and formed for my praise Now do you command me concerning them and then I will command their Enemies to let them go free I will say to the North give up to the South keep not back bring my Sons from far and my Daughters from the ends of the Earth Secondly to works to be wrought I will create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her People a joy I will make the new Heavens and the new Earth and concerning these works which my hands shall make command ye me Those that would at last reign must now overcome First within there is an Old Man to be overcome and you must get the Rule of your own Spirits which is better than to rule a City Let Grace reign over Corruption Spirit over Flesh Let Faith Love and the Fear of God rule in patience possess your Souls Let there be a Kingdom of Patience and then shall there be at last a Kingdom of Power Secondly you must overcome without There is a World to be overcome and that both the good and the evil of it The good thus All things are lawful but I will not be under the power of any Covetous Men are under the power of Riches let it not be so with you do you through Grace rule them and use them as you ought and let not them rule you And as for the evil things of the World meddle not with them but keep your selves unspotted of the World Save your selves from the Sins and so shall you from the Plagues of an untoward Generation There is a Satan also to be overcome 1 John 5.18 He that is born of God keepeth himself and that evil One toucheth him not Tactu qualitativo that is by a touch altering the Nature he shall not destroy the Divine Nature or Seed of God in the Regenerate He touched Adam and he died but he can't so touch a true Saint There is lastly a Beast to be overcome There is a twofold overcoming the Beast First In his temptations and endeavours to subject the Hearts and Consciences of all to him So Saints choosing to suffer from him rather than to serve him do overcome There is a Victory gotten over his Mark and over the Number of his Name when many do adore him and reverence and honour his Name as a Name above every Name as exalting himself above all that is called God they have his Name in greatest contempt when some call him the Vicar of Christ the Head of the Church and when he shews himself that he is God The faithful Witnesses overcome all these high Titles and great Names and call him by his right Names the Antichrist the Man of Sin and Son of Perdition Secondly In his Power and Kingdom Overcome him in the first sense and 't will not be long before the Saints shall see him overcome in this latter sense Great Promises are made to Overcomers in the Second and Third Chapters of the Revelations and they look to the Day of Christ's Personal Reign as the special time for their accomplishment Not but that the Spirits of Just Men have the substance of them in Heaven but when their Bodies shall be raised then will be the eminent time of fulfilling them For then shall they rule the Nations with a Rod of Iron and sit with Christ upon his Throne Be Overcomers then and you shall be able to say at last as Joshua did Not one thing hath failed of all the good Word which the Lord hath spoken Written by William Alleine Minister of the Gospel FINIS Some Discovery OF THE NEVV
yield a Juice like Honey and he after saith we may call that part of the Earth divine where whatsoever Fruit is most dear and precious is in most abundance Also in all other Fruits it surpasses all Countreys in the World for it multiplieth all things and increaseth them sooner there the cause whereof I judge to be the pleasant waters and warm nourishing Air which inviteth all things to spring and then increaseth them and the moisture causeth all things to take firm root and defendeth them from drought In Summer the Air of that place is so temperate that when it snoweth in other parts of Judea and is extream cold the Inhabitants in this place do onely wear a Linnen Garment Thus he declares the Fertility of Jericho caused by that Miracle and certainly a greater Miracle than this here will be wrought for there are promises in Scripture of a great Fertility that shall be after the Calling of the Jews Ezek. 36.30 I will multiply the Fruit of the Tree and the Increase of the Field so that ye shall receive no more reproach of Famine Verse 35. The Land that was desolate shall become like the Garden of Eden What a great Change will there be in the Earth when desolate and barren Land shall be like Eden And as we have ground to conclude that many of God's Works wrought among the Jews of old were typical of greater Works which shall be wrought for them at last for which see Jer. 23.8 So why may we not gather something from that work of God in giving them Water out of the Rock And that which I would especially hint is from Deut. 32.13 He gave them Honey out of the Rock and Oyl out of the flinty Rock The Water is called Honey and Oyl And why First Because it was a Supply flowing from special Grace and Mercy special Grace adds a great deal of Sweetness to common Mercies Secondly It was an extraordinary Supply in time of great need Water in that extremity was as Honey and Oyl Thirdly It was a Type of Christ for They drunk of that Rock which followed them and that Rock was Christ 1 Cor. 10.4 An Eye of Faith looking unto Christ would make it sweeter and more pleasant than Honey and Oyl Fourthly It being Water given them by a Miracle might have sweetness and vertue beyond ordinary water For as the Bread given them by a Miracle has the taste of Honey and fresh Oyl so might this mirhculous Water When Christ turned Water into Wine that was far better than ordinary Wine the Governour of the Feast said Thou hast kept the good Wine until now The other in comparison with this did not deserve to be called good Wine Doubtless that miraculous Wine was the best Wine that ever was drunk and why may we not conceive the like of this miraculous Water which might be typical in relation to the times of Restitution in which even Water the most common mercy shall have much more vertue and pleasantess in it than now it hath 'T is said of Fire and Water that they are good Servants but bad Masters and theâ— have often been bad Masters in these times of the Old Heavens and Old Earth but in the time of the New they shall be good Servants alone and no more bad Masters to the Saints The Air also will be sweet wholesom and fructifying and what hath a spiritual meaning Cant. 4.16 will be then true in a natural sense also The North-wind shall awake and the South-wind blow that the Spices may flow forth No blasting-wind or that which will hinder the flowings forth of Fruits but that which shall farther their flowing forth and then the rough wind shall be stayed in the day of the East-wind 3. The Creatures shall be delivered from all their usurping and oppressing Lords Satan shall not Lord it over them neither the Man of Sin they shall be together in the Bottomless Pit and all Christ's Enemies will be made his Footstool whereby the Creature shall have its so-much longed-for Liberty and shall be in Subjection to him who is to be the desire of all Nations and of the whole Creation of whom 't is said Psa 8.4 What is man that thou art so mindful of him and the son of man that thou visitest him thou madest him a little lower than the Angels and hast crowned him with glory and honour thou hast made him to have dominion over the works of thy hands and hast put all things in subjection under his feet Which must be fulfilled in that World which is to come as is evident Heb. 2.5 6. For as to the present state of things in the World as now it is the Apostle saith v. 8. We see not yet all things put under him 4. The Liberty of the Creature consists in the lawful Use of it 1 Cor. 7.31 They that use the world as not abusing it Here two things may be observed First The Creature is to be used and not enjoyed Life and Happiness doth not consist in it carnal men enjoy the Creatures the covetous man enjoyes his Wealth as Dives did Son remember that thou in thy life-time hadst thy good things Worldly men have their portion in this life and say 'T is good to be here Now such an enjoying of the Creature holds it in bondage its Liberty is to be used well insist Psa 110.7 't is said of Christ He shall drink of the Brook in the way and then men should lift up the head and heart to him in whose favour is their life Secondly The Creature should be used lawfully and not abused a lawful Use is its liberty There is a natural Use of Creatures which is for Food and Rayment and somewhat for Delight for Gen. 2.9 Out of the Ground God made every Tree to grow which was good for Food and pleasant to the eye In the times of Restitution it will be so Fruits both profitable and pleasant will be made to grow Hos 2.21 It shall come to pass in that day that is when the Jews shall be betrothed to the Lord I will hear saith the Lord I will hear the Heavens and the Heavens shall hear the Earth and the Earth shall hear the Corn and the Wine and the Oyl and they shall hear Jezreel When the Jews shall be Jezreel the Seed of God all the Creatures shall with one consent serve that Jezreel What is the reason that now 't is otherwise for many times the Heavens hear not the Earth the Earth hears not the Corn the Corn hears not men 'T is because for the most part instead of being a Jezreel they serve a Jezabel There is a Spiritual Use also to be made of Creatures and so in them as in a Glass we should behold the Glory of the Lord and we should praise him as the Creator of them and honour him with them The great Whore glorifies her self with what she hath this is the Creature 's bondage but when the Promise
all did meet in him So then his Sin-offering might be for himself as made Sin but in the benefit of it for the People of the Land Christ gave himself for himself in this respect even to discharge himself from that guilt which he had taken upon him that so he might save the People of the Lord from their sins Thus much concerning the Temple Concerning the Frame of the City represented in this Vision Consid 1. THis City is the same with that which was shewn to John Rev. 21. even the Holy City New Jerusalem of which such glorious things are spoken by the Prophets This will appear by comparing Ezekiel and John Ezek. 36.27 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you and ye shall be clean Chap. 37. There is a promise that Judah and Israel shall be one Nation and one King shall be to them all even David who is Christ And observe how Ezek. 37. agrees with John My Tabernacle also shall be with them Rev. 21.3 The tabernacle of God is with men The Gates of Ezekiels City chap. 45.31 have the Names of the Twelve Tribes of Israel upon them so also John's Rev. 21.12 And the Vision of the Waters is alike in both as is to be seen by comparing chap. 47.12 with Rev. 22. In Ezekiel 't is said Vpon the bank of the river grow all trees the fruit being for meat the leaves for medicine Rev. 22.2 On either side of the river was the tree of life which bare twelve manner of fruits and that every moneth and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations Observe Ezekiel saith all trees John the tree of life the Tree of Life is indeed all Trees Consid 2. There is a City of God partly on Earth and partly in Heaven Partly on Earth Heb. 12.22 Ye are come unto mount Sion and unto the city of the living God Mount Sion is the Church on Earth said to be the Joy of the whole Earth the best part of it the Saints therein being the excellent ones of the Earth and partly in Heaven Ye are come to the Heavenly Jerusalem 'T is said that Jerusalem in the letter was distinguished into the higher and lower City this is Mystical Jerusalem and as Eph. 3.15 we read of the whole Family in Heaven and Earth a part of it being on Earth and a part in Heaven which make one whole Family so the Church in Heaven and the Church on Earth make one whole City And upon this account the Saints on Earth are said to be come to the Heavenly City because the Church on Earth and in Heaven make one City Gal. 4.26 Jerusalem which is above and the mother of us all Heb. 11.16 He hath prepared for them a city that is for those that died in Faith verse 13. Those that die in Faith who had here peace by Believing enter into the City prepared for them which is the Ierusalem above and there they have the Vision of Peace In the Ierusalem above is Jesus the Mediator and an innumerable company of Angels and the Spirits of Just Men made Perfect with those that have been raised and changed all these being associated make one body mystically and an heavenly City and this is the Mother of us all 1. Of particular Saints in that they are born from above for as this City is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above so are Saints 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from above born of the Spirit which is given forth from this City 2. This is the Mother of Churches on Earth the Metropolis or Mother City and Churches on Earth are her Daughters Rome would be the Mother Church which is a Mother indeed but of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth Jerusalem above is truly the Mother Church out of it came Laws and Ordinances to be observed on Earth The baptism of John was it from heaven or of men Ordinances from Heaven coming out of this City from Jesus the Mediator who hath all power in Heaven and in Earth are to be received and observed Whatsoever ye bind on earth shall be bound in heaven Hence is the Power of the Keys and what is done in Churches on Earth is examined in Heaven and there ratified when there is a due execution of that Power which is from above Consid 3. That Ierusalem which is now above shall come down out of Heaven and so the whole City and Family of God shall be on Earth Rev. 21.9 10. 't is twice affirmed to shew the certainty of it I saw the holy city new Ierusalem coming down from God out of heaven Which we may understand thus 1. Those that are mentioned Heb. 12. as making up this City shall come down for Christ shall come down Zech. 14.5 The Lord thy God shall come down then the innumerable company of Angels shall come down with him Matth. 24.31 He shall send his Angels and they shall gather the elect Dan. 7.10 Thousand thousands ministred to him c. And lastly all the Saints shall come with Christ The Spirits of just men shall be united to their raised Bodies for them that sleep in Jesus will God bring with him 2. These shall descend as a City I saw the City descending They shall come as a Body Politick The whole Heavenly City shall come together Christ the holy Angels and all the Saints with him and so shall be on Earth For the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour into it and the Nations of them which shall be saved shall walk in the Light of it and Gog and Magog shall gather against it to their own utter ruine and not to the least hurt of the Saints Like the Men of Sodom who compassed the House round where the Lord was who first smote them with blindness and after rained Fire and Brimstone upon them from the Lord out of Heaven Even so will these compass the Camp of the Saints and the beloved City and then shall be destroyed by Fire from Heaven which evidently shews that the New Jerusalem shall be then on Earth And Saints coming down from Heaven lose no Glory thereby because Christ will be with them and they with him to behold his Glory Yea there will be rather an addition to than a diminution of their Glory For 1. They shall have opportunity of doing some Works on Earth which they have not in Heaven They shall be as the Angels ministring Spirits for the good of Saints And as Christ after his Resurrection spake of the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God so may the raised Saints 2. They shall reign upon the Earth exercise such a kind of Dominion which they do not in Heaven 3. The Saints of the New Jerusalem shall know and acknowledge the Saints in their Portions in the Land and those of the saved Nations which cannot be said of the Saints in Heaven Isa 63.16 Thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us c. But when Abraham shall be