and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem Having thus told us how and with what he was qualified he next makes relation of what he saw which was that great City the holy Jerusalem Jerusalem in the Language of the Scripture is to be acknowledged for the Church and Spouse of the Lord Jesus and is to be considered either generally or more particularly Now as she is to be taken generally so she is to be understood as being the whole Family in Heaven and Earth and as she is thus looked upon so she is not considered with respect to this or that state and condition of the Church here in the world but simply as she is the Church therefore it is said when at any time any are converted from Satan to God That they are come to Mount Sion the City of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem to an innumerable Company of Angels to the general Assembly and Church of the first-born that are written in Heaven to God the Judge of all and to the Spirits of Just men made perfect to Jesus and to the Blood of sprinkling Heb. 12. 22 23 24. But again As Jerusalem is thus generally to be understood so also she is to be considered more particularly 1. Either as she relates to her first and purest state or 2. As she relates to her declined and captivated state or 3. With reference to her being recovered again from her apostatized and captivated condition Thus it was with Jerusalem in the Letter which threefold state of this City shall be most exactly answered by our Gospel-Jerusalem by out New-Testament-Church Her first state was in the days of Christ and his Apostles and answered to Jerusalem in the days of Solomon her second state is in the days of Antichrist and answereth to the carrying away of the Jews from their City into Babylon and her third state is this in the Text and answereth to their return from Captivity and rebuilding their City and Walls again All which will be fully manifest in this Discourse following Besides That this holy City that here you read of is the Church the Gospel-Church returning out of her long and Antichristian Captivity consider First She is here called a City the very name that our Primitive Church went under which name she loseth all the while of her Apostatizing and Captivity under Antichrist for observe I say all the while she is under the scourge of the Dragon Beast and the Woman in Scarlet c. she goeth under the name of a Woman a Woman in travel a Woman flying before the Dragon a Woman flying into the Wilderness there to continue in an afflicted and tempted condition and to be glad of Wilderness-Nourishment until the time of her Enemies were come to an end Rev. 12. Now the reason why she lost the title of City at her going into Captivity is Because then she lost her situation and strength she followed others then Christ wherefore he suffered her Enemies to scale her Walls to break down her Battlements he suffered as you see here the great Red Dragon and Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns to get into her Vineyard who made most fearful work both with her and all her Friends her Gates also was now either broken down or shut up so that none could according to her Laws and Statutes enter into her her Charter also even the Bible it self was most grosly abused and corrupted yea sometimes burned and destroyed almost utterly wherefore the Spirit of God doth take away from her the title of City and leaveth her to be termed a wandring Woman as aforesaid The Court that is without the Temple saith the Angel leave out and measure it not for it is given to the Gentiles and the Holy City shall they tread under foot forty and two months Rev. 11. 2. The Holy City shall they tread under foot that is all the City-Constitutions her Forts and Strength her Laws and Priviledges for a long time shall be laid aside and slighted shall become a hissing a taunt and a by-word among the Nations And truly thus it was in the Letter in the destruction of Jerusalem by the King of Babylon and his wicked Instruments by whose hands the City was broken up the Walls pulled down the Gates burned the Houses riâ—â—ed the Virgins ravished and the Children laid dead in the top of every street 2 Chron. 36. 17 18 19 20 21. Jer. 52. Lam. Chap. 1 2 3 4. Now was Zion become a plowed Field and Jerusalem turned to heaps a place of Briers and Thorns and of wastness and desolation Mic. 3. 12. Isa. 7. 23 24. Secondly The phrase also that is joyned with this of City doth much concern the point she is here called The new and holy City which words are explained by these As a Bride adorned and prepared for her Husband the meaning is That she is now got into her Form Fashion Order and Priviledges again she is now ready adorned prepared and put into her Primitive state Mark though she was in her state of affliction called a Woman yet she was not then either called a City or a Woman ADORNED but rather a Woman robbed spoiled rent and torn among the briers and thorns of the Wilderness Isa. 5. 6. 42. 22. 32. 13 14. Wherefore this City is nothing else but the Church returned out of Captivity from under the reign of Antichrist As is yet further manifest because Thirdly We finde no City to answer that which was built after the Jews return from Captivity but this for this and onely this is the City that you finde in this Prophecie that is nominated as the Antitype of that Second of the Jews wherefore John hath no relation of her while towards the doom of Antichrist and no description of her in particular until Antichrist's utterly overthrown as all may see that wisely read the 17th 18th 19th 20th Chapters of this Prophecie And shewed me that great City The holy Ghost is pleased at this time to give the Church the name of a City rather than any other name rather than the name of Spouse Woman Temple and the like though he giveth us her under the name of a Woman also to help us to understand what he means but I say the name of a City is now the name in special under which the Church must go and that for special Reasons First To shew us how great and numerous a People will then be in the Church the Church may be a Woman a Temple a Spouse when she is but few but an handful but two or three but to be a City and that in her glory it bespeaks great store of Members Inhabitants and Citizens especially when she goeth under the name of a GREAT City as here she does He shewed me that GREAT City Secondly She goeth rather under the name of a City than Temple or Spouse to shew us also how plentifully the Nations and
the contrary is foolish Is not Christ the Head and we the Members and do not the Members receive their whole light guidance and wisdom from it Is not he also the price the ground and bottom of our Happiness both in this world and that which is to come And is it possible it should be forgotten or that by it our Joy Light and Heaven should not be made the sweeter to all eternity Our soul is now bound up in him as in a bundle of life and when we come thither he is still the Christ our life and it is by our being where he is that we shall behold his Glory and our Glory because he is glorified For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof As he said John 16. 22. Ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your Joy no man taketh from you Thus much of this City her descending her fashion her glory and of her wading thorow glory from glory to glory Vers. 24. And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour to it After this long and pleasant Description of this Holy and New Jerusalem the Holy Ghost now falleth upon a Relation of the People that shall be the Inhabitants of this City and of their numerousness and quality And the Nations c. The Nations of the world both of the Jews and Gentiles Every one knoweth what the Nations are wherefore I need not stay upon the explication of that for it doth in general include the multitude of the sinners of the world Therefore when he saith the Nations shall walk in the light of this City it is as if he had said that at this day when she is here in her tranquility the sinners and disobedient among the sons of men shall by multitudes and whole Kingdoms come in and close with the Church and House of God These Spiders shall take hold with their hands and be in Kings Palaces Prov. 30. 28. And the Nations c. For this word the Nations is a great word and it comprehendeth much mark it doth not say a Nation or some Nations neither doth it say few or small Nations but indefinitely the Nations Many Nations Strong Nations All Nations the Nations in general only he ties them up with this limit the Nations of them that are saved which yet is not so much spoken to clip off the multitude that we suppose may then be converted as to shew us their qualifications and happiness as he saith by the Prophet in another place Thy Children shall be all holy or righteous and great shall be the peace of thy Children And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it Surely the holy Ghost would never have spoken at such a rate as this if he had not intended to shew us that at the day of the setting up of this Jerusalem a great harvest of sinners shall be gathered by the Grace of the Gospel But the truth is the Scriptures go with open arms towards the latter end of the world even as if they would grasp and compass about almost all People then upon the face of the whole Earth with the Grace and Mercy of God The Earth saith God shall be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea As he saith also for the comfort of the Church in another place Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy Walls are contiaually before me Thy Children shall make haste thy Destroyers and those that made thee waste shall go forth of thee Lift up thine eyes round about behold all these gather themselves together to come unto thee as I live saith the Lord thou shalt surely cloath thee with them all as with an Ornament and bind them on thee as a Bride doth For thy waste and desolate places and the land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away The Children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the other shall say again in thine ears The place is too strait for me give place that I may dwell Then shalt thou say in thy heart Who hath begotten me these seeing I have lost my Children and am desolate a captive and removing to and fro Who hath brought up these Behold I was left alone these where have they been Thus the multitudes of the Nations shall at this day be converted to the Lord and be made the Inhabitants of this Jerusalem as he saith again The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ. And again The Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the Most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Rev. 11. 15. Dan. 7. 26 27. And observe it these Promises are to be fulfilled in the last days at the time of the pouring forth of the last Vial which is the time of the sounding of the last of the seven Trumpets for then this City shall be builded and Lucifer fallen from Heaven then the Prisoners shall be set at liberty and the People be gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Rejoyce O ye Nations with his People for he will avenge the blood of his Servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries and will be merciful to his Land and to his People Alas it is now towards the end of the world and therefore now all is going if the Lord steps not in with the riches of his Grace Wherefore now at last before all be turned into fire and ashes behold the Lord casts the net among the multitude of Fish and the aboundance of the Sea shall without fail be converted to Jerusalem Though Satan and Antichrist have had their day in the world by their outrage have made fearful havock of the souls of sinners from time to time yet now at length God will strike in for a share with them and his Son shall divide the spoyl with the Strong Wherefore he now sets up this City puts the Glory of Heaven upon her provides a New Heaven and a New Earth for her situation drives prophaness into the holes and dens of the Earth giveth Righteousness authority to reign in the world and takes off the vail from all faces that none may hereafter be for ever beguiled by blindness and ignorance Now shall they make merry with the things of God now shall all eat the fat and drink the sweet For in this Mountain shall the Lord make a feast of fat things to all People a feast of
The HOLY CITIE OR The New-Jerusalem WHEREIN It s Goodly Light Walls Gates Angels and the manner of their standing are EXPOUNDED ALSO Her Length and Breadth together with the Golden Measuring Reed EXPLAINED AND The Glory of all Unfolded As also The Numerousness of its Inhabitants And what the Tree and Water of Life are by which they are sustained By John Bunyan a Servant of Christ. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Ps. 87. 3. And the Name of the City from that day shall be called THE LORD IS THERE Ezek. 38. 35. London Printed for Francis Smith at the Elephant and Castle without Temple-Barr 1669. THE EPISTLE To Four Sorts of READERS I. To the Godly Reader Friend THough the Men of this World at the sight of this Book will not onely deride but laugh in conceit to consider that one so low contemptible and inconsiderable as I should busie my self in such sort as to meddle with the exposition of so hard and knotty a Scripture as here they find the subject matter of this little Book yet do thou remember that God hath chosen the foolish things of this World to confound the wise and things that are not to bring to nought things that are Consider also that even of old it hath been his pleasure to hide these things from the wise and prudent and to reveal them unto Babes I tell you that the operation of the Word and Spirit of God without depending upon that Idol so much adored is sufficient of it self to search out all things even the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2. 10. The occasion of my first medling with this matter was as followeth Upon a certain First day I being together with my Brethren in our Prison-Chamber they expected that according to our Custom something should be spoken out of the Word for our mutual Edification but at that time I felt my self it being my turn to speak so empty spiritless and barren that I thought I should not have been able to speak among them so much as five words of Truth with Life and Evidence but at last it so fell out that providentially I cast mine Eye upon the eleventh Verse of the one and twentieth Chapter of this Prophecie upon which when I had considered a while methought I perceived something of that JASPER in whose Light you there finde this HOLY CITY is said to come or descend wherefore having got in my Eye some dim glimmerings thereof and finding also in my heart a desire to see further thereinto I with a few groans did arry my Meditatious to the Lord JESUS for a Blessing which he 〈…〉 forthwith grant according to his Grace and helping me to set before my Brethren we did all eat and were well refreshed and behold also that while I was in the distributing of it it so encreased in my hand that of the Fragments that we left after we had well dined I gathered up this Basket-full Methought the more I cast mine Eye upon the whole Discourse the more I saw lie in it Wherefore setting my self to a more narrow search through frequent Prayer to God what first with doing and then with undoing and after that with doing again I thus did finish it But yet notwithstanding all my labour and travel in this matter I do not neither can I expect that every Godly Heart should in every thing see the Truth Excellencie of what is here discoursed neither would I have them imagine that I have so thorowly viewed this Holy City but that much more then I do here crush out is yet left in the Cluster Alas I shall onely say thus I have crush'd out a little Juyce to sweeten their Lips withal not doubting but in little time more large measures of the Excellencie of this City and of its sweetness and glory will by others be opened and unfolded yea if not by the Servants of the Lord JESUS yet by the Lord Himself who will have this City builded and set in its own place But I say for this DISCOURSE if any of the Saints that read herein think they find nought at all but words as many times it falleth out even in their reading the Scriptures of God themselves I beg I say of such that they reade charitably judge modestly and also that they would take heed of concluding that because they for the present see nothing in this or that passage that therefore there is nothing in it Possibly from that which thou mayest cast away as an empty Bone others may pick both good and wholsom Bits yea and also out of that suck much nourishing Marrow You find by experience that that very bit that will not down with One may yet not onely down but be healthful and nourishing to another Babes are more for Milk than strong Meat though Meat will well digest with those that are of riper Years 1 Cor. 2. 1 2 3. Heb. 5. 12 13 14. Wherefore that which thy weakness will not suffer thee to feed on leave and go to the Milk and Nourishment that in other places thou shalt find II. To the Learned Reader MY second Word is to my wise and learned Reader Sir I suppose in your reading of this DISCOURSE you will be apt to blame me for two things first because I have not so beautified my Matter with acuteness of Language as you could wish or desire Secondly Because also I have not given you either in the Line or in the Margent a Cloud of Sentences from the Learned FATHERS that have according to their Wisdom possibly handled these Matters long before me To the first I say The Matter indeed is excellent and high but for my part I am weak and low it also deserveth a more full and profound Discourse than my small parts will help me to make upon the matter But yet seeing the Lord looketh not at the outward appearance but on the Heart neither regardeth high swelling words of vanity but pure and naked Truth and seeing also that a Widows Mite being all even Heart as well as substance is counted more and better then to cast in little out of much and that little too perhaps the worst I hope my little being all my Farthing seeing I have no more may be accepted and counted for a great deal in the LORD'S Treasury Besides Sir Words easie to be understood do often hit the Mark when high and learned ones do only pierce the Air He also that speaks to the weakest may make the Learned understand him when he that striveth to be high is not onely for the most part understood but of a sort but also many times is neither understood by them nor by himself Secondly The Reason why you find me empty of the Language of the Learned I mean their Sentences and Words which others use is because I have them not nor have not read them had it not been for the BIBLE I had not onely not thus done it but not at
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
to Eternity Thus have I shewed you my present Light into this portion of the holy Scripture if any can give me further I hope I shall not refuse it but as yet methinks this should be the genuine sence of this place and is the very track of John himself For after he had seen the Wall for present Safety the Foundations for Continuation the Gates for Entrance and the like then he comes to tell us of the Glory of all and of the Street it self at last which indeed is the last and end of all the Order of God and to continue till an end be put to it by Mortality's being swallowed up of Life As is yet more fully shewed you in the next Verse of this description Vers. 23. And the City had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof And the City had no need of the Sun That is after Temple-Worship is over this Verse is added therefore for further clearing up and illustrating of that which he said before there he tells us this City had no Temple and here he tells us she needed neither the light of the Sun or Moon there he said The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is the Temple of it and here he saith They are the Light thereof The substance of which in the language of the Holy Ghost is this The reason why Temple-Worship is now gon and over it is because there is now no need in this City of the Light of the Sun and the Moon and the reason why she hath now no need of them is because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are to it instead of both Temple and Light For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Whereby we may note That though the Light in which she descended being the purity of Temple-Worship was glorious yet this City shall when she is once builded so advance from Glory to Glory that at the last she shall be more happy without the help of that Light without which she had been for ever unbuilded then she was by it in the midst of the Fulness of it And the City had no need of the Sun c. The word Sun is in Scripture taken divers ways sometimes for the true and natural Sun in the Firmament sometimes again for Persecution and the rage of the Enemy c. but I take Sun here not to be any of these but for the good and pure Word of the Gospel of Christ unfolded opened and explained by the Servants of Christ which Sun is the same that before you find to be darkened by the Antichristian Fog and Mist which was darkened I say even to a third part of it This Sun or Word of the Gospel Paul saith it is shadowed forth even by that which shineth in the Firmament of Heaven because as that by its light and shining giveth to those that have Eyes to see the Glory and Excellency of this World so by the shining and light of the Gospel is given the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and a view of the Excellency of the things of the World to come Now I say though while the Church is in this World and on this side the state of Glory she cannot live and flourish without the shining of this Sun but would be lifeless and lightless and without all heat and comfort For it is the entrance of the Law that giveth light here and that lightneth the Eyes making wise the simple yet at the day of the coming of her Lord in Person she shall see far more clearly without the thus shining of this Sun than ever she did or could see with and by it And the City had no need of the Sun For when by the light of it the whole Body of the Elect have found out the way to this City and when they have also by this light accomplished and fulfilled all their Work yea when the Lord himself is come and doth immediately communicate far more glorious light to this City without it than ever he did by it What need is there then of the light of this Sun for that is to be of use but for the time present even until the whole of the Body of the Lord Jesus is come to the perfect measure even to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ So then when the Body of Christ is in every sence compleated in this life by the light of the Sunshine of his holy Gospel what need of this Sun And hence it is that the Word of the Gospel is called The Word of Reconciliation the Word of Faith and the Words of this Life Wherefore I say it ceaseth when there is no more to be reconciled and when Faith in all is perfected and when this Life is put an end unto by the coming in of another For when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 8 9 10. The Ministers of the Gospel are of use so long as there is either Elect to be converted or any converted Soul to be perfected by that measure of Perfection that God hath appointed on this side Glory but when this Work is done their Ministry ceaseth Wherefore though like the Widows Sons they are busie to borrow Vessels for the Oyl so long as it is running and emptying it self out of the great and principal Barrel yet when it ceaseth as it will do when there is no more Vessels to be found then let them sit down as they and receive of the Fruits of their labour for the Reward of their Work is then onely to be enjoyed by them And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it This word Moon also as well as that of the Sun is to be taken divers ways in the Scriptures of Truth sometimes for the natural one sometimes for the World and Persecutors c. but Moon here is to be taken for the Church of God with reference to her Life Conversation Duties and exemplary Behaviour in which she is conversant on this side Glory according to that of the Song Who is this that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Sun clear as the Moon and terrible as an Army with Banners When he saith then that at this day there shall be here no need of the shining light of the Moon he means that this City at this day in the state she is in when she hath the Person of the Lamb in her then she shall have no need of the growth of Christianity for they shall be all perfect nor no need of Mortification for there shall be no Sin they shall not need now as in
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
but they which are written in the Lambs Book of Life CHAP. XXII Vers. 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. Vers. 2 In the midst of the street of it and of either side of the River was there the Tree of Life which bare twelve manner of Fruits and yielded her Fruit every month and the Leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations Vers. 3 And there shall be no more curse but the Throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it and his Servants shall serve him Vers. 4 And they shall see his Face and his Name shall be in their Foreheads IN my dealing with this Mystery I shall not meddle where I see nothing neither shall I hide from you that which at present I conceive to be wrapt up therein onely you must not from me look for much inlargement though I shall endeavour to speak as much in few words as my Understanding and Capacity will enable me through the help of Christ. In this Description of this Holy City you have these five general Heads First The Vision of this City in general Secondly A discovery of its Defence Entrances and Fashion in particular Thirdly A relation of the Glory of each Fourthly A discovery of its Inhabitants their quality and numerousness Fifthly A relation of its Maintenance by which it continueth in Life Ease Peace Tranquillity and Sweetness for ever To all which I shall speak something in their proper places and shall open them before you But before I begin with any of them I must speak a word or two concerning John's qualification whereby he was enabled to behold and take a view of this City which qualification he relateth in these words following Vers. 10. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain and shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God The Angel being to shew this holy man this great and glorious Vision he first by qualifying of him puts him into a suitable Capacity to behold and take the view thereof He carried me away in the Spirit When he saith He carried me away in the Spirit he means he was taken up into the Spirit his Soul was greatly spiritualized Whence take notice That an ordinary frame of Spirit is not able to comprehend nor yet to apprehend extraordinary things Much of the Spirit deserveth much of Gods matters but little of the Spirit deserveth but little of them I could not speak to you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal even as unto Babes in Christ I have fed you with Milk and not with Meat for hitherto ye were not able to bear it nor yet are ye able 1 Cor. 3. 1 2. And he carried me away in the Spirit c. Thus it was with the Saints of old when God had either special Work for them to do or great things for them to see Ezekiel when he had the vision of this City in the old Law in the Captivity at Babylon he must be first fore-fitted with a competent measure of the Spirit Ezek. 40. 2. John also when he had the whole matter of this Prophecie revealed unto him he must be in the Spirit I was saith he in the Spirit on the Lords day and heard behinde me a great Voice as of a Trumpet talking with me c. Rev. 1. 10 11. Whence note again That when God calls a man to this or that Work for him he first fits him with a suitable Spirit Ezekiel saith when God bid him stand upon his Feet That the Spirit entered into him and set him upon his Feet Ezek. 2. 1 2. And he carried me away c. Mark And he carried me away c. As a man must have much of the Spirit that sees much of God and his goodly matters so he must be also carried AWAY with it he must by it be taken off from things carnal and earthly and taken up into the glory of things that are spiritual and heavenly the Spirit loveth to do what it doth in private that man to whom God intendeth to reveal great things he takes him aside from the lumber and cumber of this World and carrieth him away in the solace and contemplation of the things of another World And when they were alone he expounded all things to his Disciples mark And when they were ALONE according to that of the Prophet Whom shall he teach Wisdom and whom shall he make to understand Doctrine they that are WEANED from the Milk and DRAWN from the Brests Isa. 28. 9. Whence observe also He is the man that is like to know most of God that is oftenest in private with him He that obeyeth when God saith Come up hither he shall see the Bride the Lambs Wife For a man through desire having SEPARATED himself seeketh and intermedleth with all Wisdom Prov. 18. 1. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain Thus having shewed his frame and inward disposition of Spirit he now comes to tell us also of the Place or Stage on which he was set to the end that now being fitted by illumination he might not be hindered of his Vision by ought that might intercept He carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain Thus did God of old also for when he shewed to Moses the Patterns of the heavenly things he must ascend into the Mount Sinai he must into the Mount also when he hath the view of the holy Land and of that goodly Mountain Lebanon Whence we may learn That the things of God are far from man as he is natural and also that there are very great things between us and the sight of them none can see them but such as are carried away in the Spirit and set on high To a great and high Mountain This Mountain therefore signifieth the Lord Christ on which the Soul must be placed as on a mighty Hill whereby he may be able his Eyes being anointed with spiritual Eye-salve to see over the tops of those mighty Corruptions Temptations and spiritual Enemies that like high and mighty Towers are built by the wicked one to keep the view of Gods things from the sight of our Souls wherefore Christ is called The Mountain of the Lords House or that on which the House of God is placed he is also called The Rock of Ages and The Rock that is higher than we The Hill of God is an high Hill as Bashan an high Hill as the Hill of Bashan Psal. 68. 15. This is the Hill from whence the Prophet Ezekiel had the Vision of this City And upon this Rock saith Christ will I build my Church and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against it Ezek. 40. 2. Mat. 16. 18. And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain
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
going thitherwards but yet though this be true there must also be something significant in this word descending wherefore when he saith he saw this City to DESCEND out of Heaven he would have us understand 1. That though the Church under Antichrist be never so low yet out of her Loins shall they come that yet shall be a reigning City Generation is a descending from the Loins of our Friends he therefore speaks of the generation of the Church Wherefore the meaning is That out of the Church that is now in Captivity there shall come a compleat City so exact in all things according to the Laws and Liberties Priviledges and Riches of a City that she shall lie level with the great Charter of Heaven Thus it was in the Type the City after the Captivity was builded even by those that once were in Captivity especially by their Seed and Off-spring and thus it shall be in our New Testament New Jerusalem They that shall be of thee saith the Prophet that is of the Church in affliction they shall build the old waste places thou shalt raise up the Foundations of many Generations and thou shalt be called The Repairer of Breaches and the Restorer of Paths to dwell in and again They that sometimes had Ashes for Gladness and the Spirit of Heaviness instead of the Garment of Praise They shall build the old Wastes they shall raise up the former Desolations and they shall repair the waste Cities the Desolations of many Generations for your shame you shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their Portion c. Isa. 58. 11 12. 61. 3 4 7. Thus therefore by descending we may understand that the Churches Generation shall be this Holy City and shall build up themselves the Tower of the Flock 2. When he saith This holy City descended out of Heaven he would have us understand also what a Blessing and Happiness this City at her rebuilding will be to the whole World Never was kind and seasonable showers more profitable to the tender new-mown-Grass than will this City at this day be to the Inhabitants of the World they will come as a Blessing from Heaven upon them As the Prophet saith The Remnant of Jacob shall be in the midst of many People as a dew from the Lord as the showers upon the Grass that tarrieth not for man nor waiteth for the Sons of men Mic. 5. 7. O the Grace the Light and Glory that will strike with spangling Beams from this City as from a Sun into the furthest parts of the World Thus saith the Lord As the new Wine is found in the Cluster and one saith Destroy it not for a Blessing is in it so will I do for my Servants sake that I may not destroy them all I will bring forth a Seed out of Jacob and out of Judah an Inheritor of my holy Mountain and my Elect shall inherit it and my Servants shall dwell there And Sharon where the sweet Roses grew Song 2. 1. shall be a fold for Flocks and the Valley of Achor a place for the Herds to lie down in for my People that have sought me Isa. 65. 8 9 10. In that day Israel shall be the third with Egypt and Assyria even a Blessing in the midst of the Land Isa. 19. 24. And it shall come to pass that as you were a curse among the Heathen O House of Judah and House of Israel so will I save you and you shall be a Blessing fear not but let your Hands be strong Zec. 8. 13. As the dew of Hermon that descended upon the Mountains of Zion for there the Lord commanded the Blessing even life for evermore Psal. 133. 3. And now for the third particular namely What it is to descend out of Heaven FROM GOD. 1. To descend out of Heaven that is out of the Church in Captivity from God is this The Church is the place in which God doth beget all those that are the Children of him wherefore in that they are said to descend out of Heaven FROM GOD it is as as if he had said The Children of the Church are Heaven-born begotten of God and brought forth in the Church of Christ For Jerusalem which is above is the Mother of us all The Lord shall count when he writeth up the People that this man was born there Gal. 4. 26. Psal. 87. 5 6. 2. When he saith he saw this Jerusalem come out of Heaven from God he means That those of the Church in Captivity that shall build this City they shall be a People peculiarly fitted and qualified for this Work of God It was not all the Children of Israel that had their hand iâ— building Jerusalem after the Captivity of old their Nobles put not their hands to the Work of the Lord also there were many of Judah that were sworn to Tobiah the â—rch Opposet of the building of the City because of some Kindred and Relation that then was between them and him Neh. 6. 17 18 19. and as it was then so we do expect it will be now some will be even at the beginning of this Work in Babylon at that time also some will be cowardly and fearful yea and even men hired to â—inder the Work Nehem. 6. 10 11 12. Wherefore I say those of the Church that â—t that day builded the City they were men of a particular and peculiar Spirit which also will so be at the building of New Jerusalem They whose Light breaks forth as the Morning they that are mighty for a Spirit of Prayer they that take away the Yoke and speaking Vanity and that draw out their Soul to the Hungry they that the Lord shall guide continually that shall have fat Bones and that shall be as a watered Garden whose Waters fail not c. of THEM shall they be that build the old wastes and that raise up the Foundations of many Generations c. It was thus in all Ages in every Work of God SOME of his People SOME of his Saints in special in all Ages have been used to promote and advance and perfect the Work of their Generations 3. This City descends or comes out of Heaven from God that is by his special working and bringing to pass 't was God that gave them the Pattern even when they were in Babylon 't was God that put it into their Hearts while there to pray for deliverance 't was God that put it into the Hearts of the Kings of the Medes and Persians to give them Liberty to return and build and it was God that quailed the Hearts of those that by opposing did endeavour to hinder the bringing the Work to perfection yea it was God that did indeed bring the Work to perfection wherefore she may well be said to descend out of Heaven from GOD as he also saith himself by the Prophet I will cause the Captivity of Judah and the Captivity of Israel to return and I will build