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A30152 The holy citie, or, The new-Jerusalem wherein its 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 ... Bunyan, John, 1628-1688. 1669 (1669) Wing B5536; ESTC R36063 132,664 312

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time past to exhort and encourage one another to stick fast to the Promise for they shall be swallowed up of Life and open Vision Here shall be no need either of Prayer of Repentance of Faith or of good Works as afore And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it Now I say the holy Ghost is pleased to bring in here the shining Vertues of the Church under the notion of a shining Moon because as the Church her self is compared to the Moon so her Vertues are as naturally compared to a shining Light as Christ saith Let your light so shine and again Let your loins be girded and your lights burning for indeed while we are here that Church and Congregation of the Lord doth most shine and most send forth the golden Rayes and pleasant Beams of Christianity that is most in the exercise of the afore-mentioned Vertues take away the Moon and the night is doubtful or though the Moon be in the Firmament if she hath lost her light the night is not thereby made more comfortable And thus I say it is first with the World where here there is no Church to shine or where there is a Church that doth not so shine that others may see and be lighted for while the day of time doth last even the World it self hath need of the shining of the Church but at this day this time will be no longer because the Day of Eternity will break and by that means cause the World that now is even the World of the Ungodly to cease to have a being here any longer Therefore now no need of the Moon or of the light thereof to shine before that which is not Secondly Again as the Church is in her light before men as the Moon is in her light in the night to the world so as I said before this City which is called also Heaven she even she shall have no need of these things for she shall be taken up in open Vision and shall be compleatly delivered from all imperfection she shall not need now the light of her Children to provoke her and to stir her up to this or the other act of holiness all shall be done all shall be compleat the Lord himself is come Indeed while Christ is absent as touching his Person and while the work of God is not yet compleatly done in the Church there will be need both of the light of Sun and Moon but when the work is done and he come then these things will be out of use Thus The 〈…〉 of the Just is as the shining light which shineth more and more unto perfect day For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof This is rendered as the reason why at this day both the light of Sun and Moon are needless it is because the Glory of God did lighten it and because the Lamb is the light thereof Now the Glory of God must be understood in this place not of that Glory that doth attend the Church in this world for that Glory doth attend the Church upon the account of her Purity of Worship of Temple-Worship and doth either abide on her or withdraw it self according to her exact observing the Rule or declining from it as I have shewed you in the beginning of this discourse But the Glory that here you read of it is a Glory that supplieth this City without those Ordinances yea therefore those Ordinances as the Temple and the light of the Sun and Moon do cease because of the Glory of this Glory that now is come into this City The City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it mark for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Wherefore I say this Glory that now he speaks of it is the Glory that shall possess this City at the end of her Glory in this world wherefore as saith the holy Ghost by Isaiah the Prophet from this day forward The Sun shall be no more thy light by day neither for brightness shall the Moon give light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory Isa. 60. 19. For the Glory of God did lighten it c. Thus it was at the finishing of the Tabernacle in the Wilderness and of the Temple at Jerusalem both which were figures in their finishing of the finishing of the state of the Church in this world and it is said of them that in the day when they in all things were accomplished according to the fashion that was revealed before concerning their Order and accomplishment that then the Glory of God so appeared upon them that neither Moses nor Aaron was able to enter in or to stand therein because of the Cloud and of the Glory of the Lord that at that time filled the House Thus you see this City descends in one measure of Glory and is consumate in another measure of Glory The Glory of the Lord was upon the Mount Sinai while the pattern of the Tabernacle was giving but it rested on the Tabernacle when the work thereof was finished to signify I say that the Glory of God will rest in his Ordinances and in his Church by them so long as Ordinances are in use but when they are needless then it will rest in the Church without them and that more gloriously than ever it therein did rest by them For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Mark Though now there shall be no need of Temple Sun or Moon yet Christ the Lamb or the Man who was offered in sacrifice for our Redemption shall be of use and benefit for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof Wherefore all that we who are the saved shall enjoy of Glory and Sweetness in another world though we shall not enjoy it from God through Christ by and in the Ordinances yet we shall enjoy it through Christ the Lamb without them for the Lamb is the light of it By this word Lamb he would have us understand that when we are in Glory the blood death and bloody conquest that the man Christ did get over our infernal enemies will be of eternal use to us because that benefit of Christ shall not only for ever be the Foundation of our eternal felicity but the burden of our Song of Glory in all our raptures among the Angels It will be the Blood the Blood the redeeming Blood of the Lamb. Blessing glory honour and power be to him that sits upon the Throne and to the LAMB for ever and ever 'T is he in whom will be found the seven Eyes the seven Spirits of God in whose light we shall see the heights and depths of those Springs and everlasting Fountains and Depths of Glory for ever and indeed the conceit of
Pipes that are on the Head of the golden Candlestick shall at this day convey with all freeness the golden Oyl thereout into our golden Hearts and Lamps Our Win● shall be mixt with Gall no longer we shall now drink the pure blood of the Grape the glory of pardoning and forgivin● Mercy shall so shew it self at this day in this City and shall so visibly abide the● in the Eyes of all Spectators that all shall be inflamed with it For Zions sake I will not hold my peace and for Jerusalems sake I will not rest untill the Righteousness thereo● go forth as brightness and the Salvation t●ereof as a Lamp that burneth and the Gentiles shall see thy Righteousness and all Kings thy Glory and thou shalt be called by a new Name which the mouth of the Lord shall name Isa. 62. 1 2. and again The Lord shall make bare his holy Name in the eyes of all the Nations and all the ends of the Earth shall see the Salvation of God Isa. 52. 9 10. Psal. 98. 2. At that day the Prophet tells us that there shall be HOLINESS upon the very Horses Bridles and that the Pots in the Lords House shall be like the Bowls before the Altar and every Pot in Jerusalem shall be Holiness unto the Lord Zech. 14. 20 21. The meaning of all these places is That in the day that the Lord doth turn his Church and People into the frame and fashion of a City and when he shall build them up to answer the first state of the Church there will such Grace and plenty of Mercy be extended unto her begetting such Faith and Holiness and Grace in her Soul and all her Actions that she shall convince all that are about her that she is the City the beloved City the City that the Lord hath chosen for after that he had said before He would return to Zion and dwell in the midst of Jerusalem he saith moreover That Jerusalem shall be called A City of Truth and the Mountain of the Lord of Hosts the holy Mountain And all the People of the Earth shall see that thou art called by the Name of the Lord and they shall be afraid of thee Deut. 28. 10. Secondly As the Glory of the Grace of God will at his day be wonderful manifest in and over his City so also at that day will be seen the Glory of his Power O my People saith God that dwellest in Zion be not afraid of the Assyrian he shall smite thee with a Rod and shall lift up his Staff against thee after the manner of Egypt that is shall persecute and afflict thee as Pharaoh served thy Friends of old but be not afraid for yet a little while and the indignation shall cease and mine anger in their destruction and the Lord of Host shall stir up a scourge for him according to the slaughter of Midian at the Rock Oreb and as his Rod was upon the Sea so shall he lift it up after the manner of Egypt the sum is God will at the day of his rebuilding the New Jerusalem so visibly make bare his Arm and be so exalted before all by his Power towards his People that no People shall dare to oppose or stand if they do make the least attempt to hinder the stability of this City Isa. 10. 24 25 26 27. I will surely gather or assemble O Jacob all of thee saith God I will surely gather the Remnant of Israel as the Sheep of Bozrah as the flocks in the midst of the fold they shall make a noise by reason of the multitude of men The breaker up is come up before them they have broken up the Antichristian siege that hath been laid against them they are gone thorow the gate they are gone out of it and their King shall pass before them and the Lord in the head of them Like as a Lion and a young Lion roaring on the prey when a multitude of Shepherds are called forth against him he will not be affraid of their Voice nor abase himself for the noise of them so shall the Lord come down to fight for Mount Zion and for the Hill thereof The Lord shall go forth like a mighty man and shall stir up Jealousie like a man of War he shall cry yea roar he shall prevail against his Enemies but not by Might nor yet by Power that is the Power and Arm of Flesh but by the power of the Word and Spirit of God which will prevail and must prevail to quash and over-turn all opposition Thirdly When God hath thus appeared in the Glory of his Grace and the Glory of his Power to deliver his Chosen then shall the implacable Enemies of God shrink and creep into holes like the Locusts and Frogs of the Hedges at the appearance of the Glory of the Majesty of God now the high ones lofty ones haughty ones and the proud shall see so evidently the hand of the Lord towards his Servants and his indignation towards his Enemies that they shall go into the Rocks and Holes of the Earth and into the tops of the ragged Rocks for the fear of the Lord and for the glory of his Majesty when he shall arise to shake terribly the Earth Isa. 2. Where the presence of the Lord doth so appear upon a People that those that are Spectators perceive and understand it it must needs work on those Spectators one of these two things either first a trembling and astonishment and quailing of Heart as it doth among the implacable Enemies or else a buckling and bending of Heart and submission to his People and Ways as saith the Prophet The Sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending to thee all they that despised thee shall fall down at the soles of thy feet they shall call thee The City of the Lord The Zion of the Holy One of Israel as Moses said to the Children of Israel The Lord shall put the fear of you and the dread of you upon all the Land that you shall tread upon as he said unto you Isa. 60. 14. Deut. 11. 25. At this day the footsteps of the Lord will be so apparent and visible in all his actions and dispensations in and towards his People this holy City that all shall see as I have said how gratious loving kind and good the Lord is now towards his own Children Such glory I say will be over them and upon them that they all will shine before the World and such tender Bowels in GOD towards them that no sooner can an Adversary peep or lift up his Head against his Servants but his hand will be in the Neck of them so that in short time he will have brought his Church into that safety and her Neighbours into that fear and submission that they shall not again so much as dare to hold up a hand against her no not for a thousand Years Thus saith the
Lord Behold I will bring again the Captivity of Jacobs Tents and have mercy upon his dwelling Places and the City shall be builded upon her own heap and the Palace shall remain after the manner thereof and out of them shall proceed thanks-giving and the Voice of them that make merry and I will multiply them and they shall not be few and I will also glorifie them and they shall not be small Their Children also shall be as aforetime and their Congregation shall be established before me and I will punish all that oppress them Jer. 30. 18 19 20. Having the Glory of God And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious even like a Jasper Stone clear as Crystal Having thus told us of her Glory even of the Glory of God how it at this day will rest upon this City he now comes to touch a second thing to wit her Light and that in which she descends and by which as with the Light of the Sun she seeth before her and behind her and on every side This therefore is another Branch of her Beauty She in her descending hath the Glory of God and also the Light of a Stone most precious Ezekiel tells us That in the Vision that he saw when he came to destroy the City which Vision was the very same that he saw again at the restoring of it he saith I say that in this Vision among many other wonders he saw a Fire infolding it self and Brightness about it and that the Fire also was bright and that out of it went forth Lightning that the likeness of the Firmament upon the living Creatures was the colour of the terrible Crystal that the Throne also upon which was placed the likeness of a Man was like or as the appearance of a Saphir-Stone all which words with the nature of their Light and Colour the holy Ghost doth in the Vision of John comprize and placeth within the Colour of the Jasper and the Crystal-stone And indeed though the Vision of John and Ezekiel touching the end of the matter be but one and the same yet they do very much vary and differ in terms and manner of Language Ezekiel tells us That the man that he saw come to measure the City and Temple had in his hand a Line of Flax which Line John calls a Golden Reed Ezekiel tells us that the River came out of or from under the Threshold of the House but John saith it came out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Ezekiel tells us that on either side of this River grew All Trees for food John calls these ALL Trees but ONE Tree and tells us that it stood on both sides of this River The like might also be shewed you in many other particulars as here you see they differ as touching the terms of the Light and Brightness that appears upon this City at her rebuilding which the holy Ghost represents to John under the Light and Glory of the Jasper and Crystal Stone for indeed the end of Ezekiel's Vision was to shew us That as when the Glory of God departed from the City it signified that he would take away from them the Light of his Word and their clearness of Worship suffering them to mourn for the loss of the one and to grope for the want of the other so at his return again he would give them both their former Light of Truth and also the clearness of Spirit to understand it which also John doth shew us shall last for ever And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious This Stone it is to represent unto us the Lord Jesus Christ in whose light and clearness this City comes out of Babylon for as he saith she hath the Glory of God that is his visible hand of Grace Power and Majesty to bring her forth so she comes in the light of this precious Stone which terms I say both the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Peter do apply to the Lord Jesus and none else the one calling him A precious Corner-Stone the other calling him The chief Corner-Stone elect and precious Isa. 28. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. Now then when he saith this City hath the light of this Stone to descend in he means That she comes in the shining Wisdom Knowledge Understanding and Influences of Christ out of her afflicted and captivated State and observe it she is rather said to descend in the Light of this Stone then in the Light of God though both be true because it is the Man Christ the Stone which the Builders rejected in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge of whose fulness we do all receive and Grace for Grace for it hath pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell Col. 2. 3. John 1. 16. Col. 1. 19. see also Act. 2. 33. and Ephes. 4. 10 11 12 13. This sheweth us then these two things first That the time of the return of the Saints to build the ruinous City is near yea very near when the Light of the Lord Jesus begins to shine unto perfect day in her God will not bring forth his People out of Babylon especially those that are to be the chief in the building of this City without their own Judgments They shall see Eye to Eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion as he saith also in another place The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun sevenfold as the light of seven days in the day that the Lord bindeth up the Breach of his People and healeth the stroke of their Wound Now the Eyes of them that see shall not be dim the Ears of them that hear shall hearken The Heart also of the rash shall understand Knowledge and the Tongue of the Stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly The Lord shall be now exalted and be very high for he will fill Zion with Judgement and Righteousness and Wisdom and Knowledge shall be the stability of thy times When Israel went out of Egypt they wanted much of this they went out blindfolded as it were they went they knew not whither wherefore they went not in the glory of that which this City descendeth in as Moses said The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive nor Eyes to see nor Ears to hear unto this day Deut. 29. 4. But these shall see every step they take they shall be like the Beasts that had Eyes both before and behind they shall see how far they are come out of Antichrist and shall see also how far yet they have to go to the compleat rebuilding and finishing of this City Secondly This sheweth us how sweet and pleasant the way of this Church will be at this day before them Light Knowledge and Judgement in GOD's matters doth not onely give men to see and behold all the things with which they are concerned