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
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 Winâ— shall be mixt with Gall no longer we shall now drink the pure blood of the Grape the glory of pardoning and forgivinâ— Mercy shall so shew it self at this day in this City and shall so visibly abide theâ— 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 thereoâ— go forth as brightness and the Salvation tâ—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
shall be so effectually joyned together that now they shall be no more two that is at a distance with a ditch between but one sound and inclosing-Wall to shew us That now the state of this Jerusalem even touching her outward Glory Peace and Tranquillity will be so stable invincible and lasting that unless that part of the Wall which is Eternal Salvation can be brokendown the Glory of this City shall never be vailed more Wherefore the Prophet when he speaks with reference to the happy state and condition of this City he saith Violence shall be heard no more within thy Land nor wasting and destruction within thy Borders but thou shalt call thy Walls Salvation and thy Gates Praise as he saith also in another place Thine Eye shall see Jerusalem a quiet Habitation a Tabernacle that shall not be taken down nor one of the Stakes thereof shall ever be removed neither shall any of the Cords thereof be broken Isa. 60. 18. 33. 20. The Walls are now conjoyned both joyned into one the Father hath delivered up the great Red Dragon into the hand of Christ who hath shut him up and sealed him down even down for a thousand years Wherefore from the Lord shall there be upon every dwelling Place of Mount Zion and upon all her Assemblies a Cloud and Smoak by Day and the shining of a flaming Fire by Night for upon all her Glory shall be a Defence And in that day shall this Song be sung We have a strong City Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks Isa. 4. 5. 26. 1 2. The same in effect hath our Prophet John saying I saw the Holy City the New Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband and I heard a great Voice out of Heaven saying The Tabernaele of God is with men and he shall dwell with them and God himself shall be with them and be their God and God shall wipe away all tears from their Eyes and there shall be no more death neither sorrow nor crying neither shall there be any more pain for the former things are passed away Rev. 21. 2 3 4. And had a Wall great and high These words Great and High are added for illustration to set out the matter to the height and indeed the glory of a Wall lyeth in this that it is great and high the Walls of the Canaanites were terrible upon this account and did even sink the Hearts of those that beheld them wherefore this City shall be most certainly in safety she hath a Wall about her a great Wall a Wall about her an high Wall It is great for compass it incloseth every Saint it is great for thickness it is compacted of all the Grace and Goodness of God both â—â—ritual and temporal and for height if you count from the utmost side to the utmost then it is higher then Heaven who can storm it and for depth it is lower then Hell who can undermine it Great Mercies high Mercies great Preservation and a high Arm to defend shall continually at this day incamp this City God himself will be a continual Life-Guard to this City I will incamp saith he about mine House because of the Army because of him that passeth by anâ— because of him that returneth and no Oppressor shall pass thorow them any more for now have I seen with mine Eyes Zech. 9. 8. And had twelve Gates Having thus shewed us her Wall he now comes to her Gates it had Gates it had twelve Gates By Gates in this place we are to understand the way of Entrance Gates you know are for coming in and for going out and do in this place signifie two things First An Entrance into communion with the God and Saviour of this City Secondly Entrance into communion with the Inhabitants and Priviledges of this City in both which the Gates do signifie Christ for as no man can come to the knowledge and enjoyment of the God and glorious Saviour but by and thorow the Lord Christ so no man can come into true and spiritual communion with these Inhabitants but by him also I AM THE WAY saith he the Truth and the Life and no man comes to the Father but BY ME and again I am the DOOR BY ME if any man ENTER he shall be saved and shall go in and out and finde pasture Joh. 10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7. 14. 6. And had twelve Gates In that he saith Twelve Gates he alludeth to the City Jerusalem that was of old which had just so many and are on purpose put into the number of Twelve â—o answer to the whole number of the Elect of God which are comprehended within the number of the Twelve Tribes whether they are natural Jews or Gentiles for as all the Godly Jews are the Seed of Abraham after the Flesh though â—ot Godly because they are the Children of the Flesh of Abraham so all the Godly Gentiles are the Children of Abraham after the Spirit though not by that means made the Children of the Flesh of Abraham they both meet then in the Spirit and Faith of the Gospel as God saith to the Jews When the Stranger shall sojourn with thee and will keep the Passover that is become godly and receive the Faith of Christ let all his Males be circumcised and then let them come near and keep it c. For they that are of Faith are the Children of faithful Abraham who is called The very Father of us all Thus you see all the godly come under the Title of the Children of Abraham and of the Jews and so under the denomination also of being Persons belonging to the Tribes the twelve Tribes who answer to those twelve Gates Wherefore the Psalmist minding this speaketh indifinitely of all the Godly under the name of The Tribes of Israel saying Our Feet shall stand within the Gates O Jerusalem Jerusalem is builded a City that is compact together whithâ— the Tribes go up the Tribes of the Lord unto the Testimony of Israel to give thaâ—â— to the Name of the Lord Psal. 122. 2 3 â— But again Though I am certain that all the Gentiles that are at any time converted are reckoned within the compass of some of the Tribes of Israel to which the Gates of this City may truly be said to answer Yet the Gates are here in a special manner called by the name of twelve to answer to the happy Return and Restoration of those poor distressed Creatures the twelve Tribes of the Jews that are scattered abroad that are and for a long time have been to our astonishment and their shame as Vagabonds and Straglers among the Nations there to continue many days without a King without a Prince and without a Sacrifice and without an Ephod that is without the true God the true Saviour and the true Word and Ordinances after which saith the same
that are made to New Jerusalem for her Safety and continual Defence and that not onely in her own Eyes but in the Eyes of all her Beholders Then shall that Saying be with gladness in the Mouths of all the Inhabitants of this Jerusalem We were bond-men and yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage but hath extended Mercy unto us in the sight of the Kings of Persia to give us a reviving to set up the House of our God to repair the desolations thereof and to give us a Wall in Judah and in Jerusalem Ezra 9. 9. Which Wall I say shall be so conspicuous to all the Adversaries of this holy and beloved City that the greatest of them shall not once dare to peep or mutter against her any more God is known in her Palaces for a Refuge for lo the Kings were assembled they passed by they saw it and so they marwelled they were troubled and hasted away fear took hold upon them and pain as of a Woman in travel As it is said of the building of the Wall after the Captivity when the Enemies and all the Heathen saw it was finished they were much cast down in their own Eyes Psal. 48. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Neh. 6. 15 16. The regulating of this City by this Golden Reed and the measuring the Gates and VVall by this VVord when finished will then cause all that have skill in singing the Lords Songs and of lifting up the Praises of God in this City to gather themselves together to sing and to praise and to say Bless ye the Name of the Lord for his Mercies endure for ever for then will they purifie the People this City with the Gates and Wall thereof Neh. 12 28 29 30. VVherefore in the mean time between this and the building of this City let Jerusalem come into your mind and walk about her go â—e round about her enquire by the VVord what God hath said of her State Strength Safety Ease Peace and blessed Tranquillity in the latter days tell the Towers thereof mark ye well her Bulwarks consider her Palaces that ye may tell it to the Generations following Psal. 48. 12 13. Vers. 16. And the City lieth four square and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and height of it are equal And the City lieth four square These words do open unto you the matter yet more to wit That now both the City Gates and VVall were exactly in their Visibility according to the VVord lying even every way with that Golden Reed for by four square you are to understand Perfection or an answering the figures that of old did figure to us the compleatness and perfection of the New-Testament-Order For if you search the Scriptures you will finde that especially the great and principal Instruments of Gods Worship in and under the Law their Perfection was what here you read to be the Perfection of this City even a four square As for instance The Brest-plate of Judgment on which were engraved the Names of the Children of Israel its exact point of Perfection was to be a right four square The ten Bases also that were to be for Bearers to the Lavers in the Temple they were to be four square The Altar of Burnt-Offerings likewise with the Altar of Incense their perfect Pattern was that they should be four square The inward Court and outward Court with the Posts of the Temple and Tables on which they were to slay the Sacrifices they were all four square Yea the City in the Type in the Vision of Ezekiel was seen to be of the same frame and fashion every way having just twelve Gates and of each of the four sides three Gates Exod. 28. 15 16. 39. 8 9. 1 King 7. 27 28 29 30 31. Exod. 27. 1. 38. 1. Ezek. 43. 13 14 15 16 17 18. Exod. 37. 1. Ezek. 40. 41. 21. 40. 40 41 42. 48. 30 31 32 33 34. Wherefore when he saith The City lieth four square it is as if he had said She lieth even with the Pattern or Golden-Reed of the Word even I say both in her Members Doctrine VVorship and Manners For the things afore-hinted unto you do hold forth all these Particulars And the length is as large as the breadth This explaineth the matter yet more fully and distinctly for as to the things that I made mention of before though they were to be made four-square and that their Perfection lay exactly in that form yet these Squares did not lie in their height and depth but in their length and breadth just as you read here of the Square of this City As to instance The Altars though they were five Cubits long and five Cubits broad yet but three high so the Bases they were a Cubit and an half broad and a Cubit and an half long yet but half a Cubit high the Tables also on which they slew the Sacrifices they were a Cubit and a half long and a Cubit and a half broad yet but one Cubit high VVhich things being thus you see the reason of his saying the length is as large as the breadth Now by length and breadth here we may yet observe another Mystery held forth unto us for by the breadth is held forth the perfection of the Rule or Law to which all Christians ought to yeild their hearty Obedience His Commandment is exceeding broad The breadth of which is signified I say by the breadth of those things that before you see to be the Instruments of the Worship of God Now as by breadth we are to understand the perfect latitude and compass of the Commandment so by length we are to understand the answerableness of the obedience of the Inhabitants of this City for indeed the perfection of Christian Obedience lieth in an answerableness to the Will of God as it is said of the Father and Mother of John the Baptist they walked in all the Commandments of the Lord blameless and of Anna that she continued without ceasing in the service of God in the Temple day and night This is to be as long in our Obedience as the Law is broad in commanding the Law commands right Obedience and the Christian giveth it the Law commands continual Obedience and the Christian giveth it the Law commands universal Obedience and the Christian giveth it He giveth it all these sorts of Obedience 1. By the Person of Christ for he is his Righteousness he giveth it all these 2. With the consent of the mind and 3. He giveth it all these Obediences in the love of the Spirit which the Apostle calleth the fulfilling of the Law that is an answering the breadth of its Command by the length of Obedience wherefore when he saith The length is as large as the breadth he would have us understand how perfect in Holiness these blessed
Preachers confounded and removed to and fro even like loose and roulingstones these Offices also are by others attributed to Antichrist and his Children of Iniquity but at this day the Nations shall know themseves to be but men and the Doctrines of Christ shall be set again in their own places Now shall every going into this City and every going out thereof stand where it ought and now shall every Tower and Fortress on this VVall be placed as in the days of old which Towers and Fortresses are the glorious Names and Attributes of the Father and Christ for the Name of the Lord is a strong Tower the Righteous flee into it and are safe and again Thou hast been a shelter to me and a strong Tower from the Enemy Wherefore now I say shall the Name of God as Lord of all and Father of his Church with the Names of the Son as Head Saviour and King of kings be as the Bulwarks to this City to which shall be added all the Promises Consolations Encouragements c. in the blessed Book of God out of which this City continually shall suck the Milk and Nourishment of the unsearchable Grace of God to them to all which shall be added many new pieces of Timber in the Wall for so it was in the Type at the rebuilding of the City by which new pieces I gather that the special Providence of God and his Protection shall be at this day so fastened in this Wall for the compleat delivering of this City both from Hell and Earth that she shall stand in full force safety and peace even till the Heavens and the Earth shall be no more Now when this Wall is thus set up even every Truth and Office of Christ in is own true natural force about this City and when God in his special and most indeared affections shall engage himself even everlastingly to keep this City safe from all storms and tempests and trouble and sorrow then shall these Citizens as a sign of their Conquest both of Hell and the World even set up their Banners on the several Towers of this Wall and the Standards that belong to the Tribes thereof then I say We shall rejoyce in thy Salvation O Lord and in thy Name will we set up our Banners And then shall the Inhabitants of the World both wondering and tremblingly say Who is this that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Sun clear as the Moon and terrible as an Army with Banners O the Names of God of Christ of his Offices and the power of his Grace and Promises How will they shine In what Glory will they appear They will be even as a Wall of fire round about Jerusalem and will not be as now in the mind and thought of the People as the White of an Egg in the Mouth without taste but shall be and appear in their own Brightness Sweetness and Grace For how great is his Goodness and how great is his Beauty Corn shall make the young Men chearful new Wine the Maids In that day shalt thou say O Lord I will praise thee though thou wast angry with me thine anger is turned away and thou comfortest me Behold God is my Salvation I will trust and not be afraid for the Lord JEHOVAH is my Strength and my Song he also is become my Salvation Isa. 12. 1 2. For the Workmen I am sure God is the principal as I said before but yet he will do it by instruments thorow the guidance of his Spirit The building of the Wall of old was of God but so as that he did it by the hand of Nehemiah and his Companions I do observe in the compleating of the City Jerusalem of old that there was first Altar-work then Temple-work and after that the building the Wall and compleating the City Altar-work I say was the first which was reared and on which there was offered according to the Law and holy custom the Sacrifices and Offerings both morning and evening as every day required but the foundation of the Temple was not yet laid Ezra 3. 1 2 3 4 5 6. These Altar-men were those also that afterward built the Temple but yet by them was first of all repaired the Altar to signifie that the first work that will be on foot at the beginning of the return of the Christians from out of Antichristian Babylon it will be to finde out Altar-work that is the Priestly Office of Christ and to offer 〈◊〉 Him the Prayers and Supplications of the Church continually Wherefore these Altar-men or these men in their Altar-work did figure-out for us our famous and holy Worthies that before us have risen up in their place and shook off those Reliques of Antichrist that intrenched upon the Priestly Office of our Lord and Saviour even worthy Wickliff Hus Luther Melancton Calvin and the blessed Martyrs in Q. Maries dayes c. with the rest of their companions these in their day were stout valiant Champions for God according to their light and did upon the Altar of God which is Christ our Lord offer up many strong cries with groans and tears as every day required for the compleat recovering of the Church of God the benefit of whose Offering we have felt and enjoyed to this day but by this the Foundation of the Temple was not yet laid Now after these arise another People not another with respect to Christianity but with respect to further light These men though they keep the continual Offerings upon the Altar as the other did yet they are men also that are for Temple-work wherefore these begin to search out the Foundations of the Temple of God that they may rear up the House as well as build up the Altar These be they that are for having the Church a select company of visible Believers walking in the Faith and Holiness of the Gospel which Believers are for separating from the unconverted and open prophane and for building up one another an holy Temple in the Lord through the Spirit I say a Temple or House or Church separate and distinct from that confused heap of rubbish and carnal Gospelers that every where like Locusts and Maggots craul up and down the Nations These were figured forth by Zerubbabel Joshua and all the people of the Land that are for working and labouring in this service of Temple-work Hag. 1. 12. Hag. 2. 1 2 3 4 5. Again As there is thus Altar-work and Temple-work to be done by the Saints when they are coming out of spiritual Sodom and Egypt So at the end of these there will be City-work on foot also Which City-work will chiefly consist in setting up the Wall and Gates for defence and of building themselves Houses or Mansions of rest and refreshment after all their hard usage under the tyranny of the Man of sin that Son of Perdition which City-work wil be then compleated when the
a crushed bunch of Herbs in which is no Vertue or like a Furnace full of Dross out of which the Gold is taken or like an old crazy and ruinous House from which is departed all Health and Happiness and indeed much like to this is that saying of the Prophet to wit That at this day the whole circumference of the World that is without the Walls and Priviledges of this City it shall be but like an old ruinous House in which dwells nothing but Cormorants Bitterns Owls Ravens Dragons Satyrs the Screech-Owl the great Owl the Vulture and the like most doleful Birds All their Princes shall be nothing saith the Prophet and when they call their Nobles to the Kingdom none shall be there In their very Pallaces shall be Thorns and Nettles and Brambles for all among them that are Princes and Nobles indeed will have pack'd up and be gon for Jerusalem So that the World I say will be left empty void and stript both of Treasure Beauty and Health at the day of Jerusalems building again But O how melancholy a forlorn beautiless World will this be at this day It will be onely the place of Dogs Sorcereâ—s Whoremongers and Murderers and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie it will now be the very Emblem of Hell as the Church at this day will be the Emblem of Heaven wherefore as the Church as I shewed you before will be most fit for her puting on of Immortality and Incorruption so the World will at this day be most fit to be swallowed up of the Lake and bottomless Gulf. All things that are good and worth any thing shall at this day be found onely in the City of God The Gold will be in Jerusalem Again In that this City is here called by the name of Gold it is to shew us how great pains and travel and charge the Lord Christ hath been at to get so great a Treasure together Gold is fetched from a far Countrey and that with great pains charge and difficulty The Gold wherewith King Solomon made his drinking Vessels it cost a three years Journey to obtain it so the Saints also those Golden Vessels wherewith is made this Golden City they cost Christ a three days travel in the heart of the Earth even sweatingly under the wrath of God to obtain them and thus to build this City with them Further In that he saith this City is Gold he would have us to consider what the state of the Church was before she came into this happy condition to wit an afflicted tempted and tried condition Gold as it comes from the Mine it cometh commixed with its Dust and Ore wherefore the Goldsmith hath a burning Furnace wherein he having put it doth with the fire purge and take away the Dross and Dust from among the Metal it self into which Furnace he puts it once twice thrice and again to the end it may at length be thorowly cleansed and purified from its Dross Now all this befalleth the People of God they are thrown into the burning fiery Furnace of Affliction and Temptation and there they are tried purged and purified as the Lord also saith by the Prophet I will try them as Gold is tryed and will refine them as Silver is refined yea I will melt them and try them for how shall I do for the Daughter of my People Isa. 31. 9. Jer. 9. 7. Zech. 13. 9. Lastly When he saith this City is Gold he also thereby insinuates how invincible and unconquerable a Spirit the People of God are possessed with Gold is a Metal so invincible and unconquerable that no fire can consume it it may burn it indeed and melt it the Dross indeed doth consume and give way to the power of the fire but the Gold remains and holds its ground yea it gets ground even of the Furnace and Fire it self for the more it is burned and melted the more it recovers its colour and the more it shakes off its Dross and Dishonour Just thus it is with the People of God and hath been so even from the beginning The more they oppressed them the more they grew Exod. 1. 12. the truth of which will be proved with a witness when God comes to set up this City Jerusalem his Church hath been now for many hundred years in the King of Babylon's Furnace all which time she hath most gloriously endured and withstood the heat and at last when the fire hath done its worst against her Behold there comes out a City of Gold A Type of which was the state of the three Children who though they were cast into the Fire bound and in disgrace yet came out in the Liberty and Grace of the Son of God Dan. 3. 23 24 25 26. Wherefore let her be bold to say even before she comes out of the Fire When I am tried I shall come forth as Gold Job 23. 10. And the City was pure Gold These words PURE Gold clear up what I said already Pure Gold or Gold upon which the fire hath done its work The Church in the fire of Persecution is like Esther in the perfuming Chamber but making fit for the presence of the King which fire when it hath done its work then she comes into his presence in cloathing all of Gold The Kings Daughter is all glorious within her cloathing is of wrought Gold and again At thy right hand did stand the Queen in Gold of Ophir Psal. 45. 9 13. Wherefore he means by pure Gold Gold out of the Fire Gold on which the fire of Persecution and Temptation hath done its full and compleat work And the City was pure Gold like unto clear Glass By Glass in this place we are to understand the Word of God as both James and Paul do testifie Jam. 1. 23 24 25. 2 Cor. 3. 18. 1 Cor. 13. 12. By clear glass then we are to understand the Word in its own nature and purity without the corruptions and traditions of men Wherefore when he saith this Golden City was like unto clear Glass it is as if he had said she is even with the Word and Law of her Goldsmith in all her matters The Word is a Golden Reed this City a Golden City and that a Golden City taken out of the furnace of affliction and therefore like to the Golden Reed And the City was pure Gold like unto clear Glass Vers. 19 20. And the Foundations of the Wall were garnished with all manner of precious stones The first Foundation was a Jasper the second a Saphir the third a Chalcedony the fourth an Emerald the fifth a Sardonix the sixth a Sardius the seventh a Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth Topaz the tenth Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacinct the twelfth an Amethyst Thus having shewed us the Glory of the Wall and of the City he now comes to shew us the glory of the Foundations The Foundations you know I told you before they are
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
Wine on the lees of fat things full of marrow of Wine on the lees well refined Isa. 25. 6. And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it They shall walk in the light of it That is in the Light that is in it while it is in its purity in this world and in the Glory of it when it is in its perfection and immortality in another Whence note by the way that in the midst of all this Glory or while the glorious light of the Gospel shall thus shine in the world yet even then there will be some also that will not see and rejoyce in the Glory hereof But as for those whoever they are they are excluded from a share in the blessed and goodly Priviledges of this City 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 By these words are great things held forth He told us before that the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and here he tells us that even their Kings also the Kings of the Earth do bring their Honour and Glory to it The people of the Nations they are but like to single-pence and half-pence but their Kings like Gold Angels and Twenty-shilling-pieces Wherefore when he saith that the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour unto it It argueth that the Gospel and the Grace of God when it is displayed in its own nature and seen in its own complexion even then they that have most of the Honour and Glory of the World will yet stoop their Top-gallant unto it Because of thy Temple which is at Jerusalem shall Kings bring Presents to thee The Kings of Tarshish of the Isles shall bring Presents to thee The Kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts yea all Kings shal fall down before him and all Nations shall serve him The Kings shall see and arise and Princes shall worship because of the Lord c. The Kings shall come to thy light and Princes to the brightness of thy rising The Kings shall see thy righteousness and all Kings thy Glory Yea that which hath not been told them shall they see and that which they have not heard shall they consider All the Kings of the Earth shall praise thee O Lord when they hear the words of thy mouth Yea they shall sing in the ways of the Lord for great is the Glory of the Lord. Thus we see that though in the first day of the Gospel the poor the halt the lame and the blind are chief in the embracing of the tenders of Grace yet in the latter day thereof God will take hold of Kings And the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour to it To it That is to Jerusalem Wherefore this City must be built before they all of them will fall in love with her Indeed I do conceive that some of them will lay their hand to help forward the work of this City as did Hiram with Solomon and Darius Cyrus Artaxerxes with Ezra and Nehemiah at the buliding and repairing the City in the letter in the days of old But yet I say the great conquest of the Kings will be by the beauty and glory of this City when she is builded Thou shalt arise O Lord and have mercy upon Zion for the time to favour her yea the set time is come for thy Servants take pleasure in her stones and favour the dust thereof So the Heathen shall fear the Name of the Lord and all Kings thy Glory And indeed before this City is set up and established in her own place most of the Kings and great ones of the Earth wil be found imployed and taken up in another work than to fall in love with Mount Zion and with the Hill thereof They will be found in love with Mistris Babylon the Mother of Harlots the Mistris of Witchcrafts and Abominations of the Earth They will I say be committing Fornication with her and will be as the horns upon the heads of the Beast to defend the riding Lady from the Gunshot that the Saints continually will be making at her by the force of the Word and Spirit of God They will be shaking the sharp end of their weapons against the Son of God continually labouring to keep him out of his Throne and from having that rule in the Church and in the World as becomes him who is the head of the body and over all principality and power These shall make war with the Lamb but I say it shall so come about at the last by the illuminating Grace of God and by the faithful and patient enduring of the Saints together with the glory that every-where shall now be abiding on the Church and Congregation of Jesus that they shal begin to receive a mans heart and shall consider things that have not been told them wherefore at last they shall withdraw themselves from the love of this Mistris and shall leave her to scrape for her self in the world and shall come with repentance and rejoycing to Zion nay not onely so but to avenge the Quarrel of God and the Vengeance of his Temple and to recompence her also for the delusion and inchantments wherewith she hath entangled them They shall hate her they shall make her desolate and naked they shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire Rev. 17. 16. Now Madam what sayest thou the Kings must come to Jerusalem Jezebel thy Chamber-companions will shortly notwithstanding thy paintedface cast thee down headlong out at the windows Yea they shall tread thee in pieces by the feet of their prancing-Horses and with the wheels of their jumping Chariots They shall shut up all bowels of compassion towards thee and shall roar upon thee like the Sea and upon thy fat ones like the waves thereof Yea when they begin they will also make an end and will leave thee so harborless and comfortless that now there will be found for thee no gladness at all no not so much as one Piper to play thee one Fig. The delicates that thy soul lusted after thou shalt find them no more at all Babylon the glory of Kingdoms and the beauty of the Caldees excellency shall be as when God overthew Sodom and Gomorrah It shall never be inhabited neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation neither shall the Arabian pitch Tent there nor Shepherds make their folds there but wild Beasts of the Desart shall lie there and their houses shall be full of doleful Creatures And the Satyrs shall dance there and the wild Beasts of the Islands shall cry in their desolate places and Dragons in their pleasant Palaces and her time is near to come and her dayes shall not be prolonged Isa. 13. 19 20 21 22 23. Thus wilt thou come down
Mark 1. His shadow will make us return that is to our first Love to the dayes of our youth to our young fresh tender and flourishing Faith Love and Self-denial that we received in the dayes of our Espousals 2. As it will make us return to these so it will make us revive in these they shall return and revive they shall revive as the Corn as the Corn doth when in the heat of Summer after long scorching it it covered with cool Clouds and watered with the bottles of Heaven 3. As is shall make them return and revive so it shall make them grow they shall grow as the Vine that is speedily fruitfully and spreadingly 4. This is not all but the smell of Saints in those dayes shall be excellent They shall revive as the Corn they shall grow as the Vine and shall send forth their scent as the Wine of Lebanon This Tree is a Perfuming-Tree and makes them also that abide under the shadow thereof to smell as sweet-smelling Myrrh it makes them smell as the Wine of thy Grace O Lord and as the fragrant Oyntments of Heaven When the Spouse did but touch where her Lord had touched afore her it made her hands drop with Myrrh and her fingers with sweet-smelling Myrrh O they will be green savoury reviving flourishing growing Christians that shall walk the street of New-Jerusalem I am saith he a green Fir-Tree from me is thy Fruit found But again As he shall be thus profitable to his People for shadow and reviving so he will be in the midst of the Street of it for food for refreshing and replenishing that way I sate down under his shadow with great delight said she and his fruit was sweet to my taste Ezekiel tels us that this Tree is all Trees And on the bank of the River on this side and on that were all Trees for meat Indeed Christ is all Trees yea there is more to be found in him for the food of the Soul than there can be on all Trees for the food of the Body He is a Fir-tree for tallness greenness and strength He is an Olive for fatness a Vine for sweetness and goodness for therewith is refreshed the heart both of God and man What shal I say he is the Almond-tree the Fig-tree the Apple-tree all Trees The Tree of Life also in the midst of the Paradise of God To conclude Seeing Christ is said to be in the midst of the Street of this City it sheweth unto us with what at all occasions the actions of the Saints of this City shall be seasoned The Street you know I told you is the Way of Holiness in this City the place of Spiritual recreation and solace Now in the very midst of this Street there stands this Tree which being thus it sheweth us how wonderfully Christ as a Tree of Life will be in all the words and deeds of the Inhabitants of this Jerusalem they will walk in Christ they will talk in Christ they will do all they do in Christ or rather Christ will be found in all their wayes even as the Tree of Life is found in the midst of the Street of this City they shall walk up and down in my Name saith the Lord. Again In that this Tree is said to stand in the midst of the Street it sheweth unto us how common and free his benefits will now be also The Plumbs and Figs and Grapes and Apples of this Tree will be open to every Passenger not a Boy nor a Girl that now shall play in thy Street O Jerusalem but shall eat of the Fruits of the Tree that stands in he midst of thee as of common things And in the midst of the Street of it and and on either side of the River was there the Tree of Life As this Tree doth stand in the midst of the Street of this City so it also standeth one each side of the River of the Water of Life of which you have heard before Now when he saith the Tree is on either side of the River whence by the way note yet again That both the Water of Life and also the Tree of Life they are both to be enjoyed by the Inhabitants of this City in the way of Holiness the Tree is in the midst of the Street and the River runs thorow or between the very tables of the heart of this Tree of Life on either side of the iver was there the Tree of Life Again In that it is said that this Tree of Life is on either side of the River it argueth that they who come at any time at this River for water to quench their thirst and to make them live they must come to it by the Tree of Life which is Christ. In more easie terms read it thus There is none can partake of the Grace of God but by the man Christ Jesus which is this Tree of Life for this Tree this Christ doth stand on either side of the River to signifie that all Grace to us comes thorow his bloody Wounds Death and Victory I am the Way saith Christ the Truth and the Life no man cometh to the Father but by me And on either side of the River was there the Tree of Life Mark But one Tree and yet such a Tree whose body reached as far as the River reached indeed Ezekiel saith this Tree is all Trees for meat yet not to shew that there is more Trees of Life than one but to shew that all that can be thought of that is good for soul-nourishment is to be found in this one that is in Christ Jesus and it is further evident that though he saith all Trees as if he meant many yet he spake but metaphorically to shew thereby the fulness of Christ because John doth understand him so calling it one Tree to wit the Tree of Life But mark again so far as the River goes so far the Tree goes so that where you cannot find the Tree of Life be sure there is none of the Water of Life No Christ no Grace He that hath the Son hath life but he that hath not the Son shall not see life but the wrath of God abides upon him For on either side of the River was there the Tree of Life Which bare twelve manner of Fruits This word Fruits it may be taken two ways either as it relates to God or as it relates to man for as I said before the Fruits of this Tree refresheth the heart both of God and man Now if it be taken with reference to God then it signifieth the compleat satisfaction that by the worthiness of the Fruits of the Passion of Christ is given to God for the salvation of the Church this City of God He suffered to finish transgression to make an end of sin and to bring in everlasting Righteousness by this I say is the heart of God refreshed and in this doth it rest
all Lastly I do find in most such a Spirit of Whoredom and Idolatry concerning the Learning of this World and Wisdom of the Flesh and GOD'S Glory so much stained and diminished thereby that had I all their aid and assistance at command I durst not make use of ought thereof and that for fear lest that Grace and those Gifts that the LORD hath given me should be atâ—ributed to their Wits rather then â—he Light of the Word and Spirit of GOD Wherefore I will not take of them from a thread to a shoo-latchet lest they should say We have made Abraham rich Gen. 14. 23. Sir What you find suiting with Scriptures take though it should not suit with Authors but that which you find against the Scriptures slight though it should be confirmed by Multitudes of them Yea further Where you find the Scriptures and your Authors jump yet believe it for the sake of Scriptures Authority I honour the Godly as Christians but I prefeâ— the BIBLE before them and having that still with me I count my self far better furnished than if I haâ— without it all the Libraries of the two Universities Besides I am foâ— drinking Water out of my own Câ—stern what GOD makes mine by the evidence of his Word and Spirit that I dare make bold with Wherefore seeing though I am without their Learned Lines yet well furnished with the Words of GOD I mean the BIBLE I have contented my self with what I there have found And having set it before your Eyes I pray read and take Sir what you like best And that wch you like not leave for the rest III. To the Captious Reader MY third word is to the Captious and wrangling Reader Friend However thou camest by this Book I will assure thee thou wast least in my thoughts when I writ it I tell thee I intended this Book as little for thee as the Goldsmith intendeth his Jewels and Rings for the Snowt of a Sow Wherefore put on Reason and lay aside thy Frenzie Be sober or lay by the Book Mat. 7. 6. IV. To the Mother of Harlots c. MY fourth word is to the Lady of Kingdoms the Well-favoured Harlot the Mistris of Witchcrafts and the Abominations of the Earth Mistris I suppose I have nothing here that will either please your wanton Eye or go down with your voluptuous Palate here is Bread indeed as also Milk and Meat but here is neither paint to adorn thy wrinkled face nor Crutch to uphold or undershore thy shaking tottering staggering Kingdom of ROME but rather a certain presage of thy sudden and fearful final downfall and of the Exaltation of that holy Matron whose Chastity thou dost abhor because by it she reproveth and condemneth thy leud and stubborn Life Wherefore Lady smell thou may'st of this but taste thou wilt not I know that both thy wanton Eye with all thy mincing Brats that are intoxicated with thy Cup and inchanted with thy Fornications vvill at the sight of so homely and plain a Dish as this cry Foh snuff put the Branch to the Nose and say Contemptible But Wisdom is justified of all her Children The Virgin Daughter of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn Jerusalem hath shaken her Head at thee yea her GOD hath smitten his Hands at thy dishonest Gain and Freaks Rejoyce ye with Jerusalem and be glad for her all ye that love her rejoyce for Joy with her all ye that mourn for her that ye may suck and be satisfied with 〈◊〉 Brests of her Consolations that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her Glory JOHN BUNYAN Reader By reason of the Authors distance from the Press some Faults have escaped notwithstanding the Printers care which thou art desired to correct thus ERRATA Page 7. line 10 11. for deserve read discern Pag. 78. lin 12. for tother read together Pag. 186. lin 22. for by Laws read by-Lanes Pag. 217. lin 2. for contiaually r. continually P. 234. l 22. for Sanctuar y the r. Sanctuary the. P. 270. l. 12. for he read the. P. 271. l. 2. for iver read River P. 277. l. 28. for wandering by read wonderingly The Holy City Or The New Jerusalem Revelations XXI 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 Vers. 11 Having the glory of God and her Light was like unto a Stone most precious even like a Jasper Stone clear as Chrystal Vers. 12 And had a Wall great and high and had twelve Gates and at the Gates twelve Angels and names written thereon which are the names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel Vers. 13 On the East three Gates on the North three Gates on the South three Gates and on the West three Gates Vers. 14 And the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations and in them the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Vers. 15 And he that talked with me had a Golden Reed to measure the City and the Gates thereof and the Wall thereof Vers. 16 And the City lieth foursquare and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs the length and the breadth and the heighth of it are equal Vers. 17 And he measured the Wall thereof an hundred and forty and four Cubits according to the measure of a man that is of the Angel Vers. 18 And the building of the Wall of it was of Jasper and the City was of pure Gold like unto clear Glass Vers. 19 And the Foundations of the Wall of the City were garnished with all manner of precious Stones The first Foundation was Jasper the second Saphire the third a Chalcedony the fourth an Emerald Vers. 20 The fifth Sardonyx the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite the eighth Beryl the ninth a Topaz the tenth a Chrysoprasus the eleventh a Jacinct the twelfth an Amethyst Vers. 21 And the twelve Gates were twelve Pearls every several Gate was of one Pearl and the street of the City was pure Gold as it were transparent Glass Vers. 22 And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it Vers. 23 And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Vers. 24 And the Nations of them 〈◊〉 are saved shall walk in the Light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour unto it Vers. 25 And the Gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there Vers. 26 And they shall bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations into it Vers. 27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth neither whatsoever worketh abomination or maketh a lie
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
and whose sins ye retain they are retained And hence it is that the true Ministers in their right administration are called Porters because as Porters stand at the Gate and there open to or shut upon those that make an attempt to enter in so the Ministers of Christ by the Doctrine of the Twelve do both open to and shut the Gates against the Persons that will be attempting to enter in at the Gates of this City Secondly But again They are said to stand at the Gates for the incouraging and perswading of the tempted and doubting Jews who at the beginning of their return will be much afflicted under the sight and sence of their own wretchedness Alas were it not for some to stand at the Gates of this City for instruction and the incouragement of those that will at that day in earnest be looking after life they might labour as in other things for very very Vanity and might also be so grievously beat out of Heart and Spirit that they might die in despair But now to prevent this for those that are in the way to Zion with watry Eyes and wetted Cheeks here stands the Angels continually sounding with their Golden-Gospel-Trumpets Enter ye into his Gates with â—hanksgiving and into his Courts with praise be thankful unto him and bless his Name for the Lord is good and his Mercy 〈◊〉 everlasting and his Truth indureth for ever even to all Generations as he saith again And it shall come to pass in that day that the great Trumpet shall be blown and they shall come which were ready to perish in the Land of Assyria and the out-casts of the Land of Egypt and shall worship the Lord in the holy Mount at Jerusalem And at the Gates twelve Angels and Names written thereon which are the Names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel Thus it was in the Vision of the Prophet when he was taking a View of the Pattern of this City And the Gates of the City saith the Angel to him shall be after the Names of the Tribes of Israel which saying John doth here expound saying The Names of the twelve Tribes of the Children of Israel were writ or set upon them This being thus it cleareth to you what I said but now to wit That the Gates are called twelve to answer the twelve Tribes for their Names are written thereon This must therefore without all doubt be a very great incouragement to this despised People I say great incouragement that notwithstanding all their Rebellion Blasphemy and contempt of the glorious Gospel their Names should yet be found recorded and ingraved upon the very Gates of New Jerusalem Thus then shall the Jews be comforted in the latter days and truly they will have but need hereof for doubtless at their return when they are throughly sensible of the Murder they have committed not onely upon the Bodies of the Prophets and Apostles but of the Son of God himself I say this must needs tother with the remembrance of the rest of their villanous actions exceedingly afflict and distress their bleeding Souls for the Children of Israel shall come they and the Children of Judah together going and weeping they shall go and seek the Lord their God and shall ask the way to Zion with their Faces thitherward Jer. 50. 4 5. Mark going and weeping there will not be a step that these poor People will take in the day of their returning but will be watered with the Tears of Repentance and Contrition under the consideration of the wickedness that in the days of their Rebellion they have committed against the Lord of Glory as he saith also by another Prophet I will pour upon the House of David and upon the Inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of Grace and Supplication and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced and they shall mourn for him as a Man mourns for his onely Son and they shall be in bitterness for him as him that is in bitterness for his first-born at that day there shall be a great mourning in Jerusalem as the mourning of Hadadrimmon in the Valley of Megiddon and the Land shall mourn Zech. 12. 10 11 12. Wherefore I say they both have and also will have need of twelve Gates and on them the Names of their twelve Tribes with an Angel at each to incourage them to enter this holy and goodly City and to tell them that yet he counts them his Friends in whose House he received the wounds in his Hands But again As by the Names of the twelve Tribes written on the Gates we may see what incouragement the Jews will have at their Return to enter in at them so we may also understand that by the Names of the twelve Tribes here written God would have us to perceive how all must be qualified that from among the Gentiles at this day do enter in at these Gates namely Those and those onely that be cut out of their own wild Olive-Tree and transplanted among the Children of Israel into their good Olive-Tree Such as are Jews inwardly the Israel of God according to the New Creature they shall enter for the holy Gentiles also by vertue of their conversion are stiled the Children of Abraham Jews the Chosen Generation the Peculiar People the Holy Nation and so are spiritually though not naturally by carnal generation of the twelve Tribes whose Names are written upon the Gates of this City And it shall come to pass saith the Prophet that in what Tribe the Stranger that is the Gentile sojourneth there shall ye give him his Inheritance saith the Lord God Ezek. 47. 22 23. Thus the Jews and Gentiles shall meet together in the Spirit of the Gospel and so both become a righteous Nation to both which the Gates of this City shall stand continually open at which also they may with boldness demand by the Faith of the Lord JESUS their entrance both for Communion with the God Grace and Priviledges of this City according to that which is written Open ye the Gates that the righteous Nation which keepeth the Truth may enter in Isa. 26. 2. Thus much of the Number of the Gates and now to proceed to the Order of them Vers. 13. On the East three Gates on the North three Gates on South three Gates and on the West three Gates I shall not speak any thing to the manner of his repeating of the Quarters towards which the Gates do look why he should begin at the East then to the North afterwards crossing to the South and last to the West though I do verily think that the holy Ghost hath something to shew us wherefore he doth thus set them forth and possibly he may set them thus and the West last not onely because the West part of the World is that which always closeth the day but to signifie that the West when Jerusalem is rebuilded will be the last part of
the World that will be converted or the Gate that will be last because longest occupied with the travels of the Passengers and wayfaring-Men in their Journy to this Jerusalem But I pass that From the order of their standing I shall enquire into two things First Why the Gates should look in this manner every way both East West North and South Secondly Why there should be three just three on every side of this City On the East three on the North three on the South three and on the West three For the First The Gates by looking every way into all Quarters may signifie to us thus much That God hath a People in every corner of the World and also That Grace is to be carried out at these Gates by the Angels in their Ministry into every place to gather them home to him as it is said of the living Creatures Whither the Head looked they followed it and turned not as they went so whithersoever the Gates look thither the Ministers go and carry the Word to gather together the Elect He sent them two and two before his Face into every City and Place whither he himself would come Again The Gates by their thus looking every way do signifie to us That from what Quarter or Part of the World soever men come for Life for those men there are the Gates of Life even right before their doors Come they from the East why thither look the Gates and so if they come from North or West or South No Man needs at all to go about to come at Life and Peace and Rest Let him come directly from Sin to Grace from Satan to Jesus Christ and from this World to New Jerusalem The twelve Brazen Oxen that Solomon made to bear the molten Sea they stood just as these Gates stand and signifie as I said before that the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles should be carried into all the World to convert as in the Primitive Times so now at the building of New Jerusalem and to bring in Gods Sheep to the Fold of his Church Now I say as the Word is carried every way so the Gates the open Gates look also into all corners after them to signifie that loving Reception that shall be given to every Soul that from any corner of the whole World shall unfainedly close in with Grace through the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus therefore Men shall come from the East and from the West from the North and from the South and sit down in the Kingdom of God Luk. 13. 29. Psal. 107. 1 2 3. On the East three Gates on the North three Gates on the South three Gates and on the West three Gates Having thus shewed you in a word why they stand thus looking into every Corner or Quarter of the World I now come to shew you why there must be just three looking in this manner every way First then There may be three looking every way to signifie that it is both by the consent of the Three Persons in the Trinity that the Gospel should thus every way go forth to call men and also to shew you that both the Father Son and Spirit are willing to receive and embrace the Sinner from whatsoever part or corner of the Earth he cometh hither for Life and Safety Come they from whence they will the Father is willing to give them the Son and so is the Son to give them Himself and so is the Spirit to give them its help against whatever may labour to hinder them while they are here Joh. 3. 16. Rev. 21. 6. 22. 17. Secondly In that three of the Gates look every way it may be also to shew us that there is none can enter into this City but by the three Offices of the Lord Jesus Christ by his Priestly Office must wash away their Sins and by his Prophetical Office he must illuminate teach guide and refresh them and by his Kingly Office rule over them and govern them with his Word Heb. 7. 25. Joh. 13. 8. Act. 3. 22 23 24. Isa. 40. 10 11. 9. 6 7. Psal. 76. 1 2 3. Psal. 110. 3. Thirdly Or by three Gates may be signified the three states of the Saints in this Life an entrance into Childhood an entrance into a Manly state and an entrance into the state of a Father in the Church Or lastly The three Gates may signifie the threefold state we pass thorow from Nature to Glory The state of Grace in this Life the state of Felicity in Paradise and our state in Glory after the Resurrection Or thus The state of Grace that possesseth Body and Soul in this Life the state of Glory that posseseth the Soul at Death and the state of Glory that both Body and Soul shall be possessed with at the coming of the Lord and Saviour This was figured forth by the order of the Stairs in the Temple at Jerusalem which was first second and third by which Men ascended from the lowest to the uppermost Room in the House of God as he tells us They went up with winding Stairs from the first into the second story and from thence by them into the third 1 King 6. 8. Thus much for the Wall and Gates of New Jerusalem Vers. 14. And the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations and in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. In these words we have two things considerable 1. That the City-Wall hath twelve Foundations 2. That in these twelve are the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. First It hath twelve Foundations This argueth invincible strength and support That Wall that hath but one Foundation how strongly doth it stand if it be but safely laid upon a Rock even so strongâ—y that neither Wind nor Weather in their greatest vehemency are able to shake or stir it to make it fall but I say how much more when a City hath Foundations twelve Foundations and those also laid by God himself as it is said concerning the Worthies of old They looked for a City that had Foundations whose Builder and Maker is God Heb. 11. 13 14. And the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations and in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. The Wall you know I told you is the Wall of Salvation or the Safety of the Church by Jesus Christ to which is adjoyned as the effect of that the special Providence and Protection of God Now this Wall saith the Holy Ghost hath twelve Foundations to wit to bear it up for the continuation of the safety and security of those that are the Inhabitants of this City a Foundation is that which beareth up all and that upon which the stress of all must lie and abide Now to speak properly the Foundation of our Happiness is but one and that one none but the Lord Jesus for other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ
1 Cor. 3. 11. So then when he saith the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations and that in them also are written the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb he doth not mean that this Wall had twelve Christs for its support but That the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles is that Doctrine upon which both Christ and Grace and all Happiness standeth firm and sure for ever and to signifie also that neither Christ nor any of his Benefits can be profitable unto thee unless thou receive him alone upon the terms that they do hold him forth and offer him to Sinners in their Word and Doctrine If we or an Angel from Heaven preach unto you any other Gospel saith Paul than that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed As I said before so I say now again If any man preach any other Gospel unto you than that ye have received let him be accursed Gal. 1. 8 9. And in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. And in them their Names This makes it manifest that by the Foundations of this Wall we are to understand the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles of the Lord Christ for their Names are to it or found ingraved in the Foundations Thus it was with the Doctrine which was the Foundation of the Jewish Church the first Pattern being delivered by the man Moses his Name was always so entailed to that Doctrine that at last it became common and that by Divine Allowance to call that Doctrine by the name of Moses himself There is one that accuseth you saith Christ even Moses in whom you trust and again For Moses of old hath in every City them that preach him John 5. 45. Act. 15. 21. The same liberty of speech doth the Holy Ghost here use in speaking of the Foundations of this Wall which is the Doctrine of the Twelve And in that he calleth the Doctrine by the Name of Foundations and leaveth it onely with telling us the Names of the twelve Apostles are engraven in it he expects that men should be wise that read him and that they should be skilful in the Word of Righteousness if they come up clearly to the understanding of him And in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Thus you see that the twelve Apostles above all the Servants of Christ are here owned to be the foundations of this Wall and good reason for they above all other are most clear and full in the Doctrine of Grace and all Doctrines pertaining to Life and Holiness In other Ages saith Paul it was not made known to the Sons of men as it is now revealed to his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes. 3. 5. Moses was not fit for this for his was a more dark and vailed Administration While Moses is read the Vail is over the Heart saith Paul Neither was any of the Prophets fit for this for they were all inferiour to Moses and were as it were his Scholars Nay John the Baptist is here shut out for the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater then he The Apostles above all other were the men that were with the Lord Jesus all the time from the Baptism of John even until the time he was taken up into Heaven they saw him heard him and discoursed with him and were Beholders of all the wondrous Works that he did they did eat and drink with him after his Passion and saw after he was risen the print of the Nails and the Spear with which he was peirced when he died for our Sins And because they had seen felt and at such a rate experienced all things from the very first both touching his Doctrine Miracles and Life therefore he said unto them in chief Ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea and in Samaria and unto the utmost parts of the Earth Act. 1. 21. 13. 31. 10. 39. 2. 31. 1 Joh. 1. 2 3. Act. 1. 8. Further The Apostles were in that marvellous manner indued with the holy Ghost that they out-stript all the Prophets that ever went before them neither can I believe that in the best of times there should be any beyond them yet if it should so fall out that a Dispensation should come in which they should have as to the pouring forth of the Spirit their Equals yet it could not follow that therefore the Gospel should be offered in other terms than they at first have offered it especially besides what hath been said of them if you consider to them 't was said Whatsoever ye shall loose on Earth shall be loosed in Heaven and whatsoever ye shall bind on Earth shall be bound in Heaven Matth. 18. 18. they as to their Doctrine were infallible 't was impossible they should err he that despised their Doctrine despised God himself Besides they have given in commandment that all should write after their Coppy and that we should judge both Men and Angels that did or would do otherwise Timothy must have his Rule from Paul and so must holy Titus All which if we consider it the holy Ghost speaks to the purpose in saying That in the twelve Foundations are found the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb they are called the chief and such as have laid the Foundation and others build thereon and that as no men have laid the Foundation but they so none can lay even that Foundation otherwise then they afore have laid it 1 Cor. 12. 28. Ephes. 4. 8. 1 Cor. 3. 6 10. Heb. 6. 1 2 3. 1 Cor. 3. 11. And in them the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. These words then teach us two things worthy of our Christian Consideraration First That God hath given to every man a certain and visible mark to aim at for his Salvation or to build his Soul upon namely The Doctrine of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb for in that he saith their Names are in the Foundations it is better for us all things considered then if he had said In them was the Name of God himself that is it is more easie to see this way through the mist of our Carnality what the Mystery of his Will should be which is that we receive Christ according to their Doctrine Words Writings Epistles Letters c. their Names I say being there God counts it as the Broad Seal of Heaven which giveth Authority to all that Doctrine whereunto by themselves they are prefixed and subscribed not where they are writ by others but by themselves I say as the Token of every Epistle and of their Doctrine for Truth the which Paul insinuates when he saith that his hand is the Token of every Epistle as he saith again Am not I an Apostle And again Behold I Paul have written unto you I Paul I an Apostle I a wise Master-Builder I who am
crowned with the conversion of sinners Thus therfore as God will lay these Stones with fair colours so also he will lay these Foundations with Saphirs that is as he will beautifie the Doctrine of the Twelve with its former Glory Sweetness and Authority so he will crown and garnish it with the conversion of many sinners The Elect are the Jewels of God and this is the day of his binding them up even then when the Antichrist falls and the Gospel breaks out in its primitive glory And the Foundations of the Wall were garnished with all manner of precious stones In these words there is yet two things considerable First That all who go to the adorning of these Foundations they must be precious Stones not a common stone shall here be owned And indeed what should Pebbles do among the Pearls and the Diamonds of New-Jerusalem or the stones of blackness and emptiness among the Saints of Light I tel you that those which God doth reckon the adorningstones they are all and every one precious stones they must be all lively glistring and curious stones though stones of divers colours Antichrist counts any thing sufficient enough to garnish her Apostles with even the empty stones of confusion the sinners that have no more grace in their souls than there is sap in a post that hath been this twenty years without either sap or water But God will not count such for the beauty of his Word nor for the garnishing and beautifying of the Doctrine of the Twelve they are garnished with PRECIOUS STONES Secondly As he saith the Foundations are garnished with precious stones only so he saith it is with ALL MANNER of Precious Stones by which he would have us understand that all Saints have not the same degree either of precious grace or gifts and vertue in them there are some that excel and differ from the rest even as one Star differeth from another in glory Some Saints as they have both more grace and also gifts than others so too they are more laborious and painful in the work of God than their fellows and therefore he saith ALL MANNER of Precious Stones Vers. 20. The first Foundation was a Jasper the second a Saphir the third a Chalcedony the fourth an Emerald the fifth Sardonyx the sixth Sardius the seventh Chrysolite c. Thus having shewed you the garnishing and beautifying of the twelve Foundations he now comes to discover the Foundations themselves with reference to their order of placing and lying Touching which order he saith the first and bottom Foundation is a Jasper I have hitherto said that this Jasper in both the two afore-mentioned places both as to the Light of this City and also of the Wall it was Jesus Christ Christ illuminating and Christ defending But here the Jasper is said to be one of the twelve Foundations even one of those Foundations in which are writ the Names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb which one would think did put this Jasper now into another state even to be a representation of one of the twelve Apostles and not of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ himself To which I shall yet say That the Jasper here in the order of the Foundations is to be understood of Christ as well as in the other two places in this Discourse I say it is yet to be understood of representing the Lord Jesus though it also doth bear the name of one of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb And in this very thing there is an infolding Mystery wrapped up and inclosed For first In that the Name of an Apostle is writ in this Stone and yet that this Jasper should represent Christ it sheweth unto us the agreement that is between the Doctrine of the Apostles and Christ himself to wit That they are one and the very same and hence it is that the Apostle saith We preach Christ crucified Christ in all his Benefits is the very Marrow Life and Sum of all their Teaching Other Foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ. Wherefore the Doctrine of the Apostles being Christ it self no marvel though the Name of an Apostle be writ upon this Jasper and again no marvel though this Jasper go yet under that Name that represents him Secondly In that it is said the Names of the Twelve are in these twelve Foundations and yet that the first of them should be the Jasper Christ It argueth also that whosoever receiveth the Doctrine of the Twelve they must needs with that receive the Lord Christ himself Receive the Doctrine of the Gospel as it is held forth by the Twelve in the Word and thou canst not miss of the Lord Jesus Christ himself he will be found in the bottom of their Doctrine Ye are builded upon the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Christ Jesus himself being the chief Corner-stone Ephes. 2. 19 20. Thirdly In that he saith in these twelve Stones are the Names of the twelve Apostles and yet that the first should be the Jasper Christ It argueth also that where-ever the Doctrine of the Twelve is preached there is therewith the presence of Christ the presence of his Spirit to teach and enlighten the ignorant and blind Hearts of the Unconverted the presence also of his Power to overcome them and to make them fall under the Glory and Truth of his heavenly Word Lo saith he I am with you always even to the end of the World And they went forth and preached every where the Lord working with them and confirming the Word with signs following Mat. 28. 19 20. Mark 16. 20. Fourthly In that he saith the Names of the Twelve are in the Foundations and yet that Christ should be one of the twelve himself It sheweth to us the Union that is between Christ and his holy People Mark In the twelve Foundations are placed all even all manner of precious Stones again In the Twelve is placed the Jasper Christ by which we may see the nearness that is between Christ and his whole Body I in them and thou in me saith Christ that they may be made perfect in one John 17. 23. 1 Cor. 12. 12. Christ and his Saints make but one Temple one Man being but one Flesh one Nature c. Fifthly In that this Jasper is said to be one of the Foundations and that too the first and undermost He sheweth farther that Christ is the Foundation of them before God that are the Foundation of him before men The Twelve do bear up Christ before the World as the twelve brazen Oxen did hold up the Molten Sea in the Temple and Christ doth bear up the Twelve before his Father as the high Priests did carry the twelve Stones on their Brest-plate of Judgment when they went to make an Atonement for the Sins of the People into the Holiest Sixthly It sheweth us further That