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
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
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
Prophet They shall even in the latter days that is when this City is builded return and seek the Lord their God and David their King and shall then fear the Lord and his Goodness Hos. 3. 4 5. This the Apostle also affirmeth when he telleth the believing Gentiles That blindness in part â—s happened to Israel until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in which Israel in this place cannot by any means be taken for the Gentiles that are converted for thâ—â— Israel must be rejected until the bulk of the elect Gentiles be converted besides he calleth this Israel by the name of Israel even while unconverted but the converted Gentiles still Gentiles even when converted he calls this Israel the Natural Branches but the Gentiles Wilâ— Branches and tells us further Thaâ— when they are converted they shall be grafted into their own Olive Tree but when the Gentiles are converted they must be cut off of their own Stock and Tree read Rom. 11. throughout Wherefore I say the Gates are called twelve to answer these poor Creatures who at this day shall be awakened and enlightned and converted to the Faith of Jesus These Gates in another place are called A Way and these Jews The Kings of the East and it is there said also That at present this Way doth want preparing which is as much as to say This City wants setting up and the Gates want setting in their proper places Wherefore saith John The sixth Angel poured out his Vial upon the great River Euphrates that is destroyed the strength and force of the Roman-Antichrist for the River Euphrates was the fence of literal Babylon the Type of our spiritual one which force and fence when it is destroyed or dried up then the way of the Kings of the East will be prepared or made ready for their Journey to this Jerusalem Rev. 16. 12. Of this the Prophets are full crying Cast ye up cast ye up prepare the way take up the stumbling block out of the way of my People and again Go thorow go thorow the Gates prepare ye the way of my People cast ye up cast ye up the high-way gather out the stones lift up a Standard for the People Behold the Lord hath proclaimed unto the end of the World Say to the Daughter of Zion Thy Salvation cometh behold his Reward is with him and his Work before him and they shall call them The holy People the Redeemed of the Lord and thou shalt be called Sought out A City not forsaken Isa. 62. 10 11 12. All which doth most especially relate to the Conversion of the Jews in the latter day who in great abundance shall when all things are made ready come flocking in to the Son of God and finde favour as in the days of old And at the Gates twelve Angels By Angels in this place we are to understand the Messengers and Ministers of the Lord Jesus by whom the Mystery of Eternal Life and Felicity is held forth and discovered before the Sons of Men and thus this word Angel is frequently taken in this Prophecâ—â— Rev. 1. 20. 2. 1 8 12 18. 3. 1 7. 14. 6. And at the Gates twelve Angels In these words then there are two things to be considered First Why they should be called twelve And Secondly Why they are said to stand at the twelve Gates of this New and Holy City For the first They are called twelve to signifie two things 1. The Truth of their Doctrine and 2. The sufficiency of their Doctrine and Ministry for the converting of the twelve Tribes to the Faith of Christ and Priviledges of this City First For the Truth of their Doctrine For by twelve here he would have us to understand that he hath his Eye upon the twelve Apostles or upon the Doctrine of the twelve the Apostolical Doctrine as if he should say This City the New Jerusalem shall be every way accomplish 〈…〉 with Beauty and Glory she shall 〈◊〉 a Wall for her security and twelve â—ates to answer the twelve Tribes yea and also at these Gates the twelve Apostles in their own pure primitive and unspotted Doctrine The Romish Beasts have corrupted this Doctrine by treading it down with their Feet and have muddied this Water with their own dirt and filthiness but at this day this shall be recovered from under the Feet of these Beasts and cleansed also from their diâ—t an 〈…〉 again in the same Glory S 〈…〉 and Purity as in the Primitive â—â—mes It is said that when Israel was passed out of Egypt beyond the Sea they presently came to Elim where were twelve Wells of Water c. and that they â—ncamped by the Waters which twelve Wells did figure forth the Doctrine of the twelve Apostles out of which the Church at her return from Captivity shall draw and drink as out of the Wells of Salvation Now shall the Wells of our Father Abraham which the Philistines have for a great while stopped now I say shall they again be opened by our Isaac his Son and shall be also called after their own Names Gen. 26. 18. This is generally held forth by the Prophets That yet again the Church shall be fed upon the Mountains of Israel and that they shall lie down in a good fold and a fat pasture yea I will feed my Flock and I will cause them to lie down saith the Lord God Ezek. 34. 14 15. Secondly As by these twelve we are to understand the Truth and Purity of the Doctrine of the Twelve so again by this word twelve we are to understand the sufficiency of that Doctrine and Ministry to bring in the twelve Tribes to the Priviledges of this City Mark for the twelve Tribes there are twelve Gates for every Tribe a Gate and at the twelve Gates twelve Angels at every Gate an Angel O Judah saith God I have set an Harvest for thee when he shall turn again the Captivity of his People and so for the rest of the Tribes Before Ephraim and Benjamin and Manasseh he will stir up his strength to save them I will hiss for them saith God and gather them for I have reedeemed them and they shall increase as they have increased and I will sow them among the Nations and they shall remember me in far Countreys and they shall live with their Children and shall return and I will bring them again also out of the Land of Egypt and gather them out of Assyria and I will bring them into the Land of Gilead and Lebanon and place shall not be found for them Zech. 10. 6 7 8 9 10. But to come to the second Question that is Why these twelve Angels are said to stand at the Gates which may be for divers Reasons First To shew us that the Doctrine of the Twelve is the Doctrine that letteth in at these Gates that also that shutteth out Whose sins ye remit they are remitted saith Christ
Souls into this City and that the same Doctrine is the Doctrine that keepeth up the Wall of their Salvation about them when they are entred in within the Gates Vers. 15. And he that talked with me had a Golden Reed to measure the City and the Gates thereof and the Wall thereof Now having passed the relation of the Wall Gates and Foundations he comes to the Measuring-Line to see how all things lie and agree with that Under the Law I find that all things pertaining to the Worship of God were to be by Number Rule and Measure even to the very Tacks and Loops of the Curtains of the Tabernacle Now the Rule or Line by which all things were then squared it was the Laws Statutes and Ordinances which was given to Moses by the Lord in the Mount Sinai for thither he went to receive his Orders and according to the Pattern there shewed him so he committed all things by writing to them that were to be imployed in the workmanship of the holy things pertaining to the rise and compleating of the Tabernacle and all its Instruments Exod. 10. 11. 24. 1. 25. 40. Deut. 30. 10. 31. 24 25 26. Now when this Rule was thus received then whosoever observed not to do it he was to fall under the Penalty that by the same Law also was prescribed against the Offenders and Transgressors Num. 15. 30 31. I find also that when the Temple was builded in the days of Solomon all things were then done according to the writing that David made when the hand of God was upon him when he made him understand all the work of this Pattern 2 Chron. 3. 1 2 3. Chap. 4. 1 Chron. 19. 3 4 5 6 7. 28. 19. Thus again When Josiah went about to bring to pass the Reformation of the Church of the Jews and their Instruments of Worship after their revolting he goeth to the Law of God and by that understanding what was out of order and how to put all things into order he so did reduce them to their former manner The same way also went Ezra and Nehemiah at the rebuilding of the Temple and City after the Captivity 2 Kings 22. 8 9 10 11 12 13. Ezra 7. 14. Ezra 8. 3 4. From all which I conclude That the Reed the Golden Reed that here you read of it is nothing else but the pure and unspotted Word of God by which both the City Gates and Wall of this Jerusalem is regulated Which Word by the holy Prophet is also compared to Gold and is said to be above much fine Gold Psal. 12. 6. and 19. 9 10. I find in the Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel that the Angel that there is said to measure the City which was a Type of our Jerusalem he appeared with a line of Flax in his hand to measure the pattern withal which very phrase doth shew us that his was but the Type and an Old-Testament-business but John hath his in a New-Testament-stile and that in the most excellent manner of Language to signifie that his City or the City that he hath the Vision of is to be the end of all Types and Shadows and the very perfection of them all Wherefore he tells us also that the Line or Reed by which this City is builded and squared it is not now a Line of Flax but a Reed of Gold a Golden Reed to signifie not a Word of the Law and Letter that had to do with Shadows but the New Testament and ministration of the Spirit which hath to do with Substance and the heavenly things themselves Heb. 9. 23. A Golden Reed to measure the City c. I told you at the first that this City was the Church of God that should be in the latter dayes but yet not the Church disorderly and confusedly scattered here and there without all visible order and discipline but the Church brought into exact Form and Order lying every way level and square with the Rule and Golden Reed of the New Testament of Christ wherefore he calleth it a City a City under Rule Thus it was in the Type for when Solomons Temple was to be builded and the City in after-times it was not enough that they had Stones and Timber but every one of them must be such Stones and such Timber and must also come under the Rule and Square of the Workman and so being fitted by Hewers Sawes Axes and Squares they were fitly put into the building 1 Kings 5. 17 18. and 7. 9 10 11 12. 1 Chron. 22. 2. By this then we may see with what a holy exact Line Rule and Order this Church and City at this day will be compact and builded the Members must be all such as shall be made fit for the City of God by the hewing words of the Prophets they must joyn in Christian-Communion also according to the Golden Reed of the New Testament and ministration of the Spirit Indeed all the time of the reign of Antichrist the Church as she was a holy Temple in the Lord so she was measured with reference to the truth of her Grace and invisible condition but as she is to be a City so she then is to be troden down and to lie without all Form and Order but when Antichrist is dead she shall again come into mind be considered reared builded by measure and inhabited and observe it as the Rule of the Carpenter is of use in the building from the first appearance of the laying of a Stone in order even till it be in every point and part compleat so the Golden Reed with which the Angel is here said to measure the City c. is to be of use from the first Foundation even to the laying of the last Stone thereof As was also fore-shewed by the man that is said to measure the pattern of this in Ezekiel Ezek. 40. to chapter 48. And he measured the City That is he measured the Church in her Constitution and Fellowship Now when God is said to measure he is said to measure sometimes in Judgment and sometimes in Mercy sometimes to throw down and sometimes to build up and establish Sometimes I say he is said to measure in Judgment with intention to throw down and destroy Thus he measured the City before she went into Captivity and the ten Tribes before they were carried away beyond Babylon because they lay cross to his Word and had perverted that which was right c. but when he is said to measure the City in this place it is that she might be builded and set up wherefore as I said the Line or Golden Reed that is now stretched forth to measure this City it is to the end that all things may be in right Form and Order fitly joyned and knit together by that which every joynt supplyeth according to the effectual working of the measure of every part making increase of the Body to the
Souls will be at this day and indeed this is it that is by God expected to be in this City at this day As the Angel with his Measuring-Line said to Zechariah I am going to measure Jerusalem and to see what is the breadth thereof and what is the length thereof To see whether their Doctrine be pure and whether their Obedience be answerable And he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs These latter words do refer us to a distinct measure from that which went before the former measure pointing at the breadth of her Commandment and the length of her Obedience but this at the Glory and Fulness of her Mansions and Portions For after he had said The City lieth four square and that the length is as large as the breadth which is the full and compleat effect of that first measure he comes over again with an other measuring saying And he measured the City twelve thousand furlongs as who should say He measured the City Gates and Wall first and sound them all exact and according to the Golden Reed and after he had so done he measured the City with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs He measured the City with the Reed That is He measured out to the City he measured for the City for its Lot and Portion twelve thousand Furlongs Which very thing you find in the Vision of the Prophet Ezekiel for after he had measured the City the Vessels with the Instruments of Worship I say when he had done this he comes again with an afterwards to measure the City her Portions and Mansions Ezek. 47. 1 c. Wherefore I say these words do refer to her Portion that she is to enjoy of her God as the former referreth to her Duty and Obedience Now that which maketh me conclude that this latter measure is a measure distinct from the former and that it relateth neither to the exactness of Rule nor the compleatness of Obedience but only to the largeness of the Portions that God will allot for thy Sons and Daughters thou City of God it is First Because this is the biggest measure For I find by considering the Scripture that as the Persons and Things pertaining to the Worship of God were to go according to the Rule of this Golden Reed so also the Portions that pertained to the Persons worshiping was to go by Rule and Measure also as here he saith he measured also the City or to it with the Reed twelve thousand furlongs And hence it is that our Grace is called the measure of Grace and that our Glory is called a weight of Glory Now I say I find that our Portions do go always under the biggest measure the Spoons Cups Flaggons Snuffers Basons Candlesticks and Pans which were the Instruments of Worship were not so large as the Chambers in the Temple and the compass of the holy Land which were the Mansions and Portions of the Church Secondly I take the twelve thousand furlongs to signifie Portions rather than Worship or Worshippers because as to the nature of it it most exactly agrees with the Portions that are measured out to this City by the Angel before Ezekiel which is a measuring forth so much Land for the Portion of the Prince so much for the Portion of the Priest and so much for the Portion of the twelve Tribes Yea the very phrase twelve thousand furlongs also implieth such a compass of Ground by which we find the holy Land hath been measured Lastly I take it to be thus also because I find not in all this description of this holy City that any place doth give us that ground to speak to her measure of Portion as this and it would seem strange to me that the description of this City given by Ezekiel should be more compleat then this that is given by our Prophet John for Ezekiel doth most amply set forth her Portions even distinctly for Prince Priest and the Tribes in particular This therefore is to be understood of the Portions of the City which John did see was measured out unto her immediately after he saw the breadth of her Rule and the length of her Obedience Onely consider that Ezekiel measureth by Reeds not counting by Furlongs but John though he measureth by Reeds yet counteth by Furlongs But now though the holy Ghost is thus pleased to speak of the Portions of the Saints in the New Jerusalem as if he intended chiefly that their Portion should consist in outward Happiness and in the enjoyment of such and such a Portion or compass of ground Yet consider that these are but metaphorical and borrowed Expressions spoken to our Capacities under which is indeed included the nature of our blessed and spiritual Food and Nourishment You know it is usual for the holy Ghost in Scripture to call the Saints Sheep Lambs Heifers Cows Rams Doves Swallows Pâ—licans and the like and also to call their Food their spiritual and heavenly Food Grass Provender Wheat Wine Oyl Grapes Apples Figs Nuts and the like also all which are but shadowish and figurative expressions even as this of the measure of the twelve thousand furlongs and observe it that which John saith here is twelve thousand furlongs Ezekiel tells us it lieth on this side and on that side of the bank of the River of the Water of Life Now I think there is none so much void of understanding as to think this Water of Life is any thing else but the precious Grace of God in and thorow the Lord Jesus Wherefore the ground or measure for Portions it is nothing else but our spiritual and heavenly Food even spiritual Grace and Gifts and Comforts that the holy Ones of this City shall most plentifully partake of and enjoy And so indeed the Prophet also saith speaking of the Portions of the holy Land for this City The increase thereof saith he shall be for Food unto them that serve the City and they that serve it shall serve it out of the twelve Tribes of Israel Out of the twelve Tribes that is out of the twelve thousand Furlongs which is the the Portion of the Tribes This is according to the Saying of the Prophet David He maketh me to lie down in green Pastures he leadeth me besides the still Waters and again For the Lamb that is in the midst of the Throne shall feed them and shall lead them into living Fountains of Water for their shame they shall have double and for confusion they shall rejoyce in their Portion Therefore in their Land they shall possess the double Everlasting Joy shall be upon them Psal. 23. 2. Rev. 7. 17. Isa. 61. 7. Thus you see the measure of the City Gates and Wall and the effect of that and thus you see also the measure of the Portion for the City with what it is Wherefore it remaineth that we see what is to be the
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
Church of Christ hath obtained a compleat conquest and victory over the world and hath got her enemies and them that hate her to lye at her feet and to lick the dust of the soals thereof For as I have told you already Temple-work yea when that is compleat in the work yet there may be great havock made of the Church of Christ at which time also City-work may be trampled under the feet of the wicked and uncircumcised Gentiles but when the City is builded then Zion is become a strong hold and about all her glory shall be a defence Then she either draweth and allureth her adversaries to entreat her kindly and to count it their honour to be under her protection as did the Gibeonites or else she breaks and bâ—uises and subjects them to her by her Power and Authority The daughter of Tyre shall be there with a gift and the rich among the People shall entreat thy favour Psal. 45. 12. In the last dayes saith the Prophet it shall come to pass that the Lords House shall be established upon the tops of the Mountains and shall be exalted above the Hills and People shall flow unto it and many Nations shall come and say Come and let us go up unto the Mountain of the Lord and to the House of the God of Jacob and and he will teach us of his wayes and we will walk in his paths For the Law shall go forth of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem And ye shall judge among the People and rebuke strong Nations afar off and they shall beat their Swords into ploughshares and their Spears into pruning hooks that force and power that they used formerly to destroy the Church of God now they shall use it to do her service even to break up the clods of the hearts of sinners and to prune and dress the House of God and Vinyard of Jesus Christ Nation shall not lift up a Sword against Nation neither shall they learn war any more for the Word of the Kingdom of Peace shall bear sway And thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem Mich. 4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. This is City-work and as to the Glory Peace and Deliverance of the Church it is the chiefest of all other because it is not only most excellent for concourse and multitude but I say for preservation and safety and that not only to keep the Worshippers if they keep their order but to keep the Order and Worshippers both in order and continual safety that they may be for ever in the purest order But now though at the compleating of this Wall and the building its Towers when they are finished there will be great peace yet all the time that these things are doing before they be done let the work-men look for opposition taunts underminers and a thousand tricks for the hindrance of it For the Street of the City shall be built and the Wall even in troublous times And the building of the Wall of it was of Jasper Of Jasper only For as by building is shewed unto us the manner of the work so by Jasper is shewed unto us the matter it self the matter therefore must be Jasper Christ only his Word Offices and glorious Brightness only for indeed whatever the special Grace Protection and Providence of God will at this day be over this City yet it shall be every whit of it according to Christ that is both of him for him and by him as the Fruits and Effects of his Suffering Bloodshed and Merits Therefore saith God I will divide him a Portion with the Great and he shall divide the Spoyl with the Strong because he hath poured out his Soul unto death and was numbred among the Transgressors O Holiness How will it shine both in Kings and Nations when God doth this And the City was pure Gold Having thus given us a discovery of the glory of the Wall he now comes to shew us the glory of the City that is within the Wall The City faith he is Gold it is pure Gold This was figured out by the Golden Candlesticks belonging to the Tabernacle and Temple among the Jews which Candlesticks did then present unto us the worth and use of the Church of CHRIST The seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches says the Lord Christ himself Now the City here spoken of is the Church in her higheâ— and greatest glory Its state was also figured out by the Temple it self whose Beams Posts Walls Doors and the like were most famously covered over with Gold 2 Chron. 3. 5 6 7. It was also though but leanly represented to us by the golden state of old Jerusalem in the days of Solomon the King in which state Gold was so plentiful in the midst thereof that Silver was nothing counted of among the Citizens there in those days but was as common as the Stones in the Street of the City 2 Chron. 9. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 27. And the City was pure Gold I find by the search of the Scriptures that there is divers sorts of Gold in the World there is the Gold of the Land of Havillah the Gold of Parvaim the Gold of Ophir the Gold of Sheba and the Gold of Uphaz Gen. 2. 11. 2 Chron. 3. 6. Job 22. 24. Psal. 72. 15. Jer. 10. 9. Now seeing he saith the City is Gold yet not distinguishing what Gold or which we may suppose in this place he means Gold of all these sorts and indeed it is most agreeable to this Text thus to judge for the Church at this day shall be made up of the twelve Tribes that are scattered abroad and of the Gentile Nations both far and near who as they now lie are for ought I can learn at as great a distance and as remote from one another not onely in knowledge and affections but touching the places of their abode as are the Golden Mines out of which the Gold that I spake of before is digged and fetch'd Thus shall Gold the Golden Saints of God at this day be gathered out of the several Golden Mines of the World and be brought to King Solomon the Son of David our Lord Jesus to Jerusalem with which he will build him a Golden shining City the Joy of all the World And the City was pure Gold Gold is the choice and chief of all Metals both for worth colour and vertue wherefore when he saith The City is Gold you may conceive how rich and shining and vertuous this City will be the Riches of the whole World will be here the Beauty of the whole World will be here and the Vertue of the whole World will be here I mean spiritual Riches Beauty and Health wherefore the rest of the World at this day will be but as