earth and as is promised in Psal 37. the wicked shall be destroyed out of it which without doubt they have not been nor are to this day see to this purpose what is said in that Psalm we are still referring to Evil doers shall be cut off but those that wait upon the Lord shall inherit the earth for yet a little while and the wicked shall not be yea thou shalt diligently câ—nsider his place and it shall not be But the meek shall inherit the earth and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace Such as be blessed of him shall inherit the earth and they that be cursed of him shall be cut off The seed of the wicked shall be cut off The righteous shall inherit the land and dwell therein for ever Wait upon the Lord and keep his way and he shall exa't thee to inherit the land or earth When the wicked are cut off thou shalt see it Psal 37. 9. 11-13 22 28 29 34. And as it hath been observed so it is observable the first time Hallelujah is mentioned in the Scriptures of the Prophets is when the Psalmist thus imprecates Let the sinners be consumed out of the earth and let the wicked be no more Hallelujah or praise ye the Lord Psal 104. 30-35 And this word is only used in this Book when the destruction of Mystery Babylon is spoken of and the Holy Ghost is speaking of the destruction of all the wicked and of the reign of Christ and glorious state of the Saints After these things saith the Apostle I heard a great voice of much people in Heaven saying Alâ—elujah salvation and glory and honour and power unto the Lord our God for true and righteous are his judgments for he hath judged the great Whore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication and hath avenged the blood of his servants at her hand And again they said Allelujah and her smoke rose up for ever and ever And the four and twenty Elders and the four living Creatures fell down and worshipped God that sate on the Throne saying Allelujah And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude and as the voice of many waters and as the voice of mighty thundrings saying Allelujah for the Lord God Omnipotent reigneth c. Rev. 18. and Chap. 19. 1 2 3-6 8. 9 c. And to let us know that this abundance of peace and destruction of the wicked prophesied of by David in Psal 37 c. was not accomplished in his son Solomons days therefore also he speaks of it as future as his father David had done before him saying The upright shall dwell in the land or earth and the perfect shall remain in it but the wicked shall be cut off from the earth and the transgressors shall be pluckt up or rooted out of it And again The righteous shall never be removed But the wicked shall not inhabit the earth Prov. 2. 21 22. and Chap. 10. 30. see also Isa 65. 12-15 16 17. By all which it evidently appears that the meek and righteous ones have never yet inherited the earth as it 's prophesied they shall do nor shall they so do till this world be dissolved when will be the perdition of ungodly men 2 Pet. 3. 6 7. nor until God shall make new Heavens and a new Earth as we have many times before said And then indeed they shall be blessed and reign on the earth and inherit the earth and all things Psal 41. 1 2. see Rev. 21. 1-5-7 But this will also further appear in and be confirmed by what followeth to be yet considered by us But though these Saints and all that are Christs at his coming shall reign on and inherit the earth as we have said yet it appears they shall have the land of Canaan as their inheritance in some peculiar consideration Indeed God promised unto Abraham that he should be the heir of the world and this promise was made unto or respected not Abraham only but him and his seed and that not thorow the Law but through the righteousness of faith and it is of faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to the whole seed not to that only which is of the Law but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham who is the father of us all Rom. 4. 9-13-16 But yet the land of Canaan was by promise and Covenant assured to him for a possession in some peculiar sense even to him and his seed I mean the land of Canaan when it is made new Rev. 21. 1 5. and when it shall be as in due season it shall be an Heavenly Country Heb. 11. 13-16 see Gen. 13. 14-17 and Chap. 17. 7 8. and Chap. 26. 3 4. and Chap. 28. 13 14. 1 Chron. 16. 15-19 Object If it be said This Covenant and Promise made to Abraham concerning the land of Canaan was fulfilled when God brought his seed by Joshua into it and then and afterwards setled them in it and therefore the accomplishment thereof is not still to be expected and waited for Answ To this Objection I shall say these things 1. No doubt in some first-fruits and in part that Covenant and promise was fulfilled and accomplished then as is signified to us in what is said to wit The Lord gave unto Israel all the land which he sware to give unto their fathers and they possessed it and dwelt therein and the Lord gave them rest round about according to all that be sware unto our fathers There failed not ought of any good thing which the Lord had spoken unto the house of Israel all came to pass Josh 21. 43 45. and Chap. 22. 4. 2. But yet iâ— doth appear that that Covenant is not compleatly fulfilled and accomplished if we consider these following particulars 1. The land of Canaan was not only promised to be given to the seed of Abraham but to himself also as the Lord said unto him I will establish my Covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee And I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan Gen. 17. 7 8. and Chap. 13. 14-17 And the like also he promised unto Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise to wit that he would give the land of Canaan unto them and to their seed Gen. 26. 3 4. and Chap. 28. 13 14. Heb. 11. 8 9. Psal 105. 8-12 But now none of these Patriarchs ever enjoyed this land which was so promised to them as Stephen saith concerning Abraham God gave him none inâ—eritance in it no not to set his foot on yet he promised that he would give it to him for a possession c. Act. 7. 5. yea concerning them all it is said By faith Abraham sojourned in the land of promise as in a strange country dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the
Clouds to meet the Lord in the Air 1 Cor. 15. 43 54. 1 Thes 4. 16 18. All this Generation of overâ—omers shall be above before they shall come down 2. This New Jerusalem shall come down from Christs God out of Heaven He saith not it is come down but cometh to denote the certainty thereof and the continually nearer approach of it As it is said of our Lord Jesus He cometh he cometh to judge the Earth Ps 96. 13. and 98. 9. The Lord cometh with ten thousand of his Saints Jude 14. Behold he cometh with Clouds Rev. 1. 7. that is he shall certainly come and that coming of his continually approacheth So it may be said of this New Jerusalem It cometh down out of Heaven c. And this is true 1. Of that glorious place so called for retaining these Blessed and Holy Inhabitants So John saith He carried me away in the Spirit to a great high Mountain and shewed me that great City the Holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God Rev. 21. 2 10. And though the Old Jerusalem may be built again by Men in its old place for and by the camp of the Saints even Israel and those that shall be joyned unto them as it is said Behold the days come saith the Lord that the City shall be built to the Lord from the Tower of Hanancel unto the gate of the Corner and the measuring line shall yet go forth over against it upon the Hill Gareb and shall compass about to Goath and the whole Valley of the dead Bodies and of the Ashes and all the Fields unto the Brook of Kidron unto the Corner of the Horsegate towards the East shall be holy unto the Lord it shall not be plucked up nor thrown down any more for ever Which Prophesie was never yet fully accomplisht Jer. 31. 27 38 40. with Neh. 3. 1. and ch 2. 11 17. Zech. 14. 10. Isay 33. 20 21. with Mat. 24. 1 3. and Luke 21. 20. Zech. 12. 6. Yet I conceive the New Jerusalem this Holy City this Glorious Place and these Heavenly Mansions shall be prepared of God For we know saith the Apostle that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle were dissolved we have a building of God an house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens yea may some say This building is eternal in the Heavens and shall never come down But their mistake will appear if the next Verse be but read and they pluck not one Scripture from another as too many do for it follows immediately For in this we earnestly groan desiring to be clothed upon with our House which is from Heaven or out of Heaven The very same Phrase there is used as here Compare 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. with Rev. 3. 12. So it is said of Abraham By Faith he dwelt in Tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob the heirs with him of the same promise for he looked for a City which hath Foundations whose builder and maker is God Compare Heb. 11. 9 10. with Rev. 21. 13 14 19. and of those Patriarchs it is said again But now they desire even now at this present day they desire a better Country that is an Heavenly Wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a city Heb. 11. 16. with v. 13. and ch 13. 14. of this the Lord speaks by the Prophet Isay saying For behold I create new heavens a new earth and the former shall not be remembred nor come into mind But not only will he do so but he will also by his creative power make this new Jerusalem which is therefore called here by Christ the city of my God and this will be the praise of the whole earth and that in which they are especially called upon to rejoyce as it there follows But be you glad for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoycing and her people a joy Jerusalem is there distinguished from her people and â—ignifies that glorious place we have been speaking of Isay 65. 17 18. This shall come down out of Heaven See Mr. Joh. Horne in his Discourse concerning the New Heavens and Earth and New Jerusalem Pag. 45 47. And the glorious Inhabitants of this New Jerusalem even those which are written in the Lambs Book of Life Rev. 21. 27. shall come down out of Heaven The Lord my God shall come saith the Prophet and all the Saints with thee Zech. 14. 4 5. Jude 14. 15. They shall meet the Lord himself in the Air and come down with him and so shall be ever with him and shall reign with Christ on the Earth 1 Thes 4. 16 17. See Rev. 5. 8 10. Dan. 7. 27. They shall then inherit the Earth Mat. 5. 5. with Ps 37. 7 11. Judge the World 1 Cor. 6 1 2 3. Then the Saints of the most high shall take the Kingdom and possess the Kingdom for ever even for ever and ever Dan. 7. 18. And here we may see the fondness and foolishness of that saying and of those that use it in that sense What say they shall the Saints come down out of Heaven again Yes Christ the head of the Church shall do so and the Members also as is here said which cometh down out of Heaven from my God Rev. 21. 2 10. God shall send us Jesus Christ whom the Heavens must receive till the times of the restitution of all things and his Saints shall come and be with him Acts 3. 19. 21. with Joh. 17. 24. And yet God himself shall be with them gloriously for the name of this City shall be The Lord is there Rev. 21. 3. with Ezek. 48. 35. 2 Pet. 3. 12 13. Glorious things are spoken of thee O City of God Ps 87. 1 3. and 48. and 122. Then when he writes the name of the City of his God New Jerusalem upon him that overcometh he will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews and are not but do lye he will make them to come and worship before the Feet of every such an one and to know that he hath loved them See notes before on verse 9. And seeing we look for such excellent and glorious things how greatly doth it behove us to be diligent that we may be found of him in peace without spot and blameless 2 Pet. 3. 12 14. And to be of good courage and play the men for this City of our God as 2 Sam. 10. 12. fighting the good fight of Faith with the Spiritual Weapons of God's Warfare and laying hold on Eternal Life 1 Tim. 6. 12. And I will write upon him my new name either that new name given to him a name of perfect victory and conquest Ps 98. 1. or as his name is King of Kings Rev. 19. 16. so they shall be Kings of Kings of the Kings of the east even of Israel the natural Israel Rev. 16. 12. see notes on ch 2. 27 29 or his name
shall be put upon the victors and conquerors as the name of the Husband is upon the wife and so as his name shall be called the Lord our righteousness so this is the name wherewith she the Church shall be called the Lord our righteousness compare Jer. 23. 6. with ch 33. 16. Rev. 19. 7 8. Or as the Lord saith thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy land any more be termed desolate But thou shalt be called Hepzi-bah that is my delight is in her and thy land Beulah that is married for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall be married Isay 62. 2 4. A name better then of Sons and Daughters Isay 56. 15 16. all this will he write upon them that overcome who hath the writers inkhorn by his side spoken of Ezek. 9. 2 4 11. and this honour shall all his Saints have Hallelujah Ps 149. see the notes before on ch 2. v. 17. Verse 14. He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches see the notes before on ch 2. v. 7. Verse 13. And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write see the notes before on ch 2. v. 1. These things saith the Amen the faithful and true witness the begininng of the creation of God We have from the beginning of this verse to the latter end of the eighteenth verse spoken in a Treatise called Needful Counsel and therefore might forbear to speak anything hereto But because these notes may be some-what uniform possibly some may read or hear these that have not that or a time or heart to do it therefore I shall more briefly write over again somewhat of that which is fore-printed in that book These things saith the Amen Thus our Lord begins to describe himself to this Angel and Church he is the Amen to wit he in whom all the promises of God are yea and Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. ratified confirmed and sealed even by his precious blood which is the blood of the new Testament and everlasting covenant Mat. 26. 28. Heb. 10. 29. and ch 13. 20. Those great and precious promises ministred in the Gospel which pertain to life and godliness yea in which are contained and given all things for this life and that to come are not only assured by the word of God and confirmed by his oath which yet are two immutable things in which it is impossible for God to lye and therefore might quicken and encourage lukewarme ones to flee for refuge to lay hold on that hope set before them But also they are actually made firm by the blood of the Testator who is also in the vertue thereof raised and as the fore-runner entred into Heaven and is the mediatour of the new Testament that by means of death for the redemption of the transgressions uâ—deâ— the first Testament they which are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance he mediateth and makes intercession for the taking away the iniquities of those that come unto God by him and that the contents of that â—ovenant may be dispenced to them according to their needs and capacities God hath promised and Christ hath actually said and is the Amen to them Rev. 1. 18. Heb. 8. 6. and 9. 15. It may seem in that Jesus Christ doth first describe himself by this title of the Amen that these lukewarme ones did not keep in believing remembrance the promises and the firmeness and immutability of them and certainty of their performance according to the tenour of them being ratified by such precious blood and ascertained by such a faithful and true witness and therefore they grew sluggish remiss and indifferent and there was great abatement of their former â—ervency either fearing they should be left in sufferings or not provided for or dispenced unto according to their wants and therefore to recover them he telleth them his name is the Amen The consideration hereof is powerful to stir up to diligence and to recover us from our decays to cause us that we shall not be slothful but diligent followers of them who thorow faith and patience inherit the promises Heb. 6. 10 20. To strengthen us to hold fast the profession of our Faith without wavering and â—o consider one another to provoke to love and good works not forsaking the assembling of our selves together Heb. 10. 22 25. To engage us to come out from among Men and to be separate and not to touch the unclean thing But to cleanse our selves from all filthiness of the flesh and Spirit perfecting holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 6. 16 18. and 7. 1. If these exceeding great and precious promises given to the Apostles to minister and ministred by them in and with the glorious Gospel be in us received and entertained by us and abound if they be suffered to dwell richly in us and to have their perfect work so as we limit them not nor hold them in unrighteousness they make us that we shall not be idle or â—nfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ they will provoke us to flee from and escape the corruption that is in the World thorow lust and besides giving all diligence thereto they will enable and stir us up to add to our Faith vertue and to vertue knowledge and to knowledge temperance and to temperance patience and to patience godliness and to godliness Brotherly kindness and to brotherly-kindness charity To these things will these precious promises confirmed by such precious blood enliven and quicken us if they be suffered to dwell richly in us For hereby we shall be made partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4 9. Oh exercise we our selves to godliness to Christ who is the root and foundation of godliness for it is profitable to all things having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. with ch 3. 16. How effectual were the promises with the partriaâ—chs in former times when they were not so confirmed as now to make them forsake their country kindred and Fathers house To confess themselves strangers and pilgrims on earth c. These believed caused Abraham the Father of the faithful not to consider his own body now dead neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb But was strong in Faith giving glory to God and being fully perswaded that what God had promised he was able to perform and therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him who hath performed the promise made to the Fathers in raising Christ from the dead who was delivered for our offences and raised again for our justification Gen. 12. 1 3. Heb. 11. 13 16. Rom. 4. 16 25. with Acts 13.
redeemed them unto God by his blood In which is implied that he had dyed or as is there exprest was slain and was risen for them and gave himself a ransom to God for them as he hath done for all men 1 Tim. 2. 4 6. 2 Pet. 2. 1. Gal. 3. 13. and ch 4. 4 5. but not so for the Angels for he took not on him the nature of angels or laid not hold on Angels Heb. 2. 16. Luke 2. 10 11. and in that place also it is said by the living creatures Thou hast redeemed us unto God by thy blood that is he had redeemed or bought them through the discovery of his precious blood in the Gospel from their vanities and vain conversation as Acts. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. like that which is said of the hundred forty and four thousand they were redeemed from the earth they were redeemed from among men Rev. 14. 3 4. 2. They were also redeemed out of every kindred and tongue and people and nation chap. 5. 9. which cannot be affirmed of the Angels those ministring spirits 3. They also acknowledg to the praise of the Lamb Thou hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth chap. 5. 10. like that said chap. 1. 5 6. and chap 20. 6. which shews them to be men and not Angels by nature for these kings priests and reigners are such as shall be raised from the dead before they so reign or are gloriously kings and priests as doth evidently appear in Rev. 20. 4 5 6. 4. These living creatures are distinguished from the Angels Rev. 5. 10 11. yea from all the angels and the angels are said to be about them chap. 7. 11. and chap. 5. 11. and they are distinguished from all ther creatures from every creature which is in heaven and in the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea and all that are in them Rev. 5. 13 14. therefore it most evidently appears that these living creatures are some of mankind 2. And they are also signified to be not the spirits of just men made perfect which are dead to us but to be such as are alive in mortal bodies as hath been said before See the Notes on vers 4. of this Chapter And this appears by the name given to them in that they are always called living ones or living creatures when they are named with the Elders and so generally in Scripture the living are such as live to and with us Hence the Earth of this world is oft-times called the land of the living Job 28. 13. Psal 27. 13. and 52. 5. and 56. 13. and 116. 9. and 142. 5. Isa 53. 8. Jer. 11. 19 c. And many times the living are distinguished from and opposed to thsoe that are dead to us Numb 16. 48. Ruth 2. 20. Eccles 4. 2. Luk. 24. 5. Rom. 14. 9 c. And these living creatures also appear to be such as have not yet finished their course nor rested from their labours because it is said of them vers 8. They have wings and they have no rest day and night whereas of the Elders it is said They are sitting upon their seats or thrones as those that have entred into rest Vers 4. 3. And as distinguished from the Elders as these living creatures are in many places so they appear to be such as are younger than the Elders and younger ones as compared to them unto whom they should submit in the Lord and for his sake 1 Pet. 5. 5. Heb. 13. 7. even the spiritual children of the Prophets Acts 3. 25. and Apostles as many times the Apostles call the Believers to whom they write their children and little children as 1 Cor. 4. 15 16. Gal. 4. 19. 1 Joh. 2. 1. 18. 28. and 3. 17 18 c. As having believed on Christ and God by him thorow their word John 17. 20 and so they are those which are called the seeds seed as Isa 59. 21. And so by these living creatures here spoken of And particularly I conceive are meant the Church of the living God that part of it I mean which is on earth for both the Saints which are in Heaven and those that are on earth are but one family Eph. 3. 15. which is by faith come unto mount Zion and unto the city of the living God the heavenly Jerusalem c. Heb. 12. 22 23. The Church of Christ on Earth in general as a body the mystical body of Christ united by a spiritual and unseen bond even by the spirit of faith unto Christ as their only head and husband Eph. 5. 25 32. Col. 1. 18. and by the spirit of love one to another as members of the same spiritual body Eph. 4. 25. And in this Church there may be had in this place principal but not only respect to the faithful upright painful and laborious teachers angels or overseers amongst them who watch for the souls of others vers 8. And these all hearty and unfeigned believers in the Church on earth and as the Church are the living the living that shall praise him and make known his truth to them that are on the earth Isa 38. 18 19. the seed that shall serve him and whom he will preserve which shall be counted to the Lord for a generation Psal 22. 30 31. And this may also appear to be meant by the four living creatures by that in Psal 68. 10. which we read Thy congregation hath dwelt therein The seventy two Interpreters usually called the seventy and whose translation our Saviour and his Apostles very frequently make use of thus render it Thy living creatures have dwelt therein using the same word which the Apostle doth here and elsewhere frequently in this book which also shews that by these four living creatures are meant Gods congregation on earth his Church the body of Christ or that part of it which is on earth in a general and conjunct consideration And this understanding of the four living creatures to signifie the Saints on earth as a body and in a general consideration affords Answer to the Objections of some against the sense given and may deliver and preserve us from the mistakes of others concerning these living creatures For say some Object 1. That the hundred forty and four thousand sealed Saints in Chap. 7. 4 8. And the great multitude of the Gentile believers mentioned also in Chap. 7 9 10. are distinguished from the living creatures in that same Chapter Vers 11. And that the hundred forty and four thousand in Chap. 14. 1 3. sing a new song before the four living creatures therefore surely they are distinct from them and the four living creatures mean not the whole Church of Christ upon earth Answ What hath been already said gives Answer unto this Objection however in some good measure For 1. We look upon the four living creatures to signifie as is said the Church here in general and as a woman and
same promise And these all died in faith not receiving the promises but having seen them afar of they were perswaded of them c. Heb. 11. 8 9-13 14. 39 40. By which it doth plainly appear that that promise is not yet compleatly fulfilled 2. We have again apt occasion to use those words of the Apostle here which were lately referred to If Jesus to wit Joshua had given them rest namely in a full and compleat consideration he would not have spoken of another day There remaineth therefore even when the Apostle thus wrote a rest to the people of God Heb. 4. 7-9 with Josh 21 44. and 22. 4. And this Rest will not be compleatly and gloriously enjoyed by them until the Lord Jesus be revealed not in but from Heaven with his mighty Angels 2 Thes 1. 6 7 9. with Rev. 21. 5. the times of compleat rest and refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord when God shall send us Jesus and when the times of restitution of all things shall come to wit when God shall make new and renew all things Act. 3. 19 20. with Rom. 8. 17-23 3. The land of Canaan was by an everlasting Covenant assured to Abraham and his seed for an everlasting possession so God saith to Abraham I will give unto thee and to thy seed after thee the land wherein thou art a stranger all the land of Canaan for an everlasting possession c. Gen. 17. 7 8. To the same purpose also Jacob said unto Joseph God Almighty appeared unto me at Luz in the land of Canaan and blessed me and said unto me I will give this land to thy seed after thee for an everlasting possession Gen. 48. 3 4. Now surely we may say this promise is not yet fulfilled compleatly to the seed of Abraham Isaac and Jacob for Israel after the flesh enjoyed it but a little time the Ten Tribes were carried captive about seven hundred years after they were setled in Canaan by Joshua and are not returned from that Captivity unto this day and they were the greatest part of that Nation And the Prophet saith The people of thine holiness have possessed it but a little while Isa 63. 18. And Judah hath been ejected out of it about sixteen hundred years so that as yet neither Abraham Isaac and Jacob nor their seed have had it for an everlasting possession as was promised 2 Sam. 7. 10 11. 4. Yes it doth appear that that Covenant respected not their seed after the flesh only or fully but the spiritual seed of Abraham even all that are Christs who shall in due time have that Covenant fulfilled and performed to them and shall possess the land of Canaan when it is an heavenly Country Gen. 17. 7 8. with Rom. 4. 13 14 16. Gal. 3. 7-16 17-29 And in this heavenly Country they shall reign at Jerusalem the City of the great King even in the new Jerusalem which God will create So the Lord when he promiseth he will make new Heavens and a new Earth immediately saith But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create for behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing c. Isa 65. 17 18. And the Lords remembrancers are called upon and provoked not to keep silence and to give him no rest till he establish and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth Isa 62. 1 6 7. I mean the new Jerusalem the holy and heavenly City which God himself will create Indeed it doth appear that the old Jerusalem the former City that was so called will be built again by the natural Israel Jer. 30. 4-18 and Chap. 31. 38-40 but of this new Jerusalem of which we are speaking God himself will be the builder and maker Heb. 11. 9 10. for which Abraham Isaac and Jacob looked but never yet enjoyed it Heb. 11. 15 16. see the notes before on Chap. 3. vers 12. The Lord of hosts shall reign in mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before his Ancients gloriously Isa 24. 23. At that time namely when the Ten Tribes are returned they shall call Jerusalem the Throne of the Lord for he shall be there and there reign Jer. 3. 12-17 with Ezek. 48. 35. And to him that overcometh he will then grant to sit with him in his Throne Rev. 3. 21. Object If any should say The new and holy Jerusalem cannot mean a glorious place but a glorious people because it is called the Bride the Lambs wife Revel 21. 2 10 11. To that I say Answ 1. It doth indeed appear that thereby we are to understand a glorious and heavenly people to wit the children of the first Resurrection in that it is called the Bride c. Rev. 19. 7 8 9. But yet 2. It may signifie a glorious place also as in former times the old Jerusalem signified frequently both the City and Citizens thereof and sometimes the one and sometimes the other and not only it may so signifie but it doth appear to mean a glorious place also Because 1. It is distinguished from persons even from those that enter thereinto as it is said There shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth but they which are written in the Lambs book of life Rev. 21. 27. Even as in the Prophet the inhabitants of that Jerusalem the Lord God will make are distinguished from that glorious place where it is said But be you glad and rejoice for ever in that which I create For behold I create Jerusalem a rejoicing and her people a joy And I will rejoice in Jerusalem and joy in my people c. Isa 65. 18 19. with Rev. 21. 2-4 2. Nor doth Jerusalem's the new Jerusalem's being called the Bride the Lambs wife hinder but that it may also signifie a glorious place for a place may be said to be married to the Lord as it is said Thou shalt no more be termed forsaken neither shall thy land any more be termed desolate but thou shalt be called Hephzibah that is my delight is in her and thy land Beulah that is married for the Lord delighteth in thee and thy land shall be married to wit unto the Lord also compare Isa 62. 4 5. with Chap. 65. 18 19. So that in short the place where the Saints and holy ones shall reign will be on the earth the new earth in the land of Canaan that Heavenly Country at the new and holy Jerusalem Psal 48. and 87. 2 3. Object But some will be ready to object and say what must the Saints come out of Heaven and reign on the earth surely that will tend much to the abatement and lessening of their glory and happiness Answ To this objection we have spoken somewhat formerly see the notes on Chap. 3. vers 12. and therefore shall say the less to it here But it doth plainly appear that they shall come out of Heaven who shall reign on the earth so it is oft said of the new Jerusalem which signifies as we