to Eternity Thus have I shewed you my present Light into this portion of the holy Scripture if any can give me further I hope I shall not refuse it but as yet methinks this should be the genuine sence of this place and is the very track of John himself For after he had seen the Wall for present Safety the Foundations for Continuation the Gates for Entrance and the like then he comes to tell us of the Glory of all and of the Street it self at last which indeed is the last and end of all the Order of God and to continue till an end be put to it by Mortality's being swallowed up of Life As is yet more fully shewed you in the next Verse of this description Vers. 23. And the City had no need of the Sun nor of the Moon to shine in it for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof And the City had no need of the Sun That is after Temple-Worship is over this Verse is added therefore for further clearing up and illustrating of that which he said before there he tells us this City had no Temple and here he tells us she needed neither the light of the Sun or Moon there he said The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is the Temple of it and here he saith They are the Light thereof The substance of which in the language of the Holy Ghost is this The reason why Temple-Worship is now gon and over it is because there is now no need in this City of the Light of the Sun and the Moon and the reason why she hath now no need of them is because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are to it instead of both Temple and Light For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the Light thereof Whereby we may note That though the Light in which she descended being the purity of Temple-Worship was glorious yet this City shall when she is once builded so advance from Glory to Glory that at the last she shall be more happy without the help of that Light without which she had been for ever unbuilded then she was by it in the midst of the Fulness of it And the City had no need of the Sun c. The word Sun is in Scripture taken divers ways sometimes for the true and natural Sun in the Firmament sometimes again for Persecution and the rage of the Enemy c. but I take Sun here not to be any of these but for the good and pure Word of the Gospel of Christ unfolded opened and explained by the Servants of Christ which Sun is the same that before you find to be darkened by the Antichristian Fog and Mist which was darkened I say even to a third part of it This Sun or Word of the Gospel Paul saith it is shadowed forth even by that which shineth in the Firmament of Heaven because as that by its light and shining giveth to those that have Eyes to see the Glory and Excellency of this World so by the shining and light of the Gospel is given the light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and a view of the Excellency of the things of the World to come Now I say though while the Church is in this World and on this side the state of Glory she cannot live and flourish without the shining of this Sun but would be lifeless and lightless and without all heat and comfort For it is the entrance of the Law that giveth light here and that lightneth the Eyes making wise the simple yet at the day of the coming of her Lord in Person she shall see far more clearly without the thus shining of this Sun than ever she did or could see with and by it And the City had no need of the Sun For when by the light of it the whole Body of the Elect have found out the way to this City and when they have also by this light accomplished and fulfilled all their Work yea when the Lord himself is come and doth immediately communicate far more glorious light to this City without it than ever he did by it What need is there then of the light of this Sun for that is to be of use but for the time present even until the whole of the Body of the Lord Jesus is come to the perfect measure even to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ So then when the Body of Christ is in every sence compleated in this life by the light of the Sunshine of his holy Gospel what need of this Sun And hence it is that the Word of the Gospel is called The Word of Reconciliation the Word of Faith and the Words of this Life Wherefore I say it ceaseth when there is no more to be reconciled and when Faith in all is perfected and when this Life is put an end unto by the coming in of another For when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away 1 Cor. 13. 8 9 10. The Ministers of the Gospel are of use so long as there is either Elect to be converted or any converted Soul to be perfected by that measure of Perfection that God hath appointed on this side Glory but when this Work is done their Ministry ceaseth Wherefore though like the Widows Sons they are busie to borrow Vessels for the Oyl so long as it is running and emptying it self out of the great and principal Barrel yet when it ceaseth as it will do when there is no more Vessels to be found then let them sit down as they and receive of the Fruits of their labour for the Reward of their Work is then onely to be enjoyed by them And the City had no need of the Sun neither of the Moon to shine in it This word Moon also as well as that of the Sun is to be taken divers ways in the Scriptures of Truth sometimes for the natural one sometimes for the World and Persecutors c. but Moon here is to be taken for the Church of God with reference to her Life Conversation Duties and exemplary Behaviour in which she is conversant on this side Glory according to that of the Song Who is this that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Sun clear as the Moon and terrible as an Army with Banners When he saith then that at this day there shall be here no need of the shining light of the Moon he means that this City at this day in the state she is in when she hath the Person of the Lamb in her then she shall have no need of the growth of Christianity for they shall be all perfect nor no need of Mortification for there shall be no Sin they shall not need now as in
the twelve Apostles in their Doctrine or the primitive Doctrine of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb. Now the great business in this place will be to shew you the garnishing of these Foundations and also the mystery and order of the lying of the Foundations for their glory lyeth in both As for the garnishing of these Foundations it is and will be at the day of New Jerusalem twofold and the first is with beautiful Gifts and Grace Thus was the Apostles of old adorned and thus shall their Doctrine again be garnished I know that the Doctrine of the twelve hath been alwayes accompanied with goodly Gifts and Grace from the first Churches quite down that is according to the measure of light they appeared in and according to the dispensations of God in the times of Antichrist But yet the glory that this Doctrine had in these latter dayes I mean since the Apostacy it was nothing in comparison of the glory and splendor that will be in them in the day when this City is builded and compleat Wherefore you find that though all-along in Antichrist's reign the Gospel of Grace hath shone and given light to the Saints and People of God in all their travels and afflictions yet the shining of it at that day was much opposed and eclipsed by the smoak of the bottomless-pit as he saith There arose a smoak out of the pit as the smoak of a great furnace and the Sun and the Air was darkened by reason of the smoak of the pit Rev. 9. 2. In which dayes I say abundance of the light heat and operation of the Gospel was diminished and taken off so that but little of the power or glory of it hath been either felt or seen from that time to this very day This is that God spake of by the Prophet Amos saying I will cause the Sun to go down at noon and will darken the Earth in the clear day and I will turn your feasts into mourning and all your songs into lamentation and I will bring up sackcloth upon all loins and baldness upon every head and I will make it as the mourning of an only son and the end thereof as a bitter day All which he explaineth in the next words for Behold the dayes come saith the Lord that I will send a Famine in the Land not a Famine of Bread or of thirst for Water but of hearing the Words of the Lord and they shall wander from Sea to Sea and from the North even to the East they shall run to and fro to seek the Word of the Lord and shall not find it In those dayes Eli's sons were become Varlots Indeed there was here and there a little child like Samuel in his minority that now and then would speak most goodly things But the Word of the Lord was precious in those dayes there was no open Vision This is that which David in the Spirit of Prophecy complaineth of saying They know not neither will they understand they walk on in darkness all the Foundations of the Earth are out of course Thus in the days of the eclipsing of the glory of these Foundations But now behold they recover their light and put on as of old their former glory are again garnished as in the former dayes Now will all the Doctrines of the Gospel spangle and sparkle out of every Text will the Ministers of God make to issue exceedingly most precious and heavenly Fire for these Stones are indeed the Stones of Fire and in them is contained that which would set the whole World on a flame with love and delight in the things of God and another World had but men the Spirit of Wisdom and the Authority of God in their Ministry as the Apostles and the primitive Christians had Well this Doctrine of the Twelve shall be again adorned with Gifts and Grace as in the days of old by which it shall also be made to shine and to cast forth its Golden Rayes before the Nations to their Salvation Behold saith God I will lay thy Stones with fair Colours that is thy Apostolical Doctrines shall again be garnished as at the first Truth shall appear in its old and mature colours and as such shall be imbraced and lived and delighted in both by Jews and Gentiles as I have shewed But secondly The Twelve Foundations that here you read of they are the same with those twelve Stones that long before were set in the Brestplate of Judgment in which were engraven the Names of the twelve Tribes of the children of Israel the names of which Tribes did comprehend the whole body of the house of their fathers Exod. 28. 16 17 18 20 21 29. Exod. 39. 14. Now then seeing these Twelve are the same with those on the Breastplate of Judgement and seeing also that those on the Breast-plate did comprehend the whole of the twelve Tribes I conclude that for these Foundations to be garnished with all manner of precious Stones it is as much as to say they shall be garnished with abundance of Converts Multitudes and that of all sorts both of Jews and Gentiles Moors Tartars Turks and those in the utmost parts of the World shall now be entangled with the Light and Truth with the Glory and Goodness of the Doctrine of the Twelve And I the rather take it thus 1. Because as the Foundations themselves are said to be precious Stones so also the Saints in general they go under the same names too As Jeremiah saith The precious Stones of the Sanctuary are the precious Sons of Zion As Peter also saith in alluding to the precious Stones of the Temple The Saints are lively or living precious stones built up a spiritual house c. and the foundations of the Wall were garnished with all manner of precious stones That is the Doctrine of the Twelve was garnished with all manner of precious souls that is converted by it by which they become a glory and a garnishing to it 2dly I take it to be the conversion of the Precious Ones of God because that thus to understand it is most like the phrase of the Apostle Paul himself saying What is our Hope or Joy or Crown of rejoycing Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming Ye are our Glory and Joy Mark in the text he saith The Foundations were garnished with all manner of precious Stones and here those precious Stones Paul accounts to be those that are converted by the Word for what is our hope or joy or crown are not even ye that have been converted by us Ye are our Joy ye are our Crown ye are our Glory It is with you that we shall be crowned adorned and garnished in the presence of our Lord Jesus Mark John saith They are garnished Paul saith they are crowned John saith they are garnished w th precious stones and Paul saith they are
Lord that saves you You know I say what a flame of love and bowels and compassion and self-denial and endeared affection to God and all Saints it will beget in the soul. O! it is good to be here saith the gracious heart Well and so thou shalt be alwayes if thou live to see New Jerusalem setled in her own place Isa. 65. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24. And the Street of the City was pure Gold as it were transparant Glass Mark a Street of Gold like Glass a Street of Gold as it were transparant Glass By Glass here as also in the eighteenth verse we are to understand the word Jam. 1. 23 24 25. Wherefore when he saith the Street the Golden Street was like unto Glass he means that the walking and carriage of the Saints at this day shall be like unto or according to the Word the Life of the Saints answering the Life of the Word and Rule of the Lord Christ. Again in that he doth add to Glass the word Transparent he would have us to understand thereby these two things First That the walking and ways of Holiness of the Saints shall be more in the Power and Spirit of the Word than all along in the reign of Antichrist they have been For transparent Glass it is the most cleer and excellent Glass and goeth as far beyond other sorts of Glass as he that walks in the Spirit and Power of the Commandment goes beyond him that only walks in the Letter and outward Word thereof Alas the Churches of Christ at their first assembling will be like the coming together of Ezekiels bones cloathed much with flesh and sinews but greatly void of spirit and life Ezek. 37. 7 8. Wherefore the Spirit Power Holiness and Majesty that now will appear in the Church it will greatly transcend and go beyond the Spirit Power and Holiness that hath accompanied her in former days Then shall the Sun be ashamed and the Moon confounded when the Lord shall reign in Mount Zion c. Then shall the Sun be ashamed that is then shall that little light and understanding of the Word that hath been in the Church in the days when a third part of the glory of the Gospel was hid by the smoak of the Pit be as it were laid aside and be useless every Saint shall be under the light of a Sun that shines seven-fold brighter even as the light of seven days We see it is so in some measure at this day What Light and with what clearness do the Saints in this day see the things pertaining to the Kingdom of God beyond what the holy and goodly Martyrs and Saints did in the days that were before us Hus Bilny Ridly Hooper Cranmer with their Brethren if they were now in the world would cry out say Our light and knowledge of the Word of the Testament of Christ was much inferior to the Light that at this day is broken forth and that will yet daily in despite of Men and Devils display its Rayes and Beams amongst the sons of men When the Children of Israel were to depart the Land of Egypt the Lord made known himself to them otherwise than ever he made known himself either to Abraham Isaac or Jacob their fathers The Book also at the recovering the Church from under Antichrist is to be unlocked and unsealed gradually first one Seal and afterwards another and last of all the seventh before which time the Book will never quite be opened according to that of the Angel Go thy way Daniel for the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end in which time which is the time of New Jerusalem they shall be opened and men shall consider it perfectly Wherefore Secondly It must needs be that the Church return to her old and primitive love for what is the cause of the want of love to Christ and one another now but our want of light in the Things Mysteries and Priviledges of the glorious Gospel of the Son of God Wherefore this being come then Love will reign and have her perfect work among the Godly Love is the very quintescence of all the Graces of the Gospel and is as transparent to them the greatest of these is Charity it is the fulfilling of the Law the Bond of Perfectness and the most excellent Way Wherefore the holy Ghost doth mean by this word TRANSPARENT Glass that the height of Light and the height of Love will be found in this City all their things shall be done without confused smoak and darkness and also without spiritual priâ—â— and desire of vain glory then shall they indeed do all their things in Charity and in the feeling Bowels and Fellowship of the Gospel Then shall the Offerings of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant to the Lord as in the days of old and as in former times Mal. 3. 4. Alas Though now through Grace the Saints of God have attained to more Light and Knowledge in the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God than heretofore they had yet their Light is far inferior to that which will be when this City is builded Our spiritual Union and Fellowship in the very Bowels of the Grace and Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ also is yet greatly defective It is said that no man was able to enter into the Temple of God until the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled but when the seven last Plagues are spent and when all the Adversaries of the Church which caused terror in the Land of the Living shall be laid with the uncircumcised in the Pit then look for Golden days and not till then then shall this Golden Street be finished that is then shall the Light Faith Love and Holiness of the Gospel be walked in and embraced in a transparent and transcending way He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take Root Israel shall blossom and bud and fill the face of the World with Fruit. Isa. 27. 6. Vers. 22. And I saw no Temple therein for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it These words do in my present Light point at the end of the days of this Jerusalem here in this World and in so doing they signifie to us that when she is builded she shall stand and continue in â—his her glorious state afore-mentioned â—ven until that Glory be swallowed up of â—hat which doth excel That they do point at the end of her â—ay in this world I do gather from these particulars First Because they are the last words â—f the description of her Glory that is â—ese and the words ensuing which is â—t one and the same continued speech â—d it is easie to conclude that John in â—is description of this City doth from â—st to last even from the first appearing of her as she cometh out of Babylon till she be perfect in Glory give us the
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
Kingdoms of men shall at that day traffick with her and in her for her goodly Merchandize of Grace and Life to shew us I say what wonderful custom the Church of God at this day shall have among all sorts of People for her Heavenly Treasures It is said of Tyrus and Babylon That their Merchandize went into all the World and men from all quarters under Heaven came to trade and to deal with them for their Wares why thus it will be in the latter day with the Church of God the Nations shall come from far from Tarshish Pul Lud Tubal Javan and the Isles afar off They shall come saith God out of all Nations upon Horses and Mules and upon swift Beasts to my holy Mountain Jerusalem And it shall come to pass that from one new Moon to another and from one Sabbath to another shall all flesh come to worship before me saith the Lord Isa. 66. 19 20 21 22 23. Alas the Church at that day when she is a Woman onely or a Temple either may be without that Beauty Treasure Amiableness and affecting Glory that she will be endowed with when she is a prosperous City His marvelous kindness is seen in a strong City Psal. 31. 21. In Cities you know are the Treasures Beauty and Glory of Kingdoms and 't is thither men go that are desirous to solace themselves therewith Out of Zion the perfection of Beauty God hath shined Thirdly It is called a City rather than a Woman or Temple to shew us how strong and securely it will keep its Inhabitants at that day In that day shall this Song be sung We have a strong City Salvation will God appoint for Walls and Bulwarks And verily if the Cities of the Gentiles and the strength of their Bars and Gates and Walls did so shake thâ— Hearts yea the very Faith of the Children of God themselves how securâ— and safe will the Inhabitants of this Citâ— be even the Inhabitants of that City whicâ— GOD Himself will build c. But lastly and more especially The Church is called here a City chiefly to shew us that now she shall be undermost no longer Babylon reigned and so shall Jerusalem at this day And thou O Tower of the Flock the strong hold of the Daughter of Zion unto thee shall it come even the first Dominion the Kingdom shall come to the Daughter of Jerusalem Mic. 4. 8. Now shall she when she is built and compleat have a compleat Conquest and Victory over all her Enemies she shall reign over them the Law shall go forth of her that rules them and the Governours of all the World at that day shall be Jerusalem-Men And the Captivity of this Host of the Children of Israel shall possess that of the Canaanites even unto Zarephath and the captivity of Jerusalem which is in Sepharad shall possess the Cities of the South And Saviours shall come out of Mount Zion to judge the Mount of Esau and the Kingdom shall be the Lords Ob. 20 21. For the Law shall go forth of Zion and the Word of the Lord from Jerusalem And â—e shall judge among many People and rebuke strong Nations afar off and they shall beat their Swords into Plowshares and their Spears into Pruning-Hooks Nation shall not lift up a Sword against Nation neither shall they learn War any more Mic. 4. 1 2 3. There brake he the Ships of Tarshish with an East winde As we have heard so have we seen in the City of the Lord of Hosts in the City of our God God will establish it for ever Psal. 48. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. For observe it Christ hath not only obtained the Kingdom of Heaven for those that are his when this World is ended but hath also as a Reward for his Sufferings the whole World given into his hand wherefore as all the Kings and Princes and Powers of this World have had their time to reign and have Glory in this World in the Face of all so Christ will have his time at this day to shew who is the onely Potentate and Lord of Lords 1 Tim. 6. 15. At which day he will not onely set up his Kingdom in the midst of their Kingdoms as he doth now but will set it up even upon the top of their Kingdoms at which day there will not be a Nation in the World but must bend to Jerusalem or perish For the Kingdom and Dominion and greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Dan. 7. 27. And his Dominion shall be from Sea to Sea and from the River to the ends of the Earth Zech. 9. 10. O Holiness how shall it shine in Kings and Nations when God doth this He shewed me that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God In these words we are to enquire into three things First What he here should mean by Heaven Secondly What it is for this City to descend out of it Thirdly And why she is said to descend out of it from God First For the word Heaven in Scripture it is variously to be understood but generally either materially or metaphorically Now not materially here but metaphorically and so is generally if not always taken in this Book Now that it is not to be taken for the material Heavens where Christ in Person is Consider That the descending of this City â— not the coming of glorified Saints with their Lord because that even after the descending yea and building of this City there shall be Sinners converted to God but at the coming of the Lord Jesus from Heaven with his Saints the door shall be shut that is the door of Grace against all Unbelievers Luk. 13. 25. Matth. 25. 10. Therefore Heaven here is to be taken metaphorically for the Church which as I said before is frequently so taken in this Prophecie as also in many others of the holy Scriptures Rev. 11. 15. 12. 1 2 3 7 8 10 13. 13. 6. 19. 1 14. Jer. 51. 48. Matth. 25. 1. c. And observe it though the Church of Christ under the tyranny of Antichrist loseth the title of a standing City yet in the worst of times she loseth not the title of Heaven She is Heaven when the great Red Dragon is in her and Heaven when the third part of her Stars are cast unto the Earth she is Heaven also when the Beast doth open his Throat against her to blaspheme her God his Tabernacle and those that dwell in her Secondly Now then to shew you what are to understand by this that she is said to DESCEND out of Heaven for indeed to speak properly Jerusalem is always in the Scriptures set in the highest ground and men are said to descend when they go down from her but to ascend or go up when they are
them as at the first Ezek 4. 1 2 3 4. Neh. 2. 8. 3. 18. Ezr. 7. 27 Neh. 4. 15. 6. 15 16. Jer. 33. 7. 32. 44. Ezek. 36. 33 34 35 36. 37. 11 12 13 14. Amos 9. 11. Lastly When he saith he saw her decend from God out of Heaven he may refer to her Glory which at her declining departed from hâ—â— and ascended to God as the Sap returns into the Root at the Fall of the Leâ—â— which Glory doth again at her return descend or come into the Church and Branches of the same as the Sap doth arise at the Spring of the Year for indeed the Churches Beauty is from Heaven and it either goeth up thither from her or else comes from thence to her according to the natures of both Fall and Spring Cant. 2. Thus you see what this HEAVEN is and what it is for this City to DESCEND out of it also what it is for this City to descend out of it FROM GOD. Vers. 11. Having the Glory of God These last words do put the whole matter out of doubt and do most clearly shew unto us that the descending of this City is the perfect return of the Church out of Captivity The Church when she began at first to go into Captivity her Glory began to depart from her and now she is returning again she receiveth therewith her former Glory having the Glory of God Thus it was in the Type when Jerusalem went into Captivity under the King of Babylon which was a figure of the Captivity of our New-Testament-Church under Antichrist it is said that then the glory of God departed from them and went by degrees first out of the Temple to the Threshold of the House and from thence with the Cherubims of Glory for that time quite away from the City Ezek. 10. 4 18. 11. 22 23 c. Again As the Glory of God departed from this City at her going into Captivity so when she returned again she had also then returned to her the Glory of God whereupon this very Prophet that saw the Glory of God go from her at her going into Captivity did see it the very same and that according as it departed so return at her deliverance He brought me to the Gate saith he that is when by a Vision he saw all the Frame and Patterns of the City and Temple in the state in which it was to be after the Captivity he brought me to the Gate that looketh toward the East and behold the Glory of the God of Israel came from the way the East the very same way that it went when it departed from the City Ezek. 11. 23. his Voice was like the Voice of many Waters and the Earth shined with his Glory It was according to the appearance of the Vision which I saw even according to the Vision that I saw when I came to destroy the City and the Vision was like the Vision that I saw by the River Chebar and I fell on my face and the Glory of the Lord came into the House by the way of the Gate whose prospect is towards the East so the Spirit took me up and brought me into the inner Court and behold the Glory of the Lord filled the House Ezek. 43. 1 2 3 4 5 6. Thus you see it was in the Destruction and Restoration of the Jews Jerusalem by which God doth plainly shew us how things will be in our Gospel-Church she was to decline and lose her glory she was to be trampled as she was a City for a long time under the feet of the unconverted and wicked World Again She was after this to be builded and to be put into her former Glory at which time she was to have her Glory her former Glory even the Glory of God returned to her again He shewed me saith John that great City the holy Jerusalem descending out of Heaven from God having 〈◊〉 Glory of God As he saith by the Prophet I am Returned to Jerusalem with Mercies and my House shall be built in it and again I am Returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem Zech. 1. 16. 8. 3. Having the Glory of God There is the Grace of God and the Glory of that Grace there is the Power of God and the Glory of that Power and there is the Majesty of God and the Glory of that Majesty Ephes. 1. 6. 2 Thess. 2. 9. Isa. 2. 19. 'T is true God doth not leave his People in some sence even in the worst of times and in their most forlorn condition as he sheweth by his being with them in their sad state in Egypt and Babylon and other of their states of calamity as he saith Though I cast them far off among the Heathen and although I have scattered them among the Countreys yet will I be to them a little Sanctuary in the Countreys where they shall come Ezek. 11 16. God is with his Church even iâ— her greatest adversity both to limit bound measure and appoint out to her her quantity and quality her beginning and duration of distress and temptation but yet I say the Glory of God in the notion of Ezekiel and John when they speak of the Restoration of this City that is not always upon his People though always they are beloved and counted for his peculiar Treasure She may then have his Grace but not at the same time the glory of his Grace his Power but not the glory of his Power she may also have his Majesty when not the glory thereof God may be with his Church even then when the Glory is departed from Israel The difference that is between her having his Grace Power and Majesty and the Glory of each is manifest in these following particulars Grace Power and Majesty when they are in the Church in their own proper Acts onely as we are considered Saints before God so they are invisible and that not onely altogether to the World but often to the very Children of God themselves but â—ow when the glory of these do rest upon â—he Church according to Ezekiel and John why then it will be visible and ap parant to all Beholders When the Lord shall build up Zion he shall APPEAR in his glory Psal. 102. 16. as he saith also in another place The Lord shall ARISE upon thee and his glory shall be SEEN upon thee Isa. 60. 1 2. Now then to speak a word or two in particular to the Glory of God that at this day will be found to settle upon this City First therefore at her returning she shall not onely have his Grace upon her but the very Glory of his Grace shall be seen upon her the glory of Pardoning Grace shall now shine in her own Soul and Grace in the glory of it shall appear in all her doings now shal both our inward and outward man be most famously adorned and beautified with Salvation the golden
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
Lord Behold I will bring again the Captivity of Jacobs Tents and have mercy upon his dwelling Places and the City shall be builded upon her own heap and the Palace shall remain after the manner thereof and out of them shall proceed thanks-giving and the Voice of them that make merry and I will multiply them and they shall not be few and I will also glorifie them and they shall not be small Their Children also shall be as aforetime and their Congregation shall be established before me and I will punish all that oppress them Jer. 30. 18 19 20. Having the Glory of God And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious even like a Jasper Stone clear as Crystal Having thus told us of her Glory even of the Glory of God how it at this day will rest upon this City he now comes to touch a second thing to wit her Light and that in which she descends and by which as with the Light of the Sun she seeth before her and behind her and on every side This therefore is another Branch of her Beauty She in her descending hath the Glory of God and also the Light of a Stone most precious Ezekiel tells us That in the Vision that he saw when he came to destroy the City which Vision was the very same that he saw again at the restoring of it he saith I say that in this Vision among many other wonders he saw a Fire infolding it self and Brightness about it and that the Fire also was bright and that out of it went forth Lightning that the likeness of the Firmament upon the living Creatures was the colour of the terrible Crystal that the Throne also upon which was placed the likeness of a Man was like or as the appearance of a Saphir-Stone all which words with the nature of their Light and Colour the holy Ghost doth in the Vision of John comprize and placeth within the Colour of the Jasper and the Crystal-stone And indeed though the Vision of John and Ezekiel touching the end of the matter be but one and the same yet they do very much vary and differ in terms and manner of Language Ezekiel tells us That the man that he saw come to measure the City and Temple had in his hand a Line of Flax which Line John calls a Golden Reed Ezekiel tells us that the River came out of or from under the Threshold of the House but John saith it came out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Ezekiel tells us that on either side of this River grew All Trees for food John calls these ALL Trees but ONE Tree and tells us that it stood on both sides of this River The like might also be shewed you in many other particulars as here you see they differ as touching the terms of the Light and Brightness that appears upon this City at her rebuilding which the holy Ghost represents to John under the Light and Glory of the Jasper and Crystal Stone for indeed the end of Ezekiel's Vision was to shew us That as when the Glory of God departed from the City it signified that he would take away from them the Light of his Word and their clearness of Worship suffering them to mourn for the loss of the one and to grope for the want of the other so at his return again he would give them both their former Light of Truth and also the clearness of Spirit to understand it which also John doth shew us shall last for ever And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious This Stone it is to represent unto us the Lord Jesus Christ in whose light and clearness this City comes out of Babylon for as he saith she hath the Glory of God that is his visible hand of Grace Power and Majesty to bring her forth so she comes in the light of this precious Stone which terms I say both the Prophet Isaiah and the Apostle Peter do apply to the Lord Jesus and none else the one calling him A precious Corner-Stone the other calling him The chief Corner-Stone elect and precious Isa. 28. 16. 1 Pet. 2. 6. Now then when he saith this City hath the light of this Stone to descend in he means That she comes in the shining Wisdom Knowledge Understanding and Influences of Christ out of her afflicted and captivated State and observe it she is rather said to descend in the Light of this Stone then in the Light of God though both be true because it is the Man Christ the Stone which the Builders rejected in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge of whose fulness we do all receive and Grace for Grace for it hath pleased the Father that in him should all Fulness dwell Col. 2. 3. John 1. 16. Col. 1. 19. see also Act. 2. 33. and Ephes. 4. 10 11 12 13. This sheweth us then these two things first That the time of the return of the Saints to build the ruinous City is near yea very near when the Light of the Lord Jesus begins to shine unto perfect day in her God will not bring forth his People out of Babylon especially those that are to be the chief in the building of this City without their own Judgments They shall see Eye to Eye when the Lord shall bring again Zion as he saith also in another place The light of the Moon shall be as the light of the Sun and the light of the Sun sevenfold as the light of seven days in the day that the Lord bindeth up the Breach of his People and healeth the stroke of their Wound Now the Eyes of them that see shall not be dim the Ears of them that hear shall hearken The Heart also of the rash shall understand Knowledge and the Tongue of the Stammerers shall be ready to speak plainly The Lord shall be now exalted and be very high for he will fill Zion with Judgement and Righteousness and Wisdom and Knowledge shall be the stability of thy times When Israel went out of Egypt they wanted much of this they went out blindfolded as it were they went they knew not whither wherefore they went not in the glory of that which this City descendeth in as Moses said The Lord hath not given you an Heart to perceive nor Eyes to see nor Ears to hear unto this day Deut. 29. 4. But these shall see every step they take they shall be like the Beasts that had Eyes both before and behind they shall see how far they are come out of Antichrist and shall see also how far yet they have to go to the compleat rebuilding and finishing of this City Secondly This sheweth us how sweet and pleasant the way of this Church will be at this day before them Light Knowledge and Judgement in GOD's matters doth not onely give men to see and behold all the things with which they are concerned
but the things themselves being good they do also by this means convey very great sweetness and pleasantness into the Hearts of those that have the knowledge of them Every step I say that now they take it shall be as it were in Honey and Butter The ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with Songs and everlasting Joy shall be upon their Heads they shall obtain Joy and Gladness and Sorrow and Sighing shall flee away Isa. 35. 10. as he saith Again I will build thee and thou shalt be built O Virgin of Israel thou shalt again be adorned with Tabrets and shalt go forth in the Dances of them that make merry For thus saith the Lord Sing with gladness for Jacob and shout among the chief of the Nations publish ye praise ye and say O Lord save thy People the Remnant of Israel Behold I will bring them from the North Country and gather them from the coasts of the Earth and with them the blind and the lame the woman with Child and her that travelleth with Child together a very great company shall return thither Jer. 31. 4 7 8. By these words the Blind and the Lame the Woman with Child and her that travelleth he would have us understand thus much First That the way of God shall by the illuminating Grace of Christ be made so pleasant so sweet and so beautiful in the Souls of all at that day that even the blindest shall not stumble thereâ—n neither shall the Lame refuse it for â—ear of hurt yea the Blind the Lame â—he Woman with Child and her that travelleth shall though they be of all in most evil case to travel and go the Journey yet at this day by reason of the glorious light and sweetness that now will possess them even forget their impediments and dance as after musical Taâ—rets Secondly This City upon the time of her rebuilding shall have her blind men see her halt and lame made strong she also that is with Child and her that travelleth shall joyntly see the City-work that at this day will be on foot and put into form and order yet before the end Behold at that time I will undo all that afflict thee saith the Lord to this People and I will save her that halteth and gather her that was driven out and I will get them praise and fame in every Land where they have been put to shame at that time I will bring you again even in the time that I gather you for I will make you a Name and a Praise among all People of the Earth when I turn back your Captivity before your EYES saith the Lord God Zeph. 3. 19 20. And her Light was like unto a Stone most precious In that he saith Her Light is like unto A STONE MOST PRECIOUS he sheweth us how welcome and with what eagerness of spirit this Light will at this day be imbraced by the Lords People Truly the Light is good saith Solomon and a pleasant thing it is for the Eyes to behold the Sun and if so then how beautiful desirable and precious will that Light be that is not onely heavenly and from Christ but that will be universal among all Saints to shew them the same thing and to direct them to and in the same Work The want of this hath to this day been one great reason of that crossness of Judgement and Perswasion that hath been found among the Saints and that hath caused that lingering and disputing about the glorious state of the Church in the latter days Some being for its excellency to consist chiefly in outward glory and others swerving on the other side conclude she shall not have any of this some conceiving that this City will not be built until the Lord comes from Heaven in Person others again concluding that when he comes then there shall be no longer tarrying here but that all shall forthwith even all the Godly be taken up into Heaven with divers other opinions in these matters And thus many run to and fro but yet God be thanked Knowledge does increase though the Vision will be sealed even to the time of the end But now I say at the time of the end the Spirit shall be poured down upon us from on high now also they that erred in Spirit shall come to understanding the City shall descend in the Light of a Stone most precious the Sun will be risen upon the Earth when Lot goeth from Sodom into Zoar Gen. 19. 23. Now there shall be an oneness of Judgment and Understanding in the Hearts of all Saints they shall be now no more two but one in the Lords hand Alas the Saints are yet but as an Army routed and are apt sometimes through fear and sometimes through forgetfulness to mistake the word of their Captain General the Son of God and are also too too prone to shoot and kill eveâ— their very right-hand man but at thâ— day all such doing shall be laid aside for the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall cover the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea which Knowledge shall then strike thorow the Heart and Liver of all swerving and unsound Opinions in Christs matters for then shall every one of the Christians call upon the Name of the Lord and that with one pure Lip or Language to serve him with one consent 'T is Darkness and not Light that keepeth Gods People from knowing one another both in their Faith and Language and 't is Darkness that makes them stand at so great a distance both in Judgement and Affections as in these and other days they have done But then saith God I will plant in the Wilderness that is in the Church that is now bewildered the Cedar the Shittah Tree the Myrtlâ— Tree and the Oyl Tree I will set in the Desart the Fir-Tree the Pine and the Box-Tree together that they may see and know consider and understand together that the Hand of the Lord hath done this and the Holy One of Israel hath created it and again The glory of Lebanon shall comâ— unto thee the Fir-Tree and the Pine-Tree and the Box-Tree together to beautifie the House of my Glory and to make the place of my Feet glorious Isa. 41. 19 20. 60. 13. Never was fair weather after foul nor warm weather after cold nor a sweet and beautiful Spring after a heavy and niping and terrible Winter so comfortable sweet desirable and welcome to the poor Birds and Beasts of the field as this day will be to the Church of God Darkness it was the Plague of Egypt It is an empty forlorn desolate solitary and discomforting state wherefore Light even the illuminating Grace of God especially in the measure that it shall be communicated unto us at this day it must needs be precious In Light there is warmth and pleasure it is by the Light of the Sun that the whole Universe appears unto us
distinctly and it is by the heat thereof that every thing groweth and flourisheth all which will now be gloriously and spiritually answered in this Holy and New Jerusalem O how clearly will all the Spiders and Dragons and Owls and fowl Spirits of Antichrist at that day be discovered by the Light hereof Now also will all the prettâ— Robins and little Birds in the Lords Field most sweetly send forth their pleasant Notes and all the Flowers and Herbs of his Garden spring Then will it be said to the Church by her Husband and Saviour Arise my Love my fair One and come away for lâ— the Winter is past the Rain is over and gone the Flowers appear in the Earth and the time of the singing of Birds is come and the voice of the Turtle is heard in our Land the Fig-Tree putteth forth her green Figs and the Vine with her tender Grapes give a good smell Cant. 2. 10 11 12 13. You know how pleasant this is even to be fulfilled in the letter of it not onely to Birds and Beasts but men especially it is pleasant to such men that have for several years been held in the Chains of affliction it must needs therefore be most pleasant and desirable to the afflicted Church of Christ who hath lain now in the Dungeon of Antichrist for above a thousand years But Lord how will this Lady when she gets her liberty and when she is returned to her own City how will she then take pleasure in the warm spangling Beams of thy shining Grace and solace her self with Thee in the Garden among the Nuts and the Pomgranates among the Lilies and Flowers and all the chief Spices Cant. 7. 11 12 13. Even like a Jasper Stone clear as Crystal These words are the Metaphor by which the Holy Ghost is pleased to illustrate the whole business Indeed Similitudes if fitly spoke and applyed do much set off and out any point that either in the Doctrines of Faith or Manners is handled in the Churches Wherefore because he would illustrate as well as affirm the Glory of this Jerusalem to the life therefore he concludes his general Description of this City with these Comparisons I saw saith he the holy City the Lambs Wife I saw her in her Spangles and in all her Adorning but verily she was most excellent She was shining as the Jasper and as pure and clear as Crystal The Jasper it seems is a very beautiful and costly Stone in as much as that above all the precious Stones is made use of by the Holy Ghost to shew us the Glory and shining Vertues of the Lord Jesus in this New Jerusalem and yet behold the Jasper is too short and slender to do the business there must another Stone be added Even like a Jasper Stone clear as Crystal Yea saith the Lord Jesus Her Cheeks are like rows of Jewels and so are the Joynts of her Things even like the Jewels that are the work of the hands of a cunning Workman Cant. 1. 9 10. 7. 1. The Crystal is a Stone so clear and spotless that even her greatest Adversaries in the midst of all their rage are not able justly to charge her with the least mote or spot imaginable wherefore when he saith that this City in her descending is even like the Jasper for light and like the Crystal for clearness he would have us further learn that at the day of the descending of this Jerusalem she shall be every way so accomplished with innocency sincerity and clearness in all her Actions that none shall have from her or her ways any just occasion given unto them to slight contemn or oppose her For First as she descends she meddleth not with any mans matters but her own She comes all along by the Kings high-way that is alone by the Rules that her Lord hath prescribed for her in his Testament The Governours of this World need not at all to fear a disturbance from her or a diminishing of ought they have She will not meddle with their Fields nor Vineyards neither will she drink of the water of their Wells onely let her go by the Kings high-way and she will not turn to the right hand or to the left until she hath passed all their borders It is a false report then that the Governours of the Nations have received against the City this New Jerusalem if they believe that according to the Tale that is told them she is and hath been of old a Rebellious City and destructive to Kings and a Diminisher of their Revenues I say these things are lying words and forged even in the heart of Bishlam Mithredath Tabeel and the rest of their Companions For verily this City in her descending is clear from such things even as clear as Crystal She is not for meddling with any thing that is theirs from a Thread even to a Shooe-latchet Her Glory is spiritual and heavenly and she is satisfied with what is her own 'T is true the Kings and Nations of this world shall one day bring their Glory and Honour to this City but yet not by outward force or compulsion none shall constrain them but the love of Christ and the beauty of this City The Gentiles shall come to thy light and Kings to the brightness of thy rising The light and beauty of this City that only shall engage their hearts and overcome them Indeed if any shall out of mistrust or enmity against this City and her prosperity bend themselves to disappoint the designs of the Eternal God concerning her Building and Glory then they must take what followeth Her God in the midst of her is Mighty He will rest in his love and rejoyce over her with singing and will UNDO all that afflict her Wherefore Associate your selves O ye People and ye shall be broken to pieces and give ear all ye of far Countries Gird your selves and ye shall be broken to pieces gird your selves and ye shall be broken to pieces Take counsel together and it shall come to naught speak the word and it shall not stand for God is with us Isaiah 8. 9 10. What work did he make with Og the King of Bashan and with Sihon King of the Amorites for refusing to let his People go peaceably by them when they were going to their own Inheritance God is harmless gentle and pitiful but wo be to that people that shall oppose or gainsay him He is gentle yet a Lyon He is loath to hurt yet He will not be crossed Fury is not in me saith he yet if you set the Bryers and Thorns against him He will go thorow them and burn them together Jerusalem also this beloved City it will be beautiful and profitable to them that love her but a Cup of Trembling and a burdensome Stone to all that burden themselves with her all that burthen themselves with it shall be cut in pieces though all the people of
edifying of it self in love Ephes. 4. 16. Col. 2. 19. Again By measuring the City he would have us to understand that all her Limits and Bounds were now apparent that all things even the Church and all the World was made to see their own Compass for as God in the dayes when Temple-Worship only was on foot would not lose a Form or Ordinance of all the Forms and Ordinances of his Temple so when City-work comes up he will not lose an Inch of the Limits and Bounds and Compass of his City she shall be full as large and of as great a compass every way as is determined of her as he saith by the Prophet All the Land saith he shall be turned into a Plain that is there shall be a smooth Face upon the whole Earth all Snugs and Hubs and Hills and Holes shall now be took away even from Gebato Rimmon South of Jerusalem and it the City shall be lifted up and inhabited in her place from Benjamins Gate unto the place of the first Gate unto the Corner Gate and from the Tower of Hananiel unto the Kings Wine-Presses The four places here mentioned in this verse they do seem to be the four Corners of the City of old at which places the City bounds were set and in which very Circle the Prophet tells us but with Gospel Language she shall be setled again Zech. 14. 10. And he measured the City and the Gates thereof This was figured forth by the Vision in Ezekiel for in it he saw the Angel go from Gate to Gate and saw him take the exact and distinct measure of every one thereof nay not only of them in a general way but of the Thresholds the Porch the Posts and the Faces of their Enterances he measured also every little Chamber that was above upon the Gates with all the Spaces that were between Ezek. 40 chapter Now by Gates I told you we are to understand the Son of God as he is the Way to the Father and to the Priviledges of this City Wherefore when he saith He measured the Gates it is as if he had said he measured the Entrance Strength goodly Countenance of Him with the Mansions of Glory that are to be injoyed by every one that entereth in hereby for the Porch Posts Face Enterance and Chambers of the Gate in Ezekiel they signifie the Enterance Strength Shining Countenance and resting places that every one shall find in the Lord Jesus that entereth in by him and to measure all these it is in substance but this To set them forth and out in their full force glory largeness beauty profitableness in the view of all for I told you at the first the Golden Reed is the Word of God Now the City and the Gates thereof are said to be measured by this Golden Reed which I say can be nothing else but an opening of all the Excellencies of Christ as â—e is the Gate of the Sheep even by the â—ull Sway Power Majesty and Clearness of the Word The Lord help us Christ as he is the Door to God and to all Gospel-Priviledges is now strangely handled and so hath been of a long time among the Sons of men some of them making him the very In-let to all the vile and abominable crew in the world counting all that are pliant to their ungodly humours the Saints of the most high and Christ the Door and Gate through whom they have right to enter and to whom belongs the Delicates of the precious things of God even those which he hath most choicely layed up and reserveth for none but those that unfeignedly turn from iniquity and walk with him in the newness of the Spirit Others again do shut up the Gates against the Godly labouring with might main to hinder those that labour to enter that fain would do it unfeignedly Others again do labour all that in them lies to deface the Gates to take away their Beauty like him that took the Gold from off the Doors and Gates of the Temple rendering Christ a low and carnal business c. but at the measuring-day at the day when the Golden Reed shall be the alone Rule then you shall see this City and her Gates discovered in their own Glory Holiness and Beauty for though in our Affliction under Antichrist our Temple and Instruments of Worship with the City Wall Gates and the like have been much defaced even our Doctrine of Faith and Worship and have been much trod and trampled under the foot of the uncircumcised Yet all shall be recovered and brought into Order again by the Golden Reed of the Word of God which thing was figured forth to us by that good man Ezra the Scribe who at the restoring of Jerusalem took review of all the things pertaining to the City both touching its Breaches and Deformity and also how to set all things in Order and that by the Law of God which was in his Hand even according to the Writing thereof Ezra 7. 14. 8. 34. Neh. 8 9. And whosoever doth but read the History of Ezra and Nehemiah throughout they shall finde that by the Word of God they brought all things to pass all the Ordinances of the House and City of God into their right and holy Order And indeed the measuring of the City and of the Gates thereof which is Christ the Way it can be nothing else but a bringing of them by the right understanding and opening of the Word into their proper Places and Excellencies both for Comers in and Goers out according to the Commandment Ezek. 40. 4. 43. 7 8 9 10 11 12. for to speak properly Christ in his Love Grace Merits and Largeness of Heart to let Souls into Communion with God and all Happipiness is in all these things unsearchable and passing knowledge being filled with these things beyond thought and without measure Ephes. 3. 8. Col. 3. 9. Ephes. 3. 18. 19. Joh. 3. 34. And he measured the City the Gates thereof and the Wall thereof In that he saith he measured the Wall also it is to shew us that all things now are according to the Rule of the Word The Inhabitants are according to the Word the Entrance is according to the Word yea and so is the safety of it also even a Fence to fence them from their Enemies even a fence on every side that they may be at ease and rest and be no more a tossing to and fro O thou afflicted and â—ossed with Tempest saith he and not comforted I will do many good things for thee in righteousness shalt thou be established thou shalt be far from Oppression for thou shalt not fear and from Terror for it shall not come nigh unto thee Isa. 54. 11 14. Touching the Wall what it is I have spoken already therefore here I speak onely to the measure of it which measure is onely the fulfilling all those Promises and Engagements of God
themselves but now they shall shew themselves again even these Foundation-stones Stones that are great Stones Stones of ten Cubits and Stones of eight Cubits 1 Kings 7. 10. Thus much of the glory of the Foundations Ver. 21. And the twelve Gates are twelve Pearls every several Gate was of one Pearl and the Street of the City was pure Gold as it were transparent Glass Having thus shewed us the glory of this City Wall and Foundations he now comes to shew us the glory of the Gates and of the Street of the City And the twelve Gates are twelve Pearls The Gates I told you before they signify Christ both as he is the way to communion with the God of this City and with the Inhabitants thereof that so they may have a share in the Priviledges of the same I told you also then that though he tels us exactly of the measure both of City and Wall yet he tells us nothing of the measure of these twelve Gates and goings in thereat and the reason is because Christ as he is the way to Grace He is beyond all measure both as to fulness and freeness Ephes. 3. 8. And now again he puts us to the same plunge with the unsearchable riches of the Lord Christ for who can count the worth of a Pearl as big as the Gates of a City as indeed when Christ himself doth speak of the Parable of the Pearl in the Field he only telleth us that there is such a one but never valueth the worth thereof only he saith a Pearl of great price and so leaveth it Mat. 13. 35 36. Now when he saith that the Gates are Pearls he thereby insinuates several things As First To shew us how rich a Treasure Christ Jesus our Lord is and will be to all those that by him shall enter in through the Gates into this City Riches and Honour are with me saith he even durable Riches and Righteousness My fruit or the fruit of entering in by me it is better than Gold and my revenues thâ—â— choice Silver I lead in the way of Righteousness in the midst of the Paths of Judgment That I may cause them that love me to inherit substance and I will fill their treasures Pro. 8. 18 19 20 21. Ephes. 3. 8. Christ is rich indeed both in his Blood Resurrection Intercession and all his Offices together with his Relations and all his Benefits all which he bestoweth upon every one that receiveth him and maketh them unspeakably wealthy Secondly The Pearl as it is rich and so worth much so again it is beautiful and amiable even to take the eyes of all beholders it hath I say a very sweet and sparkling Light and Glory in it enough to take the eye and affect the heart of all those that look upon it And thus is Christ to all that come to him and by him to the Father c. My Beloved saith she is white and ruddy the chiefest of ten thousand his mouth is most sweet he is altogether lovely The Mother of Harlots had some knowledge of the Beauty and Glory of this Stone and knew that it had a very taking and drawing Glory in it and therefore she gets it for some time to adorn her self withal She was decked with Gold and precious Stones and Pearls and was therefore called the well-favoured Harlot by which means she hath drawn into her lewdness the Kings and Kingdoms of the world who have in such sort been entangled with her Beauty and with her Fornication that they have been adulterated from God and their own Salvation For indeed she used this Pearl but for to get them to drink of her Fornication that they might drink and spue and fall and never rise more But now when he saith the Gates are Pearl it is as if he had said This Woman is stript of her beauty and delicate ornaments the Pearl is taken from her and is set in his right place even to be for the Gates of Jerusalem Wherefore it is to be expected that many should be taken with the way of entrance into this beloved City in the day that she shall be set up and appear in her heavenly beauty The glory of that City must needs be great whose Wall is Jasper and Gates are Pearl And the twelve Gates are twelve Pearls Not Pearls and other Precious stones commixed but Pearl only To signifie that Christ only can let in souls into this City that they may partake of the goodness and priviledges thereof 'T is not he and Saints together neither is it all the Saints and Angels in Heaven without him He alone hath the Key of David and that openeth and no man shutteth and that shutteth and no man openeth Rev. 22. 22. 3. 7. Secondly As he saith The several Gates are each of them Pearls So he saith that every several Gate was of One Pearl of one entire Pear By which he would have us understand also that as none can enter in but by Christ so none can enter in but by whole Christ. Christ must be helpful to thee every way or he will be helpful to thee no way thou must enter in by every whit of Christ or thou shalt enter in by never a whit of him Wherefore look not to have him thy Saviour if thou take him not for King and Prophet nay thou shalt not have him in any one if thou dost not take him in every one of these Wherefore the Prophet saith He shall build the Temple of the Lord that is by his Prophetical Office and he shall sit and rule upon his Throne and he shall be a Priest upon his Throne and the counsel of peace shall be between them both Zech. 6. 12 13. And the Street of the City was pure Gold as it were transparent Glass In these words there are four things to be enquired into First What this Street is Secondly Why he saith not Streets but Street as of one Thirdly Why this Street is called by the term of pure Gold Fourthly And why it should look like transparent Glass For the First A Street ordinarily is the place of common concourse and the place of continual open salutation and taking acquaintance one of another and as touching this Street we are also to understand it of the open and common place or way of Gods Worship in which Saints salute each other and acquaint themselves together also here the World are converted Saints built up and edified c. Wisdom cryeth without she uttereth her voice in the Streets saith Solomon she cryeth in the chief places of concourse in the opening of the Gates in the City she uttereth her words that is in the publick and righteous Ordinances of the Lord Jesus which he hath ordained in his Church for men to travel and trade in for the good and wholsome merchandize of Heaven as the men of this world do for the things thereof in
the contrary is foolish Is not Christ the Head and we the Members and do not the Members receive their whole light guidance and wisdom from it Is not he also the price the ground and bottom of our Happiness both in this world and that which is to come And is it possible it should be forgotten or that by it our Joy Light and Heaven should not be made the sweeter to all eternity Our soul is now bound up in him as in a bundle of life and when we come thither he is still the Christ our life and it is by our being where he is that we shall behold his Glory and our Glory because he is glorified For the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof As he said John 16. 22. Ye now therefore have sorrow but I will see you again and your heart shall rejoyce and your Joy no man taketh from you Thus much of this City her descending her fashion her glory and of her wading thorow glory from glory to glory Vers. 24. And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it and the Kings of the Earth do bring their glory and honour to it After this long and pleasant Description of this Holy and New Jerusalem the Holy Ghost now falleth upon a Relation of the People that shall be the Inhabitants of this City and of their numerousness and quality And the Nations c. The Nations of the world both of the Jews and Gentiles Every one knoweth what the Nations are wherefore I need not stay upon the explication of that for it doth in general include the multitude of the sinners of the world Therefore when he saith the Nations shall walk in the light of this City it is as if he had said that at this day when she is here in her tranquility the sinners and disobedient among the sons of men shall by multitudes and whole Kingdoms come in and close with the Church and House of God These Spiders shall take hold with their hands and be in Kings Palaces Prov. 30. 28. And the Nations c. For this word the Nations is a great word and it comprehendeth much mark it doth not say a Nation or some Nations neither doth it say few or small Nations but indefinitely the Nations Many Nations Strong Nations All Nations the Nations in general only he ties them up with this limit the Nations of them that are saved which yet is not so much spoken to clip off the multitude that we suppose may then be converted as to shew us their qualifications and happiness as he saith by the Prophet in another place Thy Children shall be all holy or righteous and great shall be the peace of thy Children And the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it Surely the holy Ghost would never have spoken at such a rate as this if he had not intended to shew us that at the day of the setting up of this Jerusalem a great harvest of sinners shall be gathered by the Grace of the Gospel But the truth is the Scriptures go with open arms towards the latter end of the world even as if they would grasp and compass about almost all People then upon the face of the whole Earth with the Grace and Mercy of God The Earth saith God shall be filled with the knowledge of the Glory of the Lord as the waters cover the Sea As he saith also for the comfort of the Church in another place Behold I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands thy Walls are contiaually before me Thy Children shall make haste thy Destroyers and those that made thee waste shall go forth of thee Lift up thine eyes round about behold all these gather themselves together to come unto thee as I live saith the Lord thou shalt surely cloath thee with them all as with an Ornament and bind them on thee as a Bride doth For thy waste and desolate places and the land of thy destruction shall even now be too narrow by reason of the Inhabitants and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away The Children which thou shalt have after thou hast lost the other shall say again in thine ears The place is too strait for me give place that I may dwell Then shalt thou say in thy heart Who hath begotten me these seeing I have lost my Children and am desolate a captive and removing to and fro Who hath brought up these Behold I was left alone these where have they been Thus the multitudes of the Nations shall at this day be converted to the Lord and be made the Inhabitants of this Jerusalem as he saith again The Kingdoms of this world are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ. And again The Kingdom and Dominion and the greatness of the Kingdom under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the Most High whose Kingdom is an everlasting Kingdom and all Dominions shall serve and obey him Rev. 11. 15. Dan. 7. 26 27. And observe it these Promises are to be fulfilled in the last days at the time of the pouring forth of the last Vial which is the time of the sounding of the last of the seven Trumpets for then this City shall be builded and Lucifer fallen from Heaven then the Prisoners shall be set at liberty and the People be gathered together and the Kingdoms to serve the Lord. Rejoyce O ye Nations with his People for he will avenge the blood of his Servants and will render vengeance to his adversaries and will be merciful to his Land and to his People Alas it is now towards the end of the world and therefore now all is going if the Lord steps not in with the riches of his Grace Wherefore now at last before all be turned into fire and ashes behold the Lord casts the net among the multitude of Fish and the aboundance of the Sea shall without fail be converted to Jerusalem Though Satan and Antichrist have had their day in the world by their outrage have made fearful havock of the souls of sinners from time to time yet now at length God will strike in for a share with them and his Son shall divide the spoyl with the Strong Wherefore he now sets up this City puts the Glory of Heaven upon her provides a New Heaven and a New Earth for her situation drives prophaness into the holes and dens of the Earth giveth Righteousness authority to reign in the world and takes off the vail from all faces that none may hereafter be for ever beguiled by blindness and ignorance Now shall they make merry with the things of God now shall all eat the fat and drink the sweet For in this Mountain shall the Lord make a feast of fat things to all People a feast of