the inheritance of Christ his Kingdome And the excellent misterie of our eternall Mansion and new glorious Ierusalem in which wee shall dwell the Sonnes and Saincts of GOD for euer THE tyme beeing come that the Lord euen the most mighte God dooth dissend from the hye toppe of the heauens Psalme 50. to call the worlde togither not mynding to kéep silence then shall go before him a consuming fire and a mightie tempest shal be stirred vp round about him when hée thus shall come to call the heauens from aboue the earth that he may iudge his people at which tyme shall God appeare out of Sion in perfect beautie in the high glorie of his Godhed And then shall be performed that all thinges in heauen and earth shall be gathered togither in Christe Ephe. â— and the misterie of the will of the Father declared that Christe our triumphant King and Iudge hauing reigned vntill his enemies be put vnder his féete and hauing put down all rule authoritie and power that death the last enemy is consumed into victorie shall delyuer vp the kingdome to GOD the Father and become him selfe subiecte to God that putteth all thinges vnder his feet Cor. 1.15 that God may bee in all thinges and then the holy Cittie new IerusaleÌ„ commeth down from God out of heauen prepared as a Bryde garnished for her husband that the Tabernacle of God is now with his elect and hée him selfe dooth dwell with them and they shall be his people and God him felf shall be with them and shal be their God for Christe the king of kings will suffer none of his chosen to be away but gather all his Saincts together and so enter with triumphing Ioy into new Ierusalem Therfore lyft vp your heads O yée gates and be lyft vp ye euerlasting dores that the king of glorie may come in with his holie people hauing the palmes of victorie crownes of lyfe and Garlands of glorie in their hands Math. 21. And thus in stead of his humble ryding vppon an asse he with all gloriousnes is accompaned into new IerusaleÌ„ with the eternall Crowne and Scepter of heauenly maiestie takeing possession of Abrahams new land of promise the euerlasting kingdome and inheritance of Gods rest saying to his righteous people come taste the cup of your saluation and imbrace the ioyes the happines the bessednes and vnspeakable glorie which the Father of heauen hath of his great loue here prepared for you in his pallace where now you are fully and absolutely come to the new land of Canaan the euerlasting inheritance and to holy mount Sion and to the Cittie of the liuing GOD the celestiall Ierusalem and to the enumerable fighte of Angels and vnto the congregation of the first borne soÌ„nes which are written in heauen Cor. 1 3. and to God the Iudge of all and to Iesus the mediator of the new Testament and to a kingdoÌ„e immoueable for euer where they are clothed with their heauenly mansion replenished with the glory ioy and blessednes which neither tung can vtter eye hath séene or hart hath thought and thus Christe hath made them the glorifyed sonnes of God and holy and peculiar people a congregation triumphant a kingly préesthoode and a perfect communion of Sainctes assembled togither in all purenes and precious nes with God before the presence of the almightie eternall Father who now sheweth foorth to you the light of his countenace that you shall beholde with ioy vnspeakable his moste glorious godhead his moste resplendent countenance and incomprehensible maiestie synging to him with an heauenly voice and blessed harmony in all abundancie of ioy the songs of praysing God for euer for that hée hath geuin vs the crowne of euerlasting lyfe and the fréedome of his etrenall kingdoÌ„e of glorie where now wée hunger no more nor feele infirmities neither dooth the sunne and moone giue lighte to vs any more for our pretious Lamb dooth dwell with vs Reu. 7. and feede vs and lead vs vnto fountaines of liuing water and our God wypeth all teares from our eyes clothing vs with the plentious ioy of our heauenly mansion new Ierusalem beeing full of mellifluous pleasures where all things are so heuenly that nothing can be better for there dwelleth euerlasting lyfe there groweth the trée of ioy there runneth the waters of helth there is the hidden maÌ„na of heauenly consolation the white stone of gladnes the new names of happines and there is the beautie of the Godhed glory of saincts incoÌ„parable blessednes for euer So that the GOD of all treuth hath performed that which hee spake by Esay the Prophet beeing moste fauourable and gracious vnto Sion saying There shall thyne eyes see new Ierusalem that glorious Habitation the Tabernacle that neuer shall remooue whose nayles shall neuer bee taken out worlde without end and her cordes shall neuer corrupte Esay 33. for the eternall maiestie of the Lord shall there bee present among vs and he shall be our Captaine and king that wee shall walke vpon fayre and beautifull Ryuers and pleasaunt Streames of lyfe where neither gallies rowe nor great shippes saile neither any man there lyeth that sayth I am sick but all euill is taken away from vs who therfore desireth not to dwell in the house of the Lord and to beholde the fair beautie of God and to visit his Temple and to be in his citie in which sayeth Zacharie The waters of lyfe run out of Ierusalem and the Lord him self s halbe king ouer all the earth Zacha. 14. and there shal be but one Lorde onlye and his name shal be but one for then shall he set vp him self aboue the heauens and his glorie shall be aboue all when hée shall make a new heauen and a new earth that men shall goe about the earth as about a golden Paradice or plesant florishing féeld For now IerusaleÌ„ shall be saifly inhabited which was forsaken and is made according to the saying of Esay The Cittie of the Lord moste glorious through all posterities Esay 60. beeing inhabited without any wall yea the Lord him self is to her a wall of fire round about and will be honored euermore in her Where all thinges are full of the shyne of the Lords glorie so that O beholde this phenicall Cittieâ—Ierusalem how shee shall reioyce in hir Children and hir Children shall bee full glad of her whose gates are buylt with Saphire and Smaradge and all the walles with precious stones Toble 13. and in all her streates shall Aleluia be sung where Gods kngdome shall bee vpon her world without end Therfore O children of men so do that you may be Citizens in this citie of incoÌ„parable blessednes for the obtaining wherof Ephes 6. it behoueth you to walke as the children of the day light striuing to ouercome all the lustes of the fleshe the world and the deuil as might hinder you from entring in to so heauenly a
proceedeth a sharpe two edged sword shewing that all power Maiestie imperiall and iudgement was giuen him of his father according to that of the Reuel out of his mouth went a sharpe sword that with it he should smite the heathen which was his word which according to Paul is sharper then a two edged sworde being quicke and mightie in operation Heb. 4. entreth thorowe to the deuiding of the soule and spirit and of the ioynts and the marow and iudgeth the thoughtes and intentes of the heart and the Raine bowe about his head shewing the vndoubted signe of his true couenaÌ„t and promise in all things to be perfourmed according as hee had promised touching saluation euen as the Rainbow was a true signe and witnes of Gods iust worde neuer to destroy the world by water againe And his face did shine as the sunne in his strength and hath the keyes of hell and death shewing the shining light of the incomprehensible brightnes of his glorious maiestie and his triumphant power ouer all his enemies and ouer al powers of hel and death hauing the keyes of the kingdome euen the keyes of Dauid which openeth no man shutteth which shutteth and no man openeth and thus to the Prophetes and Apostles Chri st did shewe a consembable vision of his glorious maiestie and glorious mirrour of comming againe at the latter day therein expressing the selfe same Symbolicall glorie to be to vs if we be founde worthy at his appearance to be heyres of his Kingdome thorough righteous life according as the Angell shewed the vision of Christ vpon mount Sion howe there stoode before him a great people that coulde not be nombred Esdras 4.2 praysing the Lorde with songes and thankesgiuing and he in the middest of them being of an high stâ—â—â—eâ— most goodly most glorious and most excellent aboue them all appearing alwayes higher and higher more glorious and glorious in the incomprehensible shining and vnmeasurarable riches of all brightnesse clearenesse beautie gifâ—es treasures and noblenesse and in the infinite and endelesse power might and omnipotencie of his diuine Maiestie and Godheade setting crownes vpon their heades there crowning them with the golden Diademes of eternall glorie and palmes of euerlasting ioye for that they had truely walked in his wayes and knowledged 〈◊〉 â—efectâ— faith his holy Name euen to the death Therefore seeing by Christ we haue there arrest of our saluation and the promise to be made partakers of his godly nature and the power by his Gospel to be made the sonnes of God let vs vse all diligence towarde good life to make our calling to mount Sion to be to our ioy that when we there appeare before our eternall king of glorie we maye be fouÌ„d to be of that holy multitude that Christ with his heauenly and vnspeakeable sweete hand may set the vnspeakeable crowne of glorie vpon our heades for which cause let vs now stirre vp our hearts with the quicke eye of faith and behold him as if he were present whom shortly we shall sée with our outward and inward eyes face to face in his Godhead and glorious humanitie as before he was séene in his lowlinesse of his humane nature And then we shal behold him in his excellencie and in all marueilousnesse being exalted and aduanced in the high glory of his Father and beautified with all the euerlasting ornaments of wisedome beautie goodnes and glorie And then O how ioyfully shall we sée him how intyrely shall we loue him howe with burning flames of excéeding desire shall we couet him and what wonderfull zeale affection shall we haue to imbrace him so most amiable a god and sauiour when we shall thus looke vpon him how in steade of his crowne of thornes he is extolled to the endles mirror of Maiestie triumphing in all the great shining dignitie of God and in the Royall power ouer all powers King of kings to whome all kings and powers shall yeeld vp their glorie power ashamed of so mightie maiestie and in s teade of a Reede he hath nowe the bright euerlasting Scepter of the kingdome and the omnipotent and eternall sentence of iudgement and in steade of rebukes and reproches he is magnifies with all goodly and glorious names of God with all the wordes voyces and songs of praise laud honour and glorie for euer and in stead of his crosse nayles he is exalted in the wonderful bright and glorious shining throne and seate of power and domination and in steade of his simple garments and rent clothes and purple gowne with which they clothed and mocked him hee is nowe arayed with the euerlasting heauenly Robes of glorie and honour of Iustice and Kingly dignitie for euer And where his enemies did boast ouer him and mocked him nowe he hath reigned till his enemies be made his footestoole and hath triumphed ouer death the last enemie Oseas 13. that the saying of the Prophet may be fulfilled O death I will be thy death O hel I wil be thy sting And thus our Sauiour Christ hath perfourmed the euerlasting tryumphe ouer all his enemies they nowe bowing their knees attributing all honour glorie vnto him and with moste dreadfull feare falling flat an their faces before his shining face and high power And because he yeelded him selfe to death he hath nowe the victorie ouer death and hell for euermore And in this sorte he commeth in the most magnifical glorie of his Father prepared to the marriage of newe Ierusalem which commeth downe also from heauen from God garnis hed with the reines of the righteousnesse of Saintes prepared as a bride mos t beautifull and glorious fitte and conuenient for a precious and glorious husbande and worthie to receiue and welcome all the excellent guestes that are called to this marriage where the ioye of the godlye shall be made perfect and complete receiuing the marriage gifte the palmes of immortalitie and honour and the garland of euerlasting glorification Wherefore to consider of this our heauenly hope and ioyfull expectation of blessednesse let vs be faithfull vnto death and ouercome and Chri st hath promised to giue vs this crowne of life at his comming Thess 1.4 which shall be with Imperiall might and greatnesse according to Paul with a shout and the voyce of the Archangel and troumpe of God that the heauens and earth and all powers shall quake withall and according to Iohn Hee shall come downe from the high heauens clothed with a cleare white splendent cloude and the Raine bowe vpon his head the signe of Iustice promise mercie and iudgement and his face as it were the sunne and his feete as it were pillars of fire glistering in the most endlesse purenesse of the glorie of his father like shining fire Thes s 1.4 most incomparable And then lift vp your heads to sée his superexcellent gloriousnesse when you shall immediately be changed to immortalitie and méete him in the ayre Actes 1. when he
euery parte doeth the selfe same thing as the Spirite and Lambe doeth leade them Coloss 1. hauing the preheminence so that for euermore they remaine glorified with euerlas ting life peace vnitie and puritie of all perfection and brightnesse in the sight of the Almightie for all thinges with them are Symbolicall to Gods Maiestie That as Iesus Christ our Lorde and Redéemer is the Sonne of God begotten of God God of God and God in God that their insearchable nature is such that they are both one in it selfe And the Holy Ghost from them proceeding beeing the euerlasting Spirite of the euerlasting Father and Sonne being of inseparable nature all together in it selfe so that being three persons in Trinitie yet is it one euerlasting vnitie for in them is one Communion of Godhead that the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth in the three persons Almightie both bodely and Substantially And nowe as this euerlasting power and Godhead is coadvnited a perfect Trinitie in Vnitie and Vnitie in Trinitie So we of God to God and in God are adopted Saintes of holinesse by Iesus Christ our Sauiour the eternall worde sonne of God by whome we are made in most excellent true resemblance of Godly nature partakers of Gods glorie and purenesse Phil. 3. being ordeined of God to bee fashioned like the Sonne of God Ephe. 1. That what perfect coniunction of Godhead is betweene the trinitie and the vnitie The like heauenly harmonie by adoption shall be for euer of the Saintes of newe Ierusalem adopted true sonnes of God by the Sonne of God so fashioned like to his glorious bodie Phil. 3. So that as the euerlasting seate of Gods maiestie his eternal and incomprehensible place of power doth euer remaine with the Godhead as an eternall brightnes of the most holyest seate of all holinesse that where the Godhead is there is the s hining of his incomprehensible seate of brightnesse as a place eternall and incomprehensible agréeing to an Almightie and incomprehensible god and so an Almightie God with an incomprehensible place of glorie as one in a seate euerlasting vnsearcheable and vnmeasurable of all omnipotent Maiestie being an eternall creator and maker of a vniuersal seate of glorie neuer departing from the same as an immutable God in an immutable vniuersall and incomprehensible seate of honour and power So the Saintes and blessed elect haue a new mansion and glorious Citie descended from god in which they abide a kingly Priesthoode for euer And they shall neuer goe out of it but shall sit therein with Christ the Sonne of God being his seate of glorie giuen of the Father Reuel 3. where the elect shall s it with the Sonne of God in his kingdome as the Sonne did sit in his fathers seate of incomprehensible Maiestie And nowe such is the heauenly s ympathie and consembable resemblance of our heauenly mansion or newe Ierus alem answering to the incomprehensible seate of the glorie of the eternall maiestie That as the incomprehensible seate of glorie is euer with God so our new Ierusalem is euer with the saints being an euerlasting and heauenly clothing Cor. 2.5 with which the elect are euermore clothed That where the first begotten Sonne of God and by him the adopted sonnes of God doe go mooue or alleuate them selues towarde the omnipotent God in like sort doeth the eternal tabernacle or seat as a glorious clothing or euerlasting garmēt with a glorified body continuing inseperably for euer And thus wée are conioyned as one harmonie and perfect consent of many vnited in one cōmunion with Gods holines so glorified in the Author and Father of glorie clothed with the substanciall pertakeing of his goodly seat of glory according to Esay I will make a new Ierusalem saith the Lord that shall be glorious through all posterities Esay 4. ◠Peace shall be the ruler and Righteousnes the officer the walles shal be called helth and the gates the prayse of God and God shall bee thy euerlasting light and thy God shall bee thy glorie And she shall be a crowne in the hand of the Lord and a glorious garland in the hand of her God and shall be called a new name the pleasure of God in her and God loueth her and god shall marry him self to her sonnes and as a brydegrome glad of his bryde so god of her Wherby appeare the infinit loue of God to his saincts and of them to God the inseperable coniunction of the glorie of God to new Ierusalem and to her sonnes and the reciprocate coniunction and euerlasting confirmation of them to him in substantiall glorification so that wee shall be in misterie as one pure vnspotted people sanctified in the participiation of the holynes of God being a multitude and yet one heauenly body vnited to one only holy and omnipotent God and thus the Saincts shall be ioyful with glorie behoulding the moste resplendent beautie of God ouer their heads lifting to him with one consent of heauenly melodie all prayse and honor euerlastingly Otherfore yée heauenly Congregation of sainctes sing prayses night and day to your God of glorie that you may dwell before God for euer And thus it is infinit to expresse and moste ioyfull to beholde the admirable treasures and riches layd vp for vs in Christ to come and it is excéeding gladsome to thinke what a plenteous costly pleas ant and glorious feast the Lord hath prepared by Christe for vs And let it reioyce you to the ground of your harts to consider how the Lord shall deck you lyke Bridegromes with the garments of heauenly helth and high blessednes and let your soules leap within you and daunce for ioy to think how you shall be decked with the garmēts of Gods beautie and be you mery in righteousnes and run cheerfully to godlynes of life that you may pertake with this euerlasting happines of new Ierusalem the glorie wherof is so excéeding that the high amplitude thereof cannot be expressed vnto which the spirit of God sayeth to thée come and your bryde her selfe euen Ierusalē saith come Therfore so run the race of your lyfe that thou maiest go into her and taste her water of lyfe there beholding the maiestie of GOD with all abundant ioyfulnes and so remaining in euerlasting glorification with Christ for euer and euer * ⎠* ALleluia saluation and glory and honour and power and might Reu. 19. bee as crybed to the Lord our God for true and righteous are his iudgementes therefore prayse the Lord God all yee that are his seruants and ye that feare him both small and great for the Lord our God omnipotent reigneth so that let vs reioyce and be glad and giue honour to him for the mariage of the Lamb is come and his wife made her self ready and to her was graūted that shee should be arrayed with pure and goodly raynes and the raines be the righteousnes of Saincts and now happie are they which are