Rev. 21. 18, 19, 21. The Building of the Wall of the City was of Fafpar; and the City was pure Gold, like to clear Glass: and the Foundations of the Wall of the City were garnifh'd with all manner of precious Stones And the Twelve Gates were twelve Pearls: and every feveral Gate was of one Pearl. And the Street of the City was pure Gold.

Tho' we take not all this in the Letter, as if the new Jerufalem were to be seen adorn'd with juft fuch Gold and precious Stones, as this Earth affords: Yet after this manner is it expreft, That we might conceive the Heavenly City to be fo much more Excellent than any Earthly, as Gold is better than Clay, Pearls than Pebbles, Stars than Lamps, the Sun than Torches, Earth than Heaven, and God the Eternal Maker, than any mortal Builder. But becaufe we are (a little beyond,) to defcribe the Beauty of all its Parts, we'll here add

no more.

CHA P. II.· ́

Of the Concord and Peace of the City of God.

A

Nother Reason why the Kingdom of
God is call'd a City may be this; Be-
D 3

caufe

caufe a Kingdom containing even an infinite number of divers Countries, Tongues, Manners, Laws, diftinct from one another, Many of the fame Kingdom never See one another; much less are they, in any common Correfpondence or intimate Friendship, joined together. But in a City the Members are all of the fame Language; and have all the fame Laws, Cuftoms, and Manners. Therefore, it bears the name both of a Kingdom and a City; Because the Inhabitants of the Heavenly Kingdom, tho' never fo many and Innumerable, (Angels and Men,) Yet are they all Fellow-Citizens, unanimoufly knit together, and Governed by one only Law of Love. All there, of one Heart and of one Soul. And because Charity is the moft oppofite to Hatred and Envy, Broils and Difcord, Brawling and Contention; Therefore, from that holy City are forever banisht all Spight and Malice, Wrath and Quarrels, and whatever is Injurious to the closest Unity, the moft cordial Agreement, and perfect Friendship. There Charity Reigns, and with it, Righteousness, and Peace, and Joy in the Holy Ghoft.

Soon after the Creation, There was War in Heaven, between Michael and the Dragon; But the Arch-Angel and his happy Collegues, who stood in the Truth and kept Faith and Loyalty to their Lord,

obtained

e

t

obtained a glorious Victory over the Dra gon and his curfed Confederates; Who (Lifted up with Pride,) Revolted from the great Lord of all. And the Dragon, that old Serpent who is called the Devil and Satan, that feduceth all the World, was caft into the Earth. Rev. 12. 9. And from thenceforward, the holy City Ferufalem was Compact together; And nothing but Peace within her Walls and Borders; No noife of the Trumpet founding to Bactel ever any more there to be heard.

What therefore more fweet and Happy than this City; where all dwell together in fuch harmonious Unity! They who to their coft and fmart, Experience the Plague of War and Plunder and Slaughter, Sacrilege, Sword, and Fire, can tell how to Admire and Predicate, to Extol and cry up the fweet Bleffings and heavenly Delights of Peace. But befide the dreadful Calamities of public Wars, Who in his City, or his own Houfe, has not found the Bitterness and Curfe of Animofities Jars, and Feuds, among fuch as are ready to Tear and devour, and even Eat up one. another? And O how vexatious and full of Trouble is the Life To Cobabit and converse with men of rugged and boisterous Manners, of hot and Turbu lent Spirits, that can put a perverfe Inter pretation, even upon the kindest Intention; D 4

and

and are for Taking every thing in the • worst Construction!

The Counfel given, Ecclus. 7. 2. is, Depart from the Unjust, and Iniquity shall turn away from thee. Happy Departure! But alas Whither, whither fhall we go, To get away from the Unjuft? And if they are ftill to be found even every where all over fuch a World as this, . Evils then will accompany us even in all Places whatfoever; Till we are got out of our Exile in this Mefech and Kedar, among 'fuch Haters of all fair Accord, who when we fpeak of Peace, are for War.

What fays the fame Author again, Ecclus. 25. 16. I had rather dwell with a Lyon and a Dragon, than to keep house with a wicked Woman. And if the Partner of ones Life is, (by wicked and Savage Difpofition) Metamorphos'd into a Lyon and a Dragon; To what cutting Grief, and even perpetual Vexation then are many poor mortals Chain'd? Yea, where all that do ⚫ but think themselves oblig'd to be any • Better than their Neighbours, muft look to Suffer from Perfecuting Hands or Tongues, How Unhappy is the City of this World, in which be that Departs from Evil, fhall make himself a Prey; and there's even the continual Neceffity of an Enemy, and to live, in a state of War • Either Contending with the Wicked, and

Suf

;

Suffering from them; Or elfe Lofing ourselves with Heaven, by Complying ' with 'em?

For if thou practise Piety, Thou'lt Enrage the Ungodly: But if thou art for doing Like 'em, that thou may'ft the better Escape 'em, Thou wilt, by that means, Engage one againft thee, that will be to thee. (both Living and Dead,) the moft dreadful Enemy. O Wretched deadly Countrey! Where no body can avoid War and Perfecution; No body can find Peace and quiet Converfation! Only the Feru falem Above is Free from all fuch Difturbance and Moleftation, Shall we not then with all our Souls, Love and Praife that heavenly City, and Long to be in it? There to Dwell where Perfecution fhall be banisht, and Wars fhall ceafe; where no Broils fhall have any place: Nothing to Trouble C or Moleft fhall be felt or found, fhall be feen, or heard, or Fear'd, any more forever.