himfelf has acquainted us, Mat. 8.. 11, 12. Many fhall come from the East and West, and fhall fit down with Abraham and Ifaac and Jacob in the Kingdom of Heaven: But the Children of the Kingdom shall be cast into outer Darknefs; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. And Mat. 21. 43. The Kingdom of God fhall be taken from you; and given to a Nation, bringing forth the fruits thereof: From all Parts of the World then, fhall enter at fome of the Three Gates on a fide, all that ever were Baptized in the Three great Names of the Bleffed Trinity; and that are found poffefs'd with the Three Chriftian Graces, of Faith, Hope, and Charity.

Of the Wall and Street of the City.

What may this Wall here fignify, but

Divine Custody? Which alone,

without any other Watches or Defences, fuffices to keep the City. For I (faith the Lord) will be to her a Wall of Fire round about; and will be the Glory in the midft of her. Zech. 2. 5. Wonderful Promife! q. d. The Fire both Burns and Lights: So will I Burn the Enemies, and Enlighten the Citizens. And thus is God himself the Wall of Fire to furround it: And the Light of Glory in

、

the

the midst of it. After the fame manner is it explain'd, Rev. 21.23. The City had no need of the Sun, nor of the Moon, to fhine in it: For the Glory of God did Lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light of it. The Glory of God, as the Sun, Illuminates their Minds; and the Lamb of God, as a Lamp, enlightens their Bodies. The Man Chrift Jefus is a Lamp only, as compar'd with the Divinity. For otherwise confider'd, in it felf, Even his Humanity fhall Vye with the Sun for Glory. And if the Righteous fhall fhine forth as the Sun, in the Kingdom of their Father; Mat. 13. 43. Much more fhall their Lord himself, the Sun of Righteoufnefs, fhine out to Illumi nate the City of God.

There remains only to be confider'd the Street of the City; which comprehends the whole Space within the Compafs of the Walls ; And this is the common Refort and Habitation of all the Heavenly Citizens. 'Tis all pure Gold. i. e. The Love bright and Burning, which holds 'em all entirely together: And makes 'em carry with the moft pure cordial Affection to one another. And not only to each other, but all of'em to their God; and he alike to all of them. For God is Love: And he that dwelleth in Love, dwelleth in God, and God in him. I Job. 4. 16. Whence that of our Lord, Job. 17. 20. 21. Neither pray I for thefe alone; but: for them also that Shall Believe on me through

their Word. That they also may be One, even as we are One.

O Bleffed City, that's founded in Eternal Peace and Love; where all are of one Heart, and of one Soul; and fill'd with unfpeakable Comfort and Joy! My Soul Longeth, Yea, even Fainteth for thy Streets; There to Expatiate and Converfe with all the beft and deareft of Friends. For what is fo to be wifh'd, by a Soul Groaning in the midst of a perverfe Generation, and falfe Brethren, and a World that lies in Wickednefs; as to fly away to the Place, where fweet Peace dwells, and pure Love Reigns? O when shall I come and Appear there before God? Pfal.42.2. What so sweet to that Soul which Loves the Lord, as to fee its Beloved, and be feen of Him, and by an intimate Union, and the most ravishing Inbabitation, to Dwell in Him?

'Twould be an intolerable Boldnefs for Duft and Ashes to breath after thy Courts, O City of God; And ftill more, for a little dirty Soul to Aspire after the Embraces of the Supreme Creator: But that he will be pleas'd to Excufe for the Boldness, who himfelf did give it; When he pray'd his Father, That we all might be One; As the Father in the Son, and the Son in the Father: So that we might be One in both; and fo to continue for ever.

СНАР.

CHA P. VII.

Of the Temple of the City of God.

Som

Omewhat yet further remains here to be enquired after, in the City of our God. And that is, a Temple to Praife him in; and Meat and Drink for our felves to Live upon. (As to Cloathing, we need not be in care: For if Adam and Eve had no need of Gar ments in the earthly Paradife, much lefs will the Saints want 'em in the Heavenly; Where they fhall be cloathed with Light, as with a Garment:) For the Temple; we are told,Rev.21.22.I faw noTemple therein: For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it. Nor may this be thought ftrange, that S. John faw no Temple in the Heavenly City: For why are Temples here erected in the Visible Church, but for Preaching and Sacraments, and Prayers and Praises? Whereas in Heaven, Preaching the Word of God fhall ceafe; where the Uncreated Word himfelf fhall openly fpeak to all; and according to the Promife (there fully accomplish'd,) Jer. 31. 34. They fhall teach no more every man bis Neighbour, and every man bis brother, faying, Know the Lord; For they. Shall all Know me, from the Least to the greateft of 'em. Neither fhall Sacraments there be

of

.

of any further Ufe: For what need the Signs, when the things fignify'd are clearly Seen, and fully Enjoy'd? Prayers and Praifes here on Earth are offer'd up to God in the Church, that is call'd his Houfe; where he has promis'd a peculiar Prefence and Regard. 2 Chron. 7. 15. My Eyes fhall be open, and my Ears Attent to the Prayer that is made in this Place. But in the Heavenly City, when God is openly Seen and Heard by all, what need of a Temple any more? And then, May it not also be asked again, why are God and the Lamb faid to be the Temple of the City? Holy Scripture is its own beft Interpreter; To open in one place, what's faid in another, and to unfold the Darker Text by a Plainer. Now, Pfal. 91. 1. It's faid, He that dwelleth in the fecret places of the moft High, fhall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. Of which Words this may be the Senfe, That whoever is Joyned to the Lord, by a fure Affiance in him, does 9. fet up his House in God; where he may dwell Safe, and be free from the fear of Evil. the fame may be faid of Prayer and Praise, That he who is Joyn'd to the Lord, by a pious Reverence, finds fuch a House in him, where Abiding, he duly Prays and Praifes God. And fo, in Heaven, The Lord God Almighty is the Temple of the Holy City; Because the bleffed Citizens there, very well regarding the Omnipotence, as well as

And

Omniprefence