The Pattern of the Divine Temple Sanctuary, Part

The Pattern of the Divine Temple Sanctuary · Part

p. 1The Preparation to the Viſion.

1. The Date is above the Exactneſs of any Record, viz. By the Year of Captivity, It is firſt dated; and thereby it is Joyn'd with the Thirtieth Year, in the Beginning of Ezekiel's c. 1. 1.Prophecy; which being ſet alone without any other note of Time, can in no fair Conſtruction, be any other Thirtieth Year, but from the Laſt Jubilee, according to General Jewiſh Style of Time; and that being the Fifth year of Jehoiachins Captivity; and the preſent year of the Viſion being the Twenty Fifth year of that Captivity; It ſhews it to be the Fiftieth c. 40. 1.year, and ſo the year of Jubilee; Fitly to Repreſent the Great Jubilee of the World, that ſhall be in this Viſion Accompliſh'd.

It was on the Tenth day of the Month, Anſwering the day of the firſt Inſtitution of the Paſſeover, when alſo will be the Exod. 12. 1. Dan. 12. 1. Matt. 24. 21. Rev. 3. 10.Exod 12:1Dan 12:1Matt 24:21Rev 3:10Greateſt Paſſeover of Deliverance from the Great Trouble, Tribulation, and Temptation, which ſhall come on all the Reprobate Earth, but the Saints ſhall be privilegd'd from it.

It was in the Beginning of the Year, or Spring, on which the Greateſt Acts of God are Recorded; and which God E…od. 12. 1.made the Head of the Sacred Year.

p. 2It was in the Fourteenth year, after the City was … ▪ To ſhew it was in the deep Deſolation, of the Temple and City of Jeruſalem, and Land of Iſrael, as the Seaſon of Mercy; For when his Servants are the loweſt, Then in the Mount, the Lord will be ſeen. Gen. 22. 14. with Ez. 40. 2.

Laſtly, It was the Self Same Day; and thereby the Time is Gen. 2. 1. c. 7. 11. 13. 2 Pet. 3. 7. 8.Gen 2:12 Pet 3:72 Pet 3:8Knit to the ſelf ſame day of the Creation, and Firſt Sabboth; To the ſelf ſame day of the Flood, when the World, that then was, Periſh'd by Water; Anſwerably, the Heavens and Earth that now are, are Treaſur'd up for Fire; Even for the day, when this very Viſion ſhall come into high effect: All Great Epochs.

2. The Theatre of the Viſion is the City Jeruſalem that then lay in Ruin, and the Land of Iſrael under Deſolation; whether the Prophet Ezekiel was carried by a Divine Ha…d in the Viſions of God; Agreeable to ſo Great Viſions of God, as will be, when this Jeruſalem comes down from Heaven.

3. This wonderful Meaſurer, whoſe Appearance was as Braſs, (as the Feet of Jeſus Chriſt are Repreſented in the Prophecy of Daniel and in the Revelation.) This Meaſurer is parallel to the wonderful Numberer, call'd Palmoni, in the Margin of the Bible. Dan. 8. 13. Knitting both Viſions.

4. There is a Charge upon Ezekiel, obliging all his Powers of Attention, and Obſervation; Son of Man, ſee with thy Eyes, Hear with thy Ears, and ſet thy Heart upon All, that I ſhew thee, c. 40. v. 4. which Charge is renewed, c. 44. 5. ſhewing how weighty, and how ſublime a State, this Temple-Communion with God ſhall be.

5. There is a Charge upon Ezekiel to ſhew to the Houſe of Iſrael, All that He ſaw, c. 40. v. 40. and then c. 43. 10. to ſhew them the Houſe, that They may be Aſham'd of their Iniquities, and let Them, ſaith the Lord, Meaſure the Pattern: And if They are Aſham'd, ſhew them All the Forms, Laws, and Ordinances, &c. of the Houſe. Now this I look upon as chiefly Prophetical of the Time, when the Temple ſhall be Open'd in Heaven; And it ſhall Tend to the Great Purification of the Churches of Chriſt, and to the Converſion of the Jews; and that in the mean Time, the very Apprehenſion, and Conſideration of ſo ſtupendious, and wonderful Regularity and Exactneſs in the Temple State, as is here given, ſhould exceeding perſwade to Model our Religion, and Worſhip of God, and of Jeſus Chriſt, by the Cleareſt, Cloſeſt, and Exact-eſt p. 3Conformity to the Pattern of the Word of God.

The Viſion it ſelf follows, which may be Comprehended in theſe following Great Particulars.

1. There is the Frame of a Temple, with its Holy of Holies, outward Temple, Altars, Chambers, Galleries, Courts, Places of Reception; Strengthen'd and Adorn'd with its many Pillars, Surrounded with its Strong and High Gates, and Walls; All upon Stable Foundations, as is to be ſeen throughout the Viſion, with undeniable Alluſions to the Temple at Jeruſalem.

2. Throughout this Frame, there is an Admirable Exactneſs in meaſure, by a Reed, and a Line of Flax, in the Hand of the Brazen Meaſurer and Numberer; of number, in ſo many Cubits, Reeds, Pillars, &c. as is to be ſeen throughout; and of Weights particularly, as to both Sacrifice, and Adminiſtration of Juſtice, c. 45. 10. And in the meaſure there is a Magnificence of a Cubit, and an Hand Breadth, of Great Cubits, c. 40. 5. c. 41. 8. and a particular Regard to Four ſquare, c. 40. 47. &c.

3. There are Sacrifices, Solemn Feaſts, a Prieſthood, a Law about their Garments, keeping their Heads, Marriage, &c. and with a ſpecial preference to the Sons of Zadock, as having preſerv'd the Sacerdotal Integrity: All theſe clearly relating to the Laws of the Levitical Prieſthood, c. 44. &c.

4. In All Things, the Law of the Houſe, and the Limit of the Houſe is Round about moſt Holy; Separating betwixt God's and Man's Poſts, and Wall; Abominating the Whoredoms of Worſhip, excluding the Ʋncircumcis'd in Heart and in Fleſh. c. 44. 6. c. 43. 8. 9. 10. &c.

5. There is a ſingle Prince mention'd, who ſhall not, who will not oppreſs; with his peculiar Sacrifices, and Worſhip, his place and Avenue of worſhip, his peculiar Portion of Land; and whoſe part it ſhall be to Furniſh the moſt Solemn Sacrifices. c. 45. v. 7. 9. &c. and there is alſo mention of Princes under Him, who ſhall alſo be Juſt. c. 45. v. 7. 9.

6. The Reed by the Hand Breadth of Cubits added to each Cubit, becomes a Reed of Seven Ordinary Cubits, and all being meaſur'd by it, It Imprints a Sabbaticneſs on the whole Frame, into which All is drawn up. c. 40. 5.

7. There is in the Altar a plain Signature of the Iſraelitiſh Twelve, c. 43. 16. and another Altar that is call'd the Table before the Lord, c. 41. 22.

8. The Jews have an undoubted Priority, and the Gentiles an Engrafting. c. 47. 22.

p. 49. There is a New diviſion of the Land by Lot, to both Jews and … …7. 22.

10▪ …ere is beſides the ſeveral Aſcents to the Temple, the place of Gods Throne, and the Place of the Soles of his Feet. c. 43. 7.

11. There are Stupendious Waters of Life, Trees for Medicine, and even a Catholick State of Life therein. c. 47. 9. 10.

12. The Glory of God comes in, and All Reſults into a Jehovah Shammah. The Lord is there, and dwells there for ever. c. 43. 7. c. 48. ult.

And now upon this general Survey of the Viſion, we may very well Humbly ſay to God as They to Ezekiel, c. 24. 19. Wilt Thou not be pleas'd to Tell us, what Theſe Things are to us? Seeing Theſe Things are written for our Inſtruction, on whom the Ends of the World are come, 1 Cor: 10. 11. Two Great Queſtions ariſe hence, 1. What Temple and City and Countrey theſe are, that are here deſcrib'd? 2. If we can find Theſe, How can we adjuſt ſuch deſcriptions to them?

There are Two Great Pretenſions of Opinion concerning this Temple, City, and Countrey.

1. That it ſhould be the Deſcription of the Temple, and City Jeruſalem, and Countrey of Judah, that were Reſtored by Cyrus.

Now whatever ſervice, that Reſtoration, as a Type might perform to this Viſion; yet that It cannot be the Grand Scope of it, may be thus Argued.

1. There is no Reference to this Viſion, to the Meaſures of the Pattern, to any of the Rules, and Laws of it; no particular Account of the Sons of Zadok among the Prieſts, no Glory of God Returning to it; no mention of the Viſion by the Prophets, Haggai, Zechar, Malach, or by Ezra, or Nehemiah, in that Reſtoration; as there is of the Prophet Jeremys; of the ſeventy years Captivity, by Dan. c. 9. 1. and by Ezra, c. 1. 1.

2. Whereas this Temple was to be the Place of the Throne of God, and of the Soles of his Feet for ever, and to be polluted no more; That Temple hath been long ſince defil'd, * … Antio…has.and deſtroyed by the Abomination of Deſolation by the Romans.

3. There was no Ombrage of the Healing waters, as flowing from the Sanctuary, or Medicinal Trees.

2. There is therefore much more Reaſon to ſuppoſe the coming of Chriſt into this Temple, and drawing it up into the Spirituality of the Chriſtian Temple, Church and worſhip p. 5is deſigned by it, till All the Receiv'd up into G…ry.

Now however it is to be Acknowledg'd, that the Chriſtian Church was the Beginning of the Fulfilling of this Viſion, and the State of Eternal Glory be the Complement of it; yet that there is a Glorious viſible Appearance between thoſe, to be expected which hath not yet been, I thus argue.

1. Becauſe at the Death, and Reſurrection of Jeſus Chriſt; before the Holy of Holies, (as it is ſtyl'd, Dan. 9. 24.) was Annointed by the Giving the Spirit to the Chriſtian Church; Viſion and Prophecy, concerning the Glory of the Church, and Kingdom of Chriſt was Seal'd; So the Throne was ſeen only in Heaven, Rev. c. 4. c. 5. The Temple in Heaven, afterward was Seal'd, and the Worſhippers ſhut up for 1260 years; and then the Temple open'd in the days of the Seventh Trumpet, and more fully before the Vials, Rev. c. 11. c. 15. But it was in Heaven ſtill till the New Jeruſalem came down; And not only in Heaven, for It muſt come down.

Argum. 2. Becauſe after that opening the Temple in Heaven, and the Divine Glory coming into it immediately, as into the Tabernacle, and Temple of old, ſignified by the Smoak; The New Jeruſalem came down from God out of Heaven in a Glorious viſible Appearance, with many of the Signatures of this Viſion upon it, Rev. c. 1. 21. c. 22.

Argum. 3. Becauſe the ſelf ſame day ſo exactly Dated and Recorded, makes a Remarkable Epoch to ſome Great Time; And that Time is the Time of Gods Throne, ſo unmovably plac'd in his Temple; and of the Sanctuary cleans'd, Reconcil▪d, and Juſtified; and of his Servants being plac'd, each in their Lots, accordingly to Daniel. as c. 12. 13. This Time of the Throne is aſſur'd to be not till after Four Monarchies had run out themſelves; Dan. c. 2. c. 7. The Sanctuary cleans'd or Juſtified not till at the ſame Time, viz. at the end of 2300 Evenings Mornings, c. 8. 14. Nor Daniel, and ſo all the Saints ſtanding * At the firſt 75 of which It was Reſtored by Cyrus, at 490. after Annointed, Revel. 4. at 400. after Seal'd, and ſhut up c. 11. 1. at 1260. after Open'd in Heaven; c. 11. at 30. after more fully open'd, c. 15. 5. at 45, after comes down out of Heaven from God, into the New Heaven and the New Earth; the New Heaven as the Throne of God, eſpecially deſcrib'd Rev. 21. the New Earth as the place of the Soles of his Feet in this Viſion of Ezekiel.Rev 4Rev 21in their Lots of this Great Bleſſedneſs till the end of 1335 Days, which are alſo the End of the 2300 Evenings Morning. c. 12. 12. 13.

p. 6Argum. 4. Becauſe there are ſuch Extraordinaries in this Viſion as can fit no State, that hath ever yet been in the World, and therefore muſt have an exceeding High, and Heavenly State; as the Princes Inheritance, ſufficient to give to his Sons for ever, c. 46. 16. 17. with John 8. 35. 36. And ſo the Princes omnipreſent Conduct, though Himſelf in the East, yet in the midſt of thoſe, who went Southward and Northward; c. 46. 8. &c. the miraculous Waters and Trees, and the univerſal Life, the City 18000 Meaſures, each Meaſure of 18000 Cubits at leaſt, too big for this State of the World; and an Inheritance great enough for all Iſraelites, and Strangers, when ſuch Great Sholes of People, and all in a State of Life, Repreſented by Fiſhes, ſhall be in ſuch an Abundance and Perpetuity of Life, c. 47. 9. And yet a Lake of Miry Places not Heal'd, as the Dead and the Lake. Rev. 20. 5. 10.

Argum. 5. Becauſe this Throne, and Sanctuary being for ever, can never have any other end, but that of the Kingdom deliver'd up to God, and to the Father at the Time of the White Throne; which is not an end, but a perfection into an Abſolute Etern…ty; and all Defilement for ever ſeparated into the Lake. 1 Cor. 15. 24. with Revel. 20. 11. &c. to the End.

I Have then Fix'd upon the General ſhades, and Lines of this Viſion, and found by very Great Aſſurances; that it preſents a Supernatural State of Purity and Glory, Reaching down from the Throne of God, or the New Heaven to the New Earth, the Place of the Soles of his Feet; and in both a Temple State of the Higheſt Enjoyment of God.

I have alſo found by the Exquiſiteneſs of the Date, It is the Epoch or Head of Time from the Typical Jubilee at that Time, to the Great Jubilee of the World, the Kingdom of Chriſt; and that within Two years of it, God began the Calendar of Time from this Viſion, to that Kingdom at the end in Nebuchadnezzar's Image, as I have elſewhere made out; and Forty years after or at the end of the Forty Days for Years after this Viſion, wherein Ezekiel bare the Sin of Judah to the end of the Captivity; God ſuper-added a ſecond Viſion of the ſame Four Monarchies, under the Emblem of Four Beasts, Dan. 8. and that the ſpace of thoſe Monarchies might be more diſtinctly, and certainly known, He gave alſo within Two yerrs after, 2300 Evens. Morns. Days alſo for Years to the Cleanſing; or as the Original is, the Juſtifying this very Sa…ctuary, and to the great p. 7Sabbatiſm of the New Creation; and to the Kingdom of the Prince of Princes; the Antichriſtian Deſolator of the Sanctuary being Broken firſt without Hand; Dan. 8. 25. which 2300 Evens. Morns. ending with the 1335 Days. This Heavenly State is divided alſo by Lot, Dan. 12. 12. 13.

And now we are upon the 2200th and 18th of theſe Evenings, Mornings, There remain then but Seven to the Opening this Temple, to be ſeen firſt in Heaven; and but 75 beyond that to the coming down of the New Jeruſalem: All this being thus ſettled, I come to Adjuſt the Subſtantial Spiritual meaning to the External Types of the Viſion, and to ſhew the High Rationality of the Correſpondencies between the one and the other, in anſwer to the ſecond Queſtion.

Correſpondency 1. This Viſion moſt Evidently and Illuſtriouſly preſents the Higheſt Temple State, or of the Tabernacle of God with Men; A Temple and all the Forms, Laws, Ordinances, and Meaſures of it runs through the Viſion; Now a Temple is a Place, or Building, wherein there is an Expectation of a divine preſence, or Gods coming down in a Communication of Himſelf to his Rational Creatures, as at a diſtance from his Higheſt Glory, and Preſence; and his being alſo pleas'd, Graciouſly there to Receive their Tenders of Homage, and ſervice in Adorations and Praiſes; This is the True notion of a Temple. The very Higheſt Heaven is a Temple to the Angels, and Glorified Spirits; **He Humbles Himſelf, Pſal. 113. 6.Ps 113:6wherein God coming out of the Infinity of his own Glory, and Being, is pleas'd to hold Communion with them; The whole lower World, and Paradiſe eſpecially was a Temple to Adam before his Fall; And in Regard of the divine omnipreſence; Every place is a Temple, and ſo He dwells not in Temples made with Hands, but is Worſhipped every where by Acts 17. 24. John 4. 21. 1 Kings 8. 27.Acts 17:24John 4:211 Kgs 8:27them, who Worſhip Him in Spirit, and Truth. For ſeeing the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Him, how much leſs a Temple, as Solomon the Builder of his Temple tells us.

God therefore very Tender of this Glory, and the Fallen nature of Man moſt prone to violate it, by Idolatry and Superſtition; There was no Temple or other place, or indeed Form of Worſhip to be devoted to Him, but by his own Appointment: The firſt Appointment of place by God, was the Tabernacle Exod. 25. 40.Exod 25:40in the Wilderneſs, the exact Meaſures and Pattern, of which Gad gave to Moſes; and He was with Greateſt Caution to obſerve it; Solomon by the ſame Divine Pattern, and Inſpiration, p. 81 Chron. 28. 11.1 Chr 28:11Built the Temple. It was after the Babyloniſh Deſolation reſtor'd under Cyrus, &c. as near as might be to the old form, &c. All this was too Low, and ſerv'd only as a Shaddow for the Time Being. For it was too Low, too often defiled, and violated by Corruption within, and Pagan Fury without; It was Finally deſtroyed by the Romans, yet it always remain'd a Type of the True Temple that is to be. This Viſion of Ezekiel joyn'd with that of John, Revel. 21. Give that True Temple, wherein God and the Lamb will be the Temple, and that Temple gives to the City the name Jehovah Shammah. The Lord is there.

Here now is the Reaſon, why there is in this Viſion ſo much of a Temple Frame, and Appearance; To ſhew forth and foretell the State of the New Jeruſalem, wherein the Preſence of God in Chriſt ſhall be moſt Free, and Illuſtrious; ſhewing his Love and Favour to his Servants, and Receiving their Service, Praiſes, and Obebience. His name ſhall be in their Foreheads, and his Servants ſhall ſerve Him, without any Violation or defilement ſhall this Temple be; All hitherto hath been too Low, too Dark, too much polluted, even when Pureſt ſince the Annointing the Chriſtian Church in the days of the Apoſtles; and will be, till this Temple not far hence, ſhall be ſeen in Heaven; Then it will be daily Cleanſing: A Worldly Sanctuary hath been the Great oppoſite to this, eſpecially when not appointed by God. Paganiſm and Antichriſtianiſm are the Abomination of Deſolation to it; The remains of the Synagogue of Sathan ever ſince the Reformation, ſtill keep it out of ſight; The moſt refined Churches are both too narrow, and too obſcure yet. The many Contents and Paper Combates about Hierarchy, Liturgies, Ceremonies, viz. what ſhould be abated or alter'd, are even Ridiculous Things before it.

But all ſuch will Vaniſh like Smoak before that preſence of God, that will within ſhort Time, fill all Temple-State with another Smoak; Even with the Glory of his preſence, ready to enter, and with the Vengeance of his Temple upon all that have defiled it: And then the Man whoſe Name is the Branch, ſhall Build the Temple of the Lord, and Bear forth the Glory of it: Let us therefore be Aſhamed of whatever Temple State ſeems now moſt deſirable; and Earneſtly ſet our Hearts, Prayers, and Expectations, to what is ſo much above it, even to that which the Lord wil pitch, and not Man; and that God would p. 9cauſe his Face to ſhine on his Sanctuary, which is yet Deſolate for his own Name ſake.

Correſpond. 2. As the Beauty, and Grandieur of any Building, and alſo its Security, and Stability conſiſts in the Juſtice, Equality, and Symmetry of all its Parts; So to ſet out in this Frame a Divine, both Statelineſs, Glory, and that Firmneſs of a Kingdom that cannot be Shaken; there is a Conſtruction of all thoſe Admirable Meaſures we find in this Viſion; And though They can no more be Found out to Perfection, then the Almighty in his Works, Job 11. 7. then the Laws and Meaſures of Creation in the Hanging the Earth by Poize upon Nothing; then the Bounds of the Houſe Job 26. 28. 37. 38. &c. Pſal. 147. 4.Job 26:28Job 26:37Job 26:38Ps 147:4of Light, the Weights for the Winds, the Ballance of the Clouds, without which they Rage, into Storms, and Tempeſts, as we ſee; then the Meaſure of the Duſt of the Earth, the Decree of the Rain, Thunder, Sea, and Waters; then the Number and Names of the Stars, the Conduct of Arcturus, and Orion; The Infinite Ʋnderſtanding can alone do the One, and the Other; Yet ſtill They are all Admirable; and when the Reaſon of them is expos'd in Glory to Angels, and Saints in this Temple-State of the New Jeruſalem; in the Stupendious Holineſs, Purity of Spiritual Worſhip, and Enjoyment of God; Then the Morning Stars ſhall Sing together, and the Sons of God ſhall ſhout for Joy, Job 38. 7.

And as Number, Weight, and Meaſure are ſo Eſſentially neceſſary to All the Great Things, that are perform'd in the World, as to Aſtronomy, Obſervation of the Heavens, and their Courſe, Geometry, Architecture, Statics, Navigation, Survey, Experimental Philoſophy, and to all Commerce, and Traffick, and even mutual Cohabitation of Mankind; So under theſe Meaſures in this Viſion are ſhaded the Sublimity of the Divine Communion with his Saints, and Servants; and of Angels, and Saints one with Another; and thoſe Lines of Communication ſignified by Jacobs Ladder, Gen. 28. 12. between the New Heaven, and the New Earth; and all that Abundance of Peace, Joy, Riches, Even Happineſs, Bleſſedneſs in the moſt Juſt Order, and Equality to Full Satisfaction, and Enjoyment, and yet ſo, that there are Arch-Angels, Eph. 1. laſt. Col. 1. 16. 1 Cor. 15. 41. Rev. 22. 3.Eph 1Col 1:161 Cor 15:41Rev 22:3and Angels, Thrones, Principalities and Powers, and one Star Excelling Another in Glory, and the Lord God and the Lamb on the Throne.

p. 10And as All the Wiſdom of Creation, in Number, Weight and Meaſure are Transfer'd into the Fear of God and Departure from Evil; into the Righteous, and wiſe Government of the World; Jobs Deſcription of, and ſearch after Wiſdom, c. 28. Iſſues at the laſt into that Divine Decree upon Man; The Fear of the Lord, That is Wiſdom; and to Depart from Evil, That is Ʋnderſtanding; And as Solomons Practical Wiſdom, Juſtice, Judgment, and every Good Path, is the ſame, by which Kings Prov. 8. 5. c. 3. 19. with c. 8. 23.Prov 8:5Reign, and Princes Decree Juſtice, By which Judges Rule, and all the Nobles of the Earth are led; the ſame alſo by which the Lord Founded the Heavens, and Eſtabliſhed the Earth, Flowing from even the Eternal Wiſdom, Jeſus Chriſt, who ſets up this Infinite Frame. And as this Wiſdom ſince the Fall of Man is as it were new Founded, a New Creation in that Height, Depth, Breadth, Length of the Love of God in Jeſus Chriſt, which paſſeth Knowledge, and being Filled or Compleated into all the Fulneſs of God, (according to the Fulleſt Dimenſions, created Nature is capable of) which Dimenſions every Saint is to comprehend or Take with all Epheſ. 3. 18. Rev. 21. 16.Eph 3:18Rev 21:16Saints. So this City, and Temple Reſult into that City, and Temple-State, meaſured with the Apoſtles Johns Golden Reed, wherein the Height, and Depth, the Breadth, and Length are equal, as the Moraliſts foreign, All is Four Square, and every Saint in the perfect Cubical, Four ſquare State of Holineſs.

And as All thoſe Foundations, Walls, Gates, Courts, Buildings by their exact meaſure in this Viſion muſt needs have an unexceptionable Firmitude and Stability; So they Repreſent …eb. 12. 27. 28.that Kingdom, that ſhall never be ſhaken, the City, that hath Foundations, whoſe Builder and Maker God is; and every Saint is a Pillar in this Temple-State; that ſhall Go out c. 13. 14. … Cor. 15. 24. &c.no more, Rev. 3. 1…. All this State, City, Temple therefore is 24. &c.continuing, and never Ends, Till It is Deliver'd up, whole and Entire, to God, All in All.

Correſpond. 3. A Third Correſpondency between the Types of this Viſion, and the New Jeruſalem State is; That all the Types of this Viſion, and the New Jeruſalem State, That all the Types, Laws, and Ordinances of the Moſaic Law, Tabernacle, Temple, and Prieſthood, and alſo of the Land of Canan, call'd the Holy Land; and all the Predictions, Figures and Promiſes in all the Prophets, ſince the World Began are herein to have their Complement, and Perfection. For ſeeing p. 11the Truth of God Requires, that every ſuch Foretelling Type, as well, as Expreſs Oracle, or Pronunciation, ſhould be juſtly Fulfill'd, when once Given; and that this New Jeruſalem-State is the laſt [IT IS DONE] of all Theſe; It is moſt Juſt and Agreeable that this Viſion, which is an Old Teſtament Repreſentation of that New Jeruſalem-State ſhould be Cloath'd, and Attyr'd in ſo many of the Types, Laws, Meaſures, of the Levitical Temple, and Prieſthood, that It may be known; They ſhall all come forth in Spirit, Life, and Subſtance in that Laſt, and moſt perfect State; Elſe They muſt never be Fulfill'd.

For after all the Rationalia; or Reaſonable Accounts, that Learned men have Endeavour'd upon the Levitical Laws, and Types; The Apoſtle to the Hebrews, c. 8. 5. c. 9. 9, 10. c. 10. 1. as was moſt due, when He writ to them, Gives us the True one; That they are Shaddows, and Samples of Heavenly Things, Images, (and not the very Preſential Image) of Good Things to Come till the Great foreign or Adjuſtment of All Things. In that Heavenly City, and Countrey therefore, when It Comes down from Heaven All Theſe Things are to be Entirely, Abſolutely, and Ultimately Fulfill'd and preſented by Themſelves; It was therefore Neceſſary, even Thoſe very Types, and Manners of ſpeaking, Taken from All thoſe Foremention'd Things, ſo well known to the Jews, ſhould be made uſe of in the Deſcription of ſuch a State, as by ſo many Irrefragable Arguments muſt be the New Jeruſalem-State being too High for the preſent World; and yet not Abſtracted, Spiritual, and High, as the State of God All in All: And thus our Saviour hath Declar'd; He Came not to Diſſolve the Law, and the Prophets, Mat. 5. 18. but to Fulfill Them; and as it were Pointing to the Time, by comparing this with Mat. 24. 3. 35. when They ſhould be ſo Fulfill'd, viz. at the New Heavens and the New Earth, He ſays Till Heaven, and Earth ſhall paſs away, meaning thoſe which now are; One Jot ſhall in no wiſe paſs from the Law till All be Fulfill▪d; Then Chriſt will to the utmoſt Fulfill All, even to one Jota.

And Thus muſt that ſo Solemn Divine Aſſeveration, Jer. 33. 29. &c. be made Good, concerning the Levitical Prieſthood, to wit, in that Spiritual Prieſthood of the whole Iſrael of God, Jews, and Gentiles, ſerving God and the Lamb Day and Night, that is, always, in his Temple in the perpetual Prieſthood; Cloath'd in p. 12Fine Linnen, White, and Clean, or in Robes made White in the Blood of the Lamb, which is the Righteouſneſs of the Saints in that State, ſeeing his Face and having his Name in their Foreheads; Rev. c. 7. c. 19. Otherwiſe The Apoſtle is Irreconcileable with the Prophet, when He Declares, Heb. 7. 11, 12. a change of the Levitical Prieſthood into that Melchizedeckian Prieſthood, Begun at the Reſurrection of Chriſt, but not Appearing till the Kingdom of Chriſt, in its Glory.

For though I freely Acknowledge, All Theſe Things had their Beginning Spirituality of Fulfilling them at our Lords Reſurrection; Yet as I have ſaid, the Holy of Holies that was then Annointed, hath been yet Reſerv'd in Heaven, and was by Reaſon of the Apoſtaſie, Meaſur'd, and ſhut up, and not ſeen, till the Seventh Trumpet; nor ſhall It Come down from and with God, and the Lamb, till It ſhall be pronounc'd of the City, the New Jeruſalem, Jehovah Shammah, The Lord is There, or the Lord God, and the Lamb are the Temple of that City.

And This is the State of the perfect Redemption, Expiation, and Attonement of Jeſus Chriſt as the End or Conſummation of all the Levitical Law, or Frame, and the Righteouſneſs of it, Rom. 10. 4. Appearing in Glory; when All Sin is Blotted out to Perfection, and when is the Great Reconciliation of All to God, and to One Another in Heaven and Earth; In Him, even in Him; And All ſhall according to that Petition in the Prayer of the Kingdom be both Fully Forgiven, and alſo Plenarily Forgive, which now is Done in Great Infirmity only, Coloſ. 1. 20. Mat. 6. 12. 14. 15. In all which lyes the Spirituality and Truth of all the Levitical Prieſthood, Sacrifices, Temple, &c. which are therefore ſo Fitly made uſe of here to Repreſent that State; and therefore All Saints are the Spiritual Levitical Prieſthood Worſhiping God, and Chriſt, as his Prieſts in his Redemption.

4. Theſe Types are Fitted to expreſs the Higheſt Holineſs, and Separation to God from all Impurity, or Semblance of Alienation from Him; This ſhall be in that New Jeruſalem State; and therefore It is expreſs'd in the Language, proper to the Holineſs, and Purification of the Sanctuary: As theſe, This is the Law of the Houſe: The Limit thereof upon the Top of the Mountain, ſhall be round about the moſt Holy; Behold this is the Law of the Houſe: The Holineſs is as it were, Guarded round about with a Law; It is therefore ſaid at the Beginning, and end of the verſe, c. 43. v. 12. This is the Law p. 13of the Houſe; Behold, This is the Law of the Houſe to be Moſt Holy.

All the Whoredoms of Impure Worſhip, and of the Carcaſſes of the Kings in their Idolatrous Impoſitions are utterly Remov'd; The Houſe is to be Cleans'd, and Reconcil'd, and the Altar purified Seven days; The Prieſts to Conſecrate themſelves; and their Perſons, and Garments are by no means to be defil'd; None but the Inviolate Sons of Zadok are accepted to draw nigh; The Worſhippers are to go ſtraight forward in their Worſhip and Service, and not to Return, even as the Angels in their Service. c. 45. throughout; c. 46. 9. with c. 1. 12.

The Glory of God comes therefore into the Temple, and takes it up for the Reſidence of his Throne, and of the Soles of his Feet for ever; and promiſes, and even undertakes It ſhall be no more defil'd. c. 43. 2. 7.

Now ſeeing, There never hath been any Temple State on Earth, that hath not been defil'd; as we muſt needs be convinc'd, if we look back on all Hiſtory of Scripture, or its Pro…etic Hiſtory; It muſt needs be, that this Temple is that New Jeruſalem State, wherein God and the Lamb are the Temple, coming down from Heaven, into a State, as in Heaven, and upon Earth: Now as God, and the Lamb cannot be Tempted of Evil, So they are a Temple not poſſible to be Defiled; ſo that it is Security unſpeakably High, that this Temple cannot be Defiled, that God and the Lamb are the Temple; And therefore in that Prayer of the Kingdom, we pray; Thy Name be Sanctified, as in Heaven, and upon Earth, even by ſuch a preſence, as to be the Temple of his Servants; even as his Kingdom comes, ſo as in Heaven, and upon Earth, and His Will is ſo Done.

5. The Types of this Viſion preſent after the manner of David, and the Princes of His Houſe, a Single Prince; And as Zadok was firm to David, and Solomon in the Prieſtly Office, ſo the Sons of Zadok are here preferr'd in the Prieſthood; The Worſhip of the Prince is Appointed; His Place of worſhip, His going to it, and Returning, and all in the Eaſt, where the Glory of the Lord, had made its Entrance. His Portion of the Holy Land is Aſſign'd Him, which cannot be Alienated, but only to his Sons. All theſe Types Anſwering the Sollemn Oath of God, ſo often Repeated to David, and particularly. Jerem. 33. 20. 21. and Pſal. 132. prepar'd as it were for this ver… p. 14Time; This Prince therefore can be no other, than of the Houſe of David; And ſeeing this State is Divine, Heavenly, and never to End, It muſt be the Great Prince of the New Jeruſalem, Jeſus Chriſt. For It is He, that ſits on the Throne of his Father David for Ever, and Ever, and whoſe Kingdom ſhall have no End; Luke 1. 32. 33. It is He therefore, that muſt needs be this Prince, in ſuch a meaſur'd, and unchangeable State; The Oath of God could not ſtand to David, if it were not his Son; The Application of that Oath to Jeſus Chriſt the Son of David, by the Spirit of God in Luke could not ſtand, if it were any other S…n of David but Jeſus Chriſt; Nor can we find any Appearance of this Prophecy fulfill'd to any other Prince before Chriſt; Nor can there be any ſaid Suppoſition ſince His Reſurrection, except of ſome deputed Prince under Him in the New Jeruſalem State.

But there are ſome, (although Private, and Hidden) Indications in the Viſion, that however the Repreſentations of this Prince, are no other in open view, but as of a Humane Prince only; yet that He can be no other, upon theſe Indications, then Emmanuel, which being Interpreted, is God with us, ſhall appear in theſe Two Remarks.

Remark 1. That the Prince hath Power to eſtate his Sons in his own Inheritance for ever; Now if this Prince continue one ſingle Prince, during the whole Time of this Happy State; His Sons might be ſo numerous, as to Eat out the Inheritance of the Prince it ſelf, if it were not a Divine Inheritance; Beſides this ſo long duration of any ſingle Prince, as this Bleſſed State ſhall endure, is ſufficient Aſſurance of Him, who is the Great Melchiſedec, a Prieſt upon the Throne, Abiding ſo continually, and made after the Power of an Endleſs Life. And if we Heb. 7. 16.Heb 7:16would ſuppoſe the Prince to Intend a Succeſſion of Princes; This is a Great Argument, It cannot be ſo, becauſe the many Sons of many Princes, Receiving by his Gift, Inheritances for ever, muſt needs conſume the proportion of the Holy Land Allowed the Prince.

I therefore Expound this Gift of Inheritance by the Prince to his Sons, and not to his Servants by that Foremention'd place, John 8. 35. 36. The Servant Abideth not in the Houſe for ever, but the Son Abideth for ever; If the Son make you Free, then are you Free indeed; Words ſo Agreeable, as if taken out of Ezek…el. To which I add Revel. 21. 7. He that Overcometh, ſhall p. 15Inherit All Things; I will be his God, and He ſhall be my Son: Spoken by the Father of the World to come, Iſai. 9. 9.

Under this Great Prince, whatever Princes are for order, and Glory, muſt, ſhall by the Eye of the Supreme Prince be all Juſt, and Holy Ruling in the Fear of God, in this Morning without Clouds. 2 Sam. 23. 3. 4. c. 46. 1. to v. 8.

Remark 2. The Prince is made known to be omni-preſent; For His place is the Eaſt, His coming in, and Returning is by the Eaſt, but the coming and going out of the People was only North, and South. Now the Prince was to go out in the Midſt of them, and although a motion in the Eaſt be in the midſt to North or South, and to all that move to either; Yet ſuch a Midſt, as the Prophecy Repreſents the Prince in, is much nearer; then that every ſtep ſhould remove the Prince further, and the People further off from that Midſt; I Expound it therefore by the Lamb in the midſt of the Throne, Rev. c. 5. 6. and c. 7. 17. Yea much Higher by that Ʋnion of Him, who as the Head of this Body the Church, maketh it his own Fulneſs, Filling All in All; By the Rainbow ſpringing from the Glory of the Holy of Holies in the Weſt, and obverted to it in the Eaſt, and being Round about the Throne in the Humane Nature; For this is that Time, when we All come in the Ʋnity of the Faith, and Knowledge of the Son of God to a Perfect Man, to the Meaſure of the Stature of the Fulneſs of Chriſt. Epheſ. 1. ult. with c. 4. 14. From whence as the Learned obſerve, this whole Temple Frame Receives, as it were its Laws, and Meaſures from the Symmetry, and meaſures of the Humane Body, which (as David ſaith) is Fearfully and wonderfully made, and in God's Book were All the Members of it written; As ſome Learned Men Interpret, chiefly meant of Chriſt, and Chriſt Myſtical alſo, Pſal. 139. 14. &c. Thus the Cubit and Hand breadth Run through All; And when this Admirable Pattern ſhall be fully Anatomiz'd, and Meaſur'd; It will draw freely much higher Hallelujahs, then the Beholding the wonders of the Humane Frame, extorted from the ſo deep **Galen.Naturaliſt, as to be almoſt Atheiſt, in his Hymn to the Creator.

Correſpon. 6. This State of the New Jeruſalem conſiſts not of Revolutionary Sabbaths, but is it ſelf one perfect, even always continuing Sabbatiſm to the People of God, and even to the whole Creation; All Productions being Free, Spontaneous, and full of Bleſſing: This Sabbaticneſs is fitly ſignified by the Reed, c. 40. 5. p. 16of Six Cubits, and a Hand Breadth; For the Six Hand Breadths allowed to every Cubit above the ordinary Standard, make up a Seventh Cubit; and ſo the Reed becomes a Reed of Seven ordinary Cubits, thus contriv'd by Infinite wiſdom. For that cach Cubit had a Hand Breadth above the ordinary Cubit; and not that the whole Reed had only one Hand Breadth to all the other Six Cubits, together, is evident c. 43. 13. the Cubit of this Viſion was by the Cubit, and an Hand Breadth.

This Reed therefore becoming a Seven Cubited Reed, by the Six and 6 Hand Breadths united, and running through the meaſure of this whole Frame, turns all into Sabbatiſm; For ſo as the Firſt Sabbath united with Recollecting the Foregoing Six Days, and the Works of them into it ſelf, and Bleſſed Them; So the Seventh Millenary ſhall, as a Grand Sabbatiſm Recollect, Reſtore, and Bleſs with Peace, Reſt and Comfort, all the Six preceding Millenaries of Toil and Labour to the Servants of God; All drawn up into its ſelf, and its own Reſt, according to Moſes's excellent Sabbatical Prayer to this purpoſe, Pſal. 90. v. 13. to the End. It ſhall therefore be to all the Saints, and to the whole Creation of God, a Day of Reſtitution; But with the Vials of his wrath, as with a Flood He will Conſume the wicked out of the Earth, and ſo as to be no more, and deſtroy them that before deſtroy'd the Earth, Pſal. 104. 35. Rev. 11. 18.

Correſpon. 7. There is in the Great Altar of Sacrifice, c. 43. 16. a very Illuſtrious Signature of the Iſraelitiſh Twelve, which was exalted by Jeſus Chriſt into the Apoſtolical Twelve: For the meaſures of this Altar, vary from the meaſures of Moſes his Altar, which was but Five Cubits ſquare, as too little, Exod. 27. 1. and from Solomon's, which was Twenty Cubits ſquare, as too much, 2 Chron. 4. 1. And why was this? but to ſhew the True Attonement for the whole Iſrael of God, Jews and Gentiles in its Symbolical Twelve Tribes, is Jeſus Chriſt, declared to be ſo in the Doctrine of the New Teſtament, eſtabliſhed by the Apoſtolical Twelve; And the Spiritual Levitical Prieſthood, concerning which, God Lift up his Hand, Jerem. 33. 19. &c. is diffus'd through all Saints, who ſhall be Prieſts of God, and Chriſt, in Robes waſh'd in his Blood, and daily Rejoycing in his Sacrifice and Altar moſt Holy; And Other Tribe of Levi ſcatter'd through this whole Iſrael, as that of old in Type, Gen. 49. 7. and ſo Bleſs'd by Moſes, Deut. 33. 17. The New Teſtament Acknowledges none; So Great is that miſtake of calling p. 17the Elders, Paſtors, and Doctors of the Goſpel ſo, of which the Goſpel ſays nothing but the Contrary, nor hath It come into its Mind.

And of the other Altar, c. 41. 22. It is expreſly ſaid, This is the Table before the Lord; Leading us to that Great Supper of the Kingdom, call'd the Lords Table; wherein we ſhew forth the Lords 1 Cor. 11. 26.1 Cor 11:26death, till He come; when we ſhall Eat and Drink at his Table, in his Kingdom, in that Paſſeover Fulfill▪d, and that Fruit of the Vine New in the Kingdom, the Father, as the Ancient of Days hath given to the Son; and to the Saints of the moſt High. Dan. 7. v. 9. 13. 27. Matt. 26. 29. Luke 22. 16.

And to ſhew the Spirituality of this State, The Altar of Incenſe, and the Table, viz. of the Shew Bread Become One; For I ſee no Reaſon to think, (as ſome Interpreters do) that that v. 22. c. 41. conſiſts of Two Things, viz. The Declaration of the Altars Meaſures; and then a Declaration to Ezekiel, as by the by; That near the Altar is the Table before the Lord; But rather, herein is this Great Myſtery; The Melchizedekian Prieſthood brings forth the Super-ſubſtantial Bread of the Kingdom, and with it the Power of the Endleſs Liv'd Interceſſion; ſignified by Incenſe, and Interpreted to be the Melchizedekian Prieſthood of Chriſt, Heb. 7. throughout, with Revel. 8. 2. So that They Became both one.

Correſpon. 8. The Jews have an undoubted Priority, and the Gentiles an Engrafting, and are even foreign, a Body together, a whole Iſrael, one Temple, Epheſ. 2. 21. c. 3. 6. Rom. 11. 17. 26.

The firſt is ſo plain, that the Viſion is made up wholly of it; So that I am fully convinc'd, No Spiritual, Myſtical, Evangelical ſenſe can Satisfie it: There muſt be therefore a Reception, a Reduction of the Twelve Tribes; which He Knows how to Gather, and ſift for, who can Summon Them from, A…s 9. 9.and, as it were, by the Four Winds; So that as their Reduction ſhall be like the Sifting of the Reſurrection for Every mans Own Body; and Life from the Dead to Themſelves; Of which we have that Illuſtrous Viſion, Ezek. c. 37. 1. &c. So It ſhall be to the Gentile Churches Engrafted into that Olive, [that is the Jews Own,] the Time of the Firſt Reſurrection; Even to All the Dead in Chriſt, whom God will bring with Him; And to the Saints, who ſhall be foreign. T…e Living The Remaining 1. Theſſ. 4. 15. 17. There ſhall be p. 18ſuch Iſſues of Living waters, as are after to be declar'd.

Now as to the Latter part, viz. the Gentiles Engrafting; though indeed there are only Silent mentions of the Gentiles, by the Strangers Sojourning among Them, having the ſame Intereſt by Lot, that They Had; Yet It is becauſe, the Viſion is Given in Jewiſh Types, and Language; But the Goſpel declaring; Jews, and Gentiles, are All One Body, One Temple, One New Man in the Stature of the Fulneſs of Chriſt, One Olive Tree with its Natural, and Engrafted Branches, It is made Certain, The Twelve Tribes with the Sojourners, are the whole Iſrael of God. c. 47. 22.

In as much then, as the Apoſtle Rom. 11. v. 12. hath declar'd a foreign an Ecclips under which the Jews lye to this day; and that there is alſo a foreign or a Full ORB'D LIGHT, to which They are to Ariſe; And that by Eſa. 60 1▪ foreign v. 25.Isa 60:1Speaking of the ſame foreign, or Full Orb'd Light of the Gentile Church, The Apoſtle did privatly Foretell an Ecclipſe by the Apoſtacy, under which That Gentile Church was to Fall; and then Ballanc'd the order of Each Churches Time; We may thus underſtand it: Firſt the Gentile Church is to Come out of its Eclipſe, and Apoſtacy to its Full Orb'd Light, when, (as our Saviour ſays) The Gentiles Times ſhall be Fullfil'd; Luc. 21. 24. Then Judah firſt of the Two, and Iſrael of the Ten Tribes ſhall be Receiv'd both; When This is perfected, Then ſhall be the Firſt Reſurrection, or as the Apoſtle Calls it, Life from the Dead: v. 15.For as the Jews could not be made perfest according to this Viſion, without the Gentiles; which They not enduring, became Enemies for their ſakes; So that their Caſting away was the Riches v. 25. with …2.of the World; Even ſo the Gentiles becoming the prime Church of Chriſt, could not be made perfect without them; God therefore caſt the Gentile Church into Martyrdoms, under the Pagan Empire for 400 Years of the Seals; then under an Apoſtaſie of 1260 Years under the Antichriſt not yet expir'd. And when the Gentile Church is ſo far prepar'd by Sufferings, It muſt come to that Full Orb; But becauſe it cannot be Fully perfect without the Twelve Tribes; They muſt be Receiv'd, that Both may be together perfected according to this Viſion; and as the Apoſtle v. 15.ſays, by the Gentile Churches Mercy or Glory, that muſt by promiſe be after the 1260 Days, [Joyn'd with the 400 Years of the Seals,] ſo long the Souls under the Alone ſlain by Paganiſm, muſt Reſt, till the Reſt ſlain by Antichriſtianiſm, ſhould be Fulfill'd p. 19according to Revel. 6. 11. Then the Jews obtain Mercy, v. 31. and muſt be Receiv'd, that All may be Glorified together; On which Myſterious Ordination, the Apoſtle cries out, Oh the Depth, v. 33. So we ſee this Viſion cannot be Accompliſh'd till the Full Orb'd Light of the Twelve Tribes, together with the Gentile Church; Both which are yet under Eclipſe, till the 1260 End; And then Preparation ſhall be daily made for the after Glory at the 1335 Days ending by the Everlaſting Goſpel, Freach'd to all Tongues, &c. or to all the Gentiles; And the Twelve Tribes ſhall then be alſo Receiv'd, and the Veil or Ecliſpe Remov'd.

It is very Remarkable therefore, though at the Reſurrection of Chriſt, Revel. c. 4. c. 5. there was a Repreſentation of the Apoſtol… Church of both Jews and Gentiles in the Living Creatures; It was as in Heaven, and after ſhut up there during the Apoſtaſie, and not ſo much as ſeen; Nor any Appearance of thoſe Elders, and Living Creatures from c. 8. when the Apoſtaſie was entring, till the Seventh Trumpet, c. 11. And when it is ſeen more and more, c. 15. Yet it does not come down, till c. 19. c. 21. And of this there is alſo this obſervable in the Firſt Appearance of the Church in Heaven, c. 4. The Gentile Apoſtolic Church in the Living Creatures is Firſt; and ſo when the Gentile Apoſtolic Church is reſtor'd under the Great Voices, viz. of the Four Living Creatures, c. 11. 15. 9. and c. 14. 1. is Returning to its Full Orb. But in every Viſion of the New Jeruſalem, as c. 7. 11. c. 19. 4. The Elders are Firſt; ſignifying the Priority of the Iſraelitiſh Apoſtolic Church Receiv'd; Till in that order, the Priority is continued to Iſrael, in the name of the New Jeruſalem for ever; So that muſt be firſt in the Elders; But the Gentile Church is alſo Included in the Living Creatures, looking univerſally to Eaſt, Weſt, North, South, and Both are one Iſrael, one New Jeruſalem.

Correſpond. 9. The State of Bleſſedneſs, and Happineſs being Typ'd out by the Land of Canan, divided by Lot, is in this Viſion alſo Repreſented, as divided or diſtributed by Lot; though, (as Interpreters Agree,) after a Divine, Heavenly, Spiritual, and not an Earthly manner; Thus it is promis'd to Daniel in Admirable Agreement with this Type, That He ſhall ſtand in his Lot in the End of the 1335 Days, plainly ſhewing, when this Viſion ſhall be Accompliſh'd; viz at the end of the 1335 Years, the Laſt of the 2300 Evens. Morns. which 1335 began in juſt Succeſſion, upon the 965th, which, as is elſewhere ſhown, ended in 437 of our p. 20Chriſtian Account of Them▪ and the 1335 at 1772. when Daniel ſhall Appear in Body with All the Dead Saints; And as Inheritance, and Prieſthood fell under Lots; ſo the Royal Inheritance, and Prieſthood of the New Jeruſalem is fitly Typ'd out by Lots, the Heavenly Inheritance being call'd foreign, a diſtribution by Lot. And ſo Rev▪ 21. 7. He that Overcometh, as the Iſraelites the Cananites, ſhall Inherit all Things by Lot, but the Fearful, &c. Even as thoſe Fearful Spies, Num. 13. 32. 33. were cut off; ſhall be caſt out into the Lake.

Correſpond. 10. The State of the New Heaven in the New Jeruſalem, is fitly given in Symbol, or Type by the very Top of the …zek. 43. 12.Mountain, the Limit of which Round about ſhall be a Holy of Holies; and by the place of Gods Throne; and the New Earth in all the various degrees of Approach to God, by the Lower Gradual deſcents from that Holy of Holies, and by the Place of the Soles of Gods Feet; as if a Throne reached from Heaven, down to Earth by its Footſtool, as was ſaid before in Jacob's Ladder, and as in the Prayer of the Kingdom, as in Heaven, and upon Earth. **So the Throne lifted up, the Tram filld All, E…ai. 6..

Correſpond. 11. As the firſt Paradiſe had its noted Rivers, as of Living Waters, and a Tree of Life; And as the New Jeruſalem hath a River, clear as Chryſtal, proceeding from the Throne of God, and of the Lamb; and a Tree of Life, whoſe Leaves were for the Healing of the Nations, c. 22. 1. &c. And as in that Happy State, the Lamb Feeds his delivered Servants, and Leads Them to the Fountains of Living Waters; So in this Viſion, there are Rev. 7. 17.Rev 7:17Waters iſſuing from the Temple, and the Altar, Running into the Deſert; and into the Sea, and Healing it, ſo that It becomes an Ocean of Life; And the Trees that grow by this River of theſe Waters are both for Food, and Medicine, and their Fruit New every Month, as Rev. 22. 2. with Ezek. 47. 12. From whence iſſue an Univerſality, and Perpetuity of Life; For whatever Lives, ſhall Live; Even as in the First Reſurrection of the New Jeruſalem; Bleſſed, and Holy is He, that hath his part in that First Reſurrection, either as in the New Heaven above, or in the New Earth below; For It is All one Life to Eternity; The Living, the Remaining dye not, but are Changed, and Caught up, even as the Children of the Reſurrection in the New Heaven cannot dye, Rev. 20. 6. with 1 Theſſ. 4. 17. 1 Cor. 15. 51. and Luke 20. 36.

But as in the New Jeruſalem of the Revelation, There is a Lake, and the Dead ſlain with the Sword of Chriſt's Mouth, Live not again, till the 1000 Years are Ended, that is, p. 21Never. For then the Dead are caſt together with the Devil, Hell and Death into the Lake, which is the Second Death oppos'd to the First Reſurrection; with which it begins, and continues to Everlaſting, All one Death; Whatever is Dead, and not in the Book of Life, dyeth for ever without a First Death; even as the Firſt Reſurrection is All one Life without a Second Reſurrection.Rev. 20. 5.Rev 20:5

So in this Viſion there are Mariſhes, and Miry places, that are not Heal'd, but Given to Salt even the Salt of Fire and Brimſtone, and make the ſame Lake; ſhewing both Prophecies of Ezekiel, and John deſcribe one State, ſo parallel in ſo many Great Things. Ezek. 47. 11.

And now it is well known, ſuch a State hath never yet been ſo much as Spiritually, much leſs Litterally Fulfill'd on Earth; Nor can it be a Heavenly Paradiſe here intended; For what Nations, Deſert, or Sea, will be then to be Heal'd? What Fiſh to be propagated in ſuch Abundance, or to be Taken; Which according to our Saviours Great Goſpel-Parable of Fiſhers of Men ſignifie the very ſame Thing, with the Dew of Chriſts Youth, numerous as the drops of Dew from the Womb of the Pſal. 110. 3.Ps 110:3Morning; It muſt needs be therefore the New Jeruſalem State on Earth, when Chriſt ſhall have an Off-Spring ſo numerous, as to make Recompenſe for the over-number of the Loſt now; And in All that State, There ſhall be to the Second Adam, (Then to come in this New Jeruſalem State, when the Apoſtle wrote) more of the Reign of Righteousneſs and Life, then to the First Adam of Sin, and Death, Rom. 5. 12. to the End. And this ſhall be, when that Falſe Fiſher-man Antichriſt, with all his Nets, is caſt into the Lake of theſe Mariſhes, and Miry Places never to be Heal'd.

Now Theſe Waters were Four Times Meaſur'd by a Line, viz. the Line of Flax Recorded, c. 40. 10. and mention'd on this occaſion only; Each Meaſure was a 1000 Cubits; But in Regard of the Great Dryneſs, and Barenneſs of the Earth before, though the Divine Manifeſtation was ſo GRAND; Yet It Reach'd only to the Ancles, having ſmall ſucceſs; This may very well Reſemble the Few, to whom the Arm of the Lord was Reveal'd by the divine Preaching of Chriſt Himſelf, and his Apoſtles before the Reſurrection. The Second 1000 Reach'd to the Knees, in the Preaching of the Apoſtles, and their Immediate Succeſſors after the Reſurrection. The Third 1000 will Riſe to the Loins, in the Firſt Days of the Seventh Trumpet, when this Temple ſhall be Open'd in Heaven; But the Fourth Thouſand in the p. 22Milennial State, or in this Viſion, Accompliſh'd in the Kingdo… of Christ; There will be a River Running down from Above, throughout the New Earth beneath, a River of Life, to Bathe and Swim in, and that cannot be paſs'd over, nor Tranſcended in any Temple State; For It is an Ocean.

Correſpond. 12. The Spring of All this State is the Glory of God, coming into his Temple, c. 43. 1. And the perfection of it is, JEHOVAH is THERE, as in perpetual Reſidence of his Throne, c. 48. laſt.and of the Soles of his Feet; Yea, ſo that He becomes Himſelf with the Lamb, the Temple of this City, as hath been ſaid.

Well therefore might All parts of the Temple be Embelliſh'd with Cherubims, attending the Divine Preſence; And as attending the Lamb, They had the Face of a Man on one ſide, Worſhipping Emmanuel, God in our Nature; and of a Young Lyon on the other, in Homage to the Lyon of the Tribe of Judah; The Temple was alſo Adorn'd with Palm Trees, Repreſenting the Innumerable Palm Bearing Company of Saints, c. 41. 19. &c. Revel. 7. 9.

I have now preſented the General Table of this Viſion, in Agreement in the Chief and Main Importances of it, with the New Jeruſalem; It now Remains, that I draw up ſome Concluſions, giving the Scripture Rationality of the whole.

Concluſion 1. Although this State be ſo Great, and Excellent a State, that It can never have an End Impos'd upon it, or that it can expire of it ſelf; Yet it is by the Apoſtles expreſs Doctrine 1 Cor. 15. 24.1 Cor 15:24to be Deliver'd up; Even this Temple, and this Kingdom of Chriſt; As the Father is in it, It ſhall be Reſum'd; And as the Son is in it, It ſhall be Reſign'd, or Deliverd up by the Son with his Saints; For as from Heaven, It comes down for the Glory of God and Chriſt, ſo thither It ſhall be drawn and Reſign'd up.

Now All this ſpeaks it to be in order to a Higher End; There muſt be therefore ſome Ultimate State, and Perfection, to which even this Temple, and Throne are, as the Apoſtle ſtyles it, an Oeconomy or Diſpenſation of the Fullneſs of all Former Times; In order to this, All former Diſpenſations were, and are as to their next, even Supreme end, and the very Complement of Them; So This is in order to a further …xaltation of it ſelf, that does not indeed give it End, but comprehend it, and into which It is deliver'd up. And this is, that God may be All in All, and that the Son and his Saints may be Subject; Or as our Great Mediator expreſſes it, John 17. 21. 22. 23. That p. 23They, viz. All the Saints of Chriſt may be One, as Thou Father art in me, and I in Thee; That They alſo may be One in us; And the Glory which Thou ga…eſt Me, I have Given Them, That They may be in one, Even as we are One; I in Them, and Thou i… me; that They may be made Perfect in One; This being the Supreme End, It gives Law to the Nobleſt means, and even to That, which is to All others an End. viz. to this Grand Oeconomy and wherein All Oeconomies are Sum'd up.

Concluſ. 2. There never was Any Temple-ſtate. Either High Enough, or Secure Enough for this Ʋnion of the Saints with God, All in All; till this Temple-State wherein God, and the Lamb are the Temple, be Brought down.

Herein therefore the Higheſt Perfection of the Redemption of Chriſt is Enjoy'd. There are therefore Robes waſhed in …is Blood; There is a Continual Participation of the Altar of his Sacrifice; His Interceſſion, and Himſelf, as the SHEW BREAD of Life is as an Altar of Incenſe, and the Table before the Lord: There is the Annoynting of All Things by the pouring out of his Spirit, making his Servants Kings, as well as Prieſts; And All the Heavenly Things of this State are Purified, that is, Purchaſed, and Conſecrated by that Better Sacrifice of Jeſus Chriſt in his Blood. Heb. 9. 23. Even Angels and Glorified Spirits of Juſt Men wait for their being made perfect in this State, and Learn from Time to Time till then; Then All the Treaſures of wiſdom, and Gace ſhall …e Open'd to the Rev. 20. 6. Prieſts of God and Chriſt a 1000 Years, And They ſhall be therein Compleated for the unſpeakable, and Eternal Ʋnion with God, All in All.

This State is Begun here on Earth; on which Account The Servants of Chriſt are now in Common; And not the Elders, Paſtors, and Doctors of the Goſpel only; Call'd the Royal Prieſt-hood, 1 Pet. 53. to which Dr. Hammonds Notion of foreign will Excellently Agree.and the foreign, the Portion, and Lots of God; according to the words, the Holy Spirits wiſdom Teacheth; However we from the Ancients Humane Wiſdom have Learn'd to ſpeak Otherwiſe, In them all alike is the Spiritual Tribe of Levi Perpetuated according to Jerem. 33. 21. 22.

From this State Spirits Going to God are before the Thro…e in white Robes of this ſame Prieſthood, Cloath'd and ſo prepar'd to be Inveſted with Glorious Bodies in this High Temple State; and therein Conſecrated for an Eternal Ʋnion with God All in All; So the Sublime Purification of this State is according to the Divine Oeconomy abſolutely neceſſary to that Eternal Ʋnion.

Concluſ. 3. This Temple …tate is the Complement of all Proph… …y; For as All Things, Times, and Pr…phecy have been ſome p. 24ways Prophetick of it; Even Adam in Paradiſe was, the Type … who is Yet to come in it, And the Two Laſt Voices of Pro… Fullfil'd, It is done, It is done, come out of this Temple, R… 16. 17. and from the Throne of this Temple, Revel. 21. 6. as R… membring Ezekiel's Temple, and Throne; Even ſo All dates … Time from the Beginning, more eſpecially from Daniel's 2…0… Evenings, Mornings, have been kept by it, and determine in th… as the Apoſtle calls it, the Fullneſs, not of Time only, as th… Time of Chriſts Incarnation and Death, are call▪d Gal. 4. 4. b… the Fullneſs of Times, that is, All Times, Epheſ. 1. 10. An… further to ſhew in this of the New Jeruſalem, or Ezekiels V… ſion Fulfill'd, All the Law and the Prophets are Fulfilld; we may obſerve in that Grand Viſion of the Goſpel, the Trans… guration in the Mount; which by the Apoſtle Peters expreſs Expoſition, Ep. 2. c. 1. v. 16. &c. was a Viſion of the Power, … Coming of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt; and wherein God the Father ga… Him Honour, and Glory; and by a Voice from that Excellent Glo… that ſhall come down into his Kingdom; Eſtabliſh'd Him … preme, ſaying, This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleas'd▪ Hear ye Him. At the ſame Time Moſes, as Supreme Med…to… on Earth of the Jewiſh Law, and all its Tabernacle of Teſti… and its Types; And Elias, as that Prophet, who was the Type … that Ʋndying State, Carried up immediately into Heaven … Chariots of Fire, and ſo the Chief of the Prophets, Appear'd … Him; to ſhew this State was indeed the Full Complement of th… Prophetical Law, and of all the Prophets. Luke 9. 30. 35.

Concluſ. 4. We ſhould conſider, that this Temple is yet ſhut u… and not ſeen till the Days of the Seventh Trumpet; becauſe … Days of the Apoſtaſie are not yet expir'd; Nothing therefore … yet be, as it ought according to the Pattern. In the m… Time This is our duty to come as near to it, as we can by o… ing nothing, but according to the very Word of God; For ſee… ▪ All Things commanded by God, are Patterns of Heavenly th… and the Temple in Heaven is not yet ſeen, none can tranſgreſs … much as by a Ceremony, and be Innocent; So nice and ſeve… is that Admonition for this very Reaſon; See thou do All Things according to the Pattern ſhew'd thee in the Mount, Heb. 8. 5.

But within Seven Times or Years, The 1260 ſhall end, an… we ſhall ſee it, that we may be Aſham'd of our Corrupt … preſent Low State; And when we are Aſham'd; As Certain… then ſhall be, the diſcoveries ſhall be clearer and clearer; till … and the Lamb be both our Temple, and our Light.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Beverley, The Pattern of the Divine Temple Sanctuary (1690)