Jerusalems Glory Breaking Forth Into the World, Sermon 1

Jerusalems Glory Breaking Forth Into the World · Sermon 1

p. 1ISA. 62. v. 7.

And give him no reſt, till he eſtabliſh, and till he make Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth.

SERMON I.

IN the former Chapter, there are many Promiſes of an excellent and Glorious ſtate, that God would bring his Church into, in his time: with thoſe Promiſes, the heart of this Prophet Iſaiah was much taken, and therefore in the beginning of this Chapter, (ſaith he) For Zion's ſake will I not hold my peace, and for Jeruſalem's ſake I will not reſt, until the Righteouſneſs thereof go forth as brightneſs, and the Salvation thereof as a Lamp that burneth: And as he himſelf would not reſt, nor hold his peace, ſo he would that all the Watchmen, that were ſet upon the Walls of Jeruſalem, and ſo after, all the Miniſters of the Church, that they ſhould not reſt; yea he would that they ſhould give God no reſt, until he eſtabliſh and till he p. 2make Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth.

Give God no reſt; he ſpeaks here after the manner of Men, to note what importunity there ſhould be among the people of God, in ſeeking of God, to make good all thoſe glorious Promiſes that he hath made to his Church, for the raiſing of it up to a glorious ſtate: as a man that is importunate of any buſineſs, he is not ſatisfied; if he doth Petition, and nothing comes of it, he falls to it again and again, and ſeeks to get by importunity, and reſolves that he will be at no reſt. And ſo God ſpeaks after this manner, not that his reſt, or not reſt, doth depend upon us; But that we ſhould be as importunate with him for ſo great a mercy as this is, as with any man in the world, that we were reſolved, that till he had given us an anſwer, we would give him no reſt: and give him no reſt until he hath eſtabliſhed, and made Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth.

Till he eſtabliſh. Till he makes good his word, till the Church be brought to a ſettled way of mercy, and into a ſafe and ſure condition: For ſometimes (as if the Prophet ſhould ſay) we find the p. 3Promiſes beginning to work, and God is doing good for us, but at other times things ſeem to go back again, therefore give him no reſt till he Eſtabliſh, till we ſee things ſettled. As you Mariners, when you are to go a great Voyage, you love to ſee the Wind ſettled in ſome place or other before you go forth: ſo faith the Prophet, Sometimes we find the mercy and goodneſs of God much towards us; but things have gone back again, therefore give him no reſt till he hath eſtabliſhed.

And till he hath made Jeruſalem a praiſe in the Earth.

By Jeruſalem we are to underſtand the Church of God, not ſo much the City Jeruſalem that then was, but the Church of God that was to be in the times of the Goſpel eſpecially, for Jeruſalem was a Type of it.

As the praiſe of the Earth; The Septuagint tranſlates it, and the word ſignifies the Glory, the Exaltation of the Earth: till he makes Jeruſalem the praiſe of the Earth.

Now we know that Prayer ought to be in Faith, then thoſe that pray to God, p. 4and eſpecially that are importunate with God, they muſt believe that there is ſuch a thing to be done, that the Church of God is to be made the praiſe and Glory of the Earth: And if they believe it is to be done, they muſt have ſome word for it.

Now this is the main thing, that I intend at this time to make out unto you, that there is a time that God hath, to make his Church, to be the praiſe and glory of all the world. In this World; To be the glory of the Earth, not only to be glorious its ſelf in Heaven; that I ſuppoſe you all believe, that there is a time that the Church Militant here, ſhall be Triumphant in Heaven, and glorious there; but that there is a time that God in this Earth, ſhall make his Church to be the glory of the earth: And therefore all the Saints of God, to whom the glory of God is dear, who do deſire that the Honour of God may be raiſed and ſet out, they are to pray for this, and to be importunate for this, as a certain thing that is to be done and fulfilled by God: Now becauſe you cannot pray for it, and be importunate, to give God p. 5no reſt till you ſee it plainly that it will be ſo, therefore this thing is now to be opened unto you.

The truth is, Jeruſalem, the Church of God, hath been in a low Eſtate alwaies, in compariſon of what God intends it to be at this time, when the Prophet here ſaith, give God no reſt till he make Jeruſalem the praiſe of the whole Earth.

Jeruſalem was in no glorious condition, it was but a little before God intended a Captivity of Judah and Jeruſalem: For this Prophet, (you ſhall find in the beginning of his Prophecy) did Propheſie in the dayes of Hezekiah; now in the ſixth year of Hezekiah's Reign did the Babilonians come and ſack Samaria, 2 Kings 18.10. and took the People into Captivity: And it might be (for ought we know) not above a year or two before their captivity, that here the Prophet calls upon this people to pray to God, and give him no reſt till he ſet Jeruſalem up, as the praiſe of the whole earth; and yet he knew it was it to go into Captivity preſently; certainly then the Prophet did not intend here any p. 6time that ſhould be in his dayes, or in any little time after. The Prophet therefore muſt needs have a Reference to ſome notable time of the Church, that muſt be in after dayes, the people of the Jews were never the praiſe of the whole Earth.

If you look before this time, they were unto the other people, but a contemptible people, and lived in a little Countrey, one way a little more than fourſcore miles; a very little Countrey it was that all the people of the Jews lived in, and very contemptible in reſpect of the other Nations of the World: Therefore it was not the praiſe of the whole earth before.

Not preſently after this is ſpoken, for they were to go into Captivity, and to be there ſo long a time.

You will ſay, it may be 'tis meant about the time when they were to return from Captivity.

No not ſo neither, for they were but very poor and contemptible in the eyes of the world after their Captivity; for when they did return, it was but by leave, and they were but as Servants p. 7unto the Medes ſtill, they were but as ſervants unto Cyrus, and the reſt of them. When they went to build the Walls of Jeruſalem again, they ſcoff at them; And what doe theſe feeble Jews? and if a Fox goes but upon their walls, it will break them down. Certainly in their return from Captivity, they were not the praiſe of the whole Earth, no nor in after times; they had many interruptions before they could bring any thing to any effect. Many Learned men compute that they were longer a building the wall than they were in Captivity; and we know that it was not long after their Captivity, that they all did lye at the mercy of a wicked Haman, who had gotten a Decree to cut off all the people of the Jews; therefore they were not in any glorious condition, no not after their return from Captivity: from that time till the time that the Romans came and deſtroyed them, they were but in a low condition, and then afterwards they were low enough: ſo that it could not be meant literally of Jeruſalem, of that place, nor of the Church of the Jews; therefore it muſt be meant of the ſtate of the Church in the p. 8times of the Goſpel: Now when was that as the praiſe of the whole earth? certainly though it were the praiſe of God, and God had his praiſe from his Church at all times; yet now this muſt be meant of ſome eminent time that was to come, and it muſt be ſome outward glory that they muſt have, ſo as the whole earth muſt take notice of it.

And it was not in the time of Chriſt himſelf, Chriſt himſelf was the glory of God, but yet in the earth he was deſpiſed, a man that had no form nor comelineſs in him; in regard of outwards, they were then under Herod, and rejected Chriſt when he came, and within a while afterwards by Titus Veſpatian they were deſtroyed, and an unſpeakable havock was upon Jeruſalem, and the people of the Jews, and ſo they have abode to this day, to be as a runnagate Nation. For the Apoſtles, nothing was more contemptible than they; you know what St. Paul ſaith, not only of himſelf but of other of the Apoſtles, they were made the very off-ſcowring of the Earth, the baſeſt things of the Earth; even the Apoſtles themſelves, they were in no outward p. 9glory before the face of the world, that they could ſee it.

And afterwards in the Primitive times, you know they were under moſt dreadful perſecutions, how they were Maſſacred and hackt and hew'd, and what woful miſery they were put to: all this while Jeruſalem was not the praiſe of the Earth.

Well, but after thoſe bloody perſecutions ended, then came Conſtantine, and then they had peace, and were in a more flouriſhing condition.

But not then neither, for preſently Antichriſt began to riſe; then, This day is poyſon poured into the Church: Then they fell out one with another, by their contentions; then Arrianiſme began to ſpread all over the World; and within a little time they were brought into a great Bondage, under an Antichriſtian power; and ſo great darkneſs did come upon all the Churches. I find Mr. Brightman and ſome others, they begin the 42 Weeks, even from the time that the Church did begin to flouriſh in ſome outward pomp and glory. Then began the Prelatical power preſently upon that, p. 10and ſo they reckon the time of reigning from thence; ſo that Jeruſalem hath not been yet the praiſe of the whole Earth to this day: Therefore this that the Prophet here ſpeaks of, muſt be meant of ſome other time that yet is not come to paſs; ſo that we live in theſe times wherein we are to look for the accompliſhing of this Prophecy, that God ſhould make Jeruſalem the praiſe of the whole Earth, yet in another manner than ever he hath done; and that's the thing that I eſpecially ſhall endeavour to ſhew you, that yet there is a time for Jeruſalem, for the Church to be in a more glorious condition than formerly it hath been, ſo that we may have our ſpirits awakened and ſtirred up, not only to Pray, but be Inſtumental all that we can, for the ſetting up of the glory of the Church of God; God is about the working of a great work this way, and therefore it's pity that any that have love to God, and to his cauſe, but that they ſhould put on all they can by Prayer, and all the wayes they can, to further ſuch a glorious work as this is: it was that, that was the comfort of the Saints of God in the Primitive times, and p. 11a little after, when they ſuffered hard things, yet had comfort that there was a time a coming, that Jeruſalem ſhould be the praiſe of the Earth, and that Jeſus Chriſt ſhould come and Reign in his Church in another manner, than ever yet he did. Juſt in Martyr, that lived about thirty years after John, Propheſies (in ſpeaking of this point) of a glorious time of the Church that ſhould be. Both my ſelf (ſaith he) and all that are Orthodox do generally hold this, that there is ſuch a time of the Glorious condition of the Church. And Lactantius, that lived 1300 years ago (or more) he ſpends a great many Chapters in ſhewing the glorious condition of the Church of God that ſhould be, and they longed for it; now we are fallen into the times that are nearer; our ſalvation is nearer than when they believed, yea, or when we our ſelves did at firſt believe. And therefore as in natural things, the nearer a thing comes to the Center, the faſter it moves, ſo the nearer the people of God come to the glorious condition that God intends for his people in the latter dayes, the more ſhould their hearts outrun them, in giving p. 12God no reſt till he come to eſtabliſh it: Wherefore then for the opening of this, Chriſt hath great things to do for his Church in this world, in making of it the praiſe of the Earth.

I'le firſt ſhew it you by comparing divers Scriptures together.

And then I'le ſhew you what the ſtate of the Church is like to be, when it comes to be made the praiſe of the whole Earth; or what God will do for his Church, when he intends it to be the praiſe of the whole earth.

For the firſt, To compare ſome Scriptures; the Scriptures are very remarkable, eſpecially in the Prophet Iſaiah, compared with divers Scriptures in the Book of the Revelations; you may ſee (as it were) how they do Eccho one to another, whereby we may ſee apparently, that Iſaiah was an Evangelical Prophet (as he is called by many Divines.)

The firſt is in the 24. Iſa. v. 23. compared with the 4. Rev. 4. v. In the 24. of Iſa. Then (ſpeaking of God's deliverance of his Church from evil, then he makes this promiſe) the Moon ſhall be confounded, and the Sun aſhamed, when p. 13the Lord of Hoſts ſhall Reign in Mount Zion, and in Jeruſalem, and before his Ancients gloriouſly. The Moon ſhall be confounded, and the Sun aſhamed: The meaning of it is this: There ſhall be ſo much glory, as ſhall darken the glory of the Sun and Moon, and becauſe their glory ſhall be darkned, they ſhall be as it were aſhamed: As a man when he ſees others come that have more glory than himſelf, it puts him to ſome ſhame; ſo they ſhall be aſhamed; why? becauſe the Lord of Hoſts ſhall Reign in Mount Zion, and in Jeruſalem, before his Ancients gloriouſly. Certainly this hath not been yet fulfilled, the Lord hath not ſo reign'd in Mount Zion and in Jeruſalem before his Ancients gloriouſly, ſo as to darken the glory of the Sun and Moon.

Now in the 4^th of Rev. v. 4. it ſeems to have regard to this Scripture, and ſhews you what the Throne of Chriſt is, when he ſhall come to Reign in Zion gloriouſly. And round about the Throne were four and twenty ſeats, and upon the Seats▪ I ſaw four and twenty Elders, ſitting cloathed in white rayment, and they had on their heads Crowns of Gold; and p. 14here the Lord reigns before the Ancients. There's the Throne of God ſet up; and upon the Seats I ſaw four and twenty Elders, or Ancients, ſitting cloathed in white rayment, and they had on their heads Crowns of Gold. So that John ſeems to have regard to this Text, and that Propheſie of John is apparently of the ſtate of the Church that was to be in after times.

And ſo there are other places of Scripture, as that 54. of Iſa. and 21. of the Revelat. In the 54. Iſa. v. 12. there's a promiſe to the Church that was Afflicted; O thou Afflicted, toſſed with Tempeſt, and not comforted, behold I will lay thy ſtones with fair colours, and lay thy Foundation with Saphires; And I will make thy Windows of Agats, and thy Gates of Carbuncles, and all thy borders of pleaſant ſtones. Here God promiſes that he would build his Church with precious ſtones, the Church that was ſo Afflicted and toſt: Now mark the 21. of the Revelat. and ſee there how St. John takes this Propheſie, and doth plainly interpret it, that it is of the glorious ſtate of the Church that ſhould be after: ſaith the p. 15Text there, deſcribing there the glorious Eſtate of the Church; And the Foundations of the wall of the City, were garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones. Here's a Propheſie it ſhould be ſo, and John takes this Propheſie, and tells, that this is to be underſtood of a time of the Chriſtian Church, that it ſhall indeed be ſo.

And again, in the 60. of Iſa. v. 19. compare it with the 21. Rev. v. 23. In Iſa. there the Text ſpeaking of the glorious ſtate of the Church that ſhould be, ſaith, 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. Thy Sun ſhall no more go down, neither ſhall thy Moon withdraw it ſelf, for the Lord ſhall be thine everlaſting light, and the dayes of thy mourning ſhall be ended. Certainly this hath not yet been fulfilled. And in the 21. Rev. towards the latter end, you have almoſt the ſame words: And the City (ſaith the Text) had no need of the Sun, neither of the Moon to ſhine in it, for the Glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the Light p. 16thereof. I ſhall afterwards come further to open ſomewhat of the meaning of that, what it is, no to have no need of Sun and Moon, when we come to open wherein the glory of the Church doth conſiſt, that God intends to make the praiſe of the whole Earth.

I might name divers other Scriptures, but I haſten rather to the other thing, (which is the main) to open wherein the Church ſhall be the praiſe of the whole earth, or what ſhall make it to be the Praiſe of the whole earth.

Firſt, more generally; Certainly when the condition Jeruſalem ſhall be in when Gods time ſhall come, there will be a time of Reſurrection from the dead: there will be a kind of Reſurrection from the dead, before the general Reſurrection at the great day of Judgment: we have divers Scriptures that do ſeem to point at this, and indeed clearly to manifeſt it: The firſt Scripture is in the 12 Chapter of the book of Daniel, that ſpeaks of a Reſurrection, another Reſurrection than that that ſhall be at the great day of Judgment: ſaith the Text, And at that time thy people ſhall be delivered, page missing p. 17every one that ſhall be found written in the Book. And many of them that ſleep in the duſt of the Earth, ſhall awake, ſome to everlaſting life, and ſome to ſhame and everlaſting contempt; and they that be wiſe, ſhall ſhine as the brightneſs of the Firmament, and they that turn many to righteouſneſs, as the Stars for ever and ever. Now that this muſt be an Eſtate of the Church before the great and general Reſurrection, is clear.

Firſt, It's ſaid here, Some ſhall riſe; he ſpeaks not of all ſhall riſe: Now at that day, good and bad, all ſhall riſe.

But then Secondly, The uttermoſt glory of the moſt eminent godly men that ſhall riſe, it ſhall be but to ſhine as the brightneſs of the Firmament; and the height of all is, that they that turn many to Righteouſneſs, as the Stars, they ſhall but ſhine as the Stars.

Surely thoſe who are not only righteous themſelves, but are means to turn others to Righteouſneſs, they are like to have the greateſt degree of Glory in Heaven; which is a mighty encouraging place, not only to Miniſters, but to all, to ſeek to convert all they can: For this p. 18Scripture ſeems to hold forth this Truth, that the Lord will look upon them as Inſtruments of his Glory, and give them a higher degree of Glory than others: But now, at the great day of Judgment we know that the Saints of God ſhall ſhine brighter than the Stars; they ſhall be as the Sun: Theſe Bodies of Clay, that we carry now about with us, in the great day, when Chriſt ſhall come to judge all the World, they ſhall ſhine as the Sun in the Firmament: The pooreſt Man, or Woman, or Child, that is godly, though their Bodies are cloathed with Rags now, yet at the day of Chriſt their Bodies ſhall be made to ſhine as the Glory of the Firmament; nay, more than ſo, as the Glory of the Sun: Yea, they ſhall be like to the Body of Jeſus Chriſt himſelf, &c. and the Body of Chriſt ſhall be beyond the Glory of the Sun; therefore this is not meant of that time; for the height of all the Glory here is but as the Stars.

But then a third Reaſon why it is not meant at that time, is, becauſe the Lord bids Daniel to cloſe up this Prophecy, and tells him it ſhall be a thing kept hid. p. 19Now, that there ſhall be a Reſurrection, that God ſhall come to judge the World, this was never any ſuch ſecret, the light of Nature will tell us this; that there is a time that it muſt be well with the righteous, and ill with the wicked: The Heathens could tell us of a time that God ſhould judge the World: But now the Prophet here ſpeaks of this as a Myſtery, that it was not to be revealed till the latter dayes.

Yea, and then Fourthly, The Lord promiſeth to Daniel, as a peculiar and ſpecial favour unto him, that he ſhould ariſe, and ſtand in the Lot at the end of the dayes. Now for Daniel to ariſe at the day of Judgment, that's a thing that is common to all, good and bad; but here it is promiſed to him as a ſpecial Mercy, that he ſhall ſtand up in the latter dayes in his Lot: And therefore, according to the Reverend Brightman, and others, this place is interpreted of the time of the calling in of the Jews, when they and the Gentiles ſhall joyn together; and Jeruſalem ſhall then be ſet up as the Praiſe of the whole Earth.

p. 20And the rather it makes me think ſo, becauſe the Apoſtle in the 11 of the Rom. verſ. 15. ſpeaking of the time of the calling of the Jews, he doth make uſe of ſuch a kind of Phraſe, that it ſhall be even a time of Reſurrection, it ſhall be no other but even a raiſing from the dead. In the 15 verſe, For if the caſting away of them be the reconciling of the World, what ſhall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead? Therefore it ſeems that he had ſome Reference to this very Scripture here at this time.

And in the 37 of Ezek. the beginning, the receiving of the Jews there, is ſet out by the dry Bones that were breathed upon by the breath of God, and ſo they ſtood up as an Army, and had life.

Yea, and this ſhall be as a new Creation: There will be as great works done, as God did when he made the World at firſt, and he will put forth as great a power. So you have it ſet forth unto you in the 65. of Iſa. There the Prophet propheſying of a Glorious Condition of the Church, what it ſhould be, mark how he doth expreſs it. For behold, I create new Heavens, and a new p. 21Earth, and the former ſhall not be remembred, nor come into mind. But be ye glad, and rejoyce for ever in that which I Create; for behold, I create Jeruſalem a rejoycing, and her People a Joy. I create (ſaith he) new Heavens, and a new Earth. When will God do this? Why, ſaith he, Be glad in it; for behold, I create Jeruſalem a rejoycing, and her People a Joy. When this Jeruſalem ſhall be made the praiſe of the whole Earth, then there ſhall be new Heavens, and a new Earth created: That is, there ſhall be as great a change of things, as if there were new Heavens, and new Earth created: There ſhall be a mighty glorious power of God manifeſted towards his Churches, as if God were Creating new Heavens and new Earth again. Oh! we do not know, but that either you or ſome of your Children, may yet live to ſee ſuch times as theſe are.

And it's another World indeed. It's not the World that we live in now; there ſhall be a kind of new World: And therefore ſome Scriptures, that many times we think are meant concerning the Life in Heaven, after the day of Judgment, p. 22becauſe they are ſpoken of another World; they are rather to be underſtood of the ſtate of the Church here in this World. And to the end that I may ſhew this, for otherwiſe all that's ſaid is but in vain:

It may be you will ſay, that the Prophet mean't that State of the Church Triumphant in Heaven: And ſo the Apoſtle St. John, in his reference to what the Prophet ſaith; he ſeems to mean it, of the glorious ſtate of the Church in Heaven. And I verily believe the moſt of you that have read with Obſervation the latter end of the Book of the Revelations, you have thought it hath been meant of the State of the Church in Heaven; but that it cannot be be meant: I'le give you a Reaſon or two why the 21 of the Revelations cannot be meant of the Church in Heaven.

Firſt, Becauſe the Text ſaith, That Jeruſalem ſhall come down from Heaven; after he had deſcribed it in the 10 Verſ. He carryed me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain, and ſhewed me that great City, the holy Jeruſalem, deſcending p. 23out of Heaven, from God. That is, the Glory of Jeruſalem ſhall not come from the Earth, nor from any Earthly means: Though men ought to do what they can, yet it ſhall be too great a Glory for any earthly means to be able to bring; but it ſhall come down from Heaven; there ſhall be ſome admirable glorious work of God from Heaven, to bring Jeruſalem into ſuch Glory as it ſhall be brought into. And that's one thing; That it is not the State of Heaven, for it comes down from Heaven.

And then beſides, that that is an undeniable Reaſon, is that which you have in the 24 and 26 Verſes; And the Nations of them which are ſaved ſhall walk in the light of it; and the Kings of the Earth do bring their Glory and Honour into it. They do not bring their Honour to the State of the Church Triumphant in Heaven: The Saints in Heaven ſhall have no need of any of the Glory of the Kings of the Earth; the meaneſt, pooreſt Servant, or Boy that is Godly, ſhall be more glorious than all the Kings of the Earth ever were in this World; but this is ſuch a State, that the Kings of the p. 24Earth ſhall bring their Glory to it. And in the 26 verſe; They ſhall bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations into it: The meaning is, that when this time comes, the Lord will make all the Kings of the Earth, and all the Nations of the Earth to be ſome way ſerviceable to the Glory of his Churches; that's the plain meaning of it: that whereas now the Kings of the Earth, and the Nations do perſecute the Church generally, and (as in the ſecond Pſalm you have it) the Kings of the Earth they combine themſelves together againſt Jeſus Chriſt, and will none of his Government; but yet for all this, the Lord ſaith, that he will ſet his King upon his holy Hill: And then here is the Prophecy, that there ſhall be ſuch a work of God upon the Kings and Nations of the Earth, as they ſhall all come in, and bring their Glory to Jeruſalem, to the Church, to do the uttermoſt they can to make the Church to be Glorious. This is in General the ſtate of Jeruſalem, when it ſhall be made the Praiſe of the Earth.

But now that I might come to move Particulars about this:

The firſt thing is this; When that p. 25time ſhall come, all Tears ſhall be wiped from the Eyes of Saints; the People of God ſhall be delivered from all Enemies; they ſhall never be any further peſtered with wicked and ungodly men to be enemies to them, but be fully freed from them all: We groan under the burden of the Enmity of wicked Men, and their Oppoſition; I, but let us be content to bear it, and to endure Oppoſitions from wicked and ungodly Men; for there is a time a coming, that thou ſhalt be delivered even in this World.

You will ſay, when we come to Heaven, we ſhall be above the Malice of all the wicked Men in the World.

Nay, there is a time when the Saints ſhall be above the Malice of wicked men upon this Earth: In the 28 of Ezek. A Chapter that ſpeaks ſo much of the Glorious Condition of the People of God, verſe 24. There ſhall be no more a pricking Briar, nor any grieving Thorn of all that are round about them that deſpiſed them. They ſhall be ſo far from having any power to do any miſchief to the People of God, as they ſhall not be ſo much as able to prick them, no grieving p. 26Thorn, nor no bryer pricking of the Saints of God, as heretofore they have done. It will be a bleſſed time when the Saints ſhall be delivered from the Curſe of the Earth, the Bryers and Thorns it brings forth. Where are wicked men, certainly thoſe are the worſt Bryers and Thorns in the World, and do the moſt miſchief here in the World: Now the Lord hath promiſed that they ſhall be delivered wholly from them. Rev. 21.4. There is a Scripture leading to that way; And God ſhall wipe away all Tears from their Eyes, and there ſhall be no more Death, neither Sorrow, nor Crying; neither ſhall there be any more Pain: For the former things are paſſed away. This is propheſied of for ſuch times as theſe are; for thoſe that then liv'd; the Saints are like to live when Chriſt ſhall come in that Glorious ſtate of Judgment, and have no pain nor ſickneſs, and therefore be delivered from all Enemies, and from all evils both from without and within, in regard of any pain or miſeſery; and in the 19 of the Revelations, we have it there propheſied of Chriſt, that he ſhall come and have his Veſture dipt in p. 27blood, in the overcoming all the wicked and ungodly; Verſe 13. And he was cloathed with a Veſture dipt in blood, and his Name is called the Word of God. And the Armies which were in Heaven followed him upon white Horſes, cloathed in fine Linnen, white and clean; and out of his Mouth goeth a ſharp Sword, that with it he ſhould ſmite the Nations; and he ſhall rule them with a Rod of Iron; and he treadeth the Wine-preſs of the fierceneſs and wrath of Almighty God. But this is obſervable, why it's ſaid, that the Garments of Chriſt were dipt in blood, and the Robes of the Saints were white: the meaning is this; That it is to note, that when this time comes, to ſet up Jeruſalem as the praiſe of the whole World, that Jeſus Chriſt he ſhall come to be avenged of his Enemies, of all the wicked and ungodly upon the Earth; and ſo he ſhall come in an Hoſtile way againſt them: But thoſe that follow him, they ſhall have their Robes white, the Saints ſhall triumph; they ſhall do nothing but take the Triumph: Chriſt ſhall go before, and endure all the difficulty and hardſhip, and they ſhall come after in a p. 28triumphing way. Thus the Scripture ſpeaks of deliverance from wicked men. And in the 12 Zech. verſe 3. there you have a place likewiſe obſervable for this: And in that day will I make Jeruſalem a burdenſome ſtone for all People; all that burden themſelves with it, ſhall be cut in pieces, though all the people of the Earth be gathered together againſt it: I'le make Jeruſalem a burdenſom ſtone; will they fight againſt it? it ſhall be a burdenſom ſtone to them; and whoſoever ſet themſelves againſt Jeruſalem in that day, ſhall not prevail, but ſhall be cut in pieces. Why that day hath not been yet: But there ſhall be a day, when whoſoever throughout the World ſhall ſet himſelf againſt the Church, ſhall not prevail, but ſhall be cut in pieces. And ſo we find in the 11 of Exod. the 7 verſe, That when the People of Iſrael went out of Aegypt, the Text ſaith there was not a Dog that did move his Tongue againſt them. We know the Deliverance from Aegypt was typical: It notes the deliverance of the People of this new Jeruſalem from the Tyranny of Anti-Chriſt. And therefore in the 15 of the Revel. p. 29you find that Moſes Song it is ſung again. In the 15 of Exod. after their Deliverance from Pharaoh, Moſes ſings a Song of Thankſgiving; and in the 15 Rev. they ſing it over again, verſe 2, 3. after their deliverance from their Captivity. The Dogs of the World they do move their Tongues againſt the Saints of God now, but there is a time coming that no Dog ſhall move his Tongue: They ſhall be ſo convinc'd of the Inhabitants of Jeruſalem, that God is with them, that they ſhall not be able to move their Tongues againſt them. And I remember, Lactantius (that I ſpake of before, that did ſpeak ſo much in his time, ſo many hundred Years agoe, that there was ſuch a time a coming;) he hath this expreſſion among others: At that time it ſhall be with wicked men as it was with the People of Aegypt: When God (ſaith he) did deliver Iſrael from the Aegyptian Bondage, he brought moſt dreadful Judgments upon the Aegyptians at that time; ſo (ſaith he) whenever the time ſhall come, that God ſhall ſet up Jeruſalem as the Praiſe of the whole World, then ſhall be moſt fearful p. 30Judgments upon the ungodly. Now indeed Judgment begins at the Houſe of God, and the Saints in many places ſuffer moſt; but then Judgment ſhall fall upon the Aegyptians, and God will deſtroy wicked men, or at leaſt ſubdue them ſo far, as they ſhall not be able to do any hurt to the Saints: And that's the firſt thing that ſhall be, when Jeruſalem ſhall be made the Praiſe of the whole Earth; the People of God ſhall be delivered from wicked men, and all Oppreſſion; and much leſs ſhall they be oppreſſed by one another: It is that that darkens Jeruſalem now, that it's under oppreſſion from evil Men, and that the Saints do oppreſs one another ſo much. But for the Union of the Saints, that we ſhall ſpeak of afterwards.

But for the ſecond thing, and that's this: Then ſhall all the Expreſſions of the Churches Glory, that we have in the Old Teſtament in a Typical way, be fully made good, and that viſibly; it ſhall be viſibly and apparently to the World made good.

You will ſay, What are thoſe?

There are very many, the Lord ſpeaks p. 31very much of the Glory of his Church, when he had his Church but among the Jews; but certainly the wayes of God towards his Church then were typical, and God intended by his high Expreſſions of the Glory of his Church then, ſome other thing that ſhould be afterwards made good in a more apparent and viſible way: As thus now, you have theſe things ſaid of the Church of God in the Old Teſtament.

Firſt, That it is the Portion of God, Yea, it is his Pleaſant Portion, Jer. 12.10 verſe. By that that hath outwardly appeared, who would think that a few People that were contemptible to the World, were God's pleaſant Portion? All that we read of the State of the Church in the Old Teſtament will appear one day before all the World, that indeed God did not ſay in vain of his Church, that it was his pleaſant Portion.

Secondly, We find that God ſaith, that his Church is his Inheritance. Iſa. 19.25. It is his own Inheritance; Yet how do the wicked break into the Inheritance of God for the preſent! But p. 32there is a time a coming, that the Lord will make it appear to all the World, that his People are his Inheritance.

Thirdly, The Church is called the Dearly Beloved of Gods Soul, Jer. 12.7. It is a very high Expreſſion, the Dearly Beloved of his Soul: And yet at that time the Lord ſaith there, that he will give the dearly Beloved of his Soul into the hand of their Enemies. Oh! but how doth it appear then that the Church is the dearly Beloved of Gods Soul? Well, though it doth not ſo appear now to the World, God hath a time to make it appear before all the World, that his Church is the dearly Beloved of his Soul.

A fourth Expreſſion is, That it is the Peculiar Treaſure of God, in the 19 of Exod. v. 5. Ye ſhall be a peculiar Treaſure unto me above all People. Men make much of their Treaſure, but eſpecially Treaſures that are Peculiar: Now the Lord hath another Treaſure beſides the Church; the Bleſſings of God in Nature are God's Treaſure; therefore in the 28 of Deut. 12. verſe, the Scripture ſaith, that God did bring out of p. 33his good treaſure, when he ſpeaks of the outward bleſſings of his People: when God gives us of the good things of nature, he gives us out of his good treaſure; I, but that's a Common Treaſure, the treaſure of nature: But God hath a Peculiar Treaſure, and that's his Church, there's the Riches of God: Juſt as if a Merchant ſhould be trading for divers ſorts of Commodities, perhaps he trades for Cloaths, or Lumber ſtuff, there is ſome treaſure there; I, but he trades for Jewels and Pearls beſides, and he hath them lockt up under divers Locks, and there he accounts all his treaſure to be: Now I may compare all the good things of this world, in reſpect of the Excellency of the Church to a deal of Lumber, of Cloaths, and ſuch things indeed as have ſome worth in them: But when you come to the Church there be the Jewels of God, the Pearls of God, and the heart of God is upon them: there God communicates the Riches of his goodneſs: Oh! it's a bleſſed thing to be one of Gods people, then thou art one of his Jewels, of his treaſure, of his peculiar treaſure. Now doth it appear to the World that the Church is the p. 34peculiar treaſure of God? why it's trampled under foot by men; but God tells us that there is a time that it ſhall not be ſo as now it is. In the third of Malachi, There is a time that he will make up his Jewels: Now the Jewels of God lie trampled under feet, they ſeem to lie in the dirt; but verſ. 17. They ſhall be mine, ſaith the Lord of Hoſts, in that day when I make up my Jewels, and I will ſpare them, as a man ſpareth his own Servant that ſerveth him. There is a time a coming for God to make up his Jewels, there are many precious Jewels lie in the dirt, and no body regards them. But a time ſhall come, when it ſhall be known that there is a difference between him that feareth God, and him that fears him not; why do not we know it now? thoſe that are Spiritual know it. But this Scripture ſeems to hold forth this thing, that there ſhall be a time that all the world ſhall know it. Now the time is that we cannot diſcern by any outward things a difference between Love and Hatred; But there will be a time that we ſhall diſcern between the Love and Hatred of God, apparently before the world: There p. 35will be a time when it ſhall be ſaid, Verily there is a reward for the Righteous, verily there is a God that Judgeth in the Earth: That's the fourth Expreſſion.

The fifth is, The Church is called the Glory of God: In the fourth of Iſa. Ʋpon all the glory ſhall be a defence; and ſo in another place, I will place Salvation in Zion, for Iſrael my Glory. The houſe of Gods glory; So it's called in the 60. of Iſa. v. 7. It's called the Crown of glory, In the 62. of Iſa. v. 3. And it's called the Throne of Gods glory. Jer. 14.21. —The glory of God. —The Houſe of his glory. —The Crown of his glory. The Throne of his glory: All theſe Expreſſions hath the Church of God in the Old Teſtament: Certainly God intended that theſe being Typical, ſhould Typifie ſome glorious condition that the Church ſhould be in, in time to come.

We find that the Church is called by way of Type, Gods Ornament. Ezek. 7.20. As for the beauty of his Ornament he ſet it in Majeſty. It's the Ornament of God: The Beauty of his Ornament: The beauty of his Ornament ſet in Majeſty. All theſe three are in one Verſe p. 36ſpoken concerning the Church of God. As for the beauty of his Ornament, he ſet it in Majeſty, but they made the Images of their Abominations, and of their deteſtable things therein. The force of the Argument is thus; Saith God, Why, was not my Church, and Ordinances there, more glorious than their falſe Worſhip? was not my Temple more glorious than their Images? As for the beauty of his Ornament, That is, the Temple that was a Tipe of the Church, he ſet it in Majeſty; Yet, ſaith he, they went and made Images. O wretched People! that when they had ſuch a glorious Temple, where my preſence was ſo much, and yet that they ſhould turn to Worſhip ſtocks and ſtones! As if God ſhould ſay to any wretched Man or Woman, Haſt not thou come to the Word, and heard the Excellency of my Son ſet forth unto thee? and haſt not thou had the glory of God in the Goſpel ſhining before thine Eyes? haſt not thou heard of thoſe bleſſed things that are revealed in the Doctrine of Grace? and yet wilt thou turn after baſe things, to ſatisfie thy fleſh, and mind nothing elſe but that? O unworthy p. 37wretch that ever thou ſhouldeſt be partaker of any of thoſe Excellent and glorious things, that are revealed in my Goſpel! Juſt in ſuch a manner doth the Lord ſpeak to this People. What, go and forſake my Temple and Ordinances, and go and turn to Images, when it was ſo glorious! O unworthy that ever they ſhould receive mercy from the Lord!

Now was the Temple of God at ſuch a time as that Gods Ornament, ſo beautiful, and ſet in Majeſty, ſurely Gods Church that is Tipified by it, is one day or other to be an Ornament to God, and a Beauty, and ſet in Majeſty and glory.

And then it's called the Royal Diadem, in the Book of Iſa. There is a time therefore when this muſt appear to be ſo, which is, when the Lord ſhall ſet up Jeruſalem as the praiſe of the whole Earth. Now if the ſtate of the Church in the time of the Law that was Typical, was ſo, mark what the Apoſtle ſaith concerning the tipes and ſhadows of the Law, Heb. 10.1. The Law having a ſhadow of good things to come, and not p. 38the very Image of the things, can never with thoſe Sacrifices which they offered Year by Year continually, make the comers… thereunto perfect. The Law had but a ſhadow of the Image of things, as is obſerveable. It had not ſo much as the Image, it was but a ſhadow, then ſurely they could but barely reſemble the good things to come: here this Scripture may be underſtood by the way that Limners or Picture-Drawers uſe when they would make a Curious Picture of a Man. Firſt they draw a ſhadow with a piece of Chalk or Cole, by which you may ſee a little proportion of the man, but what's this to the Image of the man; now that's more excellent, and much beauty there is in that; But in the man himſelf there doth appear more glory ſtill than in his Image: why the time of the Church under the Law, that was like the drawing of a man upon a piece of Board with a Cole; But now, the ſtate of the Church under the Goſpel, that's like the Image it ſelf; and the ſtate of the Church in Heaven, that's as the Man himſelf: So then, I make uſe of this Scripture thus: If the Lord p. 39ſpeak ſo of his Church in the time of the Law, when the ſtate was but Typical; That it was his Portion,—his Peculiar Treaſure,—his Inheritance,—and his Diadem,—and Ornament, and the like; what ſhall it be in the time of the Goſpel, when we come to have the Image of the thing, not the ſhadow but the Image? and then what muſt it be in Heaven, when it comes to be the thing it ſelf in glory? And this is the ſecond thing that ſhall be, when the Church comes to be the praiſe of the whole Earth. Oh now give God no reſt, Lord let it appear thus: this point will help you to pray much, and you ſhould put this into your Petitions. Lord make thy Church appear to be thy Portion; Thy Treaſure, Thy Glory, Now come Lord Jeſus, come quickly, O that that day might come!

The third thing is this, That when God ſets up Jeruſalem as the praiſe of the whole Earth, then God will make good the Promiſes, that he hath made unto his Church in the Old Teſtament: And the Prophecies of the glory of his Church, which are very many, that the truth is, we do not know what to make p. 40of them, we are fain to make Allegories of them, when it's very probable that they are to be in a literal way to be underſtood, and all for the want of the knowledge of this one thing, that there is a time for God to ſet up Jeruſalem as the praiſe of the whole Earth. Commonly we find that Divines have opened the promiſes of the Old Teſtament either by way of an Allegory, or of the ſtate of the Church in glory, ſo that there hath been a great miſtake in this thing.

We find in the 54 of Iſa. v. 17. when the Lord makes a promiſe to his Church that no weapon that was formed againſt that ſhould proſper, he concludes it and ſaith, This is the heritage of the ſervants of the Lord. All the promiſes in the Old Teſtament, are the Inheritance of the Saints of God: It's a very ſweet place, it's an Excellent place to poor People, that have no Riches, nor Inheritance left them by their Parents, but they have the Promiſes for their Inheritance. Thou may'ſt look over the Book of God, and watſoever promiſe thou findeſt made to the Church, thou mayſt look p. 41upon it as thine Inheritance. Many carnal men that have great Inheritances other ways, they have nothing to do with the Promiſes of the Saints. But the pooreſt Saint hath all the glory that there is in the Promiſes of the Word of God, they are their Inheritance.

But in the mean time I have little.

Why thou art under age yet, and God he is thy Guardian, and God will be accountable to thee for all; and the longer thou ſtayeſt before thou comeſt to thine Inheritance, the more ſhalt thou have when thou comeſt to it: and therefore remember that all the Promiſes in the Word are to be made good to thee one way or other, and all that concern his People will be made good in this world, when God ſhall come and ſet up Jeruſalem as the praiſe of the whole Earth. We ſhall underſtand that hereafter, and therefore we find in the 5th. of the Revelations, that there the Lamb, he only is able to open the Seals of the Book. There was brought a Book Seal'd, and a Proclamation was made to know, who p. 42was worthy to open the Book, and to looſe the Seals thereof. Now the Text ſaith, that John ſaw none found worthy.

At length there appeared a Lamb as it had been ſlain, and he was found worthy, and the Book was given to him, and he opened the Seals of the Book: this Book is the Book of the Prophecies of the ſtate of the Church in the new Teſtament, and the promiſes of God for the glory of the Church of the new Teſtament. Now theſe things have been kept Sealed for a long time, and eſpecially before Chriſts time; But Jeſus Chriſt the Lamb that hath been ſlain, it is he only that is able to open this Book and the Seals of it, and there is a time that he will open it, he opens it by degrees to his Church. And therefore I find it's very obſervable in the 22. of Revel. verſ. 6. There comes an Angel to John, and ſaid unto him; Theſe things are faithful and true. And the Lord God of the holy Prophets ſent his Angel to ſhew unto his ſervants the things which muſt ſhortly be done. Why now John was before, ſpeaking of the glorious p. 43condition of Jeruſalem, the Jeruſalem that came down from Heaven; Now ſaith he, The Lord God of the holy Prophets ſent his Angel. Why is it ſaid here, The Lord God of the holy Prophets? The meaning is this, that the Lord now ſends his Angel to make his Servants to underſtand what was in the Prophets, and therefore the Lord hath this title, The Lord God of the holy Prophets. It's not ſaid here, The great God, or the holy God only, or the Father of Chriſt, or any ſuch title; But the Lord God of the holy Prophets. That is, I here will manifeſt to my Servants what I did Inſpire the holy Prophets with in former times, and will open their Prophecies unto them. O it will be a bleſſed time when we ſhall come to underſtand the Prophecies of the Old Teſtament, and how they do aim at the New Teſtament; you Read their Book, and how often do you ſhut the Book, and ſay, O Lord I cannot underſtand, I do not know the meaning of theſe things, and ſo likewiſe the book of the Revelations: and ſometimes you are ready to think, why doth God write ſo in his p. 44word. But be ſatisfied in this thing, in your Reading the Scriptures there are ſome things very dark; But now the main things that concern thine everlaſting Salvation, are clear enough; and bleſs God for that. But now if you would know why other things are dark, they are dark becauſe the Lord intends in them to manifeſt ſome glorious thing, that he will do towards the latter end of the world for his People, that the truth is, God would not have generally known till then. You will ſay, why then have we the Scriptures? Yes, we have them now, that God may appear ſo much the more glorious when they are fulfill'd, that they may be manifeſted to his Saints that theſe are no other things than the Prophets did Propheſie of divers thouſand Years ago. Now this will mightily add to the Joy of the Saints, when they ſhall come to ſee, O this is partly fulfilling of ſuch a Prophecy in Iſa. and in Ezek. and in the Revelations; now it adds to the Joy of the Church, to know that theſe things that now they have, are no other than God did foretel by his holy Prophets, as no queſtion now when p. 45Chriſt was Propheſied of. For he was Propheſied of for four thouſand Years before he came into the world, and in a Mighty dark way, as now this firſt Prophecy of Chriſt: The ſeed of the Woman ſhall break the Serpents Head; what could they underſtand of this? and yet under this Prophecy was the whole Goſpel Propheſied of: and he ſhall bruiſe thy heel; there all the ſufferings of Jeſus Chriſt were Propheſied of under that Propheſie. Now I am confident, that for the general part of the Jews, they underſtood no more of that Prophecy to be meant of Chriſt and his ſufferings, than we when we Read in Ezekiel and in the Revelations, do underſtand what God will do for his Church in time to come: But now when this Propheſie is fulfill'd, that we find the ſeed of the Woman is come, and how he hath overcome Principalities and Powers, and how the Devil hath oppoſed him; now we ſee the meaning of this Prophecy: And now, we can bleſs God ſo much the more for Chriſt.

Chriſt is no other than the Lord did in Paradiſe formerly Propheſie of. And p. 46ſo divers other Prophecies in the Old Teſtament; as, The Scepter ſhall not depart from Judah unto Shilo come. Alas! none of the Jews almoſt did underſtand this: And that not a bone of Chriſt ſhould be broken; and ſo I might name you forty ſuch Prophecies: ſo juſt as now, The Prophecies that were Propheſied of concerning Chriſts coming in the Fleſh, were very obſcure in the Old Teſtament, but were made clear by the fulfilling of them to us in the New: So the Prophecies of the glorious ſtate of the Church, when Jeruſalem ſhall be made as the praiſe of the whole Earth, they are obſcure to us yet, but when it comes to be made clear, the Saints of God will praiſe and bleſs God that now they come to enjoy that, that ſo many years ago was Propheſied of: And therefore comfort your ſelves in this, when you Read the Prophecies in the Word. —But certainly when it ſhall come, it will be a bleſſed time, and therefore pray for it, give the Lord no reſt till he ſet up Jeruſalem as the praiſe of the whole Earth: For then ſhall the Book of God be opened, and things p. 47ſhall be ſeen mighty plain when that comes. I will give you one Scripture for that, of the clear opening of things when Jeruſalem ſhall be made the praiſe of the whole Earth. You find in the fourth of the Revelations and verſ. 1. There was a Door opened in Heaven, nothing elſe but a Door. But afterwards you find that Heaven it ſelf was opened: In the 19. Chap. verſ. 11. And I ſaw Heaven opened, and behold a white Horſe, and he that ſat upon him was called faithful and true, &c.

Firſt, A Door was opened, and then the Heaven of God was opened; Noteing that there ſhould be a Progreſs in the ſtate of the Church; at the firſt they ſhould have but a little knowledge, but afterwards they ſhould have abundance of knowledge. And in the 11. Chap. the 19. verſ. And the Temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was ſeen in his Temple the Ark of his Teſtament, &c.

How comes that to paſs, for in the time of the Law there was no ſuch opening of the Temple, as to ſee the Ark of Gods Teſtament, for that was p. 48kept hid: But now, ſpeaking of the glorious times of the Church in the ſtate of the Goſpel, the Temple of God was opened in Heaven, and there was the Ark of the Teſtament of God ſeen, it was made clear. Then the Ark of Gods Teſtament it was kept hid from the People, that they could not ſee it in the time of the Law.

But when Jeruſalem ſhall be made the praiſe of the whole Earth, the Temple ſhall be opened, and the Ark ſhall appear, the word of God ſhall be made open in the Promiſes and Prophecies of it: Therefore let us pray and believe, let us believe and pray that this time may be haſtened.