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T H E By J O H N.B U N Y A N. |
[FOURTH. THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITY, THEIR QUALITY, AND NUMEROUSNESS.]
er. 24. '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.' After this long and pleasant description of this holy and new Jerusalem, the
Holy Ghost now falleth upon a relation of the people that shall be the inhabitants
of this city, and of their numerousness and quality.
'And the nations,' &c. The nations of the world, both of the Jews and Gentiles.
Every one knoweth what the nations are, wherefore I need not stay upon the explication
of that, for it doth in general include the multitude of the sinners of the world
(Eph 2:1- 3; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Titus 3:3). Therefore, when he saith, the nations shall
walk in the light of this city, it is as if he had said, that at this day, when she
is here in her tranquility, the sinners and disobedient among the sons of men shall
by multitudes and whole kingdoms come in and close with the church and house of God.
These spiders shall take hold with their hands, and be in kings' palaces (Pro 30:28).
'And the nations,' &c. For this word, 'the nations,' is a great word, and it
comprehendeth much; mark, it doth not say a nation, or some nations, neither doth
it say few or small nations, but indefinitely, the nations, many nations, strong
nations, all nations, the nations in general; only he ties them up with this limit,
the nations of them that are saved (Isa 52:15; 60:22; 2:2). Which yet is not so much
spoken to clip off the multitude that we suppose may then be converted, as to show
us their qualifications and happiness; as he saith by the prophet in another place,
Thy children shall be all holy, or righteous, 'and great shall be the peace of thy
children' (Isa 54:13; 60:21). 'And the nations of them which are saved shall walk
in the light of it.' Surely the Holy Ghost would never have spoken at such a rate
as this, if he had not intended to show us that at the day of the setting up of this
Jerusalem, a great harvest of sinners shall be gathered by the grace of the gospel.
But the truth is, the Scriptures go with open arms towards the latter end of the
world, even as if they would grasp and compass about almost all people then upon
the face of the whole earth with the grace and mercy of God. 'The earth,' saith God,
'shall be full of the knowledge' of the glory 'of the Lord, as the waters cover the
sea' (Isa 11:9; Hab 2:14). As he saith, also, for the comfort of the church in another
place, 'Behold, I have grave thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually
before me. Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee
waste shall go forth of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these
gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt
surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as
a bride doeth. For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction,
shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed
thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost
the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place
to me, that I may dwell. Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me
these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive and removing to
and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone, these, where had
they been?' (Isa 49:16-21). Thus the multitudes of the nations shall at this day
be converted to the Lord, and be made the inhabitants of this Jerusalem; as he saith
again, 'The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his
Christ' (Rev 11:15). And again, 'The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the
kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the
Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve
and obey him' (Dan 7:27).
And observe it, these promises are to be fulfilled in the last days, at the time
of the pouring forth of the last vial, which is the time of the sounding of the last
of the seven trumpets; for then this city shall be built, and Lucifer fallen from
heaven; then the prisoners shall be set at liberty, and the people be gathered together,
'and the kingdoms to serve the Lord' (Isa 2:1,2; 14:4-6; Psa 102:20-22; Rev 11:15-17).
'Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants,
and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land,
and to his people' (Deu 32:43). Alas! it is now towards the end of the world, and
therefore now all is going, if the Lord steps not in with the riches of his grace.
Wherefore now at last, before all be turned into fire and ashes, behold the Lord
casts the net among the multitude of fish, and the abundance of the sea shall, without
fail, be converted to Jerusalem (Isa 60:5). Though Satan and Antichrist have had
their day in the world, and by their outrage have made fearful havoc of the souls
of sinners from time to time, yet now at length God will strike in for a share with
them, and his Son 'shall divide the spoil with the strong' (Isa 53:12). Wherefore
he now sets up this city, puts the glory of heaven upon her, provides a new heaven
and a new earth for her situation (Isa 66:22); drives profaneness into the holes
and dens of the earth; giveth righteousness authority to reign in the world (2 Peter
3:13); and takes off the veil from all faces, that none may hereafter be for ever
beguiled by blindness and ignorance (Isa 25:7). Now shall they make merry with the
things of God; now shall all eat the fat and drink the sweet (1 Kings 4:20; Neh 8:10,12).
For 'in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat
things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the
lees well refined' (Isa 25:6).
'And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.' They 'shall
walk in the light of it.' That is, in the light that is in it while it is in its
purity in this world, and in the glory of it when it is in its perfection and immortality
in another. Whence note by the way, that in the midst of all this glory, or while
the glorious light of the gospel shall thus shine in the world, yet even then there
will be some also that will not see and rejoice in the glory hereof. But as for those,
whoever they are, they are excluded from a share in the blessed and goodly privileges
of this city. '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.' By these words
are great things held forth. He told us before that the nations of them that are
saved shall walk in the light of it; and here he tells us that even their kings also,
the kings of the earth, do bring their honour and glory to it. The people of the
nations they are but like to single pence and halfpence, but their kings like gold
angels and twenty-shilling pieces.[20] Wherefore, when he saith that the kings of
the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it, it argueth that the gospel and
the grace of God, when it is displayed in its own nature, and seen in its own complexion,
even then they that have most of the honour and glory of the world will yet stoop
their top-gallant[21] unto it. 'Because of thy temple which is
at Jerusalem, shall kings bring presents unto thee' (Psa 68:29; Isa 49:22,23). 'The
kings of Tarshish, and of the isles, shall bring presents' to thee: 'the kings of
Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all
nations shall serve him' (Psa 72:10,11). The kings shall see and arise, and 'princes
also shall worship because of the Lord,' &c. (Isa 49:7). The kings shall come
to thy light, and princes to the brightness of thy rising (Isa 60:1-5). 'The Gentiles
shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory' (Isa 62:2). Yea, 'that which
had not been told them shall they see, and that which they have not heard shall they
consider' (Isa 52:15). 'All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when
they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for
great is the glory of the Lord' (Psa 138:4,5). Thus, we see, that though in the first
day of the gospel, the poor, the halt, the lame, and the blind are chief in the embracing
of the tenders of grace, yet in the latter day thereof God will take hold of kings.
'And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.' INTO IT; that
is, to Jerusalem. Wherefore this city must be built before they all of them will
fall in love with her. Indeed, I do conceive that some of them will lay their hand
to help forward the
work of this city, as did Hiram with Solomon, and Darius, Cyrus, and Artaxerxes,
with Ezra and Nehemiah, at the building and repairing the city, in the letter, in
the days of old (2 Chron 2:11-15; Ezra 1:1-4; 6:1-3; 7:21). But yet, I say, the great
conquest of the kings will be by the beauty and glory of this city, when she is built.
'thou shalt arise,' O Lord, 'and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her,
yea, the set time is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favour
the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all kings thy
glory' (Psa 102:13-15). And, indeed, before this city is set up, and established
in her own place, most of the kings and great ones of the earth will be found employed
and taken up in another work, than to fall in love with Mount Zion, and with the
hill thereof. They will be found in love with mistress Babylon, the mother of harlots,
the mistress of witchcrafts, and abominations of the earth (Rev 17:2,12-14; 18:3,9).
They will, I say, be committing fornication with her, and will be as the horns upon
the heads of the beast, to defend the riding lady from the gunshot that the saints
continually will be making at her by the force of the Word and Spirit of God. They
will be shaking the sharp end of their weapons against the Son of God, continually
labouring to keep him out of his throne, and from having that rule in the church,
and in the world, as becomes him who is the head of the body, and over all principality
and power. 'These shall make war with the Lamb' (Rev 17:14). But, I say, it shall
so come about at the last, by the illuminating grace of God, and by the faithful
and patient enduring of the saints, together with the glory that everywhere shall
now be abiding on the church and congregation of Jesus, that they shall begin to
receive a man's heart, and shall consider things that have not been told them; wherefore
at last they shall withdraw themselves from the love of this mistress, and shall
leave her to scrape for herself in the world, and shall come with repentance and
rejoicing to Zion; nay, not only so, but to avenge the quarrel of God, and the vengeance
of his temple; and to recompense her also for the delusions and enchantments wherewith
she hath entangled them. 'These shall hate her, and they shall make her desolate
and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire' (Rev 17:16).
Now, madam, what sayest thou? The kings must come to Jerusalem, Jezebel. Thy chamber
companions will shortly, notwithstanding thy painted face, cast thee down headlong
out at the windows. Yea, they shall tread thee in pieces by the feet of their prancing
horses, and with the wheels of their jumping chariots (2 Kings 9:30-33). They shall
shut up all bowels of compassion towards thee, and shall roar upon thee like the
sea, and upon thy fat ones like the waves thereof (Jer 50:41,42). Yea, when they
begin, they will also make an end, and will leave thee so harbourless and comfortless,
that now there will be found for thee no gladness at all, no, not so much as one
piper to play thee one jig. The delicates that thy soul lusted after, thou shalt
find them no more at all (Rev 18:12-22). 'Babylon the glory of kingdoms, the beauty
of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It
shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation;
neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there, neither shall the shepherds make their
fold there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall
be full of doleful creatures. And owls shall dwell there, and satyrs [that is, the
hobgoblins, or devils] shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the islands shall
cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces; and her time
is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged' (Isa 13:19-23). Thus wilt thou
come down wonderfully. For 'in thee have they set light by father and mother; in
the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they
vexed the fatherless and the widow. In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood:
and in thee they eat upon the mountains, in the midst of thee they commit lewdness'
(Eze 22:6-10). God hath smitten his hands at thy dishonest gain, and all the blood
which hath been in the midst of thee; God will be avenged of thee, but will not meet
thee as a man (Isa 47:1-3). You 'have cast lots for my people,' saith God: you 'have
given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.' You have
made havoc of my young converts to satisfy your lusts; therefore, 'What have ye to
do with me, O Tyre and Sidon, and all the coast of Palestine? Will ye render me a
recompence? And if ye recompence me swiftly and speedily, will I return you recompence
upon your own head' (Joel 3:1-4). I will throw it as dirt in your face again. And
never talk of what thou wast once, for though thou wast full of wisdom, and perfect
in beauty, though thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God, yea, though every precious
stone for some time was thy covering, and thou the very anointed cherub that covereth,
walking upon the mountain of God, and in the midst of the stones of fire, yet because—by
reason of the multitude of thy merchandize— thou hast sinned, and art filled with
violence. 'Therefore God will cast thee, as profane, out of the mountain of God,
and will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire';
yea, he will cast thee to the ground, and lay thee before kings, that they may behold
thee. And 'all they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee:
thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more' (Eze 28:12-19). 'And when
thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though
thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold; though thou rentest thy face with painting,
in vain shalt thou make thyself fair, thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek
thy life' (Jer 4:30).
'And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and their honour into it.' Mark,
they do not only forsake the crimson harlot, neither do they content themselves with
eating her flesh and burning her with fire, but they come over, they come over to
Jerusalem; they are conquered by the grace of Christ and wisdom of the Son of God.
They shall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is King
of kings and Lord of lords, and those that are with him are called, and chosen, and
faithful. Now they shall all give way to the government of the King of kings, the
governor of the Jews (Ezra 6:7), and shall with gladness delight to see him rule
his spouse with his own law, rules, and testament; they shall play the pranks of
Jeroboam no longer, in making calves to keep the people from going up to Jerusalem
to worship. Now they shall count him also king of nations, as well as king of saints;
and he shall wear the crowns, and they shall seek to him (Rev 19:12,15; Jer 10:7;
Isa 52:15; 2 Chron 9:23).
[The city secure, the gates always open.]
Ver. 25. 'And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be
no night there.'
This is the effect of what you read before, namely, of the coming in of the kings
and great ones of the earth to this Jerusalem. For when the whore is made desolate
and naked, and burned with fire, and when the kings also that loved her, and that
maintained her, are come in, and have closed with the glory and beauty of this city,
then what need is there to shut the gates? Alas, all the injuries that the kings
and great ones of the earth have done to the church and spouse of Christ in these
days of the New Testament, it hath been through the instigation and witchcraft of
this mistress of iniquity. 'The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the
glittering spear' (Nahum 3:3,4), against the saints of God, by reason of the multitudes
of the whoredoms of the well-favoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, who selleth
nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. Wherefore I
say, this gentlewoman being laid in her grave, and all her fat ones gone down to
the sides of the pit, these kings will change their mind, and fall in love with the
true and chaste matron, and with Christ her Lord. Now when this is thus, this city
must needs be safely inhabited as towns without walls, and as a place near to which
there is neither thief nor ravenous beast (Isa 2:4; Jer 33:16; Zech 2:4; 14:11).
Persecutors, while they remain in their spirit of outrage against the church and
people of God, they are frequently in the Scripture compared to the venomous dragons,
fierce lions, and ravenous wolves (Jer 51:34,37). All which at this day shall be
driven out of the world, that is, so out, as never to molest the church again, or
to cause a gate of this city to be shut, through fear, against them; as he saith
by the prophet, 'In the habitation of dragons where each lay, shall be grass, with
reeds and rushes' (Isa 35:7). In the habitation of dragons, that is, even in the
places of persecutors, where each lay, shall be food for the flock of Christ. The
dragon is a venomous beast, and poisoneth all where he lieth! He beats the earth
bare, and venoms it, that it will bear no grass, as do the persecutors where they
inhabit and lie. But behold, the days do come in which these dragons shall be removed,
and the ground where they lay be made fruitful and flourish, so that even there shall
be places for the flocks to lie down in. 'In the habitation of dragons, where each
lay, shall be grass, with reeds and rushes. No lion shall be there, nor any ravenous
beast shall go up thereon; but the redeemed of the Lord shall walk there, and the
ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy
upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall
flee away' (Isa 35:7- 10). According to that of Moses, the Lord 'will give peace
in the land, and ye shall lie down, and none shall make you afraid.' For 'he will
rid evil beasts out of the land,' and the sword shall not go through it more (Lev
26:6). 'And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings
and in quiet resting-places' (Isa 32:18).
'And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day, for there shall be no night
there.' This word DAY we may understand two ways; either for the day of bringing
in to fill this city, or for the day of her perfection and fulness. Now if you take
it with reference to the day in which her converts are coming in, as indeed it ought,
why then, the gates shall not be shut at all. 'Thy gates shall be open continually,
they shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring unto thee the forces of
the Gentiles, and that their kings may be brought' (Isa 60:11).
But again, this day of grace, and of conversion of sinners, it must be looked upon
either as the church is in captivity and persecution, or as she is out. Now, as she
is in captivity, so her longest day is usually accompanied with a black and doubtful
night of temptation and affliction. Wherefore this day here being spoken of, it is
the day of grace that she shall have even when she is absolutely delivered from the
rage of the beast, false prophet, and whore. Wherefore he is not content to say,
the gates shall not be shut at all by day, but adds withal, 'for there shall be no
night there'; as who should say, I know that commonly in the day of the church's
affliction she is accompanied with nights as well as days, but it shall not be so
here; 'Thy sun shall no more go down, neither shall thy moon withdraw itself; for
the Lord shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be
ended' (Isa 60:20).
Wherefore John, considering this, doth quite exclude the night, saying, 'There shall
be no night there.' Indeed after this New Jerusalem hath had her golden day in this
world, I say, just towards the ending thereof, she will yet once again be beset with
raging Gog and Magog, which enemies will, after the long safety and tranquility of
this city, through the instigation of the devil come upon the breadth of the earth,
and encamp about this holy city (Eze 28; 29). But behold in the midst of this intention
to swallow her up, the Lord rains fire and brimstone from heaven and destroys them
all; so that God, I say, though he may bring one only evening upon this holy city
after her long peace and rest among the sons of men, yet he shall not bring one night
upon her, nor cause a gate thereof to be shut for ever. The sun shall now stand still
in the midst of heaven, and this night shall be thus prevented by this marvellous
judgment of God (Josh 10). As another prophet saith, 'At evening time it shall be
light' (Zech 14:7). That is, though her enemies will at last still make, through
their enmity, one only attempt to swallow up all in everlasting oblivion, yet they
themselves shall fall down dead upon the mountains of Israel, and be a prey to this
Jerusalem. Thus there will be only day accompanying the inhabitants of this city,
'For there shall be no night there.'
[The glory and honour of the nations brought into it.]
Ver. 26. 'And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.' This,
as I said before, is to show us how heartily, and how unfeignedly, both the nations
and their kings shall now come over to New Jerusalem. They come hand in hand, not
the people without their prince, nor the prince without his people, though it will,
and must be so, in the times of persecution; but now, together 'they shall bring
the glory and honour of the nations to it.'
Again, I told you before that the Jews shall at this day be converted to the Christian
faith, and shall have a great name and much of heaven upon them in this city. For,
indeed, they are the first-born, the natural branches, and the like. Now when he
saith, they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations to it, I cannot think
that by this should we understand only, or yet principally, the outward pomp and
treasure of the world, but that rather by honour and glory we are here to understand
the heavenly treasure and glory that the saints shall continually pour forth into
one another's bosoms in this city. In this city, I say, for at this day, as I have
formerly showed you, there will be found no treasure any where but at Jerusalem;
every saint shall be here, every grace shall be here, the precious stones of the
sanctuary, the precious sons of Zion shall not then, as now, lie scattered, some
in the world, and some in mistress Babylon's lap; neither shall any thing pertaining
to the church's privileges be found in her at all for ever. There shall be heard
no more at all in her any harpers, trumpeters, pipers, or any other heavenly music
in her; neither shall there be any more the sound of a millstone to grind us bread,
nor the light of a candle to guide us in the house, nor yet the voice of the bridegroom,
Christ, nor of the bride his wife, to tempt or allure any that are seeking the way
of life, to stay with her (Rev 18:22,23). All these things shall be brought to Jerusalem
(2 Chron 36:7). Christians, you must understand that there is a time when all the
treasures of the church are to be found in Babylon, as in the days of old; but at
this day, when this city is built, not any of them shall be found there, but all
shall be brought and delivered up to Jerusalem again, as was also foreshown in the
type; and all places shall be void of the treasure of heaven, but Jerusalem (Ezra
6:1-6; 7:13-16).
Wherefore by the glory and honour of the nations in this place, I understand that
all the treasures of the church, and all the graces that at this day lie scattered
here and there, some in one place and some in another, they shall be found no where
at that day but in this city, in the church that walks according to rule. Now the
reasons why I take this honour and glory to be meant of these things are—
First. Because thus it was in the time of the building of Jerusalem after the captivity,
the treasure of the Jews, which was become the treasures of the provinces of Babylon,
was again restored and brought to Jerusalem, as you may see by the scriptures now
cited.
Second. Because I find indeed, that the milk and honey of the land of Canaan—which
are, in our gospel language, the gifts, graces, and treasures of the church—it is
called, 'The glory of all lands' (Eze 20:6). Now, I say, seeing the milk and honey,
which are the comforts of the church and her treasure, is called 'The glory of all
lands,' I take glory and honour in this place to signify the same thing also (Cant
4:11).
Third. Because also I find, by comparing the prophets, that the Christian's glory
and honour lieth mostly, even principally, in heavenly and spiritual things; as in
faith, love, experience of God, of grace, of Christ, and spiritual life. I read that,
at the building of this city, the Jews and Gentiles shall meet together, and that
at that day they shall mutually be partakers of each other's glory. The Gentiles
'shall milk out, and be delighted in the abundance of the glory' of the Jews: and
the glory of the Gentiles shall be again extended unto the Jews like a mighty flowing
stream (Isa 66:10-13). But I say that this glory and honour should consist in outward
things, or that the glory that is merely carnal should be principally here intended,
I confess it grates too near the ground for me to believe or rejoice in it. Alas,
I find that those souls that have not now the tenth part of the spirit and life of
heavenly things that shall then be poured forth; I say, I find that these are trampling
on the world, and disdain the thoughts of being taken with its glory. Wherefore much
less will it be esteemed in that day, when the glory and goodness of God shall in
that manner break forth. Again, can it be imagined that the chief of the glory that
the Gentiles should bring to the Jews after a sixteen hundred years warming in the
bosom of Christ; I say, is it imaginable that the great crop of all they have reaped
should consist in a little outward trumpery? Or if it should, would it be a suitable
medicine in the least to present to the eyes of a broken and wounded people, as the
Jews will be at that day? Or if they glory that the Gentiles at that day shall suck
from the Jews were such as this, would it at all be as life from the dead to them
in a gospel sense.
The church of the Gentiles shall be a wall to the Jews at their return; but such
a wall as will chiefly consist in spiritual and heavenly safeguard, and in outward,
because of that (Rom 11:13-15). I am a wall, saith she, and my breasts are towers,
on which the Jews will build upon her a palace of silver (Cant 8:8-10). But must
this wall, I say, consist chiefly in outward glory, in the glory of earthly things?
or must this silver palace be of that nature either? No verily, but when God hath
built the city Jerusalem, and put his church into such a state, that upon all her
glory shall be a defence of heaven, then shall the Jews, by their coming into this
city, build, by their experience, a palace for spiritual and heavenly pleasure, to
solace and comfort their brethren withal. In a word, then, by glory and honour in
this place, we are chiefly to understand the spiritual and heavenly things of this
city, which, in the times of the reign of Antichrist, have lain, some among the potsherds
of the earth, some again under the stairs, some under this abuse, and some under
that (Psa 61:3; Cant 2:14). All which shall be brought by the souls that shall be
converted, forthwith to this city, the church, where will be the treasury of God,
into which every one at that day shall throw in of their abundance; but as for the
glory of the world, the saints shall be above it, it shall be with them as silver
and wood was in the days of Solomon, even as little worth as the stones in the street
in their account (Isa 27:13; 1 Kings 10:21).
[None but visible saints shall enter.]
Ver. 27. 'And there shall in nowise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither
whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the
Lamb's book of life.'
I am not yet convinced that the highest church-state that ever was, or ever will
be in this world, could possibly be so, all of them, the elect of God, but that there
would get in among them some that had not saving grace; the same also I believe touching
the state of this Jerusalem. But yet this I do believe again, that the right and
gospel-pattern is, that none be admitted into church communion but such who are visible
saints by calling (1 Cor 1:1; 2 Cor 1:1; Eph 1:12; Phil 1:1). The substance of which
these words import, 'There shall not enter into it any thing that DEFILETH, or that
worketh abomination, or that maketh a lie.' Which words do principally strike at
a people that appear to be loose, wicked, or ungodly; of which sort indeed, not one
shall here at any time, no, not in any wise, be admitted entrance. For now shall
all the forms, and all the ordinances, and all the forms of the goings out of the
church of God, and the comings into it, be so exactly opened to these people, and
they so punctual and distinct in the observation of them, that it will not be possible
that a Canaanite should be here for ever again found any more (Eze 43:10,11; 44:6,8).
'This is the law of the house upon the top of the mountain—the whole limit thereof
shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house' (Eze 43:12; Joel 3:17;
Zech 14:21).
And as there shall at this day be none admitted here, but such as are in truth visible
saints, so none must here continue, but they that continue such. If any of those
stones that are put in for building into the house of God, shall afterwards have
the plague found on them, then the priest shall command that such stones be taken
away and cast into the unclean place that is without the city (Lev 14:40). And observe
it, that congregation on earth that admits only of such persons as are visible saints
by calling and profession—though possibly some of them, as in the case of Judas and
Demas, may be known to God to be non- elect—yet that church is holy round about the
limits thereof (Num 19:22; Eph 5:11; Heb 12:15; 2 Thess 3:6,14; 1 Cor 5:6,11-13).
Provided, also, that if at any time after that the plague appears, they ordinarily
proceed to deal with them, as here things will be done to a tittle and a hair's breadth.
Now the reason why the church may be said to have some within her that are non-elect,
and yet be counted holy still, it is because the church is to judge of persons by
their words and lives; they know not the heart absolutely, and therefore if in word
and life a man be as he ought, he is to be accounted a visible saint, and orderly
ought to be received of the church as such. So that I say, as I said before, these
words of barring out sinners out of the church, they are not to be understood as
if they intended that those should be debarred visible communion that in word and
life appeared visible saints, that are so judged by the rules of Christ's testament;
but that such should be from it shut out that appeared visible sinners. Those that
are defilers, workers of abomination, and makers of lies, none of these shall enter.
But 'they which are written in the Lamb's book of life.' These words explain the
matter: those, and those only, shall enter here, that are found written in the Lamb's
book of life. Now, by book of life we are to understand two things in the Scriptures
of truth. First, either the book of God's eternal grace and mercy through Christ,
in which all the elect are recorded for ever. Or, Secondly, that book of life in
which the Lord Jesus hath all recorded that are visible saints by calling; for, for
both these there is a book of life. For the first of these, I judge these Scriptures
do suit (Luke 10:20; 2 Tim 2:19; Phil 4:3). And for the second, these with that in
the text (Exo 32:32,33; Rev 22:19).
Now the book of life in this place must not be so strictly taken as if it included
those only that were elect of God to eternal life, but must be understood of that
book wherein are recorded the rules and bounds of visible church- communion; and
so all those that, through the gifts and operations of special or common grace, do
fall within the compass of those rules and bounds. Thus it was in the type at the
return out of captivity, none were to be admitted entrance into the church but those
that could show their privileges by genealogy and the records of the church; and
to others it was said that they had neither portion, nor lot, nor memorial, in Jerusalem
(Ezra 2:62,63; Neh 7:64,65; 2:20).
Now that by book of life in this place we are to understand that book that hath in
it the bounds and liberties of this city, and so every one that falleth within the
compass of these bounds and privileges visibly; consider,
First. They that are visible matter for visible church- communion, they shall be
found within this city, and yet there shall not enter any, but those that are written
in the Lamb's book of life.
Second. Now visible church-communion doth not absolutely call for only invisible
saints, neither can it; for if the church were to join with none but those whom they
knew to be the very elect of God—as all invisible saints are—then she must join with
none at all; for it is not possible that any church should be so infallible to judge
in that manner of the elect, as to discern them always, and altogether, from the
non-elect, which cannot be an invisible saint.
Third. By book of life therefore, in this place, we are to understand, I say, that
book that hath written in it every visible saint, whether they be elect or not; and
so such a book that is capable of receiving in a man at one time, and of blotting
of him out again, as occasion doth require, at another. Which thing is only applicable
to that book which binds and looses on the account of a man's being a visible saint
or a visible apostate. Which thing is only applicable to the visible rules of receiving
or shutting out of visible church-communion; which rules being the rules of Christ's
New Testament, it is proper to call it the book of life; and is about the matter
of going in or going out of this very city so
called. 'If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy,
God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and
from the things which are written in this book' (Rev 22:18,19). O how happy is he
who is not only a visible, but also an invisible saint! (Rev 3:5). He, he shall not
be blotted out the book of God's eternal grace and mercy, when others are liable
to loose a share, not only in heaven, but to be for ever blotted out of the book
that approveth of visible believers also.
Fourth. But again, to explain the matter yet more: in the visible church there are
not only sons, but servants—that is, ,not only those that are truly elect, but such
as have received a gift for the perfecting of the church under Christ, in his service
here in this world (Eze 46:16,17). Now, I say, the servant for the time present hath
his place in the church as well as the son, though not the place of a son, but of
a servant, even a place of service, as of preaching, prophesying, administering the
ordinances that are given to the church, and the like (1 Cor 12:7; Eph 4:11,12).
All which a man that hath not grace may do, and that by the appointment of Christ;
thus was Judas, Demas, Hymeneus, Phyletus, and others, who sometimes were the servants
of Christ in the church, and did minister for him to them; yet themselves, notwithstanding,
such as were all that time strangers and aliens to the life and power and saving
operations of the justifying and preserving grace of the gospel (1 Cor 13:1-4; Matt
25:14-18). As he saith also by the prophet Isaiah, 'strangers shall stand and feed
your flocks, and the sons of aliens shall be your ploughmen, and your vine-dressers'
(Isa 61:5). For verily Christ will give to those that have not his saving grace,
yet great knowledge and understanding in the mysteries of the kingdom of God, and
will also make them for profit and advantage in his church, to feed their flocks,
to plough up the fallow ground of their hearts, and to dress their tender vines.
Yet, I say, they themselves shall not be everlastingly saved, for they want his saving
grace. As Christ saith, 'The servant abideth not in the house for ever, but the son
abideth for ever' (John 8:35). As he saith again in another prophet, 'If the prince
give a gift unto any of his sons, the inheritance thereof shall be his sons, it shall
be their possession by inheritance; but if he give a gift of inheritance to one of
his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty, after it shall return
to the prince; but his inheritance shall be his sons for them' (Eze 46:16,17). Some
indeed have grace as well as gifts; now they that are such the profit of their gifts
shall be rewarded by virtue of their grace; but as for them that have only a gift,
when the work of a gift is done, then they cease to be any longer of use in the church,
and therefore are forthwith shut out of the same, but the son abideth for ever. Thus
you see that as visible church- communion doth not absolutely call for the elect
only, but admits, and that by the book of rules, all that are visible and open saints
by calling, so also the Lord Jesus himself doth, and will use some in his church
as his officers and servants, that yet in a strict sense are neither his sons nor
members, who yet are within the bounds of that book of life that here he speaks of,
as is evident, because with Christ's allowance they are admitted into communion with
his church, and by him also furnished with gifts and abilities to profit and edify
withal. Now observe, such a one is admitted, though but a servant, yet not by the
church, because but such a one. The church receiveth no man upon the account of gifts
alone, but upon the account of the appearance of grace, as of gospel-repentance,
of the confession of faith, and of a conversation suitable to the same; all which
a man that is not elect may have the notion of, yea, the power, though not the saving
power (Heb 6:4,5).
Fifth. Further, this which I have said about the visible church-communion, and so
consequently about the book of life, it must needs be a gospel-truth: yea, a thing
for truth in this New Jerusalem: because, besides what hath been said, there will
be found in this city, even at the coming of the Lord Jesus, which coming of his
will not be for some time after the building and setting of it up, I say, there will
be then found among them foolish virgins, and such who have not the saving grace
of God in their souls. But yet, 1. These very souls shall be counted by the church,
yea, by Christ himself, for virgins; that is, such as had not defiled their profession.
2. And will be such virgins as have, and hold every one her lamp, even as the wise
themselves. 3. Such virgins as were, every one of them gone forth from the pollutions
of this evil world. 4. And so such as continued visible saints, even till the bridegroom
came (Matt 25:1- 10). For then, it is said in the margin, they cried, Our lamps are
going out. These, I say, be those gifted people that will have place in the church,
and so place in the book of life here mentioned, which yet will, though they continue
hid from the church, be discovered in the day of the Lord to be such as had only
a gift, but not grace, and shall for their secret sins be cut off and cast away,
notwithstanding they were visible saints all their days.
To conclude then: If the Scripture saith, that none that defileth, or that worketh
abomination, or maketh a lie, shall enter into his holy city which yet is but the
church on earth, with what face can defilers think and say they shall possess a part
among the church which is in heaven? Again, If many that have received gifts from
God, and that may be serviceable in his house, shall yet be put out of doors at the
coming of the Lord, what will they do that have been and yet continue both giftless
and graceless, as visibly as the light that shineth? And that instead of being the
ploughmen and vine-dressers of the church, prove thieves, robbers, persecutors, and
the like! Yea, if many that are within the bounds of that book of life that hath
the records and rules of a rightly constituted visible church may yet perish, what
will become of them that never were so much as written therein? Must they not perish
rather? 'And whosoever was not found written in the book of life, was cast into the
lake of fire' (Rev 20:15).
Rev. 22:1.—'And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding
out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.'
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