THE place is the Heaven of Heavens, 1or the third Heaven called Paradise, whither Christ (in his humane Nature) ascended far•above all visible heavens. The Bridegroom's chamber, 2which by the firmament,3 at by an azured curtain spangled ⟨p. 86⟩with glittering stars and glorious planets, is bid, that we cannot behold it with these corruptible eyes of Flesh. The Holy Ghost (framing himself to our weakness) describes the glory of that place, (which no man can estimate) by such things as are most precious in the estimation of Man. And therefore likeneth it to a great and a holy City, named thea heavenly Jerusalem, where only God and his people (b who are saved and written in the Lamb's book) do inhabit, all built cof pure gold, like unto clear glass, or crystal: the walls of jasper-stone, the foundations of the walls garnished with twelve manner of precious stones, having dtwelve gates each built of one pearl: ethree gates towards each of the four corners of the world, and at each gate a•. fAngel (as so many Porters) that gno unclean thing should enter into it. It is hfour square, therefore perfect: the length, the breadth, and height of it are equal, 12000 furlongs every way; therefore glorious and spacious. Through ithe midst of her streets ever runneth the pure river of the Water of Life, as clear as crystal; therefore wholesome.k And on either side the river is the tree of Life, ever growing; which beareth twelve manner of fruits, and gives fruit every month; therefore fruitful. And the leaves of Tree are health to the Nations: Therefore healthy. There is therefore no place so glorious by Creation, so beautiful with delectation, so rich in possession, so comfortable for ⟨p. 87⟩habitation. For there the King is Christ; the law, is Love; the honour, Verity; the peace, Felicity; the life, Eternity. There is Light, without darkness; Mir•h, without sadness; Health, without sickness; Wealth, without want; Credit, without disgrace; Beauty, without blemish; Ease, without labour; Riches, without rust; Blessedness, without misery; and Consolation that never knows end• How truly may we cry out (with David) of this City,* Glorious things are spoken of thee, O th•• City of God: and yet all these things are spoken but according to the weakness of our capacity For Heaven exceedeth all this in glory, so far, as that† no tongue is able to express, nor heart of man to conceive the glory thereof:
THE place is the Heaven of Heavens, 1or the third Heaven called Paradise, whither Christ (in his humane Nature) ascended far•above all visible heavens. The Bridegromes chamber, 2which by the firmament,3 at by an azured curtain spangled ⟨p. 86⟩with glittering stars and glorious planets, is bid, that we cannot behold it with these corrup•ible eyes of Flesh. The Holy Ghost (framing himself to our weakness) describes the glory of that place, (which no man can estimate) by such things as are most precious in the estimation of Man. And therefore likeneth it to a great and a holy City, named thea heavenly Jerusalem, where only God and his people (b who are saved and written in the Lamb's book) do inhabit, all built cof pure gold, like unto clear glass, or crystal: the walls of jasper-stone, the foundations of the walls garnished with twelve manner of precious stones, having dtwelve gates each built of one pearl: ethree gates towards each of the four corners of the world, and at each gate a•. fAngel (as so many Porters) that gno unclean thing should enter into it. It is hfour square, therefore perfect: the length, the breadth, and heighth of it are equal, 12000 •urlongs every way; therefore glorious and spacious. Through i
- 1[…]〈…〉
- 2Psalm 19. 5.
- 3Mat. 25. 10.
- aRev. 21. 2, &c.
- bVer. 24. •nd 27.
- c• Ver. 18. Ver. 11. Ver. 19, 20.
- dVer. 21.
- eVer. 13.
- fVer. 12.
- gVer. 27.
- hVer. 16.
- iRev. 22. 1.
- kVer. 2.
- *Psal. 87. 3.
- †2 Cor. 12. 4▪
