A30152:378
The holy city, or, The new-Jerusalem wherein its goodly light walls, gates, angels, and…The holy citie, or, The new-Jerusalem wherein its goodly light walls, gates, angels, and…
The holy city, or, The new-Jerusalem wherein its goodly light walls, gates, angels, and the manner of their standing, are expounded : also, her length and breadth, together with the golden measuring-reed, explained, and the glory of all unfolded : as also, the numerousness of its inhabitants, and what the tree and water of life are, by which they are sustained / by John Bunyan ...The holy citie, or, The new-Jerusalem wherein its goodly light walls, gates, angels, and the manner of their standing, are expounded : also, her length and breadth, together with the golden measuring-reed, explained, and the glory of all unfolded : as also, the numerousness of its inhabitants, and what the tree and water of life are, by which they are sustained / by John Bunyan ...
London: printed for Francis Smith, 1669
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
Now, I say, the holy Ghost is pleased to bring in here the shining Virtues of the Church, under the notion of a shining Moon; because as the Church her self is compared to the Moon, so her Virtues are as naturally compared to a shining Light; as Christ saith, Let your light so shine; and again, Let your loins 1be girded, and your lights burning: for indeed, while we are here that Church and Congregation of the Lord doth most shine, and most send forth the golden2 Rays and pleasant Beams of Christianity; that is, most in the exercise of the afore-mentioned Virtues: take away the Moon, and the night is doubtful; or though the Moon be in the Firmament, if she hath lost her light, the night is not thereby made more comfortable: And thus, I say, it is first, with the World, where here there is no Church to shine, or where there is a Church that doth not so shine that others may see and be lighted: for while the day of time ⟨p. 209⟩doth last, even the World it self hath need of the shining of the Church; but at this day, this time will be no longer, because the Day of Eternity will break, and by that means cause the World that now is, even the World of the Ungodly, to cease to have a being here any longer. Therefore now no need of the Moon, or of the light thereof, to shine before that which is not.
Now, I say, the holy Ghost is pleased to bring in here the shining Vertues of the Church, under the notion of a shining Moon; because as the Church her self is compared to the Moon, so her Vertues are as naturally compared to a shining Light; as Christ saith, Let your light so shine; and again, Let your loins 1be girded, and your lights burning: for indeed, while we are here that Church and Congregation of the Lord doth most shine, and most send forth the golden2 Rayes and pleasant Beams of Christianity; that is, most in the exercise of the afore-mentioned Vertues: take away the Moon, and the night is doubtful; or though the Moon be in the Firmament, if she hath lost her light, the night is not thereby made more comfortable: And thus, I say, it is first, with the World, where here there is no Church to shine, or where there is a Church that doth not so shine that others may see and be lighted: for while the day of time