1 mention is made of the names of the twelve tribes of Ifrael ; to be at the twelvegates,ver, f 22. when the Citie is meafured (according to thevifions of old, Ezék. 40.3.) with a reed, ver.16. when God and the Lambe arccalled the Temple of it, verf. zz. and fundry cite like. 4 It will not be denied (I fuppofe) by men of underftandingwhich compotethe Scrip- tures,that thefe laßt vifions of Is hn have reference in many things to the laft vifions of E zekiel. As the gatehéheCitie have their names of the tribes of Ifrael, which there are e effed,oneof Reuben,one of iudah, one of Levi, &c. Ezek. 48. 31, &c. fo the gates of theCitie which Iohn faw, have at them the names of the twelve tribes of the fans of Ifrael, Rev.21.12, There, waters iffue out of Gods houfe, Ezek.47.1. &c. fo here is a pure river o water of life, Rev.z2.1. There,treesgrowby the river, Ezek.47.tz. here , the tree of life, Rev.z2.2. with other things concordant. So that the Rate of the Church there being defcribed from Ifrael, and the poffeffion of the tribes by name, Ezek. 48.yeeldeth ftrong probability of the like allufions here; and confequently of thetwelve precious floues, to to the ftones of the tribes,which are no where named but by Mofesin Exodus. S. And this the rather, becaufe as Aarons ornaments were for glory andbeauty, Exöd. r 28.2. fo thefe ftones are for garni(hment to the foundations of the walls of the Citie; Rev. 21. 19. And the Tabernacle of Mofes was walled(as we may fay)with the twelve Tribes which compafled it in a fquare, Num,z. Now,(Eeing the Saints are compared to precious ftones,Lam.4.1,2,7. t Pet.z.g.unto what company rather than to the 12 tribes; defcribed by the precious f ones in Aarons Ephod,may we think hath the Lord reference in Rev. z t. 6. Againe,feeing the names of the Lambs twelve Apoftles are in the foundations of this wall,Rev,.z t. 1_4, which Apo(tles are anfwerable to the twelve Patriare hs of the tribes,both in number(fo notcdby the Spirit of God,v. rz.14.) and in propagation of the Church fpi: ritually by the Gofpel,r or .4.15. Gal: 4.59 3 ¡oh. v.4. as the Patriarchs werefathersof the ancient Church,both in the flefh, and in the Lord ; and in government, as the other go- verned the Tribes, Pfal .45:16. Matta 9.28.1Cor14.19.21. beïidcs other things Wherein they may be coin pared,it feemeth moft fit,& according to the things both in this Chapter, & whole Book,thatthe precious (ones bywhich thefe twelve foundations are defcribed, Mould beanfwerable to the 12 precious (tones whereon the names of the Patriarchs were graved, Ex.28. for therein noplace_elfein the Scripture whereto they can have reference. 7 Moreover,there is in the Prophets another name of the Adamánt,or Diamond ,called in Hebrew Shamir, which is noted of the Holy Ghoftto be hard,even harder than fknt,Zac.7. 112. Ezek.3.9. and to be ofufe for gravin_g,Ier.17.1. fo that the fpeciall thingswhich mine Oppofite obferveth from Plinie an heathen writer,of the nature of the Adamant, are t1ÿ the teftimony of God found in this-Shamir. And it is tranflatedthe Adamant, by confentofthe moft Interpretersboth old and new,& by the Greeke verfion in Ier.1 7. t . that ifthe voices of learned men may end this controverfie,there be as many or woe for Shamir to be the A. f damant, thancan (I fuppofe) be brought for Iahalom. And the fame Prohet which ufeth Shmir for the Adanrant,when he hath reference to the (tones on the Ephod, retaineth the names in Exodus,& the lahalem among_them,LEzek.3.9. & 28 .13. Wherefore if Shamir be the Hebrew name of the )idamOnt,the (tone Iahalom in Ex. 28, may well be another than it; and if another,where maywe fafer leek it than in Rev.2 r.for the reafons before (hewed? That which is alleaged for the contrary,from the notation of the word Iahalom, & con - f fentof many Interpreters,and the like,hath(I confeffe)probability ; and were it not for the codes abovefhewed, I would thinke it to be the Adamant, though the notation likewife of I Shamir,and agreement of Interpreters, may alto perfwade it to be the Adamant ; and for Plinies teftimony of the Adamants,that they are defired ofengravers,it accordeth to this Sha. mir,as we may learne of the Prophet,ler.17.1. And for the price of the Adamantabove the Sardenix,or anygem,or other humane things,as the fame Plinie reporteth,it wil not(though fo it be)end this queftion ; feeing it is not neceflary to conclude, that God would chufe the t molt precious thing to frgnifie grace in men, which have it but in part ; efpecially,feeing he putreth this (lone not inshe firft,hut in the fix( place ,asthe Iahalomisordered in EX:28.18. Yea,it is plainlyWA-out lit lihood,that -Cod would impart themolt precious thing among 5 the Patriarchs,& take it away from among the Apoftles,(for it is fure, no Adamant is to be found n Rev. 25 )This were to preferre the old Teftament before the New.theIaw before the Gofpei,Mofes before Chri(t,contrary to the Apoftlesdoótrine in 2 Cor. 3. and to make
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