Bern. {"P" C.-utt J~rrn ;a. Rev. 2 1· R~v. 21. 2. ¥Rev 21.f1offi the to vel (c lO 24. Som'C unrler· Ha!ltl this of a glorious C::h111 eh on carch, which mutt be afeeL' the dcflruc · uoa of the whore, bea.l:, dragon, and all cov.ert ancl op~n enc:mys, which new flare will a~ etdl glory come: ; their chief a~gu. m~nt n drawn from ver.>I· 1 fhall not much contradil't the co1umenr ofothers, though as yet lam not fui:y convincei of h. lohn '4· •· tlloUoc. in]oh. cap. 1 ~· .. cajman. ~rd.vO'}p~~. Job.IL 8. ~calJcm) ~apptmf.S'. mull: be underltood of lirm;m, this rcfemblance confirmes ; the firlt Ad-<m finned d– gainrl: God, and was prcfently ea{! out of that Paradifc on earth; the fecond Ad.,. made fatisfaftion for finnc, and fo mull: prcfently enter into this Paradzfc of Heaven bccaufe of the fin of the firJt Ad,•m, both he and nil his polterity were thru{! out of J!_ den; bccaufc of the fuffermgs of the fecond Adam, both he, and we, this Thief, and all Believers arc to g~ mto Heaven: So then this Paradifc whither Chri{! is gone, and this Thief went with hun,what ISO 1!? but as Pa11l calls it, thnh~rd heaven? or as the Thief himfelf fiyled it in h1s prayer to our Saviour, Remember me, where ? m thy 1(, 1 ,gdome. . And if this be it we call Paradifc, what can we fay of it? It is"" for w (faith l>e> – ~~trd) i~1 thefr: earthly bodtts to mfJtmt .into the Clands, tv piera this fnlnejje e-f light, to brc"k mto thu bottomleffi deptb ofglor)';thu is rcfnvcd to the !aft day,wncit Cnr~Jr j1jm jha/1 prt– Jent '" gloYIOitS and P"" ,. lm rather, IVlthom fpot onvnr.kje. And yet becaufe God in his \Vord cloth here give us as a tafte of Heaven, by comparing it with the moa precious things that arc on earth, let us follow him fo iar as he hath revealed it, and no further. in the mtdft of Pttr,tdtfe is t.J 7~ra of Life, Rev. 2. 7· and this Trrc brnn twelve manner offruits, yuldmgher [mu cvcrymoneth, Rev. 22 . 2. \Vhat more pkafant than L tfe· and what !tfe better then where is variety of plcafme? here isame of!tfe, and th~ life rf the tree; aTree rf life that renews l1fe to the eaters, and the life of we tree bear– mgfrwt every moncth; and as many moncths, fo many fruits; fuch are the varieties of Heavens joyes, where youth flourilheth that never waxcth old,. change of. d•~ghts and cho1ce too cntcrcth that never knoweth end. But look we a lJttle tunher: John that calls this place Paradifc, Rev. 2. coils this Paradzfe a City, *Rev. 21. and hereof he gives us the quantity and quality, the bigneffe and beauty: Fir{!, for the greatneffc of it; A 't Angd with a golden Reed meajims it, and he finds the lcnf.th, and the breadth, and the height of u are equal. Secondly, for the beauty of it, The walls ( faith he)are ,f Jafler, and theJotmdatwn of the WaLls garnijhcd wuh all manner of precious ftoneJ ; t~e tlvcl'lle gates arc ofpearls, and the ftreets paved with pHrcg,/d: tbtrc u uo need ofSJJn " Moo~: for the glory ofGod lightens it, and the Lamb (Chrijf Jrjiu) i51he lighe themf. See here the excellency 1 of this City : on which words ro give you a lhort Com– ment. \Vce'l begin firfl: with the Grratnejfe of it; The Angel fets it down twelve thoufand F11rlongs,vcrf. 16. Yet that we may know this certain number is but figuratively taken, you may gueffc at the immeafurablc magnitude oft!)is City, by thofe many Manfiom, fpokel'l of by Chrill:, John 1 +· 2 . In my1'lltherJ houfc are mar~y Mrmjioi!J : How many ? fo many (faith one t) as would fufficc infinitis mJmdis, a thoufand worlds of men ; and though all the men in this one world attain not to it, it is not for wailt ofroom, but of will; They believe not in hzm IVho bath prep red thefc feats for them. And gucffe it you may by that incredible diftance betwixt Heaven and Earth. ~omc All:ronomers compute, that betwixt us only and the fiarry Firmament, there is no lelfe than fcventy four Millions*, feven hundred three thoufand, out hMn~red, eighty miles; and if the Empy– real Heaven (as m'any fay) be two or three Orbs above the Starry firmament, how ma– ny more miles is it then beyond?and the further it .is di{!ant (we all know wdl euou~h) the heavens being Orbw1fe, and one comprehendmganother, that wh1ch IS furthelt or highcft mull needs be the greate{! j hence is it that Scriptures compare the height of hea:en (and confequently the magnitude) to the perfeCtion of God pall: finding out; Canft theu by [carchingfind oJtt God ?----it is aslngh as heavtn, wh~t canjt theu d•? Job. I J. 8. . b ' Secondly, If fuch be the immenfity, whatthink you !s the eauty? It is a moll glon– ous City, whofe \vgl!s arc of Jafper, whofe buddmg IS of gold, whofe ~ates are of pearls, whofe foundation of prcct'OI<S jlon_c'.: and If fuch be the gates and ffrects, wpa; then are the inner rooms? what are the dmmg Chambers? what are the logd10g rooms. 0 how unfpcakable is the glory of this City! Kings fhali throw down their Crowns be· fore it, and aount all their pomp and glory but as dult m compartfon; and well they may: for what is an earthly Kingdome to :his h~aventy Paradife i whe!e IS nmth With– out fadndfe, health without forrow, life without labour, light wtthout darkn~lfe, where every Saint is a King, adorned wiih light as with agarment, and chd 111 the ncnelt robes that God befiowes upon a creature. . . • - But that which more efipecially comm.cnds the beamy of th1s Ctty, is the lullre of it, There
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