William Morris - "The Pilgrims of Hope"

Anthony Trollope - "John Bull on the Guadalquivir from Tales from all Countries"

(A.E.) George William Russell - "Imaginations and Reveries"

Gustave Droz - "Monsieur, Madame and Bebe, v1"

New Philadelphia Book Publisher Highlights Local Talent
Book and Publishing News from Publishers Newswire(tm)

Looking for Child to be on Cover of a New Book, 'The Model Child'
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. -- The Philadelphia literary world will celebrate the launch of two new players today, April 10th: Kay Square Press, a new publishing company focused on Philadelphia-area artists, their stories, and their art; and Kay Square's first release, 'With the Rich and Mighty: Emlen Etting of Philadelphia' (ISBN: 978-0-9815129-0-7), a critical biography by Kenneth C. Kaleta.

FlatSigned Press Alleges Don Imus Remarks Damage Legacy of President Gerald R. Ford
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Books: The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3

J >> John Bunyan >> The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3




JOHN BUNYAN



FOOTNOTES:

1. Solomon Jarchi. See Allen's Modern Judaism, p. 275.

2. By 'idol' is here meant human wisdom and school learning, which
the men of this world adore, and laugh in conceit at the attempt
of one who did not possess it to expound the mysteries of the
Revelations-forgetting that they can only be spiritually discerned.-Ed.

3. Where the Bible and uninspired authors agree, believe the truth
simply for the Bible's sake. How properly jealous was Bunyan as
to the supremacy of God's authority.-Ed.

4. See Isaiah 36:16. The fountain of living waters, and not the
broken cisterns alluded to in Jeremiah 2:13.-Ed.

5. Commentators differ as to the meaning of 'put the branch to the
nose,' Ezekiel 8:17, but all agree it was some well known mode of
expressing contempt for God and his worship.-Ed.



THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM

By John Bunyan

Revelation 21:10-27; 22:1-4 "And he carried me away in the spirit
to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the
holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, Having the
glory of God: and her light was like unto a stone most precious,
even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal: And had a wall great
and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels
and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes
of the children of Israel. On the east three gates, on the north
three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates.
And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the
names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with
me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof
and the wall thereof. And the city lieth four-square, and the
length is as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with
the reed, twelve thousand furlongs: the length and the breadth and
the height of it are equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an
hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a
man, that is of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was
of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And
the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all
manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the
second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite;
the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus;
the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. And the twelve
gates were twelve pearls, every several gate was of one pearl;
and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent
glass. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty,
and the Lamb, are the temple of it. And the city had no need of
the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it: for the glory of God
did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 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. And
the gates of it shall not be shut at all day by day: for there
shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour
of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise 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. 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. In
the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river,
was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits,
and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were
for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse:
but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his
servants shall serve him. And they shall see his face, and his
name shall be in their foreheads."


In my dealing with this mystery, I shall not meddle where I see
nothing, neither shall I hide from you that which at present I
conceive to be wrapt up therein; only you must not from me look
for much enlargement, though I shall endeavour to speak as much
in few words, as my understanding and capacity will enable me,
through the help of Christ.

In this description of this holy city, you have these five general
heads:

FIRST, The vision of this city in general. SECOND, A discovery of
its defence, entrances, and fashion, in particular. THIRD, A relation
of the glory of each. FOURTH, A discovery of its inhabitants, their
quality and numerousness. FIFTH, A relation of its maintenance,
by which it continueth in life, ease, peace, tranquility, and
sweetness for ever. To all which I shall speak something in their
proper places, and shall open them before you.

But before I begin with any of them, I must speak a word or two
concerning John's qualification, whereby he was enabled to behold
and take a view of this city; which qualification he relateth in
these words following:

Verse 10. And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and
high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem,
descending out of heaven from God.

The angel being to show this holy man this great and glorious
vision, he first, by qualifying of him, puts him into a suitable
capacity to behold and take the view thereof; 'He carried me away
in the spirit.' When he saith, He carried me away in the Spirit,
he means he was taken up into the Spirit, his soul was greatly
spiritualized. Whence take notice, that an ordinary frame of spirit
is not able to comprehend, nor yet to apprehend extraordinary
things. Much of the Spirit discerneth much of God's matters; but
little of the Spirit discerneth but little of them: 'I could not
speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto
babes in Christ; I have fed you with milk, and not with meat; for
hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able'
(1 Cor 3:2).

'And he carried me away in the spirit,' &c. Thus it was with the
saints of old, when God had either special work for them to do,
or great things for them to see. Ezekiel, when he had the vision
of this city in the old law, in the captivity at Babylon, he must
be first forefitted with a competent measure of the Spirit (Eze
40:2). John also, when he had the whole matter of this prophecy
revealed unto him, he must be in the Spirit; 'I was (saith he) in
the Spirit on the Lord's day, and heard behind me a great voice,
as of a trumpet' talking with me, &c (Rev 1:10,11). Whence note
again, that when God calls a man to this or that work for him,
he first fits him with a suitable spirit. Ezekiel saith, when God
bid him stand upon his feet, that the Spirit entered into him, and
set him upon his feet (Eze 2:1,2).

'And he carried me away,' &c. Mark, And he carried me [away] &c.
As a man must have much of the Spirit that sees much of God, and
his goodly matters; so he must be also carried away with it; he
must by it be taken off from things carnal and earthly, and taken
up into the glory of things that are spiritual and heavenly. The
Spirit loveth to do what it doth in private; that man to whom God
intendeth to reveal great things, he takes him aside from the lumber
and cumber of this world, and carrieth him away in the solace and
contemplation of the things of another world; 'And when they were
alone, he expounded all things to his disciples' (Mark 4:34).
Mark, and when they were ALONE; according to that of the prophet,
'Whom shall he teach knowledge, and whom shall he make to understand
doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the
breasts' (Isa 28:9). Whence observe also, he is the man that is
like to know most of God, that is oftenest in private with him
(Luke 2:25-38). He that obeyeth when God saith, Come up hither,
he shall see the bride, the Lamb's wife. For 'through desire a
man having separated himself, seeketh and intermeddleth with all
wisdom' (Pro 18:1).

'And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain.'
Thus having showed his frame, and inward disposition of spirit,
he now comes to tell us also of the place or stage on which he was
set; to the end that now being fitted by illumination, he might
not be hindered of his vision by ought that might intercept. He
carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain. Thus
did God of old also; for when he showed to Moses the patterns of
the heavenly things, he must ascend to the Mount Sinai (Exo 19:3).
He must into the mount also, when he hath the view of the Holy
Land, and of that goodly mountain Lebanon (Deu 32:49). Whence we may
learn that the things of God are far from man, as he is natural;
and also that there are very great things between us and the
sight of them: none can see them but such as are carried away in
the Spirit and set on high.

'...To a great and high mountain.' This mountain therefore signifieth
the Lord Christ, on which the soul must be placed, as on a mighty
hill, whereby he may be able his eyes being anointed with spiritual
eye salve, to see over the tops of those mighty corruptions,
temptations, and spiritual enemies, that like high and mighty towers
are built by the wicked one, to keep the view of God's things from
the sight of our souls (2 Cor 10:5,6). Wherefore Christ is called
the Mountain of the Lord's house, or that on which the house of
God is placed; he is also called the Rock of ages, and the Rock
that is higher than we. 'The hill of God is' an high hill, as
Bashan; 'an high hill, as the hill of Bashan' (Psa 68:15). This
is the hill from whence the prophet Ezekiel had the vision of this
city (Eze 40:2); 'And upon this rock [saith Christ] I will build
my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it'
(Matt 16:18).

[FIRST. The Vision of the Holy City in General.]

'And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain,
and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem.' Having thus
told us how, and with what he was qualified, he next makes relation
of what he saw, which was that great city, the holy Jerusalem.

Jerusalem, in the language of the Scripture, is to be acknowledged
for the church and spouse of the Lord Jesus; and is to be considered
either generally or more particularly. Now as she is to be taken
generally, so she is to be understood as being 'the whole family
in heaven and earth,' (Eph 3:15); and as she is thus looked upon,
so she is not considered with respect to this or that state and
condition of the church here in the world, but simply as she is the
church: therefore it is said, when at any time any are converted
from Satan to God, that they 'are come unto Mount Zion, and unto
the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem; and to an
innumerable company of angels; to the general assembly and church
of the first-born which are written in heaven; to God the judge of
all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Jesus,--and
to the blood of sprinkling' (Heb 12:22,24).

But again, as Jerusalem is thus generally to be understood, so
also she is to be considered more particularly: 1. Either as she
relates to her first and purest state; or, 2. As she relates to
her declined and captivated state; or, 3. With reference to her
being recovered again from her apostatized and captivated condition.
Thus it was with Jerusalem in the letter; which threefold state of
this city shall be most exactly answered by our gospel Jerusalem,
by our New Testament church. Her first state was in the days of
Christ and his apostles, and answereth to Jerusalem in the days
of Solomon; her second state is in the days of antichrist, and
answereth to the carrying away of the Jews from their city into
Babylon; and her third state is this in the text, and answereth to
their return from captivity, and rebuilding their city and walls
again: all which will be fully manifest in this discourse following.

[This city is the gospel church returning out of antichristian
captivity.]

Besides, that this holy city that here you read of is the church,
the gospel church, returning out of her long and antichristian
captivity; consider,

First, She is here called a city, the very name that our primitive
church went under (Eph 2:19); which name she loseth all the while
of her apostatizing and captivity under antichrist; for observe,
I say, all the while she is under the scourge of the dragon, beast,
and the woman in scarlet, &c. (Rev 13), she goeth under the name
of a woman, a woman in travail, a woman flying before the dragon,
a woman flying into the wilderness, there to continue in an afflicted
and tempted condition, and to be glad of wilderness nourishment,
until the time of her enemies were come to an end (Rev 12).

Now the reason why she lost the title of city at her going into
captivity is, because then she lost her situation and strength;
she followed others than Christ, wherefore he suffered her enemies
to scale her walls, to break down her battlements; he suffered,
as you see here, the great red dragon, and beast with seven heads
and ten horns, to get into her vineyard, who made most fearful work
both with her and all her friends; her gates also were now either
broken down or shut up, so that none could, according to her laws
and statutes, enter into her; her charter also, even the Bible
itself, was most grossly abused and corrupted, yea, sometimes
burned and destroyed almost utterly; wherefore the Spirit of God
doth take away from her the title of city, and leaveth her to be
termed a wandering woman, as aforesaid. 'The court which is without
the temple [saith the angel] leave out, and measure it not, for
it is given unto the Gentiles; and the holy city shall they tread
under foot forty and two months' (Rev 11:2). 'The holy city shall
they tread under foot'; that is, all the city constitutions, her
forts and strength, her laws and privileges for a long time, shall
be laid aside and slighted, shall become a hissing, a taunt, and
a byword among the nations. And truly thus it was in the letter,
in the destruction of Jerusalem by the king of Babylon and his
wicked instruments, by whose hands the city was broken up, the
walls pulled down, the gates burned, the houses rifled, the virgins
ravished, and the children laid dead in the top of every street
(2 Chron 36:17-21; Jer 52; Lam 1; 2; 3; 4). Now was Zion become a
ploughed field, and Jerusalem turned to heaps; a place of briars
and thorns, and of wasteness and desolation (Micah 3:12; Isa
7:23,24).

Second, The phrase also that is joined with this of city doth much
concern the point; she is here called 'the new and holy city,'
which words are explained by these, 'prepared as a bride and
adorned for her husband.' The meaning is, that she is now got into
her form, fashion, order, and privileges again; she is now ready,
adorned, prepared, and put into her primitive state; mark, though
she was in her state of affliction called a woman, yet she was not
then either called a city or a woman adorned; but rather a woman
robbed and spoiled, rent and torn among the briars and thorns of
the wilderness (Isa 5:6; 42:22; 32:13,14). Wherefore this city is
nothing else but the church returned out of captivity from under
the reign of antichrist, as is yet farther manifest, because,

Third. We find no city to answer that which was built after the
Jews' return from captivity but this; for this, and only this, is
the city that you find in this prophecy that is nominated as the
antitype of that second of the Jews; wherefore John hath no relation
of her while towards the doom of antichrist, and no description of
her in particular until antichrist is utterly overthrown; as all
may see that wisely read (Rev 17-20).

[Why the church is called a city.]

'And showed me that great city.' The Holy Ghost is pleased at
this time to give the church the name of a city, rather than any
other name, rather than the name of spouse, woman, temple, and
the like-though he giveth us her under the name of a woman also,
to help us to understand what he means; but, I say, the name of a
city is now the name in special, under which the church must go,
and that for special reasons.

First. To show us how great and numerous a people will then be in
the church; the church may be a woman, a temple, a spouse, when
she is but few, a handful, but two or three; but to be a city, and
that in her glory, it bespeaks great store of members, inhabitants,
and citizens; especially when she goeth under the name of a great
city, as here she does. He 'showed me that great city.'

Second. She goeth rather under the name of a city, than temple or
spouse, to show us also how plentifully the nations and kingdoms
of men shall at that day traffic with her, and in her, for her
goodly merchandize of grace and life; to show us, I say, what
wonderful custom the church of God at this day shall have among
all sorts of people, for her heavenly treasures. It is said of Tyrus
and Babylon, that their merchandize went unto all the world, and
men from all quarters under heaven came to trade and to deal with
them for their wares (Eze 27; Rev 18:2,3). Why thus it will be
in the latter day with the church of God; the nations shall come
from far, from Tarshish, Pul, Lud, Tubal, Javan, and the isles
afar off. They shall come, saith God, out of all nations upon horses
and mules, and upon swift beasts, to my holy mountain Jerusalem.
'And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another,
and from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship
before me, saith the Lord' (Isa 66:19-23). Alas, the church at that
day when she is a woman only, or a temple either, may be without
that beauty, treasure, amiableness, and affecting glory that she
will be endowed with when she is a prosperous city. His marvellous
kindness is seen 'in a strong city' (Psa 31:21). In cities, you
know, are the treasures, beauty, and glory of kingdoms; and it is
thither men go that are desirous to solace themselves therewith.
'Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God hath shined' (Psa
50:2).

Third. It is called a city, rather than a woman or temple, to show
us how strongly and securely it will keep its inhabitants at that
day. 'In that day shall this song be sung,--We have a strong city,
salvation will God appoint for walls and bulwarks' (Isa 26:1). And
verily if the cities of the Gentiles, and the strength of their
bars, and gates, and walls did so shake the hearts, yea, the very
faith of the children of God themselves, how secure and safe will
the inhabitants of this city be, even the inhabitants of that city
which God himself will build,' &c. (Deu 9:1,2; Num 13:28).

Fourth. But lastly, and more especially, the church is called here
a city, chiefly to show us that now she shall be undermost no
longer. Babylon reigned, and so shall Jerusalem at that day. 'And
thou, O tower of the flock, the stronghold of the daughter of
Zion, unto thee shall it come, even the first dominion, the kingdom
shall come to the daughter of Jerusalem' (Micah 4:8). Now shall
she, when she is built and complete, have a complete conquest and
victory over all her enemies; she shall reign over them; the law
shall go forth of her that rules them, and the governors of all
the world at that day shall be Jerusalem men. 'And the captivity
of this host of the children of Israel shall possess that of the
Canaanites, even unto Zarephath; and the captivity of Jerusalem
which is in Sepharad shall possess the cities of the south. And
saviours shall come up on mount Zion, to judge the mount of Esau,
and the kingdom shall be the Lord's' (Obad 20,21).[1] 'For the law
shall go forth of Zion, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.--And
he shall judge among many people, and rebuke strong nations afar
off, and they shall beat their swords into plough-shares, and
their spears into pruning-hooks: nation shall not lift up a sword
against nation, neither shall they learn war any more' (Micah
4:1-3). There brake he 'the ships of Tarshish with an east wind. As
we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts,
in the city of our God; God will establish it for ever' (Psa
48:1-8). For observe it, Christ hath not only obtained the kingdom
of heaven for those that are his, when this world is ended, but
hath also, as a reward for his sufferings, the whole world given
into his hand; wherefore, as all the kings, and princes, and
powers of this world have had their time to reign, and have glory
in this world in the face of all, so Christ will have his time at
this day, to show who is 'the only Potentate--and Lord of lords'
(1 Tim 6:15). At which day he will not only set up his kingdom in
the midst of their kingdoms, as he doth now, but will set it up
even upon the top of their kingdoms; at which day there will not
be a nation in the world but must bend to Jerusalem or perish
(Isa 60:12). For '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 his dominion shall be from sea to sea, and from the river
to the ends of the earth' (Zech 9:10). O holiness, how shall it
shine in kings and nations, when God doth this!

[This city descends out of heaven from God.]

'He showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out
of heaven from God.' In these words we are to inquire into three
things. First. What he here should mean by heaven. Second. What
it is for this city to descend out of it. Third. And why she is
said to descend out of it from God.

First. For the word heaven, in Scripture it is variously to be
understood, but generally either materially or metaphorically; now
not materially here, but metaphorically; and so is generally, if
not always, taken in this book.

Now that it is not to be taken for the material heavens where Christ
in person is, consider, that the descending of this city is not
the coming of glorified saints with their Lord; because that even
after the descending, yea and building of this city, there shall
be sinners converted to God; but at the coming of the Lord Jesus
from heaven with his saints, the door shall be shut; that is, the
door of grace, against all unbelievers (Luke 13:25; Matt 25:10).

Therefore heaven here is to be taken metaphorically, for the church;
which, as I said before, is frequently so taken in this prophecy,
as also in many others of the holy scriptures (Rev 11:15;
12:1-3,7,8,10,13; 13:6; 19:1,14; Jer 51:48; Matt 25:1, &c.).
And observe it, though the church of Christ under the tyranny of
antichrist, loseth the title of a standing city, yet in the worst
of times she loseth not the title of heaven. She is heaven when
the great red dragon is in her, and heaven when the third part
of her stars are cast unto the earth; she is heaven also when the
beast doth open his throat against her, to blaspheme her God, his
tabernacle, and those that dwell in her.

Second. Now, then, to show you what we are to understand by this,
that she is said to descend out of heaven; for indeed to speak
properly, Jerusalem is always in the Scriptures set in the highest
ground, and men are said to descend, when they go down from her,
but to ascend, or go up when they are going thitherwards (Eze 3:1;
Neh 12:1; Matt 20:17,18; Luke 19:28; 10:30). But yet though this
be true, there must also be something significant in this word
descending; wherefore when he saith, he saw this city to descend
out of heaven, he would have us understand,

1. That though the church under antichrist be never so low, yet out
of her loins shall they come that yet shall be a reigning city
(Heb 7:6,13,14). Generation is a descending from the loins of
our friends; he therefore speaks of the generation of the church.
Wherefore the meaning is, That out of the church that is now in
captivity, there shall come a complete city, so exact in all things,
according to the laws and liberties, privileges and riches of a
city, that she shall lie level with the great charter of heaven.
Thus it was in the type, the city after the captivity was builded,
even by those that once were in captivity, especially by their seed
and offspring (Isa 45); and thus it shall be in our New Testament
New Jerusalem; 'They that shall be of thee,' saith the prophet, that
is, of the church of affliction, they 'shall build the old waste
places; thou shalt raise up the foundations of many generations;
and thou shalt be called, The repairer of the breach, The restorer
of paths to dwell in' (Isa 58:12); and again, they that sometimes
had ashes for gladness, and the spirit of heaviness instead of
the garment of praise, 'they shall build the old wastes, they shall
raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste
cities, the desolations of many generations; for your shame ye
shall have double, and for confusion they shall rejoice in their
portion,' &c. (Isa 61:3,4,7). Thus therefore by descending we may
understand that the church's generation shall be this holy city,
and shall build up themselves the tower of the flock (Micah 4:8).