Alphonse Daudet - "Fromont and Risler, v3"

George Alfred Townsend - "The Life, Crime and Capture of John Wilkes Booth"

Thomas Bulfinch - "Legends of Charlemagne"

Captain Marryat - "The Little Savage"

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
NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Nathan Yungerberg, an accomplished model scout and professional child photographer is launching a nation-wide casting call to find the cover model for his highly anticipated book release, 'The Model Child: A Parents Guide to the Child Modeling Industry' (ISBN: 978-0-9817018-0-6).

Books: The Works of John Bunyan Volume 3

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




Thus much touching the frame of this city, its walls, gates, and
foundations, with the measure of each. And now it remains that I
speak of the glory of them.


[THIRD. A RELATION OF THE GLORY OF THE CITY, ITS WALLS, GATES,
AND FOUNDATIONS.]

Ver. 18. 'And the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and
the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.'

[The glory of the walls.]

In these words you have a discovery of the glory, both of the wall
and city itself; and that, as you see, under the notion of two
choice metaphors. The wall is jasper, the chief of stones; and the
city is gold, the chief of metals. 'And the building of the wall
of it was of jasper, and the city was pure gold.'

This jasper is that stone, in the light of which this city is said
to descend, as in the light of a stone most precious. Now, as
there he saith she descended in the light of this stone, so here
he saith this stone is the wall thereof. 'And the building of the
wall of it was of jasper.'

This therefore confirmeth unto you what I said of the wall before,
to wit, that it was the salvation of God through Christ; wherefore,
learn this by the way, that this city shall not be at this day in
her own keeping, but in the keeping of Jesus Christ. He with his
benefits doth compass her round, and by him alone she lieth down
in safety. Wherefore it is from this consideration that God doth
say by the mouth of the prophet, I will give them within my house,
and within my walls, 'a place and a name better than that of sons
and of daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall
not be cut off' (Isa 56:5).

'And the building of the wall,' &c. By this word building, we are
to understand both the materials of the wall, the manner of their
placing, and the instruments that God will use for the setting up
thereof. Now, to speak properly, this wall being the Lord Jesus
Christ himself in his precious merits, benefits, and offices, the
builder hereof must needs be God himself, for he it is that hath
made this Christ for us a safeguard and defence, by making of him
our wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption, by
which he doth encompass us round on every side, and that at every
moment to deliver us from the power and destruction both of sin,
death, the devil, and hell (1 Cor 1:30; Heb 11:10; 3:4).

But again, the building here spoken of is a building of this wall
after the destruction of Antichrist, and so long after Christ was
sent, and made these things in his own person, to his beloved and
blessed church. Wherefore the building of this wall that is here
spoken of, it must be understood of the recovering again the
purity of those doctrines, in which the Lord Jesus, with all his
benefits, is found and made ours, for our everlasting defence and
safety. For we find that the king of Babylon, who was a type of
our Antichrist, when he came up against Jerusalem, the type of
our primitive church, he brake down their city, destroyed their
walls, rifled their houses, and killed their children; whose steps,
I say, our Antichrist follows to a hair, in treading down the
primitive church, corrupting her doctrines-which are her safeguard
and wall-also robbing and spoiling the houses of God, and killing
his children with a thousand calamities; turning all the heavenly
frame and order of church government into a heap of rubbish, and
a confused dunghill (Psa 74:4-7).

Wherefore the building again of this wall is to be understood of the
recovering, and settling, and fastening the doctrines of Christ,
as afore, in which doctrines he in all his benefits is wrapped
and held fast for ever. I say, a recovering of them, and setting
him up again in his primitive and pure glory, of being our priest,
prophet, and king in his church, and a giving unto these offices
their own proper length, breadth, height, and depth, letting them
rule in all their force, glory, and majesty, and authority, for
then will be golden days, and not till then; then, I say, when
the several offices of the Lord Jesus do rule in their own nature
and largeness of authority, both in the church and in the world
(Zech 9:7,8; 14:9; Rev 11:15).

Alas! this wall is yet unbuilt, the offices of the Lord Jesus do
not yet shine in that purity, nor so stand in their proper places
as they shall do at the coming in of New Jerusalem. The wall lies
yet but as a heap of rubbish; the offices of the Lord Christ are
to this day by many preachers confounded, and removed to and fro,
even like loose and rolling stones. These offices, also, are by
others attributed to Antichrist, and his children of iniquity; but
at this day the nations shall know themselves to be but men, and
the doctrines of Christ shall be set again in their own places
(Eze 28:2,3; 2 Thess 2:4). Now shall every going into this city,
and every going out thereof, stand where it ought; and now shall
every tower and fortress on this wall be placed as in the days
of old; which towers and fortresses are the glorious names and
attributes of the Father and Christ; for the name of the Lord
is a strong tower, the righteous flee into it, and are safe. And
again, thou hast been a shelter to me, and a strong tower from
the enemy. Wherefore now, I say, shall the name of God, as Lord
of all, and Father of his church, with the names of the Son, as
Head, Saviour, and King of kings, be as the bulwarks to this city
(Cant 1:10), to which shall be added all the promises, consolations,
encouragements, &c., in the blessed book of God, out of which
this city continually shall suck the milk and nourishment of the
unsearchable grace of God to them (1 Peter 2:1,2). To all which
shall be added many new pieces of timber in the wall, for so it
was in the type at the rebuilding of the city (Neh 2:8). By which
new pieces I gather, that the special providence of God, and his
protection, shall be at this day so fastened in this wall for the
complete delivering of this city, both from hell and earth, that
she shall stand in full force, safety, and peace, even till the
heavens and the earth shall be no more. Now, when this wall is
thus set up, even every truth and office of Christ in its own true
natural force, about this city, and when God, in his special and
most endeared affections, shall engage himself, even everlastingly,
to keep this city safe from all storms and tempests, and trouble,
and sorrow, then shall these citizens, as a sign of their conquest
both of hell and the world, even set up their banners on the several
towers of this wall, and the standards that belong to the tribes
thereof; then, I say, 'we will rejoice in thy salvation,' O Lord,
'and in the name of our God will we set up our banners' (Psa
20:5). And then shall the inhabitants of the world both wondering
and tremblingly say, 'Who is she that looketh forth as the morning,
fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with
banners?' (Cant 6:10). O the names of God, of Christ, of his
offices, and the power of his grace and promises! How will they
shine? In what glory will they appear? They will be even as a
wall of fire round about Jerusalem; and will not be, as now, in the
mind and thought of the people as the white of an egg in the mouth,
without taste; but shall be, and appear in their own brightness,
sweetness, and grace. 'For how great is his goodness, and how
great is his beauty? corn shall make the young men cheerful, and
new wine the maids' (Zech 9:10). 'In that day thou shalt say,
O Lord, I will praise thee; though thou wast angry with me, thine
anger is turned away, and thou comfortest me. Behold, God is my
salvation; I will trust and not be afraid; for the Lord JEHOVAH
is my strength, and my song, he also is become my salvation' (Isa
12:1,2).

For the workman, I am sure, God is the principal, as I said before;
but yet he will do it by instruments, through the guidance of
his Spirit. The building of the wall of old was of God; but so as
that he did it by the hand of Nehemiah and his companions. I do
observe, in the completing of the city of Jerusalem of old, that
there was first altar-work, then temple-work, and after that the
building of the wall and completing the city. Altar-work, I say,
was the first which was reared, and on which there were offered,
according to the law and holy custom, the sacrifices and offerings
both morning and evening, as every day required. 'But the foundation
of the temple of the Lord was not yet laid' (Ezra 3:1-6). These
altar-men were those also that afterward built the temple; but yet
by them was first of all repaired the altar, to signify that the
first work that will be on foot at the beginning of the return
of the Christians from out of Antichristian Babylon, it will be
to find out altar-work, that is, the priestly office of Christ,
and to offer by him the prayers and supplications of the church
continually (Acts 19:9). Wherefore these altar-men, or these men
in their altar-work, did figure out for us our famous and holy
worthies, that before us have risen up in their place, and shook
off those relics of Antichrist that entrenched upon the priestly
office of our Lord and Saviour, even worthy Wickliff, Huss, Luther,
Melancthon, Calvin, and the blessed martyrs in Queen Mary's days,
&c., with the rest of their companions. These, in their days, were
stout and valiant champions for God according to their light, and
did upon the altar of God, which is Christ our Lord, offer up
many strong cries, with groans and tears, as every day required,
for the complete recovering of the church of God; the benefit of
whose offering we have felt and enjoyed to this day; but by this
the foundation of the temple was not yet laid (Ezra 3:6).

Now after these arise another people, not another with respect to
Christianity, but with respect to further light.[14] These men,
though they keep the continual offerings upon the altar, as the
other did, yet they are men also that are for temple-work; wherefore
these begin to search out the foundations of the temple of God,
that they may rear up the house, as well as build up the altar.
These be they that are for having the church a select company of
visible believers, walking in the faith and holiness of the gospel,
which believers are for separating from the unconverted and open
profane, and for building up one another an holy temple in the
Lord, through the Spirit (1 Cor 12:13). I say, a temple, or house,
or church, separate and distinct from that confused heap of rubbish
and carnal gospellers that everywhere, like locusts and maggots,
crawl up and down the nations (Rom 1:7; 2 Cor 6:14-16; Acts 2:40;
Eph 2:21,22; 1 Cor 5:11-13). These were figured forth by Zerubbabel,
Joshua, and all the people of the land that are for working and
labouring in this service of temple-work (Haggai 1:12; 2:1-5).

Again, As there is thus altar-work and temple-work to be done by
the saints when they are coming out of spiritual Sodom and Egypt;
so, at the end of these, there will be city-work on foot also.
Which city-work will chiefly consist in setting up the wall and
gates for defence, and of building themselves houses or mansions of
rest and refreshment after all their hard usage under the tyranny
of the man of sin, that son of perdition (Isa 65:19-21). Which
city-work will be then completed, when the church of Christ hath
obtained a complete conquest and victory over the world, and hath
got her enemies and them that hate her, to lie at her feet, and
to lick the dust of the soles thereof (Isa 60:14). For, as I have
told you already, temple-work, yea, when that is complete in the
work, yet there may be great havoc made of the church of Christ
(Rev 11:1-3). At which time also, city-work may be trampled under
the feet of the wicked and uncircumcised Gentiles; but when the
city is built, then Zion is become a stronghold, and about all
her glory shall be a defence (Isa 4:5). Then she either draweth
and allureth her adversaries to entreat her kindly, and to count
it their honour to be under her protection, as did the Gibeonites;
or else she breaks, and bruises, and subjects them to her by
her power and authority (Josh 9). 'The daughter of Tyre shall be
there with a gift, even the rich among the people shall entreat
thy favour' (Psa 45:12). 'In the last days,' saith the prophet,
'it shall come to pass, that the mountain of the house of the Lord
shall be established in the top of the mountains, and it shall be
exalted above the hills; and people shall flow unto it. And many
nations shall come and say,--Let us go up unto the mountain of
the Lord, and to the house of the God of Jacob, and he will teach
us of his ways, and we will walk in his paths: 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'; that force and power that they used
formerly to destroy the church of God, now they shall use it to do
her service, even to break up the clods of the hearts of sinners,
and to prune and dress the house of God, and vineyard of Jesus
Christ; 'nation shall not lift up a sword against nation, neither
shall they learn war any more'; for the word of the kingdom of peace
shall bear sway. '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 4:1-3,8). This is city-work, and as to the glory, peace,
and deliverance of the church, it is the chiefest of all other,
because it is not only most excellent for concourse and multitude,
but, I say, for preservation and safety; and that not only to keep
the worshippers, if they keep their order, but to keep the order
and worshippers both in order and continual safety, that they may
be for ever in the purest order. But now, though at the completing
of this wall, and the building its towers, when they are finished
there will be great peace; yet all the time that these things are
doing, before they be done, let the workmen look for opposition,
taunts, underminers, and a thousand tricks for the hindrance of it
(Neh 4:1-11; 6:1-14). For the streets of the city shall be built,
and the wall, 'even in troublous times' (Dan 9:25).

'And the building of the wall of it was of jasper.' Of jasper only;
for as by building is showed unto us the manner of the work, so by
jasper is showed unto us the matter itself; the matter therefore
must be, JASPER, Christ only, his Word, offices, and glorious
brightness only; for indeed, whatever the special grace, protection,
and providence of God will at this day be over this city, yet it
shall be every whit of it according to Christ; that is, both of him,
for him, and by him, as the fruits and effects of his suffering,
bloodshed, and merits. 'Therefore,' saith God, 'will I divide him
a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the
strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and was
numbered with the transgressors' (Isa 53:12). O holiness, how will
it shine both in kings and nations, when God doth this!

[The glory of the city.]

'And the city was pure gold.' Having thus given us a discovery of
the glory of the wall, he now comes to show us the glory of the
city that is within the wall. The city, saith he, is gold, it is
pure gold. This was figured out by the golden candlesticks belonging
to the tabernacle and temple among the Jews, which candlesticks
did then present unto us the worth and use of the church of Christ
(Exo 25:31-36). 'The seven candlesticks are the seven churches,'
saith the Lord Christ himself (Rev 1:20). Now the city here spoken
of is the church in her highest and greatest glory. Its state was
also figured out by the temple itself, whose beams, posts, walls,
doors, and the like, were most famously covered over with gold (2
Chron 3:5-7). It was also, though but leanly, represented to us by
the golden state of old Jerusalem in the days of Solomon the king,
in which state gold was so plentiful in the midst thereof, that
silver was nothing counted of among the citizens there in those
days, but was as common as the stones in the street of the city
(2 Chron 9:13-22,27).

'And the city was pure gold.' I find by the search of the Scriptures,
that there are divers sorts of gold in the world; there is the
gold of the land of Havilah (Gen 2:11); the gold of Parvaim (2
Chron 3:6); the gold of Ophir (Job 22:24); the gold of Sheba (Psa
72:15); and the gold of Uphaz (Jer 10:9). Now seeing he saith the
city is gold, yet not distinguishing what gold, or which, we may
suppose in this place he means gold of all these sorts; and indeed
it is most agreeable to this text thus to judges. For the church
at this day shall be made up of the twelve tribes that are scattered
abroad, and of the Gentile nations both far and near; who, as they
now lie, are, for ought I can learn, at as great a distance, and
as remote from one another, not only in knowledge and affections,
but touching the places of their abode, as are the golden mines out
of which the gold that I spake of before is digged and fetched.
Thus shall gold, the golden saints of God, at this day be gathered
out of the several golden mines of the world, and be brought to
King Solomon, the Son of David, our Lord Jesus, to Jerusalem, with
which he will build him a golden shining city, the joy of all the
world.

'And the city was pure gold.' Gold is the choice and chief of all
metals, both for worth, colour, and virtue; wherefore, when he
saith, 'The city is gold,' you may conceive how rich and shining,
and virtuous[15] this city will be; the riches of the whole world
will be here, the beauty of the whole world will be here, and the
virtue of the whole world will be here; I mean spiritual riches,
beauty, and health. Wherefore the rest of the world at this day
will be but as a crushed bunch of herbs in which is no virtue; or
like a furnace full of dross, out of which the gold is taken; or
like an old, crazy, and ruinous house, from which is departed all
health and happiness; and indeed much like to this is that saying
of the prophet, to wit, that at this day the whole circumference of
the world that is without the walls and privileges of this city,
it shall be but like an old ruinous house, in which dwells nothing
but cormorants, bitterns, owls, ravens, dragons, satyrs, the
screech-owl, the great owl, the vulture, and the like most doleful
birds. All their princes shall be nothing, saith the prophet, and
when they call their nobles to the kingdom, none shall be there.
In their very palaces shall be thorns, and nettles, and brambles;
for all among them that are princes and nobles indeed, will have
packed up, and be gone for Jerusalem (Isa 34:10-17). So that
the world, I say, will be left empty, void, and stripped both of
treasure, beauty, and health, at the day of Jerusalem's building
again. But O how melancholy a forlorn, beautiless world will this
be at this day! It will be only the place of 'dogs, and sorcerers,
and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever
loveth and maketh a lie' (Rev 22:15). It will now be the very
emblem of hell, as the church at this day will be the emblem of
heaven. Wherefore, as the church, as I showed you before, will be
most fit for her putting on of immortality and incorruption, so the
world will at this day be most fit to be swallowed up of the lake
and bottomless gulf. All things that are good and worth anything
shall at this day be found only in the city of God. The gold will
be in Jerusalem (Zech 14:14; Rev 18).

Again, In that this city is here called by the name of gold it is
to show us how great pains, and travel, and charge the Lord Christ
hath been at to get so great a treasure together. Gold is fetched
from a far country, and that with great pains, charge, and difficulty
(2 Chron 9:10). The gold wherewith King Solomon made his drinking
vessels, it cost a three years' journey to obtain it. So the saints
also, those golden vessels wherewith is made this golden city, they
cost Christ a three days' travel in the heart of the earth, even
sweatingly under the wrath of God, to obtain them, and thus to
build this city with them (Luke 22:44; Mark 12:40).

Further, In that he saith this city is gold, he would have us to
consider what the state of the church was before she came into
this happy condition, to wit, an afflicted, tempted, and tried
condition. Gold, as it comes from the mine, it cometh commixed with
its dust and ore; wherefore the goldsmith hath a burning furnace
wherein he having put it, doth with the fire purge and take away
the dross and dust from among the metal itself; into which furnace
he puts it once, twice, thrice, and again to the end it may at
length be thoroughly cleansed and purified from its dross. Now
all this befalleth the people of God; they are thrown into the
burning fiery furnace of affliction and temptation, and there they
are tried, purged, and purified (Isa 31:9). As the Lord also saith
by the prophet, 'I will try them as gold is tried, and will refine
them as silver is refined' (Zech 13:9). Yea, 'I will melt them and
try them, for how shall I do for the daughter of my people' (Jer
9:7).

Lastly, When he saith this city is gold, he also thereby insinuates
how invincible and unconquerable a spirit the people of God are
possessed with. Gold is a metal so invincible and unconquerable,
that no fire can consume it; it may burn it indeed, and melt it;
the dross indeed doth consume and give way to the power of the
fire, but the gold remains, and holds its ground; yea, it gets
ground even of the furnace and fire itself; for the more it is
burned and melted, the more it recovers its colour, and the more
it shakes off its dross and dishonour. Just thus it is with the
people of God, and hath been so even from the beginning: the more
they oppressed them, the more they grew (Exo 1:12). The truth of
which will be proved with a witness, when God comes to set up this
city Jerusalem: his church hath been now for many hundred years
in the king of Babylon's furnace; all which time she hath most
gloriously endured and withstood the heat; and at last when the
fire hath done its worst against her, behold there comes out a
city of gold. A type of which was the state of the three children,
who though they were cast into the fire bound and in disgrace; yet
came out in the liberty and grace of the Son of God (Dan 3:23-26).
Wherefore let her be bold to say, even before she comes out of the
fire, When I am tried, 'I shall come forth as gold' (Job 23:10).

'And the city was PURE gold.' These words, PURE GOLD, clear up what
I said already. Pure gold, or gold upon which the fire hath done
its work. The church in the fire of persecution is like Esther in
the perfuming chamber, but making fit for the presence of the king;
which fire, when it hath done its work, then she comes into his
presence in clothing all of gold (Esth 2:10). 'The king's daughter is
all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold.' And again,
'At thy right hand did stand the queen in gold of Ophir' (Psa
45:9,13). Wherefore he means by pure gold, gold out of the fire,
gold on which the fire of persecution and temptation hath done
its full and complete work.

'And the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.' By glass, in
this place, we are to understand the Word of God, as both James
and Paul do testify (James 1:22-25; 2 Cor 3:18; 1 Cor 13:12). By
clear glass then, we are to understand the Word in its own nature
and purity, without the corruptions and traditions of men. Wherefore,
when he saith this golden city was like unto clear glass, it is as
if he had said she is even with the Word and law of her goldsmith,
in all her matters. The Word is a golden reed, this city a
golden city; and that, a golden city, taken out of the furnace of
affliction, and therefore like to the golden reed. 'And the city
was pure gold, like unto clear glass.'

[The glory of the foundations.]

Ver. 19, 20. 'And the foundations of the wall 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.'

Thus having showed us the glory of the wall, and of the city, he
now comes to show us the glory of the foundations. The foundations
you know, I told you before, they are the twelve apostles in their
doctrine, or the primitive doctrine of the twelve apostles of the
Lamb.

Now the great business in this place will be to show you the
garnishing of these foundations, and also the mystery and order
of the lying of the foundations, for their glory lieth in both.

As for the garnishing of these foundations, it is, and will be at
the day of New Jerusalem, two-fold, and the first is with beautiful
gifts and grace. Thus were the apostles of old adorned, and thus
shall their doctrine again be garnished. I know that the doctrine
of the twelve hath been always accompanied with goodly gifts
and grace, from the first churches quite down, that is, according
to the measure of light they appeared in, and according to the
dispensations of God in the times of antichrist. But yet the glory
that this doctrine had in these latter days, I mean since the
apostacy, it was nothing in comparison of the glory and splendour
that will be in them in the day when this city is built and complete.
Wherefore you find, that though all along in antichrist's reign,
the gospel of grace hath shone, and given light to the saints
and people of God in all their travels and afflictions; yet the
shining of it at that day was much opposed and eclipsed by the
smoke of the bottomless pit: as he saith, 'There arose a smoke out
of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace, and the sun and the
air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit' (Rev 9:2).
In which days, I say, abundance of the light, heat, and operation
of the gospel was diminished and taken off, so that but little of
the power or glory of it hath been either felt or seen from that
time to this very day. This is that God spake of by the prophet
Amos, saying, 'I will cause the sun to go down at noon, and I will
darken the earth in the clear day; and I will turn your feasts into
mourning, and all your songs into lamentation; and I will bring
up sackcloth upon all loins, and baldness upon every head; and I
will make it as the mourning of an only son, and the end thereof
as a bitter day.' All which he explaineth in the next words, for
'Behold the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a
famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water,
but of hearing the words of the Lord; and they shall wander from
sea to sea, and from the north even to the east; they shall run
to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it'
(Amos 8:9-12). In those days Eli's sons were become varlets (1
Sam 2:12-15). Indeed there was here and there a little child, like
Samuel in his minority, that now and then would speak most goodly
things. But 'the word of the Lord was precious in those days, there
was no open vision' (1 Sam 3:1). This is that which David in the
Spirit of prophecy complaineth of, saying, 'They know not, neither
will they understand; they walk on in darkness: all the foundations
of the earth are out of course' (Psa 82:5). Thus in the days of
the eclipsing of the glory of these foundations. But now, behold,
they recover their light, and put on, as of old, their former
glory, and are again garnished as in the former days. Now will
all the doctrines of the gospel spangle and sparkle; out of every
text will the ministers of God make to issue exceedingly most
precious and heavenly fire; for these stones are indeed the stones
of fire (Eze 28:16). And in them is contained that which would set
the whole world on a flame with love and delight in the things
of God and another world, had but men the spirit of wisdom, and
the authority of God in their ministry, as the apostles and the
primitive Christians had. Well this doctrine of the twelve shall
be again adorned with gifts and graces as in the days of old: by
which it shall also be made to shine, and to cast forth its golden
rays before the nations to their salvation. Behold, saith God, I
will lay thy stones with fair colours, that is, thy apostolical
doctrines shall again be garnished as at the first (Isa 54:11).
Truth shall appear in its old and mature colours, and as such
shall be embraced, and lived and delighted in, both by Jews and
Gentiles, as I have showed.