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. 'Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God.-Psal. lxxxvii. 3. 'And the name of the city from that day shall be, THE LORD IS THERE.—Ezek. xlviii. 35. London: Printed in the year 1665. ADVERTISEMENT BY THE EDITOR. READER, it will require the utmost effort of your powers of faith in perfectly well authenticated history to believe an almost incredible fact, but which certainly took place in England, under the reformed church in 1665. It is, however, true, that a number of eminently pious, loyal, sober, industrious citizens were immured, by the forms of law, within the walls of a small prison on Bedford Bridge, over the river Ouse, for refusing to attend the parish church or join in the service prescribed by Acts of Parliament, according to the Book of Common Prayer. The Ruler of the universe deigned to approve their conduct, and to visit these prisoners with his peculiar approbation. He made their prison a Bethel, the house of God, and the very gate of heaven-thus richly blessing their souls for refusing to render unto man the things that are God's. On the Lord's day they were in the habit of uniting in Divine worship. Their prison chamber had received no prelatic consecration, but God was in their midst to bless them. It happened one morning that it came to the turn of a poor itinerant tinker, of extraordinary ability, to address his fellow-prisoners-he had neither written nor even prepared a sermon, and felt, for a time, at a loss for a text or subject. At length, while turning over the sacred pages, his eye was directed to the description of the Holy City-New Jerusalem, which in the latter day will gloriously descend from heaven. His soul was enlarged and enlightened with the dazzling splendour of that sacred cityhis heart, which had felt 'empty, spiritless, and barren,' was baptized into his subject-'with a few groans, he carried his meditations to the Lord Jesus for a blessing, which he did forthwith grant according to his grace, and then the preacher did set before his brethren the spiritual meat, and they did all eat and were well refreshed. While dis tributing the truth, it did so increase in his hand, that of the fragments he gathered up a basket full, and furnished this heavenly treatise.' Such, in substance, is the author's interesting account of the circumstances under which he wrote this book. He adds, with humility, that the men of this world would laugh, in conceit, that one so low, contemptible, and inconsiderable should busy himself with so hard and knotty a subject, but humbly hopes, that though but a babe in Christ, these truths were revealed to him. To the real followers of the lowly Jesus, the poor carpenter's son, ‘who had not where to lay his head' of whom the Jews said, 'How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?' Jn. vii. 15-despised by princes, prelates, scribes, and pharisees-to such, the poverty, the occupation, and the want of book-learning of our author needs no apology. It is all-sufficient to know that he was mighty in the Scriptures, and deeply taught of the Holy Spirit. These are the only sources of information relative to the New Jerusalem; and in this treatise the author has richly developed the treasures of the Bible in reference to this solemn subject. To the same prison discipline to which we are indebted for the Pilgrim's Progress, we owe this, and other of the labours of that eminent servant of Christ, John Bunyan. Little did the poor tyrants who sent him to jail think that, in such a place, he would have this blessed vision of the heavenly city, or that his severe sufferings would materially aid in destroying their wicked craft. The subject is one of pure revelation. The philosopher-the theologian—the philologist—the historian, and the antiquarian, are utterly unable to grapple with that which is here so admirably handled by a poor unlettered prisoner for Christ, who, from the inexhaustible storehouse of God's After viewing the spiritual unity of the inhabitants of this wonderful city, we are introduced to its temple. How vast the edifice, to contain the millions on millions of worshippers-every inhabitant being present in the general assembly and church of the first-born! Utterly beneath our notice are the most magnificent temples raised by human ingenuity and vanity, when compared with that of the Holy City. Its foundation, the immu its walls, the omnipotence of Jehovah-its treasury, the unsearchable riches of Christ-its worshippers, the countless myriads of the nations of those that are saved-its duration, ETERNITY. It is the inheritance of the Son of God, Jehovah Jesus, and is worthy of HIS inconceivable majesty. In all the multitude not one hypocrite will be found Word, brings forth things new and old to comfort | another man's servant.' 'Let every man be fully the pilgrim, whether in a prison or a palace, and persuaded in his own mind.' Ro. xiv. 4, 5. to enliven his prospects on his way to this celestial city. The New Jerusalem is a sublime object, and we are bound humbly to adore that majestic mercy which has condescended to give us such a glimpse of the glory which, in its unbounded extent, passeth all the powers of our earth-bound souls to conceive. It is a city whose builder and maker is Godperfect as his infinite wisdom-strong as his omnipotence-eternal as his existence. Who by searching can find out the perfections of the Almighty-tability of God-its extent, his divine immensity— they can only be traced by his revealed will, and with our poor powers, even then but faintly. No man ever possessed a more intimate knowledge of the Bible, nor greater aptitude in quoting it than Bunyan: he must have meditated in it day and night; and in this treatise his biblical treasures are wisely used. He begins with the foundation of the walls, and shows that they are based upon the truths taught to the twelve tribes, and by the twelve apostles of the Lamb. All these truths are perfectly handed down to us in holy Writ, alike immutable and unalterable. Cursed are they that add to that book, either by tradition or by the imposition of creeds, rites, and ceremonies, and not less cursed are they that take from it. These solid foundations support walls and gates through which nothing can enter that defileth. It is a pattern to the church on earth, into which none should be admitted but saints, known from their conversation as living epistles. 'Not common stuff, not raked out of the dunghills and muck heaps of this world, and from among the toys of antichrist, but spiritual, heavenly and glorious precious stones." This city has but one street, showing the perfect unity among all its inhabitants, and it is only under the personal reign of Christ that uniformity can exist. The divisions among Christians arise, as Bunyan justly concludes, from antichristian rubbish, dark-who, dooming to miserable and eternal slavery all ness, and trumpery.' The cause of all the confusion is the lust of man for domination over conscience, the government of which is the sole prerogative of God, and this is strengthened by the hope of passing through time in idleness, luxury, and honour, under the false pretence of apostolic descent transmitted through ceremonies worse than childish. In our Lord's days there was union among his disciples, as there must be under his personal reign in the New Jerusalem. But in the times of the apostles the disciples were divided one was of Paul-another of Apollos, and others of Cephas. The Holy Ghost issued laws to regulate the church in their disputes-not an act of uniformity, but an injunction to the exercise of mutual forbearance, 'Who art thou that judgest See page 435. not one sleeping worshipper-no wandering thought-no fear of sin or of Satan and his persecuting agents-death itself will be dead and swallowed up in life and immortality-all are pureclothed in white robes-the palm of victory in their hands-singing the glorious anthems of heaven. O my soul! who are they that are thus unspeakably blessed? Shall I be a citizen of that city? God has told us who they are-not those who have been cherished by the state-clothed with honour, who have eaten the bread of idleness. No. These are they which came out of great tribulation.' Re. vii. 14. From all kindreds, nations, sects, and parties-they who obeyed God and not man in all matters of faith and holiness-those who submitted to the Saviour, and have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. How vile is that sectarian spirit which in cold blood consigns all but its own sect to eternal misery. How strange the calculation of that Jewish Rabbi,* but his own little party, gives to every Jew two thousand eight hundred souls to be tormented and tyrannically used as slaves. The bitter sectarian who thus judges that all not of his own party shall be destroyed, will do well to listen to the voice of truth, With what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged.' All these absurd and wicked feelings are fast wearing away before the advancing spirit of Christianity. When the leaven of Divine truth shall have spread over the whole earth, antichrist will finally fall-then shall this New Jerusalem descend from heaven, and become the glory of the earth. How distant soever that period may seem, it is irresistibly hastening on. Since Bunyan's days, persecution has hid its ugly head-North America, which was then a land of darkness, is 2 Solomon Jarchi. See Allen's Modern Judaism, p. 275. now widely covered with gospel blessings-slavery | away with a great noise, and the elements shall is coming to an end-India, the islands of the melt with fervent heat; the earth also, and the Pacific, and the vast territories of Australia, are works that are therein, shall be burned up.' Then yielding their increase. A few more centuries of shall the Holy City-the New Jerusalem-descend progression, increasing in its ratio as time draws from heaven, and all the ransomed of the Lord to a close, will hasten on the coming of our Lord. shall find in it a glorious and everlasting habitation. The growth in grace of every Christian goes on Bunyan published this Book in a very small 8vo thus gradually. Bunyan draws a beautiful picture of 294 pages. It was never reprinted separately of this from Eze. xlvii. 3-12. It is so slow as scarcely from his other works, and even in them it suffered to be perceptible, and one proof of its growth in our from serious omissions and errors. It is now achearts is a doubt as to whether we are progressing curately printed from his original edition. The at all. The more the light of heaven breaks in upon copy in Dr. Williams' Library, Redcross Street, is us, the more clearly it displays our sinful follies. remarkably fine and clean, a present, most probAccording to the prophet, the waters rise higher ably, in the first instance, from the author, having and higher, but so slowly as to elude observation, an inscription on the flyleaf, apparently in Bunyan's until we find that they have risen from the ancles autograph, This for my good and dearly beloved to the knees, and at length they rise and leave no frend mistris Backcraft.' It has a false title, bearstanding for the feet-the earth recedes with time, ing the imprint of London, Printed for Francis and the soul enters upon the ocean of eternal Smith, at the Elephant and Castle without Temple grace and glory. The time is coming when we Barr, 1669.' The editor's copy, soiled and tattered, shall no longer worship in temples made with cost him twenty shillings, a striking proof of its hands, neither in the mountains of Samaria, nor rarity. This has the original title, with the real in the temples of Jerusalem, or Rome, or London. date, 1665, but without a printer's or publisher's The cloud-capt towers-the gorgeous palaces-name-from which it may be inferred that no one the solemn temples-yea, the great globe itself, shall dissolve, and, like the baseless fabric of a vision, leave not a wreck behind.' Or in language far more solemn and striking, because they are the unerring words of truth, The heavens shall pass 6 dared to patronize the labours of the poor prisoner -a circumstance tending to make the book more prized by the lovers of Christian liberty. The four dedications are singular, and truly Bunyanish. GEO. OFFOR. THE EPISTLE TO FOUR SORTS OF READERS. I. TO THE GODLY READER. FRIEND, Though the men of this world, at the sight of this book, will not only deride, but laugh in conceit, to consider that one so low, contemptible, and inconsiderable as I, should busy myself in such sort, as to meddle with the exposition of so hard and knotty a Scripture as here they find the subject matter of this little book; yet do thou remember that God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are.' 1 Co. i. 27, 28. Consider also, that even of old it hath been his pleasure to hide these things from the wise and prudent, and to reveal them unto babes.' Mat. xi, 25; xxi. 15,16. I tell you that the operation of the Word and Spirit of God, without depending upon that idol,' so much adored, is suf ficient of itself to search out all things, even the deep things of God.' 1 Co. ii. 10. The occasion of my first meddling with this matter was as followeth :-Upon a certain firstday, I being together with my brethren in our prison chamber, they expected that, according to our custom, something should be spoken out of the Word for our mutual edification; but at that time I felt myself, it being my turn to speak, so empty, spiritless, and barren, that I thought I should not have been able to speak among them so much as five words of truth with life and evidence; but at last it so fell out that providentially I cast mine eye upon the eleventh verse of the one and twentieth chapter of this prophecy; upon which, when I had considered a while, methought I perceived something of that jasper in whose light you there find this holy city is said to come or descend; wherefore having got in my eye some dim glimmerings thereof, and finding also in my heart a desire to see farther thereinto, I with a few groans did carry my meditations to the Lord Jesus for a blessing, which he did forthwith grant according to his have, according to their wisdom, possibly, handled these matters long before me. To the first I say, the matter indeed is excel grace; and helping me to set before my brethren, we did all eat, and were well refreshed; and behold also, that while I was in the distributing of it, it so increased in my hand, that of the frag-lent and high; but for my part I am weak and ments that we left, after we had well dined, I gathered up this basketful. Methought the more I cast mine eye upon the whole discourse, the more I saw lie in it. Wherefore setting myself to a more narrow search, through frequent prayer to God, what first with doing, and then with undoing, and after that with doing again, I thus did | finish it. But yet, notwithstanding all my labour and travel in this matter, I do not, neither can I expect that every godly heart should in every thing see the truth and excellency of what is here discoursed; neither would I have them imagine that I have so thoroughly viewed this holy city, but that much more than I do here crush out is yet left in the cluster. Alas! I shall only say thus, I haved crushed out a little juice to sweeten their lips withal, not doubting but in a little time more large measures of the excellency of this city, and of its sweetness and glory, will by others be opened and unfolded; yea, if not by the servants of the Lord Jesus, yet by the Lord himself, who will have this city builded and set in its own place. But, I say, for this discourse, if any of the saints that read herein think they find nought at all but words, as many times it falleth out even in their reading the Scriptures of God themselves, I beg, I say, of such, that they read charitably, judge modestly, and also that they would take heed of concluding that because they for the present see nothing in this or that passage, that therefore there is nothing in it: possibly from that which thou mayest cast away as an empty bone, others may pick both good and wholesome bits, yea, and also out of that suck much nourishing marrow. You find by experience, that that very bit that will not down with one, may yet not only down, but be healthful and nourishing to another. Babes are more for milk than strong meat, though meat will well digest with those that are of riper years. Wherefore that which thy weakness will not suffer thee to feed on, leave; and go to the milk and nourishment that in other places thou shalt find. II. TO THE LEARNED READER. My second word is to my wise and learned reader. SIR,-I suppose, in your reading of this discourse, you will be apt to blame me for two things: First, Because I have not so beautified my matter with acuteness of language as you could wish or desire. Secondly, Because also I have not given you, either in the line or in the margent, a cloud of sentences from the learned fathers, that low; it also deserveth a more full and profound discourse than my small parts will help me to make upon the matter. But yet seeing the Lord looketh not at the outward appearance, but on the heart, neither regardeth high-swelling words of vanity, but pure and naked truth; and seeing also that a widow's mite being all, even heart as well as substance, is counted more, and better, than to cast in little out of much, and that little too perhaps the worst, I hope my little, being all, my farthing, seeing I have no more, may be accepted and counted for a great deal in the Lord's treasury. Besides, Sir, words easy to be understood do often hit the mark, when high and learned ones do only pierce the air. He also that speaks to the weakest, may make the learned understand him; when he that striveth to be high, is not only for the most part understood but of a sort, but also many times is neither understood by them nor by himself. Secondly, The reason why you find me empty of the language of the learned, I mean their sentences and words which others use, is because I have them not, nor have not read them: had it not been for the Bible, I had not only not thus done it, but not at all. Lastly. I do find in most such a spirit of whoredom and idolatry concerning the learning of this world, and wisdom of the flesh, and God's glory so much stained and diminished thereby; that had I all their aid and assistance at command, I durst not make use of ought thereof, and that for fear lest that grace, and these gifts that the Lord hath given me, should be attributed to their wits, rather than the light of the Word and Spirit of God: Wherefore I will not take' of them from a thread even to a shoe-latchet, - lest they should say, We have made Abram rich.' Ge. xiv. 23. Sir, What you find suiting with the Scriptures take, though it should not suit with authors; but that which you find against the Scriptures, slight, though it should be confirmed by multitudes of them. Yea, further, where you find the Scriptures and your authors jump,1 yet believe it for the sake of Scripture's authority. I honour the godly as Christians, but I prefer the Bible before them; and having that still with me, I count myself far better furnished than if I had without it all the libraries of the two universities. Besides, I am for drinking water out of my own cistern;2 1 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.) 2 See Isa. xxxvi. 16. The fountain of living waters, and not the broken cisterns alluded to in Je. ii. 13.—(Ed.) I pray read and take, Sir, what you like best; III. TO THE CAPTIOUS READER. My third word is to the captious and wrangling reader. what God makes mine by the evidence of his Word | adorn thy wrinkled face, nor crutch to uphold or and Spirit, that I dare make bold with. Where- undershore thy shaking, tottering, staggering kingfore seeing, though I am without their learned dom of Rome; but rather a certain presage of thy lines, yet well furnished with the words of God, I sudden and fearful final downfall, and of the exalmean the Bible, I have contented myself with what tation of that holy matron, whose chastity thou I there have found, and having set it before your dost abhor, because by it she reproveth and coneyes, demneth thy lewd and stubborn life. Wherefore, lady, smell thou mayest of this, but taste thou wilt not: I know that both thy wanton eye, with all thy mincing brats that are intoxicated with thy cup and enchanted with thy fornications, will, at the sight of so homely and plain a dish as this, cry, Foh! snuff, put the branch to the nose,1 and say, Contemptible! Mal. i. 12, 13. Eze. viii. 17. • But wisdom is justified of all her children.' Mat. xi. 19. The virgin the daughter of Zion hath despised thee, and laughed thee to scorn; Jerusalem hath shaken her head at thee,' Is. xxxvii. 22; yea, her God hath smitten his hands at thy dishonest gain and freaks. Eze. xxii. 7—11, &c. 'Rejoice ye with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all ye that love her; rejoice for joy with her, all ye that mourn for her; that ye may suck and be satisfied with the breasts of her consolations, that ye may milk out and be delighted with the abundance of her glory.' Is. Ixvi. 10, 11. JOHN BUNYAN. FRIEND, However thou camest by this book, I will assure thee thou wast least in my thoughts when I writ it; I tell thee, I intended this book as little for thee as the goldsmith intendeth his jewels and rings for the snout of a sow. Wherefore put on reason, and lay aside thy frenzy; be sober, or lay by the book. Mat, vii. 6. IV. TO THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS, &C. My fourth word is to the lady of kingdoms, the wellfavoured harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, and the abominations of the earth. MISTRESS,-I I have nothing here that suppose will either please your wanton eye or go down with your voluptuous palate. Here is bread indeed, as also milk and meat; but here is neither paint to 1 Commentators differ as to the meaning of 'put the branch to the nose,' Eze. viii. 17, but all agree it was some well known mode of expressing contempt for God and his worship.—(ED.) THE HOLY CITY; OR, 10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high THE NEW JERUSALEM. 22. third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; 20 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. 21 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. 22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple of it. 23 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. 24 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. 25 And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. 20 And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it: 27 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. 1 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 |