SOT mination d, or maketh a lie e; but they which are writ- - ten in the Lambs book of life | b In the Greek there are two Negative Particles, which though 1n the Latin they make an affirmative, yet in the Greek make a ſtronger Negative, which-we tranſlate in no wiſe, or by no means. c This {trongly denying Particle is brought to make the Bar, excluding all unclean Perſons from Heaven, evident. And alas ! How often had this need be denied, to make Men and Women, mad of their Luſts, believe it ? The word tranſlated, that defileth, ſignifieth, what 15 common ; nothing, no Perſon that hath not by an Holy Life ſepa- rated himſelf from the World and all Sin, and Wickedneſs, and de- dicated himſelf to God. &d No profane, or lewd Perſon. e Nor any falſe or lying Hypocrites, nor any 1dolaters, for Idols are Lies. f None but thoſe whoſe Names are written in . the Book of Life, predetermined to Salvation, and redeemed with the Blood of Chriſt. , are not pleaſed with this Senſe ; but what other thing can be meant ? This 1s, at leaſt, the fixth time we have met with this Phraſe in this Book, chap. 3. 5. and 13. 8. and 17. 8. and 20. 12,15. It is alſo mentioned, Phil. 4. 3. and what elſecan be meant in Moſes his Prayer, Exod. 32.32. Itis twice, chap. 13. 8. and 17. 8. aid, that Names were written in it from the Foundation of the World. God hath a particular, certain, infallible Knowledge who are his, and had it from Eternity ; and whence he ſhould know it, without wil- ling of it, is very hard to conceive. It 1s called the Lamb's Book, tolet us know, that the 4 of Redemption by Chriſt bears proportion to the Councils of EleRtion.
CHAP. XA
The River of the Water of Life, 1. The Properties of the Inhabitants of New Jeruſalem Deſcribed, 3, 4. God himſelf the Light of it, 5. John would have worſhipped the Angel, but the Angel forbiddeth him, 8, 6. This Booh mot to be- Sealed, though ſome would abuſe it, IO, II. - They that heep God's Commandments are Bleſſed, 14. The Wicked are Curſed, 15, A Threatning againſt them that add unto the words of thjs Propheſte, 18, 19.
NO” "INE ND he g ſhewed me a * pure river of water of 7CPKR AT. 5 6 . OY ay life, clear as cryſtal h, proceeding out of the Zech.14.2. throne of God, and of the Lamb z. _ : 2 The Angel who ſhewed him all before-mentioned, ſhewed him a pure River. h No place can be happy without the Accommodation ot Water : Thoſe places have the beſt Accommodation of .t that are near a River, eſpecially a pure River; to let us know, that in Heaven there ſhall be no want of any thing that can make the Saints happy. It is deſcribed as having by it, or running through it, a pure River, whoſe Water is clear, and no ordinary Water, but ſuch as civeth, and preſerveth Life: What could this fjgnifie, but the pure and unmixed Joys of Heaven, 7 flowing from the Saints there injoying of God, and Jeſus Chrift ? : . v4 2 In * the midſt of the ſtreet of it, and of either ' EMP-21: Ge of the river, was there the + tres of life þ, which + Gen.2:g, hare twelve manner of truits /, and yielded her iruit :ap-2.7. every month zz ; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations 7. | | þ Trees, eipecially Fruit-Trees, and thoſe laden with Fruit, and variety of Fruit, and ſuch as inftead of being prejudicial to Life, are wholſome, and give Life, are very beautiful, eſpecially 1n, or
rear a Citv. The City in Ezekiel's Viſion, chap. 47. 7. 15 thus de-
ſcribed. This exprefſion further ſhews the infinite Pleaſure, and Sa]-ſaticfaction the Saints ſhall have in Heaven. But we are tur- ther told here, that the Tree here was the Tice of Life ; a mani- {it Allufion to a Tree fo called in Old Paradiſe, Gen. 2. 9. and who can this agrce to, but Caritt, / in whom all Fulaeſs divelt,
£% _
Chap. XXII | aP. L x . the Fulneſs of the Godhead, and who was anointed, and received the Spirit without meaſure, m and is. daily diſtributing of his Ful- ncſs to his People; n and in whom there is nothing uſeleſs, but
what tends either to the Life or healing of his People out of all Na- tions,
3 And * there ſhall be no more curſe o : bur the throne of God and of the Lamb ſhall be in it f,and his lervants ſhall ſerve him g.
0 Nothing that is devoted to the Devil, »em43%us, no accurſed Perſon, or Thing. p The preſence of an Holy and Pure God will prevent and forbid that. q It is a place in which God alone ſhall be teryed by his own Servants. .
4 And they ſhall ſee his face 7, and* his name hall * Ch.3.12.
* ZecC, Ihe F.
LR
| be in their toreheads /
r It1s a Phraſe by which the Happineſs of the gloritted Saints
1s oft exprefled, Matth. 5.8. 1 Coy. 13. 12. Heb. 12.14. 1 John
3+ 2. they ſhall enjoy him immediately. * / There ſhall be none that
have the Name of the Beaſt in their Foreheads ; they ſhall have God's
_ on their Forcheads, and be ſo maniteſted to be the Sons of od.
5 And there ſhall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the fun : * for the Lord *£71.55.- God giveth them light, and they ſhall reign tor ever and ever 7. t Sec the Notes on Chap. 21. 23. - 8 s And he ſaid unto me, * Thefo ſavings ove Faith- * Ch.19.5. ful and true x. And the Lord God of the holy pro- & t 5: phets ſent his + angel to ſhew unto his Servants the + Chi. x. 7. things which mult ſhortly be done . » All the words of this Book, particularly the things of this lat Vitton, are ſuch as proceed trom him who 1s the taithful Wirnets, chap. 1. 5, and 3. 14s from him who was called Faithtul, chap. 1 9. 11. and which God will ſhe himſelt true and faithful ja bringing to paſs; and w ſuch things as God hath revealed to his Prophets un- der the Old Teſtament in part, and now to me his Prophet, to ſhew to his People tge things that ſhall come to paſs, and ſh:ll ſhortly be- gin to be accompliſhed. See chap. 1. 1. 7 * Behold I come quickly x, F blefId 7s he that + <1, keepeth the ſayings of the prophecy of this book y. + ct. x I come quickly to the laſt Judgmcat. y He is an happy Man that obſerveth and keepeth in memory, that underſtandeth, belie- veth, and liveth up to the Prophecy of this Book.
8 And I John ſaw theſe things 2, and heard zh a. And when | had heard and ſeen, I fell down to worſhip before the feet of the angel, which {hewed me theſe things.
z I ſaw the Viſton. 4 I heard the words ſpoken to me relatinz - to them.