bow be buildeth thereupon, 1 Cor. iii. 10. God the Father laid Chrift in his own decree and purpofe; hence he is called an elect ftone, which God laid, 1 Pet. ii. 6. and revealed him to the prophets, who laid him in their ministry. The apoftles fucceeding the prophets laid him more clearly and extenfively, even in the Gentile world; and every child of God is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jefus Chrift bimfelf being the chief corner stone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an boly temple in the Lord. In whom ye alfo are builded, for an habitation of God through the Spirit, Eph.

ji. 20-22.

To the apoftles were committed the keys of the kingdom of heaven, all that they loofed on earth were loofed in heaven, and all that they bound on earth were bound in heaven, Matt. xvi. 19. Now as the church of God is built upon the foundation of the apofiles and prophets, for an habitation of God through the Spirit, it appears that this habitation of God is this city that I am fpeaking of; for this city is faid to have the glory of God in it, and her light was like a stone most precious, Rev. xxi. 11. This city is likewife called the bride, the Lamb's wife, Rev. xxi. 9, 10. if so, this city must confift of fuch fouls as the apoftles efpoufed to a good husband, and prefented as chafte virgins to Chrift, 2 Cor. xi. 2. This whole city confifteth of fouls that were not defiled with the errors of myftical Jezabel, Rev. ii. 2c. or the myf

tical whore of Babylon, Rev. xvii. 1. 5. This city confifts of fuch as were not defiled with these women, for they are virgins, Rev. xiv. 4.

Thus it appears that the twelve patriarchs, in the gospel fignification of their names, are twelve of these elders that reprefent the church of God. in my text; and their having their names at the gates, feems to fhew that they are the elders of this city; and unless we are Ifraelites, or inwardly Jews, circumcifed in heart, and worshippers of God in the Spirit, Phil. iii. 3. we shall not be able to find our names on the book of life, Phil. iv. 3. or written among the living in this new Ferulalem.

You may object and fay, the new Jerufalem fignifies the triumphant church, which is let down from heaven; or the Spirits of just men made perfect, coming with Chrift in the clouds of heaven to receive their dead bodies raised again and to be united to them, being thofe bleffed ones that have a part in the first refurrection. Be that as it may, let us look nearer home;-matters will go well with us in that day, if we are found to be true citizens. Paul fays, We are come to mount Zion, and unto the city of the living God, the beavenly Jerufalem, and to an innumerable company of angels; to the general affembly and church of the first born, which are written in heaven, and to God the judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect; and to Jefus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of fprinkling which

speaketh better things than that of Abel, Heb. xii. 22-24. Happy are fuch fouls; they are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow-citizens with the faints and of the household of God; and are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jefus Chrift himself being the chief corner stone, Eph. ii. 19, 20. all this is true of you, if you are upon the rock Chrift.

The apostles laid the foundation of this city, and have their names engraved thereon; and had formerly the keys of it, to let all in that were loofed on earth by their miniftry; and we must be partakers of the fame fpirit, and receive the fame truth in the love of it which they delivered; for 'tis the spirit and the word of truth which are the keys, and it is the word and spirit that make us free; where the Spirit is, there is liberty, 2 Cor. 17. ye fhall know the truth, and the truth fhall make you free, John viii. 32. Thus you find the fpirit and the word lets us into liberty; when this is the happy and bleffed cafe with us, we are free men of this city. Ifaac was by the free woman; Jerufalem which is above is free, which is the mother of us all; fo then we are not children of the bond woman, but of the free, Gal. iv. 31. if fo, we are free-born fons of this mother, and have a right to the inheritance given of God by promife to every heir of promife, and shall never be fhut out of this city, as the bond-woman and her children will be.

As

As free men we may trade in this city; all the elders will encourage us in it; and, as the Lord fays, we may go in and out and find paflure. Thus thefe four and twenty elders, confifting of the offfpring of Abraham, the twelve literal builders of the house of Ifrael, and the twelve fpiritual builders of the church of God, have their names on the gates and foundations of this city; and as a complete fenate or parliament they represent the children of God in all their privileges as Ifraelites, and as followers of the bleffed Redeemer in the regeneration, till the world ends. Which leads me to my next general head, which is to confider,

Fourthly, The object of their adoration, the Lamb; and why fo called.

If Jefus Chrift be not really, effentially, and eternally God; if he be not the felf-existent and independent JEHOVAH, they are every one idolaters; I am the Lord thy God, thou shalt have no other Gods before me, Exod. xx. 1-3. For thou fhalt worship no other God; for the Lord, whofe name is JEALOUS, is a jealous God. But the teftimony this faithful and true witnefs bears to his own proper deity is fufficient; 1 am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, faith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty, Rev. i. 8. and again, I am Alpha, and Omega, the first and the last, verfe 11. If fo there is none before him, nor fhall be after him, which eternity; and though this be

is proof of his

denied by many, yet he will let all his enemies know that he is the all-feeing and heart-fearching God; I will kill [Jezabel's children] with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he which Searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will give to every one of you according to your works, Rev. ii. 23. Strange language this for a creature.

The effential deity of this bleffed object of faith, feems to be the main ftone of ftumbling, and rock of offence, that the unbeliever is to ftumble at: Bebold ye defpifers, and wonder and perish; for I work a work in your days that ye shall in no wife believe, though a man declare it unto you, Acts xiii. 41. But thofe that are led by the Spirit to fee and believe this effential article of our faith, namely, the perfonal divinity of the Saviour, they will fee the privilege, and foon feel the bleffed effects of calling upon him as the object of worship: It fhall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be faved: But how shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? Rom. x. 'Tis in vain to call on his name as an object of prayer, if thou doft not believe his deity; call him not good unless thou believe his God-head; there is none goed but one, that is God. But if thou believe him to be both Lord and mafter thou doeft well, for he is fo.

14.

Bleffed be God, he does not leave his own elect to stumble at this rock of offence; he fends the comforter, the fpirit of truth, from the Father, to testify of bim, John xv. 26. and to

convince