Theopolis Americana

p. 1Pure Gold IN THE MARKET-PLACE.

The STREET of the City was Pure GOLD.

GLORIOUS Things are Spoken of 〈…〉 O thou City of God 〈…〉 STREET be in 〈…〉 O NEW-ENGLAND; The Interpretation of it, be unto you, O American Colonies.

The Invitation, sounds Angelically; But my Hearers must have it now given them; Come hither, and I will show you, an admirable Spectacle! 'Tis an p. 2Heavenly CITY, descending out of Heaven, from GOD. There is an Heavenly CITY, which the Great GOD, has Prepared for them, to whom He will be a God: A CITY to be inhabited by an Innumerable Company of Angels, and by the Spirits of Iust Men made Perfect by a Resurrection from the Dead, with JESUS the Mediator of the New Covenant shining upon them: A CITY; where God shall dwell with men, God Himself shall be with them, and we shall Inherit all things. There will be a Time, when that Holy City, will be nearer to this Earth, than it is at this Day; and the Saved Nations of the Earth shall after a wonderful manner Walk in the Light thereof. The Thoughts of the Primitive Christians and Chiliasts, represented by 〈…〉 Martyr, concer◊◊◊g that City, 〈…〉 very Remar◊◊◊◊◊ Passages about it, more partic◊◊◊◊ in Tertullian, are known to them that have Studied the Mystery of God. This is not a Time & Place to offer them. And, I Suppose, a great part of the Auditory, are not yet come to the Thoughts, into which I am compelled, p. 3on this Noble and Sublime Subject of c◊◊templation; and into which, 'tis o◊◊ervable, that Men of Thoughts upon 〈…〉, now more generally come, As th◊ 〈…〉 ◊ppro◊ches. I must say, and so say 〈…〉 more, and yet many more will say, with him, whom God made a ◊◊eat Instrument of reviving the true Doctrine of the Chiliad in the former Century; Postquam alia omnia frustra t◊◊tassem, tandem Rei ipsius Clarit◊di◊◊ perstri◊tus, paradox◊ succ◊◊u◊.

But shall we not imagine, that ther◊ will be then to be seen on the Eart◊ ▪ some sweet Reflections of the Light, which the City of Glorified Saints will sh◊d down upon it? Yes; Tis not ill done by those Interpreters [Provided alw◊◊◊ ▪ they do not Exclude th◊ 〈…〉 ▪ which they are 〈…〉] I say, Tis 〈…〉 Ill don◊ ◊y 〈…〉 who in the Vision that is now 〈…〉 us, look ◊o find the State of t◊◊ Church 〈…〉 Earth, after th◊ Approa◊hing Fall of Antichrist. We have a world of Reason to Believe, That the Second Wo is past away; and that we are entring into the Sev◊◊th p. 4Day of the Romish Iericho, ◊nd that b◊◊ck, [But, Oh! Let i◊ be Brief!] Time, wh◊◊ the Uials of the Wrath of God, 〈…〉 the most Woful Plagues that ever 〈…〉 heard of, are to be poured out 〈…〉 the Antichristian World. When 〈…〉 fearful Dispensation is over, then ▪ th◊◊ comes on that State of th◊ Church on Earth, which will answer the Description, that is here given us, of a New Ier◊s◊l◊m. There has been a Time, when the City of R◊me, so extended her Pri iledges and her Obligations that — Orbis erat; People all over the World, were the Fre◊-men of that mighty City. There will b◊ a Time, when I◊rus◊lem shall be Literally Rebuilt, and People all over th◊ 〈…〉 shall be under the 〈…〉 of 〈…〉 Holy City. — Orbis erit. 〈…〉 C◊URCH 〈…〉 God, all over the 〈…〉 s◊all in some sort be the City.

p. 4One incompara◊◊◊ Glory 〈…〉 City, is now singl◊◊ out for our present Meditation. The Street o◊ the City is Pure Gold. I concur with Peganius, and conceive, That the Street here means, and so it p. 5m◊◊ be translated, The ◊◊rket-◊◊◊ce; the Pl◊ce where th◊ Affairs o◊ ◊◊ade bring tog◊th◊r a Co◊cou◊se 〈…〉 ◊◊ople. The meaning is, The 〈…〉 ◊f the CITY, shall be managed by 〈…〉 Golden Rule. The Thing◊ ◊hat 〈…〉 to be done in 〈…〉 M◊rket-Place, 〈…〉 without C◊◊ruption. T◊◊re s◊◊ll be no Base D◊◊ling in it. 〈…〉 is added, It is as it were Transp◊r◊nt Gl◊◊◊. Th◊t is, The Dealing 〈…〉 be so 〈…〉, that it sh◊ll be◊r to be L◊◊k'd into▪ it shall be so Sincere, that men shall be willing to have their very Hearts Look'◊ into. There shall be no False-De◊ling: All shall be done with all possible I◊tegrity. And tho' Grotius b◊ the last m◊n I would advise ◊◊thal, upon the Prophesies of the Ap◊cal◊pse, 〈…〉 will here take in a Gloss of his 〈…〉 tis a very Good one; V◊ve◊t 〈…〉 ◊t in Dei Co◊spectu; M◊n shall 〈…〉 Live and Act, as Remembring, that the Great GOD looks upon them.

O Happy CITY! O 〈…〉 ▪ no where, no where to be 〈…〉 but in a City o◊ God

〈…〉 Thing which I a◊ to O◊s◊rve p. 6is, That in a CITY of GOD, th◊ Street will be Pure Go◊◊. The Bus◊ness transacted in the Market-Place of an Holy City, will ha◊◊ a Golden, that is to say, a Gra◊i◊◊◊ Character upon it. Golden Proc◊◊◊ ings, that is to say, Godly ones, will 〈…〉 found in the Market-Place of ◊ CITY, which the Son of God, has ◊ favour for.

My Doctrine is Written on the Conscience of all People, as with a 〈…〉 of Iron. I Preach no other Doctrine, than what will be defended by many more than a Thousand Preachers at this Instant in the Congregation. The Conscience in every one of the Hearers, will Oblige him to Consent unto it. CONSCIENCE, Do thou thine Office; Run thou to and fro, thro' the S◊reet of our City, and make men to 〈…〉, If Iudgment and Truth do not 〈…〉 the Market-Place, the Holy SON of GOD, will not Favour it, or Pardon it! If ◊ Scripture must be quoted on the occasion, take that One instead of a Thousand; Jer. 31.23. They 〈…〉 use this speech in the Land of Iud◊h, 〈…〉 in p. 7the Cities th◊r◊o◊, The Lord Bless thee, O Habitation of Righteousness, and Mountain of Holiness. The Blessed CITY, is ◊hat, in the Street whereof, Righ◊◊◊◊sness and Holiness has an Habitation; ◊ Market-Place of Righteousness, a ◊ountain of Holiness. Oh! May such a Speech be used in this our Land! Grant it, Oh! Grant it, Thou God of our Salvation! — But the Lord calls upon us; Get thee up! Do thy part, that it may be so.