Ver. 17. 'And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits.' This measure of the wall that here he maketh mention of is also distinct from the former measure, where he is said to measure the city, gates, and wall; and it refers to such a wall, or to such a part of the wall in such a place. For I find that though the wall of this city in general is that which shall encompass the New Jerusalem round, yet this wall is in some place, and for some reason, of another manner and measure than the wall is in general, as it compasseth round the city, which part of the wall is called the broad wall, the wall upon which even half of the people might walk complete at once (Neh 3:8; 12:38).
But to trace out the business in the type, and so to come to its answer in the antitype; I find that a little distance from Jerusalem there was a place called Tophet, which place was counted profane, unholy, or defiled (2 Kings 23:10). I find also that this unclean, unholy place, was a figure of hell itself (Isa 30:33). Now mark, I find by the Scripture that against this Tophet, this unholy and profane place, was the broad wall of the city for the defence of the sanctuary erected, and reared up. He measured, saith the prophet, by the four sides, and it had a wall round about, five hundred reeds long, and five hundred reeds broad, 'TO MAKE A SEPARATION BETWEEN THE SANCTUARY AND THE PROFANE PLACES' (Eze 42:20). Which wall could not be that wall which compasseth the city, because it was but five hundred reeds long: for take the measure of this wall in its largest measure, and it is, if you count a reed for that which we count a pole, but twelve furlongs, which compass will scarce go round many market towns; especially if, together with this, you consider the breadth of the wall, whose breadth is as large as its length; wherefore now there is not room enough for a city so big as a cottage to stand in the midst thereof. I speak this, to show you that the wall in this place is not the wall that goeth round about the city, but the wall that is placed just between the sanctuary and Tophet, or hell itself. Now though Ezekiel and John do differ touching their count about the thickness of this wall, it is not so much to signify the walls are not one and the same, as to show us that the one, to wit, Ezekiel's wall, was to encompass a worldly sanctuary, but John's to encompass a spiritual and heavenly; wherefore Ezekiel's must be of so many reeds long to go round about the material sanctuary, as a type; but John comes more to the spirit of the matter, and showeth us what the sanctuary, wall, and the like should mean; for by sanctuary we are to understand, even in the Old Testament, a place of safety and security, which was a type of Christ (Eze 11:16; Heb 6:18). Now in that Tophet did stand against the sanctuary in the letter, it signifies that hell itself is bent against all those that take shelter in Christ; but to no purpose, for in the very face of Tophet, even between it and our place of sanctuary, is fixed an invincible and impregnable mighty wall, to keep in safety those that have fled to Christ for shelter. Now I say, in that John tells us this wall is an hundred and forty-four cubits, and waives the manner of the measure of Ezekiel, it is to show us that this wall is for the safety of the hundred and forty-four thousand that have taken sanctuary in Christ, that is, all the holy and truly gracious souls that are with him on the Mount Zion, having his Father's name written in their foreheads (Rev 7; 14:1-3). Both numbers, I say, being twelve times twelve, implying a sufficient safety for all that are sincerely and truly gracious.
And now to bring down the matter to our New Jerusalem state: for though it be true in all ages, that there is between those that have taken sanctuary in Christ, and the bottomless pit, an invincible and mighty wall of grace and heavenly power, and of the merits of Christ, to save to the uttermost all and every one that are thus fled to him for safety (Heb 7:25,26), yet there is something in it more than this, for those that come into the days and state of the New Jerusalem. For, I say, this wall being it that makes a separation between the sanctuary and the profane place in general, and yet being spoken of as a thing extraordinary, and accompanying the state of this new city only, it implieth that at this day the saints shall have that shelter by this wall from all the force of hell, and the damned spirits that now from Tophet afflict them, that they never had before. And therefore you find at the beginning of the thousand years, which, as I conceive, is the time of the building of this city, a mighty angel is said to come down from heaven to lay hold of the dragon, that old serpent, called the devil and Satan, and to bind him a thousand years; which done, he casts him into the bottomless pit, and there shuts him up, to the end he should deceive the nations no more (Rev 20:1-3). The effect of which will be not only a delivering of the saints from outward persecution, but also from being any more assailed with either wicked and erroneous doctrine, or fierce and fiery darts from the prince of darkness, which now many of them are so much annoyed and afflicted with; now the church will be free from those hellish suggestions to blaspheme, to despair, and the like, that her members do yet most dreadfully and sadly meet with. For observe, this old tempter is said to be tied up, or to be cast into the bottomless pit, first as he is a dragon, under which name he goeth in this book, in his persecuting the church (Rev 12). Secondly, he is said to be shut up, as he goeth under the name of a serpent, under which name he went when he fomented his devilish and damning seducing doctrine to our first parents; the which the Spirit expressly seems to relate unto, and therefore calls him that old serpent; that old serpent that deceived us at the first (Gen 3:1-5). Thirdly, he is said to be shut up also, as he goeth under the name of the devil, and Satan, under which name he goeth commonly in the New Testament, when he provoketh and stirreth up our lusts, and when he labours to drive us into all manner of unbelief, distrust, despair, and so consequently into murmurings and blasphemy against God (Matt 4:1,5,8; Luke 4:2-6; Acts 5:1-3; Eph 6:11; 2 Cor 2:7,11). Wherefore, I say, that at the day that this wall is set up in all its glory, and when it performs every part and piece of its office to the full, then shall Satan be bruised under our feet indeed, and then shall Jerusalem be called the joyous city, and her people a joy; for her former sorrows shall be past and forgot (Rom 16:20: Rev 21:4).
If thou still objectest: But I have yet an evil heart, and therefore if I be not rid of that at that day, should I live till then, why though there should be no devil to afflict me, I shall feel and meet with sorrow and trouble enough. I answer thee: First, I dare not say that at this day thou shalt be in every sense without thy evil heart in the midst of all this glory, tempted soul. Yet I say thus much to thee-
First. Where there is no devil to tempt, though the saints will yet be imperfect, and come short of a glorified state, yet they, by his absence, will be delivered from many dreadful, vexing, and burning, and hellish darts, that will otherwise confound and afflict the soul like arrows whose heads are poisoned. Christians have a great deal of ease, when God doth, even at this day, withhold the devil for a season, though yet they have their own lusts, over they have when the devil and their own lusts are suffered to meet and work together. Yea, the Lord Jesus himself, who had no sin, yet in the temptation was fearfully handled and afflicted with the devil, though all the while, I say, he kept him at staves end,[13] and did not suffer him in the least to annoy his person; and therefore it is said that when he was in the wilderness, in the conflict, the angels came to minister to him (Mark 1:12,13; Col 2:14,15). At the time of his agony also-in which agony, doubtless, Satan had a great hand to afflict him-you see his complaint, how that he was sore amazed, and exceeding sorrowful, even unto death, being so laden with heaviness and sorrow that he was scarce able to stand or wag under the burden of it (Luke 23:44; Mark 14:33,34). Satan, even from himself, besides the workings of our own lust, doth do us wonderful injury, and hits our souls with many a fiery dart that we think comes either from ourselves, or from heaven, and God himself; but not by this wall, this broad wall, this sorrow will be cut off.
Secondly. Again, when Satan is thus tied up, we shall, together with this mercy, receive such a plentiful pouring forth of the Holy Ghost, that though there will remain in us still remainders of our corruptions, yet, by the plentiful indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and the joy and peace and heavenly sweetness thereof, these things shall lie like lean, withered, blasted things. The reason of that power and that strength, that our lusts have to this day in our hearts, it is because they are so lean, and thin, and weak in the things of God. Strong grace makes corruptions weak, and strikes them thorough, laying them at the point of death, always gasping for life. Thus it was with Moses, he had such grace in his soul, and such communion with God, that though he had yet a body of sin within him, it was a rare thing for him to see his wretchedness (Num 11:14,15); that is, to see it pert, lively, and powerful in him. Indeed God saith, that upon the land of his people shall come up briars and thorns; 'yea, upon all the houses of joy in the joyous city; because the palaces shall be forsaken, the multitude of the city shall be left, the forts and towers shall be for dens for ever, a joy of wild asses, a pasture of flocks; until the Spirit be poured upon us from on high, and the wilderness be a fruitful field,' &c. (Isa 32:13-15). And then 'the Lord shall defend the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and he that is feeble among them at that day shall be as David, and the house of David shall be as God, as the angel of the Lord before them' (Zech 12:8). 'The inhabitant shall not say, I am sick; the people that dwell therein shall be forgiven their iniquity' (Isa 33:24).
'And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.' 'According to the measure of a man.' The man Christ Jesus. For the measure of this city, or the golden reed with which this city is thus measured, it is his, his word and law of the New Testament. All judgment is committed into the hand of the Son; and God 'hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man' (John 5:27; 12:48).
'According to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.' This angel is one of the seven that had the seven last plagues to execute upon the man of sin (Rev 21:9), and yet he saith the measure is according to the measure of a man; the meaning is that the city, the New Jerusalem, is to be built according to the word of Christ; but yet by his word as it is in the hand of his angels, that is, his messengers and servants; of which servants, the chief will be those that are his instruments to pour forth the seven vials full of the seven last plagues upon the Antichristian harlot. For they, with their plagues, will both destroy what standeth in implacable opposition, and will subject the rest, and bring them into a correspondency with the word and will of God, as I have showed. Whence note, that they of his servants that God shall use to pour forth his last and most dreadful plagues upon the whore, they are they that God will use to show us the pattern of this holy city. Or thus, they that can tell how to plague the whore, they can tell how to measure this city. 'The righteous men, they shall judge them,' that is, the Antichristian harlot, with her wicked and adulterous daughters, 'after the manner of adulteresses, and after the manner of women that shed blood; because they are adulteresses, and blood is in their hands' (Eze 23:45).
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.