A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 21
CHAP. XXI.
1. ANd I ſaw a new heaven, and a new earth: for the firſt heaven, and the firſt earth, were paſſed away, and there was no more ſea.
1. N. That the corrupt State of the World, and the degenerate Church, may be called the old heaven and earth, is granted: And that the Church, before the End, may be ſo reformed and bleſſed, as that heaven and earth may be ſaid to be new: And alſo that fire at laſt ſhall diſſolve the earth, and that heaven, that fell under the Curſe for mans ſin, and there ſhall be (no annihilation but) a New Heaven, and earth, is plain in Peter, &c. But which of theſe is the ſenſe of this Text is doubtful. I incline moſt to the later, that it is the new World, that ſhall follow the conflagration, and Judgment. If any ask what the new earth ſhall be for? he muſt take up with what God hath told us; Therein ſhall dwell Righteouſneſs, and the Creature be delivered from the bondage of Corruption, into the glorious liberty of the Soas of God, and all things ſhall be reſtored. Whether we ſhall then dwell on Earth, or only a new made Generation, is not ſo clear. But the Jeruſalem, now in Heaven, conſiſteth of Spirits; And this muſt come down from Heaven, and theſe Spirits muſt be again, at the Reſurrection, embodyed: And do not new bodies ſuit with a new Earth, as Spirits with Heaven? Obj. This will be to our loſs: Anſ. No, God will dwell with man, and be no Stranger to us then in Heaven: Heaven and Earth will not be ſeparated as now. As our bodies will be (no Clog to the Souls but) Spiritual, incorruptible bodies, ſo Earth will be made ſuitable to them. Its no diminution to the Glory of the Sun to ſhine on bodies, no nor of God, to Vouchſafe them his influence.
2. And I John ſaw the holy city, new Jeruſalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
2. Not new created Souls, but immortal Souls, coming down with Chriſt, ſay ſome; before the day of Judgment, ſay others, after. Many Texts ſeem to place it here, and not in Heaven only, after the Reſurrection. This is the Life of Preparation on our part; but Souls in Heaven are further prepared by Chriſt.
3. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, ſaying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they ſhall be his people, and God himſelf ſhall be with them, and be their God.
3. Wherever the place be, Gods preſence in glory, wlll make it a Heaven to us. But if it did ſpeak only of an advancement by holy Reformation and Peace on Earth, it would be ſo far like to Heaven.
4. And God ſhall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there ſhall be no more death, neither ſorrow, nor crying, neither ſhall there be any more pain: for the former things are paſſed away.
4. If they be in the right, who expound this of a Thouſand Years freedom from Perſecutions, and all Sorrows on Earth, in a New Jeruſalem, I am ſure it will be a more joyful time, when it ſhall be performed in the properſenſe of the words, after the general reſurrection. And I ſee no probability that the promiſe of [no more death,] and the reſt that follow ſhould be meant of any earthly ſtate, before that time. The new Jeruſalem, and the new Heaven and Earth, muſt be at once expected: and that is, when all theſe things are diſſolved by fire, at the judgment of the great day. O deſirable bleſſed day!
5. And he that ſat upon the throne, ſaid, Behold, I make all things new. And he ſaid unto me, Write: for theſe words are true and faithful.
5. It is true that at Conſtantines delivering the Church, there was as it were a New World. And I am in hope yet, that there may be ſuch a Reformation and advancement of Piety and Unity before the laſt day, as may be called a New World, in a fuller ſenſe: But not up to this deſcription of the New Jeruſalem.
6. And he ſaid unto me, It is done: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, I will give unto him, that is a athirſt, of the fountain of the water of life freely.
6. Say ſome [I am he that hath thus delivered the Church from Idolaters and perſecutors; and now all, that will, ſhall have the bleſſed priviledges of the Church.] Rather (I have prepared the Church for the ſtate of Bleſſedneſs and I, that an▪ the principal efficient and ultimate end of all, will give life everlaſting, in the new Jeruſalem, to every believing thirſty Soul.]
7. He that overcometh ſhall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he ſhall be my ſon.
7. He that overcometh Temptation to the end, ſhall, as my ſon, inherit full felicity in me, who will be his God.
8. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and ſorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, ſhall have their part in the lake, which burneth with fire and brimſtone: which is the ſecond death.
8. But thoſe that, being cowardly, forſake me for fear of ſuffering, and truſt not me, and thoſe that live in filthineſs and cruelty, and unrighteouſneſs and Idolatry, and all falſe deceivers, ſhall be damned.
9. And there came unto me one of the ſeven angels, which had the ſeven vials full of the ſeven laſt plagues, and talked with me, ſaying, Come hither, I will ſhew thee the bride, the lambs wife.
9. By the Bride is meant the new Jeruſalem, that is, ſay ſome, the delivered Church in Conſtantines time and after, 2. Say others, the reformed Church at the Fall of Popery. 3. Say others, a proſperous time before the thouſand years. 4. Say others, the Jews converſion in great ſplendor at Jeruſalem. 5. Say others, Chriſts viſible reign with the martyrs, and others, raiſed from death a thouſand years before the reſt. 6. Rather the new Heaven and Earth after the laſt judgment, when the flaming ſword, and partition wall, ſhall be taken down, and God dwell with man.
10. And he carried me away in the ſpirit to a great and high mountain, and ſhewed me the great City the Holy Jeruſalem, deſcending out of Heaven from God.
10. Say ſome, the Church, as here advanced to purity and liberty by the heavenly power: Rather the Souls, that were with Chriſt, coming with him to meet thoſe that ſhall be then alive and changed, advanced to that perfection, in which they ſhall for ever be glorified with the Lord. Though ſome glympſe of this may be in happy reformation, concord and deliverance here before.
11. Having the glory of God: and her light was like unto a ſtone moſt precious, even like a jaſper ſtone, clear as cryſtall:
11. Its Glory and ſtrength was repreſented to me, as made of Jaſper, clear as Cryſtall, Gods own Glory ſhineing out.
12. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Iſrael.
12. John being a Jew, and the Jews the firſt Chriſtians, who had commonly an expectation of Chriſts more ſpecial relation to them than to others, and they being the firſt ſpecimen of the Catholick Church, the Revelation of the new Jeruſalem (and perhaps alſo of ſome antecedent happy ſtate) is repreſented as ſhaped to the Jews expectations; and as typified by the old Jeruſalem. And its wall is its ſtrength and ſafety, and ſeparation from others. Its gates are for entrance, and the guardian Angels numbered according to the twelve tribes; as were the Apoſtles, who yet founded all the Churches.,
13. On the eaſt three gates, on the north three gates, on the ſouth three gates, and on the weſt three gates.
13. Note, Not that this muſt be thought the ſhape of it; but that its glory was repreſented by ſuch a ſhape.
14. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apoſtles of the Lamb.
14. As the Church on earth is founded by the doctrine and witneſs of the twelve Apoſtles, ſo is the new Jeruſalem deſcribed as related to them, it being but the Church militant perfected and made triumphant.
15. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to meaſure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof. 16. And the city lieth four-ſquare, and the length is as large as the breadth: and he meaſured the city with the reed, twelve thouſand furlongs: the length, and the breadth, and the height of it are equall.
15, 16. By this repreſentation, (like that in Ezekiel) the firmneſs, and perfection and greatneſs of the new Jeruſalem was ſignified.
17. 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.
17. The Angel appearing as a man, his meaſure is taken as a common humane meaſure.
18. And the building of the wall of it was of jaſper, and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glaſs. 19. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garniſhed with all manner of precious ſtones. The firſt foundation was jaſper, the ſecond ſaphire, the third a chalcedony, the fourth an emerald. 20. The fifth ſardonix, the ſixth ſardius, the ſeventh chryſolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth a topaz, the tenth a chryſophraſus, the eleventh a jacinth, the twelfth an amethyſt.
18, 19, 20. That the new Jeruſalem is repreſented by theſe precious ſtones, as firm, precious, lucid and glorious, and by the number of twelve, as ſuited to the twelve Apoſtles, and ſo in them to the twelve Tribes of Iſrael, as typical of the new Jeruſalem, is all that I underſtand of this: what each precious ſtone diſtinctly ſignifieth, you may read in them that know, (or take on them to know,) more.
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.
21. If there ſhall be any ſtate, on this ſide eternity, which anſwereth this glorious repreſentation, how much more will the perfected glorious triumphant Church anſwer it?
22. And I ſaw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb, are the temple of it.
22. Some expound this of liberty to ſerve to God in every place, as well as in Temples (who yet would deſtroy them as conventiclers, that do ſo.) But the Text ſeemeth to mean, that this new Jeruſalem is the perfect ſtate, which is above our inſtituted lower means. God will be our All.
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.
23. Prophetical Hyperbolies and Allegories, may put as high terms as theſe for a ſtate of meer reformation, and Church proſperity: But ſeeing that it muſt be a force, and not an expoſition, which ſo reſtraineth it, without proof, we muſt believe that it hath a higher accompliſhment.
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.
24. And thoſe, that ſhall be converted out of all nations, of the Gentiles, ſhall, as well as Abraham and the Chriſtian Jews, lay up and find a treaſure with Chriſt in the new Jeruſalem.
Note; They that expound this of the Thouſand years Reign of raiſed Martyrs at Jeruſalem, and they that expound it of a peculiar Jewiſh Church there, after the Jews Converſion, ſay, that the Nations round about ſhall not have the ſame Confirmation and Glory, as the New Jeruſalem, but be liable to Tryals ſtill. Dr. Ham. who expounds it of the Churches proſperity after Conſtantine's Succeſs, giveth theſe Reaſons, 1. Becauſe the New Jeruſalem deſcendeth from Heaven. Anſ. 1. So it may to Judgment, and yet return to Heaven. 2. Or rather, the New Heaven and Earth ſhall be open as one. An immortal Glory, in the New Earth after the Reſurrection, may be the New Jeruſalem. 2 He argueth from Gal. 4.26. as if the Jeruſalem above were only the Church Militant: But that we deny.
25. And the gates of it ſhall not be ſhut at all by day; for there ſhall be no night there. 26. And they ſhall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it.
25, 26. There ſhall be no danger of the entrance of Enemies or Traytors; But all worldly glory and bleſſings by Saints referred to this end, ſhall there be found in the tranſcendent perfect ſtate.
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 Lambs book of life.
27. Sure this proveth that it is ſomewhat better than the thouſand years after Conſtantine, that is here meant: For alas, how much abomination and deceit entred in that time! what hatred, falſe accuſations, worldlineſs, pride, cruelty and contention? 2. Note; None but Saints cleanſed from groſs ſin, will be found written in the Lambs Book of Life. It is a vile ſlander on the Orthodox Doctrine of Election, that we ſay, the Elect may be ſaved how wickedly ſoever they live; when we ſay, that it is one Decree of God that electeth men to be holy, obedient, perſevere, and be ſaved.