The City of God, Exposition of Revelation · Chapter 21 · Paraphrase of chapters
A Paraphraſtical Expoſition.
JOhn having ſeen a Viſion of the Deſtruction of Babylons old World, viz. in the paſſing away of her old Heaven in her Whoriſh Miniſtry or Church ſtate, and her old Earth in her Beaſtly Magiſtracy or Civil ſtate, has now a Viſion of Jeruſalems new World, wherein all things are made new, viz. In her new Heaven-Bride-like miniſtry or Church ſtate, and in her Lamb-like Magiſtracy or Civil ſtate, and which in Conjunction is diſcovered in the emblematical repreſentation of a Glorious City hereafter expreſſed.
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.And there was one of the ſeven Angels that having ſhewed me the deſtruction of the falſe Church, by the burning of a gaudy Whoriſh woman, Rev. 17. ſhews me here the exaltation of the true Church, by the repreſentation of a Beautiful comely Virgin, prepared and trimed as a Bride for her Husband.
And then me thought I was carryed unto the top of a great Mountain, and had ſpiritual diſcoveries of the new Teſtament Church that is built upon a Hill, Mat. 5.14.10 And he carryed me away in the Spirit to a great and high Mountain, and ſhewed me that great City, the Holy Jeruſalem, diſcending out of Heaven from God. And as the Angel had diſcovered to me Babylon the falſe Church in the figure of a great City was pleaſed by the emblem of a famous City to ſhew me new Jeruſalem the true Church, and by the ſituation, grandeur, beauty and excellent deſcent of the one, would have me to underſtand the Divine original perſpicuity, ſtability, greatneſs and holineſs of the other.
And then by obſerving to me that Divine Glory,11. Having the Glory of God, and her light was like unto a ſtone most precious, even like a Jaſper stone clear as Chryſtal. Ver. 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. Ver. 25. For there ſhall be no night there. Chap. 22.5. And there ſhall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither light of the Sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they ſhall reign for ever and ever. which by a continued light as bright as the Jaſper and clear as Chriſtal, ſo ſhined upon it day and night, that there was no need of any other light (either Candle, Sun or Moon to lighten it) would have me underſtand that eminent and glorious preſence of Chriſt that ſhould now reſt upon the Church, tranſcending the Glory that ſhined about the Sanctuary, when of old he Tabernacled with men, and to which he alludes, and by vertue whereof the Chriſtian Doctrine and Grace ſhall be ſo ſplendid and glorious.
12. And had a Wa l great and h gh, 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. 13. On the East three Gates, on the North th…ee Gates, on the South three Gates. on the Weſt three Gates. 14. And the Wall of the City had twelve Foundations, and in them the namer of the twelve Apoſtles of the Lamb. 25. And the Gates of it ſhall not be ſhut at all by day; for there ſhall be no night there.The next thing that came to be obſerved in this glorious ſtructure, was an illuſtrious regular and well fortified Wall, planted to the four Quarters, and accommodated with proportionable Gates and Guards.
Giving me to underſtand hereby the ſalvation, ſtability and ſecurity now attending the Church in her freedom from all danger, both from within or without; being not only incompaſſed with an infinite Arm and all-ſeeing Eye, founded and invironed with invincible Apoſtolical and Prophetical Doctrine and Truth; but richly furniſhed with an Angelical faithful Miniſtry to defend and keep the ſame, who are continually at the open Gates, as to receive and imbrace the faith from every Quarter, ſo as vigilantly to keep out and reject whatever may defile.
Afterwards the ſame Angel with a Golden Reed in his hand did meaſure,15. And he that talked with me had a Golden Reed to meaſure the City, and the Gates thereof, and the wall thereof and give me the exact Demenſions and Symmetry of the City Gates and Walls.
Giving me to underſtand thereby the exactneſs of Rule and holy Order, that the Church will faithfully obſerve in all her Miniſtrations, who in every thing, both as to Doctrine, Worſhip and Manners, will lye level to the ſquare of Gods Word that Golden Met wand.
And that the Cubical ſquare thereof ſo well anſwering the Figure of the holy place in the Temple, beſpeaks the Church in its now conformity to Divine appointment, even no leſs then as a Heaven upon Earth.
The next thing that ſo ſignally called for obſervation and remark,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 Foundition was Jaſper, the ſecond Saphir, the third a Chalcedony, the fourth an Emerald. 20. The fifth Sardonix, the ſixth Sardius, the ſeventh Chryſolite, the eighth Beril, the ninth a Topaz, the tenth a Chriſopraſus, the eleventb a Jacinet, the twelfth an Amethiſt. 21. And the twelve Gates were the twelve Pearls, every ſeveral Gates was of one Pearl, and the ſtreet of the City was pure Gold, as it was trnnſparent Glaſs. was the precious materials and the glorious Garniſhings of it, which was moſt manifeſt in that magnificent Jaſper Wall, aſtoniſhing Golden City and ſtreet, the moſt illuſtrious Pearl-Gates, and thoſe wonderful precious Stones that beſpangled the Foundations.
Diſcovering to me no leſs than the incomparable excellency of Jeſus Chriſt in his Name, Nature and Offices, the incomparable precious head of their Glorious body, together with his pure and precious Doctrines, and the ineſtimable Gifts and Graces of his ſpirit, as manifeſted in the Hearts and Lives of the Saints.
22. And I ſaw no Temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty, and the Lamb are the Temple of it.The City in all its parts being obſerved, the Acceſſories to render it accompliſhed in all reſpects are nextly taken notice of, the firſt whereof is the extraordinary Temple that was in it, God and Chriſt being the Temple thereof, which inſtructed me that it was no litteral and material but a myſtical and Spiritual Temple, Chriſt Jeſus, God Man,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 unto it. 26. And they ſhall bring the glory and honour of the Nations into it. the living precious foundation corner ſtone, and the Saints as living precious ſtones built upon him, making up together this myſtical Temple, as 1. p. 2. 5. 2 Cor. 6.16.
The next thing that heightens the glory and encreaſeth the Grandeur of this famous City, is the conflux and great reſort of the Nations, and Kings of the Earth with their riches and honour into it, in alluſion to Solomons dayes, as expreſt, 2 Cron. 9.22.
Intimating that in thoſe days Chriſtianity ſhall be eſteemed the greateſt Honour, Grace and Godlineſs, and the preſence of Chriſt will be moſt prized and regarded. When there ſhall be ſuch Kings, that will value Chriſt more then their Crowns, as Rev. 4.10. When goodneſs ſhall go for true greatneſs, and Godlineſs for the beſt gain.
27. And their ſhall in no wiſe enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatſoever worketh abomination or maketh a lye, but they which are written in the Lambs Book of life.Then are the Characters of thoſe given, that ſhall have the honour to be admitted into this famous place;
1. Negatively, viz. no Pagan Idolaters nor Anti-chriſtian lyers, that belong to the Beaſts, Catalogue, But
2. Affirmitively ſuch only as by the Lambs Regiſter ought to have entrance.
Intimating that how ever there ſhall be ſuch flocking into the Church of Chriſt, and that it ſhall ſo wonderfully increaſe, as Iſa. 54.1, 2, 3, 4. Yet will ſhe not greaten her ſelf, as Babylon uſed to do, by taking in good and bad, and letting in the World into the Church; No there ſhall be no ſuch admiſſions; but onelyonly ſuch muſt enter therein, as anſwer the qualifications laid down in Gods Word (or Lambs Book) that do by living fruits of Faith and Repentance, witneſs Saintſhip, and teſtifie thereby that they are called choſen and faithful, and ſo entering the Gate Chriſt, do paſs by the Watch-men, the faithful miniſtry to ſhare and partake of the Priviledges of the Church.
The next bleſſing and benefit accrewing,Chap. 22. 1. And he ſhewed me a pure River of water of life, clear as Cryſtal proceeding out of the Throne of, God and of the Lamb. 2. In the midſt of the ſtreet of it and of either ſide of the River was their the Tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and y…ilded her fruit every monethmonth: and the leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations. is the plentiful rich proviſion, that is provided for the ſupply both for neceſſity and delight, comprized under the Water and Tree of Life, alluding to the Tree of Life in the Garden and Ezekiels River, Ezek. 47.
Intimating that the glorious preſence, that had ſo inricht the Church, ſhould by a plentiful rich ſupply of Spiritual grace (flowing from the Throne of Grace) ſo maintain the ſame continually, that each ſhall have ſuch ſtore, that out of their bellies ſhall flow Rivers of living water, Jo. 7.38.
Laſtly,3. And there ſhall be no more curſe; but the Throne of God and of the Lamb ſhall be in it and his ſervants ſhall ſerve him. 4. And they ſhall ſee his face and his name ſhall be in their Foreheads. To Crown this bleſſed and glorious ſtate, there is a Throne erected as well as a Temple, wherein his maked ſervants ſhall ſee his Face that ſerve him.
Intimating that Satans Seat, Rev. 21.13. And the Beaſts Throne, Rev. 16. That brought the curſe, being removed, the Lambs Throne inſtead thereof is erected; wherein his Servants that are his Sealed ones, Eph. 1.13. 2 Tim. 2.19. And that by a viſible Holy profeſſion bear the Lambs Name in their Foreheads and injoy his preſence, ſhall ſerve him therein, and ſhall as his Subſtitutes and Vice-gerent manages the affairs of his Kingdom and Soveragnity, to his glory and praiſe as Satans inſtruments and ſervants did before, order and diſpoſe in the Beaſts Kingdom. Amen, Allelujah.