The City of God, Exposition of Revelation · Chapter 21 · Part 1 – Part 2
In the briefer Account we have,
Firſt, By Viſion, the Churches happineſs repreſented, and that
Firſt, In reſpect to a new World. And I ſaw a new Heaven, and a new Earth, for the firſt Heaven and Earth was paſt away.
Secondly, In reſpect to the evils of Commotion and trouble, that are to be removed thence; And there was no more Sea.
Thirdly, In reſpect of the new Jeruſalem. Deſcribed by
1. Her Holineſs in oppoſition to the unholy City, that was removed:
2 Her newneſs,
Firſt, In reſpect to old Jeruſalem the Type.
Secondly, In reſpect of her new ſtate and happineſs.
3. Her Heavenlineſs, or Divine deſcent.
4. Her Bridelike preparedneſs, Verſe 2. And I ſaw the Holy City new Jeruſalem coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a Bride adorned for her Husband.
Secondly, By Voice, Tending to explain and confirm the former Viſion, which is twofold:
1. From Heaven.
2. From the Throne.
1. The Voice from Heaven declares the Churches happineſs.
Firſt, Reſpecting the enjoyment of all good, conſiſting in the enjoyment, 1. Of Gods Covenant relating to them. 2. His Co-habitation by his preſence with them. And I heard a 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, Verſe 3.
Secondly, Reſpecting the removal of evil, by the paſſing away of former things, viz. Diſtreſſes, Perſecutions, Slaughters, as Rev. 12.2.13.7.14.13. Which ſhall trouble her no more. 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 past away, Verſe 4.
2. The Voice from the Throne, which is th…efold from God himſelf confirming this happy ſtate.
1. Proclaiming himſelf the Author of this new Fabrick. And he that ſate upon the Throne ſaid, Behold I make all things new.
2. Commanding John to Write and Record theſe words as infallible. And he ſaid unto me, write, for theſe words are true and faithful. Verſe 5.
3. Declaring the conſummation of this happy ſtate according to Prophecy, And he ſaid unto me, It is done: confirm'd from his Omnipotency, I am Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End deſcribed by the nature and excellency of this happineſs: I will give unto him, that is a thirſt of th… Fountain of the water of Life freely: He that over cometh ſhall inherit all things: And I will be his God and he ſhall be my Son, Verſe 6, 7.
Which happy ſtate is illuſtrated by the contrary miſerable condition, that muſt attend the Worſhippers of the Beaſt, and Vaſſals of Anti-chriſt, who are ranked in eight ſeveral ſorts, deſcribing their corruptions: But the fearful and unbelieving, and the Abominable and Murderers, and Whoremongers, and Sorcerers and Idolaters, and all Lyars ſhall have their part in the Lake, which burneth with Fire and Brimſtone, which is the ſecond Death.
Secondly, In the larger Account by Vifion to John, we have,
1. The preparation of John for the Viſion.
2. The deſcription of the Church and her happy eſtate, as repreſented in the Viſion.
Firſt, The Preparation of John for perceiving and beholding this Viſion, wherein may be obſerved.
1. Who prepared, viz. one of the ſeven Vial Angels.
2. How prepared him, partly by words: 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 partly by action, And he carried me away in the ſpirit to a great high Mountain, Verſe 10.
Secondly, The Churches Deſcription; And ſhe is ſhewed here in the height of magnificency and ſtatelineſs, tranſcending all the glory of the Kingdoms of the World, which is diſplayed,
1. In her ſelf.
2. In her Acceſſories.
Firſt, In her ſelf, Jeruſalem is diſplay'd according to,
1. Her glorious beauty.
2. Excellent Fortifications.
3. Accurate Symmetry, or proportion.
4. Pretious Materials.
Firſt, Her glorious Beauty conſiſting,
1. In her greatneſs.
2. Holineſs.
3. Original or Heavenly Deſcent.
4. Divine Glory.
5. Her Orient Light. And he ſhewed me that great City, the Holy Jeruſalem deſcending out of Heaven from God, having the Glory of God, and her light was like unto a ſtone moſt precious even like a Jaſper ſtone, clear as Cryſtal.
Secondly, Her ſtrong and excellent Fortifications, conſiſting in a Wall about the City, which is deſcribed by,
1. Its Conſtitution,
2. Gates.
3. Foundations.
First, By the Conſtitution and Fabrick of it, and had a Wall great and high.
Secondly, By the Gates, which excell,
1. For the Number, which is Patriarchal and Apoſtolical; And had Twelve Gates.
2. For their Keepers or Porters, And at the Gates Twelve Angels.
3. For their inſcriptions upon them; And names written thereon, which are the names of the Twelve Tribes of the Children of Iſrael, verſe 12.
4. For their uniform order, viz. On the Eaſt three Gates, on the North three Gates, on the South three Gates, and on the Weſt three Gates.
Thirdly, By the Foundations of the Wall, which in Number and Name inſcribed upon them relate to Chriſts Twelve Apoſtles, And the Wall of the City had Twelve Foundations, and in them the Names of the Twelve Apoſtles of the Lamb, verſe. 14.
3. Her Symmetry or proportion, as moſt exact, and accurate, wherein we may conſider,
Firſt, The meaſurer, an Angel.
Secondly, The meaſuring Inſtrument a Golden Reed.
Thirdly, The things meaſured, viz. The City and Gates thereof, and walls thereof, verſe 15.
Fourthly, The figure of the City: And the City lyeth four-ſquare, and the length is as large as the breadth, equilateral.
Fifthly, The meaſure of the City, and wall of the City: And he meaſured the City with the Reed twelve thouſand Furlings, the length and the bredth and the height are equal. verſe …6. And he meaſured the wall thereof, a hundred fourty and four Cubits according to the meaſure of a man, that is, of the Angel.
4. Her coſtly and precious materials.
Firſt, The matter of the Wall: And the building of the Wall of it was of Jaſper.
Secondly, The matter of the whole City. And the City was pure Gold, like unto clear Glaſs, verſe 18.
Thirdly, The matter and Garniſhment of the Walls foundations, all manner of precious Stones. And the Foundations of the City were garniſhed with all manner of precious Stones, The firſt foundation was Jaſper, The ſecond Saphir, The third Chalcedony, The fourth an Emerald, The fifth Sardonix, The ſixth Sardius, The ſeventh Chryſolyte, The eighth Berill, The ninth a Topaz, The tenth a Chryſophraſus, The eleventh an Hyacinth, The twelfth an Amethyſt, verſe 19.20.
Fourthly, The matter of the Twelve Gates; And the Twelve Gates were Twelve Pearls, every ſeveral Gate was of one Pearl.
Fifthly, The matter of the City; And the ſtreet of the City was pure Gold, as it was transparent Glaſs, verſe 21.
Secondly, In her Acceſſories, viz. in thoſe ſupplies from without her ſelf, making up her Beauty and Glory, conſiſting,
1. In that ſingular Spiritual preſence of God in Chriſt, in the purity, Truth and Spiritualneſs of Goſpel-worſhip.
Firſt, God and the Lamb are the Temple of it, And I ſaw no Temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the Temple of it: verſe 22.
2. God and the Lamb are the light of it: 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, verſe 23.
2. The Conflux and great Reſort of the Nations unto this City. And the Nations of them which are ſaved ſhall walk in the Light of it. And the Kings of the Earth ſhall contribute to the happineſs thereof And the Kings of the Earth ſhall bring the Glory and Honour of the Nations into it, verſe 26.
Amplified by the ſecurity that ſhall be there. And the Gates of it ſhall not at all be ſhut by day: as well as freedom from from fraud by night: for there ſhall be no night there. As alſo the purity and integrity of all comers. And there 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, verſe 27.
3. The plenty of all things both for neceſſity and delight, which abundance is compriſed under the Water of Life againſt Thirſt, and the Tree of Life againſt Hunger, both for the ſupply of outward and inward man, both for Meat and Medicine. And he ſhewed me a pure River of Water of Life, clear as Chryſtal, proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midſt of the Street and of either ſide of the River was there the Tree of Life and yielded her fruit every Month, and the Leaves of the Tree were for the healing of the Nations. Chap. 22. verſe 1, 2.
4. The perpetuity of this City and its happineſs to compleat its Beauty and Glory, which is demonſtrated,
Firſt, By removing the Evil that might corrupt or oppoſe its happineſs. And there ſhall be no more Curſe.
Secondly, By continuing the Good, in which its happineſs doth conſiſt, viz. the bleſſing and preſence of God and Chriſt, viz. But the Throne of God and of the Lamb ſhall be in it.
Thirdly, By the abiding integrity of the Citizens in new obedience and habitual ſervice, as their eminent priviledge therein. And his Servants ſhall ſerve him, and they ſhall ſee his face, and his name ſhall be in their foreheads, and there ſhall be no night there, and they need no Candle, neither the light of the Sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they ſhall Reign for ever and ever, verſe 3, 4, 5. viz. Their Reign ſhall be begun on Earth, and be continued till conſummated in Heaven.
Having thus gone through the parts of this Scripture, we ſhall in the next place further enquire into the Spirits meaning of theſe Heavenly Myſteries, and ſhall begin at the ninth ver of the 21 Chap: where the particular and larger Viſion begins.
The Expoſition of the Principal things in the Viſion. Of the Angel that diſcovereth the Viſion. And there came unto me one of the ſeven Angels, which had the ſeven Vials, full of the ſeven last Plagues;
THis Angel may be ſuppoſed to be the very ſame that ſhewed John the Viſion of the great Whore in her filthineſs, abomination, and judgment, Rev. 17.1. who here diſcovereth to him her Antitheſis the Bride the Lambs wife in all her Dignity, Glory and Exaltation.