The City of God, Exposition of Revelation · Chapter 21 · Part 5 – Part 7
Of Jeruſalem that great and Holy City. And ſhewed me that great City the Holy Jeruſalem.
JEruſalem in the Hebrew is a compound of foreign and foreign, ſignifying as much as a Viſion of Peace, called heretofore onelyonly Salem, or peace, and afterwards ſo ſtyled, Pſ. 76.2. In Salem is his Tabernacle, the City which of old belonged to Melchiſedech, that King of peace and righteouſneſs, Gen. 14.18. Heb. 7.1. (That lively Type and repreſentative of our Kingly Prieſt and Prophet the Lord Jeſus.) Afterwards that ſtrong hold of Zion was poſſeſſed by the Jebuſites, and taken from them by David, 1 Sam. 5.6. And called the City of David, beautifully adorned by Solomon his ſon, and long injoyed by the Kings of Judah in Davids Loine, which was beautiful for ſituation, the joy of the whole Earth, Pſ. 48.2. Wherein was Gods Temple and Throne, the principal place of Worſhip and Seat of Judgement. A general, name therefore in a figure to the Church of God, both under the Law and under the Goſpel.
And which famous City, as conſidered under the Law, paſſed a threefold ſtate all very ſignificant, viz.
1. Her pure and primitive ſtate in the days of Solomon.
2. Her ruined deſolate ſtate in the time of the Babyloniſh Captivity.
3. Her renewed reſtored ſtate after the return of the Captivity.
All which were eminently Typical to the Goſpel Church,
Firſt, Becauſe her pure and primitive ſtate in the days of Chriſt, and his Apoſtles anſwered that of Solomon, wherein a City ſtate was aſſerted, Eph. 2.19. Heb. 12.22. A greater then Solomon being there, Math 12.42.
Secondly, Becauſe her Apoſtate and ruined ſtate in the time of Antichriſt, wherein her City ſtate was defaced and ruined trode under foot, Rev. 11.2. anſwered that of the Babyloniſh Captivity.
Thirdly, Her renewed and reſtored ſtate here foretold and Prophecyed of, is to anſwer that eminent and glorious reſtoration in the Type wherein the glory of that latter Houſe excelled, according to Prophecy, the glory of the former, Hag. 2.9.
Therefore called New Jeruſalem, becauſe in all reſpects ſhe is made ſo in this her Renovation, and held forth in all this beauty and ſplendour, not only to anſwer the Type, and to fulfill the words of the Prophets, that under the terms of an illuſterious, beautiful City, foretells the Churches order, peace, purity, pollicy, gifts▪ grace, and flouriſhing ſtate, in the latter day; but alſo that ſhe might confront and utterly confound her Antitheſis that great City Babylon, that as the Lady and Miſtreſs of Kingdoms, a well favoured Harlot has by her counterfit glory inchanted and bewitched the Nations, called Great;
Becauſe as Jeruſalem in the Type bore ſway over the Nations, and had her Inhabitants all the World over, and as great Babylon extended her Territories as well as her rule and authority all the world over, ſo muſt this great City Jeruſalem, extend … her rule, authority, and influence all the ver, & become the joy of the whole Earth, to whom the Kings of the Nations muſt bow and bring preſents, even all their honour and glory, Pſ. 72.8, 9, 10, 11.15. Rev. 21.24. Called Holy.
1. Becauſe of that purity and holineſs, that through the powering out of the Holy Spirit upon her ſhall now abound, in ſo much that upon the very Bells of the Horſes, and upon the Po…s, in the Sanctuary ſhall then be Holineſs, Zach. 14.1. Held out by this golden ſtate, the City being all of pure tranſparent gold, as well as the ſtreets thereof of the ſame; implying, that the conſtitution thereof is not only ſo, but the whole courſe of the converſation is the ſame alſo;
2. Becauſe of that exact keeping to holy rule and order in the faithful obſervation of the form of the Houſe, and the faſhion thereof, the Laws, Statutes, and Ordinances thereof, the comings in thereof; and the goings out thereof, &c. which being the law of the Houſe upon the top of the Mountains, the whole limit thereof ſhall be holy, Ezek. 43.11, 12. Rev. 22 14.
3. Becauſe there is no unclean perſon or thing to enter or abide in it, as Verſe 8. and 27. Iſa. 35.8, 9. Rev. 22.15. Zach 14.21. Joel 3.17.
4. Becauſe of the abiding of holy preſence therein, the Tabernacle of God being now with men, who himſelf will dwell, and walk with them, 21.3. The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb is to be the Temple thereof; and the Throne of God and the Lamb ſhall be in it. 22.3.
Babylon its true her oppoſite, is repreſented to us as great, and called the great City and reaſon good. Becauſe ſhe is ſaid to Reign over the Kings of the Earth, Rev. 17.18. Yet is ſhe not ſaid to be holy, but the quit contrary, being the unclean, filthy, polluted, and bloody City, compared to Sodom and Egypt, and apoſtate Jeruſalem, Rev. 11. Being the hold and receptacle, not onelyonly of every ſoul Spirit, viz. Filthy locuſts, Rev. 9. Ʋnclean Frogs ſaid to be the ſpirits of Devils, Rev. 16.13, 14. Z…im and Jim, Eſai. 13.21. But the cage of every unclean and hateful Bird, 18.2. viz. Owls and Satyrs, and ſuch like doleful Creatures. Iſa. 13, 21. Whoſe Inhabitants therefore we have ſet forth under eight Characters, Rev. 21.8. viz. To be the fearful, the unbelieving, the abominable, the Murderers, the Whoremongers, the Sorcerers, the Idolaters, and the Lyers.
Of the Cities deſcent from Heaven. And deſcended out of Heaven from God.
THat the City or Church of God, eſpecially in this ſtate did deſcend from Heaven, may appear, if we conſider,
Firſt, That all her Members are Heaven-born, viz. born of God, born of the Spirit, born from above, John 3.7.1.13. begotten of his Will by the Word of Truth, Jam. 1.18. and brought forth in Zion, where it muſt be written that this, and that man was born in her Pſal. 87.4. And therefore called Jeruſalem from above the mother of us all, Gal. 4.26.
Secondly, That all the Rules, Orders, Laws, Governments, are the Statute-Laws of Heaven, her High-prieſt, Proph… and King coming from thence, John 3.13.31, 32, 33. Heb. 1.1.
Thirdly, That her raiſing out of the duſt, her coming up out of the Grave, the return of her Captivity, the advancement to this pitch of Beauty and excellency, is by the ſpecial ordering of Divine power and Providence from firſt to laſt, and that in ſuch an eminent, and viſible manner, that as the Prophet ſaith, It ſhall be ſeen, known and underſtood, that the hand of the Lord hath done it, and the Holy one of Iſrael hath created it.
Fourthly, That the Glory and ſpecial preſence of the Lord hath deſcended from Heaven, reſting and remaining upon her.
The quite contrrry is true of that other oppoſite City Babylon, who aſcends with her Head and Governours from beneath, even out of the Bottomleſs pit; and therefore hath all her affairs, tranſactions, and concerns be managed by that wiſdom which cometh from below, which is Earthly, Senſual, Deviliſh.
Of the Glory of God upon her. Having the Glory of God: and her light was like unto a Stone most precious, even like a Jaſper Stone, clear as Chryſtal, verſe 11.
THis is a further and fuller diſcovery that the Church is returned out of her Captivity; becauſe the Lord hath returned his Glory un…o her.
When ſhe went into Captivity, her Glory departed from her, now ſhe returns again ſhe receives therewith her former Glory, which begins upon the pouring out of the Vials, Chap. 15.8. in alluſion to Exod. 40.34. 1 Kings 8.10, 11. Thus it was in the type when Jeruſalem went into Captivity under the King of Babylon, it is ſaid the Glory of God departed from them and went by degrees firſt, out of the Temple to the Threſhold of the houſe, then off from the City, then to the Mountain, and ſo by degrees quite away, Ezek. 10.4.18.11.22, 23, &c. But when their Captivity returned, ſo did the Glory alſo, and that in the ſame way it departed, as Ezek. 40.1, 2.3, 4, 5, 6.
In like manner alſo doth the Glory here return to Jeruſalem, and that in ſo viſible a manner, that all are enlightned by it, to fulfill the words of the Prophet, Iſa. 60.1, 2. Ariſe ſhine for thy light is come, and the Glory of the Lord is riſen upon thee; for behold darkneſs ſhall cover the Earth, and groſs darkneſs the people, but the Lord ſhall ariſe upon thee, and his Glory ſhall be ſeen upon thee, &c. and which will be ſo ſplendid and ſhine to that perfection, that (to follow the ſimile) Rev. 22.5. there ſhall be no night there, and they need no Candle, neither light of the Sun, 21.23. compared with Iſa. 60.19. And again, The Gentiles ſhall ſee thy Righteouſneſs, and all the Kings of the Earth thy Glory, Iſa. 62.2. And then ſhall alſo be accompliſhed what is further ſaid, Iſa. 52.9, 10. The Lord ſhall make bare his holy name, in the eyes of all Nations, and all the ends of the Earth ſhall ſee the Salvation of God; So that not only the Glory of his preſence and the Glory of his Grace, but the Glory of his power ſhall be manifeſt for his people, to the fulfilling alſo that word, Iſa. 4.5. And the Lord will Create upon every dwelling place of Mount Zion and upon her Aſſemblies a Cloud and ſmoke by day, and the ſhining of a flaming fire by night; for upon or above all the Glory ſhall be a defence; alluding to the preſence and Glory of old, the type hereof that came up with them out of Aegypt, Exod. 13.21. that was with them in the Wilderneſs, Exod. 33.9, 10. which was ſo to be their guide, that without it they muſt not ſtir, Numb. 9.15. Exod. 33.15. that accompanied the Tabernacle, Exod. 40.34. and both the Temples, 1 Kings 8.11. Hag. 2. 6, 7. in the enjoyment whereof, conſiſted their Counſel, Comfort, Bleſſing, Protection, Strength, and therefore muſt the High-Prieſt (begging that Mercy) bleſs the people, Numb. 6.23. and in the loſs whereof the contrary attended, viz. all miſery and miſchief: But ſo eminently ſhall this new Jeruſalem be bleſſed herewith, that her name ſhall be called Jehovah Shamah, viz. the Lord is there, Ezek. 48.35. whilſt it may truly be ſaid of her Oppoſite that other City, that by the ſmoke that cometh out of the Bottomleſs-pit, and by the indwellings of Satan, whoſe Throne and Seat is therein, that darkneſs incompaſſeth her as a Cloud, and thick darkneſs as a covering, that the height of her Glory is but in her own ſhame, which will haſten her inevitable ruine and utter confuſion, and for whom the miſt of darkneſs is reſerved for ever.