Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1144

 

[FOURTH. THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITY, THEIR QUALITY, AND NUMEROUSNESS.]

Now, madam, what sayest thou? The kings must come to Jerusalem, Jezebel. Thy chamber companions will shortly, notwithstanding thy painted face, cast thee down headlong out at the windows. Yea, they shall tread thee in pieces by the feet of their prancing horses, and with the wheels of their jumping chariots (2 Kings 9:30-33). They shall shut up all bowels of compassion towards thee, and shall roar upon thee like the sea, and upon thy fat ones like the waves thereof (Jer 50:41,42). Yea, when they begin, they will also make an end, and will leave thee so harbourless and comfortless, that now there will be found for thee no gladness at all, no, not so much as one piper to play thee one jig. The delicacies that thy soul lusted after, thou shalt find them no more at all (Rev 18:12-22). 'Babylon the glory of kingdoms, the beauty of the Chaldees' excellency, shall be as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah. It shall never be inhabited, neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation; neither shall the Arabian pitch tent there, neither shall the shepherds make their fold there. But wild beasts of the desert shall lie there, and their houses shall be full of doleful creatures. 

And owls shall dwell there, and satyrs [that is, the hobgoblins, or devils] shall dance there. And the wild beasts of the islands shall cry in their desolate houses, and dragons in their pleasant palaces; and her time is near to come, and her days shall not be prolonged' (Isa 13:19-23). Thus wilt thou come down wonderfully. For 'in thee have they set light by father and mother; in the midst of thee have they dealt by oppression with the stranger: in thee have they vexed the fatherless and the widow. In thee are men that carry tales to shed blood: and in thee they eat upon the mountains, in the midst of thee they commit lewdness' (Eze 22:6-10). God hath smitten his hands at thy dishonest gain, and all the blood which hath been in the midst of thee; God will be avenged of thee, but will not meet thee as a man (Isa 47:1-3). You 'have cast lots for my people,' saith God: you 'have given a boy for a harlot, and sold a girl for wine, that they might drink.' You have made havoc of my young converts to satisfy your lusts; therefore, 'What have ye to do with me, O Tire and Sidon, and all the coast of Palestine? 

Will ye render me a recompence? And if ye recompence me swiftly and speedily, will I return you recompence upon your own head' (Joel 3:1-4). I will throw it in your face again as dirt. And never talk of what thou wast once, for though thou wast full of wisdom, and perfect in beauty, though thou hast been in Eden, the garden of God, yea, though every precious stone for some time was thy covering, and thou the very anointed cherub that covereth, walking upon the mountain of God, and in the midst of the stones of fire, yet because-by reason of the multitude of thy merchandize-thou hast sinned, and art filled with violence. 'Therefore God will cast thee, as profane, out of the mountain of God, and will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire'; yea, he will cast thee to the ground, and lay thee before kings, that they may behold thee. And 'all they that know thee among the people shall be astonished at thee: thou shalt be a terror, and never shalt thou be any more' (Eze 28:12-19). 'And when thou art spoiled, what wilt thou do? Though thou clothest thyself with crimson, though thou deckest thee with ornaments of gold; though thou rentest thy face with painting, in vain shalt thou make thyself fair, thy lovers will despise thee, they will seek thy life' (Jer 4:30).

'And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and their honour into it.' Mark, they do not only forsake the crimson harlot, neither do they content themselves with eating her flesh and burning her with fire, but they come over, they come over to Jerusalem; they are conquered by the grace of Christ and wisdom of the Son of God. They shall make war with the Lamb, but the Lamb shall overcome them, for he is King of kings and Lord of lords, and those that are with him are called, and chosen, and faithful. Now they shall all give way to the government of the King of kings, the governor of the Jews (Ezra 6:7), and shall with gladness delight to see him rule his spouse with his own law, rules, and testament; they shall play the pranks of Jeroboam no longer, in making calves to keep the people from going up to Jerusalem to worship. Now they shall count him also king of nations, as well as king of saints; and he shall wear the crowns, and they shall seek to him (Rev 19:12,15; Jer 10:7; Isa 52:15; 2 Chron 9:23).

[The city secure, the gates always open.]

Ver. 25. 'And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day for there shall be no night there.'

This is the effect of what you read before, namely, of the coming in of the kings and great ones of the earth to this Jerusalem. For when the whore is made desolate and naked, and burned with fire, and when the kings also that loved her, and that maintained her, are come in, and have closed with the glory and beauty of this city, then what need is there to shut the gates? Alas, all the injuries that the kings and great ones of the earth have done to the church and spouse of Christ in these days of the New Testament, it hath been through the instigation and witchcraft of this mistress of iniquity. 'The horseman lifteth up both the bright sword and the glittering spear' (Nahum 3:3,4), against the saints of God, by reason of the multitudes of the whoredoms of the well-favored harlot, the mistress of witchcrafts, who selleth nations through her whoredoms, and families through her witchcrafts. Wherefore I say, this gentlewoman being laid in her grave, and all her fat ones gone down to the sides of the pit, these kings will change their mind, and fall in love with the true and chaste matron, and with Christ her Lord. Now when this is thus, this city must needs be safely inhabited as towns without walls, and as a place near to which there is neither thief nor ravenous beast (Isa 2:4; Jer 33:16; Zech 2:4; 14:11).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1143

 

[FOURTH. THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITY, THEIR QUALITY, AND NUMEROUSNESS.]

'And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.' They 'shall walk in the light of it.' That is, in the light that is in it while it is in its purity in this world, and in the glory of it when it is in its perfection and immortality in another. Whence note by the way, that in the midst of all this glory, or while the glorious light of the gospel shall thus shine in the world, yet even then there will be some also that will not see and rejoice in the glory hereof. But as for those, whoever they are, they are excluded from a share in the blessed and goodly privileges of this city. '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 honor into it.' By these words are great things held forth. He told us before that the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it; and here he tells us that even their kings also, the kings of the earth, do bring their honor and glory to it. The people of the nations they are but like to single pence and halfpence, but their kings like gold angels and twenty-shilling pieces. Wherefore, when he saith that the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor unto it, it argueth that the gospel and the grace of God, when it is displayed in its own nature, and seen in its own complexion, even then they that have most of the honor and glory of the world will yet stoop their top-gallant unto it. 'Because of thy temple which is at Jerusalem, shall kings bring presents unto thee' (Psa 68:29; Isa 49:22,23). 

'The kings of Tarshish, and of the isles, shall bring presents' to thee: 'the kings of Sheba and Seba shall offer gifts. Yea, all kings shall fall down before him; all nations shall serve him' (Psa 72:10,11). The kings shall see and arise, and 'princes also shall worship because of the Lord,' &c. (Isa 49:7). The kings shall come to thy light, and princes to the brightness of thy rising (Isa 60:1-5). 'The Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory' (Isa 62:2). Yea, 'that which had not been told them shall they see, and that which they have not heard shall they consider' (Isa 52:15). 'All the kings of the earth shall praise thee, O Lord, when they hear the words of thy mouth. Yea, they shall sing in the ways of the Lord: for great is the glory of the Lord' (Psa 138:4,5). Thus, we see that though in the first day of the gospel, the poor, the halt, the lame, and the blind are chief in the embracing of the tenders of grace, yet in the latter day thereof God will take hold of kings.

'And the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honor into it.' INTO IT; that is, to Jerusalem. Wherefore this city must be built before they all of them will fall in love with her. Indeed, I do conceive that some of them will lay their hand to help forward the work of this city, as did Hiram with Solomon, and Darius, Cyrus, and Artaxerxes, with Ezra and Nehemiah, at the building and repairing the city, in the letter, in the days of old (2 Chron 2:11-15; Ezra 1:1-4; 6:1-3; 7:21). But yet, I say, the great conquest of the kings will be by the beauty and glory of this city, when she is built. 'thou shalt arise,' O Lord, 'and have mercy upon Zion; for the time to favour her, yea, the set time is come. For thy servants take pleasure in her stones, and favor the dust thereof. So the heathen shall fear the name of the Lord, and all kings thy glory' (Psa 102:13-15). 

And, indeed, before this city is set up, and established in her own place, most of the kings and great ones of the earth will be found employed and taken up in another work than to fall in love with Mount Zion, and with the hill thereof. They will be found in love with mistress Babylon, the mother of harlots, the mistress of witchcrafts, and abominations of the earth (Rev 17:2,12-14; 18:3,9). They will, I say, be committing fornication with her, and will be as the horns upon the heads of the beast, to defend the riding lady from the gunshot that the saints continually will be making at her by the force of the Word and Spirit of God. They will be shaking the sharp end of their weapons against the Son of God, continually laboring to keep him out of his throne, and from having that rule in the church, and in the world, as becomes him who is the head of the body, and over all principality and power. 'These shall make war with the Lamb' (Rev 17:14). 

But, I say, it shall so come about at the last, by the illuminating grace of God, and by the faithful and patient enduring of the saints, together with the glory that everywhere shall now be abiding on the church and congregation of Jesus, that they shall begin to receive a man's heart, and shall consider things that have not been told them; wherefore at last they shall withdraw themselves from the love of this mistress, and shall leave her to scrape for herself in the world, and shall come with repentance and rejoicing to Zion; nay, not only so, but to avenge the quarrel of God, and the vengeance of his temple; and to recompense her also for the delusions and enchantments wherewith she hath entangled them. 'These shall hate her, and they shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire' (Rev 17:16).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1142

 

[FOURTH. THE INHABITANTS OF THE CITY, THEIR QUALITY, AND NUMEROUSNESS.]

Ver. 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 honor into it.' After this long and pleasant description of this holy and new Jerusalem, the Holy Ghost now falleth upon a relation of the people that shall be the inhabitants of this city, and of their numerousness and quality.

'And the nations,' &c. The nations of the world, both of the Jews and Gentiles.

Every one knoweth what the nations are, wherefore I need not stay upon the explication of that, for it doth in general include the multitude of the sinners of the world (Eph 2:1-3; 1 Cor 6:9-11; Titus 3:3). Therefore, when he saith, the nations shall walk in the light of this city, it is as if he had said, that at this day, when she is here in her tranquility, the sinners and disobedient among the sons of men shall by multitudes and whole kingdoms come in and close with the church and house of God. These spiders shall take hold with their hands, and be in kings' palaces (Pro 30:28).

'And the nations,' &c. For this word, 'the nations,' is a great word, and it comprehendeth much; mark, it doth not say a nation, or some nations, neither doth it say few or small nations, but indefinitely, the nations, many nations, strong nations, all nations, the nations in general; only he ties them up with this limit, the nations of them that are saved (Isa 52:15; 60:22; 2:2). Which yet is not so much spoken to clip off the multitude that we suppose may then be converted, as to show us their qualifications and happiness; as he saith by the prophet in another place, Thy children shall be all holy, or righteous, 'and great shall be the peace of thy children' (Isa 54:13; 60:21).

 'And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.' Surely the Holy Ghost would never have spoken at such a rate as this, if he had not intended to show us that at the day of the setting up of this Jerusalem, a great harvest of sinners shall be gathered by the grace of the gospel. But the truth is, the Scriptures go with open arms towards the latter end of the world, even as if they would grasp and compass about almost all people then upon the face of the whole earth with the grace and mercy of God. 'The earth,' saith God, 'shall be full of the knowledge' of the glory 'of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea' (Isa 11:9; Hab 2:14). As he saith, also, for the comfort of the church in another place, 'Behold, I have grave thee upon the palms of my hands, thy walls are continually before me. 

Thy children shall make haste; thy destroyers and they that made thee waste shall go forth of thee. Lift up thine eyes round about, and behold: all these gather themselves together, and come to thee. As I live, saith the Lord, thou shalt surely clothe thee with them all, as with an ornament, and bind them on thee, as a bride doeth. For thy waste and thy desolate places, and the land of thy destruction, shall even now be too narrow by reason of the inhabitants, and they that swallowed thee up shall be far away. The children which thou shalt have, after thou hast lost the other, shall say again in thine ears, The place is too strait for me; give place to me, that I may dwell. 

Then shalt thou say in thine heart, Who hath begotten me these, seeing I have lost my children, and am desolate, a captive and removing to and fro? and who hath brought up these? Behold, I was left alone, these, where had they been?' (Isa 49:16-21). Thus the multitudes of the nations shall at this day be converted to the Lord, and be made the inhabitants of this Jerusalem; as he saith again, 'The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ' (Rev 11:15). And again, 'The kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey him' (Dan 7:27).

And observe it, these promises are to be fulfilled in the last days, at the time of the pouring forth of the last vial, which is the time of the sounding of the last of the seven trumpets; for then this city shall be built, and Lucifer fallen from heaven; then the prisoners shall be set at liberty, and the people be gathered together, 'and the kingdoms to serve the Lord' (Isa 2:1,2; 14:4-6; Psa 102:20-22; Rev 11:15-17). 'Rejoice, O ye nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants, and will render vengeance to his adversaries, and will be merciful unto his land, and to his people' (Deu 32:43). 

Alas! it is now towards the end of the world, and therefore now all is going, if the Lord steps not in with the riches of his grace. Wherefore now at last, before all be turned into fire and ashes, behold the Lord casts the net among the multitude of fish, and the abundance of the sea shall, without fail, be converted to Jerusalem (Isa 60:5). Though Satan and Antichrist have had their day in the world, and by their outrage have made fearful havoc of the souls of sinners from time to time, yet now at length God will strike in for a share with them, and his Son 'shall divide the spoil with the strong' (Isa 53:12). 

Wherefore he now sets up this city, puts the glory of heaven upon her, provides a new heaven and a new earth for her situation (Isa 66:22); drives profaneness into the holes and dens of the earth; giveth righteousness authority to reign in the world (2 Peter 3:13); and takes off the veil from all faces, that none may hereafter be for ever beguiled by blindness and ignorance (Isa 25:7). Now shall they make merry with the things of God; now shall all eat the fat and drink the sweet (1 Kings 4:20; Neh 8:10,12). For 'in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things, a feast of wines on the lees, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined' (Isa 25:6).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1141

 

Second. Again, as the church is in her light before men as the moon is in her light in the night to the world, so, as I said before, this city which is called also heaven, she, even she, shall have no need of these things, for she shall be taken up in open vision, and shall be completely delivered from all imperfection; she shall not need now the light of her children to provoke her and to stir her up to this or the other act of holiness; all shall be done, all shall be complete, the Lord himself is come. Indeed, while Christ is absent as touching his person, and while the work of God is not yet completely done in the church, there will be need both of the light of sun and moon, but when the work is done, and he come, then these things will be out of use. Thus 'the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day' (Pro 4:18).

'For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.' This is rendered as the reason why at this day both the light of the sun and moon are needless; it is because 'the glory of God did lighten it,' and because 'the Lamb is the light thereof.' Now the glory of God must be understood in this place, not of that glory that doth attend the church in this world, for that glory doth attend the church upon the account of her purity of worship, of temple-worship, and doth either abide on her, or withdraw itself, according to her exact observing the rule, or declining from it, as I have showed you in the beginning of this discourse (see the exposition of the 11th verse). But the glory that here you read of, it is a glory that supplieth this city without those ordinances; yea, therefore, those ordinances, as the temple and the light of the sun and moon, do cease because of the glory of this glory that now is come into this city. 'The city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it,' mark, 'for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.'

Wherefore, I say, this glory that now he speaks of, it is the glory that shall possess this city at the end of her glory in this world; wherefore, as saith the Holy Ghost by Isaiah the prophet, from this day forward, 'The sun shall be no more thy light by day, neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee; but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory' (Isa 60:19).

'For the glory of God did lighten it,' &c. Thus it was at the finishing of the tabernacle in the wilderness, and of the temple at Jerusalem; both which were figures, in their finishing, of the finishing of the state of the church in this world; and it is said of them, that in the day when they in all things were accomplished, according to the fashion that was revealed before concerning their order and accomplishment, that then the glory of God so appeared upon them, that neither Moses nor Aaron was able to enter in, or to stand therein, because of the cloud, and of the glory of the Lord that at that time filled the house (Exo 40:33,34; 1 Kings 8:10,11). Thus you see this city descends in one measure of glory, and is consummate in another measure of glory. The glory of the Lord was upon the mount Sinai while the pattern of the tabernacle was giving, but it rested on the tabernacle when the work thereof was finished; to signify, I say, that the glory of God will rest in his ordinances, and in his church by them, so long as ordinances are in use; but when they are needless, then it will rest in the church without them, and that more gloriously than ever it therein did rest by them.

'For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.' Mark, though now there shall be no need of temple, sun, or moon, yet Christ the Lamb, or the Man who was offered in sacrifice for our redemption, shall be of use and benefit; 'for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.' Wherefore, all that we who are the saved shall enjoy of glory and sweetness in another world, though we shall not enjoy it from God through Christ, by and in the ordinances, yet we shall enjoy it through Christ the Lamb without them; 'for the Lamb is the light of it.' by this word Lamb, he would have us understand that when we are in glory, the blood, death, and bloody conquest that the man Christ did get over our infernal enemies, will be of eternal use to us; because that benefit of Christ shall not only for ever be the foundation of our eternal felicity, but the burden of our song of glory in all our raptures among the angels (Rev 5:9). It will be the blood, the blood, the redeeming blood of the Lamb. 

'Blessing, and honour, and glory, and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the LAMB for ever and ever' (Rev 5:13). It is he in whom will be found the seven eyes, the seven spirits of God, in whose light we shall see the heights and depths of those springs and everlasting foundations and depths of glory for ever; and, indeed, the conceit of the contrary is foolish (Zech 3:9; Rev 5:6). Is not Christ the head, and we the members? and do not the members receive their whole light, guidance, and wisdom from it? Is not he also the price, the ground, and bottom of our happiness, both in this world and that which is to come? And is it possible it should be forgotten, or that, by it, our joy, light, and heaven should not be made the sweeter to all eternity? Our soul is now bound up in him, as in a bundle of life (1 Sam 25:29). And when we come thither, he is still the Christ, our life; and it is by our being where he is that we shall behold his glory and our glory, because he is glorified (Col 3:3,4; John 17:24). 'For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.' As he said, 'Ye now therefore have sorrow; but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you' (John 16:22).

Thus much of this city, her descending, her fashion, her glory, and of her wading through glory, from glory to glory.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1140

 

[THIRD. A RELATION OF THE GLORY OF THE CITY, ITS WALLS, GATES, AND FOUNDATIONS.]

'And the city had no need of the sun,' &c. The word sun is in Scripture taken divers ways; sometimes for the true and natural sun in the firmament; sometimes again for persecution, and the rage of the enemy, &c. (Josh 10:12; Matt 13:6). But I take 'sun' here not to be any of these, but for the good and pure word of the gospel of Christ, unfolded, opened, and explained by the servants of Christ; which sun is the same that before you find to be darkened by the Antichristian fog and mist, which was darkened, I say, even to a third part of it (Rev 8:12; 9:2). This sun, or word of the gospel, Paul saith it is shadowed forth even by that which shineth in the firmament of heaven, because as that by its light and shining, giveth to those that have eyes, to see the glory and excellency of this world, so by the shining and light of the gospel is given 'the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ,' and a view of the excellency of the things of the world to come (2 Cor 4:3-6). 

Now, I say, though while the church is in this world, and on this side the state of glory, she cannot live and flourish without the shining of this sun, but would be lifeless and lightless, and without all heat and comfort-for it is the entrance of the law that giveth light here, and that lighteneth the eyes, 'making wise the simple' (Psa 19:7,8; 119:130)-yet at the day of the coming of her Lord in person she shall see far more clearly without the thus shining of the sun than ever she did or could see with and by it. 'And the city had no need of the sun.' For when by the light of it the whole body of the elect have found out the way to this city, and when they have also by this light accomplished and fulfilled all their work; yea, when the Lord himself is come, and doth immediately communicate far more glorious light to this city without it than ever he did by it; what need is there then of the light of this sun? for that is to be of use but for the time present, even until the whole of the body of the Lord Jesus is come to the perfect measure, even 'to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ' (Eph 4:10-12). 

So then, when the body of Christ is in every sense completed in this life by the light of the sunshine of his holy gospel, what need of this sun? And hence it is that the word of the gospel is called 'the word of reconciliation,' 'the word of faith,' and 'the words of this life' (2 Cor 5:19; Rom 10:8; Acts 5:20). Wherefore, I say, it ceaseth when there is no more to be reconciled, and when faith in all is perfected, and when this life is put an end unto by the coming in of another. For 'when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away' (1 Cor 13:8-10). The ministers of the gospel are of use so long as there is either elect to be converted, or any converted soul to be perfected by that measure of perfection that God hath appointed on this side glory; but when this work is done, their ministry ceaseth. Wherefore, though like the widow's sons, they are busy to borrow vessels for the oil so long as it is running, and emptying itself out of the great and principal barrel; yet when it ceaseth, as it will do, when there are no more vessels to be found, then let them sit down as they, and receive of the fruits of their labour, for the reward of their work is then only to be enjoyed by them (2 Kings 4:1-6).

'And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it.' This word moon also, as well as that of the sun, is to be taken divers ways in the Scriptures of truth; sometimes for the natural one, sometimes for the world and persecutors, &c. (Josh 10:13; Rev 12:1; Psa 121:6). But moon here is to be taken for the church of God, with reference to her life, conversation, duties, and exemplary behaviour, in which she is conversant on this side glory; according to that of the Song, 'Who is she that looketh forth as the morning, fair as the moon, clear as the sun, and terrible as an army with banners?' (Cant 6:10). 

When he saith, then, that at this day there shall be here no need of the shining light of the moon, he means that this city at this day, in the state she is in when she hath the person of the Lamb in her, then she shall have no need of the growth of Christianity, for they shall be all perfect; nor no need of mortification, for there shall be no sin. They shall not need now, as in time past, to exhort and encourage one another to stick fast to the promise, for they shall be swallowed up of life and open vision (2 Cor 5:4). Here shall be no need either of prayer, of repentance, of faith, or of good works, as afore. 'And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon to shine in it.'

Now, I say, the Holy Ghost is pleased to bring in here the shining virtues of the church under the notion of a shining moon, because, as the church herself is compared to the moon, so her virtues are as naturally compared to a shining light; as Christ saith, 'Let our light so shine' (Matt 5:16); and again, 'Let your loins be girded about, and your lights burning' (Luke 12:35; Phil 2:15). For, indeed, while we are here, that church and congregation of the Lord doth most shine, and most send forth the golden rays and pleasant beams of Christianity, that is most in the exercise of the afore-mentioned virtues. 

Take away the moon, and the night is doubtful; or though the moon be in the firmament, if she hath lost her light, the night is not thereby made more comfortable. And thus, I say, it is first with the world, where here there is no church to shine, or where there is a church that doth not so shine that others may see and be lighted. For while the day of time doth last, even the world itself hath need of the shining of the church; but at this day this time will be no longer, because the day of eternity will break, and by that means cause the world that now is, even the world of the ungodly, to cease to have a being here any longer. Therefore now no need of the moon, or of the light thereof, to shine before that which is not.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1139

 

[THIRD. A RELATION OF THE GLORY OF THE CITY, ITS WALLS, GATES, AND FOUNDATIONS.]

Now that the temple in this place excluded, can signify nothing else but the outward orderly way of God's worship, which the saints ought with conscience, in faith, to be found in till their Lord comes, consider that our New Testament doth use the word 'temple' three several ways: 1. For the outward order and worship or discipline of the Gospel (Rev 11:1-3). 2. For the body of Christ, which is his church, &c. 3. And lastly, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb, which here are said to be the temple of this city.

Now then, when he saith he saw 'No temple therein,' he cannot exclude the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb, for they are here said to be 'the temple of it.' Neither can he shut out the church, which is the body of Christ, for that is the city itself; yea, and the church shall be God's temple, and God and Christ the temple of the church for ever and ever He must therefore by this word 'no temple,' exclude only the outward way of gospel-worship, in which the saints in the times of the New Testament both meet and edify each other, and also meet their God, and are blessed and refreshed by him. Again, that this outward gospel-worship should be laid aside while the church is in this world, before her Lord doth come to be enjoyed by her, as touching his personal presence; it looks too like ranting opinions, and contradiction to Scripture, for me to believe (1 Cor 11:26). For when he comes, but not till then, shall these things be laid aside.

Besides, that which yet confirms me more fully in this opinion, is because herein this New Jerusalem doth most exactly answer the city and temple, which was built after the captivity; which city and temple being once built, it stood till Christ our Lord did visit them in his own personal coming the first time; as the prophets also said it should. 'The Lord, whom ye seek,' saith one, 'shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in; behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of Hosts' (Mal 3:1). And again, 'I will shake all nations, and the desire of all nations shall come; and I will fill this house with glory, saith the Lord of Hosts.' Wherefore 'the glory of this latter house shall be greater than [that] of the former, saith the Lord of Hosts: and in this place will I give peace, saith the Lord of Hosts' (Hagg 2:7,9).

Now observe, that from the time of the building of the second temple to the coming of Christ, the worship of the temple order was to be by all most devoutly and continually observed. But when the Lord Jesus was come, and had established his own more honorable and New Testament dispensation, then all the former temple-worship fell to the ground, and became, with all the instruments of worship that thereunto belonged, null and void. Yea, and it was a derogation to his gospel to offer to uphold that former way of worship, after he had by his own personal presence and Spirit brought in that other dispensation. All which, I say, will be answered by our second and New Testament New Jerusalem.

For as the Old Jerusalem was built after the Jews were come out of literal Babylon, so is our New Jerusalem built after our coming out of the antichristian oppression of spiritual Babylon. Again, as that city did after she was built continue and retain her temple-worship, until the personal appearing of Christ the first time, so New Jerusalem shall retain and hold her outward New Testament worship till HE comes in person the second time. After all which, as the second temple was swallowed up of a more heavenly and spiritual dispensation by the personal presence of Christ, so shall also the New Jerusalem temple-worship be swallowed up by the glory of the appearing of the person of Christ the second time; as Paul saith, for he speaks in the person of Christ, 'Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine,' &c. (1 Tim 4:13).

Thus then, when this holy city doth once again appear upon the stage, and in her own situation, and when she hath been showed in the attire of a queen before the face of all nations, and their kings; and when she hath by the glory of the light of her New Testament temple, gathered, as with a net, the number of God's elect; then she is taken into her husband's privy chamber, where she and he alone shall be in that blessed fellowship and communion that shall not again be once eclipsed, or in the least interrupted to eternity.

Thus have I showed you my present light into this portion of the Holy Scripture. If any can give me further, I hope I shall not refuse it. But as yet, methinks this should be the genuine sense of this place, and is the very track of John himself. For after he had seen the wall for present safety, the foundations for continuation, the gates for entrance, and the like, then he comes to tell us of the glory of all, and of the street itself at last; which indeed is the last and end of all the order of God, and to continue till an end be put to it by mortality's being swallowed up of life. As is yet more fully showed you in the next verse of this description.

[The city needs not the light of sun or moon.]

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.'

'And the city had no need of the sun.' That is, after temple-worship is over: this verse is added therefore for further clearing up and illustrating of that which he said before. There he tells us this city had 'no temple,' and here he tells us she needed neither the light of the sun nor moon. There he said, 'The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it'; and here he saith, they are the light thereof. 

The substance of which, in the language of the Holy Ghost, is this: the reason why temple-worship is now gone and over, it is because there is now no need in this city of the light of the sun and the moon; and the reason why she hath now no need of them, is because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are to it instead of both temple and light. 'For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.' 'For the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.' Whereby we may note, that though the light in which she descended, being the purity of temple-worship, was glorious, yet this city shall, when she is once built, so advance from glory to glory, that at the last she shall be more happy without the help of that light, without which she had been for ever unbuilt, than she was by it in the midst of the fulness of it.

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1138

 

[THIRD. A RELATION OF THE GLORY OF THE CITY, ITS WALLS, GATES, AND FOUNDATIONS.]

Then shall the sun be ashamed, that is, then shall that little light and understanding of the Word, that hath been in the church in the days when a third part of the glory of the gospel was hid by the smoke of the pit, be, as it were, laid aside and be useless (Rev 8:12; 9:2). Every saint shall be under the light of a sun that shines seven-fold brighter, even as the light of seven days. We see it is so in some measure at this day; what light, and with what clearness do the saints in this day see the things pertaining to the kingdom of God, beyond what the holy and goodly martyrs and saints did in the days that were before us; Huss, Bilney, Ridley, Hooper, Cranmer, with their brethren, if they were now in the world, would cry out and say, Our light and knowledge of the word of the Testament of Christ was much inferior to the light that at this day is broken forth, and that will yet daily, in despite of men and devils, display its rays and beams amongst the sons of men!

1 When the children of Israel were to depart the land of Egypt, the Lord made known himself to them otherwise than ever he made known himself either to Abraham, Isaac, or Jacob, their fathers (Exo 6:3). The book also, at the recovering the church from under Antichrist, is to be unlocked and unsealed gradually, first one seal and afterwards another, and last of all the seventh, before which time the book will never quite be opened (Rev 5; 6). According to that of the angel, 'Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up, and sealed till the time of the end' (Dan 12:9). In which time (which is the time of New Jerusalem) they shall be opened, and men shall consider it perfectly (Jer 30:24; 23:20). Wherefore,

2. It must needs be that the church return to her old and primitive love. For what is the cause of the want of love to Christ and one another now, but our want of light in the things, mysteries, and privileges of the glorious gospel of the Son of God? Wherefore this being come, then love will reign, and have her perfect work among the godly. Love is the very quintessence of all the graces of the gospel, and is as transparent to them; 'the greatest of these is charity' (1 Cor 13:13). It is the 'fulfilling of the law,' 'the bond of perfectness,' and the most 'excellent way' (1 Cor 12:31; Rom 13:10; 1 Cor 16:14; Col 3:14). Wherefore the Holy Ghost doth mean, by this word transparent glass, that the height of light, and the height of love, will be found in this city; all their things shall be done without confused smoke and darkness, and also without spiritual pride and desire of vain-glory: then shall they indeed do all their things in charity, and in the feeling bowels and fellowship of the gospel. 'Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years' (Mal 3:4).

Alas! though now through grace the saints of God have attained to more light and knowledge in the mysteries of the kingdom of God than heretofore they had, yet their light is far inferior to that which will be when this city is built. Our spiritual union and fellowship in the very bowels of the grace and gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ also is yet greatly defective. It is said that 'no man was able to enter into the temple' of God, 'till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled' (Rev 15:8). But when the seven last plagues are spent, and when all the adversaries of the church, which caused terror in the land of the living, shall be laid with the uncircumcised in the pit, then look for golden days, and not till then (Eze 32:18). Then shall this golden street be finished; that is, then shall the light, faith, love, and holiness of the gospel be walked in and embraced in a transparent and transcending way. 'He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root; Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit' (Isa 27:6).

[The city has no temple.]

Ver. 22. 'And I saw no temple therein; for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.' These words do, in my present light, point at the end of the days of this Jerusalem here in this world: and in so doing they signify to us, that when she is built, she shall stand and continue in this her glorious state afore-mentioned even until that glory be swallowed up of that which doth excel. That they do point at the end of her day in this world, I do gather from these particulars:-

First. Because they are the last words of the description of her glory,-that is, these and the words ensuing, which is but one and the same continued speech; and it is easy to conclude that John, in this description of this city, doth, from first to last, even from the first appearing of her as she cometh out of Babylon till she be perfect in glory, give us the relation of it. First, I say, showing us her descending, then her building, and afterward the glory of that building; at the end of which also he showeth to us with what glory he will crown this glory, even by swallowing of her up with a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.

Second. Because in these words he doth absolutely cut off all and every whit of her outward and external glory; that is, as to outward ordinances and temple-worship, which yet was to be most famous for a long time in this new and goodly city; which he verifies in the eleventh chapter of this prophecy, which chapter is a summary collecting of the church in her fall and rise under Antichrist, which church there in her rise is this city here in her glory in this world. He tells us there, I say, that when the kingdoms of this world were become the kingdoms of the Lord, and of his Christ, that 'then the temple of God was opened in heaven'; that is, temple-worship under the gospel recovered into its former and primitive state and purity, in which it was before the coming in of the man of sin (Rev 11:15-19, compared with 15:8). Which temple he here utterly shutteth out, saying, 'I saw no temple therein'; in the room of which he setteth the presence of the Lord Jesus, and God his Father, making them to stand and be in the room of temple and gospel-worship, in that manner as it is used while we here live in the flesh. 'For the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.' 

It is true, the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of this church in her lowest condition, therefore much more when she is brought into the condition that she is in at her rebuilding; but yet, neither in her low estate, nor yet in her highest, is it proper to say, that so long as she is in this world, God will be a temple to her, in opposition to her temple and gospel-worship, in outward and New Testament administrations. Wherefore when he saith He 'saw no temple therein,' and that from this reason, because 'the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it'; he must needs aim at a state to which the church cannot attain until her Lord comes. For then will that which is perfect be come, and that which is in part be done away (1 Cor 13:10).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1137

 

[THIRD. A RELATION OF THE GLORY OF THE CITY, ITS WALLS, GATES, AND FOUNDATIONS.]

Second. Now this street or way of holiness, it is on purpose called not many, but one, to show us the perfection of light, grace, faith, and spiritual comfort, that the inhabitants of this city shall then enjoy. Daniel also calleth it one street, to signify the same thing (Dan 9:25). Wherefore from hence I gather, that then all saints shall walk-as before I have made appear-even in one street, in one way, and in one light. It is antichrist that hath brought in all those crossings, bye-lanes, and odd nooks, that to this day many an honest heart doth greatly lose itself in; but at this day they shall be otherwise minded, that is, made all to savor one thing, and to walk one way, not biting and devouring each other as now. And indeed there is all reason it should be thus, for the street itself is but one. 

There is but ONE God, ONE Lord Jesus, ONE Spirit, ONE faith, ONE baptism, even as we are also called in ONE hope of our calling (Eph 4:5,6; Acts 2:27,32,33; Phil 1:27; Rom 15:6). Now, therefore, when saints have the rubbish of antichristian darkness and trumpery removed, then they shall have, as they also had of old, but one heart, one soul, one judgment, one mind, and shall with one heart and mouth glorify God. The which also shall be prayed for of all the saints, even of all that have received the pure language before these things come to pass. They shall 'call upon the name of the Lord' with one lip, 'to serve him with one consent' (Zeph 3:9). O! the heavenly spiritual harmony that will be in the city of God in those days, when the trumpeters and singers shall be as one, to make one sound, then the house shall be filled with a cloud' (2 Chron 5:13).

Third. When he saith that the street of the city was pure gold, he alludes to the floor in Solomon's temple, which was overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:30). He alludes to Solomon's chariot also, whose bottom was paved with love, and overlaid with gold (Can 3:10). By the floor of the temple, we are to understand the way of holiness; and by the chariot of Solomon, the triumphant glory of that way. Again, in that he saith this street is gold, he would have us to understand the worth and treasure that is laid up in the ways of God, and of a truly gracious heart. First for the worth and treasure that is laid up in the ways of God. They beget light (Psa 119:130), they change the heart, they lead from death, the devil, and hell, to life, God, and the kingdom of heaven (Psa 119:9; Pro 2). 

In them God walks, and those that walk there also are sure to meet with him (Isa 64:5). O this way, it is the way which 'no fowl knoweth, and which the vulture's eye hath not seen'; 'It cannot be gotten for gold, neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof.—The gold and the crystal cannot equal it; and the exchange of it shall not be for jewels of fine gold. No mention shall be made of coral or of pearls; for the price of wisdom is above rubies' (Job 28:7,15-18,28). All the ways of God are pleasantness, and all his paths are peace, and ought to be preferred before our necessary food (Pro 3:17).

Again, as the ways of God are thus rich, and so far above the gold and rubies of the world, so also is that sanctified and gracious heart, without which no man can walk in this golden street. It is not every clown with his clumping dirty shoes that is admitted into kings' privy-chambers and private palaces; neither doth, nor will God, at the day of New Jerusalem, suffer any to trace about this golden street, but such as have golden feet, and that beautified with goodly shoes. For as for this street, all that walk in it, they must be golden men, with golden hearts, and with graces that are 'much more precious than of gold that perisheth' (Cant 7:1; 1 Peter 1:7; Rev 3:18).

Further, in that he saith this street is gold, 'pure gold,' he giveth us to understand also what great delight and pleasure the Lord's people will take in his ways and ordinances in that day. There will not then be that backwardness to do good, and to receive God, as there is in these more dry and empty days of the gospel. As gold is pleasing to the covetous man and worldling, so shall the ways of God be to the saints and godly at that day. Now we have strong corruptions and weak grace, but then we shall have strong grace and weak withered corruptions. You that are spiritual, you know what a high and goodly lifting up of heart one small gale of the good Spirit of God will make in your souls, how it will make your lusts to languish, and your souls to love, and take pleasure in the Lord that saves you. You know, I say, what a flame of love, and bowels, and compassion, and self-denial, and endeared affection to God and all saints, it will beget in the soul. O! it is good to be here, saith the gracious heart. Well, and so thou shalt be always, if thou live to see New Jerusalem settled in her own place (Isa 65:17-25).

Fourth. 'And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.' Mark, a street of gold like glass, a street of gold, as it were transparent glass. By glass here, as also in verse 18, we are to understand the Word (James 1:23-25). Wherefore, when he saith the street, the golden street, was like unto glass, he means, that the walking and carriage of the saints at this day shall be like unto, or according to, the Word, the life of the saints answering the life of the Word and rule of the Lord Christ.

Again, in that he doth add to glass the word transparent, he would have us to understand thereby these two things. 1. That the walking and ways of holiness of saints shall be more in the power and spirit of the Word, than all along in the reign of Antichrist they have been. For transparent glass, it is the most clear and excellent glass, and goeth as far beyond other sorts of glass, as he that walks in the spirit and power of the commandment goes beyond him that only walks in the letter and outward word thereof. 

Alas, the churches of Christ, at their first assembling, will be like the coming together of Ezekiel's bones, clothed much with flesh and sinews, but greatly void of spirit and life (Eze 37:7,8). Wherefore the spirit, power, holiness, and majesty that now will appear in the church, it will greatly transcend and go beyond the spirit, power, and holiness that hath accompanied her in former days. Then shall the sun be ashamed, and the moon confounded, when the Lord shall reign in Mount Zion, &c. (Isa 24:23).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1136

 

[THIRD. A RELATION OF THE GLORY OF THE CITY, ITS WALLS, GATES, AND FOUNDATIONS.]

First. To show us how rich a treasure Christ Jesus our Lord is, and will be to all those that by him shall enter in through the gates into this city, 'riches and honor are with me,' saith he, even 'durable riches and righteousness. My fruit [or the fruit of entering in by me] is better than gold, and my revenue than choice silver. I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment; that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and I will fill their treasures' (Pro 8:18-21; Eph 3:8).

Christ is rich indeed, both in his blood, resurrection, intercession, and all his offices, together with his relations and all his benefits; all which he bestoweth upon every one that receiveth him, and maketh them unspeakably wealthy.

Second. The pearl, as it is rich, and so worth much, so again it is beautiful and amiable, even to take the eyes of all beholders. It hath, I say, a very sweet and sparkling light and glory in it, enough to take the eye and affect the heart of all those that look upon it. And thus is Christ to all that come to him, and by him to the Father, &c. 'My beloved,' saith she, 'is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand.' 'His mouth is most sweet, yea, he is altogether lovely' (Cant 5:10,16).

The mother of harlots had some knowledge of the beauty and glory of this stone, and knew that it had a very taking and drawing glory in it, and therefore she gets it for some time to adorn herself withal; she was decked with gold and precious stones and pearls (Eze 16:17), and was therefore called 'the well-favoured harlot' (Nahum 3:4; Rev 18:4). By which means she hath drawn into her lewdness the kings and kingdom of the world; who have in such sort been entangled with her beauty, and with her fornication, that they have been adulterated from God and their own salvation. For indeed she used this pearl but to get them to drink of her fornication, that they might drink and spew, and fall and never rise more. But now when he saith, the gates are pearl, it is as if he had said, this woman is stript of her beauty and delicate ornaments; the pearl is taken from her, and is set in its right place, even to be for the gates of Jerusalem (Rev 18:12,22,23). Wherefore it is to be expected, that many should be taken with the way of entrance into this beloved city in the day that she shall be set up and appear in her heavenly beauty (Pro 8:35; 3:35). The glory of that city must needs be great whose wall is jasper and gates are pearl (1 Cor 2:9; John 17:24).

'And the twelve gates were twelve pearls.' Not pearls and other precious stones commixed, but pearl only. To signify that Christ only can let souls into this city, that they may partake of the goodness and privileges thereof. It is not he and saints together, neither is it all the saints and angels in heaven without him; he alone 'hath the key of David, and that openeth, and no man shutteth; and that shutteth, and no man openeth' (Rev 3:7; 22:12).

Secondly, as he saith, the several gates are each of them pearls, so he saith that every several gate was of one pearl, of one entire pearl. By which he would have us to understand also, that as none can enter in but by Christ, so none can enter in but by whole Christ. Christ must be helpful to thee every way, or he will be helpful to thee no way; thou must enter in by every whit of Christ, or thou shalt enter in by never a whit of him. Wherefore look not to have him thy Savior, if thou take him not for king and prophet; nay, thou shalt not have him in any one, if thou dost not take him in every one of these. Wherefore the prophet saith, 'He shall build the temple of the Lord [that is, by his prophetical office]—and shall sit and rule upon his throne, and he shall be a priest upon his throne, and the counsel of peace shall be between them both' (Zech 6:13).

[The glory of the street.]

'And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.' In these words there are four things to be enquired into. First. What this street is? Second. Why he saith not streets, but street, as of one? Third. Why this street is called by the term of pure gold? Fourth. And why it should look like transparent glass. For the

First, A street ordinarily is the place of common concourse, and the place of continual open salutation, and taking acquaintance one of another; and as touching this street, we are also to understand it of the open and common place or way of God's worship, in which saints salute each other and acquaint themselves together; also here the world are converted, saints built up and edified, &c. 'Wisdom crieth without; she uttereth her voice in the streets,' saith Solomon; 'she crieth in the chief place of concourse, in the openings of the gates; in the city she uttereth her words' (Pro 1:20,21). That is, in the public and righteous ordinances of the Lord Jesus, which he hath ordained in his church, for men to travel and trade in, for the good and wholesome merchandize of heaven, as the men of this world do for the things thereof in the streets and open places of their cities and places of privilege (Pro 8:1-3; 9:1-3).

Thus it was in the figure when the city Jerusalem was built after the captivity, as ours shall be at and after the overthrow and downfall of antichrist, for then it is said that the people, to hear the law, were gathered together in the street, even in the water street; there they heard the sense given, and there they were convinced of their wickedness; also thee they received the knowledge of God's goodness to them, and there they received power to eat the fat and drink the sweet, to eat and drink and be merry, and to cast away sadness and fear (Neh 8). This, by way of allegory, is called the way for the wayfaring men, even the way of holiness, over which the unclean shall not in anywise pass. The way in which they learn to know God and themselves, and the way of newness of life, in which every one walks that entereth in by the gates of New Jerusalem. 

And it is most suitable to the matter that went before to understand the street to be the way of God, the way of holiness and newness of life; because as it is natural for the stranger, so soon as ever he is entered the gates of a city, to have his feet in the streets of the city, so it is natural for the sinner, so soon as ever he is entered into the church by Christ, to have his feet treading in the way and paths of holiness. Wherefore it is usual in the Holy Scripture to call the transformation of the sinner from Satan to God a holy way, and also to admonish him that is so transformed to walk in that way, saying, Walk in the faith, love, spirit, and newness of life, and walk in the truth, ways, statutes, and judgments of God (Psa 86:11; 143:8; Eze 11:20; 37:24; Gal 5:25; Rom 4:12).

He that entereth not by these gates into the city, he cannot walk in newness of life; but he that entered in by them, he cannot but walk in newness of life. The next thing then that a man passeth into when he is entered into the New Jerusalem, is to walk in the STREET thereof, the way of holiness, even the way in which men learn to fear God, and to believe in and love the Lord Jesus, &c. (Eph 5:1,2; 2 John 4; Rom 6:4).

Works of John Bunyan: THE HOLY CITY; OR, THE NEW JERUSALEM:1135

 

[[THIRD. A RELATION OF THE GLORY OF THE CITY, ITS WALLS, GATES, AND FOUNDATIONS.]

Eighth. One thing more of this goodly jasper, and then to the rest; which thing is this, that jasper that here you find to be the first in the twelve foundations, even that jasper you find to be the last of all among the stones in the breastplate of judgment (Exo 28:20). From whence you may note, 1. That Christ, as he is to be the author, or first of our faith, so also he is to be the finisher, or last of our faith (Heb 12:2). 2. That as he is to be the captain and leader of his people, so he is to be the rereward and bringer up of his people (Heb 2:10; Isa 52:12). He is to go before them to lead them the way; and to come behind them to bring them all up (Isa 58:8; Exo 14:19). 3. Again, forasmuch as he is said to be last before he is first; that is, last in Exodus, and after that, first in the Revelation, it may be to show us, that Christ was first to be least, lowest, and last, and then to be greatest, highest, and first. He first humbled himself to the death, even to the shameful death of the cross; and then was by God his Father exalted and placed above every name; as he also himself doth witness, saying, 'Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?' (Luke 24:26; Phil 2:6-11).

[The other foundations.] 'The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald; the fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz,' &c. Touching the jasper, you see what I have said. Now all I have to say to the rest of them is, in general, these three things.

First, in that the foundations are all and every one of them precious stones, it signifieth that all the doctrines of the New Jerusalem will be only the precious doctrine of the twelve apostles, not common stuff, not raked out of the dunghills and muck-heaps of this world, and from among the toys of antichrist, but spiritual, heavenly, and glorious. He that hath his word shall then speak it faithfully, for 'what is the chaff to the wheat? saith the Lord' (Jer 23:28,32).

Second, in that they are called after the names of precious stones, it signifieth also that at that day none shall be used or put into the ministry but these that have received spiritual and heavenly gifts from above. It is not every babbling fellow, not those that look for their abilities from the rudiments of the world, that then shall be of any value or account. He must be a costly stone, a stone about which the Lord Jesus hath bestowed the cost of his heavenly abilities, even he whom the Lord Jesus shall appear unto for that very purpose, to make him a minister. HE shall be a minister, and none else at that day. The other shall be ashamed every one of his vision; yea, and shall in those days be so contemptible, that their father and their mother shall reprove them, and count them liars; yea, and shall be ready to run them through while they are prophesying in their rough garments to deceive (Zech 13:3-5).

Third, In that these precious stones are not all of one and the same nature, but every one of them several, and diverse one from another; it argueth that the gifts of the apostles, and so of the ministers of the New Jerusalem, shall be differing one from another in glory and operation; yet mark, as in these stones, so in every one of them shall be perfect glory, according to the nature of God's working by his Spirit; as the nature of the jasper is perfect in his kind, and the nature of the sapphire is perfect in his. These stones, some of them are of greater light and clearness than others; and so some of the apostles are chiefest (2 Cor 11:5). Some of these stones, again, are of a more fiery and burning color than others, they being bright also, but of a more mild brightness. Therefore some of the ministry are called the sons of thunder, when others are styled by the name of the sons of consolation (Mark 3:17; Acts 4:36). The gifts are differing, being diverse, their administrations are differing, and the operations of them also are differing, though all those things are from that one and the self-same Spirit, working in every one severally as he pleases (Rom 12:6; 1 Cor 12:4-6). All these things will spangle in the New Jerusalem, and carry their full breadth and sway as in the days of old.

To conclude this, in that he here saith, that the foundations of the wall are these twelve stones, he doth it to show that now also the former ministration that was in the apostles' days will be the same and in full force again. For their gifts of knowledge, judgment, and authority, they are such as have to this day lain buried, as it were with the apostles themselves. But now they shall show themselves again, even these foundation-stones, stones that are great stones, stones of ten cubits, and stones of eight cubits (1 Kings 7:10). Thus much of the glory of the foundations.

[The glory of the gates.]

Ver. 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.' Having thus showed us the glory of this city, wall, and foundations, he now comes to show us the glory of the gates and of the street of the city.

'And the twelve gates are twelve pearls.' The gates, I told you before, signify Christ, both as he is the way to communion with the God of this city, and with the inhabitants thereof, that so they may have a share in the privileges of the same. I told you also then, that though he tells us exactly of the measure both of city and wall, yet he tells us nothing of the measure of these twelve gates and goings in thereat, and the reason is, because Christ, as he is the way to grace, he is beyond all measure both as to fulness and freeness (Eph 3:8). And now again he puts us to the same plunge with the unsearchable riches of the Lord Christ; for who can count the worth of pearl as big as the gates of a city? As, indeed, when Christ himself doth speak of the parable of the pearl in the field, he only telleth us that there is such a one, but never valueth the worth thereof; only he saith, a pearl of great price, and so leaveth it (Matt 13:35,36). Now, when he saith that the gates are pearls, he thereby insinuates several things. As,