trines of the first, has passed on to the second, as may also be gathered from other passages in this chapter (see ver. 21, 22, 45-49). "For the former things are passed away." The Jewish polity and ceremonies, together with heathen darkness, Christ having prevailed over both. So in ver. 5, “Behold I make ALL things new." See Isaiah, xliii. 18—21, (comp. 2 Cor. v. 17-19). Then, from ver. 22 to the end, we have the conviction and utter rejection of the infidel Jews,

6. " It is done." The purposes foretold from the beginning are now completed. So chap. xvii. 17, " until the purposes (words, phuara) of God shall be fulfilled," which are now all completed, and the heavenly Jerusalem appears in all her glory and beauty. "I am Alpha," &c., the Almighty who spoke by the prophets; see the places pointed out in the first vision.

Ib. "I will give unto him," &c. I, that is Christ (see Is. xii. 3. lv. 1; John, iv. 10, 14. vii. 37) will provide for my disciples abundantly out of my grace, so that they shall lack nothing. Similar assurances are given in the next verse, which ends with the promise of adoption.

8. There still remain, even after the general victory, the fearful, unbelieving, abominable, and the like, whose portion, however, is, that they are to be partakers in the second death; i. e. eternal judgment awaits them in the life to come.

9-27. We have here another and more particular description of the structure, character, and privileges, of the new Church, which is followed by an assurance that nothing evil shall by any means participate in its glories. This description sets out by one of the angels telling John, that he will shew him the Bride, the Lamb's wife, that is, the Church espoused to Christ, as noticed in Ps. xlv. See Is. liv. 5; Jer. iii. 1, 2, 14—19, &c.; Hos. ii. 1, 2, 16, 19— 23; Eph. v. 23-32, &c. At ver. 10, the sight witnessed is said to be that of the holy Jerusalem, which, it is evident from the context following, signifies the same thing. Various parts of Scripture are here alluded to. "The holy Jerusalem" is probably put here for the spiritual Zion, or true believers, and its descent from heaven seems to be taken from Isaiah, lxv. 17-18, where it is said to be made new. See also Ezek. xlviii. 30-35. In ver. 11, allusion is made to Is. liv.

Ib. ch.

·12: " And I will make thy windows of agates," &c. lx. 1: "The glory of the Lord is risen upon thee." See also ver. 19, 20, both which chapters, as we learn from inspired authority, belong to the times of the Gospel.*

12, 13. We have here a description of the walls and gates of this new city, taken principally from Ezek. xlviii.; that of the gates from ver. 31-35, which represent the twelve tribes of Israel.

14. The walls of this new city we perceive here are founded upon the twelve apostles of the Lamb: in other words, this city was erected by their labours; the spiritual edifice was reared upon their preaching, and is still guarded from error by a recurrence to their instructions.†

15-17. The measures of this city are mentioned, after the manner of Ezekiel, see chap. xlv. 1, 2; xlviii. 8, &c.; and chap. xl. 2, &c.; xliii. 10-12; whence perhaps we may conclude, that the spiritual building or true Church is meant in each case; or, in the words of Ezekiel, that" the whole limit thereof....(shall be) most holy."

18-20. We have first a symbolical description of the worth and purity of this holy assembly. The wall is assi

So also in the Commentary ascribed to Arethas on the 11th verse, which is, however, no doubt the production of Andreas.

In the Shepherd of Hermas we have a symbolical exhibition of the building of the Church, which, I suspect, was copied from this part of the Revelations. This vision commences at p. 211 of vol. i. of Archbishop Wake's Apostolic Fathers (second edition). The Church is here represented by a tower, built upon the water with bright square stones, so polished and fitted together, that it appeared to be only one stone. Some stones are rejected, and cast at a distance from the tower. When this tower shall be finished, the workmen are all to feast, by which was probably understood the great victory (p. 214). The well-jointed stones are the orthodox teachers, Bishops, Doctors, Ministers, &c., some of whom had suffered and fallen asleep. The rejected stones are either the reprobates, or such as may still repent and be saved. At p. 220 we are told, that the work shall soon be accomplished. After this, pp. 311-14, Christ is represented as having come, and as actually examining his Church. Then, at p. 320, the rock upon which the Church is built, as well as the gate to it, is, we are told, the Son of God (not Peter). It is added: "How can that be, seeing the rock is old, but the gate new?" The answer is: "The Son of God is indeed more ancient than any creature, insomuch that he was in council with his Father at the creation of all things. But the gate is... new, because he appeared in the last days, at the fulness of time," &c. In the same manner this place is taken in the Commentary of Arethas.

milated to jasper, and the city to pure gold, pellucid as glass (see chap. xv. 2). We then have its foundations compared with precious stones, in imitation of Isaiah when speaking of the same thing, chap. liv. 11, 12, which is also followed by a description of the inhabitants, who are all to be taught of the Lord, and to enjoy that peace which passeth all understanding. See John, vi. 45; Rom. xv. 13; 1 Cor. ii. 10. vii. 15; 1 Thess. iv. 9, &c.; Phil. iv. 7, &c.

21. The gates are said to be pearls; by which we are perhaps to understand, the purity and excellency of the church during the times of Israel; for at ver. 12, we are told that the names of the twelve tribes of Israel are written thereon. Here then we have the pearls of Israel united with the more brilliant gems of the Gospel, composing a city which is at unity with itself. Compare the remainder of this verse with the latter part of ver. 18.

22, 23." And I saw no temple therein," &c. The shadowy system of the Theocracy had passed away; Christ, who was the end of the law for righteousness, having now been evidently set forth, the true worshippers draw near in spirit and truth (John, iv. 23). The next verse is an application of the prophecies in Isaiah, xxiv. 23; lx. 19, 20.

24-26. "And the nations," &c. The prophecies of Isaiah, lx. 3; lxvi. 12, are here cited as being fulfilled, both of which should be carefully examined, and compared with the particulars here and elsewhere mentioned; whence, I think, it will be seen that they clearly relate to the apostolic, and immediately subsequent, times: for now it was, that kings and queens became the nursing fathers and nursing mothers of the Church; such they have remained; and such they shall remain, according to the prophets, to the end of time.

27. Absolute exclusion is, nevertheless, determined against every one who worketh any abomination. Isaiah says virtually the same thing: see the last verse of his prophecy, which is explained by our Lord, Mark, ix. 40—50, &c., as relating to the progress and establishment of his kingdom. Comp. Matt. viii. 12; xxii. 13; xxv. 30, where the same event is apparently had in view. See also Is. xlv. 1-7, 11-15; Jer. vii. 28-34. viii. throughout; Ezek. xxi. 25

:

27, a passage which clearly alludes to these times, if indeed the whole chapter does not, and chap. xxii. throughout; to which may be added many passages from the minor prophets. The following occur among others in the New Testament Matt. viii. 12; xiii. 42, 50; xxi. 41-46; xxii. 7, and xxiv. generally, to which many similar passages might be added. If this be the case, there can be no promises for unbelieving Jews. So ver. 15 of the following chapter : "Without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers," &c. These, whatever may be their descent, their professions, or their claims, in other respects, are not citizens of the New Jerusalem; Christ knows them not; and they consequently remain in outer darkness.†

CHAP. XXII.

We learn from the 25th verse of the preceding chapter, as cited from Isaiah, lx. 11, that the gates of this new and holy city are never to be shut, in order, as we are told, in both places, that the glory of the nations might be brought into it. In Ezekiel, chap. xlvi., where we have many particulars about the temple and its services, we are told (ver. 2) that "the gate shall not be shut until the evening." But in the Apocalypse it is said, that no night shall be there, implying perhaps, that the shadowy and less explicit system of the ceremonial law shall now have for ever passed away. From the circumstance, however, of the gate of the city being left open, and the additional one, that the forces of the Gentiles are constantly to be brought in, it should seem, that although the purposes of God are, as it regards his church, completed, they are not as it regards those who shall still remain without its pale. And accordingly we find, in Isaiah, lx. 11—14, Ezekiel, xxxiv. Joel, iii. 18-21, and again, Isaiah, xxx. 25, which is more to our purpose: "There shall be upon every high mountain, and upon every high hill, i. e. where the Lord's temple shall be (see chap. ii. 2), RIVERS AND STREAMS of waters in the day of the great slaughter, when the towers shall fall." (26.) "Moreover, the light

* Amos, v. 2. viii. 1, 2. ix. 4—8; Zeph. ii. 7. iii. 13; Zech. xi. 6, &c. + The Commentary of Arethas on this chapter will be read with great advantage.

of the moon shall be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be seven-fold," &c. and here, Revelation, xxii. 1, 2, after the erection of God's spiritual temple, ample provision for this is made. Again, Isaiah, lxvi. 10-12, after an allusion made to the building of the temple, and manifestly applying to these times, we are told that the glory of the Gentiles shall come into the Church like a flowing stream; and in Ezek. xlvii. 1-12, Rev. xxii. 1, 2, as just noticed, a river carrying with it the blessings of life is seen flowing out into the desert for the healing of the nations; and, as it should seem, for the purpose of bringing in all who shall be willing to be partakers in its blessings. In Ezekiel we are told (xlvii. 8) that these waters shall, after going out of the Temple, heal the very waters of the ocean.* Then, at ver. 9, that "every thing that liveth, which moveth, whithersoever the river shall come, shall live: and there shall be a very great multitude of fish...for they shall be healed," &c. which can by no means be applied to the confined system of Judaïsm. At ver. 10, mention is made of fishermen spreading their nets, which seems to have been had in view by our Lord when he told his disciples, that he would make them fishers of men. At ver. 11, miry places are mentioned; whence it should also seem, that some places would still resist the healing properties of this river of life, and offer nothing to encourage the industry of the fisherman.

If this then be the view both of the Prophets and St. John, (and to these innumerable other Scriptural testimonies may be added,) the Word of God affords us no intimation whatever, that such a millennium will ever arrive, in which the New Jerusalem or Christian Church, shall contain all God's rational and accountable creatures; but rather, that some will always remain enemies to Christ,† and that still a missionary labour will remain for the exercise of the Church, by

work.

See the extract from Theodoret on this subject at the end of this

So says the author of the Epistle ascribed to Barnabas; and this was probably the prevailing opinion in his days. "But why," says he, was the wool and the hyssop put together? To signify that in the kingdom of Christ there shall be evil and filthy days, in which, however, we shall be saved."-Edit. 1710, p. 174.

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