Re 21:1
21:1 And {1} I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first
     heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was
     no more sea.

 (1) Now follows the second part of the history prophetic of
     the future estate of the Church in heaven after the last
     judgment, to Re 21:2 - Re 22:5. In this are two
     things briefly declared. The station, seat, or place of
     it, Re 21:1. Then her state and condition, in the
     verses following. Before the state of the Church
     described, is set down the state of the whole world, that
     there shall be a new heaven, and a new earth;
     Isa 65:17, 66:22, 2Pe 3:13 and this is the seat or
     place of the Church, in which righteousness shall dwell.

Re 21:2
21:2 {2} And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming
     down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned
     for her husband.

 (2) The state of this glorious Church is first described
     generally to Re 21:3-8, and then specially and by
     parts, in the verses following. The general description
     consists in a vision shown afar off, Re 21:2 and in
     speech spoken from heaven. In the general these things are
     common, that the Church is holy, new, the workmanship of
     God, heavenly, most glorious, the spouse of Christ, and
     partaker of his glory in this verse.

Re 21:3
21:3 {3} And I heard a great 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.

 (3) The Church is described by the speech, first of an angel,
     in two verses, then by God himself, in four verses. The
     angel's speech describes the glory of the Church, by the
     most intimate communion with God, by giving of all manner
     of good things according to the covenant, in this verse:
     and by removing or putting away of all evil things, in the
     verse following Re 21:4.

Re 21:5
21:5 {4} And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make
     all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words
     are true and faithful.

 (4) In the speech of God himself describing the Church, is
     first an introduction, or entrance. Then follows a
     magnificent description of the Church, by the present and
     future good things of the same, in three verses following
     Re 21:6-8. In the introduction God challenges to
     himself the restoring of all the creatures, Re 21:1
     and witnesses the calling of John to the writing of these
     things, in this verse.

Re 21:6
21:6 And he said unto me, {5} It is done. I am Alpha and Omega,
     the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is
     athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

 (5) The description of the Church is in three parts, by the
     abolishing of old things, by the being of present things in
     God, that is, of things eternal: and by the giving of all
     good things with the godly. If so be they shall contend
     manfully; Re 21:7. But the reprobate are excluded
     from there; Re 21:8.

Re 21:8
21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and
     murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters,
     and all liars, shall have their {a} part in the lake which
     burneth with fire and

     (a) Their lot, and inheritance as it were.

Re 21:9
21:9 {6} 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 Lamb's wife.

 (6) A transition to the describing of the heavenly Church, by
     the express calling of John in this verse, and his
     enrapturing by the Spirit, in confirmation of the truth of
     God in the verse following.

Re 21:10
21:10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and {7}
      high mountain, and shewed me {8} that great city, the holy
      Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God,

 (7) He means the place and stately seat of the Church,
     foreshadowed in a mountain.
 (8) A type of that Church which is one, ample, or catholic,
     holy celestial, built by God, in this verse: and glorious
     in the verse following Re 21:11. This type propounded
     generally, is particularly declared; Re 21:12.

Re 21:12
21:12 {9} And had a wall great and high, [and] had {10} twelve
      gates, and at the gates {11} twelve angels, and names
      written thereon, which are [the names] of the twelve
      tribes of the children of Israel:

 (9) A particular description of the celestial Church, first,
     by its essential parts, compared to a city down to verse
     22, Re 21:12-22. Secondly, from the outside, to the
     end of the chapter Re 21:23-27. Thirdly, by the
     effects, in the beginning of the next chapter, the
     essential parts are noted the matter and the form in the
     whole work: of these the superstructure and foundation of
     the wall are entire parts (as they use to be called) which
     parts are first described in figure, to the 14th verse
     afterwards more exactly.
 (10) According to the number of the tribes. For here the
      outward part is attributed to the Old Testament, and the
      foundation of the New Testament.
 (11) He means the prophets, who are the messengers of God, and
      watchmen of the Church.

Re 21:14
21:14 And the wall of the city had {12} twelve foundations, and
      in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

 (12) That is, foundation stones, according to the number of the
      gates, as is shown in Re 21:19.

Re 21:15
21:15 {13} And he that talked with me had a golden reed to
      measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall
      thereof.

 (13) A transition to a more exquisite description of the parts
      of the Church, by finding out its size, by the angel that
      measured them.

Re 21:16
21:16 {14} And the city lieth {b} foursquare, and the length is
      as large as the breadth: and he measured the city with the
      reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth
      and the height of it are equal.

 (14) The measure and form most equal, in two verses.
      (b) A foursquare figure has equal sides, and outright
          corners, and therefore the Greeks call by this name
          those things that are steady, and of continuance and
          perfect.

Re 21:17
21:17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred [and] forty
      [and] four cubits, [according to] the measure of a man,
      that is, of the {c} angel.

      (c) He adds this, because the angel had the shape of a
          man.

Re 21:18
21:18 {15} And the building of the wall of it was [of] jasper:
      and the city [was] pure gold, like unto clear glass.

 (15) The matter most precious and glittering, which the
      presence of God makes most glorious.

Re 21:21
21:21 And the twelve gates [were] twelve pearls; every several
      gate was of one pearl: and the {d} street of the city
      [was] pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

      (d) By street, he means the broadest place of the city.

Re 21:23
21:23 {16} 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.

 (16) The second form of particular description (as I said)
      \\see Geneva "Re 21:12"\\ from exterior and outward actions
      which are these, light from God himself, to this verse
      glory from men, Re 21:24. Finally such truth and
      incorruption of glory Re 21:26 as can bear and
      abide with it, nothing that is inglorious, Re 21:27.