Online Bible 1995 March/ROM-1025.iso/olb/gill/d_400.lzh/D_463.TXT

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CHAP. VII.                  OF THE NEW WORLD, AND THE.INHABITANTS OF IT.                                                            463

after the millenium. Now this church, called the
holy city, is no other than the church of the first-born,
the whole body of the elect, and the same with the
palm-bearing company, and the church consisting of
them.
The inhabitants of the new heavens and the new
earth are here described under the names of the holy
city and new Jerusalem; a city, as consisting of the
whole family of God, who are fellow-citizens with the
saints, and of the household of God; a holy one, as
made up of persons perfectly holy, in spirit, soul, and
body, and entirely free from sin; called Jerusalem,
though in a state superior to the church under the
gospel dispensation, called by that name; aucl even to
it in the Philadelphian state, in the spiritual reign;
since it is promised to the overcomer in that state, as
something greater, aud yet to come, that he should
be a pillar, and have the name of the new Jerusalem
written on him, Rev. iii. 12. which signifies the vision
of peace, and fit!y expresses that state, in which peace
of every kind, in its utmost perfection, shall be en-
joyed, the Prince of peace, Christ, being with his
people; and called new, because the seat of this church
will be the new heavens and new earth; all which
shows, that the inhabitants will be in a perfect state of
holiness and peace. And they are further described
by their descent.from heaven; which designs, not their
original, as regenerate persons; but their local descent
with Christ; when he comes, the souls of all his saints
will come with him; their bodies will be raised and
united to them; anti with the living saints, be caught
up to meet him in the air, from whence they will de-
scend with him on the new earth, and dwell on it with
him, their head and husband; hence said to be the
bride, the Lamb's wife; which. intend not individuals,
nor particular churches of Jews or Gentiles; but the
whole body of the elect, given to Christ, and espoused
by him; who will now be prepared and adornedfor her
husband, being all gathered in, and their uumber com-
pleted; and adomet{, not only with the grace of God,
and righteousness of Christ, but with the glorious robes
of immortality and bliss; and so fit for Christ their
head. And it wiil be the church and her members,
thus prepared and ornameuted, who will, with Christ,
inhabit the new earth; for now the tabernacle of God
will be with .men on the new earth; which being for a
determinate time, a thousand years, his being with
them is signified by a tabernacle, which is moveable;
which is further explained; he will dwell with them, in
person, for the space of time mentioned. God himself
shall be with them; ]mmamtel, God with us, God in
our nature; and they shall be his people, owned by him
as such; aml he be their God: which covehaul in-
terest raay be claimed, as being out of all question.
The inhabitants of the new earth are moreover des-
cribed by their freedom from all evils, v 4. God shall
wipe away all tears from their' eyes; which is said of
the palm-bearing company, chap. vii. l7. which show
them to be the same with those; the words are taken
fi'om Isa. xxv. S. and refer to the resurrection state,
when death shall be swallowed up in victory; and there
shall be no more death, not even corporal death; for
this is said of risen saints; neither sorrow nor crying,

on account of disorders and diseases of body, loss of
friends, &c. which will all be at an end; neither shall
there be any more pain ; of body, or- mind;for the
former things are past away; the o1d world, its lusts,
temptations, and snares; all troubles from withiu and
from without; from persecutors and false friends;
which shows that those inhabitants will not be in a sin-
ful and mortal state: yea, they are described, as hav-
ing the glory of God upon them, v 11. upon their bodies
being raised, and fashioned like to the glorious body
of Christ, and upon their souls being perfect in grace,
righteousness, and holiness; and the light, glory,
lustre, and splendor of this chnrch and her members,
the inhabitants of the new earth, are expressed in such
language in the following part of the chapter, that no
adequate ideas can be formed thereof; and describe
such a state as can never be imagined will be in the
present world: and those inhabitants are again des-
cribed by their holiness and purity, v 27. in such a
manner, as show them to be in a sinless state. To
which may be added, the provision to regale those in-
habitants, suitable to their state, is described in chap.
xxii. 1, 2. as in the paradisaical earth, particularly in
that spot of it, the garden of,Eden, there was a river
for delight and use, and a tree of life in the midst of it,
for the preservation of health, and the continuance of
life; so in this city, in the new earth, will be a river
and tree of life, and, for ought I see to the contrary, in
a literal sense; only, they will be emblematica], as the
other might be in Edeu; for here will be no need of
corporal food, only of entertainment fin' the mind.
Here will be a river, an emblem of the everlasting love
of God, clear and free from all motives and conditions
in men, arising purely from the sovereignty of God;
which, for its abundauce, will be a river to swim in,
and uot to be passed over; and will yield inexpressible
pleasure to this city and its inhabitants: and there
will be a tree of life in the midst of the street of this
city, bearing monthly all kind of fi'uit, and its leaves
of an healing nature; an emblem of Christ, the tree of
life, Prov. iii. 18. Rev. ii. 7. and of all spiritual bless-
ings to be continually enjoyed fi'om him, in great va-
riety, and with great pleasure. And though there will
be no diseases of body and mind in that state; yet as
the tree of life in Eden was for the preservation of the
life and health of Adam, had he continued in his state
of innocence; so the healing leaves of this tree may
denote that every thing in Christ will contribute to the
comfort, health, and happiness of the saiuts. More-
over, the happiness of those inhabitants is expressed
by a variety, which shows it to be an accumulated hap-
piness, a perfect one; there shall be no more curse;
noue upon the new earth, and its inhabitants; nor any
accursed person or thing in it; but the throne of God
and the Lamb shah be in it, the seat of his glorious
majesty, who will reign as King here; and his servants
shall serve him; both the ministering angels and his
saints, especially the latter; and his na.ze shall be in
their foreheads; by which it will appear they are his
people and servants, as if his name was written there;
and there shall be no more night; either in a literal
sense, or rather figurative, meaning no night of igno-
rance and error, of darkness anti desertion, and of af-