Résumés en exposition de la doctrine de l’Église Nouvelle, qui doit être compris par la Nouvelle Jérusalem dans l’Apocalypse

1. Après avoir publié dans l’espace de peu d’années quelques Ouvrages et quelques Opuscules sur la NOUVELLE JERUSALEM, par laquelle est entendue la Nouvelle Eglise qui doit être instaurée par le Seigneur, et après que l’Apocalypse eut été révélée, je formai le dessein de mettre au jour la Doctrine de cette Eglise dans sa plénitude, ainsi la doctrine entière; mais, comme c’est un travail qui exigera quelques années, j’ai pris la résolution d’en présenter une sorte d’Esquisse (Sciagraphie), afin qu’on ait d’abord une idée générale de cette Eglise et de sa Doctrine, puisque, quand les notions communes précèdent toutes les choses, en général et en particulier, qui sont comprises dans leur étendue, apparaissent ensuite dans la lumière, car elles entrent dans les notions communes comme des homogènes dans leurs réceptacles. Toutefois, cet Abrégé n’est pas soumis aux jugements pour la discussion, mais il est seulement communiqué pour la connaissance du sujet, attendu que tout le contenu en sera pleinement démontré dans l’ouvrage même. ¹ Mais comme il sera, dans la suite, traité des Discordances entre les dogmes de l’Eglise d’aujourd’hui et ceux de la Nouvelle Eglise je vais d’abord présenter les Doctrinaux d’aujourd’hui sur la Justification.

Notes de bas de page:

268. Verse 3. And He that sat was in aspect like to a jasper stone and a sardius, signifies the Lord's appearance in respect to Divine truth pellucid by virtue of the Divine good of the Divine love. This is evident from the signification of "One sitting upon the throne," as being the Lord in respect to the Last Judgment (of which just above, n. 267; and from the signification of "in aspect like," as being appearance; from the signification of "jasper stone," as being the spiritual love of truth (of which in what follows); and from the signification of a "sardius stone" as being the celestial love of good; thus "a jasper stone and a sardius," which the Lord appeared like, signify Divine truth pellucid, by virtue of the Divine good of the Divine love.

[2] That a "jasper" signifies the Divine love of truth, or Divine truth proceeding, is evident from passages in the Word where it is mentioned, as Exodus 28:20; and Ezekiel 18:13; also in Revelation:

The light [luminare] of the holy Jerusalem was like unto a stone most precious, as it were a jasper stone, shining like crystal (Revelation 21:11);

"the light of the holy Jerusalem" signifies the Divine truth of the church shining, "the light" truth itself shining, and "Jerusalem" the church in respect to doctrine; this is likened to "a jasper stone," because "jasper" has a like signification.

Again:

The building of the wall [of the holy Jerusalem] was of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like unto pure glass (Revelation 21:18).

The "wall" of the holy Jerusalem is said to be "of jasper," because "wall" signifies Divine truth guarding; and because of this signification of "wall," the first stone of its foundation is said to be jasper (verse 19), "foundation" signifying the truth upon which the church is founded.

[3] The "sardius" is mentioned because that stone signifies good, here Divine good, because the Lord is described. This is the stone that is called "pyropus" [firestone], and since it shines as by fire, both names signify the translucency of truth from good. (That all precious stones signify the truths from good of heaven and of the church, see Arcana Coelestia 114, 9863, 9865, 9868, 9873; for this reason twelve precious stones were set in the breastplate of Aaron, which is called the Urim and Thummim, and by them responses were given, and this by their shining forth, and at the same time by a perception as to the thing interrogated or by a living voice, n. 9905)