SS 36
The Word in its ultimate or natural sense,
which is the sense of the letter,
is signified also by the wall of the Holy Jerusalem,
the structure of which was of jasper;
and by the foundations of the wall, which were precious stones;
and likewise by the gates, which were pearls
And the building of the wall of it was of jasper:
and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.
And the foundations of the wall of the city
were garnished with all manner of precious stones.
The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire;
the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;
The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte;
the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus;
the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.
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.
(Revelation 21:18-21);
for Jerusalem signifies the church as to doctrine.
. . . it is now evident that the sense of the letter of the Word,
which is the natural sense,
is the basis, container, and support of its interior senses,
which are the spiritual and the celestial.
