the name of the city of God, and the new name of Christ is the signature of believers ( id. ). The revelation of this new Society, no less than the revelation of God Himself, in other words, gives to the Christian his abiding character. As a citizen of this new city, a priest doing service (22:3) to a present Lord, a servant and yet a king (22:5), he reaches the goal of his creation. Meanwhile a wider work is accomplished. The leaves of the tree by the river of the water of life are for the healing of the nations (22:2). So it is that the nations shall walk amidst the light of the citywhich is the glory of Godand the kings of the earth do bring their glory into it (21:24).
In such a vision, given as the consummation of the work of the Incarnate Lord, the most far-reaching words of the prophets find their accomplishment. The new povli" is seen to be a Temple. The centre, the light, the law, of its constitution is the revelation of God through the Lamb (21:23, oJ luvcno" ); and those who first enter upon its privileges are allowed to see the extension of their own privileges to the nations, and to fulfil a work for these later fellow-citizens.
St Paul recognised this spiritual city, the Jerusalem which is above, which is free and our mother (Gal. 4:26); but he dwelt more upon the individual privileges which belong to its citizens (comp. 2 Cor. 5:1 f.) than upon their social fellowship. As one who knew and used the rights of Roman citizenship, he felt keenly how those who enjoyed a divine citizenship were raised above all who were not spiritually enfranchised. The Christian citizenship or commonwealth (Phil. 3:20, polivteuma ) was for him a great and present reality, the full power of which would be shewn in due time (Phil. 3:21). Those who before were alienated from the commonwealth ( politeiva" ) of Israel and strangers to the covenants of the promise were made near in
the blood of Christ (Eph. 2:12 f.). The boundary wall ( lyje , H2658) which had
hindered their approach to the Sanctuary was broken down (Eph. 2:14). They were therefore no longer strangers ( xevnoi without any civic rights) or sojourners ( pavroikoi , licensed dwellers, enjoying a defined status), but fellow- citizens with the Saints and of the household of God (Eph. 2:19). Their life was necessarily an endeavour to realise under the conditions of earth the privileges of the new State of which the Gospel of Christ was the charter (Phil. 1:27 ajxivw" tou' eujaggelivou tou' Cristou' politeuvesqe ), even as the true Jew had enjoyed the rights and duties of the commonwealth of Israel (Acts 23:1).
In the Epistle to the Hebrews the idea of the Christian povli" is connected with the whole course of Revelation. The Call of Abraham pointed to this abiding issue of the counsel of God. The patriarch recognised that he was but a sojourner in the land of promise: for he waited for the city that hath the foundations (Heb. 11:10), the one definite organisation of the people of God, already existing in the divine idea. For if men, for the fulfilment of preparatory discipline, waited, God had already provided that towards which they reached forth: He had prepared them a city (Heb. 11:16). On His side all has been eternally ready, but even now Christians, conscious of the transitoriness of the things amidst which they move, seek after the city which is to come (Heb. 13:14 th;n mevllousan [ povlin ] ejpizhtou'men ). This city has not still to be founded: it is, and the believer as he is able uses the high prerogatives which belong to its members.
The thought of the Christian povli", politeiva , which must be regarded