Saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, descending from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband (Rev. xxi 2).

By the holy city, New Jerusalem, is meant the doctrine of the New Church, consequently the Church as to doctrine; and by Jerusalem descending from God out of the new heaven, is meant that the true doctrine of the Church is from no other source. That the doctrine descended, is because a Church is a Church from doctrine and according to it; apart from doctrine, a Church is no more a Church than a man is a man without members, viscera and organs, thus from the mere covering of skin, which only defines his external shape; nor any more than a house is a house without bed-chambers, dining-rooms and articles of use within, thus from the wall and arched roof alone. The case is similar with the Church apart from doctrine. That Jerusalem signifies the Church with respect to doctrine, may be seen proved from the Word in the work itself, THE TRUE CHRISTIAN RELIGION (n. 782). From these things, it is manifest that the Church on earth is derived and produced by the Lord by means of the angelic heaven.