879. Verse 2. And I John saw the holy city New Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven, signifies the New Church to be established by the Lord at the end of the former church, which will be consociated with the New Heaven in Divine truths as to doctrine and as to life. The reason why John here names himself, saying, "I John" is because by him as an apostle is signified the good of love to the Lord, and thence the good of life, therefore he was loved more than the other apostles, and at supper lay on the Lord's breast (John 13:23; 21:20); and in like manner this church which is now treated of. That by "Jerusalem" is signified the church will be seen in the next article; which is called "a city" and described as a city from doctrine and from a life according to it, for "a city" in the spiritual sense signifies doctrine (n. 194, 712). It is called "holy" from the Lord, who alone is holy, and from the Divine truths which are in it derived from the Word from the Lord, which are called holy (n. 173, 586, 666, 852); and it is called "new" because he who sat upon the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new" (verse 5); and it is said, "to come down from God out of heaven," because it descends from the Lord through the New Christian Heaven, treated of in verse 1 of this chapter (n. 876), for the church on earth is formed through heaven by the Lord, that they may act as one and be consociated.