The fifth, sardonyx: the sixth, sardius: the seventh, chrysolite: the eighth, beryl: the ninth, a topaz: the tenth, a chrysoprasus: the eleventh, a jacinth: the twelfth, an amethyst.

“Tradition assures us that the heavenly Jerusalem that is above is built up of holy gems, and we know that the twelve gates of the heavenly city, which signify the wonderful beauty of the apostolic teaching, are compared with precious jewels. These priceless stones are described as possessing certain colors that are themselves precious, while the rest is left of an earthly substance. To say that the city of the saints is built of such jewels, even though it is a spiritual edifice, is a cogent symbol indeed. By the incomparable brilliance of the gems is understood the spotless and holy brilliance of the substance of the spirit.”

“The city which he says is squared, he says also is resplendent with gold and precious stones, and has a sacred street, and a river through the midst of it, and the tree of life on either side, bearing twelve manner of fruits throughout the twelve months; and that the light of the sun is not there, because the Lamb is the light of it; and that its gates were of single pearls; and that there were three gates on each of the four sides, and that they could not be shut. I say, in respect of the square city, he shows forth the united multitude of the saints, in whom the faith could by no means waver. As Noah is commanded to make the ark of squared beams, that it might resist the force of the deluge, by the precious stones he sets forth the holy men who cannot waver in persecution, who could not be moved either by the tempest of persecutors, or be dissolved from the true faith by the force of the rain, because they are associated of pure gold, of whom the city of the great King is adorned. Moreover, the streets set forth their hearts purified from all uncleanness, transparent with glowing light, that the Lord may justly walk up and down in them.”

“And the twelve gates were twelve pearls,.... Denoting the purity and preciousness of Christ, by whom the saints enter, and of the saints who enter in thereat, as well as of the place into which they enter. Every several gate was of one pearl; the pearl of great price, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only gate, door, and way into this happy state: this shows that this account cannot be taken literally, but mystically, for no such pearl was ever known, large enough to make a gate of. "A pearl is a hard, white, shining body, usually roundish, found in a shell fish resembling an oyster, but is three or four times the size of the common oyster; and which ordinarily yields ten or twelve pearls, and sometimes more. Those of the largest size that have been known are that of Cleopatra, valued by Pliny at centies H S, or at 80,000 pound sterling; and that brought in 1574 to Philip the Second, of the size of a pigeon's egg, worth 14,400 ducats; and that of the Emperor Rudolph, mentioned by Boetius, called "la peregrina", or the incomparable, of the size of a muscade pear, and weighing 30 carats; and that mentioned by Tavernier, in the hands of the emperor of Persia in 1633, bought of an Arab for 32,000 tomans, which, at three pounds nine shillings the toman, amounts to 110,400 pounds sterling (p).'' But what is one of these pearls to make a gate of, for a wall which was an hundred and forty four cubits high? Rev 21:17. The Jews say (q), that the holy blessed God will bring precious stones and "pearls" of thirty cubits by thirty, &c. and place them "in the gates of Jerusalem", as it is said, Isa 54:12 which must be understood also not in a literal but mystical sense: and L'Empereur (r) makes mention of an ancient commentary on Psa 87:1 which says, that the holy blessed God will make a gate at the east (of the temple), and in it two doors, each of one pearl. So R. Joshua ben Levi says (s), that there are in paradise two gates of agates or diamonds; some render the word rubies. And the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass; denoting the preciousness and delightfulness of the saints' conversation one with another; and the purity and cleanness of it, there being no mire and filth of sin in these streets; and the sincerity and openness of it, each one walking in his uprightness; which will be seen and known of all, as clearly as anything can be beheld in a transparent glass. So the Jews say (t) of paradise, that the ground is paved with precious stones, the lustre of which may be compared to the light of burning torches. (p) Chambers's Cyclopedia in the word "Pearl". (q) T. Bab. Sanhedrin, fol. 100. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 75. 1. & Yalkut, par. 2. fol. 54. 1. (r) Misn. Middot, c. 4. sect. 2. Vid. Yalkut Simconi, par. 2. fol. 54. 1. (s) Yalkut Simeoni, par. 1. fol. 7. 1. (t) Sepher. Avodah Hakkodesh, fol. 46. 1.”

“The fifth, sardonyx - The onyx is an accidental variety of the agate kind; it is of a dark horny color, in which is a plate of a bluish white, and sometimes of red. When on one or both sides of the white there happens to lie also a plate of a reddish color, the jewelers call the stone a sardonyx. The sixth, sardius - The sardius, sardel, or sardine stone, is a precious stone of a blood-red color. The seventh, chrysolite - The gold stone. It is of a dusky green with a cast of yellow. It is a species of the topaz. The eighth, beryl - This is a pellucid gem of a bluish green color. The ninth, a topaz - A pale dead green, with a mixture of yellow. It is considered by the mineralogists as a variety of the sapphire. The tenth, a chrysoprasus - A variety of the chrysolite, called by some the yellowish green and cloudy topaz. It differs from the chrysolite only in having a bluish hue. The eleventh, a jacinth - A precious stone of a dead red color, with a mixture of yellow. It is the same as the hyacenet or cinnamon stone. The twelfth, an amethyst - A gem generally of a purple or violet color, composed of a strong blue and deep red. These stones are nearly the same with those on the breastplate of the high priest, Exo 28:17, etc., and probably were intended to express the meaning of the Hebrew words there used. See the notes on Exo 28:17, etc. where these gems are particularly explained.”

“sardonyx--a gem having the redness of the cornelian, and the whiteness of the onyx. sardius--(See on Rev 4:3). chrysolite--described by PLINY as transparent and of a golden brightness, like our topaz: different from our pale green crystallized chrysolite. beryl--of a sea-green color. topaz--PLINY [37.32], makes it green and transparent, like our chrysolite. chrysoprasus--somewhat pale, and having the purple color of the amethyst [PLINY, 37, 20, 21]. jacinth--The flashing violet brightness in the amethyst is diluted in the jacinth [PLINY, 37.41].”

“Sardonyx. The fifth, of three colours, black at the bottom, white, etc., up to because it is carried on by the five senses, it is called the fifth. Sardius. The sixth, of one colour, of a blood-red hue, signifies the glory of martyrdom. The sixth, because on the sixth day of the week Christ was crucified. Or the sardius, having the appearance of red earth, signifies the saints who, although lofty with the understanding of the mind, yet remember their own frailty, considering that they are sons of Adam, who is called red earth, who was made on the sixth day, whence also the sardius is brought in as sixth. Beryl. The eighth is the working of preachers. The beryl shines, etc., up to returning, by the care of earthly administration, to the pallor of the active life. Topaz. This stone is set ninth, because it is rarer and more precious, and it has two colours, from gold and from an ethereal brightness, shining most when it is touched by the splendour of the sun, surpassing the brightnesses of all gems, singularly drawing those who behold it to gaze upon it; and if you polish it more, you darken it; if you leave it to its nature, it is brighter: and there is nothing dearer to kings among riches. It signifies the contemplative life, which holy kings prefer to all the riches of works and gems of virtues, and toward it they especially direct their gaze, and so much the more fully as they are the more frequently illumined by divine grace. From inward charity comes the golden colour, from the sweetness of contemplation the ethereal, which is always darkened by the rubbing of the world; for scarcely can anyone at once be touched by sorrows and behold with tranquil mind the joys of heaven. Or, if you polish: that is, if you honour them with the dignities of the world and adorn them, you darken them, because they are less at leisure for contemplation, or become lesser in merits. And as in the eighth is the active life, so in the ninth the contemplative, which is that of the angels, of whom there are nine orders. Some say that it has the colours of all stones, whence also it has its name, because pan, that is, all. And it is found on an island of Egypt which is called Topazon; it signifies the saints resplendent with all the colours of the virtues. Chrysoprase. It is born in India, of a green and golden mixture. And a certain kind is purple with golden drops; it signifies those who by charity merit the greenness of the eternal fatherland, and display another, a purple one, of martyrdom; and because they follow the example of the Lord, they are in India, that is, near the rising of the sun, and they await to reign with Christ. They are in the number ten; the decalogue is fulfilled through love, which is not ended. Therefore in the chrysoprase are signified the work of martyrdom and its reward. Chryson is gold; prasos is called a leek. Hyacinth. This stone is the eleventh; it changes with the air, clear in fair weather, dark in cloudy weather; it signifies the most discerning doctors, adapting themselves to all qualities, characters, ages, understandings. Amethyst. The twelfth stone is purple, pouring forth from itself certain little flames with the mingled colour of the violet and the rose. The purple colour signifies the raiment of the heavenly kingdom, the princedom of the angelic fellowship to which the saints are to come. The violet, the humble modesty of the saints with the odour of good working. The rose, the precious death of the martyrs, who send forth the flames of charity not only among themselves, but even toward enemies and persecutors. The amethyst, therefore, signifies the perpetual memory of the heavenly kingdom in the hearts of the humble, and that excellent virtue, that they should pray even for their enemies and care for their salvation, which is the virtue of virtues. The variety of colours is the manifoldness of virtues.”