hend may refer to a precious Chrift, as he is filed the bread of life, and likewife the water of life, or living water,* feeing he quickens fuch as are dead; neverthelefs, I make no doubt, but there may be fomething analogous to this tree alfo in Heaven, and the fruits are not brought in by way of filling up the fentence. Here is a manifest allufion to the terrestrial paradife, and no doubt but that was a figure of the heavenly world, which is here fo finely delineated; and the leaves of the tree which healeth the nations here, will keep them found and healthy for ever.

12. THE following verfe shows that it cannot be any thing short of Heaven itself that is described; And there fhall be no more curfe, as there was in the first paradife, but the throne of God and the Lamb fhall be immoveably fixed in it, and his fervants fhall ferve him: † this very verfe confirms my judgment that thefe two chapters are a defcription of the heavenly ftate of things, and not of the thoufand years of Satan's confinement, feeing there shall be no more curse, and confequently no more calamities; whereas when Satan is released he will go out and deceive the nations, and exite them to rebellion, and who can tell what mischief they may do during that short space? But their rebellion will bring a speedy curfe upon themfelves, even fire from Heaven, and perhaps the vengeance. of eternal fire. But here shall be no more curfe, but the throne of God and the Lamb, quietly and immoveably fixed, all opposition being deftroyed; for all attempts inft it must be baffled, and all his enemies become his footstool

footstool. Bleffed region! where no more curfe can enter, forrow or fighing, cries or tears, diftreffes or calamities, feeing all these are finally done away: therefore a region, where there is no more tears, death, pain, forrow, crying, and where there is no more curse, can agree with nothing short of Heaven itself.

13. AND they shall fee his face, that face which was more marred than any man's, and that vifage more than the fons of men; how changed! What glory immortal! in him in whom the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily! How glorious a fight! when all the bright rays of the Deity fhine through the man Chrift Jefus, and every faint participating the divine effulgence. Here the prayer of the great mediator is fulfilled, where he fays, Father, I will that they whom thou hast given me, may be with me, that they may behold my glory.* This is a pofitive and full description of the happiness of glorified fouls. The term, feeing his face, feems a hebraifm, and does not only imply freedom and familiarity with our fuperiors, but especial favour, and a free grant of all our requests. Hence Abfalom looked upon it as a great disgrace to be brought to Jerufalem, and not permitted to fee the King's face. Now the fight of the Divine face was a favour denied to Mofes, and this reason was affigned, there is no man can fee my face and live, † fo that this feems to be the highest ray of beatific glory, to behold the face of the Deity, and shows the amazing exaltation of human nature. Amazing glory indeed! glory beyond conception! Happiness unutterable! or as the apostle fays, Joy unSpeakable

* John xvii. 27. † 2 Sam. xiv. 32.

Exod. xxxiv. 20.

Speakable and full of glory. It is added, And his name shall be in their foreheads. This I apprehend to be an honour, which we cannot conceive in our prefent imperfect state of things, and yet it is the promise made to the overcomer, I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerufalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God, and I will write upon him my new name. The most effential way of knowing what this means will be, to experience the fame; for it excels the utmoft ftretch of imagination, and therefore description must fail. His name in the loweft fenfe, implies his nature and image fully restored, and compleatly ftamped, never, never to be erased to all eternity.

*

IT is very probable, that his name, being in the forehead, may be fome honourable mark by which they may be nobly distinguished, and justly esteemed, by all who behold it.

14. Ir is further added, there fhall be no night there,† neither natural nor metaphorical, no dark temptations; for the tempter is confined in his own place; no dark difpenfations, seeing every trial is over and past; and therefore all darkness is done away; and they need no candle, neither the light of the fun; for the Lord God giveth them light light within and light without, yea pure, unmixed, unfullied happiness, which fhall never be ended; and they shall reign for ever and ever. Here the bleffed fcene clofes, human language can add no more : for what follows is only the conclufion of the book, intermixed

Rev. iii. 17.

Gg 2

+ Ibid ver. 7.

mixed with fweet and encouraging promifes, and needful and awful threatnings, by which we are exhorted to efcape the plagues which are written in this book, and alfo to enfure our title to all the happiness fo fweetly, and fo largely defcribed therein.

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15. WHAT a pleafing echo does this charming book leave in the ear of an experimental reader? What a divine fragrance, what a heavenly relish does it leave upon the foul that has its divine senses in exercise!" Here,” as one fays, we are brought under the walls of paradise, and "within the hearing of the fongs and founds of the blef"fed." We fee the rays of the light of that city beam and shine out on every fide. Here the lamb diffuses his glory all abroad, fo that we may walk in the light thereof, and have a sweet foretaste of the powers of the world to come. Just like the Ifraelites who were regaled with grapes, pomegranates, and figs in the wildernefs; by which they had a specimen of what the region contained, that they might be encouraged to prefs to the land of promife. Thus we are ftill encamping in the wilderness, and have our difficulties to grapple with; our enemies to withstand, and every oppofition to conquor; but we can overcome all through the blood of the lamb. Courage then, my fellow travellers! for yet a little while, and victory shall crown all! A few more croffes a few more trials, a few more conflicts of foul, and the last enemy fhall be deftroyed: death fhall be fwallowed up in endlefs life, and darkness shall terminate in endless day.

*

Το

*Numb. xiii. 24.

TO CONCLUDE.

Let the chearing profpec. of everlafting felicity animate every traveller that is on his way to Zion. Is the road rough and thorny? See the bright abode to which it leads! where no croffes or trials, forrows or tears, can ever come; fee thy friends waiting to hail thee to the blissful region, and thy Saviour and God ready to wipe every tear away.

Thrice bleffed blifs infpiring hope,

It lifts the fainting fpirits up,
It brings to life the dead;

Our conflicts here fhall foon be paft,
And you and I afcend at laft

Triumphant with our head!

O may we all struggle on, till we obtain the inheritance which is incorruptible, and undefiled, and which fadeth not away. Now to the King immortal, eternal, invifible; to the only wife God our Saviour, be all power, might and dominion, world without end! Amen.

FINI S.