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CHAP. XXI.

VISION XIV.

Verfe ift. AND I faw a new heaven, and a

new earth for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away ; and there was no more fea.

This chapter and the first five verfes of the following one, are confidered, by most of the commentators, as a defcription of the glory and háppinefs of the heavenly ftate, in a future world. But, if we examine this paffage with candour and attention, we shall find in it the moft fatisfactory internal evidence, that it is not a defcription of the heavenly state. Very many of the principal features of this hieroglyphic cannot poffibly fuit the heavenly state. That state cannot, with propriety, be called a new heaven. We have no reason to fuppofe that any other local heaven, than the prefent one, shall be made for the reception of the VOL. II. faints.

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faints. Much lefs can it be filed a new earth. Earth never can be a description of heaven. These two words, whether used fymbolically or literally, always fignify two different places or states. There is not a single instance, in any writing divine or human, of their fignifying the fame place or state. And what relation can fea have to the heavenly world? The new Jerufalem instead of ascending unto heaven, is faid to be coming down from God out of heaven. It is faid, "the tabernacle of God "is with men, and he will dwell with them;" as it is in the original, tabernacle with them for a short time. This is a plain proof that the heavenly state is not intended by this hieroglyphic. In the heavenly state, the tabernacle of God is not with men, but the temple in which men worship is with God; and God does not dwell with them for a short time, but they dwell with him for ever. It is faid, that "the kings of the earth do bring their glory "and honour unto the new Jerufalem, and they "fhall bring the glory and honour of the nations "unto it." If this referred to the heavenly state, how could the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour and those of the nations unto it?

As the earth fhall be diffolved with fervent heat, at the time of the final judgement, there will be neither earth, nor nations, nor kings upon it, to bring their glory into heaven after that period. It is also faid that the leaves of the tree of life, are for.

-the

the bealing of the nations. This symbol cannot apply to the heavenly state; both because there would then be no nations to be healed; because there will then be no earth in existence; and if by nations were meant the inhabitants of heaven, they would need no healing, because they are perfect in vigour of body and mind."

It is impoffible to reconcile these symbols with a defcription of the heavenly ftate; and yet these are all leading features in the picture, which is drawn in this and the following chapter. But that they 'contain a beautiful hieroglyphic of the glorious and happy state of the church of Christ, and of the world, during the millennium, is evident from the followifig reafons. ft, As hath been fhewn, the defeription cannot agree to the heavenly state. 2d, As fhall appear in the commentary upon it, every part of it exactly agrees to the millennian ftate of the church, and of the world. 3d, It' exactly correfponds to the various prophetic defcriptions of the millennium given by Ifaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Micah, and is frequently expreffed in their very words, as fhall be fhewn in the commentary upon it. And 4th, because, confidered in this point of view, this defcription of the millennium correfponds to the form of this book in its other predictions.

The invariable form of writing, which runs through the whole of this book, is firft to give a Z z 20

short

fhort and general view of the particular event which is predicted, and afterwards to give a full description or illuftration of it. And, most commonly, a fhort account of fome other event, which is not the principal object of the prophecy, but fome way connected with it, is thrown in between the first short view, and the fecond full defcription of the chief object of the prophecy. Thus, the prediction of the beaft with the feven heads and the ten horns, in chap. xiii. is fully illuftrated and explained in chap. xvii. The general account of the fall of Babylon in chap. xiv. is enlarged and illuftrated in chap. xviii. And the short account of the feven vials in chap. xv. 1. 6, 7. is fully il luftrated in chap. xvi. In every one of these predictions, certain other predictions are thrown in between the first general view and the fubfequent full defcription, as the reader may fee by turning to these paffages. In like manner, the short general account given of the millennium in chap. xx. 1,-6. is fully illuftrated in chap. xxi. and chap. xxii. 1-6. As in all the other inftances, fo in this, a fhort account of fome other events is thrown in between the general account and the full defeription. These events are the battle of Gog and Magog against the faints, the refurrection of the dead, the general and final judgement, and the final doom of mankind. In point of time, these follow, in course, upon the millennium. And Joha

John gives a defcription of each of these events ftrictly correfpondent to the general ftrain of scripture on these subjects. Then, at chap. xxi. he refumes the fubject of the millennium, and illustrates it fully.

We have no reafon to expect a more particular and full description of the heavenly state, in this book, than those descriptions of it which are frequent in the other parts of fcripture. However general these are, moft probably they are as particular as the present state of our faculties can admit: A description, which cannot be understood by us, in the present state of our faculties, is to us no defcription at all. But the heavenly state is fo pure, fpiritual, and perfect, that, moft probably, human language could not furnish words for a plain and particular defcription of it, and human intellect, in its prefent ftate, could not understand fuch a defcription. Such words would be like thofe which Paul heard in Paradise, "unfpeakable, and "which it is not lawful for a man to utter." But, on the other hand, we have great reason to expect a full description of the millennium, in this book. Is it ever to be fuppofed, that the spirit of God would favour men with a full description of the Papal hierarchy, of the fall of spiritual Babylon, of the plagues which fhould be brought upon Rome, and of the perfecuted state of the Christian church; and yet give them only a short hint of the millennian

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