This then is the termination of the world in its present state, and it is followed by the general resurrection, for in the succeeding verse St. John sees the dead standing before God to be judged, and the books were opened, and the dead were judged out of them, as their works were recorded; and whosoever's name was not found in the book of life, was cast into the lake of fire. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, which is the second death.

Thus suddenly is the world brought to a close, and man to judgment.

"And I saw a new heaven, and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away, and there was no more sea."

In the place of the former heaven and earth, St. John beholds, according to the scriptural promise, "a new heaven, and a new earth, in which dwelleth righteousness." There was no more sea; but such a change had taken place in the recreated world as to render it a fit habitation for the sons of God.

"And I, John, saw the Holy City, the New Jerusalem, coming down from heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven, saying, Behold the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people,

and God himself shall be with them, and shall be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying; neither shall there be any more pain; for the former things are passed away. And He that sat on the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is doneI am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst, of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things, and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone; which is the second death."

man.

There is every reason to suppose that the new earth is to be the permanent abode of redeemed There he is to reside in the presence of God and Christ in the New Jerusalem. He is to dwell in the tabernacle of God, who will be ever with him. He will wipe away all tears from his eyes, and there shall be no more crying, nor sorrow, nor pain, nor death. The adopted favourite of his Maker shall drink freely of the

water of life. He shall inherit all things, and shall be the beloved Son of God. Where can he find a happier heaven? Sinners of all kinds, on the contrary, shall have their portion in the lake of fire that burneth with brimstone.

"And there came unto me one of the seven angels, which had the seven phials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, and I will show thee the Bride, the Lamb's wife.'

"And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God: Having the glory of God, and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper-stone, clear as crystal. And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel. On the east three gates, on the north three gates, on the south three gates, and on the west three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof and the wall thereof. And the city lieth four-square, and the length is as large as the

breadth: And he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs; the length, and the breadth, and the height of it were equal. And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits according to the measure of a man, that is of the angel. And the building of the wall of it was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third a chalcedony, the fourth an emerald, 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. And the twelve gates are twelve pearls, every several gate was one pearl; and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were, transparent glass. And I saw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof."

"And the nations of them that are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates thereof shall not be shut at all by day;

there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie; but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life."

A more particular description is now given of the New Jerusalem. One of the seven angels who were entrusted with the seven phials, carried St. John away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed him the holy Jerusalem, the Bride, the Lamb's wife, descending out of heaven from God, sublimely and richly adorned for her husband. It had a great and high wall, and twelve gates; and at the gates twelve angels bearing the names of the twelve tribes of Israel. On each of the eastern, northern, southern, and western sides, it had three gates. And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, bearing the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb. And the angel had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates and walls thereof. And the city was four-square, the length and the breadth were equal. And he measured the city with the reed 12,000 furlongs'. Doctor Potter, in his interpretation of the number 666, has clearly