Sayfadaki görseller
PDF
ePub

tients, groaning under their various maladies. The mind is equally pained, as well as the body. For what can we think of that mind which is hurried away with ambition, envy, jealoufy, prejudice, peevishnefs, fretfulness, and discontent? There can be no reft where there is fuch a neft of vipers, fuch a cage of unclean birds. If the foul is infenfible of their evil, their moral evil, yet they carry their own torment with them, and are thus far like him whom they serve, reftlefs and raging, and finding their own hell within them, are feeking rest but cannot find it. But if they do feel the gall of bitterness, if their sore runs in the night, then there is pain indeed, fo that they cry out, my wounds flink and are corrupt, because of my foolishness* Here they loathe themselves in duft and afhes; for their eyes fee in the glafs of the law, the exceeding finfulness of fin. But, bleffed be God, there is a fountain open for fin and uncleanness; and though the nations are all difordered, yet there are the leaves of the tree of life for their healing. And that healing must take place in order to their being admitted into the new Jerufalem, so that there may be no more pain,

8. For the former things are passed away, "the for"mer things" fuch things as pain and death which were connected with fickness and forrow, cries and tears, are all done away. All their past fins are swallowed up and forgotten; their state of probation is ended, fo that their happiness is fixed, immoveably fixed as the throne of God, and lafting as eternity. Satan is never to be let lofe again,

[blocks in formation]

again, nor the nations deceived; the faints no more molested; death is no more a destroyer, and the gates of hell are forever closed; the world to undergo no more convulfions, for the new heaven and new earth shall abide for ever.

9. WHAT the glory of God is which shall be upon that city is a circumftance I cannot defcribe. Had I been with the apostle in the third heavens I might have conceived a little of it; but if he had not words to defcribe it, I may well pafs it over in filence. Even the fight of a meffenger, from the glorious prefence of the majesty of heaven, had such a transporting effect upon the above deciple, that twice he had like to have fallen into idolatry in worshipping him. It is fuch glory as eye hath not feen nor ear heard, nor hath it entered into the heart of mortals to conceive. The Ifraelites had a glimpse of that glory, though mingled with much terror when it is faid, And they far the God of Ifrael, and there was under his feet a paved work of japphire ftone, and as the body of heaven in bis clearness. However it is fuch glory as precludes the light of fun or moon; for the glory of God fhall lighten it, and the lamb is the light thereof. Here is a poffitive defcription, yet it is beyond the reach of human language to afcertain its limits.

*

10. We may here observe, the imagery is borrowed from whatever is rich and coftly on the earth; hence gold and precious ftones a, spoken of as compofing the walls and buildings, and of fo pure a nature, that it is tranfparent like glafs, yea clear as cryftal. But I

* Ex. xxiv, 10,

muft

must be excused explaining the different circumftances which compleat the defcription of this heavenly state: as every thing which is delightful is brought into its compofition, fo nothing remains which can occafion offence or trouble; no, fin being excluded the entrance, fo every thing which fin produces must be debarred accefs, feeing nothing which defiles can enter in.

"A city fo holy and clean,

"No forrow can breath in the air;
"No gloom of affliction or fin,

"No fhadow of evil is there."

11. As rural fcenes are univerfally admired and acceptable here; fo we find they are brought in to compleat this heavenly landscape. Hence it is faid And he fhewed me a pure river of the water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb:* the throne of God and the lamb being the fountain, no wonder that the ftream is fo pure. If we understand this pure river metaphorically, it may refer to the ever bleffed fpirit which proceedeth from the Father and the Son, and fends forth ftreams, that is, gracious influences, making pure and happy all that receive the fame. But as this is a difcription of a part of the abode of heaven, no doubt but fome thing analogous to a pure river will literally take place; for the rifen faints will have bodies, though spiritual and glorified bodies, yet there will undoubtedly be fenfations in them, which the parent of all good will indulge with fuch things as fhall be for their comfort and his glory. The tree of life alfo with its variety of fruits, I appre

[ocr errors]

hend

Rev. xxii. 1.

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; nevertheless, 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 terreftrial 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 verse shows that it cannot be any thing short of Heaven itself that is defcribed; And there fhall be no more curfe, as there was in the firft paradife, but the throne of God and the Lamb fhall be immoveably fixed in it, and his fervants fhall ferve him: † this very verse confirms my judgment that these two chapters are a defcription of the heavenly state of things, and not of the thoufand years of Satan's confinement, feeing there shall be no more curfe, and confequently no more calamities; whereas when Satan is releafed he will go out and deceive the nations, and exite them to rebellion, and who can tell what mischief they may do during that fhort space? But their rebellion will bring a fpeedy 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 oppofition being deftroyed; for all attempts against it must be baffled, and all his enemies become his footstool

[blocks in formation]

aining the diferent circumftances scriptor of this heavenly ftate: as lgaria is brought into its compo

which can occafion offence or

serg cozaded the entrance, fo every muf he debarred accefs, feeing

[merged small][ocr errors][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][merged small][merged small][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors][ocr errors]
« ÖncekiDevam »