shown that the measure here alluded to is solid measure, or that of the cube; by which he ascertains that the magnitude of the city described in the forty-eighth chapter of Ezekiel, though differently measured, corresponds with the size of the New Jerusalem. The measure of the wall, likewise, was 144 cubits of square or solid measure. The wall itself was of jasper, and the city was pure gold, like clear glass. And the foundations of the wall were of twelve different kinds of precious stones, here particularly enumerated. And the twelve gates were of pearl, each gate of one pearl. And there was no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. And the city has no need of the light of the sun, nor of the moon, for the glory of God illumines, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations that are saved shall walk in the light of it; and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates are never shut, for there is no night there. And nothing that defileth shall enter therein, but they only which are written in the Lamb's book of life.

This then is "the city which hath foundations, whose maker and builder is God;" the final, the eternal habitation of the blessed.

"And he showed me a pure river of water of

life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God, and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and of either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month; and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse; but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and His servants shall serve Him. And they shall see His face, and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there, and they need no candle, neither the light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever. unto me, These sayings are true. God of the holy prophets sent his angel to show unto his servants the things which must shortly be done. Behold, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book."

And he said

And the Lord

As we have been shown the New Jerusalem, we are now introduced to the New Paradise of God. The angel shows St. John a pure river of water of life, as clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb'. In the middle of the street, or open space through which it flowed, were planted on each side of the

Vide Ezekiel xlvii. 1. and following.

river the tree of life, from which man had been excluded after his fall in the First Paradise, and which bare twelve manner of fruits, a fruit for every month, and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. The promise is made that there shall be no more curse, but that the throne of God and the Lamb shall be there, and His servants shall serve Him. They shall see his face, and His name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there, nor candle, nor light of the sun, for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.

Here the angel declares to St. John, These sayings are faithful and true: And the Lord God of the holy prophets has sent his angel to show unto His servants the things which must shortly come to pass. Behold, says our Saviour, I come quickly. Blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of this prophetic book.

“And I, John, saw these things and heard them. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which showed me these things. Then saith he unto me, See thou do it not, for I am thy fellow servant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the saying of this book. Worship God."

A second time did St. John, (overcome by the heavenly visions, which had been presented to

him), fall down to worship, and a second time did he receive a reprimand from the angel for such improper adoration. It were well if the antichristian Church would lay this rebuke to heart, and repent of its unlawful worshipping of angels, and of its numerous idolatries, before it incurs the just vengeance of the Almighty.

"And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book, for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still; and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still; and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy let him be holy still."

r

Here the angel declares that this is to be an open revelation. St. John is ordered not to seal it; and with the awful warnings thus clearly laid before them, those who choose to be wicked must remain so, and those who are already righteous and holy are exhorted to continue so.

"And behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give to every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last."

Here Jesus Christ himself speaks to us, and declares he will come quickly, and his reward is with him, to give to every man according to his works. What stronger proof can we have, that a reward is destined for all men, and that it will be given in correspondence with their works?

He then describes himself, as he had done in the eighth verse of the first chapter, as Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have a right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whoever loveth or maketh a lie."

Can any thing be more directly opposed to the system of Calvinism, than the promise contained in this blessing? Here is a benediction pronounced on all those who do the commandments of God, giving them a right to the tree of life, and an entrance into the gates of the New Jerusalem, without the slightest allusion to any previous decree of admittance. Those who are excluded are the wicked of all descriptions, and particularly idolaters, and those who love and make a lie.

"I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify unto you these things in the Churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and Morning Star."

Here, again, our blessed Saviour speaks in his own person. And, as it is asserted in the opening chapter, that God gave unto his Son this Revelation, which he sent and signified by his angel to his servant John; so here he declares, as one of the 2