to paradise, and heard unis not lawful for a man to

otation, St Paul comird heaven to a paraosed park or garden," the abode of our first innocence. Although culars regarding that are involved in great the concise account left of it, and the and allusions to it rts of Scripture, it will al leading and distinas peculiarly fitted to and appropriate picthe eternal abode of

the earthly paradise, is njoyment. The garden imports, was the centre asure. It was the love

"God in the high and holy place,
Looks down upon the spheres:
Yet in His providence and grace,
To every eye appears.

"He bows the heavens,-the mountains stand
A highway for their God:
He walks amidst the desert land,
'Tis Eden where He trod.

"The forests in His strength rejoice;
Hark! on the evening breeze,
As once of old, the Lord God's voice
Is heard among the trees.

"In every stream His bounty flows,
Diffusing joy and wealth;

In every breeze His Spirit blows
The breath of life and health.

"His blessings fall in plenteous showers
Upon the lap of earth,

That teems with foliage, fruit and flowers,
And rings with infant mirth.

"If God hath made this world so fair,

Where sin and death abound; How beautiful beyond compare

Will paradise be found."

JAMES MONTGOMERY.

PARADISE.

2 COR. xii. 4.

"How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter."

N the above quotation, St Paul com

pares the third heaven to a para

dise, or enclosed park or garden, in obvious allusion to the abode of our first parents in their state of innocence. Although there are many particulars regarding that primitive abode, which are involved in great obscurity, yet, from the concise account which Moses has left of it, and the numerous references and allusions to it to be found in other parts of Scripture, it will be found, that, in several leading and distinguishing features, it was peculiarly fitted to afford a most beautiful and appropriate picture, or similitude, of the eternal abode of the righteous.

The celestial, like the earthly paradise, is a region of delightful enjoyment. The garden of Eden, as its name imports, was the centre of every terrestrial pleasure. It was the love

liest spot in a world, that had known as yet no curse, and that was still adorned with its original glory. By the bounty of the Creator, it was richly replenished with everything that was fitted to regale the senses, and delight the contemplative mind. "The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there he put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made the Lord God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And a river went out of Eden to water the garden." Even so, with respect to the paradise above, we are assured, that it is " a land of pure delight." In the fair climes of that celestial country, there is reproduced, in an infinitely more attractive rendering, all that was fitted to charm the eye and ravish the soul in the garden planted by God in Eden. In the immediate presence of the Creator "is fulness of joy," and at His right hand “ are pleasures for evermore." There, the saints "hunger no more, neither thirst any more, neither doth the sun light on them nor any heat, for the Lamb which is in the midst

of the throne feeds them, and leads them unto living fountains of waters, and God wipes away all tears from their eyes." There, they drink refreshment from the fountains of joy, and eat unforbidden of the tree of life, now guarded no longer by the cherubim and flaming sword, but holding forth its golden fruits to be freely gathered by all. "And he showed me," saith the beloved disciple, who beheld in vision that blessed abode, "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 on 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."

The heavenly, like the earthly paradise, is a scene of active service. The garden of Eden was a place of employment, which combined in it work without toil, and effort without fatigue. "The Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden, to dress it, and to keep it." Thus, even in his original state of innocence, and when surrounded by so many external sources of happiness, man was not to pass his time in indo