family; tells us, too, that this mighty scheme, in which all things visible and invisible are included, was planned, in the eternal purpose of GOD, before creation commenced; thus shewing, that, in Him, is "no variableness, neither shadow of turning;" but that He is the same, and His purposes the same, in ages past, as yesterday, to-day, and for ever! The first man or Adam, then, was an incarnation of the on now, he was a portion of the breath or Spirit of the Deity ( □), and, as such, was made in the "image and after the "likeness" of GOD. This portion of the Divine Spirit was put into a capa ʊ, or animal body; was made 'n was, into, or in the condition of, a living ); which was the condition of every other animated creature, or living w, which GOD. had, previously, made, and over which the man, or Adam, whom He created, was appointed to exercise dominion.

We read in the second record of "Genesis," that "GoD planted a garden ( i. e. inclosed place) eastward (p, or, at a prior time) in Eden (y), and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground made Jehovah Aleim to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or good for food, the

tree of life (y) also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.”g

g Gen. ii.

i

8, 9.

Is. li. 3.

The "garden of Eden" is mentioned in other parts of the Scriptures." He will make her wilderness like Eden, and her desert like the garden of Jehovah.”1 "Thou hast been in Eden the garden of GOD." i It is employ- Ez. xxviii. ed as an image, under which is represented a scene of beauty, and glory, and fruitfulness, and delight. We read, that "in the midst" of this garden (of Eden, of Jehovah, of GOD) grew "the tree of life."

k

St. John, in the Apocalypse, speaks of the "tree of life, which

is in the midst of the paradise (wapadeios garden)

13.

See Ezek, xxxvi. 35.

xxviii. 13.

Joel ii. 3.

Gen. xiii.

10.

of GOD." He also speaks of "the tree of Rev. ii. 7. life," as growing "in the midst of the street"

of the holy city, the new Jerusalem; and

n

P

iii. 12.

iv. 2;

"on either side of the river"m "of water of "-xxii.2. life proceeding out of the throne of God and the Lamb."n This "great city, the holy Jerusalem," in which is the throne of GOD and the Lamb," is "the city of the living GOD, the heavenly Jerusalem," the "Jerusalem which is above," or heaven; the destined abode of man, when freed from his Gal. iv.26. σωμα ψυχικον or animal body, and invested with a Tupa TrevμATIKOY or spiritual body. The "tree

vii. 17;

xxii. 1.

q Heb. xii.

22.

of life," which St. John speaks of as being "in the midst of the paradise of GOD," is also spoken of, by him, as being in the midst of the heavenly Jerusalem; St. Paul speaks of * 2 Cor. xii. "the third heaven," or paradise."" But,

2, 4.

66

if "the paradise of GOD," and "the garden of God," express the same place; if " the garden of GoD," and "the garden of Eden," express the same place; if "the paradise of GOD," "the new Jerusalem," the "Jerusalem which is above," and "heaven," express the same place; then may we infer, that the garden of Eden, spoken of in the record of Genesis, and "the paradise of God" mentioned by St. John, have a reference to the same place. The situation of "the tree of life," as described by St. John, is the same as that assigned to it in the record of Genesis, it is in the midst of the garden of Eden, in the midst of the paradise of GOD; it is in the midst of the street of the new Jerusalem, in which is the throne of GOD and the Lamb. The tree of life," then, spoken of by St. John, appears to be the same as that mentioned in Genesis; and, that it is the same, appears, not only from the description of its situation, but from the description of its properties. We read in St. John, "to him that

- iii. 12.

V

21.

W

- 5.

X

xxi. 7.

overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise. of God; "him that overcometh will I Rev. ii. 7. make a pillar in the temple of my GOD;"" "to him that overcometh will I grant to sit "he that overwith me on my throne;"▾ cometh shall be clothed in white raiment, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life;"w" he that overcometh shall inherit all things." Thus, to eat of the tree of life, to be a pillar in the temple of GOD, to sit with Christ on His throne, to be clothed in white raiment, to have his name inscribed in the book of life, to inherit all things; each of these, is promised as the reward of him that overcometh; and, as eternal life in heaven with GOD and Christ is the gift which Christ promises to His faithful followers and adherents; as, to sit with Him on His throne and to inherit all things, is to be a partaker of immortality in the courts of heaven; and, as to eat of the tree of life, is classed with sitting with Christ on His throne, and with inheriting all things; we may infer, that eating of the tree of life, is equivalent to the inheritance of eternal life in heaven; and, that it is so, appears also, from what we afterwards read: Blessed are they that do His command

14.

5.

2.

a

66

ments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates Rev. xxii. into the city." Here, then, to "have a right to the tree of life," is coupled with admission into that "city" where the Lord God giveth His servants light, and they shall reign for ever and ever." The "leaves" of this tree of life" were for the healing of the nations." To eat of the tree of life spoken of by St. John, is then, equivalent to the attainment of eternal life. If we turn to the record in Genesis, we read "lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, Gen. iii. and live for ever." Þ Thus, it appears, that the "tree of life," spoken of in Genesis, had the same property, as well as the same position, as that mentioned by St. John. Each was to communicate eternal life to him that ate thereof; each was in the midst of a garden or paradise. The " life" which was connected with "the tree of life," spoken of in Genesis, and in the Apocalypse, was eternal life. Now eternal life is given to man through Christ only, who is styled "the bread of life," "the 1Johni. 1. word of life,”a the prince of life," "the Johnxiv.6. life;" "he that hath the Son hath life, and

22.

John vi.

35.

e Acts iii.15.

* 1 John v. he that hath not the Son hath not life;"

12.

"neither is there salvation in any other; for