so as no more to be remembered: " The ark of the covenant itself, that peculiar symbol of the divine presence, shall no more be visited by them, or remembered amongst them ; Jerusalem itself being the throne of the Lord'1," and " God himself the light and glory thereofe."]
This may fitly be called " new heavens, and a new earth." —
[So St. Peter calls it, doubtless in reference to this very passage ; " We, according to His promise, look for new hea- vens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness f." And by many it is thought, that to this very period St. John refers, when, in the Apocalyptic vision, he saw it, as it were, accom- plished before his eyes : "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. And I, John, saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of 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 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 upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for all these words are true and faithful5." Doubtless, in its literal extent, this passage will never be fulfilled till we get to heaven ; because, in this world, " death " will continue to reign, till its power shall be destroyed at the resurrection-day. But as the destruction of Jerusalem was a type of the destruc- tion of the wicked in the day of judgment ; so will the con- structing of the New Jerusalem be a very glorious representation of the felicity of heaven : yea, so bright a picture will the one be of the other, that the same language may well be applied to both, and both be designated as "a creation of new heavens and a new earth."]
And what, think ye, are,
II. The feelings with which it should be contem- plated ? God himself declares this great event to be a source of joy even to his own soul : " I will rejoice in Jeru- salem, and joy in my people:" nay, he says, that " he will rejoice over them with joy, he will rest in his
d The text, with Jer. hi. 16, 17. e Isai. lx. 18, 19.
f 2 Pet. hi. 13. e Rev. xxi. 1 — 5.