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glory of God and her light like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal, the gates of one pearl, the foundations of precious stones, the street pure gold, as it were transparent glass: no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it, and the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it, for the Lord God did lighten it and the Lamb is the light thereof—no more curse—the throne of God and 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 light of the sun ; for the Lord God giveth them light, and they shall reign for ever and ever.

And then we may conceive another part of their blessedness is to be employed in making others blessed, for the nations of them which are saved, shall walk in the light of it, and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour unto it. This accords with other promises. We shall reign on the earth. The saints of the Most High shall take the kingdom, and possess the kingdom for ever, even for ever and ever.

Christian Reader! let us thirst after this glory. Christian Reader! let us count every thing besides loss-that we may win Christ and be found in him.

The blessedness of the kingdom of God, terminates not merely in the glorified saints being happy in their own glory, and the vision of the Lord; the whole earth, after those purifying judgments which shall come upon it, has the deepest interest in it. It is sublimely represented as waiting for it with earnest longing, For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself shall be deli

vered from the bondage of corruption unto the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. And not only they but ourselves also, which have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of the body. Rom. viii. 19-23. Here is a clear distinction between a blessedness to be given in the manifestation of the sons of God, and another blessing in the deliverance of the creation at large from the bondage of corruption. Here comes in then all those glowing promises, which bespangle the firmament of Scripture as the stars do the heavens, of the latter day glory of our Lord's kingdom on earth; the animating hopes set before us in such Psalms as the lxvii. lxxii. xcvi. to c., when knowledge, peace, holiness, spirituality and universal happiness shall bless our whole earth. The rich treasures with which the latter chapters of Isaiah are loaded, and the glories which are testified of through the sacred writings, have here ample space for their largest meaning. The whole world will indeed be blessed when under the happy dominion of our Lord and his glorified saints.

What motives are here set before us, Christian Reader, for the greatest exertions in doing good. The future glory is eminently connected with labours for Christ, (Dan. xii. 3; Luke xix. 16-19; 2 Cor. ix. 6,) O what full scope there is in this kingdom for the largest rewards, and what an exciting object for hope and exertion! What motives also for patient endurance of sufferings in this present life! So intimately are sufferings and this glory joined together, that some have thought the Millennial King

dom was only for sufferers, (Rom. viii. 18; Acts xiv. 22; 2 Tim. ii. 12; Rev. vii. 14; xx. 4); but be it for all, (Rev. xi. 18,) the sufferers are those most eminently marked by the Divine Spirit as the heirs of this bliss. May we ever be ready then to rejoice in the cross, (Matt. v. 11, 12.)

When we look at these glories no wonder the work of salvation is to be wrought out with fear and trembling, (Phil. ii. 12,) no wonder the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence and the violent take it by force, (Matt. xi. 12,) and every man that really would secure it presseth into it, (Luke xvi. 16.) It is a prize worth all the ardour of the race that is set before us, (Heb. xii.) and all the struggle of fighting the good fight of faith, (1 Tim. vi. 12.) It is worth parting with the eye, the hand, or the foot, (Matt. xviii. 8, 9,) or even life itself, (Luke xiv. 26; Rev. xii. 11,) rather than forfeit our lot at the end of the days (Dan. xii. 13,) in the heavenly kingdom, and inheritance. The Lord inspire all our hearts with a noble ardour and thirst after this as our best aim, our proper rest, our eternal riches, glory, and blessedness; so that for the sake of this we may willingly go through every previous sacrifice.

On the review of all these things, may our hearts be led to offer up with fervency of desire, that prayer, Remember me, O Lord, with the favour that thou bearest unto thy people; O visit me with thy salvation; that I may see the good of thy chosen, that I may rejoice in the gladness of thy nation, that I may glory with thine inheritance,

CHAPTER XIII.

THE APPLICATION OF PROMISES IN THE PROPHECIES TO THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.

THE Prophetic writings should be carefully read, not merely for the future events which they foretell, but as everywhere bearing the rich treasures of divine truth; and furnishing noble displays of the glory of God and clear manifestations of the way of salvation, of the duties of the creature, and of his dependance on the Creator. They are full of deep doctrines; sweet promises; holy precepts; and heartstirring motives to follow the will and to live to the praise of the great and eternal Jehovah. Their holiness speaks their divinity, even before their fulfilment has made it a demonstration; their present usefulness declares the wisdom and loving-kindness of the Lord, even before their accomplishment has displayed his Omniscient eye, his omnipotent arm; his perfect equity, and boundless grace.

Prophecy is like a richly freighted vessel returning from a distant land, and conveying those on board in safety to their home. It contains all needful provision and comfort for the use of the crew during

the whole length of voyage, and besides this, it has a still more valuable cargo to be enjoyed by the owners, when all the perils of the sea, when all its storms and tempests have been passed through. Though the passengers may be distant from their own land, they are gradually approaching nearer and nearer, and while they are sailing day and night homewards, every present want is supplied by the abundant stores which the vessel contains for their use but the chief riches of the vessel are reserved for the end of the voyage. Let us look then now for a moment at the daily provision made for our immediate and personal wants.

In the Prophecies of the Old Testament are contained promises of the richest spiritual blessings. These belong to every Christian, through faith in Jesus, and thus have a fulfilment in reference to Christian believers, beyond their first fulfilment in reference to Israel and Judah, the children of Abraham, after the flesh.

The promises at any time made to the Church of God, composed of true believers, belong to them in similar circumstances at all times. They display the will of Him who is the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever,and who has given and revealed these promises as revealing his mind towards his people, and for the benefit of the Church at large. The promises of spiritual blessings made originally to the Old Testament Church, are now properly applied to, and really inherited by the Christian Church, and will only be inherited by any as they believe in Jesus Christ.

This is so important a part of divine truth, that it calls for particular proof and illustration.

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