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mere literal fire; because literal fire can never torment the "naked" souls of the ungodly; and more than this, literal fire is one of "the elements" which must itself, as Peter says, "melt with fervent heat," in "the day of the Lord," "the works" of the "earth," -"shall be

which among
burned up." (2 Pet. 3: 10.)

This casting of the wicked finally into a lake of eternal, "unquenchable" fire, is supposed to be called the "second death," here, because of its being literally, the second time they are destroyed from a kind of life, or being out of hell; and the second time they are cast into the pit of wo. Thus when death, the last enemy, shall be destroyed, or when all everlasting "death and hell" shall be cast into the lake of fire, so the opposite, or all "everlasting life" and "heaven" shall go into the heavenly city, and there sit with Christ on thrones and reign for ever.

Rev. 21: 1." And 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."

This " new heaven and new earth," can only be the final " kingdom of heaven" come, which is now "at hand." Other holy writers speak of it calling it by the same name as here:

"For behold I create new heavens and a new earth, and the former shall not be remembered nor come into mind," &c. (Isa. 65: 17.)

Because the blessedness of that habitation is so inconceivably great, there will be no room to remember, or even for a moment to think, of any thing formerly known in this world.

"For as the new heavens and the new earth which I will make, shall remain before me, so shall your seed and your name remain.." (Isa. 66: 22.)

"Nevertheless, we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness." (2 Pet. 3: 13.)

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By consulting the connexion of these several passages of "the new heavens and new. earth," it will be seen that all speak of them in connexion with the events of the great day and future world. It is mentioned as though, at the very moment when this world or earth shall be burnt up," (2 Pet. 3: 10,) or "fled away," (Rev. 20: 11,) or passed away," (Rev. 22: 1,) or created, or made "new," (Isa. 65:17. Rev. 21:5,) "the new heaven and new earth," both one, will come, as it were, and take the very place where this world now stands, then to be the everlasting abode of saints and angels; so that the saints sitting on "thrones" mentioned in 20:4, &c., are supposed to be in this same new heavens and new earth." So, all the events, from Rev. 19: 11, through the book, are apparently all of them the scenes of the judgment and future state, and not chronological events of earthly time. The description of this "new heaven," or "kingdom of heaven" come, can never be given by man, otherwise so beautifully as in this 21st and this 22d chapters of Revelation, though mortals may continue to call upon mortals for a better description.

22: 2.

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"And I John saw the holy city new Jerusalem come down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."

This is, indeed, "the kingdom of heaven," or "of God," coming "down" with Christ to the judgment, with whom all the saints are to dwell for ever in the "6 new heavens and new earth," then to be prepared for them as suddenly as Christ shall come. This "New Jerusalem" of Christ, angels and saints, then coming" down from God

out of heaven," must now be, as Paul calls it,

"Jerusalem

which is above," and is "free, which is the mother of us all," (Gal. 4:26,) and "the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem," (Heb. 12:22,) the same as "the armies in heaven," (19: 14,) "the clouds of heaven," (Dan. 7: 13. Mat. 24:30,) and the "thousand thousands," and "ten times ten thousand" ministering unto, and standing before, "the Son of man" at his appearing to judgment. (Dan. 7:10. Rev. 5: 11.)

3. "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."

At this actual coming "down" of the " holy city," or kingdom, all heaven, it is here revealed, will unite in loud voices in praise and rejoicing that God and his people are finally dwelling together, on earth, as it were "the new earth," no more to be separated again, for ever.

4, 5. "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 set upon the throne, said, Behold I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write, for these words are true and faithful."

These are further figures of the glory and blessedness of "the kingdom of heaven" when come, in contrast with the tears, sorrow, crying, pain, and death of this fallen world, when, at Christ's coming with the kingdom, God shall have suddenly created "all things new," even so wonderfully new, both for saints and sinners, that not a single thing within the reach of their senses or anticipations, shall remain as it was. All will then be eternally as different with them and before them, either for better or

for worse, as the passing away of this world to give place

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to a glorious new earth," or

human race,

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heaven," for the reign of saints as kings for ever, and the sudden casting of all the "not written in the book," or not true believers, into the lake of everlasting, unquenchable fire. Then eternally, God's solemn words in foretelling all these things here, and throughout the Bible, and warning sinners to flee from the wrath to come," though now disbelieved, and disregarded like "fables," will all be found "true and faithful."

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REMARKS.

Thus we have examined the counter millennial testimony of Rev. 20: 1-6, by its connexion. We have seen that the eleven verses next preceding it, are a striking prophecy of Christ's coming to judgment, and slaying his enemies," both free and bond, both small and great," that the six millennial verses themselves, explained by parallel passages, are a prophecy of Satan's destruction, and the saints everlasting "reign with Christ" on their promised thrones ;" and that the fourteen verses next following after, are also a prophecy most clear, of the various great and wonderful events of the judgment and scenes of the future state; and that the whole is contained in the closest connexion. This leads to the conclusion, that this counter millennial testimony, so called, Rev. 20: 1-6, is no argument against the doctrine of our text, that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand,”—but rather, that it shows us, as it were, a glorious and everlasting millennium, coming without any long time, as passing away first, and that it is further strong proof that, indeed, the glorious "kingdom" is now "nigh at hand."

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Or the present discourse will be the same as in the latter, viz. that "the kingdom of heaven-at hand," as preached by Christ, John, and others, was and is God's "everlasting kingdom," which is now coming shortly, with Christ the Great King to the "Resurrection"-" Judgment""End of all things"-" New Heavens"-" New Earth," and a MILLENNIUM to be glorious and everlasting.

Although the counter testimony, and counter Millennial testimony against this doctrine has already been examined to some extent, there is a counter Millennial THEORY requiring farther attention, to which many have subscribed in modern times, who seemingly consider it the strongest of all other evidence against the doctrine of "the kingdom" now" at hand," and against the speedy coming of a millennium to be glorious and everlasting." This THEORY will now be stated and examined.

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