in the eighth Psalm, which the apostle to the Hebrews applies to "the world to come, whereof we speak" contemplating which, the sweet Psalmist breaks out in this pleasing rapture—“ O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth! who hast set thy glory above the heavens. When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars which thou hast ordained; what is man, that thou art mindful of him, and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honor. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet."

Now in the second chapter of the Hebrews we have this passage introduced thus-"For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honor, and didst set him over the works of thy hands thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him."

Therefore we are to understand David, when he says, thou hast put all things under the son of man-in actual subjection "under his feet "-as speaking, not of the present world, but of the world to come. Which world to come must be a new state of the visible creation; for this world to

come, which is put in actual subjection under the Son of Man, David particularly describes as the visible heavens and earth; and, after describing the heavens of the world to come, by the wellknown marks of the natural heavens-the moon and the stars; and the earth, by its natural history -sheep and oxen, the beasts of the field, the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea; he concludes as he begun, "O Lord our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!"

In this constructive manner we find the promise of new heavens and a new earth, from the first opening of the revelation of God: and thus said Peter, Acts iii. 21: The times of restitution of all things, "God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets, since the world began."

But Isaiah, who, from the clearness and openness of his visions, has been called the first evangelist, or the gospel prophet, spake of this glorious state the restitution of all things—as it is spoken of in the New Testament, by the name of new heavens and a new earth, Isaiah lxv. 17, 18, 19: "For behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be you glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her people a joy. And I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in my people, and the voice of weeping shall no more be heard in her, nor the voice of crying." And again, Isa. lxvi. 22, 23, 24: "For as the new heavens and the new earth, which I will make, shall remain before me, saith the Lord, so shall your seed and your name remain. And it shall come to pass, that from one new moon to another, and

from one sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to worship before me, saith the Lord. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcasses of the men that have transgressed against me: for their worm shall not die, neither shall their fire be quenched, and they shall be an abhorring unto all flesh."

Having, therefore, the sure foundation of the word of God, in the promises, the apostle is confident and unshaken; though he should see the whole creation under the bondage of corruption, and the fashion of this world passing away; though he should behold it doomed to fire, and could expect nothing more from this world than a fiery deluge, according to its constitution; and were "looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat! Nevertheless," according to God's promise, he looked "for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness."* By faith in the everlasting promise, he beheld new heavens and a new earth-a new and glorious world-by the new-creating power of Jesus, rising from the ruins of the old, a fit, desirable, and everlasting habitation for the just.

But this promise of new heavens and a new earth is unfolded more clearly still by John, in the close of the Revelation. "And I saw (said John) 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

* Appendix, No. III.

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," &c.

This new heaven and earth that John saw is the new heavens and earth that Isaiah prophesied of it is the same glorious new world, more clearly and particularly brought into view; and the difference of plainness and clearness is all the difference we observe between Isaiah and John.

"For behold, I create "And I saw a new new heavens and a new heaven and a new earth: earth and the former for the first heaven and shall not be remember- the first earth were passed, nor come into mind."ed away; and there was

no more sea.

"But be you glad and! "And I John saw the

*If the new heaven and earth, and the new Jerusalem, were merely moral things, why did both Isaiah and John so particularly testify, that, in that holy place, there should be no natural evil-that the voice of weeping shall be no more heard in her, nor the voice of crying?

rejoice forever in that holy city, new Jerusa which I create for be-lem, coming down from hold, I create Jerusalem God out of heaven, prea rejoicing, and her peo-pared as a bride adorned ple a joy.' for her husband." "And I will rejoice Jerusalem, and joy my people."

in

"And I heard a great in voice out of heaven, saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, land he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God."

"And the voice of

"And God shall wipe

weeping shall be no more away all tears from their heard in her, nor the eyes; and there shall be voice of crying. There no more death, neither shall be no more thence sorrow, nor crying, neian infant of days, nor anther shall there be any old man that hath not more pain: for the forfilled his days." mer things are passed away."

They shall build hou- "I am Alpha and ses, and inhabit them; Omega, the beginning and they shall plant vine- and the end: I will give yards, and eat the fruit unto him that is athirst of them. They shall of the fountain of the not build and another water of life freely. He inhabit; they shall not that overcometh shall inplant and another eat:herit all things." for as the days of a tree are the days of my people, and mine elect shall