from heaven, of those who shall league together against Christ and his saints. Fourthly, we are presented with a sublime description of the last and general judgment; when all those who are not found written in the book of life, shall be cast into the lake of fire."

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Mr. Winchester maintains that this earth will be turned into a lake of fire and brimstone, at the conflagration, (2 Peter iii. 7.) and will be the appointed place of punishment for the wicked; and the learned and ingenious Dr. Apthorp, formerly Vicar of this place, was of the same opinion; but his system necessarily led him to consider that, as the final state of the globe; whereas Mr. W.'s comprehends the new creation literally understood, after the earth shall have been purified by fire.

In the former part of ch. xxi. St. John relates the most glorious vision with which he was favoured, viz. the new creation; the happy consequences attending which, are related in the 4th verse. Ver. 5. "He that sat upon the throne said, behold I make all thngs new !" and then commanded the apostle to write down what he had heard, as well worthy of belief. Ver 6. And he said unto me, it is done.” The whole revelation of God, respecting man, is here finished, and we see a chain of events following each other, in the most exact order and regularity. The vision, being thus ended, Jesus Christ next asserts the divinity of his character in the same words, as at the beginning of the book; and then promises the free communications of his spirit fo those that thirst after righteousness. Our Blessed Lord, before he parts from his beloved disciple, takes occasion to excite our obedience, by the most glorious promises on the one hand, and the most awful threatenings on the other. The 6th and 7th verses deserve our utmost attention, as they relate to subjects of the highest importance to us. "He that overcometh shall inherit all things." What animating encouragement is this to persevere in the paths of holiness, and to resist the solicitations of sin! "Shall inherit all things!" be a partaker of the grace of God in this life of the first resurrection, and of the blessings of the millenium, and, finally, of eternal glory in the kingdom of heaven; and it is added, "I will be his God, and he shall be my son."

The denunciation in the 7th verse is most awful indeed, and well calculated to work upon our fears, if we did but receive it as the word of God, and were seriouly concerned for the welfare of our souls. One of the angels which had the seven vials comes to the apostle, and carries him (ver. 9) in spirit to the top of a high mountain, where the holy city, which he had seen in his former vision coming down from God out of heaven, is again represented to him, and a particular description of it is given, from the 11th verse to the end of the chapter. Much has been written to illustrate the meaning of these metaphorical expressions used by St. John in describing the city; but it is not my intention to enter upon that subject now. I shall therefore keep on to the 24th verse, and endeavour to answer a Sussex Farmer's Questions, proposed p. 236 of your Miscellany, and which, I believe, has not been yet noticed.

The first circumstance that led him into a difficulty concerning this portion of Scripture, seems to have been this, that he considered all that

which follows the vision of the new creation, as relating to the earth in its renewed state; but I am of opinion that, upon a reconsideration of the subject, he will find his mistake, and perceive that it relates to Jerusalem which is above, (Gal. iv. 26.) and which the apostle had been informed, by a vision, should descend from heaven, when Christ shall come to renew the face of the earth.

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I should be glad, Mr. Editor, to know from you, or some of your correspondents skilled in the Greek language, whether it would be doing any violence to the text, to read the former part of the 24th verse thus: And them of the nations which are saved, instead of And the nations of them which are saved. Many instances might be produced from the common translation, of a departure from grammatical précision, by the transposition of words; but I shall mention only one, which occurs in Mat, iii. 5. "Then went out to him Jerusalem," &c. Now, I apprehend, that the idiom of our language requires that it should e read, "Then Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, went out to him," &c. If the above alteration may fairly be ‘admitted, without violence to the sacred text, a Sussex Farmer's" two first questions will be satisfactorily answered. In this view of the subject," them of the nations which are saved," &c. appears to denote the same persons who had been redeemed "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people and nation," ch. v. 9.; and the kings of the earth will include all virtuous princes who have ever reigned; and the glory and honour which they will bring into the city, will consist of their virtuous subjects; the state or period of their existence will be from the creation to the general judgment; and their subjects comprehend the mass of the people in all ages. The gates of the city standing always open, (ver. 25.) may be expressive of the perfect security of that state of happiness, into which the righteous shall enter; or it may further denote that an entrance shall always be open to any in whom the love of sin shall have been destroyed by the torments of the burning lake, and whose past transgressions shall be covered by the perfect righteousness of the dear redeemer, and their names registered in the "Lamb's book of life.

In answer to his third question, I believe that the characters, or persons bearing that character," mentioned in the 27th verse, will not be found at all after the new creation, but are the same persons who were cast into the lake of fire at the general judgment; while those whose names were found written in the Lamb's book of life, ascended with their dear Lord and glorified Redeemer, to inhabit the heavenly Jerusalem, and will descend with him again when he shall make all things new," and to wipe away all tears from the eyes of those who had been in torment and affliction. This verse also holds out to us what characters shall NOT enter into the New Jerusalem, and therefore becomes a stimulative to virtue; but will lose much, if not the whole, of its force, if supposed to relate to a period and state of existence of which we can have no rational conception. If we understand (in the Succeeding part of the vision, ch. xx.) by the "river of water of life," the influencing graces of the spirit; and by "the leaves of the tree,

which were for the healing of the nations," the doctrines of Christianity, we may see the application of the figure to the present state of the world; but the propriety of its application is not so apparent, if understood to relate to a period after the renovation of the earth. The apostle goes on to describe, in glowing colours, the perfect and complete happiness of the heavenly Jerusalem; but I think the 14th and 15th verses put it beyond all doubt that Jesus Christ, or the angel in his name, is speaking of a period anterior to the new creation.

Thus, Sir, I have endeavoured, as brief as I can, and with the utmost diffidence, to state my sentiments on this interesting portion of the Scriptures. I trust I have not been led to it by a love of novelty, but from a desire of contributing my mite towards the better understanding of what, as far as my reading has gone, seems to have been very unsatisfactorily explained. If I have fallen into any material errors, I shall thank you or any of your friendly correspondents to set me right, and remain,

CROYDON.

Your humble servant,

J. H.

JONAH AND THE WHALE.

SIR,

IMAGINE not, from my title, that I am about to tread the path of those expositors (and many such there be) who, like the ancient priests of Ceres, Cybele, or Bacchus, think no religion worth keeping that is not chiefly composed of MYSTERY, while every man who knows his own spiritual wants, ardently searches after the truths of REVELATION; I have only to relate an idea conveyed by the Jewish Rabbies concerning Jonah and the fish, and leave it for your readers to smile at.

"The whale (say they) having swallowed Jonah, took him into the Red Sea, and, the fish's eyes serving as windows for the prophet, it shewed him the very spot where the Jews crossed over dry-shod!!!!"

This conceit is next to be justified. It may be remarked, that Jonah says, that the WEEDS were about his head; now the Red Sea, in the Hebrew language, being called THE WEEDY SEA,-they say it should be understood that this SEA was about his head!

Astonishing! that those men "to whom were delivered the oracles of God," should thus trifle with the precious deposit!

B.

AN ADDRESS

то

IMMORAL MEN AND PRACTICAL UNBELIEVERS.

UNTHINKING MEN,

PERMIT one whose heart's desire and prayer to God for you is, that you may be saved, to address you concerning the things which relate to God and your souls, to remonstrate with you on your unrighteous courses, and to place before you the dreadful consequences of continuing in sin.

God hath made you more excellent than the beasts of the fieldendowed you with rationality and moral consciousness-formed you capable of knowing his name, of enjoying his love, and of doing his will-of attaining elevated sentiments, exalted virtues, and substantial happiness-of ascending high in the scale of being, and of rendering yourselves a blessing to your kind. But how have you debased yourselves by your follies and crimes! Whilst you wallow in sensuality and vice, do not you sink yourselves to a level with the beasts that perish, by seeking happiness in mere animal gratifications, and neglecting every means of rational enjoyment? Which of the beasts ever

blasphemed its maker, acted contrary to the instinct it is endowed with, or debased itself by acting contrary to the laws of nature? But have not your tongues, which were formed to be the glory of your frame, to praise your Creator, been frequently employed in giving vent to blasphemous, impious, and lewd conversation? Have not you acted contrary to reason by indulging in intemperance, drunkenness, debauchery, and every species of immorality? Are not you continually violating the laws of nature by departing from the rule of rectitude and eternal order? Have not you, then, degraded yourselves below the beasts of the field? O consider the dignity of your nature, and act worthy the character of MEN, of rational beings. It will be in vain for you to boast of your dignity as men, to exult in your consequence as lords of the creation, to pride yourselves in exterior circumstances, if you be all the time the slaves of vice, the servants of sin; rather lament your fall, bemoan your degradation, and repent of your crimes.

You profess to believe in God; but what rational man can think your profession sincere, while you LIVE as if there was no God? If you believe there is a God, why do you not fear him, trust in him, love him, and obey him? If there be God, he must delight in virtue, and nothing but what he delights in can be happy; he must be just, the punisher of sin, and the rewarder of good works. How can you question this? How can you believe in God, and at the same time blaspheme his name, despise his authority, trample upon his laws, prove yourselves his enemies by wicked works? No, it is evident by your conduct, whatever VOL.IV.

M 3

you may say, that you do not seriously believe in God; for if you did, you would obey him, you would not dare to set him at defiance, and expose yourselves to his terrible displeasure. You talk of atheistsYou are the worst of atheists, while you so greatly dishonour the name of that God in whom you profess to believe. I solemnly appeal to your consciences, in your moments of serious reflection, if this be not the case.

And you call yourselves Christians too!

What! dishonest

blaspheming lewd--sensual-covetous-cruel--bloody-minded Christians! No, this cannot be! it is a contradiction in terms.— Christians have the spirit of Jesus Christ; they are called to walk as he walked, to be in the world as he was in the world, who spent his life in obedience to the will of God, in going about doing good. Wherein do you resemble Jesus Christ? What is there in your spirit and conduct which resembles his spirit and conduct? Is there any thing you are more UNLIKE than Jesus Christ? How, then, can you be Christians? When did Christ discover that he was influenced by pride, or envy, or hatred, or rancour, or malevolence, or covetousnesness, or cruelty, or want of love to God and man, or any other evil principle? But are not these the principles which influence and govern your minds?Wherein did Christ ever manifest that worldly spirit and disregard to the happiness of others, which you manifest? When was he the subject of those vices in which you live? Ask your consciences, wherein you bear the likeness of Jesus Christ? Your consciences must tell you, if you attend to the inward monitor, that, while you' are professed Christians and practical infidels, while you say you believe the gospel, and violate all its precepts-while you call Christ-Lord, and do not those things which he hath commanded-you have neither part nor lot in the matter. Can you suppose, Christ will own you for his servants in the great day of his coming? You who have proclaimed by your conduct that you will not have him to reign over you? You who have scandalized his name, brought Christianity into disrepute in the world, and promoted open infidelity, by your unchristian spirit, licentious lives, and immoral conduct? No, expect to hear him say, "Depart from me, ye workers of iniquity....These mine enemies, who would not that I should reign over them, bring hither, and slay them before me." Christ came not to be the minister of sin, but to put it away by the sacrifice of himself: and if you be determined to retain it, you must be destroyed from his presence. It is in vain for you to talk about Christ and salvation so long as you are practically rejecting the saviour, and neglecting the great salvation. Oh! consider the value of the blessings which you are despising, the privileges which you are neglecting, and the dreadful penalties you must incur, if you continue in a state of impenitency and rebellion against the Most High.

Infatuated men! you profess to know that there is a God, and that you are his creatures, that he governs the world, and that you are accountable to him. How dare you then despise the authority of the Supreme Being, whose power ye cannot resist, whose ferrors are sufficient to