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and Mosaic ages; the apostates under the Christian age, and those who are deceived by Satan and fall away from their allegiance to CHRIST at the end of the millennial age. Further, as it is said that those who stood before GOD, were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works; and yet that all were cast into the lake of fire who were not found written in the book of life; it follows, that in this final judgment there are degrees of suffering; otherwise there would be no meaning in their being judged out of the several books, and according to their works. The condemnation of all, who are not found written in the book of life, will be eternal; but all will not be subjected to the same degree of suffering. There being "a book of life opened," implies also, that many who are finally saved, will not partake of the resurrection unto eternal life until this general judgment. The book of life being opened at this time, and the names of those, who are found written therein being now declared, is a striking confirmation of the ideas we have before expressed on this subject.

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"And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire." σε θάλασσα is here rightly interpreted "sea." The immense multitudes which have perished in the mighty waters, as well as those who are in their graves, will now come forth, and stand before GOD, and be judged righteously by the Man CHRIST JESUS. "Death and Hades," also, delivered up the dead which were in them. Death is

here meant to signify the separation of the soul from the body; and Hades, the abode of departed spirits. And their delivering up the dead which were in them plainly shows that there is no longer any power in existence, which can hinder man from appearing in that perfect condition of his being-body, soul, and spirit -in which GOD created him; and that none of the dead, whether great or small, will be able to withstand the summons of the Son of Man: for all who were not partakers of the first resurrection, shall now come forth; some to the resurrection of life, and some to the resurrection of damnation.

Death and Hades being cast into the lake of fire, shows that the soul shall never more be separated from the body, and that the former condition of the departed shall cease to be. To the wicked, this shall be succeeded by a more terrible death, even the everlasting punishment of both body and soul in the fire which shall never be quenched. This is called "the second death;" and is an event which succeeds the general resurrection; and to which our LORD probably $, Luke xii. referred, when He said-" Be not afraid of them that kill the body and after that have no more that they can do, but I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear; fear Him, which after He hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, fear Him."

The casting of Death and Hades into the lake of fire, may also imply that the locality which is now occupied by separate spirits, shall after the general judgment, become a part of that place from whence the flames of unquenchable fire and eternal burnings shall ascend. These remarks throw some light on the idea, that the probable locality of this lake of fire, will be in the bowels or heart of the carth, as there is good reason to

S.
4, 5.

40.

Eph. iv. 9.

conclude from the words of Scripture, that Hades is situated therein. As for instance, in the saying of

S. Matt. xii. our LORD,-" As Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." The Apostle Paul says, that our LORD "descended into the lower parts of the earth." When Samuel appeared to Saul, he said, "Why hast thou troubled me to bring me up?" And the woman that raised him up said, "I see as it were gods ascending out of the earth.” Of Dathan and Abiram it is said, "They went down quick into the pit," i.e., into Hades, as in the original.

1 Sam.

xxviii.

Num. xvi.

30 and 33.

If this place is hereafter to form a part of "the lake of fire,” and if the locality in which those abide who suffer the pain of the second death, is to be in the heart of the earth; then have we strong reason to infer that a literal fire is here intended, as well as what it may symbolically represent. And as all who are not found written in the book of life, shall be cast, (their entire being, body and soul,) into hell, into a real place; the lake of fire which shall occupy that locality, will doubtless be real. The fact that the locality of those that perish is in a literal place, and must not be understood as a mere figure, assures us that the place of torment is not only a condition of mental and spiritual agony, but of bodily suffering also. And as the lake of fire will be real, so will the suffering be S. Mark ix. eternal. "Where their worm dieth not and the fire is not quenched." The condition of those who are cast into the lake of fire being called "the second death," implies a previous death and resurrection, and the eternal torment which they must endure both in body and soul.

44.

PART XV.

THE NEW CREATION. THE NEW JERUSALEM. THE THRONE
OF GOD AND THE LAMB. THE TREE OF LIFE. THE GLORY
OF THE CHURCH OF GOD. THE CERTAINTY OF THESE
THINGS. THE NAMES OF CHRIST. THE INVOCATION. THE
SANCTION AND SACREDNESS OF THE BOOK. THE DECLARA-
TION AND RESPONSE. THE BENEDICTION.

THE NEW CREATION.

1 AND I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first Rev. xxi. heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no

more sea.

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

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.

4 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.

5 And He that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And He said unto me, Write: for these words are

true and faithful.

6 And He said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.

7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his GOD, and he shall be My son.

8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all

liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.

9 And there came unto me one of the seven angels which had the seven vials full of the seven last plagues, and talked with me, saying, Come hither, I will show thee the bride, the Lamb's wife.

10 And he carried me away in the spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me that great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from GOD;

11 Having the glory of GoD: and her light was like unto a stone most precious, even like a jasper stone, clear as crystal;

12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel :

13 On the east three gates; on the north three gates; on the south three gates; and on the west three gates.

14 And the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

15 And he that talked with me had a golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the wall thereof.

16 And the city lieth foursquare, and the length is as large as the breadth and he measured the city with the reed, twelve thousand furlongs. The length and the breadth and the height of it are equal.

17 And he measured the wall thereof, an hundred and forty and four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of the angel.

18 And the building of the wall of it was of jasper and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass.

19 And the foundations of the wall of the city were garnished with all manner of precious stones. The first foundation was jasper; the second, sapphire; the third, a chalcedony; the fourth, an emerald;

20 The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolyte; the eighth, beryl; the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst.

21 And the twelve gates were twelve pearls; every several gate was of one pearl: and the street of the city was pure gold, as it were transparent glass.

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22 And I saw no temple therein for the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY and the Lamb are the temple of it.

23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon,

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