cally. There may be difficulties adhering to this system, especially with regard to the continuance of the millennial Jewish state, but there are no contradictions, and I must keep the difficulties in faith till a clearer light shews them to be plain.

Would you allow me to add, in addition to Mr Savile's most interesting letter, that Namоλeóντɩ, which might be written under an image, (Rev. xiii. 14,) equivalent to "Dedicated to Napoleon," likewise forms the mystic number, 666?*-I am, Sir, yours, &c.,

LINDFIELD, SUSSEX.

T. B. LANE.

“ Μακάριος ὁ ἀναγινώσκων, καὶ οἱ ακούοντες τοὺς λόγους τῆς προθητείας.” "THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH.”

To the Editor of the Quarterly Journal of Prophecy.

SIR,-As you appear to invite discussion respecting the new heavens and the new earth, allow me to offer a few observations on the subject; and in so doing I will strive to avoid individual opinion, taking Scripture in its most simple application.

Permit me to premise that the following remarks are merely intended as suggestions for the prayerful Bible student, who is seeking to come to a correct understanding of those future events which God has been graciously pleased to reveal for our instruction and warning. It would be useless to address those who entirely ignore the study of the prophetical Scriptures as unprofitable, while it would be of little more avail to combat the views of some others who explain all prophecy in an allegorical or figurative manner; neither do I address myself to any authors on the subject, who, having once published mistaken views, merely quote Scripture in their support, and will not accept any meaning, however apparent to the unprejudiced, adverse to their erroneous statements. The proper method of studying prophecy is to take words in their simple and usual acceptation, wherever an evident figure does not occur; and when the language is figurative, the meaning of such expressions will generally be found in other passages.

There is but little revealed in the Bible concerning the new heavens and earth, though the period in the order of events at which they commence is so clearly stated in the inspired Word of God, that every doubt should be removed on the subject. The passage to be carefully considered commences at Rev. xx. 1, and continues to Rev. xxi. 8; and I am sure that no impartial reader of this portion of Scripture would fail to perceive, that the new heavens and earth are created after the Millennium, and usher in the eternal state. It is difficult to imagine why so many good men evade or misquote these words of the inspired Apostle John, the beloved disciple of our Lord, whose summary must be an infallible commentary on prophecy. We find here a clear, concise, uninterrupted account of the order in which the leading events are to occur. At the ninth verse of the twenty-first chapter, the subject changes, and the apostle has a view of the new Jerusalem, including particulars relating to the connexion of the heavenly city with the millennial earth, but which does not belong to our present subject.

The nineteenth chapter closes with the destruction of that wonderful character and his host, the last great leader of Gentile apostasy and blasphemy, who is so often, and under such varied designations, mentioned in

Scripture-viz., the wicked one (y) of the Psalms and Isa. xi. 4; the

Assyrian of Isa. x. 5; the king of Babylon, Isa. xiv. 4; the little horn, Dan.

Since writing the above, I see that the Rev. R. Polwhele mentions this solution of the mystic number in his tract, "The Sealed People," p. 18.

vii. 8; the king of fierce countenance, Dan. ix. 23; the one who shall come in his own name, and be received by the Jews, John v. 43; the man of sin, 2 Thess. ii. 3; the lawless one (ó voμos), 2 Thess. ii. 8; the antichrist, 1 John ii. 22; and the beast, Rev. xix., &c. The twentieth chapter is only a continuation of the preceding, and not the commencement of another subject. We first see Satan bound, and cast into the bottomless pit for a thousand years; then the saints reigning with Christ for that period. We are told that only the blessed dead are partakers of the first resurrection. After the thousand years, we learn that Satan, on being loosed for a short season, succeeds in seducing the nations, and leading them against the beloved city, the millennial Jerusalem, when fire comes down from heaven, and devours them. Then we are told of all the dead standing before the great white throne, to meet their Judge, at whose presence the earth and the heaven flee away, and no place is found for them. All are then judged, and finally death and hell, with every one whose name is not written in the book of life, is cast into the lake of fire. This closes the last dispensation of time. We then read of the new heaven and earth which are created at the commencement of eternity. We read of no change beyond this. The sincere inquirer will have no difficulty in understanding the order of events in the passage under consideration, by only taking the Bible for his guide; but whoever follows the opinion of man any farther than to lead him to examine Scripture for himself, is in great danger of falling into error. The passage, 2 Peter iii., of which some have made so much, has really nothing to do with the question, as far as indicating the precise time of the conflagration, when the heavens and the earth will be consumed. "The day of the Lord" is used indefinitely, which is often the case in Scripture, not for any one day of twenty-four hours. The Holy Ghost, by Peter, is speaking against scoffers, and urging believers to greater practical holiness; and, as a warning to the former, and an incentive to the latter, he states the fact that the heavens and earth will be consumed by fire, and pass away. I also take the day of judg ment, to which it is said, in the 7th verse, they are reserved, as the judgment of the great white throne, which is clearly after the Millennium. Without implicitly adopting the opinions of either of the writers, I will just say that some interesting remarks on the subject may be read in the third volume of the "Christian Annotator." I will conclude by stating some differences which place the millennial earth and the new earth in complete contrast, and any one of which is sufficient to prove that they are not identical. The new earth has no sea, Rev. xxi. 1; the millennial earth has sea, Zech. xiv. 8. The heavenly city, though in constant communication with the millennial earth, never joins it, but it does in the new earth; and then we are told that the tabernacle of God is with men, Rev. xxi. 3. The new earth has no sun, Rev. xxi. 23; during the Millennium the sun is much more brilliant, Isa. xxx. 26; no temple in the new earth, Rev. xxi, 22; offerings to be brought to the house of the Lord during the Millennium, Isa. lxvi. 20. Without entering further into detail, I will just say there will be death and sin during the millennial state, though it appears that life will be greatly prolonged, and sin will be the exception during that period. The Millennium will be the reign of righteousness, all evil repressed, Satan bound, and the Spirit shed abroad; still it will not be a perfect state; but the new earth will be entirely holy, nothing that defileth shall ever enter therein. During the Millennium the heavenly city will be the home of the glorified saints, where they will enjoy the presence of their beloved Lord, and whence they will reign with Him over the millennial earth.-I am, Sir, yours truly, ARTHUR HALL.

All readers of this Journal are most earnestly besought to give it room in their prayers; that by means of it God may be honoured and His truth advanced; also, that it may be conducted in faith and love, with sobriety of judgment and discernment of the truth, in nothing carried away into error, or hasty speech, or sharp unbrotherly disputation.

BALLANTYNE AND COMPANY, PRINTERS, EDINBURGH.

THE QUARTERLY

JOURNAL OF PROPHECY.

JULY 1860.

ART. I.-THE NEW HEAVENS AND EARTH.*

PERHAPS you will insert the following remarks on the letters by Mr Lane and Mr Hall, which appeared in your last number, touching "The New Heavens and Earth." I shall follow the order of Mr Lane's paragraphs, and shall endeavour to use all possible brevity:

1. There is no difference of opinion as to the argument from "suitability."

2. The writer does not conclude, as Mr Lane asserts, that the millennial and eternal states are identical; but only that the millennial earth and the new earth are identical, which is a very different thing. The millennial state is different from the eternal state, but that does not preclude the former from being in the new earth. Mr Lane's reasoning in this section, therefore, proceeding upon such an extraordinary mistake, is, as might be expected, quite beside the point. He says that Rev. xxii. 3 and xxi. 4" portray like states, but states probably existing at different times." The former " is a description of the holy city, the bride," of a "state in which the curse is removed, and in which, consequently, there is no more death." Now, that there shall be no more curse, and, therefore, no more death in the holy or heavenly city, is what no

* The following article was sent to us simply as a letter; but as the subject is important, and as the writer is the author of the article commented on by our two correspondents, we prefer to give the communication a place in our large print.-Ed. of Q. J. of P.

one ever thought of denying; but it cannot be inferred from this, that, at the time referred to, there shall be no more curse and no more death in the new earth, which was the point Mr Lane ought to have proved. The heavenly Jerusalem "does certainly exist in a certain relation to the earth during millennial times," it shall then be over the earthly Jerusalem; it has not yet been proved that it shall be upon the earth in those days. But this relation has no bearing upon the question whether the new and millennial earth are the same; for the holy city may very well, for aught we could know apart from Scripture, be over the new earth for a thousand years, and upon it after that period. (Are not these, indeed, the different times spoken of by Mr Lane?) Nor can any inference to the contrary be drawn from the words, "The throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it," even if it be correct to refer in it to the heavenly city. The two last chapters of Revelation are descriptive, not only of the new heavens, but also of the new earth, as is clear from xxi. 1; from xxi. 24, "The kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it;" from ver. 26, "They shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it ; and from xxii. 2, "The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations." Is the state of things here spoken of millennial or eternal? Are these kings and nations of the earth in the eternal state, or nations that have need of healing? If not, these nations must exist in the millennium; and as they must at the same time live in the new earth which is treated of in these verses, it appears that the new and millennial earth are identical. Mr Lane says, "the former" (it is presumed he means Rev. xxi. 4) "describes . . more probably" the state "of the new heaven and new earth when the blessed state or condition of that bride shall have been imparted to the whole renewed creation," and there is not, therefore, the smallest occasion to limit the "all things created anew." This depends upon when that blessed state shall be imparted to the whole renewed creation. Is it at the beginning of that creation, or a thousand years afterwards? If at the former time, which has not been proved, then there is no occasion for limitation; if at the latter, the meaning must be limited, or rather the words, "there shall be no more curse," no more death," must be understood as having their full accomplishment only at the end of the millennium, or a thousand years after the creation of the new earth. It is impossible to escape this latter alternative. Rev. xxii. 2 speaks of a state of things in the new earth when the nations have need of healing; while that state continues, the blessed condition of