tiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things." (Acts xv. 15-17. Amos ix. 11, 12.)

At the end of the thousand years, just before the last great judgment of the dead, the real condition of the people forming these nations will be proved by Satan; who, during the thousand years, will have no power to tempt men, but being let loose at the end of that time will gather from amongst them a rebellious army, all of whom will be destroyed and finally condemned together with the devil who deceived them (Rev. xx. 7-10) : and this will bring on the last act of judging all the souls not previously disposed of in some way or other. After this there is a very short account of the future state of the world given in chapters xxi, xxii; these contain the only information respecting the state of the earth and its inhabitants throughout eternity which it has pleased God to afford us. But what is there mentioned perfectly agrees with the general statements given in other parts of Scripture. From them we learn, that as God in the beginning made the world itself, and man its inhabitants "very good," so shall it hereafter be according to his original purpose. "For thus saith the Lord that created the heavens, God himself that formed the earth and made it, he hath established it, he created it not in vain, he formed it to be inhabited; I am the Lord, and there is none else." (Isaiah xlv, 18.) Although Satan has prevailed for a time, to disturb the order and beauty and holiness of God's creation on the earth, yet it will only be for a time. And during this time even, the Lord will obtain more glory to himself, both by choosing out of all

nations a number of souls, who shall form an eternal memorial in heaven of his victory over Satan, by living in glorified bodies "ever with the Lord;" and also by choosing one particular nation, who shall establish an eternal memorial upon the earth of the same victory, by living at Jerusalem in bodies, not indeed glorified like the others, but sanctified every one by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all fulness, so that the "people shall be all holy." These great things God will perform through that wonderful dispensation, whereby his own eternal Son took flesh, and first making atonement for the sins of the whole world, will completely work out the perfecting of this great plan of glory; every step of which is done by his own power, and merit, and grace. when these great objects shall be accomplished, then he will entirely destroy the power of the devil, and of death, "the last enemy,' and will place some children of Adam in the first condition of their father in paradise; all saved from the corruption of original sin, all purified from the effect of its taint on the generations before them; all inheriting the dominion of the earth bestowed upon their first parents, all perfectly loving God, and fulfilling his law.

And

Accordingly in the short account given of the world's eternal state, we find mention of "the nations of them which are saved," and of "the kings of the earth ;" and these are referred to as being distinct from the glorified beings who form "the bride, the Lamb's wife." (Rev. xxii. 24, 26.) They are said to be "saved;" by Christ assuredly, for there is none other name given among men whereby we must be saved," except His

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name but it should be remembered, that to be saved, means only to be taken from the condemnation and power of sin. What degree of happiness may be freely given to a saved soul, or what ticular state may be assigned to each, in which to give honor to Him who was the cause and means of salvation ;—is a matter quite unconnected from the salvation itself. During the present part of God's plan, every one who is saved will also receive a glorified and heavenly body like Christ's. When God shall have accomplished the number of His elect, and taken them up to Christ in the clouds, He will hasten His kingdom of glory, by pouring upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications; and they shall look upon him whom they have pierced," when they see him in the day that his feet shall stand upon the Mount of Olives :" and they shall all be converted and become true christians-every one holy-" and so all Israel shall be saved" in the manner written in Isaiah lix. 20; iv. 3. (Zech. xii. 10; xiv. 1, 20, 21. Rom, xi. 26.) But we are not told anything of their bodies being changed, nor of any addition being made to the number of the glorified ones, who during the present dispensation are gathered "out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.'

And then, when the Lord shall select a new stock from the remaining heathen, who before "have not heard his fame, neither have seen his glory" (Isaiah lxvi. 19), in order to people the earth at the restitution of all things" (Acts iii. 21); every individual, chosen from amongst the rest, for the purpose, will be "saved" from the

effects of the sin of his fathers, and of his own sins; or he could not remain on the earth after the final judgment. The period of the "thousand years," (which takes place after Satan is bound, before he is finally "cast into the lake of fire,") seems as if it were on purpose to prepare a new stock from the old Adam, and educate them as it were for the condition of "the nations of them which are saved," in the subsequent eternal earth. And for this purpose also it may be, that Satan is let loose again for a little season, to sift the then existing generations, and separate every individual tainted with the least remnant of the corruption of original sin: in order that those who remain may be such only, as having been thoroughly cleansed may be pronounced "very good," even as Adam was pronounced "very good ;" and may be fitted to take possession of the "new earth, restored to its original state of goodness, even as it had been given to their father Adam,

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If this view of the subject be a correct one, then there is very little difficulty in understanding the conclusion of our Lord's prophecy on the Mount; provided we take the words in their plain and simple meaning, without adding any suggestions of our own minds to the written word, in order to make one part or another suit with a particular object. And although it is not meant to decide that this view is certainly the correct one, yet (in the midst of the difficulties attending the subject) it is chosen as that which seems on the whole preferable, in leading to a simple explanation of the passage, It will therefore be followed in this portion.

Jesus then, having described the judgment which will be passed upon the works of christians --"His own servants," and the casting out of "the unprofitable servant," when he comes and reckons with his Church, proceeded to explain another awful scene which will take place at that time. When he shall appear, as the Son of Man, in the glory already described (page 222), surrounded by all the holy angels, he will at that time take his seat "upon the throne of his glory." He had already told his disciples that, when he shall be seen "coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory," he will "send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet," to "gather together his elect" from every part of the world (Matt. xxiv. 30, 31); and had explained just before, how he will call his "good and faithful servants" to "enter into the joy of their Lord" so that, from the connexion in which Jesus introduced what he now tells us, we may gather that, in sitting upon the throne of his glory," he will be accompanied by all those to whom he promises that he will grant them to "sit with him in his throne, even as he also overcame and is set down with his Father in his throne." (Rev. iii. 21. Matt. xix. 28. 1 Cor. vi, 2. Jude 14, 15.)

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When Christ has thus taken his seat in judgment, being surrounded by all the holy angels, and having associated to himself, as already shewn, the faithful amongst his own servants; then all the heathen-all persons who are neither Christians nor Jews-will be assembled before him. The words "all nations" hardly give the true meaning: instead of "nations" it would be