the valley of decision: for the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision. Matth. xxiv, 29. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken. Gen. xlix, 18. I have waited for hear. thy salvation, O LORD. Ps. iii, 8. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah. Ps. lxxxv, 9. Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land. Luke vi, 21. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. 1 Cor. ii, 9. But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that Luke xxi, 25-28. And there shall Ps. cxix, 166, 174. LORD, I have Acts ii, 19, 20. And I will shew wonders in heaven above, and signs in the earth beneath; blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke: The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before that great and notable day of the Lord come. Heb. xii, 27. And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. Heb. vi, 9. But, beloved, we are 2 Tim. iv, 8. Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Heb. iv, 9-11. There remaineth persuaded better things of you, therefore a rest to the people of 1 Peter 1, 9. Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls." OF HAPPINESS AND GLORY. Ps. xvi, 11. Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. Ps. xxxvi, 8, 9. They shall be abundantly satisfied with the fatness of thy house; and thou shalt make them drink of the river of thy pleasures. For with thee is the fountain of life: in thy light shall we see light. Ps. Ixxiii, 24. Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory. 2 Peter iii, 7, 10-12. But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the the night; in the which heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness. Look-away. ing 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? Rev. vi, 12-14. And I beheld when he had opened the sixth seal, and, lo, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became as blood; And the stars of heaven fell unto the earth, even as a fig tree casteth her untimely figs, when she is shaken of a mighty wind. And the heaven departed as a scroll when it is rolled together, and every moun Isa. XXXV, 10. And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee Isa. 11, 11. Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. Isa. lxiv, 4, 5. For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him. Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness; those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; God. For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. Rev. xxii, 3. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him. OF IMMORTALITY. Isa. xxv, 8. He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. Isa, xlv, 17. But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end. Matth. xix, 29, 30. And every one that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for my name's sake, shall receive an hundred-fold, and shall life. But inherit everlasting many that are first shall be last, and the last shall be first. Rom. il, 7. To them who, by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honour, and immortality, eternal life. Rom. vi. 23. For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life, through Jesus Christ our Lord. 2 Cor. iv, 17, 18. For our light is but for a affliction, which moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory: While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seer for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal. 1 Peter 1, 4. To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you. 1 John ii, 25. And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life. Rev. xxi, 4. And God shall wipe 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. THE DIVINE PRESENCE. Ps. xvii, 15. As for me, I will behold thy face in righteousness: I shall be satisfied, when I awake, with thy likeness. Matth. v, 3. Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Rev. vii, 15-17. Therefore are they before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple: and he that sitteth on the throne shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters; and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. xxi, 22, 23. And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it; for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. Rev. xxii, 4, 5. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever. OCCUPATIONS. Rev. iv, 9, 10. And when those beasts give glory, and honour, throne, who liveth for ever and and thanks, to him that sat on the ever. The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying. shipped him that liveth for ever opened the seventh seal, there twenty elders, which sat before song of Moses the servant of God, Rev. xix. 4, 5. And the four and OTHER VIEWS OF HEAVEN. Isa. Ixv, 17. For, behold, I create new heavens, and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. John xiv, 2-4. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, where I am, there ye may be also, and receive you unto myself, that And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. 2 Peter iii, 13. Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Rev. xv, 2, And I saw as it were and them that had gotten the vica sea of glass mingled with fire; tory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. saw a new heaven and a new Rev. xxi, 1, 12-21, 24-27. And I earth: for the first heaven and the there was no more sea. And had first earth were passed away; and 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 Rev. v, 14. And the four beasts on the north, three gates; on the of Israel. On the east, three gates; Bald, Amen. And the four and south, three gates; and on the twenty elders fell down and wor-west, three gates. And the wall 420 And of the city had twelve foundations, and in them the names of the he that talked with me had a twelve apostles of the Lamb. And golden reed to measure the city, and the gates thereof, and the four-square, and the length is as wall thereof. And the city lieth large as the breadth. And he measured the city with the reed, height of it are equal. And he length, and the breadth, and the twelve thousand furlongs. The measured the wall thereof, an according to the measure of a hundred and forty and four cubits, the building of the wall of it was man, that is, of the angel. of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like unto clear glass. 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; The fifth, sardonyx; the sixth, sardius; the seventh, chrysolite; the eighth, a chrysoprasus; the eleventh, a beryl, the ninth, a topaz; the tenth, jacinth; the twelfth, an amethyst. 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. And the nashall walk in the light of it; and tions of them which are saved the kings of the earth do bring And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall their glory and honour into it. be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the natious into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing worketh abomination, or maketh that defileth, neither whatsoever a lie, but they which are written in the Lamb's book of life. HELL. THE PLACE OF THE FINALLY WICKED. turned into hell, and all the naPs. ix, 17. The wicked shall be tions that forget God. them, and let them go down Ps. Iv, 15. Let death seize upon quick into hell: for wickedness is in their dwellings, and among them. Ps. lxxxvi, 13. For great is thy from the wicked: for they seek Prov. vii, 27. Her house is the not that the dead are there; and Prov. ix, 18. But he knoweth that her guests are in the depths of hell. Prov. xv, 24. The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. Isa. v, 14. Therefore hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. Matth. xiii, 40--42. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Matth. xxv, 30. And cast ye the unprofitable servant into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Luke x, 12, 15. But I say unto you, That it shall be more tolerable in that day for Sodom, than for that city. And thou, Capernaum, which art exalted to heaven, shalt be thrust down to hell. Luke xx, 47. Which devour widows' houses, and for a show make long prayers: the same shall receive greater damnation. Rom. il, 8, 9. But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation, and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile. Rev. xx, 10. And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. Rev. xx1, 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. Rev. xxil, 15. For without are dogs, aud sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie. ITS FIRE AND MISERY. Deut. xxxii, 22. For a fire is kindled in mine anger, and shall burn unto the lowest hell, and shall consume the earth with her increase, and set on fire the foundations of the mountains. Matth. v, 22. But I say unto you' That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and Matth. vill, 12. But the children Matth. xiii, 49, 50. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and Luke xil, 46. The lord of that Luke xiii, 28. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out. Luke xvi, 23, 24. And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried, and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. 2 Thess. 1, 6-8. Seeing it is a heaven with his mighty angels, Heb. x, 31. It is a fearful thing Rev. xiv. 9, 10, And the third Rev. xix, 19, 20. And I saw the that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. ITS MISERY ETERNAL. Isa. Ixvi, 24. And they shall go forth, and look upon the carcases 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. Matth. xxv, 41. Then shall be say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed. into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels. 2 Thess. 1, 9, 10. Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power; When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day. Rev. xiv, 11. And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosover receiveth the mark of his name. Rev. xix, 3. And again they said, Alleluia. And her smoke rose up for ever and ever. LESSONS. Matth. x, 28. And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Mark ix, 43-48. And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched; Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thy foot offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter halt into life, than having two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched; Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell-fire; Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched. 2 Cor. v, 11. Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. IMAGERY. 2 Sam. xxii, 6. The sorrows of hell compassed me about; the snares of death prevented me. Ps. cxvi, 3. The sorrows of death compassed me, and the pains of hell gat hold upon me: I found trouble and sorrow. Isa. xiv, 9, 10. Hell from beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming: it stirreth up the dead for thee, even all the chief ones of the earth; it hath raised up from their thrones all the kings of the nations. All they shall speak and say unto thee, Art thou also become weak as we? art thou become like unto us? Isa. xxx, 33. For Tophet is ordained of old; yea, for the king it is prepared; he hath made it deep and large, the pile thereof is fire and much wood: the breath of the LORD, like a stream of brimstone, doth kindle it. Ezek. xxxi, 16, 17. I made the Jonah ii, 2. And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. nations to shake at the sound of Ezek. xxxii, 21, 27. The strong among the mighty shall speak to him out of the midst of hell with them that help him: they are gone down, they lie uncircumcised. slain by the sword. And they shall not lie with the mighty that are fallen of the uncircumcised, which are gone down to hell with their weapons of war; and they have laid their swords under their heads; but their iniquities shall be upon their bones, though they were the terror of the mighty in the land of the living. 422 beasts of the earth. Rev. xx, 13-15. 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. 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. And MARRIAGE. that he had in Joseph's hand; and well-favoured. MAN AND WOMAN. Gen. ii, 21-23. And the LORD God cansed a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the Exod. ii, 2. And the woman rib, which the LORD God had conceived, and bare a son: and taken from man, made he a wo-when she saw him that he was a man, and brought her unto the goodly child, she hid him three man. And Adam said, This is months. now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of man. Gen. v, 2. Male and female created he them; and blessed them, and called their name Adam, in the day when they were created. Matth. xix, 4. And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning, made them male and female. turn of Esther, the daughter of Abihail, the uncle of Mordecai, (who had taken her for his daughter,) was come to go in unto the king, she required nothing but what Hegai the king's chamberlain, the keeper of the women, appointed: and Esther obtained favour in the sight of all them that looked upon her. Job xlii, 13-15. He had also seven sons and three daughters. And he called the name of the 1 Sam. ix, 2. And he had a son, whose name was Saul, a choice young man, and a goodly; and there was not among the children first, Jemima, and the name of the of Israel a goodlier person than second, Kezia, and the name of the third, Keren-happuch. And he: from his shoulders and up-in all the land were no women ward he was higher than any of found so fair as the daughters of the people. Job: and their father gave them inheritance among their brethren. 1 Sam. xxv, 3. Now the name of the man was Nabal, and the name of his wife Abigail; and she Prov. xi, 22. As a jewel of gold was a woman of good understand-in a swine's snout, so is a fair ing, and of a beautiful countenwoman which is without discrebegin-ance: but the man was churlish, tion. and evil in his doings; and he was of the house of Caleb. Mark x, 6. But from the ning of the creation God made them male and female. BEAUTY IN BOTH. Gen. vi, 2. That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose. Gen. xii, 11-15. And it came to pass, when he was come near to enter into Egypt, that he said unto Saral his wife, Behold now, I know that thou art a fair woman to look upon: Therefore it shall come to pass, when the Egyptians shall see thee, that they shall say, This is his wife; and they will kill me, but they will save thee alive. Say, I pray thee, thou art my sister: that it may be well with ine for thy sake; and my soul shall live because of thee. And it came to pass, that, when Abram was come into Egypt, the Egyptians beheld the woman, that she was very fair. The princes also of Pharaoh saw her, and commended her before Pharaoh: and the woman taken into Pharaoh's house. was Gen. xxix, 16, 17. And Laban had two daughters: the name of the elder was Leah, and the name of the younger was Rachel. Leah was tender-eyed; but Rachel was beautiful and well-fav oured. Gen. xxxix, 6. And he left all 2 Sam. xi, 2. And it came to was upon. 1 Sam. xvii, 42. And when the 1 Kings i, 6. And his father had not displeased him at any time in saying, Why hast thou done so? and he also was a very goodly man; and his mother bare him after Absalom. Esther il, 7, 15. And he brought Mordecai (when her father and 423 Heb. xi, 23. By faith Moses, when he was born, was hid three months of his parents, because they saw he was a proper child; and they were not afraid of the king's commandment. Cant. i, 5, 6. I am black but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept. Çant. iv, 3, 7. Thy lips are like a thread of scarlet, and thy speech is comely: thy temples are like a piece of a pomegranate within thy locks. Thou art all fair, my love: there is no spot in thee. Cant. v, 9, 10. What is thy beloved more than another beloved, O thou fairest among women? what is thy beloved more than another beloved, that thou dost so charge Us? My beloved is white and ruddy, the chiefest among ten thousand. Çant. vi, 1. Whither is thy be |