presence. As the ceremonial "law had a shadow of good things to come,"
but "vanished away" when Christ appeared, (Heb. x. 1,) so will it be in
heaven; no ordinances will be used to act upon either sense or faith,
these having issued in vision.

The glorious presence of "the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb," having
superseded the necessity of a temple; the light of the sun and moon
shall be no longer needed. "God is light, and in him is no darkness at
all," (1 John i. 5;) and "as long as Christ was in the world, he was the
light of the world." (John ix. 5.) We have seen that other suns and
moons which were _symbolical,_ have been darkened or blotted out of
existence by the omnipotent Mediator; but now these natural luminaries
are totally and for ever obscured by the ineffable effulgence of
uncreated light,--the manifested and immediate presence of the Father
and the Son.--All the redeemed shall "walk in the light of the Lord;"
and all the glory of "the kings of the earth," concentrated in one
place, would bear no comparison with the splendor of this "holy city."
The gates are not to be shut during the "day" of _eternity_; and since
the "excellent ones of the earth" shall all enter the twelve open gates
from every part of the world, it may be truly said "they bring the glory
and honor of the nations into it." What a delightful scene of a holy,
happy, safe and harmonious fellowship!--It is observable that the
apostle altogether drops _personalities_ here. He seizes only upon
properties or qualities,--"any thing,"--so holy is the place, and so
holy the inhabitants; yea, so safe and secure, that no creature,--no
"beast of the field which the Lord God has made," shall ever gain an
entrance into this heavenly Paradise: but only those whose names are
"written in the Lamb's book of life;" who, despite of the Serpent,
brings all his spiritual seed safe to glory.

CHAPTER XXII.

1. And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal,
proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.

2. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river,
was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and
yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the
healing of the nations.

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.

4. And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their
fo