sacrifice that the will of God might be known; but all are kings and priests who offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God by Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 2:5); yea, as saith the prophet, “they shall all know me from the least of them unto the greatest of them, saith the Lord.”  Jer. 31:34.  No temple is needed that the Shekinah of the divine presence may take up its abode between the cherubim in the most holy place, but “the glory of the Lord” fills the entire city.  It can not be confined to a given locality.  “The Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it,” and they constitute the glory of the New Jerusalem as did the temple on Mount Zion that of the old.

“The nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it.”  Can any one conceive the grandeur and the sublimity of the scene when a light that eclipses the sun and the moon is reflected from streets and mansions of gold, or comes streaming through a wall composed of the most brilliant gems of different hues, with gates of solid pearl?  No wonder, then, that the poet has denominated it “the beautiful light of God”!  The gates are open continuously, for they are not closed by day, and “there shall be no night there.”  But “there shall in no wise enter into it anything that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie:  but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of Life.”  This, my dear reader, is the reward of the New Testament church, “the church of God.”

CHAPTER XXII.

    And he showed me a pure river of water of life, dear 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
    foreheads.

    5.  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.

The description of the New Jerusalem continues in the first five verses of this chapter.  By the “river of the water of life” is doubtless meant full salvation, which as a mighty flowing stream issues “out of the throne of God and of the Lamb.”  To this fountain of living waters an invitation is now given to all to come and partake to their satisfaction.  “The Spirit and the bride say, Come.  And let him that heareth say, Come.  And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.”  Verse 17.  As a defense to God’s people in this world salvation is represented as a great wall surrounding them (Isa.