And I heard, but I understood not: then said I, O my Lord, what shall be the end of these things? And he said, Go thy way, Daniel; for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end. Many shall be purified, and made white, and tried; but the wicked shall do wickedly: and SERMON I ISAIAH lxv. 17. Behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind. TRULY excellent and glorious, in the beginning, did God create the world, and its inhabitants. When" the earth was without form, “and void, and darkness was upon the face of "the deep," His eternal Spirit moved, or brooded, thereupon; and He sent forth His word, and fashioned the shapeless mass, and quickened it into life and beauty. God said, “Let there be light," and there was light, where all had, until then, been dark; and order and harmony succeeded to confusion. The seas, and the dry land, which seem to have been originally mingled together, became distinct, and occupied the stations appointed to them; after which, they were furnished with their respective animals and plants. Then the sun and the moon were set in their high places, to mark our seasons, and to enliven the universe by their shining; and fowls B were made to fly above the earth in the open firmament of heaven. Last, and greatest, a suitable habitation having been thus prepared for him, man was framed in the likeness of God, to represent Him amongst the inferior creatures, and was inspired by Him with the breath of life. And, respecting all these mighty operations, the Creator is related from time to time to have reviewed, and approved them in His mind. At the close of each separate day or period, He saw, we are told, what had been lately wrought by Him, that it was good: likewise, at the conclusion of the whole, when the evening and the morning were the sixth day, He saw, or contemplated, in one comprehensive view, every thing which He had made, and behold, it was very good. (Genesis i.) Thus did the heavens and the earth, with all that appertaineth to them, grow up, and come forth from under the hand of God, bearing the impress of His blessing and approbation. Both the several parts of them were admirably contrived by Him, their wise Master-builder, and the universal scene appeared admirably complete, fitly framed together into one, as a noble temple without flaw or imperfection, and provided with a race of beings who should speak His praise. Surely, we may pronounce, of so perfect and grand a work, that it was most worthy for ever to abide, and be had in remembrance. 66 Nevertheless, saith the Lord, the Creator, by Isaiah, "Behold, I create new heavens "and a new earth; and the former shall not "be remembered, nor come into mind;" and St. Peter, in his Second Epistle, after foretelling the certain dissolution of the present, observes, evidently referring to this,-" We, according to His promise, look for new hea❝vens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth right"eousness." (2 Peter iii. 13.) Also, it is written by the beloved St. John, "I saw a new hea"ven and a new earth: for the first heaven "and the first earth were passed away; and "there was no more sea:" and a little farther on, it is recorded by him, " He that sat upon "the throne said, Behold, I make all things "new. And He said unto me, Write: for these "words are true and faithful." (Revelation xxi. 1, 5.) Hence, our existing case, notwithstanding its original goodness, appears to be not still satisfactory, and approved. By the above Scriptures, and especially by the text, it is signified to us, that we have reason to look back on the first happy condition of the universe with a feeling chiefly of regret, and can be comforted only by the prospect of such a change, as, amounting to a new creation, shall virtually banish the past, or the afflicting thoughts connected with it, from our minds. The question therefore here arises, by what means hath this come to be our condition? whence, and in what particulars, can we trace the occasion for new heavens and a new earth to be created; and to bring about a forgetfulness of the former; since God in the beginning created themthe heavens and the earth that are hithertoso very good? Now, concerning this, it will become us distinctly to acknowledge, that, had the universe continued as it was made, nothing better could reasonably have been desired. Had the perfect work of His hands been never marred by an introduction of evil, God would not have seen fit to promise that it should sometime be made anew. But man, and, after him, all created things, have grievously fallen from their first estate. Through envy of the Devil, sin came into the world, and death and misery by sin. Probably within a short time from their creation, did that malicious and subtle adversary corrupt the innocence of our common parents; and thenceforward our condition, like "the roll of the book" spread before Ezekiel, hath been naturally " written," or marked, "within and without, with mourning, lamenta“tion, and woe." Within, are evil and agitat |