The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 196

granted?. Have we not known, also, instances-do we not perpetually see 'them ?-in; which former good conduct, righteous deeds done in days gone by, have tempered the severity with which otherwise failures in present conduct would be visited? , ·How we grieve when some soldier-hero has deserved punishment I how we all feel that' his put heroism should tell, as it does tell, in mitigation of his sentence I And ba,re we not known many an instance in which, for the sake of some beloved and honoured one, whose name is ever dear to us, we show kindness to those they loved•, though such inay be,utterly unworthy of kindness, and, but· for the name they bear or the relationship in which they stand to those so dear to us, they would have ·been dealt with in fat' other- way? These are but common instances in common lifo of that great law whioh underlies Scripture fsots, such as that told of in our text. But the supreme ~ml'" or all others of the wrath-restraining power of righteousness m seen in the effects of otw· Savwu.r', work, which we every one are advantaged by. Death was threatened against' our first parents if they ate of the forbidden fruit. But why did not that death, which had been 80 solemnly declared, and so fearfully apprehended and shrunk from lJy the guilty parents of our race-why was not that death inflicted? In the day that the forbidden fruit was eaten, the eater& thereof did not die, but were sparsd. Why? , The answer is the same as that which must be given if it ·be asked why we are spared, not- withstanding our sin and manifold ill desert. It is because Christ was and is the Pro- pitiation for the sins of the whole world. Beneath the,broad shelter of God's love in him; man's Mediator and Redeemer, we are sheltered, protected, &aved. We are underneath t)le shadow of the 4-lmighty ; and so, likewise, were the first transgressors. Therefore their threatened doom was not executed, And still it is be who comes between us and the eternal consequences of our 11ins. The burden of their guilt, the terror ofth• condomea- tion, the sting of their remorse, the doom they merit,--allthei!e and yet other consequences of our sin are by Christ; warded off from every believer. They can do nothing agairur& ua whilst Chmt has place in our hearts. He is the great High Priest, with censer full'of the fragrant incense of his all-availing intercessions, who stands between the living and· the dead,· and 80 the plague is stayed; He is our City of Refage, within which the avenger of blood can do us no harm; the one Propitiation, by whom· our trangreBBimlll are covered over and done away. Blessed foreTer be his Name! And if we ask-•W/iy: wit that righ.teomness lw,s this wroth.-restraining power, which in so many instances, and in this supreme instance especially, we have seen it has? the answer will be that given in the well-known words," The righteous· Lord loveth righteousness." Yes; ·he loveth it, and hence wherever it is found he showeth favour towards it, and .for the sake of it will do and forbear to do much. l,J,, David for Jonatban's sake was willing to show kindness to any of the rival house of Saul, notwithstanding their disloyalty~ &0, for the sake of righteousness, all that belong to it, even though the relation be remote, are blessed because of it. It is dear to the heart of God; he has embodied it in his own nature ; be has made it the foundation of his throne; it is the household' law of his eternal home; he bas written it upon the conscience of man ; he has made: obedience to it fruitful of reward, and disobedience of sorrow; in c(Jlnist he has mani- fested it to the world, and for the sake of it Christ was content to die. In every !1:41· conceivable God has shown his love for it, and hence we can understand,wherefare it,:ia: that he invests it with such power that its presence in a community or family l&ys iw band even on his own hand, and restrains the vengeance that sin d68erves. Yes; it us dear to the heart of God ; " the righteous Lord loveth " it ; only those who possess k' stand in his presence or can be permitted to come there. And he has endowed it with an overcoming power, so that not only shall light have no counsel with darkness, but' wherever it comes it immediately gives the signal for the darknees to ftee away. & does righteousness, wherever it is, begin to make war with sin, and ultimately the vicwry shall be seen to be altogether its own. Thongh often beaten back and do~ buffekd and trampled upon, yet. it rises again and renews the confilet, and.will oarry ls on until the righteous cause is triumphant 11,nd the evil overthrown. · No wonder,' therefore, ,that the righteous Lord loveth it, and for its sake does so many,so.wonderful; and 11<1 gracious things. But now let us ask- TI77iat i& thi& ~ truth to .uaa,\ · w 1 Surely it should arouse in our minds some such questions .as th~Am Im 1M Right«Yua One f We have seen how he is the supreme example of righteoulliea. restraining wrath. Ah I what shelter have we, or can we have, when the storm of the 220 THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE fiIVINE. [OIL vn. 1-17.