The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 231

threat of the Divi;no displmsure. 'l'he avenain" bi11 own elect. is a eall to w.en to fursake eviJ, wliile it is a,n encouragemeut. to the fuitbfnl to endure. By the disturbance· In all the world, or material sphere, moii are warned against pladng their confidence in these things which ma,y be.so.ahakQn. The ju.dgments are chastisement.a-a part suffers fur the good of the whole. . '!'he eye is plucked out to save the whole body. Her.e a:~ portion-a. third pa.rt--suffers that the whole perish not.. Those rest.rlcted j~giµents. or chastisement.a of the Lord have their great use- .... ; .L b, ,AWAKE~ING,Tll'll ATTENTION OF KEN TO .THEIR ![f•JRITUAL CONDITION, Tm]y a voice as of a trumpet J In the carelessnesa of spiritu.~l slumber great evils may silently l.urk be110{1th, the surface. 'l'he_ sh~rp probe of pa.in awakeus the slumbering spirit, aud leads to inquiry and self-examrnat1on. . . . ll. .IN &TUIULATING TO REPENTANCE. . He 'also finds. the way of disobedience.to bring pain to him; and will be urged thereby to turn from the evil path and to seek the wa.y& of obedience, wberein are rest and peo.ce. lH. IN THE PREVENTION OF FURTHER SINFULNF.SS, 'l'hPy are the hedge of fire, warning off from forbidden paths•.. No vi11dictiveness nr harsh severity prompts him. who with fatherly hand chastises his erring and mistaken children. . .. IV. These chastisements have their final ,use as disciplinary proce~se~ IN ADVANC- Jili'G ItIGILTEOUSNESS, The clear declaraticms of Scripture in the classical passages po cha.stjsemerit declare the end to be" that we may be.partakl!rs of his holiness," Sharp_ is the piercing pain, keen the edge of suffering ; but the good features of the chariu,ter called _into play, fo. bearing up under sorrow are developed thereby: and the spirit, cl;ieebd from wafking in the .wrong path, is stimulated to choose the right and the. gorn,l- .Tl;lai whic~, applfos to. the individual life appliea also to the li':8 of t~bes an~ naUoJUi.of men. 'lo t.hese th~_pre;;ent1,a~sage relates, .Judgments on "the third pa.r.t lf\l'e designed to be corructive .aud admonitory to· the whole.-R. G• .·vei:. 13.-~ bitter consequenC<'S of iniquity. :Before the nfth angel sounds his trumpet, a vision is g_ranted of a flying .eagle, which, with "a great voice," decla.\'ed "Woe for them tbat dwell upon the earth, by reason of the, other voices of the trumpet Qf the three angels who are yet.. to sound l " Corrective Judgments have already b€en l)l.allifested, but the fqll fruits .of evil, in themselves judgments and. designed for correction and restraint., have not .been developed. . The. voice of t)le great eagle 14nticipates them, and prepares for their delineatioq, The general principle, therefore, elaims f:hought at present-woe follow.s from f/ie working of euil. . t. T.RE INEVITABLE CONSEQUENCE 0!' WRONG-I;>;OING IS' SUFFERING. '1. The laws of. iigbtoousnt:BS are abllOlUtllly ind, only good. 2. '!'hey describe the true path .of th.e. Jiµm~ life. 3 •. In the observance .of the true lii.w!i of life-the laws o~ ri;.;hteo1,1Sness-,.. oonditi9ns of blessedness are secured; fur. it cannot but be that life held according. to the laws. of life is only good. 4. .Any departure from the laws of life-rig~eousness- mu,st l>ting a proportiona~ disturbance, pain a,nd sorrow. ll. 'l'HE DIVINE WISDOH A.ND BENIGNITY SHOWN IN MAKING THE CONBF.QUENCEB 01!1' WRONG-1,lOINO PAINFUL. . By this means men are warned away from wrong. The sharp pain of burning is a merciful provi&ion. The hand incautiously laid i.n the fire might be consumed for want of ~he sharp twinge of pain to apprise of danger. It is well that ~e way o( transgressors 1s hard. 'l'he prickly hedge guards the path of life, lest wen aitraying from it should fall into untold evils. · . . Ill 'I'll& PilNFULNBSS OF WRONG-DOING A JUST WARNING AGAINST TBANSGREBIIION. Although virtue that is founded on a mere escape from the r,vils of disobiidience. is •. low form of virtue, it is nevertheless ·a worthy motive for avoiding that it\!, consequences are painfoL ,. . . . IV, 'J.'u NATURAL CONSKQUENOES OF WRONG-DOING AN A.DMONI'f()RY DIDICA.TION OJ' THB DIVINE DISPLEASURE, and a worthy expression of iL It. is a testimony the on level of the human heart. Higher testimonies to be given. Ilut the cola and tl.ought- less arrested by these means. . . . V. IN PUNISHMENTS BY PAIN LIES THB PLEDGE AND FmST ELEMENT OF MORAL ~BRECTION. 'l'he punishment and bitterness of evil not a final end. High moral purposes are graciously contemplated. "Woe, woe, woe I" is the sad pr~diction of the ever-coming bitterness of all wrong-doing.-R. G. CJir. vru. 1-13,] THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVIR 117