Vers. 6-8.-Gen.uiM discipline of ,oul. "And after that I looked,-and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: and the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen," etc. I do not know that I cau turn these words to a more legitimate and practical lllltl than by 1llling them as an illustration of gen~ine soul-discipline. In this light they euggeat to us the source, the ministers, and the indispensability of genuine soul-discieline. L THE SOURCE OP GENUINB IIOUL-DISOIPLINE. "After that [these thingsJ I looked [saw], and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened,. (ver. 5). The discipline, as we have seen, was of a painful character. It involved "seven angels" with •• seven plagues." Whence did it proceed ? Not from secondary. instrumentalities, fortuitous circumstances, or a heartless, rigorous fatality, but dired from the presence of the Infinite. The language here points to the inner compartment· of the old Jewish tabernacle, known as the "holy of h_olies." There the Jew re,:artled Jehovah as especially revealing himself to them, and as communicating to them his, ideas and plans. To a genuinely disciplined soul all influences from heaven tending to purify and ennoble are regarded as coming direct from the presence of the great Father. Its inner eye, BO to speak, is so opened and quickened that it glances into the very shrine of the Almlgh~. It feels that." every good and perfect gift cometh down from the Father of lights, etc. It is a characteristic, or rather a law, of true religiousness tlia.i it be&rs the soul away through nature, churches, and chapels, right up into the very presence of God, to the very fontal Source of all good, the mighty Mainspring that works the universe. God is its all in all. It can truly say, "I looked, and, behold, the remple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened" (ver. 5). The grand difference between a spurious and a genuine religiousness of soul is this-the one busies itself about the fussy doings and foggy dogmas of little sects, and the other is so absorbed with the Supreme Good, that it feels with the old Hebrew, "Whom have I in heaven but thee? and whom on earth do I desire bnt thee?" II. THE M.INlllTEBS OJ!' GENUINK SOUL-DJSCIPLl)!IJI. rr And the seven angels came out of the remple, having [that had] the seven plagues" (ver. 6). The great Father who makes his children "meet for the inheritance of the saints in light," carriee OD hitt: sublime educational work by angels or ministers. Concerning those ministers, obi!erve: 1. They are complete in n~mber and qualification. " Seven angels " and " seven plagues." 2. They go forth direct from his presence. "Came out of the te~le," etc. 3. They MB divinely mGrked and attired as God's priest&. " Clothed [array in .P~ and white linen [precious stones pure and bright],' and having their brf'Uts · ed (.gin about the breasts] with golden girdles" (ver. 6). 4. They have a commi'ui<m of tnffit,. "And one of the four beasts [living creatures] gave unto the seven augeld seven golde11 vials [bowls] full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever" (ver. 7). (The wrath of God is his antagonism to sin.) lu the great moral school of humanity there has always been, as in all schools, not a little seoorily. True soul-education involve& pain. The very severity is a blessing. " What son _is he whom the father chasteneth not?" "Our light afflictions, which are but for a moment," etc. Whilst the majority of men regard this life as a market, or a banquet, or a playground, he who regards it as a great moral school has the only true i d - a school in which every object ia a lesson, every agent a teacher, and every teacher coming forth directly from God. III. THB INDISPENSABILITY OP GENUINE SOUL-DISCIPLINE. "No man [no onel waa able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fuflilled [should be finished]" (ver. 8). The idea suggested is that no man could enter into the shrine or into the immediate presence of God until the discipline had been fully acoom• plished. Here is a commentary on this: "Who shall ascend into the hill of the Lord P or who shall stand in his holy place? He that bath clean hands and a pure heart, who bath not lifted up his soul unto vanity." Cleanness in hands and heart means haring oonduct void of offence towards God and man. Freedom from vanity means moral reality. These two things, moral clfflnneu and moral reality, are the qualifications for ascending to the " holy hill,"' or fellowship with God. "It is not," says Luther, "he who sings BO well or so many psalms, nor he who fasts or watches eo many days, nor 892 THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. [rn. XVI. 1-~1.
lie who di'ridea his own among the poor, nor he who preaches to others, nor he who livea quietly, kindly, an<l. friendly, nor, in fine, is it he who knows all Bcieneea and :languages, nor he who works ail virtuous and all good works that ever any man 1}Klka or read of, but it is he alone who is pure within r.mcl withouL"-D. 'l',