The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 517

Ve,. 1.-Sabjectlve <Jlwiwtianity: 1. .A river. "A.pd he showed me .a pure river of :water of life, clear [bright) as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God .and of the Lamb." All along this book of gorgeous imagery and symbol we have been looking at Christianity as a s'libjective reality. Objective Christianity is simply a speculation; a thing of criticisni., imagina.tion, and logic; a thing for men to quarrel 'about, and even to. fight about at times. It is a creed-nothing more. But subjective Christianity is,& life; it is the creed eaten, digested, and .transmitted Into the blood and fibre of the 10ul. In this ver!l8 this life appears in three aspects• .I.. As FLOWING. It is a "river," not a stagna.nt lake, confined within certain banks, without any progressive motion, but a river flowing on, winding its way through every faculty of .the i!JUl, and giving to all new freshness and vigour. IL Ail TUNSLUCEN'I', " Pure river of water of life, c.lear as GI"YStal." What object in nature is more sublimely beautiful than a deep-flowing river, so pure a.s to mirror all the pearls and 1-hells and Jiving creatures ihat lie fathomed below, and all the shifting clouds and brilliant orbs that circle above? Vital Christianity is essentially clear and cleansing; it flows through the soul, and leaves no "spot" or "wrinkle," or any such ,if'. As IMPERIAL. ''Proce~ding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb." It does not ~p1-ing from any human fountain. It is from the primal force of all life-God and the Lam b. It is a river," the streams whereof make glad the city of God." "The water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."-D. T. Ver. 2.-Subjective fJh1'istianity: 2. .A tree. "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree oflife, which bare twelve manner of fruits,and yfeld, d her fruit every month : an<l the leaves of the tree were for the heali;ng of the !¥1 tions." Ueni is .organized life--" a tree." He.re are the various· elements and gases orouglit into an organic whole-a tree; the product and provision of vital force. ·Loo)t at tl,is tree in three aspects. . · I. As CENTRALLY BOOTED. "In the midst of tbe street ofit.• Between the street and the river on each side there grows this majestic tree, well fed and well protl\Cted, in the very mid~t of the holy metropolis. Between the water and the street the whole side· is lined wi1 h the tree of life. Christianity is a He well rooted and well guarded. It is an incorruptible seed, that '.' liveth and abideth tor ever." "The suri: will not smite it by day, nor the moon by night." . II. IT IS ESSENTIALLY VITAi,. It is the "tree of life." · It is not the mere form of life, or the product of life; it is life ittielf. Life of all kinds, e:ven vegetable and animal, is, say men of science, inextinguishable. It i~ a spark that can never be put out, that will burn through the ages. "This is tme of this spiritual lif4l, this life of Christianity in the soul. There is no indivisible atom nor any tm19:~encha"6le life. HI. IT IS :UARVELLOUl!LY FRUITFUL. "Which bare twelv9'manner of fruits." It has twelve fruit seasons; that is, it yields twelve crops iustea.d of one. How abundantly fertile is living Christianity in the soul I What new thoughts, affections, resolves, are constantly evolved, one growing out of the other in rapid Rucce, sion and endless variety, grain coming out of graiu, and boundless harvests sleeping in their s:,ells ! IV. IT IS ALWAYS BEASONABLB. "Yielding her fruit every month." AU life every- where has its seasons, nnd in all seasons its particular fruits---spring, summer, autumn, winter. 'l'he fruits of living Christianity in the soul are always sea1Jonc1ble. "Be not weary in well-doing: for in due season ye shall reap, if ye faint not." OB. :s:nL 1-21.) THE REVELATION OF ST. JOHN THE DIVINE. 6'15