Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 6
LECTURE VI.
Vers. 9.
And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimonie which they held.
IN the former three seals we have heard many sad events prophesied of, to befall the Church, every one sadder than the former, till at last, Death and the Grave came as the yondmost step of temporall affliction, so that men might now be in a doubt what had become of the many souls that had been murdered for Jesus Christ, and if it had not been better to have wanted the white Horse and his rider, or not to have stuck so to the profession of the Gospel, than to have suffered so many sad things for it.
The scope of this seal, is, to remove that doubt, and to comfort against that tentation, that though persecutions should come to the heighest they can reach unto, that is, to take away the life of the body; yet was not their happinesse marred by it: they have souls (unto which persecution doth not reach) which after death enjoy blessednesse; and therefore their trouble is not to be scared at, nor exchanged with the tranquility of worldly men, nor suffering to be shunned for fear of any hazard which accompanieth it.
This is the scope, which is here made out in these four, 1. By shewing that the souls of Believers have a life after the body is killed, and a comfortable being in the enjoying of God; I saw (saith he) the souls, &c. 2. By shewing that their death is precious in Gods sight, and that vengeance on their persecuters is as certain, as if their cry unto God day and night, for that end, were ascending, and He particularly taking notice of it. 3. By shewing the wise ends for which God suspendeth that vengeance; which proceedeth not from his forgetting of them, but is so ordered for the accomplishing of his own designs. 4. By holding forth Gods present kindnesse unto the souls of these murthered persons in cloathing them with white robes, so that the suspension of Gods vengeance upon their persecuters, i… no let nor interruption to their present happinesse or comfortable enjoying of God. This is the sum of the words, which are more Doctrinall than Propheticall, trysted with the former sad condition of the Church, to be a consolation unto Believers, and an encouragement against the former great straits, as is said. We take up the matter in these two, 1. In something which Iohn saw. 2. In that which Iohn heard: which also hath two parts, First, A sad cry, Secondly, A comfortable answer to it. This seal differeth from the former seals in these three, 1. That it hath no type of horse nor rider, as all the former have. 2. That it hath no voice, calling, Come, and see. 3… That it relateth not to any such particular time, as the former do; but in its scope, is common to all these persecutions. As when he saith, I saw the souls of them that were slain, &c. it is not to be astricted to the souls of men slain at such and such a time; but is applicable to all slain for such a cause, especially these under all the former persecutions, as the prayer, How long, &c. importeth. The reason of which we conceive to be, because the scope of this seal, is not prophetically to point out new events, and to relate to a particular time, But to lay down some solid grounds of comfort to Gods people, as is said, Concerning which, these things are clear, 1. That this seal looketh to the most sad condition of the Church, when souls are so put to it, to cry as if they could endure no longer. 2. That it relateth to former sufferings, and that not for a short time, but for sufferings of some continuance. Their complaint, that their bloud …s spil…, implieth their sufferings to be past; and their cry, How long, implyeth their continuance under suffering for a time: and therefore must relate to the sufferings mentioned under the former seals, as is said. 3. That the matter contained here must be understood rather Spiritually, as it pointeth at the scope, than literally a… the words bear: for, properly souls can neither be seen nor heard, and so also in other circumstances, but the Spirit maketh use of such expressions for setting forth the reality and certainty of the thing intended.
More particularly to come to the words, in what Iohn saw, vers. 9. These three are to be considered, 1. What he saw, the souls of them that were slain, to wit, of Martyres. 2. Where he saw them, to wit, under the altar. 3. We have the properties whereby he describeth these Martyrs and differenceth them from others, They were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimonie which they held.
1. By soul here (which elswhere is called Spirit, Acts 7.59. Luke 23.46. Eccles. 12.7.) is understood that immortall substance which God breathed in mans body when it was made, whereby man became a living soul, 1 Corinth. 15.45. The soul, thus understood, is contrad…stinguished from the body, as that which cannot be killed when the body is killed, Mat. 10.28. In this sense it is taken here, where there is a proof given of that which Christ asserteth in that place of Matthew cited: and though the soul be not the object of the eye, yet are they thus expressed as represented to Iohn, to shew the reality of their existence and being, even when separated from the body.
2. The place where they are seen, it is said he saw them under the altar. There was then no materiall Temple (that of Ierusalem being destroyed;) So neither by the altar can be understood any materiall altar: for, in heaven where we must conceive these souls to be, there is neither materiall altar nor Temple: and to say these souls were under any altar on earth, (suppose such were) were to contradict the scope, and overturn the consolation that is intended, and would involve many absurdities concerning the nature of the soul, its speaking and being under an altar; which were also literally to be understood, if that concerning the altar were: both then must be figuratively understood, to set out one or all of these three, 1. The happinesse of these souls, which not only have a being, but exist in a notable safe and comfortable condition in a speciall nearnesse to God, as under His altar which was so much delighted in and longed after by the Saints in their life. It is like alluding to these places, Psal. 31.20.84.3.91. 1. For, as the Tabernacle was a special signe of Gods presence, so the altar was a special part of the furniture of the Tabernacle; and it would seem that He looketh on the Martyrs as so many sacrifices offered unto God, as Paul speaketh, Philip. 2.17. 2 Tim. 4.6. thereby to hold out a speciall respect that God putteth upon them. 2. More especially, this expression pointeth out these souls to be in Heaven: the most Holy was a type of Heaven, as it is expounded, Heb. 9.10. And Heb. 9.12. it is said when Christ entered into Heaven, He entered into the most holy. The altar was before the most Holy; and therefore we conceive this must be understood of the glory of Heaven, Heaven being that where Christ is; and Christs presence, (Philip. 1.21.) is the company that the souls of Martyrs are to enjoy; and therefore it must be where He is, which Christ on the Crosse (L…k. 23.) calleth Paradise unto the Thief. 3. Most especially by the altar must be understood Christ Jesus, by whom we have accesse to God, of whom the Tabernacle and all its furniture was typicall, and who is called our altar, Heb. 13.10. by whom we and all our services; yea, even the deaths of Martyrs are sanctified and made acceptable to God. This we conceive must be understood, because other Scriptures hold forth Him, and nearnesse with Him, to be the happinesse of souls departed; and because it is that which made Martyrs so despise suffering, that they might be with Christ, Philip. 1.21. and because it agreeth best with their own prayers and desires under suffering, as in Stephen, Act. 7.59. All cometh to this, to shew, that they enjoyed a most happy condition and Communion with God, but is set forth under an expression belonging to the service of the Tabernacle of the Old Testament, as many other things of prophesie are.
The third thing to be considered, is, the description of these Martyrs, which is especially drawn from the cause of their suffering, (it being an old maxime, Non est mors, sed causa mortis, qua facit Martyrom) which is laid down in two expressions, the first, is, for the word of God; that is the first character, to be adhering to the faith of the Gospel revealed in the Word, and to be a conscientious practiser of Righteousnesse according to that same rule, and not shunning to suffer any thing rather than to depart from these. In this they were led, not as to follow their own humours, or to propagate their own inventions, or any way to seek themselves, but out of respect unto God and His will revealed in His Word. The second, is, for the testimony which they held: this looketh to the outward profession and confession of that truth, which in their heart they believed. Christ calleth it (Mat. 10.) a confessing Him before men. And (Rom. 10.) the Apostle distinguisheth confession with the mouth from believing with the heart: which two, being put together, hold forth a well ordered conversation both in Faith and Practice. In Faith, that they beleeved right concerning Christ; in Practice, that they were answereable to it, and held forth that word of life by a good example, as a witnesse to others; and when called unto it, they did not shun the testifying of both upon any perill. In sum, all cometh to this, by opening the fifth seal, was represented to me the happy condition of the souls of the Martyrs in Heaven, who were accounted by God to have lost their lives, not for the calumnies and slanders imputed to them by men, but for testifying unto His truth. This being clearly the meaning of the words (the contrary whereof, to wit, the miserable condition after death of these who seem happy in the world, and are not happy in God, is joyned with this in the parable of the rich glutton and Lazarus, Luk. 16.) there is no ground here, either of approving of altars under the Gospel, or of sanctifying them by burying of the reliques of Martyrs under them; which are amongst the superstitions of the Papists. It is a poor altar that is sanctified, and doth not sanctifie its offerings. Beside, neither was there Churches or altars in this time, neither could the Martyrs who were so numerous be buried under them, but they were decently buried together in places called Coemeteria, as is plain from the story of these times.
From this Verse we may Observe, 1. That though Gods people be liable to many sufferings, yet, their consolations being considered, do far exceed them all. 2. That Gods people are not to place their consolation on this side of time; it consisteth most in their comfortable being, and enjoying of God after this. 3. That in suffering times, they would comfort themselves in the happy outgate of their sufferings, and look more to these things which are eternall, than to the things seen, which are but temporall. 4. It is a certain truth, that souls have a life and being, when the body turneth unto dust, and that they exist, being separated from bodies. The soul, at mans Creation, was differenced from the body, as not being made of that substance, but in a peculiar way was created and infused by God, Gen. 2. At death, the soul is contradistinguished from the body, Matth. 10.28. the one dieth, the other cannot. After death they are differenced also, both in respect of the Godly and wicked, as these places, (Eccles. 12.7. Philip. 1.23. Act. 7.59. Christs word to the Thief, Luk. 23. and that parable of the rich glutton and Lazarus) abundantly do clear. 5. The souls of Believers, especially of sufferers, are in a most happy condition after death, to wit, under the altar, in Paradise, Abrahams bosome, with Christ Jesus, &c. God hath a speciall care of the souls of all His Saints; they are precious to Him, their reward is great in Heaven, Mat. 5. and sufferers with Him, they do in a speciall manner reigne with Him; which being well considered, there would be no great cause to scare at suffering. 6. From the description of these Martyrs. Observe, That it is not every suffering for every thing which will denominate one a Martyr of Christ; it must be for the Word of God, and for that testimony, or it is not to be so accounted. It is recorded, (by Baron. an. 19. of Dioclesian) that in these Primitive persecutions, especially that last, that many assumed to themselves out of pride, and had ascribed unto them by others the title of Martyrs unjustly; wherefore it was appointed, that where any Christians suffered, the cause of their sufferings should be diligently observed, that these who were found worthy might be enrolled, and that none other but such should be accounted so. This afterward turned to much superstition, and gave occasion to that superstitious canonizing of Saints, which afterward followed in the Church of Rome; yet had it an honest intent in the authors thereof; as, 1. To keep the credit of Martyrdom from that contempt which came upon it, when men that were scandalous in their conversation, were so reputed. 2. To bound that carnall itching pride in many, who, because of that honour to be accounted Martyrs, thrust themselves unwarrantably into suffering. This honour was especially denied to three sorts of sufferers, 1. To these who by profanenesse in their conversation, heresie in their Doctrine, schism in their practice, had walked unbecoming the Gospel. Hence the Catholicks (so the Orthodox were called) when they were led to suffering with Marcionits, Novatians, or others such like, (for, sometimes persecution raged upon all that were Christians by name) did still disclaim all fellowship with these Hereticks in their errours, as not accounting them witnesses to Christ in their sufferings. A second sort that were denied, were such as without Gods call, by their rashnesse occasioned their own suffering, such as these who being unasked, professed they were Christians, and that they had the Bible, but would not give it. A third sort refused, were such as had fainted in their confessions formerly, though afterward they should become sufferers: this was not done, as if they accounted them not Martyrs indeed; but that thereby they might prevent fainting when any should be called to a testimony. So Baron. pag. 746. and 760. where he setteth down the decree of one Mensurius, a Bishop in Africk, ordaining none that occasioned their own sufferings, to be enrolled, and giving this reason for it, Quia non divino instinctu ducti, sed temeritate acti, id saciunt.
7. Observe, That the giving of a testimony by outward confession of the truth when called-for, is necessary, and commendable as well as foundnesse of Faith; yea, it is oftentimes the outward testifying of the truth before men, more than the Faith of it before God that bringeth on suffering: and there was nothing more abhorred in the Primitive Christians than dissembling of a testimony, to evite suffering, as appeareth in Augustins Writings de Mendacio & contra Mendacium, and the Writtings of others to that purpose: wherein three sorts that creeped in in these times, are sharply condemned. As first, These who called themselves Nicodemites (but falsly from Nicodemus, who is said to come to Christ by night, and not openly) alleaging it to be enough to be inwardly sound and to keep their heart, mind and intention clean, though they did not evidence or expresse that soundnesse to others: Such thought they might be Christians, and yet let none other know it. A second sort were the Priscillianists, who being most vile Hereticks (particularly asserting the soul to be a part of Gods substance) did also maintain and practise this, that they might hide their opinions, and carry so with these they conversed with, as if they were of one mind with them. A third sort were such, as out of a misled zeal to discover the former, did counterfeit as if they had been maintainers of that errour, to make these Hereticks the more freely to communicate their tenets unto them. The Primitive Fathers utterly condemned all these, as inconsistent with Christian simplicity, which requireth a testimony of the mouth as well as Faith in the heart.
Obs. 8. That every truth of the Word may be a ground of suffering warrantably: for, the least thing that hath a truth in it, as well as the more concerning fundamentall truths are the Word of God, and so not to be dispensed with by His people.
9. Every truth in the Word hath an outward testimonie joyned to it, and sometimes may be called-for upon very great hazards.
10. When it is called-for, this testimonie or confession to any truth before men, is no lesse necessary, and ought as peremptorily to be held and stuck to as the former: therefore it is called (Rom. 10.) confession unto salvation, and called-for by a peremptory certification, Math. 10.32, 33.
Obs. 11. That these who are sound in the Faith of the Word, will be also exceeding tenacious of their testimonie. In Scripture, and in primitive times, we will find the Saints sticking at, and hazarding themselves on things which appear of very small moment, yet were to them of great concernment, because of the testimonie which was involved in them, which they would not let go. Such was Mordecai, Ester 3. Daniel 6. his not shuting of his windowes. When this persecution of Dioclesian began, the persecuters sought but the Bibles, the poors Coats, Money, or Cups, (wherewith they served) to be given them, as some evidence of their ceding; but they refused to accept deliverance upon these terms: yea, when the Souldiers, partly wearying to be so bloudy, partly desirous of seeming victory over Christians, did professe themselves content to take any old paper or clout in place of the Bible, or poors Coats: they refused to give any ecvola (as it was called from the Greek foreign) or cast-away clout; yea, when Souldiers would violently pluck such things from them against their wills, they would follow them, professing their adherance unto the truth, and that they had not any way willingly delivered these things, as is to be seen in Baronius An. 303. pag. 748. It is reported of one Marcus Aretbusius, who was put to torment under Iulian, because he would not build the Idol Temple, which he had formerly demolished, when they were content to accept some part of the expenses from him, and to spare his life, he refused to give obolum, or one peny, Sozom. lib. 5.9. Cent. Magd. Cent. 4. pag. 797, and 833. Tertullian also (de Corona militis) maketh mention of a Christian Souldier, who when others after their victory carried their Crowns upon their heads for honour of their Idols, he, notwithstanding of all hazard, carried his in his hand, professing himself to be a Christian. By which and many other instances, we may see how resolutely they held fast their testimonie: from which especially they were called Martyres, or, Witnesses; and by which often, not only many weak ones were strengthened, but also many persecuters convinced, and made to cry out, certainly great is the God of the Christians, while as they saw that no allurements on the one side, nor terrors on the other could make them loose their grips, but still Truth and Christ were born witnesse unto, and well spoken of by them. That is a good word which Polycary had to the Proconsul (who took much pains to draw him to pity himself, and to deny Christ by his swearing by the life or good fortune of the Emperour) he refused, saying, These fourscore and six years have I served him, and he hath never once done me wrong, How then can I deny him?