Commentary on Revelation, Lecture 7
LECTURE VII.
Vers. 10.
And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our bloud, on them that dwell on the earth?
11.
And white robes were given unto every one of them, and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, untill their fellow-servants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
WE come now to the second thing in this seal, that is, what Iohn heard, in these two, 1. A serious suit. 2. A gracious, yet a wise return. The suit is in these words, vers. 10. And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, Lord, dost thou not avenge our bloud? &c.
Concerning this Cry, we would premit these generals, 1. We are not to conceive that souls audibly speak to the ears of men, more than they are visible to their eyes, seing they want materiall organs: it is therefore to be understood with respect to the scope only, as we said in the former. 2. Neither have souls in Glory any sense of sufferings, as if they were affected with them; it is not consistent with that happy estate wherein they are, as absolutely free of all tribulation and anxiety, and will not admit of any such thing. 3. Nor do they carry any revengefull thoughts to Heaven, to desire vengeance for particular wrongs done unto them: that agreeth not to Saints, as Saints, on Earth, much lesse in Heaven, where there is perfect purity. 4. Neither are they conscious of the particular sufferings of Saints on earth, Isa. 63.16. Yet may this cry of vengeance be applied to them in a three-fold sense, 1. As it expresseth their respect to their Head Christ, whose finall victory they in a holy way long for, desiring to have all His enemies under His feet, as will be at the last day, which is the day of their full Redemption. 2. As it proceedeth from their sympathie with the rest of the Members of Christs body; in which respect, they may be said to long for the perfecting of the Bride, and the vindicating of her in generall from all her sufferings. 3. It may be understood of the guilt that sticketh to their persecuters from their innocent suffering, which, in some sense, pladeth for vengeance from God on the persecuters, even after their death, as it is said of Abels blood, Gen. 4. that it cried to God against Cain: to which, it is like, this doth allude; so that crying for vengeance, signifieth this much, that their innocent sufferings are not forgotten by God, but are as effectuall to procure vengeance from Him who is holy and true, as if they were daily crying for it.
More particularly, this Prayer hath three parts, 1. The Petition it self, to wit, Vengeance. 2. The Object against whom they pray. 3. The Arguments whereby this Petition is enforced.
The Petition is in these words, laid down by way of complaint, Dost thou not avenge our bloud? including in it a desire, that their bloud might be avenge, in the sense formerly laid down. We take it mainly to respect Gods finall sentencing of persecuters at the last day of Judgement, 1. Because many of these, whose guilt made them liable to this vengeance during the former persecutions, were already dead, and so were without the reach of temporall judgements. 2. Because it is such a vengeance, which is sought, that putteth an end to persecution, as the reason of suspending this vengeance, which is given in the answer, cleareth it, to wit, that their brethren and fellow-servants were yet to be killed, and therefore there behooved to be a suspending to satisfie that desire. 3. Because the guilt of Saints bloud, draweth on that judgement, and the ends mentioned, to wit, Christs finall victory, and the Saints absolute freedom, do import no lesse: yet, may it have its partiall fulfilling by temporall judgements at particular times upon particular persons, as might contribute in part to the vindicating of truth and the former ends, such as Gods judgements upon persecuters under the following seal may be said to be, alwayes reserving the full decision between Gods People and their enemies untill the great Day, wherein this petition shall be fully satisfied.
2. The object of this petition, the men that dwell on the earth: not as if all that were upon the earth were included under this imprecation, there being many Godly then living in the world; But they are so designed, 1. Because often, and particularly in these times, the generality of the men of the world are persecuters, and by acting, conniving, approving, delighting, or such like wayes, do make themselves guilty one way or other of the bloud of Saints. 2. They are so stiled, to shew, what sort of men they mean, to wit, wicked men, or great men, who aimed no further than this earth, and to have a portion in this world; and so are contradistinguished from the Godly, who, though they sojourn on the earth, yet do not dwell, nor have their conversation there, but in heaven. In which respect (Iob. 17.16.) they are said not to be of the world, as the former, (Psal. 17.14.) are described by this, that they are men of this world, which have their portion in this life, &c.
3. The motives, whereby this petition is prest expresly, are in these words, How long, O Lord, holy and true? which we may take up in these three, two of them being from two essentiall Attributes of God, made use of here as most strengthening and encourageing to their Faith in this petition. The first, is, from Gods holinesse, O Lord, holy, &c. Lord, say they, thou art holinesse it self, and cannot but approve holinesse in others, and disapprove wickednesse where it is, seing Thou art of purer eyes than to behold iniquity, Hab. 1.13. Psal. 11.7. Can it be then that our innocency and righteous cause shall suffer? and their violence and oppression go unpunished? There is reason from Thy holinesse to expect the contrary; and therfore we pray for it. The second motive, is drawn from Gods faithfulnesse, and true: This respecteth God as he hath engaged Himself in His word, as if they said, Thou hast promised to own them that own Thee as we have done, and Thou hast threatned judgements against them that wrong Thee and Thine, as these persecuters have done, and Thou art true in performing and executing what ever Thou hast promised or threatned, therefore Thou must avenge our bloud upon them. Each of these grounds doth strongly by it self plead in this case, there being in them a twofold obligation (if we may say so) on God in reference to this end. His holinesse swayeth Him to maintain His peoples innocencie, and to reprove their enemies malice; His truth also engageth Him to make out His promises to His people, and His threatnings to His enemies: but when these two go together, Gods Holinesse and Gods Truth, in such a case there is inexpressible comfort to be drawn from them. There need no other midses to plead with God, but what is in God Himself. His own Attributes, considered in themselves, and as flowing to us, and accessible to us by His truth, as He hath revealed them in His Promise and Covenant, do furnish all manner of consolation: And these two ought never to be separated in our pleading with God, 1. What He is in Himself. 2. What He hath graciously engaged Himself to be in His Word. The first, is the Fountain or Ocean, wherein what is needfull to us, breedeth and aboundeth. The second, is the streams, whereby what is in Him as the fountain, is communicated to us. The first giveth us ground to conceive largely of the fulnesse that is in Him; the second (to wit His Truth) giveth us accesse to approach unto Him for partaking of it, seing without this, God, considered in Himself, would be terrible to us, as we are now in our sinfull condition. And this is the reason why these two Attributes are considered together in this place. The third motive, is in these words, How long, Lord, &c. which is not to expresse any complaint on God, or any unbelief in them (the titles they give God do clear both these) but the words, considered with these titles, do enforce the suit, thus, Our sufferings have not been for a short time, but we have lyen long under them, and they are now come to an height, that almost we can bear no more: Therefore is Thy holinesse and faithfulnesse the more concerned to avenge us and not to permit us to suffer, and the enemie to triumph alway. So that as these words do imply the continuance and height of a sad condition, they do also plead pity and a favourable return exceedingly from God, who so sympathizes in His peoples strait; therefore is the word, How long used by the Saints, when they are, as it were, at an extremity here on earth.
The other thing that Iohn heard, to wit, the return of this suit, followeth, vers. 11. fully consolatory; having these two things in it, serving to that scope, 1. Something is done unto them. 2. Something is said unto them. First, Before any thing be said unto them (for, God dealeth not by bare words with a praying people who are in strait) White robes were given unto every one of them. The thing given, is, white robes, which (from Chap. 3. v. 4. they shall walk with me in white) is clear to be understood of heavenly Glory, souls being capable of no other raiment. It is said to be given them, not as if they had been at any time without it (all things here not being literally to be understood in the time more than in the thing that is given) but, to shew that Gods delaying of vengeance upon persecuters, doth not prejudge the present happinesse of Martyrs souls, but that this delay is abundantly compensed by God who freely giveth them heavenly Glory, so that the other is no ground of complaint to them. This is the scope, as appeareth by what is said, that they should rest for a little season, &c. as if grace should give them the bud or bribe of Glory to satisfie them in the mean time. It is said, robes were given to every one of them, not as if all Martyrs had an equal share of Glory (though every one get a robe, yet there may be difference in robes) But it is to shew, 1. That none is missed, whether their parts or place be great or small, high or low, Christ taketh notice of every one that suffereth, and rewardeth them. 2. It is to shew, that what ever be the measure that every one getteth, yet all get what is fitting to them or becoming them. Glory is shapen out to them, as cloaths are to men, every one according to their measure, as is sit; so that in Heaven every one getteth their own coat (as it were) and the cloaths that are meetest for them, according to their stature in Christ, and each one may say their own measure becometh them better than the measure of one taler than they. In sum, it saith, all are contentedly happy, and none grumble at Gods way in disposing what is His own: although heavenly Glory be the thing mainly intended here, as the last judgement was the thing petitioned-for in the former words; yet as in them we included temporall judgements in some respects, So here we may take in, under white robes, Gods owning and vindicating of the Martyrs that were dead, and servants that were living, from the many vile slanders and calumnies imputed to them, by which formerly they were made black, as is hinted-at in the third seal: in which respect, now they may be said to be made white, because their innocency was manifested, and credit put on them even before men: which in the event was fulfilled in the dayes of Constantine immediately thereafter: and often he hath given particular proofs of this, by vindicating in an extraordinary manner some of his eminent servants, who were not only overwhelmed with the reproaches of adulteries, murders, witchcraft, &c. but by malice stirring up false accusers, witnesses and Judges, were condemned judicially (or in hazard to be so) of such crimes, especially by the Arrians means, untill God, by terrour on the consciences of accusers and witnesses, or other extraordinary wayes, brought truth to light, to the greater credit of His servants, as, in the case of Eustachius Bishop of Nicomedia, and Athanasius Bishop of Alexandria, with diverse others, wonderfully vindicated by God in their estimations before men, is clear.
The other part of the consolation, is contained in that which was said unto them, comprehending four Arguments of comfort to quiet them under the delay of Gods finall judgement on the persecuters (beside what is already said) It was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, untill their fellow-servants also, and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.
The first and principal reason of the delay, may be thus conceived, Gods time of finall judging is not come; He hath moe sufferers to perfit, a certain number are enrolled for suffering as well as for Heaven, many of which (especially these who are to suffer under Antichrist) have not yet obtained their crown, though these who cryed had obtained theirs: and therefore in respect of Gods purpose and decree, there is a necessity, that that suit of theirs should be suspended. This is the force of the reason, which goeth upon these grounds, as is hinted, 1. That there is a determinate roll of sufferers particularly condescended on by God. 2. That suffering hath in it a speciall dignity and honour unto the sufferers. It is a gift bestowed by God on some, and not on all; yea to some of these whom He loveth, and not to all, Phil. 1.29. 3. That Gods purpose and decree must stand, nothing can alter that (known unto Him are all His works from the beginning) and in time He hath no new counsell to take concerning any of these things. Therefore must that appointment, concerning the number of sufferers and manner and circumstance of their suffering, be fulfilled. 4. That all Gods decrees, even these which seem hardest to flesh (as this of suffering doth) are wisely and graciously levelled at His own Glory and the good of His People; and therefore ought, and may be quietly and contentedly submitted unto by them.
The particular motives which the Lord addeth to satisfie them to be quiet, (though His Soveraignity were enough) are these four, as is said, 1. That for the time their rest was not suspended untill the fulfilling of His purpose, but that good ground was given to them of acquiescing in the happinesse bestowed on them; They shall rest, &c. 2. The time of that suspension was not long, but for a little season: therefore it might be the better born: all the time of suffering, though seeming long to sufferers; yet, being compared with eternity, is but short and for a moment. 3. That little whiles suspension is not in vain, but for good ends; even then God is promoving His design of perfecting His Saints, and making ready for that finall judgement upon His adversaries, and their cup is filling up for that end.
A fourth Argument, is, from the persons who are thus to be dignified with suffering: they are brethren and fellow-servants, Sons of that same Father, imployed in the service of that same Master with them; and therefore they, out of respect to them, might quietly wait for the fulfilling of Gods purpose of crowning them, and making them partake of the same dignity with themselves. These reasons are expressed, not so much for the comforting of Saints in Heaven, as for the clearing, satisfying, and encourageing of Saints on earth against the continuance of sufferings, that they might patiently under them, wait for Gods finall vindicating of them and judgeing of their enemies.
From this seal, we may gather, 1. That there hath been much suffering of Gods people before this time; and therefore that the former seals, which implyed sufferings, must be understood of the Churches sufferings, this cry, How long, &c. being brought-in here as the result of these. 2. That these sufferings were such as proceeded from men, sinfully acting therein, by which they became liable to Gods vengeance, and were not to be understood of Famine, Pestilence, &c. or such judgements as do immediately flow from Gods hand. These could not have procured a cry of vengeance against the men of the earth, as is in this seal, if they had not been actors in these evils. 3. We may gather, that the Churches condition hath been generally suffering before this time, and that there hath not been any solemn and universal judgement on persecuters before this, The cry, How long, O Lord, &c. implyeth so much: and therefore, this seal, as it expresseth suffering, must relate unto the time of the Church before Constantine: at which time, God gave a visible testimony of His owning His Church, and of His indignation against persecuters, as we will see in the following seal. 4. It expresseth the Churches extremity, and that immediately going before her change from outward persecution to externall peace; the vehemency of the cry, the comfortablenesse of the answer compared with the matter contained in the following seal, do confirm this, as if this were the very crisis and turn of that condition. 5. That the following seal is not to be looked on as a description of the day of Judgement, seing that day, which is by this seal for a time suspended, doth not immediately succeed to Heathenish persecution: beside the reason given here of the suspension of that day, to wit, that all their enrolled number of Martyrs must be fulfilled, which in a great part is to be accomplished in the time of Antichrists tyrannie, will confirm this, there being no possibility of including that persecution of Antichrist before the terrible events mentioned in the following seal.
In the opening of the words we have hinted at severall Doctrines, which now we shall not resume, but shall shortly point at these observations further,
1. That there is no sin that more effectually pleadeth for vengeance from God, or more certainly and severely shall be punished by Him, than the sin of persecuting and wronging of the Saints. Wrongs done to any innocent men in the world have their cry before God, and God is the avenger of these; but wrongs done to His Saints, cry lowder than the wrongs of any, even though Kings. God cannot (as it were) but hear and avenge, as is clear from the parable, Luke 18.7. And from experience this hath been found, that persecuters (even often in this life) have been remarkably plagued of God, as Cain, Pharaoh, Babylon, Antiochus, Herod the great, who was horribly plagued of God before his death; Pontius Pilate, who was degraded and banished; Herod the Tetrarch, miserably perished, Acts 12. Nero, Domitian, and many others, brought death upon themselves, as is clear from Scripture, History of Iosephus, and the Ecclesiastick story, especially Cent. Magd. De paenis persecutorum. It is true, Gods way in this, is soveraign and unsearchable in respect of the manner and time of this reckoning: sometimes He will suffer great persecuters to die in worldly credit and peace, as Nebuchadnezar did, and in later times the Duke of Alua, the great persecuter in the low Countries: sometimes He will pardon the persecuter, as He did Manasseh; yet ordinarily doth He manifest His displeasure, even before the world, by temporall plagues of infamie and judgements upon them, or others, as may make the world know that He abhorreth that sin: Such was Gods thrusting Nebuchadnezar for a time to the beasts of the field; such was Gods plagueing of Manasseh for his bloud in his own imprisonment, and in denuding his children of the Kingdom. This proceedeth partly from the greatnesse of the sin of persecution, partly from the nature of it; God is more eminently and singularly engaged against it (He being in some manner persecuted in His people) So that we may say, that the bloud of Martyrs soundeth alway with that word before God, which Zachariah the son of Iehojada expressed at his death, 2 Chro. 24.22. The Lord look upon it, and require it. This is the language of their bloud, even then when their tongue may be praying with Stephen, Act. 7.60. Lord lay not this sin to their charge.
Obs. 2. That Gods people may continue long under, and be brought unto great straits by persecution, as this cry importeth, and the opening of the former three seals maketh it appear. For untill the dayes of Constantine, from the entry of the Gospel into the world, the Church for the space of 300. years and some odds was under persecution, and had little breathing time for these many years, Which is evident from story: wherein these two things are clear, 1. That during that time the Church was wasted by ten stated persecutions. The first by Nero, which began Anno 67. The second by Domitian, Anno 90. The third by Trajan, continuing (as is written) for 19. years, it began Anno 100. The fourth was under Hadrian and Ant. Pius, as is reckoned by some, and began Anno 126. The fifth by Antoninus Philosophus, and his Collegue L. A. Verus, beginning Anno 168. The sixth, was under S…verus, which began in the year 208. The seventh, was under Maximinus, 236. The eighth, was under Decius, 251. The ninth, under Gallus and Volusianus, 258. The tenth, under Dioclesian, Anno 300. or thereabout. These persecutions are so reckoned by some, who account not that persecution of Aurelianus to be one: because his Edict was immediately recalled, he being terrified by God by a terrible thunder in the very instant of his subscribing the same: upon which, he afterward befriended Christians, so as he interposed his Authority for making effectuall the sentence of the Synod of Antioch against Samosatenus. Others again who reckon this of Aurelianus one, omit that fourth under Hadrian and Ant. Pius, either because they account them one with that of Trajans, there being no considerable interruption betwixt them, or, because they were sooner stayed than others were. This maketh the difference amongst the Writers, who, to adhere to the number of Ten, are made to varie in the application of them; yet all agree in this generall, that there were at least ten distinct persecutions purposely raised against Christians, during that time: which being put together, will take up a considerable part of these 300. years.
A second thing clear from story, is, that even during the intervalls of these persecutions, when the sword was not raging by Authority against Christians, yet by tumults and insurrections amongst the people, and by the malice of inferiour Governours (who were either actors in, or connivers at, or negligent of the punishing of such things) the Church was still suffering. In this manner was Stephen stoned by the people, Act. 7. Iames was beheaded, and Peter was imprisoned by Herod, Act. 12. Thus Paul and the Apostles often suffered in their journeyings, even before publick persecution was stirred by Nero, and thus it continued almost through all the Provinces of the Empire, when the Law seemed most favourable unto Christians, There being all that time no Emperour Christian to own Christians in their suffering, save one Philippus, who reigning but few years, was himself and his Family murthered by Decius, who raised the eighth persecution.
Obs. 3. That Gods people in a holy way may pray for vengeance upon persecuters, as is often used in the Psalms: not from self revenge, or from a carnall spirit; but from love to the glory of God, the vindicating of themselves and the truth maintained by them, and scaring of men from this sin of persecution, and the hazard that followeth upon it. Obs. 4. That God may suffer the bloud of His Saints for a long time to be unpunished, as if He took no notice of their prayers in respect of the effect. Obs. 5. Even then when God seemeth to neglect His people, and to take no notice of their prayers, He is Holy and true, and is to be acknowledged so. Though sense would say the contrary, Faith ought to lay this ground at the entry, Lord, thou art holy and true, &c.
From the Answer, vers. 11. Observe, 1. That though God do not instantly grant the particulars that His people do pray for; yet their prayers are not lost: here the thing sought is delayed, yet a comfortable return of their prayers is made out unto them; and their prayers are not without fruit even for the time. Obs. 2. Gods peremptory decrees, and the prayers of His people, are not inconsistent; yea, His decree may aim at one thing, and the particular prayed-for by His people (as it is circumstantiated) aim at another thing, upon the matter, inconsistent with that; yee may these prayers be acceptable to God, and they in them, as is clear here and in Abrahams praying for the blessing to Ishmael, whiles God had appointed it for another. The reason, is, because our prayers and our practice are accepted, not because they are conformed to Gods secret will and decree, but as they agree with His will revealed in His Word, which is the rule of our duty. Obs. 3. Though prayers prevail not to alter Gods decree; which must stand, yet prayers may procure much present quietnesse, and satisfaction for the time. Gods decrees are so wisely ordered for the good of His people, that it were no advantage, but prejudice to them to have them altered. Obs. 4. The most rageing persecutions have their bounds set by God, the number of Martyrs is determined, and all the persecuters from the beginning of the World, to the end, shall not exceed in one person. Which, as it doth notably hold forth Gods Soveraignity and providence in the greatest confusion of the World; so doth it exceedingly contribute to the comfort of Gods people under them. Obs. 5. That the filling up of this roll, or the ending the sufferings of Gods people here on earth, and the coming of the great day of Judgement, come together. Or, The finall Judgement of the World shall immediately follow the fulfilling of the sufferings of the Martyrs. The reason given of the suspension here, is, that their fellow-servants, who were to be killed must be fulfilled: and the term that is set for the answering of their prayer, to wit, untill their fellow-servants, &c. doth confirm this. For there is no delay put to Judgement then, and there is no more to interveen the Martyrs perfecting, and this vengeance on the persecuters. These two are also joyned, Mat. 24.29. The ending of the affliction of Gods people, and the coming of Judgement; Immediately, saith the Lord, after the tribulation of these dayes, shall the sun be darkened &c. There is therefore no temporall peace, or millenary Kingdom, altogether free of suffering, to be expected before that time, which is the day of redemption from these sufferings.