The City of God, Exposition of Revelation · Chapter 20 · Part 8
Of the living of the Martyrs or firſt Reſurrection. And I ſaw the Souls of them that were beheaded for the witneſs of Jeſus, and the Word of God: and which had not worſhiped the beaſt, neither his Image, neither had received his Mark upon their fore-heads, or in their hands. And they lived, &c.
IN the interpretation of this miſtry of the living of the Martyrs, Writers and Commentators much differ; ſome judging this to be a Corporeal Reſurrection: others (and they not a few) conceive it to be a ſpiritual Reſurrection, a renewing and reviving of Soul, the effect of Chriſts Spirit upon the heart of Believers and faithful Witneſſes; and a leaving others to a ſtate of ſin and death.
But it is humbly conceived, the mind of the Spirit here it is a miſtical Reſurrection, or civil life; they are ſaid to live, as moſt conſonant to Truth, ſound Reaſon, and the ſcope of the place. They lived.
Living and dying in Scripture is variouſly taken ſometimes litterally for the natural ſpirit or Eternal life and death, ſometimes figuratively for a civil or miſtical life and death, conſiſting either in a freedom from miſery and di…reſs in this life; the lying under which is called death, Iſa. 52.2. Iſa. 26.19. Luke 2.34. 2. Chron. 19.10. And freedom therefrom into a proſperous ſtate, Reſurrection and Life. Reſurrection, Iſa. 52.2. 1 Sam. 2.7, 8. Iſa. 26.14.19, Rom. 11.19. Life, Job 21.7. Pſal. 38.19. Hoſea 6.2. The not freedom therefrom, an unraiſed ſtate, Pſal. 140.10. Iſa. 2….14 43.17. Amos 8.14.
This therefore holds out under theſe terms of living or firſt Reſurrection-ſtate, the beginning of the Churches glorious, happy, and peaceable condition (whereof all the Prophets ſpeak) after her long ſorrow and ſuffering, her Enemios being now conquered and brought under, alluding to the Corporeal Reſurrection; for as the Saints cannot enter into Glory, and triumph, till the bodies be raiſed out of the Duſt, and revived, and Reſurrection power paſſes upon them: No more ſhall the Church enter into its promiſed Reſt, foretold to be enjoyed by her in this life, till this miſtical Reſurrection or reviving paſſeth upon her, before which under the Beaſts Dominion they are but as ſo many ſlain, and dead men, Rev. 11.7, 8, 9, 10.6.9. They are ſo in a natural ſenſe, becauſe they worſhip not the Beaſt, Rev. 13.15. Dan. 3.6. Being killed all the day long, Rom. 8.36. viz. in purpoſe and decree and by ſentence of the Antichriſtian Laws, multitudes alſo feel…ng actually the force of them under the bloody Beaſt and Scarlet coloured Whore; muchmore in a civil ſenſe, thruſt down from the exerciſe of all power, dignity and Soveraignty in the behalf of Chriſt, either in Civils or Eccleſiaſticks, So was it with Iſrael in Babylon in theſe reſpects. as perſons put into their Graves, Ezek. 37.12 as ſo many dead men.
But now is the time come (their Mortal deadly Enemies being brought down by an high hand) that they ſhall not only have all the bloody Laws and Decrees reverſt, and cancelled, and ſo be freed from all danger or damage, that may come to their perſons: But be revived to a civil life, and put now into a capacity to come into the exerciſe of power, dignity and Soveraignty, both in Church and State; for as is the Death, ſo the Reſurrection. Therefore is it ſaid, that when Iſrael were to come out of Babylon, and reſtored to former priviledges in their own Land, the Lord opened their Graves, cauſed Bone to come to its Bone, Sinew to its Sinew, put a Spirit of Life into them, ſet them upon their feet, to their becoming an exceeding great Army, whereby they came again to the exerciſe of their former Juriſdictions in Rule and Government among themſelves.
And ſo a parrallel place to this Rev. 11.11. The Church having paſſed the State of Death, Slain, Slaughtered Witneſſes during the Beaſts reign and rage, comes now to have a Spirit of Life from God enter into them, enabling them to ſtand upon their feet. And then a voice from Heaven, or the Orb of Government and Rule (for ſo Heaven here, and in the Rev. 12.7. is to be taken) calls them up thereto, alluding hereby to Chriſts dead body that was killed, raiſed, and aſcended into Heaven, And ſo the Prophet, Iſa. 26.19. Thy dead men ſhall live, together with my dead body ſhall they ariſe: Awake and Sing, ye that dwell in the Dust; for thy Dew is as the Dew of Herbs, and the Earth ſhall caſt out the Dead.
And parallel to this, Hoſea 6.2. After two days he will revive us; in the third day he will raiſe us, and we ſhall live in his ſight. His miſtical body the Church being in a miſtical way to conform and ſuit in a figure to the Death, Reſurrection and Aſcenſion of his real Body.
The Prophet Hoſea alſo in the 13, 14. ver. foretelling this promiſed reſtauration to the Church in this miſtical manner, doth it in terms alluding to the Corporeal Reſurrection, to which alſo the Apoſtle refers, 1 Cor. 15.55. when he aſſerts that Doctrine of the Reſurrection. I will ranſom them from the power of the Grave, I will redeem them from Death: O Death, I will be thy Plagues; O Grave, I will be thy deſtruction: Repentance ſhall be hid from my Eyes. And again by the Prophet Iſa. 25.8. Speaking of this very time. He will ſwallow up Death in Victory, and the Lord will wipe away tears from all faces, and the rebuke of his people ſhall he take away from off all the Earth; for the Lord hath ſpoken it. Which very words of the Prophet are repeated by John, and applied to this very time, Rev. 21.4. Rev. 7.17. Now as is the Death, ſo muſt the Reſurrection be: to the Spiritual Death there is a Spiritual Reſurrection, to the miſtical Death a miſtical Reſurrection, to the Corporeal Death a Corporeal Reſurrection.
To this the Aſſemblies Annotations upon this place ſeem to concur alſo, Rev. 20.5, 6. After Antichriſts deſtruction there will be ſuch a new face of the Church, as if the Saints were all raiſed up again. This Reſurrection is not of particular perſons, but of whole Churches and Nations, as Rom. 11.15. alluded to in the raiſing of dead Bones, Ezek 37. in which they are ſaid to have part.
And that the Corporeal Reſurrection of the Saints cannot be underſtood in this place, further appears.
Firſt, Becauſe the Text in the Letter of it ſpeaks not of their Bodies, but Souls, and of the Souls only of them that were beheaded, as Rev. 6.9. And I ſaw under the Altar the Souls of them, that were ſlain for the Word of God, &c. Now it is no where ſaid, that Souls in a proper ſenſe revive and are raiſed; becauſe they never dye being Immortal, and ſo not capable of Reſurrection; neceſſitating therefore another ſenſe.
Secondly, Becauſe if we are here to underſtand a bodily Reſurrection of the Saints (Martyrs only being here mentioned and beheaded Martyrs too, taking in no other Saints and only ſuch too, that ſuffered under Antichriſt) then will Chriſt have but a ſmall Kingdom: And then only ſuch Martyrs partaking of that firſt Reſurrection are to ſhare of happineſs and freedom from ſecond Death; excluding all but ſuch both from happineſs and exemption from ſuch a curſe, contrary to the Analogy of Faith, and whole current of Scriptures; for what by ſuch Doctrine will become of all the Saints from Abel to this time, that were not Martyrs under Antichriſt.
Thirdly, Becauſe this will hold out an abſurdity of a two-fold Reſurrection (a thouſand years diſtant each from other) of bodies, contrary to John 5.28. The hour is coming, in which all that are in the Graves, ſhall hear his voice, and ſhall come forth, they that have done Good to the Reſurrection of Life; and they that have done Evil, to the Reſurrection of Damnation. The ſtate of the Reſurrection being there held forth by Chriſt to be general and univerſal, relating to Good and Bad, and to be at one time, the hour. So in John 6. four ſeveral times he refers the Saints Reſurrection to the laſt day, verſe 39.40, 44, 54. The profeſſed Faith of the Saints in that day, John 11.24. And Martha ſaid unto him, I know that he ſhall riſe again in the Reſurrection at the laſt day. So 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. Behold I ſhew you a miſtery; we ſhall not all ſleep, but we ſhall all be changed in a Moment, in the twinkling of an Eye, at the laſt Trump; for the Trumpet ſhall ſound, and the Dead ſhall be raiſed incorruptible, and we ſhall be changed, Joh 19.25, 26. For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that he ſhall ſtand at the latter day upon the Earth. 26. And though, after, my skin, Worms deſtroy this body, yet in my fleſh ſhall I ſee God. So Job 14.12. Man lyeth down and riſeth not till the Heavens be no more, &c. By which two Scriptures in Job the laſt day and time of the laſt Trump is explained, and limited to Chriſts perſonal coming, and end of the world, or diſſolution of the Heavens and the Earth, as 2 Pet. 3.10, 11, 12. Rev. 20.11.
Fourthly, Becauſe this opinion holds out this to be the firſt bodily Reſurrection, contrary to what the Scripture ſpeaks of, nine going before it. As firſt, the Widow of Sarepta's Son, 1. Kin. 17.22. 2ly, The Son of the Shunnamite, 1 Kings 4.35. 3ly The man that was raiſed by the touch of the Prophets Coffin. 2 Kings 13.21. 4y The Widow of Naim's Son, Luke 7.15. 5ly The Daughter of Jairus, Luke 8.55. 6y Lazarus, John 11.44. 7ly Thoſe many that came out of their Graves accompanying Chriſt at his Reſurrection. 8ly Tabitha, Acts 9.41. 9ly Eutichus, Acts 20.16. By which ſeveral inſtances it muſt appear, thar either this is not a Corporeal Reſurrection ſpoken of, or theſe nine mentioned were not ſo; for this cannot be ſaid in truth to be the firſt Corporeal Reſurrection, when nine went before it, but the Tenth Reſurrection rather.
Fifthly, The Bodily Reſurrection cannot be here meant, becauſe that is not to be till a thouſand years after this, as in this Chapter, when all the Elements muſt give up their Dead, Rev. 20.12, 13.
Sixthly, This cannot be the Corporeal Reſurection of the Saints; for that cannot be till Chriſts perſonal coming and appearing, and day of Judgment, 1 Theſ. 4.14. Them which ſleep in Jeſus, will God bring with him, 1 Cor. 15.23. Christ the first fruits, afterwards they that are Chriſts at his coming, 2 Tim. 4.1. Who ſhall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing, and his Kingdom. And (as before) Chriſts perſonal coming is proved by many arguments not to be till after the thouſand years: And 'tis as clear that the Judgment day is not till after the thouſand years, and deſtruction of the Gog Magog Army.
Seventhly, This cannot be the Corporeal Reſurrection of the Saints, becauſe it inverts Chriſts order, which is to be at the ſounding of the laſt trumpet. The time of the living Saints change, the time that is expres'd to be the laſt day, which is the time of his coming and appearing, which is the Judgment day. But this a thouſand years before all.
Eighthly, Becauſe if Corporeal and to be underſtood of Martyrs only, then all the dead at the laſt day ſhall be raiſed to the ſecond death; contrary to John 5.24.6.39, 40.44 54. Dan. 12.2. And they only as Martyrs, Prieſts to God, contrary to 1 Pet. 2.5, 9. Rev. 1.….
Ninthly, Becauſe if this be underſtood to be the Reſurrection of all the Saints, who in that immortal and glorified ſtate are to live and Reign the thouſand years in and over the world, it neceſſarily infers theſe ſtrange abſurdities.
Firſt; that glorified and unglorified, mortal and immortal bodies muſt converſe together; for it neceſſarily follows, if the Saints are raiſed, then is Chriſt come in Glory, and their vile bodies are made like to his glorified body; and that Chriſt and the Saints and Angels in this glorified ſtate converſe with the men of the world, Ruling, Governing and Ordering them in the reſpective policies by Zions Laws and Edicts, contrary to expreſs Scripture, 1 Tim. 6.16. Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light, which no man can approach unto, whom no man hath ſeen, nor can ſee, viz. No mortal man, no unglorified man; for if Moſes that had only a glimps of Gods back parts, had ſuch a Glory upon him, that the Children of Iſrael could not converſe with him without a vail; And the Diſciples were not able to ſtand before Chriſt in the Transfiguration, nor Paul in the Viſion; how unable will wicked men be to ſtand before, and converſe with Chriſt, who appears in tranſcendent Glory, both in his own and the Fathers Glory, the Glory of all the Holy Angels, and Glory of all Saints, as hereafter: And it is expreſly ſaid, that none can ſee God and live, Exod. 33.20. It being impoſſible that any poor, mortal, finite Creature can ſee and ſtand before the glorious, immortal and infinite Being, without being conſumed.
Secondly, It holds out that ſome glorified and unglorified Saints, ſhall at this time converſe together, viz. thoſe that are raiſed from the dead, with thoſe that are then upon the Earth, when the Scripture tells us, 1 Cor. 15.51, 52. that at the ſame inſtant, that the dead Saints are raiſed, the living Saints, are changed at a Moment, in the Twinkling of an Eye, which muſt needs be ſo.
1. Becauſe when Chriſt comes, he muſt have all the Saints come with him, who are raiſed, changed and glorified, taken up in the Air to meet him, and in that ſtate are ever with him; not one Saint being to be left behind.
2. Becauſe he then appears in flaming fire, againt them that know him not, nor obey his Goſpel, the day of Grace being then over, and none to be converted after that: And therefore are all the exhortations of making ready, of getting Oyl in the Veſſel and in the Lamp, before he comes, it being too late to do it after he cometh.
A third abſurdity is, that whereas Chriſt ſaith, The laſt Enemy is Death, here the raiſed Saints after death are to meet with another Enemy, the Gog-Magog Army.
Tenthly, This cannot be the Corporeal Reſurrection becauſe it is ſaid expreſlly, that during this thouſand years, the new Jeruſalem, new Heaven and new Earth-ſtate, the Saints ſhall build, plant, Marry & give in Marriage, enjoy the works of their hands, diſpenſe Laws, manage Governments in the world, and be lyable to death and deſſolution therein, which is utterly inconſiſtent with the Reſurrection-ſtate, Luke 20.34. The Children of this world marry and are given in marriage. 35. But they which ſhall be accounted worthy to'btain that world, and the Reſurrection from the Dead, neither marry nor are given in marriage, neither can they dye any more,; for they are equal to the Angels, and are the childeren of God, being the Children of the Reſurrection, the diſpenſing of Laws, managing worldly policies and affairs, being as utterly inconſiſtent with this ſtate alſo.
Secondly, Neither can this living or riſing again intend the Spiritual Reſurrection, viz. the riſing from the death of ſin to the life of Grace, the converted, changed ſtate, though that will abundantly be manifeſted herein, both amongſt Jews and Gentiles by the preaching of the Goſpel.
1. Becauſe it is ſuppoſed it ſpeaks of the Church that were converted & lived a ſpiritual life.
2. Neither was this a life their Enemies could take from them; for in this ſenſe they lived all the time of the Beaſts and the Dragons rage and rule, and in this reſpect might be ſaid to live moſt, when moſt lyable to outward death and diſtreſſes,
Thirdly neither can this be the Eternal Life of Glory, Becauſe this ſpeaks of a ſtate, that precedes that a thouſand years.
Therefore laſtly it will follow, that if it be neither the Corporeal, Spiritual nor Eternal Life, that is here meant, to which the Saints are raiſed, then muſt it be the miſtical or civil life, to which the Prophets give witneſs, as before: And the rather ſo, becauſe of that miſtical and civil death, that all Saints are lyable to, and lye under, during Antichriſts reign, becauſe they refuſe to worſhip the Beaſt or his Image, or receive his Mark and Number, &c. As alſo bcauſe the whole Church and all Saints do at this time partake of this life; becauſe it is ſaid in the next verſe, that the reſt or others lived not, viz. thoſe that did worſhip the Beaſt, the Character of the Antichriſtian Church, they lived not this thouſand years, viz. this miſtical life: But are now to take their turns in the Vally of the ſhadow of death, lyable now to the Priſon-ſtate, and Gibbet. to give an account for all their cruelties and murders, to be kill'd all the day long, to be fill'd in the Cup they have fill'd, and as being thruſt in the pit and bound, kept from all Rule, Dignity and Authority,
Object. But why muſt the Church be included under theſe terms or characters of Souls beheaded, and that would not worſhip the Beaſt?
Anſw. Becauſe it may more emphatically and ſignificantly held forth the ſtate, they are raiſed from and raiſed to.
Various are the names and Characters, the Church is repreſented by in this Book, and yet all ſuitable to their preſent poſture and ſtation, viz. In her primitive purity and luſture, a Woman clothed with the Sun, and the Moon under her feet, and upon her head a Crown of Twelve Stars: In her perſecuted, afflicted ſtate under the Dragon or Rome Heathen, Souls under the Altar, Rev. 6.9, 10. Slain for the Word of God, and Teſtimony they held, and ſo here Souls of the beheaded Rev. 20. In her conteſts with the Dragon, Rev. 12.2. A woman with Child cryed travelling in birth, and pained to be delivered. Under the Beaſt tyranny, and perſecution, Rev. 12. A Woman flying into the Wilderneſs, Rev. 11. Witneſſes in Sackcloth and ſlain Witneſſes: In their cleaving to Chriſt, whilſt ſo many wonder and wander after the the Beaſt, the Lambs followers, the Sealed and Marked ones, Keepers of the Commandments of God and Teſtimony of Jeſus, Rev. 14. In the…r courageous oppoſition to Tyranny and Idolatry, called Victors over the Beaſts Image, Mark, Number, Name. In their Martial attempts againſt the Beaſt and Whore, the called, choſen and faithful, the Lambs Army. In her quiet, peaceable ſtate, Kings and Prieſts, Aſcenders of Heaven and the Throne of God, Reigners with Chriſt, the Bride, the Lambs Wife, the new Jeruſalem, the beloved City, the Palme-bearing multitude. The falſe Church being repreſented alſo under various Marks, Names and Characters, as you may find under another Head, and amongſt the reſt, they are called the Dead, that ſhall not live this thouſand years. As Antichriſt and his followers dye and go off the Stage; ſo Chriſt and his followers live and come on: The death of the one is the life of the other,