The Pulpit Commentary — Revelation — Section 179

issuei. -."Come and see" "the souls of those who were slain for the Word of God." Study martyrdom, despise the persecutors, and honour their victims. " Come and see " the great phy,11icaloonvulsions Qf nature. Study the physical phenom~ of the world, 'lud cultivate that love for the ,(¼cl in all,c who is over a.I), and that confidence in W. love, ·wisdomt and power which will enable yon to be calm and triumphant in the IIKllli terrible physical convulsions, enf¥llillg you to sing-· "God is om Refuge and Strength, _/i. VfJ?Y pre111;nt Help in trouble: Therefore will not we fea.r, Though the earth be removed, And though the mountains be carried Into 'the midst of the sea; Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, Though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof." Brothen, who shall tell the ,sea.ls .that will be broken open in our book of destiny during the year? Ere we com.menced our existence, all pertaining to our life through all th&,ages w.e have to run was mapped out and· registered, even in minutest detail, in•th.,Dtvine roll of destiny. .All the events ot our lives are but the breaking of the seals of that book.. . With every fresh event, every new effort, some fresh seal is brhken. ~; What; seals are yet to be broken? what Divine archetypes are ,:et to be eiib.bodied-?'WhaMaten:t: fo:rcea are y.et to be developed? What these ear;s have ye~ to heal', these eyllll have yet to see, this mind yet to .c,mceive, this heart yet to experience! ~.Go thou •th.-r way;till the end .be: for thou shalt rest, and stand in thy lot ,at the eajl_ of the d•''~D, T. :>·~!. ~•t,.'),,_,:,,~- ·- ' . ' Vers. 9, 10.-Departd martyrs. "And when he had opened," eto, Ry 1)0mmon consent this is a sketch of departed martyrs, i.e. men" that were slain for the Word of God, and for the testimony which 'they held." If they natl been slain for anything else they would not have boon martyrs. · . "' • . · I. THEY LIVE IN SAQJ\Ei> i;EcURITY.' "I saw under the a.1tar the souls of them." The "souls," not the J1oofos; the.. bodies ha.d been destroyed, their ashes were left behind. Spul!I -t:a.n exisct apart from the body-a wonde1ful fact this. These souls were "qnder the altar." They were in a position of sacred security. No one could touch tht!ni)thete;-safe, fotever i'tom their per!!ec'utors. , . • ,-; l:I'.•1l'rui:'t-Ll'VE n. BABNEST CONl!CIOUBNESs. 'fhey have an earnest consc1ousneas of the~ . « How long,· 0 Lord, :most holy and, true," . They remember the earth, temetnber the crnelties they received on the.:earth, and long, not uui.licio~ly, .but benevolently, for justice being dcme to their persecutors. · No doubt. .their desir~ was that 'God: should· Rtrike. such a· moral,· conviction ilito their, hearts on aooount of their wielied1"l!11fthat-would lead them-to repe!!tance. III. THEY LIVE m HOLY GRANDEUR. " White robes were given t.o them." Or a&re;, ,,, ,(\ - priil:iably1•" a white robe," emblem of purity and conquest. - ~ ~ , ·s : · " Their blood is shed In CQnfi.nna.tion of the noblei,t olaim-, O,w: claim to feed u~n immortal tr11th; To 't'.alk, with Godt t.o be divfofll free l'o soar and :to antimpaie the skies. 'let.few ieuiember them. They lived unkiiown · 'rill peraeeution dragged th~ into fa.me, ·_And Qbased them up to heaven. Their ashes flew 'No marble tells 118 whither; - With thilir names l!fo Mid embalms and llllDctifies his song. And hi'st.ory, -80 Wlll'lll on meaner themes, :Is oold on this. She execrates, indeed, . The tyranny that doomed .them to the fire, Bui givea the gloriollf sufferers little praise." (Cowper.) D.T•. on. -vr.;1-17 ,] THE REVJ\1LATION, OF S.T. JOHN. ,T~ DIVIJ;{E. 203