had forgot what he was about bring in a large Vision consisting of seven parts wherein there is nothing at all Propheticall but onely the Reproof or Praises the Comminations or Promises to a few particular Churches This is not according to the steddy order and method of Divine Wisedome especially in this Book then which there never was nor ever will be any thing more accurately written 10. And he had in his right hand seven Stars Methinks it is extremely harsh to conceit that these seven Stars are merely the seven Bishops of any seven particular Churches of Asia as if the rest were not supported nor guided by the hand of Christ or as if there were but seven in his right hand but all the rest in his left Such high Representations cannot be appropriated to any seven particular Churches whatsoever But seven must signifie all in both Coexistence and in Succession to the end of the world Which is a sense worthy so sublime a Book as this of the Apocalypse and correspondent to the meaning of the rest of the Septenaries that occur in this Book of Prophecy they signifying an entire Succession of some seven things or other which they are brought in to represent 11. The seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches and the seven Candlesticks which thou samest are the seven Churches Though according to the Literal sense these seven Churches and the seven Angels are easily applicable to those particular seven Churches of Asia above specify'd yet I cannot but conceive that he not calling them here the seven Churches of Asia but seven Churches in general it is an invitation to the searching out some more large Propheticall sense such as we drive at as also in that he says the Angels of the seven Churches at large and not of Asia nor names the Churches by name but especially in that he calls them Angels in stead of Bishops or Pastours For he continuing so in the Propheticall style proper to this Book that ascribes all to the Ministry of Angels it is a sign that the Letters to the seven Angels of the Churches have also a Propheticall sense as well as a Literal or rather that that is the sense that is most chiefly of all intended 12. All these Intimations put togegether out of this first Chapter toward the Assurance of a Propheticall meaning of the Seven Churches of Asia have that force with me that though I could not my self produce such a continued Mysticall or Propheticall sense which would be all along easie and natural yet I could not but vehemently suspect that there is some such sense though it were not in my power to reach it But if I have through the Divine Assistence light on such a sense as is both continually coherent important and according to the Analogie of the Propheticall style I hope this Preparation will even extort the belief thereof from the Reader But such as it is I shall now present to his view CHAP. III. The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Ephesine Church 1. IT was intimated out of the last verse of the foregoing Chapter that the Omission of the appropriating the seven Churches to Asia by name was a fair invitation to us to suspect a more large and released sense of this Vision of the Seven Churches And indeed this Releasement is more free in the Greek Copy then in our English Translation For the Original runs thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the seven Candlesticks which thou sawest are seven Churches not the seven Churches which in the Literal sense one might be prone to imagine to be none other then those situate in Asia minor but this Division of the Churches into Seven in the Mysticall sense is rather distributio ex adjunctis then è subjectis the whole Catholick Church in its Succession from the beginning to the end being cast into seven Intervalls according to seven notorious Qualifications or Conditions thereof For so we say the Primitive Church the Apostatized Church the Reformed Church c. denoting not their Place but rather their Time and Quality which the Genius of the Prophetick style if it were to express them would exhibite as so many Churches distinctly situate 2. But besides this it is farther to be noted that the omission of the appropriating these Seven Churches to Asia does also fairly quit the Mysticall Interpreter of giving any account of the signification of that name it being omitted in the Interpretation of the seven golden Candlesticks Which I thought worth the noting tâ—â—â— all pretense of Cavill might be taken from them that may haply prove lesse satisfy'd with our giving an account of that Greek name from an Hebrew Allusion though their Cavill to the more judicious I hope will seem altogether groundless 3. Nor lastly does the returning of the Spirit of Prophecy to the Seven Churches by name in these Epistles written to them determine the Vision solely and adequately to those seven Churches of Asia topically understood forasmuch as the names of all those Churches at least by an easie Allusion have an Appellative signification and manifestly denote their Quality and Condition as we shall see in the process of our Exposition 4. First therefore of the Church of Ephesus which Christ salutes after this manner Unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write These things saith he that holdeth the seven Stars in his right hand and who walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks That by Angels according to the Apocalyptick style all the Agents under their Presidency are represented or insinuated I have already noted and it is so frequent and obvious in the Apocalypse that none that is versed therein can any ways doubt of it Wherefore Christ his writing to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus in this Mysticall sense is his writing to all Bishops Pastours and Christians in this first Apostolicall Intervall of the Church And that particularly in this Epistle to this Church I mean in the Mysticall sense thereof he recommends himself to them under the character of him that holds the seven Stars in his right hand and who walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks the sense stripp'd of this Propheticall Pomp is that I am he that supports all my Bishops and Pastours and all that labour for the Interest of my Kingdome from this time for ever I am present with them and uphold them As he said at the first founding of the Church Goe ye therefore and teach all Nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the world He is in the midst of his Church where-ever two or three are gathered together in his Name He walks through in the midst of the Successions of the seven Intervalls of the Church the seven golden
within the Intervall of the Ephesine Church in our sense several Reproofs and Exhortations in the Epistles of the Apostles do plainly evince See Dr. Hammond's Notes on this Church which fully reach our design And the Epistles of Paul and the first of Peter and that to the Hebrews were all writ within that Intervall we have set for the Ephesine Church and their Faults committed before Which Defaults this Vision rebukes and threatens them for by way of instruction for future Ages as it is in the following Verse 9. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen and repent and doe the first works He bids them return to their first Love which was more strong then death And it was fit to give this command and encouragement to the Church because of greater Trials to come in her Smyrnian Condition For before the Ten Persecutions Martyrdome was more rare Or else I will come unto thee quickly and will remove thy Candlestick out of his place except thou repent That is by an Hypallage I will remove thee from thy Candlestick which therefore is directed more especially to the Bishops or Pastours of the Church at that time as threatning them for falling into such a remiss degree of Love themselves or suffering their Charges so to fall For the seven Candlesticks are the seven Churches Ch. 1. v. 20. and the seven Stars are the Angels of the seven Churches that is to say the Bishops and Pastours of the Church Wherefore this Commination to them may by an Hypallage signifie their being removed from the Church by some Judgement or other that is as many of them as were thus carelesse and remisse But to any Members of the Church the removing of the Candlestick from them may be their amission of their Church-membership as eripere alicui or adimere alicui Civitatem is to make him cease to be a Citizen any longer Which sense is also competible to the Bishops or Pastours Christ may cut them off in foro Divino from being any longer Members of his Church and consequently from Salvation But there is yet another sense which pleaseth me best of all in which Victorinus Andreas Lyranus and Alcazar do all agree who interpret the removing of the Candlestick out of its place of the commination of some Commotion or Storm that should overtake this Church not that this Church should be carried quite away but moved or agitated as in a Storm or Earthquake This they understand of the Ephesine Church in Asia literally which is an argument that the Interpretation seemed very easie and genuine unto them And it is as easily applicable to our Mysticall sense But I would raise the Storm a little higher and make it signifie the storm of that dreadfull Persecution that was to befall the Church in the Smyrnian Intervall thereof For it is look'd upon still as the Apostolick Church from the beginning to the end though distinguished into these several Intervalls And it is observable that there is in every Epistle to the respective Church some Prediction to be fulfilled in the Intervall of the following Church Which I thought fit here to note at once and shall particularly as we proceed take notice thereof in their proper places The sense therefore seems to be this That unless the Church in this Ephesine Intervall would be raised to an higher pitch of Zeal and Love and Activity for the propagating of his Kingdome Christ would excite their Courage and exercise it with such hot Persecutions sanguis Martyrum semen Ecclesiae as would be more effectual for the bringing to pass his design And it sell out accordingly in the Ten Persecutions within the Smyrnian Period of the Church 10. But this thou hast that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans which I also hate The Church by this time had grown so soft and remisse that there was not that zealous painfulnesse as heretofore in several of them nor that resolved Courage in suffering all things for Christ's sake yet they were not grown so corrupt and beastly as to be given up to the impurity of the Nicolaitans which in after-times some exercised from a mistake of an indiscreet act of one Nicolas a Deacon in these very times of the Apostles And from him were these beastly fellows called Nicolaitans But little or nothing of this Impurity appeared within the Period of this Ephesine Church which yet the Spirit of God foresaw would become detestably frequent and notorious in such Wretches as though they called themselves Christians the Apostolick Church would not own This is allowed the Ephesine Church for their comfort and credit that they are free from Nicolaitism and that they may adde to their Purity invincible Patience and Fortitude he adds To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of Life which is in the midst of the Paradise of God For their works and labour and pains-taking here is eating and refreshing promised them for their Patience and hardship a Paradise of Pleasure for their laying down their lives for the Gospel the enjoyment of eternal Life in the Kingdome of Christ. Lord remember me when thou comest into thy Kingdome Verily I say unto thee This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise But we had almost forgot the former part of the seventh Verse He that hath an ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Which being a common Epiphonema to all these seven Epistles repeated in them from the first to the last certainly must bear no small importance with it Two things therefore I conceive driven at by the affixing this Epiphonema to each Epistle The one to give us notice that though there be a Literal sense of these Epistles yet that they are every one of them also a Parable which is intimated from this repeated form of speech which Christ in his life-time usually added at the end of Parables He that has ears to hear let him hear Besides that the very sense of the Epiphonema implies so much which is He that has an understanding to reach the depth of the meaning of these Epistles let him reach it For it is not within the reach of every man's wit to find out the drift of them The other thing driven at is to intimate to us that there is a meaning lodged under these seven Parabolicall Epistles of exceeding great moment and concernment to the Church From whence I would inferre that that Interpretation of them that is of the greatest consequence is the most likely to prove true And such I conceive this will approve it self to the judicious which we are now a-framing And thus much of the first Succession of the Church under the Title of Ephesus CHAP. IV. The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church in Smyrna 1. AND unto the Angel of the Church in Smyrna write We come now to the second Succession of the state of the Church whose Title is the Church in Smyrna and
Imprimatur Sam. Parker ERRATA In the Pref. to the Exposit. pag. 4. l. 2. Interims read in terms In the Exposit. p. 11. l. 1. r. the Church in Thyatira p. 53. l. 21. r. in Thyatira p. 107. l. 26. r. event In the Antidote p. 11. l. ult for at r. all p. 27. l. 17. r. impossible or p. 91. l. 24. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 AN EXPOSITION OF THE SEVEN EPISTLES TO THE SEVEN CHURCHES Together with A Brief Discourse of IDOLATRY with Application to the Church of ROME By HENRY MORE D. D. PROV 12. 19. The lying tongue is but for a moment but the lip of Truth shall be established for ever London Printed by James Flesher 1669. To the Right Honourable John Lord Robarts Baron of Truro Lord Privy Seal Lord Lieutenant of Ireland and one of his Majestie 's most Honourable Privy COUNCIL My Lord WHat things single are usually thought sufficient to determine ones choice of a Patron to any publick Writing whether it be private Obligation from particular Favours or the Desire of leaving to Posterity a just and honourable Testimony to the Parts and Vertues of some excellent Person or the design of obtaining the Patronage and countenance of such a Person to what we adventure to make publick as is able by his Learning Judgement and publick Repute to protect it from Injury all these do so happily conspire in your Lordship that I should have thought it an Omission unpardonable if I had not taken this opportunity of paying your Lordship this due respect and of doing that right to the Truth I here professe as to put it under the wings of so fit and able a Patron Which still ought to be done with the greater alacrity there being that Providentiall Coincidence of things that I should have a Book ready in the Presse at that very time that our Gracious Sovereign did think good to conferre upon your Lordship that great Honour and Trust of being Lord Lieutenant of Ireland Which conjuncture of Circumstances could not but excite me with greater readinesse to make your Lordship this congratulatory Present upon your new Honour Which all good Christians that know the inflexible uprightnesse of your spirit and cordiall adherence to the Apostolick Faith and just Interest of Reformed Christendome cannot but congratulate For this it is indeed My Lord that has begot in me a more special esteem of your Lordship that in this instable and uncertain Age you have with that steadinesse of minde and clearnesse of Judgement stuck to the Truth and Purity of the Protestant Religion as discerning the vast difference betwixt it and Popery which yet too many now-adays either because they are removed too great a distance from all Religion or else because their sight is extremely dim in matters of this nature can not or will not discern But this is spoke with a more particular regard to the second part of this small Volume I present your Lordship withall But the first also has its speciall sutablenesse to the Circumstances your Lordship is placed in For by how much more power any one is intrusted with by any Protestant Prince by so much the more he is concerned to understand how sacred a Province he undertakes and how expresly that Religion and Profession is owned in the Holy Prophecies Christ has delivered to his Church above and against the barbarous and idolatrous Tyrannie of the Church of Rome Which things are set out with that plainnesse evidence and easiness in this Exposition of the Epistles to the Seven Churches that I hope no impartial Reader can fail of being made exceeding sensible of the Sacrednesse of the Protestant Religion and Interest by the perusall thereof Besides that there are some notable Hints in these Oracles for the more happy and secure management of the Affairs of Reformed Christendome I shall onely name that passage to the Sardian Church Remember how thou hast received and heard and hold fast c. The Verse runs out into a dreadfull Commination of heavy Judgements to the Angel of the Church of Sardis for his loosenesse and slipperinesse in those points of Apostolick Doctrine which the Reformers had recovered into the knowledge of so great a part of the world And amongst the things that they had heard that voice of the Angel Apoc. 18. Come out of her my people that ye be not partakers of her sins c. was not the least articulate Whereby the Church of Rome was openly declared to be that Babylong the Great the Mother of Fornications and the Abominations of the Earth as also the Pope with his Clergie to be that notorious Antichrist This the Sardian Church had received from their Evangelicall Predecessours And it had been their everlasting establishment never to have for got it never to have let it die or smothered it But what mischief the halting betwixt two Opinions is apt to doe and the not taking notice how sacred a thing the Protestant Religion is in the sight of God and how rejectaneous that of the Church of Rome I believe neither your Lordship nor any one else that has his eyes opened either into History or the Affairs of the world can be ignorant of or if he be a good Christian make the observation without regrett and sorrow But the Prospect of what is to come is more pleasing and comfortable which is the state of the Church of Philadelphia into which the Sardian Church that is to say Reformed Christendome or the Protestant Churches are to passe as being the next successive Intervall Which therefore cannot but be a Note of main importance for all Reformed States and Kingdomes to stear their Affairs by namely to bend their course thitherward whither they are pointed to by the Finger of God himself in his Holy Oracles For they sail as it were with winde and tide whose carriage of Affairs approaches the nearest to the purpose of Divine Fate Which is lively pourtray'd all along in this stupendious Book of Prophecies written by S. John The most pleasing and enravishing part whereof is that which is typify'd or prefigured by the Church of Philadelphia the Church of Brotherly love Which is the next Scene Divine Providence has designed to introduce And which all those do most grosly oppose who for difference in matters not revealed in holy Scripture nor necessary to Salvation think they have pretense enough with all unchristian keennesse and bitternesse of spirit to reproach and inveigh one against another to nourish the highest Animosities and to watch all opportunities of persecuting ruining and trampling one another into the Dirt. As this is extremely unchristian in it self so is it also diametrically opposite to that Dispensation that God intends to introduce into his Church as the chiefest Blessing he has in store for her and is as it were knocking at the door to enter if the lovd noise of hot and quarrelsome Brawls about matters of smaller moment as indeed all things are exceeding small
unlesse of Apostolicall Institution if they stand in competition with that Royal Law of Love did not drown the voice thereof that it cannot so easily be heard But assuredly my Lord the letting this Philadelphian Dispensation in or the approaching as near unto it as we can will prove the most effectuall healing and consolidating the Interest of Reformed Christendome as well in the whole as in the parts thereof as we can desire or expect Which therefore I humbly conceive that all persons the more Power they are intrusted with in any of the Protestant Dominions are the more obliged to consider by how much more they are obliged to endeavour to promote the Interest of their Prince and Countrey whose Affairs they administer And therefore the right understanding of the Vision of the Seven Churches so manifestly giving this aim for the prosperous steering of Affairs I thought this my Exposition of the said Churches no unsutable Present in these Circumstances to be made unto your Lordship Of the Usefulnesse whereof I having spoken more particularly in my Preface I leave the whole to your Lordship's judicious and favourable perusall and wishing you all good Successe in the great Charge his Majesty has intrusted you with I cease to give you any farther trouble then in subscribing my self My Lord Your Lordship 's most humble and affectionate Servant HENRY MORE The PREFACE to the Reader declaring the Occasion Solidity and Usefulnesse of the ensuing Exposition Reader HOW unexpected this of mine may prove to thee I know not but sure I am it cannot be more then to my self who as I have never yet affected to bestow my pains on these kind of Subjects so I thought my self secure since the edition of the late Dialogues touching the Kingdome of God from ever being engaged in them any more For I made account that what was contained in Mr. Mede's Writings and in Synopsis Prophetica and the above-said Dialogues might afford all usefull satisfaction to any sober Enquirer into these Mysteries And I find neither my will nor my abilities to reach to the service of men in needlesse Curiosities And therefore thou maist be sure I did not deem the Propheticall Exposition of these Seven Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia to be such but rather that there was no such Exposition that belonged unto them and therefore rested in the Literal sense and an usefull Moral Application of them as they might sute any particular Church in any Age of the world placed in like Circumstances with any of these Seven Churches And these things methought were so obvious that it would have been a needlesse labour to have attempted any thing in so facil a matter where others have done sufficiently well before 2. But having sent the above-said Dialogues to a Gentleman in the Countrey to whom they were not unacceptable as being curious of Subjects of this nature after his civil acknowledgements for my sending him the Book and some pertinent Reflexions on the main matter at last he falls upon this business of the Seven Churches in these words I find not saith he any late Writer apply the Seven Churches mystically Revel 2. and 3. Chapters Mr. BRIGHTMAN having failed in his Application But I suppose the farther enquiry into that point may be worth your pains I shall now onely hint that the Seven Churches may represent the State of the whole visible Church from Christ's time to the Day of Judgement viz. Ephesus till Anno Christi 110 Smyrna till 306 Pergamus declining towards Popery till the WALDENSIAN Separation about Anno 1160 Thyatira emerging from Popery till the Pacification at Passaw in Germany 1552. and King EDWARD the Sixth's Reformation in England Sardis the state of Reformed Christendome the Kingdome of God since whole Nations fell from Rome and untill Rome shall be totally subdued Philadelphia when Truth Peace and Holinesse shall universally prevail and the name of the New Jerusalem shall be written upon the Church as is expresly promised Chap. 3. 12. Interims too august for such a poor Church as that was literally taken And this may be a Key for all the rest And lastly Laodicea when towards the end of the Thousand years Satan shall be again let loose a little space and Gog and Magog shall trouble the Church then luke-warm as in the days of Noah This was the whole verbatim of what that Gentleman writ touching this matter And this Reader was the Occasion of my undertaking and the advantage I had for the more easily performing this Task of expounding these Seven Epistles to the Seven Churches For the Intervalls here suggested though they are most-what different from what upon due deliberation with my self I thought fittest to pitch upon yet it is manifest that they could not but give aim toward a more speedy hitting the intended Mark and a more quick dispatch of this Exposition which I present thee with Indeed upon my endeavouring to frame out the same and my searching into Commentatours I found that P. Galatinus interprets these Seven Churches of seven Intervalls of the Church from the beginning to the end thereof This Cornelius à Lapide notes but not a word of the Limits of these Intervalls And since my compleating this Exposition a learned Friend of mine shew'd me a passage in Mr. Mede Lib. 5. c. 10. where he argues for a mysticall sense of these Seven Churches and seems to insinuate that they should Prophetically sample unto us a seven-fold successive Temper and Condition of the whole visible Church according to the severall Ages thereof answering to the Pattern of the Seven Churches here and that à principio ad finem and takes notice of the fitly placing of PHILADELPHIA partly about the time the Beast is falling and partly after his Destruction accordingly as we had already set down in our Exposition But the bounds of these successive Intervalls he has not attempted to define That Advantage therefore I had onely from the party I above mentioned as well as the first Invitation to undertake this present Design 3. But now as to the Solidity of the Performance although I must confess the clearnesse of the matter appeared so great to me at last as that it infinitely exceeded my first expectations of it and proved satisfactory to my self beyond what I thought possible yet I will not here pre-ingage thy judgement or belief but freely remit thee to the Exposition it self the Preparations to it in the first and second Chapters and the brief Recapitulation of the strength of it in the last Onely that thou maist have nothing to stumble at I will endeavour to prevent thee in some Exceptions the greatest I am aware of and yet in my own judgement not considerable 4. As first I would not have thee according to the manner of some let thy minde dwell upon any thing that may seem less strong alone As that Chap. 2. Sect. 11. where I intimate that because in the interpreting the Seven
Magistrate by how much more kinde and loving to one another and by how much more seriously affected for the advancing the publick good and the endeavouring the common welfare of all mankind which will introduce the Philadelphian Intervall by so much more near they may reckon the approach of the downfall of Antichrist and the glorious Reign of Christ in his Saints at the happy Millennium But what other Indications there be besides these in the Visions of the Prophets whereby we may compute the nearnesse of those Times I must ingenuously confesse I know not But this was a sudden Excursion We will return again into the way 14. But thirdly In that it is said Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that Woman Jezebel which calleth her self a Prophetesse to teach and seduce my servants to commit Fornication and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols c. this is a perfect clearing of the Protestant Reformers from that hainous Crime of Schism that the Church of Rome so magisterially lays to their charge it plainly implying that their Separation from the Church of Rome was not onely no Fault but a Vertue and an indispensable point of Obedience to the command of Christ and that it had been Disobedience and Rebellion against Christ not to have separated and therefore was impossible to be any Schism Which is a thing worthy of our notice and consideration As is also this contrary to the opinion of some otherwise learned That to depart from the Church of Rome upon the very account of Idolatry is not Schism before God but onely in the sight of men and those it is to be feared of none of the purest minds but rather such as have a greater sense of the carnal Interest of the Church then of the Glory of God and the purity of his Worship For Christ who is God blessed for ever does here blame the Church in Thyatira that she suffers the Woman Jezebel any longer and does not cast her off as the Eunuchs cast her out of the window in the Type and that for this very cause because she is a Teacher of Idolatry and an Abettour and Countenancer of spiritual Fornication as is manifest in the Text. So that before God or in the sight of God both the Church of Rome stands guilty of Idolatry and also the Protestants leaving her Communion upon that account are acquitted from any the least taint or suspicion of Schism And that the Spirit of God does but witnesse with our spirits in the truth of this matter if thou hast not lost the free use of thy Reason that brief Treatise of Idolatry added to this present Exposition will I hope abundantly satisfie thee which therefore I have adjoined as a sutable Appendage thereunto 15. Fourthly In that Reformed Christendom especially after their Remissnesse in Life and Manners and Contentionsnesse about Trifles is represented under the Type of the Church in Sardis to be in such an imperfect Condition though emerged out of the grossnesse of the Popish Idolatry for there is no farther complaint of either the Doctrine of Balaam or of Jezebel here this should teach us to be humble and not over-fierce and confident in our Opinions and Doctrines but meekly to bear one with another and be ready to be instructed by one another for the clearing up the Truth But in the mean time things being no better then they are sith they are no worse then they were predicted we are hence to learn that it is our Duty never to suffer our mindes to relapse towards the Flesh-pots of AEgypt or think we had as good goe back again to Rome as to be no better then we are For this Sardian state is like the wandring in the Wildernesse betwixt AEgypt and the promised Land which is the Philadelphian state into which there is no entrance till after the seven Vials that is till the last of them be poured out or at least a-pouring As it is said in the fifteenth of the Apocalypse And the Temple was filled with smoak from the glory of God and from his power and no man was able to enter into the Temple till the seven plagues of the seven Angels were fulfilled Where no man according to the Apocalyptick style signifies that that company of men that were to enter into and make up that state of the Church which is here styled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the living Temple of God would not appear in that eminent condition till after the Vials the last either current or complete Which agrees admirably with that passage in the Epistle to Philadelphia Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God So that these Philadelphians shall not onely enter into the Temple after the smoak of the Vials but never goe out of it again according to the sense we have explained it in Wherefore because we are in a kinde of Wildernesse-condition we ought with Faith and Meeknesse and Patience to abide till God shall bring us into that good Land and not to murmur against him and reproach his Providence who hath thought fit to carry on things with such leisurely steps nor peevishly and falsly to say that we had as good return to Rome again and that it is a question whether the Reformation has done more good or hurt For such thoughts or speeches are false injudicious and ingratefull Reproaches against the sacred Providence of God whose ways these bitter shallow and unsanctify'd spirits understand not because the spirit of the world has blinded their eyes And forasmuch as there is no complaint of Idolatry in the Epistle to this Sardian Church nor the least hint to make any Separation as before all the Churches of Reformed Christendom and all the particular Sects and Members thereof ought to have a tender regard how they divide from one another or break Communion for difference of Ceremony or Opinion but holding all the indispensable Foundation and bearing joint Testimony against the grosse Idolatries and wilde Enormities of the Church of Rome to study Peace and mutuall Compliance that the Body of Reformed Christendome may be more strong and compact to stand against the common Enemie But above all we are with might and main to endeavour to perfect Holinesse in the fear of God and to purge our selves from all pollution of flesh and spirit that we may prevent the extremity of that Judgement which is threatned as suddenly and unexpectedly to come upon the Church of Sardis And these I think are main Usefulnesses discoverable in the Interpretation of the Epistle to the Sardian Church 16. And fifthly As for the Exposition of the Church of Philadelphia it is of main Importance for the making of the world good For it is the ordinary excuse for the reigning of Impiety and Immorality in the world that men will be men as long as the world lasts and that things are more likely ever to grow worse and worse then
better and therefore very few there are that will either attempt the amending of their own Lives or the encouraging others so to doe When notwithstanding it is plain according to the Propheticall sense of the Epistle to the Church of Philadelphia that there will be a time when Righteousnesse and true Holinesse will have a most glorious reign upon earth But those that are averse from this belief are usually averse also from believing any certitude in the Expositions of Prophecies They will not forsooth be so presumptuous as to pretend they can understand them especially such as either chastise the abominable Wickednesses of the Roman Church or such as promise Times transcendently better Which is a piece of Hypocrisie much like that of Ahaz when the Prophet bid him ask a Sign of the Lord his God but he good modest Hypocrite would not ask a Sign neither would he tempt the Lord. The meaning whereof was that he would not amuze nor distract his thoughts nor render himself more obnoxious by taking notice of a supernatural Evidence against the natural Sentiments and persuasions of his own carnal minde under whose Government he was resolved to be and not be dissettled by the Inlets of any higher Light The application is very easie and obvious 17. And lastly Admitting the Propheticall meaning of the Epistle to the Church of Laodicea it is of great use for the establishing our Faith in that grand Point That this Terrestriall Scene will have an end and that at the close of all Christ will visibly come in Judgement to reward all men according to their works That he will judge both the quick and the dead according to the Orthodox sense of the Apostolick Doctrine To all which we may adde that as the Expositions of these Seven Epistles to the Seven Churches in Asia are in a manner as convincing as any other Visions in the whole Apocalypse so they are far more easie and reach the main Design in a lesse compasse of words and have not that operosenesse of Synchronisms necessarily hanging on them as the other have for the clearing of the sense but are onely seven Intervalls manifestly succeeding one another whose Bounds so far as things are past are easily determinable And we know that the Intervall of Sardis ends where that of Philadelphia begins and Laodicea is the close of all Which Facility and Comprehensiblenesse must needs improve the Usefulnesse of these Expositions very considerably And there wanting nothing but the Significations of the Names to be added for the easie Applicability of the Events to each Intervall I will for the satisfaction of the Reader briefly furnish them that have no skill in the original Languages with the sense and meaning of the Names of all the Seven Churches aforehand 18. Ephesus therefore with an Allusion to the Greek word Ephesis signifies Desire the first moving Principle that drives on an Activity for the attaining the main Scope we aim at But with an Allusion to Aphesis it signisies Remissnesse for which this Church of Ephesus is blamed or else alluding again to Aphesis it signifies the starting or letting loose the Racers at the beginning of the Race Which agrees very fitly with this Ephesine Intervall which is the beginning of the Church and of the whole course of Providence concerning the same to the end of the world Smyrna signifies Myrrh intimating the bitter Affliction of the Primitive Church under the Ten Pagan Persecutions Pergamus signifies Sublimity or Exaltation intimating the raising of the Church out of her former dejected and afflicted condition under the aforesaid Persecutions into a glorious Triumph over Paganism as it fell out upon the Conquest of Constantine the great It signifies also or prefigures the enormous Haughtinesse of the Church of Rome in that Intervall Thyatira in Allusion to Thygatira a Daughter intimates the more-then-ordinary Womanishness of the Church of Rome in that Intervall But in Allusion to Thyateria Altars of Incense or sweet Odours it signifies the more-then-ordinary frequentness of burning the blessed Protestant Martyrs with fire and faggot in this Period Which Cruelty though it was abominable in respect of that bloudy and barbarous Church that committed it yet the suffering of those holy Martyrs in this manner out of Fidelity to Christ and his Truth was a Sacrifice of sweet Odours to him and very gratefully accepted of him Sardis in Allusion to Sarda or lapis Sardius the same that Carnalina signifies the imperfect and carnal Condition of that Intervall of the Reformed Church that is called Sardian Philadelphia which signifies Charity in general and particularly a more special love to them of the true Houshold of Faith intimates the Reign of the Spirit which is the Spirit of Love For God is Love and he that abideth in Love abideth in God and God in him This is that illustrious Reign of Christ in his Millenniall Empire of Love when the Christian life shall take place and Opinions and Persecutions shall be done away And lastly Laodicea signifies a popular Politicall or externally-Legal Righteousnesse the outward form of the former Philadelphian state but as in old age the spirit much decay'd though the outward figure of the body much-what the same It signifies also the arraigning and judgeing of the people that is the Nations of the world when Christ shall come to judge both the quick and the dead because this is to be performed at the close of this Laodicean Intervall 19. The significancy of the Names of these Seven Churches reckoned always in such an order as that seven Intervalls of the Church from the beginning to the end of all answer exactly in the Affairs of the Church both to these Names in this order they are reckoned and to the Conditions of the Seven Churches as they are orderly described in the Seven Epistles to them is a plain Demonstration to them that are not extremely refractory especially if you adde the Certainty that there must be a Propheticall meaning of these Epistles as is made good in the first and second Chapters of the ensuing Book I say it is a plain Demonstration that our Exposition is true as well as so easie and comprehensible and therefore of an universal Usefulnesse as well to the Illiterate as the Learned Which I hope Reader will be a sufficient Excuse for the Authour that he has either invited thee to the pains of reading or given himself the trouble of compiling this present Treatise Farewell A Propheticall EXPOSITION OF THE SEVEN EPISTLES Sent to THE SEVEN CHURCHES IN ASIA From Him THAT IS AND WAS AND IS TO COME SIRACIDES Ch. 59. He that giveth his minde to the Law of the most High and is occupied in the meditation thereof will seek out the wisedome of all the Ancient and be occupied in Prophecies A Propheticall EXPOSITION OF THE SEVEN EPISTLES Sent to THE SEVEN CHURCHES in Asia CHAP. I. A Preparation toward the Mysticall or Propheticall Interpretation of the Seven
Epistles to the Seven Churches of Asia 1. WE shall first premise That as those two following Prophecies of the Seven Seals and of the opened Book reach from the beginning to the end of the Church so this of the Seven Churches reaches also from the beginning of the Church to the end of all Which seems congruous both from the nature of the Vision it self and from the following Examples of the Prophecies of the Seven Seals and the opened Book We shall premise in the second place That as it is conspicuous that four of the names of these seven Churches are directly significant of some State and Condition they are in viz. Smyrna Pergamus Philadelphia and Laodicea so it is exceeding credible that the other three names may allude to some thing that may set out their Nature and Condition also viz. Ephesus Thyatira and Sardis as we shall take more express notice in the process of our Exposition Lastly which might as well if not better have been noted at first This more mysticall sense which we are now a-rendring of the Seven Churches doth not at all clash with the Literal sense of the same nor exclude that usefull Applicability of them for the Reproof or Praise of any Churches particular in any time or Age of the Christian world that are for the like things obnoxious or commendable But the distinct Providence of God and his watchfulness and foresight of the Affairs of his Church may haply be more illustrated and display'd by this mystical way of Exposition then by that Literal or Moral 2. We will therefore distinguish the whole Duration of the Church of Christ especially so far forth as it is within the limits of the Roman Empire which also the other Prophecies in the Apocalyps seem chiefly to regard into Seven Intervalls and will suppose the first Intervall to end where the second begins viz. in the tenth year of Nero or Anno Christi 63. 3. Which Period therefore of the Ephesine Church ending so early even about thirty years before St. John's writing the Apocalypse agrees excellently well with that passage Ch. 1. v. 18 19. where after Christ's declaring himself the first and the last as before in the same Chapter he is called He that was and is and is to come and his mentioning his own Death and Resurrection and how that he will be alive to the end of the world to carry on the Affairs of his Church he presently inferrs Write therefore what things thou hast seen what things are and what things shall be hereafter which he expresly and immediately calls the Mystery of the seven Stars and the seven golden Candlesticks ver 20. which is worth the noting What things thou hast seen already in the times of thy life past namely the state of the Ephesine Church what things are now present viz. the Smyrnian state of the Church in which thou art and tastest of the bitterness of it in this thy Exile here in Patmos for the Ten Persecutions were then already begun and John was in the Second of them and what things shall be hereafter namely to the end of the world in the residue of the period of the Smyrnian Church and in the periods of the Remainder of the Seven Churches succeeding And questionless the Vision of the Rider of the white Horse respects what was then past namely Christ's first Warfare upon his conquest of Death and his being mounted into his glorify'd Body who after from on high sent down Succours to his Apostles and Disciples and assisted and and managed that illustrious Battel in the beginning of the Apostolick Times so successfully and gloriously that infinite numbers of men were brought under the obedience of the Gospel even within the space of the Ephesine Period 4. So that there can be no scruple of the Church of Ephesus representing a State of the Church past but onely that it seems improper to direct an Epistle to a Church then out of being But this can be no argument with them that hold the Seven Churches to be seven successive Conditions of the Church to the worlds end For make the Exitus of the Ephesine Church reach beyond S. John's time suppose to Anno Christi 100 or thereabout the rest of the Epistles will be writ to Churches not yet in being and some many hundreds nay thousands of years ere they shall be which yet they must not count absurd 5. The briefest account therefore of this matter is this That the Spirit of God seems to drive on two main designs in the Vision of these Seven Churches at once The one most effectually to animate and encourage the Church to doe well to stick to Truth and Holiness through all the Trials and Calamities of this present life as also to deterre them from all kind of Sin and wickedness of what nature soever whether Apostasie from the Faith Idolatry Sensuality or what-ever Remissness in Manners For which design this Epistolar way is exceeding accommodate it bearing the form of personally speaking to people and so the more forcibly makes them take notice in a manner whether they will or no of what is said unto them The other design and that so laid as not to foregoe the former advantage is to instruct the Church in the Providence of God and his Foresight to shew how all things lie bare before his eyes in such order and succession as they are in time to come to pass In the Literal sense of these Epistles to the Seven Churches that former design is plainly pursued and attained understanding them directed to these Seven Churches in Asia then in being and in a very great measure in the Moral sense These Epistles I say being so applicable to any part of the Catholick Church in any Age thereof placed in the same or like circumstances of Condition with these Asiatick Churches this Epistolar way will have a considerable efficacy and influence upon them for either Animation or Reproof 6. But now the great Question is Why the Prophetical design discoverable in the mystical Interpretation should have been couched in this Epistolar way especially the Epistle to Ephesus being writ after the Ephesine Period was expired To which I answer that this Propheticall design was not intended for the Ephesine Church in this mysticall sense but for future Ages and therefore it is taken in onely to make up the entireness of the whole Succession of the Church in its several distinct states from the beginning to the end of all But this Epistolar way is still retained in this mysticall sense for the same usefulnesse it had in the Literal to the Seven Churches in Asia then really in being For so soon as any of these Letters by this mysticall sense is understood to be directed to any successive part of the Church as now for example as will appear anon the Epistle to the Church of Sardis is directed to the Protestant Church or Reformed Christendome this Succession of the Church
ought to be as much concerned as that particular Church of Sardis was in Asia minor And this intention of the Holy Ghost being once understood it will be of the like usefulness to the Philadelphian Church especially and also to the Laodicean Wherefore the Objections were but small considering the Usefulness of this Epistolar way though there were no other sense of these seven Epistles and the seven Churches but the mysticall For as in an entire Vision where the beginning is touching something past or present all goes under the Title of Propheticall though that part that respects things past is but Historicall Representation so in this entire Epistolar Vision though the first part be Epistolar yet it is but Historicall Representation exhibiting times and persons past as if they were present to be writ to and that for uniformity sake in the form of an Epistle as what is past in History under the form of Propheticall Vision as the Rider of the white Horse which is the first in the Vision of the Seals though the Representation was of what was partly past and partly present But what is to come is the proper object of all Vision Propheticall But now besides all this in the Literal sense there being then a Church in Ephesus when that Epistle was wrote to it and in a Moral sense it being applicable to any Church that does Ephesize in any part of Christendome and at any time the Objection in my judgment has melted into less then nothing And therefore notwithstanding this exception we will not stick to place the end of the Interval of the Ephesine Succession in the tenth of Nero's Reign and in the year of Christ 63. Till then let the Church of Christ be represented under the Title of Ephesus from that time till about three hundred and odd years after Christ under the name of Smyrna from thence to the latter end of the Persecution of the Albigenses and Waldenses let her be the Church dwelling in Pergamus from that time till whole Nations fell off from the Pope let the same Church bear the name of Thyatira from that time Protestantisme became the Religion of Nations till the last Vial let this Church bear the Title of the Church in Sardis from that time till the fourth Thunder let it wear the name of Philadelphia from the fourth Thunder till Christ come visibly to Judgement in the clouds let the Church bear the name of Laodicea These are the seven Intervals which how well they will fit with the Titles of these distinct successive States of the Church and the things spoken of them in the Vision I will anon endeavour to unfold CHAP. II. A farther Preparation out of the first Chapter of the Apocalypse whereby this Propheticall meaning of the Vision of the Seven Churches is more clearly assured BUT in the mean time for the greater assurance of this Propheticall or Mysticall sense we will first make some farther Remarks upon the first Chapter of the Apocalypso Where we will make onely this one modest Supposition that the Spirit of God sets down nothing immethodically nor in vain or at least nothing vainly immethodicall Wherefore upon the very first Verse which bears the Title of the whole Book The Revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave unto him to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass that is things to come to pass some shortly and other some in succession of time as all Interpreters agree I cannot but note this That if the Spirit of God do but respicere Titulum as most certainly he will he will set down no entire Visions as this of the Seven Churches is but they must in the main be of things to come to pass not of things present merely and not hid but obvious to the eyes of men as the State of the Churches here mentioned was to the world at that time And therefore something farther must be meant by them then can be contained in the Literal sense which is not of things to come as the Title requires but onely of things present or some Promises or Threatnings that do not properly amount to the nature of Prophetical prediction no more then the Law of Moses to which they are annexed 2. Blessed is he that readeth and they that hear the word of this Prophecy for the time is at hand This again plainly shews that this Book is all of it I mean all the entire Visions thereof a Book of Prophecies which as I intimated before mere Promises and Threatnings cannot make it no more then they do those Laws of Moses to which they are adjoyned And though the several States of the Seven Churches may be applicable to several states of particular Churches of after-Ages in Christendome l yet it cannot properly be in this Literal sense by way of Prediction but of Example of Vertue or Vice of pious or impious Actions which repeatedly happen in all History Whence if there be no more in it then thus these Epistles to the Seven Churches cannot be deemed any Prophecy and therefore are heterogeneous to the Scope and Title of the Book 3. But upon the so expresly calling this a Book of Prophecies for John to salute the Seven Churches in Asia with this Salutation Grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come methinks it does even forcibly drive a man to conceive that the Vision of the Seven Churches which he so immediately falls upon is a Prophecy according to the title immediately mentioned in the foregoing Verse Besides that the description of the party in whose name he salutes them which is and which was and which is to come does very naturally insinuate that he is treating of what reaches from the beginning of the Church to the latest Ages thereof Which he insists more upon in the seventh Verse after he has spoken of the person of Christ Behold he cometh with the clouds this reaches the last Period of Laodicea when God will judge all people and every eye shall see him and they also which pierced him and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him for the Earth shall then be burnt up with the works thereof Even so Amen This will certainly come to pass about the seventh Thunder in that dark hollow Dungeon where there shall be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth let the sons of Infidelity or Unbelief conceit what they will to the contrary Wherefore the minde and scope of the spirit of Prophecy seems here to be carried out even to the utmost Ages of the world 4. According as he declares in the next Verse I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty That Wisedome and Power that reaches from one end to another mightily and sweetly orders all things This methinks strongly insinuates that the Vision of the Seven
Candlesticks till the end of all This is to encourage the beginning of his Church and is methodically put in the first place as being general and running through all the Intervalls thereof till the end of the world But that the Frontispice as I before called it to this Vision of the Seven Churches which was the glorious Character of our blessed Saviour is made use of by piece-meal for an entrance into the parts of this Vision as it is in them all I cannot but take notice how fitly it answers to the Vision of the Seals where the parts of the Frontispice are also made use of to usher in four of the Seals for the four Beasts one after another and that with apposite significancy as here at the opening of the four first Seals are introduced uttering this voice Come and see Wherefore there being the like contrivance in both Visions it is a shrewd intimation that they are Visions of like importance that is very reachingly and comprehensively Propheticall as I endeavoured to evince out of the first Chapter 5. And how accommodate that part of the Character of our blessed Saviour is to this part of the Vision that concerns the Ephesine Church is already declared We shall now confider the fitnesse of the paronomasticall Allusion in the Name For that the Propheticall style does affect such Allusions both Grotius and Mr. Mede and all Interpreters that I know are agreed upon And Grotius does particularly give the reason of the names of all these Churches in his Commentary on the Apocalypse So that there is nothing of Levity or Indiscretion in the attempting of the same In Ephesus therefore for ought I know there may be a double Allusion both to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being one of the three matres Lectionis as they are called contained in it both E and A it does plainly intimate that the sound of E and A are not so extremely different one from another But as for the sense of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it is hugely well and peculiarly accommodate to this Church it being the first Intervall of the Seven as it were the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the same the Careeres or Lists from whence the Race begins of the Succession of all the Seven Churches which ends in the end of the world And S. Paul compares the calling of Christians to a Race 6. But as for the other word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Grotius also expresly takes notice of and pitches upon the Allusion thereto is unexceptionable both as to sound and signification For it denotes that great servour and zealous desire the Church in those first Primitive and Apostolick Times had to the Affairs of Christ and to the Interest of his Kingdome that they did sincerely and earnestly under the conduct of that Heros on the white Horse with his bow and arrow in his right hand aim at and press toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus they were inflamed with the desire of enlarging the Kingdome of Christ here and of obtaining that immarcescible Crown hereafter and of eating the fruit of eternall life in the celestiall Paradise of God This was the first love of this Church this was their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 their vehement and sincere desire and onely scope of their Actions that they might serve Christ here and enjoy him afterwards in his heavenly Kingdome And therefore out of this fervent love to Christ and sense of their own happinesse they did at first easily devour all Difficulties 7. As it is noted in the two following verses I know thy works and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear with such as are evil For those that are sincerely and fervently good it cannot but make them have an Antipathy against what is evil and discern them that bear themselves never so Apostolically and yet are not right at the bottome to be but Hypocrites and Liers And thou hast tried them which say they are Apostles and are not That there were false Apostles deceitfull workers transforming themselves into the Apostles of Christ in the Apostles time within which the Period of this Church is the Apostle Paul takes notice 2 Cor. 11. 13. which therefore is very agreeable to the Intervall of this first Church For when should any pretend to be Apostles sent from God but in that Age there were Apostles sent into the world by him And hast born and hast patience and for my Name 's sake hast laboured and hast not fainted What is here is much-what the same sense and words as were in the foregoing verse but it is not repeated in vain For these words I suppose 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 have a special correspondence to the reward promised in the 7. verse He that will not labour shall not eat but he that labours very much and breaks not off by reason of any lazy fainting or culpable lassitude is worthy to be fed with the bread of life But besides this labour and patience in the highest circumstances is here repeated the better to set off the present remissness of some in this Ephesine Church as it is in the next Verse 8. Neverthelesse I have something against thee because thou hast left thy first love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Grotius and Dr. Hammond expound it because thou hast remitted of thy first love and so allow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie relaxation and remission in a contrary sense to intension of degrees whence there may be another ground of Allusion in Ephesus to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and in counter distinction to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so that this Ephesine Church may have its name from its first intense Love and its after Remission thereof by this double Allusion But as the Allusion to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is more perfect then that to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so questionless this first Intervall of the Church was more famous for their sincere and real Love to Christ then for their Remissnesse therein Which serves something for the countenancing of the term of this Intervall Because thou hast left thy first love that is to say because thou hast ceased to be so fervent in spirit as at the first Which first Love being according to the measure of Christ's own Prescript was certainly such as made the Ephesine Church love Christ more then Father or Mother or Wife or Children or any worldly Interest whatsoever accordingly as he requires But towards the end of the Intervall of this first Succession of the Church this Love and Courage it seems began to abate and too many began to Gnosticize as it is called in that point and think it a small thing to deny the Faith in the time of Persecution even those that yet professed themselves of the Church and were Believers That this was
whose Intervall is from the tenth of Nero or Anno Christi 63. till Anno Christi 324. when Constantine the Great a zealous Professour of Christianity had subdued the most potent enemies of it and himself For then the Church was raised out of the dust or rather out of the mire and bloud that she was troden down into by the Ten cruel Persecutions and began to be the Church 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Church in sublimity and exaltation according to the signification of that word But in this Intervall of their Afflictions and Martyrdome she was the Church in Smyrna Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all one and signifie Myrrh which whether you respect the Plant it self which grows in sandy dry and uncultivated places and is it self rough and thorny with sharp pricking leaves or else the gumme of the Tree which is biting and bitter to the taste and has its very name from thence in the Syriack 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quia amara as Martinius notes it is very significative of this Intervall of the Church that succeeds wherein those horrible Pagan Persecutions raised against the Christians are comprehended So that Smyrna signifies the bitter Affliction and Persecution of the Church as that Lamp named Wormwood does the sad Calamity of the Western Caesareate 2. To which you may add that Smyrna that is to say Myrrh was a main Ingredient in the embalming of the bodies of the dead which again reflects upon the many Funerals or rather Deaths and Martyrdoms of the Members of the Church which would be caused by the Persecutions of those times Besides that as Myrrh keeps the body from Corruption it may be a Symbol of the eternizing of the memory of the Martyrs to all Posterities Not to take notice of their conserving of their very Bodies themselves which they call Reliques though this Allusion can be no countenance to the abuses in those things And lastly this Allusion to Myrrh is still the more emphaticall in that the body of our Saviour that faithfull Witness as he styles himself after his martyrdome on the Cross is said to be embalmed with Myrrh John 19. 3. These things saith the First and the Last who was dead and is alive The Titles that Christ adorns himself with when he speaks to the Church of Ephesus are He that holds the seven Stars in his right hand and who walketh in the midst of the seven golden Candlesticks namely through all the Successions of them like that Promise Behold I am with you to the end of the World intimating thereby the presence of his Spirit through which he would in all Difficulties sustain the Bishops and Pastours of his Church Which general signification seems well enough proportioned or fitted to the Condition of the Church of Ephesus he expresly requiring of them no more then Zeal and Courage in the general But now he speaks to the Church in Smyrna and there enters a more bloudy Scene and terrible he seems to encourage them with higher and more palpable and particular Animations in the very entrance of his discourse These things saith the First and the Last the same that began the War for this Kingdome we strive for and will be the last in the field to assist my friends and discomfit mine enemies as well as I was the first And be not afraid of dying for the Truth for though I was crucify'd my self yet behold I am now alive And I tell you it for a pledge unto you of the same Happinesse if you lay down your lives as the Times will shortly require it for me and for my Gospel This is very particular and apposite to the Condition of the Church in this Smyrnian Intervall wherein there were to be so many and so bloudy Persecutions 4. I know thy works and tribulation and poverty that is to say I know the great Affliction and misery thou art oppressed withall being destitute of all the Comforts of this present life and in danger of death every moment Which is a right Smyrnian Condition indeed according to the Title of the Church in Smyrna But thou art rich namely with those spiritual Graces of Meeknesse of Patience of Christian Courage and Fortitude and of sincere and invincible Love of the Lord Jesus even to the death it self And I know the Blasphemy of them that say they are Jews and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan That is I take notice of the reproach that those men cast upon Christianity who call themselves Christians and yet make nothing of dissembling and denying the Faith upon the arising of any Persecutions for my Name 's sake as if a Christian could be such a vile false and abject Hypocrite This is to blaspheme them that are called by my Name The right Christian is the true Jew whose heart is circumcised and therefore he will not lie with his tongue and whose Faith is so strong in me and hopes so firm of a better life that he can if the cause of my Gospel so require willingly part with this for the Love of me and for the Interest of my Kingdome These are the true Members of my Church who are for suffering the other the Synagogue of Satan as I told Peter when he would have disswaded me from undergoing the death of the Cross Get thee behind me Satan for thou savourest not the things of God That the Jews signifie the Christian Church there is nothing more frequent in the Apocalyptick style then that And this mention of these false Christians in opposition to these Smyrnian Sufferers does plainly insinuate that sense which I have given 5. Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer Do not imitate the base Cowardise of this Synagogue of Satan these Hypocrites and Dissemblers After that sharp reprehension of Flinchers from the Faith he returns to encourage and corroborate the Church in Smyrna Behold the Devil shall cast some of you into prison that ye may be tried and ye shall have tribulation ten days The red Dragon that old Serpent in his fight with Michael for the things of that Vision are co-incident with this Smyrnian Intervall of the Church I say the Pagans incensed by the old Serpent will cast several of you into prison that your Faith may be tried and God may receive the glory of your Fortitude and Constancy This you shall have for ten days that is till the time of consummation that Victory and Redemption be wrought for you or that you die Or rather thus You shall have tribulation for ten days There will be ten Seasons of bloudy Persecutions which you must run through those ten Persecutions so famous in Church-History and so frequent in the mouths of all men Which consideration among others does not a little ratifie this our Exposition of the Church of Smyrna and consequently gives strength to the whole Hypothesis of the seven successive Intervalls Be ye faithfull unto death
and I will give you the Crown of Life That is to say Stand out till the consummation of the Ten Persecutions wherewith ye will be tried and ye shall have the Crown of Life I will crown you with the Imperial Crown which shall prove a Crown of Life unto you Christianity shall become at length the Religion of the Empire which will save you for the future from the deadly Persecutions of the red Dragon You shall be no longer subject to the Cruelty of Roman Paganism for the profession of your Religion This therefore will be a Crown of Life unto you This is according to that Apoc. 21. 4. And there shall be no more death that is there shall be no more Persecution and killing for Conscience sake Which was the sad case of this Smyrnian Church under the Pagan Cruelty in an eminent manner Wherefore when they had wone their Freedome it was a Crown of Life to them by the Law of Contraries That this is the genuine sense will farther appear from what follows 6. He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches This being an usual Epiphonema to Parables plainly intimates that what hitherto has been said is a parabolicall Prophecy And the nature of a Prophecy is to foretell such things as are to be transacted here on earth And therefore where the Promise is not Divine or concerning the state after this life the Epiphonema follows as is very conspicuous in the Promise to the Church of Thyatira which is the first example of the Epiphonema coming last of all which is a sign that the whole Epistle there is Propheticall Verse 26. And he that overcometh and keepeth my words unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations c. Which therefore concerns the stage of this Earth And therefore this Promise here of the Crown of Life before the Epiphonema I would interpret of a Reward in this life on this earth according as I have expounded the passage But now that which follows this Epiphonema is a Promise of another sort viz. He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death for it is the securing of a blessed Immortality after this life and seems farther to correspond with that passage in the Apocalypse Ch. 20. v. 6. Blessed and holy is he that has part in the first Resurrection on such the second death hath no power Wherefore though not according to the inference of rigid Syllogism yet according to those nice and delicate hints in Propheticall Intimations I would conclude that the promise of their Portion in the first Resurrection is here proposed to those afflicted Smyrnians which was the proper Portion of Martyrs and Confessours according to the opinion of the Primitive Church as Mr. Mede has learnedly and judiciously observed Which granted does hugely corroborate this Application of the Epistle to the Church in Smyrna to this Intervall which contains the times of all the Sufferings in a manner of the primitive Martyrs The promise of a blessed Immortality had been very proper and accommodate to this Smyrnian state of the Church that were so frequently to lose their lives for profession of the Gospel but for it to be intimated to them that these shall have their portion in the first Resurrection which is proper to Martyrs as appears by the place above quoted is so characteristicall of this Intervall wherein all the primitive Martyrs suffered viz. in those Ten Persecutions that it does marvellously confirm the truth of the Exposition of this present Epistle in this Mysticall way we have gone And thus much of the Church in Smyrna that is in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the bitternesse of Oppression and Affliction as the Allusion to that Syriack word imports We proceed to the Church in Pergamus CHAP. V. The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church in Pergamus 1. AND to the Angel of the Church in Pergamus write The Intervall of this Church is from the year of Christ 324 when Constantine utterly defeated the Army of Licinius not above thirty thousand of one hundred and thirty thousand escaping and so with his own Victories made the Church also triumphant out of her long and unsupportable Miseries raising her aloft from her sad Oppressions and Persecutions From this year I say to the year 1242 when the Pope's Legate Amelin made an end of the Albigensian War with Trancavel Bastard of the Earl of Beziers let this be the Intervall of the Church in Pergamus 2. Of the beginning of this Intervall there can be no doubt And for the termination of it there are these two Considerations to countenance it The first in that the latter of those numbers in the last of Daniel viz. the number 1335 does point to the beginning of the Affairs of the Waldenses and Albigenses who are both one Sect and from one Authour Waldo of Lyons an holy and good man whose Preaching and his own and his Followers Sufferings were about the term of that Number whose Epoche is the Prophanation of the Temple by Antiochus Epiphanes So considerable a passage of Providence is the appearing of the Waldenses in those times betwixt the year of Christ 1160 and 1170. For they were condemned for Hereticks by Pope Alexander in the Laterane Council in the year 1162 upon which you may be sure Persecutions would immediately follow And Mr. Mede with great judgement will have this latter Number in Daniel to point at these Times Nor does that expression of Daniel at all weaken his Opinion in that he saith Blessed is he that waiteth and cometh to the thousand three hundred and five and thirty days because it is said in the Apocalypse also Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord that is that die for the cause of our Lord Jesus And of the Church of Smyrna it is said I know thy tribulation and poverty but thou art rich The judgement of the Spirit of God and the judgement of carnal men are quite opposite in these things What they call Poverty the Spirit calls Riches what they Misery the Spirit Blessednesse Wherefore the Affairs of the Waldenses or Albigenses is a notable distinct and conspicuous joint of time even according to the judgement of the Spirit of Prophecy But then in the second place I terminate the Intervall of this Church in Pergamus not in the beginning but the conclusion of these Waldensian or Albigensian Affairs because they being all in a manner one and so plainly concluded in the year I have mentioned their Sufferings may the more punctually answer to the Sufferings of that one Martyr Antipas who is here said to be slain in Pergamus But the Concinnity of these things we shall better understand after we have descanted upon the name Pergamus 3. That by Pergamus is intimated a state of Exaltation or Sublimity I intimated before Sublimia omnia dicta Asiaticis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 notat Hesychius Suidas
resolved also farther to fight against your Adversaries the Pergamenians or Romanists with the Sword of my mouth till I cut off great branches from the body of that far-spreading Tree and dismember whole Nations from the Community of that idolatrous Church by the power of the Word and the preaching of the Gospel This is that which is predictory of some Events to happen in the following Intervall according to the Genius of these Epistles 9. To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden Manna The Promise here following the Epiphonema He that hath an ear to hear let him hear must according to the Rule signifie Theologically or Spiritually not Physically or Politically Wherefore the sense is Those of Pergamus indeed pretend that when they give that white and sweet Consecrated Wafer into the mouths of their Communicants they give them the true Manna my very Body and Bloud which was shed on the Crosse and my very Flesh that was there crucified and broken for them whenas notwithstanding they order their Eucharist so that they turn my Supper into a Feast of Idolothyta and make the partakers thereof guilty of Idolatry or spiritual Fornication forasmuch as they give Divine Worship to that which is not God So that as in the case of Balaam the Israelites were to eat things sacrificed to Idols in order to carnal Fornication so they that partake of this perverted Eucharist are necessarily ipso facto especially since the fourth Laterane Council drawn into spiritual Fornication or Idolatry But he that is courageous and abstains from this illicit Communion and through Faith overcomes all Difficulties for the quitting that outward white visible Wafer I will give him to eat of the hidden Manna of that true spiritual Manna mentioned John 6. For my flesh is meat indeed and my bloud is drink indeed But the words I there speak they are spirit and they are life Or if he die in the Cause I will give him the hidden Manna even the invisible food of Angels and his Soul shall passe into the society of the blessed Genii and Holy Souls of Saints departed this life 10. And I will give him a white Stone and in the Stone a new Name written which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it That is to say Though he be accused and reproached for an Heretick and Schismatick in the Church of Pergamus where Satan the Accuser dwells yet I will give him a white Stone and quit him in judgement and establish the joy and peace of a good Conscience unto him Or thus I will give him a white Stone in which there is a new Name written that is his Old man shall be throughly crucified and he shall attain to the state of the New man in the purity thereof and enjoy that inestimable Jewel of the Divine Nature pure and permanent which no man knows the excellency of till he be made partaker thereof I will consummate Regeneration to him either in this life or upon his passage into the other state if he be snatched away by a sudden Martyrdome And this will more then countervail all the Injuries the lofty Church of Pergamus can doe to him in life goods or good name CHAP. VI. The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church in Thyatira 1. AND to the Angel of the Church in Thyatira write The true Church of Christ is still in the power and within the Jurisdiction of the Church of Rome and therefore as Rome has been set out by the City of Babylon Tyre and Pergamus so is it here in this Intervall necessarily to be understood by the City of Thyatira I mean in such a sense as it was by the City of Pergamus That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from whence both Strabo and Pliny and others that are Criticks fetch the reason of the name Thyatira is alluded to I am inclinable to think from those Authorities and that the Womanishnesse of the Church of Rome in this Period is perstringed That her Softnesse and Luxury was more then ordinarily increased in this Intervall is not to be doubted as certainly her Covetousnesse as also her prankings and adornings in the splendour of their Altars and Churches and Copes and the like Which could not be so continuedly and so high in the former Intervall But here all along she may well be looked upon as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Filia delicatula a delicate Damosel indeed sitting like a Queen and knowing no sorrow when a little before she was like to be over-run by the Waldenses and Albigenses and was fain to enter the Field and fight manfully for her own safety A little after the beginning of this Intervall did Innocent the fourth appoint in the Council at Lyons that the Cardinals should go in their Rosie-coloured Hats and Robes and ride upon Horses with Furniture and Trappings sutable to the greatnesse of their Order and delicacy of their Condition And the Mitre of Paul the second is taken speciall notice of for the exceeding preciousnesse of the Jewels therein And no doubt there was the like encrease of the Ecclesiastick Bravery every-where A little before the beginning of this Intervall did Honorius the third appoint the Carmelites to goe in white that they might look more Maiden-like and decreed that they should be called the Family of the Virgin And the Franciscans and Dominicans are notorious all along this Intervall who had the Virgin Mary for their peculiar Patronesse And indeed within this Intervall the Roman Church ran so much in the seminine strain that they generally professed themselves more under the Government and Providence of our Lady then of our Lord Jesus Christ. Gregory the ninth a little before the beginning of this present Intervall ordained that Salve Regina an Hymn to the blessed Virgin should be sung in all Churches Boniface the eighth in the year 1293 composed that Oraison Ave Virgo gloriosa and in the year 1470 the Mary Psalter and her Rosarie were composed by Alanus de Rupe 2. And how feminine this Church was in this Intervall the observations of that excellent Person Sr. Edwyn Sandys though after the expiration thereof when one would think they should in Policy have been more castigate in their Religion will give us fully to understand The honour faith he which they doe to the Virgin Mary is double for the most part unto that which they doe unto our Saviour Where one professes himself a Devoto or peculiar Servant of our Lord whole Towns are the Devoti of our Lady The stateliest Churches are hers lightly and in Churches hers the fairest Altars Where one prayeth before the Crucifix two before her Image where one voweth to Christ ten vow to her and for one Miracle reported to be wrought by the Crucifix not so sew perhaps as an hundred are voiced upon the Images of the Virgin Their Devils in Exorcism are also taught to endure the name of God or the Trinity without trouble but at the naming
many Waters that insinuates that this Description respects also his Body Mysticall which are a multitude 7. I know thy works and charity and service and faith The true Church then in Thyatira being in Oppression and Affliction stood close to one another and encouraged and comforted one another and supported one another as well as they could and endeavoured after an Exemplarity of Godlinesse and due proficiency in the Power of Religion as being Candidates for that Deliverance which they by Faith saw was not far off And thy patience and thy works and the last to be more then the first That is I see the works of thy Patience in suffering Imprisonment Tortures and Death and particularly in giving up your selves as an Oblation of Incense to the Fire and faggot in such numbers for the testimony of my Truth Which being toward the latter end of this Intervall it is fitly said and the last to be more then the first This is according to what is found in History 8. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee because thou sufferest that Woman Jezebel which calleth her self a Prophetess c. viz. the Papal Hierarchy that pretends to be infallible and under colour of this brings in Idolatry which is spiritual Fornication and detains men in the Communion of their idolatrous Mass which the Spirit of God here parallels to the eating of things sacrificed unto Idols The Prophetesse Jezebel here therefore answers to the false Prophet after mentioned in the Revelations and this exprobration to the Church in Thyatira of permitting Jezebel thus to practice her deceits to that voice of the Angel Come out of her my people lest ye be partakers of her sins and of her plagues It is a kind of solicitation of the Princes and people in Christendome such as discerned the Frauds and Idolatries of the Roman Church to make a Defection from her and suffer her Trumperies no longer For the time of that Defection now drew near and things were ripe for it and it was in the power of them that disliked the condition of Affairs to amend it and therefore he saith Because thou sufferest that Woman Jezebel For it is no fault in us to suffer those things which it is not in our power to help or redresse 9. This Jezebel is very expressive of the Roman Hierarchy if we recurr to the story of the book of the Kings not onely for her painting of her self which is notorious in the Roman Church and especially in this Intervall and such as the Homilies of our Church in England take especial notice of comparing all those rich and gorgeous Adornings of the Church of Rome to the painting of the wrinkled face of an Harlot but also for her Whoredomes and Witchcraft as it is noted 1 Kings 9. 22. What peace so long as the whoredomes of thy Mother Jezebel and her witchcrafts are so many Which is exactly parallel to the Description of the Whore of Babylon who is said to be the mother of Fornications and Abominations of the earth described also by that Cup of Sorcery in her hand whereby she intoxicates the Kings of the Earth and makes them drunk with the Wine of her Fornication And whereas she is said to be drunk with the bloud of the Saints and with the bloud of the Martyrs of Jesus Jezebel also in her History is famous for murthering the Prophets of God 10. And those grosse Wickednesses committed by Ahab who did very abominably in following Idols and in persecuting the Servants of the true God who is said to have sold himself to work Wickednesse are imputed to this subtil murtherous Whore and Witch as the Text plainly declares But there was none like unto Ahab who did sell himself to work wickednesse in the sight of the Lord whom Jezebel his wife stirred up That is to say the Roman Hierarchy according as both the Vision of the Whore of Babylon and of the two-horned Beast do plainly signifie was the Authour Contriver and Instigatour unto all those murtherous and idolatrous practices that the Secular Magistrate has been guilty of during their Force and Tyranny over the true Servants of Christ. The Beast with two Horns exercised all this Power before the Beast with ten Horns or rather made use of the Secular Power to effect all their devillish Designs against the Children of God as Jezebel wrote Letters in Ahab's name and sealed them with his seal The Church got the stamp of the Imperial Authority upon all the wicked Dogmata of their Religion and Idolatrous practices which they contrived for their own carnal advantages and then if any Naboth would not part with the Inheritance of his Fathers the possession of an holy righteous and rational Conscience nor profess nor act against the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against those native Truths and Notions which God of his infinite mercy and faithfulnesse has implanted in the minds of all men that have not done violence to that innate Light the Candle of the Lord searching all the parts of the belly he was through the murtherous contrivances of this Strumpet Jezebel falsely accused as a Blasphemer of God and the King as an enemy to both the Catholick Faith and secular Magistrate and so was sentenced to death And death came by these wicked Accusations in this Intervall as in the former Intervall wherein Antipas was slain by openly fighting in the Field Thus apposite is the Allusion to the History of Jezebel for the setting out the state of this Intervall of the Church under the Tyranny of the Church of Rome 11. Nor is it all harsh thus to interpret a Vineyard to so spiritual a sense as to make it something within us whenas both Philo and other ancient Interpreters have interpreted Paradise to that sense or the Garden of Eden And others also cannot but acknowledge that that Law of Moses Deut. 22. 9. Thou shalt not sow thy Vineyard with divers seeds has also a Moral or Mysticall meaning and is a Precept of Simplicity or Sincerity of heart Wherefore the Vineyard of Naboth may very well signifie the Humane Will and Understanding that is sown onely or planted with such Notions or notices of things as are from God whether they be those innate Idea's of the Soul or what is communicated farther by the Spirit of God in the Holy Writings of inspired men or are more immediately inspired into us by the abode of that Spirit in us All these Plants are of our Heavenly Father 's own planting and no other seed is to be sown among them repugnant thereunto And this Vineyard is the Inheritance of all true Christians descending upon them from the Apostles times to this very day But the Roman Empire being perverted by the doctrines of the whore or two-horned Beast or by the eorruptions also of their own nature had a mind to invade this ancient right as Ahab had to get into his possession Naboth's
trade of whoring still Behold I will cast her into a bed and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation except they repent of their deeds Unlesse she repent I will certainly cast her into a bed of sicknesse and languishment for that bed of Adultery wherein she has entertained the Kings of the earth Her strength and glory shall be much diminished and her Paramours shall bewail the Calamity I shall bring upon her For there shall be of the Kings that shall hate the Whore shall make her desolate in their dominions and naked and shall eat her flesh and burn her with fire As it fell out in the late defection of whole Nations from her And I will kill her children with death That is either slay them with the sword of the Spirit and so make them dead as to her by their conversion to the truth or else kill them with a natural death such I mean as come against my true Church whether whole Armies or seditious Emissaries as has often happened since the Reformation And all the Churches shall know that I am he that searches the reins and hearts and will give unto every one of you according to his works That is it will be notoriously taken notice of in all Christendome how just my judgements are and that I deal not with Jezebel according to her fair pretenses and Titles who calls her self Holy Church and pretends all her cruelties and imposturous and Idolatrous Trumperies to be for my glory whenas they have run into all this degeneracy for their worldly Interest But mine eyes which are a flaming fire searching into the hearts and reins clearly see their abominable Hypocrisie and my feet like fine brasse that never goe out of the way of purity and justice will be sure to overtake them and doe due vengeance upon them I will reward every one according to his works 18. But unto you I say and unto the rest in Thyatira as many as have not this doctrine To you Pastours of my true Church in Thyatira and the rest which are your charge that hold not the Idolatrous doctrine or faith of the Thyatirian that is of the Roman Church And which have not known the depths of Satan as they speak that is which have not approved the deep mysteries as they speak of reason of State or of the Roman Religion such as murdering innocent men for the Interest of Holy Church Infallibility Transubstantiation and the like but I who search the heart and reins do apertly declare to be the depths of Satan they tending to nothing but to Luciferian Pride barbarous Persecutions and Murders and grosse imposture and Idolatry I will put upon you no other burden but that which ye have already hold fast untill I come I have already shew'd you my approbation of your wayes ver 19. and in that ye do not communicate with the Idolatrous Jezebel keep to where you are and stand out to the last let no Persecutions dismay you till I come in judgement against this Jezebel the same with the little Horn in Daniel which in the expiring of the time and times and half a time will certainly be judged 19. And he that overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end to him will I give power over the Nations That company of men those people that keep my works to the end to the last semi-time of the Seven they shall have power over the Pagan Christians they shall get them under and be no more domineered over by them And he shall rule them with a rod of Iron that is with sufficient power and strictnesse to keep them in subjection As the vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers The stone shall smite the Image on the feet and break them to pieces That shall be at the long-run Even as I received of my father I in you and you in me you in me by vertue of the Power of my Spirit shall thus reign and I in you according as it is written I shall give thee the Heathen for thine inheritance the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron thou shalt dash them in pieces as a Potters vessel But this is something further off 20. And I will give him the morning star In the mean time and which is next to succeed I will give them the morning star that is a considerable dawning towards that greater Day of the illustrious reign of Christ upon earth in his Saints by his Spirit The Phosphorus to the glorious Sun-rise of the happy Millennium properly so called This intervall will be the same with that of the Vials which are accompanied with such a smoake As here the Promise which is to be performed in the next Succession of the Church and there continued is not expressed with that vigour as elsewhere where Christ in reference to his Kingdome is said to be the bright morning star here onely the morning star without the ornament of that Epithet The Kingdome of Christ therefore under the first Thunder may be said to be the morning star but under the second the bright morning star And it is observable that whereas in that other place he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may also have the signification of more early then was expected which exquisitely answers to the evert it falling out toward the fore-part of the last semi-time But these things are onely by the by He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches There is nothing new remarkable in this Epiphonema but the placing of it here after the whole Epistle which is a sign that all the Epistle is a Parable and is not onely meant of the Church in Thyatira in the Literal sense but that the condition and affairs of some other Church the truely Catholick and Apostolick Church in the Intervall defined are here prefigured and described Prophetically And that therefore the Promises are to be performed on this stage of the Earth as of their own nature they appear to be such that have a Political sense Which therefore therewithall assures us that such a tenour of Interpretation belongs to the three following Epistles because the Epiphonema is the close of every one of them And therefore we shall steer the course of our Interpretation accordingly CHAP. VII The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church in Sardis 1. AND unto the Angel in the Church of Sardis write That Sardis was a City in Asia is manifest Ch. 1. And considered no otherwise then so does not at all illustrate the condition of this fifth Succession of the state of the Church But acknowledging here again a Paronomastical Allusion to Sarda the precious Stone as Grotius does or taking notice with Pliny that that Stone is so called for its first being found about
received from me my self or my Apostles stand fast to the infallible Word which will impartially instruct and excite you to all the due measures of Godlinesse And believe not the rotten and corrupt Glosses ofdeceitful men that would sew Pillows under mens Arm-holes and frame Opinions and Precepts to favour the Lusts of the flesh To dote upon men is a piece of Carnality but to dote on them for their carnal Opinions and fleshfavouring Documents is Sardian or Carnaline of a double Dye Repent therefore for the Kingdome of God is at hand and he that has the seven Spirits of God stands ready to assist and succour with his Divine Graces all that sincerely endeavour after Righteousnesse So that the fault lies at your own doors If therefore thou shalt not watch I will come on thee as a Thief and thou shalt not know what hour I come upon thee If thou wilt not return to true Sobriety and Sincerity of Manners I shall bring some signal mischief upon thee before thou beest aware I shall suddenly come in Judgment against thee when thou least dreamest thereof God of his infinite mercy avert the ill Omen and change our hearts that we may amend our lives and he may be reconciled to us 6. Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments Notwithstanding the Dispensation of the Sardian Church be so generally carnal in the very hew of that Carnaline-stone that looks so like mere flesh and bloud yet there are some few that have not defiled their garments with that colour but are as it were the Primitiae of the Dispensation of the Spirit whose inward Man is renewed day by day into the Image of my self and are made partakers of the Divine Nature and are the Children of Light And they shall walk with me in white These shall not onely enjoy glorious Converses with me and I communicate my spiritual Graces abundantly to them but they shall be very successfull and prosperous in their Affairs For to be cloathed in white signifies so in the Onirocriticks accordingly as you may see in Achmetes For they are worthy For I doe to every one according to his work 7. He that overcometh the same shall be clothed in white raiment He that overcometh all the Lusts of this terrestrial Body to him will I communicate the Celestial or Divine This is a more Theologicall sense But the Political is most proper the Epiphonema concluding the whole Epistle Wherefore to be clothed in white Raiment it being here the promise to him that overcomes signifies and that rather then in the fore-going Verse Successe and Prosperity in external affairs and exemption from Grief and Affliction as the Onirocriticks do expresly interpret it See Achmetes And I will not blot his name out of the book of Life The more proper and Politicall sense may be that when the Church by overcoming has emerged into the Philadelphian condition it shall never change at least as to the externall frame but keep up to the end and God will avowedly acknowledge it to be his even to the last even then when it is passed into the Laodicean state and the state of Persecution shall never overwhelm it any more So the Book of life may signifie here as the Crown of life before in the Epistle to the Church of Smyrna But I will confess his name before my Father and before his Angels That is to say I will acknowledge his nature to have become in a manner Divine and Angelical and therefore to be a meet Associate for their companies in my Heavenly Kingdome for ever This may be a Moral or Theologicall sense But the Politicall is chiefly aimed at as is intimated by the placing of the Epiphonema last of all The confessing therefore of the Names of these few in Sardis that are right as they should be and as many as make up to the measure of their Sanctity which therefore are the seed of the Philadelphian Church Christ his confessing of their Names before his Father and before his holy Angels is the mentioning of their Names as of a People more peculiarly his and extraordinarily dear unto him that by thus owning them in such an endearing manner before God and his holy Angels they may be in a more special manner recommended to the favour and Protection of God and to the faithfull and watchfull Ministry of his holy Angels which will be the efficient causes of their being cloathed in white and of their Name never being blotted out of the Book of Life that is to say of the Permanency of their outward Prosperity and security from Misery and Oppression that thus Innocency and outward Felicity may goe hand in hand in the blessed Millennium which is in a manner the same with the Philadelphian Intervall of the Church These few Names in Sardis will amount to this at last For Salvation is to spring out of Sardis not out of Babylon Nor is it any wonder that the Ministry of the holy Angels will be so extraordinarily exercised about a Church which will then have become so Angelicall as is more fully noted in the Divine Dialogues 8. These are the rousing Motives which Christ useth to excite the carnal Church of Sardis to more hearty endeavours after the Dispensation of the Spirit that they may bring on the beginning of those most happy Times the conduct of which Affair is represented by that illustrious Heros on his white Horse Chap. 19. where his Armies follow him on white Horses clothed in fine Linnen white and clean Which appertains to the last end of the Intervall of this Church of Sardis a great part of whom by this time it 's likely may have turned their Carnaline-colour into pure white and be ready to march with him there to that spiritual Warfare as some are said here to walk with him in white and that with marvellous success and prosperity as their white Cloathing does intimate He that hath an ear to hear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches Reformed Christendome especially she is so much concerned therein For she as I said at first is this Sardian Church the beginning of whose Intervall being adorned with more true Holinesse and sincerity of Zeal the better deserved the Title of the Rising of the Witnesses And though they be here much reproved for their Faults yet they are acknowledged to be one of the Seven Churches in Asia Chap. 1. 11. that is to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Fundamento and are the true and Apostolical Church still and justly witnesse against the Idolatries and grosse Antichristian practices of the Church of Rome such I mean as with them have become a Law and thereby are properly Antichristian This I thought fit to adde to stop the preposterous pronenesse of some toward the Roman Church from the Consideration that all things are not so perfect in the Reformed Churches as might be desired For though they be
not so well as they should be yet they must needs appear to any but an Humorist exceeding much better then in the Church of Rome And thus much of the Sardian Church CHAP. VIII An Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church in Philadelphia 1. AND to the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia write The meaning of Philadelphia is plain and is no Riddle The word signifies Brotherly love which rightly understood is the fulfilling of the Law So that I understand by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the same that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 universal Love for we are all brothers in Adam but especially the love of those of the houshold of Faith that is to say of Christian Believers In the Sardian Church the greatest noise and stir there is about Faith but her Works were not found perfect before God But the Inscription of this Church is Love which is the fulfilling of the Law as I hinted before And his banner over me was Love This is the Ensign of the Church of Philadelphia who elsewhere is said to be beautifull and terrible as an Army with Banners Who is she that looketh forth as the Morning fair as the Moon clear as the Sun and terrible as an Army with Banners Why who can it be but this Church of Philadelphia as famous for feats of Arms as for Love as we shall see in the process For the Intervall of this Church begins in the last Vial and reaches to the fourth Thunder These things saith he that is Holy And speaks to that Church that loves to hear those Instructions Be ye holy for I am holy and Be ye perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect He that is true He that will make good all his Promises and glorious Predictions touching his Church in this state thereof which is figured out by the Church of Philadelphia and writes to those that believe it and have a firm Faith in the Power and Spirit of Christ and of God He that hath the Key of David he that openeth and no man shutteth and shutteth and no man openeth What Eliakim was to Hezekias who was of the stock of David the same is Christ to God the Father whom S. John calls Love 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He is chief Minister of State under God and carries all as he pleases by the Authority committed to him of which a Key is the Symbol See Grotius upon the place There is nothing so hard and impervious but he can make way through it and open a door to Successe and again shut it against his Enemies 2. I know thy works And that so as to approve of them because they are the fruits of the Divine Love then which there is nothing to me more precious Thou actest not out of bitter zeal and strife or vain ostentation or any secular respect but merely out of love to me and my Righteousnesse and out of love to mankinde whose both present and future Happinesse thou dost sincerely endeavour to promote Behold I have set before thee an open door and no man can shut it Behold I have brought things about so by my Providence and will so effectually second what I have begun by my special assistence that maugre all the machinations of men and Devils thou shalt finde opportunities of most gloriously and successfully carrying on the Interest of my Kingdome This is performed in the last Vial in that great battel of God almighty when also the Beast and the false Prophet are said to be taken See the Divine Dialogues For thou hast a little strength Grotius himself interprets it a little Army and so indeed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will signifie appositely to the present scope and answerably to the Battel I named before The sense is Because though ye be but a few in comparison of the rest of my Church and Kingdome for the Sardian Church is his Kingdome and Church too out of which the Philadelphian Church is emerging and especially in respect of the Infidel and Antichristian party those under the Dragon and the Beast and the false Prophet yet ye have kept my Word and not denied my Name that is have both kept to what is holy and true in your hearts and professed it in your words and works therefore I will be with you in this glorious manner and make you so successfull in the promoting of the Interest of my Kingdome Of this Church therefore of Philadelphia are those Armies seen in Heaven Apoc 19. following Christ upon white Horses clothed in fine linnen white and clean which implies both the justnesse of their cause and the certainty of their successe As also those Boanergesses in the last Vial synchronal to that other Vision that thunder and lighten over the City divided into three parts whereby the Cities of the Nations fell and Babylon and her daughters were utterly overthrown 3. Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan which say they are Jews but do lie Jews as I noted before according to the style of the Apocalypse are Christians and the Jews which professe themselves such and are not but do lie are pseudo-Christians or the Antichristian party but are judged here to be of the Synagogue of Satan because of their abominable lies and bloudy murders For the Devil was a murderer from the beginning and he is also in the same place by our Saviour termed a Liar Besides the Luciferian Pride of that Church like Satans the Prince of the Devils Behold I will make them come and worship before thy feet Even those that before kissed the feet of the Pope that lofty Prelate This answers very patly to that passage in the fore-named Vision where the Beast and false Prophet are taken and put alive into a lake of fire that is to say the Bestian and Pseudoprophetical power as such is burnt and destroyed and abolished and the Philadelphian power then appears above all or rather the Lord alone will be exalted in that day for to this time especially belongs that saying Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord of Hosts For indeed the struggling of the Sardian Church hitherto against the City that is called Sodom and AEgypt though it has been in its kind laudable yet it has been in a manner Edom against Edom a part something more refined against that which is more impure I mean as to Life and Godlinesse and the weapons of their warfare have not been so spiritual as they ought they have not rid upon white Horses nor have been clothed in fine linnen white and clean they have not endeavoured to be that Church which is without spot wrinkle or any such thing but the Sardian tincture has too much distained them But as it is true in the natural sense that flesh and bloud cannot inherit the Kingdome of God so it is also in the political that those glorious times of the Kingdome of God
small reason for it that name being so particularly and pompously set out for a special name of his And though he has ever had a right unto it yet because the getting into possession of this right will be new and fresh in this Philadelphian Intervall after the battel of the Heros on the white Horse it is rightly termed a new Name and very fittingly writ upon these Philadelphians because they are so instrumental in his Atchievements These are the Boanergesses thundering over the great City divided into three parts and also those Horsemen on white Horses as I intimated before Christ therefore through these becomes King of Kings and Lord of Lords or rather he has made them the greatest Kingdome upon earth The mountain of the Lord's house is exalted upon the top of the mountains and all Nations flow unto it as it is to come to passe under the third Thunder Through which third and second Thunder and seventh Vial is drawn the Intervall of the Succession of the Church of Philadelphia as I have hinted above He that hath an ear to hear let him hear c. We need not here urge the intimation of this Political sense of things from the putting of the Epiphonema last the very nature of the expressions calling for it though we had no such guide But we may rather argue that the things themselves being of so manifest Political sense not moral or spiritual that it confirms our Rule touching the position of this Epiphonema But this by the bye We proceed to the Church of Laodicea CHAP. IX The Interpretation of the Epistle to the Church of Laodicea 1. AND to the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans write The Intervall of the Succession of the Church of Laodicea is the fourth and fifth Thunders that is from the loosing of Satan to the appearing of Christ coming to Judgement under the sixth Thunder In this Intervall the Scene of Philadelphia is past and Laodicea takes place which is acknowledged a true Church as to Worship and Doctrine but is represented as a lazy lethargical Church in which that former Philadelphian zeal is extinguished as to the generality of the Church though it 's likely this degeneracy comes on by degrees in this Intervall 2. Thus therefore it is foreseen in the series of Divine Providence that after that glorious estate of the Church which is synchronal to the second and third Thunder during which space and a little before the Scene of Philadelphia adorned the Stage had well purged the Christian World from all foolish opinions and superstitions and of that accursed custome of persecuting one another for them and that the truth of the Gospel had clearly shined in the simplicity thereof and so convictively against all the follies and impostures of the former Ages that the Church had no great hazard of being again cheated with them and that they had seen all Prophecies in a manner fulfilled before their eyes so that there could be no doubt to them but that the Philadelphian Church was the true Church nor be in any capacity of any change in faith or worship after this I say as all things are in some sort or other variable under the Sun so it seems this Philadelphian Church was at last to degenerate into this Laodicean state and that which was before the Reign of the Spirit and the living Righteousnesse of God would now become the Church of Laodicea which signifies a more popular or external Politicall righteousnesse or the righteousness of the people An external profession and performance of that Mode that was used by the Philadelphians in a living way and with the power of the Spirit the same will this Church of Laodicea hold on spiritlesly and lazily with little life or zeal and yet applaud themselves by reason of the abundance of knowledge she has because of the completion of the Prophecies and by reason of the purity of the external Worship she still retains as if all was still well with her and as if she wanted nothing 3. This in brief is the condition of this Church as it is significantly intimated in the very name For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies as much as the righteousnesse of the people And the people are any multitude of mankind gathered into a body politick as is manifest in that notation of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if it were from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and then again in Homer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And therefore the people being a body politick are ruled by such and such laws which if they observe it is not regarded quo animo or out of what Principle they observe them The new nature Regeneration and the Spirit are quite out of this rode And a National or Oecumenical Religion Doctrine or Worship as they are ab extrà are but as a political law and the Righteousnesse therein but a Laodicean Righteousnesse as has been abundantly inculcated already But besides this meaning of the name Laodicea which I doubt not but is particularly intended there may according to the multifarious Allusivenesse of the Propheticall style another notable meaning be also intimated and that very appropriate to this Church For the ratio nominis in Laodicea may be likewise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because in the Intervall of this Church God will in that most notorious and terrible manner come to judge the people Because the Closure of this Church brings in the last Judgement properly so called therefore this last Intervall of the Church is called Laodicea The judging of the people all the Nations of the world at the last Day And there is nothing more frequent in the Scripture then the giving of names from some notable externall Accident that respects the thing or person so named 4. These things saith the Amen the faithfull and true witnesse Paul in his second Epistle to the Corinthians says That all the promises of God in Christ are Yea and Amen that is to say they are so sure and certain that no man need doubt but they will be performed Wherefore this Attribute of Christ is seasonably brought in as respecting both the completion of the Promises already performed in bringing his Church to that admirable glorious condition in the Succession of Philadelphia as also the performance of that material Promise at the end of this Epistle touching eternal Life or a blessed Immortality in Christ's Heavenly Kingdome which these Laodiceans or degenerated Philadelphians like our modern Familists that pretend to the Philadelphian Dispensation may some of them it 's likely be prone to distrust But Christ is here also called the faithfull and true witnesse because he does so impartially witnesse concerning the truth of the condition of the Laodiceans and so faithfully discover to them the danger thereof And the declaration seeming so paradoxicall to them it was the more requisite to inculcate into them his own truth and faithfulnesse that he might gain
Churches that are writ unto What a plain and manifest account is there to him that compares the Epistles in their Propheticall sense with the Intervalls of the Church Catholick lying in that order that these Churches are ranged This is a satisfactory reason and worthy the Spirit that wrote these Epistles But whether they are ranged in this order because that a Letter-carrier going from Patmos his first journey will be to Ephesus and then to Smyrna and so in order till he come to Laodicea whether the holy Spirit of Prophecy regarded that in the dictating of his Letters though Alcazar the Jesuite be for it I cannot but suspend my judgement and that not without a smile But of this Ataxie more particularly anon 3. Fourthly If it be demanded why just Seven Churches in Asia are writ to neither more nor lesse especially that in Thyatira according to the acknowledgement of Epiphanius being then not founded but after the writing of these Epistles it is hard to give a satisfactory answer in the Literal sense For to say this Book of the Apocalypse affects the number Seven and that because it runs upon the number Seven altogether in the insuing part of the book which is Propheticall it therefore for Conformity sake chuses this number in writing to the Churches though literally understood seems but a meagre mean and trifling account a design unworthy the Holy Spirit that dictated this Book But the using this number Seven all over is rather an intimation that the Book is Propheticall all over and that these Epistles are also a Prophecy accordingly as we have explained them And taking them so the Answer is plain and obvious viz. The number Seven is here chosen out as Symbolicall it being the note of Universality whence the Pythagoreans as I above noted call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore Seven and no more then Seven Churches are writ unto as standing for the seven Intervalls of the Church from the beginning to the end of all Fifthly If it be demanded why these seven Churches rather then any others which in all likelihood may have the same Vertues and Vices that these are commended and taxed for The reason of this is writ in the very Notation of their Names every Name being significative of the Condition of the Church Catholick in that successive Intervall of time that this or that Church so named standeth for and in such order as they are repeated Sixthly If one require a Reason why Christ is described by holding the seven Stars in his right hand in the Epistles to the Churches of Ephesus and of Sardis why the same description in both or why in either In the Literal sense it will be hard to finde any peculiar Reason but in the Propheticall sense already declared it is obvious For the seven Stars signifie all the Pastours whether in present existence or succession And Ephesus is the beginning-state of the Church and therefore it is both very seasonable and methodicall to represent the first Founder Sustainer and Continuer thereof by this Emblem Lo I am with you to the end of the world And that this again is hinted at in the Epistle to the Church of Sardis is with evident Proportion and Analogy to the Affairs of the Church there represented For the Church of Sardis is as it were the beginning again or the emerging of the true Church or Kingdome of Christ out of the Power and Kingdome of Antichrist 4. Seventhly Why the Church of Ephesus of all other Churches should be commended for their trying false Apostles Why might not other Churches be attaqued by them and also discover them as well as the Church of Ephesus The Solution of which Probleme is easie in this Mysticall sense of the Epistles that places the Ephesine Intervall within the Apostles times but the rest on this side of them Eighthly If any one demand why it is said to the Church of Smyrna more then to any other Church Be thou faithfull unto death and I will give thee the Crown of life and again He that overcometh shall not be hurt by the second death In the Literal sense it will be very hard to finde any peculiar Reason why this might not as well be said to the Church in Pergamus where there was killing for Religion it seems by the mention of the Martyr Antipas I but there was no obtaining the Crown of life there in any peculiar sense but the Crown of life that is the Imperial Crown was given to the Sufferings of the Primitive Martyrs under the Ten Persecutions to whom also according to the opinion of the ancient Church the Promise of the first Resurrection belonged Which is here obliquely glanced at according to the mode of the Apocalyptick style that loves to hint things by Ellipses in that Promise He that overcometh shall not be hurt by the second death implying thereby that he shall be made partaker of the first Resurrection Ninthly If any one will again object more particularly against the Ataxie of the Churches that they are ranged neither according to the merit nor congeneracy of their Conditions pretending that it had been far better to have joyned the two irreprehensible Churches together Smyrna and Philadelphia against whom there is no complaint at all and then Ephesus Sardis and Laodicea against whom there is no complaint of eating things offered unto Idols and afterwards Pergamus and Thyatira in which Churches alone there is If any one I say contend that this method had been more exact truly in the Literal sense it will be hard to frame an handsome and satisfactory answer especially if he urge that God is the Authour of Method as well as the God of Order But in this Mysticall or Propheticall sense the Answer is solid and exquisite and much-what the same that was given to the like Difficulty more generally propounded before namely That the Churches of Asia are named in that order the successive Intervalls of the Church Catholick were to proceed in of which these Asiatick Churches are but the Symbols or Hieroglyphicks And therefore those two Intervalls of time which take in the Reign of the Beast and the False prophet viz. the Intervalls of the Church of Pergamus and of Thyatira must come after Ephesus and Smyrna because till the expiration of those two Intervalls Idolatry had not again re-entred the Apostatizing Church And the three following Intervalls of Sardis Philadelphia and Laodicea are the Intervalls of the true Church elapsed out of the hands of domineering Idolatry and therefore we hear no more in them of things sacrificed unto Idols nor of any Jezabel And Philadelphia which is the most holy and the most glorious Intervall of the Church that is to appear on the face of the earth is not to be named according to her Dignity but according to her Succession in time toward the latter end of the world as she is here ranged But of this more then enough because we had
touched of it in the general before 5. Tenthly Why is Christ in his Description before the Epistle to the Church in Pergamus set out by a two-edged sword coming suppose out of his mouth according to the Ellipticalnesse of the Apocalyptick style what reason in the letter can be given of that for especially if this Supplement be made it cannot respect the slaying of Antipas with the sword What peculiar thing then in this Church of Pergamus is there to require this Description Truly nothing at all appears in the Letter But in the Propheticall sense it is very proper The Waldenses and Albigenses in this Intervall assaulting the Church of Rome or at least defending themselves and their pure Faith so signally by this weapon I mean by the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God though themselves died so many thousands of them in the field by the sword for the Faith they thus defended And in the eleventh place The Description of Christ before the Epistle to the Church in Thyatira And his feet like fine brasse as if they burned in a furnace for that Supplement is to be understood out of his Description in the first Chapter as before But now what peculiar significancy has this Description or what congruity to any thing in the Church of Thyatira Literally understood surely none But in the Propheticall sense it is very expressive of those lower members of Christ's body his Church here on earth of their invincible Zeal and Patience and Sincerity of Affection such as did abide the most fiery Trialls that could be put upon them and made them stand at the Stake amongst burning Faggots with the flames about their ears and never flinch for it As has been noted in the interpretation of that Epistle This was the state of that Intervall of the Church Twelfthly In a Book that is so full of AEnigmaticall Involutions and Coverings upon Coverings where he calls the Churches Golden Candle-sticks and the Bishops or Pastours Stars and Angels even then when he interprets and offers to be more plain that the same Authour should so openly and plainly mention any one by name as he does the Martyr Antipas if there were not some farther Mysterie in it would be a great difficulty and hardly to be digested by the more sagacious and curious I must confesse I have often wondred at this naming Antipas by name till I understood a farther sense thereof such as we have rendred in the exposition of that Epistle 6. In the thirteenth place One might well demand why Christ expresses a greater disgust against the Church of Laodicea then that of Sardis For though the former is said to be luke-warm yet the other making a great show of life is notwithstanding declared to be dead That Christ should be more enraged against Luke warmnesse then Hypocrisy and threaten it more deeply then the other I will spew thee out of my mouth which is quite to cast a thing away never to be resumed again must seem marvellous to the considerate Certainly if there were not some greater matter in it the Spirit of Christ would not speak so severely onely to follow a Metaphor But in the Propheticall sense the Solution is easie that passage being predictive of the Extermination of the Church from the face of the earth at the close of the world as I have expounded it In the fourteenth place It may be demanded why so affectedly and repeatedly in every Epistle that phrase is used I know thy works without any variation or omission Which seems a thing but of small importance in the Literal sense of these Epistles but in the Propheticall it seems on purpose so repeated to intimate an Allusion in Asia to the Hebrew word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was intended on purpose to answer to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Asia may also be significant as well as the names of the Seven Churches which they all being it is a shrewd presumption this repetition was for some such design as has been declared Whereas the Literal sense can give no account thereof Fifteenthly Alcazar himself is much stumbled that the Spirit of God should be thought to take notice of any one particular Woman in the Church of Thyatira and so call her by the name of Jezabel as is ordinarily supposed And indeed these things are too little for the majesty of this writing of the Apocalypse But how can we help it in the Literal sense if we will interpret with constancy and coherency But in the Propheticall sense there is no such incongruity The Object is worth the Spirit 's taking notice of in this kinde this Jezabel being that painted Woman of Rome intoxicating the Kings of the earth with the Cup of her spiritual Fornications as has been shewn upon the Text. 7. Sixteenthly It seems very strange that that Promise of ruling over the Nations and receiving the Morning-star which doubtlesse are Politicall Promises should be made to the Church in Thyatira more then to that in Pergamus or Ephesus and others What Victories or Dominion did the Church in Thyatira in Asia get over the Nations more then other Churches This is an hard knot in the Literal sense But in the Propheticall it is loosned at the first sight For the Closure of the Intervall of the Church of Thyatira brings in the time wherein whole Nations revolted from the Pope and his idolatrous Church and professed the Reformed Religion and so in these parts got the Pontifician party under them Seventeenthly In the Epistle to the Church in Philadelphia there is mention made of a mighty Temptation that is to come upon all the world to try them that dwell upon the earth touching which he saith Behold I come quickly Why should this be said to the Church of Philadelphia more then to any other of the Churches here specified There are not the least footsteps of reason to be found in the Literal sense But in the Propheticall sense the thing is plain For the Intervall of Philadelphia beginning in the last Vial wherein that mighty and terrible Earthquake is to happen the great Temptation what it is is plainly thence understood and how in respect of this Philadelphian Church it will come quickly she commencing but in the very same Vial that this is to happen under Eighteenthly Why upon this Philadelphia a private Asiatick Church should the name of the City of God the new Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from God the very same that is expressed Apoc. 21. be said to be written This title were too big and turgent for any private Church were it not a Type or Symbol of some greater matter But by the Propheticall interpretation this difficulty is quite removed For the Intervall of the Philadelphian Church is co-incident with the times of the new Jerusalem mentioned at the end of the Apocalypse and of the Millenniall Empire of Christ upon earth 8.
any other when-ever such a kind of Worship is used it must be used to him and to none else Nor can his dereliction of any such Mode of being worshipped warrant the use of it to any Creature afterwards because no Creature can be God in those circumstances as he thought fit to institute such a Worship for himself in For no Creature can be God at all and therefore never capable of any of those Modes of Divine Worship which God ever at any time instituted for himself Besides if this dereliction and disuse of any Mode of Worship might make it competible to a Creature then might we sacrifice Beeves and Sheep besides other Services of the Temple to any Saint or Daemon 5. The tenth An omnipercipient Omnipresence which does hear and see what-ever is said or transacted in the World whether considered in the whole or as distributed into terrestriall celestiall and supercelestiall not onely all these Omnipercipiencies but any one of them is a certain Excellency in God and for ought we know incommunicated to any Creature The eleventh That this Omnipresence or Omnipercipience terrestriall is one main ground of that religious Worship due to God which we call Invocation This is plain that upon this very ground that God hears and sees though himself be invisible what-ever is said or done upon earth he has the honour of being invoked any-where or every-where and of having Temples built to him because he that is omnipresent cannot be absent from his Temple but is alway there to be invoked The twelfth That if Omnipresence or Omnipercipience at least terrestriall if not celestiall be not communicated to Saints and Angels by God the Invocation of either is palpable Idolatry This is manifest from the eighth Conclusion For Invocation implies an incommunicated Excellency in the Saints or Angels and so communicates that Right to them that appertains onely to God and is that Injury against God that is called Idolatry So that it is a vain Evasion that pretends that we honour God the more in making him so good to the Saints and Angels as to bestow this Excellency on them whenas yet his Wisedome has not thought fit so to doe For we are so far from honoring him hereby that we injure him in giving his Right to another and we dishonour him in presuming he had done wiselier or better in doing what he has not done Whenas indeed if he were so lavish in imparting his proper Excellencies to Creatures as some would make us believe he is to palliate their own Idolatries it were the next way to make men forget all Applications to God and to cast him out of their memory and take up with the more particular Patronages of Saints and Angels 6. The thirteenth That our thinking such a Saint or Angel can hear us where-ever we invoke him is no excuse for our Invocation of him nor saves us from Idolatry since all Idolatry committed in good earnest implies some Mistake as has been noted in the fourth Conclusion The fourteenth That all the Modes or ways of the Communication of this Omnipercipiency to Saints or Angels are either very incredible if not impossible or extremely ridiculous as to any excuse for their Invocation For the usual Residence of Saints and Angels being in sede Beatorum as the Roman Church holds and that place on the Coelum Empyreum above all the Stars That the Angels and Saints should upon the account of the Exaltednesse of their natures see and hear from thence what is done or said from one side of the Earth to the other is extremely incredible if not impossible yea sufficiently incredible or rather impossible though they had their abode on this side of the Moon And that they should see all things and transactions hear all Prayers and Orations in Speculo Divinitatis is alike incredible a thing which the Humanity of Christ himself though hypostatically united to the Divinity did not pretend to But that God should either in this Speculum or any otherwise advertise them that such a one prays to them that they would pray to him for that party is it not at first sight above all measure ridiculous And alike ridiculous it is to pray to Saint or Angel as if they were present and heard our Prayers when indeed they are absent and cannot tell that we did pray unlesse by some Intelligencers This Devotion is an improper and unnatural act and shews that we doe that to an invisible Creature which is onely proper to be done to the invisible God and that therefore it is Idolatry as giving that right of Worship to others which is onely congruous to him 7. The fifteenth That though there were communicated by God to Saints and Angels at least a terrestriall Omnipercipiency yet if he have not communicated the knowledge thereof to us as most certainly he has not the Invocation of them is notwithstanding a very presumptuous invasion of the indubitable Rights of God and the intrenching upon his Prerogatives and therefore as to the internall Act no lesse then the Sin of Idolatry The Reasons of this Conclusion are First That God concealing from us the knowledge of the communication of this Excellency does naturally thereby intimate that he would not have them invoked but reserves the Honour of our Invocation of an invisible Power unto himself onely Secondly That whatsoever is not of saith is sin and therefore the ground of Invocation of Saints or Angels being at least dubitable their Invocation is sin and it being about the Rights of God in his Worship what can it be better esteemed then Idolatry Thirdly This Principle of feigning or groundlesly coneeiting without any Revelation from God that any Creatures are capable of such Honours as are God's indubitable Right and Prerogative is the Forge and Shop the Palliation and Pretense for infinite sorts and odly-excogitated varieties of Idolatrous Objects and therefore so presumptuous and so abominable a Principle which is the Mother and Nurse of such infinite ways of Idolatry and Injustice against God even according to humane Reason ought to be declared against as Idolatrous and consequently all the practices thereupon are also to be declared Idolatry because they spring from a Principle taken up which is such a fundamental piece of Idolatry and Injustice against God and exposes him to all manner of Idolatrous Injuries Fourthly To dare to doe an act we know not whether it may be Idolatry or no and this needlesly our Conscience not at all compelling us thereto this is to dare to commit Idolatry and the daring to commit Idolatry and so to doe defiance to the Majesty of God what is it less then to be an Idolater For according to his inward man and the main Morality of the action he is so As he is morally a Murtherer that doubting or not knowing but that it is his own Friend by luck killed his intended Enemy For the sense is that rather then not be revenged of his Enemy he