14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there commit fornication. be them that hold the doc which thing I hate. They are ordered to repent. 441 SECT. iv. Rev. the enormities which are continually practising there. Nevertheless, I have a few things to alledge against thee, that thou hast there them them that hold the doc who remain uncensured in your societies, who II.14. trine of Balaam, who hold what is, in effect, the detestable doctrine of taught Balak to cast a that infamous Balaam,who taught Balak, king of stumbling-block the children of Is- Moab, to cast a stumbling-block before the chilrael, to eat things sacri- dren of Israel, by which they fell into sin and ficed to idols, and to ruin; encouraging and seducing them to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit fornica15 So hast thou also tion. These practices are tolerated by some 15 trine of the Nicolaitans, among you; whom therefore it becomes you to search out, and to treat with due severity; for thou in like manner hast those that hold the doctrine of the accursed Balaamities, or wicked 16 Repent: or else Nicolaitans, which I hate. Repent therefore of 16 I will come unto thee these irregularities: or otherwise thou mayest quickly, and will fight against them with the depend upon it, that I will come unto thee quickly in a way of chastisement, and I will fight against them with the sharp sword [that cometh out] of my mouth; I will pronounce terrible calamities against you, and execute upon you what I have threatened in my word. He that hath an ear at all, capable of hearing, let him hear with the greatest attention, what the Spirit saith to the churches: To the conqueror, I will give the privilege of being, as it were, admitted him into the most holy place; and there he shall have liberty to eat of the hidden manna; and shall be entertained with those sacred pleasures, which sword of my mouth. 17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh I will give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give g Balaamites, or Nicolaitans.] As Balaam has the same signification in Hebrew which Nicolaus has in Greek, and both signify conquerors of the people, (which name might probably be given to the celebrated Balaam, on account of the great influence which he had in the place where he lived,) it seems not improbable, that the doctrine of Balaam, and of the Nicolaitans, might be the same; (or the latter might be more strenuous in justifying and propagating their doctrine, and acting upon it.) As if he had said, Balaam taught Balak to lay a stumbling-block before the children of Israel; and thou hast also them that hold the doctrine of the Balaamiles. Probably this doctrine might be like that of some modern seducers, that it was lawful to dissemble the Christian faith, and to conform to established superstition, to prevent persecution; a fatal error, which tends most effectually to overthrow Christianity; the existence of which, in these later ages, is owing to hA 17 442 Rev. Reflections on the epistles to Smyrna and Pergamos; name written, which SECT. which God's sanctuary above affords, and of him a white stone, and iv. which the manna that fell in the wilderness, in the stone a new and was laid up in a golden vessel before the no man knoweth, savII. 17. Lord, was only an imperfect type. And I will ing he that receiveth give him a white stone, in token of full absolu- it. tion from all his crimes; and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, except he who receiveth it; I will admit him to that intimacy of sacred friendship, from whence results a joy which the stranger intermeddles not with, and which can be only conceived by those who happily experience it. Ver. IMPROVEMENT. AGAIN let us direct our eyes to that glorious Person, who is 8 the First and the Last; and who, though it may appear incompatible with that Divine title, was once dead, and is alive again; 12 and since he is here awfully represented as with a sharp sword going out of his mouth, let us be greatly concerned, that we do not incur his displeasure by our irregular conduct, lest he smite, 9 or even destroy us. Let us observe and imitate what he commends in the churches whom he here addresses; their humility in being sensible of their poverty, when enriched by his grace; their pa13 tience, their diligence, and the resolution with which they retained the honour of his name, notwithstanding the throne of Satan was in the midst of them, and the rage of persecution had destroyed Antipas before their eyes; that blessed, that triumphant hero, whose fidelity hA white stone.] It is well known, that among the Greeks, a white stone was a token of absolution, as a black stone was of condemnation; but the writing a new name upon this stone is not, that I know of, illustrated by any ancient practice. And the connection between the two ideas seems to be this, That in the great day, on which the absolution of Christ's people was to be declared publicly, they were to be admitted into that intimate converse, and high state of favour, which is signified by the new name; which last circumstance plainly alludes to the custom of princes, who give new names to those whom they have raised to very extraordinary dignity; of which we have many instances in the Old Testament; particularly, Gen. xli. 45; 2 Sam. xii. 25: Dan. i. 7. Dr. Goodman thinks this an allusion to the token, or ticket, given to the conqueror in the Olym pic games, expressing his name, and signify ing the reward he was to receive for his atchievements. See his Par. of the Prod. p. 307. i No man knoweth, except he who receiveth it.] I have sometimes thought, haubaver, may signify, one that has received it, as it seems a name given to any person, must be known to others, or it would be given in vain; and then it intimates, that honour shall be conferred on such an one, which shall only be known to the inhabitants of that world to which he shall be admitted, and who have already received it. Otherwise, it must refer to a custom which has sometimes prevailed among princes, of giving particular names, expressing familiarity and delight, to distinguished favourites, by which to call them in the greatest familiarity of converse, whether by discourse, or by letter, and which have not been communicated to others, or used by them at other times. I have hinted at both in the paraphrase, not being able in my own mind certainly to determine, which is the peculiar and more exact sense. Christ's epistle to the church in Thyatira. ap 443 SECT. iv. fidelity and constancy his Divine Saviour commemorates with probation, and even with satisfaction and pleasure. Who would not be ambitious of dying in the same manner, were it ever so severe and terrible, to be thus honoured and celebrated by our Lord Jesus Christ, or any of his faithful apostles? Let us not be terrified at the apprehension of what we may suffer from the malice of Satan, and Ver. by his instruments, even though not merely imprisonment, but death 10 itself were to await us. It is only for a limited time that he can occasion tribulation to any of the people of God; and our blessed Lord will never be unmindful of that gracious promise, Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. O! let us by faith survey that innumerable company, who, though they have fallen by the stroke of the first death, have been, and shall for ever be, unhurt by the second: that blessed society who are encircled with immortal crowns, which their triumphant Leader, whom they 11 followed with such undaunted fortitude, hath bestowed upon them; who, though they partake no longer of the bread that perisheth, nor are feasted with earthly viands, are yet eating of the hidden manna; who have received the white stone, in token of their absolution; and while the names and memory of many of them have sunk into oblivion, and the honours attending others are of little consequence, they are known in the heavenly regions by a new name, conferred as a mark of favour and distinction by the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords. We are drawing on, if we are true Christians, to the completion of that blessed hope. And that we may not be disappointed, may we by Divine grace, be preserved from the artifices of those who call themselves the people of God, while they are 19 indeed of the synagogue of Satan, and from whatever, like the doctrine of Balaam, would ensnare our consciences, and defile our souls. 14, 25 SECT. V. The epistles, which Christ charges St. John to write to the churches of Thyatira and Sardis. Rev. II. 18, to the end. Rev. III. 1-6. REV. II. 18. of the church in eyes like unto a flame REVELATIONS II. 18. AND SECT. V. Rev. AND unto the angel ND to the angel, or Christian minister, of Thyatira, write, These the church in Thyatira, write, These things' things saith the Son of saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes bright, II. 18. God, who bath his and penetrating, as a flame of fire, and his feet of fire, and his feet are shining like fine brass: I know and approve 19 like fine brass; thy works of piety, which are many, and which, and charity, and ser- I am well apprised, are the effects of ardent vice, love to me; and I am acquainted with the serVOL. X. 19 I know thy works 3 K vice 444 V. He had a few things against them. works; and the last to 20 Notwithstanding, I have a few things against thec, because ficed unto idols. SECT. vice thou art performing for my cause and in- vice, and faith, and terest, and with thy faith and thy patience; and thy patience, and thy Rev. that, with respect to thy works, the last [are] be more than the first. II. 19. more, greater, and better, than the first. Very far art thou from that declining state of religion, of which I have had reason elsewhere to 20 complain. Nevertheless, I have a few things against thee; and particularly, that thou permittest that woman Jezabel, ( (for she deserves no thou sufferest that wo better name, than of that infamous and idola- man Jezabel, which trous harlot,) who audaciously and falsely says, phetess, to teach and calleth herself a prothat she is a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my to seduce my servants servants, in order to avoid persecution, to com- to commit fornication, mit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to and to eat things sacri21 idols. And she is the more inexcusable, as 21 And I gave her I have given her sufficient time to repent of her space to repent of her fornication, and she repented not; but continued fornication, and she reher enormities with increasing aggravation. pented not. 22 But behold, at length I will execute judgment 22 Behold, I will upon her. And let the process of my righteous cast her into a bed, and vengeance be observed: I am just preparing to adultery with her into cast her into a bed; and will bring those who great tribulation, excommit fornication with her, who suffer their cept they repent of consciences to be debauched by such licentious and detestable principles, into great tribulation, unless they speedily repent of their wicked works. 23 And I will slay her children, those that presume to follow her in her wickedness, with sudden her and inevitable death; and all the churches shall death; and all the know, that though I am very long-suffering that I am he which with respect to many sinners, and am unwilling searcheth the reins and immediately to come to extremities; yet I am not to be mocked and trifled with; that my eyes are indeed as observant as they are bright and piercing, and that I am he who searcheth a That woman Jezabel.] When the description of the followers of Jezabel, in this verse, is compared with what was before said of the Nicolaitans, (verse 14, 15,) the resemblance appears so great, that I am induced to believe it is the same heresy which is represented under both these views; namely, the doctrine of those who taught it was lawful to dissemble our religious principles, and occasionally to conform to superstition and idolatry, in order to avoid persecution. And as Jezabel was so infamous an idolatress, and so great a mistress of seducing arts, there was an evident propriety in such a representation, 1 Kings xvi. 31; xxi. 25. Some have fancied this was some female heretic. Dr. the them that commit their deeds. 23 And I will kill children with churches shall know hearts; Scott thinks it to have been Helena, the harlot of Simon Magus, the great ringleader of the unclean sect of the Gnostics. (See Scott's Christian Life, Vol. I p. 231.) Whether these words refer to any woman, who was in the plot, or only mean to describe a person of such seducing and dishonest practices, I cannot determine, though I rather incline to the latter. Compare verse 15, nole g. b Commit fornication, and eat things sacrificed to idols.] Perhaps both of these might be the same; as it is well known idolatry is in many places in the Old Tes tament, and in several passages in this book, represented as adultery and fornication. works. to The faithful are ordered to be stedfast, till he come. 445 SECT. Rev. hearts; and I will give the reins and the hearts; and I will at length unto every one of you according your approve the justice of my proceedings with respect to this society, as well as all others, and will give to every one of you according to your 11. 23. works, and according to those principles from 24 But unto you I which I know they have proceeded, But I 24 in Thyatira, As many say to you who are faithful, even to the rest of as have not this doc- those that are in Thyatira, as many as do not trine, and which have hold this pernicious doctrine, and who have not not known the depths known the depths of Satan, as they proverbially I will put upon you speak, nor make themselves the instruments of say, and unto the rest of Satan, as they speak, none other burden. 25 But that which fast till I come. accomplishing the designs of this infernal policy. I will lay upon you no other burden, will not severely reprove you for that mixture of human infirmity, which is to be discerned every where. Nevertheless, what you have received, as of Diye have already, hold vine revelation and command, hold fast till I 25 come, and let nothing prevail upon you to make a sacrifice of your regard for me and my cause, for neither my ability, nor inclination, to reward those who are faithful, will ever be dimi26 And he that over- nished. And as for him that conquers, and 26 cometh, and keepeth keeps my works unto the end, notwithstanding the vigorous efforts of the enemies of my gospower over the nations: pel, to wrest it from him, or induce him to deny it, though he should be ever so much exposed and overborne now, I will, at length, give him complete power and victory over all the nations 27 (And he shall that have combined against my people. And 27 rule them with a rod I will raise him to the dignity and glory of sharof a potter shall they ing with me in my final triumph; and he shall be broken to shivers: rule them with a rod of iron, and they shall be at once dashed in pieces with it, like a potter's vessels in like manner, as I have also received my works unto the end, to him will I give of iron as the vessels even el am he who searcheth-the hearts.] This manner of speaking is much more remarkable, than if it had only been said, that I search the heart: which remark answers the train of Mr. Emlyn's reasoning against the argument brought from this text, to prove Christ's proper Deity. the like a potter's vessels, &c cannot, I think, d No other burden.] Lord Barrington imagines this refers to the gospel-decree addressed to Gentile proselytes, now abolished with the Jewish polity. As if it had been said, Though things strangled, and blood, were formerly forbidden, as well as idolatry and fornication, yet I will not subject you to this injunction. Bar. Ess. iv. P. 20. e Power over the nations.] This power over the nations, of breaking them to pieces |