I5. 7 eat things ſacrificed to idols f. | Atts15-20% þ See the Notes upon ver. 4. 14. c The Doftrine of the Nicolai- 7 Cor. 10. tans mentioned wer. 6. 14. is fo plainly expreſſed in the latter part 13, 20 ofthe Verſe, viz. maintaining the lawfulneſs of eating things offer- ed to Idols, and of Fornication; that whoſoever this Woman was, It is plain ſhe was one of that filthy Se : It isalſo plain, that ſhe is called Fezebel, with alluſion to that wicked Woman of that Namie, who was the Wife of Ahab, of whom- we read, 1 Kings 16. 31. She was an Inſtrument to bring Ahab_ her Husband to ſerve and worſhip Baal. It is alſo plain, that ſhe was one d that pretended to Divine Revelations ; ſhe called her ſelf a Propheteſs, e and that taught in publick, which no Woman but Propheteſſes might do, I Cor. 14. 34. 1 Tim. 2. 11, 12. e And that ſhe taught a commu- nity of Women, and f the lawfulneſs as of Fornication, ſo of eat- ing things offered t> Idols, dire&tly contrary to the Apdtle's Do- Qtrine, 1 Cor.9.10. But what ſhe was cannot be determined : For tho' we allow this Church to be Typical of the Church in the times of Popery, and the Popiſh Synagogue, (which maintaineth both theſe things) to be the Antitype ; yet certainly, there was ſome famous He- retical Strumpet in this Church, which the Governours did not re- ſtrain and caſt out of their Communion, which is the thing Chriſt had againſt this C!1urch, and the Officers in it who ought to have re- ſtrained her extravagancies both in teaching ſuch Dofrines (being contrary to the Apoſtle's DoGrine in the places before-mentioned,) and from teaching at all,being no Propheteſs tho' ſhe pretended to it, 21 And I gave her ſpace to repent of her fornica- tion g, and ſhe repented not þ. £ I was not quick with her, but gave her a time of Patience, and did not cut her off at firſt; þ But ſhe was incorrigible,' and went on 1n her ſinful courſes. 5 | 22 Behold, I will caſt her into a bed z, and them that commit adultery with her into great tribulation k, except they repent of their deeds /. i Another kind of Bed than ſhe hath ſinned in arid by, not a Bed of Eaſe and Pleaſure, but of Pain and Torment, & Nor ſhall the
* 2 Kings
Seduced eſcape, they ſhall be alſo caſt into great Tribulation, Pain,
and Torments of Conſcience, or Afffif@tions more corporal, either from the more immediate hand of God, or the hands of Men. / This is to be ſuppoſed to all God's Threatnings of Judgments, the execu- tion of them ordinarily may be prevented by Repentance, and fuch is the Patience of God, that he -gives the vileſt Sinners ſpace to Repent. < Los ; > 23. And I will kill her children »: with death z :
and all the churches ſhall know that * Iam he which * x Sam. ſp2rcheth the reins and hearts, and I + will give unto
TO. 7. \ . k every one of you according to your works 0. = m_ m Thoſe who _ ſeduced by <4 n I will deſtroy them; unleſs 29, 17. ſome ſpecial Death, ſach as the Plague, be here threatned. 0 So + Rom. 2. ſhall all the Churches near Thyatira know, that I am a God who 6.8 14-12, do not only take notice of overt, ſcandalous a&ts, but of the ſecret 2 Cor. 5. thoughts, motions, counſels, and deſigns of Mens hearts, -Pſal. 7. Io, - 10. Fer. 11, 20, and 17. 10. and that I am a Juſt God, who will Gal. 6. $5, fecal with all according to their works. ; Chap. 20. 24 But unto you p I ſay, and unto the reſt in Thya- I2. tira, As many as have not this doQrine 9g, and which have not known the depths of Satan (as they ſpeak 7)
I will put upon you none other burden £.
p You that are the Miniſters,for they are diſtinguiſhed from zhe reſt in Thyatira. The word again is Plural, which lets us know theſe Epiſtles were diredted to no ſingle Perſons. q The reſt of the Mem- bers of the Church in Thyatira who have not embraced this Do@rine of the Nicolaitans publiſhed by Fezebel, &c. r Thoſe Seducers call their Dofrine Deep things, great Myſteries revealed to them ; as there are the deep things of God, 1 Cor. 2. 10, So theſe Seducers would pretend their Dotrines alſo were deep things. Chriſt calls them the Devils Myſteries, deep things of Satan. s I will lay no other Burden of Trials and Afffivtions.
25 But* that which you have /ready /\ hold faſt
till I come 7.
{ Then you already groan under. Or no other Precepts than what. you have had from the Apoſtles; The Precepts of God are called Burdens, Matth. 11. 29. As 15. 28. t Hold faſt your Pro- feſſion, your Faith and Holineſs till I come to Judgmeut.
: 26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works to the end #, * to him will I give power over
* Luke 22, the parions wo.
_ u Sce the Notes on ver. 11, 17. Overcoming is here expounded
G bm by keeping Chriſt's Works; that is, either the Works by him com- manded, or walking as he walked, and perſevering therein to the end of his or their Lives. w Either to judge thoſe who live Hea- thenifh Lives; or to convert Nations to the Faith ; or which 1s moſt proballe, Matt. 19.28. he ſhall fit with me upon a Throne 1n the day of Judgment, and Fudge the Worid, 1 Cor. 6. 2.
Vol. IJ.
*Ch. 3.11.
REVELATION
Chap. IJ. 27 And he ſhall rule them with a rod of -iron & : as the veſſels of a potter ſhall they he broken to ſhi- VeIsS y, even as I received of my Father z. | x AN Tron Rod, either ſignifies a right Rod, that will not be eafily
bent, and made crooked, or a ſevere Rod (which is moſt probably the ſenfe.) Sce Pſal. 2. 9. Chap. 12. 5. The words by the P/almft are applied to Chriſt, and to the Church, Rev. 12.5. To particu- lar Saints here, who rule the Nations either. in Chriſt their Head, of with Chriſt as their Chieftain, with the Word of God powerfully convincing the World of Sin and Righteouſneſs. y And all Pagan- 1/m and Heathen Idolatries, ſhall be broken in pieces. Orin the day of Judgment the Saints that perſevere ſhall fit with Chriſt, and judge and condemn the World ſeverely, and then they ſhall be broken 1n pieces, never again to be ſodered or cemented. z For ſuch a Power = Authority my Father hath given me, and I will give it to all
em:
28 And 1 will give him the morning Star 4.