REV. II.

1. Unto the Angel (Rulers, and Inspectors, together with the other Faithful) of the Church of Ephe­sus, (i. e. of Rome, till An. 65.) write, These things saith He, that holdeth the Seven Stars (the Mini­sters; and, with them, his Other Faithful,) in his Right Hand, Sup­porting them with the Credit of Miracles; who, by his Ministers, Peter, and Paul, walketh (in an Unsettled Condition) in the midst of the Seven Golden Candlesticks, the Churches.

2. I know thy Works (at any Di­stance of Time, or Place) [...] even thy Labour, in Teaching, and Journey­ing; and thy Patience, in Enduring all things for the Elects sake, 2 Tim. II, 10. and how thou canst not Bear them which are Evil, putting the Scandalous, and Incorrigible out of the Church, 1 Cor. V. and (for as far as thy Power extends) Stop­ping the Mouths of Seducers, Tit. I, 11. And thou hast tried them, which say they are Apostles, and are not, and hast found them Liars, False Apostles, and Deceitful Work­ers, &c. 2 Cor. XI. 13.

3. And hast born, and hast Pa­tience, worthy a Second Mention; as there are also Two of you, (viz. Peter, and Paul,) Eminently con­cern'd in the Character; and for My Names sake hast Laboured, and hast not Fainted; but tho' thy Out­ward Man decayeth, yet thy In­ward Man is Renewed day by day, 2 Cor. IV. 1, 16.

4. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, O Church of Rome, even in this Interval: because thou hast Left thy First Love, being en­gag'd in Hot Contentions about Small Matters; and walkest not Charitably, as at first thou didst, Rom. XIV. 1, 2, 15.

5. Remember therefore from whence thou art Faln, and Repent, and do thy First Works: or else I will come unto thee quickly, by my Servants, your Emperors, Rom. XIII. 4. and will Remove thy Candle­stick out of its Place, putting a Sud­den End to this your Interval of Tranquillity, signified by the First Candlestick; and will bring the Smyrnean one upon the Stage, which shall be a Time of great Af­fliction; Except thou Repent, and so Prevent the Impending Judg­ment. NOTES. From hence it was, as is probable, That S. John, in his Epistles, insists so very much upon Charity, viz. because he had learnt from this Vision, How Fa­tal the contrary Practice had prov'd to the Church.

6. But this thou hast (and it is very Observable in thee; as not being found in any other Interval [Page 3]of the Church of Rome,) That thou Hatest the Deeds, and Doctrin, of the Nicolaïtans, which I also hate; who, under Pretence that Marri­age is Unbecoming a Churchman, Inhibit such from having Wives; and teach them to set aside those they have; which will prove a Corrupt Fountain of many Hate­ful Enormities. But Thou account­est Marriage to be Honourable in All Men, Heb. XIII. 4. My Ser­vant Peter is a Married man, 1 Cor. IX. 5. and Paul, a Recommender of Marriage, even to Bishops, 1 Tim. III. 2. Tit. I. 6. NOTES. Because no other Church is Commended for Hating the Deeds of the Nico­laïtans, but only Ephesus; it is manifest, that None of the others did Hate them: and consequently, that by the Deeds of the Nicolaï­tans, which Ephesus is Commend­ed for Hating, are meant, Not the Abominations of the Nicolaïtan He­reticks, which all the World cries Shame of, and much more all Chri­stian Churches; (the Hating of which therefore, would be no such Commendation to the Church of Ephesus:) but, That fact of Nico­las himself, (with other like) which gave Occasion to them; who, be­ing a Churchman, parted with his Wife, upon the account of Morti­fication, and Self-denial; [...], because we ought to Abuse the Flesh, that is, Fight against it, and not allow it any thing for Pleasure. So Dr. Ham­mond upon the place, out of Cle­mens Alexandrinus, and Irenaeus But, alas! this Fair Pretence has been the Source of Manisold Im­purities; as in the Nicolaïtans, so also in the Church of Rome. See an Account of the Corruption of the Church of Rome in this kind, in a Book entituled, Le Cabinet du Roy de France; Dedicated to Henry the Third.

7. He that hath an Ear, that is Capable, and Desirous, of Under­standing these Epistles; let him hear with good Attention, what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. For it is Spiritually to be understood, and not as the Bare Letter sounds. To him that Overcometh, (for ye are Now engag'd in Warfare, against the Enemies of your Faith) will I, for his Faithful Preaching, and Bearing the Tree of my Cross, Gal. III. 13. 1 Pet. II. 24. give to Eat of the Tree of Life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God, making him Partaker of my ever­lasting Kingdom. To Each Indi­vidual person, in the Life to come; but to the Church, at the Refor­mation also, Rev. XXII. 2.

8. And unto the Angel of the Church of Smyrna (from An. 65. to about 310.) whose Bishops, about 30 in number, had almost All of them the Honour of Martyrdom; Write, These things saith the First and the Last; which was Dead, and is Alive; who is Present with you in All your Sufferings, and hath left you an Example, that ye should follow his Steps, 1 Pet. II. 21. that after Suffering ye may Live, and Reign with him, 2 Tim. [Page 4]II. 12. Rev XX. 4.

9. I know thy Works, and Tri­bulation, and Poverty, (but thou art Rich, 2 Cor. VI. 10.) And I know the Blasphemy, and Haughty Car­riage, 2 King. XIX. 6, 22. of them, viz. P. Victor, (195) and P. Stepha­nus, (250) against the other Chur­ches; who say they are Jews, and are not; but, in this Aspiring hu­mour, are the very Synagogue of Sa­tan; and under pretence of great­er Purity in Religion, and Disci­pline, are indeed but Preparing the way for that Wicked one, whose Coming is after the working of Satan, &c. 2 Thess. II. 9. NOTES. It will be here Objected, That P. Victor, and P. Stephen, were Mar­tyrs; and How then are they said to be of the Synagogue of Satan? Answ. For the same reason, that S. Peter himself is call'd Satan by our Blessed Saviour, Mat. XVI. 23. whose True Successors the Popes have been; both as a Saint, and much more as Satan.

10. But why art thou Afraid, O P. Marcellinus! (304.) Fear none of those things, which THOU shalt suffer, but take heart again. Be­hold, the Devil (i.e. your Accusers) shall cast [...], some of you, as P. Marcellus (309,) and many o­thers of your Way, both in Rome, and elsewhere, into Prison; not for your Hurt, but Only that ye may be Tried; and YE shall have Tribu­lation ten days, ten Times (or Pa­roxysms) of Persecution; and the Last, and most Observable of All, shall be (among you, [...], and your Brethren) of Ten Years Continuance. Be thou Faithful, O Church of Smyrna, unto death, and I will give thee a Crown of Life; I will set the Imperial Crown, (the Arbiter of Life and Death among you, Dan. V. 19.) upon the head of Constantine (310) your Fellow-Christian. NOTES. We are not to wonder, that among all the Per­secutions, the Tenth only is here Reflected on, (it being That, that Marcellinus, and Marcellus suffer'd in:) but we must take good No­tice, that in All Prophetick De­scriptions of things, the Charact­ers are borrowed from the most Observable of the kind, as was in this case, the Tenth Persecution. Examples are innumerable. I only here observe, That hence it is, that in setting forth the Fates of the Church before, and since the Reformation (to avoid also that Confusion, which must needs a­rise from Describing a Multitude of Churches together) the Cha­racters are Drawn from the most Eminent Churches; to wit, the Church of Rome among the Pri­mitive; and that of England a­mong the Reformed Churches. And we must here Note also, That the Persons in this Verse spoken to, are somewhat varied. It begins THOU, and ends THOU: but in the middle it is [...], and YE. Implying that the Ten Years Tri­bulation (or Persecution) is here consider'd as lighting not only on the Romans, but on other Churches likewise.

11. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. He that Overcometh, laying down his Life for my sake, if he be Call'd thereto; shall not be hurt of the Second Death, Rev. XX. 14.

12. And to the Angel of the Church in Pergamos, (310) Write, These things saith he, which hath the Sharp Sword, with two Edges, the Tem­poral Sword being now joyned with the Spiritual.

13. I know thy Works, and where thou dwellest, even where Satan's Seat is; it being manifest by the Eagerness of all your Bishops, in Grasping at Supremacy; that the Adversary that Opposeth, and Ex­alteth himself, 2 Thess. II. has ta­ken Possession of the See of Rome: and yet thou holdest fast my Name, art Zealous for my Honour; and hast not denied (but stood up stout­ly for) MY Faith; the Faith that my Name and Honour are so near­ly interested in, viz. the Belief of my Divinity; no, not even in those days of the Arrian Emp. Constantius (355) wherein Antipas [i. e. your Vice-Pope Felix] was my Faith­ful Martyr, or Witness of my Faith aforesaid; who, for that Cause, was Slain Politically, i. e. Depos'd from his Government, among you, where Satan dwelleth. NOTES. It is well known, that the Church of Rome assign this Felix a Day in their Kalendar, as a Martyr, in the strictest sence. For which see Bell. de Rom. Pont. lib. 4. c. 9. But however, Bishops, in this Prophe­cy, are called [...] (living Creatures) Chap. IV. 6. and being Depos'd therefore, they are Slain. For which Political Sence of Slain, see Ezek. XXXVII. 9, 10. &c. See also Dr. Hen. More's Alphabet of Pro­phetick Iconisms, in the words, Resurrection, and Slaughter. Com­pare also Rev. III. 1. The English Reader is also to Observe, that the Greek word Antipas, is in Our Language, Vice (or Deputy) Pope; as Felix was. I know it is ob­jected, That this Felix obtain'd the Popedom by Perjury; both his Own, and his Electors. As testify Marcellinus, and Faustinus, (Priests of Rome, and his Cotemporaries) in their Preface to their Libellus Precum. But then, 1. These Au­thors were Professed Parties against Damasus, one of Felix's Electors: and consequently, oblig'd to make the worst of his, and Felix's case. 2 They affirm, That Liberius was not Restor'd, but upon his con­senting to (Arrian) Treachery: and that Constantius had signified as much to the people of Rome. 3. But that, notwithstanding, the people received Liberius with Joy: and thrust out Felix out of the City with great Disgrace. And it is fur­ther observable, 4. That they call the People that thus with Joy re­ceiv'd the Arrian, and Disgrac'd the Orthodox Bishop (for they dare not say, but Felix, and his Party were Orthodox; nay, they plainly intimate they were; and that, by the very Oath they are said to have taken; which was done in Libe­rius's [Page 6]behalf, while as yet he was a sufferer for the True Faith: they call, I say, this sort of People) the Multitude of the FAITHFUL; which sounds to me a great Sole­cism, and makes me not know what to think of their Charge of Per­jury. Which yet, if it were ne­ver so True, would not hinder, but that Felix might be afterwards Christ's Faithful Witness. For it is very hard to judge of Men's Actions Certainly, as to How they stand in God's Esteem; without knowing ALL CIRCUMSTAN­CES: which it is Impossible for Us to know.

14. But I have a few things a­gainst thee, because thou hast there in great Esteem, them that hold a Doctrin like the Doctrin of Baalam, Num. XXV. who taught Balak to cast a Stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sa­crificed unto Idols, and to commit Fornication; for your Great Men are now Employ'd, in Sophistica­ting Christianity with an Admisti­on of Heathenish Superstitions; hallowing them, and bringing them into the Churches. [Baron. an. 44. to 1. art. 86. & passim alibi. Mor­ney Myst. In. Progr. 4.] Which Custom your Balak Julian (365) takes advantage of; particularly of your Fond way of doing Ho­nour to your Emperors, by Bowing to their Images; for This, by set­ting up his Own, in the company of the gods, he makes a Stumbling-block to you. For if you Bow to That, you must seem to Worship the gods too. Theod. lib. 3. cap. 16. Symson's Church-History, in Julian.

15. So hast thou also them in great Esteem, that hold the Doctrin of the Nicolaitans, (see ver. 6.) which I hate, both Root and Branch; both Specious Blossom, and Accur­sed Fruit.

16. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, by my Servants, both Emperors, and Preachers; and will fight against them, that pretend so vainly to this Voluntary, Un­commanded Continency, with the Two-edged Sword of my mouth. NOTES. The Emperors Valenti­nian, Valens, and Gratian, (382) were fain to make a Law, to in­hibit all such as made Profession of Continency, once to set foot with­in Widow's Doors, &c. lib. 20. de Episc. & Cler. in Cod. Theodos. Whereupon S. Jerom (to give the Sword a Spiritual Edge too) in­veighs most Bitterly against the Manners of the Clergy; acknow­ledging that there was but too Just Occasion for such a Law. Mor­ney Myst. In. Progr. 6. Hieron. ad Eustoch. Ep. 22. ad Nepot. 2. It plainly appeareth (saith Morney there) to what a Looseness and Lewdness about Women, their Wealth had carried them, by those Reproofs which S. Jerom giveth them in his Epistles; wherein he sheweth, by what Infamous ser­vices they lay at catch for Legacies and Inheritances, &c. And a little before, out of Jerom; The Clerks, (saith Jerom) who in duty should be an Awe unto them, kiss the La­dies [Page 7]heads, and reaching out their hands, as if they would bless, re­ceive the Reward of their Saluta­tion, &c. For this his free speak­ing (as Morney there observes fur­ther) the Clergy of Rome took him for their Enemy, and forc'd him to return to Jerusalem, &c. And Paulinus Bishop of Nola (adds Morney) was for the same cause, served with the same Sauce; as appeareth by his first Epistle: where he sheweth, that he could by no other means, be safe and free from the Contagions of that City, but by getting himself away far off from it. Neither doth he spare the Bishop of Rome himself: Thou knowest (saith Paulinus) what loss we suffer of the Grace of God, by the proud Discretion and Wis­dom of the Bishop of that City. Meaning Pope Syricius; who first establisht the Forbiddance of Priests Marriages, as Morney notes. Prog. 8. But all this while Honest Vigilan­tius was the Man, that made the Faithfullest Use of the Spiritual Sword; who (with certain Bishops his Consorts) was a sharp Reprover of the then Growing Superstitions, of Forced Continency, which he stuck not to call, Libidinis Seminarium;) Veneration of Sepulcres, and Re­lics; and Celebration of Vigils, (Wakes, Nocturnal Conventions) in Honour of Martyrs: all which, he roundly Taxt as Inlets to Ido­latry, and Fornication, (as indeed they afterwards Prov'd;) that is, in effect, as Balaamitish Inventi­ons, and Stumbling-blocks to God's People. For which see Hieron. adv. Vigilantium.

17. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. To him that Overcometh, instead of the Dainties that your Bishop's Tables now abound with, I will give to eat of the Hidden Manna, the True Bread, Joh. VI. whose Goodness is Hid from most in these days; And I will give him a White Stone, i.e. Absolution and Justification; and in the Stone a New Name written, or, in plain Terms, I will Reform my Church, which is Now Degenerated; and they shall be Called Protestants, (and not Catholicks,) a Name that shall be extremely Decryed by the Adverse Party; and which no man knoweth how to Value, saving he that Receiveth it, and is Sincere in his Profession. NOTES. This is spoken with regard to the Abun­dance of Councils, Debates, Accu­sations, Sentences, and Appeals, &c. in this Interval; Decrees made pro and con; Acquitting many times the Guilty, and Con­demning the Innocent. Thus St. Austin, with the Church of Car­thage was Unjustly Excommunica­ted by the Popes (424) [See Mor­ney's Myst. In. Progr. 17.] And P. Sixtus III. wrongfully accus'd of Adultery (432.) But to All such persons as are thus treated, tho' by the Highest Authority upon Earth, Christ here Promiseth the White Stone of Absolution, as Re­ferring to the Cases now mention'd.

18. And unto the Angel of the [Page 8]Church in Thyatira, (440) Write, These things saith the Son of God, dishonour'd by your Images, which Represent him as Man only; and by other Superstitious Usages, as Praying to Saints, and making a sort of gods of them; who hath Eyes like unto a Flame of Fire, burning with Jealousy, [Compare Ezek. VIII. 2, 3, 18.] and his Feet are like unto fine Brass, his Faithful Servants will rather Chuse the Fiery Furnace, than comply with such Practices. See Notes upon Chap. I. 15.

19. I know thy Works; ( [...]) even thy Great Charity, O Emp. Tiberi­us II. (577) and thy Notable [...] (Service, in Preserving the City of Rome from the Sword of Barbarians, O P. Leo, of a Deacon made Pope, (440.) and thy like Service, O Pelagius, being then but Deacon, when thou savedst Rome from Slaughter, by mitiga­ting the Fury of K. Totilas, (542.) [See Procop. Bell. Goth. lib. 3. c. 11.] and thy Patience, viz. that of the Embassadors of P. Hormisda (514) that of P. John I. (523) of P. Sylve­rius (536) and of P. Vigilius (537) and thy works, worthy of a Particular Mention, O P. Gregory (590) viz. thy Humility, in stiling thy self Servus Servorum Dei; and thy Zeal, in Opposing the Haughty Attempts of John B. of Constanti­nople, who puts in for Universal Bishop, and I know the last men­tioned Works, to be more than the First: for, in My Esteem the Hum­blest are the Highest; and the Last, First, Luk. XIV. 11. XVIII. 14.

20. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, O Thyatira; and particularly against thee, O Emperor Martianus, because thou sufferest that Woman Jezabel, the Church of Rome, by her Embassa­dors, presiding in the General Council of Chalcedon, where thy self art Present (454) which calleth her self a Prophetess, pretending to Apostolick Authority, the very same with Peter's; to Teach, and to seduce my Servants, throughout thy whole Empire, by Crafty Insi­nuations, to commit Spiritual For­nication, and to eat things sacrificed unto Idols, i. e. to introduce a kind of Heathenish Idolatry. For to what other purpose is That Say­ing of the Council's, Act. 11. (Fla­vianus post mortem vivit, Martyr pro nobis oret? (See Bellarm. de Sanct. Beat. lib. 1. c. 19.) Flavianus, tho' Dead, is Living still; let the Mar­tyr Pray for us. NOTES. To this I shall add the words of Morney, Progr. 14. And note withal (saith he) to the end you may discern how their Doctrins crept into the Church together with their Power, that in this Age, which came to close up the first 500 Years, came in the Invocation and Adoration of Saints and Martyrs, instead of the gods; the very Ground-plot of Heathenism, to erect the Build­ing of Christianity upon.

21. And I gave her space to re­pent of her Fornication, and have not Destroyed the Church of Rome, as I have Done her Empire (474) [Page 9] but she repented not; but Super­stition, and Pride, and other Vices, encreased in her dayly.

22. Behold, I will cast her into a Bed; by K. Totilas (542) laying close Siege to her, that she shall not gad abroad (as she did to Chal­cedon) to do mischief; and them (viz. the other Churches, both of the East, and West,) that commit Adultery with her, into great Tri­bulation; except they repent of their Deeds. NOTES. These were most Miserable Times, as all Historians witness.

23. And I will kill her children, the Inhabitants of Rome, with Death; K. Totilas shall make such Waste among them, that for 40 days, or more, Rome shall have no man in her. [See Marcellin. Com in Chron. And of the mighty Fa­mine raging at that Siege of Toti­las, see Procop. Bell. Goth. lib. 3. c. 9. &c.] Nay, after 3 years he shall come again, and make a vast Slaughter of the Citizens, [Procop. Bell. Goth. lib. 3. c. 19, 20] And I will also Chastise her with a Vi­olent Pestilence (590) which shall be usher'd in by another Siege from the Lombards. And All the Churches in the World, both of This, and Future Times, shall know, that I am the True, and Only God, He which searcheth the Reins and Hearts. And I will render unto every one of you, according to your Works. Notes. This mighty Judgment here threat­ned to ALL CHURCHES, for the Punishment of their Manifold Superstitions; and Heresies, rela­ting to the Natures of Christ; and whereby he was Particularly Dis­honour'd, but which were very Rife in these Days; was that of the Saracens, and Turks, (623.) A Judgment, which carries its Cause written in its Forehead; and is a Manifest Reproof of the Churches Idolatries, and Manifold Errors concerning the Trinity, the God­head of our Saviour, Celibacy, and the like; and (as it is here called) a Rendring unto them according to their Works. By this Punish­ment therefore Christ is said to Search their Hearts; First, because (as it is the Nature of All Judg­ments) it put them upon Search­ing of Themselves. And, our Spi­rit, we know, is the Lord's Candle, whereby he searches all the In­ward Parts of the Belly, Prov. XX. 27. Secondly, Because by Judging us, Christ Tries us, whether we will Reform, or not.

24. But unto you I say, O P. Pe­lagius (578.) P. Gregory (590.) and P. Sabinianus (604.) [...] the small Remnant in Thyatira, being the Last Popes of this Interval; who have not been carried down the Stream of your Predecessors Ambition: to you, I say, as many as have not this Doctrin I am now to speak of; ( [...]) that is, which have not known (or approved) but Con­demned utterly, the Depths of Sa­tan, (as they speak) the Deep Dissi­mulation of John B. of Constanti­nople, who arrogantly assumes the title of Universal Bishop (580.) and is therefore commonly and [Page 10]rightly styl'd Satan, the Adversary, the Opposer, and Exalter of him­self, Luciser, the Fore-runner of Anti-Christ. [For which see 2 To. Concil. in Decr. Pelag. 2. Also, Greg. lib. 4. Ep. 36, 54 Also, Morn. Myst. In. Progr. 20, 21.] I will put upon you no greater Burthen, as to this Matter: for I perceive you are not very Easy under it.

25 But that which ye have al­ready, the Decrying of Universal Supremacy, in the BB. of Constan­tinople, your selves, or any others, hold fast till I come, to put an end to this Interval; that ye appear not to Dissemble with me, and to Beat down the B. of Constantinople, only to Exalt your Selves. NOTES. Hereby our Saviour insinuates, that he Knew they did but Dissemble; as was Plainly seen a little after, by Gregory's Detestable Flattering of the Emperor Phocas: of which (Gregory himself soon after dying) his Successor Boniface III. reapt the Fruit, in the Title of Univer­fal Bishop settled by Phocas upon the See of Rome. See Greg. l. 11. Ep. 36, 44. Morn. Myst. Iniq. Prog. 22.

26. And he that Overcometh, and keepeth, my Works (whereof the most Conspicuous, and Exemplary, was my Humiliation) unto the end, he shall be highly Dignified. For, to him will I give power over the Nations subject to Anti-Christ, Rev. XVII. 15. a Power like that which is now Contended for, by the Bi­shops of this Age; and Unjustly Usurp'd by him of the Eastern Church.

27. And he shall rule them with a Rod of Iron, i. e. as my Law­ful Vicar, Psal. II. 9. as the Vessels of a Potter shall they be broken to shivers, they being the same that are typed by the Toes of Clay, which the Fifth Monarchy, the Victor here spoken of, was to break in pieces, and consume, Dan. II. 33, 41, 44. even such Power will I give to the Overcomer a that time, I say, as I received of my Fa­ther; who, as the Reward of my Humbling my self, has given me a Name above every Name, Phil. II. 9. has allotted me the Heathen for my Inheritance, and the Utmost parts of the Earth for my Possessi­on, Psal. II. 8. Dan. VII. 27.

28. And I gill give him the Mor­ning star, i. e. will put My Honour upon him, who am the Day-spring from on high, Luk. I. 78. the True Morning-star, Rev. XXII. 16. whose Ensign was that Star in the East, Mat. II. And of the Womb of the Morning is the Dew of my Birth, Psal. CX. 3. Whereas he that Usurps my Power (as does now the Bishop in the East) is a mere Proud Lucifer; an Instru­ment of Satan, and an Anti-Christ. NOTES. Hereby also is insinuated, That this vast Monarchy should be settled in that Kingdom, that first received Christ, and was (as it were) the Morning star to bring on the rest. Which is said to have been England, under her King (re­markably to the purpose we are speaking of) called LUCIUS. [Page 11]Here is also an Allusion to P. Gre­gory his sending to Recover Eng­land again from Paganism; in which Enterprize he had Success; obtaining that Morning-Star, and adding it to the Roman Dioecese. According to that of Dr. Hammond upon the place; ‘It is possible (says he) that the Morning star here may note some Eminent Prince or Nation, that the Church of Thyatira should propagate the Faith to.’ Lastly, This Morning-star may be very fitly also referr'd to our K. Charles II. in whom our Church became compleatly Victo­rious; a Prince of ever-happy Me­mory, Rev. V. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. To which purpose is also that of Rev. XV. 2, 3. where those words, Great and Marvellous are thy Works, &c are Eventually Answer'd by the very same, in our present Service for the Father's Martyrdom. Now then, as to the Star that appear'd upon K. Charles the Second's Birth day, I shall here give the true Re­lation of it, in the words of Dr. Love, late Margaret-Professor of Divinity in Cambridge, in his Com­mencement-Speech, An. Dom. 1660.

That is, On his Birth-day appear'd a New Star, while the Father was giving thanks to God for the Birth of his Son. Of which I my self was an Eye-witness. Which also, in that very Moment of time, was celebrated by a Poet of no mean account;

The next day the Sun was Eclips'd; the Star, I spake of, still shining bright. As tho' Heaven did then fore-shew, That the Father's E­clipse, should not obstruct the Splendor of the Son. So Dr. Love. To which we may add, That after 12 Years Exile, He was Restored from the East. And that He, his Brother, and our present Gracious Sovereign, are those Kings that were to come from the Rising of the Sun, Rev XVI 12. as will ap­pear more fully, when we come to speak to the Vials, if God permit.

29. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

REV. III. Sardis.

1. And unto the Angel of the Church in Sardis, (606.) Write, These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven Stars, (that is, All the Ministers of [Page 12]the Church, the Instruments and Delegates of the Holy Ghost,) at his Command; the True Univer­sal Bishop. I know thy works, O P. Boniface III. (606.) by the Fa­vour of a Parricide mounted at last to your long Desired Supre­macy;) that thou hast a Name, that thou livest; a Swelling Title of U­niversal ( [...]) Living-creature, or Bishop (see my Notes on Chap. IV. 6.) So that the whole Church is now become thy Dioecese; but, with Me, thou art Dead, and no Bishop at all.

2. Be Watchful [ [...](a Paronomastical Allusion;) be as Gregory, Watchful] against all In­novations in Faith, or Discipline, O ye Emperors of this Interval; remembring that Notable Fore­warning of P. Gregory's, If there be one called Universal Bishop, then must the Universal Church go to the ground; if he, which is called Universal, happen to fall; [Greg. lib. 4. Ep. 24. Morney Myst. In. progr. 22.] which Saying is the more observable, for P. Honorius (624) his falling, so soon upon it, into the Heresy of the Monothelites. And therefore, O ye Emperors, strengthen the things that remain, the Faith of the Church, and the Power of the Empire, that are ready to die; that are, thro' the Insolen­cy of the Popes, the Fraud of He­reticks, and the Fury of the Sa­racens, in great danger of being Overborn. For I have not found thy works, O Emp. Heraclius, (611) Constans, (670) Philippicus, (713) Perfect before God; for, (which God looks much upon, to whom Ye, tho' the Greatest of men, must give account, Psal. LI. 4.) ye Deny Me to be Perfect God, and Perfect Man; Depriving Me of One of my Wills; and are justly called by that Name of Imperfection, Monothe­lites. Notes. P. Boniface his obtain­ing the Title of Universal Bishop, was the Greatest Blow to the Church, that it had yet receiv'd. The Popes are thereupon Discard­ed, and not lookt upon as Bishops any longer; and All is like to run to Ruine with them. The Spirit expresses it by Death. The Popes are Dead: the Residue are ready to Die. Which, beside the Moral, has also a Natural Sense, and Ve­rification. For Gregory, soon after his Base Flattering of Phocas, Drops. His Successor Sabinian, in 5 months and 19 days (as some say) follow'd him. And Boniface (that, as is said, obtain'd the Prize, the others had been sueing for) sur­viv'd his Legitimate Episcopacy scarce 8 months; for he sate Pope but little more. And his, and Pho­cas's new acquir'd Honours, were soon attended with a Pestilent Air, a Barren Earth, a Frozen Sea, and a General Mortality of Men, Beasts and Fishes. [Cedren. in Chron. Mor­ney Myst. In. Progr. 22.] which the Church is here warn'd to Pre­vent, or Redress, by Watchfulness, and True Repentance. And we may observe yet further, That the Emp. Phocas, being a Murderer, was Dead also, 1 Joh. III. 15. And [Page 13]he was also (as Credenus reports) an Heretick; and was slain by Treachery, (Christ came upon him as a Thief too) as All his Fellows of this Interval were, who suffer'd also in like manner. As we shall hear upon Verse

3. Remember therefore how thou hast Received, and Heard, and Hold fast, and Repeut. Or, in the Words of Gregory, Lib. 4. Ep. 36. ‘Ob­testor ut constanter, & sine Prae­judicio, servetis sicut Accepistis Ecclesias:’ I charge you, that ye Constantly, and Inviolably pre­serve the Churches, as ye have received them. [...], If therefore thou wilt not Watch, and take this Warning from my Servant Gregory; I will come on thee as a Thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee; but all you Emperors of this Period, who have been Tardy in your Duty (of which also the same Gregory has fore-warn'd you; who brings Me in, as speaking one day to such as you are, and saying, ‘To you have I committed my Priests,’ Lib. 2. Ep. 62 & 65. And again, ‘What wilt thou Answer before the Judgment-seat of God,’ &c. Lib. 2. Ep. 52. & 64.) shall be brought to your Ends by some sud­den Calamity. NOTES. This was verified in them all; but especially in the Emp. Heraclius; who ‘Per­ceiving the sudden, and great In­crease of the Dominion of the Sa­racens, gather'd a great Army, and fought against them; but he was Overcome in Battel, and lost a hundred and fifty thousand of his Army. And when he Renew'd his forces again, to fight against the Saracens, he found that fifty-two thousand men of his Army Died in One Night Suddenly; as those Did, who were slain by the Angel of God, in the Army of Sennacherib. Heraclius was so Dis­courag'd with the Calamity of his Army, that he contracted Sickness, and Died.’ [See Symson's Church-History; out of whom I have tran­scrib'd this Passage word for word.]

4. However, Thou hast a Few Names, or Men of Note, even in this wretched Interval of Sardis; viz the 150 Fathers of the Gene­ral Council of Constantinople (681.) which have not Defiled their Gar­ments (for there is a Particular Defilement in the Sins of the Flesh, Jude. verse 23.) with that Really Filthy and Polluted Doctrin of the Nicolaitans, [see Rev. II. 6.] so highly Espous'd by the Popes; but have Condemn'd it, together with the Papal Usurpations: and they (not Uselesly immur'd in Cloy­sters; nor Trading up and down to Rome, for the Favours of that Court) shall walk about their bu­siness, with me, as under my par­ticular Care and Direction, in White, My Livery; more pure in my Account, than those, who by a Feigned Continency, endeavour to Appear so in the Eye of the World; for they are Worthy of My Service; who have not Fear'd, by so Generous, and Open a Profession of the Truth, to Disoblige my Ad­versary; [Page 14]tho' some of them were his Legats in the Council, and in his Name subscrib'd the Canons so Distasteful to him. [See Balsamon in Nomocanone. Also Myst. Iniqu. Progr. 26.]

5. He that Overcometh, the same shall be clothed in White Raiment, (according as such are Represent­ed, Chap. IV. 4. VII. 9. and in many other Places,) made White in the Bloud of the Lamb, Chap. VII. 14. the White Raiment of Justi­fication by Faith; which shall be to him instead of Pall, and Frock, the Modish Garments of this Age: As witness, with respect to the Latter, no less than three of your Emperors, at this very time, being the End of the Sardian Interval, viz. Leontius (709.) Artemius (716.) Thrust ino a Monastery; and Theo­dosius (717.) Choosing it. And I will not Blot out his Name out of the Book of Life, as the Pope (714.) is blotting the Emperor Philippi­cus's out of Divine Service, and out of Charters [Paul. Diac. lib. 6. c. 34 Myst. Iniqu. Progr. 27] for Razing of Pictures set up in Chur­ches; but I will confess his Name before my Father, and before his An­gels, let the Pope, or who will, cast out his Name as Evil. NOTES. The Victor here, (as every where else in these Epistles) is the Re­former, or the Reformers, of the Church. By whom, the Main Ar­ticle of All, insisted on against the Papists, was that of Justification by Faith. Which is Here promis'd to the Victor, under the notion of White Raiment; as Before, of a White Stone, Chap. II. 17. The White Stone alluding to Absolu­tion, in that Age of Councils: as the White Raiment, to Honour and Reputation, in this Age of Fond and Superstitious Habits.

6. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

7. And unto the Angel of the Church in Philadelphia, (718) Write, These things saith he that is Holy, and extremely offended with the Prodigious Wickedness of those who will needs be called The Holy Church, in this Interval; he that is True, an Utter Enemy to those Lying Wonders, whereby they now adays endeavour to Sup­port their Superstitious Practices; but especially, their Novel Do­ctrins of Transubstantiation, and Purgatory: He that hath the Key of David; he that Openeth, and no man Shutteth; and Shutteth, and no man Openeth: no, not the Pope him­self, by whom the Emp. Leo Isaurus (718.) and a great many more Crowned heads, have, in this Inter­val, been Excommunicated; and (for as much as in him lay) Depri­ved of their Governments.

8. I know thy Works; Behold, I have set before thee an Open Door, at which my People will arrive after this and another Interval, viz. that Door of Reformation, Chap. III. 20. IV. 1. and no man can Shut it, tho' the Adversary shall endea­vour it with all his Might. For thou hast a little Strength, which I will [Page 15]Improve to a Perfect Reformation; and hast kept my Word (i. e. Com­mandment) forbidding Image-wor­ship, ver. 10. and hast not Denied My Name, nor Complied with my Adversary therein, but hast Own'd My Authority in despite of him. See Myst. Iniqu. Progr. 27. about the middle. NOTES. At this Time began those Great, and Famous Bustles about Saint, as well as I­mage worship, (as Mr. Mede has Prov'd, in his Apostacy of the Lat­ter Times, Part 2. Chap. 5.) made by several of the Emperors, with the Greatest part of their Bishops, and Peers; which lasted for about 120 years: altho' Image-worship bare the Name; as the said Author observes in the same place.

9. Behold, I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan, that Oppose and Exalt themselves above all that is called God (which say they are Jews, [with whom Only, Sal­vation is to be had, Joh IV. 22. Infallible in All points of Religion, and are not; but do Ly; a thing That Party is wonderfully addict­ed to, as was Foretold of them, 2 Thess. II. 9.) Behold, thou shalt be Emp. of Rome, O Charles, the Captain of my Witnesses against Anti-Christ, in the Council of Frankford, (794.) and I will make them of that Party, (the Pope, and His,) to come and Worship before thy Feet, Adoring thee after the man­ner of Ancient Princes; and to know that I have Loved thee, testifying That their Sentiment, by Saluting thee Unanimously by the Name of Charles Augustus Crowned of God. [See Ado Vien. in Chron. An. 798. Myst. Iniqu. Progr. 27.] and by Ca­nonizing thee for a Saint. See Mr. Dorrington's Account of a Journey, &c. p. 252. lin. 33.

10. Because thou hast kept the Word of my Patience, the Second Commandment forbidding Image­worship, the Great Trial of my Patience, and Incentive of my Jea­lousy; I also will keep thee from the Hour of Temptation, and Great Affliction, that by the Practices of the Popes; Rebellions of Subjects; and Hostilities of the Saracens, and other Enemies, are coming on thy Empire; and shall terminate in many most Expensive, Bloudy, Toilsom, and Fruitless Expediti­ons into the Holy Land (1099.) like that of the Israelites, in the Day of Temptation in the Wilder­ness: Which are the Troubles that shall come upon All the World, to Try them that Dwell on the Earth, who are Fast Friends to the Earthly Synagogue of Rome; and to see, whether the Hardships they en­dure under the Tyranny of Anti-Christ, will Open their Eyes to the Acknowledging of the Truth. NOTES Commandments are call'd in the Hebrew tongue, Words, Exod. XXXIV. 28. in the Margin. Likewise, Deut. X. 4. So here, My Word, ver. 8. and the Word of my Patience, ver. 10. is the Second Commandment: for Violating of which, the Church of Israel, in their Passage to the Holy Land, were Visited with the Day of Temp­tation, [Page 16] Psal. XCV. to Humble them, and to Prove them, Deut. VIII. 2, 16. XXXIII. 8. as the Christian Church is here, with an Hour of Temptation, upon a like Occasion, and to a like Purpose; and in the Wilderness too, Rev. XII. 6.

11. Behold, I come quickly in Judgment upon the Empire. Hold that fast, which thou hast, O Emp. Ludovicus Pius (815.) viz. The Right, voluntarily Conferr'd on Charles thy Father, by P. Adrian I. and P. Leo III. That no man should be chosen Pope, without the Con­sent, and Allowance of the Empe­ror. Which will be a Good Secu­rity for thee, That no man by the Instigation, and Authority of the Popes at any time take thy Crown, or the Crown of thy Successors; a Practise, which they will be Con­tinually Tampering with, in this period. NOTES. This may be re­ferr'd also to the Rebellion of Ber­nard, Brother's Son to Ludovicus; the Undutifulness of his Own Sons; and the Excommunication thun­dred out against him by his Bishops. So soon came the Judgments on the Empire, here Denounc'd; and from which it scarce had any Respite af­terwards, in all this Interval.

12. Him that Overcometh, (in this Interval, so Remarkable for the Devotion of Building of Chur­ches; and Going in Pilgrimages; the Boldness of Excommunicating and Deposing Emperors; and the Policy of Employing them in Fo­reign Expeditions) will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God, the Reformed Church, (whose Door is that that I said, ver. 8. was set Open before thee) and he shall go no more out, as Excommunicated, or as sent on Errands by the Pope; And I will write upon him the Name of my God, (whose Only Servant he shall be, and not the Pope's;) and the Name of the City of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of Heaven from my God; he shall be a Member of the Church, by a wonderful Providence of my God, Reform'd from the Corrupti­ons, that it is at present Over­spread with; and I will write upon him My New Name, Protestant, (or Professed, and Open Opposer of the Papal Usurpations.) NOTES. This verse, we see, is the Close of this Interval; at which very Time there happen'd a Notable Difference between the Emperor Frederic I. and the Millanese; who having newly Rebuilt their City, would needs, (in Contempt of their Liege Lord the Emperor, and in Honour of Pope Alexander, his Open Ene­my,) call their City by the Name of Alexandria. But the Emperor with much adoe, by Force of arms, and solemn Capitulation with the Citizens, obtain'd at length to have it call'd Caesaria. To which Con­tention there is a very manifest Allusion in the verse we are upon, that cannot miss our Observation. [See Sigon. lib. 14. de Regn. Ital. Myst. In. Progr. 49.] We are here to note once for all, That God always Dispenses Rewards, and Punishments, not only Equally, and [Page 17]Justly, with respect to our Merits; but Fitly also, and Discreetly, with regard to our Circumstances. As, the Proud shall be Debas'd; and the Humble, Exalted; and the like. Examples are Infinite. For which reason, as you may Observe all a long, I have thought my self Ob­lig'd to expound the Rewards of each Interval, with an Eye to the Chief things that were Transacted in it.

13. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches.

14. And unto the Angel of the Church of the Laodiceans, (1200.) Write, These things saith the Amen (2 Cor. I. 20.) The Only Infallible Guide; The Faithful and True Wit­nes's of the Will and Word of God; which is now, in this Interval of Learning, about to break forth with great Lustre, and Convincive­ness; who does not turn all Reli­gion into a Multitude of Empty Questions, Argued pro and con, as is the Fashion of the Schools, who Abuse their Talent: but Peremp­torily, and without Fear, or Favour, or any other partial Affection, de­clares the Truth; and, in the per­sons of his Servants, (as Once in his Own,) is now about to Seal his Testimony with his Bloud. Who is also The Beginning of the Crea­tion of God, that is, the Reforma­tion of the Church, Rev. IV. 11. which by his Special Favour shall Commence in this Interval.

15. I know thy Works; That thou art neither Hot, nor Cold; neither so Zealous for Religion, as to Reform it thy Self; nor so Regardless of it, as Quietly to per­mit Others to do it for thee. I would thou wert Cold, and wouldst suffer Others to Promote a Refor­mation; or Hot, and wouldst set thy Self to work about it. NOTES. This Luke warmness may also be applied to that Indifference in Re­ligion, which was Visible in the Schoolmen's way of Teaching it; who indeed would Hotly Canvass every Punctilio, but with Equal Zeal for Both sides of the Cause; and rather in the way of Fencing, than of Fighting for the Truth. And the People too (instead of be­ing Roundly dealt with to Amend their Lives, and Forsake their Er­rors,) were only Nestled in their Sins by Pardons and Indulgences; and Principled to Believe as the Church believes, without Examin­ing whether Right, or Wrong; or, perhaps, so much as knowing what the Church Believ'd. But then, in this way, these words, [I would thou wert Cold, or Hot,] will want a Convenient Sense. For, I would thou wert Less than Indiffe­rent, (or no Christian at all,) which seems to be Imported by the Cold Extreme of that sort of Lukewarm­ness, would sound very Harsh. For it is one thing to say with S. Peter, It had been Better for them not to have known the Truth, &c. which seems to be only a more Emphati­cal way of Exhorting to Obedience; and another, to Wish they did not know it. Dr. Hammond is caught [Page 18]in such a Net; and therefore leaves this Passage to expound it self.

16. So then, because thou art Luke­warm, and neither Cold, nor Hot, wilt neither Suffer Others to Re­form Abuses, nor Do it Thy self: I will e'en Spew thee out of my Mouth, and will Raise up a Genera­tion in thystead, that by their Pious and Zealous Instructing of my Peo­ple in My Name, shall make Thy ways to appear Nauseous and Loathsom to them. The times of Ignorance in the two former Inter­vals I winked at; but your Rebel­ling against the Clear Light of This, I cannot away with. NOTES. This is that Cutting off, that S. Paul denounces against the Church of Rome, if they Continued not in God's Goodness, Rom. XI. 22.

17. Because thou, O P. Boniface VIII. (1295.) saist, I am Rich, and Encreased with Goods, Spiritual, and Temporal; and have need of no­thing; insomuch that thou hast now set up a Fair, or Market, which thou callest a Jubilee, for the Vend­ing of thy Wares; and Knowest not, (but I will make thee to know, by the Contempt that I will pour upon thee) that thou art Wretched, and Miserable, and Poor, and Blind, and Naked; NOTES. He was Cha­stis'd for his Insolent Boasting at the Opening of the Jubilee (for he was the Author of it in Rome) with being ‘Spoil'd of All his Rich Treasures, and himself put upon a wanton Colt, with his Face to­wards the Tayle, and made a Ri­diculous Spectacle to all the Peo­ple. Soon after which, he Died of Displeasure, that he had Lost his Riches, and Sustain'd so great Shame. This is he, of whom it was truly said, That he Entred as a Fox, Liv'd as a Lion, and Died as a Dog.’ [Symson Eccles. Hist. in Boniface VIII.] Where also he tells us, how in Solemni­zing his Jubilee, he shew'd himself the first day in his Pontifical Gar­ments, with S. Peter's Keys carri­ed about him; but the second day, in Royal Apparel, with a Naked Sword carried before him; and an Herauld proclaiming, Ecce Pote­stas Utriusque Gladii. So Rich and Self-sufficient is Vain Man apt to think himself; even when he is indeed but ( [...], insig­niter Aerumnosus,) most notably Miserable, and Poor, and Blind, and Naked.

18. I counsel thee therefore, O Church of Laodicea, not to lay out your. Mony for that which does not Profit; but to Buy of Me Gold tried in the Fire, the Truth and Pu­rity of My Religion, as it is now begun to be Preach'd up by my Ser­vants with a Full Cry; whom Anti-Christ, as many as he can lay hands on, will cause to be Burnt for their pains: Buy this, I say, of me, without Mony and without Price, that thou maist be Truly Rich; and Buy of Me White Raiment also, the Robe of My Righteousness, or of Justification by My Merits only, Rev. VII. 14. [the Leading Article of the Reformation;] and trust not to Indulgences, the Pope's False [Page 19]Wares, that thou maist be Clothed indeed, and that the Shame of thy Nakedness do not appear; and An­oint thine Eyes with Eye-salve, compounded of Ingredients ga­ther'd from My Word (the True Judge of Controversies) and not from Aristotle's Writings, and De­crees of Popes (as the Mode of the School-Doctors is in these days) that thou maist see thy Own Way, and not suffer thy self to be led Blind-fold by Blind Guides. Notes. That the Faith Persecuted, is com­par'd to Gold Tried in the Fire, see 1 Pet. I. 7. And that Burning the Professors Alive, was the U­sual Way of Trying the Faith at this time, see Morn. Myst. In. Progr. 50. Sect. ult. From this time forth, (says he, speaking to An. 1215.) nothing is more frequent than Burning, &c. Where also he tells us (out of Trithemius, and Godfrey,) of one Conrade, an A­postolick Inquisitor, who was wont to prove Hereticks, by the touch­ing of red hot Irons.

19. And be not Offended at the Barbarous Usage, that my Servants meet with from their Adversaries; for they are My Particular Care for all that. For, As many as I Love, I Rebuke, and Chasten; be Zealous therefore for the Truth, tho' persecuted; and Repent of thy Errors, giving Glory to God.

20. Behold, The time of Cha­stening is now over, Queen Mary of England is withdrawn (1558.) and Queen Elizabeth entred upon the Stage; under whose Auspices, by my Servants and Ministers, &c. I stand at the Door, and Knock; proposing in Parliament to have it set Open to a Thorow Reforma­tion. For Encouragement where­unto, I Declare, That If any one hear my Voice, and Open the Door, I will come in to him, and will Sup with him, by my Church in gene­ral; which, with his Wealth, Power, and Interest, he shall con­stantly Defend: by my Ministers in Particular, whom he shall Hand­somely Maintain: and by My Poor Brethren (Mat. XXV. 40.) whom he shall Bountifully Relieve. And, upon these Conditions, he shall Sup with Me; I am Content he should enjoy those My Revenues, that Reverted into My Hands, upon the Dissolution of Popish Co­vents. NOTES. When God de­stroys an Impenitent People; his Giving the Spoil to the Victor, is Commonly call'd God's Supper, Feast, Sacrifice, and the like. Of which, the following Instances are Undeniable; which we have, Rev. XIX. 17, 18. Ezek. XXXIX. 17, 18, 19, 20. Esay. XXV. 6. XXXIV 6. Jer. XLVI. 10. Zeph. I. 7, 8. Such therefore (Doubtless) is the Supper, that Christ here promises the Victor, upon his Bringing in the Reformation: [...], If Any one, (be he of the Clergy, or Laity) shall give Admission to My Gospel; he has My Consent, upon the Terms aforesaid, to come in for a Share in the Revenues of Demolisht Ab­beys, and all other such Evacuated places. And the like is to be under­stood [Page 20]to hold good in All other Kingdoms and States, that either have already, or shall hereafter Open to Christ. And This, with all due Submission to Better Judg­ments, and greater Authorities, I take to be the Meaning of this Passage.

21. To him that Overcometh, will I grant to sit with Me in My Throne, as My Vicar on Earth; Supreme in Spirituals and Temporals; who am King of Saints, Rev. XV. 3. and King of Kings, Rev. XVII. 14. even as I also Overcame, and am set down with my Father in His Throne, having All Power in Heaven and Earth conferr'd upon me: accord­ing to the Representation made of it in the Next Chapter, where the Victor is seated on a Throne, as Head of the Church under Christ. For which I must refer the Reader to my Latin Exposition of that Chapter.

22. He that hath an Ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches. NOTES. It is time now to Observe, That in the Be­ginning of Every Epistle, it is, Thus Saith Christ: and the End as Constantly insinuates, that it is the Spirit that Saith it. Whereby is manifestly Imply'd; that (not only What One Saith, the Other A­greeth to; but that) the One's Saying, is the Other's Saying. To say, Thus Saith Christ; or, Thus Saith the Spirit; is All one. They are Different Speakers, that is, Per­sons; as is Plain from Other Scri­ptures. But the Thing Spoken, is the Saying of them Both, or of Either, Indifferently: as Proceed­ing from the Same Mind, or Intel­lect: that is, from the Same Essence, or Substance of Divinity.