commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed to idols. 21 And I gave her time to repent of her fornication; but she 22 will not repent. Behold I will cast her into a bed, and them that commit adultery with her, into great affliction, 23 unless they repent of her works. And I will kill her children with death; and all the churches shall know that I am he who searcheth the reins and hearts; and I will 24 give you, every one, according to your works. But I say to you, the rest that are at Thyatira, as many as do not hold this doctrine, who have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak, I will lay upon you no other burden, 25 But what ye have, hold fast till I come. And he that 26 overcometh and keepeth my works unto the end, to him 27 will I give power over the nations, (And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; they shall be dashed in pieces like a potter's vessel,) as I also have received from my 28 Father. And I will give him the morning star. He i V. 21. And I gave her time to repent-So great is the power of Christ: but she will not repent-So though repentance is the gift of God, man may refuse it: God will not compel. V. 22. I will cast her into a bed-into great affliction—and them that commit either carnal or spiritual adultery with her, unless they repent-She had her time before: of her works-Those to which she had enticed them, and which she had committed with them. It is observable, the angel of the church at Thyatira, was only blamed, for suffering her. This fault ceased when God took vengeance on her. Therefore he is not expressly exhorted to repent, though it is implied. V. 23. And I will kill her children-Those which she hath borne in adultery, and them whom she hath seduced: with death-This expression denotes death by the plague, or by some manifest stroke of God's hand. Probably the remarkable vengeance taken on her children, was the token of the certainty of all the rest. And all the churches-To which thou now writest, shall know, that I search the reins-The desires, and hearts-Thoughts. V. 24. But I say to you who do not hold this doctrine-Of Jezebel: Who have not known the depths of Satan-O happy ignorance! as they speak-They were continually boasting of the deep things which they taught. Our Lord owns they were deep, even deep as hell; for they were the very depths of Satan. Were these the same of which Martin Luther speaks? It is well if there are not some of his countrymen, now in England, who know them too well! I will lay upon you no other burden-Than that you have already suffered from Jezebel and her adherents. V. 25. What ye-Both the angel and the church have. V. 26. My works-Those which I have commanded: To him will I give power over the nations-That is, I will give him to share with me in that glorious victory which the Father hath promised me over all the nations who as yet resist me, Psalm ii. 8, 9. V. 27. And he shall rule them-That is, shall share with me when I do this: with a rod of iron-With irresistable power, employed on those only, who will not otherwise submit: who will hereby be dashed in pieces-Totally conquered. V. 28. I will give him the morning star-Thou, O Jesus, art the morning O give thyself to me! Then will I desire no sun, only thee, who art the sun also. He whom this star enlightens, has always morning and no evening. The duties and promises here answer each other: the valiant con VOL. II. star. A A 29 that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. CHAP. III. 1. And to the angel of the church at Sardis write, These things saith he that hath the seven spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, 2 that thou hast a name that thou livest, but art dead. Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, which are ready to die; for I have not found thy works complete 3 before my God. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If thou watch not, I will come as a thief, and thou shalt not know 4 at what hour I will come upon thee. Yet thou hast a few names in Sardis, who have not defiled their garments: 5 they are worthy. He that overcometh, he shall be clothed in white raiment, and they shall walk with me in white, and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, and I will confess his name, before my Father and before his 6 angels. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 7 And to the angel of the church at Philadelphia write, These things saith the Holy One, the True One, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and none shutteth, queror has power over the stubborn nations. And he that after having conquered his enemies, keeps the words of Christ to the end, shall have the morning star-an unspeakable brightness and peaceable dominion in him. CHAP. III. Ver. 1. The seven spirits of God-The Holy Spirit, from whom alone all spiritual life and strength proceed: and the seven stars-Which are subordinate to him: thou hast a name that thou livest-A fair reputation, a goodly outside appearance. But that Spirit seeth through all things, and every empty appearance vanishes before him. V. 2. The things which remain-In thy soul; knowledge of the truth, good desires, and convictions: which are ready to die-Wherever pride, indolence, or levity revives, all the fruits of the Spirit are ready to die. V. 3. Remember how-Humbly, zealously, seriously, thou didst receive the grace of God once, and hear-His word; and hold fast-The grace thou hast received; and repent-According to the word thou hast heard. V. 4. Yet thou hast a few names-That is, persons. But though few, they had not separated themselves from the rest: otherwise the angel of Sardis would not have had them. Yet it was no virtue of his, that they were unspotted; whereas it was his fault, that they were but few: who have not defiled their garments-Either by spotting themselves, or by partaking of other men's sins: They shall walk with me in white-In joy; in perfect holiness; in glory: they are worthy-A few good among many bad, are doubly acceptable to God. O how much happier is this worthiness than that mentioned chap. xvi. 6. V. 5. He shall be clothed in white raiment-The colour of victory, joy, and triumph: And I will not blot his name out of the book of life-Like that of the angel of the church at Sardis: but he shall live for ever. I will confess his name-As one of my faithful servants and soldiers. V. 7. The Holy One, the True One-Two great and glorious names. He that hath the key of David--A master of a family or a prince has one or more S and shutteth, and none openeth. I know thy works, (behold I have given before thee an opened door, none can shut it,) that thou hast a little strength, and hast kept 9 my word, and hast not denied my name. Behold I bring them of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie; behold, I will make them come and bow down before thy feet, and know that I have loved 10 thee: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee, from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell 11 upon the earth. I come quickly. Hold fast what thou 12 hast, that none take thy crown. He that overcometh, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out no more: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, keys, wherewith he can open and shut all the doors of his house or palace. So had David a key, (a token of right or sovereignty,) which was afterwards adjudged to Eliakim, Isa. xxii. 22. Much more has Christ, the Son of David, the key of the spiritual city of David, the New Jerusalem; the supreme right, power, and authority, as in his own house. He openeth this to all that overcome, and none shutteth-He shutteth it against all the fearful; and none openeth. Likewise when he openeth a door on earth for his work or his servants, none can shut; and when he shutteth against whatever would hurt or defile, none can open. V. 8. I have given before thee an open door-To enter into the joy of thy Lord; and mean time to go unhindered in every good work. Thou hast a little strength-But little outward human strength; a little, poor, mean, despicable company. Yet thou hast kept my word-Both in judgment and practice. V. 9. Behold I-Who have all power: and they must then comply; I wil make them come and bow down before thy feet-Pay thee the lowest homage, and know-At length, that all depends on my love, and that thou hast a place therein. O how often does the judgment of the people turn quite round, when the Lord looketh upon them, Job xlii. 7. V. 10. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience-The word of Christ is indeed a word of patience: I also will keep thee-O happy exemption from that spreading calamity: from the hour of temptation-So that thou shalt not enter into temptation, but it shall pass over thee. The hour denotes the short time of its continuance, that is, at any one place. At every one it was very sharp, though short, wherein the great tempter was not idle, ch. ii. 10, which hour shall come upon the whole earth-The whole Roman empire. It went over the Christians and over the Jews and Heathens; though in a very different manner. This was the time of the persecution under the seemingly virtuous emperor Trajan. The two preceding persecutions were under those monsters, Nero and Domitian. But Trajan was so admired for his goodness, and his persecution was of such a nature, that it was a temptation indeed, and did throughly try them that dwelt upon the earth. V. 11. Thy crown-Which is ready for thee, if thou endure to the end. V. 12. I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God-I will fix him as beautiful, as useful, and as immoveable, as a pillar in the church of God: and he shall go out no more-But shall be holy and happy for ever. And I will write upon him the name of my God-So that the nature and image of God shall appear visibly upon him. And the name of the city of my God-Giving him a title to dwell in the New Jerusalem: and my new name-A share in that joy which I entered into, after overcoming all my enemies. the New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven 13 from my God, and my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. 14 And to the angel of the church at Laodicea write, These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true 15 Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God. I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: 0 that 16 thou wert cold or hot! So because thou art luke17 warm, and neither cold nor hot; I will spue thee out of my mouth. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and have enriched myself, and have need of nothing, and knowest not, that thou art wretched, and pitiable, and poor, and 18 blind, and naked. I counsel thee to buy of me gold purified in the fire, that thou mayst be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayst be clothed, and the shame of thy nakedness may not appear; and eye-salve to anoint thine 19 eyes, that thou mayst see. Whomsoever I love, I rebuke 20 and chasten: be zealous and repent. Behold I stand at the door and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him and sup with him, and be V. 14. To the angel of the church at Laodicea-For these St. Paul had a great concern, Col. ii. 1. These things saith the Amen-That is, the true one, the God of truth: the beginning-The Author, Prince, and Ruler, of the crea tion of God-Of all creatures; the beginning, or Author, by whom God made them all. V. 15. I know thy works-Thy dispositiou and behaviour, though thou knowest it not thyself: that thou art neither cold--An utter stranger to the things of God, having no care or thought about them: nor hot-As boiling water: so ought we to be penetrated and heated by the fire of love. O that thou wert-This wish of our Lord plainly implies that he does not work on us irresistibly, as the fire does on the water which it heats: cold or hot-Even if thou wert cold, without any thought or profession of religion, there would be more hope of thy recovery. V. 16. So because thou art lukewarm-The effect of lukewarm water is well' kuown: I will spue thee out of my mouth-I will utterly cast thee from me: that is, unless thou repent. V. 17. Because thou sayest-Therefore I counsel thee, &c. I am rich-In gifts and grace, as well as worldly goods. And knowest not that thou art—In God's account, wretched and pitiable. V. 19. I counsel thee--Who art poor, and blind, and naked, to buy of meWithout money or price, gold, purified in the fire-True, living faith, which is purified in the furnace of affliction: and white raiment-True holiness, and eye-salve Spiritual illumination; the unction of the Holy One, which teacheth all things. V. 19. Whomsoever I love-Even thee, thou poor Laodicean! O how much has his unwearied love to do! I rebuke-For what is past: and chastenThat they may amend for the time to come. V. 20. I stand at the door and knock-Even at this instant; while he is speaking this word: If any man open--Willingly receive me: I will sup with him—Refreshing him with my graces and gifts, and delighting myself in what' I have given: and he with me-lu life everlasting. 21 with me. He that overcometh, I will give him to sit with me on my throne, as I also have overcome, and sat down with my Father on his throne. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. CHAP. IV. 1. After these things I saw and behold a door opened in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, as of a trumpet talking with me, said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. V. 21. I will give him to sit with me on my throne-In unspeakable happiness and glory. Elsewhere heaven itself is termed the throne of God. But this throne is in heaven. V. 22. He that hath an ear, let him hear, &c.-This stands in the three former letters before the promise; in the four latter, after it; clearly dividing the seven into two parts, the first containing three, the last, four letters. The titles given our Lord in the three former letters peculiarly respect his power after his resurrection and ascension, particularly over his church; those in the four latter, his divine glory, and unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit." Again, this word being placed before the promises in the three former letters, excludes the false apostles at Ephesus, the false Jews at Smyrna, and the partakers with the heathens at Pergamos, from having any share therein. In the four latter being placed after them, it leaves the promises immediately joined with Christ's address to the angel of the church; to shew that the fulfilling of these was near; whereas the others reach beyond the end of the world. It should be observed that the overcoming or victory (to which alone these peculiar promises are annexed) is not the ordinary victory obtained by every believer, but a special victory obtained over great and peculiar temptations, by those that are strong in faith, CHAP. IV. We are now entering upon the main prophecy: the whole Revelation may be divided thus: The 1st, 2d, and 3d chapters contain the introduction; The 4th and 5th, the proposition: The 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th, describe things which are already fulfilled; The 15th-19th, Things which will be fulfilled shortly; The 20th, 21st, 22d, Things at a greater distance. Ver. 1. After these things-As if he had said, After I had written these letters from the mouth of the Lord. By the particle and, the several parts of this prophecy are usually connected: by the expression, after these things, they are distinguished from each other, ch. vii. 9. xix. 1. By that expression, and after these things, they are distinguished and connected, ch. vii. 1, xv. 5, xviii. 1. St. John always saw and heard, and then immediately wrote down, one part after another. And one part is constantly divided from another by some one of these expressions. I saw Here begins the relation of the main vision, which is connected throughout, as appears from the throne and him that sitteth thereon, the Lamb, (who hitherto has appeared in the form of a man,) the four living creatures, and the four and twenty elders, represented from this place to the end. From this place it is absolutely necessary to keep in mind the genuine order of the text, as it stands in the preceding table. A door opened in heaven-Several of these openings are successively mentioned. Here a door is opened; afterward the temple of God in heaven, ch. xi. 19, xv. 5, and at last, heaven itself, ch. xix. 11. By each of these St. John gains a new and more extended prospect: and the first voice which I had heard-Namely, that of Christ, (afterward he heard the voices of many others,) said, Come up hither-Not in body, but in spirit: which was immediately done. A ▲ 3 |