He is commanded to write diuers things to the Churches of Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamus, and
Thyatira: praising them that had not admitted the doctrine of the Heretikes called Nicolaita,
22. and calling others by threats vnto penance: 26. and promising reward to him that manfully
ouercommeth.
1. AND to the Angel of the Church of Ephesus write, Thus saith he which
holdeth the seuen starres in his right hand, which walketh in the middes of the
seuen Candlestickes of gold:
2. I know thy workes and labour, and thy patience: & that thou canst
not beare euil men & hast tried them which say themselues to be Apostles,
and are not, and hast found them liars:
3. and thou hast patience, and hast borne for my name, and hast not
fainted.
4. But I haue against thee a few things, because thou hast left thy
first charitie.
5. Be mindful therfore from whence thou are fallen: and doe
penance, and doe the first workes. But if not: I come to thee, & wil moue thy
Candlesticke out of his place, vnlesse thou doe penance.
6. But this thou hast, because thou hatest the facts of the Nicolaites, which I also
hate.
7. He that hath an eare, let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches: To him
that ouercommeth, I wil giue to eate of the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of my God.
8. And to the Angel of the Church of Smyrna write: Thus saith the First and the Last,
who was dead, and liueth:
9. I know thy tribulation and thy pouertie, but thou art rich: and thou art blasphemed
of them that say themselues to be Iewes and are not, but are the Synagogue of Satan.
10. Feare none of these things which thou shalt suffer. Behold the Diuel wil send some
if you into prison that you may be tried: and you shal haue tribulation ten daies. Be thou faithful
vntil death: and I wil giue thee the crowne of life.
11. He that hath an eare, let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches: He that
shal ouercome, shal not be hurt of the second death.
12. And to the Angel of the Church of Pergamus write: Thus saith he that hath the sharp
two-edged sword:
13. I know where thou dwellest, where the seate of Satan is: and thou holdest my name,
and hast not denied my faith. And in those daies Antipas my faithful witnesse, who was slaine among
you, where Satan dwelleth.
14. But I haue against thee a few things: because thou hast there, them that hold the
doctrine of Balaam, to eate and commit fornication:
15. so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaites.
16. In like manner doe penance. If not: I wil come to thee quickly, and wil fight
against them with the sword of my mouth.
17. He that hath an eare, let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches: To him
that ouer commeth I wil giue the hidden manna, and wil giue him a white counter, and in the counter,
a new name written, which no man knoweth, but he that receiueth it.
18. And to the Angel of the Church of Thyatira write: This saith the Sonne of God, which
hath eyes as a flame of fire, and his feet like to latten.
19. I know thy workes, and faith, and thy charitie, and ministerie, and thy patience
and thy last workes more then the former.
20. But I haue against thee a few things: because thou permittest the woman Iezabel,
who calleth her self a Prophetesse, to teach, and to seduce my seruants to fornicate, and to eate
of things sacrificed to idols.
21. And I gaue her a time that she might doe penance & she wil not repent from her
fornication.
22. Behold I wil cast her into a bed: and they that commit aduoutrie with her, shal
be in very great tribulation, vnlesse they doe penance from their workes:
23. and her children I wil kil with death, & al the Churches shal know that I am
he that searcheth the reines & harts & I wil giue to euery one of you according to his workes.
24. But I say to you and the rest which are at Thyatira, whosoeuer haue not this doctrine,
which haue not knowen the depth of Satan, as they say, I wil not cast vpon you another weight.
25. Yet that which you haue, hold til I come.
26. And he that shal ouercome and keep my workes vnto the end, I wil giue him power
ouer the Nations,
27. and he shal rule them with a rod of yron, and as the vessel of a potter shal they
be broken,
28. as I also haue receiued of my Father: and I wil giue him the morning starre.
29. He that hath an eare, let him heare what the Spirit saith to the Churches.
ANNOTATIONS.
Cʜᴀᴘ. II.
1. Holdeth the seuen.)
Much to be obserued, that Christ hath such care ouer the Church and the Bishops thereof, that
he is said here to beare them vp in his right hand, and to walke in the middes of them: no
doubt to vphold and preserue them and to guide them in al truth.
2. Thy workes, labour, patience &c.)
Things required in a Bishop first, good workes, and great patience in tribulation next, zeale and
sharpe discipline toward offenders is here cōmended in them thirdly, wisedom & diligence in trial
of false Apostles and preachers comming in sheepe-skinnes: where is signified the watchful
prouidence that ought to be in them, that Heretikes enter not into their flockes.
5. Wil moue.)
Note that the cause why God taketh the truth from certaine countries, and remoueth
their Bishops or Churches into captiuitie or desolation, is the sinne of the Prelates and people.
And that is the cause (no doubt) that Christ hath taken away our golden candlesticke, that is, our
Church in England. God graunt vs to remember our fall, to doe penance and the former workes of
charitie which our first Bishops and Church were notable and renowmed for.
6. Because thou hatest.)
We see here that of al things, Christian people (specially Bishops)
should haue great zeale against Heretikes and hate them, that is, their wicked doctrine and
conditions, euen as God hateth them for which onely zeale, our Lord saith here that he beareth
with some Churches and Prelates, and saueth them from perishing.
6. Of the Nicolaites.)
Heretikes haue their callings of certaine persons, as is noted at large
Act. 11, 26. These had their name of Nicolas, one of the 7 first Deacons that were chosen Act. 6.
Who is thought to haue taught communitie of women or wiues, and that it was lawful to eate of
meates offered to idols. Which later point is such a thing, as if one should hold it lawful to
receiue the bread or wine of the new Communion, which is a kinde of Idolothytae, that is,
idolatrous meates. for though such creatures be good by creation, yet they be made execrable by
profane blessings of Heretikes or Idolaters. And concerning the name of Nicolaites giuen here by our
Lord him self to those Heretikes, it is a very paterne and marke vnto the faithful for euer, what
kinde of men they should be, that should be called after the like sort, Arians, Macedonians,
Nestorians, Lutherans, Zuinglians, &c. See S. Hierom cont. Lucifer, in fine.
14. To cast a scandal.)
Iosephus writeth that when Balaam could not curse Gods people, nor otherwise anoy them, he taught
Balaca way how to ouerthrow them: to wit by presenting vnto them their Heathen women very
beautiful, and delicate dishes of meate offered to Bel-phego•: that so being tempted they might
fall to heathenish maners and displease God. To which craftie counsel of Balaam the Apostle
resembleth Heretikes fraude, who by offering of libertie of meate, women, Church goodes, breache
of vowes, and such other licentious allurements, cause many moe to fall, then by their preaching.
20. The woman Iezabel.)
He warneth Bishops to be zelous and stout against false Prophets and
Heretikes of what sort soeuer, by alluding couertly to the example of holy Elias that in zeale
killed 450 false prophets of Iezabel, and spared not Achab nor Iezabel them selues, but told them
to their faces that they troubled Israel, that is, the faithful people of God. And whether there
were any such great woman then, a furtherer and promotour of the Nicolaites, whom the Prophete
should here meane, it is hard to say.
21. She wil not repent.)
See free wil here most plainely, and that God is not the proper cause of obduration or impenitence,
but man him self onely. Our Lord giueth sinners so long life, specially to expect their amendment:
but Iezabel (to whom the Apostle here alludeth) would neuer repent.
22. They that cōmit aduoutrie with her.)
Such as communicate with Heretikes, shal be damned (alas) with them, for, not onely such as were
in their hartes, of Iezabels religion, or inwardly beleeued in Baal, but such as externally for
feare worshipped him (which the Scriptures call, bowing of their knees to Baal) are culpable as
now many bow their knees to the Communion, that bow not their hartes.
26. I wil giue him power.)
Obserue that not onely Angels haue power and regiment ouer Countries vnder God, but now for the
honour of Christ humane nature, and for his ministerie in the world, the Saincts deceased also,
being in heauen, haue gouernement ouer men and Prouinces, and therfore haue to doe with our
affaires in the world. Which is against the Heretikes of these daies, that to take away our
praiers to Saincts, would spoile them of many soueraine dignities, wherein the Scriptures make
them equal with Angels.