A Revelation of the Apocalypse, Chapter 2 · Commentary 3 – Analysis 3
Scholions.
12 And to the Angell of the Church of Pergamus; Towred Pergamus.Pergamus ſo farre as the Spirit ſeemeth to reſpect the notation thereof in this place, is as it were foreign, that is, foreign the tower of Troye, as Heſychius expoundeth it: to with, a towred city, high and ſuperbe, agreable to that which followeth in the next verſe, where the throne of Sathan is. It is diſtant from Smyrna Northward about five hundred and fourty furlongs, with a greater diſtance then Smyrna is from Epheſus, in the laſt border of the North latitude as touching thoſe ſeaven cityes. A great diminishing of light fell out in the Smyrnean corner under Conſtantine, Conſtance & Valence even at the firſt turning from Epheſus firſt purity: But nowe he goeth from Smyrna to Pergamus into the utmoſt darkenes, the Church being about to ſuffer a greater defect of light then ever before this time ſince Chriſt was borne. The Antitype of this Church is of longer time then the former, as alſo the diſtance of place is greater, conteining a great part of the kingdome of darkenes, from the three hundred and foure ſcore yeare, to wit, from Gratian, where the former period ceaſed, unto about the yeare one thouſand three hundreth, as in the explication we shall ſee.
¶ Theſe things ſaith he which hath &c. The furniture of him that enditeth the Epiſtle, is taken out of chap. 1.16. Which now he taketh before the other, becauſe he would shew himſelfe ſuch in practize in this Church. For he would punish the rebells, as he ſpeaketh after ver. 16. on whom no light punishement should be layd by a two edged ſworde and that ſharpe: and the ſword is the worde of God it ſelfe, whoſe force should now be manifeſted in the ſubduing of the man of ſinne: Although this ſword in this period is ſhaken rather then inflicted. For he threatneth a fight againſt thoſe that repent not, ver. 16. he cometh not forthwith to handy ſtrokes.
13 I know thy workes: A narration of his more approved condition, which is ſet forth two wayes: that he neither denyed the faith, allthough he dwelt in that place where Sathans throne is: ſ…condly that neither in thoſe dayes, wherin Antipas was ſlaine. It is not hard to know, why it is called the throne of Sathan. For the city where the Ethnike Emperours had their ſeat made warre profeſſedly againſt the Lambe, is called the Throne of the Dragon, chap. 13.2. So of the foſter & inferiour cities, which come nigheſt to the diſpoſition of this chiefe city, becauſe they make a pallace more garnished for the Devill, they are noted with the ſame name.
Nowe was the mother city of the Romane Empire in Aſia. For it is likely that this region being brought into a Province, after that Atalus Philometor King of Pergamus had named the people of Rome his heire, the Proconſull being ſent to governe the ſame, placed there the ſeat of his iuriſdiction. Plinie in his 5 booke of his naturall Hiſtory chap. 30. ſaith that this City was by farre the moſt famous of Aſia, which glory should leſſe agree unto it, if the Proconſuls had had their dwelling in any other place, ſeeing honour is wont eyther to come to cities or to departe from them together with the chief rulers. Although before it perteined to the Romane power, it was the head city of the Kingdome of Aſia. For ſo Livius ſpeaketh entreating of Scleuchus the ſonne of Antiochus; He leadeth, ſaith he, to the aſſailing of Pergamum the head and tower of the Kingdome, Decal. 4. book 7. It was therefore a great thing to profeſſe Chriſt in the hearing & ſight of ſo mighty a city & ſpiteful againſt the truth. There may not be prophecying in Bethel, for it is the ſanctuary of the king and the Kings houſe, Amos 7.13. Aretas reporteth of Antipas, that he gave teſtimony to the truth at Pergamus, and that his martyrdome was kept even to his times: But I finde noe more in any author worthy credit. From this place it is evident that he was a very famous Martyr, by whoſe ſufferings was ſignified the rage of a moſt grievous perſecution. This is another praiſe that Pergamus had continued conſtantly in the faith, when a fierce tempeſt raged very greatly.
It is an eaſy thing to profeſſe Chriſt, when a man may doe it either with honour, or without danger: But to reteine the profeſsion of him without feare, even with the danger of life, is an excellent commendation and a point of true courage. Wee have ſaid that the Antitype was the Church from the foure hundreth yeare, to the three hundreth above the thouſandth; When after Conſtantius, Iulianus and Valence, Smyrna being left it went further toward the North unto Pergamus, that is, was hidden in thicke darknes, being brought under the power of that City, where The Throne of Satan is, namely ROME.
This is that Towred City, The Tower of Troye, whoſe Daughter shee boaſted her ſelfe to be, once the Mother City almoſt of the whole world, the proude Lady and Queene of the Nations noe leſſe famous for the ſtately Temples, Theaters, Highe Places, then for the ample and large dominiō and Empire.
It is plainly called the Throne of Satan in the 13. chapter of this booke, both becauſe it was once the Seate of the Ethnike Emperours, as at the place wee will shewe And alſo becauſe they being taken away, it was made the Seate of the Popes, who during this time have moſt plainly shewed, that they reigned by the helpe of the Devill and not of God. Foure and twenty Popes were all given to Diveliſh arts: ſome of which gave up themſelves wholy to Sathan by covenant to obtaine the Popedome. Yea by the ſpace of whole foure ſco…e yeares from Sylveſter II. unto Gregorie the ſeaven, noe Pope reigned but grealy famous in this impiety. Can any doubt where the Devill hath his Throne placed, when he shall ſee ſo many Necromancers clothed in purple ſit at Rome? Rome therefore is Pergamus, and not onelyonly the city of Rome, but the whole Romane dition, as farre as the Dominion of the Romane Biſhop did extende. As long as this tyranny flourished, in all thoſe places ſubiect unto it, there was the Seate of the Pergamen Church. And they that keepe the name of Chriſt, are the faithfull diſperſed at that time in every place, who not diſcouraged with the Romane tyranny, reteyned firmly in the meane tyme the foūde doctrine, of which ſorte were many in the Eaſt, in Africa, in our Britanny, and in other places, yet rather apparent or manifeſt man by man, then notable in any whole aſſemblyes. For now was the time of the Church lying hidde, as after shalbe shewed more fully, chap. 7. and 11. and 12. Antipas was ſlaine, when about the yeare eight hundreth it began to be a matter worthy death, to reſiſt the Romane Bishop. For beholde what a moſt fit name the Spirit giveth to the Pergamen Martyr: He is called Antipas not with a feigned, but true name; which yet by almoſt ſo many letters & ſyllables, should declare that the Martyrs of this time should be Antipapes: not that twoheaded or threeheaded Hydra, whoſe heads should contend one with another for the Papacy, but who should oppoſe themſelves againſt theſe ſacrilegious Popes, deſyring that, that wicked power should be brought into order. Of which ſorte were Leo Iſaurus, killed after a ſorte by Gregory the 2. when he was by him ſpoiled of the Empyre of the Eaſt. Frederick Barbaroſſa was vexed with all māner of iniuries. The Biſhop Florentine of leſſe fame, was condemned, for teaching that Antichriſt was come. A certen man called Arnulphus, or as others write Arnoldus, was hanged at Rome, becauſe he had ſpoken boldly againſt the Pope, Cardinals and Prieſts.
Gerardus & Dulcimus Navarenſes, burnt alive with thirty others; becauſe they preached that the Pope was Antichriſt: and many others, of which it were to long to make a catalogue, neither is it my purpoſe. The godly reader may coniecture from the Decrees, which are found in the Right of Biſhops, how many Antipes, or rather Antipopes, were killed in this Pergamē ſtate. The firſt of which is, He that goeth about to take away the privilege of the Church of Rome, given of the very higeſt head of all Churches, he doubtleſſe falleth into hereſy, and is to be called an Heretique, Diſt. 22. All or the Patriarches againe, Let him become Anathema with God, which violateth the cenſure of the Romane Biſhops, Cauſ. 25. q. 1. generall decree. To which adde, They are not homicides, who through zeale of the mother Church are armed againſt excommunicats, Cauſ. 23. q. 5. Of the killers of excommunicats. From which conſider with thy ſelfe, ſeeing the good will of the Romane whore hath bin alway the ſame, even alſo before that theſe lawes were made, how many Antipes have bin killed of the ſame, after shee had gotten ſome power. Yet many even in thoſe times kept the truth faithfully, ſo farre as it was revealed unto them, for which cauſe a more glorious crowne is layed up for them.
14 But I have a few things againſt thee: The other part of the narration, wherein the Angell is reproved for his too much gentlenes toward the wicked. From whence it came to paſſe that this Church was infected with the doctrine of Balaam in this verſe, and the Nicolaitanes, in the next. There was but one plague of the Nicolaitanes in the Church o Epheſus, unto this is added alſo Balaam. Whoſe fornication (which he taught) had not reſpect ſo much to the defiling of the body, as to the violating of godlines by Idolatry. Which double corruption is ſo diſtinguished, that the doctrine of Balaam is proper to the Antitype, although it be rehearſed in the former place, the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes to the type, to wit of the very city Pergamus. As towching that, moſt fitly is the Pope of Rome in thoſe firſt times compared to Balaam, a ſecret hypocrite, of great authority with Kings, ready to any thing for lucre ſake, uttering ſome true oracles, but as a diviner and man of the Ethnike ſuperſtition, perſwading the worship of Images to Conſtātine and Jrene Auguſtes, as it may be ſeen in the Synodicall Epiſtle ſent unto them, as Balaam to the King Balaac, that he would entiſe the Iſraelites, beautifull women being …et before them, to offer ſacrifices to Baal Pehor, Num. 31.16. Nowe therefore wee ſee, why Balaā was reſerved to this place, to wit, that he might ſignify his true afſpring, the Pope of Rome, as like his father, as one egge an other. He in theſe times which we have ſpoken of should treade the Church under feete. But this was the ſinne of the Pergamen Angell, that he ſuffered too favourably men to draw of the dregges of this falſe Prophet. It was his duty to have bin inſtant in teaching, admonishing, reprooving, correcting, if peradventure the contagiō might had bin ſtayed, that it should not ſpread further abroad. Of which when the godly were ſome thing to negligent, handling to gētly this man of ſinne, and halting or ſomewhat fayling, as cometh to paſſe in a comon corruption, gave occaſion to the overſeer of Churches, both to contende with them, and alſo at length to punish that eſtate. And who knoweth not, how tenderly and mildly they which embraced the trueth in thoſe times, touched in ſpeaking or writing, the Romane Tyranny? They should had thundred againſt it moſt vehemently, and ſpared noe sharpneſſe of wordes, but we shall finde that the Angell in this point performed not his duty. But how then had he but a few thinges againſt the Angell, ſeeing the whole ſtate of the Church was ſo greatly corrupt? Wonderfull is the gentle entreating of our God. He requireth but a few thinges of thē, to whom he giveth fewe. The greater their corruption was, ſo much the leſſe he exacteth. He requireth not ſo great ability of him that liveth in darknes, as of them round about whom the cleare light shineth.
¶ That they ſhould eate of thoſe thinges which were ſacrificed to Idols; that is, being preſent at the worship of Idols, should give honour to them. Otherwiſe if any thing offerred to Jdols were ſolde in the ſhambels, and the offence of ſome weake brother hindred not, any man might well eate of it, 1 Cor. 8. &c. But the Spirit ſeemeth with good adviſement to have ſpoken rather of eating that which is offered to Idols, then of worshipping the Idoll, that he might shewe the crafty and ſubtill way of this Balaam in provoking and alluring men to Idolatry. It ſeemeth not ſo ungodly a thing to men to eate fleſh ſacrificed to Idols, as to fall downe at the feete and give adoration to the Image. Therefore this Balaam would endevour to winne men to his purpoſe by very ſmall thinges and having a faire colour. He would abhorre Idols in words as much as any other, and would cry out that the honour which he commaundeth to be given to Jmages, is farre from this ungodlines, by ſuch wordes deceaving the unskilfull, and bringing them into this offence, of which the Spirith ſpeaketh.
15 So thou haſt &c. The reddition of the ſimilitude, whoſe propoſition is not ſpoken a word of. Thus it should be full. As once the Iſraelites had thoſe that held the doctrine of Balaam: ſo thou haſt them that holde the doctrine of the Nicolaitanes. In ſtead of the propoſition he attributeth the doctrine of Balaam to the Pergamen Church, becauſe it was proper to his Antitype: but from whence may be gathered the firſt part of the ſimilitude. But this poiſon of the Nicolaitanes had infected doubtleſſe Pergamus.
¶ Which J hate: as before, the comon tranſlation is, repent likewiſe. And ſo he beginneth the verſe following in this ſenſe, as I have warned the Epheſine Church, ſo doe I admonish thee. But this is weaker, then if he did commaund ſimply, repent.
16 I will come againſt thee quickly, and fight againſt them; He threatneth a double punishement, one againſt the Church it ſelfe againſt which he ſaith that he w…ll come quickly: The other againſt the corrupters, againſt whom he ſaith he will fight with the ſworde of his mouth. For wee may not thinke, that he will come againſt the Church, onelyonly to take away thoſe plagues & deſtructions of men (for this could have no feare, but would be a thing to be chiefly wiſhed) but ſhee alſo muſt ſuffer the punishment of her negligence, as they of their wickednes. Therfore this violent breaking into the Church, was a certen chaſtiſement by warre, or ſome ſuch calamity, as is manifeſt in the Antitype: whoſe times were very troublous, partly by the overflowing of the Northerne Barbarians, partly by the Saracens, whom the Devill armed againſt the ſeed of the woman, after shee fled into the wildernes, as we shall shew at the chap. 12. to which times theſe things perteine: but here generally and obſcurely shewed, becauſe this place ſuffered not any ampler light. The other punishment is againſt the Balaamites, againſt whō he will uſe the ſworde of his mouth. For we muſt obſerve, how he diſtinguisheth theſe from the Church: of her he ſayd, I will come againſt thee, then turning his ſpeach to the Balaamites, and J will fight, ſaith he, againſt them. But what is it to fight with the ſworde of his mouth? Whether to inflict the puniſhments which he hath threatned in his word? Certenly Paul ſaith that he had in readines, wherewith to puniſh all contumacy, 2 Cor. 10.6. And Ieremy is ſet of God over the nations and Kingdomes, to root out and deſtroy &c. chap. 1.10. For there is no weapon in the whole armory of the world ſo effectuall on both partes. Wherfore ſeeing by the iudgement hereof all fornications and Idolatries are appointed to a iuſt puniſhment, worthily may he ſay, that he will fight with that ſworde, according to the rule whereof the pronounced iudgement is exerciſed. But nowe when in an other place it is ſayd of Antichriſt, that Chriſt ſhall conſume him with the ſpirit of his mouth, 2 Theſ. 2.8. (which maner of ſpeaking what force it hath, we have learned by experience, to wit, that his errours convinced, his lyes detected, then his fraude and deceits ſet in the open light, he ſhalbe brought to deſtruction) theſe wordes ſeeme to have the ſame meaning. And certenly after that the Church was for a while ſcourged by thoſe Norther & Souther barbariās, Chriſt begā to vexe thoſe Perganiē impoſtours with the light of the truth: for about the yeare 1120, aroſe certē godly men, which preached openly that Antichriſt was come: that the holy dayes, Eccleſiaſticall broken ſongs, prayers for the dead, pilgrimages, oyle, extreem unction, & the reſt of that ſorte, were ſuperſtitious things: Worke Trip. & Henric. Mon. Thol. To theſe were added in a short time after the Waldenſes, the Albingenſes & Pariſienſes, who published a booke of the perils of the Church, & many other private men. Frō thēce began this fight, which was ſoft in the beginning, terrible rather in the shaking of the ſword, then in wonding: but after coming to a iuſt & full battaile, as after we shall ſee, which hath fallen out proſperouſly to the godly hitherto by the grace of God: but moſt unhappily to them that dwell at Rome in the throne of Sathan.
17 He that hath an eare; Let every one drowned in the Romish ſuperſtitiōs give eare, let him attende & hearken, in what account with God is that unmaried Vicar of Chriſt: of what price is that famous & much ſpoken of Rome, that Chaire of Peter, the piller of truth, mother of the faith & of all Churches; to wit, that chief Prelate, that wicked Balaam: the very city which is renowmed with the vaine praiſing of men the gate of heavē, is the very palace & throne of the Devill. Neither let any thinke that hatred doth wring theſe words from a man that is an adverſary: but let him compare the prophecy & the event, which if he shall ſee to agree in all things, let him know that he is warned of the dāger, not ſo much by the words of mā as by the H. ſpirit.
¶ To him that overcometh I will &c. The reward is threefould, hiddē Mā na, a white ſtone, & an unknowne name written upon it: Every one of which fit the times in a wonderfull manner. As for Manna, it is the meat of the wildernes miniſtred frō God, when there was no meanes to have other bread. And in this Pergamen ſtate, when the company of the Nicolaitanes & Balaamiticall ofſpring, that is, Romane Jdolaters poſſeſſed all places, the Church was converſant in a waſte, unpleaſant, & terrible wildernes, whether wee ſhall ſee the woman betake herſelfe flying from the Dragon, ch. 12. But Chriſt feedeth the ſame with the meat of the wildernes, as once the Iſraelites. For he will not be wanting to his in the moſt hard times, but beſtowe aboundātly the ioy of the Spirit, wherby not onelyonly they may be preſerved in life, but alſo be very glad as for the greateſt ioyes. Therefore this Manna is the ſame meate, with the fruite of the tree of life in Paradiſe, as hath bin obſerved afore, ver. 7. but the manner of miniſtring of it is divers, there in a moſt chaſt, pure, and flourishing Church, it was the fruit of the tree in the middes of the paradiſe of God: here the truth being deſpiſed, contemned & trode under foot & utterly opreſſed with moſt thicke darknes, it is Māna the foode of the wildernes: this meate should be hiddē frō the world, & they should ſuppoſe thē famished, who had fled into this wildernes, as the Egyptians did thinke the Iſraelites for this cauſe would perish ſuddēly. But God did ſuſtaine his extra ordinarily with this bread of Angels.
Yet there is this difference betweene the Manna of the Pergamen people, and that of the Iſraelites: For this every way was ſpred rond about the tentes: that was diſperſed peculiarly to every one of the ſaints, who did not dwell ſo thicke togither in ſo great number as the Jſraelites in their tentes; but in certen rare dennes, farre removed frō the eyes of the world. From whēce the Manna of theſe is hidden, theirs manifeſt, like to that which was gathered from the comon allowance of the people and by the commandement of God layd up in a golden pot, which the people had no power to ſee afterward, Exod. 16.33.34. Heb. 9.4. Which in a more excellent figure did shadow out the heavenly food. For the other Manna being kept above one day was full of wormes: this abode pure and incorrupt through all ages, a lively and expreſſe image of the immortall foode. Therefore this Manna doeth not ly openly about the tents, in the waye of every one that will gather it up, but is given from the golden pot, as much as may be ſufficient to maintaine life. And certenly unleſſe Chriſt by hidden meanes in thoſe moſt corrupt times had provided for his, they had bin utterly undone, as touching their ſalvation.
¶ And J will give him a white ſtone: The ſecond reward. Aretas reporteth that ſuch a ſtone was wont to be given to maiſter wraſtlers ſtriving on the theater. But it is not likely that that cuſtome is here regarded: For that was onelyonly to the entring of the fight, and not to the rewarding of the overcomer. In the playes called Olympiques, that the champions should not run togither rashly, they pulled ſtones out of a ſylver pot, and thoſe on which they did fall being marked with the ſame letter (for they wer two by two marked with the ſame characters) were committed in the fight by the iudges: neither doe I thinke that there was any other uſe of ſtones in playes. In iudgements they were uſed to an other ende, to wit to give voices. In which thing they were divers, according to the ſundry lawes of the peoples; ſometime hollow and bored through, by which they did condemne, ſometime full and ſolid, by which they did abſolve. Some time alſo they were diſtinguished onelyonly by the colour, the black condamning, the white contrariwiſe abſolving. So Vlpian on Demoſthenes againſt Timocrate: The ſtones ſometime bored and not bored: ſome time black and white. To the ſame purpoſe the Scholi…ſte of Ariſtophanes in foreign. But that of Alcibiades is famous, who in the iudgement of life and death would not beleeve his mother, leaſt peradventure ſhee unwares ſhould put a black ſtone for a white, Plutarche in Apotheg. of the King. He doeth allude therefore to that manner of abſolving in iudgements. But wherfore now is there a ſecond, yea a third reward, which in the former Churches was but one? The uſe of the godly did ſo require. For becauſe thoſe few and rare faithfull, in ſo great a multitude of the ungodly, were hated of all, condemned of ſchiſme, errour, hereſy, and I know not what wickednes, an abſolving ſtone is promiſed them. That although they should be guilty by all mens ſuffragies on the earth, yet they might knowe moſt ſurely, that they are iudged guiltles before the heavenly tribunall. How great a ſolace is this againſt the reproches of the world? Be of good courage, if God iuſtify, who ſhall condemne? Rom. 8.33.
¶ And in the ſtone a new name written: A third reward. He perſiſteth in the ſame cuſtome of iudgements: in ſome of which their names were written in the ſtones, who came to be iudged. Ariſtides being deſired of an unlearned and one that knewe not who he was, that he would write to him the name of Ariſtides in his ſhell, he wrote his name into his owne baniſhement: Plutarch in Apotheg. of Ariſtides. Here the like cuſtome is shewed. But the new name to be written in the white ſtone is the childe of God, ſuch as the faithfull perceive and acknowledg themſelves to be by the teſtimony of the Spirit, Rom. 8.16. Which alſo avayleth againſt the railings of the world, to whō they should be as the filth and ofskowring of all. But why doſt thou vexe thy ſelfe with thought of ſo great contempt, ſeeing thou art with God in the honour of a ſonne? This name alſo is unknowne to all, except to him that receaveth it. For the world knoweth us not, 1 Ioh. 3.2. Therfore their teſtimony is of noe account, on what ſide ſoever. But beſides beholde the ſolitarines of thoſe times, wherein the elect were no leſſe unknowne to the world, then the way of ſalvation ſignifyed now by the hidden Manna.
Analyſis.
Such is the Epiſtle to the Church of Pergamus, Thyatira growing.This to the Thyatirens is intituled alſo to the Angell: then he declareth that he that ſendeth is the ſonne of God, with fiery eyes, and feete like fine braſſe, ver. 18. The Narration prayſeth the increaſe of Godlines, ver. 19. but reprehendeth for ſuffering of Jeſabell; whoſe naughtines he deſcribeth, firſt by the kinde of ſinne ver. 20. ſecondly by the hardning ver. 21. and puniſhment, which is notable both for the nature of the punishment it ſelfe, which is divers according to the mā ner of the delinquents: For Iezabell her ſelfe is punished by the Bed: They that committe fornication with her, by great affliction ver. 22. and her ſonnes with death: as alſo by an excellent teſtimony of all Churches, of the iuſt and ſevere iudgement of God ver. 23. To whom finally he annexed a counſell againſt this wickednes (the way wherto he sheweth by gentle entreatie, laying noe other burden upon them ver. 24.) requyring conſtancy, ver. 25. & perſwading therto by the reward of power over the nations, verſ. 26.27. & the morning ſtarre ver. 28. The concluſion ver. 29.