The Revelation Revealed, Chapter 2 · Verse 13
Verſ. 13. I know thy works, and where thou dwelleſt, even where Satan's ſeat is; and thou heldest faſt my Name, and haſt not denyed my faith, even in thoſe days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr, who was ſlain among you, where Satan dwelleth.
Chriſt in the firſt place goes on in the approbation and encouragement of the church of Pergamus, and tels her, that he knows her works, and that her habitation, or domeſtical converſation, for ſo the word ſignifies, is in a place even where Satan's Seat is, or Throne is, as the Orginal has it: We know the Seat or Throne is taken in Scripture for the place or enſign of Dominion, Rule, or Sway, as Pſal. 1. v. 1. Bleſſed is he that ſitteth not in the ſeat of the ſcornful, that is, in the ſociety of ſuch ſcorners as go on with a high hand, and ſay, their tongues are their own, who ſhall us controul? As Chriſt has his Throne and Seat, ſo Satan has his; as Chriſt goes out as an abſolute Monarch in his Kingdom, hath his Royal Laws and commands, and the obſervers thereof therein, ſo Satan hath alſo his Kingdom, and his Throne ſet up therein, where his commands are obeyed by the childen of diſobedience without controul; and therefore this foreign where the Throne of Satan is, is rendred in the latter part of this verſe in another variation, foreign, where Satan dwelleth or does his houſhold affairs. A mans houſe or habitation is his Throne or his caſtle, as the Law term has it; therein he exerciſes his commands freely, either by his Paternal or Magiſterial authority; and he hath better title to this Soveraignty, it being natural & moral, then any Soveraign hath to theirs in the world. 2. There are therein its ſubjects, who obey more freely, in reſpect of their more divine Oeconomy, then any Prince's Subjects whatſoever. Thirdly, A man's moſt private deſignes and tranſactions are agitated therein. Fourthly, A man therein lives, goes in and out, and no place, be it ever ſo pleaſant, is ſo complacent to a man, as the place of his own habitation, be it never ſo homely, and therefore a man will not ſpare to ſpend all his ſtrength, wit, or wealth, to defend his houſe & place of habitation, againſt all pretenders of right thereunto. Therefore theſe metaphors of a Throne, Seat, Houſe, or Habitation, are fitly taken up by the Spirit of God, to ſignifie unto us the power of Satan in the wicked and ungodly, which in Scriptures, are called his ſtrong holds and habitations; for in them he commands and acts freely, being as a Father, Lord, and Maſter, to us the children of diſobedience; for his ſervants and children ye are to whom ye obey, and they obey freely and without any regret as dutiful children and ſervants to ſuch a Father and Maſter, even the Prince that ruleth in the Ayre, even the Spirit that now worketh in the children of diſobedience, Epheſ. 2.2. there he makes his habitation, there he lives and tranſacts the higheſt deſignes of his Kingdom of darkneſs, there he takes his delight to dwell, and takes that pleaſure in this place of his habitation, that before he will forego it, or loſe an inch of his poſſeſſion, the ſtronger man in the Goſpel muſt firſt come, even Chriſt in his Spirit of Grace, and that after much ſtrugling & contending between fleſh and ſpirit; and that Chriſt ſhall be ſure to make his Title clear and evident by Faith, and the great charter of the Goſpel, before he will be diſpoſſeſſed of his ancient free-hold Tenures; yea his love, or rather pernitious deſire to his old habitation, is ſuch, that after he is diſpoſſeſſed thereof by Chriſt, that if he can get or make a re-entry into his loſt poſſeſſion, by his diabolical Stratagems and Temptations, he comes in with ſeven fold worſer ſpirits then the firſt, to make good his right and re-entry, if he may, and the condition of that houſe is far more miſerable then at the firſt. O therefore watch, and be prepared with the armory of Chriſt to oppoſe the aſſaults of Satan, ye believing and enlightened ſouls! and though he ſometimes may foyl you, yet let him not overturn you; though he may endeavour to come into your ſoul, yet let him not have quiet poſſeſſion; for greater is he that is with us, then he that is againſt us, Reſiſt the Divel, and he will flee from you: and, through Chriſt we ſhall have Victory Note hence,
Obſerve, That Satan rules as abſolute Lord and Soveraign over the unbelieving and diſobedient. They are his houſe, the place of his dwelling, his Throne, his Kingdom, his Seat; and if that were not enough to deſcribe their malignity, and Satan's Soveraignty over them, they are called Satan himſelf, v. 10. The better to manifeſt Satan's Seat, Throne, and Habitation, in and over the ungodly: conſider the contrary, The Seat, Throne and Habitation of God. Though God in his infinite nature, is illocal, infinite, and incomprehenſible, as unto any place or form, yet metaphorically is ſaid to be in a place, that is, from whence he in any ſpecial manner doth manifeſt his glory, power, grace, and goodneſs: So God is ſaid to come, depart, and return, in Scriptures, when he ſpecially manifeſts himſelf in grace, mercy, and anſwers to his people, or unto any particular believing Soul; and when God withdraws that appearance of mercy, grace, and glory, nor hears the Prayers of his people, but goes out in Judgments againſt them, then he is ſaid to depart, to be gone, and return into his place. Hoſ. 5.15. I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledg their Offence. God is ſaid to have three ſpecial places of habitation, Seats or Thrones in Scriptures.
1. Heaven is his Throne, and his dwelling place. Iſa. 66.1. 1 Kings 8.30.
2. The hearts of the Saints is his Throne, and dwelling place. Iſa. 57.15. 1 Jo. 3.24.
3. The Church or Chriſt; Zion is the habitation and Tabernacle of his glory. Pſal. 132.13. The Church is the place where God communicates himſelf, and gives his anſwers unto his people. And therefore in 1 Tim. 3.15. it is called the Houſe of God, and often in Scriptures, the Kingdom of God. Theſe are the ſpecial habitations of God.
Satan hath alſo three ſpecial places of habitation and dominion in Scriptures.
1. In Hell over the damned ſpirits: And therefore he is called the Prince of darkneſs, and the Angel of the bottomleſs Pit.
2. The hearts of the wicked and unbelievers, is the Seat and habitation of Satan. Epheſ. 2.2.
3. His Throne is amongſt the ſocieties of the wicked; they are his Synagogue, v. 9. where his Doctrines are tranſacted and maintained; and they are his Seat and Throne, from whence all his wicked and pernitious Edicts do proceed againſt God and Godlineſs. Pſal. 2.2, 3.
Therefore in this verſe, the Spirit ſayes to the Church of Pergamus, I know that thou dwelleſt in a place where Satan bears rule in all Idolatries, wickedneſſes, and hatred to God and his truths without controulment; and yet, to thy praiſe and comfort be it, that thou holdeſt faſt my Name, and hast not denied my Faith; that is, that thou doſt conſtantly profeſs my Truth, and haſt not been drawn to deny my Goſpel, or Doctrine of Faith, not in thoſe very hot and perſecuting days, wherein Antipas, my faithful Martyr, was ſlain in that City of yours, by thoſe Tyranical perſons there, in whom Satan dwelleth, and prevaileth. There is no farther difficulty in thoſe words; only underſtand that Antipas, as Aretus teſtifies, and ſome others of Antiquitie, was the Paſtor or Biſhop to this Church of Epheſus; yet others ſay, he was only an Aſſiſtant to the Church: However, this bleſſed St. Antipas, Policarpus, and ſome others, were the firſt Martyrs to the Goſpel of Chriſt after the Apoſtles, in the raign of Trajan. From the words thus explained, Note,
Obſ. 2. That the godly by the providence of God, are diſpoſed and mingled amongſt the moſt vileſt and wicked in the World. The Church of Chriſt is likened to a Lilly amongſt Thorns, by the Wiſe-man in the Canticles: Where the Synagogue and Throne of Satan was, God had planted thoſe Aſiatick Churches. Righteous Job ſaith of himſelf, that he was a brother to Dragons, and a companion to Owles. Chap. 30.29. And holy David's ſoul was vexed, by ſojourning in Meſech, and dwelling in the Tents of Kedar. Pſal. 120.5. Honeſt hearted Joſeph had his habitation amongſt the Idolatrous Egyptians; and there were Ezekiel, Daniel, and others of Gods precious children, in Babylon, amongſt the Caldeans. It is the common lot of the godly to be amongſt Briars and Thorns, that will nothing but ſcratch and tear them; and therefore it ſhould be no ſtrange thing, nor too great a vexing burden unto us, that God and providence hath diſpoſed of our habitations amongſt the ungodly. For hereby,
1. God hath the greater glory from us.
2. We are kept cloſer to him.
3. Our Graces ſhine more eminently, as Stars in a froſty night ſhine cleareſt; and Fiſhes in the ſalteſt Seas are ſweeteſt: ſo we keep our ſavor the better for it, and our Graces are more enlivened.
4. Our Converſations, it ſutable to Gods word, may be a means of their converſion amongſt whom we live.
Obſ. 3. To a Godly ſoul to have its habitation amongſt the wicked, is a Soul vexing grief. Righteous Lot was vexed with the filthy converſation of the Sodomites, 2 Pet. 2.7. Though God hath diſpoſed this in his providence, yet it is an affliction, and for the preſent, grievous. Wo is me (ſaith David) that I ſojourn in Meſech, and that I dwell in the Tents of Kedar; with a barbarous & profane people, that were like to the poſterity of Meſech and Kedar. O what a burden it was to Moſes, and to all true Iſraelites, to dwell amongſt the Egyptians? How did the poor captive Iſraelites weep, when they were in Caldea, by the River of Chebar? And what a burden it is ſtill, for honeſt believing Souls to dwell amongſt a profane and wicked multitude? Where they cannot ſtir out of doores, or converſe but with very few, but that they ſhall hear God profaned, his Name blaſphemed; his Truths and Scriptures ſlighted, vilified, derided, and jeſted at; his Saints and Faithful ones, either ſpitefully treated, openly perſecuted, or at leaſt cloſely undermined, to bring the rod of affliction upon them. Therefore among the truly godly, the ſociety and cohabitation of the Saints is moſt deſirable; but of the wicked, moſt grievous and loathed.
Obſ. 4. God hath the more ſpecial eye of care and providence over his people, that have their habitations amongſt the wicked and ungodly. Though they dwell where Satan's Seat and Throne is, yet God holdeth them as the ſeven Stars in his right hand, verſe 1. and he knoweth their works of tribulation, and where they dwell, and therefore is preſent with ſutable grace and ſtrength from himſelf, for their ſupport and comfort, Thou remembreſt us (ſaid David) in our low eſtate. Where Chriſt's Church hath the greateſt enemies, God will ſhew himſelf their greateſt friend; where his Saints are moſt afflicted and ſtraitned, there he will ſupply with a greater meaſure of grace and enlargement. In Babylon of old, among the inveterate enemies of God and his Iſrael, God ſent an Ezekiel, Daniel, Ezra, &c. choice men, and Prophets of God, for their comfort and conſolation. So we often ſee in the moſt barbarous and wicked places of the World, that God ſends there the greateſt, ſoundeſt, and cleareſt light to his ſervants that dwels amongſt them; Epheſus, Smyrna, Pergamus, &c. places of Idolatry and cruelty, and where Satan's ſeat was, had their Angels, and Martyrs, that ſhined in true faith and godlineſs. The Churches of Chriſt of late years have ſhined more eminent in faith and holineſs, in Switzerland, in Saxony, in Savoy, and the barbarous corners of the Pyrenean mountains, and Alpes, then other places of the World; and ſo in England, and Scotland, under the Antichriſtian and perſecuting Biſhops of late, the Saints then living under them, did ſhine more eminent in their graces, then now they do in this their day of proſperity; and many then were more faithful Martyrs unto the truth of Chriſt, then now they are: for the more high Satan and his inſtruments are againſt the Saints, God's care over them is the more intenſe, and the meaſure of his graces the more enlarged towards them.
Obſ. 5. That it is the Saints great duty, and their highest glory, to hold faſt their faith and profeſsion of the truth, in the worſt times, and amongſt the worſt of people. The Church at Pergamus is approved for holding faſt Chriſt's Name and Faith, amongſt them in whom Satan did bear ſway, and in ſuch a time when Antipas was Martyred, and ſuffered death for the ſame profeſſion. It is an eaſy matter to carry a full ſail of profeſſion, when the ſoft gale of proſperity bloweth; neither is it any difficult matter for an hypocritical heart to ſeem godly with the godly, to be ſober with the ſober, or to be righteous amongſt the righteous: But the ſpirit of a man is then tried, when his habitation is amongſt the ungodly, that can keep himſelf ſound amongſt their corruptions, upright and perfect amongſt the unrighteous, and untainted with their follies, and ſweet, as Fiſhes in the Brackiſh Ocean. The three faithful children would not bow in Babylon, to Nebuchadnezzar's Image, though death it ſelf attended them: Be thou faithful unto the death, and thou ſhalt have a Crown of life. Many will follow Chriſt in ſmiling times, or when the State does countenance Chriſt and godlineſs; this is to follow Chriſt for the loaves ſake: But when Chriſt is hurried to Pilat's Hall of Judgment, his formal followers will forſake him, yea, Peter himſelf may deny him; weak Chriſtians may ſtumble and draw back, when Pillars of the Church, as Peter, fall ſo fouly. He is the only approved Chriſtian, that will hold his profeſſion faſt before the face of Nero and Diocleſian, as the virum victoriae which St. Austin mentions, and at the Stake, can freely with Stephen, forgive his enemies, and commend his ſpirit unto his God. Jo: Hus, Hierom of Prague, the poor Waldenſes, and our later Chriſtian Martyrs, as Bradford, Philpot, Glover, &c. in our Engliſh Marian days, hath with Antipas, for their conſtant witneſſing unto the truth and faith of Chriſt, attained the ever-living and honorable names of faithful Martyrs of Chriſt, and that moſt juſtly, in that they ſuffered in the worſt of times, when Antipas was ſlain, that is, in a perſecuting bloody age, when many godly perſons burnt at the Stake, and amongſt the worſt ſort of people, the wicked Antichriſtian, Tyranizing, and bloody Prelates, for holding faſt the profeſſion of the truth and faith, in ſuch ungodly times, and amongſt ſuch a diveliſh crew, amongſt whom Satan had his Throne, ſway, and full Dominion, they juſtly ſhall ever live, in the memory and hearts of all the faithful, as Reverend Martyrs unto Chriſt and his truth. Thus for a man to be a Lot in Sodom, never touched with Sodom's wickedneſs, to keep himſelf pure, and ſincere, and undefiled in the midſt of a crooked generation, to ſhine as a light in the midſt of darkneſs, this brings honor both to God and man.
Obſ. 6. The graces of well approved and faithful Chriſtians departed, are to be ſet forth as patterns and examples to the living, both for encouragement and imitation. Antipas is here ſet as an example of conſtancy and faithful Martyrdom unto Chriſt and his truth. It is great encouragement to the living, to have the pattern of former worthy men before them. It is ſaid, that it was the reading of Achilles life in Homer, that made Alexander ambitious to be his competitor in noble atchievments. Again Julius Ceſar taking up Alexander's example, endeavoured to be ſole Lord of the whole World. So alſo it is on a ſpiritual account; Abraham is called the Father of the faithful, for his approved faith in the promiſes of God, and they are his children, and the true ſeed of Abraham, that walk in the ſteps of faithful Abraham: And ſo Abraham, Abel, Enoch, Noah, Sarah, Moſes, &c. are made ever-living examples of faith and godlines, for imitation to all generations to come, Heb. 11. It much comforts us and bears up our ſpirits in ſufferings, when we hear that Chriſt our head and captain hath perfected our ſalvation by ſufferings, he having trodden to us our firſt this thorny way, let us not be aſhamed to take up our croſs and follow him, whenſoever he ſhall call us to it; and ſo in all things elſe in him, that are imitable by us, not as he was Mediator, but as a holy perſon, and head of his myſtical body, the Church; and ſo he preſents himſelf as a gracious example to his Diſciples, Jo. 13.15. For I have given you an example, that ye ſhould do as I have done to you. As he is the perfection of all the creatures, and the light it ſelf, and wiſdom of the Father, ſo ſure o all patterns and examples, his in the ways of grace, are moſt ſound, wiſe, and perfect; And bleſſed are they they that follow their Lord and Maſter, for he is the way and the life.