Annotations Upon the New Testament, Revelation · Chapter 2
CHAP. II.
Vers. 1. UNto the angell) Exprest in the singular number, to note the union and combination in a body and society.
He that boldeth] That is, Christ.
The seven stars] By stars are here meant the Ministers of the Word.
In his right hand] That is, strongly keeps them, to shew 1. His affection. 2. His care and protection.
The Stars 1. are heavenly bodies which shine with a borrowed light, so Ministers should shine as lights, but with a borrowed light. 2. Stars are in continuall motion for the good of the world, so should the Ministers be for the good of the Church.Mr Arrowsmith. 3. They differ from one another in glory, 1 Cor. 15. There are Stars of the first, second, and third magnitude, so Ministers differ from Apostles, and among themselves.
Vers. 4. Because thou hast left thy first love] Christ speakes not of the grace of Charity wholly, but of that degree and measure wherewith hee had been formerly adorned; he commends him for two notable fruits of faith and love which he did still exercise, v. 2.3. patience and constancie.
Vers. 5. And doe the first workes] That is use your former diligence
And will remove thy candlesticke out of his place] The Candlesticke is the Church. 1. Rev. vlt. That is, owne them no more for a visible Church. It is spoken of those that are of the carnall seed and externally graffed in onelyonly.
Vers. 10. Behold the Devill shall cast some of you into prison] That ye may bee tryed, and ye shall have tribulation ten dayes.] Though the Devill be malicious,His instruments, because like to him, as cruell, the Devill in Trajan say some. yet he is bounded by God *Mr. Harris. It shall neither bee so long a time as the Devill and wicked men would have it, for then they must never come out, nor so little a while as they themselves would have it, for then they would never come in, or stay but a while, but God will rule by determining the time for their good. Bifield.. 1. For persons, hee shall cast onelyonly some of you into prison, he would all. 2. For quality, cast them into prison, not take away their lives. 3. For the end, Satan wils the undoing of Gods people, but God their triall onelyonly. 4. The time that is set downe, ten dayes and no longer, God reckons not onelyonly the yeares but dayes of our sufferings. 5. The event or wages.
Ten dayes] That is, a long time ten in Scripture is numerus plenitudinis, thou hast changed my wages this ten times, saith Iacob to Laban, and they have provoked mee ten times, that is, often; or propheticall dayes, that is, ten yeares, so in Daniel; others take it indefinitely as Pareus, numerus certus pro incerto.
Be thou faithfull unto death, See 4.4.and I will give thee a crowne of life] The reward of life given to Saints in heaven, when they have striven as they ought to doe and gotten the victorie, is called a Crowne, 2 Tim. 2.5. or a Garland,Dr Rainolds against Harr. p. 482. Aeterna faelicitas dicitur corona, Primò, quia datur certantibus & vincentibus. Alludit enim ad pugiles, athio…os, aliosque luctantes in slatio vel agone, verbi gratia, Olympico. 1 Cor. 9.21. Secundò qu…a corona rotunda significat perfectionem & complexum honorum omnium & gaudiorum, principio & sine carentem instar circuli & coronae. Tertiò, quiae pretiosissima est instar coron… gemmis exornatae. â Lapide. by allusion to a custome that was among the Grecians. For such as got the masterie in their games of wrastling, or running, or the like, were crowned with a garland in token of victorie. See 1 Cor. 9.25. 1 Pet. 5.4.
It is called the Crowne of life, 1. to shew that the Saints who laid downe their life for Christ, did not lose it but change it for a better. 2. Because their glory and joy shall alwayes live, 1 Pet. 1.4. 1 Cor. 9.25. 3. Because life includes delights, glory, wisdome, and all good, they come from this life.
Vers. 15. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans] They thought 1. That wives ought to be common.Clemens Alexandrinus. strom. l. 3. Affirmat Nicolaum cum haberet uxorem liberali forma atque zelotypiae esset suspectus post Christi ascensionem, reprehensus ab Apostolis propter zelotypiam. Quo crimine ut so purgaret, dicitur produocisse uxorem in medium, atque ut doceret, se ab omni zelotypia alienum esse, permisisse, ut quicunque vellet, eam duceret, huic autem facto consentientem adjecit vocem, abutendum esse non ad scorcationem, imò potius concupiscentius carnis domandas esse carne. Quod sactum atque dictum Nicolai diaconi sine judicio accipientes, inquit Clemens Alexandrinus, atque impurè, qui ejus haeresin persequuntur, impudenter effuseque scortantur, atque docent licere cum alienis uxoribas commisceri atque carne abuti. Rainold de lib. Apoc. tomo secundo praelect. 109. 2. That it is lawfull to eate of the sacrifices of the Gentiles. 3. That whoredome is lawfull.
Vers. 17. To him that overcometh will I give to eate of the hidden manna] Manna hadAlludit ad concionem illam Domini quae scripta est Ioh. 6. Item ad…locum Davidis Psal. 105.40. Beza. Significat vitam aeternam, non Christum ut aliqui interpretantur, quae manna dicitur absconditum, quemadmodum Paulus dicit vitam nostram absconditam esse cum Christo. Col. 3.3. dicitur manna propter delitias beatitudinis. dew under it and dew over it,Dr Rainolds on Hos. 14.5, 6, 7. vses. as we may conjecture by comparing Exod. 16.12. with Numb. 11.9. Whereunto the Holy Ghost seemeth to allude, though it may likewise referre unto the pot of Manna which was kept in the Tabernacle. Exod. 16.32.33. Heb. 9.4. As our life is said to bee hid with Christ, now he is in heaven. Col. 3.3.
And will give him a white stone] White stones were in great use among the Romanes, and served:De hoc calculo varii sunt doctorum calculi. The Rhemists translate it a white Counter, This translation is false, unlearned and ridiculous. foreign calculum, the word in both tongues signifies a stone properly, in which they used to write the names of them that were elected to honour or absolved from crime.
1. To declare the victour or conquerer in proving masteries.
2. To acquit the accused in courts of justice.
Mos erat antiquis niveis atrisque lapillis.
His damnare reos, illis absolvere culpa.
3. To deliver suffrages in the election of Magistrates.
Upon all these senses this allegory toucheth. For this white stone is given in token of victory, vincenti dabo. 2. It is an evidence of our Iustification. 3. An assurance of our election to the kingdome of heaven.
And in the stone a new name *Nomen dignitate praestans. Pareus. Signum & indicium novitatis vitae. Iunius. Absolutorium in extremo judicio juxta promissionem Evangelii, Ioh. 5.24. Brightm.written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it] Beza, Bullenger, Pererius and other Expositors generally concurre upon filius Dei, which opinion they illustrate by other texts, viz. Rom. 8.15.16. and 1 Iohn 3.1.
The benefit of adoption is not known but by experience.
Impostores blasphemias suas vocabant profunditates, profunda mysteria, & abstrusam sapientiam, longe perfectiorem quam quae ab Apostolis praedicaretur, Christus concedit esse foreign profunditates, sed Satanae, à malo Daemone ex Orco inspiratas, eoque aversandas & exterminandas procul. Pareus in loc. 1 Tim. 4.1.Vers. 24. And which have not knowne the depths of Satan] That is, the darke opinions and false doctrines of seducers: These called their opinions depths or profundities, and the Holy Ghost addeth an epithete, depths of Satan. As if he had said, you call your opinions depths, and so they are, but they are such depths as Satan hath brought out of Hell, they are the whisperings and hissings of that serpent, not the inspirations of God.
A full injoying of himselfe Cartw. Pareus. Dr Tailors meditations from the creation.Vers. 28. And I will give him the morning starre] That is, Christ. See Rev. 22.16. I will communicate my selfe wholly unto him, and make him conformable unto mee in my glory.
1. The morning starre is the most bright and shining of all the starres in heaven, Christ in glory excelleth all men and Angels, as farre as the morning starre all the starres of heaven. 2. Pet. 1.19.
2. It communicates all his light to the world, so Christ to beleevers all light of grace and glory.
3. It dispelleth the nights darknesse, so Christ the darknesse of ignorance and errours wherein we were wrapped in the night of sinne.
4. It is anteambulo Solis, the sunnes harbinger, and forerunner of perfect day, so Christ is a pledge of our perfect day and future glory.