Ch. 2. The Angel of Pergamos Revelation. commended andreprov'd.Ch. 2 but thou art rich in Grace : And I know that or unlefs the great corruption or violence of blafphemous sè4 that tempt and reproach thee, any Church do necefltate any to congregate by who by obtruding Molds Law on the Chur- themfelves, for their Safety and duty. For if ches, (or at lea(t fèem Jews to avoid their ma- thefaults of a Church, and anyof its Members, lice) do trouble the Churches againft Purity, be but tolerable Weakneffes, it Should not break Unity, andPeace, and areSatan s Synagogue, as their communion, but they bear with thus doing his work. and receive each other: but f they are insole. cable, for which God difowneth and forfaketh I o. Fear noneof thofe thingswhich them, or theirWorlttip they are no true Chur- thou (halt fuffer: behold, the devil ches, and mutt be forfaken of all, as no true Than call Some ofyou into prifon, that particularChriffians, and muff be caft out. ye may be tried, and ye thanhave tri- 13 I know thy works, and where halation ten days : be thou faithful thou dwelleft, even whereSatan's feat unto death, and I will give thee a is, atad thou holdeft faft my Name,and crown of life. haft not deniedmy faith, even in thofe to. Fear tant tho' thou mutt fttffer ;,and I days wherein Antipcs war my faithful foretell thee what thy fufferings will be : but martyr, who was flain among you, I will fullyreward thee. where Satan dwelleth. Note, a, Certainty of fuffering may cont.& 3. I know with Approbation all thy good with the conqueft ofcowardlyfear. Works, and that thoudwelleft where Satan ru- cu It is the Devil that in, ri histwind See- leth in the Heathen multitude, having therean rants do r it by Se Temptation. Idol-Temple, andRaman perfecuting powers; 3. Prifonsand Perfecutions are for the tryal and that yet thou haft held Fa(} the Profetï on òfthe Faithful ; ohr care thereforewaft be,that of Chriipanity, sad not deny'dme in Perfecu- tion, even in the days when Satan's Inflru- we fall not in the tryaL ments murder'd myfaithful Martyr , 9nt¡ es. to 4. hee fen days is a Short time, yetfeemeth long 1Jare. We have no other certain Hiftory of s. The Crown ofLifeEverlafiingg is the fare Intipas, and his cafe, but only the uncertain Reward of trueMartyrdomand Perfevs the Stories of Meraphrafles, and the Menology. No Y doubt but there were many Martyrs, whole tryal. I3fory is not coin down to us; but Chrift e hath honour 'd lntipas by his Sacred Record: I. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the fpirit faith unto the The timeof his frittering is unknown. churches. He that overcortleth, Thal! 14. But I havea few things againft not be hurt of the fecond death. thee, becaufe thou haft there them It. Thefè Warnings of the Spirit to the that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who Churches are recorded as of great concernment taught Balac to call a flumbling- h1oC1 for all. It is they that overcome the Love of b this Life and World, even untodeath, if God before the children of Ifrael, to eat call them to Martyrdom, that Shall efcape that things facrificed unto idols, and to forer fecond Death chat, after this Life, will commit fornication. befal the Ungodly. t4. Tho' all this Goodbe Found in thee, I 12. And to the angel of the church am offended that thou fo conniveft at the Here- in fie write, Thefe things faith of the Salle Teachers, as to admit fame of he which hath the Tharp ftvord with them in your communion, who, as Dalaaan for Gain taught Balac how toenGrare the *web/es two edges. into Sin by Women, fo they lay. Snares and of Pergamos, Paftors and the People ofthe Clara, Temptations before Men, by teaching them, Y 8 that it is lawfal to eat things offer'd to Idols, that path his dreadful Juftice as well as faving and to commit Forniéatiou. Mercy, fendeth this Me¡raga. Noss ; Had not this auras tolerated theft sil- Nite. Once for all here note, that Churches thy limericks in their Communion, Chrisî were thennam'd fromCities, becaufe Proximi- would not' have blam'd them for their meet ty was needful to Communion : And among Neishboui$ood. Chriftians there should be fo great Unity, that s 5, So ha{{ thou álf'o them that hold they that live in one Proximity ( like our Pa- the dottrine of the Nicolaitans which riffles or Towns) should always be of one , Church, unlefs the üncapable multitude force things I hate. them to divide in one City into manyChurches $ t s. And thou hateyet in thy Communion firer in which f?ill.Proximity fhould be obferv'd ; that huId theDodrine of the Nirolaitans, which tnaketh
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