CA P. 3. 4Totlationefthe Apocalypfe the meaning, which dependeth on that which followeth , and is not Godly abfolute by it felf, as if he fhould fay, becatefe although thou h.ift but a Pkila- littleffrength, yet thou hat kept my gord, &c. That fortitude of a dc1phia. Chriftianminde is fo much the more glorious , that fheweth,it feltin the greateft danger ; And this manneroffpeaking is much ufed a- mong the Hebrews,who put the coupling particle and,for the (kiwi- dive though oryet ; whofe cuftome John often followeth. As, nei- therJhall_ira* begivenyou , andyou Jh.11 make the tale ofbricke, foryet yeJhall, &c. Exod. 5. 18. So, Andbehold fome that/hall efeape Jhall be left in her, forget behold, -c. Fuck 14.12. In the fame man- ner fpeaketh Ishnafterwards ; And the mendid rage and blafpheme, anddidnot repent, for, yet they did not repent, chap. 16.9. If he had praifed their little ftrength confidered apart_, how 1hoeild there not have been much corruption in it ? For this is wont to abound; where that which is oppofed againft it, is but finali and little. Sardù had but a few names, for which caufe death poffeffed the chief andgreat- eft part. Neither would the Holy Ghofi have pafffed over their cor- ruption in frlence,if he had found any worthyofreproofe. Where- fore the vulger tranflationmuft have that meaning , which I have fpoken of. This church hath but weake power and forces for her defence, as the whichdwelleth fcatteringly,and for the moil part un- der apopular flare. OneNation only hath a Monarch to be the Pa- tron of the church. But this church cannot do much,either withher own power, or with the powerful' help of thofe that be in league ofamity with her. The greater therefore is the praifeof thyvertue and courage (oPhiladelphia) which haft not yeelded nor (looped for all the threatnings ofthine adverfaries,neither haft thou forfaken the truth; being terrified with the vaine tèare, ofmen. 9. BeholdIgiveout of the SynagogueofSatan. Here is a leaving owtt of the words,fomemen; thus, IWill givecertainmen out ofthe Sy- nagogue of Satan, ofthole thatfay they are IeWe,,. Here is the future good which he telleth of, as we (hewed in the refolving ofthe E- piftle, and as may appear by the latter member of the verfe , I Will make them to come. Unleffeperhaps this verbe in the prefent tenfe in the beginning, Igive; refpeccl the prefent time, wherein force ofthe IeWes fubmitted themfelves unto this church,as it were for a taft and pawn oftheir fubjeftion that should enfue, which it may be that the Taft words fpeak of.We filmedupon ch.2.9.how they that be IeWs in lineage & difcent , do lye when they call themfelves le*s, name- ly by boafting that they alone are the peopleofGod, when as in the meane
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