C A P.1, 41 evelatio;<a ofthe Apocalypre, 29 docirine ofthe Gofpell, a certainpeftilent fuperflition;by this impious blafphemy, declaring not fo much his own, as thecommon hatred cf all the Heathen againft it, Book t,<. Suetonius telleth how the Chri- (hians were affliCied & punifhed,whom he defcribeth to be a kinde of menofa ftrange and noyfome fuperflition, in Neroes life, chap. 16: `Plinie a very prudent and learnedman,in a certain Epiftle to Tra- jane,fingeth the fame long, writing that himfilf,When at he had by tortures enquired the truth oftWo Maydenr, Which Werefaidto be fer- vants tocertain Chriftians,found out nothingbut a Wickedand an excef- fsve /uperflition, the contagion Whereofhadoverrun,not the Cities onely, but the Villages and Country-territoriesbefides. How rude a beating of waves together, and voyd ofall fenfible matter, feemed the noire of the truth to thefe men ? Their cares were filled with a found, whereof they underftood no meaning. We Thal( fee notwithiland- ing in the next chapter, how there men, though heathens,belonged to Epheftu.. But not onely this kinde of men accounted ofthe faving truth as a Barbarous thing, but many also of the Chr Aians , fo cal - led,in the Churches ofSmyrna, Perganeus,andthofe that follownext after them. Errours and perverfe opinions did fo poffeffe manyof them, that they waxed deafagainft found doctrine, neither percei- ved they any fweetneife thereof, as (hall be more plaine in the next chapter. 16. Hehad in his right handfevenflat-. The teachers ofthe truth ( for thefebe the ftars, as is taught beneath in the zo. verre) being toiled and troubled withmany evills, fhould be fo defended with his powerfull right hand, that they lhould be made able to prevaile againft all calamities. This, though it be common to _all Churches, yet it is feen cheifely in thofe, Where thefeet burn in the fiirnace, and the truth iseither not heard, or not underftood ; There (hall we fee ma- ny put todeath, but yet in the room ofone,many to fpringup;neither dóth the powerof this right hand defending them , thus only ap- peare, but afro by making them able to efcape thofe fnares,which the wicked-ones did lay to entrap his Embaffadors, eAnd a two edgedmordout of his month. This fword is themolt powerfull wordof Cod, morepiercing then any tWo edgedfword, it fearcheth the reines, and giveth fentence againft the ungodly and un- beleeverr;neither doth any one jot or leaft tittle ofit vanifh away. It° woondeth and killeth , bringing in thofe calamities upon fingers which it denounceth againft them. Now it proceedetta out ofhis mouth, becaufe in the Church of Pergamsu, Chrifl fhould approve his
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